US3982654A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plastic case system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-08-21
•
Granted: 1976-09-28
•
Expires: 1994-08-21
Abstract
Abstract A plastic case system composed of a multilayered stack of identical cases or plastic cases mixed randomly with similar cases made of other material for holding arrays of upstanding containers in which all but the lowermost cases are keyed to the crowns of the containers in the underlying cases. The cases are shaped and arranged so that they can be placed side-by-side in one stack layer configuration, yet still be keyed to the crowns of containers in the underlying cases arranged in the same or a different stack layer configuration so that cases in different layers can criss-cross one another and interlock to maximize stack stability.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert S. Gottsegen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 15:02
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D1/00; B65D1/22; B65D1/24; B65D1/243; B65D2501/00; B65D2501/24; B65D2501/24006; B65D2501/24012; B65D2501/24019; B65D2501/2405; B65D2501/24063; B65D2501/24082; B65D2501/24089; B65D2501/24108; B65D2501/24121; B65D2501/24133; B65D2501/24146; B65D2501/24152; B65D2501/24197; B65D2501/24343; B65D2501/2435; B65D2501/24554; B65D2501/24585; B65D2501/24649; B65D2501/24656; B65D2501/24681
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
229 words
A system of cases comprising one layer of identical generally rectangular plastic cases arranged next to each other, each case holding an array of twelve upstanding containers which extend above the case, said containers being arranged in three columns with four containers in each column, another similar layer of cases resting on the crowns of the containers in said one layer, each of said cases including means defining a bottom wall and an array of recesses in the underside of the bottom wall for receiving the crowns of the underlying containers, said other layer being oriented 90° relative to said one layer so that recesses in the cases in said other layer receive the crowns of containers in at least two different cases in said one layer, said array of recesses being symmetric about both the X and Y axes of the bottom wall so that the array is composed of mirror image repeats of the arrangement of recesses in a single quadrant of the bottom wall and wherein the array of recesses is composed of a plurality of different sets of recesses, a first of said sets being symmetric about both the X and Y axes of the bottom wall, a second and third of said sets being symmetric about only one of said axes, and a plurality of sets and said sets being symmetric about neither of
Claim 2
Independent Claim
229 words
A system of cases comprising one layer of identical generally rectangular plastic cases arranged next to each other, each case holding an array of twelve upstanding containers which extend above the case, said containers being arranged in three columns with four containers in each column, another similar layer of cases resting on the crowns of the containers in said one layer, each of said cases including means defining a bottom wall and an array of recesses in the underside of the bottom wall for receiving the crowns of the underlying containers, said other layer being oriented 90° relative to said one layer so that recesses in the cases in said other layer receive the crowns of containers in at least two different cases in said one layer, said array of recesses being symmetric about both the X and Y axes of the bottom wall so that the array is composed of mirror image repeats of the arrangement of recesses in a single quadrant of the bottom wall and wherein the array of recesses is composed of a plurality of different sets of recesses, a first of said sets being symmetric about both the X and Y axes of the bottom wall, a second and third of said sets being symmetric about only one of said axes, and a plurality of sets and said sets being symmetric about neither of
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system defined in claim 1 wherein there are at least four said layers of cases with the upper cases being keyed to the containers in the
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system defined in claim 1 wherein the cases in each layer are
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system defined in claim 1 wherein the keyholes in each case in said other layer are arranged so that each said case can be turned 180° about its vertical axis and its keyholes still receive the crowns of the
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
177 words
A plastic case for holding an array of upstanding containers of the type having a bottom wall, a pair of spaced-apart parallel side walls projecting up from the bottom wall and a pair of spaced-apart parallel end walls projecting up from the bottom wall and contiguous with the side walls to form a generally rectangular enclosure, the improvement comprising an array of recesses formed in the underside of the bottom wall for receiving the crowns of said containers, said array being symmetric about both the X and Y axes of the bottom wall so that the array is composed of mirror image repeats of the arrangement of recesses in a single quadrant of the bottom wall and wherein the array of recesses is composed of a plurality of different sets of recesses, a first of said sets being symmetric about both the X and Y axes of the bottom wall and the second and third of said sets being symmetric about only one of said axes, a plurality of sets remaining and said sets being symmetric about
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
177 words
A plastic case for holding an array of upstanding containers of the type having a bottom wall, a pair of spaced-apart parallel side walls projecting up from the bottom wall and a pair of spaced-apart parallel end walls projecting up from the bottom wall and contiguous with the side walls to form a generally rectangular enclosure, the improvement comprising an array of recesses formed in the underside of the bottom wall for receiving the crowns of said containers, said array being symmetric about both the X and Y axes of the bottom wall so that the array is composed of mirror image repeats of the arrangement of recesses in a single quadrant of the bottom wall and wherein the array of recesses is composed of a plurality of different sets of recesses, a first of said sets being symmetric about both the X and Y axes of the bottom wall and the second and third of said sets being symmetric about only one of said axes, a plurality of sets remaining and said sets being symmetric about
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
109 words
The case defined in claim 5 wherein the keyholes in a fourth set of said recesses are symmetric about one of said axes with the keyholes in a fifth set of recesses and symmetric about the other axis with the keyholes in a sixth set of recesses and wherein the keyholes of said seventh set of recesses are symmetric about said one of said axes with the keyholes of the sixth set of said recesses and symmetric about the other of said axis with the keyholes of the fifth set of said recesses and wherein the keyholes in the second set of recesses are symmetric about the other of
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
117 words
The case defined in claim 5 wherein the spacing between the recesses in each of said second and third sets of recesses is longer in a direction parallel to the other of said axes by a distance equal to twice the thickness of the case end wall than the distance between said recesses as measured parallel to the one of said axis and wherein the spacing between selected adjacent recesses in each of said fourth to seventh sets of recesses are longer in a direction parallel to said one axis by a distance equal to twice the case side wall thickness than the distance between the remaining adjacent recesses in the fourth to seventh sets of recesses.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2535493A
Cited
US3103278A
Cited
US3214056A
Cited
US3333727A
Cited
US3332574A
Cited
US3701449A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-09-28 | 1980-03-29 | 1980-09-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-09-28 | 1984-03-29 | 1984-09-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-09-28 | 1988-03-29 | 1988-09-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |