COLLAPSIBLE DAIRY CRATE
A collapsible dairy crate includes a base to which side walls and end walls are pivotably mounted. The side walls and end walls can be collapsed inward onto the base for efficient shipping and storage when empty. At least one of the end walls (or both), is also capable of being pivoted outward. The at least one end wall may also be pivoted outward 90 degrees (i.e. generally parallel to the base) and may be further pivoted another 90 degrees to a position extending downward from the base. The crate may be unloaded onto the grocery shelf through the end opening the crate.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/259,600, filed Nov. 24, 2015, the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUNDDairy products, such as milk jugs, are often shipped to grocery stores in reusable plastic crates. A worker at the store removes the milk jugs from the crate and places them on shelves in the refrigerated cooler of the grocery store. The plastic crates are returned to the warehouse for reuse.
SUMMARYA collapsible dairy crate includes a base to which side walls and end walls are pivotably mounted. The side walls and end walls can be collapsed inward onto the base for efficient shipping and storage when empty. At least one of the end walls (or optionally both), is also capable of being pivoted outward. The at least one end wall may be pivoted outward 90 degrees (i.e. generally parallel to the base) and may be further pivoted downward another 90 degrees (180 degrees from the upright, vertical position). The crate may be unloaded onto the grocery shelf through the end opening the crate. The end wall may be set on the grocery shelf while the items (such as milk jugs) are slid out of the crate, across the end wall and onto the shelf.
Alternatively, the at least one end wall can be pivoted downward such that the end wall is pivoted downward from the base. In this position, the crate can be brought into abutment with the grocery shelf before sliding the milk jugs onto the shelf.
A collapsible dairy crate 10 is shown in
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When the crates 10 are empty, they can be collapsed as shown in
In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.
Claims
1. A collapsible crate comprising:
- a base;
- a pair of opposed side walls pivotably connected to side edges of the base, and pivotable between an upright position and a collapsed position on the base; and
- a pair of opposed end walls pivotably connected to end edges of the base and pivotable between an upright position and a collapsed position on the base, wherein at least one of the end walls is pivotable outward to a position extending downward from the base.
2. The collapsible crate of claim 1 wherein the base includes a pair of side flanges integrally molded with the base, the side walls pivotably and slidably connected to the side flanges.
3. The collapsible crate of claim 2 wherein the side walls are more than twice as long as the end walls.
4. The collapsible crate of claim 3 in combination with a plurality of containers stored therein in a single row.
5. The collapsible crate of claim 3 further including a plurality of latches selectively securing the end walls to the side walls.
6. The collapsible crate of claim 1 wherein the side walls are more than twice as long as the end walls.
7. The collapsible crate of claim 6 in combination with a plurality of containers stored therein in a single row.
8. A method for delivering containers including the steps of:
- a) providing a crate carrying a plurality of containers arranged in a single row therein;
- b) pivoting a first wall of the crate outward to an open position; and
- c) sliding the plurality of containers on the base onto a shelf.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein in said step b) the first wall is pivoted outward and downward to the open position in which the first wall extends downward from the base.
10. The method of claim 9 further including the step of sliding the plurality of containers on the first wall onto the shelf.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 23, 2016
Publication Date: Jul 6, 2017
Inventors: Suzanne Whitfield Clark (Santa Monica, CA), Brian Robert Guerry (Redondo Beach, CA), Travis James Englert (Brea, CA)
Application Number: 15/359,788