US3690453A

US3690453A - Method of combining a plurality of tub-shaped receptacles as a unitary package and package

Info

Publication number: US3690453A
Application number: US118784A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur G Dorall
Original assignee: Kliklok LLC
Current assignee: Kliklok LLC
Priority date: 1971-02-25
Filing date: 1971-02-25
Publication date: 1972-09-12
Anticipated expiration: 1989-09-12

Abstract

A unitary package of a plurality of tub-shaped receptacles is formed by seating the upper portions of the receptacles in apertures in the bottom panel of a tray whose upstanding side walls have receptacle-rim engaging apertures, optionally fitted with downwardly extending receptacle-rim-retaining tabs. An enclosing shrink film extending over the top, sides, bottom and ends of the assembly receptacles and tray causes the receptacles to tilt, thereby increasing the spacing between adjacent receptacle rims and minimizing the danger of rim contact which might cause one receptacle to pry off a friction-fitted lid on the adjacent receptacle during transport and handling. If openended, the shrink enclosure leaves open grab apertures at the ends of the package.

Description

United States Patent Dorall [451 Sept. 12, 1972 [72] Inventor: Arthur G. Dorall, Redwood City,

Calif.

[73] Assignee: Kliklok Corporation, New York,

[22] Filed: Feb. 25, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 118,784

[52] US. Cl. ..206/65 S, 53/26, 53/30, 206/4533, 220/116, 229/DIG. 12

[51] Int. Cl. ....B65d 65/16, B65d 71/00, B65d 85/62 [58] Field of Search ..206/65 S, 65 C, 65 R, 45.33; 229/D1G. 12; 220/116, 112; 294/872; 53/30,

1] l 965 Conrades ..206/65 C 3,311,402 3/1967 Spandock ..206/65 C 3,327,845 6/1967 Hasselhoff ..206/65 C 3,388,788 6/1968 l-lellem ..206/65 S 3,462,010 8/1969 Hamilton et a1. ..206/65 C Primary Examiner-William T. Dixson, Jr. Attorney-Howard G. Russell [57] ABSTRACT A unitary package of a plurality of tub-shaped receptacles is formed by seating the upper portions of the receptacles in apertures in the bottom panel of a tray whose upstanding side walls have receptacleqim engaging apertures, optionally fitted with downwardly extending receptacle-rim-retaining tabs. An enclosing shrink film extending over the top, sides, bottom and ends of the assembly receptacles and tray causes the receptacles to tilt, thereby increasing the spacing between adjacent receptacle rims and minimizing the danger of rim contact which might cause one receptacle to pry 011 a friction-titted lid on the adjacent receptacle during transport and handling. it openended, the shrink enclosure leaves open grab apertures at the ends of the package.

12 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 12 I972 sum 1 or 3 Fig. lc

[.VVEN'TOR. Arf/zur 6. DOrafl ATTORNEY Fig.2

PATENTEDSEPIZIHR 3.690 453 sum 2 or 3 Fig. 4

- [NVENTOR flrzhur 6. Dara METHOD OF COINING A PLURALITY F TUB- Sl-IAPED RECEP'IACLES AS A UNITARY PACKAGE AND PACKAGE Unitary packages formed of a plurality of tapered receptacles closed by friction-fitting lids are subject to the danger that motion of one lidded receptacle relatively to the receptacle next to it causes the lids to be pried off and the contents to spill.

Relative motion between adjoining receptacles is difficult to avoid during handling and transport.

In the packaging art receptacles of the hereinbefore mentioned type are generally referred to as tubs, and the term tub as used in this specification and in the appending claims, is meant to identify a receptacle of generally tapered shape whose top area or mouth exceeds the bottom area in size. The side walls are either tapered or stepped to effect'the change in width or diameter from a larger dimension at the top to a smaller dimension at the bottom.

The walls of certain mass-produced tubs are shaped to provide a shoulder within its upper portion on which the tub may be seated in an apertured panel.

