US20210394957A1

US20210394957A1 - Tote system for facilitating retail pick-up orders

Info

Publication number: US20210394957A1
Application number: US17/323,570
Authority: US
Inventors: Johanna Stechschulte; Joaquin Briones, III; Jin Li; Gokul Jegadeesh
Original assignee: HEB LP
Current assignee: HEB LP
Priority date: 2020-06-17
Filing date: 2021-05-18
Publication date: 2021-12-23

Abstract

A tote and tote system providing for more efficient retail order pick-ups is disclosed. In certain embodiments, a tote may comprise a bottom panel for supporting one or more retail items, a rear panel and a front panel, wherein the front panel comprises an opening for accessing the one or more retail items of the tote, a first and a second side panel, and one or more bale arms positioned across a top of the tote, wherein the one or more bale arms each comprise a substantially horizontal portion extending from the first side panel to the second side panel, such that the one or more bale arms are operable to support another tote stacked on top of the tote.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit of and is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/904,429 filed on Jun. 17, 2020, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for fulfilling orders for items sold by retailers, and more particularly, to a novel tote and tote system for facilitating retail pick-up orders.
It is common for retailers of goods and services to both own and/or operate one or more “brick-and-mortar” retail stores and/or physical facilities where customers may browse, purchase, and/or pick up items at the site, and also provide an online website or other service for receiving orders from customers remotely. Today's consumers demand convenience, speed, selection, and high-quality from their retailers regardless of whether such consumers are shopping online or are shopping in a brick-and-mortar establishment. Thus, in order to maximize customer satisfaction, a retailer must meet consumer expectations on these attributes when fulfilling items to a customer via customer pick-up.
A common method of facilitating customer pick-ups is by preparing retail items in a staging area, such as a warehouse, and storing them in containers, often referred to as “totes.” Prior totes are typically enclosed storage containers, and may comprise lids for accessing the retail items inside of the totes. Retail items in traditional totes are typically stored in stacked columns to efficiently use space in a staging area or other fulfillment location until the customer arrives to pick up the order. However, providing efficient pick-ups for the customer may prove difficult when customer arrival times are unpredictable. Retail items sitting on totes awaiting customer arrivals are “down-stacked” as additional items are loaded in the totes for pick-up. Thus, unless a customer's order is in a tote that sits at the top of a stacked column, un-stacking of totes may be required to get a specific tote or totes containing a customer's retail order. After a customer's order is retrieved and the down-stacked tote is extracted, the entire tote system must be re-stacked. Such down-stacking, un-stacking, and re-stacking leads to inefficiencies in fulfilling retail order pick-ups.
One method to avoid down-stacking may be to place the totes in perfect sequence based on customer pick-up times. However, a single delayed or off-scheduled customer arrival time can cause the down-stacking issues described above. Another method may be to use multi-level static shelves so that no down-stacking is needed to access a specific tote for the arrived customer. However, space in a warehouse or fulfillment area is often at a premium, and static shelves take up the same amount of space even when underutilized—that is, when fewer totes are required at a given time. This inflexibility may negatively impact space utilization within a staging area, warehouse, or retail location. Worse, when demand is higher than projected or more customers are arriving than expected at a given time, there may be an insufficient number of shelves to hold totes such that the retail pick-up flow is disrupted.
Furthermore, traditional totes are typically not clear or transparent. Without opening the lid, which would be difficult for any tote not at the very top of a column of totes, operators cannot visually inspect which totes contain retail items and which totes do not. An operator for a retail fulfillment location may be expected to lift a heavy tote, for example, up to 50 lbs, on the job, but without any visibility into the contents of a given tote, the weight of the tote may come as a surprise and the operator may sustain an injury or experience discomfort if the operator's body posture is not appropriate for the weight range of the tote.
Additionally, traditional enclosed totes may result in the degradation of retail items, for example, fresh produce that produce ethylene (e.g., bananas, avocados, peaches, etc.). Fresh produce items that produce ethylene may ripen more rapidly as ethylene gas is released and stays trapped inside the traditional totes. This could negatively impact product quality, especially in the summer where warmer temperatures speed up the production of ethylene gas, thus accelerating the ripening process of the produce items. Additionally, refrigerated or frozen retail items that sit on totes longer than expected in traditional tote systems may experience degradation of product quality.
Traditional totes also do not provide for “nesting” of totes on top of one another when the lids of such traditional totes are open. Thus, these traditional tote systems do not allow for reverse logistics during retrievals—that is, the down-stacking of empty return totes. The ability to nest totes within one another may allow for more efficient returns back to a warehouse or other staging area where additional totes are needed. Valuable space resources and personnel resources may be optimized by nestable totes.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure generally relates to a tote system for facilitating more efficient retail order pick-ups.
In certain embodiments, a tote may comprise a bottom panel for supporting one or more retail items, a rear panel and a front panel, wherein the front panel may comprise an opening for accessing the one or more retail items of the tote, a first and a second side panel, and one or more bale arms positioned across a top of the tote, wherein the one or more bale arms may each comprise a substantially horizontal portion extending from the first side panel to the second side panel, such that the one or more bale arms are operable to support another tote stacked on top of the tote.
In certain embodiments, the tote may further comprise a substantially trapezoidal shape. In certain embodiments, the first side panel and the second side panel may be angled such that each of the first side panel and the second side panel form an obtuse angle with the bottom panel.
In certain embodiments, the one or more bale arms may be rotatable such that the one or more bale arms are not positioned across the top of the tote. In certain embodiments, each bale arm may comprise a first end and a second end positioned at opposing ends from one another. In certain embodiments, the second end may be wider than the first end. In certain embodiments, the first end may be angled more than 90 degrees from the horizontal portion of the bale arm, and the second end may be angled substantially perpendicular to the horizontal portion of the bale arm.
In certain embodiments, the tote may further comprise a first bale arm and a second bale arm, and wherein the first end of the first bale arm and the second end of the second bale arm are positioned along the first side panel, and wherein the second end of the first bale arm and the first end of the second bale arm are positioned along the second side panel. In certain embodiments, the first side panel and the second side panel of the tote may each comprise a hand hold.
In certain embodiments, a tote system may comprise two or more totes, including a first tote and a second tote, wherein each of the two or more totes may comprise one or more bale arms. In certain embodiments, the first tote and the second tote may be aligned substantially adjacent to one another, and at least one bale arm of the first tote may interlock with at least one bale arm of the second tote.
In certain embodiments, the two or more totes may each comprise a first bale arm and a second bale arm. In certain embodiments, the first bale arm and the second bale arm may each comprise a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is wider than the first end. In certain embodiments, the first end of the first bale arm of the first tote may interlock with the second end of the first bale arm of the second tote. In certain embodiments, the second end of the second bale arm of the first tote may interlock with the first end of the second bale arm of the second tote.
In certain embodiments, a tote system may further comprise a third tote stacked substantially on top of the one or more bale arms of the first tote and a fourth tote stacked substantially on top of the one or more bale arms of the second tote, and at least one bale arm of the third tote may interlock with at least one bale arm of the fourth tote. In certain embodiments, the tote system further comprises a pallet, wherein the two or more totes are positioned on the pallet.
