Package For Fragile Articles

Abstract

A package for fragile articles is provided which includes a container having a bottom surface delimited by upright walls, and a plurality of article-loaded trays arranged in a compact, stacked, superposed relation and disposed within the container. Each tray has a plurality of article accommodating pockets separated by struts. The struts of a tray are in vertical alignment with the pockets of the trays disposed immediately above and below. The peripheries of the stacked trays are adapted to be vertically supported by the adjacent walls of the container thereby preventing sagging of certain of the peripheral pockets during storage or transporting of the loaded container.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the packaging of a plurality of fragile articles, such as perishable fruits or the like in a single shipping container, difficulty is oftentimes encountered in preventing or minimizing bruising or defacing of such articles while the loaded container is being stored or transported. Various methods of packaging have heretofore been employed such as bag packing, bulk packing in shipping containers, and pre-packing relatively few articles in small individual trays. Obviously, the incidents of bruising in bag packing are very high and, therefore, such method is not widely used where a large number of perishable articles are involved. Pre-packing in small individual trays, on the other hand, is frequently done by the retailer at the place of sale, because, if done by the packer, it might be too time-consuming and costly and would materially reduce the quantity of articles that could be accommodated in a shipping container of standard size. Thus, in most instances, the method of packaging such articles is by bulk packing wherein an outer container of standard size and usually of corrugated material, is utilized and the articles are disposed therein in a plurality of layers parallel to the base of the container and with the layers being separated from one another by trays. The tray used for such a purpose is normally of molded pulp or similar material and is provided with a plurality of recessed pockets, each of which is adapted to accommodate an article. Because of the relative disposition of certain pockets adjacent the periphery of each individual tray being in a substantially unsupported state with regard to the loaded tray disposed therebeneath, there is a tendency, after a short period of time, for these peripheral pockets to sag causing the articles accommodated therein to be loosely held, and thus, movable relative to the pockets and to make repeated contact with the adjacent container side walls as the container is subjected to normal handling. By reason of such repeated contact with the container side wall, serious bruising in the case of fruit, or defacement or damage to the articles is likely to occur.

Furthermore, in many prior methods of bulk packing of fruit, the trays utilized were not readily capable of accommodating fruit, which would vary to a substantial extent both in size and shape, and thus, oftentimes the loaded trays would extend above the open top of the outer container to such an extent that excessive compressive force was required to close the container thereby causing an inordinate amount of bruising of the top layer of fruit. While a snug pack is desirable, excessive compressive closing force is to be avoided.

In still other prior methods of bulk packing of fruit or the like, the outer dimensions of the shipping containers utilized are such that said containers could not be readily grouped and placed on a standard 40" .times. 48" pallet without substantial exterior portions of the containers overhanging the pallet periphery. Thus, in the past, positioning of such loaded pallets in truck trailers or railroad cars frequently has become a troublesome and awkward operation. Where trays have heretofore been utilized in the bulk packing of fruit or the like, such trays are oftentimes inherently weak and thus, are unsuitable for mechanical handling when loaded.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a method of bulk packaging of fruit or the like which is not beset with the aforenoted shortcomings associated with the aforedescribed prior methods.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a package for fruit or the like which is of simple and inexpensive construction, and eliminates or materially reduces bruising of the accommodated fruit.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a package which is of compact size and yet is capable of handling a bushel weight of the fruit being packed.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a tray adapted for use in the bulk packing of apples or the like, which is capable of being manually or mechanically handled when loaded without becoming distorted.

Further and additional objects will appear from the description, accompanying drawings and appended claims.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention a package for fragile articles, such as apples, is provided which includes an outer container having a flat bottom surface delimited by upright walls. Disposed within the container are a plurality of loaded trays arranged in stacked, superposed relation. Each tray is provided with a peripheral flange which delimits a plurality of recessed, horizontally spaced fruit-accommodating pockets.

The periphery of each tray closely approximates the area delimited by the container's upright wall and the trays are so designed that the fulcrum point of pivot from one tray bearing on the fruit of another tray in the pack, in the areas where the trays are not supported equally by the fruit below, prevents the unsupported areas of the tray from sagging past their contact areas with the container's upright walls.

