CONTAINERS AND STACKS OF CONTAINERS

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a stackable container, in particular a container for holding liquids, and a stack of several containers.

[0002] Such containers are well-known and can be made of plastics or metals, for example. After the containers are usually manufactured at production sites, they are then delivered to retailers or customers.

[0003] The weight and / or volume of the cargo to be transported typically has a limiting effect during transport. Since the containers combine high volume with low weight, effective stacking can increase transport efficiency. At the same time, it must be ensured that the container stacks are sufficiently stable for both transport and storage, and that the individual containers do not jam into each other during stacking. This reduces the risk of damage to the containers when they are removed from the stack.

[0004] Containers that taper and can thus be stacked within one another in a volume-efficient manner are already known from the prior art. However, containers typically have interfaces that often negatively influence stackability, as they affect the wall thickness and / or shape of the walls. Such containers are disclosed, for example, in US 2020 / 317402 A1, which discloses a container according to the preamble of claim 1, and in EP 0 870 690 A1, which discloses a container according to the preamble of claim 18.

[0005] Based on this, the present invention seeks to provide a container that can be stacked volume-efficiently despite having one or more interfaces, while ensuring the stability required for transport and preventing jamming when stacking multiple containers. The invention also seeks to provide a stack of containers with these advantages.

[0006] According to the invention, this object is achieved with a stackable container, in particular a container for liquids, which tapers from an open side to the base opposite the open side, wherein the container has, on a side lateral with respect to the opening of the container, a first curvature with a first interface for attaching an outlet fitting and at least one additional second curvature, wherein the first curvature and the at least one second curvature are formed towards the interior of the container, and wherein in particular the first curvature and the at least one second curvature are arranged such that when stacked with a second container according to the invention, the second container according to the invention

[0007] Container comes into contact with a surface of the first curvature facing the open side and a surface of the at least one second curvature of the first container according to the invention facing the open side.

[0008] When stacking, one container can then rest on the at least two curvatures of another container, exploiting the fact that the first curvature is already present as the first interface. When stacking, the base of one container according to the invention and the surfaces of the curvatures facing the opening of the other container according to the invention touch each other. With this construction, the containers support each other at at least two points when stacked. The containers can thus be stacked at a defined distance from one another, with the base surfaces aligned parallel to one another. This enables volume-efficient stacking of the containers, while at the same time ensuring the stability of the container. In addition, the containers are prevented from sliding too far into one another during stacking, which can prevent damage and / or jamming.

[0009] In a further embodiment, the container can have a first recess and a second recess on the lateral side, wherein the first recess and the second recess are open outwards, so that when stacked with a second container according to the invention, the surface of the first recess facing the bottom and the surface of the second recess facing the bottom of the second container according to the invention come into contact with a surface of the first curvature facing the open side and a surface of the at least one second curvature of the first container according to the invention facing the open side.

[0010] Thanks to the recesses, the containers can be pushed further into each other when stacking. This reduces the additional volume required by the curvatures when stacking.

[0011] In a further embodiment, the surface of the at least one additional second curvature facing the open side can have the same distance from the contact surface of the bottom of the container as the surface of the first curvature facing the open side.

[0012] Because the respective support surfaces of the arches are at the same distance from the floor, the containers can be stacked with their bottoms parallel to each other, which improves the stability of the stack.

[0013] In a further embodiment, the surface of the at least one additional second curvature facing the open side can have a second distance from the support surface of the base of the container, which is different than the distance between the surface of the first curvature facing the open side and the base, wherein the first recess and the second recess are designed such that the difference in the distance between the surface of the first recess facing the base and the support surface of the base and the distance between the surface of the second recess facing the base and the support surface of the base is equal to the difference in the distance between the surface of the first curvature facing the open side and the support surface of the base and the distance between the surface of the second curvature facing the open side and the support surface of the base.

[0014] Thanks to the offset of the curves compensated by the recesses, the distance between the curves and the container base is flexible, while the containers are stable and stackable, as the container bases can be stacked parallel to each other despite the offset of the curves, ensuring high stability of the stack of individual containers. Without compensation by the recesses, different distances between the respective contact surfaces of the curves and the container base would result in containers that are tilted towards each other when stacked.

[0015] In a further embodiment, the first and second recesses may each be formed starting from the bottom in the direction of the open side of the container.

[0016] Due to the recess starting from the bottom in the direction of the opening, when stacking several containers with a curvature formed towards the interior of the container 6, the volume between the bottom and the curvature can also be used, since the containers can be pushed further into one another due to the recess.

