AU2011202633A1 - Tailored container storage device with tailored divider - Google Patents

Abstract

Standard Patent Application Tailored Container Storage Device with Tailored Divider Abstract A container is provided having tailored contours and a tailored divider within which includes the option for removal for the purpose of separating the contents of the container into separate chambers avoiding the mixture of the contents at a time which is not desired. IP Australia 17 JUN 2011 RECEIVED CM Fig. 12 1 T,9 i~ it 13t

Description

CONTAINER STORAGE DEVICE WITH TAILORED DIVIDER Field of Invention The present invention relates to containers, preferably containers that hold fluids, solid fluids (i.e. frozen fluids) and alike that require barriers to separation, in particular the containers have a divider for the purpose of separating the contents for the period of time desired. However the said container is not limited to hold fluids and solid fluids. Background of the invention Currently in instances where it is required that more than one element is to be stored in a container, whether it be for storage or for mixing at a later time, the elements that are capable of being stored in this manner are limited to solids where no division is present. As a result where there is the desire to store liquids of differing qualities from one another there is great difficulty if this is to occur within a single container without the liquids contaminating one another at a time earlier than desired. For example there may be in existence containers with fixed divisions that separate the contents of the container however this will not allow for the mixing of the contents at a later time if so required nor does it allow for an adjustment to the number of compartments or size of space that is available for storage of desired contents. In the specific example of consuming a frozen beverage, in many instances there may be the option to chose alternative flavours to be consumed, in the current form there is no option to separate those flavours to sustain the specific taste of each flavour, rather the option available if more than one flavour is chosen is to store the flavours in the same container with no division resulting in an eventual contamination of the flavours. In this specific example the problem is not easily solved by placing a fixed division as this may create logistical problems such as storage of the said containers, greater expense, or lack of customer choice. Therefore it would be a great benefit to have a divider that is removable in order to avoid logistical issues such as storage and additional costs due to purchasing different designs of containers. In certain instances the removable divider may also be capable of providing alternative numbers of compartments and thus will allow for more customer choice. An additional benefit is that the divider will reduce or eliminate the flavour contamination as the removable divider is tailored to fit the new container. A further benefit is that the divider will allow the user to remove the divider and mix the flavours where it is so desired. Object of the Invention It is the object of the present invention to substantially overcome or ameliorate one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art. Summary of the Invention There is disclosed herein a container comprising: a generally rigid side wall terminating in an upper side wall end and a lower side wall end and defining an inward space bounded by said continuous side wall, a bottom closing said lower side wall end, and an inward contour running vertically from upper side wall end to lower side wall end for each point of the removable divider, and an inward contour along said bottom of container running in line with the vertical contours on said side wall of container, and a divider which may be flexible spanning said interior and contacting said bottom which is tailored to fit within the contours of the container and can be easily inserted or removed to define first and second contents and to avoid leakage or contamination of each content from other contents within the container. In one embodiment, the container has contours that match the divider in order for easy insertion and removal and to provide stability and avoid leakage. The divider which may be flexible and fits within the contours of the container and has additional folded flaps spanning the length of the divider in order to unfold and fit into the contours of the container so that additional compartments can be utilised to define the contents of the container. In another embodiment, the container and divider is as above however the said flaps mentioned do not exist and the divider is limited in its division.

