Device and Method for Distribution of Holy Water

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/670,548 filed on Jul. 11, 2012, and is included herein in its entirety by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to containers and dispensers for holy water. More specifically, the invention relates to a device and method for distributing holy water to users, employing spray containers having indicia resembling various beatified saints and accompanying scripture. In a preferred mode the device is providable to the user in a kit having a plurality of containers which are reusable and refillable so that the user can fill the containers with holy water from their preferred church, and use them individually for specific blessings or other religious ceremony.

2. Prior Art

The use of holy water for means of religious observance and ceremony is well known in denominations of the Christian faith such as in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, Oriental Orthodoxy, and some other churches. Conventionally, holy water is local water which has been blessed and sanctified by a church priest for the purpose of baptism, the blessing of persons, places, and objects or as a means of repelling evil.

Conventionally, one or a plurality of holy water basins, also referred to as fonts, are positioned at the entryways to a church as a reminder of baptism as the primary rite of initiation into the Christian faith. The worshipers dip their fingers in the holy water and make the sign of the cross when entering the church. Some ceremonies call for the sprinkling of holy water upon the congregation, referred to as aspersion, meaning to sprinkle. As a result, many individuals desire to employ holy water for blessings and the like on their own or in places outside the church when needed.

As can be imagined, the use of holy water is not only important but also comforting to many churchgoers. However, due to the nature of the accessability of holy water via locally positioned basins that lie solely upon a church premises, many users are unable to employ holy water other than in these particular places. Churchgoers are limited should they feel the need to bless locations outside the church such as a home or others environment, or to repel perceived evil, or to bless persons absent from the location of the church. Churchgoers are even further limited if they have to be away from their own church with no access to the holy water at all.

Further, modernly it is known that holy water fonts have been previously identified as a possible source of bacterial and viral infections. This is most commonly attributed to the fact that many people come in contact with the water using their hands which can have pathogens related to bacterial and viral infections thereon which can cause cross contamination to subsequent users.

As a conventional solution, some churches provide faucets or other dispensing means to allows users to individually obtain holy water without the use of basins or fonts. Although reducing some risk of cross contamination by others, users must still be in the vicinity to access and to touch the faucet and must provide a container to hold it and transport for use else where. Touching the faucet itself has been shown to also cause cross contamination from pathogens thereon, as has occupying the same space as a prior individual who may have sneezed or otherwise placed vaporized pathogens in the air.

As a result, there exists prior art patents for containing and dispensing holy water such as that found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,694 to Sadow. The device to Sadow provides a fluid container which is removably engageable to a wall or door of a building and has a spray nozzle for dispensing holy water contained within. The device to Sadow includes means to mount the container to a wall or door such as various fasteners and holders. Further, the device includes a religious ornament mounted on the front of the container to provide further comfort to the user. However, the device is limited to static mounting on a wall or door such as in a church, and does not easily necessitate transport. Further, the static mounting limits the number of consumers willing to purchase the device, knowing that it is intended solely for singular mounting purposes. Still further, the device fails to provide a means to teach the user about a particular patron saint related to the blessing of the water, or a certain blessing which may be beneficial to the individual user when performing religious blessings on their own, without a priest leading that blessing.

As such, there is a continuing unmet need for a device for containing and dispensing holy water, and a subsequent business method for distributing the container and/or container with holy water. Such a device should advantageously provide the user with written scriptures or sayings which the user can recite to correctly annunciate a blessing related to the contained water. Further, such a device should provide a container which is reusable and refillable by the individual user to avoid cross contamination from other users.

The forgoing examples of related art and limitation related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the invention described and claimed herein. Various limitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The device herein disclosed and described provides a solution to the shortcomings in prior art and achieves the above noted goals through the provision of a containing and dispensing device for holy water and a subsequent business method for distributing the container and/or container with holy water.

