STORAGE CONTAINER AND CONTAINER SYSTEM

• US 20070187277A1
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rubbermaid Incorporated (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rubbermaid Incorporated (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Furlong, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,777,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/515
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/022 the bottom presenting projecting peripheral elements receiving or surrounding the closure or peripheral elements projecting therefrom B65D21/0222 and B65D21/0223 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0222 the closure and the bottom presenting co-operating peripheral ribs and grooves
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0223 the closure and the bottom presenting local co-operating elements, e.g. projections and recesses B65D21/0222 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0233 Nestable containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00027 Stackable lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00203 specifically square
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00296 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00537 on the outside, or a part turned to the outside of the mouth of the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/0222 only on the outside, or a part turned to the outside, of the mouth of the container B65D43/0216 takes precedence

Abstract

A storage container system has a plurality of container bases and a plurality of lids for the bases. Each of the bases has a bottom, a continuous side wall extending up from the bottom and terminating at a top edge, an interior storage space within the side wall above the bottom, and an open top bounded by the top edge. Each of the lids has a main panel section, a perimeter skirt assembly around the main panel section, a top side, and a bottom side. Each of the plurality of lids is configured to close off the open top of any one of the plurality of container bases by connecting the perimeter skirt assembly to the side wall near the open top. A first snap structure is provided on each of the plurality of lids. Each first snap structure has one component configured to connect to a mating lid component of the first snap structure on any other one of the plurality of lids to connect any two of the plurality of lids together. A second snap structure different from the first snap structure is also provided on each of the plurality of lids. The second snap structure is configured to connect to a mating base component on the bottom of the base to connect any one of the plurality of lids to any one of the plurality of container bases.

Claims

1. A storage container system comprising:

a plurality of container bases each having a bottom, a continuous side wall extending up from the bottom and terminating at a top edge, an interior storage space within the side wall above the bottom, and an open top bounded by the top edge;

a plurality of lids each having a main panel section, a perimeter skirt assembly around the main panel section, a top side, and a bottom side, each of the plurality of lids configured to close off the open top of any one of the plurality of container bases by connecting a part of the perimeter skirt assembly to the side wall near the open top;

a first snap structure on each of the plurality of lids, each first snap structure having one component configured to connect to a mating lid component of the first snap structure on any other one of the plurality of lids to connect any two of the plurality of lids together; and

a second snap structure different from the first snap structure on each of the plurality of lids, the second snap structure having a component configured to connect to a mating base component on the base to connect any one of the plurality of lids to any one of the plurality of container bases.

2. A storage container system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of container bases can nest at least partially within the interior storage space of the other container bases.

3. A storage container system according to claim 2, wherein at least two of the plurality of container bases are identical in size and shape to one another.

4. A storage container system according to claim 2, wherein relative storage capacities of the interior storage spaces of at least two of the plurality of container bases are different from one another.

5. A storage container system according to claim 1, wherein the perimeter skirt assembly of each of the plurality of lids has a channel formed within an inverted generally U-shaped annular structure having an inner wall extending up from the main panel section, a top wall, and an outer skirt wall depending from the top wall and spaced from the inner wall to form the channel, which is configured to receive the top edge of any one of the plurality of container bases to cover the open top and close off the interior storage space.

6. A storage container system according to claim 5, wherein one or more annular lips projects radially inward from a portion of the inner wall of the perimeter skirt assembly on the top side of each of the plurality of lids to form the one component of the first snap structure.

7. A storage container system according to claim 6, wherein the one or more annular lips are positioned generally on the inner wall adjacent the top wall of the perimeter skirt assembly.

8. A storage container system according to claim 6, wherein one or more annular ribs depend downward and radially outward from the bottom side of each of the plurality of lids to form the mating lid component of the first snap structure, the one or more annular ribs of each of the plurality of lids sized to snap beyond and rest beneath the one or more annular lips of any other one of the plurality of lids.

9. A storage container system according to claim 1, wherein the one component of the first snap structure is on a part of the perimeter skirt assembly on the top side of each of the plurality of lids and the mating lid component is on the bottom side of each of the plurality of lids.

10. A storage container system according to claim 1, wherein the second snap structure is on the main panel section of each of the plurality of lids.

