CHILD PLAY PITCHER-CONTAINER SET

Abstract

A child play pitcher-container set includes a pitcher and a container that defines an interior volume and an upper rim. The pitcher includes a base upon which the pitcher is supportable, a side wall, and a handle. The side wall extends from the base and forms a spout extending outwardly to a spout tip at an upper edge of the side wall, the spout having an outer surface defining in side view a slope. The handle is secured to the side wall opposite the spout. The outer surface of the spout defines a notch extending across the spout at an elevation along the slope. The notch is configured to interface with the upper rim of the container during pouring of liquid from the pitcher to the container. The interior volume is sufficient to receive all liquid volume containable in the pitcher with the pitcher upright on a horizontal surface.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to child play container sets.

BACKGROUND

Children can develop and learn motor skills by playing with toys that mimic real-life objects. It is desirable that such toys be safe and easy to use.

SUMMARY

Implementations of the present disclosure include a child play pitcher-container set that includes a container defining an interior volume and having an upper rim, and a pitcher. The pitcher includes a base upon which the pitcher is supportable on a horizontal surface. The pitcher also includes a side wall extending from the base and forming a spout extending outwardly to a spout tip at an upper edge of the side wall. The spout has an outer surface defining in side view a slope. The pitcher also includes a handle secured to the side wall opposite the spout, the handle defining an opening sized to receive a portion of a hand of a child for lifting the pitcher. The outer surface of the spout defines a notch extending across the spout at an elevation along the slope. The notch is positioned and configured to interface with the upper rim of the container during pouring of liquid from the pitcher to the container. The interior volume is sufficient to receive all liquid volume containable in the pitcher with the pitcher upright on a horizontal surface.

In some examples, the interior volume is configured to be filled with all of the liquid volume containable in the pitcher.

In some implementations, the pitcher further includes a rim including the tip of the spout and a handle-side end opposite the tip of the spout. The rim defines in side view a slope between the tip of the spout and the handle-side end such that the tip of the spout is vertically closer to a horizontal surface supporting the pitcher than the handle-side end of the rim.

In some cases, the slope between the tip of the spout and the handle-side end forms an angle of between 10 and 15 degrees with the horizontal surface supporting the pitcher.

In some examples, the rim of the pitcher is in top view a teardrop-shaped rim with the tip including an elongated corner extending away from the handle side end of the rim.

In some cases, the notch includes one of an L-shaped cross section or a C-shaped cross-section, extending laterally across a portion of the spout. In some examples, the notch includes a C-shaped cross section and the container includes a container wall extending from a base of the container to the upper rim, where the C-shaped cross-section of the notch defines a concavity including a radius larger than a thickness of the container wall.

In some implementations, the notch is configured to engage the upper rim of the container during pouring of liquid from the pitcher to the container to allow the pitcher to sit on the upper rim, the pitcher configured to rotate generally about the engaged notch to pour liquid from the pitcher to the container.

In some examples, the notch defines an arc as viewed from in front of the spout. The arc connects two opposite corners of the notch. In some cases, at least one edge of the notch is curved to generally follow a radius of the upper rim of the container as a portion of the upper rim is received in the notch.

In some cases, the handle is bonded to the surface of the side wall.

In some implementations, the handle is an O-shape handle arranged to extend away from the side wall, where the opening is configured to receive at least four fingers of the hand of the child.

In some examples, the container includes a container wall including a wall thickness substantially equal to a wall thickness of the side wall of the pitcher.

Implementations of the present disclosure further include a method of child-play using a pitcher-container set. The method includes pouring a liquid volume into a pitcher until the pitcher overflows, the pitcher supported upright on a horizontal surface. The pitcher includes a base upon which the pitcher is supportable on the horizontal surface, a side wall extending from the base and forming a spout extending outwardly to a spout tip at an upper edge of the side wall. The spout has an outer surface defining in side view a slope, with the outer surface of the spout defining a notch extending across the spout at an elevation along the slope. The notch is positioned and configured to interface with an upper rim of a container during pouring of liquid from the pitcher to the container. The pitcher also includes a handle secured to the side wall opposite the spout. The handle defines an opening sized to receive a portion of a hand of a child for lifting the pitcher. The method also includes lifting the pitcher from the horizontal surface, and engaging the notch of the pitcher with the upper rim of the container. The container includes an interior volume sufficient to receive all liquid volume containable in the pitcher with the pitcher upright on the horizontal surface. The method also includes rotating the pitcher about the upper rim with the notch engaged to pour the liquid volume contained in the pitcher to the interior volume of the container.

