CA2106585A1 - Stackable bottle crate - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Stackable case for bottles The invention relates to a stackable case (10) having a plu-rality of hollow spaces (14) divided by separating elements (16) for the accommodation of individual bottles, in which, for the secure retention of the bottles even when the case is tilted through 90° with laterally located charging aper-tures, each hollow space (14), on the inside wall, possesses a rigid or elastically expandable or deformable contraction (19), with the aid of which an inserted bottle (12) is retai-ned in the area of its shoulder or in the transitional area of the bottle body to the neck of the bottle (Fig.1).

Description

Z0-SEP-1993 11:30 R[CHTEI~ 8 P~RTNER +49 40 _~SZ~lS 5.~3 STACKABLE CASE FOR ~OTTLES

Scope of A~plication rhe present ;nventian relate~ to a ~ta~kabl~ case for bottles accord;n~ to the preamble of the Clliml1.
State of the Art ' :
A ca~e or crate of th;s t~pe is, bY ~a ~ of exa~p~e, employed by the soft dr;nks lndustry for the st~ ~rage and the trans-port of soft dr;nk bottlts and, for thl most part, is co~prl-sed Df plastic or ~o~d. However~ th} c~ses curren;ly in use possess, in dep~ndence upon ~he s1i~q ot the conten~s of the bo~tles to be accommodated, d;ftere~t xternal dimensions as well as dif~erent construct10r,al de~ig¦s. T~lis results in th~t cases tDr d1fferent kinds of d~inks or butt~ sizes can-not be stacked together which, partijcuIarly ~ith regard to an econom1c storekeeping both with the so~t dr1nlts manu~aCtUrer as ueLl as wi ,n the companies engaae~ fOr transporting the cases is disadvant2geous since, for caies df different kinds of dr;nks and/or bottle sizes, a reliatlvely big storage space requirement exists.
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In privatq households, ;.e. with the so called end-consu~er, correspond;ng preblems ~rlse. Sinee~jn Jrivate d~ell1n~s~it is, on ac~ount of the l;m;ted spac~ ~va ilab~e, normally not pos3ible ta dispose al( the caset o~ different Variet;eS
of drlnks in a side~by-std~ arrangem~nt sa~d cases 3re often stood vert~c.al~y on top of each othe~. ~owever, in th;s case~
o~in~ tc the diff~rerlt designs of th~ c ~ses, a rec~proc3l lock1ng enga~ement of She cases and,l~; :h th;s, ~n adequate st~b1l1ty of th~ assembly i5 not en3~re~ 1 so that the dan~er of an accid~nt due to overturning ~a~es is substantially 1n-cr~as~d. Over and above that, such a ver t1cal stackin~ ot d1fferent c~ses enta;ls the disadvan~ag that, ~n the event ~her~ a u~er w1sh~s to r~m~ve a b~tt~ I lith r,ne kind of drink, ~hose case ;s disposed with;n the lo~er ar~a of the st~ck, ha firgt ha- to clr-r a~ay the ent1re ~ar~ and has to put the :, ', ;, . : : -; , . ,,. . , . . , -............... . " . .

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20-5EP-lq93 1.1:31 RICHTER & PRRTI~ER +49 4~ 2~15 5.~4 the cleared-away cra~es aside before h~ ,is able to r~ove the des~red bottle. After this he has to $taFk the cleared-away cases on top of e~ch other once ~ore. Such a proceduro ;s very cunberso~e and, over and above t~atl calls for the ~-pn~iture o~ a great deal of strength 3nd~1s very time--consu-ming~ That is uhy it ~ould be des~r~ble ~f it wrre possible for ~he bottles to be ~l~o remoYed fr~n and inserted into the cases in a state of the CdS~ ;n w~;ch eh~ same is t;lted :~
thrrJugh 90, in which the charging ap~rt~re of the case ;s disposed laterally. ~n the cases norm~lly used th;s ;gi not possib~e though s~nce the r;sk exists th~t the b~ttl~s ln this til~ed state drop out of the ¢asb.
The DE-U-1 833 773 describes 3 plasti~ b~t~le c~e or cr~tc having a csmpartmentaL fra~e~ork ;n ;~s ~nterior. In order to prevent th~ bottl~s from slidin~ o~t pf t~e compartnents as a result of the;r convex;ty when t~e Lasr ;a t;lted or when the case assumes a hc~rizontal po~1t~on, a plastic bot- -tle case or crate i5 propo;ed, ~here;~ t~ wsll~, ~ebs or suchLihe, on their uppel end~ ~ithln ~helthe area of ~ach eompartment, approxinately i" the cenjer of th~ COmpartmQnt~
are provided uith a project;on, stop qr ~he like uhich bears sprin~ably aga;nst the c~rcum~erenc~ ~f ~he bottle urdj in the process, clamps or w~dg~6 the s~n~ o~ ~hich gri~s b-hind that part of the bottle whose d;amete~ ~$ reduced so that the sAme ;5 secured aga;nrt a~ u~uanted sl~d1ng or slipping out of the con~artment. rhe ~ra ework walls are con-struct0d so as to be relutiveLy thin ~nd ore comPri~sd of an ela~tlc plastic so that the ef~ect'of the Projoction is aclditionaLly assisted by the circumst~nc that the ~3Ll por-t;ons ;n ques~;on are ~pr;ncJable ;n thie~ elves. S;nc~ tha fra~ework ~aLls arc inherently springalbl~, the bottles can be intr~ducod fron the top into the inld;~'idu~l compartm~ntsi.
Howc~r, the dis~os;tion ot the inw~rd¦ly ~d;Iec~e~ pro~ect;ons I .. ..
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20-SEP-1993 11:32 RluHTE~ ~ P~IRTNEl~' +49 40 35~415 5.0=i _ 3 - !

