Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SY~UP DELIVERY SlrST~
~Q~D~rlc)N
This ~s a continuation-in-part of oopending applic~tion Serlal
No. 07/~8,580, ~iled Decernber 11, 1~8g.
Th~ p~sent invention r~l~tes ro syStems for ~ verin~ bever-
a~e syrUp~ to fountain service customerS. It rurther relat~s ~O box~s,
co~tail~e~ or oases whi~h when in a ~lrst relative position are
stackable on rop o~ one ano~her and when In a second posltion are
r~est~le In one ~nother.
Today, most beverag~ syrup~ or post~ es are shipped ~ro~
the botrlln~ plant to th~ toun~aLn servl~e ~u~tomel~ in dlsposable, ~lve
gallon, mul~l~layere~ ~ags, paoXed ~n elgh~in~h by twelve~lnch by
sixteen-lnch c~rrugated disposable boxes. The customer plac~s the
boxes on a spe~lal r~k which tllts them ~or Inore thorough drainage.
(On occasion, th~ racles are not u5ed.) H~ t~ars open perforated areas
od t~ b3xes to ~pose splgo~s bU11~ ln~o the ba~ ~n~ connects a line
to the ~plgo~s to pump nut the pos~ml~. A number o~ these ba~s can
be hoo~ed up ir~ series and draln~d simultaneously. ~n exa~pl~ o~ this
raol~-box ~yætem L~ that avallable ~rom ~udbar, In~. of r~tt Vernon.
New ~ork.
Ther~ arq m~ny proble~ wlth these SyStenlS, however, an~
most o~ then~ clerlv~ from the Gorrug~te~ box element. Not only are
Gorruga~ed boxes beaoming Inor~asin~ly more ~xpenslve, they are
~nerally no~ r~ bl~. ~hey mwt be disp~sed o~ by th~ eus~omer, and
these ~ustomer$ are o~t~n ~ast ~oo~ ~ranchisees who ar~ unde~ pres-
sur~ to ~e~ e the volume o~ thelr w~ste. ~hes~ bo~es occasionally
~ollaps~ un~r ~tatic loads when palletize~, and thls ~ollapslng prob-
l~m is ag~ravato~ when the box he~omes wet due to a leak~ng bag,
inalement weather or wet envlronmen~. Th~se bo~es are also
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u~anlt~ry ~ thoy o~n r~t3in dll~t ~nd ~rms and attr~n~ h~. Th~
box ~armlng ma~hlnery whlch folds and glue~ th~ box~s has alSo expe-
rlence~ probl~ms ln ~h~ past.
~ lre~t~d to remedy~ng these probl~rns, a nov~ syrup d~llvery
system is provi~ed h~reln u~lng neither racks nor corru~ated boxes,
Rather, lt oomprlses a plural~:y ~ sturcly, reusa~le op~n-top ~oxes,
whl~h are stackabl~ when Yull and ne~ta~le ~rhen empty. E~ch o~ the
box@s h~s * workirlg ap~rture a~ one end thereof de~nlng a spl~ot end
and oUt through whlch the spigot o~ a syrup ba~ held In the l~ox ls
acQessible. The l~lde bottom Of the box Is sloped towards the splgot
end to aid dralna~e ~rom th~ ba~ out l~s spigot. The boxe~ sta~k
se~urely on~ on tOp or the other ln a ~el~-supportlng arran~ement an~
wlth thelr spigot en~s ~acin~ the same cllrec~ion. The bags can th~n
be easily hoo~ed in serl~s ~ince all o~ the spi~ots ar~ on the same sid~
o~ the stack, and raQks are th~s no longer needed. ~h~ top o~ the
front spigot end o~ the box is sloped down to ~ase ma~ual unstaclcing
as when the sta~k~ rull boxes are to ke unloade~ of~ o~ a dellvery
tru~k. The deliv~ry pers~n need only tilt th~ top ~ or box rorward
slightly to unlock the loc~ing reet and sli~e the box forward down th~
~op lip o~ th~ box benaath i~. When ~he bo~e~ are empty a~ rotated
so tha~ thelr spigot ends ar~ ra~ing in opposito d1rec~ions1 they can
nes~ on~ wl~hln the ~ther wi~h a relatlvely deep, two-to-one nestill~
ratl~. In other wQrdst the~ converllqrl~ly s~k with 11ke ends faclng
the sa~e diroc~ion an~ nese with lik~ en~s fa~ng ln opp~slte
direc~lons.
