U.S. patent number RE33,384 [Application Number 07/398,774] was granted by the patent office on 1990-10-16 for nesting box with reduced lid flares.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Buckhorn, Inc.. Invention is credited to Thomas P. Deaton, Daniel R. Miller.
United States Patent |
RE33,384 |
Miller , et al. |
October 16, 1990 |
Nesting box with reduced lid flares
Abstract
In a plastic molded tote box having one lid or opposed lids that
will shingle with other lids in the open position when the box and
like boxes are nested, the maximum horizontal dimension for the
shingled lids, as measured outwardly from the adjacent box side
wall (lid flare), is reduced by tapering the lid rib structure
toward the hinge, and/or by tapering the outboard lid skirt toward
the hinge, and/or by flaring one or more lid flanges, particularly
the inboard flange. The latter two structural features permit
increased nesting of the lid side skirts or channels, which in the
closed position of the lid overlie the box side walls.
Inventors: |
Miller; Daniel R. (Cincinnati,
OH), Deaton; Thomas P. (Mason, OH) |
Assignee: |
Buckhorn, Inc. (Milford,
OH)
|
Family
ID: |
27016378 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/398,774 |
Filed: |
August 25, 1989 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
706318 |
Feb 27, 1985 |
04688675 |
Aug 25, 1987 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/508; 206/515;
206/517; 206/518 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
21/064 (20130101); B65D 43/165 (20130101); B65D
2251/1083 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
43/16 (20060101); B65D 21/06 (20060101); B65D
021/02 (); B65D 021/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;206/508,509,515,517,518
;220/334,335,337,339 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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1223247 |
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May 1947 |
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GB |
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2147567 |
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May 1985 |
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GB |
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Primary Examiner: Lowrance; George E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fay, Sharpe, Beall, Fagan, Minnich
& McKee
Claims
We claim:
1. A tote box, comprising:
a container having a rectangular bottom, and two pair of opposed
side and end walls serially connected to each other around the
periphery of said bottom to extend upwardly and outwardly so that a
plurality of like containers may be nested therein and so that the
nested height of any two containers is less than the height of two
containers;
a lid overlying the top periphery of said container in a closed
position to at least partially close the top of said container;
hinge means hingedly connecting said lid to one of said opposed end
walls so that said lid may be rotated from the closed position
approximately 270 degrees to an open position, in which said lid
has a shingled orientation with respect to lids of adjacent nested
tote boxes in their open position;
said lid having a generally planar body portion that is horizontal
in the closed position;
said lid further having a peripheral flange structure including an
inboard flange portion extending upwardly from the side edge of
said body portion along the inside of said container side walls to
an upper edge, a horizontal flange portion extending outwardly from
said upper edge and overlying the top edge of said container side
walls in the closed position of the lid, and an outboard flange
portion extending downwardly from the outer edge of said horizontal
flange to overlap said container side walls; and
said flange structure further including said outboard flange
portion having a variation in depth as measured generally
perpendicular to said body portion and said inboard flange portion
being flared downwardly from said horizontal flange portion and
inwardly toward said body portion such that said flange structure
of a first said tote box lid nests within the flange structure of a
lid of a second adjacent and nested tote box when said lids of said
first and said second tote boxes are in said open position and in
said shingled orientation with respect to one another.
2. A tote box according to claim 1, further comprising:
said lid having a projecting structure extending generally
perpendicularly from said body portion toward the inside of said
container in said closed position, said projecting structure
generally decreasing in dimension as measured perpendicular to said
body in the direction toward said hinge means for reducing the lid
flare of lids in said shingled orientation.
3. The tote box according to claim 2, wherein said outboard flange
tapers in depth in the direction toward said hinge means.
4. The tote box according to claim 3, wherein said outboard flange
tapers in depth and said projecting structure decreases in
dimension generally uniformly in length and at the same angle with
respect to said body.
5. The tote box according to claim 4, wherein said angle is greater
than 9.degree..
6. The tote box according to claim 1, wherein said outboard flange
tapers in depth uniformly in the direction toward said hinge
means.
7. The tote box according to claim 4, wherein said projecting
structure includes a plurality of reinforcing ribs.
8. A molded plastic tote box, comprising:
a container having a rectangular bottom, and two pair of opposed
side and end walls serially connected to each other around the
periphery of said bottom to extend upwardly and outwardly so that a
plurality of like containers may be nested therein and so that the
nested height of any two containers is less than that height of two
containers;
a pair of lids overlying the top periphery of said container in a
closed position to close the top of said container;
hinge means for each said lid hingedly connecting each said lid to
one of said opposed end walls respectively so that said lids may be
rotated from the closed position approximately 270 degrees to an
open position in which each of said lids has a shingled orientation
with respect to lids of adjacent nested tote boxes;
each of said lids having a generally planar body portion that is
horizontal in the closed position;
each of said lids having a peripheral flange structure including an
inboard flange portion extending upwardly from the side edge of
said body portion along the inside of said container side walls to
an upper edge, a horizontal flange portion extending outwardly from
said upper edge and overlying the top edge of said container side
walls in the closed position of the lid, and an outboard flange
portion extending downwardly from the outer edge of said horizontal
flange to overlap said container side walls; and
said flange structure further including said outboard flange
portion having a variation in depth as measured generally
perpendicularly to said body portion and said inboard flange
portion being flared downwardly from said horizontal flange portion
and inwardly toward said body portion such that each said flange
structure of a first said tote box lid nests within the flange
structure of a second, adjacent and nested tote box lid when said
lids of said first and said second tote boxes are in said open
position and in said shingled orientation with respect to one
another.
9. The tote box according to claim 8, further comprising:
said lid having a projecting structure extending generally
perpendicular from said body portion toward the inside of said
container in said closed position, said projecting structure
generally decreasing in dimension as measured perpendicularly to
said body portion in the direction toward said hinge means for
reducing the lid flare of lids in said shingled orientation.
10. The tote box according to claim 9, wherein said outboard flange
tapers in depth in the direction toward said hinge means.
11. The tote box according to claim 10, wherein said outboard
flange tapers in depth and said projecting structure decreases in
dimension generally uniform in length and at the same angle with
respect to said body.
12. The tote box according to claim 11, wherein said angle is
greater than 9 degrees.
13. The tote box according to claim 1, wherein said projecting
structure includes a plurality of reinforcing ribs. .Iadd.