[0017] In a further embodiment, one, in particular the first, recess can be arranged and designed such that it receives the first curvature of a second container in a stacked state and the other, in particular the second, recess can be arranged and designed such that it receives the second curvature of the second container in the stacked state.

[0018] In addition to reducing the space required when stacking the containers, the recesses that accommodate the respective bulges prevent the stacked containers from twisting relative to each other, as the bulges of one container can be inserted into the recesses of the other container during stacking. If the containers are stacked with the open side facing up, the recesses of one container are inserted into the bulges of the other container. This increases the stability when stacking containers according to the invention.

[0019] In a further embodiment, one, in particular the first, recess can be formed flush with the first curvature along a normal starting from the ground, and the other, in particular the second, recess can be formed flush with the second curvature along a normal starting from the ground.

[0020] Since the recesses and the curvatures are aligned with each other from a perspective normal to the ground, the containers can be easily stacked because it is clear where the recess of one container is located in relation to the curvature of the other container.

[0021] In a further embodiment, in a projection along a normal to the ground, the projected areas of the first and second curvatures may be of equal size and the projected areas of the first and second recesses may be of equal size.

[0022] Because the surfaces are identical in size, the first recess can also accommodate the second curvature, and the second recess can also accommodate the first curvature. This eliminates the need to align the containers according to the matching curvatures and recesses, making stacking easier.

[0023] In a further embodiment, the container can comprise a second interface on a side lateral to the container opening, which is arranged closer to the bottom of the container than the first interface. The second interface, in particular a second outlet fitting, can be arranged in one of the recesses. If the second interface is located in one of the recesses, the second interface can be embossed into the injection mold together with the recess, for example, during production by the injection molding process.

[0024] In a further embodiment, the container can have at least one further curvature in addition to the first and second curvature, wherein in particular the first curvature and the at least two further curvatures are arranged such that when stacked with a second container according to the invention, the second container according to the invention comes into contact with a surface of the first curvature facing the open side and a surface of the at least two further curvatures of the first container according to the invention facing the open side.

[0025] Due to the at least one additional curvature, the surface of which facing the opening is aligned with the other curvatures, the containers are supported by several contact points when stacked, thereby increasing the stability of the container stack.

[0026] In a further embodiment, the container can have at least one further recess on the lateral side of the container in addition to the first and second recess, wherein the first recess and the at least two further recesses are open to the outside, so that when stacked with a second container according to the invention, the surface of the first recess facing the bottom and the surfaces of the at least two further recesses of the second container according to the invention facing the bottom come into contact with a surface of the first curvature facing the open side and a surface of the at least two further curvatures of the first container according to the invention facing the open side.

[0027] With at least one additional recess, a container with more than two curves can be accommodated. This combines the advantages of exceptional stability provided by the increased number of supports with high volume efficiency and anti-twist protection provided by the inclusion of the curves in the recesses during stacking.

[0028] In a further embodiment, the surfaces of the at least two further curvatures facing the open side can have the same distance from the contact surface of the bottom of the container as the surface of the first curvature facing the open side.

[0029] Due to the equal distances between the respective support surfaces of the curves and the floor, the containers can be stacked with the floors parallel to each other, which can improve the stability of the stack.

[0030] In a further embodiment, the surface of the at least two additional curvatures facing the open side can have a second distance from the support surface of the base of the container, which is different than the distance between the surface of the first curvature facing the open side and the base, wherein the first recess and the second recess are designed such that the difference in the distance between the surface of the first recess facing the base and the support surface of the base and the distance between the surfaces of the at least two further recesses facing the base and the support surface of the base is equal to the difference in the distance between the surface of the first curvature facing the open side and the support surface of the base and the distance between the surfaces of the at least two further curvatures facing the open side and the support surface of the base.Thanks to the compensation of the offset of the curvatures by the recesses, the distance between the curvatures and the container base is flexible, while the containers are stable and stackable, as they can be stacked flush with one another despite the offset of the curvatures, which ensures a high level of stability for the stack of containers according to the invention. Without compensation by the recesses, different distances between the curvatures and the container base would result in containers that are tilted towards one another when stacked.

[0031] In a further embodiment, the container can have a recess on the lateral side which runs around the entire lateral circumference of the container and which is designed such that when several containers according to the invention are stacked, it rests on the surface of the first curvature facing the opening and the surface of the at least one further curvature facing the opening, if the first curvature and the at least one second curvature are designed towards the interior of the container, or on the surface of the first curvature facing the bottom and the surface of the at least one further curvature facing the bottom, if the first curvature and second curvature are designed towards the exterior of the container.

