Abstract:
A nestable beverage tray includes a base and a first pair of opposed walls extending upward from the base and integrally molded with the base. A second pair of opposed walls extend upward from the base. At least one of the second pair of opposed walls is pivotably connected to the base, such that it can be selectively pivoted between an upright position and a retracted position. In a disclosed method, bottles shipped in the tray can be slid from the base directly onto a shelf, or alternatively, from the base onto the open wall and then onto the shelf.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Nestable beverage trays typically have side walls and end walls extending upward from a base. Handle openings are formed in the opposed end walls. Depending on the size of the bottles intended to be stored in the crate, the crate may hold a number of bottles. For single-serving size bottles, the tray typically stores 20-24 bottles. 
         [0002]    Sometimes, a delivery person or stock person must remove the bottles from the crate and place them on a shelf for individual sale, such as in a refrigerator in the store. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    A nestable beverage tray includes a base and a first pair of opposed walls extending upward from the base and integrally molded with the base. A second pair of opposed walls extend upward from the base. At least one of the second pair of opposed walls is pivotably connected to the base, such that it can be selectively pivoted between an upright position and a retracted position. In a disclosed method, bottles shipped in the tray can be slid from the base directly onto a shelf, or alternatively, from the base onto the open wall and then onto the shelf. 
         [0004]    This facilitates delivery and stocking of the bottles for the delivery or stock person. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example beverage tray. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the tray. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is an end view of the tray. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the tray. 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the tray. 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the tray with one of the side walls pivoted downward to the open position. 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is an end view of the tray of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  is a top view of the tray of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 9  shows one of the side walls of the tray. 
           [0014]      FIG. 10  shows the tray without the side wall. 
           [0015]      FIG. 11  is an exploded view of the tray. 
           [0016]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged view of the hinges. 
           [0017]      FIG. 13  shows the tray loaded with a plurality of containers. 
           [0018]      FIG. 14  shows the tray and bottles of  FIG. 13  with one of the side walls pivoted down to the open 90 degree position. 
           [0019]      FIG. 15  shows the tray and bottles of  FIG. 13  with one of the side walls pivoted down to the open 180 degree position. 
           [0020]      FIG. 16 , the side wall is pivoted down 90 degrees where it abuts the edge of the shelf, 
           [0021]      FIG. 17  is a side view of the tray with the bottles. 
           [0022]      FIG. 18  is an end view of the tray and bottles with one of the side walls pivoted to the 90 degree open position. 
           [0023]      FIG. 20  shows two of the trays, empty, with one nested within the other. 
           [0024]      FIG. 21  is a perspective view of an alternate tray loaded with bottles. 
           [0025]      FIG. 22  is an enlarged view of the hinges of the tray of  FIG. 21 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0026]      FIG. 1  shows a tray  10  including a base  12  and side walls  14  extending upward from side edges of the base  12 . End walls  16  (or short walls) extend upward from opposite ends of the base  12 . The end walls  16  each include an upper band portion  18  and a lower portion  20 . The lower portion  20  connects the upper band portion  18  to the base  12  and is spaced inward of the upper band portion  18 , such that the lower portion  20  could be nested between the upper band portions  18  of an identical tray nested therebelow. The end walls  16  are integrally molded with the base  12  as a single molded piece of plastic. Handle openings are provided in each end wall  16 . 
         [0027]    Similarly, the side walls  14  each include an upper band portion  22  and a lower portion  24 . The lower portion  24  connects the upper band portion  22  to the base  12  and is spaced inward of the upper band portion  22 , such that the lower portion  24  could be nested between the upper band portions  22  of an identical tray nested therebelow. The side walls  14  are also hingeably connected to side edges of the base  12  by hinges  28 . The upper band portion  22  of each side wall  14  includes an outer panel portion  30  and a plurality of ribs  32  projecting inward from the outer panel portion  30 . Latches  34  selectively connect the side walls  14  to the end walls  16 . The side walls  14  are each molded separately of plastic. Alternatively, one of the side walls  14  could be integrally molded with the base  12  and end walls  16 . 
         [0028]    When the tray  10  is empty, it can be nested in an identical tray  10 . The lower portions  26  of the side walls  14  and the lower portions  20  of the end walls  16  are received between the upper band portions  22  of the side walls  14  and the upper portions  18  of the end walls  16 , respectively. The hinges  28  of the upper tray  10  are received inward of the outer panel portion  30  between the ribs  32  of the lower tray  10 . The ribs  32  of the lower tray  10  are received between the hinges  28  of the upper tray  10 . Thus, the trays  10  occupy less volume when empty and nested. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the tray  10 .  FIG. 3  is an end view of the tray  10 .  FIG. 4  is a top view of the tray  10 .  FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the tray  10 . 