In certain embodiments, a method for facilitating retail pick-up orders may comprise stacking two or more totes in a first column of totes via one or more bale arms of the two or more totes, wherein each of the two or more totes in the first column may have an opening such that an operator may place retail items while the two or more totes are stacked, stacking two or more totes in a second column of totes via one or more bale arms of the two or more totes, wherein each of the two or more totes in the second column may have an opening such that an operator may place retail items while the two or more totes are stacked, positioning the first and second column of totes adjacent to one another, interlocking one or more bale arms of a first tote in the first column with one or more bale arms of a second tote in the second column, wherein the second tote is immediately adjacent to the first tote; placing retail items in at least one of the two or more totes corresponding to one or more retail orders. In certain embodiments, each of the one or more bale arms may be positioned across a top of each tote of the two or more totes, such that a stacked tote may be substantially supported by the one or more bale arms of a tote immediately below the stacked tote.
In certain embodiments, the method for facilitating retail pick-up orders may further comprise removing one or more retail items from at least one of the two or more totes via the opening, wherein the one or more retail items correspond to one or more retail orders for customer pick-up. In certain embodiments, the method for facilitating retail pick-up orders may further comprise removing one or more retail items from the at least one of the two or more totes such that the at least one of the two or more totes is an empty tote, rotating the one or more bale arms of the empty tote such that the bale arms are not positioned across the top of the empty tote, and nesting the empty tote in another empty tote. In certain embodiments, the first column of totes and the second column of totes may each comprise six stacked totes.
In certain embodiments, the method for facilitating retail pick-up orders may further comprise stacking totes two or more totes in a third column of totes via one or more bale arms of the two or more totes, and interlocking the one or more bale arms of the second tote in the second column with one or more bale arms of a third tote in the third column of totes, wherein the third tote is immediately adjacent to the second tote. In certain embodiments, at least one of the two or more totes may comprise corrugated plastic.
In certain embodiments, a tote may comprising a bottom panel for supporting one or more retail items, a rear panel and a front panel, wherein the front panel comprises an opening for accessing the one or more retail items of the tote; a first and a second side panel; and one or more bale arms positioned across a top of the tote, wherein the one or more bale arms extend from the first side panel to the second side panel, such that the one or more bale arms are operable to support another tote stacked on top of the tote.
In certain embodiments, the first side panel and the second side panel each comprise one or more slots along a top edge of the first and second side panels. In certain embodiments, the one or more bale arms are rotatable from a first position to a second position, wherein in the first position, the one or more bale arms are positioned in the one or more slots. In certain embodiments, in the second position, the one or more bale arms are not positioned across the top of the tote. In certain embodiments, the tote may further comprise a nest stop positioned on at least one of a side panel and a rear panel of the tote.
In certain embodiments, the tote may further comprise a lid. In certain embodiments, the lid may comprise comprises a first lid panel and a second lid panel, and wherein the first lid panel may be coupled to the second lid panel via one or more connectors. In certain embodiments, the lid may be positioned in an open position and a closed position, and wherein in a closed position, the first and second lid panels may be supported by at least one bale arm and the rear panel. In certain embodiments, the lid may comprise a key connector. In certain embodiments, the bottom panel may comprise a key slot. In certain embodiments, the lid may comprise an opening and at least one of the first and second side panels may comprise a protrusion for coupling to the opening of the lid.
In certain embodiments, the one or more bale arms may be rotatable between a first position and a second position, and wherein the first position allows another tote to be stacked on top of the tote, and wherein the second position allows another tote to be nested within the tote. In certain embodiments, the tote may comprise a latch coupled to the rear panel, wherein the latch is operable to secure at least one bale arm against the rear panel.
In certain embodiments, a tote system, may comprise two or more totes, wherein each of the two or more totes comprises one or more bale arms and a front panel comprising an opening for accessing one or more retail items, wherein the one or more bale arms are rotatable between a first position and a second position, and wherein the two or more totes comprise a first tote and a second tote, and wherein the second tote is stacked on top of the one or more bale arms of the first tote when the one or more bale arms of the first tote are in a first position.
In certain embodiments, the tote system may further comprise a third tote stacked on top of the one or more bale arms of the second tote when the one or more bale arms of the second tote are in a first position. In certain embodiments, the tote system may further comprise a pallet, wherein the two or more totes are positioned on the pallet.
In certain embodiments, a method of facilitating retail pick-up orders may comprise stacking two or more totes in a first column of totes via one or more bale arms of the two or more totes, wherein each of the two or more totes in the first column has an opening such that an operator may place retail items in each of the two or more totes while the two or more totes are stacked, and wherein the one or more bale arms are rotatable between a first position and a second position, and placing retail items in at least one of the two or more totes corresponding to one or more retail orders for fulfillment.
In certain embodiments, the method of facilitating pick-up orders may further comprise removing one or more retail items from at least one of the two or more totes via the opening, wherein the one or more retail items correspond to one or more retail orders for customer pick-up. In certain embodiments, the method of facilitating pick-up orders may further comprise removing one or more retail items from the at least one of the two or more totes such that the at least one of the two or more totes is an empty tote, rotating the one or more bale arms of the empty tote from a first position to a second position, and nesting the empty tote in another empty tote. In certain embodiments, the method of facilitating pick-up orders may further comprise stacking two or more totes in a second column of totes via one or more bale arms of the two or more totes and positioning a second column of two or more totes adjacent to the first column of two or more totes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its features and advantages, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is an isometric view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1B is a top view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1C is a front view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1D is a rear view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1E is a first side view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1F is a second side view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2A is a front view of a bale arm of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2B is a first side view of a bale arm of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2C is a second side view of a bale arm of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2D is a rear view of a bale arm of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3A is a side-by-side tote configuration with pre-interlocking bale arms according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3B is a side-by-side tote configuration with interlocking bale arms according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a representation of a stacked tote configuration according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a representation of a tote system according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a side-by-side tote configuration with interlocking bale arms according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a representation of a nested tote configuration according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8A is an isometric view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8B is a front view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8C is a side view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8D is a bottom view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9A is an isometric view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9B is a front view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9C is a side view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9D is a corner view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

