U.S. patent number 3,773,213 [Application Number 05/165,523] was granted by the patent office on 1973-11-20 for shipping and dispensing container.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Nathan Gilbert. Invention is credited to William H. Fredrick.
United States Patent |
3,773,213 |
Fredrick |
November 20, 1973 |
SHIPPING AND DISPENSING CONTAINER
Abstract
A shipping and dispensing container is fabricated as a unitary
structure from synthetic plastic material by such means as
injection molding. The container is characterized by the fact that
it can be stacked upon and below identical containers when filled
with merchandise and can be internested with identical containers
when empty for return to the packaging plant. The container
incorporates columnar reinforcing and supporting means which are
interengageable with identical means of a superimposed filled
container when the containers are stacked one upon the other. The
container also includes nesting receptacles adapted to receive said
columnar means when the containers are disposed in internested
condition.
Inventors: |
Fredrick; William H. (North
Hollywood, CA) |
Assignee: |
Gilbert; Nathan (Sherman Oaks,
CA)
|
Family
ID: |
22599258 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/165,523 |
Filed: |
July 23, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/507; 206/509;
206/513 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
21/046 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
21/04 (20060101); B65d 021/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;220/97D,1.5,69,70 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Ross; Herbert F.
Assistant Examiner: Garrett; James R.
Claims
I claim:
1. A unitary basket structure for the conveyance of comestibles and
other articles including a body having first and second pairs of
sidewalls, said first pair of sidewalls including inwardly
projecting vertically extending, integral supporting means having
vertical inner surfaces and having their upper extremities disposed
adjacent the upper extremity of the body and their lower
extremities terminating adjacent the lower extremity of said body,
the other pair of said sidewalls incorporating a plurality of
vertically oriented nesting channels corresponding in number to at
least the number of said supporting means, said nesting channels
being adapted to receive the upper extremities of said supporting
means when the lower extremity of one container is disposed within
another identical container in nesting relationship, and a bottom
formed integrally with said first and second pairs of
sidewalls.
2. A container of the character defined in claim 1 in which said
supporting means is constituted by a plurality of inwardly directed
columns formed integrally with said first pair of sidewalls and the
upper extremities of said columns are received in said nesting
channels, when said columns of one basket are disposed in nesting
relationship with the channels of a basket disposed above said one
basket.
3. A container as defined in claim 1 in which said nesting channels
are constituted by a plurality of vertically oriented openings
adapted to receive the upper extremities of said supporting means
when said containers are disposed in internested relationship.
4. A container of the character defined in claim 1 in which said
bottom is provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced recesses at
the sides thereof to facilitate the handling and transportation of
said containers.
5. A unitary, one-piece container for the shipment and display of
comestibles which includes a body having a first pair of sidewalls
incorporating a plurality of inwardly projecting vertically
oriented supporting and reinforcing columns having vertical inner
surfaces, said supporting and reinforcing columns having their
upper extremities terminating adjacent the upper extremity of said
container and having their lower extremities terminating adjacent
the lower extremity of said container, a second pair of sidewalls
formed integrally with said first pair of sidewalls and including a
plurality of nesting openings for the reception of the upper
extremities of the reinforcing columns of a like lower encompassing
container when said container is disposed in nesting relationship
with said lower container, a bottom wall formed integrally with
said first and second pairs of sidewalls, said bottom wall
incorporating a plurality of openings for facilitating the
sanitation and cleansing of said containers.
6. A container of the character defined in claim 5 in which each of
said reinforcing columns affords a continuous internal aligning
surface for engagement with packages of comestibles to prevent
undue shifting thereof within the confines of said container
body.
7. A container as defined in claim 5 in which the upper extremities
of said columns incorporate detent means and the lower extremities
thereof incorporate corresponding receiving means whereby, when a
plurality of container bodies are disposed in superimposed
relationship with one another, said detent and receiving means will
engage one another to automatically align said supporting and
reinforcing columns to create a continuous columnar structure whose
height is determined by the number of containers disposed in
superimposed relationship with one another.
8. A container of the character defined in claim 5 in which said
container body is provided with a continuous intermediate shoulder
adapted to be engaged with the upper extremity of a lower container
when said containers are disposed in internested positions.
