Storage container

Abstract

The present invention relates to a storage container comprising a base having a continuous side wall extending upwardly from a bottom wall and terminating at a top peripheral rim defining an upper opening. The container has a lid to open and close the upper opening, and the base of the container has a foot in the form of a rib on the underside of the bottom wall, in which the rib snap connects with a mating lid recess on an upper surface of the lid. In addition, the foot is profiled with a lead-in portion on the rib that is configured to guide the rest of the foot into the lid recess, and the foot is further profiled with a retaining portion on the rib that follows the lead-in portion to snap connect with the lid recess.

Claims

1. A storage container comprising a base having a continuous side wall extending upwardly from a bottom wall and terminating at a top peripheral rim defining an upper opening; a lid fitting across the upper opening to close the upper opening; the base having a foot configured as a rib on an underside of the bottom wall that snap connects with a mating lid recess on an upper surface of the lid, the rib having a rib length defined by an extension of the rib spaced from a perimeter of the underside of the bottom wall so that the rib length follows alongside the perimeter, and a rib height defined by a projection of the rib from the underside of the bottom wall; wherein a profile of the foot has a lead-in portion on the rib that is configured to guide the rest of the foot into the lid recess, and the foot profile further having a retaining portion on the rib that follows the lead-in portion to snap connect with the lid recess, the lead-in portion and the retaining portion being provided at different portions along the rib length, and wherein the retaining portion has a width profile directionally perpendicular to the rib length, wherein the width profile flares horizontally outwardly from the underside of the bottom wall to enable snap connection with the lid recess, and an angle of flare of the lead-in portion, wherein the angle of flare of the lead-in portion is defined between the perimeter of the underside of the bottom wall and the lead-in portion, and an angle of flare of the retaining portion, wherein the angle of flare of the retaining portion is defined between the perimeter of the underside of the bottom wall and the retaining portion, wherein the angle of flare of the lead-in portion is greater than the angle of flare of the of the retaining portion.

2. The storage container claimed in claim 1, wherein the lead-in portion is configured to enter the lid recess before the rest of the foot.

3. The storage container claimed in claim 1, the lead-in portion of the foot has a profile that has a greater rib height relative to the underside of the bottom wall than the retaining portion.

4. The storage container claimed in claim 1, wherein the lid recess has a recess profile cooperating in profile with the foot profile.

5. The storage container claimed in claim 1, wherein the foot is curved through approximately 90° on the underside at a corner of the bottom wall.

6. The storage container claimed in claim 1, wherein the foot is straight on the underside of the bottom wall.

7. The storage container claimed in claim 1, wherein the foot is curved on the underside of the bottom wall to follow a wall perimeter.

8. The storage container claimed in claim 1, wherein the foot extends part way around a perimeter of the bottom wall.

9. The storage container claimed in claim 1, wherein the foot is a flange, or ribbon-shape, that extends part way around the bottom wall and depends downwardly from the bottom wall.

10. The storage container claimed in claim 9, wherein the lead-in portion is located at least at one end of the foot profile and the retaining portion is located between the ends of the foot profile.

11. The storage container claimed in claim 1, wherein the profile of the foot also has a transition portion between the lead-in portion and the retaining portion.

12. The storage container claimed in claim 1, wherein the lid recess is defined between a raised wall at a perimeter of an upper surface of the lid and a lower indentation on the upper surface.

13. The storage container claimed in claim 12, wherein the indentation on the upper surface of the lid is a ramp section that inclines from a higher central portion of the lid down into the lid recess.

14. The storage container claimed in claim 1, wherein the foot and the base are moulded in a plastics material.

15. A set of interconnecting storage containers comprising two or more of the storage containers as claimed in claim 1, whereby the base of a first of the storage containers snap locks into a lid upper surface of a second of the storage containers.

16. The storage container claimed in claim 5, wherein the curve of the foot is pronounced to provide better purchase of the retaining portion in the lid recess.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In order that the invention be more clearly understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to preferred embodiments of an assembly in accordance with the present invention. The ensuing description is given by way of non-limitative example only and is with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIGS. 1A, 1B, 10 and 1D are views of a first embodiment of a container comprising a base with lid, where those views are respectively a front elevated view, a side elevated view, a bottom view and a top view;

(3) FIGS. 2A and 2B are elevated side views of two stacked containers of the first embodiment being assembled one above the above, where FIG. 2A shows the containers pre-assembly and FIG. 2B shows the containers assembled;

(4) FIGS. 3A and 3B are similar to FIGS. 2A and 2B but illustrating the two stacked containers from an elevated front view;

