Compartmented Tray for Condiment Containers

Abstract

A compartmented tray has an array of receptacle interconnected by a common top wall. The top wall has a peripheral flange which reinforces the tray, and the receptacles are all interconnected by troughs which further increase the tray's flexural stiffness.

1 . A tray for holding condiment containers, said tray comprising
 at least two rows of receptacles, each receptacle having a bottom wall with a circular periphery and a side wall extending upward from the periphery of the bottom wall around a vertical receptacle axis,   said receptacles being interconnected by a planar top wall which extends outward from said side walls to a continuous peripheral rim,   all said receptacles also being interconnected by troughs, each said trough having a rounded bottom extending along a horizontal axis which intersects the vertical axis of each receptacle through which the trough passes.   
     
     
         2 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein said side walls are tapered at and an angle of from 1° to 10°. 
     
     
         3 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein said recesses are substantially identical in size, shape and spacing. 
     
     
         4 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the tray is formed of a polymeric material. 
     
     
         5 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material is of substantially uniform thickness. 
     
     
         6 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein said thickness is in the range of 0.020 to 0.040 inch. 
     
     
         7 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material is polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         8 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal axis of each trough lies a distance hl below the top wall. 
     
     
         9 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the distance hl divided by the tray height H is in the range of 0.1 to 0.5. 
     
     
         10 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein each receptacle bottom has an inside diameter D and each said trough bottom has an inside diameter d, and the ratio d/D is in the range of 0.4 to 0.6. 
     
     
         11 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein said trough bottoms lie a distance h2 above said bottom walls. 
     
     
         12 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein said distance h2 is in the range of 0.1 to 0.5. 
     
     
         13 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the troughs and peripheral receptacle walls define octagonal mesas between each pair of diagonally adjacent receptacles. 
     
     
         14 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the mesas are coplanar with the top wall. 
     
     
         15 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the rim comprises a reinforcing flange extending downward from the top wall.