U.S. patent application number 10/845793 was filed with the patent office on 2005-11-17 for spill proof container for non-liquid materials.
Invention is credited to Woolf, Mary Patricia.
Application Number | 20050252923 10/845793 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35308434 |
Filed Date | 2005-11-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050252923 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Woolf, Mary Patricia |
November 17, 2005 |
Spill proof container for non-liquid materials
Abstract
A spill proof container specially configured to hold non-liquid
materials includes a container body forming a receptacle having an
access aperture at the top thereof, one or more handles for holding
the container and a lid removably attached to the container to
substantially close the aperture. The preferred lid has a flexible,
resilient closure member with a plurality of slits extending
radially from the center of the closure member to allow a person to
insert their hand, or a portion thereof, into the receptacle to
selectively retrieve one or more of the items contained therein. In
the preferred embodiment, the closure member comprises a plurality
of resilient closure segments that form a cuff or cuff-like
structure that substantially encloses the user's wrist or hand to
contain the materials disposed inside the receptacle. The closure
member slits can be formed in a star or asterisk pattern.
Inventors: |
Woolf, Mary Patricia;
(Fresno, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Richard A. Ryan
RYAN & ENGNATH
SUITE 110
8497 N. MILLBROOK AVENUE
FRESNO
CA
93720
US
|
Family ID: |
35308434 |
Appl. No.: |
10/845793 |
Filed: |
May 13, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/731 ;
220/736; 426/115 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 47/2031 20130101;
A47G 19/30 20130101; B65D 51/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/731 ;
220/736; 426/115 |
International
Class: |
B65D 001/40 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A spill proof container for containing one or more non-liquid
materials, comprising: a container body having a bottom portion,
one or more sides and a top portion, said bottom portion, said one
or more sides and said top portion forming a receptacle having an
access aperture at said top portion of said container body; one or
more handles attached to said one or more sides of said container
body; and a lid removably attached to said top portion of said
container body, said lid having a closure member with a one or more
slits therein, said closure member generally flexible and
resilient, said one or more slits forming two or more closure
components, said closure member configured to allow entry into said
receptacle past said two or more closure components to reach the
non-liquid materials contained therein.
2. The container according to claim 1, wherein said container body
has two handles, said two handles attached to opposite sides of
said container body.
3. The container according to claim 1, wherein said closure member
is a made from a single piece of generally flexible and resilient
material.
4. The container according to claim 1, wherein said closure member
has a plurality of slits, said plurality of slits extending
generally radially from a center of said closure member toward an
outer edge of said closure member.
5. The container according to claim 4, wherein said slits are
formed in a generally star or asterisk pattern.
6. The container according to claim 4, wherein said closure member
is a made from a single piece of generally flexible and resilient
material.
7. The container according to claim 4, wherein said slits do not
extend to said outer edge of said closure member.
8. The container according to claim 1, wherein said closure member
forms an inverted cuff structure substantially enclosing the user's
wrist or hand when the user's hand is at least partially inserted
in said receptacle.
9. The container according to claim 1, wherein said lid is
threadably attached to said top portion of said container body.
10. The container according to claim 1, wherein said lid has a
generally downwardly projecting peripheral flange configured to
engage said top portion of said container body.
11. The container according to claim 10, wherein said flange is
configured to threadably engage a plurality of threads at said top
portion of said container body.
12. A spill proof container for containing one or more non-liquid
materials, comprising: a container body having a bottom portion,
one or more sides and a top portion, said bottom portion, said one
or more sides and said top portion forming a receptacle having an
access aperture at said top portion of said container body; a pair
of handles attached to said one or more sides of said container
body; and a lid removably attached to said top portion of said
container body, said lid having a closure member with a plurality
of slits extending generally radially from a center of said closure
member toward an outer edge of said closure member, said closure
member made from a single piece of generally flexible and resilient
material, said one or more slits forming two or more closure
components, said closure member configured to allow entry into said
receptacle past said two or more closure components to reach the
non-liquid materials contained therein.
13. The container according to claim 12, wherein said slits are
formed in a generally star or asterisk pattern.
14. The container according to claim 12, wherein said lid is
threadably attached to said top portion of said container body.
15. The container according to claim 12, wherein said closure
member forms an inverted cuff structure substantially enclosing the
user's wrist or hand when the user's hand is at least partially
inserted in said receptacle.
16. The container according to claim 12, wherein said lid has a
generally downwardly projecting peripheral flange configured to
engage said top portion of said container body.
