Adhering structures for the purpose of employing the forces of intermolecular attraction in liquids to controllably and removably adhere one manufactured object to another

Reciprocally rotatable complementary surface adhering portions (34 and 44) are provided integral to each of two manufactured objects (30 and 40) to be rotatably adhered, such as a bowl and a holding base. Being complementary in rotation, these adhering portions mobilize the forces of intermolecular attraction in any smooth, viscous, continuously flowable, non-curing liquid (50) compressed into a liquid film (52) across their interface and are rotatable upon each other while adhered. Media for rotatably adhering comprise a variety of liquids, among which are common household products such as honey, syrup, liquid soap, and many other such viscous liquids. Depending upon the viscosity of the liquid employed, portions so adhered at normal room temperatures will temporarily resist a tensile force in excess of 0.454 kg (1 lb) per 6.55 cm.sup.2 (1 inch.sup.2) equivalent to a pull of 13.62 kg (30 lbs) on a bowl having a base adhering radius of 7.93 cm (3.125 inches). Parallel movement inhibiting abutment means (56 and 56') are provided for inhibiting parallel movement of either manufactured object away from the other, while, at the same time, permitting their rotation upon each other while adhered. Thus separation by application of shear force or by simply sliding them apart is estopped, which means that some application of tensile force is required to effect separation whereby unadhering is controlled. Since unadhering can only be effected by application of some degree of tensile force, grappling means (62 and 64) are provided in certain embodiments to facilitate prying structures apart.

BACKGROUND 
1. Field of Invention 
This invention relates to rotatably, controllably, and releasably adhering 
one manufactured object to another where it is desired subsequently to 
unadhere them, such as, for example, adhering work pieces or subassemblies 
to a base in a work place or on an assembly line, or adhering dishware or 
other vessels to the top of a tray, box, counter, or table where it may 
optionally be desired to rotate one object on the other while adhered or 
attached. 
2. Description of Prior Art 
There has long been a recognized need for uncomplicated, effective, 
inexpensive means to temporarily adhere, affix, or attach one manufactured 
object to another for the purpose of avoiding separation of the two due 
either to accidental or undesired upset and of being able optionally to 
rotate such objects upon each other while they remain joined or adhered, 
if desired, while also being able subsequently to controllably unadhere or 
detach them and repeat the process when desired. 
Examples would be the desirability of attaching a child's bowl to the tray 
of a high-chair or to a table, of affixing a pet's feeding bowl to a tray 
or box, of attaching dish-ware or display vessels to the tops of tables, 
trays, or counters in institutional situations and being optionally able 
to rotate them, of adhering dish-ware or other vessels to fixed bases in 
recreational vehicles and boats or ships, or of attaching subassemblies to 
supporting bases at work stations or in the manufacturing process with an 
option to rotate them while attached, if desired. 
Inventors have created a number of devices to meet various of these needs. 
Certain of these have relied on vacuum or suction devices. U.S. Pat. No. 
5,180,132 to Pearson et al (1993) discloses a suction device attached to 
the bottom of an article holder which can thus be removably attached to a 
surface. U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,638 to Harrison (1973) discloses a suction 
mounting device comprising a housing having a deformable mounting surface 
that creates suction when deformed. U.S. Pat. No. 2,623,369 to Haydu 
(1952) discloses an adherent dish connected to a suction cup that adheres 
temporarily to a table or other supporting plane. All these devices suffer 
from the disadvantage of most suction-cup devices, which is that they tend 
to loose their vacuums fairly quickly. In addition, their intricate 
designs and methods of assembly may make them difficult to wash and clean, 
and their deformable parts tend to deteriorate. 
Mechanical means for removably attaching articles such as dishware to a 
surface are also disclosed in a number of patents. These include U.S. Pat. 
No. 2,850,079 to Prushnok et al (1958); U.S. Pat. No. 2,497,194 to White 
(1950); U.S. Pat. No. 3,512,740 to Podwalny (1970); and U.S. Pat. No. 
2,056,437 to Ullmann (1936). A major disadvantage in all these devices is 
the difficulty they present in washing food from them after use. The 
collars, slots, bands, and other fastenings of the Prushnok device may 
tend to become clogged with food during use, as may the hooks, levers, and 
springs of the White device and the lever, spring, ratchet teeth and other 
features of the Ullmann device. The O-ring that frictionally engages the 
socket of the Podwalny patent is intended to be used with refuse and trash 
cans instead of dishware. When and if used by children, all would present 
physical risks of having small fingers and nails caught in their intricate 
mechanisms. All appear difficult to clean, and all involve, to one degree 
or another, hand assembly, which adds to the cost of their manufacture. 
Releasable coupling means are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,139,032 to 
Silverstein (1964), which uses bonding or holding materials that undergo a 
change in state to cause uncoupling. The device disclosed is intended 
primarily for military uses. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,275,469 to Streit (1966) discloses a strippable laminate 
assembly comprising an aqueous adhesive superimposed on a layer of 
hydrophobic material. However, the principles here taught are more adapted 
to be used with wallpaper, billboards, posters, and the like. They would 
be unusable with dishware or in applications where it was intended 
repeatedly to rotatably adhere and unadhere the same two objects. 
Holding devices for food and beverage containers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,821,931 to Johnson (1989) and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,876 to Marshall 
(1990). Both patents disclose holding devices having recesses or 
compartments, and the Marshall patent discloses a container and tray 
respectively having a complementary recess and projection of substantial 
size to prevent upset. However, neither of these devices is designed to 
employ a viscous, continuously flowable, non-curing liquid to inhibit a 
food container from being lifted vertically from a holding tray, as a 
child might do, for example. 
Devices providing for holders that rotate upon a base are disclosed in a 
number of U.S. patents. U.S. Pat. No. 271,054 to Fowler (1883), for 
example, discloses a table top that revolves on rollers running in a 
grooved base piece to which it is connected by a pivot. U.S. Pat. No. 
435,723 to Barnes (1890) teaches a turntable with a hub revolving upon a 
supporting base also having a hub wherein the hubs are connected by a 
central pivot integrally connected to one of them and spread on its other 
end to prevent their separation. U.S. Pat. No. 3,004,745 to Wilson (1961) 
discloses a shelf that rotates on a bearing plate to which it is connected 
by a central pivot. And U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,569 to Church (1994) discloses 
a method for moving a person from a lying position by means of a device 
having a support member that rotates upon a base member to which it is 
engaged by a spindle. 
None of the foregoing patents teach the use of, or disclose structures or 
method for using, a viscous, continuously flowable, non-curing liquid as a 
rotatable adhering medium for rotatably attaching one object to another, 
such as a holder to a base, while simultaneously lubricatively 
facilitating rotation of one object upon the other. 
In fact, none of the foregoing takes advantage of the adhering and cohering 
properties of viscous, continuously flowable, non-curing liquids to 
temporarily and rotatably adhere two manufactured objects together wherein 
the liquid does not undergo a change in state, this latter phenomenon 
being the common characteristic of most adhesives. Yet, it has long been 
understood that the tendency of matter to hold itself together and to 
cling to other matter, whether in a liquid or solid state, is one of 
matter's most characteristic properties. Thus, cohesion is said to be the 
intermolecular attractive force acting between two adjacent portions of 
the same substance, whereas adhesion is regarded as a similar interaction 
between the closely contiguous surfaces of adjacent bodies. 
