CONTAINER

Abstract

A container (1), including a bottom (2), side walls (3), at least one encoding body (4) for introducing into an encoding body receptacle (5) of another container (6), and at least one encoding body receptacle (7) for receiving, in turn, an encoding body of another container. The at least one encoding body (4) of the container (1) being fastened or fastenable to one of the side walls (3) of the container (1) by a connecting device (10), which is releasable without destruction, and having a projection (11), the encoding body receptacle (7) of the container (1) being likewise fastened or fastenable to one of the side walls (3) of the container (1) by a connecting device (10) which can be released without destruction.

Claims

1. A container, comprising: a bottom; side walls connected to the bottom wall; at least one encoding body for introducing into an encoding body receptacle of another container; at least one encoding body receptacle adapted for receiving an encoding body of another container; the at least one encoding body being fastened or fastenable to one of the side walls by a connecting device, which is releasable without destruction, and having a projection; and the encoding body receptacle being fastened or fastenable to one of the side walls by a connecting device is releasable without destruction.

2. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting device which is releasable without destruction and by which the at least one encoding body is fastened or is fastenable to one of the side walls is a first connecting device, and the connecting device which is releasable without destruction and by which the at least one encoding body receptacle is fastened or is fastenable to one of the side walls is a second connecting device.

3. The container as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one encoding body lock configured to block the introduction of the encoding body of the other container, the encoding body lock being fastened or fastenable to one of the side walls by a connecting device which is releasable without destruction.

4. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the connecting device for the encoding body or the connecting device for the encoding body receptacle is a positively locking connecting device.

5. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the connecting device for the encoding body or the connecting device for the encoding body receptacle is a non-positive locking connecting device.

6. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the connecting device for the encoding body or the connecting device for the encoding body receptacle comprises a screw-in connection, a plug-in connection, or a sliding connection.

7. The container as claimed in claim 3, wherein the side walls comprise a lower side and an upper side which lies opposite the lower side which in each case is in a region of the bottom, at least one of the at least one encoding body, the at least one encoding body receptacle, or the at least one encoding body lock being fastened or being fastenable by the respective connecting device on or to the lower side of a respective side wall.

8. The container as claimed in claim 3, wherein the side walls comprise a lower side and an upper side which lies opposite the lower side which in each case is in a region of the bottom, at least one of the at least one encoding body, the at least one encoding body receptacle, or the at least one encoding body lock being fastened or being fastenable by the respective connecting device on or to the upper side of a respective side wall.

9. The container as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the connecting devices for the at least one encoding body, the at least one encoding body receptacle, or the at least one encoding body lock is actuatable at least one of manually or without tools.

10. The container as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the at least one encoding body, the at least one encoding body receptacle, or the at least one encoding body lock is configured in a different color than at least one of the side walls or the bottom.

11. The container as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the at least one encoding body, the at least one encoding body receptacle, or the at least one encoding body lock includes a disk-shaped element, and a part of the connecting device is releasable without destruction is configured on the disk-shaped element.

12. An arrangement comprising at least two of the containers as claimed in claim 1, the containers being stackable on one another, wherein the at least one encoding body which is fastened to a first one of the containers is introducible exclusively in a single stack position sufficiently far into the at least one encoding body receptacle which is fastened to a second one of the containers in order to stack the containers on one another.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] Further advantages and details of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention result from the figures and the associated description of the figures. In the figures:

[0044] FIGS. 1 to 7 show illustrations with respect to a first exemplary embodiment of a container according to the invention,

[0045] FIGS. 8 to 14 show illustrations with respect to two containers in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment being stacked on one another,

[0046] FIGS. 15 to 18 show illustrations with respect to a second exemplary embodiment of a container according to the invention,

[0047] FIGS. 19 to 21 show illustrations with respect to two containers in accordance with the second exemplary embodiment being stacked on one another,

[0048] FIGS. 22 to 25 show illustrations with respect to a third exemplary embodiment of a container according to the invention, and

[0049] FIGS. 26 to 28 show illustrations with respect to two containers in accordance with the third exemplary embodiment being stacked on one another.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of the container 1 according to the invention, shown as a perspective exploded drawing. FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the container 1 of the first exemplary embodiment.

[0051] The container 1 comprises a bottom 2 and four side walls 3. The bottom 2 and the side walls 3 form the container main body 8. Moreover, the container 1 also comprises an encoding body 4, an encoding body receptacle 7 and three encoding body locks 14. Only the one encoding body 4, the one encoding body receptacle 7 and two of the three encoding body locks 14 can be seen in the perspective exploded illustration of the container 1 according to FIG. 1. The third encoding body lock 14 is situated below the bottom 2, and cannot be seen in this illustration.