;s 9uch that, it is true, inserted bott~es are retained in a clamping 0anner, but it is not achlev~d that the inserted bottl~, as a result of ;ts o~n ~eisht, lg rot~ted or c~nted :
about the area which acts as a point of!rotation of the con-tract;on tormed by t~o oppositely locatjd projections ~hen the case is tilted and swun3 through 90~ into a pos1t~on in : -~hich the bottles assume a horizontal pasition. To this is : - `
add~d the c1rcumstance that the con~aict!surfaces o~ the pro-jections are dimensioned so as to be ~rellat;veLy large so that the inserted bottles are clamp;n~Lyl or jamm~n~ly retai-ned in a relatively ~ar~e area, so thlat!no possibility ex;~ts of the bottles movin~ on th~;r owr. as.a result of the force :.;.
of gravity into a position in which t!helbott~es, even when the crates are transported, are prevente~d fror dropp~ng out ..
of the crates. In the bottle case, u;thiln the bottom area of the ;nd;v;dual comP2rtmr~nts, no exp~ani~7qns or fli~r;ngs aro ;1~-~
constructed ~hich ~ould make it po~siblq for the bottles to .
rotate about ths ~r~a ~hich ar,tc a~ p~;r¦t of rotation of th~ contraction~ prov;ded by the proj~ct;ions. In add;t;on, th~ di~posit;on of the projection~ i~ pr~ov;Jed dt a le~el ot the case or crater due to ~hieh the normlsl type~ of bottle : :
are not retained adequately securely. T¦he desi~n of the p~ast;c bo~tle cas~ is substanti~lly plalnned for bulbous oot-tles, ;n which thc project;~ns jutti~ ollut into th~ c~mpart- .
. ment interior s~ c the bottles in their¦c~n;cally constr1c-ted area and, owing to thæir spr;ngab~y lelast1c constructlon, be~r oga;nst this area, whereby an automlat1c sl~ppiny out by the bo~tles ~ro~. the lnd1v1dual cv~palrtments is prevented.
From the FR-A-1 32U 916~ :a bott le c~s~ olr crate ~s kno~n ~h;ch hos a plurality of vertlcally arran~ s~aped members d1spo-~ed in the ease int~rior for the for.~t;pn o~ holl~ spaces thet acc~mmodate the indivldual bottLés,l;n ~hich each spike-l;ke shaped membsr ~s compr1sqd of four ~ertically arrang-d I, '. ~ '' .

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~ SEP-1993 11::~3 RICHTER & PRRTI`IER +49 4~ 352415 S.el6 ~ f fi.~8~
- 4 - i narrow rectangular blanks d;~posed at altight angle in r~
tion to each other, while the four blian~s ot e~ch sp;ke taper conically ;n the upward dir0ction. Thes~ hoolow spaces accom-modating the bottles created with the!aild of said spike-like conf;gured shap~d members do not Possesl sny construe~ions that engage over the bottle bodie; or rgtain the same in a clamping -fashion. These sPike-like sh~apjd me~bers are nothing but seperating elem~nts intended to form ;ndiv;dual hollow spaces accomnodat;n~ the bottles. ¦
A bottle case or crate, more perticul~rl¦y for ~ine bottles, ls described by the EP-A-O 367 16e. Thiis bottle case is de-signed in such a ~ay that, at ~ d;sta~ce! fro~ the bottom of the case, at least one stop projectin~ ilnto ~ compartment of the partition assembly is provided, this! distance in this in- ;
stance being greater than the distancF olf the center of gra-vity of the bo~tle to be inserted from tlhe bottom of the bot-tle. The distanGe bet~een the end of th;¦3 stop extendins into the comPartment and the center ax;s of the compartment ;s eq~al to or ~reater than the greatest,rald;us o~ the sect~on located below the stop of a bottle to bejlnserted. ~lthin the area of the bottom of the case, a free slpaCe is proYided per-mitt1ng a s~deuard ~ovement of the bottl~ bottom at least after its release. Acrording to this,'a ~ounting of the bottle casc or crate is provided ;n that the st~ps projectin~ into th~ interior of each compartment are ~;sposed at a d~stance frvm thq bottom of the ease ~hich is gre!taer than the dis-tance of the center of grav;ty of the bolttle to be inserted from the bottom. In this connection t~e arojecting end of the stop os sPaced apart from the center a~is of the compar~-ment by a distance ~hich is equal to or ~reater than the grea-tes~ rad;us of the s~ct;on located beneath the stoP of a bot-tle to be ~nserted. Since these sto~s prljecting ;nto the in-ter10r of each compartment are in no ~ay,constructed so as to be spr;n~ably elast~c, no possib~l~ty¦exists for arranging '. . '.:
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~-SEP-l99~ 33 RICH,ER 8 PflRT~IER +49 4E~ 352415 5.07 ' .

