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US 5,135,823 AGranted
Modular multi-compartment blow molded container
OwnerGeorge E. Ealesinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are blow molded multiple compartment plastic containers in one configuration having partition members between the compartments that initially form portions of a mold for the container. When molding is complete, the partition members form part of the container, with the molded plastic material of the container substantially surrounding the partition members. In another configuration the containers are modular, mating engagement members being formed in facing walls of separate container portions that are joined subsequent to molding. In this configuration, the container portions can be made detachable or permanently attached. Also disclosed are methods for molding the containers.
Claims34
A modular multiple compartment blow-molded container comprising:
- (a) a molded plastic material forming walls of a first compartment of the container, the first compartment having a neck opening, at least one of the walls having an outwardly facing first cavity member connected thereto, the first cavity member defining a first cavity axis;
- (b) a molded plastic material forming walls of a second compartment of the container, the second compartment having a neck opening, at least one of the walls having means for supporting an exterior first boss member in protruding relation thereto for locational engagement with the first cavity member of the first compartment, the first boss member defining a first boss axis, the first boss axis being parallel and concentric with the first cavity axis;
- (c) spacing means for holding the first cavity member at a predetermined axial position and fixed angular orientation relative to the first boss member, the spacing means comprising respective engagement surfaces fixedly located on each of the first and second compartments for releasably preventing disengagement of the compartments in a direction parallel to the first cavity axis;
- and
- (d) index means for fixing the angular orientation about the first cavity and boss axes, the index means comprising a detent member on one of the first and second compartments, the detent member biasingly engaging a detent cavity on the other compartment.
2 more elements
A modular multiple compartment blow-molded container comprising:
- (a) a molded plastic material forming walls of a first compartment of the container, the first compartment having a neck opening, at least one of the walls having an outwardly facing first cavity member connected thereto, the first cavity member defining a first cavity axis;
- (b) a molded plastic material forming walls of a second compartment of the container, the second compartment having a neck opening, at least one of the walls having means for supporting an exterior first boss member in protruding relation thereto for locational engagement with the first cavity member of the first compartment, the first boss member defining a first boss axis, the first boss axis being parallel and concentric with the first cavity axis;
- (c) spacing means for holding the first cavity member at a predetermined axial position and fixed angular orientation relative to the first boss member, the spacing means comprising respective engagement surfaces fixedly located on each of the first and second compartments for releasably preventing disengagement of the compartments in a direction parallel to the first cavity axis,
- wherein the first boss and cavity axes are parallel to the respective container walls, the first boss member having dovetail parallel sliding engagement with the first cavity member on the first cavity axis along a major portion of the first cavity member, and wherein the first cavity and boss axes are parallel to respective bottom walls of the compartments for permitting each of the compartments to be supported by the other compartment without loading the spacing means in a direction parallel to the first cavity and boss axes.
1 more element
A modular multiple compartment blow-molded container comprising:
- (a) a molded plastic material forming walls of a first compartment of the container, the first compartment having a neck opening, at least one of the walls having an outwardly facing first cavity member connected thereto, the first cavity member defining a first cavity axis;
- (b) a molded plastic material forming walls of a second compartment of the container, the second compartment having a neck opening, the first and second compartments having respective coplanar bottom walls, at least one of the walls having means for supporting an exterior first boss member in protruding relation thereto for locational engagement with the first cavity member of the first compartment, the first boss member defining a first boss axis, the first boss axis being parallel and concentric with the first cavity axis;
- (c) spacing means for holding the first cavity member at a predetermined axial position and fixed angular orientation relative to the first boss member, the spacing means comprising respective engagement surfaces fixedly located on each of the first and second compartments for releasably preventing disengagement of the compartments in a direction parallel to the first cavity axis,
- wherein the first boss and cavity axes are parallel to the respective container walls, the first boss member having dovetail parallel sliding engagement with the first cavity member on the first cavity axis along a major portion of the first cavity member.
1 more element
A modular multiple compartment container comprising:
- (a) a molded plastic material forming walls of a first compartment of the container, at least one of the walls having an outwardly facing first cavity member connected thereto, the first cavity member defining a first cavity axis;
- (b) a molded plastic material forming walls of a second compartment of the container, at least one of the walls having means for supporting an exterior first boss member in protruding relation thereto for locational engagement with the first cavity member of the first compartment, the first boss member defining a first boss axis, the first boss axis being parallel and concentric with the first cavity axis;
- (c) spacing means for holding the first cavity member at a predetermined axial position and at a fixed angular orientation relative to the first boss member, comprising:
- (i) a first fastener member fixedly connected to a floor portion within the first cavity member;
- and
- (ii) a second fastener member fixedly connected to an end portion of the first boss member, the fastener members releasably holding the first boss member in engagement with the first cavity member.
