Technical field

The present disclosure relates to a unit of stackable tableware made of ceramics or glass comprising a top surface and a bottom surface and being configured to be stackable with other units of tableware having the same geometric configuration.

Background

Such tableware is widely used in households as well as in establishments of various types. Stackable tableware may be stored more efficiently by taking up comparatively less space, and is also easier to move, since a stack of tableware can be moved as a whole with ease. This is an advantage even in a household setting with an end user, but also, and to an even greater extent, in the manufacturing and logistics chain upstream of the end user.

One problem associated with storing and transporting tableware in a logistics chain is that tableware, which is usually made of ceramics or glass, is relatively brittle and must be handled with care. With stacks of stackable tableware, this has usually been handled by interleaving tableware units in a stack with sheets of soft material, such as cardboard or foamed plastic materials. This results in increased costs and large quantities of packaging material that need be disposed prior to use of the tableware.

One object of the present disclosure is therefore to provide tableware that provides for more efficient storing and transporting of stacks thereof.

This object is achieved by means of a unit of stackable tableware as defined in claim 1. More specifically, in a unit of tableware of the initially mentioned kind, an amount of adhesive is attached to at least one location of at least one of the top or bottom surface, such that the amount of adhesive of the unit of stackable tableware would abut a neighboring unit of stackable tableware if stacked therewith. This replaces the aforementioned packaging material. The neighboring units of tableware are instead separated to some extent by the intervening amounts of adhesive, avoiding that individual units crack or are being scratched. When the tableware reaches its final user, the adhesive can easily be removed, and very little material is used, and need be disposed. This results in more efficient logistics.

Typically, in such tableware there is formed a recess in the top surface and correspondingly in the bottom surface a protrusion, and wherein the location where the adhesive is applied is in an area of a recess or a protrusion, respectively.

Typically, the adhesive may be selected among hot-melt adhesives, Polyvinyl Acetate adhesives, acrylic adhesives, starch-based adhesives, Ethylene-vinyl acetate adhesives (EVA), and Polyolefin adhesives (PO), for instance.

The adhesive may be elastic in room temperature. This dampens any shocks that may otherwise propagate from one unit of tableware to another during transport.

The unit of stackable tableware may comprise a foot ring, and the amount of adhesive may be located at least partly on the foot ring. This is convenient as the foot ring projects from a bottom surface and almost certainly will abut a neighboring unit of tableware in a stack.

The unit of tableware may typically be a plate.

The amount of adhesive may be distributed in at least three distinct portions located on the same side of the tableware. This allows a top unit of tableware to rest on a neighboring lower unit in a stable manner, especially if the center of mass is located in an area defined by the three portions.

The adhesive may be at least partially hardened before abutting the neighboring unit of stackable tableware such that it adheres to a lesser extent thereto. This facilitates separating the units when desired.

The present disclosure further considers a stack of tableware where an amount of adhesive is placed as an insert between two adjacent units of tableware in the stack.

The units of tableware in the stack may be held together in a set of units of tableware by the amounts of adhesive between adjacent units of tableware in the stack. Preferably, this may be done so that such set of units of held together tableware comprise 2-8 units of tableware, more preferably 2-4 units of tableware. An outer surface of the set of units of held together tableware may comprise an amount of adhesive for interfacing with, preferably without substantially adhering thereto, another set to form an overall stack comprising a plurality of sets of units. According to one embodiment a first adhesive holds the units of the set together, and a second adhesive, typically having lower adhesive properties, separates the adjacent sets of the stack from each other. According to another embodiment adhesive intended for being arranged between two adjacent sets is applied and at least partly hardened before the sets are put on top of each other to form the stack. Additionally or alternatively, two adjacent sets of units of tableware may be separated from each other by means of a separating sheet, such as a paper sheet or a polymer sheet.

Two adjacent units of tableware may be kept separated at all interfacing locations by intervening amounts of adhesive. This prevents any wear between the units, for instance during transport.