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b~ttles possessin~ d1ffering d;mensio,nslor configur~tions in the bottle case. At least the stop~ p!ro~ecting into the inte-rlor of the compartment are ~pposQd to bQ di~por.~d 4b~v~
the center of grav;ty of th~ bo~Ls to ~e inserted~ Since the d;atanc~ of ~o st~ps that ar~ located Jppos;te each ~ther ;s predeterm;ned, ~win9 to this d;stanse p~edeterm;nation ;t ;s not poss;b~e to in~srt any bottle ~hojse!d;ameter ;s greater than the distance bet~en t~o stops. If ~ bottle to be ;nser-ted possesses a d;ameter which is sm~ r than th~ distsnct of tuo oppos~tely located stops, in t!hat! case no ~ecuring of the bottle in the bottle crse ~s p~ss;b~e; if e.g. the c~se is t;lted thr~u~h 90 so that the botltlels inserted into the case as3ume a hor;zontal position, ;t c~nnot be pre~ented that the bottLes ~;ll sl;de or 5L;p out Iby themselves, espe-c;~ly due to vibrati~n during transp,ortl. It a storage of the bottle c~ses beyond their h~rizontal pos;t~on ~s effected, th~n a r;sk Qf the bottLes slid1np or sL ipp1ng out from the bottLe case exlsts. To this is adde,d th I circumstance that stops are ~or~ed onto the case bottom~ iln which r~ase the height o~ the stops locatad on the ca~e¦botto~ ;s smaller than the height ot the upper stop aboivelthe center of grav;ty which attacks above th~ center of ~ir~;tly of ~he bottle. The stops on the bo~torn serv~ ~or holdiny, thl bottles inserted into the crate within the;r bottom areal hen the bottles are transported ~ith the bottle case st-~n~inlg 1n an upright po-s;tion. ~1; th the aid o~ the botto~ stpps! it is intended to be achieved that, ~hen the bottL~s are tlransported ~ith the bottle c~se stand;ng ;n an upright po;~t¦ion that the bottles are securely retained, do not sL;p out olf position and that no rattLing no;ses are produced.
If, on the other hand, the bottLe tas0 flilled with bottLes is moved into a horizontal ~osition, in ¦that c~se the bottles contlnue to be ret~ined in their ~osit;o~ with the a;d of the stops ~n the bottom, that is to say ,th~ the bottles sre, . I ~','.
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2El-Si--P-1993 11:34 RICHTER æ PhRTNER +49 4a 35c41S S.03 i owing t~ their own we;ght, unable to rotlte about the point of rotat;on const;tuted b~ th~ upper ~eol ~s, but th;s is pos-s;ble only when the individua~ bottles 8 re taken out from th~ir botto~ mount;n~s. Suth a bottle ca se design 1s expen-s;ve; the disposit;on and the allocat10n¦0f the upper stops ~hich act upon the outer wall of the bottle body has in each case to be adapted with regard to size ahd fashion;ng to the types of the bottles to be ;nserted irto¦th~ bottle rrate.
No possibi~;ty exists of ;nsert;n~ bottles possess;ng d;ffe-rent d;mens10ns, par~icu~ar~y those h~vi~g differing d;ame-ters, ;nto a bottle crate in which th~ dlisposition of the upper stops is predeterm;ned w;th rPgard to the maint~nance of spec;fic distances.
A further Tount;ng possib;l;ty for bottl s ;n a bottle case can be g~th~red from the FR-A-1 469 783. For the formation ;l ~f ;nd;v;dual ;nsert;on compartments~ thle bQttle case is pro-vided with a l~tt;c~-l;ke ~ystem of p~rt¦it;on~ in wh;ch each co~partment p~ss~sses, on t~o opposlitely ~ocated ~alls~
pro~ect10ns or stops, wh~se lenyth de,b~nlds upon th~ type of the bottles to be lnser~ed. Pro~ect~ohs Ithat are long;tudi-nall~ d1mensioned ~h1ch extend 1nto thej;nteri~r of each compartment are provided in those bot.tlel cases whi ch are ;n- -tended to receive bottles having a ~ottLe body with a cent-rel constriction which~ with;n the upper¦ bottle area and to-ward the bottle botto~, passes 1nto b~ous construct10ns.
If the crot~ filled w;th 1nserted b;ottL~s is inclined, then each bottle sw;vels about the, ~n each ¦case~ bottom~ost lo-cated pro~ect;on in such a ~ay that the ¦bulbous bottom sec-tion of ehe bottle is supported upon thel botto~ end of the top pro~ection, i.~. the b~ttle lies can¦ted bet~een the bat-tom 2dge o~ the upper pro~ect;on and th~ upper edge of the lower project~on and ;s secured again~ la slipp;ng out by ;-said canted assembly. 90ttles which possless a unifor~lY con structed body and a neck-l~ke constrict;lon prov;ded ;n the ' :': '' . I , "
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~0-SEP-1993 li:35 RICHTE~ 8. PRRTN~R ~49 40 352415 5.09 I
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d;rection of the bottle aperture, are re~ained ;n the1r com-partments of the bettle crate w;th thj afid of short-dimens;o-ned project;ons ~hich ~o~tend into the col npartment interior in such a way that, in a vert;cal posit; ~n of the bottle case or cra~e, the 1nd;v;dual bottles are 5up ported, with;n the area of the;r shoulder, upon the the, in' each case, botto~-~ost located pro~ection, slnce, however,lthe rec;pr~c~l dis-tance of two DrOjections corresponds to lat least the greates~
d;ameter of the bottle to be ;nserted, tlhe pos~1biL~ty of an automat;c sl1d1ng ~r slipp1ng ou~ of ~hejbottle from its com-partment does exist when, for example~ tlhe bottle case filled ~ith bottles is tr~nsported in ~ v2rtirall pos;tion and sub~ec-ted to v;brations~ The bottle case is thlus constructed ;n such a ~ay that, for d;fferent bottl~o tylpes, a d;fforent d;s-position and construct;on of thc projPctlions ex~endin~ into the individu3l comPartments beco-es n~eessary.