[0052] The encoding body 4, the encoding body receptacle 7 and the three encoding body locks 14 can be fastened to the side walls 3 of the container 1 by way of connecting devices 10 which can be released without destruction, see the exploded illustration according to FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows them fastened to the container main body 8 the connecting devices 10 which can be released without destruction.

[0053] Four parts of the connecting devices 10 which can be released without destruction for connecting to the encoding body 4, the encoding body receptacle 7 and/or the encoding body locks 14 are situated in each case in the corner regions of the container 1 both on the respective upper side 19 of the side walls 3 and on the respective lower side 18 of the side walls 3 of the container 1. In other words, the other parts, the counterparts of the connecting devices 10 which can be released without destruction are situated on or at the encoding body 4, the encoding body receptacle 7 and the three encoding body locks 14.

[0054] In the case of this exemplary embodiment, the four connecting devices 10 which can be released without destruction are used on the lower side 18 of the container 1. In contrast, only one of the connecting devices 10 which can be released without destruction is used on the upper side 19 of the side walls 3 of the container 1 with the one encoding body 4 which is shown here. The remaining three of the four parts of the connecting devices 10 which can be released without destruction on the upper sides 19 of the container main body 8 are not in use. As can be seen in FIG. 1, neither an encoding body 4 nor an encoding body receptacle 7 nor an encoding body lock 14 is situated there.

[0055] In the first exemplary embodiment, each connecting device 10 which is in use and can be released without destruction comprises two parts of a screwing-in connection, specifically to matching thread portions here. These two, matching thread portions belong to in each case two individual components which can be connected to one another by way of screwing. These screw connections can be released without destruction by being screwed apart.

[0056] In this first exemplary embodiment, the connecting devices 10 which can be released without destruction can preferably be joined together manually and/or without tools by being screwed into one another, and can be released again by being screwed apart. Specifically, this is achieved in the first exemplary embodiment such that an external thread as part of the respective connecting device 10 is configured in each case on a disk-shaped element 20 of the encoding body 4, the encoding body receptacle 7 and the encoding body lock 14, and a total of eight internal threads are configured as respective corresponding parts of the respective connecting device 10 on the container main body 8 of the container 1, see FIGS. 3 to 7.

[0057] The encoding body 4 which is shown separately in FIG. 3 has a disk-shaped element 20 with a projection 11 fixed on it. At the outer edge of the disk-shaped element 20, a part of the connecting device 10 which can be released without destruction is configured in the form of an external thread. In this exemplary embodiment, the cross section of the projection 11 of the encoding body 4 is a cross profile. It is also possible, however, that the projection 11 has a different shape. For instance, the cross section of the projection 11 can also be, for example, round, square, triangular or can have a different shape. Secondly, the cross section and the profile of the projection 11 can also vary along its vertical extent. It is thus conceivable, for example, that the projection 11 is tapered toward the tip.

[0058] The exemplary embodiment shown here with regard to the shape of the projection 11 is not to be understood as restrictive. A large number of different shapes of the projection 11 are possible. In order that another container 6 can be stacked onto the container 1 in the desired way explained further below, the shape of the projection 11 of the encoding body 4 of the container 1 and, in particular, its width 22 have to be adapted to the cutout in the encoding body receptacle 5 of the other container 6 in such a way that the projection 11 fits through the cutout of the encoding body receptacle 5.

[0059] FIG. 4 shows by way of example that encoding body receptacle 7 of the container 1 which is used in the first exemplary embodiment. As is also realized in this first exemplary embodiment, it also preferably has a disk-shaped element 20. In this first exemplary embodiment, an external thread is once again configured on its outer edge as part of the connecting device 10. A cutout or through opening, through which the projection 11 of the encoding body of a different container in turn can be plugged, is situated in the disk-shaped element 20. The different container in turn, onto which the container 1 can be stacked in the desired way, and its encoding body are not shown here. They are favorably configured in the same way as the container 1 and its encoding body 4, however. The diameter 23 of this cutout in the encoding body receptacle 7 of the container 1 is configured in terms of its shape and size in such a way that the encoding body of the different container in turn passes through it during stacking of the containers on one another.

[0060] FIG. 5 now shows by way of example one of the encoding body locks 14 of the container 1. Just like the encoding body receptacle 7, this has a disk-shaped element 20 with a cutout and an external thread which is configured at the edge of the disk-shaped element 20. The external thread is once again the corresponding part of the connecting device 10 which can be released without destruction. In contrast to the encoding body receptacle 7 of the container 1, however, the cutout of the encoding body lock 14 has a shape and a diameter 24 which are selected in such a way that the encoding body of the different container in turn does not pass through it. The shape and the diameter 24 of the cutout of the encoding body lock 14 can of course be of highly different configuration in order to achieve this aim. To this end, the encoding body lock 14 might also not have any cutout at all, that is to say might be configured as an element which is closed in itself. If the encoding body of the different container in turn comes into contact with this encoding body lock 14, it is at any rate prevented that the container 1 can be stacked onto the different container in turn in this position.

