Cheese box cover

Abstract

A cheese box cover is shaped to be self-draining from any interior region of a top surface of the cover to a periphery of the cover. Corner foot projections extending upward from each corner of the cover help position pallet feet of a superposed cheese box. Links connected between corner projections and held in place by superposed pallet feet interconnect adjacent cheese boxes for security during stacking and storage.

1 . A cheese box cover suitable for covering an industrial cheese box, the cover comprising: 
 a top surface of the cover having a perimeter region extending around a central region;    the top surface of the central region of the cover being elevated above the perimeter region;    the elevation of the top surface of the central region of the cover being configured with a plurality of sloping surfaces; and    the sloping surfaces being arranged to provide a downward sloping path to the perimeter region for liquid deposited anywhere on the top surface of the central region of the cover.    
   
   
       2 . The cheese box cover of  claim 1  wherein strengthening ribs are arranged underneath the top surface of the central region.  
   
   
       3 . The cheese box cover of  claim 2  wherein the ribs extend downward from a bottom surface of the central region.  
   
   
       4 . The cheese box cover of  claim 1  wherein top and bottom surfaces of the cover are formed so that covers can nest with each other for shipment.  
   
   
       5 . The cheese box cover of  claim 1  wherein top and bottom surfaces of the cover are formed to nest with cheese box pallets for shipment.  
   
   
       6 . The cheese box cover of  claim 1  wherein the top surface of the cover is configured to define foot support regions providing pallet foot resting places for superposed cheese boxes.  
   
   
       7 . A cheese box comprising: 
 a cover having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral rim dimensioned to rest on upstanding side and end walls arranged on a pallet;    the top surface in a rest position of the cover being higher than the peripheral: rim, and every point on the top surface being drainable downward to the peripheral rim; and    strengthening ribs extending downward from the bottom surface and extending laterally within the peripheral rim.    
   
   
       8 . The cheese box of  claim 7  wherein the top surface has foot support regions configured to provide pallet foot resting places for superposed cheese boxes.  
   
   
       9 . The cheese box of  claim 8  wherein the foot support regions include upstanding corner projections.  
   
   
       10 . The cheese box of  claim 7  wherein the bottom surface is configured to provide spring engagement regions allowing the cover to press downward on springs engaging the spring support regions.  
   
   
       11 . The cheese box of  claim 7  wherein machined off sprues for forming the cover are arranged on the bottom surface of the cover.  
   
   
       12 . The cheese box of  claim 7  configured to nest cover-to-cover, to nest cover-to-pallet, and to compactly package pallet, cheese box walls, and cover.  
   
   
       13 . The cheese box of  claim 7  wherein the top surface includes locator channels for banding straps holding the cover against the walls.  
   
   
       14 . A cheese box having a pallet base, side and end walls extending upward from the pallet base and a cover resting on upper edges of the side and end walls, the cheese box comprising: 
 a top surface of the cover having upstanding corner projections;    tie straps having openings fitting around the corner projections;    the tie straps being dimensioned to span a distance between corner projections of adjacent cheese box covers; and    feet of pallets of superposed cheese boxes positioned on the corner projections being arranged to hold the ties in place connecting corner projections of adjacent cheese box covers.    
   
   
       15 . The cheese box of  claim 14  wherein covers are self-draining.  
   
   
       16 . The cheese box of  claim 14  wherein the covers have bottom surfaces with strengthening ribs.