It is the tethn;cal pioble~ of the prOse~t ;nvention to pro- :
v~de a ~tackabl~ case for bottles ~ thel~pe stated in the beg~nnin~, wh;ch is caPable of safely ac~o~modating a plura-lity of d1ffer~nt types o~ bottles and i~ Yh;ch th~ bottles, even in a state in ~h;eh said c~se is t;llted through 90, in :1 which the ch0rg1n~ aparture of the Ca~eSI ;S laterally d;spo-sed, are secure~y re~ined and cannot sL~de out of th~ ope-n~ngs.
- ' Th~s techn1caL problem ;s solved acrordi 1~ to the in~nt~c,n I by the fe~tures st~ted ;n the char~cteri z;ng par~ of ~he Cl~;n~ 1. ¦ ' ' A stackablo c-s~ for bottle~ pOSS~S~f alPluralitY ~ hollo~
: spaces, into wh;ch ~ sin~le bottle ca~ b a insert~d at ~ t;me.
The hollow spaces are separated ~rom eac n other by ceParat;ng elaments, by way of exanpLe, 1n the formlof W2ll5~ w~bs~ p~rti-ti~ns ~r sp1ke~, ~n ~hich c~sr the se~ar~ting elements serve ;n ~ known mann8r for the lat~ral PPsit;cn~l fixation of th~
bottl~s. According to the ;nvent10n~ oac~ hollow spsee po~
sesses an slast1callY expandable contrac~ion on the lnner w~ll sid~

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When the bottle is inserted into ~h;s holllow space~
th~s contract;on has t~ be exp~nded, wh~!r~by, as 2 re3ction to the deformati~n of the c~ntraction, a retainin~ f~rc~ is exerted on the bottl~, by mvar,~ of whlch the bottle is Eie-curely r~ta~.n~d ;n the hollo~ ~pace. By v;rtue of the ~l~9-ticalLy expandablc con~roction, ;t i5 p~lss;bl~ f~r the holLo~
sp~ce to be uscd for different tjpes of bottles sincc the contraction, in ;ts ~idth, rdupts it~elflto the in ei3ch case ;nsertcd bottle size. ~y enploying ~ uniform cas~ ~or di~fe-r~nt bottle 9Ii~e5~ on the one hand, a go~d stackab;l;ty as ~el~ a~ o high d~gree of st~bility ~f s~lh a stack i~ ensured and, on the other hand, an opt;mal ueili~at;on of the sto rage site is possible, ~hereby an e~ctjYve f~rm of storekee- ~ ;
p;n~ ls made poss;ble and the storage costs can be reduced. --Also dur;n~ the transport of ~he cases tle bo~tle3 are secu- -rely retained by the, according to the ilvent~on, elast;cally e~pandable contract;on, ln Jhich ~or~nect'ion~ ~n addition, u~-desirable noise developments due to a rajttling of the bottles is avoided. When a ~ser carr.es the ciisei i.e. d~ring th~ so-ca(led manual transport, the contract~onlionstitutes a ~rsn~-port safetylng means, ~ith the a;d ot ~h~ch~the bottles are ~:
prevented from droppin3 out of th~ c~$e.¦
~h~n th~ ~ias~r ur~ cmploy~d or ~itrck~ a ~ti~te when th~y ~- I
ore t;lted through 9û, ~n which the ~harging aper~re of the :i ca~e i~ diYpo~ed ~3~rally, it it pos~ib~e to achiev~ by th~
: disprJs1tion of the contract;on w;thin th~ area of th~ nsck th~ inis~rted bntt~e ~nd by the ccn~tr~ctlon ct the hollow space ;n ~uch a ~ay that the same ~ ~id~r ~ithln the area o~ th~ botto~ thon the b~ttom ot the tns~rted bottle, it can be arhleve~ th~t the bottle, o~ing ~o it~ o~n we~ht, is til-ted auto~atically, ~hereby a dropp~n~ioue of th~ bottle 1s DVO ~ ~d. I , -' '~''` ' ' . j ',''"~.. .
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A stacking of the cases ~n the s~aOe tilted through 90 with the lateralLy disposed ch~rgin~ ap~rtlur~ permits the con-struct~on nt a shelf wa~l accord;ng t~ the modular pr;nciple, ;n uh;ch, by me~ns of a mutu~ ck;n~ cng~gemcnt r,f the c~-ses, ~n adequate stabllity and r;0id1~y!con be achieved.
Ihe el~stically expandable contr~ct;o~ clan b~ real;~ed in many rr,nstructional 7~yS~ It is pOS!si~le; Dn the one hand~ to construct the sep~rat;ng ~la~ents, ;.~.!walls, uebs, part1-tions or spikes elast;c in themselves~ i'n that the same are, for eaxmple, fabricated fro~ ~ ~rter;~llthat c~n be def~rmed in a simple m~nne~, e.g. a plastic ma~erlial, on the other hand the deformabil;ty of the separating elerents can be achieved by the;r mounting, ;n th~t, ~Y ¦~Y of cxample, the spikes are constructed in the form of caintilevers clamped on the bottom of tho ca~ ~hlch, ~t theilr ~r~c~ non-cl3nPed end, are readily de~ormable.
In order to obtain a defined posit;onloflthQ contr~ct;on, the s~e may ~lso be formed by M~n~ ~f o~tw'ard buLges formed on th~ ;nsid~, on thc ~alls, ~ebs, part;ti¦ors' or spik~s 30 thot no furthar or addit;onal components f~r ~he format;on of the contr~ction ar~ neces~ary, whereby th~ construction~L ~pcn-d;ture cf the c~se is redured.
If a certain retainina force intendedlto¦act upon the inser-ted bottle is to b~ a~hieved, ;t c~n ~e l~dvantag-ous t~ form ~he contraction by means of spring el~me lts d1sPosed on the insld~ of the ho~lou sp8ce. In thls c~se the spr~n~ elements are pre~erobly comPrlsed of pla~t;c ~d ~osse~ th~ form nf leaf springs 50 that the ;nsertion 3n~ t~e removdl of the bottles is not hindered.
When the seParating ~l~m~ntr ~re consfru~ted in the ~orm of ~pikes, it is advantage~us for the ~c~i~lement of a retaining ~orce th~t is dlrtribut2d approxim~e~y ~ni~ormLy ov~r the circumf~rence of the bottle, to dispo$0 iths spikes 3round i I .~ .

