Connectable pods

Abstract

A connectable pod or container useful for interconnecting with other similar containers in a horizontal interlocked configuration. The container has a bottom wall having a top surface and a bottom surface, and a vertical region having a plurality of side walls attached to the bottom wall to form a volume space. The plurality of side walls each has an outside surface, an inside surface, and a tongue extending substantially perpendicular from the outside surface of at least one of the plurality of side walls. The container also has a groove for receiving the tongue of a similar adjoining container in dovetail fashion. The groove is sized and shaped complementary to fit the tongue within the groove.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container useful for interconnecting with other similar containers in a horizontal interlocked configuration, the container comprising:
 a) a bottom wall having a top surface and a bottom surface;   b) a vertical region having a plurality of side walls attached to the bottom wall to form a volume space, the plurality of side walls each having an outside surface and an inside surface;   c) a tongue extending substantially perpendicular from the outside surface of at least one of the plurality of side walls;   d) a groove for receiving the tongue of a similar adjoining container in dovetail fashion, wherein the groove is sized and shaped complementary to fit the tongue within the groove.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of side walls are four side walls. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the tongue is at least two tongues, each of the two tongues positioned on an opposing side wall of the four side walls. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising a removable lid sized and shaped to enclose the volume space. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall and plurality of side walls are formed from one continuous piece of material. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of side walls are connected to each other in curved fashion, and each of the plurality of side walls are connected to the bottom wall in a curved fashion. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the groove is a hollow space formed between two parallel projections extending from at least one of the plurality of side walls. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the groove is an elongated slot, and wherein the tongue is generally T-shaped, thereby allowing the tongue to slide in and out of the groove along a first axis, but preventing the tongue from being pulled away from the groove along a second axis. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the tongue has a narrow neck region and terminating in a tongue edge region wider than the narrow neck region. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 3 , wherein the groove is at least two groves, each of the two grooves positioned on an opposing side wall of the four side walls. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 ,
 further comprising a removable lid sized and shaped to enclose the volume space;   wherein the plurality of side walls are four side walls;   wherein bottom wall and plurality of side walls are formed from one continuous piece of material;   wherein each of the plurality of side walls are connected to each other in curved fashion, and each of the plurality of side walls are connected to the bottom wall in a curved fashion;   wherein the groove is a hollow space formed between two parallel projections extending from at least one of the plurality of side walls;   wherein the groove is an elongated slot, and wherein the tongue is generally T-shaped, thereby allowing the tongue to slide in and out of the groove along a first axis, but preventing the tongue from being pulled away from the groove along a second axis;   wherein the tongue has a narrow neck region and terminating in a tongue edge region wider than the narrow neck region; and,   wherein the groove is at least two groves, each of the two grooves positioned on an opposing side wall of the four side walls.   
     
     
         12 . A container system having a plurality of containers, each container comprising:
 a) a bottom wall having a top surface and a bottom surface;   b) a vertical region having a plurality of side walls attached to the bottom wall to form a volume space, the plurality of side walls each having an outside surface and an inside surface;   c) a tongue extending substantially perpendicular from the outside surface of at least one of the plurality of side walls;   d) a groove for receiving the tongue of a similar adjoining container in dovetail fashion, wherein the groove is sized and shaped complementary to fit the tongue within the groove.   
     
     
         13 . The container system of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of containers are two containers. 
     
     
         14 . The container system of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of containers include at least four containers. 
     
     
         15 . A method of connecting containers comprising the step of interconnecting a first container with a second container, wherein each of the first container and second container comprise:
 a) a bottom wall having a top surface and a bottom surface;   b) a vertical region having a plurality of side walls attached to the bottom wall to form a volume space, the plurality of side walls each having an outside surface and an inside surface;   c) a tongue extending substantially perpendicular from the outside surface of at least one of the plurality of side walls;   d) a groove for receiving the tongue of a similar adjoining container in dovetail fashion, wherein the groove is sized and shaped complementary to fit the tongue within the groove.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein interconnecting the first container with the second container is sliding the tongue of the first container within the grove of the second container.