While the present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific example embodiments have been shown in the figures and are herein described in more detail. It should be understood, however, that the description of specific example embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, this disclosure is to cover all modifications and equivalents as illustrated, in part, by the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail herein. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the present disclosure. Furthermore, in no way should the following examples be read to limit, or define, the scope of the disclosure.
Referring now to FIG. 1A, a tote 100 is shown. A tote 100 may be comprised of any material suitable to store retail goods, including ambient and chilled retail goods. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the material selected should be durable enough to withstand the stacking arrangement of totes 100 as described in more detail below with respect to FIG. 3. The material selected should be lightweight so as to be easy to lift and transport but also be substantially rigid to provide support for the retail goods stored in the tote 100. Furthermore, the material should be impact resistant such that damage to the tote 100 is minimized if a tote 100 is dropped or otherwise impacted. In certain embodiments, tote 100 may be comprised of plastic, for example, corrugated plastic or molded plastic. Corrugated plastic may be more flexible or agile than molded plastic because dimensions of corrugated plastic totes may be easily changed in production without building a new mold. Thus, corrugated plastic may be more easily adapted to fit the needs of a given retail space or fulfillment area, for example, if changes need to be made based on the size or volume of the corrugated plastic totes. The corrugated plastic may be comprised of solid polypropylene. In other embodiments, tote 100 may be comprised of other types of plastic, for example, tote 100 may be comprised of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), acrylics, polyethylene (PE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), & polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), or any other type of plastic. Tote 100 may be pressed or formed from a single congruous piece of corrugated plastic, with or without the use of any adhesives. In other embodiments, tote 100 may be comprised of multiple pieces or layers of corrugated plastic formed together.
Tote 100 may be substantially rectangular or trapezoidal. In certain embodiments, tote 100 may comprise one or more flaps 110. In certain embodiments, the flaps 110 of tote 100 may be folded over and attached to the body of tote 100 using sonic welds. Welding the flaps may help keep bale arms 200 a and 200 b (discussed in more detail below) in place, while also increasing the longevity of the tote 100. In certain embodiments, flaps 110 of tote 100 may be secured using an adhesive (not shown). However, sonic welds may be more appropriate to withstand the force of the bale arms 200 as they are flipped inwards and outwards, or when the totes 100 are stacked or nested (discussed in more detail below). Furthermore, sonic welds may provide more stability to the tote 100, especially while being transported or otherwise handled by an operator.
As shown in FIG. 1A, tote 100 may comprise a bottom panel 120, side panels 125 a and 125 b, and a rear panel 130. Side panels 125 may each comprise a hand hold 140 to facilitate easy transport of the tote 100. Tote 100 may further comprise a front panel 135 that is substantially comprised of an opening or window for inserting and removing goods from the tote 100. Tote 100 may further comprise one or more bale arms 200, for example, bale arms 200 a and 200 b, described in further detail with respect to FIGS. 2A-2D. One or more bale arms 200 may be partially enclosed by the tote 100, as shown in FIG. 1A. In certain embodiments, one or more bale arms 200 may be partially enclosed between the body of tote 100 and the flaps 110. In certain embodiments, each tote 100 may comprise a first bale arm 200 a and a second bale arm 200 b. A portion of bale arms 200 may be positioned across the top of tote 100 and extending between side panels 125, such that another tote 100, may be positioned on or stack on top of first bale arm 200 a and second bale arm 200 b. As described in more detail below with respect to FIG. 3, the “stacked” nature of one or more totes 100 may provide for more structural stability of the tote system.
FIG. 1B is an overhead view of tote 100. Bottom panel 120 of tote 100 may support the retail goods in tote 100. In certain embodiments, bottom panel 120 may comprise a thicker material than other parts of the tote 100. For example, bottom panel may have an extra layer of corrugated plastic (not shown) to strengthen the bottom panel 120 and hold the weight of the retail items without deformation to the bottom panel 120 or the tote 100. An extra layer of corrugated plastic may be attached to bottom panel 120 by an adhesive or may be welded. The extra layer of corrugated plastic may be substantially smooth such that retail items placed on bottom panel 120 are not damaged during transportation or storage. The extra layer of corrugated plastic may comprise a substantially smooth surface so that bottom panel 120 is easier to sanitize.
Side panels 125 and rear panel 130 may substantially enclose the retail goods stored in tote 100 such that when subjected to movement, retail goods do not fall out of the tote 100. In certain embodiments, length L_talong the top of tote 100 may be approximately 24 inches and width W_talong the top of tote 100 may be approximately 13 inches. However, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any length L_tor width W_tmay be appropriate in keeping with the design features and benefits of the present disclosure. For example, in certain embodiments, length L_tof tote 100 may be 10-40 inches, and width W_tof tote 100 may be 5-25 inches. The length L_tand width W_tmay be varied or selected based on one or more, for example, the size, weight, shape, or type of retail goods stored in tote 100. For example, for large or bulky retail items, a tote 100 with larger length and width dimensions may be required. Unlike traditional totes, tote 100 may not comprise a lid or panel covering the top of the tote 100. The lack of lid or cover may allow an operator to visually inspect what retail items are located in the tote 100 before lifting or moving the tote 100, such that the operator may use the appropriate body motion or posture before lifting or moving the tote 100.
FIG. 1C is a front view of a tote 100 and FIG. 1D is a rear view of a tote 100. In certain embodiments, tote 100 may have a height H of approximately 12.75 inches. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any height H may be appropriate in keeping with the design features and benefits of the present disclosure. For example, in certain embodiments, height H of tote 100 may be 5-25 inches. The height H may be varied or selected based on one or more factors, for example, the size, weight, shape, or type of retail goods stored in tote 100. For example, for tall items, a tote 100 with a larger height dimension may be required. In certain embodiments, tote 100 may be substantially trapezoidal in shape. In certain embodiments, front panel 135 and rear panel 130 may have a width W_talong a top edge 132 and a width W_balong a bottom edge 131, where W_tmay be longer than W_b. For example, in certain embodiments where width W_talong top edge 132 is approximately 13 inches, width W_balong bottom edge 131 may be approximately 11 inches. Additionally, side edge 133 of rear panel 130 and front panel 135 may form an obtuse angle Φ₁with bottom edge 131 that is slightly more than 90 degrees, for example, approximately 94 degrees. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, Φ₁, W_t, and W_bmay be varied in keeping with aspects of the present disclosure. For example, in certain embodiments, Φ₁may be 95, 100, or 105 degrees. In certain embodiments, the substantially trapezoidal shape of tote 100 may provide for stackable and nestable features of one or more totes 100, as described in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 4 and 7, respectively.
Front panel 135 may substantially comprise an opening 137 or window for placing and removing retail items from the tote 100. Additionally, the opening or window 137 of front panel 135 may allow an operator to visually inspect what retail items are in the tote 100 without removing the tote 100 from a stacked configuration, as described in more detail below. The opening or window 137 of front panel 135 may further allow an operator to determine the requisite amount of force and correct body posture for lifting the tote 100 based on the items contained with the tote 100. As shown in FIG. 1D, rear panel 130 may be a solid panel and may not be comprised of an opening or window 137. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, in certain embodiments, rear panel 130 may similarly comprise an opening or window 137 for placing or removing retail items from the tote 100, similar to front panel 135 (not shown).
The dimensions of tote 100 including height H and thickness T may be selected based on one or more factors such as the size, weight, shape, or type of the goods stored in tote 100. In certain embodiments, bottom panel 120 may have a thickness T of approximately 2.25 inches. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any thickness T may be appropriate in keeping with the design features and benefits of the present disclosure. For example, in certain embodiments, thickness T of tote 100 may be 0.5 inch to 5 inches. The thickness T may be varied or selected based on one or more factors, for example, the size, weight, shape, or type of retail goods stored in tote 100. For example, for heavy or bulky retail items, a tote 100 with a larger thickness T may be required. In certain embodiments, the dimensions of tote 100 may be selected in order to hold a minimum weight of retail items. For example, dimensions of tote 100 may be selected such that tote 100 may be able to hold 10, 20, 25, 50, or 100 pounds of retail items without showing any signs of wear and tear on the tote 100.
