This invention is directed to a poultry crate, and more particularly, to a poultry crate capable of reuse and recycling and which is capable of being stacked in a stable manner with crates adapted for other types of products.
When prepared for shipping, poultry is placed in a crate, flash frozen and then palletized directly at the processing plant and shipped to a distribution center for distribution to end user retail outlets.
The prior art poultry crates are made from cardboard and chicken wire with a styrofoam or plastic tray within the crate to act as a liner and to catch any drippings to prevent passage of salmonella. These crates are satisfactory, however, they suffer from the disadvantage that because they are made of cardboard they are subject to wear and tear. Furthermore, they do not have sufficient structural integrity to allow stacking of heavier crates thereupon such as a meat crate or several layers of poultry crates. Furthermore, they are not collapsible nor easily sterilized to be sent back to the distribution center for reuse. For these reasons, they are a single use crate.
It is also known in the art to utilize “bread crates”. These crates are formed of plastic and therefore, may be sterilized and recycled, however, they are not collapsible and therefore, shipping the crates back to a point of origin, results in the shipping of significant amount of dead air as stacks of crates are shipped around increasing the costs. As a result, these poultry crates are only used internally prior to repackaging in the cardboard crates.
Furthermore, at the distribution center, pallets of crates are created for shipping. The pallets are of standard dimensions to enable shipping. Because of the configuration and the inability for the prior art poultry crates to support other types of pallet crates such as meat crates thereupon, when creating pallets at the distribution center, they are formed entirely of poultry crates, or entirely of meat crates. However, this inflexibility may result in two short pallets being sent to the same end user increasing cost, increasing the carbon footprint for shipping because the footprint of two pallets are required where one may do. To get around this, it is known to build a first layer of meat crates, build a planar floor on the meat crate layer, and then stack the corrugated crates thereon. However, this is an unstable construction and does not solve the problems associated with using corrugated crates. Also, because of salmonella, they don't stack plastic meat crates on corrugated poultry crates.
Accordingly, a poultry crate which overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art is provided.
A poultry crate has a base, a first side wall pivotally connected to the base, a second side wall pivotally connected to the base, a first end wall pivotally connected to the base, and a fourth end wall pivotally connected to the base, each of the first end wall, second end wall, first side wall and second side wall are moveable between a first open position and a second collapsed position. Each side wall has a center, a first edge and a second edge. A rib structure extends along a height of the side wall at a position between the center and the first edge. A second rib structure extends along a height of the side wall between the center and the second edge. Each side wall has a top surface, a first tab is disposed on a top surface of the wall between the rib structure and the first edge and a second tab is disposed on a top surface of each side wall between a second rib structure and the second edge.
In a preferred embodiment, the wall has a width, the width of the detent is less than the width of the wall. The base is formed with a bottom surface, the bottom surface being formed with a catch along an edge of the base adapted to receive the first and second detent.
In a preferred embodiment, the length and width of the poultry crate are such that when positioned so that a first poultry crate has a first side wall adjacent a first side wall of a second crate and a second side wall adjacent a first side wall of a third crate, each side wall of each crate is coterminous. A fourth crate is disposed adjacent the end walls of the first crate and the second crate, the end wall of the fourth crate being coterminous with the second side wall of the second crate and a fifth crate having an end wall adjacent and coterminous with a second end wall of the fourth crate. A layer formed by the first, second, third and fourth crates has a footprint substantially equal to the footprint of a layer formed by first meat crate having a first side wall and a first end wall and second meat crate having a first side wall and a first end wall, the first end wall of the first meat crate being adjacent the first end wall of the second meat crate and coterminous therewith. The second layer also includes a third meat crate disposed adjacent the first meat crate; the third meat crate having a first side wall and a first end wall, the first end wall of the first meat crate being adjacent the first end wall of the third meat crate and coterminous therewith. A fourth meat crate has an end wall and a first side wall. The end wall of the fourth meat crate is adjacent to and coterminous with the end wall of the third meat crate, and the side wall of the fourth meat crate is adjacent and coterminous with the side wall of the second meat crate.
The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, where like numerals were used to note like elements and in which:
The invention is directed to a poultry crate, generally indicated as 10 constructed in a way which enables the poultry crate to form a layer on a pallet capable of supporting a layer of a different number of a different type of crate, preferably a meat crate, thereon.
