Spill proof container for non-liquid materials

Abstract

A spill proof container specially configured to hold non-liquid materials includes a container body forming a receptacle having an access aperture at the top thereof, one or more handles for holding the container and a lid removably attached to the container to substantially close the aperture. The preferred lid has a flexible, resilient closure member with a plurality of slits extending radially from the center of the closure member to allow a person to insert their hand, or a portion thereof, into the receptacle to selectively retrieve one or more of the items contained therein. In the preferred embodiment, the closure member comprises a plurality of resilient closure segments that form a cuff or cuff-like structure that substantially encloses the user's wrist or hand to contain the materials disposed inside the receptacle. The closure member slits can be formed in a star or asterisk pattern.

1 . A spill proof container for containing one or more non-liquid materials, comprising: 
 a container body having a bottom portion, one or more sides and a top portion, said bottom portion, said one or more sides and said top portion forming a receptacle having an access aperture at said top portion of said container body;    one or more handles attached to said one or more sides of said container body; and    a lid removably attached to said top portion of said container body, said lid having a closure member with a one or more slits therein, said closure member generally flexible and resilient, said one or more slits forming two or more closure components, said closure member configured to allow entry into said receptacle past said two or more closure components to reach the non-liquid materials contained therein.    
   
   
       2 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein said container body has two handles, said two handles attached to opposite sides of said container body.  
   
   
       3 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein said closure member is a made from a single piece of generally flexible and resilient material.  
   
   
       4 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein said closure member has a plurality of slits, said plurality of slits extending generally radially from a center of said closure member toward an outer edge of said closure member.  
   
   
       5 . The container according to  claim 4 , wherein said slits are formed in a generally star or asterisk pattern.  
   
   
       6 . The container according to  claim 4 , wherein said closure member is a made from a single piece of generally flexible and resilient material.  
   
   
       7 . The container according to  claim 4 , wherein said slits do not extend to said outer edge of said closure member.  
   
   
       8 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein said closure member forms an inverted cuff structure substantially enclosing the user's wrist or hand when the user's hand is at least partially inserted in said receptacle.  
   
   
       9 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein said lid is threadably attached to said top portion of said container body.  
   
   
       10 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein said lid has a generally downwardly projecting peripheral flange configured to engage said top portion of said container body.  
   
   
       11 . The container according to  claim 10 , wherein said flange is configured to threadably engage a plurality of threads at said top portion of said container body.  
   
   
       12 . A spill proof container for containing one or more non-liquid materials, comprising: 
 a container body having a bottom portion, one or more sides and a top portion, said bottom portion, said one or more sides and said top portion forming a receptacle having an access aperture at said top portion of said container body;    a pair of handles attached to said one or more sides of said container body; and    a lid removably attached to said top portion of said container body, said lid having a closure member with a plurality of slits extending generally radially from a center of said closure member toward an outer edge of said closure member, said closure member made from a single piece of generally flexible and resilient material, said one or more slits forming two or more closure components, said closure member configured to allow entry into said receptacle past said two or more closure components to reach the non-liquid materials contained therein.    
   
   
       13 . The container according to  claim 12 , wherein said slits are formed in a generally star or asterisk pattern.  
   
   
       14 . The container according to  claim 12 , wherein said lid is threadably attached to said top portion of said container body.  
   
   
       15 . The container according to  claim 12 , wherein said closure member forms an inverted cuff structure substantially enclosing the user's wrist or hand when the user's hand is at least partially inserted in said receptacle.  
   
   
       16 . The container according to  claim 12 , wherein said lid has a generally downwardly projecting peripheral flange configured to engage said top portion of said container body.  
   
   
       17 . The container according to  claim 16 , wherein said flange is configured to threadably engage a plurality of threads at said top portion of said container body.  
   
   
       18 . A spill proof container for containing one or more non-liquid materials, comprising: 
 a container body having a bottom portion, one or more sides and a top portion, said bottom portion, said one or more sides and said top portion forming a receptacle having an access aperture at said top portion of said container body;    a pair of handles attached to said one or more sides of said container body; and    a lid threadably attached to said top portion of said container body, said lid having a closure member with a plurality of slits extending generally radially from a center of said closure member toward an outer edge of said closure member in a generally star or asterisk pattern, said closure member made from a single piece of generally flexible and resilient material, said plurality of slits forming a plurality of closure components, said closure member configured to allow entry into said receptacle past said plurality of closure components to reach the non-liquid materials contained therein.    
   
   
       19 . The container according to  claim 16 , wherein said lid has a generally downwardly projecting peripheral flange configured to engage said top portion of said container body.  
   
   
       20 . The container according to  claim 16 , wherein said closure member forms an inverted cuff structure substantially enclosing the user's wrist or hand when the user's hand is at least partially inserted in said receptacle.