PLASTIC CONTAINER WITH REINFORCED CORNER PORTIONS

Abstract

A plastic container (1) with a base (2) and mutually opposite side walls (3, 4) has reinforced corner portions (5) at each of its corners on the outside. The corner portions (5) are of double-walled design, an outer wall (6) extending upwards on the outside in each case from the level of the base (2) over part of the height of the side walls (3, 4). The double-walled corner portions (5) have cavities (7), which extend continuously from top to bottom and are subdivided by one or more ribs (8, 8′). The corner portions (5) formed with the continuous cavities (7) provide advantages in production by injection moulding, the core tools achieving a longer service life thanks to better heat dissipation. When the plastic containers (1) according to the invention are being cleaned with water, the continuous cavities (7) allow more hygienic cleaning, the water being able to drain out without any residues being left behind.

Claims

1. A plastic container having a base and first side walls and second side walls projecting perpendicularly upwards from the base, the first side walls each being opposite one another and the second side walls each being opposite one another, and the plastic container having corner portions at which the first side walls and the second side walls meet, wherein the corner portions are of double-walled design in that the corner portions each have an outer wall which in each case extends upwards from the lower edge of the side walls over part of the height of the side walls on the outsides thereof, the double-walled corner portions having continuous cavities in that the lower end and the upper end of the corner portions are each designed to be open, the corner portions each having one or more ribs which extend from the outer wall to the outside of the side walls and extend continuously from the lower end to the upper end of the corner portions and form multiple cavities in the corner portions.

2. The plastic container according to claim 1, wherein first ribs are each at right angles to the side walls and lead to the outer walls of the corner portions.

3. The plastic container according to claim 1, wherein second ribs extend diagonally inwards from the corners of the outer walls to the corners where the first side walls and second side walls meet.

4. The plastic container according to claim 2, wherein second ribs extend diagonally inwards from the corners of the outer walls to the corners where the first side walls and second side walls meet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 shows a plastic container according to the invention in perspective from above.

[0014] FIG. 2 shows the container from FIG. 1 in perspective from below.

[0015] FIG. 3 shows the container from FIGS. 1 and 2 in a top view.

[0016] FIG. 4 shows the container from FIG. 3 in cross-section according to A-A in FIG. 3.

[0017] FIG. 5 shows the corner portion according to the invention of the container in an enlarged view from above according to the arrow V in FIG. 1.

[0018] FIG. 6 shows the corner portion from FIG. 5 in an enlarged view from below according to arrow VI in FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a plastic container 1 according to the invention with a base 2 and short first side walls 3 and long second side walls 4, which extend perpendicular from the base 2 to a respective upper edge 3′ and 4′, respectively. The first and second side walls 3 and 4 each meet at corners, the corners having reinforcements on their outer sides facing away from the interior of the container. The reinforced corner portions 5 are of double-walled designed for this purpose, the double-walled corners extending from the base to a predetermined height of the corners; however they extend only over a portion of the height of the container rather than to the top of the container. Reinforcement over a portion of the height is generally sufficient for impact resistance of the container.

[0020] The double-walled corner portion 5 consists, on the one hand, of the outer wall of the side wall 3 and 4, respectively and, on the other hand, of a second wall 6 which extends over a predetermined height and width. In the view from above according to FIG. 1, in a corner portion 5, cavities 7 are shown in each case between the side walls 3, 4 and the additional outer wall 6. According to the embodiment in FIG. 1, the cavities 7 are designed in particular to be completely open at the top, i.e., they are not reduced in size in any way, but their opening at the upper end has the maximum size.

[0021] The view from below in FIG. 2 of the same container in turn shows the cavities 7 of the corner portions 5, with the cavities 7 also being open at the bottom. Here, too, the openings have a maximum size at the bottom. The cavities are thus continuous from top to bottom with openings of maximum size.

[0022] FIG. 3 shows the container in a view from below with the reinforced corner portions 5, each with multiple ribs 8 and 8′, which subdivide the corner portions into multiple cavities 7.

[0023] FIG. 4 shows the cavities 7 continuously extending from bottom to top in a cross-section according to A-A in FIG. 3. The subdividing ribs 8 and 8′ extend over the entire height of the reinforced corner portions 5.

[0024] FIGS. 5 and 6 show the corner portions in enlarged detail in a perspective view from above and below, respectively. In particular, the lateral ribs 8 on the side walls 3 or 4 are shown, which are at right angles with respect to the side walls 3 or 4 and the walls 6 of the reinforced corner portions. In each corner portion, another rib 8′ extends in each case diagonally inwards from the corner of the outer walls 6 to the corner of the container where side walls 3 and 4 meet. The continuous ribs 8 at right angles to the side walls and the diagonal ribs 8′ divide the double-walled space of the reinforced corner portions 5 into the multiple continuous cavities 7. FIGS. 5 and 6 also show how each of the ribs 8 and 8′ extend over the entire height of the double-walled corner portions, thus optimizing the reinforcement of the corner portions 5.

[0025] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described and shown, the invention is not restricted thereto, but may also be embodied in other ways within the scope of the subject-matter defined in the following claims.