CA1332717C - Low depth, nestable tray for fluid containers - Google Patents

Abstract

LOW DEPTH, NESTABLE TRAY FOR FLUID CONTAINERS
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Reusable plastic trays for storing and transporting beverage containers, such as twelve-ounce metal cans and two-liter PET bottles.
The tray floor has thereon an array of support areas for the containers.
The tray rail thereof is spaced high enough above the floor and in a "low-depth" design to prevent the containers on the support areas from tipping during stacking and transport. A generally rectangular band having upright inside and outside races and an outward lip on top or the band form the rail. Columns between adjacent support areas intercon-nect the rail and the floor and angle downwardly and inwardly therebetween. The columns open outwardly and thereby define verti-cal slots into which the columns of a similar tray can be slidingly received. The trays when empty can thereby be stacked in a deeply nesting position whereby each additional tray adds generally only the height of its narrow rail to the height of the nested trays.

Description

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LOW DEPTH,NESTABLE TRAY FOR FLUID CONTAINERS .:.
B/~Cl~GnOUND OF TH~ INVENTION
The present Invention relates to low depth, nestable trays for transporting and storing beverage containers, such as twelve-ounce aluminum cans and two-liter plastlc bottles.
Cans ior soit drinks, beer and other beverages are often stored and transported during the distribution stages thereo~ in short-walled cardboard trays or boxes. These cardboard trays are generally not rug-ged enough ior reuse and therefore must be discarded by tha retailer at hiS expense. They are ~lim~y and can collapse when wet. They also are unattractive and do not permit the iull display, merchandising and advertising oi the cans held therein. Thus, there has been a need ior a returnable and reusable tray ~or storing and transporting cans and the like. ThiS tray should be light weight, easy to manipulate and carry, and economioally constructed. An example oi a relatively recent, returnable and reusable tray partlcularly adapted rOr handling twenty-~our twelve ounce, pul}-top aluminu~ cans is ~hat disalosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,932,532 o~ the pres~nt a~signee.

~ hen empty the reu~able plastic trays Or the '039 application are ne~table one within the other so as to occupy less storage spa~e and to be more easily han~led. ~he tFa~s ar~ nestable only to a small extqnt,, ;perhaps on~quarter OI their total height. In other words, each addi-tlonal tray adds about thre~quarters oi the total tray height to the stack oi empty trays. A larga amount ot storage space is thus needed ~ ;rOr the empty trays, and the stack oi trays can be rather tall and cum-bersome to handle. The sides ot that tray are solid around their perim-eter, and thus the lower portions oi the cans or other containers held thereln, especially when the 102ded trays are stacked, are not e~posed.

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- 2 - 1 3 ., 2 7 1 7 This prevents the containers therein ~rom being readily seen to both determine how full the trays are and also the container brand grom its label.
Reusable plastic cases have also been developed for transporting and storing bottles such as two-liter beverage bottles. An example of a recent plastic, nesting and stacking stotage container is that of U.S.
Patent 4,823,955 of the present assignee. These cases often have a height which is greater than the height of the bottles contained therein such that when staclced the cases do not rest on top o~ the bottles in the lower case. Rather, the sides of the cases bear the loads OI the upper cases and their contents. These cases are expensive to manufac-ture, to ship and to store empty as they are relative large and occupy a great deal ot space. Since they totally surround their bottles, they pre-vent them ~rom being ~ully displayed.
Plastic low depth cases have thus been develop~ wherein the side walls are lower than the height OI the stored bottles. The bottles contained in a lower case thereby support the weight OI the other cases stacked on top oi them. Today's plastic, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), bottles have become particularly popular because OI their trans-parency, light weight and low cost. Even though they are flexible, their walls are strong in tension and thus can sately contain the pres-sure of carbonated beverages. Their ~lexible walls can bear surprlsin~ly high compressive loads as w~l~, provided that these loads are axially applled. Thus, lt Is lmportant that the bottles do not tlp in thelr case~s or tray~s, a~ the loads thereon when staclced would then not be along the longitudlnal a~e~s oî the bottl~s, and th~ loaded bottles can be caused to bu~ , Tl~ l~s par~icularly true tor the larger capacity PET bottles, such as the two-llter bottles widely used for sott drinlc~s. Thus, some OI
the prior art cases require additional structure therein to hold the bot-tle~s stable. Others have handles which mu~st be removed in order to stack the empty cases, which is an inconvenient and time consuming step. Some ot these low depth cases also have hlgher walls which reduce their display capabilities.
one design of the stackable low depth cases parti-cular suitable ~or the two-liter PET bottles is known as ths ~Castle Crate" design.

