Holding tray for dispensing rollable containers from end opening container cartons

Abstract

An apparatus is described for supporting a carton having cylindrical or other rollable containers therein and an end discharge opening for dispensing the containers. The apparatus is configured to be useful for holding a dispensing carton between shelves in a refrigerator. The apparatus includes an elongated tray body having marginal walls that form a dam to retain liquids. The top edges of the marginal walls define an upwardly open carton receptacle. An inclined support surface is disposed below the top edges and above the bottom wall to receive and support a carton at an inclined angle. One or more wells are provided to form a catch basin to retain liquids and position the carton above the liquids to prevent weakening of the carton.

1 . An apparatus forming an upwardly open container carton tray, comprising: 
 a bottom wall which is capable of holding liquids;    marginal walls connected to the bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom to form a perimeter dam which retains liquids within a tray interior, said marginal walls being sufficiently low to form an upwardly open receptacle into which a container carton having plural rollable containers may be rested by setting the container carton upon the carton tray;    an abutment along one of said marginal walls;    at least one inclined support within the tray interior upon which the container carton rests at an inclined angle, said inclined support serving to incline and gravitate rollable containers within the container carton toward said abutment;    at least one recessed well formed within the tray interior for collecting liquids therein below said inclined support to maintain the container carton dry above any collected liquids held in said at least one recessed well.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the inclined support comprises: 
 at least one longitudinal support member;    at least one transverse rib support member which extends transversely relative to the at least one longitudinal support member.    
   
   
       3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the bottom wall, marginal walls and inclined support are integrally formed.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the bottom wall, marginal walls and inclined support are integrally formed by a vacuum forming process.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the inclined support comprises: 
 at least one longitudinal support member;    at least one transverse rib support member which extends transversely relative to the at least one longitudinal support member; and,    wherein the bottom wall, marginal walls and inclined support are integrally formed by a vacuum forming process.    
   
   
       6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising at least one hold for facilitating handling of the apparatus.  
   
   
       7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising at least one hand hold formed at the rear of the apparatus for facilitating handling of the apparatus.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising at least one hand hold formed at the rear of the apparatus for facilitating handling of the apparatus, said hand hold having an upper surface forming part of said at least one inclined support.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one recessed well comprises a plurality of recessed wells.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus formed to support a beverage carton, comprising: 
 an elongated tray body formed by a bottom wall and marginal walls that extend upwardly from the bottom wall;    wherein the marginal walls terminate along peripheral top edges;    wherein the bottom and marginal walls define an upwardly open beverage carton receiving receptacle that is configured to receive the beverage carton with a portion of the beverage carton exposed above the peripheral top edges;    a support surface below the peripheral top edges and above the bottom wall, and formed to receive and support a carton at an inclined angle with respect to the bottom wall;    wherein the bottom and marginal walls further define a catch basin below at least a portion of the support surface.    
   
   
       11 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the support surface is formed as an integral part of the bottom wall.  
   
   
       12 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the catch basin is comprised of a plurality of individual beverage receiving wells formed along the bottom wall and between the marginal walls.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the peripheral top edges are continuous and lie in a plane that is substantially parallel to the bottom wall.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the marginal walls include opposed forward and rearward end walls and further comprising a finger grip surface formed in the tray body adjacent the rearward end wall.  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the support surface includes reinforcing ribs disposed within the beverage carton receiving receptacle and wherein the reinforcing ribs include top rib surfaces that are coplanar and inclined with respect to the bottom wall.  
   
   
       16 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the peripheral top edges are substantially coplanar.  
   
   
       17 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the support surface includes reinforcing ribs within the beverage carton receiving receptacle with top rib surfaces that are coplanar, and wherein the peripheral top edges are at least substantially coplanar and parallel to the bottom wall.  
   
   
       18 . An apparatus forming a dispenser for reception between adjacent elevationally spaced shelves of a refrigerator and supporting a carton containing at least partially cylindrical beverage containers that are capable of rolling on an inclined surface, and wherein the carton includes a height dimension and a tear away closure that is removable to expose a container discharge and a container stop wall below the container discharge, the apparatus comprising: 
 an elongated tray body formed by a bottom wall and marginal walls that include a front wall with a top edge spaced above the bottom wall;    wherein the marginal walls define an upwardly open beverage carton receiving receptacle that is configured to receive and support the beverage carton with the tear away closure removed and with the container discharge exposed upwardly adjacent to the top edge of the front wall and with the front wall abutting with and bracing the container stop wall against collapse; and    a support surface below the peripheral top edges, configured to receive and support the carton within the space between shelves of a refrigerator and at an inclined angle with respect to the bottom wall to induce rolling motion of containers within the carton toward the forward wall.    
   
   
       19 . An apparatus according to  claim 18  further comprising a beverage receiving catch basin between the bottom wall and marginal walls.  
   
   
       20 . An apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein the support surface is comprised of at least one longitudinal part and at least one rib intersecting with the longitudinal part and wherein the at least one longitudinal part and said at least one rib define a support surface which lies along an inclined support plane above the bottom wall.