Spacer tray for packaging containers

Claim 2

A spacer tray or containers, the spacer tray being formed of a plastic sheet material, the spacer tray being shaped to provide a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to (m×n), where m is an integer greater than 2 and n is an integer greater than 2, the container-bottom receptacles being disposed in an array of m columns and n rows, a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to (m-2) (n-2) being located interior of container-bottom receptacles located on the perimeter of the spacer tray to define tray-interior container-bottom receptacles, each container-bottom receptacle being shaped to receive at least a part of a bottom portion of a container, each tray-interior container-bottom receptacle being configured to surround substantially entirely the bottom portion of a container seated in the receptacle, a container-spacer wall being located between each pair of adjacent container-bottom receptacles to maintain the bottom portions of containers seated in the pair of adjacent container-bottom receptacles in a spaced-apart relationship, the spacer tray having a height less than half the height of the containers the spacer tray is adapted to seat, the spacer tray being shaped so that two such spacer trays facing in the same direction and placed one atop the other with the container-bottom receptacles of the two spacer trays generally coaxially aligned nest one inside the other container-bottom receptacle within container-bottom receptacle, the spacer tray having a plurality of nesting-binding interference structures shaped and positioned to prevent two spacer trays so nested one inside the other from binding at least when one spacer tray has a predetermined nesting- binding-interference orientation relative to the other in the plane of the spacer trays.

Claim 3

The spacer tray according to claim 1 further including a plurality of container-loading guide structures, each container-loading guide structure being located centrally of a group of four container-bottom receptacles defined by the intersection of a pair of adjacent rows of receptacles with a pair of adjacent columns of receptacles, each container-loading guide structure having side walls shaped to guide bottom portions of containers into container-bottom receptacles adjacent to the container-loading guide structure, the nesting-binding interference structures being located on the container-loading guide structures.

Claim 4

The spacer tray according to claim 2 in which the nesting-binding interference structures include nesting-binding interference lugs, each nesting-binding interference lug being located in a top portion of a container-loading guide structure, the nesting-binding interference lug projecting from the top portion of the container-loading guide structure toward a base plane of the spacer tray inside a hollow interior of the container-loading guide structure, the nesting-binding interference lugs being located such that when two spacer trays facing in the same direction and placed on top of the other with the container-bottom receptacles generally coaxially aligned and with one spacer tray rotated substantially 180 degrees relative to the other in the plane of the spacer trays, the nesting-binding interference lugs of the upper tray rest against top surfaces of container-loading guide structures of the lower tray to interfere with nesting of the two trays.

Claim 5

The spacer tray according to claim 2 in which the nesting-binding interference structures include nesting-binding interference notches, each nesting-binding interference notch being located in a side wall in a top portion of a container-loading guide structure, the nesting-binding interference notch projecting from the top portion of the container-loading guide structure toward a base plane of the spacer tray inside a hollow interior of the container-loading guide structure, the nesting-binding interference notches being shaped such that when two spacer trays facing in the same direction and placed one on top of the other with the container-bottom receptacles generally coaxially aligned the nesting-binding interference notches of the upper tray interferingly contact nesting-binding interference notches of the lower tray to interfere with the nesting of the two trays.

Claim 6

A spacer tray for containers, the spacer tray being formed of a plastic sheet material, the spacer tray being shaped to provide a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to (m×n), where m is an integer greater than 2 and n is an integer greater than 2, the container-bottom receptacles being disposed in an array of m columns and n rows, a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to (m-2) (n-2) being located interior of container bottom receptacles located on the perimeter of the spacer tray to define tray-interior container-bottom receptacles, each container-bottom receptacle being shaped to receive at least a part of a bottom portion of a container, each tray-interior container-bottom receptacle being configured to surround substantially entirely the bottom portion of a container seated in the receptacle, a container-spacer wall being located between each pair of adjacent container-bottom receptacles to maintain the bottom portions of containers seated in the pair of adjacent container-bottom receptacles in a spaced-apart relationship, the spacer tray having a height less than half the height of the containers the spacer tray is adapted to seat, the spacer tray being shaped so that two such spacer trays facing in the same direction and placed one atop the other with the container-bottom receptacles of the two spacer trays generally coaxially aligned nest one inside the other container-bottom receptacle within container-bottom receptacle, the spacer tray having a number of container-loading-guide-pin openings passing through it, each container-loading-guide-pin opening being shaped, dimensioned, and located to permit a container-loading-guide pin to pass through the opening for locating the spacer tray during loading.

