Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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NESTABLE TRAY
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BACKG~OUND OF THE INVENTION
This is a continuation-in-part of copending applications Serial
No. 07/186,149, filed April 26, 1988, Serial No. 0;'/272,039, filed
November 15, 1988, and Serial No. 0l/369,598, filed June 21, 1989.
The entire contents of each of these applications are hereby incorpo-
rated by reference.
The present invention relates to reusable low-depth, nestable
trays for transporting and storing fluid containers and particularly
sixteen-ounce bottles.
Containers, and particularly cans, for soft drinks, beer and
other beverages are often stored and transported during the distribu~
tion stages thereof in short-walled, cardboard trays or boxes. These
cardboard trays are generally not rugged enough, however, for reuse
and therefore must be discarded by the retailer at his expense. They
are flimsy and can collapse when wet. They are also unattractive and
do not permit the full display, merchandising and advertising oi' the
beverage containers held therein. Thus, there has been a need for a
returnable and reusable case ~or storing and transporting beverage
containers. This case should be lightweight, easy to manipulate and
carry, andeconomically constructed.
An example of a relatively recent, returnable and reusable
tray, which is particularly adapted ~or handling twenty-four,
twelve-ounce, pull-top aluminum cans, is that disclosed in the
abov~mentioned '039 application. When empty the reusable plastic
trays of that application are nestable one within the other so as to
occupy less storage space and to be more easily handled. The trays
are nestable only to a small extent, perhaps one-quarter of their total
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height. In other words, each additional tray adds about three-quarters
of its total tray height to the stack of empty trays. A large amount of
storage space is thus needed for the empty trays, and a stack of trays
can be rather tall and cumbersome to handle. Additionally, the sides
of that tray are solid around their perimeters, and thus the lower por-
tions of the beverage containers held therein, especially when the
loaded trays are stacked one on top of the other, are not exposed.
This prevents the stored containers from being readily seen to both
determine how full the trays are and a~o the container brand from
the labels to more completely advertise and market these containers.
In other words, the tray surrounds the containers held therein and
prevents them from being fully displayed. -
One design of a stackable low-depth cases, particularly suitable
for today~s two-liter polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, is that
disclosed in the above-mentioned '140 application. For this genre of
cases, a plurality of columns project upwardly from the case floor and
together with the sidewalls define a plurality of bottle retaining pock-
ets. These columns are hollow to permit empty crates to stack top to
bottom. These low-profile crate designs have spaced side columns to
provide added strength and yet still expose to some extent the con-
tainers therein. This design though requires a certain registration of
the empty crates for nesting purposes making the procedure a bit
more cumbersome and time consuming than desirable.
Known low-depth crates often do not prevent the containers,
and especially sixteen-ounce bottles, from hopping out of them as
they are prone to do during shipment. A need has thus arisen for an
improved reusable low-depth tray for handling, transporting and dis-
playing sixteen-ounce bottles, as well as two-liter bottles and twelve-
ounce cans.
SU~M~RY OF 1~ INVENllON
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to
provide an improved returnable and reusable tray for storing and
transporting fluid containers.
Another object is to provide a sturdy, low-depth plastic tray
for sixteen-ounce bottles.
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A further object is to provide an improved fluid container case
whose low-depth side walls do not contact the containers therein dur-
ing normal use of the case yet still prevent the containers from hop~
ping out of the case during shipment.
A still further object is to provide a low-depth tray design
which securely and compactly column stacks when empty, and which
has minimum length and width dimensions relative to the number and
type of containers therein.
Another object is to provide a low-depth bottle tray which
maximizes the display of the stored bottles and their labels with the
trays loaded and stacked.
A still further object is to provide a nestable case for beverage
containers which case is lightweight, easy to handle, inexpensive to
manufacture, and attractivè.
Directed to achieving these objects, a low-depth nestable plas-
tic tray for fluid containers, such as sixteen-ounce bottles, is herein
disclosed. The tray is formed by integrally molding a sidewall with,
about and to the perimeter of an open grid-work support floor. The
sidewall has an undulating configuration on its top and bottom edges
with alternating projections and depressions. According to one
embodiment, the top edge extensions are positioned between ~he bot-
tles to maximize the bottle label display. Another embodiment posi-
tions the extensions directly adjacent the bottles to maximize stabil-
ity of the bottles in the tray during transport thereof. These undulat-
ing configurations allow the bottles in the stacked trays to be more
fully displayed as well as to be securely transported.
