GB2329868A - Cross-stacked trays for stationery items - Google Patents

Abstract

A rectangular upper tray 1 has a pair of channels 8,9 on the underside of its base which are spaced to engage over upper edges 7 of sidewalls 3,4 of an underlying tray 1 A when the two trays are cross-stacked. Projections 11 are provided in the channels 8,9 to correspond with recesses 10 in the upper edges of the sidewalls of the lower tray so that when the two trays are cross-stacked the upper tray is restrained from sliding over the lower tray in the longitudinal direction of the sidewalls of the lower tray. The upper tray 1 may be combined with a secondary tray 15 which is carried in seatings 18 on the upper edges of the sidewalls 3,4.

Description

TITLE "A tray" TECHNICAL FIELD & BACKGROUND ART The present invention relates to a tray and is particularly concerned with a tray of the kind comprising a generally flat base having a pair of parallel longitudinally extending side walls upstanding therefrom and which may be convenient for accommodating personal items such as stationery. More particularly the invention concerns such a tray which may be cross stacked with one or more similar trays whereby the trays in the stack have the underside of their bases standing on the upper edges of the side walls of the immediately underlying tray and each tray in the stack is effectively rotated through 90 relative to the tray which it immediately overlies. Such trays may be moulded in plastics with a generally oblong rectangular, substantially parallelopipedon, shape having opposed side walls and opposed end walls and of a size convenient to accommodate a school childs/students accoutrements.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tray of the kind described above which includes means for facilitating improved cross-stacking characteristics.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION & ADVANTAGES According to the present invention there is provided a tray comprising a base and a pair of substantially parallel longitudinally extending side walls upstanding from the base in opposed and laterally spaced relationship; the tray having a longitudinal extent greater than its lateral width whereby two similar trays can be crossstacked, one on another, with a base of the upper tray having its underside supported on upper edges of the side walls of the lower tray and the longitudinal extent of the upper tray being directed perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal extent of the lower tray; said underside of the tray being provided with first slide restraining means arranged so that when the two trays are in said crossstacked relationship the upper edges of the lower tray engage with the base of the upper tray to restrain the upper tray from being displaced in its longitudinal direction relative to the lower tray, and wherein second slide restraining means is provided arranged so that when the two trays are in said cross-stacked relationship with the first slide restraining means engaged, the second slide restraining means can engage between the base of the upper tray and the upper edges of the lower tray to restrain relative sliding movement between the upper tray and the lower tray in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the upper edges of the lower tray.

By the tray of the present invention it is envisaged that two or more similar such trays may be stacked as a vertical column with adjacent trays in the column in crossstacked relationship and that the first slide restraining means can be engaged between adjacent trays in the stack.

This first slide restraining means serves to restrain an upper or overlying tray from sliding longitudinally of itself relative to and on the upper edges of the side walls of the immediately underlying tray. Furthermore, with the first slide restraining means engaging between two cross-stacked trays, the overlying tray may be displaced longitudinally along the side edges on which it is supported by the lower tray until the second slide restraining means engages between the two trays to restrain the upper tray from such longitudinal displacement along the upper edges of the lower tray. As a consequence, by engaging each of the first slide restraining means and the second slide restraining means between adjacent trays in a stack as the stack is constructed, the trays effectively interlock with each other to provide a vertical column of trays which is relatively stable in response to horizontally directed forces (so that higher stacks may be erected than may otherwise be considered reasonable).

Preferably the first slide restraining means is in the form of two parallel tracks on or in the underside of the base which extend perpendicularly relative to the side walls and are spaced longitudinally of the tray to correspond with the width between the upper edges of the tray. These tracks are arranged so that when two trays are cross-stacked the upper edges of the lower tray engage one in each of the tracks on or in the base of the upper tray to provide the required restraint.

