Selectively divisible liquid container with removable divider

Abstract

A selectively divisible liquid container includes a primary receptacle and a divider that is selectively sealably received within the primary receptacle such that the primary receptacle is divided into at least two liquid-tight subsidiary receptacles.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A selectively divisible liquid container comprising: 
 a primary receptacle including a closed bottom, an open top and at least one side wall extending between the closed bottom and the open top, the closed bottom having interior and exterior surfaces and the at least one side wall having inner and outer surfaces, the interior and inner surfaces defining a primary cavity; and    a divider that is selectively sealably received within the primary receptacle such that, when the divider is sealably received within the primary receptacle, the primary receptacle is divided into at least two liquid-tight subsidiary receptacles, each subsidiary receptacle including a subsidiary cavity.    
     
     
         2 . The selectively divisible liquid container of  claim 1  wherein the divider includes at least a first partition, the first partition having first and second opposed faces and a lower edge, an upper edge and at least one outer side edge, the lower edge being adapted for selective liquid-tight sealable engagement with the interior surface of the container bottom and the at least one outer side edge being adapted for selective liquid-tight sealable engagement with at least one of (i) the inner surface of the at least one side wall of the primary receptacle and (ii) a second partition.  
     
     
         3 . The selectively divisible liquid container of  claim 2  wherein each edge of a first partition that selectively sealably engages one of the (i) interior surface of the container bottom, (ii) the inside surface of the side wall and (iii) a second partition includes one of a sealably interlockable groove and groove-engaging rib and wherein each of the (i) interior surface of the container bottom, (ii) the inside surface of the side wall and (iii) the second partition includes the other of the sealably interlockable groove and groove-engaging rib.  
     
     
         4 . The selectively divisible liquid container of  claim 2  wherein the divider includes at least two non-coplanar partitions.  
     
     
         5 . The selectively divisible liquid container of  claim 1  further including a selectively sealable drain aperture corresponding to each of a selected number of subsidiary receptacle to allow a user to drain liquid from each of a selected number of subsidiary cavities without the need for tilting the primary receptacle, each drain aperture being located in one of (i) the side wall of the primary receptacle and the closed bottom of the primary receptacle.  
     
     
         6 . The selectively divisible liquid container of  claim 1  further including at least one paint brush holder within each of a selected number of subsidiary receptacles.  
     
     
         7 . The selectively divisible liquid container of  claim 1  wherein the divider includes at least three non-coplanar, angularly equi-spaced partitions joined at a centrally disposed partition joint, each partition being one of (i) removably joined to the partition joint and (ii) permanently joined to the partition joint and, each partition having an outer side edge adapted for liquid-tight sealable engagement with the inside of the primary receptacle side wall.  
     
     
         8 . The selectively divisible liquid container of  claim 7  further including a selectively sealable drain aperture corresponding to each of a selected number of subsidiary receptacles to allow a user to drain liquid from each of a selected number of subsidiary cavities without the need for tilting the primary receptacle, each drain aperture being located in one of (i) the side wall of the primary receptacle and the closed bottom of the primary receptacle.  
     
     
         9 . The selectively divisible liquid container of  claim 7  further including at least one paint brush holder within each of a selected number of subsidiary receptacles.  
     
     
         10 . A selectively divisible liquid container comprising: 
 a primary receptacle including a closed bottom, an open top and at least one side wall extending between the closed bottom and the open top, the closed bottom having interior and exterior surfaces and the at least one side wall having inner and outer surfaces, the interior and inner surfaces defining a primary cavity; and    an insertable divider that is selectively sealably received within the primary receptacle such that, when the divider is sealably received within the primary receptacle, the primary receptacle is divided into at least two liquid-tight subsidiary receptacles, each subsidiary receptacle including a subsidiary cavity, the insertable divider including a first partition having first and second opposed faces and a lower edge, an upper edge and two outer side edges, the lower edge being adapted for selective liquid-tight sealable engagement with the interior surface of the container bottom and the outer side edges being adapted for selective liquid-tight sealable engagement with the inner surface of the at least one side wall of the primary receptacle.    
     
     
         11 . The selectively divisible liquid container of  claim 1   0  wherein 
 (i) the bottom edge of the first partition includes one of a groove and a groove-engaging rib adapted for sealable engagement with the groove and the interior surface of the closed bottom includes the other of a groove and a groove-engaging rib to sealably engage the lower edge of the first partition; and  
 (ii) each of the two outer side edges of the first partition includes one of a groove and a groove-engaging rib adapted for sealable engagement with the groove and the at least one side wall includes one each of the other of a groove and a groove-engaging rib to sealably engage the outer side edges of the first partition.  
 
     
     
         12 . The selectively divisible liquid container of  claim 1   0  further including at least a second partition having a lower edge and two outer side edges, the lower edge being adapted for liquid-tight sealable engagement with the interior surface of the container bottom and one each of the outer side edges being adapted for liquid-tight sealable engagement with the inside surface of the container side wall and at least one of the first and second faces of the first partition.  
     
     
         13 . The selectively divisible liquid container of  claim 10  further including a selectively sealable drain aperture corresponding to each of a selected number of subsidiary receptacles to allow a user to drain liquid from each of a selected number of subsidiary cavities without the need for tilting the primary receptacle, each drain aperture being located in one of (i) the side wall of the primary receptacle and the closed bottom of the primary receptacle.  
     
     
         14 . The selectively divisible liquid container of  claim 10  further including at least one paint brush holder within each of a selected number of subsidiary receptacles.