U.S. patent application number 10/203898 was filed with the patent office on 2003-01-02 for modular container.
Invention is credited to Rowland, Clive Victor Stephen.
Application Number | 20030001003 10/203898 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25588625 |
Filed Date | 2003-01-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030001003 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rowland, Clive Victor
Stephen |
January 2, 2003 |
Modular container
Abstract
A modular container for the storage or display of articles,
formed from a foldable unitary blank of sheet material. The
container has a base panel, opposed first and second side panels
and an end panel. A container-locating aperture is located adjacent
the second side panel and is formed on the end panel, together with
a tab-locating aperture that is located adjacent the first side
panel. A container connecting tab projects from the first side
panel, and may selectively be folded to locate in the tab-locating
aperture, or to locate in the container-locating aperture of
another container and thereby connecting the containers together in
side-by-side relationship.
Inventors: |
Rowland, Clive Victor Stephen;
(Johannesburg, ZA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Clive Victor Stephen Rowland
Pinegowrie
PO Box 3595
Johannesburg
2123
ZA
|
Family ID: |
25588625 |
Appl. No.: |
10/203898 |
Filed: |
August 15, 2002 |
PCT Filed: |
February 16, 2001 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB01/00201 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
229/120.01 ;
206/504; 220/23.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 5/427 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
229/120.01 ;
220/23.4; 206/504 |
International
Class: |
B65D 021/028 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 16, 2000 |
ZA |
2000/0745 |
Claims
1. A modular container comprising: a base panel, first and second
opposed wall forming side panels, and at least one wall forming end
panel extending between the side panels, thereby defining
respective first and second common edges; at least one end
container connecting tab projecting from the end panel, or from the
first side panel, at or adjacent the first common edge; at least
one container-locating aperture formed in the end panel at or
adjacent the second common edge; and a tab-locating aperture formed
in the end panel at or adjacent the first common edge, wherein the
end container connecting tab of an erected container may
selectively be engaged in the tab-locating aperture, or engaged In
the end container-locating aperture of another container thereby to
connect the containers together.
2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the base panel, the
first and second wall forming side panels, and the wall forming end
panel are formed from a foldable unitary blank of sheet
material.
3. A container according to claim 2, wherein the, end container
connecting tab is formed from the inner portion of the tab-locating
aperture provided in the end panel, which is partially cut out,
whereby the end container connecting tab is foldable at or about
the first common edge to selectively be positioned either in or out
of the tab-locating aperture.
4. A container according to any one of the preceding claims,
wherein the end panel is formed from at least two end panel
portions, at least one end panel portion being provided on each of
the first and second side panels.
5. A container according to claim 4, wherein the end panel portions
are joined to each other by engageable complemental tab and
aperture formations provided thereon.
6. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the
end panel of an erected container is connected to the side panels
at the respective common edges.
7. A container according to any one of the preceding claims,
wherein end reinforcing panels are provided on the base panel.
8. A container according to claim 7, wherein the end reinforcing
panels are formed of outer and inner panel portions which may be
folded over the end panel, thereby enveloping the engaged tab and
aperture formations.
9. A container according to claim 8, wherein the inner panel
portion of the end reinforcing panel has a projecting tongue which
is engageable within a complemental slot formed on the base
panel.
10. A container according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the
end container connecting tab is folded to locate in the
tab-locating aperture, and is thereby enveloped by the reinforcing
panels.
11. A container according to either claim 8 or 9, wherein the end
container connecting tab is located in the end container-locating
aperture of a second like container and thereby enveloped by the
reinforcing panels of the second container.
12. A container according to any one of the preceding claims,
further comprising: a wall forming front panel; a front container
connecting tab projecting from the first side panel, or from the
front panel, at or adjacent the interface between the front panel
and the first side panel; a front tab aperture formed on the front
panel at or adjacent the first side panel; and a front
container-locating aperture formed on the front panel at or
adjacent the second side panel, wherein the front container
connecting tab of an erected container may selectively be engaged
in the front tab aperture, or engaged in the front
container-locating aperture of the second container.
13. A container according to claim 12 wherein the front panel is
formed from at least two front panel portions, at least one front
panel portion being provided on each of the first and second side
panels.
14. A container according to either claim 12 or 13, wherein the
front panel portions are joined to each other by engageable
complemental tab and aperture formations provided thereon.
15. A container according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein
the side panels are connected to the upstanding edges of the front
panels of an erected container.
16. A container according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein
front reinforcing panels are provided on the base panel.