The projections of the top edge are vertically aligned with the
depressions of the bottom edge. Thus, the tray when empty can
securely nest on its edges with similar empty trays above an~ below
it. The bottom surface of the support floor is formed with an array of
recesses for receiving up thereinto the tops of the bottles in a similar
loaded tray beneath it. This prevents sliding when the low-depth
trays are loaded and stacked on top of each other.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will
become more apparent to those persons having ordinary skill in the
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2002417
art to which the present invention pertains from the following
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BREF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a first nestable tray of
the present invention.
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the tray of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the tray of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the tray of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the tray of Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of
Figure 2.
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line ~-7 of
Figure 2.
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of
Figure 4 showing the sidewall of the tray in isolation.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of four trays, which are a slight
variation of the tray of Figure 1, shown empty and column stacked.
Figure 10 is a side elevational view of two empty nested trays
of Figure 1 with the right halves thereof being shown in section.
Figure 11 is an end view similar to that of Figure 10.
Figure 12 is a side elevational view of two trays of Figure 1
shown loaded and stacked, with the right half portions thereof being
shown in section.
Figure 13 is an end elevational view similar to that of
Figure 12.
Figure 14 is a top perspective view of a second nestable tray of
the present invention.
Figure 15 is a top plan view of the tray of Figure 14.
Figure 16 is a bottom plan view of the tray of Figure 1~
Figure 1~ is a side elevational view of the tray of Figure 14.
Figure 18 is an end elevational view of the tray of Figure 14.
Figure 19 is a cross~ectional view taken along line 19-19 of
Figure 15.
Figure 20 is a cross~ectional view taken along line 20-20 of
Figure 15.
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Figure 21 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 21-21 of
Figure 1~
Figure 22 is a top perspective view of ~two trays of Figure 14
shown empty and column stacked.
Figure 23 is a side elevational view of the trays, which are a
slight variation of the tray of Figure 22, with the right half portions
shown in section.
Figure 24 is an end elevational view similar to that of
Figure 23.
Figure 25 is a side elevational view of two trays of Figure 14
loaded and stacked, with the right half por~ions shown in section.
Figure 26 is an end elevational view similar to that of
Figure 25.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
Two preferred embodiments of the present nestable tray are
illustrated in the drawings. The first is illustrated in Figures 1
through 13 and the second in Figures 14 through 26. Elements in the
second embodiment which correspond to those in the first are desig~
nated with like reference numerals followed by a prime (')
designation.
The first nestable tray shown generally at 100 is comprised
essentially of two components a rectangular floor shown generally
at 102 and a rectangular sidewall shown generally at 104, both having
four rounded corners. Floor 102 and sidewall 104 are integrally
molded together out of a plastic such as high density polyethylene
(HDPE). The sidewall 104 is formed in a unique configuration wherein
both the top and bottom surfaces or edges thereof 106, 108 have an
undulating or wave~ce formation along their entire lengths. In other
words, spaced extension portions 110 are formed along the top surface
106 and cut-out portions 112 are formed along the bottom surface 108
These cut-out portions 112 are disposed directly vertically beneath
the corresponding extension portions 110, as can be seen in Figures 4
and 5. The extension and cut-out portions 110, 112 are similarly
shaped and configured and preferably are in the shape of trapezoids.
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The sidewall 104 is nearly perfectly vertically disposed and has only aslight angle sufficient to allow the tray 100 to be removed from its
mold (not shown). The sidewall 104 is secured to the outside perime-
ter 114 of the floor 102, and the lowermost edges 116 of the bottom
surface 108 (between the cut-out portions 112) are positioned a slight
distance above the bottom edge 118 of the floor 102, as can be seen in
Figures 4 and 5, for example.
Referring now to Figures 9-11, this undulating configuration
allows the tray 100 when empty to nest within another similar tray
100 such that the extension portions 110 fit in the corresponding
cut-out portions 112 of the trays on top of them. The portions 119,
120 (or 116), respectively, between the extension portions 110 on the
top surface 106 and between the cut-out portions 112 on the bottom
surface 108 nearly mate with the adjacent tray, as can be seen for
example in Figures 10 and 11. When these surfaces mate the out-
wardly projecting lip 122 of the top surface 106 engages most of the
bottom edge of the bottom surface 108. The trays 100 thereby can
ship empty in a compact and secure column stack.
