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Title:
STACKABLE AND NESTABLE CONTAINER
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2019/096378
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
The invention relates to a stackable nestable container (1) comprising a base (2), a first pair of opposed walls (3, 4) and a second pair of opposed walls (5, 6) the first pair of opposed walls (3, 4) and the second pair of opposed walls (5, 6) extending away from the base (2) in an upwards direction in an expanding manner such that a container opening, which is defined by a rim (7) formed by the first pair of opposed walls (3, 4) and the second pair of opposed walls (5, 6), has a larger cross section than the base (2), wherein the container further comprises at least one stacking member (8), which is mounted on one of the container walls (3, 4, 5, 6) and movable between a stacking position(I)in which the stacking member (8) is at least partially positioned inside or above the opening to support a base (2') of a structurally identical container (1') stacked thereon and a nesting position(II)in which the stacking member (8) is removed from the opening thereby enabling a structurally identical container (1) to be nested inside the container (1). The container of the invention further comprises a securing structure (9) located on or in proximity to the rim (7), which is configured to engage the stacking member (8') of a structurally identical container (1')that is stacked on top of the container (1) with its rim (7') facing the rim (7) of the container (1), in order to secure said structurally identical container(1') in a vis-à-vis stacking position (III).

Inventors:
PRANGHOFER STEFANIE (DE)
EDELHOFF GERD (DE)
Application Number:
PCT/EP2017/079347
Publication Date:
May 23, 2019
Filing Date:
November 15, 2017
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
SCHOELLER ALLIBERT GMBH (DE)
International Classes:
B65D21/06; B65D21/02
Foreign References:
US20040245142A12004-12-09
DE947147C1956-08-09
GB1408457A1975-10-01
US4105117A1978-08-08
US3819044A1974-06-25
Other References:
None
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
WINTER BRANDL FÜRNISS HÜBNER RÖSS KAISER POLTE - PARTNERSCHAFT MBB (DE)
Download PDF:
Claims:
Claims

1. A stackable nestable container (1 ) comprising a base (2), a first pair of opposed walls (3, 4) and a second pair of opposed walls (5, 6),

the first pair of opposed walls (3, 4) and the second pair of opposed walls (5, 6) extending away from the base (2) in an upwards direction in an expanding manner such that a container opening, which is defined by a rim (7) formed by the first pair of opposed walls (3, 4) and the second pair of opposed walls (5, 6), has a larger cross section than the base (2),

wherein the container further comprises at least one stacking member (8), which is mounted on one of the container walls (3, 4, 5, 6) and movable between

a stacking position (I), in which the stacking member (8) is at least partially positioned inside or above the opening to support a base (2’) of another, preferably structurally identical or similar, container (1’) stacked thereon and

a nesting position (II) in which the stacking member (8) is removed from the opening thereby enabling the other container (1’) to be nested inside the container (1 ), characterized by comprising:

a securing structure (9) located on or in proximity to the rim (7), which is configured to engage a stacking member (8’) of the other container (1’) that is stacked on top of the container (1 ) with its rim (7’) facing the rim (7) of the container (1 ), in order to secure the other container (1’) in a vis-a-vis stacking position (III).

2. The container (1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the securing structure (9) secures the other container (T) against movement in the upward direction and / or a horizontal direction by engaging its stacking member (8’) in a form-locking manner.

3. The container (1 ) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the securing structure (9) is a recess located in proximity to the rim (7) that is configured to receive the stacking member (8’) of the other container (T) in the vis-a-vis stacking position, preferably securing the stacking member (8’) of the structurally identical container (T) in a snap-fit manner thereby.

4. The container (1 ) according to one of the aforementioned claims, wherein the stacking member (8) is pivotably mounted on at least one of the container walls (3, 4, 5, 6).

5. The container (1 ) according to one of the aforementioned claims further comprising a nesting recess (10) for receiving the stacking member (8) in the nesting position, the nesting recess (10) being positioned in proximity to the securing structure (9) on the side of the securing structure (9) that is averted from the rim (7).

6. The container (1 ) according to one of the aforementioned claims further comprising a stacking structure (11 ) on an underside of the base (2), which is configured to cooperate with a stacking member (8’) of the other container (T) that is positioned in the stacking position, in order to provide a form-locking engagement against relative horizontal movement between the containers (1 , T).

