Patent Application
20130213996
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The Turn Up is a container assembly which allows the consumer to move the contents upward as they get low in the container. The concept is that as the container's turned separate from the base that it's connected to, the contents inside move upward allowing easy access at all times, while keeping food off of the consumer's hands.
Prior to The Turn Up no container has been able to provide linear motion of its contents while maintaining a watertight seal inside. This watertight seal is vital to ensuring liquid contents don't leak out of the bottom of the container when stored, or in use. The Turn Up enables this watertight linear motion through the use of a gradually uncompressed spring. By use of his gradually uncompressed spring a platform is pushed upwards during operation, which the contents rest upon inside the container. By pushing the platform from the bottom (instead of it moving along a track) a watertight seal is maintained at all times. The Turn Up also ensures there is no material protruding into the section of the container where the contents are stored, this enables the contents to be scooped out of the container.
The field of endeavor to which The Turn Up pertains would be food containers and packaging as it will primarily be used for containment and dispensing of food products such as but not limited to condiments and dips.
The keywords used in this prior art search include: food, container, dispenser, and spring.
The keywords and combinations thereof were entered into the following search engines and databases: www.uspto.gov, www.surfip.gov.sg, www.westlaw.com, ep.espacenet.com.
Prior art which may be of most concern with respect to novelty and non-obviousness are the following items listed below: 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7.
Summary of the Patent and Patent Application Search:
1. Patent on food dispenser with bottom that moves up with a screw mechanism.
2. Patent on deodorant dispenser with bottom that moves up with screw mechanism.
3. Patent on a butter dispenser with a bottom that moves with a screw mechanism.
4. Patent on a food dispenser whose mechanism includes a spring.
5. Patent on the Original propel-repel type dispenser.
Summary of the Journal and General Publication Search:
6. Online instructions on how to convert deodorant container to food spreading device.
Summary of the Marketing and Business Search:
7. Food gun manufacturer.
(Note: Each patent abstract's main differences are highlighted in red. The patent is also followed by a comparison with my product The Turn Up.)
1. Patent on food dispenser with bottom that moves up with a screw in mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,530: Spreadable food dispenser
Filing Date: Jul. 31, 2003
Patent Assignee: none
http://patft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=6932530
A container for dispensing a spreadable food product consists of a housing, a platform positioned within the housing for supporting the spreadable food product, a dispensing mechanism mounted in the housing and attached to the platform for moving the platform from the bottom end of the housing towards the open top end of the housing along an axis for dispensing the spreadable food product, and a cover for covering the housing when not in use. The top end may be of convex, concave, slotted or other shapes and designs.
Differences from My Product:
My container does not have a dispensing mechanism attached to the platform and does not work with a screw mechanism. Instead, the platform rests on top of a spring and is pushed upward gradually by the spring. This upward motion is a result of gradually releasing the spring's potential energy by rotating the container.
By having the dispensing mechanism attached to the platform, or for the platform to move along a dispensing mechanism, a watertight seal cannot be achieved. With a screw based movement the gap between the threads cannot provide sealing between the upper and lower side of the platform. In order for the platform to move linearly along the axis this way there must be some type of penetration of the platform. The dispensing mechanism allows liquids to leak past the platform into the lower part of the container because there isn't a watertight seal between the platform and the screw mechanism. Also this screw mechanism would protrude above the platform at all times until the platform comes to its topmost point. This screw mechanism protruding upward would get in the way of “scooping” the contents out of the container.
With my product a spring is initially compressed within the bottom housing where its potential energy is stored. Through rotation this potential energy is released gradually providing linear movement with no penetration of the platform or cylinder walls therefore providing complete sealing of the upper part of the cylinder from the lower part, allowing liquids to be stored.
