Patent Publication Number: US-2023146849-A1

Title: Portable Small-Item Storage Apparatus

Description:
The current application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) application of the U.S. Design Application Serial No. 29/866,029 filed on Aug. 25, 2022. 
     The current application also claims a priority to a U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63/277,713 filed on Nov. 10, 2021. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to personal accessories and portable storage containers. More specifically, the present invention provides a wearable accessory designed to carry several small items such as sanitizing wipes in a comfortable and practical manner. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Nowadays, the ability to carry wet wipes in a practical and comfortable manner is essential for many people. For example, many parents are often in need of wet wipes to clean their children, sanitize objects or surfaces, etc. Now, there are different products available to help users carry any necessary items, such as wet wipes. For example, storage bracelets that can dispense tissues, wipes, etc., exist in the industry. A user can wear the bracelets on the wrists and the bracelets allow the user to have wet wipes available at any time and on any occasion. By having wet wipes available at any time, the user does not have to waste time to find the wipes but use the wet wipes almost immediately. However, the typical wet wipe dispensing bracelets do not allow the user to choose the type of wet wipes to carry since the wet wipes are pre-determined. Additionally, some of the wipe dispensing bracelets are not refillable or allow for other necessary items to be carried along, such as band-aids. Therefore, there is a need for a better wearable device that allows users to carry various necessary items in a comfortable and practical manner. 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide a portable small-item storage apparatus that is capable of dispensing wet wipes and other necessary items. The present invention enables the user to carry essential items comfortably and practically in a wearable device that can be worn on the wrist or hanged from another object, such as a handbag. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a portable small-item storage apparatus that enables the user to refill and carry different essential items. The present invention provides several storage units that can be easily refilled so that the user can carry the desired items on the present invention. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a portable small-item storage apparatus that includes different storage units capable of properly storing different items. The several storage units of the present invention are designed to properly hold the different items to be carried, such as wet wipes, band-aids, etc. Additional features and benefits of the present invention are further discussed in the sections below. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVNETION 
     The present invention is a portable small-item storage apparatus designed to carry different essential items in a practical and comfortable manner. The present invention, also referred to as the Boogie Bracelet, includes several storage units arranged into a bracelet-like structure that can be worn or hanged from another object, such as a handbag. Each storage unit of the present invention is designed to carry various essential items, such as wet wipes, band-aids, etc. The storage units are connected to each other by elastic fasteners that enable the present invention to expand and/or contract to fit on the arm of the user. Further, each storage unit can be designed to store specific items. For example, some storage units can include an opening that facilitates the dispensing of wet wipes while conserving the condition of the wet wipes. Other storage units can include a hinged body that can be selectively opened to retrieve the items stored within the storage units. Other storage units can include different designs that accommodate specific items. Furthermore, the present invention can be designed to enable the present invention to be hanged from another object. For example, the present invention can be hanged from a handbag using a key chain, a carabiner, etc. Additional features can be included to accommodate other essential items. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a top-front perspective view of the present invention. 
         FIG.  2    is a bottom-rear perspective view of the present invention. 
         FIG.  3    is a top-front perspective view of the present invention, wherein the plurality of spherical containers is shown opened. 
         FIG.  4    is a top-front perspective view of a spherical container of the present invention, wherein the spherical container is shown opened. 
         FIG.  5    is a top view of a spherical container of the present invention, wherein the spherical container is shown opened. 
         FIG.  6    is a vertical cross-sectional view of the spherical container taken in the direction of line 6-6 in  FIG.  5   . 
         FIG.  7    is a magnified view of a single-piece strap hinge shown in  FIG.  6   . 
         FIG.  8    is a front view of a spherical container of the present invention, wherein the spherical container is shown closed. 
         FIG.  9    is a vertical cross-sectional view of the spherical container taken in the direction of line 9-9 in  FIG.  8   . 
         FIG.  10    is a magnified view of a snap-fit connector shown in  FIG.  9   . 
         FIG.  11    is a magnified view of a single-piece strap hinge shown in  FIG.  9   . 
         FIG.  12    is a top-front perspective view of a treasury tag of the present invention. 
         FIG.  13    is a top-front perspective view of a dispensing spherical container of the plurality of spherical containers of the present invention. 
         FIG.  14    is a top-front perspective view of an anchored spherical container of the plurality of spherical containers of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION 
     All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. 
