Container assemblies with releasable locking feature

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 first rim terminates in a lip portion. The second container includes a second continuous body portion and a second rim. The second rim terminates in a lip portion. 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 a plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs of the first container into a plurality of respective second spaces of the second container and fitting a second plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs of the second container into a plurality of respective first spaces of the first container.

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 first rim terminating in a lip portion, the rim having a first plurality of ribs projecting generally upwardly therefrom such that first spaces are formed between adjacent ribs; 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 second rim terminating in a lip portion, the rim having a second plurality of ribs projecting generally upwardly therefrom such that second spaces are formed between adjacent ribs, the first container being shaped substantially the same as the second container;    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; and    wherein the lip portion of the first rim is adapted to be deflected towards the second container, and the lip portion of the second rim is adapted to be deflected towards the first container.    
   
   
       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.  
   
   
       7 . The container assembly of claim  6 , wherein the first and second containers are made of a mineral-filled polymeric material.  
   
   
       8 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second containers are paper.  
   
   
       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 each of the first plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs and the second plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs includes at least about 3 ribs.  
   
   
       12 . The container assembly of  claim 11 , wherein each of the first plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs and the second plurality of upwardly-projecting ribs includes at least about 40 ribs.  
   
   
       13 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lip portion of the first rim is generally vertical, and the lip portion of the second rim is generally vertical.  
   
   
       14 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lip portion of the first rim is located outwardly of the lip portion of the second rim when the first rim has been deflected towards the second container and the second rim has been deflected towards the first container.  
   
   
       15 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lip portion of the first rim is located inwardly of the lip portion of the second rim when the first rim has been deflected towards the second container and the second rim has been deflected towards the first container.  
   
   
       16 . 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 first rim terminating in a lip portion 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 second rim terminating in a lip portion, 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 deflecting the lip portion of the first rim towards the second container and deflecting the lip portion of the second rim towards the first container, such that the lip portion of the first rim of the first container frictionally engages the lip portion of the second rim of the second container.    
   
   
       17 . The container assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second containers are bowls.  
   
   
       18 . The container assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second containers are plates.  
   
   
       19 . The container assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the first container is a bowl and the second container is a plate.  
   
   
       20 . The container assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second containers are made of polymeric material.  
   
   
       21 . The container assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the first and second containers are made of a mineral-filled polymeric material.  
   
   
       22 . The container assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the first rim is identical to the second rim.  
   
   
       23 . The container assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the lip portion of the first rim is located outwardly of the lip portion of the second rim when the first rim has been deflected towards the second container and the second rim has been deflected towards the first container.  
   
   
       24 . The container assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the lip portion of the first rim is located inwardly of the lip portion of the second rim when the first rim has been deflected towards the second container and the second rim has been deflected towards the first container.  
   
   
       25 . The container assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second containers are made of paper.  
   
   
       26 . A method of forming an interlocking container assembly, the method comprising the acts of: 
 providing a first container having a first continuous body portion and a first rim, the first rim encompassing and projecting laterally outwardly from the first body portion, the first rim terminating in a lip portion, the rim having a first plurality of ribs projecting generally upwardly therefrom such that first spaces are formed between adjacent ribs;    providing a second container having a second continuous body portion and a second rim, the second rim encompassing and projecting laterally outwardly from the second body portion, the second rim terminating in a lip portion, the rim having a second plurality of ribs projecting generally upwardly therefrom such that second spaces are formed between adjacent ribs, the first container being shaped substantially the same as the second container;    rotating one of the first or the second containers 180 degrees such that the second rim of the second container faces the first rim of the first container;    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;    deflecting the lip portion of the first rim towards the second container; and    deflecting the lip portion of the second rim towards the first container.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the deflecting of the lip portion of the second rim positions the vertical lip portion of the second rim outwardly of the vertical lip portion of the first rim.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the deflecting of the lip portion of the second rim positions the vertical lip portion of the second rim inwardly of the vertical lip portion of the first rim.  
   
   
       29 . A method of forming an interlocking container assembly, the method comprising the acts of: 
 providing a first container having a first continuous body portion and a first rim, the first rim encompassing and projecting laterally outwardly from the first body portion, the first rim terminating in a lip portion;    providing a second container having a second continuous body portion and a second rim, the second rim encompassing and projecting laterally outwardly from the second body portion, the second rim terminating in a lip portion, the first container being shaped substantially the same as the second container;    rotating the first container or the second container 180 degrees such that the second rim of the second container faces the first rim of the first container;    deflecting the lip portion of the first rim towards the second container; and    deflecting the lip portion of the second rim towards the first container such that the deflecting of the lip portion of the first rim and the deflecting of the lip portion of the second rim releasably locks the first container to the second container.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the deflecting of the lip portion of the second rim positions the vertical lip portion of the second rim outwardly of the vertical lip portion of the first rim.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the deflecting of the lip portion of the second rim positions the vertical lip portion of the second rim inwardly of the vertical lip portion of the first rim.