GB2339189A

GB2339189A - Nestable/stackable containers

Info

Publication number: GB2339189A
Application number: GB9814424A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Hudson
Original assignee: Linpac Containers Ltd; Linpac Containers International Ltd
Current assignee: DS Smith Packaging Ltd
Priority date: 1998-07-04
Filing date: 1998-07-04
Publication date: 2000-01-19
Also published as: GB9814424D0

Description

2339189 NESTABLE/STACKABLE CONTAINER

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a nestable and stackable container and is especially, but not exclusively, related to such a container for use in returnable transit packaging, hereinafter referred to as RTP".

RTP containers are used extensively for the distribution of products, such as fresh produce and pre-packaged products, to supermarkets and other retail outlets. Once the containers have been emptied of their products, they are then returned to the distribution outlet for subsequent use. Such containers are in the form of rigid, usually moulded, plastics crates which are stackable, when containing products, and nestable, when empty, for storage and return purposes.

These known RTP containers are expensive to manufacture, usually from moulded plastics materials, and the costs involved in their round trips, particularly when they are used for fresh food products and require washing and/or sterilisation after each delivery, are high.

It is an object of the invention to provide a container, preferably made of a creasable and foldable sheet material, such as corrugated fibre or plastics board, which can be used as a RTP container and which overcomes, or at least substantially reduces, the disadvantages associated with the known RTPs discussed above.

Accordingly, one aspect of the invention provides a container, preferably made of a creased and folded corrugated fibre or plastics board, such as a unitary blank, comprising a base wall and fixed outwardly inclined side walls upstanding therefrom, at least one wall, and preferably an opposed pair thereof, having a panel(s) which extends at least partially along, and at or adjacent, the top edge(s) thereof and which is movable relative thereto between first and second positions in which the container is rendered nestable and stackable, respectively.

In the embodiments to be described hereinbelow, the container is made of corrugated board, preferably heavy duty and, in some cases, of double thickness, which has been erected from a corresponding, cut and creased blank which is preferably unitary.

In the preferred embodiments, a panel, which extends along the length of the top edge of each of a pair of opposed, inclined, upstanding side walls, is movable, that is to say, foldable about a corresponding crease, from a first, upper position in which the container is rendered nestable with other such containers, into a second, lower position in which the container is rendered stackable with other such containers. In the stackable condition of the container, the pair of opposed panels in their second, lower positions with respect to their corresponding side walls, provide stacking straps upon which another such container can be supported.

In conventional manner, the lower edges of the walls of the container may be provided with stacking lugs.

3 The or each panel at or adjacent the top edge of the corresponding side wall of the container preferably comprises means arranged to cooperate with complementary means associated with that or another wall(s) of the container, to lock the panel in its second, lower position in which the container is rendered stackable.

Such complementary locking means may then be unlocked, such that the panel(s) can be moved, such as by folding upwardly about a crease, into its first, upper position, whereby the container is then rendered nestable.

Such complementary locking means may comprise a f lap at each end of the movable panel, which flap is foldable with respect thereto and engageable with a complementary recess provided in a suitably-shaped portion of the or an adjacent side wall.

Alternatively, such complementary locking means may comprise at least one lug on the free edge of the or each panel, which lug can be engaged within a correspondingly- shaped slot in the side wall of the container -along which the panel at least partially extends.

The invention also provides a blank, preferably a unitary blank, from which the inventive container is erectable.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, two embodiments of nestable and stackable RTP will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

4 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of RTP container in its nestable condition; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the RTP container shown in Figure 1 but in its stackable condition; Figure 3 is a plan view of a blank from which the RTP container of Figures 1 and 2 can be erected; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of RTP container in its nestable condition; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the RTP container shown in Figure 4 but in its stackable condition; and Figure 6 is a plan view of a blank f rom which the RTP container of Figures 4 and 5 can be erected.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, here there is shown a first embodiment of RTP container in respective nestable and stackable conditions 11, 111, which has been erected from a unitary blank 2, as shown in Figure 3, cut and creased from a sheet of corrugated cardboard.

The RTP container 11, 111 comprises a base wall (not shown), a pair of opposed end walls 11 and a pair of opposed side walls 12.

The end and side walls 11,12 upstand from and are inclined outwardly of the base wall to which they are fixed by respective folded creases ill, 121, as shown in Figure 3.

Connected to the top edge of each side wall 12, by means of a crease 131, is an elongate panel 13 extending along the length thereof.

At the opposed ends of each elongate panel.13 are provided respective flaps 14 connected thereto by respective creases 141.

At opposed ends of each side wall 12, there are provided further flaps 15 which are connected thereto by respective creases 151 and each of which has a cut out 16.

In the erected RTP container 11, 111, those cut out panels 15 are secured, by means of an adhesive, to the inner surface of respective end walls 11.

In the nestable condition of the RTP container 1 as shown in Figure 1, the elongate panels 13 lie in a first upper position in generally the same plane as that of respective side walls 12, whilst the end flaps 14 have been folded through 90 about respective creases 141, so that they are located inwardly of the container 111, adjacent the top edge of the end walls 11.

In this manner, another such RTP container 11 can be nested within the container 11 of Figure 1, due to the outwardly-inclined end and side walls 11,12.

To render the container into its stackable condition 111, as shown in Figure 2, the elongate panels 13 are folded through substantially 90, about the creases 131 and in the direction of the arrows A, into second lower positions such that the end flaps 14 are moved downwardly in the direction of the arrow B, to engage with the complementary-shaped cut-outs 16 in the respective end flaps 15.

This arrangement can provide a friction fit between the end flaps 14 and the cut-outs 16, with their respective opposed edges abutting each other, as shown in Figure 2, to provide a pair of opposed straps, as shown at 1311 in Figure 2, upon which another such RTP container 111 can be supported.

Conventional stacking lugs 20 are provided around the junctures between the end and side walls 11,12 and the base wall.

It will be appreciated that, in order to render the stackable RTP container 110 of Figure 2 into its nestable condition 11 once again, the folding procedure of the support straps 1311 is reversed, such that the elongate panels 13 are returned to their original upper positions, as shown in Figure 1.

A second embodiment of RTP container is shown in its nestable condition at 31 in Figure 4 and in its stackable condition 311 in Figure 5. The corresponding unitary blank of corrugated cardboard from which the container 31, 311 is erected, is shown in Figure 6.

In this second embodiment, the elongate panel 13 of the first embodiment described above in relation to Figures 1 to 3, is replaced by a pair of elongate panels 33,34, each panel 33 being connected to the top edge of a corresponding side wall 32 by a crease 331.

Each elongate panel 34 is connected to the 7 - corresponding panel 33 via another crease 341 and has a pair of tabs 40 spaced along its free edge..

In the erected RTP container 31, 311, end flaps 35 at respective opposed ends of each side w.all 32 are, again, adhered to the inner surface of the adjacent end walls 31.

In the nestable condition 31 of the container, as shown in Figure 4, each pair of elongate panels 33,34 lie in their first upper positions in the general plane of the outwardly inclined side walls 32, such that another such RTP container 31 can be nested therein.

To convert the nestable RTP container 31 into the stackable container 311, as shown in Figure 5, each elongate panel 33 is folded through 90 about its crease 331 into its second lower position, whilst each elongate panel 34 is folded further about its crease 341, so that the tabs 40 engage within respective complementary slots 41 in the side walls 32. Also, tabs 43 at respective opposed ends of each elongate panel 33 become friction-fitted within respective slots 42 defined between the ends of a suitably-shaped f lap 45 projecting above the top edge of each end wall 31.

In this manner, the panels 33,34 are locked in position with respect to respective end and side walls 31,32 of the container, to provide a strap 46, as shown in Figure 5, extending along the top edges of the opposed side walls 32, upon which another container 311 can be supported.

As in the case of the first embodiment described above in relation to Figures 1 to 3, the folding procedure of the elongate panels 33,34 cn be reversed, in order to return the RTP container into its nestable, condition 31, as shown in Figure 4.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A container comprising a base wall and fixed outwardly-inclined

side walls upstanding therefrom, at least one wall having a panel(s) which extends at 5 least partially along, and at or adjacent, the top edge(s) thereof and which is movable relative thereto between first and second positions in which the container is rendered nestable and stackable, respectively.
2. A container according to claim 1, wherein an opposed pair of walls have 10 respective panels which extend at least partially along, and at or adjacent, the top edges thereof and which are movable relative thereto between said first and second positions.
3. A container according to claim I or 2, wherein the at least one panel is 15 foldable about a crease between first and second positions.
4. A container according to any of claims 2 or 3 when dependent on claim 2, wherein, in the stackable condition, the pair of opposed panels in their second, positions provide stacking straps upon which another such container 20 can be supported.
5. A container according to any precedina claim, wherein the lower edges of I the walls of the container are provided with stacking lugs.
6. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each panel at or adjacent the top edge of the corresponding side wall of the container comprises means arranged to cooperate with complementary means associated with that or another wall(s) of the container, to lock the panel in its second position in which the container is rendered stackable.
7. A container according to claim 6, wherein the complementary locking means comprise a flap at each end of the movable panel, which flap is foldable with respect thereto and engageable with a complementary recess provided in a suitably-shaped portion of the or an adjacent side wall.
8. A container according to claim 6, wherein the complementary locking means comprise at least one lug on the free edge of the or each panel, which lug is engag,eable within a correspondingly-shaped slot in the side wall of the container along which the panel at least partially extends.
9. A container according to any of claims 6, 7 or 8, wherein said complementary locking means are unlockable, such that the panel(s) can be mov4 into its first position, whereby the container is then rendered nestable.
10. A container according to claim 9, wherein the panel is foldable upwardly, about a crease, from said stackable position to attain said nestable position.
11. A container according to any preceding claim which is made from a creased and folded corrugated fibre or plastics board.
12. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the corrugated board is of double thickness and consequently heavy duty.
13. A container according to any preceding claim which is constructed from a unitary blank.
14. A blank from which a container according to any of claims I to 13 is erectable.
15. A container substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
16. A blank substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.