Interlocking Nestable Article Holder

Abstract

An article holder is provided including a bottom panel, a back wall extending from a rear edge of the bottom panel, first and second side walls extending from side edges of the bottom panel, each side wall being coupled to the back wall along a rear edge each side wall, a front flange spanning between the first and second side walls along front edges of the first and second side walls, and a slot in the bottom panel extending from the first side wall to the second side wall. The first and second side walls are farther apart from one another at front edges of the first and second side walls than at rear edges of the first and second side walls and the slot is adapted to receive a front flange of another like article holder when two or more article holders are stacked in a nested configuration.

1 . An article holder comprising:
 a bottom panel;   a back wall extending from a rear edge of the bottom panel;   first and second side walls extending from side edges of the bottom panel, each side wall being coupled to the back wall along a rear edge each side wall;   a front flange spanning between the first and second side walls along front edges of the first and second side walls; and   a slot in the bottom panel extending from the first side wall to the second side wall;   wherein the first and second side walls are farther apart from one another at front edges of the first and second side walls than at rear edges of the first and second side walls and the slot is adapted to receive a front flange of another like article holder when two or more article holders are stacked in a nested configuration.   
   
   
       2 . The article holder of  claim 1 , wherein the slot extends into the first and second side walls, thereby forming a side wall portion of the slot. 
   
   
       3 . The article holder of  claim 2 , wherein the front flange is slanted rearward, toward the back wall, moving upward, away from the bottom panel. 
   
   
       4 . The article holder of  claim 3 , wherein the side wall portion of the slot is slanted rearward, toward the back wall moving away from the bottom panel. 
   
   
       5 . The article holder of  claim 4 , wherein the side wall portion of the slot and the front flange are slanted at approximately the same angle relative to the bottom panel. 
   
   
       6 . The article holder of  claim 2 , wherein the front flange is slanted forward, away from the back, wall, in a direction away from the bottom panel. 
   
   
       7 . The article holder of  claim 6 , wherein the side wall portion of the slot is slanted forward, away from the back wall in a direction away from the bottom panel. 
   
   
       8 . The article holder of  claim 7 , wherein the side wall portion of the slot and the front flange are slanted at approximately the same angle relative to the bottom panel. 
   
   
       9 . The article holder of  claim 2 , wherein the slot extends into one of the first side wall and the second side wall a distance greater than a height of the front flange. 
   
   
       10 . The article holder of  claim 1  comprising a plurality of slots. 
   
   
       11 . The article holder of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of slots are uniformly spaced apart. 
   
   
       12 . The article holder of  claim 11 , wherein the slots are spaced approximately 2 inches from one another. 
   
   
       13 . The article holder of  claim 1  comprising a side wall slot in one of the first and second side walls that extends partially into, but not completely across, the bottom panel. 
   
   
       14 . The article holder of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second side walls diverge from one another in a linear fashion from the back wall towards the front flange. 
   
   
       15 . The article holder of  claim 14 , wherein the divergence of the first and second side walls from the back wall towards the front flange is in a range of approximately 1 degree to approximately 7 degrees. 
   
   
       16 . The article holder of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second side walls diverge from one another in a curvilinear fashion from the back wall towards the front flange. 
   
   
       17 . The article holder of  claim 1 , further comprising a window in the back wall. 
   
   
       18 . The article holder of  claim 1 , further comprising a window in one of the first and second side walls. 
   
   
       19 . The article holder of  claim 1 , wherein top edges of the first and second side walls are curved. 
   
   
       20 . The article holder of  claim 1 , wherein the front flange is a nesting stop that contacts an upper edge of a slot of another article holder when two or more article holders are stacked in a nested configuration. 
   
   
       21 . The article holder of  claim 1 , wherein the back wall is angled forward, toward the front flange in a direction away from the bottom panel. 
   
   
       22 . The article holder of  claim 1 , wherein the back wall is angled rearward, away from the front flange in a direction away from the bottom panel. 
   
   
       23 . An article holder comprising:
 a bottom panel;   a back wall extending from a rear edge of the bottom panel;   a pair of side walls extending from respective side edges of the bottom panel; and   a front flange extending between front edges of the side walls, the front flange having a lower portion;   wherein the bottom panel includes a narrowed portion and the lower portion of the front flange is adapted to receive the narrowed portion of a bottom panel of another article holder when two or more article holders are stacked in a nested configuration.   
   
   
       24 . The article holder of  claim 22 , wherein the bottom panel has an hourglass-shape. 
   
   
       25 . The article holder of  claim 22 , wherein the front flange has a scallop-shaped top edge. 
   
   
       26 . The article holder of  claim 24 , wherein the scallop-shaped top edge prevents lateral movement between like article holders when two or more article holders are stacked in a nested configuration. 
   
   
       27 . The article holder of  claim 22 , wherein the lower portion of the front flange is substantially coplanar with the bottom panel. 
   
   
       28 . A method of stacking two or more article holders comprising:
 providing a first article holder comprising:
 a bottom panel; 
 a back wall extending from a rear edge of the bottom panel; 
 a pair of side walls extending from respective side edges of the bottom panel, each side wall being coupled to the back wall along a rear edge of the respective side wall; 
 a front flange spanning between the side walls along respective front edges of the side walls; and 
 a plurality of slots in the bottom panel extending from one side wall to the other side wall; 
   providing a second article holder comprising:
 a bottom panel; 
 a back wall extending from a rear edge of the bottom panel; 
 a pair of side walls extending from respective side edges of the bottom panel, each side wall being coupled to the back wall along a rear edge of the respective side wall; 
 a front flange spanning between the side walls along respective front edges of the side walls; and 
 a plurality of slots in the bottom panel extending from one side wall to the other side wall; 
   aligning the first article holder with a storage space of the second article holder;   aligning the front flange of the second article holder with a slot in the plurality of slots in the first article holder; and   inserting the front flange of the second article holder into the slot in the first article holder.   
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the step of inserting the front flange of the second article holder into the slot in the first article holder includes inserting the front flange of the second article holder into the slot in the first article holder until a top edge of the front flange of the second article holder contacts a top of the slot in the first article holder.