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US 7,159,720 B2Granted
Container having a rotatable ring
OwnerStephen J. Pearsoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A generally cylindrical container comprised of three parts including a top shell, a bottom shell, and a rotatable ring. The top and bottom shells are affixed to each other and hold the ring captive in a race formed by the outer sidewalls and annular retaining edges of the top and bottom shell. A discharge opening in the ring can be aligned with one or more openings in the sidewalls to allow passage of objects in or out of the container. The ring opening can similarly be aligned away from the sidewall opening(s) to prevent the passage of objects. The container disclosed herein represents a significant advance over known hand-operated containers because, among other things, it is simpler to manufacture, provides more reliable operation, and offers reduced friction against stored objects.
Claims23
A hand-operated container having a generally cylindrical shape, comprising:
- a top shell including a substantially circular top and a substantially cylindrical upper outer sidewall extending down from the top, the top overhanging the upper outer sidewall to form an upper annular retaining edge extending away from the upper outer sidewall;
- a bottom shell including a substantially circular bottom and a substantially cylindrical lower outer sidewall extending up from the bottom, the bottom underhanging the lower outer sidewall to form a lower annular retaining edge extending away from the lower outer sidewall;
- wherein the top shell and the bottom shell are mated to form an enclosure, a sidewall discharge opening, and a race when the top and bottom shells are place in an assembled relation, the enclosure being defined by the top, the bottom and the upper and lower outer sidewalls and the race being defined by the upper annular retaining edge, the lower annular retaining edge, and the exterior surfaces of the upper and lower outer sidewalls;
- and
- a ring having a ring discharge opening and being fitted to the race for rotating in the race, the ring permitting access to the enclosure when the ring is rotated to align the ring discharge opening with the sidewall discharge opening.
2 more elements
A hand-operated container having a generally cylindrical shape, comprising:
- a top shell including a substantially circular top and a substantially cylindrical upper outer sidewall extending down from the top, the top overhanging the upper outer sidewall to form an upper retaining edge extending away from the upper outer sidewall;
- a bottom shell including a substantially circular bottom and a substantially cylindrical lower outer sidewall extending up from the bottom, the bottom underhanging the lower outer sidewall to form a lower retaining edge extending away from the lower outer sidewall;
- wherein the top shell and the bottom shell are mated to form an enclosure, a sidewall discharge opening, and a race when the top and bottom shells are place in an assembled relation, the enclosure being defined by the top, the bottom and the upper and lower outer sidewalls and the race being defined by the upper retaining edge, the lower retaining edge, and the exterior surfaces of the upper and lower outer sidewall;
- and
- a ring having a ring discharge opening and being fitted to the race for rotating in the race, the ring permitting access to the enclosure when the ring is rotated to align the ring discharge opening with the sidewall discharge opening.
2 more elements
A hand-operated container having a generally cylindrical shape, comprising:
- a top shell including a substantially circular top and a substantially cylindrical upper outer sidewall extending down from the top and a plurality of interior walls extending radially from the center of the top to the upper outer sidewall, the upper outer sidewall having a plurality of half discharge openings formed therein, the top overhanging the upper outer sidewall to form an upper annular retaining edge extending away from the upper outer sidewall;
- a bottom shell including a substantially circular bottom and a substantially cylindrical lower outer sidewall extending up from the bottom and a plurality of interior walls extending radially from the center of the top to the upper outer sidewall, the lower outer sidewall having a plurality of half discharge openings formed therein, the bottom underhanging the lower outer sidewall to form a lower annular retaining edge extending away from the lower outer sidewall;
- at least one alignment member formed on the top shell or bottom shell;
- wherein the top shell and the bottom shell are mated to form a plurality of compartments, a corresponding plurality of sidewall discharge openings and a race when the top and bottom shells are place in an assembled relation, the compartments being defined by the top, the bottom, the interior walls and the upper and lower outer sidewalls and the race being defined by the upper annular retaining edge, the lower annular retaining edge, and the exterior surfaces of the upper and lower outer sidewalls;
- and
- a ring having a ring discharge opening and being fitted to the race for rotating in the race, the ring permitting access to each of the compartments when the ring is rotated to align the ring discharge opening with a corresponding one of the sidewall discharge openings.
3 more elements
A method for manufacturing a hand-operated container, comprising:
- providing a top shell including a substantially circular top and a substantially cylindrical upper outer sidewall extending down from the top, the top overhanging the upper outer sidewall to form an upper annular retaining edge extending away from the upper outer sidewall;
- providing a bottom shell mated to the top shell, the bottom shell including a substantially circular bottom and a substantially cylindrical lower outer sidewall extending up from the bottom, the bottom underhanging the lower outer sidewall to form a lower annular retaining edge extending away from the lower outer sidewall;
- placing a rotatable ring around lower out sidewall, the ring having a ring discharge opening;
- and
- fastening together the top shell and the bottom shell in an assembled relation so that the ring is rotatable around both the lower and upper outer sidewalls, the assembled shells forming an enclosure, a sidewall discharge opening, and a race, the enclosure being defined by the top, the bottom and the upper and lower outer sidewalls and the race being defined by the upper annular retaining edge, the lower annular retaining edge, and the exterior surfaces of the upper and lower outer sidewalls, the ring permitting access to the enclosure when the ring is rotated in the race to align the ring discharge opening with the sidewall discharge opening.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.