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For this genre of cases a plurality of columns project upwardly from the bot~om case portion and tog~ther wi~h the side walls help de~ine a plurality o~ bottle retaining pockets. This case with its inter-nal columns when empty resembles a medleval castl0. These columns are hollow to permit empty crates to stack top to bottom. These low pro~ile ~rates a~so have spaced side columns to provide added strength and yet still expose the containers therein. This design though requires a certain reglstration of the empty crates ~or nesting purposes making the procedure a slight bit more cumbersome and time consuming tha desirable.
Beverages in the twelve or sixteen ounce sizes are often sold loose or individua~ly, that is, not in an attached six-pac~c arrangement, especially in convenience stores. To remove the bottles or cans from their six-pacls (secondary) packaging, whether a shrink wrap, a card-~oar~ enveloping carton, or a interconnected plastic ring arrangement, is a labor intensive procedure.
Some of the known trays do not continually hold their beverage containers in a spaced relation so that the containers rub again~t one another or against crate structure whlle in transport. This action can rub ott the container labels or scratch the containers, and is a particu-lar problem ~or metal SOIt drink and beer can~.
U~ARY_e~ ?H~-_INV~N~ON
Accordingly, it is an objec~ of an aæpect o~ the present invention to provide an i~proved nestabl~, low depth tray ~or storing and transporting containers such as beverage cans and bottles.
I~ is an object of an aspect of the present invention to provide an improved low depth, nestable container tray design whiah occupies less space both when in a loaded stacked relation and when in an empty nested relation.
It i9 an object of an aspect of the present invention to provide an improved low depth, nestable tray design which has an open side configuration thereby allowing the aontainers loaded therein to be readily and more ;~ully seen, counted and identified.

--- ~ 4 ~ ~3~3~7 An object of an aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved low depth, nestable tray design which can be readily stacked in a deeply nested relation when empty without requiring any extra manipulation of one tray relative to another.
An object of an aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved low depth, nestable tray which can hold loose cans therein in a compact array while preventing them from rubbing against one another during transport.
An object of an aspect of the present invention is to pro~ride a low depth, nestable tray which is light weight, economical to manufacture, and attractive.
An object oP an aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved reusable tray which can transport and store loose containers as well as those connected and held securely in six-pack arrangements.
An aspect of the invention is as follows:
A low depth, ne~table tray ~or a plurality Or ~luîd containers, said tray compri~ing:
a ~loor having a top sur~acQ with a plurality of ~luid container support areas, each ~or ~upporting thereon a ~eparate ~luid container, and a bottom ~ur~ace with receiving arsas ~or receiving thereon the top~ o~ similar ~luid container~ in a layer in a similar tray beneath said ~loor;
a rail spaced ~bovo and generally parallel to said ~loor, said rail being positioned relative to said ~loor such that the tops o~ the ~luid container~ supported on ~aid support areas extend above said rail, ~aid rail having an inboard rail sur~ace di~posqd inboard relative to ~aid rloor wherein said inboard rail sUr~ace ha~ theraon a plurality o~ vartically upright, circular cylindrical sur~a~es, each con~orming to the shape o~ the ~ylindrical side wall~ o~ the ~lUid aontainers ~upportad on ad~acent s~ppor~ arqa~; an~
a plurality o~ nesting columns extending between and interconnecting said ~loor and said rail, spaced around the out~ide o~ said ~loor, and de~ining open space~ therebetween, and each said column de~ining a slot di~posed outwardly relative to said ~loor ~or receiving thereinto a corresponding column of a slmilar tray ~uch that ~aid rail and the rail o~ the ~imilar tray are generally one on top o~ another when said tray an the similar tray are nested together in a nested position.

