Multiple Cap Size Bottle Crate

Abstract

A beverage crate having a bottom wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end wall and a second end wall. The bottom wall includes a lower surface having structure to allow the beverage crate to securely stack on a plurality of bottles having a first cap size or a plurality of bottles having a second cap size. The lower surface of the bottom wall including a plurality of bottle receiving portions where each bottle receiving portion includes a first cap size wall portion and a second cap size wall portion.

1 . A beverage crate having a bottom surface configured to allow secure stacking of the beverage crate oil bottles having a first cap size and bottles having a second cap size different than the first cap size, the beverage crate comprising:
 a bottom wall for supporting a plurality of beverage bottles, the bottom wall having a first side, an opposing second side, a first end, and a second;   a first side wall connected to the bottom wall along the first side;   a second side wall connected to the bottom wall along the second side;   the bottom wall including an upper surface for supporting bottles in the beverage crate and a lower surface shaped to contact tops of bottles contained in a lower beverage crate, the bottom surface configured to securely stack on one of a plurality of bottles having a first cap size and a plurality of bottles having a second cap size different than the first cap size.   
     
     
         2 . The beverage crate of  claim 1  wherein the bottom surface includes a plurality of first wall portions at a first depth configured to contact the plurality of bottles having a first cap size. 
     
     
         3 . The beverage crate of  claim 2  wherein the bottom surface includes a plurality of second wall portions at a second depth different than the first depth configured to contact the plurality of bottles having a second cap size. 
     
     
         4 . The beverage crate of  claim 3  wherein the bottom surface includes a third wall portion having a lowermost surface of the beverage crate. 
     
     
         5 . The beverage crate of  claim 4  wherein the second depth is closer to lowermost surface than the first depth. 
     
     
         6 . The beverage crate of  claim 3  further comprising a wall connecting each of the plurality of first wall portions to the plurality of second wall portions. 
     
     
         7 . The beverage crate of  claim 6  wherein each wall connecting each of the plurality of first wall portions to the plurality of second wall portions has a plurality of arc shaped segments. 
     
     
         8 . The beverage crate of  claim 7  wherein the arc shaped segments have a radius of curvature corresponding to a radius of curvature of the first size caps. 
     
     
         9 . The beverage crate of  claim 3  wherein the bottom surface includes a plurality of bottle cap receiving portions. 
     
     
         10 . The beverage crate of  claim 1  further comprising a first handle portion connected to the first and second side walls at the first end, and a second handle portion connected to the first and second side wall at the second end. 
     
     
         11 . The beverage crate of  claim 1  wherein the first cap size has a radius of 28 millimeters. 
     
     
         12 . The beverage crate of  claim 1  wherein the second cap size has a radius of 38 millimeters. 
     
     
         13 . The beverage crate of  claim 1  wherein each side wall includes a plurality of columns. 
     
     
         14 . A plastic beverage crate having a bottom surface configured to stack on bottles having multiple sized caps comprising:
 a bottom wall having a generally planar upper surface for supporting a plurality of beverage bottles, a first side wall extending upward from a first side of the bottom wall and an opposing second side wall extending upward from a second side of the bottom wall, the bottom wall including a lower surface having a plurality of first wall portions at a first depth configured to contact a bottle cap having a first cap size, a plurality of second wall portions at a second depth configured to contact a bottle cap having a second cap size different than the first cap size, and a plurality of wall portions defining a lowermost surface of the beverage crate configured to support the beverage crate on a flat surface.   
     
     
         15 . The beverage crate of  claim 14  further comprising a plurality of substantially vertical walls connecting each of the plurality of first wall portions lo a corresponding plurality of second wall portions. 
     
     
         16 . The beverage crate of  claim 15  wherein each of the plurality of vertical walls include a plurality of arc shaped segments. 
     
     
         17 . The beverage crate of  claim 16  wherein each arc shaped segment has a radius of curvature measured to match the outside circumferential shape of the first cap size. 
     
     
         18 . The beverage crate of  claim 14  wherein at least portions of the plurality of wall portions defining a lowermost surface of the beverage crate are formed from a plurality of rib segments. 
     
     
         19 . The beverage crate of  claim 14  wherein the first cap size is 28 mm and the second cap size is 38 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The beverage crate of  claim 14  wherein the lower surface of the bottom wall includes a plurality of bottle top receiving areas.