WO1996009897A1

WO1996009897A1 - Plastic container

Info

Publication number: WO1996009897A1
Application number: PCT/IB1995/000741
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stanley A. Danowski; Robert E. Dawson; Douglas W. Smith
Original assignee: Pfizer Inc.
Priority date: 1994-09-27
Filing date: 1995-09-08
Publication date: 1996-04-04
Also published as: AU3264295A

Abstract

A plastic container has a back panel (3) resting against the back of a person carrying the container and curved (1) to fit the back of said person. The curves (A, D) of the back panel (3) are defined by the radius of each curve (A, D).

Description

PLASTIC CONTAINER

This invention relates to a plastic container which has a back panel resting against the back of a person carrying the container and curved to fit the back of said person.

More particularly, the invention relates to a back-carried container of agricultural or horticultural liquids for administration to livestock, fields and gardens. Such containers usually have straps enabling the container to be carried by the shoulders and back of the user. Further, the containers have dispersing means for discharge of the liquid from the container, and they include a base for support when the container is placed on a surface in vertical position. Exemplary of such container is the one referred to in U.S. Patent No. 4,651 ,903 which includes a molded container having a surface configured for abutting relation with the back of the user while being carried.

The patent does not explain the precise configuration required for the abutting relation.

U.S. Patent No. 1 ,913,006 refers to the tank of a portable fire extinguisher having an inwardly curved or convex front side which comfortably fits against the back of a person carrying the tank. The patent does not explain the manner in which the comfortable fit can be accomplished.

U.S. Patent No. 2,656,958 refers to a portable pump apparatus of the shoulder pack type having a flexible wall which is "concave for flexible conformity to the wearer's back". The concave portion is mentioned to be equal to the width of an average man's shoulders. The patent relies for the conformity to the wearer's back on the flexibility of the wail resting against the wearer's back.

According to the invention, a plastic container comprises a back panel resting against the back of a person carrying the container, said panel having a curved contour having at least two curves as follows: (1) a concave lumbar curve adjacent to the lower part of the back of the person carrying said container, said curve having a radius of about 9.5 to about 11 inches, and

(2) a convex thoracic curve adjacent to the upper part of the back of the person carrying said container, said curve having a radius of about 9.5 to about 11 inches. The plastic container of the invention is particularly useful for extended use by the bearer since the particular curved contour results in a comfortable fit. To increase the comfort of the bearer, the width of the container is not more than the width of the shoulders of the person carrying the container so allowing freedom of movement for the arms of the user. Preferably, the width of the container ranges from about 6.5 to about 9 inches.

Although the container may have a wide variety of configurations, in a preferred embodiment, the container has a bottom panel, two side panels, a top panel, a back panel and a front panel. In another embodiment, the container is provided with a discharge outlet which is covered with a removable lid. Preferably, the discharge outlet is located in the top panel.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container according to the invention in inverted position.

Fig. 2 is a side view of a container thereof in upright position. Fig. 3 is a bottom elevational view of a container thereof.

Referring to the drawings, particularly Figs. 1 and 2, a plastic container 1 comprises a back panel 3 having a curved contour with two curves D and A. Figure 1 shows the container 1 in inverted position as it will be carried on the back of the user. Figure 2 shows the container 1 in upright position when not in use. The container 1 has two side panels 5 and 7, a bottom panel 9, a front panel 10, and a top panel 13. The bottom panel is preferably not flat but has a number of contact points, e.g. 8, to stabilize the container when it stands upright on a flat surface.

The concave lumbar curve D is in abutting relation with the lower part of the back of the user, when the container is carried, whereas the convex thoracic curve A is in abutting relation with the shoulder part of the user's back above the lumbar curve.

The container has a discharge outlet 11 located in the top panel 13. The outlet may be fitted with dispensing means (not shown) to administer the fluid from the container. The dispensing means may be designed such that venting from the container may be accomplished without the need for a separate vent opening. When not in use, the discharge outlet is fitted with a removable lid 15. When the container is in upright position, the outlet 11 is of use in filling the container with dispensing liquid. The clearance dimension between the discharge outlet 11 and the concave lumbar curve D is such that the user can bend and straighten without friction or interference with the dispensing means, e.g. a lose fitting.

