MX2014001924A

MX2014001924A - Bakery delivery and merchandising system.

Info

Publication number: MX2014001924A
Application number: MX2014001924A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Jon P Hassell; Glenn Rindfleisch
Original assignee: Rehrig Pacific Co
Priority date: 2013-02-18
Filing date: 2014-02-18
Publication date: 2014-08-28
Also published as: CA2843045A1; US20140231299A1

Abstract

A tray assembly includes a tray having a base, a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from side edges of the base. Front and rear walls extend upward from front and rear edges of the base. The front and rear walls are substantially shorter than the side walls. A liner has a base wall and a pair of opposed side walls. The liner is removably received within the tray. The product in the tray can be removed all at once along with the liner for more efficient stocking at a store.

Description

SYSTEM OF MARKETING AND DELIVERY OF BAKERY PRODUCTS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a system and its components for the delivery and marketing of products, particularly baked goods, such as bread.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Plastic bakery trays are often used to deliver bakery products, such as bread, rolls, etc. from the bakery to the stores. In the store, a worker unloads the bakery products from the trays and places the bakery products on shelves for customers to buy. The empty bakery trays are returned to the bakery for reuse.

It takes time to move the bakery products one by one from the bakery trays to the shelves of the store, since first of all, care must be taken not to damage the bakery products.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A tray assembly includes a tray having a base, a pair of opposite side walls extending upwardly from the side edges of the base. Front and rear walls that extend upwards from the front and rear edges of the base. The front and rear walls are substantially shorter than the walls Ref.246978 lateral A liner has a base wall and a pair of opposite side walls. The liner is received removably inside the tray. The product in the tray can be disassembled all at once along with the coating for the most efficient supply in a store.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The figures can be briefly described as follows: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bakery tray assembly according to a first embodiment.

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the assembly of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a drawer. Figure 4 shows a plurality of the drawers of Figure 3 installed on store shelves.

Figure 5 is a front view of the drawer of Figure 3.

Figure 6 shows the drawer of figure 5 with the product loaded therein.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a pallet that can be used with the trays described herein.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a tray according to a second embodiment.

Figure 9 is an exploded view of the tray of Figure 8 with a coating.

Figure 10 is an assembled view of the tray and the liner of Figure 9.

Figure 11 shows a plurality of coatings in the manner in which they could be stacked.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of a tray assembly in accordance with another embodiment.

Figure 13 shows the tray assembly of the figure 12 with the upper portions of the sheath folded inward.

Figure 14 shows two of the coatings of Figure 13 stacked.

Figure 15 shows a tray assembly in accordance with another embodiment.

Figure 16 is an exploded view of the tray assembly of Figure 15.

Figure 17 is a perspective view of the liner of Figure 15.

Figure 18 shows three of the coatings of Figure 17 stacked.

Figure 19 shows the coatings of Figure 18 loaded on store shelves.

Figure 20 shows two of the coatings of Figure 18 on angled shelves.

Figure 21 is a perspective view of a tray in accordance with another embodiment.

Figure 22 is a perspective view of a liner according to another embodiment.

Figure 23 shows the lining of Figure 22 being inserted into the tray of Figure 21.

Figure 24 shows the coating of Figure 22 inserted into the tray of Figure 21.

Figure 25 is a perspective view of a tray in accordance with another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a bakery tray 10 includes a base 12. A front wall 14 having a drop opening or portion that provides access to the tray 10, extends upwardly from a front edge of the base 12. The side walls 18 extend upward from the side edges of the base 12. A rear wall 16 extends upwardly from a rear edge of the base 12. The side walls 18 are approximately twice the height of the front wall 14 and rear wall 16. As shown, the side walls 18 can be configured to provide a first stacking height when oriented like a tray (not shown) on which it is stacked and a second stacking height when oriented 180 degrees. relative to the tray (not shown) on which it is stacked. As is commonly known, the entire tray 10 is preferably injection molded as a single piece of plastic.

The front wall 14 and the rear wall 16 are each double walls, or may alternatively be considered to have an inner wall and a flange spaced outwardly from the inner wall and joined by means of vertical ribs. This provides rigidity to the front and rear walls 14, 16 despite their significantly reduced height. Additionally, the front wall 14 can have a droop portion of an even smaller height to facilitate removal of the product from the tray 10. Optionally, the rear wall 16 can also have a droop portion.