17. The container according to claim 16, wherein said flange is
configured to threadably engage a plurality of threads at said top
portion of said container body.
18. A spill proof container for containing one or more non-liquid
materials, comprising: a container body having a bottom portion,
one or more sides and a top portion, said bottom portion, said one
or more sides and said top portion forming a receptacle having an
access aperture at said top portion of said container body; a pair
of handles attached to said one or more sides of said container
body; and a lid threadably attached to said top portion of said
container body, said lid having a closure member with a plurality
of slits extending generally radially from a center of said closure
member toward an outer edge of said closure member in a generally
star or asterisk pattern, said closure member made from a single
piece of generally flexible and resilient material, said plurality
of slits forming a plurality of closure components, said closure
member configured to allow entry into said receptacle past said
plurality of closure components to reach the non-liquid materials
contained therein.
19. The container according to claim 16, wherein said lid has a
generally downwardly projecting peripheral flange configured to
engage said top portion of said container body.
20. The container according to claim 16, wherein said closure
member forms an inverted cuff structure substantially enclosing the
user's wrist or hand when the user's hand is at least partially
inserted in said receptacle.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A. Field of the Invention
[0003] The field of the present invention relates generally to
spill proof containers and, more specifically, to spill proof
containers that are configured for non-liquid materials. Even more
specifically, the present invention relates to spill proof
containers that are configured to allow the user to reach through
the lid into the container and selectively remove non-liquid items
therefrom while providing a closure that substantially prevents
spillage of the items.
[0004] B. Background
[0005] As is well known, there are many types of containers and
closure devices for containers for storing materials inside the
container. The most common type of container are those that have a
glass or plastic container body with an access opening or aperture
forming a container compartment or receptacle that is configured to
have the access aperture closed or sealed with a screw-on or
snap-on lid. Another common type of container are of the bag type
that have a sealable closure mechanism at the open end or side,
such as the well known zip-lock and sliding lock mechanisms, that
are configured to securely close the bag-type container and retain
various items therein. Such containers are commonly utilized to
store a variety of materials, including solid and liquid materials.
One common problem with the aforementioned containers is that the
user must remove the lid or otherwise disengage the closure
mechanism and expose the access opening or aperture in order to
have access to the materials contained therein. Unfortunately, once
the lid is removed or the closure mechanism disengaged, the
contents of the container can fall or be spilled out of the
receptacle. This is a well known problem with containers used by
many people, particularly the very young, very old and those with
certain disabilities. For instance, most parents have experienced
the frustration of providing their child with a container of food
or other materials (i.e., game pieces) and then having the child
spill the contents of the container on the ground or car seat when
he or she is attempting to retrieve materials from the
container.
[0006] The problem of containing and allowing non-spilling access
to solid versus liquid materials is quite different. To contain
liquid materials, one must control the flow of the liquid out of
the container and/or control the positioning (i.e., upright
position) of the container. Examples of such containers are baby
bottles, sport/fruit drink bottles and specially configured child
cups. Solid materials have the advantage of not being fluid, yet
can be more difficult to prevent spillage due to the fact that the
materials can roll, tumble or otherwise fall out of a container,
particularly when it is dropped or turned upside down while the
access aperture is open. Opening the access aperture, which to some
extent must be done in order to have access to the materials
inside, necessarily creates the potential for the materials inside
the receptacle to spill out. Some jars and other containers have
lids that are very good at preventing materials from falling out of
the container (when they are on), but are not necessarily easy to
take on and off, particularly for people with small hands, weak
hands or those that have arthritis or other joint problems. As a
result, often the container lid or other sealing mechanism is often
left off the container so the user will not have to deal with the
difficulty of removing it to access the materials stored inside the
container.
[0007] As a result of the known problems associated with securely
containing non-liquid materials inside a container while at the
same time allowing easy access to those materials, a number of
devices have been developed that, to one degree or another, address
this problem. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,904 to Iverson
discloses a spill proof container having a closure with a
cylindrical flange its periphery with at least two resilient,
flexible closure flaps mounted to the cylindrical flange. The
closure flaps are formed of a flexible and pliable material, such
as sheets of synthetic or natural rubber. The two closure flaps
cooperate to contain non-liquid items in the container and allow a
person to place their hand therein to remove one or more of the
items from the container. U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,717 to Bussard, et
al. discloses a non-spilling snack container comprising a
receptacle having a cover made of flexible material with a
plurality of crossing slits forming a circle of tongues in a
generally spiral shape. U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,944 to Shillington, et
al. discloses a sharps receptacle having a closure made of a
plurality of pie-shaped flaps formed from a generally flat,
flexible disk so that objects such as syringes and the like may be
placed inside the receptacle. Receptacles for storing live bait are
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,263 to Farmer, U.S. Pat. No.
