BACKGROUND
The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for fulfilling orders for items sold by retailers, and more particularly, to a novel tote and tote system for facilitating retail pick-up orders.
It is common for retailers of goods and services to both own and/or operate one or more “brick-and-mortar” retail stores and/or physical facilities where customers may browse, purchase, and/or pick up items at the site, and also provide an online website or other service for receiving orders from customers remotely. Today's consumers demand convenience, speed, selection, and high-quality from their retailers regardless of whether such consumers are shopping online or are shopping in a brick-and-mortar establishment. Thus, in order to maximize customer satisfaction, a retailer must meet consumer expectations on these attributes when fulfilling items to a customer via customer pick-up.
A common method of facilitating customer pick-ups is by preparing retail items in a staging area, such as a warehouse, and storing them in containers, often referred to as “totes.” Prior totes are typically enclosed storage containers, and may comprise lids for accessing the retail items inside of the totes. Retail items in traditional totes are typically stored in stacked columns to efficiently use space in a staging area or other fulfillment location until the customer arrives to pick up the order. However, providing efficient pick-ups for the customer may prove difficult when customer arrival times are unpredictable. Retail items sitting on totes awaiting customer arrivals are “down-stacked” as additional items are loaded in the totes for pick-up. Thus, unless a customer's order is in a tote that sits at the top of a stacked column, un-stacking of totes may be required to get a specific tote or totes containing a customer's retail order. After a customer's order is retrieved and the down-stacked tote is extracted, the entire tote system must be re-stacked. Such down-stacking, un-stacking, and re-stacking leads to inefficiencies in fulfilling retail order pick-ups.
One method to avoid down-stacking may be to place the totes in perfect sequence based on customer pick-up times. However, a single delayed or off-scheduled customer arrival time can cause the down-stacking issues described above. Another method may be to use multi-level static shelves so that no down-stacking is needed to access a specific tote for the arrived customer. However, space in a warehouse or fulfillment area is often at a premium, and static shelves take up the same amount of space even when underutilized—that is, when fewer totes are required at a given time. This inflexibility may negatively impact space utilization within a staging area, warehouse, or retail location. Worse, when demand is higher than projected or more customers are arriving than expected at a given time, there may be an insufficient number of shelves to hold totes such that the retail pick-up flow is disrupted.
Furthermore, traditional totes are typically not clear or transparent. Without opening the lid, which would be difficult for any tote not at the very top of a column of totes, operators cannot visually inspect which totes contain retail items and which totes do not. An operator for a retail fulfillment location may be expected to lift a heavy tote, for example, up to 50 lbs, on the job, but without any visibility into the contents of a given tote, the weight of the tote may come as a surprise and the operator may sustain an injury or experience discomfort if the operator's body posture is not appropriate for the weight range of the tote.
Additionally, traditional enclosed totes may result in the degradation of retail items, for example, fresh produce that produce ethylene (e.g., bananas, avocados, peaches, etc.). Fresh produce items that produce ethylene may ripen more rapidly as ethylene gas is released and stays trapped inside the traditional totes. This could negatively impact product quality, especially in the summer where warmer temperatures speed up the production of ethylene gas, thus accelerating the ripening process of the produce items. Additionally, refrigerated or frozen retail items that sit on totes longer than expected in traditional tote systems may experience degradation of product quality.
Traditional totes also do not provide for “nesting” of totes on top of one another when the lids of such traditional totes are open. Thus, these traditional tote systems do not allow for reverse logistics during retrievals—that is, the down-stacking of empty return totes. The ability to nest totes within one another may allow for more efficient returns back to a warehouse or other staging area where additional totes are needed. Valuable space resources and personnel resources may be optimized by nestable totes.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure generally relates to a tote system for facilitating more efficient retail order pick-ups.
Some embodiments of the present disclosure are generally directed to a tote having a bottom panel for supporting one or more retail items, a rear panel, and a front panel. In some non-limiting embodiments, the front panel has an opening for accessing the one or more retail items of the tote. In some non-limiting embodiments, the tote further includes a first and a second side panel. In some non-limiting embodiments, the tote further includes one or more hand holds disposed upon one or more of the first panel, the second panel, the rear panel, and the front panel. In some non-limiting embodiments, the tote further includes one or more bale arms positioned across a top of the tote, and the one or more bale arms extend from the first side panel to the second side panel.
In some non-limiting embodiments, a top surface of the bottom panel includes a ridge.
In some non-limiting embodiments, a bottom surface of the bottom panel includes a groove.
In some non-limiting embodiments, one or more of the ridge and the groove extends across substantially the entire width of the bottom panel.
In some non-limiting embodiments, the bottom panel is thicker than each of the rear panel, the front panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel.
In some non-limiting embodiments, the one or more bale arms are at least partially made of molded plastic.
In some non-limiting embodiments, one or more flaps are disposed upon the top of the first side panel and the second side panel, and the one or more flaps are folded over and attached to a body of the tote.
In some non-limiting embodiments, the one or more flaps are attached to the body of the tote with sonic welds.
In some non-limiting embodiments, least a portion of the one or more bale arms resides within one or more indented portions disposed upon the one or more flaps.
In some non-limiting embodiments, the bottom panel includes a frictional portion, and the frictional portion includes a gridded pattern.
Some other embodiments of the present disclosure are generally directed to a tote system having two or more totes. In some non-limiting embodiments, each of the two or more totes includes one or more bale arms and one or more grooves. In some non-limiting embodiments, the one or more bale arms are rotatable between a first position and a second position. In some non-limiting embodiments, the two or more totes include a first tote and a second tote. In some non-limiting embodiments, the second tote is stacked on top of the first tote. In some non-limiting embodiments, at least one of the one or more bale arms of the first tote is coupled to at least one groove of the second tote.
In some non-limiting embodiments, the tote system further includes a third tote stacked on top of the second tote, and at least one bale arm of the second tote is coupled to at least one groove of the third tote.
In some non-limiting embodiments, at least one bottom surface of a bottom panel of the two or more totes includes one or more of: (1) a raised frictional portion extending less than one-half an inch beyond the primary plane of the bottom surface, wherein the raised frictional portion is suitable to increase the force of friction between the bottom surface and an object adjacent to the bottom surface; and (2) a lowered frictional portion depressed less than one-half an inch into the primary plane of the bottom surface, wherein the lowered frictional portion is suitable to increase the force of friction between the bottom surface and the object adjacent to the bottom surface.
Some other embodiments of the present disclosure are generally directed to a method of facilitating retail pick-up orders. In some non-limiting embodiments, the method includes stacking two or more totes in a first column of totes. In some non-limiting embodiments, each of the two or more totes in the first column has an opening such that an operator may place retail items in each of the two or more totes while the two or more totes are stacked. In some non-limiting embodiments, each of the two or more totes in the first column has one or more bale arms that are rotatable between a first position and a second position. In some non-limiting embodiments, the method further includes placing retail items in at least one of the two or more totes corresponding to one or more retail orders for fulfillment.
In some non-limiting embodiments, the method further includes removing one or more retail items from the at least one of the two or more totes such that the at least one of the two or more totes is a first empty tote. In some non-limiting embodiments, the method further includes rotating the one or more bale arms of the first empty tote from a first position to a second position. In some non-limiting embodiments, the method further includes nesting the first empty tote in a second empty tote. In some non-limiting embodiments, the second empty tote is nested in a third empty tote.
In some non-limiting embodiments, the method further includes placing a bottom empty tote on a pallet, and the bottom empty tote includes an empty tote in a column of totes, the column of totes including the third empty tote.
In some non-limiting embodiments, the method further includes moving one or more of the column of totes and the pallet from a first location to a second location via an industrial truck.
In some non-limiting embodiments, the method further includes lifting the at least one of the two or more totes via at least one hand hold.
In some non-limiting embodiments, the method further includes coupling at least one of the one or more bale arms of the first tote with at least one groove of the second tote.
In some non-limiting embodiments, at least one of the two or more totes includes molded plastic.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its features and advantages, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1A is an isometric view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 1B is a top view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 1C is a front view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 1D is a rear view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 1E is a first side view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 1F is a second side view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2A is a front view of a bale arm of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2B is a first side view of a bale arm of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2C is a second side view of a bale arm of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2D is a rear view of a bale arm of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 3A is a side-by-side tote configuration with pre-interlocking bale arms according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 3B is a side-by-side tote configuration with interlocking bale arms according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 4 is a representation of a stacked tote configuration according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 5 is a representation of a tote system according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 6 is a side-by-side tote configuration with interlocking bale arms according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 7 is a representation of a nested tote configuration according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 8A is an isometric view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 8B is a front view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 8C is a side view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 8D is a bottom view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 9A is an isometric view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 9B is a front view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 9C is a side view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 9D is a corner view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 10A is a top view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 10B is an isometric view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 10C is a front view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 10D is a rear view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 10E is a bottom view of a tote according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 11 is a representation of a stacked tote configuration according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 12 is a representation of a tote system according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 13 is a representation of a nested tote configuration according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
While the present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific example embodiments have been shown in the figures and are herein described in more detail. It should be understood, however, that the description of specific example embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, this disclosure is to cover all modifications and equivalents as illustrated, in part, by the appended claims.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
Illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail herein. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the present disclosure. Furthermore, in no way should the following examples be read to limit, or define, the scope of the disclosure.
