CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62/599,878, filed on December 18, 2017, and entitled "Tray for Holding Exercise Putty and Putty Tools", the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference and on which priority is hereby claimed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to storage units for holding medical tools and more particularly relates to trays for storing and organizing exercise putty and putty therapy tools.

Description of the Prior Art

Various medical injuries and conditions often benefit from rehabilitation exercises to increase strength, dexterity and range of motion. Exercise putty, which is also referred to as therapy putty, is often utilized as a therapy for hand, wrist and upper extremity injuries and conditioning. Users can manipulate the putty with their hands and perform various exercises known to be beneficial for a particular injury or condition. Exercise putties having varying viscosities are available to make manipulation thereof more or less strenuous, thus varying the difficulty of the exercise being performed. Exercise putty is typically stored in a cylindrical container. When a user desires to perform an exercise with the putty, the putty is removed from the container and placed either on a hard surface or in the hands of the user. When the exercise is complete, the user must return the putty to the storage container; however, the user who has a hand injury and after undergoing a rigorous therapy routine, may find it difficult to replace the putty back into the container, as the putty may need to be further manipulated and reshaped to conform to the shape of the container. Exercise putty can also be used in conjunction with various tools that, when manipulated by a user, replicate natural human functional movements. For example, an L-bar tool, peg-turn tool, cap-turn tool, key-turn tool and knob-turn tool are often utilized by a user to manipulate the exercise putty as a method of therapy and rehabilitation. These tools are often sold individually or as a standardized set and may be offered in combination with various exercise putties. To utilize the tools in a particular therapy exercise, the user removes the putty from the storage container and places it on a hard surface. The user then selects a particular therapy tool, which is often loosely stored in a drawer or bag with other tools, and manipulates the putty with the tool. When the user is done with the exercise, the user returns the tool to the bag and returns the putty to the storage container. The storage container for the putty is separate from the therapy tools and oftentimes the tools are mislaid or the putty cannot be found.

A typical therapy routine utilizes a series of exercises utilizing an array of tools. Often, it is undesirable to take long pauses between exercises to search for and retrieve a particular exercise tool, which are commonly stored loosely in a drawer or bag. Furthermore, it is time consuming to remove and replace the exercise putty from cylindrical storage containers.

Accordingly, there is a need to provide a combined storage device for exercise putty and the therapy tools used therewith. By providing a kit where a patient can work the putty, such precludes the need for the therapist to clean/sanitize the table where it would normally be used in the clinic environment. A kit also provides a convenient way to bring the tools and putty to clients who need therapy at home. The therapist need only the one kit which will provide her/him with the putty, tools and a clean work place in a convenient manner.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tray for storing exercise putty. It is another object of the present invention to provide a tray for storing and organizing putty therapy tools.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tray on which putty exercises may be performed. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a tray that includes a putty storage receptacle that allows exercise putty to naturally return to a pre-manipulated shape after use.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a tray for storing and organizing exercise putty and putty therapy tools that securely holds the putty and tools when not in use.

In accordance with one form of the present invention, a tray for storing and organizing exercise putty and putty therapy tools is provided. The tray includes a base and a cover that is situated on the base. The base includes a plurality of receptacles in the form of recessed portions into which exercise putty and putty therapy tools are received. The recessed portions defining the tool receptacles are particularly shaped to conform to the shape of the tools that they hold.