17. A container according to claim 16, wherein the front
reinforcing panels are formed of outer and inner panel portions
which may be folded over the front panel thereby enveloping the
engaged tab and aperture formations.
18. A container according to claim 17, wherein the inner panel
portion of the front reinforcing panel has a projecting tongue
which is engageable within a complemental front slot formed on the
base panel.
19. A container according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein
the front container connecting tab is engaged in the front tab
aperture, and is thereby enveloped by the reinforcing panels.
20. A container according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein
the front container connecting tab is engaged in the front
container-locating aperture of a second like container and is
thereby enveloped by the reinforcing panels of the second
container.
21. A container according to any one of claims 12 to 20, wherein
the front panel of the erected container is lower than the end
panel.
22. A container according to claim 21, wherein the side panels are
chamfered thereby providing accessibility and visibility into the
container.
23. A container according to any one of the preceding claims,
wherein partitions are located within the container thereby forming
compartments.
24. A container according to claim 23, wherein the partitions are
secured within the container by co-operating tongue and slot
formations provided on the partitions and on the wall forming
panels of the container respectively.
25. A container according to either claim 23 or 24, wherein the
partitions are cut from the waste sheet material surrounding the
blank when the blank is itself cut from the sheet material.
26. A container according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the
inner and outer panel portions of the end panels have a flap cut
out of the panel to enable labels and the like to be inserted
therein.
27. A container according to any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein
the inner and outer panel portions of the front panels have a flap
cut out of the panel to enable labels and the like to be inserted
therein.
28. A container according to claim 1, wherein the end panel is
provided on one of the side panels and is connected by complemental
tab and aperture formations to the other side panel.
29. A container according to claim 1, wherein the end panel is
provided on the base panel and is connected by complemental tab and
aperture formations to both side panels.
30. A container according to claim 12, wherein the front panel is
provided on one of the side panels and is connected by complemental
tab and aperture formations to the other side panel.
31. A container according to claim 12, wherein the front panel is
provided on the base panel and is connected by complemental tab and
aperture formations to both side panels.
32. A container according to any one of the preceding claims,
wherein a top panel is provided.
33. A container according to claim 32, wherein the top panel is
provided on the first and/or second side panel.
34. A container according to claim 32, wherein the top panel is
formed from the inner panel portion of the end and/or front
reinforcing panels.
35. A container according to any one of claims 32 to 34, wherein
the top panel is operable to close the container.
36. A plurality of the containers of claims 1 to 35 connected in
side-by-side relationship.
37. A unitary blank for a modular container, the blank being formed
from a foldable sheet material and comprising: a base panel; a wall
forming first side panel; a wall forming second side panel; a wall
forming end panel having a container-locating aperture at or
adjacent the second side panel, and a tab-locating aperture at or
adjacent the first side panel; and a container connecting tab
projecting from the first side panel at or adjacent the front
panel, wherein the container connecting tab of a container erected
from the blank may be selectively folded to engage within the
tab-locating aperture, or to engage in the container-locating
aperture of a second container, thereby to connect the containers
together.
38. A blank according to claim 37, wherein the blank further
comprises: a wall forming front panel; a front tab-locating
aperture formed on the front panel at or adjacent the first side
panel; a front container connecting tab projecting from the first
side panel at or adjacent the front panel; and a front
container-locating aperture formed on the front panel located
adjacent to the second side panel, wherein the front container
connecting tab of an erected container may selectively be folded to
engage in the front tab-locating aperture, or to engage in the
front container-locating aperture of the second container.
39. A blank according to either claim 37 or 38, wherein the blank
is formed from a corrugated polymeric sheet material.
40. A blank according to either claim 37 or 38, wherein the blank
is formed from a foldable material selected from a group including
card, cardboard and/or plastic.
41. A container substantially as herein described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
42. A blank substantially as herein described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
Description
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0001] THIS invention relates to a modular container for the
storage or display of articles.
[0002] Numerous containers that are folded and erected from blanks
of sheet material are known. Many of these containers may be
collapsed when not required and stored as flat sheets, ready to be
re-erected when needed. Some of the containers of this type may be
connected to one another in side-by-side relationship or in a
stackable orientation. Many containers that are arranged in this
manner have tabs projecting from the walls of the container, which
may be glued to another identical container. Once glued these
containers are not easily separated without damage being inflicted
to the container walls. Accordingly, it is difficult to repeatedly
erect and collapse such containers after they have been joined to
other containers.
[0003] Certain containers known to the art incorporate engagement
tabs which pass through co-operating slots of another like
container, or several containers are arranged in an overlapping
relationship. However, such arrangements do not provide adequate
coupling of the containers and containers that are joined together
in this manner are typically prone to separation. Alternative means
for connecting containers are known to the art, whereby
co-operating connecting tabs may be inter-linked to connect
containers together, but such linkage formations are not
particularly strong and may be damaged easily with repeated
use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] According to the invention there is provided a modular
container that comprises:
[0005] a base panel, first and second opposed wall forming side
panels, and at least one wall forming end panel extending between
the side panels, thereby defining respective first and second
common edges with the first and second side panels;
[0006] at least one end container connecting tab projecting from
the end panel, or from the first side panel, at or adjacent the
first common edge; and
[0007] at least one container-locating aperture formed in the end
panel at or adjacent the second common edge,
[0008] wherein the end container connecting tab of an erected
container may be engaged in the container-locating aperture of
another container, thereby to connect the containers together.
[0009] According to another aspect of the invention there is
provided a modular container that comprises:
[0010] a base panel, first and second opposed wall forming side
panels, and at least one wall forming end panel extending between
the side panels, thereby defining respective first and second
common edges;
[0011] at least one end container connecting tab projecting from
the end panel, or from the first side panel, at or adjacent the
first common edge;
[0012] at least one container-locating aperture formed in the end
panel at or adjacent the second common edge; and
[0013] a tab-locating aperture formed in the end panel at or
adjacent the first common edge,
[0014] wherein the end container connecting tab of an erected
container may selectively be engaged in the container-locating
aperture, or engaged in the end container-locating aperture of
another container thereby to connect the containers together.
[0015] The container preferably further comprises:
[0016] a wall forming front panel;
[0017] a front container connecting tab projecting from the first
side panel, or from the front panel, at or adjacent the interface
between the front panel and the first side panel;
[0018] a front tab aperture formed on the front panel at or
adjacent the first side panel; and
[0019] a front container-locating aperture formed on the front
panel at or adjacent the second side panel,
[0020] wherein the front container connecting tab of an erected
container may selectively be engaged in the front tab aperture, or
engaged in the front container-locating aperture of the second
container.
[0021] According to yet another aspect of the invention there is
provided a unitary blank for a modular container, the blank being
formed from a foldable sheet material and comprising:
[0022] a base panel;
[0023] a wall forming first side panel;
[0024] a wall forming second side panel;
[0025] a wall forming end panel having a container-locating
aperture at or adjacent the second side panel, and a tab-locating
aperture at or adjacent the first side panel; and
[0026] a container connecting tab projecting from the first side
panel at or adjacent the front panel,
[0027] wherein the container connecting tab of a container erected
from the blank may be selectively folded to engage within the
tab-locating aperture, or to engage in the container-locating
aperture of a second container, thereby to connect the containers
together.
[0028] Preferably the blank further comprises:
[0029] a wall forming front panel;
[0030] a front tab-locating aperture formed on the front panel at
or adjacent the first side panel;
[0031] a front container connecting tab projecting from the first
side panel at or adjacent the front panel; and
[0032] a front container-locating aperture formed on the front
panel located adjacent to the second side panel,
[0033] wherein the front container connecting tab of an erected
container may selectively be folded to engage in the front
tab-locating aperture, or to engage in the front container-locating
aperture of the second container.
[0034] Typically, the end container connecting tab is formed from
the inner portion of the tab-locating aperture provided in the end
panel, which is partially cut out, whereby the end container
connecting tab is foldable at or about the first common edge to
selectively be positioned either in or out of the tab-locating
aperture.
[0035] The front and end panels may be provided on the first or the
second side panels, or on the base panel. The upstanding edges of
the front and end panels of an erected container must be connected
to the side panels, either by being provided on at least one of the
side panels and being connected by complemental tab and aperture
formations to the other, or by being connected by complemental tab
and aperture formations to both side panels. Preferably, the front
and end panels are formed from two panels, provided on the first
and second side panels, which are joined to each other by
complemental tab and aperture formations.
[0036] Furthermore, it is preferable that front and/or end
reinforcing panels are provided on the base panel. These
reinforcing panels may be formed of outer and inner panel portions,
which are folded over the respective front and back panels, thereby
enveloping the joins formed from the tab and aperture
formations.
[0037] In a container erected from the blank, the end container
connecting tab may be folded to locate in the end tab aperture.
Similarly the front container connecting tab may be folded to
locate in the front tab aperture, and thereby also be enveloped by
the reinforcing panels.
[0038] Alternatively, the end container connecting tab may be
located in the end container-locating aperture of another like
container and thereby be enveloped by the reinforcing panels of
that container. Similarly, the same may apply in respect to the
front container connecting tab. This may be applied to a plurality
of connected containers arrange side-by-side.
