Abstract:
A dual container having an outer container with an inner container aligned centrally within the outer container with the base of the inner container retained by the base of the outer container, each container having a separate access port.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates to containers and more particularly to a dual container with two separate containers, one within the other, for the storage of the same or different material within one dual container.  
           [0003]    2. Prior Art and Objects  
           [0004]    Many types of containers are available today. One of the most common types of such containers are bottles used for storage of drinks such as soda. These bottles, frequently made of plastic or glass, are offered to the consuming public in various sizes with large sizes offering greater economy. With large containers, unless the beverage is consumed quickly, it goes flat and is no longer satisfactory to the consumer.  
           [0005]    Two chambered bottles or containers have been constructed in the past. One example can be found in the Markazov Patent, U.S. No. D3,332,635, where two side by side compartments were used.  
           [0006]    The Riordan Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,812 also teaches a dual chamber container but with the compartments connected end to end. The capped apertures at both ends of the container, used to remove the material from within the compartments, are located within well areas situated at both ends.  
           [0007]    The Litto Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,311 B1, shows a compartment within a compartment but is clearly distinct from the current invention. Litto uses an inner container, which is expandable, to fill space outside the inner container, when material from the outside container is removed. It should be noted that the expandable inner container is connected at the upper end without any restraint at the lower end. In view of the design of the inner compartment and its purpose, as taught by Litto, there is no reason to secure the base of the inner compartment.  
           [0008]    By placing the inner compartment centrally within the outer compartment and along a common longitudinal axis while restraining the base of the inner compartment in the base of outer container, a dual container of two containers is produced that is balanced so that consumption of the material in either compartment does not cause imbalance. Both containers forming the dual container would preferably be made of the same material. Such a container provides two compartments that can store the same or different products. Even with the same material being stored, the opening of one compartment does not in any way diminish the freshness of the material in the other compartment. Similarly, a variety of materials can be dispensed in one container, as for example a diet beverage and a regular beverage.  
           [0009]    One of the most obvious uses, but not the only, for a dual container is in the soft drink market which has a wide spread consumption of containers, usually made of plastic. This invention is not limited to any specific material and may be used with plastic, glass and metal containers. However, with plastic containers it is very suitable as it can be readily and easily used and when empty may be recycled.  
           [0010]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a dual container formed with an outer compartment and a inner compartment centrally within the outer compartment.  
           [0011]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a dual container that retains physical stability when one container within the dual container is partially or fully emptied.  
           [0012]    It is still another object of the present invention to provide a dual container that may be constructed from containers of existing design.  
           [0013]    It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a dual container that may be economically constructed.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0014]    A two-compartment container is provided with an inner compartment located centrally within the outer compartment. Both the inner container and the outer container have an upper end with a central opening. Each central opening is substantially along the centerline of the dual container and at the upper end and the opening of the inner container is tightly secured, so as to avoid leakage, within the central opening of the outer container. The central opening of the inner container is utilized to dispense material from within that inner compartment. Since the central opening of the outer container is blocked by the central opening of the inner container, a side or alternate opening, adjacent the central openings, is provided for dispensing material from the outer container.  
           [0015]    The inner container and the outer container each have a base plate with some form of indentation and protrusion the base plates. The indentations and protrusions may be of various configurations but, in accordance with this invention, must be sufficiently similar so that the inner container is retained at its lower end as a result of the protrusions and the indentations. Although limited movement of the inner container within the outer container is possible, since the fit between the protrusions and the indentations need not be tight, the base of the inner container is prevented from any substantial movement that would break the inner container at the central opening.  
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the dual container showing the inner container in phatom secured at the central opening and at the base of the outer container.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is plan view of the base of the outer container, utilizing a five footed design, commonly in use.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 a  is a plan view of the base of the inner container also utilizing the same five-footed design.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 b  is a plan view of the base of the outer container, utilizing the five-footed design commonly in use, and showing the base of the inner container in phantom in place within the outer container.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 is a plan view of the base of the outer container similar to FIG. 2 but showing an alternate design for the protrusions and indentations.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 a  is a plan view of the base of the inner container showing the same alternate design as shown in FIG. 3.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3 b  is a plan view of the base of the outer container with the base of the inner container shown in phantom in place on the base of the outer container.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the base of the outer container showing the cross design with an inner container shown in phantom. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NUMERALS  
       [0024]    NUMERAL DESCRIPTION OF ELEMENT  
         [0025]    [0025] 11  Inner Container  
         [0026]    [0026] 13  Outer Container  
         [0027]    [0027] 15  Longitudinal Axis  
         [0028]    [0028] 17  Upper End of the Inner Container  
         [0029]    [0029] 19  Neck of the Inner Container.  