The tub walls may, in plan view, be circular, oval, oblong, rectangular with rounded corners, or polygonal, and the material of the tubs may be paperboard, metal foil, or plastic, such as polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polystyrene and other moldable substances. The closure element of the tubs is generally a friction-fitting lid or cap snapped over, or inside, the tub rim.

One prior tub packaging practice involves placing the tubs on paperboard trays and overwrapping the resulting assembly by a film of shrinkable material. In the resulting package the individual tubs have a certain freedom of motion in a vertical direction relatively to each other which, in most instances, is sufficient to. cause one tub to pry off the lid of the tub next to it.

It has also been proposed to seat the individual tubs of a package in apertures of a panel and to overwrap the resulting assembly with a shrink film. the lid This type of package likewise permits the tubs to move vertically relatively to each other, and unlidding results unless the spacing of the panel apertures is made sufficiently great to prevent rim contact under all circumstances.

Wide aperture spacing involves several disadvantages: a larger panel, in other words, more board must be used for the same number of tubs. The increase in the size of the board results in reduced stiffness of the panel and it is often necessary to increase the board caliper correspondingly, which further increases the panel cost.

Lastly, the increase in the width and length of the package generally makes the package oversize in the sense that, for example, four six-unit packages cannot be fitted in a shipping case originally designed to hold 24 individual tubs.

The problem is therefore presented of providing an improved method of packaging, and a package, in which the tubs are packaged in multiple with little or no freedom of relative motion to preclude unlidding. At the same time the package or tub assembly should be so compact that the resulting package requires substantially no more space than the equal number of individual tubs.

According to the present invention this is accomplished mainly by the steps of tilting of the tubs of the package relatively to each other about individual pivot points or about a common axis which is preferably remote from the tub rim. The points of closest proximity of two adjacent tubs move on arcs with the result that the said points move farther apart in proportion to the angle of tilt.

Tilting involves application of a force to the tubs sufficient to displace them from an original position, in which the tub axes were parallel, to a position in which their axes converge below the apertured panel. The tilting force is also found to be sufficient to eliminate practically all relative motion of the tubs and eliminate looseness of the package.

A convenient and preferred manner of applying the tub tilting force is by overwrapping of the. tubs and tray assembly with a shrinkable film which, upon shrinking, draws the bottoms of the tubs together thereby causing the lidded tub tops to increase their spacing.

The various objects, features and advantages of this invention will appear more fully from the detailed description which follows accompanied by drawings showing, for the purpose of illustration, embodiments of the invention. The invention also resides in certain original features of construction and combination of elements, as well as method steps and sequences of steps herein set forth and claimed.

Although the characteristic features of the invention which are believed to be novel will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, its objects and advantages and manners in which it may be carried out may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the disclosure.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIGS. la, lb, 1c, and 1d, are diagrammatic sketches illustrating steps of the method of forming a unitary package embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on line 22 of FIG. 1b;

FIG. 3 is a perspective end view of the package of FIG. 1d;

FIG. 4 is a perspective side view of the package, lifted up;

FIG. 5 is a perspective side view of the package; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective side view of a package portion comprising a tub-locking tab.

In the following description and in the claims various details will be identified by specific names for convenience. The names, however, are intended to be generic in their application. Corresponding reference characters refer to corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The drawings accompanying, and forming part of, this specification disclose certain specific details of construction for the purpose of explanation of broader aspects of the invention, but it should be understood that structural details may be modified in various respects without departure from the principles of the invention and that the invention may be incorporated in other structural forms than shown.

Referring to FIG. 1a, a tray comprises a bottom panel 11, upfolded

side panels

12, 13 articulated to the lateral edges of the bottom panel 11 and

end panels

14, 15 articulated to the end edges of the bottom panel.

The side and

end panels

12, 13, 14, 15 form comers, such as 16, and are connected at the corners in any of a number of convenient ways, such as gluing, gluelessly interlocking, stapling, etc. Details of such conventional comer construction are not shown.