[0032] With a circumferential recess on the lateral side of the container, as well as with recesses that are only formed on a portion of the lateral side, it is possible to stack even containers with curved surfaces in a volume-efficient manner. Furthermore, the containers do not need to be specifically aligned with each other during stacking and can be rotated relative to each other as desired. This simplifies the stacking process.

[0033] In a further embodiment, the base surface and the open area are round or polygonal, in particular rectangular. Round and polygonal, in particular rectangular, base surfaces allow for a large fill volume relative to the outer surface of the container and / or can be stored particularly efficiently.

[0034] The technical problem of the invention is also solved with a stack of several containers, as described above.

[0035] Because the individual containers are supported by at least two curved sections, they can be stacked in such a way that the stack ensures the stability required for transport, despite the curvature of the first interface. At the same time, this prevents the containers from being pressed against one another on one side, allowing for more gentle stacking.

[0036] In a further embodiment, if containers with recesses are used, the stack can be designed such that the surface of at least one of the curvatures facing the open side touches the surface of one of the recesses facing the bottom.

[0037] The recesses allow the containers to be pushed further into each other when stacking, making the stack more compact. At the same time, the individual containers in the stack can no longer twist relative to each other, increasing the stability of the stack.

[0038] The technical problem addressed by the invention is also solved by a stackable container, in particular a container for liquids, which tapers from an open side to the bottom opposite the open side, wherein the container has, on a side lateral with respect to the opening of the container, a first curvature with a first interface for attaching an outlet fitting and at least one additional second curvature, wherein the first curvature and the at least one second curvature are formed towards the exterior of the container, and wherein, in particular, the first curvature and the at least one second curvature are arranged such that when stacked with a second container according to the invention, the second container according to the invention touches the surface of the first curvature facing the bottom and the surface of at least one second curvature facing the bottom.

[0039] When stacking, one container can then rest on the at least two curvatures of another container, taking advantage of the fact that the first curvature is already present as the first interface. When the containers are stacked, the edge of the lateral side at the opening of one container touches the surfaces of the curvatures of the other container that face the floor. With this design, the containers support each other at at least two points when stacked. This enables volume-efficient stacking of the containers, while at the same time ensuring the stability of the container. In addition, the containers are prevented from sliding too far into one another during stacking, which can prevent damage and / or jamming.

[0040] The invention is described in more detail below with reference to the figures and exemplary embodiments. Individual features of the respective exemplary embodiments can be combined with one another as desired to achieve new embodiments according to the invention. Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section of a container according to the invention with two cross-sectional views towards the open side of the container 3 along the section plane AA and the section plane BB. Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section of a stack of containers according to the invention according to a second embodiment on a transport pallet. Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section of a stack of containers according to the invention according to a third embodiment on a transport pallet Figure 4 shows the superposition of three sectional views of the container at the level of the recesses, the bulges and the open side according to a fourth embodiment. Figure 5shows the superposition of three sectional views of the container at the level of the bottom, the bulges and the recesses according to a fifth embodiment. Figure 6 shows a longitudinal section of a stack of containers according to the invention according to a sixth embodiment.

[0041] Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section of a container 1 according to the invention. Such a container 1 is used in particular to collect liquids, for example, rain.

[0042] The container has an open side 3, as well as a bottom 5 opposite the open side 3 and a lateral side 7 between the bottom 5 and the open side 3. Figure 1 further shows two sectional views at the level of the section planes AA and BB. The container tapers from the open side 3 to the bottom 5 and is therefore stackable.

[0043] The base 5 can be curved to increase the stability of the container even on uneven surfaces. The support surface of the base 5 is formed by the lowest points of the base surface.

[0044] According to the invention, a first curvature 9 and a second curvature 11 are formed on the lateral side 7. In this embodiment, the two curvatures 9 and 11 are formed toward the container interior 6. According to a variant, the first and second curvatures 9 and 11 can also be formed toward the outside.

[0045] The curvature 9 includes a first interface 8 for receiving a first outlet fitting 17, for example, a faucet. The interface 8 can be a thread, for example. In another variant, the outlet fitting 17 can be frictionally received in the interface 8. The interface 8 is located at a suitable distance a1, in particular a distance a1 between 10 cm and 50 cm, from the base 5. Thus, a smaller container such as a bucket or watering can can be arranged below the outlet fitting 17.

