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US 11,111,064 B2Granted
Caseless tier sheet
AssigneeRehrig Pacific Company
InventorSuzanne Whitfield Clark
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tier sheet includes a deck having a support surface. A plurality of walls extend downward to define lower recesses for receiving the upper ends of containers therebelow. In one embodiment, the tier sheet is a single thermoformed sheet and includes a plurality of upper recesses formed in the deck, each upper recess defined between an outer wall and a column. In another embodiment, the tier sheet is injection molded.
Claims28
A tier sheet comprising:
- a deck having a support surface;
- a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from the deck and a pair of opposed end walls extending upward from the deck wherein the pair of opposed side walls and the pair of opposed end walls angle outward as they extend upward such than an identical tier sheet could be nested therebetween;
- a plurality of columns extending downward to define lower recesses for receiving the upper ends of containers therein;
- a plurality of annular upper recesses formed in the deck, each annular upper recess defined between an outer cylindrical wall and one of the plurality of columns, wherein the outer cylindrical walls extend downward from the deck;
- and
- a plurality of recessed channels connecting the plurality of annular upper recesses to one another, wherein the recessed channels are shallower than the annular upper recesses.
3 more elements
A tier sheet and plurality of first containers in combination,
- the tier sheet comprising:
- a deck having a support surface;
- a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from the deck and a pair of opposed end walls extending upward from the deck;
- a plurality of cylindrical columns extending downward from the support surface of the deck to define lower recesses for receiving the upper ends of containers therebelow;
- a plurality of annular upper recesses formed in the deck, each annular upper recess defined between an outer cylindrical wall and one of the plurality of cylindrical columns, a tapered annular wall connecting a lower end of each outer cylindrical wall to a lower end of the respective cylindrical column, wherein the outer cylindrical walls extend downward below the side walls;
- a plurality of outer recesses formed in the deck adjacent the side walls, wherein the plurality of outer recesses are between the side walls and the plurality of outer cylindrical walls;
- and
- a plurality of recessed channels connecting the plurality of upper recesses to one another, wherein the recessed channels are shallower than the upper recesses;
- wherein the plurality of first containers each have a generally rectangular cross-section body portion and a neck portion, wherein the body portion of each of the plurality of first containers is supported on the support surface of the deck.
6 more elements
A tier sheet comprising:
- a deck having a support surface;
- a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from the deck and a pair of opposed end walls extending upward from the deck, wherein the side walls and end walls angle outward as they extend upward from the deck, such that an identical tier sheet could be nested therein when empty;
- a plurality of columns extending downward to define lower recesses for receiving the upper ends of containers;
- and
- a plurality of upper recesses formed in the deck, each upper recess defined between an outer wall and one of the plurality of columns, wherein the outer walls extend downward from the deck below the side walls to a lowermost surface of the tier sheet, a tapered wall connecting each outer wall to the respective column.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.