US-12616351-B1 - Steel wool caddy apparatus, and a method of making, and using same

US12616351B1US 12616351 B1US12616351 B1US 12616351B1US-12616351-B1

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to a content holding apparatus and a method of using same. More particularly, the invention encompasses a steel wool caddy apparatus, and a method of making, and using same. The invention also provides several embodiments of the inventive steel wool caddy apparatus and a method of using same. The invention provides at least one standoff to keep the steel wool or pad above the surface using the least amount of stand-off surface area to dry, and to extend the life of the steel wool or pad. The inventive steel wool caddy apparatus could be used to hold a pad, a steel wool, a steel wool pad, a cleaning pad, a bar soap, a sponge, to name a few.

Inventors

Maria E. Melilli Otte

Assignees

Maria E. Melilli Otte

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20250417

Claims (13)

1 . A content holding apparatus, comprising; (a) a base having an upper surface, a lower surface, and at least three side wall surface, wherein said at least three side wall surfaces are connected and between said upper surface, and said lower surface to form said base, and wherein said upper surface has a downward slope creating a high end, and a drain end, and wherein said lower surface has a substantially planar surface; (b) at least one stand-off having a first end, and a second end, and wherein said first end of said at least one stand-off is secured to said upper surface having said downward slope of said base; (c) at least one horizontal structure is secured to an outer surface of said second end of said at least one stand off such that said at least one horizontal structure secured to said outer surface of said at least one stand-off is substantially parallel to said lower surface having said substantially planar surface of said base; (d) wherein said at least one horizontal structure creates a substantially parallel upper surface to hold at least one content parallel to said lower surface having said substantially planar surface of said base; and (e) wherein said base is unitary connected to said at least one stand-off, and said at least one stand-off is unitary connected to said at least one horizontal structure to form a single unified structure.
2 . The content holding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said at least one horizontal structure is selected from a group consisting of a content holder, a U-shaped content holder, a paddle-shaped content holder, and combinations thereof.
3 . The content holding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said at least one horizontal structure has at least one opening for the passage of one of air and liquid.
4 . The content holding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said at least one horizontal structure is secured to said outer surface of said at least one standoff using at least one arm.
5 . The content holding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of said at least one standoff is selected from a group consisting of a triangle shape, a square shape, a rectangular shape, a circular shape, a semicircular shape, an oval shape, a polygonal shape, a cylindrical shape, a cylindrical shape graduating to a point, a spike shape, and combinations thereof.
6 . The content holding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein material for said content holding apparatus is selected from a group consisting of non-porous material, metal, aluminum, stainless steel, plastic, silicon, rubber, a composite material, a polymeric material, a composite material, wood, and combinations thereof.
7 . The content holding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein shape of said base is selected from a group consisting of a triangular shape, a rectangular shape, a square shape, a wedge shape, a curved shape, a circular shape, and combinations thereof.
8 . The content holding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said upper surface having said downward slope has a surface shape selected from a group consisting of a flat surface, a concave surface, an undulating surface, an outwardly reclining surface, and combinations thereof.
9 . The content holding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said base has a front end and a back end, and wherein said front end is smaller than said back end.
10 . The content holding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said base has a front end and a back end, and wherein said front end has a curvature.
11 . The content holding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said base has a front end and a back end, and wherein said front end has a curvature, and wherein said curvature is selected from a group consisting of a concave curvature, a convex curvature, and combinations thereof.
12 . The content holding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said base has at least one retaining wall on said upper surface.
13 . The content holding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said at least one content is selected from a group consisting of pad, steel wool, steel wool pad, cleaning pad, bar soap, sponge, and combinations thereof.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a content holding apparatus and a method of using same. More particularly, the invention encompasses a steel wool caddy apparatus, and a method of making, and using same. The invention also provides several embodiments of the inventive steel wool caddy apparatus and a method of using same. The invention provides at least one standoff to keep the steel wool or pad above the surface using the least amount of stand-off surface area to dry, and to extend the life of the steel wool or pad. The inventive steel wool caddy apparatus could be used to hold a pad, a steel wool, a steel wool pad, a cleaning pad, a bar soap, a sponge, to name a few. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Content holding apparatuses have been used in the industry for a variety of reasons, and they come in many shapes, sizes, and other physical features and attributes. U.S. Pat. No. 1,620,903 (B. G. Lance), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a steel wool holder. U.S. Pat. No. 2,037,944 (A. Steinhardt), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a scouring pad and holder thereof. U.S. Design Pat. No. D668,496 (Hsin Kun Ho, et al.), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a scouring pad holder. This invention improves on the deficiencies of the prior art and provides an inventive steel wool caddy apparatus, and a method of making, and using same. PURPOSES AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is a novel steel wool caddy apparatus, and a method of making, and using same. Therefore, one purpose of this invention is to provide a steel wool caddy apparatus that is easy to use. Another purpose of this invention is to provide a steel wool caddy apparatus and a method of using same, where the steel wool can be placed and removed on the upper surface of the inventive caddy. Yet another purpose of this invention is to provide a steel wool caddy apparatus and a method of using same where the caddy has several unique features that help the environment from wastage and rust deterioration. Another purpose of this invention is to minimize steel wool rust and to extend the life of an average steel wool pad. Still yet another purpose of this invention is to provide a variety of embodiments of this inventive steel wool pad caddy. Therefore, in one aspect this invention comprises a content holding apparatus, comprising; (a) a base having an upper surface, a lower surface, and at least three side wall surface, wherein said at least three side wall surfaces are connected and between said upper surface, and said lower surface to form said base;(b) at least one stand-off having a first end, and a second end, and wherein said first end is secured onto said upper surface of said base; and(c) at least one steel wool holding surface at said second end of said at least one stand-off. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1, illustrates a side perspective view of an inventive steel wool caddy apparatus, according to a first embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2, illustrates a side perspective view of an inventive steel wool caddy apparatus, according to a second embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3, illustrates a side perspective view of an inventive steel wool caddy apparatus, according to a third embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4, illustrates a side perspective view of an inventive steel wool caddy apparatus, according to a fourth embodiment of this invention. FIG. 5, illustrates a side perspective view of an inventive steel wool caddy apparatus, according to a fifth embodiment of this invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The inventive steel wool caddy apparatus, and a method of making, and using same. will now be discussed with reference to FIGS. 1 through 5. Although the scope of the present invention is much broader than any particular embodiment, a detailed description of the preferred embodiment follows together with drawings. These drawings are for illustration purposes only and are not drawn to scale. Like numbers represent like features and components in the drawings. FIG. 1, illustrates a side perspective view of an inventive steel wool caddy apparatus 23, according to a first embodiment of this invention. The inventive steel wool caddy apparatus 23, has a base 10, having a first or lower or bottom surface 10A, a second or upper or top surface 10B, which is connected to a vertical wall 12, having a height H, a back wall 14, having a width W, a side wall 16, having a length L, and a front edge 18, having a front edge width WE. For some applications the base 10, could be approximately about 3 inches wide at the top or first end 14, and then tapering to approximately about 1.5 inches at the second or bottom or the opposite end 18. The height H, of this exemplary inventive steel wool caddy is approximately about 2 inches tall at the top graduating down to flush to the surface at the second or bo