Overwrap pad tray

Abstract

A tray to support a plurality of containers includes a base portion, a first pair of opposing side walls extending upwardly from the base portion, and a second pair of opposing side walls extending upwardly from the base portion and interconnecting the first pair of opposing side walls to form a shallow tray body. The first and second pairs of opposing side walls have non-linear profiles to conform to outer contours of the containers. A sheet of plastic is wrapped around the containers and tray body to securely hold the containers within the tray.

1 . A tray to support a plurality of containers comprising:
 a base portion;   a first pair of opposing side walls extending upwardly from the base portion; and   a second pair of opposing side walls extending upwardly from the base portion and interconnecting the first pair of opposing side walls to form a shallow tray body, wherein the first and second pairs of opposing side walls have non-linear profiles.   
     
     
         2 . The tray according to  claim 1  wherein the base portion and first and second pairs of opposing side walls are comprised of a single sheet of material. 
     
     
         3 . The tray according to  claim 2  wherein the single sheet of material comprises a molded plastic body. 
     
     
         4 . The tray according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second pairs of opposing side walls are shaped to conform to an outer contour of at least one container. 
     
     
         5 . The tray according to  claim 4  wherein the first and second pairs of opposing side walls are shaped to conform to an outer contour of a plurality of containers. 
     
     
         6 . The tray according to  claim 1  wherein the non-linear profiles comprise a plurality of curved wall portions that are axially spaced apart from each other along each of the first and second pairs of opposing side walls. 
     
     
         7 . The tray according to  claim 1  wherein the base portion includes a plurality of pockets separated from each other by at least one wall portion, where each pocket is to receive one container. 
     
     
         8 . The tray according to  claim 7  wherein each pocket comprises a generally flat bottom surface and includes a raised disc portion extending upwardly from the flat bottom surface, the raised disc portion comprising a locating feature for a container. 
     
     
         9 . The tray according to  claim 7  wherein the pockets are arranged in a series of rows, and wherein between adjacent rows of pockets, a plurality of supports are formed as part of the base portion. 
     
     
         10 . The tray according to  claim 9  wherein each support comprises a raised boss portion that extends upwardly from the base portion at a center location between a group of four adjacent pockets. 
     
     
         11 . The tray according to  claim 10  wherein each raised boss portion includes an upper surface including a recess that extends downwardly from the upper surface to form a support leg to contact a structure underneath the tray body. 
     
     
         12 . The tray according to  claim 10  wherein each raised boss portion includes an upper surface that comprises a generally flat support surface. 
     
     
         13 . The tray according to  claim 7  wherein each pocket that has a portion associated with one of the first and second pairs of opposing sides walls includes at least one protruding rib that extends downwardly from a bottom surface of the base portion to contact a structure underneath the tray body. 
     
     
         14 . The tray according to  claim 13  wherein each pocket that has a portion associated with one of the first and second pairs of opposing sides walls comprises one of a corner pocket or a center side pocket, and wherein the protruding rib extends around more than 50% of an outer peripheral dimension of each of the corner pockets, and wherein the protruding rib extends around less than 50% of an outer peripheral dimension of each of the center side pockets. 
     
     
         15 . The tray according to  claim 14  wherein the protruding ribs for the center side pockets are positioned at a first radially inward distance relative to a center of the respective center side pocket and wherein the protruding ribs for the corner pockets are positioned at a second radially inward distance relative to a center of the respective corner pocket, the second radially inward distance being greater than the first radially inward distance. 
     
     
         16 . The tray according to  claim 7  wherein each pocket includes a bottom surface and wherein the at least one wall portion comprises a curved wall that extends upwardly from the bottom surface, and wherein each pair of adjacent pockets is connected by an additional wall portion to increase support. 
     
     
         17 . The tray according to  claim 16  wherein the additional wall portions comprise flat linear surfaces that are in alignment with each other in a row and column relationship. 
     
     
         18 . The tray according to  claim 7  wherein each pocket includes a raised disc portion that provides an arcuate surface to be received within a corresponding recess formed in a bottom surface of a container. 
     
     
         19 . The tray according to  claim 7  wherein the plurality of pockets comprise a set of corner pockets, a set of center side pockets located between the corner pockets and having a portion formed as part of one of the first and second pairs of opposing side walls, and a set of center pockets that are not associated with either of the first and second pairs of opposing side walls, and wherein at least one of the center pockets includes at least one protruding lip portion that extends downward from a bottom surface of the pocket to contact a structure underneath the tray body. 
     
     
         20 . The tray according to  claim 19  wherein the at least one protruding lip portion comprises a plurality of protruding lip portions that are circumferentially spaced apart from each other about the center pocket. 
     
     
         21 . The tray according to  claim 19  wherein each of the corner pockets and each of the center side pockets includes a downwardly protruding rib to contact a structure underneath the tray body. 
     
     
         22 . The tray according to  claim 21  wherein the protruding rib extends around more than 50% of an outer dimension of each of the corner pockets, and wherein the protruding rib extends around less than 50% of an outer dimension of each of the center side pockets. 
     
     
         23 . The tray according to  claim 7  wherein the plurality of pockets comprise a set of corner pockets, a set of center side pockets located between the corner pockets and having a portion formed as part of one of the first and second pairs of opposing side walls, and a set of center pockets that are not associated with either of the first and second pairs of opposing side walls, and wherein each of the center pockets is connected to adjacent pockets via a protruding rib that extends downwardly from a bottom surface of the base portion. 
     
     
         24 . The tray according to  claim 23  wherein the corner pockets and center side pockets are connected to each other via at least one wall portion comprising flat linear surfaces that are non-coplanar with a bottom surface of the protruding ribs. 
     
     
         25 . The tray according to  claim 7  including a sheet of plastic wrapped around the containers and tray body to securely hold the containers within the pockets. 
     
     
         26 . The tray according to  claim 7  wherein the plurality of pockets comprise a set of corner pockets, a set of center side pockets located between the corner pockets and having a portion formed as part of one of the first and second pairs of opposing side walls, and a set of center pockets that are not associated with either of the first and second pairs of opposing side walls, and wherein at least one of the center pockets is connected to each adjacent pocket with a rib that extends downwardly to contact a structure underneath the tray body. 
     
     
         27 . The tray according to  claim 7  wherein each pocket includes a bottom surface with the at least one wall portion comprising a curved wall that extends upwardly around a perimeter of the bottom surface, wherein the curved wall is shaped to conform to an outer contour of a container. 
     
     
         28 . The tray according to  claim 27  wherein the curved wall is discontinuous at a connection location to each adjacent pocket. 
     
     
         29 . The tray according to  claim 28  wherein the connection locations comprise an additional wall portion that extends transversely relative to the respective curved wall.