GB1597813A - Stackable containers - Google Patents

Description

(54) AN IMPROVEMENT IN OR RELATING TO STACKABLE CONTAINERS (71) We, DAVID MASON, MALCOLM PINDER, and JOHN UPTON, British Subjects, trading as MARK GARD PLASTICS, c/o MASON AND PINDER (TOOLMAKERS) LIMITED, Coulman Street Industrial Estate, Thorne, Doncaster, formerly of High Street, Rawcliffe, Near Goole, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be' particularly described in and by the following statement:- The invention relates to stackable and nestable containers.

According to the invention, there is provided a rectangular stackable container with diverging side walls permitting one such container to be nested partially within another like container, the container being provided with a hollow upwardly tapering pillar extending upwardly from a sidewall of the container adjacent each corner thereof such that when two containers are nested the pillars of the lower container enter the underside of the pillars of the upper container, the container also having a pillar top locating means on its underside adjacent each corner, the locating means being adjacent to but on the opposite side of the corner to the pillar and the arrangement of the pillars and the locating means being such that by rotating an upper container with respect to a lower container, its locating means can be made to correspond with and engage the tops of the pillars of the lower container so that a stable stack is formed with the bottom of the upper container spaced from the top of the lower container. The side walls of the container will preferably be inwardly stepped, at least at one level intermediate their height, to increase the depth of section of the side walls in that region. The container may be moulded in a synthetic plastics material, in which case at least the side walls may be provided with a plurality of moulded apertures so that at least the side walls will have a lattice-work form. Usually each locating means is a recess on the underside of the container and preferably the top of each pillar is of circular section and the locating means is a circular recess into which it can fit.

In order that the invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a stackable and nestable container embodying the invention, Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a side view of a plurality of the containers nested together, each one partially within another, when not in use, and Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the containers stacked together when in use.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, the container there illustrated has been moulded in a synthetic plastics material and comprises a basal wall 10 and upstanding side walls 12. The container is of substantially rectangular shape in plan view, but the side walls diverge as shown so that a pair of such containers can be nested one partially within the other. As shown in Figure 2, the side walls are inwardly stepped at the levels 14 and 16 intermediate their height so that in those regions the dePth of section of each side wall is increased. The side walls and the basal wall of the container are provided with a plurality of apertures 18 so that they have a lattice-work form.

Referring now in particuIar to Figure 1, the container is provided with four tapering hollow pillars 20, 22, 24 and 26. However, although the pillars 20 and 22 are located partly within one of the longer side walls, the pillars 24 and 26 are located partly within the shorter side walls. In this way it will be seen that the pillars are arranged in oppositely offset relation. It will also be seen that at a point opposite each hollow pillar, the basal wall of the container is provided with locating means for the tops of pillars in the form of circular recesses 28.

The arrangement is such that when a plurality of the containers all have the same orientation they can be nested partly within one another and with the tapering hollow pillars of each container located partly within those of the next container above it.

However, when one of the containers has been turned through 180"C with respect to the other, the hollow pillars of one do not coincide with the hollow pillars of the other but engage in its recesses 28 so that the containers are stacked one upon the other at a spacing determined by the length of the hollow pillars.

It has been found that a stack of several containers as described above, even when stacked at the spacing determined by the length of the hollow pillars, is very stable and this is of course because the pillars are arranged close to the corners of the containers and because the upper ends of the hollow pillars are recessed into the underside of the overlying containers. The containers can be used for a variety of purposes, for example for the transport of market garden produce and for any other goods which need to be given a certain amount of protection in transit (or which it is convenient to transport in batches).

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A rectangular stackable container with diverging side walls permitting one such container to be nested partially within another like container, the container being provided with a hollow upwardly tapering pillar extending upwardly from a sidewall of the container adjacent each corner thereof such that when two containers are nested the pillars of the lower container enter the underside of the pillars of the upper container, the container also having a pillartop locating means on its underside adjacent each corner, the locating means being adjacent to but on the opposite side of the corner to the pillar and the arrangement of the pillars and the locating means being such that by rotating an upper container with respect to a lower container, its locating means can be made to correspond with and engage the tops of the pillars of the lower container so that a stable stack is formed with the bottom of the upper container spaced from the top of the lower container.

2. A container according to claim 1, the side walls of which are inwardly stepped, at least at one level intermediate their height, to increase the depth of section of the side walls in that region.

3. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, moulded in a synthetic plastics material.

4. A container according to claim 3, in which at least the side walls are provided with a plurality of moulded apertures so that at least the side walls have a lattice-work form.

5. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein each locating means is a recess on the underside of the container.

6. A container according to any one of claims 1 --4, wherein the top of each pillar is of circular section and the locating means is a circular recess into which it can fit.

7. A stackable and nestable container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. orientation they can be nested partly within one another and with the tapering hollow pillars of each container located partly within those of the next container above it. However, when one of the containers has been turned through 180"C with respect to the other, the hollow pillars of one do not coincide with the hollow pillars of the other but engage in its recesses 28 so that the containers are stacked one upon the other at a spacing determined by the length of the hollow pillars. It has been found that a stack of several containers as described above, even when stacked at the spacing determined by the length of the hollow pillars, is very stable and this is of course because the pillars are arranged close to the corners of the containers and because the upper ends of the hollow pillars are recessed into the underside of the overlying containers. The containers can be used for a variety of purposes, for example for the transport of market garden produce and for any other goods which need to be given a certain amount of protection in transit (or which it is convenient to transport in batches). WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A rectangular stackable container with diverging side walls permitting one such container to be nested partially within another like container, the container being provided with a hollow upwardly tapering pillar extending upwardly from a sidewall of the container adjacent each corner thereof such that when two containers are nested the pillars of the lower container enter the underside of the pillars of the upper container, the container also having a pillartop locating means on its underside adjacent each corner, the locating means being adjacent to but on the opposite side of the corner to the pillar and the arrangement of the pillars and the locating means being such that by rotating an upper container with respect to a lower container, its locating means can be made to correspond with and engage the tops of the pillars of the lower container so that a stable stack is formed with the bottom of the upper container spaced from the top of the lower container.

2. A container according to claim 1, the side walls of which are inwardly stepped, at least at one level intermediate their height, to increase the depth of section of the side walls in that region.

3. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, moulded in a synthetic plastics material.

4. A container according to claim 3, in which at least the side walls are provided with a plurality of moulded apertures so that at least the side walls have a lattice-work form.

5. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein each locating means is a recess on the underside of the container.

6. A container according to any one of claims 1 --4, wherein the top of each pillar is of circular section and the locating means is a circular recess into which it can fit.

7. A stackable and nestable container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.