Universal tote

Abstract

A tote includes at least a first structural component defining a first portion of a container and a second structural component defining a second portion of the container where the first and second structural components cooperate to define an internal cavity to receive at least one product. The second structural component comprises a foldable component that can be selectively attached and detached from the first structural component for shipping, stacking, or nesting purposes as needed.

1 . A tote comprising:
 a first structural component defining a first portion of a container and including at least one first display area with at least one brand identifier;   a second structural component defining a second portion of the container, the first and second structural components cooperating to define an internal cavity to receive at least one product, and wherein the second structural component includes at least one second display area including at least one product identifier associated with the at least one product, and wherein the second structural component is selectively attachable and detachable from the first structural component.   
   
   
       2 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the first structural component defines a bottom of the container and at least a portion of each of four side walls extending upwardly from the bottom. 
   
   
       3 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the second structural component defines at least a top of the container to support a second stacked tote. 
   
   
       4 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the first structural component is comprised of a rigid plastic material. 
   
   
       5 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the second structural component is comprised of one of a cardboard or corrugated plastic material. 
   
   
       6 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the first structural component is comprised of a rigid non-foldable plastic material and the second structural component is comprised of a foldable cardboard material. 
   
   
       7 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the first structural component comprises a re-usable component and the second structural component comprises a disposable component. 
   
   
       8 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the second structural component is movable between a collapsed position and an installation position where the second structural component is attached to the first structural component. 
   
   
       9 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the first structural component includes at least one slot and wherein the second structural component includes at least one extension portion that is received within the at least one slot. 
   
   
       10 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the second structural component includes at least one foldable portion. 
   
   
       11 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the first structural component includes at least one slot and wherein the second structural component includes at least first and second portions with one of the first and second portions being foldable relative to the other of the first and second portions such that a foldable one of the first and second portions is received within the at least one slot. 
   
   
       12 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the first structural component includes a plurality of slots and wherein the second structural component includes a plurality of foldable portions that are received within the slots. 
   
   
       13 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the first structural component includes a rigid bottom of the container and four rigid side walls extending upwardly from the rigid body to form the interior cavity and wherein the second structural component includes at least a top portion and at least one side wall portion foldable relative to the top portion, and wherein the top portion is positioned to enclose the interior cavity with the at least one side wall portion being positioned in an overlapping relationship with at least one of the four rigid side walls. 
   
   
       14 . The tote of  claim 13  wherein the at least one side wall portion comprises at least two foldable side walls positioned on opposite sides of the top portion from each other, and wherein the at least one display area including the at least one identifying item is located on at least one of the two foldable side walls. 
   
   
       15 . The tote of  claim 14  wherein at least two of the four rigid side walls include a slot and wherein the two foldable side walls are received within the slots. 
   
   
       16 . The tote of  claim 15  wherein the slots are formed within a handle portion of the container. 
   
   
       17 . The tote of  claim 14  wherein the second structural component is formed from at least first and second pieces of material with each of the first and second pieces of material including one portion of the top portion and one of the two foldable side walls. 
   
   
       18 . The tote of  claim 17  wherein the first structural component includes bale arms that are moveable between carrying and non-carrying positions, and wherein each bale arm includes a slot that receives one of the two foldable side walls. 
   
   
       19 . The tote of  claim 13  wherein the second structural component is formed from a single piece of material. 
   
   
       20 . The tote of  claim 13  wherein the at least one side wall portion comprise four foldable side wall portions with the at least one second display area including the at least one product identifier being located on at least one of the four foldable side walls, and wherein each of the four rigid side walls include a slot with one foldable side wall being received within each slot. 
   
   
       21 . The tote of  claim 13  wherein the second structural component includes a top portion a foldable side portion extending downwardly from each edge of the top portion such that the foldable side portions are received within the interior cavity. 
   
   
       22 . The tote of  claim 21  wherein the first structural component comprises a knock-down container with the four rigid side walls being collapsible relative to the bottom. 
   
