Abstract:
A container is provided for storing and transporting empty beverage cans and plastic bottles of similar cylindrical dimensions. The invention also relates to a cover for the container that can be sealed shut so as to secure two separate compartments in which cans and plastic bottles are stored against the entry of vermin during the time prior to transporting the cans and plastic bottles to a retail store for return of deposit. The invention further relates to a cover that can be partially integral with the top edge of one wall of the container with the cover being connected with the top edges of the other walls by an easily removable continuous seal such as a zipper or a snag-and-hook fastener.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to a container for storing and transporting empty beverage cans and plastic bottles of similar cylindrical dimensions. The invention further relates to a cover for the container that can be sealed shut so as to secure the compartment in which the cans and plastic bottles are stored against the entry of vermin during the time prior to transporting the cans and plastic bottles to a retail store for return of deposit. Even more particularly, the invention also relates to a cover that can be partially integral with the top edge of one wall of the container with the cover being connected with the top edges of the other walls by an easily removable continuous seal such as a zipper or a snag-and-hook fastener or the like. Additionally, the sealable cover can alternatively be completely removable from the top of the container with the continuous seal extending completely around the cover and the top of the can and bottle container. 
         [0002]    The container in the present invention is ideally constructed using a washable, lightweight, waterproof material and the like. At least one wall of the container is and/or may be transparent. In addition, a carrying strap or handle, as is well known in the art, is also provided, and the same may also be adjustable as needed. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In order to assist with the problem of waste disposal, specifically empty plastic bottles and aluminum cans, many states have enacted laws requiring retail stores to receive empty cans and bottles and to refund the deposit on each when returned to the retailer. The most common type of returnable cans is 12 ounces and returnable plastic bottles are 12, 16, 20, 24, 32 and 64 ounces. Both cylindrical cans and bottles have substantially the same general diameters and lengths. 
         [0004]    Traditionally, containers have been devised to store and hold the returnable cans and bottles prior to their return to the retailer for deposits. However, a significant inherent problem with these traditional containers is that numerous empty cans and bottles are accumulated and stored prior to transporting them to a retail store for the return of the deposit. These empty beverage cans and bottles generally have small top openings and are therefore difficult to clean well and hence tend to attract vermin, primarily various types of insects. 
         [0005]    Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a container for holding and transporting empty beverage cans and empty plastic beverage bottles that cannot be entered by vermin. 
         [0006]    Another object of this invention to provide a container for holding and transporting both empty beverage cans and empty plastic beverage bottles that is transparent so as to allow easy counting, stacking and storing of the empty cans and empty plastic bottles. 
         [0007]    A further object of the present invention is to provide a container that is sealable against the entry by vermin, while being stored before returning the same for deposit refunds. 
         [0008]    A still further object of this invention to provide a container for holding and transportation empty cans and bottles that is constructed from a material that is easily washable and is also completely sealable against the entry by vermin, while the empty cans and bottles are being stored prior to returning them to the retailer for deposit refunds. 
         [0009]    In accordance with the above listed objects, other objects will become more apparent in the course of this invention disclosure as is further and more substantially describe and claimed hereinafter. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    A container having a cover that can be sealed shut so as to secure in separate compartments, empty cans and plastic bottles of similar cylindrical diameter, width and length in order to prevent the entry of vermin during the storage time period prior to transporting and returning them to a retail store for a deposit refund. 
         [0011]    The cover can be partially integral with the top edge of one wall of the container with the cover being connected with the top edges of the other remaining walls by an easily removable continuous seal such as a zipper or a snag-and-hook fastener and the like. 
         [0012]    The sealable cover may alternatively be completely removable from the top of the container with the continuous seal extending completely around the cover and the top of the container. The container is typically made of a washable, lightweight, waterproof material and the like, while at least one wall of the container is transparent in order to facilitate counting and easily stacking the empties in separately designed and constructed storage compartments. 
