Patent Publication Number: US-9422086-B2

Title: Helically stackable container

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/790,766 filed Mar. 8, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,169,041, owned by the assignee hereof. The specification and drawings of the foregoing application are entirely incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Products are often packaged in containers for retail sale; the variety of containers is as varied as the products sold. The packages or containers serve many purposes such as visually attracting consumers, displaying the product, keeping the product clean, keeping pieces together, and preventing theft. Containers are especially useful if the product has an odd or irregular shape or configuration as placing the product in a container makes it easier to stack and/or display the product. Multiple related products may be packaged together in one container for retail sale. 
     In a retail environment conventional containers may be stacked on display shelves, stacked on a floor or platform, at end caps or special displays, or hung on display racks. Stacking containers for display purposes has inherent problems—stores have limited display space and containers may not be visible to the consumer if placed on high or low shelves. In many instances in an effort to maximize display space, containers are stacked in tall stacks which tend to be unstable. Even if the stacks are stable, there is a high probability one or more of the containers will fall when consumers manipulate containers in tall stacks. The alternative is to keep the stacks low and relatively stable, however, low stacks of conventional containers will not attract consumer attention. 
     Thus a need exists for a container that maximizes the use of limited retail display space while presenting an attractive, eye-catching, and stable stack. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the invention, a container is provided which may be used to create a helical stack of like containers. An engagement surface, such as a star formed out of upwardly extending raised ribs, is defined on the exterior of a top panel of the container. A second, cooperating engagement surface, such as a plurality of raised rib “V&#39;s” disposed in a circular pattern, is defined on a bottom panel of the container. When a second container, similar to the first container, is placed on the first container, the cooperation of the first and second engagement surfaces prevent rotational movement between the containers. Additionally, the engagement surfaces are defined such that the second container may be placed on the first container with an angular offset around the axis that is preselected to be greater than zero degrees and less than ninety degrees. 
     According to another aspect of the invention the containers can be stacked in a helical stack. A first container is placed on, e.g., a display surface. A second container is placed on a first container at a predetermined angle around the axis to the first container, such as an angle of 14.4 degrees. A third container is placed on the second container, where the third container is displaced from the second container by the same predetermined angle. A fourth container may be placed on the third container with a further angular offset of the predetermined angle. The stacking continues until the desired stack height is achieved. 
     According to yet another aspect of the invention, the engagement surfaces of a plurality of containers may be positioned on the respective panels such that when two of the containers are stacked, the front panel of the first container necessarily is at an angle around the axis relative to the front panel of the second container. The angle of displacement around the axis is between zero and ninety degrees. This forces helical stacking of the containers, if there is only one predetermined position for the cooperating engagement surfaces. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a plurality of recesses are disposed on an engagement surface of the first container. A plurality of protuberances are disposed on the cooperating engagement surface of a second container. The protuberances and recesses cooperate in at least one position where, when the containers are stacked, the containers would be angularly displaced from each other. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a container is provided for creating a display stack comprising a plurality of such containers. A first engagement surface is disposed on a bottom panel of the body of the container. A second engagement surface, adapted to cooperate with a first engagement surface of a container above it, is disposed on a top panel of the container. A front panel of the body of the container is spaced from the axis, is disposed between the top and bottom panels, and has a noncircular axial cross-section, i.e., it isn&#39;t circularly round. The container is axially stackable on a second, similar container in at least a first position. The cooperating first and second engagement surfaces prevent axial rotation of the first container relative to the second container. The first position is preselected such that as stacked, the front panel of the container is at an angle around the axis relative to the front panel of the second container that is preselected to be greater than zero and less than ninety degrees. 
     According to yet another aspect of the invention, a container is provided that is capable of being stacked in a helical stack of like containers. A first engagement surface is formed on one of a top panel and a bottom panel of the body of the container. A front panel of the container body is disposed between the top and bottom panels and has a noncircular axial cross-section. The first engagement surface has plural recesses that are equally horizontally displaced from the axis of the body and that each extend in a radial direction. The recesses are equally angularly spaced apart from each other. A second engagement surface is formed on the other of the top and bottom panels of the body of the container. The second engagement surface includes a plurality of protuberances that in number are an integral multiple of the number of recesses in the first engagement surface. The protuberances are equally horizontally displaced from the axis, and are equally angularly spaced apart from each other. The protuberances are organized into sets equal in number to the integral multiple. The protuberances in any set are spaced apart in angular position from protuberances in the other sets. At least one set of protuberances is angularly displaced relative to the angular position of the recesses by a predetermined angle chosen to be greater than zero but less than ninety degrees. When a container is stacked on a like, second container, the first engagement surface of one container engages with the second engagement surface of the other container, thereby defining the angular displacement of the front panel of the first container relative to the angular displacement of the front panel of the second container. 
     The present invention provides an advantage to stacking containers in that the helical stack created is stable and eye-catching. The helical stack also saves horizontal floor and display space in the retail environment because the helical stack may be stacked to greater heights than prior art unstable stacks. 
     The helical stack has the advantage of displaying various aspects of the product to the consumer if a transparent container is used. The helical stack also allows for the viewing of all of the vertical sides of the container which may be printed with labeling, advertising and other information. If there are multiple products in one container, the gradual helical rotation provides the consumer the opportunity to view all of the products packaged in the container without having to take a container off of the stack. As an added advantage, the engagement surfaces on the container panels may be tailored to reflect the product inside the container or applicable marketing campaigns. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further aspects of the invention and their advantages can be discerned in the following detailed description, in which like characters denote like parts and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded isometric view of a container and lid according to the invention, as seen from above; 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the bottom of the container; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of the lid of the container as superimposed on a bottom panel of the container, an angularly displaced position of the lid being shown in phantom; 
         FIG. 3A  is a detail view of the lid of the container of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric view of a helical stack of containers, the container being chosen to be made of a transparent material and containing a product; 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of a second embodiment of the invention, showing circular walls of a first engagement surface being in registration with circular walls of a second engagement surface; 
         FIG. 5A  is a plan view of a third embodiment of the invention, showing circular walls of a first engagement surface being in registration with two circular walls of a second engagement surface; 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of a fourth embodiment of the invention, showing a curvilinear wall of a first engagement surface being in registration with curvilinear walls of a second engagement surface; 
         FIG. 6A  is a plan view of a fifth embodiment of the invention, showing a curvilinear wall and a center circular wall of a first engagement surface being in registration with an engagement member and circular wall of a second engagement surface; 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of a sixth embodiment of the invention, showing ovoid walls of a first engagement surface and short raised walls of a second engagement surface; 
         FIG. 7A  is a plan view of a seventh embodiment of the invention, showing ovoid walls and a circular wall of a first engagement surface and a short raised wall and circular wall of a second engagement surface; 
         FIG. 8  is a plan view of one engagement surface of an eighth embodiment of the invention, showing a continuous raised wall of a first engagement surface; 
         FIG. 9  is a plan view of a second engagement surface of the eighth embodiment of the invention, showing a slot; and 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic block diagram showing steps for a method stacking containers according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention provides a container for use in creating a display stack. In the illustrated embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , a container indicated generally at  100  includes a container body  104  and in this embodiment, a top panel thereof which is formed by a lid  102 . The lid  102  fits on the container body  104  and is completely removable from the body  104  of the container. The container  100  is preferably formed from a transparent polycarbonate material but may also be formed from transparent rubber, plastic or glass. The container  100  may also be formed from an opaque material, including an opaque polymer, cellulose, metal, ceramic or wood. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the lid  102  of the container fits on the container body  104  and is disposed around an axis X. In the illustrated embodiment, the edges of the lid  102  are rounded. The lid  102  has a top panel  103  with a general exterior surface that is substantially perpendicular to the axis X. In the illustrated embodiment, the margins of the top panel  103  curve downwardly to transition to side panels  120 ,  122 ,  124  and  126  which are continuous with the side panels of the container body  104  (described below) when the lid  102  is assembled to the rest of the body  104 . 
     According to one aspect of the invention, an engagement surface in the form of a raised-wall star  106  is disposed on the exterior of the top panel  103 . This engagement surface cooperates with a second engagement surface (described below) disposed on a second container to prevent rotation around axis X between the two containers and to allow for the second container to be positioned on top of the first container with an angular offset around the axis X that measures more than zero and less than ninety degrees. In the illustrated embodiment, the star  106  consists of raised ribs, upwardly extending from the general horizontal planar surface of the top panel  103 . The center of the star  106  is on axis X and corresponds to the center of the top panel  103 . 
     The lower part of the container body  104  has a front panel  107 , three side panels  108 ,  110 ,  112 , and one bottom panel  114 . The container body  104  is disposed around axis X. The bottom panel  114 , which is square in the illustrated embodiment, has a general exterior surface  212  which is substantially perpendicular to the axis X. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the shape of the top panel  103  in the illustrated embodiment is substantially identical to the shape of the bottom panel  114 . In this illustrated embodiment, panels  107 ,  108 ,  110  and  112  are parallel to and spaced from axis X, and form a prism. Side panels  107 ,  108 ,  110 ,  112  may be varied in cross-sectional shape or number; for example, side panels  107 ,  108 ,  110  and  112  could be replaced by an elliptical cylinder or a cylinder of irregular cross-section. Nor do the side panels  107 ,  108 ,  110 ,  112  have to be cylindrical or prismatic, so long as they axially space the top panel  103  from the bottom panel  114 . 
     As seen on the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , raised fins  116  are situated on and upwardly project from the bottom panel  114  in the interior of the container. The raised fins  116  may be used to keep the product in place in the container and can be integrally formed with the rest of the container body  104 . 
     An isometric view of the bottom of the container body  104  is shown in  FIG. 2 . There can be seen twenty-five engagement members  202  downwardly depending from the general horizontal exterior surface  212  of the bottom panel  114  (they extend upwardly in the bottom view). According to one aspect of the invention, each engagement member  202  is a raised rib in the shape of “V” or alternatively a delta. The engagement members  202  are disposed in a circular pattern, the center of which is the geometric center of the bottom panel  114 . 
     The twenty-five engagement members  202  shown in  FIG. 2  form an engagement surface on the general exterior surface  212  of the bottom panel  114 . The engagement surface on the bottom panel  114  cooperates with a second engagement surface disposed on the top panel  103  of a second container  100  to prevent circular rotation between the two containers and to allow for the second container  100  to be positioned on top of the first container  100  with an angular offset around the axis X that measures more than zero and less than ninety degrees. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  the bottom panel  114  may have other raised rib walls downwardly depending from the general exterior surface  212  of the bottom panel, such as the container feet  204 ,  206 ,  208 ,  210 . The container feet  204 ,  206 ,  208 ,  210  are disposed to be radially spaced from the engagement members  202  and are spaced from each other. The height of the container feet  204 ,  206 ,  208 ,  210  as measured from the general exterior surface  212  of the bottom panel  114  is preferably greater than the height of either of the engagement surfaces. In this illustrated embodiment, the container feet  204 ,  206 ,  208 ,  210  do not cooperate with a first or second engagement surface and are not, therefore, engagement members. 
     The star  106  of the illustrated embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-3  has five substantially congruent vertices or star points  302 ,  304 ,  306 ,  308 ,  310 . The substantial congruence of the vertices  302 ,  304 ,  306 ,  308 ,  310  ensures that the “V&#39;s”  202  of the cooperating engagement surface and the points of the star  302 ,  304 ,  306 ,  308 ,  310 , nest or mate with each other in any of many positions. The nesting “V&#39;s” are protuberances which are radially displaced from the axis. While the star has five substantially congruent vertices in the illustrated embodiment in  FIG. 3 , the star may have as few as three vertices or as many as can be accommodated on the bottom panel  114  or top panel  103 . The vertices of the star  302 ,  304 ,  306 ,  308 ,  310  are recesses which are also radially displaced from the axis. In all instances the number of “V&#39;s” or protuberances should be an integral multiple of the number of star vertices or recesses. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3A , each “V”  202  has sides  330 ,  332  with angles less than or equal to the angle of the star points  302 ,  304 ,  306 ,  308 ,  310  and nests radially inwardly from the preselected star point. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 3A , engagement member  202 A is fully nested in star point  302 . The legs  330 ,  332  of the “V”  202 A are adjacent to respective ones of the ribs  322 ,  324  of the star  106  which will prevent movement and sliding. With five nested engagement members, rotational movement between the cooperating engagement surfaces is prevented. 
     In the embodiment illustrated by  FIGS. 1-3 , one set of engagement members  202  on bottom panel  114  is in angular alignment with respective vertices  302 - 310  of the star  106  on the top panel  103 . There are four other sets of engagement members  202 , each set being equal in number to the number of vertices in the star  106 , with the engagement members  202  in each set being a predetermined angle away from the nearest vertex  302 - 310 . The predetermined angle of offset of each set is different from the others. 
       FIG. 3  also shows a second container  320  in phantom achieving a second engagement position which is angularly offset from the first engagement position. To achieve the second position  320  the star of container  100  cooperates with a second set of “V&#39;s”  202  on a second container  100 . The “V&#39;s” used to achieve the second position  320  are at a different angle of offset than the engagement members  202  used to achieve the first engagement position. As shown in  FIG. 3 , to achieve the second engagement position, the star point  302  is rotated from its original position to the position shown by  302 ′. Likewise star points  304 ,  306 ,  308 , and  310  are rotated to positions  304 ′,  306 ′,  308 ′ and  310 ′ respectively. The second engagement position  320  is displaced from the original position by an angle which is greater than zero but less than ninety degrees; in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the angular displacement is 43.2 degrees. 
     As shown in the illustrated embodiment in  FIG. 3 , the lid  102  has fins  314  disposed on the interior of the top panel  103 . The fins  314  preferably have varied orientations to aid in product placement and display. Particularly where lid  102  or container  100  is chosen to be transparent, it is preferred that fins  314  line up with the engagement surface walls on the reverse face of panel  103 , to render the contents more visible. 
       FIG. 4  shows multiple containers stacked in a helical stack configuration  400 . A first container  100 A forms the base of the stack. The first container  100 A is placed on a floor, shelf or other preferred display or stacking surface. The second container  100 B is placed on the first container  100 A, with the axis X of the second container  100 B in substantial alignment with the axis X of the first container  100 A, the axis X then forming the axis of a helix. The second container  100 B is placed in a position that is rotated 14.4 degrees from the first container as measured around the axis X. The star on the top panel of the first container registers with the “V&#39;s” on the exterior of the bottom panel of the second container. A third container  100  is placed in a position where the angle of rotation around the axis X between the second container  100  and third container  100  is 14.4 degrees. The star of the top panel of the second container registers with the “V&#39;s” of the third container. The stacking and positioning may be continued until the desired stack height is achieved. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a helical stack in which the first engagement surface is a regular five-pointed star and the second engagement surface consists of five sets of “V&#39;s” at 14.4 degree offsets from each other. The amount of helical twist may be varied by choosing stars or other engagement surface with more or fewer identical radial sectors, and/or by varying the number of second engagement surface members adapted to receive them, and/or choosing to shift by more than one angular position. 
     While the angular rotation around the axis X is shown as a constant 14.4 degrees in  FIG. 4 , the angular rotation may be any measurement greater than zero degrees and less than 90 degrees. Furthermore, the angular rotation in a stack does not have to remain constant. For example, for the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the angular rotation between any two consecutive containers may vary between 14.4 degrees and 86.4 degrees in increments of 14.4 degrees. In addition, the containers may alternate between two positions which would then not form a helical stack but will form a stack of alternately angularly displaced containers. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the bottom panel  114  of the container  100  is square and the container body  104  has four panels  107 ,  108 ,  110 ,  112 . However, the container  100  and the bottom panel  114  can be formed in other non-circular cylindrical shapes. For example the bottom panel  114  can be triangular, hexangular or octagonal. The number of container body panels would correspond to the number of sides of the bottom panel  114 . If the container body is a cylindrical or curvilinear shape, there may be only one body panel. However, in most instances, the top panel  103  would mimic the approximate shape of the bottom panel  114 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment in  FIG. 1 , the top panel  103  is a portion of a lid  102 . However, the top panel  103  does not have to be a lid and may instead be a fixed portion of the container. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the lid  102  is fully detachable from the container body  104 . In alternative embodiments, the lid  102  may be hinged, may slide in a groove or may be otherwise partially attached to the container body or joined to it in other ways. Ingress to the container may instead be made through one or more side panels. 
     In the illustrated embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the cooperating engagement surfaces are shown as a five pointed star and a plurality of “V&#39;s.” In the illustrated embodiment the star-shaped engagement surface is formed with raised ribs with a hollow interior. Alternatively, the entire star-shaped engagement surface, as well as any other engagement surface, could be a raised surface or eminence, a depression or a slot or even an opening in the respective panel. 
     Alternatively, the cooperating engagement surface could be any cooperating engagement surface that prevents circular rotation between two containers and provides for a second container to be placed in a position such that the angular rotation around the axis is measured between zero and ninety degrees exclusive, including engagement surfaces that are formed as a raised rib, raised surface, an indented surface or a slot or opening in the respective panel. 
     The minimum structure required for the cooperating engagement surfaces is the structure necessary to prohibit circular rotation between the cooperating engagement surfaces and provide for at least two positions such that the angular rotation between them around the axis is measured between zero and ninety degrees. Preferably the minimum structure will include structure for one position for one engagement surface and structure for two positions for the cooperating engagement surface with the two positions angularly offset from each other. Alternatively, the engagement surfaces may be chosen and positioned on the respective panels such that only one cooperating position is achievable. In such an embodiment, the first engagement surface is positioned on its respective panel such that when the second container is stacked onto the first container, the second engagement surface only cooperates with the first engagement surface of the first container when the front panel  107  of the second container is angularly offset from the front panel  107  of the first container. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention, one of the engagement surfaces could be a polygon with congruent vertices such as a star, square, hexagon or an octagon. The cooperating surface for a polygon-shaped engagement surface would be any cooperating engagement surface that prevents circular rotation between two containers and provides for a second container to be placed in a position such that the angular rotation around the axis is measured between zero and ninety degrees. 