9. A container as defined in claim 5 incorporating a continuous
reinforcing rim about the upper extremity thereof, said rim having
a reinforcing element disposed therein to rigidify said upper
extremity of said container.
10. A container as defined in claim 5 in which said bottom wall
incorporates a plurality of recesses uniformly distirbuted about
the outer edge thereof for facilitating the transportation and
handling of said container.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a nesting and stacking container which is
fabricated from synthetic plastic material, such as polyethylene,
and which is characterized by the fact that a plurality of
containers may be stacked one upon the other when they are loaded
with merchandise and may be internested one within the other when
the merchandise has been dispensed therefrom and the containers are
being returned to the packing plant.
The container of the invention is particularly adapted for
utilization in the shipment and dispensing of comestibles and is
particularly intended for utilization in conjunction with packaged
comestibles, such as eggs, which must be snugly received within the
confines of the container to prevent excess movement thereof during
shipment.
In addition, since the containers are frequently laid on their
sides in an inclined orientation when placed in associated
dispensing apparatus at the dispensing point such as a supermarket,
it is desirable that the containers incorporate means for
positively retaining the packaged comestibles, such as the
aforementioned fresh eggs, from inadvertent dislodgment which would
cause damage to the contents of the package.
Prior art devices intended for this particular use have customarily
been fabricated from relatively heavy gauge wire with the numerous
wire components of the container secured in operative relationship
with one another by means of welding or similar expedients. Because
the containers are subjected to unduly heavy use and, frequently,
abuse, there is a relatively high mortality rate among containers
fabricated in the aforementioned manner. This is due in large part
to the fact that the weldments between the various wire components
deteriorate and also attributable to the repeated intensive usage
of the wire fabricated containers by the packing plant for the
shipment and dispensing of comestibles.
Furthermore, because the wire components of the conventional
container are subject to distortion when struck upon another
object, the resultant bending or distortion of the wire components
destroys the carefully established dimensional characteristics of
the container and prevents it from functioning in the desired
manner. This is particularly true where the containers are utilized
for the shipment and dispensing of packaged comestibles, such as
the aforementioned fresh eggs, which must be retained in the
containers by the exertion upon the opposite extremities of the
packages of a compressive force which will prevent the shifting of
the packages and the inadvertent dislodgment of the packages from
the containers when the containers are laid upon their sides in the
dispensing position.
In the manufacture of conventional containers from wire components,
the maintenance of the dimensional tolerances of the containers
involves certain manufacturing difficulties because of the
necessity for assembling a relatively large number of components
and welding said components in operative relationship with one
another. Consequently, the desired dimensional tolerances are
frequently not maintained and resulting inoperativeness of the
containers for their intended purposes results.
This is particularly true in the case of containers which are
designed to be stacked or internested with one another, the
stacking occurring when the containers are loaded with comestibles
and the internesting occurring when the containers have been
emptied and are being returned to the packing plant.
An attendent problem of utilizing containers fabricated from wire
is the difficulty in identification of the source of the containers
since the containers are utilized by different suppliers. Attempts
have been made to provide various color platings or codings but
since the containers must be frequently sanitized by washing or
other treatment, the resulting corrosion frequently rapidly
eliminates the color coding achieved by plating or otherwise
treating the wire containers.
In addition, prior containers fabricated from wire entail the use
of bails or other expedients in the stacking mode and difficulty is
repeatedly encountered when the containers become wedged one within
the other when utilized in the nesting mode.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a unitary
container structure which is capable of being stacked with
identical containers when loaded with merchandise and, when so
stacked, the respective containers in superposed relationship with
one another are fully capable of supporting the vertical loads to
which they are subjected so that a relatively large number of
loaded containers may be stacked one upon the other for shipment
purposes.
An additional object of the invention is the provision of a
container of the aforementioned character which incorporates, as a
part of the unitary structure, a plurality of reinforcing and
supporting means which are provided upon the interior surfaces of
walls of the container and which extend from one extremity to the
other of the container. The reinforcing and supporting means are
engaged by corresponding reinforcing and supporting means of
superposed containers to provide a continuous supporting and
reinforcing structure when the containers are disposed in stacked
relationship on one another. Therefore the vertical loads are
carried directly through a continuous supporting structure through
the lowermost container and into the supporting horizontal surface
upon which the containers are stacked, such as the back of a
transporting vehicle.
