Bucket stack holding apparatus with easy release feature

Abstract

An apparatus attached or formed on the sidewalls of a standard 5 gallon bucket with diverging sidewalls that enables stacked buckets to be vertically stacked and locked together so the handle on the upper bucket may be used to carry the stack of buckets and allows the individual buckets to be easily separated from the stack. The apparatus comprises a ring body made of elastic material with a center opening configured to fit transversely around the middle or upper region of the bucket. The ring body includes a downward facing circular groove sufficiently configured to receive and engage the upper edge on the bucket. Located inside the groove may be a protruding outer lip that extends inward and engages the upper edge. In another embodiment, a plurality of hooks are integrally formed on the top surface of the ring body that engage a laterally extending reinforcement ring on the bucket.

Description

[0001]This utility patent application is based on and claims the filing date benefit of U.S. provisional patent application (Application No. 62 / 210,506), filed on Aug. 27, 2015.[0002]Notice is given that the following patent document contains original material subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile or digital download reproduction of all or part of the patent document, but otherwise reserves all copyrights.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention[0003]This invention pertains to plastic buckets, and more particularly to plastic buckets that can be vertically stacked and temporarily locked together so they can be transported using the handle on the top bucket, and then easily pulled apart.2. Description of the Related Art[0004]Companies sell their products in 5 gallon plastic buckets with wire handles. Some hardware and home improvement stores with wired handles. Because they are widely used, homeowners and construction worke...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]Disclosed is an apparatus in one embodiment that selectively attaches to a standard 5 gallon bucket with a top opening, closed bottom, diverging side walls, and a pivoting wire handle. In another embodiment, the apparatus is integrally formed on the side walls of the bucket. In both embodiments

Problems solved by technology

If the upper bucket is pressed too far into the lower bucket, pulling the two buckets apart can be difficult.

These structures may limit how far an upper bucket can be inserted into a lower bucket and may

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