The cover is selectively engageable with and joinable to the base to secure the putty and tools within the recessed portions.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the putty receptacle in the base of the tray provides a surface or containment area of sufficient size to allow the therapy exercises to be performed directly in the tray without the need to remove the putty from the tray and replacing it after exercises have been completed. Furthermore, since both the putty and the exercise tools are stored together in the same tray of the present invention, and not separately, it is less likely that the tools or the putty will be mislaid. Additionally, because the tool receptacles are formed with the same general shape of the tools that they hold, the user of the present invention can easily see if he has forgotten to return a tool to the tray and can readily identify the mislaid tool from viewing the overall shape of the empty tool receptacle.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the cover of the storage tray formed in accordance with the present invention. Figure 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the storage tray formed in accordance with the present invention, showing the cover detached from the base.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the base of the storage tray formed in accordance with the present invention. Figure 4 is a top plan view of the base of the storage tray formed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the base of the storage tray formed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 6 is another front elevational view of the base of the storage tray formed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the cover of the storage tray formed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 8 is a front perspective view of the cover of the storage tray formed in accordance with the present invention. Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the cover of the storage tray formed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 10 is another front elevational view of the cover of the storage tray formed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 11 is a partially exploded, top perspective view of the base of the storage tray formed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 12 is a top perspective view of a portion of the base of the storage tray of the present invention shown in Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a top perspective view of a portion of the base of the storage tray formed in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 is a top perspective view of a portion of the base of the storage tray formed in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 15 is a top perspective view of a portion of the base of the storage tray formed in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference should initially be made to Figure 2 of the drawings, where it can be seen that a tray 2 for holding exercise putty and putty therapy tools 3 formed in accordance with the present invention basically includes two main components: a base 4 and a cover 6 that is situated on or over the base 4 and joinable thereto. The base 4 includes a plurality of recessed portions 8 that are dimensioned and shaped to receive exercise (e.g., therapy) putty (not shown) and putty therapy tools 3 that are utilized in conjunction with the exercise putty to perform various rehabilitative and strengthening exercises. The cover 6 generally has a shape that conforms to the shape of the base 4 so that it may be fitted on or over the base 4 to cover the putty and tools 3 situated in the recessed portions 8 when the putty and tools 3 are not being used (i.e., during storage).

As can be seen in Figures 2 and 4-6 of the drawings, the base 4 includes a top surface 10, a bottom surface 12 situated opposite the top surface 10, and a sidewall 14 extending

downwardly from the bottom surface 12 at least partially around the periphery of the base 4. As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 7-10 of the drawings, the cover 6 includes a top surface 16 and a bottom surface 18 situated opposite the top surface 16. A sidewall 20 extends downwardly from the bottom surface 18 of the cover at least partially around the periphery thereof. The sidewall 20 and the bottom surface 18 of the cover 6 define a cavity 22 into which the base 4 is at least partially received.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the base 4 is generally rectangular in shape and includes a first sidewall 24, a second sidewall 26, a third sidewall 28 and a fourth sidewall 30, each of which extends downwardly from the bottom surface 12 of the base. The first sidewall 24 is situated opposite and generally parallel to the third sidewall 28, and the second sidewall 26 is situated opposite and generally parallel to the fourth sidewall 30. The cover 6 is complementary shaped to the base 4 and also includes a first sidewall 32, a second sidewall 34, a third sidewall 36 and a fourth sidewall 38, each of which extends downwardly from the bottom surface 18 thereof. The first sidewall 32 of the cover 6 is situated opposite and generally parallel to the third sidewall 36 of the cover 6, and the second sidewall 34 of the cover 6 is situated opposite and generally parallel to the fourth sidewall 38 of the cover 6. As can be seen in Figure 2 of the drawings, the cover 6 is fitted on or over the base 4 so that the base 4 is received within the cavity 22 thereof.

The base 4 further includes at least one putty receptacle 40 for storing the exercise putty. The putty receptacle 40 is formed as a rectangular (or some other shape) recessed portion 42 that extends through the top surface 10 thereof. The recessed portion 42 preferably includes a first pair of opposite sidewalls 44 and a second pair of opposite sidewalls 46, the first pair of sidewalls 44 being generally perpendicular to the second pair of sidewalls 46. The recessed portion 42 further includes a bottom surface 48 that extends between the first and second pairs of sidewalls 44, 46 that is situated below the top surface 10 of the base 4. When the exercise putty is stored within the recessed portion 42 of the putty receptacle 40 and not being used, it spreads out due to its Newtonian properties. Accordingly, as the putty spreads out during rest, it is retained within the recessed portion 42 by the bottom surface 48 and sidewalls 44, 46 thereof and thereby, over time, conforms to the shape of the putty receptacle 40, ready for reuse.

The base 4 further includes at least one tool receptacle 50. As will be described in greater detail in the forthcoming paragraphs, the tool receptacle 50 is formed as a recessed portion 52 that extends through the top surface 10 of the base 4. Preferably, the base 4 includes a plurality of tool receptacles 50 so that a standard set of putty therapy tools 3 comprising an L-bar tool, peg-turn tool, cap-turn tool, key-turn tool and knob-turn tool may be stored therein. The putty receptacle 40 is preferably situated centrally on the base 4 and the tool receptacles 50 are preferably situated adjacent to the putty receptacle 40.

