GB2298411A

GB2298411A - A nestable container

Info

Publication number: GB2298411A
Application number: GB9424667A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Leigh Smith
Original assignee: Allibert Equipment SA
Current assignee: Allibert Equipment SA
Priority date: 1994-12-07
Filing date: 1994-12-07
Publication date: 1996-09-04
Anticipated expiration: 2014-12-07
Also published as: GB2298411B; ES2109792T3; DE69501108T2; GB9424667D0; EP0716027B1; DE69501108D1; EP0716027A1

Description

f 2298411 1 A NESTABLE CONTAINER The invention relates to a nestable

container and particularly to a nestable container including means to carry a Card on oW side wall.

A known nestable container which includes means to carry a card in one side wall nests to 50 of its depth. The means to carry a card is defined in the lower half of the side wall so thaz it does not extend to the nesting height of the container. The container is moulded from plastics material. The carrying means is formed by a plurality of flanges extending outwardly from the wall of the container to retain the card and a thinned section of the wall to support the back of the card.

As the part of the container which supports the back of the card is thinned, it tends to cool more quickly than the remainder of the container and therefore shrinks less than the adjacent parts of the wall of the container which, due to their larger thickness cool more slowly and therefore shrink more thus causing the thinner section to bow. This bowing cf part of the wall is unsightly and may lead to the car= not being retained adequately. it also represents a point of weakness.

2 According to the invention there is provided a nestable container including means to carry a card on one side wall, the carrying means comprising:

at 'Least one lower flange to support the lower edge of a card and a rpcess above the or each lower flange to receive the or each lower flange of an L identical container nested in the firsit- conzainer; at least one side flange to support each side edge of a card and a recess above each side flange to receive each side flange of an identical container nested in the first container; and, an element to support the back of the card which interleaves with a support element of an identical container nested in the first container; at least one of the said flanges including a silop to prevent outwards movement of a card.

is By means of the invention, a nestable container can be provided in which the card carrying means extends over the nesting height of the container, while the parts o the carrying means can be made to any desired thickness. as they will interleave with one another and so their thickness is not restricted. Indeed, preferably the carrying means does extend over the nesting height of the container.

Conveniently, the parts of the carrying means may substantially all be of the same uniform thickness. Preferably, the parts of the carrying means are of the 3 same thickness as the thickness of the side wall of the container on which it is provided. The carrying means thus does not represent a weakness in the container as the thickness of the carrying means will be as great as the thl'tkness of the adjacent side wall. Furthermore, where the container is formed from plastics material, the carrying means will cool at the same rate as Lhe adjacent side wall and therefore no bowing will take place.

Att- least one flange may be provided which constit-utes both a lower flange and a side flange.

The or at least one lower flange may be provided centrally of the carrying means.

-ines at least one The support element preferably det upright arm and an upright recess below the or each upright arm to receive the or each uprignt arm or an identical container nested in the first container, the or each recess intersecting the base of the first container. Preferably, a plurality of arms and recesses is provided. The or each arm is preferably connected to the means defining the recess therebelow. In this case, the back of a card is supported over its entire height.

4 Preferably, the container is arranged to be produced in line of draw. This greatly reduces the expense in producing the container, as no moving blocks are reauLred in the tool to form the sides or ends of the con.ta:Lner,: only "core7 and "cavity" parts of a tool are required. The prior known container descr',..,,ed cannot be oroduced in line of draw. Preferabiv, nc part of the carrying means overlaps any other part thereof.

A lead-in surface to the carrying means is prefferalbly provided.

An embodimenz of the invention will now be described by way of example and wit-h reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective detail view of the carrying means of the container of the embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the carrying means of Ithe container of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an elevation In cross-section at line iII-III in Fig. 2; E F.g. 1 with a second Fig. 4 is the view of identicall container neste--i. w:L.-hin the first cGr-.--ainer: an d, Fig. 5 is the view of Fig. 2 showing a card being held by the carrying means.

1 a A container 10 includes a side wall 12 in which is defined carrying means 114 for carrying a card 16.

The side walls 12,13 of the container 130 are sjl--eppe.d outwardly and include two shoulders 18,20 separating 2 2,1 f the wal substantially verjL-úcal sections 2-2-26 of Ils 121,13.

