Tray with reinforcement features

Abstract

A tray may include a base panel, a front panel foldably connected to the base panel and including a front rim panel with a first end portion, and a side panel foldably connected to the base panel and including a side rim panel with a second end portion. A secondary panel may be foldably connected to the base panel and positioned between the front panel and the side panel. The secondary panel may include a corner rim panel at a distal region. The corner rim panel, the front rim panel, and the side rim panel may cooperate to form a contiguous rim that may extend along the front panel, the secondary panel, and the side panel. The first end portion and the second end portion may overlap the corner rim panel to reinforce the rim at the corner region.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tray comprising:
 a base panel;   a front panel foldably connected to the base panel and including a front rim panel at a distal region, the front rim panel having a first end portion;   a side panel foldably connected to the base panel and including a side rim panel at a distal region, the side rim panel including a second end portion;   a secondary panel foldably connected to the base panel and positioned between the front panel and the side panel, the secondary panel having a corner rim panel positioned at a distal region; and   wherein the corner rim panel, the front rim panel, and the side rim panel cooperate to form a contiguous rim that extends along the front panel, along the secondary panel, and along the side panel, and wherein the first end portion and the second end portion overlap the corner rim panel.   
     
     
         2 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the front panel includes a first intermediate flap foldably connected to the front panel and wherein the first intermediate flap is folded into at least a partial face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel. 
     
     
         3 . The tray of  claim 2 , wherein the side panel includes a second intermediate flap foldably connected to the side panel and wherein the second intermediate flap is folded into at least a partial face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel. 
     
     
         4 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the front panel includes a first reinforcement tab foldably connected to the first end portion and wherein the first reinforcement tab is folded into at least a partial face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel. 
     
     
         5 . The tray of  claim 4 , wherein the side panel includes a second reinforcement tab foldably connected to the second end portion and wherein the second reinforcement tab is folded into at least a partial face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel. 
     
     
         6 . The tray of  claim 1 , the tray further comprising a back panel foldably connected to the base panel and including a back rim panel at a distal region, the back rim panel having a third end portion, wherein the side panel further includes a fourth end portion and wherein the secondary panel is a first secondary panel having a first corner rim, the tray further comprising a second secondary panel foldably connected to the base panel and positioned between the back panel and the side panel, the second secondary panel having a second corner rim panel positioned at a distal region, wherein the second corner rim panel, the back rim panel, and the side rim panel cooperate to form a contiguous rim that extends along the back panel, along the second secondary panel, and along the side panel, and wherein the third end portion and the fourth end portion overlap the second corner rim panel. 
     
     
         7 . The tray of  claim 1 , further comprising a denesting lug extending outwardly from one of the front panel or the side panel. 
     
     
         8 . The tray of  claim 7 , wherein the first end portion is defined by a notch adjacent the denesting lug. 
     
     
         9 . The tray of  claim 8 , wherein the denesting lug is a first denesting lug and the notch is a first notch, the tray comprises a second denesting lug and the second end portion is defined by a second notch adjacent the second denesting lug. 
     
     
         10 . The tray of  claim 9 , wherein the front panel includes a first intermediate flap foldaby connected to the front panel, the first intermediate flap is folded into at least a partial face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel, the side panel includes a second intermediate flap foldably connected to the side panel and wherein the second intermediate flap is folded into at least a partial face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel. 
     
     
         11 . The tray of  claim 10 , wherein the first denesting lug is separated from the first intermediate flap at a first cut, and wherein the second denesting lug is separated from the second intermediate flap at a second cut. 
     
     
         12 . A blank for forming a tray, the blank comprising:
 a base panel;   a front panel foldably connected to the base panel and including a front rim panel at a distal region, the front rim panel having a first end portion;   a side panel foldably connected to the base panel and including a side rim panel at a distal region, the side rim panel including a second end portion;   a secondary panel foldably connected to the base panel and positioned between the front panel and the side panel, the secondary panel having a corner rim panel positioned at a distal region; and   wherein the corner rim panel, the front rim panel, and the side rim panel cooperate to form a contiguous rim that extends along the front panel, along the secondary panel, and along the side panel, and wherein the first end portion and the second end portion overlap the corner rim panel when the tray is formed from the blank.   
     
