US20090057323A1 - Removable bakery tray insert - Google Patents

Abstract

A removable bakery tray insert according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a first end portion for supporting an upper bakery tray and a second end portion that is adapted to engage a floor structure of a bakery tray. An elongated body portion extends between the first end portion and second end portion. When installed in the bakery tray, the insert is spaced apart from side walls that extend upwardly from the lower bakery tray floor structure in order to support a floor structure of another bakery tray stacked thereon.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates generally to bakery trays and more particularly to a removable insert for supporting a stacked bakery tray.
• Stackable plastic bakery trays are used for storing and transporting a variety of goods. Some bakery trays include a floor with upwardly extending side walls that define an interior of the bakery tray. Goods are transported within the interior of the bakery tray. Side walls of one bakery tray may support another bakery tray when stacked. The front and rear walls are substantially shorter than the side walls in order to facilitate access to the interior of the tray. The shorter front and rear walls reduce the stiffness of the bakery tray in that dimension.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• A removable bakery tray insert according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a first end portion for supporting the floor of an upper bakery tray and a second end portion for engaging the floor of a lower bakery tray. An elongated body portion extends between the first end portion and second end portion. The insert is installed into the lower bakery tray such that the elongated portion is spaced apart from the side walls. With the insert, the bakery tray can be used to support heavier items, such as tortillas.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example insert.
• FIG. 2 is a side view of theFIG. 1 insert.
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an example bakery tray.
• FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the insert ofFIG. 1 installed into the bakery tray ofFIG. 3.
• FIG. 5 is a top view of theFIG. 4 bakery tray.
• FIG. 6 is a cutaway view through line A-A ofFIG. 5.
• FIG. 7 is a cutaway view through line B-B ofFIG. 5.
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view of theFIG. 4 bakery tray with another bakery tray stacked thereon.
• FIG. 9 is a cutaway view of theFIG. 8 bakery trays through line A-A ofFIG. 5.
• FIG. 10 is a cutaway view of theFIG. 8 bakery trays through line B-B ofFIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
• Referring toFIGS. 1-2, an exampleremovable insert10 includes anelongated body portion22 extending between afirst end portion14 and asecond end portion18. Theportion22 is hollow and has a generally cylindrical shape. The insert10 tapers from aflange20 at the widersecond end portion18 to the narrowerfirst end portion14. Theflange20 includes a plurality of circumferentially-spaced,axial protrusions28. Snap-tabs orclips30 may be formed on the protrusions to provide positive locking.Pockets40 within theprotrusions28 facilitate molding theprotrusions28 on thesecond end portion18 of theinsert10. Theinsert10 is open at itssecond end19, while thefirst end portion14 includes anupper support surface15 from which a plurality ofprotrusions26 extend upwardly.
• Abakery tray38, such as is shown inFIG. 3, includes afloor structure34 generally comprising a grid ofribs36. Thebakery tray38 further includes shorter front andrear walls44 andtaller side walls42 extending upwardly from the perimeter of thefloor structure34 of thebakery tray38. Many variations of bakery trays similar to the one shown inFIG. 3 are known in the art. As they are generally designed for bread, they are not suitable for heavier items, such as tortillas. In particular, thefloor structure34 is not sufficiently rigid for supporting heavier items.
• Referring toFIGS. 4-5, theinsert10 is installed onto thefloor structure34 of thebakery tray38. When installed, thesecond end portion18 of theremovable insert10 engages thefloor structure34 of thebakery tray38 with theprotrusions28 extending throughopenings46 between theribs36 within thefloor structure34, with theflange20 of the insert resting on top of theribs36. When theinsert10 is installed on thefloor structure34 of thebakery tray38, theinsert10 is spaced apart from thewalls42,44 to provide room for carrying goods.
• Referring toFIGS. 6-7, theprotrusions28 contact theribs36 to maintain theremovable insert10 in a laterally-engaged position with thefloor structure34. The engaged position limits relative movement between thebakery tray38 and theinsert10. The optional clips30 (FIG. 1) may snap-fit below an upper portion of the T-shaped ribs36 to positively engage theinsert10 with thefloor structure34. A person skilled in the art and having the benefit of this disclosure would be able to develop other clip designs or other mechanisms for suitable maintaining theinsert10 with thefloor structure34. A user wishing to remove theinsert10 from thefloor structure34 flexes theinsert10 to move theclips30 past theribs36 to disengage theinsert10 from thefloor structure34.
• As shown inFIGS. 8-10 theside walls42 and theinsert10 support asimilar bakery tray38A in a stacked relationship. Theprotrusions26 of thefirst end portion14 interlock with theholes46A between theribs36A of theupper bakery tray38A for maintaining the position of theremovable insert10 relative thefloor structure34A of theupper bakery tray38A. To support thefloor structure34A of theupper bakery tray38A, theupper support surface15 of the insert contacts theribs36A of theupper bakery tray38A.
• As shown, theremovable insert10 remains spaced from theside walls42 to maintain a storage area for goods transported or stored within thebakery trays38,38A. Theshorter side walls42 provide access to goods within thebakery tray38 when stacked. Although only twobakery trays38A are shown, it should be understood thatmany bakery trays38 would be stacked on one another in this manner, with theinserts10 transferring the loads of each bakery tray38floor structure34 to one another and finally to thefloor structure34 of thebottom bakery tray38, which would be directly supported by the floor.
• In one example, theinserts10,10A are added to thebakery trays38,38A when storing or transporting heavier goods like tortillas. If added support is no longer needed, such as when transporting or storing lighter goods like bread, theinsert10 may be removed from thebakery tray38, as shown inFIG. 10. Removing theinsert10 is also desirable when cleaning or replacing theinsert10, thebakery tray38, or both, for example.
• Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.

