Stackable multi-component tote having corner supports

Abstract

A stackable tote may be stacked with other identical or similar totes and/or existing, prior tote designs. The tote is assembled from multiple spacers, a base and a top rail. When folded into the appropriate shape, blanks become the spacers of the tote. To reinforce the top and bottom edges of the tote, a channel shaped top rail extends around the top edge of the tote and the bottom edge of the spacers is seated within a channel in the base. The top rail and base are secured to the spacers as the result of an inwardly extending hook in the associated channels which engages the folded tabs of the spacers. One advantage of this invention is that a lightweight, stackable tote or container may be quickly and easily manufactured in a designed size or height. The tote of this invention may be stacked above or below the same or similar types of totes as well as existing tote designs.

1 . A tote container comprising: 
 a plurality of spacers each having a top edge, a bottom edge and a plurality of upper and lower tabs projecting from the top edge and the bottom edges, respectively, of selected spacers;    a top rail mounted to the spacers, said top rail having a downwardly open channel adapted to receive therein the upper tabs when folded downwardly to thereby secure the top rail to the spacers; and    a base secured to the spacers, said base having an upwardly open channel adapted to receive therein the lower tabs when folded upwardly to thereby secure the base to the spacers.    
   
   
       2 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the base of a first tote as recited in  claim 1  is adapted to mate with the top rail of a second tote as recited in  claim 1  to thereby stack the first and second totes.  
   
   
       3 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the base is a unitary structure and separate from the spacers until mounted thereto.  
   
   
       4 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the spacers are located at corners of the tote.  
   
   
       5 . The tote of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a plurality of spaced ribs spanning the channel in the top rail; and    a plurality of slits extending generally perpendicularly from the top edge of selected spacers;    wherein the ribs are inserted into the slits when the top rail is secured to the spacers.    
   
   
       6 . The tote of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a plurality of spaced ribs spanning the channel in the base; and    a plurality of slits extending generally perpendicularly from the bottom edge of selected spacers;    wherein the ribs are inserted into the slits when the base is secured to the spacers.    
   
   
       7 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein each of the spacers is formed from at least one blank.  
   
   
       8 . The tote of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 indicia printed on an outer face of at least one of the spacers.    
   
   
       9 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the downwardly open channel extends substantially entirely around the top rail and the upwardly open channel extends substantially entirely around the base.  
   
   
       10 . The tote of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a first hook projecting into the channel on the top rail; and    a second hook projecting into the channel on the base;    wherein each of the hooks engage one of the tabs to retain the top rail and the base, respectively, onto the spacers of the tote.    
   
   
       11 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the top rail and the base are selectively removable from the spacers.  
   
   
       12 . The tote of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a plurality of slots in the top rail in communication with the downwardly open channel;    a plurality of slots in the base in communication with the upwardly open channel;    wherein at least some of the slots in the top rail provide access to the upper tabs captured in the top rail channel and at least some of the slots in the base provide access to the lower tabs captured in the base channel so that the respective tabs can be manipulated to release the top rail from the spacers and the base from the spacers.    
   
   
       13 . A tote container comprising: 
 a plurality of spacers each having a top edge spaced from a bottom edge;    a plurality of upper tabs and a plurality of lower tabs each projecting from the top edge and the bottom edge, respectively, of selected spacers, each tab being joined to the associated spacer by a fold line permitting the tab to be folded relative to the associated spacer;    a top rail mounted to the top edge of the spacers;    a downwardly open channel extending substantially entirely around the top rail and adapted to receive therein the upper tabs when folded downwardly along the associated fold lines toward the associated spacers to thereby mount the top rail to the spacers;    a base mounted to the bottom edge of the spacers;    an upwardly open channel extending substantially entirely around the base and adapted to receive therein the lower tabs when folded upwardly along the associated fold lines toward the associated spacers to thereby mount the base to the spacers;    hooks projecting into the channel on the top rail;    hooks projecting into the channel on the base;    wherein each of the hooks engages one of the tabs to retain the top rail and the base, respectively, onto the spacers of the tote;    wherein the base is adapted to mate with the top rail of a similar tote for stacking the totes.    
   
   
       14 . The tote of  claim 13  wherein the base is a unitary structure and separate from the spacers until mounted thereto.  
   
   
       15 . The tote of  claim 13  further comprising: 
 a plurality of spaced ribs spanning the channel in the top rail;    a plurality of slits extending generally perpendicularly from the top edge of selected spacers;    wherein the ribs are inserted into the slits when the top rail is mounted to the top edge of the spacers.    
   
   
       16 . The tote of  claim 15  further comprising: 
 a plurality of spaced ribs spanning the channel in the base;    a plurality of slits extending generally perpendicularly from the bottom edge of selected spacers;    wherein the ribs are inserted into the slits when the base is mounted to the bottom edge of the spacers.    
   
   
       17 . The tote of  claim 13  wherein each spacer is formed from at least one blank.  
   
   
       18 . The tote of  claim 13  wherein each of the spacers is formed from a blank of a foldable material and the blank is folded to form a corner of the tote.  
   
   
       19 . The tote of  claim 13  wherein the top rail and the base are selectively removable from the spacers.  
   
   
       20 . The tote of  claim 16  further comprising: 
 a plurality of slots in the top rail in communication with the downwardly open channel;    a plurality of slots in the base in communication with the upwardly open channel;    wherein at least some of the slots in the top rail provide access to the upper tabs captured in the top rail channel and at least some of the slots in the base provide access to the lower tabs captured in the base channel so that the respective tabs can be manipulated to release the top rail from the top edge of the spacers and the base from the bottom edge of the spacers.    
   
   
       21 . A method of assembling a tote container comprising the steps of: 
 erecting a plurality of spacers, each spacer having a top edge spaced from a bottom edge;    bending a plurality of tabs each projecting from the top edge of selected spacers toward the associated spacer;    mounting a top rail onto the top edge of the spacers;    engaging the tabs projecting from the top edge of the spacers with at least one detent on the top rail to thereby retain the top rail on the top edge;    bending a plurality of tabs each projecting from the bottom edge of selected spacers toward the associated spacer;    mounting a base onto the bottom edge of the spacers; and    engaging the tabs projecting from the bottom edge of the spacers with at least one detent on the base to thereby retain the base on the bottom edge.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the top rail has a downwardly open channel and the mounting of the top rail step further comprises inserting the top edge and the tabs projecting therefrom into the top rail channel, and the base has an upwardly open channel and the mounting of the base step further comprises inserting the bottom edge and the tabs projecting therefrom into the base channel.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the detent in the base and the detent in the top rail are each hooks projecting into the associated channel and the engaging steps each further comprise juxtaposing a terminal edge of each tab against the associated hook.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the top rail and the base are releasably mounted to top edge and bottom edge, respectively, of the spacers.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the erecting step further comprises: 
 folding blanks into desired configurations to create the spacers.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising: 
 inserting ribs in the base channel into slits projecting from the bottom edge of the spacers; and    inserting ribs in the top rail channel into slits projecting from the top edge of the spacers.