Containers with dual orientation dispensing feature

Abstract

A container according to a particular embodiment of the invention has a substantially rectangular vertical cross section and a substantially rectangular front face, and the container comprises a dispensing outlet adjacent a corner of the container's substantially rectangular front face. In various embodiments, the container's shape and outlet position allow users to dispense liquid from the container when the container is in: (1) a first, “short and wide” orientation, in which the front face of the container is wider than it is tall; and (2) a second, “tall and thin” orientation in which the front face of the container is taller than it is wide. The container may include an elongate handle that extends outwardly from the container's front face. In one embodiment, the handle extends substantially diagonally with respect to a side edge of the container's front face, and is adapted to facilitate the rotation of the container between the first and second orientations.

1 . A container comprising: 
 a body portion that defines an interior storage portion;    a front wall that is disposed adjacent said body portion, said front wall comprising a corner; and    an outlet disposed adjacent said corner of said front wall.    
   
   
       2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said body portion and said front wall cooperate to form an integrated, substantially watertight vessel that is adapted for storing a liquid within said interior storage portion; and    said outlet is adapted to selectively restrict the flow of said liquid out of said substantially watertight vessel through said outlet.    
   
   
       3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said front wall defines a first side edge and a second side edge; and    said corner is defined by an intersection of said first and second side edges of said front wall.    
   
   
       4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said container is adapted to allow users to dispense liquid from said container through said outlet both when: (A) said container is in a first, “short and wide” orientation, in which a width of said container is greater than a height of said container; and (B) said container is in a second, “tall and thin” orientation, in which said height of said container is greater than said width of said container.    
   
   
       5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said front wall has a substantially rectangular shape; and    said body portion has a substantially rectangular vertical cross section when said container is in a dispensing configuration.    
   
   
       6 . The container of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 said front wall has a substantially square shape; and    said body portion has a substantially square vertical cross section when said container is in said dispensing configuration.    
   
   
       7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said container comprises an elongate handle that extends outwardly from said front wall.    
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein said elongate handle extends substantially diagonally with respect to at least one side edge of said front wall.  
   
   
       9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said body portion comprises: 
 (A) a “tall” side wall that extends between said front wall and said rear wall, and  
 (B) a “short” side wall that extends between said front wall and said rear wall, said “short” side wall being substantially perpendicular to said “tall” side wall; and  
   said container is configured to be positioned in a first orientation in which: (A) said “tall” side wall is in a substantially horizontal orientation; and (B) said “short” side wall is not in a substantially horizontal orientation;    said container is configured to be positioned in a second orientation in which: (A) said “short” side wall is in a substantially horizontal orientation; and (B) said “tall” side wall is not in a substantially horizontal orientation;    said container defines an interior storage portion that is in liquid communication with said outlet; and    said container is adapted to dispense a liquid from said interior storage portion both when said container is in said first orientation and when said container is in said second orientation.    
   
   
       10 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein said container is adapted to be rotated between said first and second orientations.  
   
   
       11 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein said container is adapted to be rotated between said first and second orientations about a side corner edge of said container.  
   
   
       12 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein said container is adapted so that: 
 when said container is in said first orientation, said “short” side wall is in a substantially vertical orientation; and    when said container is in said second orientation, said “tall” side wall is in a substantially vertical orientation.    
   
   
       13 . A container comprising: 
 a front wall;    a rear wall that is spaced apart from said front wall;    a first “tall” side wall that extends between said front wall and said rear wall;    a second “tall” side wall that extends between said front wall and said rear wall, said second “tall” side wall being spaced apart from said first “tall” side wall;    a first “short” side wall that extends between said front wall and said rear wall;    a second “short” side wall that extends between said front wall and said rear wall, said second “short” side wall being spaced apart from said first “short” side wall; and    an outlet extending outwardly from said front wall, said outlet being disposed adjacent both: (A) said first “tall” side wall; and (B) said first “short” side wall, wherein: 
 said container is configured to be positioned in a first orientation in which: (A) said first “tall” side wall is in a substantially horizontal orientation; and (B) said first “short” side wall is not in a substantially horizontal orientation;  
 said container is configured to be positioned in a second orientation in which: (A) said first “short” side wall is in a substantially horizontal orientation; and (B) said first “tall” side wall is not in a substantially horizontal orientation;  
 said container defines an interior storage portion that is in liquid communication with said outlet; and  
 said container is adapted to dispense a liquid from said interior storage portion both when said container is in said first orientation and when said container is in said second orientation.  
   
