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US-20260125184-A1 - Can Wiper

US20260125184A1US 20260125184 A1US20260125184 A1US 20260125184A1US-20260125184-A1

Abstract

An exemplary can wiper that may be inserted into the opening of a container of product, which allows excess product to be removed from an applicator as the applicator is pulled from the container through the can wiper.

Inventors

  • Lary C. Smith
  • John D. Foster

Assignees

  • Lary C. Smith
  • John D. Foster

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251010

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A wiper apparatus for a product container, comprising: an outer rim, comprising a rigid or semi-rigid ring-shaped support component arranged to rest at an opening of the product container; a plurality of wiper ring sections, comprising a plurality of rigid or semi-rigid lower support and wiping components arranged to be inserted into the product container, each wiper ring section of the plurality of wiper ring sections having a first end and a second end and including an inside edge configured for wiping or scraping product from an applicator; and a plurality of support vanes that extend from the outer rim to the plurality of wiper ring sections and provide support to the plurality of wiper ring sections, each of the wiper ring sections of the plurality of wiper ring sections being coupled to the outer rim via two of the support vanes, one support vane at each of the first and second ends of the wiper ring sections, wherein the plurality of wiper ring sections form a ring shape in a plan view.
  2. 2 . The wiper apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising one or more tabs protruding from the outer rim, the one or more tabs comprising handles for grasping the outer rim.
  3. 3 . The wiper apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising one or more relief notches disposed on an inner perimeter of the outer rim, the one or more relief notches arranged to provide additional flexibility of the outer rim at the one or more relief notches.
  4. 4 . The wiper apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising one or more securing members protruding outwardly from one or more of the support vanes, the one or more securing members configured to engage a portion of the product container when the plurality of wiper ring sections is inserted into the product container.
  5. 5 . The wiper apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of intermediate ring sections, comprising a plurality of rigid or semi-rigid support structures disposed below the outer rim and above the plurality of wiper ring sections, each intermediate ring section of the plurality of intermediate ring sections having a first end and a second end and being coupled to the outer rim via two of the support vanes, one support vane at each of the first and second ends of the intermediate ring sections.
  6. 6 . The wiper apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of wiper ring sections is coupled to the plurality of intermediate ring sections via the plurality of support vanes.
  7. 7 . The wiper apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of intermediate ring sections is arranged parallel to the outer rim.
  8. 8 . The wiper apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of intermediate ring sections comprises one or more discrete arc sections.
  9. 9 . The wiper apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outer rim rests on a surface of the of the opening of the product container.
  10. 10 . The wiper apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wiper ring sections comprises one or more discrete straight or curved sections.
  11. 11 . The wiper apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a radius of the outer rim is greater than a radius of the plurality of wiper ring sections.
  12. 12 . The wiper apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wiper apparatus has a generally truncated conical shape.
  13. 13 . An apparatus comprising: an outer rim, comprising a rigid or semi-rigid ring-shaped support component; a plurality of wiper ring sections with two ends each, comprising one or more rigid or semi-rigid lower support and wiping components arranged in a ring; and a plurality of support vanes that extend from the outer rim to each of the two ends of the plurality of wiper ring sections, and provide support to the plurality of wiper ring sections.
  14. 14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is arranged to be inserted at least partly into a product container and wherein the outer rim is arranged to rest on an opening of the product container.
  15. 15 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the outer rim includes at least one tab arranged to engage an opening of a product container.
  16. 16 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of wiper ring sections includes an inside edge configured for wiping or scraping product from an applicator.
  17. 17 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein each the plurality of wiper ring sections is coupled to the outer rim via at least two of the support vanes.
  18. 18 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of wiper ring sections forms a generally elliptical or polygonal shape in a plan view.
  19. 19 . A wiper apparatus for a product container, comprising: an outer rim, comprising a rigid or semi-rigid ring-shaped support component arranged to rest on an opening of the product container; a plurality of wiper ring sections arranged to form a ring shape in a plan view and arranged to be inserted into the product container; and a plurality of support vanes that extend from the outer rim to the plurality of wiper ring sections, each wiper ring section of the plurality of wiper ring sections being coupled to the outer rim by two support vanes, one support vane at each of a first and a second end of each wiper ring section.