- 4a -By way of added explanation, directed to achieving these objects, a novel lcw depth, nestable tray for beverage containers is herein provided. This tray is l'ormed by integrally molding i'rom plastic three basic components, namely, a lloor, an upper rail and a plurality of generally conical columns. The floor has on its top surface a plurality oi fluid container support areas, each i'or supporting thereon a separate fluid container. The bottom l'loor surl'ace in turn has a number of receiving areas i'or receiving thereon the tops ol' similar fluid containers in a layer in a similar tray beneath the iloor. The rail is l'ormed by an upright band having verti-cal inner and outer surl'aces and a lip at the top thereor pro~ecting out-wardly a slight distance. The rail is positioned generally parallel to and ab~ve the ~loor so as to be below the tops of ~he lluid containers when r~tlng on the l'loor but high enough relative to them to prevent them ~rom tlpping. The columns extend between, interconnect and merge with the rlOOr and the rail. They are spaced around the outside ol' the rloor and between ad~acent support areas. Each ol' them has a gener-ally truncated conical shape and defines a longitudinal slot disposed outwardly relatlve to the l'loor and extending generally from the bot-tom of the l'loor up to the lip. The slots taper upwardly, are inclined inwardly towards the îloor, and are configured to slidlngly receive therein the inner surl'aces ol' similar columns in a similar tray such that ,~'`
~t.

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the ~loor fits within the open rail when the trays are in an empty nested relation. The areas between the adjacent columns and between the rail and floer ai~d along both sides and ends are open providing a light weight design which allows more complete visualiza~ion of the containers held in the tray. The floor preferably has an open grid-work design which not only is attractive but also requires less plastic mate-rial and there~ore is lighter and cheaper than a more solid floor design.
Stability corner posts extending downwardly and inwardly ~rom the rail to the iloor corner support areas can also be provided.
Other ob~ects and advantages OI the present invention will become more apparent to those persons having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains rrQm the iollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
B~EF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a ~irst tray OI the present invention.
Figure 2 is a top plan view o~ the ~irst tray.
Figure 3 is a bottom plan view oi the first tray.
Figure g is a side elevational view oi the Iirst tray.
Figure S is an end eleYational view OI the iirst tray.
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 OI
Flgure 2.
Figure 7 is a cross~ectlonal vlew taken along lln~ 7-7 oi Flgure 2.
Figure 8 is a cross~e~tional view taken along line 8-8 oi Fi~ure 4.
Fi~ure 9 iS a cross~ectional vlew taken along line 9-9 o~
Flgure 5.
Figure lO is a cross-sectional view taken along llne lO-lO oi Figure 2.
Figure ll is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 of Flgure 2.
Figure 12 is a cross~ectional view taken along line 12-12 oi Figure 2.

~ 6 ~ 2 ~1 t Figure l3 is a side elevational view, with portions thereof broken away, of the first tray in an empty and nested position.
Figure 14 is ah end elevational view, with portions thereoi bro-ken away, of the first tray in a loaded and stacked position.
Figure 15 is a top perspective view of a second tray o~ the present invention.
Figure 16 is a top plan view OI the second tray.
Figure 17 is a bottom plan view oi the second tray~
Figure 18 is a side elevational view oi the second tray.
Figure l9 is an end elevational view of the second tray.
Figurs 20 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 20-20 of Figure 15.
Figure 21 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 21-21 OI
Figure 15.
Figure 22 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 22-22 d Figure 16.
Figure 23 is a cross~ectional view taken along line 23-a3 of Flgure 16.
Figure 24 is a top perspective view of the second tray shown in an empty and nested positlon.
Figure 25 is a top perspective view oi the second tray shown in a loaded and stacked position.
Figure 26 is a top perspective view of a third tray of the present invention.
Figure 27 ~9 a top plan view oi the third tray.
Flgure 28 is a bottom plan view of the third tray.
Figure ag is a side elevatlonal view oi the thircl tray.
Figure 30 i9 an end elevational view oE the thlrd tray. I
Figure 31 is a top perspective view of a fourth tray OI the present invention.
Figure 32 is a top plan view OI the fourth tray.
Figure 33 is a bottom plan view of the fourth tray.
Figure 34 is a side elevational view of the fourth tray.
Figure 35 is an end elevational view of the fourth tray.

