# US 10,766,692 B2 · Reuseable shipping container for perishable food products > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,692 B2 - Document ID: US10766692B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/381,475 - Filed: 2016-12-16 - Published: 2017-11-09 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-09 - Assignees: Saeplast Americas Inc. - Applicants: Saeplast Americas Inc. - Inventors: Dagur Oskarsson; Brian Gooding; Arnar Snorrason - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766692B2 ## CPC - B65D 85/70: {for materials not otherwise provided for} - B65D 1/22: Boxes or like containers with side walls of substantial depth for enclosing contents {(B65D43/162, B65D81/02, B65D81/3813 take precedence)} - B65D 1/40: Details of walls (other container details B65D23/00, B65D25/00) - B65D 11/10: {of polygonal cross-section and all parts being permanently connected to each other (B65D11/18 takes precedence)} - B65D 11/20: {Details of walls made of plastics material} - B65D 21/0215: {Containers with stacking feet or corner elements (B65D21/0211, B65D21/023 take precedence)} - B65D 21/0222: {the closure and the bottom presenting co-operating peripheral ribs and grooves} - B65D 21/0223: {the closure and the bottom presenting local co-operating elements, e.g. projections and recesses (B65D21/0222 takes precedence)} - B65D 25/24: for spacing bases of containers from supporting surfaces, e.g. legs (for pallets B65D19/40) - B65D 25/54: Inspection openings or windows - B65D 43/02: Removable lids or covers (with means for piercing, cutting, or tearing a frangible inner closure B65D51/22) - B65D 81/261: {for draining or collecting liquids without absorbing them} - B65D 2501/24: Boxes or like containers with moulded compartments or partitions - B65D 2543/00296: Plastic - Y02W 30/80: Packaging reuse or recycling, e.g. of multilayer packaging (bio-packaging Y02W90/10) - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract A reusable container is provided for storage and transport of prepared meat in log format. The container has a base, a pair of upwardly extending side walls, and a pair of upwardly extending end walls connected with the side walls to form a generally rectangular box. The box has four interior edges and four interior corners where the side and end walls join the base. The box is integrally formed of molded polyethylene. Each of the four interior edges and four interior corners has a rounded interior profile to prevent accumulation of material and facilitate sanitation between uses. A reusable container system is also provided having a removable lid, and access panel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A reusable container for storage and transport of a perishable food product, the container comprising: a base having shouldered feet to facilitate a nesting relationship with corresponding alignment features of another container below when stacked; a pair of upwardly extending side walls; a pair of upwardly extending end walls connected with the side walls to form a generally rectangular box having four interior edges and four interior corners where the side and end walls join the base; a window formed in at least one of the side walls or end walls having one of a tongue feature and groove feature, the window being sized and positioned to facilitate loading and unloading of food product; a removable access panel being shaped to removably fit in the window, and having another one of a tongue feature and groove feature that cooperates with the one of the tongue feature and the groove feature of the window when the removable access panel is fitted in the window; the box being integrally formed of food grade molded polyethylene such that each of the four interior edges and four interior corners has a rounded interior profile to prevent accumulation of material and facilitate sanitation between uses; and the molded polyethylene of the box being formed of an insulating foam having outer skins of solid polyethylene, wherein the shouldered feet comprise at least two sets of shouldered side feet, each set extending below one of the side walls, each shouldered side foot in a set being adjacent to a corner of the base below one of the side walls, wherein the shoulder on each of the shouldered side feet extends outward so that an outer edge of the shouldered side foot is flush with an outer surface of the side wall, so that when the container sits on a surface, the shoulders of the shouldered side feet are spaced apart from the surface, and when the container is stacked on another container, the shoulders of the shouldered side feet each abut an upper edge of the side walls of the other container and the other portion of each shouldered side foot extends below the upper edge of the side wall of the other container. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The reusable container of claim 1, wherein the insulating foam of the polyethylene box is a polyethylene foam. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The reusable container of claim 1, wherein an upper edge of each of the side and end walls is configured to receive a removable lid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The reusable container of claim 1, wherein at least one of the side or end walls has a drainage hole proximate to the base. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The reusable container of claim 4, wherein the drainage hole is threaded. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The reusable container of claim 1, wherein the box is at least 5 feet in length, and at least 2 feet in width. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The reusable container of claim 1, wherein the box has an interior volume of at least approximately 40 cubic feet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The reusable container of claim 1, wherein the walls are at least 1 inch thick. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The reusable container of claim 1, wherein the box is rotationally molded. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The reusable container of claim 1, wherein the feet are spaced apart to provide gaps for receiving forks of a forklift. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The reusable container of claim 1, wherein the box has a weight of less than 400 lbs. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The reusable container of claim 1, wherein the box is manufactured using a rotational molding process. ### Claim 13 A reusable container system for storage and transport of a perishable food product, comprising a plurality of stackable reusable containers, each container comprising: a removable access panel; a base having shouldered feet to facilitate a nesting relationship with corresponding alignment features of another container below when stacked; a pair of upwardly extending side walls; a pair of upwardly extending end walls connected with the side walls to form a generally rectangular box having four interior edges and four interior corners where the side and end walls join the base; and a window formed in at least one of the side walls or end walls being sized and positioned to facilitate loading and unloading of food product; and a removable lid shaped and configured to cover the container, wherein: the box is integrally formed of food grade molded polyethylene such that each of the four interior edges and four interior corners of the box has a rounded interior profile to prevent accumulation of material and facilitate sanitation between uses, the removable access panel is shaped to removably fit in the window, and the window and the removable access panel have cooperating tongue and groove features that fit together when the removable access panel is fitted in the window, wherein the shouldered feet comprise at least two sets of shouldered side feet, each set extending below one of the side walls, each shouldered side foot in a set being adjacent to a corner of the base below one of the side walls, wherein the shoulder on each of the shouldered side feet extends outward so that an outer edge of the shouldered side foot is flush with an outer surface of the side wall, so that when the container sits on a surface, the shoulders of the shouldered side feet are spaced apart from the surface, and when the container is stacked on another container, the shoulders of the shouldered side feet each abut an upper edge of the side walls of the other container and the other portion of each shouldered side foot extends below the upper edge of the side wall of the other container. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The reusable container system of claim 13, wherein the combined overall weight of the container, access panel, and lid is less than 500 lbs. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The reusable container system of claim 13, wherein the window is quadrilateral in shape. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The reusable container system of claim 13, wherein the window is trapezoidal in shape having a wider upper edge than lower edge. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The reusable container system of claim 13, wherein the removable access panel is slidably receivable in the window. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The reusable container system of claim 13, wherein the insulating foam is a polyethylene foam. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The reusable container system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the lid and the removable access panel is hollow. ### Claim 20 A reusable container for storage and transport of a perishable food product, the container comprising: a base having shouldered feet to facilitate a nesting relationship with corresponding alignment features of another container below when stacked; a pair of upwardly extending side walls; a pair of upwardly extending end walls connected with the side walls to form a generally rectangular box having four interior edges and four interior corners where the side and end walls join the base; a window formed in at least one of the side walls or end walls being sized and positioned to facilitate loading and unloading of food product; and a removable access panel being shaped to removably fit in the window, wherein: the box is integrally formed of food grade molded polyethylene such that each of the four interior edges and four interior corners has a rounded interior profile to prevent accumulation of material and facilitate sanitation between uses, wherein the window and the removable access panel have cooperating tongue and groove features that fit together when the removable access panel is fitted in the window, wherein the shouldered feet comprise at least two sets of shouldered side feet, each set extending below one of the side walls, each shouldered side foot in a set being adjacent to a corner of the base below one of the side walls, wherein the shoulder on each of the shouldered side feet extends outward so that an outer edge of the shouldered side foot is flush with an outer surface of the side wall, so that when the container sits on a surface, the shoulders of the shouldered side feet are spaced apart from the surface, and when the container is stacked on another container, the shoulders of the shouldered side feet each abut an upper edge of the side walls of the other container and the other portion of each shouldered side foot extends below the upper edge of the side wall of the other container. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The reusable container according to claim 20, wherein the molded polyethylene of the box is formed of an insulating foam having outer skins of solid polyethylene. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The reusable container according to claim 21, wherein the insulating foam of the polyethylene box is a polyethylene foam.