Stackable container apparatus and methods

Abstract

A stackable container assembly includes a lid portion having first raised members projecting outwardly from an upper surface, at least some of the first raised members cooperatively forming first receiving areas, and a base portion coupleable to the lid portion and forming a containment space. The base portion includes second raised members projecting outwardly from a lower surface, at least some of the second raised members cooperatively forming second receiving areas being adapted to fittingly receive first raised members of a like container assembly positioned below the lower surface. And, the first receiving areas are adapted to fittingly receive second raised members of another like container assembly positioned above the upper surface.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application is a 1010 10A is a partial top elevational view of an upper stackable container 200 engaged with the plurality of lower stackable containers 100 of FIG. 9. FIG. 10B is a close-up view of one of the raised cleats from FIG. 10A. In this embodiment, the upper stackable container 200 spans across a plurality of lower stackable containers 100, with the raised cleats 134 of the base portion 130 engaged in to the first receiving areas 115 on a plurality of lid portions 110 of lower stackable containers 100. Because the fourth distance D4 (the distance from the outermost raised row 114 to the outer edge 117) and the fifth distance D5 (the distance from the last raised boss 112 to the outer edge 117) are both equal to the first distance D1 (the distance between successive raised rows 114), the upper stackable container 200 may span between two lower containers 100 even though the raised rows 114 of the two lower containers 100 are not aligned, but rather, are oriented at 90° angles. Similarly, because the fourth distance D4 is approximately equal to the first distance D1, the upper stackable container 200 may span between two lower containers 100 when the raised rows 114 of the two adjacent lower containers 100 are aligned (running in approximately parallel directions). Thus, embodiments of the present invention may provide enhanced, interlocking, stacking capability between successive levels of stackable containers 100, 200.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged, side elevational view of the handle assembly 150 of the stackable container 100 of FIG. 1 in accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the handle assembly 150 includes a support arm 152 coupled to a handle member 154. The support arm 152 is pivotably coupled to the base portion 130 by a hinge 156 located within a recess 158 in the base portion 130. In operation, the support arm 152 and the handle member 154 are swingably (or pivotably) movable between a deployed (or lifting) position 160, and a stowed (or non-lifting) position 162. As shown in FIG. 11, in the deployed position 160, the support arm 152 rotates outwardly within the hinge 156 until the support arm 152 engages with a support surface 164 of the base portion 130.

In operation, a user may lift upwardly on the handle member 154 until the support arm 152 engages with the support surface 164 in the deployed position 160. If the user provides further lifting force on the handle member 154, the support arm 152 is prevented from further up for rotation by the support surface 164. After the container 100 is lifted and moved to a desired position, the support arm 152 may be rotated downwardly into the stowed position 162. In the stowed position 162, the support arm 152 and handle member 154 are contained within the recess 158.

Embodiments of the present invention may provide further advantages in comparison with the prior art. For example, in the deployed position 160, because the support arm 152 is prevented from further rotation upwardly by the support surface 164, the user may exert a lifting force on the handle member 154 without causing the handle member 154 to pinch the user's hand against an outer surface of the base portion 130. Similarly, in the stowed position 162, because the support arm 152 and handle member 154 may be disposed within the recess 158 in the base portion 130, the support arm 152 and handle member 154 may be at least partially protected from damage, and may allow a tighter packing between adjacent containers 100.

Alternate embodiments of the present invention may be conceived, and it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described above and shown in FIGS. 1-11. For example, greater or fewer numbers of raised bosses and stacking cleats may be provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the container from that shown in the accompanying figures. Similarly, the raised bosses and stacking cleats may be distributed over the upper and lower surfaces in different patterns and the particular embodiments described above and shown in the company figures. In addition, as described above, the shapes of the raised bosses and stacking cleats may be varied from those particular embodiments described above. For example, in one alternate embodiment, the shapes of the raised bosses 114 and the stacking cleats 134 may be reversed from the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-11, such that the raised bosses have a “cross” or “plus sign” shape, and the stacking cleats have a “square” shape.