-7- ~ 33~7~7 Figure 36 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 36-36 of Fig-ure 32.
Figure 37 is a side elevational view, with portions thereof broken away, of the fourth tray shown in an empty and nested position.
Figure 38 is a side elevational view, with portions thereof broken away, o~ the îourth tray in a loaded and stacked position.
Figure 39 is a top perspective view of a fifth tray of the present invention.
Figure 40 is top plan view of the fifth tray.
Figure 41 is a bottom plan view of the fi~th tray.
Figure 42 is a side elevational view OI the fifth tray.
Figure 43 is an end elevational view of the ~ii th tray.
DETA~D D~SCRIPTION OF PREFERR~D
EMPOD~ME~TS OF THE INVENTION
A number of variations OI the present invention are possible, and some oî them are illustrated in the drawings. This invention as will be explained can be adapted to hold generally any type o~ (fluid) container and is especially adaptable i'or twelve-ounce metal cans and two-liter PET bottles. It can hold the contalners (cans) in six packs or indivldually.
A first preferred tray embodlment of the present invention is shown in Figures 1-14 generally at 100. Tray 100 is espacially adaptsd for holding twelv~ounce metal cans, such as are typically used for soft drink~ and beer and shown for example in Figure 14 at 102. Tray 100 will be descrlbed in greater detail than the other trays, and the d~riptlon thereoi tor correspondlng parts can ~ referred to ~or the ot~r late~describ~ tray embodiments.
Tray 100 is integrally molded ~rom a plastic,, such as polyethelene, and comprises four basic components, namely, a floor 104, a rectangular rail 106 spaced above and generally parallel to the floor, a plurality of columns 108 extending 'oetween and interconnect-ing the iloor 104 and the rail 106, and support posts 110 at each of the four corners of the tray 100 interconnecting the rail 106 and the floor 104 and providlng additlonal corner support for the tray 100. These corner suppcrt posts 110 are, however, not requlred for this invention " ' 7 ~ 7 as will be apparent from some o~ the other embodiments described later herein.
The floor 10~ has an upper surtace 112 deflning a plurality (twenty-four) o~ fluid container support areas 114 for supporting thereon the ~luid containers 102. Each support area 114 is generally 2.650 inch square. The îloor bottom surface 116 has a plurality of receiving areas 118 ior receiving thereon the tops o~ similar iluid con-tainers in a layer in a similar tray directly beneath the iloor, as depicted in Figure 14 generally at 120 by a similar (identical~ loaded tray. It is also within the scope o~ this invention to provide a plurality OI beveled redoubt members positioned and spaced on and extending down trom the ~loor bottom surface 11&, such as are described in the previously-mentioned ~039 application. These beveled redoubt members provide a sliding sur~ace so that tray 100 when loaded can be easily slid along the lips o~ the can tops Or a similar loaded tray 120 therebeneath without having to be L~ted ofi thereirom thereby making it eæier to handle the loaded and stacked trays.
The rail 106 is positioned by the columns 108 above the floor 104 a suiiicient height to prevent the containers 102 held on the tloor from tipplng when the tray 100 is being transported. It is low enough, how-ever, in a "low depth" comiguration so that the tops oi' the containers 102 on the ~loor 104 e~tend above it, and the cofltainers themselves then directly 9upport the weight of loaded trays thereabove, a~ can be understood ~rom Figure 14. UnL~lce the earlie~mentioned "Castle Crate" design, there is no need ior any additional structure extending up trom the rall 106 or irom the central portion oi the iloor 10~. ~he rail 10~ In turn comprises a band 12~ having vertlcal inner and outer walls 126, la8 and a flange or lip 130 at the top thereor extending out a slight distance there~rom. Thè end corners OI the band 124 and lip 130 are smoothly rounded. The v0rtical orientations of the inner and outer walls 126, 128 are shown in cross section in Figures 7, 10, 11, and 14.
Since the outer wall 128 does not angle or flare, the overall dimensions oi the tray 100 are kept to a minimum--about the same as that oi a corrugated c~se. ~he tray 100 has a total height OI 2.000 inches, a width (as viewed in Flgure 2) OI 10.750 inches, and a length o~ 16.125 inches. The band 124 has an undulating or curving configuration having cylindrical, smooth surIaces 132 on inner wall 126 adja~ent to and ab~ve each fluid container support area 114 and corresponding to the rounded sides of the containers 102 to be supported on the areas. The floor 104 also has an undulated perimeter design curving outwardly at locations 134 at each outer ~luid container support area 114 for con-forming generally to the cylindrical configuration ol the bottom po~
tions OI the ~luid containers 102.
The columns 108 extend upwardly from the ~loor 104 to the rail 106 and between each of the support areas 116 where the undulating perimeter curves in at location 136. These columns 108 are each formed as a generally truncated conical member de~ining a vertical slot 138 disposed outwardly relative to the floor 104. The inwardly disposed surfaces oi the columns 108 have three faces, each o~ which angles upwardly and outwardly irom the iloor to the rail. The middle face 140 is ~lat, and the outer two ~aces 142, 144 are generally sidewardly ori-ented and have truncated conical coniigurations. The coniiguration of these ~aces can be seen, ~or example, in Figures 1, 6, 7, and 8. Suriace ~ace 142 as shown in Figure 7 is constructed ~rom a cone having a base radius o~ 1.300 inches, an incline of ten degrees per side and a wall thickness o~ .100 inch. The inward suriaces o~ the columns 10~ are thus generally conically shaped, angling towards the longitudinal center line thereoi, and the cans 102, even when held loose, do not contact the immediat~ly ad~acent columns even during normal transport move-ment oi the tray 100. Th~ slots 138 are correspondingly con~igured to reCeive up therelnto the inner sur~aces o~ columns oi another tray as sh~wn in Figure 13, to provide a deeply nested arrangement. Each additlonal ampty tray 100 then adds only the narrow height ot its rall 10~ to the staclc o~ empty nested trays, whlch additional helght is only about thre~quarters oi an incb. :~
The corner support posts 110 are also angled inwardly and down-wardly and have conical outer and inner suriaces 145, 146 ( same as the columns--see Figure 9) to slide along and relative to one another when the trays are sliding into and out of their empty nested position which is depicted in Figure 13.

