Abstract:
A container with an alignment feature and a carry tray disclosed. The container has an upper edge and a lower edge and a rim at the upper edge of the container, a bottom collar including a container base at the lower edge of body, and a container alignment feature with a central hub and two or more arms extending outwardly with a decreasing cross sectional area. An optional drainage cross in the container base and one or more tag insertion locators may also be included. Generally, the container alignment feature includes two arms and the central hub has a height greater than the arm height and an arm width that decreases as each arm approaches the periphery of the container. Also included is a carry tray with pockets including a rear wall, a base, a base alignment feature having a central hub and arms extending outwardly.

Description:
REFERENCE AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application is a CONTINUATION-IN-PART OF U.S. Provisional Patent Application U.S. 61/519,118, entitled “ALIGNABLE POT AND RACK SYSTEM” filed May 17, 2011. All aspects of Provisional Application U.S. 61/519,118 are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Containers, such as planting pots and carry trays for horticultural suppliers such as greenhouses are often used growing and transporting plants to market. Other containers such as food containers and dry goods containers are similarly filled and transported. Generally, these systems do not provide any alignment for the containers in the trays and any such systems have not provided ease of insertion of the container in an aligned position or the ability to maintain the container in the aligned position during transport. As labeling and printing on containers has improved an unmet need for such alignment and retention has arisen. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a container with an alignment feature and a carry tray for such a container is disclosed. The container in accordance with the present invention has an upper edge and a lower edge and a rim at the upper edge of the container, a bottom collar including a container base at the lower edge of body; and a container alignment feature with a central hub and two or more arms extending outwardly the hub where each arm has a cross sectional area that decreases toward the periphery of the base. The container of the present invention may also optionally include a drainage cross in the container base, and one or more tag insertion locators formed in the container rim. Generally, the container alignment feature includes two arms and the central hub has a height greater than the arm height and an arm width that decreases as each arm approaches the periphery of the container. The container may be formed of any suitable method including, but not limited to thermoforming, injection molding, blow molding and rotational molding. The container may preferably be a frustoconical planting pot; however any fillable container may be useful. 
         [0004]    A system in which the alignable container may be used is also provided including a carry tray with a plurality of pockets, each including a rear wall and a base and a base alignment feature raised from the base and having a central hub as well as at least two arms extending outwardly from each arm and having a cross sectional area that decreases toward the periphery of the base. A carry tray is also disclosed 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    A more complete appreciation of the invention and the many embodiments thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  illustrates an isometric view of the container of the present invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  illustrates a first bottom, plan view of the container of the present invention with additional base and cap assemblies included; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  illustrates a first side, plan view of the container of the present invention with additional base and cap assemblies included; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  illustrates a second side, plan view of the container of the present invention with additional base and cap assemblies included; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  illustrates a lower isometric view of the container of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  illustrates an isometric view (partially cut away) of a carry tray in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  illustrates a top plan view of a carry tray in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  illustrates a side plan view (partially cut away) of a carry tray in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    The present invention will now be described with occasional reference to the specific embodiments of the invention. This invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
         [0015]    Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The terminology used in the description of the invention herein is for describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used in the description of the invention and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. 
         [0016]    The containers and carry trays of the present invention are typically manufactured by the thermoforming. Thermoforming provides cost-effect thinwall nursery products that are highly uniform, provide improved durability and stackability. Generally, an extruder melts and extrudes polymer pellets into a rough sheet form and a chill roll stand cools the sheet and creates a sheet having the desired width and a uniform thickness across the sheet. The sheet is then cooled to allow the molecular structure of the polymer to realign. The thermoforming process heats the plastic sheet in an oven to a forming temperature at which the sheet is pliable. The sheet is formed to a specific shape in a mold, and trimmed to create the final containers or carry trays of the present invention. The sheet may be vacuum formed to a mold; however more typically in large production runs the sheets are heated, formed, allowed to cool then and trimmed in a continuous high-speed process. Preferably, the plastic sheet is fed from a roll or extruder to indexing chains that pierce the sheet to provide motion through the machine. The sheet is carried by the chain to an oven, heated to the forming temperature of the plastic and then to a form station where a mold and vacuum box close on the sheet. The vacuum removes air and pulls the sheet into the mold. Additionally, a plug may be used to assist in formation of the product in deep areas of the mold and pressurized air may be used to force the sheet into detailed shapes of the mold. After forming reverse air pressure (air-eject) may be used to break the vacuum and force the finished parts out of the mold. The parts are allowed to cool on the sheet until entering a trim station, typically a piercing die that cuts the parts from the sheet. A second type of machine used in this process has the ability to trim while the product is in the mould station. 
         [0017]    While thermoforming is generally preferred for high volume runs, the present invention may be produced by injection molding, blow molding, rotational molding, and other forms of processing plastics. 
