GB2322359A

GB2322359A - Stackable tray type container

Info

Publication number: GB2322359A
Application number: GB9709658A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Domenico Liverani
Original assignee: Infia SRL
Current assignee: Infia SRL
Priority date: 1997-02-21
Filing date: 1997-05-14
Publication date: 1998-08-26
Anticipated expiration: 2017-05-14
Also published as: IT238175Y1; GB2322359B; FR2759979B3; GB9709658D0; FR2759979A3; ITBO970029U1

Abstract

A tray type container consists of a container body (1) and a lid (2) the external surface (8) of the base of the former and the top (4) of external surface (9) of the latter, having a series of projections (10) and grooves (11) respectively, which fit together, one inside the other; these projections (10) and grooves (11) are distributed uniformly over the outer regions of the corresponding surfaces (8,9), thus enabling them to fit together securely while preventing the said external surface (8) of the container body (1) and the external surface (9) of the lid (2) underneath from sliding on each other.

Description

Tray type container The present invention relates to a tray type container used for food products, in particular, fruit and vegetables and cakes and pastries.

This kind of tray type container has been produced for some time for fruit, vegetables, cakes and pastries, ideally it is made from a single sheet of transparent plastic material, using a process of heat forming.

These containers consist substantially of two basic elements, an open container available in various different shapes according to the type of polygon which forms the base and a lid which closes the above mentioned container. In some cases the container and lid can be hinged along one side and therefore form one single element.

Containers of this kind facilitate the preparation and ordering of products for sale (enabling sorting according to volume and weight). They protect the product during transportation, allow the product to be well ventilated and take up a minimum amount of space in the warehouse when not in use.

The Applicant has therefore produced, given the enormous expansion in the market for this kind of product, a tray type container, either with separate or hinged components, consisting of a basic structure with the characteristics described above, and with an external surface architecture which allows for maximum stability when the containers are stacked vertically and less risk of sideways movement.

The technical characteristics of the present invention, according to the above mentioned aims are described in the claims below and its advantages are apparent from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and in which: - figures 1 and 2 illustrate an element of the lid which is part of a tray type container made according to the present invention, viewed from above and from the side respectively; - figures 3 and 4 illustrate the body of the container which is part of the tray style container made according to the present invention and viewed from below and from the side respectively; - figure 5 illustrates a complete tray type container consisting of body and lid, on which is placed the body of another container; viewed from the side; - figure 6 is an enlarged view of a detail of figure 5 in which the connecting elements of the disclosed container are illustrated fitted into each other; According to the accompanying drawings, with particular reference to figures 1 to 4, the tray type container disclosed, consists essentially of the container body 1 and a lid 2 which can be two separate elements (as illustrated by way of an example) or alternatively can be hinged together along one side.

The container body 1 has a base or bottom 3 which is square shaped, while the lid 2 has a top which is also square in shape. Both these elements have means 5 and 6 round their edges in order to enable the grooves 2 and an open surface 7 of the container body 1 to be slotted into each other. In the case illustrated these means 5 and 6 consist, by way of example, of the edges of the container (also labelled by 5 and 6) which allow the two elements to be slotted into each other. Obviously these means can be in the form of a hinge along one side of the respective elements, or even in the form of "snap fasteners" for closing these elements without causing the disclosed invention to lose its originality.

The external surface 8 of the base of the container body 1 and the external surface 9 of the top 4 of the lid 2 have projections 10 and grooves 11, respectively, which can be fitted into each other.

This group of projections 10 and grooves 11 are distributed uniformly over the four sides of the corresponding surfaces 8 and 9 and extend towards the inside of each of the surfaces, so that they fit together securely thus preventing the external surface of the container body 1, which is part of a container with a container body labelled 1', and the external surface 9 of the lid 2 underneath from sliding on each other (see figure 5).

In practice these groups of projections 10 and grooves 11 allow the stable vertical stacking of two or more containers 1, 1' etc. preventing the sideways movement of the same.

More precisely, the container body 1 has a plurality of projections 10 which run along the external surface 8 of the base and are used as feet to support the container when it is not stacked on top of other containers.

