US20040206761A1 - Handheld container with removable divider - Google Patents

Abstract

A handheld container includes a container body defining a cavity that can be separated by a removable divider. A handle portion extends from the container body permitting the container to be handheld. A front wall is provided with ribs on an interior surface for use with a paintbrush or a mini paint roller. The container also is shaped to provide rests for the paintbrush and the paint roller.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
• This application is a continuation-in-part of the co-pending U.S. design patent application Ser. No. 29/180,327 filed Apr. 21, 2003.[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates generally to containers and, in particular, to a handheld container including a removable divider disposed therein.[0002]
• Containers, such as paint containers for use with painting instruments including paintbrushes and paint rollers, are well known. Standard size paint containers include one-gallon cans and five-gallon plastic buckets that are not easily handheld during painting. Portable paint containers are then often utilized by painters to provide a supply of paint while painting.[0003]
• A common problem is that most portable paint containers are not easily manipulated by hand when it is desirable to move the portable paint container or when it is desirable to hold the portable paint container with one hand while painting with the other. Another common problem is that most paint containers are not stable when moved between various locations and placed on various work surfaces. Yet another common problem for painters is finding a place to rest the paintbrush or paint roller while painting. If the paintbrush or paint roller is rested on a typical can or bucket, there is generally insufficient support for the paintbrush or paint roller, which often causes the paintbrush or paint roller to fall into or over the side of the can or bucket or disadvantageously allows a wet surface of the paintbrush or roller to either contact another surface or drip excess paint onto the surface.[0004]
• It is desirable, therefore, to provide a portable container that is able to be easily manipulated, is stable when placed on a work surface, and that provides a divider for separating the cavity into a paint containing portion and a portion for resting a paintbrush or a paint roller.[0005]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• A handheld container according to the present invention includes a container body defining an upwardly opening cavity formed therein. A handle portion extends downwardly from a rear edge of the container body adjacent the cavity. A divider is disposed in the cavity to divide the cavity into a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is larger than the second portion and is used to store a supply of paint during use. The second portion is adjacent to the handle and is sized to receive a paintbrush or mini paint roller. In addition to dividing the cavity, the divider also provides support to the bristles end of the paintbrush when the paintbrush is rested on a lip surrounding the cavity opening. The handle permits a user to carry a supply of paint in one hand while painting with a brush or a roller with the other hand.[0006]
• The divider is removable for the purpose of stacking a plurality of the container bodies during shipping or storage at a point of sale. The divider can be releasably attached to the upper surface of the bottom wall of the cavity for these purposes.[0007]
• Although the container according to the present invention is described herein as being useful for painting, it has many other uses. For example, with or without the divider, the container can be used to scoop and carry bulk materials. Slot machine players can use the container to hold a quantity of coins in place of the typical plastic cup.[0008]
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The above, as well as other advantages of the present invention, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in which:[0009]
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container in accordance with the present invention;[0010]
• FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the container shown in FIG. 1; and[0011]
• FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line[0012]3-3 in FIG. 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
• Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a handheld container in accordance with the present invention is indicated generally at[0013]10. Thecontainer10 includes acontainer body12 and a cooperatingremovable divider13 that are preferably formed of an injection molded plastic material or similar material. Thecontainer body12 includes afront wall14 and arear wall15 connected by a pair ofside walls16. Abottom wall17 is attached at a lower edge of each of thewalls14,15 and16 to form a cavity in thebody12 open at the top for retaining liquids and bulk solids. As shown in FIG. 2, in plan thebody12 is wider toward thefront wall14 and narrows toward therear wall15. Extending rearwardly from therear wall15 is ahandle18 having a generally horizontal rearwardly extendingconnector portion19 attached to an upper edge of therear wall15 and downwardly extendinggrip portion20. Theconnector portion19 is generally U-shaped in cross section and thegrip portion20 has a generally square tubular shape with rounded corners and is closed by abottom wall21. Thegrip portion20 is sized to be grasped by a human hand. Thebottom walls17 and21 extend in generally the same plane to provide a stable base for resting thecontainer12 upon a horizontal support or work surface such as a countertop, a floor or a shelf of a stepladder.
• The[0014]front wall14 includes anupper portion22 that extends generally horizontally and alower portion23 that extends downwardly and inwardly from theupper portion22 to thebottom wall17. Theside walls16 slope inwardly from top to bottom and therear wall15 extends in a curved vertical plane and also slopes inwardly from top to bottom. A generally vertically extendinglip24 is attached at the upper edges of thewalls14,15 and16, theconnector portion19 and thegrip portion20 to define an open top of thecontainer10. Thelip24 is outwardly displaced to form an inner upwardly facingstep25 and an outer downwardly facingstep26.
• As best shown in FIG. 3, a pair of[0015]continuous flanges27 is formed on interior surface of theside walls16 and thebottom wall17 to define agroove28 therebetween for receiving edges of thedivider13. Theflanges27 extend up theside walls16 short of thelip24. Thedivider27 can be thicker at anupper edge29 than at abottom edge30 such that it tapers in thickness. When inserted into thegroove28, thecontainer body12 is separated into a largerfront cavity31, between thedivider13 and thefront wall14, and a smallerrear cavity32, between thedivider13 and therear wall15. Thegroove28 is configured to engage thebottom edge30 and side edges of thedivider13 to seal against leakage of liquid between thefront cavity31 and therear cavity32.
• A[0016]larger width rib33 and a plurality ofsmaller width ribs34 are formed on and extend in a horizontal direction partially across an inner surface of thefront wall14. Therib33 is positioned at the juncture of theupper portion22 and thelower portion23 to form a retainer for a mini roller (not shown) resting on theupper portion22. Theribs34 are preferably evenly spaced apart along thelower portion23 for aiding in the removal of excess paint from a mini roller or the bristles of a paintbrush.
• The[0017]divider13 is removably retained in thegroove28. During shipment or storage, a plurality of thecontainers10 may be advantageously stacked together with each associateddivider13 temporarily adhered, by adhesive tape or the like, to the upwardly facing surface of thebottom wall17. As explained above, thewalls14,15 and16 are tapered. The walls of thegrip portion20 are tapered in a similar manner to facilitate nesting of thecontainers10. Ahang tab35 can be provided on thecontainer body12, molded integral therewith, extending rearwardly from the lip at thehandle18. Thehang tab35 is apertured for receiving a display hook (not shown).
• When the[0018]container10 is in use for painting, for example, thedivider13 is seated in thegroove28 to define thefront cavity31, which can be filed with paint, and therear cavity32, which can hold a paintbrush. Thehandle18 permits a person to hand carry thecontainer10 while painting. If desired, the bristles of a paintbrush (not shown) can be rested on theupper edge29 of thedivider13 while the handle of the paintbrush is rested on theconnector portion19 of thehandle18. If a mini paint roller is being utilized, the roller can be rested on theupper portion22 of thefront wall14 with a handle portion of the roller resting on theconnector portion19.
• The[0019]container10 has a number of alternate uses for holding liquid or bulk materials with, or without, thedivider13. For example, at a casino thedivider13 can be used to separate coins of differing denominations and thehandle18 allows the casino patron to move easily between various locations within the casino. In another use, thecontainer10 functions as a scoop device, wherein thehandle18 allows a person to easily move materials and thedivider13 may or may not be utilized.
• In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.[0020]

