Low depth crate

Abstract

A crate includes a base, a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from the sides of the base and a pair of end walls extending upward from ends of the base. The end walls each include a pair of spaced apart end columns that act as partial spacers between the three adjacent bottles at that end. The handles are aligned offset from the center of the end wall. The handles are each aligned with one of the end columns so they can be aligned (e.g. centered) between adjacent bottles to provide more space for a user's hand. The handles may extend from one end column, over the other end column to the corner column. In the embodiment shown, the handles may be each offset toward a different side wall to provide better balance of the weight of the crate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A nestable crate comprising:
 a base having opposed side edges and opposed end edges, the base having an array of bottle capture areas on an underside thereof including an odd number of bottle capture areas adjacent each end edge, wherein the bottle capture areas are at least partially circumscribed by capture ribs and wherein the capture ribs include a peripheral portion aligned with a peripheral edge of the base;   a plurality of side columns extending upward from each of the side edges of the base;   at least one end column extending upward from one of the end edges of the base; and   an upper band portion at an upper end of the at least one end column, a handle formed in the upper band portion above the at least one end column.   
     
     
         2 . The crate of  claim 1  wherein the upper band portion includes a valley aligned with the handle. 
     
     
         3 . The crate of  claim 1  wherein the handle includes an opening between an upper handle portion and a lower handle portion, the upper handle portion including a convex lower surface. 
     
     
         4 . The crate of  claim 3  wherein the lower handle portion is connected to the base via the at least one end column. 
     
     
         5 . The crate of  claim 4  wherein the lower handle portion curves downward and can be received in a valley of an upper handle portion of an identical crate in which the crate is nested. 
     
     
         6 . The nestable crate of  claim 1  wherein the at least one end column and the plurality of side columns are nestable within an upper band portion of an identical crate. 
     
     
         7 . The crate of  claim 1  wherein the peripheral portion of the capture ribs is aligned with the one of the end edges of the base. 
     
     
         8 . The crate of  claim 1  wherein the peripheral portion of the capture ribs is aligned with one of the side edges of the base. 
     
     
         9 . A nestable crate comprising:
 a base;   a pair of opposed side walls extending upward the base, a longitudinal centerline of the crate equally spaced between the side walls; and   a pair of opposed end walls extending upward from the base, each end wall having a handle opening formed therein, wherein the handle openings are offset from the longitudinal centerline of the crate and positioned over the longitudinal centerline of the crate, wherein one of the handle openings is offset toward one of the side walls and the other of the handle openings is offset toward the other of the side walls.   
     
     
         10 . The crate of  claim 9  wherein the base has an array of bottle capture areas on an underside thereof including an odd number of bottle capture areas adjacent each end wall. 
     
     
         11 . The crate of  claim 10  wherein the handle openings are aligned between two of the bottle capture areas adjacent the respective end walls of the crate. 
     
     
         12 . The crate of  claim 11  wherein each end wall includes a lower handle portion below the handle opening, each end wall further including an end column extending from the base to the lower handle portion. 
     
     
         13 . The crate of  claim 12  further including a plurality of bottles therein, wherein the bottles have a reduced diameter portion aligned with the handle openings. 
     
     
         14 . The crate of  claim 9  wherein each of the end walls includes at least one end column extending upward from the base and an upper band portion at an upper end of the at least one end column. 
     
     
         15 . A nestable crate comprising:
 a base having opposed side edges and opposed end edges, the base having an array of bottle capture areas on an underside thereof including an odd number of bottle capture areas adjacent each end edge, wherein the bottle capture areas are at least partially circumscribed by capture ribs and wherein the capture ribs include a peripheral portion aligned with an end peripheral edge of the base;   a plurality of side columns extending upward from each of the side edges of the base;   a plurality of end columns extending upward from each of the end edges of the base; and   an upper band portion extending about a periphery of the crate at upper ends of the plurality of end columns and plurality of side columns, a handle opening through the upper band portion at each end of the crate above at least one of the plurality of end columns, wherein the plurality of end columns and the plurality of side columns are nestable within an upper band portion of an identical crate, wherein the crate can be cross-stacked on the identical crate loaded with bottles.   
     
     
         16 . The nestable crate of  claim 15  wherein the crate is cross-stacked on the identical crate loaded with bottles, with bottle caps of the bottles fully captured by the bottle capture areas of the crate inward of the peripheral portion. 
     
     
         17 . The nestable crate of  claim 16  wherein the handle openings are each aligned with one of the plurality of end columns at the respective ends of the crate. 
     
     
         18 . The nestable crate of  claim 17  wherein one of the handle openings is offset closer to one of the sides of the crate and the other of the handle openings is offset closer to the other of the sides of the crate. 
     
     
         19 . The nestable crate of  claim 15  wherein the handle openings are offset from a longitudinal centerline of the crate and are positioned on the longitudinal centerline of the crate. 
     
     
         20 . The nestable crate of  claim 19  wherein the peripheral portion is an end peripheral portion, the capture ribs further including a side peripheral portion each aligned with a side peripheral edge of the base.