U.S. patent application number 11/516537 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-14 for self-supporting liquid container for boxless storage, shipping and display.
This patent application is currently assigned to Producers Dairy Foods, Inc.. Invention is credited to Ray Grewe, Doug Milam, Richard A. Shehadey, Richard L. Shehadey, Scott W. Shehadey.
Application Number | 20080035637 11/516537 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39049642 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080035637 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shehadey; Richard A. ; et
al. |
February 14, 2008 |
Self-supporting liquid container for boxless storage, shipping and
display
Abstract
A self-supporting liquid container having a thin-walled
container body configured for stacking to store, ship and/or
display product without a secondary shipping container. The
container body has four upstanding side walls defining a fluid
chamber, an upper supporting surface and a bottom surface. A handle
having a flat upper surface extends across the upper supporting
surface and down the back end of the body for grasping the
container. A pour spout is at the upper supporting surface near the
front end. A channel in the handle provides an air vent to
preventing glugging when pouring. A cap removably connects to the
pour spout. The upper surface of the handle and the flat upper
surface of the cap define the upper supporting surface of the
container body. Two or more containers are shrink wrapped together
to define a container packing system suitable for stacking on top
of like configured containers.
Inventors: |
Shehadey; Richard A.;
(Fresno, CA) ; Shehadey; Scott W.; (Fresno,
CA) ; Shehadey; Richard L.; (Fresno, CA) ;
Grewe; Ray; (Fresno, CA) ; Milam; Doug;
(Fresno, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RICHARD A. RYAN;ATTORNEY AT LAW
8497 N. MILLBROOK AVENUE, SUITE 101
FRESNO
CA
93720
US
|
Assignee: |
Producers Dairy Foods, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
39049642 |
Appl. No.: |
11/516537 |
Filed: |
September 6, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60836792 |
Aug 9, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/23.4 ;
206/497 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2501/0036 20130101;
B65D 21/0231 20130101; B65D 23/10 20130101; B65D 1/44 20130101;
B65D 71/08 20130101; B65D 2205/00 20130101; B65D 2501/0081
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/23.4 ;
206/497 |
International
Class: |
B65D 65/00 20060101
B65D065/00; B65D 21/02 20060101 B65D021/02 |
Claims
1. A self-supporting liquid container, comprising: a thin-walled
container body defining an internal chamber for receiving a liquid,
said container body having a pair of opposing sides, a front end, a
back end, a generally flat upper supporting surface and a bottom
surface, said upper supporting surface substantially parallel to
said bottom surface; a handle having a lower end connected to said
back end of said container body approximately equidistance from
each of said pair of opposing sides and an upper end at said upper
supporting surface, said upper end of said handle defining a
generally flat handle upper surface; a pour spout disposed in said
upper supporting surface of said container body at or near said
front end thereof and approximately equidistance from each of said
pair of opposing sides, said pour spout having an orifice for
receiving said liquid into said chamber and for pouring said liquid
therefrom; and a cap removably connected to said pour spout, said
cap having a generally flat cap upper surface, said handle upper
surface and said cap upper surface defining said upper supporting
surface of said container body.
2. The liquid container of claim 1, wherein said handle and said
pour spout are integrally formed with said container body.
3. The liquid container of claim 1, wherein said handle upper
surface is elongated and the centerline of said orifice is
substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of said handle
upper surface.
4. The liquid container of claim 1, wherein said pair of sides on
said container body comprises a first side and a second side, said
first side substantially parallel with said second side near said
bottom surface, said front end substantially parallel with said
back end near said bottom surface.
5. The liquid container of claim 1, wherein said container body has
a substantially rectangular cross-section with each of said pair of
sides being longer than each of said front end and said back
end.
6. The liquid container of claim 5, wherein said handle has a
channel, said channel having an inlet at said orifice and an outlet
at said lower end of said handle directed into said internal
chamber to reduce or prevent glugging.
7. The liquid container of claim 1, wherein said handle has a
channel, said channel having an inlet at said orifice and an outlet
at said lower end of said handle directed into said internal
chamber to reduce or prevent glugging.
8. The liquid container of claim 7, wherein said container body has
a handle bridge and a handle support, said handle support disposed
below said upper supporting surface and rearward of said pour
spout, said handle bridge interconnecting said handle and said
handle support to support said handle.
9. The liquid container of claim 1, wherein each of said pair of
opposing sides has one or more horizontally disposed side ridges
and each of said front end and said back end have one or more end
ridges, said side ridges and said end ridges disposed inward toward
said internal chamber and shaped and configured to reduce
bulging.
