WO2006026783A1

WO2006026783A1 - Nestable crate for containers

Info

Publication number: WO2006026783A1
Application number: PCT/US2005/031679
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael P. Wong; William P. Apps; Sean T. Ogburn
Original assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
Priority date: 2004-09-01
Filing date: 2005-09-01
Publication date: 2006-03-09

Abstract

A nestable bottle crate includes a floor (12) and a wall (20) extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the floor. At least one protrusion, such as a lip (70), extends outwardly from an upper edge of the wall. A plurality of gussets (84) extend between the wall and the at least one protrusion. Each gusset includes an angled outer edge. In use, if the lip of the crate rides up over a lip of an adjacent crate, the angled gusset edge abuts the top of the lip of the adjacent crate. The weight of the crate and its contents forces the crate downward, while the angled surface of the gusset urges the crate to slide away from the adjacent crate, until the crate is on the floor and the lip is no longer resting on the lip of the adjacent crate.

Description

NESTABLE CRATE FOR CONTAINERS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a nestable crate for transporting and storing containers, particularly bottles.

Bottles, particularly those used to contain soft drinks and other beverages, are often transported and stored in crates having a bottom surrounded by four sidewalls. These crates generally are configured to be stacked on top of each other both when empty and when loaded with bottles. When the crates are loaded with bottles, the floor of one crate rests on the bottles of the crate stacked below it.

One known crate includes lip extending outwardly from the periphery of an upper edge of the crate walls. Occasionally, when several crates are stored next to one another, such as in one layer on a stack of crates, the lip of one crate will ride up over the lip of an adjacent crate. The lower edge of the lip of the upper crate will remain stuck on top of the upper edge of the lip of the lower crate, thus creating an uneven surface for stacking the next layer of crates. This is known as "shingling."

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A crate according to the present invention reduces the occurrence of shingling. A nestable bottle crate includes a floor and a wall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the floor. At least one protrusion, such as a lip, extends outwardly from an upper edge of the wall. At least one gusset extends between the wall and the at least one protrusion. In the embodiment shown, the at least one gusset includes a plurality of gussets each having an angled outer edge. In use, if the lip of the crate rides up over a lip of an adjacent crate, the angled gusset outer edge abuts the top of the lip of the adjacent crate. The weight of the crate and its contents forces the crate downward, while the angled surface of the gusset urges the crate to slide away from the adjacent crate, until the crate is on the floor and the lip is no longer resting on the lip of the adjacent crate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages of the present invention can be understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a nestable bottle crate according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a sidewall of the crate of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing a portion of crate of Figure 1 adjacent a portion of a similar crate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A nestable bottle crate 10 according to the present invention is shown in Figure 1. The crate 10 includes a floor 12 up from which extends a wall structure that includes an upper band portion 14 supported above the floor 12 by a plurality of columns 16 and four corner columns 18. The upper band portion 14, columns 16 and corner columns 18 form a pair of side walls 20 and a pair of end walls 22. The columns 16 and the corner columns 18 form a lower wall portion.

Each of the columns 16 includes a pair of concave walls 24 projecting inwardly of the crate 10 to a center surface 26. The inwardly-projecting concave walls 24 of each column 16 are single, solid walls which together form a recess 28 on the exterior side of the column 16. Each corner column 18 is a single, solid wall.

The upper band portion 14 includes alternating first portions 34 and second portions 36. The first portions 34 are each a single, solid wall having an interior concave bottle contact surface 35. The second portions 36 each have an inner wall 40 spaced inwardly from an outer wall 42. The inner wall 40 of each second portion 36 is contoured inwardly to form a nesting projection 50. The nesting projections 50 provide a tighter fit with other crates nested within the crate 10.

The second portions 36 are aligned with the columns 16, which project inwardly farther than the second portions 36 and farther than the nesting projections 50. The corner columns 18 are positioned inwardly of the corners of the upper band portion 14, thus creating corner ledges 62. The corner ledges 62 are parallel to the floor 12 and perpendicular to the upper band portion 14. Alternatively, the corner ledge 62 may be substantially parallel to the floor 12 and substantially perpendicular to the inner wall 40 of the upper band portion 14.

A handle 66 is formed in each end wall 22 to facilitate handling of the crate. An opening 68 is formed below each handle 66 to accept a user's hand while grasping the handle 66.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a lip 70 protrudes outwardly from upper edges of the side walls 20. The lip 70 includes an upper rib 72 and a lower rib 74 connected by a plurality of vertical, spaced ribs 76. Alternating vertical concave and convex walls 78 in the lip 70 provide rigidity and prevent twisting during manufacture or use. To reduce shingling, a plurality of gussets 84 connect outer surfaces of the first portions 34 of the upper band portion 14 to the lower rib 74 of the lip 70. The gussets 84 each have an outer angled edge (or outer surface) extending approximately 30 degrees relative to the outer surface of the first portion 34. Generally, the outer edge of the gusset 84 should angle upwardly and away from the outer surface of the side wall 20 and can be any acute angle relative to vertical (i.e. relative to a plane perpendicular to the floor 12), although less than 45 degrees is preferable, and about 22 degrees is most preferred. The gussets 84 are preferably, but not necessarily, flush with the outer edge of the lip 70 at the upper edge of the gussets 84. The gussets 84 reduce shingling in a manner that will be explained below.