Referring now to FIG. 1A, a tote 100 is shown. A tote 100 may be comprised of any material suitable to store retail goods, including ambient and chilled retail goods. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the material selected should be durable enough to withstand the stacking arrangement of totes 100 as described in more detail below with respect to FIG. 3. The material selected should be lightweight so as to be easy to lift and transport but also be substantially rigid to provide support for the retail goods stored in the tote 100. Furthermore, the material should be impact resistant such that damage to the tote 100 is minimized if a tote 100 is dropped or otherwise impacted. In certain embodiments, tote 100 may be comprised of plastic, for example, corrugated plastic or molded plastic. Corrugated plastic may be more flexible or agile than molded plastic because dimensions of corrugated plastic totes may be easily changed in production without building a new mold. Thus, corrugated plastic may be more easily adapted to fit the needs of a given retail space or fulfillment area, for example, if changes need to be made based on the size or volume of the corrugated plastic totes. The corrugated plastic may be comprised of solid polypropylene. In other embodiments, tote 100 may be comprised of other types of plastic, for example, tote 100 may be comprised of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), acrylics, polyethylene (PE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), & polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), or any other type of plastic. Tote 100 may be pressed or formed from a single congruous piece of corrugated plastic, with or without the use of any adhesives. In other embodiments, tote 100 may be comprised of multiple pieces or layers of corrugated plastic formed together.
Tote 100 may be substantially rectangular or trapezoidal. In certain embodiments, tote 100 may comprise one or more flaps 110. In certain embodiments, the flaps 110 of tote 100 may be folded over and attached to the body of tote 100 using sonic welds. Welding the flaps may help keep bale arms 200a and 200b (discussed in more detail below) in place, while also increasing the longevity of the tote 100. In certain embodiments, flaps 110 of tote 100 may be secured using an adhesive (not shown). However, sonic welds may be more appropriate to withstand the force of the bale arms 200 as they are flipped inwards and outwards, or when the totes 100 are stacked or nested (discussed in more detail below). Furthermore, sonic welds may provide more stability to the tote 100, especially while being transported or otherwise handled by an operator.
As shown in FIG. 1A, tote 100 may comprise a bottom panel 120, side panels 125a and 125b, and a rear panel 130. Side panels 125 may each comprise a hand hold 140 to facilitate easy transport of the tote 100. Tote 100 may further comprise a front panel 135 that is substantially comprised of an opening or window for inserting and removing goods from the tote 100. Tote 100 may further comprise one or more bale arms 200, for example, bale arms 200a and 200b, described in further detail with respect to FIGS. 2A-2D. One or more bale arms 200 may be partially enclosed by the tote 100, as shown in FIG. 1A. In certain embodiments, one or more bale arms 200 may be partially enclosed between the body of tote 100 and the flaps 110. In certain embodiments, each tote 100 may comprise a first bale arm 200a and a second bale arm 200b. A portion of bale arms 200 may be positioned across the top of tote 100 and extending between side panels 125, such that another tote 100, may be positioned on or stack on top of first bale arm 200a and second bale arm 200b. As described in more detail below with respect to FIG. 3, the “stacked” nature of one or more totes 100 may provide for more structural stability of the tote system.
FIG. 1B is an overhead view of tote 100. Bottom panel 120 of tote 100 may support the retail goods in tote 100. In certain embodiments, bottom panel 120 may comprise a thicker material than other parts of the tote 100. For example, bottom panel may have an extra layer of corrugated plastic (not shown) to strengthen the bottom panel 120 and hold the weight of the retail items without deformation to the bottom panel 120 or the tote 100. An extra layer of corrugated plastic may be attached to bottom panel 120 by an adhesive or may be welded. The extra layer of corrugated plastic may be substantially smooth such that retail items placed on bottom panel 120 are not damaged during transportation or storage. The extra layer of corrugated plastic may comprise a substantially smooth surface so that bottom panel 120 is easier to sanitize.
Side panels 125 and rear panel 130 may substantially enclose the retail goods stored in tote 100 such that when subjected to movement, retail goods do not fall out of the tote 100. In certain embodiments, length Lt along the top of tote 100 may be approximately 24 inches and width Wt along the top of tote 100 may be approximately 13 inches. However, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any length Lt or width Wt may be appropriate in keeping with the design features and benefits of the present disclosure. For example, in certain embodiments, length Lt of tote 100 may be 10-40 inches, and width Wt of tote 100 may be 5-25 inches. The length Lt and width Wt may be varied or selected based on one or more of, for example, the size, weight, shape, or type of retail goods stored in tote 100. For example, for large or bulky retail items, a tote 100 with larger length and width dimensions may be required. Unlike other totes, tote 100 may not comprise a lid or panel covering the top of the tote 100. The lack of lid or cover may allow an operator to visually inspect what retail items are located in the tote 100 before lifting or moving the tote 100, such that the operator may use the appropriate body motion or posture before lifting or moving the tote 100.
FIG. 1C is a front view of a tote 100 and FIG. 1D is a rear view of a tote 100. In certain embodiments, tote 100 may have a height H of approximately 12.75 inches. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any height H may be appropriate in keeping with the design features and benefits of the present disclosure. For example, in certain embodiments, height H of tote 100 may be 5-25 inches. The height H may be varied or selected based on one or more factors, for example, the size, weight, shape, or type of retail goods stored in tote 100. For example, for tall items, a tote 100 with a larger height dimension may be required. In certain embodiments, tote 100 may be substantially trapezoidal in shape. In certain embodiments, front panel 135 and rear panel 130 may have a width Wt along a top edge 132 and a width Wb along a bottom edge 131, where Wt may be longer than Wb. For example, in certain embodiments where width Wt along top edge 132 is approximately 13 inches, width Wb along bottom edge 131 may be approximately 11 inches. Additionally, side edge 133 of rear panel 130 and front panel 135 may form an obtuse angle Φ1 with bottom edge 131 that is slightly more than 90 degrees, for example, approximately 94 degrees. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, Φ1, Wt, and Wb may be varied in keeping with aspects of the present disclosure. For example, in certain embodiments, Φ1 may be 95, 100, or 105 degrees. In certain embodiments, the substantially trapezoidal shape of tote 100 may provide for stackable and nestable features of one or more totes 100, as described in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 4 and 7, respectively.
Front panel 135 may substantially comprise an opening 137 or window for placing and removing retail items from the tote 100. Additionally, the opening or window 137 of front panel 135 may allow an operator to visually inspect what retail items are in the tote 100 without removing the tote 100 from a stacked configuration, as described in more detail below. The opening or window 137 of front panel 135 may further allow an operator to determine the requisite amount of force and correct body posture for lifting the tote 100 based on the items contained with the tote 100. As shown in FIG. 1D, rear panel 130 may be a solid panel and may not be comprised of an opening or window 137. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, in certain embodiments, rear panel 130 may similarly comprise an opening or window 137 for placing or removing retail items from the tote 100, similar to front panel 135 (not shown).
The dimensions of tote 100 including height H and thickness T may be selected based on one or more factors such as the size, weight, shape, or type of the goods stored in tote 100. In certain embodiments, bottom panel 120 may have a thickness T of approximately 2.25 inches. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any thickness T may be appropriate in keeping with the design features and benefits of the present disclosure. For example, in certain embodiments, thickness T of tote 100 may be 0.5 inch to 5 inches. The thickness T may be varied or selected based on one or more factors, for example, the size, weight, shape, or type of retail goods stored in tote 100. For example, for heavy or bulky retail items, a tote 100 with a larger thickness T may be required. In certain embodiments, the dimensions of tote 100 may be selected in order to hold a minimum weight of retail items. For example, dimensions of tote 100 may be selected such that tote 100 may be able to hold 10, 20, 25, 50, or 100 pounds of retail items without showing any signs of wear and tear on the tote 100.
The specific dimensions of tote 100 including height H and thickness T, may be varied or selected based on the desired height H′ of the opening of front panel 135. For example, as shown in FIG. 1C, a thickness T 2.25 inches of bottom panel 120 and a height H of 12.75 of front panel 135 inches renders a height H′ of 10.5 inches of the opening 137 of tote 100. Height H′ may be selected such that there is sufficient clearance for the retail items that are to be place in tote 100. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, height H′ may be varied based on one or more factors, for example, the size, shape, or type of the retail items to be stored in tote 100. In certain embodiments, height H′ may be anywhere from 5-25 inches.
