US4978002A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cross-stacking bottle case
Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Co Inc
•
Filing: 1989-11-22
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Granted: 1990-12-18
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Expires: 2009-11-22
Abstract
Abstract The stackable low depth bottle case of the present invention includes four side walls and a bottom portion. A plurality of upwardly projecting hollow columns extend upwardly within the side walls. The columns, walls, and bottom portion define a plurality of bottle retaining pockets. The bottle retaining pockets have flat surfaces to permit retention of bottles without base indentations and to permit rotation of petaloid bottles. The columns extend upwardly from the base portion a distance approximately one third of the height of the bottles to be retained. The columns may be hollow to permit empty cases to stack top to bottom. The lower surface of the bottom portion has circular concave portions with central retaining openings to facilitate stacking of loaded cases top to bottom. When a case is disposed on a lower filled case, the bottle tops of the lower case are guided toward the central retaining openings by the circular concave portions.
Inventors
- 👤 William P. Apps
- 👤 James B. Rehrig
- 👤 John A. Hagan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 05:22
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D71/00; B65D71/70; B65D1/00; B65D1/22; B65D1/24; B65D1/243; B65D2501/00; B65D2501/24; B65D2501/24006; B65D2501/2405; B65D2501/24063; B65D2501/24089; B65D2501/24108
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 80
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
A cross-stacking case for retaining and transporting bottles comprising: outer side walls forming an outer shell; a case bottom disposed substantially within said outer shell; a plurality of means for supporting outer surfaces of bottles, generally disposed within said outer shell and each supporting means having at least one bottle supporting surface, said bottle supporting surfaces defining, in combination wtih said outer shell and said case bottom, a plurality of bottle retaining pockets with at least one bottle supporting means associated with each pocket; and receiving means, generally disposed within said outer shell, extending above the height of a top surface of a first of said side walls and having a recess, for receiving a side wall of an upper identical case when said lower cross-stacking case is empty.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
A cross-stacking case for retaining and transporting bottles comprising: outer side walls forming an outer shell; a case bottom disposed substantially within said outer shell; a plurality of means for supporting outer surfaces of bottles, generally disposed within said outer shell and each supporting means having at least one bottle supporting surface, said bottle supporting surfaces defining, in combination wtih said outer shell and said case bottom, a plurality of bottle retaining pockets with at least one bottle supporting means associated with each pocket; and receiving means, generally disposed within said outer shell, extending above the height of a top surface of a first of said side walls and having a recess, for receiving a side wall of an upper identical case when said lower cross-stacking case is empty.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A case as in claim 1, wherein said recess extends downwardly in said receiving means to the height of the top of said first side wall.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A case as in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of bottle supporting means defines a column and said receiving means is associated with one of said columns.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A case as in claim 3, wherein said columns are hollow and when said case is empty said receiving means interblocks within a hollow portion of a column on an identical upper case.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
82 words
A case as in claim 1, wherein said outer side walls form a rectangular shell having a longer length than width and having a center line of the width of the case extending through the center of the shorter of a pair of side walls of the case; and said receiving means is disposed about the center line of the width of said case and said recess of said receiving means extends along the center line of the width of the case.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
71 words
A case as in claim 1, wherein said bottle supporting surfaces are shaped to support 2-liter PET bottles; said case bottom includes: an upper surface which is substantially flat across the bottle retaining pockets; and a lower surface; and said plurality of bottle supporting means extends above said lower surface of said case bottom a distance of approximately one-third the height of the 2-liter PET bottles to be retained and transported.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A case as in claim 6, wherein said case bottom lower surface includes means for resting the case bottom on closures of 2-liter PET bottles in a subjacent case and for aligning each closure with said case bottom for stacking said case.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A case as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said bottle supporting means can be associated with more than one of said pockets.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A case as in claim 1, wherein said receiving means extends above the height of a top surface of each of said side walls.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A case as in claim 1, wherein said side walls are less than half the height of the stored bottles.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
136 words
