Abstract:
A nestable crate provides increased protection to the goods stored inside the crate. Panel portions connect the base to an upper band on each of the walls, while slats are oriented and positioned to provide stack/nest functionality. In an aligned orientation, a pair of crates will stack on one another. With one crate rotated one-hundred-eighty degrees relative to the other, the crates will nest with one another.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a container, which in one orientation is nestable inside a similar container, and in another orientation stacks on top of the similar container. The container is useful, for example, for shipping cartons of eggs. 
         [0002]    Containers, such as egg crates, that are nestable with one another in one orientation and stackable on one another in another orientation, are known. One particular egg crate includes a base wall and an upper band around the periphery of the container. A plurality of vertical slats extend from the upper band to the base. These slats are spaced and arranged such that the slats of one container will fit between the slats of another container in one orientation to provide nesting when the containers are empty. By rotating one container one-hundred-eighty degrees, the slats of the container will interfere and rest on the slats of the lower container, thus providing the ability to stack the containers without damaging goods (such as eggs or egg cartons) stored in the lower container. The container also includes a middle band connecting the slats to one another at a point between the upper band and the base, in order to increase the strength and stability of the slats. 
         [0003]    When oriented similarly to a similar crate on which the crate is stacked, the slats of the upper crate rest on the slates of the lower crate. When one crate is rotated one-hundred-eighty degrees relative to the other, the crates nest to reduce storage space. When nested, the middle band of an upper crate rests on the upper band of the lower crate. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The nestable crate according to one embodiment of the present invention provides increased protection to the goods stored inside the crate. Panel portions are provided on each of the walls to protect the goods more than the slats alone. The crate is still compatible (i.e. can nest and stack) with the known crate. 
         [0005]    These and other features of the application can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a crate according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the crate of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the crate of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a section view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the crate of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a section view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the crate of  FIG. 1  nested in a similar crate. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  illustrates the crates of  FIG. 7  in a stacked orientation. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0014]    A crate  10  according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The crate  10  includes a base  12 , end walls  14 ,  16  and side walls  18 ,  20 . Each of the walls  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20  includes a lower panel portion  14 A,  16 A,  18 A,  20 A, respectively and an upper panel portion  14 B,  16 B,  18 B,  20 B respectively. On each wall, the upper panel portion is offset outwardly from the lower panel portion. 
         [0015]    A middle band  22  extends around the periphery of the crate  10 , connecting the upper panel portions  14 B,  16 B,  18 B,  20 B. An upper band  26  at the upper most edge of the crate  10  extends around the entire periphery of the crate  10 . The upper band  26  includes a recess  24  in its upper most edge aligned with each wall  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 . As a visual and tactile indicator of orientation, the recesses  24  on the end walls  14 ,  16  may have curved edges, while the recesses  24  on the side walls  18 ,  20  may have straight, angled edges (or vice versa, or some other visual and/or tactile distinction). Handle openings  28  are formed through the upper panel portions  14 B,  16 B of the end walls  14 ,  16 . 
         [0016]    A plurality of vertical slats  30  are spaced about the periphery of the crate  10  and extend from the exterior side of the lower panel portions  14 A,  16 A,  18 A,  20 A then along the interior side of the middle band  22  and the upper band  26 . The slats  30  include upper ends  32  that are tapered toward the interior and lower ends  34  tapered toward the exterior of the crate  10 . 
         [0017]    The upper and lower panel portions may include openings as shown to decrease weight and increase ventilation, but are more closed than the slats. In particular, the panel portions extend horizontally as well as vertically, and thus provide more protection than the slats alone, as in the known crate. As a visual indicator of orientation of the crate  10 , the upper panel portions  14 B,  16 B and the lower panel portions  14 A,  16 A on the end walls  14 ,  16  may have vertically elongated openings, while the upper panel portions  18 B,  20 B and the lower panel portions  18 A,  20 A on the side walls  18 ,  20  may have horizontally elongated openings (or vice versa, or some other visible distinction). 
         [0018]    Corner supports  38  join the end wall  14  to the side wall  20  and the end wall  16  to the side wall  18  from the lower panel portions to the middle band  22 . Gussets  40  optionally connect the lower panel portions  14 A,  16 A,  18 A,  20 A to the upper panel portions  14 B,  16 B,  18 B,  20 B. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the crate  10  of  FIG. 1 . As shown, the slats  30  are spaced and oriented to provide the nesting and stacking functions described below. 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the crate  10  of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 4  is a section view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . As can be seen in  FIG. 4 , the upper ends  32  of the slats  30  are aligned with and complementary in shape to the lower ends  34  of the slats  30 . Therefore, when one crate  10  is stacked on a similar crate in a similar orientation, the slats  30  align and the lower ends  34  interlock with the upper ends  32  of the slats  30  to provide a stable stack. 
         [0022]      FIG. 5  is an end view of the crate  10 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 6  is a section view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 7  illustrates the crate  10  nested in a similar crate  10 ′. As shown, when the upper crate  10  is rotated one-hundred-eighty degrees relative to the lower crate  10 ′, the upper crate  10  is partially received within the interior of the lower crate  10 ′. In particular, the lower panel portions  14 A,  16 A,  18 A,  20 A are received between the upper panel portions  14 B′,  16 B′,  18 B′,  20 B′ of the lower crate  10 ′. The upper panel portions of the upper crate  10  rest on the upper panel portions of the lower crate  10 ′ within the recesses  24  on the upper edge of the upper band  26 ′. The middle band  22  of the upper crate  10  also rests on the upper band  26 ′ of the lower crate  10 ′. 
         [0025]      FIG. 8  illustrates the crates  10 ,  10 ′ in the stacked orientation. As shown, when the crates  10 ,  10 ′ are in the same orientation, i.e. with an end wall  14  oriented over an end wall  14 ′, the slats  30  of the upper crate  10  interlock with and stack on the slats  30 ′ of the lower crate  10 ′. 
         [0026]    The example crate  10  shown is integrally molded as a single piece of plastic, such as polypropylene, polyethylene or other suitable material, via an injection molding process or other suitable process. 
         [0027]    In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.