GB2258452A

GB2258452A - Stackable/nestable containers

Info

Publication number: GB2258452A
Application number: GB9115817A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Humbert James Holliday
Original assignee: Perstorp Form Ltd
Current assignee: Perstorp Form Ltd
Priority date: 1991-07-23
Filing date: 1991-07-23
Publication date: 1993-02-10
Anticipated expiration: 2011-07-23
Also published as: WO1993001986A1; GB2258452B; GB9115817D0; AU2364492A

Abstract

A container is in the form of a box. The box can nest with a similar box in one orientation and stack with a similar box in another orientation. The boxes stack when they are in a "like" orientation. The outside walls of the container have outwardly extending projections having downwardly extending faces in the region of the lower edge of the container, whereas the inner walls of the container have inwardly projecting upwardly directed lands in the region of the upper part of the container, the exterior of each container is provided with cut-away portions and the interior is provided with means defining pockets so that if a second container is lowered on to a first container in a reversed orientation, the cut-away portions and the pockets will receive the projections and the lands. The means defining the lands extend axially of the container over substantially the entire length of each sidewall thus facilitating slide-stacking.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION "Improvements in or relating to a Container" THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to containers, and more particularly relates to containers adapted to stack in one relative orientation and to nest in another relative orientation.

Prior proposed nesting and stacking containers are usually of elongate form, usually having a substantially rectangular configuration when viewed from above. Many conventional containers of this type are injection moulded of a plastic material, and are designed so that containers will nest when the containers are super-imposed in the same relative orientation, that is to say when an upper container is lowered into a lower container, with each container being precisely the same-way-round. The containers are also designed so that they will stack when the containers are super-imposed with alternate containers in a reversed orientation, that is to say with odd numbered containers in the stack one-way-round, and even numbered containers within the stack the other-way-round.

It has been proposed before to provide a container which will stack when the containers are super-imposed in the same relative orientation. This can provide specific advantages, particularly if the containers are not totally symmetrical, and thus one "end" of the container is different from the other "end". For example, one "end" may be provided with a large aperture to provide access to the container or, in alternative arrangements, the container may be provided with means to hold an identifying label.

These containers provide the advantage that when a person is stacking containers when they are full, the containers are stacked with all the containers having the same relative orientation, that is to say with all the containers stacked the same-way-round.

GB-A-2207417 describes the container of this type which is adapted to be stacked with the containers the same-way-round. One disadvantage of the container of GB-A2207417 is that the containers can only be stacked by a lowering an upper container into position on the stack since the various projections provided on the exterior of the container must engage the corresponding projections on the interior of the container. This means that it is not possible to slide-stack the containers by sliding a container into position on top of the stack. The present invention, however, seeks to provide a container which will stack with another container the same-way-round and in which a container may be slide-stacked.

According to this invention there is provided a container, said container comprising means defining a base and side walls and end walls, the container being provided with means, on the interior of the side walls of the container, defining inwardly projecting lands in the region of the upper part of the container, the exterior of the side walls of the container being provided with means defining outwardly extending projections having downwardly extending faces in the region of the lower edge of the container, said lands and faces being so located that when a second such container is lowered on to a first such container with the same orientation, the faces provided on the projections on the exterior of the second container are engaged and supported by the lands on the interior of the first container thus enabling the containers to be stacked; the exterior of each container also being provided with cut-away portions and the interior of each container also being provided with means defining pockets, such that if a second container is lowered on to a first container in a reversed orientation, then the cut-away portions and said pockets will receive the means defining the lands, and the means forming said projections, thus enabling the containers to be nested, the means defining the lands forming part of a horizontally extending surface extending axially of the container over substantially the entire length of each side wall, said horizontally extending surfaces being at a level below the tops of the side walls.

A container in accordance with the invention may be slide-stacked with another container in accordance with the invention of identical design. The faces on the projections located at one end of the container may engage the horizontally extending surfaces of a lower container and the upper container may then be slid into position.

Preferably said faces are provided with depending lips at their free edges and said horizontal surfaces are provided with upstanding lips at their free edges.

Advantageously two projections are provided on each side wall, one being located immediately adjacent one end of the side wall and the other being located at a position spaced from the other end of the side wall, the container having pockets similarly located at a position adjacent one end of the side wall and a position spaced from the other end of the side wall, the projection located at the said one end of each side wall being of greater width and/or depth than the projection spaced from the other end of the side wall, and the pockets located at the said one end of the side wall being of greater width and/or depth than the pockets spaced from the other end of the side wall.

