Food storage container

Abstract

A configurable container is provided that has an interior surface configured to secure one or more rigid or flexible dividers and to allow for reconfigurable interior compartments of the container. The dividers may also include an integrated material such as a gel that can be heated or cooled in order to maintain a desired temperature within the container. The container may include a lid that engages the top surfaces of the dividers to establish a plurality of substantially sealed compartments within the container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container system comprising:
 a container comprising:
 a base wall; 
 a peripheral wall extending from the base wall to form a cavity, the peripheral wall comprising a first side separated from a second side by the cavity; 
 a first indentation located on the first side of the peripheral wall and a second indentation located on the second side of the peripheral wall; and 
   a divider comprising:
 a first tab configured to be inserted into the first indentation; 
 a second tab configured to be inserted into the second indentation; and 
 an edge having a first resilient material disposed along at least a portion of the edge, wherein the first resilient material contacts the base wall when the first tab is inserted into the first indentation and the second tab is inserted into the second indentation. 
   
     
     
         2 . The container system of  claim 1 , further comprising a lid configured to removably attach to the peripheral wall so as to seal the cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The container system of  claim 2 , wherein the lid further comprises an upper surface, a lower surface, a hole extending between the upper surface and the lower surface, and a vent, the vent comprising an upper section located above the upper surface, a lower section located below the lower surface, and a transverse section extending between the upper section and the lower section through the hole. 
     
     
         4 . The container system of  claim 3 , wherein the vent further comprises a channel extending from the lower section along at least a portion of the transverse section. 
     
     
         5 . The container system of  claim 4 , wherein the vent is movable from a closed position whereby the upper section is proximate the upper surface of the lid and an open position wherein the lower section is proximate the lower surface of the lid. 
     
     
         6 . The container system of  claim 2 , the lid further comprising:
 a lower peripheral ridge extending away from the lower surface, the lower peripheral ridge sized to engage with the peripheral wall; and   a second resilient material proximate the lower peripheral ridge, such that with the lid attached to the top edge of the peripheral wall, the second resilient material contacts the peripheral wall.   
     
     
         7 . The container system of  claim 2 , the lid further comprising:
 an upper peripheral ridge extending away from the upper surface; and   a strap extending across the lid from a first side of the upper peripheral ridge to a second side of the upper peripheral ridge.   
     
     
         8 . The container system of  claim 2 , wherein the divider further comprises a third resilient material disposed along at least a second portion of the edge, wherein the third resilient material contacts the bottom surface of the lid when the lid is attached to the container, the first tab is inserted into the first indentation, and the second tab is inserted into the second indentation. 
     
     
         9 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the divider further comprises a thermal material configured to be heated or cooled to a desired temperature. 
     
     
         10 . The container system of  claim 9 , the system further comprising a cup comprising at least a lower portion removably attached to an upper portion with a hollow space located therebetween. 
     
     
         11 . A method for using a container system comprising:
 a container comprising a base wall, a peripheral wall comprising a first side opposite a second side extending from the base wall to a top edge and forming a cavity, a first plurality of indentations located on the first side of the peripheral wall, and a second plurality of indentation located on the second side of the peripheral wall,   a lid configured to attach to the top edge to seal the cavity, and   a first divider comprising a first face, a second face, a rim extending therebetween, a first tab, a second tab, and a first resilient material disposed along at least a first portion of the rim,   the method comprising the steps of:
 aligning the first divider with a first indentation of the first plurality of indentations and a second indentation of the second plurality of indentations; 
 inserting the first divider into the cavity; 
 connecting the first tab of the first divider to the first indentation of the first plurality of indentations and the second tab of the first divider to the second indentation of the second plurality of indentations, thereby forming a first compartment within the cavity between the peripheral wall and the first divider; and 
   placing the lid on the container, such that the lid contacts the top edge and the first divider.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first resilient material of the first divider is configured such that when the first divider is inserted into the cavity, the first tab of the first divider is connected to the first indentation of the first plurality of indentations, and the second tab of the first divider is connected to the second indentation of the second plurality of indentations, the first resilient material is compressed to form a substantially watertight seal with at least a first portion of the base wall and at least a second portion of the peripheral wall. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , the method further comprising, before placing the lid on the container, the steps of:
 aligning a second divider with a third indentation of the first plurality of indentations and a fourth indentation of the second plurality of indentations;   inserting the second divider into the cavity;   connecting the third tab of the second divider to the third indentation of the first plurality of indentations and the fourth tab of the second divider to the fourth indentation of the second plurality of indentations, thereby forming a second compartment within the cavity between the first divider and the second divider.   
     
     
         15 . A container system comprising:
 a container comprising:   a base wall;
 a peripheral wall extending from the base wall to form a cavity, the peripheral wall comprising a first portion and a second portion; 
 a first indentation located on the first portion of the peripheral wall and a second indentation located on the second portion of the peripheral wall; and 
 a divider, the divider comprising:
 a first tab configured to be inserted into the first indentation; 
 a second tab configured to be inserted into the second indentation; and 
 a rim. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The container system of  claim 15 , wherein, with the first tab inserted into the first indentation and the second tab inserted into the second indentation, a first portion of the rim contacts the base wall and a second portion of the rim contacts the peripheral wall. 
     
     
         17 . The container system of  claim 16 , the container system further comprising a lid configured to removably attach to the peripheral wall;
 wherein, with the lid attached to the peripheral wall, the first tab inserted into the first indentation, and the second tab inserted into the second indentation, a third portion of the rim contacts the lid.   
     
     
         18 . The container system of  claim 17 , wherein, with the lid attached to the peripheral wall, the first tab inserted into the first indentation, and the second tab inserted into the second indentation, the divider forms a seal with the base wall, the peripheral wall, and the lid such that a first volume of the cavity is separated by the divider from a second volume of the cavity. 
     
     
         19 . The container system of  claim 18 , wherein the peripheral wall further comprises a third indentation located on the first portion of the peripheral wall and a fourth indentation located on the second portion of the peripheral wall and wherein the first tab is further configured to be inserted into the third indentation and the second tab is further configured to be inserted into the fourth indentation. 
     
     
         20 . The container system of  claim 19 , further comprising a second divider comprising a third tab configured to be inserted into the third indentation and a fourth tab configured to be inserted into the fourth indentation,
 wherein, with the lid attached to the peripheral wall, the first tab inserted into the first indentation, the second tab inserted into the second indentation, the third tab inserted into the third indentation, and the fourth tab inserted into the fourth indentation, the second divider forms a seal with the base wall, the peripheral wall, and the lid such that the second volume of the cavity is separated from a third volume of the cavity by the second divider.