Container having moveable sealing divider

Abstract

A container assembly having a container body, a lid and a movable divider. The container body has opposing side walls, opposing end walls, and a bottom wall to define a cavity. The lid seals against the container body to close the cavity. The moveable divider has a rigid inner member and an outer wiper seal member. The divider has first and second ends, a top and a bottom. The divider can be placed vertically in the container body, with the bottom of the divider adjacent the bottom wall of the container body and the first and second ends of the divider against the first and second opposing side walls, respectively, and stay in place due to compression by the outer wiper seal member of the divider against the opposing side walls of the container body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container assembly having a movable divider, comprising:
 a container body having first and second opposing side walls, first and second opposing end walls, and a bottom wall to define a cavity, wherein the first and second opposing side walls have a top and a bottom, wherein the first and second opposing end walls have a top and a bottom, wherein the bottom wall is adjacent the bottom of the first and second opposing side walls and the bottom of the first and second opposing end walls, wherein an opening to the cavity is provided adjacent the top of the first and second opposing side walls and the top of the first and second opposing end walls, wherein the first and second opposing side walls have an offset between the top and the bottom thereof such that an area between the first and second opposing side walls and the first and second opposing end walls adjacent the bottom wall is less than an area between the first and second opposing side walls and the first and second opposing end walls adjacent the opening to the cavity;   a lid that can seal against the top of the first and second opposing side walls and the top of the first and second opposing end walls to close the cavity; and,   a moveable divider having first and second ends, a top and a bottom, wherein the divider has a rigid inner member and an outer seal member, wherein the divider has an offset that mates with the offset in the side walls of the container body, wherein the divider is sized such that the divider can be placed vertically in the container body, with the bottom of the divider adjacent the bottom wall of the container body and the first and second ends of the divider adjacent the opposing side walls of the container body, and stay in place due to compression by the outer seal member at the first and second ends of the divider against the opposing side walls of the container body.   
     
     
         2 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the divider is sized such that the divider can be placed vertically in the container body anywhere between the first and second opposing side walls and stay in place due to the compression by the outer seal member at the first and second ends of the divider against the opposing side walls of the container body. 
     
     
         3 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the outer seal member comprises a wiper seal. 
     
     
         4 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the inner member of the divider is generally planar. 
     
     
         5 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lid has a plurality of pivotable retention flaps to secure the lid to the container body when the flaps are rotated downwardly to engage a flange of the container body. 
     
     
         6 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the container body comprises a shell and an outer lower overmold. 
     
     
         7 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the outer seal member extends about an entirety of a periphery of the divider. 
     
     
         8 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the outer seal member at the top of the divider sealingly engages an inner surface of the lid when the lid is secured to the container body. 
     
     
         9 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , where the divider has notches at top corners of the divider to accommodate for a seal in the lid. 
     
     
         10 . A container assembly having a movable divider, comprising:
 a container body having first and second opposing side walls, first and second opposing end walls, and a bottom wall to define a cavity, wherein the first and second opposing side walls have a top and a bottom, wherein the first and second opposing end walls have a top and a bottom, wherein the bottom wall is adjacent the bottom of the first and second opposing side walls and the bottom of the first and second opposing end walls, wherein an opening to the cavity is provided adjacent the top of the first and second opposing side walls and the top of the first and second opposing end walls, wherein the first and second opposing side walls are bowed outwardly such that a distance between the first and second opposing side walls adjacent the end walls is less than the distance between the first and second opposing side walls at a middle of each opposing side wall;   a lid that can seal against the container body to close the cavity; and,   a moveable divider having first and second ends, a top and a bottom, wherein the divider has a rigid inner member and an outer seal member, wherein the divider is sized such that the divider can be placed vertically in the container body, with the bottom of the divider adjacent the bottom wall of the container body and the first and second ends of the divider against the first and second opposing side walls, respectively, and stay in place due to compression by the outer seal member at the first and second ends of the divider against the opposing side walls of the container body.   
     
     
         11 . The container assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the outer seal member comprises a wiper seal. 
     
     
         12 . The container assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the outer seal member extends about an entirety of a periphery of the divider. 
     
     
         13 . The container assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the divider is sized such that the divider can be placed vertically in the container body anywhere between the first and second opposing side walls and stay in place due to the compression by the outer seal member at the first and second ends of the divider against the opposing side walls of the container body. 
     
     
         14 . The container assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second opposing side walls have an offset between the top and the bottom thereof, and wherein the divider has an offset that mates with the offset in the side walls of the container body. 
     
     
         15 . A container assembly having a movable divider, comprising:
 a container body having first and second opposing side walls, first and second opposing end walls, and a bottom wall to define a cavity, wherein the first and second opposing side walls have a top and a bottom, wherein the first and second opposing end walls have a top and a bottom, wherein the bottom wall is adjacent the bottom of the first and second opposing side walls and the bottom of the first and second opposing end walls, wherein an opening to the cavity is provided adjacent the top of the first and second opposing side walls and the top of the first and second opposing end walls;   a lid that can seal against the container body to close the cavity; and,   a moveable divider having first and second ends, a top and a bottom, wherein the divider has a rigid inner member and an outer wiper seal member, wherein the divider is sized such that the divider can be placed vertically in the container body, with the bottom of the divider adjacent the bottom wall of the container body and the first and second ends of the divider against the first and second opposing side walls, respectively, and stay in place due to compression by the outer wiper seal member at the first and second ends of the divider against the opposing side walls of the container body.   
     
     
         16 . The container assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the divider is sized such that the divider can be placed vertically in the container body anywhere between the first and second opposing side walls and stay in place due to the compression by the outer seal member at the first and second ends of the divider against the opposing side walls of the container body. 
     
     
         17 . The container assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the outer seal member extends about an entirety of a periphery of the divider. 
     
     
         18 . The container assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the outer seal member at the bottom of the divider engages the bottom wall of the container body. 
     
     
         19 . The container assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the outer seal member at the top of the divider sealingly engages an inner surface of the lid when the lid is secured to the container body. 
     
     
         20 . The container assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the inner member of the divider is generally planar.