Abstract: A bakery tray includes a base and a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from side edges of the base. Front and rear walls extend upward from front and rear edges of the base. A plurality of recesses for receiving bakery items therein are formed in the base. This increases the number of bakery items that can be received in the tray and/or permits a decrease in the stacking height of the trays, thereby permitting another tray to be received on the stack. In one embodiment, the recesses are a plurality of parallel troughs formed in an upper surface of the base. In another embodiment, the plurality of recesses are formed in the ribs in the base, such that the bakery items are received in the recesses.

Abstract: A collapsible shelving unit includes a support base, a first side wall extending upwardly from one side of the base, and a second side wall extending upwardly from an opposite side of the base. Each of the first and second side walls are comprised of a plurality of rigid panels connected to each other with at least one hinge such that the rigid panels are moveable between a display position where the panels extend vertically to form the first and second side walls and a stowed position wherein at least two of the rigid panels at least partially overlap each other. A plurality of shelves are supported by the first and second side walls such that the shelves can be selectively removed therefrom.

Abstract: A collapsible container according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a base and a plurality of walls, including a first wall, collapsible onto the base. A support is movable between a first position and a second position relative to the first wall, such that an identical container would stack on the collapsible container at a first height when the support is in the first position and at a second height when the support is in the second position. In another embodiment, different stacking heights can be achieved by rotating the upper container 180 degrees relative to the lower container.

Abstract: A top cap for a tray includes an upper surface for supporting goods and a lower surface including an attachment portion for locating the top cap relative to an upper portion of the tray.

Abstract: A pallet includes fire retardant coatings to improve the overall fire performance of the pallet. First, the coatings may be used in combination with fire retardant additives in the plastic material of the pallet in order to reduce the amount of additives, thereby reducing cost and improving the structural performance of the pallet. Alternatively or additionally, the fire retardant coatings may be placed inside the pallet. This eliminates the chance that the fire retardant coating will get worn off during use. For example, the coating could be placed between the reinforcement sheet and the deck or runners, within the columns, etc.

Abstract: A pallet includes an upper portion having an upper surface for supporting containers thereon. A first plurality of recesses in the upper surface have a first lower support surface spaced from the upper surface. A plurality of legs extend downwardly from the upper portion. The upper portion includes an overhang extending outward from one of the plurality of legs extending along each side of the pallet. In a disclosed method, containers are nested in a predetermined location on an upper surface of the pallet.

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.

Abstract: A bakery tray includes a base and side walls extending upward from sides of the base, each side wall including an outer side rail and an inner side rail. Side drag rails extend downward from the base proximate sides of the base, with feet projecting outward from the side drag rails. An outer rib projects downward from an outer edge of each of the feet such that the side drag rail of an identical upper tray being stacked on the bakery tray contacts the flanges while the outer ribs of the upper tray are received between the outer side rail and the inner side rail. In another feature, the side walls include handle openings, the handle openings each partially defined by a convex outer wall. In another feature, an upper edge of the front wall includes finger corrugations for accommodating the fingers of a user's hand grasping the tray.

Abstract: A crate includes a base, a pair of opposed end walls extending upward from the base, and a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from the base between the end walls. Each side wall includes a plurality of side columns extending upward from the base to a side band. The side wall and the end wall include an upper band connected to the base by a plurality of columns. The upper band includes at least one upper window formed therethrough. The side wall includes an upper edge having a curved center peak, troughs on either side of the center peak and end peaks proximate either end wall.

Abstract: A plastic beer keg includes an outer container and a liner having a neck portion and a body portion. A removable lid is secured over an opening of the container to enclose the liner. A locking ring secures the neck portion to the lid. The neck optionally includes a neck ring which interlocks with the opening through the lid to prevent relative rotation therebetween. The locking ring optionally includes ratcheting teeth engaging ratchet teeth on the lid to prevent inadvertent loosening of the locking ring. The liner may be suspended from the lid by the neck when empty.

Abstract: A pallet has an upper deck portion having an upper planar portion and a lower deck portion having a lower planar portion. Ribs extend from one of the planar portions and are vibration welded to the other planar portion. A peripheral lip extends downwardly from the upper deck portion around the periphery of the lower portion. In this manner, the entire upper deck portion, which includes the entire upper surface of the pallet, is vibration welded to the lower deck portion. Further, the peripheral lip of the upper deck portion hides any flash that might be generated by the vibration welding process.

Abstract: A plastic keg includes a liner including a neck portion and a body portion. A lid having an opening is disposed at least partially over the liner. The liner is disposed in an outer container having a wall with at least one locking rib projecting therefrom. The locking rib angles downward and the lid secured to the outer container by the at least one locking rib. Optionally, a locking ring securing the neck portion of the liner to the lid may be configured to release the liner when the filled keg is dropped.

Abstract: A waste container includes a base wall and an outer wall extending upward from a periphery of the base wall to define an upper opening. The outer wall includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion has a larger dimension in a forward and rearward direction than the lower portion. A vertical stress channel is formed in a rear portion of the outer wall. The vertical channel extends across the lower portion of the outer wall and upward partially into the upper portion. A lid may be pivotably mounted relative to the outer wall at a rear of the waste container to selectively cover the upper opening. A plurality of wheels are rotatably connected proximate a lower rear edge of the outer wall.

Abstract: A plastic keg includes a liner including a neck portion and a body portion. A lid having an opening is disposed at least partially over the liner. A retainer is secured to the neck portion of the liner and aligned with the opening in the lid, the retainer including external threads. A locking ring having internal threads is secured to the external threads of the retainer. The internal threads of the locking ring and the external threads of the retainer include a ratcheting mechanism permitting attachment of the locking ring to the retainer and inhibiting removal of the locking ring from the retainer, the locking ring contacting the lid. A beer keg valve assembly includes a port having a head portion having a convex upper surface and at least one leg extending downwardly from a lower surface. The leg includes a stop surface projecting radially outward further than the head portion. A piston defines an opening.

Abstract: A fork tine assembly includes a tine having a support surface and an inner surface. A lift rail is movable between a retracted position and a deployed position. The lift rail provides a lift rail support surface higher than the upper surface of the tine when the lift rail is in the deployed position. The lift rail is not an innermost surface of the tine assembly when the lift rail is in the retracted position and when the lift rail is in the deployed position.

Abstract: A waste container includes a body having a base and a side wall extending upward from the base to define a container interior. A lid is hingeably secured to an upper portion of the side wall. A latch assembly selectively secures the lid to the side wall. The latch assembly includes a handle portion and a rotatable latch portion rotatable about an axis. The rotatable latch portion has a latch member that selectively interlocks with a hook portion. In one example, at least one additional rotatable member is mounted to the latch assembly that is independently rotatable relative to the rotatable latch portion. In one example, the container includes a release component that is independently operable of the latch assembly to unlatch the lid. In one example, the lid includes at least one flexing channel to control flexing movement of the lid.