Claim 7

A spacer tray for containers, the spacer tray being formed of a plastic sheet material, the spacer tray being shaped to provide a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to (m×n), where m is an integer greater than 2 and n is an integer greater than 2, the container-bottom receptacles being disposed in an array of m columns and n rows, a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to (m-2) (n-2) being located interior of container bottom receptacles located on the perimeter of the spacer tray to define tray-interior container-bottom receptacles, each container-bottom receptacle being shaped to receive at least a part of a bottom portion of a container, each tray-interior container-bottom receptacle being configured to surround substantially entirely the bottom portion of a container seated in the receptacle, a container-spacer wall being located between each pair of adjacent container-bottom receptacles to maintain the bottom portions of containers seated in the pair of adjacent container-bottom receptacles in a spaced-apart relationship, the spacer tray having a height less than half the height of the containers the spacer tray is adapted to seat, the spacer tray being shaped so that two such spacer trays facing in the same direction and placed one atop the other with the container-bottom receptacles of the two spacer trays generally coaxially aligned nest one inside the other container-bottom receptacle within container-bottom receptacle, the spacer tray having a number of container-loading-guide-pin openings passing through it, each container-loading-guide-pin opening being shaped, dimensioned, and located to permit a container-loading-guide pin to pass through the opening for locating the spacer tray during loading.

Claim 8

The spacer tray according to claim 5 in which each container-loading-guide-pin opening is located centrally of four container-bottom receptacles defined by the intersection of a pair of adjacent rows of receptacles with a pair of adjacent columns of receptacles, each container-loading-guide-pin opening being shaped to permit a container-loading-guide pin to pass through the opening for locating the spacer tray and guiding bottom portions of containers into container-bottom receptacles during loading of the spacer tray.

Claim 9

The spacer tray according to claim 6 further including a plurality of container-loading guide structures, each container-loading guide structure being located centrally of four container-bottom receptacles surrounding a container-loading-guide-pin opening, the container-loading-guide-pin opening passing centrally through the container-loading guide structure, each container-loading guide structures having side walls shaped to guide bottom portions of containers into container-bottom receptacles adjacent to the container-loading guide structure.

Claim 10

A spacer tray for containers, the spacer tray being formed o a plastic sheet material, the spacer tray being shaped to provide a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to (m×n), where m is an integer greater than 2 and n is an integer greater than 2 , the container-bottom receptacles being disposed in an array of am columns and n rows, each container-bottom receptacle being shaped to receive at least a part of a bottom portion of a container, a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to 2(m+n)-4 being located on the perimeter of the spacer tray to define tray-periphery container-bottom receptacles, a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to (m-2) (n-2) being located interior of the tray-periphery container-bottom receptacles to define tray-interior container-bottom receptacles, each tray-interior container-bottom receptacle being configured to surround substantially entirely the bottom portion of a container seated in the receptacle, each tray-periphery container-bottom receptacle being configured to surround only partially the bottom portion of a container seated in the receptacle so that a portion of the container extends outwardly of the perimeter of the spacer tray, the spacer tray being dimensioned so that the outer perimeter of the spacer tray extends n further laterally than the outer edges of containers seated in the tray-periphery container-bottom receptacles, the spacer tray having a height less than half the height of the containers the spacer tray is adapted to seat, a container-spacer wall being located between each pair of adjacent container-bottom receptacles to maintain the bottom portions of containers seated in the pair of adjacent container-bottom receptacles in a spaced-apart relationship.

Claim 11

A spacer tray for containers, the spacer tray being formed o a plastic sheet material, the spacer tray being shaped to provide a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to (m×n), where m is an integer greater than 2 and n is an integer greater than 2 , the container-bottom receptacles being disposed in an array of am columns and n rows, each container-bottom receptacle being shaped to receive at least a part of a bottom portion of a container, a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to 2(m+n)-4 being located on the perimeter of the spacer tray to define tray-periphery container-bottom receptacles, a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to (m-2) (n-2) being located interior of the tray-periphery container-bottom receptacles to define tray-interior container-bottom receptacles, each tray-interior container-bottom receptacle being configured to surround substantially entirely the bottom portion of a container seated in the receptacle, each tray-periphery container-bottom receptacle being configured to surround only partially the bottom portion of a container seated in the receptacle so that a portion of the container extends outwardly of the perimeter of the spacer tray, the spacer tray being dimensioned so that the outer perimeter of the spacer tray extends n further laterally than the outer edges of containers seated in the tray-periphery container-bottom receptacles, the spacer tray having a height less than half the height of the containers the spacer tray is adapted to seat, a container-spacer wall being located between each pair of adjacent container-bottom receptacles to maintain the bottom portions of containers seated in the pair of adjacent container-bottom receptacles in a spaced-apart relationship.

