Container

Abstract

A container is disclosed with a container modification in the form of slanted sides terminating respectively at a bottom residing within a lower horizontal plane and at a top residing within a least one higher horizontal plane. The container is further disclosed to provide containerization, ease of transportation, and accessibility to its use in working on a slanted roofing surface wherein the container, by the resultant relocation of its center of gravity, remains stable on a slanted roofing surface. Further, the container is disclosed to facilitate use as a receptacle in a toss game where articles are tossed, from a distance, into such receptacle. The facilitation results from providing a receptacle target with a lowered facing rim and a stabilizing effect from the slanted sides that limits mis-hits from toppling over the container/receptacle. Other uses are envisioned as well (such as the typical uses of a bucket) within the realm of the instant disclosure.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The invention disclosed herein relates to an improved container for uses in containerizing, transporting and accessing roofing tools while applying roofing materials to a roof surface of a building or structure, as well as use in a toss game where the design of the improved container serves as the receiving object of the toss game. More particularly, the disclosed improved container invention as a roofing tool container is made to permit the bucket to rest on a slanted roofing surface within reach of the roofer to access readily the tools or materials contained therein to use in applying the roofing material. In addition to roofing tools, the container can also be used to carry liquid materials used on a roof, such as hot tar and paint. Additionally, the improved container invention is designed beneficially for use in receiving tossed objects in a tossing game.

2. Description of the Prior Art

While roofing materials generally are specific to their purpose and performance requirements on the building or other structure to which they may be applied, the tools used in their application are generally the same or similar tools, e.g., hammer and nails, for other uses in the carpentry trade for erecting and covering walls and flooring of a building. So, it is natural that storing (in the garage or other storage location), transporting (to the worksite) and accessing (during use) such tools during construction activities has not taken on specialized performance design requirements specific to roofing. Yet, the working location and conditions confronted when applying roofing materials on roofs of a building or other structure are very different from constructing and applying materials on horizontal and vertical elements of a building. The typical, fairly dramatic, slanted nature of roof surfaces that must be covered, usually with multiple layers of roofing materials, makes containerization, transportation and accessibility of the necessary tools required for their application potentially both unsafe and unreliable while on the roof.

For example, the typical means for storing, transporting and accessing carpentry tools on-the-job, while adequate for most demands of the construction workplace they are not designed to perform as successfully for roofing applications. Most, if not all are designed for stability and storage capacity, which generally requires a uniformly flat bottom surface. Examples of such tool containment devices are provided in FIGS. 1-3. This works well when their location for accessibility involves jobs on horizontal or vertical surfaces. It does not work so well when the location for accessibility is on a slanted roof. The current state of the art does not address this particular work situation in the manner of the disclosed invention container. One temptation to address the stability problem is to carry the roofing tools to the roof in a normal flat bottomed carrier (as shown in FIG. 1) and placing standing nails or nailing a board in the roof along the down-side portion of the tool carrier to prevent the tool container from sliding off the roof or tipping over and spilling its contents, unnecessarily creating nail holes in the roof. Thus, there remains a need for an article to adequately contain the tools necessary to transport to a roofing surface worksite and also provide stability and accessibility of said tools during their use in covering the roof surface with the required roofing materials. Such standard prior art tool containment articles are shown in FIGS. 2-4.

Additionally, most toss games are based on tossing an article, or object, aimed at landing within a target of drawn concentric circles within a landing surface (with point values increasing as the inner circles get smaller) or landing within a receptacle as the target. In the case where the target is a receptacle and the receptacle opening lies within a horizontal plane, the accuracy of the toss is amplified in proportion to the increase of difficulty determined by the diameter of the receptacle opening. The greater the difficulty with any game, usually the greater the frustration on the part of the game participants. Therefore, it is desirable to adjust the target in a manner to moderate the difficulty to challenge the players without eliminating a reasonable degree of success. In the first example of a toss game, the obvious modification would be to expand the circular target diameter(s) in relation to the size of the tossed object. Also, this is the reason most toss games including the concentric circle scoring method, or multiple holes with different scoring assignments, within a flat board involve tilting the board forward by lifting it upward from the back to provide a slanted landing area and, thereby, achieve a somewhat easier target. In the case of tossing an object/article into a receptacle, one modification would be that the plane of the circular opening could be tilted toward the player to present the target opening in a favorable angle for a greater degree of success. Tilting a normal flat bottomed receptacle (e.g., a bucket) would result in the bucket falling over absent some support under the tilted direction side or some barrier placed under the tilted direction side, as the change in the bucket's center of gravity no longer could be supported by the bottom of the bucket. Of course, once tilted to rest the weight of the bucket on only an edge (or rim) of the bottom surface, would require some supporting mechanism or devices, using a prior art bucket as shown in FIG. 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The disclosed invention container/receptacle is designed to solve the problems presented by the above disclosed applications by providing a specially designed container with a slanted bottom (when resting on a slanted surface or when held and carried upright) to provide an improved roofing tool container and present an improved toss game receptacle. The description of the specialty container's bottom as “slanted” is somewhat arbitrary in that once the bottom is resting on a horizontal surface, it is the sides of the container that appear to be “slanted.” Therefore, this arbitrary nomenclature is to be understood in this regard when the term “slanted bottom” is used in reference to the invention of the “improved container.”

In particular, one preferred embodiment of the invention is to provide a bucket with a slanted bottom. While different angles of the bucket bottom slant can be provided to accommodate a range of degrees of angles to correspond (generally or specifically) to roof surface angles away from horizontal, angles of slant from 20° to 80° appear to be of most desired use. A more preferred useful bucket bottom angle is selected from the group of angles from 40° to 70°. A most preferred bucket bottom angle to accommodate typical roof slants (or pitches) is deemed to be 55°. While the “bucket” form of container may be chosen for the greatest adaptability for containing tools of a variety of shapes and sizes, the invention includes slanted bottomed tool containers of any shape or sizes within the scope of the disclosed invention. Thus, a generally rectangular tool box provided with a slanted bottom may be constructed and used within the scope of the disclosed invention, as such would provide the requirements of containerization, transportation, and accessibility at the roofing surface worksite by providing the necessary stability to remain in place on the slanted roofing surface.

Likewise, a receptacle for use as a target in a toss game may be of a variety of shapes. The provision of a receptacle of various shapes provided with a slanted bottom would provide the desired option of presenting the target opening in a favorable angle for a greater degree of success. A most preferred shape for said receptacle opening is the traditional circle. Thus, a circular bucket with a slanted bottom provides a target receptacle with a greater chance of success of the tossed object landing in the receptacle when the bucket opening is tilted in the direction of the position of the player tossing the article, while at the same time enhancing the stability of the bucket/receptacle by accounting for the change in its center of gravity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows an example of a typical bucket made of a plastic or metal material of limited flexibility for durability when in use. Such a bucket is also typical for that used as a tool carrier or for a receptacle to receive an article pitched by a player in a toss game.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a similarly (to FIG. 1) typical bucket as a support for an insert (usually made of a durable fabric material) for carrying carpentry or other tools both outside and inside the bucket container.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a tool carrier of a different shape and construction material.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective of one preferred embodiment of the invention improved container as disclosed herein.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective of the invention improved container resting on a slanted surface, such as a typical roof above a residential or commercial construction.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective of the invention improved container resting on a horizontal, or flat, surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention container/receptacle comprising a slanted bottom as disclosed herein may be of various shapes. The side(s) of the container/receptacle may be continuous to form a circle or an oval or a series of ripples of similar or a variety of dimensions or sizes. Alternatively, the container/receptacle may have distinct multiple sides in the form of a triangle, a square, a pentagon, a hexagon, or any number of sides. The distinctive feature of the container/receptacle is its slanted bottom, which permits its particular desirability for use in the manners of a roofing tool container and carrier, as well as a receptacle in a toss game. In particular, the slanted bottom of the invention container/receptacle particularly facilitates use when a worker must deal with a slanted rooftop as a work surface and must have access to his tools. Likewise, it facilitates such use in a popular game using the trademark of “Redneck Horseshoes®,” where plastic bottles, preferably longnecks, are tossed to win points by landing in a bucket some distance away from the tossing player. In another version of the game, for play on a concrete or other type of hard surface, the tossed object can be made of cloth, preferably in the shape of a longneck bottle, if specific to Redneck Horseshoes®, and filled with particulate material, such as beans, corn, or sand. In each case, the slanted bottom portion of the invention container/receptacle must be reasonably flat (very near horizontal) to maintain stability during use. Its use as a tool container resting on a slanted roof changes the center of gravity from a traditional bucket (or other container without a slanted bottom), which permits it to remain stable where a traditional bucket (having its bottom on a plane reasonably perpendicular to its sides) would tip over and cause the tools to fall out of the container and possibly off the roof. Similarly, as a receptacle for a toss game it is more stable and, thus, more resistant to tipping over when hit at different angles by the tossed articles as compared to a traditional bucket having a higher and more centric center of gravity. Any tipping over of the receptacle bucket between tosses causes an interruption in the game to halt tosses in order to upright the receptacle.

