GB2326150A

GB2326150A - Stackable container

Info

Publication number: GB2326150A
Application number: GB9710400A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Janet Slevin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-05-22
Filing date: 1997-05-22
Publication date: 1998-12-16
Also published as: GB9710400D0

Abstract

A container 1 comprises an outer shell 2 having an upper wall 2a, a lower wall 2b, and at least one side wall 2c, the outer shell having an opening 4 leading to an enclosed cavity 3 for containing a wet or dry product. The container comprises first and second attaching means 5a, 5b arranged at first and second ends 6, 7 of the container respectively, wherein the first and second attaching means are adapted to releasably attach two or more of said containers (1, 1', Fig. 5) together. Preferably, the second attaching means of a first container engages with a first attaching means of a second container through a snap-fit or a screw attachment mechanism. Typically, the snap-fit mechanism may involve a cooperating lip 5c and groove 5d. The opening of the outer shell may be located on the upper wall, lower wall, or side wall and may be closed by a flip-cap 8.

Description

A Container The present invention relates to a container for wet or dry products.

Conventional containers for wet and dry products, in particular toiletries such as hair and skin care products and bath products, come in many shapes and sizes, each product being packaged in an individual container. However, two or more of such products are often used in conjunction with each other, such as shampoo and conditioner or baby products such as baby bath, baby oil and baby shampoo.

On a single occasion, therefore, two or tnore of such products are often required by a user at the same time, and thus a user must carry all the required products to the place of use. In such a situation, because each product is packaged individually, as is necessary to prevent products mixing, this results in a user having to carry many containers with the products therein at one time. This can be annoying for a user - for example, a user would not want to have to carry many containers into a shower, the containers being annoying to carry, likely to be dropped, and there sometimes being little space for the containers to be put in the shower cubicle. Furthermore, for use in showers after sporting activities, a user may have to carry many containers to a recreation or leisure centre, which may involve a long journey. In this instance, it is annoying for a user to have to carry many containers in a bag, the containers often being large, bulky and heavy, and again, a user would not want to have to carry many containers into a shower for the above-described reasons. Furthermore, since the products are individually packaged, there is a high likelihood of a user forgetting an item.

Similarly, it is annoying for a parent of a baby or young child to have to carry around many containers containing baby products. Many baby products are intended to be used in conjunction with each other, and a situation often arises wherein one of the required products cannot be found quickly by the parent, or wherein an item is forgotten.

Furthermore, conventional containers for wet and dry products, especially toiletries, but also including other products such as cleaning products and comestibles, are produced in many shapes and sizes, and a user is likely to own many products contained within different shaped and sized containers.

Consequently such containers are untidy on a bathroom or kitchen shelf, or on a dressing table. Such containers are also difficult to store, not being easily stackable because of their irregularity with respect to shape and size, and thus they may take up a lot of space in a bathroom cabinet or kitchen cupboard or other storage area. This again presents a problem for a user.

Conventional containers also present problems when a user is travelling.

Toiletries such as hair care products, skin care products and bath and shower products, and other products such as cleaning products are required to be packed when travelling, and conventional containers are notoriously difficult to pack, these being of irregular shapes and of differing sizes which are bulky to carry and pack, and difficult to pack neatly. Individual items also tend to get lost amongst other packed items, resulting in items not being found quickly which is extremely frustrating for a traveller, particularly when two or more items are required to be used in conjunction with each other, such as shampoo and conditioner, and one item of those required cannot be found amongst the rest of the luggage.

A traveller may also pack more product than actually required, due to products being contained within large containers. A traveller may thus pack only a half full container of product, but this does not prevent the problem of bulkiness.

Some products are produced in smaller sized containers, manufacturers intending these to be 'travel' sized products, however these are also problematic in that they get lost very easily amongst the rest of a traveller's luggage.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a container for wet or dry products which overcomes the above problems associated with conventional containers.

A second objective of the present invention is to provide a container such that two or more containers according to the present invention may be coupled together in order to maintain two or more products together.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a container system which allows more than one product to be carried into the shower.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a container such that two or more containers according to the present invention are easily stackable on top of each other to provide a tidy storage system.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a travel container for products, which overcomes the above problems encountered using conventional containers whilst travelling.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container for a wet or dry product, said container comprising an outer shell, said outer shell enclosing a cavity for containing said wet or dry product, said outer shell having an opening into said cavity through which said wet or dry product may be dispensed from said container, characterised in that said container also comprises attaching means, said attaching means functioning to releasably attach two or more of said containers together.

Preferably, said outer shell is of cylindrical shape and comprises an upper wall, a lower wall and a curved side wall. Alternatively, said outer shell may be of any other regular shape such as a cuboid or spherical shape, or said outer shell may be of any irregular shape. Said upper wall may be absent, or said lower wall may be absent, and said absent lower or upper wall may comprise said opening of said outer shell.