DESCRIPTION

For a more complete understanding of the invention reference should be made to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of one form of the improved package with the cover therefor removed.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 1, but showing a first modified form of improved package.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is similar to FIGS. 1 and 5, but showing a second modified form of tray.

FIG. 10 is similar to FIGS. 4 and 6, but showing the trays of FIG. 9 loaded and placed within an outer container.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, one form of the improved package 10 is shown for accommodating fragile articles A such as apples or the like, see FIG. 2. The improved package 10 is particularly suitable for the bulk handling of fruit where bruising or defacing thereof during normal handling of the package is eliminated, or materially reduced.

Besides protecting the accommodated fruit, it is important that the package be of compact design, capable of supporting a standard bushel shipping weight (e.g., approximately 43 pounds for apples), and also have an exterior dimension whereby like packages may be readily grouped and positioned on a standard size (e.g., 40" .times. 48") pallet without exterior portions of the grouped packages overhanging the periphery of the pallet.

The improved package includes an outer container 11 preferably formed of conventional double-faced corrugated board. Various other materials such as solid paperboard, wood, metal, or plastic may be utilized; however, because of the low cost, high strength, and ready availability of corrugated board, the latter is the preferred material for the container 11.

The container 11 is normally of rectangular design and has a substantially flat bottom surface 12 delimited by upright side and end walls 13. The upper edges of the walls may be provided with closure flaps, not shown, or a separate telescoping cover, not shown, either of which may be used to close the container subsequent to the latter being loaded.

Disposed within the container 11 are a plurality of loaded trays 14 arranged in stacked, superposed relation. The trays, commonly referred to as apple trays in the trade, are normally formed of molded paper pulp, thermoformed foam plastic material (e.g. expanded polystyrene) or variations thereof. Regardless of the material utilized, the tray should be relatively stiff and yet, soft enough to provide a cushioning effect for the accommodated fruit A. Each tray 14 is provided with a plurality of recessed apple-accommodating cells or pockets 15 of substantially oval-shape so as to conform generally to the configuration of the portion of the apple disposed within the pocket. In tray 14, all of the pockets thereof have the elongated axes thereof extending in substantially the same longitudinal direction so that when the loaded trays are placed within the container, the axes will be substantially parallel to the interior surface of the container side walls. When an apple is placed in a pocket, which is normally a manual operation, the stem and calyx end thereof are substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the pocket.

Each pocket 15 is recessed approximately 1 5/16 inches from a plane 16 of the tray which is delimited by an upwardly projecting peripheral flange 17, see FIG. 2. The extent to which the pockets are recessed relative to plane 16, will vary and depend upon the type of fruit or fragile articles A being accommodated by the trays.

In the illustrated embodiment, tray 14 is provided with twenty pockets 15 arranged in five rows of four pockets each. The rows are in parallel relation and the pockets of successive rows are arranged in staggered relation.

Adjacent pockets of a row are separated from one another by a saddlelike strut 18. The pocket and strut configurations may be generally of the type disclosed in Pesut U.S. Pat. No. 3,281,003. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, each strut 18 includes a centrally disposed upwardly projecting hump or rib 18a which, in the FIG. 1 embodiment, is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axes of the adjacent pockets 15 of the row. The hump 18a substantially spans the distance between the adjacent pockets of the row and may be of solid material, see FIG. 2. The thickness of the hump is normally greater than the thickness of the material forming the walls of the pockets and thus, said humps facilitate denesting of the trays when empty trays are arranged in nested relation to form a bundle. Extending laterally downwardly from opposite sides of the hump are broad bandlike shoulders 18b, the outer edges of which terminate at adjoining pockets of adjacent rows. The underside of the shoulders 18b, when loaded trays are arranged in stacked relation, engage in a slinglike manner a substantial peripheral portion of the apple accommodated in the tray below, see FIG. 2.

