Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MULTIPLE CAP SIZE BOTTLE CRATE
DESCRIPTION
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention generally relates to a beverage crate for transporting
bottles
containing a beverage having multiple cap sizes; and more particularly to a
beverage crate
having a bottom surface configured to securely stack on top of bottles having
either a first cap
size or a second cap size different than the first cap size.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Plastic beverage crates are used to store and transport a plurality
of bottles of a
beverage. For example, such crates can hold a number of liter sized plastic
bottles of popular
soft drinks or other similar beverages. The beverage containing bottles are
typically taller
than the beverage crate. That is, the beverage crate includes side walls and
end walls that
extend upward from a bottom wall of the crate only a portion of the height of
the bottles. The
low walls provide savings in materials. Additionally, when empty smaller
beverage crates
can be transported more cost effectively than larger crates.
[0003] Transporting loaded beverage crates typically requires one or more
crates to be
stacked on top of each other. Because the side walls are lower than the height
of the bottles,
when stacking one or more loaded crates upon each other, the bottom surface of
one stacked
beverage crate (other than the lowermost crate) will contact and be support by
the tops of the
bottles of the crate below it rather than on the side or end walls of that
crate.
[0004] The top of a beverage bottle includes a plastic cap or closure
having a horizontal,
circular top surface with a specified diameter. Different sized caps will have
different
diameters. The cap is sized to enclose the open mouth or spout of the beverage
bottle.
[0005] To provide a stable stacked configuration, the bottom surface of the
bottom wall
of a beverage crate is sometimes provided with structure that cooperates with
a particular size
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bottle cap. However, such crates lose the benefit of this structure and can be
unstable if
stacked on bottles having a different sized cap.
[0006] One well known beverage company is currently selling its product in
bottles
having a larger than normal (for the industry) open mouth and corresponding
cap. However,
the company may move to an industry standard cap size in the future. With
present crate
technology, this company would need to stop using beverage crates with a
bottom structure
sized for the larger caps and acquire a second set of beverage crates with a
bottom structure
sized to accommodate the standard cap size. Given the large number of beverage
containing
bottles shipped a year, acquiring a second set of crates would require a
substantial
investment.
[0007] The present invention is provided to solve the problems discussed
above and other
problems, and to provide advantages and features not provided by prior
beverage crates. A
full discussion of the features and advantages of the present invention is
deferred to the
following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention provides a beverage crate that includes a
bottom surface
that can be stacked on top of bottles having either a first cap size or a
second cap size
different than the first cap size. Accordingly, a single beverage crate can be
used for storing
and transporting either cap size bottle. The present invention eliminates the
need to acquire a
second set of beverage crates for the second cap size bottles.
[0009] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a beverage crate
having a bottom
surface configured to allow secure stacking of the beverage crate on bottles
having a first cap
size or bottles having a second cap size different than the first cap size is
provided. The
beverage crate comprises a bottom wall for supporting a plurality of beverage
bottles. The
bottom wall of the crate includes a first side, an opposing second side, a
first end, and a
second. The beverage crate further includes a first side wall connected to the
bottom wall
along the first side, a second side wall connected to the bottom wall along
the second side.
The bottom wall includes an upper surface for supporting bottles in the
beverage crate and a
lower surface shaped to contact tops of bottles contained in a lower beverage
crate. The
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bottom surface is configured to securely stack on either a plurality of
bottles having a first
cap size or a plurality of bottles having a second cap size different than the
first cap size.
[0010] The bottom surface of the beverage crate includes a plurality of
first wall portions
at a first depth configured to contact the plurality of bottles having a first
cap size, and a
plurality of second wall portions at a second depth different than the first
depth configured to
contact the plurality of bottles having a second cap size. The depth of the
respective wall
portions is measured from a lowermost surface of the beverage crate (i.e., the
lowermost
surface is the surface of the crate that the crate would rest on when it is
placed on a flat
horizontal surface, such as the floor or a pallet). The beverage crate further
includes a third
wall portion having the lowermost surface of the beverage crate. Preferably,
the second
depth is closer to the lowermost surface than the first depth.
[0011] A plurality of substantially vertical wall segments connects each of
the plurality of
first wall portions to the plurality of second wall portions. Each wall
connecting each of the
plurality of first wall portions to the plurality of second wall portions
preferably has a
plurality of arc shaped segments. The arc shaped segments are sized to have a
radius of
curvature corresponding to a radius of curvature of the first cap size.
[0012] The bottom surface can include a plurality of bottle cap receiving
portions. Each
receiving portion includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion.
