Interlocking container for carry-out food products

• US 5,060,851 A
• Filed: 09/26/1988
• Issued: 10/29/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Macmillan Bloedel Containers Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Macmillan Bloedel Containers
• Inventors: Lorenz, Achim R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marcus, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): PASCUA, JES F
• Application Number:
  US07/248,988
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 229/125.29, 229/114, 229/901, 229/125.28, 229/23 BT, 229/125.19, 229/148, 229/153, 229/146, 220/4.21, 220/4.24
• US Class Current: 229/125.29
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0234 Nestable or stackable container parts forming a receptacle when one part is inverted upon the other
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/2047 trapezoidal, e.g. to form a body with diverging side walls B65D5/2033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/28 with extensions of sides permanently secured to adjacent sides, with sides permanently secured together by adhesive strips, or with sides held in place solely by rigidity of material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/64 Lids
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/901 Box structure alternatively useable as a container or a lid

Abstract

A container having a first piece and a complementary second piece closable over the first is disclosed. Each container piece has a bottom wall and sidewalls having central portions which are connected to the bottom wall. Each of a first pair of opposite sidewalls of each piece has an upstanding tab portion extending from the top edge of its central portion. Each of a second pair of opposite sidewalls for each piece includes two spaced-apart upstanding portions for receiving an associated tab portion therebetween to interlock the container pieces. The opposing upstanding portions for each side wall each have a boss portion for engaging a side of the tab portion of a complementary piece.

Claims

1. A container comprising a first piece and a second piece closable over said first piece to form said container,

each of said pieces including a bottom wall and upstanding sidewalls having a central portion connected to said bottom wall,

said sidewalls of each piece comprising:

a first pair of opposite sidewalls with each sidewall of said first pair having a tab portion upstanding from said central portion thereof, and

a second pair of opposite sidewalls with each sidewall of said second pair having two spaced-apart portions upstanding from said central portion thereof for receiving an associated tab portion therebetween to interlock said container pieces, said spaced-apart upstanding portions each including a boss portion oriented so that said boss portions on each sidewall face each other in opposition and project towards each other, said boss portions of one piece engaging with said tab portions of the other piece.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tab portions comprise a tapering neck portion, said upstanding portions being spaced-apart corresponding to a width of said neck portion.

3. A container as claimed in claim 2, wherein said facing boss portions are spaced-apart corresponding to a minimum width of said tapering neck portion of said tab portion.

4. A container as claimed in claim 3, wherein said boss portions comprise substantially straight guide edges which intersect with substantially straight locking edges.

5. A container as claimed in claim 4, wherein

said upstanding portions of each of said second pair of opposite sidewalls are spaced-apart along the upper edge of their respective central portion, and

wherein said guide edges slope downwardly and inwardly with respect to said upper edge and said locking edges slope downwardly and outwardly with respect to said upper edge to connect said guide edges to said upper edge, said guide edges and said locking edges meeting to form each said boss portion to have a V-shape.

6. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein each complementary container piece is generally rectangular, each of said central portions of said sidewalls being generally trapezoidal.

7. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second container pieces are identical, said pieces being nestable.

8. A container piece adapted to form a container by interlocking with another similar, complementary piece, said piece comprising:

a bottom wall and upstanding sidewalls having a central portion connected to said bottom wall, said sidewalls comprising a first pair of opposite sidewalls with each sidewall of said first pair having a tab portion upstanding from said central portion thereof, and a second pair of opposite sidewalls with each sidewall of said second pair having two spaced-part portions upstanding from said central portion thereof, said spaced-apart portions being adapted to receive an associated tab portion of a similar complementary container piece therebetween, said spaced-apart portions each including a boss portion oriented to face the other boss portion on the same sidewall in opposition, said boss portions projecting towards each other whereby they are adapted to engage a tab portion of a similar complementary container piece.

9. A container piece as claimed in claim 8, wherein said tab portions comprise a tapering neck portion, said upstanding portions being spaced-apart corresponding to a width of said neck portion.

10. A container piece as claimed in claim 9, wherein said facing boss portions are spaced-apart corresponding to a minimum width of said tapering neck portion of said tab portion.

11. A container piece as claimed in claim 10, wherein said boss portions comprise substantially straight guide edges which intersect with substantially straight locking edges.

12. A container piece as claimed in claim 11, wherein

said upstanding portions of each of said second pair of opposite sidewalls are spaced-apart along the upper edge of their respective central portion, and

wherein said guide edges slope downwardly and inwardly with respect to said upper edge and said locking edges slope downwardly and outwardly with respect to said upper edge to connect said guide edges to said upper edge, said guide edges and said locking edges meeting to form each said boss portion to have a V-shape.

13. A container piece as claimed in claim 8, wherein said piece is generally rectangular, each of said central portions of said sidewalls being generally trapezoidal.

14. A blank for forming a container piece, said blank comprising:

a bottom wall and sidewall portions adapted to extend upwardly from said bottom wall, said sidewall portions each having a central portion connected to said bottom wall,

said sidewall portions each comprising a first pair of opposite sidewall portions with each portion of said first pair having a tab portion adapted to extend upwardly from said central portion thereof, and

a second pair of opposite sidewall portions with each portion of said second pair having two spaced-apart portions adapted to extend upwardly from said central portion thereof, said spaced-apart portions further being adapted to receive an associated tab portion of a complementary container piece formed from a similar blank, said spaced-apart portions each including a boss portion oriented so that said boss portions on each sidewall portion face each other in opposition and project towards each other.

15. A blank as claimed in claim 14, wherein said tab portions comprise a tapering neck portion, said spaced-apart portions being spaced-apart corresponding to a width of said neck portion.

16. A blank as claimed in claim 15, wherein said facing boss portions are spaced-apart corresponding to a minimum width of said tapering neck portion of said tab portion.

17. A blank as claimed in claim 16, wherein said boss portions comprise substantially straight guide edges which intersect with substantially straight locking edges.

18. A blank as claimed in claim 17, wherein

said spaced-apart portions of each of said second pair of opposite sidewall portions are spaced-apart along the upper edge of their respective central portion, and wherein

said guide edges slope downwardly and inwardly with respect to said upper edge and said locking edges slope downwardly and outwardly with respect to said upper edge to connect said guide edges to said upper edge, said guide edges and said locking edges meeting to form each said boss portion to have a V-shape.

19. A blank as claimed in claim 14, wherein each of said central portions of said sidewall portions are generally trapezoidal.