Containers

Abstract: Containers have an outline in underneath plan view which is wedge shaped. The wedge has a length greater than its width at the thicker end. The containers are packed on a rectangular floor area, which may be the base of a box, with at least some containers in pairs side by side touching each other but with their wedge shapes oriented oppositely so that the thinner end of each wedge shape is adjacent the thicker end of the wedge shape of the other container of the said pair, but with a gap between the thinner end of each wedge shape and a notional rectangle whose sides are parallel to or coincide with sides of the rectangular boundary, and which fits around the wedge shapes with one pair of sides contacting the non-touching sides of the wedge shapes and the other pair of sides contacting the thicker ends of the wedge shapes. This gives flexibility in fitting the containers onto a floor area, and in turn gives greater freedom of choice when designing packaging for a product.

Description: This invention relates to packaging. It is particularly significant in instances where the product is itself shapeless, such as a liquid or a particulate solid, and where the container enclosing this product is a carton formed from fibreboard or other foldable sheet board material or alternatively is a blow moulded container. Although of particular significance for such products and package types, the invention is not necessarily confined to these. It is of course commonplace for products to be packaged in a container appropriate for retail sale and for a number of these containers to be packed into an outer box or tray, usually of fibreboard, which is used to transport them from the manufacturer or warehouse to the retailer. It is generally required that the boxes should be rectangular with a length and width such that they can be stacked to fill the area of a pallet on which they will be lifted by means of a forklift truck. Within Europe it is increasingly required that the boxes have an external length and width such that one or several of them can be arranged to fill a rectangle 600mm x 400mm. This rectangle, sometimes known as the "collomoduul", is itself a subdivision of the two pallet sizes, namely 1000mm x 1200mm and 800mm x 1200mm, which are customary in Europe. Thus in Europe an acceptable outer box may have an exterior length and width of 600mm x 400mm or a simple fraction of that such as 300mm x 400mm. In practice dimensions are slightly less than the nominal size, to provide a tolerance. The dimensions used outside Europe may be different, but similar principles apply. There will usually be a limit on the weight of a filled outer box. In parts of Europe this is an upper limit of 15kg. The individual containers, holding the product for retail sale should be a close fit within the outer box so as not to move within the box during handling. These various requirements place considerable constraint on the designer of a container intended to contain a product and be used for retail sale. Where the container is required to hold a relatively small quantity of product, for instance 250ml, there may be little difficulty but there is apt to be considerably more difficulty for larger volumes. It can be very difficult to design a "family" of retail containers for a range of different volumes of the same product. For instance, if it is desired to market a product in a 1 litre size, a 2 litre size and a 4 litre size it would normally be desirable that all three containers should have the same shape and proportions so that the larger containers simply look like enlarged versions of the smallest one. This is valuable in creating a uniform presentation of the product concerned. However, the need for the retail containers to fit closely within an outer box which itself satisfies the requirements on exterior dimensions, and at the same time to comply with the weight limit can make it very difficult to design a family of containers in several sizes and yet with similar proportions throughout the family. For instance, it might prove possible to design three sizes of retail container each having the same ratio of length to width but without it being possible to achieve a uniform ratio of length to height. Superficially, it appears that packages intended for retail sale, especially blow moulded containers, are made with a great variety of shapes. However, in bottom plan view the outline is very frequently either circular or something which is an approximation to a rectangle. Typical for instance for a blow moulded container would be two large faces with slight outward curvature joined by two narrow faces which are substantially flat, with radiussed corners where the faces join one to the next. The outline of such a shape seen in underneath plan view would fit within a surrounding rectangle extending along the narrow faces and touching the middles of the large faces. The bottom plan view of a container may be referred to as the "footprint" of the container because when the container is standing on a supporting surface it is the area of that surface over which the container extends. Of course the container need not touch the supporting surface over the whole area of its "footprint" since the container may well taper from its widest point towards its base. When a conventional container has an outline which approximates a rectangle, this outline is usually symmetrical about a side to side mid-plane and may also be symmetrical about a front to back mid-plane. In a packed collation the containers' axes usually form a rectangular grid. Even when the axes are not parallel to a rectangular grid, such as when the containers are turned slightly to form a "shingled" arrangement, their centres still lie on points of a rectangular grid. It is conventional for the printing or labelling on a container to give a clearly defined front to the container which typically will advertise the product identity in large letters. By contrast the back of a container is frequently employed