Abstract:
A stirring mechanism for a container, the container having an interior for receiving a liquid, comprises a lid on a top end of the container, a hand driven handle on the lid and a contoured stirring member extending from the handle into the container arranged to be driven by the handle within the container for mixing the liquid therein.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a container stirring mechanism more particularly a container having a manual stirring mechanism.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    Over the years there has been a rapidly growing concern for healthy eating habits fuelling an increased consumption of healthy liquids. Most of these liquids require mixing or stirring. The fibres or particles stored within a pitcher or jug for convenient consumption tend to gravitate to the bottom of the pitcher if left immobile for any amount of time. Attempts have been make to incorporate a stirring apparatus into a lid of a pitcher.  
           [0003]    Examples of such stirring or mixing pitchers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,407,270, 6,086,240, 4,967,939 and in Canadian Patents 1,275,816 and 2,247,212  
           [0004]    Most of the inventions do work in theory and in practice but many fail to be practical, consumer friendly and consumer familiar lacking consumer appeal in two or more areas of inspection.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0005]    According to the present invention there is provided a stirring mechanism for a container, the container having an interior for receiving a liquid, comprises:  
           [0006]    a lid on a top end of the container;  
           [0007]    a hand driven handle on the lid, and;  
           [0008]    a contoured stirring member extending from the handle into the container arranged to be driven by the handle within the container for mixing the liquid therein.  
           [0009]    The present invention provides a stirring apparatus that is familiar to the consumer, is easily disassembled for cleaning, effectively stirs liquids with minimal effort and does not require the lid to be removed or the container to be shaken for the liquid to be stirred or agitated.  
           [0010]    The invention is an open-ended cylinder pitcher with handle and pour spout, also included is a adequately fitting lid with stirring apparatus which provides an improved and familiar means to manually stir liquids. The use of familiar items inventively combined enables a user to stir the pitchers contents with vigour and enthusiasm but will achieve maximum effects with little effort. Disassembly for cleaning is minimally required but easily achieved.  
           [0011]    The cylinder pitcher at the open end is sealed with a lid which has a slightly convex radius allowing any weight to be evenly distributed over the entire surface. A flute elongated downwards is located at the center point of the lid, offering an opening and support for the spoon shaped utensil. This stirring utensils axis is bent creating an angle within the pitcher which allows the spoon shaped end to reach the cylinders containing wall at the base of the pitcher and is manually driven by a handle and its assembly located on the outside of the lid extending out from the center and will turn 360 degrees. This handle and assembly has a flip radius of 180 plus degrees allowing the entire handle assembly to be used to drive the spoon shaped utensil and then be stored in a recessed cavity moulded into the lid.  
           [0012]    The use of different plastic ingredients and content with varying properties such as flexibility, durability, and texture are still being determined. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present invention:  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section along the lines  4 - 4  of FIG. 1.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross section along the lines  3 - 3  of FIG. 2.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]    Referring to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a cylinder style pitcher  5  with an “I” type handle  6  which joins to pitcher  5  at two points, a pour spout  7  and a slightly concave base  8 . The pitcher open end is fitted with a slightly convex lid  9  which features include two pour openings  10   a  and  10   b , a recessed semi-circular contour  11 , an inner sleeve  12  which embodies the entire inner circumference of container  5  open end, a rib  13  which circumferences the entire inner sleeve  12  and a elongated flute  14 , as best illustrated in FIG. 2, located at the lids  9  center. A stirring apparatus consisting of a handle knob  15 , a handle body  16  and the handle rod  17 . A stirring utensil stem  18 , the utensils spoon shaped end  19  and the fitted female end  20  of which is held in place by a grommet ring  21 .  
         [0020]    A description of the invention part by part making reference to illustration FIG. 2 and FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 where necessary. The pitcher where the containing walls form a cylinder  5 . The bottom end is enclosed using a slightly concave base  8 . A handle  6  which is joined at two locations,  24  which is the inside face of the “I” (see FIG. 3) and  23  which is the outside face of “I” (see FIG. 3) shaped handle  6 . The top end is considered the open end which is highlighted as a ledge  22 . A pour spout  7  is positioned adjacent to the handle  6  and is simply a “U” shape interruption in the pitcher&#39;s cylinder  5  open end ledge  22 .  
         [0021]    Possible embodiments without illustration for the cylinder pitcher  5  include (A) a raised contour  25  (FIG. 2) into the pitcher base  8  at the most center point. (B) Textures for cylinder pitcher embodiment may very from clear to semi-translucent to foggy. (C) Handle  6  “I” frame may accommodate a device near joining point  24  and pitchers ledge  22  used to help hold the lid  9  into place. (D) The “I” frame handle  6  may become more symmetrical or rounded at the inside and or outside surfaces. (E) Ridges for finger placement may also be incorporated into the inside surface or the “I” frame. (F) Angles and bend locations in handle  6  “I” frame may vary slightly from illustrations.  