The hump 18a serves several functions: (a) it provides a fulcrum about which the shoulders may bend, if required, to more readily conform to the surface configuration of the apple engaged thereby; (b) it adds stiffness to the tray and thereby minimizes distortion thereof, when loaded; and (c) during forming of the tray, may provide support for the central portion of the tray during drying thereof, and thus, prevent warpage which might otherwise occur particularly when the tray is formed of molded pulp.

The peripheral flange 17 of the tray 14 provides overall stiffness to the tray and defines an area which is closely akin in configuration to the bottom surface 12 of the outer container 11 or the area defined by the container walls 13. Sufficient clearance is provided, however, between the tray periphery and the container walls 13 so as to enable each tray to be positioned within the container with the plane of the tray substantially parallel to the bottom surface. As aforementioned, in prior tray constructions utilized for this purpose, excessive fruit bruising became a serious problem, particularly as to the fruit accommodated in certain of the corner pockets of the tray. This difficulty as to these pockets was due, in part, at least to the fact that such pockets were shallow and, after a short period of time, they began to sag because of inadequate vertical support. Once sagging had occurred, the fruit became loosely accommodated in the peripheral pockets and repeatedly contacted the side and end walls of the container even though the latter was subjected to normal handling. The repeated contact with the walls caused the fruit to incur multiple bruises and scars, and thus, seriously impair the marketability of such fruit.

The illustrated tray 14 readily avoids these problems by increasing the effective depth of the peripheral pockets by reason of the substantial upward projection of the flange 17 and by sizing the periphery of the tray relative to the interior shape of the outer container so that flexing of the corner pockets B and C is restrained by the peripheral flange 17 engaging at X the interior surface of the container wall.

Because of the shape of the pockets, there is a natural tendency for the corner pockets to flex about a point 20 located in an area where contact occurs between the apple disposed in the tray below and the underside of the corner pockets in question, see FIGS. 4 and 6. The point 20, in each instance, is disposed beneath the plane defined by the upper edge of flange 17 and the location X where engagement occurs between the flange 17 and the container wall. By reason of the contact at X, vertical support for the periphery of the tray is provided by the wall, and thus, the tray will remain in a substantially horizontal plane and cause the fruit to be snugly accommodated within the container. The height of the flange 17 is such that it will have a portion thereof interposed the container wall and the exterior of the accommodated fruit.

As is common in trays of this general type, two of the opposed edge portions of each tray are provided with finger holes 21 which facilitate removal of the loaded trays from the container by the retailer. Furthermore, such holes may provide some ventilation for the packed articles while disposed within the outer container 11.

In package 10, all of the trays 14 are of like construction and thus, it is necessary when forming the package that each successive tray be turned 180.degree. relative to the preceding tray so that the pockets of the lower tray will be in vertical alignment with the struts of the upper tray.

In forming package 10, an empty tray is placed within the container so that it rests upon the bottom surface 12 and with the pockets thereof exposed. The fruit is then placed either manually or mechanically within the pockets with the stem and calyx end of the fruit as closely aligned with the longitudinal axis of the pocket as possible.

Once the tray has been fully loaded, a second empty tray is placed in overlying relation with respect to the initially loaded tray. As aforementioned, the second tray is turned 180.degree. with respect to the first tray. The pockets of the second tray are then filled in the same manner as in the case of the first tray. The described procedure is repeated until the top level of the accommodated fruit approximates the height of the container wall 13, whereupon a top tray, in inverted position, is placed over the top level of fruit. The cover or closing flaps, not shown, are then positioned so as to close the outer container. When the cover or closing flaps are in closing position, a small amount of compressive force is exerted upon the stack of loaded trays.

FIGS. 5-8 disclose a modified form of the improved package 100. The difference between packages 10 and 100 is that in the latter, two different types of trays are utilized, one type of tray 14 is the same as previously described with respect to package 10 and the other type of tray 114 is similar to tray 14 except that the pockets 115 have the longitudinal axes thereof disposed at 90.degree. relative to the longitudinal axes of pockets 15. Furthermore, the pockets 115 are in vertical alignment with the struts 18 of the tray 14 disposed therebeneath. Thus, in package 110, alternate trays in the stack are either type 14 or 114. No 180.degree. turning of successive trays of the stack is required in package 110. Aside from the aforenoted differences, packages 10 and 100 are substantially the same, and thus, similar parts of the trays 14 and 114 are identified by like numbers except that in tray 114, the numbers are in the 100 series.

