US-20260125180-A1 - COLLAPSIBLE AGRICULTURAL CRATE

US20260125180A1US 20260125180 A1US20260125180 A1US 20260125180A1US-20260125180-A1

Abstract

A collapsible crate for an agricultural product, such as but not limited to bananas, includes a base and side walls connected to the base. The base includes a base surface and a perimeter wall extending upwards from the base surface, and the base surface includes at least three different elevations. The side walls are connected to the perimeter wall of the base and are movable between a collapsed configuration and an erected configuration relative to the base. In some cases, the side wall includes a reinforced portion with at least one reinforcement structure and a panel portion. The panel portion is at least partially surrounded by the reinforced portion, omits a reinforcement structure, and extends along a majority of a length of the panel. The panel portion includes at least one drainage aperture at a perimeter of the panel portion adjacent to the reinforced portion.

Inventors

Haron Hacko

Assignees

TOSCA ISRAEL REUSABLE SOLUTIONS LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251105

Claims (20)

1 . A collapsible crate comprising: a base comprising a base surface and a perimeter wall extending upwards from the base surface, wherein the base surface comprises at least three different elevations; and a side wall connected to the perimeter wall of the base, wherein the side wall is movable between a collapsed configuration and an erected configuration relative to the base.
2 . The collapsible crate of claim 1 , wherein the at least three different elevations are in a cross-wise direction of the base.
3 . The collapsible crate of claim 1 , wherein, in a cross-wise direction, the at least three different elevations comprise: first elevations at or adjacent to the perimeter wall; a second elevation between the first elevations; and third elevations between each of the first elevations and the second elevation, wherein the first elevation is lower than the third elevation and the third elevation is lower than the second elevation.
4 . The collapsible crate of claim 1 , wherein each elevation comprises at least one ventilation aperture.
5 . The collapsible crate of claim 1 , wherein the perimeter wall comprises opposing first portions extending along a length of the base and opposing second portions extending along a width of the base, wherein a height of the first portions is greater than a height of the second portions.
6 . The collapsible crate of claim 1 , wherein the side wall comprises: a reinforced portion comprising at least one reinforcement structure; and a panel portion, wherein the panel portion is at least partially surrounded by the reinforced portion, omits a reinforcement structure, and extends along a majority of a length of the panel, and wherein the panel portion further comprises at least one drainage aperture at a perimeter of the panel portion adjacent to the reinforced portion.
7 . The collapsible crate of claim 6 , wherein the reinforced portion comprises at least one drainage aperture, and wherein a size of the at least one drainage aperture in the panel portion is the same as a size of the at least one drainage aperture in the reinforced portion.
8 . A collapsible crate comprising: a base comprising: a base surface; and opposing perimeter walls extending along a length of the base and extending upwards from the base surface, wherein the base surface comprises: first elevations at or adjacent to the perimeter walls; a second elevation between the first elevations; and third elevations between each of the first elevations and the second elevation, wherein the first elevation is lower than the third elevation and the third elevation is lower than the second elevation; and a side wall connected to one of the perimeter walls, wherein the side wall is movable between a collapsed configuration and an erected configuration relative to the base.
9 . The collapsible crate of claim 8 , wherein the opposing perimeter walls are first perimeter walls, wherein the base further comprises opposing second perimeter walls extending along a width of the base, and wherein a height of the second perimeter walls is less than a height of the first perimeter walls.
10 . The collapsible crate of claim 9 , further comprising a reinforced corner extending from a top of the second perimeter walls to a side of the first perimeter walls.
11 . The collapsible crate of claim 8 , wherein the side wall comprises: a reinforced portion comprising at least one reinforcement structure; and a panel portion, wherein the panel portion is at least partially surrounded by the reinforced portion, omits a reinforcement structure, and extends along a majority of a length of the panel, and wherein the panel portion further comprises at least one drainage aperture at a perimeter of the panel portion adjacent to the reinforced portion.
12 . The collapsible crate of claim 11 , wherein the panel portion comprises either: a temporary label texture; or a friction texture.
13 . The collapsible crate of claim 8 , wherein, in the collapsed configuration, a height of the collapsible crate is less than 30 mm.
14 . The collapsible crate of claim 8 , wherein the opposing perimeter walls are first perimeter walls, wherein the base further comprises opposing second perimeter walls extending along a width of the base, and wherein, in the length-wise direction, the second elevation of the base surface is adjacent to the second perimeter walls.
