Granted Patent B2

US 7,699,171 · App. 11/284,696 · Granted Apr 20, 2010

Abstract

Claims (111)

1. A stackable container comprising:

a top surface comprising a shoulder portion and a neck portion;

a bottom surface defining a stacking recess;

a plurality of substantially vertical side surfaces that extend between said top surface and said bottom surface, wherein:

said shoulder portion extends upwardly away from said bottom surface;

said shoulder portion is substantially disposed within a perimeter defined by said top surface;

said neck portion extends upwardly from said shoulder portion;

said neck portion is disposed within a perimeter defined by said shoulder portion;

said stacking recess extends upwardly relative to said bottom surface toward an interior portion of said first stackable container;

said stacking recess is disposed within a perimeter of said bottom surface;

said stackable container is a first stackable container; and

a recessed portion of said bottom surface adjacent said stacking recess is dimensioned to substantially interlock with and to be at least substantially supported by a shoulder portion of a second stackable container, said second stackable container having substantially the same structure as said first stackable container.

2. The stackable container of claim 1 , wherein said interior portion is defined at least partially by said vertical side surfaces.

3. The stackable container of claim 1 , wherein said stacking recess is substantially conically-shaped.

4. The stackable container of claim 3 , wherein said shoulder portion is substantially conically shaped.

5. The stackable container of claim 1 , wherein:

said bottom surface defines an interface recess adjacent to an opening of said stacking recess;

said shoulder portion comprises an interface lip adjacent said top surface; and

said interface recess is dimensioned to substantially interlock with an interface lip of said second stackable container.

6. The stackable container of claim 5 , wherein:

said interface lip defines a first arc;

said interface recess defines a second arc;

said lip and said interface recess are adapted to substantially interlock along said first and said second arc.

7. The stackable container of claim 6 , wherein:

said first arc has a length of between about 0.5 inches and about 6 inches.

8. The stackable container of claim 5 , wherein:

said interface lip defines a first circle;

said interface recess defines a second circle; and

said interface lip and said interface recess are adapted to substantially interlock along at least a portion of a circumference of said first circle.

9. The stackable container of claim 8 , wherein said lip and said interface recess are adapted to substantially interlock along about 40% to 50% of said circumference of said first circle.

10. The stackable container of claim 1 , wherein said neck portion defines an outlet opening.

11. The stackable container of claim 10 , wherein said container further comprises a removable cap, said removable cap being adapted to selectively open and close said outlet opening.

12. The stackable container of claim 11 , wherein:

at least a portion of said recessed portion of said bottom surface is adapted to receive a removable cap of said second stackable container, and to substantially mate with at least a portion of said removable cap.

13. The stackable container of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of said stacking recess is adapted to receive at least a portion of said neck portion.

14. The stackable container of claim 10 , wherein said neck portion of said first container is adapted to: (A) engage said recessed portion of said bottom surface of said second stackable container; and (B) at least partially support said second stackable container when said neck portion of said first container is engaging said recessed portion of said bottom surface of said second stackable container.

15. The stackable container of claim 10 , wherein said neck portion is substantially centered within said perimeter of said shoulder portion.

16. The stackable container of claim 10 , wherein said shoulder portion defines one or more grooves, each of said one or more grooves extending from said perimeter of said shoulder portion to a perimeter of said neck portion.

17. The stackable container of claim 1 , wherein said container further comprises a handle, said handle being positioned adjacent at least one of said substantially vertical side surfaces.

18. The stackable container of claim 17 , wherein said handle extends between said top surface and an upper section of said at least one of said substantially vertical side surfaces.

19. The stackable container of claim 1 , wherein said shoulder portion is substantially centered within said perimeter of said top surface.

20. The stackable container of claim 1 , wherein said stacking recess is substantially centered within said perimeter of said bottom surface.

21. The stackable container of claim 1 , wherein:

said substantially vertical side surfaces comprise four side surfaces, said four side surfaces defining a substantially rectangular horizontal cross section;

said top surface further comprises at least one top corner surface;

said at least one top corner surface extends upwardly in a radially inward direction from at least one corner of said container toward said top surface; and

said at least one corner is defined by the intersection of at least two of said substantially vertical side surfaces.

22. The stackable container of claim 21 , wherein said top corner surface has a substantially triangular shape.

23. The stackable container of claim 22 , wherein said top corner surface forms an angle of between about 45° and about 60° with a vertical axis of said container.

24. The stackable container of claim 1 , wherein an intersection of at least two of said substantially vertical side surfaces defines a corner, said corner having a rounded surface and defining a substantially vertical groove.

25. The stackable container of claim 24 , wherein said substantially vertical groove extends from said top surface to a portion of said corner surface that is adjacent said bottom surface.

26. The stackable container of claim 24 , wherein each of said at least two substantially vertical side surfaces defines a substantially vertical groove adjacent said rounded surface of said corner, each of said substantially vertical grooves extending from said top surface to said bottom surface.

27. The stackable container of claim 1 , wherein a bottom edge of each of said vertical side surfaces cooperates with an edge of said bottom surface to define a chamfered surface.

28. The stackable container of claim 1 , wherein said bottom surface defines a first channel adjacent a first corner of said bottom surface, and a second channel adjacent a second corner of said bottom surface.