     The present invention is a portable small-item storage apparatus that enables the user to carry various small items including, but not limited to, wet wipes, band-aids, etc., in a practical and comfortable manner. As can be seen in  FIGS.  1  through  3   , the present invention comprises a plurality of spherical containers  1  and a plurality of treasury tags  19 . The plurality of spherical containers  1  includes several spherical containers arranged to store different small items. The plurality of spherical containers  1  can be selectively opened to retrieve the items stored within the various spherical containers. The plurality of spherical containers  1  can also be configured to enable the controlled dispensing of the items stored within the various spherical containers. The plurality of treasury tags  19  enables the arrangement of the plurality of spherical containers  1  into a circular pattern so that the present invention can be comfortably worn by the user as a bracelet. The plurality of treasury tags  19  also enables the present invention to expand or contract to comfortably fit on the user’s arm. 
     The general configuration of the aforementioned components enables the user to carry essential items such as, but not limited to, wet wipes, band-aids, vitamins, etc., in a readily available manner. As can be seen in  FIGS.  1  through  3   , the plurality of spherical containers  1  includes several spherical containers that are preferably hollow with a size large enough to retain a desired number of items. The plurality of spherical containers  1  can be made from different plastic materials that are comfortable to wear on the arm. The plurality of spherical containers  1  can be made from solid materials or flexible materials that are resilient enough to retain the spherical shape. To facilitate the retrieval of the items stored within the plurality of spherical containers  1 , the plurality of spherical containers  1  is preferably designed as hollow containers that can be selectively opened to retrieve the items stored within. Accordingly, each of the plurality spherical containers comprises a first hemispherical piece  2  and a second hemispherical piece  3 . The first hemispherical piece  2  and the second hemispherical piece  3  correspond to the halves of each spherical container of matching size. Further, the first hemispherical piece  2  and the second hemispherical piece  3  each comprises a hemispherical base rim  4 . The hemispherical base rim  4  is designed to facilitate the removable connection between the first hemispherical piece  2  and the second hemispherical piece  3 . Further, the hemispherical base rim  4  of the first hemispherical piece  2  is oriented towards the hemispherical base rim  4  of the second hemispherical piece  3 . In addition, the first hemispherical piece  2  is hingedly connected to the second hemispherical piece  3 . This way, the desired spherical containers can be opened by moving the first hemispherical piece  2  away from the second hemispherical piece  3 . Alternatively, the desired spherical container can be closed by positioning the hemispherical base rim  4  of the first hemispherical piece  2  against the hemispherical base rim  4  of the second hemispherical piece  3  which seals the corresponding spherical container. 
     As can be seen in  FIGS.  1  through  3   , the plurality of spherical containers  1  is arranged in a circular pattern so that the present invention can be worn as a bracelet by the user. The circular pattern of the plurality of spherical containers  1  enables all the items in the plurality of spherical containers  1  to be kept together so that the user can quickly retrieve any desired item from the corresponding spherical container. In addition, the circular pattern is maintained by the plurality of treasury tags  19  that keep the plurality of spherical containers  1  connected to each other. To form the bracelet-like structure of the present invention, the second hemispherical piece  3  of an arbitrary spherical container  23  is tethered to the second hemispherical piece  3  of an adjacent spherical container  24  by a corresponding treasury tag from the plurality of treasury tags  19 . Further, the arbitrary spherical container  23  is any container from the plurality of spherical containers  1 , and the adjacent spherical container  24  is from the plurality of spherical containers  1 . In other words, every second hemispherical piece  3  of an arbitrary spherical container  23  is connected to the second hemispherical piece  3  of the adjacent spherical container  24  by a treasury tag. Further, since each treasury tag is an elastic structure, the arbitrary spherical container  23  can move away from the adjacent spherical container  24  when a force is applied that separates the two spherical containers away from each other. After the force is removed, the arbitrary spherical container  23  moves closer to the adjacent spherical container  24  due to the compressive force of the treasury tag. In other embodiments, some of the plurality of spherical containers  1  can be provided as a single-body structure that cannot be opened but includes different means to dispense the retained items. 
