Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02917531 2016-01-14
BEVERAGE TRAY WITH DROP WALL
BACKGROUND
Nestable beverage trays typically have side walls and end walls extending
upward from a base. Handle openings are formed in the opposed end walls.
Depending on the size of the bottles intended to be stored in the crate, the
crate may
hold a number of bottles. For single-serving size bottles, the tray typically
stores 20-
24 bottles.
Sometimes, a delivery person or stock person must remove the bottles from
the crate and place them on a shelf for individual sale, such as in a
refrigerator in the
store.
SUMMARY
A nestable beverage tray includes a base and a first pair of opposed walls
extending upward from the base and integrally molded with the base. A second
pair
of opposed walls extend upward from the base. At least one of the second pair
of
opposed walls is pivotably connected to the base, such that it can be
selectively
pivoted between an upright position and a retracted position. In a disclosed
method,
bottles shipped in the tray can be slid from the base directly onto a shelf,
or
alternatively, from the base onto the open wall and then onto the shelf.
This facilitates delivery and stocking of the bottles for the delivery or
stock
person.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an example beverage tray.
Figure 2 is a side view of the tray.
Figure 3 is an end view of the tray.
Figure 4 is a top view of the tray.
Figure 5 is a bottom view of the tray.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the tray with one of the side walls pivoted
downward to the open position.
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'
,
Figure 7 is an end view of the tray of Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a top view of the tray of Figure 6.
Figure 9 shows one of the side walls of the tray.
Figure 10 shows the tray without the side wall.
Figure 11 is an exploded view of the tray.
Figure 12 is an enlarged view of the hinges.
Figure 13 shows the tray loaded with a plurality of containers.
Figure 14 shows the tray and bottles of Figure 13 with one of the side walls
pivoted down to the open 90 degree position.
Figure 15 shows the tray and bottles of Figure 13 with one of the side walls
pivoted down to the open 180 degree position.
Figure 16, the side wall is pivoted down 90 degrees where it abuts the edge of
the shelf,
Figure 17 is a side view of the tray with the bottles.
Figure 18 is an end view of the tray and bottles with one of the side walls
pivoted to the 90 degree open position.
Figure 20 shows two of the trays, empty, with one nested within the other.
Figure 21 is a perspective view of an alternate tray loaded with bottles.
Figure 22 is an enlarged view of the hinges of the tray of Figure 21.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Figure 1 shows a tray 10 including a base 12 and side walls 14 extending
upward from side edges of the base 12. End walls 16 (or short walls) extend
upward
from opposite ends of the base 12. The end walls 16 each include an upper band
portion 18 and a lower portion 20. The lower portion 20 connects the upper
band
portion 18 to the base 12 and is spaced inward of the upper band portion 18,
such
that the lower portion 20 could be nested between the upper band portions 18
of an
identical tray nested therebelow. The end walls 16 are integrally molded with
the
base 12 as a single molded piece of plastic. Handle openings are provided in
each end
wall 16.
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Similarly, the side walls 14 each include an upper band portion 22 and a lower
portion 24. The lower portion 24 connects the upper band portion 22 to the
base 12
and is spaced inward of the upper band portion 22, such that the lower portion
24
could he nested between the upper hand portions 22 of an identical tray nested
therebelow. The side walls 14 are also hingeably connected to side edges of
the base
12 by hinges 28. The upper band portion 22 of each side wall 14 includes an
outer
panel portion 30 and a plurality of ribs 32 projecting inward from the outer
panel
portion 30. Latches 34 selectively connect the side walls 14 to the end walls
16. The
side walls 14 are each molded separately of plastic. Alternatively, one of the
side
walls 14 could be integrally molded with the base 12 and end walls 16.
When the tray 10 is empty, it can be nested in an identical tray 10. The lower
portions 26 of the side walls 14 and the lower portions 20 of the end walls 16
are
received between the upper band portions 22 of the side walls 14 and the upper
portions 18 of the end walls 16, respectively. The hinges 28 of the upper tray
10 are
received inward of the outer panel portion 30 between the ribs 32 of the lower
tray
10. The ribs 32 of the lower tray 10 are received between the hinges 28 of the
upper
tray 10. Thus, the trays 10 occupy less volume when empty and nested.
Figure 2 is a side view of the tray 10. Figure 3 is an end view of the tray
10.
Figure 4 is a top view of the tray 10. Figure 5 is a bottom view of the tray
10.