The specific dimensions of tote 100 including height H and thickness T, may be varied or selected based on the desired height H′ of the opening of front panel 135. For example, as shown in FIG. 1C, a thickness T 2.25 inches of bottom panel 120 and a height H of 12.75 of front panel 135 inches renders a height H′ of 10.5 inches of the opening 137 of tote 100. Height H′ may be selected such that there is sufficient clearance for the retail items that are to be place in tote 100. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, height H′ may be varied based on one or more factors, for example, the size, shape, or type of the retail items to be stored in tote 100. In certain embodiments, height H′ may be anywhere from 5-25 inches.
FIGS. 1C and 1D are side views of tote 100. As discussed above, tote 100 may be substantially trapezoidal in shape. In certain embodiments, side panels 125 may have a length L_talong a top edge 127 and a length L_balong a bottom edge 126, where L_tmay be longer than L_b. For example, in certain embodiments where length L_talong top edge 127 is approximately 24 inches, length L_balong bottom edge 126 may be approximately 21 inches. Additionally, side edge 132 of side panel 125 may form an obtuse angle Φ₂with bottom edge 126 of approximately 97 degrees. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, Φ₂, L_t, and L_bmay be varied in keeping with aspects of the present disclosure. For example, in certain embodiments, Φ₂may be 95, 100, or 105 degrees. In certain embodiments, the obtuse angle 12 and trapezoidal shape of tote 100 may provide for stackable and nestable features of one or more totes 100, as described in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 4 and 7, respectively.
In certain embodiments, tote 100 may comprise hand holds 140 at or near the top of side panels 125. For example, in certain embodiments, hand holds 125 may be located approximately 1-1.5 inches from the top of side panels 125. Hand holds 140 may facilitate easier transport of totes 100. Tote 100 may further comprise a label (not shown). A label (not shown) may comprise a barcode, stockkeeping unit number, universal product code (UPC), QR code, or any other identifier used to track or record the tote 100. For example, an employee of a retail store could scan the label of tote 100 to ensure that the tote 100 is in the correct location.
FIG. 2A is a front view of a bale arm 200 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, one or more bale arms 200 may be welded in a tote 100. Bale arms 200 may be welded such that the bale arms 200 and tote 100 comprise one unitary structure. In certain embodiments, each bale arm 200 may weigh approximately 0.5 pounds. However, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the weight of bale arm 200 may be varied or selected based on one or more factors, such as the size of the tote 100 or the size, weight, shape, or type of retail items to be stored in tote 100. In certain embodiments, bale arm 200 may be comprised of ¼ inch pre-galvanized steel wire. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, in other embodiments, other sizes, gauges, or material of wire may be appropriate. For example, in certain embodiments, bale arm 200 may be comprised of aluminum, stainless steel, or any metal or plastic. In certain embodiments, other materials and gauges that provide sufficient durability and strength to hold the weight of a tote 100 may be used.
Bale arm 200 may be comprised of a swing bar 210, a first end 220, and a second end 230. Swing bar 210 may be substantially horizontal and may be the primary portion of bale arm 200 used to support a tote 100 stacked on top of swing bar 210, as discussed in more detail with respect to FIG. 3. Swing bar 210 may comprise a base portion 211 and inclined portions 212. Inclined portions 212 of swing bar 210 may comprise arcuate portions 214 between swing bar 210 and first end 220 and swing bar 210 and second end 230, respectively. In certain embodiments, arcuate portions 214 may provide for an angle θ₂of approximately 92 degrees between base portion 211 and inclined portions 212, as well as between swing bar 210 and first end 220 and between swing bar 210 and second end 230. Thus, in certain embodiments, inclined portions 212 may be substantially vertical and substantially perpendicular to base portion 211. In certain embodiments, the length L₁of the bale arm 200 may be approximately 15 inches. In certain embodiments, the length L₂of swing bar 210, including base portion 211 and inclined portions 212, may be approximately 12 inches. In certain embodiments, the length L₃of base portion 211 of swing bar 210 may be approximately 11 inches. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, in certain embodiments, lengths L₁, L₂, and L₃may be varied based one or more factors, for example the width W_tof the tote 100.
Swing bar 210 and first end 220, and separately, swing bar 210 and second end 230, may together each comprise a “U-shape” such that swing bar 210 and first end 220 and swing bar 210 and second end 230 each straddle a side wall 125 of tote 100. First end 220 may comprise an upper bar 221 and one or more side portions 222. Second end 230 may similarly comprise an upper bar 231 and one or more side portions 232. In certain embodiments, the length of upper bar 221 of first end 220 and upper bar 231 of second end 230 may be varied or selected based on the thickness of side panel 125. In other embodiments, the length of upper bar 221 of first end 220 and upper bar 231 of second end 230 may be selected such that there is a gap or space between first end 220 and second end 230 and side panel 125, respectively, so that an employee may hold or pick up the tote 100 using the first end 220 and 230. In certain embodiments, the length of upper bar 221 of first end 220 and upper bar 231 of second end 230 may be approximately 0.35 inches.
Second end 230 may further comprise an arcuate portion 234 between upper bar 231 and a side portion 232. In certain embodiments, arcuate portion 234 may provide for a substantially perpendicular angle between upper bar 231 and side portion 232, such that side portion 232 of second end 230 is substantially parallel to side panel 125 of tote 100. First end 220 may further comprise an arcuate portion 224 between upper bar 221 and side portion 222. In certain embodiments, arcuate portion 224 may provide for an angle θ₁of approximately 105 degrees between upper bar 221 and side portion 222, such that side portion 222 of first end 220 is angled away from the side panel 125 of tote 100. In certain embodiments, side portion 222 of first end 220 may form an obtuse angle with the upper bar 221. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the angles of arcuate portions 224 and 234 may be varied according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2B is a side view of first end 220 of bale arm 200 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, first end 220 may be a narrower end of bale arm 200 compared to second end 230. As discussed with respect to FIG. 2A, first end 220 may comprise one or more side portions 222, for example, side portions 222 a and 222 b. One or more side portions 222 may each further comprise an angled portion 226 and vertical portion 227. Angled portions 226 of side portion 222 may be form an obtuse angle θ₃of approximately 145 degrees from vertical portions 227 of side portion 222. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill, angle θ₃may be varied based on one or more factors in keeping with aspects of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, first end 220 may comprise a first side portion 222 a and a second side portion 222 b. First side portion 222 a may comprise a first angled portion 226 a and a first vertical portion 227 a. Second side portion 222 b may comprise a second angled portion 226 b and a second vertical portion 227 b. In certain embodiments, first angled portion 226 a and second angled portion 226 b may be different lengths such that angled portion 226 a is longer than angled portion 226 b. In certain embodiments, first vertical portion 227 a and second vertical portion 227 b may be different lengths such that second vertical portion 227 b is longer than first vertical portion 227. For example, in certain embodiments, first angled portion 226 a may be approximately 1.2 inches and first vertical portion 227 a may be 0.8 inches, and in certain embodiments, second angled portion 227 a may be approximately 0.8 inches and second vertical portion 227 b may be approximately 1.2 inches.
First end 220 may further comprise a bottom bar 225 disposed substantially horizontally in between side portions 222, and more specifically, between vertical portions 227 of side portions 222. Bottom bar may be coupled to vertical portions 227 via arcuate portions 228. Similar to arcuate portions 214 of swing bar 210, arcuate portions 228 may provide substantially perpendicular angles between vertical portions 227 and bottom bar 225, such that bottom bar 225 and upper bar 221 are substantially parallel. In certain embodiments, the length L₄of first end 220 may be approximately 2.8 inches, and the length L₅of bottom bar 225 of first end 220 may be approximately 1.8 inches.
FIG. 2C is a side view of second end 230 of bale arm 200 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, second end 230 may be a wider end of bale arm 200 compared to first end 220. As discussed with respect to FIG. 2A, second end 230 may comprise one or more side portions 232. In certain embodiments, second end 230 may comprise a first side portion 232 a and a second side portion 232 b. second end 230 may further comprise a bottom bar 235 disposed substantially horizontally in between side portions 232. Side portions 232 may be substantially vertical such that bottom bar 235 is substantially perpendicular to side portions 232. Bottom bar 235 may be coupled to side portions 232 via arcuate portions 238. Similar to arcuate portions 228, arcuate portions 238 may provide substantially perpendicular angles between side portions 232 and bottom bar 235. In certain embodiments, the length L₆of second end 230 may be approximately 4.25 inches, and the length L₇of bottom bar 235 of second end 230 may be approximately 3.25 inches.
