Shipping tray for bench system and method

A shipping tray for a bench, the bench having a plurality of legs, the shipping tray comprising:

• a front support, a rear support, a first side support, and a second side support forming a perimeter of the shipping tray;
• a first front holder, a second front holder, and a third front holder, each positioned along the front support and each having a recess configured to receive a leg of the plurality of legs of the bench, the third front holder positioned between the first front holder and the second front holder;
• a first rear holder, a second rear holder, and a third rear holder, each positioned along the rear support and each having a recess configured to receive a leg of the plurality of legs of the bench, the third rear holder positioned between the first rear holder and the second rear holder;
• a central support connected to the third front holder and the third rear holder;
• a first X-support connected to the first front holder, the first rear holder, the third front holder, and the third rear holder;
• a second X-support connected to the second front holder, the second rear holder, the third front holder, and the third rear holder;
• and
• a network of ribbing disposed on an underside of the shipping tray
• wherein:
• each of the first front holder, the second front holder, and the third front holder include:
• a foot extending down from the underside of the shipping tray, the foot including the recess, the recess configured to receive one leg of the plurality of legs of the bench from a top of the shipping tray;
• and
• a holder border surrounding the recess;
• and
• each recess includes:
• a base having a drainage hole;
• and
• a plurality of side walls angled inward relative to each other and extending downward from the holder border to the base, the plurality of side walls having an inner surface and an outer surface.

A method of stacking a bench having a plurality of legs on a shipping tray, the method comprising:

• providing a shipping tray including,
• a front support, a rear support, a first side support, and a second side support forming a perimeter of the shipping tray;
• a first front holder, a second front holder, and a third front holder, each positioned along the front support and each having a recess configured to receive a leg of the plurality of legs of the bench, the third front holder positioned between the first front holder and the second front holder;
• a first rear holder, a second rear holder, and a third rear holder, each positioned along the rear support and each having a recess configured to receive a leg of the plurality of legs of the bench, the third rear holder positioned between the first rear holder and the second rear holder;
• a central support connected to the third front holder and the third rear holder;
• a first X-support connected to the first front holder, the first rear holder, the third front holder, and the third rear holder;
• a second X-support connected to the second front holder, the second rear holder, the third front holder, and the third rear holder;
• and
• a network of ribbing disposed on an underside of the shipping tray;
• and
• disposing the bench on the shipping tray by disposing a leg of the plurality of legs of the bench into each recess of the first front holder, the second front holder, the third front holder, the first rear holder, the second rear holder, and the third rear holder of the shipping tray.

A method of stacking a shipping tray on another shipping tray, the shipping tray configured for a bench having a plurality of legs, the method comprising:

• providing a shipping tray and another shipping tray, each including:
• a front support, a rear support, a first side support, and a second side support forming a perimeter of the shipping tray;
• a first front holder, a second front holder, and a third front holder, each positioned along the front support and each having a recess configured to receive a leg of the plurality of legs of the bench, the third front holder positioned between the first front holder and the second front holder;
• a first rear holder, a second rear holder, and a third rear holder, each positioned along the rear support and each having a recess configured to receive a leg of the plurality of legs of the bench, the third rear holder positioned between the first rear holder and the second rear holder;
• a central support connected to the third front holder and the third rear holder;
• a first X-support connected to the first front holder, the first rear holder, the third front holder, and the third rear holder;
• a second X-support connected to the second front holder, the second rear holder, the third front holder, and the third rear holder;
• and
• a network of ribbing disposed on an underside of the shipping tray,
• wherein:
• the front support has a first length and the rear support has a second length, the first length being greater than the second length,
• the front support includes a first arm extending between the first front holder and the third front holder, and a second arm extending between the second front holder and the third front holder,
• the rear support includes a first arm extending between the first rear holder and the third rear holder, and a second arm extending between second rear holder and the third rear holder, and
• the first arm of the rear support angles inward toward the front support, from the first rear holder to the third rear holder, and the second arm of the rear support angles inward toward the front support, from the second rear holder to the third rear holder;
• and
• disposing the shipping tray on the another shipping tray.