Multi-purpose merchandise tray

Abstract

A multi-purpose merchandise tray has base dimensions equal to support surface of a standard transport pallet. A plurality of the tray may be disposed in a stacked manner on the pallet with merchandise prearranged therein. The merchandise tray with the pallet may be readily transported and deposited at a selected location such as an aisle of the shop floor of a retail location for ready purchase of the merchandise by customers walking through the aisle.

1 . A multi-purpose merchandise tray comprising,
 a large rectangular base panel having dimensions proportionally equal to a 24 inches by 48 inches top supporting surface of a standard load supporting pallet,   two U-shaped side panels extending perpendicular to two long side edges of said base panel, said U-shaped side panels having an elongated portion and two extension panels extending perpendicular to two ends of said elongated portion,   a plurality of foldable reinforce panels formed on an upper edge of said elongated portion of each one of said side panels, said foldable reinforced panels being foldable downward to a folded position lying juxtaposed to each corresponding one of said each one elongated portion of said side panels, said foldable reinforce panels having mounting tabs formed at a free edge therein,   a plurality of mounting slots formed along and adjacent to said side edges, said mounting slots being engageable with said foldable reinforce panels for maintaining said foldable reinforce panels in said folded position,   vertical slot openings formed between neighboring foldable reinforce panels and located at directly opposite associated positions in said elongated portion of each one of said side panels,   transverse slot openings formed in said base panel, said transverse openings being located at positions aligned with two directly opposite vertical slot openings formed between said foldable reinforce panels,   two rectangular support cases located adjacent an inner surface of two opposite end panels of said tray, said support cases having a height lower than said end panels of said tray,   an open transverse slot formed at a mid point of an upper surface of each of said support cases, and said open transverse slot being aligned with the longitudinal center of said base panel, and being located directly opposite to one another,   four right angle mounting brackets located at four upper corners of said tray, said right angle mounting bracket extending upwards from an upper edge of said extension panels of said U-shaped side panels,   a plurality of longitudinal mounting slots formed in said base panel, said longitudinal mounting slots being located along the longitudinal center of said base panel,   an elongated longitudinal divider mountable in said tray for dividing interior area of said tray into two divided half longitudinal areas, said longitudinal divider and said end panels of said tray being of a same height, said longitudinal divider having a rectangular main body with two mounting hooks extending downwardly from two upper corners of said rectangular main body, said mounting hooks being engageable with said open transverse slots formed at the middle of said support cases.   
     
     
         2 . A multi-purpose merchandise tray according to  claim 1  including two rectangular flanges extending perpendicular a bottom edge of two opposite surfaces of said rectangular main body. 
     
     
         3 . A multi-purpose merchandise tray according to  claim 2  wherein each of said two rectangular flanges have dimensions equal to each divided half of said interior area of said tray. 
     
     
         4 . A multi-purpose merchandise tray according to  claim 3  including a plurality of transverse sub-dividers mountable slidably in each divided half of said interior area of said tray, said sub-dividers including a trapezoidal board having a vertical inner edge mounted in a vertical manner to a rectangular slider board, said trapezoidal board having a lower edge with a length equal to the width of said divided half of said interior area of said tray, and a height equal to the height of said longitudinal divider, said slider board also having a height equal to the height of said longitudinal divider.