NL1014671C1 - Bottle crate which can be used as bottle rack, has an open base, partition walls with specific length, and supports in opposite crate side walls - Google Patents

Abstract

The crate (1) has an open base for bottles in a horizontal position inside a fridge. The length of the partition walls (3) forming the bottle compartments (2) is greater than the centre of gravity distance of the full bottles from the crate base. At least two opposing crate side walls (4, 7) are provided with large supports (5, 6) and counter-supports or holes (8, 9). A container comprising a rectangular box with partitions is used for the transport and storage of bottles containing beverages such as beer, mineral water, soft drinks or wine. The bottles are transported whilst upright and stored lying flat. Several of the boxes can be combined to form a complete bottle rack. The container is provided in the form of a bottle crate with handles (12, 13), partition walls and an open base for storing preferably six bottles in a horizontal position inside a fridge. The length of the partition walls is greater than the centre of gravity distance of the full bottles from the crate base. The labelled necks of the bottles protrude above the crate. At least two opposing sides of the crate are provided with large supports and counter-supports or holes. The crate is made from plastic.

Description

4 - 1 - »CONTAINER DEVICE OR BOX LAYING ON A SIDE SURFACE, CONSTRUCTED AS IMPROVED CRATE, STACKABLE INTO A CRATE RACK FOR BOTTLES WITH BEVERAGES, LIKE BEER.

The present invention relates to a container device or box lying on a side surface, designed as a rectangular box with subdivision for the transport in the vertical sense and the horizontal storage of bottles with drinks, such as beer, mineral water, soft drinks, wine. e. d., wherein several said rectangular boxes can be expanded or assembled into a complete bottle rack.

Such a somewhat similar container device or box is known from the PCT applications entitled: "Bottle Rack, Comprising Removable Panels", or "Casier è bouteilles 15 comportant des panneaux detachables", from André Dumont, filed internationally on May 27, 1994. It concerns here a modular bottle box or modular bottle rack for the transport of side-by-side vertically placed bottles, suitable for conversion into an extensive storage device or an extensive stacked bottle rack, which bottle rack is designed as an assembly of containers or boxes, wherein said modular holder or box is divided into three compartments for storing bottles, the holder or box at the top being provided with removable closing panels with molded handles, whereby the closing panels can be removed by cutting off the side walls with a kitchen knife of the box, the box thus processed being stacked horizontally as a unit to the storage device, container device or bottle rack, wherein the material of the container or box is plastic, such as polypropylene or polyethylene.

The somewhat similar holder device known above has a number of drawbacks in the sense that the holder or box encloses the entire bottle, i.e. a rather high box 35 and that the closing panels with molded handles have to be cut off with, for example, a dangerous kitchen knife, which is the average user is not recommended 101 467 1 - 2 - and that a single container or box has a small capacity of 3 bottles, which is too small for, for example, beer bottles, that the horizontal location of containers or boxes may be due to the surface or a panel 5 can even be inclined slightly forward, so that the bottles can slip out, for example by opening the refrigerator.

The object of the present invention is to provide such a container device consisting of rectangular boxes, which can be built up into a bottle rack, which does not have the above-mentioned drawbacks and whose operation is better and the cost price is very competitive.

For this purpose, the container device or box, designed as an improved crate, which is stackable into a crate rack, has been developed in a very inventive manner in accordance with the invention, such that the rectangular box or container device is constructed as a rectangular bottle crate with suitably formed handles. dividers and cut-away bottom for preferably six beer bottles for storing them horizontally in a refrigerator cooling space, said dividers having a length exceeding the center of gravity of filled bottles to the bottom thereof, wherein the neck of said bottles with label features protrude visibly above the bottle crate, wherein at least two opposite upright outer edges of the rectangular crate are provided with sufficiently large supporting elements and contrast supporting elements or recesses, the material of said rectangular crate being plastic 3 Is 0.

The presentation of the bottle crate according to the invention has an attractive sales appearance for displayed bottle necks with label features.

Furthermore, the container device according to the invention has been further developed such that the thickness or height within the bottle crate of said sufficiently large support elements, near the top of the bottle crate, is such that the backward inclination of the bottles is located between 1:10 and 1:20, provisionally preferred 1:15 and that the bottom of the support element is roughened or provided with a friction layer or a soft rubber layer.

The advantage of this is that the bottles cannot slide forward or move when opening crates stacked on their sides in a refrigerator and thus cannot pose any danger to the consumer.

Then the container device according to the invention has been further developed such that said plastic is polyethylene, polyester or polyurethane.

The advantage of this is that the crates according to the invention can be manufactured by injection molding.

Furthermore, the container device according to the invention has been further developed in such a way that the long outer or circumferential surfaces of the bottle crate are preferably closed as much as possible for the placement of advertising texts, etc., so that the colors of the improved bottle crate correspond, for example, to the company colors of the drink in question, such as beer brand and brands of mineral water, soft drinks, wines, etc., which comprises said openwork motifs of recessed geometric figures, such as squares, circles, etc. or fantasy figures.

The advantages of this are that the holder device or the crates according to the invention has a very attractive appearance for both the manufacturer and the consumer, which may lead to a general purchase by the various consumers.