- lo - 13 ~ 2 11 ~

The upper floor surface 112 can be smooth and planar across its entire expanse. Alternatively, it can have indents or recessed areas at each oi the support areas 114 ior receiving therein the bottoms or each of the fluid containers 102; or it can have low height divider ribs on the sur~ace thereo~, separating the support areas 114 as will be explained later with re~erence to Figures 31-43.
A pre~erred design is to mold the Iloor 104 with a gridworl~ like configuration having a pattern OI open spaces therethrough, as shown in Figures 1-3 (and 26-28), so that less plastic ~loor material is need~.
The floor 104 is thereby made cheaper and lighter, and an attractive design is thereby presented. This gridwork like design pre2erably com-prises a plurality of circular members 148, one for each support area 114. Each o~ these circular members i48 is slightly smaller than the bottom o~ the ~luid containers 102 to be supported ~hereon. A plurality o~ radial struts 149 extends radially out from each of the circular mem-bers 148 to suspend or support them. The circular members 148 are arranged in rows and columns to thereby deIine one or more arrays, as illustrated in Figure 2 ior example. In the pseferred design oY Figures 1-14 (and 26-30) there are iour two-by-three arrays to accommodate four six-packs o~ cans: in other words, there are twenty-iour support areas 114 in a four-by-six arrangement. The circular members 148 form a strong support structure and make lt relatively easy to count the number oi support areas 114 in an empty tray 100 and also to po~i-tlon the ~luid containers 102 on the floor 104.
The grtdwork ~loor 104 also comprises a plurality ot longitudinal and lateral ~truts 150, 1S2, extending (discontinuously) the full length and wldth, respectively, thereo~ and between the rows and ~olumns o~
the cir~ular members l48. The radial struts 149 then ext~nd to or through; these lateral and iongitudinal struts. At the is~tersections of the longitudinal and lateral struts 150, 162 smaller circular members 154 are iormed and are thereby positioned in the center of a square of the larger circular members 1~8 as can be seen in Figures 2 and 3, for example. One interesting pattern extends the central longitudtnal strut 150 through each o~ the smaller circular members 154 except for the center one 156 (Figure 12) and the central lateral Stl'Ut 152 through ~
A

