Plastic container with open sides and locking features

Abstract

A plastic box includes a top and a tray that may be locked together. The top has two open sides to save material. The top can have drain holes along its edges, and the tray likewise has drain holes along its edges, so that when the tray of one container is stacked on the top of another container, water in the top container can drain down and through the bottom container.

1 . A container comprising: 
 a first substrate configured with fold lines and cut lines and folded along at least some of the lines to form a parallelepiped-shaped hollow top, the top having opposed closed walls and opposed open walls orthogonal to the closed walls.    
   
   
       2 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising a second substrate configured with fold lines and cut lines and folded along at least some of the lines to form a parallelepiped-shaped hollow tray, the top and tray engaging in an interference fit to form a closure.  
   
   
       3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the top is formed with at least one drain hole along at least one top edge and the tray is formed with at least one drain hole along at least one bottom edge, a drain hole of the top being registered with a drain hole of the tray when a tray of one container is stacked on the top of another container.  
   
   
       4 . The container of  claim 3 , wherein the top defines a top surface formed with a matrix of holes inboard of top edges.  
   
   
       5 . The container of  claim 3 , wherein the holes are racetrack-shaped.  
   
   
       6 . The container of  claim 3 , comprising a tab extending upwardly from the drain hole in the top edge and configured to engage the drain hole of a tray positioned on the top.  
   
   
       7 . The container of  claim 2 , comprising at least one tray lock element foldable outwardly away from one the closed walls of the top, a portion of the tray lock element extending beyond and being foldable around a bottom periphery of the top for engaging a lock receptacle of the tray when the tray is juxtaposed with the bottom periphery.  
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 2 , comprising at least one top lock element foldable outwardly away from the tray and engaging a receptacle in one of the open walls of the top when the tray is juxtaposed with a bottom periphery of the top.  
   
   
       9 . The container of  claim 7 , further comprising at least one top lock element foldable outwardly away from the tray and engaging a receptacle in one of the closed walls of the top when the tray is juxtaposed with a bottom periphery of the top.  
   
   
       10 . A container comprising: 
 a first substrate configured with fold lines and cut lines and folded along at least some of the lines to form a parallelepiped-shaped hollow top; and    a second substrate configured with fold lines and cut lines and folded along at least some of the lines to form a parallelepiped-shaped hollow tray, wherein 
 the top is formed with at least one drain hole along at least one top edge and the tray is formed with at least one drain hole along at least one bottom edge, a drain hole of the top being registered with a drain hole of the tray when a tray of one container is stacked on the top of another container.  
   
   
   
       11 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein the top has opposed closed walls and opposed open walls orthogonal to the closed walls.  
   
   
       12 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein the top defines a top surface formed with a matrix of holes inboard of top edges.  
   
   
       13 . The container of  claim 10 , comprising a tab extending upwardly from the drain hole in the top edge and configured to engage the drain hole of a tray positioned on the top.  
   
   
       14 . The container of  claim 11 , comprising at least one tray lock element foldable outwardly away from one the closed walls of the top, a portion of the tray lock element extending beyond and being foldable around a bottom periphery of the top for engaging a lock receptacle of the tray when the tray is juxtaposed with the bottom periphery.  
   
   
       15 . The container of  claim 11 , comprising at least one top lock element foldable outwardly away from the tray and engaging a receptacle in one of the open walls of the top when the tray is juxtaposed with a bottom periphery of the top.  
   
   
       16 . The container of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one top lock element foldable outwardly away from the tray and engaging a receptacle in one of the closed walls of the top when the tray is juxtaposed with a bottom periphery of the top.  
   
   
       17 . A container comprising: 
 a first substrate configured with fold lines and cut lines and folded along at least some of the lines to form a parallelepiped-shaped hollow top;    a second substrate configured with fold lines and cut lines and folded along at least some of the lines to form a parallelepiped-shaped hollow tray;    at least one tray lock element foldable outwardly away from a wall of the top, a portion of the tray lock element extending beyond and being foldable around a bottom periphery of the top for engaging a lock receptacle of the tray when the tray is juxtaposed with the bottom periphery.    
   
   
       18 . The container of  claim 17 , wherein the top is formed with at least one drain hole along at least one top edge and the tray is formed with at least one drain hole along at least one bottom edge, a drain hole of the top being registered with a drain hole of the tray when a tray of one container is stacked on the top of another container.  
   
   
       19 . The container of  claim 17 , wherein the top has opposed closed walls and opposed open walls orthogonal to the closed walls.