The container in Fig. 1 has a recessed handle 17 through which a strap 19 may be threaded of a configuration such that the user may slip both arms through the strap's loops. Thus, strap 19 is a closed loop which is pulled through the handle and then under itself as shown in Fig. 1. An indentation 21 is provided for strap 19 in bottom panel 9.

The strap 19 has a double area 23 to provide an opening for discharge outlet 11.

The arrows R in Fig. 2 indicate the sites where the radius of the concave lumbar curve is measured. According to the invention, the radius R is about 9.5 to about 11 inches. The arrows C indicate the site where the radius of the convex thoracic curve is measured. According to the invention, the radius C is about 9.5 to about 11 inches. The height of the container from bottom panel 9 to top panel 13 is about 8.5 to about 10.5 inches.

The area of contact, measured on back panel 3 above the lumbar curve A, is about 39 to about 72 square inches.

Fig. 3 shows the bottom panel 9 of the container 1 having warped planes 25 forming indentation 21.

In two specific embodiments of the invention, the container 1 has a volume of either 2.5 or 5 liter. The 2.5 liter container has the following dimensions:

Radius of lumbar curve D: 9.5 inch.

Radius of thoracic curve A: 9.5 inch. Height from bottom panel to top panel: 8.5 inch

Area of contact between back of user above lumbar curve and back panel of container: 39 square inch.

Width of container between two side panels: 6.5 inch.

The 5 liter container has the following dimensions: Radius of lumbar curve D: 11 inch.

Radius of thoracic curve A: 11 inch.

Height from bottom panel 9 to top panel 13: 10.5 inch. Area of contact between back of user above lumbar curve D and back panel 3 of container: 72 square inches.

Width of container between two side panels 5 and 7: 9 inches

The volume of the container may be conveniently changed by adjusting the height and the depth of the container. The depth of the container is the distance between the back panel 3 and the front panel 10.

The container is conveniently molded from materials generally used for packaging goods. Examples of such materials are low density polyethylene (PE), polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), polyvinylchloride (PVC), and low and high density polypropylene. A preferred material for dispensing agricultural liquids from container 1 is high density PE. The plastic material can be molded to form the curved one- dimensional contour of the back panel 3.

Claims

1. A plastic container comprising a back panel resting against the back of a person carrying the container, said back panel having a curved contour having at least two curves as follows: (1 ) a convex thoracic curve adjacent to the lower part of the back of the person carrying said container, said curve having a radius of about 9.5 to about 11 inches, and

(2) a concave lumbar curve adjacent to the upper part of the back of the person carrying said container, said curve having a radius of about 9.5 to about 11 inches.

2. A container according to claim 1 wherein the width of said container is not more than the width of the shoulders of the person carrying the container.

3. A container according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said container is provided with a discharge outlet.

4. A container according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said container has a bottom panel, two side panels, a top panel and a front panel.

5. A container according to claim 4 wherein said top panel has a discharge outlet which is provided with a removable lid.

6. A container according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the container has a recessed handle in said bottom panel.

7. A container according to claim 6 wherein a strap is threaded through said handle such that the person carrying the container may slip one arm or both arms through the strap's loops.

8. A container according to claim 7 wherein an indentation is provided for said strap in said bottom panel.

9. A container according to claim 8 wherein said strap has a double area to provide an opening for a discharge outlet provided in said bottom panel.

10. A plastic container comprising a back panel resting against the back of a person carrying the container, a front panel, a bottom panel, two side panels, and a top panel, said back panel having a curved contour having at least two curves as follows: (1 ) a convex thoracic curve adjacent to the lower part of the back of the person carrying said container, said curve having a radius of about 9.5 to about 11 inches, and

(2) a concave lumbar curve adjacent to the upper part of the back of the person carrying said container, said curve having a radius of about 9.5 to about 11 inches, said bottom panel having a discharge outlet provided with a removable lid, and a recessed handle, said handle having a strap threaded through such that the person carrying said container may slip both arms through the strap's loops.