Stackable boxes

Details Stackable boxes Stackable boxes

1999-01-19

2001-03-20

Castellano, Stephen (Department: 3727)

Special receptacle or package

Structural features for vertical stacking, i.e., similar...

Having vertical projecting element or recess for interlock

C206S510000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06202847

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of The Invention
This invention relates to stackable boxes designed to be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and yet allow ease of stacking in a stable configuration.
2. Description of Related Art
Boxes have been designed to be stackable for some time, arising from the necessity of storing or transporting a large number of boxes in a small space. A few representative examples follow:
McLean, U.S. Pat. No. 1,809,523, discloses a foldable, open top, stackable container. Hinged side walls and end walls are held in their open state by means of biasing springs
18
and leaf springs
17
. In order to constrain McLean's stacked boxes against longitudinal and lateral slippage, the end walls are provided with mating tabs
19
and notches (unnumbered); the edges of the tabs of the bottom box abut the edges of the notches of the top box to prevent lateral relative movement. Shoulders
20
on the ends of the box's floor
10
abut the inner surface of bottom box's tabs
19
to prevent longitudinal sliding of the top box on the bottom box. McLean's box is complex, unstable in construction, lacks aesthetic appeal, and the interlocking structure has sharp edges which are subject to damage to themselves and others.
Cranston, U.S. Pat. No. 2,501,379, discloses a stackable display tray in which a recessed peripheral edge around the bottom of the tray fits within a complementary recessed lip interior of an identical tray's top peripheral edge. A lattice-work insert is shaped to fit within the tray's interior. Cranston's tray is inefficient inasmuch as the complementary recesses take up a large proportion of the interior volume of the tray, limiting its usefulness.
Voorhis, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 124,755, shows a design for stackable soap bar's having complementary, upwardly extending arches on the top and bottom surfaces, so that the convex arch of the top of the lower bar mates with the concave bottom of the upper bar. Voorhis's bars are not stable, inasmuch as there are no means provided for preventing the arcuate surfaces from sliding laterally relative to each other.
Ruff, U.S. Pat. No. 2,777,597, discloses a stackable tote box having a channel-shaped base whose end edges are welded to an end supporting member
14
which in turn is welded exteriorly thereof to end member
16
in a stepped relationship. End supporting member
14
is of an inverted V-shape; end member
16
includes parallel, V-shaped arches forming a convex peak opposite a concave notch. When stacked, the V-shaped notch of the top box mates with the V-shaped peak of the bottom box to support the top box and to prevent lateral relative movement of the boxes. The inside surfaces of the bottom box's end members
16
abut the outside surfaces of support members
14
of the top box to prevent longitudinal relative movement of the boxes. The box of Ruff is deficient in that it requires many pieces and a labor intensive assembly.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the difficulties described above by providing an aesthetically pleasing box have few parts, easy assembly, and a stable configuration when stacked on an identical box.
The present invention accomplishes the above by providing a box comprising a bottom, two side walls, and two end walls joined together by placing the bottom in a recessed groove in the side and end walls and affixing the corners of adjacent walls together. The end walls are shaped to mate easily and securely when stacked.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3572577 (1971-03-01), Dorfman
patent: 3591212 (1971-07-01), Rhyne
patent: 4173287 (1979-11-01), Kumakawa
patent: 5060819 (1991-10-01), Apps
patent: 5400904 (1995-03-01), Maston, III et al.
patent: 5415293 (1995-05-01), Ackermann et al.
patent: 5979654 (1999-11-01), Apps

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