The side walls 18 each include a top portion 20 projecting outwardly from an interior wall 22. Below the top portion 20, a plurality of feet 24 project outwardly from the interior wall 22. As is common, the feet 24 are aligned with the bags 26 on the side walls 18 of an identical tray. The bags 26 on the side walls 18 have different depths and the feet 24 on a side wall 18 are positioned differently than on the other side wall 18, so that the tray can be stacked in two different heights on an identical tray 10. by rotating the trays 180 degrees relative to one another. Flange portions 30 project inward from the side walls 18 along the front wall 14 and the rear wall 16.

As shown, the tray 10 accommodates a removable liner 40. The liner 40 includes a base wall 42, a rear wall 46 and side walls 48. The front edge of the liner 40 and the opposite rear wall 46, can be opened as shown . The handle openings 50 can be provided through the side walls 48. As shown in Figure 2, the liner 40 is removable from the tray 10. The liner 40 is formed as a single piece of plastic, such as by means of of thermoforming or injection molding. The base wall 42 of the liner 40 is approximately the same size as the base 12 of the tray 10, such that the liner 40 fits within the interior space of the tray 10 without wasting space and the side walls 48 of the liner 40 support the side walls 18 of the tray 10 and the rear wall 46 of the covering 40 support the rear wall 16 of the tray 10.

In use, a plurality of items, such as loaves of bread, can be placed in the tray 10 on the liner 40. The bread trays 10 are shipped to a store. The delivery person can lift a plurality of pieces of bread out of the tray 10 at the same time by lifting the liner 40 out of the tray 10. The pieces can be slid on a shelf all at the same time from the front edge of the lining 40. Thus, the delivery person does not have to lift each piece of bread out of tray 10 one at a time.

In Figures 3 to 6 a drawer 60 is shown. Drawer 60 is a single piece of plastic, thermoformed or injection molded. The drawer 60 includes a base wall 62. A rear wall 66 and side walls 68 projecting upwardly from the side and rear edges of the base wall 62, respectively. A front flange 64 protruding downward from the front edge of the base wall 62. Handle openings 70 can be formed in the side walls 68. As shown in Figure 4, drawers 60 can be secured to shelves 80 in a store. The drawers 60 can be secured to rails 82, 84 or rails so that the drawers 60 can be removed (the lower drawer 60 is shown removed, the upper drawer 60 is shown retracted). In the outward position, the drawer 60 can be more easily loaded with articles. As an example, the pieces of bread can be slid from the liner 40 of FIGS. 1 to 2 directly onto the drawer 60. The drawers 60 are sized to receive the same number of articles as the liner 40 and the tray 10. The base 62 is approximately the same dimensions as the base 42 of the liner 40 (Figure 2).

Figure 5 is a front view of the drawer 60 when it's empty. Figure 6 is a front view of the drawer 60 loaded with items, such as bread pieces 88, for sale to customers in a store, such as a grocery store.

Figure 7 shows a plastic pallet 90. The pallet 90 can be referred to as "half palette" since it is half the size of a standard size palette and more than twice as long as it is wide. The pallet 90 includes an upper cover 92 and columns 94 that support the cover 92. In this pallet 90, the columns 94 are spaced inwardly from the perimeter of the cover 92, such that the forks of a slider can slide the pallet. 90 below the cover 92 outwardly of the columns 94. The bags 96 are formed in the cover 92 to receive the columns 94 of an identical pallet 90 to reduce the stacking height when the pallets 90 are empty. The pallet 90 is sized to accommodate two stacks of the trays 10 (figures 1 to 2). The stacks of trays 10 can be sent to a store on pallet 90, unloaded with a slider and driven to the store on the slider. The trays 10 (Fig. 1) can then be unloaded by emptying the liner 40 into the drawers (Fig. 4).

Fig. 8 is a second mode of a bank 210. Because the tray 210 will be used with a liner, the base 212 can be minimized. In the shown tray 210, the base 212 includes some structured areas of denser ribs 220 along the front wall 214 and the rear wall 216 and denser ribs structured areas 222 along the side walls 218. Among these structured areas 220, 222, however, the minimal rib structure forms the majority of the base 212, covering less than 15% of the base area 212. The exact number of ribs in the base 212 will depend on the particular application, but is significantly reduced compared to standard bakery trays. The large openings in the base 12 that form a large majority of the base area do not damage the product because the coating will cover it and provide a smooth surface to support the product.