3,315,402 to Scott, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,365 to Ray.
These receptacles have a flexible cover for allowing the fisherman
to place a hand through the cover to retrieve bait that is
configured to substantially prevent the live bait from escaping.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,100 to Rigaud discloses a tube container having
an end cap with an inverted dome-shaped top wall that is divided
into a plurality of resilient segments by slits which intersect at
the bottom. The general goal of the aforementioned containers and
closing mechanisms is to reduce the likelihood of spilling the
non-liquid materials while allowing access to the materials.
[0008] Although the prior art discloses a number of containers and
receptacles that are generally configured to retain non-liquid
materials inside while allowing the user easy access to the
materials, there are certain characteristics of the known
containers that limit their complete acceptance, usefulness and/or
cost effectiveness. For instance, the known prior art containers
having lids allowing access to the interior of the container
generally require multiple resilient flap members and are not
configured to be easily held, particularly by those with small,
weak or diseased hands. What is needed, therefore, is an improved
container that has a one-piece lid for closing the access aperture
to contain non-liquid materials inside the container so as to
prevent spillage of the materials and which allows the user easy
access to those materials through the closed aperture. The
preferred container will be configured with a lid that is removably
attached to the container to seal the access aperture to contain
non-liquid materials therein and be configured to allow the user to
place his or her hand through the lid to selectively retrieve one
or more of the materials from inside the container without spilling
the contents thereof. The preferred container will have one or more
handles thereon to make it easier for those with small hands (such
as children), weak hands or diseased hands to hold onto the
container. The preferred container should be adaptable to being
made out a variety of different types of materials and in different
configurations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The spill proof container for non-liquid materials of the
present invention solves the problems and provides the benefits
identified above. That is to say, the present invention discloses
spill proof container configured to prevent non-liquid materials
from spilling from the container when it is tipped over or
otherwise overturned and configured to allow the user easy access
to the materials contained within the receptacle portion of the
container. The spill proof container of the present invention has a
lid with a flexible closure member that is configured to seal the
access aperture and allow the user to place all or a portion of his
or her hand through the lid into the storage receptacle. In a
preferred embodiment, the flexible closure member is configured to
form a cuff or cuff-like structure around the user's wrist to
prevent the contents of the container from spilling out while
retrieving one or more of the materials from therein. The spill
proof container of the present invention is configured with one or
more handles so the container can be easily held and the lid
manipulated, particularly by persons with small, weak or diseased
hands, and to have a lid portion that is removably attached to
allow addition materials to be placed within the receptacle portion
of the container.
[0010] In one aspect of the present invention, the spill proof
container for non-liquid materials of the present invention
includes a container body having a receptacle formed from a bottom
portion, one or more sides and a top portion of the container body.
The receptacle has an access aperture at the top portion of the
container body. A pair of handles are attached to the sides of the
container body to allow easy grasping and operation of the
container by persons having small, weak or injured/diseased hands.
A lid is threadably attached to the top portion of the container
body so that it may be removed to place materials inside the
receptacle. The lid has a flexible, resilient closure member with a
plurality of slits extending generally radially from the center of
the closure member toward the outer edge of the closure member in a
generally star or asterisk pattern. The slits form a plurality of
resilient closure components that are configured to allow entry of
a person's hand into the receptacle past the closure components to
reach the non-liquid materials contained in the receptacle. In one
configuration, the resilient closure components form an inverted
cuff or cuff-like structure around the user's wrist to prevent the
materials from spilling out. The lid can have a generally
downwardly projecting peripheral flange configured to engage the
top portion of the container body. The container may be primarily
made out of plastic or other materials that are selected to be
adaptable for cleaning by a dishwasher.
[0011] Accordingly, the primary objective of the present invention
is to provide a spill proof container for non-liquid materials that
provides the advantages discussed above and that overcomes the
disadvantages and limitations associated with presently available
spill proof containers.