14. A molded plastic tote box, comprising:
a container having a rectangular bottom, and two pair of opposed
side and end walls serially connected to each other around the
periphery of said bottom to extend upwardly and outwardly so that a
plurality of like containers may be nested therein and so that the
nested height of any two containers is less than the height of two
containers;
a lid overlapping the top periphery of said container in a closed
position to at least partially close the top of said container;
hinge means for said lid hingedly connecting said lid to one of
said opposed end walls respectively so that said lid may be rotated
from the closed position approximately 270 degrees to an open
position in which said lid has a shingled orientation and contact
with respect to lids of adjacent nested tote boxes;
said lid having a generally planar body portion than is horizontal
in the closed position;
said lid having a peripheral flange structure including an inboard
flange portion extending upwardly from the side edge of said body
portion along the inside of said container side walls to an upper
edge in the closed position, a horizontal flange portion extending
outwardly from said upper edge and overlapping the top edge of said
container side walls in the closed position of the lid, and an
outboard flange portion extending downwardly from the outer edge of
said horizontal flange to overlap said container side walls in the
closed position; and
said flange structure further having reduced projecting structure
in the area of the contact including said outboard flange portion
having a variation in depth as measured generally perpendicular to
said body portion that generally decreases in depth in the area of
the contact where it is most closely adjacent the flange structure
of the adjacent shingled lid of the next higher nested box for
reducing interference therebetween, and including said inboard
flange having reduced interfering structure adjacent said side edge
in the area of said contact, so that the interfering flange
structure generally decreases so that the lid flare of the shingle
lid is substantially less than it would be if the projecting
structure did not decrease. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. A tote box
according to claim 14, wherein said outboard flange generally
tapers in depth in the direction toward said hinge means. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.16. A tote box according to claim 14, wherein said inboard
flange includes a rib depending downwardly adjacent said main body
side edge portion to a lower terminal edge, when viewed in the
closed position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. A tote box according to claim
16, wherein said rib lower terminal edge is offset horizontally
inwardly from the innermost portion of said inboard flange that is
horizontally aligned with said horizontal flange portion for
reduction of interfering structure. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. A tote box
according to claim 17, wherein said outboard flange generally
tapers in depth in the directional toward said hinge means.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.19. A tote box according to claim 17, wherein said
rib lower terminal edge generally decreases in depth from its area
remote from said hinge means toward and in the area of said
contact. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. A tote box according to claim 19,
wherein said outboard flange generally tapers in depth in the
direction toward said hinge means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. A tote box
according to claim 17, wherein said inboard flange is tapered
inwardly and downwardly generally smoothly for its entire depth to
said rib lower terminal edge an amount sufficient to nest with the
inboard flange of an adjacent lid of shingled lids attached to the
nested boxes. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. A tote box according to claim 21,
wherein said outboard flange generally tapers in depth in the
direction toward said hinge means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. A tote box
according to claim 21, wherein said rib lower terminal edge
generally decreases in depth from its area remote from said hinge
means toward and in the area of said contact. .Iaddend.
.Iadd. . A tote box according to claim 23, wherein said outboard
flange generally tapers in depth in the direction toward said hinge
means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. A tote box according to claim 17,
wherein said rib lower terminal edge is sufficiently horizontally
inwardly offset with respect to the uppermost portion of the
inboard flange portion and horizontal flange portion that the
inboard flange of an adjacent nested box lid will nest within said
rib lower terminal edge. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. A tote box according
to claim 25, wherein said outboard flange generally tapers in depth
in the direction toward said hinge means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27. A
tote box according to claim 26, wherein said rib lower terminal
edge generally decreases in depth from its area remote from said
hinge means toward and in the area of said contact. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.28. A tote box according to claim 27, wherein said inboard
flange is tapered inwardly and downwardly generally smoothly for
its entire depth to said rib lower terminal edge an amount
sufficient to nest with the inboard flange of an adjacent lid of
shingled lids attached to the nested boxes. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29. A
tote box according to claim 26, wherein said inboard flange is
tapered inwardly and downwardly generally smoothly for its entire
depth to said rib lower terminal edge an amount sufficient to nest
with the inboard flange of an adjacent lid of shingled lids
attached to
the nested boxes. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. A tote box according to claim
25, wherein said rib lower terminal edge generally decreases in
depth from its area remote from said hinge means toward and in the
area of said contact. .Iaddend. .Iadd.31. A tote box according to
claim 25, wherein said inboard flange is tapered inwardly and
downwardly generally smoothly for its entire depth to said rib
lower terminal edge an amount sufficient to nest with the inboard
flange of an adjacent lid of shingled lids attached to the nested
boxes. .Iaddend. .Iadd.32. A tote box according to claim 31,
wherein said rib lower terminal edge generally decreases in depth
from its area remote from said hinge means toward and in the area
of said contact. .Iaddend. .Iadd.33. A tote box according to claim
16, further including a plurality of ribs generally extending in a
grid to depend from the bottom of said body portion, generally
throughout the extent of said body portion, and said additional
ribs generally decreasing in depth toward said hinge means for
reducing interfering structure of shingled lids of nested boxes.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.34. A tote box according to claim 33, wherein said
outboard flange generally tapers in depth in the direction toward
said hinge means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.35. A tote box according to claim
34, wherein said rib lower terminal edge is offset horizontally
inwardly from the innermost portion of said inboard flange that is
horizontally aligned with said horizontal flange portion for
reduction of interfering structure; and
said rib lower terminal edge is sufficiently horizontally inwardly
offset with respect to the uppermost position of the inboard flange
portion and horizontal flange portion that the inboard flange of an
adjacent nested box lid will nest within said rib lower terminal
edge. .Iaddend. .Iadd.36. A tote box according to claim 35, wherein
said inboard flange is tapered inwardly and downwardly generally
smoothly for its entire depth to said rib lower terminal edge an
amount sufficient to nest with the inboard flange of an adjacent
lid of shingled lids attached to the nested boxes. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.37. A tote box according to claim 36, wherein said rib lower
terminal edge generally decreases in depth from its area remote
from said hinge means toward and in the area of said contact.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.38. A tote box according to claim 33, wherein said
rib lower terminal edge is offset horizontally inwardly from the
innermost portion of said inboard flange that is horizontally
aligned with said horizontal flange portion for reduction of
interfering structure; and
said rib lower terminal edge is sufficiently horizontally inwardly
offset with respect to the uppermost portion of the inboard flange
portion and horizontal flange portion that the inboard flange of an
adjacent nested box lid will nest within said rib lower terminal
edge. .Iaddend.
