CONTAINER ASSEMBLY

Abstract

The invention relates to a container assembly. In particular the invention is concerned with a container assembly having separate storing facilities in which different products can be stored. The container comprises a primary container defining a holding compartment, a secondary container locatable inside the holding compartment and a securing formation for securing the secondary container inside the holding compartment. The securing formation includes a gripping formation which can engage an outside wall of the primary container when the secondary container is to be secured inside the holding compartment.

Description

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

THIS invention relates to a container assembly. In particular the invention is concerned with a container assembly having separate storing facilities in which different products can be stored.

In recent times there has been an increasing awareness of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. In particular there has been a drive in US schools to address the high incidence of teenage obesity. One initiative for addressing obesity is to encourage teenagers to limit the amount of soft drinks consumed and to supplement their liquid intake with healthier alternatives.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a container assembly which can be used for facilitating preparation and consumption of health drinks which comprise a vitamin tablet dissolved in water.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a container assembly comprising a primary container defining a holding compartment, a secondary container locatable inside the holding compartment and a securing formation for securing the secondary container inside the holding compartment, the securing formation including a gripping formation which can engage an outside wall of the primary container when the secondary container is to be secured inside the holding compartment.

Preferably the secondary container comprises a container body and a lid. Typically the lid is connected to the container body with a hinge.

Advantageously the container body of the secondary container includes a desiccant on its inside.

In an embodiment of the invention the primary container includes a dispensing end and a base wherein the holding compartment is located towards the base.

Preferably the secondary container can be held inside the holding compartment with the lid of the secondary container being located towards the base of the primary container such that access to the inside of the secondary container can be gained without having to remove the secondary container from the holding compartment.

Advantageously the lid of the secondary container includes a finger tab for facilitating opening of the secondary container.

Typically the primary container includes a finger opening allowing a user to access the finger tab.

Preferably the securing formation includes a container engagement formation for holding a portion of the secondary container.

More preferably the container engagement formation is attached to the gripping formation.

In an embodiment of the invention the gripping formation comprises four arms which extend from the container engagement formation.

Typically the primary container includes a recess formation in its outside wall for cooperation with the gripping formation of the securing formation. Preferably the recess formation extends around a portion of the outside wall of the primary container.

In an embodiment of the invention the arms of the gripping formation are sized for location inside the recess formation.

Typically the primary container includes a support structure for supporting the secondary container when it is located inside the holding compartment.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a container assembly comprising a primary container defining a holding compartment, a secondary container locatable inside the holding compartment and a securing formation for securing the secondary container inside the holding compartment, the secondary container comprising a container body and a lid wherein the lid can be removed from the container body while the container body of the secondary container remains located inside the holding compartment.

Preferably the primary container has a base and a dispensing end and wherein the lid of the secondary container is located towards the base of the primary container.

More preferably the lid is connected to the container body with the use of a hinge.

Advantageously the lid of the secondary container includes a finger tab for facilitating opening of the secondary container.

Typically the primary container includes a finger opening allowing a user to access the finger tab.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a packaging assembly comprising a container assembly in accordance with either the first or the second aspect of the invention wherein a water-soluble substance is stored inside the secondary container.

Typically the water-soluble substance is a water-soluble tablet.

In an embodiment of the invention the water-soluble tablet is an effervescent tablet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a container assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a front perspective view of the container assembly in an assembled condition;

FIG. 3 shows a bottom perspective view of the container assembly of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a securing formation for use in a second embodiment of the container assembly of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a container assembly in accordance with the present invention, generally indicated with the reference numeral 10. The container assembly 10 comprises a primary container 12 which defines a holding compartment 14 as shown. The container assembly 10 further comprises a secondary container 16 which is suitably sized such that it can be located inside the holding compartment 14. In order to secure the secondary container 16 inside the holding compartment 14 the container assembly 10 includes a securing formation 18. The securing formation 18 in turn includes a gripping formation 20 which can engage an outside wall 22 of the primary container 12 when the secondary container 16 is to be secured inside the holding compartment 14. The manner of securement will be described below.

