US20160001924A1

US20160001924A1 - Supply container device

Info

Publication number: US20160001924A1
Application number: US14/322,942
Authority: US
Inventors: Chun Chin Liu
Original assignee: Canamerica LLC
Current assignee: Canamerica LLC
Priority date: 2014-07-03
Filing date: 2014-07-03
Publication date: 2016-01-07

Abstract

A supply container device is provided. The supply container device includes a plurality of containers and at least a connector. Each of the containers includes a neck and a body connected to the neck. The containers are arranged in an N*M array. N and M are a natural number. N is greater than or equal to 1 and M is greater than or equal to 2. The connector is disposed between two adjacent containers.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The instant disclosure relates to a supply container device; in particular, to a supply container device retaining various fluids.
2. Description of Related Art
More than half of the cleaning and care products currently sold in the market such as shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and lotion, are all individually packaged in separate containers. For example, shampoo is typically retained in a dispenser pump bottle, while shower gel is retained in another. Users, specifically female users, possess at least one or more bottle of shampoo, shower gel, conditioner and lotion for hygienic purposes.
Since cleaning and care products are individually packaged in different containers, various cans and bottles of cleaning and care products often occupy large amount of space in places such as a bathroom. In tight spaces, the presence of multiple cans and bottles of cleaning and care products can be a nuisance to the users.
To address the issues introduced, the inventor, having associated experience and research, presents the instant disclosure, which can effectively improve the limitation described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The instant disclosure provides a supply container device including a plurality of containers for retaining two or more kind of liquids.
The instant disclosure provides a supply container device including a plurality of containers and at least one connector. Each container includes a body and a neck. The neck is connected to the body. The containers are arranged in an N by M array. N and M are natural numbers, N is greater than or equal to 1, and M is greater than or equal to 2. One connector is disposed between and connecting two adjacent containers.
In summary, the instant disclosure provides a supply container device including containers and connectors. The containers are arranged in an N by M array. The connectors connect adjacent containers. The supply container device is integrally formed and does not need further cutting, connecting or other post-processing steps. Moreover, the supply container device can retain more than one liquid, in which users can determine the values N and M as needed. The design of the supply container device can reduce amounts of bottles and cans and maximize utility of space as well as user's convenience.
In order to further understand the instant disclosure, the following embodiments and illustrations are provided. However, the detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the disclosure, rather than limiting the scope being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a supply container device in accordance with a first embodiment of the instant disclosure;

FIG. 1B is a top view of the supply container device in accordance with the first embodiment of the instant disclosure;

FIG. 1C is a front view of the supply container device in accordance with the first embodiment of the instant disclosure;

FIG. 1D is a side view of the supply container device in accordance with the first embodiment of the instant disclosure;

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the supply container device in accordance with a second embodiment of the instant disclosure;

FIG. 2B is a top view of the supply container device in accordance with the second embodiment of the instant disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the supply container device in accordance with a third embodiment of the instant disclosure; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the supply container device in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the instant disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a supply container device 1 in accordance with a first embodiment of the instant disclosure. FIG. 1B is a top view of the supply container device 1 in accordance with the first embodiment of the instant disclosure. FIG. 1C is a front view of the supply container device 1 in accordance with the first embodiment of the instant disclosure. FIG. 1D is a side view of the supply container device 1 in accordance with the first embodiment of the instant disclosure. Please refer to FIGS. 1A and 1B. The supply container device 1 includes a plurality of containers 10 and a plurality of connectors 20.
As shown in FIG. 1A, the containers 10 of the supply container device 1 are actually arranged in a N by M array, where N and M are natural numbers, and N is greater or equal to 1, whereas M is greater or equal to 2. In the instant embodiment, N is defined as the number of containers 10 arranged across each row, whereas M is defined as the number of containers 10 arranged down each column. In the case of twelve containers 10, the array arrangement is 2 by 6. However, the instant disclosure is not limited to the example provided herein as long as the containers of the supply container device has an arrangement of 1 by 2 array (in other words, satisfying the conditions of N greater than or equal to 1 and M greater than or equal to 2). As shown in FIG. 1B, a connector 20 is used to connect between every two adjacent containers 10.
As shown in FIG. 1A, the container 10 includes a body 110, a shoulder 120 and a neck 130. The shoulder 120 is arranged between the body 110 and the neck 130 in order to connect the body 110 with the neck 130. The shoulder 120 has cross-sectional areas that reduce from the body 110 towards the neck 130. Please refer to FIGS. 1B, 1C and 1D. The body 110 includes a bottom surface 112 and a side outer surface 114. The side outer surface 114 is connected to the bottom surface 112 to form a retaining space. In the instant embodiment, the bottom surface 112 resembles a rectangular shape. When the side outer surface 114 is connected to the bottom surface 112, a rectangular parallelepiped body 110 is formed. Notably, in another embodiment, the bottom surface can be of circular, elliptical, or triangular shape, whereas the side surface is connected to the edges of whichever the shape of the bottom surface in order to respectively form a body resembling a cylinder, an elliptical cylinder, or a prism. However, the shape of the body is not limited to the examples provided herein.
Specifically, the side outer surface 114 surrounding the bottom surface 112 has four side surfaces 114 a, 114 b, 114 c, and 114 d. As shown in FIG. 1B, the side surfaces 114 a, 114 c are oppositely arranged from each other and the side surfaces 114 b, 114 d are also oppositely arranged from each other. The side surfaces 114 a, 114 c are substantially the surfaces of the rectangular body 110 having larger surface areas compared to the relatively smaller surface areas of the side surfaces 114 b, 114 d.
As shown in FIG. 1B, the supply container device 1 in the instant embodiment is arranged in an array of two containers 10 per row by six containers 10 per column. The containers 10 arranged across a row are basically a side surface 114 b of a container 10 that corresponds to another side surface 114 d of another container 10. Moreover, the containers 10 arranged down a column are basically a side surface 114 a of a container 10 that corresponds to another side surface 114 c of another container 10
Furthermore, the connectors 20 can also include connectors 20 a, and connectors 20 b. Please refer to FIGS. 1B and 1C. The connectors 20 a are for connecting containers 10 that are arranged across a row. Since the containers 10 arranged across a row are basically a side surface 114 b of a container 10 that corresponds to another side surface 114 d of another container 10, the connector 20 a connects the side surface 114 b of a container 10 corresponding to another side surface 114 d of another container 10. Please refer to FIGS. 1B and 1D. The connectors 20 b are for connecting containers 10 arranged down a column. Since the containers 10 arranged down a column are basically a side surface 114 a of a container 10 corresponding to another side surface 114 c of another container 10, the connector 20 b connects the side surface 114 a of a container 10 to another side surface 114 c of another container 10.
As shown in FIG. 1B, the connectors 20 a, 20 b are thin pieces of connecting plates. Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 1C and 1D, the connectors 20 a, 20 b substantially extend from a portion between the body 110 and the shoulder 120 to a portion between the side outer surface 114 and the bottom surface 112. However, dimensions, length of the extensions, and connecting modes of the connectors 20 a, 20 b are not limited hereto.
Each container 10 can be used to retain a liquid. In other words, the supply container device 1 of the instant embodiment can retain more than one liquid. In fact, the supply container device 1 can retain 12 different kinds of liquids. In the instant embodiment, the liquids can be cleaning products, care products such as shampoos, shower gels, face washes, conditioners or even lotions. The supply container device 1 can be placed in a bathroom to reduce the amount of bottles therein, while increasing the available space in the bathroom as well as providing convenience to users. However, in other embodiments, the supply container device can also be used to retain food products such as soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, rice wine, or even honey in a kitchen setting.
In FIG. 1C, the neck 130 includes a screw thread 132. The supply container device 1 can include an output head (not shown in figures). The output head is screwed onto the neck 130 for assembly. Specifically, the output head has an inner side surface that has an inner screw thread conforming to the screw thread 132 arranged on the neck 130, so that the output head can be securely screwed onto the neck 130. However, the instant disclosure is not limited to the example provided herein. In another embodiment, the output head can also be transitionally fit, locked, or coupled onto the neck 130 via other mechanisms. In the instant embodiment, the output head is a dispenser pump that a user can use to extract liquids from the container 10.
In the instant embodiment, portions intersecting the body 110, the shoulder 120, and the neck 130 are rounded off at the corners. Not only is container 10 aesthetically pleasing, the container 10 also provides safety and reduces the chances of injuries from sharp corners. Moreover, each container 10 can have different colors to provide easy identification between the different containers 10, such that users can avoid and reduce the chance of using the undesired fluids.
Notably, the supply container device 1 of the instant embodiment is made of plastic via injection molding. The plastic materials are injected under high pressure into a mold, and then removed from the mold in order to create the supply container device 1. The design of the mold is dependent on users' needs and requirements. The supply container devices 1 removed from the mold do not need further post-processing work such as cutting or connecting. In other words, the containers 10 and the connectors 20 are integrally formed.
FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the supply container device 1′ in accordance with a second embodiment of the instant disclosure. FIG. 2B is a top view of the supply container device 1′ in accordance with the second embodiment of the instant disclosure. Please refer to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the instant embodiment is similar to the previous embodiment in that the supply container device 1′ of the instant embodiment includes a plurality of containers 10 and a plurality of connectors 20 b. Each container 10 includes a body 110, a shoulder 120, and a neck 130. The containers 10 in the instant embodiment are substantially identical to that of the previous embodiment.
Please refer to FIGS. 2A and 2B. The containers 10 of the supply container device 1′ in the instant embodiment differ from the previous embodiment in that the arrangement of the container array is 1 by 6. A total of six containers 10 are in this instant embodiment, in which only one container 10 is in one row and six containers 10 is arranged down a column. In addition, only containers 10 along the column are connected.
Specifically, the containers 10 arranged down a column are basically a side surface 114 a of a container 10 corresponding to another side surface 114 c of another container 10. The connector 20 b connects the side surface 114 a of a container 10 to another side surface 114 c of another container 10. Moreover, since six containers 10 are provided, six different kinds of fluids can be retained in the supply container device 1′.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the supply container device 1″ in accordance with a third embodiment of the instant disclosure. Please refer to FIG. 3. The supply container device 1″ includes containers 10 and connectors 20. The containers 10 in the instant embodiment are substantially the same as the containers 10 in the first embodiment.
However, the instant embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a total of six containers 10 of supply container device 1″ are arranged in a 2 by 3 array. In other words, each row has two containers 10, and each column has three containers 10. The connecting manner of the connectors are similar to that in the first embodiment, thus are not disclosed herein. Moreover, since six containers 10 are in total, six different kinds of liquids can be retained by the supply container device 1″.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the supply container device 1′ in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the instant disclosure. Please refer to FIG. 4. The supply container device 1′ is similar to that of the second embodiment. The supply container device 1′ includes containers 10 and connectors 20. The containers 10 in the instant embodiment are substantially the same as the containers 10 in the second embodiment.
However, the instant embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that the containers 10 of supply container device 1′ are arranged in a 1 by 2 array. A total of two containers 10 are included in the instance embodiment, in which each row has one container 10, and each column has two containers 10. The connecting manner of the connectors are similar to that in the second embodiment, thus are not disclosed herein. Moreover, since two containers 10 are in total, two different kinds of liquids can be retained by the supply container device 1′.
In summary, the instant disclosure provides a supply container device including containers and connectors. The containers are arranged in an N by M array. The connectors connect adjacent containers. The supply container device is integrally formed and does not need further cutting, connecting or other post-processing steps. Moreover, the supply container device can retain more than one liquid, in which users can determine the values of N and M as needed. The design of the supply container device can reduce amounts of bottles and cans and maximize utility of space as well as user's convenience.
The figures and descriptions supra set forth illustrated the preferred embodiments of the instant disclosure; however, the characteristics of the instant disclosure are by no means restricted thereto. All changes, alternations, combinations or modifications conveniently considered by those skilled in the art are deemed to be encompassed within the scope of the instant disclosure delineated by the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A supply container device, comprising:

a plurality of containers, each container including a body and a neck, the neck connected to the body, the containers arranged in an N by M array; wherein N and M are natural numbers, N is greater than or equal to 1 and M is greater than or equal to 2; and

at least one connector disposed between two adjacent containers and connecting the containers;

2. The supply container device as recited in claim 1, wherein each body includes a bottom surface and a side outer surface, the side outer surface is connected to the bottom surface, and the connector connects side surfaces of two adjacent containers.

3. The supply container device as recited in claim 2, wherein the body resembles a rectangular parallelepiped.

4. The supply container device as recited in claim 1, wherein the container includes a shoulder, the shoulder is arranged between and connecting the body and the neck, the shoulder has cross-section areas reducing from the body towards the neck.

5. The supply container device as recited in claim 1, wherein the neck has screw threads arranged thereon.

6. The supply container device as recited in claim 1, wherein the container device further comprising:

a plurality of output heads; wherein each output head is arranged on a neck.

7. The supply container device as recited in claim 6, wherein the output head is a dispenser pump.

8. The supply container device as recited in claim 1, wherein one of the containers has a different color from another container.

9. The supply container device as recited in claim 1, wherein the containers and the connector are integrally formed.