Preferably said attaching means comprises upper attaching means, said upper attaching means being arranged at an upper end of said container, and lower attaching means, said lower attaching means being arranged at a lower end of said container. Preferably, said container comprises both upper attaching means and lower attaching means, although alternatively, a container may comprise either upper or lower attaching means. Preferably said upper attaching means of one container releasably co-operates with said lower attaching means of another container. Alternatively, said upper attaching means of one container may permanently co-operate with said lower attaching means of another container.

Preferably, said co-operating upper and lower attaching means comprise a snapfit mechanism, said snap-fit mechanism comprising a co-operating lip and groove, and preferably said upper attaching means comprises said lip, and said lower attaching means comprises said groove. Alternatively, said upper attaching means may comprise said groove, and said lower attaching means may comprise said lip. Alternatively, said snap-fit mechanism may comprise any other snap-fit mechanism such as a co-operating lip and recess. Alternatively, said cooperating upper and lower attaching means may comprise a screw attachment mechanism. Alternatively, said co-operating upper and lower attaching means may comprise any suitable attaching means.

Preferably, said two or more releasably attachable containers are the same size and shape. Alternatively, said two or more releasably attachable containers may have the same horizontal cross-sectional shape and have different heights.

Preferably, said opening of said outer shell is releasably closeable by means of any suitable closing means such as a lid, a cap or a flip-cap. Said closing means may be integral with said outer shell and permanently attached to said outer shell, or said closing means may be releasably attachable to said opening of said outer shell. Preferably, said opening is arranged on an upper wall of said outer shell.

Alternatively, said opening may be arranged on a side wall of said outer shell, or on a lower wall of said outer shell.

Said outer shell may also comprise dispensing means around said opening, through which said wet or dry product contained within said container may be dispensed. Said dispensing means may provide more efficient or more controlled dispensing of said product.

Preferably said container is waterproof.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container system, said container system comprising two or more containers, characterised in that each of said containers is of the type described above, the attaching means of the containers being in co-operation such that said containers are attached to one another.

The present invention will now be described, by example only, with reference to the following drawings, of which: figure 1 shows a front view of a first preferred embodiment of a container according to a first aspect of the present invention, figure 2 shows a sectional view of figure 1, figure 3 shows a front view of a second preferred embodiment of a container according to a first aspect of the present invention, figure 4 shows a sectional view of figure 3, figure 5 shows a sectional view of two containers of the type illustrated in figures 3 and 4 attached together, figure 6 shows a sectional view of a third preferred embodiment of a container according to a first aspect of the present invention, figure 7 shows a sectional view of a further preferred embodiment of a container according to a first aspect of the present invention, figure 8 shows a sectional view of a first preferred embodiment of a container system according to a second aspect of the present invention.

Referring to figures 1 and 2, these show a first preferred embodiment of a container according to a first aspect of the present invention, for a wet or dry product, said container 1 comprising an outer shell 2, said outer shell 2 enclosing a cavity 3, said outer shell 2 having an opening 4 into said cavity 3 through which said wet or dry product may be placed into said cavity 3 and contained within said container 1, and through which said wet or dry product may be dispensed from said container 1, said container 1 also comprising attaching means 5, said attaching means 5 functioning to releasably attach two or more of said containers 1 together.

In this preferred embodiment, said outer shell 2 is of cylindrical shape and comprises an upper wall 2a, a lower wall 2b and a curved side wall 2c.

Alternative embodiments are possible wherein said outer shell is of cuboid shape or spherical, or any other shape such as an irregular shape. Said outer shell 2 is made of a waterproof material such as a plastic.

Said attaching means 5 comprises upper attaching means 5a and lower attaching means Sb, said upper attaching means Sa being arranged at an upper end 6 of said side wall 2c of said container 1, and said lower attaching means Sb being arranged at a lower end 7 of said container 1. Said upper attaching means 5a of the container 1 is intended to releasably co-operate with said lower attaching means Sb of another container. Said lower attaching means Sb of the container 1 is intended to releasably co-operate with said upper attaching means Sa of another container 1. Said co-operating upper and lower attaching means Sa, Sb comprise a snap-fit mechanism, said snapfit mechanism comprising a cooperating lip Sc and groove Sd. In this preferred embodiment, said upper attaching means Sa comprises said lip Sc, and said lower attaching means Sb comprises said groove Sd.

Said opening 4 of said outer shell 2 is releasably closeable by means of a flip-cap 8, which is integral with said outer shell 2 and thus permanently attached to said outer shell 2. In an alternative embodiment, the opening of the outer shell is releasably closeable by means of a lid or cap, and is releasably attachable to the opening of the outer shell. In this preferred embodiment, the opening 4 is arranged on an upper wall 2a of said outer shell 2.

