A CRATE

Abstract: This invention provides a crate (10) having a body (12) with a cavity for receiving a plurality of containers and a base (16) with floor surfaces (18) on which the containers can be supported. A crate insert (14) is located in the cavity to provide a spacer arrangement above the base (16) of the body (12) for separating containers in the crate (10) from one another. The crate body (12) can be a relatively thin-walled body of plastics material and the crate insert (14) can have reinforcement (46) for providing the body (12) with support against flexing. The crate body (12) and insert (14) preferably have complementary formations (32, 40, 42) for securing the insert to the body, locating the insert and further strengthening the crate. The base (16) of the crate body (12) can be designed to rest on the tops or necks of containers in a subjacent crate.

Description: This invention relates to crates, particularly - but not exclusively - for bottles or other containers. US Patent 3 701 449 discloses a crate with integral partitions extending upwards from a floor adapted to rest on the tops of bottles in a subjacent crate, so the subjacent bottles carry the weight of bottles above, but when handling a crate individually it must be sufficiently rigid in itself. In GB-PS-1342806 is described a bottle etc. crate or container comprising an outer bin part into which telescopes an open-bottomed but otherwise similarly dimensioned inner bin part provided with a bottle etc. separating grid. In GB-PS-1373115 is described a bottle crate having a generally open sidewall, and also a unitary bottle-separating grid temporarily raisable between its normal, lower position and an upper position to permit removal of a bottle through the open sidewall when a number of such crates are stacked one on another. The invention provides a suitably rigid crate with relatively low material content. According to the invention, there is provided a crate comprising a body made as a relatively thin-walled body of plastics material having end and side walls bordering a cavity for receiving a plurality of containers and having a floor structure on which the containers can be supported, and an insert also made of relatively thin-walled plastics material and locatable in the cavity to provide a spacer arrangement with openings for receiving and separating the containers and to provide the body with support against flexing, the crate body and the crate insert being provided with complementary vertically extending formations, the crate being stackable, when full or empty, with crates of identical construction, characterised in that the crate insert is located only in the upper half of the cavity in the crate body, the complementary vertically extending formations enable the crate insert to be releasably secured to the body at various locations, and the crate insert includes reinforcing webs extending as a grid-like structure between the vertically extending formations of the insert. It will be appreciated that the crate may be particularly suited for receiving containers in the form of bottles. The crate insert may include concave or hollow sections (Figure 8) reinforced by said reinforcing webs. The vertically extending formations of the crate body may be provided on both the side and end walls of the crate body and are engaged by a corresponding array of formations on the insert. Two or more formations may be provided on each wall of the crate body engageable by corresponding numbers of formations on the insert. Means may be provided on the vertically extending formations on the crate insert for engaging means on the crate body for retaining the insert in the body. Carrier means may be provided for engaging and resting on the tops or necks of containers in a subjacent crate. The carrier means may comprise a carrier surface in the form of a substantially flat supporting surface in a recessed central area of a base of the crate body with a peripheral border to limit undesirable sliding of the crate when supported on containers in a subjacent crate. The carrier means may include a plurality of carrier surfaces each with a peripheral border to limit undesirable sliding of the crate when supported on containers in a subjacent crate. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which Figure 1 is a very basic three-dimensional representation of a crate, including a crate insert, according to the invention, no detail being shown; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the body of the crate of Figure 1 with the left hand side of the crate shown in cross-section; Figure 3 is an end elevation of the body of the crate with the left hand side of the crate shown in cross-section; Figure 4 is a plan and underplan view of the body with the left hand side showing a plan view of half of the crate and the right hand side showing an underplan view of half of the crate. Figure 5 is a plan and underplan view of the crate insert with the left hand side being a plan view of half of the insert and the right hand side being an underplan view; Figure 6 is a side elevation of the crate insert; Figure 7 is an end elevation of the crate insert; Figure 8 is a cross-section through part of the insert; Figure 9 is a cross-sectional side elevation of the crate; Figure 10 is a sectioned plan view showing the manner in which the crate and insert are located and secured at the end walls of the crate; Figure 11 is a sectioned plan view showing the manner in which the crate and insert are located and secured at the side walls of the crate; Figure 12 is a cross-sectional side elevation of an alternative base for a crate. Referring to Figures 1 to 11 of the drawings in more detail, a bottle crate 10 comprises a one part moulded plastic body 12 and a one part moulded plastic