Carrier tray

Abstract

A carrier tray having a plurality of compartments separated by a plurality of dividers. Each carrier tray has a plurality of stacking pins on a top portion and a plurality of pin holes on a bottom portion. Each stacking pin is located in an area approximately adjacent to each pin hole such that, for a given set of a stacking pin and a pin hole, the stacking pin is slightly offset relative to the pin hole. When stacking the carrier trays to form a stacked configuration of carrier trays, each carrier tray is rotated 180° relative to a carrier tray immediately below and a carrier tray immediately above the carrier tray.

1 . A carrier tray, comprising:
 a plurality of compartments separated by a plurality of divider walls, the plurality of compartments comprising:
 a plurality of bottom surfaces; 
 a plurality of outer sidewalls and a plurality of outer end walls extending continuously upwardly from the bottom surfaces, each outer end wall including at least one radially projecting protrusion projecting inwardly toward a compartment and at least one longitudinal concave groove adjacent to each radially projecting protrusion; 
 a plurality of stacking pins, each stacking pin located on a top surface of each radially projecting protrusion; and 
 a plurality of pin holes, each pin hole located on a bottom surface of each longitudinal concave groove. 
   
   
   
       2 . The carrier tray of  claim 1  wherein the carrier tray is approximately rectangular in configuration and each compartment is approximately rectangular in configuration. 
   
   
       3 . The carrier tray of  claim 2 , further comprising, at least two peripheral guide pads, each peripheral guide pad positioned in adjacent compartments along a length of the rectangular carrier tray, each peripheral guide pad located at an end corner where an outer end wall and an outer sidewall of a compartment meet. 
   
   
       4 . The carrier tray of  claim 2  wherein the plurality of divider walls comprises a first divider wall, a second divider wall and a third divider wall, the first divider wall extending across a width of the carrier tray and centered thereto, the second divider wall extending across one-half of a length of the carrier tray and centered thereto, the third divider wall extending across one-half of the length of the carrier tray opposite to the second divider and centered thereto. 
   
   
       5 . The carrier tray of  claim 4 , further comprising, a plurality of corner stiffening gussets positioned at corners where the second divider wall meets the first divider wall and the third divider wall meets the first divider wall for adding corner strength to the plurality of compartments. 
   
   
       6 . The carrier tray of  claim 4 , further comprising, a plurality of inner guide pads located along the first divider. 
   
   
       7 . The carrier tray of  claim 4  wherein the plurality of divider walls include a plurality of concave grooves. 
   
   
       8 . The carrier tray of  claim 4  wherein the plurality of divider walls define a gap underneath. 
   
   
       9 . The carrier tray of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a flange integrally connected to, and outwardly projecting from, a perimeter of the plurality of outer sidewalls and the plurality of outer end walls of the carrier tray; and   a plurality of reinforcing gussets positioned about the flange approximate to an area where outer ends of the plurality of dividers meet an inner peripheral wall of the carrier tray.   
   
   
       10 . The carrier tray of  claim 9 , further comprising, a plurality of ribs about the perimeter of the plurality of outer side walls, the plurality of outer end walls and the plurality of bottom surfaces of the compartments. 
   
   
       11 . The carrier tray of  claim 9 , further comprising, a plurality of depressions about the flange. 
   
   
       12 . The carrier tray of  claim 2 , further comprising, a plurality of apertures on the bottom surfaces of the compartments. 
   
   
       13 . The carrier tray of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of stacking pins and the plurality of pins holes are offset relative to one another such that when placing a subsequent carrier tray on top of the carrier tray, the subsequent carrier tray is rotated 180° relative to the carrier tray. 
   
   
       14 . The carrier tray of  claim 1  wherein a material comprising the carrier tray is one of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene or polypropylenes. 
   
   
       15 . A stacked carrier tray configuration, comprising:
 a plurality of carrier trays stacked together wherein, for a given carrier tray, the carrier tray is offset from a carrier tray immediately below and a carrier tray immediately above the carrier tray; and   a plurality of stacking pins on a plurality of top surfaces of each carrier tray and a plurality of pin holes on a plurality of bottom surfaces of each carrier tray wherein, for a given carrier tray, the plurality of stacking pins and the plurality of pin holes are offset relative to one another.   
   
   
       16 . The stacked carrier tray configuration of  claim 15  wherein a ventilation gap is formed between each carrier tray of the stacked carrier tray configuration. 
   
   
       17 . The stacked carrier tray configuration of  claim 15  wherein each carrier tray is approximately rectangular in configuration and each carrier has a plurality of compartments, each compartment approximately rectangular in configuration. 
   
   
       18 . A method of stacking carrier trays, comprising:
 placing a first carrier tray on a surface;   rotating a subsequent carrier tray 180° relative to the first carrier tray;   placing the subsequent carrier tray on top of the first carrier tray; and   repeating the rotating and placing of subsequent carrier trays until a stacked carrier tray configuration is formed.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 fitting a plurality of pins of the first carrier tray to a plurality of pin holes of the subsequent carrier tray wherein the first carrier tray is offset relative to the subsequent carrier tray; and   repeating the fitting for each subsequent carrier tray of the stacked carrier tray configuration.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 forming a gap between a top surface of the first carrier tray and a bottom surface of the subsequent carrier tray; and   repeating the forming for each subsequent carrier tray of the stacked carrier tray configuration.