  20. 20 . The wiper apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising one or more securing members protruding outwardly from at least one of the plurality of support vanes, the one or more securing members configured to engage a portion of the product container when the plurality of wiper ring sections is inserted into the product container.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM AND CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a Divisional of U.S. application No. Ser. No. 18/939,789, filed Nov. 7, 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND Various containers, such as shown in FIG. 1, are equipped with an applicator integral to or coupled to the lid of the container. In such arrangements, the built-in applicator provides a convenient way for the user to apply product from the container without the necessity of a separate applicator to be additionally obtained, and that can get lost or separated from the container. Further, the built-in applicator allows the user to keep the lid in the user's hand during product application, making it easier to replace the lid after use. Such containers are often used with products for coupling and fusing sections of polymer tubes and pipes and their related fittings. For example, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) tubes, pipes, and fittings can be glued together for secure air and liquid-tight joints. When properly coupled, such tubes, pipes, and fittings can be used to transport pressurized gases and liquids. When fusing the polymer sections, the ends of the sections to be glued together are first prepared with a liquid primer and are then coated with a glue or cement. Usually both sections to be fused together are prepared with the primer and the glue, and then they are pressed together. Often both the primer and the glue are stored in containers such as illustrated in FIG. 1. The user removes the lid of the container, which also pulls the applicator from the container. The applicator is generally saturated with the liquid product from the container. The user can remove some excess product from the applicator by wiping the applicator around the inside of the opening of the container prior to applying the product to the sections to be fused. After applying the product, the applicator and lid are returned to the container and the lid can be secured to the container by screwing the inner fastening threads of the lid to the outer fastening threads of the opening, for example. Unfortunately, as convenient as the process described above can be, it can also be time-consuming, messy, and wasteful. Wiping the applicator for each application takes time and can slow down a larger project. The applicator almost always has a lot of excess product saturating the applicator, which can still drip off the applicator even after wiping the applicator around the inside of the container opening. Product is often wasted as it falls off the applicator when the applicator is moved between the container and the project sections. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying figures. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items. For this discussion, the devices and systems illustrated in the figures are shown as having a multiplicity of components. Various implementations of devices and/or systems, as described herein, may include fewer components and remain within the scope of the disclosure. Alternately, other implementations of devices and/or systems may include additional components, or various combinations of the described components, and remain within the scope of the disclosure. Shapes and/or dimensions shown in the illustrations of the figures are for example, and other shapes and or dimensions may be used and remain within the scope of the disclosure, unless specified otherwise. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example container and lid with applicator. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example container, and an example can wiper that can be inserted into the opening of the container, according to an embodiment. FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of a top and a bottom, respectively, of an example can wiper, according to an embodiment. FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are a top view, a bottom view, and a side view, respectively, of the example can wiper of FIGS. 3 and 4, according to the embodiment. FIGS. 8 and 9 are perspective views of a top and a bottom, respectively, of an example can wiper, according to another embodiment. FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 are a top view, a bottom view, and a side view, respectively, of the example can wiper of FIGS. 8 and 9, according to the embodiment. FIGS. 13 and 14 are perspective views of a top and a bottom, respectively, of an example can wiper, according to another embodiment. FIGS. 15, 16, and 17 are a top view, a bottom view, and a side view, respectively, of the example can wiper of FIGS. 13 and 14, according to the embodiment. FIGS. 18 and 19 are perspective views of a top and a bottom, respectively, of an example can wiper, according to another embodiment. FIGS. 20, 21, and 22 are a top view, a bottom view, and a side view, respectively, of the example can wiper of FIGS. 18 and 19, according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The s