29. The stackable container of claim 1 , wherein said container further comprises:

a plurality of substantially vertical ribs extending outwardly from at least one of said substantially vertical side surfaces; and

a plurality of substantially vertical grooves extending inwardly from at least one of said vertical side surfaces, wherein each of said vertical grooves is adapted to engage one of a plurality of vertical ribs of said second stackable container.

30. The stackable container of claim 29 , wherein two of said substantially vertical ribs define at least one of said substantially vertical grooves between said pair of ribs.

31. The stackable container according to claim 29 , wherein said substantially vertical grooves extend along at least one of said vertical side surfaces from said top surface to said bottom surface.

32. A stackable container comprising:

a top surface comprising a substantially symmetrical shoulder portion and a neck portion;

a bottom surface defining a substantially symmetrical stacking recess; and

a plurality of substantially vertical side surfaces that extend between said top surface and said bottom surface, wherein:

said substantially symmetrical shoulder portion extends upwardly away from said bottom surface;

said substantially symmetrical shoulder portion is substantially disposed within a perimeter defined by said top surface;

said neck portion extends upwardly from said substantially symmetrical shoulder portion;

said neck portion is disposed within a perimeter defined by said substantially symmetrical shoulder portion;

said neck portion defines an outlet opening;

said substantially symmetrical stacking recess extends upwardly relative to said bottom surface toward an interior portion of said stackable container;

said substantially symmetrical stacking recess is disposed within a perimeter of said bottom surface;

said stackable container is a first stackable container; and

a substantially symmetrical recessed portion of said bottom surface adjacent said substantially symmetrical stacking recess is dimensioned to substantially interlock with and to be at least substantially supported by a substantially symmetrical shoulder portion of a second stackable container, said second stackable container having substantially the same structure as the first stackable container.

33. The stackable container of claim 32 , wherein said substantially symmetrical stacking recess is substantially conically-shaped.

34. The stackable container of claim 33 , wherein said substantially symmetrical shoulder portion is substantially conically shaped.

35. The stackable container of claim 32 , wherein:

said bottom surface defines an interface recess adjacent to an opening of said stacking recess;

said substantially symmetrical shoulder portion comprises an interface lip adjacent said top surface; and

said interface recess is dimensioned to substantially interlock with an interface lip of said second stackable container.

36. The stackable container of claim 32 , wherein said stackable container further comprises a removable cap, said removable cap being adapted to selectively open and close said outlet opening.

37. The stackable container of claim 36 , wherein:

at least a portion of said substantially symmetrical recessed portion of said bottom surface is adapted to receive a removable cap of said second stackable container, and to substantially mate with at least a portion of said removable cap.

38. The stackable container of claim 36 , wherein said neck portion of said first container is adapted to: (A) engage said substantially symmetrical recessed portion of said bottom surface of said second stackable container; and (B) at least partially support said second stackable container when said neck portion of said first container is engaging said substantially symmetrical recessed portion of said bottom surface of said second stackable container.

39. The stackable container of claim 32 , wherein said stackable container further comprises a handle, said handle being positioned adjacent at least one of said substantially vertical side surfaces.

40. The stackable container of claim 32 , wherein:

said substantially vertical side surfaces comprise four side surfaces, said four side surfaces defining a substantially rectangular horizontal cross section;

said surface further comprises at least one top corner surface;

said at least one top corner surface extends upwardly in a radially inward direction from at least one corner of said container toward said top surface; and

said at least one corner is defined by the intersection of at least two of said substantially vertical side surfaces.

41. The stackable container of claim 32 , wherein said container further comprises:

a plurality of substantially vertical ribs extending outwardly from at least one of said substantially vertical side surfaces; and

a plurality of substantially vertical grooves extending inwardly from at least one of said vertical side surfaces, wherein each of said vertical grooves is adapted to engage one of a plurality of vertical ribs of a second stackable container.

42. A stackable container comprising:

a top surface comprising a shoulder portion, a neck portion, and at least one top corner surface;

a bottom surface defining a stacking recess;

a plurality of substantially vertical side surfaces that extend between said top surface and said bottom surface; and

a handle positioned adjacent at least one of said substantially vertical side surfaces, wherein:

said shoulder portion extends upwardly away from said bottom surface;

said shoulder portion is substantially disposed within a perimeter defined by said top surface;

said neck portion extends upwardly from said shoulder portion;

said neck portion is disposed within a perimeter defined by said shoulder portion;

said neck portion defines an outlet;

said at least one top corner surface extends upwardly in a radially inward direction from at least one corner of said container toward said top surface;

said at least one corner is defined by the intersection of at least two of said substantially vertical side surfaces;

said at least one corner defines a substantially vertical groove;

said bottom surface defines at least one channel adjacent said at least one corner of said container;

said stacking recess is disposed within a perimeter of said bottom surface;

said stacking recess extends upwardly relative to said bottom surface toward an interior portion of said first stackable container;

said handle extends between said top surface and a portion of said at least one of said substantially vertical side surfaces located between said top surface and said bottom surface;

said stackable container is a first stackable container; and

a recessed portion of said bottom surface adjacent said stacking recess is dimensioned to substantially interlock with and to be at least substantially supported by a shoulder portion of a second stackable container, said second stackable container having substantially the same structure as said first stackable container.

43. The stackable container of claim 42 , wherein at least a portion of said stacking recess extends upwardly about 1.75 to about 2 inches relative to said bottom surface toward an interior portion of said first stackable container.

Assignments (13)