[0013] The beverage crate further comprises a first handle portion
connected to the first
and second side walls at the first end, and a second handle portion connected
to the first and
second side wall at the second end. The handle portions can be connected to
portions of the
side walls that wrap around the ends of the bottom wall. Additionally, each of
the side walls
can include a plurality of columns. The columns are designed to be shorter
than the bottles
supported in the beverage crate so that the tops of the bottles extend above
the columns.
[0014] Preferably, the beverage crate is designed to stack on bottles
having a first cap
size with a radius of 28 millimeters. Additionally, the crate is designed to
also stack on
bottles having a second cap size with a radius of 38 millimeters.
[0015] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a plastic
beverage crate having
a bottom surface configured to stack on bottles having multiple sized caps is
provided. The
beverage crate comprises a bottom wall having a generally planar upper surface
for
supporting a plurality of beverage bottles, a first side wall extending upward
from a first side
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of the bottom wall and an opposing second side wall extending upward from a
second side
of the bottom wall. The bottom wall includes a lower surface having a
plurality of first
wall portions at a first depth configured to contact a bottle cap having a
first cap size, a
plurality of second wall portions at a second depth configured to contact a
bottle cap
having a second cap size different than the first cap size, and a plurality of
wall portions
defining a lowermost surface of the beverage crate configured to support the
beverage
crate on a flat surface.
100161 The beverage crate can further comprise a plurality of substantially
vertical walls
connecting each of the plurality of first wall portions to a corresponding
plurality of
second wall portions. Each of the plurality of vertical walls includes a
plurality of arc
shaped segments having a radius of curvature designed to match the outside
circumferential shape of the first cap size.
[00171 Additionally, at least portions of the plurality of wall portions
defining a
lowermost surface of the beverage crate arc formed from a plurality of rib
segments.
[0017AI Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided
a beverage
crate having a bottom surface configured to allow secure stacking of the
beverage crate on
bottles having a first cap size and bottles having a second cap size different
than the first
cap size, the beverage crate comprising: a bottom wall for supporting a
plurality of
beverage bottles, the bottom wall having a first side, an opposing second
side, a first end,
and a second; a first side wall connected to the bottom wall along the first
side; a second
side wall connected to the bottom wall along the second side; the bottom wall
including an
upper surface for supporting bottles in the beverage crate and a lower surface
having a
generally square shape centrally located bottle cap receiving area and a
plurality of other
generally square bottle cap receiving areas shaped to contact tops of bottles
contained in a
lower beverage crate, the lower surface including a first lowermost surface
forming a floor
engaging portion, the centrally located receiving area and each of the
plurality of other
receiving areas of the bottom surface configured to securely stack on one of a
plurality of
bottles having a first cap size and a plurality of bottles having a second cap
size different
than the first cap size, the centrally located bottle cap receiving area
having a
symmetrically formed first bottom surface portion at a first depth from the
lowermost
surface surrounding a perimeter of the centrally located receiving area and a
second
bottom surface portion at a second depth from the lowermost surface greater
than the first
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depth. each of the plurality of other receiving areas having a first irregular
shaped surface
portion at the first depth, and a second irregular shaped surface portion at
the second
depth, a wall connecting each of the plurality of first bottom surface
portions to the
plurality of second bottom surface portions wherein each wall connecting the
plurality of
first bottom surface portions to the plurality of second bottom surface
portions has a
plurality of arc shaped segments.
[0017131 Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a
plastic
beverage crate having a bottom surface configured to stack on bottles having
multiple
sized caps comprising: a bottom wall having a generally planar upper surface
for
supporting a plurality of beverage bottles, a first side wall extending upward
from a first
side of the bottom wall and an opposing second side wall extending upward from
a second
side Me bottom wall, the bottom wall including a lower surface having a
plurality of
generally square shaped receiving areas having a corresponding plurality of
irregularly
shaped first wall portions at a first depth, and a plurality of irregularly
shaped second wall
portions at a second depth. and a plurality of wall portions defining a
lowermost surface of
the beverage crate configured to support the beverage crate on a flat surface,
a plurality of
substantially vertical walls connecting each of the plurality of first wall
portions to a
corresponding plurality of second wall portions wherein each of the plurality
of vertical
walis include a plurality of arc shaped segments.