FIGS. 1E and 1F are side views of tote 100. As discussed above, tote 100 may be substantially trapezoidal in shape. In certain embodiments, side panels 125 may have a length Lt along a top edge 127 and a length Lb along a bottom edge 126, where Lt may be longer than Lb. For example, in certain embodiments where length Lt along top edge 127 is approximately 24 inches, length Lb along bottom edge 126 may be approximately 21 inches. Additionally, side edge 132 of side panel 125 may form an obtuse angle Φ2 with bottom edge 126 of approximately 97 degrees. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, Φ2, Lt, and Lb may be varied in keeping with aspects of the present disclosure. For example, in certain embodiments, Φ2 may be 95, 100, or 105 degrees. In certain embodiments, the obtuse angle Φ2 and trapezoidal shape of tote 100 may provide for stackable and nestable features of one or more totes 100, as described in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 4 and 7, respectively.
In certain embodiments, tote 100 may comprise hand holds 140 at or near the top of side panels 125. For example, in certain embodiments, hand holds 125 may be located approximately 1-1.5 inches from the top of side panels 125. Hand holds 140 may facilitate easier transport of totes 100. Tote 100 may further comprise a label (not shown). A label (not shown) may comprise a barcode, stockkeeping unit number, universal product code (UPC), QR code, or any other identifier used to track or record the tote 100. For example, an employee of a retail store could scan the label of tote 100 to ensure that the tote 100 is in the correct location.
FIG. 2A is a front view of a bale arm 200 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, one or more bale arms 200 may be welded in a tote 100. Bale arms 200 may be welded such that the bale arms 200 and tote 100 comprise one unitary structure. In certain embodiments, each bale arm 200 may weigh approximately 0.5 pounds. However, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the weight of bale arm 200 may be varied or selected based on one or more factors, such as the size of the tote 100 or the size, weight, shape, or type of retail items to be stored in tote 100. In certain embodiments, bale arm 200 may be comprised of ¼ inch pre-galvanized steel wire. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, in other embodiments, other sizes, gauges, or material of wire may be appropriate. For example, in certain embodiments, bale arm 200 may be comprised of aluminum, stainless steel, or any metal or plastic. In certain embodiments, other materials and gauges that provide sufficient durability and strength to hold the weight of a tote 100 may be used.
Bale arm 200 may be comprised of a swing bar 210, a first end 220, and a second end 230. Swing bar 210 may be substantially horizontal and may be the primary portion of bale arm 200 used to support a tote 100 stacked on top of swing bar 210, as discussed in more detail with respect to FIG. 3. Swing bar 210 may comprise a base portion 211 and inclined portions 212. Inclined portions 212 of swing bar 210 may comprise arcuate portions 214 between swing bar 210 and first end 220 and swing bar 210 and second end 230, respectively. In certain embodiments, arcuate portions 214 may provide for an angle θ2 of approximately 92 degrees between base portion 211 and inclined portions 212, as well as between swing bar 210 and first end 220 and between swing bar 210 and second end 230. Thus, in certain embodiments, inclined portions 212 may be substantially vertical and substantially perpendicular to base portion 211. In certain embodiments, the length L1 of the bale arm 200 may be approximately 15 inches. In certain embodiments, the length L2 of swing bar 210, including base portion 211 and inclined portions 212, may be approximately 12 inches. In certain embodiments, the length L3 of base portion 211 of swing bar 210 may be approximately 11 inches. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, in certain embodiments, lengths L1, L2, and L3 may be varied based one or more factors, for example the width Wt of the tote 100.
In certain embodiments, swing bar 210 and first end 220, and separately, swing bar 210 and second end 230, may together each comprise a “U-shape” such that swing bar 210 and first end 220 and swing bar 210 and second end 230 each straddle a side wall 125 of tote 100. First end 220 may comprise an upper bar 221 and one or more side bars 222. Second end 230 may similarly comprise an upper bar 231 and one or more side bars 232. In certain embodiments, the length of upper bar 221 of first end 220 and upper bar 231 of second end 230 may be varied or selected based on the thickness of side panel 125. In other embodiments, the length of upper bar 221 of first end 220 and upper bar 231 of second end 230 may be selected such that there is a gap or space between first end 220 and second end 230 and side panel 125, respectively, so that an employee may hold or pick up the tote 100 using the first end 220 and 230. In certain embodiments, the length of upper bar 221 of first end 220 and upper bar 231 of second end 230 may be approximately 0.35 inches.
Second end 230 may further comprise an arcuate portion 234 between upper bar 231 and a side portion 232. In certain embodiments, arcuate portion 234 may provide for a substantially perpendicular angle between upper bar 231 and side portion 232, such that side portion 232 of second end 230 is substantially parallel to side panel 125 of tote 100. First end 220 may further comprise an arcuate portion 224 between upper bar 221 and side bar 222. In certain embodiments, arcuate portion 224 may provide for an angle θ1 of approximately 105 degrees between upper bar 221 and side bar 222, such that side bar 222 of first end 220 is angled away from the side panel 125 of tote 100. In certain embodiments, side bar 222 of first end 220 may form an obtuse angle with the upper bar 221. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the angles of arcuate portions 224 and 234 may be varied according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2B is a side view of first end 220 of bale arm 200 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, first end 220 may be a narrower end of bale arm 200 compared to second end 230. As discussed with respect to FIG. 2A, first end 220 may comprise one or more side bars 222, for example, side bars 222a and 222b. One or more side bars 222 may each further comprise an angled portion 226 and vertical portion 227. Angled portions 226 of side bar 222 may be form an obtuse angle θ3 of approximately 145 degrees from vertical portions 227 of side bar 222. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill, angle θ3 may be varied based on one or more factors in keeping with aspects of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, first end 220 may comprise a first side bar 222a and a second side bar 222b. First portion of side bar 222a may comprise a first angled portion 226a and a first vertical portion 227a. Second portion of side bar 222b may comprise a second angled portion 226b and a second vertical portion 227b. In certain embodiments, first angled portion 226a and second angled portion 226b may be different lengths such that angled portion 226a is longer than angled portion 226b. In certain embodiments, first vertical portion 227a and second vertical portion 227b may be different lengths such that second vertical portion 227b is longer than first vertical portion 227. For example, in certain embodiments, first angled portion 226a may be approximately 1.2 inches and first vertical portion 227a may be 0.8 inches, and in certain embodiments, second angled portion 227a may be approximately 0.8 inches and second vertical portion 227b may be approximately 1.2 inches.
First end 220 may further comprise a bottom bar 225 disposed substantially horizontally in between side bars 222, and more specifically, between vertical portions 227 of side bars 222. Bottom bar may be coupled to vertical portions 227 via arcuate portions 228. Similar to arcuate portions 214 of swing bar 210, arcuate portions 228 may provide substantially perpendicular angles between vertical portions 227 and bottom bar 225, such that bottom bar 225 and upper bar 221 are substantially parallel. In certain embodiments, the length L4 of first end 220 may be approximately 2.8 inches, and the length L5 of bottom bar 225 of first end 220 may be approximately 1.8 inches.
FIG. 2C is a side view of second end 230 of bale arm 200 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, second end 230 may be a wider end of bale arm 200 compared to first end 220. As discussed with respect to FIG. 2A, second end 230 may comprise one or more side portions 232. In certain embodiments, second end 230 may comprise a first side portion 232a and a second side portion 232b. second end 230 may further comprise a bottom bar 235 disposed substantially horizontally in between side portions 232. Side portions 232 may be substantially vertical such that bottom bar 235 is substantially perpendicular to side portions 232. Bottom bar 235 may be coupled to side portions 232 via arcuate portions 238. Similar to arcuate portions 228, arcuate portions 238 may provide substantially perpendicular angles between side portions 232 and bottom bar 235. In certain embodiments, the length L6 of second end 230 may be approximately 4.25 inches, and the length L7 of bottom bar 235 of second end 230 may be approximately 3.25 inches.
Thus, in certain embodiments, second end 230 may be a wide end a first end 220 may be a narrow end, such that the second end 230 is wider than the first end 220. Furthermore, because first end 220 may be angled 105 degrees away from swing bar 210, a first end 220 may be configured to interlock with a second end 230, as described in more detail with respect to FIG. 3.
FIG. 2D is a rear view of bale arm 200 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. From the rear view, swing bar 210 of bale arm 200 may be partially or substantially below the top of rear panel 130 of tote 100, such that swing bar 210 is not visible. Thus, in certain embodiments, only first end 220 and second end 230 of bale arm 200 may be visible from the rear view. As depicted in FIG. 2D, first end 220 may comprise a top bar 221 and a side bar 222. First end 220 may further comprise an arcuate portion 224 providing a substantially perpendicular angle between top bar 221 and side bar 222. In certain embodiments, side bar 222 may be approximately 1.2 inches and top bar 221 may be approximately 2 inches. Similarly, second end 230 may comprise a top bar 231 and a side bar 232. Second end 230 may further comprise an arcuate portion 234 for providing a substantially perpendicular angle between top bar 231 and side bar 232. In certain embodiments, the visible portions of second end 230 and first end 220 may be roughly equal. For example, in certain embodiments, side bar 232 may be approximately 1.2 inches and top bar 231 may be approximately 2 inches.
In certain embodiments, the unformed wire length of bale arm 200 may be approximately 35 inches and may weigh approximately 0.5 pounds. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the weight and overall wire length of bale arm 200 may be varied according to the needs of the tote 100.