.Iadd. A tote box according to claim 38, wherein said inboard
flange is tapered inwardly and downwardly generally smoothly for
its entire depth to said rib lower terminal edge an amount
sufficient to nest with the inboard flange of an adjacent lid of
shingled lids attached to the nested boxes. .Iaddend. .Iadd.40. A
tote box according to claim 39, wherein said rib lower terminal
edge generally decreases in depth from its area remote from said
hinge means toward and in the area of said contact. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.41. A tote box according to claim 15, wherein said inboard
flange includes a rib depending downwardly adjacent said main body
side edge portion to a lower terminal edge, when viewed in the
closed position; and
said rib lower terminal edge generally decreases in depth from its
area remote from said hinge means toward and in the area of said
contact. .Iaddend. .Iadd.42. A tote box according to claim 41,
further including a plurality of ribs generally extending in a grid
to depend from the bottom of said body portion, generally
throughout the extent of said body portion, and said additional
ribs generally decreasing in depth toward said hinge means for
reducing interfering structure of shingled lids of
nested boxes. .Iaddend. .Iadd.43. A tote box, comprising:
a container having a rectangular bottom, and two pair of opposed
side and end walls serially connected to each other around the
periphery of said bottom to extend upwardly and outwardly so that a
plurality of like containers may be nested therein and so that the
nested height of any two containers is less than the height of two
containers;
a lid overlying the top periphery of said container in a closed
position to at least partially close the top of said container;
hinge means hingedly connecting said lid to one of said opposed end
walls so that said lid may be rotated from the closed position
approximately 270 degrees to an open position, in which said lid
has a shingled orientation with respect to lids of adjacent nested
tote boxes in their open position;
said lid having a generally planar body portion that is horizontal
in the closed position;
said lid further having a peripheral flange structure including a
horizontal flange portion having inner and outer edges and
overlying the top edge of said container side walls in the closed
position of the lid, an outboard flange portion extending
downwardly from the outer edge of said horizontal flange portion to
overlap said container side walls, and an inboard flange portion
having a top edge joining the inner edge of said horizontal flange
portion and extending downwardly from the top edge adjacent an
inside portion of said container side walls to terminate in a
bottom edge; and
said flange structure further including said outboard flange
portion having a variation in depth as measured generally
perpendicular to said body portion and said bottom edge of said
inboard flange portion being offset in a direction generally
parallel to said body portion from said top edge such that when the
lid of a first said tote box overlaps the lid of a second adjacent
and nested said tote box when said lids of said first and second
tote boxes are in said open position with said lids in said
shingled orientation with respect to one another, said top edge of
said inboard flange of said first tote box is misaligned with said
bottom edge of said inboard flange of said second tote box in a
direction perpendicular to said horizontal flange. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.44. A tote box according to claim 43, wherein said inboard
flange is flared downwardly and inwardly toward said body portion
from said top edge to said bottom edge. .Iaddend. .Iadd.45. A tote
box according to claim 43, further comprising:
said lid having at least one projecting rib extending generally
perpendicular from said body portion and having a bottom portion in
common with said bottom edge of said inboard flange, wherein said
projecting rib generally decreases in a dimension measured
perpendicularly to said body
portion in the direction toward said hinge means. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.46. A tote box according to claim 45, further comprising a
plurality of said ribs projecting generally perpendicularly from
said body portion, each of said ribs generally decreasing in a
dimension perpendicular to the body portion to the same extent.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.47. A tote box according to claim 45, wherein said
inboard flange flares downwardly and inwardly toward said body
portion from said top edge to said bottom edge. .Iaddend. .Iadd.48.
A tote box according to claim 43, wherein said inboard flange
portion includes a rib projecting downwardly from said body portion
and adjacent said inside portion of said container side walls.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.49. A tote box according to claim 47, wherein said
rib has a bottom edge that is in common with said bottom edge of
said inboard flange portion. .Iaddend. .Iadd.50. A tote box,
comprising:
a container having a rectangular bottom, and two pair of opposed
side and end walls serially connected to each other around the
periphery of said bottom to extend upwardly and outwardly so that a
plurality of like containers may be nested therein and so that the
nested height of any two containers is less than the height of two
containers;
a lid overlying the top periphery of said container in a closed
position to at least partially close the top of said container;
hinge means hingedly connecting said lid to one of said opposed end
walls so that said lid may be rotated from the closed position
approximately 270 degrees to an open position, in which said lid
has a shingled orientation with respect to lids of adjacent nested
tote boxes in their open position;
said lid having a generally planar body portion that is horizontal
in the closed position;
said lid further having a peripheral flange structure including a
horizontal flange portion having inner and outer edges and
overlying the top edge of said container side walls in the closed
position of the lid, an outboard flange portion extending
downwardly from the outer edge of said horizontal flange portion to
overlap said container side walls, and an inboard flange portion
having a top edge joining the inner edge of said horizontal flange
portion to extend downwardly therefrom, and said inboard flange
portion including a projecting rib portion extending downwardly
from said body portion to a rib bottom edge; and
said flange structure further including said outboard flange
portion having a variation in depth as measured generally
perpendicular to said body portion, and said inboard flange portion
rib bottom edge being offset in a direction generally parallel with
said body portion with respect to said top edge of said inboard
flange portion such that when the lid of a first said tote box
overlaps the lid of a second adjacent and nested said tote box when
said lids of said first and second tote boxes are in said open
position with said lids in said shingled orientation with respect
to one another, said top edge of said inboard flange of said first
tote box is misaligned with said rib bottom edge of said second
tote box in a
direction perpendicular to said horizontal flange. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.51. A tote box according to claim 50, wherein said inboard
flange is flared downwardly and inwardly from said top edge to said
rib bottom edge. .Iaddend. .Iadd.52. A tote box according to claim
50, wherein said rib portion generally decreases in a dimension
measured perpendicularly to said body portion in the direction
toward said hinge means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.53. A tote box according
to claim 50, further comprising a plurality of ribs projecting
downwardly from said body portion, each of said ribs generally
decreasing in a dimension measured perpendicularly to said body
portion in a direction toward said hinge means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.54.
