Abstract
A banana crown cover is engageable to a banana bunch for extending the shelf life of the bananas in the banana bunch. An interior cavity of a body of the crown cover is surrounded by a sidewall of elastomer material. An annular ring, formed of elastomer material, forms a seal around said banana bunch when the crown of the banana bunch is positioned into the interior cavity and protects it from communication of gases to the crown, which cause ripening.
Claims
1. A banana crown cover, comprising: a body, said body formed of elastomer material; said body having a sidewall surrounding an interior cavity of said body; said sidewall extending between an opening at a first end of said body, to a second end of said body, said opening communicating with said interior cavity; a first annular ring formed of said elastomer material, said first annular ring positioned on said sidewall and surrounding said opening; said body engageable to a banana bunch to an engaged position, by positioning a crown end of a banana bunch within said interior cavity; said first annular ring forming a first seal encircling around said banana bunch with said body in said engaged position; and whereby said first seal forms a barrier to prevent passage of air or gas through said opening to said crown portion of said banana bunch, thereby elongating a period of ripening of bananas in said banana bunch.
2. The banana crown cover of claim 1, additionally comprising: a second annular ring formed of said elastomer material, said second annular ring positioned on said sidewall across a gap from said first annular ring; and said second annular ring forming a second seal encircling around said banana bunch with said body in said engaged position.
3. The banana crown cover of claim 1, additionally comprising: an endwall positioned at said second end of said body in a connection with said endwall; and a connector extending from said endwall, said connector engageable with a hook to hold said body in said engaged position with a banana bunch elevated.
4. The banana crown cover of claim 2, additionally comprising: an endwall positioned at said second end of said body in a connection with said endwall; and a connector extending from said endwall, said connector engageable with a hook to hold said body in said engaged position with a banana bunch elevated.
5. The banana crown cover of claim 1, additionally comprising: an endwall positioned at said second end of said body in a connection with said endwall; a magnet connected to said endwall; a cap, said cap having an engaged position engaged around said second end of said body; said cap having a magnetically attractive component; and a magnetic attraction between said magnet and said magnetically attractive component, forming a magnetic engagement to hold said cap in said engaged position around said second end of said body.
6. The banana crown cover of claim 2, additionally comprising: an endwall positioned at said second end of said body in a connection with said endwall; a magnet connected to said endwall; a cap, said cap having an engaged position engaged around said second end of said body; said cap having a magnetically attractive component; and a magnetic attraction between said magnet and said magnetically attractive component, forming a magnetic engagement to hold said cap in said engaged position around said second end of said body.
7. The banana crown cover of claim 5, additionally comprising: a day indicator positioned upon said cap; said day indicator having indicia thereon defining a visually discernable day identifier identifying a day of engagement of said body to said banana bunch.
8. The banana crown cover of claim 6, additionally comprising: a day indicator positioned upon said cap; said day indicator having indicia thereon defining a visually discernable day identifier identifying a day of engagement of said body to said banana bunch.
9. The banana crown cover of claim 1 wherein said first annular ring is formed as a portion of said sidewall in a unitary structure with said sidewall.
10. The banana crown cover of claim 2 wherein said first annular ring is formed as a first portion of said sidewall in a unitary structure with said sidewall and said second annular ring is formed as a second portion of said sidewall in a unitary structure therewith.
11. The banana crown cover of claim 5 wherein said first annular ring is formed as a portion of said sidewall in a unitary structure with said sidewall.
12. The banana crown cover of claim 6 wherein said first annular ring is formed as a first portion of said sidewall in a unitary structure with said sidewall and said second annular ring is formed as a second portion of said sidewall in a unitary structure therewith.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES
[0027] The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of this invention.
[0028] FIG. 1 depicts an exploded view of the device and system herein showing an elastomer body of the device having an opening at a first end stretched to engage over and form a biased encircled seal upon the crown of a bunch of bananas.
[0029] FIG. 2 shows the device depicted in FIG. 1 operatively engaged over the crown portion of a banana bunch and showing an elastic elastomer portion of the body adjacent the opening at the first end in a biased encircled compressed engagement on the exterior circumference thereof.
[0030] FIG. 3 shows a mode of the device, as in FIGS. 1-2, with a connector extending from an endwall at the second end of the body which is adapted to engage with a support to hold the banana bunch suspended over a support surface.
