CONTAINERS

Abstract: A container, e.g. of cardboard, has a sleeve (10) extending around it so as to be slidable up and down and connected by tapes (9) to an internal carrier (8) for the contents and slidable up and down inside the container, to enable the contents to be lifted to the top of the container by moving the sleeve down the outside. In some embodiments the sleeve can be dispensed with and the tapes pulled down directly to move the carrier (8).

Description: 7258 0 / 002 . 3 55 CONTAINERS This invention relates to containers made of cardboard, paperboard or similar lightweight sheet material, and has as its object to provide for enhanced presentability of the contents of such a container. According to the invention there is provided a container made of cardboard, paperboard or similar lightweight sheet material, having at least one internal carrier for contents, the said carrier being suspended m the container body for upward movement, the suspension means being actuable by a user to move the carrier up . With such an arrangement contents supported on the said carrier may be elevated by the user moving the carrier up. One possible use of such a facility is to elevate a number of layers of contents, e.g. confectionery, one by one to the top of the container, for presentation and consumption. Another possible use would be to display a single item of contents, such as a bottle of beverage, following opening of the container top Preferably the said carrier fits m the container m slidable up and down fashion In one form of the invention the container nas at least two of said carriers, arranged m a stack, the said suspension means acting directly on the bottom one thereof . The said carrier, or the bottom one thereof, preferably forms a false bottom above a fixed base of the container. The container will usually have an open or openable top, with the said suspension means extending out of the top or the container for actuation by a user Preferably the said suspension means comprises at least one flexible elongate tension member such as a tape, 'hich may extend outwardly over the edge of the open top of the container Such a tension member may then Po connected to a sleeve actuator which surrounds the outside of the container and is slidable down the same to move the carrier up. I one form of the invention the container has at least two of said tension members, spaced substantially equiαistantly around the container, and secured to the said carrier. Such at least two tension members may comprise a single length of material, or two or more separate lengths. In another form the container has only one said tension member, which is secured to the contamei body at one end, extenαs movably under the said carrier m supporting fashion, and is actuable by a user at its other end. Some embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompany drawings, m which. - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container for three layers of confectionery, according to the invention, with its lid removed, Figure 2 is a vertical medial cross- section view of the container of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a perspective view of the container of Figure 1, with the top layer of confectionery removed, Figure 4 is a vertical medial cross-sectional view of the container m the condition illustrated m Figure 3 , "iqure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the second layer of confectionery elevated to the cop of the container, Figure 6 is a vertical medial cross- sectional view of the container m the condition illustrated m Figure Figuie 7 is a similar cross -sectional view with both he top and miαdle layers of confectionery removed, Figure 8 is a perspective view of a second embodiment ; Figure 9 is a perspective view of the container c: Figure 8, with its platform partly elevated; Figure 10 is a plan view of a blank for making a carrier for use m a container according to a third embodiment ; Figure 11 is a perspective of the carrier made from the blank of Figure 10; Figure 12 is a perspective view of a container including two carriers as shown m Figure 11; and Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 12 but partly broken away. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a square cardboard container 1 has a base 2 and side walls 3 and houses three layers of chocolates 4 to 6, each layer topped by a paper cover 7. The container has a false bottom m the form of a square platform 8 of cardboard, dimensioned to be an easy sliding up and down fit m the container, and acting as a carrier for the container contents. The platform 8 rests on the base 2 of the container 1. A plastics tape 9 extends underneath the platform 8, where it is glued to the latter, up two opposite inside walls of the container, and out over the tops of the walls where the ends of the tape are glueα to a square cardboard sleeve 10 which makes an easy sliding up and down fit on the outside of the container walls It will thus Pe understood that the opposite parts of the tape constitute two elongate flexible tension members connecting the platform 8 to the sleeve 10. The manner of use of the container will be clear from Figures 3 to 7. When the chocolates of the top layer 4 have been consumed and that layer removed, the user slides the sleeve 10 down to the position shown m Figure 3, thereby elevating the middle layer 5 to the top of the container The friction between the various -i parts is sufficient to hold them m this position without any help from the user When the chocolates of the middle layer have been consumed, that is removed and the sleeve is slid down to the position shown m Figure 7, thereby elevating the bottom layer 6 to the top, wherein again it is held by friction. Figures 8 and 9 show a circular container m which three separate tapes 11 are used to support and elevate a platform 12, by means of a circular sleeve 13. Beyond these differences, this embodiment operates m the same way as the previous one . Figure 10 shows a cardboard blank for making a carrier 14 for container contents, e.g. confectionery, as shown m Figures 11 to 13 Two such carriers 14 make a frictional sliding fit m a square container body 15, supported for upward movement by a plastics tape or ribbon 16 which passes slidably through two slots 17 m the base of the lower carrier (see Figure 13) with its ends extending out over the opposite top edges of the container body for actuation by a user. When the carriers 14 are elevated m turn to a position where their side walls are no longer confined within the container body, their walls automatically fall open as shown m Figures 12 and 13, to provide access to the contents, e.g. chocolates The tape or ribbon 16 need not be fixed to the lower carrier, and may merely pass under the lower carrier, but some form of attachment is desirable to prevent inadvertent removal of the tape or ribbon from the container It will also be understood that these carriers could be elevated by pulling down on only one end of the tape, ± f the other end were to be secured to the container body Again the friction between the parts is such as to hold them m any desired position without assistance from the user The parts of a container according to the invention could be made of lightweight sheet material ether than cardboard or paperboard, for example injection moulded plastics or light metal, or of a mixture of such materials. Containers according to the invention may be used for all manner of contents, such as confectionery, toiletries, giftware, jewelry, beverages, tobacco, multimedia articles, and games and toys.

Claims: Cl aims 1 ^ container made of cardboard, paperboard or similar lrghtweight sheet material, having at least one internal carrier for contents, the said carrier being suspended m the container body for upward movement, the suspension means being actuable by a user to move the carrier up . 2. A container as claimed m claim 1, wherein the said carrier fits m the container m slidable up and down fashion . 3. A container as claimed m claim 1 or 2, naving at least two of said carriers, arranged m a stao , the said suspension means acting directly on the bottom one thereof . 4. A container as claimed m any of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the said carrier, or the bottom one thereof, forms a false bottom above a fixed base of the container . 5. container as claimed m any preceding claim, which nas an open or openable top, the said suspension means extending out of the top of the container for actuation by a user. 6. A container as claimed m claim 5, wherein the said suspension means comprises at least one flexible elongate tension member. 7. A container as claimed m claim 6, wherein the said tension member extends outwardly over the edge of the open top of the container 8 A container as claimed m claim 7, wherein the said tension member is connected to a sleeve actuator which surrounds the outside of the container and is slidable down the same to move the carrier up. 9 A container as claimed m any of claims 6 to 8 , having at least two of said tension members, spaced substantially equidistantly around the container, and secured to the said carrier. 10. A container as claimed m claim 9, wherein said at least two tension members comprise a single length of material 11. A container as claimed m any of claims 6 to 8 , having only one said tension member, which is secured to the container body at one end, extends movably under the said carrier m supporting fashion, and is actuable by a user at its other end. 12. A container as claimed m any of claims 6 to 11, wherein the or each said tension member is a tape. 13. A container as claimed m any preceding claim, wherein the or each said carrier comprises an inner container having upstanding side walls which are arranged to fall open outwardly when freed from the confines of the container body. 14. A container as claimed m any preceding claim, wherein the friction between the relatively movable parts is such as to hold them m any desired position. 15. Containers as claimed m claim 1, substantially as hereinoefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings .

Inventors: HAMMOND JOHN, HAMMOND, JOHN
Applicants: FIELD GROUP PLC, HAMMOND JOHN, HAMMOND, JOHN
Application year: 2001
Main classification: B65D21
IPC codes: B65D5, B65D77