         [0022]    The lid  9  has a slightly convex surface used to distribute weight over the entire surface is fitted to close the open end of pitcher  5 . The lids  9  outer most edges  26  rest on the pitchers  5  open end ledge  22 . The lid  9  inner sleeve  12  is host to two pour openings  10   a  which is a grate style opening and  10   b  which is an open gate opening. Inner sleeve  12  also has a rib  13  used to make tightened contact and secure a sealed snug fit to the inside of pitcher  5  containing walls. A flute  14  which is center on the lid  9  and is elongated downward into the pitcher offers an opening for the stirring apparatus. To offer support to the flute  14  a flange  27  (see FIG. 2) of excess material is incorporated spreading any stress or resistance over a larger area. The lid  9  surface has a semi-circumference contour  11  which follows some of the 360 degree turning radius of stirring handle knob  15 . When the stirring assembly is not in use the handle knob  15  of the assembly is stored in the semi-circumference contour  11 .  
         [0023]    Possible embodiments without illustration for the lid  9 . (G) Rib  13  of inner sleeve  12  may be placed in two locations, first location as shown in FIG. 2 on the bottom of inner sleeve  12  and a second location at the top of inner sleeve  12  allowing the rib to seal just under the pitchers  5  ledge  22  again being able to circumference the entire surface without a break as is the rib  13 . (H) Flute  14  flange  27  excess material may encompass the entire outer circumference of the flute  14  or be formed as individual legs spaced apart from each other until the outer circumference of the flute  14  has been surrounded. (I) A rib may be added to the inside of the flute  14  to replace the grommet  21  and its ring  29 . The lid  9  surface at the center point may also have to be raised to accommodate the ring inside flute  14 . (J) Finger sized indentations placed in the vicinity of outer edge  22  of lid  9  may be incorporated to allow a sense of grip when turning the lid  9  to pour positions  10   a  or  10   b . (K) exact positions of pour openings  10   a  and  10   b  may not be exactly as shown in illustrations.  
         [0024]    The grommet  21  is used to secure the spoon shaped utensil into a fixed position minimizing resistance and undesirable movement of the stirring apparatus. The grommet is moulded with a ring  29  which holds the stirring utensil stem  18  into place by fitting around the indent  30  of the stirring utensil stem  18 , restricting its vertical movement. The grommet  21  is slightly bevelled allowing for some flexibility, which allows the fitting of grommet ring  29  of grommet  21  to be pulled apart from indent  30  of stirring utensil stem  18 .  
         [0025]    The stirring handle  16  has a flip radius of 180 degrees plus to allow the stirring handle  16  to be used to rotate the stirring utensil  18 , 360 degrees and then when not in use it can be flipped 180 degrees to position it&#39;s stirring handle knob into semi-circumference contour  11 . To allow easy manual rotation the stirring handle  16  is fitted with a handle knob  15  which also rotates in full 360 degree circles to a close peg fastener  28  which applies outward pressure on the inside of handle knob  15  at a rib  31  on the inside of handle knob  15  which helps secure its position on the stirring handle  16 . To allow assembly of stirring handle  16  to stirring utensil stem  18  the stirring handle at the assembles center point is shaped like a “U’ (see FIG. 1 No  32  of stirring handle  16 ) with the open end being joined together with stirring handle rod  17  clip fitting into circular recess  20  of stirring utensil  18 . This fit is allowed due to the varying flexibility of the two parts, handle rod  17  and circular recess  20 . It is this assembly which allows for the wide range of movement between the two parts of the stirring apparatus. It is also at this assembly where flexibility, plastic ingredients and contents testing and research is required to insure that sufficient strength is obtained. This area of assembly will be required to carry resistance and weight.  
         [0026]    Possible embodiments without illustrations (L) on stirring handle  16  located on the adjacent side of the handle knob, a stopper in the form of a plastic fixed bearing may be moulded into a position which would limit the amount of possible contact and friction from rotating stirring handle  16  the 360 degrees necessary to manually drive the stirring utensil. The shape of the handle may vary from what is shown.  
         [0027]    The stirring utensil  18  is shaped like a spoon at the bottom end of the utensil. This spoon shaped end  19  may have perforations in the form of circles or be elongated as illustrated in FIG. 2 No  32  of spoon shaped end  19 . Other features of stirring utensil include a bend  33  in the axis of the stirring utensil stem  18  and a flanged ridge  34 . The bend  33  allows the axis to be angled allowing the spoon shaped end  19  to reach the pitchers  5  containing wall at the base  8 . The flanged ridge  34  positioned above bend  33  of stirring utensil stem positions as a stopper, limiting the vertical rise of stirring utensil stem  18 . At the top end of stirring utensil stem  18  is a circular recess  20  which acts as clothes peg fit assemble of stirring handle  16  and stirring utensil stem  18 .  
         [0028]    Possible embodiments for stirring spoon shaped utensil not clearly illustrated (M) at the circular recess  20  the two open ends may be squared off creating a symmetrical fit for stirring handle “U” shaped contour  32  of stirring handle  16  and circular recess  20  of stirring utensil stem  18 . (N) stirring utensil stem  18  from the flanged ridge  34  to circular recess  20  may have a larger circumference intended to allow for increased strength at the assemble of stirring handle rod  17  and circular recess  20 . Flange  14  of lid  9  circumference would also need to reflect the possible increase in circumference of stirring utensil stem  18  at proposed location.  
         [0029]    The present invention is not limited to a spoon shape utensil. The spoon may be replaced with other stirring type ends to accommodate various uses.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the handle on the stir jug to be contoured into the lid of the container. The handle is located within a counter bore  40  such that the handle rotates within the counter bore of the lid.  
         [0031]    While one embodiment of the present invention has been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention. The invention is to be considered limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.