U.S. patent application number 14/635011 was filed with the patent office on 2016-09-08 for measuring container with heat dissipating section.
The applicant listed for this patent is Helen of Troy Limited. Invention is credited to Matthew Dolph, Conor McNamara, John Traub, Larry Witt, Chris Xydis.
Application Number | 20160257478 14/635011 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56848468 |
Filed Date | 2016-09-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160257478 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Witt; Larry ; et
al. |
September 8, 2016 |
MEASURING CONTAINER WITH HEAT DISSIPATING SECTION
Abstract
A container includes a base and a side wall integrally formed
with and extending upwardly from the base to define an interior
volume for holding a substance. The side wall and the base are
formed of a microwave-safe material. The side wall has an outer
side wall surface facing toward ambient and an inner side wall
surface facing toward the interior volume. The side wall has a
first region in which a wall structure is located offsetting the
outer side wall surface on the wall structure from a recessed outer
surface, which is offset outwardly from the inner side wall surface
and inwardly from the outer side wall surface on the wall
structure. The side wall is configured to be gripped by a user's
hand in the first region and the wall structure allows for air
pockets to form between the user's hand and the recessed outer
surface.
Inventors: |
Witt; Larry; (Califon,
NJ) ; Traub; John; (Brooklyn, NY) ; Dolph;
Matthew; (New York, NY) ; McNamara; Conor;
(Montclair, NJ) ; Xydis; Chris; (San Francisco,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Helen of Troy Limited |
Belleville |
|
BB |
|
|
Family ID: |
56848468 |
Appl. No.: |
14/635011 |
Filed: |
March 2, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 25/56 20130101;
B65D 1/265 20130101; B65D 1/40 20130101; B65D 25/42 20130101; B65D
81/3453 20130101; B65D 81/3865 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65D 81/34 20060101
B65D081/34; B65D 25/42 20060101 B65D025/42; B65D 25/56 20060101
B65D025/56; B65D 1/40 20060101 B65D001/40 |
Claims
1. A container comprising: a base; and a side wall integrally
formed with and extending upwardly from the base to define an
interior volume for holding a substance, the side wall and the base
being formed from a microwave-safe material; the side wall having
an outer side wall surface facing toward ambient and an inner side
wall surface facing toward the interior volume, the side wall
having a first region in which a wall structure is located
offsetting the outer side wall surface on the wall structure from a
recessed outer surface, which is offset outwardly from the inner
side wall surface and inwardly from the outer side wall surface on
the wall structure, wherein the side wall is configured to be
gripped by a user's hand in the first region and the wall structure
allows for air pockets to form between the user's hand and the
recessed outer surface.
2. The container of claim 1, wherein the side wall includes a
second region devoid of the wall structure.
3. The container of claim 2, wherein the side wall is more opaque
in at least a portion of the second region as compared to the
recessed outer surface.
4. The container of claim 2, wherein the side wall is more opaque
in at least a portion of the second region and along the wall
structure as compared to the recessed outer surface.
5. The container of claim 2, wherein the side wall includes a third
region also being devoid of the wall structure, wherein the side
wall is more opaque in the second region and along the wall
structure as compared to the third region.
6. The container of claim 5, wherein the third region is as
translucent as the recessed outer surface.
7. The container of claim 6, wherein the side wall terminates at an
upper rim having a depression for forming a pour spout, wherein at
least a portion of the third region is circumferentially aligned
with and disposed beneath the depression.
8. The container of claim 7, wherein the second region surrounds
the third region.
9. The container of claim 5, wherein the second region surrounds
the third region.
10. The container of claim 2, wherein a thickness of the side wall
measured in the second region of the side wall is equal to a
thickness of the side wall measured in the first region of the side
wall through the wall structure.
11. The container of claim 1, wherein the outer side wall surface
is circular in a cross section taken normal to a central vertical
axis of the container.
12. The container of claim 1, wherein the wall structure includes
recess side surfaces extending outwardly from the recessed outer
surface to the outer side wall surface.
13. The container of claim 12, wherein the recess side surfaces at
least partially surround respective recesses.
14. The container of claim 13, wherein the outer side wall surface
along the wall structure is textured to be more opaque than the
recessed outer surface.
15. The container of claim 14, wherein the side wall includes a
second region devoid of the wall structure, wherein the outer side
wall surface in the second region is also textured similarly to the
recess side surfaces and the outer side wall surface along the wall
structure.
