Background Art Flowers, shrubs and foliage are transported from growers (farms, market gardens and the like) to preparation areas, distribution centers and warehouses, and from these areas, distribution centers and warehouses, and from these areas to display points, supermarkets, florists and nurseries. In the first part of this cycle, the invention is intended to replace the traditional bucket system, and in the second part of the cycle the container of the present invention essentially replaces cardboard boxes.

Summary Disclosure of the Invention Accordingly there is provided a plastic container with tapering side walls and end walls. Each side wall incorporates a hinged panel which also includes a lid or lid segment.

In preferred embodiments, two lid segments comprise a full coverage lid to the container.

In other embodiments a lid segment is able to latch to a side panel.

Brief Description of the Drawings In order that the invention be understood and put into practical use reference is made to the following drawing figures in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a closed container according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container shown in Fig. 1 with one lid segment open; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the container shown in Fig. 1 with one side panel open; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the container shown in Fig. 1 with both side panels open; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view from below, of the container shown in Fig. 1.

Best Mode and Other Embodiments of the Invention As shown in Fig. 1, the container 10 is designed to nest when empty, and stack when full. Accordingly it has tapered sides 11 and ends 12. The sides and ends 11,12 are wider at the top than at the bottom. The bottom 13 is therefore smaller in area than the top 24. The container 10 has a pair of similar side panels, flaps or doors 14 which are hinged horizontally 15 between the bottom 13 and the top of the container 10. Moulded-in ("living hinges") or conventional hinges may be used. In some embodiments the horizontal hinge 15 is about mid-way between the top and the bottom of a side 11. Each side panel 14 may be similarly hinged16 to a lid segment 17 that provide access, from the top, to the transport space of the container. The hinge 16 to the lid segment is at the top extremity of the side panel 14.

In preferred embodiments, and as seen in Figs. 2 through 5 the side panel hinge 15 extends across the bottom of the side panel 14 and occupies the maximum practical width of the side 11 at that location. The lid hinge 16

and the lid segment 17 are only half width with reference to the top edge of the side panel 14. The container or crate is preferably symmetrical about its longitudinal axis, with the lid segments opening from opposite sides. Each lid segment 17 has two latching points-one in the closed position (horizontal position across top of crate as shown in Fig. 1) and one in the fully open position, latching the lid onto the exterior surface of the side panel 14 (as suggested by Figs. 4 and 5). The crate may have handles 18 on the top of the two ends 12 of the container body. Note that the ends 12 extend above the side panel hinge 15.

The container body, below the side panel hinge 15 forms a reservoir 19. Above the liquid reservoir 19, the container 10 is ventilated preferably on all four sides, for example to allow plants and flowers to breathe. Spaced apart rows of vents 20 may be used. The spacing of the horizontal rows of vents together with the tapering of the container provides a nesting configuration that works against the vertical ingress of dirt or contaminants when the container is in the standard vertical position. The ventilation holes do not appear for the full height of the container 10. This is to allow the container to hold water in the reservoir 19, particularly for the farm to warehouse part of the cycle, as cut flowers will require water during transport. Vent holes 20 may be provided below the side panel hinge 15 as shown in the Figures.

The top surface of the lid segments 17 may have protruding ribs 21 in a cross pattern (for example), two parallel to the long side and four parallel to the short side). These match with tunnels 22 formed in the base 23 of the crate (shown in Fig. 5) to allow the containers or crates to be stacked when the lid segments 17 are in the closed position. The rib spacings are equal between the long and short ridges, allowing both column and cross stacking of the crates.

The footprint of the crate is in a 2: 1 ratio to allow cross stacking. The crate could be produced in a range of different sizes provided the relative scales of the sides were in a fixed proportion.

The crates are constructed of a plastic that is impervious to the chemicals used in the floral and nursery industries, and that is stable enough

not to give off ethylene or related compounds when exposed to UV light, sunlight or other environmental factors. It may be moulded in one piece.

It will be understood that the lid may be formed from a single, full width segment rather than as two half width lid segments. In this instance, the single full coverage lid would be hinged to only one side panel 14 and the other side panel would have no lid segment hinged to it.

While the invention has been described with reference to particular details of construction, these should be understood as having been provided by way of example and not as limitations to the scope or spirit of the invention.