Abstract:
A potato chip lifting apparatus has a elongated handle with a front side and a back side, the back side having a plurality of catching mechanisms extending from the back side of the elongated handle and away from the elongated handle, the catching mechanisms configured to engage a can in which potato chips are stored. The foot portion is rotatably attached to a bottom portion of the elongated handle, the foot portion movable between a first position and a second position, in the second position the foot portion extends in a direction away from the front side of the handle and generally orthogonal to the elongated handle and the front side thereof.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part application of application Ser. No. 14/206,921, filed on Mar. 21, 2014, still pending, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is directed to an apparatus that may be inserted into a potato chip can before or after the potato chips are loaded into the potato chip can. 
         [0003]    There are many ways to package and ship potato chips. The potato chips are packaged in bags, foil bags, recyclable bags, and cans. The potato chips in the bags are easy to retrieve by a potato chip eater. To get to the bottom of the container, the eater only needs to open the bag all the way. However, when the preformed chips that are shipped in the elongated cylindrical cans, it can be difficult to retrieve the chips once the first couple of inches of chips have been eaten. The eater can turn the can over or onto its side to get the remaining chips. However, the eater runs the risk of dumping pieces of broken chips all over one&#39;s self or into the surroundings. There are lifting mechanisms that are placed into the can before the chips are inserted and the can sealed. While these may be useful, it does not help with the cans that have no mechanism and they can&#39;t be added by the consumer later. Additionally, the preinstalled lifting mechanisms add weight to the can, thereby increasing the shipping costs. The preinstalled lifting mechanisms also make it more difficult to load the chips and can increase the number of broken potato chips. Therefore, a potato chip lifter than can be inserted into the potato chip can after it is purchased is needed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    According to one aspect of the present invention, a potato chip lifting apparatus is disclosed, the potato chip lifting apparatus includes a elongated handle, the elongated handle having a front side and a back side, the back side having a plurality of catching mechanisms extending from the back side of the elongated handle and away from the elongated handle, the catching mechanisms configured to engage a can in which potato chips are stored, a foot portion rotatably attached to a bottom portion of the elongated handle, the foot portion movable between a first position and a second position, in the second position the foot portion extends in a direction away from the front side of the handle and generally orthogonal to the elongated handle and the front side thereof, and a projection disposed on the foot portion and extending rearwardly therefrom, the projection engaging an opening in the elongated handle in the second position. 
         [0005]    In yet another aspect, the invention is directed to a method of using a potato chip lifting apparatus that includes the steps of providing a potato chip lifting apparatus having a elongated handle, the elongated handle having a front side and a back side, the back side having a plurality of catching mechanisms extending from the back side of the elongated handle and away from the elongated handle, the catching mechanisms configured to engage a can in which potato chips are stored, a foot portion extending from a bottom portion of the elongated handle in a direction of the front side of the handle and generally orthogonal to the elongated handle and the front side thereof, and a support extending upward from a top surface of the foot portion upward and parallel to the elongated handle to support potato chips resting on the potato chip lifting apparatus, providing a can with a stack of potato chips therein, orienting the can such that the stack of potato chips are not in a substantially vertical position, sliding the potato chip lifting apparatus between the can and the stack of potato chips, rotating the potato chip lifting apparatus such that the foot portion is under the stack of potato chips, lifting the stack of the potato chips toward a top of the can. 
         [0006]    Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the invention as described herein, including the detailed description which follows, the claims, as well as the appended drawings. 
