Tote container with removable hinged lid and combined handgrip/stacking frame

A storage and tote container comprising:

• a substantially rectangular container body having a base panel, two side wall panels, and two end wall panels, said base panel, side wall panels, and end wall panels assembled to form a generally rectangular open top receptacle each said side wall panel and said end wall panel forming a gap therebetween;
• at least one removable combined frame grip member including means for engagingly mounting said frame grip member to said container body, such that said frame grip member extends between and interconnects at lease one of said side wall panels and one of said end wall panels, said frame grip member including mounting means associated with at least one of said side wall panels and one of said end wall panels for engagingly mounting said frame grip member on said open top of said container body such that said frame grip member cannot be moved upwardly relative to said open top of said container body without disengaging said mounting means;
• and
• a lid unit removably mountable on said body, said lid unit being hingedly movable between a closed position disposed over said open top receptacle and an open position said lid unit defining a plurality of securing tabs extending outwardly from said lid unit and attached thereto along scored fold lines, each said securing tab being slidably engageable between one of said side wall panels and one of said end wall panels below frame grip member, said securing tabs engaging at least a portion of said frame grip member extending between said one of said side wall panels and said one of said end wall panels when said lid unit is in said closed position.

In a tote container defining an open top receptacle and having side wall panels and end wall panels, said side wall panels having adjacent side edges and adjacent top corners, a space being presented between said adjacent edges of said side panels and wall panels, with a removable reinforcing frame member extending between and interconnecting said adjacent top corners above said space, said frame member including mounting means associated with at least one of said side wall panels and one of said end wall panels for engagingly mounting said frame member on said open top of said container such that said frame member cannot be moved upwardly relative to said open top of said container without disengaging said mounting means the improvement comprising:

• a lid unit for removably mounting on the tote container, said lid unit being hingedly movable between a closed position disposed over the open top receptacle and a closed position, said lid unit having at least a pair of securing tabs extending outwardly from each end of the lid unit and connected thereto along scored fold lines, each said securing tab being slidably engageable within the space between the adjacent edges of the side and end wall panels below the frame member, each said securing tab defining a notch which slidably received and engaged at least a portion of the frame member when the securing tab is slidably engaged within the space between the adjacent edges of the side and end wall panels.

A storage and tote container comprising:

• a substantially rectangular container body having a base panel, two side wall panels, and two end wall panels, said base panel, side wall panels, and end wall panels being assembled to form a generally rectangular open top receptacle, with each of said side wall panels further defining at least one keyhole extending through the surface thereof;
• at least one combined frame grip member having opposing ends and including means for engagingly mounting said frame grip member to said container body, said means for engagingly mounting said frame grip member including at least a pair of keys extending from said opposing ends of said frame grip member and positionable to communicate with said keyholes in opposing side wall panels, said keys being removable insertable through said keyholes when said frame grip member is positioned above said container body, and said keys being engageable within said keyholes and when said frame grip member is rotated downward to an engaged position on said open top of said container body;
• and
• a lid unit removably mountable on said container body, said lid unit being hingedly movable between a closed position disposed over said open top receptacle and an open position.