GB2392898A

GB2392898A - Container having a removable subsidiary container

Info

Publication number: GB2392898A
Application number: GB0219644A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Kam-Chuen Li
Original assignee: SPEEDY ACT INTERNAT Ltd
Current assignee: SPEEDY ACT INTERNAT Ltd
Priority date: 2002-08-23
Filing date: 2002-08-23
Publication date: 2004-03-17
Also published as: GB0219644D0

Abstract

A container assembly includes a primary container (11) formed of resilient material and having a primary receiving space. The primary container has a cavity (13) opening to its exterior and separated from the primary receiving space by the resilient material. A subsidiary container (14) is located temporarily within the cavity and is removable. Typically the primary receiving space is pressurised and this pressure exerts force on the resilient material to retain the subsidiary container until pressure is released. Alternatively, the primary container may be a bowl having the cavity located in its base.

Description

CONTAINER HAVING BUILT-IN REMOVABLE SUBSIDIARY CONTAINER

The present invention relates to containers. More 5 particularly, although not exclusively, the invention relates to containers having an externally accessible recess within which there is located a removable subsidiary container.

10 Many different types of dual-chamber containers and receptacles are known. For example, it is known to provide flexible plastics bottles having two compartments, one of which contains one substance and the other of which contains another substance. Sometimes it is 15 intended that the substances will be mixed prior to use or consumption. In other instances, the main container contains a food substances and a small subsidiary compartment might be used to contain a condiment that might be added to the food substance optionally. All of 20 the multi-compartment containers that are known to the applicant have the subsidiary container formed integrally with the primary container.

25 It is an object of the present invention to provide a primary container having an externally accessible recess therein and a removable secondary container removably located within the recess.

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-2 There is disclosed herein a container assembly comprising: a primary container formed of resilient material and S having a primary receiving space, the primary container having formed integrally therewith a cavity opening to the container exterior and separated from the primary receiving space by said resilient material, and a subsidiary container retained temporarily within 10 the cavity and removable therefrom.

Preferably the primary container includes a cap by which the receiving space is sealed.

15 Preferably the subsidiary container includes a lid.

Preferably the primary container has an exterior surface and the lid is flush with the exterior surface.

20 Preferably the subsidiary container is retained within the cavity by force exerted thereon by the resilient material from which the primary container is made.

Alternatively and/or additionally said retention is by way 25 of pressure inside the receiving space.

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Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 5 Figure 1 is a schematic perspective illustration of a container assembly having a primary container and a subsidiary container located in a cavity thereof, Figure 2 is a schematic perspective illustration of the 10 container assembly of Figure 1, with the subsidiary container removed from the cavity, Figure 3 is a schematic fund elevation or view of the assembly of Figure 1 Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional side elevational view of the assembly of Figure 3 taken at IV-IV in Figure 20 Figure 5 is a schematic perspective illustration of a bowl having a subsidiary container in its base, Figure 6 is a schematic inverted perspective illustration of the assembly of Figure 5, and Figure 7 is a schematic inverted perspective illustration of the assembly of Figure 6 with the subsidiary container removed therefrom.

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-4 In Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted an assembly 10 comprising a 5 primary container 11 in the form of a plastic bottle having a screw-cap 12. The front wall 16 of the bottle 11 has a cavity 13 formed therein during the moulding process. The bottle 11 might typically be formed by blow-moulding or injection moulding.

Fitted tightly within the cavity 13 is a subsidiary container 14 having a lid 15. The lid IS is substantially flush with the front wall 16 of the bottle.

15 As shown in Figure 4, the primary container 11 has a receiving space 17 that might contain a soft drink for example. Pressure within the receiving space 17 is exerted on the cavity 13 as shown by the letter P in Figure 4. As the material from which the bottle 11 is 20 made is flexible, this will result in tight retention of the subsidiary container 14 within the cavity 13. For example, the receiving space 17 might contain a carbonated cola beverage, and the subsidiary container might contain Scotch. If one is so-inclined to mix these 2s two substances, the cap 12 can be removed to release pressure from the walls of the cavity 13, whereupon the Scotch-containing subsidiary container 14 can be removed from the cavity. The lid 15 can then be removed and the

Àace À À e À À ace À C _ 5 scotch poured into the receiving space 17 to be mixed with the cola drink.

In Figures 5 to there is depicted a bowl 21, which 5 might have a pealoff membrane (not shown) adhered to its rim 28 so as to meal its receiving space 27. This receiving space might receive breakfast cereal or noodles for example. In the base of the bowl 21 there is integrally formed a cavity 23 within which a cylindrical 10 subsidiary container 24 can be received. The subsidiary container 24 has a lid 25. The subsidiary container might contain a toy, flavours and/or spices, or sugar for example. In this embodiment, rather than relying on pressure within the receiving space 27, the subsidiary 15 container 24 might be retained by a tight fit within the cavity 23.

It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious to those skilled in the art are not 20 to be considered as beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, instead of relying on pressure-

exertion on the cavity walls, or a tight fit between the cavity walls and the subsidiary container, a peal-off layer might cover the cavity 13 and reveal the subsidiary 2s container upon removal.

Claims

À. .. ... À T À À À À À À À À. À À À À À -6 CLAIMS

1. A container assembly comprising: a primary container formed of resilient material and 5 having a primary receiving space, the primary container having formed integrally therewith a cavity opening to the container exterior and separated from the primary receiving space by said resilient material, and a subsidiary container retained temporarily within 10 the cavity and removable therefrom.

2. The assembly of Claim l, wherein the primary

container includes a cap by which the receiving space is sealed.

3. The assembly of Claim 1, wherein the subsidiary container includes a lid.

4. The assembly of Claim 3, wherein the primary 20 container has an exterior surface and the lid is flush with the exterior surface.

5. The assembly of Claim 1, wherein the subsidiary container is retained within the cavity by force exerted 25 thereon by the resilient material from which the primary container is made.

6. The assembly of Claim 5, wherein said retention is by

... . A. way of pressure inside the receiving space...CLME:

7. The assembly of Claim 5, wherein said retention is by way of fictional interengagement of the subsidiary s container with the cavity regardless of pressure inside the receiving space.

8. The assembly device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.