Dual Container With Interlocking Features

Abstract

An interlocking container assembly includes a first container having a first longitudinal axis and a second container having a second longitudinal axis. The first container has a male dovetail element, and the second container has a female dovetail recess that is adapted to engage the male dovetail element in order to prevent relative movement between the first and second containers in a first direction that is perpendicular to the first and second longitudinal axes. The first and second containers further respectively include a projection and a recess that are axially spaced from the respective dovetail element and female dovetail recess. The projection and the recess are adapted to engage each other in order to prevent relative movement between the first and second containers in a second direction that is parallel to the first and second longitudinal axes. The female dovetail recess is formed to have length that is favorable to fabrication using an extrusion blow molding process in which a mold is provided with a retractable mold element for forming the female dovetail recess.

1 . An interlocking container assembly comprising:
 a first container having a first longitudinal axis, said first container having a first interlocking feature;   a second container having a second longitudinal axis, said second container having a second interlocking feature that is different from said first interlocking feature but that is adapted to engage said first interlocking feature in order to prevent relative movement between said first and second containers in a first direction that is perpendicular to said first and second longitudinal axes, and wherein said second interlocking feature has a width that is greater than about 0.4 inch.   
     
     
         2 . An interlocking container assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said first interlocking feature comprises a male dovetail element, and wherein said second interlocking feature comprises a female dovetail recess, and wherein both said male dovetail element and female dovetail recess have longitudinal axes that are parallel to said first and second longitudinal axes. 
     
     
         3 . An interlocking container assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein said female dovetail recess has an axial length that is less than about 1 inch. 
     
     
         4 . An interlocking container assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein said female dovetail recess has an axial length that is less than about 0.75 inch. 
     
     
         5 . An interlocking container assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein said female dovetail recess has an axial length that is less than about 0.5 inch. 
     
     
         6 . An interlocking container assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said first container further comprises a third interlocking feature and said second container further comprises a fourth interlocking feature that is adapted to engage said third interlocking feature in order to prevent relative movement between said first and second containers in a second direction that is parallel to said first and second longitudinal axes. 
     
     
         7 . An interlocking container assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein said fourth interlocking feature is axially spaced from said second interlocking feature by a distance of at least 2 inches. 
     
     
         8 . An interlocking container assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said second interlocking feature has a width that is greater than about 0.75 inch. 
     
     
         9 . An interlocking container assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said first container includes no additional interlocking structure adjacent to said first interlocking feature, and wherein said second container includes no additional interlocking structure that is adjacent to said second interlocking feature. 
     
     
         10 . An interlocking container assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein said first interlocking feature comprises a male dovetail element, and wherein said second interlocking feature comprises a female dovetail recess, and wherein both said male dovetail element and female dovetail recess have longitudinal axes that are parallel to said first and second longitudinal axes. 
     
     
         11 . An interlocking container assembly comprising:
 a first container having a first longitudinal axis, said first container having a first interlocking feature that comprises a male dovetail element;   a second container having a second longitudinal axis, said second container having a second interlocking feature that comprises a female dovetail recess that is adapted to engage said male dovetail element in order to prevent relative movement between said first and second containers in a first direction that is perpendicular to said first and second longitudinal axes;   said first container further comprising a third interlocking feature and said second container further comprising a fourth interlocking feature that is adapted to engage said third interlocking feature in order to prevent relative movement between said first and second containers in a second direction that is parallel to said first and second longitudinal axes.   
     
     
         12 . An interlocking container assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein said fourth interlocking feature is axially spaced from said second interlocking feature by a distance of at least 2 inches. 
     
     
         13 . An interlocking container assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein said female dovetail recess has a width that is greater than about 0.4 inch. 
     
     
         14 . An interlocking container assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein said female dovetail recess has a width that is greater than about 0.75 inch. 
     
     
         15 . An interlocking container assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein said first container includes no female dovetail element. 
     
     
         16 . An interlocking container assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein said second container includes no male dovetail element. 
     
     
         17 . An interlocking container assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein said female dovetail recess has an axial length that is less than about 1 inch. 
     
     
         18 . An interlocking container assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein said female dovetail recess has an axial length that is less than about 0.75 inch. 
     
     
         19 . An interlocking container assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein said female dovetail recess has an axial length that is less than about 0.5 inch.