GB2182304A

GB2182304A - Containers

Info

Publication number: GB2182304A
Application number: GB08527083A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Phd George Elias Assousa
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-11-04
Filing date: 1985-11-04
Publication date: 1987-05-13
Also published as: GB8527083D0; GB2182304B

Abstract

A container, preferaby of plastics material, has a spout 5 extending outwardly from one wall of the container whilst a second wall has a recess 7 which is of shape complementary with the shape of the external surface of the spout to enable interlocking of the spout of one container with the recess of another container to lock the containers together. A plug 10 is located in the recess to seal the spout opening when two containers are coupled together. The shape of the interconnecting parts are preferably such as to provide a snap fit although a bayonet fitting of alternatively a screw thread arrangement can be provided to effect interlocking of containers. There is also provided a cap having a plug and an internal surface which is complementary with the external surface of the spout of the container so that the cap can securely engage in the spout whilst simultaneously sealing the spout opening. The recess can be provided in other than the bottom wall as shown. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Containers This invention relates to containers and more particularlyto containers which are interlockable one with the next in a stack.

According to the present invention there is provided a container comprising afirstwall portion having a spoutforfilling oremptyingthe containerextending outwardlyfrom thefirstwall, a second wall portion having a recess extending into the container, interconnection means on thespoutand in the recess such that the spout of one container is engagable with the recess of another container to lock the containers together, and a plug located in the recess for sealing engagement with the spout opening to seal the spout opening when two containers are coupled together.

In one preferred embodiment of the container according to the present invention the spout extends outwardlyfromthetopwall of a container and the recess is provided in the opposite bottom wall ofthe container. It is preferred that the spout, recess and plug lie on a common axis.

In one preferred embodimentthe interconnection meanscomprisea pushfitconnection. More particularlythe outer surface ofthe spout may comprise a bulbous or convex surface, whilst the recess is provided with a complementary concave surface. The walls ofthe container are of a resilient material, such as plastics material,to allowthe bulbous spout to be pushed into the recess such that the interlocking means comprises a push fit ball and socket connec- tion. In an alternative embodimentthe interconnection means can comprise a bayonet fitting arrangement in which one part ofthe bayonet fitting is on the spout and the remaining portion of the bayonet fit- ting is located in the recess.

The spout and recess may be ofacircularconfigur- ation each having screw threads constituting the interconnection means. The spout can be closed by a cap having an internal surface which is of a complementary shape to that ofthe external surface of the spout to provide a tight sealing fittherebetween.

The plug is preferably of a frusto-conical configuration and engages with a complementary shaped innersurface ofthespout. The plug can takeany othershape providing sealing ofthecqntaineris achieved by the plug engaging with the spout opening.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure lisa cross-sectional side elevational view of two interconnected container according to the present invention, and Figure2 is a bottom plan view of one container of Figure 1.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 in more detail, there is shown the containers 1, 1 a each having a cylindrical sidewall 2, a top wall 3 and a bottom wall 4. Aspout5 is located centrally of the top wall 3 and extends out wardlyfrom the top wall. The outer surface of the spout 5 is of a fruSto-conical configuration.

A recess 7 is located centrally in the bottom wall 4 and extends into the container 1. The inner surface of the recess 7 has a frusto-conical configuration com plementarywith that of the outer surface 6 ofthe spout 5 such that the spout of another container 1 a can be push fittingly engaged with the recess 7 ofthe container 1 of Figure 1 to interlock two containers one upon the other. A resilient lip 8 locks the spout within the recess7 by location of the lip within a recess 9 on the spout between the top wall 3 and the frusto-conical portion ofthe spout.

A plug 10 is Iqcated centrally within the recess 7 and is on a common axis with the spout 5, and recess 7. The plug has a frusto-conical configuration and is complementary in outer shape with inner surface 11 of the spout 5 to effect sealing of the container 1 a when connected into the recess 7.

The container is constructed from a substantially rigid plastics material and can be filled or emptied through the spout.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the above described containers, various other containers can be provided without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example, in one alternative embodiment of the container, the interconnecting push fit surfaces of the spout 5 and recess 7, respectively, are replaced by portions of a bayonet fitting arrangement. In such an arrangementthe spout 5 has a substantially smooth surface with diametrically opposed outwardly extending pins forming one part ofthe bayonetfitting. In the recess 7 the wal Is are formed with diametrically opposed slots having a shape normally associated with a standard bayonet fitting for receiving the pins of the spout of an adjacent container.