A cross-stacking case for retaining and transporting bottles comprising: outer side walls forming an outer shell; a case bottom diposed substantially within said outer shell; a plurality of means for supporting outer surfaces of bottles, generally disposed within said outer shell and each supporting means having at least one bottle supporting surface, said bottle supporting surfaces defining, in combination with the outer shell and the case bottom, a plurality of bottle retaining pockets with at least one bottle supporting means associated with each pocket; and a plurality of receiving means, generally disposed within said outer shell, extending above the height of a top surface of a first of said side walls and each of said means having a recess, for receiving a side wall of an upper identical case when said lower cross-stacking case is empty.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
136 words
A cross-stacking case for retaining and transporting bottles comprising: outer side walls forming an outer shell; a case bottom diposed substantially within said outer shell; a plurality of means for supporting outer surfaces of bottles, generally disposed within said outer shell and each supporting means having at least one bottle supporting surface, said bottle supporting surfaces defining, in combination with the outer shell and the case bottom, a plurality of bottle retaining pockets with at least one bottle supporting means associated with each pocket; and a plurality of receiving means, generally disposed within said outer shell, extending above the height of a top surface of a first of said side walls and each of said means having a recess, for receiving a side wall of an upper identical case when said lower cross-stacking case is empty.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
68 words
The stackable case as in claim 11, wherein said four side walls form a rectangular shape, having a longer length than width and having a center line of the length of the case extending through the longer pair of side walls of the case; and each of said recesses of said plurality of supporting means are aligned parallel to the center line of the length of the case.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The case as in claim 12, wherein each of said recesses extend downardly to the height of the top of said first side wall.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The case as in claim 11, wherein each of said recesses extend downwardly to the height of the top of said first side wall.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The case as in claim 11, wherein one of said recesses of one of said receiving means extend along the center line of the length of the case.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
A case as in claim 11, wherein each of said bottle supporting means further comprise a horizontal platform disposed substantially coplanar with the height of a top surface of said first side wall.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
A case as in claim 16, wherein each of said receiving means comprise a plurality of upwardly disposed projections extending from said platforms of said bottle supporting means and below a top surface of the retained bottles.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
A case as in claim 17, wherein each of said bottle supporting surfaces are coplanar with one of said projections and said coplanar surfaces are curved to substantially conform to the shape of the bottle to be retained and transported in said bottle retaining pockets.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
A case as in claim 17, wherein said projections include wedge-shaped support portions.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
A case as in claim 11, wherein at least one of said bottle supporting means can be associated with more than one of said pockets.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
A case as in claim 11, wherein each of said receiving means extend above the height of a top surface of each of said side walls.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
A case as in claim 11, wherein said side walls are less than half the height of the stored bottles.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
174 words
A cross-stacking case for retaining and transporting bottles comprising: four outer side walls forming a rectangular outer shell having a ratio of the length to the width of the outer shell be substantially equal to the number of bottles said case holds in the lengthwise direction to the number of bottles said case holds in the widthwise direction; a case bottom disposed substantially within said outer shell; and a plurality of means for supporting outer surfaces of bottles, generally disposed within said outer shell and each supporting means having at least one bottle supporting surface, said bottle supporting surfaces defining, in combination with the outer shell and the case bottom, a plurality of bottle retaining pockets, with at least one bottle supporting means associated with each pocket; wherein a first of said plurality of bottle supporting means is disposed above the height of a top surface of a first of said side walls and has a recess for receiving a side wall of an upper identical case when said lower cross-stacking case is empty.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
174 words
A cross-stacking case for retaining and transporting bottles comprising: four outer side walls forming a rectangular outer shell having a ratio of the length to the width of the outer shell be substantially equal to the number of bottles said case holds in the lengthwise direction to the number of bottles said case holds in the widthwise direction; a case bottom disposed substantially within said outer shell; and a plurality of means for supporting outer surfaces of bottles, generally disposed within said outer shell and each supporting means having at least one bottle supporting surface, said bottle supporting surfaces defining, in combination with the outer shell and the case bottom, a plurality of bottle retaining pockets, with at least one bottle supporting means associated with each pocket; wherein a first of said plurality of bottle supporting means is disposed above the height of a top surface of a first of said side walls and has a recess for receiving a side wall of an upper identical case when said lower cross-stacking case is empty.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
