Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D21/00—Nestable, stackable or joinable containers; Containers of variable capacity
  • B65D21/02—Containers specially shaped, or provided with fittings or attachments, to facilitate nesting, stacking, or joining together
  • B65D21/04—Open-ended containers shaped to be nested when empty and to be superposed when full
  • B65D21/043—Identical stackable containers specially adapted for nesting after rotation around a vertical axis
  • B65D21/045—Identical stackable containers specially adapted for nesting after rotation around a vertical axis about 180° only
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D21/00—Nestable, stackable or joinable containers; Containers of variable capacity
  • B65D21/02—Containers specially shaped, or provided with fittings or attachments, to facilitate nesting, stacking, or joining together
  • B65D21/06—Containers specially shaped, or provided with fittings or attachments, to facilitate nesting, stacking, or joining together with movable parts adapted to be placed in alternative positions for nesting the containers when empty and for stacking them when full

Definitions

• the present invention relates to containers which are designed to allow like containers to stack or nest with each other.
• One conventional style of container can stack or nest, and is referred to herein as a stack/nest container.
• This style is designed to allow one container to nest into a container below, when in a first relative orientation, but to stack on the container below when the relative orientation has changed, usually by 180° about the vertical axis.
• containers stack when all identically aligned and nest when alternately aligned.
• containers nest when identically aligned and stack when alternately aligned.
• a container formed to allow a second like container to nest therein when the two containers are in a first relative orientation, and to cause a second like container to stack thereon when the two containers are in a second relative orientation, wherein stacking means are provided having a stowed position in which stacking or nesting as aforesaid are possible, and a stacking position in which the stacking means interferes with nesting to cause the containers to stack when in the first relative orientation.
• the stacking height given by the stacking means is different to the stacking height available when the stacking means is stowed, and is preferably intermediate the nesting height and the stacking height when the stacking means is stowed.
• the stacking means may incorporate formations corresponding to formations which engage to cause stacking when containers are in the second relative orientation.
• first and second relative orientations are separated by 180° about a vertical axis.
• the stacking means are preferably at or within the base of the container when in their stowed position.
• the stacking means are preferably mounted to turn from their stowed position to their stacking position, such as by hinge or pivot means. They may be mounted to the base or, where the container has a base and upstanding walls, they may be mounted to the bottom of a wall.
• the base Preferably there are recesses in the base to receive stacking means when in the stowed position.
• the recesses may be sufficiently deep to receive the stacking means without the stacking means projecting above the upper surface of the base when in the stowed position.
• the stacking means may support the base of a like crontainer from below when in the stacking position.
• the container may comprise further stacking formations which engage a second like container to allow the container to stack when in the second relative orientation.
• handle means are provided to facilitate movement of the stacking means between their stowed and stacking positions.
• the invention also provides a container formed to allow a like container to nest therein, and comprising stacking means having a stowed position in which nesting is allowed as aforesaid, and a stacking position in which the stacking means interfere with the entry of one container into another for nesting, thereby causing like containers to stack, wherein the stacking means is located at or within the base of the container when in the stowed position.
• the stacking means are preferably within the base of the container when in their stowed position.
• the stacking means are preferably mounted to turn from their stowed position to their stacking position, such as by hinge or pivot means. They may be mounted to the base or, where the container has a base and upstanding walls, ttiey may be mounted to the bottom of a wall.
• the base Preferably there are recesses in the base to receive stacking means when in the stowed position.
• the recesses may be sufficiently deep to receive the stacking means without the stacking means projecting abo e the upper surface of the base when in the stowed position.
• the stacking means may support the base of a like container from below when in the stacking position.
• handle means are provided to facilitate movement of the stacking means between their stowed and stacking positions.
• the container is formed to allow a second like container to nest therein when the two containers are in a first relative orientation, and to cause a second like container to stack thereon when the two containers are in a second relative orientation.
• the stacking means interfere with nesting when the containers are in the first relative orientation.
• the stacking height given by the stack ⁇ ing means is different to the stacking height available when in the second relative orientation, and is prefer ⁇ ably intermediate the nesting height and the stacking height available when in the second relative orientation.
• the stacking means may incorporate formations corresponding to formations which engage to cause stacking when containers are in the second relative orientation .
• first and second relative orientations are separated by 180° about a vertical axis.
• the container may comprise further stacking formations which engage a second like container to allow the container to stack when in the second relative orientation.
• FIG. 1 is a partly schematic perspective view of a container according to the invention
• Fig. 2 is an elevation of one end wall from within the container and divided at the central plane to indicate the arrangement when the stacking means are in their stacking position (to the right) and nesting position (to the left) ;
• Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 and showing the other end wall.
• the container 10 is formed in a manner which will be described more fully below, to allow a second like container to nest therein when the two containers are in a first relative orientation.
• a second like container may stack thereon when the two containers are in a second relative orientation.
• Stacking means shown generally at 12 are provided and have a stowed position (as shown in Fig. 1) in which stacking or nesting as aforesaid are possible, and a stacking position to be described with reference to Figs. 2 and 3, in which the stacking means interferes with nesting to cause the containers to stack when in the first relative orientation.
• the container 10 is a stack/nest container which nests when containers are similarly aligned, and stacks when containers are alternately reversed by 180° rotation about the vertical.
• the container 10 has a base 14, two side walls 16 and two end walls 18.
• the walls 16 are relatively long and the walls 18 are relatively short, but this relationship could be reversed or the walls could all be of equal length.
• the walls are perforated in a number of ways for various reasons.
• a rim 20 extends around the entire periphery at the top of the walls 16.
• the walls 16,18 slope inwardly and the plan of the base 14 is smaller than the plan of the inner edge of the rim 20.
• Various notch formations 22 are provided around the mouth of the container, just inside the rim 20.
• notches 22 spaced from the extreme ends of the wall 18A.
• two notches 22 are in the container corners, at the ends of the wall 18B.
• Three notches 22 are provided along each side wall 16 but not symmetrically about the centre. One merges with a notch in the end wall 18B and the other two are spaced along the wall 16 but there is no notch 22 at the corner joining the end wall 18A.
• Ten feet 24 are arrayed around the lower edge of the walls 16,18 at the outer faces. Each foot 24 corresponds with a notch 22 (so that two merged feet correspond with the merged notches at the junction of the side walls 16 and the end wall 18B). Each foot 24 is structurally connected to the corresponding notch 22 by a sloping strut 26 which allows weight supported by a notch 22 to be passed through to the corresponding foot 24.
• the distribution of feet 24 is the same as the distribution of notches 22 except that the distribution has been rotated through 180° about a vertical axis. That is to say, if the rim 20 was notionally rotated by 180° about a vertical axis relative to the base 14, there would be a foot 24 directly beneath each notch 22. In consequence, if a first container is rotated by 180° about the vertical axis, relative to a second container, the two containers can then be stacked by lowering feet 24 on the upper container to engage the notches 22 on the lower container. A complete and secure stack can be formed by alternating the orientation of containers so that each stacks in this manner. The weight of the stack is then transferred down the stack through a zigzag series of struts 26.
• feet 24 and notches 22 engage are within the skill of the skilled reader and do not themselves form part of the present invention. Their design may vary according to expected loads, manufacturing materials and techniques , etc .
• the assymmetry just described also allows like containers to nest.
• the feet 24 and struts 26 of the upper container can be lowered into the lower container because they will be clear of the notches 22.
• the fully nested condition is reached in which the rims 20 of the upper and lower containers are immediately above one another (and may rest on each other), the struts 26 of the two containers are next to each other (and on a slant) and the feet 24 lie immediately one above the other (and may rest on each other). Finally, the bases 14 of the two containers will be close together. This is the normal compact condition useful when transporting empty containers .
• the nesting and stacking arrangements described above provide compact nesting for storage and return transport, or stacking when containers are full.
• the stacking means 12 allow containers to be stacked at an intermediate height when only partly full, as will now be described.
• Each stacking means 12 has two end formations 30 connected by a bar 32 serving as a handle for easier manipula ion.
• the end formations 30 are in the region of the corners of the container 10.
• the stacking means 12 a-re hinged or pivotted to the container base or the bottom edge of the end walls 18 to allow them to turn from a stowed position shown at the left of Figs. 2 and 3, to a stacking position shown at the right of those figures. (It is to be appreciated that the left and right sides of each of Figs. 2 and 3 would be a mirror image when in the stowed position or in the stacking position, so that the stowed and stacking positions can conveniently both be shown on the same drawing by dividing the drawing at the vertical plane midway along the end wall 18) .
• the base 14 has a channel recess 34 complementary to the outline of the stacking means 12, to allow the stacking means 12 to lie in the channel 34 when in the stowed position.
• the channel 34 may be sufficiently deep for the upper surface of the stacking means 12, when stowed, to be flush with or below the level of the upper surface of the base 14.
• a simple snap catch may be provided to retain the stacking means 12 in the stowed position, if required.
• Each end formation 30 has a generally arched configuration which, in this example, consists of two upright legs 36 and a cross-bar 38.
• the bar 32 extends between the formations 30 to allow both formations 30 to b-e raised together, such as by raising the bar 32.
• the complete stacking means 12 may be a single component manufactured for instance by injection moulding.
• the stacking means 12 shown in Fig. 2 differs from that shown in Fig. 3 solely by the location of lugs 40.
• the lugs 40 In Fig. 2, adjacent the end wall 18A, the lugs 40 extend up above the cross-bar 38 (when raised) at the top of the outermost uprights 36.
• the lugs 40 extend up above the cross-bar 38 (when raised) at the top of the innermost uprights 36.
• Many other designs of formation 30 could be used, including rounded arches, or unperforated plate members etc.
• the details of how the lugs 40 engage the feet 24, and whether notches are provided in the lugs or there is simple abutment of the base 14 from below, or some other arrangement is used, can be widely varied, particularly according to the nature of the notches 22 and feet 24 being used .
• lugs 40 mimic notches 22 when the stacking means 12 are raised, in that lugs 40 then occupy positions directly below the position which notches 22 would occupy if the lower container was rotated through 180°.
• the container described above can be readily manufactured by injection moulding from a plastics material, but other arrangements and materials could be used.
• stacking means generally of the form described could be incorporated in a container which has notches and feet distributed to allow stacking when containers have like orientation, and nesting when rotated through 180°, or some other amount.
• the notches and feet could be replaced by many other alternatives, such as pillars and voids.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Stackable Containers (AREA)
• Stacking Of Articles And Auxiliary Devices (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)
• Medical Preparation Storing Or Oral Administration Devices (AREA)
• Glass Compositions (AREA)
• Apparatus Associated With Microorganisms And Enzymes (AREA)
• Rigid Containers With Two Or More Constituent Elements (AREA)
• Warehouses Or Storage Devices (AREA)

