Stackable container with stack-tabs

Abstract

A tray-type container 10 includes a bottom wall 20, longitudinally-extending outer side walls 22, and laterally-extending end walls 24, the outer side walls 22 and the end walls 24 extending upwardly from the bottom wall 20 to form an inner cavity 26. As erected, the outer side walls 22 include a plurality of spaced-apart stacking tabs 28 A- 28 D, and the bottom wall forms a plurality of spaced-apart apertures 60, 70, 80, 82, 86, and 88 for receiving the stacking tabs 28 A- 28 D of like or similar containers. A plurality of tray-type containers 10 may be unitized in several stacked configurations utilizing the stacking tabs 28 and apertures 60, 70, 80, 82, 86, and 88. Typically, the plurality of unitized containers 10 are placed upon a shipping pallet or slip sheet, or placed within a shipping container to facilitate shipping by large carriers.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . A single piece blank for forming a tray-type container having an inner cavity and at least one stacking tab extending upwardly from the top of said container, comprising: 
 a bottom wall panel;    an end wall panel hingedly connected to said bottom wall panel by a first fold line;    an outer side wall panel having an outer edge and hingedly connected to said bottom wall panel by a second fold line;    an inner side wall panel hingedly connected to said outer wall panel remote from said bottom wall panel by at least one bridge section, wherein when erected, said inner side wall panel is folded about said bridge section, thereby forming a stacking tab from said bridge section which extends outwardly away from the bottom panel;    at least one first aperture positioned along said second fold line between said bottom panel and said outer side wall panel and adapted to receive a stacking tab of another container when stacked in a first configuration; and    at least one second aperture spaced-apart from said first aperture and positioned along said second fold line between said bottom panel and said outer side wall panel, said second aperture adapted to receive a stacking tab of another container when stacked in a second configuration, said second configuration being different than said first configuration.    
     
     
         2 . The blank of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one third aperture positioned along said first fold line between said bottom panel and said end wall, said third aperture adapted to receive a stacking tab of another container when stacked in said second configuration.  
     
     
         3 . The blank of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one third aperture is a plurality of spaced apart third apertures.  
     
     
         4 . The blank of  claim 1 , further including a plurality of fourth apertures formed in said bottom wall and adapted to receive a stacking tab of another container when stacked in said second configuration.  
     
     
         5 . The blank of  claim 1 , wherein said first configuration is a column configuration.  
     
     
         6 . The blank of  claim 1 , wherein said second configuration is an interlocking configuration.  
     
     
         7 . The blank of  claim 1 , wherein said side wall panel is constructed such that when erected, said stacking tab of said side wall panel extends partially into said container cavity.  
     
     
         8 . In a container of the type formed from a single blank cut and scored and having a bottom wall, two-ply side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, and end walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall to form, along with the side walls, an inner cavity, the improvement comprising: 
 wherein each of said two-ply side walls includes an outer side wall panel having an outer edge and hingedly connected to said bottom wall by a first fold line, and an inner side wall panel hingedly connected to said outer wall panel remote from said bottom wall panel by at least one bridge section, wherein when erected, said inner side wall panel is folded about said bridge section, thereby forming a stacking tab form said bridge section which extends outwardly away from said outer edge of said outer wall panel,    at least one first aperture positioned along each of said first fold lines between said bottom panel and said outer side wall panels, said first apertures adapted to receive a stacking tab of another container when stacked in a column configuration; and    at least one second aperture spaced apart from said first aperture and positioned along each of said first fold lines between said bottom panel and said outer side wall panels, said second apertures adapted to receive a stacking tab of another container when stacked in an interlocking configuration.    
     
     
         9 . The improvement of  claim 8 , further including at least one third aperture formed in said bottom wall and adapted to receive a stacking tab of another container when stacked in said interlocking configuration.  
     
     
         10 . The improvement of  claim 9 , further including at least one fourth aperture formed at the intersection of said end walls and said bottom wall, said fourth aperture adapted to receive a stacking tab of another container when stacked in said interlocking configuration.  
     
     
         11 . A container comprising: 
 a bottom wall,    side walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall, at least one stacking tab extending upwardly from each side wall;    end walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall to form, along with said side walls, an inner cavity;    at least one first aperture formed at the intersection of each of said side walls and said bottom wall, said first apertures adapted to receive a stacking tab of another container when stacked in a column configuration;    at least one second aperture formed at the intersection of each of said side walls and said bottom wall and spaced apart from said first apertures, said second apertures adapted to receive a stacking tab of another container when stacked in said interlocking configuration;    at least one third aperture formed at the intersection of each of said end walls and said bottom wall, said third apertures adapted to receive a stacking tab of another container when stacked in said interlocking configuration; and    a plurality of spaced apart fourth apertures formed in said bottom wall remote from the intersection of said side walls and said bottom wall, said fourth apertures adapted to receive a stacking tab of another container when stacked in said interlocking configuration.