[0031] FIG. 4 shows another mode of the device which employs a foldable engagement of a first and second body portion to form the sealed cavity encircling the crown portion of the banana bunch and also showing a connector for the whimsical cap, which may be used to hold the engaged bunch elevated.
[0032] FIG. 5 depicts a side view of the device, similar to that of FIGS. 1-3, showing the sidewall extending from an opening at the first end which is surrounded by a first ring, to the endwall which has a magnet affixed thereto.
[0033] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the device, as in FIG. 5, showing two recesses formed into the exterior of the endwall where a clip holding a magnet can engage to the body.
[0034] FIG. 7 shows the device as in FIGS. 5-6 operatively engaged to the crown portion of a bunch of bananas where the first ring formed a biased contact with the bunch of bananas thereby sealing the crown within the internal cavity of the body.
[0035] FIG. 8 shows the device in a fashion similar to that of FIG. 5-7 but where a second annular ring is positioned adjacent to the first ring surrounding the opening.
[0036] FIG. 9 is a sectional view through the device of FIG. 8.
[0037] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the device of FIGS. 8-9 showing the first ring surrounding the opening into the interior cavity and showing the second annular ring adjacent and running parallel thereto.
[0038] FIG. 11 depicts the device of FIGS. 8-10 operatively engaged with the crown end of a bunch of bananas wherein a first biased encircling compressive seal is formed by the first annular ring and a second biased encircling compressive seal is formed adjacent thereto, thereby forming a double seal on the crown end.
[0039] FIG. 12 shows the engageable cap, which may be from a kit of seven caps bearing indicia identifying a day the device has been engaged to the bunch of bananas, which is magnetically attachable to the second end of the body.
[0040] FIG. 13 shows the device as in FIG. 12 with the cap magnetically connected to the body of the device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0041] In this detailed description, the directional prepositions of up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms refer to the device as it is oriented and appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only. Any such terms are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation.
[0042] Referring now to the banana bunch engageable device 10, herein shown in the depictions of FIGS. 1-13, there is shown in FIG. 1 an exploded view of one favored mode of the device 10 and system herein. As shown, the device 10 includes an elastomer body 18 of the device 10 which is adapted to be pulled to a stretched configuration which, once released, will engage over and seal upon the crown 14 of a bunch of bananas 16.
[0043] In FIG. 2 is shown the device 10 depicted in FIG. 1, which has been positioned to an operative engagement over the crown portion of a bunch of bananas 16. As shown in FIG. 1, the body 18 of the device 10 has a shape defined by a sidewall 19 extending from a first end of the body 18 where an opening 21 is positioned for insertion of the crown 14 of a banana bunch into an interior cavity 25 of the body 18 of the device 10. This sidewall 19 surrounds and defines the interior cavity 25.
[0044] At the first end of the body 18 is preferably located a first annular ring 20 portion of the body 18 which is formed of the same elastomer material as the body 18 as part of the sidewall 19. The first annular ring 20 is located at or adjacent the edge of the sidewall surrounding the opening 21 into the interior cavity 25. Such can be seen in the sectional view of FIG. 9 which shows this first annular ring 20 formed of elastomer material. If formed as part of or integral to the sidewall 19, the diameter of the elastomer material forming the first annular ring 20 is substantially at least 25% thicker than the material forming the sidewall 19. This forms the first annular ring 20 with thicker elastomer material which has significantly more biasing force when contracting once stretched around the crown 14 and banana bunch. This enhances the formed biased encircled first seal on either the surface of the crown 14 or on the bananas where they engage with the crown 14.
[0045] Insertion of the crown 14 into the interior cavity 25 as shown in FIG. 2-3, positions the first ring 20 stretched around and compressing on the exterior surface of the banana bunch either on a portion of the crown 14 or on the surfaces of the bananas adjacent to where they connect to the crown.