The primary container 12 is shaped as shown with its outside wall 22 extending between a dispensing end 24 and a base 26. The dispensing end 24 of this embodiment of the invention includes a removable cap 28 having a valve 30, shown in FIG. 2, which closes an open end of the primary container 12. A liquid which is stored inside the primary container 12 can be dispensed under the influence of gravity when the valve is opened and the container assembly 10 turned upside down.

The base 26 includes two flat base members 32.1 and 32.2 which will allow the primary container to be placed in an upright manner on a flat surface. A finger opening 34, the purpose of which will be explained below, is provided between the base members 32.1 and 32.2 as shown.

Inside the holding compartment 14 the primary container 12 includes a support structure 36. The support structure 36 is provided in the form of two support structure members 38.1 and 38.2 which are curve-shaped. As shown in FIG. 1, the secondary container 16 is cylindrical-shaped and the curvature of the two support structure members 38.1 and 38.2 is such that they can support the shape of the secondary container 16.

The primary container 12 is provided with a recess formation 40 which extends around a portion of the outside wall 22. In use the recess formation 40 will cooperate with the gripping formation 20 for securing the secondary container 16 inside the holding compartment 14 in a manner described below.

The secondary container 16 comprises a container body 42 and a lid 44. In this embodiment of the invention the lid 44 is pivotally secured to the container body 42 with the use of a flexible hinge 46. The secondary container 16 is provided with a finger tab 48 for facilitating opening of the secondary container 16. The finger tab 48, in turn, is provided with a conventional locking arrangement, generally indicated with the reference numeral 48, for keeping the lid 44 in a closed position on the container body 42.

With a view to ensuring that dissolvable tablets which are stored inside the secondary container 16 do not dissolve prior to being used, the secondary container 16 is provided on its inside with a desiccant. In this specific embodiment the desiccant is provided in the form of a layer of a desiccant material which lines the inside wall of the container body 48, not shown.

The securing formation 18 includes a container engagement formation 52 for holding a portion of the container body 42 of the secondary container 16. It is pointed out that the container engagement formation 52 is sized such that it can frictionally engage a portion of an outside wall of the container body 42. The container engagement formation 52 in turn is connected to the gripping formation 20.

In this embodiment of the invention the gripping formation 20 comprises four curved arms 54.1, 54.2, 54.3 and 54.4. Specifically the curved arms 51.1, 54.2, 54.3 and 54.4 are shaped such that they can be located inside the recess formation 40 and can be held in position in a friction fit.

The assembled container assembly 10 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In order to assemble the components of the container assembly 10 as shown in FIG. 1, the container body 42 of the secondary container 16 is firstly placed on the support structure 36 inside the holding compartment 14. It is important to point out that the secondary container 16 is held inside the holding compartment 14 in such a manner that the lid 44 is located towards the base 26 of the primary container 12 with the finger tab 48 located inside the finger opening 34. The secondary container 16 is now secured in position inside the holding compartment 14 when the container engagement formation 52 frictionally holds a portion of the container body 42 while the curved arms 54.1, 54,2, 54.3 and 54.4 of the gripping formation 20 engage the outside wall 22 of the primary container 12 inside the recess formation 40, thereby to hold the primary container 12 in a friction fit.

It is envisaged that the primary container 12 will typically be filled with water while the secondary container 16 will hold a supply of water-soluble substance such as effervescent tables. A person now desirous to prepare an effervescent drink can simply remove a tablet by opening the secondary container access by gripping the finger tab 48 and flipping the lid 44 open. It will be appreciated that by having a finger opening 34 as described, a finger of a user can easily engage the finger tab 48 and the process of opening the secondary container 16 takes place with relative ease. Once the secondary container 16 is closed, the cap 28 can be removed momentarily so that the tablet can be dropped into the liquid held by the primary container 12 in order to be dissolved.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative securing formation, generally indicated with the reference numeral 60, for use in a container assembly in accordance with present invention. The securing formation 60 differs from the securing formation 18 in that its gripping formation 62 is provided in the form of two rubber bands 64.1 and 64.2 which can extend around the circumference of a primary container. In particular the bands 64.1 and 64.2 each include an attachment formation 66 whereby the bands 61.1 and 64.2 can be secured to form a closed loop. In this embodiment of the invention the attachment formation is provided in the form of a number of protrusions 68 which can be held in suitably sized cavities 70.