In the case of viscous, continuously flowable, non-curing, liquids, these 
qualities give rise to certain well-known phenomena of which surface 
tension, wetting, and wicking or capillarity are examples. So, too, is 
viscosity, which is the resistance that a liquid system offers to flow 
when it is subjected to shear stress. 
An effect of these qualities is a certain stickiness to be felt, for 
example, when one lifts a flat piece of glass or similar plane from a body 
of water. More significantly, when this same piece of flat glass is lifted 
vertically from a thin film of water on a flat glass base or similar 
plane, it will be realized that a noticeable additional tensile force is 
required to do so. And when a liquid more viscous than water is spread in 
a thin film between two glass planes or sheets of glass, even greater 
tensile force is required to separate them vertically. On the other hand, 
either rotating them upon each other or separating them by shear force 
(that is, by a force exerted along a direction parallel to their planes 
and which would thus result in simply sliding the two sheets of glass 
laterally apart) remains much easier to do. And lastly, it is the combined 
adhering, cohering, and shearing properties of liquids that make them 
effective lubricants. These are phenomena that the present invention seeks 
to exploit and/or control as a means of controllably and rotatably 
adhering one manufactured object to another, of being able to 
lubricatively rotate one object upon another while they remain adhered, 
and of subsequently being able controllably to unadhere the same. This is 
to say that the viscous, continuously flowable, non-curing liquids of the 
present invention are to be distinguished from liquids of the type 
considered to be glues and adhesives, which dry, cure, or undergo a change 
of state by which shear flow is lost. 
Notable examples of the prior art of utilizing capillary attraction to 
affix one object to another are in the field of corneal contact lens. U.S. 
Pat. No. 2,653,515 to Stimson (1953) and U.S. Pat. No. 2,809,556 to 
Hornstein (1957) disclose concave lens that correspond to specified areas 
of the cornea resulting in capillary attraction. However, neither of these 
patents disclose structures suitable for temporarily and rotatably 
adhering two manufactured objects together. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,666,588 to Wanesky (1972) discloses a method of temporarily 
holding work pieces (namely small, fragile, integrated circuit chips) on a 
supporting member using a film of glycerol that is subsequently evaporated 
by heat, thus releasing the work piece. The device disclosed, however, 
does not provide means to inhibit separation due to unanticipated or 
unwanted lateral or shear force applied to the object adhered. It would 
not, therefore, be suitable for adhering two larger objects where a major 
objective is to prevent unforeseen or accidental unadhering or upset, or 
unwanted parallel movement of an object held in relation to a holding 
surface, as by a child or pet, for example. 
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
Accordingly, besides providing simple means whereby manufactured objects 
such as, for example, dishware, display and other vessels, work pieces, 
and subassemblies might be controllably, rotatably, and releasably adhered 
or attached to other manufactured objects such as a supporting base, 
table, counter, tray, stand, desk, box, or to another work piece, other 
objects and advantages of the present invention are: 
(a) to provide structures for the purpose of employing the forces of 
intermolecular attraction in liquids to rotatably, controllably, and 
releasably adhere one manufactured object to another; 
(b) to provide means to rotatably, controllably, and releasably attach one 
manufactured object to another without the use of appended complicated 
apparatus such as, for example, suction cups, vacuums, magnets, hooks, 
covers, ties, buckles, springs, snaps, catches, clamps, spindles and the 
like; 
(c) to provide adhering structures that may, if desired, employ as an 
adhering medium common household and/or kitchen liquids; 
(d) to provide structures for rotatably, controllably, and releasably 
adhering two manufactured objects together that are effective, 
aesthetically appealing, simple to understand, uncomplicated to operate, 
safe to use, easy to clean, and inexpensive to manufacture; 
(e) to provide structures for controllably and releasably adhering one 
manufactured object to another manufactured object that permits one object 
to be rotated in relation to the other while remaining adhered without the 
use of spindles, central lugs, flanges and the like as means of 
attachment; 
(f) in structures for the purpose of employing the forces of intermolecular 
attraction in liquids to adhere two manufactured objects together, a sixth 
object is to provide means that prevent the subsequent unadhering or 
separation of these objects by the application of shear force alone, and 
which, therefore, by necessitating the employment of a degree of tensile 
force to separate or complete such separation, make it more difficult to 
effect; 
(g) in structures for the purpose of employing the adhering and cohering 
properties of viscous, continuously flowable, non-curing liquids to adhere 
one manufactured object to another, a seventh object is to provide 
embodiments of such structures requiring different combinations of tensile 
and shear force needed to effect separation, thus making the invention 
adaptable to a variety of needs and requirements; 
(h) in structures that may be rotatably, controllably, and releasably 
adhered to each other by the forces of intermolecular attraction resident 
in an intermediate, continuously flowable, non-curing liquid medium, an 
eighth object is to provide simple, uncomplicated means to facilitate the 
controlled unadhering or separation of such structures; 
(i) in structures to rotatably, controllably, and releasably adhere two 
manufactured objects together, a ninth object is to provide structures 
that interfere minimally or not at all with alternative uses and purposes 
unrelated to the adherency of the objects they adhere--the usability of a 
table as a table without a bowl adhered, for example, or the usability of 
a bowl as a bowl without a table to put it on. 
Still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent 
from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.

SUMMARY 
The structures of the present invention are for employing the forces of 
intermolecular attraction in viscous, continuously flowable, non-curing 
liquids to rotatably, controllably, and releasably adhere two manufactured 
objects together. These structures comprise (1) reciprocal complementary 
surface adhering portions integral to each of two manufactured objects to 
be adhered whereby the cohering and adhering properties of non-curing 
liquids may be mobilized to rotatably adhere adjacent portions when the 
same are fitted reciprocally together with a film of viscous, continuously 
flowable, non-curing liquid compressed between them, and (2) rotatable, 
non-locking, parallel movement inhibiting abutment means for inhibiting 
parallel movement of either adhering portion away from the other while 
rotatably adhered, thereby estopping them from being simply slid apart or 
separated by shear force alone, while, at the same time, permitting them 
to be rotated upon each other while remaining adhered and to be separated 
by tensile force. The structures that result may utilize the adhering and 
cohering properties of viscous, continuously flowable, non-curing liquids 
to rotatably adhere two manufactured objects together while effecting 
control over the process of their unadhering. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Following are descriptions of the preferred embodiments of the invention. 
In the illustrations and their descriptions that follow, these objects are 
illustrated respectively as a dish or bowl 30 and a supporting base 40 
(never fully shown). However, it is intended that, in all drawings 
hereinafter described, bowl 30 be representative of a variety of objects, 
including, but not limited to, cups, dishes, glasses, pots, vases, and 
other vessels and objects, including work pieces and subassemblies in the 
manufacturing process. Similarly, it is intended that supporting base 40 
also be representative of a variety of objects, including, but not limited 
to, tables, trays, boxes, counters, desks, a work station, another work 
piece, subassembly, or any manufactured object to which it is desired to 
controllably and removably adhere the first object. 