FIG. 3A depicts a side-by-side tote configuration with pre-interlocking bale arms in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, a first tote 100a may be placed or disposed substantially adjacent to and aligned with a second tote 100b. In certain embodiments, a first tote 100a and a second tote 100b may be positioned such that a first bale arm 200a of first tote 100a is substantially aligned with a first bale arm 200a of a second tote 100b, and a second bale arm 200b of first tote 100a is substantially aligned with second bale arm 200b of second tote 100b. More specifically, the first end 220 of first bale arm 200a of the first tote 100a is substantially aligned with the second end 230 of first bale arm 200a of the second tote 100b. Further, the second end 230 of second bale arm 200b of first tote 100a is substantially aligned with the first end 220 of second bale arm 200b of second tote 100b.
FIG. 3B depicts a side-by-side tote configuration with interlocking bale arms in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, as shown in FIG. 3B, a first tote 100a may be placed or disposed sufficiently close to a second tote 100b such that the first end 220 of first bale arm 200a of the first tote 100a overlaps and interlocks with the second end 230 of first bale arm 200a of the second tote 100b. More specifically, for example, the first end 220 of first bale arm 200a of first tote 100a may be threaded through the second end 230 of first bale arm 200a of second tote 100b, such that at least a portion of first end 220 of first bale arm 200a of first tote 100a is positioned in between side panel 125a of second tote 100b and at least a portion of second end 230 of first bale arm 200a of second tote 100b. Similarly, in the interlocked position, at least a portion of second end 230 of first bale arm 100a of second tote 100b may be positioned between side panel 125b of first tote 100a and at least a portion of first end 220 of first bale arm 200a of first tote 100a.
In a similar manner, as shown in FIG. 3B, the second end 230 of second bale arm 200b of first tote 100a may overlap and interlock with the first end 220 of second bale arm 200b of second tote 100b. More specifically, for example, the first end 220 of second bale arm 200b of second tote 100b may be threaded through the second end 230 of second bale arm 200b of first tote 100a, such that at least a portion of first end 220 of second bale arm 200b of second tote 100b is positioned between side panel 125b of first tote 100a and at least a portion of second end 230 of second bale arm 200b of first tote 100a. Similarly, in the interlocked position, at least a portion of second end 230 of second bale arm 200b of first tote 100a may be positioned between side panel 125a of second tote 100b and at least a portion of first end 220 of second bale arm 200b of second tote 100b. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the interlocking of bale arms 200 between one or more totes 100 may be implemented in other ways, in keeping with aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 4 depicts a stacked tote configuration 400 of one or more totes 100, for example, a first tote 100a stacked on top of a second tote 100b, in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. First tote 100a may be stacked on second tote 100b by placing the bottom panel 120 of tote 100a on bale arms 200 of the tote 100b directly below it. First tote 100a may be stacked on second tote 100b such that the bottom panel 120 of tote 100a fits on the swing bars 210 (not visible) of bale arms 200 of second tote 100b and fits snugly within the side panels 125, front panel 135, and rear panel 130 of second tote 100b. The stacked configuration 400 may provide for increased stability of both totes 100a and 100b.
In general, the stacked configuration 400 of one or more totes 100 may provide for increased stability of the one or more totes 100, for example, in a tote system 500 as described below with respect to FIG. 5. For example, in certain warehouses or other retail staging areas for fulfilment of pick-up orders, a tote 100 may be knocked over inadvertently by an employee or by a machine, causing delays in the fulfillment of retail orders. The stackable nature of the one or more totes 100 may reduce the likelihood that a tote will be knocked over or displaced, thus, improving the efficiency of fulfilling retail pick-up orders. Additionally, the stackable nature of one or more totes 100 may reduce the footprint required for the staging and storage of goods in a warehouse or staging area for retail fulfillment of pick-up orders. With the increased popularity of curbside pick-up and other types of customer pick-up orders, space in staging areas can be at a premium. The stackable nature of one or more totes 100 may allow for efficient use of floor space in a staging area, allowing for more orders to be processed and prepared in a shorter amount of time.
FIG. 5 depicts a tote system 500 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, tote system 500 may comprise one or more totes 100, for example, totes 100a, 100b, 100c, 100d, 100e, 100f, 100g, 100h, 100i, 100j, 100k, 100l, 100m, 100n, 100o, 100p, 100q, and 100r. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any number of totes 100, for example, totes 100a, 100b, 100c, . . . 100z, may be used in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, tote system 500 may comprise 18 totes 100 in a 6×3 configuration as depicted in FIG. 5. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, tote system 500 may comprise three columns 510 each comprising six stacked totes 100. However, in certain embodiments, other tote configurations may be appropriate. For example, a tote system 500 may comprise 4 totes in a 2×2 configuration, 12 totes in a 3×4 configuration, or 25 totes in a 5×5 configuration. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any number of suitable configurations may be selected based on a variety of factors, for example, the number of retail orders and the number of totes needed per retail order.
The totes 100 may be stacked on one another by placing the bottom panel 120 of each tote 100 on bale arms 200 of the tote 100 directly below it, as described above with respect to FIG. 4. For example, tote 100a may be stacked on tote 100b by placing the bottom panel 120 of tote 100a on the swing bars 210 of bale arms 200 of tote 100b. Totes 100, for example, totes 100a, 100b, 100c, 100d, 100e, and 100f, may be stacked on top of one another such that there are, for example, six totes 100 stacked in a single column 310, of totes 100, for example in a first column 510a. Furthermore, as depicted in FIG. 3, totes 100g, 100h, 100i, 100j, 100k, and 100l may be stacked on top of one another in a second column 510b, and totes 100m, 100n, 100o, 100p, 100q, and 100r may be stacked on top of one another in a third column 510c.
In certain embodiments, three columns 510 may be placed side-by-side with an equal number of totes 100 in each column 510. For example, columns 510a, 510b, and 510c each comprising six totes 100 may be placed side-by-side. In certain embodiments, columns 510a, 510b, and 510c may be placed sufficiently close to each other that totes 100 may interlock one or more adjacent totes 100. For example, first column 510a and second column 510b may be positioned sufficiently close together so that the totes 100a, 100b, 100c, 100d, 100e, and 100f of first column 510a are substantially aligned with totes 100g, 100h, 100i, 100j, 100k, and 100l of second column 510b. Furthermore, each tote 100 of column 510a may interlock with each corresponding tote 100 of column 510b. For example, tote 100a may interlock with tote 100g by way of first end 220 of tote 100g overlapped or interlocked with second end 230 of tote 101a, as shown more clearly in FIGS. 3A and 3B. Thus, any movement or displacement of tote 100a may be suppressed by the interlocking arms of tote 100g. Similarly, movement of any totes 100 in first column 510a may be suppressed by the interlocking arms of the corresponding totes in second column 510b. The interlocking configuration of totes 100 in column 510a with totes 100 in column 510b may provide for increased stability of the tote system 500.
Similarly, a third column 510c may be positioned and aligned with second column 510b (and thus, also aligned with first column 510a) such that totes 100m, 100n, 100o, 100p, 100q, and 100r of third column 510c are substantially aligned totes 100g, 100h, 100i, 100j, 100k, and 100l of second column 510b. Furthermore, each tote 100 of third column 510c may also interlock with each corresponding and adjacent tote 100 of second column 510b. For example, tote 100m may interlock with 100g by way of second end 230 of tote 100m overlapped with first end 220 of tote 100g, as shown more clearly in FIGS. 3A and 3B. Thus, any movement or displacement of tote 100g may be suppressed by the interlocking arms of tote 100m. Similarly, movement of any totes 100 in column 510b may be suppressed by the interlocking arms of the corresponding totes in column 510c. The interlocking configuration of totes 100 in column 510a with totes 100 in column 510b may provide for increased stability of the tote system 500.
The stackable and modular nature of one or more totes 100 may allow retail orders to be organized more efficiently and grouped together for faster retrieval. For example, one or more retail orders may be stored in one or more totes 100. The one or more totes 100 corresponding to a given retail order may be grouped in the same stack, for example, column 510a. Thus, an operator may be able to quickly identify the retail items for a given order based on the grouping of totes 100. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, a different grouping of totes 100 may correspond to a given retail order, for example, a row of totes 100. For example, based on one or more factors such as the size or number of items in a retail order, totes 100a, 100g, and 100m may correspond to a retail order. In certain embodiments, the entire tote system 500 may correspond to a retail order.
As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any number of tote systems 500 may be used in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. For example, a warehouse or retail order fulfillment area may comprise 1, 5, 10, 20, or 50 tote systems 500. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, one or more tote systems 500 may each be placed on a pallet 550 for easy of transport such that an operator may be able to move the one or more tote systems 500 efficiently using an industrial vehicle (such as a truck or forklift) or other machinery. In certain embodiments, one or more tote systems 500 may fit on a single pallet 550. In certain embodiments, a pallet 550 may be 40″ wide by 48″ long. In certain embodiments, pallet 550 may allow two tote systems 500 or 36 totes 100 to fit thereon (not shown). The stackable and modular nature of totes 100 may provide flexibility in both the number of totes 100 in a given tote system 500, as well as the number of totes 100 on a pallet 550.
