Crate for bottles and other containers

A crate for retaining containers having an outer surface with an upper container portion and a lower container portion, the crate comprising:

• a unitary floor having a periphery and an upper surface with a plurality of container support areas;
• a first and second pair of opposed sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor periphery forming a unitary construction therewith and defining a compartment area;
• a lid member having a first hinge portion pivotably attached to a second hinge portion of at least one of the first and second pair of opposed side walls and movable between an open and closed position, the lid member having a lid inner surface having a lid capture area formed therein corresponding to a respective one of the container support areas, the lid capture area sized to receive therein the upper container portion of a respective one of the containers for providing alignment to the container;
• a plurality of divider members extending within the compartment and projecting upwardly from the floor to define container receiving areas, wherein the floor, first and second pairs of opposed side walls and divider members are all integrally molded as one piece;
• and a plurality of low profile spacer members disposed proximate the floor and spaced inwardly from the divider members into corresponding container receiving areas such that the container support areas and spacer members define pockets for receiving the lower container portion, the spacer members contacting the containers and spacing the containers from the divider members and the sidewalls.

A crate for holding a beverage container having a lower portion and a central label area, the crate comprising:

• a bottom panel having an upper surface;
• a first pair of opposed side walls and a second pair of opposed side walls attached to the periphery of the bottom panel to form a unitary construction therewith and defining a compartment area therein;
• and
• a divider assembly having a plurality of divider members attached to the upper surface of the bottom panel and extending longitudinally and transversely in the compartment area to define at least one container receiving area for receiving the beverage container therein, the divider assembly including a plurality of standoff portions shorter than the divider members, wherein the standoff portions protrude upwardly from the upper surface of the bottom panel, each standoff portion having a container contact surface spaced from corresponding divider members and generally transverse to the upper surface of the bottom panel, the standoff portions protruding inwardly toward the container from the divider members for engaging the lower portion of the container without contacting the central label area to provide stability to the container and for maintaining the corresponding beverage container in a spaced relationship from the divider members.

A crate holding a beverage container, the crate comprising:

• a unitary bottom panel having an upper surface;
• a first pair of opposed side walls and a second pair of opposed side walls attached to a periphery of the bottom panel to form a unitary construction therewith and defining a compartment area therein;
• a divider assembly having a plurality of divider members attached to the upper surface of the bottom panel and extending longitudinally and transversely in the compartment area to define at least one container receiving area for receiving the beverage container therein, the beverage container having a lower portion and a central label area, the beverage container in the at least one container receiving area, the divider assembly including a plurality of low profile standoff portions having a container contact surface spaced from corresponding divider members and generally transverse to the upper surface of the bottom panel, the standoff portions extending inwardly into the at least one container receiving area for engaging the lower portion of the beverage container to provide stability thereto and for maintaining the corresponding beverage container in a spaced relationship from the divider members, wherein the standoff portions are shorter than the divider members and wherein the bottom panel, first and second pairs of opposed side walls and divider assembly are all integrally molded as one piece and wherein the standoff portions each have a height less than a height of the lower portion of the beverage container below the central label area such that the standoff portions contact the lower portion of the beverage container without contacting the central label area.