Container And Cover Including Corner Pouring And Bail Nesting Features

Abstract

A container preferably including a cover in top plan view has outwardly curved sides which blend into relatively sharply curved corner portions approaching a square configuration with side wall bail attachments projecting outwardly of diagonally opposite corner portions and pivotally mounting a bail extending continuously therebetween. The curvature of the sides in top plan view is such that the top plan view area is of maximum size approaching an imaginary square with the bail attachments still being totally contained within said imaginary square. Also, when the bail is in maximum downward pivoted position against the container, the bail is totally contained within said imaginary square in top plan view.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a container and cover including corner pouring and bail nesting features wherein the container, preferably including the cover, approaches a rectangular, preferably square configuration in horizontal cross-section and has bail attachments thereon projecting outwardly from side walls of the container, yet which container, preferably including the cover, is of maximum size in top plan view while still permitting a maximum number to be positioned side-by-side in a given horizontal area. In the optimum form, a bail pivotally assembled with the bail attachment nests downwardly against the container side walls and within the confines of the container upper extremities as viewed in top plan view so that the nested bail does not disturb the overall configuration advantages. Furthermore, one of the inherent results gained from the rectangular or preferably square configuration of the container is the provision of convenient corner pouring resulting from such configuration.

One of the important problems of present-day manufacturing organizations and other business firms is the rising costs of product storage space and the rising costs of product shipping. This is particularly troublesome for products which are required to be provided in containers. For example, paints, powders and various comminuted materials are necessarily provided in plastic or metal containers of various sizes.

Considering a given container size, the costs of storage are affected directly by the number of such containers that can be stored in a given horizontal area as matched with the unit volume of the containers. Although weight is a partial factor in shipping, these same space considerations as in storage likewise become a major factor in shipping. Thus, if storage and shipping costs are to be reduced to a minimum, one of the major problems presented is how to provide a maximum size of container which may be positioned in the greatest numbers for a given size in the smallest horizontal area.

If these were the only factors involved, a simple solution to the problem would be to provide a container of exactly rectangular horizontal cross-section since each could nest tightly against the other and a maximum volume for a given horizontal area could be placed therein. Additionally, however, where the material within the container is relatively heavy and the container is of a reasonable size, the container must be provided with bail attachments at the side walls thereof pivotally mounting a bail therebetween so that with use of the bail, the container can be conveniently picked up for moving the same, as well as for using the contents thereof. Providing such bail attachments and bail on a rectangular or square container would necessarily result in the bail attachments and portions of the bail projecting outwardly sufficient that an increased area is required for storing each container, again wasting storage area space. At the same time, if the container is formed circular in horizontal cross-section, it can be positioned so that the bail attachments will not interfere with adjacent container bail attachments, but then the overall volume of a given container is greatly reduced.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a container and cover including corner pouring and bail nesting features wherein the container, preferably including the cover, is of the type having bail attachments protruding from the side walls thereof, yet is of a maximum possible size for maximum possible content area while still permitting a maximum number thereof to be positioned side-by-side in a given horizontal area. In the preferred form of the container of the present invention, the container both with and without the cover thereon is formed with the container top extremity in top plan view defining an area greater than the area of an imaginary circle of maximum radius totally within this container top extremity area so that the container horizontal cross-sectional configuration approaches a rectangle, preferably a square. At the same time, the bail attachments on the side walls are at diagonally opposite corner portions with the container horizontal cross-sectional configuration being such that the bail attachments approach, while remaining totally within, the corner portions of an imaginary rectangle of maximum size formed about the container top extremity in the top plan view touching maximum outward container projections formed by central portions of the container side walls. Thus, the container extremities are totally within the imaginary rectangle which permits the maximum number of these containers to be positioned side-by-side in a given horizontal area.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a container and cover including corner pouring and bail nesting features satisfying the foregoing configuration limitations wherein, a convenient lifting and carrying bail is assembled with the bail attachments and when this bail is in its maximum downward position resting against the container side walls, this bail likewise is within the container cross-sectional configuration limitations, that is, within the imaginary rectangle of the container top extremity and will not form any limitation as to the container storage. Preferably whether or not the container includes the cover, the bail attachments and their assembled bail all remain within the imaginary rectangle space limitations, as well as does the bail in its downward extension from the bail attachments along the container side walls. In addition, with the bail attachments at diagonally opposite corner portions of the container horizontal cross-sectional configuration, the container may be suspended by the bail and provide convenient corner pouring from either of the corner portions not mounting the bail attachments.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a container and cover including corner pouring and bail nesting features satisfying the foregoing objects in a relatively simple and efficient manner and which may be economically produced so as to be marketable at a reasonable unit cost. Again, in the preferred form, the container of the present invention preferably includes a removable cover, both of which may be molded from plastic using usual molding procedures and with the container having the bail attachments integrally mounted on the side walls thereof. Furthermore, the only additional element, the bail, is preferably of a rigid form, for instance of metal wire, and is pivotally attached in the usual manner to the integral, plastic bail attachments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the container of the present invention having the cover thereon and with the bail being pivoted a maximum downwardly resting against the container side walls, the bail also being shown in phantom lines projecting generally horizontally relative to the container for illustrating the preferred configuration thereof;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view looking at one of the container and cover corner portions as in the direction of the arrows 2--2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows 3--3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view looking in the direction of the arrows 4--4 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows 5--5 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view looking in the direction of the arrows 6--6 in FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST EMBODIMENTS CONTEMPLATED:

