Can tray

• US 20050269239A1
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
• Original Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
• Inventors: Pgburn, Sean T., Apps, William P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,658,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/557
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/243 Crates for bottles or like containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0212 Containers presenting local stacking elements protruding from the upper or lower edge of a side wall, e.g. handles, lugs, ribs, grooves B65D21/0211, B65D21/0215, B65D21/023 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2501/24019 Mainly plastics
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2501/2407 Apertured
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2501/24108 corresponding to part of the height of the bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2501/24152 Integral B65D2501/24184 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2501/2435 Columns and rows
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2501/24541 Hand holes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2501/24592 Crates presenting local stacking elements protruding from the upper or lower edge of a side wall
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2501/24694 Crates shaped to be nested when empty and superposed when full
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/70 Trays provided with projections or recesses in order to assemble multiple articles, e.g. intermediate elements for stacking

Abstract

A can tray (10) includes a floor (12) and a plurality of support members (24) extending upwardly from a periphery of the floor. A plurality of upstanding projections (18,20) extend upwardly from the floor and define can-receiving (14) areas therebetween. Each of the projections includes concave surfaces (19,21) facing the can-receiving areas. The support members are hollow, such that support members of one can tray can be nested within the support members of an identical can tray stacked thereon. The plurality of projections includes a plurality of center projections (18) along at least one of two centerlines of the tray and a plurality of non-center projections (20) not on either of the two centerlines of the tray. The center projections extend higher than the non-center projections.

Claims

1. A can tray comprising:

a floor;

a plurality of support members extending upwardly from the periphery of the floor; and

a plurality of upstanding projections extending upwardly from the floor, the projections defining a plurality of can-receiving areas therebetween.

2. The can tray of claim 1 wherein the plurality of upstanding projections includes a plurality of center projections along a centerline of the can tray and a plurality of non-center projections not along the centerline of the can tray, wherein the center projections are taller than the non-center projections.

3. The can tray of claim 1 wherein the plurality of upstanding projections includes a plurality of center projections each along at least one of two centerlines of the can tray and a plurality of non-center projections not along either of the two centerlines of the can tray, wherein the center projections are taller than the non-center projections.

4. The can tray according to any of the preceding claims claim 1, wherein each of the projections includes a plurality of exterior concave surfaces each adjacent one of the can-receiving areas.

5. The can tray of claim 4 wherein each of the projections includes at least one vertically-extending rib adjacent each of the exterior concave surfaces.

6. The can tray according to claim 1, wherein the can tray can be nested at least partially within an identical can tray stacked thereon.

7. The can tray of claim 6 wherein the support members of the can tray are insertable into support members of the identical can tray stacked thereon.

8. The can tray according to claim 1, further including a plurality of windows, each defined between an adjacent pair of the plurality of support members.

9. The can tray of claim 8 wherein the windows are upwardly-open.

10. The can tray according to claim 1 further including at least one handle extending between adjacent support members and defining an opening between the handle and the floor.

11. The can tray according claim 1 wherein the plurality of support members and the plurality of projections are hollow and each of the plurality of support members includes an upper opening through the can tray.

12. The can tray of claim 11 wherein at least some of the plurality of projections include an upper opening through the can tray.

13. The can tray according to claim 1 further including a plurality of upstanding ribs extending upwardly from the floor for impeding the flow of liquid from the tray.

14. The can tray of claim 13 wherein the ribs connect adjacent pairs of projections and are substantially shorter than the projections.

15. The can tray according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of support members each include an inner wall and an outer wall, and wherein the plurality of support members includes a plurality of end members having a cutout portion in the outer wall.

16. The can tray of claim 15 wherein the inner wall of the plurality of end members have concave interior surfaces.

17. The can tray of claim 1 wherein the plurality of support members includes a plurality of end members each having at least one concave interior surface and an exterior surface.

18. The can tray according to claim 1, wherein the floor, the support members and the projections are all integrally molded as a single piece of plastic.

19. The can tray according to claim 1 further including a plurality of beverage cans each disposed in one of the can-receiving areas.

20. The can tray according to claim 1, wherein the floor has an upper surface defining can pockets as the can-receiving areas for receiving the bottoms of cans and a lower surface having a plurality of protruding can capture areas for protruding into a recessed top area of the cans.

21. A can tray comprising:

a floor;

a plurality of support members extending upwardly from the periphery of the floor, each adjacent pair of support members defining an upwardly-open window therebetween; and

a plurality of upstanding projections extending upwardly from the floor, the projections defining a plurality of can-receiving areas therebetween.

22. The can tray of claim 21 wherein each of the windows extends upward significantly more than half the height of the adjacent pair of support members.

23. The can tray according to claim 21 wherein each of the projections includes four concave exterior surfaces, each adjacent one of the can-receiving areas.

24. The can tray according to any of claim 21, wherein the plurality of support members each include an inner wall and an outer wall, and wherein the plurality of support members includes a plurality of end members having a cutout portion in the outer wall.

25. The can tray of claim 24 wherein the inner wall of the plurality of end members have concave interior surfaces.

26. The can tray according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of support members and the plurality of projections are hollow.

27. A can tray comprising:

a floor;

a plurality of support members extending upwardly from the periphery of the floor, each adjacent pair of support members defining an upwardly-open window therebetween, the window extending upwardly from the floor significantly more that half the height of the adjacent pair of support members; and

a plurality of hollow upstanding projections extending upwardly from the floor, the projections defining a plurality of can-receiving areas therebetween.

28. The can tray of claim 27 wherein each of the support members includes an inner wall and an outer wall, such that the support members of the can tray would nest within the support members of an identical tray stacked thereon.