Patent Application
20160362230
The present invention relates generally to a segmented retention closure that joins with a container for receiving, holding, dispensing, and orienting at least one item through at least one aperture and at least one gap. More so, a segmented retention closure provides a panel and a rim, wherein the rim is adapted to detachably attach the closure with a container, and at least one gap segregates the panel into a plurality of panel sections, and the gap is in communication with an aperture, such that the aperture and the panel sections change in shape and size to conform to the size and dimension of the item for receiving, holding, dispensing, and orienting the item.
The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.
It is recognized that a storage bucket can be used to retain items. Often, these items can be stored and carried within specifically designed organizational containers. It is only natural that gardening tools, cables, and baseballs be stored and transported similarly. Traditionally, buckets, tool boxes, caddies, racks, hangers, and shelves have been used to store these items.
Often, tool and equipment organization allows for more efficient work activities and more enjoyable leisure activities. For example, a job site or activity may be remote from the location of tool or equipment storage. A device organizing tools and or equipment generally saves the user time. It is often desirable to have ready accessibility of the tool and or equipment. An organizing container may be a specifically designed container or an existing container easily adapted to carry the needed item, tool, equipment, accessory and the like.
It is known that existing containers, such as empty 5-gallon buckets, have long been use to carry tools, gardening implements, sporting equipment, cleaning supplies and the like. Buckets have been the focus of add-on devices to organize tools and equipment in or on the bucket. There are various coverings that fit in, on, around and or over a bucket and come with various configurations of openings and holding mechanisms. Most covers that are adapted for a five gallon bucket screw on to the bucket, clip to, or tie over the bucket.
Often, organizing containers are made for a single type of use and are not adaptable for cross uses. Organizers for fishing supplies and painting equipment exist, but are difficult to adapt for use in each other's area or for any additional uses. Buying multiple organizing containers to hold items specific for each use is expensive and multiple organizing containers consume space.
In many instances, the items fall out of the organizing container inadvertently. Finding a lid that securely attaches to the opening in the organizing container can be problematic. And even when a lid is found, accessing the items inside requires removing the lid and replacing it after obtaining the item. This can be time consuming, especially when time is of the essence.
Even though the above lids and caps address some of the needs of the market, a segmented retention closure that joins with a container for receiving, holding, dispensing, and orienting at least one item that passes through at least one aperture and at least one gap is needed.
This invention is directed towards a segmented retention closure that joins with a container for receiving, holding, dispensing, and orienting at least one item that passes through at least one aperture and at least one gap. In one possible embodiment, the segmented retention closure, hereafter, “closure”, is a generally circular lid that is adapted to detachably attach to a five gallon bucket for enabling accessible storage, upright retention, and facilitated retrieval of at least one item, such as, but not limited to, general debris, a handle for a gardening tool, a baseball, a baseball bat, and a spool of rope or wire, and a string of lights. The closure creates a synergy with the container, such that the container can store the item, and the closure can maintain the item inside the container while enabling facilitated access to the item, and orienting the item in a desired position for access from outside the container.
The closure comprises a panel and a rim. The rim forms a flanged perimeter around the panel. The rim is adapted to detachably attach the panel to an opening of the container. The rim may include an inner ridge that forms various fastening mechanisms with the opening of the container, including, without limitation, a snap fit fastening mechanism, a threaded fastening mechanism, a magnetic fastening mechanism, or an adhesive fastening mechanism. In any case, the rim enables secure, yet detachable attachment between the closure and the container.
The panel is sized and dimensioned to substantially cover the opening of the container. The panel is defined by an outer face, an inner face, a perimeter region, and a central region. At least one gap extends from the perimeter region to the central region of the panel. The at least one gap segregates the panel into a plurality of panel sections. The gap forms a break in the panel, such that each panel section has freedom to bend, laterally flex, and fold in relation to the other sections. In this manner, the gap is configured to conform to the shape and dimensions of the at least one item for receiving, holding, dispensing, and orienting the item.
In some embodiments, at least one aperture also forms in the panel. The aperture may be concentrically disposed on the panel. In one embodiment, the aperture forms a terminus for the gap at the concentric region of the panel, whereby the gap and the aperture are in communication. In this configuration, the gap runs into an inner surface of the aperture, causing the aperture to be segmented in alignment with the gap. The segmented aperture may, then bend, laterally flex, and fold into itself to conform to the shape and dimensions of the at least one item.
In one alternative embodiment, multiple apertures of various shapes and dimensions may be disposed anywhere along the panel. In any case, both the gap and the aperture are sufficiently flexible so as to receive, retain, dispense, and orient the item. Though in one embodiment, only the aperture is used for receiving, retaining, dispensing, and orienting the item.
A first aspect of the present invention provides a segmented retention closure for receiving, holding, dispensing, and orienting at least one item, comprises:
In a second aspect, the closure comprises a lid.
In another aspect, the closure is configured to detachably attach to a container.
