Abstract:
Decorative containers, such as tins, have a recognizable external appearance and are at least partially filled with contents that have flavors or fragrances, or scents, that correspond to the external appearances of the containers. The containers may appear as bakery goods, fruits, or other items. Various contents that may be stored or kept in such containers include, but are not limited to, candles, air fresheners, candies, creams, balms, waxes, gels, water-absorbent particles or beads, bath salt, and liquids. Methods of manufacturing and using the containers are also described.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to decorative containers, such as tins, with a recognizable external appearance and contents having flavors or fragrances, or scents, that correspond to the external appearances of the containers. More specifically, the present invention includes decorative containers, the exteriors of which may have the appearance of bakery goods and within which contents are stored which have scents or flavors that correspond to the external appearance of the containers.  
         [0003]     2. Background of Related Art  
         [0004]     It is well known that candles may have a variety of fragrances, which may be detected prior to lighting the candle, but which are released to a greater extent when the candle is lit.  
         [0005]     The scents of various bakery goods, such as cookies, muffins, pies, doughnuts, cakes, breads, and the like, are replicated by some of many types of candle fragrances that are currently available. These scents are typically desirable to individuals who appreciate the smell of fresh-baked goods.  
         [0006]     In addition to providing the scents of bakery goods, some scented candles have been developed which also provide the appearance of the bakery good represented by the fragrances thereof. Unfortunately, as these candles burn, the bakery good appearances thereof become distorted and may completely disappear, which may render them less desirable from a visual standpoint.  
         [0007]     Containers for candles may be in the form of so-called “tins,” which are metal containers, or they may be formed from ceramic, glass, plastic, or a variety of other materials. Containers for other types of goods, such as air freshening compositions, creams and balms, candies, and the like are also well known in the art, and may be the same as or similar to containers for candles. The exteriors of such containers may have indicia formed thereon or have a decorative appearance.  
         [0008]     The inventor is not aware of any decorative containers having the appearance of bakery goods, or of containers within which contents are stored which have scents or flavors that correspond to the external appearances of such containers.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The present invention includes containers, such as tins, with a decorative external appearance. The contents of such containers may have flavors or fragrances, or scents, that correspond to the external appearance of the containers.  
         [0010]     In one embodiment, a container according to the present invention includes a base with a receptacle therein and a cover configured to be assembled with the base so as to substantially enclose the receptacle. The cover may also be configured to be secured to the base when assembled therewith. Exterior surfaces of the cover and, optionally, the base may be configured with a desired appearance. The exterior surfaces may also carry indicia, such as paint, ink, decals, or the like, that enhance the external appearance of the container.  
         [0011]     The receptacle of the base may be at least partially filled with one or more contents, such as a candle, an air freshening composition, or “air freshener,” pieces of candy, a volume of cream, balm, wax, gel, water-absorbent particles or beads, or liquid, bath salts, or the like. The contents of the receptacle may be scented or flavored in a manner that corresponds to the external appearance of the container.  
         [0012]     As a specific example, a container may have the external appearance of a bakery good, such as a cookie, muffin, bagel, doughnut, pie, cake, or the like. The exterior surfaces of the cover of such a container may have the appearance of the top of such a bakery good. The exterior surfaces of the base of such a container may have the appearance of the bottom of the represented bakery good. Of course, containers with other (i.e., than bakery good) appearances are also within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0013]     Continuing with the example of a container having the external appearance of a bakery good, the receptacle of the base thereof may be at least partially filled with a candle having a scent which approximates the scent of the represented bakery good. Alternatively, an air freshener, pieces of candy, a volume of cream, balm, wax, gel, water-absorbent particles or beads, or liquid, bath salts, or other contents having a scent or flavor that approximates the respective scent or flavor of the bakery good may be stored within the receptacle of the base. Optionally, the appearance of the contents of the receptacle may have an appearance similar to that of the exterior of the container.  
         [0014]     In another aspect, the present invention includes packaging and displays for one or more containers according to the present invention. A package or display according to the present invention may have an appearance which resembles packaging or a display for the item represented by the external appearance of the container or containers. For example, if the container has the appearance of a cookie, a display may resemble a cookie package. As another example, if the container has the appearance of a doughnut, packaging or a display for the container may look like a doughnut box, and may be configured to receive a dozen containers. In still another example, if the container has the appearance of a pie, the package may resemble a pie box.  