A tote box according to claim 53, wherein said rib portion of said
inboard flange decreases in a dimension measured perpendicularly to
said body portion in a direction toward said hinge means. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.55. A tote box according to claim 52, further comprising a
plurality of ribs projecting downwardly from said body portion,
each of said ribs generally decreasing in a dimension measured
perpendicularly to said body portion in a direction toward said
hinge means and to the same extent as said decreasing dimension of
said inboard flange rib portion. .Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Tote boxes are general purpose containers, particularly for
distribution of goods or their temporary storage. They are called
upon to contain a wide variety of goods as they are shipped from a
distribution point to a destination, for example, from a warehouse
to retail outlets, from a manufacturer to a user, or within a
manufacturing plant itself, for example.
The present invention relates to containers that may be nested
within like containers so that their attached lids may shingle with
the adjacent lids of the other containers, particularly for tote
boxes and most particularly for tote boxes having two lids. The
invention is particularly related to such boxes or containers that
are molded, for example of a synthetic resin or plastic, so that
the side and end walls are tapered towards the bottom to facilitate
nesting of empty containers, wherein one or more lids are hinged
respectively to the containers so that the lids may be swing
generally 270.degree. from their closed position to a position
wherein they shingle with respect to each other when the containers
are nested, and which lids have reinforcing ribs and/or one or more
flanges on each side to overlap the adjacent side wall in the
closed position.
Shipping or storage boxes, are of course designated to be shipped
full and are transported in fixed transport volume areas, such as
the inside of a truck wherein only a fixed number of such full
containers may be placed. It has been found desirable to return the
empty containers in a nested condition wherein a larger number of
such containers may be returned within the same fixed transport
volume. Such advantages are fully discussed and recognized in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,349,108, issued Sept. 14, 1982. However, such is a well
known old problem and solution. A further discussion of such return
trip nesting is to be found in the patent to Fleetwood U.S. Pat.
No. 2,803,369, issued Aug. 20, 1957 and Best et al U.S. Pat. No.
2,112,451 issued Mar. 29, 1938. The latter patent employs attached
lids and an elaborate hinge structure so that the lids may lay flat
against the sides of the boxes or be shingled when a plurality of
boxes are nested to address the problem of lid flare, so that a
considerable number of receptacles may be compactly nested with
relatively little addition to the transverse dimension of the
box.
Lid flare is designated as the increase in horizontal dimension, on
one side of the box, as measured perpendicular to the attached lid
hinge axis, as caused by nesting of a plurality of such boxes and
corresponding shingling of their attached lids.
Lid flare has been a well known problem in the art with many
attempts made at reducing it.
A comparison of FIGS. 2 and 3 of the Weickart U.S. Pat. No.
3,383,009, issued May 14, 1968 clearly shows the advantages of
reduced height in nesting containers for the return trip, and also
clearly shows the problems of lid flare in increasing the
horizontal dimension by nesting with shingled attached lids.
A particularly advantageous tote box was developed by the assignee
of the present invention, and involved two attached lids, with
ribbing for increasing the rigidity of the lids and lid sides
having a side skirt flange, preferably together with an inboard
flange forming channel-shaped portions, for overlying the
corresponding sides of the box in the closed position;
Bockenstette, U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,345, issued Aug. 26, 1969. In
FIG. 8, the lid on the left hand side is accurately shown,
schematically, in full lines for the open position. The dotted line
representation of another lid shows its relative position, but if
it were actually present, it would force the solid line lid to
flare outwardly, because of interference between the reinforcing
ribs and the skirt/flanges/side channel. For this particular type
of tote box, the free edges of the lids interengage in the closed
position as shown in FIG. 1, due to the presence of one or more
teeth on each lid. The assignee later found that increasing the
depth (measured vertically in the closed position) of the ribbing
for the lids not only increased the strength of the lids, but
greatly facilitated such interengaging when the lids were closed,
because it is necessary to close the lids together and the
Bockenstette box many times hung up and required additional
manipulation, whereas the additional ribbing provided for easy
closure. The ribbing also makes it more difficult for a thief to
insert a hand through the interengaging portions of the lids, the
lids are otherwise secured to the side walls in the closed position
by a rivet, e.g.
Although the increased ribbing is considerably older than the
patent to Frater, U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,261, issued July 7, 1979,
such increased ribbing is clearly seen in the Frater patent for
this type of box. Also, this patent discloses the conventional
manner in which the lids are secured to the box side wall at the
sides, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, which may be employed for the
present invention. This box will nest with like boxes so that their
lids shingle, as mentioned above.
The present invention is applicable to all of the above boxes and
others wherein there is lid flare.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to reduce lid flare for
nesting boxes that have attached lids.
More particularly, the invention relates to such boxes that are
molded of synthetic plastic: which may also have ribbing on the
lids to increase their strength and more particularly to facilitate
closure when multiple lids are provided with interengaging surfaces
for each box; and when the lid or lids for each box are provided
with one or more flanges or a channel to overlap the side walls of
the box, which increases the rigidity of the box with the lids
closed and increases security.
When the empty boxes are nested so that their attached lids overlap
or shingle, the lid flare caused by such shingling is reduced by
the novel features of the present invention for various types of
old and new boxes, by one or more of three structural features; (1)
generally reducing the height or depth of the ribs or other
projecting structure toward the hinges, (2) generally reducing the
height or depth of one or more flanges on the lid sides, and (3)
flaring one or more flanges on each side of the lid to facilitate
flange or channel nesting in the shingled position. These features
may be employed separately or together, and particularly when
together they cooperate.