     In yet a further embodiment of the invention, one of the engagement surfaces may include more than two horizontally spaced-apart features. The spaced-apart features may include a series of raised rib circles  502  placed around the center of the container bottom panel or top panel as shown in  FIG. 5 . The raised rib circles  502  are disposed at a constant radius from the center. The cooperating engagement surface may be a series of nesting circles  504  as shown in  FIG. 5 . Alternatively, the engagement surface may include the series of raised rib circles  502  with an additional raised rib circle  506  or other engagement member, placed on the center of the engagement surface as shown in  FIG. 5A . The cooperating engagement surface may include one nesting circle  508  aligning with the center circle  506  and one nesting circle on the outer circumference of circles  504  as illustrated in  FIG. 5A . 
     The spaced apart features may also include a series of ovoids  702  as shown in  FIG. 7 . The ovoids  702  extend radially outwardly between the circumference of an inner circle  704  and the circumference of an outer circle  706 , both of which are centered on the center  710  of either the bottom panel  114  or top panel of the lid  103 . The cooperating engagement surface may be a series of nesting rods  708  as shown in  FIG. 7 . Alternatively, the engagement surface may include the ovoids  702  with an additional raised rib circle  506 , or other engagement member, placed on the center of the engagement surface. The cooperating engagement surface may then include one nesting circle  508  aligning with the center circle  506  and a second engagement member in the shape of a nesting rod  708  as shown in  FIG. 7A . Alternatively variations of the illustrated embodiment may include any combination of cooperating engagement surfaces that prevent circular rotation between two containers and provide for a second container to be placed in a position such that the angular rotation around the axis measures greater than zero degrees and less than ninety degrees. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a further embodiment of the invention where one of the engagement surfaces is an undulating curvilinear shape  602  placed around the center of the container bottom panel or top panel. The curvilinear shape  602  does not have straight lines or vertices, but is a regularly repeating shape composed of curve segments. Importantly, the curvilinear shape  602  is capable of being divided into repeatable identical sectors where each sector is a portion of the curvilinear shape  602  bounded by two radii. The repeatable identical sectors allow for a cooperating engagement surface and multiple container positions. The cooperating engagement surface may be a nesting curvilinear shape  604 . Alternatively, the engagement surface may include a curvilinear shape  602  with an additional raised rib circle  506 , or other engagement member, placed on the center of the engagement surface. The cooperating engagement surface may then include one nesting circle  508  aligning with the center circle  506  and a second engagement member  606  along the circumference of the curvilinear shape  602  as illustrated in  FIG. 6A . Variations of the illustrated embodiment may include any combination of cooperating engagement surfaces that prevent circular rotation between two containers and provide for a second container to be placed in a position such that the angular rotation around the axis measures greater than zero degrees and less than ninety degrees. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , in an alternate embodiment one of the engagement surfaces may be a rod  802  or mesa. As illustrated, the rod  802  or mesa may be continuous and extend through the center of the respective panel. The cooperating second engagement surface for the rod may be may be intersecting slots  902 , as shown in  FIG. 9  into one of which the rod  802  is fit. 
     Alternatively one of the engagement surfaces could be one or more eminences or protuberances as shown in  FIG. 8 . The cooperating engagement surface for an eminence could include one or more depressions that would be sized and oriented to receive the eminence as shown in  FIG. 9 . The cooperating engagement surfaces would prevent circular rotation between two containers and provide for a second container to be placed in a position such that the angular rotation around the axis is measured between zero and ninety degrees. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a further aspect of the invention, in which a method  1000  for positioning multiple containers in a helical stack is accomplished by forming  1002  a first engagement surface on the top panel of a first container and a cooperating engagement surface on the bottom panel of a second container  1004 . The first container is stacked  1006  and an angular position for the second container is chosen  1008  where the displacement being greater than zero but less than ninety degrees. The second container is then stacked  1010  on the first container. If the top of the stack has been achieved  1012 , the stacking ends  1016  at this point. If, however, the top of the stack has not been achieved  1012 , the next container is determined  1014 . The angular position of the consecutive container is determined  1008  and the container is stacked  1010 . The stacking continues until the helical stack reaches its desired height  1016 . 
     In summary, containers have been shown and described which have top and bottom engagement surfaces that permit their assembly into a helical stack. While illustrated embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated in the appended drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto but only by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.