Patent Publication Number: US-10787302-B2

Title: Object retention and storage system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority of Provisional Application 62/445,858 filed Jan. 13, 2017. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This application relates to a device that releasably retains objects such as fruits and vegetables. 
     Fruits and vegetables have a skin or peel on their exterior. This natural barrier protects the vulnerable insides from harmful air and gases that can cause the food to spoil. Once this barrier is compromised, the perishable insides begin to rapidly degrade, drastically shortening lifespan. 
     Existing methods and containers that store half-used produce, such as plastic storage containers and plastic storage bags, trap in oxidizing air, as well as ethylene gas produced by the aging produce. They thus do little to reduce spoilage of cut fruits and vegetables. 
     Objects other than fruits and vegetables also need to be removably stored. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present system creates an air-tight seal against the exposed interior of cut fruits and vegetables. The system thus inhibits or prevents oxidizing air from reaching the insides of the fruit or vegetable, thus prolonging the lifespan of the produce, keeping it fresher longer. 
     The present object storage and retention system stores half-used fruits and vegetables firmly in place via a flexible material that seals out air and other gases. 
     The system differs from what currently exists. This retention storage system doesn&#39;t simply put the produce in a container like current methods. 
     This system is an improvement on what currently exists. This retention storage system creates an air tight seal between the cut end of produce and a flat surface. 
     The air and ethylene gas that current storage methods trap in with the produce quickens the spoiling process. 
     By creating an air tight seal and inhibiting or preventing oxidizing air from reaching the insides of the fruit or vegetable, this system and method prolongs the lifespan of the produce, keeping it fresher, longer. 
     The present system typically includes a (plastic) rigid frame of sufficient circumference to encircle most fruits and vegetables. A flexible web that can stretch over various sizes of fruits and vegetables is coupled to the frame. The outside perimeter of the web is attached to the inside perimeter of the frame. There is also a base or lid that matches the size of the frame. The frame can be snapped into, or otherwise removably coupled to, the base. 
     The system can work as follows: the base or lid is placed on a table with the features that allow it to be attached to the frame facing up. The cut fruit/vegetable is placed on the flat surface of the base or lid, with the cut side face down. The combined frame and web is placed over the fruit/vegetable and pressed down on the base/lid, until the two couple together. The flexible web will stretch over the fruit/vegetable, pressing it firmly against the flat surface of the base or lid, to create an air-tight seal against the cut side of the fruit/vegetable. 
     The web can be attached to the frame to become a single part (e.g., by injection or compression molding). This combined part is then stretched over an object and snapped into the base/lid to hold the object in place. Alternatively, the frame and base/lid could be attached to one another via a hinge, and then the unit could be opened and closed like a book. 
     The system has been described used to secure and seal cut fruits and vegetables. However, the system could be used to secure just about anything. 
     This disclosure features a system with a base that has a flat surface, and a cover comprising a frame and a flexible web coupled to the frame. The frame and base are constructed and arranged such that the frame can be removably coupled to the base, with the web overlying the flat surface of the base, such that an object placed on the flat surface can be retained, with the web stretched over the object. The object may comprise a cut fruit or vegetable, or any other object that is sized such that it can be held down by the web. The base may comprise a cutting board. 
     The web may comprise silicone rubber. The web may be coupled to the frame by injection or compression molding. The web may comprise a plurality of spaced arms. The arms may be generally radial. The arms may be generally “s”-shaped, so they can elongate further when stretched. 
     The base may comprise a first peripheral engaging portion with a first shape, and the frame may comprise a second peripheral engaging portion with a second shape, where the first and second shapes are complementary. The first and second shapes may be but need not be troughs with a terminal lip. 
     The base may have two opposed flat surfaces. The base may comprise a peripheral groove located between the two faces, and the frame may have a bead that is arranged to sit in the groove. The frame may be adapted to be engaged with the base in two locations. In the first of the two locations the frame may be in contact with one flat surface of the base, and in a second of the two locations the frame may be in contact with the other flat surface of the base. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a first example of the present object retention and storage system. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective, assembled view of the object retention and storage system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3A  is a top view of the cover of the object retention and storage system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3B  is a cross-section taken along line  3 B- 3 B,  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the cover of  FIGS. 3A and 3B . 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the base of the object retention and storage system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the base of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7A  is a top view of the object retention and storage system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7B  is a cross-section taken along line  7 B- 7 B,  FIG. 7A . 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the system of  FIGS. 7A and 7B . 
         FIG. 9A  is a top view of the object retention and storage system of  FIG. 1  in use, storing an object. 
         FIG. 9B  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  9 B- 9 B of  FIG. 9A . 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of the object retention and storage system of  FIGS. 9A and 9B . 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded view of a second example of the present object retention and storage system. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective, assembled view of the object retention and storage system of  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 13A  is a top view of the cover of the object retention and storage system of  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 13B  is a cross-section taken along line  13 B- 13 B,  FIG. 13A . 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of the cover of  FIGS. 13A and 13B . 
