Connector means

Abstract

A connector means to hold the two sections of a container together after opening yet still allows entry of atmospheric air into the container is disclosed. The preferred embodiment of the connector means comprises of a small short section of flexible material that is inserted into the container and positioned at the opening means of the container. The connector means has multiple channels in its longitudinal direction around its circumference to allow entry of air into the container once it is opened. The connector will retain the two sections of the container together after opening yet allows entry of air into the container. In another embodiment of the connector means the container is inserted into a short cylindrical section of flexible material with the connector means positioned at the opening means wherein said connector means has multiple elongated openings around its circumference to allow entry of air into the container once it is opened.

Description

BACKGROUND—FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a means to connect two sections of a container. More specifically the present invention is a means to retain the two sections of a container after it is opened and still allows air to enter the container.

BACKGROUND—DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Numerous containers have opening means that will result in a separate piece of the container being separated either completely or partially from the remainder of the container to allow entry of atmospheric air into the container. Containers with these opening means are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,035 and U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 09/973,637 and 10/068,678. The opening means on these containers will result in a small section of the container either completely broken off or remain partially connected to the remainder of the container by a small quantity of material.

If the section of the container is completely broken off, it will have to be discarded. The small section of the container that is completely broken off also risks being ingested by small children and pets. If the section of the container is not broken off completely but remains partially connected to the remaining section of the container it risks being pulled off and is undesirable. Therefore, a means is desired to allow the opening means to operate as designed and yet will retain the separated piece of the container on the remainder of the container so there are no loose sections of the container to be disposed of.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a connector means to hold the two sections of a container together after opening yet still allows entry of atmospheric air into the container. The preferred embodiment of the connector means comprises of a small short section of flexible material that is inserted into the container and positioned at the opening means of the container. The connector means has multiple channels in its longitudinal direction around its circumference to allow entry of air into the container once it is opened. The connector will retain the two sections of the container together after opening yet allows entry of air into the container. In another embodiment of the connector means the container is inserted into a short cylindrical section of flexible material with the connector means positioned at the opening means wherein said connector means has multiple elongated openings around its circumference to allow entry of air into the container once it is opened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the connector means.

FIG. 1A shows an enlarged perspective view of the connection means shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 1B shows an enlarged perspective view of another embodiment of the connector means shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the connector means.

FIG. 2A shows the assembled connector means shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the connector means.

FIG. 3A shows the assembled connector means shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the connector means.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the connector means.

FIG. 5A shows the cross-sectional view of the connector means shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the preferred embodiment, the connector means 1 comprises of a short section of flexible material with multiple longitudinal channels 2 along its perimeter. The multiple longitudinal channels 2 may be as shown in FIG. 1A or 1B. FIG. 1A shows a connector means 1 with three channels 2 equally spaced around the circumference of the connector means 1. FIG. 1B shows a connector means 1 with multiple channels 2 equally spaced around the circumference of the connector means 1. The connector means 1 is inserted into an elongated cylindrical container 3 with an opening means 4 that will cause a section of the container 3 to be broken off either completely or partially. The connector means 1 is positioned at the opening means 4 to retain the section of the container that will be broken off. When a section of the container is broken off, the connector means 1 will retain that section and still allow entry of air into the container 3 through the multiple longitudinal channels 2 along its perimeter.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the connector means. In this embodiment, the connector means 5 comprises a short cylindrical section of flexible material with multiple elongated openings 6 around its circumference. The connector means 5 is placed around the opening means 7 of an elongated cylindrical container 8 with the multiple elongated openings 6 positioned over the opening means 7 as shown in FIG. 2A. When a section of the container 8 is broken off either completely or partially, the connector means 5 will retain the section of the container that is broken off and still allow entry of air into the container 8 through the multiple elongated openings 6.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the connector means. In this embodiment, the connector means 9 comprises a cap made of flexible material with multiple elongated openings 10 around its circumference. The connector means 9 is placed over the end of the elongated cylindrical container 11 covering the opening means 12 of said container 11 as shown in FIG. 3A. When a section of the container is broken off either completely or partially, the connector means 9 will retain the section of the container that is broken off and still allow entry of air into the container 11 through the multiple elongated openings 10.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the connector means. In this embodiment, the connector means 13 comprises a short section of material with a reduced section 14 and an elongated protrusion 15 in the form of a toothpick at one end. The connector means 13 is inserted into an elongated cylindrical container 16 with the reduced section 14 positioned at the opening means 17 of the container 16 and with the elongated protrusion 15 directed away from the section of the container that will be broken off either completely or partially. The connector means 13 will retain the section of the container that will be broken off and still allow entry of air into the container 16 through the reduced section 14. The connector means 13 may be affixed to the section of the container that will be broken off and when it is pulled out along with the broken off section of the container, the elongated protrusion 15 of the connector means 13 will be exposed and can be used as a toothpick.

FIG. 5 is another embodiment of the connector means. In this embodiment, the connector means 18 comprises a short section of material with an elliptical profile, as shown in FIG. 5A, and an elongated protrusion 19 in the form of a toothpick at one end. The connector means 18 is inserted into an elongated cylindrical container 20 and positioned at the opening means 21 with the elongated protrusion 19 pointed away from the section of the container that will be broken off. The connector means 18 will retain the section of the container that will be broken off either completely or partially and still allow entry of air into the container 20 from the gap between the elliptical profile of the connector means 18 and the cylindrical container 20. The connector means 18 may be affixed to the end of the connector that will be broken off and be pulled out along with the broken off section of the container to expose the elongated protrusion 19 for use as a toothpick.

Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.

Claims

1. A connector means comprising a short section of flexible material with multiple longitudinal channels along its perimeter wherein the connector means is inserted into an elongated container and positioned at an opening means to retain the section of the container that will be broken off and still allow entry of air into the container.

2. A connector means comprising a short cylindrical section of flexible material with multiple elongated openings around its circumference wherein the connector means is placed around an opening means of an elongated container to retain the section of the container that will be broken off and still allow entry of air into the container.

3. A connector means as in claim 2, wherein said short cylindrical section of flexible material has a closed end and an open end wherein the connector means is placed over the end of the elongated container and around an opening means of said elongated container to retain the section of the container that will be broken off and still allow entry of air into the container.

4. A connector means comprising a short section of material with a reduced section wherein the connector means is inserted into an elongated container with the reduced section positioned at an opening means of said container and wherein the connector means will retain the section of the container that will be broken off and still allow entry of air into the container.

5. A connector means as in claim 4, wherein said short section of material with a reduced section further comprising an elongated protrusion at one end wherein the connector means is inserted into an elongated container with the reduced section positioned at the opening means and with the elongated protrusion directed away from the section of the container that will be broken off wherein the connector means will retain the section of the container that will be broken off and still allow entry of air into the container and wherein the connector means may be pulled out along with the broken off section of the container to be used as a toothpick.

6. A connector means comprising a short section of material with an elliptical profile wherein the connector means is inserted into an elongated container and positioned at an opening means and wherein the connector means will retain the section of the container that will be broken off and still allow entry of air into the container.

7. A connector means as in claim 6, wherein said short section of material with the elliptical profile further comprising an elongated protrusion at one end wherein the connector means is inserted into an elongated container and positioned at the opening means with the elongated protrusion directed away from the section of the container that will be broken off wherein the connector means will retain the section of the container that will be broken off and still allow entry of air into the container and wherein the connector means may be pulled out along with the broken off section of the container to be used as a toothpick.