Optionally, to further reinforce the tray 210, a reinforcing member 226 may be inserted within the front wall 214 and / or rear wall 216. The reinforcing member 226 may be a steel tube or rod, or other metal, or material compound that provides increased rigidity to the tray 210. The reinforcing members 226 may be inserted-molded with the tray 210 or inserted within the walls 214, 216 after the tray 210 is injection molded. The front wall 214 and the rear wall 216 are each double walls (i.e., each of them includes an interior wall and a spaced rim). outwardly from the inner wall and extending downwards), so that the reinforcing members 226 can be accommodated between them.

Figure 9 shows a liner 240 that is inserted into the tray 210. The liner 240 includes a base wall 242, side walls 248 and a back wall 246. The front of the liner 240 can be optionally opened (without a wall) as shown in FIG. shows, to make it easier to remove the product from the liner 240. The handle openings 250 are formed through each side wall 248.

Figure 10 shows the liner 240 inside the tray 210. As shown, the liner 240 does not noticeably reduce the volume of the tray 210. The lack of a front wall in the liner 240 leaves the window opening through the wall front 214 completely without obstacles.

As shown in Figure 11 when the liners 240 are disassembled from their respective trays 210 (not shown) and stacked one on top of the other, the upper tray 240 would be stacked on the product (not shown) in the lower tray 240. The area The surface of the upper tray 240 protects the product (eg, baked goods) in the lower tray 240 from damage.

In Figure 12, another liner 340 is shown in the tray 210. The liner 340 includes a base wall 342, side walls 348 and a back wall 346. The walls sides 348 are higher than side walls 218 of tray 210. Each of side walls 348 includes an upper portion 350 (foldably) hingedly connected to lower portion 352. The handle openings can be positioned in portions 350. Again, the liner 340 may be a thermoformed plastic sheet.

As shown in Figure 13 with product (not shown) in the tray 210 and the liner 340, the upper portions 350 of the side walls 348 can be folded over the product. This allows the trays 210 to be stacked one on top of the other for shipment and storage. By removing the liners 340 from the trays 210, the upper portions 350 can be folded up again so that they can be lifted by means of the handles.

In addition, as shown in Figure 14, after being removed from the trays 210 for placement on the store shelves, the liners 340 can be stacked one on top of the other with the topliner 340 stacked on the folded upper portions 350 of the side walls 348 for reducing the weight of the top coating 340 on the product in the bottom coating 340. At least part of the weight of the upper tray 210 and product therein is transferred to the side walls 348 of the lower tray 210.

A liner 440 according to another embodiment is shown in Fig. 15 on the tray 210. The liner 440 may be plastic, such as injection molding or thermoforming. The base 442 may have large undulations and low frequency, low amplitude sinusoidal patterns at the base 442 that form slight peaks and valleys. This increases the hardness of the base 442. The coating 440 includes a base 442, side walls 448, back wall 454 and an open front end. The liner 440 is shown in greater detail in Figure 16 and Figure 17. A rim extends perpendicularly from each side wall 448 partially through the back wall 454. As shown in Figure 18, the liners 440 may be stacked one on top of another on a store shelf with the product (not shown) on them for display and sale. Fig. 19 shows a plurality of the skins 440 loaded on store shelves 80. As explained above, this is a very fast and efficient way of loading the store shelves 80 with the product (not shown) from the trays 210 (Fig. 16).

As shown in Figure 20, the liners 440 could be loaded onto angled shelves 180 with the rear walls 454 at the bottom of the slope to prevent the product from slipping off the shelves 180.

Figure 21 shows an alternative tray 310. The tray 310 is generally as described above with respect to the trays 10, 110 and 210 except as described otherwise or shown in the figures. Again, base 312 could be minimized because it is used with a coating. In this tray 310, the side walls 318 are double walls having an inner wall 321 and an outer wall 319. There are ribs (not shown) that extend vertically between the inner wall 321 and the outer wall 319 for their force. The side walls 318 may be molded with projections from the mold extending between the inner wall 321 and the outer wall 319. This may leave a smooth outer surface on the outer wall 319. In this embodiment, the front wall 314 is also minimized so it's almost flat with the base 312, but this is optional.

