Receptacle and container formed therewith

Abstract

A receptacle and a container formed therewith. The receptacle includes a bottom wall; a side wall and a rim extending laterally outwardly from the side wall. At least locking member is integrally formed with the rim and is selectively deflectable or oriented at an angle relative to an imaginary plane along which the rim extends. The locking members are a plurality of tabs that alternating with spaces defined the rim. In one embodiment, two identical receptacles form a container by inverting one receptacle relative to the other, deflecting the tabs through complementary spaces defined in the rim of the other receptacle, thereby interlocking the two receptacles together. In another embodiment, the receptacle includes a folding axis allowing first and second halves of the receptacle to be folded relative to each other. The tabs are deflected through complementary spaces defined in the opposing half, thereby interlocking the two halves together.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A receptacle comprising:
 a bottom wall;   a side wall extending upwardly and outwardly from the bottom wall;   a rim extending laterally outwardly from an upper region of the side wall and oriented along an imaginary plane;   at least locking member integrally formed with the rim;   wherein the at least one locking member is selectively deflectable relative to the imaginary plane.   
     
     
         2 . The receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one locking member extends radially outwardly from the side wall. 
     
     
         3 . The receptacle according to  claim 2 , wherein the least one locking member is selectively deflectable about an axis oriented at right angles relative to a radius extending outwardly from a center point of the bottom wall. 
     
     
         4 . The receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the at least one locking member is initially aligned with an upper surface of a remaining portion of the rim and is selectively deflectable upwardly or downwardly at an angle relative to the upper surface of the remaining portion of the rim. 
     
     
         5 . The receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one locking member is deflectable from a first position wherein the at least one locking member is aligned with a remaining portion of the rim to a second position wherein the at least one locking member is located in a different plane relative to the remaining portion of the rim. 
     
     
         6 . The receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the rim has a circumferential outer edge that circumscribes the upper region of the side wall, and wherein the at least one locking member is located inwardly of the circumferential outer edge. 
     
     
         7 . The receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the rim has a circumferential outer edge that circumscribes the upper region of the side wall, and wherein the at least one locking member extends radially outwardly away from the circumferential outer edge of the rim. 
     
     
         8 . The receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one locking member comprises a tab that is formed as an integral part of the rim, and the tab has a first side edge, a second side edge, and a free end extending between the first and second side edges; and wherein the free end forms part of a circumferential outer edge of the rim. 
     
     
         9 . The receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one locking member comprises:
 a first tab having a first side edge and a second side edge that flare outwardly away from one another moving in a direction radially outwardly away from a center point of the bottom wall; and   a second tab having a first side edge and a second side edge that taper inwardly towards one another moving in a direction radially outwardly away from the center point of the bottom wall.   
     
     
         10 . The receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least locking member comprises a first tab and a second tab integrally formed in the rim, wherein the first tab and second tab are of different configurations relative to one another. 
     
     
         11 . The receptacle according to  claim 10 , wherein deflecting the first tab creates a first space in the rim, and the second tab is sized to be receivable through the first space. 
     
     
         12 . The receptacle according to  claim 11 , wherein deflecting the second tab creates a second space in the rim, and the first tab is sized to be receivable through the second space. 
     
     
         13 . The receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one locking member comprises a plurality of tabs; and wherein a space is defined in the rim between adjacent tabs of the plurality of tabs. 
     
     
         14 . The receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle is foldable about a folding axis that extends through a center point of the bottom wall. 
     
     
         15 . The receptacle according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one locking member is receivable through a complementary space defined in the rim when the receptacle is folded about the folding axis. 
     
     
         16 . A container for holding an article, said container comprising:
 a first receptacle and a second receptacle that are substantially identical in configuration, wherein each of the first receptacle and the second receptacle includes:
 a bottom wall; 
 a side wall extending upwardly and outwardly from the bottom wall; 
 a rim extending laterally outwardly from an upper region of the side wall and oriented along an imaginary plane; 
 at least locking member integrally formed with the rim; 
 at least one space defined in the rim; 
 wherein the at least one locking member is selectively deflectable relative to the imaginary plane; and 
 wherein the second receptacle is inverted relative to the first receptacle such that the rim of the first receptacle is adjacent the rim of the second receptacle; and wherein the at least one locking member on the first receptacle is selectively deflected relative to the imaginary plane of the rim of the first receptacle and is received in the at least one space defined in the rim of the second receptacle, thereby reversibly interlocking the first receptacle and the second receptacle to one another. 
   
     
     
         17 . The container according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one locking member on the first receptacle includes at least one flange that overlaps a portion of the rim of the second receptacle when the at least one locking member is received in the at least one space defined in the rim of the second receptacle. 
     
     
         18 . A method of forming a storage container, comprising steps of:
 providing a first receptacle and a second receptacle that are substantially identical, wherein each of the first receptacle and second receptacle includes:
 a bottom wall; 
 a side wall extending upwardly and outwardly from the bottom wall; 
 a rim extending laterally outwardly from an upper region of the side wall and oriented along an imaginary plane; 
 at least locking member integrally formed with the rim; and 
 at least one space defined in the rim; 
 inverting the second receptacle over the first receptacle; 
 placing a portion of the rim of the second receptacle adjacent the rim of the first receptacle; 
 engaging the at least one locking member of the second receptacle into the at least one space of the first receptacle; 
 reversibly interlocking the first receptacle and second receptacle to one another. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 providing a flange on the at least one locking member of the second receptacle;   overlapping the flange of the at least one locking member of the second receptacle with a portion of the rim of the first receptacle; and   preventing movement of the at least one locking member of the second receptacle back through the at least one space on the first receptacle with the flange.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the reversibly interlocking the first receptacle and second receptacle to one another further comprises:
 engaging the at least one locking member of the first receptacle into the at least one space of the second receptacle;   providing a flange on the at least one locking member of the first receptacle;   overlapping the flange of the at least one locking member of the first receptacle with a portion of the rim of the second receptacle; and   preventing movement of the at least one locking member of the first receptacle back through the at least one space on the second receptacle with the flange.