U.S. patent application number 10/357651 was filed with the patent office on 2004-08-05 for flexible panel pitcher.
Invention is credited to McGinley, Michael.
Application Number | 20040149783 10/357651 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32771039 |
Filed Date | 2004-08-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040149783 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McGinley, Michael |
August 5, 2004 |
Flexible panel pitcher
Abstract
A container or pitcher is provided having a flexible side wall
portion and rim portion of the container which can conform to the
shape of an object to which the pitcher is applied to thereby
direct fluid flow from the pitcher over a broader area and to
prevent fluid from flowing from the pitcher and underneath the rim
of the pitcher and onto portions of the object to which it is not
desirable to apply the fluid.
Inventors: |
McGinley, Michael; (Prairie
Village, KS) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SPENCER, FANE, BRITT & BROWNE
1000 WALNUT STREET
SUITE 1400
KANSAS CITY
MO
64106-2140
US
|
Family ID: |
32771039 |
Appl. No.: |
10/357651 |
Filed: |
February 4, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/465.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 19/12 20130101;
A45D 19/005 20210101; A45D 19/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
222/465.1 |
International
Class: |
A47G 019/14 |
Claims
Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and
desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows:
1. A container comprising: a continuous sidewall terminating in an
upper sidewall end and a lower sidewall end, a bottom closing said
lower sidewall end, and a flexible panel forming a portion of said
sidewall and extending to form at least a portion of said upper
sidewall end.
2. The container as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a rim
attached to said upper sidewall end.
3. The container as claimed in claim 2 wherein said rim is
comprised of a sponge material.
4. The container as claimed in claim 2 wherein said rim is
comprised of rubber.
5. The container as claimed in claim 2 wherein said rim is
comprised of cloth.
6. The container as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a
handle.
7. A container comprising: a continuous sidewall having an upper
sidewall end and a lower sidewall end, a bottom attached to said
lower sidewall end, and a rim connected to said upper sidewall end,
a portion of said rim being sufficiently flexible to conform to the
shape of an object to which said rim is pressed against.
8. The container as claimed in claim 7 at least a portion of said
sidewall is concave, said concave sidewall portion having a rim
portion of a flexible material.
9. The container as claimed in claim 8 wherein said rim is
comprised of a sponge material.
10. The container as claimed in claim 8 wherein said rim is
comprised of rubber.
11. The container as claimed in claim 8 wherein said rim is
comprised of cloth.
12. The container as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a
handle.
13. A container comprising: a continuous sidewall having an upper
end and a lower end and said sidewall defining a container body,
said container further comprising a rim on a portion of said upper
end, a bottom joined to said lower end, and a portion of said
sidewall comprising a flexible panel.
14. The container as claimed in claim 13 wherein at least a portion
of said rim comprises at least a portion of said flexible
panel.
15. The container as claimed in claim 13 wherein said rim is
comprised of a sponge material.
16. The container as claimed in claim 13 wherein said rim is
comprised of rubber.
17. The container as claimed in claim 13 wherein said rim is
comprised of cloth.
18. The container as claimed in claim 13 further comprising a
handle.
19. A container comprising: a continuous sidewall having an upper
end and a lower end and defining a container body, said container
having an upper sidewall rim on said upper end and a lower sidewall
rim on said lower end, a bottom joined to said lower sidewall rim,
a flexible panel forming a portion of said sidewall upper end and
extending to form a portion of said upper rim.
20. A container comprising: a continuous sidewall having an upper
end and a lower end said sidewall defining a container body, a
bottom joined to said lower sidewall end to define a fluid-holding
interior, said upper end comprising a rim, a portion of said rim
comprising a generally flat, malleable rim segment, and a flexible
panel forming a portion of said sidewall said panel extending to
connect with said rim segment.
21. The container as claimed in claim 10 wherein said rim segment
is comprised of a sponge material.
22. The container as claimed in claim 10 wherein said rim segment
is comprised of a rubber material.
23. The container as claimed in claim 10 wherein said rim segment
is comprised of said flexible panel.
24. The container as claimed in claim 10 further comprising a
handle.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to containers, specifically
containers used to hold fluids and, in particular, a container
having a flexible side wall portion and rim portion which is
capable of conforming to the shape of an object to which the
pitcher is applied to more particularly direct the flow of fluid
from the pitcher and to prevent the flow of fluid from the pitcher
and onto areas to which application of the fluid is not
intended.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] When using pitchers to pour fluids, it is frequently desired
to pour a stream of the fluid into a specific location, such as a
glass or other container. Alternatively, it may be useful to use a
container or a pitcher that does not provide an actual spout, but
rather, simply has a rim when it is desired to pour a greater
amount of fluid or broader stream of fluid onto an object such as
when rinsing a floor or an automobile. However, both of these types
of containers and pouring operations present specific drawbacks to
particular applications. For example, when using a pitcher having a
spout, the fluid that is poured from the pitcher can only be
applied to a particular area, specifically, that area determined by
the stream of fluid as it exits the spout. While this is useful for
pouring water into a glass, another container or a specific area,
it is not useful for applying the fluid to a larger area. Also, the
use of a spout while narrowing the stream of water, nevertheless,
provides a narrow column-like stream of water which, when it
contacts the object or container toward which it is directed, will
flow in all directions.