Other ob~eo~s ~nd a~v~n~ages o~ the presen~ ~nventlon wlll
be¢ome mor~ apparent to those pe~sons having or~l~ary sh:ill In the
a~t eo whl~h th~ pl~esen~ lnvention pe~taln~ ~rom the ~oregoing
desol~lp210n taken ln ~n~un~tion wlth accompanylng drawlngs.
Flæure 1 ~ a per3peotive vlew of a syrup d~ ry ~ystem ot the
present InYOIItiOn~
Flgur0 2 Is an er~lar~e~ perspe~t~v~ w o~ a ~ontalner o~ th~
~YStem ~ F1BUre 1, shcwn in lsolatlon~
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F~gure 3 Is a side ~l~va~lonal view o~ th~ c~ntalner of ~Igur~ 2.
Flgut~e 4~ ls a front en~ view o~ th~ cont21n~r Ol' Flgure 2.
Fl~ure 4B ls a vl~w ~lmlla,r to that o~ Flg~r~ ~A o~ an al~erna-
tlv~ ~ontaln~r o~ the present invention.
Flgur~ S Is a rear end vlew o~ rhe ~ontalner o~ ~Igur~ 2.
Flgure ~ ~S a top plan view thereof.
Plgul~e 7 ls a bottom plan view thereof.
Flgure 8 ls a p~rsp@ctlve vlew showlng the container or Figure
a in ~ stackBd rela~ion with other ,slmllar ~ont~lners.
~ igure 9 !s a vi~W slmilar tO tha~ o~ Figure 8 showlng the coa-
t~lners ln a nest~d relation.
Figure 10 lS a cross-sectional vi~W taken alon~ llne 1~-10 ~t
Fl~ure 6.
~ Igur~ 11 is a cross-se~tlonal vlew ~aken ~Ivng l~ne ll-ll o~
F10llre 6.
Flgur~ 12 i5 a c~ seotlonal view tal~n ~long llne 1~-12 of
Flgure ~.
Flgure 1~ iS a cros~-sec~ional vlew taken ~long line 13-13 ot
Flgur~
Plgure 14 iS a cros~-seotlonal view taken along l~n~ 14-14 o~
Fi~ur~ 11.
FlgurQ 15 lS a c~oss-se~tlon~l vlew t~ken along line lS-lS of
Fl~ure 7.
FE~E~
~ eferring ~o Fl~zure 1, a syrup ~ellvery system or the pr~sent
lnv~ntion 1~ illust~ate~ ~enerally at 20- Th~ system 20 basically co~n-
prlses ~ plura~ity o~ simllar or identl~al aases, oontaln~rs or boxes
shown ~ener~lly at 22, a syrup b~e 24 In e~oh o~ the ~oxes and haYing
a spl~o~ ~6 accesslble throu~h an ap~rture 28 at a tront end 30 o~ the
~, and hosing ~a connectln~ the spleots 26 In serl~s. Th~ box 22 has
unlque c~n6truotion such that when orlented ~rith llk~ ends fa~lng
the æ~ ti~ uoh a~ shown In Figures 1 ~d 8, the boxes st~ck
securely when on top o~ the oth~r and l~terlook with a stacking post
arran~ement, des~ribed ln greater detail lat~r, to prevent sllpping
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2~3~12
between th~ ~tAoke~ box~s, IIc~wever, wh~n the box~s ~2 are rotated
such that vertloally adja~ent ~oxes are ~clng ln opposlte dlreCtions
and the boxes are empty or nearly so, they w111 n~ on~ wlthln the
other, as shown ln Flgure 9, In a comp~c~ arran~?ment ~or easy tran~-
port. The bottom ~loor S4 o~ the box 22 s~opes ~own sowar~s the
worklng aperture end 30 Or the bo~, as shown ~or example in Flgurs
11, to help th~ syrup ba~s 24 supportgd th~reotl ~o more compl~ely
and qulckly ~raln out throu~h th2ir splgots 26. The op~rl grldwork
design of the bo~om ~lool~ ~4, as depi~ted in Fl~ures 6 and 7, facili-
tates th~ r~pl~ washing o~ the box 22 and the ~ralnag~ of the wash
wa~er out th~re~rom wi~hout having to turn the box ~rer.