1 The carrying means 14 defines a noticnaJ, reccard receiving region which is seen occumied- by a card 16 in Fig. 5. The region is substa.-,i'IL v symmetrical about the lower step 18 in the side wall 1- Lower corner flanges 28 are provided zo receive iChe 'Lower corners of the card 16. Eacl-1 iower corner flanze 28 extends outwardly from the 'Lower section 22 cf the 'de wall l".. over a distance enuival=nl- '-- 'he height k. L -he stem '98 and extends unwarl---. the f A!v to lusz alkicut and forms height of the stem 18 where it is flush w.:Li&k& a continuation of the middle section 24 OL the wall ded an 12. Above each rectangular flange 28 is provi" aperture in the middle section whi h extends the upper stem upwards to intersect 'I k 20. The aperture also extends behind each lower corner flange 28.

i 0 6 Centrally of the card receiving region is provided a lower flange 30 which extends outwardly from the lower section 22 of the wall 12 and upwardly so as to support the lower edge of a card 16 and act as a stop for outwards movementl The lower flange 30 does not extend upwardly as far as the lower step 18. An aperture is provided in the side wall 12 behind the flange 30 and above it to the level of the upper step 20. Between each corner flange 28 and the lower flange 30 is provided a support element 32. Each support element 32 comprises a central portion 34 which is continuous at the height of the first stop 18 between the aperture above the lower flange 30 and the aperture behind the respective corner flange 28. From this central portion 34 extend upwardly two arms 36. The central portion 34 is not stepped and the arms 36 are cc-planar with the lower section 22 of the wall 12 and therefore sat back from the plane of the middle section 24 and the flanges 28,30. The arms 36 are connected to a portion 38 of the middle section 24 of the side wall 12. The edge of the portion 38 is tapered inwards to meet the arms 36 to provide a lead in surface 39 for a card 16 entering the carrying means 14. Below the central portion 34 of the support element 32 are provided three arms 40. The lower arms 40 meet the lower section 22 of the side wall 12. Between the arms 40 are defined two recesses 42 which m.i is 25-5 7 lie directly beneath the arms 36. The recesses 42 extend downwardly from the card receiving region throuah the lower section 22 to interseck the base 44 of the container 10.

The container 10 may be moulded from plasz-,cs material.

1 lid down the 'Lead in surface 39 In use, a card '116 Ls sú and behind the corner flanaes 28.1kz abut the root of the lower flange 30.

h- Lhe card 16 is retained from falling outwards by the flanges 28,30 and the back of J. %_ T f' L.I.Le card is supported by the support elements 322. -.i.

t is des-red to nest 'he conta-iners, 'he card 16 is A 4.. -1 removed, which may be achieved by inverzing the -ainer 10 so t- ldes un the lead in con'. nat 1.he card 16 sú1.

surface 39 and falls out: oil the carrying means 14, and the containers are nested tocet-L=-,--. As the containers one con ner will 28,30 cj a i are nested, the flanges 4 lances 28,3C in -he A received in the anertures above 'L L 1.he other container, while the arms 36 wil -ures 4' def: -he arms received in the apert --lned between - th -her cont 32 of. Lie cik of the support elemeni. 91. Lainer.

All parts of the carrying means 114 are of the same .1 -.

thickness excect for the lead in surface 39 and this the side wall of -he same -hickness as hickness is 1.

8 Ihe container. Thus, there is no bowing of the L carrying means 14 on shrinkage of the container during cooling after plastics moulding.

As no part of It.'ne carrying means part thereof and as the surfaces istinct planes are in only two dú the container '10 together with can be made in line of draw, if only "core" andS hal.7es :ng of for mould' AE over, aps any of 'ihe carrying means can be seen that th the carrying means 14 required, such of a tool are required container.

Claims

9 1. A nestable container including means to carry a card on one wall, the carrying means comprising:

at least=e lowerflange to support the lower edge of a card and a recess above It-he or each lower flange to receive the or each lower flange of an identical container nested in the first container; at least one side flange to support each side edge of a card and a recess above each side flange to receive each side flange of an idenlkical container nested in the first container; and, - the card which an element to support the back ol. interleaves with a support element of an identical container nested in the first container; at least one of the said flanges including a stop to prevent outwards movement of a card.

A container as claimed in claim I 1. $, wherei the carrying means extends over the nesting height oir the container.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1, or claim 2, wherein the parts of the carrying means are substantially all of the same uniform Ikhickness.

4.

A container as claimed in claim 3, wherein the parts of the carrying means are of the same thickness as the thickness of the side wall of the container on which it is provided.

5. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one flange is provided wh constitutes both a lower flange and a side flange 1 0. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the or at least one lower flange is provided centrally of the carrying means.

ich A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support element defines at least one upright arm and an upright recess below the or each upright arm to receive the or each upright arm of an identical container nested in the first container, the or each recess intersecting the base of the first container.

8. A container as claimed in claim 7, wherein a plurality of arms and recesses is provided.

9. A container as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the or each arm is connected to the means defining the recess therebelow.

1 10. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container is arranged to be produced in line of draw.

11. A container ari claimed in any preceding claim, wherein no part of the carrying means overlaps any other part thereof.

12. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a lead-in surface to the carrying means is provided.

13. A nestable container including means to carry a card on one wall, the container being substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.