The present invention may be employed with tote boxes having one or
more attached lids, with tote boxes of molded synthetic resin or
other materials so that they are capable of nesting, and with other
conventional features such as shown in the above-mentioned
references.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention
will become more clear from the following detailed description of
the drawing, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a tote box employing the features of
the present invention, with one lid closed and the other lid opened
and extending horizontally;
FIGS. 2A and 2B are together a partial cross-sectional view taken
through a nested stack of like containers, with portions removed
for clarity, and not employing any of the three main features of
the present invention;
FIGS. 3A and 3B are together a cross-sectional view identical to
FIG. 2, but employing the three main features of the present
invention for a plurality of boxes as shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line IV--IV in
FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line V--V in
FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line VI--VI in
FIG. 3;
FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line VII--VII
in FIG. 3;
FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line
VIII--VIII in FIG. 3;
FIGS. 9A and 9B are together a view similar to FIG. 2, but of the
assignee's tote box 09-590, designated in 1981;
FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view, similar to FIGS. 4-8,
but of tote boxes not employing the features of the present
invention;
FIGS. 11A and 11B together are a cross-sectional view corresponding
to FIGS. 9A and 9B, of the same tote box, but employing the three
main features of the present invention to reduce lid flare;
FIGS. 12A and 12B are together a cross-sectional view similar to
FIGS. 9A and 9B, of the assignee's box 09-500, designated in 1973
and not employing the main features of the present invention;
FIGS. 13A and 13B are together a cross-sectional view similar to
FIGS. 12A and 12B, of the same tote box, but employing the three
main features of the present invention to reduce lid flare; and
FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of a lid according to the
present invention and the embodiment of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The importance of returning empty containers in a space saving
manner has been known at least since 1938, the great effort and
inventions have been directed thereto. What has been defined herein
as lid flare has been a problem known and addressed for a long
time.
In simple terms, the design of a container, such as the 1968
Bockenstette container may be described insofar as it relates to
lid flare as follows. A tote box is designed for a particular
customer who provides the input that their transport has a specific
interior transport volume, which might be the height, length and
width of the interior of a tractor trailer, and the customer will
give a general statement of how big the box is to be. A customer
always wants efficient return shipping the empty boxes so that the
greatest number of empty boxes may be returned shipped without
sacrificing other design criteria, which for plastic molded boxes
with attached lids means that they are nested together when empty
so that their attached lids will overly or shingle with respect to
each other. The attached lid is a usual requirement to prevent loss
of the lids and provide efficiency of handling. Therefore, the
width, as measured horizontally perpendicular to the lid hinges, of
nested boxes for the return trip is critical and lid flare has
always been an undesirable increase in the width of nested boxes
over full stacked boxes, which problem is a concern of the
designer.
The present inventor has analyzed the lid flame problem and
determined that lid flare is to a great extent caused by
interference between the ribs, (particularly when they are large
ribs having the above-mentioned advantages) and other analogous
structure, or interference between adjacent flanges or channels
made up of the flanges that overlap the side walls of the boxes
when the lids are closed.
For the side lid flanges, the most important flange is the outboard
flange to vertically overlap the outside of the side wall, and an
inboard flange may or may not be present. The flange is usually
provided with a minimum flare, that is, a taper outwardly and
downwardly when viewed from the closed position, for purposes of
providing molding relief. Molding relief is the taper of an element
to facilitate its removal from the mold. Such molding relief, even
when exaggerated as shown in FIG. 10, is insufficient to provide
for nesting of the side flanges or channels when the lids shingle,
as will be explained more fully below. The inventor has analyzed
this and determined that increasing of the flare for the inboard
flange will provide nesting without any undesirable side effects,
but that increasing the flare for the outboard flange would
correspondingly increase the dimension of the tote boxes in the
direction parallel to the hinges and reduced security, which would
be considerable disadvantages. The present invention includes this
analysis and the more particular solution of increasing the flare
for only the inboard flange while tapering the outboard flange, in
its depth, toward the hinge, which are respectively two of the
three primary features of the present invention.
The inventor found also that while increasing the depth of the
reinforcing ribs had desirable results, such ribs interfered when
shingling to produce lid flare. By tapering the depth or height of
the ribs toward the hinge, the interference was reduced or
eliminated. This tapering of the ribs is the third of the three
primary features of the present invention.
Tapering does not materially diminish the function of the flanges
or ribs, because the need for such flanges and ribs increases
proportionally to the distance from the hinges, as analyzed by the
inventor.
These three primary features of the present invention will be
better appreciated with reference to the drawings wherein old boxes
and a new box design are illustrated with respect to lid flare when
using old style ribbing and flanges, and compared with the same
boxes employing the above-mentioned three features of the present
invention to reduce lid flare.
Although FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment to the present
invention, the three primary features of the present invention are
not readily viewable in FIG. 1. Although FIG. 1 is an illustration
of a new design, it employs the following conventional features. A
molded one piece container structure includes a bottom 1, opposed
end walls 2, 3, which slope upwardly and outwardly from opposed end
edges of the bottom 1, and opposed side walls 4, 5, which slope
upwardly and outwardly from opposed side edges of the bottom 1. No
particular significance should be placed on the terms side an end,
except to distinguish them. The side walls and end walls are joined
at their common corners to form an open topped box. Lids 6, 7 are
respectively hinged to the top portion of the end walls 2, 3. These
lids 6, 7 have raised portions 8 and depressed portions 9, (raised
and depressed are terms relating the areas to each other and not
other structure) which interengage as the lids 6, 7 are
simultaneously moved into the closed position. As illustrated in
FIG. 1, the lid 6 is in its closed position, while the lid 7 is in
a transition position rotated 180.degree. from its closed position,
for purposes of illustration. From the position of the lid 7, the
hinge is such that the lid 7 would be gravity fall to a depending
vertical position, which open position would be approximately
270.degree. rotation from the closed position of lid 6. Although
portions 8 are referred to as raised, they are preferably at the
same level as the central portion of the lid and overly the
depressed areas of the adjacent lid, when both lids are closed.
Thereby, the interengaging lids form a central planar landing
surface to receive thereon the bottom of a like container, when
full containers are stacked for transport or storage. To prevent
the top stacked container from sliding off of the lower container,
some abutment means are provided around the periphery of the
landing area, which may constitute lugs (conventional such as in
the Frater patent though not shown), or a flange structure leading
to the recessed landing area as shown, or the like. With lugs, the
landing area is preferably the same height as the tops of the side
and end walls, although this is not necessary. The exact nature of
the abutment means is not critical to the present invention, nor is
the number of teeth or raised areas 8, nor are the details of the
sides, bottom, lid or lids.