In accordance with a first preferred mode, the container device is comprised of a fluidly sealed vessel, such as a bottle, having a removably engageable spray nozzle and means for dispensing the contained liquid through the spray nozzle. Means for dispensing can include any means known in the art, such as a conventional finger operated pump. The exterior surface of the container preferably includes indicia such as images and text disposed thereon. It is particularly preferred that indicia is provided by a label which is adhered to the exterior surface of the container. The label is preferably comprised of images which resemble that of various saints known to the church. For example, the image can resemble a saint from a group of known Saints comprised of Saint Anthony, Saint Francis, Saint Joseph, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, and others. Further, it is preferred that the image is accompanied by text providing both information about the particular Saint, as well as the recitation of a blessing or saying associated with that Saint or a particular blessing. Therefor the user is provided with means to both contain and dispense holy water, as means to enhance the religious experience by providing a reminder of pertinent blessings or sayings for employment during a religious act. Other preferred means for providing indicia are disclosed below.

The various components of the device disclosed herein can be formed of conventional materials such as plastic however can be formed of any material suitable for the purposes set forth in this disclosure. However, plastic is a preferred material as it is light weight and can be easily formed to shapes and dimensions to necessitate easy carrying, transport and storage.

In another particularly preferred mode, the container device is providable to the user in a kit comprised of a plurality of such container devices. It is preferred that the kit includes pluralities of each of the individual above noted saint images and associated texts.

As a subsequent business method, the user, such as a church or business owner can purchase a kit of the container devices and distribute them out according to consumers needs related to the intended blessing. For example, for blessing a home, a particular saint may be desired, while for blessing a child, another saint may be preferred. Further, the containers may be provided empty or pre-filled with holy water. As an advantage, when the containers are empty or the pre-filled holy water runs out, the user may then fill the container from the church of their preference and will further avoid the downfalls associated with conventional holy water fonts.

Such containers, provided in a kit or individually, can be easily stored and transported, such that users can carry the holy water wherever they like. Further, in yet another mode, it is preferred that the fluid container is sized in compliance to current FAA regulations for carrying aboard airplanes. This is conventionally a maximum of 3.4 ounces (100 ml).

With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the herein disclosed invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention herein described is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosed device. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

As used in the claims to describe the various inventive aspects and embodiments, “comprising” means including, but not limited to, whatever follows the word “comprising”. Thus, use of the term “comprising” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present. By “consisting of” is meant including, and limited to, whatever follows the phrase “consisting of”. Thus, the phrase “consisting of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, and that no other elements may be present. By “consisting essentially of” is meant including any elements listed after the phrase, and limited to other elements that do not interfere with or contribute to the activity or action specified in the disclosure for the listed elements. Thus, the phrase “consisting essentially of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present depending upon whether or not they affect the activity or action of the listed elements.

Objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some, but not the only or exclusive, examples of embodiments and/or features. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the fluid vessel, pump, and cap, comprising the container of the present invention.

FIG. 1a shows a top view of the fluid vessel.

FIG. 2 shows an assembled view of the container.

FIG. 3 shows a view of a planar label having indicia resembling a Saint and text reciting a blessing, which is engageable over the exterior surface of the fluid vessel.

FIG. 4 shows the label of FIG. 3 being wrapped or otherwise engaged over the fluid vessel.

FIG. 5 is a first side view of the assembled device.

FIG. 6 is a second side view of the assembled device.

FIG. 7a shows a front view of another particularly preferred mode of label component formed as a removably engageable sleeve which can be engaged over the exterior surface of the vessel.

FIG. 7b shows a rear view of the sleeve of FIG. 7a.

FIG. 8 depicts a top view of the substantially cylindrical sleeve label component of FIG. 7a.

FIG. 9 depicts yet another mode of the planar label component formed of a plurality of layers of individual planar labels having different Saints and text imparted thereon, the layers are peel-a-way such that the user can view the underlying layers.

FIG. 10 shows a side view of the peel-a-way layers of planar labels.

FIG. 11 shows a front view of a underlying planar label having an alternate Saint and text imparted thereon, once the top layer is peeled away.

FIG. 12 shows a view of the peel-a-way action of the layered label component of FIG. 9 when engaged to the vessel.

FIG. 13 depicts the underlying layer which is exposed on the exterior surface of the vessel once the top layer is removed.

FIG. 14 depicts a particularly preferred kit of the container devices.

FIG. 15 shows another particularly preferred kit of the cylindrical sleeve label components.

FIG. 16 shows yet another particularly preferred kit of the planar label components.