Referring now to figures 3 and 4, these show a second preferred embodiment of a container 1 according to a first aspect of the present invention, in which all features are the same as described above in relation to the first preferred embodiment, except that said co-operating upper and lower attaching means Sa, Sb in this second preferred embodiment, comprise a snap-fit mechanism comprising a co-operating lip 15b and groove l5a wherein said upper attaching means Sa comprises said groove 15a, and said lower attaching means Sb comprises said lip 15b.

Figure 5 shows two containers of the type illustrated in figures 3 and 4 with their attaching means 15a, 15b in co-operation. To activate the above described snapfit mechanism of the second preferred embodiment of a container according to a first aspect of the present invention, a user simply positions a first container 1 and a second container 1' such that both containers 1, 1' are upright, and such that the first container 1 is directly above the second container 1'. The lower attaching means 15b of the first container 1 is then brought into co-operation with the upper attaching means 15 a of the second container 1', by the user exerting a force to push the containers 1, 1' together such that the attaching means l5a, 15b come into alignment and snap-fit together. Any number of containers may be attached together, and the required number of containers to be attached together is determinable by the user. This allows a user to maintain any required number of products within said containers together. The containers 1, 1' are releasably attachable, and are detachable from one another by a user simply exerting a force to pull the containers apart. This same technique for attaching and detaching containers from one another is also applicable to the first preferred embodiment, illustrated in figures 1 and 2, and any other embodiments in which a snap-fit mechanism is employed as the attaching means.

A further embodiment is possible wherein said upper and lower attaching means comprises a snap-fit mechanism, said upper attaching means arranged on the upper wall of a container, and said lower attaching means arranged on the lower wall of said container.

In a third preferred embodiment of a container according to a first aspect of the present invention, illustrated in figure 6, the perimeter of said opening 4 of the container 100 is surrounded by a rim 2d, and said outer shell 2 is releasably closeable by means of a flip cap 8 arranged at the top of said rim 2d. Said cooperating upper and lower attaching means 5a, 5b comprise a screw mechanism 25a, 25b, said upper attaching means 5a comprising a helical protruding thread 25a, arranged on said rim 2d, which co-operates with said lower attaching means 5b, said lower attaching means comprising a helical groove 25b. To attach two containers 100 together, said containers 100 are positioned one above the other, both containers 100 being upright, and said helical protruding thread 25a is inserted into said helical groove 25b. Said containers 100 are then twisted relative to each other to secure them together by means ofthe screw mechanism.

In an alternative preferred embodiment, illustrated in figure 7, said co-operating upper and lower attaching means 5a, 5b again comprise a screw mechanism 35a, 35b, said upper attaching means 5a comprising a helical protruding thread 35a, arranged at the upper end 6 of the container 110. Said lower attaching means 5b comprises a helical groove 35b, arranged at the lower end 7 ofthe container 110.

Said co-operating attaching means 35a, 35b co-operate in the same way as described above in relation to figure 6. In this embodiment, said upper wall 2a of said outer shell 2 is convex, and said opening is releasably closeable by means of a flip-lid 8, formed in the upper wall 2a.

In an variation on the above described embodiments, said opening of said container is arranged in a side wall of said container. In a further variation on the above embodiments, said opening of said container is arranged in the lower wall of said container.

In an alternative embodiment, said attaching means co-operates by means of a interference fit, said attaching means comprising two protruding sections formed on or out of the upper wall of a container, and two recesses formed out of the lower wall of the container. Each protruding section of one container co-operates with a recess of another container, the user simply pushing each protruding section into the co-operating recess, the interference fit maintaining the two containers together.

For each of the above embodiments of a container according to a first aspect of the present invention, the container may be supplied pre-filled with product, or a user may decant a product ofthe user's choice into a container. A user is able to attach containers which contain products used in conjunction with each other, in order that these products are maintained together. This is very advantageous for a user, as previously discussed.

Figure 8 illustrates a first preferred embodiment of a container system according to a second aspect of the present invention. Said container system 500 comprises three containers 1 each of said containers 1 being of the type described above in relation to figures 3 and 4, although in an alternative embodiment of a container system according to a second aspect of the present invention, any of the previously described embodiments of a container may be substituted for the containers of the present embodiment. The attaching means 5, 5a, 5b, 15a, 15b of the containers 1 are in co-operation such that said containers 1 are attached to one another.

In the present embodiment, the containers are not pre-filled with products, and the containers are therefore detached from each other by a user in order that a user can decant one product into each of the containers 1. The containers 1 are then reattached to one another, and the user is able to carry three products in a single container system 500. To use each product, a user simply detaches the upper end 6 of the required container 1 from the container above it, and flips open the flip-cap 8 to access the product.

