Multi-chamber container

Abstract

A multi-chamber container is provided having a main container and a main lid. The main container is configured to receive a first inner container which rests on the rim section of the main container. An optional cover for the first inner container is typically provided. A second inner container is releasably attached to, and held to, the lower surface of the main lid by an inner attachment section. The main container is sealed by a skirt section on the main lid so that the contents within the main container, the first inner container, and the second inner container, are only accessible when the lid has been detached from the container, and the first and second containers have been removed. A low cost, easily assembled, secure, single-use, multi-chamber container is provided.

Claims

1. A multi-chamber container comprising: a main container having an upper, essentially level rim peripherally located at the top of a side wall of the main container; a first inner container having a first essentially flat rim section configured to rest on the level rim of the main container; a main lid having a lower skirt section around a lower peripheral edge of said lid, wherein said lower skirt section is configured to releasably attach the main lid to the main container by attachment of the skirt section of the main lid to the essentially level rim section of the main container; an inner attachment section on a lower surface of the main lid, which inner attachment section is located radially inward of the lower skirt section of the main lid; a second inner container having a essentially level second inner rim section which second inner rim section is configured to be attached to the inner attachment section of the main lid; and a first cover having an essentially flat edge surface around a peripheral edge of the first cover, and wherein said essentially flat edge surface is configured to rest on the first essentially flat rim section of the first container.

2. The multi-chamber container of claim 1 wherein the main container is a circular cup-shaped container having a level, annular rim section, and said first inner container is a circular cup-shaped container having an annular first rim section.

3. The multi-chamber container of claim 2 wherein the first rim section on the first inner container rests on the level, annular rim section of the main container.

4. The multi-chamber container claimed in claim 1 wherein said main container and said first container are circular, cup-shaped containers, and wherein said first cover is an essentially flat, circular cover having an annular, flat edge surface.

5. The multi-chamber container of claim 4 wherein said first cover includes an inner shoulder section which extends downward from the flat edge surface, and is sized and shaped so as to form a friction-fitted seal with an inner surface of an inner wall of the first inner container.

6. The multi-chamber container of claim 1 wherein said first cover is a film attached to said flat edge surface of said first inner container.

7. The multi-chamber container of claim 1 wherein said main lid is dome shaped having a circular lower skirt section for attachment to the essentially level rim of the main container, and a circular inner attachment section which is located radially inward of said skirt section.

8. The multi-chamber container of claim 7 wherein said second container is a circular, cup-shaped container having an annular second inner rim section, which second inner rim section is configured to be attached to the circular inner attachment section of said main lid.

9. The multi-chamber container of claim 8 wherein said second inner container is held within the area, or volume, defined by the main lid.

10. The multi-chamber container of claim 7 where said inner attachment section is formed by way of a waist portion formed in the main lid above the skirt section and at a point which is radially inward of the skirt section.

11. The multi-chamber container of claim 10 wherein said waist portion is configured to releasably receive the essentially level inner rim section of the second inner container.

12. The multi-chamber container of claim 1 wherein said multi-chamber container is sealed using a container seal around the connection between the main lid and the main container.

13. The multi-chamber container of claim 12 wherein the container seal is achieved provided by application of an adhesive tape or ribbon, or by applying a shrink-wrapped seal, around the connection between the main container and the main lid.

14. The multi-chamber container of claim 1 wherein the main container, main lid, and first and second inner containers, are produced from single-use products which are made of materials that can be recycled.

15. The multi-chamber container of claim 14 wherein said single-use products are plastics or paper.

16. The multi-chamber container of claim 15 wherein said plastic is polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polypropylene, or combinations thereof.