The bottom panel 11 comprises tub-receiving apertures 17 arranged in two

parallel rows

18 and 19 and the

side panels

12, 13 have elongated apertures 20 fonnedtherein whose purpose will become presently apparent. The apertures 20 lie at a level higher than the bottom panel and lower than the top edge 21 of the upfolded sides.

Six tubs 22 to be combined as a unitary package are placed in the apertures 17 of the tray 11 (see FIG. 1b)

and seat therein in such a manner that their closure lids or caps 23 are substantially at the level of the elongated side apertures 20. In the position shown the vertical central axes 24 of the tubs are parallel to one another.

As a next step in the packaging procedure, the assembly of tray 11 and tubs 22 are inserted in a tubular film 25 of shirnkable material or, conversely, the tubular film 25 is placed around top, sides and bottom of the assembly, as shown in FIG. 10. The tubular film 25 is somewhat longer than the tray 11 so as to form a preferably partially open end closure of the package, as will presently become apparent.

The film-enclosed package is next subjected to a change in physical condition, for example heat, adapted to shrink the film about the assembly, as shown in FIG. 1d.

Shrinkage of the film causes the film to exert a lateral force F (FIG. 2) on the tub portions protruding from the bottom of the tray, the degree of shrinkage being so selected as to tilt the tubs relatively to the tray in a manner illustrated at the right portion of FIG. 2 and also shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the tilted tub axes being designated 24 in FIG. '2.

The ends of the film also shrink, and the film length is preferably so selected that an aperture 26 remains at the ends through which the resultant package 27 may be grasped by the undersurface of the tray and carried in the manner shown in FIG. 4.

The shrinking top panel 28 of the film causes the top edge 21 of the sides to be drawn inwardly whereby the upper edges 29 of the apertures 20 in the sides move over the rims 30 of the tubs and lock the tub rims at their outwardly facing portions against upward movement. The engagement of aperture edge and rim represents, or lies close to, a common pivot axis about which the tubs tilt.

Turning to FIG. 2, the tubs 22 shown therein are of a common mass-produced variety characterized by a downwardly facing shoulder 31 on which the tubs 22 seat, thus permitting a relatively large tolerance for the diameters of the panel apertures 17 and of the tub wall at the level of the panel 1 1, respectively.

As shown the tub-receiving apertures 17 are closely spaced to leave only a minimum of clearance D between the tub rims along the longitudinal center line of the tray panel 11 when in level position. It is seen, however, that tilt of the tubs from the position of parallel axes 24 to the position of convergence of the axes 24' below the bottom panel causes the clearance D to increase progressively (see particularly FIG. 3).

The shrinking of the wrapper film 25 also exerts an endwise force or component F (see FIG. 1d) onthe endmost tubs in a row, which results in an increase in the spacing of the rims of tubs in the same longitudinal row. The result is shown at D in FIG. 6. The endwise tilt produced by the force F is the tub rim separating force in packages of a single row of tubs.

The pivot point or axis about which the tubs tilt transversely may be the point of engagement of the tub rim 30 with the aperture edge 29, or a point or portion 32 of the tub shoulder facing outwardly and lying diametrically opposite a point 33 of greater elevation of the shoulder 31 above the bottom panel 1 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates, among other details, a round-cornered tray construction in which a hook-shaped end 34 of a corner strap 35 integral with the side wall panel 113 is inserted in, and locked with, an insertion aperture 40 in the end panel 114, such tray construction being known, for example, from the prior US. Pat. No. 2,836,339 to Pn'ngle.

FIG. 3 further shows the relatively great inward displacement of the side wall portions 121 immediately above the elongated apertures through which the tub rims 30 are caused to project outwardly into contact with the enclosing film.

The side of the package of FIG. 3 is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The elongated apertures are shaped to produce a downwardly extending locking tab 36 (see also FIG. 2) which may be snapped to the tub inside to bear down on thelid or cap 23. The point of the tab 36 may also form a pivot about which the respective tub tilts. The board to either side of the tab 36 forms a strap 37 which may be cut centrally at 38, so as not to oppose entrance of the tub rim 30 into the resulting relief aperture, as is best seen in FIG. 5.

