Ventilated Tray

Abstract

A tray for supporting products which require ventilation is formed from a single piece blank of paperboard and includes a bottom wall, two sidewalls and two end walls. Ventilation slots in the sidewalls and in the end walls of the tray are formed by punching out curvilinear tabs along cut scorelines. The outwardly extending tabs serve to prevent lateral and longitudinal skidding between stacked trays and also provide for convenient nesting. The ventilated tray is easily collapsed so that it can be shipped substantially flat when empty.

Description

In shipping certain products, it is often necessary to use a ventilated tray or container in order to permit the passage of air over the products so that they are not spoiled or damaged during transit. Heretofore, the packaging industry has supplied ventilated trays for this purpose. These trays are capable of being stacked one atop the other in order to conserve space during shipment. In order to enable the trays to be stacked and also prevent skidding between the stacked trays, elaborate interfitting tab and slot arrangements are often provided for the trays so that they do not overturn and damage the products contained therein. Although these trays are often relatively easy to manufacture, since they are cut from a single piece blank of paperboard, their structure is often complex and requires a complicated assembly procedure. Accordingly, one problem associated with these conventional trays is that they are often difficult and time consuming to assemble and erect.

Another problem resulting from the difficult assembling of these conventional trays is that they are not easily collapsible after they are emptied of their products. The result is that the trays are either returned to their point of origin in an erected position, thereby wasting a great deal of space, or the trays are laboriously collapsed, thereby expending a great deal of time.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a ventilated shipping tray for products which is relatively easy to manufacture, erect and collapse.

It is a further object of this invention to provide ventilated shipping trays that can be stacked one atop the other by a simple nesting arrangement and that do not slide laterally or longitudinally when so stacked.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a ventilated shipping tray that is easily collapsible so that is can be shipped substantially flat when empty.

This invention provides a tray for shipping products which require ventilation which is formed from a single piece blank of paperboard and which is composed of a bottom wall, two sidewalls and two end walls. The side and end walls have a plurality of curvilinear slots formed therein by punching out a plurality of corresponding tabs along cut score lines in the side and end walls. Upper ridges on the side and end walls of the tray bow outwardly to cradle a second tray stacked atop the first tray to provide a simple nesting arrangement for the stacked trays. The same tabs which form the ventilation slots for the tray when they are punched outwardly also serve as anchors to prevent longitudinal and lateral sliding between the stacked trays and also do not interfere with the nesting arrangement.

Furthermore, the ventilated tray of this invention is easily collapsible to a substantially flat position when it is empty. The relative ease with which the tray can be collapsed results from the unique connection between the right triangular sections hinged to the sidewalls and the flaps extending from the end walls, which will be described in detail below. As a result of the easy collapsibility feature of this invention, the ventilated tray can be quickly and easily collapsed after the products are removed from the trays. Accordingly, the trays can be shipped back to their point of origin in a substantially flat position, thereby conserving space.

Another feature of this invention is that the flaps attached to the end walls are formed so that they do not interfere with or block off the ventilation slots in the sidewalls of the tray.

These and other objects and features of this invention will be more readily understood and appreciated by reference to the following descriptions and drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged plan view of the unassembled and unerected ventilated tray of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of two stacked ventilated trays of this invention; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the ventilated tray of this invention in a collapsed position.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the ventilated tray 2 is illustrated as it would appear after having been stamped from a single piece blank of paperboard. The tray 2 includes a bottom wall 4, two sidewalls 6 and two end walls 10. Cut score lines 14 formed in the sidewalls 6 and the end walls 10 permit the portion of the side and end walls enclosed by the cut score lines to be punched out thereby forming oblong handholds 16, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

Curvilinear cut score lines 18 are formed on the end and sidewalls directly adjacent the bottom wall 4. When the sidewalls 6 and the end walls 10 are erected by raising them to a position substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall 4, curvilinear tabs 20 are punched out from the curvilinear cut score lines 18 so that the tabs extend outwardly from the bottom wall 4 after the tray has been erected, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Simultaneous with the formation of the outwardly extending tabs 20 by punching out the curvilinear score lines 18 is the formation of ventilation slots 12 in the erected tray, also illustrated in FIG. 2. The sidewalls 6 are erected substantially perpendicular to bottom wall 4 along common score lines 22. Similarly, the end walls 10 are erected substantially perpendicular to bottom wall 4 along common score lines 26.

The end walls 10 are formed with outwardly extending ridge portions 30 which extend upwardly when the end walls are erected perpendicular to the bottom wall, as best illustrated in FIG. 2. End flaps 34 are formed on each side of the end walls 10 along common score lines 38. Each of the end flaps 34 is formed so that the lower flap edge 42 nearest the sidewall 6 is partially tapered inwardly from score line 38 and then shaped horizontally across so that when end walls 10 and sidewalls 6 are erected, the lower flap edge 42 of each of the end flaps 34 does not interfere with or block off ventilation slots 12, as best illustrated in FIG. 2.

Still referring to FIG. 1, the sidewalls 6 are formed essentially in the shape of a trapezoid. Right triangular sections 44 are hingedly connected to the sidewalls 6 along alternately cut common score lines 46. The hypotenuse of each of the right triangular sections 44 is coextensive with the alternately cut common score line 46. The sidewalls 6 have upper ridges 48 which extend outwardly from one of the sides 50 of the right triangular sections 44. When the sidewalls 6 are erected, the sidewalls' upper ridges 48 extend upwardly from the right triangular sections' vertically extending sides 50, as best illustrated in FIG. 2. In the erected position, the uppermost portion of the sidewalls' upper ridges 48 is substantially equal in height to the uppermost portion of the end walls' upper ridges 30.