In another aspect, the container is a five gallon bucket.
In another aspect, the panel is generally circular.
In yet another aspect, the panel has a diameter of about 11⅞ inches.
In yet another aspect, the rim comprises an inner ridge,
In yet another aspect, the inner ridge is configured to engage an opening in the container in a snap fit mating relationship.
In yet another aspect, the rim comprises a tab.
In yet another aspect, the tab enables facilitated detachment of the panel from the container.
In yet another aspect, the tab is about ¾ inches wide.
In yet another aspect, the rim comprises an outer lip and a fin.
In yet another aspect, the at least one gap is about ⅛ inch wide.
In yet another aspect, the gap is configured to receive, hold, dispense, and orient at least one item.
In yet another aspect, the at least one item includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of: general debris, a handle for a gardening tool, a baseball, a baseball bat, and a spool of rope or wire, and a string of lights.
In yet another aspect, the at least one gap is curved.
In yet another aspect, the at least one gap has a radius of curvature of about 6⅛ inches.
In yet another aspect, the at least one aperture includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of: holes, slots, slits, grooves, cut-outs, holes, and notches.
In yet another aspect, the at least one aperture has a diameter of about 1 inch.
In yet another aspect, the closure is fabricated from a UV resistant plastic.
In yet another aspect, the at least one aperture is configured to receive, hold, dispense, and orient the at least one item.
One objective of the present invention is to provide a closure that mates with any variety of containers, such as five gallon buckets.
Another objective is to provide at least one aperture and at least one gap that are size adjustable for receiving and holding a variety of items having different shapes and dimensions.
Another objective is to provide at least one aperture that is concentrically located on the panel, and sized and dimensioned to receive a baseball, a handle for a gardening tool, and a string of lights.
Another objective is to provide variously shaped and dimensioned apertures to adapt to items with correlating shapes and dimensions.
Another objective is to provide a means for organized storage of at least one item.
Another objective is to enable facilitated removal of the at least one item with minimal amount of force.
Another objective is to create at least one gap and a plurality of panel sections that forms a decorative effect for the closure.
These and other advantages of the invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following written specification, claims and appended drawings.
The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views of the drawings.
The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “rear,” “right,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
In one possible embodiment, the segmented retention closure 100, hereafter, “closure 100”, comprises a panel 108 and a rim 102 that are configured to detachably attach over an opening in the container. The closure 100 is configured to substantially match the shape and dimension of the opening in the container. In some embodiments, the container may include, without limitation, a five gallon bucket, a wash bucket, a barrel, a box, a tub, a cup, and a golf club caddy.
As illustrated in
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In some embodiments, the gap 116a-e forms a generally S-shape and has a width of about ⅛″. This configuration forms generally star-shaped panel sections 110a-e. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the shape and width of the gap 116a-e may be adjusted to vary the flexibility of the panel sections 110a-e, or to create a decorative effect on the panel 108. Further, each gap 116a-e may have a different width and/or a different shape.
In some embodiments, at least one aperture 118 also forms in the panel 108. The aperture 118 includes an inner surface 120. The inner surface 120 may include a resilient material that stretches to enable a hand or an elongated item to pass through. In one embodiment, the aperture 118 forms a terminus for the gap 116a-e at the concentric region of the panel 108, whereby the gap 116a-e and the aperture 118 are in communication. For example, the aperture 118 is concentrically disposed on the panel 108. In this configuration, the gap 116a-e runs into the inner surface 120 of the aperture 118, causing the aperture 118 to be segmented in alignment with the gap 116a-e, as shown in
In one alternative embodiment, multiple apertures of various shapes and dimensions may be disposed anywhere along the panel 108. For example, a square shaped aperture positions on one end of the panel 108, and a circular aperture forms on an opposite end of the panel 108. In any case, both the gap 116a-e and the aperture 118 are sufficiently flexible so as to receive, retain, dispense, and orient the item. Though in one embodiment, only the aperture 118 may receive, retain, dispense, and orient the items. The aperture 118 may include, without limitation, a hole, a slot, a slit, a groove, a cut-out, and a notch.
In one exemplary operation of the closure 100, a lawn care professional on a lawn mower carries a five gallon bucket and an attached closure 100 on the back of a lawn mower. The lawn care professional can store an extendable grabber in the bucket. The grabber may be used to pick up the debris and then deposit the debris into the five gallon bucket.
In another exemplary use, the closure 100 is efficacious for retaining baseballs. In this manner, a user may reach into the aperture 118 and grab a baseball from a plurality of baseballs. The baseballs will remain secured in the container because of the closure 100 that covers the opening. In yet another alternative embodiment, the closure 100 combined with the container forms a novel storage for a string of lights, such as Christmas lights. The lights may be coiled into the container and then pulled out in a neat and orderly fashion through the aperture 118. In one possible embodiment, a first aperture can be used to extract the lights and a second aperture can be used to coil the lights into the container.
Since many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalence.