7. The container (1 ) according to one of the aforementioned claims, wherein the stacking structure (11 ) on the underside of the base (2) is configured to cooperate with a stacking structure (1 T) on an underside of the other container (1 ) to provide a form- locking connection preventing horizontal movement of the containers (1 , T) relative to one another.

8. The container (1 ) according to one of the aforementioned claims comprising two stacking members (8) which are mounted either on the first pair of opposed walls (3, 4) or the second pair of opposed walls (5, 6).

9. The container (1 ) according to one of claims 4 to 8, wherein, when a structurally identical container (T) is stacked on top of the container (1 ) in the vis-a-vis stacking position, the nesting recess (10) of the container (1 ) and the securing structure (9’) of the other container (T) are positioned on a circular arc, which is concentric to the pivot axis of the stacking member (8).

10. The container (1 ) according to one of the aforementioned claims, wherein the container further comprises at least one stacking recess (12) on the upper face of the rim (7) for receiving the stacking member (8) in the stacking position,

the container (1 ) being configured such that, when the other container (T) is stacked on top of the container (1 ) in the vis-a-vis stacking position, the nesting recess (10), the stacking recess (12) and the securing structure (9’) of the other container (T) are positioned on a circular arc, which is concentric to the pivot axis of the stacking member (8).

11. The container (1 ) according to one of the aforementioned claims, wherein the stacking member (8) is pivotably connected to the second pair of opposed walls (5, 6) and the securing structure (9) and the nesting recess (10) are recesses arranged in the first pair of opposed walls (3, 4).

12. The container according to one of the aforementioned claims, wherein the securing structure (9) is a horizontal recess formed between two horizontally orientated ribs on the outer surface of a side wall (3, 4, 5, 6).

13. The container according to claim 12, wherein vertical ribs are arranged adjacent to the securing structure (9), preferably between the securing structure (9) and the rim (7).

14. The container according to one of the aforementioned claims, wherein the container (1 ) is configured such that the stacking height of two structurally identical or similar containers (1 , T) stacked in the vis-a-vis stacking position is equal to the stacking height of two uprightly stacked containers (1 , T).

15. The container according to one of the aforementioned claims, wherein the container (1 ) is manufactured of a polymer material in an injection molding process.

16. The container according to claim 15, wherein the securing structure is integrally molded into the container (1 ).

Description:
STACKABLE AND NESTABLE CONTAINER

Description

The invention relates to a stackable nestable container comprising a base, a first pair of opposed walls and a second pair of opposed walls, the first pair of opposed walls and the second pair of opposed walls extending away from the base in an upwards direction in an expanding manner such that a container opening, which is defined by a rim formed by the first pair of opposed walls and the second pair of opposed walls, has a larger cross section than the base, wherein the container further comprises at least one stacking member, which is mounted on one of the container walls and movable between a stacking position, in which the stacking member is at least partially positioned inside or above the opening to support a base of a structurally identical container stacked thereon, and a nesting position, in which the stacking member is removed from the opening thereby enabling the structurally identical container to be nested inside the container

State of the art

In the state of the art, various types of stackable nestable containers are known, e.g. containers comprising stacking members which are movable between a stacking position, in which two structurally identical containers can be stacked, and a nesting position, in which the two containers can be nested within the other container, in order to reduce the transporting volume of empty containers. Examples of such stacking members are pivotable or expandable side walls and so called bale arms, which are usually configured as brackets, which can be moved inside or above the opening of a container to enable another container to be stacked thereupon.

Such stackable nestable containers are usually produced in large quantities of millions of structurally identical containers and organized in reusable container pools. Since there is usually only one standardized container size available in such container pools, objects that exceed the set dimensions of the standardized containers will either not fit inside the containers at all or protrude out of the container opening, thereby making secure transport of such goods and stacking of containers filled with such goods impossible.

There is thus a longstanding need in the art for standardized containers, which can provide secure transport and storage of goods which exceed the standardized dimensions of one single container and which preferably allow for stacking of the containers even when such larger objects are transported.

Disclosure of the invention

Because of the above stated disadvantages in known containers, the present invention is directed towards a stackable nestable container, in which larger objects may be transported securely.