Conveniently the said projections and pockets located at said one end of the side wall are of greater depth than the other projections and pockets, part of the horizontal surface extending past each of said other pockets.

Advantageously the container is provided with a closure in the form of a lid, the lid being an integrally formed element having a central line of mechanical weakness constituting a hinge, the lid being provided, at two end portions spaced from the hinge with projections adapted to be received within recesses or apertures provided in the container for that purpose, means being provided to retain the lid with the projections engaged in the apertures or recesses.

According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a container comprising a base and upstanding side walls, the container being provided with a closure in the form of a lid, the lid being an integrally formed element having a central line of mechanical weakness constituting a hinge, the lid being provided, at two end portions spaced from the hinge with projections adapted to be received within recesses or apertures provided in the container for that purpose, means being provided to retain the lid with the projections engaged in the apertures or recesses.

Preferably apertures are formed in the lid and the container is adapted to receive securing means to retain the lid in the closed position.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a container in accordance with the invention, FIGURE 2 is a part sectional part side elevational view of a lid adapted to be secured to the container, and FIGURE 3 is a part view of another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings the container 1 in accordance with the invention is a generally elongate container which is injection moulded from a plastics material. The container is generally rectangular when viewed from above.

The container 1 is so designed as to be symmetrical about a substantially vertical plane extending along a central longitudinal axis of a rectangular container. This plane of symmetry is identified by means of a dash line 2 which illustrates where the plane of symmetry intersects the container.

The container of the invention, as will be described in more detail below, is provided with means defining inwardly projecting lands located adjacent the opposed ends of the container, these lands being formed on the interior of the container. On the exterior of the container there are formed projections which are so located that when a second identical container is mounted on the described container in the same orientation as the described container the under-faces of the projections on the exterior of the upper container engage the inwardly projecting lands on the interior of the lower container so that the upper container is supported by the lower container.However, the exterior of the container is also provided with cut-away portions so that, if a second container is lowered on to a first container in a reversed orientation, in other words turned the other way about, then the cut-away portions will be located in a region occupied by the said lands of the second container.

Furthermore, the container is provided with pockets on the interior of the container which are located adjacent said projections, these interior pockets being dimensioned to receive the parts of the second container defining the projections. Thus the containers may be nested, at least partially.

In the embodiment to be described, it is to be appreciated that the lands mentioned above form part of a horizontal surface which extends over substantially the entire length of the container, apart from the regions where the said pockets are provided on the interior of the container, at a position spaced below the top of each side wall. The arrangement is thus such that the projections on the exterior may engage these horizontal surfaces and an upper container may be slid relative to a lower container with the projections on the upper container engaging and sliding along the said horizontal surfaces, while being guided by the parts of the side walls that extend above the horizontal surfaces Containers in accordance with the invention may thus be slide-stacked.

The illustrated container comprises a flat base 3 of rectangular form. Two opposed side walls 4,5 extend up from the long sides of the base and two ends walls 6,7 extend up from the short sides of the base. The end wall 7 defines a relatively large aperture 8 therein, whereas the end wall 6 is provided with a smaller aperture 9 which forms a carrying handle. The side walls 4,5 are each a mirror image of the other, about the line of symmetry 2.

Each side wall is provided, on its exterior, with two spaced apart projections 10,11. Each of these projections has a downwardly facing lower face 12 which is substantially aligned with the bottom 3 or lower edge of the container 1. Each face 12 is provided with a peripheral downwardly extending lip 13 at its free edge.

The projection 10 is provided adjacent the forward-most end of the box, in the orientation illustrated, and has a greater width than the width of the projection 11 which is located at a position spaced inwardly from the other end of the box.

The interior of the side wall 5 has a formation which defines two pockets 14,15 which are upwardly open.

The pocket 14 is located adjacent the rear wall of the container, in the position of the container as illustrated, and has a width equal to or slightly greater than the width of the projection 10. The pocket 15 is located at a position spaced inwardly from the front wall of the container in the orientation illustrated, by a distance equal to the distance by which the projection 11 is spaced from the rear end of the container, and the pocket 15 has a width lesser than the width of the pocket 14, the width of the pocket 15 being equal to or greater than the width of the projection 11.

