WO2009008692A2 - Attachable spherical container - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention concerns an attachable spherical container, as used in toy-dispensing machines, comprising two hollow hemispheres which on joining form a spherical container specifically used for storing in the interior thereof at least one deflated ball characterised in that the joining of said hemispheres is achieved by means of: at least two 'male' connectors and at least two 'female' connectors radially and equidistantly distributed, and positioned on the inside of each hemisphere. Said attachable spherical container can be assembled by means of the hollow hemispheres, using inner rabbets located in the inner perimeter of each hemisphere which join under pressure to ensure closure. The attachable spherical container as per the present invention can also take ovoid or egg-shaped forms.

Description

 "COUPLABLE SPHERICAL CONTAINER"

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention has its technical field in mechanics because it specifically provides a novel spherical attachable container for deflated balls of those used in toy vending machines.

BACKGROUND

In the state of the art there is technology from Spain U 200101994 Ia which describes a globular container for vending machines, of the type consisting of two approximately equal capsules that define an internal storage space of an article, such as a surprise gift, and removably coupled by its embouchure sector characterized in that in said region of mouth and internally one of the two capsules has a recessed annular band, delimited at its start by a circumferential profile or bead and the second capsule has an extension according to a annular development partition and diameter smaller than the outside of the region of said hemispherical capsule from which said partition starts, which is capable of engaging, fitting into the said recessed band and because on the outer wall of said partition exists a plurality of nerves perpendicular to the edge of the mouth that provide an aj you temporarily between the two capsules prior to a firmer subsequent union, and that allows its transport as a unit. It should be added that the globular container is characterized in that at least one of the two capsules has an access groove.

On the other hand there is technology from Spain U 8903134 Ia which describes a spherical container, which being of the type that is constituted by two hemispherical cups, preferably of a plastic and transparent nature, especially characterized by the fact that one of said semi-spherical cups incorporates an external perimeter recess in correspondence with its mouthpiece, while the other also incorporates in correspondence with its mouthpiece in complementary internal perimeter recess of the previous one, the first bowl and its external recess having been provided to incorporate a nerve, as if same, perimeter and preferably in half round or similar, while the other bowl incorporates in its internal recess and near its free edge a slight thickening, of diameter slightly interior to the maximum diameter of the perimeter nerve of the other bowl and must be exceeded under pressure by this last nerve in the closing maneuver.

We can also find in the United States of America US 2006/0254945 A1 a spherical container with a spherical base and lid, which are joined by means of a thread that allows both parts to be joined prevent the content from coming out.

Also within the scope of technology, but now within the packaging for balls there are those of the red or Mayan type of plastic (Spanish Technology No. Public. 1051449, Public No. 1051450 and Public No. 2220168) and cardboard in which the ball is inserted inside.

Some of the drawback that exists in the technology described above refers precisely to the fact that there was no exclusive container for deflated balls, much less an attachable spherical container without grooves or edges for use in vending machines because the use of these machines requires precisely that there are no grooves or edges that prevent or block its exit to the outside of the machine when it is used by the consumer.

Among the products that are sold in vending machines, you can find rigid or solid and small-sized balls because precisely because of their consistency, the mechanism used in this type of machines does not allow to introduce any other type of balls that do not be of these characteristics.

Also another of the disadvantages of the packages that exist in the technology and that are used for the balls is that they must be packed inflated so that this translates into high volumes of product to be stored and transported. Currently, if any consumer wanted to buy one or several deflated balls, he would have the disadvantage of not being able to do directly with the retail seller (self-service store, toy store) and on the contrary he would have to go directly with the wholesale manufacturer that produces and sells them exclusively in wholesale, so that it is sold in that state. Normally the manufacturers of balls do not sell their products to the final consumers and to their customers they deliver from the factory the already inflated balls and ready to be sold to the final consumer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The characteristic details of this novel attachable spherical container for deflated balls are clearly shown in the following description and in the accompanying drawings and as well as an illustration thereof and following the same spherical attachable container to indicate the parts and figures shown.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the open spherical coupling open with the deflated ball removed from the inside. Figure 2 illustrates a front view of the spherical vessel attachable with a deflated ball inside. Figure 3 is a top view of the spherical vessel attachable with a deflated ball inside.

Figure 4 is a conventional perspective view of the spherical attachable vessel.

With reference to said figures, the spherical attachable container is composed of:

A) A pair of half hollow spheres 1, which when coupled form a spherical container inside it that is used to specifically store at least one ball 4, of deflated plastic. The coupling form of said half spheres 1 is carried out by means of at least two "male" connectors 2, and at least two "female" connectors 3, radially distributed and equidistant located inside each half sphere 1. Another way of coupling the hollow half spheres 1, is by means of internal recesses located in the inner perimeter of each half sphere 1, which are embossed under pressure to ensure its closure.

The novel spherical attachable container for deflated balls of those used in the toy vending machines that the invention proposes has been designed precisely to solve this problem existing so far in the market.

On the one hand, by using the spherical coupling that can be attached to a deflated ball, it allows storing and transporting deflated balls in a much more efficient way, utilizing to the maximum the space that in terms of packaging and transport can represent a significant cost. On the other hand, using the spherical attachable container allows manufacturers or sellers of balls to deflately sell a ball to the final consumer that so requires it and allows them to store and / or display plastic balls in stores using very little space. Last but not least, using this type of spherical attachable container opens a new marketing system for inflatable plastic balls through vending machines, because the products that are sold through the vending machines need to be packed in a special way so that this sales system can operate efficiently .

Claims

CLAIMS Having described my invention sufficiently, I consider it a novelty and therefore I claim as my exclusive property contained in the following clauses. 1.- Canister spherical coupling of the compounds by two hollow half spheres that when coupled form a spherical container used to store inside at least one deflated ball characterized in that the coupling of said half spheres is carried out by means of: at least two "male" connectors and at least two "female" connectors radially distributed and equidistant from each other, located inside each half sphere. 2 - Spherical receptacle can be coupled according to clause 1 characterized in that the coupling of the hollow half spheres is through internal recesses located in the inner perimeter of each half sphere which are pressed together to ensure their closure. 3.- Attachable spherical container according to clauses 1 and 2 characterized in that the spherical shape can be replaced by an ovoid shape. A - Attachable spherical container according to clauses 1 and 2 characterized in that the spherical shape can be replaced by an egg shape.