As shown in FIG. 6, the lid 23 which seals the tub may have an internal shoulder 39 on which the locking tab 36 may seat at a level somewhat above the level of the central portion of the lid, thus permitting the use of a relatively short tab 36.

Such and other variations or modifications may readily be derived from the specific form of tub and its closure lid.

The package shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 incorporates partially open ends which facilitate carrying of the package. As previously mentioned, such end openings result from the use of a tubular film enclosure of appropriate shortness.

However, the ends of the package may also be closed entirely to produce a completely sealed package. In the latter case the enclosing film may be applied in the form of a sheet and the sealing may proceed by first forming a heat seam along one side, followed by seams along the ends. Such package sealing procedures are known per se.

In the drawings packages are shown comprising two rows of tubs. Obviously, a package may also comprise three or more'rows. In a three-row package the bottoms of the outermost tubs will assume a tilt towards the package center. For example, in a nine-tub package eight tubs will be tilted causing their rims to assume positions of increased spacing from the central tub.

All of the tub rims except the rim of the one in the center may be locked to the tray side and end walls. Manifestly, freedom of the central tub to move slightly in a vertical direction is not likely to disturb its lid, nor the lid of any other tub.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of combining a plurality of tubs as a unitary package, which method comprises, inserting the tubs in apertures formed in parallel rows in the bottom panel of a tray comprising tray walls articulated to, and extending upwardly from, said bottom panel, there being formed in said tray walls elongated tub-rim engaging slots at a level higher than the tray bottom panel and lower than the top edge of said tray walls;

then moving into closer proximity the opposite top edges of the tray walls sufficiently far to move the upper edges of the slots over the top rims of the tubs;

drawing into closer proximity the bottom portions of the inserted tubs sufficiently far as to tilt the slotgrasped tubs in the two rows into converging relationship of the tub axes below the bottom panel;

and then securing the tubs in such tilted position.

2. The method of combining a plurality of tubs as a unitary package, which method comprises, inserting the tubs in apertures formed in parallel rows in the bottom panel of a tray comprising tray walls articulated to, and extending upwardly from, said bottom panel, there being formed in said tray walls elongated tub-rim engaging slots at a level higher than the tray bottom panel and lower than the top edge of said tray walls;

then moving into closer proximity the opposite top edges of the tray walls sufficiently far to move the upper edges of the slots over the top rims of the tubs; then applying a shrinkable continuous film over top,

sides and bottom of the tray and the inserted tubs; and finally shrinking the film to a degree sufficient to draw into closer proximity the bottom portions of the tubs in the two rows until the tub axes assume a converging position below the bottom panel.

3. The method of combining a plurality of tubs as a unitary package, which method comprises, inserting the tubs in apertures formed in parallel rows in the bottom panel of a tray comprising tray walls articulated to, and extending upwardly from, said bottom panel, there being formed in said tray walls elongated slots shaped to define retaining tabs pointing toward said bottom panel;

then pressing said tabs inwardly to snap the tabs past the tub rims towards the tub interior into tub locking position thereby establishing a fulcrum at the point of engagement of the tab and tub;

then drawing into closer proximity the bottom portions of the inserted tubs sufficiently far as to tilt the tubs substantially about the respective fulcrum into converging relationship of the tub axes below the bottom panel;

and finally securing the tubs in such tilted position.

