Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooling produce contained in ventilated trays arranged in a five-down configuration on a pallet. The ventilated trays according to the present invention have openings that correspond to fluid passageways in contained clamshells in order to efficiently and effectively channel cooling air into the clamshells and over the contained produce. The present invention creates direct airflow channels to the produce that cause an optimal amount of the forced air to enter and flow over the produce within the produce carrying containers and not around the produce carrying containers as can occur with conventional six-down configurations. As a result, more air enters the produce carrying containers, more passes over the produce and more produce is effectively cooled.

Abstract: A minor-end loading carton is provided that includes a bottom panel opposing a top panel, and a second pair of opposing panels connecting the bottom panel to the top panel to form a rectangular body having a first minor end and a second minor end. The minor ends may be closable via a plurality of flaps foldably connected to the panels. A method is further provided for loading and shipping elongate materials in a minor-end loading carton. According to one embodiment of the invention, the method includes loading the products downward through a second minor end of a minor-end loading carton against the inside of the closed first minor end while the first minor end is substantially horizontal. The products may include elongate materials, such as stalk produce, which are preferably oriented parallel to the minor ends extending from a first panel to a second panel.

Abstract: A collapsible container that comprises first and second sidewalls and first and second end walls pivotally connected to a base. The first sidewall includes at least one latching member that cooperates with a latching member of the first end wall to secure the first sidewall and the first end wall together when the first sidewall and the first end wall are in upright positions. The container also includes a wall locking system that has a plurality of locking members on the first sidewall and at least one locking member on the first end wall. The locking member on the first end wall cooperates with the locking members on the first sidewall to prevent the first sidewall from moving relative to the first end wall in at least one direction when the first sidewall and first end wall are in upright positions. The container further includes a wall alignment system that has a first member extending from one of the sidewalls, and a second member that extends from one of the end walls.

Abstract: A shipping container formed from three blanks of sheet material (e.g., corrugated fiberboard) is convertible between a full-wall shipping mode and a partial-wall shipping/display mode. A first blank forms a wrap-style tray and the other two form identical convertible sidewall/divider components secured within the tray. In the shipping mode, the convertible sidewall/divider components form opposing sidewall portions of the container covering (preferably completely) the container sides between end walls of the tray. In this mode, the container is well suited for the shipment of empty plastic bottles and like contents to a product manufacturer who will fill the bottles with flowable (e.g., liquid) product and repack them after converting the container to the shipping/display mode. By pressing inwardly on a main panel of each convertible sidewall/divider component, a pivot action of doubled-back pivot panels attaching the main panel to the end walls of the tray converts the container to the shipping/display mode.

Abstract: A pallet is formed of sheet material such as corrugated paperboard and has as its primary components a platform or upper deck upon which materials may be placed and a plurality of runners depending from the platform for elevating the platform and providing load-bearing strength. Only two types of blanks of sheet material are required to assemble a completed pallet. A first blank forms an upper deck or platform layer as well as a first set of runners formed of adjacent panels secured together in face-to-face relation. A second blank forms a second set of runners formed of adjacent panels secured together in face-to-face relation and, in one preferred embodiment, additional underlayers of the platform.

Abstract: A corrugated pallet construction wherein first and second blanks are used to form first and second intersecting runners respectively, by folding adjacent panels against each other in accordion-like manner. The runners are assembled in an intersecting grid pattern. The assembled runners are wrapped with two identical additional blanks to form a multilayer upper platform, sidewalls, and a lower surface portion allowing for use of a floor jack to elevate the pallet.

Abstract: A pallet is formed of sheet material such as corrugated paperboard and has as its primary components a platform or upper deck upon which materials may be placed and a plurality of runners depending from the platform for elevating the platform and providing load-bearing strength. Only two types of blanks of sheet material are required to assemble a completed pallet. A first blank forms an upper deck or platform layer as well as a first set of runners formed of adjacent panels secured together in face-to-face relation. A second blank forms a second set of runners formed of adjacent panels secured together in face-to-face relation and, in one preferred embodiment, additional underlayers of the platform.

Abstract: A box for a flexible bag liner is formed from a blank of sheet material such as corrugated paperboard. The primary feature of the box is a retaining and locking structure for a spout of the bag liner disposed on an inner top flap. The inner top flap is attached to an inner portion of a side wall, and retains the spout in an aperture in either a retracted position or a dispensing position. The aperture secures the spout rigidly to facilitate filling and dispensing. An outer top flap covers the spout both during shipping and storage between uses.

Abstract: A container for ripening of fruit during storage and shipment has a first portion defining vertically oriented first side surfaces and a second portion defining vertically oriented second side surfaces, the planes of the first side surfaces being offset from planes of the second side surfaces. The container is adapted to be stacked in a pallet load with other of the containers, with adjacent first side surfaces of adjacent containers in engagement for stable stacking of the containers, and adjacent second side surfaces of adjacent containers spaced apart in a manner to define a channel between the adjacent containers for circulation of ventilating air or gas to fruit contained within the containers and for removal of heat generated by respiration of the fruit.

Abstract: There is disclosed a half-slotted container body and lid, each made from a blank of corrugated paperboard. The lid blank has an additional score to provide a fold-line around the perimeter of the side and end panels at approximately one-half of the depth. This score line defines inner and outer panels of the lid's perimeter side and end walls. Where this fold-line intersects each of the panel score lines defining the ends of the side and end panels, there are two diagonal scores which radiate from that point in opposite directions extending to the free edge of the inner panels.When the lid is set up, the top flaps are folded inwardly and secured to form a top of the lid, and the inner panels are folded inwardly hinged at the four corners by the diagonal scores. The inner panels are pushed in at the interior four corners of the lid locking the inner panels along the outer panels to provide a two-ply perimeter wall of the lid.

Abstract: The carton is comprised of a corrugated paperboard tray and a corrugated paperboard cover. The tray has upstanding side wall panels and upstanding end wall panels, the upstanding end wall panels having hand holes for lifting the tray. The cover has a top panel provided with a non-slip surface, trapezoidally configured side wall pane=ls and trapezoidally configured end wall panels. Each of the side wall panels and the end wall panels of the cover are hingedly connected to the top panel by reason of weakened fold lines. The corrugations of the cover extend at right angles to the fold lines for the cover's end wall panels so as to provide a greater degree of deflective resistance to the cover's end wall panels then that imparted to the cover's side wall panels with the consequence that the end wall panels of the cover exert a greater amount of pressure against the end wall panels of the tray than that exerted by the cover's side wall panels.