Claims (14)

1. A removable insert for supporting stackable trays comprising:

a first end portion including an upper support surface having a plurality of upper protrusions therefrom;

a second end portion having a flange from which a plurality of lower protrusions extend downwardly; and

an elongated body portion between the first end portion and the second portion.

2. The removable insert ofclaim 1, wherein the first end portion is adapted to contact and interlock with an upper tray floor structure to support the upper tray.

3. The removable insert ofclaim 1, wherein the plurality of lower protrusions include clip for securing to a tray floor structure.

4. The removable insert ofclaim 1, where the elongated body portion is generally cylindrical.

5. The removable insert ofclaim 4, wherein the elongated body portion is tapered from the second end portion to the first end portion.

6. The removable insert ofclaim 5, wherein the second end portion of the insert includes an open axial end.

7. The removable insert ofclaim 6, further including a pocket formed in each of the plurality of lower protrusions.

8. The removable insert ofclaim 7, wherein the flange extends radially from an outer surface of the second end portion.

9. A configurable tray assembly comprising:

a bottom floor structure;

a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the bottom floor structure; and

an insert for supporting another tray in a stacked relationship, the insert removably mounted to the bottom floor structure and spaced from the plurality of side walls.

10. The configurable tray assembly ofclaim 9, wherein the insert includes a plurality of protrusions from a lower end for interlocking with the bottom floor structure.

11. The configurable tray assembly ofclaim 10, wherein the bottom floor structure includes a plurality of ribs, the protrusions interlocking the plurality of ribs when mounted to the bottom floor structure.

12. The configurable tray assembly ofclaim 11, wherein said plurality of side walls and said insert are arranged to support a second tray in a stacked relationship.

13. The configurable tray ofclaim 12, wherein the tray is a first tray and having a second tray stacked thereon, the insert supporting a floor structure of the second tray thereon.

14. The configurable tray ofclaim 12, wherein the tray further including a front wall and a rear wall extending upwardly from the bottom floor structure, wherein the side walls are taller than the front wall and the rear wall.

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