Tray Package For Tubes

Abstract

A tray formed from a sheet of thermoplastic material is provided for holding culture tubes, test tubes, or like articles. The tray is provided with a contoured bottom having side and end wall portions extending upwardly therefrom. A cover member is integrally connected from the top edge of one of the sidewall members and is foldable from an open position to a position overlying the tubes to close the package. Integrally connected to the top edge of the opposite sidewall is a flap having a series of protrusions or plugs sized to fit within the ends of the tubes resting in the bottom of the tray. The flap is foldable from an open position to a position at which the plugs fit within the open ends of tubes resting on the contoured bottom.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a tray which may be readily molded in one piece from moldable material to support and retain against breakage fragile tubular articles such as glass culture tubes and test tubes during shipment. It is desirable that the interior portions of such tubes be kept clean during shipment; accordingly, the tray of the present invention is provided with plug means for preventing the entrance of dust or other contaminants into the tubes during shipment from the tubing manufacturer to the packager.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tray package for shipping tubular articles.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a tray for shipping tubular articles which is inexpensive, can be readily molded in one piece and is contoured to provide at least a partial seal to the open end of the tubular articles retained therein.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tube tray in which the cover flap may be retained in a closed position through cooperation with the flap member when the flap member is in its sealing position closing the ends of the tubes.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the annexed sheets of drawings on which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the tray in a fully open position as it comes from a molding machine;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing tubular articles positioned in the tray and the flap folded to a position at which the plugs extend within the open ends of such tubular articles;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the tray in a fully closed position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken through line 4--4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken through line 5--5 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, there is provided a tray generally designated by the numeral 10 having a bottom portion 12 with a plurality of elongated ribs 13 extending upwardly therefrom. The ribs 13 are in spaced parallel relationship to one another and are contoured to define therebetween grooves 14 in which tubular articles 15 may rest. Typically, tubular articles 15 packaged in the tray 10 will have a closed end 15a and an open end 15b. If desired, the ribs 13 may have interruptions or notches 18 formed therein to permit the tubular articles to be easily removed with one's finger.

Extending upwardly from the bottom 12 are a pair of elongated opposed substantially parallel sides 20. The sides 20 are disposed substantially at right angles to the lines followed by the ribs 13.

Also extending upwardly from the bottom 12 and extending between the sides 20 are a pair of elongated opposed substantially parallel ends 22. The ends 22 are substantially parallel to the ribs 13.

Preferably, the ends 22 will be provided with notches 23 in line with the row of notches 18 to facilitate removal of the end ones of the tubular articles 15. Each of the sides 20 and ends 22 has a short flange portion 24 extending outwardly therefrom. Thus, the flange 24 extends completely around the periphery.

Extending outwardly from the flange 24 at one of the sides 20 is a cover 26. The line of juncture between the cover 26 and the flange 24 is formed with a score line 27 which functions as a hinge to permit the cover 26 to be readily folded from the open position of FIGS. 1 and 2 to the closed position of FIG. 3. The cover 26 has a plurality of ribs 28 which extend toward the interior of the tray when the cover 26 is in a closed position. The ribs serve to assist in retaining the tubular articles 15 in a fixed position.

Extending outwardly from the flange 24 at the side 20 opposite the cover 26 is a flap 30. The flap 30 has a plurality of raised portions or plugs 31 which extend toward the bottom of the tray when it is in the open position of FIG. 1. As may be seen from viewing FIGS. 1 and 2, the flap 30 is foldable from its fully open position to a position at which the plugs 31 extend toward the cover side (FIGS. 2, 3 and 5). Thus the plugs 31 extend toward the interior when the tray is in its closed position. Thus, it may be seen that the flap 30 is rotatable through an arc of substantially 270.degree.. The plugs 31 are sized to snugly fit within the open end 15b of the tubular article 15. As a result, dust and other contaminants are prevented, or at least retarded, from entering the tubular articles 15 during shipment.

The flap 30 is integrally formed with the flange 24 with a score line 32 forming the juncture between the flange 24 and the flap 30. The score line 32 is relatively shallow and functions as a hinge. Spaced from and parallel to the score line 32 is an elongated indentation 33 which also functions as a hinge but which, as may be seen from FIG. 4, is much deeper than the score line 32. As can be seen from FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, as the flap 30 is folded, the elongated indentation 33 functions as the primary hinge by virtue of its depth and relative weakness to resist deflection as compared with the hinge formed by the shallower score line 32. Upon such initial folding, the opposite sides of the indentation 33 are thus brought into interfacial contact and form a locking tab 34 (FIG. 5) which functions to hold the cover 26 in a closed position. Thus, the tray 10 is self closing when tubular articles 15 are contained therein and no external or auxiliary means are required to keep it closed.

The tray 10 may be formed of any preferred moldable material such as a conventional thermoplastic and, preferably, is formed from a sheet of foamed polystyrene. As may be appreciated from viewing FIG. 1, it may be readily vacuum formed by conventional forming techniques.

Claims

I claim:

1. In combination, a tray and a plurality of tubular articles held in said tray, each of said tubular articles having at least one open end, said tray comprising a unitary sheet having a bottom wall with elongated ribs extending upwardly therefrom and cooperating therewith to define a plurality of channels, each channel being sized to hold a tubular article and holding a tubular article, a pair of elongated opposed substantially parallel sides extending upwardly from said bottom and a pair of elongated opposed substantially parallel ends extending upwardly from said bottom between said sides, a cover extending from the upper edge of one of said sides and being foldable from the open position to a closed position overlying said tubular articles, and a flap comprising an extension of the upper edge of the other of said sides folded into the tray interior along said other side upper edge into a sealing relationship with the open ends of the tubular articles due to the contour thereof.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said flap has a plurality of protrusions spaced therealong snugly fitting within the open ends of the tubular articles to effect said sealing relationship.

3. A tray as defined in claim 1 wherein said flap is provided with (a) a score line substantially at the line of juncture between the flap and said other side, said score line functioning as a secondary hinge, and (b) an elongated indentation spaced outwardly from and parallel to said score line, said indentation being deeper than said score line and functioning as a primary hinge.

4. A tray as defined in claim 3 wherein the portions of the flap forming the indentation form a locking tab for said cover when the cover is folded to its closed position.

5. In combination, a tray and a plurality of tubular articles held in said tray, each of said tubular articles having at least one open end, said tray comprising a unitary sheet having a bottom wall with elongated ribs extending upwardly therefrom and cooperating therewith to define a plurality of channels, each channel being sized to hold a tubular article and holding a tubular article, a pair of elongated opposed substantially parallel sides extending upwardly from said bottom and a pair of elongated opposed substantially parallel ends extending upwardly from said bottom between said sides, a cover extending from the upper edge of one of said sides and being foldable from an open position to a closed position overlying said tubular articles, and a foldable flap extending from the upper edge of the other of said sides, said flap having been folded from an open position extending outwardly from said other side to a closed position in sealing relationship to the open ends of the tubular articles, said flap being provided with (a) a score line at the line of juncture between the flap and said other side, said score line functioning as a secondary hinge and, (b) an elongated indentation spaced outwardly from and parallel to said score line, said indentation being deeper than said score line and functioning as a primary hinge and forming a locking tab for said cover when the cover is in its closed position.

6. The combination as defined in claim 5 wherein said flap has a plurality of protrusions spaced outwardly from said indentation, said protrusions snugly fitting within the open ends of the tubular articles to effect said sealing relationship.