30 Thanks to the openwork bottom, the bottle crates can be optimally cleaned from a hygienic point of view. Also, due to the openwork bottle crate, the bottles in it can be effectively and efficiently cooled.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a preferred embodiment, shown in the drawing. In these drawings: Fig. 1 shows a view in a skewed projection of the container holder device, designed as a bottle crate in basic form according to the invention; fig. 2 shows a top view of the container device or crate of fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a section along the line III-III in Fig. 2 of the container device or bottle crate; Fig. 4 shows a skewed projection of a refrigerator with a holder device or bottle crate on two shelves; and FIG. 5 is a skewed projection view of a refrigerator with a removed shelf and two stacked container devices or bottle crates according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a skewed projection of the container device or bottle crate 1 according to the invention. The holder device or bottle crate 1 consists of a rectangular box in which six bottles, such as beer bottles (not shown), can be placed. For this purpose, the bottle crate 1 in apartments 2 is divided by the partitions 3, said partitions 3 having a vertical length of approximately 120 mm, according to claim 2.

The upright long side surface 4 is provided with the indicated support elements 5 and 6 and the bottle crate 1 must be placed on this side surface in order to obtain the desired angle of inclination. In the side surface 7 there are recesses 8 and 9, which correspond to said supporting elements 5 and 6. Handles 12 and 13 are arranged in the short upright side surfaces 10 and 11. In Figures 2 and 3, corresponding parts are indicated with the same numbers.

Figure 2 shows a top view of the holder device or bottle crate 1. The beer bottles 14 are shown in dotted lines here. Also, for example, recessed geometric figures such as squares 15 in the crate bottom 16 are indicated.

Figure 3 shows this in section with some guidelines for a beer bottle crate.

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Figures 4 and 5 show the refrigerators 17 and 18, in which the bottle crates 1 can be placed. In the refrigerator 17, all shelves 19, 20, 21 are maintained and the bottle crates 1 can be placed on said shelves 19, 20, 21 in the "lying position" described above, as required.

In figure 5, the shelf 19 has been removed in refrigerator 18 and the bottle crates 1 can be stacked on top of each other, so that, for efficient storage 10, the contents of refrigerator 18 may be used better for beer storage and the efficiency of cooling will be improved, which will also be effected by the openwork bottom 16 of the bottle crate 1.

Finally, it should be expressly stated that a preferred embodiment has been described above and that further modifications are possible without departing from the scope of this patent.

1014671

Claims (11)

1. Holder device lying on a side surface, designed as a rectangular box with subdivision for the transport in the vertical sense and the horizontal storage of bottles with drinks, such as beer, mineral water, soft drinks, wine, etc., whereby several rectangular boxes mentioned form one complete bottle racks can be expanded or assembled, characterized in that said rectangular box or container device 10 is constructed as a rectangular bottle crate (1) with suitably formed handles {12, 13), arranged partitions (3) and openwork bottom (16) for preferably a six beer bottles (14) for storing them horizontally in a refrigerator refrigerator, said 15 partitions (3) having a length exceeding the center of gravity of the filled bottles (14) to the bottom thereof, wherein the neck of said bottles with label marks protrude visibly above the bottle crate, with at least two opposing storage areas the outer edges (4, 7) of the rectangular bottle crate (1) are provided with sufficiently large support elements (5, 6) and contrast support elements or recesses, the material of said rectangular crate (1) being plastic. Holder device according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the partitions (3) is equal to said center of gravity distance plus approximately 20 percent, preferably for beer bottles (14), and in practice a partition length ( 3) of approximately 120 mm. Holder device according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickness or height within bottle crate (1) of said sufficiently large support elements {5, 6) near the top of the bottle crate (1) is such that it leans backwards of the bottles (14) is between 1:10 and 1:20, provisionally preferred 1:15, and that the underside of the support element (5,6) is roughened or provided with a friction layer or soft rubber layer. Holder device according to claim 1, characterized in that said plastic is polyethylene, polyester or polyurethane. Holder device according to claim 1, characterized in that, for example, beer bottles (14) with an external diameter of approximately 60 mm and a square space between the partitions (3) of 60 mm are used, with an extra space as play, which is between 1 and 15 mm. Holder device according to claim 1, characterized in that said molded handles (12, 13) are arranged in the short rectangular sides (10, 11) of the bottle crate (1). Holder device according to claim 1, characterized in that the long outer or circumferential surfaces (4, 7) of the bottle crate (1) are preferably closed as much as possible for displaying advertising texts and the like. Holder device according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the colors of the improved bottle crate (1) correspond to, for example, the operating colors of the drink in question, such as a beer brand and brands of mineral water, soft drinks, wines and the like. Holder device according to claim 1, characterized in that said openwork bottom (16) comprises motifs of recessed geometric figures, such as squares (15), circles, etc. or fantasy figures. Holder device according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the holder device, alias the rectangular bottle crates (10), can be placed on shelves (19, 20, 21) of a refrigerator (17). 11. Holder device according to claims 1-9, characterized in that the holder device, alias the rectangular bottle crates (1), can be stacked in a refrigerator (18), for instance with a shelf (19) removed. 1 01 467 1