[0046] The surfaces 9a and 11a of the curvatures 9 and 11 facing the opening 3 can have the same distance d from the bottom 5.

[0047] The base surface 5 and the open surface 3 can be round, but other shapes, for example polygonal, in particular rectangular, are also possible.

[0048] Preferably, the difference angle α between the central axis b1 of the first curvature 9 and the central axis b2 of the second curvature 11, viewed from a perspective normal to the base 5 with respect to a center point M, is between 160 and 200°, preferably 180°. Thus, stable support of the individual containers 1 during stacking can be achieved, in particular without wobbling.

[0049] The container 1 can, according to a further development of the invention, as in the embodiment of the invention of Figure 1 shown, comprise a first recess 13 and a second recess 15. The two recesses 13 and 15 extend from the bottom 5 along the lateral side 7.

[0050] As can be seen in the sectional view along plane BB, the recesses 13 and 15 are open toward the outside of the container. Starting from the lateral side 7 of the container 1, the recesses 13 and 15 form a volume 14 and 16.

[0051] In this embodiment, a second interface 19, in particular for a second fitting, is arranged in the first recesses 13. According to a variant, however, this interface can also be formed outside the recesses 13 and 15 at another location on the lateral side 7. The second interface 19 can be used, for example, for residual emptying of the container 1.

[0052] Recesses 13 and 15 extend from the bottom 5 over a distance a3 toward the open side 3 of the container, with distance a3 being smaller than distances a1 and a2, respectively. Preferably, a3 lies in a range of 5 cm to 25 cm.

[0053] To increase strength, the lateral side 7 of the container 1 can also have a first profiling 21 in the form of reinforcing ribs on the lateral side 7 and / or a second profiling 23 in the form of reinforcing ribs in the edge region of the lateral side 7 toward the open side 3. Furthermore, an interface for the force-fitting and / or friction-locking attachment of a container lid can be provided in the region of the open side 3.

[0054] Regarding a perspective normal to the floor 5, as shown in the section BB of the Figure 1 As can be seen, the first and second curvatures 9 and 11 in this embodiment are each arranged in alignment with the first and second recesses 13 and 15 or are located in the same sectional plane, as can be seen from the side sectional view below on Figure 1 results.

[0055] Preferably, the areas of the first curvature 9a and the second curvature 11a projected onto the plane of the base 5 are of equal size. The areas of the first recess 13a and the second recess 15a projected onto the plane of the base 5 are also of equal size. Thus, two consecutive containers 1 can be stacked in two different positions relative to each other.

[0056] The advantages of the invention arise when stacking several containers 1 according to the invention. Such a stack 100, here consisting of four containers 1a to 1d, is shown in a sectional view of the Figure 2 according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0057] Here, the stack 100 is shown as an example standing on a pallet 103. The four containers 1a to 1d of the Figure 2 correspond to the Figure 1illustrated container 1. The containers 1 can be stacked in the stack 100 with the open side 3 facing downwards towards the pallet 103. Since the open side 3 has a larger base area due to the taper towards the bottom 5, the stack 100 thus stands stably on the pallet 103. However, it is also possible to stack the containers one inside the other with the open side 3 facing upwards, i.e. away from the pallet 103.

[0058] When stacking the container 1a, the first curvature 9 and the second curvature 13 are inserted into the recesses 13 and 15 of the underlying container until the surfaces 9a and 11a of the first curvature 9 and the second curvature 11 are supported on the surfaces 13a and 15a of the recesses 13 and 15 of the underlying container 1b facing the container bottom 5.

[0059] Therefore, the recesses 13 and 15 must be sufficiently large so that the surfaces 9a and 11a can rest on the surfaces 13a and 15a. Preferably, the cross-sections perpendicular to the normal or the central axis 12, starting from the base 5 of the volumes 14 and 16, are designed to accommodate the largest cross-section of the curvatures 9 and 11.

[0060] This means, in particular, that the distance D2 of the lateral side 7 at the surfaces 13a and 15a of the recesses 13 and 15 facing the bottom side 5 is smaller than the distance D1 of the lateral surface 7 at the level of the curvatures 9 and 11. In addition, the distance D2 must be greater than the distance D3 between the curvatures 9 and 11 so that the surfaces 9a and 11a can rest on each other on the surfaces 13a and 15a. Furthermore, the distance D4 between the two recesses 13 and 15 over the distance a3 must be smaller than the distance D3 between the two curvatures 9 and 11 so that the container 1a can be pushed onto the container 1b. Accordingly, D1 <D2<D3<D4, damit beim Stapeln der Behälter 1 die Aussparungen 13 und 15 die Wölbungen 9 und 11 aufnehmen können. Dies gilt insbesondere für jede Schnittebene, die durch die Achse12 zum Boden geht.