The lower side of each of the lids is provided with projecting
structure, e.g. a plurality of ribs 10, of any suitable design or
width. The term bottom or top of the lid is with respect to its
normal closed position that is illustrated in FIG. 1 with respect
to lid 6, the width of a rib or other projecting structure is with
reference to such closed position and a horizontal measurement,
whereas the depth of a rib or other projecting structure would be
its vertical measurement or projection from the bottom surface 24,
when in such closed position of the lid. The exact nature of the
hinge used to hingedly secure the lid to the top edge of the end
walls is not critically to the present invention, although it is
necessary that the lids move through approximately 270.degree. of
rotation and preferably the hinges are such as to provide for a
single axis of rotation for the lids, which is the most economical.
Once both lids are in the closed position, (not illustrated), some
type of hook is usually provided between the overlying raised and
depressed areas to prevent them from spreading apart horizontally.
Such hooks may be in the form of hooks depending from the raised
areas and apertures through the depressed areas as in the
above-mentioned Bockenstette patent, or openings, 11 in the side
ribs of the raised areas that cooperate with upstanding lugs 12 of
the depressed areas that will fit into such openings, or some other
suitable structure. If desired, apertures 13, 14 may be
respectively provided, in alignment, through the lid and upper
horizontal flange 15 of the side walls so that a security tie (not
shown and conventional) or rivet (not shown and conventional) may
be passed through to provide for box security.
With respect to each of the side walls, they have a recessed
central portion including a vertical wall portion 16 that is offset
inwardly and a horizontal wall portion 17, which structure
increases the strength of the side walls and further provides a
hand hold.
The side of each lid includes a horizontal flange 18 that overlies
and engages the corresponding horizontal flange 15 of the side
wall, to provide support for the central portion of the lids when
in their closed position. Although the lid central portions may be
recessed below the flanges 15 or at the same level, as mentioned
above, the present embodiment has the central portion recessed and
connected to the horizontal flange 18 by an inboard vertical flange
19. An outboard vertical depending flange or skirt 20 is provided
to overlap the outside of the side walls and to prevent someone
from moving their hand between the lid and flange 15 when the lids
are secured, as well as to prevent the lids from collapsing
inwardly of the container when a load is placed in the center of
the landing area when the lids are closed.
Except for the hand hold area 16, 17, the structure described above
with respect to FIG. 1 is essentially conventional. For a further
disclosure, reference is made to the above-mentioned Bockenstette
and Frater patents, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein
by reference.
FIG. 14 shows the lid 7 rotated 90.degree. downward from its
position in FIG. 1 and in a position that is 270.degree.,
approximately, of rotation from the position of lid 6 in FIG. 1.
The hinge structure 21, having an axis of rotation 22, may be of
any conventional type, for example as shown in the above-mentioned
Bockenstette patent. The main portion of each lid is formed from a
sheet of plastic having a generally uniform thickness, with a top
surface 23 and bottom surface 24, with the top surface 23 forming
the above-mentioned landing area and raised portions 8. The
depressed area 9 has a top surface 26 and a bottom surface 27.
In general, the ribs 10 decrease in depth (as measured
perpendicular to the landing area top surface 23) from the terminal
end or interengaging end 27 of the lid to the hinge structure 21.
These ribs may be continuous or discontinuous, step wise or
continuously reducing in depth, or a mixture of the above, for
example, that is the term taper is being used generally to mean
that generally speaking the depth/height of projecting structure
that would otherwise cause lid flare is reduced as it is closer to
the hinge. The main point is that when the lids are shingled, in
their open position with nested boxes, the top planar surface 23 of
an upper box will lie adjacent the ribs 10 of a lower box, as seen,
for example, in FIGS. 2 and 3. As seen in FIG. 3, the terminal end
27 of an upper box is at a height above the terminal end of the
next lower lid, in the nested position. Therefore, the ribbing 10
may be of maximum desired depth below the terminal end 27 of the
next highest box lid, because there is no possibility of the ribs
engaging the next highest box lid below its terminal end 27, so
that in such area, taper is not needed. Also, it is seen that the
depressed area 9 extends out even further than the ribbing, but
below the terminal end 27 of the next highest box. The extent to
which the boxes nest, that is their nesting ratio, is determined by
outwardly extending vertical ribs or buttresses 28 on the side
walls of the boxes, which constitute nesting stops having a bottom
edge 29 that will engage the flange 15 or other structure of the
next lowest box in a stack, in a conventional manner. The point is
that the ribbing and other structure of the lids that extends from
the bottom surface 24 of the lids below the interfering structure
of the next highest shingled lid is not critical in determining lid
flare. The remaining overlapping portion of the bottom surface of
the lid, that is between the terminal end 30 of the rib 10 closest
to the hinge structure (a reference point) and the reference point
31 on the same lid structure that is adjacent the terminal end 27
of the next highest lid in the nest constitutes the overlapping
area for the bottom surface 24. It is this area that is generally
tapered, in depth, from point 31 to point 30, at least. In the
actual preferred embodiment, the taper is uniform. The taper should
be such that from reference point 30 to reference point 31, all
ribbing and the like projecting structure on the bottom of the lid
should be towards the inside of a plane passing through such
points, with point 30 being at a depth materially less than the
depth of point 31, as measured from the plane of the top surface 23
forming the landing area. This is one major feature of the present
invention and will generally be referred to as rib taper, with
taper being broadly defined as mentioned above and ribs generally
referring to any structure within the overlap area between points
30 and 31 that extends downwardly from the bottom surface 24, that
might affect lid flare. The significance of this feature will
become more apparent from a discussion below.
The remaining two major features of the present invention relate to
the flanges 19, 20 on the sides of the lids. First, however, a
conventional lid structure will be discussed with respect to such
flanges. In a conventional lid structure, the inboard flange 19A is
preferably vertical or slightly flared for mold relief to provide a
firm abutment to resist movement of the side walls inward and to
resist lateral movement of a like box stacked upon the lid when in
its closed position. Likewise, the outboard flange 20a is
preferably vertical or with a slight mold relief so that it will
securely engage the side wall to resist inward bowing of the top
which a heavy weight, foot or the like is placed in the center of
the landing area, for example. Further, it is desirable to have the
outboard flange 20a as vertical as possible because any outward
flare tends to increase the overall dimension of the box in the
direction parallel to the hinge axis 22. Therefore, it is seen that
even with the exaggerated flare shown in FIG. 10, with respect to
the conventional structure, these flanges for adjacent lids in the
shingled position will not nest, due to engagement between the edge
of the outboard flange 20A and the flange 18A of the adjacent box
lid, and/or the engagement between the lower edge of the flange 19A
and the flange 18A of the adjacent box lid. The flange 18A is used
loosely, to include, if present, the extension thereof in the form
of a rib 10A. Such engagement, as well as the engagement of the
ribs 10A with the top surface 23A of an adjacent lid (not shown),
at other locations, have been found to be the engaging points for
controlling the lid flare in a lid structure not employing the main
features of the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG.