2. Patent on deodorant dispenser with bottom that moves up with screw mechanism,
U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,708: Refillable Deodorant Dispenser
Filing Date: Aug. 1, 2000
Patent Assignee: none
http://patft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=6095708
A new refillable deodorant dispenser for reducing costs associated with deodorants and antiperspirants. The inventive device includes a generally cylindrical container that holds liquid deodorant therein and has an open upper end and a lower end. A roller ball is rotatably disposed in the container and protrudes from the upper end of the container. A cap portion has a closed upper end and an open lower end. The lower end of the cap portion is removably coupled to the upper end of the container. In one embodiment, the container has a collar portion that is removably coupled to a body portion. The roller ball is rotatably disposed in the collar portion. In another embodiment, a bottom lid is removably coupled to an open lower end of the container. In a third embodiment, the deodorant is a solid stick with a threaded channel in it disposed on a base portion with a threaded aperture extending through it. A lower cap portion is removably coupled to a lower end of the container. The lower cap portion has a threaded rod that extends through the base portion for raising the bottom portion with respect to the bottom end of the container.
Differences from My Product:
My product consists of no roller ball dispensing mechanism. A roller ball mechanism could not be used to dispense food products, like dips. It is more appropriately used to apply liquids or gels to a surface.
My product also does not contain any threaded channel with an aperture extending through it i.e. a screw based operation which requires penetration of the product itself providing no sealing for liquids, which would also get in the way of any “scooping” of the product out of the container.
Instead my product works with a spring, providing the linear motion of the product inside the housing container by gradual exposure of the spring to the bottom portion of the container directly underneath the platform. The product will also be able to be “scooped” out of my container from the top, not rubbed on anything using a roller ball where the product must come in contact with this roller ball in order for it to be applied elsewhere.
3. Patent on a butter dispenser with a bottom that moves with a screw mechanism:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,083: Butter Dispenser
Filing Date: Mar. 30, 1984
Patent Assignee: none
http://patft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=4544083
In a butter dispenser having a hollow body for receiving a stick of butter and having a closure member at one end, a selectively, rotatable shaft is provided having first a bearing surface for rotating freely within the hole in the closure member, a threaded plug for engaging the threads in the closure member and causing the shaft to be removed through the hole in the closure member when the shaft is rotated in a first direction, and having the remainder of the shaft threaded in a second direction to provide a rotating screw drive force against a piston arranged for travel along this remaining portion of the shaft when the shaft is rotated in a second direction.
Differences from My Product:
The Turn Up contains no screw mechanism or threaded plug as this does not provide a watertight seal between the upper side of the platform and the lower side of the container. There is no threaded shaft to rotate about or any screw drive force within my invention. The spring is what provides the motion and is gradually exposed therefore there is never any protruding shaft, screw, etc. also allowing for complete sealing of the platform within the container. Also with a threaded shaft in 2 direction this cannot lie flat on a surface during operation.
4. Patent on a food dispenser whose mechanism includes a spring.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,985: Food Dispenser Gun
Filing Date: Sep. 28, 1994
Patent Assignee: Robot-Coupe USA (Jackson, Miss.)
http://patft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=6026985
A food dispenser gun, comprising a tube holding a quantity of an extrudable food product, a piston sealingly engaged with an interior of the tube, a rod coupled to the piston and an incremental dispenser engaged with the rod and the tube, the incremental dispenser comprising a trigger, or an advancement lever operable to move the rod in a first direction relative to the incremental dispenser in response to the trigger and a retrograde lock operable to prevent the rod from moving in a second direction, wherein the advancement lever and the retrograde lock are completely enclosed by a housing of the incremental dispenser. Other systems, devices and methods are disclosed.
Differences from My Product:
Movement is allowed in this product by a rod coupled to a piston where the rod is protruding completely in the opposite direction at first and allowed to push the product by a trigger operation. By the rod protruding in the opposite direction initially the gun cannot be placed flat on a surface with the dispensing end facing upwards. This is much like a caulk gun or grease gun. Also, the product would first need to be enclosed in a container where the bottom of this container can be simply pushed towards the top. This separate device would then push the bottom of that container, therefore dispensing the food product, such as in caulk containers or the push up ice cream treat etc. It requires a lot of material protruding initially in the opposite direction of motion, with an initially compressed conical compression spring there is almost no material protruding in the opposite direction of linear movement. The spring in this embodiment is located in the trigger mechanism, it does not affect the product moving linearly, it simply moves the trigger back to its initial position.
