Carrier tray
AssigneePeninsula Packaging, LLC
InventorsAllen Kidd, Stephen P. Zapatka, Theodore M. Behrmann, Edward V. Byrne
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A carrier tray having a plurality of compartments separated by a plurality of dividers. Each carrier tray has a plurality of stacking pins on a top portion and a plurality of pin holes on a bottom portion. Each stacking pin is located in an area approximately adjacent to each pin hole such that, for a given set of a stacking pin and a pin hole, the stacking pin is slightly offset relative to the pin hole. When stacking the carrier trays to form a stacked configuration of carrier trays, each carrier tray is rotated 180° relative to a carrier tray immediately below and a carrier tray immediately above the carrier tray.
Claims20
A carrier tray, comprising:
- a plurality of compartments separated by a plurality of divider walls, the plurality of compartments comprising:
- a plurality of bottom surfaces;
- a plurality of outer sidewalls and a plurality of outer end walls extending continuously upwardly from the bottom surfaces, each outer end wall including at least one radially projecting protrusion projecting inwardly toward a compartment and at least one longitudinal concave groove adjacent to each radially projecting protrusion;
- a plurality of stacking pins, each stacking pin located on a top surface of each radially projecting protrusion;
- and
- a plurality of pin holes, each pin hole located on a bottom surface of each longitudinal concave groove.
A stacked carrier tray configuration, comprising:
- a plurality of carrier trays stacked together wherein, for a given carrier tray, the carrier tray is offset from a carrier tray immediately below and a carrier tray immediately above the carrier tray;
- and
- a plurality of stacking pins on a plurality of top surfaces of each carrier tray and a plurality of pin holes on a plurality of bottom surfaces of each carrier tray wherein, for a given carrier tray, the plurality of stacking pins and the plurality of pin holes are offset relative to one another.
A method of stacking carrier trays, comprising:
- placing a first carrier tray on a surface;
- rotating a subsequent carrier tray 180° relative to the first carrier tray;
- placing the subsequent carrier tray on top of the first carrier tray;
- and
- repeating the rotating and placing of subsequent carrier trays until a stacked carrier tray configuration is formed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.