Claim 12

The spacer tray according to claim 8 in which each tray-interior container-bottom receptacle has an annular can-base-lip groove formed in it and each tray-periphery container-bottom receptacle has at least a length of an annular can-base-lip groove formed in it, each can-base-lip groove being shaped and dimensioned to receive an annular can-base-lip of a can seated in the container-bottom receptacle in which the can-base-lip groove is formed.

Claim 13

The spacer tray according to claim 9 in which each can-base-lip groove is shaped and dimensioned to fit within an annular can top lip of a can upon which is placed the underside of the container-bottom receptacle in which the can-base-lip groove is formed.

Claim 14

The spacer tray according to claim 8 in which each tray-interior container-bottom receptacle has a generally-circular receptacle central opening passing through it and each tray-periphery container-bottom receptacle has a generally partial-circular receptacle cutout removed from it, the receptacle cutout extending to a perimeter of the spacer tray.

Claim 15

A spacer tray for containers, the spacer tray being formed of a plastic sheet material, the spacer tray being shaped to provide at least four container-bottom receptacles, the container-bottom receptacles being disposed in a row-column array, each container-bottom receptacle being shaped to receive at least a part of a bottom portion of a container, a container-spacer wall being located between each pair of adjacent container-bottom receptacles to maintain the bottom portions of containers seated in the pair of adjacent container-bottom receptacles in a space-apart relationship, the spacer tray having a height less than half the height of the containers the spacer tray is adapted to seat, at least four of the container-bottom receptacles having container-bottom locators positioned centrally within the receptacles, each of the container-bottom locators being shaped to fit within an indentation in the bottom of a container seated in the receptacle to tend to locate the bottom of the container, each of the four container-bottom receptacles disposed at a corner of the spacer tray having a container-bottom locator positioned within the receptacle, each container-bottom receptacle disposed at a corner of the spacer tray being configured to surround only partially the radially-outer walls of a bottom portion of a container seated in the receptacle, outer perimeters of the spacer tray at the corners not extending laterally further than the outer edges of containers seated in the four container-bottom receptacles disposed at the corners of the spacer tray.

Claim 16

A spacer tray for containers, the spacer tray being formed of a plastic sheet material, the spacer tray being shaped to provide at least four container-bottom receptacles, the container-bottom receptacles being disposed in a row-column array, each container-bottom receptacle being shaped to receive at least a part of a bottom portion of a container, a container-spacer wall being located between each pair of adjacent container-bottom receptacles to maintain the bottom portions of containers seated in the pair of adjacent container-bottom receptacles in a space-apart relationship, the spacer tray having a height less than half the height of the containers the spacer tray is adapted to seat, at least four of the container-bottom receptacles having container-bottom locators positioned centrally within the receptacles, each of the container-bottom locators being shaped to fit within an indentation in the bottom of a container seated in the receptacle to tend to locate the bottom of the container, each of the four container-bottom receptacles disposed at a corner of the spacer tray having a container-bottom locator positioned within the receptacle, each container-bottom receptacle disposed at a corner of the spacer tray being configured to surround only partially the radially-outer walls of a bottom portion of a container seated in the receptacle, outer perimeters of the spacer tray at the corners not extending laterally further than the outer edges of containers seated in the four container-bottom receptacles disposed at the corners of the spacer tray.

Claim 17

The spacer tray according to claim 12 in which each container-bottom locator is a generally dome-shaped boss.

Claim 18

The spacer tray according to claim 13 in which the dome-shaped boss of each container-bottom locator has a plurality of grooves formed in it for reinforcing the boss.

Claim 19

The spacer tray according to claim 12 in which only the container-bottom receptacles disposed at the four corners of the spacer tray have a container-bottom locator positioned within the receptacle.