Referring to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the container and cover of the present invention is shown, a preferably one-piece, molded plastic container generally indicated at 10 and a preferably one-piece molded plastic cover generally indicated at 12, both of which may be formed by usual plastic molding processes. The container includes upstanding side walls 14 which taper or angle progressively inwardly in their downward extension to an integral bottom wall 16 which is supported on a horizontal surface by a usual continuous peripheral flange 18 reinforced by ribs 20 and a center circular flange 22. The container side walls 14 terminate upwardly at an upper open end of the container 10 in an outwardly projecting, peripheral cover flange 24, spaced below which are short lengths of outwardly projecting engagement flanges 26 at peripherally spaced locations for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The cover 12 includes the slightly recessed central portion 28 which terminates outwardly in a usual U-shaped and downwardly opening edge portion 30 forming the outer peripheral hooked flange 32, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 5. As shown therein, when the cover 12 is positioned over the upper open end of the container 10, the cover edge portion 30 telescopes downwardly over the container side walls 14 including the cover flange 24, and the cover hooked flange on the edge portion 30 engages downwardly and inwardly with the container cover flange 24 to removably retain the cover 12 on the container 10. At the same time, as shown in FIG. 3, the cover hooked flange 32 on the edge portion 30 extends downwardly a sufficient distance to appreciably cover the container engagement flanges 26, but by inserting a tool angularly upwardly between the cover hooked flange 32 and the container engagement flanges 26, it is possible to exert an upwardly pivoting force with such tool to disengage the cover 12 from the container 10 in a usual manner.

More particularly to the improvements of the present invention, as best seen in FIG. 1, the upper extremity of the container 10 as viewed in top plan view, and either including or not including the cover 12, approaches relatively closely to a rectangular, in this case a square, configuration. That is, in this top plan view, both the upper extremities of the side walls 14 and the normal outward extension of the cover 12 as determined by the cover edge portion 30, both of which define the container upper extremity in this top plan view, curve at a relatively large radius progressively outwardly from top plan corner portions 34 to central portions of top plan sides 36 so that in top plan view, either the side wall upper extremities or the cover outward extension creates maximum top plan size at the central portions of the top plan sides. Furthermore, the top plan corner portions 34 curve outwardly at much sharper radii.

Thus, still viewing the container 10 either with or without the cover 12 in the top plan view of FIG. 1, it is obvious that the container top extremity in top plan view contains a far greater area than the area of an imaginary circle of maximum size (not illustrated) which can be contained within the top plan corner portions and top plan sides 34 and 36. At the same time, in this top plan view of the container upper extremity, the top plan corner portions 34 relatively closely approach corner portions of an imaginary rectangle or in this case an imaginary square 38 formed about the container top extremity just touching the maximum outward projections of the top plan sides 36.

In the preferred form of the present invention as shown, the container side walls 14 moving progressively down the side walls are of substantially identical configuration with the exception that these side walls taper progressively inwardly as hereinbefore described. For this reason, any horizontal cross-section taken through the container side walls 14 will be the same configuration only reducing progressively in overall size as the horizontal cross section is taken at progressively lower levels of the container side walls. The container bottom wall 16, therefore, will have the same outward projection configuration as shown in FIG. 6.

Equally important to the principles of the present invention, a bail attachment 40 is positioned on, preferably formed integrally with, each of two diagonally opposite container side wall corner portions spaced downwardly from and downwardly aligned with the top plan corner portions 34, in other words, at the corner portions forming by joining edges of the respective side walls 14 as viewed in horizontal cross section and downwardly aligned with the top plan corner portions 34 of the container upper extremity as viewed in plan view. Also, a bail 42, preferably formed of metal wire and rigid, is pivotally attached in the hooked usual manner into each of the bail attachments 40 extending continuously therebetween so as to be pivotal between a fully upstanding position in usual manner for carrying the container 10 or pivoted fully downwardly to rest against the side walls 14 as shown. As shown particularly in phantom lines in FIG. 1, the bail 42 in its extension between the bail attachments 40 extends angularly and arcuately so as to nest as closely as possible inwardly against the side walls 14 when in this downwardly pivoted position, the downwardly pivoted position being shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6.

