Container Assembly

Abstract

A container assembly includes a first container having a first opening, and a second container having a lid wall. A closure hingedly interconnects the first and second containers for swinging movement between a stacked position in which the lid wall overlies and closes the first opening, and an unstacked position in which the lid wall is removed from the first opening. The closure maintains the containers interconnected throughout the movement between the stacked and unstacked positions.

1 . A container assembly, comprising:
 a first container having a first opening;   a second container having a lid wall; and   a closure for interconnecting the first and second containers for movement between a stacked position in which the lid wall overlies and closes the first opening, and an unstacked position in which the lid wall is removed from the first opening, the closure maintaining the containers interconnected throughout the movement between the stacked and unstacked positions.   
     
     
         2 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first container has first walls bounding a first interior compartment, and wherein the first opening is accessible and is in communication with the first interior compartment in the unstacked position. 
     
     
         3 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second container has second walls bounding a second interior compartment and a second opening for accessing the second interior compartment, and wherein the lid wall is one of the second walls. 
     
     
         4 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second containers are stacked upright along a vertical axis in the stacked position, and wherein the closure includes a hinge for hingedly interconnecting the first and second containers for swinging movement about a hinge axis that is generally perpendicular to the vertical axis. 
     
     
         5 . The container assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the closure includes a first collar wire mounted on the first container and extending at least partly circumferentially around the vertical axis, and a second collar wire mounted on the second container and extending at least partly circumferentially around the vertical axis, and wherein the hinge is connected to the first and second collar wires. 
     
     
         6 . The container assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the closure includes a lever wire and a bail wire, both pivotably connected to the first collar wire, and a catch connected to the second collar wire, and wherein the lever wire locks the bail wire to the catch in the stacked position. 
     
     
         7 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first opening is generally circular, and wherein the lid wall has a generally circular shape that is closely fitted in the first opening. 
     
     
         8 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the closure includes a sealing gasket located between the first and second containers for hermetically sealing the first opening in the stacked position. 
     
     
         9 . The container assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the first container is a jar having a wide mouth as the first opening, wherein the second container is a bottle having a narrow mouth as the second opening, and wherein the wide mouth is greater in area than the narrow mouth. 
     
     
         10 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second containers have respective first and second interior compartments for holding different objects. 
     
     
         11 . The container assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second containers are constituted of a light-transmissive material for viewing the different objects held in the first and second interior compartments. 
     
     
         12 . A container assembly, comprising:
 a first container having first walls bounding a first interior compartment for holding a first foodstuff, and a first opening;   a second container having second walls bounding a second interior compartment for holding a second foodstuff, and a second opening, one of the second wails being a lid wall; and   a closure for interconnecting the first and second containers for movement between a stacked position in which the lid wall overlies and closes the first opening, and an unstacked position in which the lid wall is removed from the first opening, the closure maintaining the containers interconnected throughout the movement between the stacked and unstacked positions.   
     
     
         13 . The container assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second containers are stacked upright along a vertical axis in the stacked position, and wherein the closure includes a hinge for hingedly interconnecting the first and second containers for swinging movement about a hinge axis that is generally perpendicular to the vertical axis. 
     
     
         14 . The container assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first opening is generally circular, and wherein the lid wall has a generally circular shape that is closely fitted in the first opening. 
     
     
         15 . The container assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the closure includes a sealing gasket located between the first and second containers for hermetically sealing the first opening in the stacked position. 
     
     
         16 . The container assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first container is a jar having a wide mouth as the first opening, wherein the second container is a bottle having a narrow mouth as the second opening, and wherein the wide mouth is greater in area than the narrow mouth. 
     
     
         17 . The container assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the wide mouth of the jar enables removal of a solid food as the first foodstuff the narrow mouth of the bottle enables removal of a liquid food as the second foodstuff. 
     
     
         18 . The container assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second containers are constituted of a light-transmissive material for viewing the first and second foodstuffs held in the first and second interior compartments. 
     
     
         19 . A container assembly, comprising:
 a first container having first walls bounding a first interior compartment for holding a solid foodstuff, and a first opening;   a second container having second walls bounding a second interior compartment for holding a liquid foodstuff, and a second opening, one of the second walls being a lid wall; and   a closure for hingedly interconnecting the first and second containers for swinging movement between an upright, stacked position in which the lid wall overlies and closes the first opening, and an unstacked position in which the lid wall is pivoted away from the first opening, the closure maintaining the containers permanently interconnected throughout the swinging movement between the stacked and unstacked positions.   
     
     
         20 . The container assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the closure includes a sealing gasket located between the first and second containers for hermetically sealing the first opening in the stacked position.