Patent Publication Number: US-6662963-B1

Title: Vessel

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a vessel having a vessel body formed of metal and including an approximately cylindrical wall, a bottom and a cover, and a plastic ring provided at each of opposite ends of the vessel body and extending radially beyond the vessel body. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Such vessels, which are used, e.g., for receiving beverages, have a body formed of a special steel and generally well known. A vessel of this type is described, e.g., in a British Publication GB-A-2,001,032. In the vessel described in the British Publication, both the base and the top rings are formed as massive, plastic rings and are rather expensive. One of the rings (the base ring) serves for supporting the vessel, with the other ring insuring convenient handling of the vessel, being provided to this end with a gripping opening. On the other hand, the two rings serve for protecting the vessel body from deformation. The danger of the deformation of the vessel body is particularly large when during loading or transportation of the vessels, the vessel is displaced downwardly along a loading platform in an inclined position and is, therefore, subject to a one-sided shock load. The forces, which in this case act on the vessel, are so large that they crash the vessel body because of the deformation of the respective ring, and the vessel becomes unusable as the vessel volume is not insured. The used plastic rings are not capable of withstanding or absorbing the acting forces and transmit them, as a result of their deformation, directly to the vessel body. 
     A high resistance of the vessel body to the deformation is achieved in the vessel disclosed in German Publication DE-A-39 37 085. In the vessel described in the German Publication bottom-side and cover-side rings or rims are formed of a polymer material, and metallic parts are secured at the vessel body ends. The metallic additional parts have at least one connection surface formed as a ring to which a tooth plate is attached the teeth of which are so inclined toward the ring that the teeth ends extend toward the bottom or the cover and are attached to the bottom or the cover. This variation of a vessel is characterized by a large expenditure of material and by high manufacturing costs. In addition, gaps are formed at the free ends of the metallic parts which create, in case of dirt accumulation, a danger of gap corrosion under action of moisture. 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vessel of the above-described type devoid of the above-discussed drawbacks. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a vessel of the above-described type which insures an improved protection of the vessel body from deformation in case of a fall and/or when the vessel is subjected to a shock load. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a vessel of the above-described type which can be easily cleaned and can be economically produced. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These and other objects of the present invention, which will become apparent hereinafter, are achieved by providing a vessel in which at least one of the plastic rings includes a flange ring, an arc-shaped ring abutting a section of the vessel body, and an intermediate ring which connects the flange ring with the shaped ring and has a reduced size waist-like portion. The present invention proceeds from a premise that the relatively formstable flange region of the vessel body, together with the adjoining ring section, forms a rigid sandwich unit, with the rigid flange ring section, which is connected with the remaining portion of the ring by the intermediate ring section, absorbing the axial or partially axial forces. The fall energy of the vessel is converted into the deformation energy as a result of the elastic deformation of the intermediate and flange rings, which form sections of the respective plastic ring, without the bond of the shaped ring with the vessel body transmitting deformation to the bottom or cover. 
     In this way, damage of the vessel body is prevented. The bottom ring has a rather compact flange ring, whereas the flange ring of the top ring has an increased length such that the upper edge of the flange ring extends past the inlet nipple, with the height of the tubular extension being such that a gripping opening can be provided, on one hand, and on the other hand, a sufficient surface remains for inscriptions indicating the characteristics of the vessel, ownership, etc. . . . Because the tubular extension provides for an additional increased stability of the flange ring of the top ring, its wall thickness up to its lower edge, which serves as a snap and stop edge, can be reduced, without reducing the capacity of the top ring to absorb the deformation energy. The diameters of the flange ring of the base and top rings and their staggering are so adapted to each other that a reliable stacking of the vessels having the same shape is insured. The reliable stacking is also possible with the vessels having different shapes but the same diameters. The stacking of vessels of different shapes is also possible by formation of shorter ribs on the inner surface of the base ring. In order to optimize application of forces to sections of the base and top rings adjacent to the vessel body, it is proposed to form a transition region between the intermediate ring and the shaped ring which is closest to the vehicle body, as an arcuate region. 
     Pressure peaks and deformation of the portions of the base and top rings adjacent to the vehicle body, in the region of the bottom and cover caps, which are susceptible to bending, are prevented by having the thickness of the base and top rings reduced in the respective regions of the rings to a minimum, with the rings having in the respective regions an elastic profile. According to advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the base and top rings are formed of a thermoplastic material. This material has good shock and tear resistance, is easily recycled, and, e.g., can be easily colored in different colors. Parts from this material can be easily and economically produced by insection molding. The base and top rings are secured on the vessel body by an elastic snap engagement of the retaining rings, which are provided on the shaped rings, in the grooves formed on the vessel body. In order to achieve a very strong rigidity of the connections, it is further proposed to glue the base and top rings to the vessel body. 
     In accordance with a further development of the present invention, the top ring is provided with a pocket, which is easily deformable in the axial direction for snap pin connection with a logistic element, e.g., a transponder. 
    
    
     The novel features of the present invention, which are considered as characteristic for the invention, are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional advantages and objects thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiment, when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: 
     In the Drawings: 
     Single FIGURE shows a side elevational view of a vessel according to the present invention, with partially cross-sectional view of the base and top rings. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A vessel according to the present invention, which is generally designated with a reference numeral  1 , is generally formed of a vessel body  2 , a bottom-side base ring  3  and a cover-side top ring  4 . The vessel body  2  has an approximately cylindrical wall  14 , an outwardly bulging bottom  5 , and a cover  6  with an inlet nipple  7 . Two inwardly extending grooves  12 ,  12 ′ are formed in the outer surface of the wall  13  at a small distance from the transition regions between the wall  14  and the bottom  5  and the cover  6 , respectively. The grooves  12 ,  12 ′ have inwardly inclined surfaces  26 , 26 ′, respectively, which extent at an angle W to the outer surface of the wall  14 . The grooves  12 , 12 ′ have a depth such that on one hand, it does not adversely affect inner washing of the container by changing the laminar fluid flow to the turbulent flow and, on the other hand, enables a reliable snap engagement of retaining rings  13 ,  13 ′ of the base and top rings  4 ,  5 , respectively, in the respective grooves,  12 ,  12 ′. 
     The base and top rings  3  and  4  include each, respectively, a flange ring  8 , 8 ′, a arc-shaped ring  9 , 9 ′ which abuts a respective section of the vessel body  2 , and an intermediate ring  11 , 11 ′ which connects the flange ring  8 , 8 ′ with the arc-shaped ring  9 , 9 ′. Because the connection point between the intermediate ring  11 , 11  ′ and the arc-shaped ring  9 , 9 ′ has a smaller diameter than the connection point of the intermediate ring  11 , 11  with the flange ring  8 , 8 ′, a waist-like  10 , 10 ′ section is formed in the base and top rings  3  and  4  in the region of the connection point of t intermediate ring  11 , 11 ′ with the arc-shaped ring  9 , 9 ′, respectively. 
     Advantageously, the transitional region between-the intermediate ring  11 , 11 ′ and the arc-shape ring  9 , 9 ′ is formed as an accurate transitional region R,R′, and the intermediate ring  11 , 11 ′ has a vertruncated jointed conical surface. The above-described shape favorably influences the deformation conditions and draining of the washing fluid. 
     The arc-shaped ring  9 , 9 ′ includes the entire curved region of the bottom  5  and the cover  6 , respectively, with the retaining ring  13 , 13 ′ being formed at the edge of the arc-shaped ring  9 , 9 ′ adjacent to the vessel wall  2 . The retaining ring  13 , 13 ′ has a larger thickness than the arc-shaped ring  9 , 9 ′ and, therefore, a greater rigidity. The shaped ring  9 , 9 ′ has, at its inner edge  17 , 17 ′, adjacent to the bottom  5  or cover  6 , respectively, a section  16 , 16 ′, the thickness of which diminishes toward the inner edge  17 , 17 ′. The arcuate section  15 , 15 ′, which is located between the retaining ring  13 , 13 ′ and the section  16 , 16 ′, has approximately the same thickness, which increases toward the transition region R,R′ between the arc-shaped ring  9 , 9 ′ and the intermediate ring  11 , 11 ′. 
     The end surface of the flange ring  8  is provided with a stacking step  22 , with an axial stepping surface being formed substantially by ribs  23  provided on the inner surface of the flange ring  8 . 
     The top ring  4  differs from the base ring  3  in that the flange ring  8 ′ is provided with a tubular extension, with the initial thickness being retained only at the connection point of the flange ring  8 ′ with the intermediate ring  11 ′. As a result, a drum-like projection is formed which extends past the vessel body  2 . The remaining portion  18  of the tubular extension has a reduced thickness and a length projecting above the inlet nipple  8 . The flange ring  8 ′ of the top ring  4  is provided with a handling opening  19  and a marking surface  20 . The handling opening  19  is provided with an outer edge reinforcement  25 . 
     The outer diameters of flange ring  8 ′ and of the stacking step  22  of the flange ring  8  correspond to each other, which insures a simple and reliable stacking of the vessels. 
     Finally, there is provided, on the inner side of the tubular flange ring  8 ′, a receiving pocket  21  which is adapted for a snap connection, e.g., with a transponder. 
     The base ring  3  and the top ring  4  are provided, in the regions of the connection points of the intermediate rings  11 , 11 ′ with the arc-shaped rings  9 , 9 ′, respectively, with at least one through-opening  24 , 24 ′, respectively, for draining the washing liquid. 
     Though the present invention has been shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment, such is merely illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as a limitation thereof, and the present invention includes all modifications, variations and/or alternate embodiments within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.