Modular Storage Container

Abstract

A modular storage container including multiple storage compartments and integrated compartment connectors is disclosed. The compartments may be repeatedly connected and disconnected for use as a single multi-compartment container or as separate containers with separate lids. Multiple compartments may be connected together into a single unit for storage, transport, and/or serving. However, the compartments may also be temporarily disconnected to allow heating of a food item without the need for another container, and then the compartments may be optionally reconnected for serving. Any number of storage compartments of any suitable shape and size may be combined in this way.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates in general to storage containers, and, in particular, to modular storage containers.

BACKGROUND

[0002] People frequently store food for later consumption. For example, a person may put pasta in a plastic container, store that container in a refrigerator, and later reheat the pasta in a microwave oven. Frequently, different types of food are combined to form a meal. For example, the person may want to include a side of fruit with the pasta. In such a situation, the consumer may use multiple containers. However, managing and transporting multiple containers is burdensome.

[0003] To accommodate this type of situation, multi-compartment containers are often used. For example, a container may include two sections separated by an integrated wall with a single lid to cover both sections. However, these multi-compartment containers have certain drawbacks. If one of the food items stored in the multi-compartment container requires heating (e.g., pasta), and another food item in the multi-compartment container does not require heating (e.g., fruit), then the consumer must remove one or more of the food items from the multi-compartment container prior to heating. For example, the consumer may place the pasta in another container for heating, or the consumer may place the fruit in another container and heat the pasta in the multi-compartment container.

SUMMARY

[0004] The modular storage container described herein solves this problem by including multiple storage compartments and integrated compartment connectors. The compartments may be repeatedly connected and disconnected for use as a single multi-compartment container or as separate containers. For example, one compartment may store pasta, and another compartment may store fruit. These two compartments may be connected together into a single unit for storage, transport, and/or serving. However, the two compartments may also be temporarily disconnected to allow heating of a food item (e.g., pasta) without the need for another container, and then the compartments may be optionally reconnected for serving. Any number of storage compartments of any suitable shape and size may be combined in this way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates an example compartment for a modular storage container including a male-type compartment connector.

[0006] FIG. 2 illustrates an example compartment for a modular storage container including a female-type compartment connector.

[0007] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of how the male-type compartment connector of FIG. 1 cooperates with the female-type compartment connector of FIG. 2 to removably attach the respective compartments.

[0008] FIG. 4 illustrates an example modular storage container with four compartments forming a circle.

[0009] FIG. 5 illustrates an example modular storage container with four compartments forming a square.

[0010] FIG. 6 illustrates an example modular storage container with one large rectangular compartment and two smaller square compartments.

[0011] FIG. 7 illustrates an example compartment for a modular storage container including a bimodal compartment connector.

[0012] FIG. 8 illustrates an example process of storing and serving food using a modular storage container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0013] An example compartment 100 for a modular storage container is illustrated in FIG. 1. In this example, the compartment 100 includes a storage area 102 and two compartment connectors 104. The storage area 102 may used to hold any suitable material. For example, the storage area 102 may be used to hold solids and/or liquids, such as cereal and/or milk. In another example, the storage area 102 may be used to hold hardware, such as screws, nuts, bolts, etc. In yet another example, the storage area 102 maybe used to hold game pieces, such as checkers, chips, cards, etc. In still another example, the storage area 102 maybe used to fishing tackle, such as spoons, jigs, hooks, weights, etc.

[0014] Another example compartment 200 for a modular storage container is illustrated in FIG. 2. This example compartment 200 also includes a storage area 202 and two compartment connectors 204. However, in the example compartment 200 illustrated in FIG. 2, each of the two compartment connectors 204 is a female-type compartment connector 204. Whereas, in the example compartment 100 illustrated in FIG. 1, each of the two compartment connectors 104 is a male-type compartment connector 104.

[0015] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the male-type compartment connectors 104 cooperate with the female-type compartment connectors 204 to removably attach the one compartment 100 to the other compartment 200. In this example, the one compartment 100 is preferably attached to the other compartment 200 by tilting the one compartment 100 at an angle relative to the other compartment 200 and inserting the two male-type connectors 104 into the two female-type connectors 204. Conversely, the one compartment 100 is preferably removed from the other compartment 200 by tilting the one compartment 100 at an angle relative to the other compartment 200 and removing the two male-type connectors 104 from the two female-type connectors 204.