     
         13 . The blank of  claim 12 , wherein the front panel includes a first intermediate flap foldably connected to the front panel and wherein the first intermediate flap is folded into at least a partial face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel when the tray is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         14 . The blank of  claim 13 , wherein the side panel includes a second intermediate flap foldably connected to the side panel and wherein the second intermediate flap is folded into at least a partial face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel when the tray is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         15 . The blank of  claim 12 , wherein the front panel includes a first reinforcement tab foldably connected to the first end portion and wherein the first reinforcement tab is folded into at least a partial face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel when the tray is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         16 . The blank of  claim 15 , wherein the side panel includes a second reinforcement tab foldably connected to the second end portion and wherein the second reinforcement tab is folded into at least a partial face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel when the tray is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         17 . The blank of  claim 12 , the blank further comprising a back panel foldably connected to the base panel and including a back rim panel at a distal region, the back rim panel having a third end portion, wherein the side panel further includes a fourth end portion and wherein the secondary panel is a first secondary panel having a first corner rim, the tray further comprising a second secondary panel foldably connected to the base panel and positioned between the back panel and the side panel, the second secondary panel having a second corner rim panel positioned at a distal region, wherein the second corner rim panel, the back rim panel, and the side rim panel cooperate to form a contiguous rim that extends along the back panel, along the second secondary panel, and along the side panel, and wherein the third end portion and the fourth end portion overlap the second corner rim panel when the tray is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         18 . The blank of  claim 12 , further comprising a denesting lug extending outwardly from one of the front panel or the side panel. 
     
     
         19 . The blank of  claim 18 , wherein the first end portion is defined by a notch adjacent the denesting lug. 
     
     
         20 . The blank of  claim 19 , wherein the denesting lug is a first denesting lug and the notch is a first notch, the tray comprises a second denesting lug and the second end portion is defined by a second notch adjacent the second denesting lug. 
     
     
         21 . The blank of  claim 20 , wherein the front panel includes a first intermediate flap foldably connected to the front panel, the first intermediate flap is folded into at least a partial-face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel when the tray is formed from the blank, the side panel includes a second intermediate flap foldably connected to the side panel and wherein the second intermediate is folded into at least partial face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel when the tray is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         22 . The blank of  claim 21 , wherein the first denesting lug is separated from the first intermediate flap at a first cut and wherein the second denesting lug is separated from the second intermediate flap at a second cut when the tray is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         23 . A method for forming a tray, the method comprising:
 receiving a blank that includes a base panel, a front panel foldably connected to the base panel and including a front rim panel at a distal region, the front rim panel having a first end portion, a side panel foldably connected to the base panel and including a side rim panel at a distal region, the side rim panel including a second end portion, and a secondary panel foldably connected to the base panel and positioned between the front panel and the side panel, the secondary panel having a corner rim panel positioned at a distal region;   forming a tray from the blank; and   forming a contiguous rim of the tray that extends along the front panel, along the secondary panel, and along the side panel, and wherein the first end portion and the second end portion overlap the corner rim panel.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the front panel of the blank includes a first intermediate flap foldably connected to the front panel and wherein forming the tray from the blank comprises folding the first intermediate flap into at least a partial face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the side panel of the blank includes a second intermediate flap foldably connected to the side panel and wherein forming the tray from the blank further involves folding the second intermediate flap into at least a partial face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the front panel of the blank includes a first reinforcement tab foldably connected to the first end portion and wherein forming the tray from the blank comprises folding the first reinforcement tab into at least a partial face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the side panel of the blank includes a second reinforcement tab foldably connected to the second end portion and wherein forming the tray from the blank further involves folding the second reinforcement tab into at least a partial face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein tray formed from the blank includes a denesting lug extending outwardly from one of the front panel or the side panel. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the first end portion is defined by a notch adjacent the denesting lug. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the denesting lug is a first denesting lug and the notch is a first notch, the tray comprises a second denesting lug and the second end portion is defined by a second notch adjacent the second denesting lug. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the front panel includes a first intermediate flap foldaby connected to the front panel, wherein forming the tray from the blank comprises folding the first intermediate flap into at least a partial face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel, the side panel includes a second intermediate flap foldably connected to the side panel and wherein forming the tray from the blank further comprises folding the second intermediate flap into at least a partial face-to-face alignment with the secondary panel. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein forming the tray from the blank comprises separating the first denesting lug from the first intermediate flap at a first cut, and separating the second denesting lug from the second intermediate flap at a second cut.