GB2204566A - Containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A container (10) comprises a base and at least first and second walls (12, 14). A first formation (21) is provided on the first wall (12) and a second formation (25) is provided on the second wall (14). The first and second formations (21, 25) are adapted to cooperate with one another, whereby when the container is placed with one of said first and second walls thereof adjacent a second or first wall (14', 12') of an adjacent container (10') the first and second formations can be engaged to hold the containers together. <IMAGE>

Description

CONTAINERS This invention relates to containers.

In horticultural retail outlets it is often desirable to provide an assembly of seed trays for seedlings and small plants. When necessary, one of the trays can be separated from the assembly, for example to sell the seedlings or plants to a customer.

Assemblies of this type usually consist of five, or sometimes seven trays, which are interconnected by a thin web of material extending between the trays. One problem associated with these assemblies is that their manufacture causes a gap to be formed between each tray; this is disadvantageous in that the gaps allow soil to collect between the trays.

Another disadvantage is that the assemblies are of integral construction and so it is very difficult and costly to alter the number of trays which make up the assembly.

Patent No. 1206139 discloses an integral assembly of seed trays which are interconnected at the bottom of each tray. The trays are partially separated by separation cuts and a disadvantage of this assembly is that another stage is required to form the separation cuts. This assembly also has the disadvantage that the number of trays of the assembly cannot be altered without difficulty.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved container.

According to this invention there is provided a container comprising a base and at least first and second walls, a first formation being provided on the first wall and a second formation being provided on the second wall, the first and second formations being adapted to cooperate with one another whereby when the container is placed with one of said first and second walls thereof adjacent a second or first wall of an adjacent container said first and second formations can be engaged to hold the containers together.

Advantageously the first and second formations are adapted to engage one another slidingly.

Preferably, the first and second formations comprise at least one cooperating dovetail formation. The or each dovetail may be arranged on the first and second walls either vertically or horizontally.

Desirably, the first and second formations comprise a series of said dovetail formations.

Preferably, the dovetails are shaped so that the container can be separated from the adjacent container by pulling said container away from said adjacent container by a force perpendicular to the plane of the wall.

The shape of the dovetails may be trapezoidal in section with the angles of the edges, being such that the dovetails can hold the containers together during normal usage but can facilitate separation of the containers when said force is applied.

Conveniently, at least one of the angles of one edge of one dovetail on each of said walls is greater than the angles of the other dovetails on the wall to facilitate further the separation of the containers.

The containers may be of rectangular configuration and said first and second formations may be provided on opposed walls thereof. Where the container comprises two long and two short walls, the first and second formations may be provided on the long walls for strength.

The container may be made from an expandable polymeric material, conveniently a styrene polymer.

This invention also provides an assembly comprising a plurality of containers as described above held together by said first and second formations on the walls of each container.

Conveniently, the assembly comprises five of said containers although it will be appreciated that the assembly may comprise any convenient number of containers.

Releasable securing means may be provided to secure the containers together and may comprise a tape extending along the walls of the containers, Preferably the tape is a self adhesive tape.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a container according to this invention; Figure 2 represents an assembly according to this invention showing two containers held together; and Figure 3 is an enlarged representation of the corner designated III in Figure 2.

Referring to the Figures, a container in the form of a seed tray is shown generally designated 10. The seed tray is made from fused polystyrene particles and comprises first and second walls 12 and 14, end walls 16 and 18 and a base 20 (see Figure 2).

The first wall 12 is provided with a first formation in the form of a series of dovetail formations 21; the second wall 14 is provided with a second formation in the form of a similar series of dovetail formations 25.

The dovetail formations 21 and 25 comprise a series of tenons 22 and mortices 23.

The tenons 22 of one wall are disposed directly opposite the mortices 23 of the other wall. This arrangement permits either the dovetail formations 21 of the first wall 12 or the dovetail formations 25 of the second wall 14 to engage a formation 25' of a second wall 14' of the tray 10'.

Referring particularly to Figure 2, two seed trays 10, 10' are shown. The seed trays 10, 10' are held together by the dovetail formations 21 of the first wall 12 of the seed tray 10 and the dovetail formation 25' of the second wall 14' of the seed tray 10'.