An additional object of the invention is the provision of
interlocking means on the aforementioned supporting and reinforcing
means so that, when the containers are superposed one upon the
other in stacked relationship, the cooperating interlocking means
on the extremities of the supporting and reinforcing means will
engage to lock and dispose the reinforcing and supporting means of
the respective containers in aligned relationship with one another
to insure the transmittal of the vertical loads in the above
described manner.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a container
of the aforementioned character in which the aforesaid reinforcing
and supporting means are constituted by integral columnar
structures provided on the interior surfaces of opposed walls of
the container and said columnar structures are provided at their
opposite extremities with the aforementioned interlocking
means.
Another object of my invention is the provision, in a container of
the aforementioned character, of internesting recptacles which are
provided in side walls of the container and which receive the upper
extremities of the columnar supporting and reinforcing structures
when the containers are disposed in internested relationship with
one another.
A further object of the invention is the incorporation in the
aforementioned container of a bottom wall structure which
incorporates a plurality of uniformly disposed receptacles to
facilitate the handling of the containers in loaded and unloaded
conditions by mechanised equipment such as fork clamp trucks.
Incident to the fabrication of the containers as unitary structures
by the utilization of injection molding techniques and synthetic
plastic materials, such as polyethylene, is the fact that color
coding of the containers is possible on a permanent basis by
incorporating nonfugitive dyes and pigments in the synthetic
plastic material utilized in fabricating the containers.
Because of the impervious nature of the resulting containers,
continued exposure to sanitizing and washing of the containers will
not result in the deterioration of the color embodied in the
plastic material thus insuring the ready identification of
respective containers and the return thereof to the legitimate
source.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from
the following specification and the accompanying drawings, which
are for the purposes of illustration only.
BRIEF DESCIPTION OF THE DRAW INGS
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a container constructed in accordance
with the teachings of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a vertical side elevational view of one side of the
container;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing another side of the
container;
FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the container;
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view showing a pair of containers
disposed in internested relationship with one another;
FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along broken line 6--6 of
FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view illustrating the
interengagement of respective portions of internested
containers;
FIG. 8 is a side elevational view showing a plurality of stacks of
internested containers juxtaposed to one another;
FIG. 9 is a side elevational view showing a pair of containers
disposed in the stacked condition which would occur if the
containers were loaded with merchandise;
FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken from the broken line
10--10 of FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view showing the
interlocking engagement of the upper extremity of one columnar
supporting and reinforcing means with the lower extremity of a
superimposed supporting and reinforcing means;
FIG. 12 is a side elevational view showing a plurality of stacks of
stacked containers juxtaposed to one another; and
FIG. 13 is a transverse sectional view taken from broken lines
13--13 of FIG. 4 showing a portion of the bottom wall of the
container.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST EMBODIMENT CONTEMPLATED
Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1-4,
thereof, I show a container 10 of unitary construction and
fabricated from materials such as polyethylene, polystyrene or the
like which are particularly adapted to the injection molding
process. While specific reference has been made to the utilization
of particular synthetic plastics and to the utilization of the
injection molding process it will, of course, be obvious to those
skilled in the art that the unitary container construction may be
fabricated by employing different synthetic plastics and by
utilizing processses other than injection molding.
The term unitary is employed in the present context to distinguish
the container 10 from prior art containers fabricated from a
plurality of components such as formed wire components which are
shaped and subsequently welded or otherwise secured in operative
relationship with one another. The term unitary also means that the
container 10 is fabricated by the injection molding or analogous
processes in a single pass wherein all of the structural and
dimensional and functional characteristics of the container are
established without the necessity for fastening various components
of the container in operative relationship with one another.
The container 10 may be fabricated from synthetic plastics, such as
polystyrene of the desired color so that automatic color coding of
a permanent nature may be attained without the necessity for
subsequent treatment of the container. Therefore, confusion between
the containers of different packing plants is automatically
eliminated and the containers are readily identified by the
conspicuous coloration thereof.