[0012] It is also an important objective of the present invention
to provide a spill proof container for non-liquid materials that
has a removable lid comprising a single piece flexible closure
member that is configured to contain non-liquid materials inside
the container's receptacle yet allow access through the closed
access aperture to selectively remove materials from the
receptacle.
[0013] It is also an important objective of the present invention
to provide a spill proof container for non-liquid materials that
has a lid comprising one or more flexible closure members that form
an inverted cuff or cuff-like structure around the user's wrist to
prevent spillage fo the materials therein when he or she inserts a
hand into the container to retrieve one or more of the materials
stored therein.
[0014] It is also an important objective of the present invention
to provide a spill proof container for non-liquid materials that
comprises one or more handles to improve the ability of persons
with small, weak or injured/diseased hands to more easily hold the
container and manipulate the lid.
[0015] It is also an important objective of the present invention
to provide a spill proof container for non-liquid materials that
can be made out of a variety of different materials, particularly
those suitable for machine washing, and in a variety of different
configurations.
[0016] The above and other objectives of the present invention will
be explained in greater detail by reference to the attached figures
and the description of the preferred embodiment which follows. As
set forth herein, the present invention resides in the novel
features of form, construction, mode of operation and combination
of processes presently described and understood by the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] In the drawings which illustrate the best modes presently
contemplated for carrying out the present invention:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one configuration of the
spill proof container of the present invention showing the use of
multiple handles and storage of materials inside the container's
receptacle;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a side view of the spill proof container of FIG.
1;
[0020] FIG. 3 is an exploded side view of the spill proof container
of FIG. 1 showing the lid separated from the container body;
[0021] FIG. 4 is a top view of the spill proof container of FIG.
1;
[0022] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the spill proof container of FIG.
1;
[0023] FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the lid used with the spill proof
container of FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a spill proof container
having a single handle with the lid removed showing the access
aperture, threadable connection and receptacle components;
[0025] FIG. 8 is top view of a lid for use with the spill proof
container of the present invention showing an alternative
slit/segment pattern;
[0026] FIG. 9 is top view of a lid for use with the spill proof
container of the present invention showing another alternative
slit/segment pattern; and
[0027] FIG. 10 is a side view of a spill proof container with a
user's hand inserted therein showing the formation of an inverted
cuff or cuff-like structure around the user's wrist.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0028] With reference to the figures where like elements have been
given like numerical designations to facilitate the reader's
understanding of the present invention, and particularly with
reference to the embodiments of the spill proof container for
non-liquid materials of the present invention illustrated in the
figures, various preferred embodiments of the present invention are
set forth below. The enclosed description and drawings are merely
illustrative of preferred embodiments and represent several
different ways of configuring the present invention. Although
specific components, materials, configurations and uses of the
present invention are illustrated and set forth in this disclosure,
it should be understood that a number of variations to the
components and to the configuration of those components described
herein and in the accompanying figures can be made without changing
the scope and function of the invention set forth herein.
[0029] The spill proof container of the present invention,
identified generally as 10 in the figures, can be configured in a
number of different ways within the scope of the present invention.
In the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 through 6, spill proof
container 10 generally comprises a container body 12 having one or
more handles 14, such as the two shown in FIG. 1, and a lid 16
adaptable for being removably attached to container body 12.
Container body 12 comprises a bottom portion 18, one or more sides
20, a top portion 22 and an access aperture 24 (shown in FIG. 7)
that forms a receptacle 26 for containing a plurality of non-liquid
materials 28. As set forth in more detail below, lid 16 is
configured to removably attach to container body 12 and contain
materials 28 inside receptacle 26 in case container 10 is knocked
over or otherwise overturned and yet allow the user of container 10
to selectively retrieve one or more of the materials from
receptacle 26. Non-liquid materials 28 include various small food
items, such as cereal, nuts, candy and the like, bolts, screws,
marbles, game pieces, toy components, pills, and many other
generally small items that a person would want to store in
container 10 to prevent spillage of materials 28 and yet have easy
access to the materials 28 as desired or necessary. As commonly
know, many types of different materials 28 are suitable for
containment in container 10.
[0030] As shown in the figures, one or more handles 14 are attached
to sides 20 of container body 12. In one embodiment, shown in FIGS.