The above stated problem is solved by a container according to the features of independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are object of the dependent claims.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a stackable nestable container comprising a base, a first pair of opposed walls and a second pair of opposed walls. The first pair of opposed walls and the second pair of opposed walls extend away from the base in an upwards direction in an expanding (outwardly inclined) manner such that a container opening, which is defined by a rim formed by the first pair of opposed walls and the second pair of opposed walls, has a larger cross section than the base. The container further comprises at least one stacking member, which is mounted on one of the container walls and movable between a stacking position, in which the stacking member is at least partially positioned inside or above the opening to support a base of a structurally identical or similar container stacked thereon, and a nesting position, in which the stacking member is removed from the opening thereby enabling the structurally identical or similar container to be nested inside the container.

According to the invention the container further comprises a securing structure located on or in proximity to the rim, which is configured to be engaged mechanically with the stacking member of a structurally identical or similar (second) container that is stacked on top of the (first) container with its rim facing the rim of the (first) container, in order to secure said structurally identical or similar (second) container in a vis-a-vis stacking position. One could also say that two structurally identical or similar containers can be arranged in a clamp shell configuration by fastening the two containers together by engaging the stacking member with the securing structure. Two containers being stacked and secured such that the openings face each other basically provides a doubled filling volume/capacity. The term structurally similar containers shall be defined as two containers which are similar enough in their main geometry (of the base and the opposing pairs of walls) to allow for nesting of the containers and also similar enough in the design of their stacking members and securing structures to allow these components to engage with one another.

In other words, the invention relates to a stackable nestable container with a substantially hollow conical shape (formed by the base and the walls), which provides the nesting function, and at least one stacking member, which provides the stacking function by being movable (e.g. in a pivoting motion) such that it obstructs the container opening thereby preventing a structurally identical container from inserting inside the container. The stacking member is further used for providing an additional stacking arrangement by being engageable with a securing structure of a structurally identical container to secure the two containers with their openings facing each other. Preferably said securing structure can be at least one of a protrusion, a recess and a hook configured to provide an undercut/form-lock with the stacking member of a structurally identical container.

With the above mentioned container design (by providing a securing structure), the stacking member can be used to provide an additional (upside-down) stacking position to the containers, which can be used for secure transport of larger objects without the need for any additional parts or the like.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the container may be manufactured in a polymer material, preferably in a thermoplastic material, further preferably in an injection molding or rotation molding process. With such an embodiment, the securing structure may advantageously be molded into the container integrally.

According to one aspect of the invention the securing structure can secure the structurally identical container against movement in the upward direction and / or a horizontal direction by engaging its stacking member in a form-locking manner. In other words, when the stacking member of one container is engaged with the securing structure of another container, the stacking member and the securing structure can preferably form a form-lock/undercut which prevents relative movement in the upward direction and / or a horizontal direction (the horizontal direction being defined as the plane of the base). By providing such form-locking engagement, above described vis-a- vis or clamp shell stacking position can be effectively secured during transport.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the securing structure can be at least one hook or recess located in proximity to the rim and configured to receive the stacking member of a structurally identical container in the vis-a-vis stacking position. Preferably the securing structure may be designed such that it may engage the stacking member of the structurally identical container in a snap-fit connection, thereby preventing unwanted movement or rattling of the stacking member during transport in the vis-a-vis position.

According to a further aspect of the invention the stacking member may be pivotably mounted on the container wall. Further preferably, the stacking member may be a hinged bracket (a so called bale arm) which may be pivoted into a position in which it lies on top of the rim, in order to at least partially obstruct the container opening. Alternative embodiments may also incorporate slideably mounted stacking members.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the container may further comprise a nesting recess for receiving the stacking member in the nesting position, the nesting recess preferably being arranged in a position adjacent to / in proximity to the securing structure and further away from the rim than the securing structure. More preferably, the nesting recess may be configured to receive the stacking member in a snap-locking manner, in order to prevent rattling or other unwanted movement of the stacking member, e.g. during transport of the container in a nested state. Advantageously, the nesting recess may be formed into the container integrally.

According to a further aspect of the invention the container may comprise a stacking structure on an underside (bottom face) of the base, which is configured to cooperate with a stacking member of a structurally identical container that is positioned in the stacking position, in order to provide a form-locking engagement against relative horizontal movement between the stacked containers. Such design of the container allows for secure transport even if multiple containers are stacked on top of each other.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the stacking structure on the underside of the base can be configured to cooperate with a stacking structure on an underside of a structurally identical container, in order to provide a form-locking connection preventing horizontal movement of containers relative to one another, when two containers are stacked with their bases facing one another. In other words, the stacking structure on the bottom face of the container may be designed in such a way that two containers may be securely stacked upon one another with their bases facing. This can be achieved e.g. by dividing the bottom face of the base into quadrants, wherein the diametrically opposed quadrants are identical and the two resulting quadrant designs/shapes are configured to be interlockable/engageable. A container according to such an embodiment is thus nestable and securely stackable in three different positions (upright, vis-a-vis, with bases facing).