3 more elements
A modular multiple compartment container comprising:
- (a) a molded plastic material forming walls of a first compartment of the container, at least one of the walls having an outwardly facing first cavity member connected thereto, the first cavity member defining a first cavity axis;
- (b) a molded plastic material forming walls of a second compartment of the container, at least one of the walls having a first boss cavity for supporting a first boss member in protruding relation thereto for locational engagement with the first cavity member of the first compartment, the first boss member defining a first boss axis, the first boss axis being parallel and concentric with the first cavity axis;
- and
- (c) spacing means for holding the first cavity member at a predetermined axial position relative to the first boss member, comprising respective engagement surfaces fixedly located on the first cavity member and the first boss member for releasably preventing disengagement of the compartments in a direction parallel to the first cavity axis, wherein the first boss member is connected to the side wall of the second container by engagement with a boss cavity in the side wall.
1 more element
A modular multiple compartment container comprising:
- (a) a molded plastic material forming walls of a first compartment of the container, at least one of the walls forming a threaded neck portion of the first compartment, the neck portion having a neck opening and defining a neck axis of the first compartment;
- (b) a molded plastic material forming walls of a second compartment of the container, and a coupling engagement surface external to the compartment, the coupling engagement surface defining a coupling axis;
- (c) a coupling member for releasably engaging the coupling engagement surface and threadingly engaging the neck portion, the neck axis being concentric with the coupling axis, the neck opening of the first compartment being sealingly closed by the threaded engagement of the coupling member with the neck portion;
- and
- (d) means for releasably locking the coupling member to the coupling engagement surface of the second compartment in a selected angular orientation about the coupling axis,
- whereby the second compartment has a desired orientation relative to the first compartment when joined thereto by the coupling member, with the first compartment sealingly closed by the coupling member.
3 more elements
A modular multiple compartment container comprising:
- (a) a molded plastic material forming walls of a first compartment of the container, at least one of the walls having an outwardly facing first cavity member connected thereto, the first cavity member defining a first cavity axis;
- (b) a molded plastic material forming walls of a second compartment of the container, at least one of the walls having means for supporting an exterior first boss member in protruding relation thereto for locational engagement with the first cavity member of the first compartment, the first boss member defining a first boss axis, the first boss axis being parallel and concentric with the first cavity axis;
- and
- (c) spacing means for holding the first cavity member at a predetermined axial position and angular orientation relative to the first boss member, comprising a radially protruding portion of the first boss member, the protruding portion engaging the first cavity for holding the first boss member within the first cavity.
1 more element
A multi-celled battery comprising:
- (a) a plurality of horizontally adjacent cell units, each cell unit comprising:
- (i) a blow molded necked compartment having a top neck opening, a bottom wall and nominally vertical side walls, an annular neck discontinuity being located proximate the neck opening;
- (ii) a cell plate unit in the compartment and having a pair of parallel upstanding conductive terminal members for conducting electrical current to and from the plate unit;
- (iii) a cover member sealingly engaging the neck discontinuity, the terminal members sealingly protruding the cover member;
- (b) means for rigidly connecting the compartments of each cell unit with the bottom walls in coplanar relation, comprising mating horizontally parallel dovetail portions of contacting adjacent side walls of the compartments, the dovetail portions extending substantially to adjoining side walls of the respective compartments for supportive connection between the adjacent cell units without loading the dovetail portions in a direction tending to produce sliding disengagement of the dovetail portions;
- (c) means for releasably preventing sliding disengagement of the dovetail portions;
- and
- (d) bus means external to the compartments for serially connecting at least some of the plate means by the terminal members.
5 more elements
A modular multiple compartment container comprising:
- (a) a molded plastic material forming walls of a first compartment of the container, the first compartment having a neck opening defining a first neck axis;
- (b) a molded plastic material forming walls of a second compartment of the container, bottom and adjacent side walls of the second compartment defining a second compartment axis;
- (c) a coupling member for connecting the compartments with the first neck axis concentric with the second compartment axis, the coupling member threadingly engaging the first compartment for sealingly closing the neck opening thereof, the coupling member axially engaging the second compartment in selectable angular orientations therewith;
- and
- (d) means for holding the coupling member axially engaged with the second compartment while preventing angular movement between the second compartment and the coupling member.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.