[0003] The other case of pouring a fluid from a container--that is
the case of a bucket or other broad-rimmed container--also presents
limitations with respect to the pouring of a fluid. In the case of
a bucket or a pitcher having no spout, the water will flow from the
pitcher over the rim or edge of the pitcher and create a broad
stream of fluid flowing from the pitcher which will be related to
the angle of the longitudinal axis of the pitcher as it moves from
vertical to horizontal. To state the obvious, when the longitudinal
axis of the pitcher (that is the axis passing through the bottom of
the pitcher and the top of the pitcher) is parallel to vertical, no
fluid will flow from the pitcher. As the longitudinal axis is
tilted increasingly toward a horizontal plane, more and more fluid
will flow over the rim of the pitcher, and the stream flowing from
the pitcher will be increasingly wide. While such a spoutless
pitcher, such as a bucket, provides a wide stream of fluid which is
useful in, for example, rinsing an area, there is still no control
over the distribution of that stream over the object on which it is
poured. Specifically, if a stream of water is poured from a bucket,
when the stream of water contacts the object on which it is poured,
the water will flow in all directions and will not be limited to a
single direction of flow. Even if the rim of the pitcher is pressed
directly against the object onto which the fluid is to flow, the
fluid will flow back toward the pitcher and underneath the pitcher
and onto portions of the object which are near the side wall of the
pitcher.
[0004] In the specific case of rinsing shampoo and other hair
treatments from the head of a child, this "backflow" from a pitcher
can provide compelling support for the Victorian premise that
children should be seen and not heard. Specifically, the backflow
of rinse water from a pitcher that is used to dip bath water and to
lift it to rinse the head of a child can cause shampoo and other
hair and scalp treatments to flow down the forehead of the child
and into the eyes and face of the child. This will cause the child
to notify the parent of the situation through loud screams, tears
and arm movements. The prospect of rinsing soap suds into the eyes
and mouth and nose of a child is not pleasant for either the parent
or the child and can lead to difficulties as bath time approaches.
Usually it is the case that the best of attempts to try to limit
this problem are unsuccessful. Asking the child to close his or her
eyes tightly while the rinsing is proceeding will be only partially
successful. The child, for one reason or another, may open their
eyes during the rinsing procedure whereupon the soapy water
contacts and stings their eyes. Alternatively, the child may
improperly time the closing of their eyes with the application of
the rinse water and receive a stinging realization of their
incapacity to coordinate their eyelid movements. Even should the
parent attempt to assist the situation by placing a hand across the
forehead of the child, some soapy water will inevitably trickle
down the forehead of the child and into the child's eyes, mouth or
nose.
[0005] Therefore, it would be a great benefit if a rinse container
or pitcher could be provided which would prevent the flow of rinse
water from a rinse pitcher or container and back underneath the rim
of the container thereby providing specific, directional
application of rinse water to an object such as a child's head.
[0006] Yet another benefit would be obtained from a pitcher or
rinse container which could provide a broad flow of rinse water to
an object to more efficiently rinse the object and while providing
means for directing the flow of the rinse water from the pitcher
and onto the object while preventing the backflow of rinse water
onto areas of the object to which rinse water is not intended to be
applied.
[0007] It would still be a further benefit if such a pitcher or
rinsing container could conform to the shape of the object to which
the rinse water in the pitcher was to be applied thereby
restricting the portions of the object which will receive rinse
water from those portions of the object which will not receive
rinse water. These objects and benefits and more are provided by
the present invention which is more completely described
hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention solves the preceding problems and
improves the state of the art by providing a pitcher for holding
solutions such as rinse water or shampoo or other liquids to allow
application of those liquids to a localized portion of the body
such as the head. The present invention provides a flexible panel
and/or flexible rim portion of the container which conforms to the
shape of the an object, such as the head of an individual, to allow
application of the fluid to the body and to prevent misapplication
of the fluid by preventing fluid from flowing underneath the rim
and onto body parts to which it is not desired to apply the
fluid.
