GB2297313A

GB2297313A - Packaging trays

Info

Publication number: GB2297313A
Application number: GB9501679A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roger Keith Booth; Paul Robert Booth
Original assignee: Boxfoldia Ltd
Current assignee: Boxfoldia Ltd
Priority date: 1995-01-27
Filing date: 1995-01-27
Publication date: 1996-07-31
Anticipated expiration: 2015-01-27
Also published as: GB9501679D0; GB2297313B

Description

Title:- "Packaging Trays" Description of the invention This invention relates to collapsible trays made of folded board for the purpose of packaging or holding articles, such trays comprising a base panel with upstanding lateral wall panels which extend around at least a substantial part of the periphery of the base panel, the height of such wall panels being substantially less than the transverse dimensions of the base panel, and a top panel which is integrally and foldably connected to one of said lateral wall panels and extends over and in spaced relation to at least one part of said base panel, the top panel being formed with at least one aperture adapted to receive and support an upright article therein against lateral movement, said panels collectively being so arranged and connected as to be foldable into a substantially flat condition for the purposes of transport and storage and capable of erection from said flat condition when required for use.

Various constructions are known whereby such trays are foldable into a flat or collapsed condition, and the manner in which this is achieved is not part of the present invention.

According to the invention we provide a collapsible tray made of folded board for the purpose of packaging or holding articles, said tray comprising a base panel with upstanding lateral wall panels which extend around at least a substantial part of the periphery of the base panel, the height of such wall panels being substantially less than the transverse dimensions of the base panel, and a top panel which is integrally and foldably connected to one of said lateral wall panels and extends over and in spaced relation to at least one part of said base panel, the top panel being formed with at least one aperture adapted to receive and support an upright article therein against lateral movement, said panels collectively being so arranged and connected as to be foldable into a substantially flat condition for the purposes of transport and storage and capable of erection from said flat condition when required for use, wherein said top panel is so arranged as to extend over, and rest at least partly on, an upper edge of at least one of said wall panels that is adjacent to one end of said one wall panel to which the top panel is connected.

According to the invention we further provide a collapsible tray made of folded board for the purpose of packaging or holding articles, said tray comprising a base panel with upstanding lateral wall panels which extend around at least a substantial part of the periphery of the base panel, the height of such wall panels being substantially less than the transverse dimensions of the base panel, and a top panel which is integrally and foldably connected to one of said lateral wall panels and extends over and in spaced relation to at least one part of said base panel, the top panel being formed with at least one aperture adapted to receive and support an upright article therein against lateral movement, said panels collectively being so arranged and connected as to be foldable into a substantially flat condition for the purposes of transport and storage and capable of erection from said flat condition when required for use, wherein said top panel extends along the entire length of said one wall panel and is so dimensioned as to extend over, and rest at least partly on, upper edges of a further two of said wall panels which extend in opposed relation to (ne another at opposite ends of said one wall panel to which said top panel is connected.

The top panel may be provided with a downwardly directed extension at an edge thereof spaced from said one wall panel and at least part of said extension may engage said base panel, or a part which is carried by the base panel, so as to provide support for said top panel at a position spaced from said one wall panel.

The extension may be formed with end edges which abut against said opposed wall panels to support same.

The opposed lateral wall panels may be foldable inwardly towards and over the base panel to bring the tray into a substantially flat or collapsed condition.

The opposed lateral wall panels may be connected to said one wall panel, in known manner, so that said one wall panel is foldable inwardly towards and over the base panel.

The top panel may extend over only part of the total area of the base panel so that at least one part of the base panel is not covered by the top panel and the tray thereby affords at least one open-topped compartment.

A second, similar top panel may be provided on a further one of said lateral wall panels.

These and other features of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of tray in accordance with the invention; and FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of tray in accordance with the invention.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, the tray illustrated therein comprises a rectangular base panel 10 having integrally and foldably connected therewith at a forward edge 11 a front wall panel 12, the opposed ends 13 of which carry flaps 14. The base panel 10 has at its opposed side edges 15 respective side wall panels 16 foldably and integrally connected therewith. Obliquely extending fold lines 17 formed in the panels 16 at the forward and rearward ends thereof define foldable triangular flap portions 18, the flaps 14 of the front wall panel 12 being adhesively secured to the triangular flap portions 18 at the forward ends of the side wall panel 16.Additionally, the base panel 10 has integrally and foldably connected thereto at a rearward edge 19 a rear wall panel 20 having at opposite ends 21 thereof respective flaps 22 which are secured to the triangular flap portions 18 at the rearward ends of the side wall panels 16.

As can be seen, the base panel 10 and wall panels 12,16 and 20 in combination define a relatively shallow tray which, in known manner, can be folded into a flat condition by inward folding of the side wall panels 16 over the base panel 10, thereby also drawing the front wall panel 12 and the rear wall panel 20 inwardly over the base panel 10.

The tray thus far described is of conventional construction, and it is to be understood that other known arrangements may be adopted for bringing the components thus far described into a flat condition, including for example the insertion of tongues formed on the flaps at the ends of the front or rear wall panels into slots formed in the respective adjacent end portions of the side wall panels.

