Device and Method for Organizing Materials

Abstract

A device for organizing caulk tools in a vessel is presented, which includes an insertion body configured to be inserted into a vessel. The insertion body is substantially flat having a first side and a second side. The device includes at least one tube orifice, which defines a tube through hole from the first side to the second side. The tube orifice is configured to allow a disposable caulk tube of the type commonly known in the art, to pass through the tube orifice and the tube through hole. There may be more than one tube orifice each configured to hold a caulk tube. The tube orifice(s) can be any diameter to hold standard sized caulk tubes.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/281,785 filed Nov. 23, 2009, now pending, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of storage, and more particularly to devices for storing tools.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tradesmen involved in the painting or tiling trades (or others) often make use of caulk to provide water-tight seals, fill small gaps for painting, create air-tight seals for weather proofing, and for may other reasons. As those having skill in the art will realize, there are many types of caulk available, each with certain characteristics (e.g., paintability, flexibility, UV protection, color) to fill a specific need. A tradesman will typically have need for several different types of caulk in a job and will therefore carry several tubes of caulk in addition to a caulk gun and a utility knife for opening a tube of caulk. These tools are usually placed into a bag, a box, or a bucket for transportation to a job site and for carrying around during use. Such storage and transportation means (bag, box, bucket, etc.) is known to be inconvenient because tubes may become damaged, accidentally opened, and the user must sort through the collection of tubes in order to locate one particular to for immediate use. Therefore, there exists a need for a device to better organize caulking tools.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A device according to an embodiment of the invention includes an insertion body. The insertion body is configured to be inserted into a vessel. The vessel has a bottom and a side. The vessel has an inside diameter which varies over the height of the vessel such that the vessel is tapered. The insertion body has an outside diameter which is selected such that the outside diameter of the insertion body is substantially the same as the inside diameter of the vessel at a particular height.

The insertion body is substantially flat having a first side and a second side. The device includes at least one tube orifice, which defines a tube through hole from the first side to the second side. The tube orifice is configured to allow a disposable caulk tube of the type commonly known in the art, to pass through the tube orifice and the tube through hole. There may be more than one tube orifice each configured to hold a caulk tube. The tube orifice(s) can be any diameter to hold standard sized caulk tubes.

The device may further include a caulk gun orifice, which defines a caulk gun through hole in the insertion body, configured to allow passage of a portion of a caulk gun. The device may further include a razor knife orifice, which defines a razor knife through hole in the insertion body, configured to allow passage of a portion of a razor knife (also called a utility knife).

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross section of a device according to the present invention and depicting a vessel, a lid, and a caulk tube;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a device according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a top view of a device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the device being disposed in a standard five gallon bucket, and the device having caulk tubes, a caulk gun, and a utility knife disposed therethrough.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 depicts a device 10 according to an embodiment of the invention which includes an insertion body 12. The insertion body 12 is configured to be inserted into a vessel 50. The vessel 50 may be, for example but not limited to, a standard five gallon bucket used in the construction industry. The vessel 50 may be, for example but not limited to, a two gallon bucket. The vessel 50 has a bottom 52 and a side 54 that define a height h of the vessel 50. The vessel 50 has an inside diameter d_v which varies over the height h of the vessel 50 such that the vessel 50 is tapered. This taper is commonly known in the art such that vessels (e.g., buckets) may be nested within each other for convenient storage.

The insertion body 12 has an outside diameter d_B which is selected such that the outside diameter d_B of the insertion body 12 is substantially the same as the inside diameter d_V of the vessel 50 at a particular height h_B of the vessel 50 called the stop point. In this way, the insertion body 12 may be inserted into the vessel 50 and moved down into a tapered cavity formed by the sides and bottom of the vessel until the insertion body 12 reaches the height h_B of the stop point at which the insertion body 12 cannot be moved further into the cavity of the vessel 50.

The insertion body 12 may be for example, but not limited to, 10.75 or 11 inches in diameter, when the vessel 50 is a five gallon bucket. The insertion body 12 may be, for example but not limited to, 8.675 inches in diameter, when the vessel 50 is a two gallon bucket. The insertion body 12 may be any other diameter depending on the vessel 50 and the height h_B at which the insertion body 12 is intended to stop within the cavity of the selected vessel 50. The insertion body 12 may be any thickness, for example but not limited to, the distance between the first side 14 and the second side 16 (this distance defining thickness t) may be one-half inch.

The insertion body 12 is substantially flat having a first side 14 and a second side 16. The device 10 includes at least one tube orifice 18, which defines a tube through hole 20 from the first side 14 to the second side 16. The tube orifice 18 is configured to allow a disposable caulk tube of the type commonly known in the art, to pass through the tube orifice 18 and the tube through hole 20. In this manner, a portion of the caulk tube may pass through the insertion body 12 and rest on the bottom 52 of the vessel 50. The height h_B of the stop point is selected such that a caulk tube resting on the bottom 52 of the vessel 50 is held stable by the insertion body 12. As such, the height h_B is generally less than a length l of the caulk tube. There may be more than one tube orifice 18 each configured to hold a caulk tube. There may be eight tube orifices (see, e.g., FIGS. 2 and 3). There may be twelve tube orifices 18 (see, e.g., FIG. 4). There may be any number of tube orifices 18, depending on the size of the insertion body 12.

The tube orifice(s) 18 can be any diameter to hold standard sized caulk tubes. For example, the tube orifice(s) 18 may be two inches in diameter to hold 1/10 gallon caulk tubes. In another non-limiting example, the tube orifice(s) may be 2.75 inches in diameter to hold standard quart-sized caulk tubes.

The device 10 may further include a caulk gun orifice 30, which defines a caulk gun through hole 32 in the insertion body 12. The caulk gun orifice 30 and the caulk gun through hole 32 are configured to allow passage of a portion of a caulk gun. Caulk guns are commonly known in the art to have a handle/trigger, a tube holder, and a nozzle end opposite the handle/trigger. The caulk gun orifice 30 and caulk gun through hole 32 are configured to allow the nozzle end and tube holder of a caulk gun to pass through. Travel of the caulk gun though the caulk gun through hole 32 will stop when either the nozzle end of the caulk gun rests on the bottom 52 of the vessel, or the handle/trigger of the caulk gun comes to rest on the first surface 14 of the insertion body 12.

The diameter of the caulk gun orifice 30 is generally greater than the diameter of the tube orifice 18. The diameter of the caulk gun orifice 30 may be, for example but not limited to 3.125 inches. The caulk gun orifice 40 may be shaped as a “keyed circle,” which is a circular shape with two notches disposed opposite each other on the circumference of the caulk gun orifice 40 (see, e.g., FIGS. 3 and 4). This keyed circle-shaped caulk gun orifice 40 is shaped to receive any of the commonly known caulk guns—standard, skeleton, or Ergo/Tech.

The device 10 may further include a razor knife orifice 36, which defines a razor knife through hole 38 in the insertion body 12. The razor knife orifice 36 and the razor knife through hole 38 are configured to allow passage of a portion of a razor knife (also called a utility knife) The razor knife orifice 36 and razor knife through hole 38 are configured to allow a tapered shaped razor knife to pass through until the travel is stopped by the dimensions of the razor knife. For example, once a width dimension of the knife exceeds the corresponding dimension of the razor knife orifice 36, the knife will not be able to pass further through the razor knife orifice 36. The razor knife orifice 36 may be any shape depending on the razor knife selected. In one embodiment, the razor knife orifice 36 may be a rectangle. In another embodiment, the razor knife orifice 36 may be a rounded rectangle, wherein the sides of a rectangle are round such that the razor knife orifice 36 forms a generally convex shape (see, e.g., FIGS. 2-4).

A device 10 according to the present invention may allow several caulk tubes, a caulk gun, and a razor knife to be contained within a vessel 50 (for example, a five gallon bucket), and may further allow the lid 58 of the vessel 50 to be affixed to the vessel 50, thereby containing all the caulk tools within.

The present invention may be embodied as a method for organizing caulking tools. The method comprises providing a vessel similar to the vessel presented above. The vessel has a bottom, a height, and an inside diameter which varies over the height of the vessel thereby creating a taper. The vessel may be, for example but not limited to, a standard five gallon bucket or a standard two gallon bucket. The method further comprises providing an insertion body similar to that disclosed above. The insertion body is configured for insertion into the vessel. The insertion body has an outside diameter substantially the same as an inside diameter of the vessel at a stop point along the height of the vessel. The insertion body is substantially flat and has a first side and a second side. The insertion body has at least one tube orifice defining a through hole from the first side to the second side of the insertion body, wherein the at least one tube orifice is configured to allow passage of a caulk tube through the through hole. The method comprises inserting the insertion body into the vessel. The method may further comprise providing a lid configured for removable attachment to the vessel.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to one or more particular embodiments, it will be understood that other embodiments of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Hence, the present invention is deemed limited only by the appended claims and the reasonable interpretation thereof.

Claims

1. A device for organizing caulk tools in a vessel, the vessel having a bottom, a height, and an inside diameter which varies over the height of the vessel thereby creating a taper, the device comprising:

an insertion body configured for insertion into the vessel and having an outside diameter substantially the same as an inside diameter of the vessel at a stop point along the height of the vessel, the insertion body being substantially flat having a first side and a second side;

at least one tube orifice in the insertion body defining a through hole from the first side to the second side of the insertion body, wherein the at least one tube orifice is configured to allow passage of a caulk tube through the through hole; and

wherein the stop point is selected such that the distance between the stop point and the bottom of the vessel is less than a length of the caulk tube.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the insertion body further comprises a gun orifice defining a gun through hole from the first side of the insertion body to the second side of the insertion body, wherein the gun orifice is configured to allow passage of a portion of a caulk gun through the gun through hole, and wherein the gun orifice has a diameter which is greater than a diameter of the at least one tube orifice.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the gun orifice is shaped as a keyed circle.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the insertion body further comprises a knife orifice defining a knife through hole from the first side of the insertion body to the second side of the insertion body, wherein the knife orifice is configured to allow passage of a portion of a knife through the knife through hole, and wherein the knife orifice has a diameter which is less than a diameter of the at least one tube orifice.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the knife orifice is generally rectangular in shape.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the knife orifice is generally rounded-rectangular in shape.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the insertion body is configured for insertion into a five gallon bucket.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the insertion body is configured for insertion into a two gallon bucket.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises eight tube orifices.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one orifice is generally 2 inches in diameter.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one orifice is generally 2.75 inches in diameter.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises twelve orifices.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the insertion body is generally ½ inch, the thickness being defined as the distance from the first side to the second side.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the insertion body is generally 8.675 inches in diameter.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the insertion body is generally 11 inches in diameter.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the insertion body is generally 10.75 inches in diameter.

17. A method for organizing caulking tools, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a vessel, the vessel having a bottom, a height, and an inside diameter which varies over the height of the vessel thereby creating a taper;

(b) providing an insertion body configured for insertion into the vessel and having an outside diameter substantially the same as an inside diameter of the vessel at a stop point along the height of the vessel, the insertion body being substantially flat having a first side and a second side; the insertion body having at least one tube orifice defining a through hole from the first side to the second side of the insertion body, wherein the at least one tube orifice is configured to allow passage of a caulk tube through the through hole; and

(c) inserting the insertion body into the vessel.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of providing a lid configured for removable attachment to the vessel.