Abstract: A stackable and nestable crate apparatus particularly adapted for the transport and storage of easily breakable products, such as potato chips, or the like, includes an open topped container body of unitary molded plastic construction. A lid extends across the open top of the container body and is mountable thereon at various selected elevations to vertically support an overlying, stacked crate apparatus at a level suitable for the size of the product housed within the supporting crate apparatus. The front and rear walls of the container body are appropriately recessed to permit relative sliding movement between adjacent, stacked crates. The peripheral dimensions of the lid are correlated with respect to those of the interior of the container body to enable ready access to the product within a crate apparatus when slidably extended from the stack and to permit the lid, when rotated, to be readily received within the container body in order to accommodate nesting of empty crates.

Abstract: A stackable bottle case including a tray having a floor structure with a plurality of bottle support areas on an upper surface thereof and a plurality of upward recesses on a lower surface thereof, and a tray cover positionable in a covering position over the bottles supported on the support areas. The tray cover has a cover top structure which includes a bottom side, with a plurality of downward receivers in which the tops of the bottles on the support areas are received when the tray cover is in the covering position, and a top side, with a plurality of protuberances that are positioned to lockingly fit in the upward recesses on the lower surface of a similar stackable bottle tray which is stacked on the tray cover.

Abstract: Reusable plastic trays of a "low-depth" design for storing and transporting beverage containers and for nesting when empty. The side structure of the tray defined by a rail, whose upper rim is otherwise prone to be overridden in "shingling" relation by an adjacent tray when the trays are disposed for filling, is provided with cam means adapted to engage the side structure of an adjacent tray and thereby prevent a shingling relation from occurring. The disclosed tray design includes a strut arrangement on each rectangular side in which the lower end of each strut is inclined and adapted to engage a cooperatively inclined surface on the side structure to tend to urge the side structure in an inward direction, thus to prevent spreading of the side structure during nesting of the trays. The structural relationship between the cam means and the strut arrangement prevents interference of one with the other in the performance of their respective operations.

Abstract: A full-depth bottle case assembly for different sets of bottles of different widths, such as 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 liter PET bottles, including a full-depth bottle case and alternative first, second and third dividers. The gridwork floor construction of the bottle case includes a plurality of female locking members. Each of the dividers has a plurality of male locking members depending down therefrom. The female and male locking members are configured and positioned such that when any one of the dividers is alternatively inserted into the case the divider is removably snap secured therein. Each divider when alteratively snap secured into the case defines with the interior walls of the case a plurality of pockets, for different width bottles than the other dividers.

Abstract: A molded plastic low-depth tray for beverage cans or the like. The low-depth tray walls angle inwardly to provide for deep empty tray nesting. Outer abutment tabs depending down from the top lip and on the outside of the walls prevent the empty trays when nested from wedging together. The walls each have a plurality of can receiving openings out through which lower portions of cans, when held in the tray on the tray floor, partially extend. Interior surfaces of the walls above the openings are outwardly curved to conform to the cylindrical sidewalls of the adjacent cans. The tray floor thereby has smaller length and width dimensions than that of the array of cans held in the tray. Redoubts or standoffs on the bottom of the floor lock on to the rims of cans in subjacent trays. Stable palletized stacking and cross-stacking of these trays when loaded with cans is thereby provided.

Abstract: A dual purpose low depth nestable tray for holding either cans or bottles of similar capacities with structural features that prevent spreading or fraying of the walls. The tray comprises a floor, a band around the periphery of the tray and columns interconnecting the band to the floor. A nesting nub is disposed on the floor and nesting ledges are disposed on at least one column along each side of the wall structure. The nub and ledges are equal in height and act as supports for the weight of a stack of nested empty trays which prevents the walls from having to support the weight and results in the walls maintaining their shape and structural integrity. The floor is configured with support areas for the containers and has features for accommodating both bottles and cans. The support areas have a circular groove for engaging the bottoms of cans and the bottom surface of the floor has downwardly projecting redoubts for facilitating stacking and handling of trays loaded with cans.

Abstract: A pail assembly including a plastic pail and a plastic lid which can be snap fit sealed to the top of the pail. To reduce excessive outward doming of the lid and the pail floor caused by internal pail pressures, due for example to chemical reactions of hazardous material contents, rib structures are formed on and extend across the interior surfaces of both the floor and the lid. To prevent this doming the floor is also formed to be bowed upwardly at its center with a small curvature radius. A large radius connection of the floor to the pail sidewall better distributes impact stresses. A locating ring channel is formed on the lid surface and is dimensioned to receive therein the feet of two different size pails when the pails are loaded and stacked. Ribs on the outside and inside of the channel resist the tipping of the pails of either size when alternatively stacked thereon.

Abstract: A stackable can tray system including a bottom tray loaded with a layer of cans each having a top rim, an upper tray having a plurality of spaced members depending down from a bottom floor surface of the tray, and a layer of cans in the upper tray. With the upper tray in a normal stacked position on the bottom layer of cans, the spaced members engage relative to the top rims of the cans and thereby block substantial movement of the tray and hold it in a secure position. A generally lateral force applied to the upper tray repositions the spaced members such that the upper tray filled with the layer of cans has its spaced members on the top rims of the cans and it can be slidingly pulled on top of the layer of cans in the bottom tray beneath it, and thereby unstacked.

Abstract: A reusable stackable tray for cans being formed by a rectangular wall structure, a web-like floor structure secured to and extending down from the wall structure and a plurality of spaced redoubt floor members spaced on and about and extending down from the bottom surface of the floor structure. Each of the redoubt floor members has a bevelled bottom edge perimeter such that a tray filled with cans can, without being lifted, be slidingly pulled and pivoted on the redoubt floor members directly on top of a layer of cans in another tray beneath it.

Abstract: A case construction for containers includes separable, identically configured, compartmentalized box units having connecting elements on interfacing side walls in the form of tubular elements comprising male and female segments in which those on one box unit telescopically cooperate with corresponding segments on an associated box unit to restrict relative movement between the box units in longitudinal and transverse direction and also serve to restrict movement of containers disposed in the compartments. A latch member is carried by one end wall of each box unit and is movable along tracks between a latching position straddling the connected box units and an unlatching position permitting separation thereof. The bottom wall of the box units contain ribs forming a channel network that enables optional column- or cross-stacking of the case constructions.

Abstract: A method for stacking and unstacking reusable plastic trays for storing and transporting beverage containers, such as twelve-ounce metal cans and two-liter PET bottles. When the tray is a can tray, the bottom surface of the floor has a pattern of protuberances and recessed areas therebetween. A loaded can tray is stacked on a similar tray therebeneath, such that the lower can rims fit into the recessed areas and the protuberances are positioned both inside of and outside of the rims thereby locating and locking the upper tray in place. To unlock the upper tray it is simply twisted so that the protuberances ride up their bevelled edges onto the rims and into a sliding position.