Reference is first made to
As known in the art, end walls 44, 46 are pivotally affixed to base 14 at a respective edge 20, 22 so as to be moveable between a closed position and open position. Similarly, side walls 34, 36 are rotatably affixed to a respective edge 16, 18 and are moveable between an open and closed position. Closed position means a position in which the walls collapse towards base 14 and open position is when the wall is upright to create the crate. Each wall may be affixed to base 14 by a hinge system as known in the art.
As best seen in
As known in the art, each corner of container 10 is provided with a cammed latch 242 to releasably maintain the crate in an upright position. Each latch 242 is operatively mounted proximate the ends of 34, 36 near flanges 52 as seen in
As shown in the various figures, the top surfaces 43 of end walls 44, 46 are provided with a plurality of stacking tabs 61 that extend upwardly in a direction away from base 14. Each top surface 43 of respective end walls 44, 46 has a width. The respective width of each tab 61 is less than the width of respective side walls 44, 46. Similarly, each end wall 34, 36 includes upright tabs 58 extending from a top surface 53. Top surface 53 has a first width and each of tabs 58 has a respective width less than the width of top surface 53.
Each side wall 34, 36 is provided with a pair of reinforcing rib structures 30, 32 disposed on either side of a center line 55 and handle opening 45. Each corner of side wall 35 is provided with respective rib structures 37, 38. Rib structures 30, 32, 37 and 38 extend along the height of the respective side walls 34, 36 substantially from base 14 to top surface 53. Rib structures 37, 38 are, in one nonlimiting embodiment, formed as spaced parallel longitudinal rib pairs 37a, 37b and 38a, 38b respectively. A plurality of horizontal ribs 39 extend between ribs 37a, 37b and horizontal ribs 41 extend between respective spaced ribs 38a, 38b making up rib structure 38. Tabs 58 are disposed along upper surface 53 at a position between rib structures 32 and 38 in the one instance and between rib structures 30 and 37 in the other instance and closer to a respective projection 52 than center line 53 in a preferred nonlimiting embodiment.
A support structure 62 extends from rib 37a to rib 38b substantially adjacent top surface 53 of each side wall 34, 36. Furthermore, each tab 58, 61 is tapered. Support structure 62 may be a lattice as shown in
There are certain industry dictated requirements for the size of a poultry crate, among other things, the dimensions of a foam drainage tray used within container 10 to trap drippings and prevent the spread of salmonella. However, the prior art has not solved the problems discussed above a result of the standards. As will be discussed below, one aspect of the invention is the ability of a layer of poultry crates constructed in accordance with the invention, including industry standards to support a layer of meat crates.
In accordance with the invention, the exterior dimensions of the crate are such that when arranged, as N crates as will be described below, they support N−1 crates of another standard size, namely meat crates: The thickness of each end wall 44, 46 is about 0.525 inches and the thickness of each side wall is about 0.500 inches (width). However, the interior dimensions remain about 22.825 inches ±0.25 inches by 14.878 inches ±0.25 inches for the base and a height of 5.906 inches ±0.25 inches as required by industry standard. The footprint of each poultry crate is different than the footprint of each meat crate.
In the invention, the tabs have been removed from the corners to transfer the load of stacked crates to a position between rib structures 30, 37 and 32, 38. The tabs are also away from the ribs although closer to the corner than the center line 53 discussed above. The rib structures 30, 32 are disposed at or about ⅓ of the length of a side wall 34, 36 from the respective corners.
Reference is now made to
In accordance with the invention, a pallet 100 includes a first layer 102 of two or more poultry crates 10 arranged in a pattern. A second layer 104 of two or more poultry crates 10 are disposed upon layer 102 and supported thereby. Poultry crates 10 of layer 104 may be arranged in a pattern which is either identical to or different from the poultry crates 10 in layer 102 of pallet 100.
Like numerals are utilized to indicate like structures. In the pattern of layer 102, a five container pattern is provided in which a first poultry crate 10a is provided. First poultry crate 10a, as discussed above has opposed end walls 44, 46 at opposite edges of floor 15 and a side wall 36 extending from wall 15. Second poultry crate 10b has identical structure and the two are positioned end wall to end wall such that end wall 44 of poultry crate 10b is in substantially coterminous facing relationship with end wall 46 of first poultry crate 10a.