A case as in claim 23, wherein said recess extends downwardly to the height of the top of said first side wall.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
A case as in claim 23, wherein the upper identical case is disposed at 90° to said lower cross-stacking empty case.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
A case as in claim 23, wherein the center-to-center distance between adjacent bottle retaning pockets within said case and between two adjacent cases having abutting side walls are substantially equal.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
29 words
A case as in claim 23, wherein said first of said bottle supporting means extends above a topmost poitn of the other of said plurality of bottle supporting means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
A case as in claim 23, wherein at least one of said bottle supporting means can be associated with more than one of said pockets.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
26 words
A case as in claim 23, wherein said first bottle supporting means extends above the height of a top surface of each of said side walls.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
A case as in claim 23, wherein said side walls are less than half the height of the stored bottle.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
218 words
A cross-stacking low depth case for retaining and transporting bottles comprising: four outer side walls forming a rectangular outer shell having the ratio of the length to the width of said outer shell be substantially equal to the number of bottles said case holds in the lengthwise directions to the number of bottles said case holds in the widthwise direction and having a center line of the length of the case extending through the center of the longer pair of side walls of the case; a case bottom disposed substantially with said outer shell; and a plurality of supporting means for supporting outer surfaces of bottles, generally disposed within said outer shell and each supporting means having at least one bottle supporting surface, said bottle supporting surfaces defining, in combination with said outer shell and saud case bottom, bottle retaining poskets, with at least one bottle supporting means associated with each pocket; wherein a first of said plurality of bottle supporting means is disposed about the center line of the length of the case and includes a portion extending above the height of a top surface of a first of said side walls, said portion above the height of said first side walls includes a recess which extends along the center line of the length of the case.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
218 words
A cross-stacking low depth case for retaining and transporting bottles comprising: four outer side walls forming a rectangular outer shell having the ratio of the length to the width of said outer shell be substantially equal to the number of bottles said case holds in the lengthwise directions to the number of bottles said case holds in the widthwise direction and having a center line of the length of the case extending through the center of the longer pair of side walls of the case; a case bottom disposed substantially with said outer shell; and a plurality of supporting means for supporting outer surfaces of bottles, generally disposed within said outer shell and each supporting means having at least one bottle supporting surface, said bottle supporting surfaces defining, in combination with said outer shell and saud case bottom, bottle retaining poskets, with at least one bottle supporting means associated with each pocket; wherein a first of said plurality of bottle supporting means is disposed about the center line of the length of the case and includes a portion extending above the height of a top surface of a first of said side walls, said portion above the height of said first side walls includes a recess which extends along the center line of the length of the case.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
118 words
A low depth case as in claim 31, wherein: said outer shell has a center line of the width of the case extending through the center of the shorted pair of side walls of the case; said first bottle supporting means is also disposed about the center line of the width of the case; and a second and third of said pluraliyt of bottle supporting means are disposed about the center line of the width of said case, include a portion extending above the height of a top surface of said first side wall, and include a recess within said portion with each of said recesses extending parallel to the center line of the length of said case.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
34 words
A low depth case as in claim 31, wherein said first bottle supporting means further comprises a horizontal platform disposed substantially coplanar with the height of said top surface of said first side wall.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
47 words
A low depth case as in claim 33, wherein said portion of said first bottle supporting means which extends above the height of said first side wall comprises a plurality of upwardly disposed projections extending from said platform and below a top surface of the retained bottles.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
49 words
A low depth case as in claim 34, wherein said bottle supporting surface of said first bottle supporting means is coplanar with one of said projections and said coplanar surface is curved to substantially conform to the shape of a bottle to be retained and transported in said case.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