20-SEP-1993 11:3~ RICHTER ~ P~IRTNER -~49 40 352415 5.12 the hollow space distr;buted unifor~ .e. at an ;dentical m~tuaL anguLar d~stance. ln th;~ co~nect¦ion ;t has been shown thi~t ~hen four sp~kes are used, a bott~e!can be reliably and accurat~ly ~ixed in its posi~ion in ehe hoLloe space.
A~vantage~us further dev~lopments of thelcase a~cord;ng to the ;n~ent;on are the subject mattor ~f ~he further subcla;ms.
~r;ef Descr1ption o~ th~ DrawinQs Advanta~eous further deveLopments o~ thelcase accordinQ to the ;nvent;on are explain~d below in greltor detail ~lth the a;d of the drauings. Thus F i 9. 1 sho~s an only partlally repre~ented sect;or- throu~h a hollow spac~ of d C~S~ dcCOrd~ng to a tir~t embo-d1nent exampl~
F i ~. 2 shows by ~ay o~ a cuta~ay port,~on a top v;ou of the tase accordlng t0 F~9 F ; ~ 3 sho~s the pos;t;on of ~ bottle¦in the rase acoor-d;n~ to F;9.1 ~;th the s~me ar~anged tilted through r~c F ; ~. 4 ~hows i~n only part~ y rep~esented section throu~h io hollow space of a case actor~ing to ~ further em-bodiment e%a~ple;
F 1 g. S gho~s u top vi~ Of ~he c~se a~cording to Fig. 4;
F 1 ~. 6 shois th~ position ot ~ bot~e¦ in the c3~ie ~ccor-dirl~ to Fig.4 in ;ts arrang~eht ~hen t;lted thr~ugh 90;
F i y. 7 ~ho~s D further emb~diment of jthe spikes in ~ cose ~cc~rd;n~ to Fi~
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2~-S~P-1993 11:37 RICHTER ~ P~RTN~R +49 40 352415 5.13 !

- 11 21Qfi~i8 F i 9. ~ shous in side v1e~s ~ith rem-vel side ~all two rases stacked upon each other with ve~tically arranged bot-tles, F 1 ~. 9 sho~s ;n ~;d~ vlews the t~o cas~ according to ~ig.8 after the turnin~ or ti lting of the cases through.
90 ;n a position in which tbe~ ~an be st3cked upon each other; -:
F i g s. 10 and 71 show two ;nsets i~se t~b~e tnto a 5tandard :
case correspondin~ t~ th~ ;nter al case dimens;ons ~1th a dl~fer1n~ number of b~ttj e accommodation spa-ces ~n d109r~m~0tica~ vie~st'an~
F i 9.12 sho~s a standard case in a d~a9lramma~ic5l vie~.

Det~i led descr1Pt~on ot the ~nventlon. anb the best llaY of p-rformin~ th~ inv ~t i ~o D
In the Figs~ 1 and 2, a stackable cas~ 1 D is shown in a cut-~y portion ~h~ch possesses a plural~ty of hollow spaces 14 accommod~t;ng e sin~e ~ottl~ 12 ot the ti210~ of ~hich, ho~
ever, on~y one is dop;~ted. Onto the bot~om la of the c~se ..
10, sev~ral ~erticaLly upward~y proje~t~rg sep3rating elements tor~ of splkes 16, ~h~ch del~:m~t the holLo~ sPaC~ 14.
As becomes apparent from Fig.2, acCor~inq to this exa~ple, four sp~e~ 16 are disPosed unifo~mly.dilstribu~ed ~round e~ch hoLlo~ sp~ce 14, ho~e~er, the deli:m~it~tilon of th~ ho~lo~
space 14 may Dl30 be ~ffeeesd ~i~h the oSd of a n~ber of sp;k~3 d;ff~rent therefram. In their fro s~-s~ction, the ~pi- : .
kes to are, ~t~rting ou~ from~th~ir cLam Pins point on the bot-tom 18 of th~ r,ase 1:0, upwardly c~nt ~n~ously expanded so that thc sp1kes 16 Possess a skittl~-sha ~d or cLub-shaPed conf1gurat10n. ~ith1n the area o~ their n~imaL cross-section or ot an ;ntQrnal out~ard bulge 17, the !spi~es 16, in combi-n~t~on, form a contraction 19 of th~ holllo~ 5p~C~ 16, Yho~e ~d~h is ~m~ r th~n th- =idth of tbe bottl~ body.

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20-SEP-1993 11:38 ~ICHTER 8 P~RTNER +49 40 3~2415 5.14 - 12 ~ 8,~

