U.S. patent number RE29,320 [Application Number 05/440,141] was granted by the patent office on 1977-07-26 for nestable containers.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Owens-Illinois, Inc.. Invention is credited to Henry H. Huston, Daniel R. Kalata.
United States Patent |
RE29,320 |
Kalata , et al. |
July 26, 1977 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Nestable containers
Abstract
A nestable container having a frusto-conical downwardly tapering
sidewall, and a bottom which includes a plurality of embossed lugs
disposed towards the periphery and a portion lying inside the lugs
which is embossed upwardly forming a surface on the interior of the
container for engaging the lugs of and radially and axially
restraining an upper nested container. In one form of the invention
the upper end of the container has means for spacing it a
predetermined distance from an adjacent container in a nested stack
of containers.
Inventors: |
Kalata; Daniel R. (Smithtown,
NY), Huston; Henry H. (Burlington, VT) |
Assignee: |
Owens-Illinois, Inc. (Toledo,
OH)
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Family
ID: |
27032314 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/440,141 |
Filed: |
February 6, 1974 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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302780 |
Nov 1, 1972 |
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827437 |
Mar 26, 1969 |
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Reissue of: |
442398 |
Mar 24, 1965 |
03347411 |
Oct 17, 1967 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/519; 206/520;
229/402 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
1/265 (20130101); B65D 21/0233 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
21/02 (20060101); B65D 1/26 (20060101); B65D
1/22 (20060101); B65D 021/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;220/97C,97F
;229/1.5B,21 ;206/515,516,517,518,519,520 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lowrance; George E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Brooks, Haidt, Haffner &
Delahunty
Parent Case Text
.Iadd.This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 302,780, filed
Nov. 1, 1972, now abandoned, which was a continuation of
application Ser. No. 827,437, filed Mar. 26, 1969, for reissue of
U.S. Pat. No. 3,347,411. .Iaddend.
Claims
What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:
1. A plastic nestable container comprising a sidewall tapering
generally downwardly from a larger diameter adjacent its upper open
end to a smaller diameter adjacent its bottom, said bottom being
recessed inwardly forming a vertically disposed truncated conical
depression having upwardly, inwardly sloping sidewalls with respect
to the bottom, a plurality of spaced lugs extending upwardly from
the bottom of said container, said lugs having semi-cylindrical
shaped vertical walls forming interruptions of said sloping
sidewalls of the truncated conical depression, a substantially
peripherally continuous lug receiving shoulder interrupting said
sloping sidewalls of the truncated conical depression, said lug
receiving shoulder having a horizontal portion for receiving the
bottoms of the lugs and an upwardly extending inner wall portion
for engagement with the semi-cylindrical shaped vertical walls of
said lugs of an upper nested container.
2. A nestable container according to claim 1, wherein said embossed
lugs are three lugs spaced equidistantly from the vertical axis of
the container.
3. A nestable container comprising a sidewall and a bottom, said
sidewall being generally frusto-conical tapering downwardly from a
larger diameter adjacent its open end to a smaller diameter
adjacent said bottom, means disposed adjacent said upper open end
for spacing the upper open ends of a plurality of nested stacked
containers a predetermined distance apart, respectively, said
distance being defined as the top stacking height, said bottom
being recessed inwardly, forming a vertically disposed concave
conical depression having upwardly, inwardly sloping sidewalls, a
plurality of spaced lugs extending upwardly from the bottom of said
container, said lugs having semi-cylindrical shaped vertical walls
forming interruptions of said sloping sidewalls of the conical
depression, a substantially peripherally continuous lug receiving
shoulder interrupting said sloping sidewall of the conical
depression, said lug receiving shoulder having a horizontal portion
for receiving the bottoms of the lugs of an upwardly extending
inner wall portion for engagement with the semi-cylindrical shaped
vertical walls of said lugs of an upper nested container, the
vertical nesting distance between said lug receiving shoulder and
the bottom of said lugs being defined as the bottom stacking
height, and the bottom and top-stacking heights being substantially
equal.