As can readily be determined from FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings,
the container 10 is of basically square configuration and includes
a first pair of side walls 12 and a second pair of side walls 14
which are formed integrally with one another and which incorporate
a continuous external land or shoulder 16 disposed intermediate the
height of the container 10 for a purpose which will be described in
greater detail below.
It will be noted that the continuous shoulder 16 divides the
container 10 into an upper section 18 and a lower section 20, said
lower section 20 being of slightly reduced external dimensions than
the upper section 18 to facilitate the internesting of superposed
containers 10 in a manner to be described in greater detail
below.
A plurality of openings 22 is provided in the first pair of side
walls 12 to reduce the amount of material utilized in fabricating
the container 10 and to facilitate the flow of cooling air through
the container 10 when it is located in a refrigerated apparatus. In
addition, the openings 22 materially expedite the cleansing of the
container for sanitary purposes.
Similar opnnings 24 are incorporated in the second pair of side
walls 14 for similar purposes.
Formed integrally with the first and second pairs of side walls 12
and 14 is a bottom wall 26 which incorporates a plurality of
openings 28 defined by intersecting ribs 32 which have flat bottoms
34 for engagement with a horizontal supporting surface and which
have arcuate upper edges 36, as best shown in FIG. 13 of the
drawings.
A rim 38 is provided at the upper extremity of the container 10 and
incorporates a pair of hand grip openings 42 disposed above the
associated side wall 14 to facilitate the handling of the
containers. A continuous arcuate groove 46 is provided in the rim
38 for the reception of a reinforcing member 48 formed of wire or
the like if the usage of the container 10 should indicate that the
additional reinforcement 48 is necessary. However, it is
contemplated that, in most applications, the utilization of the
additional reinforcement 48 will not be necessary because of the
inherent structural characteristics achieved by the container 10 of
the invention.
Formed integrally with the first pair of side walls 12 are
uniformly spaced supporting and reinforcing means 50 which, as best
shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 10 of the drawing consist of
triangularly shaped columnar structures of columns 52 which project
into the interior of the container 10 beyond the inner surface 54
of the side walls 12 and which the vertical, flat, apical surfaces
58 in confronting relationship with one another.
The flat, apical surfaces 58 are intended to engage the contiguous
extremities of packages disposed in the container 10 and the apical
surfaces 58 on each side wall 12 are disposed in basically the same
vertical plane so that uniform compression will be exerted on the
contiguous extremities of the containers or packages 70, FIG. 10,
to prevent them from shifting within the confines of the container
during shipment thereof and to prevent them from being
inadvertently dislodged from operative relationship with the
container 10 when the container 10 is disposed in angular
orientation on one of its sides to facilitate the removal of the
contents thereof during the dispensing operation.
Of course, the injection molding process may entail the divergence
from the vertical of said apical surfaces 58 to a slight extent in
order to provide draft thereupon but it is desirable that the draft
be maintained at the minimal level possible.
In viewing the container 10 from the top, as seen in FIG. 1 of the
drawings, the columns 52 constituting the vertically oriented
supporting and reinforcing means of the container 10 appear to be
formed on the inner surfaces of the pair of side walls 12. However,
as best shown in FIGS. 2, 7 and 10 of the drawings, the columns are
actually formed by the injection molding process as the bottoms of
elongated recesses 64 formed in the side walls 12 of the container
10 to eliminate the excess material which would be entailed if the
columns were solid. Of course, as can be readily determined by a
study of FIG. 7, the thickness of the side walls 12 in the area of
the columns, as at 68, FIG. 7, is much greater than the thickness
of the remainder of the side wall to impart the structural rigidity
to the column 52 which is necessary to sustain the significant
weight of superposed containers 10.
It will be noted that, while the recesses or depressions 64 in the
side walls 12 appear to be terminated intermediate their
extremitites by the continuous shoulder or land 16, the columnar
structures 52 on the interior of the side walls 12 are continuous
and the interruption appears only on the external surface of the
side walls 12.
In order to illustrate the function of the apical portions 58 of
the columnar structures 52, an egg carton 70 is shown in phantom in
FIg. 10 of the drawings as having its extremities in close
contiguity to the apices 58 of the columnar structures 52 thus
preventing the shifting of the carton 70 within the confines of the
container during shipment thereof and preventing dislodgment of the
uppermost cartons 70 from the container when the container 10 is
disposed on its side in angular orientation in a dispensing
fixture.
