Tray for transporting horticultural containers

Abstract

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a tray for transporting a plurality of horticultural containers. The tray comprises: a plurality of connected container receiving pockets each having a bottom portion and an open distal portion opposite the bottom portion and sized to receive a horticultural container; and a plurality of tabs projecting into at least one of the pockets, each of the plurality of tabs including an upper end connected to the pocket below the open distal portion and extending downward at an angle to position a free distal end into the pocket with a bias against outward radial displacement.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tray for transporting a plurality of horticultural containers, comprising:
 a plurality of connected container receiving pockets each having a bottom portion and an open distal portion opposite the bottom portion and sized to receive a horticultural container; and   a plurality of tabs projecting into at least one of the pockets, each of the plurality of tabs including an upper end connected to the pocket below the open distal portion and extending downward at an angle to position a free distal end into the pocket with a bias against outward radial displacement.   
     
     
         2 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the free distal end of the tab is concave. 
     
     
         3 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein a width the tab at the free distal end is greater than a length of the tab. 
     
     
         4 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the angle is greater than approximately 15 degrees but less than approximately 35 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The tray of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pocket opening corresponding to each of the plurality of tabs, each pocket opening defined by an upright side wall of the at least one pocket and having a peripheral upper edge below the open distal portion, wherein the upper ends of the tabs are connected to the pocket at the upper edges of respective pocket openings.   
     
     
         6 . The tray of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the plurality of tabs including two pairs of opposedly positioned tabs.   
     
     
         7 . The tray of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the plurality of connected container receiving pockets including adjacent first and second pockets each having an upright side wall;   an upper surface connecting the open distal portions of the first and second pockets;   a cross-channel defined by the upper surface and extending between the upright side walls of the first and second pockets.   
     
     
         8 . The tray of  claim 7 , wherein the cross-channel is disposed between two adjacent tabs. 
     
     
         9 . The tray of  claim 7 , wherein a vertex of the cross-channel is disposed proximate to the bottom portions of the first and second pockets. 
     
     
         10 . The tray of  claim 7 , wherein the cross-channel extends offset from an imaginary line extending between respective radial axes of the first and second pockets. 
     
     
         11 . The tray of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the plurality of connected container receiving pockets including six pockets arranged in a three-by-two array.   
     
     
         12 . A method of transporting a plurality of horticultural containers, comprising:
 loading a bottom of a horticultural container within a first of a plurality of container receiving pockets included in a tray and having a bottom portion and an open distal portion opposite the bottom portion;   engaging a side wall of the horticultural container with a plurality of tabs each including an upper end connected to the first pocket below the open distal portion and extending downward at an angle to position a free distal end into the first pocket with a bias against outward radial displacement;   slidably engaging the side wall of the horticultural container with the plurality of tabs to radially displace the distal ends of the tabs with respect to the first pocket until the distal ends of the tabs engage the side wall of the horticultural container and apply radially inward tension thereto; and   abutting the bottom of the horticultural container with the bottom portion of the first pocket.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the free distal end of the tab has a concave profile approximating the side wall of the horticultural container. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a width the tab at the free distal end is greater than a length of the tab. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the angle is greater than approximately 15 degrees but less than approximately 30 degrees. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of tabs includes two pairs of opposedly positioned tabs. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 propagating a plant within the horticultural container; and   transporting the horticultural container with the plant therein with the tray.   
     
     
         18 . A tray for transporting a plurality of horticultural containers, comprising:
 at least one container receiving pocket sized to receive a horticultural container and having a bottom portion, an open distal portion opposite the bottom portion and an upright side wall extending therebetween;   four pocket openings defined by the upright side wall, the pocket openings equally circumferentially spaced with respect to the upright side wall and each having a peripheral upper edge below the open distal portion of the pocket; and   a tab connected at each of the peripheral upper edges of the pocket openings, the tabs extending downward at an angle from the peripheral upper edges of the pocket openings to position a concave free distal end of the tab having a width greater than a length of the tab into the pocket with a bias against outward radial displacement.