US20130233889A1

US20130233889A1 - Apparatus for Decorative Container with Interchangeable Ornamental Articles

Info

Publication number: US20130233889A1
Application number: US13/795,395
Authority: US
Inventors: Deborah Jean STIDHAM
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-03-12
Filing date: 2013-03-12
Publication date: 2013-09-12

Abstract

An apparatus for decorative container with interchangeable ornamental articles includes an inner container, an outer casing, a gap, a base cap, a top lid, and at least one ornamental article. The inner container and the outer casing are connected to the base cap, where the outer casing is positioned around the inner container. The gap, which contains the at least one ornamental article, is positioned in between the inner container and the outer casing. The top lid is attached to the outer casing from above and adjacently positioned with a top opening of the inner container. The at least one ornamental article, which provides the decorative aspect, can be interchanged by removing the top lid. The outer casing blocks the stored content with the inner container while providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance through the outer casing.

Description

The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 61/609,595 filed on Mar. 12, 2012.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for a container. More specifically, the container is a decorative container that has an inner container and outer casing that allows any desired ornamental materials to be inserted in between the inner container and outer casing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Sometimes the decor of a bottled product or the color of a solution in a purchased product does not match with the existing decor that is in the user's home, primarily in the bathroom and kitchen areas, although this situation can occur in any location. For example, aqua blue colored dish soap is an unattractive bottle and the color of the soap is not very appealing to have on the sink top. As a solution, some people have added soap dispensers that go beneath the sink so they do not have to see some of these products such as liquid soap. Placing these products in an unseen location makes it inconvenient for the user to locate and refill these products once they are empty.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a container that covers up the color of the contents. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bottle dispenser that can be decorated as desired to match the decor of a room. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a clear plastic material which can be decorated to a user's liking and which may hold liquid soap or a similar product. The present invention can continually be refilled, reused, and redecorated, so that the present invention is constantly being attractive. Because of the attractive appearance, the present invention can be kept on a sink rather than underneath the sink or in another location that is not easily visible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a base cap of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an inner container of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an outer casing of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of at least one ornamental article of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a top lid of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the present invention without a pump dispenser, showing the plane upon which a cross section view is taken shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 8 is a cross section view of the present invention without the pump dispenser taken along line A-A of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a front view of the present invention with the pump dispenser, showing the plane upon which a cross section view is taken shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 10 is a cross section view of the present invention with the pump dispenser taken along line A-A of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a front view of the alternative embodiment of the present invention, showing the plane upon which a cross section view is taken shown in FIG. 13.