In some examples, the pitcher further includes a rim including the tip of the spout and a handle-side end opposite the tip of the spout. The rim defines in side view a slope between the tip of the spout and the handle-side end such that the tip of the spout is vertically closer to a horizontal surface supporting the pitcher than the handle-side end of the rim. Pouring the liquid into the pitcher until the pitcher overflows includes pouring the liquid until liquid overflows from the tip of the spout.

In some implementations, rotating the pitcher includes rotating the pitcher about the upper rim to pour the liquid volume contained in the pitcher to the interior volume of the container to fill up the entire interior volume of the container.

In some cases, the container includes a container wall extending from a base of the container to the upper rim, where the notch includes a C-shaped cross section extending laterally across a portion of the spout. The C-shaped cross-section of the notch defines a concavity including a radius larger than a thickness of the container wall, where rotating the pitcher includes rotating the pitcher as the upper rim of the container contacts a vertex of the concavity of the notch.

In some examples, the handle is an O-shape handle arranged to extend away from the outer wall, where the opening is configured to receive at least four fingers of the hand of the child. In such examples, lifting the pitcher from the horizontal surface includes grasping the pitcher by the handle.

In some implementations, the notch defines an arc as viewed from in front of the spout, the arc connecting two opposite corners of the notch, at least one edge of the notch curved to follow a radius of the upper rim of the container as a portion of the upper rim is received in the notch. In such implementations, rotating the pitcher includes rotating the pitcher with the notch receiving a portion of the upper rim of the container.

In some cases, engaging the notch includes moving the spout of the pitcher toward the upper rim until the outer surface of the spout contacts the upper rim, then sliding the outer surface of the spout about the upper rim until the notch receives the upper rim.

A child play pitcher-container set with a pitcher and a container having equal or generally equal interior volumes allow a child to pour liquid from the pitcher into the container without overflowing the container. A pitcher with a notch at the spout of the pitcher allows a child to sit the pitcher on the upper rim of the container to prevent the pitcher from slipping about the upper rim during pouring of liquid from the pitcher to the container. Engaging the notch with the upper ring of the container can prevent spillage of liquid during the pouring.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a side, cross-sectional view of a pitcher-container set.

FIG. 1B is a detail view of a portion of an example pitcher of the pitcher-container set of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 is a side, partial cross-sectional view of the pitcher-container set of FIG. 1A, with a notch of the pitcher engaged with the container.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pitcher.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the pitcher.

Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 2, a child play pitcher-container set 10 includes a pitcher 12 and a container 14. Pitcher 12 has an interior volume 16 that contains, with the pitcher 12 upright on a horizontal surface 70 (e.g., a substantially horizontal surface), a liquid volume 60. As shown in FIG. 2, container 14 has an interior volume 22 that is sufficient to receive all liquid volume 60 containable in pitcher 12 with the pitcher 12 upright on horizontal surface 70. In some implementations, interior volume 22 is configured to be filled with all of the liquid volume 60 containable in pitcher 12. By having an interior volume 22 that can receive all the liquid volume 60 from pitcher 12, container 14 allows a child to pour liquid from pitcher 12 into container 14 without overflowing container 14.

Referring to FIG. 1A, container 14 has a base 21 upon which container 14 is supportable on horizontal surface 70. Container 14 has a container wall 23 that extends from base 21 to define, with base 21, interior volume 22. Container wall 23 extends from base 21 to an upper rim 20. Container wall 23 can have a wall thickness ‘t₁’ of about 3 mm. Container 14 (and upper rim 20) can have an outer radius ‘r’ of about 34.5 mm. Container 14 can be a round container (e.g., a round cup), a square container (not shown), or a container of any appropriate shape.

The pitcher 12 has a base 24 upon which pitcher 12 is supportable on horizontal surface 70. Pitcher 12 also has a side wall 26 that extends from base 24 to define, with base 24, interior volume 16. Side wall 26 can have a wall thickness ‘t’ that is equal or substantially equal to the wall thickness ‘t₁’ of container 14. Side wall 26 forms a spout 28 that extends outwardly to a spout tip 30 at an upper edge of side wall 26. Spout 28 has an outer surface 32 that defines, in side view, a slope. The slope of the outer surface 32 forms an angle ‘θ’ with horizontal surface 70 with pitcher 12 supported upright on the surface. Angle ‘θ’ can be, for example, between 10 and 90 degrees.

