Stackable storage trays

Abstract

An improved stackable storage tray has a flat bottom wall with a generally U-shaped recess formed therein, a pair of end walls with a bar extending therebetween for manually transporting the tray, a pair of outwardly sloped side walls, and a plurality of dividers extending between the side walls and upwardly extending divider walls forming a plurality of sub-compartments. The improvements include a pair of spaced generally right angled ledges on the end walls which lie in a horizontal plane with top edges of the side wall, sub-compartment dividers, and a divider edge formed by the upstanding divider walls for supporting an upper tray stacked thereon; a plurality of bosses on the bottom wall providing support feet for the tray; and drain holes in the bosses and in the sub-compartments dividers for removing any liquid trapped in the sub-compartments.

1 . A stackable tray having a bottom wall with a pair of bottom wall sections separated by a pair of upwardly extending spaced divider walls terminating in a divider edge and forming a bottom wall recess therebetween; a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall and forming a storage compartment therebetween, said side walls extending upwardly outwardly angled from said bottom wall; a plurality of divider panels extending between the divider walls and the side walls dividing the storage compartment into a plurality of sub-compartments; each of the end walls having a lower portion and an offset upper portion with an outwardly extending ledge formed on each of the end walls between said upper and lower portions with portions of said ledges lying in a common horizontal plane; a support handle extending between the end walls and above the side walls for manually transporting the tray, the support handle being connected to and extending between the upper portions of the end walls and spaced above the ledges a distance less than the height of the bottom wall recess whereby said handle is nestable within the bottom wall recess of an adjacent upper tray when said tray is in a stacked relationship; and said divider panels being secured to at least one of the side walls, divider walls and bottom wall sections by a bent end flange. 
   
   
       2 . The tray defined in  claim 1  in which the tray is formed of sheet steel. 
   
   
       3 . The tray defined in  claim 1  in which the divider edge lies in the common horizontal plane with portions of the end wall ledges and the divider panels top edges. 
   
   
       4 . The tray defined in  claim 3  in which the side walls terminate in top edges which lie substantially in the same common horizontal plane with the divider edge, end wall ledges and divider panels top edges. 
   
   
       5 . The tray defined in  claim 1  in which the lower portions of the end walls are formed with U-shaped cutouts which align with the bottom recess formed between the divider walls. 
   
   
       6 . The tray defined in  claim 1  wherein the support handle is an elongated hollow rod circular in cross section throughout the majority of the length of said handle and is attached at a pair of opposed ends to the upper portions of the end walls. 
   
   
       7 . The tray defined in  claim 1  wherein the lower portion of each of the end walls have bent flanges which lie along portions of the side walls, bottom wall sections and divider walls. 
   
   
       8 . The tray defined in  claim 1  wherein ten sub-compartments are formed in the storage compartment, substantially equal in size to each other. 
   
   
       9 . A storage tray comprising a bottom wall with a pair of bottom wall sections separated by a pair of upwardly extending spaced divider walls terminating in a divider edge and forming a bottom wall recess therebetween; a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall and forming a storage compartment therebetween, said side walls extending upwardly outwardly angled from said bottom wall; a plurality of divider panels extending between the divider walls and the side walls dividing the storage compartment into a plurality of sub-compartments; a support handle connected to and extending between the end walls and spaced above the side walls for manually transporting the tray, said support handle being adapted to be received within the bottom wall recess of an adjacent tray stacked upon said tray; said divider panels being secured to at least one of the side walls, divider walls and bottom wall sections by a bent end flange; and said side walls terminating in top edges which substantially lie in a common horizontal plane with the divider edge and top edges of the divider panels. 
   
   
       10 . The tray defined in  claim 9  wherein the divider panels extend parallel with the end walls. 
   
   
       11 . The tray defined in  claim 9  wherein each of the end walls has a lower portion and an offset upper portion, said lower portions being formed with U-shaped cutouts which align with the bottom recess formed between the divider walls. 
   
   
       12 . The tray defined in  claim 11  wherein each of the U-shaped cutouts terminates in a curved edge which is spaced below the divider edge. 
   
   
       13 . The tray defined in  claim 9  wherein the support handle is an elongated hollow rod circular in cross section and is attached at a pair of opposed ends to the end walls. 
   
   
       14 . The tray defined in  claim 13  wherein each of the end walls has a lower portion and an offset upper portion; and in which the support handle extends between and is attached to the offset upper portions of the end walls. 
   
   
       15 . The tray defined in  claim 9  wherein ten sub-compartments are formed in the storage compartment, substantially equal in size to each other. 
   
   
       16 . The tray defined in  claim 9  wherein the pair of bottom wall sections lie in a common horizontal plane. 
   
   
       17 . The tray defined in  claim 14  wherein each of the offset upper portions of the end walls have a truncated configuration with a pair of upwardly inwardly angled edges terminating in a top horizontal edge. 
   
   
       18 . A storage tray having a bottom wall with a pair of bottom wall sections separated by a pair of upwardly extending spaced divider walls terminating in a divider edge and forming a bottom wall recess therebetween; a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall sections and forming a storage compartment therebetween, said side walls extending upwardly outwardly angled from said bottom wall sections; a plurality of divider panels extending between the divider walls and the side walls dividing the storage compartment into a plurality of sub-compartments; a support handle extending between the end walls and above the side walls for manually transporting the tray, said handle being adapted to be received within the bottom wall recess of an adjacent tray stacked upon said tray; each of the end walls having a lower portion and an offset upper portion; certain of said divider panels being secured to at least one of the side walls, divider walls and bottom wall sections by a bent end flange and having top edges which lie in a common horizontal plane with the divider edge and top edges of the side walls. 
   
   
       19 . The tray defined in  claim 18  wherein each of the end wall lower portions is formed with a U-shaped cutout which terminates in a curved inner edge which is spaced below the divider edge. 
   
   
       20 . The tray defined in  claim 18  wherein the lower portion of each of the end walls have bent flanges which lie along portions of the side walls, bottom wall sections and divider walls.