Abstract:
A vessel is disclosed including a peripheral wall structure having an upper end defining a top opening and a lower end, a bottom wall structure extending from the peripheral wall structure and closing the lower end for cooperation with the peripheral wall structure to define a first cavity, the bottom wall structure having a depression formed therein defining a second cavity which forms an extension of the first cavity, and indicia on the bottom wall structure for indicating the volume of the contents of the second cavity.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM  
       [0001]     This application is a divisional application of, claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/081,385 filed Mar. 16, 2005, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein.  
       CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0002]     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. provisional application No. 60/554,105, entitled, “BUCKET WITH ANGLED INDICIA AND CADDY”, filed Mar. 17, 2004. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0003]     This application relates generally to vessels, and more particularly to open-top vessels, such as containers, bowls, pails, buckets and the like, and specifically to volume-measurement devices for use on such vessels.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0004]     It is known to provide various types of open-top buckets, pails and the like, such as for use in household or commercial cleaning applications, or the like. It is also known to provide various types of vessels, such as measuring cups and the like, with various types of measurement indicia for indicating the volume of the contents of the vessel. One such arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,284, which discloses a measuring cup with inclined ramps having indicia on the upper surface thereof which can be read while looking down into the open top of the vessel for accurately indicating the volume of the contents of the vessel.  
         [0005]     While this arrangement works well for indicating the overall contents of the vessel, there are frequently occasions where it is desired to mix different contents in a vessel, such as a small volume of a first liquid to be mixed with a larger volume of a second liquid. The volume-indicating techniques disclosed heretofore are not as suitable for this purpose as the present invention.  
         [0006]     Additionally, implements, such as mops, may have an elongated handle relative to the height of a vessel. When such an implement is placed in a vessel, the handle of the implement rests against the inner side of the upper end of the vessel at an angle relative to the peripheral wall of the vessel. Depending on the size of the vessel, the inclination of the implement handle is likely sufficient to cause the implement to fall out of the vessel and/or cause the vessel to tip over and spill its contents, or cause the implement handle to slide into the contents of the vessel. Despite the fact that this aspect of vessels, such as mop buckets, is well known and the fact that care is generally taken when leaving implements in vessels, in actuality, the aforementioned problems continue to commonly occur.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0007]     There is disclosed herein an improved vessel in the nature of a container, bowl, pail or bucket which includes improved volume-measurement features and a caddy for use therewith that releasably secures an implement within the vessel.  
         [0008]     An illustrative embodiment of the present invention relates to a vessel including a peripheral wall structure having an upper end defining a top opening and a lower end, a bottom wall structure integral with the peripheral wall structure and closing the lower end for cooperation with the peripheral wall structure to define a first cavity, the bottom wall structure having a depression formed therein defining a second cavity which forms an extension of the first cavity, and indicia on the bottom wall structure for indicating the volume of the contents of the second cavity.  
         [0009]     Another illustrative embodiment provides caddy for use with a vessel including a peripheral wall structure having an upper end defining a rim and a lower end, the rim configured to engage an upper end of a vessel, a plurality of partition members dividing the receptacle into a plurality of compartments, a bottom wall structure integral with the peripheral wall structure and plurality of partition members, the bottom wall closing the lower end for cooperation with the peripheral wall structure and plurality of partition members, an implement lock member formed integrally with the peripheral wall, and a handle formed integrally with at least one partition member of the plurality of partition members.  
         [0010]     The invention provides an improved open-top vessel which includes features for measuring the volumes of two different contents to be mixed in the vessel.  