As can be seen in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings, the tool receptacles 50 are formed as recessed portions 52, each of which comprises a peripheral sidewall 54 that is at least partially complementary in shape to the shape of the particular tool 3 that is received within the recessed portion 52. Each of the tool receptacles 50 includes a bottom surface 56 that extends from and between the peripheral sidewall 54 of the recessed portion 52 and is situated below the top surface 10 of the base 4. As shown in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings, some adjacent tool receptacles 50 may be interconnected by a finger recess 58 that extends through the top surface 10 of the base 4 and at least partially interconnects adjacent tool receptacles 50. Each finger recess 58 facilitates removal of specific tools 3 from the tool receptacle 50 and allows a user to insert his or her finger underneath the tool 3 to remove it from the receptacle 50. Preferably, the bottom surfaces 48, 56 of the recessed portions 42, 52 of both the putty receptacle 40 and tool receptacles 50 are formed to a depth sufficiently lower than the top surface 10 of the base so that, when the tools 3 and putty are received within the recessed portions 52,

42, they do not extend beyond the top surface 10 of the base 4. Accordingly, when the cover 6 is situated on the base 4, the bottom surface 18 of the cover 6 rests on the top surface 10 of the base 4 thereby holding the putty and tools within their respective receptacles 42, 52. The cover 6 may rest on and be supported by the base 4 in a raised position above the top surface 10 of the base 4 to provide sufficient space between the cover 6 and the base 4 to accommodate exercise tools 3 having portions thereof that protrude from and above the top surface 10 of the base 4.

As explained in the preceding paragraphs, the cover 6 is joinable to the base 4 and secures the putty and tools 3 within the recessed portions 42, 52 of the base. As can be seen in Figure 1-3, 6, 9 and 10 of the drawings, the sidewall 14 of the base 4 may further include a tab or ridge 60 that extends outwardly therefrom. The tab or ridge 60 in the sidewall 14 of the base 4 is receivable within a corresponding recess or indent 62 formed in the cover 6. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second and forth sidewalls 26, 30 of the base 4 each include an elongated ridge 60 that extends at least partially along the length of the sidewall 26,

30 and extends outwardly therefrom. Each of the second and forth sidewalls 34, 38 of the cover 6 includes a complementary shaped recess 62 into which the elongated ridges 60 that extend from the sidewalls 26, 30 of the base are received. Accordingly, when the cover 6 is pressed over and onto the base 4, the elongated ridges 60 engage and are received within the recesses 62 formed in the cover 6, thereby joining the cover 6 to the base 4. It is also envisioned to be within the scope of the present invention to form the ridges 60 and recesses 62 on other sides of the base 4 and cover 6.

The base 4 may also include two or more handle portions 64 formed on a pair of opposite sidewalls thereof. As can be seen in Figures 2, 4 and 5 of the drawings, preferably, a first handle 66 is situated on the first sidewall 24 and a second handle 68 is situated on the third sidewall 28. Each handle 66, 68 is formed as a cutout 70 in each sidewall 24, 28. The handles 66, 68 may further include a flange 72 that extends outwardly from a bottom edge 74 of each sidewall 24, 28 along the periphery of the cutout 70. The flange 72 may also extend inwardly towards an internal cavity 76 of the base 4 defined by the sidewalls 24, 26, 28, 30 that extend downwardly therefrom.

The cover 6 may also includes a complementary set of handles 78, 80 that align with and are situated over the handles 66, 68 formed in the base 4, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 7-9 of the drawings. For example, the cover 6 may include handle portions 78, 80 formed as cutouts 82 through the first sidewall 32 and the third sidewall 36 thereof, each of which includes a flange 84 that extends outwardly from the periphery 86 of the cutout 82. When the cover 6 is joined to the base, the handles 78, 80 in the cover are aligned with and situated on the handles 66, 68 formed in the base 4 so that a user may insert his or her hands through the aligned handle portions to lift the tray 2 and contents therein. Furthermore, if the cover 6 is removed, the user may also lift the base 4 and the contents therein by inserting his or hands into the handle portions 66, 68 of the base 4. It is envisioned to be within the scope of the present invention to form the handles 64 in any of the sidewalls of the cover 6 and the base 4.

