Patent Application
20160158776
1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a spray bottle having a storage area and methods thereof. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a spray bottle having a top reservoir and a bottom storage compartment for storing refill packets or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Spray bottles for spraying household and industrial liquid products are convenient for applying liquid products to desired surface areas. Most conventional spray bottles include a spray cap detachably mounted to the neck of a bottle with a dip tube or straw extending from the spray head into the body of the bottle. The fluid inside the bottle is pumped or drawn through the dip tube and out of the nozzle of spray head. Unfortunately, prior art spray bottles available commercially come filled with a fixed amount of liquid product and after the liquid product is depleted the bottles are typically discarded. As a result, many of these spray bottles are only used once, and must be replaced by additional bottles increasing the cost to the consumer and having a potential negative environmental impact caused by the discarded bottles.
Some solutions to this problem have included smaller bottles of concentrated “refill” solutions to be added to the spray bottle and diluted and mixed with water to produce the fixed amount of liquid product. These refills are packaged in their own bottles that require storage space in the consumer's home or the retailer's shelf space. These smaller bottles must also be discarded after the refill is used. As such, while the problems with spray bottles can be reduced by separate smaller bottles with refill solution, the costs of the refill bottles and the need to discard them make them an ineffective solution. There is no existing solution for storing refill material in an efficient matter that eliminates the need for secondary bottles that need to be discarded.
As such, there is a need for a spray bottle for storing refill material in an efficient matter that eliminates the need for secondary bottles that need to be discarded.
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a spray bottle that may comprise a spray head for spraying liquid contained within the spray bottle; a bottle for storing the liquid, the bottle comprising a bottle attachment; a compartment for storing items, the compartment comprising a storage attachment adapted to detachably attach to the bottle attachment.
In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a spray bottle apparatus may comprise a spray head for spraying liquid contained within the spray bottle; a bottle for storing the liquid, the bottle comprising a bottle attachment; a compartment for storing items, the compartment comprising a storage attachment adapted to detachably attach to the bottle attachment; and wherein the bottle attachment and the storage attachment comprise inversely threaded portions adapted to couple with each other.
In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for using a spray bottle may comprise providing a bottle apparatus comprising: a spray head for spraying liquid contained within the spray bottle; a bottle for storing the liquid, the bottle comprising a bottle attachment; a compartment for storing items, the compartment comprising a storage attachment adapted to detachably attach to the bottle attachment; wherein the bottle attachment and the storage attachment comprise inversely threaded portions adapted to couple with each other; and wherein the compartment comprises a compartment wall surrounding a storage area adapted to store refill packets. removing the compartment by unscrewing the compartment from the bottle; removing a refill packet; removing the spray head and inserting a refill packet within the bottle; filling the bottle with a liquid and allowing the refill packet to react to the liquid and release a concentrated substance, thereby diluting the concentrated substance in the liquid; replacing the spray head; and reattaching the compartment by screwing the compartment into the bottle.
So the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of embodiments of the present invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of embodiments encompassed within the scope of the present invention, and, therefore, are not to be considered limiting, for the present invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments, wherein:
The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word “may” is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include”, “including”, and “includes” mean including but not limited to. To facilitate understanding, like reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate like elements common to the figures.
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a spray bottle having a storage area and methods thereof. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a spray bottle having a top reservoir and a bottom storage compartment for storing refill packets or the like.
The bottle apparatus 100 may comprise plastic, metal, glass, and/or any sturdy material that is adapted to hold a composition in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. A composition may comprise, for example, cleaning compositions, gardening compositions, pest control compositions, and/or the like. The storage capacity may generally comprise 4 ounces to 100 ounces of liquid, but smaller and larger capacity sizes are contemplated by and within embodiments of the present disclosure. For example the storage capacity of a spray bottle may comprise 12 ounces, 24 ounces, 60 ounces, and/or the like. The bottle may be translucent or it may be opaque. In some embodiments, the apparatus 100 may comprise indicia for measurement, advertising labels, messages, and/or the like.
Generally, the bottle apparatus 100 may be formed to store a liquid composition in the bottle 104 and other items, such as refill packets, in the compartment 106, or the like. By way of example, the container may comprise concentrated liquids in water-soluble packets for placing within the bottle 104 when the initial level of liquid composition is depleted. The concentrated liquids may comprise, for example, concentrated carpet cleaner, glass cleaner, disinfectant, weed killer, fertilizer, pest control liquid, and/or the like. In use, the user may use the bottle apparatus 100 until an initial amount of liquid stored in the bottle 104 is depleted. When the user desires to refill the bottle 104, the user will detach the compartment 106 from the bottle 104, remove a water-soluble refill packet containing concentrated liquid material, remove the spray head, place the refill packet in the bottle, add water to release the liquid material within the refill packet and dilute the liquid material to a useable or optimized level of concentration, replace the compartment 106 and the spray head 102, and resume use of the bottle apparatus 100 with a full bottle 104.
In exemplary embodiments, the spray head 102 may comprise a standard manual pump spray head. In some embodiments, the spray head 102 may be utilized by manual pumping, electric pumping, and/or the like. The spray head 102 may draw liquid up a tube 116, which may comprise a siphon tube, and force the liquid out of a nozzle. The spray head 102 may or may not be adjustable, as to select between squirting a stream, aerosolizing a mist, or dispensing a spray, and/or the like. In some embodiments, dispensing the liquid is generally powered by the user's efforts and/or by an electronic means such as a battery powered spray head, pump, and/or the like. The spray head 102 may comprise a spray attachment 128, such as a screw cap, or the like, adapted to connect the spray head 102 to the bottle 104.