FIG. 13 is a cross section view of the alternative embodiment of the present invention taken along line A-A of FIG. 12.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
The present invention is an apparatus for decorative container which comprises an interchangeable ornamental article, where the interchangeable ornamental article can be a single ornamental article or a plurality of ornamental articles. In reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 3 and FIG. 8, the present invention comprises an inner container 1, an outer casing 3, a gap 2, a base cap 4, a top lid 5, and at least one ornamental article 6. The top lid 5 is positioned atop the base cap 4, and the inner container 1, which is positioned within the outer casing 3, and the outer casing 3 are positioned in between the top lid 5 and the base cap 4. The gap 2 is positioned in between the inner container 1 and the outer casing 3, and the at least one ornamental article 6 is positioned within the gap 2.
In reference to FIG. 2, the base cap 4 comprises a platform 41, an outer rim 42, and an inner rim 43, where the outer rim 42 and the inner rim 43 are positioned on the platform 41. The outer rim 42 is perimetrically connected around the base cap 4 and connected flush with the platform 41 creating a smooth transaction between the platform 41 and the outer rim 42. The inner rim 43 is positioned within the outer rim 42 and connected to the platform 41. The height of the inner rim 43 is preferably higher than the height of the outer rim 42. The base cap 4 can be made of high strength and durable materials such as, plastic, composite materials, and any other related materials. The base cap 4 may optionally comprise a friction layer which can be oppositely positioned from the outer rim 42 and the inner rim 43. The friction layer provides friction force to the base cap 4 so that the base cap 4 can be securely placed against a solid surface. The platform 41, an outer rim 42, and an inner rim 43 determine the shape of the base cap 4, where the shape can be any geometric and organic shapes.
In reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 8, the inner container 1 comprises a top opening 11, an interior wall 12, an exterior wall 13, and a base 14. The interior wall 12 and the exterior wall 13 are perimetrically positioned on the base 14 and connected to the base 14. The interior wall 12 is positioned within the exterior wall 13. The top opening 11, which provides a cavity to access the inside of the inner container 1, is traversed through the exterior wall 13 and the interior wall 12. The inner container 1 can be made of high strength, durable, and food safe materials such as, plastic, composite materials, and any other related materials. The inner container 1 holds any type of solutions and objects include, but not limited to, soaps, shampoos, conditioners, hand sanitizers, condiments such as ketchup and mustard, toothbrushes, razors, cotton balls, and waste items. The top opening 11, the interior wall 12, the exterior wall 13, and the base 14 determine the shape of the inner container 1, where the shape can be any geometric and organic shapes.
In reference to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the inner container 1 permanently connects with the base cap 4, where the exterior wall 13 is adjacently positioned within the inner rim 43. More specifically, the base 14 is permanently connected with the inner rim 43 and the platform 41 by any type of adhesive materials, such as glue and adhesive strips. The top opening 11 is preferably positioned opposite from the base 14, but the top opening 11 can be positioned anywhere on the inner container 1. The base cap 4 and the inner container 1 can include, but not limited to, cylindrical shaped, rectangular shaped, triangular shaped and any other geometric and organic shapes. Since the base 14 is connected to the inner rim 43, the shape of the base 14 and the inner rim 43 have to be exactly same. For example, if the base 14 comprises a triangular shape, the inner rim 43 also comprises a triangular shape so that the inner container 1 can be securely connected to the base cap 4.
In reference to FIG. 4, the outer casing 3 comprises an outer face 32, an inner face 31, a top edge 33, and a bottom edge 34. The inner face 31 is positioned within the outer face 32, and the outer face 32 and the inner face 31 are extended from the top edge 33 to bottom edge 34, where the top edge 33 and the bottom edge 34 are oppositely positioned along the outer face 32 and the inner face 31. For example, if the outer casing 3 comprises a cylindrical shape, the outer face 32 and the inner face 31 are shaped into cylindrical shapes. Then the top edge 33 and the bottom edge 34 are positioned at each extremity of the outer face 32 and the inner face 31, where the top edge 33 and the bottom edge 34 position in between the outer face 32 and the inner face 31. The outer casing 3 can be made from any type of transparent materials including, but not limited to, acrylic, Lucite, glass or any other related materials. The outer casing 3 permanently connects with the base cap 4 through the outer face 32 and the bottom edge 34, where the inner face 31 is adjacently positioned with the exterior wall 13. More specifically, the outer face 32 is adjacently positioned within the outer rim 42, and the bottom edge 34 is adjacently positioned with the platform 41, where the outer rim 42 and the bottom edge 34 are permanently and respectively connected with the outer face 32 and the platform 41. The outer face 32, the inner face 31, the top edge 33, and the bottom edge 34 determine the shape of the outer casing 3. The outer casing 3 can be any geometric and organic shapes as long as the outer casing 3 can positioned around the inner container 1 and positioned within the outer rim 42 where the shapes include, but not limited to, cylindrical shaped, rectangular shaped, pear-shaped, and heart-shaped.
