US3915371A

US3915371A - Nestable tray with cup supporting recess

Info

Publication number: US3915371A
Application number: US544757*A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kenneth L Crabtree
Original assignee: Keyes Fibre Corp
Current assignee: Keyes Fibre Corp
Priority date: 1973-10-04
Filing date: 1975-01-28
Publication date: 1975-10-28
Anticipated expiration: 1992-10-28

Abstract

A tray molded of conventional pulp or plastic material for use, for example, by the carry-out beverage and food trade or the container packaging trade, including one or more cup or container holding recesses for holding a slightly tapered or straight walled cup or container, and optionally including a tray portion for food. The molded walls of the tray for the most part do not define angles of less than 20* from the vertical which facilitates removal of the molded trays during manufacture from the dies on which they are molded, and permits a plurality of empty trays to be stacked in deeply nested fashion for economical shipment and storage. The container holding means, however, has sides with an effective downward and inward taper angle of less than about 10* from the vertical to accommodate containers which have a taper angle of approximately 5* or less including 0* straight walls. The taper angle of less than about 10* for the sides of the container holding means is obtained by providing at least two and preferably three container-cradling apertures positioned in opposition to each other, the side edges of each aperture diverging away from each other in the downward direction from the top of the container holding means to widen the aperture in a manner which permits a portion of the bottom of a container positioned in the container holding means to protrude through the lower portion of the aperture. The geometry of the apertures is such that the horizontal distance between each side edge at the top of the container holding means and its vertical centerline is greater than the horizontal distance between each side edge at the bottom of the container holding means and the centerline by an amount which is sufficiently small so that, when calculated in comparison with the vertical spacing between these distances, it defines an effective taper angle for the sides of the container holding means of less than about 10*, and preferably about 5* or less, from the vertical.

Description

Crabtree Oct. 28, 1975 1 NESTABLE TRAY WITH CUP SUPPORTING RECESS [75] Inventor: Kenneth L. Crabtree, Fairfield,

Maine [73] Assignee: Keyes Fibre Company, Waterville,

Maine 22 Filed: Jan. 28, 1975 21 Appl. No.: 544,757

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 403,470, Oct. 4,

1973, abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 229/15; 206/72; 229/2.5; 229/l.5 l-l; 229/29 F; 229/29 M [51] Int. (31. B65D 3/24; B65D 1/00; B65D 1/34 Primary Examiner-William 1. Price Assistant Examiner-Douglas B. Farrow Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Connolly and Hutz [57] ABSTRACT A tray molded of conventional pulp or plastic material for use, for example, by the carry-out beverage and food trade or the container packaging trade, including one or more cup or container holding recesses for holding a slightly tapered or straight walled cup or container, and optionally including a tray portion for food. The molded walls of the tray for the most part do not define angles of less than 20 from the vertical which facilitates removal of the molded trays during manufacture from the dies on which they are molded, and permits a plurality of empty trays to be stacked in deeply nested fashion for economical shipment and storage. The container holding means, however, has sides with an effective downward and inward taper angle of less than about 10 from the vertical to accommodate containers which have a taper angle of approximately 5 or less including 0 straight walls. The taper angle of less than about 10 for the sides of the container holding means is obtained by providing at least two and preferably three container-cradling apertures positioned in opposition to each other, the side edges of each aperture diverging away from each other in the downward direction from the top of the container holding means to widen the aperture in a manner which permits a portion of the bottom of a container positioned in the container holding means to protrude through the lower portion of the aperture. The geometry of the apertures is such that the horizontal distance between each side edge at the top of the container holding means and its vertical centerline is greater than the horizontal distance between each side edge at the bottom of the container holding means and the centerline by an amount which is sufficiently small so that, when calculated in comparison with the vertical spacing between these distances, it defines an effective taper angle for the sides of the container holding means of less than about 10, and preferably about 5 or less, from the vertical.