[0061] FIG. 6 now shows the section along the sectional line AA from FIG. 2 through a corner region of the container 1 and the encoding body 4 arranged there and the encoding body receptacle 7 likewise arranged there. The connecting devices 10 which can be released without destruction and are configured as screwing-in connections 15 or specifically here as screw connections can be seen, which connecting devices 10 are configured here as connecting devices which are separate from one another and are also arranged at a distance from one another in the form of the first connecting device 12 and the second connecting device 13. FIG. 6 also shows by way of example that through openings 25 are configured in preferred embodiments of the invention in the side walls 3 or specifically here in the corner regions thereof, in the region of which through openings 25 the encoding bodies 4 and also the encoding body receptacle 7 and the encoding body locks 14 (see FIG. 7) are fastened or can be fastened by the respective connecting device 10 or 12 or 13.

[0062] FIG. 7 shows the section along the sectional line BB from FIG. 2. The sections along the sectional lines CC and DD from FIG. 2 look just like the section along the sectional line BB in FIG. 7, and are therefore not shown again. It can be seen in FIG. 7 at any rate by way of example how an encoding body lock 14 can be fastened to the container 1 or its side walls 3 in the region of the through opening 25 by the connecting device 10 which can be released without destruction and is configured as a screwing-in connection 15 or specifically here as a screw connection. At the end which lies opposite the encoding body lock 14, the through opening in this exemplary embodiment can remain free, as can also be seen in FIG. 7.

[0063] FIG. 8 shows two containers 1 and 6 in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment during the operation of being stacked on one another.

[0064] The arrangement 21 which is shown in perspective in FIG. 8 comprises the first container 1 and a second or different container 6 which is here likewise configured according to the invention, which containers are still at a small spacing from one another for reasons of clarity in the exploded illustration of FIG. 8.

[0065] In this exemplary embodiment, the two containers 1 and 6 each comprise a container main body 8, an encoding body 4 and 9, respectively, an encoding body receptacle 5 and 7, respectively, and three encoding body locks 14.

[0066] The container main bodies 8 of the two containers 1 and 6 each comprise a bottom 2, four side walls 3 and eight parts of the eight connecting devices 10 which can be released without destruction, in each case in the form of corresponding internal threads here in the first exemplary embodiment.

[0067] The encoding body 4, the encoding body receptacle 7 and the three encoding body locks 14 are connected to the container main body 8 of the container 1 by way of the connecting devices 10, which can be released without destruction, of the container 1. In the same way, the encoding body 9, the encoding body receptacle 5 and three further encoding body locks 14 are connected to the container main body 8 of the container 6.

[0068] In this exemplary embodiment, the two containers 1 and 6 can be stacked on one another only in a single stacked position. In this single stacked position, the two containers 1 and 6 are stacked on one another in a desired way and are therefore also arranged above one another and, as viewed in a plan view, congruently with one another.

[0069] In this context, can be stacked on one another in a desired way means that the at least two containers 1, 6 are stacked on one another congruently in a plan view and lie flush on one another. This state in which they are stacked on one another in a desired way is shown in FIG. 9 in a side view and in FIG. 10 in the abovementioned plan view.

[0070] The encoding body 4 which is fastened to the lower container 1 can be introduced with its projection 11 sufficiently far for stacking the containers 1 and 6 on one another into the encoding body receptacle 5 which is fastened to the upper or other container 6 exclusively in this single stacked position which is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. This can be seen clearly in FIG. 11 which shows a section along the sectional line EE from FIG. 10 through the arrangement 21.

[0071] FIGS. 8 to 11 show by way of example the stacking of two containers 1 and 6 of corresponding configuration on one another to form an arrangement 21 according to the invention. This is of course only the smallest number of containers 1 and 6 according to the invention which can be stacked on one another to form an arrangement 21 according to the invention. Within the context of the invention, it is of course also possible for three, four or more containers 1, 6 of corresponding configuration according to the invention to be stacked on one another in the desired way to form arrangements 21 according to the invention by way of the use of encoding body receptacles 5, 7 and encoding bodies 4, 9 which are arranged correspondingly on the respective container main body 8 and are of matching configuration with respect to one another. In particular, the container 1 can possibly be stacked together with all other containers 6 which are stacked on it onto yet another container (not shown here) if this yet another container has, at the corresponding location, an encoding body which fits into the encoding body receptacle 7 of the container 1 and can therefore be received or introduced into the latter.

[0072] Therefore, any desired number of containers can in practice be stacked on one another in an analog way to the containers 1, 6.