In a further embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, a first raised member 214 may be approximately circular in shape, and may be fittingly received into an approximately circular receiving area 215 forward by a plurality of second raised members 234, each of the second raised members 234 having one or more contoured edges 237 that cooperatively form the circular receiving area 215. The first raised members 214 may be formed on the upper surface of the lid portion 110, in the second raised members 234 may be formed on the lower surface of the base portion 130, or vice versa. Of course, a variety of other shapes of first and second raised members may be conceived that provide the desired interlocking capability of the base portion of the upper container and the lid portion of the lower container, including, for example, triangular shapes, diamond shapes, polygonal shapes, and even non-polygonal or irregular shapes.

While preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of these preferred and alternate embodiments. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A method for stacking containers, comprising:

obtaining at least a first container and a second container, each having a lid portion and a base portion, each lid portion having a plurality of first raised members each projecting outwardly from a lid surface and arranged substantially in a first desired direction, each lid portion further including a plurality of first ribs projecting outwardly from the lid surface, each of the plurality of first ribs extending substantially continuously between adjacently located first raised members and oriented along the first desired direction, at least some of the first raised members and first ribs cooperatively forming a plurality of first receiving areas, wherein the plurality of first raised members project outwardly by an amount that is greater than the outward projection of the plurality of first ribs relative to the lid surface, each base portion having a plurality of second raised members each projecting outwardly from a base surface and arranged substantially in a second desired direction, each base portion further including a plurality of second ribs projecting outwardly from the base surface, each of the plurality of second ribs extending substantially continuously between adjacently located second raised members and oriented along the second desired direction, at least some of the second raised members and second ribs cooperatively forming a plurality of second receiving areas, wherein the plurality of second raised members project outwardly by an amount that is greater than the outward projection of the plurality of second ribs relative to the base surface; and

stacking the first and second containers relative to each other such that at least some of the raised members of one of the containers are received by corresponding receiving areas of the other container.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the first and second containers includes obtaining the lid portions wherein the plurality of first raised members are square-shaped raised members and further includes obtaining the base portions wherein the plurality of second raised members are plus-sign-shaped raised members.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein stacking the first and second containers includes laterally offsetting the lid portion of the one of the containers relative to the base portion of the other container.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein stacking the first and second containers includes contacting the first raised members with the base surface of one of the containers and contacting the second raised members with the lid surface of the other container.

5. A system comprising:

a first container assembly including a first upper portion having a plurality of upper stacking features, each upper stacking feature includes first raised members and a plurality of first ribs projecting outwardly from a surface of the upper portion, each of the plurality of first ribs extending substantially continuously between adjacently located first raised members, each of the first raised members and first ribs projecting outwardly from an upper stacking surface, each first raised member having at least one of a width that exceeds a corresponding width of each first rib and a height that exceeds a corresponding height of each first rib; and

a second container assembly including a second upper portion that includes second upper stacking features substantially identical to the first upper stacking features and including a plurality of second raised members and a plurality of second ribs, each of the plurality of second ribs extending substantially continuously between adjacently located second raised members;

wherein the first container assembly further includes a first base positioned below the upper portion and having a containment volume, the first base having a plurality of base stacking features arranged to engagingly cooperate with the second container assembly, wherein the second upper portion is positionable beneath the first base,

wherein the base stacking features include a plurality of base first members arranged in an array and positioned such that each base first member is inserted between adjacent second upper stacking features having each base first member inserted between adjacent pairs of second raised members of each of the adjacent second upper stacking features.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the base first members continuously adjoined to base second members, each of the base first and base second members projecting outwardly from a base stacking surface, each base first member of the set having a width that exceeds a corresponding width of each base second member of the set.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein a height of the first raised members exceeds a height of the first rib relative to the upper stacking surface.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein a linear distance between the first raised members of adjacent upper stacking features is less than a corresponding linear distance between first ribs of adjacent upper stacking features.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the upper stacking features of at least the first upper portion are disposed in at least two rows on the upper stacking surface, a first centerline of a first row being separated from a second centerline of a second row by a desired distance.

10. The system of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of second raised members projecting from a base stacking surface.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the upper stacking feature of the first upper portion are oriented substantially parallel relative to an edge of the first upper portion.