As can be seen, the open top of the tray is partially closed by means of an apertured top panel 30 which is integrally and foldably connected at the top edge 25 of rear wall panel 20. As can be seen, the top panel 30 extends along the whole length of the rear wall panel 20 and is of somewhat greater overall length so that end portions 31 thereof extend over, and rest on, the upper edges 26 of the side wall panels 16. In this way, the top panel 30 is supported by the side wall panels 16, in a manner which does not prevent the tray being folded into a substantially flat condition, as inward folding of the rear wall panel 20 will bring the top panel 30 down into face-to-face relation with the base panel 10.

However, in accordance with a further feature of the invention the top panel 30 has integrally and foldably formed therewith a downwardly directed extension 32 along the front edge 33 thereof which extends parallel to the top edge 25 of rear wall panel 20. The extension 32 firstly serves to reinforce the free edge of the top panel 30 in the manner of a beam, thereby improving the rigidity of the top panel. Additionally, opposite end edges 34 of the extension 32 are arranged to abut against the inner face of the side wall panels 16 of the tray in such a manner as to resist inward folding of those side walls, thereby adding to the rigidity of the tray as a whole.

As can be seen, the extension 32 increases in downward width from the end edges 34 towards the central region, the inclined lower edge portions 35 making it possible for the side wall panels 16 to be folded inwardly over the base panel 10 after the top panel 30 is initially lifted upward slightly to enable the upper edges 26 of the side wall panels 16 to clear the end edges 34 of the extension 32.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, in its central region, the extension 32 is secured to and supported by a flap 36 which is formed from a portion of the base panel 10 foldably upwardly about fold line 37 to leave an aperture 38 which extends into a slot 39 to enable flap 36 to be mechanically pulled out of the plane of the base panel 10, and folded back 1800 during the folding and gluing operation. In an alternative arrangement flap 36 may be omitted, and extension 32 extended and provided with a foldable flap secured to the base panel..

It will be appreciated that when the tray is folded into its collapsed condition, the extension 32 folds inwardly beneath the top panel 30, and the flap 36 folds downwardly over the adjacent central part of the base panel 10.

In the embodiment illustrated, the top panel 30 is formed with two small apertures 41 in its mid region, a large circular aperture 42 to one side thereof and an octagonal aperture 43 on the other side thereof. On each side the octagonal aperture is provided with a foldahle locating tongue 44. The apertures 41 to 43 enable various articles to be located in an upright position adjacent to the rear wall panel 20 of the tray, whilst forwardly of the top panel 30 the tray defines an open-topped compartment.

Such a tray is particularly useful for packaging foodstuffs and drinks in that the apertures in the top panel may be used to locate cans, beakers, glasses or other similar vessels for beverages, or containers for condiments or sauces, whilst the open-topped compartment may be used to hold sandwiches, or other foodstuffs, either wrapped in foil or plastics for example, or packaged in shallow trays or other containers, for example, or in some cases possibly unwrapped.

Thus, the tray may be designed to hold a specific combination of food and drinks which are pre-packaged and possibly shrink-wrapped as a whole in the tray so as to provide a specified meal suitable to be served, for example, in an aircraft in flight. A further use for such a tray is in "take-away" catering where a specific combination of food and drinks may be offered as a set menu, the items being placed in the tray at the point of sale.

Whilst it is particularly convenient that the top panel 30 extends across the whole width of the tray between the opposed side wall panels 16, it will be appreciated that the panel might extend along only part of the length of the rear wall panel 20, and be confined to a corner of the container at the junction between the rear wall panel 20 and one of the side wall panels 16. In such a case, it is immaterial whether the top panel is foldably and integrally connected with the rear wall panel 20 or with the side wall panel 16, providing it overlaps and rests on the upper edge of the wall panel adjacent to that by which it is carried.

In a further variation, the top panel may be wider in the direction perpendicular to the upper edge 25 of the rear wall panel 20 than shown in Figure 1, for example of such a width as to afford two each of the large circular apertures 42 and of the octagonal apertures 43. In such a case, one or more additional flaps 36 may be cut from the base panel 10 to provide further support for the wider top panel at one or more positions between the upper edge 25 of the rear wall panel 20 and the free edge of the top panel.

Whilst, in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, there is a single top panel 30 carried by the rear wall panel 20, in a further variation an additional similar top panel may be carried at the upper edge of the front wall panel 12, so that the erected tray then is open in a central region between the two top panels.

In the alternative embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the tray is generally similar construction and the same reference numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts, although it is to be noted that in this case the flaps 14 are formed as extensions of the side wall panels 16 and the triangular flap portions 18 to which they are secured are formed at opposite ends of the forward and rearward wall panels 12 and 20.

Instead of a single top panel 30 carried by the rear wall panel 20, or respective top panels carried by the front and rear wall panels 12 and 20, a major part of the open topped tray is closed by a pair of top panels 50 and 52 carried respectively at the top edges 26 of the side wall panels 16. As can be seen, the two top panels 50,52 extend over the rear wall panel 20 so as to rest on the upper edge 25 thereof.