[0061] By introducing the bulges 9 and 11 into the recesses 13 and 15, the volume requirement of the stack 100 can be reduced compared to an embodiment according to the invention without recesses.

[0062] Since the curvature 9 with the interface 8 is fundamentally required, the second curvature 11 ensures that two containers 1a and 1b do not become wedged when stacked. The lateral sides 7 of the two containers preferably do not touch each other. The distance c is, for example, at least 5 mm.

[0063] The first curvature 309 and the second curvature can also be designed towards the container exterior 302. Figure 3 shows a stack of containers 300 according to a third embodiment with outwardly directed curvatures.

[0064] If the first curvature 309 and the second curvature 311 are directed towards the container exterior 302, the surface 309b of the first curvature 309 facing the bottom 305 touches the surface 313b of the first recess 313 facing the open side 303, and the surface 311b of the second curvature 309 facing the bottom 305 touches the surface 315b of the second recess 315 facing the open side 303.

[0065] It is also possible for the surface 309b of the first curvature 309 facing the bottom 305 of the container 300 to touch the surface 315b of the second recess 315 facing the open side of the container 303, and for the surface 311b of the second curvature 309 facing the bottom 305 of the container 300 to touch the surface 313b of the first recess 313 facing the opening 303 of the container 300. This allows the containers to be erected relative to one another in two different ways, which can facilitate erection.

[0066] If the curvatures 309 and 311 are formed towards the container exterior 302, the recesses 313 and 315 are formed on the lateral side 307 of the container 300, starting from the opening 303 of the container 300. The first recess 313 and the second recess 315 are also formed towards the container exterior 302, which both increases the filling volume of the container 300 and improves the stability of the container when it is placed on the open side 303 of the container 300, since the cross-section of the container 300 is enlarged at the cutting surface D.

[0067] Thanks to the alignment of the curvatures 9 and 11 and the recesses 13 and 15, the containers 1a to 1d of a stack 100 are all aligned the same or rotated by 180°. This facilitates stacking.

[0068] Figure 4shows the superposition of three sectional views of the container 200 at the level of the recesses 209 and 211 (comparable to section B of Figure 1 ), the vaults 209 and 211 (comparable to section A of the Figure 1 ) and the open side 203 (comparable to section C) according to a fourth embodiment. Only the cut surfaces are shown here, and in particular, no projection of other surfaces.

[0069] Here, the first curvature 209 with the first interface 208 and the second curvature 211 are still arranged opposite each other. The first recess 213 and the second recess 215 with the second interface 219 are also arranged opposite each other, but rotated by an angle β of 90° relative to the curvatures 209 and 211.

[0070] The axis b3 through the two curvatures 209 and 211 can be rotated by an angle β, in particular between 45° and 135°, relative to the axis b4 through the two recesses 213 and 215. If the containers 200 are stacked such that the recesses 213 and 215 accommodate the curvatures 209 and 211, the next container 200 rotates by an angle β relative to the previous container. It is indicated how the first outlet fitting 217, in particular a tap, can be attached in the first interface 208.

[0071] In order for the containers to be stackable, bulges 209 and 211 and recesses 213 and 215 must each be arranged relative to one another in such a way that, by rotating one container by a predetermined angle relative to the other, the containers remain stackable and the bulges can be inserted into the recesses. This is particularly relevant for non-truncated conical containers, which do not exhibit rotational symmetry. For example, for containers with equilateral polygonal cross-sections, the recesses and bulges can also be arranged on different side surfaces. With a square cross-section, the bulges can be arranged on two opposite sides and the recesses on the other two opposite sides.

[0072] This ensures that when stacking the containers 200, the next container 200 can be rotated in such a way that the two tapered base bodies of the containers 200 still fit into each other and, at the same time, the base surface 5 excluding the recesses 213 and 215 still fits through the cross section of the next container 200, which is narrowed at the location of the curvatures 209 and 211.

