The present invention relates to systems for delivering beverage syrups to fountain service customers. It further relates to boxes, containers or cases which when in a first relative position are stackable on top of one another and when in a second position are nestable in one another.
Today, most beverage syrups or post-mixes are shipped from the bottling plant to the fountain service customer in disposable, five gallon, multi-layered bags, packed in eight-inch by twelve-inch by sixteen-inch corrugated disposable boxes. The customer places the boxes on a special rack which tilts them for more thorough drainage. (On occasion, the racks are not used.) He tears open perforated areas on the boxes to expose spigots built into the bags and connects a line to the spigots to pump out the post-mix. A number of these bags can be hooked up in series and drained simultaneously. An example of this rack-box system is that available from Rudbar, Inc. of Mt. Vernon, N.Y.
There are many problems with these systems, however, and most of them derive from the corrugated box element. Not only are corrugated boxes becoming increasingly more expensive, they are generally not reusable. They must be disposed of by the customer, and these customers are often fast food franchisees who are under pressure to reduce the volume of their waste. These boxes occasionally collapse under static loads when palletized, and this collapsing problem is aggravated when the box becomes wet due to a leaking bag, inclement weather or wet environment. These boxes are also unsanitary since they can retain dirt and germs and attract bugs. The box forming machinery which folds and glues the boxes has also experienced problems in the past.
Summary of the Invention
Directed to remedying these problems, a novel syrup delivery system is provided herein using neither racks nor corrugated boxes. Rather, it comprises a plurality of sturdy, reusable open-top boxes, which are stackable when full and nestable when empty. Each of the boxes has a working aperture at one end thereof defining a spigot end and out through which the spigot of a syrup bag held in the box is accessible. The inside bottom of the box is sloped towards the spigot end to aid drainage from the bag out its spigot. The boxes stack securely one on top of the other in a self-supporting arrangement and with their spigot ends facing the same direction. The bags can then be easily hooked in series since all of the spigots are on the same side of the stack, and racks are thus no longer needed. The top of the front spigot end of the box is sloped down to ease manual unstacking as when the stacked full boxes are to be unloaded off of a delivery truck. The delivery person need only tilt the top case or box forward slightly to unlock the locking feet and slide the box forward down the top lip of the box beneath it. When the boxes are empty and rotated so that their spigot ends are facing in opposite directions, they can nest one within the other with a relatively deep, two-to-one nesting ratio. This two-to-one nesting ratio permits each additional box added to a stack of nested boxes to add only about one half its height to the nested stack. In other words, they conveniently stack with like ends facing the same direction and nest with like ends facing in opposite directions.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those persons having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from the foregoing description taken in conjunction with accompanying drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a syrup delivery system of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a container of the system of FIG. 1, shown in isolation.
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the container of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4A is a front end view of the container of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4B is a view similar to that of FIG. 4A of an alternative container of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a rear end view of the container of FIG. 2.
FIG. 6 is a top plan view thereof.
FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view thereof.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the container of FIG. 2 in a stacked relation with other similar containers.
FIG. 9 is a view similar to that of FIG. 8 showing the containers in a nested relation.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10--10 of FIG. 6.
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11--11 of FIG. 6.
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 12--12 of FIG. 6.
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 13--13 of FIG. 6.
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 14--14 of FIG. 11.
FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 15--15 of FIG. 7.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments of the Invention
Referring to FIG. 1, a syrup delivery system of the present invention is illustrated generally at 20. The system 20 basically comprises a plurality of similar or identical cases, containers or boxes shown generally at 22, a syrup bag 24 in each of the boxes and having a spigot 26 accessible through an aperture 28 at a front end 30 of the box, and hosing 32 connecting the spigots 26 in series. The box 22 has a unique construction such that when oriented with like ends facing the same direction, such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, the boxes stack securely when on top of the other and interlock with a stacking post arrangement, described in greater detail later, to prevent slipping between the stacked boxes. However, when the boxes 22 are rotated such that vertically adjacent boxes are facing in opposite directions and the boxes are empty or nearly so, they will nest one within the other, as shown in FIG. 9, in a compact arrangement for easy transport. The bottom floor 34 of the box 22 slopes down towards the working aperture end 30 of the box, as shown for example in FIG. 11, to help the syrup bags 24 supported thereon to more completely and quickly drain out through their spigots 26. The open gridwork design of the bottom floor 34, as depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7, facilitates the rapid washing of the box 22 and the drainage of the wash water out therefrom without having to turn the box over.
FIGS. 2-4A, 5-7 and 10-15 show in isolation various views and sections of a box 22 of this invention. This box 22 is integrally molded of a suitable plastic, such as high-density polyethylene. It includes the front end wall 30, a rear end wall 36 (see FIG. 5), a pair of opposing side walls 38, 40, and the bottom floor 34 secured therein, and it has an open top shown generally at 42. An outwardly projecting rim or lip 44 is provided along the top surfaces of the side and end walls. Upwardly recessed hand grips 46, 48 formed with the rim 44 centrally at the tops of both of the end walls 30, 36 assist in lifting and manipulating the box 22 or a stack of them. Both of the side walls 38, 40 are formed with serially arranged first and second panels 50, 52 forming an undulating-like cross-section (see FIG. 13) through at least the upper halves thereof. There are the same number of first and second panels 50, 52 on each of the sides, the reasons for which will become apparent.
