Patents by Inventor William P. Apps

William P. Apps has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20210206564
    Abstract: A crate includes a base and a plurality of walls including a front wall. The front wall is movable between a retracted, open position and a closed position. In some embodiments, the front wall includes a frame, a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is hingeably connected to the frame and the second portion is hingeably connected to the first portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Mauricio D. Cavalcante, John Bobel Zelek, William P. Apps, Ryan C. Meers
  • Patent number: 10988308
    Abstract: A crate includes a base and a plurality of walls including a front wall. The front wall is movable between a retracted, open position and a closed position. In some embodiments, the front wall includes a frame, a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is hingeably connected to the frame and the second portion is hingeably connected to the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
    Inventors: Mauricio D. Cavalcante, John Bobel Zelek, William P. Apps, Ryan C. Meers
  • Publication number: 20210070340
    Abstract: A pallet lift includes a base and a plurality of wheels supporting the base. A pair of contact surfaces are proximate a distal end of the base. A handle projects upward proximate a proximal end of the base. A rear support surface support is on the base between the contact surfaces and the handle. The base may include a pair of spaced apart rails capable of receiving columns of a pallet therebetween. In one embodiment, the base includes a pair of four-bar linkages and the handle is a lift handle configured to selectively collapse and extend the four-bar linkages to raise and lower a pallet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Philip A. King, Jon P. Hassell, William P. Apps
  • Publication number: 20210047074
    Abstract: A pallet includes a deck having an opening therethrough, such that product can be removed through the opening from a box loaded on the deck of a pallet. A plurality of columns support the deck. The box may be supported on the deck over the opening. The bottom wall of the box may be opened though the opening in the deck. The items can then be removed from the box through the opening through the deck without removing the box from the pallet. Optionally, fasteners may secure flaps of the box in corners of the deck of a pallet. According to another feature, a brace having an elongated body portion can be secured to an opening of the pallet, such that the elongated body portion abuts goods that are supported on the deck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Way Joe Lee, William P. Apps, Jon P. Hassell
  • Patent number: 10913573
    Abstract: A container includes a base and a wall secured to the base and movable between an upright position and a collapsed position on the base. The wall including a recess and a pair of pins projecting into the recess. A hinge member is pivotably secured to the pins in the recess in the wall. The hinge member includes a pair of opposed bases connected by a plurality of curved walls. The bases each include an aperture receiving one of the pair of pins in the recess. In one embodiment, the hinge member pivotably secures the wall to the base. In another embodiment, the hinge member pivotably secured the wall to another wall such that the wall can pivot 270 degrees to leave that side of the container completely open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
    Inventors: Travis J. Englert, William P. Apps, Dane Gin Mun Kalinowski
  • Publication number: 20210031977
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a collapsible container includes a base and a plurality of walls including a first wall and an adjacent second wall. The first wall and the second wall each include a U-shaped frame hingeably secured to the base and at least one section pivotably secured to the respective frame to selectively restrict and facilitate access to an interior of the container. A frame latch selectively secures the frame of the first wall to the frame of the second wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: William P. Apps, Jon P. Hassell, Daniel Vincent Sekowski, Travis James Englert
  • Publication number: 20210009304
    Abstract: A beverage crate includes a base having opposed end edges and opposed side edges. A pair of end walls extending upward from the end edges of the base. A pair of side walls extend upward from the side edges of the base. Each of the side walls includes an upper band portion connected to the base by inwardly-offset columns. The upper band portions each include at least one upper peak protruding upwardly and at least one complementary recess aligned below the at least one upper peak. The upper band portions each include at least one lower peak protruding downwardly and at least one complementary recess aligned above the at least one lower peak.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Shelby Frances Apps, Suzanne Whitfield Clark, William P. Apps, Crystal Y. Parra, Jon P. Hassell
  • Publication number: 20200317421
    Abstract: A collapsible container includes a base having a base wall with a plurality of support surfaces separated by a longitudinal drainage channel and a plurality of lateral drainage channels intersecting the longitudinal drainage channel. The drainage channels are lower than the support surfaces. The base wall does not include any openings therethrough, so the drainage channels retain fluid leaking from products or packages in the container. The base may further include a plurality of troughs proximate edges of the base. The plurality of troughs are lower than the drainage channels. Walls are pivotably mounted to the base and are pivotable between an upright position and a collapsed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: William P. Apps, Jon P. Hassell
  • Patent number: 10793176
    Abstract: A pallet lift includes a base and a plurality of wheels supporting the base. A pair of contact surfaces are proximate a distal end of the base. A handle projects upward proximate a proximal end of the base. A rear support surface support is on the base between the contact surfaces and the handle. The base may include a pair of spaced apart rails capable of receiving columns of a pallet therebetween. In one embodiment, the base includes a pair of four-bar linkages and the handle is a lift handle configured to selectively collapse and extend the four-bar linkages to raise and lower a pallet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
    Inventors: Philip A. King, Jon P. Hassell, William P. Apps
  • Patent number: 10759563
    Abstract: A nestable crate includes a base, a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from the base, and a pair of opposed end walls extending upward from the base. The side walls and end walls include an upper band portion and a lower portion connecting the base to the upper band portion. A center structure extends from one of the end walls to the other of the end walls. The center structure includes a plurality of center column portions extending down to the base. The center structure further includes an upper handle portion partially defining a handle opening therebelow. The upper handle portion includes spaced-apart handle side walls defining openings upward of the crate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
    Inventors: Suzanne Whitfield Clark, William P. Apps
  • Patent number: 10737832
    Abstract: A half pallet includes a deck having opposite front and rear edges and opposite end edges. The end edges are shorter than the front and rear edges. End supports below the deck are adjacent end edges of the deck. The deck extends forward and rearward of the end supports. Each of the end supports includes a front edge recessed from the front edge of the deck and a rear edge recessed from the rear edge of the deck. Each end support prevents entry of a fork tine between the front edge of the end support and the rear edge of the end support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
    Inventors: William P. Apps, Mariel Rezende, Brian Robert Guerry
  • Publication number: 20200247583
    Abstract: The collapsible container includes a base and a pair of opposed first walls pivotably connected to opposed first edges of the base. A second wall or front wall is pivotably connected to a second edge of the base such that the second wall is perpendicular to the first walls. The front wall includes a frame including a pair of elongated vertical upstanding members each including a recess opening outward of the container. The front wall further includes a door pivotably connected to the upstanding members. The door includes an upper panel portion having a pair of wing portions projecting away from one another and receivable in the recesses in the upstanding members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Daniel Vincent Sekowski, Travis James Englert, Jon P. Hassell, William P. Apps
  • Publication number: 20200231332
    Abstract: A pallet assembly includes an upper deck having a first plurality of ribs and a second plurality of ribs. The first plurality of ribs each include a first opening therethrough that opens downward. The second plurality of ribs each include a second opening therethrough that opens upward. The first openings and the second openings aligned to define a channel. A reinforcement member is disposed in the channel A plurality of columns extend from the deck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventor: William P. Apps
  • Patent number: 10703527
    Abstract: A beverage crate includes a base having opposed end edges and opposed side edges. A pair of end walls extending upward from the end edges of the base. A pair of side walls extend upward from the side edges of the base. Each of the side walls includes an upper band portion connected to the base by inwardly-offset columns. The upper band portions each include at least one upper peak protruding upwardly and at least one complementary recess aligned below the at least one upper peak. The upper band portions each include at least one lower peak protruding downwardly and at least one complementary recess aligned above the at least one lower peak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
    Inventors: Shelby Frances Apps, Suzanne Whitfield Clark, William P. Apps, Crystal Y. Parra, Jon P. Hassell
  • Patent number: 10703531
    Abstract: A collapsible crate includes a base and a plurality of walls pivotably connected to the base. Each of the walls is a single piece of molded plastic defining a plurality of planks having the appearance of wooden planks, such as with molded-in grain texture, knots and irregular edges. The irregular edges may provide gaps between adjacent planks to provide ventilation to the crate. The knots may include knot holes to provide additional ventilation. The planks may include horizontal planks extending between vertical planks. The vertical planks and horizontal planks may include an interior wall from the edges of which extend ribs toward the exterior of the crate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
    Inventors: William P. Apps, Jon P. Hassell, Shelby Frances Apps
  • Patent number: 10661944
    Abstract: A pallet includes an upper deck including an upper support surface having a plurality of elongated recesses formed therein. A plurality of feet are below the upper deck. A plurality of runners connect lower portions of the plurality of feet. The plurality of runners are configured to be receivable in the plurality of elongated recesses formed in the upper surface of the upper deck of an identical pallet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
    Inventors: William P. Apps, Jon P. Hassell, Mariel Rezende
  • Publication number: 20200130885
    Abstract: A nestable beverage crate includes a base, side walls and end walls. Each side wall includes a plurality of side columns connecting a side upper band to the base. Each end wall includes a plurality of end columns connected an end upper band to the base. The side upper band and the end upper bands each have a plurality of peaks and valleys and are asymmetric, such that adjacent crates will have peaks aligned with valleys and vice-versa. For purposes of preventing shingling, the effective height of these two adjacent side walls is the full distance between the upper edge of the peak and the lower edge of the valley, but the nesting height of the crate is only the height of the upper bands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: William P. Apps, Suzanne Clark Ward, Shelby Frances Apps
  • Publication number: 20200108969
    Abstract: A beverage crate includes a base and a plurality of walls extending upward from the base. The base together with the plurality of walls define a container interior for receiving beverage containers. By reconfiguring the crate, the storage volume of the container interior is selectively adjustable to accommodate different size beverage containers. Thus, the same crate could be used for different size beverage containers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Suzanne Clark Ward, Shelby Frances Apps, Brian Robert Guerry, William P. Apps, Margaret Wilson Garratt
  • Patent number: 10611547
    Abstract: A collapsible container includes a base having a base wall with a plurality of support surfaces separated by a longitudinal drainage channel and a plurality of lateral drainage channels intersecting the longitudinal drainage channel. The drainage channels are lower than the support surfaces. The base wall does not include any openings therethrough, so the drainage channels retain fluid leaking from products or packages in the container. The base may further include a plurality of troughs proximate edges of the base. The plurality of troughs are lower than the drainage channels. Walls are pivotably mounted to the base and are pivotable between an upright position and a collapsed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
    Inventors: William P. Apps, Jon P. Hassell, Travis James Englert
  • Publication number: 20200102197
    Abstract: A pallet lift includes a pair of outer tines movable between an expanded position spaced outward away from inner tines and a retracted position adjacent the inner tines. The inner and outer tines are supported by wheels at locations spaced away from the lift mechanism. A pallet includes a plurality of nestable feet that open outwardly of the pallet to reduce the footprint. A second pallet includes a side wall extending downward from side edges of the pallet to define an opening adjacent outer feet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Philip A. King, Jon P. Hassell, William P. Apps, Dane Gin Mun Kalinowski