4. The method of combining a plurality of tubs as a unitary package, which method comprises, inserting the tubs in apertures formed in a single row or parallel rows in the bottom panel of a tray comprising tray walls articulated to, and extending upwardly from, said bottom panel, there being formed in said tray walls elongated slots shaped to define retaining tabs pointing toward said bottom panel;

then applying a shrinkable continuous film over top,

5. A multiple tub package comprising, in combination, a tray comprising a bottom panel in which are formed at least one row of tub-receiving apertures, and tray walls articulated to the bottom panel and upwardly extending therefrom, at least one of said tray walls having internal slots formed therein at a level higher than said bottom panel and lower than the top edge of said tray wall; tubs seated in at least certain of said apertures in a position in which the top rim of the tubs extends above, and is spaced from, said bottom panel but lies below the level of the upper edge of the tray walls and is positioned adjacent a tray wall slot; and a film of shrinkable material extending continuously over the top, sides, and bottom of the assembly of tubs and tray, the film being shrunk to a degree sufficient to draw the top edges of the tray walls into a position in which the top edges extend over the top of the tubs and in which the tub rims project outwardly fromsaid slots.

6. A multiple tub package comprising, in combina tion, a tray comprising a bottom panel in which are formed at least one row of tub-receiving apertures, and tray walls articulated to the bottom panel and upwardly extending therefrom, said tray walls having internal slots formed therein at a lever higher than said bottom panel and lower than the top edge of said tray walls, said slots being shaped to define retaining tabs pointing towards said bottom panel; tubs seated in at least certain of said apertures in a position in which the top rim of the tubs extends above, and spaced from, said bottom panel but lies below the upper edge of said tray walls, said retaining tabs being snapped past the respective tub rims toward the interior of the respective tub into tub locking position; and a film of shrinkable material extending continuously over the top, sides, and bottom of the assembly of tubs and tray, the film being shrunk to a degree sufficient to maintain the top edges of the tray walls in a position in which the top edges extend over the top of the tubs and the tub rims project outwardly from said slots.

7. A multiple tub package as defined in claim 6 in which two parallel rows of tub receiving apertures are formed in said bottom panel, and in which the degree of shrinkage of said film is sufficient to draw the bottom portions of the two rows of tubs together into a position in which the tub axes converge below said bottom panel.

8. A multiple tub package comprising, in combination, a tray comprising a bottom panel in which are formed two parallel rows of tub-receiving apertures, the tray further comprising tray walls articulated to the bottom panel and upwardly extending therefrom, said tray walls having internal slots formed therein shaped to define retaining tabs pointing toward the said bottom panel, the tips of the tabs being vertically spaced from the bottom panel, tubs seated in at least certain of said apertures in a position which the top rim of the tubs extends above, and spaced from, said bottom panel but lies below the upper edge of said tray walls, said retaining tabs being snapped past the respective tub rims toward the interior of the respective tub into tub locking position; and a film of shrinkable material extending confinuously over the top, sides, and bottom of the assembly of tubs and tray, the fihn being shrunk to a degree sufficient to draw the top edges of the tray walls into a position in which the top edges extend over the top of the tubs and in which the tub rims project outwardly from said slots, and further sufficient to tilt, and maintain tilted, the tubs n the two rows into a position of convergence of the tub axes below the said bottom panel.

9. A multiple tub package as defined in claim 8 in which said film forms an open-ended enclosure for the assembly of tray and tubs so as to provide finger gripping access to the end portions of the said bottom panel.

10. A unitary package comprising a plurality of tubs having tapered side walls extending from a mouth which is larger than the area of the-bottom, the side walls having a downwardly facing shoulder formed therein on which the tub may be seated in an aperture; a tray comprising a bottom panel in which are formed at least one row of tub-receiving apertures, and tray walls articulated to the bottom panel and upwardly extending therefrom, said tray walls having internal slots bottom panel; and a film of shrinkable material extending continuously over the top sides and bottom of the assembly of tubs and tray, the film being shrunk to a degree sufficient to draw the top edges of the tray walls into a position which the top edges extend over the top of the tubs, in which the tub rims project outwardly from said slots, and in which a portion of the shoulder of at least certain of the tubs is raised above said bottom panel in an area approximately diametrically opposite the area of contact of shoulder and bottom panel.