         [0030]    [0030] 21  Central Opening of the Inner Container  
         [0031]    [0031] 23  Upper End of the Outer Container  
         [0032]    [0032] 25  Neck of the Outer Container  
         [0033]    [0033] 27  Central Opening  
         [0034]    [0034] 29  Alternate Opening  
         [0035]    [0035] 31  Lower End of the Inner Container  
         [0036]    [0036] 33  Lower End of the Outer Container  
         [0037]    [0037] 35  Base Plate of the Inner Container  
         [0038]    [0038] 37  Base Plate of the Outer Container  
         [0039]    [0039] 39  Base Cap of the Outer Container  
         [0040]    [0040] 41  Body of the Inner Container  
         [0041]    [0041] 43  Body of the Outer Container  
         [0042]    [0042] 45  Inside Surface of the Base Plate—Inner Container  
         [0043]    [0043] 47  Outside Surface of the Base Plate—Inner Container  
         [0044]    [0044] 49  Inside Surface of the Base Plate—Outer Container  
         [0045]    [0045] 51  Outside Surface of the Base Plate—Outer Container  
         [0046]    [0046] 53  Projections on the Base Plate—Outer Container  
         [0047]    [0047] 55  Indentations on the Base Plate—Outer Container  
         [0048]    [0048] 57  Projections on the Base Plate—Inner Container  
         [0049]    [0049] 59  Center Point  
         [0050]    [0050] 61  Circular Periphery  
         [0051]    [0051] 63  Radial Sides  
         [0052]    [0052] 65  Rounded Ends  
         [0053]    [0053] 67  Projections—Outer Container  
         [0054]    [0054] 69  Indentations  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0055]    Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, the dual container is shown utilizing cylindrical bottles of the design frequently in use today but with an inner container  11  located concentrically within an outer container  13 . It is to be understood that the inner container  11  and the outer container  13  need not be cylindrical and containers of various shapes may be used. Furthermore, the inner container  11  and the outer container  13  need not have the same shape. However, the inner container  11  and the outer container  13  must, in general, have a common longitudinal axis  15 . This provides the necessary balance so t hat regardless of whether the inner container  11  or the outer container  13  or both are partially or totally empty, the dual container has stability.  
         [0056]    Specifically, both the inner container  11  and the outer container  13  are intended for the storage of products, possibly the same product to permit successive usage and thus enhanced freshness or different products but most likely complementary products that can be used at the same or different occasions.  
         [0057]    The inner container, as shown in FIG. 1, has an upper end  17  and at the upper end  17  is reduced in diameter forming a neck  19  and a central opening  21 . Similarly, the outer container  13  has an upper end  23  and the upper end  23  is reduced in diameter forming a neck  25  and a central opening  27 . The neck  19  of the inner container  11  is forced into the neck  25  of the outer container  13  thereby leaving only the central opening  21  of the inner container  11  to provide access to the product in the inner container. It is essential that the neck  19  of the inner container  11  not only be firmly secured into the neck  25  of the outer container  13  but that there be no possibility of leakage between the two necks  19 ,  25 . With plastic construction, fusion would be one way to assure the necessary sealing and the use of welding and heat treatments would be necessary with metal containers. In some situations, a threaded connection (not shown) could be made with a seal (not shown) but the seal could not cause any contamination to the product inside either the inner container or the outer container. Still another technique would be to utilize a tight press fit by thermally expanding the neck  25  of the outer container  13  and forcing the neck  19  of the inner container  11  into the neck  25  of the outer container  13  and then cooling the neck  25 .  
         [0058]    Since the central opening  27  of the outer container  13  is blocked by the central opening  21  of the inner container  11 , an alternate opening  29  is provided just below the neck  25  of the outer container  13  to permit access to the product in the outer container  13 .  
         [0059]    At the opposite end from its upper end  17 , the inner container  11  has a lower end  31 . Similarly, the outer container  13  has a lower end  33 . The inner container  11  has a base plate  35  at the lower end  31 . The outer container  13  in the same manner, has a base plate  37 . For assembly purposes, the outer container  13  requires a base cap  39  which is generally shaped like a cup and is secured to the outer container  13  in the final assembling of the dual container with the base cap  39  of the outer container  13  being secured last of all. The inner container could have a base cap (not shown) but the inner container  11  may be formed in one piece.  
         [0060]    Between the base plate  35  of the inner container  11  and the upper end  17 , the inner container  11  has a body  41  which in the illustrated version is generally cylindrical and the outer container  13  has a body  43  between the upper end  23  and the base cap  39  of the outer container  13 .  