The base 4 and the cover 6 may be constructed by a variety of methods including injection molding and blow molding. Furthermore, the base 4 and cover 6 may be formed of a variety of materials. For example, the base 4 may be formed of 1/8” Haircell Black ABS. The cover 6 may be formed of 0.100 clear PETG, or another clear material, so that the contents of the recessed portions 42, 52 in the base 4 are readily viewable by a user. In one embodiment, the tray 2 formed in accordance with the present invention functions as a storage device for the therapy components including the putty and tools 3 so that both the tools 3 and the putty may be easily located together by the user. When a user desires to perform an exercise using the putty, the putty and a particular putty therapy tool 3 are removed from the tray 2 and the exercise is performed on a separate surface. In another embodiment, the base 4 is constructed to be durable and sufficiently sturdy so that a user may perform the exercises directly on the putty that is situated within the recessed portion 42 in the top surface 10 of the base 4. In both forms of the present invention, whether the exercise is performed directly on the base 4 or separately, the putty, when not in use or when returned to the tray 2, over time naturally conforms and returns to the shape of the recessed portion 42 of the base 4 due to the Newtonian properties of the putty so that it is ready for future exercises. Also, the user can easily see if he has forgotten to return a tool 3 to the tray 2, as well as the particular tool 3 that was not returned, from viewing the overall shape of the empty tool receptacle 50.

A second embodiment of the storage tray of the present invention is shown in Figures 11 and 12 of the drawings. In the earlier embodiment shown in Figures 1-10, it is preferred to have recesses 50 formed in the top surface 10 of the base 4 of the tray 2, each recess 50 being shaped to conform to that of a particular tool 3 so that the recess 50 accepts only that particular tool 3 and so that the user can easily see if he has forgotten to return a tool 3 to the tray 2. In the embodiment shown in Figures 11 and 12, no recesses 50 are formed in the top surface 10 of the base 4 of the storage tray 2, but rather markings or other indicia 100 are printed on the top surface 10 of the base 4, which markings 100 are essentially an outline of the peripheral shape of the tool 3. Each tool 3 is placed by the user within the marking 100 of the outline for that particular tool 3 and rests on the top surface 10 of the base 4. Elastic straps 102a or Velcro™ hook and loop fasteners l02b are mounted on the top surface 10 of the base 4 and positioned to bridge the tool outline markings 100 and the tools 3 placed within the markings 100 so as to secure the tools 3 to the top surface 10 of the base 4.

An alternative to the elastic straps l02a or hook and loop fasteners l02b shown in Figures 11 and 12 is resilient clips 104, as shown in Figure 13 of the drawings. The clips 104 may be placed next to or over the tool markings 100 on the top surface 10 of the base 4 and are secured to the base 4. In the embodiment shown in Figure 13 of the drawings, the clip 104 is in the form of a U-shaped resilient member 106 that defines a slot or channel 108 to hold therein a tool 3. The clip 104 is mounted on the top surface 10 of the base 4.

In another alternative embodiment, and as shown in Figure 14 of the drawings, the clip 104 may be positioned adjacent to the tool outline marking 100 on the top surface 10 of the base 4 and has a resilient leg 1 10 that is moveable between a first position, in which the leg 110 is positioned across the tool outline marking 100 and the tool 3 situated in alignment therewith to secure the tool 3 to the top surface 10 of the base 4, and a second position, in which the leg 110 is pivoted away from the outline 100 and the tool 3 so that the tool 3 may be easily removed from the base 4 of the storage tray 2. In yet another alternative embodiment, and as shown in Figure 15 of the drawings, portions or all of the putty tools 3 may be formed from a ferrous material, such as steel or iron, that is magnetically attractable, and one or more permanent magnets 112, such as those formed from samarium cobalt or other rare earth magnet material, may be affixed by gluing with an adhesive or other methods of attachment to the top surface 10 of the base 4 or to the bottom surface 12 of the base 4 in alignment with the tool outline marking 100. Magnetic attraction between the tools 3 and the magnets 112 will hold the tools 3 in place on the top surface 10 of the base 4 within the tool outline marking 100. The tools 3 may be easily removed from the top surface 10 of the base 4 by a user exerting force thereon to overcome the magnetic attraction between the magnets 112 and the tools 3.

Although recesses, straps, hook and loop fasteners, magnets, and clips are shown and described for holding the tools in place on the base of the storage tray, it should be realized that other fastening means and fasteners may be used for this purpose, and such other fasteners are envisioned to be within the scope of the present invention. Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.