Thermoformed dual container packaging assembly

Abstract

A packaging assembly having a pair of generally conventional thermoformed containers joined in face-to-face relation by a removable thermoformed snap ring. The thermoformed containers each include a container body with an open mouth, and a peripheral lip extending outwardly about the open mouth. The containers are positioned in opposed relationship with their peripheral lips extending generally adjacent to one another. The snap ring is a generally peripheral body having an internal opening capable of being fitted over the body of at least one of the two containers and a containment flange configured to entrap the adjacent lips of the two containers. In use, the snap ring can be selectively fitted simultaneously over a pair of adjacent container lips to join the containers, for example, to allow two separately packaged products to be sold in combination, and can be easily removed to allow the containers to be separated by the consumer.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A packaging assembly comprising:
 a first container having a first container body defining a first mouth and a first lip extending from the first container body about the mouth, the first lip defining a first face;   a second container having a second container body defining a second mouth and a second lip extending from the second container body, the second lip defining a second face, the second container disposed adjacent to the first container in face-to-face relation with the first lip and the second lip extending adjacent to one another; and   a snap ring removably snap-fitted about the first container and the second container, the snap ring having a peripheral main body defining an inner opening, the inner opening disposed about the first container body, the snap ring including a containment flange extending from the main body, the containment flange defining an inwardly opening containment channel, the containment channel receiving the first lip and the second lip, the containment flange including a skirt extending from the containment channel and forming a lead-in flange shepherding the first lip and the second lip into the containment channel as the snap ring is installed about the containers.   
     
     
         2 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1  wherein the main body of the snap ring further includes a support rib. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging assembly of  claim 2  wherein the support rib is a generally continuous rib extending around the main body, the support rib disposed inwardly of the containment flange. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging assembly of  claim 2  wherein at least one of the first container lip and the second container lip includes an inner portion extending outwardly from the container body and terminating in an edge portion, the edge portion being offset from the inner portion by a first distance. 
     
     
         5 . The packaging assembly of  claim 4  wherein the containment channel of the snap ring includes a first wall extending from the main body, the first wall of the containment channel being offset from the main body by about the first distance. 
     
     
         6 . The packaging assembly of  claim 5  wherein the inner opening of the main body is slightly larger than the diameter of the first container body. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging assembly of  claim 6  wherein the skirt includes a plurality of spaced apart skirt ribs, a portion of the skirt ribs forming a second wall of the containment channel. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging assembly of  claim 7  wherein at least one of the first container and the second container includes a lid. 
     
     
         9 . The packaging assembly of  claim 8  wherein the lid is a lidding film secured to the container lip to close the mouth. 
     
     
         10 . A snap ring for selectively joining first and second stacked containers comprising:
 a peripheral main body corresponding in shape with a container lip of the first container, the peripheral main body defining an internal opening corresponding in shape with a container body of the second container, the peripheral main body including a containment flange having a first portion forming a containment channel and a second portion forming a skirt, the containment flange opening inwardly and being of sufficient width to receive a container lip of the first container and a container lip of the second container, the skirt extending from the containment channel and being angled to form a lead-in flange shepherding, the skirt having a plurality of inwardly extending protrusions.   
     
     
         11 . The snap ring of  claim 10  wherein the peripheral main body of the snap ring further includes a support rib. 
     
     
         12 . The snap ring of  claim 11  wherein the support rib is a generally continuous rib extending around the peripheral main body, the support rib disposed inwardly of the containment flange. 
     
     
         13 . The snap ring of  claim 12  wherein the peripheral main body includes a generally planar section and the containment channel includes a first wall extending from the peripheral main body, the first wall of the containment channel being offset from the generally planar section of the main body. 
     
     
         14 . The snap ring of  claim 13  wherein the inner opening is slightly larger than a body of the first container body. 
     
     
         15 . The snap ring of  claim 14  wherein the skirt protrusions cooperatively form a second wall of the containment channel. 
     
     
         16 . A packaging assembly comprising:
 a first container having a first circular container body defining a first circular mouth and a first circular lip extending from the first container body about the circumference of the first circular mouth, the first circular lip having a diameter greater than a diameter of the first container body;   a second container having a second circular container body defining a second circular mouth and a second circular lip extending from the second container body about the circumference of the second circular mouth, the second container disposed adjacent to the first container with the first circular lip and the second circular lip being generally coextensive; and   a snap ring removably snap-fitted about the first container and the second container, the snap ring having a peripheral circular main body defining a coaxial circular inner opening, the inner opening having a diameter greater than the first container body and lesser than the first container lip, the snap ring disposed with the inner opening positioned about the first container body, the snap ring including a coaxial containment flange extending circumferentially from the main body, the containment flange defining a coaxial inwardly opening circumferential containment channel, the containment channel receiving the first lip and the second lip, the containment flange including a coaxial circular skirt extending from the containment channel and forming a coaxial lead-in flange capable of shepherding the first lip and the second lip into the containment channel as the snap ring is installed about the containers.   
     
     
         17 . The packaging assembly of  claim 16  wherein the skirt includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced skirt protrusions, the skirt protrusions cooperatively forming a second wall of the containment channel. 
     
     
         18 . The packaging assembly of  claim 17  wherein at least one of the first container and the second container includes a lidding film. 
     
     
         19 . A method for packaging article in isolation in a single packaging assembly, comprising the steps of:
 providing a first container containing a first article, the first container having a first container body defining a first container mouth and a first container lip extending outwardly from the first container mouth;   providing a second container containing a second article, the second container having a second container body defining a second container mouth and a second container lip extending from the second container mouth, at least one of the first container and the second container including a lid, the lid maintaining separation between the first article and the second article;   stacking the first container and the second container with the first container lip disposed generally adjacent to the second container lip;   providing a snap ring with a peripheral body defining an internal opening and a inwardly opening containment channel; and   moving the snap ring over the container body of the first container with the internal opening receiving the container body of the first container and snap-fitting the snap ring about the first container lip and the second container lip, the first container lip and the second container being retained in adjacent relationship by the containment channel.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the containment channel has first and second opposed walls that form opposite sides of the containment channel and the snap ring including a skirt extending from the second wall to define an angled lead-in flange; and
 wherein the step of snap-fitting the snap ring about the first container lip and the second container lip includes:
 moving the snap ring to bring the lead-in flange into engagement with the lip of the first container; and 
 forcing the skirt over the first container lip and the second container lip until both the first container lip and the second container lip are received within the containment channel between the first and second opposed walls.