Plastic bucket and lid stacking construction

Abstract

A combination molded plastic bucket and lid includes a bucket having a circumferential groove along the bottom edge of the bucket compatible with a circumferential rim of the lid and designed to fit within the groove. In this manner multiple buckets may be stacked one upon the other without slipping or sliding with respect to one another.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] In a principal aspect the present invention relates to a molded plastic bucket and lid construction wherein, the bucket and lid are configured in a manner which promotes effective stacking of buckets with lids for shipment or storage.

[0002] Various types of molded plastic buckets or containers are known. For example, molded plastic buckets are disclosed in the following patents of John W. von Holdt Sr.: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,275,948; 4,574,974; 4,512,494; 4,512,493; 4,452,383; 4,380,305; 4,308,970; and ,210,258. Buckets or containers disclosed in the aforesaid patents are useful for storage of powder or liquid materials including, paint, solvents and chemicals. The disclosed molded plastic buckets are typically manufactured using injection molding techniques by an entity skilled in the practice of such techniques. The containers or buckets and compatible molded plastic lids are then shipped to entities, which desire to fill the containers with a product. Filled containers with attached lids are then shipped to wholesale distributors and otherwise dispersed throughout various channels of commerce. Typically, the lidded containers are shipped in large or bulk quantities on shipping pallets. When shipped in this manner it is necessary to stack the buckets or containers one upon the other to provide an efficient and economically sized package for transport by pallet.

[0003] An objective associated with such stacking is to provide a means by which the stacked buckets with lids will remain appropriately oriented and stacked one upon the other during shipment. Thus, there has developed a need to provide means by which filled, stacked buckets may be appropriately positioned one on top of another in a stacked condition without tilting, falling or slipping. Further, it is desirable to have such capability for purposes of display of stacked buckets on display counters in retail stores and retail outlets. Thus, the idea of stacking multiple containers or buckets one upon the other for purposes of transportation, shipment or display is a characteristic feature or objective that is much desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Briefly, the present invention comprises a molded plastic bucket or container and a compatible lid combination wherein, the bucket and lid are configured in a manner which facilitates the stacking of buckets with lids one upon the other. More particularly the bottom of each bucket is formed with a circumferential or annular groove about its outer periphery. The lid for the container or bucket is provided with a circumferential or annular rim configured and dimensioned in a manner to be received and nested within the groove of the bottom of a bucket stacked thereon. Various dimensional and structural details are associated with the shape, location and dimensions of groove in the bottom of the bucket and the peripheral rim of the lid, which is placed on the top of the bucket, to enable or ensure that stacked buckets will not slip and that the buckets can be effectively and efficiently displayed or stored or packed for shipping.

[0005] Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved combination molded plastic bucket and lid construction which is especially useful for stacking of filled buckets.

[0006] It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved plastic bucket and lid combination useful for stacking of buckets one upon the other without intervening layers of material to ensure that the stack of containers or buckets will remain in an interlocked relationship for shipment or display.

[0007] A further object of the invention is to provide an economical and efficient design useful for the stacking of a bucket upon a lid of a container of a vertically adjacent bucket and lid combination.

[0008] These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0009] In the detailed description, which follows, reference will be made to the drawing comprised of the following figures:

[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combination bucket and lid made in accord with the invention;

[0011] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the bucket of FIG. 1 along the vertical section through the middle axis of the bucket;

[0012] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the combination lid and bucket with a second bucket stacked upon the lid of the first bucket;

[0013] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the stacking arrangement of a bucket upon a lid associated with a bucket as depicted in FIG. 3; and

[0014] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of two lids stacked one upon the other.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0015] Referring first to FIG. 1, a lid 10 is a generally planar, molded plastic member having a circular shape and generally symmetrical about a vertical middle axis 12. The lid 10 is formed to be compatible with, fit upon and remain engaged with a top rim 14 of a bucket 16. The bucket 16 is likewise symmetrical about the vertical middle axis 12.

[0016] Bucket 16 is formed by injection molding of a polymeric material and includes a generally cylindrical, circular cross section sidewall 20 and a generally circular bottom wall 18. The bucket 16 further includes an open top 15 with a circular peripheral rim 14 that is compatible with the lid 10. The particular configuration or attachment design or element incorporate in rim 14 and lid 10 for affixing the lid 10 to rim 14 is not a limiting feature of the invention. However, the rim 14 typically includes an outwardly extending rib 19 cooperative with inwardly extending tab or flange 17 of lid 10 so that the lid 10 is removably affixed to the bucket rim 14.

