Systems and Methods for Attaching a Container

Abstract

A container system securable to a base such as a roof gutter, a railing, a ladder top, a ladder rung, an edge, a platform and the like, The container system includes a container such as a utility bucket, a pail, and the like; a horizontal member in the form of a collar securely attached to or integratedly molded into the container. The collar is provided with a plurality of fasteners to removably attach the container to the base. In one embodiment, the fasteners are selected from braces, clamps, locking devices, clips, hooks, protrusions, and combinations thereof. In one embodiment, a U-bolt is provided to securely attach a bracket to the container, and for attaching to a base.

1 . A container system, comprising:
 a container comprising a bottom wall and a sidewall having a top and a bottom, the bottom wall is connected to the bottom of the sidewall defining a cavity, the top having a longest dimension and a shortest dimension;   a collar extending around and surrounding at least a portion of the sidewall, the collar having at least two open ends;   a straight member attached to the at least two open ends of the collar, the straight member having a length at least equal to the shortest dimension;   wherein the straight member is adapted with a plurality of first fasteners to attach the container system to a base or a bracket.   
     
     
         2 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the container and the collar are integratedly molded as one piece. 
     
     
         3 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the collar is a U-bolt with two open ends connected to a bend portion for extending around at least a portion of the sidewall of the container. 
     
     
         4 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the straight member is adapted with a plurality of first fasteners selected from braces, clamps, locking devices, clips, hooks, protrusions, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the base is a roof gutter, and the straight member is adapted with a plurality of clamps for clamping the container system to a roof gutter. 
     
     
         6 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the base is a ladder top with a plurality of open slots, and the straight member is adapted with a plurality of protrusions that are sized to correspondingly fit into the open slots to attach the container system to the ladder top when the protrusions are disposed into the open slots. 
     
     
         7 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the base is a ladder rung of an extension ladder, the ladder rung having two cavities each along a left side rail and a right side rail of the extension ladder, and the straight member is adapted with two locking devices for simultaneously grasping both the left and the right cavities to secure the straight member and the container attached thereto to the extension ladder. 
     
     
         8 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the straight member is adapted with a plurality of first fasteners to attach the container system to a bracket, and wherein the bracket is adapted with a plurality of second fasteners to attach the container system to a base. 
     
     
         9 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the collar extending around and surrounding at least a portion of the sidewall is integral with the sidewall and spaced outwardly therefrom, forming a flared horizontal portion connected to a portion of the top of the sidewall, the flared horizontal portion having a thickness of at least at least ½″ thick; and   the straight member having a length at least equal to the shortest dimension is integrated with the horizontal flared portion.   
     
     
         10 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the collar extending around and surrounding at least a portion of the sidewall is integral with the sidewall and spaced outwardly therefrom forming a flared horizontal portion connected to a portion of the top of the sidewall; the flared portion has a thickness of at least at least ½″ thick;   the flared portion with a length at least equal to the shortest dimension extends outward forming the two open ends; and   the straight member is a bracket that is sized to correspondingly positioned in the open ends to attach to the container via the two ends.   
     
     
         11 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the container system further comprises:
 a channel located outside at least a portion of the container and close to the top of the sidewall;   a U-bolt with two open ends connected to a bend portion for extending around at least a portion of the sidewall of the container, the U-bolt being sized for the bend portion to be positioned in the channel;   the collar comprises two open holes for the two open ends of the U-bolt to go through;   the straight member is a first bracket having a set of open holes;   a plurality of second fasteners to secure the open ends and clamp the U-bolt to the first bracket when the bend portion of the U-bolt is positioned in the channel of the container with the two open ends of the U-bolt inserted through the set of open holes in the first bracket.   
     
     
         12 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the container is a round bucket with the top having a radius R and the shortest dimension is greater than or equal to R. 
     
     
         13 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the container further comprises a channel located outside of the container and close to the top of the sidewall;   the collar is a U-bolt with two open ends connected to a bend portion for extending around at least a portion of the sidewall, the U-bolt being sized for the bend portion to be positioned in the channel;   the straight member is a first bracket comprising two open holes for the two open ends to go through;   the container system further comprises a plurality of second fasteners to secure the open ends and clamp the U-bolt to the first bracket when the bend portion of the U-bolt is positioned in the channel of the container with the two open ends of the U-bolt inserted through the two open holes of the first bracket.   
     
     
         14 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the fasteners comprise slidably adjustable braces for hooking over a base. 
     
     
         15 . The container system of  claim 13 , wherein the base is a roof gutter and the first bracket is adapted with a plurality of clamps for clamping the container system to the roof gutter. 
     
     
         16 . The container system of  claim 13 , wherein the base is a ladder top with a plurality of open slots and the first bracket is adapted with a plurality of protrusions that are sized to correspondingly fit into the open slots when the protrusions are disposed into the open slots to attach the container system to the ladder top. 
     
     
         17 . The container system of  claim 13 , wherein the base is a railing with a plurality of open slits and the first bracket is adapted with a plurality of projecting tongues that are sized to correspondingly wedge into the open slits when the projecting tongues are inserted into the open slits to attach the container system to the railing. 
     
     
         18 . A combination of a ladder and a suspendable container system for holding items therein, the container system is connected to the ladder, the ladder including a top surface with at least two open holes, the container system comprising:
 a container comprising a bottom wall and a sidewall having a top and a bottom, the bottom wall is connected to the bottom of the sidewall defining a cavity, the top having a longest dimension and a shortest dimension;   a collar extending around and surrounding at least a portion of the sidewall, the collar having at least two open ends;   a straight member attached to the at least two open ends of the collar, the straight member having a length at least equal to the shortest dimension;   wherein the straight member is adapted with a plurality of protrusions that are sized to correspondingly fit into the open slots when the protrusions are disposed in the open slots to removably secure the suspendable container system to the ladder.   
     
     
         19 . The combination of a ladder and a suspendable container system of  claim 18 , wherein the collar and the straight member are integratedly molded into the container as a single piece. 
     
     
         20 . A container system, comprising:
 a container comprising a bottom wall and a sidewall having a top and a bottom, the bottom wall is connected to the bottom of the sidewall defining a cavity, the container having a channel located outside of the container and close to the top of the sidewall;   a collar extending around and surrounding at least a portion of the sidewall, the collar comprises U-bolt having a bend radius and two open ends, the U-bolt being sized for the bend radius to be positioned in the channel of the container;   a straight member attached to the at least two open ends of the collar, the straight member having a length at least equal to the shortest dimension, and the straight member having two open holes for the two open ends of the U-bolt to go through;   a plurality of first fasteners to secure the open ends of the U-bolt and tightly clamp the U-bolt when the bend radius of the U-bolt is positioned in the channel of the container with the two open ends of the U-bolt inserted through the two open holes of the first bracket, for the container to be securely attached to the first bracket by clamping the U-bolt with the plurality of first fasteners;   wherein the straight member is adapted with a plurality of second fasteners to attach the container system to a base or a second bracket.