Patent Publication Number: US-2023159217-A1

Title: Portable Container

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to the field of devices made for securely holding a substance. More specifically, the invention comprises a portable container to secure powders and other dry substances. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Supplements in many forms are common in the exercise industry. In particular, the use of powder mixed with other substances to make smoothies and similar drinks is popular for daily use to increase health and fitness. An amount of powder, made up of selected vitamins and nutrients, is combined with different substances to create a smoothie or shake. These substances can include, but are not limited to, milk, water, vegetables, fruits, and yogurt. 
     Typically, a large amount of powder is stored in a large plastic container or large bag. See for example  FIG.  1   , showing a large plastic prior art container  10  with a wide prior art lid  12  storing multiple servings of powder. A user can scoop out a serving of powder using a provided measuring cup and easily add it to a smoothie mixture. It is typical for a user to make a smoothie mixture daily, either after a workout or to replace a meal. However, it is difficult to continue a regimen of drinking smoothies when out of the home because the container or bag that the powder is stored in is simply too large. The prior art storage unit does not fit efficiently in travel luggage or gym bags and is not convenient to carry around during the day. One prior art solution includes carefully scooping out a serving of powder into multiple plastic zip lock bags. This takes a considerable amount of time and can be messy. Additionally, zip lock bags can fail after loaded with the powder, creating a mess. 
     Therefore, what is needed is portable container which stores powders and other solid substances securely within the container in usable portions. The present invention achieves this objective, as well as others that are explained in the following description. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a device for storing substances such as an amount of powder. The device is generally made up of a main body and a series of drawers removably engaged with slots on the main body on either end of main body. Main body is formed from two parallel sidewalls, having a first end and a second end, connected by a series of parallel ledges. Ledges include a bottom ledge, a top ledge and at least one internal ledge between the two. Ledges extend beyond the first end and second end of each sidewall to allow access to the lateral walls of drawers when fully engaged with main body. 
     Drawers are made up of a front wall, rear wall and two lateral walls. An optional lid can be included on top of drawer. Drawers fit into slots on main body. Slots are empty areas defined by two sidewalls and two ledges. Lateral walls of drawers include a catch which is designed to engage with a receiver on interior surface of sidewalls within slot. When fully engaged, drawers do not slip out of place when device is moved about and substances within drawers do not escape. When fully released, drawers are independent of main body. 
     The position and engagement of drawers with main body allows the user to easily store and transport an amount of powder or other substances. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view, showing a prior art container for powder. 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view, showing the present invention. 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view, showing a component part of the present invention. 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view, showing a component part present invention. 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view, showing the present invention. 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view, showing the present invention. 
         FIG.  7    is a perspective view, showing the removal of drawers during use of the present invention. 
         FIG.  8    is a perspective view, showing a drawer removed during use of the present invention. 
         FIG.  9    is a perspective view, showing another embodiment of a component part of the present invention. 
         FIG.  10    is a perspective view, showing another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  11    is a perspective view, showing another embodiment of drawer of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS 
     
         
         
