The invention relates to a container, and more specifically to a stackable container system and apparatus for storing matter such as liquids and solids.
Many containers for storing liquids and solids are known. Some of such containers are nestable or stackable with other like containers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,612 to Dorn et al. discloses an essentially square container with protrusions and depressions for nesting with protrusions and depressions of an adjacent container. The Dorn container includes a substantial number of such protrusions and depressions extending across at least fifty percent of each sidewall.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,336 to Lajovic discloses containers that can be stacked in an overlapping and staggered manner to form a close packed array. Each container includes upwardly extending projectiles to mate with flanges on the bottom of like containers. In addition to stacking top to bottom, the containers disclosed in the Lajovic patent may be stacked side-to-side in an overlapping staggered relationship. However, significantly more storage space is necessary because of the staggered configuration (i.e., the end of one container lies adjacent the central region of a like container). Furthermore, no means to carry or transport the container is provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,268 to Buske discloses a container for packing liquids adapted to inter-engage with an identical container. Each container of the Buske patent has a lateral face with means, such as teeth or serrations, for engaging corresponding faces of similar containers. However, the containers are only stackable in one configuration and, in fact, the engaging means are operative only in one direction.
The above described references therefore do not teach a container that is easily stackable in several different arrangements. Furthermore, none of the prior art containers provide an easy means to carry the container or to adjust its position from any number of vantage points.
It is therefore desired to provide an improved container system and apparatus which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a container system and apparatus having a particular exterior contour which enable interlocking with adjacent containers, either alone or in combination with protrusions and indentations. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a container system and apparatus in which containers are stackable in multiple configurations.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a container system that avoids overfilling and spillage.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a container apparatus that includes a reserve volume that can be accessed once a primary volume has been used.
It is a further object to provide a container apparatus having a particular shape optimized for carrying. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a container having at least one, and preferably several, integrated handle for ease of manipulation and transport.
These and other objects are achieved by providing a container having a center portion and two side portions each situated at an angle to the center portion and extending in opposite directions such that the a left half of the container is substantially identical to a right half of the container but rotated 180 degrees to form a “Z” shaped profile of the container. This “Z” shaped profile allows containers to be stacked upon each other to provide space savings in storage and shipping of the container and the container when filled with liquid.
In one aspect the container has a center portion with two center sidewalls. A first end portion is situated at a first angle with respect to the center portion and includes two first sidewalls. A second end portion is situated at a second angle with respect to the center portion and includes two second sidewalls. An interior cavity is defined at least in part by interior faces of each of the center, first and second sidewalls. An orifice is located in the center portion for passing matter to and from the interior cavity.
In another aspect the container has a center portion with two center sidewalls. A first end portion is situated at a first angle with respect to the center portion and includes two first sidewalls. A second end portion is situated at a second angle with respect to the center portion and includes two second sidewalls. An interior cavity is defined by interior faces of each of the center, first and second sidewalls. An orifice is located in the first end portion for passing matter to and from the interior cavity. A first position is defined when a section of the first end portion adjacent to the center portion is in contact with an external surface at a first contact location and when the second end portion is in also contact with the external surface at a second contact location. A fill line is defined in the first end portion at a maximum height where a liquid is retained in the container when the at least one orifice is open to an external environment when the container is in the first position such that a fill volume is defined when the liquid is at the fill line. An external volume is defined between the first and second contact locations and below a bottom surface of the container. The external volume is less than 20% of an interior volume of the interior cavity.
In another aspect a container apparatus is provided having a liquid reserve portion. The container includes center, first end and second end portions with an interior cavity defined by interior faces of each of the center, first and second sidewalls. An orifice is located in the first end portion for passing matter to and from said interior cavity. A first position is defined when an end of the first end portion is in contact with an external surface at a first contact location and when a section of said second end portion adjacent to the center portion is also contact with the external surface at a second contact location wherein when the at least one orifice is open to an external environment, a portion of liquid in the interior cavity drains from the at least one orifice. A reserve section is defined where a second portion of the liquid remains in the interior cavity when the container apparatus is in the first position, the second portion of liquid having a center of gravity substantially aligned between an end of said second end portion and a point defined where the first end portion and the center portion meet.