         [0011]     A more detailed explanation of the invention is provided in the following description and claims and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there is illustrated in the accompanying drawings an embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a vessel;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged top plan view of the vessel of  FIG. 1 , with the handle removed;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a reduced front elevational view of the vessel of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a left-end elevational view of the vessel of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a right-end elevational view of the vessel of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged top plan view of a caddy; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 7 a  reduced front elevational view of the caddy of  FIG. 6  in operation with a handle and the vessel of  FIGS. 1-5 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , there is illustrated a vessel  10 , which may be of unitary, one-piece construction and may be molded of suitable plastic material. The vessel  10  has a peripheral side wall structure  11 , which is generally oval in shape and slopes slightly inwardly from an upper end to a lower end thereof, the lower end being closed by a bottom wall structure  12 , which is generally oval in shape. The bottom wall structure  12 , as viewed from above, has a concave gutter portion  13 , which is generally in the shape of an oval ring and is disposed for supporting engagement with an associated underlying support surface, such as a floor. The gutter portion  13  may be provided with four raised, arcuate support feet  13   a  on its outer surface, respectively in corner regions. The gutter portion  13  has an outer wall continuous with the side wall structure  11  and an upwardly projecting inner wall  14 , which is integral around its entire periphery with an oval horizontal flat  14   a.  The inner edge of the flat  14   a  is integral with a concave measuring recess or cavity  15 , which has a flat bottom  15   a.  The peripheral side wall structure  11  cooperates with the bottom wall structure  12  for defining a large cavity  16 , of which the measuring recess or cavity  15  forms a small portion. The upper end of the peripheral side wall structure  11  is integral with a laterally outwardly extending flange  17  which, in turn, is integral at its outer edge with a depending skirt  18 . The flange  17  and skirt  18  are deformed adjacent to the opposite ends of the peripheral side wall structure  11  to define a pair of pouring spouts  19 .  
         [0021]     Formed on the peripheral side wall structure  11  on opposite sides thereof are inclined ramps  20  and  20   a,  respectively having upper surfaces  21  which are substantially coplanar. Each of the ramps  20  and  20   a  serves to divide the adjacent side of the peripheral side wall structure  11  into an inner wall portion  22 , which extends downwardly from the inner edge of the ramp, and an outer wall portion  23 , which projects upwardly from the outer edge of the ramp. The width of each ramp tapers downwardly to a lower end  24  of substantially zero width which merges with the surface of the peripheral side wall structure  11 , and also tapers upwardly to a tapered upper end  25 , which has substantially zero width and merges with the surface of the peripheral side wall structure  11 . Formed on the upper surface  21  of the ramp  20  is a set of first indicia  26  and formed on the upper surface of the ramp  20   a  is a set of second indicia  27 , both the first and second indicia  26  and  27  serving to indicate the volume of the contents of the cavity  16 . The first indicia may be graduated in one measurement system, e.g., metric, while the other set of indicia  27  may be graduated in a different measurement, e.g., English. Thus, for example, the first indicia  26  may be graduated in liters and the second indicia  27  may be graduated in gallons, although it will be appreciated that other measurement units could be used. A third set of indicia  28  may be disposed along the bottom wall structure  12  adjacent to one end thereof for indicating the volume of the contents of the small cavity  14   a.  Formed in the skirt  18  at opposite sides of the peripheral side wall structure  11  midway between the spouts  19  are handle attachment holes  29  for receiving mounting lugs at the opposite ends of an associated bail-type handle ( FIG. 1 ) to facilitate lifting or carrying of the vessel  10 .  
         [0022]     While, in the illustrated embodiment, the vessel  10  is molded of a suitable plastic, it will be appreciated that it could be formed of any other suitable materials, such as suitable metals or the like.  
         [0023]     The indicia  26  and  27  on the ramps  20  and  20   a  may be easily viewed from above to readily indicate the volume of the contents of the vessel cavity  16 , without necessitating the viewing of indicia from the side of the vessel. Similarly, the indicia  28  are disposed on a sloping portion of the bottom wall structure  12  for indicating the volume of the contents of the small cavity  14   a.  This arrangement is particularly useful for purposes of mixing two different liquids. For example, it may frequently be necessary to dilute a first liquid, such as by providing a small volume, e.g., one cup, of a first liquid in a vessel and then diluting with a second liquid until the entire mixture totals one gallon. The vessel  10  greatly facilitates this by permitting the first liquid to be added to the vessel until the desired volume is registered on the indicia  28 , which can be easily viewed from above, and then adding water or other diluents until the required total volume is reached, as is readily indicated by the indicia  26  and  27 , which may also be easily read from above.  
