Stackable multi-component tote

Abstract

A stackable tote may be stacked with other identical or similar totes and/or existing, prior tote designs. The tote is assembled from at least one box blank, a base and a top rail. When folded into the appropriate shape, the box blank results in the sidewalls of the tote. To hold the erected box blank in an assembled relationship and 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 sidewalls is seated within a channel in the base. The top rail and base are secured to the sidewalls as the result of an inwardly extending hook in the associated channels which engages the folded tabs of the sidewalls. 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 sidewalls 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 sidewalls, each tab being joined to the associated sidewall by a fold line permitting the tab to be folded relative to the associated sidewall;    a top rail mounted to the top edge of the sidewalls;    a downwardly open channel on the top rail adapted to receive therein the upper tabs when folded downwardly along the associated fold lines toward the associated sidewalls to thereby mount the top rail to the sidewalls;    a base mounted to the bottom edge of the sidewalls; and    an upwardly open channel on the base adapted to receive therein the lower tabs when folded upwardly along the associated fold lines toward the associated sidewalls to thereby mount the base to the sidewalls.    
   
   
       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 sidewalls until mounted thereto.  
   
   
       4 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein a first set of the upper tabs project from a different sidewall than a second set of the upper tabs.  
   
   
       5 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein a first set of the lower tabs project from a different sidewall than a second set of the lower tabs.  
   
   
       6 . The tote of  claim 1  further comprising at least four upper tabs and at least four lower tabs, the four upper tabs projecting from at least two different sidewalls and the four lower tabs projecting from at least two different sidewalls.  
   
   
       7 . 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 sidewalls;    wherein the ribs are inserted into the slits when the top rail is mounted to the top edge of the sidewalls.    
   
   
       8 . 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 sidewalls;    wherein the ribs are inserted into the slits when the base is mounted to the bottom edge of the sidewalls.    
   
   
       9 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the sidewalls are formed from at least one blank and at least one sidewall is a composite sidewall formed from spaced sections of the at least one blank juxtaposed together.  
   
   
       10 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the sidewalls are formed from a plurality of blanks juxtaposed together.  
   
   
       11 . The tote of  claim 10  wherein the plurality of blanks include a first set of blanks for forming corners at a juncture between adjacent sidewalls of the tote and a second set of the blanks form the sidewalls intermediate adjacent corners.  
   
   
       12 . The tote of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a plurality of corners each at a juncture between adjacent sidewalls;    wherein the sidewalls are formed from at least one blank of a foldable material and the blank is folded to form at least some of the corners of the tote.    
   
   
       13 . The tote of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 indicia printed on an outer face of at least one of the sidewalls.    
   
   
       14 . 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.  
   
   
       15 . 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 sidewalls of the tote.    
   
   
       16 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the top rail and the base are selectively removable from the sidewalls.  
   
   
       17 . 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 sidewalls and the base from the bottom edge of the sidewalls.    
   
   
       18 . A tote container comprising: 
 a plurality of sidewalls 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 sidewalls, each tab being joined to the associated sidewall by a fold line permitting the tab to be folded relative to the associated sidewall;    wherein a first set of the upper tabs projects from a different sidewall than a second set of the upper tabs;    wherein a first set of the lower tabs projects from a different sidewall than a second set of the lower tabs;    a top rail mounted to the top edge of the sidewalls;    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 sidewalls to thereby mount the top rail to the sidewalls;    a base mounted to the bottom edge of the sidewalls;    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 sidewalls to thereby mount the base to the sidewalls;    a first hook projecting into the channel on the top rail;    a second hook 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 sidewalls of the tote;    wherein the base is adapted to mate with the top rail of a similar tote for stack the totes.    
   
   
       19 . The tote of  claim 18  wherein the base is a unitary structure and separate from the sidewalls until mounted thereto.  
   
   
       20 . The tote of  claim 18  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 sidewalls;    wherein the ribs are inserted into the slits when the top rail is mounted to the top edge of the sidewalls.    
   
   
       21 . The tote of  claim 18  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 sidewalls;    wherein the ribs are inserted into the slits when the base is mounted to the bottom edge of the sidewalls.    
   
   
       22 . The tote of  claim 18  wherein the sidewalls are formed from at least one blank and at least one sidewall is a composite sidewall formed from spaced sections of the at least one blank juxtaposed together.  
   
   
       23 . The tote of  claim 18  wherein the sidewalls are formed from a plurality of blanks juxtaposed together.  
   
   
       24 . The tote of  claim 23  wherein the plurality of blanks include a first set of blanks for forming corners at a juncture between adjacent sidewalls of the tote and a second set of the blanks form the sidewalls intermediate adjacent corners.  
   
   
       25 . The tote of  claim 18  further comprising: 
 a plurality of corners each at a juncture between adjacent sidewalls;    wherein the sidewalls are formed from at least one blank of a foldable material and the blank is folded to form at least some of the corners of the tote.    
   
   
       26 . The tote of  claim 18  wherein the top rail and the base are selectively removable from the sidewalls.  
   
   
       27 . The tote of  claim 26  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 sidewalls and the base from the bottom edge of the sidewalls.    
   
   
       28 . A method of assembling a tote container comprising the steps of: 
 erecting a plurality of sidewalls, each sidewall having a top edge spaced from a bottom edge;    bending a plurality of tabs each projecting from the top edge of selected sidewalls toward the associated sidewall;    mounting a top rail onto the top edge of the sidewalls;    engaging the tabs projecting from the top edge of the sidewalls 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 sidewalls toward the associated sidewall;    mounting a base onto the bottom edge of the sidewalls; and    engaging the tabs projecting from the bottom edge of the sidewalls with at least one detent on the base to thereby retain the base on the bottom edge.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28  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.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29  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.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the top rail and the base are releasably mounted to top edge and bottom edge, respectively, of the sidewalls.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the erecting step further comprises: 
 folding at least one blank into a desired configuration of the sidewalls.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising: 
 inserting ribs in the base channel into slits projecting from the bottom edge of the sidewalls; and    inserting ribs in the top rail channel into slits projecting from the top edge of the sidewalls.