AU597582B2 - Stackable vessels - Google Patents

Description

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AU-AI-59635/86 P~~r WELTORGAMISATION FCMU EL -i PCI' ~~~InteraionI[ SII r'OC INTERNATIONALE ANMELEC"UNG VERFF 12I NI2H 15EM V RR I'BER DIE INTERNATIONALE ZUSAMMENARBEIT AUF DEM GEBIET DES PATENTWESENS (PCT) (51) Tnternationale Patsntklassifikation 4 (11) Internationale Veroiffentlichungsnummer: WO088/ 00807 A47G 19/00 Al (43) Infernationales Vl.rdffentlichungsdatum: 11, Februar 1988 (11.02.88) (21) Internationales Aktenzeichen: PCT/DE86/00229 VJeriifentlicht Mit internationalem Recherchenberichi.

(22) Internationales Anmeldedatuni: 2. Juni 1986 (02.06.86) This dvvumt~~ot uauils the (71X72) Anmelder und Erfinder: STRUNKMANN-MEI- Amendmnts made undar STER, Karl, E. [DE/DE]; Clemensstrasse 78, D-8000 Section 49.

Mtlnchen 40 (DE).

(74) Anwalt: KIRSCHNER GROSSE; Herzog-Wilhelm- Str. 17, D-_8000 Minchen 2 aud to oorrect tor prtnttng I (SI) Bestimmungsstaaten: AT (europllisches Patent), AU, BE (europaisches Patent), BR, OH (europiiisches Patent), DE (europliisches Patent), DK, FR (europllisches Pa- -P 2 4 MARD 19 tent), GB (europiiisches Patent), IT (europtlisches Pa- IQ tent), KR LU (europliischies Patent), MC, NL (europiaisches Patent), NO, SE (europliiscites Patent), SU.

AUSTRALIAN

2 4 FF8 1 988 EPATENT OppnCE (54) Title: STACKABLE VESSELS (54) Bezeichnung: STAPELBARE CEFXSSE (57) Abstract, Vessels, in particular plates and pots, can be used respectively as receptacles and covers 'Iah be stacked, together with tht closed vessels thus formed, and are prevented from lateral mutual displacement owing tA t.e fact that their contact surfaces are, provided with mutual ly-engagi ng alternating ridges or lugs and grooves or slots (57) Zusamnmenfassuing Geflsse, insbesondere Teller und To3pfe, die jeweils als Aufnahmegefilss und Deckel verwendbar, einschliesslich der so gebildeten geschlossenen Geffisse stapelbar und dadurch g(.gen gegenseitiges, seitliches Verrutschen gesichert sind, dass ihre Berilhirungsfilichen mit ineinandergrei'fenden, alternierenden Federn oder Noppen und Nuten oder Grilbchen 4) ausgestattet sind.

The invention relates to a vessel with two vessel components usable in particular as plate or pot, in which the vessel components at their rims have profiles comprising elevations and depressions being arranged such that the profiles of two facing vessel components being stacked one on the other are positively interlocking in shift-proof manner with respect to all sides.

Such a vessel is known from the German disclosure 21 63 302. In said known vessel the profiles only slightly extend above and below the surface of the vessel rim. The profiles of two facing vessel components being stacked one on the other are positively interlocking, however, in practice they do not guarantee the required safety with respect to a lateral displacement of the vessel components.

From the German utility model 75 30 942 a vessel is known having two identical, cup-shaped vessel components stackable with their opening rims in facing position as bottom part and cover and having rim elevations and depressions interlocking during stacking of the vessel components, wherein the vessel components are circular and the rim elevations and depressions are uniformly arranged at such distances and are provided with such waves or chamferings in circumferential direction that they slide into an interlocked position during stacking. The higher 2 0" t

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II ~il~ i= ;i~il~ 11 such rim elevations are and the deeper the depressions are, the better the vessel components will be fixed on one another in the closed position. High elevations and deep depressions in the rim therefore are desired for technical reasons, however, they are undesirable for aesthetic reasons. If the rim elevations and depressions are given a flat shape for aesthetic reasons, the desired locking effect between the two vessel components is lost.