   
       23 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the first structural component includes a rigid bottom of the container and four rigid side wall portions extending upwardly from the rigid body to form a base and wherein the second structural component includes at least four foldable side wall portions. 
   
   
       24 . The tote of  claim 23  wherein the four rigid side wall portions form a locating feature to receive the four foldable side wall portions such that the four foldable side wall portions substantially define the interior cavity. 
   
   
       25 . The tote of  claim 24  wherein the first structural component comprises a first plastic portion that forms the rigid bottom and the four rigid side wall portions and a second plastic portion that forms a top that is positioned to enclose the interior cavity, and wherein the second structural component is collapsible into a shipping position to be positioned between the top and base with downwardly extending side wall portions of the top being positioned in an overlapping relationship with the four rigid side wall portions of the first structural component. 
   
   
       26 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the second structural component includes a rigid bottom of the container and four rigid side walls extending upwardly from the rigid bottom to form the interior cavity and wherein the first structural component includes at least a top portion having an external surface and an internal surface that is not exposed when the interior cavity is enclosed by the top portion, and wherein the at least one first display area including the at least one brand identifier is located on the internal surface such that the brand identifier is visible when the top is moved to an open position. 
   
   
       27 . The tote of  claim 1  wherein the second display area at least partially covers the first display area when the second structural component is attached to the first structural component, and wherein the brand identifier is visible when the second structural component is detached from the first structural component. 
   
   
       28 . A method of forming a stackable tote comprising the steps of:
 providing a first structural component defining a first portion of a container and including at least one first display area with at least one brand identifier, and providing a second structural component defining a second portion of the container where the first and second structural components cooperate to define an internal cavity to receive at least one product;   providing the second structural component with at least one second display area including at least one product identifier associated with the at least one product;   selectively attaching and detaching the second structural component from the first structural component for shipping, stacking, or nesting purposes as needed.   
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28  including forming the first structural component from a rigid, non-foldable material and forming the second structural component from a foldable material. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the rigid, non-foldable material comprises plastic and the foldable material comprises cardboard. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 28  including providing the first structural component with at least one slot, folding one portion of the second structural component relative to another portion of the second structural component, and inserting the one portion of the second structural component into the slot. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 28  including re-using the first structural component, disposing of the second structural component, and providing a re-used first structural component with another second structural component having a different product identifier associated with a different product. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 28  including forming the first structural component to include a rigid bottom of the container and four rigid side walls extending upwardly from the rigid bottom to form the interior cavity, and forming the second structural component to include at least a top portion that provides a stacking surface for another tote. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33  including removing the top portion and positioning another tote to be at least partially received within the interior cavity in a nested configuration. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 33  including forming the second structural component to include least one side wall portion foldable relative to the top portion, and positioning the top portion to enclose the interior cavity for shipping with the at least one side wall portion being positioned in an overlapping relationship with at least one of the four rigid side walls. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 28  including positioning the second structural component to at least partially overlap the brand identifier when the second structural component is attached to the first structural component and exposing the brand identifier when the second structural component is detached from the first structural component. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36  where the second structural component is attached to the first structural component for shipping from a point of origin to a destination and wherein the second structural component is detached from the first structural component for shipping the first structural component back to the point of origin. 
   
   
       38 . A tote comprising:
 a plastic box with a bottom and four side walls extending upwardly from the bottom to define at least a portion of an interior cavity to receive at least one product, the plastic box including at least one slot; and   a foldable component including at least a top portion and at least one side wall portion foldable relative to the top portion wherein the at least one side wall portion is received within the at least one slot.   
   
   
       39 . The tote of  claim 38  wherein the plastic box includes at least one first display area with at least one brand identifier, and wherein the foldable component includes at least one second display area including at least one product identifier associated with the at least one product, with the foldable component being selectively attachable and detachable from the plastic box. 
   
   
       40 . The tote of  claim 39  wherein the first and second display areas overlap each other when the foldable component is attached to the plastic box. 
   
   
       41 . The tote of  claim 40  wherein the brand identifier is exposed for viewing when the foldable component is detached from the plastic box.