Protective contact strips for beverage trays

A beverage tray for holding and transporting beverage containers comprising:

• a floor;
• a plurality of walls extending from the floors, the plurality of walls including side walls and end walls, wherein the side walls include a plurality of U-shaped apertures;
• a plurality of protrusions, each of the plurality of protrusions comprising a raised surface extending from a given side wall surface, the raised surface facing inwardly toward the inside of the beverage tray;
• a plurality of dividing sections extending from the floor and dividing the beverage tray into a plurality of beverage sections;
• and
• a plurality of protective contact strips affixed to the plurality of end walls, the plurality of dividing sections, and the plurality of protrusions using an adhesive wherein the plurality of protective contact strips are made of small cross-linked closed cell polyethylene,
• wherein the plurality of protective contact strips are configured to contact the surface of a beverage container within the beverage sections to prevent damage and abrasions to the beverage container and wherein the plurality of protective contact strips are further configured to withstand high temperature washing processes in excess of 200 degrees Fahrenheit,
• wherein the plurality of protrusions are configured to facilitate enhanced contact between the beverage container and the plurality of protective contact strips.

A method for protecting a beverage container comprising:

• using an adhesive, affixing a plurality of protective contact strips to a plurality of protrusions within a beverage tray, the beverage tray further comprising a floor, a plurality of end walls, and a plurality of side walls, the beverage tray configured to hold and transport a plurality of beverage containers, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions comprise a raised surface extending from a given sidewall surface, the raised surface facing inwardly toward the inside of the beverage tray, wherein the plurality of protrusions are configured to facilitate enhanced contact between the plurality of beverage containers and the plurality of protective contact strips;
• affixing a plurality of protective contact strips to the plurality of end walls of the beverage tray using the adhesive;
• affixing a plurality of protective contact strips to a plurality of dividing members in the beverage tray using the adhesive, the plurality of dividing members dividing the beverage tray into a plurality of beverage sections, each beverage section configured to hold a beverage container,
• wherein each of the plurality of protective contact strips is configured to contact a surface of a beverage container to prevent damage and abrasions to the beverage container, wherein each of the plurality of protective contact strips is further configured to withstand high temperature washing processes in excess of 200 degrees Fahrenheit, and wherein the plurality of protective contact strips are made of small cross-linked closed cell polyethylene.