crate insert 14. The body 12 has a base 16 providing floor surfaces 18 for supporting bottles located in the crate and substantially flat carrier surfaces 20 for resting on the tops of bottles in a subjacent crate of similar construction. To provide the floor surfaces 18 and carrier surfaces 20, the base 16 is suitably shaped to provide lower base parts 16.1 containing openings 16.11 and on which the crate can stand when it is not supported on bottles in a lower crate, upper base parts 16.2 providing the floor surfaces 18, carrier surfaces 20, a web-bearing grid 16.3, and connecting strips 16.4 connecting the upper and lower base parts 16.1 and 16.2. The connecting strips 16.4 themselves comprise peripheral strips 16.41 connecting the lower base parts 16.1 to a peripheral wall structure 24 of the body, inclined base strips 16.42 connecting the lower base parts to those upper base parts providing the floor and carrier surfaces 18 and 20 and forming inclined surfaces 16.43 allowing the crate to slide onto and off the tops of bottles in a subjacent crate, and more upright strips 16.44 connecting the lower base parts 16.1 to the web-bearing grid 16.3. Because those upper base parts 16.2 providing the carrier surfaces 20 can be subjected to considerable forces, they are provided with integral strengthening cruciform formations 18.1. The base is provided with webs 22 fixed on the web-supporting grid 16.3 and to the wall structure 24, which serve to restrain sagging of the base and also serve to separate the bottoms of bottles received in the crate. The peripheral wall structure 24 encircles the base 16. The wall structure is formed by a peripheral wall 26 and upright hollow pillars 28. As shown in Figure 4, the peripheral wall is substantially rectangular in plan view and comprises end walls 26.1 and side walls 26.2 connected by rounded corners. The pillars 28 are moulded integrally with the walls 26.1 and 26.2 and serve to strengthen these walls. Each of the pillars has a cross-section which is approximately one half of an octagon, seen in plan view. The webs 22 extend from and are moulded integrally with the pillars. Hand grip formations 30 which are suitably reinforced by a peripheral bead 30.1 and border openings 30.2 are provided by the end walls 26.1 and enable the crate to be lifted. It will be seen that the body is thus a one-part moulded unit and it may be relatively thin-walled. However, as the walls of the crate area made primarily from a single layer of plastics material, the body may flex excessively when used to carry full bottles. It is therefore desirable to strengthen the crate. In addition, it is also desirable to make provision for keeping the upper parts of the bottles apart. For these purposes, the crate insert 14 is used. The body 12 is provided with locating formations 32 at the upper part of the pillars 28. Each of these locating formations 32 is provided by forming a vertically extending slot 32.1 in and at the centre of that part of the respective pillar 28 furthest from the wall 26. This creates two inwardly directed flanges 34 on opposite sides of the slot 32.1 as shown in Figures 10 and 11. Where the pillars 28 on the end walls 26.1 border the openings 30.2, the pillars are partly omitted, as shown in Figure 3, so that the slots 32.1 and the flange 34 beneath the opening are relatively short. The crate insert 14, which provides a spacer arrangement 14.1 and is designed to be located in the cavity of the body as shown in Figure 1, has complementary formations 40 and 42 for engaging formations 32 on the side walls and end walls, respectively, to locate and releasably secure the crate insert with respect of the body. Those formations 40 which engage the formations 32 on the side walls 26.1 are hollow upright formations extending upwardly from the spacer arrangement 14.1 of the insert and are designed to fit around the pillars 28 on the side walls. Those formations 42 which are intended to engage the formations 32 on the end walls 26.1 are formed as hollow uprights at opposite sides of a respective hand grip 45 and hand grip opening 45.1 at each end of the crate insert. The opening 45.1 in each hand grip 45 is arranged, in use, to correspond with the opening 30.2 of a respective hand grip 30 of the crate, as shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figures 5 and 10, the formations 42 each have a central web 42.1 which extends towards the end wall 26.1 and which has a projecting part 30.21 shaped to snap into the opening 30.2 at opposite sides of the opening, as shown. This means that when the insert is pushed into place, the extension of the web into the opening inhibits removal of the insert. The webs 42.1 are each provided with a locating lip 42.2 projecting away from the opening 45.1 in the insert. Each web 42.1 is located to fit into the slot 32.1 in the respective pillar 28 and each lip 42.2 is shaped and located to fit into and close to the inner surface of a respective flange 34 to locate and secure the formations 42. To connect the insert to the side walls, the formations 40 are provided with internal T-shaped formations 40.1 each comprising a web 40.2 and cross bar 40.3, as shown in Figure 11. The T-shaped formations engage respective formations 32 at the upper parts of pillars 28 with the webs 40.2 received in slots 30.1 and bars 40.3 received within the pillars 28 and against the inner surfaces of flanges 34 as shown in Figure 11. This locates and secures the formations 40. As shown in Figures 1, 6 and 9, the upper part of each formation 40 and 42 has an inclined part 36 which covers and closes the top of the respective pillar when the insert is in place. At the top of each part 36 of the formations 40, the formations are each provided with a notch 38.1. The walls 26.1 are provided with lugs 