Thus, in certain embodiments, second end 230 may be a wide end a first end 220 may be a narrow end, such that the second end 230 is wider than the first end 220. Furthermore, because first end 220 may be angled 105 degrees away from swing bar 210, a first end 220 may be configured to interlock with a second end 230, as described in more detail with respect to FIG. 3.
FIG. 2D is a rear view of bale arm 200 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. From the rear view, swing bar 210 of bale arm 200 may be partially or substantially below the top of rear panel 130 of tote 100, such that swing bar 210 is not visible. Thus, in certain embodiments, only first end 220 and second end 230 of bale arm 200 may be visible from the rear view. As depicted in FIG. 2D, first end 220 may comprise a top bar 221 and a side bar 222. First end 220 may further comprise an arcuate portion 224 providing a substantially perpendicular angle between top bar 221 and side bar 222. In certain embodiments, side bar 222 may be approximately 1.2 inches and top bar 221 may be approximately 2 inches. Similarly, second end 230 may comprise a top bar 231 and a side bar 232. Second end 230 may further comprise an arcuate portion 234 for providing a substantially perpendicular angle between top bar 231 and side bar 232. In certain embodiments, the visible portions of second end 230 and first end 220 may be roughly equal. For example, in certain embodiments, side bar 232 may be approximately 1.2 inches and top bar 231 may be approximately 2 inches.
In certain embodiments, the unformed wire length of bale arm 200 may be approximately 35 inches and may weigh approximately 0.5 pounds. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the weight and overall wire length of bale arm 200 may be varied according to the needs of the tote 100.
FIG. 3A depicts a side-by-side tote configuration with pre-interlocking bale arms in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, a first tote 100 a may be placed or disposed substantially adjacent to and aligned with a second tote 100 b. In certain embodiments, a first tote 100 a and a second tote 100 b may be positioned such that a first bale arm 200 a of first tote 100 a is substantially aligned with a first bale arm 200 a of a second tote 100 b, and a second bale arm 200 b of first tote 100 a is substantially aligned with second bale arm 200 b of second tote 100 b. More specifically, the first end 220 of first bale arm 200 a of the first tote 100 a is substantially aligned with the second end 230 of first bale arm 200 a of the second tote 100 b. Further, the second end 230 of second bale arm 200 b of first tote 100 a is substantially aligned with the first end 220 of second bale arm 200 b of second tote 100 b.
FIG. 3B depicts a side-by-side tote configuration with interlocking bale arms in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, as shown in FIG. 3B, a first tote 100 a may be placed or disposed sufficiently close to a second tote 100 b such that the first end 220 of first bale arm 200 a of the first tote 100 a overlaps and interlocks with the second end 230 of first bale arm 200 a of the second tote 100 b. More specifically, for example, the first end 220 of first bale arm 200 a of first tote 100 a may be threaded through the second end 230 of first bale arm 200 a of second tote 100 b, such that at least a portion of first end 220 of first bale arm 200 a of first tote 100 a is positioned in between side panel 125 a of second tote 100 b and at least a portion of second end 230 of first bale arm 200 a of second tote 100 b. Similarly, in the interlocked position, at least a portion of second end 230 of first bale arm 100 a of second tote 100 b may be positioned between side panel 125 b of first tote 100 a and at least a portion of first end 220 of first bale arm 200 a of first tote 100 a.
In a similar manner, as shown in FIG. 3B, the second end 230 of second bale arm 200 b of first tote 100 a may overlap and interlock with the first end 220 of second bale arm 200 b of second tote 100 b. More specifically, for example, the first end 220 of second bale arm 200 b of second tote 100 b may be threaded through the second end 230 of second bale arm 200 b of first tote 100 a, such that at least a portion of first end 220 of second bale arm 200 b of second tote 100 b is positioned between side panel 125 b of first tote 100 a and at least a portion of second end 230 of second bale arm 200 b of first tote 100 a. Similarly, in the interlocked position, at least a portion of second end 230 of second bale arm 200 b of first tote 100 a may be positioned between side panel 125 a of second tote 100 b and at least a portion of first end 220 of second bale arm 200 b of second tote 100 b. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the interlocking of bale arms 200 between one or more totes 100 may be implemented in other ways, in keeping with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 4 depicts a stacked tote configuration 400 of one or more totes 100, for example, a first tote 100 a stacked on top of a second tote 100 b, in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. First tote 100 a may be stacked on second tote 100 b by placing the bottom panel 120 of tote 100 a on bale arms 200 of the tote 100 b directly below it. First tote 100 a may be stacked on second tote 100 b such that the bottom panel 120 of tote 100 a fits on the swing bars 210 (not visible) of bale arms 200 of second tote 100 b and fits snugly within the side panels 125, front panel 135, and rear panel 130 of second tote 100 b. The stacked configuration 400 may provide for increased stability of both totes 100 a and 100 b.
In general, the stacked configuration 400 of one or more totes 100 may provide for increased stability of the one or more totes 100, for example, in a tote system 500 as described below with respect to FIG. 5. For example, in a busy warehouse or other retail staging area for fulfilment of pick-up orders, a tote 100 may be knocked over inadvertently by an employee or by a machine, causing delays in the fulfillment of retail orders. The stackable nature of the one or more totes 100 may reduce the likelihood that a tote will be knocked over or displaced, thus, improving the efficiency of fulfilling retail pick-up orders. Additionally, the stackable nature of one or more totes 100 may reduce the footprint required for the staging and storage of goods in a warehouse or staging area for retail fulfillment of pick-up orders. With the increased popularity of curbside pick-up and other types of customer pick-up orders, space in staging areas can be at a premium. The stackable nature of one or more totes 100 may allow for efficient use of floor space in a staging area, allowing for more orders to be processed and prepared in a shorter amount of time.
FIG. 5 depicts a tote system 500 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, tote system 500 may comprise one or more totes 100, for example, totes 100 a, 100 b, 100 c, 100 d, 100 e, 100 f, 100 g, 100 h, 100 i, 100 j, 100 k, 1001, 100 m, 100 n, 100 o, 100 p, 100 q, and 100 r. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any number of totes 100, for example, totes 100 a, 100 b, 100 c, . . . 100 z, may be used in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, tote system 500 may comprise 18 totes 100 in a 6×3 configuration as depicted in FIG. 5. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, tote system 500 may comprise three columns 510 each comprising six stacked totes 100. However, in certain embodiments, other tote configurations may be appropriate. For example, a tote system 500 may comprise 4 totes in a 2×2 configuration, 12 totes in a 3×4 configuration, or 25 totes in a 5×5 configuration. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any number of suitable configurations may be selected based on a variety of factors, for example, the number of retail orders and the number of totes needed per retail order.
Each tote 100 may be stacked on one another by placing the bottom panel 120 of each tote 100 on bale arms 200 of the tote 100 directly below it, as described above with respect to FIG. 4. For example, tote 100 a may be stacked on tote 100 b by placing the bottom panel 120 of tote 100 a on the swing bars 210 of bale arms 200 of tote 100 b. Totes 100, for example, totes 100 a, 100 b, 100 c, 100 d, 100 e, and 100 f, may be stacked on top of one another such that there are, for example, six totes 100 stacked in a single column 310, of totes 100, for example in a first column 510 a. Furthermore, as depicted in FIG. 3, totes 100 g, 100 h, 100 i, 100 j, 100 k, and 1001 may be stacked on top of one another in a second column 510 b, and totes 100 m, 100 n, 100 o, 100 p, 100 q, and 100 r may be stacked on top of one another in a third column 510 c.
In certain embodiments, three columns 510 may be placed side-by-side with an equal number of totes 100 in each column 510. For example, columns 510 a, 510 b, and 510 c each comprising six totes 100 may be placed side-by-side. In certain embodiments, columns 510 a, 510 b, and 510 c may be placed sufficiently close to each other that totes 100 may interlock one or more adjacent totes 100. For example, first column 510 a and second column 510 b may be positioned sufficiently close together so that the totes 100 a, 100 b, 100 c, 100 d, 100 e, and 100 f of first column 510 a are substantially aligned with totes 100 g, 100 h, 100 i, 100 j, 100 k, and 1001 of second column 510 b. Furthermore, each tote 100 of column 510 a may interlock with each corresponding tote 100 of column 510 b. For example, tote 100 a may interlock with tote 100 g by way of first end 220 of tote 101 g overlapped or interlocked with second end 230 of tote 101 a, as shown more clearly in FIGS. 3A and 3B. Thus, any movement or displacement of tote 100 a may be suppressed by the interlocking arms of tote 100 g. Similarly, movement of any totes 100 in first column 510 a may be suppressed by the interlocking arms of the corresponding totes in second column 510 b. The interlocking configuration of totes 100 in column 510 a with totes 100 in column 510 b may provide for increased stability of the tote system 500.
