Abstract:
A container for produce adapted to open along a short end of the rectangular container. A produce packing system wherein the produce containers may be placed into a tray in such a fashion that the likelihood of a container&#39;s lid blocking another container is greatly reduced, if not wholly eliminated. The containers may have a plurality of vents.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to containers, and more specifically to produce containers and a system of packing using produce containers. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Today, many produce products are both harvested and packaged in the field. These produce products include, but are not limited to, berries, grapes, tomatoes, mushrooms, and other fruits and vegetables. 
         [0005]    The harvested produce is often packed directly into ventilated containers that will be purchased by the end consumer. The containers are typically thin walled clear or semi-clear plastic and are referred to as clamshells. This may be because often the lid of the container is formed integrally to the main volume of the container and the open container gives a visual suggestion of an open clamshell. The clamshells are closed after they have been filled with the produce. 
         [0006]    The clamshells are also adapted to facilitate the initial cooling of the produce. To this end, the clamshells have openings in various locations which allow for forced air cooling to flow through the closed clamshell and cool the produce. The clamshells are also typically placed into trays, typically made of cardboard. The trays may also have openings in various locations to facilitate the cooling air flow through the clamshells. 
         [0007]    Currently, there are a variety of sizes of trays that may be used for different types of produce, with the different trays adapted to hold differing numbers of different size clamshells, depending upon the produce type and the intended market. 
         [0008]    In some harvesting scenarios, the clamshell would be on the tray when the harvested produce is placed within it, as that produce is harvested in the field. Thus, the tray would be populated with clamshells, and after a set amount of harvesting all of the clamshells on a tray would be full. These clamshells could then be closed, and the next tray&#39;s clamshell containers could be filled. 
         [0009]    What is called for is a system that allows for the produce containers be opened while on a try, and able to receive harvested produce, in such a way that no lid of any clamshell interferes with an adjacent clamshell&#39;s lower (produce carrying) section. What is also called for is a produce container adapted to support such a system. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    A container for produce adapted to open along a short end of the rectangular container. The produce containers may be placed into a tray in such a fashion that the likelihood of a container&#39;s lid blocking another container is greatly reduced, if not wholly eliminated. The containers may have a plurality of vents. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a closed produce carrying container according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1B  is a front view of a closed produce carrying container according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1C  is a side view of a closed produce carrying container according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of an open produce carrying container according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2B  is a top view of an open produce carrying container according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2C  is a side view of an open produce carrying container according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of a stack of produce carrying containers according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3B  is a side view of a stack of produce carrying containers according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3C  is a front view of a stack of produce carrying containers according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a tray with open produce carrying containers according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a tray with open produce carrying containers with produce according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a tray with closed produce carrying containers with produce according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of the outer surfaces of a produce carrying container  100  in a closed configuration according to some embodiments of the present invention.  FIGS. 1B and 1C  are front and side views, respectively, of an end-hinged produce carrying container  100  according to some embodiments of the present invention. The produce carrying container  100  may be of unitary construction, that is, it may be constructed out of or into a single piece. The container  100  consists of a top  101  and bottom  102 . The top  101  of the container  100  may be folded over and clasped using button locks  104  which have a button on the bottom  102  of the container  100  and a button receptacle on the top  101  of the container. The button locks are typically a round extrusion on one side and a mating recess on the mating piece that lock with a mild interference fit. The button locks are adapted to be locked with relatively minor force, and to be unlocked with similar force. The container  100  is substantially rectangular in nature. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 2A-C  illustrated the produce carrying container  100  in an open configuration according to some embodiments of the present invention. The top  101  and the bottom  102  may be joined with a hinge feature  110 . The bottom may have a first side  117  and a third side  118  of a first length, and a second side  115  and a fourth side  116  of a second length, where the first length is considerably shorter than the second length. Along the longer sides (of the first length)  115 ,  116  there may be vents, as well as a spacer element adapted to provide support along the vented interface area. The bottom  102  may have a vent portion  105 A near the hinge  110 , then a spacer element portion  108 , and then a second vent portion  106 A. The top may have features adapted to mate with the features just described, having a vent portion  105 B near the hinge  110 , a spacer element portion  109 , and then a second vent portion  106 B. When viewed in profile, as seen in  FIG. 1C , the first vent  105  is seen as forming a through venting slot between the top  101  and the bottom  102 , and the second vent  106  is seen as forming a through venting slot between the top  101  and the bottom  102 . The first vent  105  and the second vent  106  may be separated by a spacer element  107 , which may provide structural support to prevent the vent areas from being crushed shut when stacked, or otherwise exposed to downward force from above. The vent features described above may be seen at the interface of the top and the bottom on both the second side  115  and the fourth side  116 . These vents are adapted to allow for cooling air flow, and this cooling air flow may continue through these vents along the longer side between adjacent containers, as when the containers are placed side by side in a tray. The vents allow for a significant cross-directional flow of air through the container  100 . The hinge  110  may join the top to the bottom along the first side, and may do so without any venting features. The third side  118  may also seal the top to the bottom without vent features, as were seen on the second and fourth side. Having vents only on the second and fourth side may better facilitate cooling forced air flow when the containers are mounted adjacent to each other, such as in a tray. 
         [0025]    In some embodiments, as seen in  FIGS. 3A-C , a first container  100  is adapted to be stacked onto a second container  100 . The top  101  may have a recessed surface  103  adapted to interlock with a mating feature on the bottom of the container when containers are stacked onto each other. The stackable aspects of the containers provide yet another aspect of use, in that the containers are adapted to be stacked in a retail setting as seen in  FIG. 3A , and also adapted to be used in trays, including during harvesting in the field, as discussed below. This plurality of adapted uses adds to the versatility of the container. 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  illustrates an aspect of a produce packing system  140  according to some embodiments of the present invention. Using a plurality of end-hinged produce containers  100  placed into a tray  130 , the produce packing system  140  provides significant improvement in harvesting and packing of produce. In an illustrative example, eight produce containers  100  are adapted to fit a tray  130 . The bottoms  102  of the produce containers  100  are arranged in the tray  130  such that all of the tops  101  are able to be hinged away from all of the bottoms  102 , thus no top  101  blocks, or interferes with, the placement of produce into the various bottoms that are within the tray  130 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  illustrates a tray  130  as might be seen during harvest. Produce  131  is inserted into the various produce containers within the tray  130 . A filled produce container  132  was able to be filled without physical blockage of another produce container&#39;s open top, as each top is able to be opened away from any open bottom of a produce container in this system. As seen in  FIG. 6 , once the produce containers are full they may be closed  133  with the produce within. 
         [0028]    In some aspects, a tray may be used in the field with a plurality of produce containers within. The produce containers may all have end-hinging such that the tops of the open produce containers hang outside of the tray, and out of the way as produce is placed into the containers. This may allow for all of the produce containers to be filled in an efficient and even manner. Once the produce containers are filled, the tops may then be closed over the bottoms such that closed, filled, produce containers reside in the tray. Another tray could then be placed upon the top of this filled tray without risk of damage to the produce in the already filled trays. 
         [0029]    Once a plurality of trays are filled, and the produce has filled a plurality of closed end-hinged produce containers, the trays may be cooled using a forced air cooling device. The vents at the top to bottom interface of the closed produce containers, along the long side of the produce containers, are engaged to the vents of the adjacent produce container such that the air forced into the vents at the outer edge of the tray is able to continue on through the adjacent produce containers as well. 
         [0030]    As evident from the above description, a wide variety of embodiments may be configured from the description given herein and additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is, therefore, not limited to the specific details and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures from such details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant&#39;s general invention.