JP2001180677A - Container overlapping array and method for forming the array - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To incorporate insert characteristic for stabilizing an overlapping arrays whereon a number of containers are overlapped and provide containers to be overlapped, for which the expense of the manufacture is effectively spent, and used for packaging photosensitive film products. SOLUTION: An overlapping array is provided with at least a first container and a second container, and a part of another container is fitted thereon, and the containers are provided with covers with recesses to be telescopically overlapped. The recesses are provided with the dimensions for telescopically overlapping a part of side walls standing in upright and supporting the bottoms closed by the minimum movement in parallel.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates generally to the field of packaging, and more particularly to the packaging of long rolls of photosensitive web material. The invention further relates to a container having a nesting feature that allows multiple containers to be stacked.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Long rolls of photosensitive web material, such as photographic film used in screening, social / personal and commercial photography, generally ensure lightfastness from the manufacturer to the film processor. Packaged in a container. The width of the photosensitive web used for such an application is typically 35 mm, 46 mm, 70 mm or 105 m.
m. A roll of photosensitive film is generally wrapped around a core with or without a lightfast flange. A light-tight container suitable for storing and transporting photosensitive film has a film compartment and a lid adapted to be securely closed around the film compartment. In many cases, such containers are formed from metal and plastic materials.

After using the film, the photographer typically stores the film in a light-tight container and sends it to a developing room where the film is developed. Generally, a lab technician transports several stacked containers containing the exposed film to a darkroom, where the containers are opened and the film is prepared for processing. Current containers for storing and transporting rolls of photosensitive film are stackable, but these containers do not have nesting features. Thus, it is common for a technician to accidentally drop a container onto the floor because the stack is not stable. It is known that such accidents can result in damage to the film reel, damage to the exposed film and unnecessary development room.

Since films have different widths, the film container must be able to accommodate several different sizes. Therefore, it is advantageous that the manufacturer can use a single common container lid for the lower part of containers of different sizes. Such an advantage was
"Closure For Stacking Conta" by Herzog
U.S. Patent No. 57 entitled "Iners of Different Sizes"
No. 40914. However, US Pat.
Unlike the container described in 740914, plastic or metal containers used for photosensitive film require an outer wall at the bottom of the container to have an angle, typically referred to as draft, to be removed from the molding equipment. . Thus, as the depth of the lower portion of the container changes to accommodate films of different widths, the diameter of the lower portion of the container will decrease if the lower portion of each size container has the same draft angle.

[0005]

Current packaging containers for packaging photosensitive film products have a number of disadvantages. For example, when a large number of containers are stacked, they become unstable, and furthermore, different sizes of container lids are required for the different widths of the film.

Thus, there is a need for a stackable packaging container for packaging photosensitive film products that incorporates nesting features to stabilize a stacked array of multiple containers and is cost effective to produce.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a stackable container array that allows two or more containers to be stacked.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a stackable container array in which containers are secured in a stacked array.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method that facilitates stacking one container with another in a stacked array.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a single size lid for use with multi-sized containers adapted to be in a stacked array.

Thus, a feature of a stacked array of containers is that the lid of any container in the stacked array has a recess that receives a portion of the side wall of another container in the stacked array.

The present invention solves one or more of the above problems. Briefly, in one aspect of the invention, a stacked array of containers includes a first container and at least one second container. The first container and the second container each have an interior compartment, the interior compartment being formed by a closed bottom, an upright side wall surrounding the closed bottom, and a side wall opposite the closed bottom to access the interior compartment. And an opening that allows for this. The lid for closing the opening includes a recess having an outwardly extending outer wall structure, the outer wall structure at least partially surrounding the recess. The recess has a diameter to receive a portion of the upright side wall of the container. The outer wall structure or the stacking ribs eliminate the translational movement of the container fitted in the recess.

In another aspect of the invention, a method of forming a stacked array of containers includes providing the above described containers, each having a lid attached as described above. A portion of the side wall extending beyond the closed bottom of either the first container or the second container fits into a recess in a lid of another of the first and second containers. Thus, a stacked array is formed.

The present invention has the following advantages. The containers that make up the stacked array are more easily stacked. When the containers are in a stacked array, translation is limited. The bottom and lid of the container are easily adapted to various sizes and shapes.

[0015]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent with reference to the following description and drawings. The same reference numerals are used to indicate the same features common to the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a stacked array 10 of containers of the present invention. Such a stacked array of containers 10 includes, for example, rolls of photosensitive web material (eg, film) that are required to be stored and transported in light-tight containers. The inventor of the present invention designs multi-sized light-tight containers that can be nested, thus solving the problems of current containers for film products. The present invention includes a variable taper (described below) of the stacked containers 12, 14 to facilitate nesting.

Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 (a) and FIG. 2 (b). The stacked container array 10 includes the first container 1
2 and at least one stacked on the first container 12
It is broadly defined to include one second container 14. Any number of containers 12 and 14 of the present invention can be used in the container array 1.
Obviously, it can be safely stacked at zero. FIG. 2
With reference to (a) and FIG. 2 (b), the first container 12 and the second container 14 form a main body of the container.
Each includes a closed bottom 16 and an upstanding side wall 18 surrounding the closed bottom. Preferably, the closed bottom 16 is generally planar for more stable stacking, but need not be. An opening 20 opposite the closed bottom 16 provides access to an internal compartment for storing articles, such as a roll of photosensitive film. First container 12 and second container 1
Preferably, 4 is generally circular, but other geometric shapes such as, for example, arbitrary polygons can be used.

Referring to FIG. 3, a generally circular lid 22 provided to close the opening 20 is shown. Cooperating threads 27 provided inside the lid 22 (not shown) and at the periphery of the first container 12 and the second container 14 allow the lid 22 to be connected to the first container 12 and the second container, respectively. 14 is attached. Those skilled in the art will also envision other attachment means, for example by friction fit or taping. In this embodiment, the lid 22 is generally circular and the first container 12
And the shape of one of the second containers 14. Further, the lid 22 has a concave portion 24 and a concave portion 2.
4 includes an outwardly extending outer wall (or stacking rib) 26 at least partially surrounding the same. In this embodiment, the recess 2
Numeral 4 is generally planar and has an internal dimension to receive a portion 18p of an upright side wall 18 surrounding a closed bottom 16 of another of the first and second containers. This is illustrated in FIG.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upright side wall 18 of the lid 22 may be oriented at a right angle to the closed bottom 16 but at a slight acute angle.
An advantage of acute angle orientation or variable taper is that the containers 12, 14 are easily formed by injection molding or similar processing. In addition, a variable taper adapted to the respective size of the container facilitates nesting, so that the diameter of the closed bottom 16 is similar but not the depth. Thus, the stacked array of containers 10 of the present invention is formed.

In the present embodiment, the recess 24 is formed from a beat of resin melted during the injection molding process that at least partially forms an outer wall 26 or stacking rib extending upwardly from the lid 22. You. The stacking ribs limit translation of a portion 18p of the side wall extending from the upright side wall 18 fitted into the recess 24. The outer wall 26 or the stacking rib preferably extends continuously around the periphery of the recess 24 (see FIG. 3). Alternatively, the outer wall 26 may include a minimum of two wall stacking ribs (not shown) provided along the periphery of the recess 24 to limit translation of the closed bottom 16 fitted into the recess 24. is there.

The first container 12 and the second container 1
4 and the lid 22 are preferably formed from a rigid thermoplastic material such as high density polyethylene. For those skilled in the art,
It will be apparent that other materials with equivalent results, such as polystyrene or polypropylene, may also be used.

The recesses of the stacked array of containers are generally planar and the closed bottom is generally flat.

An upwardly extending outer wall of the stacked array of containers completely surrounds the recess.

The upstanding side walls surrounding the closed bottom of the stacked array of containers are oriented at a slight acute angle to the bottom.

The first and at least one second container of the stacked array of containers and the lid each have a plurality of cooperating threads for attaching the lid to the container.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a stacked array of containers.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing one of the container bodies of the stacked array from the front, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view showing one of the container bodies of the stacked array from the rear.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a lid of the container shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b).

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a part of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 Stacking array 12 First container 14 Second container 16 Bottom 18 Upright side wall 18p Part of side wall 20 Opening 22 Lid 24 Recess 26 Outer wall or stacking rib 27 Cooperating threads

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A first container, and at least one second container stacked on the first container.
A first container and the at least one second container, wherein the first container and the at least one second container comprise a closed bottom, upright side walls surrounding the closed bottom, and the closed bottom. Has an opening formed by the upright side wall on the opposite side, and a lid for closing the opening, respectively, the container of any one of the first container and the at least one second container. The lid includes a recess having an outer wall extending upwardly, the outer wall at least partially surrounding the recess, and the recess is formed of the upright side wall extending at least partially from the closed bottom. Has internal dimensions to accept some,
A stacked array of containers, resulting in a stacked array of containers. 2. The recess of any one of the lids of the first container and the second container is formed of a bead projecting from the lid, and the bead is fitted in the recess. 2. A stacked array of containers according to claim 1, wherein the stacked walls at least partially form a boundary wall that limits translation of the bottom. 3. A closed bottom, an upright side wall surrounding the closed bottom, an opening formed by the side wall opposite the closed bottom, and an opening formed by the side wall to close the opening. Providing at least a first container and a second container respectively including a lid fixed around, wherein the lid of any one of the first container and the at least one second container is upwardly directed; A recess having an outer wall extending at least partially surrounding said recess, wherein said recess comprises said first container and said at least one
One of the first container and the second container having an interior dimension for receiving the closed bottom of another of the two second containers and a portion of the upright side wall surrounding the bottom; Stacking a portion of the upright side wall surrounding the closed bottom of one of the containers in the recess of the lid of another one of the first and second containers, thereby forming a stacked array. A method of stacking containers into a stacked array.