FIG. 17 depicts a component of the preferred device and method herein, formed to provide a kit of components, which provides a peelable but replaceable top lable, and a protected and private writing area underneath.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In this description, the directional prepositions of up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms refer to the device as it is oriented and appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only; they are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation.

Now referring to drawings in FIGS. 1-17, wherein similar components are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in FIG. 1 a view of the various components comprising the fluid container 28 of the present invention. The container 28 is comprised of a fluid vessel 12, having an exterior surface 16 and interior cavity 19 defined by a sidewall of the container and configured to receive fluids such as holy water. The various components of the device disclosed herein can be formed of one or a combination of conventional materials such as plastic or metal, however it may be formed of any material suitable for the purposes set forth in this disclosure.

However, it is preferred that the vessel 12 is formed from plastic for reasons set forth shortly. The exterior surface 16 of the sidewall, is preferably formed in a circular cross section to provide a container 28 which is easily handheld, transported such as in a pocket, and stored easily. It is anticipated however that the exterior surface 16 can be formed of essentially any shape cross section to necessity the employment, transport and storage of the device in its intended use, this of course may be easily accomplished due to the capabilities of conventional plastic molding techniques. For example, another preferred cross section shape may be elliptical or oval.

A first end 14 of the vessel 12 includes a threaded exterior surface 15 communicating around an aperture 17 located at the distal end of the vessel 12. The aperture 17, shown more clearly in FIG. 1a, provides communication to the interior cavity 19 for filling or emptying the vessel 12 with holy water.

Means to cap the threaded end of the vessel 12 are provided by a threadably engageable pump cylinder 18, having a stem portion 20 extending therefrom. In use the stem 20 extends into the cavity 19 as is conventionally known in the art of spray bottles. Also engaged to the pump cylinder 18 is a finger operable pump 22 having a spray nozzle 24 for discharging pumped fluid in a spray or mist. As shown in a cap 26 for covering the pump 22 and nozzle 24 when not in use. An assembled mode of the container 28 is shown in FIG. 2.

It is noted and anticipated that the various components and aspects of the container 28, shown in its simplest form, may be differently shaped or slightly modified when forming the invention herein. It is additionally noted that container 28 can be other types of spray containers configured for employment in a kit and having indicia and labels for the method herein. As such those skilled in the art will appreciate the descriptions and depictions set forth in this disclosure are merely meant to portray examples of preferred modes within the overall scope and intent of the invention, and are not to be considered limiting in any manner.

It is the intent of the invention to provide the user with a reusable, refillable, and sanitary means to transport, carry, and store holy water for use in blessings or other religious acts and a concurrent primer visually readable of prayers and related saints for particular uses. For Example St. Joseph indicia may be on the exterior of a container with prayers related to use of holy water on animals, whereas another saint and/or prayer may be on a container intended for use in areas of the home, or on a car. Such a combination in the preferred mode of container and prayers and saints related to an intended use of the water in the device provides utility in a means to enhance the religious experience of the user employing holy water, by having the saint related thereto and/or the prayer or blessings and the like handy in viewable indicia. This is preferably accomplished by an indicia providing visually discernable images resembling Holy Saints as well as text reciting, holy water related prayers, blessings or holy scripture.

In a first preferred mode, the indicia providing means is comprised of a planar label 30 shown in FIG. 3 which may be provided separately from the water holding vessel 12 which may be initially unlabeled. The planar label 30 includes indicia such as images of Saints 32, shown in the figure as Saint Francis, and text such as a blessing, prayer, or holy scripture 34, which relates to the intended use and venue of the holy water by the user. It can also include a description 36 of the Saint 32 who in Church scripture is related to the intended use of the holy water in some fashion.

The indicia may be imparted on the label by any means known in the art such as printing. The planar label 30 is intended to be engaged onto the exterior surface 16 of the vessel 12 such that the user can reference the indicia 32, 34, 36 to have the appropriate prayer or blessing for the intended use and venue in hand, and thereby enhance the religious experience when commencing a blessing, saying a prayer, or other religious act in combination with holy water from a vessel 12. It is noted and anticipated that the image and text indicia 32, 34, 36 can be of any known Saint and can include any known blessing or saying that will enhance a user religious experience, however, in the preferred mode, the saint or religious figure as well as the prayer or blessing, will be related to the intended use and placement of the holy water so the user knows the proper manner for such, and is encouraged to use holy water.