Both bowl 30 and base 40 and the objects which they represent, together 
with their associated adhering structures, may generally be manufactured 
of the same materials of which they are presently manufactured, as well as 
by the same processes as those skilled in the art of making these products 
will recognize. Materials include, but are not limited to, wood, metal, 
plastics, glass, ceramics, resins and resin mixtures, and virtually any 
material or combination of materials that can be stamped, molded, pressed, 
carved, or otherwise shaped or assembled into the products represented by 
bowl 30 and base 40. 
A preferred embodiment of the adhering structures of the present invention 
is illustrated in FIGS. 1 (exploded perspective), 2, and 3 (sectional 
views). Accordingly, FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view, which, in its 
upper portion, shows bowl 30 as having on its bottom or underside, and 
integral thereto, a bowl adhering structure 32. Structure 32 comprises a 
bowl bottom surface adhering portion 34 and an adhering portion recess 36, 
which provides structure for inhibiting parallel movement of bowl 30 away 
from base 40, as hereinafter described. Recess 36 is circular, has a 
ceiling 37, and is defined around its circumference by an annular upright 
inner band 38, one edge of which borders ceiling 37 and the other edge of 
which borders the lip of the recess. Recess 36 is in the approximate 
center of structure 32 and of portion 34, which encompass it. 
In its lower portion, FIG. 1 shows supporting base 40 as having an upper 
surface or top 41, which carries a base adhering structure 42 that is 
essentially complementary to structure 32. Structure 42 comprises an 
essentially flat, upper surface, base adhering portion 44 and a protruding 
button or disk member 46, which provides structure reciprocal to the 
structure of recess 36 for inhibiting parallel movement of bowl 30 away 
from base 40, as hereinafter described. Member 46 is in the center of and 
encompassed by portion 44; it is circular; and it provides structure 
around the rim of its circumference for an annular upright outer band 48. 
Member 46 is essentially complementary to recess 36, except that member 46 
has a marginally smaller circumference than recess 36 whereby the former 
may be seated in the latter without friction, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 
and 4. 
FIG. 2 is an exploded cross sectional view taken along lines 2--2 of FIG. 
1, which shows bowl 30 juxtaposed over base 40 prior to being adhered. 
FIG. 2 shows a quantity of viscous, continuously flowable, non-curing 
liquid 50 as having been placed in the approximate center of portion 44, 
which is also the approximate location of member 46 in this embodiment of 
the invention. 
FIG. 3 is an unexploded cross sectional view showing the same plane as in 
FIG. 2. FIG. 3 shows bowl 30 and base 40 with their respective adhering 
structures 32 and 42 in a rotatable adhering mode. Complementary adhering 
portions 34 and 44 are accordingly shown as approximately fitting 
together, and member 46 is shown as seated in recess 36, the two being 
complementary. 
FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view taken from FIG. 3 
showing in greater detail the seating of member 46 in recess 36 with 
vertical bands 38 and 48 now in opposing positions. Liquid 50 of FIG. 2 is 
shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 as having been spread by means to be hereinafter 
described into a flowable adhering medium or viscous liquid film 52, which 
occupies a thin intervening space 54 that extends continuously between 
matching adhering structures 32 and 42, including space 54' around and 
between respective bands 48 and 38 (which is best seen in FIG. 4). The 
circumferences of respective bands 48 and 38, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, 
are sufficiently different in their magnitudes to provide for the unbroken 
continuity of space 54 as space 54' between them. It will be apparent that 
the width of space 54' (FIG. 4) is determined and built into bowl 30 and 
base 40 at the time of their manufacture, whereas the width of space 54 
(excluding space 54') generally will be determined by the degree of 
compressive force applied during the process of adhering. The width of 
space 54' is important because, as a general rule, the more viscous the 
liquid intended to be used as a flowable adhering medium, the wider space 
54' must be. 
By providing support structure for opposing bands 38 and 48 respectively, 
recess 36 and member 46 provide adhering structures 32 and 42 with 
rotatable, non-locking, reciprocally abutting parallel movement inhibitors 
56 and 56' These are seen in FIGS. 1-3, but are best illustrated in FIG. 
4. Reciprocally abutting parallel movement inhibitors 56 and 56', which 
are identical with bands 38 and 48, inhibit parallel movement of structure 
32 away from structure 42 while in their adhering mode, and thus of bowl 
30 away from base 40, while, at the same time, allowing bowl 30 to be 
rotated on base 40 while remaining adhered, as well as allowing bowl 30 to 
be lifted vertically from base 40 by tensile force sufficient to overcome 
the forces of intermolecular attraction in liquid film 52. Specifically, 
reciprocating inhibitors 56 and 56' inhibit separation by shear alone of 
film 52 and thus of structure 32 from structure 42 when force is directed 
laterally, either directly or by sudden displacement, against either bowl 
30 or base 40 when in their rotatable adhering mode (FIG. 3). 
Since the degree of tensile force or vertical pull required to separate 
bowl 30 from base 40 after they have been adhered will, in part, depend on 
the surface area magnitudes of portions 34 and 44 and of recess 36 and 
member 46 (FIG. 3), the greater the surface areas of these features, the 
greater generally will be the energy required to unadhere them. Designs of 
bowl 30 and the objects that it represents may differ for different uses 
and aesthetic tastes, for which reason it may be desired, in certain 
designs, that structure 32 not cover the entire under side of bowl 30. 
Even so, other things being equal, the matching surface areas of portions 
34 and 44, together with recess 36 and member 46, must be of sufficient 
magnitude to mobilize in an intermediate liquid the resistance to tensile 
force that is desired for the structures as a whole. 
Within these parameters, the relative sizes of matching recess 36 and 
member 46, as best seen in FIG. 4, may vary greatly. Since recess 36 and 
member 46 primarily provide structure for opposing bands 38 and 48, and 
thus for inhibitors 56 and 56', they need minimally have only sufficient 
breadth or width and depth or height to achieve this purpose. On the other 
hand, aesthetic considerations may dictate a much larger size in relation 
to portions 34 and 44, which may be done without altering the essential 
function and effectiveness of recess 36 and member 46 so long as they 
remain essentially complementary in size, shape, and surface contour. FIG. 
2 shows bowl 30 as being optionally provided with an anticlinal wall 
composed of inside wall 58 and outside wall 60, their inward cant in 
relation to each other being to render the gripping of bowl 30 more 
difficult. 
FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view showing an alternative 
configuration of some of the elements seen in FIG. 4. Accordingly, 
alternative recess 36a is shown as having a concave ceiling 37a while 
member 46a is shown as having a matching convex roof 47a. While inhibitors 
56a and 56a' still oppose each other, they are seen as having been 
slightly modified in that recess 36a is shown as having a flared annular 
lip 39, which is matched by an outward flare 49 around the circular base 
of member 46a. The flaring of the lip of recess 36a and the convex roof of 
member 46a may facilitate the process of fitting base 40a to bowl 30a as 
they are brought into an adhering mode. Continuous space 54 and 54' 
between reciprocally fitting structures 32a and 42a is occupied by liquid 
film 52, as in FIG. 4, which acts as a flowable adhering medium so that 
the essentials of rotatably adhering one structure to the other are 
unchanged. Thus, the point is made that the interfacing surfaces of 
structures 32 and 42 may alternatively have a variety of contours, sizes, 
and shapes without altering their effectiveness so long as they provide 
adequate complementary adhering surface area and reciprocating structure 
to inhibit parallel movement of one structure away from the other. 
Concerning the deliberate unadhering of bowl 30 from base 40 when it is 
desired to do so, FIGS. 1-3 show outside wall 60 of bowl 30 to be 
optionally provided with a grappling indentation or niche 62, the ceiling 
of which constitutes a grappling point 64. The purpose of niche 62 and of 
grappling point 64 is to provide optional grappling means by which bowl 30 
may be unadhered or pried or leveraged loose from base 40 by tensile force 
acting in a direction perpendicular to the imaginary plane of bowl 30. 
This process is illustrated in FIG. 6. 
The manner of rotatably adhering the structures of the invention is 
extremely simple. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-6, bowl 30 is 
rotatably adhered to base 40 by placing a quantity of viscous, 
continuously flowable, non-curing liquid 50 over or around member 46, 
which is in the approximate center of structure 42 and of portion 44 (FIG. 
2), and then by compressively rotating bowl 30, and thus also structure 
32, which includes portion 34 with recess 36 in its center, onto 
reciprocally receiving complementary structure 42. As this is done, the 
shearing forces of rotation cause viscous liquid 50 to spread outwardly, 
thus shearing into liquid film 52 interposed in space 54 (including space 
54', seen best in FIG. 4) across the interface intermediate complementary 
and now close-fitting adhering structures 32 and 42 of bowl 30 and base 
40, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Liquid film 52 thus spread across the 
interface of complementary portions 34 and 44 becomes a flowable adhering 
medium that serves to rotatably adhere portion 34 to portion 44 by virtue 
of the forces of intermolecular attraction in the film while 
simultaneously serving as a lubricant by virtue of its shearing properties 
to facilitate rotation of the portions upon each other. 
It should be noted that the resulting rotatability of bowl 30 on base 40 
while both base and bowl remain adhered may be a highly desired feature in 
certain applications of this and certain other embodiments of the 
invention. For example, by employing the structures of the present 
invention, a large bowl or tray could be rotatably adhered to the top of a 
table, which would make its entire contents more accessible to all who 
were near it. 
In their rotatable adhering mode, as illustrated in FIG. 3, structures 32 
and 42 can only be unadhered through the application of tensile force. 
This is because vertical, annular parallel bands 38 and 48, which mutually 
oppose each other, thus provide structures 32 and 42 with rotatable, 
non-locking, reciprocating abutments that function as parallel movement 
inhibitors 56 and 56'. This is best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. Thus, 
inhibitors 56 and 56' not only inhibit but entirely estop parallel 
movement away from each other of structures 32 and 42, thereby preventing 
their separation by application of shear force alone, that is, by simply 
sliding them apart. 
The advantage of structures that limit the unadhering process to the 
application of tensile rather than shear force is that tensile force 
effects separation only at the culmination of a buildup or concentration 
of energy sufficient to overcome the bond of intermolecular attraction. 
Separation by accidental displacement of either bowl 30 or base 40, or by 
direct force applied to either one or the other, as by a child or a pet, 
for example, is thus made more difficult. 
To aid in separating bowl 30 from base 40 when it is desired to do so, 
optional niche 62 provides grappling structure whereby leverage may be 
applied to pry one from the other by employing such simple household 
instruments as, for example, a spoon. FIG. 6 is a partial cross sectional 
representation similar to FIG. 3 showing how bowl 30 may be pried from 
base 40 using a spoon as a lever turning on the axis of its bowl. In FIG. 
6, the tip of a spoon is shown as being inserted into niche 62 to lift 
against point 64, the spoon's handle serving as the arm of a lever 
extending from the spoon's other tip. Access to niche 62 may be made 
difficult for a child merely by rotating bowl 30 during the adhering 
process so that niche 62 is out of sight. 
In applications where the rotatable adhering structures of the present 
invention are employed with bowls or other dishware having flared sides, 
walls, or other extremities, the need for niche 62 with grappling point 64 
may be obviated since such flared sides, walls, or other extremities would 
themselves provide adequate grappling and lifting means. 
In the rotatable adhering mode shown in FIG. 3, within the range of normal 
room temperatures the degree of adherence between structures 32 and 42 
depends in part upon the area magnitudes of the adhering portions, in part 
upon the viscosity of the liquid employed, and in part upon the amount of 
compressive rotational force applied to adhere them. This force, in turn, 
determines the thinness of film 52, which is thereby spread between them. 
As those knowledgeable in the relevant field of physics will recognize, 
the thinner film 52 can be spread, the greater will be the tensile force 
required to overcome intermolecular attractions within the film and 
between it and its adjacent structures, thus effecting their separation. 
In practical experiments with various embodiments of rotatable adhering 
structures, including the one illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, it has been found 
that numerous ordinary household liquids will provide adequate adherence 
to effectively deter a child from lifting bowl 30 from its supporting base 
40 by tensile force. These liquids include, but are not limited to, 
petroleum jelly, liquid dish-washing soap, syrup, honey, catsup, mustard, 
mayonnaise, salad and cooking oils, fruit jellies and gelatin, aspic, 
smooth peanut butter, yogurt, smooth sauces, pastes, and smooth pates. 
As an example, the following table shows the number of seconds that the 
adhering structures of the present invention resisted a tensile force of 
9.08 kg (20 lbs) when each of the liquids specified below was tested as a 
flowable adhering medium in an environment having an ambient temperature 
of 72.degree. F. In each case, a bowl structure was employed having a 
bottom radius of 7.93 cm (3.125 inches), thus providing a base adhering 
portion with a magnitude of 197.55 cm.sup.2 (30.67.sup.2 inches). 
______________________________________ 
Liquid Seconds Liquid Seconds 
______________________________________ 
maple syrup 
12 seconds liquid soap 16 seconds 
catsup 12 seconds Jelly 26 seconds 
chocolate syrup 
14 seconds Honey 33 seconds 
Peanut butter 
55 seconds 
______________________________________ 
Using smooth peanut butter, the structure, as specified, resisted a tensile 
force of 13.62 kg (30 lbs) for 11 seconds, equal to approximately 0.454 kg 
(1 lb) per 6.44 cm.sup.2 (1 inch.sup.2) of bowl adhering portion surface. 
In general, tests verified what would have been expected on a theoretical 
basis: the greater the viscosity of the liquid employed, the greater the 
adherence that the structures effected. 
