Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~ ~e~
- 21aO302
CAP~Y OUT TRAY WITH FIX13D PANEL 2
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to carry out trays. In particular it relates to carry out trays having at least
one cell for receiving and holding upright therein at least one beverage cup.
Brief Description of the Prior Art
A known tray may have a cell with one, two, three or four pressure panels spaced around the
perimeter of the cell, which panels are recili~ntly displaced outwardly of the centre of the cell
when a cup is placed therebetween. Cups of a limited range of sizes can be received within such
a cell and supported in an upright position therein. A carry out tray described in U.S. Patent
No. 5,316,173 relies on only two pres~ule side walls.
In all of the known carry out trays as described above, each of the cup receiving cells is
designed to receive only one cup.
Sumrnar,v of the Invention
According to this invention a carry out tray has at least one cell whclcill to support at least one
cup in each of said at least one cell, each of said cells having a vertical axis and being comprised
of a top rim, a first side wall and a second side wall, two end walls and a supporting bottom
panel, said two side walls and two end walls being joined to each other at their adjacent edges
215~3~2
to tt~nn the circumferenc~ of sa~d celJ, each of said two side walls and two ~nd wall~. being
conn~eted at their ~op edgcs tn said t~p rim, al~ each of said fir~it sidc wall ~nd Yaid l~o end
walls bein~ conn~rr-l at th~ir bo~tom edges tv said bott~m panel~ thereb~ to fnrm a supportin~,
struc~ure Çor saJd ccll, ~nd tl~ provide a secure position for Suppor~inL~ said tr~y between the
~humb and flnger;. of onc hand. Said sccond side wall is free of conncc-iun to said bottom
pan~l, leaYing il fr~e to fle~ oulw.lrdly of said cell with the enl~ f o nc or lwo cups.
L~ch (~f said two sidc uall.~ is formcd witll .lt l~ast two nbs dirccted downw~rdl~ anLI ~llu asdly
of said ccll, the ~p edgc~ of said two s;de walki ~nd tlle~r related rih~ ~ein~ spac~d suîr~ n~ly
far a~art lo receive said cup, ~nd said second sidc wall being projecled inwardly at it~ ttom
e~ a ~ et~nin~l dista~ce into thc area to be o~pied by said cup, ~aid lowcr ed~ f said
second side wall bein~ displaced and ll~xed uulwardly af said cell, thcrchy providing a
~upportin~ prcssu~ on said cu~ b~ ,~ sai~ ir~ wall and ~ai~ second sid~ wall, ~i~ four
poin~ of later~l support and con~;~t at two Or ~aid ribs 1l~ e~ch of said sid~ walls.
The areas benv~ the ribs Or ~aid second side wall, ~d b~twecn the end rib~ ot .c~aid ~ide wall
and the ddjac~n~ end ualJs, are tapered frt~n a line~Lr co~-nP~!inn at their l~p edge~ lo sai~l tDp
ritn lo a partially cyli~irical fonn at their bot~om edgcs, ther~by to provide ~oth lat~rdl and
llutw3rd fle~ihi~ity in s~id ~ ntl ~ile wall in onl~r to accormnodatc the c~ntainmenl oI ~aid at
lea~L o ne cup.
Whcre each of said first ~i~e wall and said secnnd Si~ wall is foImed with al le;lst l'our cqually
- 2150302
spaced ribs, a single cup may be accommodated between any two adjacent ribs of said first side
wall and the directly opposing two ribs of said second side wall. Where said cell with four of
said equally spaced ribs on each of said two side walls is to receive two cups, each of said cups
will be located between two ribs of each of said side walls located at one end or the other of said
cell in order to accommodate the larger r~ lf t~l~7 of the top rims of said cups.
Brief Description of the Drawin~s
Figure 1 is a plan view of a carry out tray co~ ,ised of two integrally conn~cted cells, each cell
being capable of receiving and supporting either one or two beverage cups.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of said two cells viewed from line 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of said two cells at line 3-3 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of one of said two cells at line 44 of Figure 1, showing the
inner face of a fLxed side wall.
Figure 5 is a plan view of a carry out tray comprised of one cup receiving cell and a pan to
carry sandwiches or the like.
Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of said carry out tray at line 6-6 of Figure 5.