[0017] The subject matter of the invention relates, in part, to the particular configuration of bottom wall 18 of the bucket 16. More specifically, the bottom wall 18 includes an outer or first circumferential lip 24 radially spaced a first radial distance R1 from the middle line axis 12. A second, outer circumferential radial lip 22 is spaced a distance R2 from the middle line axis 12 and, in combination with the first rib 22, defines a circumferential or annular groove 26. The outer or first rib 24 extends slightly radially beyond the outside face 28 of the bucket sidewall 20 adjacent bottom wall 18. The ribs 22 and 24 thus define an annular groove or channel 26 in the bottom wall 18. The first and second ribs 22 and 24 are preferably continuous annular rings, but may be intermittent or segmented. A second annular groove 30 is defined in wall 18 inwardly from the second rib 22. The second annular groove 30 contours the uniform thickness, bottom wall 18 thereby providing a reinforcing feature for the bottom wall 18. Central circular recessed section or panel section 32 of the bottom wall 18 provides a further reinforcing function for the bottom wall 18.

[0018] Lid 10 includes a circumferential, annular rib 44 projecting upwardly. Rib 44 is configured to be compatible with the groove 26 in bottom wall 18 of the bucket 16 as defined by the two spaced ribs 22 and 24. Thus, as depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4, a bucket 16 may be stacked upon the lid 10. That is, the groove 26, formed by the spaced ribs 22 and 24, is dimensioned so that it will receive the rib 44 associated with the lid 10. The cross sectional shape of rib 44 is designed and dimensioned to fit congruently into groove 26. Lid 10 is also designed so that the remainder of outside surface of lid 10 will not prevent engagement of rib 44 into groove 26.

[0019] The bottom wall 18 of bucket 16 may be designed so that annular sections 35 and 37 may rest against opposed annular sections 39 and 41 of the lid 10. Thus, an inner annular rib 39 may project from the top surface of lid 10 to support the bottom section 35 of bottom panel 18 of bucket 16 by fitting against bottom wall 18. Preferably only the tongue or rib 44 of lid 10 will fully rest or engage the bucket groove 26.

[0020] Functionally, the inside face of the first rib 24 fits against the outside surface or edge of lid rib 44 thereby maintaining a bucket 16 placed on a lid 10 and preventing lateral or side to side movement of the bucket 16 relative to lid 10.

[0021] By maintaining the outside rib 24 maximum radius within the maximum radial dimension of the bucket 16 and attached lid 10, (hereinafter the maximum assembly radius) the stacking arrangement of multiple vertically stacked buckets 16 falls within a vertical cylinder defined by the maximum assembly radius. This insures an efficient packaging of vertical stacks of buckets with lids on a pallet.

[0022] Variations of the construction may be effected with out departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the configuration of the bucket 16 and lid 10 need not be cylindrical. Rectangular container shapes may incorporate the stacking feature of the invention. Also, the first rib 24, as well as the outer edge of lid rib 44, may be discontinuous so long as there is maintained opposed surfaces of lid rib 44 and first bucket rib 24. Therefore the invention is limited only by the following claims and equivalents.

Claims

1. A nesting molded plastic bucket and separate lid comprising, in combination:

a bucket having an open top, a side wall, and a bottom wall, said open top including a circumferential rim, said bottom wall including an outside surface with a first, at least partially circumferential, depending rib; and

a separate lid having a top surface and a bottom surface, said lid further including a circumferential element in the bottom surface compatible with the rim of the bucket for attaching the lid to the bucket and thereby enclosing the bucket, said lid further including on the top surface a first circumferential lid edge dimensioned to fit within and be positioned by the circumferential depending bucket rib of the bucket bottom wall whereby a bucket may be stacked and held upon the lid and substantially precluded from side to side movement.

2. The combination of claim 1 including a second depending rib in the bottom wall spaced inwardly from the first rib to define a groove, and wherein the top surface of the lid includes a projecting lid rib which is sized to fit within the groove in the bottom wall of the bucket.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the bucket has a generally cylindrical side wall.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the bottom wall of the bucket has a generally uniform thickness.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the bottom wall includes at least one supplemental annular groove having a radius less than the radius of the first rib.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the lid includes at least one additional, at least partially circumferential, rib having a radius less than the radius of the first circumferential lid rib, said additional rib dimensioned to engage and support the bottom wall of a bucket stacked on said lid.

7. The combination of claim 2 wherein the first rib of the bucket bottom wall has an outer radius greater than the outermost radius of the bucket side wall at the juncture thereof with the bottom wall and less than the maximum radius of said lid and bucket.

8. The combination of claim 5 wherein the supplemental annular groove inner wall has a radius less than the radius of the bucket sidewall at the juncture thereof with the bottom wall.

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein the bucket has a generally cylindrical side wall and the first rib has a radius greater than the bucket side wall adjacent the bottom surface.