         [0007]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present embodiments of the invention, and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the invention as it is claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles and operations of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a rear perspective of one embodiment of a potato chip lifter according to the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a right side elevational view of the potato chip lifter of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a rear side elevational view of the potato chip lifter of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is right side elevational view of the potato chip lifter of  FIG. 1  with some potato chips; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the potato chip lifter of  FIG. 1  being inserted into a can of potato chips and passing between the can and the potato chips; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the potato chip lifter moving in the can from the inserted position to the lifting position; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a cross section view of the potato chip lifter in the can ready to lift the chips; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a cross section view of the potato chip lifter in the can lifting the chips, the catching mechanisms engaging the side of the can, and the chip lifter truncated; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a side elevational view of a second embodiment of a potato chip lifter according the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  a side elevational view of a third embodiment of a potato chip lifter according the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a rear perspective view of another embodiment of a potato chip lifter according to the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is a front perspective view of the potato chip lifter of  FIG. 11 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  is a right side elevational view of the potato chip lifter of  FIG. 11 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 14  is a right side elevational view of the potato chip lifter of  FIG. 11  with the foot portion in a horizontal position; 
           [0022]      FIG. 15  is right side elevational view of the potato chip lifter of  FIG. 14  with some potato chips; 
           [0023]      FIG. 16  is a cross section view of the potato chip can with the potato chip lifter in the potato chip can; 
           [0024]      FIG. 17  is a cross section view of the potato chip can with the foot portion of the lifter beginning to move into the horizontal position; 
           [0025]      FIG. 18  is a cross section view of the potato chip can with the potato chips being lifted from the potato chip can after the foot portion is secured to the handle portion; 
           [0026]      FIG. 19  is a cross section view of of the potato chip lifter in the potato chip can lifting the chips, the catching mechanisms engaging the side of the can, and the chip lifter truncated. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment(s) of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , one embodiment of a potato chip lifter  10  has an elongated handle  12  and a foot portion  14 . The potato chip lifter  10  is preferably a unitary element that is all formed as a single unit, but it could be made in pieces and connected together, by ultrasonic welding or another technique as is known in the art The elongated handle  12  has a top end  16  and a bottom end  18  that connects with the back end  20  of the foot portion  14 . The elongated handle  12  also has a front side  22  and a back side  24 . Extending from the back side  24  are catching mechanisms  30 . The catching mechanisms  30  are preferably spread along the elongated handle  12  at equal spacing. The catching mechanisms  30  are preferably inverted U-shaped members that engage the edge of a can. See  FIG. 8 . While the catching mechanisms  30  are illustrated as inverted U-shaped members, they may have any relevant shape (e.g., inverted V-shape, see also  FIGS. 9 and 10 ) and still fall within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0029]    The foot portion  14  is attached to the elongated handle  12  at the bottom  18  thereof. The foot portion  14  is preferably and elongated flat member having a front end  32  and a back end  20 . The foot portion  14  is preferably attached to the elongated handle  12  at about 90°, although other angles could be used and fall within the scope of the present invention. The front end  32  of the foot portion  14  is preferably wider than the back end  20 , the foot portion  14  tapering in its width about one third of the way from the back end  22  to the front end  32 . The front end  32  of the foot portion  14  may also be pointed to assist in moving under the potato chips. Adjacent the front end  32  is a support  34  extending upward from a top surface  36  of the foot portion  14 . The support  34  extends upward in a parallel direction to the elongated handle  12  and orthogonal to the top surface  36  to support potato chips resting on the potato chip lifter  10 . See  FIG. 4 . The support  34  assists in keeping the chips on the potato chip lifter  10 . 
         [0030]    The potato chip lifter  10  also has a stability element  40 . The stability element  40  is connected to the foot portion  14  at the front side  42  of the stability element  40  and to the elongated handle  12  at the back side  44  of the stability element  40 . The stability element  40  may also provide support and guidance to the stack of chips (see  FIG. 7  after the potato chip lifter  10  has been inserted into the can of chips and is used to lift the stack of chips. 
