Complementary tray for forming a container

Abstract

A tray provides a base wall, two pairs of opposed side walls affixed to and extending from the base wall and laterally affixed to respectively adjacent side walls, a first of the pair of opposed side walls extending substantially different heights from the base wall, a second of the pair of opposed side walls extending substantially equidistant from the base wall, and the first and second pairs of opposed side walls each having complementary edges distal from the base wall to allow inversion of one tray over another tray to form a container in combination therewith. A blank is constructed to form such a tray, and two trays form a container.

1 . A tray for holding a row of substantially flat articles standing on edge, comprising: 
 a flat base adapted for supporting a bottom edge of each substantially flat article;    a pair of opposed side walls affixed to said base, each extending substantially the same preselected height from said base;    a front wall affixed to said side walls and extending from said base to a preselected height adapted for enabling viewing of a surface of a substantially flat article located within said tray and in the row; and    a rear wall affixed to said side walls and extending from said base to a preselected height substantially greater than said preselected height of said side walls.    
   
   
       2 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein twice said preselected height of said side wall substantially equals said preselected height of said front wall plus said preselected height of said rear wall.  
   
   
       3 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein said preselected height of said front wall is approximately one half said preselected height of said side walls.  
   
   
       4 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein said tray is adapted to enable formation of a closed container by inversion of one said tray over another said tray.  
   
   
       5 . The tray of  claim 4 , wherein said side walls each includes a complementary engagement element adapted to prevent relative fore and aft movement between two said trays forming said container.  
   
   
       6 . The tray of  claim 4 , wherein of said front and rear walls each includes another complementary engagement element adapted to prevent relative movement between two said trays forming said container.  
   
   
       7 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein said front and side walls are angled outwardly as they extend from said base to allow nested stacking of two or more trays.  
   
   
       8 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein said front wall and said rear wall each includes a hand hold adapted for supporting said tray.  
   
   
       9 . A tray, comprising: 
 a base wall;    two pairs of opposed side walls affixed to and extending from said base wall and laterally affixed to respectively adjacent side walls;    a first pair of said two pairs of opposed side walls extending substantially different preselected heights from said base wall;    a second pair of said two pairs of opposed side walls extending substantially the same preselected height from said base wall; and    said first and second pairs of opposed side walls each having complementary ends distal from said base wall and adapted to enable formation of a closed container by inversion of one said tray over another said tray.    
   
   
       10 . The tray of  claim 9 , wherein said first pair of opposed side walls form a front wall and a rear wall of said tray, and further wherein said preselected height of said rear wall extends at least three times as far from said base wall as said preselected height of said front wall.  
   
   
       11 . The tray of  claim 10 , wherein said preselected height of said front wall enhances viewing of one or more articles located within said tray.  
   
   
       12 . The tray of  claim 9 , wherein said complementary ends of said first pair of opposed side walls each includes a complementary engagement element adapted to prevent relative movement between two said trays forming said container.  
   
   
       13 . The tray of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one resistance element adapted to reduce movement of articles located within a tray, in a fore and aft direction with respect to said tray.  
   
   
       14 . A container, comprising; 
 a pair of substantially identical trays, with at least one tray being adapted to be inverted over another said tray to form said container,    wherein each tray comprises: 
 a base wall;  
 two pairs of opposed side walls affixed to and extending from said base wall and laterally affixed to respectively adjacent side walls;  
 a first pair of said two pairs of opposed side walls extending substantially different preselected heights from said base wall; and  
 a second pair of said two pairs of opposed side walls extending substantially the same preselected height from said base wall,  
 wherein said preselected heights of said first pair of opposed side walls are adapted to effectively close said container with inversion of said at least one tray over another.  
   
   
   
       15 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein said first and second pairs of opposed side walls each includes complementary ends distal from said base wall and adapted to enable formation of said container by inversion of one said tray over another said tray, and further wherein two or more of said complementary ends include a complementary engagement element adapted to prevent relative movement between two said trays forming said container.  
   
   
       16 . A substantially flat blank adapted for forming a four sided tray, comprising: 
 a rectangular central panel adapted for forming a base wall of a four sided tray;    two pairs of opposed side panels individually affixed to separate sides of said central panel along bend lines;    a first pair of said two pairs of opposed side panels being adapted for forming a first pair of opposed side walls of said four sided tray and extending substantially different preselected lengths from said central panel; and    a second pair of said two pairs of opposed side panels being adapted for forming a second pair of opposed side walls of said four sided tray and extending substantially the same preselected length from said central panel,    wherein said preselected lengths of said first pair of opposed side panels are adapted to form a closed container with inversion of one said tray over another said tray.    
   
   
       17 . The blank of  claim 16 , wherein said first pair of opposed side panels are adapted to form a front wall and a rear wall of said tray, and further wherein said preselected length of said panel adapted to form said front wall is adapted to enhance viewing of one or more articles located within said tray.  
   
   
       18 . The blank of  claim 16 , wherein said first pair of opposed side panels include a cut-out in each panel adapted to function as a hand hold for said tray formed from said blank.  
   
   
       19 . The blank of  claim 16 , wherein said first and second pairs of opposed side panels each has a complementary end distal from said central panel and adapted to support formation of said closed container by inversion of one said tray over another said tray.  
   
   
       20 . The blank of  claim 19 , wherein two or more of said complementary ends of said first and second pairs of opposed side panels each includes a complementary engagement element adapted to prevent relative movement between two said trays forming closed container.  
   
   
       21 . The blank of  claim 16 , wherein said preselected length of one panel of said first pair of opposed side panels is approximately three times said preselected length of another panel of said first pair of opposed side panels and approximately one and one-half times said preselected length of said second pair of opposed side panels.