11. A unitary package as defined in claim 10 in which the tub-receiving apertures in the bottom panel of the tray are disposed in two parallel rows, in which said shoulders make contact with the bottom panel adjacent the side panels, said portions being raised in the area adjoining the center line of the bottom panel, which center line extends between said two rows of apertures, and in which the axes of the tubs in the two rows converge below the bottom panel.

12. A unitary package as defined in claim 10 in which the internal slots in the tray wall panels are shaped to define retaining tabs pointing towards the tray bottom panel, said tabs being snapped past the respective tub rims toward the interior of the respective tub into tub l o cking position, in which, further, the tubreceiving apertures in the bottom panel of the tray are disposed in two parallel rows, in which said shoulders make contact with the bottom panel adjacent the tray panels, said portions being raised in the area adjoining the center line of the bottom panel which center line extends between said two rows of apertures, and in which the axes of the tubs in the two rows converge below the bottom panel.

Claims

1. The method of combining a plurality of tubs as a unitary package, which method comprises, inserting the tubs in apertures formed in parallel rows in the bottom panel of a tray comprising tray walls articulated to, and extending upwardly from, said bottom panel, there being formed in said tray walls elongated tub-rim engaging slots at a level higher than the tray bottom panel and lower than the top edge of said tray walls; then moving into closer proximity the opposite top edges of the tray walls sufficiently far to move the upper edges of the slots over the top rims of the tubs; drawing into closer proximity the bottom portions of the inserted tubs sufficiently far as to tilt the slot-grasped tubs in the two rows into converging relationship of the tub axes below the bottom panel; and then securing the tubs in such tilted position.

2. The method of combining a plurality of tubs as a unitary package, which method comprises, inserting the tubs in apertures formed in parallel rows in the bottom panel of a tray comprising tray walls articulated to, and extending upwardly from, said bottom panel, there being formed in said tray walls elongated tub-rim engaging slots at a level higher than the tray bottom panel and lower than the top edge of said tray walls; then movIng into closer proximity the opposite top edges of the tray walls sufficiently far to move the upper edges of the slots over the top rims of the tubs; then applying a shrinkable continuous film over top, sides and bottom of the tray and the inserted tubs; and finally shrinking the film to a degree sufficient to draw into closer proximity the bottom portions of the tubs in the two rows until the tub axes assume a converging position below the bottom panel.

3. The method of combining a plurality of tubs as a unitary package, which method comprises, inserting the tubs in apertures formed in parallel rows in the bottom panel of a tray comprising tray walls articulated to, and extending upwardly from, said bottom panel, there being formed in said tray walls elongated slots shaped to define retaining tabs pointing toward said bottom panel; then pressing said tabs inwardly to snap the tabs past the tub rims towards the tub interior into tub locking position thereby establishing a fulcrum at the point of engagement of the tab and tub; then drawing into closer proximity the bottom portions of the inserted tubs sufficiently far as to tilt the tubs substantially about the respective fulcrum into converging relationship of the tub axes below the bottom panel; and finally securing the tubs in such tilted position.

4. The method of combining a plurality of tubs as a unitary package, which method comprises, inserting the tubs in apertures formed in a single row or parallel rows in the bottom panel of a tray comprising tray walls articulated to, and extending upwardly from, said bottom panel, there being formed in said tray walls elongated slots shaped to define retaining tabs pointing toward said bottom panel; then pressing said tabs inwardly to snap the tabs past the tub rims towards the tub interior into tub locking position thereby establishing a fulcrum at the point of engagement of the tab and tub; then applying a shrinkable continuous film over top, sides and bottom of the tray and the inserted tubs; and finally shrinking the film to a degree sufficient to draw into closer proximity the bottom portions of the tubs in the two rows until the tub axes assume a converging position below the bottom panel.

