GB2397571A

GB2397571A - Stackable and nestable containers

Info

Publication number: GB2397571A
Application number: GB0229392A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Boucher-Giles
Original assignee: NEWCO PLASTIC PRODUCTS Ltd
Current assignee: NEWCO PLASTIC PRODUCTS Ltd
Priority date: 2002-12-18
Filing date: 2002-12-18
Publication date: 2004-07-28
Anticipated expiration: 2022-12-18
Also published as: GB2397571B; GB0229392D0

Abstract

A container may be nested and stacked with a similar container in the same rotational mode and may be stacked preferably at a lower stacking level with a similar container in an opposite rotational mode without any significant lateral offset in a stack of such containers. The container is provided with fingers (12) having feet (22) for cooperation with recesses in top regions of side walls (8,10) in the stacked state or with nesting recesses (14) in said walls for nesting, while for stacking in the opposite rotational mode the feet (22) abut inclined walls of the nesting recesses (14).

Description

PATENTS ACT 1977 A10765GB Title: Stackable and Nestable Containers

Description of Invention

This invention is concerned with improvements relating to containers, or trays (hereinafter referred to simply as containers for convenience), particularly containers of the kind which may alternatively be stacked when in use or nested when not in use.

According to this invention there is provided, a container which may be nested and stacked with a similar container in the same rotational mode and which may be stacked with a similar container in an opposite rotational mode without any significant offset in a stack of such containers in either of two mutually perpendicular lateral directions.

Preferably the container comprises on each of two opposite sides a plurality of nesting formations and a plurality of inclined nesting recesses, the nesting recesses being laterally offset from the nesting formations whereby the container may be nested with a similar container by introducing the nesting formations of one container into the nesting recesses of the other container.

Preferably the container may be stacked in an opposite rotational mode with a similar container by introducing the nesting formations of one container into the nesting recesses of the other container.

When the containers are in the same rotational mode, the stacked position (hereinafter referred to as the fully stacked position) is the one in which there is a maximum separation between the containers, whilst when the containers are in the opposite rotational mode, the stacked position (hereinafter referred to as the intermediate stacked position) is one wherein there is a lesser separation between the containers.

Preferably the intermediate stacked position is, in terms of separation, between the nested position and the fully stacked position.

Indeed, most preferably the intermediate stacked position is approximately midway between the nested and fully stacked position.

Preferably, when the containers are in the same rotational mode, the stacking formations are generally parallel to the stacking recesses and entry of the stacking formations to the stacking recesses enables the two containers to be fully nested, whilst when the containers are in opposite rotational modes the stacking formations are inclined to the stacking recesses, limiting entry of the l O stacking formations into the stacking recesses.

The nesting formations may comprise a plurality of generally parallel extending fingers on each side. In this case each finger may comprise an upper element and a lower element, connected at a junction, the two elements being inclined relative to each other. The angle of relative inclination (i.e. the acute | 15 included angle) is, preferably from 3 to 20 , more preferably from 5 to 15 and most preferably from 6 to 10 . Most conveniently the angle is about 8 .

t Each nesting recess may comprise an upper element and a lower element inclined relative to each other at a similar angle to the elements of the corresponding finger.

Movement of one container from a fully stacked position to a nesting position may, conveniently, involve movement in a direction parallel to the two sides upon which the nesting formation is provided. There may be a generally horizontal base, and two side boards, and an end board appending from the base wherein, conveniently, the nesting formations on the nesting recesses are formed in the side boards and the upper elements of the fingers and the upper elements of the recesses are inclined to each other at an angle of from 3 to 28 .

This angle is, conveniently, from 4 to 6 .

The opposite sides of the container may comprise a plurality of stacking formations and a plurality of stacking recesses, the formations on the recesses being adjacent to the top edge of the container whereby the container may be stacked with a similar container by location of the stacking formations within the stacking recesses.

The stacking formations are preferably provided by a part of the nesting formation.

The construction and the arrangement of the container may be such that it may be stacked with a similar container of vertical alignment, or by engagement of the stacking formations of different ones of the stacking recesses, whereby two stacked containers may be laterally offset.

In this case, the construction and arrangement is conveniently such that the lateral offset is in a direction parallel to the two sides whereby increased visual access to the contents of the lower most container may be obtained.

According to this invention there is further provided a method of nesting t' or stacking a container according to any proceeding claim in either a nested position, a fully stacked position or an intermediate position, i. e. a half-stacked position.

There will now be given a detailed description, to be read with reference i 20 to the accompanying drawings, of a container which is the preferred embodiment of this invention, having been selected for the purposes of illustrating the invention by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a container of the invention; FIGURE 2 is a side view of the container of Figure 1; FIGURE 3 is a side view of two of the containers shown in Figure 1 in a stacked position; FIGURE 4 is a side view of two of the containers shown in Figure 1 in a nested position and FIGURE 5 is a side view of two of the containers of Figure 1 in an intermediate stacked position.

The container which is the preferred embodiment of the invention is generally similar to the container described in our previous application, publication no. GB 2 290 530 and will be described herein primarily only in so far as it differs from this container.

The container which is the preferred embodiment of the invention is capable of being stacked with another similar container, as is shown in Figure 2 and Figure 5 or nested, as is shown in Figure 4.

The container comprises a base 2 bounded on two parallel sides by a shallow front wall 4 and a end wall 6 which is higher than the front wall 4, and À 15 inclined at an angle to the vehicle. The container is also bounded on the other two sides by side walls 8, 10. Each side wall 10 comprises, disposed on the outer side, two fingers 12 and, disposed on the inner side, two nesting recesses 14. Each finger has an upper element 16 and a lower element 18 which project from the side wall 8. These elements, or members meet at a junction 20, and are inclined to the vertical at different angles. The upper element is inclined at an angle of above 30 to the vertical and at an angle of 8 (shown as the angle a in the drawings). Depending from the end of the lower element are stacking feet 22.

