GB2247228A

GB2247228A - Containers of adjustable height

Info

Publication number: GB2247228A
Application number: GB9116024A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Valentine O'donovan
Original assignee: Digital Equipment International Ltd
Current assignee: Compaq Computer Holding Ltd
Priority date: 1990-07-25
Filing date: 1991-07-25
Publication date: 1992-02-26
Also published as: GB9116024D0

Abstract

A container formed from a kit for producing containers of adjustable height is built up from a base unit 12, a cover unit 14, and one or more spacer units 16, all with matching wall segments. A plurality of sleeve units 18 form a sliding fit with and overlap the base, cover, and spacer units, and are secured thereto to complete the container. In a variant form, the sleeve units fit outside the other units. <IMAGE>

Description

PACKAGING MEANS This invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to containers, and is more particularly concerned with a container assembly which can be assembled to provide a container of a height selected according to the size and/or quantity of the proposed contents of the assembled container.

Containers traditionally are made from container blanks, usually of thick, durable cardboard, and are of standard sizes when delivered to the user. Such containers when manufactured according to user requirements are suitable for most of a user's needs, but require the user to maintain a stock of various sizes, and also require the user to "make do" when a container is required for non-standard purposes, such as packaging of a number of smaller articles in a single container.

The present invention seeks to provide the user with sufficient flexibility that from a number of container assembly components, containers can be assembled at least approximately to whatever height is required by the user.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a container kit, for constructing a container, comprising: a base unit having a floor with upstanding wall segments around its edges; a cover unit having a cover with depending segments around its edges matching the base unit; at least one spacer unit having wall segments matching the base and cover units; two or more sleeve units each having wall segments forming a sliding fit with the base, cover, and spacer units; and securing means for securing the sleeve units to the base, cover, and spacer units.

The principle of the present system thus involves providing a kit of parts from which a container can be built up by assembling spacer units and sleeve units as desired on a base unit until a desired height has been reached, finishing off with a cover unit. The wall segments of each successive spacer unit and the cover unit mate edge-to-edge (coplanarly) with the wall segments of the base unit or spacer unit immediately below. The sleeve units are added along with the spacer units, and serve to make the union of each spacer unit with the adjacent base, spacer, and/or cover units rigid and strong.

The sleeve units may fit either inside or outside the base, cover, and spacer units; in the latter case, the base and cover units preferably each have projecting elements or rims around the floor or cover respectively matching the size of the sleeve units. The securing means may comprise apertures in the inner units and corresponding push-through tabs formed on the outer units.

Principally, containers formed from assemblies according to the present invention would be made from strong, durable cardboard or like material which would then enable the securing means to be provided as thumb-pressable tab portions of the wall portions of the base unit, cover unit and spacer units and/or of the sleeve units of the assembly, which tab portions will be aligned, as the container is assembled, with corresponding aligned apertures or push-out portions of the adjacent sleeve unit or spacer unit respectively, so that as the tab portions are pressed, they engage securely in the apertures or with the push-out portions to secure the sleeve units to the other units to provide a unitary container. Obviously other securing means can be employed, including bonding, riveting, stapling, etc.

Two container kits or assemblies embodying the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective, partially cut-away view of a container formed from the first kit; Figure 2 is a sectional view of the container shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional view of a container assembled from the second kit; Figure 4 is a plan view of a wall portion of a blank from which a rectangular outer spacer unit or outer sleeve unit of either kit can be formed, illustrating one form of part of the securing means thereof; and Figure 5 is a plan view of a wall portion of a blank from which a rectangular inner sleeve unit or inner spacer unit of either kit can be formed, illustrating a complementary part of the securing means thereof which co-operates with the part shown in Figure 4.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown an assembly assembled to form a rectangular container 10. The container 10, comprises a base unit 12, a cover unit 14, spacer units 16, sleeve units 18 and securing means 20.

The base unit 12 of the container 10 comprises a floor 22 of rectangular shape integrally-formed with upstanding wall portions 24 at each edge and which are secured together as by staples or the like in conventional manner.

Positioned on the upper edges of the wall portions 24 of the base unit is a spacer unit 16 which is of rectangular shape having wall portions 28 each of the same height and the spacer unit is positioned on the base unit 12 so that the wall portions 24 and 28 are in respective coplanar relationship.

A second spacer unit 16, in this example having the same dimensions as the first-mentioned spacer unit is positioned on the upper edges of the wall portions of the first-mentioned spacer unit 16.

