Patent ID: 6511722
Filing Date: 2003-01-28
Classification: B65D,B65G,Y10T

Abstract:
A spacer comprising a supporting element and a suction cup having a sealing lip, said supporting element having opposed positioning surfaces which are operable when the spacer is disposed between articles that are to be spaced with surfaces of the articles in contact with the opposed positioning surfaces to position the articles in a predetermined spatial relationship relative to one another, said suction cup being received in a recess in said supporting element which is at least partially surrounded by one of the opposed positioning surfaces, and being releasably supported in the recess in a position where, when it is not stressed, its sealing lip extends outside the recess, but said suction cup being one which, when subjected to axial compression, is wholly received within the recess, the spacer being so configured that, as one of its positioning surfaces is moved toward contact with a surface of one of two articles to be spaced, the sealing lip of said suction cup contacts the surface of the article and said suction cup is thereafter compressed axially as the positioning surface continues to move toward contact with the surface so that it is wholly within the recess when the positioning surface contacts the surface of the article.