[0039] The inner panel portions of the front and end reinforcing
panels preferably have a projecting locating tongue which is
engageable within a complemental slot formed on the base panel.
[0040] The unitary blanks are preferably formed from a corrugated
polymeric sheet material, although card, cardboard, plastic and
other similar foldable materials may be used.
[0041] A top panel may be provided on the container which is
provided on the blank adjacent to the first and/or second side
panel, or formed from one of the inner panel portions of the
reinforcing panels described above, preferably the end panel
portion. The top panel may operate to close the container.
[0042] Partitions may be located within the container, thereby
forming compartments. The partitions may be secured within the
container by co-operating tongue and slot formations formed on the
partitions and on the wall forming panels of the container
respectively. The partitions are preferably cut from the waste
sheet material surrounding the blank when the blank is itself cut
from the sheet material.
[0043] The front panels of the erected container are preferably
lower than the end panels, and the side panels and partitions may
be chamfered accordingly, to provide better accessibility and
visibility into the containers.
[0044] The inner and outer panel portions of the front and back
panels may have a flap cut out of the panel to enable labels and
the like to be inserted therein.
[0045] An embodiment of the invention is described in detail in the
following passages of the specification, which refer to the
accompanying drawings. The drawings, however, are merely
illustrative of how the invention might be put into effect, so that
the specific form and arrangement of the features shown is not to
be understood as limiting on the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
[0046] FIG. 1 shows an underside plan view of a blank, from which a
modular container according to the invention may be formed;
[0047] FIG. 2 shows a front perspective view of the blank depicted
in FIG. 1;
[0048] FIG. 3 shows a front perspective view of a partially erected
modular container, formed from the blank;
[0049] FIG. 4 shows a front perspective view of a single erected
modular container showing, in exploded view, partitions which may
be incorporated within the container; and
[0050] FIG. 5 shows a rear perspective view of two partially
erected modular containers which are to be joined together in
side-by-side relationship.
DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT
[0051] A modular container 10 according to the invention is
depicted in FIG. 4. The container is formed from a unitary blank 12
of corrugated polymeric sheet material. The container is intended
for the convenient storage or display of articles, and may easily
be erected to form a single container, or may simply be adapted to
be joined to other like containers. The containers joined in this
manner may easily be separated again to form single containers, or
may be collapsed back into flattened blanks for convenient
storage.
[0052] FIGS. 1 and 2 show the blank 12 which has a base panel 14,
and opposed first and second side panels 16 and 18 extending from
the sides of the base panel. When folded into a vertical
orientation, the first and second side panels form the side walls
of the container. On the side panels are provided respective first
and second end panel portions 20 and 22 which are foldable from the
first and second side panels respectively. The first end panel
portion has a projecting tab 24, which is engageable with a
corresponding aperture 26 formed in the second end panel portion.
When the projecting tab of the first end panel portion is engaged
in the aperture of the second end panel portion, the end panel of
the container is assembled, the end panel being shown generally as
reference numeral 28 in FIG. 3.
[0053] Located on the other ends of the first and second side
panels 16 and 18 are provided first and second front panel portions
30 and 32, the first front panel portion having a projecting tab 34
which is engageable within an aperture 36 formed in the second
front panel portion. When so engaged, the first and second front
panel portions form the front panel, shown generally as reference
numeral 38 in FIG. 3.
[0054] An end container connecting tab 40 is partially cut out of
the first end panel portion 20. The fold between the first side
panel 16 and the first end panel portion forms a hinge 42 for the
end container connecting tab, enabling the end container connecting
tab to be positioned in a tab-locating aperture 44 or folded out
therefrom. Similarly, there is a front container connecting tab 46
formed out of a front tab-locating aperture 48 in the first front
panel portion 30. The front container connecting tab may also be
positioned in or out of the front tab-locating aperture.
[0055] Extending from the base panel 14, there is provided an end
reinforcing panel, shown generally as reference numeral 50, which
comprises an end outer panel portion 52 and an end inner panel
portion 54. There is a corresponding front reinforcing panel, shown
generally as reference numeral 56, which comprises a front outer
panel portion 58 and a front inner panel portion 60.
[0056] FIG. 3 clearly shows the end and front panels 28 and 38 in
assembled configuration, with the projecting tabs 24 and 34 engaged
in the corresponding apertures 26 and 36. The end reinforcing panel
50 is then folded from the base panel 14, such that the end outer
panel portion 52 abuts the end panel. The end inner panel portion
54 is then folded over the end panel, thereby enveloping the end
panel together with the engaged projecting tab and aperture 24, 26.