According to a further aspect of the invention the container may further comprise two stacking members, which are mounted either on the first pair of opposed walls or on the second pair of opposed walls, in order to provide a symmetrical transmission of stacking forces.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the container can be configured such that, when a structurally identical container is stacked on top of the container in the vis-a-vis stacking position, the nesting recess of the container and the securing structure of the structurally identical container are positioned on a circular arc, which is concentric to the pivot axis of the stacking member. According to a further aspect of the invention the container may further comprise at least one stacking recess on the upper face of the rim for receiving the stacking member in the stacking position and be configured such that, when a structurally identical container is stacked on top of the container in the vis-a-vis stacking position, the nesting recess, the stacking recess and the securing structure of the structurally identical container are positioned on a circular arc, which is concentric to the pivot axis of the stacking member.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the stacking member may be pivotably connected to the second pair of opposed walls and the securing structure and the nesting recess are recesses arranged in the first pair of opposed walls.

According to a further aspect of the invention the securing structure may be a horizontal recess formed between two horizontally orientated ribs in proximity to the rim and on the outer surface of a side wall. By such design, a stiffening/stabilizing function may be integrated into the securing structure.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention vertical ribs can be arranged adjacent to the securing structure, preferably between the securing structure and the rim, in order to provide greater (stacking) stability to the rim area.

According to a further aspect of the invention the container can be configured such that the stacking height of two containers stacked in the vis-a-vis stacking position is equal to the stacking height of two uprightly stacked containers. This can be achieved e.g. by constructively adjusting the stacking structure, the stacking member and the stacking position of the stacking member (the stacking recesses) such that the bottom face of the base of a container that is uprightly stacked on top of a structurally identical container is level with the top face of the rim of the structurally identical container, while being supported by the stacking member. Even further preferably, the stacking height of two containers stacked with their bases facing one another may also be equal to the stacking height of two uprightly stacked containers. The above mentioned design choices allow for uniform stack heights and thus easier handling of the containers, even when heterogeneous stacking arrangements are employed.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a stackable nestable container according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a side view of a container according to the second embodiment of the invention demonstrating different stacking member (bale arm) positions;

Fig. 3 shows a detailed view of a preferred securing structure design;

Fig. 3A shows a sectional side view of two containers according to the second embodiment in a nested position;

Fig. 3B shows a sectional side view of two containers according to the second embodiment in a stacked position;

Fig. 3C shows a sectional side view of two containers according to the second embodiment of the invention in a vis-a-vis position;

Fig 4 shows an exemplary stack of containers according to the second preferred embodiment of the invention in a variety of stacking positions;

Fig. 5A shows the underside of a container according to the second embodiment of the invention in a perspective view;

Fig. 5B shows the underside of a container according to the second embodiment of the invention in a plane view; Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a stackable nestable container according to the invention; and

Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of the second embodiment of the stackable nestable container according to the invention with inserted partition walls.

In Fig. 1 a perspective view of a container 1 according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The shown container 1 is made of a polymer, preferably a thermoplastic, material and manufactured e.g. in an injection molding process. A base 2 of the container 1 is substantially rectangular, more precisely, in the depicted preferred embodiments the base 2 has a substantially square shape. The container 1 comprises a first pair of opposed walls 3, 4 and a second pair of opposed walls 5, 6, which extend in a generally upwards direction with a slight outwards incline and which form a rim 7 with their free edges thereby defining a container opening. In other words, the base 2 and the walls 3, 4, 5, 6 of the container 1 substantially form a hollow conical body, which allows two structurally identical containers 1 , T to be nested inside one another, as shown e.g. in Fig. 3A. This nesting function is important since it allows empty containers 1 to be returned for reuse in a space efficient manner. The container 1 further comprises a stacking function for saving space when transporting multiple containers 1 in a filled state. This stacking function is implemented by means of two stacking members 8 (so called bale arms 8) which are pivotably connected to the second pair of sidewalls 5, 6 by means of hinges 8.1 and can be swiveled into a stacking position (cf. Fig. 2, II), in which the stacking members 8 obstruct at least a part of the container opening thereby preventing nesting and providing support for stacking a structurally identical container T on top of the container 1 , as shown e.g. in Fig. 3B.