When a bottls lZ is to b~ inserted ~nto ~he hol~ow spac~ 14 dellm1~ed by the sp;kes 16, the contrict~on 19 has to be ex~
panded. This 15 done direct by means of ~he bottle 12~ in which connect1On it i9 adv~ntageous tq r~duce t~ cros~-se6tion of the sp;kes 16 according to Fig.1 abole the con~ra~tion 19 rf~e more so that a conically eKpand~n~ ~ser~lr,n ~uideway i5 formed, ~hich facili~ates the insert1~n rr the introduc~ion of the bottle 1Z. When che boetle 1Z ~s hnserted the same urg~s the spikes 16 sli~htly in the out~rd dlrectisn, in ~hich case the same undergo a rotatioh ~bout the1r clamp1ng point on the bottom 18 of the case 15~ l~ha elast;ci~y of the spikes 16 is on this oc~as;on dependeht 1Pon their geom~tric configuration, more particularly their clross-sectional sonfi-~uration, as well as upon the propelrt~eslof the material em-ployed. ~y preference the case 10 and th e sp;kes 16 should be compr;sed of ~ plastic mater;al ~h5ch ma~es a Fabr;cation ;nvolv;ng accuracy of fit poss;ble, by ~ ay of eKample~ by press;ng.
However, ;t ls Al~o posslble that thelbottle 12, ;n ~ts inser-tion into the holLow space 14, does npt ¦ur~e the spikes 10 apart, but that the spikes 1~, ~h;l~ subjstanti~lly rrt31ning tho;r position, are deformed 1n the areal of the contraction 19, ~her~by a rstain;ng or sprin~ force llik~wise acts upon the bottle 1~. Such ~ defQrmat;on of the splke~ 16 can be achteved ~h~n these ~re e.g. construclteq so as to be hollo~
from a th;n-~alled pl3stic. An ~ff~ct ofj tha ~ame kind c~n be ~ch1e~ed ~h~n the spikes 16 are sol~ly constructed of a ~lightlr e~sti~ deform~ble materisl~
ey means of the retaini~ or spring forcle ~ct;ng ~th the ald of ~h~ sp;kes 16 in the area of the con~ract;on 19 upon the -~
brttle 12, a~ Yell as by means of thr' e~a~ement present at le~st through friction between the bottrlm of the bottle 12 and the bottom of th~ hollo~ 5p~c~ 14, 1 t 1s posslbL~ for the bottle 1Z b~ing ~e~urely ret~ined~;n the hollow space 14.

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, 2~-SEP-1~93 li:39 RICHTER 8 P~RTNER +49 4~ 352415 C.15 2~ fia8a A~so dur;ng the transport of th~ ca8es, he bottles are Pre vented fron dropp7ng out ot the cas~ ~nd¦~ devQ~opment of noise due to ~ rattling of the bott~es ;~ Yery largQly avoi ded.
It ;s not only poss;ble to stack seyer~llcases 10 of ~he em-bo~iment depicted in the Fi~s. 1 and Z Q~ top of each oth~r, but a stacking of the cases when t;lt~d ~hr~ugh 90 is pos-s1bl~, in ~h~ch case the c~ses are s~2bi~12ed w;th the a;d of a rec;procal ~ockabls enga~ement. it ~s in th~s mann~r thrt the construction of a shelf ~all~aclord;n~ to the modular system c~n be ach1eved, ;n which the Hollo~ spaces ar~ acces-sib~e ~rom the side and thu~ msk~ ~ s~ee~y charging and remo-val of the the bottl~s Poss;ble.
When the ca~es ara ussd or stacked in a Itate ~here thty are tilt~d through ~0, in ~h~ch the char~n~ aperture of the oa~e ;9 lat~rally dispo ed~ car~ viLi h~e eo b~ taken that the bottles do not droP out of th~ hoilo~ space. As is ;llus-tr~ted in the Fig. 1, the hollo~ s~o~e ~o~se~ras for this purpo5~ ~ithin thc sre~ of its botto~ .e. 1n ;ts ~ower aroa accordi~g to Fig.1~ a gr~ater width thanjthe in~erted boetle -12 and the contraction 15 disPos~d ~tthi~ the dreo o~ the neck of the 1nserted bottle 12. It ~s ac~ieved thereby thot, due to its o~n w~ight, the bottLe 12 i9 It~isted or ti~t~d ' :
about the area ot the contract;on actingjas point af rot~t10n and, ~tth its lowe~r edye ~ccording ;~o F~r3~ c~mes to be~r ngoinst the ~all o~ the hollcw space. Owl4ng to this slopin~
posltion depicted in Fig.3 of ~he bott~'12, the same is rellably prevented from droppln~ o~t .~rol~ the hollou ~pace 14. ~hen the case 10 ;s tiLt~d or r~t~te¦d through 90 lnto the posit10n sho~n in the F~gs. 3 andl6,lthe bott~c or ~ot- :
tl~ auto~atically assume the posit;o~ slho~n 1n the i;Qs. 3 and 6 a3 ~ result of grsvity. I

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2~-SEP-1393 11~ 39 RICHTER ~ P~RTNER +49 4Ei 352415 5.16 ~ 1b ~

In the embodiment deptcted in the F;g~s.¦1 to 3 the se~arat~ng elements arç for~ed by spikes 16. It ~islhow&ser p~ssible ;n a simil~r fash;on far uart;t;ons to for~ the separ~t;ng ele-ments, in which case the expansion of t~ie contracti~n may b~
~ff~cted ;n the aforerent;one~ manner.likl~ise either by an area-wlse elast;c deformat;on of thr mater;al of the part;- :
t;o~s or b~ a d~flection of the part1~iolns altogether. A ;ur-ther embodiment example is illustrat4d is ~he ~igs. 4 to ~
Accgrding to Fi~.4, the case 10 i5 provilded with a grat;ng of Yertical parti~ion~ disposed orthogonall~ to each other so that hollo~ sPaces 14 tor the accommodat¦ion of Dne bottle 12 oar,h are formed. On each inner ~all of t~e hollo~ space 16, a sprin~ element ~U ~5 d~sposed, with tha ~id of which an elast;cal~y expand~ble contr~ct;on 1~is,formed~ ~he spr;ng e~ment 2~ ~ionsists preferably of pla~ti~ and posse~ses the :~-configuration of a leaf sprin~. Acc~rding td Fig.~, the spring elements 20 of a hollow spac~ 14 are forled of a tiup-shaped insert piece constructed 1n one piece, i~ is also posslble, ho~ever, to constr~ct each sprin~ elemen~ in the torm of a . ::
separat~ component. O~ing to the cup-shaped insert piece, the hollo~ spaco 14 possesse~ the shape already explained in connec~;on with the Fig.1 ~ith the tuntr~ct10n ~ithin the `~3 area of the n~ck oi the bottle 12 as ~ell as ~ith a ~idenin~
of the area ofthe botto~ of the hollow s~c~ 14 in comp~rison ~ith the bottom of the bottle 1Z~ ! -The fun~t~on ~f this embod;mont ~xa~p~e ~iorre~ponds substan~
tiAlL~ to that o~ the eTbod;~ant ~xpl~ned ~ith ~h~ aid of the F1~5. 1 to 3, ~o th~t no need e~istslto go ;nto th;s on~e a~ain. A~ ln this s~rond embad~men~ e~mp~ ;t ;$ ~ch;eved th~t th4 bottle 12, as a resu~t of itd o~n we~ght, rotates ~bout th- area of the contraction ~cti~ ~s po1nt of rot~tion and, owin~ to th;~ s~op;n~ po6;t;sn djp;~ted in F;~.6, ;5 re~
liably prevented ~ror droPPin~ out of the hollo~ sprcc 14.