My product can be placed on any flat surface and dispense upwards, something the food dispenser gun cannot do because it has a rod protruding in the opposite direction from which the food is dispensed. With my invention idea the container needs no further mechanism allowing the inner cylinder to move upwards, it simply needs to be turned and the spring does all the linear work. This device is simply the dispensing gun which pushes a rod with a trigger, and further needs a separate container/cartridge with a bottom platform already enclosed.
5. Patent on the Original propel-repel type dispenser.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,036: Dispenser for stick solids
Filing Date: Dec. 13, 1979
Patent Assignee: Plastic Research Products, Inc.
http ://patft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=4298036
An improved dispenser for cosmetic stick solids such as deodorants constructed to be filled in either normal or inverted position. This dispenser is cylindrical having walls of substantially uniform diameter, an open top, and substantially closed bottom. The dispenser is constructed so that the dispensing means is either pushed up manually, or propelled screw-mechanism. In the latter case, a long screw is mounted in a central opening in the bottom, and continues along the axis of the cylinder. The cap of the dispenser may assume either of two forms, a snap-on type, or a crew-on type, each exhibiting an air-tight seal. The snap-cap is constructed to include a plurality of cams which operate in conjunction with similar members on the mouth of the cylindrical container to provide relative ease in opening and closing the snap-cap. The dispenser is designed to be filled in a conventional manner from the opening in the top, or. Alternatively, from a hole in the bottom of the cylindrical container. In the latter case, an inside liner disposed between the cap and the mouth of the cylindrical container retain the product during the filling process.
Differences from My Product:
With my product there is no need to push up the product manually, the spring will do this through rotation.
My product also is not propelled by any screw type mechanism, as mentioned earlier a screw does not provide watertight sealing, so the container cannot be used with liquids. Furthermore; a screw mechanism would protrude all the way through the container to the top open end at all times, getting in the way of being able to dip products out of the container.
6. Online instructions on how to convert deodorant container to food spreading device.
Butter Pen!
Instructables.com
Author(s)
http://www.instructables.com/id/butter-pen/
Instructions for converting a deodorant container into a butter spreading device. “Now you don't have to get a knife out to spread butter on toast, just use the butter pen!”
Differences from My Product:
This is simply a deodorant stick filled with butter instead of deodorant, and relies on screw based operation with a central shaft/screw type mechanism. This shaft protrudes through the center of the product which doesn't allow for a watertight seal between the platform and the container, also the shaft would get in the way of dipping chips into the container.
Relevant companies include the following:
7. Food gun manufacturer.
LEM Products (Harrison, Ohio)
Relevance: makes a food dispenser with a piston design
http://www.lemproducts.com/product/354/jerky_cannon_accessories
Differences from My Product:
This is merely a caulking gun like in product #4 The Food Dispensing gun converted to use beef jerky with, it requires a separate handle etc. from the cylinder and cannot lie flat atop a counter. It's mode of operation is enabled by a shaft.
(Note: Nothing has been found to be sealed or operate anything like “The Turn Up” where a spring provides linear motion through rotation.)
The following companies all manufacture many small plastic containers and dispensers:
1. Federal Package:
2. Containers and Packaging supply:
3. Express Tubes:
http://www.expresstubes.com/
4. Judy's Soap and Creations:
http://www.soapandthings.com/showcategory.aspx?categoryid=38&resetfilter=true
5. Bramble Berry:
6. SKS-Bottle:
The Turn Up is a cylindrical upright container assembly used for dispensing food products, as the container is turned the inside contents move up. What makes The Turn Up so revolutionary is that through its unique design it's able to do this while maintaining a watertight seal inside the container. This unique design and sealing enables The Turn Up to be used with liquid based products such as salsa and dips.
The problem The Turn Up was designed to fix is experienced when the contents in a container get low. When the contents get low in a salsa container for instance, the salsa can no longer be scooped onto the chips easily. The salsa also tends to get it all over the consumer's hands when trying to scoop the salsa out. The same happens with peanut butter in a container when the contents get low. The Turn Up enables easier access to the contents in a container by bringing them up to the top of the container. This makes the product easily accessible as if having a full container. Containers with screw based linear movement have a screw through the middle of the entire container that the platform supporting the contents rides upon. The Turn Up has no material protruding above the platform enabling its watertight seal as well as an open area for scooping the contents out of the container.