12. A system comprising:

a first container assembly including a first upper portion having a plurality of upper stacking features, each upper stacking feature includes first raised members and a plurality of first ribs projecting outwardly from a surface of the upper portion, each of the plurality of first ribs extending substantially continuously between adjacently located first raised members, each of the first raised members and first ribs projecting outwardly from an upper stacking surface, each first raised member having a width that exceeds a corresponding width of each first rib; and

a second container assembly including a second upper portion that includes upper stacking features substantially identical to the first upper stacking features and including a plurality of second raised members and a plurality of second ribs, each of the plurality of second ribs extending substantially continuously between adjacently located second raised members;

wherein the first container assembly further includes a first base, the first base and the first upper portion defining a containment volume, the first base having a plurality of base stacking features arranged in an array such that each base stacking feature is positionable at least one of between adjacent second upper stacking features and between adjacent second raised members of the adjacent second upper stacking features, wherein the second upper portion is positionable beneath the first base.

13. A system comprising:

a first container assembly including a stacking portion having a plurality of stacking features, each stacking feature including raised members and a plurality of ribs projecting outwardly from a surface of the stacking portion, each of the plurality of ribs extending substantially continuously between adjacently located raised members, each of the raised members and ribs projecting outwardly from a stacking surface, each raised member having at least one of a width that exceeds a corresponding width of each rib and a height that exceeds a corresponding height of each rib,

wherein the first container assembly further includes an opposing portion, the opposing portion and stacking portion defining a containment volume, the opposing portion having a plurality of opposing features arranged to engagingly cooperate with the stacking features of a stacking portion of a second container assembly when the stacking portion of the second container assembly is positioned beneath at least a part of the opposing portion, the stacking features of the second container assembly being identical to the stacking features of the first container assembly and the opposing features of the first container being arranged in a two-dimensional array such that each opposing feature is positionable inserted between a pair of raised members of a first stacking feature of the second container on one side of the each opposing feature and inserted between a pair of raised members of a second stacking feature of the second container on an opposite side of the each opposing feature.

14. A system comprising:

a first container assembly including a first portion having a plurality of first portion stacking features, each first portion stacking feature includes first raised members and a plurality of first ribs projecting outwardly from a first portion stacking surface of the first portion, each of the plurality of first ribs extending substantially continuously between adjacently located first raised members, each of the first raised members and first ribs projecting outwardly from the first portion stacking surface, each first raised member having at least one of a width that exceeds a corresponding width of each first rib and protruding outwardly from the first portion stacking surface by a height that exceeds a corresponding height of each first rib; and

a second container assembly including a second portion that includes second portion stacking features substantially identical to the first portion stacking features and including a plurality of second raised members and a plurality of second ribs, each of the plurality of second ribs extending substantially continuously between adjacently located second raised members,

wherein the first container assembly further includes a first opposing portion positioned opposite the first portion, the first portion and first opposing portion defining a containment volume, the first opposing portion having a plurality of opposing portion stacking features arranged to engagingly cooperate with the second container assembly, wherein the second portion is positionable in contact with the first opposing portion, the opposing portion stacking features arranged in an array such that each opposing portion stacking feature is positionable at least one of between adjacent second portion stacking features and between adjacent second raised members of the adjacent second portion stacking features.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein each opposing stacking feature includes repetitive sets of opposing portion first members continuously adjoined to opposing portion second members, each of the opposing portion first members and opposing portion second members projecting outwardly from an opposing portion stacking surface, each opposing portion first member of the set having a width that exceeds a corresponding width of each opposing portion second member of the set.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein a height of the first raised member exceeds a height of the first ribs relative to the upper stacking surface.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein a linear distance between the first raised members of adjacent upper stacking features is less than a corresponding linear distance between first ribs of adjacent first portion stacking features.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the first portion stacking features of the first portion are disposed in at least two rows on the first portion stacking surface, a first centerline of a first row being separated from a second centerline of a second row by a desired distance.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the opposing portion stacking features includes a plurality of second raised members projecting from the opposing portion stacking surface.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the first portion stacking feature of the first portion is oriented substantially parallel relative to an edge of the first portion.