In a first mode of the kit of the device and method herein, the labels 30 can be displayed in an infinite plurality of differing labels for differing uses and venues for holy water, for the user to choose, based on the intended use for the holy water in a vessel 12 they intended to use. Thus, the user will choose the label 30 with indicia and/or a saint thereon, which is related to their intended use by church scripture, attach the label 30 and have both holy water and indicia relating to the proper prayer or blessing for the intended use in hand.

It is noted and anticipated that in other modes the indicia may instead be imparted directly onto the exterior surface 16 of a vessel 12 by printing, etching, or other means known in the art, or by pre-attachment of labels 30 to the exterior of vessels 12. In such cases the user will choose the label 30 and vessel 12 combination suitable to their use of holy water and venue therefor.

FIG. 4 shows the planar label 30 being engaged over the exterior surface 16 of the vessel 12. The label 30 may be engaged via adhesives or other engagement means known in the art simply by wrapping the label 30 about the vessel 12, such as conventional label application techniques. As such those skilled in the art will recognize that he dimensions of the label 30 will be sized to completely circumferentially engage over the exterior surface 16 in a manner to ensure no overlap of the indicia 32, 34, 36 which is intended to be viewed.

FIG. 5 depicts a first side view of the device 10 in the assembled mode showing the text 34 in a viewable position. FIG. 6 shows a second side view depicting the image 32 in a viewable position.

Yet another preferred mode of the indicia providing means is provided by a sleeve component 36 as shown in FIG. 7a and FIG. 7b. The sleeve component 36, herein shown as a substantially cylindrical sleeve 36 is intended to be engaged over the exterior surface 16 of the vessel 12 via an insertion of the vessel 12 into the axial passage 38 of the sleeve 36. The sleeve 36 may sized for frictional engagement onto the exterior surface however the user may employ adhesives or the like.

Further, the sleeve 36 may be formed of heat shrink material. Heat shrinking material forming the sleeve 36 may be formed of polymeric material such as a thermoplastic material such as polyolefin, fluoropolymer (such as FEP, PTFE or Kynar), PVC, neoprene, silicone elastomer or Viton. Employing a polymeric material containing many monomers, when the tubing is heated the monomers polymerise. This increases the density of the material as the monomers become bonded together, therefore taking up less space. Accordingly, the volume of the material shrinks when heated, thus engaging the sleeve 36 to the vessel 12.

As is shown the sleeve 36 includes indicia 32, 34, 36 imparted thereon such that when engaged to the vessel 12, is viewable by the user. Again, the type of Saint and blessing thereon can vary depending on the intended blessing or act desired by the user.

FIG. 9, FIG. 10, and FIG. 11 show still yet another favored mode of the device and method herein with indicia-providing means comprised of a layered label 40 comprising a plurality of layered and removably engageable individual labels 42, 44 having indicia corresponding to various saints and blessings. In the figure the plurality is shown as two labels 42, 44, however those skilled will recognize that more may be employed.

In this particularly favored mode of the device and method, the labels 42, 44 are layered over each other, and removably engageable, such that the user may peel 46 a top layer to expose an underlying layer having indicia thereon for a prayer or blessing for use in combination with the holy water. The labels 42, 44 may be engaged via static adhesion or through the employment of a removably engageable adhesive which will maintain their engagement until the user peels the top later off. Because Catholic religious practice has many individual prayers associated with the employment of holy water around the home or in ones person or even in a vehicle or boat, it is particularly useful to provide the holy water in containers in a kit or plurality which have indicia thereon relating to a saint and/or prayer, for which the user may pray or use during application of the holy water. Many practicing Catholics do not know of the multiple uses for holy water other than their use at entering church, and those that do hesitate to take holy water home, lest the not know where or how to use it in the many ways possible. Consequently, providing a safe and sanitary container for application of holy water, along with a plurality of different prayers and saints to pray to or with, provides a means to encourage the ongoing use of holy water with parishioners who previously avoided it due to worries of pathogens or lack of knowledge on proper use.