1/4 Initial Design—Turn Up Complete
FIG. 1A/4—Turn Up
FIG. 1B/4—Housing
FIG. 1C/4—Bottom
FIG. 1D/4—Spring
FIG. 1E/4—Plunger/Platform
FIG. 1F/4—Lid
FIG. 2A/4—Housing (2)
FIG. 2B/4—Bottom (2)
FIG. 2C/4—Plunger/Platform (2)
FIG. 2D/4—O-ring (2)
The inside diameter of this round o-ring is slightly smaller in diameter than the indentation around the platform, ensuring a snug fit. However, the outside diameter of this o-ring is slightly larger than the inside diameter of the main container housing. This slight interference fit ensures the contents contained in the container cannot be exposed to the bottom end of the container and vice versa, making for a watertight seal.
FIG. 3A/4—Housing (Container 2)
FIG. 3B/4—Bottom (Container 2)
FIG. 3C/4—Plunger/Platform (4)
FIG. 3D/4—Spring Compressed (Container)
FIG. 3E/4—Spring (Container)
FIG. 3F/4—Lid (Container)
4/4—Prototype
FIG. 4A/4—Prototype
FIG. 4B/4—Prototype
FIG. 4C/4—Prototype
FIG. 4D/4—Prototype
FIG. 4E/4—Prototype
FIG. 4F/4—Prototype
FIG. 4G/4—Prototype
FIG. 4H/4—Prototype
FIG. 4I/4—Prototype
FIG. 4J/4—Prototype
FIG. 4K/4—Prototype
The container assembly's final chosen characteristics are described here which are also found on the prototype. The Turn Up is a cylindrical upright container assembly designed for easy dispensing of its contents. As the container is rotated about its vertical axis separate from the base it's connected to, the contents move up enabling easier access to them as they get low. The Turn Up was designed primarily to dispense food products such as dips and salsas, which is why the design is so unique. It can store and dispense liquid based products while maintaining a watertight seal. It dispenses any contained products through the open top end of the container which can be closed with a lid when the contents are not in use.
The container assembly consists of five parts: a main housing, bottom housing, platform, conical compression spring, and lid. The main housing is the container; this is where the contents are stored.
The container is a hollow cylinder with an open top end, and closed bottom end. The closed bottom end has a triangular cutout starting from its center, between 0 and 90 degrees (about ¼ of the circle) which is where the spring enters the container. The very bottom outside edge is slightly larger in diameter than the rest of the container, creating a small lip which protrudes just beyond the walls of the container.
The bottom housing is flat and circular with an open top end and closed bottom end. The bottom housing consists of two different inner diameters with one common outside diameter. One inner diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of the small edge on the bottom of main housing; the other diameter is slightly larger. The smaller diameter begins at the top open edge of the housing, ending ¼th of the way down. The larger diameter starts where the smaller diameter ends and proceeds down to the bottom of the housing. This difference in diameter enables the main housing container to be “snapped” onto the bottom housing for a secure connection, while also allowing rotation. On the inside bottom of the bottom housing there is an extrusion where the smaller end of the spring will be inserted. This extrusion restricts the spring end from movement during rotation of the housing. When connected, the spring will be contained between the two housings.
A platform is located inside the main housing container and rests initially at the bottom. The platform is flat and circular with a diameter slightly larger than the inside of the container. This creates an interference fit ensuring a watertight seal between the edges of the platform and the walls of the container.
The spring moves the platform from the bottom to the top of the container. The spring is a conical compression spring, which allows it to have a minimal solid height. Therefore when compressed, the spring is only as tall as the diameter of the wire it's made of This minimal solid height enables the bottom housing to be as small as possible. The larger diameter end of the spring is nearly the same diameter as the inside of the main housing; this allows maximum stability of the spring inside of the container. The larger diameter end is initially placed into the small cutout on the bottom of the main container, and then turned one revolution; where it then lies between the platform and the bottom of the main container. The spring's smaller diameter end is then fixed to the small extrusion in the bottom housing. Once the bottom housing is snapped onto the small lip on the outside bottom of the main container the majority of the spring is compressed between the outside bottom of the main container and the inside bottom of the bottom housing.
A lid can also be used when the contents are not in use. The lid covers the open top end of the main container and can either be screw on or snap on type depending on the product being stored.
