Container assembly

Abstract

A container assembly which is specifically, but not exclusively, adapted for the storage, shipping and display of relatively fragile products, such as produce, flowers, or the like, wherein the nature of the products renders them particularly vulnerable to damage during the placement within and removal from the interior of the container assembly. Accordingly, the body of the container assembly includes a movably mounted access segment selectively disposable between opened and closed positions, wherein an access opening in the body is established when the access segment is disposed in the opened position. The access opening, when exposed is disposed, dimensioned and configured to facilitate both visual and physical access to the interior of the body as well as a laterally directed positioning of the products as they are placed within and removed from the interior, thereby reducing the possibility of physical damage being done as with vertically directed placement and removal of the products through an open top of a conventional container.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A container assembly comprising: 
 a) a body having a hollow interior and including a sidewall assembly disposed in at least partially surrounding relation to said hollow interior,    b) a base connected to said sidewall assembly and disposed in covering relation to one end of said hollow interior, and    c) an access segment movably connected to said body and disposable between an opened position and a closed position.    
     
     
         2 . An assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein said opened position is at least partially defined by facilitated visual and physical access to said hollow interior.  
     
     
         3 . An assembly as recited in  claim 2  further comprising an access opening formed in said sidewall in communicating relation with said hollow interior.  
     
     
         4 . An assembly as recited in  claim 3  wherein said closed position is at least partially defined by said access segment disposed in covering relation to said access opening.  
     
     
         5 . An assembly as recited in  claim 1  further comprising said access opening formed in said body in communicating relation to said hollow interior, said opened position at least partially defined by facilitated physical and visual access to said hollow interior through said access opening.  
     
     
         6 . An assembly as recited in  claim 5  wherein said closed position is at least partially defined by said access segment disposed in covering relation to said access opening.  
     
     
         7 . An assembly as recited in  claim 6  wherein said access segment is pivotally connected to said body and selectively disposable into either said opened position or said closed position.  
     
     
         8 . An assembly as recited in  claim 5  wherein said body comprises an open end disposed in communicating relation to said hollow interior and substantially oppositely disposed to said base.  
     
     
         9 . An assembly as recited in  claim 8  further comprising a cover assembly removably disposable into and out of covering relation to said open end.  
     
     
         10 . An assembly as recited in  claim 9  wherein said cover assembly is further disposed in retaining relation to said access segment when said access segment is in said closed position.  
     
     
         11 . An assembly as recited in  claim 10  wherein said closed position is at least partially defined by said access segment disposed in covering relation to said access opening.  
     
     
         12 . An assembly as recited in  claim 5  wherein said access opening is disposed on said body to facilitate lateral positioning of an object into and out of said hollow interior through said access opening.  
     
     
         13 . An assembly as recited in  claim 12  wherein said access opening is formed in said sidewall.  
     
     
         14 . An assembly as recited in  claim 13  wherein said closed position is at least partially defined by said access segment disposed in covering relation to said access opening.  
     
     
         15 . An assembly as recited in  claim 14  wherein said access segment defines at least a portion of said sidewall assembly when said access segment is disposed in said closed position.  
     
     
         16 . An assembly as recited in  claim 15  further comprising a cover assembly disposed in retaining relation with said access segment when said access segment is disposed in said closed position.  
     
     
         17 . An assembly as recited in  claim 15  wherein said access segment is hingedly connected to said body and pivotally disposed into and out of said closed position.  
     
     
         18 . An assembly as recited in  claim 17  wherein said closed position is at least partially defined by substantially coplanar orientation of said access segment with at least a portion of said sidewall assembly.  
     
     
         19 . A container assembly comprising: 
 a) a body having a hollow interior and including a sidewall assembly disposed in at least partially surrounding relation to said hollow interior,    b) a base connected to said sidewall assembly and disposed in covering relation to one end of said hollow interior,    c) an access opening formed in said sidewall assembly in communicating relation to said hollow interior,    d) an access segment movably connected to said body and disposable between an opened position and a closed position relative to said access opening, and    e) said access opening disposed and dimensioned to facilitate lateral positioning of an object into and out of said hollow interior through said access opening.    
     