FIG. 11 shows an example of an additional label 44 portraying indicia reassembling images of Saint Joseph 46 with corresponding text of blessings 48, sayings, or other information about the saint 50. The layered label 40 can be engaged to the exterior surface 16 by any means and is employable by a user to help them pray while using the holy water for the purpose intended, which in the case of St. Joseph, would be blessing animals or applying holy water to animals with appropriate prayer concurrently. Such appropriate prayers are provided by the indicia.

FIG. 12 shows the device 10 in the as used mode employing the layered label 40 of FIGS. 9-11. As can be seen the top layer 42 is being peeled away 46 in order to reveal the underlying layer 44. This mode of the device an method, as noted is particularly preferred as it is of great advantage, as it will greatly enhance the users religious experience in that a plurality of indicia resembling saints and prayers or blessings to be employed in concert with holy water application, are viewable. FIG. 13 shows the device 10 once the top label 42 is peeled away and the underlying label 44 is now viewable.

FIG. 14 shows a particularly preferred means for distributing holy water provided by a kit 50 of a plurality of individual holy water spray devices 52, 54, 56 each having different indicia of saints and blessing 58, 60, 62 thereon. The kit 50 having a plurality of spray device allows user employ a different spray device as desired for separate blessings, or religious acts which may correspond to a specific saint. The kit 50 may be provided in a box or case 64 for easy storage and transport. It is noted that the kit 50 may include more or less than the three spray device 52, 54, 56 shown, and is anticipated.

The kit 50 may be provided with a pre-filled spray device 52, 54, 56 having a sanitized and pre-measured volume of holy water. However, in other modes the kit 50 may be provided with empty spray device to allow the user to fill them with holy water from their preferred church. In either case, the user spray devices are preferably reusable and refillable as to allow continued use, storage, and transport by the user.

In yet another preferred mode, the user may simply purchase a container 28 such as that shown previously in FIG. 2. As such, shown in FIG. 15, is a kit 66 comprising a plurality of individual sleeves 68, 70, 72, again each having different indicia corresponding to a different saint 74, 76, 78. As such the user may selectively employ the sleeve 68, 70, 72 of their choice as needed for a certain blessing, simply by engaging the sleeve over the exterior surface 16 of the container 28. Again it is noted that the plurality of sleeves 68, 70, 72 is not limited to three as shown, and that more or less may be provided in the kit 66. Further, the kit 66 may include a box or case 80 for convenience.

Alternatively, a kit 82 of planar labels 84, 86, 88 may be provided to the user having already purchased a container 28, as shown in FIG. 16. A box or case 92 may be provided in the kit 82.

FIG. 17 depicts a component of the preferred device and method enabled thereby herein, as one of a kit of components. In this mode, a peel away 46 top label is provided to removably cover over a writing area 47 for the user to employ a pen or pencil or marker, to write down prayers or blessings thereon, applicable to the intended use of the holy water. Such blessings or prayers appropriate for the intended use, can be obtained from a priest and written in the coverable protected writing area 47, and then read or prayed with at the time of holy water application. By allowing for the peel away 46 to expose and then cover the writing area 47, a user can write down a very private prayer or blessing and have it protected from view by covering the writing area 47 with the overhead label. When it is time to apply the holy water, the writing area 47 may be exposed and the prayer or blessing read or employed during holy water application.

The kit mode of the device enabling the method herein, is especially preferred to provide users with many options in their use and application of holy water. Provided with the different saints and prayers for differing venues and uses, the kit and system afford users the ability to better employ holy water for proper household, vehicle, and personal purposes knowing they have the proper use and/or prayer in hand for use concurrently. Additionally, the provision of one container having a hidden or coverable writing area 47, for writing personalized or special prayers for uses and venues not on other bottles, provides for customization. Finally, the rendering the writing area 47 coverable to protect what is written from erasure, as well as from nosey people or prying eyes, will encourage the use of holy water kit since users can customize the use knowing they have the proper prayer written from a priest, and knowing that no other person will be able ascertain the prayer or intended use of the holy water concurrently since it is hidden in the writing area 47.

While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the invention have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations and substitutions are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.