38.2 which are located to fit into the notches 38.1 and the formations 40 and notches 38.1 are fitted into place and engage the lugs 38.2 by a snap fit action. The engagement between the formations and lugs also serves to retain the insert in the crate body. The spacer arrangement 14.1 of the crate is located in the upper part of the cavity provided by the crate body and is therefore suitably above the floor of the body for keeping the upper parts of bottles in the crate separated from one another. In this regard, it will be seen that at the corners of the crate, the crate insert and the walls of the body jointly define openings into which bottles can fit. Elsewhere, the crate insert has circular openings 44 for receiving and encircling bottles. In order to provide the crate insert with suitable strength for supporting the body against excessive flexing, the insert is provided throughout a substantial part of its structure, with an inverted generally concave V-shaped cross-section having strengthening webs 46 shown in the detailed section of Figure 8. As the crate insert securely engages the formations 32 and also rests on the pillars 28, suitable construction of the crate insert can provide the crate with considerable rigidity. This is achieved without the need for conventional partitions moulded with the body and which can use up considerably more material. The crate shown in the drawing is particularly suitable for use as a beer crate and has walls which are intended to extend up almost the full height of bottles in the crate, but to leave a small gap between crates when full crates are stacked one on top of another. In this way, the surfaces 20 of one crate will rest on the tops of bottles in a subjacent crate. The fact that the surfaces 20 are provided in recessed areas will help to stop crates sliding about. The peripheral wall, however, will be sufficiently high to exclude most of the light from reaching the bottles in the crates. In the crate of Figure 12, the body 12 and the insert 14 (not shown) are similar to those of Figures 1 to 11. However, the body 12 has a base 116 providing floor surfaces 118 for supporting bottles located in the crate and a substantially flat carrier surface 120 for resting on the tops of bottles in a subjacent crate of similar construction. The floor 118 and surface 120 are provided by the major part of a recessed central area of the base which is readily visible in Figure 12. The central area is surrounded by a peripheral border 116.1 which has an inclined wall 116.2 extending away from the surface 120. The inclined wall 116.2 and surface 120 allow the crate to slide onto and off the tops of bottles in a subjacent crate. The base is again provided with webs 122 which serve to restrain sagging of the base and also serve to separate the bottoms of bottles receive in the crate.

Claims: A crate comprising a body (12) made as a relatively thin-walled body of plastics material having end and side walls (26.1, 26.2) bordering a cavity for receiving a plurality of containers and having a floor structure (16, 18, 2⊘) on which the containers can be supported, and an insert (14) also made of relatively thin-walled plastics material and locatable in the cavity to provide a spacer arrangement (14.1) with openings (44) for recieving and separating the containers and to provide the body with support against flexing, the crate body (12) and the crate insert (14) being provided with complementary vertically extending formations (32, 4⊘, 42), the crate being stackable, when full or empty, with crates of identical construction; characterised in that: the crate insert (14) is located only in the upper half of the cavity in the crate body (12); the complementary vertically extending formations (32, 4⊘, 42) enable the crate insert to be releasably secured to the body at various locations; and the crate insert includes reinforcing webs (46) extending as a grid-like structure between the vertically extending formations (4⊘, 42) of the insert. A crate according to claim 1, characterised in that the crate insert (14) includes concave or hollow sections (figure 8) reinforced by said reinforcing webs (46). A crate according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the vertically extending formations (32) of the crate body are provided on both the side and end walls (26.1, 26.2) of the crate body and are engaged by a corresponding array of formations on the insert. A crate according to claim 3, characterised in that two or more formations (32) are provided on each wall of the crate body and are engaged by corresponding numbers of formations on the insert. A crate according to any preceding claim, characterised by means (38.1) on the vertically extending formations (4⊘, 42) on the crate insert (14) for engaging means (38.2) on the crate body (12) for retaining the insert in the body. A crate according to any preceding claim, characterised by carrier means (2⊘, 12⊘) for engaging and resting on the tops or necks of containers in a subjacent crate. A crate according to claim 6, characterised in that the carrier means comprises a carrier surface (12⊘) in the form of a substantially flat supporting surface in a recessed central area of a base (16) of the crate body (12) with a peripheral border (116.1) to limit undesirable sliding of the crate when supported on containers in a subjacent crate. A crate according to claim 6, characterised in that the carrier means includes a plurality of carrier surfaces (2⊘) each with a peripheral border (16.43) to limit undesirable sliding of the crate when supported on containers in a subjacent crate.

Inventors: WARWICK, MICHAEL JAMES
Applicants: SOUTH AFRICAN POLYMER HOLDINGS (PROPRIETARY) LIMITED
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B65D1
IPC codes: B65D1, B65D25