15 words
A low depth case as in claim 34, wherein said projections include wedge-shaped support portions.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
27 words
A low depth case as in claim 31, wherein at least one of said bottle supporting means can be associated with more than one of said pockets.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
24 words
A low depth case as in claim 31, wherein said recess extends downwardly to the height of the top of said first side wall.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
29 words
A low depth case as in claim 31, wherein said first bottle supporting means is disposed above the height of a top surface of each of said side walls.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
24 words
The case as in claim 1, wherein said recess of said receiving means extends along the center line of the length of the case.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
23 words
The case as in claim 1, wherein said receiving means is disposed away from and not in contact with said outer side walls.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
31 words
The case as in claim 1, wherein said bottle supporting means further comprise a horizontal platform disposed substantially coplanar with the height of a top surface of said first side wall.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
35 words
A case as in claim 42, wherein said receiving means comprises a plurality of upwardly disposed projections extending from said platform of said bottle supporting means and below a top surface of the retained bottles.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
62 words
The case as in claim 1, wherein each of said bottle supporting surfaces are curved to substantially conform to the shape of the bottles to be retained and transported in said bottle retaining pockets, said receiving means extends from one of said bottle supporting means and said receiving means is disposed inward from said bottle supporting surface of said bottle supporting means.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
21 words
A case as in claim 3, wherein said receiving means is disposed inward from said bottle supporting surface of said column.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
105 words
The case as in claim 7, whereins the ratio of the length to the width of said outer shell is substantially equal to the ratio of the number of bottles said case holds in the lengthwise direction to the number of bottles said case holds in the widthwise direction so that a plurality of said cases may be cross stacked, wherein at least some of said cases in one layer can be disposed at 90° angles from cases in adjacent layers and the center-to-center distance between adjacent bottle retaining pockets within said case and between two adjacent cases having abutting side walls are substantially equal.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
23 words
The case as in claim 12, wherein each of said recesses are disposed along the center line of the length of the case.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
48 words
The case as is claim 11, wherein: said side walls are less than half the height of the stored bottles; said bottle supporting surfaces are shaped to support 2-liter PET bottles; and said case bottom includes an upper surface which is substantially flat across the bottle retaining pockets.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
45 words
The case as in claim 48, wherein said case bottom further comprises a lower surface having means for resting the case bottom on closures of 2-liter PET bottles in a subjacent case and for aligning each closure with said case bottom for stacking said case.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
105 words
The case as in claim 49, wherein the ratio of the length to the width of said outer shell is substantially equal to the ratio of the number of bottles said case holds in the lengthwise direction to the number of bottles said case holds in the widthwise direction so that a plurality of said cases may be cross stacked, wherein at least some of said cases in one layer can be disposed at 90° angles from cases in adjacent layers and the center-to-center distance between adjacent bottle retaining pockets with said case and between two adjacent cases having abutting side walls are substantiall equal.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
105 words
The case as in claim 48, wherein the ratio of the length to the width of said outer shell is substantially equal to the ratio of the number of bottles said case holds in the lengthwise direction to the number of bottles said case holds in the widthwise direction so that a plurality of said cases may be cross stacked, wherein at least some of said cases on one layer can be disposed at 90° angles from cases in adjacent layers and the center-to-center distance between adjacent bottle retaining pockets with said case and between two adjacent cases having abutting side walls are substantially equal.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
39 words
The case as in claim 48, wherein said plurality of bottle supporting means extend above said lower surface of said case bottom a distance of approximately one-third the height of the 2-liter PET bottles to be retained and transported.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
20 words
The case as in claim 11, wherein said plurality of receiving means are disposed away from said outer side walls.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
81 words
The case as in claim 29, wherein said first bottle supporting means further comprises: a horizontal platform disposed substantially coplanar with the height of a top surface of said side walls; a 2-liter PET bottle supporting surface extending no higher than said horizontal platform; and a plurality of upwardly disposed projections extending upward from said platform of said first bottle supporting means, deifining said recess, diposed inward from said bottle supporting surface, and below a top surface of the retained bottles.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