The overall result is that the bail attachments and the bail 42 at these bail attachments project outwardly from the container side walls 14, but are limited in size such that when the bail 42 is in its maximum downward pivoted position resting against the side walls, both the bail attachments and the bail remain within the confines of the imaginary square 38 when the container 10 is viewed in top plan view as in FIG. 1. In other words, the bail attachments 40 and the bail 42 approach the corner portions of the imaginary square 38 but still remain totally within such imaginary square.

In the particular embodiment illustrated in the drawings, this size and outward extension limitation of the bail attachments 40 and bail 42 remaining within the imaginary square 38 is true whether the top plan view of the container top extremity is of the container 10 without the cover 12 or with the cover 12, the bail attachments and bail being within the imaginary rectangle or square in either case. Where, however, the container 10 is intended to always include the cover 12, the limitations on the particular curvatures of the top plan corner portions 34 and top plan sides 36, and the bail attachments 40 and bail 42 can be satisfied in many cases by altering the various configurations so that the bail attachments 40 and bail 42 might project outwardly of the imaginary rectangle or square 38 when the imaginary rectangle or square is considered with the cover 12 removed, but yet be within such imaginary rectangle or square when the imaginary rectangle or square is considered with the cover in place over the container 10. The principles of the present invention may be applied in either case and it is not intended to limit the same to the particular embodiment shown.

According to the principles of the present invention, therefore, a container construction is provided, whether the container 10 includes or does not include the cover 12, which is of maximum size in horizontal cross-sectional configuration and includes the bail attachments 40 and bale 42 projecting outwardly from the side walls 14 thereof, yet a maximum number of such containers may be positioned in a given floor space or other horizontal area. Furthermore, with the horizontal cross section of the container 10 approaching rectangular or square and the bail attachments 40 at diagonally opposite side wall corner portions, convenient corner pouring from the container 10 is provided by the construction of the present invention. Still further, the container 10 and cover 12 of the present invention may be economically produced by simple molding processes so as to be manufactured at a minimum of cost.

Claims

1. In a container of the type having upstanding side walls terminating upwardly defining a container top extremity somewhat rectangular in top plan view; the improvements comprising: said container top extremity in top plan view curving continuously arcuately outwardly oppositely from joining corners to maximum outward projection at side central portions; bail attachments on said container aligned with diagonally opposite of said top extremity joining corners and projecting outwardly of said top extremity joining corners; said container top extremity in top plan view defining an area greater than the area of an imaginary circle of maximum radius totally within said container top extremity area; and said bail attachments approaching while being totally within corner portions of an imaginary rectangle of maximum size formed about said container top extremity in top plan view touching said container top extremity maximum

2. A container as defined in claim 1 in which said container side walls are generally equal and terminate upwardly defining a container top extremity

3. A container as defined in claim 1 in which said container top extremity sides in top plan view blend smoothly arcuately at said joining corners in joining corner outward curves marked less in radius than said side maximum

4. A container as defined in claim 1 in which said container side walls are generally equal terminating upwardly defining a container top extremity generally square in top plan view; and in which a bail is pivotally attached to said bail attachments extending continuously therebetween, said bail in maximum downard pivoted position inwardly abutting said container side walls and in said top plan view at said container top

5. A container as defined in claim 1 in which said container top extremity sides in top plan view blend smoothly arcuately at said joining corners in joining corner outward curves marked less in radius than said side maximum outward projection curves; in which said container side walls are generally equal terminating upwardly defining a container top extremity generally square in top plan view; and in which a bail is pivotally attached to said bail attachments extending continuously therebetween, said bail in maximum downward pivoted position inwardly abutting said container side walls and in said top plan view at said container top

6. A container as defined in claim 1 in which said container includes a cover and said upstanding side walls terminate upwardly at said cover with at least one of said side wall upward termination and cover defining said

7. A container as defined in claim 1 in which said container includes a cover and said upstanding side walls terminate upwardly at said cover with at least one of said side wall upward termination and cover defining said container top extremity somewhat rectangular in top plan view; and in which said container top extremity sides in top plan view are equal and said container top extremity is generally square in said top plan view.

