Portable containers having multiple variable compartments

Abstract

Portable carrying devices are provided with multiple variable compartments. Included are a shaped container having a bottom panel and side panels arranged according to a shaped container perimeter, along with a shaped insert having a perimeter wall that lies within the shaped container perimeter. The shaped insert has a plurality of movable dividers within the perimeter wall of the shaped insert, the shaped insert further including one or more living hinge portions. This shaped insert, including its perimeter wall, movable dividers and the living hinge portion, is of a unitary structure; and the shaped insert is within and removable from the shaped container.

1 . A portable container device having multiple variable compartments, comprising:
 a. a shaped container component having a bottom panel and upstanding side panels, the upstanding side panels being arranged according to a shaped container perimeter;   b. a shaped insert component having an insert perimeter wall sized and shaped to lie closely within the shaped container perimeter;   c. the shaped insert component having a plurality of movable panels within the perimeter wall of the shaped insert, the shaped insert component further including at least one living hinge portion;   d. the shaped insert component, including all of the insert perimeter wall, the movable panels and each living hinge portion, is of a unitary structure; and   e. the shaped insert component is within and removable from the shaped container component.   
     
     
         2 . The portable container device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the shaped insert component is flexible and is molded as a unitary structure whether as one piece from one polymer or co-molded from multiple polymers. 
     
     
         3 . The portable container device in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the shaped insert component is unsecured to the shaped container component bottom panel or side panels. 
     
     
         4 . The portable container device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the movable panels comprise movable and flexible dividers sized and structured to vary between an extended position and a collapsed position, whereby the extended position results in delineation of a first compartment of a first size and shape, and whereby the collapsed position results in formation of a second compartment of a second size and shape, the first size and shape and the second size and shape being different from each other. 
     
     
         5 . The portable container device in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the shaped insert component comprises a number of compartments delineated by the flexible and movable dividers, and the number of compartments reduces when at least one of the flexible and movable dividers is in the collapsed condition. 
     
     
         6 . The portable container device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the shaped insert component is made of a flexible polymeric material. 
     
     
         7 . The portable container device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the unitary structure of the shaped insert component comprises a divider make of a plurality of the movable panels, a first of the living hinge portions and a second of the living hinge portions, each of the first and second living hinge portions being between the movable divider and the perimeter wall. 
     
     
         8 . The portable container device in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the unitary structure of the shaped insert component comprises a divider made of a plurality of panels at least one of the movable dividers and a third of the living hinge portions, the movable divider has a first section and a second section, the first divider section being between the first living hinge portion and the third living hinge portion, and the second divider section being between the second living hinge portion and the third living hinge portion. 
     
     
         9 . The portable container in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the living hinge portion is a portion of the shaped insert component and has a wall thickness less than a wall thickness of the shaped insert component adjacent to the living hinge portion. 
     
     
         10 . The portable container device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the shaped insert component is made of silicone, and wherein the shaped container component is made of a material less flexible than the material of the shaped insert component. 
     
     
         11 . The portable container device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the shaped container component has an open top with a recessed inside surface, and the portable container device further includes a lid that selectively opens or closes the open top, and the lid includes at least one refrigerator pack selectively securable to the recessed inside surface of the lid. 
     
     
         12 . The portable container device in accordance with  claim 1 , further including a ridge within the bottom panel of the shaped container component, and the ridge aligns with a bottom edge of at least one of the movable panels and provides a barrier against movement of material across the bottom edge of the movable panels. 
     
     
         13 . The portable container device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the portable container device is a food storage and transport container, and the movable panels are sized and structured to vary between an extended position and a collapsed position, whereby the extended position results in delineation of a first compartment of a first size and shape, and whereby the collapsed position results in formation of a second compartment of a second size and shape, the first size and shape and the second size and shape being different from each other, and the first compartment accommodates a food item or container for a food item of a given size while the second compartment accommodates a food item or a container for a food item of a size greater than the given size. 
     
