Patent Publication Number: US-10787305-B1

Title: Container with a lifting device for moving contents with the container

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the use of magnetic lifting devices, in particular, the device which allows to move objects within a container. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Art is replete with various devices that use magnets to move various parts. One of the prior art methods is a method of testing whether a magnetic lifting device may safely lift a particular load where the magnetic lifting device is placed adjacent to the load, some or all of the magnetic elements of the magnetic lifting device are spaced such that the lifting ability of the magnetic lifting device is reduced by a predetermined amount. An attempt is then made to lift the load by a small safe distance. If this attempt is successful, the user can be sure use of the magnetic lifting device, when the lifting ability is restored, is safe. 
     Conveniently, the spacing is achieved by the introduction of a substantially planar member between the magnetic lifting device and the load. The planar member has a similar footprint to that of the magnetic lifting device. The planar member may be made of stainless steel. A magnetic lifting device may incorporate magnetic elements which may be spaced such that the lifting ability of the magnetic lifting device is reduced by a predictable amount, for example it may incorporate a moveable planar member. 
     Another prior art reference teaches a permanent magnet-type lifting device for lifting heavy steel articles or the like in which a magnetic assembly of ferrite magnets stacked to form a single unit between pole pieces of a magnetically permeable material is rotatably disposed between plural magnetic member magnetically isolated from one another. In a preferred embodiment, plural rotated assemblies are provided and are mechanically linked through a common rotation mechanism. The magnetic member have an attracting surface and an inclined portion extending toward the attracting portion. 
     To the extend effective, none of these devices can be used in smaller environments such as containers and boxed for holding food items and medical elements such as bandages, wipes, and the like, specially when it is uncomfortable to remove the contents by using hand and fingers. 
     To the extent as being effective, there is always a need for new and improved devices for moving parts within containers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A container includes a body having inside and outside surfaces, a bottom and an open top covered by a lid in order to seal the content located or stored inside the container. The container can be used for holding potato chips and other products for human and animal consumption. A lifting device includes a platform, having a central portion and a pair of legs extending from the central portion and having magnetic elements connected thereto to engage with inside surface of the container. 
     A pair of metal elements of a generally rectangular or generally circular configurations and are attached to the outside surface of the container. The metal elements are held at the outside surface because the magnetic elements will prevent any movement of the metal and magnetic elements. A user can move the metal elements along the axis A thereby moving the central portion with the chips from the bottom towards the top to remove the potato chips and other products from the container without placing hand and fingers inside the container thereby avoiding any contamination, avoid any movement and any unnecessary damages to the product located inside the container. 
     A first alternative embodiment of the container includes a body having inside and outside surfaces, a bottom, and an open top covered by a lid. The container presents at least one track on the outside surface of the container extending from the bottom to the top. The track can be defined in the body by any mechanical means such as press formed, molded in, mechanically attached, without limiting the scope of the present invention. 
     The container may include a pair of the tracks. The track is used to house a metal element secured in the track and movable along the track slidable along the track to move the central portion and the pair of legs within the inside of the container to move the contents between the bottom and the top of the container. Alternatively, the track may partially extend between the bottom and the top without limiting the scope of the present invention. 
     A second alternative embodiment of the container presents a rectangular cross section. The container has four walls. A lifting device includes a platform of the lifting device having a central portion and a pair of legs extending from the central portion and having magnetic elements connected thereto to engage with the inside surface of the container. 
     An advantage of the present invention is to provide an innovative method for extracting object such as potato chips and other products from the container without placing hand and fingers inside the container thereby avoiding any contamination. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is to provide the innovative container with a lifting device and using magnets wherein the container is easy to manufacture. 
     The objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from inspection of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout and in which an embodiment of the present invention is described and illustrated. 
     The exact manner in which the foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention are achieved in practice will become more clearly apparent when reference is made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention described in detail in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, where in like reference numbers indicate corresponding parts throughout. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a container with a lifting (moving) device; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the container with the lifting device located inside the container; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a platform of the lifting device having a central portion and a pair of legs extending from the central portion and having magnetic elements connected thereto to engage with inside surface of the container; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial view of one of the legs presenting alternative embodiment of the magnetic elements; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a first alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein the container presents at least one track on the side of the container to house a metal element to be slidable along the track to move the central portion and the pair of legs within the inside of the container to move the contents between bottom and top of the container; and 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view a second alternative embodiment of the container wherein the container presents a rectangular cross section. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the Figures, a container having a lifting device of the present invention is generally shown at  10  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . It will be apparent that multiple embodiments of this disclosure may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well-known process operations have not been described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present embodiments. The following description of embodiments includes references to the accompanying drawing. The drawing shows illustrations in accordance with example embodiments. These example embodiments, which are also referred to herein as “examples,” are described in enough detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the present subject matter. The embodiments can be combined, other embodiments can be utilized, or structural, logical and operational changes can be made without departing from the scope of what is claimed. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. 
