Package and tray for tubes or the like

Claim 2

A tray for storing and shipping elongated objects comprising: A. a body portion of substantially uniform thickness for containing said objects and including a bottom wall with a pair of spaced apart sidewalls and a pair of spaced apart end walls, each of said walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall and terminating in an open top in spaced relation to said bottom wall, B. holding means associated with the bottom wall of said body portion, and including a plurality of elongated substantially parallel spaced apart channels for receiving the objects extending between said sidewalls and separated by ridges, and C. retaining means downwardly extending from said body portion in substantial alignment with each of said ridges to extend around and engage an object in a lower nested tray to provide an interlocking relationship therewith.

Claim 3

A tray as in claim 1, wherein said retaining means includes at least one pair of spaced-apart tapered hollow legs along each of said ridges, said legs including a tip integrally formed with a pair of tapered side lips and end lips extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom and terminating in an open end, said tips being in substantially a horizontal plane below the bottom wall of said body portion.

Claim 4

A tray as in claim 2, wherein each of said legs is nestable with a like leg when said trays are assembled together when empty.

Claim 5

A tray as in claim 2, wherein said side lips of said legs are resilient so as to extend around and engage the objects on a lower tray.

Claim 6

A tray as in claim 2, wherein two legs are contained along each of said ridges and said legs extend in two transverse rows substantially parallel to said sidewalls.

Claim 7

A tray as in claim 1, wherein said row of elongated channels terminate at one end thereof in a side channel connected directly to one of said sidewalls.

Claim 8

A tray as in claim 1, a. wherein said walls are tapered and extend upwardly and outwardly from said bottom wall to said open top, and b. said retaining means includes a pair of hollow tapered spaced-apart legs adjacent each of said channels, so that said trays may be nested together with said tapered walls and legs in interfitting relationship when empty while when said trays contain objects they can be stacked one above the other with each tray oriented in the same position as when empty.

Claim 9

A tray as in claim 1, and further including a peripheral rim integrally formed with and extending outwardly from said walls and terminating in an outer free extremity.

Claim 10

A tray as in claim 8, and further including gripping means comprising at least two indentations in said rim, said indentations being adjacent a pair of said opposed walls.

Claim 11

A tray as in claim 8, and further including stiffening means integrally formed with said rim in the form of a rib so as to provide the requisite rigidity to said tray for handling thereof.

Claim 12

A tray as in claim 1, and further including removing means to facilitate the removal of the objects from within the tray, and including a depression extending transversely to the direction of said elongated channels at a depth to at least partially accept the finger of the user to pry up an object contained in said holding means, said depression extending vertically substantially the height of at least one of said spaced-apart end walls aNd continuing across said body portion.

Claim 13

A tray as in claim 1, wherein said tray is made from foam plastic material.

Claim 14

A tray as in claim 12, wherein said foam plastic material has a density in the range of from 2 to 30 lbs/cubic foot.

Claim 15

A tray as in claim 12, wherein said tray has a thickness in the range of from 0.010- 0.125 inches.

Claim 16

A tray for storing and shipping elongated objects comprising: A. a body portion of substantially uniform thickness for containing said objects and including a bottom wall with a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls and a pair of spaced-apart end walls, the latter being shorter than said sidewalls, each extending upwardly therefrom and terminating in an open top in spaced relation to said bottom wall, B. a peripheral rim integrally formed with and extending outwardly from said walls and terminating in an outer free extremity, C. gripping means to facilitate handling of said trays, and including at least two indentations in said rim, said indentations being adjacent a pair of said opposed walls, D. stiffening means integrally formed with said rim in the form of a rib so as to provide the requisite rigidity to said tray for handling thereof, E. holding means associated with the bottom wall of said body portion, and including a plurality of elongated substantially parallel spaced-apart channels for receiving the objects extending between said sidewalls and separated by ridges. F. retaining means downwardly extending from said body portion in substantial alignment with each of said ridges to extend around and engage an object in a lower nested tray to provide an interlocking relationship therewith, and G. removing means to facilitate the removal of the object from within the tray, and including a depression extending transversely to the direction of said elongated channels, and of a depth to at least partially accept the finger of the user to pry up an object contained in said holding means, said depression extending vertically substantially the height of at least one of said spaced-apart end walls and continuing across said body portion.

