Abstract:
A tray assembly includes a tray having a base, a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from side edges of the base. Front and rear walls extend upward from front and rear edges of the base. The front and rear walls are substantially shorter than the side walls. A liner has a base wall and a pair of opposed side walls. The liner is removably received within the tray. The product in the tray can be removed all at once along with the liner for more efficient stocking at a store.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/766,042, filed Feb. 18, 2013 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/838,221, filed Jun. 21, 2013, the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention provides a system and its components for delivering and merchandising goods, particularly baked goods, such as bread. 
         [0003]    Plastic bakery trays are often used to delivery bakery items, such as bread, buns, etc from the bakery to stores. At the store, a worker unloads the bakery items from the trays and places the bakery items on shelves for the customers to purchase. The empty bakery trays are returned to the bakery for reuse. 
         [0004]    Move the bakery items one at a time from the bakery trays to the store shelves is time consuming, especially since care must be used not to damage the bakery items. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    A tray assembly includes a tray having a base, a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from side edges of the base. Front and rear walls extend upward from front and rear edges of the base. The front and rear walls are substantially shorter than the side walls. A liner has a base wall and a pair of opposed side walls. The liner is removably received within the tray. The product in the tray can be removed all at once along with the liner for more efficient stocking at a store. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The drawings can be briefly described as follows: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bakery tray assembly according to a first embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a drawer. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  shows a plurality of the drawers of  FIG. 3  installed on store shelves. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the drawer of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  shows the drawer of  FIG. 5  with product loaded therein. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a pallet that can be used with the trays disclosed herein. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a tray according to a second embodiment. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the tray of  FIG. 8  with a liner. 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is an assembled view of the tray and liner of  FIG. 9 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  shows a plurality of liners as they could be stacked. 
           [0018]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a tray assembly according to another embodiment. 
           [0019]      FIG. 13  shows the tray assembly of  FIG. 12  with the upper portions of the liner folded inward. 
           [0020]      FIG. 14  shows two of the liners of  FIG. 13  stacked. 
           [0021]      FIG. 15  shows a tray assembly according to another embodiment. 
           [0022]      FIG. 16  is an exploded view of the tray assembly of  FIG. 15 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of the liner of  FIG. 15   
           [0024]      FIG. 18  shows three of the liners of  FIG. 17  stacked. 
           [0025]      FIG. 19  shows the liners of  FIG. 18  loaded onto store shelves. 
           [0026]      FIG. 20  shows two of the liners of  FIG. 18  on angled shelves. 
           [0027]      FIG. 21  is a perspective view of a tray according to another embodiment. 
           [0028]      FIG. 22  is a perspective view of a liner according to another embodiment. 
           [0029]      FIG. 23  shows the liner of  FIG. 22  being inserted into the tray of  FIG. 21 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 24  shows the liner of  FIG. 22  inserted into the tray of  FIG. 21 . 
           [0031]      FIG. 25  is a perspective view of a tray according to another embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0032]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a bakery tray  10  includes a base  12 . A front wall  14  having a dropped portion or opening providing access to the tray  10 , extends upward from a front edge of the base  12 . Side walls  18  extend upward from side edges of the base  12 . A rear wall  16  extends upward from a rear edge of the base  12 . The side walls  18  are approximately twice the height of the front wall  14  and rear wall  16 . As shown, the side walls  18  may be configured to provide a first stacking height when oriented the same as a tray (not shown) on which it is stacked and a second stacking height when oriented 180 degrees relative to the tray (not shown) on which it is stacked. As is commonly known, the entire tray  10  is preferably injection molded as a single-piece of plastic. 
         [0033]    The front wall  14  and rear wall  16  are each double walls, or can alternatively be considered to have an interior wall and a lip spaced outward from the interior wall and joined by vertical ribs. This provides stiffness to the front and rear walls  14 ,  16  despite their significantly reduced height. Additionally, the front wall  14  can having a dropped portion of even further reduced height to facilitate the removal of product from the tray  10 . Optionally, the rear wall  16  can also have a dropped portion. 
         [0034]    The side walls  18  each include an upper portion  20  protruding outward from an interior wall  22 . Below the upper portion  20 , a plurality of feet  24  project outward from the interior wall  22 . As is common, the feet  24  align with pockets  26  on the side walls  18  of an identical tray. The pockets  26  on the side walls  18  have different depths and the feet  24  on one side wall  18  are positioned differently than on the other side wall  18 , such that the tray  10  will stack at two different heights on an identical tray  10  by rotating the trays 180 degrees relative to one another. Flange portions  30  project inward from the side walls  18  along the front wall  14  and the rear wall  16 . 