11 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures gill-Lack:

U.S. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet 1 of 4 3,915,371

US. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet 2 of4 3,915,371

Ill I 128 a I j & 130 C104 10 3 7 4110 K US. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet 3 0M U.S. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet4 of4 3,915,371

30 FWIZ+4 NESTABLE TRAY WITH cup SUPPORTING RECESS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 403,470 filed Oct. 4, 1973, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The claimed invention relates to the field of articles or products designed for the carry-out beverage and food business or the container packaging business, and more particularly to molded trays which may be stacked when empty in nested fashion and which include means for holding one or more beverage cups or similar containers in a manner which minimizes tipping to prevent spillage or shifting to prevent breakage.

Prior to the present invention, a wide variety of carry-out trays have been proposed for the carry-out food service business, many of which include an arrangement of one sort or another for receiving a beverage cup. Most of such trays which have attained significant commercial use are manufactured from paperboard, but these have experienced drawbacks and have not satisfied the continuing search for a carry-out tray which will adequately support beverage cups against tilting and spillage.

There have also been proposals for nestable molded carry-out trays, featuring one or more cup retaining configurations. Randall U.S. Pat. No. 2,766,919 (Oct. 1956) discloses a tray with break-away cup receiving apertures, but this is. not completely satisfactory because it is not possible to place the tray on a surface such as a table or a persons lap without dislodging the cup from its holder. Crabtree US. Pat. No. 3,542,280 (Nov. 1970) discloses a tray with a fold-over cup retaining construction, but this is not completely satisfactory because the fold-over portion requires additional die space for molding, which is economically undesirable, and the cup retainer must be set up at its point of use.

Thus, the problem heretofore unsolved in the prior art is a tray which has sloping walls of a sufiicient angle to permit deep nesting in a stack while at the same time providing a container holder with relatively steep, low angle sides.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a cup carrying or container packaging tray molded with sloping wall portions to permit like empty trays to be nested one within another in a stack and including means for holding a container, the container holding means having a theoretical vertical centerline, a container supporting bottom, and sides defined by at least two container-cradling apertures positioned in opposition to each other about the centerline, at least a portion of the lower edge of each aperture lying in a common horizontal plane coinciding with the bottom of the container holding means, the two side edges of each aperture diverging away from each other in the downward direction from a level which defines the top of the container holding means to widen the aperture in a manner which permits a portion of the bottom of a container positioned in the container holding means to protrude through the lower portion of the aperture-'. The horizontal distance between each side edge at the top of the container holding means and the centerline is greater, if at all, than the horizontal distance between each side edge at the bottom of the container holding means and the centerline by an amount which, when calculated in comparison with the vertical spacing between such distances, defines an effective taper angle for the sides of the container holding means of less than about 10 from the vertical.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Numerous advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one version of a carry-out tray for condiments having one cup supporting recess;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the tray of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view on line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevational view on line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of another version of a carry-out tray for condiments having two cup supporting recesses;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the tray of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional elevational view on line 77 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a sectional elevational view on line 8--8 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of another preferred version of a carry-out tray for condiments with four cup supporting recesses;

FIG. 10 is a sectional elevational view on line 10-10 of FIG. 9; FIG. 1 l is a sectional elevational view on line ll-l1 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a packaging tray having parallel rows of container supporting recesses;

FIG. 13 is a sectional elevational view on line 13-13 of FIG. 12; and,

FIG. l4 is a sectional elevational view on line l4l4 of FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The container supporting recess feature of this invention is useful in any cup carrying tray, such as trays for packaging glass or other cups such as tumblers, cans or other cylindrical containers such as jars, or the like within carton type containers for shipment, storage, and/or display, and the scope of the invention is not limited to trays which feature the cup supporting recesses in conjunction with food trays of the carry-out type. Referring in more particularity to the drawings, four different versions of container carrying trays are disclosed, all of which have at least one container supporting recess, the first in FIGS. 1 through 4, the second in FIGS. 5 through 8, the third in FIGS. 9 through 11, and the fourth in FIGS. 12 through 14. Each of the trays may be directly molded to final shape from known pulp or plastic materials according to known molding techniques to provide an integral, one piece tray of rugged construction and attractive appearance. While details 12, upwardly and outwardly sloping side wall portions 14, and upwardly and outwardly sloping end wall portions 16. The outer margin of the tray is defined by a flat, continuous peripheral lip or flange 18 protruding horizontally from the upper edges of the side and end walls. All the sloping wall portions are at a sufficiently great angle from the vertical, such as -20 or more, that like trays in the empty condition may be deeply nested one within another in a stack.