to carry other matter, such as instructions for use in much smaller type. When the containers are displayed, for instance on a supermarket shelf, they are of course all placed in the same orientation with the front facing the potential customer. It is known, e.g. from US-A-2071847 that a container may have a wedge-shaped outline as seen in underneath view. US-A-2071847 shows such a container and its height is greater than any horizontal dimension of its wedge- shaped outline. We have now appreciated that considerable advantage can be obtained by using a container which has a wedge shaped outline as seen in underneath view. This invention entails using such an outline, and packing the containers into an outer box (or other enclosure) in such a way that they do not all have the same orientation. This makes it possible to achieve considerably more freedom of manoeuvre when designing packaging to meet the constraints imposed by external dimensions and maximum case weight of a filled outer box. It also assists when it is necessary to fit containers into an enclosure such as a length of supermarket shelf. According to this invention there is provided in combination, means defining a floor surrounded by a substantially rectangular boundary, and a plurality of containers packed within the boundary to stand on the said floor, each said container having an outline in underneath plan view which is wedge shaped, with relatively thinner and thicker ends of the wedge and with sides of the wedge whose length is greater than the distance between the said sides at the thicker end of the wedge, and each container having a height which is greater than any straight horizontal dimension of the wedge shaped outline, the containers being packed on the floor such that at least one pair of containers are arranged side by side touching each other but with their wedge shapes oriented oppositely so that the thinner end of each wedge shape is adjacent the thicker end of the wedge shape of the other container of the said pair, but with a gap between the thinner end of each wedge shape and a notional rectangle whose sides are parallel to or coincide with sides of the rectangular boundary, and which fits around the wedge shapes with one pair of sides contacting the non-touching sides of the wedge shapes and the other pair of sides contacting the thicker ends of the wedge shapes. The distance between the thinner end and one of the second pair of sides may be longer than the distance from the adjacent one of the first pair of sides to the thick end of the other wedge shape. The wedge shaped outline may have sides which are straight, curve inwardly or curve outwardly to a small extent. Where any of these is the case, the angle included between the sides of the wedge will generally lie in a range from 15° to 50°, preferably 20° to 45°. Alternatively, the sides may curve outwardly to a rather greater extent, so that it is not practical to refer to an angle included between the sides. Nevertheless it will generally be desirable for the wedge shape to approximate to a triangle including such an angle. Although the boundary of the floor should be generally rectangular it need not be a true rectangle. For instance some truncation of its corners may occur. The invention is particularly applicable to containers having a volume of at least 0.5 litre. One possibility is that a rectangular floor area is filled with an even number of the containers, arranged in pairs which each have the two wedge shapes oriented oppositely. Another way to exploit the wedge-shaped outline is to place three or more containers with the thin ends of their wedge shaped outlines adjacent. With appropriate choice of the dimensions of the wedge outline, a number of containers, which may be an odd number, can fill an included angle of 90° or 180°. This can enable an odd number of containers to fill a rectangular area. Where it is practical to refer to the angle between the sides of a wedge outline, the angle may be 30° so that three wedge outlines will fill an included angle of 90° or the angle may be 36° so that five wedge outlines will fill an angle of 180°. A further possibility then is for a overall odd number of containers to fill a rectangular floor area, with some of the containers in pairs with the wedge shaped outlines in each pair oriented oppositely, and the remaining odd number arranged with their wedge shapes adjacent each other. The use of the wedge shaped outline and the packing arrangement of this invention is beneficial in allowing the design of a range of containers for the same product in a variety of sizes but with similar proportions. Accordingly, there may be a plurality of combinations of floor and containers packed thereon, as set forth above, in which the containers of one combination differ in size from those of another. More specifically, it is possible to provide a range of containers for the same product, the containers being of at least three sizes with different respective interior volumes, each container having an outline in underneath plan view which is wedge shaped, with relatively thinner and thicker ends and sides whose length is greater than the distance between the sides at the thicker end of the wedge, and the height of the container being greater than any straight line horizontal dimension of the wedge shape, the height h of any said container except the smallest, the length l of a notional line bisecting the angle between the sides of the wedge shape of the said container, the width w between the sides of the wedge shape at its thicker end, and the corresponding dimensions h′, 1′ and w′ for the next smaller container in the range being such as to satisfy the relationships: 0.66 h h' < l l' < 1.5 h h' 0.66 h h' < w w' < 1.5 h h' whereby the containers in the range all appear to have similar proportions. The limits may be somewhat narrower, for example satisfying relationships as stated but with 0.75 and 1.33 in place of 0.66 and 1.5. The wedge shaped outline could taper almost to a point. This could be desirable for cartons where the thin end of the wedge could be formed by a seal, such as a heat seal. Alternatively the wedge may be truncated at its thin end. This is possible for cartons and is desirable for blow moulded containers. The extent of truncation can be defined in various ways. One possibility is by reference to the radius of the largest and smallest circles which can be fitted within the outline, tangential to its sides, but not projecting beyond the thick and thin ends of the outline. When a wedge outline with a truncated small end is used, we have generally found it convenient that the above- mentioned largest circle should have a radius which is between 1.2 (better 1.4) and 4 times that of the smallest. Since the present invention is particularly applicable to shapeless products, the containers are likely to be provided with a pouring opening such as a screw cap at their top. Use of the wedge shape outline with varying orientation has the consequence that neither side face can be designed as the 'front' of the container. In consequence, both side faces of the wedge may be labelled to display the product name in lettering of much the same size and form. Another possibility is to carry the product name on the thick end of the wedge. Embodiments of this invention and the advantages obtained through these embodiments will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a blow moulded container; Fig. 2 shows the external outline of the container of Fig.1 as seen in underneath plan view; Fig. 3 shows the external outline, as seen from underneath, of a carton; Figs. 4, and 5 diagrammatically illustrate the positioning of a pair of containers where there is variation of the enclosure proportions; Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrams similar to Fig. 5 for pairs of containers whose walls curve outwardly; Figs. 8 and 9 diagrammatically illustrate the positioning of multiple containers within an enclosure; Figs.10, and 11 diagrammatically illustrate the positioning of a pair of containers where the shape and size of an enclosing rectangle is fixed; Figs. 12 and 13 are graphical illustrations of the range of choice in dimensions; Figs. 14 and 15 diagrammatically illustrate positioning odd numbers of containers within a rectangle. Fig. 1 illustrates a container which is a blow moulded plastic bottle meeting the requirements of the invention. It has a generally flat side face 2, a second generally flat side face 4, the two side faces being joined by a relatively small radius curved wall 6 and a larger radius curved wall 8. The upper portion of the container tapers towards a flat top 10 and is shaped to define a handle 12. A screw threaded neck (not shown) to receive a cap (not shown) is provided on the top 10. At the base the side walls taper inwardly so that the area actually in contact with a supporting surface is smaller than the outline seen in bottom plan view. As seen from Fig. 2 the outline in bottom plan view is that of a wedge defined by the side faces 2,4, the curved wall 6 at the thin end of the wedge having radius of curvature r and the curved wall 8 at the thick end of the wedge having radius of curvature R. The angle included between the side faces of the wedge outline is indicated as α in Fig. 2. The major axis of the outline is the length l along a notional line bisecting the angle α between the sides of the wedge shape. The minor axis is the width w transverse to the major axis at the thick end of the wedge. Fig. 3 shows the outline in bottom plan view for a carton formed from carton board or some other foldable sheet material. The outline has main side panels surfaces 2,4. At the thick end these are connected by three narrow panels 20,22,24. At the thin end of the wedge outline the side surfaces 2,4 are joined along a seam 26 which could be closed by gluing or heat sealing. Alternatively the thin end could be truncated and the side walls 2,4 connected through a narrow panel 28 shown in broken lines. All of the above-mentioned panels of the carton may be rectangular and arranged to extend vertically between flat top and bottom panels, although a carton with inclined walls is possible and any convenient form of top could be employed. The container shown in Fig. 1 is shown as having generally planar, vertical side faces. This need not be the case. The side surfaces could taper inwardly towards the top without affecting the outline as seen in plan view or the manner in which the containers can be packed together. It would also be possible for the side walls to be somewhat curved inwardly, for example as indicated by the broken lines 30 in Fig. 2. Such curvature of the side walls does alter the outline in bottom plan view but the outline remains generally wedge shaped. The outline drawn with a solid line in Fig. 1 could then be regarded as a notional wedge shape enclosing the actual outline. Since the actual outline fits within the shape depicted, the containers would pack together within an enclosure in the same manner. The containers may have some outward curvature of the side walls as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. Numerous further variations in shape from those illustrated are possible. For instance, with either a blow moulded container or a carton the thick end of the wedge could be formed by a single flat panel along the minor axis w. With a blow moulded container the thick end of the wedge could be formed by a succession of plane or nearly plane panels as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. All of the shapes illustrated are symmetrical about a central vertical plane. This will probably be preferred but is not essential. The manner in which wedge shaped containers can be arranged within an enclosure will now be explained with reference to Figures 4 onwards. Figs. 4 and 5 each show the outlines of two identical containers A and B placed side by side but with the orientation of one reversed relative to the other. Consequently, they fit within a notional rectangle as shown. The sides 2 of the two containers align with one pair of parallel sides of the rectangle. The thick ends of the wedge outlines each contact one of the other two sides of the rectangle. These Figures show that the relative position of the two containers can be adjusted so that their wedge outlines fill rectangles with a range of proportions. Fig. 4 shows the rectangle with the greatest ratio of length to width and in this instance the thick end of each wedge outline touches the opposite long edge of the notional surrounding rectangle at the points indicated 34. Fig. 5 shows a condition with a smaller ratio of length to width of the rectangle. With all positions the two containers are a close fit within the surrounding notional rectangle. Freedom to vary the proportions of the two sides of the rectangle arises because there are gaps as indicated 38, and there can be gaps as indicated 39, between the wedge outline and the surrounding rectangle, even though the rectangle remains a close fit around the two containers. In Fig. 5 the gap 38 is larger than the gap 39, while Fig. 4 has no gap 39. Figs. 6 and 7 are analogous to Fig. 5, but illustrating that the same juxtaposition of containers can be employed even if the containers have an underneath plan view with sides that curve outwardly to a small extent (Fig. 6) or even to a rather large extent (Fig. 7). Fig. 8 shows how a number of containers arranged in pairs can be fitted within an enclosure. This may be an outer case or a length of supermarket shelf. The fact that the containers can be a close fit within rectangles varying over a range of proportions, makes it possible for a number of pairs of containers to fit within enclosures having a range of proportions. As shown by Fig 9, the notional rectangles around the various pairs do not have to be identical. Figs. 10 and 11 show that a range of shapes and sizes of container can be designed to fit within a given rectangle. The shape and horizontal cross sectional area for a pair of containers to fit within a given rectangle (which may be a fraction of the area within a rectangle enclosure) may be varied by altering the included angle α and/or the extent of truncation at the thin end of the wedge shape. (Some variation can also be achieved by varying the shape at either end). Thus the containers of Fig. 10 differ from those of Fig. 11 in having a greater included angle α. In both Fig. 10 and Fig. 11 there are gaps 38, 39 between each wedge shape and the surrounding notional rectangle. This ability to vary shape and size gives the designer of a container greater freedom to choose dimensions while still being able to pack the containers as a close fit within an outer box whose dimensions are appropriate for filling the area of a pallet with an exact number of such outer boxes. This benefit is illustrated further by Figs. 12 and 13. If a container has an outline, when viewed in bottom plan view, which is basically rectangular, then the major and minor axes of the outline must be fractions of the internal horizontal dimensions of the outer box. Since the external dimensions of the box must be such that an integral number of boxes will fill the area of a pallet, and the maximum weight contained in each box is limited, there is virtually no freedom of choice of the size of the major and minor axes of the outline of individual containers, at least in the case of the larger sizes of container. Fig. 12 is a form of graph showing the possibilities for a range of generally rectangular bottles to fit within an outer box having nominal dimensions of 400mm x 200mm. Along the bottom of this graph there are indicated possible bottle sizes together with the number of bottles needed to fill the box without allowing the total volume of product carried within the outer box to exceed 12 litres. The vertical axis of the graph shows dimensions in mm. For each possible bottle size and number of bottles the dimensions of the major and minor axes of the bottle outline are shown. Once the number of bottles in the box has been decided, then in every instance there is only one possibility for the dimensions of these major and minor axes. Also, for each of these possibilities a range of heights is shown, calculated using typical cubic occupancy figures for this type of container. (Heights outside the range indicated may be employed but are not generally as desirable.) Fig. 13 is a similar graph illustrating the possibilities if the bottles have a wedge outline, the outer box again having nominal external dimensions of 400mm x 200mm. For each possible combination of bottle size and number of bottles in the box the graph shows the dimensions of major and minor axes of the wedge outline. A range of heights is also shown for each of the possibilities. In each case the major and minor axes are the dimensions indicated as 1 and w in Fig. 2. For each of the possibilities the possible dimensions for the major and minor axes have been calculated subject to requirements that the included angle α of the wedge shape lies in the range from 20° to 40°, that the thick and thin ends of the wedge have a part circular outline as illustrated in Fig. 2 and that the extent of truncation of the wedge is such that the radius r at the thin end and the radius R at the thick end satisfy the relationship: 2r ≦ R ≦ 4r The heights were determined from shape factors which we have found to be desirable. Heights outside the ranges indicated may be used, but are not generally as desirable. It may not be practical for all the dimensions to lie at the limits of ranges indicated. In other words, if any dimension lies at the limit of an indicated range, it may not be practical for the other two dimensions also to lie at the limits of ranges indicated. Excluded from both Fig. 12 and Fig. 13 are bottles where the major axis is more than twice the length of the minor axis. This is for the sake of convenience in bottle blowing. As shown on Fig. 13 it is frequently possible to have a range of sizes for the