Claim 20

A spacer tray for containers, the spacer tray being formed of a plastic sheet material, the spacer tray being shaped to provide a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to (m×n), where m is an integer greater than 2 and n is an integer greater than 2, the container-bottom receptacles being disposed in an array of m columns and n rows, each container-bottom receptacle being shaped to receive at least a part of a bottom portion of a container, a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to 2(m+n)-4 being located on the perimeter of the spacer tray to define tray-periphery container-bottom receptacles, a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to (m-2) (n-2) being located interior of the tray-periphery container-bottom receptacles to define tray-interior container-bottom receptacles, each tray-interior container-bottom receptacles, each tray-interior container-bottom receptacle being configured to surround substantially entirely the bottom portion of a container seated in the receptacle, each tray-periphery container-bottom receptacle being configured to surround only partially the bottom portion of a container seated in the receptacle so that a portion of the container extends outwardly of the perimeter of the spacer tray, a container-spacer wall being located between each pair of adjacent container-bottom receptacles to maintain the bottom portions of containers seated in the pair of adjacent container-receptacles in a spaced-apart relationship, the spacer tray being dimensioned so that the outer perimeter of the spacer tray extends no further laterally than the outer edges of containers seated in the tray-periphery container-bottom receptacles, the spacer tray having a height less than half the height of the containers the spacer tray is adapted to seat, the spacer tray having a number of container-loading-guide-pin openings passing through it equal to (m-1) (n-1), each container-loading-guide-pin opening being located centrally of four container-bottom receptacles defined by the intersection of a pair of adjacent rows of receptacles with a pair of adjacent columns of receptacles, each container-loading guide pin opening being shaped and dimensioned to permit a container-loading guide pin to pass through for locating the spacer tray and guiding bottom portions of containers into container-bottom receptacles during loading of the spacer tray, the spacer tray being shaped so that two such spacer trays facing in the same direction and placed one atop the other with the container-bottom receptacles of the two spacer trays generally coaxially aligned nest one inside the other container-bottom receptacle within container-bottom receptacle, the spacer tray having a plurality of nesting-binding interference structures shaped and positioned to prevent two spacer trays so nested one inside the other from binding at least when one spacer tray has a predetermined nesting-binding-interference orientation relative to the other in the plane of the spacer trays.

Claim 21

A spacer tray for containers, the spacer tray being formed of a plastic sheet material, the spacer tray being shaped to provide a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to (m×n), where m is an integer greater than 2 and n is an integer greater than 2, the container-bottom receptacles being disposed in an array of m columns and n rows, each container-bottom receptacle being shaped to receive at least a part of a bottom portion of a container, a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to 2(m+n)-4 being located on the perimeter of the spacer tray to define tray-periphery container-bottom receptacles, a number of container-bottom receptacles equal to (m-2) (n-2) being located interior of the tray-periphery container-bottom receptacles to define tray-interior container-bottom receptacles, each tray-interior container-bottom receptacles, each tray-interior container-bottom receptacle being configured to surround substantially entirely the bottom portion of a container seated in the receptacle, each tray-periphery container-bottom receptacle being configured to surround only partially the bottom portion of a container seated in the receptacle so that a portion of the container extends outwardly of the perimeter of the spacer tray, a container-spacer wall being located between each pair of adjacent container-bottom receptacles to maintain the bottom portions of containers seated in the pair of adjacent container-receptacles in a spaced-apart relationship, the spacer tray being dimensioned so that the outer perimeter of the spacer tray extends no further laterally than the outer edges of containers seated in the tray-periphery container-bottom receptacles, the spacer tray having a height less than half the height of the containers the spacer tray is adapted to seat, the spacer tray having a number of container-loading-guide-pin openings passing through it equal to (m-1) (n-1), each container-loading-guide-pin opening being located centrally of four container-bottom receptacles defined by the intersection of a pair of adjacent rows of receptacles with a pair of adjacent columns of receptacles, each container-loading guide pin opening being shaped and dimensioned to permit a container-loading guide pin to pass through for locating the spacer tray and guiding bottom portions of containers into container-bottom receptacles during loading of the spacer tray, the spacer tray being shaped so that two such spacer trays facing in the same direction and placed one atop the other with the container-bottom receptacles of the two spacer trays generally coaxially aligned nest one inside the other container-bottom receptacle within container-bottom receptacle, the spacer tray having a plurality of nesting-binding interference structures shaped and positioned to prevent two spacer trays so nested one inside the other from binding at least when one spacer tray has a predetermined nesting-binding-interference orientation relative to the other in the plane of the spacer trays.

Claim 22

A container-transport package comprising: (a) the spacer tray of claim 1; (b) a plurality of containers, each container having a bottom portion seated in a container-bottom receptacle of the spacer tray; and (c) a shrink-wrap covering generally surrounding the spacer tray and the containers.

Claim 23

A container-transport package comprising: (a) the spacer tray of claim 11; (b) a plurality of cans, each can having an annular can-base-lip and an annular can-top-lip, each can having a bottom portion seated in a container-bottom receptacle of the spacer tray with the can-base-lip of the can in the can-base-lip groove of the receptacle; and (c) a shrink-wrap covering generally surrounding the spacer tray and the cans.