         [0031]    The elongated handle  12  also has a plurality of guides  50  adjacent the the back side  44  of the stability element  40 . The plurality of guides  50  project from the front side  22  of the elongation handle  12 , and preferably in a downward direction toward the foot portion  14 . The guides  50  can engage the edges of the chips in the stack and prevent them from rotating, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , in a counterclockwise direction and fall off the front end  32  thereof. While four of the guides  50  are illustrated in the figures, it is possible to have more or fewer of the guides  50  and still come within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0032]    Beginning directly above the guides  50  are also a plurality of thinned areas or scored areas  52 . These scored areas  52  provide breaking points for the user if so desired. As can be realized, as the chips are taken from the top of the stack, and the stack gets shorter, the user must lift the potato chip lifter  10  higher in the can. Thus, more of the potato chip lifter  10  will extend above the top edge of the can. See  FIG. 8 . Because the length of the potato chip lifter  10  may get in the way of the user, the user can break off sections of the elongated handle  12  at the scored areas  52 . 
         [0033]    Turning now to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the potato chip lifter  10  is inserted into the can  80  between the stack of chips  90  and the wall  82  of the can  80 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the stack of chips  90  can be moved relative to the can  80 . In this figure, the can  80  has been turned on its side so that the stack of chips  90  is lying on its side. The potato chip lifter  10  has been inserted into the space  84  created in the can  80 . The potato chip lifter  10  is sized to fit within the space  84 . Once the potato chip lifter  10  hits the bottom of the can  80 , the potato chip lifter  10  is rotated to pass under the bottom chip in the stack of chips  90 . The can  80  can be tilted or otherwise oriented to allow the potato chip lifter  10  to pass under the bottom chip in the stack  90 . The resulting position is illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0034]    As the person eating the chips eats more of the chips, the potato chip lifter  10  is used to move the stack of chips  90  upward so the person can access the chips without turning the can on its side or over, and having pieces of the chips fall onto them. As noted above, as the stack becomes smaller, the more of the elongated handle  12  extends out of the can  80 , as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . The user can, use the catching mechanisms  30 , engage the elongated handle  12  on the wall  82  of the can  80  and hold the stack of potato chips  90  toward the top of the can  80  so the chips can be easily retrieved. The catching mechanisms  30  can be fewer or more and have different spacings than that illustrated in the figures. Moreover, the catching mechanisms  30  can also be longer and extend at different angles, depending on the preference of the user and the space  84  in the can. See  FIG. 9 . 
         [0035]    It should be noted that while this invention can be used for those chips and cans after they have been packaged, a packing company could also include the potato chip lifter  10  in the space  84  between the stack  90  and the can  80 , or in the usable configuration as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0036]    An alternative embodiment of a potato chip lifter  10 ′ as illustrated in  FIG. 9  has an elongated handle  12  and a foot portion  14 . The potato chip lifter  10 ′ is similar to the first embodiment, but has catching mechanisms  30 ′. The catching mechanisms  30 ′ are preferably spread along the elongated handle  12  at equal spacing. The catching mechanisms  30 ′ are preferably inverted U-shaped members that are longer than the previous embodiment. 
         [0037]      FIG. 10  has another embodiment of a potato chip lifter  10 ″ has an elongated handle  12  and a foot portion  14 . The potato chip lifter  10 ″ is similar to the first two embodiments, but has catching mechanisms  30 ″. The catching mechanisms  30 ″ have an inverted configuration, but have a greater angle with the elongated handle  12  and are longer. 
