Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D21/00—Nestable, stackable or joinable containers; Containers of variable capacity
  • B65D21/02—Containers specially shaped, or provided with fittings or attachments, to facilitate nesting, stacking, or joining together
  • B65D21/0209—Containers specially shaped, or provided with fittings or attachments, to facilitate nesting, stacking, or joining together stackable or joined together one-upon-the-other in the upright or upside-down position
  • B65D21/023—Closed containers provided with local cooperating elements in the top and bottom surfaces, e.g. projection and recess
  • B65D21/0231—Bottles, canisters or jars whereby the neck or handle project into a cooperating cavity in the bottom
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D1/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece, e.g. by casting metallic material, by moulding plastics, by blowing vitreous material, by throwing ceramic material, by moulding pulped fibrous material, by deep-drawing operations performed on sheet material
  • B65D1/02—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents
  • B65D1/0223—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents characterised by shape
  • B65D1/023—Neck construction
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D21/00—Nestable, stackable or joinable containers; Containers of variable capacity
  • B65D21/02—Containers specially shaped, or provided with fittings or attachments, to facilitate nesting, stacking, or joining together
  • B65D21/0201—Containers specially shaped, or provided with fittings or attachments, to facilitate nesting, stacking, or joining together stackable or joined together side-by-side
  • B65D21/0202—Containers specially shaped, or provided with fittings or attachments, to facilitate nesting, stacking, or joining together stackable or joined together side-by-side and loosely interengaged by integral complementary shapes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D23/00—Details of bottles or jars not otherwise provided for
  • B65D23/10—Handles
  • B65D23/102—Gripping means formed in the walls, e.g. roughening, cavities, projections
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D71/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D71/0088—Palletisable loads, i.e. loads intended to be transported by means of a fork-lift truck
  • B65D71/0092—Palletisable loads, i.e. loads intended to be transported by means of a fork-lift truck provided with one or more rigid supports, at least one dimension of the supports corresponding to a dimension of the load, e.g. skids
  • B65D71/0096—Palletisable loads, i.e. loads intended to be transported by means of a fork-lift truck provided with one or more rigid supports, at least one dimension of the supports corresponding to a dimension of the load, e.g. skids the dimensions of the supports corresponding to the periphery of the load, e.g. pallets
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D71/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D71/06—Packaging elements holding or encircling completely or almost completely the bundle of articles, e.g. wrappers
  • B65D71/063—Wrappers formed by one or more films or the like, e.g. nets
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D71/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D71/06—Packaging elements holding or encircling completely or almost completely the bundle of articles, e.g. wrappers
  • B65D71/08—Wrappers shrunk by heat or under tension, e.g. stretch films or films tensioned by compressed articles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/0009—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures designed for pouring contents
  • B65D2501/0018—Ribs
  • B65D2501/0027—Hollow longitudinal ribs
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/0009—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures designed for pouring contents
  • B65D2501/0018—Ribs
  • B65D2501/0036—Hollow circonferential ribs
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/0009—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures designed for pouring contents
  • B65D2501/0081—Bottles of non-circular cross-section

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to containers, and more particularly to a system of stackable bottles.
• nesting, stackable bottles do not include means for interlocking the sides or tops and bottoms of the bottles to provide stability to a stack of such bottles.
• nesting bottles often do not provide sufficient strength to withstand collapse under the pressure exerted by bottles stacked above.
• stackable bottles which incorporate a nesting neck and interlocking means to connect their top and bottom surfaces.
• Examples of such bottles include U.S. Patent No. 3 ? 474 5 843 to Maris entitled: “Blow-Molded Containers” and U.S. Patent No. 2,641,374 to Der Yuen entitled: "Container”.
• Such bottles do not include means for interlocking their side walls.
• a stackable bottle for use in a system of stackable bottles should have a neck and floor recess which generally are of a size to fit with corresponding necks and recesses in other stackable bottles of the system.
• Such bottles should provide interlocking means for connecting the sides of adjacent bottles and interlocking means for connecting the top of one bottle to the bottom of another.
• the overall geometry of the bottles should be generally planar along the sides to optimize stacking volume.
• Each such bottle should include at least one handle which is accessible when the bottle is incorporated into a stack of such bottles.
• Such a bottle should be strong enough to permit vertical stacking without collapsing the lower bottles.
• An assembly of such bottles should be packageable without a cardboard or other firm material support. While the prior art contains some of these elements, none of the prior art bottles incorporate all of the desired characteristics of a stackable bottle and system of stackable bottles according to the present invention.
• the invention comprises a stackable storage bottle and a system of interlocking stackable storage bottles, each bottle having a storage chamber with an upper surface, a conical ceiling extending upwardly from the upper surface, a lower surface, and at least four generally planar side walls; a cylindrical neck extending from the center of the conical ceiling and having an opening at its top end; a conical recess in the lower surface of a size sufficient to envelop the ceiling, neck and cap of another storage bottle insertable therein; an indentation in at least one side wall to form a handle; vertical interlocking means for releasably connecting each side wall to the side wall of another storage bottle stackable adjacent thereto; and horizontal interlocking means for releasably connecting the upper surface to the lower surface of another storage bottle stacked thereabove.
• each storage bottle may be stacked in an upright position above, below or beside another upright storage bottle to form a stable bottle stack.
• each bottle may have a recess in at least one of the side walls for application thereto of a label.
• the storage bottles may be manufactured of a PET plastic material.
• the bottle may be a consumables bottle, for example, a drinking water bottle, and may be of a size selected for use with industry standard drinking water dispensers.
• the vertical interlocking means may comprise at least one recess on the side wall for engaging a corresponding protrusion on the side wall of another storage bottle and the horizontal interlocking means may comprise at least one recess in the lower surface for engaging a corresponding protrusion on the upper surface of another storage bottle.
• the neck of each bottle may further comprise an external thread or protrusions for attachment thereto of a screw cap or snap cap.
• ribs may be incorporated on the conical ceiling, the conical recess, or the sidewalls to make the bottle stronger and increase the top load capability. The said ribs also improve collapsibility of the bottle when empty to reduce volume at the end of the life cycle.
• the conical ceiling may have a hexadecagonal cross section.
• the invention provides an assembly of a plurality of stackable bottles wherein only the side walls of each bottle are adjacent each other bottle, to form a quadrilateral having opposed lateral sides.
• the assembly may have at least one band of a flexible wrapping material encircling the exposed side walls of the assembly, and a strap of a flexible material extending between opposed sides of the assembly, each end of the strap connected to the band to form a handle for the assembly.
• the assembly may instead be fully enclosed on top and on the sides with a flexible plastic material.
• Figure 1 is an isometric view of a stackable bottle, depicting a label recess and one handle indentation, according to the invention
• Figure 2 is an isometric view of a stackable bottle, depicting two handle indentations and a cap, according to the invention
• Figure 3 is a perspective bottom view of a stackable bottle, according to the invention.
• Figure 4 is a perspective bottom view of a stackable bottle showing a bottom edge undercut and vertical side ribs, according to an alternative embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 5 is an isometric view of a stackable bottle showing a hexadecagonal conical ceiling, according to another embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 7 is an isometric view of an assembly of four stackable bottles, according to the invention.
• a stackable bottle 2 according to the present invention comprises a storage compartment having an upper surface 4 with a conical ceiling 6, a centrally disposed neck 8 extending from the conical ceiling with an opening 10 therein, and a lower surface 42.
• the bottle has four side walls 12, 14, 16, 18, vertical interlocking means comprising side wall protrusions 20, 22 corresponding to side wall recesses 24, 26, and horizontal interlocking means comprising at least one upper surface protrusion 28 corresponding to at least one lower surface recess 46.
• the side wall protrusions are of a size, relative to the size of the side wall recesses, which permits a releasable locational transition fit engagement of the protrusions into the recesses.
• the upper surface protrusions are of a size, relative to the size of the lower surface recesses, which permits a releasable locational transition fit engagement of the protrusions into the recesses.
