US3391814A - Beverage bottle case - Google Patents

Description

July 9, 1968 ox 3,391,814

BEVER AGE BOTTLE CASE Filed June 20, '19s? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 El a a 5 l 1 U-z9 [$19 ldzryl 14hr? 19 //v l/E/V Toe 7/7 5000? 50 July 9, 1968 T. M. BOX 3,391,814

BEVERAGE BOTTLE CASE Filed June 20, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 All IIIIIIII I;

//V l/E/V TOE ITAZL. RATH United States Patent 3,391,814 BEVERAGE BOTTLE CASE Theodor M. Box, 57-tl2 251st St., Little Neck, N.Y. 11362 Filed June 20, 1967, Ser. No. 647,499 5 Claims. (Cl. 22021) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Bottle carrying cases of the type designed with the tops or caps of the bottles to be stored projecting above the upper edge of the cases, to serve as a support for the stacking thereon of a similar case, and with-the bottom walls of the cases being provided with depressions registering with the tops of the bottles in the cases below of a stack, are subject to the drawback and difficulty, especially during transport of the cases over roller-type transporting devices, such as inclined slides or chutes, of being diverted and forced off the transporting devices as a result of one or more friction rollers rotatively carried by said devices engaging the depressions in the bottom walls of the cases. This difficulty is of an especially serious nature where said bottom walls are provided with sets of mutually intersecting stiffening ribs merging into said depressions in the form of ramps, to cause the tops of the bottles to cam with said ramps for the lifting of a case being withdrawn from the case below in the stack, in a manner shown in greater details in copending patent application Ser. No. 441,436, filed Mar. 22, 1956, now Patent No. 3,349,943,

entitled Bottle Carrying and Stacking Case. The invention substantially overcomes the foregoing difficulty by the provision of a multiplicity of elevations being flush with said ribs and distributed over the areas exterior of said depressions and ramps substantially uniformly and symmetrically with both said sets of intersecting ribs.

The present invention relates to stackable bottle carrying cases, also known as tote boxes, more particularly to cases of this type produced by molding in a single unitary operation from a suitable high-impact plastic, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or a similar synthetic thermoplastic or thermosetting material.

More specifically, the invention is concerned with bottle cases for the storage, transport and distribution of beverages, liquid foods and the like substances of the special type, wherein the bottles or the like containers are stored in preferably compartmentalized case in predetermined rows with the tops of the bottles projecting above the upper edge of the case and having surfaces coinciding with a horizontal plane, to enable the positioning or stacking thereon of another similar case with the bottom wall of the latter resting upon the tops or caps of the bottles in said first case forming a supporting surface.

Bottle cases of the foregoing type have already become known which are provided with means to align one case with another case, said means consisting essentially in the provision of recesses or depressions in the undersurface of the bottom walls of the cases conforming to or being adapted to receive the tops or caps of the bottles disposed in the cases immediately below of a stack comprising a multiplicity of cases. In other words, in the known bottle stacking cases the caps of the bottles nest with or engage the recesses in the cases immediately above in the stack on all sides or along the entire periphery thereof.

A seriously felt disadvantage and defect of bottle cases of the afore-described type is due to the necessity of having to first lift a case from the case immediately below of a stack before it can be safely withdrawn or removed from the stack without the danger of damage to or breakage of the tops or caps of the bottles disposed in the case below the case being withdrawn. While a slight initial lifting of the case to be withdrawn has been found to be sufficient to substantially avoid the danger mentioned, practice has shown that this precaution is generally ignored, in that the more natural urge or tendency is to pull the cases off horizontally from the stack, whereby to involve the danger of damage or breakage mentioned and, in turn, to result in the loss of the materials or liquids stored in the bottles or other containers. This difliculty is increased considerably where the bottom walls of the cases are fitted with reinforcing or stiffening ribs or the like projections such reinforcing means being essential in order to provide adequate mechanical strength and stability of the cases with a minimum wall thickness or material required, in the interest of light weight and reduced cost of the cases, a main advantage of plastic carrying'cases over the conventional Wooden and metal boxes heretofore used for the same purpose.

