Configurable container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11667455-B2
Application number	US-202218070691-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2022
Priority date	Aug 21, 2019
Publication date	Jun 6, 2023
Grant date	Jun 6, 2023

Abstract

A configurable container includes a first divider and a container body. The divider has a divider body and a first projection extending from the divider body, wherein the first projection has a length having a first dimension and a width having a second dimension different than the first dimension. The container body includes a first wall that includes a first groove facing inward toward the internal cavity, wherein the first groove has a width configured to receive the width of the first projection of the first divider in a first orientation. At least one of the first wall and a second wall includes a second groove also facing inward toward the internal cavity, wherein the second groove has a width configured to receive the length of the first projection in a second orientation, wherein the width of the second groove is different than the width of the first groove.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A configurable storage container for storing items, the configurable storage container comprising:
a first divider having a divider body and a first projection extending from the divider body, wherein the first projection has a length having a first dimension and a width having a second dimension that is different than the first dimension;
an insulated container body having an internal cavity configured for receiving the items, wherein the internal cavity is at least partially bounded by a bottom, a first wall, and a second wall opposite the first wall, wherein the first wall includes a first groove facing inward toward the internal cavity, wherein the first groove has a width configured to receive the width of the first projection of the first divider in a first orientation, wherein at least one of the first wall and the second wall includes a second groove also facing inward toward the internal cavity, wherein the second groove has a width configured to receive the length of the first projection in a second orientation, wherein the width of the second groove is different than the width of the first groove; and
a lid configured to engage the insulated container body to close the internal cavity.

2. The configurable storage container of claim 1 wherein the first groove is parallel to the second groove.

3. The configurable storage container of claim 1 wherein the first wall includes both the first groove configured to receive first projection of the first divider in the first orientation and the second groove configured to receive the first projection of the first divider in the second orientation, and wherein the first groove will not receive the first projection in the second orientation.

4. The configurable storage container of claim 3 wherein the first projection is positioned on a first side of the first divider and the first divider further comprises a second projection positioned on a second side of the first divider opposite the first side, wherein the second projection has a length having the first dimension and a width having the second dimension.

5. The configurable storage container of claim 4 wherein the second wall of the insulated container body includes a third groove configured to receive second projection of the first divider in the first orientation and a fourth groove configured to receive the second projection of the first divider in the second orientation.

6. The configurable storage container of claim 1 wherein the first divider is configured to be positioned in a vertical orientation in the first orientation and a horizontal orientation perpendicular to the vertical orientation in the second orientation.

7. The configurable storage container of claim 6 wherein the second groove extends from a top having a top width to a bottom having a bottom width configured to receive the length of the first projection, the top width being larger than the bottom width.

8. The configurable storage container of claim 7 wherein the second groove has a length that is longer than a length of the first groove.

9. The configurable storage container of claim 8 wherein the first groove is configured to contact the first divider above the bottom of the insulated body in the second orientation.

10. The configurable storage container of claim 1 further comprising a second divider wherein the second divider includes a first projection, wherein the first projection has a length having the first dimension and a width having the second dimension, wherein the first groove is configured to receive the first projection of the second divider in a first orientation and wherein the second groove is configured to receive the first projection of the second divider in a second orientation.

11. The configurable storage container of claim 10 wherein the second divider is identical to the first divider.

12. The configurable storage container of claim 1 wherein the first divider is insulated.

13. The configurable storage container of claim 1 wherein the first divider includes one of an ice pack or a liquid cold pack.

14. A configurable container for transporting one or more items, the configurable container comprising:
a first divider having a divider body and a first projection extending from the divider body, wherein the first projection has a length having a first dimension and a width having a second dimension different than the first dimension; and
a container body having an internal cavity configured for receiving the one or more items, wherein the internal cavity is at least partially bounded by a bottom, a first wall, and a second wall opposite the first wall, wherein the first wall includes a first groove facing inward toward the internal cavity, wherein the first groove has a width configured to receive the width of the first projection of the first divider in a first orientation, wherein at least one of the first wall and the second wall includes a second groove also facing inward toward the internal cavity, wherein the second groove has a width configured to receive the length of the first projection in a second orientation, wherein the width of the second groove is different than the width of the first groove.

15. The configurable container of claim 14 wherein the first wall includes both the first groove configured to receive first projection of the first divider in the first orientation and the second groove configured to receive the first projection of the first divider in the second orientation, and wherein the first groove will not receive the first projection in the second orientation.

16. The configurable container of claim 15 wherein the first projection is positioned on a first side of the first divider and the first divider further comprises a second projection positioned on a second side of the first divider opposite the first side, wherein the second projection has a length having the first dimension and a width having the second dimension.

17. The configurable container of claim 16 wherein the second wall of the container body includes a third groove configured to receive second projection of the first divider in the first orientation and a fourth groove configured to receive the second projection of the first divider in the second orientation.

18. The configurable container of claim 14 wherein the first divider is configured to be positioned in a vertical orientation in the first orientation and a horizontal orientation perpendicular to the vertical orientation in the second orientation.

19. The configurable container of claim 14 further comprising a second divider identical to the first divider and a lid configured to selectively close the internal cavity of the container body.

20. The configurable container of claim 14 wherein the container body is insulated and the first divider is an ice pack.

Assignees

• Otter Products Llc

Inventors

• Barfoot Grady E
• Cornish Joshua R
• Smith W Travis
• Morine Alan V

Classifications

• B65D5/48024

  inserted · CPC title

• B65D2543/00101

  square-like or rectangular-like · CPC title

• F25D2303/08222

  Shape of the element · CPC title

• F25D2331/804

  Boxes · CPC title

• F25C2400/00

  Auxiliary features or devices for producing, working or handling ice · CPC title