The formation on the interior of the side wall 5 defines a horizontal upper surface 16 at a position slightly below the top of the side wall 5 which extends over the entire axial length of the box apart from the region where the pockets are provided. The horizontal surface 16 is provided with a peripheral upstanding lip 17 at its free edge.

It is to be noted that the outer part of the side wall 4, is substantially cut away in regions 17,18, the region 17 being located between the projections 10 and 11 and the region 18 being located between the projection 11 and the end of the container adjacent the end wall 6. The regions 17,18 cover the whole of the side wall except for the projections 10 and 11. An aperture 19 is formed in the cut-away portion 18.

If a box as illustrated is placed in a horizontal position and another identical box is lowered on to the first box, then the downwardly directed under-surfaces 12 of the projections 10 and 11 on each side wall of the upper box will engage the horizontal surface 16 provided on the formation present on the interior of the side wall.

However, if the upper box is reversed (i.e. is rotated by 1800 in a horizontal plane) before the upper box is lowered on to the lower box, then the projections 10 and 11 on the side wall 4 of the upper box will be received within the pockets 14 and 15 respectively on the side wall 5 of the lower box.

It is to be noted that when the congtainers are nested, the upper part of the formation on the ingterior of the side wall 5 are received within the cut-away regions 17,18 on the exterior of the side wall 4. When the containers are nested, they are nested by 50%, and thus the containers can still contain items even when nested. If preferred, however, the containers may be made to nest by a greater amount than 50%.

It is possible to slide-stack a box of the type described with reference to Figure 1. If the upper box is lowered on to the lower box from a position behind the lower box as illustrated, the projections 10 may engage with a part of the horizontal surfaces 16 adjacent the pocket 14. The lips 12 and 17 will assist in this engagement. The upper box may then be slid towards the stacked position with the projections 10 sliding along the horizontal upper surface 16. The downwardly depending lips 13 provided on the under-surfaces 12 of the projections 10 will engage the horizontal surfaces 16 adjacent the side walls. The lower parts of the projections 10 will engage the parts of the side walls located above the horizontal surfaces 16, preventing the containers from becoming disengaged. The projections 10 will not be received within the pocket 15 since the projections 10 are wider than the width of the pockets 15. The projections 10 will thus slide over the pockets 15 and engage the parts of the horizontal surfaces 16 located between the pockets 15 and the end wall 7. The containers will then be in the stacked condition.

It is to be observed that a part of the formation on the interior of the side walll located beneath the basis of the pockets 14,15 is of slightly greater width than the upper part of the formation on the side wall, thus giving rise to the formation of a small horizontally extending surface 20. When the containers are nested the base 3 of the upper container rests on the projection 20.

Figure 2 is a view of a lid which may be used with a container similar to that illustrated in Figure 1. Of course, if a lid is to be used with the container, the apertures 8 and 9 would not be provided in the box or means would be provided for closing and sealing those apertures.

The lid is an integrally formed lid comprising two planar elements 21,22 inter-connected by means of an integrally formed hinge line 23. A peripheral flange 24 is provided adapted to rest on the top of the two side walls 4,5 and the two ends walls 6,7. Reinforcing webs 25 are provided extending up above the lid elements, and reinforcing webs 26 are provided extending downwardly. Two outwardly directed fingers 27,28 are provided at the ends of the lid mounted on the webs 26 at a position below the elements 21,22, adapted to be received within slots 29,30 formed in the end walls 6,7, for that purpose. An aperture 31 may be formed in a horizontal flange forming the top of each of the side walls 4,5 at a substantially central position, and a similar aperture may be formed in the part of the flange 24 adapted to overlie the aperture 31.

Lockable or securable fastening means may be passed through the aligned apertures to secure the lid in position.

The lid is positioned by locating one finger 27 or 28 in the appropriate aperture, and then, with the hinge line folded, resting the other end of the lid on the top of the container, and pressing down on the hinge. This moves the elements 21,22 to a co-planar position with both the fingers 28,29 received in the appropriate recesses.

The fact that the horizontal surfaces 16 are beneath the level of the tops of the side walls provides room for the lid, especially peripheral reinforcing ribs provided on the under-surface of the lid.

It is to be appreciated that thus far the invention has been described with reference to one single embodiment, and many modifications may be effected without departing from the scope of the invention. The opposed side walls of the container are shown each with a single aperture formed therein, but the side walls may be formed with a number of additional apertures, if desired.