Similarly, a third column 510 c may be positioned and aligned with second column 510 b (and thus, also aligned with first column 510 a) such that totes 100 m, 100 n, 100 o, 100 p, 100 q, and 100 r of third column 510 c are substantially aligned totes 101 g, 100 h, 100 i, 100 j, 100 k, and 1001 of second column 510 b. Furthermore, each tote 100 of third column 510 c may also interlock with each corresponding and adjacent tote 100 of second column 510 b. For example, tote 100 m may interlock with 100 g by way of second end 230 of tote 100 m overlapped with first end 220 of tote 101 g, as shown more clearly in FIGS. 3A and 3B. Thus, any movement or displacement of tote 100 g may be suppressed by the interlocking arms of tote 100 m. Similarly, movement of any totes 100 in column 510 b may be suppressed by the interlocking arms of the corresponding totes in column 510 c. The interlocking configuration of totes 100 in column 510 a with totes 100 in column 510 b may provide for increased stability of the tote system 500.
The stackable and modular nature of one or more totes 100 may allow retail orders to be organized more efficiently and grouped together for faster retrieval. For example, one or more retail orders may be stored in one or more totes 100. The one or more totes 100 corresponding to a given retail order may be grouped in the same stack, for example, column 510 a. Thus, an operator may be able to quickly identify the retail items for a given order based on the grouping of totes 100. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, a different grouping of totes 100 may correspond to a given retail order, for example, a row of totes 100. For example, based on one or more factors such as the size or number of items in a retail order, totes 100 a, 100 g, and 100 m may correspond to a retail order. In certain embodiments, the entire tote system 500 may correspond to a retail order.
As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any number of tote systems 500 may be used in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. For example, a warehouse or retail order fulfillment area may comprise 1, 5, 10, 20, or 50 tote systems 500. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, one or more tote systems 500 may each be placed on a pallet 550 for easy of transport such that an operator may be able to move the one or more tote systems 500 efficiently using a fork lift or other machinery. In certain embodiments, one or more tote systems 500 may fit on a single pallet 550. In certain embodiments, a pallet 550 may be 40″ wide by 48″ long. In certain embodiments, pallet 550 may allow two tote systems 500 or 36 totes 100 to fit thereon (not shown). The stackable and modular nature of totes 100 may provide flexibility in both the number of totes 100 in a given tote system 500, as well as the number of totes 100 on a pallet 550.
FIG. 6 depicts a side-by-side tote configuration 600 with interlocking bale arms in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. Similar to FIG. 3B, totes 100 a and 100 b may be placed or disposed sufficiently close together such that the first end 220 of bale arm 200 of a first tote 100 a overlaps and interlocks with second end 230 of bale arm 200 of the second tote 100 b. However, in certain embodiments, bale arms 200 of both totes 100 may be rotated such that each bale arm 200 is substantially in front of and to the rear of tote 100, rather than across the top of tote 100. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, a first bale arm 200 a may be rotated (e.g., 90 degrees) such that the first bale arm 200 a sits across front panel 135 of tote 100, and a second bale arm 200 b may be rotated such that the second bale arm 200 b sits across rear panel 130 of tote 100 (shown more clearly in FIG. 7). As described below in more detail with respect to FIG. 7, rotation of the bale arms 200 may allow for a “nested” configuration when retail goods are not being stored or held in the totes 100.
FIG. 7 depicts a nested configuration 700 of one or more totes 100, for example, totes 100 a, 100 b, 100 c, 100 d, and 100 e, in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, a “nested” configuration may be useful when the totes 100 are empty or otherwise not being used for storing or staging retail items for pickup. For example, a nested configuration of one or more totes 100 may be used when there is a surplus of totes 100 needed for fulfilling retail orders at a given time. Storing one or more totes 100 in a nested configuration may retain valuable space in a warehouse, staging area, or other retail space.
As described above, the trapezoidal shape of totes 100 may in certain embodiments, allow a first tote 100 a to be nestable in a second tote 100 b, such that the bottom panel 120 of the first tote 100 a sits within the second tote 100 b. One or more totes 100 may be nested within one another in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, 100 a may be nested in tote 100 b, tote 100 b may be nested in 100 c, tote 100 c may be nested in 100 d, and tote 100 d may be nested in 100 e. In certain embodiments, the distance between bottom panels 120 of respective totes 100 may be approximately 5 inches or less in a nested configuration. However, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the distance between totes may vary based on the size and dimensions of totes 100. The number of nestable totes 100 may vary based on one or more factors, for example, the amount of available space in a retail fulfillment area, the number of retail orders needed to be fulfilled, the number of retail items needed to be staged, etc. In certain embodiments, any number of nested totes may be appropriate, for example, 5, 10, 15, or 20 totes 100 may be nested. In certain embodiments, the nestable totes 100 may be placed on a pallet 550 (not shown) for easy transport by a fork lift or other machinery.
FIG. 8 depicts a tote 800 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. Similar to tote 100, tote 800 may comprise a plastic material, such as any type of plastic listed above. In certain embodiments, tote 800 may comprise a molded plastic. In certain embodiments, molded plastic may be preferable to corrugated plastic because molded plastic may be easier to clean, due to the flat surface of molded plastic. Tote 800 may have similar dimensions to tote 100, and may comprise a substantially trapezoidal shape. For example, as shown more clearly in FIG. 8C, in certain embodiments, tote 800 may have a length L_talong the top edge of the tote 800 of approximately 14 inches and a length L_balong a bottom edge of the tote 800 may be approximately 11 inches. Further, as shown more clearly in FIG. 8B, tote 800 may have a width W_talong a top edge of the tote 800 of approximately 23 inches and a width W_balong a bottom edge of the tote 800 of approximately 20 inches. Tote 800 may have a height H of approximately 11 inches and a bottom thickness T of approximately 1 inch. As discussed above, any one or more of these dimensions may be varied or selected based on one or more factors, for example, the size, weight, shape, or type of retail goods to be stored, in keeping with aspects of the present disclosure.
As shown in FIG. 8A, similar to tote 100, tote 800 may comprise a bottom panel 820, side panels 825 a and 825 b, rear panel 830, and front panel 835, which may substantially comprise and opening or window 837 for inserting and removing goods from tote 800. In certain embodiments, tote 800 may comprise one or more hand holds 840, each aligned along the top edge of side panels 825. In certain embodiments, hand holds 840 may be replaced by other handle designs, for example, a handle that that protrudes from the side panels 825 (not shown), rather than an opening like the hand holds 840 shown in FIG. 8A. For example, handles of tote 800 may comprise one or more surfaces, edges, or additional material, e.g., corrugated plastic, protruding from the side panels 825 (not shown). The bottom edge of the handles may be straight, curved, or rounded for ease of handling (not shown). As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, as discussed above with regard to tote 100, various types of handle designs may be used with tote 800 and may be selected based on one or more factors, for example, ergonomic considerations when lifting heavy totes or storage space requirements of various handle options.
As shown in FIG. 8A, tote 800 may further comprise a lid 850. Lid 850 may comprise a first lid panel 851 a and a second lid panel 851 b. In certain embodiments, lid panels 851 may comprise one or more key connectors 855 for facilitating the coupling of lid panels 851 to one another, for example, first lid panel 851 a to second lid panel 851 b. In certain embodiments, first lid panel 851 a may comprise key connectors 855 and second panel 851 b may comprise key openings 855 b. Key connectors 855 may couple to key slots 856 to attach first lid panel 851 a to second lid panel 851 b. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, key connectors 855 and key slots 856 may have other shapes or structures, e.g., circular or elliptical shapes rather than rectangular, such that key connectors 855 and key slots 856 couple to one another. In certain embodiments, lid 850 may only comprise a single lid panel 851 and may not comprise any key connectors 855 or key slots 856 (not shown). In certain embodiments, lid 850 may be attached or coupled to tote 800 via one or more hinges 852. For example, one or more hinges 852 may be aligned across a top edge of side panels 825 for coupling the lid 850 or lid panels 851 to the tote 800. In certain embodiments, lid 850 may be configured in an open or closed position. For example, lid 850 may be in a closed position when it is desirable to stack one or more totes 800 on top of one another, for example, like shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Lid 850 may be in an open position when it is desirable to nest one or more totes 800 in one another, for example, like shown in FIG. 7.
