Container With Affixable Head

Abstract

A container, with a main portion, an upper portion, and a removable head designed to attach to the upper portion. The upper portion is designed to include an opening, with an outside surface of the upper portion including a circumferential flange and at least one alignment tab. A head is designed with a receiving portion, a skirt, a lip on an inside surface of the skirt, with the head removably affixable to the upper portion of the container. The head is designed to accommodate a ball rotatably mounted and restrained. Threads and a locking mechanism may be formed on the head, which may mate with a cap, the cap designed with screw threads and a locking member on its interior.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A container, comprising:
 a main portion and an upper portion, the upper portion including an opening, with an outside surface of the opening including a circumferential flange and at least one alignment tab;   a head, with a receiving portion, a skirt, a lip on an inside surface of the skirt; and   the head being removably affixable to the container, such that the lip of the skirt engages with the circumferential flange to seal the receiving portion into the opening, securely attaching the head to the container.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , in which the skirt is comprised of more than one segment around its circumference. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , in which the skirt is comprised of four segments, the upper portion has two alignment tabs positioned diametrically opposite from one another, and in which two alignment tabs engage with diametrically opposite open sections between the segments. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 3 , in which at least one rib is located between an outside surface of each skirt segment and an inside surface of a lower side wall. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4 , in which the at least one rib stiffens each skirt segment and increases force required for the lip to disengage with the circumferential flange. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , in which a seal is secured over the opening. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , in which the upper portion and the head are circular in cross-section. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , in which a ball is rotatably mounted in and retained in the head. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1 , in which the upper portion is smaller in diameter than that of the main portion. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 3 , in which two alignment tabs engages with the open sections between segments of the skirt to align the head with the upper portion. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , in which the container and the head are manufactured from different materials. 
     
     
         12 . A container comprising:
 a main portion and an upper portion, the upper portion including an opening, with an outside surface of the opening including a circumferential flange and at least one alignment tab;   a head, with a receiving portion, a skirt, a lip on an inside surface of the skirt;   the head being removably affixable to the container, such that the lip of the skirt engages with the circumferential flange to seal the receiving portion into the opening, securely attaching the head to the container;   a ball rotatably mounted in and retained in the head;   an outer wall of the head having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the outer wall having threads formed thereon, the second portion of the outer wall having a locking mechanism thereon; and   a cap, the cap having a cap side wall and a cap top wall, the cap side wall having a cap wall upper portion, a cap wall lower portion, first and second screw threads formed on the cap wall upper portion, each of the screw threads extending for approximately half of a circumference of the upper portion of the upper wall, a locking member formed on the cap wall lower portion, a protrusion formed on an inner surface of the cap top wall, the protrusion engaging the ball when the cap is tightened on the container.   
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 12  wherein the locking mechanism comprises a stop formed on the lower portion of the outer wall, and the locking member on the cap wall lower portion comprises a rib arranged to abut the stop when the cap is screwed on the container, the rib extending completely along the cap wall lower portion, the rib having a tapering height with a smallest height proximate a bottom of the cap wall lower portion. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 12  wherein the locking mechanism on the lower portion of the outer wall has a first wall extending outwardly from the lower portion of the outer wall and a second wall extending from a free end of the first wall to merge with the lower portion of the outer wall, the second wall thereby forming a ramp to permit the locking member formed on the lower portion of the cap side wall to ride therealong prior to engaging with the locking member on the lower portion of the outer wall. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 12  wherein the cap side wall has a stepped configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 15  wherein the protrusion formed on the inner surface of the cap wall has a circular configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 12  wherein the screw threads formed on the upper portion of the outer wall have a double start. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 17  wherein there are provided two screw threads, each of the screw threads extending approximately half of the circumference of the upper portion of the outer wall. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 12  wherein the cap side wall and the cap top wall include indicators showing how to remove the cap. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 12  wherein the cap side wall includes interior ribs.