FIGS. 9 and 10 disclose a second modified form of tray 214 which is utilized to form package 200. Tray 214 is similar to trays 14 and 114 except that the humps 218a of the rows of pockets Y and Z, which are adjacent the narrow ends of the tray, extend in a direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tray. The humps 218a of the rows of pockets intermediate the end rows Y and Z, on the other hand, extend in a direction transversely of the longitudinal axis of the tray. As in the case of tray 14, it is necessary that each successive tray 214 in the stack be turned 180.degree.. Aside from the aforenoted structural differences, trays 14 and 214 are substantially the same.

With any of the improved trays, the accommodated fruit is effectively cradled by the pocket involved in combination with the strut of the tray disposed thereabove so that it will be immobilized to such an extent that in many instances individual wrapping of each piece of fruit may be avoided. The avoidance of such an operation will expedite packing and will reduce the cost thereof. Furthermore, the improved trays may be readily formed of inexpensive material and yet, are possessed of sufficient strength that they may be readily handled when loaded either manually or mechanically without danger of the fruit falling off the tray. The improved trays enable the fruit to be snugly packed and to remain so during normal handling of the package.

While the shape of the tray pockets have heretofore been described as being of substantially oval configuration, it is to be understood, of course, that the invention is not intended to be limited thereto as said pockets may assume various other shapes such as round, square, octagonal, etc. The shape of the pockets will depend upon the type and shape of the articles to be accommodated thereIn.

Claims

We claim:

1. A package for fragile articles comprising a container having a substantially horizontal bottom delimited by upright walls; and a plurality of relatively stiff article-loaded trays arranged in stacked, horizontal, substantially superposed relation within said container, the height of the stack being substantially coextensive with the height of the container walls; each tray having a peripheral configuration closely approximating the area delimited by said container walls and including a continuous upwardly extending peripheral flange, a plurality of laterally spaced, article-receiving pockets, said pockets being recessed a substantial distance from a given horizontal plane defined by the upper edge portion of said flange, and a plurality of strut portions disposed intermediate and separating said pockets, the strut portions of one tray being in substantial vertical alignment with the pockets of the tray disposed therebeneath, each strut portion having the upper surface thereof contoured to provide a centrally disposed elongated hump and broad bandlike shoulders extending laterally from opposite sides of said hump, segments of the upper surface of the strut portions being substAntially coplanar with said given horizontal plane; the under surface of each strut portion being contoured whereby the broad bandlike shoulders extend divergently downwardly from the under surface of said hump and are adjustable about said hump as an axis and yieldably engage in a slinglike relation the exterior of an article disposed therebeneath; said peripheral flange having segments thereof engaging the adjacent container walls whereby said segments being vertically supportable by said container walls and said tray remain in substantially parallel relation with respect to said container bottom; the engagement between said container wall and said flange segments being elevated relative to areas of engagement between the under surfaces of the strut portions of one tray and the exterior of the articles accommodated by a second tray disposed therebeneath.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein each tray of the stack is of like construction and successive trays of a stack are turned 180.degree. relative to one another.

3. The package of claim 2 wherein each pocket of a tray has a substantially oval configuration and the longitudinal axes of the pockets are in parallel relation with respect to a given wall of said container.

4. The package of claim 1 wherein each tray is of molded pulp construction.

5. The package of claim 1 wherein the upper surface segments of the strut portions comprise the upper end limits of said humps.

6. The package of claim 1 wherein said pockets are arranged in a plurality of elongated, substantially parallel rows with the pockets in one row being in staggered relation with the pockets in an adjacent row.

7. The package of claim 1 wherein said given horizontal plane is defined by the upper edge of said continuous peripheral range.