         [0018]    As seen in  FIG. 1 , the present invention provides a container  10  including a container body  12  which forms the bulk of the container structure which will contain substantially all of the fill. At the top of body  12  is the collar diameter  14  with upper stacking feature  16  (seen in  FIG. 3 ). Container rim  18  is positioned above upper stacking feature  16 . Upper container rim  18  is formed outwardly to improve the strength of the container as it is positioned in the carry tray (as seen in  FIGS. 7-9 ). One or more tag insertion locators  20  are molded and slit via trim station, as surface features on upper container rim  18 . The tag insertion locators  20  are positioned at a predetermined angle to the container alignment features  22  on upper rim  18  such that the orientation of the container alignment feature  22  is known when inserting container  10  into carry tray  50 . At the bottom edge of body  12 , a bottom collar  26  and container base  28  are formed. In the bottom collar  26  and container base  28  there is additional forming of the drainage cross  24  and a container alignment feature  22 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  shows the container base  28  in detail, in which drainage cross  24  and container alignment feature  22  are formed. The alignment feature  22  includes a central hub  22   a  and two arms. The central hub  22   a  has a first diameter and depth while each arm has a first width at the intersection with the hub  22   a  and a second width, at the intersection with bottom collar  26 . The first width of arms  22   b  is less than the diameter of the hub  22   a . The second width of arm  22   b  is less than the first width of arm  22   b , the width generally tapering from the hub  22   a  to the bottom collars  26 . Also included in base  28  are a number of feet  30  as well as drainage cross  24  and drainage holes  32 . The narrowing of arms  22   b  toward bottom collar  26  improves the seating of the container in automated machinery as the narrowed tip allows the container to self align when container base  28  is seated. The weight of the fill within container  10  provides the force to drive the pot to self correct and align to tray  50  such that any labeling on container  10  is properly oriented and visible. 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  shows container  10  in accordance with the present invention including a container body  12 , collar diameter  14  and upper stacking feature  16 . Container rim  18  is positioned on top of upper stacking feature  16 . Optionally, upper container rim  18  is molded such that the rim  18  is formed to improve strength. At the bottom edge of body  12 , a bottom collar  26  and container base  28  are formed. In the bottom collar  26  and container base  28  is formed a drainage cross  24  and a container alignment feature  22  and feet  30 . The bottom collar  26  is typically in the shape of a conical frustum, which serves as a stacking feature to raise base  28  of container  10  above the base of a second container when stacked. The stacking feature breaks any vacuum/friction/sidewall contact interference and reduces the effort required to separate stacked containers. 
         [0021]      FIG. 4  shows container  10  from the rear, a container body  12 , collar diameter  14  and upper stacking feature  16 . Container rim  18  is positioned on top of upper stacking feature  16 . The bottom collar  26  and container base  28  are formed at the bottom of body  12 . In the bottom collar  26  and container base  28  is formed a drainage cross  24  and a container alignment feature  22  and feet  30 . The bottom collar  26  is typically in the shape of a conical frustum, which serves as a stacking feature. 
         [0022]      FIG. 5  shows the lower end of container  10  in accordance with the present invention including a container body  12 , collar diameter  14  and upper stacking feature  16 . Container rim  18  is positioned on top of upper stacking feature  16 . Optionally, upper container rim  18  is molded such that the rim  18  is formed to improve strength. At the bottom edge of body  12 , a bottom collar  26  and container base  28  are formed. In the bottom collar  26  and container base  28  is formed a drainage cross  24  and a female container alignment feature  22  and feet  30 . When inserting the container  10  into carry tray  50  (as shown in  FIG. 6 ) the container body  12  provides concentric alignment of the container body, needed for initial line up allowing the alignment feature  22   a/b  to engage on feature  52 . The tag insertion locators  20  (as seen in  FIG. 1 ) provide basic visual guidance for rough orientation of the female container alignment feature  22  onto the male alignment feature  52   a ,  52   b  (shown in  FIG. 7 ). 
         [0023]      FIG. 6  shows a carry tray  50  including container receiving pockets  54 . Typically carry tray  50  includes between two and twenty four pockets  54  positioned in pairs down the long axis  56  of tray  50 . Each pocket includes a rear wall  54   a  and a base  58 . On the base  58  is a male alignment feature  52 , raised from the base to interact with the female alignment feature  22  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). The container  10  is inserted into pocket  54  and aligned such that the female alignment feature  22  mates with male alignment feature  52 . Hub  52   a  is generally formed such that it is higher than the associated arms  52   b . The alignment of the container body  12  into pocket  54 , forces features  22   a ,  22   b  of container  10  to contact and align with alignment features  52   a ,  52   b  in carry tray  50 . This action properly orientates the tag locators  20  and proper printed/labeled face of container  12  into final position inside the carry tray  50 . Male hub  52   a  is inserted into female hub  22   a  and then container  10  may be rotated so that male arms  52   b  mate with female arms  22   b . The carry tray includes opposed sidewalls including an angled lower face  60 , transition angle step  62  and upper wall  64  and transition  66  from the side wall to top surface  68 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 7  shows a carry tray  50  including container receiving pockets  54 . Carry tray  50  typically includes between two and twenty four pockets  54  positioned in pairs. Each pocket includes a rear wall  54   a  and a base  58 . Male alignment feature  52  is raised from base  54  to interact with the female alignment feature  22 . Hub  52   a  is generally formed such that it is higher than the associated arms  52   b . Male hub  52   a  is inserted into female hub  22   a  and then container  10  may be rotated so that male arms  52   b  mate with female arms  22   b . The carry tray includes opposed sidewalls including an angled lower face  60 , transition angle step  62  and upper wall  64  and transition  66  from the side wall to top surface  68 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 8  shows a carry tray  50  including container receiving pockets  54  including a rear wall  54   a  and a base  58 . Male alignment feature  52  is raised from base  58  to interact with the female alignment feature  22 . The carry tray includes opposed sidewalls including an angled lower face  60 , transition angle step section  62  and upper wall  64  and transition  66  from the side wall to top surface  68 . 
       EXAMPLES 
       [0026]    The containers and carry trays of the present invention may be produced in any number of sizes; a number of examples are shown in TABLE 1. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 Volume 
               