The securing formation 60 also includes a container engagement formation, here indicated with the reference numeral 72. Unlike the container engagement formation 52 of the securing formation 18, the container engagement formation 72 is adorned with promotional information 74.

Although not illustrated in the accompany drawings it is envisaged that the securing formation and the primary container could be of unitary construction to define a holding compartment which can hold a secondary container in a friction fit.

It is also envisaged that the container assembly need not necessarily include a securing formation but that the primary container could simply include a holding compartment which is defined by outer surfaces of the primary container. The secondary container can then be secured inside the holding compartment by providing a friction fit or a force fit between the walls of the primary container defining the holding formation as well as outer surfaces of the secondary container.

It is finally envisaged that the securing formation could also be provided in the form of a layer of an adhesive, typically in the form of glue.

The container assembly as described above will make it convenient to transport an empty container with a supply of water-soluble tablets. When a user is now desirous to consume a drink, the primary container can be filled with water whereafter a tablet can be removed from the secondary container and dropped into the liquid to dissolve and form the drink.

Claims

1. A container assembly comprising:

a primary container defining a holding compartment,

a secondary container locatable inside the holding compartment; and

a securing formation for securing the secondary container inside the holding compartment,

the securing formation including a gripping formation adapted to engage an outside wall of the primary container when the secondary container is to be secured inside the holding compartment.

2. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the secondary container comprises a container body and a lid.

3. The container assembly of claim 2 wherein the lid is connected to the container body by way of a hinge.

4. The container assembly of claim 2 wherein the lid includes a finger tab for opening the lid.

5. The container assembly according to claim 1 wherein the secondary container includes a desiccant.

6. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the primary container includes a dispensing end and a base, wherein the holding compartment is located towards the base.

7. The container assembly of claim 6 wherein the secondary container is receivable inside the holding compartment with the lid of the secondary container being located towards the base of the primary container in order for access to the inside of the secondary container to be gained without having to remove the secondary container from the holding compartment.

8. The container assembly of claim 7 wherein the lid includes a finger tab for opening the lid.

9. The container assembly of claim 8 wherein the primary container includes a finger opening allowing a user to access the finger tab.

10. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the securing formation includes a container engagement formation for holding a portion of the secondary container.

11. The container assembly of claim 10 wherein the gripping formation extends from the container engagement formation.

12. The container assembly of claim 11 wherein the gripping formation comprises four resilient arms which extend from the container engagement formation.

13. The container assembly of claim 12 wherein the primary container includes at least one recess formation in its outside wall for complementary cooperation with the at least one gripping formation of the securing formation.

14. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the primary container includes a support structure for supporting the secondary container when it is located inside the holding compartment.

15. A container assembly comprising:

a primary container defining a holding compartment,

a secondary container locatable inside the holding compartment; and

a securing formation for securing the secondary container inside the holding compartment,

the secondary container comprising a container body and a lid wherein the lid can be removed from the container body while the container body of the secondary container remains located inside the holding compartment.

16. The container assembly of claim 15 wherein the primary container has a base and a dispensing end, the lid of the secondary container being located towards the base of the primary container.

17. The container assembly of claim 16 wherein the lid is connected to the container body by way of a hinge.

18. The container assembly of claim 16 wherein the lid of the secondary container includes a finger tab for facilitating opening of the secondary container.

19. The container assembly of claim 18 wherein the primary container includes a finger opening allowing a user to access the finger tab of the lid of the secondary container.

20. A packaging assembly comprising a container assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein a water-soluble substance is stored inside the secondary container.

21. A packaging assembly comprising a container assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein a water-soluble tablet is stored inside the secondary container.

22. A packaging assembly comprising a container assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein a effervescent tablet is stored inside the secondary container.