15 . A collapsible crate comprising: a base comprising a base surface and a perimeter wall extending upwards from the base surface; and a side wall connected to the perimeter wall of the base, wherein the side wall is movable between a collapsed configuration and an erected configuration relative to the base, wherein the side wall comprises: a reinforced portion comprising at least one reinforcement structure; and a panel portion, wherein the panel portion is at least partially surrounded by the reinforced portion, omits a reinforcement structure, and extends along a majority of a length of the panel, and wherein the panel portion further comprises at least one drainage aperture at a perimeter of the panel portion adjacent to the reinforced portion.
16 . The collapsible crate of claim 15 , wherein the reinforced portion comprises at least one drainage aperture, and wherein a size of the at least one drainage aperture in the panel portion is the same as a size of the at least one drainage aperture in the reinforced portion.
17 . The collapsible crate of claim 15 , further comprising at least one window in the panel portion, wherein a size of the window is greater than a size of the at least one drainage aperture.
18 . The collapsible crate of claim 15 , wherein the at least one drainage aperture comprises a plurality of drainage apertures spaced along the perimeter of the panel portion.
19 . The collapsible crate of claim 15 , wherein the base surface comprises at least three different elevations.
20 . The collapsible crate of claim 15 , wherein, in a cross-wise direction, the base surface comprises at least three different elevations comprising: first elevations at or adjacent to the perimeter wall; a second elevation between the first elevations; and third elevations between each of the first elevations and the second elevation, wherein the first elevation is lower than the third elevation and the third elevation is lower than the second elevation.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/716,821 filed on Nov. 6, 2024, and entitled COLLAPSIBLE AGRICULTURAL CRATE, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF INVENTION The invention relates to crates for shipping products, particularly agricultural products, and more particularly to collapsible crates for such products. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Crates for shipping of products, particularly fruit and similar agricultural products, may be constructed from polymers such as but not limited to polyolefins. Their advantages over crates made of paper or cardboard (e.g. cartons) include greater sturdiness, aeration of the content and resistance to humidity. In some configurations, polymer crates may also be re-usable and therefore generally foldable for return shipping. Polymer crates may be in a fixed form, in which panels of the crate are fixedly joined, or a collapsible form, in which, side panels are hingedly connected with a base between a folded and erected configuration. SUMMARY The terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention” and “the present invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the patent claims below. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various embodiments of the invention and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings, and each claim. According to certain embodiments, a collapsible crate includes a base and at least one side wall. The base includes a base surface and a perimeter wall extending upwards from the base surface, and the base surface includes at least three different elevations. The side wall is connected to the perimeter wall of the base and is movable between a collapsed configuration and an erected configuration relative to the base. According to some embodiments, a collapsible crate includes a base with a base surface and opposing perimeter walls extending along a length of the base and extending upwards from the base surface. The base surface includes first elevations at or adjacent to the perimeter walls, a second elevation between the first elevations, and third elevations between each of the first elevations and the second elevation. In certain embodiments, the first elevation is lower than the third elevation and the third elevation is lower than the second elevation. The collapsible crate also includes a side wall connected to one of the perimeter walls. The side wall is movable between a collapsed configuration and an erected configuration relative to the base. According to various embodiments, a collapsible crate includes a base and a side wall. The base includes a base surface and a perimeter wall extending upwards from the base surface. The side wall is connected to the perimeter wall of the base and is movable between a collapsed configuration and an erected configuration relative to the base. In some embodiments, the side wall includes a reinforced portion with at least one reinforcement structure and a panel portion. The panel portion is at least partially surrounded by the reinforced portion, omits a reinforcement structure, and extends along a majority of a length of the panel. In certain embodiments, the panel portion includes at least one drainage aperture at a perimeter of the panel portion adjacent to the reinforced portion. Various implementations described in the present disclosure can include additional systems, methods, features, and advantages, which cannot necessarily be expressly disclosed herein but will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within the present disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The features and components of the following figures are illustrated to emphasize the general principles of the present disclosure. Corresponding features and components throughout the figures can be designated by matching reference characters for the sake of consistency and clarity. FIG. 1 illustrates a collapsible crate according to embodiments. FIG. 2 illustrates the crate of FIG. 1 in a