The tray 10 includes one cup-supportin g recess 20 for holding a beverage cup, with portions of a large, tapered, milk shake size cup being illustrated in phantom outline. The cup holding means 20 has a theoretical vertical centerline CL, a cup supporting bottom, and sides defined by two cup-

cradling apertures

22, 24 positioned in opposition to each other on opposite sides of the centerline. The aperture 24 is located in one end wall 16, and the aperture 22 is located in wall portions formed in a central rib construction 25. it

The lower edge 26 of the aperture 22 and the lower edge 28 of the aperture 24 lie in a common horizontal plane coinciding with the bottom B of the cup holding means. The

lower edges

26, 28 in effect define the bottom B of the cup holding means, and support a cup placed therein at spaced contact points around its bottom periphery. The lower edge 26 includes an upwardly extending locating segment 30, and the lower edge 28 includes a similar upwardly extending locating segment 32, in the central portions thereof which cooperate to provide an upwardly directed boss means to facilitate proper centering of the bottom of a cup of the type which has a depending annular flange around its bottom.

The side edges 34 of the aperture 22, and the side edges 36 of the aperture 24, diverge away from each other in the downward direction from a level T which defines the top of the cup holding means to widen-each aperture in a manner which permits a portion ofthe bottom of a cup positioned in the cup holding means to protrude through the lower portion of each aperture. The side edges 34, 36 are relatively straight in this embodiment. The horizontal distance or top radius TR between each side edge 34, 36 at the top T of the cup holding means and the centerline CL is about 3.8centimeters. The horizontal distance or bottom radius BR between each side edge 34, 36 at the bottom B of the cup holding means and the centerline CL is about 3.5 centimeters. The vertical spacing H between thesetwo distances is about 3.4 centimeters. Thus, the side edges 34, 36 define an effective taper angle for the sidesof the cup holding means of about 54', which is easily determined in the manner explained below.

The arcuate upper edge 38 of the aperture 22 and the arcuate upper edge 40 of the aperture 24 have a horizontal distancefrom the centerline CL which is approximately equal to the horizontal distance between the side edges 34, 36 at the top T of the cup holding means and the centerline CL.

Referring next to the tray disclosed in FIGS. 5 through 8, the carry-out tray 100 comprises a generally rectangular tray having a flat bottom portion 102, upwardly and outwardly sloping side wall portions 104, and upwardly and outwardly sloping end wall portions 106. The outer margin of the tray is defined by a peripheral lip or flange 108 protruding horizontally from the upper edges of the side and end walls. All the sloping wall portions are ata sufficiently great angle from the vertical that like trays in the empty condition may be nestedone within another ina stack. 1

The tray 100 includes two identical, but mirror image, cup supporting recesses 110 for holding beverage cups, with portions of a tapered cup bein'g'illustrated in phantom outline. Each cup holding means 110 has a theoretical vertical centerline CL, a cup supporting bottom, and sides defined by threenon-symmetrical cup-cradling

apertures

112, 114 and 116 positioned in opposition to each other about the centerlinel'he apertures 112 are located in wall portions adjacent corners of the tray, the apertures l14"are located in wall portions associated with the mid-portion of one end wall 106, and the apertures 116 are located in wall portions formed in a central ribconstruction 1 17. j