         [0024]     Referring now to  FIGS. 6-7 , there is illustrated a caddy in the nature of caddy  30 . Caddy  30  may be of unitary, one-piece construction and may be molded of suitable plastic material, and preferably the same material as vessel  10 . The caddy  30  has a peripheral side wall structure  31 , which is generally oval in shape and may slope or step inwardly from an upper end to a lower end thereof, the lower end being closed by a bottom wall structure  32 , which is also generally oval in shape. The upper end of peripheral side wall structure  31  is integral with a laterally outwardly extending rim  33 , which is configured to overlap at least a portion of flange  17  of vessel  10  so that caddy  30  may be supported by vessel  10 .  
         [0025]     In the illustrative embodiment, the bottom wall structure  32  is integral with the peripheral side wall structure  31  and a plurality of partition members  34 . The plurality of partition members are employed to divide the caddy  30  into a plurality of compartments  35  within the space defined by peripheral side wall structure  31  and bottom wall structure  32 . The plurality of compartments  35  are utilized to separate contents of the caddy  30  from one another. For example, it may be desirable to separate wet storage items from dry storage items. To facilitate convenient operation of caddy  30 , bottom wall structure  32  may incorporate at least one opening  36 . Openings  36  are provided so that liquids accompanying a wet item stored in a compartment  35 , such as a sponge, may drain into vessel  10 , thereby preventing compartment  35  having an opening  36  in its associated portion of integral bottom wall structure  32  from collecting and retaining liquids therein. Furthermore, compartments  35  may be of varying dimensions, so as to effectively contain items of differing height, length, width, volume and the like.  
         [0026]     Additionally, handle  37  may be provided so that caddy  30  may be carried by a user. In the illustrative embodiment, handle  37  is integral with at least one partition member  34 . However, handle  37  may be integral with more than one partition member  34 , integral with rim  33 , or a separate piece that is engaged to a partition member  34  and/or rim  33 . Handle  37  may also be provided with a rubberized grip  38 .  
         [0027]     In operation, rim  33  of caddy  30  is positioned over flange  17  of vessel  10 . Rim  33  is dimensioned and configured to be reasonably securable to flange  17 .  
         [0028]     Caddy  30  is further provided with an implement lock member  39 . Implement lock  39  may be a detent structure integrally formed with the peripheral wall structure  31 . As illustrated, peripheral side wall structure  31  is additionally configured to provide an implement guide as passageway  40 . Likewise, bottom wall structure  32  does not extend into implement guide or passageway  40 . Additionally, implement lock member  39  includes at lease one protrusion or detent  41  formed integrally with peripheral side wall structure  31 , with peripheral side wall structure forming an arcuate region or portion  42  adjacent to the detent  41 . It is preferred in one embodiment that a detent  41  be provided adjacent to each end of arcuate portion  42 .  
         [0029]     In operation, by way of example, caddy  30  can engage an implement, such as a map, at handle  50 . Handle  50  is guided into implement passageway  40  and past detents  41 , and positioned along arcuate portion  42  of peripheral side wall structure  31 . Detents  41  are preferably formed from resiliently deformable material, as is peripheral side wall structure  31 , so that as handle  50  having a diameter greater than the distance between detents  41  passes between detents  41 , the detents  41  and integral side wall structure  31  may be deformed to accommodate handle  50 . Once handle  50  passes between detents  41 , detents  41  and integral side wall structure  31  return to their respective resting orientations. In the situation where only a single detent or protrusion  41  is employed, detent  41  and the opposing side wall region (not shown) of side wall structure  31  may be deformed until handle  50  passes therebetween, whereby detent  41  and the opposing side wall region return to their respective resting orientations.  
         [0030]     A caddy and vessel combination as detailed herein may be utilized in various forms. One such combination may be useful for a caddy and bucket, for purposes such as house cleaning, where the caddy can secure a mop in the bucket. Another such combination may be of use for a caddy with a mixing bowl, where the caddy is capable of securing a cooking utensil and separating cooking ingredients. From the foregoing, it can be seen that there has been provided an improved vessel which greatly facilitates the determination of the volume of the contents thereof, as well as an improved caddy for use therewith that releasably secures an implement.  
         [0031]     The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of applicants&#39; contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.