[0073] Figure 5 shows the superposition of three sectional views of the container 300 at the level of the bottom 305 (comparable to section F in Figure 3 ), the vaults 309 and 311 (comparable with section E in Figure 3 ) and the open side 303 (comparable to section D in Figure 3 ) according to a fifth embodiment. Only the cut surfaces are shown here, and in particular, no projection of other surfaces.

[0074] In this embodiment, the first curvature 309 with the interface 308 and the second curvature 311 are formed outwards, i.e. away from the container interior 306.

[0075] In this embodiment, the first recess 313 and the second recess 315, which are formed on the lateral side 307, are no longer formed from the bottom 305, but rather from the open side 303. In contrast to the previous embodiments, the volumes 314 and 316 formed by the recesses 313 and 315 are formed toward the container interior 306. It is indicated how the first outlet fitting 317, in particular a tap, can be attached in the first interface 308.

[0076] Thus, the bulges 313 and 315 of a subsequent container 300 can be received in the recesses 313 and 315 of the preceding container 300 during stacking.

[0077] In this embodiment, a second interface for residual emptying can also be provided. Unlike the previous embodiments, this is not located in the recesses, but rather still close to the base 305.

[0078] The axis b5 through the curvatures 300 and 311 is rotated by an angle γ, here, for example, equal to 90°, relative to the axis b5 through the recesses 313 and 315. Thus, during stacking, the next container 300 is rotated by an angle γ relative to the previous container 300. Other angles, in particular, γ equal to 0°, are also possible.

[0079] In order to be able to stack the containers 300, it is also necessary in this embodiment that the bulges can be inserted further into the recesses by rotation and the containers remain stackable.

[0080] According to further variants of the invention, in the embodiments described above, at least one further curvature can be formed on the lateral side 7 of a container. Accordingly, at least one further recess can then also be provided. If several curvatures and recesses are formed, it is advantageous to distribute them evenly on the lateral side 7. In this case, between the central axes of the curvatures with respect to a center point M from a perspective normal to the base 5, a distance of between 100 and 140°, preferably 120°, is to be provided for three curvatures, and a distance of between 70 and 110°, preferably 90°, is to be provided for four curvatures.

[0081] The containers 400 according to a sixth embodiment are in Figure 4shown, wherein the surfaces 409a (of the first curvature 409) and 411a (of the second curvature 411) facing the opening 403 have a different distance from the support surface of the base 405.

[0082] When stacking the containers 401a and 401b, the first bulge 409 and the second bulge 413 are inserted into the recesses 413 and 415 of the underlying container until the surfaces 409a and 411a of the first bulge 409 and the second bulge 411 touch or rest on the surfaces 413a and 415a of the recesses 413 and 415 of the underlying container 401b facing the container bottom 405 (a or b).

[0083] Although the distance b1 from the surface 409a to the container bottom 405a differs from the distance b4 from the surface 415a to the container bottom 405a, the containers of this embodiment rest on one another such that the planes of the two container bottoms 405a and 405b are substantially parallel to one another.

[0084] The difference Δ curvature between the two distances b1 and b4 is compensated by a similar, in particular identical, difference Δ recess in the recesses 413 and 415 of the container 401. The difference Δ recess between the distance b2 from the surface 413a to the container bottom 405b and the distance b3 between the surface 415a and the container bottom 405b is similar, in particular identical, to the difference Δ curvature between the distances b1 and b4. The compensation condition is thus: b 1 − b 4 = b 2 − b 3 Δ W ö lbung = Δ Aussparung

[0085] Compensation is also possible according to the above condition with outwardly directed curvatures 409 and 411. In this case, the recesses 413 and 415 are formed starting from the open side of the container 403.

[0086] With this embodiment, it is possible to combine the high stability of the stack 400 (due to a flat stacking) with a flexible arrangement of the curvatures 409 and 411 with regard to their distance from the container bottom 405a.

[0087] Alternatively, a completely circumferential recess could also be formed on the lateral side 7. With a circumferential recess, the containers 1 do not have to be precisely aligned with each other with regard to their rotation relative to the next container when stacking.

[0088] According to one variant, the bulges could also be directed outward. In this case, the recesses would be designed in the lateral side so that they face toward the interior of the container to accommodate the outwardly directed bulges.

[0089] Thanks to the invention, it is possible to provide containers with an interface that can be stacked stably and without jamming. This is because the containers rest on at least one other curved surface.