Pitcher 12 further includes a handle 34 secured to side wall 26 opposite spout 28. As shown in FIG. 2, handle 34 defines an opening 36 sized to receive a portion of a hand 50 of a child for lifting pitcher 12. Handle 34 can be an O-shape handle arranged to extend away from outer wall 26, with opening 36 configured to receive at least four fingers of the hand 50 of the child. Handle 34 can be bonded to the outside surface of outer wall 26. Handle can be a U-shape handle (not shown) or a handle of any appropriate shape.

Referring to FIG. 1A, the outer surface 32 of spout 28 defines a notch 40 or groove that extends across (e.g., laterally across) spout 28 at an elevation along the slope of outer surface 32. Referring also to FIG. 2, notch 40 is positioned and configured to interface with upper rim 20 of container 14 during pouring of substance (e.g., liquid, sand, or any pourable material) from pitcher 12 to container 14. As shown in FIG. 1A, notch 40 can have an L-shape cross-section extending laterally across a portion of spout 28. The L-shape cross-section can form an angle ‘a’ of between 60 and 110, and more specifically between 85 and 100 degrees. As shown in FIG. 2, notch 40 is configured to engage or receive upper rim 20 of container 14 during pouring of liquid from pitcher 12 to container 14. Upper rim 20 receives notch 40 to allow pitcher 12 to sit on upper rim 20 and prevent slipping of pitcher 12 about rim 20 during pouring of liquid from pitcher 12. With notch 40 engaged with upper rim 20, pitcher 12 can be rotated generally about the engaged notch 40 to pour liquid from pitcher 12 to container 14.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, the L-shape cross-section of notch 40 has a depth that can help prevent the engaged notch 40 from disengaging from rim 20 during the pouring of liquid. For example, notch 40 can have a first straight side 61 and a second straight side 63 that extend inwardly from surface 32 of spout 28 to form a groove that allows pitcher 12 to firmly sit on rim 20 of container 14 during pouring of liquid from pitcher 12. For example, the thickness ‘t₁’ of the container wall 23 can be larger than a length ‘l₁’ of the first side 61 and smaller than a length ‘l₂’ of the second side 63. For instance, container wall 23 can have a thickness ‘t₁’ of 3 mm, first side 61 can have a length ‘l₁’ of 2.8 mm, and second side 63 can have a length ‘l₂’ of 4.8 mm. Thus, notch 40 is configured to support spout 32 (without slipping) as pitcher 12 is full of water and is rotated between 0 and 90 degrees (e.g., from a vertical position to a horizontal position) to pour the water on container 14. The upper rim 20 of the container 14 can contact at least one of the first and second sides 61 and 62 as pitcher 12 is rotated to pour the liquid into container 12.

Referring to FIG. 1B, pitcher 12 can have a notch 40a that has a C-shape cross-section or a semi-circular cross-section with a concavity with a radius or inscribed radius greater than thickness ‘t₁’ of container 14. For example, the concavity of notch 40a can have a radius of 3.5 mm, with container 14 having a wall thickness ‘t₁’ of 3 mm. Notch 40a can have a depth ‘d’ of about 2.4 mm and a width ‘w’ of about 7 mm. With the concavity having a radius greater than the thickness of the container wall, the upper rim of the container can contact a vertex of the concavity of the notch as liquid is poured from the pitcher to the container.

Referring back to FIG. 1A, pitcher has an upper rim 18 that includes the tip 30 of spout 28, and a handle-side end 19 opposite tip 30. Rim defines, in side view, a slope between tip 30 of spout 28 and handle-side end 19 such that tip 30 is vertically closer to horizontal surface 70 supporting pitcher 12 than handle-side end 19 of rim 18. The slope of rim 18 forms an angle ‘β’ of between 5 and 45 degrees with horizontal surface 70, with pitcher 12 supported upright on surface 70. In some examples, angle ‘β’ is preferably between 10 and 15 degrees.

