Interlinking containers

Abstract

A compact interlinking container module and an interlinking container module assembly have at least two interlinking containers that have reservoirs arranged to hold articles, such as liquid, solid and gas toiletries. Each interlinking container module has a hollow body that is configured with an opposing top portion, an opposing bottom portion, an opposing front portion, an opposing back portion, and two opposing side walls, arranged as a hollow reservoir, and configured to hold and dispense liquid, solid and/or gas contents. A container male member and female element form a close frictional fit thereby connecting the container modules. The interlinking container assembly is small enough to fit into a user's shirt or pant pocket and does not contain any sharp edges or edges that catch on materials when there is contact between the container assembly and materials.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An interlinking container module comprising:
 a hollow body configured with opposing top and bottom portions, opposing front and back portions, and first and second opposing side walls, arranged as a reservoir, the hollow body configured to hold and dispense liquid, solid and/or gas contents, wherein the hollow body opposing front and back portions are arranged with an external profile having a rectangular shape;   a male member is configured with an opposing top portion, an opposing bottom portion, and opposing sides and arranged to extend from an external surface of the first opposing side wall,   the male member opposing top and bottom portions and the male member opposing sides each configured at right angles to the opposing top and bottom portions and opposing side walls, respectively, and indented from the opposing top and bottom portions and opposing side walls, respectively;   the male member arranged with an indented shelf formed thereon;   a female element arranged on the second opposing side wall and having top and bottom portions and opposing sides, the female element top and bottom portions and opposing sides each configured at right angles to the container module and forming cavities within the container module opposing top and bottom portions and opposing side walls, respectively; and   one of the male and female elements arranged with a detent and configured to frictionally receive an adjacent container module by engaging with the detent,   wherein the male and female members have a configuration to provide an interlocking between adjacent container modules allowing separation of the adjacent container module by pulling the adjacent container modules apart.   
     
     
         2 . The interlinking container module of  claim 1 , wherein the male member and female element having a configuration to restrict movement in vertical and horizontal directions. 
     
     
         3 . The interlinking container module of  claim 1 , wherein the container module does not contain any sharp edges or edges that catch on materials contacting any portion of the container assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The interlinking container module of  claim 1 , wherein plural container modules forms an assembly having a configuration to fit into a small pocket. 
     
     
         5 . The interlinking container module of  claim 1 , wherein:
 plural container modules form an assembly having a configuration to fit into a small pocket that does not contain any sharp edges or edges that catch on materials contacting any portion of the container assembly.   
     
     
         6 . The interlinking container module of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the male connector configured as a hook, clasp, engagement groove, protrusion, tab, and/or tenon; and   the female receiver configured as a snap, mortise, hole or slot, cooperating with the configuration of the male connecter, thereby ensuring the first and second sidewalls securely connect and maintain structural integrity when subjected to external forces.   
     
     
         7 . The interlinking container module of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 plural container modules form an assembly having a configuration to fit into a small pocket, and does not contain any sharp edges or edges that catch on materials contacting any portion of the container assembly;   the male connector configured as a hook, clasp, engagement groove, protrusion, tab, and/or tenon; and   the female receiver configured as a snap, mortise, hole or slot, cooperating with the configuration of the male connecter, thereby ensuring the first and second sidewalls securely connect and maintain structural integrity when subjected to external forces.   
     
     
         8 . The interlinking container module of  claim 1 , wherein the container module top or bottom wall has at least one exterior female receiver element arranged to receive the at least one male connector element arranged along an adjacent compact container module's corresponding top or bottom wall. 
     
     
         9 . The interlinking container module of  claim 1 , wherein the detent comprises a raised indent which mates with a receiving ridge or cavity in an adjacent container module. 
     
     
         10 . An interlinking container assembly comprising:
 at least two compact container modules, each of said container modules having four adjacent walls, thereby forming a hollow container reservoir therein;   each container reservoir configured to hold and dispense liquid, solid and/or gas contents;   each container module having a first side wall, the first side wall configured to have at least one exterior connector element;   each container module having a second side wall opposite the first side wall, said second side wall configured to have at least one exterior female receiver element arranged to receive the at least one male connector element of an adjacent compact container module; and   a dispensing outlet arranged at a section of each container module to dispense each of the solid, liquid or gas contents from each container reservoir   wherein the male and female members have a configuration to provide an interlocking between adjacent container modules allowing separation of the adjacent container module by pulling the adjacent container modules apart.   
     
     
         11 . The interlinking container assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the male member and female element having a configuration to restrict movement in vertical and horizontal directions. 
     
     
         12 . The interlinking container assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the container module does not contain any sharp edges or edges that catch on materials contacting any portion of the container assembly. 
     
     
         13 . The interlinking container assembly of  claim 10 , wherein plural container modules forms an assembly having a configuration to fit into a small pocket. 
     
     
         14 . The interlinking container assembly of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the assembly having a configuration to fit into a small pocket that does not contain any sharp edges or edges that catch on materials contacting any portion of the container assembly.   
     
     
         15 . The interlinking container assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 the male connector configured as a hook, clasp, engagement groove, protrusion, tab, and/or tenon; and   the female receiver configured as a snap, mortise, hole or slot, cooperating with the configuration of the male connecter, thereby ensuring the first and second sidewalls securely connect and maintain structural integrity when subjected to external forces.   
     
     
         16 . The interlinking container assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 the assembly having a configuration to fit into a small pocket, and does not contain any sharp edges or edges that catch on materials contacting any portion of the container assembly;   the male connector configured as a hook, clasp, engagement groove, protrusion, tab, and/or tenon; and   the female receiver configured as a snap, mortise, hole or slot, cooperating with the configuration of the male connecter, thereby ensuring the first and second sidewalls securely connect and maintain structural integrity when subjected to external forces.   
     
     
         17 . The interlinking container assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the container module top or bottom wall has at least one exterior female receiver element arranged to receive the at least one male connector element arranged along an adjacent compact container module's corresponding top or bottom wall. 
     
     
         18 . The interlinking container assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the detent comprises a raised indent which mates with a receiving ridge or cavity in an adjacent container module.