Formed integrally upon the upper extremities of the columns or
columnar structures 52 are interlocking means constituted by
upwardly directed hemispherical bosses 72, as best shown in FIGS.
1, 7 and 11 of the drawings.
It will be noted that, while reference has been made to the
columnar structures as extending from one extremity to the other of
the containers, the columnar structures 52, as best shown in FIG.
10 of the drawings, have their upper extremities terminating below
the upper edge of the container but lying within the upper
extremity thereof.
Cooperative with the interlocking means constituted by the
hemispherical bosses 72 on the upper extremities of the columnar
structures 52 are interlocking means constituted by elliptical
openings 74 formed in the lower extremities of the columnar
structures 52 or, alternatively, formed in the under side of the
bottom wall 76 at the termination of the lower extremities of the
columnar structures 52. In other words, the columnar structures
might be considered to have their lower extremities extending
through the bottom wall 26 as illustrated in FIG. 11 of the
drawings or, conversely, might be considered as terminating above
the bottom wall with the elliptical recesses 74 constituting the
interlocking means formed in the bottom wall. However, since, the
structural effect achieved is that the columnar structures 52
terminate at the bottom of the container 10 it is preferred to
define the interlocking means 74 as formed in the lower extremities
of the columnar structures 52.
The function and mode of operation of the interlocking means
constituted by the hemispherical bosses 72 and elliptical recesses
74 wil be described in greater detail below but at this time it
should be noted that the bosses are adapted to engage in the
respective recesses 74 when the containers 10 are disposed in the
stacking relationship of FIgS. 9 through 12.
Formed in the opposite edges of the bottom wall 26, as best shown
in FIGS. 2, 3 and 13 of the drawings, is a plurality of equally
spaced handling recesses or receptacles 78, said recesses or
receptacles being adapted to receive the extremities of lifting
blades mounted upon a clamp truck or the like. Therefore, when the
blades are closed upon the bottom wall 76 they are received in the
handling receptacles 78 to prevent abrasion of the material of the
bottom wall 26 and to prevent the container 10 from being dislodged
from the blades of the clamp truck or similar apparatus.
A plurality of nesting means constituted by elongated openings or
slots 80 is provided in the side walls 14 of the container 10, said
openings or slots 80 being equal in number to the number of
columnar structures 52 provided on the interior surfaces of the
side walls 14. he lower extremities 83 of the slots 80, as best
shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, are provided with
triangular ribs 82 constituting a part of the bottom wall 26 to
facilitate reception of the upper extremities of the columnar
structures 52 of a lower container 10 in the slots 80 of an
interested superimposed container, as best shown in FIGS. 5-8 of
the drawings.
As previously indicated, a plurality of containers 10 are adapted
to be nested within one another in superposed relationship for
shipment and return to a packing plant from which they emanated.
The nesting of the containers reduces the amount of shipping space
required and thus permits return of relatively large quantities of
containers in a relatively small space.
When the containers 10 are to be internested the upper container 10
is placed over the upper extremity of the lower container to
register the lower extremities of the nesting slots or openings 80
with the extremities of the columnar structures 52 of the lower
container, When such registration is accomplished the upper
container is lowered into and nested within the top portion of the
lower container, as best shown in FIGS. 5-8 of the drawings. In
other words, the upper container is lowered into the lower
container until the upper edge 92 of each of the nesting slots or
openings 80 impinges upon the upper extremity of the associated
columnar structures 52, as best shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings. In
addition, the upper edge of the lower container at 94 will engage
the continuous shoulder 16 of the upper container.
Therefore, as best shown in FIGS. 5-8, of the drawings and, more
particularly, FIG. 7, the columnar structures 52 will be received
within the slots 80 and the vertical edges 86 of the slots 80 will
lie on opposite sides of the columnar structure. Sufficient
clearance will be provided between the exterior surfaces of the
columnar structures 52 and the continguous edges of the nest
receptacles or openings 80 to prevent the binding of the
superposed, internested containers upon each other thus eliminating
the necessity for the application of great force when separating
the internested containers.