         FIG. 15  is a top view of the base of the object retention and storage system of  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 16  is a side view of the base of  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 17A  is a top view of the object retention and storage system of  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 17B  is a cross-section taken along line  17 B- 17 B,  FIG. 17A . 
         FIG. 18  is a side view of the base of  FIGS. 17A and 17B . 
         FIG. 19A  is a top view of the object retention and storage system of  FIG. 11  in use, retaining an object. 
         FIG. 19B  is a cross-section taken along line  19 B- 19 B of  FIG. 19A . 
         FIG. 20  is a side view of the object retention and storage system of  FIG. 19A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A first example of system  10  is depicted in  FIGS. 1-10 . System  10  includes base or lid  14  with flat upper work surface  3 . Base  14  can be made of any desired material, such as, without limitation, wood, metal, silicone, or plastic, e.g. System  10  also includes cover  12  that comprises frame  1  and stretch web  2  that spans the frame opening. Web  2  can have a desired design; two designs are depicted in the figures, but other designs are possible. The base and the frame are constructed and arranged such that the two can be removably coupled together, with the web overlying the flat surface  3 . An object placed on the flat surface can be held in place against the surface by the web. If the object is a cut fruit or vegetable, with the cut side against the flat surface, the cut surface is not exposed to the air; this increases the useful life of the produce. 
     Non-limiting details of the web, and the temporary coupling of the base and frame, are shown for a first example of system  10 , in  FIGS. 1-10 . Frame  1  of cover  12  can be a relatively rigid member made from plastic such as, without limitation, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or polypropylene, e.g. Frame  1  can be made of a non-plastic material with sufficient rigidity, such as a metal, for example. Web  2  is stretchy and can be made of, without limitation, a silicone rubber or other stretchy material. The two can be coupled together in any manner, as would be apparent to one skilled in the art. The present preferred manner is by injection or compression molding, where bead  26  of web  2  ( FIG. 3B ) is coupled to tang  25  of frame  1 . Web  2  has several arms that in this example are generally “s”-shaped for greater stretching length, separated by openings. Arms  27  and  29  and intermediate opening  24  are numbered, as examples. Central opening  23  is also included, and can accommodate the end of a piece of fruit, for example. The web could take other forms, and need not have arms. For example, the web could be a continuous sheet of material. Also, if the web has arms, the arms do not need to be “s” shaped. 
     Cover  12  is temporarily coupled to base  14  by bottom engaging portion  32  of frame  1  snapping into bottom engaging portion  33  of base  14 ; see  FIG. 7B . Portions  32  and  33  can each be generally trough-shaped, with a peripheral upstanding lip, as shown. Portions  32  and  33  could have other complementary shapes, though. This creates space  40  between them, in which the object is located. Other constructions that removably couple the base and cover are contemplated and included herein, as would be apparent to one skilled in the art. 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  show system  10  in use, retaining object  5 , which may be a half of an orange or another piece of fruit or vegetable, for example. As can be seen, the arms can straighten as they are stretched out, to provide more room for larger objects. 
       FIGS. 11-20  depict another example system  50 . One difference over system  10  is that in this case the base  54  also serves as a cutting board. Preferably the base is made of, without limitation, a material that can be used as a cutting board, such as wood, bamboo, or plastic, e.g. The base can have two opposed flat faces or sides  66  and  66   a , such that either side can be used as a cutting board, and the flat side on which the cut side of produce is placed. Cover  52  includes frame  60  and stretch web  62 , in this case with four arms, although it could have fewer or more than four arms. Also, the web does not need arms; for example, it could be a continuous sheet. At least one opening (such as opening  64 ) is useful in order to be able to see the produce, but openings are not necessary. 
     Web  62  includes bead  61  where it is coupled to frame  60 . This bead can sit in seat  55 , to hold cover  52  on base  54 . This allows cover  52  to sit against either face of the base, so that the cover can also serve as a non-skid base for base member  54 , when the base member is used as a cutting board. Cover  52  can then be removed and inverted over surface  66  or  66   a , and engaged/snapped in place via engaging bead  65  sitting in seat  68  along the perimeter of base  54 . See  FIG. 17B , which shows the cover sitting against upper face  66 , before an object is placed between the cover and the base. 
     A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that additional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the inventive concepts described herein, and, accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. 
     For example, the system can be used to removably hold all kinds of objects, in all kinds of situations. The frame and flexible web can be used to hold a spare helmet on the back of a motorcycle, or a basketball on the wall of a garage, as two of almost unlimited possibilities of using the frame and flexible web to hold an object in place but also allow the object to be removed as desired. In these examples, a base may not be needed, as the base could be an existing structure surface (e.g., a wall, or a surface of a motorcycle) to which the frame is coupled such that the frame can be moved from an object-engaging position to an object-free position. The frame can be made removable from the existing structure surface, as described above, or it can be fixed to the structure by a pivot (e.g., a hinge) and a releasable hold-down, latch, or other releasable engagement, so that the frame and web can be lifted off the structure and placed over the object, as desired.