Priority Applications (14)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10779290

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (21)

Cited By (9)

Citations (7)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 1995
  • 1995-08-16 GB GBGB9516739.1A patent/GB9516739D0/en active Pending
• 1996
  • 1996-08-15 PL PL96324976A patent/PL324976A1/xx unknown
  • 1996-08-15 KR KR1019980701126A patent/KR19990037649A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1996-08-15 NZ NZ315733A patent/NZ315733A/en unknown
  • 1996-08-15 AU AU67500/96A patent/AU713758B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1996-08-15 BR BR9610223-3A patent/BR9610223A/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1996-08-15 SK SK180-98A patent/SK18098A3/sk unknown
  • 1996-08-15 HU HU9802365A patent/HUP9802365A3/hu unknown
  • 1996-08-15 IL IL12329296A patent/IL123292A0/xx unknown
  • 1996-08-15 AT AT96927800T patent/ATE194570T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1996-08-15 WO PCT/GB1996/002004 patent/WO1997007033A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1996-08-15 CN CN96197418A patent/CN1198719A/zh active Pending
  • 1996-08-15 EP EP96927800A patent/EP0848684B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1996-08-15 DE DE69609335T patent/DE69609335D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1996-08-15 CA CA002228160A patent/CA2228160A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1996-08-15 JP JP9509060A patent/JPH11511098A/ja active Pending
  • 1996-08-15 TR TR1998/00234T patent/TR199800234T1/xx unknown
  • 1996-08-15 CZ CZ98372A patent/CZ37298A3/cs unknown
• 1998
  • 1998-02-10 NO NO980567A patent/NO980567L/no not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1998-02-12 IS IS4666A patent/IS4666A/is unknown
  • 1998-03-16 BG BG102327A patent/BG102327A/xx unknown

Patent Citations (7)

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