10. A self-supporting liquid container, comprising: a thin-walled
container body defining an internal chamber for receiving a liquid,
said container body having four upstanding sidewalls in a generally
rectangular cross-section, a generally flat upper supporting
surface and a bottom surface, said sidewalls comprising a first
side, a second side, a front end and a back end, each of said first
side and said second side longer than each of said front end and
said back end, said upper supporting surface substantially parallel
to said bottom surface; a handle having a lower end connected to
said back end of said container body approximately equidistance
from each of said first side and said second side and an upper end
at said upper supporting surface, said upper end of said handle
defining a generally elongated flat handle upper surface; a pour
spout disposed in said upper supporting surface of said container
body at or near said front end thereof and approximately
equidistance from each of said first side and said second side,
said pour spout having an orifice for receiving said liquid into
said chamber and for pouring said liquid therefrom, the centerline
of said orifice substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of
said handle upper surface; and a cap removably connected to said
pour spout, said cap having a generally planar cap upper surface,
said handle upper surface and said cap upper surface defining said
upper supporting surface of said container body.
11. The liquid container of claim 10, wherein said handle has a
channel, said channel having an inlet at said orifice and an outlet
at said lower end of said handle directed into said internal
chamber, said channel configured to reduce or prevent glugging.
12. The liquid container of claim 11, wherein said container body
has a handle bridge and a handle support, said handle support
disposed below said upper supporting surface and rearward of said
pour spout, said handle bridge interconnecting said handle and said
handle support to support said handle.
13. The liquid container of claim 12, wherein each of first side
and said second side have one or more horizontally disposed side
ridges and each of said front end and said back end have one or
more end ridges, said side ridges and said end ridges disposed
inward toward said internal chamber and shaped and configured to
reduce bulging.
14. The liquid container of claim 10, wherein each of said first
side and said second side have one or more horizontally disposed
side ridges and each of said front end and said back end have one
or more end ridges, said side ridges and said end ridges disposed
inward toward said internal chamber and shaped and configured to
reduce bulging.
15. The liquid container of claim 10, wherein said container body
has a handle bridge and a handle support, said handle support
disposed below said upper supporting surface and rearward of said
pour spout, said handle bridge interconnecting said handle and said
handle support to support said handle.
16. A container packing system, comprising: two or more
self-supporting containers, each of said containers having a
thin-walled container body with a handle and a pour spout formed
integrally with said container body and a cap removably connected
to said pour spout, said container body defining an internal
chamber containing a liquid, said container body having four
upstanding sidewalls, a generally flat upper supporting surface and
a bottom surface, said sidewalls comprising a first side, a second
side, a front end and a back end, said upper supporting surface
substantially parallel to said bottom surface, said handle having a
lower end disposed at said back end of said container body
approximately equidistance from each of said first side and said
second side and an upper end at said upper supporting surface, said
upper end of said handle defining a generally flat handle upper
surface, said pour spout disposed in said upper supporting surface
of said container body at or near said front end thereof and
approximately equidistance from each of said first side and said
second side, said pour spout having an orifice for pouring said
liquid from said chamber, said cap having a generally planar cap
upper surface, said handle upper surface and said cap upper surface
defining said upper supporting surface of said container body; and
a wrapping material tightly wrapping said two or more containers in
side-by-side relation to configure said container packing system
for vertical stacking.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein said container body has a
substantially rectangular cross-section with each of said first
side and said second side being longer than each of said front end
and said back end.
18. The system of claim 16, wherein said handle has a channel, said
channel having an inlet at said orifice and an outlet at said lower
end of said handle directed into said internal chamber, said
channel configured to reduce or prevent glugging.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein each of first side and said
second side have one or more horizontally disposed side ridges and
each of said front end and said back end have one or more end
ridges, said side ridges and said end ridges disposed inward toward
said internal chamber and shaped and configured to reduce
bulging.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein said container body has a
handle bridge and a handle support, said handle support disposed
below said upper supporting surface and rearward of said pour
spout, said handle bridge interconnecting said handle and said
handle support to support said handle.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 60/836,792 filed on Aug. 9, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A. Field of the Invention
[0003] The field of the present invention relates generally to
containers utilized for the storage of liquid products, including
beverages such as milk, juice and water and non-beverage liquids
such as cleaning solvents and detergents. More specifically, the
present invention relates to molded, generally thin-walled plastic
containers that are capable of being stored, shipped and displayed
in a stacked condition without the need for a box or other
supporting case to prevent damage to the containers and loss of the
liquid therein. Even more specifically, this invention relates to
such containers that are less costly to manufacture and which are
attractive to the consumer.
[0004] B. Background
[0005] As is well known to consumers and those skilled in the art
of providing and handling liquid products, many liquid products are
provided to the consumer in molded plastic containers, typically
referred to as jugs or bottles. This is particularly true of liquid
beverages such as milk, juice, water and the like. Cleaning
solvents, detergent and various other non-beverage liquid products
are also commonly provided in molded plastic containers.