In certain embodiments, lid 850 may further comprise one or more openings 857. Openings 857 may correspond to and align with one or more protrusions 827 on side panels 825 when lid 850 is moved to an open position, such that lid 850 may couple to or attach to side panels 825. In an open position, openings 857 and protrusion 827 may secure lid 850 to one or more side panels 825 such that lid 850 is not displaced or otherwise obstructive to an operator when the tote 800 is in transport. Additionally, openings 857 and protrusions 827 may keep lid 850 from fanning out while one or more totes 800 are in a nested configuration (not shown), i.e., so that the lid 850 does not become an obstruction when nesting the totes 800 within one another. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, openings 857 on lid 850 and protrusions 827 on side panel 825 may take other shapes, for example, circular, oval, or rectangular (not shown) such that lid 850 may be coupled to and secured against side panel 825. Additionally, protrusion 827 may serve as a “nest stop” such that a tote 800 is prevented from sliding all the way within another tote 800. For example, in a nested configuration, the bottom edges of protrusion 827 of a first tote 800 may come into contact with the top edge of side panel 825 of a second tote 800 such that the first tote 800 cannot nest any further into the second tote 800 (not shown).
Lid 850 may further comprise one or more key connectors 860 as shown in FIG. 8A, for example key connectors 860 a and 860 b. In certain embodiments, key connectors 857 may be structurally similarly to key connectors 855 of lid 850. Rather than couple to key slots 856 of lid 850, however, key connectors 857 may be used to couple to one or more key slots 856 of bottom panel 820, as shown more clearly in FIG. 8D. Coupling one or more key connectors 855 on lid 850 to one or more key slots 856 on bottom panel 820 may provide increased stability and structural support when one or more totes 800 are in a stacked configuration (not shown). In certain embodiments, four key connectors 855 may be located near the corners of lid 850, and four key slots 856 may be located near the corners of bottom panel 820 (not shown). However, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any number of key connectors 855 and key slots 856 may be used and in a variety of configurations to stack one or more totes 800 on top of one another while providing the desired structural stability. Bottom panel 820 may further comprise one or more grooves 880 on the bottom surface of bottom panel 820 to provide improved friction along bottom panel 820. For example, in certain embodiments, tote 800 may be placed on a moving conveyor (not shown) for transporting tote 800 to or from a location, e.g., a fulfillment center.
Tote 800 may further comprise a bale arm 875. In certain embodiments, tote 800 may comprise two or more bale arms 875 (not shown). In certain embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8A, it may only be necessary to have a single bale arm 875 because lid 850 may be positioned on top of bale arm 875 and rear panel 830 in a closed position. Bale arm 875 may be partially enclosed within the body of tote 800. For example, the ends of bale arm 875 may be molded within the plastic of the tote 800. In certain embodiments, bale arm 875 may be positioned adjacent to or aligned against front panel 835 without any gap such that bale arm 875 does not obstruct another tote 800 from being nested within the tote 800 when the lid 850 is in an open position (not shown).
FIG. 9 depicts a tote 900 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. Similar to totes 100 and 800 as discussed above, tote 900 may comprise a plastic material, such as corrugated plastic, or for example, other types of plastic listed above. Tote 900 may similarly comprise a substantially trapezoidal shape and may have similar dimensions to totes 100 and 800. For example, as shown more clearly in FIG. 9C, in certain embodiments, tote 900 may have a length L_talong the top edge of the tote 900 of approximately 23 inches and a length L_balong a bottom edge of the tote 900 may be approximately 21 inches. Further, as shown more clearly in FIG. 9B, tote 900 may have a width W_talong a top edge of the tote 900 of approximately 14 inches and a width W_balong a bottom edge of the tote 900 of approximately 11 inches. Tote 800 may have a height H of approximately 12 inches and a bottom thickness T of approximately 1 inch. As discussed above, any one or more of these dimensions may be varied or selected based on one or more factors, for example, the size, weight, shape, or type of retail goods to be stored, in keeping with aspects of the present disclosure.
As shown in FIG. 9A, similar to totes 100 and 800, tote 900 may comprise a bottom panel 920, side panels 925 a and 925 b, rear panel 930, and front panel 935, which may substantially comprise and opening or window 937 for inserting and removing goods from tote 900. In certain embodiments, tote 900 may comprise one or more hand holds 940, each aligned along the top edge of side panels 925. In certain embodiments, hand holds 940 may be replaced by other handle designs, for example, a handle that that protrudes from the side panels 925 (not shown), rather than an opening like the hand holds 940 shown in FIG. 9A. For example, handles of tote 900 may comprise one or more surfaces, edges, or additional material, e.g., corrugated plastic, protruding from the side panels 925 (not shown). The bottom edge of the handles may be straight, curved, or rounded for ease of handling (not shown).
Tote 900 may further comprise one or more bale arms 975, for example, bale arms 975 a and 975 b. In certain embodiments, bale arms 975 may be molded within the molded plastic of tote 900 such that it is secured to and part of the tote 900. Similar to bale arms 200 discussed above with respect to tote 100, bale arms 975 of tote 900 may swivel or rotate between a first position and a second position. In certain embodiments, bale arms 975 in a first position may represent a stackable position, such that another tote 900 may be placed or stacked on top of bale arms 975. Tote 900 may further comprise one or more slots 927, for example, slots 927 a, 927 b, 927 c, and 927 d, along a top edge of side panels 925 to receive bale arms 975 in a stackable position. In certain embodiments, bale arms 975 in a second position may represent a nestable position, such that the bale arms 975 do not obstruct another tote 900 to be nested within another tote 900.
One or more totes 900 may be positioned in a stacked configuration, similar to totes 100 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. However, bale arms 975 of tote 900 may not have the interlocking feature, as shown most clearly in FIGS. 3 and 5, as tote 100. The lack of interlocking bale arms 975 in a stacked configuration may provide time gains when re-positioning or retrieving down-stacked totes for fulfillment. In certain embodiments, bale arms 975 may be used with tote 100 and bale arms 200 may be used with tote 900. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, when selecting the more appropriate bale arm 200 or 975, the benefits of the improved structural stability provided by the interlocking feature of bale arm 200 should be weighed against the benefits of efficiency in positioning and re-positioning totes 100 or 900 with bale arms 975 that do not have an interlocking feature.
FIG. 9D shows tote 900 with second bale arm 975 b in a nestable position. In a nestable position, bale arm 975 may be coupled to one or more latches 980, for example latch 980 a and 980 b. In certain embodiments, latches 980 may be molded as part of the molded plastic of tote 900. In other embodiments, latches 980 may be coupled to rear panel 930, for example, via an adhesive. Latches 980 may secure one or more bale arms, for example, bale arm 975 b against the rear panel 930 of tote 900 such that bale arm 975 b does not fan out or otherwise obstruct another tote 900 (not shown) from being nested within the tote 900. In certain embodiments, in a nestable position of tote 900, first bale arm 975 a may be positioned on top of and flush with front panel 935 (not shown) such that bale arm 975 a does not fan out when nested or obstruct another tote 900 (not shown) from being nested within the tote 900.
In certain embodiments, tote 900 may further comprise one or more nest stops 955, for example, nest stops 955 a and 955 c shown in FIG. 9A. In certain embodiments, nest stops 955 may be molded as part of the molded plastic of tote 900. In other embodiments, nest stops 955 may be coupled to the tote 900, for example, via an adhesive. One or more nest stops 955 may prevent a tote 900 from sliding all the way within another tote 900 in a nested configuration (not shown). For example, in a nested configuration, the bottom edges of nest stops 955 of a first tote 900 may come into contact with the top edge of side panel 925 of a second tote 900 such that the first tote 900 cannot nest any further into the second tote 900 (not shown). Additionally, the bottom edges of latches 980 may also serve as nest stops in a similar manner.
Therefore, the present disclosure is well adapted to attain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those that are inherent therein. The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the present disclosure may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular illustrative embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. While compositions and methods are described in terms of “comprising,” “containing,” or “including” various components or steps, the compositions and methods can also “consist essentially of” or “consist of” the various components and steps. All numbers and ranges disclosed above may vary by some amount. Whenever a numerical range with a lower limit and an upper limit is disclosed, any number and any included range falling within the range is specifically disclosed. In particular, every range of values (of the form, “from about a to about b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a to b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a-b”) disclosed herein is to be understood to set forth every number and range encompassed within the broader range of values. Also, the terms in the claims have their plain, ordinary meaning unless otherwise explicitly and clearly defined by the patentee. Moreover, the indefinite articles “a” or “an,” as used in the claims, are defined herein to mean one or more than one of the element that it introduces. If there is any conflict in the usages of a word or term in this specification and one or more patent or other documents that may be incorporated herein by reference, the definitions that are consistent with this specification should be adopted.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A tote, comprising:

a bottom panel for supporting one or more retail items;

a rear panel and a front panel, wherein the front panel comprises an opening for accessing the one or more retail items of the tote;

a first and a second side panel; and

one or more bale arms positioned across a top of the tote, wherein the one or more bale arms extend from the first side panel to the second side panel, such that the one or more bale arms are operable to support another tote stacked on top of the tote.

2. The tote of claim 1, wherein the first side panel and the second side panel each comprise one or more slots along a top edge of the first and second side panels.

3. The tote of claim 2, wherein the one or more bale arms are rotatable from a first position to a second position, wherein in the first position, the one or more bale arms are positioned in the one or more slots.

4. The tote of claim 3, wherein in the second position, the one or more bale arms are not positioned across the top of the tote.

5. The tote of claim 1, wherein the tote further comprises a nest stop positioned on a at least one of a side panel and a rear panel of the tote.

6. The tote of claim 1, wherein the tote further comprises a lid.

7. The tote of claim 6, wherein the lid comprises a first lid panel and a second lid panel, and wherein the first lid panel may be coupled to the second lid panel via one or more connectors.

8. The tote of claim 7, wherein the lid may be positioned in an open position and a closed position, and wherein in a closed position, the first and second lid panels are supported by at least one bale arm and the rear panel.

9. The tote of claim 6, wherein the lid comprises a key connector.

10. The tote of claim 9, wherein the bottom panel comprises a key slot.

11. The tote of claim 6, wherein the lid comprises an opening and at least one of the first and second side panels comprises a protrusion for coupling to the opening of the lid.

12. The tote of claim 1, wherein the one or more bale arms are rotatable between a first position and a second position, and wherein the first position allows another tote to be stacked on top of the tote, and wherein the second position allows another tote to be nested within the tote.

13. The tote of claim 1, further comprising a latch coupled to the rear panel, wherein the latch is operable to secure at least one bale arm against the rear panel.

14. A tote system, comprising:

two or more totes, wherein each of the two or more totes comprises one or more bale arms and a front panel comprising an opening for accessing one or more retail items;

wherein the one or more bale arms are rotatable between a first position and a second position;

wherein the two or more totes comprise a first tote and a second tote, and wherein the second tote is stacked on top of the one or more bale arms of the first tote when the one or more bale arms of the first tote are in a first position.

15. The tote system of claim 14, further comprising:

a third tote stacked on top of the one or more bale arms of the second tote when the one or more bale arms of the second tote are in a first position.

16. The tote system of claim 14, further comprising a pallet, wherein the two or more totes are positioned on the pallet.

17. A method of facilitating retail pick-up orders, comprising:

stacking two or more totes in a first column of totes via one or more bale arms of the two or more totes, wherein each of the two or more totes in the first column has an opening such that an operator may place retail items in each of the two or more totes while the two or more totes are stacked, and wherein the one or more bale arms are rotatable between a first position and a second position; and

placing retail items in at least one of the two or more totes corresponding to one or more retail orders for fulfillment.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

removing one or more retail items from at least one of the two or more totes via the opening, wherein the one or more retail items correspond to one or more retail orders for customer pick-up.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

removing one or more retail items from the at least one of the two or more totes such that the at least one of the two or more totes is an empty tote;

rotating the one or more bale arms of the empty tote from a first position to a second position; and

nesting the empty tote in another empty tote.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

stacking two or more totes in a second column of totes via one or more bale arms of the two or more totes; and

positioning a second column of two or more totes adjacent to the first column of two or more totes.