Patent Abstract:
A compound container includes a container body having a side wall and a bottom wall; an interior space defined by the side wall and the end wall; an opening defined by an upper edge of the side wall; and an elongated hand support member having a first attachment section and a second attachment section for attaching the hand support member to a bottom surface of the bottom wall. The hand support member is positioned generally parallel to the opening defined by the upper edge of the side wall.

Full Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The embodiments hereby disclosed relate generally to drywall tools, and more specifically to hand-held compound containers used to hold compound in drywall construction. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Compound containers, also known as mud pans, are available in various sizes, and are used to provide workers with easy access to the compound necessary for drywall construction projects. Workers generally carry a compound container in one hand, and a taping knife in the other. In this way, a worker can use the knife both to remove compound from the container and to mix the compound as necessary. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    Some embodiments of a compound container can be constructed to include a hand support member attached to a bottom of the compound container, allowing a user&#39;s hand to be extended between the hand support member and the bottom of the compound container and thereby enhancing a holding of the compound container by the user&#39;s hand. For example, the hand support member can be an expandable hand support member. When not in use, the hand support member is in a relaxed configuration without being under tension. When in use, the user&#39;s hand is extended between the hand support member and the bottom of the container body, and the hand support member can be stretched to an expanded configuration, applying an elastic force on the user&#39;s hand and thereby enhancing a holding of the compound container by the user&#39;s hand. It is to be understood that the hand support member can be made of materials other than elastic material. In such configuration, the hand support member can include buttons to allow the length of the hand support member to be adjusted to secure the user&#39;s hand to the bottom of the container body. 
         [0004]    Moreover, the compound container can be constructed with a tool holder including a friction holding tab for holding a taping knife. The friction holding tab can be formed as a part of a side stand located at an end of the compound container such that the taping knife can be secured at the end of the compound container when not in use. 
         [0005]    Moreover, the compound container can be constructed with two side stands, allowing the compound container to stand on a flat surface regardless whether the container body has a flat bottom or rounded bottom. The side stands can be spaced away from the bottom of the container body, allowing the compound container to be stackable for economical point of purchase display. 
         [0006]    Moreover, the compound container can be constructed with a rounded corner on one side of its bottom and an edged corner on the other side of its bottom. The rounded corner allows easy gripping of the bottom of the container body by the user&#39;s hand, while the edged corner allowing a blade of a taping knife to be maintained at the corner when the taping knife is placed inside a spaced defined by the container body. 
         [0007]    In particular embodiments, a compound container includes a container body having a side wall and a bottom wall, an interior space defined by the side wall and the end wall, an opening defined by an upper edge of the side wall; and an elongated hand support member having a first attachment section and a second attachment section for attaching the hand support member to a bottom surface of the bottom wall. The hand support member is positioned generally parallel to the opening defined by the upper edge of the side wall. 
         [0008]    In some embodiments, a compound container kit includes a container body having a side wall and a bottom wall; an interior space defined by the side wall and the end wall; an opening defined by an upper edge of the side wall; an elongated hand support member having a first attachment section and a second attachment section for attaching the hand support member to a bottom surface of the bottom wall; and instructions for attaching the hand support member to the bottom surface of the bottom wall. The bottom wall is configured generally parallel to the opening defined by the upper edge of the side wall. 
         [0009]    Other embodiments may include a method of using a compound container. The compound container in the method includes a container body having a side wall and a bottom wall; an opening defined by an upper edge of the side wall; and an elongated hand support member having a first attachment section and a second attachment section for attaching the hand support member to a bottom surface of the bottom wall. The method includes extending extend a hand between the hand support member and the bottom surface of the bottom wall; and holding on an outer surface of the side wall to manipulate the orientation of the compound container. 
         [0010]    The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The following is a brief explanation of embodiments herein using drawings and embodiments: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a bottom perspective view of a compound container with an edged bottom design with a hand support member of  FIG. 4  attached. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the compound container of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the compound container of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a hand support member attachable to a compound container. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the compound container of  FIG. 1  without a hand support member attached. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of a compound container with a rounded bottom design on one of the two long edges with the hand support member of  FIG. 4  attached. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a further sectional view of the compound container of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view of a compound container with a rounded bottom design on both of the two long edges without a hand support member attached. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of two compound containers of  FIG. 1  stacked together. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a compound container including an elongated body and a hand support member. The elongated body has an opening, two long edge sides opposing each other, two short edge sides opposing each other, and a bottom. The elongated body of the compound container may have a flat rectangular bottom with two edged corners along the long edges, or it may have a rounded bottom with an edge corner and a rounded corner along the long edges, or it may have a rounded bottom with two rounded corners along the long edges. The hand support member is attachable to the bottom of the compound container, allowing a user&#39;s hand to extend between the hand support member and the bottom of the compound container, and thereby enhancing the holding of the compound container by the user&#39;s hand. The length of the hand support member can be adjustable. 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , a compound container  100  includes an elongated body  1  (referring to  FIG. 3 ) used to hold drywall compound. The elongated body includes an opening  2  (referring to  FIG. 3 ), two long edge sides  4 ,  5  opposing each other, two short edge sides  3 ,  6  opposing each other, and a bottom  7 . The opening  2  and the bottom  7  are both defined by the long edge sides  4 ,  5  and the short edge sides  3 ,  6 . The opening  2  may be in a rectangular shape. The bottom  7  may be flat in a rectangular shape. An area of the bottom  7  may be smaller than an area defined by the periphery of the opening  2 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the long edge sides  4 ,  5  may be inwardly inclined when extending toward the bottom  7 , forming two edged corners  401 ,  501 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the short edge sides  3 ,  6  may be straight, inwardly inclined when extending toward the bottom  7 , forming two edged corners. A compound container with a flat, rectangular bottom may be more stable when placed on a flat surface. 
