Tray for protective packaging

Abstract

A tray for a protective packaging includes a first side and a second side. The tray also includes a plurality of inner support portions, each inner support portion configured to receive a portion of at least one object from the first side, and a plurality of contoured outer support portions, each outer support portion being adjacent to at least one inner support portion. The outer support portions substantially protect the object from the second side.

1 . A tray comprising: 
 a first side and a second side;    a plurality of inner support portions, each inner support portion configured to receive a portion of at least one object from the first side;    a plurality of contoured outer support portions, each outer support portion being adjacent to at least one inner support portion; and    wherein the outer support portions substantially protect the object from the second side.    
   
   
       2 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the object is a bottle, and wherein each of the inner support portions is configured to receive a corresponding portion of the bottle.  
   
   
       3 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the inner support portions and the outer support portions are constructed from molded pulp.  
   
   
       4 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the outer support sections are substantially triangular.  
   
   
       5 . The tray of  claim 4 , wherein each outer support portion includes a first surface and a second surface extending outwardly from the second side to a curved vertex portion configured to join the first surface and the second surface.  
   
   
       6 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein each outer support portion substantially spans a width of the tray.  
   
   
       7 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein each outer support portion is substantially perpendicular to a length of the tray.  
   
   
       8 . The tray of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of ribs disposed proximate a perimeter of the tray along a length and width of the tray.  
   
   
       9 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the first side defines a plane, the plane substantially defining a diagonal of a package.  
   
   
       10 . A package comprising: 
 a first tray and a second tray, each of the first tray and the second tray including a first side and a second side, a plurality of inner support portions, each inner support portion configured to receive a portion of at least one object from the first side, and a plurality of contoured outer support portions, each outer support portion being adjacent to at least one inner support portion;    wherein the first side of the first tray defines a first plane and the first side of the second tray defines a second plane;    wherein the first tray and the second tray define an enclosure configured to house the corresponding portions of the object when the first plane and the second plane are superimposed; and    wherein the first plane and the second plane substantially define a diagonal of the package when the first plane and the second plane are superimposed.    
   
   
       11 . The package of  claim 10 , wherein the outer support portions are substantially triangular.  
   
   
       12 . The package of  claim 11 , wherein each outer support portion of the first tray and the second tray includes a first surface and a second surface extending outwardly from the second side to a substantially curved vertex portion configured to join the first surface and the second surface.  
   
   
       13 . The package of  claim 10 , wherein the object is a bottle, and wherein each of the inner support portions of the first tray and the second tray is configured to receive a corresponding portion of the bottle.  
   
   
       14 . The package of  claim 10 , wherein an edge of the first tray is pivotally coupled to a correspondingly configured edge of the second tray to define a pivot axis between the first tray and the second tray, and wherein the first tray and the second tray are pivotable about the pivot axis between a plurality of open positions where the first sides of the first tray and the second tray are exposed and a closed position wherein the first plane and the second plane are substantially superimposed.  
   
   
       15 . The package of  claim 10 , wherein the inner support portions and the outer support portions are constructed from molded pulp.  
   
   
       16 . The package of  claim 10 , wherein each outer support portion substantially spans a width of the corresponding tray.  
   
   
       17 . The package of  claim 10 , wherein each outer support portion is substantially perpendicular to a length of the corresponding tray.  
   
   
       18 . The package of  claim 10 , each of the first tray and the second tray further comprising a plurality of ribs disposed proximate a perimeter of the corresponding tray along a length and width of the corresponding tray.  
   
   
       19 . A tray for an object comprising: 
 a plurality of spaced apart inner support portions disposed along a length of the tray, each inner support portion configured to receive a corresponding portion of the object from a first side of the tray;    a plurality of a spaced apart and contoured outer support portions disposed along the length and configured to substantially span a width of the tray, each outer support portion being adjacent to at least one inner support portion, each outer support portion including a first surface and a second surface extending outwardly from a second side to a vertex portion configured to join the first surface and the second surface;    wherein the inner support portions collectively support the object; and    wherein the outer support portions substantially protect the object from the outer side.    
   
   
       20 . The tray of  claim 19 , wherein the object is a bottle, and wherein each of the inner support portions is configured to receive a corresponding portion of the bottle.  
   
   
       21 . The tray of  claim 19 , wherein the inner support portions and the outer support portions are constructed from molded pulp.  
   
   
       22 . The tray of  claim 19 , wherein each outer support portion is substantially perpendicular to a length of the tray.  
   
   
       23 . The tray of  claim 19 , further comprising a plurality of ribs disposed proximate a perimeter of the tray along a length and width of the tray.  
   
   
       24 . The tray of  claim 19 , wherein the first side defines a plane, the plane substantially defining a diagonal of a package.