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2~-S~P-1993 11:40 ~ICHTE~ ~ P~RTNER ~49 10 3~2415 5.17 ~ 15 ~ 7 ~ 8 ~

~n the tore~oin~ only ~om~ embodim~nt oxlmpl~s of the ;nven-tion h~ve be~n e~pl~ined. ~o~ev~r, for tl~ perS~n skill~d in the ~rt it i5 obvious tnat num~rous var;ati~ns ~an be carr;ed ~t ~1thout departing fr~m the framewqrkI~nd the ~slc cr~n- .
cept of the invent~on. By uay o~ exa~ in a ~od;ficat;~n of the e~bod;ment example depicted ;n the Figs. 4 to ~, it ;s also possible to ach1eve the contractlon 19 by the con-struction of ths cros~-s~ct~on of the part;t;ons, ;n that ~hese ~re ~.9. con1cally conf1~ured a9 i-¦ the embodlment exanple accord1n~ to the Figs. 1 to ~ urthermore, the cùn-figuration of the cross-~ctlon of ehq s~ike~ o~ the f;rst embodiment exa~ple is not limited to ~he !circular cross-secti~n shoJn in flg.Z, but it is also possib~e ~o construct the sp~-ke hav;ng an angular or square cross~ec~ion, as is d~Picted in the Fig.7. I
Th2 Fi~. 8 sho~s t~o cases 10t10' tha~ a~e stackable on top of each other,,of ~h1ch each c~se is oonltructed a~ per Fi~.4, in the norm~ position in ~hich ~he bqtttes stand upright.
In th~ super;mposed statr~, s~ikrs, p;~s t¦r otherw;~ construc- :
t~d detent cams 50 for~ed onto the ~otltor~ of the case 1a en~a-at~ lnto the the upp~r marg1n3l ~re~ n~xt¦to the c~se ~de ~alls so that, in the superi~posed stffte~ the tuo case5 1U, 10' are 1mmovably lnt~rconnecteri. It 1is ~h~reby possible to stack a groat rnany cascs on top of qaqh Ither. All eases thQn constltute a untt that ;s rig1d and st,ab~ ~n ~ts~lf. The:ca-~e~ a~e pr~r~blr trdnsp~rt~d ;n th~ poI;t1On sho~n 1n th~
F;~.8~
For the dom¢stiG use, in a restaurant or !suchlike, the c~ses 10,10' ~1th th~1 r bottles are t1 ~ted qr ~urned ~hr~ugh 90 so ~hat the c~se~ 10,10' then assum~ t;h~¦pos.~ion shoun ;n Ftg.9 and are stackable on top of eqch othcr ~n this ~ostt10n.
In order to obtain a r;g1d stack of ~e'vera~ c~ses, each case 10,10' 1~ Ndd1t1On3l~y prov1ded"p~rt tr~T the d2tent com~ SU

20-SEP-1993 11:41 Rl~.HTER ~ P~RTNE~ +49 ~ 3~2415 5.i~
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on the bottom of the c~se, ~;th detent pbns 51,51' on the s;de walls of the cases, in which case tlhe detent pins 51 on ~ :
th~ respectiv~ side ~alls located ae theltop, ar~ off~et in rel3t;0n to the re~pective sid~alls lorited ae the bottom of th~ cases 10,10' in such a ~ay that t e detent p;ns 51' of the lower s;de waLl of the case 10 co ne to l;e bet~een and next to the detent pins 51 of the up ~er s;de ~all of the case 10', io that two or more cases whlc ar~ stacked on top : -of each other form a r;rid, immovabl~ a~d inherentlr stable . .
stack, from ~hish a remo~Jal of the bo~tlIs from th~ s;de can be effortlesslY cffected, In this fasH;ol, uith the a;d of -several cases, more or less sh~lf wal~-l ke accommodations for bott(es are prov1ded wh~ch e.~. can e employed in l;eu o~ bottle r3cks ;n ~;ne cellars and t~e l;k0. .~ir As ;s sho~n by the F;gs, 10 to 12, ~t is!pos,s;bl~ to prov;de standard cases or eont3iners 100 (f;~t2~ ~ompris;n~ four .-s;de ~olls 101,102,103,104 ~nd a bc~tt~m port;on 105 thrt are ~ .-open at the top, ~th ;ns~ts or ;n3çr~s lo or 70, ;n wh;ch - :
cose esch tn~et con~1sts of inter~cting divid;ny wdlls wh~
form;ng individurl hollo~ spaces. Eac~ t usly tormed hoLlo~ ; -spoco 14 i5~ nccr,rd~n~ to th~ hollo~ ~pote at ~ ca~e depicted .: .
1n F~.1 so that, ~her, tilt;ny or rQtjting a case 10~ provi-ded ~;th an ;nsert 6~ or 70 through ~q,Iall the bottles dis- . :
posod in th~ holla~ spaces assune the po~1tion sho~n in the ':
~igs. 3 and 6~ ~n order ~o make it 1n~rJs~ible for the inserts .. -or 70 1n ~he case tO0 to sl~de out,. t~e insert~, ~hi~h are comprised of ~ood, pl~stic or other ~it~ble m~terials, are ;:
locked ~n the tase 100~ The Fi~. 10 gho~s an insert ~1th fifte~n hollow spaces for fifteen bot~le~ snd the F;g. 11 an insert ~ith ~enty-five hollo~ spaqeslfor twanty fiY~ bot- .:. .
tles, in ~hich case th~ number ~nd th~ si~e of the hollo~ .
spaces for the bottles depend on the siz~ and the internal d~mensions of the c~so 1Q0 snd, ;n a~d;~on, on the ~ze of the bottles to bo accommoda~ed. The i~se~ts 60 or 70 n~y also be compr~sed . ....