With respect thereto the invention is based on the 10 problem of giving the above-mentioned vessel such shape 0 that on one hand a secure fixation of the two vessel o °p e000 or components even against a mutual lateral displacement is oa guaranteed when they are stacked one on the other in facing position, the profiles therein at the same time representing an aesthetic design.

*000 ~Accordingly, the present invention provides a vessel oao o I comprising two vessel components, the vessel components o g having rims on which profiles are arranged such that the profiles of the two vessel components when positioned one 20 on the other and facing each other, interlock positively to prevent relative circumferential displacement, the profiles being elevations and depressions, the profiles having cheeks perpendicular to the surfaces of contact of the vessel components and running in parallel with the rims.

In the vessel according to the present invention a good sealing of the vessel is achieved and lateral 3 ii *1displacement of the vessels with respect to one another is avoided in that the elevations and depressions are positively interlocking and that the cheeks are a bar to a lateral displacement of the vessel components. In the vessel according to the present invention the technical function is solved in a most economical manner in the sense that the casual observer will feel that the wave-like shape of the plate rim is peculiar but, however, not so unusual as to be generally unacceptable. The aesthetic shaping of the plate rim will be felt as being satisfactory, if the plate rim shows as few differences as possible as compared to the plane plate rim familiar to the user, as the customers hitherto have become used to the shaping of plate rims presently in use, and are not very inclined to accept different designs of plate rims.

A excessively wave-like design of the plate rim, e.g., would be refused as being too unusual.

An advantageous embodiment of the vessel according to the present invention is characterized in that at the bottom surface of the vessel components alternatingly depressions and elevations are recessed or seated, respectively, the depressions and elevations interlocking positively when the two vessel components are stacked on one another with their bottom surfaces. By means of such an embodiment it also is possible to stack on one another -4-

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0 o to 4 o"t *o two closed vessels, each consisting of two vessel components, or one vessel component, e.g. a plate, may be stacked on a closed vessel consisting of two vessel components.

A further advantageous embodiment of the vessel according to the present invention is characterized in that the depressions and elevations have cheeks being perpendicular to the contact surfaces of the vessel components on their bottom surfaces and running in parallel with the vessel rim. Thus the rims and the bottom surfaces of the vessel components show identical profiles so that the profiles on one hand prevent the vessel components from being mutually laterally displaced and on the other hand appear as uniform decoration.

A further advantageous embodiment of the vessel according to the present invention is characterized in that the elevation and depressions form a continuous circumferential band. Thus the space being available at the rims and the bottom surfaces is optimally used by the profiles inhibiting a lateral displacement of the vessel components and the aesthetic design is improved too.

Finally, an advantageous embodiment of the vessel of the present invention is characterized in that the vessel components are made of a resilient material and that the elevations and depressions are interlockable. By means of 5 S S S I I U S S S S a a t! 0 i7 77~;~ ,1 1 roor-: L i I_ the interlocking of the elevations and depressions the resistance against a lateral displacement of the vessel components is further increased, as, e.g. a closed vessel in which the two vessel components are pressed one on the other with their rims for interlocking the elevations and depressions, can only be opened again when exerting a certain amount of force. Closed vessels, too, the vessel components of which are interlocked in such manner with their bottom surfaces, can only be separated again applying a certain amount of force.

Embodiments of the present invention now are described with reference to the enclosed drawings. In the drawings Fig. 1 shows a pile of vessel components; Fig. 2 is a top view of another embodiment of the vessel having profiles on the rim; Fig. 3 shows a section through a pile of vessel components according to Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 shows a section through the rims of two vessel components according to Fig. 3 stacked one on the other to form a closed vessel.