In another embodiment of a container according to the present invention the spout 5 is of a rectangular configuration, for example square, and the recess 7 and plug 10 are of a complementary shapeto receive the rectangular shaped spout. The interlocking of the rectangularly shaped spout and recess is achieved by providing an outwardly extending lip around the outer surface of the spout and a complementary indentation in the surface of the recess in the bottom of the container such that when a spout and recess are engaged the lip is located in the indentation to lock the spout and recess together.

In either of the lasttwo embodiments the outer walls ofthe spout may be of a generally convex nature whilst the inner wall of the recess is of a concave nature so that interlocking is effected by pushing the bulbous spout into the recess. Whilstthe material from which the container is made of a substantially rigid plastics material there is sufficient resilience within the material to allow such push fitting.

In yet another embodiment the outer surface 6 of the spout 5 is provided with a screw thread for interconnection with a similar screw thread on the inner surface of the recess 7. The plug 10 is preferably frusto-conical but may be of a cylindrical configuration to engage and seal the inner surface of the spout opening.

The outer surface 6 of the spout 5 can alternatively take pyramidal, spherical or cylindrical shapesforexample. The recess 7 having a complementary internal shape.

Although the material ofthe container has been described as being of a plastics material the container can be made from anyothersuitable rigid material.

In the above embodiments the spout and recess have been described as being located on opposite walls ofthe container and having a common axis.

However, applicant's invention extends to containers in which the spout is located in one wall and the recess is located in an adjacqntwall such thatthe axes ofthe spout and the recess are transverse one with the other.

The shape ofthe container has been described above as being generally cylindrical. However, the container can be of a rectangular or any othersuitable configuration.

The spout 5 in these alternative embodiments can be closed by a cap 12 (shown detached in Figure 1) having appropriate interengagement means, either complementary push fit or a screw thread connection, when the spout is not engaged with the recess ofanothercontainer.

Whilst the above described embodiments disclose a container having a spout which is smailer in external diameter than the diameter ofthecontainer body, applicants' invention extends to a jar in which the spout is generally of the same outer dimensions, transverse to the axis ofthe container, as the body of the container. The recess is of a complementary configuration whilstthe plug is dimensioned to seal the jar opening.

The containercan alternatively be a bottle as indicated in the accompanying drawings and advan tageouslycan result in a push pull interlocking multibottle dispenser arrangement.

Claims

1. A container comprising a firstwall portion having a spoutforfilling or emptying the container extending outwardly from the first wall, a second wall portion having a recess extending into the container, interconnection means on the spout and in the recess such that the spout of one container is engagable with the recess of anoTher container to lockthe containers together, and a plug located in the recess for sealing engagement with the spout opening to seal the spout opening when two containers are coupled together.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spoutstands outwardlyfromthetopwall of a container and the recess is provided within the opposite bottom wall ofthe container.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the spout, recess and plug lie on a common axis.

4. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interconnection means comprises a push fit connection.

5. Acontainer as claimed in claim 4, wherein the outer surface of the spout comprises a bulbous surface and the recess has a complementary concave surface.

6. Acontaineras claimed in claim 5, wherein the container is formed of a resilient material.

7. A container as claimed in claim 6, wherein the resilient material is a plastics material.

8. Acontainerasclaimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the interconnection means comprises a bayonet fitting with one part ofthefitting on the spoutandthe remaining portion of the bayonetfitting located in the recess.

9. Acontainerasclalmed in anyoneofclaims 1 to 3, wherein the interconnection means comprises a screw th read arrangement for interconnecting the spout and recess.

10. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a cap having an internal surface complementary with the shape ofthe external surface ofthe spout to provide a tight sealing fit therebetween.

11. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims where in the plug is of a frustoconical configuration for engagement with a com plementaryshaped innersurfaceofthespout.

12. A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have thefollowing effect: (a) Claim 1 above has been deleted ortextually amended.

(b) New ortextually amended claim has been filed as follows: CLAIMS

1. Acontainercomprisingafirstwall portion having a spoutforfilling or emptying the containing extending outwardly from the first wall, a second wall portion having a recess extending into the container, interconnection means on the spout and in the recess such that the spoutofone container is engagable with the recess ofanothercontainerto lockthe containers together, and a plug integ rally formed as part of the second wall portion and located in the re cessfor sealing engagement with the spout opening to seal the spout opening when two containers are coupled together.