Stackable plastic container

Abstract

A blow molded plastic container including a top and bottom portion and side portions which interconnect the top and bottom portions. A pouring spout on one side of the top portion in the form of a first upward projection, and a second upward projection on the opposed side of the top portion. A handle on the side portion opposed to the pouring spout, and spaced depressions in the bottom portion which nest into the upward projections to form a nested assembly of containers.

1 ) A plastic container, which comprises: 
 a blow molded plastic container having side portions thereof, a bottom portion thereof connected to said side portions, and a top portion thereof connected to said side portions, wherein said side portions extend downwardly from said top portion and interconnect the top portion to the bottom portion;    a pouring spout on one side of the top portion which projects upwardly from the top portion in the form of a first projection;    a handle on the side portion opposed to the pouring spout;    a projection on the top portion on a side thereof opposed to the pouring spout which projects upwardly from the top portion in the form of a second projection; and    spaced depressions on the bottom portion, one of which nests with one of the upward projections from the top portion of a second of said containers and a second of which nests with one of the upward projections from the top portion of a third of said containers, to form a stable, nested assembly of said containers.    
   
   
       2 ) A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the second projection is in the shape of a pouring spout.  
   
   
       3 ) A container according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said containers form a nested stack of containers with upper and lower layers, with adjacent containers in adjacent layers of the nested stack running perpendicular to each other.  
   
   
       4 ) A container according to  claim 1 , including an open space beneath the handle.  
   
   
       5 ) A container according to  claim 1 , including four of said side portions which provide an essentially rectangular container with two relatively shorter side portions which alternate with two relatively longer side portions.  
   
   
       6 ) A container according to  claim 1 , wherein said handle runs parallel to the side portion opposed to said pouring spout.  
   
   
       7 ) A container according to  claim 1 , wherein said pouring spout has an opening to the inside of the container, and wherein said pouring spout is the sole pouring spout of said container.  
   
   
       8 ) A container according to  claim 5 , wherein the relatively shorter side portions include a front and a rear side portion, with the pouring spout adjacent the front side portion, and the second upward projection adjacent the rear side portion, and the handle located on the rear side portion.  
   
   
       9 ) A container according to  claim 1 , having a capacity of from  2  to  8  quarts.  
   
   
       10 ) A container according to  claim 5 , wherein the relatively longer side portions are label panels.  
   
   
       11 ) A container according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said containers form a nested stack of containers with upper and lower layers, with adjacent containers in adjacent layers of the nested stack having a criss-cross relationship.  
   
   
       12 ) A container according to  claim 5 , wherein two of said spaced depressions are adjacent a first of said relatively longer side portions and are spaced from each other, and two other spaced depressions are adjacent a second of said relatively longer side portions and are spaced from each other.  
   
   
       13 ) A container according to  claim 12 , wherein one of said upward projections on a second of said containers nests in one of said spaced depressions on a first of said longer side portions, and one of said upward projections on a third of said containers nests in the other of said spaced depressions on a first of said longer side portion.  
   
   
       14 ) A container according to  claim 1 , wherein said top portion includes a central upward projection between the first and second projection.  
   
   
       15 ) A container according to  claim 14 , wherein said central upward projection includes elongated side portions separated by curved end portions.  
   
   
       16 ) A container according to  claim 15 , wherein said central upward projection nests with the spaced depressions on the bottom portion of two separate containers.