         [0015]     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art through consideration of the ensuing description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     In the drawings, which depict exemplary embodiments of various features of the present invention:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary container according to the present invention, showing a cover of the container assembled with a base of the container;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a perspective assembly view of the container shown in  FIG. 1 , illustrating the cover of the container disassembled from the base of the container and depicting a receptacle of the base;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a perspective assembly view of the container depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , with a candle in the receptacle of the base thereof;  
         [0020]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective assembly view of the container depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , with other types of contents in the receptacle of the base thereof;  
         [0021]      FIG. 3B  is a perspective assembly view of a container having the appearance of another item, with pieces of candy have a flavor which corresponds to the external appearance of the container in the receptacle of the base thereof;  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the container shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the container illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 4 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 6  is a side assembly view of the container shown in  FIGS. 1 through 5 ;  
         [0025]      FIGS. 7 through 14  are perspective views of some other examples of containers that incorporate teachings of the present invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of an example of a box within which a plurality of containers according to the present invention are stored;  
         [0027]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of another example of a box within which at least one container according to the present invention is stored or displayed;  
         [0028]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a bakery shelf within which a plurality of containers according to the present invention are stored or displayed;  
         [0029]      FIGS. 18 through 20  are perspective views of other apparatus for presenting containers that incorporate teachings of the present invention; and  
         [0030]      FIG. 21  is a perspective view of another display apparatus for use with containers of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0031]     With reference to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary container  10  that incorporates teachings of the present invention is shown. Container  10  includes a base  12  and a cover  22 , which are configured to be assembled with and secured to one another. As shown in  FIG. 4 , cover  22  includes an exterior surface  23  which has a desired appearance, in this case, that of a cookie (e.g., the appearance of chocolate chip cookie, as depicted). An exterior surface  13  of base  12  may also be configured in such a way as to complete the desired appearance, as shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0032]     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 6 , base  12  includes a bottom  14  and at least one side wall  15  protruding generally upwardly, but not necessarily perpendicularly, from bottom  14 . A receptacle  17  is defined within an interior  16  of side wall  15 , over bottom  14 . In addition, a ledge  19  may be located on an exterior  18  of side wall  15 , defining a boundary between a lower section  18   a  of exterior  18  and an upper section  18   b  of exterior  18 , with lower section  18   a  having a larger lateral dimension (e.g., diameter, circumference, perimeter, etc.) than the corresponding dimension of upper section  18   a.  In the illustrated example, ledge  19  completely circumscribes exterior  18  of side wall  15 . Ledge  19  is configured to provide a stop for a bottom edge  30  of cover  22  when cover  22  is assembled with base  12 .  
         [0033]     Cover  22  includes a top  24  and a side wall  25 , at least a portion of which protrudes generally downwardly, but not necessarily perpendicularly or linearly, from top  24 . An interior (not shown) of side wall  25 , as well as an adjacent surface (not shown) of top  24 , defines a receptacle (not shown), which is configured to receive at least the portion of base  12 , including upper section  18   b  of exterior  18  of side wall  15 , located above ledge  19 . A lip (not shown), which may be configured to provide an interference or pressure fit against upper section  18   b  and, thus to removably secure cover  22  to base  12 , protrudes somewhat inwardly from the interior of side wall  25  and may be located at or adjacent to edge  30  of side wall  25 .  
         [0034]     In  FIG. 3 , a candle  40  is shown as being disposed within receptacle  17  of base  12 . Candle  40  may be scented to have the fragrance, or aroma, that corresponds to that of the type of cookie, other baked good, or other item (e.g., fruit, pizza, hamburger, etc.) represented by exterior surface  23  of at least cover  22 . Candle  40  may also have an appearance which is similar to that of cover  22 . Continuing with the example of a container  10  which resembles a chocolate chip cookie, candle  40  may have the aroma of a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie.  
         [0035]     Alternatively, as illustrated in  FIG. 3A , receptacle  17  of base  12  of container  10  may be filled with other contents  40 ′ that have a fragrance or flavor that corresponds to the item represented by exterior surface  23  of at least cover  22 . Examples of such contents  40 ′ include, but are not limited to, air fresheners, creams, balms, bath salts, and the like.  