• the lower surface 42 of the bottle incorporates a centrally disposed conical recess 44 and at least one peripheral recess 46 for engagement with an upper surface protrusion (not shown).
• the neck 8 may have annular protrusions 30 for attachment of a snap cap 9.
• the neck 8 may have an external thread for attachment of a screw cap (not shown).
• At least one indentation 34 may be provided in a side wall to act as a handle.
• indentations 34, 36 are provided in the vicinity of a corner and adapted to be grasped by the thumb and index finger of one hand; although other manipulations are possible.
• a user may engage one indentation 34 with one hand and another indentation 36 with the other hand to lift the bottle.
• a pair of indentations 34, (not shown) between adjacent side walls 12, 14 may form a first handle at one of the side edges or corners of the bottle.
• a second pair of indentations 36, (not shown) may be formed between the remaining side walls 16, 18.
• the bottle may include one or more shallow recesses 40 in the side wall surfaces for application of labels or other marking devices.
• Figures 1 to 3 show ribs 31, 33, 35 incorporated on the bottle to withstand higher top load forces when stored together in a stack.
• ribs may be located on the conical ceiling 31 , the side wall 33 or the conical recess 35.
• Figure 4 shows a bottom view of the bottle with ribs 35 in the conical recess and vertical side wall ribs 36. The ribs increase top load strength and improve collapsibility when the bottle is empty at the end of its life cycle.
• an undercut 27 at one or more of the bottom lower edges to provide manual access for lifting the bottle.
• the conical ceiling may have a hexadecagonal cross section to improve top load strength.
• the lower surface 42 of the bottle incorporates a centrally disposed conical recess 44 and at least one peripheral recess 46 for engagement with an upper surface protrusion.
• Fig. 6 two bottles are shown in stacked configuration demonstrating the planar construction optimal for stable stacking which optimizes stack volume.
• the neck 8 and conical ceiling 6 of the upper surface of the lower bottle 50 are dimensioned to fit within the recess 44 in the lower surface of the upper bottle 52. The fit permits stacking of bottles without causing damage to labels or seals disposed over the mouth of the bottle.
• the side walls of the upper bottle 52 are fully supported by the side walls of the lower bottle 50 aligned below.
• the horizontal interlocking means provides an alignment function to ensure stack stability.
• the recess 44 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 presents a convex surface 51 which deflects the bottle towards the axis when the recess 44 of a bottle is mounted over the neck 8 of the bottle below.
• there is a self-centering aspect to the invention when stacking the bottles together which becomes useful especially when the bottles are filled with liquid.
• the convex surface 51 of the recess 44 will tend to deflect the bottle being mounted over the next adjacent bottle towards the center of the axis.
• Figure 8 demonstrates the system of the invention, showing a stack 56 of a plurality of stackable bottles 2 stacked on a pallet 60.
• Bottles are aligned and interlocked vertically as well as horizontally.
• Bottles may be grouped into assemblies of four or more bottles wrapped in a flexible wrapping material for ease of handling.
• the stacked bottles as shown in Fig. 8 are locked or interlocked in three dimensions, namely, along two dimensions as the side walls of the bottles have recesses as well as protrusions; as well as a third dimension, namely, axially as the bottoms and tops of the bottles interlock with the top protrusions and bottom recesses of the bottles.
• Such three dimensional interlock resists separation of the bottles in transit as well as concentrating the density of the stored materials packed in the manner described.
• the system of the invention permits stacking of bottles in an upright position to discourage i leakage and spillage during storage and transport. Even where a seal fails, spillage will be much less than would be the case were the bottles stacked with the neck in a horizontal position.
• One of the handles composed of at least one indentation 34 of each bottle on the periphery of the stack is accessible to a handler, once wrapping material is removed. No rack is necessary to hold the bottles, as the vertical and horizontal interlocking means provide stability to the stack.
• bottles of the invention may be stacked in both empty and filled conditions. Bottles may be stacked during filling, transportation, storage prior to use, during consumption of the consumable materials, and storage after use prior to recycling, in the life cycle of the bottles. In initial use, bottles may be filled with consumable or non-consumable materials, such as drinking water or other fluids. Once used initially, bottles may be filled with a dense material such as sand to i provide a stackable flood control device.
• the bottles of the invention may also incorporate means for identifying the contents of the storage bottles.
• identification means may include colour coding, distinguishing structural features, or other identifying features for content identification purposes.
• the material used for the manufacture of the bottles is transparent to permit visual identification of the bottle I contents.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
• Stackable Containers (AREA)
• Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)
• Containers Having Bodies Formed In One Piece (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=38563067

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (76)

Citations (6)

Family Cites Families (24)

• 2007
  • 2007-01-18 US US11/624,680 patent/US20070114200A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2007-04-05 WO PCT/CA2007/000623 patent/WO2007112598A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2007-04-05 EP EP07719550A patent/EP2007638A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2007-04-05 US US12/225,945 patent/US20090266782A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2007-04-05 JP JP2009503384A patent/JP2009532286A/ja active Pending

Patent Citations (6)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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