Container With Release Engagement Member

Abstract

Container having a cover and a base that may be engaged with each other with the help of a releasable engagement member is provided. The cover includes a leash as the releasable engagement member. The leash comprises a protrusion. The base comprises a depression located at a position corresponding to the position of the leash on the cover. When the cover is placed over the base, the protrusion of the leash of the cover may be lockingly engaged with the depression of the base. In addition, a protrusion of the leash of one cover may be engaged with a depression of the leash of a second cover, when it is desired to stack the covers together, separate from their bases.

1 . A container comprising:
 a base comprising a peripheral sidewall extending from the base, and an open top, the base further comprising at least one base engagement portion; and   a cover engageable with the open top of the base, the cover comprising at least one leash having a first end coupled to the cover and a second end, the second end of the leash having a leash engagement portion,   wherein the leash engagement portion of the leash is releasably engageable with the base engagement portion of the base when it is desired to tether the cover to the base, and   wherein the leash engagement portion of the leash is releasably engageable with a leash engagement portion of a leash coupled to a second cover when it is desired to tether the cover to the second cover.   
   
   
       2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the base and the cover are made from a process selected from the group consisting of thermoforming, blow molding, injection molding, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the base and the cover are made from a material selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, Crystalline Polyethylene Terephthalate (CPET), Amorphous Polyethylene Terephthalate (APET), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Polycarbonate (PC), and foamed polypropylene. 
   
   
       4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the leash is formed as an integral component of the cover. 
   
   
       5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the leash is fixedly coupled to the cover as a separate component by a technique selected from the group consisting of adhesive bonding, thermo-bonding, riveting, plastic welding, heat-staking, and ultrasonic bonding. 
   
   
       6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the leash is removably coupled to the cover by a coupling technique selected from the group consisting of snap-fitting and friction-fitting. 
   
   
       7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the cover further comprises a second leash coupled to the cover, and the base further comprises a second base engagement portion. 
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the base engagement portion comprises a protrusion, and the leash engagement portion comprises a depression. 
   
   
       9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the base engagement portion comprises a depression, and the leash engagement portion comprises a protrusion. 
   
   
       10 . A system of container covers, the system comprising:
 a first cover comprising a first leash, the first leash of the first cover having a first end coupled to the first cover and a second end, the second end of the first leash of the first cover having a leash engagement portion; and   a second cover comprising a first leash, the first leash of the second cover having a first end coupled to the second cover and a second end, the second end of the first leash of the second cover having a leash engagement portion,   wherein the leash engagement portion of the first leash of the second cover is engageable with the leash engagement portion of the first leash of the first cover when it is desired to tether the second cover to the first cover.   
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first cover and the second cover are made from a process selected from the group consisting of thermoforming, blow molding, injection molding, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first cover and the second cover are made from a material selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, Crystalline Polyethylene Terephthalate (CPET), Amorphous Polyethylene Terephthalate (APET), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Polycarbonate (PC), and foamed polypropylene. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first leash of the first cover is formed as an integral component of the first cover. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first end of the first leash of the first cover is fixedly coupled to the first cover as a separate component by a technique selected from the group consisting of adhesive bonding, thermo-bonding, riveting, plastic welding, heat-staking, and ultrasonic bonding. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first end of the first leash of the first cover is removably coupled to the first cover by a coupling technique selected from the group consisting of snap-fitting and friction-fitting. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first cover further comprises a second leash, the second leash of the first cover having a leash engagement portion, and the second cover comprises a second leash, the second leash of the second cover having a leash engagement portion. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the leash engagement portion of the first leash of the first cover comprises a depression, and the leash engagement portion of the first leash of the second cover comprises a protrusion. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the leash engagement portion of the first leash of the first cover comprises a protrusion, and the leash engagement portion of the first leash of the second cover comprises a depression. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 10  further comprising a third cover, the third cover comprising a first leash, the first leash of the third cover having a first end coupled to the third cover and a second end, the second end of the first leash of the third cover having a leash engagement portion, wherein the leash engagement portion of the first leash of the third cover is engageable with the leash engagement portion of the first leash of the second cover.