8. A container as defined in claim 1 in which said container includes a cover and said upstanding side walls terminate upwardly at said cover with at least one of said side wall upward termination and cover defining said container top extremity somewhat rectangular in top plan view; and in which said container top extremity sides in top plan view blend smoothly arcuately at said joining corners in joining corner outward curves marked

9. A container as defined in claim 1 in which said container includes a cover and said upstanding side walls terminate upwardly at said cover with at least one of said side wall upward termination and cover defining said container top extremity somewhat rectangular in top plan view; in which said container top extremity sides in top plan view are generally equal and said container top extremity is generally square in said top plan view; and in which a bail is pivotally attached to said bail attachments extending continuously therebetween, said bail in maximum downward pivoted position abutting said container side walls and in said top plan view of said container top extremity being totally within said imaginary

10. A container as defined in claim 1 in which said container includes a cover and said upstanding side walls terminate upwardly at said cover with at least one of said side wall upward termination and cover defining said container top extremity somewhat rectangular in top plan view; in which said container top extremity sides in said top plan view are generally equal defining said container top extremity generally square in said top plan view; in which said container top extremity sides in top plan view blend smoothly arcuately at said joining corners in joining corner outward curves marked less in radius than said side maximum outward projection curves; and in which a bail is pivotally attached to said bail attachments extending continuously therebetween, said bail in maximum downward pivoted position abutting said container side walls and in said top plan view of said container top extremity being totally within said imaginary

11. A container as defined in claim 1 in which said container includes a cover and said upstanding side walls terminate upwardly at said cover with said cover defining said container top extremity somewhat rectangular in top plan view; and in which an outer edge of said container cover peripherally overlaps said container side walls at said side wall upward

12. A container as defined in claim 1 in which said container includes a cover and said upstanding side walls terminate upwardly at said cover with at least one of said side wall upward termination and cover defining said container top extremity somewhat rectangular in top plan view; in which said container top extremity sides in top plan view are generally equal and define said container top extremity generally square in said top plan view; and in which said container side walls generally define a square in any side wall horizontal cross-section while tapering progressively

13. A container as defined in claim 1 in which said container includes a cover and said upstanding side walls terminate upwardly at said cover with said cover defining said container top extremity somewhat rectangular in top plan view; in which said container top extremity sides in top plan view are generally equal defining said container top extremity generally square in said top plan view; in which an outer edge of said container cover peripherally overlaps said container side walls at said side wall upward termination; and in which said container side walls define a generally square configuration in any horizontal cross-section thereof, said container side walls tapering progressively inwardly in downward

14. A container as defined in claim 1 in which said container includes a cover and said upstanding side walls terminate upwardly at said cover with said cover defining said container top extremity somewhat rectangular in top plan view; in which said container top extremity sides in top plan view are generally equal defining said container top extremity generally square in said top plan view; in which said container top extremity sides in top plan view blend smoothly arcuately at said joining corners in joining corner outward curves marked less in radius than said side maximum outward projection curves; in which a bale is pivotally attached to said bail attachments extending continuously therebetween, said bail in maximum downward pivoted position abutting said container side walls and in said top plan view at said container top extremity being totally within said imaginary rectangle; and in which said container cover has an outer edge peripherally overlapping said container side wall at said side wall upward

15. A container as defined in claim 1 in which said container includes a cover and said upstanding side walls terminate upwardly at said cover with at least one of said side wall upward termination and cover defining said container top extremity somewhat rectangular in top plan view; in which said container top extremity sides in top plan view are generally equal defining said container top extremity generally square in said top plan view; in which said container top extremity sides in top plan view blend smoothly arcuately at said joining corners in joining corner outward curves marked less in radius than said side maximum outward projection curves; in which a bail is pivotally attached to said bail attachments extending continuously therebetween, said bail in maximum downward pivoted position abutting said container side walls and in said top plan view at said container top extremity being totally within said imaginary rectangle; and in which said container side walls define a generally square configuration in any horizontal cross-section thereof, said container side walls tapering progressively inwardly in downward extension

16. A container as defined in claim 1 in which said container includes a cover and said upstanding side walls terminate upwardly at said cover with said cover defining said container top extremity somewhat rectangular in top plan view; in which said container top extremity sides in top plan view are generally equal defining said container top extremity generally square in said top plan view; in which said container top extremity sides in top plan view blend smoothly arcuately at said joining corners in joining corner outward curves marked less in radius than said side maximum outward projection curves; in which a bail is pivotally attached to said bail attachments extending continuously therebetween, said bail in maximum downward pivoted position abutting said container side walls and in said top plan view at said container top extremity being totally within said imaginary rectangle; in which said container cover has an outer edge peripherally overlapping said side walls at said side wall upward termination; and in which said container side walls define a generally square configuration in any horizontal cross-section thereof, said container side walls tapering progressively inwardly in downward extension thereof.