The end 10a of each of these projections 10, towards the inside of the external surface 8; is rounded, each projection 10 also has a trapezoidal section with rounded corners and with the smaller base 10b being on the lower end of the section thus defining a portion which fits into the above mentioned groove 11 of the surface 9 underneath (see figure 6).

In the same way, the lid 2 has a plurality of the above mentioned grooves 11 on the external surface 9. The end lla of each of these projections 11, towards the inside of the external surface, is rounded, while the groove section as in the case of the projection 10, is trapezoidal in shape with rounded corners and with the smaller base llb being the base which supports the projections 10 above: thus, the projections 10 and grooves 11 fit together.

In the accompanying drawings, the container body 1 has the shape of a truncated pyramid with the smaller base being the said base or bottom 4 of the container body: in this situation the grooves 11 on the lid 2 are located on the external surface 9 of the same lid in order to enable them to fit into the relative projections 10 on the corresponding container body 1 irrespective of the height of the same container body.

In other words, as shown by the dashed line in figure 1, the length of each groove 11 is designed to allow the projections 10 of the container body 1 above, to fit into them, even where the lower base is of a different size depending on the height of the container body 1.

As can be observed in figures 1 to 4, the container body 1 and the lid 2 have a plurality of vertical ribs 12 uniformly distributed on the external vertical sides of the same; the abovementioned projections 10 are connected uninterruptedly to the ribs 12, particularly on the container body 1, thus extending the ribs 12 on the external surface 8 of the base: This feature makes the container body 1 easier and quicker to use.

This tray type container therefore fulfils the aims it is intended to fulfil thanks to a homogeneous structure. It has the traditional characteristics of being practical to produce and to use, to which can be added good stability when two or more containers are stacked vertically, one on top of another, thanks to the production of projections and grooves which allow the various containers to be fitted into each other: the fact that it is possible to fit all four sides of the container together prevents the containers from moving sideways, keeps the stack together more securely, and thus makes transportation safer.

This solution as has already been mentioned, is perfectly suitable for use either as a tray type container with separate components or with the components hinged together.

The invention described can be subject to modifications and variations without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept.

Moreover, all the details of the invention may be substituted by technically equivalent elements.

Claims

1 Tray type container which consists of a container body and a lid with a base or bottom, a square shaped lid top with means placed round the edges, in order to enable the said lid and an open surface of said container body to be fitted into each other, characterised in that the external surface of the base of the container body and the external surface of the top of the lid have projections and grooves, respectively, which can be fitted into each other; the said group of projections and grooves are uniformly distributed over the sides of the corresponding said surfaces and extending towards the inside of the same surfaces, thus enabling them to fit together securely and preventing the external surface of the container body, and the external surface of the lid underneath, from sliding on each other.

2 The container according to claim 1, in which the said container body is shaped like a truncated pyramid with the smaller surface as the base or bottom of the container body, characterised in that the said projections and grooves on the said lid extend along the external surface of the said lid in such a way that the projections and grooves of the corresponding container body fit into one another whatever the height of the container body might be.

3 The container according to claim 1, characterised in that the said container body has a plurality of projections which run along the said external surface of the base and are used as feet to support the said container; the end of each of these projections, towards the inside of the external surface; being rounded, each projection also having a trapezoidal section with rounded corners and with the smaller base being on the lower end of the section thus defining a portion which fits into the above mentioned groove of the surface underneath.

4 The container according to claim 1, characterised in that the said lid has a plurality of grooves on the external surface the end of each of these projections, towards the inside of the same external surface; being rounded, each of these projections having a trapezoidal section with rounded corners and with the smaller base being the base which supports the projections above; so that the projections and grooves fit together.

5 The container according to claim 1, in which the container body and the said lid have a plurality of vertical ribs uniformly distributed on the external vertical sides of the same, characterised in that at least the projections are connected uninterruptedly to the said ribs thus extending the said external surface of the base.

6 The tray type container as in the foregoing claims is substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.