Usually the second slide restraining means will comprise projection means and recess means one of which means is located on the upper edges of the side walls and the other of which means is located in or on the base so that when two trays are in the cross-stacked relationship with the first slide restraining means engaging therebetween, the projection means or recess means on the upper edges of the lower tray can engage with the recess means or the projection means respectively (as the case may be) in or on the base of the upper tray to restrain the base of the upper tray from sliding along the upper edges of the lower tray. Preferably the aforementioned projection means or recess means of the second slide restraining means as the case may be on or in the base of the tray are located in the aforementioned tracks of the first slide restraining means. It is also preferred that the aforementioned recess means of the second slide restraining means is located in the upper edges of the side walls and the projection means is located in the tracks so that there are no unnecessary protruberances on the upper edges. It will, of course, be appreciated that a converse arrangement is possible with recess means in the track and projections on the upper edges of the side walls (even though this may present protruberances on those upper edges). The recess means will usually be in the form of one or more recesses in the upper edge of each side wall with a corresponding number of projections in each track so that when two trays are in their cross-stacked relationship with the first slide restraining means engaged, the upper tray may be displaced relative to the lower tray by sliding movement of its tracks over the upper edges of the lower tray until the projections in those tracks engage (usually drop-into) the recesses in the upper edges of the lower tray to restrain further sliding movement.

The tracks will usually be in the form of laterally extending channels on or in the underside of the base.

These channels are not necessarily continuous over the width of the underside of the base.

As previously mentioned, the tray will usually be moulded in plastics to have a pair of parallel end walls upstanding from the base and extending between opposite ends of the side walls and, typically, will be of oblong rectangular substantially parallelopipedon shape.

The present invention also provides the combination of a tray as previously mentioned as being in accordance with the present invention (considered as a primary tray) with a secondary tray having a longitudinally extending trough part with end flanges at longitudinally opposed ends of the trough part. The secondary tray has a longitudinal extent substantially corresponding to the width of the primary tray and is arranged so that its end flanges can engage one over each of the upper edges of the side walls of the primary tray with the trough part located between those side walls. Usually the secondary tray will be suspended by its flanges on the side walls of the primary tray so providing storage space in the primary tray beneath the trough part. Such a combination is particularly useful for classroom use where, typically, the primary tray may be used to accommodate paper, books and similar stationery whilst the trough of the secondary tray may accommodate pens, pencils, erasers and the like.

Preferably the upper edges of the side walls are provided with seatings such as recesses within which the flanges of the secondary tray are accommodated to restrain the secondary tray from sliding over the upper edges in the longitudinal direction of the side walls. Usually the seatings will be shaped to receive the flanges in substantially complementary relationship. Preferably the seatings are located to accommodate the secondary tray in an end part length of the primary tray, which end part length provides an overhang or cantilevered projecting part of an upper tray of two similar trays in cross-stacked relationship with the first and second slide restraining means engaging between those trays. By so locating the secondary tray in the primary tray it will be appreciated that greater clearance can be made available for the storage of goods in the trough part of the secondary tray as such clearance can extend to the underside of the base of a tray in the stack which tray is one above the immediately overlying tray.

DRAWINGS One embodiment of a tray constructed in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the tray in an inverted condition to show the underside of its base, a side wall and an end wall, and Figure 2 is a perspective view of two trays similar to that shown in Figure 1 but in upright conditions and arranged in cross-stacked relationship together with a secondary tray positioned to engage with the upper (primary) tray in the stack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The tray 1 (conveniently shown inverted in Figure 1) has a generally oblong rectangular parallelopipedon open topped, configuration formed by an oblong rectangular flat base 2 upstanding from which are a pair of substantially parallel and opposed side walls 3, 4 and a pair of opposed and substantially parallel end walls 5 and 6. Usually the tray 1 will be formed as a one piece moulding in plastics. The side and end walls present upper edges 7 which form the open top to the tray. The tray has a length L greater than its width W and is provided on the underside of its base 2 with a pair of longitudinally spaced and parallel channels 8 and 9 which extend widthwise of the tray in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the side walls 3 and 4. The longitudinal spacing X between the channels 8 and 9 corresponds to the width between the upper edges 7 of the opposed side walls 3 and 4.

The tray 1 is formed to facilitate its assembly with several similar trays in erecting a vertical stack where adjacent trays in the stack are in cross-stacked relationship whereby the base of an upper tray is supported on the upper edges of the immediately underlying tray with the side walls of the upper tray being directed perpendicularly relative to the side walls of the lower tray. Two similar upper and lower trays 1 and lA in the aforementioned cross-stacked relationship are shown in Figure 2. During cross-stacking of the two trays 1 and lA, the upper tray 1 may be moved in its longitudinal direction by the underside of its base 2 sliding on and over the upper edges 7 of the side walls 3 and 4 of the lower tray lA until the channels 8 and 9 in the base 2 of the upper tray 1 fall over the upper edges 7 of the side walls 3 and 4 of the lower tray lA (as shown in Figure 2).

