Container with locking mechanisms

Abstract

A container including a removable top cap and a bottom lid. The top cap is configured to rotate about the base of the container from a locked position to an unlocked position. In an unlocked position side walls of the container may be deflected radially inward so that the top cap may be separated from the base of the container.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A container, comprising:
 a base including,
 a base bottom wall, and 
 a base side wall extending vertically from the base bottom wall, the base side wall including,
 a flexible region configured to deflect radially inward with respect to the base side wall, the base side wall and the base bottom wall at least partially defining a first containment volume; 
 
   a top cap configured to move between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration such that in the unlocked configuration, the top cap is configured to be separable from the base in response to the flexible region being deflected radially inward, the top cap including,
 a top wall extending parallel to the base bottom wall in the locked configuration, and 
 a top cap side wall extending vertically from a bottom surface of the top wall; and 
   a bottom lid connected to a bottom surface of the base bottom wall, the bottom lid including,
 a lid region, and 
 a connecting region including a hinge, the bottom lid configured such that the lid region rotates about the hinge from an open configuration to a closed configuration, the lid region, the bottom surface of the base bottom wall, and the base side wall defining a second containment volume separate from the first containment volume. 
   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the base side wall further includes first locking protrusions that extend radially outward from the base side wall. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the top cap side wall further includes second locking protrusions extending radially inward from the top cap side wall. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 3 , wherein the first locking protrusions and the second locking protrusions are configured to lock the top cap to the base in the locked configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4 , wherein the top wall further includes third locking protrusions that extend vertically from the bottom surface of the top wall. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 5 , wherein the third locking protrusions are configured to reduce the flexible region from deflecting radially inward in response to the top cap being in the locked configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 6 , wherein the first locking protrusions extend radially outward from the base side wall in a first locking region and a second locking region. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first locking region or the second locking region overlaps the flexible region. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein the first locking region and the second locking region are separated by spacing regions in which the first locking protrusions do not extend. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein the second locking protrusions include a plurality of first sub-locking protrusions that overlap the first locking region and the second locking region in the unlocked configuration. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein the second locking protrusions include a plurality of second sub-locking protrusions that overlap the spacing regions in the unlocked configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein the first sub-locking protrusions and the second sub-locking protrusions are separated from each other. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein the top cap includes a first notch defined by an exterior surface of the top cap, the first notch overlapping the first sub-locking protrusions such that the first notch indicates an orientation of the first sub-locking protrusions. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the top cap includes a second notch that extends vertically from a bottom surface of the top cap side wall such that the bottom surface of the top cap side wall is exposed. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein the third locking protrusions include a plurality of third sub-locking protrusions, each of the plurality of third sub-locking protrusions spaced apart from each other. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of third locking protrusions include four third sub-locking protrusions spaced apart at 90 degree angles. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of first sub-locking protrusions and the plurality of second sub-locking protrusions do not overlap the third locking protrusions in a radial direction. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container has a cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 18 , wherein the top cap is configured to rotate about the base from the unlocked configuration to the locked configuration. 
     
     
         20 . A container, comprising:
 a base including,
 a base bottom wall, and 
 a base side wall extending vertically from the base bottom wall, the base side wall including,
 a flexible region, 
 a pair of slits on either side of the flexible region at least partially defining the flexible region such that the flexible region deflects radially inward from an initial position in response to an application of force to an external surface of the flexible region, and 
 
 a first locking protrusion extending radially outward from the flexible region; 
   a top cap arranged such that the top cap is secured to the base in a locked configuration, the top cap including,
 a top cap top wall extending parallel to the base bottom wall in the locked configuration; and 
 a top cap side wall extending from a bottom surface of the top cap top wall, the top cap side wall surrounding a portion of the flexible region such that the top cap top wall, the base side wall, and a top surface of the base bottom wall collectively define a first containment volume in the locked configuration, 
 a second locking protrusion extending radially inward from the top cap side wall such that the second locking protrusion vertically overlaps the first locking protrusion in the locked configuration, and 
 a third locking protrusion extending from the top cap top wall, the third locking protrusion positioned radially inward with respect to the flexible region such that the third locking protrusions radially overlap the flexible region in the locked configuration; and 
   a bottom lid attached to a hinge, the bottom lid, the base side wall, and a bottom surface of the base bottom wall collectively defining a second containment volume isolated from the first containment volume by the base bottom wall.