Compact stackable tray

Abstract

A compact stackable tray system is disclosed wherein in a first orientation the supports of a lower tray maintain an upper tray away from the lower tray such that one of a plurality of standard milk containers stored on the lower tray may be freely removed and in a second orientation wherein the supports of the lower tray nest within the support of the upper tray such that the lower surface of the upper tray rests against the upper surface of the lower tray.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A compact stackable tray configured for stacking with other like trays comprising:
 a flat rectangular support;   a plurality of dividers integral to said support and separating an upper surface of said support into a plurality of compartments, each of said compartments sized to receive a bottom of at least one standard milk container therein;   a rim about a periphery of said rectangular support; and   a first pair of hollow uprights arranged towards a first short edge of said support and a second pair of hollow uprights arranged towards a second short edge of said support opposite said first edge, said uprights extending above said support to a height above that of a standard milk container when supported on the support;   wherein in a first orientation of said tray to an upper like tray, the upper like tray is supported by said uprights of said tray and such that a lower surface of a support of the upper tray is maintained at least a height of said standard milk container above an upper surface of said support of said tray and wherein a standard milk container positioned in any of said compartments of said tray can be removed across a given long edge of said tray without moving said upper tray and further wherein in a second orientation of the upper tray to said tray rotated 180 degrees horizontally to said first orientation, said hollow uprights of said tray nest within said hollow uprights of the upper tray and such that the lower surface of the support of the upper tray is immediately adjacent said upper surface of said support of said tray when empty and further wherein said uprights combined can support a minimum weight of 160 kgs.   
     
     
         2 . The compact stackable tray of  claim 1 , wherein an apex of each of said uprights is flat. 
     
     
         3 . The compact stackable tray of  claim 1 , wherein each of said first pair of uprights are positioned at a corner of said support and each of said second pair of uprights are positioned between a corner of said support and a center of said second short edge. 
     
     
         4 . The compact stackable tray of  claim 1 , wherein each of said hollow uprights is of a rectangular frustum shape. 
     
     
         5 . The compact stackable tray of  claim 1 , wherein each of said uprights comprises an air hole in a top thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The compact stackable tray of  claim 1 , wherein said rim has a height above said rectangular support is substantially the same or greater than that of said dividers. 
     
     
         7 . The compact stackable tray of  claim 1 , wherein a long edge of each of said compartments is arranged in parallel to a long edge of said support. 
     
     
         8 . The compact stackable tray of  claim 1 , wherein at said standard milk container is selected from a group comprising a standard four liter milk bag, a standard four liter jug, a standard two liter carton or carton and a standard one liter carton or carton. 
     
     
         9 . The compact stackable tray of  claim 1 , wherein at said standard milk container is selected from a group comprising a standard gallon jug, a standard half gallon jug or carton, and a standard one quart jug or carton. 
     
     
         10 . The compact stackable tray of  claim 8 , wherein said standard milk container is a four liter milk bag and further wherein a height of said dividers is sufficient to maintain said standard four liter milk bag in an upright position. 
     
     
         11 . The compact stackable tray of  claim 8 , wherein said standard milk container is a four liter milk bag and further wherein said support is configured to receive ten of said four liter milk bags. 
     
     
         12 . The compact stackable tray of  claim 8 , wherein said standard milk container is a gallon jug and further wherein said support is configured to receive ten of said gallon jugs. 
     
     
         13 . The compact stackable tray of  claim 8 , wherein said standard milk container is a two liter carton and further wherein said support is configured to receive twenty of said two liter cartons. 
     
     
         14 . The compact stackable tray of  claim 8 , wherein said standard milk container is a one liter carton and further wherein said support is configured to receive forty of said one liter cartons. 
     
     
         15 . The compact stackable tray of  claim 1 , wherein in said nested second orientation an outer surface of each of said uprights of said lower tray and an inner surface of each of a respective one of said uprights of said upper tray do not come into contact. 
     
     
         16 . The compact stackable tray of  claim 1 , wherein four of said trays fit snugly in a 2×2 configuration on a standard 40×48 pallet. 
     
     
         17 . A compact stackable tray system comprising:
 a pair of like compact stackable trays arranged as an upper tray and a lower tray, each of said trays comprising:
 a flat rectangular support; 
 a plurality of dividers separating an upper surface of said support into a plurality of compartments, each of said compartments sized to receive at least one standard milk container therein; 
 a rim about a periphery of said rectangular support; and 
 a first pair of hollow uprights arranged along a first short edge of said support and a second pair of hollow uprights arranged on a second short edge of said support opposite said first edge, said uprights extending above said support; 
   wherein in a first orientation of said upper tray to said lower tray, said upper tray is supported by said uprights of said lower tray such that a lower surface of said support of said upper tray is maintained at least a height of the standard milk container above an upper surface of said support of said lower tray and wherein a standard milk container positioned in any of said compartments of said lower tray can be removed across a given long edge of said lower tray without moving said upper tray and further wherein in a second orientation of said upper tray to said lower tray rotated 180 degrees horizontally to said first orientation, said hollow uprights of said lower tray nest within said hollow uprights of said upper tray and such that said lower surface of said support of said upper tray is immediately adjacent said upper surface of said support of said lower tray and further wherein for each tray said uprights combined can support a minimum weight of 160 kgs.   
     
     
         18 . The compact stackable tray system of  claim 17 , wherein the standard milk container is a standard four liter milk bag, wherein a long edge of each of said compartments is arranged in parallel to a long edge of said support, and further wherein a height of said rim is sufficient to maintain a standard four liter milk bag in an upright position. 
     
     
         19 . The compact stackable tray system of  claim 17 , wherein said rim has a height above said rectangular support greater than that of said dividers. 
     
     
         20 . A compact stackable tray system for stacking milk containers of a plurality of different milk container formats:
 for a given one of the plurality of standard milk container formats, at least one compact stackable tray comprising:
 a flat rectangular support; 
 a plurality of dividers separating an upper surface of said support into a plurality of compartments, each of said compartments sized to receive at least one standard milk container of the given standard milk container format therein; 
 a rim about a periphery of said rectangular support; and 
 a first pair of hollow uprights arranged along a first short edge of said support and a second pair of hollow uprights arranged on a second short edge of said support opposite said first edge, said uprights extending above said support; 
   wherein in a first orientation, an upper tray is supported by uprights of a lower tray such that a lower surface of a support of said upper tray is maintained at least a height of said given standard milk container of said lower tray above an upper surface of said support of said lower tray and wherein a standard milk container positioned in any of said compartments of said lower tray can be removed across a given long edge of said lower tray without moving said upper tray and further wherein in a second orientation of said upper tray to said lower tray rotated 180 degrees horizontally to said first orientation, if said upper tray and said lower tray are each adapted for stacking a like given milk container format, said hollow uprights of said lower tray nest within said hollow uprights of said upper tray and such that said lower surface of said support of said upper tray is immediately adjacent said upper surface of said support of said lower tray, and if said upper tray and said lower tray are each adapted for stacking a different given milk container format, said hollow uprights of said lower tray are unable to nest within said hollow uprights of said upper tray, and further wherein for each tray said uprights combined can support a minimum weight of 160 kgs.   
     
     
         21 . The compact stackable tray system of  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of different milk container formats are selected from a group comprising a standard four liter milk bag, a standard gallon jug, a standard two liter carton and a standard one liter carton.