The first-mentioned spacer unit is held in position laterally on the base unit 12 by an interior sleeve unit 18 which is of rectangular shape and comprises four wall portions 32, each of which is of an external length substantially equal to the internal length of each wall portion of the base unit 12 and of each wall portion of a spacer unit 16, such that a sleeve unit 18 forms a sliding fit within a spacer unit and the base unit. The height of the wall portions of the sleeve unit is such that the wall portions thereof project upwardly above the wall portions of the base unit to a height which is half the height of the wall portions of the spacer unit, when the sleeve unit is resting on the floor of the base unit.

A second sleeve unit 18 identical to the abovementioned sleeve unit 18 is then positioned on top of the first-mentioned sleeve unit 18 and serves to hold the two spacer units in aligned surmounted position. In practice, when assembling the container 10, the firstmentioned sleeve unit will be located in the base unit and then the spacer unit located over it and slid down to rest on the wall portions of the base unit, and then the procedure repeated for the second sleeve unit and the second spacer unit.

A third sleeve unit 18, identical to the first and second sleeve units is then located inside the second spacer unit 16.

The cover unit 14, which, in the illustrated example, is of the same dimensions as the base unit is then placed over the third sleeve unit to complete the assembly of the container.

The illustrated container, has for the sake of simplicity been shown as assembled from spacer units and sleeve units which are of standard heights. However, it is envisaged that a container may be assembled using component parts which are of such heights that the total height of the container can be tailored more precisely to what is to be packaged within the container.

A partial section of a container assembled from the second kit is shown in Figure 3. This container comprises a base unit 42 and a cover unit 44 which are of substantially identical dimensions, the base unit comprising a floor 46 and upstanding side walls 48 and the cover unit comprising a cover 50 and depending side wall portions 52.

In this second container, each of the cover unit and base unit is formed to define, by folding of the material (e.g. board), a peripheral lip 54 on which the lowermost sleeve unit can sit. Two spacer units 56 can be positioned one on top of each other and held in place by three sleeve units 58 which can be slid down over the outside of the spacer units as the container is assembled. Finally, when the container has been built up to the required height, it is closed by the cover unit 44 being fitted into the upper end of the uppermost sleeve unit.

Means for securing the sleeve units to the base unit, the cover unit and the spacer units is shown in Figures 4 and 5. In Figure 4 is shown a wall portion of an outer spacer/sleeve unit having upper and lower male components of the securing means of an assembly according to the invention. Each male component is provided as a thumb-pressable tab 60 hinged along a fold line 67, one adjacent the top and one adjacent the bottom of each wall portion of each spacer unit of the container shown in Figure 2.These tabs are each arranged to co-operate with corresponding "female" components of the securing means which are formed one on each side of a horizontal centre line of a wall portion of an inner unit of the assembled container, i.e. the sleeve unit of Figures 1 and 2, or the spacer unit of Figure 3, the female component being provided by a trapezoidal aperture 61 which is defined by pressing out a tab 62 hinged along a fold line 64 and cut through on the other three sides. The two tabs 60 and 62 are aligned such that an enlarged head portion 65 of the male tab can be pushed through the trapezoidal aperture 61 so that the edges 66 of the head portion 64 engage behind the aperture and prevent the tab from inadvertently pulling back through the aperture. The component units of the container are secured together by pressing each male tab through its corresponding aperture. Alternative tab shapes and aperture shapes can be selected.

The construction of a container from the present kits also allows for greater ease of disassembly insofar as the container can be dismantled by stages to remove the contents therefrom as required.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A container kit, for constructing a container, comprising: a base unit having a floor with upstanding wall segments around its edges; a cover unit having a cover with depending segments around its edges matching the base unit; at least one spacer unit having wall segments matching the base and cover units; two or more sleeve units each having wall segments forming a sliding fit with the base, cover, and spacer units; and securing means for securing the sleeve units to the base, cover, and spacer units.

2. A kit according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve units fit inside the base, cover, and spacer units.

3. A kit according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve units fit outside the base, cover, and spacer units.

4. A kit according to claim 3 wherein the base and cover units each have projecting elements around the floor or cover respectively matching the size of the sleeve units.

5. A kit according to any preceding claim wherein the securing means comprise apertures in the inner units and push-through tabs formed on the outer units.

6. A kit according to any preceding claim wherein there is a plurality of spacer units and the spacer and sleeve units are each of at least two sizes.

7. A container kit substantially as herein described and illustrated.

8. Any novel and inventive feature or combination of features specifically disclosed herein within the meaning of Article 4H of the International Convention (Paris Convention).