The lower edge 118 of the aperture 112, the lower edge 120 of the aperture 114, andthe lower edge 122 of the aperture 116 lie in a common horizontal plane coinciding with the bottom B of the cup holding means. The

lower edges

118, 120 and 122 extend inwardly in straight chord fashion so that their horizontal distances from the centerline CL are less than the horizontal distance between the side edges of the apertures at the bottom of the cup holding means and the centerline CL. The bottom of each cup holding means is defined the top of the cup holding means towiden the apertures "in a manner which permits a portion of the bottom of a cup positioned in the cup holding means to protrude through the lower portion of each aperture. The side edges 126, 128 and 130 are relatively straight. The horizontal distance or top radius TR between each

side edge

126, 128 and 130 at the top T of the cup holding sides of the cup holding means of about 36.

means and the centerline CL is about 3.8 centimeters. The horizontal distance or bottom radius BR between each

side edge

126, 128 and 130 at thebott om B of the cup holding means and the centerline CL is about 3.6 centimeters. The vertical spacing H between these two distances is about 3.7 centimeters. Thus, the'side-

edges

126, 128 and 130 define an effective taper angle for the The upper edge 132 of the aperture 112, and the upper edge 134 of the aperture 114, are recessed outwardly so that their horizontal distances from the centerline are greater than the horizontal distance TR betweenthe side edges 126 and 128, respectively, at the top T of the cup holding means and the centerline CL. The upper edges 136 of the apertures 116 have a horizontal distance from the centerline CL'which is approximately equal to the horizontal distance TR between the side edges 130 at the top T of the cup holding means and the centerline CL.

Referring to the tray developed for commercial exploitation disclosed in FIGS. 9 through 11, the carryout tray 200 comprises a generally rectangular tray, with attractively bevelled corners, having a flat central 7 bottom portion 202, upwardly and outwardly sloping side wall portions 204, and upwardly and outwardly sloping end wall portions 206. The outer margin of the tray is defined by a peripheral lip or flange 208 protruding downwardly and outwardly from the upper edges of the side and end walls, which serves to strengthen the tray. All the sloping wall portions are at a sufficiently great angle from the vertical that like trays in the empty conditions may be nested one within another in a stack for safe and economical shipment and storage.

The tray 200 includes four cup supporting recesses 210 for holding beverage cups, one located at each corner of the central rectangular tray portion. Each cup holding means 210 has a theoretical vertical centerline CL, a cup supporting bottom, and sides defined by three cup-cradling

apertures

212, 214 and 216 positioned in opposition to each other about the centerline. The apertures 212 are located in sloping wall formations at the corners of the tray, the apertures 214 are located in sloping wall portions formed in conjunction with the end walls 206, and the apertures 216 are located in wall portions formed in upstanding central rib constructions 217.

The lower edges 218 of the apertures 212, the lower edges 220 of the apertures 214, and the lower edges 222 of the apertures 216 lie in a common horizontal plane coinciding with the bottom B of the cup holding means. The

lower edges

218, 220 and 222 extend inwardly so that their horizontal distances from the centerline are less than the horizontal distance between the .side edges of the apertures at the bottom of the cup holding means and the centerline. The bottom of each cup holding means is defined by a T-shaped cup supporting web 224 connecting between and defined by the lower edges of the apertures. The webs 224 each include upwardly protruding boss means 226 to facilitate proper centering of the bottom of a cup of the type having a depending annular flange around its bottom.

The side edges 228 of the apertures 212, the side edges 230 of the apertures 214, and the side edges 232 of the apertures 216 diverge sharply away from each 'other in the downward direction from a level T which defines the top of the cup holding means to widen the apertures in a manner which permits at least a small portion of the bottom of a cup positioned in the cup holding means to protrude into or through the lower portion of each aperture. The side edges 228, 230 and 232 are slightly curved in outwardly bowed fashion. The horizontal distance or top radius TR between each

side edge

228, 230 and 232 at the top T of the cup holding means and the centerline CL is about 3.4 centimeters. The horizontal distance or bottom radius BR between each

side edge

228, 230 and 232 at the bottom B of the cup holding means and the centerline CL is about 3.3 centimeters. The vertical spacing I-I between these two distances is about 3.6 centimeters. Thus, the side edges 228, 230 and 232 define an extremely steep effective taper angle for the sides of the cup holding means of about 136. In this embodiment, it has been found that by proper die design the horizontal distance between each side edge at the top of the 3.6 centimeter high cup holding means and the centerline can beheld to'less-than about 0.315 centimeter greater than the horizontal distance between each side edge at the bottom of the cup holding means and the centerline, so as to define an effective taper angle for the sides of the cup holding means of less than about 5 from the vertical, the optimum for use with beverage cups having a taper angle of less than 5.