[0009] In one embodiment, the invention provides a flexible panel
which can conform to the shape of the child's head or other object
to effectively seal off passage of fluids back under the flexible
rim thereby allowing application of the fluid, such as rinse water,
to the child's hair while preventing the flow of rinse water and a
rinse water-shampoo mixture down into the child's face and
eyes.
[0010] These other objects are intended to be illustrative of the
invention and are not meant in a limiting sense. Many possible
embodiments of the invention may be made and will be evident upon a
study of the following specification and accompanying drawings.
Various features and subcombinations of invention may be employed
without reference to other features and subcombinations. Other
objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from
the following description and drawings, wherein is set forth by way
of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] Preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrative of the
best modes in which the applicant has contemplated applying the
principles, are set forth in the following description and are
shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed
out and set forth in the appended claims.
[0012] FIG. 1 is a top and side perspective view of the pitcher of
the present invention showing the flexible panel which comprises a
portion of the side wall of the container and the top edge of the
side wall of the container;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a top and interior perspective view of the
embodiment of FIG. 1 and showing the flexible wall opposite the
handle;
[0014] FIG. 3 shows the application of an embodiment of the
invention to the head of a child to allow water to flow over the
child's hair and back of the head while the flexible panel and
flexible rim conform to the shape of the child's head and prevents
water from flowing down the front of the child's head and into the
child's eyes and face; and
[0015] FIG. 4 shows the embodiment of FIG. 4 having a flexible
panel and flexible rim and showing the panel and rim in a depressed
position and showing the panel and rim in phantom lines in a
relaxed or undepressed position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] Referring now to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the inventive
container 10 is shown which is comprised of generally continuous
side wall 12 which can be of any convenient shape, spanning shapes
from square to circular to polygonal. Continuous side wall 12
terminates at either end in upper side wall end 14 and lower side
wall end 16. Continuous side wall 12 can be formed of rubber or
plastic or metal or wood or any material which will serve to hold a
fluid within continuous side wall 12. Connected to lower side wall
end 16 is bottom or bottom panel 18 (FIG. 2) which serves to close
lower side wall end 16 thereby allowing a fluid to be held within
continuous side wall 12 and bottom 18. It will be appreciated that,
depending on the material used for the construction of side wall
12, bottom 18 could be constructed with the forming of side wall 12
thus forming a unitary construction of side wall 12 and bottom 18.
As shown in FIG. 1, upper side wall end 14, depending on the
material used for the construction of side wall 12, can form in and
of itself a side wall rim 20, or an additional structure 20 (FIG.
3) can be attached to upper side wall end 14 to form a discreet
side wall rim 20 (FIG. 3). Generally, side wall rim 20 will take
the shape of upper side wall end 14, however, alternatively,
decorative materials could be used to modify the shaping of side
wall rim 20. For further convenience, and depending on the size of
container 10, a handle 22 can be attached to side wall 12 to assist
in the manipulation of container 10.
[0017] Side wall rim 20, in a preferred embodiment is comprised of
side wall portion 24, which is a generally flat portion of side
wall rim 20 and which may, therefore, differ, generally, in its
shape as compared to the remainder of side wall rim 12 and side
wall 20. For example, if side wall 12, in its construction,
comprises a cylindrical container, then side wall rim 20 will be
comprised of a generally circular side wall rim portion 26 and a
generally flat side wall rim portion or side wall segment or rim
segment 24. The utility and benefits of generally flat rim segment
24 will be described hereinafter. In a preferred embodiment, and in
the vicinity of generally flat side wall rim portion 24, is
flexible panel 28 which extends from side wall 12 toward generally
flat side wall rim segment 24 to connect side wall 12 with rim
segment 24. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
flexible panel 28 and rim segment 24 can be comprised of the same
materials or of different materials depending on the choice of
construction. For example, flexible panel 28 may be thin flexible
plastic, or a flexible rubber panel, or a waterproof canvas which
is attached to side wall 12 and which extends upwardly toward upper
side wall end 14 to connect with or form side wall rim segment 24.
In such a construction, rim segment 24 could be of a different
material which connects with flexible panel 28 or, for example, if
a waterproof canvas were used, the canvas could be wrapped over a
flexible cord or wire which would form rim segment 24. Therefore,
it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that one of the
objects of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to
provide a flexible, shapable wall segment 30 of either side wall 12
or rim 20, or both rim 20 and side wall 12 which can conform to the
shape of an object against which this flexible portion of container
10 is pressed.
