Abstract:
An elastic reusable cover assembly for a container is disclosed comprising a first annular securement for frictionally engaging a first portion of the container, and a cover constructed of an elastic material and integrally connected to the first annular securement for substantially enclosing a second portion of the container.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/353,545, filed on Jan. 31, 2002, entitled ELASTIC REUSABLE COVER ASSEMBLY FOR CONTAINERS. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0002]    This invention relates to elastic covers and methods for covering containers with the same. In particular, the elastic covers and methods of the present invention relate to the use of elastic reusable covers as visual display surfaces for containers, such as condiment containers.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Condiments for the home or commercial establishments are generally stored in bottles and dispensed by unsealing a bottle and inverting it over the food sought to be covered. Alternatively, condiment jars that are not inverted typically have their contents removed with utensils. Condiment bottles and jars are typically round or angular in shape, and are generally made of clear or opaque glass or plastic so that the type and level of the contents can be viewed. Condiment bottles and jars generally have an interior storage chamber for the condiment, such as ketchup or mustard, and an opening on top of the bottle for dispensing the condiment while the bottle is in an inverted position. When a condiment bottle is inverted, the condiment either flows from the interior storage chamber or is forced out under pressure.  
           [0004]    Although the condiment bottles and jars are designed to be useful, these characteristics make the appearance of a condiment bottle or jar at best a utilitarian and somewhat unattractive addition to the home or commercial environment. Modern decorating schemes commonly call for the coordination of accessory items with other decorative elements. Thus, there is a need for an elastic reusable cover for use as a display surface for containers, such as condiment containers, that also serves as a decorative element to better coordinate the containers to the home or commercial environment.  
           [0005]    Various containers, particularly condiment and beverage containers, are placed in public view, both commercially and at home, and are therefore appropriate for use as display surfaces for an array of visual images, including patterns, colors, pictures, and including advertising and promotional materials. Commercially and at home, condiment containers are on display containing ketchup, mustard, and other condiments, and may be viewed by others while in use. However, these containers are typically poorly suited as display surfaces. Not only do they reveal their contents in an unattractive fashion, they easily become marred and disfigured, so that any such display is an inadequate display of the visual image to be presented. The prior art proposes or describes no feasible and effective display surface that may be attached to condiment containers or other containers so as to adequately address the needs of modern decorating standards.  
           [0006]    It has been suggested to permanently adhere a surface covering that is specially cut to fit the covering to the outside of a beverage container. This covering can hold or display various advertising or promotional messages and graphics. However, these coverings suffer from several disadvantages. As a result of being permanently adhered to substantially the entire outer surface of the container, the coverings lose a substantial degree of their inherent independent resiliency. Any force impacting the covering will be substantially transmitted to the container as well, and any resulting deformation in the container will also show on the tightly adhered covering. Additionally, if the visual image becomes dated or otherwise out of style, or if the covering begins to show signs of wear or other distress, it must be laboriously removed in its entirety, leaving the container covered in an unsightly adhesive residue until it is recovered. Such an endeavor must be repeated each time it is desirable to change the visual image.  
           [0007]    Further proposed covering systems require the application of a heat shrinkable film to a container, with the disadvantages that such films are not readily removable in a non-destructive manner. Moreover, such shrinkable films offer less control of the kind and quality of printing that may be imprinted on the film. In addition, the visual image may be awkwardly presented on the film&#39;s resultant resized surface.  
           [0008]    Additional coverings disclose various systems, including: foam rubber beverage can insulators with flexible sidewall and bottom members with slits on the bottom for expansion; open container covers with a flexible sheet to wrap around the side wall of the basket, and clips to detachably interconnect the top and bottom edges of the sheet to the open rims of the container, and hook and loop closures to hold the ends together; and loose fitting sock-like coverings to fit over standing water cooler bottles and the like, or a free standing cylinder of rigid material resting on the cooler apparatus, with holes or viewing ports to show water level and provide air circulation inside the covering. None of the disclosed covering systems propose or suggest an elastic reusable cover assembly and effective display surface that may be attached to variously shaped condiment containers or other containers so as to adequately address the needs of modern decorating standards.  
