COMBINABLE CONTAINER

Abstract

A container comprising, in one embodiment, a side wall and a base, wherein the side wall is perforated to form at least a first flap movable relative to the side wall by a hinge, the first flap being moveable from a first position flush with the side wall to a second position extending away from the side wall, a second flap extending in the direction of the base, and a first opening defined in the side wall when the first flap is in the second position, the first opening adapted to receive a second container inserted into the first opening of the side wall of the first container such that the downwardly extending flap of the first container extends into the second container and the second container rests on the side wall of the first container.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention claims the benefit of U.S. Application 61/139,838, filed Dec. 22, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a container generally, and more particularly to a container that can be combined with another container so that, for example, a plurality of containers can be handled with one hand.

BACKGROUND

It is sometimes challenging to eat away from the table. At the boardwalk, for example, people typically eat while they walk, holding their food in one hand and eating with the other hand. In one example, a person eating French fries in a cup will hold the cup in one hand and eat with the other.

French fries vended on the boardwalk (so-called “boardwalk fries”) are usually placed into a food container that resembles an oversized cup. Along with the fries or other food product, the purchaser usually elects to have some type of condiment as well, such as ketchup, mustard, relish, etc. The condiment is usually placed into a smaller container and is accessed for dipping the food product. At this point the purchaser has to carry two containers, the food container and the condiment container, which means that the purchaser has no free hand with which to eat.

SUMMARY

A container to which can be removably attached to another container so that both containers can be carried by one hand. More specifically, in one embodiment, a first container has a patterned perforation to allow two flaps and an opening to be created in the side wall of the first container. A second container is attached to the first container by inserting the second container into a flap and the opening of the first container, which secure the second container to the first container. In other embodiments, a plurality of containers may be removably attached to the first container, which plurality of containers may be vertically and/or circumferentially spaced from each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a front view of one embodiment of a container of the present invention.

FIG. 1B is a front view of the container of FIG. 1A with a flap extending away from a side wall thereof.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of a container of the invention.

FIGS. 3A through 3E illustrate one embodiment of a method of attaching a second container to a first container.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a container of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a container of the invention.

FIGS. 6A through 64F illustrate alternative embodiments of a container of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

This disclosure describes the best mode or modes of practicing the invention as presently contemplated. This description is not intended to be understood in a limiting sense, but provides an example of the invention presented solely for illustrative purposes by reference to the accompanying drawings to advise one of ordinary skill in the

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate one embodiment of a container 100 comprising a side wall 110, an interior 120 and a base 130, the side wall having a top edge 112 and a bottom edge 114. While FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a container in the form of a drinking cup, it will be appreciated that other containers having different shapes, geometries and other structural configurations will be contemplated. For ease of explanation, however, each container embodiment described herein will be illustrated as a cup-type container having and open top and a solid base. The side wall 110 is at least partially separable, and preferably by a perforation 140, to form at least a first flap 150 movable relative to the side wall 110 by a hinge 160. The first flap 150 is moveable from a first position 152 flush with the side wall 110 (FIG. 1A), to a second position 154 extending away from the side wall 110 (one embodiment shown FIG. 1B), along hinge 160 that is spaced from the bottom edge 114, which hinge 160 is either manufactured into the side wall 110 as a bend or crease line, or which is preferably created upon the initial bending of the first flap 150 from the first position 152 to the second position 154. The first flap 150 is either movable outwardly and away from the side wall 110 of the container 100 as shown in FIG. 1B, or inwardly toward the interior 120 of the container (not shown). However, as will be described below, it is preferred that the first flap 150 is moved outwardly away from the side wall 110, not only to function as an additional support for an additional container (see FIGS. 3A through 3E) inserted through the opening 180, but also because it may be difficult to extend the first flap 150 into the interior 120 of the container 100 if the interior 120 if filled with food (not shown) or the like.