Referring now to Figure 3 a modified embodiment of the invention is illustrated. Figure 3 illustrates the parts of the container which define the pocket 15 and the projection 11. The pocket 15 of Figure 3 has the same width as measured axially of the container and the same height as measured vertically, as the pocket 15 of the Figure 1 embodiment. However, the depth of the pocket, as measured horizontally in a direction perpendicular to the wall 5 is reduced. This means that the horizontal surface 16 has a portion 32 which extends across the top of the pocket, adjacent the side wall.

As can also be seen from Figure 3 the projection 11 has a reduced depth, as compared with the corresponding depth of the projection 11 of Figure 1.

This means that when containers in accordance with Figure 3 are nested, the projection 11 will still be received within the pocket 15, because both have a reduced depth. When the containers are stacked the projection 10 and the projection 11 both rest on the horizontal surface 16, since the depth of the projection 11 is sufficient to ensure that the under-surface of the projection 11 still rests on the horizontal surface 16.

However, when the containers are slide-stacked, because the projections 10 have the full depth, and because they have a downwardly depending lip 13 provided at the free or peripheral edge, the lip 13 will slide along that part of the upper surface 16 which is adjacent the side wall 5, and will then slide across the part 32 defined adjacent the pocket 15. Thus there is no risk of the projection 10 inadvertently engaging or inadvertently partially engaging the recess 15. If this expedient is adopted it is to be appreciated that the recess 15 may have the same width, measured in the axial direction of the box, as the recess 14. If the corresponding projections have the corresponding width, it is to be appreciated that the projection 10 will not be insertable into the pocket 15.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A container, said container comprising means defining a base and side walls and end walls, the container being provided with means, on the interior of the side walls of the container, defining inwardly projecting lands in the region of the upper part of the container, the exterior of the side walls of the container being provided with means defining outwardly extending projections having downwardly extending faces in the region of the lower edge of the container, said lands and faces being so located that when a second such container is lowered on to a first such container with the same orientation, the faces provided on the projections on the exterior of the second container are engaged and supported by the lands on the interior of the first container thus enabling the containers to be stacked; the exterior of each container also being provided with cut-away portions and the interior of each container also being provided with means defining pockets, such that if a second container is lowered on to a first container in a reversed orientation, then the cutaway portions and said pockets will receive the means defining the lands, and the means forming said projections, thus enabling the containers to be nested, the means defining the lands forming part of a horizontally extending surface extending axially of the container over substantially the entire length of each side wall, said horizontally extending surfaces being at a level below the tops of the side walls.

2. A container according to Claim 1 wherein said faces are provided with depending lips at their free edges and said horizontal surfaces are provided with upstanding lips at their free edges.

3. A container according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein two projections are provided on each side wall, one being located immediately adjacent one end of the side wall and the other being located at a position spaced from the other end of the side wall, the container having pockets similarly located at a position adjacent one end of the side wall and a position spaced from the other end of the side wall, the projection located at the said one end of each side wall being of greater width and/or depth than the projection spaced from the other end of the side wall, and the pockets located at the said one end of the side wall being of greater width and/or depth than the pocket spaced from the other end of the side wall.

4. A container according to Claim 3 wherein the said projections and pockets located at said one end of the side wall are of greater depth than the other projections and pockets, part of the horizontal surface extending past each of said other pockets.

5. A container according to any one of the preceding Claims, the container being provided with a closure in the form of a lid, the lid being an integrally formed element having a central line of mechanical weakness constituting a hinge, the lid being provided, at two end portions spaced from the hinge with projections adapted to be received within recesses or apertures provided in the container for that purpose, means being provided to retain the lid with the projections engaged in the apertures or recesses.

6. A container comprising a base and upstanding side walls, the container being provided with a closure in the form of a lid, the lid being an integrally formed element having a central line of mechanical weakness constituting a hinge, the lid being provided, at two end portions spaced from the hinge with projections adapted to be received within recesses or apertures provided in the container for that purpose, means being provided to retain the lid with the projections engaged in the apertures or recesses.

7. A container according to Claim 5 or 6 wherein apertures are formed in the lid and the container is adapted to receive securing means to retain the lid in the closed position.

8. A container substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A container when provided with a lid substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A container substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

11. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.