Tray for carton packages

Abstract

A tray for carton packages comprising a first quadrangular surface forming a flat support plateau for accommodating bottoms of carton packages and a second quadrangular surface forming a flat support plateau for accommodating tops of carton packages. A first edge surrounds the first surface and extends away therefrom. A second edge surrounds the second flat surface and extends away thereform and at least a first row of recesses is formed in the second surface and at least a second row of recesses is formed on the second surface, the second row of recesses being dissimilar to the first row of recesses.

I/we claim: 
     
         1 . A tray for carton packages, the tray comprising:
 a first quadrangular surface forming a flat support plateau for accommodating bottoms of carton packages;   a second quadrangular surface forming a flat support plateau for accommodating tops of carton packages;   a first edge surrounding the first surface and extending away therefrom;   a second edge surrounding the second flat surface and extending away therefrom;   at least a first row of recesses formed in the second surface; and   at least a second row of recesses formed on the second surface, the second row of recesses being dissimilar to the first row of recesses.   
     
     
         2 . A tray for carton packages according to the  claim 1 , where at least one row of recesses comprises circular cavities. 
     
     
         3 . A tray for carton packages according to  claim 2 , where the second surface comprises four rows of circular cavities and each row is arranged in a straight line and the first two rows are arranged in such a manner that the circular cavities are in the center of the tray on both sides of the longitudinal centerline of the tray and the other two rows are on both sides of the intersecting rows between said intersecting rows and the second edge. 
     
     
         4 . A tray for carton packages according to  claim 1 , where at least one row of recesses is a straight groove running longitudinally over the second surface. 
     
     
         5 . A tray for carton packages according to  claim 4 , where the second surface comprises five straight grooves. 
     
     
         6 . A tray for carton packages according to  claim 4 , where a groove is arranged on the centerline of the tray. 
     
     
         7 . A tray for carton packages according to  claim 6 , where two grooves are arranged between rows of circular recesses and two grooves are arranged between a row of circular recesses and the second edge. 
     
     
         8 . A tray for carton packages according to  claim 1  including cutouts arranged around the circular recesses. 
     
     
         9 . A tray for carton packages according to  claim 1 , where the tray comprises corner struts in each corner of the first quadrangular surface and the struts extend on both sides of the first edge that forms the corner. 
     
     
         10 . A tray for carton packages according to  claim 9  where the corner struts are foldable over the first quadrangular surface. 
     
     
         11 . A tray for carton packages according  claim 9 , where the corner struts comprise ledges for accommodating the second edge of a similar tray.