The foregoing disadvantages and difficulties are substantially overcome by the construction and improvements according to the above-mentioned copending application, the latter involving generally the provision of a bottle carrying and stacking case of the referred to type comprising a pair of side Walls, a pair of end walls, and a bottom wall having a normally sub tantially smooth outer surface and being provided with a multiplicity of preferably part spherical-shaped or relatively shallow depressions or recesses, said depressions being distributed over said surface, or relatively aligned and spaced from each other, such as to register or coincide with the tops or caps of the bottles stored in the cases below upon which said first case has been positioned or stacked. The depressions, serving merely as locating or aligning means for the upper cases of the stack, are insufficient normally to retain the cases in aligned position independently of or free from the effects of vibrations and the like impact forces to which the cases and bottles stored therein are subjected during handling and transport.

In order to overcome the difiiculties mentioned, there are provided, in accordance with the improvements of the copending application, special retaining means in the form of sets of discrete retaining ribs extending radially outwardly from the periphery of said depressions and having wedge-shaped inner end portions forming guiding ramps of gradually increasing height from a point near said periphery to the full height of the ribs. Four such retaining ribs enclosing angles of and extending in directions parallel, respectively, to the side and end walls of the cases have been found to ensure satisfactory results in practice in locating and retaining a case positioned upon the caps or tops of the bottles stored in the case below of a stack of cases, while substantially overcoming the dilficulties and defects mentioned. More specifically, if a case constructed according to the copending application is pulled off or withdrawn horizontally from the case below of a stack, the aforementioned ramps in camming with the edges of the top or caps of the bottles stored in the case below result in the first case being lifted slightly, to thereby facilitate its ready and easy withdrawal, substantially without the dangers mentioned of damaging or breaking of the bottles and, in turn, loss of the contents stored therein.

According to an improved feature, the retaining ribs are continuous or throughgoing from depression to depression, to act as reinforcing or stiffening means of the bottom walls of the cases, to in turn increase the mechanical strength and stability of the cases constructed with a wall thickness reduced to a minimum. Looked at from another angle, there are provided sets of intersecting longitudinal and transverse reinforcing ribs projecting from the normally smooth bottom walls of the cases, said ribs being interrupted to provide gaps bridged by said depressions in said walls and formed with wedge-shaped portions or ramps merging into said depressions, in the manner and for the purpose pointed out.

Other features and details of the construction of the cases forming the subject of the instant application will appear from the prior copending application, the disclosure of which is hereby embodied in the instant application by reference.

Bottle carrying cases of the afore-described type, while being substantially devoid of the danger of damage to or breakage of the bottles during withdrawal of a case from a stacke, have been found to be subject to other difficulties and drawbacks during transport of the cases by means of conventional roller-type transporting devices, in particular inclined transport slides or chutes. In the latter case, one or more of the friction rollers rotatively supported by the devices are liable to engage with the ramps or depressions in the bottom walls of the cases, whereby to result in the cases being diverted from their aligned position in respect to and to eventually be completely forced off the transport path or devices.

Accordingly, the major object of the present invention is the provision of an improved construction of a stackable bottle carrying and shipping case of the type according to the copending application by which the aforementioned and related difliculties and drawbacks during transport of the cases are substantially overcome or minimized by the provision of relatively simple and efficient means and substantially without interfering with the function of the retaining ribs and guide ramps of the prior cases during withdrawal of a case from a stack.

The inventon, both as to the foregoing and ancillary objects as well as novel aspects thereof, will be better understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in which:

FIG. 1 is a part elevational and part sectional end view of a stackable bottle carrying and shipping case of the type according to the copending application and shown supported by a number of friction rollers of a loading or transport device;

FIG. 2 ShOWs a pair of cases according to FIG. 1 in stacked position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom view of the case according to FIG. 1, showing the improved construction according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3;

FIG. 5, being similar to FIG. 3, shows a modification of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are similar to and show modifications of FIG. 6.