In an alternative preferred embodiment, each container 1 of said container system is supplied pre-filled with product.

In a second preferred embodiment of a container system according to a second aspect of the present invention, which is a variation on the above-described first preferred embodiment, said container system is supplied pre-filled with three toiletries such as shower gel, shampoo and conditioner. In alternative embodiments, any other three toiletries could be used.

In a third preferred embodiment of a container system according to a second aspect of the present invention, three containers are provided, said containers of said container system being permanently attached to one another. In this embodiment, the opening of each container is situated in the side wall of each container, and sealed by means of a flip-lid, in order to allow a user to access the contents of each container. In this embodiment said container system is supplied pre-filled with products. In an alternative variation on this embodiment, said container system is not supplied pre-filled with products, and a user may decant their own choice of products thereinto.

In a further embodiment, the container system comprises only two containers. In another alternative embodiment, the container system comprises more than three containers.

It will be understood to a reader that many variations are possible within the scope of the present invention. Regarding the embodiments of a container according to a first aspect of the present invention, the containers may be supplied in a number of sizes, as long as the attaching means are able to cooperate. This is achievable by a variation in height. Further embodiments of containers are possible wherein said outer shell comprises dispensing means around the opening, through which said wet or dry product contained within said container may be dispensed. Said dispensing means may provide more efficient or more controlled dispensing of said product. Other embodiments of attaching means are also possible.

Furthermore, regarding the embodiments of a container system according to a second aspect of the present invention, it will be obvious to a reader that said container system may comprise any number of containers, and said containers of said container system may comprise any of the previously described embodiments of containers according to a first aspect of the present invention.

Claims

1. A container for a wet or dry product, said container comprising an outer shell, said outer shell comprising an upper wall, a lower wall and at least one side wall, said outer shell enclosing a cavity for containing said wet or dry product, said outer shell having an opening into said cavity through which said wet or dry product may be dispensed from said container, characterised in that said container comprises first attaching means, said first attaching means being arranged at a first end of said container, said container also comprising second attaching means, said second attaching means being arranged at a second end of said container, said first and second attaching means functioning to releasably attach two or more of said containers together.

2. A container according to claim 1, characterised in that said first attaching means of a first container releasably co-operates with said second attaching means of a second container.

3. A container according to claim 1, characterised in that said second attaching means of a first container releasably co-operates with said first attaching means of a second container.

4. A container according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that said co-operating first and second attaching means comprise a snap-fit mechanism.

5. A container according to claim 4, characterised in that said snap-fit mechanism comprises a co-operating lip and groove.

6. A container according to claim 4, characterised in that said snap-fit mechanism comprises a co-operating lip and recess.

7. A container according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that said co-operating first and second attaching means comprises a screw attachment mechanism.

8. A container according to claim 1, characterised in that said two or more releasably attachable containers are the same size and shape.

9. A container according to claim 1, characterised in that said two or more releasably attachable containers have different heights.

10. A container according to claim 1, characterised in that said opening of said outer shell is releasably closeable by means of any suitable closing means such as a lid, a cap or a flip-cap.

11. A container according to claim 1, characterised in that said outer shell is of cylindrical shape and comprises an upper wall, a lower wall and a curved side wall.

12. A container according to claim 1, characterised in that said upper wall is absent, or said lower wall is absent, or at least one of said at least one side wall is absent, and said absent lower or upper wall or side wall comprises said opening of said outer shell.

13. A container according to claim 1, characterised in that said opening is arranged on said upper wall of said outer shell.

14. A container according to claim 1, characterised in that said opening is arranged on said side wall of said outer shell.

15. A container according to claim 1, characterised in that said opening is arranged on said lower wall of said outer shell.

16. A container according to claim 1, characterised in that said container is waterproof.

17. A container system, said container system comprising two or more containers, characterised in that each of said containers is of the type described in any of the preceding claims, the attaching means of said two or more containers being in co-operation such that said containers are attached to one another.

18. A container system according to claim 17, characterised in that said two or more containers are releasably attached to each other, and are detachable from each other by a user in order to decant products into said two or more containers or to access products stored within said two or more containers.

19. A container system according to claim 17, characterised in that said two or more containers are permanently attached to each other, and said opening of said outer shell of each container is positioned on said side wall of each container of said two or more containers.

20. A container system according to claim 17, characterised in that said container system comprises three containers.

21. A container system according to claim 17, characterised in that said two or more containers are supplied pre-filled with product.

22. A container system according to claims 20 and 21, characterised in that said three containers are supplied pre-filled with three toiletries such as shower gel, shampoo and conditioner.

23. A container system according to claims 20 and 21, characterised in that said three containers are supplied pre-filled with three baby-care items such as talcum power, baby lotion and baby wipes.