     
         14 . The portable container device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the shaped container component includes a tray component, the tray component supports the shaped insert component, and the tray component is within a base component that accommodates in size and shape the tray component, the base component having an obstruction to prevent complete movement of the tray within the base component, a lid selectively opens and closes the base component, and the tray component is removable from the base component and the shaped insert component is removable from the tray component when unobstructed by the lid. 
     
     
         15 . The portable container device in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the base component has a bottom wall and a sidewall, the sidewall having the shelf that spaces the tray component from the bottom wall of the base component to delineate an open volume within the base component and below the tray component. 
     
     
         16 . A portable container device having multiple variable compartments, comprising:
 a. a shaped container component having a bottom panel and upstanding side panels, the upstanding side panels being arranged according to a shaped container perimeter;   b. a shaped insert component having an insert perimeter wall sized and shaped to lie closely within the shaped container perimeter;   c. the shaped insert component having a plurality of movable and flexible dividers that extend from the perimeter wall of the shaped insert component, the shaped insert component further including a medial living hinge portion and two end living hinge portions at the respective locations where the dividers extend from the perimeter wall of the shaped insert component;   d. the shaped insert component, including all of the insert perimeter wall, the movable and flexible dividers and each living hinge portion, is of a molded unitary structure;   e. the movable and flexible dividers are sized and structured to vary between an extended position and a collapsed position, whereby the extended position results in delineation of a first compartment of a first size and shape, and whereby the collapsed position results in formation of a second compartment of a second size and shape, the first size and shape and the second size and shape being different from each other; and   f. the shaped insert component is within and removable from the shaped container component and is unsecured to the shaped container component.   
     
     
         17 . The portable container device in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the shaped insert component comprises a number of compartments delineated by the flexible and movable dividers, and the number of compartments reduces when at least one of the flexible and movable dividers is in the collapsed condition. 
     
     
         18 . The portable container device in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the unitary structure of the shaped insert component comprises a divider make of a plurality of the movable panels, a first of the living hinge portions and a second of the living hinge portions, each of the first and second living hinge portions being between the movable divider and the perimeter wall; and wherein the unitary structure of the shaped insert component comprises a divider made of a plurality of panels at least one of the movable dividers and a third of the living hinge portions, the movable divider has a first section and a second section, the first divider section being between the first living hinge portion and the third living hinge portion, and the second divider section being between the second living hinge portion and the third living hinge portion. 
     
     
         19 . A portable container device having multiple variable compartments, comprising:
 a. the portable container device is a food storage and transport container and has a lid;   b. a shaped container component having a bottom panel and upstanding side panels, the upstanding side panels being arranged according to a shaped container perimeter;   c. a shaped insert component having an insert perimeter wall sized and shaped to lie closely within the shaped container perimeter;   d. the shaped insert component having a plurality of movable and flexible dividers that extend from the perimeter wall of the shaped insert component, the shaped insert component further including a medial living hinge portion and two end living hinge portions at the respective locations where the dividers extend from the perimeter wall of the shaped insert component;   e. the shaped insert component, including all of the insert perimeter wall, the movable and flexible dividers and each living hinge portion, is of a molded unitary structure;   f. the movable and flexible dividers are sized and structured to vary between an extended position and a collapsed position, whereby the extended position results in delineation of a first compartment of a first size and shape, and whereby the collapsed position results in formation of a second compartment of a second size and shape, the first size and shape and the second size and shape being different from each other;   g. the shaped insert component is within and removable from the shaped container component and is unsecured to the shaped container component; and   h. the first compartment accommodates a food item or container for a food item of a given size while the second compartment accommodates a food item or a container for a food item of a size greater than the given size.   
     
     
         20 . The portable container device in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein the shaped container component includes a tray component, the tray component supports the shaped insert component, and the tray component is within a base component that accommodates in size and shape the tray component, the base component having an obstruction to prevent complete movement of the tray within the base component, the lid selectively opens and closes the base component, and the tray component is removable from the base component and the shaped insert component is removable from the tray component when unobstructed by the lid.