27 words
The case as in claim 23, wherein said recess of said first bottle supporting means is disposed along the center line of the length of the case.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
82 words
The case as in claim 23, wherein said first bottle supporting means further comprises: a horizontal platform disposed substantially coplanar with the height of a top surface of said first side wall; a 2-liter PET bottle supporting surface extending no higher than said horizontal platform; and a plurality of upwardly disposed projections extending upward from said platform of said first bottle supporting means, defining said recess, disposed inward from said bottle supporting surface, and below a top surface of the retained bottles.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
82 words
The cae as in claim 31, wherein said outer shell as a center line of the width of the case extending through the center of the shorter pair of side walls of the case; said first bottle supporting means is also disposed about the center line of the width of the case; and said first bottle supporting means portion extending above the height of said first side wall is disposed inward from said bottle supporting surfaces in said first bottle supporting means.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
22 words
The case as in claim 31, wherein said bottle supporting surfaces are shaped to conform to the shape of 2-liter PET bottles.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
23 words
The case as in claim 58, wherein said case bottom includes an upper surface which is substantially flat across the bottle retaining pockets.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
40 words
The case as in claim 59, wherein said case bottom includes means for resting the case bottom on closures of 2-liter PET bottles in a subsequent case and for aligning each closure with said case bottom for stacking said case.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
143 words
A low depth case comprising: outer side walls forming an outer shell wherein top edges of said side walls define a top surface of the outer shell; a case bottom disposed substantially within said outer shell; a plurality of means for supporting outer surfaces of bottles, generally disposed within said outer shell and each supporting means having at least one bottle supporting surface, said bottle supporting surfaces defining, in combination with said outer shell and said case bottom, a plurality retaining pockets with at least one bottle supporting means associated with each pocket; and receiving means, disposed within said outer shell, about a center line of the length of the case and above the height of the top surface of the outer shell of the case, which, when said case is empty, is for receiving a side wall of an upper identical case.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
143 words
A low depth case comprising: outer side walls forming an outer shell wherein top edges of said side walls define a top surface of the outer shell; a case bottom disposed substantially within said outer shell; a plurality of means for supporting outer surfaces of bottles, generally disposed within said outer shell and each supporting means having at least one bottle supporting surface, said bottle supporting surfaces defining, in combination with said outer shell and said case bottom, a plurality retaining pockets with at least one bottle supporting means associated with each pocket; and receiving means, disposed within said outer shell, about a center line of the length of the case and above the height of the top surface of the outer shell of the case, which, when said case is empty, is for receiving a side wall of an upper identical case.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
29 words
The low depth case an in claim 61, wherein said bottle supporting surfaces of said bottle supporting means do not extend above the top surface of said outer shell.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
48 words
The low depth case as in claim 61, wherein the center line of the length of the case extends through the center of the longer pair of side walls of the case and said receiving means is disposes about the center line of the length of the case.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
67 words
The low depth case as in claim 63, wherein said receiving comprises a plurality of projections which define a slot, said slot includes a bottom which is no higher than the top surface of the outer shell and the distance from a lowermost point of the case bottom to a top of the projections is no more than one-half the height of the bottles to be retained.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
150 words
A low depth case comprising: outer side walls forming an outer shell wherein top edges of said side walls define a top surface of the outer shell; a case bottom disposed substantially within said outer shell; a plurality of means for supporting outer surfaces of bottles, generally disposed within said outer shell and each supporting means having at least one bottle supporting surface, said bottle supporting surfaces defining, in combination with the outer shell and the case bottom, a plurality of bottle retaining pockets with at least one bottle supporting means associated with each pocket; and projections extending above said bottle supporting means and above the top surface of said outer shell, said projections to define slots which interlock with a side wall of an identical upper case for cross-stacking the identical upper case onto the lower low depth case when the lower low depth case is empty of bottles.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
150 words
