Bottle tray

Claim 1

A tray for holding bottles having cylindrically round lower portions comprising: a generally rectilinear box with an open top, a bottom and resilient side walls; at least one free-standing upright pillar, the base of the pillar resiliently attached to the interior bottom of the box; wherein each such pillar is located to be interposed between adjacent bottles whereby the tray is divided into circular bottle receiving compartments formed from the pillar and the resilient side walls; wherein each such pillar is placed along a line parallel to a longitudinal box side whereby the box is divided into two or more rows, each having a plurality of compartments; wherein each such pillar and resilient side walls provide curved surfaces which match the side walls of a bottle to be received therein such that the side walls of each pillar have surface portions of arcuate horizontal section spaced around the perimeter of the pillar, the sidewalls of the box have surface portions of arcuate horizontal section, and respective curved surfaces of each compartment are concentrically arranged about and equally spaced from a central upright axis of said compartment; wherein each pillar further comprises an upright, hollow inner cylinder wherein a pillar roof connects the pillar side walls and inner cylinder; and wherein when empty of bottles, opposite wall surface portions of each compartment are spaced at a distance slightly less than that of the corresponding width of a bottle to be received in that compartment.