Figure 3 illustrates the anti-shingling feature provided by the gussets 84. Figure 3 is a sectional view through the sidewall 20 of the crate 10 of Figures 1 and 2 and through a sidewall 20a of a similar crate 10a. Parts of crate 10a that correspond to parts on crate 10 are appended with the suffix "a." When the crates 10, 10a are pushed together, the lip 70 of the first crate may ride up over the lip 70a of the second crate 10a. However, the gussets 84 provide an acute angled outer edge contacting the upper rib 72a of the lip 70a of the second crate 10a. The weight of the crate 10 and its contents are sufficient to permit crate 10a to slide down the outer edge of the gusset 84 and away from the second crate 10a, until the crate 10 is on the floor. Thus, even if the crates 10, 10a initially shingle, the gusset 84 permits the crate 10 to return to the floor without user intervention. The crate 10 is preferably integrally molded as a single piece from a plastic material, such as high density polyethylene (HDPE), by an injection molding process, but other materials and processes could also be used. Although the preferred embodiment has been described as being designed for single-serving plastic bottles, other containers could also be accommodated, with appropriate modifications as would be apparent to those in the art, and still be within the scope of the present invention.

While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A nestable bottle crate comprising: a floor having a floor upper surface, the floor upper surface including a plurality of bottle support areas for supporting bottles; a wall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the floor; at least one protrusion extending outwardly from the wall; and at least one gusset extending between the wall and the at least one protrusion.

2. The nestable bottle crate of claim 1 wherein the at least one protrusion is a lip extending outwardly from an upper edge of the wall.

3. The nestable bottle crate of claim 1 wherein the wall is one of a plurality of walls extending upwardly from a periphery of the floor, the protrusion is a lip extending outwardly from upper edges of each of the plurality of walls.

4. The nestable bottle crate of claim 3 wherein the at least one gusset includes at least one gusset between each of the plurality of walls and the lip.

5. The nestable bottle crate of claim 1 wherein the at least one gusset includes an angled outer edge extending upwardly away from an outer surface of the wall.

6. The nestable bottle crate of claim 5 wherein the angled outer edge extends at an acute angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the floor.

7. The nestable bottle crate of claim 6 wherein the wall includes a plurality of columns extending from the floor to an upper band portion, the plurality of columns defining openings therebetween.

8. The nestable bottle crate of claim 7 wherein the upper band portion includes alternating first portions and second portions, the first portions each including an interior bottle contact surface, each of the second portions aligned with one of the columns.

9. The nestable bottle crate of claim 8 wherein the columns project inwardly of the crate farther than the second portions.

10. The nestable bottle crate of claim 9 wherein the second portions each include an inner wall contoured inwardly to form a nesting projection, the nesting projections projecting inwardly of the crate less than the columns.

11. The nestable bottle crate of claim 10 wherein the second portions each include an outer wall spaced outwardly of the inner wall.

12. A nestable bottle crate comprising: a floor having a floor upper surface including a plurality of bottle support areas; a plurality of walls extending upwardly from a periphery of the floor; a lip projecting outwardly from upper edges of the plurality of walls; and at least one angled surface extending upwardly away from an outer surface of each of the plurality of walls below the lip.

13. The nestable bottle crate of claim 12 wherein each at least one angled surface extends upwardly to the lip.

14. The nestable bottle crate of claim 13 wherein each at least one angled surface extends upwardly to an outer edge of the lip.

15. The nestable bottle crate of claim 12 wherein an upper edge of the at least one angled surface is flush with an outer edge of the lip.

16. The nestable bottle crate of claim 15 wherein the at least one angled surface extends at an angle less than 45 degrees relative to a plane perpendicular to the floor.

17. The nestable bottle crate of claim 15 wherein the at least one angled surface extends at an angle about 22 degrees relative to a plane perpendicular to the floor.

18. The nestable bottle crate of claim 12 wherein the plurality of walls are two side walls, the crate further including two end walls.

19. A nestable bottle crate comprising: a floor having a floor upper surface including a plurality of bottle support areas; a pair of opposed side walls extending upwardly from side edges of the floor, each of the side walls having a plurality of columns extending from the floor to an upper band portion; a lip projecting outwardly from each of the upper band portions; and at least one angled surface extending upwardly away from an outer surface of each of the side walls below the lip.

20. The nestable bottle crate of claim 19 wherein an upper edge of the at least one angled surface is flush with an outer edge of the lip.