Claims
- 1. A container for multiple generally cylindrical batteries, the container comprising:a base having a bottom wall comprising a first generally flat bottom segment and a second generally flat bottom segment, wherein a side wall extends upwardly from the bottom wall, the side wall having a lower side wall which extends approximately perpendicular to the bottom wall, and an upper side wall which extends above the lower side wall which slopes outwardly from the lower side wall, wherein portions of the lower side wall define a plurality of semicylindrical segments adjacent each bottom segment, and wherein an intermediate segment extends upwardly between and separates the first bottom segment and the second bottom segment, the intermediate segment having a first support portion which defines a plurality of semicylindrical segments which open into an unobstructed central portion of the first bottom segment which receives more than one cylindrical battery, and a second support portion which defines a plurality of semicylindrical segments, a first array battery pockets being defined upwardly of the first bottom segment, and a second array of battery pockets being defined upwardly of the second bottom segment, each array being exactly two pockets wide and at least two pockets long, the pockets being defined by the semicylindrical segments such that when the batteries are contained in the container, they are received two abreast within the base, and at least one pair of said batteries touch one another between two opposed semicylindrical segments; and a cover positioned to selectably cover and permit access to the batteries positioned within the side wall.
- 2. The container of claim 1 wherein the container is thermoformed from a single sheet of substantially transparent thermoplastic material.
- 3. The container of claim 1 further comprising a transition segment extending between the base lower side wall and the base upper side wall, wherein the transition segment is radiused to assist the entry of batteries into the pockets.
- 4. The container of claim 1 wherein a spacing platform is defined on the intermediate segment which extends between the first support portion and the second support portion, and is spaced above the first bottom segment and the second bottom segment.
- 5. A container for multiple generally cylindrical batteries, the container comprising:a bottom wall; a side wall which extends upwardly from the bottom wall, the side wall having a lower side wall which extends approximately perpendicular to the bottom wall, and an upper side wall extending above portions of the lower side wall, wherein the upper side wall slopes outwardly from the lower side wall; portions of the lower side wall which extend inwardly to, define an array of battery pockets which open into an unobstructed central portion of the array which receives more than one cylindrical battery, the array being exactly two pockets wide and at least two pockets long the pockets being defined by the inwardly extending portions such that when batteries are contained in the container, they are received abreast within the pockets, and at least one pair of said batteries touch one another between two opposed portions of the lower side wall; and a cover positioned to selectably cover and permit access to the batteries positioned within the side wall, wherein in a covering position, the cover is engaged with portions of the side wall to be retained thereon.
- 6. The container of claim 5 wherein the lower side wall has an intermediate segment which extends upwardly from the bottom wall within the container to divide the container into a plurality of compartments, each compartment having portions defining an array of battery pockets, each array being exactly two pockets wide, and at least two pockets long.
- 7. The container of claim 6 wherein the intermediate segment of the lower side wall has a first support portion which extends approximately perpendicular to the bottom wall within a first compartment, and a second support portion which extends approximately perpendicular to the bottom wall within a second compartment, and a spacing platform which extends between the first support portion and the second support portion.
- 8. The container of claim 5 wherein the container is thermoformed from a single sheet of substantially transparent thermoplastic material.
- 9. The container of claim 5 further comprising a transition segment extending between the lower side wall and the upper side wall, wherein the transition segment is radiused to assist the entry of batteries into the pockets.
- 10. The container of claim 5 further comprising:portions of the upper side wall which define an outwardly protruding security tag bubble; and a security tag positioned on the bubble to make the container detectable by a security tag sensing detector.
- 11. The container of claim 5 further comprising at least one closure tab which extends inwardly from the cover to engage portions of the base and to retain the cover closed on the base, wherein inward flexing of the base upper side wall causes the closure tab to release the cover from engagement with the base.
- 12. The container of claim 5 wherein the side wall has two opposite ends, with long portions extending between the two opposite ends, and wherein each of the two opposite ends has an inwardly extending protrusion.
- 13. The container of claim 5 wherein the cover has a plurality of upwardly extending nesting protrusions, the nesting protrusions being of a shape to be received within the portions of the lower side wall which extend inwardly to define the battery pockets of a like container positioned above, such that multiple containers are stackable one upon the other.
- 14. A package containing a plurality of generally cylindrical batteries, comprising:a bottom wall; a plurality of batteries disposed on the bottom wall; a side wall which extends upwardly from the bottom wall; portions of the side wall which define a plurality of protrusions which extend inwardly and which extend upwardly from the bottom wall substantially perpendicular thereto, wherein a first battery is engaged in a segment defined between two protrusions, and a second battery is engaged in a segment defined between two protrusions which are spaced opposite the first battery, each of said segments opening into an unobstructed central portion which receives more than one cylindrical battery and is common to said segments and wherein the first battery touches the second battery to be retained in an upright configuration extending generally perpendicular to the bottom wall; an intermediate segment extending from the side wall and perpendicular to the bottom wall and spaced from the second battery, and further having a segment which engages a third battery which is not touching the first battery or the second battery; and portions of the lower side wall which extend substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall which define a segment which engages a fourth battery which extends parallel to the third battery and which engages the third battery, the third battery and the fourth battery being thereby held in an upright condition with respect to the bottom wall, wherein portions of the side wall and the intermediate segment define at least two compartments, each having a generally flat bottom wall and containing therein an array of batteries two abreast; and a cover engaged with the base.
- 15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein between about one quarter and one half of the circumference of each battery is contacted by a portion of the lower side wall.
- 16. The container of claim 1 further comprising a generally horizontal transition segment extending between the lower side wall and the upper side wall, wherein the transition segment is radiused to assist the entry of batteries into the pockets.
- 17. The container of claim 5 further comprising a generally horizontal transition segment extending between the lower side wall and the upper side wall, wherein the transition segment is radiused to assist the entry of batteries into the pockets.
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of 09/344,130, filed Jun. 24, 1999, which was a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 29/100,237, filed Feb. 8, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. D. 419,441, and a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 29/094,324, filed Sep. 30, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. Des. 413,803, issued Sep. 14, 1999, the disclosures of all of said applications being hereby incorporated by reference herein.
US Referenced Citations (21)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2158595 |
May 1972 |
DE |
76 14126 |
Jan 1977 |
FR |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
Entry |
Exhibit One —MTM Case-Gard J-20 series rifle cartridge case; mtmmolded.com, MTM Molded Products Co., Dayton, OH 45414 (photo). |
Exhibit Two—CASE-GARD 20 Rifle Cartridge Case; mtmmolded.com, MTM Molded Products Co., Dayton, OH 45414 (photo). |
Exhibit Three—CASE-GARD P50 Cartridge Case; mtmmolded.com, MTM Molded Products Co., Dayton, OH 45414 (photo). |
Continuation in Parts (3)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/344130 |
Jun 1999 |
US |
Child |
09/440605 |
|
US |
Parent |
29/100237 |
Feb 1999 |
US |
Child |
09/344130 |
|
US |
Parent |
29/094324 |
Sep 1998 |
US |
Child |
29/100237 |
|
US |