Storage Container and Container System

• US 20090173656A1
• Filed: 01/06/2009
• Published: 07/09/2009
• 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 D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,322,530 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/508
• 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 21/0223 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

Abstract

A storage container system has a plurality of container bases and lids. Each base 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 lid has a main panel section, a perimeter skirt around the main panel section, a top side, and a bottom side. Each lid is configured to close off the open top of any one of the plurality of container bases by connecting a part of the perimeter skirt to the side wall near the top edge. Each lid has a first connecting structure with a lid-to-lid component and a mating lid-to-lid component. Each lid-to-lid component is configured to connect to the mating lid-to-lid component on any other one of the plurality of lids to connect any two of the plurality of lids together. Each lid also has a lid-to-base component, which is part of a second connecting structure and is different from the first connecting structure components. Each base has a mating lid-to-base component of the second connecting structure. Each lid-to-base component is configured to connect to each mating lid-to-base component to connect any one of the plurality of lids to the bottom of 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 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 lid seal part of the perimeter skirt to the side wall near the top edge;

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

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

2. A storage container system according to claim 1, wherein the lid seal part is different from the second lid-to-base component of the second connecting structure on each of the plurality of lids.

3. A storage container system according to claim 1, wherein the first lid-to-lid component and mating lid-to-lid component create only a friction and interference fit connection between two of the plurality of lids when connected via the first connecting structure.

4. A storage container system according to claim 1, wherein the second lid-to-base component and mating lid-to-base component create only a friction and interference fit connection between a lid and container base of the plurality of lids and container bases when connected via the second connecting structure.

5. A storage container system according to claim 1, wherein relative storage capacities of the interior storage spaces of at least two bases of the plurality of container bases are different from one another whereas two respective lids of the plurality of lids for the at least two bases are the same size.

6. A storage container system according to claim 1, wherein the perimeter skirt of each of the plurality of lids has a continuous channel formed within an inverted generally U-shaped annular structure extending around a periphery of the main panel section, and wherein the continuous channel forms the lid seal part on each of the plurality of lids.

7. A storage container system according to claim 1, wherein one or more feet projects down from the bottom of each of the plurality of bases to form the mating lid-to-base component thereon, each of the one or more feet having an engaging surface facing radially outward that is generally vertically oriented and flat in the vertical direction.

8. A storage container system according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of lips that are flexible and resilient, spaced around, and project radially inward from a portion of a wall that extends around the main panel section on the top side of each of the plurality of lids, the plurality of lips defining the second lid-to-base component of the second connecting structure, and wherein the plurality of lips frictionally and interferingly contact a respective engaging surface on the one or more feet when one of the plurality of lids is connected to one of the plurality of bases.

9. A storage container system according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of lips are formed of a thermoplastic elastomer material.

10. A storage container system according to claim 8, wherein the wall is an inner wall that extends up from a perimeter of the main panel section and is a part of the perimeter skirt, which also includes a top wall extending out from the inner wall and a middle wall extending up from the top wall and spaced radially outward from the inner wall.

11. A storage container system according to claim 10, wherein the perimeter skirt further comprises a rim flange extending out from the middle wall and an outer skirt wall depending from the rim flange and spaced radially outward from the middle wall to form an inverted generally U-shaped channel around a periphery of the main panel section, wherein the channel forms the lid seal part.

12. A storage container system according to claim 10, wherein the one or more lips are positioned generally on an upper end of the inner wall adjacent the top wall of the perimeter skirt.

13. A storage container system according to claim 1, wherein the perimeter skirt is formed of a thermoplastic elastomer material and the main panel section is not formed from the thermoplastic elastomer material.

14. A storage container system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more ribs that depend downward from the bottom side of each of the plurality of lids forming the mating lid-to-lid component of the first connecting structure, each of the one or more ribs having an engaging surface facing radially outward that is generally vertically oriented and flat in the vertical direction.

15. A storage container system according to claim 14, wherein a plurality of projections are flexible and resilient, spaced around, and project radially inward from a portion of a wall that extends around the main panel section on the top side of each of the plurality of lids, the plurality of projections defining the first lid-to-lid component of the first connecting structure, and wherein the plurality of projections frictionally and interferingly contact a respective engaging surface on the one or more ribs when one of the plurality of lids is connected to another of the plurality of lids.

16. A storage container system according to claim 15, wherein the one or more ribs and the plurality of projections are integrally formed as part of the perimeter skirt, which is formed of a thermoplastic elastomer material.

17. A storage container system according to claim 1, wherein the mating lid-to-base component on the bottom of each of the plurality of container bases includes one or more generally vertical surfaces that are flat in a vertical direction and configured to only frictionally engage the second lid-to-base component of any one of the plurality of lids.

18. 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 lid having a main panel section, a perimeter skirt 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 lid seal part of the perimeter skirt to the side wall near the open top;

a base component of a lid-to-base connecting structure on the bottom of the base; and

a lid component of the lid-to-base connecting structure on the lid configured to slidably and frictionally connect to the base component of the lid-to-base connecting structure.

19. A storage container according to claim 18, further comprising:

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

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

wherein both the first and second components of the lid-to-lid connecting structure are different from the lid component of the lid-to-base connecting structure, and wherein the lid-to-lid connecting structure permits the lid to be connected to another lid with a like lid-to-lid connecting structure.

20. A storage container according to claim 19, wherein the first and second components of the lid-to-lid connecting structure slidably and frictionally engage one another to connect the lid to the other lid.