NO SLIP VESSEL
The present invention is directed to a no slip vessel. The no slip vessel comprises a container, a platform, and a suction cup. The container has an open end and a closed end; the open end defines a containment zone. The platform is adjacent to the closed end and opposite the containment zone. The platform has a ring and a shaft. The ring has threads and is adapted to receive the suction cup. The suction cup is adapted to sealingly fit within the ring and has a shaft fixed to a region. The shaft has threads and is adapted to interact with the shaft translating rotational motion of the container to vertical motion of the shaft. The shaft vertical motion establishes an open position where the suction cup is unsealed with respect to a support surface and a closed position where the suction cup is sealed to a support surface.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/901,924, filed Sep. 18, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSUREThe present disclosure relates generally to tableware and containers and, more particularly, to a no slip vessel.
BACKGROUNDVessels including containers and other tableware items such as cups are widely available for many different uses. One class of vessel is a bowl or plate used to hold a variety of foodstuffs for eating. These vessels are often used to feed children and babies. Youngsters, while learning their table manners, often will grab or slap at the vessel holding their foodstuffs knocking the vessel to the ground and spilling the contents. A variety of different solutions have been proposed that in one way or another fix a container to its supporting surface restricting the ability of the child to spill the vessel contents. Various approaches are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,025,169; 8,028,850,8,757,418; 9,814,332; 9,844,205 and 10,058,200. Other approaches are described in US Patent Publication Nos. 2002/0040906, 2006/0201952 and 2018/0368594. In these prior solutions, the vessel or container is generally fixed or held to the underlying surface in such a way that the vessel is released by lifting but not by lateral motion. This creates a problem with small children who may grab the vessel in such a way as to release the vessel and causing the contents to spill. A need has arisen for a container that can be easily locked into position and not disrupted by childish antics.
SUMMARYThe present invention is directed to a no slip vessel. The no slip vessel in one embodiment comprises a container, a base, a plunger, and a suction cup. The container has an open end and a closed end with a platform adjacent the closed end. The platform has an outer ring and a shaft, the outer ring is adapted to receive the base and the shaft is adapted for receiving the plunger. The platform is configured for the container and base to rotate relative to one another and for the plunger to move vertically relative to the container. The base is adapted for removable attachment to the platform and has at least one opening for receiving the shaft and the plunger. The base is adapted for translating rotational motion relative to the container to vertical motion of the plunger. A suction cup is removably fixed to the base for contacting a support surface. The suction cup has a deformable member having a first position adapted to seal to the support surface and a second position adapted to release from the support surface. The plunger is attached to the platform and to the base and adapted for vertical motion relative to the base. The vertical motion of the plunger creates open and closed states. In the closed state the plunger forms an airtight seal with the deformable member of the suction cup to enhance the seal to the support surface. In the open state the plunger forms an opening in the surface of the suction cup to diminish the seal to the support surface. In another embodiment, the no slip vessel further comprises a seal inserted between the plunger and the base. In another embodiment, the no slip vessel further comprises a retaining sleeve fixing the suction cup to the base. In another embodiment, the deformable member of the suction cup is formed with an angle between 0° and 90°. In another embodiment, the deformable surface of the suction cup is formed with an angle less than 45° and as low as 15°. In another embodiment, the plunger and the shaft have complimentary threads. In another embodiment, the container is a bowl. In another embodiment, the container is a plate. In another embodiment, the container is a cup.
In another embodiment, a no slip vessel comprises a container, a base, a plunger, and a suction cup. The container has two ends, an open end and a closed end opposite the open end, a platform constructed in the closed end. The platform has a fixture for receiving the base and a threaded shaft for receiving the plunger. The base is rotatably attached to the fixture. The base has a central opening for receiving the threaded shaft and the plunger. The suction cup is fixed to the base and adapted for contacting a support surface. The suction cup has a deformable member with a curvature in the range of between 0° and 90°. The deformable member has a central opening adapted to receive the plunger. The plunger is movably attached to the threaded shaft and has complimentary threads to the threaded shaft. The plunger has arms fixing the plunger to the base so that the plunger rotates with the base translating the rotational motion to vertical motion relative to the threaded shaft. The plunger has a face complimentary to the deformable member wherein the vertical motion of the plunger has a first end where the plunger face forms an airtight seal with the suction cup and a second end where the plunger face forms an opening in the suction cup. In another embodiment, the base, plunger and suction cup are removably attached to the container. In another embodiment, the base rotates relative to the container. In another embodiment, the base rotates relative to the vessel establishing an open position where the vessel is not sealed to the support surface, a closed position where the vessel is sealed to the support surface and a remove position where the base is detachable from the container.
In another embodiment, a no slip vessel comprises a container, a platform, and a suction cup. The container has an open end and a closed end. The open end defines a containment zone. The platform is adjacent to the closed end and opposite the containment zone. The platform has a ring and a shaft. The ring is adapted to receive the suction cup. The shaft has threads. The suction cup is adapted to sealingly fit within the ring and has a shaft fixed to a region. The shaft has threads and is adapted to interact with the plunger translating rotational motion of the container to vertical motion of the plunger. The shaft vertical motion establishes an open position where the suction cup is unsealed with respect to a support surface and a closed position where the suction cup is sealed to a support surface. In another embodiment, the suction cup has an outer surface for contact with the support surface and an inner surface contacting the shaft. In another embodiment, the suction cup has an outer surface for contact with the support surface and an inner surface contacting the shaft and the inner surface further comprises a stop for limiting the rotational motion of the container. In another embodiment, the platform has a third position releasing the suction cup from the platform and the container. In another embodiment, the platform is fixed to the container. In another embodiment, the shaft is fixed to the suction cup. In another embodiment, the shaft and plunger have complimentary threads.
Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
Reference is now made in detail to the description of the embodiments as illustrated in the drawings. While several embodiments are described in connection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit the disclosure to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents.
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Slot 112 is adapted to receive finger 114 of seal 28. In this embodiment, tube 110 is constructed of a hard or rigid material and seal 28 is constructed of a flexible material so that finger 114 slides over bottom 118 to fit snuggly in slot 112.
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Although exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it will be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art that a number of changes, modifications, or alterations to the disclosure as described may be made. All such changes, modifications, and alterations should therefore be seen as within the scope of the disclosure.
Claims
1. A no slip vessel comprising:
- A container, a base, a plunger, and a suction cup;
- The container having an open end and a closed end with a platform adjacent the closed end, the platform having an outer ring and a shaft, the outer ring is adapted to receive the base and the shaft is adapted for receiving the plunger, the platform is configured for the container and base to rotate relative to one another and for the plunger to mover vertically relative to the container;
- The base adapted for removable attachment to the platform and having at least one opening for receiving the shaft and the plunger, the base adapted for translating rotational motion relative to the container to vertical motion of the plunger;
- A suction cup removably fixed to the base for contacting a support surface, the suction cup having a shaft, the suction cup having a first position adapted to seal to the support surface and a second position adapted to release from the support surface; and
- The plunger attached to the platform and to the base and adapted for vertical motion relative to the base, the vertical motion of the plunger creating open and closed states, in the closed state the plunger forms an airtight seal with the deformable member of the suction cup to enhance the seal to the support surface and in the open state the plunger forms an opening in the surface of the suction cup to diminish the seal to the support surface.
2. The no slip vessel of claim 1, further comprising a seal inserted between the plunger and the base.
3. The no slip vessel of claim 1, further comprising a retaining sleeve fixing the suction cup to the base.
4. The no slip vessel of claim 1, wherein the deformable member of the suction cup is formed with an angle between 0° and 90°.
5. The no slip vessel of claim 1, wherein the deformable member of the suction cup is formed with an angle less than 45°.
6. The no slip vessel of claim 1, wherein the plunger and the shaft have complimentary threads.
7. The no slip vessel of claim 1, wherein the container is a bowl.
8. The no slip vessel of claim 1, wherein the container is a plate.
9. The no slip vessel of claim 1, wherein the container is a cup.
10. A no slip vessel comprising:
- A container, a base, a plunger, and a suction cup;
- The container having two ends, an open end and a closed end opposite the open end, a platform constructed in the closed end where the platform has a fixture for receiving the base and a threaded shaft for receiving the plunger;
- The base rotatably attached to the fixture, the base having a central opening for receiving the threaded shaft and the plunger,
- A suction cup fixed to the base and adapted for contacting a support surface, the suction cup having a deformable member with a curvature in the range of between 0° and 90°, the deformable member having a central opening adapted to receive the plunger;
- The plunger movably attached to the threaded shaft and having complimentary threads to the threaded shaft, the plunger having arms fixing the plunger to the base so that the plunger rotates with the base translating the rotational motion to vertical motion relative to the threaded shaft, the plunger have a face complimentary to the deformable member wherein the vertical motion of the plunger has a first end where the plunger face forms an airtight seal with the suction cup and a second end where the plunger face forms an opening in the suction cup.
11. The no slip vessel of claim 10, wherein the base, plunger and suction cup are removably attached to the container.
12. The no slip vessel of claim 10, wherein the base rotates relative to the container.
13. The no slip vessel of claim 10, wherein the base rotates relative to the vessel establishing an open position where the vessel is not sealed to the support surface, a closed position where the vessel is sealed to the support surface and a remove position where the base is detachable from the container.
14. A no slip vessel comprising:
- A container, a platform, and a suction cup;
- The container having an open end and a closed end; the open end defining a containment zone;
- The platform adjacent to the closed end and opposite the containment zone; the platform having a ring and a shaft, the ring adapted to receive the suction cup; the shaft having threads; and
- The suction cup adapted to sealingly fit within the ring and having a shaft fixed to a region, the shaft having threads and adapted to interact with the shaft translating rotational motion of the container to vertical motion of the shaft, the shaft vertical motion establishing an open position where the suction cup is unsealed with respect to a support surface and a closed position where the suction cup is sealed to a support surface.
15. The no slip vessel of claim 14, wherein the suction cup has an outer surface for contact with the support surface and an inner surface contacting the shaft.
16. The no slip vessel of claim 14, wherein the suction cup has an outer surface for contact with the support surface and an inner surface contacting the shaft, the inner surface further comprising a stop for limiting the rotational motion of the container.
17. The no slip vessel of claim 14, wherein the platform has a third position releasing the suction cup from the platform and the container.
18. The no slip vessel of claim 14, wherein the platform is fixed to the container.
19. The no slip vessel of claim 14, wherein the shaft is fixed to the suction cup.
20. The no slip vessel of claim 14, wherein the shaft and shaft have complimentary threads.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 19, 2019
Publication Date: Mar 18, 2021
Inventors: Nouri Edward Hakim (Monroe, LA), Ian Michael Blaylock (Monroe, LA)
Application Number: 16/688,567