100181 Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from
the
following specification taken in conjunction with the following drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TI IF DRAWINGS
[0019] To understand the present invention. it will now be described by way of
example,
with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. l is a top plan view of a beverage crate which can be stacked either on
bottles having a first cap size or a second cap size different than the first
cap size in
accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the beverage crate of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the beverage crate of FIG. I;
Fla 4 is a bottom perspective view of the beverage crate of FIG. 1:
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FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the beverage crate of FIG. I, the opposing side
being substantially the same;
FIG. 6 is an end plan view of the beverage crate of FIG. 1, the opposing end
being substantially the same; and,
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FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the bottom surface of
the
beverage crate of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different
forms, there
is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred
embodiments of the
invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be
considered as an
exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to
limit the broad aspect
of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.
[0021] The present invention is a beverage crate that is configured to
stack on bottles
having a first cap size, as well as bottles having a second cap size different
than the first cap
size. Specifically, the beverage crate of the present invention includes a
bottom surface
having structure preferably designed to allow the beverage crate to securely
stack on bottles
with 38 mm caps, or 28 mm caps. The cap size is a measure of the diameter of
the cap. The
beverage crate will not require replacement as one industry beverage
manufacturer phases out
of the 38 mm cap design and into the 28 mm cap.
[0022] Referring to Figure 1, a top plan view of a beverage crate 10 is
shown. From this
view, the beverage crate 10 is generally rectangular having a first side 12,
an opposing
second side 14, a first end 16, and an opposing second end 18. A web-like
bottom wall 20
spans between the first and second sides 12, 14, and first and second ends 16,
18 of the
beverage crate 10. The bottom wall 20 of the beverage crate 10 is designed to
support a
plurality of beverage bottles, such as plastic, liter-sized soft drink
bottles. The plurality of
openings in the bottom wall 20 reduces the amount of material used in the
crate, and prevents
fluids from accumulating in the crate.
[0023] Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the beverage container 10. As
shown in Figure
2, the bottom wall 20 includes a non-uniform bottom surface 22 having bottom
wall portions
at varying depths. As discussed in more detail below, the bottom surface 22 is
divided into a
plurality of bottle top receiving portions or areas 24. In the embodiment of
Figures 1-7, the
bottom surface 22 includes fifteen bottle top receiving areas 24. Each of
these areas 24 are
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configured to securely stack on a bottle top having a first cap size (e.g., 38
mm) or a second
cap size different than the first cap size (e.g., 28 mm).
[0024] Referring generally to Figure 3, the beverage crate 10 includes a
first side wall 26
extending upward from the bottom wall 20 along the first side 12, and a second
side wall 28
extending upward from the bottom wall 20 along the second side 14.
Additionally, the
beverage crate includes a first partial end wall 32 extending upward from the
bottom wall 20
along the first end 16, and a second partial end wall 34 extending upward from
the bottom
wall 20 along the second end 18. Each partial end wall 32, 34 includes a first
segment
integral with the first side wall 26 and a second segment integral with the
second side wall
28. The first and second end walls 32, 34, include a first handle 36 and a
second handle 38,
respectively, spanning a central gap between each of the two segments of the
respective end
walls 32, 34.
[0025] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the side walls 26, 28 include a
plurality of columns
40 extending upward from a top portion of the side walls 26, 28. Gaps 41 are
formed
between the columns 40. Providing gaps between the columns allows for viewing
labels or
other indicia on bottles supported in the beverage crate 10. It also reduces
the amount of
material used to create the beverage crate 10. Although the columns 40 extend
upward
beyond the lower, generally solid portion of the side walls 26, 28, they do
not extend above
the tops of the bottles.
[0026] The handles 36, 38 on the end walls 32, 34 are designed to extend
upward up to
the same height as the columns 40. This allows the crates 10 to stack evenly
when empty.
[0027] One end wall and handle is shown in Figure 6. The handle includes a
first support
44 and a second support 46 which extends from the handle to the upper or top
surface 48 of
the bottom wall 20.
[0028] The beverage crate 10 is designed to transport a plurality of
bottles containing a
beverage supported on the top surface 48 of the bottom wall 20. During
transportation, one
or more filled beverage crates 10 (e.g., having fifteen bottles) are stacked
one on top of
another. In this arrangement, a first beverage crate is placed directly on the
floor (or upper
surface of a transport mechanism, such as a pallet), and a second beverage
crate is placed on
top of the bottles in the first beverage crate 10. Subsequent beverage crates
10 are placed on
the lower two in the same manner.
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[0029] When the second beverage crate 10 is placed on the first (lower)
beverage crate
10, it is supported by the bottles in the first beverage crate 10. In this
regard, the lower
surface 22 of the bottom wall 20 of the second beverage crate 10 contacts and
rests on the
tops of the bottles in the first lower beverage crate 10.
