US2005189350A1PendingUtilityA1

Container assemblies with releasable locking feature

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Assignee: PACTIV CORPPriority: Oct 22, 2002Filed: Feb 11, 2005Published: Sep 1, 2005
Est. expiryOct 22, 2022(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Thomas J. HayesScott D. BrownH. Bernard Kirkland
B65D 1/34B65D 2543/00731B65D 2543/00685B65D 2543/00092B65D 2543/00796B65D 2543/0062B65D 2543/00027B65D 21/0234B65D 2543/00537B65D 2543/00361B65D 43/0204B65D 2543/00842B65D 2543/00296
52
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A container assembly comprises a first container and a second container. The first container includes a first continuous body portion and a first rim. The rim has a first plurality of ribs projecting generally upwardly therefrom such that first spaces are formed between adjacent ribs. The second container includes a second continuous body portion and a second rim. The rim has a second plurality of ribs projecting generally upwardly therefrom such that second spaces are formed between adjacent ribs. The second rim and the first rim are shaped substantially the same. The first container and the second container are adapted to be releasably lockable to each other by fitting the first plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs into respective second spaces and fitting the second plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs into respective first spaces. The first container may be shaped substantially the same as the second container.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A container assembly, comprising: 
 a first container including a first continuous body portion and a first rim, the first rim encompassing and projecting laterally outwardly from the first body portion, the rim having a first plurality of ribs projecting generally upwardly therefrom such that first spaces are formed between adjacent ribs, the first plurality of ribs having a first sidewall and a second sidewall and a generally flat surface that encompasses and bridges the first and second sidewalls, the first plurality of ribs having a rounded portion transitioning from the generally flat surface towards the first body portion;    a second container including a second continuous body portion and a second rim, the second rim encompassing and projecting laterally outwardly from the second body portion, the rim having a second plurality of ribs projecting generally upwardly therefrom such that second spaces are formed between adjacent ribs, the second plurality of ribs having a third sidewall and a fourth sidewall and a generally flat surface that encompasses and bridges the first and second sidewalls, the second plurality of ribs having a rounded portion transitioning from the generally flat surface towards the second body portion, the second container being shaped substantially the same as the second container; and    wherein the first container and the second container are adapted to be releasably lockable to each other by fitting the first plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs into respective second spaces and fitting the second plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs into respective first spaces.    
     
     
         2 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second containers are bowls.  
     
     
         3 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second containers are plates.  
     
     
         4 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first container is a bowl and the second container is a plate.  
     
     
         5 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second containers are made of polymeric material.  
     
     
         6 . The container assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second containers are made of a mineral-filled polymeric material.  
     
     
         7 . The container assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second containers are made of high-impact polystyrene.  
     
     
         8 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second containers are paper or metal.  
     
     
         9 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first container is identical to the second container.  
     
     
         10 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs and the second plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs are generally perpendicular to the plane of the remainder of the respective rims.  
     
     
         11 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second sidewalls of the first plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs has a first undercut, and wherein at least one of the third and fourth sidewalls of the second plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs has a second undercut.  
     
     
         12 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs and the second plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs includes at least about 3 ribs.  
     
     
         13 . The container assembly of  claim 12 , wherein each of the first plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs and the second plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs includes at least about 40 ribs.  
     
     
         14 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first rim and the second rim are adapted to form a seal.  
     
     
         15 . The container assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the seal is located outwardly from the first plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs and the second plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs.  
     
     
         16 . The container assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the seal is located inwardly from the first plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs and the second plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs.  
     
     
         17 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first container has at least one handle portion, and the second container has at least one handle portion.  
     
