Container

Abstract

The present invention relates to containers, and more specifically, to plastic containers. The containers described herein may be applied to any use, but they are particularly useful for storing paint.

1 . A method comprising: 
 filling a stackable paint container with paint;    wherein the stackable paint container comprises 
 a unitary main body, wherein the main body includes a threaded neck portion and a sidewall, the unitary main body including a handle portion having opposite ends each of which extend from the main body, the handle portion comprising a molded handle wherein the molded handle and the main body define an opening for receiving fingers of a human hand, the handle portion extending along a comer of the unitary main body wherein the handle portion and the unitary main body define a generally square or rectangular perimeter of the container;  
   the unitary main body further comprising a bottom portion having a bottom surface with a recessed area defined centrally in the bottom surface, the recessed area including a recessed horizontal surface having a perimeter that is vertically offset from the bottom surface, wherein the recessed area is a substantial area of the bottom portion of the second container and the bottom portion is free of an interlocking extension, the recessed horizontal surface extending inwardly from the perimeter of the recessed horizontal surface; 
 a lid threaded attachable to the threaded neck portion of the unitary main body, wherein the threaded neck portion is disposed centrally with respect to the main body, the lid of the container including a top surface portion, and a skirt extending from the perimeter of the planar top surface portion, the skirt having an outer surface which is free of interlocking extensions, the lid having at least one edge portion between the top surface portion and the skirt;  
 wherein the bottom recessed area of the container is sized to receive the top surface portion of the lid so that the at least one edge portion is within the bottom recessed area and functions to aid in aligning the top surface portion within the bottom recessed area and so that the recessed horizontal surface of the bottom portion is parallel to and proximate to the top surface portion of the lid; and  
   further wherein the container is constructed to support a second paint container stacked on the lid while the lid is attached to the threaded neck portion and so that the stackable container supports substantially all of the weight of the second container substantially filled with paint and retains the second container in a stable stacked arrangement, wherein the second container is substantially identical to the stackable container so that the recessed area of the bottom portion of the second container receives the top portion of the lid when stacked thereon and the recessed horizontal surface of the bottom portion of the second container is parallel to and proximate to the top surface portion of the lid.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the container is fabricated to support the weight of the second container having paint.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising stacking the second container on top of the container so that the recessed area of the bottom portion of the second container receives the top portion of the lid of the container.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the main bodies of the container and the second container are fabricated to comprise a parallelpiped shape.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising stacking the second container on top of the container so that the recessed area of the bottom portion of the another container receives the top portion of the lid of the container.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lid of the container is fabricated with a centrally positioned groove on the top surface portion thereof.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the bottom of the second container is fabricated with a centrally positioned lug receivable by the groove on the top surface portion of the lid of the container.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising stacking the second container on top of the container so that the centrally positioned lug of the second container is received by the groove on the top surface portion of the lid of the container.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lid of the container is fabricated with more than one symmetrically positioned discrete grooves on the top surface portion thereof.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the bottom of the second container is fabricated with more than one symmetrically positioned lugs receivable by more than one symmetrically positioned discrete grooves on the top surface portion of the lid of the container.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising stacking the second container on top of the container so that the more than one symmetrically positioned lugs of the second container are received by the more than one symmetrically positioned discrete grooves on the top surface portion of the lid of the container.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the handles of the container and the second container are respectively fabricated so as not to extend beyond the sidewalls of the container and the second container.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising stacking the second container on top of the container so that the recessed area of the bottom portion of the second container receives the top portion of the lid of the container.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the handles of the container and the second container are fabricated to be hollow.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the handles of the container and the second container are fabricated to be plastic-filled.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the main bodies of the container and the second container are fabricated with polymer.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the polymer is polypropylene.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the container and the second container are fabricated to be lined with a liner.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the material of the liner includes one of polyester, polyvinylidene chloride, and polyethylene.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the material of the liner includes one of cellulosic, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyester and metallized plastic sheet material.