16. The container of claim 15, wherein the side wall also includes
a third region also being devoid of the wall structure, wherein the
third region is as translucent as the recessed outer surface.
17. The container of claim 16, further comprising graduation marks
provided on the outer side wall surface within the third
region.
18. The container of claim 1, wherein the microwave-safe material
from which the side wall and the base wall is made is sufficiently
resilient in the side wall to deform the side wall when being
squeezed by the user's hand and return to an undeformed shape when
no longer being squeezed.
19. A container comprising: a base; and a side wall integrally
formed with and extending upwardly from the base to define an
interior volume for holding a substance, the side wall and the base
being formed from a microwave-safe material; the side wall having
an outer side wall surface facing toward ambient and an inner side
wall surface facing toward the interior volume, the side wall
having a first region in which a wall structure is located
offsetting the outer side wall surface on the wall structure from a
recessed outer surface, which is offset outwardly from the inner
side wall surface and inwardly from the outer side wall surface on
the wall structure, wherein the side wall is configured to be
gripped by a user's hand in the first region and the wall structure
allows for air pockets to form between the user's hand and the
recessed outer surface, wherein the side wall includes a second
region devoid of the wall structure, wherein the side wall is more
opaque in at least a portion of the second region and along the
wall structure as compared to the recessed outer surface, wherein
the side wall includes a third region also being devoid of the wall
structure, wherein the side wall is more opaque in the second
region and along the wall structure as compared to the third
region, wherein the second region surrounds the third region and
graduation marks are provided within the third region.
20. A container comprising: a base; and a side wall integrally
formed with and extending upwardly from the base to define an
interior volume for holding a substance, the side wall and the base
being formed from a microwave-safe material; the side wall having
an outer side wall surface facing toward ambient and an inner side
wall surface facing toward the interior volume, the side wall
having a first region in which a wall structure is located
offsetting the outer side wall surface on the wall structure from a
recessed outer surface, which is offset outwardly from the inner
side wall surface and inwardly from the outer side wall surface on
the wall structure, wherein the side wall is configured to be
gripped by a user's hand in the first region and the wall structure
allows for air pockets to form between the user's hand and the
recessed outer surface, wherein the side wall includes a second
region devoid of the wall structure, wherein a thickness of the
side wall measured in the second region of the side wall is equal
to a thickness of the side wall measured in the first region of the
side wall through the wall structure, and a thickness of the side
wall in the first region measured between the recessed outer
surface and the inner side wall surface is less than the thickness
of the side wall in the first region of the side wall through the
wall structure.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Measuring containers, such as measuring cups, are useful to
measure the ingredients when following food and beverage recipes.
Sometimes the ingredients need to be heated. While some measuring
containers may be oven or microwave safe, oftentimes an oven mitt
or similar heat insulating device is used to grip the measuring
container since the exterior of the container can become very
hot.
[0002] There are also measuring containers that do not have a
handle. Some measuring containers that do not have handles are made
from a flexible material so that the container can be squeezed to
provide a more pronounced spout, which aids in pouring contents
from the measuring container. These containers have a certain
drawback in that they can require the use of oven mitts or the like
to handle when these containers have been heated in a microwave
oven. Measuring the proper volume of contents within the measuring
container can also be difficult due to the types of materials used
to make these measuring containers or the finishing of the surfaces
of the measuring containers.
SUMMARY
[0003] An example of a container that may overcome at least one of
the aforementioned shortcomings includes a base and a side wall
integrally formed with and extending upwardly from the base to
define an interior volume for holding a substance. The side wall
and the base are formed of a microwave-safe material. The side wall
has an outer side wall surface facing toward ambient and an inner
side wall surface facing toward the interior volume. The side wall
has a first region in which a wall structure is located offsetting
the outer side wall surface on the wall structure from a recessed
outer surface, which is offset outwardly from the inner side wall
surface and inwardly from the outer side wall surface on the wall
structure. The side wall is configured to be gripped by a user's
hand in the first region and the wall structure allows for air
pockets to form between the user's hand and the recessed outer
surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 is a front upper perspective view of a container.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of the container depicted in
FIG. 1.
[0006] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view (showing an opposite side as
that shown in FIG. 1) of the container shown in FIG. 1.
[0007] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in
FIG. 3.
[0008] FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of the container depicted
in FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 in
FIG. 5.
