Stand-up packaging

Abstract

Stand-up packaging is disclosed. The stand-up packaging has a cradle, and an object or a plurality of stacked and nested objects. The cradle fits against a bottom portion of a profile of the object or the stacked objects. The object or stack of objects and the cradle may be wrapped within a retaining member, such as a clear polymeric film.

1 . Stand-up packaging comprising: 
 at least one object, the at least one object having a top side and an opposing bottom side, a center portion, a sidewall extending upwardly from said center portion, a rim extending radially outwardly from the sidewall and a peripheral edge;    a cradle maintaining the stack in an upright orientation, the cradle having a lower surface for supporting the cradle on a base surface, an upper surface upon which the at least one object is supported, and a back support, the back support engaging the bottom side of the sidewall of the at least one object.    
   
   
       2 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 1  wherein the at least one object is a dishware object.  
   
   
       3 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of objects in a stack.  
   
   
       4 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 3  wherein the objects in the stack are nested.  
   
   
       5 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 4  further comprising a securing member maintaining the cradle and the stack in fixed relationship.  
   
   
       6 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 5  wherein the securing member is a thin-film polymeric wrap.  
   
   
       7 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 6  wherein the cradle and the stack are entirely enclosed within the thin-film polymeric wrap.  
   
   
       8 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 7  wherein the thin-film polymeric wrap is translucent.  
   
   
       9 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 5  wherein the cradle comprises a leg extending outwardly of the back support, the leg having an upper surface upon which the stack is supported.  
   
   
       10 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 9  wherein the upper surface of the leg has a curvilinear shape matching the contour of a portion of the peripheral edges of the objects in the stack.  
   
   
       11 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 10  wherein the cradle includes a second leg extending outwardly of the back support, the second leg having an upper surface upon which the stack is supported, the upper surface of the second leg having a curvilinear shape matching the contour of a portion of the peripheral edges of the objects in the stack.  
   
   
       12 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 11  wherein each leg has a retainer for maintaining the stack upon the upper surfaces of the legs.  
   
   
       13 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 12  wherein the retainers project upwardly from the upper surfaces of the legs.  
   
   
       14 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 9  wherein the cradle includes a slot located between the back support and the leg, the slot sized and shaped to receive a portion of the peripheral edge of the last object in the stack.  
   
   
       15 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 4  wherein the cradle has a back side opposite the portion of the back support engaging the last object in the stack, the back side having a cavity with a transverse support extending from an upper wall downwardly toward a lower wall.  
   
   
       16 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 4  wherein the back support further engages a bottom side of the rim of the last plate in the stack.  
   
   
       17 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 4  wherein the stack is maintained at an angle between 45 and 90 degrees relative to the base surface.  
   
   
       18 . Stand-up packaging comprising: 
 a stack including a plurality of nested dishware objects, each dishware object having a top side and an opposing bottom side, a peripheral edge, a rim extending radially inwardly of the peripheral edge, a sidewall extending downwardly and radially inwardly from the rim, and a center portion extending radially inwardly from the sidewall; and    a cradle having a lower surface for supporting the cradle on a base surface, an upper surface upon which the stack is supported, and a back support, the back support engaging the bottom side of the last dishware object in the stack.    
   
   
       19 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 18  further comprising a securing member maintaining the cradle and the stack in fixed relationship.  
   
   
       20 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 18  wherein the back support engages the bottom side of the rim of the last dishware object in the stack.  
   
   
       21 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 18  wherein the back support engages the bottom side of the sidewall of the last dishware object in the stack.  
   
   
       22 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 18  wherein the cradle comprises a leg extending outwardly of the back support, the leg having an upper surface upon which the stack is supported.  
   
   
       23 . The stand-up packaging of  claim 18  further comprising a securing member maintaining the cradle and the stack in fixed relationship, and wherein the back support engages the bottom side of the rim and the bottom side of the sidewall of the last dishware object in the stack, and the cradle comprises a leg extending outwardly of the back support, the leg having an upper surface upon which the stack is supported.  
   
   
       24 . A cradle for stand-up packaging, the cradle comprising: 
 a unitary member comprising: 
 a back support, the back support having a sidewall support and a rim support, the sidewall support for engaging a bottom side of a sidewall of a disposable dishware object, and the rim support for engaging a bottom side of a rim of a disposable dishware object;  
 a leg extending outwardly of the back support, the leg having an upper surface upon which a portion of a disposable dishware object rests and a lower surface for resting on a support surface; and  
 a slot located between the leg and the back support, the slot sized and located to accept an outer peripheral portion of a disposable dishware object.