Stackable crates and method for the transportation of living plant material employing the same

Abstract

Stackable crates ( 15 ) for transporting living plant material are disclosed. Methods of using said crates for transporting living plant material are also disclosed.

1 - 60 . (canceled) 
     
     
         61 . A stackable crate having an interior volume for receiving at least one tray containing living young plant material, said crate comprising:
 a frame extending around the interior volume and having an upper frame portion along an upper boundary of said interior volume and a lower frame portion along a lower boundary of said interior volume;   a plurality of spaced apart first connector elements located proximate to the lower frame portion; and   a plurality of spaced apart second connector elements located proximate to the upper frame portion;   wherein each one of said second connector elements is sized and adapted to engage with one of said first connector elements of a similarly constructed crate,   wherein said frame comprises (i) two opposing side walls on either side of said interior volume, and (ii) two end walls on either end of said interior volume.   
     
     
         62 . The stackable crate according to  claim 61 , wherein said plurality of spaced apart first connector elements comprises two or more first connector elements, and said plurality of spaced apart second connector elements comprises two or more second connector elements. 
     
     
         63 . The stackable crate according to  claim 61 , comprising:
 four first connector elements each located proximate to a respective corner of said frame and extending downwardly from said lower frame portion to terminate in a pair of connecting feet; and   four second connector elements each located proximate to a respective corner of said frame and formed in the upper frame portion, each second connector element comprising a pair of receiving recesses sized and adapted to receive a pair of said connecting feet of a similarly constructed crate in a nested state such that the upper crate is supported by the lower crate.   
     
     
         64 . The stackable crate according to  claim 63 , wherein each receiving recess comprises (i) three recess side wall surfaces and (ii) a recess bottom surface sized and shaped so as to receive a connecting foot comprising (i) three matching foot side wall surfaces and (ii) a matching foot bottom surface. 
     
     
         65 . The stackable crate according to  claim 61 , wherein said frame comprises a flange extending around at least a portion of the interior volume of the crate at a location proximate to the lower frame portion and adapted to support a propagation tray thereon, wherein said flange is sized so that a propagation tray placed thereon rests along said flange with a portion of the propagation tray extending below said flange. 
     
     
         66 . The stackable crate according to  claim 61 , wherein a portion of said frame comprises a bottom wall extending along the interior volume of the crate at a location proximate to the lower frame portion and adapted to support a propagation tray thereon, wherein said bottom wall is sized so that a propagation tray placed thereon rests along said bottom wall with all of the propagation tray being above said bottom wall. 
     
     
         67 . The stackable crate according to  claim 61 , wherein said frame comprises a pair of opposing end walls wherein at least one of said end walls comprises a wall passageway formed therethrough so as to be in communication with the interior volume, said wall passageway being sized and adapted to facilitate placement and removal of a propagation tray within said interior volume. 
     
     
         68 . The stackable crate according to  claim 61 , wherein said frame comprises an upper rim extending along said upper frame portion, and at least a portion of said upper rim extends (i) above uppermost recess wall portions of said recesses, and (ii) along opposing side walls of said frame. 
     
     
         69 . The stackable crate according to  claim 68 , wherein said portion of said upper rim comprises a first upper rim portion and a second upper rim portion, said first and second upper rim portions forming a first angle therebetween, wherein said angle ranges between about 90° to less than 180°. 
     
     
         70 . The stackable crate according to  claim 61 , wherein said frame comprises a lower rim extending along said lower frame portion, at least a portion of which extends below (a) a lowermost portion of a flange positioned along a lower portion of said interior volume, (b) a lowermost bottom wall portion of a bottom wall positioned along a lower portion of said interior volume, or (c) both (a) and (b), wherein said lower rim comprises a first lower rim portion and a second lower rim portion, said first and second lower rim portions forming a second angle therebetween, wherein said angle ranges between about 90° to less than 180°. 
     
     
         71 . The stackable crate according to  claim 61 , wherein said frame further comprises at least one movable door within at least one door opening positioned within at least one side wall or end wall of said frame, said at least one movable door being movable from a closed position that limits access to said interior volume to an open position that provides access to said interior volume. 
     
     
         72 . The stackable crate according to  claim 71 , wherein said at least one movable door comprises opposing flap portions extending outward from and along opposite side edges of said movable door and comprises door engaging members extending outward from and along a bottom edge of said movable door. 
     
     
         73 . The stackable crate according to  claim 71 , wherein each door opening comprises door opening engaging slots extending inward and along opposing side edges of said door opening, said door opening engaging slots being sized to accept engagement with flap portions of said movable door and, wherein each of said door opening engaging slots extends from an upper edge of said door opening and along a side edge of said door opening. 
     
     
         74 . The stackable crate according to  claim 71 ,
 wherein said frame further comprises opposing cut-out sections positioned along each door opening so as to expose opposing portions of said door opening engaging slots, said opposing cut-out sections assisting in removal of a removable door from said stackable crate when another similarly stackable crate is positioned on said stackable crate,   wherein each of said opposing cut-out sections extends from an upper edge of said door opening and along a side edge of said door opening a distance that is about equal to or greater than a flap portion length of each flap portion positioned along said movable door.   
     
     
         75 . An ensemble of stackable crates for transporting young living plants between a sender location and a recipient location, said ensemble comprising
 two or more stackable crates according to  claim 61 , and   further comprising a propagation tray containing living young plants having a top tray portion and a bottom tray portion and being stackable along with said stackable crates such that (1) the bottom tray portion is adapted to be received on top of a stackable crate ; and (2) the top tray portion is adapted to receive and support a stackable crate thereabove.   
     
     
         76 . The ensemble of  claim 75 , wherein the two or more stackable crates include two or more stackable crates according to  claim 71 . 
     
     
         77 . A method of transporting young plant material to an intended recipient, said method comprising:
 providing a first stackable crate with a surrounding sidewall having an interior volume, the surrounding sidewall including first and second connectors;   disposing young plant material in the interior volume to define a first filled crate;   providing a second filled crate; and   stacking the second filled crate on top of the first filled crate in a mated relationship.