[0010] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 in
FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] A container 10 that can be useful for measuring contents
when following a recipe, as well as for other uses, includes a base
12 and a side wall 14 integrally formed with and extending upwardly
from the base to define an interior volume 16 for holding a
substance. The container 10, which is made up of the side wall 14
and the base 12, is formed from a microwave-safe material, such as
a silicone material capable of being heated to 450 degrees F. (232
degrees C.) without impacting a performance of the material. The
microwave-safe material from which the container 10 is made is
sufficiently resilient so that the side wall 14 deforms when being
squeezed by a user's hand and returns to its original, also
referred to as undeformed, shape when no longer being squeezed. The
resiliency of the side wall 14 and that it can deform facilitates
pouring contents from the container 10.
[0012] With reference to FIG. 4, the side wall 14 has an outer side
wall surface 20 that faces toward ambient and an inner side wall
surface 22 facing toward the interior volume 16. With reference
back to FIG. 1, the side wall 14 also includes a first region 24 in
which a plurality of recesses 26 are formed. With reference back to
FIG. 4, each recess 26 extends from the outer side wall surface 20
toward the inner side wall surface 22 to a recessed outer surface
28. The recessed outer surface 28 faces ambient similar to the
outer side wall surface 20. The recessed outer surface 28 is offset
outwardly from the inner side wall surface 22 and inwardly from the
outer side wall surface 20. The side wall 14 is configured to be
gripped by a user's hand in the first region 24, which contains the
plurality of recesses 26. The plurality of recesses 26 allow for
air pockets to form between the user's hand and the recessed outer
surface 28. Since the container 10 could be made from a silicone
microwave-safe material, when the container 10 is used to heat
fatty substances, such as butter, the container 10, and especially
the side wall 14, can get hot. The plurality of recesses 26 can
allow the container 10 to be handled more quickly out of the
microwave oven because of the formation of the air pockets between
the user's hand and the recessed outer surface 28.
[0013] In the illustrated embodiment, each recess 26 is partially
surrounded by a wall structure 32. In the illustrated embodiment,
the plurality of recesses 26 and the wall structure 32 are provided
in a honeycomb pattern. As illustrated, each recess 26 is
six-sided; however, the recesses could take other configurations,
such as circular, triangular, rectangular or other polygonal
shapes. Also, the wall structure 32 could be provided in different
patterns so long as the wall structure 32 offsets the outer side
wall surface 20 from the recessed outer surface 28 so as to form an
air pocket between the user's hand and the recessed outer surface
28 when the user grips the side wall 14 in the region containing
the wall structure. As more clearly seen in FIG. 4, the wall
structure 32 includes recess side surfaces 34 extending outwardly
from the recessed outer surface 28 to the outer side wall surface
20. In the illustrated embodiment, six recess side surfaces 34
surround each recess 26, but fewer or greater number of recess side
surfaces 34 can be provided where the shape of the recess 26 takes
another configuration.
[0014] The first region 24 circumferentially surrounds a majority
of the side wall 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the side wall
14 does not circumferentially surround the entire side wall.
Rather, the side wall 14 includes a second region 40 that is devoid
of the wall structure 32 and the plurality of recesses 26. With
reference to FIG. 6, the side wall 14 is centered with respect to a
vertical central axis 42. The perimeter of the side wall 14 is
dimensioned to be comfortably gripped by an adult woman's hand,
thus obviating the need for a handle. As most clearly seen in FIG.
6, the first region 24 of the side wall 14 surrounds about 270
degrees of the side wall 14 to provide a large gripping region for
the container 10. The first region 24 has a height H1, which is
parallel with the vertical central axis 42, that is nearly as great
as, e.g., at least 90 percent of, the maximum height H2 of the side
wall 14, which is the distance between a lower surface 44 of the
base 12 and an uppermost location on an upper rim 46 of the side
wall 14. The large surface area of the first region 24 not only
facilitates heat dissipation, but also provides a large viewing
window based on differences in opacity between the surfaces of the
container 10, which will be described in more detail below.
[0015] The second region 40, which is devoid of the plurality of
recesses 26, surrounds the first region 24 and can be located above
an upper boundary 50 (only shown as a dashed line in FIG. 3) and
beneath a lower boundary 52 (only shown as a dashed line in FIG. 3)
of the first region 24. The second region 40 can also be located in
between a first axial (vertical) boundary 54 and a second axial
(vertical) boundary 56 (only shown as a dashed lines in FIGS. 3 and
5) of the first region 24.