               
                   
                 Top O.D. 
                 Top I.D. 
                 Bottom I.D. 
                 Height 
                 US/Metric 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 1 
                 4.625 
                 4.25 
                 3.625 
                 4.625 
                  31 oz/91 mL 
               
               
                 2 
                 6.5 
                 5.875 
                 5 
                 6.5 
                 2.6 qt/2.5 L 
               
               
                 3 
                 6.5 
                 5.875 
                 5 
                 7 
                 2.8 qt/2.7 L 
               
               
                 4 
                 6.5 
                 5.875 
                 5 
                 7 
                 2.8 qt/2.7 L 
               
               
                 5 
                 8.875 
                 8.25 
                 7.25 
                 8.5 
                 1.7 gal/6.5 L 
               
               
                 6 
                 10.25 
                 9.5 
                 8.75 
                 9.125 
                 2.5 gal/9.7 L 
               
               
                 7 
                 11 
                 10 
                 8.75 
                 12 
                 3.5 gal/13.5 L 
               
               
                 8 
                 12 
                 10.75 
                 9.625 
                 10.5 
                 3.5 gal/13.5 L 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0027]    While the container  10  and carry tray  50  are currently thermoformed and injection molded other production methods such as blow molding, rotational molding, and other forms of processing plastics are useful in forming the present invention. 
         [0028]    Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, properties such as molecular weight, reaction conditions, and so forth as used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Accordingly, unless otherwise indicated, the numerical properties set forth in the specification and claims are approximations that may vary depending on the desired properties sought to be obtained in embodiments of the present invention. Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical values, however, inherently contain certain errors necessarily resulting from error found in their respective measurements. 
         [0029]    The present invention should not be considered limited to the specific examples described herein, but rather should be understood to cover all aspects of the invention. Various modifications, equivalent processes, as well as numerous structures and devices to which the present invention may be applicable will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art. Those skilled in the art will understand that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, which is not to be considered limited to what is described in the specification.