Prior to the erection of the tray 2, glue is applied to the upper surface of the triangular sections 44, illustrated as a speckled surface in FIG. 1. During erection, the end walls 10 and the sidewalls 6 are raised so that they are substantially perpendicular to the horizontal bottom wall 4 and the triangular sections 44 are glued to the underside of end flaps 34. The differing shapes of triangular sections 44 and end flaps 34 result in only a portion of the end flaps' undersides being glued to the triangular sections. The glued portion A of one of the end flaps is illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein the dotted line indicates one of the alternately cut score lines 46 along which one of the triangular sections 44 is hinged to one of the sidewalls 6. All of the other end flaps 34 in the tray 2 are attached to their respective triangular sections 44 in the same manner.

Referring now to FIG. 2, two ventilated trays of this invention are illustrated stacked one atop the other in a nesting arrangement. The natural resilience of the paperboard from which the ventilated tray is constructed permits the sidewall ridges 48 and the end wall ridges 30 of the lower tray 2 to bow outwardly, to cradle the upper tray 2' that is placed atop it. The curvilinear tabs 20' extending outwardly from the upper tray 2' prevent sliding between the trays in the longitudinal and lateral direction by engaging the end walls' upper ridges 30 and the sidewalls' upper ridges 48 of lower tray 2. Furthermore, the ventilation slots 12' are formed by the same outwardly extending curvilinear tabs 20' which prevent sliding between the stacked trays.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the tray 2 is illustrated folded in a substantially flat position as it would be after being emptied and collapsed for shipment. In order to collapse the tray from its erected position illustrated in FIG. 2, an inward pressure is applied to the sidewalls or to the end walls. By applying such pressure, the unglued portion B of each of the end flaps 34 is caused to tuck under each of the collapsing end walls 10. The relative ease with which the tray 2 is collapsed is possible because the triangular sections 44 are glued to only a portion of the end flaps 34 and because the triangular sections are hingedly attached to the sidewalls.

Furthermore, the chamfered sides 52 of the sidewalls' upper ridges 48 prevents any interference between the sidewalls' upper ridges and the end walls' upper ridges when the tray is folded.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein, without departing from the invention, and it is therefore intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A tray for products requiring ventilation comprising a normally horizontal bottom wall and pairs of normally vertical sidewalls and end walls, each of said walls adjoining each edge of said bottom wall, at least one pair of said side and end walls each having slot for ventilation which is positioned directly adjacent said bottom wall and which extends through said side and end walls, a plurality of tabs which normally extend horizontally outwardly from said bottom wall and which are coextensive with said side and end wall ventilation slots, each of said side and end walls having a vertical upper ridge, said ridge being centrally located and extending along a portion of each of said side and end walls in order to cradle a second tray stacked atop said tray and also to cooperate with said tabs to prevent longitudinal and lateral sliding between the stacked trays.

2. The tray recited in claim 1 wherein at least one pair of said side and end walls each have a centrally located handhold extending through said side and end walls for gripping the tray and aiding ventilation of the tray.

3. The tray recited in claim 1 wherein both pairs of side and end walls each have a slot for ventilation which is positioned directly adjacent said bottom wall and which extends through said side and end walls and wherein both pairs of said side and end walls each have a centrally located handhold extending through said side and end walls for gripping the tray and aiding ventilation of the tray.

4. A tray for products requiring ventilation comprising a normally horizontal bottom wall and pairs of normally vertical sidewalls and end walls, each of said walls adjoining each edge of said bottom wall, at least one pair of said side and end walls each having a slot for ventilation which is positioned directly adjacent said bottom wall and which extends through said side and end walls, a plurality of tabs which normally extend horizontally outwardly from said bottom wall and which are coextensive with said side and end wall ventilation slots, said pair of sidewalls being substantially trapezoidal in shape having a pair of nonparallel sides, and a right triangular section the hypotenuse of which is hinged to said sidewall nonparallel side.

5. The tray recited in claim 4 wherein said right triangular section is hinged along an alternately cut score line which is common to said right triangular section and said sidewall nonparallel side.

6. The tray recited in claim 4 wherein the upper parallel side of each of said pair of sidewalls forms an upper ridge which extends above said right triangular section's normally vertical side and which serves to cradle a second tray stacked atop said tray and prevent lateral sliding between the stacked trays.

7. The tray recited in claim 4 wherein each of said end walls has a centrally located upper ridge which extends vertically above the normal top surface of said end wall and which serves to cradle a second tray stacked atop said tray and prevent longitudinal sliding between the stacked trays.

8. The tray recited in claim 4 wherein the upper parallel side of each of said sidewalls forms an upper ridge which extends above said right triangular section's normally vertical side and which serves to cradle a second tray stacked atop said tray and prevent lateral sliding between the stacked trays and wherein each of said end walls has a centrally located upper ridge which extends vertically above the normal top surface of said end wall and which serves to cradle a second tray stacked atop said tray and prevent longitudinal sliding between the trays.

9. The tray recited in claim 8 wherein the ends of each of said sidewall upper ridges are chamfered.

10. The tray recited in claim 4 further comprising an end flap which is hingedly attached to each of said end walls along a common score line and wherein said right triangular section is attached to a portion of said end flap in order that said side and end walls can collapse to a substantially flat position when pressure is applied inwardly against said sidewalls or against said end walls.