5. A multiple tub package comprising, in combination, a tray comprising a bottom panel in which are formed at least one row of tub-receiving apertures, and tray walls articulated to the bottom panel and upwardly extending therefrom, at least one of said tray walls having internal slots formed therein at a level higher than said bottom panel and lower than the top edge of said tray wall; tubs seated in at least certain of said apertures in a position in which the top rim of the tubs extends above, and is spaced from, said bottom panel but lies below the level of the upper edge of the tray walls and is positioned adjacent a tray wall slot; and a film of shrinkable material extending continuously over the top, sides, and bottom of the assembly of tubs and tray, the film being shrunk to a degree sufficient to draw the top edges of the tray walls into a position in which the top edges extend over the top of the tubs and in which the tub rims project outwardly from said slots.

6. A multiple tub package comprising, in combination, a tray comprising a bottom panel in which are formed at least one row of tub-receiving apertures, and tray walls articulated to the bottom panel and upwardly extending therefrom, said tray walls having internal slots formed therein at a lever higher than said bottom panel and lower than the top edge of said tray walls, said slots being shaped to define retaining tabs pointing towards said bottom panel; tubs seated in at least certain of said apertures in a position in which the top rim of the tubs extends above, and spaced from, said bottom panel but lies below the upper edge of said tray walls, said retaining tabs being snapped past the respective tub rims toward the interior of the respective tub into tub locking Position; and a film of shrinkable material extending continuously over the top, sides, and bottom of the assembly of tubs and tray, the film being shrunk to a degree sufficient to maintain the top edges of the tray walls in a position in which the top edges extend over the top of the tubs and the tub rims project outwardly from said slots.

8. A multiple tub package comprising, in combination, a tray comprising a bottom panel in which are formed two parallel rows of tub-receiving apertures, the tray further comprising tray walls articulated to the bottom panel and upwardly extending therefrom, said tray walls having internal slots formed therein shaped to define retaining tabs pointing toward the said bottom panel, the tips of the tabs being vertically spaced from the bottom panel, tubs seated in at least certain of said apertures in a position which the top rim of the tubs extends above, and spaced from, said bottom panel but lies below the upper edge of said tray walls, said retaining tabs being snapped past the respective tub rims toward the interior of the respective tub into tub locking position; and a film of shrinkable material extending continuously over the top, sides, and bottom of the assembly of tubs and tray, the film being shrunk to a degree sufficient to draw the top edges of the tray walls into a position in which the top edges extend over the top of the tubs and in which the tub rims project outwardly from said slots, and further sufficient to tilt, and maintain tilted, the tubs n the two rows into a position of convergence of the tub axes below the said bottom panel.

10. A unitary package comprising a plurality of tubs having tapered side walls extending from a mouth which is larger than the area of the bottom, the side walls having a downwardly facing shoulder formed therein on which the tub may be seated in an aperture; a tray comprising a bottom panel in which are formed at least one row of tub-receiving apertures, and tray walls articulated to the bottom panel and upwardly extending therefrom, said tray walls having internal slots formed therein at a level higher than the bottom panel and lower than the top edge of said tray walls, said tubs being seated in at least certain of said apertures in a position in which the respective top rim is positioned adjacent a tray wall slot and in which position the respective tray wall shoulder makes contact with said bottom panel; and a film of shrinkable material extending continuously over the top sides and bottom of the assembly of tubs and tray, the film being shrunk to a degree sufficient to draw the top edges of the tray walls into a position which the top edges extend over the top of the tubs, in which the tub rims project outwardly from said slots, and in which a portion of the shoulder of at least certain of the tubs is raised above said bottom panel in an area approximately diametrically opposite the area of contact of shoulder and bottom panel.

12. A unitary package as defined in claim 10 in which thE internal slots in the tray wall panels are shaped to define retaining tabs pointing towards the tray bottom panel, said tabs being snapped past the respective tub rims toward the interior of the respective tub into tub locking position, in which, further, the tub-receiving apertures in the bottom panel of the tray are disposed in two parallel rows, in which said shoulders make contact with the bottom panel adjacent the tray panels, said portions being raised in the area adjoining the center line of the bottom panel, which center line extends between said two rows of apertures, and in which the axes of the tubs in the two rows converge below the bottom panel.