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 2, a child can use pitcher-container set 10 to pour liquid volume 60 from pitcher 12 to container 14 without overflowing container 14. To use the child play pitcher-container set 10, a child can first pour liquid volume 60 into pitcher 12 (with pitcher 12 supported upright on horizontal surface 70) until pitcher 12 overflows or right before pitcher 12 overflows. With spout tip 30 at a lower elevation than handle-side end 19, the liquid overflows from tip 30. The child lifts pitcher 12 from horizontal surface 70 by grasping the pitcher 12 by the handle 34. The child can then engage notch 40 of pitcher 12 with upper rim 20 of container 14. To engage notch 40 with upper rim 20, the child can move spout 28 of pitcher 12 toward rim 20 until outer surface 32 of spout 28 contacts the rim 20 (or until notch 40 receives upper rim 20) and then slide outer surface 32 of spout 28 about rim 20 until notch 40 engages or receives upper rim 20. Upon engaging notch 40 with upper rim 20, the child can rotate pitcher 12 about upper rim 20 with notch 40 engaged to pour liquid volume 60 contained in pitcher 12 to interior volume 22 of container 14 to fill up the container 14.

Referring to FIG. 3, upper rim 18 of pitcher 12 can be a ‘teardrop-shaped’ upper rim 18 with a round handle-side end 19 and an elongated end or corner at the tip 30 extending away from handle-side end 19. Tip 30 is at a lower elevation than the handle-side end 19 to limit the fluid volume containable in the pitcher to an elevation of the tip 30 with the pitcher supported upright on the horizontal surface (see FIG. 2). For example, filling up pitcher 12 until pitcher 12 overflows can include pouring liquid into pitcher 12 until liquid overflows from tip 30 of spout 28. Notch 40 can extend across the entire spout 28 or across a portion of spout 28 at the elevation of the slope of the spout 28. Base 24 of pitcher 12 can be a circular base with an outer diameter of about 69 mm.

Referring to FIG. 4, notch 40 defines an arc as viewed from in front of the spout. The arc connects two opposite corners 81 and 82 of notch 40. At least one edge of notch 40 is curved to generally follow the radius of the upper rim of the container as a portion of the upper rim is received in notch 40. Notch 40 has two arched edges 71 and 72 meeting at and extending between opposite corners 81 and 82. Corners 81 and 82 can be round corners at a higher elevation than a center point of upper edge 71. Corners 81 and 82 can be located at a vertical distance ‘d’ from the tip 30 of about 13.6 mm. Notch 40 can have a length ‘L’ from corner 81 to corner 82 of about 25.8 mm. At least one of the two arched edges 71 and 72 of notch 40 can have a radius substantially equal to the radius ‘r’ of the upper rim (see FIG. 1A) of the container, such that notch 40 is configured to receive, between corners 81 and 82 and during engagement of the upper rim, a portion of the upper rim (e.g., a portion of the circumference of the upper rim) of the container. For example, arched edge 71 can have a radius of 34.5 mm and the upper rim of the container can have a radius ‘r’ (FIG. 1) of 34.5 mm.

While a number of examples have been described for illustration purposes, the foregoing description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the appended claims. There are and will be other examples and modifications within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A child play pitcher-container set, comprising:

a container defining an interior volume and having an upper rim; and

a pitcher comprising, a base upon which the pitcher is supportable on a horizontal surface, a side wall extending from the base and forming a spout extending outwardly from a surface of the side wall to a spout tip at an upper edge of the side wall, the spout having an outer surface defining in side view a slope, and a handle secured to the side wall opposite the spout, the handle defining an opening sized to receive a portion of a hand of a child for lifting the pitcher;

wherein the outer surface of the spout defines a notch extending across the spout at an elevation along the slope between the surface of the side wall and the spot tip, the notch positioned and configured to interface with the upper rim of the container during pouring of liquid from the pitcher to the container; and

wherein the interior volume is sufficient to contain all liquid volume containable in the pitcher with the pitcher upright on a horizontal surface.

2. The child play pitcher-container set of claim 1, wherein the interior volume is configured to be filled with all of the liquid volume containable in the pitcher.

3. The child play pitcher-container set of claim 1, wherein the pitcher further comprises a rim comprising the tip of the spout and a handle-side end opposite the tip of the spout, the rim defining in side view a slope between the tip of the spout and the handle-side end such that the tip of the spout is vertically closer to a horizontal surface supporting the pitcher than the handle-side end of the rim.

4. The child play pitcher-container set of claim 3, wherein the slope between the tip of the spout and the handle-side end forms an angle of between 10 and 15 degrees with the horizontal surface supporting the pitcher.