4. A nestable container according to claim 3, further comprising
indicia disposed on the sidewall of said container.
5. A plastic nestable container having a slightly tapered sidewall
extending upwardly from a bottom at its small end to adjacent its
open end where it is provided with a peripherally continuous
outwardly extending first shoulder presenting a sharply defined
outer edge and a substantially vertical neck extending outwardly
therefrom and provided at its upper end with a peripherally
continuous outwardly extending second shoulder presenting a sharply
defined inner edge, an inwardly extending annular bead forming the
upper portion of said vertical neck adjacent said second shoulder,
the outer diameter of the first shoulder being slightly greater
than the inner diameter of said neck portion at said second
shoulder and said second shoulder being of a diameter substantially
greater than said first shoulder, the vertical distance between
said first shoulder and said second shoulder being defined as the
top stacking height, a plurality of embossed lugs disposed towards
the periphery of said bottom, and the portion of the bottom lying
inside the lugs being embossed upwardly forming a surface on the
interior of the container for engaging the lugs of an upper nested
container, the vertical nesting distance between the surface on the
interior of said container and the bottom surface of said lugs
being defined as the bottom stacking height, and said bottom
stacking height being substantially equal to said top stacking
height.
6. A plastic nestable container having a slightly tapered sidewall
extending upwardly from a bottom at its small end to adjacent its
open end where it is provided with a peripherally continuous
outwardly extending first shoulder presenting a sharply defined
outer edge and a substantially vertical neck extending upwardly
therefrom and provided at its upper end with a peripherally
continuous outwardly extending second shoulder presenting a sharply
defined inner edge, the outer diameter of the first shoulder being
slightly greater than the inner diameter of said neck portion at
said second shoulder and said second shoulder being of a diameter
substantially greater than said first shoulder, the vertical
distance between the first shoulder and the second shoulder being
defined as the top stacking height, said bottom being recessed
inwardly by a truncated conical depression providing an upwardly,
inwardly sloping sidewall and terminating in an interiorally
disposed top surface, a plurality of spaced semi-cylindrical shaped
lugs extending downwardly from about the location of the juncture
between said sloping sidewall and the interiorally disposed top
surface to the plane of the bottom, the bottoms of the lugs being
formed by radially inward extensions of the bottom end surface of
the container, and the innermost location of the semi-cylindrical
shaped vertical wall of each lug being within the zone of said
sloping sidewall forming interruptions thereof, the vertical
distance between the bottom of said lugs and a nesting surface of
the depression being defined as the bottom stacking height, and
said top stacking height being substantially equal to said bottom
stacking height. .Iadd. 7. A nestable container comprising a bottom
wall, a circumferential sidewall extending upwardly and generally
inclined outwardly from said bottom wall and ending in a peripheral
rim at its upper extent, and a combined stacking ridge and lid
receiving area including said rim and the portion of said sidewall
extending downwardly therefrom, said stacking ridge and lid
receiving area comprising a shoulder adjacent the upper end of said
container and extending generally horizontally outwardly from the
inclined portion of said sidewall to form the lowermost extent of
the stacking ridge portion of said area, a face section inclined
and projecting inwardly and upwardly from said shoulder, and
extending a shelf extending outwardly and upwardly from the upper
extent of said face section and spaced downwardly from the top of
said rim, the vertical distance between said shoulder and said
shelf being defined as the top stacking height, the outer extent of
said shoulder being greater than the inner extent of said shelf,
the outer extent of substantially all portions of said sidewall
which are intermediate said shoulder and a point spaced downwardly
therefrom a distance equal to said top stacking height being less
than the inner extent of said shelf, and the outer extent of all
portions at and below said point being less than the inner extent
of said shoulder, so that the shoulder of one such container can
seat on the shelf of a next lower like container to provide a
stacking means between two such containers when nested together,
the distance between said shelf and the top of said rim being less
than said top stacking height and the outer periphery of said shelf
being joined to said rim with all portions of the inner surface of
said sidewall between said shelf and the top of said rim being
disposed at least as far outwardly as said outer periphery of the
shelf, said shelf and at least the upper portion of said face
section below said shelf forming a lid sealing means of said area.