~ ~g ~ 7 the centers o~ each OI the smaller circular members 154 except for the center one 156, and the remaining smaller circular members 154 then are fully open.
The floor bottom sur~ace 116 is recessed upwardly at each receiving area 118 for receiving thereinto the tops of fluid containers 102 in a layer in a tray 120 beneath the floor 104 in a pre~erred design OI this invention. These recessed receiving areas are shown îor exam-ple in Figures 3, 7, and 13 and can be understood from comparing the tops of the bottom left two cans with the right two cans in Figure 1~.
Each recess 158 is iormed simply by having the buttom surlaces oi radial struts 149 angling from locations 158 (Figures ~ and 7) spaced a slight dlstance irom the larger circular members 148 to the larger cir-cular members and locations 160 (Figures 3, 6 and 12) spaced ~rom cir-cular members 154. Any similar construction îor holding the lloor bot-tom suriace llS to the tops oi a bottom container layer therebeneath, as would be apparent to those skilled in the art, to prevent free sliding is within the scope OI this invention.
Looking at the ends and sides oî the tray 100, it Is seen that the areas between ad~acent columns 108 and the ~loor 104 and the rail 106 de~ine open spaces 162. Thls design requires less plastic then a more solid design and thereby is llghter, cheaper and more attractive. It iurther allows the fluid containers 102 therein to be more completely seen, especially when loaded or partially loaded trays are stacked one on top o~ the other, a~ shown in Figure 1~.
An alternatlve deslgn oY the present lnventlon uses a "solld"
tl~r acniiguration lnstead oi the open grldwork-Lke design oi tray 100.
2iolid design is ill~trated by the tray shown generally at 200 o~ Figure 15, tor exampl~, wherein a pluralit~ oi circular recesses 202 i9 iormed in the upper sur~ace of the iloor 204 ~or recelvlng thereln the bottom edges of the ~luid contalners or metal beverage cans 206. When viewed i'rom the top as in Figure 16 a plurality oi rings is thereby deiined.
From the sides as shown in Figures 18 and 19, the perimeter o~ the Iloor 204 then is slmilar to the conîiguration OI the floor 104 of tray 100 and comprises a series of ~rcuate surraces 210. The bottom surface oi the i'loor 204, as shown in Figures 17 and 22, has circular recesses -12- ~27 ~7 216 formed up thereinto ~or receiving therein the top rims o~ the cans 206 and thereby preventing free sliding oi an upper loaded tray 200 on a similar bottom loaded tray as shown generally at 218 in Figure 25.
Tray 200 similarly hæ a rail 220, and angled columns 224 between the arcuate suriaces 210 and defining outward slo~s 226. Although tray 200 does not have any corner support posts, it is within the scope oî this invention to provide such support posts for the Figure 15 embodiment similar to those shown in Figure 1.
The tray as shown generally at 300 in Figures 26-30 is a hybrid of trays 100 and 200. It has the gridwor}~ like :Eloor 302 OI tray 100 and like tray 200 does not have any corner support posts. Similar to trays 100 and 200 it has a rail 304 and angled columns 306 detining outwardly-disposed re~eiving slots 308. Thus, the tray 300 o~ Figure 26, ~or example, ~an receive therein loose (or packaged as with a thin plas-tic iilm or an upper plastic holder) cans or similar contalners in an array, such as a iour-by-six array, and hold them securely, preventing them Irom tipping or rubbing against each other even during the move-ments normally associated with the transport and handling thereoi.
The trays .~00, when loaded, also securely stack one on top oî another as can be understood from Figure 25. The trays 300 when empty can be nested one on top oi the other for storage or transport, and slmilar to trays 100 and 200, each empty tray 300 a~ds only the narrow height o~
its rail 304 to the staak o~ empty trays when nested therein.
The general concept o~ this lnventlon can be easily adapted ~or handling other ~ontainers oi dli~erent slzes and shapes~ ~n example is illu~trated in ~igures 91 thrnugh 43 for two-liter PET b~ttles, su~h as aro 8hown at 40q ln Figure 3~, wherein two embodlments are illus-trated, the iirstlshown generally at 402 ln Figures 31 through 38 and the second shown generally at 404 in Figures 39 through 43. The only difierencè between them is the inclusion oi the corner support posts 406 in the emb~diment OI Figure 31. The posts 406 serve a similar outer support ~unction Ior the overhanging support area ~orners oi the ~loor 407.
Longitudinal and lateral divider struts 40~, ~09 extend acro~ss and along the ~loor 40~ to separate the indlvidual support areas 410 from ~;

