Abstract:
A tray includes a base having opposed front and rear walls and opposed side walls. The front and rear walls are shorter to provide access to products stored on the tray when in a stacked configuration. The trays provide audible feedback when one tray is slid on another when they are properly aligned during a blind stacking operation to confirm the proper alignment. The tray further includes reinforced intersections between the front and rear walls and side walls.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a tray for baked goods, 
     Existing molded plastic trays for shipping and storing baked goods include opposite side walls extending upwardly from a base. Front and rear walls are lower than the side walls in order to provide access to the baked goods when the trays are stacked. The side walls include rails that permit the trays to slide and interlock with one another for stacking. 
     In use, the trays, while loaded with baked goods, are often stacked higher than the person stacking and unstacking them. When the person lifts a loaded tray onto a stack above his head, this is known as “blind stacking.” The person can set a rear edge of the tray onto a front edge of the top tray on the stack and slide the tray rearward until it interlocks with the top tray. However, with the current trays, if the tray is misaligned with the top tray on the stack and then slid onto the stack, the baked goods on the top tray of the stack may be damaged. 
     Additionally, in the current trays, some of the projections on the tray that interlock with the upper edges of the tray below are susceptible to breakage. Further, the shorter front and rear walls of the tray reduce the strength of the tray, particularly when supporting hot baked goods. Thus, the current trays are susceptible to breakage. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A tray, particularly for baked goods, includes a pair of opposite side walls extending upwardly from a base. The front and rear walls are shorter to provide access to the baked goods. The front and rear walls, particularly in the corners intersecting with the side walls are reinforced to prevent breakage and to increase stiffness across the tray. 
     To aid in the alignment during blind stacking, the upper support surfaces on the side walls are provided with discontinuities, such as small grooves or recesses, which provide audible feedback to the user when a properly aligned tray is being slide across into the interlocked position. Further, some of the interlocking features on the lower end of the side walls are reinforced to prevent breakage. Additionally, improved drainage is provided to areas of the tray, so that the tray is properly drained when being washed. 
     These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a tray according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the tray of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the tray of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the tray of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the tray of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the tray of  FIG. 1  with a similar tray stacked thereon. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the tray of  FIG. 1  with the similar tray cross-stacked or nested therewith. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A tray  10  according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The tray  10  includes a base  12  having front and rear walls  14  and opposite side walls  16 . The front and rear walls  14  are shorter than the side walls  16  to create an access window  18 , so that the goods stored on the base  12  can be accessed even when additional, similar trays are stacked on the tray  10 . Lateral flanges  20  extend inward from the side walls  16 , slightly narrowing the windows  18  in order to reinforce the corner intersections between the front and rear walls  14  and the side walls  16 . 
     The front and rear walls  14  each include an inner wall  21  continuous with the base  12  and an outwardly spaced outer wall or lip  22  providing structural reinforcement to the front and rear walls  14 . Ribs or gussets connect the inner wall  21  and lip  22 . The lip  22  includes enlarged portions  24  proximate the side walls  16 . The enlarged portions are part of the tubular or box beam cross-section that extend from the front and rear walls  14  into the corners adjacent the side walls  16 . The enlarged portions  24  and box beam cross-sections reinforce the corners of the tray  10  to prevent breakage in corners. 
     The side walls  16  each include an outer rail  30  and a lower, inner rail  32 . The outer rail  30  is continuous with interlocking recesses  34  for mating with feet  56  on a similar tray  10  stacked thereon. The upper surface  36  of the outer rail  30  is continuous with the recesses  34 . 
     A channel defined between the inner rail  32  and the outer rail  30  includes a bottom surface  42  having inclined portions  43 . An opening  44  to the interior of the tray  10  interrupts the channel and the inner rail  32  and the surface  42  to provide drainage of the channel when the tray  10  is washed. 
     On a lower portion of the side walls  16 , rounded feet  56  project downwardly and are aligned with the upper surface  36  of the outer rail  30 . An inner guide  58  is spaced inwardly from each foot  56  and extends downwardly further than each foot  56 . Between the feet  56  and disposed inwardly of the feet  56  is an interlocking rail  50  spaced outwardly from the main wall of the side wall  16 . The rail  50  is continuous between the feet  56  and is reinforced by gussets  52 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the inner guide  58  is spaced inwardly with the foot  56  and extends downwardly further than the foot  56 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the interlocking rail  50  extends continuously between the feet  56  and is reinforced gussets  52 . 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of the tray  10 . As shown, the bottom surface  42  of the channel between the inner rail  32  and the outer rail  30  includes a plurality of discontinuities  62 , such as recesses as shown (projections could also be used). These discontinuities  62  interact with the inner guides  58  of a tray sliding thereon to provide audible feedback that the trays are properly aligned. The lower surface  42 , particularly the inclined portion  43 , is continuous with recesses  64 . 
       FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the tray  10 . Ribs connect the inner wall  21  of the front and rear walls  14  to the base  12 . Ribs connect the inner wall  21  of the front and rear walls  14  to the outer lip  22 . The interlocking rail  50  extends continuously between the feet  56  and inner guides  58 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates the tray  10  with a similar tray  10 ′ stacked thereon. In a blind stacking operation, as the upper tray  10 ′ is first placed on a front edge of the tray  10 , the feet  56  (feet  56  of the upper tray  10 ′ are not visible in  FIG. 6 ), slide along an upper surface  36  of the outer rail  30  of the side walls  16 . As the feet  56  contact each of the discontinuities  38 , a “clicking” sound is made, thereby providing audible feedback that proper alignment has been obtained. The lower surface of each foot  56  is rounded to provide a tapered leading edge that contacts the discontinuities  38  so that the feet  56  do not get stuck on the discontinuities  38 . The leading foot  56  rides across the upper surface  36  of the outer rail  30  and down the inclined portion of the outer rail into the interlocking recess  34  ( FIG. 1 ). Simultaneously, the interlocking rail  50 ′ drops into the channel between the outer rail  30  and the inner rail  32 . 
     When empty, the trays  10 ,  10 ′ can be cross-stacked or nested as shown in  FIG. 7 . This reduces the overall stacking height of the trays  10 ,  10 ′ when empty for returning to the bakery. The upper tray  10 ′ is rotated  90  degrees relative to the lower tray  10 . The front and rear walls  14 ′ fit between the lateral flanges of the side walls  16  of the lower tray  10 . 
     The tray  10  is preferably injection molded of polypropylene, polyethylene or other suitable material. Other suitable processes may also be used. 
     In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope. Alphanumeric identifiers on method steps are for convenient reference in dependent claims and do not signify a required sequence of performance unless otherwise indicated in the claims.