The probable reason that a viscous, continuously flowable, non-curing 
liquid can be employed to rotatably adhere two objects together using the 
adhering structures described herein derives from the adhering and 
cohering properties of liquids themselves. These properties are generally 
regarded as expressions of the intermolecular forces that hold matter 
together, cohesion being the force thought to act between adjacent 
portions of a substance, and adhesion being the force thought to act 
between two dissimilar substances in contact. In general, these forces act 
over a short range and vary in magnitude depending on the substances 
concerned. Viscosity is regarded as one of the resulting phenomena of this 
intermolecular attraction. 
A measure of the strength of the forces of adhesion and cohesion may be 
found in the cohesion hypothesis in botany, which is a generally accepted 
explanation for the rise of sap in plants. Calculation and experiment 
indicate that the forces of adhesion and cohesion in a tree, for example, 
are sufficient to confer on thin columns of water a tensile strength of at 
least 40 atmospheres, or 199.58 kg (440 lbs) per 6.44 cm.sup.2 (1 
inch.sup.2). This strength, of course, cannot be separated from the 
structure within which it operates. 
Referring now to the adhering structures of the present invention, in the 
rotatable adhering mode illustrated in FIG. 3, adherence will have been 
achieved for reasons similar, it is thought, to those that confer strength 
on a thin column of sap in a tree. This will be recognized by anyone who 
has ever pressed two wet pieces of sheet glass together and then found 
them sticking. The phenomenon comes about, it may be theorized, because 
any effort to separate them must overcome the adhering and cohering 
properties of the thin liquid film spread between them. 
Specifically, as one sheet of glass is lifted by tensile force from the 
other, it may be inferred that the intervening liquid film not only 
adheres to the adjacent surfaces of both adhering sheets, but, because of 
the liquid's internal cohesion and its resulting surface tension, tends 
also to resist the pulling apart of its own internal molecules. Moreover, 
the closer the two sheets of glass and the thinner the liquid film between 
them, the more the energy that appears to be required to break this 
cohesion and the surface tension of the intervening liquid film by tensile 
force and thus effect separation of the sheets of glass. 
By the same token, as anyone who has ever placed two wet pieces of sheet 
glass together and found them sticking will have discovered, the easiest 
way to unstick them is to slide them apart, that is to separate them by 
shear rather than by tensile force. Thus, another property of a viscous, 
continuously flowable, non-curing liquid that is relevant to the present 
invention is its shearing property, whereby it may also function as a 
lubricant to facilitate rotation of one adjacent surface upon another at 
the same time that the liquid is adhering them. 
All the foregoing are phenomena that the rotatable adhering structures of 
the present invention are intended to employ. On the one hand they provide 
maximum complementary or matching surface areas on each of two 
manufactured objects rotatably adhered, which matching surface areas, when 
closely pressed together with a thin film of viscous, continuously 
flowable, non-curing liquid spread between them, mobilize the forces of 
intermolecular attraction just described. On the other hand, by 
incorporating rotatable, reciprocally abutting parallel movement 
inhibitors, the structures of this invention prevent their own separation 
from an adhered mode by application of shear force alone, while, at the 
same time, permitting themselves to be rotated upon each other. 
FIGS. 7 and 8 show an alternative embodiment B of the invention in which 
the objects to be adhered are again representationally illustrated as bowl 
30b and base 40b. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view similar to FIG. 1 
showing bowl 30b as again having a bowl adhering structure 32b. In this 
embodiment, however, structure 32b comprises a bottom surface adhering 
portion 34b and a protruding disk member 46b instead of recess 36 as seen 
in FIGS. 1-3. Conversely, base adhering structure 42b in FIG. 7 comprises 
an upper surface adhering portion 44b and an adhering portion recess 36b 
instead of member 46, as seen in FIGS. 1-3. Thus, in FIG. 7 the objects 
representationally illustrated as bowl 30b and base 40b are virtually the 
same as seen in FIGS. 1-3, except that the relative positions of recess 36 
and member 46 and the elements associated with them such as bands 38 and 
48, and inhibitors 56 and 56' in FIGS. 1-3, are inverted. In FIG. 7 these 
elements appear as bands 38b and 48b and inhibitors 56b and 56b'. 
Additionally, the relative breadths or widths of member 46b and recess 36b 
are illustrated as being proportionally greater. Even so, their functions 
remain the same, which are to permit rotation of one structure upon the 
other while inhibiting parallel movement that would lead to their 
separation by providing inhibiting means previously described, and to 
contribute maximum complementary rotatable adhering surface. Their 
enlargement over their counterparts in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3 
illustrates that their widths and breadths as well as their height and 
depth may vary greatly without essentially altering either their function 
or their effectiveness. 
FIG. 8, which is similar to FIG. 3, is a cross sectional view taken 
substantially along lines 8--8 of FIG. 7, but shows bowl 30b and base 40b 
in a rotatable adhering rather than exploded position. Member 46b of bowl 
30b is accordingly shown as seated in recess 36b of base 40b with liquid 
film 52 spread thinly between complementary and close-fitting structures 
32b and 42b. Again, the elements of structures 32b and 42b provide 
interfacing surfaces to mobilize the forces of intermolecular attraction 
in film 52, thus causing them to stick together; and again, elements of 
the structures also provide rotatable, non-locking, reciprocating abutment 
means to inhibit parallel movement of either bowl 30b or base 40b away 
from the other. 
FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of embodiment C. Bowl 30c on its 
bottom, and base 40c on its top, are again shown as having complementary 
adhering structures 32c and 42c respectively. FIG. 9 shows bowl adhering 
structure 32c as comprising adhering portion 34c, a ring-shaped channel or 
continuous recess 36c and a second adhering portion 34c', which is in the 
center of and encircled by ring-shaped recess 36c. Conversely, structure 
42c comprises adhering portion 44c, a protruding member 46c, which is in 
the shape of a protruding ring or flat donut, and a second or central 
adhering portion 44c', which is the central recess encircled by member 
46c. Ring-shaped member 46c is essentially complementary to ring-shaped 
recess 36c. Likewise, portions 34c and 34c' are essentially complementary 
to portions 44c and 44c' respectively. Thus, as in earlier embodiments, 
bowl structure 32c, including its constituent elements, is approximately 
complementary to base structure 42c and its constituent elements. 
As in earlier embodiments, member 46c and recess 36c carry opposing walls 
or bands 48c and 38c respectively around their outer circumferences. Since 
both are ring-shaped, they also carry additional opposing bands 48c' and 
38c' around their respective inner circles. As in embodiments already 
discussed, opposing bands 48c and 38c constitute rotatable, non-locking, 
reciprocally abutting parallel movement inhibitors 56c' and 56c 
respectively. Opposing bands 48c' and 38c' respectively constitute 
additional inhibitors 56c" and 56c'. 
FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along lines 10--10 of 
FIG. 9 except that bowl 30c and base 40c are shown not in an exploded 
position but as being pressed together in a rotatable adhering mode. 
Structures 32c and 42c and all their constituent elements are accordingly 
shown as fitting closely together with a thin liquid film 52 spread 
between them. Again, it will be seen that the interface of structures 32c 
and 42c is such that parallel movement of one away from the other is not 
only inhibited but entirely estopped. 
Clearly, many modifications could be made to embodiment C in FIGS. 9 and 10 
without departing from the essence of the invention. For example, instead 
of just one ring-shaped recess there could be a multiplicity of concentric 
ring-shaped recesses matched by an equal number of concentric ring-shaped 
protrusions, all complementary in size and shape. Additionally, the 
relative positions of these recesses and protrusions could be inverted. 
None of these modifications or alternative configurations would depart 
from the essential elements of the present invention, nor would they 
substantially alter its operation and effectiveness. 
FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of embodiment D of the present 
invention wherein the adhering structure 32d of bowl 30d comprises (1) an 
adhering portion 34d made up of the entire bottom or underside of bowl 
30d, (2) an outer annular bottom-protruding tongue member 46d that extends 
downward from and around the bottom periphery of bowl 30d, and (3) 
parallel movement inhibitors 56d' and 56d", which are formed respectively 
by the inner and outer annular bands 48d and 48d' that make up the two 
sides of tongue member 46d. Conversely, base 40d carries adhering 
structure 42d, which comprises (1) an upper surface adhering portion 44d, 
(2) an annular grooved recess 36d that encompasses it and is essentially 
complementary to protruding tongue member 46d, and (3) parallel movement 
inhibitors 56d and 56d', which are formed respectively by the two sides 
38d and 38d' of annular grooved recess 36d. 
FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along lines 12--12 of 
FIG. 11, except that, instead of being juxtaposed in an exploded position, 
bowl 30d and base 40d are shown as fitting reciprocally together in an 
adhering mode with a thin liquid film 52 spread over their interface. As 
always, structures 32d and 42d are essentially complementary, as are all 
their constituent elements, so that parallel movement of bowl 30d away 
from base 40d is inhibited. Although portions 34d and 44d are illustrated 
in FIGS. 11 and 12 as being flat, portion 34d could alternatively be 
convex and portion 44d correspondingly concave, or the reverse, without 
altering their essential purpose or effectiveness. Tongue member 46d is 
illustrated as having an approximately square-U shape, as is grooved 
recess 36d, but they could alternatively be V-shaped, or have a curved 
U-shape. 
FIG. 11 shows tongue member 46d as extending continuously around the bottom 
peripheral edge of bowl 30d, except where broken by niche 62d. If desired, 
however, tongue member 46d may alternatively project into grooved recess 
36d only intermittently so long as the frequency, length, and placement of 
its protruding portions are sufficient to inhibit parallel movement of 
structure 32d away from structure 42d when in their rotatable adhering 
mode. The breadth of grooved recess 36d is marginally wider than the width 
of tongue member 46d so that space 54d forms between them whenever a 
viscous liquid is spread by compressive rotational force as a continuously 
flowable adhering medium or flowable liquid film 52 between structures 32d 
and 42d, as seen in FIG. 12. 
FIG. 13 is an exploded perceptive view of bowl 30e and base 40e 
illustrating embodiment E of the adhering structures of the present 
invention. Here, bowl 30e is provided with an adhering structure 32e that 
comprises (1) an adhering portion 34e covering the entire circular, 
essentially flat bottom of bowl 30e, and (2) a parallel movement inhibitor 
56e', which is the approximately upright outer band 48e that encircles 
bowl 30e around the lower edge of its outside wall 60e. Conversely, base 
40e carries on its top an adhering structure 42e that comprises (1) an 
essentially circular adhering portion recess 36e, (2) an adhering portion 
44e made up of the floor of recess 36e, and (3) a parallel movement 
inhibitor 56e, which consists of the essentially upright annular inner 
band 38e that forms the wall of recess 36e. 
Structures 32e and 42e are again essentially complementary in size, shape, 
and contour, the circumference of inner band 38e being marginally greater 
that the circumference of outer band 48e so that structures 32e and 42e 
may be reciprocally fitted together. Although portions 34e and 44e are 
shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 as being essentially flat, portion 34e could 
alternatively be concave and matching portion 44e correspondingly convex 
(or their inverse) without altering their essential purpose or 
effectiveness. As in earlier embodiments, bands 38e and 48e oppose each 
other in the rotatable adhering mode, thus serving respectively as 
rotatable, non-locking, reciprocally abutting, parallel movement 
inhibitors 56e and 56e'. 
FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view taken essentially along the lines 14--14 
of FIG. 13, but shows bowl 30e and base 40e fitting closely together in 
their rotatable adhering mode rather than juxtaposed in an exploded 
position. Accordingly, structures 32e and 42e and their constituent 
elements are shown as reciprocally fitting together with liquid film 52 
interposed on their interface. 
FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of embodiment F of the present 
invention. Bowl 30f is illustrated as having a bowl adhering structure 32f 
comprising (1) an adhering portion 34f consisting of the entire bottom or 
underside of Bowl 30f, and (2) an abutting parallel movement inhibitor 
56f', which is the peripheral, essentially upright outer band 48f that 
encircles the base of bowl 30f and forms the foundation of its outside 
wall 60f. Base 40f is illustrated as having a base adhering structure 42f 
that comprises (1) an adhering portion 44f (which is shown in dotted 
lines, consists of a portion of the top of base 40f, and has a size, 
shape, and surface contour essentially complementary to portion 34f), and 
(2) three abutment buttons or protruding members 46f, 46f', and 46f" that 
protrude from the top of base 40f and which, around their respective 
upright walls, provide structure 42f with abutting parallel movement 
inhibitors 56f, 56f', and 56f". 
Members 46f, 46f', and 46f" are so positioned that their outer rims or 
walls making up abutting inhibitors 56f, 56f', and 56f" border and touch 
the outside boundary of portion 44f (shown in dotted lines) and are so 
located that lines tangential to the circular boundary of portion 44f at 
points tangential also to the outer rims of each of members 46f, 46f', and 
46f" where they touch portion 44f, if extended infinitely, would intersect 
to form a triangle. The obvious effect of this arrangement is to locate 
inhibitors around adhering portion 44f in such a pattern as to inhibit 
parallel movement in any direction of bowl 30f away from base 40f when the 
same have been brought into a rotatable adhering mode. Obviously, 
additional protruding members could be added around the periphery of 
portion 44f, if desired. 
Again, portions 34f and 44f are essentially complementary, and, although 
they are shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 as having matching surfaces that are 
flat, portion 34f could alternatively be convex and portion 44f 
correspondingly concave, or the inverse, so long as rotational 
complementarity essentially obtains. Other rotatably complementary 
configurations of the contours of these portions are thus obviously 
possible without altering their essential function, purpose, and/or 
effectiveness so long as these complementary surface contours are 
symmetrically concentric around their respective axes. 