Like reference numerals denote like parts in the different views of the drawings.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention involves generally the provision of a stackable bottle carrying and shipping case of the type referred to and described in the copending application, said case being fitted upon its bottom surface with a multiplicity of discrete projection or elevations of a height equal to or flush with the height of the guide ramps or reinforcing ribs or" the prior cases, said elevations being located within the areas exterior of the bottle cap-receiving depressions and guide ramps extending from said depressions and being substantially uniformly distributed over said areas symmetrically to both sets of stiffening ribs extending in the longitudinal and crosswise directions over the bottom surface of the cases. There is thus provided an allover increased outer supporting surface within a p'ane coinciding with the maximum height of said ramps or ribs and being the practical equivalent of a smooth bottom wall. In other words, the invention, while enabling the retention of a relatively thin bottom wall reinforced by stiffening ribs, in the interest of reduced bulk and weight of the cases, provides the equivalent of a bottom wall of increased allover area and 4 thickness adequate to overcome the difficulties mentioned with a minimum of required additional material, in the manner as will become further apparent as the description proceeds in reference to the drawings.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, the case shown of rectangular shape is comprised of a normally substantially smooth bottom wall 10, a pair of side walls 11 and a pair of end walls 12, said walls having a minimum thickness compatible with adequate strength and stability of the cases. The cases may be subdivided in a known manner into rows of compartments by the provision of intersecting separating walls 13 for the storing therein of a number of bottle or the like containers 14 having caps 15 which project above the upper edges of the case, in such a manner as to cause the surfaces of the caps to define a plane supporting surface for the mounting thereon of a similar case to be stacked upon said first case, as more clearly shown in FIG. 2.

For the latter purpose, the bottom walls 10 of the cases are provided with relatively shallow or part spherical depressions or recesses 16 relatively spaced and arranged so as to engage the caps or tops 15 of the bottles stored in the case below of stack, said depressions being surrounded by ribs 17 extending radially outwardly from the periphery thereof in two or more directions, while the inner portion of the ribs are shaped to form ramps gradually merging into said depressions, in the manner shown and further described in the copending application. The ribs 17 are advantageously extended from depression in both longitudinal and crosswise directions, in the manner shown, to provide intersecting sets of stiffening or reinforcing ribs, as shown in FIG. 3. Additional stiffening ribs 18 and 20 interposed between the ribs 17 may be provided, to increase the strength and stability of the bottom walls 10 of the cases.

As a consequence, if a case, such as the upper case of FIG. 2, is withdrawn horizontally from the stack, the ramps 17a, in carnming with the edges of the caps 15 of the bottles, will result in the case being slightly lifted, thereby to prevent damage to or breakage of the bottles, in the manner further described in the copending application.

In loading, shipping and unloading carrying cases of the type described in the foregoing, it is customary to employ roller-type transporting devices, such as chutes or inclined slides comprising essentially an oblong support or frame fitted with spaced sets or rows of friction rollers, one such row of rollers 19 being shown in FIG. 1.

The cases may be conveyed or transported by gravity, as in the case of an inclined slide or chute, or by any other suitable force. Since it is not possible, for economic or other reasons, to especially design the cases in relation to the transport devices or rollers 19, the likelihood exists frequently in practice of one or more of friction rollers 19 interfering with or being engaged by the depressions 16 or ramps 17a of a case, whereby to in turn result in misalignment or diversion of the case from its proper transport path, or in being completely forced off said path or the transporting device, respectively. p

The foregoing difiiculty encountered in the transporting of the cases constructed in accordance with the copending application is substantially overcome by the improved bottom wall contsruction according to the present invention, as shown by FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. The latter, while being completely devoid of any interference with the proper function of the retaining ribs 17 and guide ramps 17a of the 'prior cases, provide an adequate increase of the effective or all over supporting surface presented by the bottom walls of the cases such as to practically eliminate the danger of interference with or diversion of the cases from their proper alignment in respect to the transporting path.