         [0061]    In FIG. 1 the base caps each have a base surface. Each base surface has an inner surface within its respective container an d an outside surface ouside its respective container. The base plate  37  of th outer container  13  is, of course, a part of the base cap  39 . As seen in FIG. 1, the base plate  35  of the inner container  11  has an inside surface  45  and an outside surface 47  and the base plate 37  of the outer container  13  has an inside surface  49  and an outside surface  51 . The configuration shown in FIG. 1 generally resembles a commonly used base plate configuration and confirms that existing container designs can be used to construct a dual container as contemplated by the instant invention. However, the design of the base plate  37  shown in FIG. 1 was previously only intended for use with a single container and not with a dual container and the inclusion of projections on the outside surface  51  of the base plate  37  with resulting indentations  55  on the inner surface  49  of the base plate  51  w as previously intended only to provide a secure footing for the container and not as a means of securing the inner container  11  to the outer container  13  at the base plates  35 ,  37 .  
         [0062]    The base cap  39  of the outer container  13  is sealed onto the outer container  13  after the inner container  11  is secured at the neck  19 . As shown in FIG. And FIG. 2 b  the base plate  35  of the inner container  11  has indentations  55  on the inside surface  45  of the base plate  35  and a matching protrusion  57  on the outside surface  47  the base plate  35  of the inner container  11 . In the same fashion, the base plate  37  of the outer container  13  has some form of indentation on  55  on the inside surface  49  of the base plate  39  and a matching protrusion  53  on the outside surface of the base plate  37 . The indentations  55  and the protrusions  53  may be of various configurations but, in accordance with this invention, must be sufficiently similar so that the inner container  11  is retained at its lower end  31  as a result of protrusions  57  on the outside surface of the base plate  35  of the inner container  11  being held by the indentations  55  on the inside surface  51  of the base plate  37  of the outside container  13 . It would be possible, as w ill be subsequently explained and as is shown in FIG. 3, 3 a  and  3   b  to reverse the indentations  55  and the protrusions  57 .  
         [0063]    The projections  53  on the base plate  37  of the outer container  13  shown in FIG. 1, are best used with the inner container  11  and the outer container  13  being cylindrical. In that situation, the base plate  35  of the inner container  11  and the base plate  37  of the outer container  13  are both circular and accordingly each has a center point  59  and a circular periphery  61 . As best seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and  2   b , the projections  53 , 57  and indentations  55  of both the inner container and the outer container  13  each have an elongated configuration with radial sides  63  which are generally divergent originating at the center point  59  of the base plates  35 , 37  which radial sides  63  turn toward each another to form a rounded end  65  adjacent to the periphery  61  of each of the base plates  35 , 37 .  
         [0064]    The projections  57  on the outside surface  51  of the base plate  35  of the inner container  55  in the inner surface  49  of the base plate  37  of the outer container  13 . The result is a sufficient interlocking of the two base plates  35 , 37  to prevent the inner container  11  from moving to a degree that damage will occur to the inner container  11  most likely at the area of the neck  19  of the inner container  11  due to pendulum like swinging of the inner container  11  within the outer container  13 . This would most likely occur if the outer container  13  was empty and the inner container  11  was full and the dual container was placed on its side.  
         [0065]    The interlocking of the projections  57  and indentations  55  does not form a rigid lock but does provide sufficient retention to prevent the degree of movement that would cause damage.  
         [0066]    In FIG. 3, a different embodiment of projections  67  on the inside surface  49  of the base plate  37  of the outer container  13  and indentations  69  is shown. Instead of the configuration shown in FIG. 1, 2,  2   a  and  2   b , a cross of rectangular cross-section is used to engage the indentation  69 . As seen in FIG. 5, the base plate  37  of the outer container  13  has a raised cross of rectangular cross section, which is the projection  67  and which engages the indentation  69  in th form of a cross in the outer surface of the base plate  35  of the inner container  11 . The indentation  69  in the base plate  35  of the of the inner container  11  must be slightly larger than the projection  67  of base plate  37  of the outer container  13  to permit easy assembly. Needless to say, numerous versions of projections and indentations may be used to prevent the unwanted movement of the inner container  11 . Even the combination of one projection that is secured to one indentation in the base plates  35 , 37  will provide the needed retention. However, the outer surface  51  of the outer base plate must still provide a stable area to maintain the dual container in an upright position.  
         [0067]    If desired, it would also be possible to bond the base plate  35  of the upper container  11  to the base plate  37  of the outer container  13  by any type of fusion of adhesion.  
         [0068]    Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples provided herein.