         [0035]    As is shown, the tray  10  accommodates a removable liner  40 . The liner  40  includes a base wall  42 , a rear wall  46  and side walls  48 . The front edge of the liner  40 , opposite rear wall  46 , may be open as shown. Handle openings  50  may be provided through the side walls  48 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the liner  40  is removable from the tray  10 . The liner  40  is formed as a single piece of plastic, such as by thermoforming or injection molding. The base wall  42  of the liner  40  is approximately the same size as the base  12  of the tray  10 , such that the liner  40  fits within the interior space of the tray  10  without wasting space and the side walls  48  of the liner  40  abut the side walls  18  of the tray  10  and the rear wall  46  of the liner  40  abuts the rear wall  16  of the tray  10 . 
         [0036]    In use, a plurality of items, such as loaves of bread, can be placed in the tray  10  on the liner  40 . Trays  10  of bread are shipped to a store. The delivery person can lift a plurality of loaves of bread out of the tray  10  at once by lifting the liner  40  out of the tray  10 . The loaves can be slid onto a shelf all at once from the front edge of the liner  40 . Thus, the delivery person does not have to lift each loaf of bread out of the tray  10  one at a time. 
         [0037]    A drawer  60  is shown in  FIGS. 3-6 . The drawer  60  is injection molded or thermoformed of a single piece of plastic. The drawer  60  includes a base wall  62 . A rear wall  66  and side walls  68  protrude upward from rear and side edges of the base wall  62 , respectively. A front lip  64  protrudes downward from the front edge of the base wall  62 . Handle openings  70  may be formed in the side walls  68 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , drawers  60  may be secured to shelves  80  in a store. The drawers  60  may be secured to rails  82 ,  84  or track so that the drawers  60  may be pulled out (the bottom drawer  60  is shown pulled out, the upper drawer  60  is show retracted). In the outward position, the drawer  60  can be more easily loaded with items. As an example, the loaves of bread can be slid from the liner  40  of  FIGS. 1-2  directly into the drawer  60 . The drawers  60  are sized to receive the same number of items as the liner  40  and tray  10 . The base  62  is approximately the same dimensions as the base  42  of the liner  40  ( FIG. 2 ). 
         [0038]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the drawer  60  when empty.  FIG. 6  is a front view of the drawer  60  loaded with items, such as loaves  88  of bread, for sale to customers in a store, such as a grocery store. 
         [0039]      FIG. 7  shows a plastic pallet  90 . The pallet  90  may be referred to as a “half-pallet,” as it is half the size of a standard size pallet and more than twice as long as it is wide. The pallet  90  includes an upper deck  92  and columns  94  supporting the deck  92 . In this pallet  90 , the columns  94  are spaced inward from the perimeter of the deck  92 , such that forks of a lift may lift the pallet  90  below the deck  92  outward of the columns  94 . Pockets  96  are formed in the deck  92  for receiving the columns  94  of an identical pallet  90  to reduce stacking height when the pallets  90  are empty. The pallet  90  is sized to accommodate two stacks of the trays  10  ( FIGS. 1-2 ). The stacks of trays  10  can be shipped to a store on the pallet  90 , unloaded with a lift and wheeled into the store on the lift. The trays  10  ( FIG. 1 ) can then be unloaded by emptying the liners  40  into the drawers ( FIG. 4 ). 
         [0040]      FIG. 8  is a second embodiment of a tray  210 . Because the tray  210  will be used with a liner, the base  212  can be minimized. In the tray  210  shown, the base  212  includes some more dense rib structured areas  220  along the front wall  214  and rear wall  216  and more dense rib structured areas  222  along the side walls  218 . Between these structured areas  220 ,  222 , however, minimal rib structure forms the majority of the base  212 , covering less than 15% of the base  212  area. The exact amount of ribs in the base  212  will depend upon the particular application, but it is significantly reduced compared to standard bakery trays. The large openings in the base  12  forming a large majority of the area of the base do not damage the product because the liner will cover them and provide a smooth surface for supporting the product. 
         [0041]    Optionally, to further reinforce the tray  210 , a reinforcement member  226  may be inserted within the front wall  214  and/or rear wall  216 . The reinforcement member  226  could be steel tube or rod, or other metal, or composite material that provides increased stiffness to the tray  210 . The reinforcement members  226  may be insert-molded with the tray  210  or inserted into the walls  214 ,  216  after the tray  210  is injection molded. The front wall  214  and rear wall  216  are each double walls (i.e. they each include an interior wall and a lip spaced outward of the interior wall and extending downward), so the reinforcement members  226  can be accommodated between them. 
         [0042]      FIG. 9  shows a liner  240  being inserted into the tray  210 . The liner  240  includes a base wall  242 , side walls  248  and a rear wall  246 . The front of the liner  240  may optionally be open (without a wall) as shown to make it easier to remove product from the liner  240 . Handle openings  250  are formed through each side wall  248 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 10  shows the liner  240  within the tray  210 . As shown, the liner  240  does not noticeably reduce the volume of the tray  210 . The lack of a front wall on the liner  240  leaves the window opening through the front wall  214  completely unobstructed. 
