Nesting container and nesting container assembly

• US 9,834,335 B1
• Filed: 11/29/2016
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matthew A. Summers
• Original Assignee: Matthew A. Summers
• Inventors: Summers, Matthew A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John
• Application Number:
  US15/362,928
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• Field of Search: 280 33991, 280 33998
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 1/006 being vertically stackable with each other
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 1/008 having a prop or stand for maintaining position
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2204/00 Ventilation; Heating; Cooling; Insulation
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2207/00 Joining hand-propelled vehicles or sledges together
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2207/02 rigidly
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/003 Non-transparent side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/004 Details of doors or cover lids
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/16 vertically stackable
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/067 Stowable or retractable handle bars
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0202 and loosely interengaged by integral complementary shapes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0204 and joined together by interconnecting formations forming part of the container, e.g. dove-tail, snap connections, hook elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0215 Containers with stacking feet or corner elements B65D21/0211, B65D21/023 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0223 the closure and the bottom presenting local co-operating elements, e.g. projections and recesses B65D21/0222 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/20 External fittings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/24 for spacing bases of containers from supporting surfaces, e.g. legs for pallets B65D19/40
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/28 Handles of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/46; of bottles or jars B65D23/10 ; holders for glasses, bottles, cartons, plastic bags, cans A47G23/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/2841 Horizontal, e.g. U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/02 Removable lids or covers with means for piercing, cutting, or tearing a frangible inner closure B65D51/22
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/16 hinged for upward or downward movement cigar or cigarette receptacles A24F15/00; suitcases, ètuis A45C; casings for cosmetic substances with hinged covers A45D40/22; toolboxes B25H3/02; hinges of door or similar type E05D ; boxes for switchboards with hinged covers H02B1/066
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/10 Locking pins destructible locking pins B65D55/06

Abstract

An interlocking or mating container and container system are presented herein. In particular, the system includes a plurality of adjacently disposed (side-by-side, end-to-end and stacked) containers that are dimensioned to maximize the available space on a pallet, for example, a 463-L Pallet, HCU-6/E Pallet or other pallet. The containers include enlarged wheels, one or more support feet, and a handle assembly. The containers are configured to include a plurality of interlocking or mating portions such as one or more wheel assembly receiving portions, one or more foot receiving portions, outer extensions or engaging portions, and a handle engaging portion. The Interlocking or mating portions are configured to matingly engage or abut corresponding portions of an adjacent container and at least partially restrict movement there between.

Claims

1. A container, comprising:

a base and a lid, said base comprising a bottom portion, at least two oppositely disposed side walls, and at least two oppositely disposed end walls,

at least one handle disposed on at least one of said two oppositely disposed ends walls,

said lid disposable between an at least partially covering and at least partially open relation to said base,

at least one mating portion adapted to be disposable in an at least partially mating relation with at least one corresponding portion of at least one adjoining container, wherein said at least one mating portion of said container, when disposed in the at least partially mating relation with the at least one corresponding portion of the at least one adjoining container, is structured to at least partially restrict movement of said container relative to the adjoining container in at least one direction,

said at least one mating portion of said container comprising a side protrusion adaptable to be disposed in said at least partially mating relation with the at least one corresponding portion of the at least one adjoining container, wherein the at least one corresponding portion of the at least one adjoining container comprises a corresponding side protrusion, and

a handle engagement portion adapted to at least partially interlock with a handle of an end-to-end one of the at least one adjoining container.

2. The container as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one mating portion of said container comprises a positive outwardly extending member.

3. The container as recited in claim 2 wherein said container comprises a plurality of positive outwardly extending members, each being adapted to be disposable in an at least partially mating relation with a corresponding portion of the adjoining container.

4. The container as recited in claim 3 wherein at least one of the positive outwardly extending members of said container comprises an inner receiving portion at least partially engagable by a lid closure assembly to at least partially retain said lid in said at least partially covering relation to said base.

5. The container as recited in claim 1 wherein said container further comprises a wheel assembly comprising a pair of wheels and wherein said at least one mating portion comprises a wheel assembly receiving portion disposed on an upper portion of said container, said wheel assembly receiving portion being adapted to at least partially receive a wheel assembly of a stacked one of the at least one adjoining container.

