Stackable plastic container

Abstract

A container for storage and transport of goods includes four sidewalls which surround a first planar bottom and have on their upper end a rim. A second bottom with a multiplicity of bottom ribs is connected to the first bottom by welding the bottom ribs of the second bottom with the first bottom. At least two opposite sidewalls of the container have each a projection which extends away from a sidewall and at a predetermined distance from the sidewall extends parallel to the sidewall in the direction of the bottom of the container. The projection has a horizontal end face which extends parallel to the area of the upper rim of the sidewall, with the horizontal end face extending at a level underneath the bottom plate of the first bottom.

Claims

1. A container for the storage and the transport of goods, said container comprising: a planar first bottom including a bottom plate; four sidewalls in surrounding relationship to the first planar bottom, each said sidewall having an upper end to form a rim; and a second bottom including a plurality of bottom ribs and connected to the first bottom by welding the bottom ribs with the first bottom, at least two opposite ones of the sidewalls having each a projection which extends away from the sidewall and extends at a predetermined distance from the sidewall in parallel relation to the sidewall in a direction of the first and second bottoms, said projection having a horizontal end face extending directly outwardly from and substantially parallel to the planar first bottom and in parallel relationship to an area of the rim of the sidewall, said horizontal end face extending from the planar first bottom at a level below the bottom plate of the first bottom and lower than a welded joint between the bottom ribs and the first bottom to thereby conceal the welded joint, wherein the horizontal end face of the projection extends at a level between the first bottom and a lowermost dimension of the bottom ribs of the second bottom.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the second bottom has a bottom plate, said horizontal end face of the projection extending at a level between the first bottom and the bottom plate of the second bottom.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the projection includes at least two ribs which run perpendicular to the sidewall and to a lower end of the projection and which terminate at the lower end in the horizontal end face which extends parallel to the rim of the sidewall.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein each of the sidewalls includes a said projection having at least one rib.

5. The container of claim 1, wherein the projection is made in one piece with the first bottom and the sidewall.

6. The container of claim 3, further comprising a cover which extends along the sidewall, said ribs of the projection being connected by the cover.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein the second bottom has a bottom area which is configured planar across an entire area of the second bottom.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein the second bottom has a bottom area provided with an indentation across a predetermined area in a center of the second bottom.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the second bottom has a slant on two opposite sides.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) It is shown in:

(2) FIG. 1 an overall perspective view of the container according to the invention with projection on the sidewalls,

(3) FIG. 2a a cross sectional view of the container according to the invention along II-II in FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 2b a view of the container in a cross section as in FIG. 2a, however, by way of a slightly perspective view.

(5) FIG. 3 a detailed view of the projection according to the invention on the container according to the invention according to Ill in FIG. 2b,

(6) FIG. 4 a bottom view of the container bottom, in particular the indentation and the slanted parts,

(7) FIG. 5 a bottom view of a detail of the container bottom plate according to V in FIG. 4, in particular the ribs of the projection,

(8) FIG. 6 a closer view of the projection of FIG. 5, in particular of the cover of the welded joint between the first and second bottoms of the container.

(9) Same reference signs are used in the figures for the same elements, and first-time explanations relate to all figures, unless expressly noted otherwise.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(10) FIG. 1 shows a container 1 by which the invention can be realized. It includes a bottom 2 and four surrounding sidewalls 3, each having an outwardly protruding upper rim. The rim 4 is intended for stacking of several containers 1 on top of each other. A corner element 4a extends at each of the corners of the container 1 and runs from the outermost dimension of the rim 4 downwards toward the bottom.

(11) According to the cross sectional views of FIGS. 2a and 2b, the container 1 has a projection 5 with ribs 6 on each of opposite sidewalls 3. The projection 5 and the ribs 6 initially extend from the sidewalls 3 at an angle in a slight slant downwards to a point P which is located vertically under the outer dimension of the rim 4. The Figure shows a corner edge 4a which coincides with the vertical downward line from the rim 4. The rib 6 terminates below with an end edge 7 which extends horizontally, i.e., perpendicular to the sidewall 3 and parallel to the upper rim 4. These end edges 7 form the horizontal end face of the projection according to the invention.

(12) The bottom 2 of the container 1 is configured planar, in particular planar at the lower side. A second reinforcing bottom 10 is welded to the lower side of the bottom 2 and has several bottom ribs 11 and a bottom plate 12. Weld joints are located at the points of contact between the bottom ribs 11 and the first planar bottom 2 and typically have a bead 13 of 1-2 mm about the bottom rib 11 and at the bottom 2, as shown in FIG. 3. The rib 6 of the projection 5 extends in accordance with the invention perpendicular away from the sidewall 3 and downward in a vertical direction up to a level below the welded joint between the first bottom 2 and the ribs 11 of the second bottom 10. The end faces 7 of the projection extend at a level between the first bottom and the lowermost dimension of the second bottom, i.e. in the shown example between the first bottom and the bottom plate 12 of the second bottom. The end edge 7 thus extends at a level below the bottom plate 2 and below the bead 13, as illustrated in detail in FIG. 3 by way of the dashed line. As a result of this vertical dimension, the bead 13 is concealed, so that the end edges 7 of the ribs 6 rest upon the rim 4 and the bead 13 is located in a clearance in the absence of a contact with the lower container, when the container 1 is stacked upon the upper rim 4 of a container 1 of the same kind.

(13) FIG. 4 shows the arrangement of the projection 5, which extends about the entire container 1, with a plurality of ribs 6 on all the sidewalls 3 of the container, with a minimum of one rib per side being necessary. Preferably, the projection has two or more ribs per side.

(14) This measure of the projection 5 and particularly its vertical dimension enables different shapes of the second bottom 10, with the ribs 6 and the rim 4 ensuring at all times a straight stacking of the containers. An exemplary shape of a second bottom 10 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The bottom 10 has in the region along the sides a circumferential slant 14 which extends from the border of the bottom downwards towards the center. This enables an even transport of the containers across transitions, like for example rollers between conveyor belts, entry upon the conveyor belts or exits from the conveyor belts. In midsection, the bottom 10 has an indentation 15 which provides a clearance. This clearance is able to receive a sagging of the midsection of the bottom, without the midsection touching the area which supports the container. Thus, a possible tilting of the container is prevented.

(15) In the example of FIGS. 3 and 4, several ribs 6 of the projection 5 are shown on each side of the container 1. The function of the projection as stacking support is already ensured by way of one rib 6 per side, when a projection is present on all four sides. In the shown example, the projection is realized with several ribs 6 and thus is stronger and more robust.

(16) In addition, the ribs 6 are connected with each other, for example, by a cover 8, which extends between two corner elements 4a. The cover 8 provides reinforcement of the stacking support and protection of the ribs 6 from impacts.

(17) FIGS. 5 and 6 show in more detail the arrangement of the ribs 6 of the projection 5 according to the invention, with the vertical dimension of the ribs 6 and the position of the horizontal end edges 7 relative to the welded joints at the bottoms 2 and 10 being illustrated in particular. The end edges 7 extend at a level that is lower than the welded joint 13 between the upper first bottom 2 and the second lower bottom 10, i.e. the bottom ribs 11. The bead 13 at the welded joint is hereby situated in a recess between the end edges 7 and the bottom 2. When the container is stacked by placing the ribs 6 upon the rim 4 of a container, the bead 13 remains in the clearance of the recess and is not part of the contact or support surface of the stacked container.