   
   
       14 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 said first “tall” side wall is substantially parallel to said second “tall” side wall; and    said first and second “tall” side walls are substantially perpendicular to said front wall.    
   
   
       15 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein 
 said first “short” side wall is substantially parallel to said second “short” side wall; and    said first and second “short” side walls are substantially perpendicular to both: (A) said front wall; and (B) said first and second “tall” side walls.    
   
   
       16 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein: 
 said first and second “short” side walls are substantially planar; and    said first and second “tall” side walls are substantially planar.    
   
   
       17 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein said container is adapted so that: 
 when said container is in said first orientation, said first, “short” side wall is in a substantially vertical orientation; and    when said container is in said second orientation, said first, “tall” side wall is in a substantially vertical orientation.    
   
   
       18 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein said outlet is disposed immediately adjacent a corner of said front wall.  
   
   
       19 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein said outlet is spaced apart from a corner of said front wall by less than about 1.5 inches.  
   
   
       20 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein said container is adapted so that when said container is in said first orientation, a width of said container is greater than a height of said container along at least 80% of a depth of said container.  
   
   
       21 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein said container is adapted so that when said container is in said first orientation, a width of said container is at least 10% greater than a height of said container along at least 80% of a depth of said container.  
   
   
       22 . The container of  claim 21 , wherein said container is adapted so that when said container is in said second orientation, a height of said container is at least 10% greater than a width of said container along at least 80% of a depth of said container.  
   
   
       23 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 said container comprises an elongate handle that extends outwardly from said front wall.    
   
   
       24 . The container of  claim 23 , wherein said container is adapted so that when said container is positioned on a substantially horizontal surface in said first orientation, said elongate handle extends substantially diagonally relative to said horizontal surface.  
   
   
       25 . The container of  claim 23 , wherein: 
 said elongate handle forms an angle of between about 35 and 65 degrees with said container's first “tall” side wall.    
   
   
       26 . The container of  claim 23 , wherein: 
 said elongate handle forms an angle of between about 42 and 47 degrees with said container's first “tall” side wall.    
   
   
       27 . The container of  claim 23 , wherein 
 said outlet is disposed adjacent a first, “dispensing” corner of said front wall; and    said elongate handle extends along a plane that extends adjacent both: (A) a first, “dispensing” corner of said front wall, and (B) a second corner of said front wall, said second corner being diagonally offset from said first, “dispensing” corner.    
   
   
       28 . The container of  claim 27 , wherein: 
 said elongate handle extends along a plane that extends through both: (A) said first, “dispensing” corner of said front wall, and (B) said second corner of said front wall.    
   
   
       29 . A container comprising: 
 a body portion defining an interior storage portion;    a front wall adjacent said body portion, said front wall defining at least one corner portion;    an outlet disposed adjacent said corner portion of said front wall, wherein: 
 said body portion and said front wall cooperate to form an integrated, substantially watertight vessel that is adapted for storing a liquid within said interior storage portion;  
 said outlet is adapted to selectively restrict the flow of said liquid out of said substantially watertight vessel through said outlet;  
 said container is configured to be positioned in a first, “short and wide” orientation in which a width of said container is greater than a height of said container;  
 said container is configured to be positioned in a second, “tall and thin” orientation in which a height of said container is greater than a width of said container; and  
 said container is adapted to dispense a liquid from said interior storage portion both when said container is in said first orientation and when said container is in said second orientation.  
   
   
   
       30 . The container of  claim 29 , wherein: 
 when said container is in said “short and wide” orientation, a width of said front wall is greater than a height of said front wall; and    when said container is in said “tall and thin” orientation, a height of said front wall is greater than a width of said front wall.