In the illustrated arrangement the two top panels 50,52 are so dimensioned as to overlap one another centrally, although this need not be the case.

Each top panel 50,52 is formed with one substantially circular aperture 51 of predetermined dimensions and one aperture 53 which is effectively adjustable in diameter by virtue of a plurality of tabs 54 which can be depressed to a greater or lesser extent in order to accommodate a range of articles of differing diameters.

The free edge of top panel 52 is formed with two curved recesses which correspond to part of the periphery of the respectively associated apertures 51,53 formed in the other top panel 50, and centrally of each such recess a tab 55,56 is provided on the top panel 52 to engage over the edges of the apertures in top panel 50 and serve to hold the top panel 50 and 52 together.If desired, the tabs 55, 56 could be so dimensioned as to extend downwardly into contact with the base panel 10 in order to provide further support for the top panels 50,52 along the centre line of the tray, and further the free end edges of the top panels 50,52, spaced from the rear wall panel 20, could also be provided with downwardly extending flaps to engage the base panel 10 and also to engage the inner faces of the adjacent side wall panels 16 in a manner such as to resist inward folding.

It will be appreciated that the embodiments described and illustrated represent two examples of the invention and that the arrangement of the top panel or top panels and the number, size, shape and disposition of the apertures therein may be varied according to a wide range of differing requirements dictated by the end user. Further, whilst a tray in accordance with the invention may incorporate an open topped compartment which is not covered by the top panel(s), in some instances the top panel(s) may serve to close the tray entirely, apart from the apertures for the reception of articles to be carried. Additionally, where the top panel(s) extends over the whole of the tray, apart from the apertures, the top panel(s) may define a large aperture which for example may extend substantially across the entire width of the tray between the side wall panels 16, and in this way define an open-topped compartment. Also the invention is not restricted to trays of rectangular shape, but may, for example, be applied to triangular, hexagonal or D-shaped trays.

The features disclosed in the forgoing description, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A collapsible tray made of folded board for the purpose of packaging or holding articles, said tray comprising a base panel with upstanding lateral wall panels which extend around at least a substantial part of the periphery of the base panel, the height of such wall panels being substantially less than the transverse dimensions of the base panel, and a top panel which is integrally and foldably connected to one of said lateral wall panels and extends over and in spaced relation to at least one part of said base panel, the top panel being formed with at least one aperture adapted to receive and support an upright article therein against lateral movement, said panels collectively being so arranged and connected as to be foldable into a substantially flat condition for the purposes of transport and storage and capable of erection from sad flat condition when required for use, wherein said top panel is so arranged as to extend over, and rest at least partly on, an upper edge of at least one of said wall panels that is adjacent to one end of said one wall panel to which the top panel is connected.

2. A collapsible tray made of folded board for the purpose of packaging or holding articles, said tray comprising a base panel with upstanding lateral wall panels which extend around at least a substantial part of the periphery of the base panel, the height of such wall panels being substantially less than the transverse dimensions of the base panel, and a top panel which is integrally and foldably connected to one of said lateral wall panels and extends over and in spaced relation to at least one part of said base panel, the top panel being formed with at least one aperture adapted to receive and support an upright article therein against lateral movement, said panels collectively being so arranged and connected as to be foldable into a substantially flat condition for the purposes of transport and storage and capable of erection from said flat condition when required for use, said top panel extends along the entire length of said one wall panel and is so dimensioned as to extend over, and rest at least partly on, upper edges of a further two of said wall panels which extend in opposed relation to one another at opposite ends of said one wall panel to which said top panel is connected.

3. A tray according to Claim 2 wherein said top panel is provided with a downwardly directed extension at an edge thereof spaced from said one wall panel and at least part of said extension engages said base panel, or a part which is carried by the base panel, so as to provide support for said top panel at a position spaced from said one wall panel.

4. A tray according to Claim 3 wherein said extension is formed with end edges which abut against said opposed wall panels to support same.

5. A tray according to any one of Claims 2 to 4 wherein said opposed wall panels are foldable inwardly towards and over the base panel to bring the tray into a substantially flat or collapsed condition.

6. A tray according to claim 5 wherein said opposed wall panels are connected to opposite ends of said one wall panel, in known manner, so that said one wall panel is foldable inwardly towards and over the base panel.

7. A tray according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said top panel extends over only part of the total area of the base panel so that at least one part of the base panel is not covered by the top panel and the tray thereby affords at least one open-topped compartment.

8. A tray according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a second, similar top panel is carried by a further one of said lateral wall panels which is disposed opposite to said one lateral wall panel on which the first-mentioned top panel is carried.

9. A tray according to Claim 8 wherein said two top panels, when the tray is erected, are spaced apart from one another so that the tray affords an opentopped compartment between said two top panels.

10. A tray according to Claim 8 wherein said two top panels, when the tray is erected, meet one another.

11. A tray substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A tray substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

13. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.