[0018] Referring now to FIG. 4, the flexibility and construction of
the novel flexible side wall portion and rim portion of container
10 will be further described. As is shown in FIG. 4, flexible panel
28 and rim segment 24 are deformable and can be pressed inwardly
from the position shown in phantom lines and toward the interior of
container 10. The benefits of this flexibility or malleability of
flexible panel 28 and rim segment 24 are that the pouring portion
of side wall rim 20, which is generally rim segment 24, can be
formed, by compression of container 10 against the object on which
fluid is to be poured, to the shape of the object which is to
receive the fluid which is within container 10. Referring to both
FIGS. 3 and 4, it is shown that flexible panel 28 and side wall rim
24 are capable of deformation inwardly. This feature of container
10 allows container 10 to be placed against an object, in this
case, the forehead of a child (FIG. 3) to have flexible panel 28
and side wall rim 24 registerably mate with the head of the child
to provide a wide pouring spout and wide volume of fluid therefor
which can be evacuated from container 10 and poured onto the head
of the child to rinse the hair of the child.
[0019] It will further be appreciated that it is the flexible
character of panel 28 and side wall rim 24 which allow for the
registerable mating of the flexible portion of container 10.
Flexible wall portion 30 (FIGS. 1 and 4), made up of flexible panel
28 and side wall rim segment 24, conforms to the shape of the
object or, in this case, the head of a child onto which fluid is to
be poured from container 10 and thus, reducing or preventing the
flow of fluid from container 10 and back under side wall rim 24 and
panel 28. This benefit is particularly useful with respect to
rinsing shampoo or other hair products from the hair of a child.
The prevention of rinse fluid from draining underneath the side
wall rim of a container to allow the rinse fluids and shampoo to
run down the forehead of a child and into the eyes, nose and mouth
prevent the unpleasantness of eyes stinging from the shampoo or
other product being rinsed from the child's hair. The construction
of flexible wall portion 30 can be continuous between panel 28 and
rim segment 24 (FIGS. 1 and 2), or flex panel 28 and rim 24 can be
separate constructions which join together FIGS. 3 and 4 to provide
a flexible rim segment and side wall portion of container 10. For
example, flex panel 28 could be formed from a flexible plastic, or
a rubber panel or a waterproof cloth panel which connects with a
rim segment 24 which is constructed of a flexible wire covered with
sponge or covered with rubber or covered 11 with a waterproof
fabric. Alternatively, rim segment 24 could be a piece of rubber or
piece of sponge which is placed across a rigid portion of side wall
12 which comprises any portion of side wall rim 20. In this
construction, only the malleable or flexible rim segment 24 would
conform to the shape of the object against which container 10 is
pressed. In this embodiment only rim segment 24 is flexible and no
flex panel is provided to connect between side wall 12 and rim
segment 24. In such an embodiment, side wall 12 continues to join
rim segment 24, and the flexible, malleable aspect is contained
solely within side wall rim segment 24.
[0020] As has been described, the benefits of the present invention
are achieved by a container having a flexible side wall segment
and/or a flexible rim segment which allow close contact of the
container with an object or the head of a child to prevent the wash
back or flow of fluid from the container underneath the rim and
side wall of the container, and which, thereby when rinsing the
head of a child, prevents soapy water from getting into the eyes
and face of the child. Further, the present invention, as
previously described, allows the flexible portion of the container
to mold to a shape against which it is pressed and to allow large
volumes of fluid to be passed from the container onto the object by
virtue of the generally flat rim segment which may contain a rubber
cushion to ease contact with the head. It will further be
appreciated that in an alternative embodiment of this invention,
the side wall could be provided with a concave portion which would
generally conform to the curvature of a child's head and the side
wall would be provided with a malleable rim segment on the concave
side wall portion. The malleable rim segment portion would more
closely register with the child's head than with the concave side
wall segment thereby directing the flow of water over the child's
head and preventing the flow of water back underneath the side wall
of the container.
[0021] As required, detailed embodiments of the present inventions
are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the
disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which
may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural
and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted
as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a
representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to
variously employ the present invention in virtually any
appropriately detailed structure.
[0022] In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used
for brevity, clearness and understanding; but no unnecessary
limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of
the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes
and are intended to be broadly construed. Moreover, the description
and illustration of the inventions is by way of example, and the
scope of the inventions is not limited to the exact details shown
or described.
[0023] Certain changes may be made in embodying the above
invention, and in the construction thereof, without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that all
matter contained in the above description and shown in the
accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not
meant in a limiting 11 sense.
[0024] Having now described the features, discoveries and
principles of the invention, the manner in which the inventive
container or pitcher is constructed and used, the characteristics
of the construction, and advantageous, new and useful results
obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements,
arrangements, parts and combinations, are set forth in the appended
claims.
[0025] It is also to be understood that the following claims are
intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the
invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the
invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall
therebetween.
* * * * *