As shown in Fig. 3C, the container 1 according to the present invention also allows for an additional stacking position (III), in which two structurally identical containers 1 , T are securely stacked face to face (vis-a-vis). In other words the containers 1 , T are stacked with their respective rims 7, T touching and arranged in flush alignment. In this face to face position, both containers 1 , T can be connected by swiveling (pivoting) down the bale arm (stacking member) 8’ of the upper container T into a closed (secured) position, in which it is received by a securing structure 9 (a horizontally orientated recess in this embodiment) of the lower container 1. Such vis-a-vis stacking of containers 1 results in a doubling of the internal volume (to 119 liters in this exemplary embodiment). Thus, it can be said that with the container 1 according to the invention, the existing stacking member / bale arm design can be used to implement a secure vis-a-vis stacking mode, which allows for safe transport of objects that exceed the dimensions of one single container 1.

Fig. 2 illustrates the three positions I, II, III the bale arm 8 of the shown embodiment can swivel into in a side view. In the stacking position I, the bale arm 8 sits on top of the upper face of the rim 7, thereby effectively obstructing the container opening and providing support for a structurally identical container T to be stacked on top of the bale arm, while the bale arm 8 itself is supported by the rim 7. An inclined rib 7.1 provides further support to the bale arm 8 in the stacking position I. In the nesting position II the bale arm 8 is swiveled downward towards the side (of the first pair of opposing side walls 3, 4) of the container 1 and thus no longer obstructs the container opening. Position III signifies the vis-a-vis stacking position, in which the bale arm 8 is received in the securing structure 9’ of a structurally identical container T that is stacked upside-down on top of the container 1. It follows from the above description that the container 1 should advantageously be constructed such that the stacking position I of the bale arm 8 (stacking recess 12), the nesting position II of the bale arm 8 (nesting recess 10) and the securing position III of the bale arm 8 (the securing structure 9 of a structurally identical container T, which is placed on top of the container 1 ) all lie on a circular arc relative to the hinge 8.1 of the bale arm 8.

A preferred design of the securing structure 9 is shown in Fig. 3 and is described in greater detail in the following. Preferably the securing structure 9 can be formed between two horizontally 9.1 orientated ribs, which also fulfill a reinforcing/stiffening function thereby improving the stability of the rim area of the container 1. Advantageously, the securing structure 9 can additionally be formed to receive the bale arm 8 in a snap-locking manner. For this purpose, additional recessed vertical ribs are provided between the horizontal ribs. The recesses (9.3, 9.4, and 9.5) of said vertical ribs 9.2 are provided with lead-in chamfers 9.3 at their openings for facilitating the insertion of a bale arm 8. The lead-in chamfers 9.3 lead into a tapered section 9.4, in which the cross-section of the recess is reduced to a smaller diameter than the cross- section of the bale arm 8, such that the bale arm 8 can only pass the tapered section, if it is elastically deformed (widened). The tapered section 9.4 in turn leads into a complementary section 9.5, which is shaped substantially complementarily to the bale arm’s cross-section, in order to provide a snug fit. In summary, bale arm 8 can be snapped into the complementary section 9.5 of the recess by overcoming the tapered section 9.4 of the recess. Such design of the securing structure 9 facilitates the fastening of two containers 1 , T in the vis-a-vis stacking position, prevents unwanted movement of the bale arm 8 during transport and provides a secure connection.

The container 1 of the preferred embodiment further comprises nesting recesses 10, which are configured to secure the bale arm 8 when it is not in the (upright) stacking or the vis-a-vis stacking position. Such secure storage of the bale arms 8 in the nesting recesses 10 has the advantage that it prevents rattling and flailing of the bale arms 8 when containers 1 are transported in the nesting position. The nesting recesses 10 of the preferred embodiment are designed as recesses in parallel vertical ribs, in particular the nesting recesses 10 are disposed on the same vertical ribs as the recesses of the securing structures 9. Analogously to the recesses of the securing structures 9 the depicted nesting recesses 10 also comprise lead-in chamfers, a tapered section and a complementary section, in order to provide a secure snap-fit and to prevent rattling of the bale arms 8, which are parked in the nesting recesses 10. As best seen in Fig. 3A, the nesting recesses 10 of the shown embodiment additionally provide a defined abutment when two containers 1 , T are nested, thereby limiting contact surface area of nested containers 1 , T and minimizing risk of wedging.