[0046] This biased contact of the first ring 20, circumferentially around the bananas connected to the crown 14, forms a first seal and prevents or slows ripening gases from communicating to the crown 14 which is located within the interior cavity 25 surrounded by the air impervious elastomer sidewall 19 and protected from surrounding air and gas intrusion into the interior cavity 25 by the sidewall 19 and the first seal formed by the first ring 20 forming the encircling of the bananas and or crown 14. This isolates the crown 14 within the interior cavity 25 from any air or gases in the atmosphere surrounding the body 18. By stretched biased engagement is meant herein that the elastomer material forming the first ring 20 or a second ring 24, as shown below, has been stretched and elongated from its unstretched or static size, such as shown in FIG. 1, and allowed to contract and then biasly contact around the exterior surface of the crown 14 or multiple bananas 16 connected to the crown, which has a circumference or contact surface therearound, which is of a size or distance larger than the static or unstretched size. Such a first stretched biased engagement can be seen in FIGS. 2-3.
[0047] In addition to forming a first seal around the banana bunch or the crown 14, this first stretched biased engagement is favored as a means for the body 18 to grip a bunch of bananas 18 securely. So engaged, the bunch of bananas may be held elevated as described herein with the body 18 of the device 10 gripping it at the first stretched biased engagement, and a connector 22 positioned on the body 18 at the second end thereof, positioned on a mount such as a hook or the like.
[0048] Shown in FIG. 3 is a mode of the device 10 as in FIGS. 1-2 with the addition of such a connector 22. This connector 22 is positioned, as noted, in an engagement with the body 18 at the second end of the body of the device 10 opposite the opening 21 surrounded by the first annular ring 20. As noted, this connector 22 is preferred to allow the device 10 to engage with a support to hold the bunch of bananas 16 suspended over a support surface.
[0049] In FIG. 4 is depicted another mode of the device 10 which is structured and functions differently from the device 10 of FIGS. 1-3 and 5-13 herein. As shown, the sealed interior cavity is formed by a planar sheet of elastomer material 26 which may be formed into a cap which is slid over the crown 14 or may be in its planar shape and folded over or stretched and wrapped around the crown 14. This mode allows users to engage the elastomer material 26 to the crown 14 to form a seal therearound to prevent gases from reaching the crown 14.
[0050] With the crown 14 positioned against a surface of the planar elastomer material 26, a first body portion 28 is engaged to a second body portion 30 by folding the elastomer material and engaging cooperative connectors 32 located on the two body portions. This removable engagement of the two body portions to each other will hold the planar elastomer material 26 wrapped around the crown 14 in a first stretched biased engagement therearound, to eliminate or significantly reduce the amount of ripening gases communicated thereto.
[0051] Also shown in FIG. 4 is an engageable cover or cap 34 which connects over a mount 36. The cap 34 may be formed of or have elastomeric material therein to biasly engage over the post 36. So engaged, the cap 34 may be colorized or have other indicia thereon to define a visually discernable day identifier which informs users of the day of the engagement of the device 10 and, thus, an age of the bunch of bananas 16 so engaged. A connector 22 may be positioned on the cap 34 as shown.
[0052] In FIGS. 5-6 is depicted side and perspective views of the device 10 similar to that of FIGS. 1-3, showing the sidewall 19 defining the shape and size of the body 18, extending from an opening 21 at the first end. At the distal edge of the sidewall 19, which defines the opening 21 at the first end of the body 18, is positioned an elastomeric first ring 20. As noted, this first ring 20, when in a stretched biased engagement around the crown 14 or the bananas 16 adjacent their connection to the crown 14, forms a first seal to prevent air and gas from the surrounding atmosphere from reaching the crown 14, which will be held within the interior cavity 25 of the body 18.
[0053] Also shown is an endwall 38 of the body 18 which is positioned at the second end of the body 18. In a preferred mode of the device 10, a magnet 40 is in an engagement to the endwall 38. As shown in FIG. 5, this engagement may be with adhesive to the endwall or another connection, such as a screw or rivet. In FIG. 6, the magnet 40 is positioned on a clip 42 which connects within recesses 44 formed in the endwall 38. As in all modes the body 18 including the sidewall 19 and endwall 38 are formed of an elastomeric material which will not pass liquid or air therethrough, thereby forming the interior cavity 25 within the endwall 38 and sidewall 19, which is separated from the air in the surrounding atmosphere, as well as gases which, if communicated to the crown 14, will cause the ripening of the bananas 16.
[0054] The magnet 40, shown in multiple figures herein, can be employed to hang the body 18 from a magnetically attractive hook or surface, to also hang the bananas which are held in removable engagement to the body 18 by the first stretched biased engagement within the first ring 20. Additionally, the magnet 40 can be employed to hold the removable cap 34 on the second end of the body 18 which, as noted, provides color or lettering or other indicia as a visually discernable day identifier as to the day the device 10 was engaged to bananas 16.
[0055] FIG. 7 shows the device 10, as in FIGS. 5-6, where the body 18 is operatively engaged to position the crown 14 portion of a bunch of bananas 16 sealed within the interior cavity 25 (FIG. 9). As shown, a first ring 20 is positioned to surround the edge of the sidewall 19 where it intersects and defines the opening where the first ring formed a biased contact with the bunch of bananas thereby sealing the crown within the internal cavity of the body.
[0056] FIG. 8 shows the device 10 in a fashion similar to that of FIG. 5-7 but where a second annular ring 24 is positioned upon the sidewall 19 across a gap 45 from the first annular ring 20. As with the first annular ring 20, the second annular ring 24 is preferably formed as part of the sidewall 38 of the same elastomeric material. As with the first annular ring 20, the second annular ring 24 is at least 25 percent thicker in diameter than the diameter of the sidewall 38 which can best be seen in the sectional view of FIG. 9. The second annular ring 20 will stretch and contract in the same fashion as the first annular ring 20 and allow the opening 21 to be stretched to position the banana crown 14 within the interior cavity 25. Thereafter, the force to stretch the first annular ring 20 and second annular ring 24 is relaxed and both rings contract toward their unstretched or static sizes. Once contracted, the first annular ring 20 forms the first stretched biased engagement around the bananas 16 and/or crown 14 to form a first seal, and the second annular ring 20 contracts to form a second stretched biased engagement around the bananas 16 and/or the crown 14 and forms a second seal to keep surrounding air from reaching the crown 14 within the interior cavity 25.
[0057] FIG. 9 shows a sectional view through the device 10 of FIG. 8 and more clearly shows the first ring 20 formed at the intersection of the sidewall 19 with the opening 21 and showing the second ring 24 positioned across a gap 45 from the first ring 20. As can be seen, the first ring 20 and second ring 24 are formed as a unitary structure with the sidewall 19 of the body 18, and each is at least 25% wider than the diameter of the sidewall, to thereby provide increased bias, when stretched, and increased bias in contact against and around the crown 14 and bananas 16 connected to it, at the first seal and second seal.
[0058] Shown in FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the device 10 of FIG. 8-9 showing the body 18 defined by the shape of the sidewall 19. Also shown is the opening 21 which has a diameter D which could be eliminated but currently is at least inch. Forming the diameter with a slight gap between the sidewall 19 and first ring 20 makes it easier for the user to be able to insert the crown 14 through the opening 21 and into the interior cavity 25 by pulling on the sidewall or first ring 20 while pushing the crown 14 through the opening. Once the crown 14 is pushed past the second ring 24, it forms the second seal around the crown 14 or the bananas connected to it, and the first ring 20 forms the first seal across the gap 45.
[0059] FIG. 11 shows the device 10 of FIGS. 8-10 operatively engaged with the crown end of a bunch of bananas 16 wherein a first biased encircling compressive seal is formed by the first annular ring 20, and a second biased encircling compressive seal is formed on the banana bunch adjacent thereto across the gap 45 therebetween. In this mode, the two seals provide additional protection from ripening gases reaching into the interior cavity 25. Also shown in FIG. 11 is the magnet 40, which is in an engagement to the endwall 38 and, as noted, is used to hold a cap 34 on the body 18 to identify the day of insertion and can be used to hold the device 10 to a magnetically attractive surface, such as a hook or planar piece of ferrous metal.
[0060] Shown in FIG. 12 is the magnetically engageable cap 34, which has a magnetically attractive section 48 therein which will hold the cap 34 on the body 18 through magnetic attraction. Also shown is day identification indicia 50 on the cap 34 which identifies the first day the body 18 was engaged to the bananas. This may be alphanumeric, as shown, or formed by colors or other indicia identifying days. The cap 34 engaged to the body 18 is shown in FIG. 13.
[0061] While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the banana bunch engageable preservation system have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations and substitutions are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.
