Patent ID: 7658285
Filing Date: 2010-02-09
Classification: B65D

Abstract:
1. A container of a unitized plurality of articles, comprising: a base having a first base corner, a second base corner, a third base corner and a fourth base corner; a plurality of articles stacked on the base, the stack of articles having a bottom surface on the base, a top surface opposite the bottom surface, a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, a third surface between the first and second surfaces, and a fourth surface between the first and second surfaces and opposite to the third surface with a first stack corner at the juncture of the top surface, the first surface and the fourth surface, the first stack corner adjacent to and above the first base corner; a second stack corner at the juncture of the top surface, the first surface and the third surface and above the second base corner adjacent to and above the second base corner; a third stack corner at the juncture of the top surface, the second surface and the fourth surface, the third stack corner adjacent to and above the third base corner; a fourth stack corner at the juncture of the top surface, the second surface and the third surface, the fourth stack corner adjacent to and above the fourth base corner; a first end cap mounted on marginal edge portions of the top surface of the stack adjacent the fourth side of the stack, over upper marginal edge portions of fourth side, and over the first and third stack corners; a second end cap mounted on marginal edge portions of the top surface of the stack adjacent the third side of the stack, over upper marginal edge portions of the third side, and over the second and fourth stack corners of the stack; a first biasing force biasing the first and second end caps toward one another, biasing the first end cap against the marginal edge portions of the first, second and fourth sides of the stack and biasing the second end cap against the first, second and third sides of the stack; a second biasing force acting on the first end cap and the base to bias the first stack corner toward the third base corner; a third biasing force acting on the first end cap and the base to bias the third stack corner and the first base corner toward one another; a fourth biasing force acting on the second end cap and the base to bias the second stack corner and the fourth base corner toward one another, and a fifth biasing force acting on the second end cap and the base to bias the fourth stack corner and the second base corner toward one another, wherein the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth biasing forces unitizes the plurality of articles, the first and second end caps, and the base.