     Alluding to the above, for purposes of this patent document, the terms “or” and “and” shall mean “and/or” unless stated otherwise or clearly intended otherwise by the context of their use. The term “a” shall mean “one or more” unless stated otherwise or where the use of “one or more” is clearly inappropriate. The terms “comprise,” “comprising,” “include,” and “including” are interchangeable and not intended to be limiting. For example, the term “including” shall be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to.” 
     Alluding to the above, the container  10  includes a body, generally indicated at  12 , having an inside surface  16  and an outside surface  14 , a bottom  18  and an open top  20  covered by a lid (not shown). The container  10  can be used for holding potato chips  24  and other products for human and animal consumption, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The container  10  may also be used for holding medical elements such as bandages and moisturizing napkins (not shown). 
     A lifting device includes a platform, generally indicated at  26 , having a central portion  28  and a pair of legs  30 ,  32  extending from the central portion  28  and having magnetic elements  34  connected thereto to engage with inside surface  14   16  of the container  10 . A pair of metal elements of a generally rectangular configuration, shown at  36  and  38 , respectfully, are attached to the outside surface  14  of the container  10 . The metal elements  36  and  38  will be held at the outside surface because the magnetic elements  34  will prevent any movement of the metal elements  36  and  38 . Alternatively, the pair of legs  30 ,  32  extending from the central portion  28  may include the aforementioned metal elements of a generally rectangular configuration  36  and  38  wherein the magnetic element  34  are attached to the outside surface  16  of the container  10 . 
       FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the container  10  with the lifting device located inside the container  10 . The central portion  28  supports the chips  24  and the pair of legs  30 ,  32  are bent perpendicularly from the central portion  28  wherein the magnetic elements  34  connected thereto engage the inside surface  16  of the container  10 . The metal elements  36  and  38  are attached to the outside surface  14  of the container  10  oppositely from the magnetic elements  34  to establish magnetic field therebetween. The metal elements  36  and  38  on the outside surface are held in place because the magnetic elements  34  prevent any movement of the metal elements  36  and  38  thereby creating a region around said at least one of the first element thereby creating a region around at least one of the first element to move the platform  28  within the container  10  between the bottom and the open top in response of electric charge within which the force of magnetism acts. 
     A user can move the metal elements  36  and  38  along the axis A thereby moving the central portion  28  with the chips  24  from the bottom  18  towards the top  20  to remove the potato chips  24  and other products from the container  10  without placing hand and fingers inside the container  10  thereby avoiding any contamination. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the central portion  28  and a pair of the legs  30 ,  32  presenting alternative embodiments of the magnetic elements being in the spade of two circular elements  40 ,  42 . The body  12  is formed from at least one of a paper material, a plastic material, and a foil, and any other materials without limiting the scope of the present invention. The central portion  28  and the legs  30 ,  32  are formed from a paper stock with a layer of a foil connected to one of the surfaces of the central portion  28  and the legs  30 ,  32  facing the inside surface  16  of the body  12 . 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a first alternative embodiment of the container  100 . The container  100  includes a body, generally indicated at  102  having inside and outside surfaces  104  and  106 , a bottom  108 , and an open top  110  covered by a lid (not shown). The container  100  presents at least one track  112  on the outside surface  106  of the container  100  extending from the bottom  108  to the top  110 . The track  112  can be defined in the body  102  by any mechanical means such as press formed, molded in, mechanically attached, without limiting the scope of the present invention. 
     The container  100  may include a pair of the tracks  112 . The track  112  is used to house a metal element  114  secured in the track  112  and movable along the track  112  slidable along the track  112  to move the central portion and the pair of legs within the inside of the container  100  to move the contents between the bottom  108  and the top  110  of the container  100 . Alternatively, the track  112  may partially extend between the bottom  108  and the top  110  without limiting the scope of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  shows a perspective view a second alternative embodiment of the container wherein the container, generally shown at  200 . The container  200  presents a rectangular cross section, as generally indicated at  202 . The container  200  has four walls  204 ,  206 ,  208 , and  210 . A lifting device  212  includes a platform  214  of the lifting device  212  having a central portion  216  and a pair of legs  218  and  220  extending from the central portion  216  and having magnetic elements  222  connected thereto to engage with the inside surface  224  of the container  200 . 
     While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.