Claims (20)

What is claimed is:

1. A handheld container comprising:

a container body having a plurality of walls defining an open top cavity;

a handle extending from said container body adjacent the cavity and being adapted to be grasped by a human hand;

a divider disposed in said cavity; and

said container body including means for removably retaining said divider in said cavity thereby dividing said cavity in two.

2. The handheld container according toclaim 1 wherein said plurality of walls includes a front wall having a generally horizontally extending upper portion and a sloped lower portion.

3. The handheld container according toclaim 2 including a rib formed on an interior surface of said front wall and adapted to retain a mini paint roller resting on said upper portion.

4. The handheld container according toclaim 2 including at least one generally horizontally extending rib formed on an interior surface of said lower portion of said front wall.

5. The handheld container according toclaim 1 including a front wall, a rear wall and a pair of side walls attaching said front wall to said rear wall.

6. The handheld container according toclaim 5 wherein said front, rear and side walls each slope inwardly from a top to a bottom.

7. The handheld container according toclaim 5 including a lip extending upwardly from an upper edge of each of said front, rear and side walls.

8. The handheld container according toclaim 7 wherein said lip is displaced outwardly from said front, rear and side walls forming an inner upwardly facing step and an outer downwardly facing step.

9. The handheld container according toclaim 1 wherein said handle includes a grip portion adapted to be grasped by a human hand and a connector portion attaching said grip portion to said container body.

10. The handheld container according toclaim 9 wherein said grip portion has a tubular shape permitting nesting with another of the handheld container.

11. The handheld container according toclaim 1 wherein said handle includes a hang tab extending therefrom.

12. The handheld container according toclaim 1 wherein said divider tapers inwardly from an upper edge to a lower edge.

13. The handheld container according toclaim 1 wherein said means for removably retaining includes a pair of spaced apart flanges formed on an interior surface of said container body, said flanges defining a groove therebetween for receiving edges of said divider.

14. The handheld container according toclaim 1 wherein said walls include a bottom wall of said cavity and wherein said handle has a bottom wall, said bottom walls extending in a common plane for resting the handheld container on a support surface.

15. A handheld painting container comprising:

a container body having a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of side walls and a bottom wall, said walls being connected to define an open top cavity;

a handle extending from said container body adjacent the cavity and being adapted to be grasped by a human hand; and

a divider removably disposed in said cavity and engaging said side walls and said bottom wall thereby dividing said cavity in two.

16. The handheld container according toclaim 14 wherein said front wall has a generally horizontally extending upper portion and a sloped lower portion and including a rib formed on an interior surface of said front wall and adapted to retain a mini paint roller resting on said upper portion.

17. The handheld container according toclaim 16 including a plurality of generally horizontally extending ribs formed on an interior surface of said lower portion of said front wall.

18. A handheld container comprising:

a container body having a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of side walls and a bottom wall, said walls being connected to define an open top cavity;

a handle extending from said container body, said handle including a grip portion adapted to be grasped by a human hand and a connector portion connecting said grip portion to said rear wall; and

a divider removably disposed in said cavity and engaging said side walls and said bottom wall thereby dividing said cavity in two.

19. The handheld container according toclaim 18 wherein said grip portion is tubular permitting nesting with another of the handheld container.

20. The handheld container according toclaim 18 wherein said bottom wall of said cavity and a bottom wall of said handle extend in a common plane for resting the handheld container on a support surface.

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