Claims

1. A stackable container (1, 200, 401), in particular a container (1, 200, 401) for liquids that tapers from an open side (3, 203, 403) towards the bottom (5, 205, 405) opposite the open side (3, 203, 403), wherein the container (1, 200, 401) includes a first bulge (9, 209, 409) as well as at least one additional second bulge (11, 211, 411) on a lateral side (7, 207) with respect to the opening (3, 203, 403) of the container (1, 200, 401), wherein the first bulge (9, 209, 409) and the at least second bulge (11, 211, 411) are formed towards the inside (6) of the container, and wherein in particular the first bulge and the at least one second bulge are arranged such that when stacking with a second container (1', 200', 401') according to the invention the second container (1', 200', 401') according to the invention comes in contact with a surface (9a, 409a) of the first bulge (9, 209, 409) facing the open side (3, 203, 403) and a surface (11a, 411a) of the at least second bulge (11, 211, 411) of the first container (1, 200, 401) according to the invention facing the open side (3, 203, 403), characterized in that the first bulge (11, 211, 411) includes a first interface (11, 211, 411) for attaching an outlet fitting (17).

2. The container (1, 200, 401) according to claim 1, including a first recess (13, 213, 413) and a second recess (15, 215, 415) on the lateral side (7, 207), wherein the first recess (13, 213, 413) and the second recess (15, 215, 415) are open to the outside, so that when stacking with a second container (1', 200', 401') according to the invention the surface (13a', 413a') of the first recess(13', 213', 413') facing the bottom (5', 405') and the surface (15a', 415a') of the second recess (15', 215', 415') of the second container (1', 200', 401') according to the invention facing the bottom (5', 405') come in contact with a surface (9a, 409a) of the first bulge (9, 209, 409) facing the open side (3, 203, 403) and a surface (11a, 411a) of the at least one second bulge (11, 211, 411) of the first container (1, 200, 401) according to the invention facing the open side (3, 203, 403).

3. The container (1, 200, 401) according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the surface (11a) of the at least one additional second bulge (11, 211) facing the open side (3, 203, 403) has the same distance to the contact area of the bottom (5, 205) of the container (1, 200) as the surface (9a) of the first bulge (9) facing the open side.

4. The container (401) according to claim 2, wherein the surface (411a) of the at least one additional second bulge (411) facing the open side (3, 203, 403) has a second distance (b4) to the contact area of the bottom (405) of the container (401) that differs from the distance (b1) of the surface (409a) of the first bulge (409) facing the open side (3, 203, 403) to the bottom (405), wherein the first recess (413) and the second recess (415) are configured such that the difference (Δ recess) of the distance (b2) between the surface (413a) of the first recess (413) facing the bottom (405) and the contact area of the bottom (405) and the distance (b3) of the surface (415a) of the second recess (415) facing the bottom (405) and the contact area of the bottom (405) is equal to the difference (Δ bulge) of the distance (b1) between the surface (409a) of the first bulge (409) facing the open side (403) and the contact area of the bottom (405) and the distance (b4) of the surface (411a) of the second bulge (411) facing the open side (403) and the contact area of the bottom (405).

5. The container (1, 200, 401) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the first (13, 213, 413) and the second (15, 215, 415) recesses are each formed starting at the bottom (five, 205, 405) towards the open side (3, 203, 403) of the container (1, 200, 401).

6. The container (1, 200, 401) according to claim 5, wherein the one, in particular the first recess (13, 213, 413) is arranged and formed such that in a stacked state it receives the first bulge (9, 209, 409) of a second container (1', 200', 401') and the other one, in particular the second recess (15, 215, 415) is arranged and formed such that in the stacked state it receives the second bulge (11 1, 2111, 4111) of the second container (1', 200', 401').

7. The container (1, 200, 401) according to claim 6, wherein the one, in particular the first recess is formed along a normal starting at the bottom in alignment with the first bulge (9, 209, 409,) and the other, in particular the second recess is formed along a normal starting at the bottom in alignment with the second bulge (11, 211, 411).

8. The container (1, 200, 401) according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein in a projection along a normal to the bottom (5, 205, 405) the projected surface areas of the first (9a, 409a) and the second bulges (11a, 411a) have the same size and the projected surface areas of the first (13a, 413a) and the second (15a, 415a) recesses have the same size.

9. The container (1, 200, 401) according to any one of claims 2 to 8, that comprises at a lateral side (7, 207) with respect to the opening of the container (3, 203, 403) a second interface (19) that is arranged closer to the bottom (5, 205, 405) of the container (1, 200, 401) than the first interface (8) and is in particular configured for attaching a second outlet fitting (20) for removal of residues, wherein the second interface (19) is arranged in one of the recesses.

