Stackable molded articles, and related assemblies and methods

A molded article, comprising:

• an inner panel portion having a plurality of inner panel corners;
• a main body portion;
• and
• a contoured portion extending between and interconnecting the inner panel portion and the main body portion so as to surround the inner panel portion and be surrounded by the main body portion, the contoured portion comprising contoured corner segments adjacent to the inner panel corners of the inner panel portion and contoured intermediate segments extending lengthwise between and interconnecting respective pairs of the contoured corner segments, the contoured intermediate segments having a first maximum thickness, the contoured corner segments having a second maximum thickness,
• wherein the first maximum thickness is greater than the second maximum thickness, and
• wherein the molded article is stackable with an identical molded article, one on another, in a stacked relationship in which the difference in thickness between the first and second maximum thicknesses displaces a load of the upper stacked molded article on the lower stacked molded article from the contoured corner segments to the contoured intermediate segments so that the contoured intermediate segments bear a majority of the load.

A molded article, comprising:

• an inner panel portion having a plurality of inner panel corners;
• a main body portion;
• and
• a contoured portion extending between and interconnecting the inner panel portion and the main body portion so as to surround the inner panel portion and be surrounded by the main body portion, the contoured portion comprising contoured corner segments adjacent to the inner panel corners of the inner panel portion and contoured intermediate segments extending in a lengthwise direction between and interconnecting respective pairs of the contoured corner segments, the contoured intermediate segments having a first maximum thickness, the contoured corner segments having a second maximum thickness,
• wherein the first maximum thickness is greater than the second maximum thickness, and
• wherein the first maximum thickness is uniform along the entire lengths of the contoured intermediate segments, and the second maximum thickness is uniform along the entire lengths of the contoured corner segments.