According to the modification of the invention shown by FIGS. 3 and 4, there are provided for the latter purpose a plurality of elevations 22 upon the undersurface of the bottom walls 10 of the cases, said elevations having a height equal to the height of the ribs 17 and being substantially uniformly distributed over the areas of the walls 10 exterior of the depressions 16 and ramps 17a and bounded by said ribs so as not to interfere with the proper function of the latter during horzontal withdrawal from a case below of a stack, in the manner described herein and in the copending application.

In the drawings, FIGS. 3-5, the elevations 22 are shown of ring shape, to leave central apertures in the bottom walls 10 in the interest of decreasing weight and cost of the cases. Furthermore, according to FIGS. 3 and 4 the elevations 22 are evenly spaced along the peripheries of a pair of circles concentric with the depressions 16, to result in a uniform distribution of the elevations, while in the FIG. 5 modification the elevations 23 are located upon or distributed along the periphery of a single circle concentric with the depressions 16, to result in the same effect substantially without interfering with the function of the depressions 16 and ramps 17a in the manner pointed out.

There is thus provided by the invention an adequate increase of the effective or allover supportng surface of the bottom walls 10, to overcome the difficulties encountered in the transport of the cases, while substantially retaining the effects of the ribs 17 and ramps 17a during stacking of the cases, as pointed out and explained hereinbefore.

In place of ring-shaped elevations 22 and 23 as furthermore shown by FIG. 6, the allover supporting surface of the cases may be increased by the provision of either inverted cup-shaped elevations 24, FIG. 7, or solid diskshaped elevations 25 as shown by FIG. 8.

In the foregoing the invention has been described in reference to specific illustrative devices. It will be evident, however, that variations and modifications, as well as the substitution of equivalent parts for those shown for illustration, may be made without departing from the broader scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bottle carrying and stacking case of the type described comprising in combination:

(1) a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls and a bottom wall,

(2) said case adapted for the storing therein in adjoining rows of a multiplicity of bottles with the tops of the bottles projecting above the top edge of the case, to provide a supporting surface thereby for the positioning thereon of a similar case in a stack,

(3) said bottom wall having a normally substantially smooth outer bottom surface provided with a multiplicity of shallow depressions spaced relative to each other and distributed over said surface such as to register with and engage the tops of the bottles stored in the case below of a stack,

(4) a pair of sets of spaced reinforcing ribs projecting outwardly from said bottom surface with the ribs of one set intersecting the ribs of the other set,

(5) said ribs arranged with said depressions coinciding with intersection points thereof and said ribs being interrupted at the areas of said depressions and having inner end portions of a height gradually decreasing towards and merging into said depressions, to form ramps intervening between said ribs and depressions, and

(6) a multiplicity of discrete elevations projecting from said bottom surface to a height equal to the height of said ribs, said elevations being distributed symmetrically to said ribs and substantially uniformly over the areas exterior of said depressions and ramps and bounded by said ribs.

2. A bottle case as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sets of ribs intersect each other at right angles parallel to, respectively, the side and end walls of the case.

3. A bottle case as claimed in claim 1, said elevations consisting of integral ring-shaped members enclosing apertures in and projecting from said bottom wall.

4. A bottle case as claimed in claim 1, said elevations consisting of integral cup-shaped members enclosing apertures in and projecting from said bottom Wall.

5. A bottle case as claimed in claim 1, said elevations consisting of integral disk-shaped members projecting from said bottom wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,535,493 12/1950 Gerber. 3,092,284 6/1963 Stout 220-21 3,349,943 10/1967 BOX 220-21 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

G. E. LOWRANCE, Assistant Examiner.

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