     As can be seen in  FIGS.  4  through  7   , to facilitate the opening and closing of the plurality of spherical containers  1 , each of the plurality of spherical containers  1  may further comprise a single-piece strap hinge  9 . The single-piece strap hinge  9  enables the corresponding spherical container to be opened and closed without the corresponding first hemispherical piece  2  separating from the second hemispherical piece  3 . In addition, the single-piece strap hinge  9  is designed to match the shape and design of the corresponding spherical container so that the single-piece strap hinge  9  disappears when the corresponding spherical container is closed. To do so, the first hemispherical piece  2  and the second hemispherical piece  3  may each further comprise a hemispherical wall  5  and a hinge-receiving cutout  6 . The hemispherical wall  5  corresponds to the lateral wall of the corresponding hemispherical piece. The hinge-receiving cutout  6  enables the single-piece strap hinge  9  to match the shape and design of the corresponding spherical container when the corresponding spherical container is closed. Further, the single-piece strap hinge  9  comprises a first strap end  10  and a second strap end  11  corresponding to the terminal ends of the single-piece strap hinge  9 . To connect the first hemispherical piece  2  to the second hemispherical piece  3  using the single-piece strap hinge  9 , the hinge-receiving cutout  6  laterally traverses through the hemispherical wall  5 . In addition, the hinge-receiving cutout  6  traverses into the hemispherical wall  5  from the hemispherical base rim  4 . This leaves an empty space near the hemispherical base rim  4  where the single-piece strap hinge  9  can fit into. Furthermore, the hinge-receiving cutout  6  of the first hemispherical piece  2  is positioned adjacent to the hinge-receiving cutout  6  of the second hemispherical piece  3  so that the single-piece strap hinge  9  can fit in between the hinge-receiving cutout  6  of the first hemispherical piece  2  and the hinge-receiving cutout  6  of the second hemispherical piece  3 . The first strap end  10  is connected into the hinge-receiving cutout  6  of the first hemispherical piece  2  to connect the single-piece strap hinge  9  to the first hemispherical piece  2 . Similarly, the second strap end  11  is connected into the hinge-receiving cutout  6  of the second hemispherical piece  3  to connect the single-piece strap hinge  9  to the second hemispherical piece  3 . This way, when the corresponding spherical container is closed, the single-piece strap hinge  9  perfectly fits in the hinge-receiving cutout  6  of both hemispherical pieces to complete the spherical shape of the corresponding spherical container. 
     As can be seen in  FIGS.  1  through  3   , as previously discussed, the plurality of spherical containers  1  is arranged in a circular pattern so that the present invention can be worn as a bracelet by the user. However, to prevent the different spherical containers from blocking each other when opened, the single-piece strap hinge  9  for each of the plurality of spherical containers  1  is peripherally positioned about the circular pattern. In other words, the single-piece strap hinge  9  is positioned on the outer perimeter of the overall circular structure of the present invention which makes each spherical container to open outwards instead of inwards. This prevents each spherical container from obstructing the opening of adjacent spherical containers  24 . In other embodiments, different fastening mechanisms can be utilized. For example, the first hemispherical piece  2  can be screwed onto the second hemispherical piece  3 . 
     As can be seen in  FIGS.  4  through  11   , to keep the hemispherical pieces fastened to each other so that the corresponding spherical container remains closed, each of the plurality of spherical containers  1  may further comprise a snap-fit connector  12 . The snap-fit connector  12  enables the secure fastening of the first hemispherical piece  2  to the second hemispherical piece  3  to keep the corresponding spherical container closed while also enabling the user to easily release the connection to open the desired spherical container. Further, the first hemispherical piece  2  and the second hemispherical piece  3  may each further comprise a convex surface  7  and a concave surface  8 . The convex surface  7  corresponds to the exterior surface of the corresponding hemispherical piece, while the concave surface  8  corresponds to the interior surface of the corresponding hemispherical piece. Further, the snap-fit connector  12  may comprise an inner lip recess  13  and an outer lip recess  14 . The inner lip recess  13  and the outer lip recess  14  are arranged to overlap each other so that the hemispherical base rim  4  of the first hemispherical piece  2  perfectly fits over the hemispherical base rim  4  of the second hemispherical piece  3 . Accordingly, the outer lip recess  14  is integrated into the hemispherical base rim  4  of the second hemispherical piece  3  from the convex surface  7   of the second hemispherical piece  3 . Similarly, the inner lip recess  13  is integrated into the hemispherical base rim  4  of the first hemispherical piece  2  from the concave surface  8  of the first hemispherical piece  2 . Furthermore, the outer lip recess  14  and the inner lip recess  13  are shaped to engage with each other. This way, when the hemispherical base rim  4  of the first hemispherical piece  2  is positioned against the hemispherical base rim  4  of the second hemispherical piece  3 , the inner lip recess  13  overlaps the outer lip recess  14  so that both recesses engage with each other. 
