Tray for transporting and stacking layers of structural bottles

Abstract

A tray is provided for supporting and transporting layers of bottles. The tray includes a plurality of pockets for holding bottles separated by channels. A sleeve having a plurality of panels is placed in the channels. The sleeve and bottles support additional layers of trays.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A tray comprising:
 a generally rectangular sheet of material having a first side, a second side opposing the first side, a first end and a second end opposing the first end;   a plurality of pockets forming depressions in the sheet, each pocket including a plurality of upwardly extending bottle supporting projections, each bottle supporting projection positioned to support a central portion of a bottom of a bottle, each pocket further including sidewalls having transitional ledge portions, the transitional ledge portions positioned to support a peripheral edge of the bottom of the bottle; and,   a plurality of channels separating each of the plurality of pockets.   
     
     
         2 . The tray of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the plurality of pockets includes a centrally positioned upwardly extending projection having a transitional ledge portion positioned to support a peripheral edge of the bottom of the bottle. 
     
     
         3 . The tray of  claim 2  wherein the at least one of the plurality of pockets includes four bottle supporting projections surrounding the centrally positioned projection. 
     
     
         4 . The tray of  claim 1  further comprising an upwardly extending sleeve having panels positioned in the plurality of channels. 
     
     
         5 . The tray of  claim 4  further comprising a plurality of slots formed in the plurality of channels. 
     
     
         6 . The tray of  claim 5  wherein the sleeve includes a plurality of downwardly extending tabs positioned to engage the slots. 
     
     
         7 . The tray of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of bosses extending upwardly from the channels to hold the sleeve in place. 
     
     
         8 . The tray of  claim 1  wherein each bottle supporting projection includes a lower surface configured to rest on a shoulder portion of a bottle. 
     
     
         9 . The tray of  claim 1  wherein the sheet is formed from plastic. 
     
     
         10 . The tray of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve is formed from a plastic. 
     
     
         11 . The tray of  claim 10  wherein the sleeve is a corrugated material having a first outer layer and a second outer layer separated by a plurality of flutes. 
     
     
         12 . A tray for supporting bottles in a stack comprising:
 a generally rectangular sheet of material having a first side, a second side opposing the first side, a first end and a second end opposing the first end;   a plurality of upwardly extending bottle supporting projections formed in the rectangular sheet of material;   a plurality of channels formed in the rectangular sheet of material; and,   a sleeve having panels positioned in the plurality of channels.   
     
     
         13 . The tray of  claim 12  wherein the rectangular sheet of material includes a plurality of pockets forming depressions in the sheet and each bottle supporting projection is positioned to support a central portion of a bottom of a bottle. 
     
     
         14 . The tray of  claim 13  wherein each pocket further including sidewalls having transitional ledge portions positioned to support a peripheral edge of the bottom of the bottle. 
     
     
         15 . The tray of  claim 12  further comprising a plurality of bosses extending upwardly from the channels to hold the sleeve in place. 
     
     
         16 . The tray of  claim 12  further comprising a plurality of slots formed in the plurality of channels. 
     
     
         17 . The tray of  claim 16  wherein the sleeve includes a plurality of downwardly extending tabs positioned to engage the slots. 
     
     
         18 . The tray of  claim 12  wherein the projections are configured to receive and rest on a top portion of a bottle. 
     
     
         19 . The tray of  claim 12  wherein the rectangular sheet of material is formed from plastic. 
     
     
         20 . The tray of  claim 12  wherein the sheet is formed from plastic.