# US 2014/0197064 A1 · Stackable Trays for Jugs, Stacked Arrangements and Stacking Methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197064 A1 - Document ID: US20140197064A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/136,802 - Filed: 2013-12-20 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-11 - Assignees: Parmalat Canada Inc. - Applicants: Parmalat Canada Inc. - Inventors: Sidney Scott Prince; Lee Scott Hoover; Antonino Cugliari - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197064A1 ## CPC - B65D 71/70: Trays provided with projections or recesses in order to assemble multiple articles, e.g. intermediate elements for stacking - B65B 5/068: {in trays (B65B5/061 - B65B5/065 take precedence)} - B65B 21/02: in or from preformed containers, e.g. crates - B65D 1/36: with moulded compartments or partitions - B65D 1/40: Details of walls (other container details B65D23/00, B65D25/00) - B65D 21/023: {Closed containers provided with local cooperating elements in the top and bottom surfaces, e.g. projection and recess (B65D21/0223 takes precedence)} - B65D 21/0231: {Bottles, canisters or jars whereby the neck or handle project into a cooperating cavity in the bottom (B65D81/361 takes precedence)} - B65D 21/048: {Identical stackable containers specially adapted for retaining the same orientation when nested, e.g. the upper container being fixed or slightly rotatable during the nesting operation (B65D21/041 takes precedence)} - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) ## Abstract Stackable trays for jugs, stacked arrangements and stacking methods are disclosed. A tray has a first surface to support a bottom of one or more jugs, and could include jug receiving cells. A collar could extend downwardly from a second surface opposite the first surface and have at least one notch sized to receive a portion of a handle of a respective jug located beneath each jug receiving cell. Load transfer to the handles of the jugs below the second surface could be provided by load transfer structures, such as the collars in one embodiment, which extend from the second surface to engage the jugs. A stacked arrangement includes multiple layers of jugs with a respective stackable tray between adjacent layers of the multiple layers. The trays could thus be used in stacking or otherwise arranging jugs in multiple layers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A stackable tray comprising: a first surface to support a bottom of one or more jugs; a plurality of load transfer structures extending from a second surface opposite the first surface, to engage a plurality of jugs arranged below the second surface and transfer at least a portion of a load on the first surface to handles of the plurality of jugs. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The stackable tray of claim 1, each of the plurality of load transfer structures having a substantially annular shape to surround a cap of a respective one of the plurality of jugs. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The stackable tray of claim 1, the plurality of load transfer structures comprising one or both of: load transfer structures which have at least one channel to engage the handles of the plurality of jugs; load transfer structures that provide multiple channels to engage the handles of the plurality of jugs in different orientations of the jugs. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The stackable tray of claim 3, the plurality of load transfer structures further comprising load transfer structures which have one or more reinforcement ribs to strengthen the load transfer structures. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The stackable tray of claim 1, further comprising at least one support column extending from the first surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The stackable tray of claim 1, the plurality of load transfer structures comprising load transfer surfaces which have a shape that is complementary to a shape of a shoulder portion of the plurality of jugs. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The stackable tray of claim 1, the plurality of load transfer structures comprising load transfer structures to engage caps of the plurality of jugs. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The stackable tray of claim 1, further comprising walls extending from the first surface, the walls defining jug receiving cells to receive bottom portions of a second plurality of jugs. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The stackable tray of claim 8, the plurality of load transfer structures being adapted to nest at least partially in the jug receiving cells of another stackable tray when the jug receiving cells of the other stackable tray are empty. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The stackable tray of claim 8, the jug receiving cells having at least one interior dimension that is larger than a complementary exterior dimension of the bottom portions of the second plurality of jugs. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The stackable tray of claim 8, the walls comprising channels to receive reinforcement ribs in the bottom portions of the second plurality of jugs. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A stacked arrangement comprising: multiple layers of jugs, each comprising a plurality of jugs; a respective stackable tray of claim 1, between adjacent layers of the multiple layers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A method comprising: providing a plurality of jugs; providing a plurality of stackable trays, each stackable tray comprising the stackable tray of claim 1; arranging the plurality of jugs in multiple layers, with a respective one of the plurality of stackable trays between adjacent layers of the multiple layers. ### Claim 14 A stacked arrangement comprising: a stackable tray comprising: a first surface to support a bottom of one or more jugs; a plurality of load transfer structures extending from a second surface opposite the first surface, to engage a plurality of jugs arranged below the second surface and transfer at least a portion of a load on the first surface to handles of the plurality of jugs; one or more jugs on the first surface; a plurality of jugs below the second surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The stacked arrangement of claim 14, sized for display in a retail setting. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The stacked arrangement of claim 14, comprising a plurality of layers of jugs, the plurality of layers of jugs comprising a first layer including the one or more jugs, a second layer including the plurality of jugs, and at least one further layer each including a further plurality of jugs, the stacked arrangement further comprising a respective further tray between each further layer of jugs and another layer of jugs. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The stacked arrangement of claim 16 wherein the stackable trays are adapted to at least partially nest when the trays are empty. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The stacked arrangement of claim 14, each of the plurality of load transfer structures having a substantially annular shape to surround a cap of a respective one of the plurality of jugs. ### Claim 19 A method comprising: providing a stackable tray comprising: a first surface to support a bottom of one or more jugs; a plurality of load transfer structures extending from a second surface opposite the first surface, to engage a plurality of jugs arranged below the second surface and transfer at least a portion of a load on the first surface to handles of the plurality of jugs; providing a plurality of jugs; stacking the plurality of jugs in multiple layers using the stackable tray. ### Claim 20 A stackable tray for jugs comprising: a top surface having a plurality of jug receiving cells; a bottom surface having a plurality of collars extending downwardly therefrom, each collar having at least one notch sized to receive a portion of a handle of a respective jug located beneath each jug receiving cell.