         [0013]    In another alternate embodiment of the invention, a carrying strap or handle may be provided in order to allow adjustments when carrying and transporting the empties. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a covered container for holding and transporting empty beverage cans and plastic beverage bottles of similar cylindrical diameter, width and length. Also the covered container is filled with empty cans and plastic bottles, while the container is in the closed position and sealed by using of a zipper or like means to close the container; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the closed and sealed container taken across plane  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of the container shown in  FIG. 1  with the container cover in open position; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a covered beverage can and plastic beverage bottle container being closed and sealed by a snag-and-hook device or means; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a partial perspective view of the container shown in  FIG. 4  with the container cover in the open position; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken through plane  6 - 6  in  FIG. 4 ; and, 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    Reference is now herein made in descriptive detail to all the figures and drawings where identical or similar elements are identified by the same numerals. 
         [0022]    A beverage container system shown in  FIG. 1  thru  FIG. 3  holds a number of empty, similarly dimensioned, cylindrical beverage cans ( 12 ) and similarly dimensioned plastic bottles ( 13 ). Each can ( 12 ) having a length L and opposed circular ends ( 14 ) having a diameter D. Each bottle ( 13 ) having a length L, which is defined by the number of ounces the plastic bottle is capable of holding and opposed circular end having a bottom diameter D which is also defined by the number of ounces the plastic bottle is capable of holding. The system includes a container ( 16 ) having opposed end walls ( 18 ) and ( 20 ), opposed side walls ( 22 ) and ( 24 ) connected to the end walls, and a bottom wall ( 26 ) connected to the side and end walls ( 18 ) and ( 20 ). End walls ( 18 ) and ( 20 ) and side walls ( 22 ) and ( 24 ) have equal heights and form a continuous container top edge ( 28 ). End walls ( 18 ) and ( 20 ) are distanced apart, so as to allow the position of one L beverage can ( 12 ) and four D beverage plastic bottles ( 13 ) side-by-side lengthwise between end walls ( 18 ) and ( 20 ). Side walls ( 22 ) and ( 24 ) are distanced apart four diameters D so as to position cans ( 12 ) and four D plastic bottles ( 13 ) horizontally side-by-side between the side walls. Side walls ( 22 ) and ( 24 ) are distanced apart four diameters D so as to position four cans on one side and four plastic bottles on the other side ( 14 ) horizontally side-by-side between the side walls. The height of end walls ( 18 ) and ( 22 ) and side walls ( 24 ) and ( 26 ) is six diameters D so as to position six tiers of cans ( 12 ) and six tiers of plastic bottles ( 13 ) vertically inside and within the container. Thus, container ( 16 ) holds a total of 48 (24 cans ( 12 ) and 24 plastic bottles ( 13 ). A middle interior wall ( 30 ) is positioned one can ( 12 ) length L from end of the wall ( 18 ) and four plastic bottles diameter D from end wall ( 20 ) and extends between the bottom of wall ( 26 ) and top edge ( 28 ) of side walls ( 22 ) and ( 24 ) so that two separate compartments ( 32 ) and ( 35 ) of slightly unequal dimensions and capacity are formed in container ( 16 ) capable of storing an equal number of cans ( 12 ) and an equal number of plastic bottles ( 13 ) in a vertical position with the container in tiers. It is intended that compartment ( 35 ) is capable of additional diameters D and lengths L depending on the capacity of the empty bottles. For example, compartment ( 35 ) can be constructed to accommodate empty plastic bottles of 12, 16, 20, 24, 32 and 64 ounce capacity. 
         [0023]    A top cover wall ( 36 ) positioned opposed to bottom wall ( 26 ) is sealingly connected to end walls ( 18 ), ( 20 ) and side walls ( 22 ), ( 24 ) along continuous top edge ( 28 ) in  FIG. 1 . In particular, cover ( 36 ) is integral with the top edge of side wall ( 24 ) and is shown in its position in  FIG. 1  sealingly connected to the top edge of end walls ( 18 ) and ( 20 ) and of side wall ( 22 ) by a continuous zipper fastener ( 38 ) with zipper tab ( 40 ) with the zipper sliding piece shown at the top end wall ( 18 ) next to side wall ( 24 ). Cover wall ( 36 ) is shown in its position in  FIG. 3  with one row of zipper teeth ( 42 ) shown along the top edges of end walls ( 18 ) and ( 20 ) and side wall ( 22 ), and the other row of zipper teeth ( 44 ) shown along the mating side of cover wall ( 36 ). Zipper tab ( 40 ) is shown along side zipper teeth ( 44 ) at the junction of end wall ( 20 ) and side wall ( 24 ). A double-strap (or single-strap) handle ( 46 ) is attached to end walls ( 18 ) and ( 20 ). Reinforcing is added to the juncture of the end, side, and bottom walls of the container ( 16 ). 
