Container with Dividers

Abstract

The invention provides a container having a peripheral wall defining a chamber and having an open top. A plurality of vertically extending grooves extend radially inwardly of the container from an inner surface of the peripheral wall. Two grooves of the plurality of grooves are on opposed portions of the peripheral wall and are in registration with one another to define a pair of grooves in registration. A divider is positioned in the pair of registered grooves and is retained therein by a protuberance in the groove and a tab extending from a lateral end portion of the divider.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A container comprising:
 a peripheral wall defining a chamber having an open top;   a plurality of vertically extending grooves extend radially inwardly of the container from an inner surface of the peripheral wall, two grooves of the plurality of grooves are on opposed portions of the peripheral wall and are in registration with one another to define a pair of grooves in registration;   a plurality of protuberances extend radially inwardly of the inner surface and one of each protuberance of the plurality of protuberances is positioned in one of each groove of the plurality of grooves;   a divider is positioned in the pair of grooves in registration spanning between the opposed portions of the peripheral wall, the divider has a pair of opposed lateral end surfaces; and   a tab extending from each of the opposed lateral end surfaces and is positioned below the one of each of the protuberances to retain the divider in the pair of grooves in registration.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  further comprising a bottom wall closing an end of the peripheral wall and supporting a plurality of parallel slots extending between opposed portions of the peripheral wall and one of each slot being in registration with a pair of grooves in registration. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the divider is securely retained in the pair of grooves in registration. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the divider is releasably retained in the pair of grooves in registration. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1  further comprising a top flange extending radially from an inner surface of the peripheral wall by a first height dimension. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 5  wherein the top flange is proximate a top end of each of the plurality of vertically extending grooves. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 6  wherein each of the plurality of grooves comprises a pair of groove walls spaced from one another to define the groove therebetween. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7  wherein the groove walls are elongate having a second height dimension measured from an inner surface of the sidewall to a distal edge of the groove wall and a length dimension perpendicular to the first height dimension. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 8  wherein the first height dimension is less than or equal to the second height dimension. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 9  further comprising a lower flange extending radially from an inner surface of the peripheral wall by a third height dimension. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 10  wherein the lower flange is proximate a bottom end of each of the plurality of vertically extending grooves. 
     
     
         12 . A container comprising:
 a peripheral wall defining a chamber having an open top and an inner surface;   a plurality of vertically extending grooves extend radially inwardly of the inner surface by a first distance and axially between a top end and a bottom end and are horizontally spaced from one another, two grooves of the plurality of grooves are on opposed portions of the peripheral wall and are in registration with one another to define a pair of grooves in registration;   a top flange extending radially inwardly of the inner surface by a second distance and proximate a top end of each of the plurality of grooves;   a divider positioned in the pair of grooves in registration spanning between the opposed portions of the peripheral wall, the divider has a pair of opposed lateral end surfaces, and a top surface; and   a tab extending from each of the opposed lateral end surfaces and is positioned in the groove to retain the divider in the pair of grooves in registration.   
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 12  further comprising a lower flange extending radially inwardly of the inner surface by a third distance and proximate the bottom end of each of the plurality of grooves. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 12  wherein a portion of the divider extends axially beyond the bottom end of each of the plurality of grooves. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 14  wherein the divider has a portion with a reduced length dimension extending between the lower flange extending from opposing portions of the peripheral wall. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 12  wherein the peripheral wall has a first end wall portion defining a hand hold. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 16  wherein the hand hold includes a notch in the peripheral wall proximate the first end wall portion. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 16  wherein the peripheral wall has a second end wall portion opposed to the first end wall portion and has a height dimension less than a height dimension of the first end wall portion. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 12  wherein the peripheral wall is rectangular. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 12  further comprising a bottom wall closing an end of the peripheral wall.