U.S. patent number 3,730,385 [Application Number 05/115,440] was granted by the patent office on 1973-05-01 for nestable container.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Roslin Corp.. Invention is credited to Karl H. Rost.
United States Patent |
3,730,385 |
Rost |
May 1, 1973 |
NESTABLE CONTAINER
Abstract
A container having means to prevent binding and rotation and
provide positive engagement with adjacent nested containers. The
bottom section of each container includes an upwardly offset center
portion having teeth spaced around the top circumference inside
each container. A corresponding set of teeth is provided around the
bottom circumference of the center portion on the outer surface.
When stacked, or nested, the bottom teeth of each container engage
the top teeth of the container immediately below providing positive
engagement without binding or rotation.
Inventors: |
Rost; Karl H. (Siegburg,
DT) |
Assignee: |
Roslin Corp. (N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
22361414 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/115,440 |
Filed: |
February 16, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/520;
D7/523 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
1/265 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
1/22 (20060101); B65D 1/26 (20060101); B65d
021/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;220/97C,97F
;229/1.5B |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lowrance; George E.
Claims
What is claimed as new is as follows:
1. A nestable container comprising a bottom portion, a side wall
structure extending upwardly and outwardly from said bottom
portion, said bottom portion including means for aligning the
container in nested position with a similar container for
preventing rotation therebetween, said means including an upwardly
offset center portion comprising an opening, a central wall
structure extending upwardly from said opening and an upper member
connected to said wall to seal the bottom of the container, a male
serrated edge including a plurality of male teeth extending around
the perimeter of said central wall portion and disposed in the
interior of the container, and a female serrated edge including a
plurality of female teeth extending around the perimeter of said
central wall structure beneath said male teeth and being disposed
on the exterior of the container.
2. The nestable container set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said
male and female teeth includes a plurality of upwardly extending
male and female surfaces, each of said female surfaces being offset
at an angle to each of said male surfaces with respect to the
vertical axis of the container.
Description
The present invention relates to a one-piece container which may be
conveniently stacked with like containers without damage or binding
between the surfaces.
Previously, thin wall disposable plastic containers have been
subject to binding and sticking when stacked or nested together.
The larger the number of containers in each stack the greater the
weight on the lower containers and thus the increased chance of
binding. This most often results due to wedging effect by the side
surfaces of one container against the lower container making it
inconvenient to remove containers from the stack. In addition to
binding, the engagement of adjacent side surfaces of conventional
containers may result in undesirable scratching, particularly when
the containers are rotated with respect to each other. Several
attempts have been made to solve these problems. Such designs,
however, have been unsuccessful, resulting in containers which are
uncomfortable to hold and are more susceptible to tipping when set
down.
It is an object of the present invention to provide containers
which can be nested or stacked on top of each other, yet will not
bind when removed from the stack.
It is a further object to provide a container which will not rotate
with respect to the adjacent nested containers, thus preventing
scratching.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a
container which can be economically produced in a single piece and
stacked with like containers, yet attractive in design, of
reasonable strength, comfortable to hold in the hand, and not
susceptible to tipping when set down.
It is a further object of this invention to provide containers
which can be nested in large numbers with positive engagement and
interlocking of the bottom portions of each container with very
limited or no engagement of the side surfaces of adjacent
containers, thus preventing scratching and damage as well as
binding.
These together with other objects and advantages which will become
subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and
operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part
hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and
in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present container device.
FIG. 2 is a top view looking through the open end of the container
device shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the container device shown in FIG.
1.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the vertical plane of a pair
of containers nested together.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the interlocking
surfaces of the pair of nested containers shown in FIG. 4.
Referring to the figures and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof,
the present interlocking container is indicated generally by
numeral 10, and, preferably, is formed from a single piece of
plastic in a way well known in the art. Thus the preferred
embodiment is a one-piece, thin walled, disposable plastic
container. It is comprised of a side wall structure 11 having an
outer surface 12 and inner surface 13 and being generally
frustoconical in shape, widening towards the opening at the top of
the container. The vertical surface may be curved outwardly
slightly as shown, if desired, to provide added strength and
attractive appearance. It is not, however, essential that the
vertical surface be curved, a pure frusto-conical surface or
tapered variations thereof being within the scope of the present
invention, so long as the geometry permits the interlocking and
nesting as hereinafter described.
