Abstract:
The invention comprises a means for providing customizable identification symbols to a metal container using a custom, portable tool for stamping the symbols onto the external surface of the container.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional application 61/859685 titled System for Marking Containers, Filed Jul. 29, 2013, by the same inventor and currently pending. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to means for providing visual identification of personal possessions. In particular, the present invention relates to a means for applying customizable identification symbols to a metal container. 
         [0004]    2. Related Background Art 
         [0005]    Often, at a party or in other social settings where people are mixing and mingling, numerous people are drinking various liquid refreshments. Many times, an individual must set his or her drink down momentarily intending to return to it later. Sometimes, either that person becomes unsure where the drink was placed, or finds that two or more similar appearing drinks have been left in an area, and it becomes difficult to tell to whom which drink belongs. In situations such as this it becomes possible for beverage containers to become mixed up. One person may end up drinking from another&#39;s container, Drinking from a beverage container previously used by another is generally considered to be impolite and is offensive to many people. Also, drinking from a beverage container previously used by another may result in the transmission of disease from the first user o the second user. Mixups can also occur after partially consumed beverages are stored in a refrigerator. The original beverage owner, after the lapse of some time, may be unable to identify the beverage which he placed within the refrigerator. Some respond to these mixups by discarding their partially consumed beverages. Others respond by consuming beverages which may have been previously partially consumed by others, thereby subjecting themselves to the risk of disease transmission. 
         [0006]    Identification tags or labels are available for luggage, as well as for keys, books, and many other items of personal property. Some items, like books, can be directly written on to identify ownership thereof However, there is a need in the art for a simple, easily applied identification symbol that a person may place on a beverage container to identify its owner, for their own reference as well as others. Preferably, such a beverage container identification symbol would be water resistant and require the application of no other materials to the container, to save on costs and to preserve resources. 
       DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention provides a system for applying an identification symbol to a metal container, such as an aluminum can typically used to contain beer or soft drinks, to allow people to identify the ownership of a drink stored therein, and using a portable, customizable stamping tool. The tool is preferably constructed of metal or hard plastic and contains raised symbols or characters in mirror image corresponding to a custom identifier desired by a user. Additionally, the tool can be conveniently incorporated into personal articles such as cell phone covers and key fobs for ready use in social situations. When firmly pressed against the outside surface of a metal container the tool creates indentations in the external surface of the container resulting in a readable identifier comprising symbols or characters being stamped into the external surface of the container. The stamped identifier thereby uniquely identifies the container as belonging to the user. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a top isometric view of one embodiment of a stamping tool. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  shows a bottom isometric view of the tool shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  shows the stamping tool shown in  FIG. 1  near a metal container prior to application of the tool. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  shows the stamping tool of  FIG. 1  being applied to the external surface of the metal container. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  shows the metal container displaying the stamped characters forming the identifier as applied using the stamping tool. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  shows a front isometric view of an embodiment of the stamping tool molded into a smart phone case. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  shows a rear isometric view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  shows a front isometric view of an embodiment of the stamping tool molded into a key ring fob. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  shows a rear isometric view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 8 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  shows front and back views of another embodiment. 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  shows a close up view of the imprinting characters. 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  shows a working face of an imprinting tool. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    The features of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims which may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  depicts one embodiment of the stamping tool  100  wherein the custom identifier “MY BREW” appears in raised letters in mirror image  103  on the curved working face of the tool  102 . 