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each other to hold the bottles 400 better ln place and to prevent them from tipping. The three lateral divider struts 409 are taller than the single longitudinal strut 408. This holding function is more important for the plastic bottles 400 than it is for the can trays 100, 200, 300 beeause OI the greater likelihood that the tall, flexible bottles 400 will buckle if they tip when stacked. The trays (or carriers) 402, 404 oi Figures 31 through 43 are designed to support and carry eight bottles 400. It is, of course, within the scope of the present invention to size the trays 402, 404 diiierently to carry either more or fewer bottles, or bottles oi difierent sizes.
The bottom tray suriaces 411 are recessed in rounded coniigura-tions, such as is shown in Figures 37 and 38 by the recess areas 412, to receive up thereinto the caps 414 oi the oottles 400 on a lower tray as shown generally at 416. This prevents the upper loaded tray 402 from freely sliding along the top of the bottles in a tray 416 beneath it and makes it less likely that the bottles in the lower tray 416 will tip.
When in an empty nested arrangement, the upper tray iits into the lower tray so that the rail lip 418 OI the lower tray is at the bottom oî
the rail or band 420 of the upper tray, as best shown in Figure 37. As can be appreciated irom Figures 31 and 39, the area between ad~acent columns 422 or columns 422 and ad~acent posts 406 and between the iloor ~08 and the rail 420 define open spa~es 424 ior reasons discussed above relative to trays 100, 200 and 300 and allow the bottles 400 thereln to be ea~ily seen from the sides. The bottles 400 can thus be ldentiiled as to type and also easlly and readily seen to determine wh~ther the tray is fully loaded.
~ he colulnn~ OI any o~ th~ trays 100, 200, 300, ~02 or ~04 can be unde~stood or de~cribed in either of two ways. One way is that they extend only irom the bottom surîace of the floor, up to the lower edge of the rail or band, as can be best appreciated irom an outside side view especially when in an empty nested arrangement. Thus, the band extends continuously the entire circumference oi the tray and includes the upper extensions of the slots of the columns. Another way is that the columns themselves extend all the way to the top oi the rails or to the lip, which is better appreciated when looking at the inside of the ~ 3 ~ ~ r~ ~ ~
trays such as shown in the empty perspective views. In the latter case the band can be considered to comprise a plurality of band segments extending between adjacent columns. Either way an improved sturdy compact tray which is inexpensive to manufacture and handle is defined. These trays when empty are easily and deeply nestable one within the other without any undue manipulation or orientation thereoi. They have attractive and open designs allowing the containers therein to be more fully displayed.
From the roregoing detailed description, it will be evident that there are a number oi changes, adaptations and modilications o~ the present inventlon which come within the province oi those skilled in the art. However, it is intended that all such variations not departing ~rom the spirit oi the invention be considered as within the scope thereo~ as limited solely by the claims appended hereto.

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Claims (48)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A low depth, nestable tray for a plurality of fluid containers, said tray comprising:
a floor having a top surface with a plurality of fluid container support areas, each for supporting thereon a separate fluid container, and a bottom surface with receiving areas for receiving thereon the tops of similar fluid containers in a layer in a similar tray beneath said floor;
a rail spaced above and generally parallel to said floor, said rail being positioned relative to said floor such that the tops of the fluid containers supported on said support areas extend above said rail, said rail having an inboard rail surface disposed inboard relative to said floor wherein said inboard rail surface has thereon a plurality of vertically upright, circular cylindrical surfaces, each conforming to the shape of the cylindrical side walls of the fluid containers supported on adjacent support areas; and a plurality of nesting columns extending between and interconnecting said floor and said rail, spaced around the outside of said floor, and defining open spaces therebetween, and each said column defining a slot disposed outwardly relative to said floor for receiving thereinto a corresponding column of a similar tray such that said rail and the rail of the similar tray are generally one on top of another when said tray an the similar tray are nested together in a nested position.

2. The tray of claim 1 wherein said rail comprises an upright band whose outside and inside surfaces are vertically disposed.

3. The tray of claim 2 wherein said rail comprises a lip secured on top of said upright band and extending outwardly from said outside surface.

4. The tray of claim 2 wherein said band generally defines a rectangle with undulating upright walls and rounded corners.

5. The tray of claim 1 wherein said floor includes a plurality of upright divider walls extending upwardly from said top surface and separating said support areas.

6. The tray of claim 1 wherein said rail includes an upper, generally rectangular and outwardly disposed lip.

7. The tray of claim 6 wherein said rail includes a rail bot-tom surface, which is adjacent a similar lip of a similar tray when said tray and the similar tray are in the nested position.

8. The tray of claim 6 wherein said rail defines a rectangle with rounded corners and having a width between outer edges thereof of ten and three quarters inch and a length between outer edges thereof of sixteen and one-quarter inch.

9. The tray of claim 8 wherein said columns are generally two inches high.

10. The tray of claim 1 wherein said columns are positioned between adjacent said support areas and extend inwardly relative to and spaced from fluid containers supported on said adjacent said sup-port areas so that the fluid containers do not rub against said columns.

11. The tray of claim 1 wherein said rail has its outer surface recessed inwardly above each said longitudinal slot and defining the upper extension thereof.

12. The tray of claim 1 wherein said rail includes an upper, outwardly disposed, generally rectangular lip secured on top of upper ends of said columns.

13. The tray of claim 12 wherein said rail comprises a plural-ity of rail members extending between and connecting adjacent said columns and connected at upper ends thereof to said lip.