These other objects are intended to be illustrative of the invention and are not meant in a limiting sense. Many possible embodiments of the invention may be made and will be evident upon a study of the following specification and accompanying drawings. Various features and subcombinations of invention may be employed without reference to other features or subcombinations. Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention. Description of the Drawings Preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrative of the best modes in which the applicant has contemplated applying the principles, are set forth in the following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims. The drawings of the present invention are not designed to be limited by the size and scale of the drawings. Fig. 1 is a top and side perspective view of the container of the present invention showing the top edge of the side wall; Fig. 2 is a top and interior perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. l and showing the inward contours on the inside side wall; Fig. 3 is a top and interior perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 and showing the inward contours on the inside bottom panel; Fig. 4 is a top and interior perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 and showing the inward contours on the inside side wall as well as inward contours on the inside bottom panel: Fig. 5 is a side perspective of the insertable divider of the present invention; Fig. 6 is a side perspective of the insertable divider of the present invention showing the foldable flaps sitting flat against the middle of the divider as well as showing the movement available to the flaps as indicated by Arrows A and B; Fig. 7 is a top and side perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 3 and showing the foldable flaps sitting in a folded flat position against the divider; Fig. 8 is a top and side perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 3 and showing the foldable flaps in an unfolded position as well as the movement available as indicated by Arrows C and D; Fig. 9 is a side view of the embodiments of Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 showing the interaction of the container and the divider as indicated by Arrow E; and Fig. 10 is a side view perspective of the embodiment of Fig. 9 with the divider partly submerged within the side walls of the container as it moves further into the container as indicated by Arrow F; Fig. 11 is a top and interior perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 6 showing the divider totally submerged within the walls of the container and sitting within the inward contours in the side wall of the container; Fig. 12 shows the embodiment of Fig. 7 with the foldable flaps unfolded and sitting within the inward contours in the side wall of the container; Fig. 13 is a top side perspective of an alternative embodiment of the insertable divider. In this embodiment the divider consists of foldable flaps only. In this figure the insertable divider is made up of four foldable flaps all joined at the same point. All of the foldable flaps are sitting in a folded flat position against each other; Fig. 14 is a top side perspective of the embodiment of Fig.13 showing the foldable flaps in an unfolded position. As it can be seen the foldable flaps are all free to move in different directions. Fig. 15 is a top and interior perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 and showing the outward contours on the inside side wall: Fig. 16 is a top and interior perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. I and showing the outward contours on the inside bottom panel; and Fig. 17 is a top and interior perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 and showing the outward contours on the inside side wall as well as outward contours on the inside bottom panel: Description of the preferred embodiment As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.