The present disclosure also considers a method for storing and/or transporting stackable tableware, wherein a stack of two or more geometrically similar units of tableware is formed. The method includes placing an amount of adhesive on a first surface of a first unit of tableware and stacking the first unit with a second unit of tableware such that said amount of adhesive is placed in between said first surface of the first unit of tableware and a surface of the second unit of tableware.

The adhesive may typically be applied by means of at least one of: a glue gun, a brush, and a roller.

The amount of adhesive may be applied as a plurality of dots, or alternatively for instance as one or more lines.

If the first unit of tableware comprises a foot, said amount of adhesive may be placed at least partly on the foot. Typically, the foot may be a foot ring, and the amount of adhesive may be placed at three or more locations on said foot ring. Less than 50% of the foot ring circumference may be covered by the adhesive, preferably less than 25% of the foot ring circumference, and more preferably less than 15% of the foot ring circumference. This saves a substantial amount of adhesive compared to if the entire foot ring would be covered and also makes the removal of the adhesive easier.

Two adjacent units of tableware may be kept separated at all interfacing locations by intervening amounts of adhesive.

The units of tableware may be plates, or alternatively for instance bowls, cups, or glasses. If a predetermined number of units of tableware are formed as a set of units of held together tableware, preferably the set may comprise 2-8 units, more preferably 2-4 units. An amount of adhesive may be placed between all consecutive units of tableware in the set, and the adhesion of the amount of adhesive may strong enough to keep the set together when suspended from the uppermost unit of tableware in the set.

If a plurality of sets forms an overall stack, an amount of adhesive may be placed in between sets in the overall stack, and the adhesion between adjacent sets may be lower than the adhesion between adjacent units of tableware within a set. This simplifies logistics in a retail setting.

The amount of adhesive placed in between sets may be allowed to at least partly harden before the sets are placed on top of each other to form an overall stack.

The present disclosure also considers the use of adhesive as a dampening insert between units of tableware in a stack of units of tableware.

In all the above considered cases the adhesive may comprise one or more of: hot- melt adhesives, Polyvinyl Acetate adhesives, acrylic adhesives, starch-based adhesives, Ethylene-vinyl acetate adhesives (EVA), and Polyolefin adhesives (PO) for instance. In some cases, the adhesive may be foamed.

Brief description of the drawings

Figs 1-3 illustrate stackable tableware in the form of plates.

Fig 4 illustrates a plate with applied adhesive dots.

Fig 5 show in cross section a stack of plates arranged with intervening amounts of adhesive.

Fig 6 illustrates several set-stacks forming an overall stack.

Fig 7 shows one alternative way of applying adhesive.

Detailed description

The present disclosure relates to stackable tableware comprising a top surface and a bottom surface and being configured to be stackable with other units of tableware having the same or similar geometric configuration. By stackable is generally meant that two more or less identical items can be placed on top of each other in such a way that a protruding part of one item projects at least to some extent into a recess of another item. Thereby, the height of the two items combined in a stack is less than twice their individual height. This of course saves space in storing and transporting in a logistics chain, as well as in use with an end user. Also, a stack of tableware is easier to handle as the individual units are kept together to some extent.

The present disclosure also relates to a method for storing and/or transporting tableware. While in the following a disclosure is mainly given with regard to plates in hard materials, it is also applicable to other types of tableware such as bowls, cups, or glasses.

By hard materials is in this context generally meant any type of ceramics, which is defined as including porcelain, such as hard-paste porcelain, creamware, stoneware etc., or glass, or other hard materials that can break or become scratched if handled carelessly. The disclosure is however also applicable to what can be regarded as comparatively unbreakable materials such as plastic or metal. Although such materials do not break easily, there may still be issues of scratching of surfaces and the present disclosure provides an attractive storage and transporting solution, reducing clatter between adjacent items, for instance.

