Potato chip lifter

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.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

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.

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'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'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

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.

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.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIGS. 1-3, one embodiment of a potato chip lifter10has an elongated handle12and a foot portion14. The potato chip lifter10is 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 handle12has a top end16and a bottom end18that connects with the back end20of the foot portion14. The elongated handle12also has a front side22and a back side24. Extending from the back side24are catching mechanisms30. The catching mechanisms30are preferably spread along the elongated handle12at equal spacing. The catching mechanisms30are preferably inverted U-shaped members that engage the edge of a can. SeeFIG. 8. While the catching mechanisms30are illustrated as inverted U-shaped members, they may have any relevant shape (e.g., inverted V-shape, see alsoFIGS. 9 and 10) and still fall within the scope of the present invention.

The foot portion14is attached to the elongated handle12at the bottom18thereof. The foot portion14is preferably and elongated flat member having a front end32and a back end20. The foot portion14is preferably attached to the elongated handle12at about 90°, although other angles could be used and fall within the scope of the present invention. The front end32of the foot portion14is preferably wider than the back end20, the foot portion14tapering in its width about one third of the way from the back end22to the front end32. The front end32of the foot portion14may also be pointed to assist in moving under the potato chips. Adjacent the front end32is a support34extending upward from a top surface36of the foot portion14. The support34extends upward in a parallel direction to the elongated handle12and orthogonal to the top surface36to support potato chips resting on the potato chip lifter10. SeeFIG. 4. The support34assists in keeping the chips on the potato chip lifter10.

The potato chip lifter10also has a stability element40. The stability element40is connected to the foot portion14at the front side42of the stability element40and to the elongated handle12at the back side44of the stability element40. The stability element40may also provide support and guidance to the stack of chips (seeFIG. 7after the potato chip lifter10has been inserted into the can of chips and is used to lift the stack of chips.

The elongated handle12also has a plurality of guides50adjacent the the back side44of the stability element40. The plurality of guides50project from the front side22of the elongation handle12, and preferably in a downward direction toward the foot portion14. The guides50can engage the edges of the chips in the stack and prevent them from rotating, as illustrated inFIG. 4, in a counterclockwise direction and fall off the front end32thereof. While four of the guides50are illustrated in the figures, it is possible to have more or fewer of the guides50and still come within the scope of the present invention.

Beginning directly above the guides50are also a plurality of thinned areas or scored areas52. These scored areas52provide 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 lifter10higher in the can. Thus, more of the potato chip lifter10will extend above the top edge of the can. SeeFIG. 8. Because the length of the potato chip lifter10may get in the way of the user, the user can break off sections of the elongated handle12at the scored areas52.

Turning now toFIGS. 5 and 6, the potato chip lifter10is inserted into the can80between the stack of chips90and the wall82of the can80. As illustrated inFIG. 5, the stack of chips90can be moved relative to the can80. In this figure, the can80has been turned on its side so that the stack of chips90is lying on its side. The potato chip lifter10has been inserted into the space84created in the can80. The potato chip lifter10is sized to fit within the space84. Once the potato chip lifter10hits the bottom of the can80, the potato chip lifter10is rotated to pass under the bottom chip in the stack of chips90. The can80can be tilted or otherwise oriented to allow the potato chip lifter10to pass under the bottom chip in the stack90. The resulting position is illustrated inFIG. 7.

As the person eating the chips eats more of the chips, the potato chip lifter10is used to move the stack of chips90upward 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 handle12extends out of the can80, as illustrated inFIG. 8. The user can, use the catching mechanisms30, engage the elongated handle12on the wall82of the can80and hold the stack of potato chips90toward the top of the can80so the chips can be easily retrieved. The catching mechanisms30can be fewer or more and have different spacings than that illustrated in the figures. Moreover, the catching mechanisms30can also be longer and extend at different angles, depending on the preference of the user and the space84in the can. SeeFIG. 9.

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 lifter10in the space84between the stack90and the can80, or in the usable configuration as illustrated inFIG. 7.

