The present invention relates to a stackable low depth tray for storing and transporting beverages containers, such as bottles.
Plastic bottles are widely used as containers for soft drinks and other beverages. These bottles are often stored and transported in trays, particularly plastic trays. There are many known tray designs that are referred to as “low depth” trays in which the side and end walls are lower than the height of the stored bottles, and in which the bottles support the weight of additional trays and bottles stacked thereon.
The present invention relates to a stackable low depth tray for storing and transporting beverages containers, such as bottles. The tray includes a base including a plurality of base walls each having a peripheral wall defining a container-receiving pocket therein. Adjacent pairs of the peripheral walls of the base walls are spaced apart to define low-profile lateral and longitudinal dividers. The base includes a generally horizontal upper divider wall connecting the peripheral walls. A pair of opposed side walls each include an upper portion and a plurality of spaced apart lower portions. A plurality of side columns have outer walls extending up from the upper portions of the side walls and have inner walls extending down to the base. The side columns are arranged between the spaced apart lower portions of the side walls. A pair of opposed end walls each include an upper bar and a lower bar extending between a pair of corner columns. A handle opening is defined between the upper bar and the lower bar. Each lower bar is connected to the base by an end inner wall. A recess is defined below the lower bar and outwardly of the end inner wall for receiving the upper bar of a lower identical tray nested therebelow.
A tray 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown in
The tray 10 includes a pair of opposed side walls 26. Each side wall includes an upper wall portion 27 and spaced-apart lower wall portions 28. Side openings 30 are defined in the side wall 26 between the spaced-apart lower wall portions 28. A plurality of side columns 32 extend upwardly from each of the side walls 26. The side columns 32 have outer walls 34 extending up from the upper wall portions 27 of the side walls 26. The columns 32 have inner wall portions 36 extending down to the base (more specifically, the upper divider wall 20 of the lateral dividers 16). Between the columns 32, a side inner wall portion 38 extends down to the base (more specifically, to the peripheral walls 14 or base walls 12).
A pair of opposed end walls 40 extend upwardly from the base. Each end wall 40 includes an upper bar 44 and a lower bar 46 extending between a pair of corner columns 42. An outer end wall 43 extends downward from the corner columns 42. The corner columns 42 are offset inwardly or tapered inwardly relative to the outer end walls 43, side lower wall portions 28. The corner columns 42 may also be offset inwardly or tapered inwardly relative to the upper bars 44 and lower bars 46. An end inner wall 48 connects each lower bar 46 to the base (more specifically, upper divider wall 20 of longitudinal dividers 18). The upper bar 44 and lower bar 46 are spaced apart to define a handle opening in each end wall 40. An opening 47 is defined below the lower bar 46 between the outer end walls 43. The lower bars 46 are coplanar with the upper wall portions 27 of the side walls 26 to form a continuous band encircling the bottles in the tray 10.
Referring to
Referring to
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.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/441,777, filed Feb. 11, 2011.
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