Receptacles – Arrangements of plural receptacles
Utility Patent
1999-05-06
2001-01-02
Moy, Joseph M. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Arrangements of plural receptacles
C206S501000
Utility Patent
active
06168039
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to packaging and, more particularly, to packaging for products such as household products, particularly such packaging which is suitable for, but not restricted to, dispensing from coin operated or other automated dispensing equipment.
Currently, many household products, particularly individual portions of household products such as laundry detergent, bleach, etc. which are dispensed from machines, such as in laundromats, are rectangular packages of standard dimensions to facilitate dispensing from within two primary types of coin operated dispensing equipment. The packaging of powders, liquids and sheets generally use rectangular paperboard cartons of a predetermined length, width and height to fit the specifications of the dispensing machinery. Liquids are first packaged in flexible liquid tight substrates or pouches and are then placed in paperboard cartons of a suitable size and shape so that they may also be dispensed with the same equipment. Conventional liquid packages positioned so that the opening feature is on a horizontal plane and having a size and shape to fit the specifications of existing dispensing machinery have also been used. Such extant packaging is problematic in that product leakage is a significant factor resulting in potential personal injury and property damage. In addition, the cost of providing such packaging is high.
Other packages, such as those disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,299,277, 2,641,374, 4,708,253, 4,805,793, 5,002,199, and 5,480,028 disclose a variety of stackable packages which have generally parallelepiped shapes, dispensing necks, and clearance areas to permit stacking of packages. However, these patents also disclose engagement of the bottom surface of the overlying package with the top surface of the underlying package in a locking arrangement which is unsuitable for use in dispensing equipment. While still other packages, such as those disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,111,884, 3,176,879, 3,474,843, 3,765,574, 5,265,743, 5,299,710, 5,779,051, Des. 181,947, and Des. 220,831 disclose stackable packages without locking engagement, none of the afore-mentioned patents disclose stackable packages that can be utilized in a dispensing machine.
The present invention comprises a universal polymeric package which can be, but does not have to be, used for dispensing powders, liquids or virtually anything else from a standard coin operated or other dispensing machine. Packaging made in accordance with the present invention is structurally superior to prior art packaging due to the position and vertical location of the opening feature and the design which permits a multiplicity of such packages to be stacked one on top of the other without creating undue pressure on the opening feature or other portion of the bottom package or any intervening package which could result in breakage or leakage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, the invention is a package for containing a product for use with standard dispensing equipment. The package comprises a generally parallelepiped container including two lateral, generally parallel, opposite side panels and two longitudinal, generally parallel, opposite side panels. Each side panel is interconnected with adjacent side panels, and each side panel has a lower edge and an upper edge. The container further includes a bottom panel extending from and interconnecting the lower edges of each of the lateral and longitudinal side panels, and a top panel extending from and interconnecting the upper edges of each of the lateral and longitudinal side panels. The package further comprises a dispensing neck extending generally upwardly from the top panel proximate to a corner formed by the top panel and two adjacent side panels. The dispensing neck has an open end, a predetermined length, a predetermined width and a predetermined height. The package further comprises a cover member removably disposed over the open end of the dispensing neck. The cover member has a predetermined length, a predetermined width and a predetermined height. The bottom panel has a recessed area generally aligned with the dispensing neck. The recessed area has a length slightly greater than the longer of a combination of the dispensing neck and the cover member, a width slightly greater than the wider of the combination of the dispensing neck and the cover member, and a height slightly greater than a combination of the height of the dispensing neck and the cover member disposed above the dispensing neck whereby when a plurality of such packages are stacked one on top of another the dispensing neck and the cover member of each underlying package is received within the recessed area of an overlying package such that none of the weight of any overlying package is borne by the cover member and dispensing neck of an underlying package. The packages can be stacked on top of one another within standard dispensing equipment. A package can be displaced in one of a first and second lateral and a first and second longitudinal direction from the stack of packages for dispensing from the standard dispensing equipment.
The invention is also a package for containing a product. The package comprises a generally parallelepiped container including two lateral, generally parallel, opposite side panels and two longitudinal, generally parallel, opposite side panels. Each side panel is interconnected with adjacent side panels, and each side panel has a lower edge and an upper edge. The container further includes a bottom panel extending from and interconnecting the lower edges of each of the lateral and longitudinal side panels, and a top panel extending from and interconnecting the upper edges of each of the lateral and longitudinal side panels. The package further comprises a dispensing neck extending generally upwardly from the top panel proximate to a corner formed by the top panel and two adjacent side panels. The dispensing neck has an open end, a predetermined length, a predetermined width and a predetermined height. The package further comprises a cover member removably disposed over the open end of the dispensing neck. The cover member has a predetermined length, a predetermined width and a predetermined height. The bottom panel has a recessed area generally aligned with the dispensing neck. The recessed area has a length slightly greater than the longer of a combination of the dispensing neck and the cover member, a width slightly greater than the wider of the combination of the dispensing neck and the cover member, and a height slightly greater than a combination of the height of the dispensing neck and the cover member disposed above the dispensing neck whereby when a plurality of such packages are stacked one on top of another the dispensing neck and the cover member of each underlying package is received within the recessed area of an overlying package such that none of the weight of any overlying package is borne by the cover member and dispensing neck of an underlying package. The packages can be stacked on top of one another. A package can be displaced in one of a first and second lateral and a first and second longitudinal direction from the stack of packages for dispensing.
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Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld L.L.P.
First Preference Products Corp.
Moy Joseph M.
LandOfFree
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