         [0024]    Container ( 16 ) is constructed using of a flexible, lightweight, and water resistant, leak-proof material, such as plastic and the like. The continuous zipper sealing is resistant to the entry of insects into the container during storage of the empty cans in the container, prior to returning the same for deposit. The cans and plastic bottles will easily be counted at the store through the transparent container. 
         [0025]    The cans and plastic bottles shown in  FIGS. 1  thru  3  are the standard 12 ounce cylindrical beverage cans and 20 ounce plastic bottles used by manufacturers of many different types and brands of beverages. However, this invention is applicable to other types of plastic bottles of equal size (for example: 12, 16, 24, 32 and 64 ounces). 
         [0026]      FIGS. 4  thru  6  illustrate alternate embodiment of the invention. A container ( 48 ) similar to container ( 16 ) of  FIGS. 1  thru  3  holding cans ( 12 ) and bottles ( 13 ) has a cove wall ( 50 ) similar to cover wall ( 36 ) of the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES.  1  thru  3 . Cover wall ( 50 ) seals top edge ( 52 ) of opposed end walls ( 54 ) and ( 56 ) and opposed side wall ( 58 ) and ( 60 ) of container ( 48 ) by being integral with the top edge of side wall ( 60 ) and by sealing the top edges of end walls ( 54 ) and ( 56 ) and side wall ( 58 ) by a snag-and-hook fastener.  FIG. 4  illustrates cover wall ( 50 ) in its closed position and  FIG. 5  shows cover wall ( 50 ) in its open position with the snag-and-hook fastener exposed. 
         [0027]    In particular, one continuous element ( 62 ) of the snag-and-hook fastener is shown attached to the top outer rim surface of end walls ( 54 ) and ( 56 ) and side wall ( 58 ), and another continuous element ( 64 ) of the snag-and-hook fastener is shown attached to the inner surface of a flanged rim ( 66 ) extending from the three edges of cover wall ( 50 ) that are positioned immediately outside end walls ( 54 ) and ( 56 ) and side wall ( 58 ) in contact with continuous element ( 62 ) when cover wall ( 50 ) is in its closed position as shown in  FIG. 4 . A single-strapped handle ( 68 ) is attached to end walls ( 54 ) and ( 56 ). Only end walls ( 56 ) and ( 58 ) are transparent. End walls ( 56 ) can be made of plastic and side walls ( 58 ) and ( 60 ), cover wall ( 50 ), and the bottom wall (not shown) can be made of a lightweight, waterproof material that is somewhat stronger than transparent, preferably plastic, end walls ( 56 ) and ( 58 ). 
         [0028]    Another embodiment is shown in  FIG. 7 , which illustrates a container ( 68 ) including opposed side and end walls forming a single compartment. Here, a total of eight tiers of six cans ( 12 ) and plastic bottles ( 13 ) each are positioned in their single compartments. A cover wall ( 70 ) having a continuous flanged rim ( 72 ) is shown completely separated from the end and side walls. One element ( 74 ) of a snag-and-hook fastener shown extending around the outer top rim surface of the side and end walls is adapted to connect to the other element of the snag-and-hook fastener on the inside surface of flanged rim ( 72 ). A handle ( 76 ) is connected to the end walls of the container. 
         [0029]    The embodiments of the invention particularly disclosed and described herein are presented here merely as examples of the invention and are not in any way intended to limit the scope of the invention. Other embodiments, forms, and modifications of the invention coming within the proper scope and spirit of the embodied claims will, of course, readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.