GB2023543A

GB2023543A - Collapsible Stacking Container

Info

Publication number: GB2023543A
Application number: GB7843170A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1977-11-04
Filing date: 1978-11-03
Publication date: 1980-01-03

Abstract

A stacking container comprises two separate substantially flat end panels (10) and a number of separate substantially flat side panels (14, 16, 18, 20) which extend between the end panels when the container is in its assembled state and are preferably joined to the latter by releasable rivets (22), the panels (10, 14, etc.) being made of a material, or materials, stronger and more rigid than cardboard (preferably synthetic plastics material). Interlocking means (34) are provided so that, when two such containers are stacked one on top of the other, their respective end panels or parts adjacent thereto releasably interlock. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Collapsible Stacking Container This invention relates to collapsible stacking containers and is especially concerned with collapsible stacking containers which are adapted to display their contents.

It has already been proposed to produce such a container from two separate, substantially flat end panels which are moulded or otherwise formed from synthetic plastics material, and an initially-flat rectangular sheet of thick cardboard which has parallel score-lines or crease-lines extending between two opposite edges of the sheet. The cardboard sheet can thus be folded along the score-lines or crease-lines to form the bottom, top and sides of the container, the end panels then being attached to the open opposite ends of the cardboard part to close those ends by means of rivets which enter matching rivet-holes in the edge portions of the end panels and in the end portions of the cardboard part.

Cardboard, however, has the disadvantage that it cannot always support the weight of tumbled products or other articles put into the container, while the folding of the cardboard about scorelines or crease-lines not only decreases its structural strength but also carries with it the risk that, in use, the container will eventually split open along one or more of those score-lines or crease-lines. Also, the use of a single sheet of cardboard to form the bottom, top and sides of the container means that visual display of the contents of the container is inhibited or restricted.

A further point is that, although the container described above is a stackable container in that a number of such containers can be placed one on top of each other, there is nothing to interlock the stacked containers to prevent them from sliding off each other and thus causing the stack to collapse.

The aim of the present invention is to produce a collapsible stacking container which overcomes the disadvantages outlined above.

With this aim in view, the present invention is directed to a collapsible stacking container comprising two separate substantially flat end panels and a number of separate substantially flat side panels which extend between the end panels when the container is in its assembled state and which are joined to the latter by releasable rivets or other releasable fastening elements, the end panels and the side panels being made of a material, or materials, stronger and more rigid than cardboard (preferably synthetic plastics material) with the top and bottom edge portions of the end panels, and/or the end portions of side panels adjacent those top and bottom edge portions of the end panels, being provided with interlocking means so that, when two such containers are stacked one on top of the other, their respective end panels or parts adjacent thereto interlock, but in an easily-reieasable way, to prevent the top container from sliding off the lower container accidentally.

Some examples of collapsible stacking containers in accordance with the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of one form of container; Figure 2 is a perspective view of one end panel of the container shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the four separate side panels of the container; Figure 4 is a vertical section through the container; Figure 5 is an underneath plan view ofone of the end panels of the container; Figure 6 is a perspective view, on a reduced scale, of three containers of the construction shown in Figure 1 stacked one on top of each other; Figure 7 is a perspective view from above of a second form of container which has access openings on two sides; Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the container shown in Figure 7;; Figure 9 is a perspective view of a vertical internal dividing panel for use in the container of Figure 7; Figure 10 is a perspective view of a horizontal shelf for use in the containers of Figures 1 or 7; Figure 11 is an end view, on a reduced scale, of three containers of the construction shown in Figure 7 stacked one on top of each other; Figure 1 2 is a perspective view from above of another form of container in accordance with the invention, this container having an internal wire fitment by which products can be suspended within the container; Figure 1 3 is a perspective view of the wire fitment shown in Figure 12; and Figure 1 4 is a vertical section through the container shown in Figure 12.

The container shown in Figures 1-5 is intended to display tumbled products and is so constructed that it can be knocked down flat for storage or transport. It comprises two separate substantially flat end panels 10 which are vacuum-formed, injection-moulded or otherwise produced from a strong synthetic plastics material such as polypropylene, the material chosen and its thickness being such that the panels are substantially stronger and more rigid than cardboard panels. As will be seen, the outer marginal portion 12 of each end panel is of increased thickness to form a rigid "frame" which greatly increases the mechanical strength of each end panel.

The container also comprises, in this particular instance, four separate substantially flat side panels 14, 16, 1 8 and 20, it being understood that the container could equally well be formed with only three side panels or with more than four side panels. These side panels, like the end panels, are made of a material, or materials, stronger and more rigid than cardboard, the preferred material being a synthetic plastics material e.g. polypropylene. When the container is assembled, as shown in Figure 1, these four side panels extend from one end panel to the other and are attached to the end panels by releasable synthetic plastics rivets 22 or other releasable fastening elements which enter matching rivet holes 24, 26 in the side panels and end panels respectively.To facilitate location of the side panels on the end panels, the latter have a peripheral rib 28 extending round their edges, except along the curved part 30 of those edges, so that the ends of the side panels are able to abut against the rib 28.

To give the container additional strength, the side panels 14, 1 6 and 20 each have at least one turned-up marginal edge or flange 32 running along its entire length. This not only gives the individual panels greater rigidity but enables each side panel to give pre-stressed support to the adjacent side panel overlapping and lying against its flange 32. As the bottom panel 1 8 does not have such a flange, the front panel 20 is provided with two flanges 32. The way in which the flanges 32 give support to adjacent side panels may be seen particularly in Figure 4. If desired, the flanges 32 can be formed during the moulding of the side panels 14, 16 and 20, or they can be formed subsequently by heating the panels and bending over the flanges.Preferably, the end panels 10 are shaped at their top and bottom edges to allow for the double thickness of the side panels where the latter overlap each other.

As already indicated, provision is made for interlocking of containers of the above construction where they are stacked one above the other as shown in Figure 6. The interlocking is effected by a pair of vertically-extending projections 34 on the upper edge of each end panel 10 which are adapted to mate with corresponding notches or holes 36 in the lower edges of the end panels of an identical container stacked on top of the first-mentioned container.

Such interlocking of stacked containers prevents them from sliding off each other while being easily releasable.

One of the many advantages given by the construction described above is that the individual panels can be made from different materials-for example, one or two of the side panels could be made of a transparent plastics material, while the end panels and other side panels could be made from an opaque plastics material or from materials of different colour. Especially where one or more transparent plastics panels are provided, this gives greater "visual access" to the contents of the container which is naturally important from a display point of view.

As will be seen from Figure 1, a front opening 38 is provided above the front panel 20 for loading or unloading the container. It is, however, to be understood that the opening 38 can take many different forms and need not be at the front of the container.

Further forms of collapsible stacking containers in accordance with the invention are shown in Figures 7 to 14. These figures show that the invention extends to: (a) containers which have access openings on two sides rather than on one side only; (b) containers having one or more vertical internal dividing panels and/or a horizontal shelf; and (c) containers having internal wire or synthetic plastics fitments by which products can be suspended within the containers.

The container shown in Figures 7 and 8 is, in many respects, similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 5. In the case of Figures 7 and 8, however, the rear edges 40 of the two end panels 10 are identical to the front edges 42 and include the curved upper parts 30 shown in the said Figures 1-5. Similarly, the rear panel 16 of Figures 1-5 has been replaced in Figures 7 and 8 by a panel 44 identical to the front panel 20 so that identical front and rear access openings 38 are provided for loading and unloading the container. This means that the container of Figures 7 and 8 is, in effect, "double-sided" in that products or articles in the container are accessible from either of two sides rather than from one side only.

Irrespective of whether a container is a "singlesided" container or a "double-sided" container, it can be provided with one or more vertical internal dividing panels and/or a horizontal shelf. For example, Figure 9 shows a vertical dividing panel 46 suitable for use in the container of Figures 7 and 8, while Figure 10 shows a horizontal shelf 48 suitable for use in the same container or in the container illustrated in Figures 1-5. The panel 46 (or each panel 46) and the shelf 48 can be releasably secured inside a container by synthetic plastics rivets or other releasable fastening elements 50 which enter matching rivet holes 52 in the appropriate panels of the container.

Figure 12 illustrates a "single-sided" container having an internal wire fitment 54 provided with hooks or other product-suspending members 56.

For this purpose, holes 58 are pierced at different heights or levels in the end panels and/or the rear panel of the container to take and support the ends 60 of the wire fitment 54--see Figure 13.

Where such a fitment is used, it may be convenient for the top panel of the container to be removed or to serve merely as a removable lid or cover.

Figure 14 illustrates a container having two wire fitments 54-one above the other-so as to provide two hanging levels for suspended products or articles 62.

The fitments 54 can, if desired, be made of synthetic plastics material instead of wire. In addition, a slide mechanism can be used to facilitate attachment of the fitments 54 to the container in place of the holes 58.

Although the projections 34 and the notches or holes 36 have been shown in the drawings as being formed on or in the upper and lower edges respectively of the end panels 10, it is to be understood that such projections or holes could be additionally or alternatively formed on end portions of the side panels adjacent those upper and lower edges of the end panels.

Claims

1. A collapsible stacking container comprising two separate substantially flat end panels and a number of separate substantially flat side panels which extend between the end panels when the container is in its assembled state and which are joined to the latter by releasable rivets or other releasable fastening elements, the end panels and the side panels being made of a material, or materials, stronger and more rigid than cardboard (preferably synthetic plastics material) with the top and bottom edge portions of the end panels, and/or the end portions of side panels adjacent those top and bottom edge portions of the end panels, being provided with interlocking means so that, when two such containers are stacked one on top of the other, their respective end panels or parts adjacent thereto interlock, but in an easilyreleasable way, to prevent the top container from sliding off the lower container accidentally.

2. A container according to claim 1, in which the end panels are vacuum-formed, njecUon- moulded or otherwise produced from a strong synthetic plastics material such as polypropylene, the outer marginal portion of each end panel being of increased thickness to form a rigid "frame" which increases the mechanical strength of each end panel.

3. A container according to claim 2, in which the side panels, iike the end panels, are made of a synthetic plastics material such as polypropylene.

4. A container according to any one of claims 1-3, in which at least one of the side panels has a turned-up marginal edge or flange running along its entire length so as to give the said panel greater rigidity and to enable it to give prestressed support to an adjacent side panel overlapping and lying aginst the edge or flange.

5. A container according to any preceding claim, in which the interlocking means comprise a pair of vertically-extending projections on the upper edge of each end panel and a pair of corresponding notches or holes in the lower edge of each end panel.

6. A container according to any preceding claim, in which individual panels are made from different materials or from materials of different colour.

7. A container according to any preceding claim, in which a front opening is provided above one of the side panels for loading or unloading the container.

8. A container according to any preceding claim having access openings on two of its sides.

9. A container according to any preceding claim having one or more vertical internal dividing panels and/or a horizontal shelf within the container.

10. A container according to any preceding claim having internal wire or synthetic plastics fitments by which products can be suspended within the containers.

11. A collapsible stacking container substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-6, Figures 7-11 1 or Figures 12-14 of the accompanying drawings.