17. A multi-chamber container consisting of: a main container having an upper, essentially level rim peripherally located at the top of a side wall of the main container; a first inner container having a first essentially flat rim section configured to rest on the level rim of the main container; a first cover having an essentially flat edge surface around the peripheral edge of the first cover, which essentially flat edge surface is configured to rest on the first essentially flat rim section of the first container; a main lid having a lower skirt section around a lower peripheral edge of said lid, wherein said lower skirt section is configured to releasably attach the main lid to the main container by attachment of the skirt section of the main lid to the essentially level rim section of the main container; an inner attachment section on a lower surface of the main lid, which inner attachment section is located radially inward of the lower skirt section of the main lid; and a second inner container having a essentially level second inner rim section which second inner rim section is configured to be attached to the inner attachment section of the main lid.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the present invention, as to its structure, organization, use and method of operation, together with further objectives and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following drawings in which a presently preferred embodiment of the invention will now be illustrated by way of example. It is expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

(2) In particular, embodiments of this invention will now be described by way of example in association with the accompanying drawings in which:

(3) FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the multi-chamber container system of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled container system of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first variant of the assembled container shown in FIG. 2;

(6) FIG. 4 is a side view of the assembled container shown in FIG. 3;

(7) FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional partial view of the assembled container system of FIG. 2; and

(8) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional partial view of an alternative embodiment of the first container in a multi-chamber container of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(9) The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the present invention, as to its structure, organization, use and method of operation, together with further objectives and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following drawings and discussion in which a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be illustrated by way of example only. In the drawings, it will be noted that like reference numerals depict like elements.

(10) It is expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. Also, unless otherwise specifically noted, it should be assumed that all of the features described herein may be combined with any of the above aspects, in any combination.

(11) An exploded perspective view of the multi-chamber container 10 of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The assembled container 10A is shown in FIG. 2. As seen in FIG. 1, the various components of container 10 include a main container 12, a first inner container 14, a first cover 16, a second inner container 18 and a main lid 20. All of these components are manufactured by thermoforming of an opaque, resilient plastic, such as PET or polypropylene.

(12) As illustrated, main container 12 has a drinking-cup shape and size, but those skilled in the container lid art will understand that the container 12 may have any suitable size and configuration that might be desired. Typically, main container 12 will hold between 300 and 2000 ml, but larger or smaller volumes are also possible. At the top of main container 12 is an essentially level, annular circular rim 22 established around a peripheral edge of main container 12, at the top of a side wall 24. Rim 22 could be a flange, but is generally included, as shown in the figures, as a rolled portion of the upper end of wall 24.

(13) First inner container 14 has a cup-shaped design, as illustrated, and includes a side wall 26 and an annular, flat, level rim section 28 at the top of wall 26. First inner container 14 has a suitable shape and size so that rim section 28 lies flat on rim 22 of main container 12. Typically, the first inner container 14 will hold a volume of between 100 and 300 ml, but other volumes, that fit within main container 12, are possible. First inner container 14 also includes optional recesses 52 in rim section 28. These recesses 52 allow first cover 16 to be more easily removed from first inner container 14.

(14) First cover 16 is optional, but is shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. Cover 16 includes an annular, flat edge surface 30 which rests on rim section 28 of first inner container 14. First cover 16 also includes an annular undercut, shoulder section 32 which is configured to snap on to, and rest against an inner portion of wall 26, and acts to aid in sealing first container 14. An inner well 48 is preferably provided on first cover 16, and the bottom of second inner container 18, fits within well 48.

(15) Cover 16 can be omitted. Alternatively however, the first cover can be, for example, some other product for closing of first inner container 14. These products could include, for example, an adhesive sealing film 250, as seen in FIG. 6, as discussed hereinbelow.

(16) Second inner container 18 is again cup-shaped, as illustrated, and includes side wall 34 having an annular, level, rolled edge rim section 36 at the top of wall 34. Second container 18 typically has a volume of from 30 to 150 ml, but other volumes are possible.

(17) Main lid 20 preferably has a dome shape, as illustrated in FIG. 1, and includes an annular skirt section 38, a side wall 40, and a top section 42. Main lid 20 typically has a volume of between 100 and 300 ml, but other volumes are possible. Preferably, main lid 20 is sized so as to house most, or all, of second container 18 within the volume of main lid 20. However, the second inner container 16 can extend below main lid 20, and be positioned within well 48 of first cover 16, or within first inner container 14.

