The present invention relates to a container for cans. In particular, the container according to the present invention allows constructions to be realised, using one or more cans as stabiliser elements.

Various types of containers for cans are currently available. However, none of them displays the characteristics of the container according to the present invention, i.e. none of them is structured to form modular structures in which one or more cans allow the modular structure to be stabilised.

The aim of the present invention is to offer a container for cans that allows to build up relatively solid structures or constructions, suitable for example for the realisation of stools, chairs, supports for tables or the like.

Further aim of the present invention is to offer a container that allows the re-use of cans as stabiliser elements of the structure realised.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description of an embodiment of the present invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the attached figures, in which:

- figure 1 schematically shows a view from above of a container according to the present invention;

- figure 2 shows the container of figure 1 in a section taken along plane ll-ll;

- figure 3 shows a first example of a structure that can be realised with the container according to the present invention;

- figure 4 shows a second example of a structure that can be realised with the container according to the present invention;

- figure 5 shows a structure that can be realised by combining a plurality of containers according to the present invention.

The container (1 ) for cans according to the present invention comprises a first body (10), having a parallelepiped shape, provided with a coupling opening (1 1 ). In the non-exclusive embodiment represented, the first body (10) has an overall cubic conformation. With reference to the orientation shown in figure 2, the coupling opening (1 1 ) is arranged on a lower face of the first body (10). Preferably, the coupling opening (1 1 ) is surrounded by a cylindrical collar (1 1 a).

The container (1 ) further comprises a second body (20), having a parallelepiped shape, in turn provided with a coupling opening (21 ). In the example shown, the second body (20) also has a generally cubic conformation. The coupling opening (21 ) is arranged on an upper face of the second body (20). Preferably, also the coupling opening (21 ) of the second body (20) is surrounded by a cylindrical collar (21 a).

As illustrated in figure 2, the first body (10) and the second body (20) may be placed in contact at the faces on which the coupling openings (1 1 ,21 ) are located, which are aligned with each other.

The coupling openings (1 1 ,21 ) are structured to face each other and to define a cylindrical housing (1 1 ,21 ) concentric to a longitudinal axis (X). For that purpose, the coupling openings (1 1 ,21 ) substantially have the same diameter. The cylindrical housing (1 1 ,21 ) defined by the coupling openings is conformed for housing a cylindrical body (C) arranged concentrically to the longitudinal axis (X).

For example, the coupling openings (1 1 ,21 ) may be structured for accommodating a standard can for beverages. Preferably, the cylindrical body (C), i.e. the can for beverages, is snap-fitted in the coupling openings (1 1 ,21 ).

The cylindrical body (C) allows a coupling to be realised between the first and the second body (10,20), in which direct relative movements are prevented on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (X). In this way the container (1 ) can be used to construct modular structures, e.g. in the form of uprights or cross members. In fact, the container (1 ) can withstand compression stresses, directed parallel to the longitudinal axis (X), and shear stresses, on planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (X).

To facilitate the composition of modular structures, the first body (10) can be provided with a first projecting edge (12), arranged on a face opposite to the coupling opening (1 1 ). The second body (20), in turn, may be provided with a through-opening (22), arranged on a face opposite to the coupling opening (21 ). Such through-opening (22) is structured for accommodating the projecting edge (12) of another container (1 ), as shown in figure 2.

With reference to the orientation illustrated in figure 2, an upper container (1 ') can be coupled to a lower container (1 ") by introducing the first projecting edge (12) of the lower container (1 ") into the through-opening (22) of the upper container (1 '). The faces on which the first projecting edge (12) and the through-opening (22) are located are arranged in contact. In this way a modular structure with a generally rectilinear extension is realised along the longitudinal axis (X) common to the two containers (1 ',1 "). Obviously, a higher number of containers could be coupled together as described, consecutively to each other, to realise a structure with a larger extension along the longitudinal axis (X).

To allow the formation of a further modular structure, the first body (10) can be provided with a second projecting edge (13), arranged on a face perpendicular to the first projecting edge (12), and structured to be able to be inserted in the through-opening (22) of another container (1 ). In substance, the second projecting edge (13) extends parallel to a transversal axis (Y), perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (X).

As illustrated in figure 3, it is possible to compose a modular structure in which the second projecting edge (13) of a first container (1 ') is inserted into the through-opening (22) of a second container (1 "). The faces of the first and of the second body on which the second projecting edge (13) and the through-opening (22) are arranged are in contact with each other.

The second container (1 ") therefore has its own longitudinal axis (X) oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (X) of the first container (1 ').

The second body (20) can also be provided with a projecting edge (23), arranged on a face perpendicular to the coupling opening (21 ), and structured to be able to be inserted in the through-opening (22) of another container (1 ). With reference to the modular structure illustrated in figure 3, in this embodiment of the second body (20) the second container (1 ") could be coupled to the first container (1 ') by means of the second body

(20) , instead of by means of the first body (10), by inserting the projecting edge (23) of the second body (20) into the through-opening (22) of the second container (1 ").

The first body (10) can also be provided with one or more through- openings (14), arranged on faces perpendicular to the coupling opening

(1 1 ) , and structured to be able to accommodate the first projecting edge

(12) of another container (1 ). The further through-openings (14) are arranged on the lateral faces of the first body (10), i.e. on faces perpendicular to those on which the first projecting edge (12) and the coupling opening (1 1 ) are arranged.

The second body (20) could also be provided with one or more through- openings (24), arranged on faces perpendicular to the coupling opening

(21 ) , and structured to be able to accommodate the first projecting edge (12) of another container (1 ). The further through-openings (24) of the second body (20) are arranged on the lateral faces of the second body

(20) , i.e. on faces perpendicular to those on which the coupling opening

(21 ) and the through-opening (22) are arranged.

The further through-openings (14,24) of the first and of the second body (10,20) allow further examples of modular structures to be formed. For example, in which the first projecting edge (12) of a first container (1 ') can be inserted in a further through-opening (14, 24) of the other container (1 "). In this case, the longitudinal axes (X) of the two containers (1 ',1 ") are perpendicular to each other.

For the sake of simplicity, the various examples of modular structures described have been represented in a combination of two containers

(1 ',1 "), but it would obviously be possible to combine a plurality of containers according to the present invention with each other, in the ways described. An example of such a possibility is shown in figure 5, wherein a table, comprising four legs and a top, is obtained by combining a determined number of containers according to the present invention with each other.

The container according to the present invention therefore allows simple and relatively stable modular structures to be realised. Furthermore, the container allows the cans to be reused as stabiliser elements for the structures. The structures realised can be disassembled, so as to allow the modification or removal, and so as to allow the recovery of the cans, in view, for example, of recycling.