Abstract:
A bucket with a funnel shape inside toward the center of the bottom of the bucket. The funnel shaped inside bottom makes a received product material funnel to the center, making it easy to siphon the majority of the product material inside the bucket.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/604,367, filed Feb. 28, 2012, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a bucket which includes an interior funnel for directing a received material to a central location. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    It has been found that when a paint sprayer is in a conventional five gallon bucket it cannot siphon an entire amount of the material held in the bucket, since the bottom is flat. The large surface of the flat five gallon bucket retains material away from the center. Accordingly, the conventional flat bottomed bucket does not allow one to utilize the entire amount of the product contained inside the bucket. It is desirable to provide an improved bucket to allow one to utilize substantially the entire amount of a product contained inside the bucket. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention relates to a bucket including a funnel shaped inside bottom. The funnel shaped inside bottom makes a received material funnel to the center, thereby making it easy to siphon the majority of the material inside the bucket. The bucket of the present invention provides improved siphoning of the material from the bucket. 
         [0007]    A handle is attached to the bucket. A handle grip is coupled to the handle. The hand grip is used to grab the handle to help carry the entire bucket or tilt it to pour out the material inside the bucket. 
         [0008]    The invention will be more fully described by reference to the following drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic cross sectional view of a bucket with interior funnel in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the bucket shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the side and top of the bucket including a lid. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4A  is a schematic diagram of the bucket in combination with a siphon. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4B  is a schematic diagram of the bucket in combination with an alternate siphon. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4C  is a schematic diagram of the bucket in combination with an alternate siphon. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5A  is a schematic perspective front and side view of a bucket in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5B  is an elevational front view of the bucket shown in  FIG. 5A . 
           [0017]      FIG. 5C  is a side elevational view of the bucket shown in  FIG. 5A . 
           [0018]      FIG. 5D  is a bottom plan view of the bucket shown in  FIG. 5A . 
           [0019]      FIG. 5E  is a schematic sectional view of a funnel inside of the bucket. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5F  is a schematic perspective view of a funnel inside of the bucket. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6A  is a schematic perspective front and side view of a bucket in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6B  is an elevational front view of the bucket shown in  FIG. 6A . 
           [0023]      FIG. 6C  is a side elevational view of the bucket shown in  FIG. 6A . 
           [0024]      FIG. 6D  is a bottom plan view of the bucket shown in  FIG. 6A . 
           [0025]      FIG. 6E  is a schematic sectional view of a funnel inside of the bucket. 
           [0026]      FIG. 6F  is a schematic perspective view of a funnel inside of the bucket. 
           [0027]      FIG. 7A  is a schematic perspective view of a bucket including a removable funnel. 
           [0028]      FIG. 7B  is a schematic perspective top view of the funnel. 
           [0029]      FIG. 7C  is a schematic perspective bottom view of the funnel. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. 
         [0031]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of bucket  10  in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Bucket  10  includes funnel  12  positioned adjacent bottom  14 . Funnel  12  directs a received material downwardly to central section  15  of bottom  14 . Diameter D 1  of funnel  12  extends to end sidewall  16  of bucket  10 . Sides  18  of funnel  12  slope downwardly to center portion  20 . Center portion  20  can have a circular or cylindrical shape. Diameter D 2  of center portion  20  is smaller than diameter D 1 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0032]    In one embodiment, funnel  12  has a conical or frusto conical shape to outlet  13 . Alternatively, funnel  12  has any shape providing a downward slope of sides  18  to center portion  20  of outlet  13 . 
         [0033]    Funnel  12  can be permanently or removably coupled to bucket  10  to form a funnel shaped bottom of bucket  10 . For example, bucket  10  can be substantially a five gallon bucket and funnel  12  can be removably inserted therein. Alternatively, bucket  10  and funnel  12  are integral. 
         [0034]    In one embodiment for manufacturing bucket  10 , a plastic mold or die is formed in the shape of bucket  10  and funnel  12 . A plastic material is poured into the plastic mold or die. 
         [0035]    Hand grip  30  is attached or received over handle  32 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . For example, hand grip  30  can be formed of plastic or rubber and handle  32  can be formed of metal, such as aluminum. Ends  34  of handle  32  are received in apertures  35  located on outer sidewall  36  of bucket  10 . Hand grip  30  fits on handle  32 . Handle  32  can be secured or attached to upper portion  33  of bucket  10 . Lid  40  can be removably coupled to rim  42  of bucket  10 . 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 4A , siphon  50  can be inserted into bucket  10  and moved to be arranged within center portion  20  of funnel  12 . During operation, siphon  50  is able to siphon liquid material from bucket  10 , and in particular all liquid material within bucket  10  flows towards center portion  20  and is siphoned by siphon  50 . Siphon apparatus  54  attached to siphon  50  is operated to provide siphoning of material from bucket  10 . 
         [0037]    In an alternative embodiment, siphon  60  and siphon  62  can be inserted into bucket  10  and arranged adjacent center portion  20  of funnel  12 , as shown in  FIGS. 4B  and  4 C. During operation, siphon  60  and siphon  62  are able to siphon liquid material from bucket  10 , and in particular all liquid material within bucket  10  flows towards center portion  20  and is siphoned by siphon  60  and siphon  62 . 
         [0038]    Siphon apparatus  64  attached to siphon  60  and siphon  62  is operated to provide siphoning of material from bucket  10 . Siphon  50 , siphon  60  and siphon  62  positioned in center portion  20  can siphon the majority of a material received in bucket  10 . Siphon  50  and siphon  60  can be any conventional siphon, for example, a siphon used to siphon paint from bucket  10 . 
         [0039]      FIGS. 5A-5F  and  FIGS. 6A-6F  illustrate alternate embodiments of bucket  10 . Angle A 1  between sides  18  and center portion  20  is adjusted to a predetermined slope of sides  18 . Angle A 2  of sidewall  16  and surface  39  can be varied. 
         [0040]      FIGS. 7A-7C  illustrate bucket  10  including removable funnel  12 . Funnel  12  can snap fit into bucket  10 . Supports  19  support sides  18  of funnel  12 . 
         [0041]    It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative of only a few of the many possible specific embodiments, which can represent applications of the principles of the invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised in accordance with these principles by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.