The upper edges 234 of the apertures 212, the upper edges 236 of the apertures 214, and the upper edges 238 of the apertures 216 have a horizontal distance from the centerline which is approximately equal to the horizontal distance between the side edges 228, 230 and 232 at the top T of the cup'holding means and the centerline. The

upper edges

234, 236 of the apertures 212, .214 include inwardly directed positioning tabs 240 which provide lateral cup support at the top of the cup holding means. When a smaller size cup, such as a coffee size, is placed in the cup holding means, see FIG. 11, the tabs 240 provide lateral support at the top of the cup holding means, but the tabs 240 are easily displaced by being bent downwardly or broken off when a larger size cup, such as milk shake size, is placed in the cup holding means, see FIG. 10.

Referring finally to the packaging tray disclosed in FIGS. 12 through 14, the tray 300 comprises a generally rectangular tray, having flat central bottom portions 302, upwardly and outwardly sloping side wall portions 304, and upwardly and outwardly sloping end wall portions 306. The outer margin of the tray is defined by a peripheral lip or flange 308 protruding downwardly and outwardly from the upper edges of the side and end walls, which serves to'strengthe'n the tray. All the sloping wall portions are at a sufficiently great angle from the vertical that like trays in the empty condition may be nested one within another in a stack for safe and economical shipment and storage.

The tray 300 includes twelve container supporting recesses 310 for holding generally cylindrical containers, such as glass jars, arranged in three parallel rows separated by two upstanding central rib constructions 316. Each container holding means 310 has a theoretical vertical centerline CL, a container supporting bottom, as at 302, and sides defined by two container-cradling

apertures

312 and 314 positioned in opposition to each other about the centerline. The

apertures

312, 314 are located in sloping wall formations either along the side wall portions 304 or the upstanding central rib construction 316.

The lower edges 318 of the apertures 312, and the lower edges 320 of the apertures 314, lie in a common horizontal plane coinciding with the bottom B of the container holding means. The

lower edges

318 and 320 extend inwardly in staight chord fashion so that their horizontal distances from the centerline CL are less than the horizontal distance between the side edges of the apertures at the bottom of the container holding means and the centerline CL. The bottom of each container holding means is defined by a cup supporting web of the tray bottom 302 connecting between and defined by the lower edges of the apertures.

The side edges 328 of the apertures 312, and the side edges 330 of the apertures 314, diverge sharply away from each other in the downward direction from a level T which defines the top of the container holding means to widen the apertures in a manner which permits a portion of the bottom of a container positioned in the container holding means to protrude through the lower portion of each aperture. The horizontal distance or top radius TR between each

side edge

328, 330 at the top T of the container holding means and the centerline CL is about 3.4 centimeters. The horizontal distance or bottom radius BR between each

side edge

328, 330 at the bottom B of the container holding means and the cneterline CL is about 3.3 centimeters. The vertical spacing H between these two distances is about 2.8 centimeters. Thus, the side edges 328, 330 define a steep effective taper angle for the sides of the container holding means of slightly greater than 2.

The upper edges 332 of the apertures 312, and the upper edge 334 of the apertures 314, have a horizontal distance from the centerline CL which is approximately edges 328 and 330, respectively, at the top T of the container holding means and the centerline Cl.