10. The container (1, 200, 401) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, including in addition to the first bulge (9, 209, 409) and the second bulge (11, 211, 411) at least one further bulge, wherein in particular the first bulge (9, 209, 409) and the at least two further bulges (11, 211, 411) are arranged such that when stacking with a second container (1', 200', 401') according to the invention the second container (1', 200', 401') according to the invention comes in contact with a surface (9a, 409a) of the first bulge (9, 209, 409) facing the open side (3, 203, 403) and a surface (11a, 411a) of the at least two further bulges (11, 211, 411) of the first container according to the invention facing the open side (3, 203, 403).

11. The container (1, 200, 401) according to any one of claims 2 to 10, including in addition to the first (13, 213, 413) and the second (15, 215, 415) recesses at least one further recess at the lateral side (7, 207) of the container (1, 200, 401), wherein the first recess (13, 213, 413) and the at least two further recesses (15, 215, 415) are open to the outside, so that when stacking with a second container (1', 200', 401') according to the invention the surface (13a', 413a') of the first recess (13', 213', 413') facing the bottom (5', 405') and the surfaces (15a', 415a') of the at least two further recesses (15', 215', 415') of the second container (1', 200', 401') according to the invention facing the bottom (5', 405') come into contact with a surface (9a, 409a) of the first bulge (9, 209, 409) facing the open side (3, 203, 403) and the surfaces (11a, 411a) of the at least two further bulges (11, 211, 411) of the first container (1, 200, 300, 401) according to the invention facing the open side (3, 203, 403).

12. The container (1, 200) according to claims 10 or 11, wherein the surfaces (11a) of the at least to further bulges (11, 211) facing the open side (3, 203) have the same distance to the contact area of the bottom (5, 205) of the container (1, 200) as the surface (9a) of the first bulge (9) facing the open side (3, 203, 403).

13. The container (401) according to claim 11, wherein the surface (411a) of the at least two additional bulges (411) facing the open side (3, 203, 403) has a second distance (b4) to the contact area of the bottom (405) of the container (401) that differs from the distance (b1) of the surface (409a) of the first bulge (409) facing the open side (3, 203, 403) to the bottom (405), wherein the first recess (413) and the second recess (415) are configured such that the difference (Δ recess) of the distance (b2) between the surface (413a) of the first recess (413) facing the bottom (405) and the contact area of the bottom (405) and the distance (b3) of the surface (415a) of the at least two further recesses (415) facing the bottom (405) and the contact area of the bottom (405) is equal to the difference (Δ bulge) of the distance (b1) between the surface (409a) of the first bulge (409) facing the open side (403) and the contact area of the bottom (405) and the distance (b4) of the surfaces (411a) of the at least two further bulges (411) facing the open side (403) and the contact area of the bottom (405).

14. The container (1, 200) according to claim 1 or 3, including at the lateral side (7, 207) a recess surrounding the entire lateral circumference of the container (1, 200) that is configured to rest upon the surface (9a) of the first bulge (9, 209) facing the opening and the surface (11a) of the at least one further bulge (11, 211) facing the opening when stacking a plurality of containers (1, 200) according to the invention.

15. The container (1, 200, 401) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bottom surface (5, 205, 405) and the open surface (3, 203, 403) is round or polygonal, in particular rectangular.

16. A stack (100) consisting of a plurality of containers (1, 200, 401) according to any one of the preceding claims.

17. The stack (100) according to claim 16, comprising containers (1, 200) according to any one of claims 2 to 14, wherein the surface of at least one of the bulges facing the open side (3, 203, 403) contacts the surface of one of the recesses facing the bottom.

18. A stackable container (300), in particular a container (300) for liquids, that tapers from an open side (303) towards the bottom (305) opposite the open side (303), wherein the container (300) includes a first bulge (309) as well as at least one additional second bulge (311) at a lateral side (307) with respect to the opening (303) of the container (300), wherein the first bulge (309) and the at least one second bulge (311) are formed towards the outside (302) of the container, and wherein the first bulge and the at least one second bulge are arranged such that when stacking with a second container (300') according to the invention the second container (300') according to the invention comes in contact with the surface (309b) of the first bulge (309) facing the bottom and the surface (311b) of the at least one second bulge (311) facing the bottom characterized in that the first bulge (11, 211, 411) includes a first interface (8, 208) for attaching an outlet fitting (17).