CONTAINER WITH SUPPORT MEANS

Abstract

A container configured to be received in a vehicle cup holder is provided, the container including: a body portion defining an internal compartment, the body portion including a closed bottom end and an open top end; and a cover portion configured to cover the open top end of the body portion, the cover portion including an aperture configured to access the internal compartment of the body portion, and a support configured to support one or more consumer articles on an outer surface of the cover portion, the support including at least one recessed portion configured to receive one or more consumer articles, the at least one recessed portion being defined by two parallel upwardly projecting plates disposed on the cover portion.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A container configured to be received in a vehicle cup holder, the container comprising: a body portion defining an internal compartment, the body portion comprising a closed bottom end and an open top end; and a cover portion configured to cover the open top end of the body portion, wherein the cover portion comprises an aperture configured to access the internal compartment of the body portion, and support means for supporting one or more consumer articles on an outer surface of the cover portion, the support means comprising at least one recessed portion configured to receive the one or more consumer articles, the at least one recessed portion being defined by two parallel upwardly projecting plates disposed on the cover portion.

17. The container according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the two parallel upwardly projecting plates has an arc-shaped circumferential edge.

18. The container according to claim 16, wherein the at least one recessed portion comprises a cross section configured to match an external transverse cross section of a consumer article.

19. The container according to claim 16, wherein the support means further comprise at least one elongate channel.

20. The container according to claim 19, wherein at least a portion of the outer surface of the cover portion adjacent to the support means is corrugated into a series of parallel ridges and grooves.

21. The container according to claim 16, wherein the two parallel upwardly projecting plates are integrally formed with the cover portion.

22. The container according to claim 16, wherein both of the two parallel upwardly projecting plates have an arc-shaped circumferential edge.

23. The container according to claim 16, wherein a height of the two parallel upwardly projecting plates is between 5 mm and 50 mm.

24. The container according to claim 16, wherein the cover portion further comprises a funnel extending from the aperture into the internal compartment of the body portion.

25. The container according to claim 16, wherein the cover portion further comprises a lid, the lid being movable between a first position in which the lid covers the aperture, and a second position in which the internal compartment is accessible through the aperture, and wherein the lid is hingedly connected to the cover portion.

26. The container according to claim 25, wherein a distance between the two parallel upwardly projecting plates is between 10 mm and 25 mm.

27. The container according to claim 16, wherein the cover portion is removably connected to the body portion.

28. The container according to claim 16, wherein an inner surface of the cover portion, opposite the outer surface, comprises a gasket configured to engage with an inner face of the open top end of the body portion such that the cover portion is retained on the body portion.

29. The container according to claim 16, wherein the body portion is tapered, such that a diameter of the body portion decreases from the open top end to the bottom end.

30. The container according to claim 16, wherein the one or more consumer articles comprise one or more of an aerosol-generating article, an aerosol-generating device, and a packet of aerosol-generating articles.

Description

FIGURES

[0053] FIG. 1a is a perspective view of a container according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] FIG. 1b is a side view of the container of FIG. 1a;

[0055] FIG. 1c is a side view of the container of FIG. 1a with a funnel on the cover portion;

[0056] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a container according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a container according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a container according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0059] FIG. 5a is a perspective view of a container according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

[0060] FIG. 5b is a side view of the container of FIG. 5a in position in a cup-holder of a vehicle;

[0061] FIGS. 1a and 1b show a container 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The container 1 is formed of a body portion 2 and a cover portion 3. The body portion 2 is formed of a cylindrical side wall 13 with a circular cross section. The side wall 13 tapers at the bottom end 12. The side wall 13 connects to a base or bottom end wall (not shown) at the bottom end 12. At the top end 14 of the side wall 13, the termination of the side wall 13 defines a circular opening 16.

[0062] The cover portion 3 is a flat, circular, cover. The cover portion 3 has an outer surface 11 and an inner surface 17 opposite the outer surface 11. The inner surface 17 is exposed to the internal compartment of the body portion 2 when the cover portion 3 is located on the body portion 2. The cover portion 3 is shaped such that the periphery of the inner surface 17 engages with the termination of the side walls 13 that define the circular opening 16. When the cover portion 3 is located over the circular opening 16, the cover portion 3 seals the internal compartment of the body portion. The inner surface 17 of the cover portion 3 includes a gasket 15 extending around the inner surface 17, set inwards from the edge of the cover portion 3. When the cover portion 3 is positioned over the body portion 2, the gasket 15 engages with the inner face 18 of the side wall 13.

[0063] The outer surface 11 of the cover portion 3 includes supporting means 4. In the first embodiment, the supporting means 4 is in the form of two, parallel, upwardly projecting plates 19. The plates 19 extend perpendicularly to the cover portion 3. The plates 19 are semi-circular in shape, with the flat side of the semi-circle adjacent the outer surface 11 of the cover portion 3 and the arc of the semi-circle extending away from the cover portion with the highest point at the centre of the arc. A recess 6 is defined between the plates 19. The recess 6 is sized to receive a packet of aerosol-generating articles 7 or an aerosol-generating device 9. The distance between the plates is between 15 mm and 20 mm. The height of the plates is between 20 mm and 30 mm. The plates 19 are formed integrally with the outer surface 11 of the cover portion 3.

[0064] The cover portion 3 also includes an aperture 10 extending through the cover portion 3. The aperture 10 is extends across approximately one half of the cover portion 3, and is semi-circular in shape, with the flat side of the semi-circle extending across the diameter of the cover portion 3, and the arc of the semi-circle following the line of the edge of the cover portion 3.

[0065] FIG. 1c shows an alternative cover portion 3 of the first embodiment of the present invention that includes a funnel 21. The funnel 21 extends from the inner surface 17 of the cover portion 3 into the internal compartment defined by the body portion 2. The wide, top end 22 of the funnel 21 is positioned around the aperture 10 to catch all waste being inserted through the aperture 10. The funnel 21 is tapered to create a narrow end 23.

[0066] FIG. 2 shows a container 101 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The body portion 2 of the container 101 has the same structure as the body portion 2 of the first embodiment. The cover portion 3 of the second embodiment is sized differently to the cover portion 3 of the first embodiment. The cover portion 3 of the second embodiment has a diameter smaller than the opening 16 of the body portion 2. The cover portion 3 of the second embodiment sits within the opening 16, surrounded by the top end 14 of the side wall 13 in order to seal the internal compartment.

[0067] In the second embodiment, the recess 6 is defined by plates 19 that are not integral to the outer surface 11 of the cover portion 3. The plates 19 are joined by a base plate along a lower edge. The plates 19 are received in a groove in the outer surface 11 of the cover portion 3.

[0068] In the second embodiment, the aperture 10 is covered by a lid 24. The lid 24 is a hinged lid, with a hinge positioned adjacent the supporting means 4 along the diameter of the circular cover portion 3. The lid 24 opens inwards, that is, in an open position the lid 24 extends downward from the cover portion 3 into the internal compartment of the body portion 2. The lid 24 is biased in a closed position wherein it covers the aperture 10. When a user applied a downward force on the lid 24, the lid 24 opens inwardly. When the force is removed, the lid 24 returns to the closed position.

[0069] FIG. 3 shows a container 201 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The body portion 2 of the container 201 has the same structure as the body portion 2 of the first and second embodiments. Similar to the second embodiment, the cover portion 3 of the third embodiment sits within the top end 14 of the side wall 13.

[0070] In the third embodiment, the aperture 10 extends less than halfway across the cover portion 3. The aperture 10 is covered by a semi-circular lid 24 that is hinged along the flat side of the semi-circle to the cover portion 3. Similar to the second embodiment, the lid 24 opens inwardly. The lid is biased in a closed position wherein it covers the aperture 10.

[0071] In the third embodiment, the recess 6 is defined as a groove within the body of the cover portion 3. There are no elements projecting from the cover portion 3 around the recess 6. In this embodiment the recess 6 is shaped to receive an aerosol-generating device 9.

[0072] FIG. 4 shows a container 301 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The body portion 2 of the container 1 has the same structure as the body portion 2 of the first and second embodiments. Similar to the second embodiment, the cover portion 3 of the fourth embodiment sits within the top end 14 of the side wall 13. Similar to the third embodiment, the aperture 10 extends less than halfway across the cover portion 3. The aperture 10 is covered by a semi-circular lid 24 that is hinged along the flat side of the semi-circle to the cover portion 3. Similar to the second embodiment, the lid 24 opens inwardly. The lid is biased in a closed position wherein it covers the aperture 10.

[0073] In the fourth embodiment, the outer surface 11 of the cover portion 3 includes a number of parallel channels 5 forming the supporting means 4. The channels 5 are separated by parallel ridges 25 extending upwards from the outer surface 11 of the cover portion 3. The channels 5 are shaped to each receive one aerosol-generating article 8. The supporting means 4 is a separate element to the cover portion 3 itself. The supporting means 4 is attached to the outer surface 11 of the cover portion 3. The channels 5 have a curved based to conform to the profile of aerosol-generating articles 8 that have a circular cross section.

[0074] FIG. 5a shows a container 401 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The body portion 2 of the container 401 has the same structure as the body portion 2 of the first and second embodiments. Similar to the second embodiment, the cover portion 3 of the fifth embodiment sits within the top end 14 of the side wall 13. Similar to the third embodiment, the aperture 10 extends less than halfway across the cover portion 3. The aperture 10 is covered by a semi-circular lid 24 that is hinged along the flat side of the semi-circle to the cover portion 3. Similar to the second embodiment, the lid 24 opens inwardly. The lid is biased in a closed position wherein it covers the aperture 10.

[0075] In the fifth embodiment the supporting means 4 is designed to accommodate both aerosol-generating articles 8 and an aerosol-generating device 9. The supporting means 4 includes both channels 5 for aerosol-generating articles 8 and a recess 6 for receiving an aerosol-generating device 9. The channels 5 are positioned adjacent the aperture 10, and the recess 6 is positioned on the opposite side of the cover portion 3 to the aperture 10.

[0076] FIG. 5b shows an alternative form of the fifth embodiment configured to hold both aerosol-generating articles 8 and a packet of aerosol-generating articles 7. In this form the recess 6 includes plates 19 extending upwards from the outer surface 11 of the cover portion 3. The recess 6 is sized to receive a packet of aerosol-generating articles 7. The container 401 of FIG. 5b is received in a cup-holder 20 of a vehicle. The tapered side wall 13 allows the bottom end 12 of the body portion 2 to be inserted into the cup holder 20, until the external diameter of the side wall 13 is equal to the internal diameter of the cup-holder, and the container 401 is then held in position.

[0077] It will be appreciated that any of the features disclosed in the specific examples above could be used in combination with any of the other features disclosed in the examples above.