Special receptacle or package – Structural features for vertical stacking – i.e. – similar... – Having vertical projecting element or recess for interlock
Patent
1987-04-06
1990-04-24
Foster, Jimmy G.
Special receptacle or package
Structural features for vertical stacking, i.e., similar...
Having vertical projecting element or recess for interlock
206515, 220 234, 220 236, 446 73, 446111, 446122, B65D 8136
Patent
active
049192680
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
Standard tub-like containers are in existence and are used for the sale of products such as yoghurt and cream. These containers are disposable and normally are of very little use once they have been emptied of their contents. It is an object of this invention to modify such containers so that they will have a useful life after they have been emptied.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a container, comprising opposite ends, one end of the concontainer having a laterally extending flange, a portion of the flange separate from its periphery and an opposite end of the container incorporating mutually interengageable connection parts enabling two or more similar containers to be interconnected with one another in a desired spatial relationship.
Empty containers of this nature can be used as parts of a construction kit for children. Thus they can interconnect a number of containers by means of the connection parts to construct quite complicated assemblies.
The flange may be a top of the container and the opposite end being a base of the container.
The connection parts may comprise complementary plug and socket formations.
The formations may have a circular cross-section, cruciform cross-section, rectilinear cross-section or any other suitable cross-section.
The connection parts may be integral with the base of the container.
The connection parts at the base may be on or in a flange extending laterally beyond the side wall(s) of the container as an extension of the base.
The container may taper inwardly towards the base so that similar containers can be stacked one within another.
The container may be used for the sale of foodstuffs or the like, in which case the top of the container may be covered by a removable foil sheet affixed to the flange.
The flange may have at least one connection part comprising a socket.
The flange may have two pairs of opposite corners within each of which there is a socket.
The sockets may be holes through the flange.
The connection parts of the base may comprise a cruciform shape with a projecting plug between each adjacent pair of arms.
The invention also extends to a building system comprising a number of containers as hereinbefore defined, and connector members adapted to interengage with the connection parts on the containers to interlink the containers together in a single assembly.
The connector members may comprise a plate member incorporating connection parts complementary to those of the containers.
There may be a plug member having projections which are complementary to recesses defining connection parts on the containers.
The plug member may comprise two, four or six projections extending in a regular array from a central point of the plug member.
There may be a patterned or printed sheet portion with an adhesive surface which can be stuck on to the containers.
The invention may be performed in various ways and preferred embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIGS. 1 and 2 are top and underneath perspective views of a container of this invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates a number of such containers built into a stack;
FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate alternative means of interconnecting the containers;
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate respective methods of interconnection of the containers as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5;
FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate two forms of plate-like connector members for use with the containers of the form shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 10 illustrates plug-like connector members which may be used to interconnect the containers with the connector members shown in FIGS. 8 and 9;
FIGS. 11 and 12 show two methods of interconnecting containers using a connector member of FIG. 8;
FIG. 13 illustrates a modified form of connector plate connected to a container; and
FIG. 14 is a detail of the arrangement of FIG. 13 showing how the parts are connected together.
FIGS. 17 and 18 isometrically illustrate an alternative form of the invention.
FIGS. 19, 20 and 21 isometrically illustrate alternative methods of interconnec
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Edwards David M.
Lyons Robin S.
Young Michael E.
Creative Design and Packaging Cardiff Limited
Foster Jimmy G.
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