GB1599651A - Nestable containers - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO NESTABLE CONTAINERS (71) We, DRG (UK) LIMITED, of 1 Redcliffe Street, Bristol BS99 7QY, a British Company, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to nestable containers.

According to the present invention there is provided a nestable container comprising a bottom and upstanding side walls, the side walls being upwardly divergent to permit nesting of identical containers, the outside surfaces of the walls having outwardly projecting stacking elements each of which provided a downwardly facing ledge for engaging the upper edge of the side wall of another similar container when two containers are nested so that the said ledges of one container rest upon the upper edge of the side walls of the container beneath, the outside surfaces of the walls also having outwardly projecting centralising elements below the level of said stacking elements, the centralising elements projecting by a distance which is sufficiently small to allow them to be received in the container beneath when said ledges rest on the upper edge of the container beneath.

Preferably the centralising elements are a continuation of the stacking elements. Preferably the centralising elements converge downwardly at a greater angle then the side walls for ease of insertion and removal in the container beneath. Suitably the stacking and centralising elements are located at the corner regions of the side walls of a rectangular container, preferably in the form of an outwardly projecting stepped rib at each corner. It is desirable that the container has smooth internal surfaces, and this can be achieved by injection moulding containers of the present invention.

A preferred container according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification, wherein: Fig. I is a side view of the container, Fig. 2 is a side view of a corner portion of the container taken at 45" to Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a cross-section of two corner portions of the two containers when nested.

Referring to the drawings; the container 10 is square in plan view and is injection moulded from plastics material. It has four side walls 12 upstanding from a bottom 14.

The side walls 12 diverge upwardly so that a number of containers 10 can nest one inside another to form a stack. The upper edges of the side walls 12 have an outturned rim 16 which can serve as an anchorage for a lid for the container and which also reinforces the side walls 12 against bowing.

The corners between the side walls 12 are not sharp right angles, but are rounded so that the side walls 12 merge into each other.

Outwardly directed projections 18 are formed integrally with the container 10 in the corner regions and extend vertically. These projections 18 are about lkH long and have a downwardly facing step or ledge 20. As can be seen in Fig. 3 when one container is nested inside another the ledges 20 of the upper container rest on the rim 16 of the lower container. This holds the rims 16 of adjacent containers in a stack apart by a distance corresponding to the length of the projections 18, so that individual containers of the stack can be gripped and denested by machine. The side walls 12 of adjacent containers are also held apart so that anair space is left between the adjacent containers which can then be easily separated.To further facilitate separation of the containers, the side walls 12 are flared at an internal angle of about 10 instead of about 3" as is common.

Extending beneath the projections 18 are projections 22. These projections 22 project outwardly somewhat less than the projections 18, so that when two containers are nested the projections 22 of the upper container fit inside the lower container, as shown in Fig. 3. The projections 22 taper downwardly to merge with the container wall at 24 so that when one container is inserted inside another to form a stack its projections 22 guide it into a central position with respect to the container beneath. Preferably the projec tions 22 project by an amount such that they will fit in the container beneath with a degree of tolerance, being in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 at one limit of the tolerance, and in the position shown in chain dotted lines at the other limit of the tolerance.This tolerance is however less than that which would allow the ledge at one corner to be displaced from engagement with the rim of the lower container. Thus, the projections 22 will fit inside the lower container and centralise the upper container with respect to it, even allowing for possible manufacturing differences between the containers.

The projections 22 also ensure that the walls 12 of the containers are held away from each other on all sides to permit air to flow between the containers when they are denested and to prevent them from sticking together. It will be appreciated that this is particularly important when denesting is being performed automatically by machine.

The containers 10 can be used for packing foodstuffs such as margarine and ice-cream.

For this purpose they have the advantage of smooth interior surface to facilitate scooping out the foodstuff.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A nestable container comprising a bottom and upstanding side walls, the side walls being upwardly divergent to permit nesting of identical containers, the outside surfaces of the walls having outwardly projecting stacking elements each of which provides a downwardly facing ledge for engaging the upper edge of the side wall of another similar container when two containers are nested so that the said ledges of one container rest upon the upper edge of the side walls of the container beneath, the outside surfaces of the walls also having outwardly projecting centralising elements below the level of said stacking elements, the centralising elements projecting by a distance which is sufficiently small to allow them to be received in the container beneath when said ledges rest on the upper edge of the container beneath.

2. A nestable container according to claim 1 wherein the centralising elements are a continuation of the stacking elements.

3. A nestable container according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the centralising elements converge downwardly at a greater angle than the side walls for ease of insertion and removal in the container beneath.

4. A nestable container according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein the stacking and centralising elements are located at the corner regions of the side walls of a rectangular container.

5. A nestable container according to claim 4 wherein the stacking and centralising elements taken the form of an outwardly projecting stepped rib at each corner.

6. A nestable container, substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. tions 22 project by an amount such that they will fit in the container beneath with a degree of tolerance, being in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 at one limit of the tolerance, and in the position shown in chain dotted lines at the other limit of the tolerance. This tolerance is however less than that which would allow the ledge at one corner to be displaced from engagement with the rim of the lower container. Thus, the projections 22 will fit inside the lower container and centralise the upper container with respect to it, even allowing for possible manufacturing differences between the containers. The projections 22 also ensure that the walls 12 of the containers are held away from each other on all sides to permit air to flow between the containers when they are denested and to prevent them from sticking together. It will be appreciated that this is particularly important when denesting is being performed automatically by machine. The containers 10 can be used for packing foodstuffs such as margarine and ice-cream. For this purpose they have the advantage of smooth interior surface to facilitate scooping out the foodstuff. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A nestable container comprising a bottom and upstanding side walls, the side walls being upwardly divergent to permit nesting of identical containers, the outside surfaces of the walls having outwardly projecting stacking elements each of which provides a downwardly facing ledge for engaging the upper edge of the side wall of another similar container when two containers are nested so that the said ledges of one container rest upon the upper edge of the side walls of the container beneath, the outside surfaces of the walls also having outwardly projecting centralising elements below the level of said stacking elements, the centralising elements projecting by a distance which is sufficiently small to allow them to be received in the container beneath when said ledges rest on the upper edge of the container beneath.

2. A nestable container according to claim 1 wherein the centralising elements are a continuation of the stacking elements.

3. A nestable container according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the centralising elements converge downwardly at a greater angle than the side walls for ease of insertion and removal in the container beneath.

4. A nestable container according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein the stacking and centralising elements are located at the corner regions of the side walls of a rectangular container.

5. A nestable container according to claim 4 wherein the stacking and centralising elements taken the form of an outwardly projecting stepped rib at each corner.

6. A nestable container, substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.