         [0030]    In  FIG. 6 , one of the side walls  14  is show pivoted downward 90 degrees to an open position generally parallel to and coplanar with the base  12 , after releasing the latches  34 . As shown, the lower portion  26  of the side wall  14 , the outer panel portion  30  and the ribs  32  provide relatively flat surfaces for sliding containers out of the tray  10 . The wall configuration also permits a single-thickness wall, which reduces the footprint of the tray  10 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 7  is an end view of the tray  10  of  FIG. 6 , showing the open side wall  14 .  FIG. 8  is a top view of the tray  10  of  FIG. 6 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 9  shows one of the side walls  14  of the tray  10 . The lower portion  26  of the side wall  14  includes a plurality of hinge pins  40 , each held between two hinge arms  42  and protruding outward of the two hinge arms  42  slightly. 
         [0033]      FIG. 10  shows the tray  10  without the side wall  14 . The base  12  is integrally molded with the end walls  16 . Side edges of the base  12  have integrally molded hinge receivers  46 . Each hinge receiver  46  includes a snap arm  48  for receiving a hinge pin  40  ( FIG. 9 ) snapped therebelow. 
         [0034]      FIG. 11  is an exploded view of the tray  10 , showing the base  12  with integral end walls  16  and the separately-formed side walls  14 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged view of the hinges  28 . As shown the hinge pins  40  are received below the snap arm  48  of the hinge receivers  46 , with the hinge arms  42  on either side of the snap arm  48 . The hinge receivers  46  do not protrude above the upper surface of the base  12 . The hinge receivers  46  are the same height as the upper surface of the base  12 . With the side wall  14  in the 90-degree open position shown, the hinge receivers  46  and upper surface of the base  12  are the same height as the inner surface of the lower portion  26  of the side wall  14  and the same height as the ribs  32  on the side wall  14 . This provides a relatively flat, unimpeded surface across which the bottles  80  can slide. 
         [0036]      FIG. 13  shows the tray  10  loaded with a plurality of containers, namely 250 mL plastic beverage bottles  80  (although other containers or other items could also be used). The bottles  80  are supported on the base  12  and held between the side walls  14  and the end walls  16 . The latches  34  connect the side walls  14  to the end walls  16 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 14  shows the tray  10  and bottles  80  of  FIG. 13  with one of the side walls  14  pivoted down to the open 90 degree position, after releasing the two latches  34 . 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIG. 15 , the side wall  14  can also be pivoted down 180 degrees, so that the base  12  can be placed abutting a shelf  82 . Then, the bottles  80  can be slid off the base  12  and onto the shelf  82 , such as for sale on a store shelf, such as a store refrigerator shelf  82 . 
         [0039]    In  FIG. 16 , the side wall  14  is pivoted down 90 degrees where it abuts the edge of the shelf  82 . The bottles  80  can then be slid from the base  12 , across the inner surface of the side wall  14  and then onto the shelf  82 . The bottles  80  slide across the lower portion  26  and the ribs  32  of the upper band portion  22 . 
         [0040]    Alternatively, the tray  10  can be placed in a store refrigerator and after one of the side walls  14  is pivoted downward (90 or 180 degrees), the customers can select and remove bottles  80  directly from the tray  10 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 17  is a side view of the tray  10  with the bottles  80 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 18  is an end view of the tray  10  and bottles  80  with one of the side walls  14  pivoted to the 90 degree open position.  FIG. 19  is a top view of the tray  10  and bottles  80  of  FIG. 18 .  FIG. 20  shows two of the trays  10 , empty, with one nested within the other. 
         [0043]      FIG. 21  is a perspective view of an alternate tray  110  loaded with bottles  80 . The tray  110  is generally identical to the tray  10  of  FIGS. 1-20  with the exception that the end walls  116  (or short walls) are connected to the base  112  by hinges  128 , while the side walls  114  (or long walls) are integrally molded with the base  112  as a single piece of plastic.  FIG. 22  is an enlarged view of the hinges  128  of the tray  110  of  FIG. 21 . The hinges  128  may be the same as the hinges  28  in the tray  10  of  FIG. 1 . In this embodiment, the end walls  116  can be pivoted downward 90 degrees of 180 degrees so that bottles  80  can be slide off the base  112  onto a shelf. 
         [0044]    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.