When the upper edges of the side walls 3 and 4 of the lower tray lA engage within the channels 8 and 9 of the upper tray 1, the upper tray is restrained from sliding in its longitudinal direction relative to the widthwise extent of the lower tray lA, In this cross-stacked relationship between the two trays it will be seen from Figure 2 that opposite end part lengths of the upper tray 1 in the stack provide overhung or cantilevered projecting parts and that one of those end part lengths presents a cantilevered projecting part length P from the underlying tray lA.

The engagement between the channels 8 and 9 of the upper tray 1 and the upper edges 7 of the side walls 3 and 4 of the underlying tray lA provides first slide restraining means which restrains the upper tray of the two cross-stacked trays from sliding in its longitudinal direction relative to the underlying tray. Second slide restraining means is provided which serves to restrain the upper tray 1 from sliding in its lateral or widthwise direction over the longitudinal extent of the upper edges of the side walls of the lower tray lA. In the present embodiment the second slide restraining means comprises four part cylindrical recesses 10 located two in each of the upper edges of the side walls 3 and 4 and four part cylindrical projections 11 located two in each of the channels 8 and 9. The two recesses 10 in the upper edge 7 of each side wall 3, 4 are longitudinally spaced in the respective upper edge. The two projections 11 in each of the channels 8 and 9 are laterally spaced widthwise of the tray in their respective channels to correspond to the spacing between the recesses 10 of a side wall. The part cylindrical projections 11 substantially correspond in shape and size to the part cylindrical recesses 10 and are arranged so that when the two trays 1 and lA are crossstacked with the upper edges 7 of the side walls of the lower tray lA received within the channels 8 and 9 on the underside of the base 2 of the upper tray 1, the upper tray may be manoeuvred by sliding its channels 8 and 9 along the upper edges 7 of the lower tray lA until the four projections 11 in the channels 8, 9 of the upper tray drop one each into the four recesses 10 in the upper edges 7 of the lower tray. When the projections 11 of the upper tray engage in the recesses 10 of the lower tray it will be appreciated that the upper tray is restrained from further sliding movement over the upper edges 7 of the lower tray.

This restraint together with the restraint afforded by the aforementioned first slide restraining means facilitates the construction of a vertical column or stack of similar trays in cross-stacked relationship to provide the stack with a considerably greater stability to withstand horizontally directed forces in comparison with a column of similarly cross-stacked trays without the first and second slide restraining means.

The cantilevered projecting part length P of the tray 1 is particularly convenient for carrying a small secondary tray 15 having a longitudinally extending open topped trough part 16 at longitudinally opposed ends of which trough part are provided flanges 17. The secondary tray 15 will usually be formed as a one piece plastics moulding.

Provided in the upper edges 7 of the side walls 3 and 4 of the tray 1 in the cantilevered projecting part length P of that tray are a pair of recessed seatings 18. The longitudinal extent of the secondary tray 15 substantially corresponds to the width W of the (primary) tray 1 and the tray 15 is arranged so that it can be lowered (as indicated by the arrow 15A) on to the tray 1 for its flanges 17 to be received one in each of the seatings 18. The secondary tray 15 can therefore be carried on the upper edges 7 of the side walls 3, 4 of the tray 1 with the trough part 16 accommodated within the tray 1. The engagement of the flanges 17 in the seatings 18 restrains the secondary tray 15 from sliding along the upper edges 7.

The tray 1 is particularly advantageous for manufacture in a size convenient for school children, students and the like whereby it may serve to accommodate paper and other stationery whilst a combination of the tray 1 with the secondary tray 15 permits the latter to accommodate writing or drawing instruments, erasers and the like. The cross-stacking facility of the tray permits a stable stack to be constructed when the trays are not in use (although possibly accommodating paper, etc.) whilst the location of the secondary tray 15 in the cantilevered projecting part length P will provide considerable overhead clearance for items accommodated in the trough part 16 (which clearance includes the height of the side walls of the immediately overlying tray).

Usually the tray 1 will be moulded with a vertically tapered configuration whereby the opposed side walls and opposed end walls respectively converge towards each other as they approach the base 1 so that several similar trays 1 when empty may be stacked in directly overlying relationship as a vertical column with the trays in the column being nested one within another. The secondary tray 15 may similarly be formed with a tapered configuration for several such secondary trays to be stacked when empty nested one within another as a vertical column.