Claim 17

A tray for storing and shipping elongated objects comprising: A. a body portion of substantially uniform thickness for containing said objects and including a bottom wall with a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls and a pair of spaced-apart end walls, the latter being shorter than said sidewalls, each extending upwardly therefrom and terminating in an open top in spaced relation to said bottom wall, B. a peripheral rim integrally formed with and extending outwardly from said walls and terminating in an outer free extremity, C. gripping means to facilitate handling of said trays, and including at least two indentations in said rim, said indentations being adjacent a pair of said opposed walls, D. stiffening means integrally formed with said rim in the form of a rib so as to provide the requisite rigidity to said tray for handling thereof, E. holding means associated with the bottom wall of said body portion, and including a plurality of elongated substantially parallel spaced-apart channels for receiving the objects extending between said sidewalls and separated by ridges. F. retaining means downwardly extending from said body portion in substantial alignment with each of said ridges to extend around and engage an object in a lower nested tray to provide an interlocking relationship therewith, and G. removing means to facilitate the removal of the object from within the tray, and including a depression extending transversely to the direction of said elongated channels, and of a depth to at least partially accept the finger of the user to pry up an object contained in said holding means, said depression extending vertically substantially the height of at least one of said spaced-apart end walls and continuing across said body portion.

Claim 18

A tray as in claim 15, wherein said elongated channels have a base with upwardly extending contoured channel walls terminating in said ridge between each of said channels.

Claim 19

A tray as in claim 15, wherein said retaining means includes at least one pair of spaced-apart tapered hollow legs along each of said ridges, said legs including a tip integrally formed with a pair of tapered side lips and end lips extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom and terminating in an open end, said tips being in a substantially horizontal plane below the bottom wall of said body portion.

Claim 20

A package for shipping elongated objects comprising: A. a carton, and B. a stack of trays in said carton each one containing a plurality of elongated objects maintained in fixed position by interrelated holding means and retaining means, C. said trays including a body portion of substantially uniform thickness for containing said objects with a bottom wall and a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls and a pair of spaced apart end walls, each of said walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall and terminating in an open top in spaced relation to said bottom wall, D. said holding means associated with the bottom wall of said body portion, and including a plurality of elongated substantially parallel spaced-apart channels for receiving the objects extending between said sidewalls and separated by ridges, E. said retaining means downwardly extending from said body portion in substantial alignment with each of said ridges to extend around and engage an object in a lower nested tray to provide an interlocking relationship therewith.

Claim 21

A package for shipping elongated objects comprising: A. a carton, and B. a stack of trays in said carton each one containing a plurality of elongated objects maintained in fixed position by interrelated holding means and retaining means, C. said trays including a body portion of substantially uniform thickness for containing said objects with a bottom wall and a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls and a pair of spaced apart end walls, each of said walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall and terminating in an open top in spaced relation to said bottom wall, D. said holding means associated with the bottom wall of said body portion, and including a plurality of elongated substantially parallel spaced-apart channels for receiving the objects extending between said sidewalls and separated by ridges, E. said retaining means downwardly extending from said body portion in substantial alignment with each of said ridges to extend around and engage an object in a lower nested tray to provide an interlocking relationship therewith.

Claim 22

A package as in claim 18, and further including a cover tray extending over the uppermost tray in said carton.

Claim 23

A tray as in claim 18, wherein said retaining means includes at least one pair of spaced-apart tapered hollow legs substantially aligned with each of said ridges, said legs including a tip integrally formed with a pair of tapered side lips and end lips extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom and terminating in an open end, said tips being in a substantially horizontal plane below the bottom wall of said body portion and extending between objects in a lower nested tray.