         [0022]    The body of the tool  101  is flat and is shaped to fit against the heel of the user&#39;s hand. The top surface of the stamping tool incorporates an oval indentation  104  to provide a gripping point for the user&#39;s thumb and promote a firm grip on the tool during the stamping process. The curved working face  102  allows maximum manual pressure to be applied to the interface between the working face  102  and the surface of the container to ensure that a significant indentation occurs as each symbol is pressed against the container surface. In one embodiment the particular shape as shown in  FIG. 1  is conducive to gripping and pressing the tool against a metal surface with enough force such that an indented image of the of the characters or symbols  103  on the face  102  of the tool is made on a metal or other malleable surface. The tool is a violin shaped object having a first end  105  and a second end  102 . The working face of the tool is at the second end  102 . The tool has a width  108  thickness  106  and a length  107  and the length  107  is substantially greater than the thickness  106 . The width  108  varies across the length of the tool such that a waist  109  is created at a point between ½ to ⅔ of the distance between the first end  105  and the second end  102 . The first end is an enlargement of the tool across its width that facilitates gripping of the tool in a user&#39;s palm as is shown in  FIG. 4  below. In another embodiment (not shown) the enlargement of the tool at the first end  105  occurs in both the thickness and the width producing a bulbous grip at the first end  105 . In this embodiment the edges  110  may be further rounded. In the embodiment shown the characters to be impressed by the tool are English characters. In another embodiment the characters are that of any other language. In another embodiment the characters are replaced by images. In another embodiment the images may be sports team logos. Although the remaining examples all show characters on the working surfaces it should be understood that any images, characters or symbols may be used in place of the characters as shown in the examples. The term images refers to all characters, symbols and images. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  shows a bottom isometric view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  and shows a finger slot  201  to further provide for a firm grip on the tool. The finger slot is a curved indentation that extends across the width  108  of the tool and is seen to align with the waist  109 . The stamping tool  100  can be fabricated by injection molding either plastic or metal. A set of standard symbols (such as common first names or catchy phrases) can be incorporated into a set of molds. Alternatively, the custom symbols or characters can be formed by machining the working face  102  of a previously fabricated blank tool using, for example, a numerical milling machine. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  shows the stamping tool  100  near a cylindrical metal container  300  prior to application of the tool to the external surface  301  of the container.  FIG. 4  shows stamping tool  100  applied to the external surface of the container by a human hand  401  such that the entirety of the working face  102  of the tool comes in contact with the external surface  301  of the container as the tool is manually rolled over the surface of the container  300 . Manual pressure is exerted on stamping tool  100  in order to deform the surface  301  of the container  300  as the curved working face  102  of the stamping tool is rolled along its length. The curved working face  102  allows the tool to be successfully applied to containers having a rectangular cross section as well as to cylindrical containers. The advantage of the shape of the tool is seen in how the features of the tool fit within the hand. The user&#39;s thumb is seen to fit in the depression  104  and the user&#39;s forefinger wraps around the tool at the waist  109 . Although hidden by the user&#39;s hand, it is apparent that the enlarged first end ( 105  of  FIG. 1 ) fits within the user&#39;s palm. 
         [0025]    Another embodiment includes a method of imprinting a malleable object such as an aluminum drink can, the method including pressing against the can surface a tool that includes raised lettering with such force that the raised lettering creates an indentation in the surface of the drink can. In a preferred embodiment the tool is comprised of a handle formed to fit the hand of the user as already described and a curved surface upon which the raised lettering is located. The lettering consists of sharpened structures as more fully described in conjunction with  FIG. 11 . In a preferred embodiment of the method the lettering is applied near the upper edge  402  of the can where the structure allows application of pressure without crushing the can. The same is true of applying the lettering at the lower edge  403  of the can. 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  shows the container  300  after application of the stamping tool  100  and shows that the custom identifier  500  has been transferred to indentations in the external surface  301  of the container  300 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  shows an embodiment of the stamping tool in which the symbols or characters of the custom identifier  601  are formed on the external surface  602  of a smart phone case  600 . This embodiment can be fabricated by vacuum forming plastic sheets around a mold. Although the external working surface  602  of this embodiment of the tool is flat, it still allows the custom identifier  601  to be impressed into the curved surface of a cylindrical container by rolling the container beneath the working surface  602  while applying manual pressure to the tool. The cell phone case is comprised of a rectangular container having a back surface  602  that is in the embodiment shown also the working surface for the stamping tool. The back surface includes raised characters  601  that may be impressed on a malleable surface with hand pressure. The case further includes sides  603  a top  604  and a bottom  605 . The view of the bottom is obstructed in the isometric view of  FIG. 6 . In another embodiment (not shown) the raised characters may be located on one or both sides, the top  604  or the bottom  605 , making the sides, top and bottom working surfaces for the tool. In another embodiment the raised characters are located on a plurality of the surfaces. In the latter embodiment having a plurality of working surfaces there may be a plurality of characters with different characters on each surface. 