FIG. 16 is a cross sectional view taken essentially along lines 16--16 of 
FIG. 15, except that bowl 30f and base 40f are shown fitted together in 
their rotatable adhering mode rather than juxtaposed, as in the exploded 
view of FIG. 15. Structure 32f is shown as having been compressed onto 
structure 42f so that complementary portions 34f and 44f are closely 
fitted together with liquid film 52 spread thinly between them, thus 
providing a flowable adhering medium. The outer wall of member 46f forming 
abutting inhibitor 56f is seen opposing abutting inhibitor 56f', which 
extends around the bottom edge of bowl 30f. Members 46f' and 46f" carrying 
abutting inhibitors 56f' and 56f" would be seen to be similarly positioned 
in relation to inhibitor 56f' if the cross sectional view of FIG. 16 were 
rotated. In this embodiment of the invention, abutting parallel movement 
inhibitors 56f, 56f', and 56f", all working reciprocally with abutting 
inhibitor 56f', thus inhibit any parallel movement of structure 32f away 
from structure 42f when in a rotatable adhering mode. 
Embodiments B through F illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 16 operate and 
function as previously discussed in respect of the first embodiment 
illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5. A quantity of viscous, continuously 
flowable, non-curing liquid 50 is placed in the approximate center of base 
adhering structures 42b . . . f after which bowls 30b . . . f are adhered 
to bases 40b . . . f, preferably by compressively rotating bowls 30b . . . 
f with their adhering structures 32b . . . f onto adhering structures 42b 
. . . f of bases 40b . . . f. As this is done, liquid 50 is spread by 
rotational shear to form liquid film 52 dispersed across the interface 
between structures 32b . . . f and 42b . . . f. This mobilizes the forces 
of intermolecular attraction in liquid film 52 to act as an adhering 
medium by means already discussed. It also positions the film to serve 
simultaneously as a lubricant by virtue of the shearing properties of the 
flowable liquid that makes it up, thus lubricatively facilitating rotation 
of the structures upon each other, when desired. 
In their adhering mode, bowl adhering structures 32b . . . f may be rotated 
on base adhering structure 42b . . . f while remaining adhered, and can 
only be separated from base adhering structure 42b . . . f by the 
application of tensile force alone. This results because of the 
construction, placement, and function of their respective inhibitors. 
These estop separation by parallel shear force, thus limiting separation 
to the application of tensile force, which effectively requires a buildup 
in the energy required to overcome the forces of intermolecular attraction 
in the liquid, thereby making it more difficult. 
Further embodiments G through M of the present rotatable adhering 
structures are now described in which respective rotatable adhering 
structures 32 and 42 of bowl 30 and base 40 are modified to incorporate 
rotatable, non-locking, reciprocally abutting parallel movement inhibitors 
where one or the other, or both, or all such inhibitors when there are 
more than two, are formed by curved faces or inclined planes. Thus, 
instead of presenting essentially vertical opposing faces, as in earlier 
embodiments, they present opposing faces where at least one is shaped 
either as a curve, or as a slope, or inclined plane. 
The effect of this structure is that, while parallel movement of bowl 30 
away from base 40 is still inhibited when lateral force is applied to 
either bowl or base, lateral movement (as distinct from parallel movement) 
of one away from the other does become possible in the sense that lateral 
force applied to bowl 30, for example, will cause it to move obliquely in 
relation to base 40 as their abutting inhibitors formed by inclined planes 
slide over or under each other. 
Thus, in all the remaining embodiments G through M that follow, applied 
lateral force is partially converted into vertical force by use of a 
simple machine, i.e., the inclined plane, to lift the two structures 
apart. In these embodiments, it would appear that the liquid of liquid 
film 52 is subjected simultaneously both to shear and to tensile stress 
until the forces of cohesion and adhesion within the liquid's molecules 
are overcome. 
The practical results are rotatable adhering structures that still cannot 
be simply slid apart by the application of parallel or shear force alone, 
but which are nevertheless easier to separate than structures that can 
only be separated by tensile force. An advantage of these further 
embodiments is that the amount of force necessary to separate the 
structures from their adhered state may thus be predetermined and built 
into the structures at the time of their manufacture. As will be obvious, 
this may be done by adjusting the angle or cant of the inclined plane, or 
planes, employed in their design. 
In embodiments G-M to be hereinafter described (FIGS. 17-24), adhering 
structures 32 and 42 are both circular in shape and symmetrical in shape, 
size, and contour, with the center of their circles being their respective 
points of symmetry, which is to say that they are symmetrically concentric 
around their respective axes. Accordingly, FIGS. 17-24 are cross sectional 
or partial views wherein the plane that is viewed cuts through the center 
of their symmetrically concentric structures. Further, structures 32 and 
42 in embodiments G-M are also approximately complementary in their 
shapes, sizes, and contours. Moreover, they all incorporate one or more 
rotatable, non-locking, reciprocally abutting inhibitors in the form 
either of curved surfaces, or of inclined planes in these contours. Thus, 
to simplify the description in each case, it is the curved or sloped 
aspect of the contour that is denoted as an inhibitor, and it is the 
approximately complementary aspect of its entire face that is denoted as 
an adhering portion. Finally, since the structures of embodiments G 
through M may be more easily separated than structures of embodiments A 
through F, niche 62 and grappling point 64 shown in all earlier 
embodiments are omitted as being unnecessary in embodiments G through M. 
Accordingly, FIG. 17 is a cross sectional representation of embodiment G of 
the rotatable adhering structures of the present invention. FIG. 17 shows 
bowl 30g and base 40g and their adhering structures 32g and 42g to be 
similar to those shown in FIG. 3, except that reciprocally abutting 
parallel movement inhibitors 56g and 56g' are opposing inclined planes 
respectively forming the sides of flattened cones rather than opposing 
vertical faces forming the walls of a circular recess and a circular disk 
seated therein. Thus, structure 32g in FIG. 17 comprises adhering portion 
34g and inhibitor 56g. Conversely, structure 42g comprises adhering 
portion 44g and reciprocating inhibitor 56g'. Being complementary, 
structures 32g and 42g are accordingly shown as having been fitted closely 
together with a thin liquid film 52 spread over their complementary 
interface. 
FIG. 18 is a cross sectional view of embodiment H of the present rotatable 
adhering structures. This view shows bowl 30h and base 40h and their 
respective adhering structure 32h and 42h to be similar to those shown in 
FIG. 17 except that reciprocating inhibitors 56h and 56h' are opposing 
curved faces rather than opposing inclined planes. Structure 32h comprises 
portion 34h and inhibitor 56h; structure 42h comprises portion 44h and 
inhibitor 56h'. Structures 32h and 42h are shown closely fitted together 
in their rotatable adhering mode with film 52 spread between them. 
FIG. 19 is a cross sectional view of embodiment I of the rotatable adhering 
structures. In embodiment I the entire underside of adhering structure 32i 
of bowl 30i is seen to be a concavity; conversely, complementary structure 
42i of base 40i is seen to be a matching convexity. Accordingly, 
inhibitors 56i and 56i' are provided by the respective opposing curvatures 
of this concavity and convexity, and adhering portions 34i and 44i are 
found on their respective complementary faces. Again, structures 32i and 
42i are seen in their rotatable adhering mode with film 52 spread across 
their complementary interface. 
FIG. 20 is a cross sectional view of embodiment J, which is similar to 
FIGS. 3, except that inhibitors 56j' and 56j are opposing inclined planes. 
