Packaging systems

Packaging systems composed of one or more containers in an outer receptacle fabricated from a synthetic material. Unique features of the system make it economical, facilitate its handling, manufacturing, and assembly; make it possible to stack like assemblies into stable aggregations with a minimum of wasted space; and provide other advantages including, but not limited to, protection and positive positioning of the container(s) in the receptacle and areas for display advertising on both the container(s) and the receptacles which are visible from the exterior of the outer receptacle.

The present invention relates to packaging systems and, more specifically, 
to novel, improved packaging systems which include a product container in 
an outer receptacle. 
The principles of the present invention are particularly adaptable to 
applications involving the packaging of multiple, liquid tight containers 
in one outer receptacle or container; and they will consequently be 
developed in reference to that application for the sake of convenience, 
clarity, and compliance with the first paragraph of 35 USC 112. This, 
however, is not intended to in any way restrict the scope of protection to 
which I consider myself entitled, it being my intention to limit such 
protection only in accord with the breadth of the claims appended hereto. 
The outer receptacles of my novel packaging systems, which can be 
economically fabricated of a light, strong material such as an expanded 
polystyrene, are preferably parallelpipeds with rectangular faces which 
make them easy to assemble into stable stacks having a minimum of wasted 
space. These receptacles are composed of two components having a 
tongue-and-groove aligning arrangement, making them economical to 
fabricate and assemble and facilitating the assembling of the container or 
containers in the receptacle. 
Appropriately configured projections or buttresses extending inwardly from 
the walls of the outer receptacle positively position the associated 
container or containers in the receptacle, thereby protecting the latter 
against forces which might result in rupture of a container and consequent 
leakage of its contents. An aperture in the top wall of the outer 
container gives access to a handle at the upper end of a container in the 
package. This novel arrangement permits both the unpackaged container and 
the container/receptacle assemblage to be handled by a single member, 
simplifying and reducing the cost of packaging containers of the character 
disclosed herein. Furthermore, by containing the upper end of the handle 
within the confines of the receptacle upper wall, the obstacle to close 
stacking presented by the typical protruding handle of conventional 
packaging can be eliminated. 
One important and primary object of the present invention resides in the 
provision of novel, improved packaging systems which have an outer 
receptacle and one or more containers housed therein. 
Other important but more specific objects of my invention reside in the 
provision of packaging systems in accord with the preceding object: 
(1) which are particularly adaptable to the packaging of liquid tight 
containers; 
(2) in which, in conjunction with the preceding object, the outer 
receptacle is constructed to cushion and otherwise protect the 
container(s) housed therein against such damage as might lead to a 
ruptured container and consequent leakage of liquid; 
(3) which can be economically fabricated of a light, strong material; 
(4) in which, in conjunction with the preceding object, the outer 
receptacle is composed of readily molded and easily assembled components; 
(5) in which, in conjunction with object no. 3, the components of the outer 
receptacle are maintained in assembled relationship in a simple, 
inexpensive fashion; 
(6) which are so designed and constructed that advertising and/or other 
printed material on both the outer receptacle and the container(s) therein 
is readily visible from the exterior of the assemblage; 
(7) which can be stacked with a minimum of wasted space; 
(8) in which, in conjunction with the preceding object, the outer 
receptacle has essentially the configuration of a parallelpiped with 
rectangular faces and is free of protuberances; 
(9) in which a handle on an inner container is accessible from the exterior 
of the outer receptacle and can accordingly be employed to handle both the 
container(s)-receptacle assemblage and the container after the latter is 
unpackaged; 
(10) which have various combinations of the foregoing attributes.

Referring now to the drawing, FIGS. 1 and 2 depict a packaging system 10 
embodying and constructed in accord with the principles of the present 
invention. In the illustrated embodiment this system includes an outer 
receptacle 12 composed of front and rear components 14 and 16. The overall 
configuration of outer receptacle 12 is that of a parallelpiped. Packaging 
systems such as those identified by reference character 10 can, as a 
consequence, be made into stacks which are stable and which have a minimum 
of waste space. 
Housed in receptacle 12 are liquid tight inner containers 18, 20, 22, and 
24. In one exemplary application of the invention the largest inner 
container 22 holds 4.5 quarts of motor oil; container 24 holds 32 ounces 
of engine flush; and containers 18 and 20 hold, respectively, 16 ounces of 
engine oil additive and 8 ounces of transmission fluid additive. 
The two components 14 and 16 of outer receptacle 12 are of similar 
configuration, and both are fabricated from expanded polystyrene in the 
illustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
As can be seen from FIGS. 1-4, component 16 has upper and lower walls 26 
and 28 and side walls 30 and 32, all extending normally from rear wall 34. 
A juxtaposed tongue 36 and groove 38 extend continuously around the 
periphery of the component at the free edges of walls 26, 28, 30, and 32. 
The similarly constructed front component 14 of outer receptacle 12 has top 
(or upper) and bottom (or lower) walls 40 and 42 and side walls 44 and 46 
extending normally from a front wall 48. An opening 50 in the front wall 
extends essentially from one of the two side walls 44 and 46 to the other 
side wall. This opening exposes portions of inner containers 18, 20, 22, 
and 24 as can best be seen in FIG. 1 and makes advertising material or 
other information on the inner containers visible from the exterior of 
outer receptacle 12. Additional information can be displayed on the front 
wall itself above and below opening 50. 
The front component 14 of outer package 12 has a peripherally continuous 
tongue 52 and a groove 54 which complement those of component 16, the two 
tongue-and-groove sets thereby positively locating one outer container 
component relative to the other when they are assembled together as shown 
in FIGS. 1-3. 
The two outer receptacle components are preferably maintained in the 
illustrated, assembled relationship by shrink wrapping a transparent, 
polymeric film 56 around the assembled packaging system (see FIG. 1). 
Before components 14 and 16 are assembled, the inner containers are 
installed in one of them, the other component then being fitted in place. 
The housing of the containers in the outer receptacle is thereby easily 
and rapidly accomplished. 
The three smaller, inner containers are of conventional, cylindrical 
configuration, access being furnished to their interiors by screw caps 58, 
60, and 62 (see FIGS. 1 and 3). The largest container 22 has a cross 
section resembling that of an ellipse with truncated ends and a screw cap 
64 and a carrying handle 66 at the upper end thereof. 
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, cooperating recesses 68 and 70 in the top 
walls 26 and 40 of outer receptacle components 16 and 14 form a 
rectangular opening 72 in receptacle 12 in alignment with the handle 66 of 
inner container 22. This makes that handle accessible from the exterior of 
the outer container so that it thereby serves as a handle for both inner 
container 22 and the entire packaging system 10. This handle lies entirely 
within the confines of the top wall and consequently does not interfere 
with the stacking of packaging systems 10. 
The four inner containers 18, 20, 22, and 24 are fixedly positioned in 
outer receptacle 12 by a system of buttresses. These are integral with and 
extend toward the interior of the outer receptacle from the rear wall 34 
of component 16 and the front wall 48 of component 14. 
More particularly, upper and lower buttresses 74 and 76 of component 16; 
and upper and lower buttresses 78 and 80 of component 14 have arcuate 
portions (only the lower ones are shown, see FIG. 3) which engage the 
opposite sides of and position container 24 laterally in receptacle 12. 
This container is located vertically by a step 81 adjacent the lower or 
bottom wall 28 of component 16 and a similarly located step 82 in 
component 14 and by ledges 84 and 86 of buttresses 74 and 78, which engage 
a shoulder 88 at the upper end of the container. 
Containers 18 and 20 are similarly located laterally in receptacle 12 by 
arcuate portions of upper buttresses 90 and 92 and lower buttresses 94 and 
96. Steps 98 and 100 in component 16 cooperate with similar steps 102 and 
104 on vertical buttresses in component 14 to support the lower ends of 
containers 18 and 20. These inner containers are held against the steps 
just described by cooperating ledges 106 and 108 in component 16 and 110 
and 112 in component 14. They engage shoulders 114 and 116 at the upper 
ends of containers 18 and 20, respectively. 
The largest container 22 extends between and is positioned vertically by 
the upper walls 26 and 40 and lower or bottom walls 28 and 42 of outer 
receptacle components 14 and 16. It is positioned laterally by cooperating 
upper and lower buttresses 118 and 120 in component 16 and 122 and 124 in 
component 14. 
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing 
from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present 
embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative 
and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the 
appended claims rather than by the foregoing description; and all changes 
which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are 
therefore intended to be embraced therein.