Patent Application
20070246392
N/A
This invention relates to beverage cases. More specifically, the invention relates to a half-depth or mid-depth molded plastic beverage case that is fully nestable with like beverage cases, partially nestable with prior art non-nestable “box-style” beverage cases, and stackable with prior art box-style cases.
Beverages are commonly packaged in containers ranging in size from about six ounces up to about two liters, although different size containers are sometimes used. To facilitate handling, these containers typically are placed in cases that normally hold from eight to twenty-four containers, depending upon the size of the containers and the style of the case.
Reusable molded plastic cases capable of holding the desired number of containers have been developed in the prior art. These cases have a bottom wall or floor and upstanding side and end walls around the periphery of the floor. Cases designed for smaller containers generally are of low-depth construction, and typically have tapered or outwardly inclined sidewalls so that the cases can nest with one another. Other cases that have been developed primarily for use with larger containers have a higher sidewall, i.e., approximately mid-depth construction, with a sidewall that is about one-half the height of beverage containers placed in the case. The sidewalls in these cases generally are vertical and of substantially uniform height. This type of case is referred to in the industry as a “box-style” case and is commonly used for holding containers of one liter size, although they could be designed to hold containers of other sizes, including from about twenty ounces up to two or three liters, for example. These box-style cases do not nest with each other or with cases or boxes of other designs. They do, however, have shallow interengaging structure at their tops and bottoms that permit the bottom of an upper box to extend about ⅜ of an inch into the top of a lower box, permitting the boxes to be stacked in stable relationship with one another.
The inability of box-style cases to nest requires a substantial amount of space for storage and shipment of the cases when empty, leading to increased cost in their use. Moreover, the planar or flat vertical sidewalls typically found in these cases do not provide secure support to containers placed in the case.
It would be desirable, therefore, to have a mid-depth beverage case designed for holding larger beverage containers, wherein the case is nestable and wherein the sidewalls provide secure support to containers placed in the case.
The present invention is a mid-depth beverage case designed for holding larger beverage containers, e.g., from about twenty ounces up to about two liters or more, wherein the case is nestable and wherein the sidewalls provide secure support to containers placed in the case.
In a preferred embodiment, the invention comprises a nestable mid-depth case for bottles, comprising a floor having a top surface, a bottom surface, and an outer perimeter, wherein the top surface has a plurality of bottle seating areas formed thereon, and the bottom surface has a plurality of recessed closure receiving areas formed thereon for receiving bottle closures in a subjacent crate. A mid-depth wall extends around the perimeter of the floor, and comprises opposed sidewalls and opposed end walls, each of the sidewalls and end walls having an upper wall section extending perpendicular to the floor and a lower wall section extending perpendicular to the floor. The lower wall section comprises a plurality of spaced apart vertical columns having angularly disposed flat vertical surfaces facing toward adjacent seating areas. The upper wall section comprises a band having a top edge and a bottom edge, and inwardly projecting nesting buttresses extending upwardly along an inner surface of the band in axial alignment with associated columns. Recessed areas are in the bottom edge of the band at a midportion of each end wall and in adjacent side edges of a pair of adjacent columns and associated nesting buttresses in the end walls, forming a handle bar at the top of each end wall and an enlarged opening extending between the handle bar and the floor and between the pair of adjacent columns.
In particular, the case of the invention has a bottom wall or floor, with upstanding sidewalls and end walls around the periphery of the floor, and handles in the end walls. The floor comprises an open grid-like structure formed by a plurality of intersecting longitudinal, transverse, and diagonal ribs, with a plurality of spaced apart circular seating areas on its top surface on which the beverage containers rest, and closure receiving recesses in its bottom surface beneath the seating areas for receiving the closures of beverage containers in a subjacent case. The closure receiving recesses are defined by undercut sections of the longitudinal and transverse ribs where they cross under respective seating areas. Each of the closure receiving recesses is larger in diameter than the closure of a beverage container and is therefore incapable by itself of aligning the closures of beverage containers in a subjacent case. However, the closure receiving recesses under different seating areas are offset different amounts relative to the centerline of an associated seating area, with the recesses offset progressively greater distances toward an adjacent outer edge of the case as the distance of the recess from the longitudinal and transverse centerlines of the case increases, whereby the closure receiving recesses acting together on the closures in a subjacent case function to align the closures of the containers in the subjacent case with the centerline of respective seating areas in the upper case. Further, the ribs at the outer side edges of the closure receiving recesses along the side and end edges of the case bottom are cut away, defining channels through which closures can easily slide when an upper case loaded with beverage containers is slid off the top of another case loaded with beverage containers.
The sidewalls and end walls each comprise upper and lower wall sections, with each section extending over approximately one-half the height of the wall, and the lower section inset relative to the upper section. The upper section comprises a continuous vertical band extending around the case, and the lower section comprises a plurality of spaced apart vertical columns connected between the band and the floor in locations between adjacent seating areas. The columns are generally V-shaped in transverse cross-section, with angularly oriented flat vertical surfaces facing toward respective adjacent seating areas, and the V opening outwardly of the case. Correspondingly shaped hollow buttresses extend upwardly from the upper ends of the columns and across substantially the width of the inner face of the band, but terminate at their upper ends spaced from the upper edge of the band.
The inset lower section enables one case to nest into another like case and to nest into conventional box-style cases up to approximately one-half its height. Further, the interior upper edge of the band is outwardly recessed and tapered, providing space for receiving the bottom of a conventional box-style case so that a conventional box-style case can be stacked with the case of the invention.