As always, structure 32j comprises portion 34j and inhibitor 56j; 
structure 42j comprises portion 44j and inhibitor 56j'. FIG. 20 shows bowl 
30j and base 40j in their rotatable adhering mode with liquid film 52 
spread between structures 32j and 42j. 
FIG. 21 is a cross sectional view of embodiment K, which is similar to 
embodiment C shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, except that opposing inhibitors 56k 
and 56k', as well as opposing inhibitors 56k" and 56k', are curved rather 
than vertical faces that form the walls of a ring-shaped protrusion and 
matching recess. As with embodiment C, there could alternatively be a 
multiplicity of such concentric ring-shaped protrusions and matching 
recesses providing additional opposing curved inhibiting faces. As with 
embodiment C, structure 32k of embodiment K comprises portions 34k and 
34K' as well as inhibitors 56k and 56k'; structure 42k comprises portions 
44k and 44K' as well as inhibitors 56k' and 56k". FIG. 21 shows bowl 30k 
and base 40k to be in their rotatable adhering mode with film 52 spread 
between structures 32k and 42k. 
FIG. 22 is a cross sectional view of embodiment L, which is similar to 
embodiment D shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, except that opposing inhibitors 56l 
and 56l', as well as opposing inhibitors 56l' and 56l", are opposing 
curved instead of vertical faces. Structure 32l of bowl 30l comprises 
portion 34l and inhibitors 56' and 56"; structure 42l of base 40l 
comprises portion 44l and inhibitors 56l and 56l'. FIG. 22 shows 
structures 32l and 42l to be pressed together in their rotatable adhering 
mode with film 52 spread across the complementary interface between them. 
FIG. 23 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view taken from FIG. 22 
illustrating an alternative arrangement for the inhibitors. In this 
alternative arrangement, the inhibitors comprised among the elements of 
base adhering structure 42la are identical to the inhibitors of base 
adhering structure 42d of FIGS. 11 and 12. Specifically, inhibitors 56la 
and 56la' remain upright walls or bands virtually identical to inhibitors 
56d and 56d' in FIGS. 11 and 12. Thus, an alternative arrangement for the 
inhibitors in embodiment L is for sloped or curved bowl inhibitors 56l' 
and 56l" to respectively oppose upright or vertical base inhibitors 56la 
and 56la', as illustrated in FIG. 23. Functionally, inhibitors 56l' and 
56l" still reciprocally oppose inhibitors 56la and 56la' so as to inhibit 
parallel movement of bowl 30l away from base 40li a. While allowing 
lateral movement (as distinct from parallel movement), they convert it 
into oblique movement, which has the effect of forcing the structures 
apart as liquid film 52 is subjected simultaneously both to shear and to 
tensile stress. 
FIG. 24 is a cross sectional view of embodiment M of the present invention, 
which is similar to embodiment E shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, all essential 
elements being the same except that inhibitors 56m and 56m' are opposing 
curved faces instead of opposing vertical bands. Thus, in FIG. 24 
structure 32m of bowl 30m comprises portion 34m and inhibitor 56m'; 
conversely, structure 42m of base 40m comprises portion 44m and inhibitor 
56m. Approximately complementary structures 32m and 42m are shown closely 
fitted together in their rotatable adhering mode with liquid film 52 
spread thinly between them. 
The structures of embodiments G through M may be adhered in the same manner 
as the preferred embodiments through F, that is, by placing a quantity of 
viscous, continuously flowable, non-curing liquid in the approximate 
center of base adhering structures 42g . . . m and then compressively 
rotating structures 32g . . . m onto structures 42g . . . m. All 
structures being circular and symmetrical as well as essentially 
complementary, this compressive rotational energy spreads the viscous 
liquid by rotational shear force into a thin liquid film 52 interposed 
between structures 32g . . . m and 42g . . . m, thus mobilizing the forces 
of intermolecular attraction that adhere them together as well as 
providing a lubricating medium to facilitate rotation. 
Unadhering structures 32g . . . m and 42g . . . m by tensile force alone 
remains as difficult as with the preferred embodiments through F. However, 
unlike embodiments through F, lateral movement (as distinct from parallel 
movement) of structures 32g . . . m in relation to structures 42g . . . m 
is possible. When lateral force is therefore applied, the incorporation 
into structures 32g . . . m and 42g . . . m of inhibitors formed by either 
curved faces, or inclined planes, or both in combination, means that the 
energy applied is partially converted into tensile force as the two 
structures are simultaneously slid and pulled apart as they slide over or 
under each other on curved faces or inclined planes. In short, the 
inhibitors of structures 32g . . . m and 42g . . . m continue to inhibit 
parallel movement of one structure away from the other, but do not estop 
lateral movement, which is converted into oblique movement between the 
structures and which causes them to separate by subjecting the intervening 
liquid film both to shear stress and to tensile stress. While unadhering 
is thus made easier than in embodiments through F, it is still inhibited 
by the inhibitors of the invention, which effectively make separation more 
difficult than would be the case if the adhering portions of the 
structures could simply be slid apart in the direction of their parallel 
planes. 
Once again, an advantage of embodiments G through M, is that, by adjusting 
the angle of the inclined planes in each of the inhibitors, or in the 
curvature of their curves, the energy required to separate them may be 
predetermined and incorporated into the designs of the various products 
represented by bowl 30 and base 40. For certain uses and applications, 
this could be very desirable. 
It will be clear, too, that all embodiments of the invention herein 
described are only illustrative of the numerous combinations and 
variations in contour, size, and shape of essentially complementary 
rotatable adhering surfaces and parallel movement inhibitors--as well as 
of their relative positions in relation to each other--that may be devised 
to produce rotatable adhering structures as subsequently set forth in the 
claims of the present invention. 
Specifically, the rotatable adhering structures of the present invention 
have an advantage in controllably and releasably and rotatably adhering a 
variety of manufactured objects together in that 
they provide structure for effectively employing and controlling the 
adhering, cohering, and lubricating properties of viscous, continuously 
flowable, non-curing liquids, including many ordinary household liquids, 
to effect rotatable adherence; 
the objects adhered may be rotated in relation to each other while 
remaining adhered; 
the adhering structures avoid the use of magnets, suction devices, springs, 
clamps, snaps, catches, and other such gadgetry that may be difficult to 
use, suffer from deterioration, and may be dangerous for small children; 
they are uncomplicated to understand, simple and safe to use, easy to 
clean, and inexpensive to manufacture; 
the rotatable adhering structures may generally be stamped, molded, 
pressed, shaped, formed, or otherwise produced of the same materials or 
combinations of materials of which the items to be adhered are made; 
the invention may be realized in a multiplicity of different embodiments by 
which the ease of adhering and the difficulty of unadhering may be 
differentially incorporated into a variety of alternative embodiments at 
the time of their manufacture. 
Although the descriptions herein set forth of the various embodiments of 
the invention contain many specificities, these should not be construed as 
limiting the scope of the invention but merely as providing illustrations 
of some of its many possible alternative embodiments. 
Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims 
and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.