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US 10,806,276 B1Granted
Integrated container-suspension system
AssigneeThe Banana Bungee LLC
InventorTrevor A. Chargois
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a fresh fruit storage and display system that enables the storage of bananas and other fruit in a manner that does not result in damage to the bananas (e.g., bruising, aging, etc.) stemming from contact with other fruit or exposure to ethylene gas emitted by the other fruit, and featuring a dynamic suspension component for enhanced suspended storage (without piercing) of a hand of bananas and/or a single banana.
Claims17
An apparatus comprising:
- a receptacle capable of containing a plurality of items;
- a base coupled to the receptacle for stable placement of the apparatus on a flat surface;
- and
- a vertical extension coupled to the receptacle, the base, or both, wherein said vertical extension is capable of suspending at least one item in a position other than directly above the receptacle;
- wherein the base comprises at least two base legs that are oriented in a manner to provide stable placement of the apparatus on a flat surface when the extension is suspending the at least one item and when the receptacle is empty, wherein the vertical extension is capable of suspending at least one item to a first side of the receptacle, and wherein each leg from among the at least two base legs further comprises:
- a fixed component fixedly coupled to the receptacle, and
- a movable component operationally coupled to the fixed component that in a first position relative to the fixed component provides a minimum leg length and in a second position relative to the fixed component provides a maximum leg length, the maximum leg length being greater than the minimum leg length.
4 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a receptacle capable of containing a plurality of items;
- a base coupled to the receptacle for stable placement of the apparatus on a flat surface;
- a vertical extension coupled to the receptacle, the base, or both, wherein said vertical extension is capable of suspending at least one item in a position other than directly above the receptacle;
- and
- a suspension component operationally coupled to the vertical extension, the suspension component comprising:
- one or more suspension strands, each suspension strand comprising a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end of each suspension strand operationally coupled to the vertical extension such that each suspension strand extends from the vertical extension, and
- one or more suspension contacts, each suspension contact coupled to the second end of a suspension strand from among the one or more suspension strands;
- wherein each suspension strand and its coupled suspension contact are capable of suspending a hand of bananas in a first use without piercing the hand of bananas, and suspending a single banana in a second use without piercing the single banana.
5 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a receptacle capable of containing a plurality of items;
- a vertical extension coupled to the receptacle wherein said vertical extension is capable of suspending at least one item in a position other than directly above the receptacle;
- a suspension component operationally coupled to the vertical extension, the suspension component comprising:
- one or more suspension strands, each suspension strand comprising a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end of each suspension strand operationally coupled to the vertical extension such that each suspension strand extends from the vertical extension, and
- one or more suspension contacts, each suspension contact coupled to the second end of a suspension strand from among the one or more suspension strands, each suspension strand and its coupled suspension contact being capable of suspending a hand of bananas in a first use without piercing the hand of bananas and suspending a single banana in a second use without piercing the single banana;
- and
- a base coupled to the receptacle for stable placement of the apparatus on a flat surface, the base comprising at least two base legs extending beyond the lateral circumference of the receptacle and wherein a suspension center of gravity for an item suspended by the vertical extension lies within a support footprint provided by the at least two base legs.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.