Reusable plastic container for shipping of produce

Abstract

A collapsible, reusable plastic container that can be used for the storage and transportation of produce, having dimensions optimized for such storage and transportation and for folding down of the container. The container may also have a novel footprint for “six-down” stacking. The container may also be designed to provide increased ventilation to its contents during storage and transport. The container may also have a sample door with a clip for easy access to the produce contained in the container when it is stacked among other containers. The container may also have a latch system to secure its endwalls and sidewalls in an erected configuration during storage and transport. The container may also have lead-in in its dimensions to facilitate stacking and de-stacking of containers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An arrangement of plastic shipping containers for bananas, the arrangement comprising:
 a pallet having a top surface, the top surface having a pallet length and a pallet width;   six shipping containers each having a container length and a container width arranged on the top surface of the pallet in a layer, the containers arranged in two rows, each row having three of the containers, each of the six shipping containers having its container width extend in the direction of the rows and in the direction of the pallet width and having its container length extend in the direction of the pallet length; and   bananas in each container, the bananas disposed in a three-line configuration with their crowns facing down.   
     
     
         2 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the pallet length is about 48 inches and the pallet width is about 40 inches. 
     
     
         3 . The arrangement of  claim 2 , wherein each of the containers has a maximum exterior length of about 24 inches and a maximum exterior width of about 13 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the bananas in each container weight about 40 pounds. 
     
     
         5 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein each of the containers comprises a base, two endwalls, and two sidewalls, each of the endwalls and each of the sidewalls being moveably connected to the base,
 each of the sidewalls detachably coupled to the two endwalls to allow the container to assume an erected configuration when the sidewalls and endwalls are all upright, and a folded-down configuration when the sidewalls and endwalls are all folded down.   
     
     
         6 . The arrangement of  claim 5 , wherein each of the containers has a greater maximum, exterior length and/or a greater maximum, exterior width in the erected configuration than in the folded-down configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein each of the containers, in the erected configuration, has a maximum exterior length of about 24 inches and a maximum exterior width of about 13 inches 
     
     
         8 . The arrangement of  claim 5 , wherein each of the sidewalls and the endwalls is moveably connected to the base using a plurality of hinges. 
     
     
         9 . The arrangement of  claim 5 , wherein each container comprises a plurality of vent holes in each of its sidewalls or each of its endwalls,
 at least one of the containers arranged so that at least some of its plurality of vent holes completely or substantially align with at least some of the plurality of vent holes of the sidewalls or endwalls of at least one other container.   
     
     
         10 . The arrangement of  claim 5 , wherein each container comprises a plurality of vent holes in each of its sidewalls,
 at least one of the containers arranged so that at least some of its plurality of vent holes completely or substantially align with at least some of the plurality of vent holes of the sidewalls of at least one other container.   
     
     
         11 . The arrangement of  claim 5 , wherein each of the containers comprises a sample door that is moveably connected to at least one of the sidewalls and endwalls. 
     
     
         12 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein each of the containers has a substantially flat and smooth interior floor and substantially smooth exterior floor. 
     
     
         13 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plastic shipping containers comprises at least one of a resin and a thermoplastic. 
     
     
         14 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , further comprising a second plurality of containers each having bananas therein, the second plurality of containers arranged to form seven additional layers of containers arranged above the first layer, wherein each of the additional layers comprises six shipping containers of the second plurality of containers each having a container length and a container width, the containers in each of the additional layers arranged in two rows each row having three of the second plurality of containers, each of the six shipping containers of the second plurality of shipping containers having its container width extend the direction of a row and in the direction of the pallet width and having its container length extend in the direction of the pallet length, the bananas in each of the second plurality of containers disposed in a three-line configuration with their crowns facing down. 
     
     
         15 . A plastic shipping container for bananas for placement on a flat surface, comprising:
 a base, two endwalls and two sidewalls that are each moveably coupled to the base, the container being able to assume an erected configuration when the sidewalls and endwalls are all upright, and a folded-down configuration when the sidewalls and endwalls are all folded down,   in the erected configuration, the container having one or more cross-sections extending through the endwalls and the sidewalls, the cross-sections being parallel to the flat surface, each cross-section in the erected configuration being rectangular and defining, in an erected configuration, an exterior length and an exterior width,   in the folded-down configuration, the container having one or more cross-sections that are parallel to the flat surface, each cross-section in the folded-down configuration being rectangular and defining, in a folded-down configuration, an exterior length and an exterior width,   wherein the container has a greater maximum, exterior length in the erected configuration than in the folded-down configuration and/or a greater maximum, exterior width in the erected configuration than in the folded-down configuration.   
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein each endwall is detachably coupled to both sidewalls. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 15 , further comprising bananas in the container having a weight about 40 pounds. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein the container, in the erected configuration, has a maximum exterior length of about 24 inches and a maximum exterior width of about 13 inches. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein each of the sidewalls and the endwalls is moveably coupled to the base using a plurality of hinges. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein each container comprises a plurality of vent holes in each of its sidewalls. 
     
     
         21 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein the container comprises a sample door that is moveably coupled to at least one of the sidewalls and endwalls. 
     
     
         22 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein the container has a substantially flat and smooth interior floor and substantially smooth exterior floor. 
     
     
         23 . A plastic shipping container for bananas comprising a base, two endwalls and two sidewalls that are each moveably coupled to the base, the container is able to assume an erected configuration when the sidewalls and endwalls are all upright, and a folded-down configuration when the sidewalls and endwalls are all folded down, the container in the erected configuration having a maximum exterior length of about 24 inches and a maximum exterior width of about 13 inches. 
     
     
         24 . The container of  claim 23 , wherein each endwall is detachably coupled to both sidewalls. 
     
     
         25 . The container of  claim 23 , further comprising bananas in the container having a weight about 40 pounds. 
     
     
         26 . The container of  claim 23 , wherein each of the sidewalls and the endwalls is moveably coupled to the base using a plurality of hinges. 
     
     
         27 . The container of  claim 23 , wherein each container comprises a plurality of vent holes in each of its sidewalls. 
     
     
         28 . The container of  claim 23 , wherein the container comprises a sample door that is moveably coupled to at least one of the sidewalls and endwalls. 
     
     
         29 . The container of  claim 23 , wherein the container has a substantially flat and smooth interior floor and substantially smooth exterior floor. 
     
     
         30 . A plastic shipping container having bananas therein, the container comprising a base, two endwalls and two sidewalls that are each moveably coupled to the base, the container is able to assume an erected configuration when the sidewalls and endwalls are all upright and a folded-down configuration when the sidewalls and endwalls are all folded down, the container in the erected configuration having a maximum exterior length of about 24 inches and a maximum exterior width of about 13 inches, and
 the bananas in the container disposed in a three-line configuration, with their crowns facing down.   
     
     
         31 . The container of  claim 30 , wherein each endwall is detachably coupled to both sidewalls. 
     
     
         32 . The container of  claim 30 , wherein the bananas have a weight about 40 pounds. 
     
     
         33 . The container of  claim 30 , wherein each of the sidewalls and the endwalls is moveably connected to the base using a plurality of hinges. 
     
     
         34 . The container of  claim 30 , wherein each container comprises a plurality of vent holes in each of its sidewalls. 
     
     
         35 . The container of  claim 30 , wherein the container comprises a sample door that is moveably connected to at least one of the sidewalls and endwalls. 
     
     
         36 . The container of  claim 30 , wherein the container has a substantially flat and smooth interior floor and substantially smooth exterior floor.