Figs 1-3 illustrate stackable tableware in the form of plates 1 , although the following description is applicable for instance to bowls or even cups and glasses as well. Generally, the plate 1 has a top surface 3 and a bottom surface 5. The plate 1 , as will be shown, is stackable with other, identical plates, or plates that at least have a similar geometric configuration. Then, the plate 1 , or generally the tableware, is formed with a recess 4 at top surface 3, and correspondingly a protrusion 6 forming the bottom surface 5. Thereby, the plate 1 is capable of containing a volume of matter, typically food of some kind, in the recess 4.

The bottom surface 5 may be provided with a foot, such as a foot ring 7, in the illustrated example formed as a complete circle, although this circle may be broken for instance to allow water to drain off after rinsing.

In the present disclosure, to facilitate handling when storing and transporting tableware, an amount of adhesive is attached to the top 3 or bottom 5 surface of the tableware unit before stacking the same with other identical or similar units of tableware. Different types of adhesives may be used. Preferable examples of adhesive types include hot-melt adhesives, Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA) adhesives, acrylic adhesives, starch-based adhesives, Ethylene-vinyl acetate adhesives (EVA), and Polyolefin adhesives (PO), for instance. The adhesives may according to one embodiment be water soluble and/or may contain at least a portion that is of biobased and/or recycled origin.

The adhesives may be applied by means of, for example, a glue application gun, by a roller applying the adhesive by rolling onto the surface, or by using a brush to apply the adhesive to the surface. Hereinafter an embodiment involving the application of a hot-melt adhesive by means of a hot-melt gun is described. It will be appreciated that one alternative example embodiment is to apply the adhesive by means of an adhesive roller. Such adhesive roller could, for example, roll over the foot ring 7 and apply adhesive onto the foot ring 7.

Of course, both the top- and bottom surface can be provided with an amount of adhesive. The adhesive, such as the hot-melt adhesive, may be attached to a projecting surface, such as a foot ring 7, that will abut a neighboring unit of stackable tableware if stacked therewith. This is however not necessary as the amount of adhesive may itself have dimensions that can compensate for being located slightly off such a projecting surface, still keeping neighboring plates separated.

Fig 4 illustrates a plate with adhesive dots 11 applied to top and/or bottom surfaces 3, 5. If applied as dots 11 , preferably three or more such dots are applied distributed over the surface to ensure that the tableware, in the illustrated case a plate 1 , rests on a neighboring plate in a stable manner.

The dots may be compact with a circular shape adhering to the surface and forming a bulb thereon, however dots drawn out to a somewhat oval, line-formed, curved, or straight shape are of course also possible.

In the illustrated case, the bottom surface 5 of the plate 1 comprises a foot ring 7, to which the adhesive dots 11 are applied. This procedure has some advantages as the foot ring 7 almost certainly will abut the neighboring lower plate in the stack. Further, with some types of porcelain, the foot ring in many cases is not glazed to the same extent as the remainder of the plate, which may make the adhesive attach more safely to the foot ring 7. Furthermore, the lack of glaze may increase the risk of scratches formed by the foot ring 7 on the neighboring lower plate in the stack, which makes this a good choice of location for the adhesive.

Typically, less than 50% of the foot ring circumference may be covered by the adhesive, even more preferred less than 25%, such as less than 15%. This saves a substantial amount of adhesive compared to if the entire foot ring would be covered and also makes the removal of the adhesive easier, once the plate or the like has reached its final user.

The adhesive dots may be applied e.g. using a hot-melt glue gun or the like. However, as shown in fig 4, an adhesive application roller 12 may be used to apply the adhesive to, for example, the foot ring 7. The roller 12 may, for example, move around the foot ring 7 in a generally circular movement relative the plate 1 , or the roller 12 may be fixed and the plate 1 is rotated beneath it. The adhesive roller 12 shown in fig. 4 is narrow. In an alternative embodiment a broad adhesive application roller, having a width being slightly larger than the diameter of the foot ring 7, could be used for applying adhesive to the entire foot ring 7 by one single sweep from one side to another.