The floor 102 is formed in an open grid-work design as shown
for example in Figures 2 and 3. The design is preferably in a ~our-by-
six array of repeating patterns each providing a fluid container sup-
port area such as shown generally at 124. Each pattern can be
defined by a square 126 with a pair of concentric circles 128, 130
inside thereof. A circle member 132 encircles each of the intersec-
tions 134 of four adjacent squares. The center 136 of these circle
members 132 comprises a solid surface 138 (Figure 2) on the top with
a peripheral rim 140 (Figure 3) on the bottom because it creates a
better area for injecting plastic. Center circle member 132 can have
alternatively a cross-rib configuration similar to that of the other
circle members 132, as shown in Figure(s) 9 (and 22). Half circles 139
engage the floor perimeter at adjacent squares.
Although illustrated as a flat surface, the top surface of the
floor 102 can be formed with small depressions (not shown) corre-
sponding to the locations and configurations of the bottoms of the
containers (bottles) to be supported at each oi the support areas 124
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The bottom surface of the floor 102, however, has upwardly recessed
areas 144 centered at each support area 12~, as illustrated in Figures
6 and ~. These recessed areas 144 are configured to receive up into
them the tops of caps 148 of bottles 150 in a lower tray as depicted in
the right half portions of Figures 12 and 13. This helps retain the
loaded trays 100 in a stacked arrangement without free sliding along
the tops of the bottles lS0 in the lower trays. It does not, however,
lock the loaded trays 100 together such that they cannot be easily
liftedoff of each other.
The inside surface of the sidewall 104 is periodically recessed
out a slight distance with upright cylinder shapes or surfaces 152, as
can be seen in Figure 1, at generally the tangent points of the bottles
150 or other containers when supported at each of the support areas
124. These cylindrical surfaces 152 correspond to the sides of the
bottles 150 for permitting the bottles to contact the insides of the
sidewall 104 during transport. Under stable conditions though the
bottles 150 do not contact the extension portions 110. The extension
portions 110, however, do give the tray 100 a taller effective height
and prevent the bottles 150 from hopping out of the trays as they are
prone to do when transported in prior art low-profile trays. The
sidewall 104 through its cross-section, with the exception of the
upper lip 122, is of a uniform thickness, and thus the outer wall sur-
face projects out cylindrically at the areas 154 corresponding to the
inner wall cylindrical surfaces 152, as can be seen in Figure(s) ~ (and
21).
The extension portions 110, and thus the cut-out portions 112,
of the tray 100 of the first embodiment are positioned between the
bottles 150, that is, between the bottle support areas 124. This pro-
vides for a maximum display of the labels of the bottles 150 as can be
understood from the left half portions of Figures 12 and 13. Alterna-
tively, the extension portions 110 can be positioned directly on the
bottles 150, that is centered on the bottle support areas 124, and thus,
corresponding to the cylindrical surfaces 152 as shown in the second
embodiment of tray 100' of Figures 14-26. This alternative design
gives maximum stability to the bottles 150~ by contacting them during
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shipment at the highest points of the tray 100'. Some label display is
sacrificed, however, in this alternative design.
Preferred outer dimensions of the trays 100 and 100~ as shown
in Figures 2 and 15 are 18.500 inches by 12.334 inches and a height as
seen in Figures 4 and 5 of 3.625 inches. The trapezoidal cut-outs and
extension portions 112, 110 can have heights of 1.250 inches and
define angles of seventy-five degrees and zero minutes. Two stacked
trays as depicted in Figure 22 have a total nesting height of only 2.375
inches. In other words, each additional ~ray 100 or 100~ adds only an
additional height of 2.375 inches to the column stack of trays, thereby
providing a more compact stack. The internal dimensions of the
nestable trays 100 or 100~ are 18.000 inches by 12.000 inches by 3.250
inches, and each square 126 or 126~ is 3.00 inch square. It is of course
within the scope of this invention to vary the dimensions as needed to
accommodate dif ferent requirements.
Although depicted as being especially suitable for today~s con-
ventional sixteen-ounce bottles 150, it is within the scope of this
invention to adapt the designs of trays 100 and 100~ for other types of
containers such as two-liter bottles or twelve-ounce cans. Also,
although preferably configured to hold twenty-four containers in a
four-by-six array, the trays 100 and 100' can be sized differently to
hold different numbers of containers and/or to hold them in
differently-configured arrays.
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From the foregoing detailed description it will be evident that
there are a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the
present invention which come within the province of those skilled in
the art. However, it is intended that all such variations not departing
from the spirit of the invention be considered as within the scope
thereof as limited solely by the claims appended hereto.
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