A low depth case comprising: outer side walls forming an outer shell wherein top edges of said side walls define a top surface of the outer shell; a case bottom disposed substantially within said outer shell; a plurality of means for supporting outer surfaces of bottles, generally disposed within said outer shell and each supporting means having at least one bottle supporting surface, said bottle supporting surfaces defining, in combination with the outer shell and the case bottom, a plurality of bottle retaining pockets with at least one bottle supporting means associated with each pocket; and projections extending above said bottle supporting means and above the top surface of said outer shell, said projections to define slots which interlock with a side wall of an identical upper case for cross-stacking the identical upper case onto the lower low depth case when the lower low depth case is empty of bottles.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
16 words
The case as in claim 65, wherein each slot is defined by two of said projections.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
72 words
The case as in claim 65, wherein: said outer shell has a center line of the length of the case extending through the center of the longer pair of side walls of the case; a first of said bottle supporting means is disposed about the center line of the length of the case; and at least one of said slots is disposed about the center line of the length of the case.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
50 words
The case as in claim 65, wherein: said bottle supporting surfaces are curved to substantially conform to the shape of 2-liter PET bottles to be retained and transported in said bottle retaining pockets; and said case bottom includes an upper surface which is substantially flat acros the bottle retaining pockets.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
350 words
A low depth case for retaining and transposrting 2-liter PET bottles comprising: four outer side walls forming a rectangular outer shell wherein top edges of said side walls define a top surface of the outer shell and having a ratio of the length to the width of the outer shell be substantially equal to the number of bottles said case holds in the lengthwise direction to the number of bottles said case holds in the widthwise direction so that a plurality of said cases may be cross stacked, wherein at least some of said cases in one layer can be disposed at 90° angles from cases in adjacent layers and the center-to-center distance between adjacent bottle retaining pockets within said case and between two adjacent cases having abutting side walls are substantially equal; a case bottom disposed substantially within said outer shell and including: an upper surface which is substantially flat across the bottle retaining pockets; and a lower surface having means for resting the case bottom on closures of 2-liter PET bottles in a subjacent case and for aligning each closure wtih said case bottom for stacking said case; and a plurality of means for supporting outer surfaces of bottles, generally disposed within said outer shell and each supporting means having at least one bottle supporting surface, said bottle supporting surfaces defining, in combination with the outer shell and said case bottom upper surface, a plurality of bottle retaining pockets, with at least one bottle supporting means associated with each pocket and each of said bottle supporting means including: a horizontal platform disposed substantially coplanar with the height of the top surface of said outer shell; and a plurality of upwardly disposed projections extending form said platform of said bottle supporting means and below a top surface of the 2-liter PET bottles to be retained, said projections defining a slot and said slot is aligned to cooperate with a side wall of an upper identical case when said upper identical case is disposed at 90° to the lower low depth case and said lower low depth case is empty.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
350 words
A low depth case for retaining and transposrting 2-liter PET bottles comprising: four outer side walls forming a rectangular outer shell wherein top edges of said side walls define a top surface of the outer shell and having a ratio of the length to the width of the outer shell be substantially equal to the number of bottles said case holds in the lengthwise direction to the number of bottles said case holds in the widthwise direction so that a plurality of said cases may be cross stacked, wherein at least some of said cases in one layer can be disposed at 90° angles from cases in adjacent layers and the center-to-center distance between adjacent bottle retaining pockets within said case and between two adjacent cases having abutting side walls are substantially equal; a case bottom disposed substantially within said outer shell and including: an upper surface which is substantially flat across the bottle retaining pockets; and a lower surface having means for resting the case bottom on closures of 2-liter PET bottles in a subjacent case and for aligning each closure wtih said case bottom for stacking said case; and a plurality of means for supporting outer surfaces of bottles, generally disposed within said outer shell and each supporting means having at least one bottle supporting surface, said bottle supporting surfaces defining, in combination with the outer shell and said case bottom upper surface, a plurality of bottle retaining pockets, with at least one bottle supporting means associated with each pocket and each of said bottle supporting means including: a horizontal platform disposed substantially coplanar with the height of the top surface of said outer shell; and a plurality of upwardly disposed projections extending form said platform of said bottle supporting means and below a top surface of the 2-liter PET bottles to be retained, said projections defining a slot and said slot is aligned to cooperate with a side wall of an upper identical case when said upper identical case is disposed at 90° to the lower low depth case and said lower low depth case is empty.