     As can be seen in  FIGS.  4  through  11   , to further secure the first hemispherical piece  2  to the second hemispherical piece  3 , the snap-fit connector  12  may further comprise an annular protrusion  15  and an annular groove  16 . The annular protrusion  15  and the annular groove  16  are designed to engage with each other to further strengthen the connection between the outer lip recess  14  and the inner lip recess  13 . Accordingly, the annular protrusion  15  is integrated into the hemispherical base rim  4  of the second hemispherical piece  3 , adjacent to the outer lip recess  14 , to secure the annular protrusion  15  to the hemispherical base rim  4  of the second hemispherical piece  3 . Further, the annular groove  16  is integrated into the hemispherical base rim  4  of the first hemispherical piece  2 , adjacent to the inner lip recess  13 , to receive the annular protrusion  15  on the hemispherical base rim  4  of the second hemispherical piece  3 . Further, the annular protrusion  15  and the annular groove  16  are shaped to engage with each other. For example, the annular protrusion  15  can be a hemispherical annular protrusion  15 , and the annular groove  16  is a hemispherical annular groove  16 . Then, to fasten the first hemispherical piece  2  to the second hemispherical piece  3 , the inner lip recess  13  is positioned over the outer lip recess  14  so that the annular protrusion  15  engages with the annular groove  16 . In other embodiments, the snap-fit connector  12  can be modified to accommodate non-spherical containers. 
     As previously discussed, the plurality of treasury tags  19  is used to connect the plurality of spherical containers  1  together. As can be seen in  FIGS.  1  through  4  and  12   , to accommodate the plurality of treasury tags  19 , each of the plurality spherical containers may further comprise a first tag hole  17  and a second tag hole  18 . The first tag hole  17  and the second tag hole  18  enable the treasury tag to be fastened to the corresponding spherical container. Further, each of the plurality of treasury tags  19  may comprise an elastic string segment  20 , a first cross-piece  21 , and a second cross-piece  22 . The elastic string segment  20  corresponds to the string body of the corresponding treasury tag. The first cross-piece  21  and the second cross-piece  22  correspond to the terminal portions of the corresponding treasury tag. To secure the arbitrary spherical container  23  to the adjacent spherical container  24  using a corresponding treasury tag, the first tag hole  17  and the second tag hole  18  traverses into the second hemispherical piece  3 . In addition, the first tag hole  17  and the second tag hole  18  are positioned opposite to each other about the second hemispherical piece  3 . This way, the two adjacent spherical containers  24  of the arbitrary spherical container  23  are positioned opposite to each other across the arbitrary spherical container  23 . Further, the first cross-piece  21  and the second cross-piece  22  are tethered to each other by the elastic string segment  20 . In other words, the elastic string segment  20  is positioned in between the first cross-piece  21  and the second cross-piece  22 . Furthermore, the first cross-piece  21  of the corresponding treasury tag is positioned within the arbitrary spherical container  23 . On the other hand, the second cross-piece  22  of the corresponding treasury tag is positioned within the adjacent spherical container  24 . In addition, the elastic string segment  20  is positioned through the second tag hole  18  of the arbitrary spherical container  23  and the first tag hole  17  of the adjacent spherical container  24 . This way, the plurality of spherical containers  1  is fastened to each other by the plurality of treasury tags  19  in such a way that the overall circular structure can expand to accommodate the arm of the user and contract to the original shape/size once the present invention has been removed from the arm of the user. In other embodiments, different elastic fasteners can be utilized to connect the plurality of spherical containers  1  to each other. 
     As previously discussed, some of the plurality of spherical containers  1  can be arranged to enable the dispensing of the retained items in a controlled manner. For example, one or more spherical containers can be arranged to dispense wet wipes. As can be seen in  FIG.  13   , the plurality of spherical containers  1  may comprise at least one dispensing spherical container  25 . To facilitate the controlled dispensing of the retained items, the at least one dispensing spherical container  25  may comprise at least one dispensing hole  26 . The at least one dispensing spherical container  25  can be designed as a single-body spherical container so that the retained items can only be dispensed through the at least one dispensing hole  26 . The at least one dispensing hole  26  is designed to enable the controlled dispensing of the items retained within the at least one dispensing spherical container  25 . Further, the at least one dispensing hole  26  traverses through the first hemispherical piece  2  of the dispensing spherical container to enable the user to dispense a desired number of items retained within the at least one dispensing spherical container  25 . 
     As can be seen in  FIG.  13   , to enable the controlled dispensing of the retained items, the at least one dispensing spherical container  25  may further comprise a plurality of gripping fins  27 . The plurality of gripping fins  27  includes several gripping fins designed to grab onto the item as the item is being dispensed so that only a limited number of items are dispensed at a time. For example, the plurality of gripping fins  27  controls the number of wet wipes being dispensed so that the user does not accidentally retrieve all the wet wipes retained in the at least one dispensing spherical container  25 . To do so, the plurality of gripping fins  27  is peripherally positioned within the at least one dispensing hole  26 . This way, the plurality of gripping fins  27  does not completely block the dispensing of the retained items. Further, each of the plurality of gripping fins  27  is terminally connected to first hemispherical piece  2  of the at least one dispensing spherical container  25 . This way, the free ends of the plurality of gripping fins  27  can grab onto the items being dispensed to control the number of items being dispensed. In other embodiments, different dispensing mechanisms can be utilized to control the number of items being dispensed at a time. 
     Due to the spherical shape of the plurality of spherical containers  1 , the present invention may further provide means to enable the user to easily open the desired spherical containers. As can be seen in  FIG.  14   , to facilitate the opening of the desired spherical containers, the plurality of spherical containers  1  may comprise at least one anchored spherical container  28 . The at least one anchored spherical container  28  is designed to be easily opened by the user. To do so, the at least one anchored spherical container  28  may comprise an eyelet recession  29  and an anchoring eyelet  30 . The eyelet recession  29  is designed to accommodate the anchoring eyelet  30  so that the anchoring eyelet  30  can be used as a handle to facilitate the opening of the at least one anchored spherical container  28 . Accordingly, the eyelet recession  29  is integrated into the first hemispherical piece  2  of the at least one anchored spherical container  28 . Further, the anchoring eyelet  30  is connected onto the eyelet recession  29  to secure the anchoring eyelet  30  to the first hemispherical piece  2 . This way, as the user pulls on the anchoring eyelet  30 , the first hemispherical piece  2  is released from the second hemispherical piece  3 . The anchoring eyelet  30  can also be utilized to receive a key ring, loop, etc., to hang the present invention from an external object. 
     As can be seen in  FIG.  14   , to further accommodate the fingers of the user, the at least one anchored spherical container  28  of the plurality spherical containers may further comprise a clearance recess  31 . The clearance recess  31  is designed to accommodate the fingertips of the user. To do so, the clearance recess  31  is centered on the eyelet recession  29 , adjacent to the anchoring eyelet  30 , so that the position of the clearance recess  31  matches the position of the anchoring eyelet  30 . Further, the clearance recess  31  traverses into the first hemispherical piece  2  of the at least one anchored spherical container  28  from the eyelet recession  29 . This way, as the fingertips of the user grab onto the anchoring eyelet  30 , the user does not feel discomfort. In other embodiments, the at least one anchored spherical container  28  can be modified to accommodate other mechanisms that facilitate the opening of the at least one anchored spherical container  28 . In other embodiments, one or more spherical containers of the plurality of spherical containers  1  can be modified to retain special items or to dispense the retained items in a controlled manner. 
     In some embodiments, the present invention may further include an attachment mechanism that enables the present invention to be hanged from an external object, such as a handbag. The attachment mechanism enables the user to removably attach the present invention to an external object so that the user does not have to carry or wear the present invention. To do so, the attachment mechanism may comprise a snap hook and a key ring. The key ring enables the snap hook to be fastened to an external object. The snap hook enables the quick attachment of the present invention to the external object. Further, the snap hook can be terminally connected to the key ring. The snap hook can then be fastened to a treasury tag of the plurality of treasure tags or to the anchoring eyelet  30  of the at least one anchored spherical container  28 . The attachment mechanism may further comprise a decorative element such as, but not limited to, a tassel, that is terminally connected to the key ring. The decorative element not only improves the overall ornamental look of the attachment mechanism but also enables the location and identification of the attachment mechanism by the user. In other embodiments, the present invention may include different attachment mechanisms that enable the removable attachment of the present invention to specific external objects. 
     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.