In Figure 6, one of the side walls 14 is show pivoted downward 90 degrees to
an open position generally parallel to and coplanar with the base 12, after
releasing
the latches 34. As shown, the lower portion 26 of the side wall 14, the outer
panel
portion 30 and the ribs 32 provide relatively flat surfaces for sliding
containers out of
the tray 10. The wall configuration also permits a single-thickness wall,
which
reduces the footprint of the tray 10.
Figure 7 is an end view of the tray 10 of Figure 6, showing the open side wall
14. Figure 8 is a top view of the tray 10 of Figure 6.
Figure 9 shows one of the side walls 14 of the tray 10. The lower portion 26
of
the side wall 14 includes a plurality of hinge pins 40, each held between two
hinge
arms 42 and protruding outward of the two hinge arms 42 slightly.
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Figure 10 shows the tray 10 without the side wall 14. The base 12 is
integrally
molded with the end walls 16. Side edges of the base 12 have integrally molded
hinge
receivers 46. Each hinge receiver 46 includes a snap arm 48 for receiving a
hinge pin
40 (Figure 9) snapped therebelow.
Figure 11 is an exploded view of the tray 10, showing the base 12 with
integral
end walls 16 and the separately-formed side walls 14.
Figure 12 is an enlarged view of the hinges 28. As shown the hinge pins 40 are
received below the snap arm 48 of the hinge receivers 46, with the hinge arms
42 on
either side of the snap arm 48. The hinge receivers 46 do not protrude above
the
upper surface of the base 12. The hinge receivers 46 are the same height as
the upper
surface of the base 12. With the side wall 14 in the 90-degree open position
shown,
the hinge receivers 46 and upper surface of the base 12 are the same height as
the
inner surface of the lower portion 26 of the side wall 14 and the same height
as the
ribs 32 on the side wall 14. This provides a relatively flat, unimpeded
surface across
which the bottles 80 can slide.
Figure 13 shows the tray 10 loaded with a plurality of containers, namely 250
mL plastic beverage bottles 80 (although other containers or other items could
also
be used). The bottles 80 are supported on the base 12 and held between the
side
walls 14 and the end walls 16. The latches 34 connect the side walls 14 to the
end
walls 16.
Figure 14 shows the tray 10 and bottles 80 of Figure 13 with one of the side
walls 14 pivoted down to the open 90 degree position, after releasing the two
latches
34.
As shown in Figure 15, the side wall 14 can also be pivoted down 180 degrees,
so that the base 12 can be placed abutting a shelf 82. Then, the bottles 80
can be slid
off the base 12 and onto the shelf 82, such as for sale on a store shelf, such
as a store
refrigerator shelf 82.
In Figure 16, the side wall 14 is pivoted down 90 degrees where it abuts the
edge of the shelf 82. The bottles 80 can then be slid from the base 12, across
the inner
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surface of the side wall 14 and then onto the shelf 82. The bottles 80 slide
across the
lower portion 26 and the ribs 32 of the upper band portion 22.
Alternatively, the tray 10 can be placed in a store refrigerator and after one
of
the side walls 14 is pivoted downward (90 or 180 degrees), the customers can
select
and remove bottles 80 directly from the tray 10.
Figure 17 is a side view of the tray 10 with the bottles 80.
Figure 18 is an end view of the tray 10 and bottles 80 with one of the side
walls 14 pivoted to the 90 degree open position. Figure 19 is a top view of
the tray 10
and bottles 80 of Figure 18. Figure 20 shows two of the trays 10, empty, with
one
nested within the other.
Figure 21 is a perspective view of an alternate tray 110 loaded with bottles
80.
The tray 110 is generally identical to the tray 10 of Figures 1-20 with the
exception
that the end walls 116 (or short walls) are connected to the base 112 by
hinges 128,
while the side walls 114 (or long walls) are integrally molded with the base
112 as a
single piece of plastic. Figure 22 is an enlarged view of the hinges 128 of
the tray 110
of Figure 21. The hinges 128 may be the same as the hinges 28 in the tray 10
of
Figure 1. In this embodiment, the end walls 116 can be pivoted downward 90
degrees of 180 degrees so that bottles 80 can be slide off the base 112 onto a
shelf.
In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence,
exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a
preferred
embodiment of the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention
can be
practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without
departing
from its spirit or scope.
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