A liner 540 in accordance with another embodiment is shown in Figure 22. The liner 540 is specifically designed for the tray 310 of Figure 21. The liner 540 includes a base 542 (again, it could be corrugated), side walls 548 and a front wall 554 which is a double wall (inner wall and outer wall).

In Figure 23, the liner 540 is being removed from the tray 310. As shown, the front wall 554 of the liner 540 supplies much of what is lacking in the minimized front wall 314 of the tray 310. Preferably, the front wall 554 is intertwined with the front wall 314 to provide additional strength and hardness to the tray 310. Figure 24 shows the liner 540 on the tray 310. The front wall 314 of the tray 310 is received between the inner and outer walls of the liner 540. Alternatively, at least the outer wall of the front wall 554 of the liner 540 is facing away from the front wall 314 of the tray 310.

As shown schematically in Figure 25, a pattern can be molded onto the (otherwise) outer smooth surface of the tray 310. In the example shown, a basket interweaving pattern is molded onto the outer surface of the outer wall of the side walls of the tray 310. The pattern may also be molded within the outer surfaces of the front and rear walls. This pattern is completely non-structural. The pattern is decorative and includes very superficial and protruding recesses to make the pattern (that is, not structural).

In accordance with the provisions of the statutes and jurisprudence of the patent, the 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 the one described and illustrated specifically without departing from his spirit or scope.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property:

1. A tray assembly characterized in that it comprises: a tray including a base, a pair of opposite side walls extending upwardly from the side edges of the base, and front and rear walls extending upwardly from the front and rear edges of the base, the front and rear walls are substantially shorter than the side walls, wherein the tray is injection molded as a single piece of plastic; Y A liner having a base wall and a pair of opposite side walls, the liner is removably received inside the tray.

2. The tray assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the base wall of the coating is approximately the same size as the base of the tray.

3. The tray assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the coating is a thermoformed sheet of plastic.

4. The tray assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the coating includes a handle formed in each of the side walls.

5. The tray assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that a front edge of the base wall of the covering is open.

6. The tray assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the side walls of the tray include a plurality of feet and a plurality of bags so that the tray can be stacked on a tray identical to two different stacking heights.

7. The tray assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the base of the tray includes large openings that form a majority of the area of the base.

8. The tray assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that it also includes a reinforcing member secured to the front wall of the tray.

9. The tray assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that the front wall includes an inner wall and a flange spaced out from the inner wall and wherein the reinforcing member is disposed between the inner wall and the flange.

10. The tray assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that the reinforcing member is formed of a material different from that of the tray.

11. The tray assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the side walls of the coating are higher than the side walls of the tray.

12. The tray assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that the side walls of the liner each include a movable upper portion between a vertical position and an inward position.

13. The tray assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that the upper portions of the liner each include a handle.

14. The tray assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the base wall of the coating is corrugated.

15. The tray assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the base wall of the coating is not flat.

16. The tray assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the coating includes a front wall received opposite the front wall of the tray.

17. The tray assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the coating includes a rear wall.

18. The tray assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the tray includes a decorative pattern molded on an outer surface thereof.

19. A tray characterized because it comprises: one base; a pair of opposite side walls extending upward from the side edges of the base, the side walls of the tray include a plurality of feet and a plurality of pouches in such a manner that the tray can be stacked on a tray identical to different stacking heights; front and rear walls extending upwardly from the front and rear edges of the base, the front and rear walls are substantially shorter than the side walls; Y a reinforcement member secured to the front wall of the tray.

20. The tray according to claim 19, characterized in that the front wall includes an inner wall and a flange spaced out from the inner wall and wherein the reinforcing member is disposed between the inner wall and the flange.

21. The tray according to claim 19, characterized in that it is injection molded as a single piece of plastic and the reinforcing member is formed of a material different from that of the tray.

22. The tray according to claim 19, characterized in that the base of the tray includes large openings that form a majority of the area of the base.

23. The tray according to claim 22, characterized in that the ribs at the base of the tray cover less than 15% of the base.

24. A tray characterized because it comprises: one base; a pair of opposite side walls extending upwards from the side edges of the base, the side walls of the tray including a plurality of feet and a plurality of pouches so that the tray can be stacked on a tray identical to two different ones stacking heights; Y front and rear walls extending upwardly from the front and rear edges of the base, the front and rear walls are substantially shorter than the side walls; wherein an outer surface of the tray includes a decorative pattern molded therein.