Container assembly

Abstract

A container assembly has three portions, namely a bowl, a tray, and a cover. The tray has a sealable mounting on the bowl, and spaced peripheral clasps for engaging a flange of the bowl to make the seal seat tightly. The tray doubles both as a sealing lid and a carrying frame for auxiliary containers such as for salad dressing, condiments or the like. The tray is symmetrically arranged such that two side accommodations bracket a third, central accommodation for utensils. The two side accommodations are deeper than the central accommodation. The cover encloses all of the items carried in the tray.

1 . A container assembly comprising:
 a first member; a second member; and a third member;   said first member defining a containment vessel capable of retaining liquid;   said second member including a first portion defining a closure member for said first member, and a second portion defining at least two accommodations, at least one of said accommodation being an accommodation for at least one of:
 (a) utensils; 
 (b) an auxiliary container formed matingly to sit in said at least one accommodation; and 
   said third member defining a cover adapted to seat over said second member and such of (a) and (b) as may be contained in said at least one accommodation.   
     
     
         2 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said assembly includes a seal that is trapped between said first member and said second member when said first and second member are in mating engagement. 
     
     
         3 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second members have mutually engaging first and second securements co-operably to retain said second member in position enclosing said containment vessel. 
     
     
         4 . The container assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said securements include a circumferentially extending ring of one of said first member and said second member, and a mating grip of the other of said second member and said first member, said mating grip being positionable at a plurality of locations on said circumferentially extending member whereby said second member and said first member can be secured to each other at many different angular positions. 
     
     
         5 . The container assembly of  claim 4 , wherein said first member is a bowl, said circumferentially extending ring is a flange of said bowl, said second member has at least three of said grips spaced thereabout, and each of said grips is a releasable clasp having a finger operable to engage said flange. 
     
     
         6 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said first member is a bowl having a base upon which to sit, and a sidewall extending upwardly from said base;   said side wall has an upper margin, said upper margin being upwardly distant from said base of said bowl;   said second member has at least one well defined therein; and   when said second member is mounted on said first member at least a portion of said well extend to a height lower than said upper margin of said bowl.   
     
     
         7 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said second member defines first, second and third accommodation, said first and second accommodations being spaced apart and said third accommodation being defined therebetween. 
     
     
         8 . The container assembly of  claim 7 , wherein said first and second accommodations are mirror images of each other and are located symmetrically to either side of an axis of symmetry, said axis of symmetry then bi-secting said third accommodations. 
     
     
         9 . The container assembly of  claim 7 , wherein said first and second accommodations include first and second wells respectively, said third accommodation has a bottom panel, and said wells have bases that extend to a depth lower than said bottom panel of said third accommodation. 
     
     
         10 . The container assembly of  claim 7 , wherein said third member has a depending skirt, and when said third member is mounted above said second member said depending skirt defines at least a portion of a boundary wall of said third accommodation. 
     
     
         11 . The container assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said container assembly further includes first and second lidded auxiliary containers that nest in said first and second receptacles, and utensils that nest in said third receptacle between said first and second receptacles. 
     
     
         12 . A container assembly comprising:
 a first member; a second member; and a third member;   said first member is a bowl, said bowl having a bottom upon which said bowl rests in use, and an upper margin distant from said bottom;   said bowl has a peripheral sidewall that extends between said bottom and said upper margin;   said upper margin has a rim;   said second member being a removable closure panel mountable to said rim of said bowl;   said second member having a central region and an outer periphery, said outer periphery being of a size corresponding generally to, and for seating about, said rim of said bowl;   said second member having a seal for engaging said rim in a liquid tight closure;   said second member having a first side that, when said second member is mounted to said first member, faces inwardly into said bowl;   said second member having a second side that, when said second member is mounted to said first member, faces outwardly away from said bowl;   said second member having a first accommodation, a second accommodation, and a third accommodation integrally formed therein;   said first accommodation including an upstanding peripheral wall, said upstanding peripheral wall of said first accommodation having a first part and a second part;   said first part of said upstanding peripheral wall of said first accommodation corresponding to a first portion of said outer periphery of said second member;   said second part of said upstanding peripheral wall of said first accommodation diverging away from said outer periphery of said second member and running inwardly toward, and at least partially across, said central region;   said upstanding peripheral wall of said first accommodation defining a seat having a first footprint;   said upstanding peripheral wall of said first accommodation having at least one rebate of reduced wall height formed therein;   said second accommodation including an upstanding peripheral wall, said upstanding peripheral wall of said second accommodation having a first part and a second part;   said first part of said upstanding peripheral wall of said second accommodation corresponding to a second portion of said outer periphery of said second member;   said second part of said upstanding peripheral wall of said second accommodation diverging away from said outer periphery of said second member and running inwardly toward and at least partially across said central region;   said second part of said upstanding peripheral wall of said first accommodation being spaced apart from said second part of said upstanding peripheral wall of said second accommodation, said third accommodation being defined between said respective second parts of upstanding peripheral walls of said first and second accommodations;   an auxiliary receptacle removably mounted in said first accommodation, said auxiliary receptacle having a footprint corresponding generally to said footprint of said upstanding peripheral wall of said first accommodation;   said auxiliary receptacle having a closure member;   said rebate in said peripheral wall of said first accommodation providing access to said auxiliary receptacle by which access removal of said auxiliary receptacle is facilitated; and   said third member defining a lid positionable to cover said second member.   
     
     
         13 . The container assembly of  claim 12 , wherein:
 said bowl has an outwardly protruding flange located adjacent to said rim;   said second member has and array of grips for engaging said protruding lip; and   said second member has a ring seal for bearing down on said rim to form a sealed closure when said second member engages said first member.   
     
     
         14 . The container assembly of  claim 12 , wherein:
 said first and second accommodations are formed symmetrically to either side of a diametral centerline of said second member;   there is one of said auxiliary receptacles mounted in each of said first and second accommodations; and   said first and second accommodations are deeper than said third accommodation.