In each of the trays 10., 100, 200 and. 300 described above, the geometry of the cup or container holding recess is characterized according to this invention by an effective taper angle between and about from the vertical. This angleis easily found by measuring the BR, TR and H distances as defined above, and then subtracting BR from TR,-.and dividing-this amount by H to obtain the value of the tangent (between zero and about 0.2) for thetaperangle, according to the univerlike empty trays: to be nested one within another in a' sal formula that the tangent of an angle of a right trianv gle is equal to the length of the side opposite divided by the length of the side adjacent. With the tangent of the angle thus known, the taper angle itself may readily be.

determined by reference to a standardtable of Natural- Trigonometric Functions which customarily sets forth the tangent (Tan), as well as the sine (Sin), cotangent- (Cot) and cosine (Cos), values for each angle from 0 through 90 expressed in degrees and often in minutes as well.

Thus, for example,.a container holding means with a top radius distance TR measured to be about 3.9 cm., a bottom radius distance BR of about 3.2 cm., and vertical spacing H therebetween of about 4 cm., the taper angle is calculated by subtracting 3.2 from 3.9 leaving a side opposite of 0.7, dividing this amount by the side adjacent of 4 to obtain a tangent value of about 0.175, and referring to astandard Natural Functions table to determine that the angle is about 10, namely in the range of about 956 to about 958. Another example, for use with. beverage cups, jars or other cylindrical containers having perfectly straight sides with 0 taper, employs a top radius distance TR which is equal to the relief near the bottom and provide cup support only near the top where it is notimportant to preventtipping. I

While-the above described embodiments constitute the presently preferred modes of practicing the inventio,n, other embodiments and equivalents are within the scope of the actual inventiom-"which is claimed as:

l. A tray molded with sloping wall portions to permit stack and including means for holding" a cup shaped container, the container holding means having a'th'eoretical vertical centerline? a container supporting "bottom, and sides defined by atleast twogenerally verti-" cally disposed container-cradling apertures in the sloping wall portions positioned in opposition to each other about the centerline, at least a portion 'of the lower edge of each aperture lying in a common horizontal plane-coinciding with the bottom of the container holding means, the side edges of each aperture diverging away from each other in the downward direction from a level which defines the top of the container holding means to widen the aperture in a manner which permits a portion of the bottom of a container positioned in the container holding means to protrude through the lower portion of the aperture. 7

2. A tray as in claim 1 wherein the horizontal distance ['TR] between each side edge at the top [T] of the container holding means and the centerline [CL] is greater" than the horizontal distance [BR] between each side edge at the bottom [B] of the container holding means and the centerline [CL] by an amount [TR BR] which, when calculated in comparison with the vertical spacing [H] between such distances, defines an bottom radius distance BR so that the-tangent value and thus the effective taper angle are both zero,-irrespective of the vertical spacing H between the top and bottom of the cup holding means. 1

For the purpose only of convenient reference, the tangent values for gross even angles, withoutminute or second gradations therebetween, up to 12 are pro-1 vided from a standard table of Natural Trigonometric Functions, as follows:

Based on the foregoing explanation and'information, it is an easy matter to use a measuring device such as a ruler and/or calipers to measure thetop radius distances and the height spacing of a container supporting recess of any molded tray, in inches and fractions or decimals thereof, in centimeters and decimals thereof, or in any other convenient unit of length measurement, and then calculate whether or not the steep angle benefits of this invention have been obtained. l

The reference herein to a taperangle of less than about 10 of course includes reverse taper angles obtained when the bottom radius distance BR is greater f than the top radius distance TR, because this invention contemplates apertures which are greatly widened for effective ta' per angle for the sides of container holding means of less than about 10 from the vertical.

Atray as in claim 2 wherein the upper edge of at l least 'one of the apertures is recessed outwardly so that its horizontal distance from the centerline is greater than the horizontal distance between the side edges at the top of the container holding means and the center-. linel r v 4. A tray as in clairn 2 wherein the upper edge of at least, one of the apertures has a horizontal distance, from the centerline which is approximately equal to the horizontal distance between the sideedges at the top of the container holding means and the centerline.

5. A tray as in claim 4 wherein the upper edge of at least one of the apertures includesinwardly, directed tabs which provide lateral support at the top of the container holding means for a smaller size container placed therein and which can be displaced downwardly when a larger size container is placed in the container holding means.