Application to the foot ring 7 is by no means necessary, and the adhesive may be applied to other locations of the bottom surface 5 and/or to the top surface. For instance, fig 7 illustrates a plate where a string 17 of adhesive is applied to the top surface 3 of a plate, in the illustrated example in a triangular pattern. This may be useful for instance if no foot ring is provided. As illustrated a hot-melt glue gun 18 can be used although a brush or a roller may be used as well.

It should be noted that not all types of tableware comprise foot rings or other variants of feet.

Fig 5 shows in cross section a stack of four plates of the type shown in fig 4 arranged with intervening amounts of adhesive 11 . As shown, thanks to the applied dots of adhesive 11 , all plates in the stack are kept mutually separated with a small distance. This means that the plates do not wear against each other by vibrations caused during transport. Further, if for instance a box in which the plates are laden is subjected to an impact, such as being dropped, the risk that one plate 1 causes a neighboring plate to break is reduced. This may be improved further by using an adhesive that is somewhat elastic at room temperature (e.g. defined as 20°C). For instance, a material with a Young’s modulus smaller than 0.1 GPa may be considered useful in many cases.

It is sufficient that the adhesive adheres to one plate 1 . However, if the adhesive is applied in such a way that it adheres to the bottom surface 5 of one plate and the top surface 3 of another plate, some additional advantages may be achieved. This keeps the plates together during transportation, storing and handling, and avoids that the plates slide sideways in relation to each other. When reaching the end user, the plates 1 are separated, and the adhesive is removed.

Further, by applying the adhesive in this way, it is possible to form well-defined sets or sub-stacks of tableware. The number of plates in such sets may correspond to how the plates are marketed and sold, which may be in sets of, for example, 2, 4 or 8 plates. For instance, the set 13 of fig 5 comprises four plates. The bottom plate 1 , just like the ones on top, is provided with amounts of adhesive in the form of dots placed on the foot ring 7. However, while in the upper layer the adhesive adheres to the neighboring lower plate, the adhesive on the bottom plate 1 may be allowed for instance to solidify, only adhering to the foot ring 7. This provides a set 13 with four plates. This set 13 will not adhere to the same extent to a neighboring set 13.

Such sets 13 may as shown in fig 6 in turn be stacked with other sets 13 to form an overall stack 15. The plates in set 13 are held together by the amounts of adhesive 11 between adjacent plates in the set 13. An outer surface of the set 13 comprises an amount of adhesive for interfacing with, but not substantially adhering to, another set 13 in the overall stack 15.

The adhesion of the amount of adhesive can preferable be strong enough to keep the set 13 together when suspended from the top plate in the set 13. As mentioned, the adhesion between adjacent sets 13 may be lower than the adhesion between adjacent plates within a set. This may be achieved by using a different adhesive, using smaller amounts of adhesive, or allowing the adhesive to harden before forming an overall stack 15 of a number of sets 13.

The hot melt adhesive may be applied in the form of one or more dots 11 , or strings or other useful shapes, using a hot melt adhesive gun or any other suitable application device. The dots 11 of hot melt adhesive are applied to the plates, and the plates are then stacked on top of each other to form sets 13 of held together tableware 1 , and/or to form overall stacks 15 comprising individual tableware 1 and/or comprising sets 13 of tableware 1.

Sets of, e.g., 2 to 8 units of tableware each, may be separated by means of dots 11 of hot melt adhesive having hardened before stacking the sets on top of each other, or the sets may be separated by means of dots 11 of another type of adhesive having a lower adhesion, or, as a still further alternative, the sets 13 may be separated by sheets of, e.g., paper or polymer.

In summary, the present disclosure relates generally to a method for storing and/or transporting stackable tableware, such as plates, and tableware useable to this end.

A stack of two or more geometrically similar units of tableware is formed, and an amount of adhesive is placed on a first surface of a first unit of tableware. The first unit is stacked with a second unit of tableware such that said amount of adhesive is placed in between the first surface of the first unit of tableware and a surface of the second unit of tableware. This protects the tableware from being damaged during storing and transport on the way to an end user of the tableware.

The present disclosure is not restricted to the above-described examples and may be varied and altered in different ways within the scope of the appended claims.