Abstract: A beverage container holder includes a first portion for securing the holder to the ground and a second portion defining an area for placement of a beverage container such as a can or bottle. The first portion is configured for insertion into the ground and may be spiked, pronged, or otherwise characterized for piercing the earth. The second portion is connected to the first portion and includes a surface upon which the container may be placed. The second portion also includes structure for preventing the container from falling or tipping off of the surface.

Abstract: A divided storage container includes an elongated arcuate base having first and second rounded ends, and opposing inwardly and outwardly curved perimeter portions extending between the ends. An upstanding container wall cooperates.with the base to define an enclosure having an open top for receiving items for storage. The container wall has a concave surface extending upwardly from the inwardly curved perimeter portion of the base to the open top of the enclosure. A vertical divider is attached to the container wall for dividing the enclosure into separate adjacent compartments. A supplemental item holder is attached to the concave surface of the container wall outside of the enclosure, and defines a third compartment for receiving and storing items. The first and second ends of the arcuate base cooperate to stabilize the container on a supporting surface when the third compartment is filled.

Abstract: Blanks for forming open sided containers and mating covers from carton stock material include strips of non-stick material secured to the blank by means of a strippable adhesive. The adhesive adheres to the carton stock material with a substantially higher adherence force than the adherence force between the adhesive and the non-stick material, so that the non-stick material can be removed, readily, to expose the tacky surface of the adhesive. The carton blanks are marked with a predetermined pattern of fold or crease lines which allows the blank to be bent and folded into the shape of a container or a container cover. The non-stick material facilitates handling and separation of individual blanks that have been shipped and stored in tightly packed, stacked arrays, while the exposed adhesive surface engages specifically formed tabs and/or flaps of the blank in overlapping, abutting relationships to secure the blank in its final, assembled, container/cover shape.

Abstract: Stackable display bins for supporting quantities of cylindrical articles such as tubes of caulk and the like have U-shaped interiors that are accessible through U-shaped front openings. The bins have generally rectangular front, rear and side walls that connect with a symmetrically curved bottom wall to define their U-shaped interiors. The front, rear and side walls extend substantially vertically so they can directly underlie and overlie the front, rear and side walls of other identically configured bins in a vertically stacked array of bins. Removable extenders connect with the bins near front ends of the right and left side walls for pivotally mounting doors at locations spaced forwardly from the U-shaped openings for supporting signs that identify the contents of the bins. Methods of utilizing single bins and pairs of bins with short and long doors and removable interior partitions to display quantities of relatively large and relatively smaller sized tubes of caulk also are disclosed.

Abstract: A container module for intermodal transportation and temporary storage of dry flowable product includes a pressure tank supported by hanger plates welded to end frames of a support frame defining a standardized container envelope. The pressure tank has a wall with a flat top center section and short flat side sections joined by upper cylindrical intermediate sections and lower cylindrical sections below the flat side sections which blend into a plurality of intersecting, downwardly discharging hoppers. Elongated beam members extending along each side of the support frame tie the hoppers together to resist bending of the suspended tank.

Abstract: A water resistant enclosure providing protection to electrical or electronic equipment contained therein includes a three-sided removable cover pivotally coupled to a wall mounting bracket that includes a back panel-base plate combination. The three-sided removable cover further includes an enclosure door that covers the front opening. The three-sided removable cover also includes features to provide for water resistance. These features include an overhang extension from the top side wall of the three-sided removable cover extending to partially cover the front opening and in particular to cover the seam created between the enclosure door and the removable cover, and a gutter surrounding the front opening to divert water therefrom. In addition, the three-sided removable cover and the wall mounting bracket include elements to provide for the proper alignment and orientation thereof when being mated together.

Abstract: A holder for a beverage container, typically a beverage can or a beverage bottle, to provide supplemental cooling to the beverage. The holder includes one or more support ridges, a pedestal, or other beverage container support means to support the bottom of the can or bottle above the holder bottom to create a space for an ice or an ice and water cooling medium. A sealing means between the holder and the beverage container permits the beverage container and the holder to be tipped for drinking without spilling the ice or ice and water used to provide the cooling. Various sealing means include a removable seal subassembly, a single piece gasket that fits on the holder, a seal ring, and a stretch membrane.

Abstract: A drawn aluminum can shell has a peripheral crown which is double-seamed with an end portion of an aluminum can body to provide a can end having a generally flat center panel connected by a curved panel wall to an inner wall of an annular U-shaped countersink. The countersink has a generally cylindrical outer wall and an inner width less than the radius of the panel wall. The outer wall of the countersink connects with a frusto-conical chuckwall at a junction below the center panel, and the chuckwall extends to an inner wall of the crown at an angle of at least 160 with the center axis. In one embodiment, the chuckwall has an intermediate generally vertical riser portion with small radii, the inner bottom width of the countersink is less than 0.040 inch, and the inner wall of the countersink extends at an angle greater than 10°.

Abstract: A stackable collapsible container for flowable materials is provided, having a flexible outer skin and a rigid support having a top, a bottom and a middle. Means are provided for coupling the top of the rigid support to the flexible outer skin and for securing the bottom of the rigid support against substantial movement relative to the flexible outer skin.

