Expandable tray
OwnerKay Christine Conwayinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An expandable tray that includes a sheet having a first edge, a second edge opposite the first edge, a first end, and a second end opposite the first end, the ends being substantially transverse to the edges. The sheet includes a plurality of oppositely folded portions disposed between the first end and the second end forming a plurality of folds extending from the first edge to the second edge, a first securement device for securing the folds in a stacked configuration near the first edge, and a second securement device for securing the folds in a stacked configuration near the second edge. The portion of the folds extending between the secured ends is movable to an expanded position to form a container defining a volume. The disclosure also features a method for protecting a surface using the expandable tray.
Claims27
An expandable tray, comprising:
- a sheet having a first edge, a second edge opposite said first edge, a first end, and a second end opposite said first end, said ends being substantially transverse to said first and second edges,
- said sheet including a plurality of oppositely folded portions disposed between said first end and said second end forming a plurality of folds extending from said first edge to said second edge, substantially all of said folds being in an overlapping relationship with each other;
- a first securement device for securing said folds in a stacked configuration near said first edge;
- and
- a second securement device for securing said folds in a stacked configuration near said second edge,
- the portion of said folds extending between the secured ends being movable to an expanded position to form a container defining a volume.
An expandable tray comprising:
- an accordion pleated sheet comprising a plurality of accordion pleats arranged in a substantially aligned stack, each of said pleats having a first end, a second end, and a midsection extending between said first and second ends, a first securement device for maintaining said first ends of said pleats in a stacked relation to each other;
- a second securement device for maintaining said second ends of said pleats in a stacked relation to each other, and
- said midsection of said pleats being expandable to form a container defining a volume.
A method for protecting a surface using an expandable tray, the tray comprising a sheet having a first edge, a second edge opposite said first edge, a first end, and a second end opposite said first end, said ends being substantially transverse to said first and second edges,
- said sheet including a plurality of oppositely folded portions extending from said first end to said second end forming a plurality of folds extending from said first edge to said second edge substantially all of said folds being in an overlapping relationship with each other,
- a first securement device for securing said folds in a stacked configuration near said first edge, and
- a second securement device for securing said folds in a stacked configuration near said second edge,
- the portion of said folds extending between the secured ends being movable to an expanded position to form a container defining a volume,
- the method comprising:
- a) expanding said tray to form a container defining a volume;
- and
- b) placing said expanded tray on a surface to be protected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.