[0030] Referring to Figures 4 and 7, the lower surface 22 of the bottom
wall 20 is
provided with structure to securely stack with bottles having either a first
cap size, or a
second cap size different than the first cap size. Additionally, the bottom
surface 22 also
includes structure to allow the beverage crate to rest on a smooth floor or
transport
mechanism.
[0031] As noted above, the bottom surface 22 of the beverage crate 10 is
divided into
fifteen bottle top receiving portions 24. Each receiving portion 24 is
generally a square
shaped area which includes a circular, centrally located opening 50. The
opening 50 is
formed in a first cap size bottom wall portion 52 of the bottle top receiving
portion 24, and is
positioned at a first depth (measured from the lowermost surface of the bottom
wall 20 as
discussed below). The first cap size bottom wall portion 52 is configured to
contact and
allow the beverage crate 10 to stack on a bottle having a top with a cap
having a first cap size.
[0032] Each of the bottle top receiving portions 24 also include a second
cap size bottom
wall portion 54 having a second depth less than the first depth (again as
measured from the
lowermost surface of the bottom wall 20 ¨ the second depth is thus closer to
the lowermost
surface). The second cap size bottom wall portion is positioned about at least
a portion of the
periphery of the first cap size bottom wall portion 52 in each of the bottle
top receiving
portions 24. The second cap size bottom wall portion 52 is configured to
contact and allow
the beverage crate 10 to stack on a bottle having a top with a cap having a
second cap size
different than the first cap size.
[0033] A scalloped, substantially vertical wall 56, having a plurality of
circular arc
segments 58, connects the first cap size wall portion 52 to the second cap
size wall portion
54. The arc segments 58 are predominantly sized to match the outer
circumference of caps of
bottles having a first cap size.
[0034] The bottom surface 22 of the bottom wall 20 also includes a floor
engaging
bottom wall portion 60. The floor engaging wall portion 60 forms the lowermost
surface of
the beverage crate 10. The floor engaging bottom wall portion 60 contacts the
floor or
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transport mechanism when the beverage crate 10 is not stacked on top of
another loaded
beverage crate 10. This surface (at least along the outer periphery) would
also contact the
upper surface of another beverage crate 10 (e.g., the top surface of the
columns 40 or handles
36, 38) when empty crates are stacked on each other. The floor engaging bottom
wall
portions 60 can be formed at least in part by rib segments 61.
[0035] Referring to Figures 2 and 4, a centrally located bottle top
receiving portion or
area 24' (i.e., in the middle row, middle column of receiving portions 24, see
Figure 4) is
shown having a symmetrical first cap size bottom wall portion 52 completely
surrounded by a
symmetrical second cap size bottom wall portion 54. The second cap size bottom
wall
portion 54 includes a substantially vertical, octagonal outer boundary or wall
62. The outer
boundary 62 connects the second cap size bottom wall portion 54 to floor
engaging bottom
wall portion 60. In other receiving portions or areas 24, the outer wall 62
does not fully
surround the second cap size bottom wall portion 54 and therefore, does not
have an
octagonal shape.
[0036] Other bottle top receiving portions or areas 24 include first cap
size bottom wall
portions having a variety of mostly irregular shapes, along with second cap
size bottom wall
portions 54 having a variety of mostly irregular shapes. Additionally, many of
the second
cap size bottom wall portions 54 do not completely surround the first cap size
bottom wall
portions 52. Moreover, more than one second cap size bottom wall portion 54
may exist in a
bottle top receiving portions 24.
[0037] During use, a first beverage crate 10 containing bottles having a
first cap size
(e.g., 28 mm) is placed on the floor. A second beverage crate 10 is then
placed (i.e., stacked)
on top of the bottles in the beverage crate 10. The caps of the bottles will
contact and tend to
align in the first cap size bottom wall portions 52 in the respective
receiving portions or areas
24. Some of the caps will likely contact and abut one of the circular arc
segments 58 of the
scalloped wall 56.
[0038] In instances where the first beverage crate 10 contains bottles
having a second cap
size (e.g., 38 mm), the caps will contact and tend to align on the second cap
size bottom wall
portions 54 in the respective receiving portions or areas 24. The outer wall
62 in each
receiving portion 24 prevents the caps from sliding into other areas 24 or
onto the floor
engaging bottom wall portions 60.
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[00391 Whilc the above description provides examples of the embodiments, it
will be
appreciated that some features and/or ['unctions of thc described embodiments
are
susceptible to modification without departing frorn the spirit and principles
of operation of
the described embodiments. Accordingly, what has been described above has been
intended to be illustrative and non-limiting and it will be understood by
persons skilled in
the art that other variants and modifications may be made without departing
from the
scope of the disclosure as defined in the claims appended hereto.