In reference to FIG. 8, FIG. 10, and FIG. 12, since the inner container 1 and the outer casing 3 are connected with the base cap 4, the gap 2 is positioned in between the exterior wall 13 and the inner face 31. The at least one ornamental article 6 is positioned with the gap 2 so that the at least one ornamental article 6 can block the content within the inner container 1 while displaying the ornamental aspect through the outer casing 3. The at least one ornamental article 6 can include, but not limited to, fabric patters, pictures, decorative glass balls, colored inserts. For example, the at least one ornamental article 6 can be a single sheet of fabric pattern or a plurality of decorative glass balls. Users of the present invention can also use customized ornamental articles as the at least one ornamental article 6, such as special pictures and inspirational verses, where the customized ornamental article are created by the users.
In reference to FIG. 6, the top lid 5, which comprises an outer lip 51 and a lid opening 52, is adjacently positioned with the inner container 1 and the outer casing 3. The outer lip 51 is perimetrically connected around the top lid 5, and the lid opening 52 is traversed through the top lid 5. The top lid 5 removably attached around the outer casing 3, where the outer lip 51 is perimetrically positioned around the outer face 32 and top edge 33, and the lid opening 52 is adjacently positioned with the top opening 11. The top lid 5 can be made of high strength and durable materials such as, plastic, composite materials, and any other related materials. Since the top lid 5 is removably attached to the outer casing 3, the users of the present invention can easily interchange the at least one ornamental article 6 by removing the top lid 5. The top lid 5 also protects the gap 2 and the at least one ornamental article 6 from dust, water, soap suds, and any other unwanted substance, since the top lid 5 is positioned around the outer casing 3 and the adjacent with the top opening 11. Since the top lid 5 positions with the outer casing 3 and the inner container 1, the shape of the top lid 5 is determined by the top edge 33 and the top opening 11, where the shape can be any geometric and organic shapes.
In reference to FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, the top opening 11 of the present invention comprises a pump dispenser 111, where the pump dispenser 111 is hermetically attached with the top opening 11 by a cap of the pump dispenser 111 by any type of attachment mechanism. Even though male and female threads are used as the attachment mechanism within the present invention, any other type attachment mechanisms, such as snap-lock and twist-lock, can be used within the present invention. When the pump dispenser 111 is attached to the top opening 11, the lid opening 52 is snuggly positioned with the cap of the pump dispenser 111. Since the top lid 5 is not attached or connected with the cap of the pump dispenser 111, the users can fill the inner container 1 with desired liquid without removing the top lid 5, where the top lid 5 protects the at least one ornamental article 6. Similarly users can interchange the at least one ornamental article 6 without removing the pump dispenser 111. The inner container 1 of the present invention contains any kind of liquid soap, and the liquid soap is dispensed out from the inner container 1 through the pump dispenser 111. Since the at least one ornamental article 6 covers up the inner container 1 and provides aesthetically appearance to the present invention through the outer casing 3, users of the present invention is able to match the decorative appearance of the present invention with the existing decoration of the house.
A first alternative embodiment of the present invention, the top lid 5 can be permanently connected with the inner container 1 and the outer casing 3, where the base cap 4 is removably attached with the inner container 1 and the outer casing 3 by any type of attachment mechanisms. Since the base cap 4 is detachable from the inner container 1 and the outer casing 3, and the inner container 1 and the outer casing 3 are held together by the top lid 5, the at least one ornamental article 6 can be interchanged from the bottom side of the first alternative embodiment by removing the base cap 4.
A second alternative embodiment of the present invention, the top lid 5 can be permanently connected with the inner container 1, the outer casing 3, and the base cap 4 can be permanently connected with the outer casing 3 through the outer rim 42, where the base cap 4 comprises a bottom cavity and a cover. The bottom cavity is traversed through the platform 41, where the parameter of the bottom cavity is bigger than the parameter of the base 14. The inner rim 43 of the second alternative embodiment is connected on to the cover. The cover is removably attached with the bottom cavity by any type of attachment mechanism, where the inner rim 43 is externally positioned around inner container 1 providing additional stability to the inner container 1. Since the cover is detachable from the bottom cavity, and the parameter of the bottom cavity is bigger than the parameter of the base 14, the at least one ornamental article 6 can be interchanged through the bottom cavity.
In reference to FIG. 11, FIG. 12, and FIG. 13, even though the present invention is described within a soap dispenser, the components of the present invention can be configured into different type of container, but not limited to, a wastebasket, shower caddy, and sink caddy.
To eliminate a mix-up in products, it is recommended that a manufacturer places labels on each bottle before shipping. The labels can specify, for example: shampoo, conditioner, hand soap, lotion, bath gel, dish soap, antibacterial solution and even ketchup, mustard or mayo for the kitchen. There can be additional labels for the user to replace old ones, or write on a blank label whatever the user wants, such as sunscreen, hair gel, etc.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for decorative container with interchangeable ornamental articles comprises:

an inner container;

an outer casing;

a gap;

a base cap;

a top lid;

at least one ornamental article;

the inner container comprises a top opening, an interior wall, an exterior wall, and a base;

the outer casing comprises an inner face, an outer face, a top edge, and a bottom edge;

the base cap comprises a platform, an outer rim, and an inner rim;

the top lid comprises an outer lip and a lid opening;

the top lid being positioned atop the base cap;

the inner container and the outer casing being positioned in between the top lid and the base cap;

the inner container being positioned within the outer casing; and

the at least one ornamental article being positioned in between the inner container and the outer casing.

2. The apparatus for decorative container with interchangeable ornamental articles as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the outer rim and the inner rim being positioned on the platform;

the outer rim being perimetrically connected around the platform;

the inner rim being positioned within the outer rim; and

the inner rim being connected to the platform.

3. The apparatus for decorative container with interchangeable ornamental articles as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the base being positioned within the inner rim and on the platform;

the interior wall and the exterior wall being perimetrically connected onto the base;

the exterior wall being adjacently positioned within the inner rim;

the interior wall being positioned within the exterior wall;

the base being permanently connected to the inner rim and the platform; and

the top opening being traversed through the exterior wall and the interior wall.

4. The apparatus for decorative container with interchangeable ornamental articles as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the outer face and the inner face being extended from the top edge to bottom edge;

the top edge and the bottom edge being oppositely positioned from each other along the outer face and the inner face;

the inner face being positioned within the outer face;

the inner face being adjacently positioned with the exterior wall;

the outer face being adjacently positioned within the outer rim;

the outer rim being permanently connected with the outer face; and

the bottom edge being permanently connected with the platform.

5. The apparatus for decorative container with interchangeable ornamental articles as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the gap being positioned in between the exterior wall and the inner face; and

the at least one ornamental article being positioned within the gap.

6. The apparatus for decorative container with interchangeable ornamental articles as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the outer lip being perimetrically connected around the top lid;

the lid opening being traversed through the top lid;

the outer lip being perimetrically positioned around the outer face;

the outer lip being removably attached around the outer face; and

the lid opening being adjacently positioned with the top opening.

7. The apparatus for decorative container with interchangeable ornamental articles as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the top opening comprises a pump dispenser; and

the pump dispenser being hermetically attached with the top opening.

8. An apparatus for decorative container with interchangeable ornamental articles comprises:

an inner container;

an outer casing;

a gap;

a base cap;

a top lid;

at least one ornamental article;

the base cap comprises a platform, an outer rim, and an inner rim;

the top lid comprises an outer lip and a lid opening;

the top lid being positioned atop the base cap;

the inner container being positioned within the outer casing;

the at least one ornamental article being positioned in between the inner container and the outer casing;

the outer rim and the inner rim being positioned on the platform;

the outer rim being perimetrically connected around the platform;

the inner rim being positioned within the outer rim;

the inner rim being connected to the platform;

the base being positioned within the inner rim and on the platform;

the exterior wall being adjacently positioned within the inner rim;

the interior wall being positioned within the exterior wall;

the base being permanently connected to the inner rim and the platform; and

9. The apparatus for decorative container with interchangeable ornamental articles as claimed in claim 8 comprises:

the inner face being positioned within the outer face;

the inner face being adjacently positioned with the exterior wall;

the outer face being adjacently positioned within the outer rim;

the outer rim being permanently connected with the outer face; and

the bottom edge being permanently connected with the platform.

10. The apparatus for decorative container with interchangeable ornamental articles as claimed in claim 8 comprises:

the gap being positioned in between the exterior wall and the inner face; and

the at least one ornamental article being positioned within the gap.

11. The apparatus for decorative container with interchangeable ornamental articles as claimed in claim 8 comprises:

the outer lip being perimetrically connected around the top lid;

the lid opening being traversed through the top lid;

the outer lip being perimetrically positioned around the outer face;

the outer lip being removably attached around the outer face; and

the lid opening being adjacently positioned with the top opening.

12. The apparatus for decorative container with interchangeable ornamental articles as claimed in claim 8 comprises:

the top opening comprises a pump dispenser; and

the pump dispenser being hermetically attached with the top opening.

13. An apparatus for decorative container with interchangeable ornamental articles comprises:

an inner container;

an outer casing;

a gap;

a base cap;

a top lid;

at least one ornamental article;

the base cap comprises a platform, an outer rim, and an inner rim;

the top lid comprises an outer lip and a lid opening;

the top lid being positioned atop the base cap;

the inner container being positioned within the outer casing;

the outer rim and the inner rim being positioned on the platform;

the outer rim being perimetrically connected around the platform;

the inner rim being positioned within the outer rim;

the inner rim being connected to the platform;

the base being positioned within the inner rim and on the platform;

the exterior wall being adjacently positioned within the inner rim;

the interior wall being positioned within the exterior wall;

the base being permanently connected to the inner rim and the platform;

the top opening being traversed through the exterior wall and the interior wall;

the inner face being positioned within the outer face;

the inner face being adjacently positioned with the exterior wall;

the outer face being adjacently positioned within the outer rim;

the outer rim being permanently connected with the outer face;

the bottom edge being permanently connected with the platform;

the gap being positioned in between the exterior wall and the inner face; and

the at least one ornamental article being positioned within the gap.

14. The apparatus for decorative container with interchangeable ornamental articles as claimed in claim 13 comprises:

the outer lip being perimetrically connected around the top lid;

the lid opening being traversed through the top lid;

the outer lip being perimetrically positioned around the outer face;

the outer lip being removably attached around the outer face; and

the lid opening being adjacently positioned with the top opening.

15. The apparatus for decorative container with interchangeable ornamental articles as claimed in claim 13 comprises:

the top opening comprises a pump dispenser; and

the pump dispenser being hermetically attached with the top opening.