In exemplary embodiments, a bottle 104 may generally comprise a handle 107, a bottle wall 126, a reservoir 118, an upper lip 112, a bottle attachment, and/or the like. A bottle wall 126 may be made out of material that is unreactive to the liquids stored within the bottle and may be sufficiently sturdy to resist breaking when dropped and/or resist being pierced. The reservoir 118 may be e adapted to hold a liquid and may generally follow the contour of the bottle wall 126. The reservoir 118 may comprise a storage space sufficient to hold a predetermined amount of liquid composition, for example, 24 ounces of liquid, or the like. The bottle 104 may comprise any shape that allows the bottle to have a bottle attachment 108 positioned at the bottom of the bottle 104.
In exemplary embodiments, the bottle attachment 108 may comprise a member formed to mate with and/or detachably attach to, a portion of the compartment 106. The bottle attachment 108 may mate with a storage attachment 110 of the compartment 106.
The bottle attachment 108 may be set in off an outer edge of the bottle such that the diameter of the bottle attachment 108 is less than the diameter or outside perimeter of the portion of the bottle 104 immediately above the bottle attachment 108 on a lower portion of the bottle 104. The bottle attachment 108 may be offset such from the lower outermost edge of the bottle 104 such that an upper lip 112 is formed adjacent the outer perimeter of a lower portion of the bottle 104. The upper lip 112 may attach at a perpendicular connection point to the attachment 108, or may connected at an angle. The upper lip 112 may generally comprise a flat surface extending from the an outer lowermost portion of the compartment wall 126 inwardly to the bottle attachment 108. The bottle attachment 108 may comprise a lower surface covering an entire area between the perimeter and/or circumference of the lowermost outer perimeter of the bottle attachment 108. The bottle attachment 108 may comprise a flat bottom or a substantially curved or angled portion, and/or the like. In some embodiments, a hollow portion may be disposed in an area between immediately above a surface covering the bottom of the bottle attachment 108 and immediately below a floor portion of the reservoir 118 and may be sealed by the floor portion of the reservoir and the surface covering the bottom of the bottle attachment 108. In some embodiments, the reservoir 118 may extend into the bottle attachment 108 to the surface covering the bottom of the bottle attachment 108, thereby creating more storage space by allowing more contents to be stored immediately above the surface covering the bottom of the bottle attachment 108 and under a horizontal plane running through the uppermost portion of the upper lip 112, and/or the like.
In one embodiment, the bottle attachment 108 may comprise screw threads that couple with the storage attachment 110, which may comprise inversely threaded threads. Treading may be disposed on an outer surface of the bottle attachment 108 and inverse threading that couples with the threading disposed on an outer surface of the bottle attachment 108 may be disposed on the storage attachment on an inner surface of the compartment 106. The bottle attachment 108 may also comprise one or more protrusions for snapping into and coupling with the storage attachment 110. The bottle 104 may generally be detachably attached to the compartment 106 by way of the bottle attachment 108 and the corresponding storage attachment 110. In some embodiments, the bottle 104 may be substantially rounded such that rotation of the bottle 104 may allow the bottle attachment 108 to screw into and/or attach to the storage attachment 110 wherein a connection area 120 is formed and the upper lip 112 meets an upper portion of the compartment 106. In some embodiments, the bottle 104 may comprise a protrusion allowing it to snap into the compartment 106 or vice versa. For example, the connection area may protrude outwardly and fit with a corresponding indentation in the compartment 106 creating a snap fit. The bottle 104 and the compartment 106 may also connect via alternative connection means, such as hook/loop fasteners, adhesive, friction fit, interference fit, press fit, snaps, clips, and/or the like. While a bottle 104 with a rounded reservoir 118 and compartment 106 is generally depicted in the figures, other shapes are contemplated by and within embodiments of the present disclosure. For example the reservoir 118 and/or compartment 106 may comprise a cross-section or outer surface generally comprising a circle, oval, parallelogram, square, rectangle, pentagon, hexagon, octagon shape, and/or the like.
In exemplary embodiments, the compartment 106 may be adapted to store items and may be adapted to mate with the bottle 104. The compartment 106 may comprise a compartment wall 124, a storage area 122, a storage attachment 110, a lower lip 114, and/or the like. The compartment 106 may be of any size and/or shape adapted to hold items such as water soluble refill packets, and/or the like. The compartment 106 may be rounded such that rotation of the compartment 106 while aligning the storage attachment 110 with the bottle attachment 108 would allow the storage attachment 110 to mate with the bottle attachment 108 via corresponding threading, whereby the bottle 104 and the compartment 106 are detachably attached at a connection area 120. The bottle attachment 108 may comprise screw threads and the storage attachment 110 may comprise screw threads formed to couple with the threads disposed on the bottle attachment 108, thereby allowing the bottle attachment 108 to couple with and/or screw into the storage attachment 110. A compartment wall 126 may be made out of material that is unreactive to the items stored within the compartment 106 and may be sufficiently sturdy to resist breaking when dropped and/or resist being pierced. The storage area 122 may be e adapted to hold items such as water soluble refill packets and may generally follow the contour of the compartment wall 124. The storage area 122 may comprise a storage space sufficient to hold a predetermined amount items, for example 4-8 refill packets, and/or the like. The compartment 106 may comprise any shape that allows the compartment 106 to have a compartment attachment 110 positioned at the top of the compartment 106. The compartment 106 may generally comprise an area for storage and may be adapted to couple with and/or detachably attach to a bottle 104, so that when the bottle 104 runs out of liquid, a refill is readily available in the compartment 106, and/or the like.
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While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. For example, although numerous embodiments having various features have been described herein, combinations of such various features in other combinations not discussed herein are contemplated within the scope of embodiments of the present invention.