     
         20 . An assembly as recited in  claim 19  wherein said access opening and said hollow interior are cooperatively dimensioned to include a sufficient longitudinal dimensioned to facilitate said lateral positioning of the object while the object is in an upright orientation.  
     
     
         21 . An assembly as recited in  claim 19  wherein said closed position is at least partially defined by said access segment disposed in covering relation to said access opening.  
     
     
         22 . An assembly as recited in  claim 21  wherein said closed position is at least partially defined by substantially co-planar orientation of said access segment with at least a portion of said sidewall assembly.  
     
     
         23 . An assembly as recited in  claim 22  wherein said access segment is hingedly connected to said body and pivotally disposed into and out of said closed position.  
     
     
         24 . An assembly as recited in  claim 22  further comprising a cover assembly removably disposable into and out of covering relation to an open end of said body, said cover assembly disposed in retaining relation to said access segment when said access segment is in said closed position.  
     
     
         25 . An assembly as recited in  claim 24  wherein said covering assembly comprises a panel and a retaining portion extending outwardly from said panel, said retaining portion disposed in confronting relation to at least a portion of said access segment when said access segment is in said closed position.  
     
     
         26 . An assembly as recited in  claim 25  wherein said retaining portion comprises a depending flange disposed in substantially overlapping relation retaining engagement with a peripheral portion of said access segment when in said closed position.  
     
     
         27 . An assembly as recited in  claim 26  wherein said depending flange extends along an outer periphery of said panel and is disposed in overlapping engagement to an outer surface of said sidewall assembly and said access opening adjacent peripheral portions thereof.  
     
     
         28 . An assembly as recited in  claim 22  wherein said opened position is at least partially defined by displacement of said access segment exteriorly of said sidewall assembly and outwardly from said access opening, said opened position further defined by facilitated physical and visual access to said hollow interior through said access opening.  
     
     
         29 . An assembly as recited in  claim 28  wherein said access segment is pivotally connected to said base and extends from said base to an open end of said body oppositely disposed to said base when said access segment is in said closed position.  
     
     
         30 . An assembly as recited in  claim 29  wherein said access opening extends along a longitudinal dimension of said sidewall assembly from adjacent said base to and in communication with said open end.  
     
     
         31 . An assembly as recited in  claim 19  further comprising a ventilation assembly comprising a plurality of apertures formed in said body and collectively disposed to facilitate a flow of fluid through said hollow interior.  
     
     
         32 . An assembly as recited in  claim 31  wherein said body is at least partially formed from a liquid impervious material.  
     
     
         33 . An assembly as recited in  claim 19  wherein said body and said access segment is formed from a single blank of material.  
     
     
         34 . A container assembly comprising: 
 a) a body having a hollow interior and including a sidewall assembly disposed in at least partially surrounding relation to said hollow interior,    b) a base connected to said sidewall assembly and disposed in covering relation to one end of said hollow interior,    c) an access opening formed in said sidewall assembly in communicating relation to said hollow interior,    d) an access segment correspondingly configured to said access opening and movably connected to said body; said access segment disposable between an opened positioned and a closed position relative to said access opening, and    e) said access opening disposed and dimensioned to facilitate lateral positioning of an object into and out of said hollow interior through said access opening.    
     
     
         35 . An assembly as recited in  claim 34  further comprising a cover assembly removably disposable into and out of covering relation to an open end of said body, said cover assembly disposed in retaining relation to said access segment when said access segment is in said closed position.  
     
     
         36 . An assembly as recited in  claim 35  wherein said closed position comprises said access segment disposed in substantially coplanar relation with said sidewall assembly and in covering relation to said access opening.  
     
     
         37 . An assembly as recited in  claim 34  wherein both said access segment and said access opening include longitudinal peripheral portions extending between respective opposite ends thereof.  
     
     
         38 . An assembly as recited in  claim 37  wherein said peripheral portions of both said access opening and said access segment are disposed in substantially parallel relation to one another.  
     
     
         39 . An assembly as recited in  claim 37  wherein said peripheral portions of both access opening and said access segment are disposed in substantially convergent relation to one another between said respective opposite ends thereof.