WO1997041044A1

WO1997041044A1 - Stacking tray for bottles

Info

Publication number: WO1997041044A1
Application number: PCT/NO1997/000113
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roar Petersen; Georg Osbakk; Bjarne Lerum
Original assignee: Dyno Industrier Asa
Priority date: 1996-04-29
Filing date: 1997-04-29
Publication date: 1997-11-06
Also published as: NO302114B1; AU2794097A; NO961708L; NO961708D0

Abstract

A stacking tray (28) for bottles and similar containers, particularly beer and mineral water bottles provided with a cap and an upper and lower bead (33, 35) at the bottle mouth, wherein multiple bottles may be joined to a multipack, e.g. with a handle of cardboard. The stacking tray has a sheet structure with depressions on the upper side for receiving bottle bottoms, and which on the lower side of each depression is provided with a recess for a bottle top at stacking. The recess is provided by a tubular ring (12) with a downward opening and has an inner downward inclined surface (12A) at the edge. The inner diameter of the ring is slightly larger than the diameter of the upper bottle mouth bead (33).

Description

Stacking tray for bottles

The invention relates to a stacking tray ofthe kind stated in the introductory part of claim 1 , particularly for beer bottles and similar containers with a crown cork or another cap serving as an anchor for a multipack handle.

Background

Delivery of small bottles of beer or mineral water is commonly made using a stacking tray with a multipack handle which is provided by the bottling operation. This means that little space is left at the cap for engaging the stacking tray. It is desirable that caps are kept unloaded during transport, to avoid leakages.

Object The main purpose ofthe invention is to provide a stacking tray, particularly for beer bottles allowing stacking of multipacks, e.g. units of 4 or 6 bottles connected with a handle, e.g. of cardboard, where no load is transferred from the stacking tray to the end ofthe caps. Particularly, it is an object to provide a stacking tray which can bear against the cap of such bottles, without risking leakages due to the load. Further, it is an object to provide a stacking tray which is suited for returning empty bottles, without a cap.

The Invention

The main object is achieved by providing a stacking tray as stated in the characterizing part of claim 1.

Such a stacking tray will allow the stacking of more layers of bottles than previously possible, without negative effects due to the load.

Further features ofthe invention are stated in claims 2-5.

The invention is described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, where: Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a part of a stacking tray according to the invention, without edges,

Fig. 2 shows a vertical section through the bottom ofthe stacking tray of Fig. 1, with a filled and capped bottle inserted, Fig. 3 shows a section corresponding to Fig. 2, with an empty bottle, stacked for return delivery, while Fig. 4 shows a vertical section illustrating the edge ofthe tray,

Fig. 1 shows a stacking tray with a number of junctions provided by tubular rings, hereinafter in the following called supporting rings 12, with an annular dish 13 at the upper end, joining four branched ribs 14, 15, 16, 17 with a 90 degree offset and extending to corresponding supporting rings 18-20. Between each adjoining pair of ribs, ribs 21-24 extend radially to support cones 25-28 in the openings between the supporting rings. The purpose of the support cones 25-28 is to support a bottle 29 placed on the ribs 14-17 and 21-24.

At the rim ofthe stacking tray, a surrounding flange 38 providing a skirt 39 is incorporated as best seen in Figure 4. Fig. 2 shows a vertical section through a supporting ring 12. In addition to the annular dish 13, support ring 12 comprises a depending collar 12A at the rim and an inner centrally located depression 30 constituting a plug 31 extending into the opening of the supporting ring 12. The purpose ofthe plug 31 will be apparent from the following description.

When the stacking tray 11 is used for the delivery of bottles from the bottling plant, the bottles are provided with a crown cap or a similar cap 32 extending down on an upper annular bead or mouth bead 33 on the bottle, and down to an annular depression 34 between the upper bead 33 and a lower annular bead 35. The lower annular bead 35 has a slightly larger diameter than the upper, e.g. 1,5 mm.

The collar 32 A ofthe cap engages an inner inclined annular surface 12B ofthe collar 12 A. In this way, no load will be transferred to the top surface ofthe cap 32. Any movement at a load above, e.g. during transportation, will not create leakage.

Fig. 3 shows the stacking tray 11 for the return delivery of bottles 29 without a cap 32. In this case, the top ofthe bottles is introduced into the supporting ring 12 and engages onto the end 36 or onto the lower bead 35 against the inclined surface 12B. Both engagements can avoid pinching to allow for easy removal ofthe stacking trays. In this way, contact between the inside ofthe bottle mouth and and the plug 31 is avoided.

Fig. 2 and 3 shows the curved lower side ofthe ribs 14-17 at 37 toward the collar 12A, to guide a bottle 29 into the right position for joining.

Fig. 4 shows a continous flange 38 extending between support cones 40 which is arranged adjacently to and integral with the double walled flange 38. The support cones 40 form part-cones facing the bottle chambers. At the outer side, the flange includes a dependant collar 39 extending along the edge. In the region of a bottle chamber, the flange 38 may be single walled.

The stacking tray ofthe example is conveniently manufactured in one piece by extruding plastic. It is also possible to manufacture such stacking trays by vacuum forming of plastic sheets.

Within the scope ofthe invention, different elements ofthe example can be modified. The support system of support rings 12 and support cones 25-28 can be modfied, although the illustrated example shows a particular advantageous embodiment. The stacking tray may also be manufactured with a closed surface.

Claims

Claims:

1. A stacking tray (28) for bottles and similar packages, particularly beer bottles provided with a cap and an upper and lower bead (33, 35) at the bottle mouth, wherein multiple bottles may be joined to a multipack, e.g. with a handle of cardboard, and a sheet structure with depressions on the upper side for receiving bottle bottoms, and wherein the lower side of each depression is provided with a recess for a bottle top at stacking, characterized in

- that the recess is provided by a tubular ring (12), with a downward opening, - that the ring (12) has an inner downward inclined surface (12A) at the edge, and

- that the inner diameter ofthe ring is slightly larger than the diameter ofthe upper bottle mouth bead (33).

2. The stacking tray according to claim 1, characteized in that the inner diameter ofthe ring (12) is less than the diameter of the lower bottle mouth bead (35).

3. The stacking tray according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the inner part (13) ofthe ring (12) is provided with a plug like protrusion (31) with an outside diameter slightly less than the inner diameter ofthe bottle mouth.

4. The stacking tray according to claim 3, characterized in that the protrusion (31) during stracking has its bottle facing surface at a small distance from the cap (32).

5. The stacking tray according to one ofthe claims 1-4, characterized in that the rings (12) in a manner known per se are connected to radially extending support ribs (14-17, 21-24) which together with other rings provide the support structure ofthe stacking tray, and that at least some ofthe radially extending support ribs at the lower side (37) are inclined or arcuated toward the edge ofthe rings (12).