[0073] FIGS. 12 to 14 now show by way of example what happens when the containers 1 and 6 are caused to be stacked on one another in a different position than that according to FIGS. 9 to 11. Here, FIG. 12 again shows a side view and FIG. 13 shows a plan view. FIG. 14 shows the section along the sectional line FF from FIG. 13. It can be seen clearly in FIG. 14 how, in the case of this attempt of stacking, the encoding body 4 of the lower container 1 comes into contact with an encoding body lock 14 of the upper or other container 6, into which encoding body lock 14 it cannot penetrate with its projection 11. As a result, it is prevented that the two containers 1 and 6 can be stacked on one another in a desired way in this other position. The same also happens if, in the case of the attempt of stacking, an encoding body of one container abuts an encoding body receptacle of another container, into which it does not fit.

[0074] Subsequently, a second and a third exemplary embodiment of the invention will now also be explained. Only the differences from the first exemplary embodiment will be described in the following description, however. Apart from this, the statements made with respect to the first exemplary embodiment applied to the exemplary embodiments which are described in the following text.

[0075] FIG. 15 shows the second exemplary embodiment of the container 1 according to the invention, shown as an exploded drawing. FIG. 16 shows an encoding body 4 of the container 1 from FIG. 15. FIG. 17 shows an encoding body receptacle 7 of the container 1 from FIG. 15. FIG. 18 shows an encoding body lock 14 of the container 1 from FIG. 15.

[0076] In particular, it can be seen clearly in FIGS. 16 to 18 using the latching tongues which are shown there that the respective connecting devices 10 which can be released without destruction are configured here in this second exemplary embodiment as plug-in connections 16, specifically as latching connections here.

[0077] In an analogous manner to FIGS. 9 to 11, FIGS. 19 to 21 shows stacking of two containers 1 and 6 according to the invention of the second exemplary embodiment on one another to form an arrangement 21 according to the invention in the desired way. Here, FIG. 21 shows the section along the sectional line GG from FIG. 20. It can in turn be seen in FIG. 21 how the encoding body 4 of the container 1 can penetrate with its projection 11 into the encoding body receptacle 5 of the other container 6, with the result that it is possible to stack the containers 1 and 6 on one another in this position. The attempt to stack the containers 1 and 6 on one another in a different position would also fail in the same way in the case of the second exemplary embodiment as was shown and described for the first exemplary embodiment on the basis of FIGS. 12 to 14. This is therefore not shown again here.

[0078] FIG. 22 shows the third exemplary embodiment of the container 1 according to the invention, shown as an exploded drawing. FIG. 23 shows an encoding body 4 of the container 1 from FIG. 22. FIG. 24 shows an encoding body receptacle 7 of the container 1 from FIG. 22. FIG. 25 shows an encoding body lock 14 of the container 1 from FIG. 22.

[0079] In the case of the third exemplary embodiment, shown in FIGS. 22 to 28, each occupied (that is to say, complete) connecting device 10 which can be released without destruction consists of two compatible sliding elements. These two compatible sliding elements belong to in each case two individual components which can be connected to one another by being slid into one another. The sliding connections 17 can be released without destruction by being pulled apart from one another.

[0080] In the case of this third exemplary embodiment, the encoding body 4, the encoding body receptacle 7 and the encoding body lock 14 are configured in each case as sliding elements, in order for it to be possible for a sliding connection 17 to the container main body 8 to be established.

[0081] In an analogous manner with respect to FIGS. 9 to 11, FIGS. 26 to 28 show stacking of two containers 1 and 6 according to the invention of the third exemplary embodiment on one another to form an arrangement 21 according to the invention in the desired way. Here, FIG. 28 shows the section along the sectional line HH from FIG. 27. It can in turn be seen in FIG. 28 how the encoding body 4 of the container 1 can penetrate with its projection 11 into the encoding body receptacle 5 of the other container 6, with the result that it is possible to stack the containers 1 and 6 on one another in this position. The attempt to stack the containers 1 and 6 on one another in another position would also fail in the same way in the case of this third exemplary embodiment as has been shown and described for the first exemplary embodiment on the basis of FIGS. 12 to 14. This is therefore not shown again here.

LIST OF DESIGNATIONS

[0082] 1 Container [0083] 2 Bottom [0084] 3 Side wall [0085] 4 Encoding body [0086] 5 Encoding body receptacle [0087] 6 Another container [0088] 7 Encoding body receptacle [0089] 8 Container main body [0090] 9 Encoding body [0091] 10 Connecting device [0092] 11 Projection [0093] 12 First connecting device [0094] 13 Second connecting device [0095] 14 Encoding body lock [0096] 15 Screwing-in connection [0097] 16 Plug-in connection [0098] 17 Sliding connection [0099] 18 Lower side [0100] 19 Upper side [0101] 20 Disk-shaped element [0102] 21 Arrangement [0103] 22 Width [0104] 23 Diameter [0105] 24 Diameter [0106] 25 Through opening