Magnetically Held Spoon or Scooper on A Lid of a Container and Method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus employing at least two magnets one on a top surface of a lid and one on the bottom surface of the lid to secure the magnet on the bottom surface of the lid to the bottom surface of the lid and to provide magnetic fastening means for the measuring spoon or scooper inside the container. This facilitates the ability to store and acquire the scooper from inside the container without the need for reaching into and touching the contents of the container thus avoiding making physical contact with the contents. An additional feature is securing a handle to forming a handle with the magnet located on the top outside surface of the lid so that the handle can be centrally located on the lid.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present invention relates to a measuring spoon or scooper secured or held on a lid of a container and method for the same. In particular, the present invention relates to a magnetically held measuring spoon or scooper on a lid of a container.

2. The Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 2,738,900 to Wegner discloses a canister for food with a scooper and a spring is provided and affixed to the inner side of the lid to secure the scooper. U.S. Pat. No. 7,043,844 to Lin relates to a magnetic attractable spoon having a tie ring that has a hole. A spoon is combined to the hole of the tie ring, and at least one magnet installed to the tie ring for attracting metal objects. The tie ring is elastic. The tie ring has at least one embedding groove for embedding the magnet. The magnet is enclosed within the tie ring. A plurality of magnets is annularly arranged along an edge of the tie ring. The tie ring is combined to an annular body of the tie ring and the tie ring has an annular attracting surface. The hole of the tie ring is not a penetrating hole. The tie ring has a plane attracting surface or a cambered attracting surface.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides for a magnetically held measuring spoon or scooper on a lid of a container and a method for the same. The present invention provides for a method and an apparatus employing at least two magnets one on a top surface of a lid and one on the bottom surface of the lid to secure the magnet on the bottom surface of the lid to the bottom surface of the lid and to provide magnetic fastening means for the measuring spoon or scooper inside the container. This facilitates the ability to store and acquire the scooper from inside the container without the need for reaching into and touching the contents of the container thus avoiding making physical contact with the contents. An additional feature is securing a handle to forming a handle with the magnet located on the top, outside surface of the lid so that the handle can be centrally located on the lid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention that shows the scooper magnetically attached to the bottom magnet which in turn is magnetically attached to the top magnet that is formed as a handle is fully assembled;

FIG. 2 shows an exploded partial view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 of the present invention without the lid; and

FIG. 3 shows an exploded full view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 of the present invention with the lid in place; and

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention with the container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention showing a scooper 5 magnetically attached to a bottom magnet or magnets 6 which in turn is magnetically attached to the top magnet or magnets 8 that is formed as a handle 9. The top and bottom magnets 8, 6 together form a magnetic holding mechanism 11. FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view, without the lid 7 of the container 10 (see FIG. 4), showing the handle and top magnet or magnets 8 that will be located above the lid 7. As can be seen the magnets 6, 8 on both ends of this embodiment are aligned on top and bottom. As shown in FIG. 3 a lid 7 can be placed between the top magnet(s) 8/handle 9 structure and the bottom magnet(s) 6 are magnetically attached to the lid 7 and magnetically hold the scooper 5 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The scooper 5 can be placed and held under the lower magnetic portion 8 of the magnetic device 11.

The magnets used are preferably neodymium magnets as this would be magnetically powerful enough to hold the magnets together on opposite sides of the lid on the container and also magnetically secure the scooper or spoon 5 to the magnet or magnets 6 on the underside of the lid 7. The size of the scooper 5 can vary in size from a 1 tsp (teaspoon) size to possibly 1⅔ cup size so that the present invention can be used for small containers products 10 such as but not limited to coffee and different powder containers e.g. ice tea, KOOLAID®, etc. and for large containers 10 which can be mixed quite large and require a larger scooper or spoon 5.

The magnet or magnets 8 on the top side of the lid 7 could be interchangeable. For example, one could be shaped like a barbell for protein shake mixes and other shapes for coffee containers, etc. (see 4). These top magnets can be decorative.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. The combination according to claim 11 wherein said at least one magnet located and affixed to said top surface of said lid is one magnet

3. The combination according to claim 11 wherein said at least one magnet located and affixed to said bottom surface of said lid is one magnet

4. The combination according to claim 11 wherein said at least one magnet located and affixed to said top surface of said lid is at least two magnets.

5. The combination according to claim 11 wherein said at least one magnet located and affixed to said bottom surface of said lid is at least two magnets.

6. The combination according to claim 11 wherein said at least one magnet located and affixed to said top surface is formed as handle for said lid and be located centrally on said top surface of said lid.

7. The combination according to claim 11 wherein said at least one magnet on said top surface of said lid and said at least one magnet on said bottom surface of lid are neodymium magnets.

8. The combination according to claim 11 wherein said magnet formed handle on said top surface of said lid is shaped to represent a symbol for a content of said container.

9. The combination according to claim 11 wherein said magnet formed handle is shaped as barbell and said content of said container is a protein shake mix.

10. A method for securing a spoon or a scooper to a lid of a container, the steps comprising:

locating and affixing at least one magnet to a top surface of a lid of a container adapted to fit and seal a top surface of the container that is located outside of said container when said lid is affixed to said container said at least one magnet located on said top surface and being formed as handle for said lid and being located on said top surface of said lid;

locating at least one magnet secured to a bottom surface of said lid that is located inside of said container when said lid is affixed to said container;

magnetically securing a scooper or a spoon with said at least one magnet secured just below said bottom surface of said lid so as to removably magnetically affixed said scooper or spoon just below an said inside surface of said lid when said lid is affixed to said container, magnetically aligning said magnets above and below said lid with each other to magnetically attract and keep said spoon affixed to said handle and said lid.

11. In combination, a lid of a container, a spoon or a scooper and at least two magnets for securing a spoon or a scooper to a lid of a container, comprising:

said lid of said container being adapted to cover and to fit over and seal a top surface of said container;

at least one of said at least two magnets located on a top surface of said lid that is located outside of said container when said lid is affixed to said container; said at least one magnet located on said top surface and being formed as handle for said lid and being located on said top surface of said lid; and

at least another one of said at least two magnets located on a bottom surface of said lid that is located inside of said container when said lid is affixed to said container; said bottom magnet magnetically securing said scooper or said spoon thereto so that said scooper or spoon is removably magnetically affixed to said lid just below an inside surface of said lid when said lid affixed to said container, said magnets above and below said lid being magnetically aligned with each other to magnetically attract and keep said spoon affixed to said handle and said lid.