         [0023]    Alternatively, in another embodiment as shown in  FIG. 6 , a rounded bottom design may be used. A rounded bottom  701  has an edged corner  402  and a rounded corner  502  connecting to the long edge sides  4 ,  5  respectively along the long edges of the rounded bottom  701 . The rounded corner  502  allows the elongated body  1  to have a more ergonomic design with more grips. Thus one may hold the compound container more easily and more comfortably for an extend period of time. In the meantime, the edged corner  402  allows a paint tool, such as a taping knife blade, to stay at the edged corner  402 . At the same time the rounded bottom may allow a taping knife blade to be placed along the long edge side  4  connected with the edged corner  402  without flipping over when in use. 
         [0024]    Yet in another embodiment as shown in  FIG. 8 , the elongated body  1  may have a rounded bottom  702 . The rounded bottom  702  has two rounded corners  403 ,  503  connecting to the long edge sides  4 ,  5  along the long edges of the rounded bottom  702 , providing more grips and comfort when one is holding the compound container. 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , two holding members  15 ,  16  are placed on the bottom surface of the bottom  7 , in generally parallel with each other along two short edges  301 ,  601  of the bottom  7  and near the two short edges  301 ,  601  of the bottom  7  respectively. The holding members  15 ,  16  allow a hand support member  40  to be attached to the bottom  7  of the compound container  100 . 
         [0026]    In an embodiment as shown in  FIG. 1 , the holding members  15 ,  16  may be in a curved shape, curving away from the short edges  301 ,  601  of the bottom  7 . The curved design allows more connection space with a hand support member  40 , while avoiding the hand support member  40  intruding out of the short edges  301 ,  601  of the bottom  7  and adversely affecting the stackability of the compound container. Two retaining members  17 ,  18  may be placed in the center of each of the holding members  15 ,  16 , in order to further secure the hand support member  40  using screws. It is understood that other fastening meanings may be utilized to secure the hand support member. 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  shows a hand support member  40  including an elongate body  19 . It is to be understood that the hand support member  40  can be configured in various configurations, as long as it has an elongate body and can be used to support the back of the user&#39;s hand when the hand holds on long edge sides  4 ,  5  or bottom  7  of the compound container  100 . The hand support member  40  can have a strap shape or a string shape, and in some embodiments, a plurality hand support members  40  can be attached to the bottom surface of the bottom  7  of the compound container  100 . 
         [0028]    The hand support member  40  may also include two holding members  20 ,  21  to both ends of the hand support member  40  engageable with the corresponding holding members  15 ,  16 . The holding members  20 ,  21  may be curved away from the short edges  301 ,  601  of the bottom  7 . The curved design allows more connection space with the body  1 , while avoiding the hand support member  40  intruding out of the short edges  301 ,  601  of the bottom  7  and adversely affecting the stackability of the compound container. Each of the holding members  20 ,  21  may have a cavity  201 ,  211 , respectively, in a shape which tightly fits the above disclosed holding members  15 ,  16  respectively, allowing the holding members  20 ,  21  to be able to be plugged in and fixed securely. Two retaining members  22 ,  23  may be placed in the center of each of the holding members  20 ,  21 , further securing the hand support member  40  on to the bottom  7  using screws. The elongate body  19  has an expansion rib  191  in the center of the elongate body  19 . The expansion rib  191  may use stretchable materials, connecting the two body pieces  19 A,  19 B together. When a hand is placed between the bottom  7  and the elongate body  19 , the two body pieces  19 A,  19 B may bend outwardly, and the expansion rib  191  may be stretched. Thus the expansion rib  191  allows the length of the elongate body  19  to be adjustable to the size of one&#39;s hand holding the compound container. In another embodiment, the elongate body may include buttons and buttonholes allowing the length of the elongate body  19  to be adjustable. It is to be understood that the length of the elongate body  19  can be adjusted by other means as long as the intended function is attained. 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the hand support member  40  is attached to the bottom surface of the bottom  7  of the compound container  100 . When the hand support member  40  is attached to the bottom surface of the bottom  7  of the compound container  100 , the two holding members  20 ,  21  tightly hold the two holding members  15 ,  16 . To further secure the attachment between the hand support member  40  and the compound container  100 , screws may be placed through the retaining members  17 ,  18  of the holding members  15 ,  16  and the retaining members  22 ,  23  of the holding members  20  or  21 . 
