Patent Application
20170101216
Containers are often used to hold food or drink. A person will generally use separate containers for holding different kinds of food and drink. Although it can be burdensome if no tables are present to put containers down on, people endeavor to eat and drink out of several containers simultaneously. A person may need to put one container down before engaging with another container. Moreover, mobility is limited when a person's hands are full with containers. Not only is a person limited in what activities he or she may pursue, but he or she is also faced with the risk of spilling the contents while moving.
Described is an apparatus for pivotally connecting containers using engagement members. An apparatus comprises a first container comprising a first engagement member and a second container comprising a second engagement member. The two containers are connected using engagement members via coupling members comprised therein. The coupling members enable the first container to pivot with respect to the second container.
In another embodiment, the apparatus comprises a first container, a second container and a double coupler for coupling the first container and the second container. The first container comprises a first engagement member and the second container comprises a second engagement member. The double coupler may comprise two male coupling members to couple with a first female coupling member on the first engagement member of the first container and a second female coupling member on the second engagement member of the second container. The coupling members enable the first container to pivot with respect to the second container.
In a further embodiment, the apparatus comprises a first container, a second container and a double coupler for coupling the first container and the second container. The first container comprises a first engagement member and the second container comprises a second engagement member. The double coupler may comprise two female coupling members to couple with a first male coupling member on the first engagement member of the first container and a second male coupling member on the second engagement member of the second container. The engagement members enable the first container to pivot with respect to the second container.
The present invention may be further understood with reference to the following description and the appended drawings, wherein like elements are provided with the same reference numerals. The exemplary embodiments show a system, method and apparatus to pivotally connect containers using engagement members having coupling members embodied therein. The coupling members pivotally couple the containers allowing rotation of containers with respect to each other.
The first container 102 comprises a first engagement member 106. The first engagement member 106 may be molded onto the container 102 during the manufacturing process or subsequently attached to the container 102 by any known means, such as screwing, clipping, gluing using any suitable adhesive, etc. The first engagement member 106 may comprise, without limitation, a male coupling member or a female coupling member. In
The second container 104 comprises a second engagement member 108. The second engagement member 108 may be molded onto the container 104 during the manufacturing process or subsequently attached to the container 104 in the same manners as described above for the first engagement member 106. The second engagement member 108 may comprise, without limitation, a male coupling member or a female coupling member. In
It should be noted that the containers 102, 104 may comprise a shape such that when connected via the engagement members 106, 108, the bottom surfaces of the containers 102, 104 may be aligned on the same plane so that the containers 102, 104 may be placed on a flat surface, such as a table, and the bottoms will lay flat providing stability. However, the bottom surfaces aligning in the same plane is not a requirement and it is also possible that the bottom surfaces of the containers 102, 104 may be angled with respect to each other such that the bottom surfaces lie in intersecting planes.
The first container 102 and second container 104 are connected via the coupling members. For example, a male coupling member from the second engagement member 108 may be inserted into a female coupling member of the first engagement member 106.
In both
In another example, a male coupling member of the first engagement member may be screwed into a female coupling member of the second engagement member. Such a configuration resembles a nut and bolt arrangement. When the male coupling member is fully screwed into the female coupling member, the coupling members may rotate with respect to each other. These examples are not meant to limit the exemplary embodiments in any way and any coupling method that allows a freedom of rotation may be utilized without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments.
The apparatus shown in either
For example, as shown in
The apparatus 400 further comprises a double coupler 410. The double coupler comprises two coupling members 412 and 414, arranged on opposite sides of the double coupler 410. If both coupling members 412, 414 of the double coupler 410 are female coupling members, the first female coupling member 412 couples with a male coupling member of the first engagement member 406 and the second female coupling member 414 couples with a male coupling member of the second engagement member 408. If both coupling members 412, 414 of the double coupler 410 are male coupling members, the first male coupling member 412 couples with a female coupling member of the first engagement member 406 and the second male coupling member 414 couples with a female coupling member of the second engagement member 408. If the double coupler comprises one male coupling member and one female coupling member, the male coupling member couples with a female coupling member on the first engagement member 406 and the female coupling member couples with a male coupling member on the second engagement member 408.
The double coupler 410 locks securely with the engagement members 406 and 408 and prevents any unintended detachment. Once the first container 402, the second container 404 and the double coupler 410 are securely coupled, the containers may pivot with respect to the each other.
In any one of the preceding embodiments, placement of the engagement member on each container may be in the upper half of the respective side surfaces. Higher placement of the engagement member provides higher stability. Height of the engagement member in each container need not be identical to be in accordance with the scope of the exemplary embodiments. In one exemplary embodiment, the height of the engagement members may be based on the center of gravity of the containers, e.g., the engagement members are placed above the center of gravity. This placement with respect to the center of gravity allows the containers to continuously be oriented in a manner to prevent contents from spilling from the containers when a user is holding the other connected container.
In any one of the apparatus shown above, a third container may be additionally coupled utilizing any one method described above. For example, a first container may be coupled to a second container utilizing an engagement member on the first container comprising a male coupling member and a first engagement member on the second container comprising a female coupling member. The second container may be coupled to a third container utilizing a second engagement member on the second container comprising a second female coupling member and an engagement member on the third container comprising a male coupling member. In another example, two double couplers may be used to couple three containers.
Although the exemplary embodiments and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alterations of the exemplary embodiments can be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims. Some of these have been discussed above and others will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