2.
A second feature of the present invention is that the inboard
flanges 19(or the corresponding ribs in a nonrecessed top
structure, for example as shown in the above-mentioned Frater
patent) are downwardly and inwardly flared to a sufficient extent
that they will nest within each other to an extent sufficient to
provide the desired reduction in lid flare as compared to lid flare
without such nesting of the inboard flanges. Such flaring is at an
angle greater than conventional for mold relief, and sufficiently
greater to provide the above-mentioned function. Since this flange
is inboard, it in no way affects the exterior dimensions of the
box. This flange will still satisfactorily limit lateral movement
of a box stacked thereon, or may not even have such function if
separate stacking lugs are provided such as in the above-mentioned
Frater patent. Further, even a flared lid inboard flange will
provide some support for the side walls against their deformation
inward, although such as not a particularly big problem with
respect to tote boxes, particularly when loaded. This second
feature will be referred to as flange flare, which includes an
equivalent rib flare or skirt flare (not shown), particularly with
respect to the preferred embodiment of a recessed lid.
In a structure such as the above-mentioned Frater patent, the
flange flare may not be required, or at least to a lesser extent.
However, the stacking lugs, that is lugs that prevent lateral
shifting of stacked boxes and function as the abutment means,
should desirably be placed in the plurality of locations so that
they will nest within stacking lugs of an adjacent box lid, for
example the stacking lug closest to the end 27 of an upper lid may
nest within the stacking lug that is second from the end 27 of the
adjacent lower lid, in the nesting position. Thus the flanges of
the lugs would be flared to nest. That is, a structure that may be
added and that is not shown in the present embodiments would have
the concepts of the present invention applied thereto to reduce lid
flare, if they would otherwise cause lid flare.
The third major feature of the present invention relates to the
outboard flange 20. The nesting of the inboard flange and/or moving
of the shingled lids closer together according to the present
invention to reduce lid flare is further permitted by a special
structure for the outboard flange 20. Again, this is only critical
in the overlap area between points 30 and 31, and the outboard
flange may have a maximum and even uniform downward extent in the
areas below point 31, for example in FIG. 3. In a manner similar to
the ribs 10, this outboard flange 20 is tapered, in general, from
at least the point 31 to the point 30 or toward the hinge structure
21. The tapering, as with the ribs, may be stepwise, continuous or
discontinuous. In the preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14,
the lowermost edge 32 of the outboard flange 20 is tapered toward
the top surface 23 from at least the point 31 to the point 30. With
such a structure, the outboard flange 20 may be maintained as close
to vertical as desired, for the above-mentioned advantages, while
still reducing lid flare.
With respect to tapering of the outboard flange and tapering of the
ribs, it is noticed that such tapering will reduce the strength of
these elements proportionally towards the hinge structure 21.
However, this is not a disadvantage, because the inventor has
analyzed the box structure to the extent to realize that strength
of these elements is more important proportionally to the distance
from the hinge axis 22, for example it is near the terminal end 27
that the greatest strength for the outboard flange 20 is needed and
where the greatest strength for the ribs is needed, whereas towards
the hinge structure where the hinge and its adjacent end wall
provides support for the lid, the strength of the ribs and outboard
flange 20 are not so important. Therefore, the three main features
of the present invention may be employed without sacrificing
function of these elements or materially affecting the function,
strength, security and the like of the box. In fact, there is some
saving in weight and materials, which becomes significant with
thousands of boxes having thousands of trips each.
As a specific example, of the preferred embodiment, the material
used for construction may be prime high density polyethylene, which
is injection molded with a wall thickness of 0.14 inches.
In the remaining embodiments, corresponding numerals have been
applied to corresponding parts, and some structure obviously
similar has not been numbered. In the embodiment of FIGS. 12 and
13, the rib and rib gap interconnection for the raised and
depressed areas of the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 has
been replaced by a projection 40 from the raised area 8C that will
engage within an aperture 41 of the depressed area 9C of the other
lid, when the two lids are simultaneously closed to provide the
above-mentioned function, that is, preventing lateral separation of
the closed lids perpendicular to the hinge axes 22.
The only difference between the boxes shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 is
that the structure of FIG. 13 has been modified according to the
present invention to reduce lid flare, which reduction amounts to
22%. The only difference between the structures shown in FIGS. 2
and 3 is that in FIG. 3 the features of the present invention have
been employed to reduce lid flare. Since prototypes for the box of
FIGS. 3 have been constructed, it has been determined that if the
features of the present invention were not employed, the lid flare
would be increased 35% as shown in FIG. 2.
For the existing box structure of FIG. 9, the employment of the
features of the present invention to reduce lid flare as shown in
FIG. 11, which is the only difference between these figures,
results in a reduction in lid flare of 35%. To a great extent, the
amount of the nesting ratio determines the amount of lid flare and
lid flare reduction.
As mentioned above, lid flare is defined, at least in this
application, as follows. In the nested position of the empty
containers, the lids will be shingled as shown in the various
figures. With the boxes resting upon a horizontal flat surface, the
hinge axes 22 for a vertically adjacent lids will all lie in a
vertical plane, referred to as the axis plane for the lids. If one
takes the furthest point outward from the axis plane for the box
structure without the lid, which with the illustrated embodiments
would be the outermost point of the buttress or nesting stop 28, a
plane BB passing through such point would determine one limit for
the lid flare and may be referred to as the lid flare inboard
plane. As seen from the various figures, the lowermost lid in a
shingled stack lies the closest to vertical, while the other lids,
due to contact, are rotated outward therefrom. After a certain
number of lids in the stack, counting from the bottom, the lids
will assume a fixed position, relatively speaking. This number is
as follows for the various boxes shown in the figures; FIG. 2, 4;
FIG. 3, 4; FIG. 9, 5 or 6; FIG. 11, 6; FIG. 12, 4; FIG. 13, 4. In
any case, the lid that is rotated outward the most due to such
contact would have the outermost point for the shingled lids, and
the vertical plane AA passing through such point would be referred
to as the outermost lid flare plane. The distance between the
innermost lid flare plane BB and the outermost lid flare plane AA
wold be referred to as the amount of lid flare, which should be the
same for each end of the box if two attached lids are used.
