Crate

Abstract

A crate includes a base and a pair of end walls that extend upward from the base. A pair of side walls extend upward from the base between the pair of ends walls. A band extends along the pair of end walls and the pair of side walls. The band includes at least one first partial geometric shape formed in the band adjacent a top edge of the band aligned with at least one second partial geometric shape located adjacent a bottom edge of the band.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A crate comprising:
 a base;   a pair of end walls extending upward from the base;   a pair of side walls extending upward from the base between the pair of ends walls; and   a band extending along the pair of end walls and the pair of side walls, the band includes at least one first partial geometric shape formed in the band adjacent a top edge of the band aligned with at least one second partial geometric shape located adjacent a bottom edge of the band.   
     
     
         2 . The crate of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first partial geometric shape aligns with the at least one second partial geometric shape to form at least one complete geometric shape when the crate is nested with an identical crate. 
     
     
         3 . The crate of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one complete geometric shape is circular. 
     
     
         4 . The crate of  claim 2 , wherein the band includes a plurality of geometric shapes spaced from the top edge and the bottom edge having varying diameters. 
     
     
         5 . The crate of  claim 1 , further including a first end column extending upward from a first end edge of the base to the band and a first handle formed in the band portion above the first end column. 
     
     
         6 . The crate of  claim 5 , further including a second end column extending upward from a second end edge of the base to the band, and a second handle formed in the band portion above the second end column. 
     
     
         7 . The crate of  claim 6 , wherein the first handle is located closer to a first side wall than a second sidewall and the second handle is located closer to the second side wall than the first side wall. 
     
     
         8 . The crate of  claim 6 , further including a first pair of recessed on an interior distal end of the first end column and a second pair of recessed on an interior distal end of the second end column. 
     
     
         9 . The crate of  claim 6 , wherein a handling equipment contact surface in one of the pair of end walls spaced from the band by a plurality of ribs and located above the first handle. 
     
     
         10 . A crate comprising:
 a base;   a pair of side walls extending upward from the base;   a pair of end walls extending upward from the base between the ends walls;   a first end column extending upward from a first end edge of the base to a band;   a first handle formed in the band portion above the first end column; and   a handling equipment contact surface in one of the pair of end walls spaced from the band by a plurality of ribs and located above the first handle.   
     
     
         11 . The crate of  claim 10 , further including at least one first partial geometric shape formed in the band adjacent a top edge of the band aligned with at least one second partial geometric shape located adjacent a bottom edge of the band. 
     
     
         12 . The crate of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one first partial geometric shape aligns with the at least one second partial geometric shape to form at least one complete geometric shape when the crate is nested with an identical crate. 
     
     
         13 . The crate of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one complete geometric shape is circular. 
     
     
         14 . The crate of  claim 12 , wherein the band includes a plurality of geometric shapes spaced from the top edge and the bottom edge having varying diameters. 
     
     
         15 . The crate of  claim 11 , further including a second end column extending upward from a second end edge of the base to the band, and a second handle formed in the band portion above the second end column. 
     
     
         16 . The crate of  claim 15 , wherein the first handle is located closer to a first side wall than a second sidewall and the second handle is located closer to the second side wall than the first side wall. 
     
     
         17 . A crate comprising:
 a base;   a first end wall extending upward from a first end edge of the base including a pair of first end columns extending from the base to a band; and   a first handling equipment contact surface on the first end wall spaced from the band by a plurality of ribs, wherein the first handling equipment contact surface extends across an upper edge of the pair of first end columns.   
     
     
         18 . The crate of  claim 17 , further including a second end wall extending upward from a second end edge of the base including a pair of second end columns extending from the base to the band and a second handling equipment contact surface on the second end wall spaced from the band by a second plurality of ribs, wherein the second handling equipment contact surface extends across an upper edge of the pair of second columns. 
     
     
         19 . The crate of  claim 18 , further including a first handle formed in the band portion above only one of the pair of the first end columns and below the first handling equipment contact surface and a second handle formed in the band portion above only one of the pair of second end columns and below the second handling equipment contact surface. 
     
     
         20 . The crate of  claim 17 , further including at least one first partial geometric shape formed in the band adjacent a top edge of the band aligned with at least one second partial geometric shape located adjacent a bottom edge of the band, wherein the at least one first partial geometric shape aligns with the at least one second partial geometric shape to form at least one complete geometric shape when the crate is nested with an identical crate.