Abstract:
A container for holding a grout sample, said container having five walled sides, and one open side, wherein one walled side defines a base of the container and the open side provides access to a cavity, said cavity bounded by four walled sides and a floor defined by said base; and grout placed within said cavity.

Description:
INDEX TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/251,440 filed Oct. 14, 2009 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is an article in combination with contents comprising: 
         [0000]    a. a container with five walled sides, and one open side, wherein one walled side defines a base of said container, said open side provides access to a cavity bounded by four walled sides and a floor defined by said base;
 
b. having grout within said cavity.
 
         [0003]    The container is substantially transparent or translucent. The container walls are each defined by an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface. 
         [0004]    In one embodiment either the longitudinal, latitudinal, or both of the outer wall surfaces are each substantially perpendicular to the base the corresponding inner wall surfaces have an inward slope such that the inner wall surface angles outward in an angle greater than 90° relative to the base. 
         [0005]    In another embodiment, the container walls are constructed such that either the longitudinal, latitudinal, or both of the outer wall surfaces and the corresponding inner wall surfaces have an inward slope such that the inner wall surface angles outward in an angle greater than 90° relative to the base. 
         [0006]    Also contemplated is a kit for selecting grout comprising: 
         [0000]    a. a plurality of containers as described herein;
 
b. a holder constructed and arranged to hold said containers.
 
         [0007]    The kit holder is formed of transparent or translucent material. 
         [0008]    The present invention further includes a method of selecting grout comprising: 
         [0000]    providing a grout container as described herein;
 
placing grout in said container;
 
providing indicia identifying particular grout contained in said grout container;
 
selecting at least one grout after viewing grout in said container;
 
identifying the selected grout based on the indicia.
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a top view of the empty grout container. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1   a  is a top view of the grout container filled with grout. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the grout container. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section along section lines A-A from  FIG. 1  of an empty grout container. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a cross-section along section lines A-A from  FIG. 1   a  of a container filled with grout. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a cross section along section lines B-B from  FIG. 1  of an embodiment of the grout container whereby the outer wall surface is perpendicular to the base, and the inner wall surface angles outward at greater than 90° relative to the base. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a cross section along section lines B-B from  FIG. 1  of an embodiment of the grout container whereby each of the outer wall surface and the inner wall surface angles outward at greater than 90° relative to the base. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  shows a plurality of grout containers together forming a grout selection kit. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0017]    Container  10  has walls  5 ,  6 ,  7  and  8 , each of which are defined respectively by a first longitudinal outer wall surface  12  and a first longitudinal inner wall surface  13 ; a second longitudinal outer wall surface  14  and a second longitudinal inner wall surface  15 ; a first latitudinal outer wall surface  16  and, a first latitudinal inner wall surface  17 ; and a second latitudinal outer wall surface  18  and a second latitudinal inner wall surface  19 . Container  10  has a floor  9 , defined by an outer floor surface portion  20  and an inner floor surface portion  21 . Each of inner wall surfaces  13 ,  15 ,  17 , and  19  as well as inner floor surface portion  21  define inner cavity  22 . Inner cavity  22  is constructed and arranged to receive grout  24  therein. 
         [0018]    Container  10  is formed of any substantially transparent material including, but not limited to glass, plastic, polymers, composites, combinations thereof, and the like. Container  10  may optionally be formed with walls of a material exhibiting varying degrees of translucence, as long as the translucent properties do not interfere with the ability to view the grout color through the walls. 
         [0019]    Container  10  is constructed and arranged with an open top portion in which cavity  22  is accessed. Cavity  22  is filled with grout  24 . A plurality of containers  10  are provided as a matching kit  30  for arrangement of a plurality of containers  10 . Each container  10  preferably contains a respective grout of a different color or shade. In use, a person can view the various grout samples and colors and make a selection as to any desired grout for a particular use by comparing the grout in container  10  to a specific object that would be used with grout e.g. tile. The container  10  would be filed with grout  24  and a plurality of containers would be filled with grout of different colors. 
         [0020]    The transparent walls  5 ,  6 ,  7  and  8  and floor  9  of container  10  provide greater visible area for comparison of grout types and colors. 
         [0021]    In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 5 , not drawn to scale, the container  10  has a first longitudinal outer wall surface  12   a  and a first longitudinal inner wall surface  13   a ; a second longitudinal outer wall surface  14   a  and a second longitudinal inner wall surface  15   a . Container  10  further has an outer floor surface  20   a  and an inner floor surface  21   a . Inner floor surface  21   a  has formed thereon floor textured relief  25   a . Textured relief  25   a  provides a plurality of raised topographical structures constructed and arranged to receive and facilitate retention of a grout sample placed in interior cavity  22   a.    
         [0022]    In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , each of first longitudinal outer wall surface  12   a  and a second longitudinal outer wall surface  14   a  are substantially perpendicular to outer floor surface  20   a . Each of first longitudinal inner wall surface  13   a  and second longitudinal inner wall surface  15   a  are not perpendicular to inner floor portion  21   a , but have an angular orientation sloping inward and downward such that distance C is less than distance D, as shown in  FIG. 5 . The inward slope shown in  FIG. 5  is not drawn to scale and the degree of angular orientation is varied as desired in order to assist in the filling of cavity  22   a  with grout  24 . The inward slope forms an angle such that inner wall surfaces  13   a  and  15   a  such that the inner wall surface angle outward in an angle greater than 90° relative to the inner base surface  21   a.    
         [0023]    In the embodiment of  FIG. 6 , not drawn to scale, each of first longitudinal outer wall surface  12   a , second longitudinal outer wall surface  14   a , first longitudinal inner wall surface  13   a , and second longitudinal inner wall surface  15   a  are not perpendicular to inner floor portion  21   a , but each have an angular orientation sloping inward and downward as shown in  FIG. 6 . The inward slope shown in  FIG. 6  and the degree of angular orientation is varied as desired in order to assist in the filling of cavity  22   a  with grout  24 . The inward slope forms an angle such that outer wall surfaces  12   a  and  14   a  and corresponding inner wall surfaces  13   a  and  15   a  angle outward in an angle greater than 90° relative to the inner base surface  21   a.    
         [0024]    The present invention also provides a kit  30  with a plurality of transparent grout containers  10 . Each container  10  is filled with a particular color and/or type of grout  24 . The user need not look at only the opening, but can view color and grout type from any angle and from or through any of the walls  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8  or Floor  9 . The kit  30  is contemplated to be used in a method of selecting a grout type and/or color having the steps of:
       providing a grout container;   placing grout in the grout container;   providing indicia identifying particular grout contained in grout container;   selecting at least one grout after viewing grout in a grout container;   identifying the selected grout based on the indicia.       
 
         [0030]    The method further contemplates providing a kit  30  with more than one grout container  10  and providing a plurality of grout colors and types for one to compare and ultimately select a particular grout. Containers  10  in kit  30  can be placed immediately adjacent to one another, or may have space between each container  10  as shown in  FIG. 7 . Kit  30  has a floor  31  in which containers  10  are placed thereon. The placement encompasses filling cavity  22  substantially full of grout  24  and removing excess grout  24  that is filled above the top of any of walls  5 ,  6 ,  7 , and/or  8 . 
         [0031]    While the invention has been described in its preferred form or embodiment with some degree of particularity, it is understood that this description has been given only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction, fabrication, and use, including the combination and arrangement of parts, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.