Claim 77
Dependent Claim
69 words
The case as in claim 69, wherein: said case has a center lien of the length of the case extending through the center of the longer pair of said side walls of the case; said slot of said projection is disposed along the center line of the length of said case; and said slot includes a bottom which is no higher than the top surface of the outer shell.
Claim 78
Dependent Claim
331 words
A cross-stacking low depth case for retaining and transporting as many as eight 2-liter PET bottles at a time comprising: four outer side walls forming a rectangular outer sheel wherein top edges of said side walls define a top surface of the outer shell, the length of said outer shell is twice as long as the width of said outer shell and a center line of the length of the case extends through the center of the longer pair of side walls of the case; a case bottom diposed substantially within said outer shell and including: an upper surface which is substantially flat across the 2-liter PET bottle retaining pockets; and a lower surface having means for resting the case bottom on closures of 2-liter PET bottles in a subjacent case and for aligning each closure with said case bottom for stacking said case; and a plurality of means for supporting outer surfaces of 2-liter PET bottles, generally disposed within said outer shell and each supporting having at least one bottle supporting surface, said bottle supporting surfaces defining, in combination with said outer shell and said case bottom upper surface, eight 2-liter PET bottle retaining pockets, with at least one bottle supporting means associated with each pocket; wherein a first of said plurality of bottle supporting means is disposed about the center line of the length of the case and includes: a horizontal platform substantially coplanar with the height of the top surface of said outer shell; and a projection extending above and from said horizontal platform, said prohection includes a slot which extends along the center line of the length of the case said slot for receiving a side wall of an identical upper case when said lower low depth case is empty; and wherein the height of said case from said lower surface of said case bottom to a top of said projections is no higher than one-half the height of the stored 2-liter PET bottles to be retained.
Claim 79
Dependent Claim
331 words
A cross-stacking low depth case for retaining and transporting as many as eight 2-liter PET bottles at a time comprising: four outer side walls forming a rectangular outer sheel wherein top edges of said side walls define a top surface of the outer shell, the length of said outer shell is twice as long as the width of said outer shell and a center line of the length of the case extends through the center of the longer pair of side walls of the case; a case bottom diposed substantially within said outer shell and including: an upper surface which is substantially flat across the 2-liter PET bottle retaining pockets; and a lower surface having means for resting the case bottom on closures of 2-liter PET bottles in a subjacent case and for aligning each closure with said case bottom for stacking said case; and a plurality of means for supporting outer surfaces of 2-liter PET bottles, generally disposed within said outer shell and each supporting having at least one bottle supporting surface, said bottle supporting surfaces defining, in combination with said outer shell and said case bottom upper surface, eight 2-liter PET bottle retaining pockets, with at least one bottle supporting means associated with each pocket; wherein a first of said plurality of bottle supporting means is disposed about the center line of the length of the case and includes: a horizontal platform substantially coplanar with the height of the top surface of said outer shell; and a projection extending above and from said horizontal platform, said prohection includes a slot which extends along the center line of the length of the case said slot for receiving a side wall of an identical upper case when said lower low depth case is empty; and wherein the height of said case from said lower surface of said case bottom to a top of said projections is no higher than one-half the height of the stored 2-liter PET bottles to be retained.
Claim 80
Dependent Claim
23 words
The case in claim 71, wherein said slot includes a bottom which is no higher than the top surface of the outer shell.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-12-17 | 1994-06-18 | 1994-12-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-12-17 | 1998-06-18 | 1998-12-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-12-17 | 2002-06-18 | 2002-12-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |