Abstract:
The invention described consists of a five-piece container for carrying bottles and of a stabilizer tablet for steadying the bottles in their vertical position in the container. The container comprises a bottom piece formed of plastics material and of opposite side pieces and opposite end pieces also formed of plastics material and hingedly connected to the side and end edges of the bottom piece whereby the side pieces and the end pieces may be pivoted between an erected position and an outward foldback position and vice-versa. The stabilizer tablet consists of a flat board displaying a series of openings each having a size to engage the neck portions of the bottles and to thereby minimize up, down, and sideway movements of the bottles in the container.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention pertains to an improved container to separately receive a plurality of bottles therein. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a five-piece container for carrying bottles which is provided with stabilizer means for steadying the bottles in their vertical position in the container to thereby minimize the up, down and sideway movements of the bottles in the container. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Different types of separators are presently used in bottle-receiving containers to protect the bottle or the labels, or both. These separators are made of cardboard or plastic; they may consist of a separate unit placed in the containers, vertically extending between the bottles or they may be molded in one piece with the container. If the interior of the container is to be protected from dust or dirt, then a lid is incorporated to the container. This lid is also made of plastics material or cardboard and can be part or incorporated with the container when they are fabricated in one piece with the contour of the container. 
     OBJECTS AND STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a novel system to separate bottles in containers in order to protect the bottles or their labels, or both. This is achieved by providing, on the bottom of the container, a plurality of short bottle-abutting projections configured to contact the lower edges of bottles placed thereon and also by providing a separate stabilizer means which consists of a tablet member having a series of openings to receive the neck of the bottles therethrough. The combination of projections and tablet member minimizes up, down and sideway movements of the bottles in the container. 
     Therefore, the present invention relates to a combination of a five-piece container and of stabilizer means. 
     (i) the container comprising 
     a) a bottom piece formed of plastics material, the bottom piece having opposite side edges and opposite end edges displaying therebetween a top side and an under side; the top side having, integrally formed thereon, a plurality of short bottle-abutting projections having a configuration to partially contact the lower edges of bottles placed on the bottom piece; 
     b) opposite side pieces and opposite end pieces formed of plastics material, each side and end pieces having a lower edge; the lower edges of the side and end pieces being hingedly connected to corresponding side and end edges of the bottom piece whereby the side pieces and the end pieces may be pivotally moved between an erected position and an outward foldback position and vice-versa; each side and end piece having opposite lateral edges and interengaging means thereon to enable connection of adjacent side and end pieces together when in the erected position; 
     (ii) the stabilizer means consisting of a tablet member displaying a series of openings having a size to receive therethrough neck portions of bottles placed on the bottom piece; the tablet member engaging the neck portions of the bottles to minimize up, down and sideway movements of the bottles in the container. 
     In a preferred form of the invention, the inner faces of the sided end pieces have retaining means to maintain the board member on the bottles. 
     In another form of the invention, the underside of the bottom piece has a series of recessed areas corresponding in number and in shape to the projections on the top side of the container so that in their outward foldback position, containers of identical construction may be stacked one upon the other with the projections nested in superposed recessed areas. 
     Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that this detailed description, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, is given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container used for carrying bottles made in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container showing the sides in an outward foldback position; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 2, but showing the underside of the container; 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the bottom piece; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 5--5 of FIG. 5 and showing two stacked bottom pieces; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective top view of another embodiment of a bottom piece of the container made in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged bottom plan view showing part of the underside of the bottom piece of FIG. 7; and 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing the engagement of the tablet member to the sides of the container. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a five-piece container, generally denoted 10, made entirely and solely of rigid plastics material. The container which is used to carry bottles 11 essentially consists of a bottom piece 12, of opposite side pieces 14 and 16 and of opposite end pieces 18 and 20. Handles 19 and 21 are provided in respective end pieces 18 ans 20 to facilitate manual handling of the container. The side pieces and the end pieces are provided with a series of rectangular openings that provide lightness to the container. FIG. 1 shows that the outer faces of the side and end pieces may be covered with a cardboard or like sheet 15 for advertisement. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the bottom piece 12 is rectangular with a pair of opposite side edges 22 and 24 and a pair of opposite end edges 26 and 28 (see also FIG. 4). In the embodiment illustrated, the side edges 22 and 24 have a length greater than that of the end edges 26 and 28. Each side edge and each end edge of the bottom piece 12 include a series of horizontally spaced recessed areas identified as 22a, 22b, 22c and 22d for side edge 22, as 24a, 24b, 24c and 24d for side edge 24, as 26a, 26b and 26c for end edge 26, and as 28a, 28b and 28c for end edge 28. Interspaced with all these recessed areas are respective planar surfaces 22&#39;, 24&#39;, 26&#39; and 28&#39; all extending in a common horizontal plane. Included in each recessed area is a cylindrical hinge 29 which is integrally formed with the edges. 
     The top side of the bottom piece is recessed with respect to its side edges and end edges and displays a series of raised profiles 32 (six being shown) which serve as abutments for the lower part of bottles resting on the bottom wall 12. Each profile defines a rhomboidal configuration with concave sidewalls displaying a series of small vertical ribs 33 for reinforcement and for washing purposes. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the underside of the bottom wall 12 provides a series of recessed areas 34 with convex sidewalls which are complementary in shape to the profiles 32 so that they may nest therein as illustrated in FIG. 5. 
     FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of a bottom piece 112 made in accordance with the present invention and which may receive side and end pieces such as those illustrated in FIGS. 1-5. 
     The bottom piece 112 is rectangular with a pair of opposite side edges 122 and 124 and a pair of opposite end edges 126 and 128. In the embodiment illustrated, the side edges 122 and 124 have a length greater than that of the end edges 126 and 128. Each side edge and each end edge of the bottom piece 112 include a series of horizontally spaced recessed areas identified as 122a, 122b, 122c and 122d for side edge 122, as 124a, 124b, 124c and 124d for side edge 124, as 126a, 126b and 126c for end edge 126, and as 128a, 128b and 128c for end edge 128. Interspaced with all these recessed areas are respective planar surfaces 122&#39;, 124&#39;, 126&#39; and 128&#39; all extending in a common horizontal plane. Included in each recessed area is a cylindrical hinge 129 which is integrally formed with the edges. 
     The top side of the bottom piece is recessed with respect to its side edges and end edges and displays a plurality of openings 130 that lighten the container and facilitate washing. The top side also displays a series of raised profiles 132 (six being shown) which serve as abutments for the lower part of bottles resting on the bottom 112. Each profile defines an X-shaped configuration with four sidewalls consisting of vertical ribs. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the underside 133 of the bottom wall 112 includes a series of recessed areas 134 which are complementary in shape to the profiles 132 so that they may nest therein. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, the lower edge of each side piece 14, 16 and of each end piece 18, 20 are identically shaped. A detailed description of every lower edge will not be given since the lower edges of both side pieces and both end pieces all have the same structural configuration. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a side piece comprises, along the lower edge thereof, a series of planar faces 36a, 36b and 36c while an end piece 20 has a series of flat faces 38a, 38b, 38c and 38d. Interspaced with these flat surface are C-shaped extensions 40, 42 which are adapted to engage the cylindrical hinges 29 (or 129) of the bottom piece. A detailed description of this C-shaped profile of an extension that engages a cylindrical hinge may be found described in applicant&#39;s U.S. co-pending application Ser. No. 08/502,168 filed Jul. 13, 1995 and is incorporated herewith. 
     As can be seen in FIG. 1, when the sides 14, 16, 18 and 20 are hingedly pivoted to an erected vertical position, the flat surfaces 40 and 42 of the sides will rest upon the corresponding flat surfaces 22&#39;, 24&#39;, 26&#39; and 28&#39; (or 122&#39;, 124&#39;, 126&#39; and 128&#39;) of the bottom piece, thus maintaining the sides in vertical position and preventing their inward folding. This is particularly useful when the height of the sides is greater than the width of the bottom piece such as when the height of the side pieces 14 and 16 is greater than the length of the opposite end edges 26 and 28 (126 and 128) of the bottom piece. 
     Since the container is made of plastics material that has some resiliency, the engagement of the C-shaped profile onto the hinges is effected through a snap-in motion; similarly, a snap-out disengagement is required in order to remove the side pieces, or end pieces, from the bottom piece. The particular connection achieved by the C-shaped extension to the hinges allows the side pieces to move from an outward foldback position to an erected position, or vice-versa. 
     In order to secure the side pieces and end pieces in the erected position, each has, on its opposite lateral edges, interengaging means which cooperate with complementary interengaging means on the lateral edges of adjacent side pieces. Referring to FIG. 2, one example of such interengaging means may consist of a flange 62 and a U-shaped extension 64, both of which are integrally formed with the side piece, while another interengaging means may consist of a longitudinal slot 66 and of a flexible tongue 68. The flanges 62 are received in corresponding slots 66 while the tongues 68 are flexed for subsequent connection with the U-shaped extensions 64. 
     The construction of the present invention is extremely useful when it is wished to return the containers for either bottle reloading, repairing or washing. For each case, the four sides are disconnected from one another and moved outwardly to lie in a horizontal plane, common with that of the bottom piece. During transport, the particular construction of the bottom piece enables containers of similar construction to be stacked in their outward foldback position with profiles 32 nestingly received in recesses 34 of superposed containers. For repairing, the damaged pieces may be disconnected from the others by snapping them out from their C-shaped and hinge connections. Thereafter, they are reconnected through a simple snap-in engagement. It is to be noted that the container may be washed with the four side pieces in a vertical position, assembled to one another and to the bottom piece. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 and 8, the present invention is concerned with providing a bottle separator or bottle stabilizer 200 in order to retain the bottles 11 in the vertical position, especially during transport and handling of the container. The stabilizer is a flat tablet member that includes a series of circular openings 202 (twelve being shown) to engage the neck portions 11n of the bottles. The projections 32 or 132 being of small height, the bottles must receive some additional retaining so that they will not contact one another during handling; this is achieved by the tablet member. To ensure the positioning of the tablet member onto the bottles, the inner face of each side and end pieces are provided with studs 204 (three being shown on end piece 18 in FIG. 8). These studs have a ramp portion 206 and a base 208 so that the edge 210 of the tablet member may slide along ramp portion 206 and engage under the base portions 208 when downwardly inserted onto the bottle necks. The tablet member is preferably made of resilient material, such as cardboard or plastic, so that to remove the tablet member from its engagement to the studs of the side and end pieces, finger insertion through openings 212 is carried out to flex and retrieve the tablet member. 
     Although the invention has been described above with respect with one specific form, it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that it may be modified and refined in various ways. It is therefore wished to have it understood that the present invention should not be limited in scope, except by the terms of the following claims.