[0016] The outer side wall surface 20 of the side wall 14 in the
second region 40 is coextensive with the outer side wall surface 20
of the side wall 14 within the first region 24, which results in a
material savings. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the outer side wall
surface 20 is circular in a cross section taken normal to the
vertical central axis 42. A thickness 60 of the side wall 14
measured in the second region 40 of the side wall is equal to a
thickness 62 of the side wall 14 measured in the first region 24 of
the side wall through the wall structure 32. In contrast, a
thickness 64 measured in the first region 24 of the side wall 14
between the recessed outer surface 28 and the inner side wall
surface 22 is less than the thickness 60 of the side wall 14 in the
second region 40 or the thickness 62 of the side wall 14 in the
first region 24 through the wall structure 32. The honeycomb
pattern of the wall structure 32 in the first region 24 can provide
sufficient rigidity to maintain the desired shape of the side wall
14.
[0017] The side wall 14 can also include a third region 70 which
can also be devoid of the wall structure 32 and the plurality of
recesses 26. The side wall 14 terminates at the upper rim 46 having
a depression 72 for forming a pour spout, and at least a portion of
the third region 70 is circumferentially aligned with and disposed
beneath the depression 72. Graduation marks 74 can be provided on
the outer side wall surface 20 within the third region 70. The
height H3 (measured in the axial direction) of the third region 70
can be as great as or greater than the height H1 of the first
region 24.
[0018] As mentioned above, the material from which the container 10
is made is sufficiently resilient in the side wall 14 to allow the
the side wall 14 to deform when being squeezed by the user's hand
and to return to an undeformed shape when no longer being squeezed.
With respect to FIG. 7, a channel 80, which can be in the form of
an elongate depression formed in the side wall 14, aligns with the
depression 72 formed at the upper rim 46. The depression 72 and the
channel 80 are circumferentially equidistantly spaced between the
first axial (vertical) boundary 54 and the second axial (vertical)
boundary 56 of the first region 24. As such, when a user grips the
first region 24 so that the user's thumb is near the first axial
boundary 54 and fingertips are near the second axial boundary 56,
or vice versa, and squeezes the side wall 14, the side wall 14 is
encouraged to bend in a manner to provide a more pronounced spout
at the depression 72 and the channel 80. This action facilitates
pouring liquid from the container 10.
[0019] While the side wall 14 is configured to be resilient and
flexed, the base 12 is not as resilient as the side wall. With
reference to FIG. 7, a thickness 82 of the base 12 is greater than
thicknesses 60, 62 and 64 (see FIG. 6) in the side wall 14. As
such, the base 12 tends not to flex under normal operating
conditions of a user gripping the first region 24 forming the pour
spout with the depression 72 and the channel 80.
[0020] The side wall 14 is more opaque in at least a portion of the
second region 40 as compared to the recessed outer surface 28,
which is provided in each recess 26. The side wall 14 in the
recessed outer surface 28 can be substantially clear or transparent
so that the contents of the container 10 are viewable through the
recesses 26. Since the second region is so large, the clear
recessed outer surfaces 28 provide an overall large viewing window.
In a second region 40, however, the side wall 14 is more opaque
than the recessed outer surface 28. The side wall 14 is more opaque
also along the outer side wall surface 20 of the wall structure 32
as compared to the recessed outer surface 28. The outer side wall
surface 20 along the wall structure 32 in the first region 24 and
the outer side wall surface 20 in the second region 40 can have the
same opacity. The recess side surfaces 34 can also have the same
opacity as the outer side wall surface 20 along the wall structure
32 and the outer side wall surface 20 in the second region 40. This
can be accomplished by a texturing (shown as the stippled regions
in FIG. 1 only) that can be provided on the outer side wall surface
20 within the second region 40 as well as within the first region
24, but only along the outer side wall surface of the wall
structure 32 and the recess side surfaces 34, i.e., the recessed
outer surface 28 would not include this texture. This texturing can
also facilitate gripping of the container, especially when the
container is used with slippery materials. The third region 70 can
have the same opacity as the recessed outer surface 28. As
mentioned above, the third region 70 includes graduation marks 74
provided on the outer side wall surface 20. The third region 70 can
be translucent or clear to facilitate viewing the contents within
the container and comparing the contents to the graduation marks
provided on the third region.
[0021] A container that can be useful in measuring contents has
been described above with particularity. Only one size container is
shown, however the container can take many different volumes.
Furthermore, other modifications and alterations may occur to those
upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description.
The invention, however, is not limited to only the embodiments
described above. Instead, the invention is broadly defined by the
appended claims and the equivalents thereof.
* * * * *