Stackable tray

• US 5,535,942 A
• Filed: 04/17/1995
• Issued: 07/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Green Bay Packaging Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Green Bay Packaging Incorporated
• Inventors: Vilona, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US08/422,821
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 229/23 R, 229/166, 229/178, 229/199, 229/915, 229/919, 493/89, 493/136, 493/137, 493/140, 493/390, 493/906, 493/907
• US Class Current: 229/199
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0035 the ledges being located between side walls and doubled-over extensions B65D5/0025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0075 Paper elements affixed to the container blank before or during erection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/919 Reinforced wall

Abstract

A stackable tray is constructed of a bottom wall, a pair of end walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, and a pair of side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall and between the end walls. The end and side walls are preferably divergent in an upward direction. A pair of stacking support walls extend upwardly relative to the bottom wall, and are spaced slightly inwardly from the tray end walls. The stacking support walls are interconnected with the tray side walls. The side walls and stacking support walls are constructed of folded panels, and tabs are formed on the stacking support walls and on inner panels of the side walls, and the tabs of the stacking support walls and side walls function to interconnect the stacking support walls with the side walls upon folding of the stacking support wall panels and the side wall panels.

Claims

1. A tray construction, comprising:

a bottom;

first and second spaced end walls extending upwardly from the bottom, each end wall defining an upper edge;

first and second spaced side walls extending upwardly from the bottom and extending between the end walls; and

first and second stacking support walls extending upwardly relative to the bottom wall and spaced inwardly from the first and second end walls, respectively, wherein each of the first and second stacking support walls defines spaced end portions, each end portion being interconnected with one of the first and second spaced side walls.

2. The tray construction of claim 1, wherein each stacking support wall includes a pair of panels defining a space therebetween, and wherein each of the side walls includes an end tab, and wherein the stacking support wall end portions are interconnected with the side walls by engagement of the side wall end tabs within the space between the pair of stacking support wall panels.

3. The tray construction of claim 2, wherein each side wall is defined by a pair of panels defining a space therebetween, and wherein each stacking support wall end portion defines a tab received within the space defined by the pair of side wall panels.

4. The tray construction of claim 1, wherein each stacking support wall is further interconnected with the bottom.

5. The tray construction of claim 4, wherein the stacking support wall includes a pair of panels, with a first one of the panels defining a locking tab, and wherein the bottom includes a slot, wherein the stacking support wall is interconnected with the bottom by engagement of the locking tab within the slot.

6. The tray construction of claim 5, wherein each side wall includes an end tab, and wherein the side wall end tabs are disposed between the stacking support wall panels.

7. A method of making a stackable tray, comprising the steps of:

providing a tray having a bottom, a pair of end walls and a pair of side walls; and

securing a stacking support inwardly of each end wall, each stacking support defining a pair of spaced end portions, by interconnecting each end portion of the stacking support with one of the side walls.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each stacking support is defined by a pair of panels having a space therebetween, and wherein the step of interconnecting each end portion of the stacking support with one of the side walls is carried out by forming an end tab on each side wall and positioning the side wall end tab within the space defined by the pair of stacking support panels.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of forming an end tab on each side wall is carried out by forming the side wall of a pair of panels and constructing an inner one of the panels so as to define the end tab.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein each side wall is formed by a pair of panels defining a space therebetween, and wherein the step of interconnecting each end portion of the stacking support with one of the side walls comprises forming an end tab extending from each end portion of the stacking support and placing the end tab within the space defined between the pair of side wall panels.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pair of side wall panels are foldably interconnected, and wherein the step of placing the stacking support end tab within the space between the pair of side wall panels is carried out by placing the end tab against an outer one of the side wall panels and thereafter folding an inner one of the side wall panels onto and toward the outer side wall panel so as to capture the stacking support end tab therebetween.

12. In a tray construction including a bottom, an end wall defining an upper edge, and a pair of side walls, the improvement comprising a support wall extending upwardly relative to the bottom and spaced from the end wall, the support wall being interconnected with the side walls and defining an upper support edge spaced below the end wall upper edge.

13. The improvement of claim 12, wherein the support wall defines first and second spaced end portions, and wherein each support wall end portion is interconnected with one of the side walls.

14. The improvement of claim 13, wherein each end portion of the support wall defines an end tab, and wherein each side wall is formed from a pair of panels defining a space therebetween within which the end tab is located so as to interconnect the support wall end portion with the side wall.

15. The improvement of claim 13, wherein the support wall is defined by a pair of panels, and wherein each side wall includes a tab disposed between the support wall panels for interconnecting each support wall end portion with one of the side walls.

16. The improvement of claim 15, further comprising a downwardly extending locking tab formed along a lower edge of one of the support wall panels, and a slot formed in the bottom within which the tab is engaged for interconnecting the support wall with the bottom.

17. The improvement of claim 16, wherein the end wall is formed of a pair of folded panels, wherein an inner one of the end wall panels includes a tab formed in a lower edge thereof received within the slot along with the support wall locking tab.