Shipping tray for chair system and method

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure may include a shipping tray for a chair having a plurality of legs including a top side, bottom side, front support, rear support, first side support, second side support, a central brace, a plurality of holders, and a plurality of structural ribs. Embodiments may also include a shipping tray system, and a method of stacking a chair having a plurality of legs on the shipping tray.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shipping tray for a chair having a plurality of legs, comprising:
 a top side;   a bottom side;   a front support having a first front corner and a second front corner;   a rear support having a first rear corner and a second rear corner;   a first side support;   a second side support;   a central brace including a center portion, a first front arm connecting the first front corner to a center portion, a second front arm connecting the second front corner to the center portion, a first rear arm connecting the first rear corner to the center portion, and a second rear arm connecting the second rear corner to the center portion, where the center portion, the first front arm, the second front arm, the first rear arm, and the second rear arm form a continuous top surface; and   a plurality of holders configured to receive the plurality of legs of the chair, wherein one holder of the plurality of holders is disposed at each of the first front corner, the second front corner, the first rear corner, and the second rear corner;   wherein each of the front support, the rear support, the first side support, the second side support, and the central brace is hollow and has a plurality of structural ribs disposed on the bottom side.   
     
     
         2 . The shipping tray of  claim 1 , wherein the top side is substantially planar. 
     
     
         3 . The shipping tray of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of structural ribs of the front support includes:
 a first front rib disposed adjacent the first front corner;   a second front rib disposed adjacent the second front corner; and   a third front rib disposed between the first front rib and the second front rib;   wherein the first front rib, the second front rib, and the third front rib each orthogonally traverse a front length of the front support.   
     
     
         4 . The shipping tray of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of structural ribs of the rear support includes:
 a first rear rib disposed adjacent the first rear corner;   a second rear rib disposed adjacent the second rear corner; and   a third rear rib disposed between the first rear rib and the second rear rib;   wherein the first rear rib, the second rear rib, and the third rear rib each orthogonally traverse a rear length of the rear support.   
     
     
         5 . The shipping tray of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of structural ribs of the first side support and the second side support each includes:
 a first side rib disposed adjacent each the first front corner and the second front corner;   a second side rib disposed adjacent each the first rear corner and the second rear corner; and   a third side rib disposed between the first side rib and the second side rib;   wherein the first side rib, the second side rib, and the third side rib each orthogonally traverse a side support length of each the first side support and the second side support.   
     
     
         6 . The shipping tray of  claim 5 , wherein the first side support and the second side support each have a fourth side rib oriented parallel with the first side support and the second side support, the fourth side rib being disposed along a side support length between the first front corner and first rear corner, and between the second front corner and the second rear corner. 
     
     
         7 . The shipping tray of  claim 6 , wherein a length of each of the first front arm and the second front arm is greater than a length of each of the first rear arm and the second rear arm. 
     
     
         8 . The shipping tray of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of structural ribs of the central brace includes:
 a first center rib disposed between a junction formed by the first front arm and second front arm and a junction formed by the first rear arm and the second rear arm; and   a second center rib disposed between a junction formed by the first front arm and the first rear arm and a junction formed by the second front arm and the second rear arm.   
     
     
         9 . The shipping tray of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of structural ribs of the central brace includes a first brace rib, a second brace rib, a third brace rib, and a fourth brace rib, each traversing one of the first front arm, the second front arm, the first rear arm, and the second rear arm, the first brace rib disposed between the first front corner and the center portion, the second brace rib disposed between the second front corner and the center portion, the third brace rib disposed between the first rear corner and the center portion, and the fourth brace rib disposed between the second rear corner and the center portion. 
     
     
         10 . The shipping tray of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of structural ribs includes a plurality of first corner ribs disposed between the first front corner and a first front holder, a plurality of second corner ribs disposed between the second front corner and a second front holder, a plurality of third corner ribs disposed between the first rear corner and a first rear holder, and a plurality of fourth corner ribs disposed between the second rear corner and a second rear holder. 
     
     
         11 . The shipping tray of  claim 1 , wherein a length of the front support is greater than a length of the rear support. 
     
     
         12 . The shipping tray of  claim 11 , wherein a width of the first side support and a width of the second side support are each greater than a width of the front support and a width of the rear support. 
     
     
         13 . The shipping tray of  claim 12 , wherein a plurality of apertures is formed in each of the first side support and the second side support, and each aperture of the plurality of apertures is substantially stadium shaped. 
     
     
         14 . The shipping tray of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first front corner, the second front corner, the first rear corner, and the second rear corner has a corner border that circumscribes the one of the plurality of holders disposed at each of the first front corner, the second front corner, the first rear corner, and the second rear corner. 
     
     
         15 . The shipping tray of  claim 14 , wherein the corner border has a corner border side surface and a pair of angled side surfaces, and one of the front support, the rear support, the first side support, and the second side support has a support side surface, and each of the pair of angled side surfaces of the corner border connects the corner border side surface and the support side surface. 
     
     
         16 . The shipping tray of  claim 15 , wherein each of the holders includes a base having a drainage hole disposed in the base, and a plurality of walls, the plurality of walls and the base together defining a recess configured to receive one leg of the plurality of legs of the chair, the recess decreasing in size towards the base. 
     
     
         17 . A shipping tray system, comprising:
 a shipping tray for a chair having a plurality of legs, including:
 a top side; 
 a bottom side; 
 a front support having a first front corner and a second front corner; 
 a rear support having a first rear corner and a second rear corner; 
 a first side support; 
 a second side support; 
 a central brace having a first front arm connecting the first front corner to a center portion, a second front arm connecting the second front corner to the center portion, a first rear arm connecting the first rear corner to the center portion, and a second rear arm connecting the second rear corner to the center portion; 
 a plurality of holders configured to receive the plurality of legs of the chair, wherein one holder of the plurality of holders is disposed at each of the first front corner, the second front corner, the first rear corner, and the second rear corner; 
 wherein each of the front support, the rear support, the first side support, the second side support, and the central brace is hollow and has a plurality of structural ribs disposed on the bottom side; and 
   a chair having a plurality of legs, the plurality of legs received in the plurality of holders of the shipping tray.   
     
     
         18 . The shipping tray system of  claim 17 , wherein the chair is comprised by a plurality of stacked chairs. 
     
     
         19 . A method of stacking a chair having a plurality of legs on a shipping tray, comprising:
 providing:
 a chair having a plurality of legs; 
 a shipping tray including:
 a top side; 
 a bottom side; 
 a front support having a first front corner and a second front corner; 
 a rear support having a first rear corner and a second rear corner; 
 a first side support; 
 a second side support; 
 a central brace having a first front arm connecting the first front corner to a center portion, a second front arm connecting the second front corner to the center portion, a first rear arm connecting the first rear corner to the center portion, and a second rear arm connecting the second rear corner to the center portion; 
 a plurality of holders configured to receive the plurality of legs of the chair, wherein one holder of the plurality of holders is disposed at each of the first front corner, the second front corner, the first rear corner, and the second rear corner; 
 wherein each of the front support, the rear support, the first side support, the second side support, and the central brace is hollow and has a plurality of structural ribs disposed on the bottom side; and 
 
   disposing the chair having the plurality of legs on the shipping tray so that the plurality of holders of the shipping tray receives the plurality of legs of the chair.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the chair is comprised by a plurality of chairs stacked on top of one another.