Method and container for the improved packing and cooling of produce

A produce packaging system comprising in operative combination:

• a basket including a basket body and a lid;
• latch means for reversibly securing said lid to said body and for maintaining said lid in the secured position with respect to said body;
• said basket body and said lid defining, when said lid is positioned in said secured position with respect to said body, a horizontal ventilation slot;
• a lateral ventilation channel formed in a lower surface of said basket body;
• a lower vent aperture further disposed on said lower surface of said basket body and in communication with said lateral ventilation channel;
• an upper vent aperture disposed on a substantially upper surface of said lid;
• a tray for receiving therein said basket, said tray defining paired tray vents disposed upon a lower portion of said tray, said tray vents disposed so as to align with said ventilation channel of said basket when said basket is installed in said tray;
• and
• said tray further defining a cutaway portion, said cutaway portion disposed so as to align with said horizontal ventilation slot of said basket when said basket is installed in said tray.

A method for the improved packing, cooling and shipment of produce comprising the steps of:

• packing said produce in a basket means including basket body means and lid means, said body means including ventilation channel means formed in a lower surface thereof, and lower vent means further disposed on said lower surface of said basket body means and in communication with said ventilation channel means;
• securing said lid means to said body means using latch means;
• loading said basket containing said produce into a tray means, said tray means including tray vent means disposed upon a lower portion thereof and disposed so as to align with said ventilation channel means of said basket means when said basket means is installed in said tray means;
• and
• cooling said produce by means of introducing a flow of cooling air through said tray vent means, thence through said ventilation channel means and said lower vent means and about said produce.

A produce packaging system comprising in operative combination:

• a one-piece basket, said basket defining both a basket body and an integral lid joined by a flexible hinge, said basket body including a bottom, first and second ends and first and second sides, said bottom, said first and second ends and said first and second sides forming a substantial whole article defining said basket body, said first and second ends and said first and second sides further being substantially smooth structures, free of reinforcing fibs;
• three sets of paired, toothed vertically mating detent latches, each of said sets of latches including a first engageable tooth disposed upon said basket body and a second engageable tooth disposed upon said lid, said latches for reversibly securing said lid to said body and for maintaining said lid in the secured position with respect to said body by the elastic deformation of said first and said second teeth;
• a horizontal ventilation slot, said slot formed by edges of said basket body and said lid when said lid is positioned in said secured position with respect to said body;
• a lateral ventilation channel formed in a lower surface of said basket body;
• a vent boss disposed on said ventilation channel, said boss further defining a
• lower vent apertures in communication with said lateral ventilation channel;
• an upper vent aperture disposed on a substantially upper surface of said lid;
• a tray for receiving therein basket, said tray comprising a bottom, first and second ends and first and second sides, and defining paired tray vents disposed upon a lower portion of at least one of said sides, said tray vents disposed so as to align with said ventilation channel of said basket when said basket is installed in said tray, said tray sized such that nine of said trays define a layer which completely covers a forty by forty-eight inch shipping pallet;
• at least one of said first and said second sides of said tray forming a cutaway portion, said cutaway portion disposed so as to align with said horizontal ventilation slot of said basket when said basket is installed in said tray;
• a tab formed in an upper portion of at least one of said first and second ends;
• and
• a receptacle formed in a lower portion of at least one of said first and second ends, said receptacle for receiving therein said tab formed in a second tray.