Abstract:
Embodiment of the invention relate to a container. In one respect, embodiments of the invention provide a container that is useful in advertising because of its distinctive shape and faux pull ring, and/or because it is configured to output a jingle or other stored audio. Moreover, in embodiments of the invention, the container is configured as a cooler with a thermal insulator. Such a cooler may also include an automatic lid mechanism that allows for hands-free operation by users that seek to retrieve, for instance, a cold beverage from the cooler.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates generally to a container, and more particularly, but without limitation, to a container with an automated lid feature. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Trash and other containers with mechanized lids are known. But such containers typically require manual intervention to activate the lid mechanism and to maintain the lid in an open state. Moreover, the utility of known containers is limited. For at least the foregoing reasons, improved containers are needed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the invention seek to overcome one or more of the shortcomings described above. 
     In one respect, embodiments of the invention provide a container that is useful in advertising because of its distinctive shape and faux pull ring, and/or because it is configured to output a jingle or other stored audio. Moreover, in embodiments of the invention, the container is configured as a cooler with a thermal insulator. Such a cooler may also include an automatic lid mechanism and/or a delay feature that allows for hands-free operation by users that seek to retrieve, for instance, a cold beverage from the cooler. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description below and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view drawing of a container, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 1B  is a perspective view drawing of a portion of the container illustrated in  FIG. 1A , according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view drawing of a lid assembly, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram of a system for use with a container, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4A  is a flow diagram of a control process for use with a container, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4B  is a flow diagram of a control process for use with a container, according to another embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 4C  is a flow diagram of a control process for use with a container, according to yet another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The invention will now be described more fully with reference to  FIGS. 1A through 4C , in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. In the drawings, reference designators may be duplicated for the same or similar features. 
       FIG. 1A  is a perspective view drawing of a container, according to an embodiment of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the container includes a body  105  that is coupled to a lid assembly  120 . The body  105  is substantially cylindrical. Preferably, the lid assembly  120  may be easily separated from the body  105 . The lid assembly  120  may include a lid  110  that has a faux pull ring  115 . The faux pull ring  115  may be, for instance, embossed on the lid  110 . The configuration of the faux pull ring may be varied, according to design choice. 
     The size of the container may be much larger than a typical beverage can. For example, the container may have an 8 gallon capacity or a 13 gallon capacity, although the invention is not limited to these exemplary proportions. The overall shape of the container, and esp. in combination with the faux pull ring  115 , give the container the appearance of a beverage can. This distinctive shape may facilitate use of the container as an advertising medium. 
       FIG. 1B  is a perspective view drawing of a portion of the container illustrated in  FIG. 1A , according to an embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 1B  shows an optional body liner  130 . In  FIG. 1B , the body liner  130  is a removable component of the container, and is shown partially extracted from the body  105 . The body liner  130  may be a thermal insulator and may be constructed, for instance, of polystyrene. The body liner  130  may be substantially cylindrical in shape, having a hollow middle portion and a closed bottom portion (e.g., an end of the body liner  130  that is not visible in  FIG. 1B ). 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the removable body liner  130  could support alternative applications for the container. For instance, with the body liner  130  installed, the container may be used as a beverage cooler. Absent the body liner  130 , the container may be used as a trash can. 
     In an alternative embodiment of the invention (not shown), the container is configured such that the body liner  130  is not easily removed from the body  105 . 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view drawing of a lid assembly  120 , according to an embodiment of the invention. The illustrated lid assembly  120  includes a collar assembly  125  that is coupled to the lid  110  by a powered hinge  205 . The collar assembly  125  includes a housing  210 , an internal liner  230  and a control panel  215 . 
     The housing  210  may encase one or more system components (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) such as a controller, a motor, a motor driver, and/or a power source, which are described below with reference to  FIG. 3 . Additionally, the powered hinge  205  may include a spring (such as a torsion spring, not shown) that is configured to reduce the amount of force needed to open and close the lid  110 . 
     In embodiments of the invention, the internal liner  230  may be or include a thermal liner and may be constructed of polystyrene or other suitable thermal insulator. Embodiments that include a thermal internal liner  230  and a thermal body liner  130  configure the container as a cooler. As described above, container embodiments that only include the thermal body liner  130  may also be used as a cooler. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the control panel  215  includes manual switches  220  and a sensor  225 . The manual switches  220  may include, for instance, one switch for opening the lid  110  and another switch for closing the lid  110 . The sensor  225  may be or include, for example, an infrared (IR) sensor that is configured to detect the presence of a human being that is proximate to the container. In alternative embodiments, the sensor  225  could be or include, for example, an ultrasonic sensor, a microwave sensor, a Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) imaging device, or other sensing or imaging device. 
     Variations to the configuration of the container illustrated in  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B, and  2  and described above are possible. For instance, in an alternative embodiment, the faux pull ring  115  may not appear on an underside of the lid  110 . Moreover, in another embodiment, the lid assembly  120  may not be easily removed from the body  105 . In addition, in another embodiment, the control panel  215  may include only the sensor  225 , only the switches  220 , or only a single switch  220 , according to application needs. The body  105  may include a drain plug or spigot (not shown) in a lower portion of the body  105  to facilitate draining. Such a plug or spigot may be advantageous, for example, where the container is used as a cooler and ice is stored therein. 
       FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram of a system for use with a container, according to an embodiment of the invention. The illustrated system includes a controller  305  coupled to input/output (I/O) devices  310 . A power source  320  may also be coupled to the controller  305  and the I/O devices  310 . 
