Interlocking container assembled to form useful structures

Abstract

An apparatus for containing and conducting flowable materials, including liquids, pourable solids, or gases, the apparatus having mateable dovetails on four sides, and mateable screw engagements at the top and bottom. The screw engagements are operative to maintain a sealed connection between successive containers, and contain barriers which are adapted to be removed, whereby the material may flow from one interconnected container to the next, in the manner of piping. A lateral connection may additionally be formed by mating portions at the leading and trailing ends of vertically connected containers. A perpendicular connection is formed by interlocking an engaged cap of a first container with a lateral interlocking portion of a like container.

1 . A container adapted to interlock vertically and laterally with like containers, the container comprising:
 a first side including
 an outer surface, and 
 a first connecting member extending outwardly from said outer surface, and having a narrow portion proximate said outer surface relative to a wide portion distal to said outer surface; 
   a second side including
 an outer surface, and 
 a second connecting member extending inwardly from said outer surface, and having a narrow portion proximate said outer surface relative to a wide portion distal to said outer surface, adapted to slideably engage a first connecting member of a like container to create a lateral connection; 
   a leading end comprising a threadably sealable opening;   a trailing end adapted to threadably and sealably engage a leading end of a like container to create a vertical connection;   means for joining said first and second sides, and said leading and trailing ends, whereby an interior volume is formed, adapted to contain a flowable material; and   a cap threadably engageable with said threadably sealable opening, comprising
 an entry port sized to receive said threadably sealable opening, 
 a periphery defining a side wall having a first diameter proximate said entry port, and 
 a second diameter, greater than said first diameter, distal from said entry port; 
   wherein said cap is adapted to threadably engage a container, and interlockingly engage a second connecting member of a like container to create a perpendicular connection.   
   
   
       2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said second diameter includes at least one region of reduced diameter, whereby said cap is passable through said narrow portion proximate said outer surface of said second connecting member of a like container, whereafter the container together with said cap may be rotated to interlockingly engage said cap and container with the like container. 
   
   
       3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein said at least one region of reduced diameter is a flattened area. 
   
   
       4 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein said second diameter is greater orthogonal to said at least one region of reduced diameter than said second diameter at a point adjacent to said at least one region of reduced diameter. 
   
   
       5 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein said first diameter is greater orthogonal to said at least one region of reduced diameter than said first diameter at a point adjacent to said at least one region of reduced diameter. 
   
   
       6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said cap defines a cap profile extending from said first diameter to said second diameter, and wherein said second connecting member defines a connecting profile extending from said narrow portion to said wide portion, and wherein said cap profile corresponds to said connecting profile. 
   
   
       7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein a first connecting member of a container and a second connecting member of a like container form a sliding dovetail joint. 
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container includes four sides, wherein two sides are formed as said first side, and the remaining two sides are formed as said second side. 
   
   
       9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second connecting members extend from said leading end to said trailing end. 
   
   
       10 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said container is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of paper, wood, pressed pulp, plastic, metal, material containing plastic, plastic coated material. 
   
   
       11 . The container of  claim 1 , further including a detent comprising a protrusion on one of said first and second connecting members, and a recess on the other of said first and second connecting members, whereby when said second connecting member slideably engages a first connecting member of a like container to create a lateral connection, said protrusion provides friction between said first and second connecting members, and when said connecting members are correctly aligned, said detent acts to maintain said alignment after said protrusion engages said recess. 
   
   
       12 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein a series of containers are connected to form an apparatus selected from the group consisting of: furniture, sheds, animal shelters, emergency shelters, berms, dividers, walls, cabinets, bumpers, cushions, floating structures, and boxes 
   
   
       13 . A container adapted to interlock vertically and laterally with like containers, the container comprising:
 a first side including
 an outer surface, and 
 a first connecting member extending outwardly from said outer surface, and having a narrow portion proximate said outer surface relative to a wide portion distal to said outer surface; 
   a second side including
 an outer surface, and 
 a second connecting member extending inwardly from said outer surface, and having a narrow portion proximate said outer surface relative to a wide portion distal to said outer surface, adapted to slideably engage a first connecting member of a like container to create a lateral connection; 
   a leading end comprising a threadably sealable opening;   a trailing end adapted to threadably and sealably engage a leading end of a like container to create a vertical connection;   means for joining said first and second sides, and said leading and trailing ends, whereby an interior volume is formed, adapted to contain a flowable material;   an end wall in said trailing end adapted to be openable; and   a cap threadably engageable with said threadably sealable opening, comprising
 an entry port sized to receive said threadably sealable opening, 
 a periphery defining a side wall having a first diameter proximate said entry port, and 
 a second diameter, greater than said first diameter, distal from said entry port; 
   wherein said cap is adapted to threadably engage a container, and interlockingly engage a second connecting member of a like container to create a perpendicular connection; and   wherein a conduit may be formed by opening an end wall in a container, and creating a vertical connection with a like container.   
   
   
       14 . The container of  claim 13 , further including a sealing surface adjacent to said end wall, operative to form a liquid and gas tight seal when a first container is threaded into a like container. 
   
   
       15 . The container of  claim 13 , further including:
 a spout disposed about said leading end; and   a threaded ring disposed about said spout.   
   
   
       16 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein said trailing end further comprises an inversion projecting into the interior of the container and sized to permit passage and rotation of a spout of a like container. 
   
   
       17 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein at least two conduits formed from at least two vertically connected like containers are connected laterally. 
   
   
       18 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein said end wall is adapted to be openable using means selected from the group consisting of: scoring, partial perforation, adhered panel, plug, pull tab. 
   
   
       19 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein a series of containers are connected to form an apparatus selected from the group consisting of: landscape piping, irrigation piping, solar heating structure, fluid reservoir, gas reservoir, potable water conduit, sanitation water conduit. 
   
   
       20 . A container adapted to interlock vertically and laterally with like containers, the container comprising:
 a first side including
 an outer surface, and 
 a first connecting member extending outwardly from said outer surface, and having a narrow portion proximate said outer surface relative to a wide portion distal to said outer surface; 
   a second side including
 an outer surface, and 
 a second connecting member extending inwardly from said outer surface, and having a narrow portion proximate said outer surface relative to a wide portion distal to said outer surface, adapted to slideably engage a first connecting member of a like container to create a lateral connection; 
   a leading end comprising a threadably sealable opening;   a trailing end adapted to threadably and sealably engage a leading end of a like container to create a vertical connection;   means for joining said first and second sides, and said leading and trailing ends, whereby an interior volume is formed, adapted to contain a flowable material; and   a cap threadably engageable with said threadably sealable opening, comprising
 an entry port sized to receive said threadably sealable opening, 
 a periphery defining a side wall having a first diameter proximate said entry port, and 
 a second diameter, greater than said first diameter, distal from said entry port, and having at least one region of reduced diameter; 
   wherein said cap is adapted to threadably engage a container, and interlockingly engage a second connecting member of a like container to create a perpendicular connection; and   wherein said region of reduced diameter enables said cap to be passable through said narrow portion proximate said outer surface of said second connecting member of a like container; and   wherein said cap defines a cap profile extending from said first diameter to said second diameter, and wherein said second connecting member defines a connecting profile extending from said narrow portion to said wide portion, and wherein said cap profile corresponds to said connecting profile.