         [0036]     In another example, shown in  FIG. 3B , an exemplary container  10 ″ has an exterior  11  with the appearance of a lemon slice and includes a receptacle  17 ″ of a base  12 ″ thereof which is at least partially filled with lemon drop candies  40 ″. Of course, containers with other appearances that are filled with correspondingly flavored candies or other edible items are also within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0037]     Although  FIGS. 1 through 6  depict a container  10  having the appearance of a chocolate chip cookie, containers that appear as other types of cookies are also within the scope of the present invention. Examples of such containers  10 A- 10 E are shown in  FIGS. 7 through 11 , respectively. In  FIG. 7 , the exteriors  23 A and  13 A of cover  22 A and base  12 A of container  10 A resemble a white chunk macadamia cookie.  FIG. 8  shows a container  10 B which includes a cover  22 B and base  12 B with exteriors  23 B and  12 B that are configured to look like a pink-frosted sugar cookie. A container  10 C which has the appearance of a fudge chocolate chip cookie is shown in  FIG. 9 , while  FIGS. 10 and 11  respectively illustrate containers  10 D and  10 E that resemble an oatmeal raisin cookie and a cookie with chocolate chips and candy-coated chocolates, such as those sold by M&amp;M/Mars of Hackettstown, N.J., as M&amp;M&#39;s® candies.  
         [0038]     Turning now to  FIGS. 12 through 14 , other exemplary configurations of containers that resemble bakery goods and that incorporate teachings of the present invention are illustrated.  FIG. 12  depicts a container  10 F that has the appearance of a doughnut.  FIG. 13  shows a container  10 G that looks like a muffin. The container  10 H illustrated in  FIG. 14  has the appearance of a pie.  
         [0039]     Processes for manufacturing containers that incorporate teachings of the present invention depend, of course, upon the materials from which such containers are to be formed. By way of example only, and with returned reference to  FIG. 6 , when a container  10  according to the present invention comprises a so-called “tin” and is formed from a metal, known die cutting, stamping, and embossing processes may be used to form both base  12  and cover  22  thereof from one or more sheets of metal. Of course, these techniques may be effected as known in the art, such as with suitable cutting presses and dies, stamping presses and forms, and/or embossing presses and forms. The embossing or stamping equipment may at least partially impart exteriors  13  and  23  of base  12  and cover  22 , respectively, with the desired dimensions (e.g., dimensions that are substantially the same as, smaller than, or larger than those of the represented item) and appearance (e.g., of a cookie or other bakery good, a piece of fruit or a section thereof, etc.). Of course, other processes, which are suitable for use with other types of materials, may also be used to form a container (e.g., container  10 ) according to the present invention. For example, glass containers may be shaped from molten glass, as known in art, while ceramic containers may be formed to have the desired shape, glazed, and baked, or “fired,” as known in the art. Plastic containers may be formed from a variety of suitable molding processes, including, without limitation, injection molding, transfer molding, and blow molding.  
         [0040]     Returning reference to  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the desired appearance of a container (e.g., container  10 ) of the present invention may be further enhanced by printing, painting, or otherwise applying (e.g., in the form of a preprinted decal) a graphical representation  50  of the represented item (e.g., a cookie or other baked good, a piece of fruit or section thereof, etc.) on an exterior  23 ,  13  of cover  22  or base  12 . Each of these processes may be effected in a manner known in the art. Depending again upon the material or materials from which the container is formed, these appearance-enhancement processes may be effected before the cover or base is formed, during manufacture of the cover or base, or following fabrication of the cover or base.  
         [0041]     Once the container (e.g., container  10 ) has been manufactured, one or more contents (e.g., candle  40 , contents  40 ′, candies  40 ″, etc.) that have a fragrance or a flavor that simulates the fragrance or flavor of the item represented by the exterior of the container may be introduced into receptacle  17  of the base  12  thereof. Thereafter, cover  22  may be assembled with and secured to base  12 .  
         [0042]     Turning now to  FIGS. 15 through 21 , various examples of packages and display apparatus for containers that incorporate teachings of the present invention are illustrated, as are the packaged and displayed containers, which are also within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0043]     In  FIG. 15 , a transparent bakery box  60 , or package, which may be formed from a plastic material, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PETE or PET), is shown. Transparent bakery box  60  is configured to hold and store a plurality of containers of the present invention. As illustrated, transparent bakery box  60  contains a dozen containers  10  that look like cookies, although bakery boxes that are configured to hold fewer containers (e.g., one, two, six, etc.) or more containers (e.g., 18, 24, 36, etc.) are also within the scope of the present invention. Such transparent bakery boxes  60  may have standard configurations (e.g., be ready-to-hold cookies having dimensions within a particular range) or nonstandard configurations (i.e., larger or smaller than normal). They are readily available from a variety of sources. Also within the scope of the present invention are transparent bakery boxes that are similar to transparent bakery box  60 , but which are configured to hold or store other types of bakery goods and, thus, are configured to hold or store containers of the present invention that are representative of different types of bakery goods (i.e., other than cookies).  
