Stackable container with interlocking arrangement

Abstract

A food container including a container cover, a container body, and an interlocking arrangement which includes a stacking seat continuously indent at a top surface of the container cover along a peripheral edge thereof and an engaging rim continuously protruded at a bottom surface of the container body along a peripheral edge of the bottom wall, wherein the engaging rim has a size and shape geometrically matching with the stacking seat in such a manner that when the container is arranged in stack formation above another the identical container, the engaging rim is complementarily coupled with the stacking seat to engage the bottom surface of the container cover with the top surface of the identical container so as to substantially retain said two containers in position and avoid a lateral relative movement between the two containers.

1 . A food container, comprising:
 a container body which comprises a surrounding wall and a bottom wall to define a top opening and a storage cavity within said surrounding wall and said bottom wall;   a container cover detachably coupling with said container body at said top opening to enclose said storage cavity; and   an interlocking arrangement, which comprises:   a stacking seat continuously indent at a top surface of said container cover along a peripheral edge thereof; and   an engaging rim continuously protruded at a bottom surface of said container body along a peripheral edge of said bottom wall, wherein said engaging rim has a size and shape geometrically matching with said stacking seat in such a manner that when said container is arranged in stack formation above another said identical container, said engaging rim is complementarily coupled with said stacking seat to engage said bottom surface of said container cover with said top surface of said identical container so as to substantially retain said two containers in position and avoid a lateral relative movement between said two containers.   
   
   
       2 . The food container, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said stacking seat has a base wall and two side engaging walls upwardly and spacedly extended from said base wall to define an recessing channel between said two side engaging walls, such that when said engaging rim is disposed along said stacking seat, said side engaging walls are adapted to block the lateral movement of said engaging rim. 
   
   
       3 . The food container, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said engaging rim has two sidewalls downwardly protruded from said bottom surface of said container body to define a width slightly smaller than a width of said stacking seat, such that when said engaging rim is disposed along said stacking seat, said sidewalls of said engaging rim are engaged with said side engaging walls of said stacking seat respectively. 
   
   
       4 . The food container, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said stacking seat has a U-shaped cross section that said recessing channel has a uniform height and a uniform width between said two side engaging walls, wherein said engaging rim has a U-shaped cross section corresponding to said stacking seat and has a uniform width slightly smaller than said width of said stacking seat. 
   
   
       5 . The food container, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said stacking seat has a trapezoid cross section that said side engaging walls are inclinedly extended from said base wall, wherein said engaging rim has a trapezoid cross section corresponding to said stacking seat that said sidewalls are extended inclinedly. 
   
   
       6 . The food container, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein each of said stacking seat and said engaging rim is substantially rectangular in shape. 
   
   
       7 . The food container, as recited in  claim 5 , wherein each of said stacking seat and said engaging rim is substantially rectangular in shape. 
   
   
       8 . The food container, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said interlocking arrangement further comprises a retention seat indent at said top surface of said container cover and surrounded within said stacking seat, and a retention member which is integrally protruded at said bottom surface of said container body and has a size and shape geometrically matching with said retention seat, such that said retention member is complementarily coupled with said retention seat once said engaging rim is complementarily coupled with said stacking seat so as to retain said containers in a stacked manner. 
   
   
       9 . The food container, as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said interlocking arrangement further comprises a retention seat indent at said top surface of said container cover and surrounded within said stacking seat, and a retention member which is integrally protruded at said bottom surface of said container body and has a size and shape geometrically matching with said retention seat, such that said retention member is complementarily coupled with said retention seat once said engaging rim is complementarily coupled with said stacking seat so as to retain said containers in a stacked manner. 
   
   
       10 . The food container, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said interlocking arrangement further comprises a retention seat indent at said top surface of said container cover and surrounded within said stacking seat, and a retention member which is integrally protruded at said bottom surface of said container body and has a size and shape geometrically matching with said retention seat, such that said retention member is complementarily coupled with said retention seat once said engaging rim is complementarily coupled with said stacking seat so as to retain said containers in a stacked manner. 
   
   
       11 . The food container, as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said retention seat comprises a continuous retention wall indented at said top surface of said container cover to define a retention cavity thereon, wherein said retention member has a continuous embossing wall downwardly protruded from said bottom surface of said container body and arranged in such a manner that when said retention member is received at said retention cavity of said retention seat, said embossing wall of said retention member is encirclingly engaged with said retention wall of said retention seat. 
   
   
       12 . The food container, as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said retention seat comprises a continuous retention wall indented at said top surface of said container cover to define a retention cavity thereon, wherein said retention member has a continuous embossing wall downwardly protruded from said bottom surface of said container body and arranged in such a manner that when said retention member is received at said retention cavity of said retention seat, said embossing wall of said retention member is encirclingly engaged with said retention wall of said retention seat. 
   
   
       13 . The food container, as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said retention seat comprises a continuous retention wall indented at said top surface of said container cover to define a retention cavity thereon, wherein said retention member has a continuous embossing wall downwardly protruded from said bottom surface of said container body and arranged in such a manner that when said retention member is received at said retention cavity of said retention seat, said embossing wall of said retention member is encirclingly engaged with said retention wall of said retention seat. 
   
   
       14 . The food container, as recited in  claim 12 , wherein each of said retention seat and said retention member is substantially elliptical in shape. 
   
   
       15 . The food container, as recited in  claim 13 , wherein each of said retention seat and said retention member is substantially elliptical in shape. 
   
   
       16 . The food container, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said container cover comprises a sealing rim detachably coupling with a top rim of said container body, and a raised cover casing upwardly extended from said sealing rim to define said top surface on said cover casing. 
   
   
       17 . The food container, as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said container cover comprises a sealing rim detachably coupling with a top rim of said container body, and a raised cover casing upwardly extended from said sealing rim to define said top surface on said cover casing. 
   
   
       18 . The food container, as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said container cover comprises a sealing rim detachably coupling with a top rim of said container body, and a raised cover casing upwardly extended from said sealing rim to define said top surface on said cover casing. 
   
   
       19 . The food container, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said surrounding wall, which is inclinedly extended from said bottom wall, has a plurality of discrete wall portions integrally extended in a stair manner, such that said discrete wall portions of said surrounding wall not only forms a volume indicator but also substantially increases a volume of said storage cavity in height from bottom to top. 
   
   
       20 . The food container, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said surrounding wall, which is inclinedly extended from said bottom wall, has a plurality of discrete wall portions integrally extended in a stair manner, such that said discrete wall portions of said surrounding wall not only forms a volume indicator but also substantially increases a volume of said storage cavity in height from bottom to top.