Referring now to Fig. 1, an embodiment of the inventive container 1 is shown which is comprised generally of a continuous side wall 3 which can be of any convenient shape, spanning shapes from square to circular to polygonal. Continuous side wall 3 terminates at either end in upper side wall end 5 and lower side wall end 8. Continuous side wall 3 can be formed of rubber or plastic or metal or wood or any material which will serve to hold contents within a continuous side wall 3. Connected to lower side wall 8 is bottom or bottom panel 6 which serves to close lower side wall 3 end thereby allowing contents to be held within continuous side wall 3 and to bottom 6. It will be appreciated that, depending on the material used for the construction of side wall 3, bottom 6 could be constructed with the forming of side wall 3 thus forming a unitary construction of side wall 3 and bottom 6. The container 1 is not sealed at upper side wall end 5 leaving an upper side or top opening 4. In one embodiment as shown in Fig. 2, inside side wall 3 indentations 7 exist, beginning at upper side wall end 5 and ending at lower side wall end 8. In another embodiment as shown in Fig. 3 inside bottom 6 indentations 13 exist beginning at one point at the bottom side wall end 8 and ending at another point at the bottom side wall end 8 usually running in a straight line and intercepting the centre point of bottom 8. The preferred embodiment has a combination of the embodiments of Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 as shown in Fig. 4, with side wall 3 indentations 7 and bottom panel 6 indentations 13. In this particular embodiment each side wall 3 indentation 7 has a corresponding bottom panel 6 indentation 13, thus the side wall 3 indentations 7 will meet the bottom panel 6 indentations 13 at lower side wall end 8 and align. Fig. 5 shows the divider 2 which can be inserted and removed from the container 1 referred to in Fig. 1, Fig. 2. Fig.3 and Fig. 4. The divider 2 in the preferred embodiment contains of side wall edges 9, a bottom edge 11 and a top edge 12 as well as having a central face 15 which is identical on either side and when inserted into the container 1 should fit within the side wall 3 indentations 7 (where there are side wall 3 indentations 7) and should fit within the bottom panel 6 indentations 13 (where there are bottom panel 6 indentations 13). The divider 2 side wall 9 should run along the length of the container 1 side wall 3 running from upper side wall end 5 to lower side wall end 8 and should sit flush against the container I side wall 3. The divider 2 bottom 11 should run along the length of the container 1 bottom panel 6 indentation 13 that it has been designed to fit into with the divider 2 bottom 11 sitting flush against the lowest point of the container 1 bottom panel 6 indentation 13 where indentations in container 1 are present, In another embodiment Fig. 6 shows the same embodiment of Fig.5 however in addition shows with broken lines foldable flaps 10 which sit flat against the divider and unfold (see arrows A and B) to provide additional compartments. In the preferred embodiment the divider 2 foldable flaps 10 should be approximately equal in all dimensions to one half of the actual divider 2 and be attached to the divider 2 in a position which is approximately the middle of the divider 2 face 15 so that when it sits folded flat against the divider face 15 the foldable flap 10 side wall 16, base edge 17 and top edge 18 sit flush against the divider 2 side wall 9, bottom edge 11 and top edge 12. Fig. 7 is a top side view of Fig. 6 which shows the foldable flaps 10 unfolded sitting flush against the face 15 of the divider 2. Fig. 8 is identical to Fig. 7 however in this figure the foldable flaps 10 are in a folded position away from the divider face 15, showing the movement available to the foldable flaps 10 as shown by Arrows C and D. Fig. 9 is a top side view of the container 1 and the divider 2, showing the divider 2 in a position above the top 4 opening of the container 1, Arrow E shows the movement required to enter the divider 2 into the container 1. Fig. 10 shows the same as Fig. 9 however the divider 2 is now slightly submerged in the container 1, with the divider side wall 9 now preparing to slide into the inward side wall indentation 7 of the container, Arrow F shows the continued movement of the divider 2 into the container 1. Fig. 11 is a top side view of Fig. 10, however the divider 2 is fully submerged in the container 1, with the divider side wall 9 sitting in the side wall indentation 7 of the container and the divider 2 bottom 11 sitting within the inside bottom 6 indentations 13 of the container. Fig. 12 shows the same as Fig. 9 however the divider 2 foldable flaps 10 are unfolded and are sitting with the flap side wali 16 within the inward side wall indentation 7 of the container and the flap bottom 17 within the inside bottom 6 indentations 13 of the container. Fig. 13 shows an alternative embodiment of the divider 2 in Fig. 5. In this embodiment the divider 2 is made up of foldable flaps 19 that are joined in the one position. There is no central face 15 as with the other embodiments rather just separate foldable flaps 19. Fig. 13 shows the divider 2 in a folded position with all foldable flaps 19 side wall 22, base edge 21 and top edge 20 all sitting flush against the opposite foldable flap 19. Fig. 14 shows the same embodiment as Fig. 13 however the divider 2 foldable flaps 19 are sitting in an unfolded position away from one another. As it can be seen each foldable flap can move in a different direction to create different sized and numbers of compartments. In another embodiment as shown in Fig. 15. inside side wall 3 protrusions 23 exist, beginning at upper side wall end 5 and ending at lower side wall end 8. In another embodiment as shown in Fig. 16 inside bottom 6 protrusions 24 exist beginning at one point at the bottom side wall end 8 and ending at another point at the bottom side wall end 8 usually running in a straight line and intercepting the centre point of bottom 8. The preferred embodiment has a combination of the embodiments of Fig. 15 and Fig. 16 as shown in Fig. 17, with side wall 3 protrusions 23 and bottom panel 6 protrusions 24. In this particular embodiment each side wall 3 protrusion 23 has a corresponding bottom panel 6 protrusion 24, thus the side wall 3 protrusions 23 will meet the bottom panel 6 protrusions 24 at lower side wall end 8 and align. In the preferred embodiment two side wall 3 protrusions 23 run parallel to each other within a close proximity so that a divider 2 can slide in between the protrusions 23 and remain in that position with limited movement. In addition in this preferred embodiment two bottom panel 6 protrusions 24 also run parallel to each other within a close proximity so that a divider 2 can slide in between the protrusions 24 and remain in that position with limited movement. In application to Fig. 17 each side wall 3 protrusion 23 should align with a bottom panel 6 protrusion 24 so that a divider 2 can fit within both the parallel side wall 3 protrusions 23 and parallel bottom panel 6 protrusions 24 at the same time.

