Clip tray and method of retaining and individually releasing cylindrical shaped objects

A method of individually retaining each of a plurality of disk-like cylindrical containers within a tray-like configuration which has plurality of parallel oriented adjoining receptacles separated from one another by a divider and also individually releasing each cylindrical container from its receptacle without releasing or otherwise influencing the retention of the cylindrical containers in the adjoining receptacles, each cylindrical container having a cylindrical sidewall connected by two generally planar end walls, the method comprising:

• contacting the cylindrical sidewall of each container with fixed contacts of each receptacle at positions spaced circumferentially less than 180 degrees around the cylindrical sidewall of the container;
• contacting the cylindrical sidewall of the container with a movable contact of each receptacle, the movable contact adapted to contact the cylindrical sidewall of the container at a position which cumulatively with the fixed contacts extends the circumferential contact with the cylindrical sidewall to greater than 180 degrees when the movable contact is in a first position and to less than 180 degrees when the movable contact is in a second position;
• moving one movable contact of one receptacle to the second position to release the cylindrical container from the
• one receptacle without moving the movable contacts of receptacles adjoining the one receptacle from their first positions;
• and
• moving each movable contact to the first position to retain the cylindrical container in each receptacle.

A clip tray for presenting, retaining and releasing a disk-like cylindrical container, the cylindrical container having a cylindrical sidewall and two opposite generally planar end walls, said clip tray comprising:

• a partial cylindrical back wall having a first portion and a second portion adjoining the first portion, the first portion adapted to extend circumferentially less than 180 degrees around the cylindrical sidewall of the container and adopted to contact and adjoin the cylindrical sidewall of the container at positions spaced circumferentially less than 180 degrees around the cylindrical sidewall of the container, the second portion extending from the first portion and moveable into first and second positions relative to the first portion, the first and second portions adapted to contact and adjoin the cylindrical sidewall of the container at cumulative positions greater than 180 degrees around the cylindrical sidewall of the container when the first portion is in the first position, the second portion moveable in the second position outward from the first position to permit less than 180 degrees of contact with the cylindrical sidewall;
• and
• first and second dividers connected to the back wall and adapted to contact the two opposite generally planar end walls of the container respectively, the first and second dividers and the back wall between the dividers defining a receptacle for the container;
• and
• the first portion of the back wall defining an opening between the dividers through which force may be applied to remove the container from the receptacle.

A clip tray for presenting, retaining and releasing a disk-like cylindrical container, the cylindrical container having a cylindrical sidewall and two opposite generally planar end walls, said clip tray comprising:

• a partial cylindrical back wall having a first portion and a second portion adjoining the first portion, the first portion adapted to extend circumferentially less than 180 degrees around the cylindrical sidewall of the container and adopted to contact and adjoin the cylindrical sidewall of the container at positions spaced circumferentially less than 180 degrees around the cylindrical sidewall of the container, the second portion extending from the first portion and moveable into first and second positions relative to the first portion, the first and second portions adapted to contact and adjoin the cylindrical sidewall of the container at cumulative positions greater than 180 degrees around the cylindrical sidewall of the container when the first portion is in the first position, the second portion moveable in the second position outward from the first position to permit less than 180 degrees of contact with the cylindrical sidewall;
• and
• first and second dividers connected to the back wall and adapted to contact the two opposite generally planar end walls of the container respectively, the first and second dividers and the back wall between the dividers defining a receptacle for the container;
• and
• the first portion of the back wall defining an opening between the dividers through which light may illuminate the container.