In yet another aspect, a container apparatus includes center, first end and second end portions. A central axis intersects the center side walls to define two sides, the first side including the first end portion and part of the center section, the second side including the second end portion and another part of the center section wherein the second side is a mirror of the first side relative to the center axis and rotated 180 degrees about a axis of the center section. An interior cavity is defined at least in part by interior faces of each of the center, first and second sidewalls. At least one orifice is located in the center portion for passing matter to and from the interior cavity.
Other objects of the invention and its particular features and advantages will become more apparent from consideration of the following drawings, claims and accompanying detailed description.
The container 2 includes a center portion 4. In the exemplary embodiment, the center portion 4 may have a substantially rectangular cross-section with at two or more substantially parallel center sidewalls. For example, the center portion 4 may include two sidewalls having a first length and two sidewalls having a shorter second length, depending on the desired configuration. As shown, the center portion includes two sidewalls. The sidewalls each include an exterior face or surface and an interior face.
The container 2 further includes a first end portion 6 and a second end portion 8. Each end portion 6/8 of the exemplary embodiment may include at least two substantially parallel sidewalls. Each of the first end and second end portions 6/8 may also include two sidewalls. As shown, the first end portion and the second end portion have equal lengths.
Interior faces of the sidewalls of each of the center portion 4 and end portions 6/8 define an interior cavity of the container 2. The interior cavity is suitable for containing matter including any number of fluid compositions, liquids, solids, and/or gases. For example, the interior cavity may include liquid fuel and/or other liquids such as water, soda, juice, etc. The interior cavity may also hold at least some solids. The container 2 further includes at least one orifice 12 for passing the matter to and from the interior cavity. The orifice 12 may be any shape or size and may also include neck 14 extending therefrom and a cap 16 or valve as desired.
The container 2 further includes at least one handle for ease of carrying and/or manipulating the position of the container 2. In some embodiments, the container 2 includes a handle 20 integrated in the center section 4. The container 2 may also, alternatively or in combination, include handles 22 and/or 24 in the first end portion and second end portion, respectively. In the exemplary embodiment the handles 20/22/24 are substantially flush with exterior faces of the container 2. For example, the handle 20 is substantially flush with a plane defined by an exterior face of a center sidewall and each of the handles 22/24 are flush with curved exterior faces (e.g., distal sidewalls) of the end portions 6/8.
In the embodiment shown, a central axis 10 is defined through the center portion. This axis may also be perpendicular to the center sidewalls and/or the axis 11. First and second sides may be defined on either side of the center axis 10 and the second side (to the left of axis 11 as shown in
In
Depending on the liquid in the container, the empty space above the fill line may be necessary for appropriate codes. As one example, volatile liquids such as engine marine engine or automotive fuel may have a greater tendency to expand than water, and the empty space may be needed to reduce the likelihood of too great of a pressure buildup when the tank is exposed to sunlight or is otherwise elevated in temperature.
As shown in
The container 2 according to the present invention is stackable with one or more like containers in at least two orientations. For example
Referring to
Although not shown, containers of different volumes could be stacked upon each other assuming the length of the center section and the angles Θ1 and Θ2 match the other containers being stacked.
In
In
In
The stack of water cooler container bottles is shown in
As also shown in
In another embodiment shown in
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Although certain sizes are described herein, it is contemplated that the container systems can be smaller or larger depending on the desired application. For example a single serving beverage size (e.g., 8 fl. oz.-20 fl. oz., etc.). The container may alternatively be a larger size such as one intended to hold a substantial capacity of fuel or water (e.g., 6 gallon, 10 gallon, or any other size), e.g., for use on a marine vessel, liquid or water storage, for chemical storage or even granular/solid matter storage.
Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular arrangement of parts, features and the like, these are not intended to exhaust all possible arrangements or features, and indeed many modifications and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14811378 | Jul 2015 | US |
Child | 15638788 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 16393031 | Apr 2019 | US |
Child | 16871964 | US | |
Parent | 15638788 | Jun 2017 | US |
Child | 16393031 | US |