For the existing prototype box of the preferred embodiment shown in
FIG. 3, the lid flare is 1.62 inches, whereas without the features
of the present invention it is determined to be 2.19 inches as
shown in FIG. 2. With the existing box structure shown in FIG. 9,
the lid flare is 3.38 inches, whereas if such box structure is
modified according to the teachings of the present invention, the
lid flare is calculated to be 2.19 inches, with a reduction of 35%
in lid flare. For the existing box structure shown in FIG. 12, the
lid flare is 2.38 inches, whereas with the same box structure
modified according to the teachings of the present invention as
shown in FIG. 13, the lid flare is determined to be 1.86 inches,
with a 22% reduction in lid flare. With the preferred embodiment of
FIG. 3 not employing the features of the present invention as set
forth in FIG. 2, the lid flare is increased 35%. In addition to lid
flare being determined to a great extent by the amount of the
nesting ratio, the lid flare of course is also determined in amount
by the size of the boxes. The above-mentioned boxes that have been
illustrated in the Figures represent a wide and commercial range of
box sizes and nesting ratios, as well as different box
structures.
To further appreciate the present invention, it would again be
useful to consider the design criteria for a box, as they relate to
the present invention. For a particular customer, there is the
following typical situation. The customer has a desired transport
volume, for example the interior of a truck. With boxes to be
stacked or nested with one orientation in the truck, it may be
considered that the width of the truck interior is the starting
dimension to be considered for lid flare. Let this width be
dimension x. The customer may have a general idea of box size and
weight when loaded that would be convenient for handling or the
like, which according to the transport size would mean that 9 boxes
could be placed side by side across the width of the truck, so that
each box can have only a miximum width of x/9. The boxes have their
maximum width when they are empty, nested and have their lids open
and shingled as shown in the various figures. With two lids for
each box, it is seen that allowance must be made for lid flare on
each side of the box, so that the maximum box width, without lids,
would be x/9 minus 2 times the lid flare. The amount of room taken
up by the side walls and side wall tapered to permit nesting has
been refined considerbly over the years and is fairly fixed, so
that now the interior of the box has been determined insofar as its
width is concerned, and the interior width controls to a great
extent the volume of the box and therefore how much the box may
carry, which is critical to the customer. Therefore, it is seen
that any reduction in lid flare amount is multiplied by 2 and may
be applied to increase the interior width of the box and thereby
increase the volume and holding capacity of the box. These are
known design criteria and with respect to this specific type of box
have been well known since the introduction of the Bockenstette box
in 1968, and known for single lided for much longer, e.g. 1938.
These boxes are widely used and sold in large volumes by many
different companies, but the analysis set forth in regard to the
description of the present invention and the features flowing
therefrom, primarily three in number, leading towards the present
invention have produced lid flare reductions of between 22% and 35%
with actual commercial boxes.
By way of specific example, the box according to FIGS. 2 and 3 have
an overall height of 9 inches, interior height of 7.86 inches,
general interior width of 7.64 inches, as measured parallel to the
hinges and 6.63 inches as measured perpendicular to the hinges at
the bottom. The maximum horizontal dimension of the box with the
lids closed is 8.56 inches perpendicular to the hinges and 9.75
inches parallel to the hinges. The dimension perpendicular to the
hinges increases to a maximum size of 10.12 inches with both lids
open with respect to the bottom box. For the preferred embodiment
as mentioned above, the features in the present invention can
reduce lid flare from 2.19 inches to 1.62 inches or 0.57 inches for
each side, which would be 1.14 inches per box therefore available
according to the present invention to be applied to the interior
volume. The interior dimension for the bottom of the box employing
the features of the present invention is 6.63 inches, and it
therefore can be seen that if the features of the present invention
were not employed this dimension would be reduced by the
above-mentioned 1.14 inches, or would become 5.49 inches, which is
a considerable loss in usable space. Or alternatively viewed, the
present invention provides a considerable gain in usable interior
space for each box. When it is considered that one customer employs
thousand of such boxes usually for the daily distribution of goods,
such a saving of space becomes very considerable with respect to
corresponding savings in handling, fuel, transports, shipping time,
storage space, available inventory, and the like.
The variation in depth of the flange 20 and depth of the ribbing 10
can be particularly seen in the various cross-sectional views 4, 5,
6, 7 and 8. The angle of the flare for the flange 19 preferably
remains the same for its entire length, but it is possible that it
could change. It is seen, for example for a comparison of FIGS. 4
and 8, that reduction in rib depth and the depth of flange 20
(including its elimination) is necessary to permit the top surfaces
23 of adjacent lids to move closer towards each other, at any
particular point. It can be seen from FIG. 8, that the optimum
situation would be the elimination of the ribs 10 at this
cross-section along with the elimination of the flange 20, for the
inside of the two illustrated lids so that the bottom surface 24 of
the inside lid would contact the top surface 23 of the outside lid
(in FIG. 8, the outside lid, as in all the other Figures, is the
lower of the illustrated lids). The structure according to FIG. 8
closely approximates this by providing a minimal ribbing 10 and
small spacing between the surfaces 24, 23. This determines the
angle of the lid that is second from the bottom, with the bottom
lid hanging down approximately vertically; it is seen that this
difference in angles permits the ribbing of the bottom one of the
two lids to increase towards its terminal end, and likewise permits
the flange 20 to increase to the same extent. The reason the
optimum contact between the surface 24 of the outside and surface
23 of the inside lids is not achieved, is because that desite the
flare for the flange 19, the thickness of the walls is such that
full nesting cannot be achieved for the lids at this cross-section,
or any other cross-section for that matter but perhaps it could be
achieved for a box without the inboard flange, e.g., the Frater
patent box. The remaining cross-sectional views can be analyzed in
a similar manner.
While the present invention has been specifically described with
respect to three embodiments, each with variations employable with
the others and modifications, for the specific features of the
present invention, they also indicate a breadth for the broader
aspects of the present invention, so that the present invention
includes both the specific elements and further embodiments,
modifications and variations not disclosed, all within the spirit
and scope of the following claims.
* * * * *