TRAY WITH APERTURE FOR ARTICLE

Abstract: Tray (1), preferably for multiple use at transportation of goods such as yoghurt cups or product packages, which tray (1) is attached to a hollow plate (4) intended for fixing the goods in the holes thereof. The hollow plate (4) is vertically adjustable and it is situated in its upper position above the bottom of the tray at the transportation of the goods.

Description: TRAY WITH APERTURE FOR ARTICLE The present invention relates to a tray, preferably for multiple use at transporta¬ tion of goods, for example yoghurt cups or product packages which tray is atta¬ ched to a hollow plate intended for fixing the goods in the holes thereof. It is known before to protect goods in transport packages at transportation. For this purpose it is conventional to use board cover, card board or paper as a one¬ way package. The purpose of the invention is to bring about a transport package for multiple use which at the same time prevents the goods from displacement and damage. The invention relates to a tray preferably for multiple usefor transportation of goods such as yoghurt cups or product packages, which tray is attached to a hol¬ low plate intended for fixing the goods in the holes thereof. The tray is characteri¬ zed in that the hollow plate is vertically adjustable and that it is situated in its up¬ per position above the bottom of the tray at the transportation of the goods. Usually the holes of the hollow plate have a round or rectangular cross-section. However, of course they can have any shape adapted to the shape of the goods transported on the tray. Preferably the tray is attached to the hollow plate by height restricting means. These height restricting means can be provided with a knee-joint. Often these height restricting means are placed at a distance from the sides of the tray. The height of the hollow plate above the bottom of the tray can be fixed by a hol¬ ding means for instance. The tray often has somewhat conically shape, upwards directed sidewalls. When the trays are empty they are foldable and can be stacked on top of each ot¬ her in folded state. Thus, the tray makes a new, economical and ecological component especially for the milk industry. The invention makes it possible to transport for instance yoghurt cups and/or pro¬ duct packages of different sizes, which products are conical for instance. By the vertically adjustable hollow plate it is achieved that the products are not displaced at the transport on the trays. This result is also obtained when trays filled with products are stacked on top of each other for instance on pallets. By the slightly conically shaped sidewalls of the tray, the stability of the empty trays when stacking them on top of each other is considerably improved. At the stacking of the empty trays, the hollow plate is always folded down. In this way the empty trays cannot be displaced at transportation for example on a pallet. In filled state this protection against displacement can be improved by recesses or protrusions on the under side of the tray. These recesses or protrusions will recei¬ ve the upper side of goods or products on a tray stacked below. Usually these re¬ cesses have a rectangular or round cross-section. In addition the under side and/or the upper side of the tray can be provided with an antislippery surface. This will also contribute to a protection against displace¬ ment at transportation. In this way the number of rejected products and the addi¬ tional costs connected thereto will decrease considerably. In contrast to the usual products of card board paper etc the tray according to the present invention will not be disposed of after the use but recirculated and used again. Preferably the tray is made of plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene etc and it can be provided with handle means. Of course the tray can also be made in other materials which can stand repeated use of the trays. Thus, the invention considerably contributes to avoiding waste. The empty trays can be collected and filled again. Due to the stackability the empty trays can for instance be placed on pallets and transported in a recirculation system between the shops and the industry. The invention will be explained further in connection with the embodiment ex¬ amples illustrated in the enclosed figures 1 -7. Figure 1 shows a schematical illustration of the invention where a tray 1 is atta¬ ched to a hollow plate 4 by height restricting means 2. These means decide the maximal height of the hollow plate 4 above the bottom of the tray 1. The height of the hollow plate 4 can be fixed by holding means 3 for instance. Figure 2 shows from above one embodiment of the tray 1 . Figure 3shows a side view of the embodiment of the tray 1 shown in figure 2. The tray is folded. Figure 4 shows from above another embodiment of the tray 1 where one yoghurt cup 5 has been placed in a hole of the hollow plate 4 Figure 5 shows in a side view the embodiment of the tray 1 in figure 4. The tray 1 is shown in partially raised position of the hollow plate 4. The tray 1 is attached to the hollow plate 4 by height restricting means 2, which are provided with a knee- joint. The height restricting means 2 allow the hollow plate 4 a maximal height above the bottom of the tray 1. The height of the hollow plate 4 may be fixed by holding means 3. Figure 6 shows schematically a perspective view of another embodiment of a tray 1 according to the invention. The tray is shown in its folded position. The tray 1 consist of a bottom part 5 and four sides 6, 7, 8 and 9 which are upwards directed and preferably somewhat outwards directed in their upper edges. One or possible all of the sides may be left out. The upper side of the bottom 5 may be provided with an antislippery surface. In the bottom part 5 there is a hol¬ low plate 4 with holes 10 with round our square cross-section corresponding to that of the caps etc to be placed in the holes. The hollow plate 4 is fixed to the tray for example the bottom part 5 by height restricting means 2. The height restricting means 2 are distributed over the surface of the hollow plate 4 so that it gets a stable position at a distance to the bottom 5 both in a folded and erected position. The height restricting means 2 are therefore designed in such away that they can be shortened or in one position are more or less parallel to the bottom 5 and the hollow plate 4. This is possible by means of strips 1 1 , for instan¬ ce made of plastic. The strips 1 1 are connected to the bottom 5 and to the hollow plate 4. The strips 1 1 consist of two parts 12, 13 which by film hinges 14, 15, 16 are fixed to the hollow plate 4 and the bottom 5. However, it is also possible to use one-piece strips 1 1 which are fixed to the hol¬ low plate 4 and to the bottom 5 in such an articulated way that the hollow plate 4 and the bottom can be displaced in a parallelogram like manner in respect of each other and thereby in a folded state lie on top of each other in an offset way to take up the length respectively the distance between the bottom and the hollow plate 4. In this case it is necessary that at least one of the side walls 6, 7, 8, 9 can be fol¬ ded horizontally or is totally missing. According to other alternatives the height restricting means 2 are designed as col¬ lapsable elements which can be springy, telescopical or bilge-like for instance. It is however necessary that the height restricting means 2 can be brought to and/or shortened to an erected state as well a folded state. It is also possible that the height restricting means 2 are designed in such a way that they are selfstopping in their raised position (stretched position), which means that they take up a stable position, which warrants the, by the height of the trans¬ port goods, for example a cup 17 predetermined distance between the hollow plate 4 and the bottom 5. Alternatively or in addition this distance can be warranted by means of special hol¬ ding means and/or by the transport goods. This is the case when for instance the cup 17 supports the strip about in the midd¬ le or in the area of its film hinge 14. In this case the film hinge 14 can also be omitted and it is enough with a bent strip which is springy by means of the bending. According to another possibility the hollow plate 4 and the tray 1 can be fixed to¬ gether by means of snap joints for instance as disclosed in the German patent pub¬ lications 1808875, 2755136, 2805046 and 3150493 which relate to flip tops. They consist for instance of at least one stretching strap and at least one tightening strap. One of the straps is then like a knee lever provided with a joint part (film joint) which under influence of the stretching strip has got an over kneeing function. This means that it springs at one angle position of the strap over the de¬ ad centre respectively the stretching position to another angle position. During this movement usually two adjacent stretching straps exercise a pulling on the ends of the knee lever. In a folded state such straps extend also parallel to the bot¬ tom 5 and the hollow plate 4 situated above. At the erected state of the tray the straps are extended and lie almost in a plane. The content of the above German patent publications constitute a part of the pre¬ sent specification. It is essential according to the present invention that the tray 1 and the hollow pla¬ te 4 are durably connected to each other by means of height restricting means 2, that these means 2 allow a flat position of the hollow plate 4 and the bottom 5 and that these means 2 possibly together with holding means warrant a stable position where the hollow plate 4 is situated at a distance from the bottom 5 of the tray. Figure 7 shows a side view of two trays 1 of the embodiment of figure 6. The trays 1 are in an erected position, filled with cups 17 and stacked on top of each other.