         [0030]    When the hand support member  40  is attached to the compound container  100 , the ends of the two holding members  20 ,  21  are in a position not extending beyond the two short edges  301 ,  601  of the bottom  7  respectively, such that the total length of the hand support member  40  including the two holding members  20 ,  21  is no longer than the length of the long edge of the bottom  7 , allowing the compound containers stackable while the hand support members are attached. 
         [0031]    As further shown in  FIG. 7 , when the hand support member  40  is attached to the bottom surface of the bottom  7 , a distance between the elongate body  19  and the bottom surface of the bottom  7  of the compound container  100  is large enough for holding the compound container  100  comfortably using the hand support member  40 ; however the length added to the bottom surface of the bottom  7  by attaching the hand support member  40  is within a range of distance within which the stackability of the compound containers is not affected by attaching the hand support member  40 . 
         [0032]    In another embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the compound container  100  may also include two side stands  8 ,  9  extending from two opposing edges of the opening  2 . The vertical length of the side stands  8 ,  9  may be longer than the vertical length from the edges of the opening  2  to the lowest point of the hand support member  40  when the hand support member  40  is attached to the compound container  100 , allowing the side stands  8 ,  9  to support the elongated body  1  even when the hand support member  40  is attached. The side stands  8 ,  9  may have a leg design to reduce material used for manufacturing and to help keep the compound container  100  in balance when placed on a flat surface. 
         [0033]    Still referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , in one embodiment, the side stands  8 ,  9  may be outwardly inclined when extending toward the bottom  7 , forming an angle relative to the vertical direction. One side stand  8  has a tool holder including a blade slot  12  with a friction holding tab  13 , allowing a taping knife blade to be placed in the blade slot  12  and held tightly when the taping knife is not in use. The friction holding tab  13  is carved out from a convex  24  bulging slightly out of the plane of the side stand  8 , and the top part of the friction holding tab  13  includes a tongue  25  having a free edge  42  extending inwardly toward the elongated body  1  generally parallel to the horizontal surface plane of the compound container  100 . The tongue  25  provides more friction when a taping knife blade is placed into the blade slot  12 . It is to be understood that the blade slot  12  may be placed in either one of, or both of the side stands  8 ,  9 . 
         [0034]    In another embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 7 , the compound container  100  may further include two lips  10 ,  11  extending outwardly from the two long edge sides  4 ,  5  of the opening  2 . The lips  10 ,  11  may extend from the two opposing long edges of the opening  2 , and further curl downwardly so that there are no sharp edges formed along the periphery of the opening  2  and thus the hands of one who is using the compound container may be protected from being cut. Curled lips may also add strength and stiffness to the long edge sides  4 ,  5 . One of the lips  10 ,  11  may have a scraping blade slot  14 . The scraping blade slot  14  may have a narrow and deep vertical opening, the width and length of which may be large enough to allow a scraping blade to be placed in the scraping blade slot  14  and to stay stably therein. It is to be understood that the scraping blade slot  14  may be placed in either one of, or both of the lips  10 ,  11 . The compound container  100  may further include a scraping blade placed in the scraping blade slot  14 . In some embodiments, the scraping blade can be removed for cleaning after use of the compound container  100 . 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIG. 9 , two compound containers each with a hand support member attached are stacked together by placing one compound container on top of another. When stacked together, the short edge sides  3 ,  6  of the compound container  100  placed atop cling firmly to the short edge sides of the compound container placed underneath, allowing sufficient friction so that during movement stacked compound containers remain firmly stacked without being unintentionally separated. The side stands  8 ,  9  and the short edge sides  3 ,  6  close to the side stands  8 ,  9  respectively may connect with each other at the short edge of the opening  2  in an acute angle. When two compound containers are stacked together, the side stands  9 ,  8  of the compound container in below are placed underneath the side stands  3 ,  6  of the compound container  100  on top; the side stands  8 ,  9  in below are pressed and slightly bent inwardly, producing more friction between the compound containers when stacked together. The elongated body  1  of the compound container  100  including the holding members  15 ,  16  may be molded using one or multiple embodiments herein disclosed. Elastroplastic with sufficient strength and durability, or other material with equivalent characteristics may be used for the elongated body  1  including the holding members  15 ,  16 , and for the holding members  20 ,  21  of the hand support member  40 . Soft materials like vinyl or thermal plastic elastomer may be used for the elongate body  19  of the hand support member  40 . 
         [0036]    The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application, and it is understood that by a person skilled in this art, several alternations and improvements are still considered within the scope of this application so long as they do not differ from the structure in this application. Such alternations and improvements shall not affect the practicability and utility of this application.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4