[0016] Although force fitting male-type and female-type connectors of a certain shape and number are shown in the examples herein, it will be appreciated that any suitable type and any suitable number of connectors may be used. For example, a single male-type connector covering some or all of the length of one compartment may be slid into a receiving female-type connector covering some or all of the length of another compartment. Other example connectors include Velcro.RTM., magnets, suction cups, and/or any other suitable reusable connector.

[0017] The two compartments 100, 200 may be made of the same or different materials. For example, one compartment may be made of a material suitable for heating in a microwave oven, and another compartment may be made of a material suitable for heating in a conventional oven. Example materials include insulators such as Styrofoam and dishwasher save materials such plastic.

[0018] In addition, the two compartments 100, 200 may be the same or different colors. For example, one compartment may be a translucent blue color to indicate cold storage, and another compartment may be a translucent red color to indicate hot storage. Similarly, a several different colors (e.g., eight) may be used to indicate a type of food stored in the compartment.

[0019] When the example compartment 100 is attached to the example compartment 200, a modular storage container 300 with two equal compartments is formed. As shown in the example of FIG. 3, the compartments 100, 200 may include additional connectors 104, 204 to increase the number of compartments in the modular storage container 300. For example, another identical compartment 100 or 200 may be attached to the storage container 300 to form a modular storage container with three compartments.

[0020] It will be appreciated that any number and any shape of compartments may be used. An example of a modular storage container 400 with four compartments 402 is illustrated in FIG. 4. An example of another modular storage container 500 with four compartments 502 is illustrated in FIG. 5. The example container 400 includes four pie-shaped compartments 402 attached together to from a circular container. The example container 500 includes four triangular compartments 502 attached together to form a square container. In one embodiment, the modular storage container may collapse to facilitate transport of the modular storage container when the modular storage container is not full (e.g., empty). For example, each compartment may be made of plastic and include a plurality of concentric stress lines to facilitate a telescoping collapse of the modular storage container.

[0021] Preferably, the modular storage containers include lids. In one embodiment, each compartment includes a reusable lid shaped to cover the corresponding storage area. For example, the storage container 400 illustrated in FIG. 4 may include four pie-shaped lids 404, and the storage container 500 illustrated in FIG. 5 may include four triangular lids 504. Each lid may include a permanent connection to the corresponding compartment (e.g., a strap). In another embodiment, each storage container includes a lid shaped to cover a plurality of compartments. For example, the storage container 400 illustrated in FIG. 4 may include a single circular lid sized to cover all four pie-shaped compartments 402, and the storage container 500 illustrated in FIG. 5 may include a single square lid sized to cover all four triangular compartments 502.

[0022] When a lid is shaped to cover a plurality of compartments, the lid may act as the connector of those compartments in addition to or instead of one or more integrated compartment connectors. In addition, such a lid may be used as a tray, wherein the bottom of each compartment attaches to the lid when the lid is serving as a tray. In some embodiments, one lid may be shaped to cover multiple compartments without covering all of the compartments associated with a particular container. In addition, one lid may cover multiple compartments when each of the multiple compartments is already covered by an individual lid.

[0023] Different lids may be of different types. For example, one lid may be made of a material suitable for heating in a microwave oven, and another lid may be made of a material suitable for heating in a conventional oven. In addition, different lids may be the same or different colors. For example, one lid may be a translucent blue color to indicate cold storage, and another lid may be a translucent red color to indicate hot storage. Preferably, each lid is attached to a corresponding compartment using a force fit seal. As described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 6, a lid may include one or more vents that can be repeatedly opened and closed. For example, a vent may be closed for food storage and opened for food heating.

[0024] In addition to equally sized and equally shaped compartments, a modular storage container may include compartments with different sizes and/or different shapes. For example, a modular storage container designed to carry fishing tackle may be constructed "on the fly" by mixing and matching different types of compartments based on the fisherman's needs at the time. In such an instance, the compartments may be filled with fishing tackle prior to the time the compartments are purchased by an end user. An example of a modular storage container 600 with one large rectangular compartment 602 and two smaller square compartments 604 is illustrated in FIG. 6. In this example, the rectangular compartment 602 may be the same or similar to the example compartment 100 shown in FIG. 1 or the example compartment 200 shown in FIG. 2. Alternatively, the rectangular compartment 602 may include both male-type connectors 104 and female-type connectors 204.