The nesting recesses 14 are disposed adjacent to the fingers 12, but on the opposite side of the side walls.

The container may be nested, as shown in Figure 4, or stacked as shown in Figure 3 as is generally outlined in our previously referred to application, in that the uppermost container shown in the figures may be moved from the stacked position shown in Figure 3 (herinafter referred to as the fully stacked position), in which the feet 22 sit in shallow recess 26 of the lower tray, to the nested position shown in Figure 4 by moving the trays in the direction of arrow A shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Furthermore, the trays may be stacked in an intermediate stacked position by rotating the uppermost container by 180 to an opposite rotational mode and lowering the lower element of the Angers of the uppermost container into the nesting recess of the lower container (see Figure 5) so that the side face or end face of the stacking projection abuts the inclined wall of the nesting I O recess of the lower container. In this position the uppermost container will not significantly overhang the lowermost container, i.e. there will be an offset between the two containers of less than 20 mms. Naturally, when a further container is placed in the intermediate stacked position above the uppermost container shown in the figures then the overhang will be on the opposite side, t 15 and thus, when in a stack, the stack of containers is generally vertical.

The angle of inclination of the end wall is such that it does not impede ir the entrance of the upper container into the nesting recesses of the lower container during the stacking process.

In this manner, two or more containers may be stacked with the uppermost container and the lowermost container at an intermediate height from each other and the relatively shallow front wall provides both visual and manual access to the contents, of the container, which may be buns. When the containers are in the fully stacked position they may be used to display contents having a greater height, and again, a high degree of visual access to the contents of the lowermost container is provided.

However, in general it is to be appreciated that the container which is the preferred embodiment of the invention may be fully stacked, stacked in an intermediate position, or nested with a similar container without any significant degree of offset in such a stack.

In the present specification "comprises" means "includes or consists of" and "comprising" means "including or consisting of".

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A container which may be nested and stacked with a similar container in the same rotational mode and which may be stacked with a similar container in an opposite rotational mode without any significant offset in a stack of such containers in either of two mutually perpendicular lateral directions.

2. A container according to Claim 1 comprising on each of two opposite sides a plurality of nesting formations and a plurality of inclined nesting recesses, the nesting recesses being laterally offset from the nesting formations lO whereby the container may be nested with a similar container by introducing the nesting formations of one container into the nesting recesses of the other container.

3. A container according to Claim 2 whereby the container may be stacked in an opposite rotational mode with a similar container by introducing the nesting formations of one container into the nesting recesses of the other container.

4. A container according to Claim 3 wherein when the containers are in the same rotation mode the stacked position is a fully stacked position in which - there is a maximum separation between the containers whilst when the containers are in the opposite rotation mode, the stacked position is an intermediate stacked position in which there is a lesser separation between the containers.

5. A container according to Claim 4 wherein the intermediate stacked position is, in terms of separation, intermediate between the nested position and the fully stacked position.

6. A container according to Claim 5 wherein the intermediate stacked position is approximately midway between the nested and fully stacked positions.

7. A container according to any one of the preceding claims wherein when the containers are in the same rotational mode the stacking formations are generally parallel to the stacking recesses and entry of the stacking formations to the stacking recesses enables the two containers to be fully nested, whilst when the containers are in opposite rotational modes the stacking formations are inclined to the stacking recesses limiting entry of the stacking formations into the stacking recesses.

8. A container according to any one of Claims 2 to 7 wherein the nesting formations comprise a plurality of generally parallel-extending fingers on each side.

9. A container according to Claim 8 wherein each finger comprises an I upper element and a lower element, connected at a junction, the two elements being inclined relative to each other.

10. A container according to Claim 9 wherein the angle of relative inclination is from 3 to 20 .

11. A container according to Claim 10 wherein the angle of inclination is from 5 to 15

12. A container according to Claim 11 wherein the angle of inclination is about 8 .

13. A container according to any one of Claims 9 to 12 in which each nesting recess comprises an upper and a lower element inclined relative to each other at a similar angle to the elements of the corresponding fingers.

14. A container according to any one of Claims 2 to 13 wherein movement of one container from a fully stacked position to a nesting position involves movement in a direction parallel to the two sides upon which the nesting formations are provided.

15. A container according to any one of Claims 8 to 14 comprising a generally horizontal base, and two side walls and an end wall depending from the base, wherein the nesting formations and the nesting recesses are formed in the side walls and the upper elements of the fingers and the upper elements of the recesses are inclined to each other at an angle of from 3 to 8 .

16. A container according to Claim 15 in which the angle of inclination is i 20 from 4 to 6 .

17. A container according to Claim 16 in which the angle of inclination is about 5 .

18. A container according to any one of the preceding claims wherein opposite sides of the container comprise a plurality of stacking formations and a plurality of stacking recesses, the formations and recesses being adjacent to the top edge of the container, whereby the container may be stacked with a similar container by location of the stacking formations within the stacking recesses.

19. A container according to Claim 18 wherein the stacking formations are provided by a part of the nesting formations.

20. A container according to one of the preceding claims, the construction and arrangement being such that the container may be stacked with a similar container in vertical alignment, or by engagement of the stacking formations with different ones of the stacking recesses, whereby two stacked containers may be laterally offset.

21. A container according to Claim 9, the construction and arrangement being such that the lateral offset is in a direction parallel to the two sides whereby increased visual access to the contents of a lowermost container may be obtained.

22. A container of the kind specified, constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

23. Any novel feature or novel combination of features hereinbefore described and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.