minor axis. In every instance there is a range of possible sizes for the major axis and the range of possibilities for the height is wider than in Fig. 13. A designer who is required to produce a family of bottles in different sizes, for instance 0.75 litres and then 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 litres, would want to have a progressive graduation of both the major axes and the heights from the largest bottles to the smallest. It is apparent from Fig. 12 that this is not possible with bottles whose outline approximates to a rectangle. Fig. 12 shows virtually no scope for variation in the major axis between 3 litres and 6 litres and then there is inevitably a sharp jump between the 3 litre and 2 litre sizes. Similarly with heights there is little scope for variation from 2 litres to 6 litres with an inevitable illogical drop in height to achieve a 5 litre size. It can be seen from Fig. 13 that with the wedge outline containers of the present invention there is more scope for major axes and heights to comply with a progressive graduation in size. The upper portion of Fig 14 illustrates that three containers, each with an included angle α of 30° can lie with the thin ends of the wedges adjacent and the angles α then accumulate to 90°. The lower part of Fig. 14 shows that by adding two more containers - side by side with orientations reversed - alongside the three, the result is to fit five containers within a rectangular outline. Fig. 15 shows another arrangement of five containers, in similar positions but slightly shifted so as to alter the proportions of the notional rectangle enclosing all five containers. It is thus apparent that with five containers in a rectangle there is scope for variation in the proportions of the enclosing rectangle.

Claims: In combination, means defining a floor surrounded by a substantially rectangular boundary, and a plurality of containers packed within the boundary to stand on the said floor, each said container having an outline in underneath plan view which is wedge shaped, with relatively thinner (6) and thicker (8) ends of the wedge and with sides (2,4) of the wedge whose length is greater than the distance (w) between the said sides at the thicker end of the wedge, and each container having a height (h) which is greater than any straight horizontal dimension of the wedge shaped outline, the containers being packed on the floor such that at least one pair of containers are arranged side by side touching each other but with their wedge shapes oriented oppositely so that the thinner end (6) of each wedge shape is adjacent the thicker end (8) of the wedge shape of the other container of the said pair, but with a gap (38) between the thinner end of each wedge shape and a notional rectangle whose sides are parallel to or coincide with sides of the rectangular boundary, and which fits around the wedge shapes with one pair of sides contacting the non-touching sides (2) of the wedge shapes and the other pair of sides contacting the thicker ends (8) of the wedge shapes. A combination according to claim 1 wherein the floor is filled by an even number of containers, arranged in pairs, with their wedge shapes oriented oppositely. A combination according to claim 1 wherein the floor is filled by an odd number of containers and at least some of the containers are arranged with the thinner ends (6) of their wedge shapes adjacent to each other. A combination according to claim 1 wherein the floor is filled by a number of containers, at least some of which are arranged in pairs with their wedge shapes oriented oppositely and the remainder of which, if any, are an odd number arranged with the thinner ends (6) of their wedge shapes adjacent to each other. A combination according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the floor is an area of a shelf displaying the containers for sale. A combination according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the means defining the floor is a box or tray formed from foldable sheet board material, the said floor being the floor of the box or tray. A combination according to claim 6 wherein the exterior length and width of the box or tray are such that an integral number of boxes or trays will substantially fill a rectangle of 600mm x 400mm. A combination according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the box or tray has one exterior horizontal dimension of 600mm, 300mm, 200mm or 150mm and a perpendicular exterior horizontal dimension of 400mm or 200mm. A combination according to any one of the preceding claims wherein an angle (α) included within the side faces of each wedge lies in the range 20 to 45°. A combination according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the wedge shape is such that the radius (R) of the largest circle which can be fitted to the wedge shape, tangential to the sides thereof, at the thick end (8) of the wedge shape is at least 1.2 times the radius (r) of the smallest circle which can be fitted to the wedge shape, tangential to the sides thereof, at the thinner end (6) of the wedge shape. A combination according to claim 10 wherein the radius of the said largest circle is in the range from 2 to 4 times the radius of the said smallest. A combination according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the containers are blow moulded plastic bottles. A combination according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the containers each have a screw cap at the top (10). A combination according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each container holds a volume of at least 0.5 litre. Packaging for a product, comprising at least two combinations according to any one of the preceding claims, the containers of one combination being of a different size to the containers in the other combination.

Inventors: ANDREW REX, ANDREW, REX
Applicants: UNILEVER NV, UNILEVER PLC, UNILEVER N.V.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B65D1
IPC codes: B65D1, B65D79, B65D85, B65D77