Stackable, multi-compartment containers with de-nesting features

Abstract

An easily denested tray is described. Denesting features are provided in eight or fewer corner edges of a two-compartment tray, although these features are further enhanced by differing angles of sidewalls for the compartments, as well as the angle at which each feature itself is formed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tray container having:
 a three dimensional shape including a length, a width, and a height;   a flange defining a flat planar surface at an upper edge of the container, with the flange tracing a polygonal shape along the length and the width;   a length-wise divider having two divider walls each extending down at a divider wall angle from opposing edges of a divider flange and wherein a top surface of the divider flange adjoins or extends in a plane that is parallel to the flat planar surface of the flange;   first and second compartments disposed on opposite sides of the divider, each compartment having a flat bottom, an end wall running parallel to the divider walls, and two opposing side walls connected to the divider and the end wall, wherein each end wall extends down from the flange at a end wall angle;   a plurality of denesting members, with no more than one denesting member positioned in at least two corners of each compartment, the denesting members having a lateral facing disposed at denesting angle and wherein the corners of each compartment are defined by the intersection of: i) one of the side walls and the end wall, and ii) one of the side walls and the one of the divider walls; and   wherein the divider angle is greater than the end wall angle, the end wall angle is greater than the denesting angle, with all angles are measured relative to a vertical axis of the container; and wherein no more than eight denesting features are provided in total.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the divider wall angle is about 1.20 times larger than the end wall angle. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the denesting angle is less than the end wall angle and the end wall angle is less than the divider wall angle. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1  wherein a thickness of each of the side walls, the divider wall, and the end wall in each compartment is substantially identical. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4  wherein a maximum horizontal thickness of each denesting member is about four times greater than the thickness of each of the side walls, the divider wall, and the end wall in each compartment. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1  wherein each denesting member has a cross-sectional shape of a trapezoid, with a base of the trapezoid coinciding with the flange and an angled side of the trapezoid defining the third angle. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1  wherein an angled corner sidewall is provided at each corner so that a single denesting member is positioned at an upper edge of each angled corner sidewall where said angled corner sidewall adjoins the flange. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7  wherein each angled corner sidewall is disposed at a corner wall angle and wherein the corner wall angle is greater than the divider wall angle. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 8  wherein the corner wall angle is about twice as large as the denesting angle. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the container has only two compartments. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 10  wherein the first compartment is larger than the second compartment. 
     
     
         12 . A stack of containers comprising:
 a plurality of containers according to  claim 1 ; and   wherein each container is arranged so that the flange of each container is spaced axially apart from a flange of any container above or below it at a uniform axial spacing and wherein an individual container exposed at a top of the stack can be removed by a denesting force that is between 0.25% to 25% of a lifting force otherwise required to lift a single tray.   
     
     
         13 . The stack of containers according to  claim 12  where a planar bottom of each compartment of six or more stacked containers are confined within an axial height of a bottom-most container in the stack.