Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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STACKABLE CONTAINER WITH A TOP CHIME
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to containers, particularly kegs, which are suitable
for holding beverages such as beer or fruit juices or other liquids.
BACKGROUND
Kegs for holding beverages such as beer are traditionally made of metal.
After use the keg is cleaned and re-filled so that the keg may be used
many times during its lifetime. Increasingly though, kegs are used to
transport the contents for long distances, sometimes between continents,
and transport costs can make it uneconomical to return the kegs for re-
use. There is also an environmental cost to be considered in transporting
heavy containers for long distances, and in disposing of containers which
consume a large amount of energy in their manufacture. It is therefore
becoming more common to manufacture containers from lightweight
inexpensive materials such as plastics, which are cheaper to manufacture
and transport.
Kegs are traditionally provided with top and bottom chimes secured to
opposite ends of a container body. The top chime provides handles for
handling the kegs while the bottom chime provides a stable base upon
which the keg may stand. The chimes also provide protection for the
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container body which is easily dented or damaged, particularly if the
container is moved by rolling it on its side.
In plastic kegs the chimes are generally injection moulded and the
container body is formed by blow moulding. Injection moulded chimes are
strong and are capable of doing the same job as metal chimes.
Furthermore, the top and bottom chimes can be designed to inter-engage
with each other such that the kegs can be safely stacked during storage
and transportation. However, manufacture of such chimes requires
relatively expensive injection moulding tools and adds a significant
amount to the cost.
The present invention seeks to provide a new and inventive form of keg or
similar container which can be manufactured with reduced cost and
energy consumption, which is easy to handle with low risk of damage, and
which can stand in a stable condition, either alone or stacked with other
similar kegs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention proposes a container which includes a container
body and a top chime formed with a peripheral skirt and an integral
continuous peripheral handle, the container body having a side wall, a top
wall which is received within the chime, and a bottom wall,
characterised in that the bottom wall of the container is formed with
ridges extending outwards from a central region, the ridges being shaped
to support the container stably on a flat surface and to engage a recessed
area of the top chime when one such container is stacked upon another in
use.
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In order to provide positive location with the top chime of another such
container the ridges preferably include at least one foot-like projection
which engages within the recessed area. The recessed area may be
formed on the outer periphery of the chime or inset from its outer
periphery.
The deepest parts of the channels formed between the ridges are
preferably conjoined to form a domed region of the bottom wall which
merges into the side wall. Such a configuration ensures that the bottom
wall of the container is able to withstand internal gas pressures with little
or no outward distortion.
The ridges and projections may be formed by a simple pressing or
moulding operation, requiring a minimum amount of additional material.
The contents of the container produce internal pressure on the bottom
wall which, in its preferred configuration, has a high tendency to resist
distortion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The following description and the accompanying drawings referred to
therein are included by way of non-limiting example in order to illustrate
how the invention may be put into practice. In the drawings:
Figure 1 is side view of two stacked kegs in accordance with
the invention;
Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional detail of the stacked kegs,
sectioned axially through the bottom ridges;
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Figure 3 is an axial section through the bottom of one of the
kegs in between the bottom ridges; and
Figure 4 is a sectional detail of a second form of keg in
accordance with the invention, stacked one upon another.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The drawings show two identical containers in the form of kegs for holding
a pressurised beverage such as beer, which are stacked on upon the
other. The kegs may be formed of plastics or other recyclable materials.
As shown in Fig. 1, each keg comprises a keg body 1 and a top chime 2
which incorporates a valve assembly (not shown).
Fig. 2 shows, in axial section, the bottom portion of the upper keg which is
supported on the top portion of the lower keg. The body 1 of each keg is
formed in one piece, e.g. by blow moulding, and incorporates a cylindrical
side wall 10, a domed top wall 11 incorporating a central neck 12, and a
bottom wall 13. The neck 12 receives a valve assembly 4 provided with a
draw tube 5 which extends to the bottom of the keg allowing pressurised
liquid to be withdrawn from the bottom of the keg. When the valve
assembly is not engaged by a suitable fitting it closes under spring
pressure in known manner to sealably retain pressurised liquid within the
container. Referring now to Fig.s 2 and 3, the bottom wall 13 is moulded
to form six co-planar ridges 14 which radiate outwardly from a central
region 16, thus providing the bottom wall with a petaloid configuration (like
the petals of a flower). When the channels which are formed between the
ridges 14 are viewed in axial section as in Fig. 3, the deepest part of
those channels meet at central region 16 such that they are conjoined to
form a continuous domed region 15 which merges smoothly into the
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cylindrical side wall 10. Such a configuration ensures that the bottom wall
of the keg is able to withstand internal gas pressures with little or no
outward distortion. The outermost end of each ridge 14 is formed with an
integral downward projection 17, forming six integral feet which are
capable of supporting the keg stably on a flat surface.
The top chime 3 is formed in one piece by injection moulding and includes
a ring-shaped handle 20 joined to a central hub 21 by radial spokes 22.
The handle 20 is also provided with axially-extending channel-shaped
members 23 which connect the handle to a peripheral skirt 24 which fits
closely over the upper end of the keg body 1. The handle 20 is formed as
a continuous upwardly-open double channel, comprising a bottom wall 25,
two upstanding middle and inner walls 26 and 27, and a shorter
upstanding outer wall 28 forming an external step-like recess between the
outer wall 28 and the adjacent inner wall 26. The top chime 3 may be
secured to the keg body via the peripheral skirt 24 and may also be held
in place by the valve assembly 4.
When the keg is filled, the contents of the keg exert an outward pressure
upon the petaloid bottom wall 13 which is resisted by the domed region
15. The internal pressure is also exerted on the integral ridges 14 and
foot projections 17 to ensure that the ridges and projections are held rigid
and provide stable firm support for the filled keg. When one keg is
stacked upon another the middle and inner walls 26 and 27 of the handle
20 provide firm support for the radial ridges 14, and the projections 17
locate within the external recess formed by the walls 26 and 28 to radially
locate the upper keg relative to the middle wall 26.
It will be appreciated that although six ridges and foot projections are
preferred since this number provides the greatest strength and stability, a
greater or smaller number could be used.
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The configuration of the base wall shown in Fig.s 1 to 3 provides
maximum spacing between the projections 17 and provides the
pressurised keg with a high level of stability when stood on a flat surface.
Fig. 4 shows an alternative arrangement in which the foot-like projections
30 are formed part-way along the length of the bottom ridges 14 so that
they locate with a central recessed area of the top chime 2 which is
bounded by the inner wall 27 of the handle 20. Although the keg may be
slightly less stable when stood on a flat surface the projections produce
less stretching of the plastic during blow moulding and may therefore
reduce the risk of weakness in the wall of the container body.
Whilst the above description places emphasis on the areas which are
believed to be new and addresses specific problems which have been
identified, it is intended that the features disclosed herein may be used in
any combination which is capable of providing a new and useful advance
in the art.