FIG. 6 depicts a side-by-side tote configuration 600 with interlocking bale arms in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. Similar to FIG. 3B, totes 100a and 100b may be placed or disposed sufficiently close together such that the first end 220 of bale arm 200 of a first tote 100a overlaps and interlocks with second end 230 of bale arm 200 of the second tote 100b. However, in certain embodiments, bale arms 200 of both totes 100 may be rotated such that each bale arm 200 is substantially in front of and to the rear of tote 100, rather than across the top of tote 100. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, a first bale arm 200a may be rotated (e.g., 90 degrees) such that the first bale arm 200a sits across front panel 135 of tote 100, and a second bale arm 200b may be rotated such that the second bale arm 200b sits across rear panel 130 of tote 100 (shown more clearly in FIG. 7). As described below in more detail with respect to FIG. 7, rotation of the bale arms 200 may allow for a “nested” configuration when retail goods are not being stored or held in the totes 100.
FIG. 7 depicts a nested configuration 700 of one or more totes 100, for example, totes 100a, 100b, 100c, 100d, and 100e, in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, a “nested” configuration may be useful when the totes 100 are empty or otherwise not being used for storing or staging retail items for pickup. For example, a nested configuration of one or more totes 100 may be used when there is a surplus of totes 100 needed for fulfilling retail orders at a given time. Storing one or more totes 100 in a nested configuration may retain valuable space in a warehouse, staging area, or other retail space.
As described above, the trapezoidal shape of totes 100 may in certain embodiments, allow a first tote 100a to be nestable in a second tote 100b, such that the bottom panel 120 of the first tote 100a sits within the second tote 100b. One or more totes 100 may be nested within one another in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, 100a may be nested in tote 100b, tote 100b may be nested in 100c, tote 100c may be nested in 100d, and tote 100d may be nested in 100e. In certain embodiments, the distance between bottom panels 120 of respective totes 100 may be approximately 5 inches or less in a nested configuration. However, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the distance between totes may vary based on the size and dimensions of totes 100. The number of nestable totes 100 may vary based on one or more factors, for example, the amount of available space in a retail fulfillment area, the number of retail orders needed to be fulfilled, the number of retail items needed to be staged, etc. In certain embodiments, any number of nested totes may be appropriate, for example, 5, 10, 15, or 20 totes 100 may be nested. In certain embodiments, the nestable totes 100 may be placed on a pallet 550 (not shown) for easy transport by an industrial vehicle (such as a truck or forklift) or other machinery.
FIG. 8 depicts a tote 800 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. Similar to tote 100, tote 800 may comprise a plastic material, such as any type of plastic listed above. In certain embodiments, tote 800 may comprise a molded plastic. In certain embodiments, molded plastic may be preferable to corrugated plastic because molded plastic may be easier to clean, due to the flat surface of molded plastic. Tote 800 may have similar dimensions to tote 100, and may comprise a substantially trapezoidal shape. For example, as shown more clearly in FIG. 8C, in certain embodiments, tote 800 may have a length Lt along the top edge of the tote 800 of approximately 14 inches and a length Lb along a bottom edge of the tote 800 may be approximately 11 inches. Further, as shown more clearly in FIG. 8B, tote 800 may have a width Wt along a top edge of the tote 800 of approximately 23 inches and a width Wb along a bottom edge of the tote 800 of approximately 20 inches. Tote 800 may have a height H of approximately 11 inches and a bottom thickness T of approximately 1 inch. As discussed above, any one or more of these dimensions may be varied or selected based on one or more factors, for example, the size, weight, shape, or type of retail goods to be stored, in keeping with aspects of the present disclosure.
As shown in FIG. 8A, similar to tote 100, tote 800 may comprise a bottom panel 820, side panels 825a and 825b, rear panel 830, and front panel 835, which may substantially comprise and opening or window 837 for inserting and removing goods from tote 800. In certain embodiments, tote 800 may comprise one or more hand holds 840, each aligned along the top edge of side panels 825. In certain embodiments, hand holds 840 may be replaced by other handle designs, for example, a handle that that protrudes from the side panels 825 (not shown), rather than an opening like the hand holds 840 shown in FIG. 8A. For example, handles of tote 800 may comprise one or more surfaces, edges, or additional material, e.g., corrugated plastic, protruding from the side panels 825 (not shown). The bottom edge of the handles may be straight, curved, or rounded for ease of handling (not shown). As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, as discussed above with regard to tote 100, various types of handle designs may be used with tote 800 and may be selected based on one or more factors, for example, ergonomic considerations when lifting heavy totes or storage space requirements of various handle options.
As shown in FIG. 8A, tote 800 may further comprise a lid 850. Lid 850 may comprise a first lid panel 851a and a second lid panel 851b. In certain embodiments, lid panels 851 may comprise one or more key connectors 855 for facilitating the coupling of lid panels 851 to one another, for example, first lid panel 851a to second lid panel 851b. In certain embodiments, first lid panel 851a may comprise key connectors 855 and second panel 851b may comprise key openings 855b. Key connectors 855 may couple to key slots 856 to attach first lid panel 851a to second lid panel 851b. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, key connectors 855 and key slots 856 may have other shapes or structures, e.g., circular or elliptical shapes rather than rectangular, such that key connectors 855 and key slots 856 couple to one another. In certain embodiments, lid 850 may only comprise a single lid panel 851 and may not comprise any key connectors 855 or key slots 856 (not shown). In certain embodiments, lid 850 may be attached or coupled to tote 800 via one or more hinges 852. For example, one or more hinges 852 may be aligned across a top edge of side panels 825 for coupling the lid 850 or lid panels 851 to the tote 800. In certain embodiments, lid 850 may be configured in an open or closed position. For example, lid 850 may be in a closed position when it is desirable to stack one or more totes 800 on top of one another, for example, like shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Lid 850 may be in an open position when it is desirable to nest one or more totes 800 in one another, for example, like shown in FIG. 7.
In certain embodiments, lid 850 may further comprise one or more openings 857. Openings 857 may correspond to and align with one or more protrusions 827 on side panels 825 when lid 850 is moved to an open position, such that lid 850 may couple to or attach to side panels 825. In an open position, openings 857 and protrusion 827 may secure lid 850 to one or more side panels 825 such that lid 850 is not displaced or otherwise obstructive to an operator when the tote 800 is in transport. Additionally, openings 857 and protrusions 827 may keep lid 850 from fanning out while one or more totes 800 are in a nested configuration (not shown), i.e., so that the lid 850 does not become an obstruction when nesting the totes 800 within one another. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, openings 857 on lid 850 and protrusions 827 on side panel 825 may take other shapes, for example, circular, oval, or rectangular (not shown) such that lid 850 may be coupled to and secured against side panel 825. Additionally, protrusion 827 may serve as a “nest stop” such that a tote 800 is prevented from sliding all the way within another tote 800. For example, in a nested configuration, the bottom edges of protrusion 827 of a first tote 800 may come into contact with the top edge of side panel 825 of a second tote 800 such that the first tote 800 cannot nest any further into the second tote 800 (not shown).
Lid 850 may further comprise one or more key connectors 860 as shown in FIG. 8A, for example key connectors 860a and 860b. In certain embodiments, key connectors 857 may be structurally similarly to key connectors 855 of lid 850. Rather than couple to key slots 856 of lid 850, however, key connectors 857 may be used to couple to one or more key slots 856 of bottom panel 820, as shown more clearly in FIG. 8D. Coupling one or more key connectors 855 on lid 850 to one or more key slots 856 on bottom panel 820 may provide increased stability and structural support when one or more totes 800 are in a stacked configuration (not shown). In certain embodiments, four key connectors 855 may be located near the corners of lid 850, and four key slots 856 may be located near the corners of bottom panel 820 (not shown). However, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any number of key connectors 855 and key slots 856 may be used and in a variety of configurations to stack one or more totes 800 on top of one another while providing the desired structural stability. Bottom panel 820 may further comprise one or more grooves 880 on the bottom surface of bottom panel 820 to provide improved friction along bottom panel 820. For example, in certain embodiments, tote 800 may be placed on a moving conveyor (not shown) for transporting tote 800 to or from a location, e.g., a fulfillment center.
Tote 800 may further comprise a bale arm 875. In certain embodiments, tote 800 may comprise two or more bale arms 875 (not shown). In certain embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8A, it may only be necessary to have a single bale arm 875 because lid 850 may be positioned on top of bale arm 875 and rear panel 830 in a closed position. Bale arm 875 may be partially enclosed within the body of tote 800. For example, the ends of bale arm 875 may be molded within the plastic of the tote 800. In certain embodiments, bale arm 875 may be positioned adjacent to or aligned against front panel 835 without any gap such that bale arm 875 does not obstruct another tote 800 from being nested within the tote 800 when the lid 850 is in an open position (not shown).
FIG. 9 depicts a tote 900 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. Similar to totes 100 and 800 as discussed above, tote 900 may comprise a plastic material, such as corrugated plastic, or for example, other types of plastic listed above. Tote 900 may similarly comprise a substantially trapezoidal shape and may have similar dimensions to totes 100 and 800. For example, as shown more clearly in FIG. 9C, in certain embodiments, tote 900 may have a length Lt along the top edge of the tote 900 of approximately 23 inches and a length Lb along a bottom edge of the tote 900 may be approximately 21 inches. Further, as shown more clearly in FIG. 9B, tote 900 may have a width Wt along a top edge of the tote 900 of approximately 14 inches and a width Wb along a bottom edge of the tote 900 of approximately 11 inches. Tote 800 may have a height H of approximately 12 inches and a bottom thickness T of approximately 1 inch. As discussed above, any one or more of these dimensions may be varied or selected based on one or more factors, for example, the size, weight, shape, or type of retail goods to be stored, in keeping with aspects of the present disclosure.
As shown in FIG. 9A, similar to totes 100 and 800, tote 900 may comprise a bottom panel 920, side panels 925a and 925b, rear panel 930, and front panel 935, which may substantially comprise and opening or window 937 for inserting and removing goods from tote 900. In certain embodiments, tote 900 may comprise one or more hand holds 940, each aligned along the top edge of side panels 925. In certain embodiments, hand holds 940 may be replaced by other handle designs, for example, a handle that that protrudes from the side panels 925 (not shown), rather than an opening like the hand holds 940 shown in FIG. 9A. For example, handles of tote 900 may comprise one or more surfaces, edges, or additional material, e.g., corrugated plastic, protruding from the side panels 925 (not shown). The bottom edge of the handles may be straight, curved, or rounded for ease of handling (not shown).
Tote 900 may further comprise one or more bale arms 975, for example, bale arms 975a and 975b. In certain embodiments, bale arms 975 may be molded within the molded plastic of tote 900 such that it is secured to and part of the tote 900. Similar to bale arms 200 discussed above with respect to tote 100, bale arms 975 of tote 900 may swivel or rotate between a first position and a second position. In certain embodiments, bale arms 975 in a first position may represent a stackable position, such that another tote 900 may be placed or stacked on top of bale arms 975. Tote 900 may further comprise one or more slots 927, for example, slots 927a, 927b, 927c, and 927d, along a top edge of side panels 925 to receive bale arms 975 in a stackable position. In certain embodiments, bale arms 975 in a second position may represent a nestable position, such that the bale arms 975 do not obstruct another tote 900 to be nested within another tote 900.
One or more totes 900 may be positioned in a stacked configuration, similar to totes 100 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. However, bale arms 975 of tote 900 may not have the interlocking feature, as shown most clearly in FIGS. 3 and 5, as tote 100. The lack of interlocking bale arms 975 in a stacked configuration may provide time gains when re-positioning or retrieving down-stacked totes for fulfillment. In certain embodiments, bale arms 975 may be used with tote 100 and bale arms 200 may be used with tote 900. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, when selecting the more appropriate bale arm 200 or 975, the benefits of the improved structural stability provided by the interlocking feature of bale arm 200 should be weighed against the benefits of efficiency in positioning and re-positioning totes 100 or 900 with bale arms 975 that do not have an interlocking feature.
FIG. 9D shows tote 900 with second bale arm 975b in a nestable position. In a nestable position, bale arm 975 may be coupled to one or more latches 980, for example latch 980a and 980b. In certain embodiments, latches 980 may be molded as part of the molded plastic of tote 900. In other embodiments, latches 980 may be coupled to rear panel 930, for example, via an adhesive. Latches 980 may secure one or more bale arms, for example, bale arm 975b against the rear panel 930 of tote 900 such that bale arm 975b does not fan out or otherwise obstruct another tote 900 (not shown) from being nested within the tote 900. In certain embodiments, in a nestable position of tote 900, first bale arm 975a may be positioned on top of and flush with front panel 935 (not shown) such that bale arm 975a does not fan out when nested or obstruct another tote 900 (not shown) from being nested within the tote 900.
In certain embodiments, tote 900 may further comprise one or more nest stops 955, for example, nest stops 955a and 955c shown in FIG. 9A. In certain embodiments, nest stops 955 may be molded as part of the molded plastic of tote 900. In other embodiments, nest stops 955 may be coupled to the tote 900, for example, via an adhesive. One or more nest stops 955 may prevent a tote 900 from sliding all the way within another tote 900 in a nested configuration (not shown). For example, in a nested configuration, the bottom edges of nest stops 955 of a first tote 900 may come into contact with the top edge of side panel 925 of a second tote 900 such that the first tote 900 cannot nest any further into the second tote 900 (not shown). Additionally, the bottom edges of latches 980 may also serve as nest stops in a similar manner.
Referring now to FIG. 10A, a top view of a tote 300 is depicted. A tote 300 may be comprised of any material suitable to store retail goods, including ambient and chilled retail goods. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the material selected should be durable enough to withstand the stacking arrangements of totes 300 as described in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 11-13. The material selected should be lightweight so as to be easy to lift and transport but also be substantially rigid to provide support for the retail goods stored in the tote 300. Furthermore, the material should be impact resistant such that damage to the tote 300 is minimized if a tote 300 is dropped or otherwise impacted. In certain embodiments, tote 300 may be comprised of plastic, for example, corrugated plastic or molded plastic. Molded plastic may have superior durability in relation to corrugated plastic. Bottom panel 320 of tote 300 may support the retail goods in tote 300. In certain embodiments, bottom panel 320 may comprise a thicker material than other parts of the tote 300. For example, bottom panel may have an extra layer of molded plastic (not shown) to strengthen the bottom panel 320 and hold the weight of the retail items without deformation to the bottom panel 320 or the tote 300. An extra layer of molded plastic may be attached to bottom panel 320 by an adhesive or may be welded. The extra layer of molded plastic may be substantially smooth such that retail items placed on bottom panel 320 are not damaged during transportation or storage. The extra layer of molded plastic may comprise a substantially smooth surface so that bottom panel 320 is easier to sanitize.
Side panels 325 and rear panel 330 may substantially enclose the retail goods stored in tote 300 such that when subjected to movement, retail goods do not fall out of the tote 300. In certain embodiments, length Lt along the top of tote 300 may be approximately 24 inches and width Wt along the top of tote 300 may be approximately 13 inches. However, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any length Lt or width Wt may be appropriate in keeping with the design features and benefits of the present disclosure. For example, in certain embodiments, length Lt of tote 300 may be 10-40 inches, and width Wt of tote 300 may be 5-25 inches. The length Lt and width Wt may be varied or selected based on one or more of, for example, the size, weight, shape, or type of retail goods stored in tote 300. In certain embodiments, each tote 300 may weigh approximately 5 pounds. However, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the weight of tote 300 may be varied or selected based on one or more factors, such as the size, weight, shape, or type of retail items to be stored in tote 300. For example, for large or bulky retail items, a tote 300 with larger weight, length dimensions, and/or width dimensions may be required. Unlike other totes, tote 300 may not comprise a lid or panel covering the top of the tote 300. The absence of lid or cover may allow an operator to visually inspect what retail items are located in the tote 300 before lifting or moving the tote 300, such that the operator may use the appropriate body motion or posture before lifting or moving the tote 300.
In certain embodiments, one or more bale arms 301a, 301b may be welded in a tote 300. Bale arms 301a, 301b may be welded such that the bale arms 301a, 301b and tote 300 comprise one unitary structure. In certain embodiments, each bale arm 301a, 301b may weigh approximately 0.2 pounds. However, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the weight of bale arms 301a, 301b may be varied or selected based on one or more factors, such as the size of the tote 300 or the size, weight, shape, or type of retail items to be stored in tote 300. In certain embodiments, bale arms 301a, 301b may each be comprised of molded plastic. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, in other embodiments, other sizes, weights, or materials may be appropriate. For example, in certain embodiments, bale arms 301a, 301b may be comprised of aluminum, stainless steel, or any metal or plastic. In certain embodiments, other materials and gauges that provide sufficient durability and strength to hold the weight of a tote 300 may be used.
Bale arms 301a, 301b may each be comprised of a first end 321a, 321b, a second end 322a, 322b, and a substantially horizontally portion 323a, 323b. In certain embodiments, the length of the horizontal portions 323a, 323b of the bale arms may each be approximately 13 inches. In certain embodiments, the length of the first ends 321a, 321b and second ends 322a, 322b may each be approximately 2 inches. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, in certain embodiments, lengths may be varied based one or more factors, for example the width Wt of the tote 300.
Referring now to FIG. 10B, an isometric view of a tote 300 is depicted. Tote 300 may be substantially rectangular or trapezoidal. In certain embodiments, tote 300 may comprise one or more flaps 310. In certain embodiments, the flaps 310 of tote 300 may be folded over and attached to the body of tote 300 using sonic welds. Welding the flaps 310 may help keep bale arms 301a and 301b (discussed in more detail below) in place, while also increasing the longevity of the tote 300. In certain embodiments, the flaps 310 may include a depressed region in which one or more bale arms 301a, 301b may rest. In certain embodiments, flaps 310 of tote 300 may be secured using an adhesive (not shown). However, sonic welds may be more appropriate to withstand the force of the bale arms 301 as they are flipped inwards and outwards, or when the totes 300 are stacked or nested (discussed in more detail below). Furthermore, sonic welds may provide more stability to the tote 300, especially while being transported or otherwise handled by an operator.