6.;A tray as in claim 2 wherein the side edges of at least one aperture are straight. Y

7. A tray'as in claim 2 whereinthe lower edges of the apertures definev the bottom of the container holding means and support a container placed therein at spaced contact points around its bottom periphery.

8. A tray as in claim 2 wherein the lower edge of at least one of the apertures extends inwarldy so that its horizontal distance from the centerline is less than the horizontal distance between the side edges at the bottom of the container holding means and the centerline,

and the bottom of the container holding means is de-' -fined by a container supporting web connecting the lower edges of the apertures.

9. A tray as in claim 8 wherein the web includes upwardly directed boss means to facilitate proper centering of a container having a depending annular flange around its bottom.

[0. A tray as in claim 9 including a central tray portion, four container holding means located around the periphery of the tray portion, each container holding means being defined by three container-cradling apertures, the horizontal distance between each side edge at the top of the container holding means and the centerline being less than about 0.315 centimeter greater than the horizontal distance between each side edge at struction.

Claims

1. A tray molded with sloping wall portions to permit like empty trays to be nested one within another in a stack and including means for holding a cup shaped container, the container holding means having a theoretical vertical centerline, a container supporting bottom, and sides defined by at least two generally vertically disposed container-cradling apertures in the sloping wall portions positioned in opposition to each other about the centerline, at least a portion of the lower edge of each aperture lying in a cOmmon horizontal plane coinciding with the bottom of the container holding means, the side edges of each aperture diverging away from each other in the downward direction from a level which defines the top of the container holding means to widen the aperture in a manner which permits a portion of the bottom of a container positioned in the container holding means to protrude through the lower portion of the aperture.

2. A tray as in claim 1 wherein the horizontal distance (TR) between each side edge at the top (T) of the container holding means and the centerline (CL) is greater than the horizontal distance (BR) between each side edge at the bottom (B) of the container holding means and the centerline (CL) by an amount (TR - BR) which, when calculated in comparison with the vertical spacing (H) between such distances, defines an effective taper angle for the sides of the container holding means of less than about 10* from the vertical.

3. A tray as in claim 2 wherein the upper edge of at least one of the apertures is recessed outwardly so that its horizontal distance from the centerline is greater than the horizontal distance between the side edges at the top of the container holding means and the centerline.

4. A tray as in claim 2 wherein the upper edge of at least one of the apertures has a horizontal distance from the centerline which is approximately equal to the horizontal distance between the side edges at the top of the container holding means and the centerline.

5. A tray as in claim 4 wherein the upper edge of at least one of the apertures includes inwardly directed tabs which provide lateral support at the top of the container holding means for a smaller size container placed therein and which can be displaced downwardly when a larger size container is placed in the container holding means.

6. A tray as in claim 2 wherein the side edges of at least one aperture are straight.

7. A tray as in claim 2 wherein the lower edges of the apertures define the bottom of the container holding means and support a container placed therein at spaced contact points around its bottom periphery.

8. A tray as in claim 2 wherein the lower edge of at least one of the apertures extends inwarldy so that its horizontal distance from the centerline is less than the horizontal distance between the side edges at the bottom of the container holding means and the centerline, and the bottom of the container holding means is defined by a container supporting web connecting the lower edges of the apertures.

10. A tray as in claim 9 including a central tray portion, four container holding means located around the periphery of the tray portion, each container holding means being defined by three container-cradling apertures, the horizontal distance between each side edge at the top of the container holding means and the centerline being less than about 0.315 centimeter greater than the horizontal distance between each side edge at the bottom of the container holding means and the centerline, and the vertical spacing between such distances being about 3.6 centimeters, so as to define an effective taper angle for the sides of the container holding means of less than about 5* from the vertical.

11. A tray as in claim 8 including at least two parallel rows of container holding means separated by rib construction, each row having at least two container holding means, each being defined by two container-cradling apertures at least one of which is in the rib construction.