Patent ID: 6817473
Filing Date: 2004-11-16
Classification: B65D

Abstract:
A stackable container assembly comprising:a one-piece, molded, unitary container generally in the shape of a parallelepiped including: two generally parallel opposite lateral side panels, each lateral side panel defining one, and only one, lateral side plane, and two generally parallel opposite longitudinal side panels, each longitudinal side panel defining one, and only one, longitudinal side plane, the lateral side panels being directly connected with the longitudinal side panels, each side panel having an upper edge and a lower edge; a generally flat bottom panel extending from and interconnecting the lower edges of each of the side panels and defining a bottom plane; first and second top panels, the first top panel defining a first plane and the second top panel including two generally flat spaced apart coplanar sections defining a second plane, a first section being directly connected to the upper edge of a first lateral side panel and to the upper edges of a first portion of each of the longitudinal side panels proximate to the first lateral side panel and a second section being directly connected to the upper edge of the second lateral side panel and to the upper edges of a second portion of each of the longitudinal side panels proximate to the second lateral side panel; the first top panel extending from and being directly connected to the first and second sections of the second top panel and the upper edge of a third portion of a first longitudinal side panel, the third portion being located between the first and second portions of the first longitudinal side panel, the second top panel being at a height which is greater than the height of the first top panel by a predetermined distance; a transition top panel defining a single, horizontal planar surface extending above the first top panel and extending below the second top panel, said single, horizontal planar surface directly interconnecting and sharing common edges with each of the first top panel, the first and second sections of the second top panel and a third portion of the second longitudinal side panel; and a dispensing neck extending upwardly from the first top panel, the dispensing neck having an open end, a predetermined length, a predetermined width and a predetermined height; and a cover member removably disposed over the open end of the dispensing neck, the cover member having an upper panel, a predetermined length, a predetermined width and a predetermined height, a combination of the dispensing neck and the cover member secured to the dispensing neck having a predetermined height equal to a vertical distance from the top of the upper panel of the cover member to a lowermost edge of the dispensing neck, the lowermost edge being at a height generally equal to the height of the first top panel, such that the predetermined height of the combination is less than the predetermined distance and the upper panel of the cover member when secured to the dispensing neck does not extend beyond the second plane, whereby the container is fully enclosed by a volume defined by the lateral side planes, the longitudinal side planes, the bottom plane and the second plane and, whereby when container assemblies are stacked one on top of another, the weight of each overlying container is substantially borne by the second top panel of each underlying container with none or at most an insubstantial portion of the weight of any overlying container being borne by the cover member or dispensing neck of any underlying container.