As shown in FIG. 10B, tote 300 may comprise a bottom panel 320, side panels 325a and 325b, and a rear panel 330. Side panels 325 may each comprise a hand hold 340 to facilitate easy transport of the tote 300. Tote 300 may further comprise a front panel 135 that is substantially comprised of an opening or window for inserting and removing goods from the tote 300. Tote 300 may further comprise one or more bale arms 301, for example, bale arms 301a and 301b. One or more bale arms 301 may be partially enclosed by the tote 300, as shown in FIG. 10B. In certain embodiments, one or more bale arms 301 may be partially enclosed within an indented portion 311a, 311b, 311c, 311d of the flaps 310. In certain embodiments, each tote 300 may comprise a first bale arm 301a and a second bale arm 301b. A portion of bale arms 301 may be positioned across the top of tote 300 and extending between side panels 325, such that another tote 300, may be positioned on or stack on top of first bale arm 301a and second bale arm 301b. As described in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 11-13, the “stacked” nature of one or more totes 300 may provide for more structural stability of the tote system.
In certain embodiments, tote 300 may comprise one or more hand holds 340 positioned upon side panels 325. In certain embodiments, hand holds 340 may be replaced by other handle designs, for example, an opening functioning as a hand hold (not shown), rather than a handle that that protrudes from the side panels 325 as shown in FIG. 10B. In certain embodiments, handles of tote 300 may comprise one or more surfaces, edges, or additional material, e.g., molded plastic, protruding from the side panels 325. The bottom edge of the handles may be straight, curved, or rounded for ease of handling. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, as discussed above with regard to tote 100 and tote 800 above, various types of handle designs may be used with tote 300 and may be selected based on one or more factors, for example, ergonomic considerations when lifting heavy totes or storage space requirements of various handle options.
In certain embodiments, a side 355b of a tote 300 may comprise one or more stoppers 356. As depicted and described in more detail with respect to FIG. 13 below, the one or more stoppers 356 may be operable to prevent a first tote from nesting too deeply within a second tote; that is, the one or more stoppers 356 may prevent downward vertical movement of a top tote from exceeding a spatial limit. The stoppers 356 may be substantially trapezoidal, substantially rectangular, or any other shape suitable to prevent a first tote from nesting too deeply within a second tote. In certain embodiments, one stopper 356 may be disposed adjacent to each end of each hand hold 340.
FIG. 10C is a front view of a tote 300 and FIG. 10D is a rear view of a tote 300. In certain embodiments, tote 300 may have a height H of approximately 12.75 inches. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any height H may be appropriate in keeping with the design features and benefits of the present disclosure. For example, in certain embodiments, height H of tote 300 may be 5-25 inches. The height H may be varied or selected based on one or more factors, for example, the size, weight, shape, or type of retail goods stored in tote 300. For example, for tall items, a tote 300 with a larger height dimension may be required. In certain embodiments, tote 300 may be substantially trapezoidal in shape. In certain embodiments, front panel 135 and rear panel 330 may have a width Wt along a top edge 332 and a width Wb along a bottom edge 331, where Wt may be longer than Wb. For example, in certain embodiments where width Wt along top edge 332 is approximately 13 inches, width Wb along bottom edge 331 may be approximately 11 inches. Additionally, side edge 333 of rear panel 330 and front panel 135 may form an obtuse angle Φ1 with bottom edge 331 that is slightly more than 90 degrees, for example, approximately 93 degrees. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, Φ1, Wt, and Wb may be varied in keeping with aspects of the present disclosure. For example, in certain embodiments, Φ1 may be 91, 95, 100, or 105 degrees. In certain embodiments, the substantially trapezoidal shape of tote 300 may provide for stackable and nestable features of one or more totes 300, as described in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 11 and 13, respectively.
Front panel 135 may substantially comprise an opening 337 or window for placing and removing retail items from the tote 300. Additionally, the opening or window 337 of front panel 135 may allow an operator to visually inspect what retail items are in the tote 300 without removing the tote 300 from a stacked configuration, as described in more detail below. The opening or window 337 of front panel 135 may further allow an operator to determine the requisite amount of force and correct body posture for lifting the tote 300 based on the items contained with the tote 300. As shown in FIG. 10D, rear panel 330 may be a solid panel and may not be comprised of an opening or window 337. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, in certain embodiments, rear panel 330 may similarly comprise an opening or window 337 for placing or removing retail items from the tote 300, similar to front panel 135 (not shown).
The dimensions of tote 300 including height H and thickness T may be selected based on one or more factors such as the size, weight, shape, or type of the goods stored in tote 300. In certain embodiments, bottom panel 320 may have a thickness T of approximately 2.25 inches. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any thickness T may be appropriate in keeping with the design features and benefits of the present disclosure. For example, in certain embodiments, thickness T of tote 300 may be 0.125 inch to 5 inches. The thickness T may be varied or selected based on one or more factors, for example, the size, weight, shape, or type of retail goods stored in tote 300. For example, for heavy or bulky retail items, a tote 300 with a larger thickness T may be required. In certain embodiments, the dimensions of tote 300 may be selected in order to hold a minimum weight of retail items. For example, dimensions of tote 300 may be selected such that tote 300 may be able to hold 10, 20, 25, 50, or 100 pounds of retail items without showing any signs of wear and tear on the tote 300.
The specific dimensions of tote 300 including height H and thickness T, may be varied or selected based on the desired height H′ of the opening of front panel 135. For example, as shown in FIG. 10C, a thickness T 2.25 inches of bottom panel 320 and a height H of 12.75 of front panel 135 inches renders a height H′ of 10.5 inches of the opening 337 of tote 300. Height H′ may be selected such that there is sufficient clearance for the retail items that are to be place in tote 300. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, height H′ may be varied based on one or more factors, for example, the size, shape, or type of the retail items to be stored in tote 300. In certain embodiments, height H′ may be anywhere from 5-25 inches.
FIG. 10E is a bottom view of a tote 300 in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. The bottom 320 of a tote 300 may include a frictional portion 380 in order to increase friction between the bottom 320 of the tote 300 and an adjacent surface. Certain portions of the frictional portion 380 may be slightly raised or lowered with respect to the primary plane of the bottom 320 of the tote 300, and the corresponding increased friction may decrease a tote's propensity to move when resting upon a surface. The raised or lowered portion may be raised or lowered by any suitable distance; for example, in certain embodiments, the raised or lowered portion may be raised or lowered by less than half an inch. In certain embodiments, the frictional portion 380 may comprise a gridded pattern. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, the increased friction produced via the frictional portion 380 on the bottom 320 of a tote 300 may result in increased stability of a stacked tote configuration, such as the stacked tote configurations described with respect to FIGS. 11-13 below. The bottom 320 of a tote 300 may further include one or more grooves 381 and/or one or more ridges 382 (as depicted in FIG. 10A and described above) to further increase stabilization among stacked totes 300.
In certain embodiments, the top surface(s) of one or more bale arms 301 of a first tote may interface with the bottom surface(s) of one or more grooves 381 of a second tote. Furthermore, one or more ridges 382 and/or grooves 381 may serve to connect a tote 300 to another tote 300 for increased stability. In certain embodiments, a ridge 382 and a groove 381 may comprise opposite sides of the same element. That is, an area on the bottom 320 of a tote 300 may be uneven with the primary plane of the bottom of the tote—a first portion may be referred to as a ridge 382, and a geometrically inverse portion formed on the opposite surface may be referred to as a groove 381. In certain embodiments, ridges 382 and grooves 381 may serve to improve stacking stability of multiple totes, as depicted in FIGS. 11-13 and described below. In certain embodiments, each tote 300 may have two ridges 382 and two grooves 381; however, those skilled in the art will understand that any appropriate number of ridges 382 and grooves 381 may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the number of ridges 382 and grooves 381 selected may correspond to the number of bale arms of tote 300. Moreover, though the ridges 382 and grooves 381 of FIGS. 10A and 10E are shown in an illustrative form spanning the width of a tote 300, any shape of the ridges 382 and corresponding grooves 381 may be used.
FIG. 11 depicts a stacked tote configuration 401 of one or more totes 300, for example, a first tote 300a stacked on top of a second tote 300b, in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. First tote 300a may be stacked on second tote 300b by placing the bottom panel 320 of tote 300a on bale arms 301 and/or flaps 310 of the tote 300b directly below it. In certain embodiments, the top surface(s) of one or more bale arms 301 of a first tote may interface with the bottom surface(s) of one or more grooves 381 of a second tote. The stacked configuration 401 may provide for increased stability of both totes 300a and 300b.