         [0028]      FIG. 7  shows an isometric view of the interior of the case  600  showing the cavity  701  into which the smart phone is mounted and the concave inner surfaces  702  of the symbols or characters  601  which form around the original mold pattern. Case  600  also includes openings in the side walls  703 - 705  for access to connectors or buttons placed on the external surface of the smart phone. 
         [0029]      FIG. 8  shows an embodiment of the stamping tool in which the symbols or characters of the custom identifier  801  are formed on the flat external surface  802  of a key fob  800 . As for the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the key fob stamping tool  800  can be fabricated by injection molding either plastic or metal. Alternatively, the custom symbols or characters can be formed by machining the working face  802  of a previously fabricated blank key fob using, for example, a numerical milling machine. Key fob embodiment  800  also includes a hole  803  for attachment to one or more keys using, for example, a chain or a split ring. The key fob embodiment is comprised of a rectangular box having a length  804 , width  805  and thickness  806 . The length is greater than the width  805  thereby forming a rectangle. In another embodiment the width and length are equal and the fob is square. The fob is further comprised of a front surface  802  a back surface not visible in the image, a top edge  807 , a bottom edge  808 , and side edges  809 ,  810 . The latter side  810  is obscured in the view shown. The tool includes raised characters  801  that when pressed against a malleable object, form a mirror image of the raised characters. In another embodiment the raised characters may be placed on the back surface or any of the edges  807 ,  808 ,  809 ,  810 . In another embodiment a plurality of images are placed on a plurality of the surfaces. 
         [0030]      FIG. 9  shows a rear isometric view of the key fob  800  which may include decorative finishes, user identification information and additional raised characters to produce another working surface. In the embodiment shown the fob further includes characters  902  along an edge  809  of the rectangular fob. 
         [0031]    In another embodiment shown in  FIG. 10  a tool for marking malleable surfaces is shown. A top view  1001  and a bottom view  1002  of the tool are shown. The tool consists of an oblong body  1005  with a first end  1004  and a second end  1006 . The first end  1004  has a width  1003  that gradually diminishes going towards the second end  1006  to form a waist  1009 . The width of the tool increases slightly toward the second end after the waist. The second end  1006  includes a curved surface  1007  and upon the curved surface there is raised lettering  1008 . In a preferred embodiment the lettering is a mirror image. In another embodiment (not shown) the lettering is replaced by a symbol or design. The tool further includes a depression  1011  seen in the front face view  1001  located such that a user may comfortably grip the tool with their thumb fitting in the depression and the width  1003  and length  1010  selected to fit within the palm of one hand much as described in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0032]    Referring now to  FIG. 11  a closer side view of the lettering  1008  of the device of  FIG. 10  is shown. The lettering is comprised of a structure having a pentagonal cross-section  1101  with a flat side of the pentagon  1102  attached to the curved surface  1007  and an apex of the pentagon  1103  forming the contact point to imprint the lettering in a malleable surface. The shape of the raised features shown in  FIG. 11  is applicable to embodiments of all the tools previously discussed. As before the raised features are not limited to lettering but can form symbols or any other images capable of being displayed through imprinted lines. In another embodiment the raised features comprise a cylinder  1104  with a flat base  1105  attached to the curved surface  1007  and a point  1106  at the end opposite the base. The point comprising the point of contact for making imprinted features. 
         [0033]    Referring now to  FIG. 12 , two views of a working face of an imprinting tools is shown. In the first side view  1201 , the working face is comprised of a base  1203 , raised lettering  1204  and a layer for attachment  1205  to the handle (not shown). In the second view  1202  a perspective view is shown to better see the lettering and attachment layer  1205 . 
         [0034]    The present invention has been described in terms of the preferred embodiment and it is recognized that equivalents, alternatives and modifications, beyond those expressly stated, are possible and are within the scope of the attached claims.