Ergonomic, liquid-transport container

• US 6,283,170 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1999
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kaivac Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kaivac Inc.
• Inventors: Robinson, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas, Steven O.
• Application Number:
  US09/405,873
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 141/1, 141/364, 141/311.R, 152/60--64, 222/566, 222/460, 220/735, 220/694
• US Class Current: 141/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/58 Wringers for scouring pads, mops, or the like, combined with buckets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/59 with movable squeezing members
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/225 Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0009 with means mounted on the nozzle; nozzles specially adapted for the recovery of liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0038 with means for emptying the tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0042 Gaskets; Sealing means

Abstract

In one particular version, the particular ergonomic, liquid-transport container 10 includes a container body 12, a projecting lip 14 extending from the front of the container body 12, a support member 16 connected to the top of the container body 12, a lifting lever arm 18 pivotally connected to the sides of the container body 12 adjacent the back of the container body 12, a pair of non-caster wheels 20, 22 connected to the container body 12 adjacent the back, a pair of caster wheels 24, 26 connected to the container body 12 adjacent the front, and a storage compartment 28 extending from the back. The container 10 advantageously may be used in combination with a cleaning-tool wringer 30 and a cleaning tool 32.

Claims

1. A liquid-transport container, comprising:

a container body including a liquid reservoir, a front, and a back;

a projecting lip extending from the front, the projecting lip constructed and arranged to convey a liquid from the liquid reservoir into a receptacle;

a surface extending from the container body and protecting beyond the front, the surface constructed and arranged to contact and pivot about a rim of a receptacle, thereby facilitating the conveyance of a liquid from the liquid reservoir into a receptacle; and

a lever handle connected to the container body, the lever handle constructed and arranged to have adjustable movement and at least one braced position, the one braced position being a position in which the lever handle is restricted from free pivotal movement to the front of the container body when at least a portion of the lever handle extends beyond the back of the container body.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the surface has a width and is substantially planar across the width.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein the surface has an outer end which is at least about two inches from the front of the container body.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein the surface has an outer end, and the surface tapers from the front of the container body to the outer end.

5. The container of claim 1 wherein the container body has an upper end and a lower end, and at least a part of the front of the container body between the projecting lip and the lower end is substantially planar.

6. The container of claim 1 wherein the surface includes a substantially smooth curve.

7. The container of claim 6 wherein the radius of the substantially smooth curve is about one and one-half inch.

8. The container of claim 1 wherein the container includes a projection extending from the front of the container body, the projection having a bottom wall portion and an outer end.

9. The container of claim 8 wherein the front includes a bottom end, the projection bottom wall portion further having an interior surface, the interior surface curving toward the bottom end as the projection bottom wall approaches the front of the container body.

10. The container of claim 9 wherein the projection further includes a first sidewall portion and a second oppositely disposed sidewall portion.

11. The container of claim 10 wherein the container body further includes a first side and a second side, and each of the projection first and second sidewall portions has a sidewall interior surface, the first sidewall interior surface curving toward the first side and the second sidewall interior surface curving toward the second side as the projection first and second sidewalls approach the front of the container body.

12. The container of claim 8 wherein the projection further includes a first sidewall portion and a second oppositely disposed sidewall portion.

13. The container of claim 12 wherein the projection further includes a top wall portion.

14. The container of claim 13 wherein the bottom wall portion tapers from the front of the container body to the outer end of the projection.

15. The container of claim 14 wherein the sidewall portions taper from the front of the container body to the outer end of the projection.

16. The container of claim 8 wherein the projecting lip includes the projection.

17. The container of claim 1 wherein the container body includes a peripheral sidewall, and a peripheral upper end adjacent the peripheral sidewall, the peripheral sidewall having a front, a back, a first side, and a second oppositely-disposed side, the peripheral upper end having an opening which accesses the liquid reservoir and which is adapted to accept a portion of a wringer;

and

a support member extending between, and connected to, the first and second sides, the support member adapted to support an edge of a wringer.

18. The container of claim 17 wherein the support member is spaced from the back of the peripheral sidewall sufficient to support an edge of a wringer when a wringer is positioned adjacent the back of the peripheral sidewall.

19. The container of claim 17 in combination with a wringer.

20. The container of claim 1 wherein the surface includes an exterior surface of the projecting lip.

21. The container of claim 1 wherein the lever handle is pivotally connected to the container body.

22. The container of claim 1 wherein the lever handle is non-integrally connected to the container body.

23. A liquid-transport container, comprising:

a container body including a liquid reservoir, a front, and a back;

a projecting lip extending from the front, the projecting lip constructed and arranged to convey a liquid from the liquid reservoir into a receptacle; and

a lever handle connected to the container body, the lever handle constructed and arranged to have adjustable movement and at least one braced position, the one braced position being a position in which the lever handle is restricted from free pivotal movement to the front of the container body when at least a portion of the lever handle extends beyond the back of the container body.

24. The container of claim 23 wherein the lever handle has an outer end, and the distance between the outer end and the back of the container body is adjustable.

25. The container of claim 23 wherein the lever handle is pivotally connected to the container body.

26. The container of claim 23 wherein the lever handle has an extended position and a non-extended position.

27. A container, comprising:

a container body including a liquid reservoir, a peripheral sidewall, and a peripheral upper end adjacent the peripheral sidewall, the peripheral sidewall having a from and back; and

a projecting lip extending from the front of the peripheral sidewall, the projecting lip having a bottom exterior surface and an outer end,

the peripheral upper end further having a first opening which accesses the liquid reservoir and which is adapted to accept a portion of a wringer,

the peripheral upper end also having a top panel adjacent the back of the peripheral sidewall, the top panel including a second opening, the second opening being positioned between the first opening and the back of the peripheral sidewall, the second opening accessing the liquid reservoir and adapted to receive a liquid fill hose.

28. A container system, comprising:

a container, comprising;

a container body including a liquid reservoir and a front; and

a projecting lip extending from the front of the container body, the projecting lip having a bottom exterior surface and an outer end; and

a wringer including a cleaning-tool stowing assembly comprising a strap having a first end and a second end, the first end being secured to a portion of the wringer, and the second end being releasably securable to an adjacent portion of the wringer.

29. A method of pouring a liquid from a liquid-transport container into a receptacle having a rim, the liquid-transport container comprising:

a container body including a front, a back, and a liquid reservoir having a liquid;

a projecting lip extending from the front, the projecting lip constructed and arranged to convey a liquid from the liquid reservoir into a receptacle;

a surface extending from the container body and projecting beyond the front, the surface constructed and arranged to contact and pivot about a rim of a receptacle, thereby facilitating the conveyance of a liquid from the liquid reservoir into a receptacle; and

a lever handle connected to the container body, the lever handle constructed and arranged to have adjustable movement and at least one breed position, the one braced position being a position in which the lever handle is restricted from free pivotal movement to the front of the container body when at least a portion of the lever handle extends beyond the back of the container body, the method comprising the steps of;

contacting the surface with the rim of the receptacle; and

elevating the back of the container body, thereby pouring at least a portion of the liquid from the liquid reservoir into the receptacle.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the receptacle is a toilet bowl.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein the elevating step includes exerting an upward force on the handle arm.

33. The method of claim 29 wherein the lever handle has an outer end, an extended position, and a non-extended position, with the outer end of the lever handle being further from the back of the container body in the extended position than in the non-extended position, the method further comprising the step of moving the handle to the extended position.

34. The method of claim 29 wherein the container further includes a first wheel and a second wheel, the method further comprising the step of moving the container toward the rim of the receptacle.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the container further includes a third wheel, the moving step including rolling the container toward the rim of the receptacle.

36. The method of claim 29 wherein the container body further includes three wheels, at least one of the wheels being a non-caster wheel, and at least another of the wheels being a caster wheel, the method further comprising the step of rolling the container toward the rim of the receptacle.

37. A liquid-transport container, comprising:

a container body including a liquid reservoir, a front and a back ;

a projecting lip extending from the front, the projecting lip constructed and arranged to convey a liquid from the liquid reservoir into a receptacle;

a surface extending from the container body and projecting beyond the front, the surface constructed and arranged to contact and pivot about a rim of a receptacle wall, thereby facilitating the conveyance of a liquid from the liquid reservoir into a receptacle;

three wheels, at least one of the wheels being a non-caster wheel, and at least another of the wheels being a caster wheel; and

a lever handle connected to the container body, the lever handle constructed and arranged to have movement and at least one braced position, the one braced position being a position being a position in which the lever handle is restricted from free pivotal movement to the front of the container body when at least a portion of the lever handle extends beyond the back of the container body.

31. The method of claim 39 wherein the surface includes a substantially smooth curve.

38. The container of claim 37 further including a fourth wheel.

39. The container of claim 38 wherein two of the wheels are non-caster wheels and two of the wheels are caster wheels.

40. The container of claim 39 wherein the container body includes a back, the two non-caster wheels being positioned near the back of the container body, and the two caster wheels being positioned near the front of the container body.