Prevention of interlocking of nestable containers
OwnerKaylee Vengruskasinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure are generally directed to devices and methods for preventing interlocking of nestable containers. For example, interlocking of nestable containers is reduced or prevented through a spacerthermoformed from a thermally sensitive material and coupled to sidewalls of containers. When a first container is inserted or nested within a second container, the spacercontacts a top surface of a sidewall of the second container, thereby allowing airflow between the first container and the second container and preventing the first container and the second container from interlocking.
Claims20
A method of preventing interlocking of nestable containers, the method comprising:
- providing a first container having a sidewall and a base, wherein the sidewall extends substantially upward from the base to define an interior volume;
- thermoforming a spacer from a thermally sensitive material, wherein thermoforming comprises:
- heating the thermally sensitive material until the thermally sensitive material reaches a pliable state;
- conforming the heated thermally sensitive material to form a spacer, wherein the spacer has a shape corresponding to a contour of an exterior surface of the sidewall;
- and
- cooling the spacer to solidify the shape;
- and
- coupling the spacer to the exterior surface of the sidewall by applying an adhesive to at least one of the space or the exterior surface of the sidewall, wherein the adhesive is a thermosetting adhesive or a UV-curable adhesive, such that when the first container is inserted into an interior volume of a second container, the spacer contacts a top surface of a sidewall of the second container, thereby allowing airflow between the first container and second container and preventing the first container and the second container from interlocking.
A method of preventing interlocking of nestable containers, the method comprising:
- providing a first container having a sidewall and a base, wherein the sidewall extends substantially upward from the base to define an interior volume;
- thermoforming a spacer from a thermally sensitive material, wherein thermoforming comprises:
- heating the thermally sensitive material until the thermally sensitive material reaches a pliable state;
- conforming the heated thermally sensitive material to form a spacer, wherein the spacer has a shape corresponding to a contour of an exterior surface of the sidewall;
- and
- cooling the spacer to solidify the shape;
- and
- coupling the spacer to the exterior surface of the sidewall by applying a thermosetting adhesive to at least one of the space or the exterior surface of the sidewall, such that when the first container is inserted into an interior volume of a second container, the spacer contacts a top surface of a sidewall of the second container, thereby allowing airflow between the first container and second container and preventing the first container and the second container from interlocking.
A method of preventing interlocking of nestable containers, the method comprising:
- providing a first container having a sidewall and a base, wherein the sidewall extends substantially upward from the base to define an interior volume;
- thermoforming a spacer from a thermally sensitive material, wherein thermoforming comprises:
- heating the thermally sensitive material until the thermally sensitive material reaches a pliable state;
- conforming the heated thermally sensitive material to form a spacer, wherein the spacer has a shape corresponding to a contour of an exterior surface of the sidewall;
- and
- cooling the spacer to solidify the shape;
- and
- coupling the spacer to the exterior surface of the sidewall by applying a UV-curable adhesive to at least one of the space or the exterior surface of the sidewall, such that when the first container is inserted into an interior volume of a second container, the spacer contacts a top surface of a sidewall of the second container, thereby allowing airflow between the first container and second container and preventing the first container and the second container from interlocking.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.