Claims: Claims 1. Tray (1), preferably for multiple use at transportation of goods such as yoghurt cups or product packages, which tray (1) is attached to a hollow plate (4) in¬ tended for fixing the goods in the holes thereof, characterized in that the hollow plate (4) is vertically adjustable and that it is situated in its upper position above the bottom of the tray (1) at the transportation of the goods. 2. Tray (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it is fixed to the hollow plate (4) by height restricting means (2). 3. Tray (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the height restricting means (2) are provided with a knee-joint. 4. Tray (1) according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the height of the hollow plate (4) above the bottom of the tray (1) can be fixed by holding means (3). 5. Tray (1) according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that the tray (1) has somewhat conically shaped, upwards directed sidewalls. 6. Tray (1) according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that it is foldable. 7. Tray (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that such trays in an empty, folded state can be stacked on top of each other. 8. Tray (1) according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that the holes of the hollow plate (4) are preferably round or rectangular. 9. Tray (1) according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that its under side is provided with recesses or protrusions for receiving the upper side of the goods stacked below. 10. Tray (1) according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that its upper side and/or under side is provided with an antislippery surface. 11. Tray ( 1 ) according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that it is provided with handle means. 12. Tray (1) according to any one of claims 1-11, characterized in that the height restricting means (2) are placed at a distance from the sides of the tray (1).

Inventors: REUTER ROLF DIETER, TRIESCHMANN THOMAS, REUTER, ROLF, DIETER, TRIESCHMANN, THOMAS
Applicants: PERSTORP AB, REUTER ROLF DIETER, TRIESCHMANN THOMAS, REUTER, ROLF, DIETER, TRIESCHMANN, THOMAS
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B65D71
IPC codes: B65D25