(5) FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C illustrate a series of steps in elevated side views of two stacked containers being assembled where FIG. 4A shows a pre-assembled step, FIG. 4B shows the containers beginning to be engaged, and FIG. 4C illustrate the containers almost fully engaged;

(6) FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C illustrate the same series of steps as FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C but from the perspective of a front elevated view;

(7) FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C illustrate one assembly technique of the first embodiment that involves engaging first one side of the upper container with the lower container and then secondly bringing an opposite side of the top container into engagement with the bottom container, where FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate first and second upper isometric views of the engagement of the first side of the container and FIG. 6C illustrates from the second upper isometric view the top container leading into the engagement of the second side;

(8) FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C and 7D are views of a second embodiment of a container comprising a base with lid, where those views are respectively a front elevated view, a side elevated view, a bottom view and a top view;

(9) FIGS. 8A and 8B are respectively a side elevated view and a bottom view of two containers of the second embodiment positioned one above the other pre-assembly;

(10) FIG. 8C illustrates three cross-sectional views taken from FIG. 8B at sections A-A, B-B and C-C;

(11) FIGS. 9A and 9B are respectively a side elevated view and a bottom view of two containers of the second embodiment positioned one above the other mid-assembly;

(12) FIG. 9C illustrates three cross-sectional views taken from FIG. 9B at sections A-A, B-B and C-C;

(13) FIGS. 10A and 10B are respectively a side elevated view and a bottom view of two containers of the second embodiment positioned one above the other in an assembled state;

(14) FIG. 10C illustrates three cross-sectional views taken from FIG. 10B at sections A-A, B-B and C-C;

(15) FIGS. 11A and 11B are elevated side views of two stacked containers of the second embodiment being assembled one above the above, where FIG. 11A shows the containers pre-assembly and FIG. 11B shows the containers assembled;

(16) FIGS. 12A and 12B are similar to FIGS. 11A and 11B but illustrating the two stacked containers from an elevated front view; and

(17) FIGS. 13A, 13B and 13C illustrate one assembly technique of the second embodiment that involves engaging first one side of the upper container with the lower container and then secondly bringing an opposite side of the top container into engagement with the bottom container, where FIG. 13A illustrates a first upper isometric views of the engagement of the first side of the container and FIGS. 13B and 13C illustrate from the first upper isometric view and a second isometric view the top container leading into the engagement of the second side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(18) FIGS. 1A to 6C illustrate a first embodiment of the storage container 10 referred to as ‘sandwich’. FIGS. 7A to 13C illustrate a second embodiment 100 of the storage container referred to as ‘snack’. The drawings illustrate the features of the container lids 12 and bases 20 that allow the feet 25 of the bases to snap into a corresponding mating recess 15 on the lid. The same reference numerals are used for both embodiments where the features are the same.

(19) FIGS. 1A, 1B, 10 and 1D respectively illustrate a front view, side view, bottom view and top view of the first embodiment of the storage container 10. The storage container has a base 20 with a continuous side wall 21 extending upwardly from a bottom wall 22 of the base 20. The side wall 21 terminates at an upper end with a top peripheral rim 23, which defines an upper opening 26 of the base. While an oblong-shaped base 20 with corners 24 is shown, the base could be other shapes including round, or rounded, so that the side wall 21 appears more as a single continuous side wall extending upwardly from the periphery of the bottom wall 22 than the more delineated side wall of an oblong or square shaped base.

(20) The containers 10, 100 illustrated are also provided with hinged clips 18 on two opposing sides to assist in keeping the lid 12 securely attached to the base 20, and a vent button 11 that can be opened to allow steam to escape from the container when the contents are hot. A seal (not shown) could also be provided on the underside of the lid to create a sealed attachment between the lid and base, and finger tabs 19 on the lid assist a user to grip the lid in pulling it off the base.

(21) As discussed above, the base has at least one foot 25. In the first embodiment there are four feet 25 extending from the underside of the bottom wall 22 and roughly located at each corner of the oblong-shaped base. The feet 25 are in the form of a rib on the underside of the bottom wall. The feet 25 are adapted to snap connect with a mating lid recess 15 on an upper surface of the lid 12.

(22) The lid 12 is shown in FIGS. 1A-1D being shaped and sized to fit across the upper opening 26 of the base. The lid recess 15 is sized and shaped to snap connect with the foot or feet 25 of the base and may be a continuous groove or channel on the upper surface 13 of the lid set in from a lid perimeter 14. Alternatively, the lid recess may be a series of discrete grooves corresponding in number to the number of feet to be received. In the embodiments illustrated in the Figures the recess 15 is located between a recess wall 16 that drops from the upper surface close to the perimeter of the lid, and a lower region/indentation closer to the centre of the lid. The lower region is illustrated in the drawings as a ramp 17 inclining upwardly from the lower recess to a top of the upper surface 13 of the lid.