A projecting tongue 62 is provided on the end inner panel portion,
which is positioned in a complemental slot 64 cut out of the base
panel. Similarly, the front reinforcing panel 56 is folded over the
front panel to envelop it, and a projecting tongue 66 engages a
complemental slot 68 provided on the base panel.
[0057] When a single modular container 10 is required, the end
container connecting tab 40 is positioned within the tab-locating
aperture 44. The engaged tab and aperture is then enveloped within
the end outer and inner panel portions 52 and 54. Accordingly, in
this configuration there are no tabs projecting from the modular
container and no slots or apertures are visible when the container
is erected, as is depicted in FIG. 4.
[0058] Should it be desired that a second container 10 be connected
to the first container then, prior to the end and front reinforcing
panels 50 and 56 being folded over the end and front panels 28 and
38, the end container connecting tab 40 of the first container is
folded out externally from the tab-locating aperture 44 to project
from the first side panel 16. The second end panel portion 22 of
each container is provided with a container-locating aperture 70,
formed adjacent to the second side panel 18. The size and shape of
the container-locating aperture is configured to be identical and
complemental to the tab-locating aperture 44 formed on the first
end panel portion 20.
[0059] Prior to the end and front reinforcement panels 50 and 56
being folded over the end and front panels 28 and 38, the end
container connecting tab 40 of the first container is positioned
into the container-locating aperture 70 of the second container.
This is clearly illustrated in FIG. 5. When the end container
connecting tab is engaged in the container-locating aperture, the
end reinforcing panel may be folded over the end panel into the
assembled position. If a further container had been required, the
end container connecting tab 40 of the second container would have
been folded out from the corresponding tab-locating aperture 44 to
project away from the second container prior to the end reinforcing
panel being placed in position.
[0060] The front container connecting tab 46 may be connected in a
similar fashion to a front container-locating aperture 72 formed on
the front panel portion 32. The front reinforcing panel 56 could
then be folded into the assembled configuration in a similar manner
to that described in relation to the end reinforcing panel.
[0061] In this manner it is possible to cover all of the
interconnecting tab and aperture formations formed on the blanks
12, whether they are connected to form a single modular container
10 or a plurality of containers connected in side-by-side
relationship.
[0062] As can be seen from the drawings, it is preferred that the
front panel 38 of the container 10 is of a lesser height than the
end panel 28. This enables greater accessibility and visibility
into the container.
[0063] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, as depicted in
FIG. 4, partitions 74 and 76, having co-operating alignment slots
78 and 80, are positioned within the container 10 to form
compartments therein. Numerous projections 82 extend from the
partitions and having chamfered edges 84 to facilitate location
within co-operating panel slots 86 formed in the walls of the
container. This enables convenient separation of articles within
the container or, alternatively, provides support for tall items
arranged in the container.
[0064] The first and second side panels 16 and 18 may have
chamfered or shaped edges 88, to account for the reduced height of
the front panels 38 relative to the back panel 28. The partition 76
may also be shaped accordingly.
[0065] A flap 90 may be cut from any one of the front or end
reinforcement panel portions to enable a card or label to be
inserted in the flap. This would be particularly suitable for
identifying articles contained in the container or for advertising
or promotional material which may be used in relation to the
articles.
[0066] There are various alternative embodiments of the container
which are possible and that fall within the scope of the invention.
Furthermore, the containers may be formed from blanks of a sheet
material that are manufactured from card, cardboard, polymeric
sheets, corrugated boards or other similar materials. Polymeric
sheets are particularly useful as they may be easily cleaned with a
cloth and reused.
[0067] The main advantage of the invention is that containers may
easily be connected securely to one another in a side-by-side
configuration. In addition, if desired, the containers may be again
released from one another and collapsed to form flat blanks
enabling convenient storage of the containers when not required.
Any number of containers may be connected together making the
container suitable for applications on shelving, and especially for
the storage of small items such as nuts and bolts in a workshop, or
for the display of articles in shops. Due to the reinforcing
panels, at the front and end of the containers, and the double wall
sections between connected containers, the arrangement is
particularly resilient and rigid.
[0068] It should be appreciated that the containers described in
relation to the present invention may have more that two side
panels and may accordingly be polygonal in shape. This enables the
containers to be joined in side-by-side relationship to form
circles. Accordingly, the phrase "opposed" in the claims should be
understood in this manner, and not should not be interpreted to
limit the containers to only two side walls, arranged in a
substantially parallel configuration.
* * * * *