1-6, container body 12 is generally cylindrical, having side 20
with two opposite disposed handles 14 thereon. Handles 14 are used
with container 10 to allow persons with small hands, such as
children, weak hands or diseased/injured hands to effectively and
comfortably hold onto container 10, particularly when attaching or
removing lid 16 therefrom. As known to those skilled in the art,
spill proof containers that allow a person's hand to access the
stored materials through the lid portion of the container must be
of sufficient size to allow at least a portion of the user's hand
(i.e., at least two or more fingers) to be inserted into the
container. This requirement causes the container to have a diameter
or cross-section that is sized larger than the typical cup or glass
used for drinking. The resulting size is often very difficult for
persons having small, weak or diseased/injured hands to securely
hold onto the container, particularly while they are attaching or
removing the lid or attempting to retrieve items from inside the
container. The use of handles 14 with the spill proof container 10
of the present invention solves this problem by allowing the user
to either grasp at least one of the handles 14 or place all or a
portion of their hand inside and against the handle 14 while
utilizing container 10. Depending on the size of container 10,
handles 14 should be shaped and configured to allow the intended
user to beneficially grasp the container 10.
[0031] Lid 16 is configured to removably attach to the top portion
22 of container body 12 to close access aperture 24 and contain
materials 28 inside of receptacle 26, as shown in FIG. 1. As known
to those skilled in the art, lid 16 and top portion 22 are
configured to cooperatively engage each other so as to close access
aperture 24. In one configuration, lid 16 has a generally
downwardly projecting peripheral flange 30 that envelopes and
engages top portion 22 of container body 12. Various attachment
mechanisms are well known and adaptable for use with container 10
of the present invention. For instance, flange 30 of lid 16 can be
threaded to threadably engage a plurality of threads 32 cut into
top portion 22 of container body 12, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7. As
also known to those skilled in the art, container body 12 and lid
16 can be configured such that lid 16 engages top portion 22 by a
snapping, clamping or similar types of action. Preferably, the
mechanism for attaching lid 16 to container body 12 should be
selected such that the intended user of container 16 will not have
undue difficulty removing or attaching lid 16 to container body 12
yet will result in lid 16 being securely attached to prevent
materials 28 from falling out of receptacle 26. In the preferred
embodiment, shown in the figures, lid 16 is substantially planar.
In an alternative embodiment, lid 16 can be generally configured in
a dome or dome-like shape, with the dome portion either arching
upward from container body 12 or arching downward into receptacle
26.
[0032] Lid 16 is also configured to allow the user of container 10
to insert at least a portion of his or her hand through lid 16 and
into receptacle 26 so as to selectively retrieve one or more of the
materials 28 stored therein. To accomplish the desired access for
the preferred embodiment of the present invention, lid 165 has a
single piece flexible closure member 34 that extends substantially
across the top of lid 16 to flange 30, as shown in the figures. Cut
into flexible closure member 34 are a plurality of slits 36 that
are configured to allow a person's hand, or a portion thereof, to
be inserted through flexible closure member 34 into receptacle 26.
To facilitate insertion of a hand through lid 16 and maintain the
closed condition after the hand is removed, flexible closure member
34 should be made out of a generally flexible, resilient material,
such as natural or synthetic rubber or other similar materials. The
material chosen for flexible closure member 34 must be flexible
enough to receive the user's hand and sufficiently resilient to
quickly close after the hand is removed. The material chosen for
flexible closure member 34 must also be sufficiently soft and
flexible so that it will not scrape, cut or trap the person's hand
when they insert it into receptacle 26, yet strong enough to
prevent the impact of materials 28 from inside receptacle 26, such
as resulting from a spill, causing flexible closure member 34 to
open and spill materials 28 out of container 10.
[0033] The plurality of slits 36 cut into flexible closure member
34 should be configured into a pattern that beneficially allows a
person's hand to be inserted through closure member 34 into
receptacle 26 and then close when the hand is removed therefrom. As
shown in the FIGS. 1, 6, 8 and 9, one pattern that works well for
lid 16 is a star-shaped or asterisk pattern that has a plurality of
slits extending radially from substantially the center 38 of
closure member 34 towards the peripheral outer edge 40 of closure
member 34 forming a plurality of resilient closure segments 42. As
shown, it is preferred that slits 36 do not extend all the way to
the outer edge 40 of closure member 34. In this type of pattern,
the resulting closure segments 42 will be generally triangular
shaped. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, twelve radially extending
slits 36 are utilized to form twelve closure segments 42. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 8, four radially extending slits 36 form
four closure segments 42. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, six
radially extending slits 36 form six closure segments 42. Various
other patterns of slits 36 and closure segments 42 are also
possible for lid 16. With some materials and slit patterns, it may
be beneficial to have a small open area at center 38, such that the
inwardly extending ends of closure segments 42 do not touch, of
closure member 34.