An alternative embodiment of a potato chip lifter10′ as illustrated inFIG. 9has an elongated handle12and a foot portion14. The potato chip lifter10′ is similar to the first embodiment, but has catching mechanisms30′. The catching mechanisms30′ are preferably spread along the elongated handle12at equal spacing. The catching mechanisms30′ are preferably inverted U-shaped members that are longer than the previous embodiment.

FIG. 10has another embodiment of a potato chip lifter10″ has an elongated handle12and a foot portion14. The potato chip lifter10″ is similar to the first two embodiments, but has catching mechanisms30″. The catching mechanisms30″ have an inverted configuration, but have a greater angle with the elongated handle12and are longer.

Another embodiment of a potato chip lifter100is illustrated inFIGS. 11-19. The potato chip lifter100is 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 lifter100has an elongated handle102, which has a top end106and a bottom end108that connects with the back end120of a foot portion104. The elongated handle102also has a front side122and a back side124. Extending from the back side124are catching mechanisms130. The catching mechanisms130are preferably spread along the elongated handle102at equal spacing. The catching mechanisms130are preferably inverted U-shaped members that engage the edge of a potato chip can. See, e.g.,FIG. 19. While the catching mechanisms130are 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.

The foot portion104is attached to the elongated handle102at the bottom108thereof. The foot portion104is preferably a half-circle or spade-shaped member, but can have any appropriate shape, and has a front end132, a back end120, and a top surface136. The front end132is preferably curved upward, toward the top surface136, giving it a concave top surface136. As described in more detail below, this curvature assists in the rotation of the foot portion104relative to the elongated handle102when the potato chip lifter100is inserted into the potato chip can. The foot portion104is preferably attached to the the bottom108of the elongated handle102by a living hinge126at the back end120of the foot portion104. The living hinge126allows the foot portion104to be rotated relative to the elongated handle102. The potato chip lifter100has two configurations, a shipped-in configuration as illustrated inFIG. 13and a to-be-used configuration as illustrated inFIG. 14. In the shipped-in configuration, the foot portion104is at about 180° relative to the elongated handle102, while in the to-be-used configuration, the foot portion104is at about 90° relative to the handle102. SeeFIGS. 13 and 14.

The potato chip lifter100also has a stability element140. The stability element140has a triangular configuration, similar to stability element40, but is not permanently connected to the elongated handle102in the shipped-in configuration. The front side142of the stability element140is connected to the top surface136of the foot portion104and has a upward extending back portion146from the back end120of the foot portion104to connect with the back end144of the stability element140to make a triangular shape. The foot portion104also has a rearwardly extending projection138, projecting rearwardly from the stability element140in a curved arc. The rearwardly extending portion138is curved and has a forward facing engaging surface148. When the foot portion104is rotated about 90° relative to the elongated handle102, the rearwardly extending projection138pass through an opening160.

The front side122of elongated handle102has a plurality of thinned areas or scored areas152. These scored areas152provide 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 lifter100out of the can80. Thus, more of the potato chip lifter100will extend above the top edge of the can. SeeFIG. 19. Because the length of the potato chip lifter100may get in the way of the user, the user can break off sections of the elongated handle102at the scored areas152.

The use of the potato chip lifter is illustrated inFIG. 15, holding a portion of a stack of potato chips in the to-be-used position.

The use of the potato chip lifter100will now be described with reference toFIGS. 16-18. InFIG. 16, the stack of potato chips90has been moved to one side of the can80and the potato chip lifter100has been inserted into the can80. As noted above, it is also possible that the potato chip lifter100can be inserted at the factory and before or after the potato chips90are inserted. As the potato chip lifter100is continued to be pushed into the can80, the curved portion of the front end132of the foot portion104causes the foot portion104to begin to rotate relative to the elongated handle portion102and move under the stack of potato chips90. SeeFIG. 17. As the foot portion104is rotated relative to the elongated handle portion102, the rearwardly extending portion138is moved into and through the opening160and the forward facing engaging surface148engages the back side124of the elongated handle102. The potato chips90can then be lifted out of the can80as illustrated inFIG. 18. As the height of the stack of potato chips90is reduced, the length of the elongated handle102can also be reduced by bending the elongated handle102at the scored areas152to break the elongated handle102.