2~3-SEP-1993 11:42 RICIITER ~ Pl:IRTNER +4~i 40 352415 S.l9 _ 17 of cardboard~ papier-~bch~ or suchlike, 1n which case the ;neern~l outward bul9~s 17 ~or~n~ the c'lDntract1On 19 ~re ~ompr;sed of th~ ma~erial of the 1nsertsl60 or 70 and are shaped or formed on to~ether ~1th the~ dlur1ng th~ir fabrl-c~tion. I
The case 100 itself constitut~s the stalb;l;z;n~, external ~over tor th~ in~ert 60,70, in wh1ch ca~'e the Gase itsel~
can be the supporting or load-c~rry;ng e¦lement. The insert5 60,70 are removable from the case and c~lnsequently replace-able ~o that the inserts 60,?0 possessinlg a d~fferent num-ber of holLo~ spaces c2n be exchanged~am!ongst each other or with e~ch other, in ~h;ch connection ~hel~xtcrnal d1m~nsions of the ins~rts 60,70 are kept in such a ~ay that ~he ;nserts csn be inserted into the cases. ~y means! of the emPloyment of such ;nserts ~0,70 the follo~ln~ odv~tage re~ult3: W;th identic~l ext~rnol, ~ore or l~ss stan~ardi~ed dim~nsions -~nd ~;th th;s cns~3 that ~re more rea~ reclproc~lr stacked - it is nevertheless Possible;to accommodate a diffe-rent numb~r of bottle~ ~nd effic;~ntl~ ~ nd econon;cally uti-l1ze the available spaee.
- The contraction t9 of each hollow space ~4 does not have to be constructed so as to be elast1call~ e~pandable. The con-trection 1~ ~ay a~so be construeted ~ s~ch a ~3y ~hat ~ bot-t~ can be in~ert~d into the hollo~ spoc~ ~;thout the sid~
formin~ th~ c~ntra~t;on hav1n~ ~ under~o an~ chanye.
Due to ~he rircumstancr that the hol~ pace section 14a ~Fi~.3) sccommod~ting ~ht bot~le body,isllar~r than tho con-tr~ction 19, th~ bottlc will at all ti~e3 automatically assu~e the posltion ~ho~h in F19s. 3 Dnd ~ d~e ~o ~h~ d~placed ~e;ght, ~h1le the shoulder of the bottle is supporte~ ~nlthe lo~er sido ~Dll formin~ the contra~lon dt ~ ~nd e~n~e~ue~tly assunes ~ slo-pin~ pos;t~on, by v;rtu~ of ~hich, ;n a ~o~1tion of the cas~ ;
a~ ~ho~n in Figs. 3 and 6~ tho bottl¢ 1s~unable to slide out o~ th~ C-S? ~tD~t~c~

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Claims (4)

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Stackable case or crate for bottles having a plurality of hollow spaces (14) accommodating individual bottles which are separated from each other by separating ele-ments, in which each hollow space (14), on the internal wall side, possesses an elastically deformable contrac-tion (19) formed by an internal outward bulge (17), with the aid of which an inserted bottle (12) is retained in the area of its bottle body, characterized in that the separating elements are formed by spikes (16) which are constructed so as to be skittle or club-like in con-figuration, which, in their cross-sections, starting out from their attachment points on the bottom (18) of the case (10), expand contnuously toward the top and which, in the area of their maximal cross-sections, form the contraction (19) of the hollow space (14) by means of internal outward bulges (17), whose within is smaller than the width of the bottle body of the bottle to be inserted, in that the hollowm space (14), within the area of the case bottom (18), possesses a width which, in comparison with the width of the bottom of the bottle to be inserted, is greater so that, in an arrangement where the case (10) is tilted through 90°, the inserted bottles, as a result of their own weight, swivel about the area of the con-traction (19) acting as point of rotation ans assume a tilting position, and in that the spikes (16) possess a circular or an angular or square cross-section.

2. Case according to Claim 1, characterized in that, about each hollow space (14), three or four spikes (16) are disposed.

3. Case according to Claims 1 and 2, ¦
characterized in that the contraction (19) is formed by internally disposed spring elements (20), such as leaf springs, possessing a contour corresponding to the external contour of the spikes (16).

4. Case according to Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the case (100) comprises two component parts, the actual case open at the top consisting of four side walls and a bottom portion in the form of a stabilizing external casing and a removable as well as interchangeable insert (60;70) having a plurality of hollow spaces (14) formed by partitions, in which the inserts (60,70) possess a differeing number of hollow spaces (14).