Abstract:
A system of implements mutually and separably joined as a carrying unit for easy transport and subsequent use, the implements comprising a plurality of nestible buckets, a caddy removably receiving of the plurality of nestible buckets, optionally a collapsible chair removably attached to the caddy, at least one shovel removably attached to the caddy, and a carrying strap. Preferably, one of the buckets is modified to constitute a chamber for tempering food contained in the bucket at a non-ambient temperature during a holding period.

Description:
RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER APPLICATIONS AND PATENTS 
     The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application, Ser. No. 62/020,618, filed Jul. 3, 2014 by Jeffrey H. Mellick et al. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a system of implements mutually and separably joinable for easy transport and subsequent use; more particularly, to such a system comprising nesting buckets (also referred to herein as “pails”) of the nature of those used in children&#39;s play at the beach, a carrying caddy for use therewith, and one or more shovels removably attached to the caddy; and most particularly to such a system wherein the buckets and shovels further comprise specialized modifications to facilitate their being carried together and used separately in a beach or picnic setting. The system may be further configured to serve as a cooler for carrying foods and/or beverages, a tray for serving food and/or beverages, and may include a collapsible beach chair. (As used herein, “nesting” or “nestible” should be taken to mean configured to be capable of being nestingly and separably assembled into a unit, and “nested” should be taken to mean actually assembled thusly.) 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many people enjoy leisure-time activities, frequently family-oriented, at lakeside and/or oceanside beaches or parks. Children enjoy digging in the sand and making sand constructions, which may be facilitated by the use of one or more buckets and simple shovels. In attending to such activities, families typically carry along various types of food and drink, which may be facilitated by the capability of keeping such food and drinks either warm or cool during a holding period before consumption. Handling food and drink during eating may be facilitated by providing level surfaces, not naturally available at beaches or parks, upon which to place food and drink securely. One or more lightweight collapsible chairs are also desirable for comfortable seating, as at a beach. 
     Carrying all such paraphernalia as individual items can be cumbersome, restrictive, and fatiguing. What is needed in the art is a system for the combined and easy transporting by one person of nested buckets having integral features for holding food receptacles and for tempering food being carried in the buckets; an encompassing caddy; at least one shovel; optionally at least one collapsible chair; and apparatus for unifying these elements into an easily transportable system. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A system of implements mutually and separably joinable for easy transport as a unit and subsequent use individually in accordance with the present invention comprises a plurality of nestible buckets, preferably decreasing in height and diameter such that the buckets may be nested, one within the next. At least one of the buckets has a carrying handle, preferably a flexible strap defining a bail. At least one of the buckets includes a bucket bottom having the underside thereof defining a small table when the bucket is inverted; the underside surface may be formed with one or more depressions to receive and support any of various food and drink containers. At least one of the buckets may be modified to accept heating or cooling means for tempering carried food during a holding period before consumption. The nested buckets preferably are gathered in a closable shroud or caddy. A lightweight collapsible beach chair optionally is removably attachable to the caddy. At least one shovel is removably attachable to the caddy or one of the nested buckets. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The features described herein can be better understood with reference to the drawings described below. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Like numerals are used to indicate like parts throughout the various views, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an elevational view of three exemplary nesting buckets in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an end elevational view of a caddy for carrying and storing the nesting buckets shown in  FIG. 1  and having a plurality of shovels removably attached to the caddy; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view showing the three buckets of  FIG. 1  in nested conformation; 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of a first embodiment of the underside of the largest bucket shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of a second embodiment of the underside of the largest bucket shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of an embodiment of an exemplary self-closing strap for use as a handle with any of the three buckets shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an elevational front side view of the caddy and shovels shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an elevational back side view of the caddy and shovels shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 9  is an elevational end view of an optional system in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is an elevational side view of the system shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 through 10 , in a system  10  in accordance with the present invention, a plurality  12  of nesting buckets are here shown exemplarily as three buckets  12   a,b,c . Other numbers of buckets are fully anticipated by the invention including only one bucket. Preferably, from outer bucket  12   a  to inner bucket  12   c , each bucket is incrementally smaller in height and diameter to allow for the nesting of the buckets into a single unit  12  that can be carried by a user with, for example, a strap  14  secured to largest bucket  12   a.    
     A caddy  16  or bucket  12   a  is provided to store and carry the nested buckets  12 . Caddy  16  thus substantially surrounds the outermost bucket in the set. Caddy  16  may comprise one or more pockets  18  of various sizes usable for storage and may also comprise one or more attachment slots  20  configured to receive the handle of a shovel  22  or other object. Once shovel  22  is secured in a slot  20 , it may be strapped down to caddy  16  by means of a locking strap  24 , which may comprise a hook-and-loop fastener, locking snap, or any other suitable means for closing such a locking strap around a shovel handle. Caddy  16  may further include a shoulder strap  26  or handle for carrying caddy  16  with buckets. As seen in  FIG. 7 , caddy  16  may comprise a pair of D-rings  28  that are non-removably secured to strap  26  via eyes in strap  26 . 
     The present invention is not limited to only the arrangement shown in  FIG. 7 , but may include alternative means for securing a strap or handle to the caddy, for example as shown in  FIG. 2 , comprising a pair of D-rings  30  and a clasp  32  secured around the corresponding D-rings of the caddy and strap. This arrangement allows for strap  26  to be removed from caddy  16  when the strap is not in use, or for strap  26  to be replaced by an alternate strap or handle. 
     Caddy  16  may be configured with tapered dimensions such that an opening at the top of the caddy is larger than an opening at the bottom. Tapering the dimensions in such a manner prevents the bucket or buckets from sliding through the bottom of an open-bottom caddy. Caddy  16  may be formed of any desired material, e.g., a canvas material, such as the material used for a canvas tote bag. Caddy  16  alternatively may be formed of other suitable natural or synthetic material. 
     System  10  is further configured to temper food and beverages being carried in one of buckets  12   a,b,c . Preferably, the smallest bucket  12   c  in the set of buckets  12  (i.e. the top bucket in the set of nested buckets) comprises a tempering chamber  13  at the bottom of the bucket. Tempering chamber  13  may be provided with removable tempering means either cold or hot, e.g., ice or a heated element (not shown), separated from the food or beverages by a divider  15 . Thus, the tempering means on the bottom is separated from the rest of the bucket, leaving a dry compartment on top for storing items such as food or beverages that are intended to be kept cold or warm at a non-ambient temperature during transport of the food or beverages, or while they are being held for later consumption. Such a tempering chamber and divider may be configured to be inserted into any of the buckets. In another embodiment of the present invention, smallest bucket  12   c  may itself serve as a cooler with its own lid (not shown) and compartments for drinks and/or ice and food which are separated by a divider. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the bottom  21  of at least one, and preferably each, bucket  12   a,b,c , when overturned, defines a flat surface which can act as a small tray or table. Further, the bottoms of any or all of buckets  12   a,b,c  may be formed with one or more shaped indentations  23   a,b,c  that can function as cup holders or food/tray holders (food containers). In an exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , indentations include one indentation that is a small rectangle  23   a  for holding an item such as a juice box, another indentation that is a larger rectangle  23   b  for holding a plate, and a third indentation  23   c  that is round for holding an item such as a cup or soda can. Additional or alternative indentations  23  may be formed in bottoms  21  as desired. 
     As noted above, one or more of buckets  12   a,b,c  may be configured with a strap  14 . A currently preferred embodiment of a strap in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIG. 6 , as described below. Strap  14  is preferably formed from a nylon material. 
     Preferably, each bucket comprises a plurality of openings  25  in the lip  27  of the bucket, through which strap  14  may be inserted to secure strap  14  to the bucket. Each bucket further comprises a tunnel portion (not shown) in the bottom of the bucket through which the strap or handle is to be inserted between the opposing openings  25 . 
     Strap  14  may also comprise means to detach the strap from the bucket. In one exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , one end  14   a  of continuous strap  14  comprises a double sided hook-and-loop material (A), and the opposite end  14   b  of strap  14  comprises two corresponding portions of hook material B and loop material C. Portion A may be inserted between Portions B and C in order to secure the two ends of the strap together, for example, near the top of the arc of the strap in  FIG. 1 . If the user wishes to remove the strap from the bucket, the two ends can be detached in known fashion and the strap removed from the openings in the lip of the bucket and the tunnel in the base of the bucket. The strap can be also reinserted for further use. In alternative embodiments, the strap may be made from an alternative material that is suitable for use as a strap, and the ends of the strap can be attached to each other using an alternative attachment means. 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  show an alternate arrangement for transporting caddy  16  containing buckets  12  by securing caddy  16  and shovels  22  to an optional collapsible beach chair  40 . Caddy  16  may be configured with a plurality of closable loops or straps  42  that are secured to caddy  16 . Straps  42  may include hook-and-loop fasteners or other suitable means for opening and closing such straps. Straps  42  are configured to go around a section of a beach chair, such as the plastic or metal frame  46  of the chair, so that a user can removably attach the caddy to the beach chair. One or more shoulder straps  48  are removably attached to frame  46 , forming thereby system  10  in accordance with the present invention. This arrangement allows the user to carry the caddy, shovels, and bucket kit in combination with the beach chair, by carrying the beach chair in a fashion similar to a back pack. Other components that may be combined in a system in accordance with the present invention include but are not limited to one or more towels and an umbrella (not shown). 
     The present invention therefore greatly increases the convenience for beachgoers or picnickers by providing an all-encompassing system that allows the user to carry together and store all of the items to be brought along as a single, transportable kit or unit. 
     While the invention has been described by reference to various specific embodiments, it should be understood that numerous changes may be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the described embodiments, but will have full scope defined by the language of the following claims.