Bakery delivery and merchandising system

Abstract

A tray assembly includes a tray having a base, a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from side edges of the base. Front and rear walls extend upward from front and rear edges of the base. The front and rear walls are substantially shorter than the side walls. A liner has a base wall and a pair of opposed side walls. The liner is removably received within the tray. The product in the tray can be removed all at once along with the liner for more efficient stocking at a store.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tray assembly comprising:
 a tray including a base, a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from side edges of the base, and front and rear walls extending upward from front and rear edges of the base, the front and rear walls substantially shorter than the side walls, wherein the tray is injection molded as a single piece of plastic; and   a liner having a base wall and a pair of opposed side walls, the liner removably received within the tray.   
     
     
         2 . The tray assembly of  claim 1  wherein the base wall of the liner is approximately the same size as the base of the tray. 
     
     
         3 . The tray assembly of  claim 1  wherein the liner is a thermoformed sheet of plastic. 
     
     
         4 . The tray assembly of  claim 1  wherein the liner includes a handle formed in each of the side walls. 
     
     
         5 . The tray assembly of  claim 1  wherein a front edge of the base wall of the liner is open. 
     
     
         6 . The tray assembly of  claim 1  wherein the side walls of the tray include a plurality of feet and a plurality of pockets such that the tray can be stacked on an identical tray at two different stacking heights. 
     
     
         7 . The tray assembly of  claim 1  wherein the base of the tray includes large openings forming a majority of the area of the base. 
     
     
         8 . The tray assembly of  claim 1  further including a reinforcement member secured to the front wall of the tray. 
     
     
         9 . The tray assembly of  claim 8  wherein the front wall includes an interior wall and a lip spaced outward from the interior wall and wherein the reinforcement member is disposed between the interior wall and the lip. 
     
     
         10 . The tray assembly of  claim 9  wherein the reinforcement member is formed of a material different from that of the tray. 
     
     
         11 . The tray assembly of  claim 1  wherein the side walls of the liner are taller than the side walls of the tray. 
     
     
         12 . The tray assembly of  claim 11  wherein the side walls of the liner each include an upper portion movable between an upright vertical position and an inward position. 
     
     
         13 . The tray assembly of  claim 12  wherein the upper portions of the liner each include a handle. 
     
     
         14 . The tray assembly of  claim 1  wherein the base wall of the liner is corrugated. 
     
     
         15 . The tray assembly of  claim 1  wherein the base wall of the liner is not flat. 
     
     
         16 . The tray assembly of  claim 1  wherein the liner includes a front wall received in front of the front wall of the tray. 
     
     
         17 . The tray assembly of  claim 1  wherein the liner includes a rear wall. 
     
     
         18 . The tray assembly of  claim 1  wherein the tray includes a decorative pattern molded into an exterior surface thereof. 
     
     
         19 . A tray comprising:
 a base;   a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from side edges of the base, the side walls tray including a plurality of feet and a plurality of pockets such that the tray can be stacked on an identical tray at two different stacking heights;   front and rear walls extending upward from front and rear edges of the base, the front and rear walls substantially shorter than the side walls; and   a reinforcement member secured to the front wall of the tray.   
     
     
         20 . The tray of  claim 19  wherein the front wall includes an interior wall and a lip spaced outward from the interior wall and wherein the reinforcement member is disposed between the interior wall and the lip. 
     
     
         21 . The tray of  claim 19  wherein the tray is injection molded as a single piece of plastic and the reinforcement member is formed of a material different from that of the tray. 
     
     
         22 . The tray of  claim 19  wherein the base of the tray includes large openings forming a majority of the area of the base. 
     
     
         23 . The tray of  claim 22  wherein ribs in the base of the tray cover less than  15 % of the base. 
     
     
         24 . A tray comprising:
 a base;   a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from side edges of the base, the side walls tray including a plurality of feet and a plurality of pockets such that the tray can be stacked on an identical tray at two different stacking heights; and   front and rear walls extending upward from front and rear edges of the base, the front and rear walls substantially shorter than the side walls;   wherein an exterior surface of the tray includes a decorative pattern molded therein.