Fig. 1 shows a deep pot which bears a deep plate as cover bearing a flat cup, such cup again being covered by a flat plate as cover as vessel components. In all those vessels the diameter of the top openings is the same. The tongue 6 *0 *4 Q 44 ON *0 LON 0 .Ld* *OY5 0 *o S 45u 450 000 0 5 i.55 i0 a i 9 5) 0 3 15

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i running around the bottom surface of said vessels is formed such that it is positively engages the openingof one of the above-described vessels, inhibits a lateral displacement of the stacked vessel with respect to the receptacle-vessel being positioned thereunder and serves as a sealing edge. The inclined shape of the contact surfaces of the vessels causes an increased sealing effect. The circumferential tongue may also be formed as circumferential ring, wherein on the bottom surfaces of the vessel, i.e. at the contact surfaces of the closed vessels, alternatingly positively interlocking elevations or depressions are disposed in order to avoid a mutual lateral displacement of the vessel components, as will be described lateron.

In Figs. 2 and 3 a plate 1 is shown in top view (Fig.

2) as a vessel component as well as several plates (shown in section in Fig. 3) positicned one on the other and stacked in the sense of receptacle-plate and cover. A closed vessel is formed by one plate serving as a receptacle and the other serving as a cover, and the contact surfaces of the two vessel components are formed horizontally so that the profiles on the rims of the vessel components can engage interloCikingly. In particular the elevations 3 sinusoidally protruding over 7 S 0 0 0 009 419 0 *B 0 0 I- B S *4 0 0

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the horizontally formed contact surface 6' engage with the depressions 3' cosinusoidally impressed in the horizontal contact surface of the other plate. The increased side retension herein is achieved by means of the cheeks 8 in the circular curve perpendicularly protruding over the horizontal contact surface and the cheeks 9 in the circular curve being countersunk in the horizontal contact surface, of the elevations and depressions. The interfusing elevations 3 and depressions 3' sinus-cosinusoidally swinging around the plate rim therein form a continuous band 7 around the plate rim.

At the bottom surface 2 of the plates 1 alternatingly depressions 4' and elevations 4 are recessed or seated respectively, in such manner that they engage interlockingly when the plates are placed one on the other with facing bottom surfaces so that also in case of a stacking of the vessels formed by the plates 1, a mutual displacement of the plates is not possible.

Fig. 4 shows a section through the rims 6 of two stacked plates 1 in lateral top view, and it can be seen in which way the elevations 3 protruding over the horizontal rims 6 lying one on the other and depressions 3' form a sinusoidal-cosinusoidal line in case of direct lining-up and corresponding shaping.

The vessel components may be made of a resilient 8 4 USr S a a I I 4 6 a 0 4 material, ir, particular, metal or plastics, and may be given such shape that the elevations interlockingly engage in the depressions when the vessels are pressed one on the other.

The vessel components which are shown as plates in Figs. 2 and 4 may be formed as flat plates, deep plates or even as cups, wherein the covers being formed as plates may be used as cover and as plate at the same time.

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Claims (6)

1. Vessel comprising two vessel components, the vessel components having rims on which profiles are arranged such that the profiles of the two vessel components when positioned one on the other and facing each other, interlock positively to prevent relative circumferential displacement, the profiles being elevations and depressions, the profiles having cheeks perpendicular to the surfaces of contact of the vessel components and running in parallel with the rims.

2. Vessel according to claim 1, wherein on the bottom side of the respective vessel components alternatingly depressions and elevations are recessed or seated, positively interlocking when two vessel components lie on one another with facing bottom surfaces.

3. Vessel according to claim 2, wherein the depressions and elevations have cheeks perpendicular to the contact surfaces ofthe vessel components at the bottom surfaces and running in parallel to the vessel rims.

4. Vessel according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the elevations and depressions form a continuous circumferential band.

Vessel according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the vessel components are made of a resilient material and the elevations mate with the depressions. 10 c~

6. A vessel substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings. DATED this 11th day of January 1990 KARL E. STRUNKMANN-MEISTER Attorney: WILLIAM S. LLOYD Fellow Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia of SH-ELSTON WATERS j 11 9 0 49 4 t~ 0~ 99 eQ e ,a I Q~ 4 9 9 It I 949 9 t,9 999 99 0 994 4* I 44 te 11k r 909 **t I I 4 4 I 9 9 *0 0