At the top of the first panels 50 and projecting up from the lip 44 are locking posts 54. At the bottoms of each of the first panels 50 are stacking feet 56 having bottom surfaces 58 projecting generally out from adjacent side wall structure and positioned a slight distance spaced above the bottom surface of the box 22 as can be seen, for example, in FIG. 3, so they are less likely to be impacted and damaged. Recesses or slots 60 are formed up through the bottom surface 58 of the stacking feet 56 as can be seen in FIG. 7, for example. Thus, with a pair of boxes 22 aligned with their working apertures 28 facing the same direction and one on top of the other, the posts 54 of the bottom box will be aligned with the slots 60 of the upper box and will fit up thereinto to lock the stacked boxes together, as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, to prevent sliding between them. Thus, each postfoot combination can be viewed as a modular unit. In this stacked arrangement, all of the working apertures 28 face in the same direction so that the spigots 26 can be connected in series with the hosing 32 as shown in FIG. 1. Triangular bracing structures 62 brace the top of the stacking feet 56 against the side wall structure.
The second panels 52 have support structures 64 extending horizontally about mid-way along their height and shown in cross-section in FIG. 14. The second panels 52 are stepped down and into the box 22 such that the top surfaces 66 of the support structures 64 are positioned inside of the box 22 and the lower surfaces 68 (FIG. 7) are positioned on the outside. Thus with the top (or lower) box rotated end to end (180.degree. about a vertical axis) such that the working apertures 28 of the two boxes are facing in opposite directions, the top box can nest within the lower box, as shown in FIG. 9. The locking posts 54 of the lower box then will fit up into the slots 70 through the top support surface 66.
The working aperture 28 is formed with first and second openings 72, 74 wherein the first opening 72 is larger, generally rectangularly shaped and has rounded corners and the second opening 74 communicates with the first and defines an upwardly-disposed semi-circle, as shown in FIG. 4A for example. Thus, the spigot 26 can be positioned out through the first opening 72 when the bag 24 is dropped into the box 22 and rest down into the second opening 74, as depicted in FIG. 1. FIG. 4B shows a front end view of an alternative box 22' of the present invention. The basic difference between box 22' and box 22 is the configurations of the working apertures 28' and 28, respectively. Aperture 28', as shown in FIG. 4B, has a downwardly-pointed triangular shape with rounded corners. Corners 75a and 75b can have radii of 0.75 inch, while corner 75c can have a 0.55 inch radius, for example.
The front portion 76 of the lip 44 along the front or working aperture end 30 of the box 22 is sloped downwardly as can be seen in FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B, for example. Similarly, the front corners 78 of the side wall vertical ribs 80 projecting up from the front stacking feet 56 are also radiused or rounded, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. Thus, to unstack the boxes when in their stacked position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, the top box is simply tilted forward and the posts and feet thereby disengaged; the tilted top box is then easily slid down the sloping front lip 76 of the lower box. The projections or posts 54 closest to the front lip 76 preferably have a more rounded configuration as shown by reference numeral 82 than those more distant. The distant ones can either be preferably rounded (FIG. 2) or can have a trapezoidal configuration (FIGS. 1, 8 and 9) as shown by reference numeral 84.
As seen for example in FIG. 11, the bottom floor 34 has a front portion 86 which is generally flat adjacent the front end and a larger rear portion 88 sloping down towards the front portion 86. And as seen in FIG. 6, the rear portion 88 defines a trapezoid in its top perspective view, funneling down towards the front portion 88. The portions 90, 92 of the floor 34 directly adjacent the side walls 38, 40 slope down to the other portions 86, 88 as seen in FIGS. 12 and 13, for example. The bottom floor 34 also has an open gridwork design, similar to that of known milk crates.
The design of the box 22 is such that it can be stretch wrapped or shrink wrapped when containing product (such as syrup bag 24) for sanitation, product identification or tamper evidence reasons without effecting the stacking or locking features thereof. The locking posts 54 maintain the shrink wrap (not shown) in place, and the shrink wrap does not interfere with the feet.
Unstacking loaded boxes 22 is easy with the box construction of this invention. As previously stated, the top box is tilted to unlock the stacking area or locking posts 54 and then slid in the tilted orientation over the front lip 76 of the box below. The lugs or posts 54 and mating recesses are not slid off one another. The posts are shaped to locate into the recesses and to avoid presenting any sharp corners to the syrup bag 24 as it is dropped into the box 22.
From the foregoing detailed description, it will be evident that there are a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the present invention which come within the province of those skilled in the art. However, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the invention be considered as within the scope thereof as limited solely by the claims appended hereto.