Viscous material container assembly

Abstract

A container assembly for storing and dispensing viscous and other materials comprises a container body, a lid, a disc, an elongated threaded member, and a base structure. The elongated threaded member is connected to the disc and received by the base structure. Rotating the disc causes the base structure to ascend or descend within the container body such that the materials stored therein may be conveniently and efficiently dispensed. At least one scraper scrapes materials stored on the inner surface of the container body therefrom, thereby reducing wastage by retrieving otherwise difficult to dispense materials. A rotation limiter precludes rotation of the base structure while the disc is rotated, which rotation limiter may be a rail contacting the bottom of the container body or a friction fit between the base structure and the inner surface of the container body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container assembly for storing and dispensing viscous and other materials, the assembly comprising:
 a container body, said container body having a first end and a second end, said container body open on said first end, said container body further comprising a neck portion, a body portion, and a bottom portion, said neck portion disposed at said first end, said bottom portion disposed at said second end, said body portion disposed between said neck portion and said bottom portion, said body portion having an inner surface;   a lid, said lid further comprising a top and a skirt, said skirt extending angularly from said top, said skirt capable of being operatively coupled to at least a portion said neck portion of said container body;   a disc, said disc capable of being rotated in at least one of a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction, said disc disposed below said bottom portion of said container body;   an elongated threaded member, said elongated threaded member having a top end and a bottom end, said bottom end operatively connected to said disc;   a base structure, said base structure further comprising an opening, said opening capable of receiving at least a portion of said elongated threaded member, said base structure disposed above said bottom portion of said container body, said base structure slidably disposed within at least a portion of said body portion of said container body; and   at least one scraper, said at least one scraper disposed on said base structure, said at least one scraper capable of contacting at least a portion of said inner surface of said body portion of said container body,   wherein a user may rotate said disc in one of the clockwise direction and the counterclockwise direction in order to move said base structure from said second end of said container body to said first end of said container body, the user capable of selectively stopping said base structure at an intermediate position between said second end of said container body and said first end of said container body, and   wherein the user may rotate said disc in the opposing direction in order to move said base structure from said first end of said container body to said second end of said container body, the user capable of selectively stopping said base structure at an intermediate position between said first end of said container body and said second end of said container body.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said base structure extends for the entire perimeter of said inner surface of said body portion of said container body. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the assembly further comprises a rotation limiter, said rotation limiter precluding said base structure from rotating during the rotation of said disc. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said rotation limiter is a rail and said base structure further comprises a groove, said groove capable of receiving at least a portion of said rail, said rail being disposed against a portion of said container body. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said rotation limiter is a friction fit between said base structure and said inner surface of said body portion of said container body. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said neck portion of said container body has a threaded outer surface, said skirt of said lid having a threaded inner surface, said threaded inner surface of said skirt capable of operatively connecting to said threaded outer surface of said neck portion. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said base structure has one of a generally circular cross section and a generally elliptical cross section. 
     
     
         8 . A container assembly for storing and dispensing viscous and other materials, the assembly comprising:
 a disc, said disc capable of being rotated in at least one of a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction;   an elongated threaded member, said elongated threaded member having a top end and a bottom end, said bottom end operatively connected to said disc;   a base structure, said base structure further comprising an opening, said opening capable of receiving at least a portion of said elongated threaded member; and   at least one scraper, said at least one scraper disposed on said base structure, said at least one scraper capable of contacting at least a portion of the inner surface of the body portion of the container,   wherein a user may removably attach the assembly to an existing container having a first end and a second end, the container being open on the first end, the container having a neck portion disposed at the first end, a bottom portion disposed at the second end, and a body portion disposed between the neck portion and the bottom portion, the body portion having an inner surface, said disc disposed below the bottom portion of the container, said base structure disposed above the bottom portion of the container, said base structure slidably disposed within at least a portion of the body portion of the container, and   wherein after the assembly is removably attached to the container, the user may rotate said disc in one of the clockwise direction and the counterclockwise direction in order to move said base structure from the second end of the container to the first end of the container, the user capable of selectively stopping said base structure at an intermediate position between the second end of the container and the first end of the container, and   wherein after the assembly is removably attached to the container, the user may rotate said disc in the opposing direction in order to move said base structure from the first end of the container to the second end of the container, the user capable of selectively stopping said base structure at an intermediate position between the first end of the container and the second end of the container.   
     
     
         9 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said base structure extends for the entire perimeter of the inner surface of the body portion of the container. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the assembly further comprises a base skirt, said base skirt having an aperture capable of receiving at least a portion of said elongated threaded member, said base skirt having a first end and a second end, said first end operatively coupled to said elongated threaded member, said second end operatively coupled to the bottom portion of the container. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the assembly further comprises a rotation limiter, said rotation limiter precluding said base structure from rotating during the rotation of said disc. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said rotation limiter is a rail and said base structure further comprises a groove, said groove capable of receiving at least a portion of said rail, said rail being disposed against a portion of the container. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said rotation limiter is a friction fit between said base structure and the inner surface of the body portion of the container. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said base structure has one of a generally circular cross section and a generally elliptical cross section, the container having one of a generally circular cross section and a generally elliptical cross section. 
     
     
         15 . A container assembly for storing and dispensing viscous and other materials, the assembly comprising:
 a container body, said container body having a first end and a second end, said container body open on said first end, said container body further comprising a neck portion, a body portion, and a bottom portion, said neck portion disposed at said first end, said bottom portion disposed at said second end, said body portion disposed between said neck portion and said bottom portion, said body portion having an inner surface;   a lid, said lid further comprising a top and a skirt, said skirt extending angularly from said top, said skirt capable of being operatively coupled to at least a portion said neck portion of said container body;   a disc, said disc capable of being rotated in at least one of a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction, said disc disposed below said bottom portion of said container body;   an elongated threaded member, said elongated threaded member having a top end and a bottom end, said bottom end operatively connected to said disc;   a base structure, said base structure further comprising an opening and a groove, said opening capable of receiving at least a portion of said elongated threaded member, said base structure disposed above said bottom portion of said container body, said base structure slidably disposed within at least a portion of said body portion of said container body;   at least one scraper, said at least one scraper disposed on said base structure, said at least one scraper capable of contacting at least a portion of said inner surface of said body portion of said container body; and   a rail, said groove of said base structure capable of receiving at least a portion of said rail, said rail being disposed against a portion of said container body,   wherein a user may rotate said disc in one of the clockwise direction and the counterclockwise direction in order to move said base structure from said second end of said container body to said first end of said container body, the user capable of selectively stopping said base structure at an intermediate position between said second end of said container body and said first end of said container body, and   wherein the user may rotate said disc in the opposing direction in order to move said base structure from said first end of said container body to said second end of said container body, the user capable of selectively stopping said base structure at an intermediate position between said first end of said container body and said second end of said container body.   
     
     
         16 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said base structure extends for the entire perimeter of said inner surface of said body portion of said container body. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said neck portion of said container body has a threaded outer surface, said skirt of said lid having a threaded inner surface, said threaded inner surface of said skirt capable of operatively connecting to said threaded outer surface of said neck portion. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said base structure has one of a generally circular cross section and a generally elliptical cross section.