[0034] In a preferred embodiment for container 10 of the present
invention, shown in FIG. 10, flexible closure member 34 has a
plurality of closure segments 42 that are configured to form an
inverted cuff or cuff-like structure, shown as 44, around the
user's wrist 46 when his or her hand 48 is inserted inside
container body 12. In this configuration, closure segments 42
should be made sufficiently flexible and strong to form the
inverted cuff structure 44 so as to substantially enclose the
user's wrist 46 and prevent materials 28 from spilling out of
container 10 while the user is retrieving one or more of materials
28 from inside container body 12. Closure segments 42 should be of
sufficient length towards the center 38 of closure member 34 that
they will be able to form the inverted cuff or cuff-like structure
44 around the user's wrist 46. This will likely necessitate the
center directed ends 50 of closure segments 42 to extend past the
center 38 of closure member 34 such that they overlap each other to
provide sufficient material to cuff the user's wrist 46 and
substantially close the opening into container body 12 formed by
insertion of the user's hand 48. As known to those skilled in the
art, depending on how far the user inserts his or her hand 48 into
container body 12, cuff structure 44 will close around the wrist 46
or a portion of the user's hand 48 (i.e., the upper hand area
between the user's fingers 52 and wrist 46).
[0035] Various materials and configurations can be utilized for
container 10 of the present invention. In one embodiment, container
body 12 and the portion of lid 16 around closure member 34 are made
out of a clear plastic material that allows the user to see the
materials 28 inside receptacle 26. The use of plastic for container
body 12, handles 14 and portions of lid 16 has certain known
benefits, including being generally non-breakable and inexpensive
to manufacture. The preferred materials for container 10 are those
that are generally strong, lightweight and adaptable for cleaning
in standard dishwashers. If desired, container body 12, handles 14
and flange 30 can be made out of aluminum, stainless steel or other
metals. The materials chosen should also be selected to be
appropriate for the connection of lid 16 to container body 12. As
also known to those skilled in the art, container 10 can be of a
variety of different configurations, including generally cup-like,
as shown, square, oval, octagon or other desired shapes. One size
for container 10 is to have a container body 12 approximately four
inches in diameter and four inches deep. The actual size of
container 10, however, may be somewhat driven by the size of the
person's hand who is likely to utilize container 10. Naturally, if
container 10 is for adults versus children a larger size container
body 12 may be necessary to accommodate the insertion of the
person's hand, or a portion thereof, into receptacle 26.
[0036] In use, non-liquid materials 28 are first placed inside
receptacle 26 for storage in and later retrieval from container 10.
Generally, lid 16 will be removed so that materials 28 can be
easily placed inside receptacle 26, although it may be possible to
place materials 28 in receptacle 26 through closure member 34, and
then lid 16 will be re-attached to contain materials 28. With lid
16 on top portion 22, the user can place all or at least a portion
of his or her hand through closure member 34 by pushing against
slits 36 to cause closure segments 42 to generally fold into
receptacle 26. In the preferred embodiment, closure segments 42
form an inverted cuff or cuff-like structure 44 enclosing the
user's wrist 46 or hand 48 (depending on how far hand 48 is
inserted) to prevent spillage of materials 28 while in the act of
retrieving one or more materials 28 from within container body 12.
With his or her fingers, the user selectively retrieves one or more
of the materials 28 from receptacle 26 and pulls their hand and the
selected materials 28 back out of closure member 34, causing
closure segments 42 to follow. Once the user's hand is completely
withdrawn, closure segments 42 will move back into place, with
their inwardly disposed ends generally at center 38 of closure
member 34 to close receptacle 26 and prevent materials 28 from
spilling out of container 10. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10,
which shows cuff structure 44, the portion of closure segments 42
that form cuff structure 44 will be overlapping each other and/or
hanging at least partially downward into container body 12 in a
manner that closes receptacle 26 and prevents materials 28 from
spilling out of container 10.
[0037] While there are shown and described herein certain specific
alternative forms of the invention, it will be readily apparent to
those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited, but
is susceptible to various modifications and rearrangements in
design and materials without departing from the spirit and scope of
the invention. In particular, it should be noted that the present
invention is subject to modification with regard to the dimensional
relationships set forth herein and modifications in assembly,
materials, size, shape and use.
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