Patent ID: 7017745

Claim:
A container comprising: a base configured to vertically support at least one object; a pair of opposed sidewalls projecting above the base and configured to retain the at least one vertically supported object on the base, each of the sidewalls having a top surface, an exterior surface, and a receptacle, wherein the exterior surface meets the receptacle to define a bottom receptacle outer edge and a top receptacle outer edge, wherein the bottom receptacle outer edge is closer to the base than the top receptacle outer edge, and each of the opposed sidewalls having a support surface, a first pair of notches, and a second pair of notches provided in the top surface; and a pair of support members, each support member being pivotally mounted within the receptacles to facilitate pivotal movement of the corresponding support member relative to each of the sidewalls, each support member being configured to support a second identical container; wherein the support surfaces of the opposed sidewalls are disposed at outer portions of the top surfaces thereof to support each of the support members in a corresponding outer position such that the container can receive a second identical container so that the second identical container is in a fully nested position relative to the container, such that the base of the second identical container clears each of the support members when the second identical container is in the fully nested position; and wherein each of the first pair of notches of each opposed sidewall is disposed respectively inward of each of said support surfaces to support the corresponding support member such that the second identical container can be received by the container at a first stacking position; and wherein each of the second pair of notches of each opposed sidewall is disposed respectively inward of each of said first pair of notches to support the corresponding support member such that the second identical container can be received by the container at a second stacking position lower than the first stacking position, each of the second pair of notches extending deeper into the opposed sidewalls with respect to the base than each of the first pair of notches, each opposed sidewall top surface extending vertically upward between each of the first pair of notches and each of the second pair of notches; and wherein the top receptacle outer edges of the opposed sidewalls are closer together than the bottom receptacle outer edges of the opposed sidewalls.