5. The child play pitcher-container set of claim 3, wherein the rim of the pitcher is in top view a teardrop-shaped rim with the tip comprising an elongated corner extending away from the handle side end of the rim.

6. The child play pitcher-container set of claim 1, wherein the notch comprises one of an L-shaped cross section or a C-shaped cross-section, extending laterally across a portion of the spout.

7. The child play pitcher-container set of claim 6, wherein the notch comprises a C-shaped cross section and the container comprises a container wall extending from a base of the container to the upper rim, and wherein the C-shaped cross-section of the notch defines a concavity comprising a radius larger than a thickness of the container wall.

8. The child play pitcher-container set of claim 1, wherein the notch is configured to engage the upper rim of the container during pouring of liquid from the pitcher to the container to allow the pitcher to sit on the upper rim, the pitcher configured to rotate generally about the engaged notch to pour liquid from the pitcher to the container.

9. The child play pitcher-container set of claim 1, wherein the notch defines an arc as viewed from in front of the spout, the arc connecting two opposite corners of the notch.

10. The child play pitcher-container set of claim 9, wherein at least one edge of the notch is curved to generally follow a radius of the upper rim of the container as a portion of the upper rim is received in the notch.

11. The child play pitcher-container set of claim 1, wherein the handle is bonded to the surface of the side wall.

12. The child play pitcher-container set of claim 1, wherein the handle is an O-shape handle arranged to extend away from the side wall, and wherein the opening is configured to receive at least four fingers of the hand of the child.

13. The child play pitcher-container set of claim 1, wherein the container comprises a container wall comprising a wall thickness substantially equal to a wall thickness of the side wall of the pitcher.

14. A method of child-play using a pitcher-container set, the method comprising:

pouring a liquid volume into a pitcher until the pitcher overflows, the pitcher supported upright on a horizontal surface, the pitcher comprising: a base upon which the pitcher is supportable on the horizontal surface, a side wall extending from the base and forming a spout extending outwardly to a spout tip at an upper edge of the side wall, the spout having an outer surface defining in side view a slope, the outer surface of the spout defining a notch extending across the spout at an elevation along the slope, the notch positioned and configured to interface with an upper rim of a container during pouring of liquid from the pitcher to the container, and a handle secured to the side wall opposite the spout, the handle defining an opening sized to receive a portion of a hand of a child for lifting the pitcher;

lifting the pitcher from the horizontal surface;

engaging the notch of the pitcher with the upper rim of the container, the container comprising an interior volume sufficient to receive all liquid volume containable in the pitcher with the pitcher upright on the horizontal surface; and

rotating the pitcher about the upper rim with the notch engaged to pour the liquid volume contained in the pitcher to the interior volume of the container.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the pitcher further comprises a rim comprising the tip of the spout and a handle-side end opposite the tip of the spout, the rim defining in side view a slope between the tip of the spout and the handle-side end such that the tip of the spout is vertically closer to a horizontal surface supporting the pitcher than the handle-side end of the rim, and wherein pouring the liquid into the pitcher until the pitcher overflows comprises pouring the liquid until liquid overflows from the tip of the spout.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein rotating the pitcher comprises rotating the pitcher about the upper rim to pour the liquid volume contained in the pitcher to the interior volume of the container to fill up the entire interior volume of the container.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the container comprises a container wall extending from a base of the container to the upper rim and wherein the notch comprises a C-shaped cross section extending laterally across a portion of the spout, the C-shaped cross-section of the notch defining a concavity comprising a radius larger than a thickness of the container wall, and wherein rotating the pitcher comprises rotating the pitcher as the upper rim of the container contacts a vertex of the concavity of the notch.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the handle is an O-shape handle arranged to extend away from the outer wall, wherein the opening is configured to receive at least four fingers of the hand of the child, and wherein lifting the pitcher from the horizontal surface comprises grasping the pitcher by the handle.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the notch defines an arc as viewed from in front of the spout, the arc connecting two opposite corners of the notch, at least one edge of the notch curved to follow a radius of the upper rim of the container as a portion of the upper rim is received in the notch, and wherein rotating the pitcher comprises rotating the pitcher with the notch receiving a portion of the upper rim of the container.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein engaging the notch comprises moving the spout of the pitcher toward the upper rim until the outer surface of the spout contacts the upper rim, then sliding the outer surface of the spout about the upper rim until the notch receives the upper rim.