Low depth nestable tray for cans or the like

A low depth nestable tray for containers, said tray adapted to be nested with other trays when empty of the containers and stacked with other trays when loaded with the containers, said tray having a low depth wall structure comprising a substantially flat band extending around the periphery of said tray for preventing the containers from tipping during transport, said wall structure comprising side walls and end walls;

• a floor structure comprising a floor top surface, a floor bottom surface;
• a corner post at each corner of said wall structure connecting said floor structure to said band;
• and a plurality of columns along each side of said wall structure interconnecting said band and said floor structure, said plurality of columns being substantially flat along the inside of said tray so as to not interfere with containers or multi-packs of containers in said tray and being configured to nest deeply with columns of another tray;
• wherein the improvements comprise:
• a plurality of support areas on said floor top surface, said support areas having means for supporting containers spaced apart from said wall structure to prevent damage to the containers from excessive contact with said wall structure;
• each said corner post comprising an exterior corner rib extending vertically downward and outward from said corner post such that the bottom of said corner rib is substantially flush with said floor bottom surface;
• each said corner post further comprising an interior corner rib, substantially equal in height to said exterior corner rib, extending vertically upward and inward from said floor top surface opposite said exterior corner rib;
• each said corner post further comprising a vertical corner slot indented into said corner post above said interior corner rib, wherein the top of said interior corner rib and the bottom of said vertical corner slot form a corner nesting ledge and said vertical corner slot is adapted to matingly receive the exterior corner rib of another tray nested thereabove so that the bottom of the exterior corner rib rests on said corner nesting ledge of said tray when empty and nested with another tray thereabove;
• wherein said exterior corner ribs are adapted to be supported by the corner nesting ledges of another tray when the low depth tray is empty and nested with another tray therebeneath, and said corner nesting ledges are adapted to support the weight of any trays nested above the low depth tray, to thereby prevent spreading and fraying of said wall structure of the low depth tray.

A low depth nestable tray for containers, said tray adapted to be nested with other trays when empty of the containers and stacked with other trays when loaded with the containers, said tray having a low depth wall structure comprising a substantially flat band extending around the periphery of said tray for preventing the containers from tipping during transport, said wall structure comprising side walls and end walls;

• a floor structure having a floor top surface, a floor bottom surface;
• a plurality of columns along each side of said wall structure interconnecting said band and said floor structure, said plurality of columns being substantially flat along the inside of said tray so as to not interfere with containers or multi-packs of containers in said tray;
• wherein the improvements comprise:
• a plurality of support areas on said floor top surface, for supporting containers spaced apart from said wall structure to prevent damage to the containers from excessive contact with said wall structure;
• at least one of said columns being a ledged column comprising an exterior wall rib extending vertically downward and outward such that the bottom of said exterior wail rib is substantially flush with said floor bottom surface;
• each said ledged column further comprising an interior wall rib, substantially equal in height to said exterior wall rib, extending vertically upward and inward from said floor top surface opposite said exterior wall rib;
• each said ledged column further comprising a vertical wall slot indented into said ledged column above said interior wall rib, wherein the top of said interior wall rib and the bottom of said vertical wall slot form a wall nesting ledge and said vertical wall slot is adapted to matingly receive the exterior wall rib of another tray nested thereabove so that the bottom of the exterior wall rib rests on said wail nesting ledge of said tray when empty and nested with another tray thereabove;
• wherein said exterior wall ribs are adapted to be supported by the wall nesting ledges of another tray when the low depth tray is empty and nested with another tray therebeneath, and said wall nesting ledges are adapted to support the weight of any trays nested above the low depth tray, to thereby prevent fraying of said wall structure of the low depth tray.