6. The container as recited in claim 5 wherein said wheel assembly receiving portion comprises at least two spaced apart recesses at least partially defined on an external, upper portion of said lid, each of said spaced apart recesses being structured and adapted to receive at least a portion of a wheel of the wheel assembly of the stacked one of the at least one adjoining container.

7. The container as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one mating portion of said container further comprises a foot receiving portion disposed on an upper portion of said container, said foot receiving portion being adapted to at least partially receive at least one foot of a stacked one of the at least one adjoining container.

8. The container as recited in claim 1 wherein said handle engagement portion of said container comprises at least one handle receiving region disposed adjacent the end-to-end one of the at least one adjoining container.

9. The container as recited in claim 8 wherein said handle engagement portion comprises at least two open handle receiving portions structured to slidingly receive and interlock with the handle of the end-to-end one of the at least one adjoining container.

10. The container as recited in claim 9 wherein said handle engagement portion is disposed on a rear, upper portion of said lid.

11. A container adapted to be disposed in a mating relation with a plurality of additional containers, the plurality of additional containers comprising at least one stacked container and at least one end-to-end container, the at least one stacked container and the at least one end-to-end container being of a similar construction to said container, said container comprising:

an at least partially open-top base and a lid, said base comprising a bottom portion, at least two side walls, and at least two end walls,

said lid disposable in an at least partially covering and at least partially open relation to said base,

a wheel assembly comprising at least one pair of wheels,

a plurality of mating portions adapted to be matingly disposed with corresponding portions of at least one of the plurality of additional containers,

said plurality of mating portions comprising a wheel assembly receiving portion disposed on an upper portion of said container, said wheel assembly receiving portion being adapted to at least partially receive at least a portion of a wheel assembly of the stacked container, and

said plurality of mating portions of said container further comprising at least one handle engagement portion adapted to be disposable in an at least partially interlocking relation with a handle of the end-to-end container.

12. The container as recited in claim 11 wherein said plurality of mating portions further comprises a foot receiving portion adapted to at least partially receive at least one foot of the stacked container.

13. The container as recited in claim 11 wherein at least one of the plurality of additional containers comprises a laterally disposed container, and said plurality of mating portions of said container further comprises at least one positive outwardly extending member extending from at least one side of said container, said side positive outwardly extending member being adapted to be disposable in a mating relation with a corresponding positive outwardly extending member of the laterally disposed container.

14. The container as recited in claim 11 wherein said at least one handle engagement portion comprises at least one open handle receiving portion disposed on said lid and structured to slidingly receive the handle of the end-to-end container.

15. A container adapted to be matingly disposable in a lateral relation, end-to-end relation and a stacked relation with a plurality of additional, similarly constructed containers, wherein said container and the plurality of additional, similarly constructed containers are collectively sized and configured such that nine of said containers fit end-to-end and laterally within a standard 463-L pallet, said container comprising:

an at least partially open-top base and a lid, said base comprising a bottom portion, at least two side walls, and at least two end walls,

said lid being disposable between an at least partially covering and at least partially open relation to said base,

a plurality of mating portions adapted to be matingly disposable with corresponding portions of the plurality of additional, similarly constructed containers, wherein said plurality of mating portions of said container, when matingly disposed with the corresponding portions of the plurality of additional, similarly constructed containers, are structured to at least partially restrict movement of said container relative to the plurality of additional, similarly constructed containers in at least one direction,

said plurality of mating portions comprising a plurality of side protrusions, each adapted to be disposable in a mating relation with a corresponding side protrusion of a laterally disposed one of the plurality of additional, similarly constructed containers, and

said plurality of mating portions further comprising at least one handle engagement portion adapted to be disposable in an at least partially interlocking engagement with a handle of an end-to-end one of the plurality of additional, similarly constructed containers.

16. The container as recited in claim 15 wherein said at least one handle engagement portion comprises two at least partially open handle receiving portions disposed on said lid of said container and structured to slidingly receive the handle of the end-to-end container.