Fl~ur~s 2-4~, $~7 an~-10-lS sh~w in isolatlon ~arlous ~lews and
sections o~ a bo~ 22 of this invention. This box ~2 ~ Integrally molded
o~ a suitable plastlc, suoh as high-densi~y polyethylene. lt includes
the fronr end wall 30, a rear end wall 3~ (se~ Figure 5), a pair o~
opp~slng slde walls 38, ~0, an~3 the bottom ~loor 3~ secur~d thereln,
and lt hag an open top shown generally ~t 42. Ar~ outwardly project-
lng rim or ~Ip 44 ~s provided along the top surîaces o~ the side and end
walls. Upwardly rec~sse~ hand grips ~6, 4~ form~d wlth the rlm 4~
cen~r~lly a~ the tops of bo~h o~ the ~nd walls 90, 36 ~sslst ls~ liftlng
and manipulal:lng th~ box 22 or a ~taek o~ th~m. Bo~h o~ the side
walls ~8, 40 ar~ ~ormed wlth seri~lly arranged ~irst and second panels
~D, 52 tor~ln~ ~n undulatin~-like ~ross-sec~lon (s~e Fl~ur~ throllgh
at least the upper halv~ thereo~. Ther~ ar~ the same number sr rlrst
and s~conq pane~s ~0, 5~ on each o~ the ~ides, th~ reasons ~or whlch
will ~e~ome ~pp~rent.
At tha ~p o~ the ~lrst panels ~û and pl~ect1ng up Irom the llp
4~ ~ lo~kirlg pos~ 54. A~ the bolt~om~ or eaoh of th~ ~irst panql~ 53
ar~ staaklng te~t 56 hav1n~ b~tt~m sur~aces 5~ pro,jecting generally
out. ~rom ad~acent si~e wall structure and positioned a slight distano~
spa~e~ above l:he bo~tom sur~ac~ or the box ~2 ~ oaa be s~en, ~or
~xample, ln ~igure 3, so they ~re less li~ely to be impaot~ and dam-
a~e~ ecesses or slot3 ~0 ~rq ~ormed up ~hrough th~ battom surfaae
58 o~ th~ stackln~ ~eet S6 as o~n b~ seen In Flgura 7, ror example.
ThuS, w1th a palr of baxes 22 all~ned wlth thelr work1ng apertures 28
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faolng the s~m~ dire~lon ~n~ on~ sn ~op o~ th~ other, ths po~ts ~4 o~
th~ bo~toM box wlll be allgned wlth th~ ~lot5 ~30 or ~he upper box and
will tlt up l:here~nto tO loclc the~ sta~ked boxes to~ethe~, as ls shown in
~igures 1 and 8, to prevenC sllding b~tween them. Thu~s. ~a~h post-
~oot comb~natlon ¢an be vl@wed as a modular ~nl~. In thls stacked
arrangea~ent, all o~ th~ worl~in~ apertures ~S ~ac~ in the sarne dlrec-
tion so that ~ spigots 26 can ~e connected Ln serl~s wl~h th~ hoslng
~2 a~ sh~wn In Flgu~e 1. T~iar~ular bracing stru~u~es 6~ bra~ th~
rop o~ the sta~king ~e~t ~ against the sl~ wall ~u~ture.
Th~ se~on~ panels 52 have ~upport st~u~tures ~ endln~
hori~ontally abou~ ~id-way along their hei~h~ and showrl ln cross-~c-
tlon in Fl~uro 14. The seoond panels 52 are s~epped dow~ and lnto the
box 22 SUCh l:hat ~;h~ top surta~es 66 OI ~he support struoture~ ~4 ar~
positioned insid~ of the box ~2 and the lower sur~ac~s 68 (Figur~ ?)
are positloned on the out~lde. Thus with th~ ~op (or lower) box
rotated end ~o ~n~ 0 a~out ~ ver~l~al ~xis) su~h th~t the workin~
apertures 2~ o~ the two ~o~es are ~a~ing ln oppo~i~e dlrections, rhe
top bo2; ~an nest wl~hi~ the lower ~ox, ~s showrl ~n ~lgllre 9. The
lockit~g posts 54 o~ th~ lower box th~n wlll ~i~ up ~nto the slo~s 70
through ~ top suppor~ sur~e 66.
Th~ worl~lng ~p~r~u~ 28 ~S ~ormed wlth ~lrs~ and se¢ond ope~-
is~g~ ~2, 74 whereln the ~lrst openlng 72 l5 larg -r, generally re~tangu-
larly s~ape~ ~nd has round~ ~orn~s an~ the seaor,~ openlng 74 com-
municases wi~h the tirst and de~lnes an ~lpw~rclly-dlspose~
seml-olr~l~, ~ shown ln Flgur~ ~A ~r example. Thus, the spigot 26
c~n ~e pssll:lon~ Out ~hrough the ~ir~t opening ~ when the bag 24 ls
dropp~d lnto ~h~ box 2~ and reSt ~own into ~h~ se~ond openlng 74, as
~epl~@d in Figur~ 1. Fl~ure 4B shows ~ ~ront enC~ vlew o~ an alterna-
tive ~ox 2~' of ~h~3 present inventlon. The~basic diSr~rence between
~07~ 2~ and ~x ~ is the con~guraelon~ ot th~ worklng apertures 28!