The materials used in manufacturing the disclosed invention improved container should be materials that will withstand anticipated uses in construction and as a receptacle for thrown articles made of a variety of materials from relatively soft or softened (by their packing or packaging) materials up to relatively hard or hardened materials, ranging from thin but rigid plastics or metals or thicker less rigid plastics or light weight metal materials. More particularly, the invention container may be made a stiff, rigid, or relatively thick plastic or a variety of metals, such as of aluminum or steel.

The invention disclosed herein is an improved container comprising a horizontal bottom (when at rest) defined by a first perimeter having at least one side element contacting at least one point on said first perimeter and a number of like said side elements rising along and upward from like said points on said first perimeter to form at least one side wall at an angle no less than about 10° and no greater than about 85° and terminating at a second perimeter lying at points within at least one horizontal plane. If the container is single sided (i.e., defined by a single, continuous side wall), the container shape would be circular. If the container comprises three or greater number of side walls, its shape could range from triangular to comprising so many sides it approaches just short of circular. Of course, the container may be single sided and be oval, instead of a perfect circle. The container top opening is formed when said second perimeter terminates at points lying within at least one multiple horizontal plane. The container top may be shaped to permit one portion of its second perimeter to be formed by a multiple of the top opening's horizontal planes to be progressively lower traveling from one side of the container to an opposing side of said container. The container's top, formed by a second perimeter, may be larger than its bottom when the top represents an area larger than a shape defined by the bottom, or the first perimeter. One embodiment of the invention improved container is shown in FIG. 4.

The container's slanted bottom, permitting it to be stabilized when resting on slanted surface, is provided by the angle between corresponding points along each of the bottom perimeter and the top perimeter is from 20° to 85°. More preferably, the angle so described may be between 40° and 75°. Most preferably, the angle so described is 65°. When the invention container may be held in an upright position where the top opening lies in a singular horizontal plane, the described angular side walls will exhibit the appearance of the bottom being slanted. Thus, when the bottom perimeter lies within a single horizontal plane, such as when at rest, it is the walls that appear slanted. This relationship between the invention container's bottom and top can be appreciated by comparing FIGS. 5 and 6.

Furthermore, when the container rests on a slanted surface, such as a building roof, due to the nature of the resultant change in its center of gravity as well as the nature of a typical asbestos shingled roof, the container is unlikely either to slide downward or to tip over when empty or when filled with tools or other materials. While the container is unlikely to slide along, or even off, the roof, an embodiment of the invention includes the application of a rough surface on the exterior surface of the container bottom. This can be accomplished in various ways. One application involves merely affixing (including but not to the exclusion of gluing) sandpaper on the bottom so the sandpaper comes in contact with the roof's surface. Another method for providing a rough exterior surface to the invention container bottom is to coat the bottom with a tacky substance, such as glue, followed by resting the container bottom on a sand surface or pushing it into a collection of sand so the sand particles become affixed to the bottom exterior surface. There are also many other ways that the exterior bottom rough surface may be achieved that are envisioned within the scope of the herein disclosed and claimed invention.

The foregoing descriptions and drawings representing embodiments of the invention disclosed and claimed herein are explanatory and illustrative only, and changes in shape, sizes, and arrangements of parts as well certain details of the illustrated construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the true spirit of the invention.

While the present general inventive concept has been illustrated by description of some embodiments, and while the illustrative embodiments have been described in detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional modifications may readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant's general inventive concept.

It is also noted that numerous variations, modifications, and additional embodiments are possible, and, accordingly, all such variations, modifications, and embodiments are to be regarded as being within the spirit and scope of the present general inventive concept. For example, regardless of the content of any portion of this application, unless clearly specified to the contrary, there is no requirement for the inclusion in any claim herein or of any application claiming priority hereto of any particular described or illustrated activity or element, any particular sequence of such activities, or any particular interrelationship of such elements. Moreover, any activity can be repeated, any activity can be performed by multiple entities, and/or any element can be duplicated. Accordingly, while the present general inventive concept has been illustrated by description of several embodiments, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the inventive concept to such descriptions and illustrations. Instead, the descriptions, drawings, and claims herein are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive, and additional embodiments will readily appear to those skilled in the art upon reading the above description and drawings.

Claims

1. An improved container defined by a bottom, at least one side wall, and an open top, wherein the improvement comprises a horizontal bottom, when at rest, defined by a first perimeter having at least one side element contacting at least one point on said first perimeter and a multiple of like said side elements rising along and upward from like said points on said first perimeter to form said at least one side wall at an angle no less than about 10° and no greater than about 85° and said side elements terminating at a second perimeter lying at points within at least one plane defined by said side wall angle and terminating at respective points lying within at least one horizontal plane.

2. The improved container of claim 1 having a single continuous side wall producing a circular container.

3. The improved container of claim 1 having four side walls producing a rectangular walled container.

4. The improved container of claim 3, wherein said rectangular walled container is in the shape of an equilateral rectangle.

5. The improved container of claim 1 wherein said multiple horizontal planes of the second perimeter are progressively lower traveling from one side of said container to an opposing side of said container.

6. The improved container of claim 2 wherein said second perimeter is of a shape comprising an area larger than a shape defined by said first perimeter.

7. The improved container of claim 3 wherein said second perimeter is of a shape comprising an area larger than a shape defined by said first perimeter.

8. The improved container of claim 1 wherein said container rests stably when be placed on a slanted roof.

9. The improved container of claim 2 wherein said container may receive an article tossed from a direction facing a side of the container.

10. The improved container of claim 3 wherein said container may receive an article tossed from a direction facing a side of the container.

11. The improved container of claim 5 wherein said container may receive an article tossed from a direction facing a side of the container.

12. The improved container of claim 1 wherein said angle between corresponding points along each of said first perimeter and said second perimeter is from 20° to 85°.

13. The improved container of claim 12 wherein said angle between corresponding points along each of said first perimeter and said second perimeter is from 40° to 75°.

14. The improved container of claim 12 wherein said angle between corresponding points along each of said first perimeter and said second perimeter is 65°.

15. The improved container of claim 2 wherein an exterior surface of said bottom is provided with a rough surface.

16. The improved container of claim 3 wherein an exterior surface of said bottom is provided with a rough surface.

17. The improved container of claim 9 wherein an exterior surface of said bottom is provided with a rough surface.

18. An improved method for containerizing, transporting and accessing roofing tools while applying roofing materials to a roof surface of a building or structure, wherein the improvement comprises containerizing, transporting and accessing roofing tools using the container of claim 1.

19. An improved method for containerizing, transporting and accessing roofing tools while applying roofing materials to a roof surface of a building or structure, wherein the improvement comprises containerizing, transporting and accessing roofing tools using the container of claim 2.

20. An improved toss game involving tossing an article aimed at landing within a target from a distance away from said target, wherein the improvement comprises using as said target the container of claim 1.