A second flap 170, which is more easily seen when the first flap 150 is extended away from the side wall 110 (FIG. 1B), extends in the direction of the base 130 and preferably comprises a first side edge 172, a second side edge 174, a lowermost point 176 that collectively define around a central portion 178. As will be described in more detail below, a pushing force applied to the central portion 178, while the first flap 150 is in the first position 152, separates the perforation 140 and allows a user to substantially separate the first flap 150 from the side wall 110 and move the first flap 150 from the first position 152 to the second position 154 along the hinge 160. A first opening 180 is defined in the side wall 110 when the first flap 150 is in the second position 154, the first opening 180 having a first portion 182 extending upwardly from the hinge 160 along the first side edge 172 to a first terminus 184 above the lowermost point 176 of the second flap 170, a second portion 186 extending upwardly along the second side edge 174 to a second terminus 188 above the lowermost point 176 of the second flap 170, and a lower edge bounded by the side wall 110 defining the hinge 160.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1A and 1B, the hinge 160 is adjacent to and substantially coplanar with base 130. The base 130 provides additional structural support for the container 100 and sidewall 110 to bear a load that will be inserted into the first opening 180 as will be illustrated below. In addition, the first flap 150 is substantially V-shaped, such that the first and second portions 182, 186 of the opening 180 extend outwardly at an angle from the vertical. However, it will be appreciated that other flap configurations are possible including, but not limited to, a U-shaped flap 250 shown on a container 200 of FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, the container 200 has a side wall 210, an interior 220 and a base 230, the side wall having a top edge 212 and a bottom edge 214. A first opening 280 is defined in a side wall 210 when the first flap 250 is in a second position 254, the first opening 280 having first and second portions 282, 286 that extend upwardly from a hinge 260 in a substantially parallel alignment. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the hinge 260 is defined along the bottom edge 214 of the side wall 210 and of the container 200 instead of being spaced therefrom as shown in connection with FIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIGS. 3A-3E illustrate a method for removably combining a second container 300 with a first container 100 as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B. FIG. 3A illustrates the first container 100 with the first flap 150 in the first position 152 flush against the side wall 110, and a second container 300. A pushing force applied to the central portion 178 of the second flap 170 separates the perforation 140 and allows a user to substantially separate the first flap 150 from the side wall 110 and move the first flap 150 from the first position 152 to the second position 154 away from the side wall 110 along the hinge 160 as shown in FIG. 3B. FIG. 3C shows the initial attachment of the second container 300 to the first container 100, wherein the second container 300 is inserted into the opening 180 of the side wall 110 by placing the second container 300 at an angle to the first container 100 so that the upper edge 312 of the second container 300 first extends below and then behind the second flap 170, while the bottom edge 314 of the second container 300 contacts the first flap 150 of the first container 100. Thereafter, the second container 300 is rotated toward the first container 100 while the bottom edge 314 of the second container 300 is advanced toward the first container 100 along the first flap 150 until the second container 300 is secured within the opening 180 of the first container 100 with the second flap 170 extending into the second container 300 as shown in FIGS. 3D and 3E. FIG. 3D also illustrates the placement of a vendor logo 105 or the like on the side wall 110 of the first container 100, it being understood that other placement locations are contemplated.

The second container 300 is retained within the first container 100 through the engagement of the side wall 310 of the second container 300 with the first and second portions 182, 186 (FIG. 1B) of the opening 180, as well as the engagement of the bottom surface 316 (FIG. 3E) of the second container 300 with the hinge 160 of the first container 100 and the outwardly extending first flap 150. The second container 300 extends into the interior 120 of the first container 100 and is further supported by the base 130 of the first container 100, which base 130 is coplanar with the hinge 160 and the first flap 150 as shown so as to create a support platform for the bottom surface 316 of the second container 300. The second flap 170 assists in preventing the second container 300 from being laterally withdrawn through the opening 180 as the second flap 170 extends into the interior of the second container 300 and acts as a stop against the side wall 310 of the second container 300. FIG. 3E illustrates one embodiment of the base 130 spaced from the bottom edge 114 of the container by a distance 113, which distance 113 is typically provided to create a thermal barrier between the base 130 and the bottom edge 114 and surface (not shown) upon which the bottom edge 114 rests.

While the illustrated embodiments show a first container 100 comprising a perforation 140 having a certain shape and configuration, and an opening 180 having a certain shape and configuration that is adapted to receive and retain a second container 300 of a particular shape and configuration, it will be appreciated that other perforation and opening configurations are contemplated. For example, if it is desired to attach a second container having a substantially planar configuration, such as a plate for example, then a perforation could be designed to expose a narrower opening that might better accommodate the insertion and retention of a planar object. Various perforation, flap and opening combinations are contemplated.

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a first container 400 having a side wall 410, an upper edge 412, a lower edge 414, an interior 420, a base 430, a first flap 450 and hinge 460, a second flap 470, and a second container 490 disposed within an opening 480 in the first container 400. Since the second container 490 is spaced from the lower edge 414 and the base 430, the second container 490 is retained against the hinge 460 and the second flap 470 and is further supported by the first flap 450. The hinge 460, which is simply a bend in the side wall 410 of the first container 400, supports a considerable portion of the weight load of the second container 490, while the second flap 470 prevents unwanted rotational movement of the second container 490 relative to the first container 400. While the first flap 450 is shown extended outwardly relative to the side wall 410, and since the hinge 460 supports a considerable portion of the weight of the second container 490, the first flap 450 could be extended into the interior 420 of the first container to expose the opening 480 without meaningfully sacrificing the support of the second container 490. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the second container 490 is closer to the upper edge 412 of the first container 400, which shortens the dipping distance of a food product (not shown) stored in the interior 420 of the first container 400.

In an alternative embodiment of FIG. 5, a first container 500 has a side wall 510, an interior 520, a base 530, a first opening 580 to accommodate a second container 590 and a second opening 582 vertically and angularly spaced from the first opening 580 to accommodate a third container 592. The second container 590 is partially supported by the base 530, while the third container 592 is supported by the hinge 594 and downwardly extending flap 596. While FIG. 5 illustrates that the second opening 582 is vertically spaced from first opening 580, it will be appreciated that other openings may have different structural configurations and locations in the side wall 510. For example, the second opening may be spaced from the first opening along a perimeter of the side wall 510 and the second opening may be larger or smaller than the first opening as the case may be.