14. The tray of claim 13 wherein said columns extend up to said lip.

15. The tray of claim 12 wherein said slots engage at upper ends thereof said lip.

16. The tray of claim 1 wherein said support areas are recessed into said top surface for receiving therein the bottoms of the fluid containers.

17. The tray of claim l wherein said rail defines at least part of a rectangle having rounded corners.

18. The tray of claim 1 wherein said floor, said rail and said columns are integrally formed together.

19. The tray of claim 1 wherein said support areas are arranged between outer edges of said floor in an array.

20. The tray of claim 19 wherein said array comprises a two-by-four array.

21. The tray of claim 19 wherein said array comprises a four-by-six array.

22. The tray of claim 1 wherein said slots are angled down-wardly and inwardly from said rail to said floor.

23. The tray of claim 22 wherein said slots open up into and engage said bottom surface of said floor.

24. The tray of claim 1 wherein said rail has a total height of about three-quarters of an inch.

25. The tray of claim 1 wherein said columns have three inward laces, the middle of which is flat, inboardly disposed and inwardly angled, and the outer two of which are generally sidewardly oriented and have truncated conical configurations.

26. The tray of claim 25 wherein said three inward faces are configured and positioned to be spaced from, so as to not touch during transport, fluid containers on the adjacent said fluid container support areas.

27. The tray of claim 1 wherein said floor includes on said top surface a ring-like member having a ring floor for each said fluid con-tainer support area for receiving and holding thereon the bottom of the fluid container.

28. The tray of claim 1 wherein said floor comprises an open grid-work design.

29. The tray of claim 28 wherein said open grid work design includes a circular member for each said fluid container area and cen-trally positioned therein and a plurality of support struts extending radially out from each said circular member.

90. The tray of claim 29 wherein said open grid-work design includes longitudinal and lateral divider members between adjacent longitudinal and lateral rows, respectively, of said circular members.

31. The tray of claim 30 wherein said longitudinal and lateral divider members extend between and connect oppositely disposed said columns.

32. The tray of claim 30 wherein said open grid-work design includes a plurality of interstitial circular members on said longitudinal and lateral divider members.

33. The tray of claim 1 wherein said floor is rectangularly configured and has a pair of side edges and a pair of end edges, said fluid container support areas are arranged in an array defined by a plu-rality of longitudinal rows and a plurality of lateral rows, and said col-umns are disposed between adjacent said longitudinal rows and adjacent said lateral rows at both said side and end edges.

34. The tray of claim 1 wherein said rail is positioned above said floor a distance sufficient to prevent tipping of fluid containers supported on said fluid container support areas.

35. The tray of claim 1 wherein said receiving areas are recessed up into said bottom surface for receiving thereinto the tops of fluid containers in the layer therebeneath.

36. The tray of claim 35 wherein said recessed receiving areas are adapted to receive the tops of twelve-ounce metal cans.

37. The tray of claim 35 wherein said recessed receiving areas are adapted to receive the tops of caps of two-liter PET bottles.

38. The tray of claim 1 wherein said rail has an inner rail surface having upright cylindrical indents adjacent to said fluid con-tainer support areas and having curvatures generally parallel to and corresponding to the curvatures of the adjacent side walls of fluid con-tainers to be positioned on said fluid container support areas.

39. The tray of claim 1 wherein said floor, said rail and said columns are integrally molded of polyethylene.

40. The tray of claim 1 further comprising said rail being rectangular, and corner posts at each corner of said rectangular rail and extending downwardly and angling inwardly to said floor.

41. The tray of claim 40 wherein each said corner pest has a conical outward lace disposed diagonally outward relative to said floor.

42. The tray of claim 1 wherein said slots are upwardly tapering.

43. The tray of claim 1 wherein said floor includes longitudi-nal and lateral cell divider struts between adjacent said fluid container support areas.

44. The tray of claim 1 wherein said rail has an inwardly dis-posed surface and said columns extend up along said inwardly disposed surface.

45. The tray of claim 1 wherein said slots engage said bottom surface of said floor.

46. The tray of claim 1 wherein said top surface of said floor is open across the entire length and width thereof between said columns.

47. The tray of claim 1 wherein said columns each have a generally truncated conical shape.

48. The tray of claim 1 wherein said floor has floor outer dimensions and said rail has rail inner dimensions which are greater than said floor outer dimensions such that said floor could pass through said rail.