A third poultry crate 10c is disposed in layer 102 and in orientation such that side wall 36 is substantially coplanar with end wall 44 of first poultry container 10a and end wall 44 (not shown) of crate 10c abuts against side wall 36 of first crate 10a. Once given this initial pattern of row 102, and as can be readily discerned from rows 104 or 106, a fourth and fifth poultry crate are disposed in end row 102 such that the side wall of the fourth crate is adjacent and coterminous with side wall 34 of crate 10c of that row and an end wall of the fourth crate abuts and is adjacent to side walls 36 of both crate 10a and 10b. A fifth crate is disposed in row 102 such that a side wall of the fifth crate is adjacent and coterminous with a second side wall of the fourth crate and an end wall of the fifth crate abuts side wall 36 of crate 10b.
Row 104 of pallet 100 is “cross stacked” relative to row 102 meaning that in this non-limiting embodiment, the pattern has rotated 180° relative to row 102. Accordingly, crates 10c, 10d, 10e are disposed such that an end wall 34 of crate 10e of layer 104 is substantially coplanar with side wall 36 of crate 10c of row 102 and end wall 44 of crate 10a of layer 102. Adjacent end walls 34, 36 of crates 10c, 10d, and 10e abut each other and side wall 36 of crate 10c of layer 10 are substantially coplanar with end wall 46 of crate 10b.
Third layer 106 has the same orientation and stacking pattern as layer 104 so that like numbered crates are supported by like numbered crates, i.e. crate 10c lies of row 106 lies over crate 10c of row 104.
In this embodiment, an end wall of a poultry crate supports an end wall of a higher row. As seen in
Reference is now made to
A layer 204 of meat containers 80a-80d, shown in phantom, each meat crate generally indicated as 80 in this particular nonlimiting example, like numerals are utilized to indicate like structure. Each meat crate 80 having a first end wall 82 and an opposed end wall 84, and opposed side walls 86, 88 extending from a base 90. The first meat crate 80 has one side wall adjacent a side wall 86 or 88 of a second meat crate 80b and its end wall 82 or 84 adjacent an end wall 82 or 84 of a third crate 80c. Similarly, a fourth meat crate 80d is disposed so as to have an end wall 82 or 84 adjacent end wall 84 of second meat crate 80b and a side wall 86 or 88 adjacent side wall 86 or 88 of third meat crate 80c. The footprint, or outer perimeter of row 104, substantially equals in size and shape the outer perimeter, or footprint, of row 106.
It should be noted that as known in the art, meat crates 80 have industry dictated dimensions and a distinct pattern extending from base 90. As a result, an accumulated pattern extends from a layer of crates 80 as exhibited by bases 90 of layer 24. It is a distinct pattern, generally indicated as 300. As a result of the size of each poultry crate 10, including the novel wall thickness as discussed above, five poultry crates 10 exhibit substantially the same footprint as four meat crates 80 when oriented as shown in
Each meat crate 80 is formed with a base 90, which is formed with an undercut rim 92 extending about an outer edge of base 90. As seen in
As can be seen, by providing a collapsible poultry crate having internal dimensions consistent with industry poultry crate standards, and an exterior dimension enabling the crates to be palletized to exhibit a footprint capable of supporting a layer of meat crates thereon, it becomes possible to mix and match crates at a distribution center within a single pallet. Furthermore, by providing tabs on an upper surface of each wall, the tabs having a width less than the width of the wall, it becomes possible to distribute the tabs in a manner that engages a row of crates supported by a lower row of poultry crates. Lastly, by providing ribs along the height of the at least the side walls, a load supporting structure provides the integrity for the poultry crate for a layer of poultry crates to form a layer within a pallet supporting either like poultry crates or a different sized crate such as a meat crate.
While there have been shown, described and pointed out, novel features of the present invention as applied to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form of details of the disclosed invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto. There also is to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween. In particular, this invention should not be construed as being limited to the use of the specific structures, materials, or methods as disclosed herein.
This application claims priority to Provisional Patent Application No. 61/493,544, filed Jun. 6, 2011, and is incorporated herein as set forth in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61493544 | Jun 2011 | US |