           
               10  prior art container 
               12  prior art lid 
               14  device 
               16  main body 
               18  drawer 
               20  receiver 
               22  catch 
               24  top ledge 
               26  bottom ledge 
               28  internal ledge 
               30  sidewall 
               32  first end 
               34  second end 
               36  interior surface 
               38  base 
               40  lateral walls 
               42  slot 
               44  lid 
               46  handle 
               48  glass 
               50  amount of powder 
               52  front wall 
               54  rear wall 
               56  tab 
               58  grip 
               60  section 
               62  stripping 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG.  2    illustrates the present invention in one embodiment. Device  14  is generally comprised of a main body  16  and two sets of drawers  18 , creating a rectangular box-like structure. The reader will appreciate that device  14  can be any size or shape and made of any material, however it is desirable for device  14  to be portable in size and durable in construction. A component part view of main body  16  is shown in  FIG.  3   . Main body  16  can be one integrated unit. Two sidewalls  30  (first and second sidewall) are connected to one another in parallel planes by a series of ledges, bottom ledge  26 , top ledge  24  and at least one internal ledge  28 . Ledges ( 24 ,  26 ,  28 ) span the distance between sidewalls  30  and sit parallel to one another. Each sidewall  30  includes a first end  32 , a second end  34  and an interior surface  26 . Interior surface  26  of each sidewall  30  includes a plurality of receivers  20 . Ledges ( 24 ,  26 ,  28 ) extend past first end  32  and second end  34  of each sidewall  30 . In other words, ledges ( 24 ,  26 ,  28 ) protrude outward from each end ( 32 ,  34 ) of main body  16 . Slots  42  are formed by two sidewalls  30  and two ledges ( 24 ,  26 ,  28 ). Slots  42  accept drawers  18  (illustrated in  FIG.  5   ). A rear perspective view of main body  16  is identical to the front perspective view illustrated in  FIG.  3   . 
       FIG.  4    shows drawer  18 , generally made up of base  38  and at least four walls, including at least two lateral walls  40  having a catch  22 , a front wall  52  and a rear wall  54 . Catch  22  is located on orie or both lateral wall  40  of each drawer  18 . Moving to  FIG.  5   , drawers  18  are shown engaging with main body  16  of device  14 . Catch  22  is configured to engage with receiver  20  when slid into position on main body  16  (arrows A illustrate the directional movement of drawers  18 ). An empty slot  42  illustrates the area into which drawer  18  fits. At least one receiver  20 , on interior surface  36  of sidewall  30  accepts catch  22  when drawer  18  is slid into a slot  42 . In one embodiment, drawer  18  has two catches  22  and each slot  42  includes two receivers  20  formed on interior surface  36  of sidewalls  30  to accept each catch  22 . Any known engagement with main body  16  can be included in the design so long as drawers  18  are securely in place within each slot  42  on main body  16 . 
       FIG.  6    shows the way drawers  18  are released from main body  16 . To release drawers  18  from main body  16  user pushes inward (as shown by arrows X) on lateral walls  40  of drawer  18  while simultaneously pulling drawer  18  outward (as shown by arrows Y). It is therefore important that user can adequately grip lateral walls  40  of drawer  18  when drawer  18  is securely in place on main body  16 . This is made possible by the extension of top ledge  24 , internal ledges  28  and bottom ledge  26  past first and second end ( 32 ,  34 ) of sidewall  30  on main body  16 . As user applies force to drawer  18 , lateral walls  40  can deform slightly inwards to draw catch  22  (or the front edge of catch  22 ) away from sidewall  30  and out of receiver  20 . However, it is not required that laterals walls  40  deform inward to release catch  22 . As drawer  18  is pulled outward, catch  22  fully releases from receiver  20  and drawer  18  is free of any engagement with main body  16 , as shown in  FIG.  7   . Catch  22  can be smooth in shape, pliable or spring activated to ease entry into and out of slot  42  on main body  16  of device  14 . 
       FIG.  8    illustrates a drawer  18  fully removed from its slot  42  on main body  16 . Because drawer  18  is independent from main body  16 , the user can easily dump an amount of powder  50  into glass  48  (or any other receptacle, such as a blender, mixing bowl or bottle) for mixing with other substances. Multiple drawers  18  can be fully removed from main body  16  at once, to assist the user with mixing multiple amounts of powder  50  stored within each drawer  18 . Drawers  18  can be inserted back into slot  42  when complete, even if an amount of powder  50  remains in drawer  18 . 
     Drawers  18  are designed to engage with main body  16  in a manner that prevents powder  50  or other substances from escaping device  14 . This requires a secure and fitted engagement between drawer  18  and main body  16 , as illustrated herein. To further prevent substances from escaping, another embodiment, shown in  FIG.  9   , includes a lid  44  that is engaged with walls ( 40 ,  52 ,  54 ) of drawer  18  by frictional engagement. In addition to frictional engagement, lid is also held in place by its positioning in slot  42 . Here, lid  44  includes a protrusion that fits into opening on top of drawer  18 . However, lid  44  can also be configured to fit over drawer  18 , such that lid extends downward and slides over drawer  18 , partially covering the exterior of walls ( 40 ,  52 ,  54 ) of drawer  18 . The reader will appreciate that lid  44  can also be attached to drawer  18  by other known methods including, but not limited to, pivotal attachment or slidable engagement. It is in this manner that the amount of powder  50  can be further secured within drawer  18  in use. 
       FIGS.  10  and  11    illustrate several other optional or alternate features of device  14 . In  FIG.  10   , main body  16  includes tab  56  which is cut into sidewalls  30 . Receiver  20  still acts to accept catch  22 , however receiver  20  is a void in tab  56 . As drawer  18  is moved into and out of slot  42 , tab  52  gives outward to allow catch  22  to slip into or out of receiver  20 . Tab  56  includes a chamfered, tapered, or curved edge on its free edge. Catch  22  is curved to allow for a secure but smooth fit into receiver  20 . 
     Three slots  42  are shown on both ends of main body  16  in  FIG.  10   . Device  14  can include any number of slots  42  (and therefore drawers  18 ) on either end of main body  16 . 
       FIGS.  10  and  11    also illustrate another embodiment of drawer  18 . Lateral walls  50  of drawer  18  includes a section  60  that juts out such that front wall  52  is wider than rear wall  54 . As shown in  FIG.  10   , section  60  creates a clean appearance and fits into slot  42 , such that the whole of slot  42  is filled. Drawer  18  (optionally including lid  44 ) can be any shape such that it can fit and engage with main body  16  of device  14 . Therefore, section  60  may be curved or include raised or indented walls to enhance the user&#39;s ability to grasp each drawer or for other purposes. A grip  58  is shown added to laterals walls  40  on section  60  for ease of use. The reader will appreciate that grip  58  is an optional feature that can be added to any embodiment of drawer  18 . As an example, grip  58  could be added to lateral wall  40  (proximate front wall  52 ) of drawer  18  (as illustrated in  FIG.  6   ). 
     Another option for securing an amount of powder within device  14 , is the addition of an optional stripping  62 , illustrated in  FIG.  11   . Stripping  62  for purposes of this disclosure is defined as a thin strip of flexible or pliable material that is added to the entire perimeter along the top edge of the walls of drawer  18  (including section  60  if present). Stripping  62  provides a seal of sorts between the interior of drawer  18  and interior of top ledge or interior ledge ( 24 ,  28 ) that drawer  18  opens toward. 
     The preceding description contains significant detail regarding the novel aspects of the present invention. It should not be construed, however, as limiting the scope of the invention but rather as providing illustrations of the preferred embodiments of the invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be fixed by the following claims, rather than by the examples given.