.Iaddend. .Iadd. 8. The container of claim 7 wherein a generally
vertically disposed circumferential portion is located between said
shoulder and said face section connecting them together.
.Iaddend..Iadd. 9. A nestable container according to claim 7
wherein an upwardly extending wall portion is located between said
shelf and said rim connecting them together. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 10. A
nestable container comprising a bottom wall, a circumferential
sidewall extending upwardly and generally inclined outwardly from
said bottom wall and ending in a peripheral rim at its upper extent
forming an open end of said container, said sidewall adjacent to
said open end of the container being provided with a peripherally
continuous outwardly extending first shoulder presenting a sharply
defined outer edge forming a stacking ridge, a substantially
vertical neck extending upwardly from said first shoulder and
having at its upper end an inwardly projecting bead and a
peripherally continuous outwardly extending second shoulder formed
by the upwardly facing surface of said bead, said inwardly
projecting bead presenting a sharply defined inner edge of said
second shoulder, the vertical distance between the first shoulder
and the second shoulder being defined as the top stacking height
and the vertical distance between said second shoulder and the top
of said rim being less than said top stacking height, the outer
diameter of said first shoulder being greater than the diameter of
said inner edge of the second shoulder, the outer diameter of said
second shoulder being greater than said outer diameter of the first
shoulder, the outer extent of substantially all portions of said
sidewall which are intermediate said first shoulder and a point
spaced downwardly therefrom a distance equal to said top stacking
height being less than the diameter of said inner edge of said
second shoulder, and the outer extent of all portions at and below
said point being less than the inner diameter of said first
shoulder, so that said first shoulder of one such container can
seat on said second shoulder of a like container therebelow when
the two containers are nested together, and a portion extending
upwardly from the outer extent of said second shoulder to said
peripheral rim, said portion at all locations therealong having an
inner diameter which is at least as great as the outer diameter of
said second shoulder, said second shoulder and said inwardly
projecting bead forming a lid sealing means. .Iaddend.
Description
This invention relates to nestable containers and more particularly
to containers made of thermoplastic material by vacuum forming.
Containers constructed in accordance with the concept of this
invention are particularly adapted, among other possible uses, for
use in packaging certain consumer commodities such as ice cream,
cottage cheese, various frozen foods, carry-out foods such as
potato salad, and other foods or commodities.
In handling and dispensing plastic containers, it is desirable to
prevent the containers from sticking together when placed in
stacked formation and to facilitate mechanical separation and
dispensing. It is further desirable to maintain lateral spacing
between the sidewall of nested containers.
In essence, the present invention contemplates the provision of a
nestable container having a plurality of embossed lugs disposed at
the bottom thereof, which provide positive abutting engagement
between the lower face of the lugs of an upper container with a
cooperating surface of a lower container disposed in nested
relationship. In one embodiment of the invention, the lower faces
of the lugs are located substantially in the plane of the lower rim
of the container and the lugs are disposed closely adjacent the
lower rim. The area of the bottom lying inside of the lugs is
embossed upwardly, thereby providing, on the interior of the
container, a surface against which the lugs of an upper nested
container may rest.
In one form of the invention the lip portion of the open end is
provided with a configuration which is adapted to receive and hold
thereon a closure of the plug type or of the snap-over type and
such configuration serves the dual purpose of cooperating with the
bottom lug arrangement to enhance the stacking arrangement.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved
container which prevents the containers from sticking together when
placed in stacked formation. According to this invention, a stack
of nested containers is characterized by a constant spacing of the
outwardly extending lip flanges of one container with respect to
the next adjacent container in order to facilitate accurate
dispensing of individual containers. Further, according to this
invention, the nested stacked arrangement is very compact so that a
large quantity of containers may be contained in a small volumetric
space for purposes of shipment or for purposes of dispensing same
from a conventional dispensing machine.
Another aim of this invention resides in the provision of a new and
improved container which provides substantially increased
supporting surface between adjacent containers when such containers
are in a nested stacked condition. That is, according to one form
of this invention, the containers are constructed so that when two
adjacent containers are in their nested stacked condition, the
lower container supports the upper container by a lower contact
means towards the bottom of the container and an upper contact
means disposed towards the top of the container. Also, the improved
container according to this invention avoids reliance upon wall
thickness to prevent successive or full nesting of the containers
when they are in stacked condition.
Further, it is an aim of the present invention to prevent cocking
or tilting of the containers when they are in their nested
condition. This is accomplished by means of the novel upper and
lower supporting surfaces. Further, according to the present
invention, means are provided which retain the sidewalls of
adjacent containers in fixed, spaced relationship one with respect
to the next when they are in nested condition. It is still another
aim of the present invention to allow a stack of containers to be
subjected to increased abuse or less handling care during shipment
thereof without causing injury or damage to the containers.
Moreover, a feature of the instant invention is the provision of a
new and improved container having attributes which make it
economical to manufacture, practical and reliable.
There has thus been outlined rather broadly the more important
features of the invention in order that the detailed description
thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that
the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
There are, of course, additional features of the invention that
will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of
the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will
appreciate that the conception on which this disclosure is based
may readily be utilized as the basis for the designing of other
structures for carrying out the several purposes of the invention.
It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as
including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the
spirit and scope of the invention.
A specific embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes
of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying
drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container constructed in
accordance with the concept of this invention;
FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view showing the embossed lugs disposed at
the bottom of the container;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2, but
also showing a second container in nested relationship with respect
to the first container; and
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view
showing details of the interrelationship between two containers in
nested-stacked condition.
In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, there is shown a
container indicated generally at 10, FIG. 1, having a slightly
tapered sidewall 12 extending upwardly from a bottom 14 at its
small end to adjacent its open end 16 where it is provided with a
lip 18. The lip 18 may take the form of a beaded edge, a rolled
edge, or merely a straight upwardly extending flange, as
desired.
As best seen in FIG. 3, a circumferential rib 19 is located in the
bottom 14 of the container towards the outer diameter thereof for
purposes of stiffening the bottom wall as well as providing a
suitable base. The bottom 14 is recessed inwardly forming a
truncated conical depression 20, FIG. 3, providing an upwardly,
inwardly sloping sidewall 12, and terminating in an interiorally
disposed flat top surface 24. Interposed between the flat top
surface 24 and the sloping sidewall 22 is a lug receiving shoulder
26, FIGS. 3 and 4, having a horizontal portion for receiving the
bottoms of lugs 28, to be more particularly referred to below, and
an upwardly extending inner wall portion for engagement with the
inner portions of the lugs 28. This shoulder is substantially
peripherally continuous and acts as a strengthening rib as well as
a shelf-like surface against which the embossed lugs of an upper
nested container may rest and be restrained from lateral
movement.
The bottom 14 of the container further comprises a plurality, three
being shown in the drawings, of spaced, semi-cylindrical shaped
lugs 28, FIGS. 1-3, which extend downwardly, from about the
location of the juncture between the sloping sidewalls 22 and the
interiorally disposed flat top surface 24 of the depression 20, to
the plane of the bottom end of the container. As best seen in FIGS.
1 and 2, the bottoms of the lugs are formed by radially inwardly
extensions of the bottom end surface of the container, and the
innermost location of the semi-cylindrically shaped vertical wall
of each lug is within the zone of the sloping sidewall 22 so that
the lugs may be regarded as being formed by interruptions thereof.
It will be appreciated that the truncated conical depression 20
also serves to strengthen and reinforce the bottom of the
container.
When a plurality of containers are nested in stacked condition, the
bottom outside surfaces of the three semi-cylindrical shaped lugs
28 of one container register with the outwardly extending lug
receiving shoulder 26, FIGS. 3 and 4, of the adjacent container
therebelow, and thereby prevent the containers from being
completely nested and stuck together. As seen in FIG. 4, the
vertical distance 29, between the bottom of the lugs 28 and the top
of the shoulder 26 is called the bottom stacking height. It will be
appreciated that the engagement between the bottom of the lugs of
one container and the truncated depression of one adjacent
container, when in contact, serve to positively space the outwardly
extending lip flanges 18, FIGS. 3 and 4, a constant fixed distance
30 apart one from the next adjacent one, such distance being equal
to the bottom stacking height 29. It is also noted that preferably
the three lugs 28 are disposed in spaced apart locations so that
each container is axially aligned with respect to the next adjacent
container and this alignment is maintained by the cooperative
relationship of the lugs 28 and shoulder 26. This provides a slight
spacing 32 between the sidewalls 12 of adjacent containers which is
substantially uniform around each container. Such spacing is
particularly useful when printing indicia on the container sidewall
and the containers are stacked in nested condition before the
printing is entirely dry, as well as to protect the printed
surface.
As best seen in FIG. 4, the sidewall of the container adjacent its
open end is provided with a peripherally continuous outwardly
extending first shoulder 34 presenting a sharply defined outer
edge. A substantially vertical neck 36 extends upwardly from the
shoulder 34, and provided at its upper end is a peripherally
continuous outwardly extending second shoulder 38 presenting a
sharply defined inner edge. The outer diameter 34a (FIG. 4) of the
first shoulder 34 is slightly greater than the inner diameter 38a
(FIG. 4) of the second shoulder 38 and the outer diameter of the
second shoulder 38b is substantially greater than the diameter 34a
of the first shoulder 34.
The neck 36 extends substantially vertically and is provided with a
peripherally inwardly projecting bead 40 (FIG. 4) towards the top
thereof which serves to add rigidity to the container as well as to
form the second shoulder 38. The second shoulder 38 has at its
outer edge an upwardly extending portion 42 which serves to connect
the shoulder to the lip 18, FIG. 4.
It will be seen from FIG. 4, the sharply defined outer edge of the
first shoulder 34 and the sharply defined inner edge of the second
shoulder 38 facilitate accurate engagement in register of
successively nested containers. That is, the vertical distance
between the shoulders 34 and 38, which equals the length of the
neck 36, is called the top stacking height .Iadd.and as shown in
FIG. 4, the vertical distance between the second shoulder 38 and
the top of the lip or rim 18 is less than the top stacking
height.Iaddend.. If the respective shoulders of two adjacent
containers engage, then the containers are spaced apart a distance
equal to the top stacking height (neck length 36). The second
shoulder 38 and the bead 40 serve the dual purpose of adding
stiffness to the open top of the container and also are used for
purposes of sealing a snap-on closure lid (not shown).
In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4,
upper contact is made between shoulders 34 and 38 simultaneously
with the lower contact between the bottom of lugs 28 and the lug
receiving shoulder 26. The combination of upper and lower contact
provides increased supporting surface area so that a higher stack
or greater axial force may be applied without jamming the
containers. This is beneficial during transit as well as when the
containers are in a dispensing machine. Further, the combination of
upper and lower contact retains the containers in closer axial
alignment, thereby preventing cocking or tilting while they are in
a nested, stacked condition.
The embodiment of the container as herein described is made from a
one-piece sheet of suitable plastic material.
It thus will be seen that the objects of this invention have been
fully, effectively accomplished.
Although a particular embodiment of the invention is herein
disclosed for purposes of explanation, various modifications
thereof, after study of this specification, will be apparent to
those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, reference
should accordingly be had to the appended claims in determining the
scope of the invention.
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