         [0044]      FIG. 16  illustrates a cardboard bakery box  60 ′, or package, within which a single container  10 H that resembles a pie may be enclosed or within which multiple containers, such as those that resemble cookies (e.g., containers  10 ,  10 A through  10 E), doughnuts (e.g., container  10 F), or muffins (e.g., container  10 G), may be enclosed. Cardboard bakery box  60 ′ may include a window  62 ′, through which a portion of a container therein may be viewed. Like transparent bakery box  60 , cardboard bakery box  60 ′ may have either standard or nonstandard dimensions and is commercially available from a wide variety of sources.  
         [0045]     An example of a display rack  70  that includes one or more containers (e.g., the illustrated container  10 ) of the present invention in accordance with teachings of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 17 . As illustrated, display rack  70  may be configured as a conventional bakery display rack, or even comprise a conventional bakery display rack. By way of example only, display rack  70  may include an enclosure  72  with a base  74 , sides  76 ,  78 , a front  80 , a back  82 , and a top  84 , some or all of which may be transparent or include a transparent section so that the contents of display rack  70  may be viewed from the exterior thereof. Front  80  of display rack  70  may include or comprise a door, which is configured to be opened and closed, as known in the art (e.g., by hinges, sliding, or otherwise). In the illustrated example, an upper edge  81  of front  80  is secured to a front edge  85  of top  84  with a hinge  86 . A handle  88  is included on front  80  to facilitate opening of enclosure  72  by an individual. Shelving  90 , including a plurality of shelves  92   a,    92   b,  etc., are positioned within an interior  73  of enclosure. Shelves  92   a,    92   b,  etc. may be freestanding and, thus supported by base  74 , or permanently or temporarily secured in place relative to sides  76 ,  78 , base  74 , top  84 , or back  82  by any suitable means known in the art (e.g., adhesively, by resting upon pins that protrude laterally from sides  76 ,  78  or back  82 , etc.).  
         [0046]     Other examples of apparatus for presenting containers that incorporate teachings of the present invention include, but are not limited to, the cookie sheet  100  shown in  FIG. 18 , by which a plurality of containers  10  are carried, the pie tin  102  depicted in  FIG. 19 , within which a container  10 H that resembles a pie may be presented, and the muffin tin  104  shown in  FIG. 20 , which includes a plurality of receptacles, as known in the art, for carrying containers  10 G that look like muffins.  
         [0047]     Another example of display apparatus  110  is shown in  FIG. 21 . Display apparatus  110  may be formed from a variety of materials, including cardboards (e.g., a sheet of corrugated cardboard which has been printed on, cut and folded, as known in the art) and plastics (e.g., sheets of plastic that have been cut and bent or otherwise formed to desired dimensions and shapes, printed on or painted, and secured to one another, as known in the art), and may include a plurality of shelves  112   a,    112   b  upon which containers (e.g., containers  10 ,  10 E,  10 C,  10 A) may be displayed. Display apparatus  110  may have a configuration and dimensions which facilitate placement thereof upon a countertop or shelf in a store, with a base  114  thereof resting upon the countertop, shelf, or other surface. As shown, display apparatus  110  also includes an overhang  118  extending downwardly from a top  116  thereof, over shelves  112   a,    112   b.  Overhang  118  carries indicia  120 , which may, as illustrated, represent a source of or a trademark representative of the containers that are presented by display apparatus  110 .  
         [0048]     With reference again to  FIGS. 1 through 6 , an example of use of a container  10  of the present invention is described. When access to the contents of container  10  is desired, cover  22  thereof may be removed. The content or contents of container  10 , such as the depicted candle  40  held within receptacle  17  of base  12 , is then accessible. A wick  42  of candle  40  may then be lit (e.g., with a match, a lighter, etc.), causing the fragrance of candle  40  to permeate the air surrounding candle  40 , as known in the art. Once use of candle  40  or access to other contents within receptacle  17  of base  12  is no longer desired, cover  22  may be disposed over, assembled with, and secured to base  12  to store the contents thereof until access thereto is again desired. As known in the art, when cover  22  is disposed over a lit candle  40 , the lack of oxygen within the closed container  10  will eventually “smother” the flame.  
         [0049]     When the contents of container  10  have been used, receptacle  17  of base  12  of container  10  may be cleaned and new contents may be introduced into receptacle  17 . The newly introduced contents may or may not have a fragrance or flavor that corresponds to external appearance of container  10 .  
         [0050]     Although the foregoing description contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention, but merely as providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments. Similarly, other embodiments of the invention may be devised which do not depart from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Features from different embodiments may be employed in combination. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated and limited only by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the foregoing description. All additions, deletions and modifications to the invention as disclosed herein which fall within the meaning and scope of the claims are to be embraced thereby.