Foldable tray

• US 7,007,838 B1
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles Robert Ii Bostick
• Original Assignee: Charles Robert Ii Bostick
• Inventors: Bostick, Charles Robert II
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US10/903,639
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 229/189, 229/192, 229/193, 229/194, 229/198, 229/198.1, 229/198.2, 229/198.3
• US Class Current: 229/192
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/008 the container body having a pyramidal shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/009 the container body comprising a set of interconnected cells, e.g. hinged one to another

Abstract

A foldable tray having a single sheet of material having lines of reduced resistance to bending separating a central base area and first through fourth side areas encircling the base area, the lines of reduced resistance to bending separating the first and second side areas being curved away from each other adjacent a first corner of the base area to cause the base area adjacent the first corner to curve upward when the first and second side areas are bent upward along their respective lines of reduced resistance to bending, each side area having cooperatively disposed fasteners adjacent the adjacent side areas for retaining the side areas when folded upward about the lines of reduced resistance to bending a tab with an opening may be provided integral with one of the side areas for hanging the tray for storage or display. Various embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A foldable tray comprising:

a single sheet of material having lines of reduced resistance to bending separating a central base area and a plurality side areas distributed around the base area, the lines of reduced resistance to bending separating at least two adjacent side areas from the base area being curved away from each other adjacent a respective corner of the base area to cause the base area adjacent the respective corner to curve upward when the adjacent side areas are bent upward along their respective lines of reduced resistance to bending, each side area having cooperatively disposed fasteners adjacent the adjacent side areas for retaining the side areas when folded upward about the lines of reduced resistance to bending.

2. The foldable tray of claim 1 wherein the fasteners are cooperatively disposed male and female snap fasteners.

3. The foldable tray of claim 1 wherein except for the lines of reduced resistance to bending separating at least two adjacent side areas from the base area being curved away from each other, the lines of reduced resistance to bending are substantially straight, and wherein the corners of the sheet of material defined by the intersection of substantially straight lines of reduced resistance to bending having a slit collinear with one of the lines of reduced resistance to bending and extending from a side of the sheet of material to another line of reduced resistance to bending, thereby defining a tab integral with a side area wherein, when the side areas are folded upward about the lines of reduced resistance to bending, each tab may be bent around and fastened to the adjacent side area by cooperatively disposed fasteners.

4. The foldable tray of claim 3 wherein the cooperatively disposed fasteners for fastening the tabs to the adjacent side areas are snap fasteners.

5. The foldable tray of claim 4 wherein side areas having lines of reduced resistance to bending separating the respective side areas from the base area that curve away from each other adjacent a respective corner have outward protruding corner tabs with cooperatively disposed fasteners thereon, so that when the side areas are folded upward about the lines of reduced resistance to bending, cooperatively disposed corner tabs may be bent over the respective corner and the fasteners joined.

6. The foldable tray of claim 1 wherein side areas having lines of reduced resistance to bending separating the respective side areas from the base area that curve away from each other adjacent a respective corner have outward protruding first tabs with cooperatively disposed fasteners thereon, so that when the side areas are folded upward about the lines of reduced resistance to bending, cooperatively disposed corner tabs may be bent over the respective corner and the fasteners joined.

7. The foldable tray of claim 1 wherein the lines of reduced resistance to bending are lines of reduced thickness.

8. The foldable tray of claim 1 wherein side areas having lines of reduced resistance to bending separating the respective side areas from the base area that are straight adjacent a respective corner include a plurality of lines of reduced resistance to bending extending outward to adjacent edges of the sheet, and having corner tabs integral with the adjacent side areas, the lines of reduced resistance to bending extending outward to adjacent edges allowing pleating of the respective corners when the side areas are folded upward about the lines of reduced resistance to bending separating the side areas from the base areas, the corner tabs being bendable over a respective side area and fastenable to an adjacent corner tab to hold the respective corner in the pleated condition.

9. The foldable tray of claim 8 wherein the corner tabs are fastenable by snap fasteners.

10. The foldable tray of claim 1 wherein side areas having lines of reduced resistance to bending separating the respective side areas from the base area that are straight adjacent a respective corner each include corner areas between adjacent side areas, each corner area being coupled to the base area by a line of reduced resistance to bending angled with respect to and joining the lines of reduced resistance to bending coupling the respective side areas to the base area, the corner areas being integrally coupled to each adjacent side area by two lines of reduced resistance to bending emanating from the junction of the lines of reduced resistance to bending separating the corner and respective side area from the base area and extending outward to adjacent edges of the sheet to allow forming a pleat at each side of the respective corner area when the side areas and corner areas are folded upward about the lines of reduced resistance to bending, the side areas adjacent the corner areas having tabs that are bendable over a side area and fastenable to an adjacent corner tab to hold the respective corner area in the upward folded condition.

11. The foldable tray of claim 10 wherein the corner tabs are fastenable by snap fasteners.

12. The foldable tray of claim 1 wherein the sheet is a plastic sheet.

13. The foldable tray of claim 12 wherein the plastic is polyethylene.

14. The foldable tray of claim 12 wherein the plastic is polypropylene.

15. The foldable tray of claim 1 further comprised of a tab with an opening therein, the tab being integral with one of the side areas and configured for use to hang the foldable tray for storage and display.

16. The foldable tray of claim 1 wherein the number of side areas is four.

17. The foldable tray of claim 1 wherein the number of adjacent side areas coupled to the base area by lines of reduced resistance to bending that are curved away from each other adjacent a respective corner is two.