FIGS. 6A through 6F illustrate various embodiments of combinations of containers. It will be appreciated, for example, that while such figures illustrate the attachment of multiple subsidiary containers to a first or main container, the first container may be perforated with a variety of flap configurations and positions not shown herein to address a variety of container structures and configurations as the case may be. The various configurations illustrated are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting in any respect, but are intended merely to show examples of various container schemes. In addition, the subsidiary containers are attached to the first or main container using the method described above, so such method will not be described below.

FIG. 6A illustrates one embodiment of a first container 600a having two additional containers 602a and 604a attached thereto and positioned approximately 90 degrees apart, it being understood that any angular separation is possible. While FIG. 6A illustrates a 90 degree separation of containers 602a and 604a, it will be appreciated that container 604a may be positioned up to 180 degrees in either direction from container 602a. FIG. 6B illustrates one embodiment of a first container 600b having three additional containers 602b, 604b and 604b positioned approximately 90 degrees apart. Of course, the additional containers 602b, 604b, 606b, could also be positioned symmetrically (i.e. 120 degrees apart) if desired. FIG. 6C illustrates one embodiment of a first container 600c having four additional containers 602c, 604c, 606c and 608c positioned approximately 90 degrees apart. FIG. 6D illustrates one embodiment of a first container 600d having two additional containers 602d, 604d of different sizes, while FIG. 6E illustrates one embodiment of a first container 600e having three additional containers 602e, 604e, 606e, each having a different size. FIG. 6F illustrates one embodiment of a first container 600f having two additional containers 602f, 604f attached thereto and vertically aligned with and spaced from each other.

While the present invention has been described at some length and with some particularity with respect to the several described embodiments, it is not intended that it should be limited to any such particulars or embodiments or any particular embodiment, but it is to be construed with references to the appended claims so as to provide the broadest possible interpretation of such claims in view of the prior art and, therefore, to effectively encompass the intended scope of the invention. Furthermore, the foregoing describes the invention in terms of embodiments foreseen by the inventor for which an enabling description was available, notwithstanding that insubstantial modifications of the invention, not presently foreseen, may nonetheless represent equivalents thereto.

Claims

1. A container comprising:

a) a side wall and a base;

b) wherein the side wall is perforated to form at least a first flap movable relative to the side wall by a hinge;

c) the first flap being moveable from a first position flush with the side wall to a second position extending away from the side wall;

d) a second flap extending in the direction of the base and comprising a first side edge, a second side edge and a lowermost point;

e) and a first opening defined in the side wall when the first flap is in the second position, the first opening having a first portion extending upwardly from the hinge along the first side edge to a first terminus above the lowermost point of the second flap, and a second portion extending upwardly along the second side edge to a second terminus above the lowermost point of the second flap.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the first flap is substantially U-shaped.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the first flap is substantially V-shaped.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein the side wall has an upper edge and a lower edge and the hinge is defined along the lower edge.

5. The container of claim 1, wherein the side wall has an upper edge and a lower edge and the hinge is spaced from the lower edge.

6. The container of claim 5, wherein the first flap extends outwardly from the side wall to form a coplanar support with the hinge and the base.

7. The container of claim 1, the side wall further comprising at least one additional opening.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein the hinge is substantially coplanar with the base.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the first flap extends outwardly from the side wall to form a coplanar support with the base.

10. The container of claim 1, further comprising a second opening spaced from the first opening along a perimeter of the side wall.

11. The container of claim 1, further comprising a second opening that is larger than the first opening.

12. A combination of containers comprising:

a) a first container having a side wall, a downwardly extending flap and a first opening in the side wall defined around the downwardly extending flap, and

b) a second container inserted into the first opening of the side wall of the first container such that the downwardly extending flap of the first container extends into the second container and the second container rests on the side wall of the first container.

13. The combination of containers of claim 12, wherein the side wall of the first container is perforated to form at least a second flap movable relative to the side wall by a hinge from a first position flush with the side wall to a second position extending away from the side wall, the second container resting on the hinge and the second flap.

14. The combination of containers of claim 13, wherein the first container has an interior base, the side wall has a lower edge, and the hinge is spaced from the lower edge and is substantially coplanar with the interior base.

15. The combination of containers of claim 12, further comprising at least one additional container inserted into at least one additional opening in the side wall of the first container.

16. The combination of containers of claim 15, wherein the at least one additional container is vertically spaced from the second container.

17. The combination of containers of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of additional containers inserted into a plurality of additional openings in the side wall of the first container.

18. A method of combining a second container to a first container, the method comprising:

a) providing a first container having a side wall that is perforated to form at least a first flap that is movable relative to the side wall by a hinge, the first flap being moveable from a first position flush with the side wall to a second position extending away from the side wall, the first container having a second downwardly extending flap and a first opening defined in the side wall when the first flap is in the second position;

b) moving the first flap from the first position to the second position;

c) inserting a second container into the first opening of the side wall of the first container such that the second flap of the first container is inside the second container and the second container rests on the hinge of the first flap of the first container.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising extending the first flap outwardly away from the side wall to form a coplanar support with an interior base of the first container.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising inserting at least one additional container into at least one additional opening in the side wall of the first container.