Once the container is assembled the bottom end can simply be rotated and the contents move up. Since the bottom end of the spring is fixed to the bottom housing, when the bottom housing is rotated the spring is gradually forced further into the main container. This causes the spring to uncompress gradually into the main container, therefore releasing its potential energy, causing the plunger to move upwards. The Turn Up provides liner motion of the platform along its vertical axis as a result of the rotation of the container. This is done without penetration of the upper surface of the platform which is why it can maintain a watertight seal between the contents and lower part of the container at all times.
The container and all of its components can be made of various materials, all which are 100 percent recyclable. The manufacturing processes that would most appropriately apply to The Turn Up would be plastic injection molding. If the container is made of a cardboard with a metal top and bottom as in the prototype then the top and bottom will most likely be punched and the cardboard rolled. If the spring is wished to be made of spring steel coiling would be the best process for manufacturing the spring.
Simple machine automation assembly of The Turn Up would be appropriate. The spring could be attached to the base by the interference fit between the smallest coil of the spring and the round extrusion on the inside of the base. The spring's large end could then be inserted into the small hole at the bottom of the main container and turned one revolution allowing for proper initial guidance. The base could then be snapped together with the main container and the platform inserted into the main container atop the spring. Once the bottom housing, spring, main container and platform are assembled the container can be filled with the desired contents and a lid attached.
The Turn Up will be used primarily for dispensing food dips such as salsa, queso, ranch, guacamole, bean dip, etc. It can also be used for condiments like peanut butter, jelly, mayonnaise and so on. However it is not limited to food products. The Turn Up can even be used for household or industrial products such as petroleum jelly, paint, or even grease. Also if the top is closed off it may be used to compress the inside cylinder wherever this might have mechanical utilization.
All existing containers which move a product upward during use are not able to store liquid products. These products include lip balm containers, glue stick containers, etc. All of these existing containers either utilize a screw based mode of operation or a track mode of operation, neither of which are watertight. With screw based operation, a center screw moves a platform upwards. This screw gets in the way of trying to scoop the contents out of the container since it must protrude nearly to the top of the container. With the track type this track is usually located along the inner walls of the container, where the platform follows this track to the top. However, the track would get clogged whenever a substance is used that isn't completely solid.
My intention for this container is for it to be made as cost effectively as possible where it can be the new container for products such as dips and condiments. Due to the construction and materials of The Turn Up, it will be 100 percent recyclable and reusable if desired. Many forms can be made with different shapes, sizes, and materials. The Turn Up can be sold for specific or general applications. The product can be branded by companies with their own label, colors, etc.
There is analysis needed for the container to be specific to particular applications. This analysis would be performed on things such as material selection as well as between the fitments of particular parts of the assembly. The particular fitments that would have to be analyzed would be between the snap fit of the container and the base, the lid and the container, the interference fit between the spring and the base, and the diameter of the platform with the inside of the container. The angle of the hole and the pitch, revolutions, and diameter of the spring as well as the spring rate would also have to be adjusted accordingly. The spring force would need to be calculated depending upon the contents density, texture etc.
My ideal process for manufacturing and selling The Turn Up would be to first have my prototype analyzed, engineered, and tailored according to a specific products needs. This specific product will be determined by the company that shows the most interest in The Turn Up. The size of the entire assembly will be dependent upon the product being stored, which will also determine the stiffness of the spring. I plan to have a mold made for the plastic injection molding of the desired plastic components, and the spring coiled. Once The Turn Up is made to a certain specification, the label of the contained product may be used on the outside of the container and The Turn Up sold wherever desired.
Ideally, I would love for The Turn Up to be the new container for salsa and dips worldwide.
I thought of this idea in college while I was eating chips and salsa and couldn't keep from getting the salsa on my hands. I'm a recent graduate of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida and I am deciding to pursue a non provisional utility patent for the idea in hopes of mass production.
Provisional application—application No: 61/600,908 Provisional application—date of file: Feb. 20, 2012 This is the non-provisional application for a utility patent for “The Turn Up”. It is being made during the 12-month pendency period of the provisional application for “The Turn-Up”.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61600908 | Feb 2012 | US |