     The controller  305  may include I/O port(s)  330  and memory  335 , both coupled to a Central Processing Unit (CPU)  325 . The memory  335  may be or include, for example, nonvolatile memory such as Read-Only Memory (ROM), flash memory, a Hard Disc (HD) drive, or a Compact Disc (CD) drive. The I/O devices  310  may include one or more of switches  220 , sensor  225 , speakers  340 , and motor driver  345 . In alternative embodiments, the I/O devices  310  include one or more sensor switches (not shown), for example a sensor switch that senses when the lid  110  is opened and/or a sensor switch that senses when the lid  110  is closed. 
     The motor driver  345  may be coupled to a motor  315 . The motor  315  may be or include, for example, a direct current (DC) motor, and the motor  315  may be a component of the powered hinge  205 . The motor driver  345  is configured to supply the necessary power to operate the motor  315 . The motor driver  345  may also be configured to protect the controller  305  from electrical spikes generated by the motor  315 . 
     The power source  320  may be or include, for instance, one or more batteries, filters, chargers, and/or an AC-to-DC power supply. 
     In operation, the memory  335  may store code for execution by the CPU  325 . A method for controlling the motor driver  345  may be embodied in the code. For example, the controller  305  may be configured to activate the motor driver  345  based on inputs received from the switches  220 , sensor  225 , and/or sensor switches (not shown). Such action indirectly opens or closes the lid  110 . 
     The memory  335  may also store audio data, and the code may embody a method for reading the audio data from the memory  335  and outputting the audio data to the speaker  340 . The controller  305  may be configured to read and output the audio data, for instance, according to inputs received from the switches  220 , sensor  225 , and/or other predetermined conditions. 
       FIGS. 4A-4C  illustrate alternative control methods that can be embodied in code that is stored in the memory  335 . 
       FIG. 4A  is a flow diagram of a control process for use with a container, according to an embodiment of the invention. The illustrated process begins in step  405  and then determines whether a human being is present in conditional step  410 . Conditional step  410  may be informed, for example, by the sensor  225 . Where the result of conditional step  410  is in the affirmative, the process opens the container lid in step  415 , waits for a predetermined delay in step  420 , closes the lid in step  425 , and then returns to conditional step  410 . 
     Where the result of conditional step  410  is in the negative, the process advances to conditional step  430  to determine whether an open switch is activated. The open switch may be, for instance, one of the switches  220 . Where the result of conditional step  430  is in the negative, the process advances to conditional step  440 . Where the result of conditional step  430  is in the affirmative, the process opens the lid in step  435  before advancing to conditional step  440 . 
     In conditional step  440 , the process determines whether a close switch is activated. The close switch may be, for instance, another one of the switches  220 . Where the result of conditional step  440  is in the affirmative, the process closes the lid in step  425  and then returns to conditional step  410 . Where the result of conditional step  440  is in the negative, the process returns to conditional step  410 . 
     The process in  FIG. 4A  thus opens the lid for a predetermined delay time when automatically sensing a human being. Alternatively, the process in  FIG. 4A  opens and closes the lid according to manual switch input. 
       FIG. 4B  is a flow diagram of a control process for use with a container, according to another embodiment of the invention. The illustrated process begins in step  445  and then determines whether a human being is present in conditional step  450 . Conditional step  450  may be informed, for example, by the sensor  225 . Where the result of conditional step  450  is in the affirmative, the process opens the container lid in step  455 , waits for a predetermined delay in step  460 , closes the lid in step  465 , and then returns to conditional step  450 . 
     Where the result of conditional step  410  is in the negative, the process advances to conditional step  470  to determine whether an open switch is activated. The open switch may be, for instance, one of the switches  220 . Where the result of conditional step  470  is in the negative, the process advances to conditional step  475 . Where the result of conditional step  470  is in the affirmative, the process opens the lid in step  455 , waits for a predetermined delay in step  460 , closes the lid in step  465 , and then returns to conditional step  450 . 
     In conditional step  475 , the process determines whether a close switch is activated. The close switch may be, for instance, another one of the switches  220 . Where the result of conditional step  475  is in the affirmative, the process closes the lid in step  465  and then returns to conditional step  450 . Where the result of conditional step  475  is in the negative, the process returns to conditional step  450 . 
     The process in  FIG. 4B  thus opens the lid for a predetermined delay time when automatically sensing a human being or when the open switch is activated. The process in  FIG. 4B  also closes the lid according to manual switch input. 
       FIG. 4C  is a flow diagram of a control process for use with a container, according to yet another embodiment of the invention. The illustrated process begins in step  480  and then determines whether a human being is present in conditional step  482 . Conditional step  482  may be informed, for example, by the sensor  225 . Where the result of conditional step  482  is in the affirmative, the process advances to conditional step  484  to determine whether the lid is open. Where the result of conditional step  484  is in the affirmative, the process returns to conditional step  482 . Where the result of conditional step  484  is in the negative, the process opens the lid in step  486  and then returns to conditional step  482 . 
     Where the result of conditional step  482  is in the negative, the process advances to conditional step  488  to determine whether the lid is open. Where the result of conditional step  488  is in the negative, the process returns to conditional step  482 . Where the result of conditional step  488  is in the affirmative, the process closes the lid in step  490  and then returns to conditional step  482 . 
     The process illustrated in  FIG. 4C  is thus fully automatic. The process in  FIG. 4C  opens the lid when a human is present and maintains the lid in an open state so long as the human is present. Conversely, the process in  FIG. 4C  closes the lid when a human is not present and maintains the lid in a closed state so long as no human is present. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made without deviating from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example, alternative features described herein could be combined in ways not explicitly illustrated or disclosed. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover any such modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.