     
         18 . A container assembly, comprising: 
 a first container including a first continuous body portion and a first rim, the first rim encompassing and projecting laterally outwardly from the first body portion, the rim having a first plurality of ribs projecting generally upwardly therefrom such that first spaces are formed between adjacent ribs, the first plurality of ribs having a first sidewall and a second sidewall and a generally flat surface that encompasses and bridges the first and second sidewalls, the first plurality of ribs having a rounded portion transitioning from the generally flat surface towards the first and second sidewalls; and    a second container including a second continuous body portion and a second rim, the second rim encompassing and projecting laterally outwardly from the second body portion, the rim having a second plurality of ribs projecting generally upwardly therefrom such that second spaces are formed between adjacent ribs, the second plurality of ribs having a third sidewall and a fourth sidewall and a generally flat surface that encompasses and bridges the third and fourth sidewalls, the second plurality of ribs having a rounded portion transitioning from the generally flat surface towards the third and fourth sidewalls, the second rim and the first rim being shaped substantially the same;    wherein the first container and the second container are adapted to be releasably lockable to each other by fitting the first plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs into respective second spaces and fitting the second plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs into respective first spaces.    
     
     
         19 . The container assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the first and second containers are made of polymeric material.  
     
     
         20 . The container assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the first and second containers are made of a mineral-filled polymeric material.  
     
     
         21 . The container assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the first and second containers are made of high-impact polystyrene.  
     
     
         22 . The container assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the first rim is identical to the second rim.  
     
     
         23 . The container assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the first plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs and the second plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs are generally perpendicular to the plane of the remainder of the respective rims.  
     
     
         24 . The container assembly of  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the first and second sidewalls of the first plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs has a first undercut, and wherein at least one of the third and fourth sidewalls of the second plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs has a second undercut.  
     
     
         25 . The container assembly of  claim 18 , wherein each of the first plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs and the second plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs includes at least about 3 ribs.  
     
     
         26 . The container assembly of  claim 25 , wherein each of the first plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs and the second plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs includes at least about 40 ribs.  
     
     
         27 . The container assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the first rim and the second rim are adapted to form a seal.  
     
     
         28 . A container to be used in a container assembly, comprising a continuous body portion and a rim, the rim encompassing and projecting laterally outwardly from the body portion, the rim having a first plurality of ribs projecting generally upwardly therefrom such that first spaces are formed between adjacent ribs, the first plurality of ribs having a first sidewall and a second sidewall and a generally flat surface that encompasses and bridges the first and second sidewalls, the first is plurality of ribs having a rounded portion transitioning from the generally flat surface towards the first body portion, the rim being adapted to be releasably lockable by fitting the first plurality of ribs and first spaces into respective second spaces and second plurality of ribs of a second container, the second container being shaped substantially the same as the first container.  
     
     
         29 . The container of  claim 28 , wherein the first container is a bowl.  
     
     
         30 . The container of  claim 28 , wherein the first container is a plate.  
     
     
         31 . The container of  claim 28 , wherein the first container is made of polymeric material.  
     
     
         32 . The container of  claim 28 , wherein the first container is made of high-impact polystyrene.  
     
     
         33 . The container of  claim 28 , wherein at least one of the first and second sidewalls of the first plurality of ribs has a first undercut.  
     
     
         34 . The container of  claim 28 , wherein the first plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs includes at least about 20 ribs.  
     
     
         35 . A container to be used in a container assembly, comprising a continuous body portion and a rim, the rim encompassing and projecting laterally outwardly from the body portion, the rim having a first plurality of ribs projecting generally upwardly therefrom such that first spaces are formed between adjacent ribs, the first plurality of ribs having a first sidewall and a second sidewall and a generally flat surface that encompasses and bridges the first and second sidewalls, the first plurality of ribs having a rounded portion transitioning from the generally flat surface towards the first and second sidewalls, the rim being adapted to be releasably lockable by fitting the first plurality of ribs and first spaces into respective second spaces and second plurality of ribs of a second container, the second container being shaped substantially the same as the first container.  
     
     
         36 . The container of  claim 35 , wherein the first container is made of polymeric material.  
     
     
         37 . The container of  claim 36 , wherein the first container is made of high-impact polystyrene.  
     
     
         38 . The container of  claim 35 , wherein at least one of the first and second sidewalls of the first plurality of ribs has a first undercut.  
     
     
         39 . The container of  claim 35 , wherein the first plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs includes at least about 20 ribs.

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