           [0009]    What is needed is an elastic reusable cover assembly that serves as an effective display surface and that may be attached to variously shaped condiment containers or other containers so as to adequately address the needs of modern decorating standards. In addition, it would be desirable for such a display surface to be easily and readily reusable and permit the releasable attachment of visual images. The desired elastic reusable cover assembly would further provide an excellent base medium for commercial printing processes.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    The present invention eliminates the above-mentioned needs for an elastic reusable cover as a visual display surface for containers, such as condiment containers, by providing an elastic reusable cover assembly and method for covering containers with the same.  
           [0011]    In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an elastic reusable cover assembly for a container comprising a first annular securement for frictionally engaging a first portion of the container and a cover constructed of an elastic material and integrally connected to the first annular securement for substantially enclosing a second portion of the container.  
           [0012]    The present invention is additionally directed to a method for covering and improving the appearance of a container, the method comprising the steps of frictionally engaging a first annular securement to a first portion of the container and substantially enclosing a second portion of the container with a cover constructed of an elastic material and integrally connected to the first annular securement. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustration of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a bottom view illustration of the preferred embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustration of alternative embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustration of yet another an alternative embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a bottom view illustration of the alternate embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 4. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]    Referring now to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated as formable reusable cover assembly  10 . Formable reusable cover assembly  10  generally comprises first annular securement  30  and cover  40 .  
         [0019]    As illustrated in FIG. 1, first annular securement  30  is frictionally engaged below container top  21  of container  20 . The frictional engagement of first annular securement  30  can be accomplished through the use of a first elastic material  31  incorporated in first annular securement  30 . Additionally, forming first annular securement  30  out of any one of a variety of shapes, including generally round, rectangular, triangular, or other geometric shapes is contemplated. Integrally connected to first annular securement  30  is cover  40 .  
         [0020]    Cover  40  is constructed of a material that is stretchable or has elastic properties. Preferably, cover  40  is formed from an elastic material that allows cover  40  to conform to the general shape of the container upon which it is placed. Selecting the elastic material from a variety of materials or blends of materials, including but not limited to nylon, cotton, lycra, and other fabrics having elastic properties, including elastic material  31  allows for a greater cover variety. Likewise, preprinting patterns, pictures, or other visual images on the elastic material permits coordination with a particular decor. Cover  40  may terminate with an integrally connected second annular securement  50 , as shown in FIG. 2.  
         [0021]    As illustrated in FIG. 2, an alternate embodiment of the present invention can include second annular securement  50 . Second annular securement  50  can be similar in structure to first annular securement  30 . FIG. 2 shows second annular securement  50  frictionally engaged below container bottom  21  of container  20 . As with first annular securement  30 , the frictional engagement of second annular securement  50  can be accomplished through the use of elastic material incorporated in second annular securement  50 . Additionally, as above, forming first annular securement  30  out of any one of an array of shapes, including generally round, rectangular, triangular, or other geometric shapes is contemplated.  
         [0022]    Another alternate embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows first annular securement  30  incorporating a drawstring  32  instead of elastic material  31 . In use, once cover  40  is placed over container  20 , drawstring  32  is pulled to frictionally engage first annular securement  30  to container  20 . Although it is not shown, it is contemplated that second annular securement  50  can incorporate a drawstring as well.  
         [0023]    As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, an alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown including bottom portion  60 . Bottom portion  60  can be formed from the material that forms cover  40 , thus enabling a unitary construction. Alternatively, bottom portion  60  may be formed of a different material, such as a slippage preventing material, and affixed to cover  40  by any one of a number of methods generally known in the art. Bottom portion  60  abuts the base of a container, such as container  20   a , thereby preventing cover  40  from unintentional movement along container  40 .  
         [0024]    As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, and  4 , visual display  70  may be pre-printed on the formable material constructed into cover  40 . Visual display  70  can include words, such as words describing the contents of containers  20  and  20   a . For example, a container holding ketchup can include a visual display containing the printed word, “ketchup.” Visual display  70  can be in addition to the pattern of the material forming cover  40 . Visual display  70  may also include promotional or advertising material, or any other graphic desired by the user.  
         [0025]    Visual display  70  can also be in the form of a label that is affixed to cover  40 . In label form, visual display  70  can be affixed to cover  40  by any one of a number of attachments, including hook and loop fasteners, snaps, adhesives, buttons, hook and eye fasteners, magnets, zippers, or the like.  
         [0026]    Although only a few exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that numerous modifications are to the exemplary embodiments are possible without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims.