Patent Publication Number: US-2013240401-A1

Title: Stackable, pourable product container

Description:
FIELD 
     The present invention pertains to a plastic container that is constructed to support the combined weight of additional like containers stacked on top of the container, and is also constructed to efficiently use a three dimensional space occupied by a stack of the containers and to resist relative movement between adjacent containers assembled together in a three dimensionally arrayed stack of the containers. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Pourable product containers, for example plastic blow molded one gallon liquid containers used to transport liquid products such as milk and fruit juices, or pourable granular products such as salt or pet food from a product producer to a product retailer have for some time been associated with the problem of transporting the product containers efficiently. 
     Efficient transport of product containers basically requires that as many containers as possible be fit into the smallest area for transporting. For example, containers such as cardboard or paperboard boxes containing goods are typically arranged in a tight fit three dimensional array on a pallet surface to efficiently transport the boxes. A tight fit two dimensional array of boxes is arranged as a bottom layer of boxes on the pallet surface. Additional tight fit two dimensional arrayed layers of boxes are stacked on top of the bottom layer. This results in a three dimensional tight fit arrangement of boxes on the pallet that can be efficiently transported. 
     With pourable product containers such as plastic blow molded gallon containers or bottles, it is not possible to fully employ the same technique of arranging a three dimensional stack of boxes on a pallet. Conventional plastic blow molded containers do not have a sufficient structural strength to support the weight of additional blow molded plastic containers, one on top of another. 
     There is a need for a plastic blow molded one gallon container construction that is sufficiently structurally strong to support the combined weight of additional stacked containers while also efficiently using a three dimensional space occupied by a three dimensional array of the containers. 
     SUMMARY 
     The pourable product container of the present invention overcomes the disadvantages associated with plastic blow molded liquid containers by providing a plastic blow molded pourable product container with a structure that is sufficiently strong to support several like containers stacked on top of the container. In addition, the container of the present invention is provided with a novel construction that enables a plurality of the containers to be arranged in a tightly packed, space efficient two dimensionally arrayed layer. The container construction resists relative movement between adjacent containers in the two dimensionally arrayed layer of the containers and resists relative movement between adjacent containers in a stack of the containers. 
     The pourable product container of the invention is a plastic blow molded one gallon container. However, the concepts of the invention can be employed in other sizes of plastic containers. The container has a general cubic configuration with a rectangular or square top surface, a rectangular or square bottom surface and four side surfaces that extend between the top surface and bottom surface. 
     The top surface has a cylindrical neck that surrounds an opening to the interior of the container. A substantially flat surface area of the top surface surrounds the neck. The neck is centered in the top surface. 
     The bottom surface has at least one cylindrical interior wall that is recessed into the bottom surface. The cylindrical interior wall surrounds a cavity that is centered in the bottom surface. A substantially flat surface area of the bottom surface surrounds the cavity. The cavity is dimensioned to receive the container neck of a lower container when the substantially flat bottom surface area of an upper container is positioned on top of the substantially flat top surface area of the lower container. The neck of the lower container fits into the cavity of the upper container and provides a connection between the stacked containers that allows for only limited relative side to side movement between the upper and lower containers. 
     Two of the four side surfaces of the container are constructed with pluralities of concave groove surface sections. The concave groove surface sections have lengths that extend between the container top surface and bottom surface, and widths that are sequentially arranged across each of the two side surfaces of the container. The lengths of the groove surface sections merge with the container top surface and bottom surface, and thereby form each of the two side surfaces as corrugation reinforced structures between the container top surface and bottom surface. 
     The other two side surfaces of the container are constructed with pluralities of convex rib surface sections. The convex rib surface sections have lengths that extend between the container top surface and bottom surface, and widths that are sequentially arranged across each of the two side surfaces. The lengths of the convex rib surface sections merge with the container top surface and bottom surface, and thereby form each of the other two side surfaces as corrugation reinforced structures between the container top surface and bottom surface. 
     The convex rib surface sections are complementary to the concave groove surface sections, wherein the convex rib surface sections of one container fit into the concave groove surface sections of a second container. This enables a plurality of the containers to be arranged in a tightly packed, space efficient two dimensionally arrayed layer with the convex rib surface sections and the concave groove surface sections of adjacent containers engaging each other. This enables forming a tight fit two dimensional arrayed layer of the containers on a pallet that resists relative movement between adjacent containers and makes efficient use of the pallet surface. Additionally, the concave groove surface sections and convex rib surface sections of each container in the two dimensionally arrayed layer of containers provide the bottom layer of containers with enhanced structural strength for supporting additional two dimensional arrayed layers of containers stacked on the bottom layer of containers. Furthermore, the necks of each of the containers in the two dimensionally arrayed lower layers engage in the cavities of each of the containers in the two dimensionally arrayed upper layers and limit relative movements between the stacked layers of containers. 
     The plastic blow molded container of the invention described above has enhanced structural strength to support additional layers of like containers stacked on the container. Furthermore, the construction of the container described above resists relative movement between adjacent containers in a two dimensionally arrayed layer of containers and resists relative movement between containers stacked on each other. Further features of the container of the invention are set forth in the following description of the drawing figures and in the detailed description of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is an upper perspective view of the stackable pourable product container of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a lower perspective view of the container. 
         FIG. 3  is an upper perspective view of the container similar to that of  FIG. 1 , but with the container rotated to the right 90°. 
         FIG. 4  is an upper perspective view of the container from the opposite side of the container shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is an elevation view of one side of the container. 
         FIG. 6  is an elevation view of another side of the container. 
         FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the container. 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom plan view of the container. 
         FIG. 9  is an elevation cross section view of two stacked containers. 
         FIG. 10  is an upper perspective view of two stacked containers. 
         FIG. 11  is a lower perspective view of two stacked containers. 
         FIG. 12  is a top plan view of a plurality of containers arranged in a tightly packed, space efficient two dimensionally arrayed layer of containers. 
         FIG. 13  is an elevation view of a side of a three dimensionally arrayed stack of containers. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS.  1 , 2  and  3  show perspective views of opposite sides of the pourable product container  12  of the invention. In the embodiment of the container shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , the container  12  is a plastic, blow molded one gallon bottle. The container or bottle  12  is constructed to contain one gallon of a liquid such as milk or juice, or contain granular products such as salt or pet food. In the illustrated embodiment, the container  12  is constructed as a blow molded plastic container in order to construct the container as cost efficiently as possible. Other manufacturing techniques could be employed in constructing the container  12 , as well as other materials. However, because conventional plastic blow molded containers are not particularly structurally strong, the particular construction of the container  12  to be described is well suited for enhancing the structural strength of a plastic blow molded container to enable several product filled containers to be arranged in a vertical stack with the bottom most container in the stack having sufficient structural strength to support the combined weight of the above product containers in the stack. 
     As seen in the drawing figures, the container  12  has a general cubic configuration that is defined by the combination of the rectangular or square top surface  14 , the rectangular or square bottom surface  16  and the rectangular or square four side surfaces  18   a ,  18   b ,  22   a ,  22   b . The four side surfaces  18   a ,  18   b ,  22   a ,  22   b  extend between and merge into the top surface  14  and the bottom surface  16 . The side surfaces  18   a ,  18   b  are mirror images of each other and therefore only one of the side surfaces  18   a  will be described in detail. The side surfaces  22   a ,  22   b  are mirrored images of each other and therefore only one of the surfaces  22   a  will be described in detail. 
     The generally square configuration of the top surface  14  is defined by four top corner surfaces  24   a ,  24   b ,  26   a ,  26   b . The top corner surfaces  24   a ,  24   b ,  26   a ,  26   b  extend around and border the top surface  14 . The four top corner surfaces  24   a ,  24   b ,  26   a ,  26   b  extend across the tops of the respective side surfaces  18   a ,  18   b ,  22   a ,  22   b  and merge the side surfaces into the top surface  14 . As seen in the drawing figures, the top corner surfaces  24   a ,  24   b ,  26   a ,  26   b  are rounded surfaces that form a smooth transition between the top surface  14  and the four side surfaces  18   a ,  18   b ,  22   a ,  22   b . The top surface  14  has a substantially flat surface area  28  that is bounded by the four top corner surfaces  24   a ,  24   b ,  26   a ,  26   b . The flat surface area  28  surrounds cube-shaped walls  34  that project upwardly from the center of the flat surface area  28 . The cube-shaped walls  34  extend upwardly from the flat surface area  28  and merge smoothly into a substantially flat square surface  36 . A cylindrical container neck  38  extends upwardly from the center of the square surface  36 . The neck  38  surrounds an opening to the container interior. A cylindrical cap  40  is screw threaded onto the neck  38 . The cap  40  selectively closes and opens the opening to the container interior. Other equivalent types of closure devices could be used with the container  12  in place of the cap  40 . Additionally, in other embodiments the cube-shaped walls  34  could be a cylindrical wall and the square surface  36  could be annular. 
