Stackable tote and lid combination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11548685-B2
Application number	US-202017084831-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2020
Priority date	Sep 27, 2017
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

A stackable tote and lid combination has a lid with a main body and a rim. The rim has a wall with corner bodies, where the wall is spaced apart from a major surface. Each corner body has an upper surface with three outer side surfaces. Each first outer side surface is attached to a respective second outer side surface and each second outer side surface is attached to a respective third outer side surface. Each first, second, and third outer side surface is positioned between and connected to the upper surface of the respective corner body and the major surface of the main body. As a result, each first, second, and third outer side surface of respective corner bodies is configured to abut a hollow body of the stackable tote at three respective internal contact areas, and to removably hold the stackable tote.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stackable tote configured for use with a lid, comprising:
a hollow body having a base wall, an upper flange, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall, each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall connected to each of the base wall and the upper flange, the upper flange having at least one flange support depending therefrom; and
at least one latch rotatably attached to the upper flange and configured to securely hold the lid to the upper flange of the hollow body, the at least one latch having a bottom surface, a side surface, and a top surface;
wherein the at least one flange support has a length that extends below the bottom surface of the at least one latch;
wherein the at least one flange support includes a pair of intersecting support panels oriented in a substantially transverse configuration.

2. The stackable tote of claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the at least one latch includes a channel.

3. The stackable tote of claim 2 , wherein the channel has a protrusion, the protrusion extending downwardly toward the bottom surface of the at least one latch.

4. The stackable tote of claim 3 , wherein a length of the protrusion is substantially the same as a length of the channel.

5. The stackable tote of claim 3 , wherein the side surface of the at least one latch has an exterior surface marking configured to physically direct a user to the protrusion.

6. The stackable tote of claim 5 , wherein the exterior surface marking includes a plurality of V-shaped markings.

7. The stackable tote of claim 3 , wherein a length of the protrusion is less than a length of the channel.

8. The stackable tote of claim 1 , wherein the top surface of the at least one latch is disposed at a height above the upper flange of the hollow body.

9. The stackable tote of claim 1 , further comprising at least one beveled wall interposed between and connecting each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall to the base wall, the at least one beveled wall configured to facilitate a positioning of a plurality of totes in a stacked arrangement.

10. The stackable tote of claim 1 , wherein the upper flange has a plurality of flange supports depending therefrom adjacent to the first side wall and a plurality of flange supports depending therefrom adjacent to the second side wall.

11. A stacked arrangement of totes, each tote configured for use with a lid, comprising:
a plurality of stackable totes, each of the stackable totes including:
a hollow body having a base wall, an upper flange, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall, each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall connected to each of the base wall and the upper flange, the upper flange having at least one flange support depending therefrom, and
at least one latch rotatably attached to the upper flange and configured to securely hold the lid to the upper flange of the hollow body, the at least one latch having a bottom surface, a side surface, and a top surface,
wherein the at least one flange support has a length that extends below the bottom surface of the at least one latch;
wherein the at least one flange support includes a pair of intersecting support panels oriented in a substantially transverse configuration; and

wherein one stackable tote is positioned in a seated arrangement within the hollow body of another stackable tote.

12. The stacked arrangement of totes of claim 11 , wherein the at least one latch has a bottom surface that includes a channel, wherein the channel is configured to provide an additional spacing between the latch of the one stackable tote and the latch of the another stackable tote in the seated arrangement.

13. The stacked arrangement of totes of claim 11 , wherein the at least one flange support depending from the upper flange of the one stackable tote abuts the upper flange of the another stackable tote in the seated arrangement.

14. The stacked arrangement of totes of claim 13 , wherein the at least one flange support of the one stackable tote further includes a length that extends below the latch of the one stackable tote, wherein the length of the at least one flange support of the one stackable tote is sufficient to support the latch of the one stackable tote in a raised position in the seated arrangement.

15. The stacked arrangement of totes of claim 14 , wherein the raised position of the latch of the one stackable tote provides a clearance between the latch of the one stackable tote and the latch of the another stackable tote.

16. The stacked arrangement of totes of claim 15 , wherein the clearance between the latch of the one stackable tote and the latch of the another stackable tote is configured to allow a user to insert one or more fingers within the clearance between the latch of the one stackable tote and the latch of the another stackable tote.

17. The stacked arrangement of totes of claim 15 , wherein the clearance between the latch of the one stackable tote and the latch of the another stackable tote includes a clearance of between 0.10 inches and 0.25 inches.

18. The stacked arrangement of totes of claim 15 , wherein the clearance between the latch of the one stackable tote and the latch of the another stackable tote includes a clearance of between 0.15 inches and 0.20 inches.

19. The stacked arrangement of totes of claim 15 , wherein the clearance between the latch of the one stackable tote and the latch of the another stackable tote includes a clearance of about 0.17 inches.

20. A stackable tote configured for use with a lid, comprising:
a hollow body having a base wall, an upper flange, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall, each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall are connected to each of the base wall and the upper flange, the hollow body further including at least one beveled wall interposed between and connecting each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall to the base wall, the at least one beveled wall configured to facilitate a positioning of a plurality of totes in a stacked arrangement, and the upper flange having at least one flange support depending therefrom, each of the at least one flange supports including a pair of intersecting support panels oriented in a substantially transverse configuration; and
at least one latch rotatably attached to the upper flange and configured to securely hold the lid to the upper flange of the hollow body, the at least one latch having a bottom surface, a side surface, and a top surface, the at least one latch including a channel on the bottom surface thereof, the at least one flange support having a length that extends below the at least one latch, the channel having a protrusion extending downwardly toward the bottom surface of the at least one latch, a length of the protrusion being substantially the same as a length of the channel, and the at least one latch including an exterior surface marking configured to physically direct a user to the protrusion.

Assignees

• Creative Plastic Concepts Llc

Inventors

• Reinhart Nickolas
• Whitta Jacob H

Classifications

• B65D43/0204

  secured by snapping over beads or projections · CPC title

• B65D2543/00027

  Stackable lids or covers · CPC title

• B65D21/0223 Primary

  the closure and the bottom presenting local co-operating elements, e.g. projections and recesses (B65D21/0222 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D2251/02

  Grip means · CPC title

• B65D21/04

  Open-ended containers shaped to be nested when empty and to be superposed when full · CPC title