Abstract: A tray is described which has a corner having an angle where the tray is attachable to 1) a holding bracket which may be attached to the corner defining at least one top chamber; 2) a tray having a tray bottom chamber removably insertable within the top chamber said tray having an indented portion having an angle corresponding approximately to the angle of the corner and around the corner when the tray is placed within the top chamber; and 3) at least one cup holder located on top of the tray capable of holding a drink container of a given diameter, and at least one insert having a first end and a second end fitting within the at least one cup holder capable of holding at least one second drink container of a lesser given diameter. The holding bracket further comprises at least bottom elastic holding partially opened arc shaped arm for holding the insert elastically along the outer diameter of the insert.

Abstract: A food container with a rigid base plate formed of a generally planar polymer sheet to have a plurality of stiffening projections extending out of the plane of the sheet, the stiffening projections including a first serpentine projection formed in a segmented, non-linear path and a second, shallower serpentine projection also formed in a segmented non-linear path, a peripheral gutter and a centrally located oval shaped projection free of interconnection with the first and second serpentine projections, with lands between the stiffening projections forming a generally planar top surface of the base plate. The food container also has a cover of polymer material and the cover and base plate are designed to nest for pre-use storage and stack when assembled in use.

Abstract: A multi-compartment biological specimen cassette. The perforations in one compartment of the cassette may have a different size and/or shape than the perforations in the other compartment or compartments.

Abstract: A plastic container comprising two half-shells which are produced by means of injection molding and have parts of the components integrally formed on them during the injection molding. This does away with the need for fastening said components in the plastic container, with the result that the installation process is simplified to a considerable extent. At the same time, installation errors are largely ruled out. The plastic container is suitable for use in motor vehicles, preferably as a fuel tank.

Abstract: A method of producing a generally tubular, reinforced, structure including an inner layer of braided material having a predefined indentation configuration, the method including the steps of providing a mandrel having a shape and configuration of indentations corresponding to the shape and indentation configuration of the inner layer, providing a plurality of support members in the vicinity of at least some of the indentations on the mandrel, the support members protruding a predetermined distance radially outwardly from the mandrel, depositing the inner layer over the mandrel and the support members, and removing the support members to a position in which the support members do not protrude the surface of the mandrel.

Abstract: A sealing container assembly which is configured to hermetically contain a device therein includes a case, a lid member, a connecting member and a melting member. The case has an opening and is configured to contain the device therein. The lid member is configured to be connected to the case by welding to close the opening of the case. The connecting member is configured to connect the device contained inside the case to an outside of the case and configured to be sandwiched between the case and the lid member. The melting member has a melting point lower than those of the case and the lid member and is configured to be melted to seal gaps between the connecting member and the case and between the connecting member and the lid member when the lid member is connected to the case by welding.

Abstract: A handle useful in combination with a container includes a plastic strap or bail and a plastic sleeve thereon. The bail or strap of the handle is pivotably connected to the container, and the sleeve can be rotated about the bail. Structures are provided to distribute load forces between the bail and sleeve. Structures are also provided to retain the sleeve along the longitudinal axis of the bail. One or more clip members can be provided on the bail to engage the container. The clip member includes positioning elements to locate and engage the handle in a selected position with respect to the container. Preferred methods for assembling and using the apparatus (including the combination of the handle and container) are disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thin-plate accommodating/transporting container including a container body for accomodating and supporting a plurality of thin plates while keeping the interior of the container clean, comprising: positioning means, provided at the container body, for accurately adjusting a placement position of the container body; lid receiving portion which is provided in the container body and to which the lid is attached; and engagement means, provided at the lid receiving portion, for engaging with various types of lids of different attachment methods.

Abstract: A container having an enclosure and a lid is used for storing viscous fluids. The enclosure has a first flat face and a second flat face. The enclosure is stable when resting on either the first or second face. The enclosure has an interior wall along the second face that slopes downwardly from the first face to a third face to define a lowermost region at the intersection of the second face and the third face when the container rests on its second face. The enclosure also has an open neck at the intersection of the second face and the third face that extends parallel to the second face and upon which the lid is secured. When the container rests on the second face, the contents of the container drain into the neck. When the container rests on the first face, the contents of the container drain away from the neck.

Abstract: A camping-type container for a liquified gas fuel. The inventive container comprises: a container body formed of a transparent material such that a user can see the liquid level of the liquified gas fuel in the container; a top end structure provided on the top end of the container body; and a discharge valve provided in the top end structure, the discharge valve being a valve of the type attachable to a camping-type appliance.

Abstract: A collapsible, foldable container with reduced deflection and increased strength and convenience is provided. A door can be provided in the lower portion in one or more of the sidewalls, opening upward and outward without unduly loading the door hinges. A latch is provided to hold the door in the open configuration engageable by slamming open and disengaging by jerking close. In one embodiment, the base of the container includes a plate having ribbing extending upwardly therefrom. When a smooth-bottomed surface is desired, a plate may be installed on top of the upwardly extending ribbing. Ribbing on the bottom surface and/or sidewall surfaces can include close-loop or circular ribs with integral ribbing extending radially therefrom. Preferably, containers are configured so that they can be stacked, one upon the other, either with or without a top or lid. Preferably, the lid, when provided, avoids pooling of liquids such as rainwater by having a domed-shape and by providing channels in a peripheral ridge.