         [0044]    As shown in  FIG. 11 , when the liners  240  are removed from their respective trays  210  (not shown) and stacked one upon the other, the upper tray  240  would be stacked on the product (not shown) in the lower tray  240 . The surface area of the upper tray  240  protects the product (e.g. baked items) in the lower tray  240  from damage. 
         [0045]    In  FIG. 12 , another liner  340  is shown in the tray  210 . The liner  340  includes a base wall  342 , side walls  348  and a rear wall  346 . The side walls  348  are taller than the side walls  218  of the tray  210 . The side walls  348  each include an upper portion  350  hingeably (foldably) connected to a lower portion  352 . The handle openings may be positioned in the upper portions  350 . Again, the liner  340  may be a thermoformed plastic sheet. 
         [0046]    As shown in  FIG. 13  with product (not shown) in the tray  210  and liner  340 , the upper portions  350  of the side walls  348  can be folder over the product. This permits the trays  210  to stack on one another for shipping and storage. When removing the liners  340  from the trays  210 , the upper portions  350  can be folded upward again, so that they can be lifted by the handles. 
         [0047]    Further, as shown in  FIG. 14 , after being removed from the trays  210  for placement on the store shelves, the liners  340  can be stacked on one another with the upper liner  340  stacked on the folded-over upper portions  350  of the side walls  348  to reduce the weight of the upper liner  340  on the product in the lower liner  340 . At least some of the weight of the upper tray  210  and product therein is transferred to the side walls  348  of the lower tray  210 . 
         [0048]    A liner  440  according to another embodiment is shown in  FIG. 15  in the tray  210 . The liner  440  may be plastic, such as by thermoforming or injection molding. The base  442  may have large, easy corrugations or a somewhat low-amplitude, low-frequency sinusoidal patterns in the base  442  forming slight peaks and valleys. This increases the stiffness of the base  442 . The liner  440  includes a base  442 , side walls  448 , rear wall  454  and an open front end. The liner  440  is shown in more detail in  FIG. 16  and in  FIG. 17 . A flange extends perpendicularly from each side wall  448  partially across the rear wall  454 . As shown in  FIG. 18 , the liners  440  can be stacked upon one another on a store shelf with product (not shown) in them for display and sale.  FIG. 19  shows a plurality of the liners  440  loaded onto store shelves  80 . As explained above, this is a very quick and efficient way to load the stores shelves  80  with product (not shown) from the trays  210  ( FIG. 16 ). 
         [0049]    As shown in  FIG. 20 , the liners  440  could be loaded onto angled shelves  180  with the rear walls  454  at the bottom of the slope to prevent product from sliding off the shelves  180 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 21  shows an alternate tray  310 . The tray  310  is generally as described above with respect to trays  10 ,  110  and  210  except as is otherwise described or shown in the drawings. Again, the base  312  could be minimized because it is used with a liner. In this tray  310 , the side walls  318  are double walls having an inner wall  321  and an outer wall  319 . There are ribs (not shown) extending vertically between the inner wall  321  and outer wall  319  for strength. The side walls  318  can be molded with projections from the mold extending between the inner wall  321  and outer wall  319 . This can leave a smooth exterior surface on the outer wall  319 . In this embodiment, the front wall  314  is also minimized such that it is nearly flat with the base  312 , but this is optional. 
         [0051]    An liner  540  according to another embodiment is shown in  FIG. 22 . The liner  540  is specifically designed for the tray  310  of  FIG. 21 . The liner  540  includes a base  542  (again, could be corrugated), side walls  548  and a front wall  554  which is a double wall (inner wall and outer wall). 
         [0052]    In  FIG. 23 , the liner  540  is being removed from the tray  310 . As shown, the front wall  554  of the liner  540  supplies much of what is missing from the minimized front wall  314  of the tray  310 . Preferably, the front wall  554  interlocks with the front wall  314  to provide additional strength and stiffness to the tray  310 .  FIG. 24  shows the liner  540  in the tray  310 . The front wall  314  of the tray  310  is received between the inner and outer walls of the liner  540 . Alternatively, at least the outer wall of the front wall  554  of the liner  540  is outward of the front wall  314  of the tray  310 . 
         [0053]    As is shown schematically in  FIG. 25 , a pattern can be molded into the (otherwise) smooth exterior surface of the tray  310 . In the example shown, a basket weave pattern is molded into the exterior surface of the outer wall of the side walls of the tray  310 . The pattern could also be molded into the exterior surfaces of the front and rear walls. The pattern is completely non-structural. The pattern is decorative and includes very shallow recesses and projections to make the pattern (i.e., not structural). 
         [0054]    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.