The claims defining the invention are as follows: 1. A container comprising: a generally rigid continuous side wall terminating in a upper side wall end and a lower side wall end and defining an inward space bounded by said continuous side wall, a bottom closing said lower side wall end. 2. The container as claimed in claim 1 further comprising inward contours on in the inner side of the container spanning the interior of said container, from upper side wall to lower side wall, running in orientation generally parallel to said side wall. 3. The container as claimed in claim 1 further comprising inward contours on the bottom closing lower side wall end, running in line with contours spanning the said container as claimed in claim 2. 4. A container as claimed in claim 1 including a removable and insertable flexible divider spanning the interior of the said container, said divider to fit within the side wall contours and bottom contours as claimed in claims 2. 3, 19 and 20, said divider being oriented generally parallel to said container. 5. A divider as claimed in claim 4 further comprising foldable flaps that can be unfolded where desired to create additional compartments in the container as claimed in claim 1, said dividers flaps will fit into the side wall contours as claimed in claims 2 and 19. 6. A divider as claimed in claim 4 wherein the dividers flaps as claimed in claim 5 will also fit into the bottom contours of the container as claimed in claim 3 and 20. 7. A divider as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a foldable base that fits within the bottom closing of said lower side wall end of container as claimed in claim 1. 8. A divider as claimed in claims 1 to 6 that has rim connected the top of the divider which fits over the upper side wall end of the container and holds the divider in place. 9. A container as claimed in claims 1 to 4 and claims 19 to 20 that is made of plastic. 10. A container as claimed in claims 1 to 4 and claims 19 to 20 that is made of rubber. 11. A container as claimed in claims 1 to 4 and claims 19 to 20 that is made of wood. 12. A container as claimed in claims 1 to 4 and claims 19 to 20 that is made of paper. 13. A divider as claimed in claims 5 to 8 that is made of plastic. 14. A divider as claimed in claims 5 to 8 that is made of rubber. 15. A divider as claimed in claims 5 to 8 that is made of wood. 16. A divider as claimed in claims 5 to 8 that is made of paper. 17. A divider as claimed in claims 5 to 8 fixed to the container claimed in claims 1 to 8. 18. A divider as claimed in claims 5 to 8 which has any number foldable flaps attached to it. 19. A container as claimed in claims 1 to 4 that comprises any number of outward contours on the inner side of the container 20. A container as claimed in claims 1 to 4 that comprises any number of outward contours on the bottom closing lower side wall end.

DRAWINGS Fig. 1 it Ttt tj

Claims (20)

1. A container comprising: a generally rigid continuous side wall terminating in a upper side wall end and a lower side wall end and defining an inward space bounded by said continuous side wall, a bottom closing said lower side wall end.

2. The container as claimed in claim 1 further comprising inward contours on in the inner side of the container spanning the interior of said container, from upper side wall to lower side wall, running in orientation generally parallel to said side wall.

3. The container as claimed in claim 1 further comprising inward contours on the bottom closing lower side wall end, running in line with contours spanning the said container as claimed in claim 2.

4. A container as claimed in claim 1 including a removable and insertable flexible divider spanning the interior of the said container, said divider to fit within the side wall contours and bottom contours as claimed in claims 2. 3, 19 and 20, said divider being oriented generally parallel to said container.

5. A divider as claimed in claim 4 further comprising foldable flaps that can be unfolded where desired to create additional compartments in the container as claimed in claim 1, said dividers flaps will fit into the side wall contours as claimed in claims 2 and 19.

6. A divider as claimed in claim 4 wherein the dividers flaps as claimed in claim 5 will also fit into the bottom contours of the container as claimed in claim 3 and 20.

7. A divider as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a foldable base that fits within the bottom closing of said lower side wall end of container as claimed in claim 1.

8. A divider as claimed in claims 1 to 6 that has rim connected the top of the divider which fits over the upper side wall end of the container and holds the divider in place.

9. A container as claimed in claims 1 to 4 and claims 19 to 20 that is made of plastic.

10. A container as claimed in claims 1 to 4 and claims 19 to 20 that is made of rubber.

11. A container as claimed in claims 1 to 4 and claims 19 to 20 that is made of wood.

12. A container as claimed in claims 1 to 4 and claims 19 to 20 that is made of paper.

13. A divider as claimed in claims 5 to 8 that is made of plastic.

14. A divider as claimed in claims 5 to 8 that is made of rubber.

15. A divider as claimed in claims 5 to 8 that is made of wood.

16. A divider as claimed in claims 5 to 8 that is made of paper.

17. A divider as claimed in claims 5 to 8 fixed to the container claimed in claims 1 to 8.

18. A divider as claimed in claims 5 to 8 which has any number foldable flaps attached to it.

19. A container as claimed in claims 1 to 4 that comprises any number of outward contours on the inner side of the container

20. A container as claimed in claims 1 to 4 that comprises any number of outward contours on the bottom closing lower side wall end.