         [0038]    Another embodiment of a potato chip lifter  100  is illustrated in  FIGS. 11-19 . The potato chip lifter  100  is preferably a unitary element that is all formed as a single unit, but it could be made in pieces and connected together, by ultrasonic welding or another technique as is known in the art. The potato chip lifter  100  has an elongated handle  102 , which has a top end  106  and a bottom end  108  that connects with the back end  120  of a foot portion  104 . The elongated handle  102  also has a front side  122  and a back side  124 . Extending from the back side  124  are catching mechanisms  130 . The catching mechanisms  130  are preferably spread along the elongated handle  102  at equal spacing. The catching mechanisms  130  are preferably inverted U-shaped members that engage the edge of a potato chip can. See, e.g.,  FIG. 19 . While the catching mechanisms  130  are illustrated as inverted U-shaped members, they may have any relevant shape (as indicated above) and still fall within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0039]    The foot portion  104  is attached to the elongated handle  102  at the bottom  108  thereof. The foot portion  104  is preferably a half-circle or spade-shaped member, but can have any appropriate shape, and has a front end  132 , a back end  120 , and a top surface  136 . The front end  132  is preferably curved upward, toward the top surface  136 , giving it a concave top surface  136 . As described in more detail below, this curvature assists in the rotation of the foot portion  104  relative to the elongated handle  102  when the potato chip lifter  100  is inserted into the potato chip can. The foot portion  104  is preferably attached to the the bottom  108  of the elongated handle  102  by a living hinge  126  at the back end  120  of the foot portion  104 . The living hinge  126  allows the foot portion  104  to be rotated relative to the elongated handle  102 . The potato chip lifter  100  has two configurations, a shipped-in configuration as illustrated in  FIG. 13  and a to-be-used configuration as illustrated in  FIG. 14 . 
         [0040]    In the shipped-in configuration, the foot portion  104  is at about  180 ° relative to the elongated handle  102 , while in the to-be-used configuration, the foot portion  104  is at about 90° relative to the handle  102 . See  FIGS. 13 and 14 . 
         [0041]    The potato chip lifter  100  also has a stability element  140 . The stability element  140  has a triangular configuration, similar to stability element  40 , but is not permanently connected to the elongated handle  102  in the shipped-in configuration. The front side  142  of the stability element  140  is connected to the top surface  136  of the foot portion  104  and has a upward extending back portion  146  from the back end  120  of the foot portion  104  to connect with the back end  144  of the stability element  140  to make a triangular shape. The foot portion  104  also has a rearwardly extending projection  138 , projecting rearwardly from the stability element  140  in a curved arc. The rearwardly extending portion  138  is curved and has a forward facing engaging surface  148 . When the foot portion  104  is rotated about 90° relative to the elongated handle  102 , the rearwardly extending projection  138  pass through an opening  160 . 
         [0042]    The front side  122  of elongated handle  102  has a plurality of thinned areas or scored areas  152 . These scored areas  152  provide breaking points for the user if so desired. As can be realized, as the chips are taken from the top of the potato chip stack, and the potato chip stack gets shorter, the user must lift the potato chip lifter  100  out of the can  80 . Thus, more of the potato chip lifter  100  will extend above the top edge of the can. See  FIG. 19 . Because the length of the potato chip lifter  100  may get in the way of the user, the user can break off sections of the elongated handle  102  at the scored areas  152 . 
         [0043]    The use of the potato chip lifter is illustrated in  FIG. 15 , holding a portion of a stack of potato chips in the to-be-used position. 
         [0044]    The use of the potato chip lifter  100  will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 16-18 . In  FIG. 16 , the stack of potato chips  90  has been moved to one side of the can  80  and the potato chip lifter  100  has been inserted into the can  80 . As noted above, it is also possible that the potato chip lifter  100  can be inserted at the factory and before or after the potato chips  90  are inserted. As the potato chip lifter  100  is continued to be pushed into the can  80 , the curved portion of the front end  132  of the foot portion  104  causes the foot portion  104  to begin to rotate relative to the elongated handle portion  102  and move under the stack of potato chips  90 . See  FIG. 17 . As the foot portion  104  is rotated relative to the elongated handle portion  102 , the rearwardly extending portion  138  is moved into and through the opening  160  and the forward facing engaging surface  148  engages the back side  124  of the elongated handle  102 . The potato chips  90  can then be lifted out of the can  80  as illustrated in  FIG. 18 . As the height of the stack of potato chips  90  is reduced, the length of the elongated handle  102  can also be reduced by bending the elongated handle  102  at the scored areas  152  to break the elongated handle  102 . 
         [0045]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.