Stackable re-usable container

Details Stackable re-usable container Stackable re-usable container

2000-09-13

2001-05-15

Pollard, Steven (Department: 3727)

Special receptacle or package

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

Having vertical projecting element or recess for interlock

C206S508000, C220S004040, C220S004270

Reexamination Certificate

active

06230892

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a reusable container made of a thermoplastic material, with at least one filler and drain opening in the top panel or container lid, and with an upper and a lower circumferential stacking ring.
A similar thermoplastic container has been described for instance in DE-A 26 29 630. That earlier container, featuring thin extruded side walls, offers relatively poor stackability, its residual drainability is inadequate and it is not suitable for reuse.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the objective of this invention to eliminate such shortcomings by introducing a reusable container which is sturdy in design, permits direct multi-tiered stacking, offers good residual drainability and, in particular, allows for multiple use and facilitated manipulation. According to the invention, this is accomplished by means of the characteristic features specified in patent claim
1
. By giving the upper stacking ring a slightly larger diameter than the lower stacking ring, providing a recess inside the top rim of the upper stacking ring which recess matches the diameter of the lower stacking ring, and incorporating on the outside a vertically protruding circular flange whereby, when stacked one container atop the other, the lower stacking ring of the upper container fits into the recess in the upper stacking ring of the container underneath and is snugly centered by the vertically protruding circular flange, it is possible for containers per this invention to be securely stacked in multiple tiers without requiring intermediate stacking pallets. Moreover, the larger diameter of the upper stacking ring facilitates the handling and manipulation of filled containers of this type. Various enhanced, advantageous design variations of this invention are specified in the subclaims.
The structural design of the container and the advantages it offers also make the container per this invention quite suitable for relatively hazardous liquids such as herbicides or pesticides, allowing multiple reuse. This novel reusable container may incorporate any of the following features and enhancements:
The upper rim at the top end of the collar of the upper stacking ring has a solid square cross section from the outside of which the circular flange protrudes vertically in the axial direction;
The collar of the upper stacking ring is slightly flared toward the outside;
The center section of the container body is fully cylindrical over a certain axial length while its upper and lower sections respectively connecting to the upper and lower stacking ring are slightly rounded and tapered;
The height (=axial length) of the rounded, tapered wall sections respectively connecting to the upper and lower stacking ring, i.e. to the respective collar to where the fully cylindrical section of the container wall begins, is approximately 110 mm (4.33″);
The maximum diameter of a manually manipulable i.e. portable container with a limited capacity of not more than 70 liters (18.5 gallons) is approximately 380 mm (15″) in the area of the fully cylindrical container wall or the outer edge of the upper stacking ring;
The top panel is essentially flat or slightly convex and is provided in the area of its flat perimeter with two mutually opposite, protruding bungs with gas-tight sealable bungholes;
The essentially flat or slightly convex (domed) top panel connects via a flared or rounded circular section at the junction of the upper stacking ring to the tapered section of the lower container wall;
The bottom panel is slightly sloped toward one side in such fashion that a depression (=trough) constituting a sump is formed underneath a drain bung;
In the area of the sump, the bottom panel is provided with at least three protrusions, slightly pointing inwards, serving to center the bottom end of a pump tube (e.g. a Micromatic filler and drain suction tube);
The center of the bottom panel is slightly convex or domed to facilitate residual drainage;
The center of the top panel is slightly concave to facilitate residual draining of an inverted container;
The container wall is a multilayered structure consisting of at least two or more different types of thermoplastic material (co-extrusion);
The container has a limited capacity of about 70 liters (18.5 gallons) and is provided with at least two handles in the upper stacking ring, so that the container is still manually manipulable i.e. portable;
A single, interchangeable-cavity blow mold according to this invention is capable, by inserting circular sections of different heights in the fully cylindrical part of the container wall, of producing containers of varying heights (same diameter, top and bottom panels) with a capacity for instance of 25 L, 30 L, 50 L, 60 L or 70 L (6.6, 7.9, 13.2, 15.9 or 18.5 gallons);
The collar of the lower stabilizing ring above the angled circular foot is provided with perforations (e.g. drilled holes) allowing the circular foot of a stacked container to be fastened to the upper stacking ring of a container underneath it, in that suitable fastening aids (such as wire clips or plastic cable ties) can be inserted through a perforation and a handle opening;
For fastening at least two side-by-side containers to one another, they are so positioned that their handle openings line up, permitting a length of a fastening aid (such as a clamping strap, a wooden lath or board) to be inserted through the handle openings for locking the containers together;
For more secure stacking during storage or transport, several containers stacked on a pallet can be fastened to one another or to the pallet itself by means of fastening aids inserted through the handle openings in the upper stacking ring and/or through the perforations in the circular foot;
As a particularly salient feature of the new blow mold for producing a reusable container per this invention, the two blow-mold parts are each provided with an attachment serving to punch out the handle openings in the upper stacking ring.
The blow mold is designed as an interchangeable-cavity mold in which the mold parts for the fully cylindrical center section of the container are separated along a horizontal mold-parting plane permitting the production of different container sizes, having the same diameter but varying heights, by the simple process of exchanging and inserting the desired circular section. By inserting the desired circular center section it is thus possible to produce in one single blow mold different container sizes with capacities from 25 to 70 liters.


REFERENCES:
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patent: 2 385 594 (1978-10-01), None
patent: 1 269 626 (1972-04-01), None
patent: 2 137 158 (1984-10-01), None

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