~150302
Figure 7 is a plan view of a carry out tray comprised of two cup receiving cells integrally
conn~cte~ with a sandwich pan therebetween.
Figure 8 is a cross sectional view of said carry out tray at line 8-8 of Figure 7.
Description of Preferred Embodiments
The carry out tray 10 shown in Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3 and Figure 4 is fabricated of a
resilient material such as polystyrene or moulded pulp fibre and is comprised of two cup
receiving cells 100, integrally conn~cte~ together by a surrounding rim 101 and a central
supporting bar 102. Each of said cells 100 is comprised of a portion of said rim 101, a first side
wall 105, a second side wall 107, two end walls 103, and a bottom panel 104, said second side
walls 107 being supported one on each side of said central bar 102. In each of said cells 100
said first side wall 105, said second side wall 107, and said two end walls 103 are connected
together in series at their adjacent edges to form the circumference of said cell 100, and said
first side wall 105 and said two end walls 103 are each conn~cte~ at their top edges to said rim
101 and at their bottom edges to said bottom panel 104 to form together the principal structure
of said carry out tray 10. In each of said cells 100, said second side wall 107 is conn~cte~ at
its top edge to one side or the other of said central bar 102, but each of said second side walls
107 is free of connection to said bottom panel, thereby leaving it free to flex outwardly of said
cell 100 when displaced by the entry of one or two cups 50. Said first side wall 105 is formed
with four parallel ribs 106, and said second side wall 107 is formed with four parallel ribs 108,
21aO302
~lld each Or said ribs is direc~ed d~ vardly and inn~ of s~id cell 100. Said sccond sidc
wall iO7~ 3S fo~me~l, is dirccted inwardly a ~ L.,n;n~ dista~ice at iLc bottom edge int~ the
area lo be occupied by an P~ , cup 5~, ~by to pmduce a Ilexi~ action to pvsltion 107X
with che entry of said cup 50, an-l pro~ride a ~t^' i1i7i~ prch~ o~ ~aid cuE~ 50 betw~cu said
first sidcwall lO~ aml ~aid sccnTId side wdll 1~r7.
Alc~nL~ e;~ch of said second ~i~c walls 107 said fwr parallcl ribs 108 arc e~ually spaccd apart a
pl~dct~,.l,in~d dbit~nce lo ~ rc Q~IC CUp 50 ~t~ y two a~jaeent ribs 108, Ihe ~re~ ~f 6aid
second si~le w:llls 107 bet~,~ adjaccnt ribs 108 an~ b~lwccn said ribs 108 and said eDd walls
108 bc~ng eo~volutcd uuLwd~ y uf .said ceUs 100 th~reby to provide bo~ lateral a~:l outward
flexibility to accommo~la~e thc en~y of ~ cup or cups of a ~t.,r.,Le~ e of shapes an~l
~i~es. As sh~wn in Figure 1, cach of said cel~s lO0 ha~ the cdt,~il~ to- accommo~t! eithcr one
singl~ cup ~0, or two cup~ ~0, when so ~t,qui,~l.
Tlle carry out tray 11 shown in Figure S ;~ ~igurc 6 i~ co ised of ot~e cup lccei~ing cell 100
aD~3 one san~lwich receivtn~ ~an ~00, ime~ralb corr~t~d lo~ethu hy ~e surroun~ling top nm
101 and thc ccn~al s~ u~ g har 206. ~e ~le wall 2~S of pan 200 is connloel~l to one side
of s~id ccntral bar 2W an~ tonn.c a parl thereof, and tlle second side wall 107 of sai~l cell 100
ic conn~tr~ lo the o~her sidc of sai~ l bar 204 and l~Ims another par~ thereof. The
conical le~s 20 7 suppor~ the l~u~r side of s~ n 200 whc~ said tray i~ placed upon a t~ble or
other hnri7Qnt~l sur~ace.
2150302
The carry out tray t2 shown in Figure 7 and Figure 8 i~ comr1~ of two cup r~ceivillg ccll~
100 and onc s~ndwich ~ceiving pa~ 200, ~ntegrally connt ct~ together by ~ tcp rim 101, a~d
hy thc two cenara] :.ul)po~ g ba~ 306.
