Patent ID: 8322530

Claim:
A storage container system comprising: a plurality of container bases each having a bottom, a continuous side wall extending up from the bottom and terminating at a top edge, an interior storage space within the side wall above the bottom, and an open top bounded by the top edge; a plurality of lids each having a main panel section, a perimeter skirt around the main panel section, a top side, and a bottom side, each of the plurality of lids configured to close off the open top of any one of the plurality of container bases by connecting a lid seal part of the perimeter skirt to the side wall near the top edge; a first connecting structure on each of the plurality of lids, each first connecting structure having a first lid-to-lid component and a mating lid-to-lid component, each first lid-to-lid component configured to connect to the mating lid-to-lid component on any other one of the plurality of lids to connect any two of the plurality of lids together; a second connecting structure different from the first connecting structure, each second connecting structure having a second lid-to-base component on each of the plurality of lids and a mating lid-to-base component on each of the plurality of container bases, each second lid-to-base component configured to connect to the mating lid-to-base component to connect any one of the plurality of lids to the bottom of any one of the plurality of container bases; one or more feet that projects down from the bottom of each of the plurality of bases to form the mating lid-to-base component thereon, each of the one or more feet having an engaging surface facing radially outward that is generally vertically oriented and flat in the vertical direction; a plurality of lips that are flexible and resilient, spaced around, and project radially inward from a portion of a wall that extends around the main panel section on the top side of each of the plurality of lids, the plurality of lips defining the second lid-to-base component of the second connecting structure, and wherein the plurality of lips frictionally contact a respective engaging surface on the one or more feet when one of the plurality of lids is connected to one of the plurality of bases, wherein the wall is an inner wall that extends up from a perimeter of the main panel section and is a part of the perimeter skirt, which also includes a top wall extending out from the inner wall and a middle wall extending up from the top wall and spaced radially outward from the inner wall.