Originally, most plastic containers had relatively thick walls to
ensure the integrity of the container. Over the years, the
manufacturing capabilities with regard to molded plastic containers
has evolved to where most liquid product containers are now made
with relatively thin walls, thereby reducing the manufacturing and
handling costs associated with such containers. The typical
manufacturing process for molded, thin-walled plastic containers is
to blow mold the plastic into a one-piece plastic container. An
example of such a container is the common one gallon milk jug,
which typically is configured with a container body having a pour
spout in the top wall of the container, usually at the center or
near-center of the top wall. In the standard configuration, the top
wall generally tapers down to four sidewalls that are disposed in a
substantially square or rectangular cross-section and then to the
bottom wall of the container. The container handle is integrally
molded with the body of the container, generally towards one side
or corner of the container.
[0006] One problem that is well known with regard to the molded,
thin-walled containers utilized for liquid products is the
inability to stack the containers, without utilizing boxes and/or
supporting members, during storage, shipping and/or display of the
products. Because the thin-walled containers do not have
substantial vertical load strength, even when filled with the
liquid product, they are not suitable for stacking directly on top
of each other. For mass storage and shipping prior to the product
being made available to the consumer (i.e., getting the product to
the retailer), it is necessary to enclose the thin-walled
containers in a box, case or other suitable shipping container
(hereinafter, the shipping boxes/cases are collectively referred to
as shipping boxes). Typically, these shipping boxes are made out of
corrugated cardboard, plastic, metal or other materials and are
configured to hold two, four or six liquid containers, whether of
the gallon or other unit size, therein. The shipping boxes provide
the necessary structural support so the product containers can be
stacked on pallets or the like in storage areas and in the trucks
or other shipping vehicles that deliver the product to the
retailers. Once delivered to the retailer, the shipping boxes are
removed from the pallet and the individual product containers are
removed from the shipping boxes for placement inside the retail
establishment, typically in refrigerated storage units for milk and
other refrigerated products or elsewhere in the store for
non-refrigerated products. Whether in a refrigerated unit or not,
the product is usually placed on shelves or, with regard to low
height (i.e., waist high) refrigerated units, on an interior floor
of the refrigerated unit.
[0007] The configuration and non-stackability of existing liquid
containers results in a substantial amount of wasted materials,
unnecessary handling and lost retail storage space. At the facility
where the product is placed in the container, the individual liquid
containers must be placed inside the shipping boxes and then the
shipping boxes are stacked on the pallet or like delivery
structure. Because it is necessary for the shipping boxes to
provide the structural support required for stacking liquid
containers filled with product, they must be configured out of
sufficient material and in a manner so as to prevent damage to the
containers and loss of the product therein. If the shipping boxes
are made out of cardboard or other disposable packaging materials,
then the packaging materials are usually wasted once the retailer
separates the individual containers from the shipping boxes. If the
shipping boxes are made out of plastic, metal or other reusable
materials, then the shipping boxes must be set aside for return to
the product manufacturer or distributor. Whether the shipping boxes
are reused or not, there is a substantial amount of effort to open
the shipping boxes, separate the individual containers from the
shipping boxes and then place the individual containers on the
proper shelves. Because the standard, prior art liquid container is
not stackable upon itself, either individually or in groups, the
retailer must provide a sufficient number of shelves or other
supporting surfaces for the products to be placed directly thereon,
whether in a refrigerated unit or not. Unfortunately, much of the
storage space in the upper portion of this shelf area is wasted due
the tapered pour neck and the container not being configured for
stacking. Heretofore, stores that do display stacks of containers
must use a supporting system, which typically comprises cardboard
or other material on the sides, bottom and top of the containers,
to provide stability to a group of the containers. As is well known
in the art, this results in supporting material that typically must
be disposed of or returned to the supplier, necessitating
additional handling by employees of the store and, in certain
circumstances, by the consumers themselves.
[0008] A more recent development in retail establishments is the
advent of "big box" stores that display products for the consumer
in relatively large groups of the products on pallets or like
structures on the floor, whether in a refrigerated area or not, of
the retail establishment. The objective of this type of retail
display is to reduce the costs associated with handling and
displaying the product so as to reduce the costs to the consumer
and increase the retail establishment's profit margin. Typically,
the manufacturer of products which are displayed in this manner
stacks a group of its products on a pallet and then tightly encases
the group of products, as well as the pallet, in plastic utilizing
a stretch wrap process to form a substantially unitary delivery
product. This allows the retailer to receive the group of products
and place it directly on the floor or shelves of its retail
establishment, thereby by-passing the normal unloading of the
products from the delivery packaging. Once the product is on the
floor or shelves of the retailer, the stretch wrap material is
removed, thereby making the product available to the consumer.
Unfortunately, the aforementioned retail process has not been
generally available to liquid products contained in thin-walled
containers due to the inability to safely and effectively stack the
containers, unless the product containers are sold in support boxes
to the consumer.
[0009] Several prior art patents disclose liquid containers that
are intended to improve the stackability of thin-walled plastic
containers. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,161 to Soehnlen, et
al. discloses a stackable, thin-walled container having a
structural load distributing feature that is configured to allow
caseless shipping. The container has a generally diamond shaped
cross-section with a substantially planar base, a top surface
having a substantially planar load bearing region that is parallel
to the base, a sidewall extending between the base and top surface,
a pour spout on the top surface and a handle. A structural load
distributing feature, generally in the form of a vertical rib
having a V-shaped cross-section, is formed in the sidewall and is
configured to convey bearing loads, which can result from an
adjacent container stacked on top, from the top surface to the
base. In the preferred embodiment, the container has a large
orifice at the pour spout to that is configured to prevent glugging
when pouring by allowing simultaneous egress of fluid and ingress
of air. In practice, the anti-glugging configuration set forth in
the patent appears not to work very well. U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,920
to Fritz discloses a stackable space saving container having a neck
that extends upwardly from the body of the container, which
includes a cylindrical groove for receiving the neck of a lower
adjacent, like-configured container. U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,628 to
Robbins, III discloses a thin-walled container having a container
body with one or more rigid annular bands that impart lateral
strength and stability to the container. U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,455 to
Cochran discloses a thin-walled plastic container having a pair of
longitudinally extending ribbing structures in a pair of opposed
curved corner portions to prevent buckling or dimpling of the
container. Although the foregoing describe liquid containers that
are generally intended for stacking, certain qualities have
prevented full acceptance of these configurations. In addition to
problems with glugging, which is generally considered to be the
non-even flow of liquid as it is poured from a container orifice
that is caused by a lack of venting air into the container to
equalize the air pressure, they are considered relatively difficult
to manufacture, unattractive and/or not consumer friendly.
[0010] What is needed, therefore, is an improved thin-walled
container for use with liquid products that is suitable for being
stacked on top of other like configured containers. Preferably, the
liquid container should allow minimal use of plastic (i.e.,
thin-walled) and be configured so as to reduce or eliminate the
need for shipping boxes by being able to stack groups of the
containers on top of each other directly on a pallet or like
supporting structure. The preferred container should reduce the
need for shelves and wasted shelf space in the retail establishment
by being stackable in the refrigerated units or on the retail
shelves. The preferred container should be suitable for standard
manufacturing processes and materials and adaptable for use with a
wide variety of liquid products. The preferred container should be
configured to substantially reduce or prevent glugging. Preferably,
the liquid container can be manufactured in an attractive, consumer
friendly configuration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The self-supporting liquid container of the present
invention provides the benefits and solves the problems identified
above. That is to say, the present invention discloses a
thin-walled liquid container that, while allowing minimal use of
plastic, is configured to be stacked in order to reduce the
material and handling costs associated with storing and shipping
bulk quantities of the containers by reducing or eliminating the
need for shipping boxes when the containers are stored or shipped
on a pallet or like delivery structure. The liquid container of the
present invention is configured to reduce the need for shelving and
make more efficient use of retail space by allowing the retailer to
display the liquid containers in a stacked condition. As such, the
liquid container of the present invention provides for more
efficient use of refrigerated units and allows the liquid
containers to be stacked on pallets, tables, stands or the like in
the retail establishment. The liquid container of the present
invention is adaptable to manufacturing by present methods of
manufacturing molded, thin-walled plastic containers and has a more
attractive, consumer appealing and friendly configuration.
[0012] In one general aspect of the present invention, the
self-supporting liquid container comprises a container body having
a handle and a pour spout, which are formed integrally with the
container body from a thin-walled plastic material, and a cap
removably connected (i.e., threadably attached) to the pour spout.
The container body defines an internal chamber containing a liquid,
such as milk, juice or other beverages or a non-beverage liquid.
The container body has four upstanding sidewalls, a bottom surface
and a generally parallel upper supporting surface, which is defined
by an elongated, flat upper handle surface at the upper end of the
handle and the flat top surface of the cap. In the preferred
embodiment, the container body has a generally rectangular
cross-section. The sidewalls comprise a first side, a second side,
a front end and a back end, with the first and second sides being
longer than the front and back ends. The handle extends generally
across the top surface and down the back end of the container body.
The lower end of the handle connects to the back end of the
container body approximately equidistance from each of the first
and second sides thereof.
[0013] Preferably, the pour spout is disposed in the top surface of
the container body at or near its front end such that it is also
approximately equidistance from each of the first and second sides.
The pour spout has an orifice for pouring the liquid from the
chamber. In the preferred embodiment, the centerline of the orifice
is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the handle
upper surface and the orifice is of a relatively large size. The
cap has a generally flat cap upper surface, which is large relative
to the width of the container, that is substantially in-line with
the handle. Together, the handle upper surface and the cap upper
surface define the upper supporting surface of the container body
to provide two points of support. The large size orifice of the
preferred embodiment allows use of an integral anti-glug feature
that comprises a channel in the handle that has an inlet at the
orifice and an outlet at the lower end of the handle that
discharges into the fluid chamber, thus separating the handle
chamber to allow air flow into it while fluid is being poured out.
The preferred embodiment also has ridges on the sides and ends of
the container body that are directed into the chamber to reduce or
prevent bulging and a support area below the handle to support the
handle when weight, such as other containers, is placed on the top
surface. The support area below the handle helps distribute the
weight of other containers placed on top of a container packing
system, described below, utilizing the container.
[0014] The above-described container is utilized as part of a
container packing system having two or more of such containers that
are bound together by a wrapping material, such as a shrink wrap
plastic, to form a substantially unitary package which can support
other like-configured container packing systems on top thereof so
as to eliminate the need for a box, case or other types of shipping
containers. The shrink wrap plastic tightly wraps two or more of
these containers in a side-by-side relation for vertical stacking.
Shrink wrapping two or more of the containers of the present
invention together increases the load bearing strength and
stability, particularly when used on a pallet or the like. The
stability provided by the present system prevents containers from
easily falling off of the pallet when unloaded at the store. With
the container and packing system of the present invention, product
can be stored, shipped and/or displayed without the need for the
additional labor and materials required with the use of shipping
containers.
[0015] Accordingly, the primary objective of the present invention
is to provide an improved thin-walled self-supporting liquid
container that provides the advantages discussed above and
overcomes the disadvantages and limitations associated with
presently available molded, thin-walled plastic containers used for
liquid products.
[0016] It is also an important objective of the present invention
to provide a self-supporting liquid container and system utilizing
the container that is specially configured for boxless storage,
shipping and displaying of the container.
[0017] Another important objective of the present invention is to
provide a liquid container that eliminates or reduces the need for
a shipping box or the like when shipping the liquid containers in
bulk.
[0018] Another important objective of the present invention is to
provide a liquid container that reduces the delivery load factor by
allowing a greater volume of liquid product to be placed on a
particular sized pallet or the like.
[0019] Another important objective of the present invention is to
provide a liquid container that is configured for stacking when
displayed in a refrigerated unit so as to reduce the need for
shelves and make more efficient use of the space therein.
[0020] Yet another important objective of the present invention is
to provide a liquid container that more efficiently utilizes shelf
and pallet space, thereby getting more product on a particular
sized shelf or pallet, by allowing stacking thereon and by reducing
wasted space in the shelf area.
[0021] Yet another important objective of the present invention is
to provide a thin-walled, stackable liquid container that more
substantially reduces or eliminates glugging when pouring the
liquid product therefrom and which otherwise performs as desired by
the consumer after purchase.
[0022] A further objective of the present invention is to provide a
stackable liquid container that includes the aforementioned
benefits but which is not substantially more expensive to
manufacture and which is aesthetically pleasing to the
consumer.
[0023] The above and other objectives of the present invention will
be explained in greater detail by reference to the attached figures
and the description of the preferred embodiment which follows. As
set forth herein, the present invention resides in the novel
features of form, construction, mode of operation and combination
of processes presently described and understood by the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments
and the best modes presently contemplated for carrying out the
present invention:
[0025] FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a self-supporting
liquid container configured according to a preferred embodiment of
the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 2 is a side view of the liquid container of FIG. 1;
[0027] FIG. 3 is the liquid container of FIG. 2 shown with the cap
removed from the pour spout;
[0028] FIG. 4 is back view of the liquid container of FIG. 1
particularly showing the handle area thereof;
[0029] FIG. 5 is a front view of the liquid container of FIG.
1;
[0030] FIG. 6 is top view of the liquid container of FIG. 1;
[0031] FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the liquid container of FIG.
1;
[0032] FIG. 8 is a top view of the liquid container of FIG. 1 with
the cap removed particularly showing the interior of the spout;
[0033] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view of the handle of the
liquid container of FIG. 1, taken through line 9-9 on FIG. 8,
particularly showing the channel therethrough for control of
glugging; and
[0034] FIG. 10 is a front view of a container packing system
configured according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention for stacking shown utilizing three of the containers of
FIG. 1 wrapped together with a shrink wrap material.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0035] With reference to the figures where like elements have been
given like numerical designations to facilitate the reader's
understanding of the self-supporting liquid container of the
present invention, the preferred embodiments of the present
invention are set forth below. As will be recognized by those
skilled in the art, the enclosed figures and drawings are merely
illustrative of a preferred embodiment and represents one of
several different ways of configuring the present invention.
Although specific components, materials, configurations and uses
are illustrated, it should be understood that a number of
variations to the components and to the configuration of those
components described herein and in the accompanying figures can be
made without changing the scope and function of the invention set
forth herein.
[0036] A self-supporting liquid container for boxless storage,
shipping and display that is manufactured out of the materials and
pursuant to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is
shown generally as 10 in the figures. Liquid container 10 generally
comprises a substantially rectangular cross-section, thin-walled
container body 12 having an integrally formed handle 14 and pour
spout 16, shown with cap 18 thereon in FIGS. 1-2, 4-6 and 10 and
with cap 18 removed in FIGS. 3 and 8-9. Container body 12 has four
upstanding sidewalls, comprising a first side 20, second side 22,
front end 24 and back end 26, an upper supporting surface 28 and a
bottom surface 30. As explained in more detail below and shown in
FIG. 10, container 10 is configured with container body 12 in a
generally rectangular configuration so that when two or more of
containers 10 are placed in side-by-side relation they can be bound
together with a plastic shrink wrap material 32 to provide
container packaging system, shown as 36. As will be readily
appreciated by those skilled in the art, the bound packaging system
36 is then suitable for receiving like groups of containers 10
stacked on top thereof. The packaging system 36 eliminates the need
for a shipping box and provides the desired features with regard to
storing, shipping and displaying the containers 10 filled with
liquid product, such as milk or other beverages or non-beverage
liquids. For instance, by providing the desired stacking ability,
the packaging system 36 of the present invention reduces the need
for shelves or other support surfaces in refrigerated units. In
addition, the packaging system 36 provides the sought after
benefits for those retail establishments which desire to receive
and display products in bulk, namely substantial reduction in
shipping materials and reduced handling of the products to place
them on display for the consumer.
[0037] In the preferred embodiment of the container 10 of the
present invention, container body 12 is preferably made out of a
plastic material, such as high density polyethylene (HDPE) or like
materials, that is suitable for molding in a single piece to obtain
thin-walled container 10. Although container 10 is adaptable for
manufacturing in a variety of sizes, a preferred embodiment of the
present invention provides container 10 in the common or standard
three liter or one gallon size, such as typically utilized for
milk. Container body 12 is selected to provide a substantially
user-friendly container 10 that is easy to pour, relatively
lightweight, comfortable to carry, hold and pour, attractive to the
consumer and which provides the consumer with container 10 having a
generally familiar look. In addition, as set forth below, container
body 12 includes an anti-glug feature to substantially prevent
glugging when pouring liquid from container 10.
[0038] As shown in FIGS. 2-7, except towards the upper supporting
surface 28, first side 20 is substantially parallel to second side
22 and front end 24 is substantially parallel to back end 26, with
sides 22 and 24 being longer than ends 24 and 26 to provide the
desired rectangular cross-section (i.e., taken horizontally through
the middle of container 10). The plane across upper supporting
surface 28 is substantially parallel to the plane across bottom
surface 30, with both surfaces providing substantially planar
surfaces for standing on a shelf, interior bottom of refrigerated
unit or other supporting surface, with regard to bottom surface 30,
and for supporting a vertically adjoining set of containers 10 in
container packing system 36. As shown in these figures, the sides
20/22 and ends 24/26 angle inwards slightly towards the area of
handle 14 and pour spout 16. This is done primarily for aesthetic
purposes.
[0039] In the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, handle 14
is formed integrally with container body 12 and configured in an
inverted L-shape that extends upward from its lower end 38 at
slightly above the middle of back end 26 to its upper end 40 at
upper supporting surface 28, where as explained below it helps form
upper supporting surface 28. As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, handle
14 is disposed at or near the longitude center of back end 26 to
merge into back end 26 at a position that is substantially disposed
between first rear corner 42 and second rear corner 44, such that
it is approximately equidistance from each of first side 20 and
second side 22. Handle 14 is shaped and configured to define a grip
and finger receiving region 46, best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, for
receiving the fingers of a person grasping onto handle 14 to pour
liquid from container 10. Preferably, handle 14 and finger
receiving region 46 are sized and configured to comfortably receive
the hand of most users and for the user to comfortably maintain his
or her grip on container 10. As will be further explained below, in
addition to its use to for grasping container 10 and pouring
liquids therefrom, handle 14 is adapted to assist in supporting one
container packing system 36 on top of another and with regard to
the anti-glug capabilities of container 10. In one configuration,
the length of handle 14 from lower end 38 to upper end 40 is
approximately three inches with handle 14 having an approximately
one inch width (i.e., across back end 26) and an approximately
three-fourths inch depth (i.e., on sides 20/22). A variety of other
configurations can be utilized for handle 14.
[0040] Pour spout 16 is configured with an orifice 48, best shown
in FIG. 8, that is sized and configured to allow the producer of
the liquid product to fill container 10 and for the user to poor
the product from container 10. As well known in the art, a larger
sized orifice enhances pourability and eases the filling of
container 10 with fluid. As explained in more detail below, in the
preferred embodiment the larger sized pour spout 16 allows use of a
larger sized cap 18 (i.e., a 43 mm cap) that assists with the
stackability of container packing system 36. A variety of different
types of cap systems can be utilized with container 10 of the
present invention. In the embodiment shown, pour spout 16 is
configured with a plurality of thread members 50 that are
cooperatively configured, in a user-friendly manner, to threadably
receive the interior threaded portion (not shown) of cap 18. As
known to those skilled in the art, it is preferred that cap 18 be
of the type having a tamper-evident feature which indicates to the
consumer whether cap 18 has been previously opened. Pour spout 16
is positioned at or near the middle of front side 24 substantially
equidistance between first side 20 and second side 22, as well as
between first front end corner 52 and second front end corner 54.
As will be further explained below, in addition to its use for
filling and pouring pour spout 16 is sized (i.e., mass of material)
and configured to assist in supporting one container packing system
36 on top of another. In addition, the interior portion of pour
spout 16 is configured to provide the anti-glug capabilities of
container 10.
[0041] Container 10 of the present invention is specially
configured for use in container packing system 36 that facilitates
the caseless or boxless storage, shipping and display of liquid
products supplied in container 10. Container packing system 36,
comprising two or more containers 10 wrapped or otherwise formed as
a unit by wrapping material 32 is configured to support a like
configured container packing system without damage to the
containers and/or loss of the product therefrom. In the present
invention, this is achieved through the use of the generally
rectangular cross-section for body member 12 and the substantially
parallel upper supporting surface 28 and bottom surface 30. Handle
14 is positioned and configured such that at least part of the load
placed on upper supporting surface 28 by a vertically adjacent
container packing system 36 is conveyed substantially equally along
the first 42 and second 44 rear corners to bottom surface 30.
Likewise, pour spout 16 is positioned and configured such that at
least part of the load from the vertically adjacent container
packing system 36 is conveyed substantially equally along the first
52 and second 54 front corners to bottom surface 30.
[0042] To achieve the desired load distribution, both handle 14 and
pour spout 16 have sufficiently thick walls to support loads from
above and transfer those loads to bottom surface 30. In addition,
handle 14 is configured such that elongated handle upper surface 56
is substantially in the same plane as cap upper surface 58 of cap
18, which together define upper supporting surface 28, to support
the bottom of a vertically adjacent container packing system (not
shown) placed on top of container 10 as part of container packing
system 36. In the preferred embodiment, the centerline of orifice
48 (i.e., taken vertically through the center of orifice 48) is
substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the elongated
handle upper surface 56 (i.e., the longitudinal axis of handle
upper surface 56 passing through the centerline of orifice 48). To
support handle 14 and maintain handle upper surface 56 in the
planar relation with cap upper surface 58, container 10 of the
preferred embodiment also comprises a handle bridge 60 that
interconnects handle 14 and handle support 62, which helps
distribute the weight from the loads on upper supporting surface 28
to the sides 20/22 and to bottom surface 30. In one embodiment,
handle bridge 60 is formed from two adjoining sections of plastic
disposed below handle 14 and above the area of handle support
62.
[0043] To help prevent the sides 20/22 of container 10 from bulging
out due to the weight of vertically adjacent container packing
systems or other loads on top of container packing system 36,
container body 12 includes one or more side ridges 64 on first 20
and second 22 sides and one or more end ridges 66 on front 24 and
back 26 ends, as exemplified on FIG. 1. In the preferred embodiment
shown in the figures, container body 12 has a plurality of side
ridges 64 on both first 20 and second 22 sides and a plurality of
end ridges 66 on front 24 and back 26 ends. Both side ridges 64 and
end ridges 66 are shaped and configured to reduce bulging of
container 10. In a preferred embodiment, both side ridges 64 and
end ridges 66 have a substantially U-shaped cross-section and are
disposed inward toward the inner chamber 68, best shown in FIG. 9,
defined by container body 12. As will be readily understood by
those skilled in the art, various other shapes and configurations
(i.e., V-shaped) can also be utilized for side ridges 64 and/or end
ridges 66. By extending inward towards inner chamber 68, the side
ridges 64 and end ridges 66 will counteract the force attempting to
bulge container 10 outward.
[0044] One of the problems with some of the prior art containers,
including some of those configured for vertical stacking, is that
the containers tend to glug as the liquid is poured out of the
container (particularly a full container). Some prior art
containers attempt to prevent the glugging by only utilizing a
large sized orifice at the container's spout so that air can enter
the container as fluid is being poured out of the container. While
this is of some benefit, the preferred embodiment of the container
10 of the present invention is to utilize a no-glug feature that is
made integral to container body 12. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9,
handle 14 is provided with channel 70 having an inlet 72 at its
upper end 40 and an outlet 74 at its lower end 38. Inlet 72 opens
to the orifice 48 and outlet 74 opens into the internal chamber 68.
As the user tilts container 10 to pour liquid out of internal
chamber 68 across the portion of orifice 48 near front end 24, air
will flow in behind the pouring liquid into inlet 72 through
channel 70 and out outlet 74 into chamber 68, thereby preventing or
at least substantially reducing the tendency for glugging. This
provides a more useful and user friendly container without adding
significantly to the cost of manufacturing container 10.
[0045] Container 10 of the present invention can be made from a
variety of different materials, though plastics that are suitable
for blow molding into the relatively thin-walled container 10 of
the desired configuration are likely to be highly preferred. The
materials for container body 12 can be selected to be generally
opaque or, if desired, can be translucent. Dyes or other additives
can be added to the plastic to provide a container of a desired
color or having other changes. Container body 12 can be textured at
locations thereon where potentially damaging (i.e., scratches and
the like) contact with container 10 are most likely to occur. For
instance, the area of container body around and including the grip
portion of handle 14 and the area of along sides 20/22 and ends
24/26 near the bottom surface 30 can be textured by processes well
known in the art.
[0046] In use, container 10 is manufactured in the configuration
described above with container body 12 having a substantially
rectangular cross-section (sides 20/22 being longer than ends
24/26), an upper supporting surface 28 substantially parallel to
bottom surface 30, the handle upper surface 56 of handle 14 and cap
upper surface 58 of cap 18 defining the upper supporting surface
28, a handle 14 disposed generally equidistance between first 42
and second 44 rear corners and a pour spout 16 disposed generally
equidistance between first 52 and second 54 front corners. The
producer of the liquid product to be contained in container 10
fills internal chamber 68 through orifice 48 in pour spout 16 using
processes commonly known in the art. Once filled, cap 18 is
sealably engaged with pour spout 16 to seal the contents inside
container 10. Two or more containers 10, as exemplified by the
three shown in FIG. 10 (which may be a preferred configuration),
are placed in side-by-side abutting relation and shrink wrapped
together with a thermoplastic material to provide a substantially
unitary structure or container packing system 36. In an alternative
embodiment, the system 36 can include a support bottom member, such
as a cardboard base member (not shown), between the bottom surface
30 and wrapping material 32. Wrapping with the shrink wrap plastic
32 or other suitable wrapping material provides the vertical load
bearing strength which supports like groups of containers 10
thereon. In addition to increasing the load bearing strength, use
of the container packing system 36 described herein improves
stability of the containers 10 on a pallet or like structure, such
that the containers 10 do not fall off as easily when the pallet is
unloaded.
[0047] Collectively, the two or more containers 10, as bound
together into container delivery system 36, can be stacked on a
pallet or other delivery structure for storage and/or transport to
the retailer. Generally, the pallet will contain multiple container
packing systems 36 (i.e. multiple rows and layers) that are then
bound together with a second wrapping material, which may be a
stretch wrap thermoplastic. In one use, once the product is
delivered to the retailer, the secondary (i.e., stretch) wrapping
is removed and the individual container packing systems 36 are
removed from the pallet and placed in the retail establishment, a
process that substantially reduces the amount of time and effort to
deliver and unpack the products relative to prior art containers.
In another use (i.e., the big box store type of use), the pallet
having a plurality of containers 10 in container packing system 36
thereon is placed in the store in the desired location and the
stretch wrap material is removed, making the product available to
the consumer. Because the containers 10 can be stacked in their
system 36 configuration, the retailer is not required to provide
shelving throughout its refrigerated unit or elsewhere in the
retail establishment. Instead, the container packing system 36 can
be stacked on the floor of the refrigerated unit, stacked on the
floor or a shelf in the establishment or even remain on the pallet
on which they were delivered. If desired, container delivery system
36, having two or more containers 10, can still be utilized with
existing boxes, cases or other shipping container to store, ship
and/or display products contained within containers 10.
[0048] While there are shown and described herein a specific
embodiment of the invention, it will be readily apparent to those
skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited, but is
susceptible to various modifications and rearrangements in design
and materials without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. In particular, it should be noted that the present
invention is subject to modification with regard to the dimensional
relationships set forth herein and modifications in assembly,
materials, size, shape, and use. For instance, there are components
described herein that can be replaced with equivalent functioning
components to accomplish the objectives of the present invention.
One such modification is the use of different materials and sizes
than those set forth herein. Additionally, the type of cap and/or
the structural design of the bottom surface can be modified as
desired.
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