Tray cover, tray insert, and methods thereof

Abstract

The present teachings are direct at tray, components in a tray, methods for assembling trays, and articles, such as boxes that include a tray. The covers and/or tray inserts include one or more features that result in one or more of the following benefits: improved performance during or after assembly of a tray, improved ease of assembling a tray, or improved appearance of a tray, or any combination thereof. The features can be used alone. However, a number of the features, when combined, result in particularly robust assembly processes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tray insert for a tray comprising:
 an insert base; and   a plurality of side walls connected to the side edges of the insert base;   wherein each side wall includes a first side wall layer connected directly to side edges of the insert base, and a second side wall layer connected to one or more of the first side wall layers;   wherein each second side wall layer includes an anchoring protrusion and the insert includes a sufficient number of slots for receiving each of the anchoring protrusions.   
     
     
         2 . The tray insert of  claim 1 , wherein each of the slots is located near the edges of the insert base. 
     
     
         3 . The tray insert of  claim 1 , wherein the slots include a slot having one or more slits extending from the slot for assisting in the inserting of an anchoring protrusion into the slot. 
     
     
         4 . The tray insert of  claim 1 , wherein the slit extends into insert base. 
     
     
         5 . The tray insert of  claim 4 , wherein a ratio of a length of the slit to a length of the insert base is about 0.10 or less. 
     
     
         6 . The tray insert of  claim 1 , wherein the slots includes a slot having one or more slits extending from the slot into a first side wall layer. 
     
     
         7 . The tray insert of  claim 6 , wherein the slots include a slot having one or more slits extending from the slot into the insert base. 
     
     
         8 . The tray insert of  claim 7 , wherein each slot for receiving one of the anchoring protrusion includes a slit extending from the slot into a side wall layer or into the insert base. 
     
     
         9 . The tray insert of  claim 8 , wherein the slots include a slot for receiving two of the anchoring protrusions. 
     
     
         10 . The tray insert of  claim 9 , wherein the insert base includes a region including two or more intersecting flexing slits for flexing the insert base without breaking or creasing the insert base. 
     
     
         11 . A tray including the tray insert of  claim 1  and a cover for covering the base and side walls of the tray insert. 
     
     
         12 . A tray insert for a tray comprising:
 an insert base; and   a plurality of side walls connected to the side edges of the insert base;   wherein each side wall includes a first side wall layer connected directly to side edges of the insert base, and a second side wall layer connected to one or more of the first side wall layers;   wherein the insert base includes a plurality of flexing sits for allowing the insert base to be flexed in one or more directions without breaking or creasing the insert base.   
     
     
         13 . The tray insert of  claim 12 , wherein the insert base includes a first region including two or more of the flexing slits that intersect and a second region including two or more of the flexing slits that intersect. 
     
     
         14 . The tray insert of  claim 13 , wherein the tray insert includes a slot near an edge of the tray base for receiving two anchoring protrusions, wherein the two anchoring protrusions extend from different second side wall layer portions that form one of the second side wall layers. 
     
     
         15 . The tray insert of  claim 14 , wherein the slot has a locking feature securing the protrusions. 
     
     
         16 . The tray insert of  claim 15 , wherein one or more of the side walls includes a cut-out capable of receiving folded material of a cover. 
     
     
         17 . The tray insert of  claim 16 , wherein one or more of the second wall layers includes a floor cover securing feature. 
     
     
         18 . The tray insert of  claim 12 , wherein each of the second wall layers includes a floor cover securing feature. 
     
     
         19 . The tray insert of  claim 12 , wherein the tray insert includes a slot having a first portion along an edge of the insert base and extending into the insert base and one or more second portions that extend into a first side wall layers. 
     
     
         20 . A tray including the tray of  claim 12  and a cover for covering the insert base and the insert walls.