[0025] Each of the square compartments 604 preferably includes a corresponding connector (not shown) to facilitate removable attachment of the square compartments 604 to the rectangular compartment 602. In addition, each of the square compartments 604 preferably includes a connector (not shown) to facilitate removable attachment of one square compartment 604 to the other square compartment 604. For example, a bimodal connector may be used to removably attach each of the compartments 602, 604 to/from each other. Bimodal connectors are not exclusively male-type connectors or female-type connectors. An example of a bimodal connector 700 including a plurality of alternating male-type connectors 702 and female-type connectors 704 is illustrated in FIG. 7. Another example of a bimodal connector is a well known bristle block.RTM. style connector. Regardless of the type of connectors used, when the compartments are connected to form a modular storage container, the compartments are preferably connected in a manner that allows simultaneous access to each of the corresponding storage areas.

[0026] As described above, the modular storage container 600 may include a reusable lid shaped to cover each compartment 602, 604, or the modular storage container 600 may include one or more reusable lids shaped to cover multiple compartments 602, 604. For example, the storage container 600 may include two smaller square lids 606 and one larger rectangular lid 608. Alternatively, the modular storage container 600 may include a single square lid sized to cover all three compartments 602, 604 or one rectangular lid 608 to cover the rectangular compartment 602 and another rectangular lid 608 to cover the two square compartments 604.

[0027] In FIG. 6, each lid 606 and 608 includes an example reusable vent 610. The reusable vent 610 includes a fixed portion 612 and a movable portion 614. In this example, the movable portion 614, rotates about the center point of the vent 610 to expose one or more openings 616. It will be appreciated that other methods of opening the vent 610, such as sliding a cover or opening a flap, may be used. The vent 610a associated with the larger rectangular lid 608 is shown closed. The vent 610b associated with one of the square compartments 604 is shown partially opened, and the vent 610c associated with the other square compartment 604 is shown fully opened.

[0028] Because the compartments may be connected and disconnected multiple times, one example use is for storing and/or serving foods at different temperatures. An example process 800 of storing and serving food is illustrated in FIG. 8. Although the process 800 is described with reference to the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 8, it will be appreciated that many other methods of performing the acts associated with process 800 may be used. For example, the order of many of the steps may be changed, and some of the steps described may be optional.

[0029] The example process 800 begins when a modular food storage container is constructed by connecting a plurality of storage compartments together using a plurality of reusable compartment connectors (block 802). For example, a factory employee, a factory machine, and/or a consumer may connect several compartments of different shapes and sizes together using integrated bimodal compartment connectors.

[0030] In addition, different foods are placed in the different compartments (block 804). For example, a factory employee, a factory machine, and/or a consumer may place pasta in one compartment and fruit in another compartment. The food may be placed in the compartments before or after the modular food storage container is constructed. For example, one factory may place one type of food in one compartment, another factory may place another type of food in another compartment, and a third factory may assemble the compartments in to the modular food storage container.

[0031] Once the foods are placed in the different compartments, any lid vents are preferably closed (block 806) and each compartment is covered with a lid (block 808). For example, one lid many cover multiple storage compartments, or each storage compartment may receive its own lid. The lid(s) may be placed on the storage compartments by a factory employee, a factory machine, and/or a consumer. The lid vents may be closed before or after the lids are secured to the compartments.

[0032] Once the modular food storage container is complete with food and lids, the modular food storage container is preferably placed in a cooling unit (block 810). For example, the modular food storage container may be placed in a refrigerator or a freezer to preserve the food stored in the modular food storage container. The modular food storage container may be placed in the cooling unit by a factory employee, a factory machine, and/or a consumer.