11. A storage container system according to claim 1, wherein the main panel section of each of the plurality of lids has a recessed region, a perimeter wall circumventing the recessed region, and one or more undercuts formed radially inward into the perimeter wall forming the second snap structure on each lid.

12. A storage container system according to claim 1, wherein the mating base component on the bottom of each of the plurality of container bases includes one or more flanges extending radially outward and spaced from the bottom of the base, the one or more flanges sized to snap into the one or more undercuts of any one of the plurality of lids.

13. A storage container system according to claim 1, wherein the mating base component on the bottom of each of the plurality of container bases includes one or more flanges extending in a radial direction and configured to snap into the second snap structure of any one of the plurality of lids.

14. A storage container system according to claim 1, wherein the one component of each of the first snap structures includes one or more lips extending radially inward on part of the top side of each lid, and wherein the mating lid component of each of the first snap structures includes one or more corresponding recesses facing radially outward on part of the bottom side of each lid, and wherein the one or more lips of one of the plurality of lids can snap into the one or more recesses of any other of the plurality of lids.

15. A storage container system according to claim 1, wherein the mating base component on each of the plurality of container bases includes one or more outwardly flared flanges extending from a foot that depends from the bottom of the base, the one or more flanges being configured to connect to the second snap structure on any one of the plurality of lids.

16. A storage container comprising:

a base having a bottom, a continuous side wall extending up from the bottom and terminating at a top edge, an interior storage space within the side wall above the bottom, and an open top bounded by the top edge;

a base part of a lid-to-base snap structure on the bottom of the base;

a lid having a main panel section, a perimeter skirt assembly around the main panel section, a top side, and a bottom side, the lid configured to close off the open top with the bottom side facing the interior storage space by connecting a part of the perimeter skirt assembly to the side wall near the open top; and

a lid part of the lid-to-base snap structure on the top side of the lid configured to snap to the base part of the lid-to-base snap structure.

17. A storage container according to claim 16, wherein the lid part of the lid-to-base snap structure includes one or more recesses in an annular wall surrounding a recessed region in the top side of the lid.

18. A storage container according to claim 17, wherein the base part of the lid-to-base snap structure includes one or more flanges extending in a radial direction from a foot on the bottom of the base, the one or more flanges being sized to snap into the recessed region of the lid and to be received in the one or more recesses.

19. A storage container according to claim 16, further comprising:

a first component of a lid-to-lid snap structure on the top side of the lid; and

a second component of the lid-to-lid snap structure on the bottom side of the lid,

wherein the first and second components of the lid-to-lid snap structure are not part of the lid component of the lid-to-base snap structure, and wherein the lid-to-lid snap structure permits the lid to be snap connected to another lid with a like lid-to-lid snap structure.

20. A storage container according to claim 16, wherein the perimeter skirt assembly of the lid has an inverted generally U-shaped annular structure with an inner wall extending up from the main panel section, an outer skirt wall spaced radially outward from the inner wall, and a channel between the inner wall and outer skirt wall, the channel configured to receive the top edge of the side wall to cover the open top and close off the interior storage space.

21. A storage container according to claim 20, further comprising:

one or more lips of a lid-to-lid snap structure extending radially inward from the inner wall; and

one or more recesses of the lid-to-lid snap structure facing radially outward on the bottom side of the lid, wherein the one or more lips and the one or more recesses are not part of the lid component of the lid-to-base snap structure, and wherein the lid-to-lid snap structure permits the lid to be snap connected to another lid with a like lid-to-lid snap structure.

22. A storage container according to claim 21, wherein the lid includes one or more ribs extending radially outward and downward from the bottom side that form the one or more recesses.

23. A storage container according to claim 21, wherein the lid is snapped onto a lid of another storage container wherein the lid of the other storage container also has a like lid-to-lid snap structure.

24. A storage container according to claim 21, wherein the lid is snapped to a stack of lids of other storage containers wherein the lids of the other storage containers also have like lid-to-lid snap structures.

25. A storage container according to claim 16, wherein the lid is snapped onto the bottom of the base by connection of the lid component to the base component of the lid-to-base snap structure.

26. A storage container according to claim 16, wherein the lid is installed covering the top opening of the base and wherein the lid component of the lid-to-base snap structure is snapped to a base component of a lid-to-base snap connector on a base of another generally like storage container.