The container further includes a bottom portion, generally
indicated by 14, having a substantially flat ring-shaped bottom
surface 16 which is suitable for supporting the container in a
stable position. The relative width of surface 16 may be greater or
less than that illustrated dependent upon conditions and resting
surfaces anticipated in the container's use. The greater the
surface area 16, the greater will be the frictional resistance to
sliding and the ability to rest on uneven surfaces. An indentation
or offset portion 18 is formed in the center of the bottom portion
and is substantially frusto-conical in shape having a central wall
structure 20 which extends from opening 21 to a round upper member
22 thereby forming a sealed bottom in the container. The wall 20
may be sloped upwardly and inwardly as shown or it may be vertical
or slightly offset from the vertical so long as the geometry
permits nesting of the containers as hereinafter explained.
Referring to FIG. 4, it will be appreciated that the containers may
be stacked or nested one inside of the other. The upper container
24 engages the lower container 26 at the circular tooth engaging
area 28 in the bottom portions of each container. The side walls 11
of each container are shaped in such a way that they will not
engage each other when the containers are properly aligned with
each other in the nested position. Thus, there is a space or gap 29
between the top edge of lower container 26 and the outer surface 12
of container 24. This gap is ring-shaped when the containers are in
perfect alignment. It is possible, that as the number of containers
in a stack is increased, the stack may tend to lean to one side or
another due to the unlevel surface upon which the containers are
resting or to the inherent resiliency of the containers themselves.
Under such conditions, the top edges of each container may engage
the outer surface of the adjacent container over a relatively small
area. When such does occur, the gap 29 is increased on the
diametrically opposite side of each container thus maintaining a
constant air space communicating with the interior 30 of the lower
container. Such a configuration prevents the containers from
becoming air locked with one another, wherein the air space of the
lower container is sealed from atmosphere by the engagement of the
upper surfaces when nested together. Air locking creates a vacuum
between the two containers making removal of containers more
difficult, since they tend to stick together. It will be
appreciated that in the present invention the air space 30 of the
lower container 26 is never sealed from the surrounding atmosphere
even in the condition where the stack may lean to one side or
another. Accordingly, the disclosed nestable container is not
susceptible to sticking due to air locking or engagement of the
side surfaces.
Each offset portion 18 includes two sets of teeth 32 and 34 spaced
circumferentially around the upper and lower edges of the wall 20
to form a pair of circular serrated edges. The male teeth 32 are
preferably formed at small angles to the vertical axis of the
container while the female teeth 34 are formed at slightly greater
angles to the vertical axis. Such a geometric configuration
provides a set of positively interlocking teeth wherein alignment
is aided by the offset surfaces 36 and 38 which slide over each
other during the process of engagement. It is appreciated that
since upper member 22 of the offset portion is relatively small in
width and rigidly supported by wall 20, teeth 32 and 34 remain
relatively rigid with respect to one another and are less likely to
flex or bind as would the larger and more remote side walls 11. In
addition, the serrated edges prevent relative rotation of the
nested containers, thereby avoiding scratching of outer surfaces 12
by the top edge of each container should limited contact occur as
hereinbefore explained.
It should be noted that slight variations in the configurations of
the teeth forming the serrated edges are within the scope of the
present invention. It is preferred, but not essential, that
surfaces 36 and 38 be offset slightly as shown. Other teeth
configurations, well known in the art, could likewise be used to
achieve the interlocking result. Furthermore, the serrated edges on
each container may be placed at slightly different locations on the
container from that shown so long as they remain rigid with respect
to each other and prevent binding.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing that a container has been
provided which may be nested in large numbers without binding to
each other. Furthermore, engagement of the outer surfaces has been
limited, and rotation eliminated, thereby preventing scratching and
possible cracking. It should be noted that, in the preferred
embodiment, each container is made from a thin sheet of plastic by
methods well known in the art, thus providing a one-piece
disposable container which is economical to produce. It will be
appreciated that the container of the present invention could be
manufactured in a variety of ways or with several pieces and
different materials if so desired.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles
of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes
will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation
shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and
equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the
invention.
* * * * *