(23) FIGS. 2A and 3A respectively illustrate a side view and a front view of two sandwich containers 10A and 10B in the process of being snap connected one on top of the other, with the feet 25 of the top container being engaged with the lid and lid recess 15 of the bottom container. FIGS. 2B and 3B respectively illustrate in side view and front view the two containers 10A and 10B assembled.

(24) FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C illustrate from a side view a three-step assembly process of containers 10A and 10B. Similarly, FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C illustrate from a front view the same three-step assembly process.

(25) FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C illustrate the assembly process from an isometric view where FIG. 6A demonstrates one foot 25 at a corner of the container 10A engaging first with a mating lid recess 15 before an adjacent foot on container 10A is brought into engagement with its corresponding lid recess 15 on container 10B. FIG. 6B shows a first step of the foot 25 leading in to the recess 15 by its lead-in portion 27, while FIG. 6C shows the lead-in portion located in the recess 15 with the retaining portion 29 of the foot 25 following the lead-in portion into the recess 15.

(26) This assembly process involves tilting a first side of the upper container base so as to slide the lead-in portion 27 into the recess 15 and then lowering an opposite, second, side of the container base to snap fit the foot on the opposite side of the container into the recess. It is understood that connection can still be made with less of a tilt that slides in the first side, which may require more of a downward connecting force to be applied. It is understood that the feet could be profiled so that the tilting assembly connection operates regardless of which opposing sides are selected to tilt between.

(27) FIGS. 4A to 4C and 5A to 5C similarly illustrate the lead-in portions 27 of the feet entering the recess 15 first to gradually lower the retaining portions 29 into the lid recess. The lead-in portions 27 are profiled to provide less engagement resistance, or tolerance, with the lid recess 15 but to provide a leading guiding edge, having greater prominence to bring the retaining portion into the recess with a tighter fit. Accordingly, in the embodiment shown, the prominent profile of the lead-in portion 27 up-sweeps in a wave-like shape to guide the undercut of the retention-profiled retaining portion 29 into engagement with the lid recess. The portion on the rib foot between the lead-in portion 27 and the retaining portion 29 is the transition portion 28.

(28) To be more prominent yet create less interference with the lid recess, the lead-in portion 27 as illustrated has a greater vertical height from the underside of the bottom wall compared to the vertical height of the retaining portion 29. Alternatively or additionally, the lead-in portion is also profiled to be more in line with the lid recess so as to easily drop into the recess without much interference. It is understood that only one feature is necessary to define the lead-in portion, namely a feature that either makes it easier for the lead-in portion to engage the lid recess than the retaining portion, or a feature that makes it more likely that the lead-in portion will naturally engage with the lid recess before the retaining portion.

(29) Conversely, the retaining portion 29 is profiled to follow the lead-in portion and is therefore less encouraging of an easy engagement with the lid recess, as its main function is to, with the lid recess, retain the engagement between the base 20 and lid 12.

(30) While the recess is described herein as a corresponding recess to the profiled feet, it is understood that the recess need not correspond precisely to the changing profile of the feet. The recess could instead have a constant profile that is sufficiently deep to make purchase with the retaining portion of the foot, but that could be relatively too large for lead-in portion. Indeed, one of the advantages of the present interconnecting configuration between the base and lid is that a good connection will still be made with a loose, or large, tolerance between the foot/feet and recess. This is by virtue of the foot having a profile that can achieve two functions with the recess on the top of the lid: ease of engagement and good engagement. Since the ease of engagement function is defined by the lead-in portion, which is less pronounced in profile than the retaining portion, it follows that the lead-in portion should fit comfortably within a recess that is designed to have a comparatively tighter tolerance with the retaining portion.

(31) FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C respectively illustrate a front view, side view and a bottom view of the second embodiment of the storage container 100, also referred to as a snack container 100. It too has a base 20 with a continuous side wall 21 extending upwardly from a bottom wall 22 of the base 20. In this embodiment there are two feet 25 protruding downwardly from the underside of the bottom wall 22, however the feet are not only located at the corners of the bottom wall but because the snack container 100 is smaller and longer in one direction than the sandwich container 10, each foot 25 wraps around a shorter side of the bottom wall at a location sufficiently close to the periphery of the bottom wall so as to provide stability when resting the container on a surface. Accordingly, FIG. 7A shows two feet 25 each extending from a first long side 102, around a corner and along an entire short side 103,105 and around the corner to terminate on the opposite long side 104 to the first side.