As best seen in Figs. 5A and 5B, the container 1 according to the preferred embodiment comprises stacking structures 11 , which are arranged at the bottom face of the base 2. The stacking structures 11 are integrally molded into the base 2 and are designed as rectangular shaped protrusions protruding from the bottom face of the base 2. The depicted protrusions/stacking structures 11 are configured in such a way that two substantially parallel linear groves are formed there between. Said groves are arranged corresponding to the bale arms 8’ of a structurally identical container T, which are positioned in the stacking position, such that a form-locking engagement is formed between the stacking structure 1 1 and the bale arm 8 (via insertion into the grooves) and the container 1 can securely be stacked on top of the structurally identical container 1’.

The stacking structures 1 1 are additionally designed to allow the stacking of two structurally identical containers 1 , T with their bases facing one another. In the depicted embodiment this is achieved by designing the stacking structures in a centrally symmetric fashion, such that the base container is divided into four quadrants (A, B cf. Fig. 5B) of which each quadrant A, B (the protrusions 1 1 of each quadrant) is designed to be able to engage (insert into/ receive) each neighboring quadrant B, A respectively, in order to provide a form lock against horizontal relative movement between two structurally identical containers 1 , T.

Fig. 4 depicts an exemplary stack of structurally identical containers 1 in accordance with the present invention, showcasing the different possible stacking positions. In particular, starting from the bottom, container 1 is positioned in the standard upright orientation. Container T is positioned on top of container 1 in an upside-down orientation. The bale arm 8’ of container T is inserted into the securing structure 9 of container 1 and containers 1 and T are thus arranged in a clamp shell configuration, which is suited for housing objects which exceed the dimensions of one container 1 . Container 1” is stacked on top of container T in an upright orientation and secured by interlocking of the stacking structures 1 T and 1 1”. The bale arms 8” of container 1” are in the stacking position and therefore allow container T” to be stacked on top of container 1” in an upright orientation. Container T” in turn has its bale arms 8’” secured in the nesting position, which allows container 1”” to be received into the opening of container T”.

As can be seen when comparing Figs. 3B and 3C, the container 1 is designed such, that the stacking height of two upright stacked containers 1 , T is equal to the stacking height of two containers 1 , T, which are stacked vis-a-vis. This is achieved constructively by designing the stacking structure 1 1 and the stacking recess 12 as recesses of substantially equal depth, such that a bale arm 8 received in the stacking structure 1 1 or the stacking recess 12 respectively will insert therein by the same depth/distance. Such container design has the advantage that uniform stack heights may be achieved regardless of the specific orientation of the single containers 1.

Fig. 6 shows a second embodiment of the container 1 of the invention. The depicted container 1 is optimized for handling operations in a ware house and for distribution logistics, particularly for internet based retailing. The container 1 has different functions implemented, which are specific for this application, e.g. a bag retaining function and a partitioning function, which allow for securely delivering diverse products and for storing deliveries of separate customers in a single container 1. The bag retaining function is implemented through bag retainers 13, which in are realized as hooks 13 arranged inside of recesses in the side walls in the shown example. Fig. 7 shows the container 1 of the second embodiment with inserted partition walls 14. The container 1 advantageously further comprises RFID-tag holders 15, which can be formed integrally with at least one of the side walls 3, 4, 5, 6 and/or the base 2, such that electronic identification of the containers 1 can easily be implemented.

The depicted container 1 is also optimized for the handling of frozen goods and is therefore provided with drainage holes/recesses 16 in the base 2 of the container 1. To facilitate cooling of frozen goods within the container 1 , the side walls 3, 4, 5, 6 may be provided with ventilation perforation or ventilation recesses 17.

Reference signs

1 container;

2 base;

3, 4 first pair of opposed walls;

5, 6 second pair of opposed walls;

7 rim;

7.1 inclined rib;

8 stacking member / bail arm;

8.1 hinge;

9 securing structure / securing recess;

9.1 horizontal ribs;

9.2 vertical ribs;

9.3 lead-in chamfers;

9.4 tapered section;

9.5 complementary section;

10 nesting recess;

1 1 stacking structure;

12 stacking recess;

13 bag retainer;

14 partition walls;

15 RFID-tag holder;

16 drainage holes; and

17 ventilation perforation.