(18) Main lid 20 also includes an annular recessed waist portion 44 at the top of side wall 40, which is positioned so as to be radially inside of annular skirt section 38. Because of the resilient nature of the plastic materials used in construction of container 10, waist portion 44 can be twisted to accept and hold, the annular rim section 36 of second inner container 18. In this manner, inner container 18 is held in position, inside of main lid 20.

(19) The precise nature of skirt section 38 can vary, but generally can be any known type of system for attaching disposable lids to the rolled edge of a cup-shaped container. However, one preferred approach for the skirt design is illustrated in FIG. 5, discussed hereinbelow.

(20) When assembled together, as shown in FIG. 2, container 10 is sealed closed when main lid 20 is attached to main container 12, by using skirt section 38. First inner container 14 are held in place within container 10, since skirt section 38 rests on top of level rim section 28. Second inner container 18 is held in place within container 10 since its rim section 36 is held within recessed waist portion 44, and optionally, within well 48 in first cover 16.

(21) It will be observed that when main container 12 is sealed by skirt section 38 on main lid 20, the contents within the main container 12, the first inner container 14, and the second inner container 16, are only accessible when main lid 20 has been detached from the container, and the first and second inner containers (14 and 16) have been removed.

(22) In addition, main lid 20 can be sealed to main container 12 using, for example, an adhesive tape 46, which is shown as being partially installed, in FIG. 2. To gain access to any of the contents of the main container, or the first or second inner container, the user must first remove adhesive tape 46, in order to be able to remove main lid 20 from main container 12.

(23) In FIG. 3, a modified container 110 is shown, wherein all of the components, are the same as for FIG. 1, but in this variant, all of the various components are made of a clear resilient PET plastic. This includes a clear main container 112, a clear first inner container 114, a clear first cover 116, a clear second inner container 118 and a clear main lid 120.

(24) A side view of container 110 is shown in FIG. 4.

(25) From FIGS. 3 and 4, the arrangement of the various components can be more easily seen, and it will be observed that first container 114 is held within the volume of main container 112. Additionally, it can be seen that second container 118 is held mostly within the volume of main lid 120, but does extend downward into main container 112, and thereby rests within well 148 in first cover 116.

(26) In FIG. 5, an enlarged partial view of the components around main lid 120 are shown. Additional details on the construction and assembly of container 110 are provided. In particular, the preferred undercut nature of the attachment mechanism for attaching the lid 120 to main container 112, is shown.

(27) In FIG. 6, a further variant of the container of the present invention is shown having main lid 120, and main container 112. In this embodiment, a modified second inner container 218 is used, which second inner container is held completely within the volume of main lid 120.

(28) Modified first inner container 214 is also used in this embodiment which is essentially the same of first inner container 114. However, in FIG. 6, first inner container 214 has been sealed with an adhesive foil 250. Foil 250 covers the opening at the top of first inner container 214, and can be punctured or peeled off of first inner container 214, prior to use.

(29) It will be clear from these figures, that a low cost, easily assembled, secure, single-use, multi-chamber container is provided by the present invention.

(30) Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided, in accordance with the present invention, a multi-chamber container which fully satisfies the goals, objects, and advantages set forth hereinbefore. Therefore, having described specific embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that alternatives, modifications and variations thereof may be suggested to those skilled in the art, and that it is intended that the present specification embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

(31) Additionally, for clarity and unless otherwise stated, the word “comprise” and variations of the word such as “comprising” and “comprises”, when used in the description and claims of the present specification, is not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps. Further, the invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein.

(32) Moreover, the words “substantially” or “essentially”, when used with an adjective or adverb is intended to enhance the scope of the particular characteristic; e.g., substantially planar is intended to mean planar, nearly planar and/or exhibiting characteristics associated with a planar element.

(33) Further, use of the terms “he”, “him”, or “his”, is not intended to be specifically directed to persons of the masculine gender, and could easily be read as “she”, “her”, or “hers”, respectively.

(34) Also, while this discussion has addressed prior art known to the inventor, it is not an admission that all art discussed is citable against the present application.