The inwardly facing flat vertical surfaces of the V-shaped columns provide line contact with beverage containers resting on respective adjacent seating areas and provide support to the containers over a substantial portion of their height in both longitudinal and lateral directions relative to the case.
The band that forms the upper section of the walls is of single wall construction, comprising alternating inwardly and outwardly offset panels. The outwardly offset panels extend behind or outwardly of the buttresses and have flat vertical outer surfaces. The inwardly offset panels are located adjacent the seating areas and are outwardly curved.
Two columns and associated buttresses are in each end wall, spaced equidistantly from opposite sides of the case. The confronting side edges of these buttresses, the inner upper edge portions of the two columns, and the bottom of the band extending between the two columns are cut away to form a handle bar extending across an upper midportion of each end wall, with an enlarged opening beneath the bar for easy hand access.
The foregoing, as well as other objects and advantages of the invention, will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
A beverage case according to the invention is indicated generally at 10 in
The floor comprises an open grid-like structure formed by a plurality of intersecting longitudinal ribs 18, transverse ribs 19, and diagonal ribs 20, with a plurality of spaced apart circular seating areas 21 on its top surface for receiving the beverage containers, and closure receiving recesses 22 in its bottom surface beneath the seating areas for receiving the closures (not shown) of beverage containers in a subjacent case. The closure receiving recesses are defined by undercut sections of the longitudinal and transverse ribs where they cross under respective seating areas. Each of the closure receiving recesses is larger in diameter than the closure of a beverage container and is therefore incapable by itself of aligning the closures of beverage containers in a subjacent case. However, the closure receiving recesses under different seating areas are offset different amounts relative to the centerline of an associated seating area, with the recesses offset progressively greater distances toward an adjacent outer edge of the case as the distance of the recesses from the longitudinal and lateral centerlines A and B, respectively, of the case increases, whereby the closure receiving recesses acting together on the closures in a subjacent case function to align the closures of the containers in the subjacent case with the centerline of respective seating areas in the upper case. Thus, with particular reference to
The sidewalls and end walls each comprise an upper wall section 31 and a lower wall section 32 (see
The columns are generally V-shaped in transverse cross-section, with flat vertical surfaces 35 and 36 angularly divergent at an angle β of about 90° and facing toward respective adjacent seating areas 21, with the V opening outwardly of the case. The flat vertical surfaces 35 and 36 make line contact over a substantial portion of the height of containers supported in adjacent seating areas, and provide support to the containers in both lateral and longitudinal directions relative to the lateral and longitudinal directions of the case. Correspondingly shaped hollow buttresses 37 extend upwardly from the upper ends of the columns and across substantially the width of the inner face of the band, but terminate at their upper ends spaced from the upper edge of the band.
The lower section is inset relative to the upper section by an amount approximately the same as or slightly greater than the thickness of the material forming the columns, and when an upper case is nested into a lower case the buttresses of the lower case are received in the outer open space of the columns of the upper case. A narrow, flat, generally vertical but slightly outwardly tapered ramp 38 is formed at each side of each buttress, defining a rest or guide for opposite side edges of the V-shaped columns when two cases are nested together. The transition between the upper ends of the columns and the lower ends of the buttresses is defined by a slightly upwardly and outwardly angled shoulder 39 that defines a nesting stop to limit nesting engagement of the cases.
The inset bottom half of the case sidewall enables the case of the invention to be nested up to one-half its height with like cases, and also enables the case of the invention to be nested up to one-half its height within conventional box-style cases.
Further, the interior upper edge 40 of the band is outwardly recessed and tapered, providing space for receiving the bottom of a conventional box-style case (not shown) so that a conventional box-style case can be stacked on the case of the invention.
The inwardly facing flat vertical surfaces 35 and 36 of the V-shaped columns forming the lower section of the sidewalls and end walls contact beverage containers on the adjacent seating areas and provide support to the containers over a substantial portion of their height in both longitudinal and lateral directions relative to the case.
The band that forms the upper section of the walls is of single wall construction, with alternating inwardly offset panels 50 and outwardly offset panels 51. The outwardly offset panels 51 extend behind or outwardly of the buttresses and have flat vertical outer surfaces to which graphics can be applied as indicated in
Outwardly curved or contoured corner straps 55 extend between the floor and the upper band at the corners of the case.
Two columns 60 and 61 and associated buttresses 62 and 63 are in each end wall, spaced equidistantly from opposite sides of the case. The confronting side edges of these two columns and associated buttresses are cut away, and the bottom of the band extending between the two columns is cut away to form the handles 16 and 17 extending across an upper midportion of respective end walls, with an enlarged opening 68 beneath the bar for easy hand access.
The construction of the upper and lower wall sections of the mid-depth case of the invention, including their vertical orientation, and the inset relation of the lower wall section relative to the upper wall section, makes the case fully nestable with like cases, i.e., it can nest within like cases and like cases can nest within it, and it also makes the case partially nestable with prior art non-nestable box-style beverage cases, i.e., it can nest within prior art cases but they cannot nest within it. Further, the case of the invention is stackable with prior art box-style cases. Thus, cases according to the invention can be stored and shipped in half the amount of space that would be required for the same number of conventional prior art box-style cases. Moreover, a substantial amount of space can be saved even when the case of the invention is mixed with conventional box-style cases.
Further, the flat vertical surfaces of the V-shaped columns provides line contact with containers resting on adjacent seating areas, providing support to the containers over a substantial part of their height in both lateral and longitudinal directions relative to the lateral and longitudinal dimensions of the case.
While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail herein, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and intent of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