[0033] Subsequently, the modular food storage container is removed from the cooling unit (block 812). For example, a factory employee and/or a factory machine may remove the modular food storage container from a warehouse refrigerator or freezer for shipping; a grocery store employee may remove the modular food storage container from a refrigerator or freezer truck for placement in a sales display; a consumer may remove the modular food storage container from a refrigerator or freezer display unit for purchase; or a consumer may remove the modular food storage container from a home refrigerator or freezer for consumption of the food contained in the modular food storage container.

[0034] One or more of the compartments are then separated from each other (block 814), the lid vent (if included) is optionally opened (block 816), and one or more of the compartments is placed into a warming unit (block 818). For example, a consumer may place one compartment in a microwave oven or a conventional oven to heat the food stored in that compartment. The separated compartments may then be reconnected (block 820), and the lids may be removed (block 822) prior to serving the modular food storage container to a consumer (block 824). For example, a heated compartment containing pasta and a non-heated compartment containing fruit may be served to a consumer in a manner that allows simultaneous access to the storage areas of both compartments.

[0035] In summary, persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that a modular storage container including reusable compartment connectors has been provided. The foregoing description has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the exemplary embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description of examples, but rather by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A modular storage container comprising: a first compartment, the first compartment including a first storage area and a first compartment connector; a first reusable lid shaped to cover the first storage area; a second compartment, the second compartment including a second different storage area and a second different compartment connector; and a second different reusable lid shaped to cover the second storage area; wherein the first compartment connector and the second compartment connector are shaped to facilitate removable attachment of the first compartment to the second compartment in a manner that allows simultaneous access to the first storage area and the second storage area.

2. The modular storage container of claim 1, wherein the first compartment connector is a bimodal compartment connector including at least one male-type connector and at least on female-type connector.

3. The modular storage container of claim 1, wherein the first reusable lid includes a reusable vent.

4. The modular storage container of claim 1, wherein the first compartment is made in a first color; and the second compartment is made in a second different color.

5. The modular storage container of claim 1, wherein the first compartment is made of a first material; and the second compartment is made of a second different material.

6. The modular storage container of claim 1, wherein the first reusable lid is made in a first color; and the second reusable lid is made in a second different color.

7. The modular storage container of claim 1, wherein the first storage area has a shape and a size; and the second storage area has the shape and the size.

8. The modular storage container of claim 1, wherein the first storage area has a first shape and a first size; and the second storage area has a second different shape and a second different size.

9. The modular storage container of claim 1, wherein the first compartment connector has a shape; and the second compartment connector has the shape.

10. The modular storage container of claim 1, wherein the first compartment connector has a first shape; and the second compartment connector has a second different shape.

11. The modular storage container of claim 1, including a third compartment, the third compartment including a third different storage area and a third compartment connector wherein the third compartment connector is shaped to facilitate removable attachment of the third compartment to the first compartment.

12. The modular storage container of claim 11, wherein the third compartment connector is shaped to facilitate removable attachment of the third compartment to the second compartment.

13. The modular storage container of claim 11, including a third different reusable lid shaped to cover the third storage area.

14. The modular storage container of claim 13, wherein at least one of the third compartment is made in a third different color and the third reusable lid is made in the third color.

15. The modular storage container of claim 11, wherein each of the first storage area, the second storage area, and the third storage area has a different size.

16. The modular storage container of claim 11, wherein the first storage area has a first size, the second storage area has the first size, and the third storage area has a second different size.

17. A method of storing and serving food, the method comprising: constructing a modular storage container by connecting a first food storage compartment to a second food storage compartment using a reusable compartment connector; placing a first food in the first food storage compartment; placing a second different food in the second food storage compartment; securing a first lid to the first food storage compartment; securing a second different lid to the second food storage compartment; placing the modular storage container in a cooling unit; removing the modular storage container from the cooling unit; separating the first food storage compartment from the second food storage compartment; placing the first food storage compartment in a warming unit; removing the first food storage compartment from the warming unit; and presenting the first food storage compartment and the second food storage compartment to a food consumer in a manner that allows simultaneous access to the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment, wherein the first food is warmer than the second food.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the reusable compartment connector is a bimodal compartment connector including at least one male-type connector and at least on female-type connector.

19. The method of claim 17, including opening and closing a reusable vent associated with the first lid.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the cooling unit includes at least one of a refrigerator and a freezer; and the warming unit includes at least one of a microwave oven and a conventional oven.