In general, the stacked configuration 401 of one or more totes 300 may provide for increased stability of the one or more totes 300, for example, in a tote system 501 as described below with respect to FIG. 5. For example, in certain warehouses or other retail staging areas for fulfilment of pick-up orders, a tote 300 may be knocked over inadvertently by an employee or by a machine, causing delays in the fulfillment of retail orders. The stackable nature of the one or more totes 300 may reduce the likelihood that a tote will be knocked over or displaced, thus improving the efficiency of fulfilling retail pick-up orders. Additionally, the stackable nature of one or more totes 300 may reduce the footprint required for the staging and storage of goods in a warehouse or staging area for retail fulfillment of pick-up orders. With the increased popularity of curbside pick-up and other types of customer pick-up orders, space in staging areas can be at a premium. The stackable nature of one or more totes 300 may allow for efficient use of floor space in a staging area, allowing for more orders to be processed and prepared in a shorter amount of time.
FIG. 12 depicts a tote system 501 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, tote system 501 may comprise one or more totes 300, for example, totes 300a, 300b, 300c, 300d, 300e, 300f, 300g, 300h, 300i, 300j, 300k, 300l, 300m, 300n, 300o, 300p, 300q, and 300r. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any number of totes 300, for example, totes 300a, 300b, 300c, . . . 300z, may be used in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, tote system 501 may comprise 18 totes 300 in a 6×3 configuration as depicted in FIG. 12. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, tote system 501 may comprise three columns 510 each comprising six stacked totes 300. However, in certain embodiments, other tote configurations may be appropriate. For example, a tote system 501 may comprise 4 totes in a 2×2 configuration, 12 totes in a 3×4 configuration, or 25 totes in a 5×5 configuration. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any number of suitable configurations may be selected based on a variety of factors, for example, the number of retail orders and the number of totes needed per retail order.
The totes 300 may be stacked on one another by placing the bottom panel 320 of each tote 300 on bale arms 301 of the tote 300 directly below it, as described above with respect to FIG. 11. Totes 300, for example, totes 300a, 300b, 300c, 300d, 300e, and 300f, may be stacked on top of one another such that there are, for example, six totes 300 stacked in a single column 310, of totes 300, for example in a first column 511a. Furthermore, as depicted in FIG. 12, totes 300g, 300h, 300i, 300j, 300k, and 300l may be stacked on top of one another in a second column 511b, and totes 300m, 300n, 300o, 300p, 300q, and 300r may be stacked on top of one another in a third column 511c.
In certain embodiments, three columns 510 may be placed side-by-side with an equal number of totes 300 in each column 510. For example, columns 511a, 511b, and 511c each comprising six totes 300 may be placed side-by-side. In certain embodiments, columns 511a, 511b, and 511c may be placed sufficiently close to each other such that the force of friction between totes 300 and one or more adjacent totes 300 may result in increased stability. For example, first column 511a and second column 511b may be positioned sufficiently close together so that the totes 300a, 300b, 300c, 300d, 300e, and 300f of first column 511a are substantially aligned with totes 300g, 300h, 300i, 300j, 300k, and 300l of second column 511b, resulting in increased stability. Specifically, the force of friction between flaps (for example, flaps 310a and 310g) may result in increased stability. Those skilled in the art will understand that flaps 310a, 310g are listed above by way of illustration rather than limitation; any adjacent flaps 310 may result in increased stability via a force of friction between the adjacent flaps. In certain embodiments, an outer edge of one or more flaps 310 may comprise a material having a heightened coefficient of static friction in order to further stabilize adjacent totes.
Similarly, a third column 511c may be positioned and aligned with second column 511b (and thus, also aligned with first column 511a) such that totes 300m, 300n, 300o, 300p, 300q, and 300r of third column 511c are substantially aligned totes 300g, 300h, 300i, 300j, 300k, and 300l of second column 511b. A stabilizing force of friction may also apply between the totes 300 of column 511b and the totes 300 of column 511c.
The stackable and modular nature of one or more totes 300 may allow retail orders to be organized more efficiently and grouped together for faster retrieval. For example, one or more retail orders may be stored in one or more totes 300. The one or more totes 300 corresponding to a given retail order may be grouped in the same stack, for example, column 511a. Thus, an operator may be able to quickly identify the retail items for a given order based on the grouping of totes 300. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, a different grouping of totes 300 may correspond to a given retail order, for example, a row of totes 300. For example, based on one or more factors such as the size or number of items in a retail order, totes 300a, 300g, and 300m may correspond to a retail order. In certain embodiments, the entire tote system 501 may correspond to a retail order.
As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any number of tote systems 501 may be used in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. For example, a warehouse or retail order fulfillment area may comprise 1, 5, 10, 20, or 50 tote systems 501. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, one or more tote systems 501 may each be placed on a pallet 551 for easy of transport such that an operator may be able to move the one or more tote systems 501 efficiently using an industrial vehicle (such as a truck or forklift) or other machinery. In certain embodiments, one or more tote systems 501 may fit on a single pallet 551. In certain embodiments, a pallet 551 may be 40″ wide by 48″ long. In certain embodiments, pallet 551 may allow two tote systems 501 or 36 totes 300 to fit thereon (not shown). The stackable and modular nature of totes 300 may provide flexibility in both the number of totes 300 in a given tote system 501, as well as the number of totes 300 on a pallet 551.
FIG. 13 depicts a nested configuration 701 of one or more totes 300, for example, totes 300a, 300b, 300c, 300d, and 300e, in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, a “nested” configuration may be useful when the totes 300 are empty or otherwise not being used for storing or staging retail items for pickup. For example, a nested configuration of one or more totes 300 may be used when there is a surplus of totes 300 needed for fulfilling retail orders at a given time. Storing one or more totes 300 in a nested configuration may retain valuable space in a warehouse, staging area, or other retail space. As described above, the trapezoidal shape of totes 300 may, in certain embodiments, allow a first tote 300a to be nestable in a second tote 300b, such that the bottom panel 320 of the first tote 300a sits within the second tote 300b. One or more totes 300 may be nested within one another in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, 300a may be nested in tote 300b, tote 300b may be nested in 300c, tote 300c may be nested in 300d, and tote 300d may be nested in 300e. In certain embodiments, the distance between bottom panels 320 of respective totes 300 may be approximately 5 inches or less in a nested configuration. However, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the distance between totes may vary based on the size and dimensions of totes 300. The number of nestable totes 300 may vary based on one or more factors, for example, the amount of available space in a retail fulfillment area, the number of retail orders needed to be fulfilled, the number of retail items needed to be staged, etc. In certain embodiments, any number of nested totes may be appropriate, for example, 5, 10, 15, or 20 totes 100 may be nested. In certain embodiments, the nestable totes 300 may be placed on a pallet 551 (not shown) for easy transport by an industrial truck (such as a forklift) or other machinery.
In certain embodiments, tote 300 may further comprise one or more nest stops 357, for example, nest stops 357a and 357b shown in FIG. 10B. In certain embodiments, nest stops 357 may be molded as part of the molded plastic of tote 300. In other embodiments, nest stops 357 may be coupled to the tote 300, for example, via an adhesive. One or more nest stops 357 may prevent a tote 300 from sliding all the way within another tote 300 in a nested configuration (not shown). For example, in a nested configuration, the bottom edges of nest stops 357 of a first tote 900 may come into contact with the top edge of side panel 355 of a second tote 300 such that the first tote 300 cannot nest any further into the second tote 300 (not shown).
Therefore, the present disclosure is well adapted to attain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those that are inherent therein. The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the present disclosure may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular illustrative embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. While compositions and methods are described in terms of “comprising,” “containing,” or “including” various components or steps, the compositions and methods can also “consist essentially of” or “consist of” the various components and steps. All numbers and ranges disclosed above may vary by some amount. Whenever a numerical range with a lower limit and an upper limit is disclosed, any number and any included range falling within the range is specifically disclosed. In particular, every range of values (of the form, “from about a to about b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a to b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a-b”) disclosed herein is to be understood to set forth every number and range encompassed within the broader range of values. Also, the terms in the claims have their plain, ordinary meaning unless otherwise explicitly and clearly defined by the patentee. Moreover, the indefinite articles “a” or “an,” as used in the claims, are defined herein to mean one or more than one of the element that it introduces. Furthermore, as used herein, the term “at least one of” is synonymous with “one or more of.” For example, the phrase “at least one of A, B, and C” means any one of A, B, and C, or any combination of any two or more of A, B, and C. For example, “at least one of A, B, and C” includes one or more of A alone; or one or more of B alone; or one or more of C alone; or one or more of A and one or more of B; or one or more of A and one or more of C; or one or more of B and one or more of C; or one or more of all of A, B, and C. Similarly, as used herein, the term “at least two of” is synonymous with “two or more of.” For example, the phrase “at least two of D, E, and F” means any combination of any two or more of D, E, and F. For example, “at least two of D, E, and F” includes one or more of D and one or more of E; or one or more of D and one or more of F; or one or more of E and one or more of F; or one or more of all of D, E, and F. If there is any conflict in the usages of a word or term in this specification and one or more patent or other documents that may be incorporated herein by reference, the definitions that are consistent with this specification should be adopted.
Patent Application
20230120175