(32) It is to be understood that the location of the feet on the bottom wall can vary but that the feet are intended to provide support for the storage container so it is assumed their location with respect to the periphery of the bottom wall and their configuration on the bottom wall should support the container on a surface as well as bear the features that allow a container base to engage with the top of a container lid.

(33) FIGS. 8A-C, 9A-C and 10A-C are a series of steps showing two containers 100A and 100B being snap connected/engaged one on top of the other, where FIGS. 8A-C illustrate a storage containers 100A and 100B about to be connected, FIGS. 9A-C illustrate the containers in mid-assembly and FIGS. 10A-C illustrate the containers assembled. In each of the Figures the corresponding Figure letter shows the same view. For example, FIGS. 8C, 9C and 10C all show the same view but 8C shows the view before assembly, 9C at mid-assembly and 10C assembled.

(34) Specifically, FIGS. 8A, 9A and 10A illustrate stacked containers 100A and 100B from an end view.

(35) FIGS. 8B, 9B and 10B illustrate the underside of the stacked containers from a bottom view.

(36) FIGS. 8C, 9C and 10C each show three cross sectional views taken from FIGS. 8B, 9B and 10B respectively, and namely: section A-A; section B-B and section C-C.

(37) Section A-A is a cross section of the stacked containers 100A and 100B taken through a foot 25 at the retaining portion 29. Section B-B is a cross section of the stacked containers taken through the foot 25 at the transition portion 28. And section C-C is a cross section of the stacked containers taken through the foot at the lead-in portion 27.

(38) By comparing the cross sections side by side in each Figure, the differences in the configuration and profile of the different portions of the feet become apparent. Referring to FIG. 9C, for example, top container 100A is tilted to one side to insert lead-in portion 27 into lid recess 15 before retaining portion 29. In this case, lead-in portion 27 need not be very different in height to the remaining portions because the tilting action encourages the lead-in portion 27 to enter the lid recess first. It should be noted that in the larger sandwich embodiment there is a difference in height between the lead-in and retaining portions that is more apparent.

(39) However, as seen in FIG. 9C, the angle of flare from the bottom wall of the lead-in portion 27 is less than that of the retaining portion 29, so that the lead-in portion easily enters the lid recess 15 without any force. In contrast, it can be seen from FIG. 9C section A-A that the retaining portion has not yet entered the recess 15 and in fact sits slightly on top of the recess wall 16 because it has a greater angle of flare and infers that an amount of force could be required to make the retaining portion enter the recess. The transition portion 28 is shown in section B-B of FIG. 9C as just entering the recess, but not as engaged as the lead-in portion 27.

(40) By FIG. 10C the lead-in portion 27 has guided the transition portion 28 into the recess 15, which has in turn finally guided the retaining portion 29 into the recess. As there is a gradual increase in force from engagement of the lead-in portion 27 increasing to the retaining portion 29, the force is distributed along the foot. This means there is no sudden impact or point load of force required in order to overcome the tight tolerance between the retaining portion 29 and the lid recess 15. The result is a container base that more easily snap connects on top of its corresponding container lid, yet still provides a good engagement hold between the two engaged parts.

(41) FIGS. 11A and 11B show from a side view the connecting process in two steps—mid assembly and assembled, while FIGS. 12A and 12B show the same two step connecting process in front view.

(42) FIGS. 13A, 13B and 13C show part isometric views of containers 100A and 100B in partially assembled states and in a close up view to show how the foot 25 engages with lid recess 15. As can be seen in FIG. 13C, foot 25 includes a taper 31 that assists in easing the lead-in portion 27 into lid recess 15.

(43) The present invention provides an effective engagement between two stacked containers that will allow the containers to be stored, transported and grouped together without separating. Moreover, despite having a firm and effective engagement the containers may also be engaged together with ease. Providing both aspects of an effective engagement and a smooth engagement process is counter-intuitive because enhancing one aspect usually compromises the other. The present invention achieves both by having a base foot and lid recess that are correspondingly profiled with a lead-in portion that encourages ease of assembly and a retaining portion that provides a purchase point for engagement between the base and lid.

(44) It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art in any country.

(45) In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” is used in an inclusive sense, namely, to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

(46) It is to be understood that the aforegoing description refers merely to preferred embodiments of invention, and that variations and modifications will be possible thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the ambit of which is to be determined from the following claims.