~nd 28, respe~tively, Aperture a8~ as shown In Flgure 43, has a
downwardly~pointed triangular ~h~p~ wlth roun~e~ ~orners. Corners
75a and 75b o~n hav~ radil o~ .7S lnch, wh~la oorn~r 7S~ can have
.55 i;3ah radi~, for exarnple.
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Th~ ~ront portlon 76 o~ the 11p 44 along the ~ront or w4r~1ng
aperture ~nd 30 o~ the bax ~2 ls sloped downwardly as can be s~en ln
Flgur~ 4~ and 4B, ~or example. Slmilarly, the front corners 78 of
the side wall vertloal rl~ ~0 proJecting up ~ram th~ ~ront stackln~
~eet 86 a~ also radlused or roundg~, as seen In Ft~ures 2 and 3. Thu~,
to unstack the boxes when ln thelr stac~ed p~ltlon, as shown ln Flg-
ures 1 and 8t the top box Is slrnply tllte~ forwar~ and the posts and
~ee~ thereby d~ngaged; the tilted ~op box 1S ~h~n easlly slld down the
~lopln~ ~ront l~p 7~ o~ the lower ~ox. Th~ pr~tlons or posts 5~ clos-
est to the ~rorlt llp 76 pref~rably ~ave a more rounded configuratlon
as shown by re~erence numeral 8~ th~n thos~ more dist~nt. The ~Is-
tant ones oan eith~r be pr~rably rounded ~Fl~ure 2) ~r oan have a
trapezoldal con~i~uratlon ~FIgures 1. 8 and g) as ShOWrl by r~ference
numeral ~4.
As seen ~or exan2ple in ~igure 11, th~ bottom floor 34 has a
~ron~ portion 8~ which iS gen~rally ~lat dJicene ~h~ ~ron~ end and a
lar~er rear por~lon 88 slopln~ ~own ~owar~ th~ ~ron~ portion 86. And
as seen In Figut~e ~, ~he rear portlon 88 ~e~ines a trapezold In lts top
perspeCt~vQ vi~w, funneling down taward~ ~:h~ front portion 88. The
portion~ 90, 92 o~ the ~loor 34 dlre~tly ad~aoen~ the side walls ~8, 40
slope down to the other por~lo~ 6, 8~ as se~n ir~ Flgures la and 1~,
f~ example. The botrom glwr 3~ also has an op~n ~rldwork deslgn,
si~llar to ghat o~ Icnown mll~c ~rat~s.
The design o~ ~he ~ox 22 i~ SuCh that lt an be stretch wrapped
or shrink wr~pped wh~n ~on~alnlng procluot (su~h as syrup ~ 24) ~or
sanltation, produ~t Id~nti~lcation or tamper ~vid~3n~ reaSorLs without
e~ecting ~he sta~klng or lo~lsin~ teatures thereo~. The lockln~ posts
54 maintain the B~slnk wrap (not shown) in pl~C~, an~ the shrlnl~ wrap
doe~ no~ ln~r~re wlth tn~ ~eet.
Un~ta~klng loa~ed boxes 22 Is ~asy with the box ~orls~ructlon or
th~ inventlo~i. AS previously stated, the ~E) b~ llted ~o ~nlock
the staoking area~ 0~10~kln~ pOS~S ~4 and the~ slid ln ths tilted ol~ien-
tatlorl ov~r t~ Yr~nt llp ~6 of the box b~lor.~. The l~gs or pos~s a4 anci
m~l:lng recesse~ ar~ not slld o~ one ~n~ther. The poStS ~ shaped to
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locata lnto th~ re~e5se~ an~ to avold pr~entlng any sharp corn~ o
t~e S~Up ba~ 24 ~S I~ l~ dropp~ ~nto th~ box 22.
From th~ ~oregolng det~iled descrlp~ion, 1~ wlll bo eYiden~ tha~
tt-ere a~ a numb~r o~ chang~, adaptatlons and modif~cat~ons of th~
presen~ Invention Whi~h ~o~ng wlthin the provlna~ o~ those skllled In
th~ ar~. Howevçr, It ls ~nt~nded tha~ all SUC~h varlatlo~s not departlng
~rom th~ sp~rit oY ~he lnv2ntlon b~ ~onslder~d as wlthln the scop~
thereo~ as 11mit~d solaly by ~hQ olalm~ appended h~re~o.
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