Of course, the most critical area of container usage occurs when
the containers 10 have been filled with cartons of eggs or similar
merchandise and the containers are disposed in superposed stacked
relationship in the manner shwon in FIGS. 9-12 of the drawings. In
order to insure that the containers 10 will be stacked when they
are loaded with merchandise to prevent the merchandise from being
damaged by associating loaded containers with one another in the
internesting mode, a plurality of indicating arrows 98 is provided
on the side walls 14 of the containers 10 associated with a legend
which reads in the general context MATCH TO STACK WHEN FULL.
Therefore, employees are apprised of the fact that the utilization
of the containers, when loaded, in the stacking mode entails the
alignment of the cautionary indicia, such as the arrows 98, in
superimposed relationship with one another as graphically
illustrated in phantom in FIG. 10 of the drawings.
When the containers 10 are disposed in the stacked, loaded
relationship of FIGS. 9-12 of the drawings, the interlocking means
constituted by the hemispherical bosses 72 at the upper extremities
of the columnar structures 52 are engaged the respective elliptical
recesses 74 provided in the lower extremities of the columnar
structures 52, as best shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 of the
drawings.
Consequently, the interlocking means serves to accurately position
the columar structures of one container 10 with the columnar
structures of a lower or superposed container so that a continuous
column effect is achieved equivalent to the height of the total
number of stacked loaded containers 10.
A large number of containers 10 can be stacked in this manner due
to the fact that the columnar structures 52 are considerably
heavier, as indicated at 68, than the wall 12 upon which they are
formed and due to the fact that precise alignment of the columnar
structure 52 is achieved by the interlocking means constituted by
the intergaging bosses 72 and recesses 74.
The interlocking means also serve the purpose of locking the upper
extremity of the lower container 10 against outward displacement
from the upper container 10 because of the weight imposed upon the
upper extremity of the lower container 10. Normally, there might be
a tendency for the upper extremity at the lower container 10 to
spread outwardly because of the load imposed thereupon but the
interlocking means, by locking the upper extremity of the lower
container 10 in predetermined relationship with the lower extremity
of the upper container 10, prevents such displacement. If the loads
which are encountered are relatively high due to the type of
merchandise shipped in and dispensed from the containers 10, the
reinforcing means 48 can be installed in the respective groove 46
therefor to augment the action of the interlocking means.
Of course, when the containers 10 are utilized in the stacking mode
wherein they are disposed with the upper and lower extremities of
the columnar structures 52 interengaging one another, all of the
columnar structures must be aligned in the manner shown in FIGS. 9
through 12 of the drawings. The indicia or arrows 98 or any
suitable legend facilitate this alignment but it is a relatively
simple task to visually align the columns with one another since
the exterior surfaces of the side walls 12 incorporate recesses 64
which define the columnar structures 52 and, thus, ancillary visual
perception of the alignment of the columnar structures from the
exterior of the containers 10 is provided.
The transportation of the containers, whether internested or
stacked in loaded condition, is readily accomplished by mechanized
equipment whose lifting forks or blades are readily received in the
receptacles 78 provided therefor. When the containers 10 are being
transported in stacked relationship in loaded condition, the
interlocking of the respective columnar structures 52 of the
superimposed containers 10 materially augments the stability of the
vertically superimposed containers and prevents the inadvertent
dislodgment of the containers from operative relationship with one
another and thus eliminates the possibility of destruction of the
merchandise contained therein.
When the containers 10 reach the distribution point, such as a
supermarket, they may be installed in angular orientation on their
sides in a suitable dispensing fixture. When so oriented, the
compression exerted on the opposite extremities of packaged goods
disposed in the containers by engagement of the opposite
extremities of the packaged goods upon the apical portions 58 of
the columnar structures 52 prevents inadvertent dislodgement of the
packaged goods from the interiors of the containers.
The fact that the containers are formed integrally from relatively
rigid but slightly flexible material is a significant advantage in
this regard since the dimensions and spacing of the apical portions
58 of the columnar structures 52 which confront each other on the
opposite side walls 12 of a container 10 may be somewhat closer
than with the conventional wire formd containers because of the
fact that slight deflection of the side walls 12 may be
encountered.
* * * * *