It will be appreciated that the tray may be formed with one or both of the end walls 5, 6 omitted.

Claims (17)

1. CLAIMS 1. A tray comprising a base and a pair of substantially parallel longitudinally extending side walls upstanding from the base in opposed and laterally spaced relationship; the tray having a longitudinal extent greater than its lateral width whereby two similar trays can be crossstacked, one on another, with the base of the upper tray having its underside supported on upper edges of the side walls of the lower tray and the longitudinal extent of the upper tray being directed perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal extent of the lower tray; said underside of the tray being provided with first slide restraining means arranged so that when the two trays are in said crossstacked relationship the upper edges of the lower tray engage with the base of the upper tray to restrain the upper tray from being displaced in its longitudinal direction relative to the lower tray, and wherein second slide restraining means is provided arranged so that when the two trays are in said cross-stacked relationship with the first slide restraining means engaged, the second slide restraining means can engage between the base of the upper tray and the upper edges of the lower tray to restrain relative sliding movement between the upper tray and the lower tray in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the upper edges of the lower tray.
2. 2. A tray as claimed in claim 1 in which the first slide restraining means comprises two substantially parallel tracks at the underside of the base which tracks extend perpendicularly relative to the side walls and are spaced longitudinally of the tray to correspond with the width between the upper edges of the tray whereby when the two trays are in the cross-stacked relationship, the upper edges of the lower tray engage one in each of the two tracks in the base of the upper tray to restrain the upper tray from being displaced in its longitudinal direction relative to the lower tray.
3. 3. A tray as claimed in claim 2 in which the second slide restraining means comprises means located on the upper edges of the side walls and in the tracks whereby when two trays are in said cross-stacked relationship with the first slide restraining means engaged, the second slide restraining means can engage between the two trays to restrain relative sliding movement between the upper tray and the lower tray as a result of the tracks of the upper tray sliding along the upper edges of the lower tray.
4. 4. A tray as claimed in claim 3 in which the second slide restraining means comprises projection means and recess means, one of which is located on the upper edges of the side walls and the other of which is located in the tracks whereby when the two trays are in said cross-stacked relationship with the first slide restraining means engaged, the second slide restraining means can engage between the two trays by the projection means or recess means (as the case may be) on the upper edges of the lower tray engaging with the recess means or projection means respectively (as the case may be) in the tracks of the base of the upper tray.
5. 5. A tray as claimed in claim 4 in which the recess means is located in the upper edges of the side walls and the projection means is located in the tracks.
6. 6. A tray as claimed in claim 5 in which the recess means comprises at least one recess in the upper edge of each side wall and the projection means comprises at least one projection in each track.
7. 7. A tray as claimed in claim 6 in which the recess and projection are each substantially part-cylindrical in shape.
8. 8. A tray as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7 in which the recess means is substantially complementary in shape and size to the projection means for the projection means to be received in close engagement with the recess means.
9. 9. A tray as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 8 in which the tracks comprise laterally extending channels.
10. 10. A tray as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and comprising a pair of substantially parallel end walls upstanding from the base and extending between opposite ends of the side walls.
11. 11. A tray as claimed in claim 10 and of oblong rectangular substantially parallelopipedon shape.
12. 12. The combination of a tray (a primary tray) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims with a secondary tray having a longitudinally extending trough part and end flanges at longitudinally opposed ends of the trough part, the secondary tray having a longitudinal extent substantially corresponding to the width of the primary tray and being arranged so that it can be received on the primary tray by its end flanges engaging one with each of the upper edges of the side walls of the primary tray and the trough part being located between the side walls.
13. 13. The combination as claimed in claim 12 in which the upper edges of the side walls have seatings with which the flanges of the secondary tray engage to restrain the secondary tray from sliding over the upper edges in the longitudinal direction of the side walls.
14. 14. The combination as claimed in claim 13 in which the seatings are recesses in the upper edges of the side walls and the flanges are received in the seatings in substantially complementary manner.
15. 15. The combination as claimed in either claim 13 or claim 14 in which the seatings are arranged to locate the secondary tray in an end part length of the primary tray which end part length provides an overhang or cantilevered projecting part length of an upper tray of two said crossstacked trays with the first and second slide restraining means in engagement.
16. 16. The tray as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.
17. 17. The combination as claimed in claim 12 and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.