The provision of mortices 23 and tenons 22 on the walls 12 and 14 enables a plurality of seed trays 10 to be held together to form an assembly so that there is substantially no gap between the trays. In this way, when all the trays are full of soil very little dirt will fall between them.

The tenons 22 and mortices 23 are arranged vertically on the walls 12 and 14 of the seed tray 10.

This means that the trays 10 and 10' can be separated or engaged by sliding them vertically, relative to each other.

When the seed trays 10 are in use, it is often found that the seedlings which are contained therein tend to overhang the walls 12 and 14. In view of this, it is desirable to be able to separate the trays 10, 10' by pulling them apart with a force perpendicular to the plane of the walls to avoid damage to the seedlings.

In order to facilitate such separation, the design of the dovetails is such that a force which is applied in the direction of arrow A will separate the trays 10, 10' from each other.

Referring to Figure 3, the corners of two adjacent seed trays 10 and 10' are shown. Each tenon 22 has an angle of x. The angle x is of such a size that a force applied to the tray 10 in the direction of arrow A will cause the trays 10 and 10' to be separated easily.

The size of the angle x depends upon the properties of the material from which the seed tray 10 is made. In particular, the size of the angle will. depend upon the density of the material in such a way that the angle x will be less for low density material and higher for higher density material.

A corner tenon 22a is provided on the wall 12 and is received by a mortice 23a'. The corner tenon 22a has an angle y which is greater than the angle x. The angle y is of such a size that separation can be further facilitated. By pulling the tray 10 in the direction A at corner 26, the corner tnon 22a is easily pulled away from the mortice 23a' on the wall 14'. This starts the separation and once the corner tenon 22a has been separated the remaining tenons 22 are separated easily from the corresponding mortices 23.

When this invention is in use it is conveniently in the form of an assembly which comprises five or seven of such seed trays 10 held together by dovetails described above.

A releasable securing means in the form of an adhesive tape (not shown) can be provided to secure the seed trays 10 together before separating them. The tape is adhered to the upper peripheral edge of the end walls 16 and 18 of each tray in an assembly; the tape extends along all the seed trays in the assembly.

When it is desired to separate one tray 10 from the assembly, the tape is first removed from that tray and the tray is then pulled apart from the assembly as described above.

It is an advantage of this invention that is provides a seed tray which can be engaged with or separated from an adjacent seed tray easily.

Claims (14)

1. A container comprising a base and at least first and second walls, a first formation being provided on the first wall and a second formation being provided on the second wall, the first and second formations being adapted to cooperate with one another whereby when the container is placed with one of said first and second walls thereof adjacent a second or first wall of an adjacent container said first and second formations can be engaged to hold the containers together.

2. A container according to Claim 1 wherein the first and second formations are adapted to engage one another slidingly.

3. A container according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the first and second formations each comprise at least one cooperating dovetail formation, the or each dovetail formation being arranged on the first and second walls either vertically or horizontally.

4. A container according to Claim 3 wherein the first and second formations comprise a series of dovetail formations.

5. A container according to Claim 3 or 4 wherein the dovetails are shaped so that when the dovetail formations of one container engage the dovetail formations of an adjacent container, the containers can be separated by a force substantially perpendicular to the plane of the wall.

6. A container acocrding to Claim 5 wherein the shape of the dovetails is trapezoidal in section and the angles of the edges of the dovetails are such that the dovetails can hold the containers together in normal usage but can facilitate separation of the containers when said force is applied.

7. A container according to Claim 6 wherein at least one of the angles of one dovetail on each of said walls is greater than the angles of the other dovetails which can facilitate separation of the dovetails when said force is applied.

8. A container according to any preceding claim which is of rectangular configuration and the first and second formations are provided on opposed long walls.

9. A container according to any preceding claim made from an expandable polymeric material.

10. An assembly comprising a plurality of containers as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 9 held together by the first and second formations on the walls of each container.

11. An assembly according to Claim 10 comprising releasable securing means to secure the containers together.

12. An assembly according to Claim 11 wherein the securing means comprises a self adhesive tape.

13. A container substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

14. An assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.