     The container bottom surface  16  also has a general square configuration defined by four bottom corner surfaces  42   a ,  42   b ,  44   a ,  44   b  that extend around and border the bottom surface  16 . The bottom corner surfaces  42   a ,  42   b ,  44   a ,  44   b  extend across the bottoms of the respective side surfaces  18   a ,  18   b ,  22   a ,  22   b  and merge the side surfaces into the bottom surface  16 . As seen in the drawing figures, the bottom corner surfaces  42   a ,  42   b ,  44   a ,  44   b  are rounded surfaces that smoothly transition the bottoms of the four side surfaces  18   a ,  18   b ,  22   a ,  22   b  into the bottom surface  16 . The four bottom corner surfaces  42   a ,  42   b ,  44   a ,  44   b  surround and form a border around a substantially flat surface area  46  of the bottom surface  16 . Cube-shaped interior walls  48  are centered in the flat surface area  46  and extend into the container interior from the flat surface area  46 . The interior cross section dimensions of the interior walls  48  are slightly larger than the exterior cross section dimensions of the cube-shaped walls  34  that project from the flat surface area  28  of the top surface  14 . The interior walls  48  extend to a substantially flat square surface  52 . The area of the square surface  52  on the bottom surface  16  is slightly larger than the area of the flat square surface  36  on the top surface  14 . A cylindrical interior wall  54  extends into the container interior from the square surface  52  on the bottom surface  16 . The cylindrical interior wall  54  is centered in the square surface  52  and extends into the container interior to a substantially flat circular surface  56 . The interior diameter dimension of the cylindrical interior wall  54  is slightly larger than the exterior diameter dimension of the cap  40  and the neck  38  on the container top surface  14 . 
     With the cube-shaped interior walls  48  on the bottom surface  16  dimensioned just slightly larger than the cube-shaped walls  34  on the top surface  14  and with the cylindrical interior wall  54  dimensioned just slightly larger than the container neck  38  and the cap  40 , the bottom surface  16  of one container can be positioned on the top surface  14  of a second container as shown in  FIG. 9  with the cube-shaped walls  34 , neck  30  and cap  40  of the second container fitting easily inside the respective cube-shaped interior walls  48  and cylindrical interior wall  54  of the one container. With the bottom flat surface area  46  of the one container engaged and being supported on the top flat surface area  28  of the second container, the cube-shaped walls  34 , neck  30  and cap  40  of the bottom container allow only limited movement of the top container relative to the bottom container. In other embodiments, the cube-shaped interior walls  48  could be cylindrical and the square surface  52  could be circular. 
     Two adjacent side surfaces  18   a ,  18   b  of the four side surfaces merge smoothly together at a rounded side corner surface  62  that extends between the top surface  14  and bottom surface  16 . The top end of the side corner surface  62  merges smoothly into adjacent ends of the top corner surface  24   a  and the top corner surface  24   b . The opposite, bottom end of the side corner surface  62  merges smoothly into adjacent ends of the bottom corner surface  42   a  and of the bottom corner surface  42   b . As stated earlier and as best seen in  FIG. 1 , the side surfaces  18   a ,  18   b  on opposite sides of the corner surface  62  are mirror images of each other. Each of the surfaces  18   a ,  18   b  is constructed with pluralities of concave groove surface sections  64 . The concave groove surface sections  64  are substantially parallel and have lengths that extend between the top surface  14  and the bottom surface  16  and have widths that are sequentially arranged completely across the two side surfaces  18   a ,  18   b  of the container. The lengths of the groove surface sections  64  merge smoothly into the top corner surfaces  24   a ,  24   b  and into the bottom corner surfaces  42   a ,  42   b , and thereby form each of the side surfaces  18   a ,  18   b  as corrugation reinforced structures between the top surface  14  and the bottom surface  16 . As seen in  FIG. 7 , the lengths and widths of the groove surface sections  64  occupy a majority of the areas of the side surfaces  18   a ,  18   b . Only narrow peaks or ridges  66  formed where adjacent groove surface sections  64  meet separate adjacent groove surface sections from each other. Like the groove surface sections  64 , the peaks or ridges  66  are substantially parallel and extend along the lengths of the groove surface sections  64  between the top surface  14  and bottom surface  16 . The peaks or ridges  66 , like the concave groove surface sections  64  function as corrugation reinforcement structures on the side surfaces  18   a ,  18   b.    
     Rectangular openings  68   a ,  68   b  are formed in the two side surfaces  18   a ,  18   b . As shown in the drawing figures, the openings  68   a ,  68   b  are positioned adjacent the top corner surfaces  24   a ,  24   b  and are separated by the side corner surface  62 . The generally rectangular openings  68   a ,  68   b  are connected together by channel surfaces  72   a - d  that extend through the interior of the container  12  between the two openings  68   a ,  68   b . The channel surfaces  72   a - d  form a passageway through the container  12  that is dimensioned to allow the fingers of a user&#39;s hand to easily pass through the passageway. Together the openings  68   a ,  68   b  and the channel surfaces  72   a - d  form a handle  74  on the side corner surface  62  of the container. 
     The other two adjacent side surfaces  22   a ,  22   b  merge smoothly together at a rounded side corner surface  76  between the two surfaces. A top end of the side corner surface  76  merges smoothly into adjacent ends of the top corner surface  26   a  and the top corner surface  26   b . A bottom end of the side corner surface  76  merges smoothly into adjacent ends of the bottom corner surface  44   a  and the bottom corner surface  44   b.    
     As stated earlier and as best seen in  FIG. 4 , the other two side surfaces  22   a ,  22   b  on opposite sides of the corner surface  76  are mirror images of each other. Each of the side surfaces  22   a ,  22   b  is formed with pluralities of convex rib surface sections  78 . The convex rib surface sections  78  are substantially parallel and have lengths that extend between the container top surface  14  and bottom surface  16 , and widths that are sequentially arranged completely across the two side surfaces  22   a ,  22   b  of the container. The top ends of each of the rib surface sections  78  on the side surfaces  22   a ,  22   b  merge smoothly into the respective top corner surfaces  26   a ,  26   b  and thereby merge smoothly with the flat surface area  28  of the top surface  14 . The bottom ends of each of the rib surface sections  78  on the side surfaces  22   a ,  22   b  merge smoothly into the respective bottom corner surfaces  44   a ,  44   b  and thereby merge smoothly into the flat surface area  46  of the bottom surface  16 . The lengths of the rib surface sections  78  form each of the two side surfaces  22   a ,  22   b  as corrugation reinforced structures extending between the top surface  14  and the bottom surface  16 . The lengths and widths of the rib surface sections  78  occupy a majority of the areas of the side surfaces  22   a ,  22   b . Only narrow slots or valleys  82  formed where adjacent rib surface sections  78  meet separate adjacent rib surface sections from each other. Like the rib surface sections  78 , the slots or valleys  82  are substantially parallel and extend along the lengths of the rib surface sections  78  between the top surface  14  and the bottom surface  16 . The slots or valleys  82 , like the rib surface sections  78  function as corrugation reinforcement structures on the side surfaces  22   a ,  22   b.    
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the two adjacent side surfaces  18   a ,  18   b  and the two adjacent side surfaces  22   a ,  22   b  merge smoothly together at two additional rounded side corner surfaces  84 ,  86  that extend between the top surface  14  and the bottom surface  16 . The top end of the side corner surface  84  merges smoothly into adjacent ends of the top corner surface  24   b  and the top corner surface  26   a . The opposite bottom end of the side corner surface  84  merges smoothly into adjacent ends of the bottom corner surface  42   b  and the bottom corner surface  44   a . The top end of the side corner surface  86  merges smoothly into adjacent ends of the top corner surface  24   a  and the top corner surface  26   b . The opposite bottom end of the side corner surface  86  merges smoothly into adjacent ends of the bottom corner surface  42   a  and the bottom corner surface  44   b.    
     The convex rib surface sections  78  are complementary to the concave groove surface sections  64 . The convex rib surface sections  78  of one container fit into the concave groove surface sections  64  of a second container. This enables pluralities of containers  12  to be arranged in a two dimensional array as shown in  FIG. 12  with the convex rib surface sections  78  and the concave groove surface sections  64  of adjacent containers engaging each other. In this manner a tight fit two dimensional arranged layer of containers  12  can be formed on a pallet surface with the engagement between the side surfaces  18   a ,  18   b ,  22   a ,  22   b  of adjacent containers resisting relative movement between the containers and also making efficient use of the surface area of the pallet. Additionally, the concave groove surface sections  64  and convex rib surface sections  78  of the containers in the two dimensionally arranged layer of containers provide the bottom layer of containers with enhanced structural strength for supporting additional two dimensionally arrayed layers of containers stacked on the bottom layer of containers as shown in  FIG. 13 . Furthermore, the necks of the two dimensionally arrayed containers  12  in the lower layers engage in the cavities of the upper layers of two dimensionally arranged layers of containers as shown in  FIG. 9  and resist relative movement between the stacked layers of containers. 
     The plastic blow molded container  12  of the invention described herein has enhanced structural strength to support additional layers of like containers stacked on the container. Furthermore, the construction of the container described herein resists relative movement between adjacent containers in a two dimensionally arranged layer of containers and resists relative movement between containers stacked on each other. 
     As various modifications could be made in the construction of the container of the invention herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.