STACKABLE AND REINFORCED CONTAINER

Abstract: A container for storage and transport of liquids, consisting of a bottom, an upper wall with filling and/or pouring opening (7) and standing wall parts (2, 3) which connect onto the peripheries thereof and which are mutually connected along the standing side edges by standing corner strips (4), wherein at least one wall part is preferably reinforced in the upper portion thereof by means of one or more strip-like elements (10), each of which extends between the corner strips, so that the compression strength of the container is increased and it can be grouped and stacked more safely on a pallet.

Description: STACKABLE AND REINFORCED CONTAINER The invention relates to a container for storage and transport of liquids, consisting of a bottom, an upper wall with filling and/or pouring opening and standing wall parts which connect onto the peripheries thereof and which are mutually connected along the standing side edges by standing corner strips. Such containers are usually manufactured from plastic by the blow-moulding method and often stacked on a pallet and the like and transported in filled state. Because of the rather great weight, particularly the containers at the bottom may begin to dimple in the walls, whereby the bearing strength decreases considerably. This becomes all the more important when the whole package of containers stacked one on top of each other is held together by a shrink foil wrapping. This shrink foil causes an additional pressure load, particularly on the upright walls of the containers. The invention has for its object to provide a container with which the danger of dimpling in the side walls thereof is prevented and stacking can take place safely. The container according to the invention is distinguished in that at least one wall part is preferably reinforced in the upper portion thereof by means of one or .more strip-like elements, each of which extends between the corner strips. Owing to the reinforcements extending in horizontal direction along the side wall, this side wall is stiffened against buckling, this being sufficient to improve the vertical pressure stiffness of the whole container. It can be assumed that the bearing strength of the container is provided by the corner strips which are present between the side walls and which are held at the correct mutual distance by the reinforcements proposed by the invention. The strip-like element is preferably obtained by a channel-like groove in the wall, whereby this latter, if the width is at least the thickness of a finger, can also be used hand-grip. Conversely, the element can be formed by a protruding rib-like thickening of the wall. The reinforcements in the side wall(s) are preferably arranged such that the arrangement of a sleeve label, such as is usual with such containers, is not disrupted. The invention will be further elucidated in the figure description hereinbelow of a number of embodiments. In the drawing: fig. 1 shows a perspective standing view of a first embodiment of the container according to the invention, fig. 2 is a view corresponding with fig. 1 of a second embodiment, fig. 3 is a rear view relative to fig. 1 of a third embodiment of the container according to the invention, fig. 4 shows a detail of the wall of the container according to the invention with a reinforcing rib, fig. 5 shows in perspective view a number of containers according to the invention stacked on a pallet. The containers of the figures are all manufactured from plastic and obtained for instance according to the blow-moulding process, i.e. starting from a preform which is inflated under pressure in a mould so that the outer wall of the container corresponds with the inner wall of the mould. The container consists of a bottom portion 1 which is practically rectangular in shape. Connecting onto the peripheral edges thereof are wall parts 2, 3 which merge by means of edge strips 4. Edge strips 4 can therefore be seen as upright corner profiles. On the upper edges the side walls 2, 3 and corner strips 4 are connected to an upper portion 5 of random type. Upper portion 5 is provided here with a recess 6 for receiving a filling respectively pouring opening 7 and a handle 8. Any random upper portion 5 can of course be applied within the scope of the invention. The only restriction is that the containers must be stackable, so that the underside of bottom portion 1 can be stacked on the upper surface of upper portion 5. The side wall 3 is reinforced according to the invention by a strip-like element 10 which is elongate and extends between the corner strips 4, i.e. parallel to the lower surface of bottom 1. The element: 10 is embodied in fig. 1 as a channel- like groove formed by an inward protruding portion of side wall 3. By way of elucidation the wall 3 is partly broken away at 11, whereby this groove shape can be seen more clearly. Fig. 2 shows an embodiment wherein side wall 3 is provided with an elongate deformation 10 which here bulges outward, wherein side wall 3 retains the same thickness . At variance with the embodiment of fig. 1, the elongate deformation 10 is also arranged on the lower part of side wall 3. Fig. 3 shows an embodiment wherein not one but three mutually parallel protrusions corresponding to the protrusion of fig. 2 are arranged above one another in the side wall arid in rear wall 2. Fig. 4 shows an embodiment wherein the elongate reinforcement 10 of figures 2 and 3 are formed by a solid rib 10 situated on side wall 3. Here the side wall becomes locally thickened. The reinforcements all serve to hold the corner strips 4 spaced apart, these latter strips functioning as corner posts which substantially provide the load bearing capacity of the container. This is indicated with arrows L, which indicate the load of containers stacked one on top of another for instance as according to fig. 5, the magnitude of which is determined by the content, usually a liquid, of the containers and the packaging forces of a foil 15 for holding together the stack of containers on pallet P. The walls 2, 3 could begin to dimple as a result of this load, which has been found from practical tests to occur on the top and bottom parts of walls 3. Reinforcing elements 10 are arranged to prevent this. It is further noted herein that the space below reinforcements 10 on the surface of side walls 2, 3 takes a smooth form and serves to receive a sleeve label (not shown) which shows the content of the container. The form of this label is not disrupted by reinforcements 10, either in the case of the rib-like, outward protruding reinforcements or the groove-like reinforcements. • It is finally noted that the width of the channel- like groove 10 in fig. 1 is sufficiently large that the user can place his fingertips therein, whereby the groove can also serve as a hand-grip. The invention is not limited to the above described embodiment. The strip-like reinforcing elements in the above outlined embodiments are thus co-formed integrally from the wall material. The reinforcing element can however be separately connected in intimate manner to the wall part by for instance glueing. The strip-like element can also be arranged in the wall during the container manufacturing process in the form of a compression-resistant, for instance metal strip or wire.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Container for storage and transport of liquids, consisting of a bottom, an upper wall with filling and/or pouring opening and standing wall parts which connect onto the peripheries thereof and which are mutually connected along the standing side edges by standing corner strips, characterized in that at least one wall part is preferably reinforced in the upper portion thereof by means of one or more strip-like elements, each of which extends between the corner strips. 2. Container as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the strip-like element is obtained by a channellike groove in the wall. 3. Container as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the width of the channel is at least the thickness of a finger. 4. Container as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the strip-like element is obtained by a rib-like thickening of the wall. 5. Container as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that under the strip-like elements the wall parts are adapted for the arrangement of a sleeve label.

Inventors: QUIRIJNEN JOSEPH PETRUS WILHEL, VAN DER HEIJDEN JOHANNES ARNOL, QUIRIJNEN, JOSEPH, PETRUS, WILHELMINUS, ANTONIUS, VAN DER HEIJDEN, JOHANNES, ARNOLDUS, PETRUS
Applicants: HEIJDEN JOHANNES ARNOLDUS PETR, QUIRIJNEN JOSEPH PETRUS WILHEL, WIVA BV, QUIRIJNEN, JOSEPH, PETRUS, WILHELMINUS, ANTONIUS, VAN DER HEIJDEN, JOHANNES, ARNOLDUS, PETRUS, WIVA VERPAKKINGEN B.V.
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B65D1
IPC codes: B65D1