Display Tray for Improved Product Visibility

This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/587,141, filed Jan. 28, 2022, which claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/148,681, which was filed on Feb. 12, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

The present disclosure relates generally to a display tray, and specifically to a display tray having improved visibility and stacking abilities.

Pallet displays in Club Stores are beneficial since a large amount of product can be merchandised in one location without having to be re-stocked often. Many of these designs incorporate a full depth “X” or similar divider insert that separates the tray into quadrants and spans the corners, providing critical stacking support for the multiple tray layers, that is locked into a low profile base tray. However, the “X” dividers tend to obstruct the customer's view of the product, particularly when the primary customer facing side of the display has been emptied and product in the other quadrants are difficult to see or cannot be seen by the customer because the insert blocks the view. These trays are hard to or impossible to rotate in order to show what product is located in the other quadrants. Further, the dividers cannot be removed without affecting the integrity of the tray stack.

There is still a need in the art for improved display trays having improved stacking abilities and visibility to each corner of the tray from multiple vantage points. The present disclosure provides a solution for this need.

In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a display tray system includes a first tray having at least three outer walls defining a portion of an outer perimeter of the display tray system including an end wall, a joining wall defining an inner border with a second tray, a first side wall having a first length, a second side wall having a second length longer than the first length and extending beyond the joining wall configured to be inserted into the second tray, a first corner having a first height at a junction of the first side wall and the end wall, a second corner having a height equal to the first corner at a junction of the second side wall and the end wall. The display tray system further includes the second tray, the second tray having at least three outer walls defining a portion of an outer perimeter of the display tray system including an end wall, a joining wall defining an inner border with a second tray, a first side wall having a first length, a second side wall having a second length longer than the first length and extending beyond the joining wall configured to be inserted into the first tray, a first corner having a first height at a junction of the first side wall and the end wall, a second corner having a height equal to the first corner at a junction of the second side wall and the end wall.

The first tray includes a bottom wall, where the first side wall extends from a first fold line on a first side of the bottom wall and the joining wall extends from a third fold line on a third side of the bottom wall. An offset is defined between the first fold line and the third fold line such that in a set up tray a gap is formed between the first side wall and the joining wall for receiving the second side wall of the second tray.

The second tray includes a bottom wall, where the first side wall extends from a first fold line on a first side of the bottom wall and the joining wall extends from a third fold line on a third side of the bottom wall, wherein an offset is defined between the first fold line and the third fold line such that in a set up tray a gap is formed between the first side wall and the joining wall for receiving the second side wall of the first tray.

In certain embodiments, each of the first tray and second tray are asymmetric in blank for and in tray form, but with the first and second trays joined in the display tray system, the display tray system is symmetric about at least two axes of symmetry.

In certain embodiments, the joining wall of each of the first tray and the second tray can include a respective slot configured to receive a joining member for joining the first tray and second tray together and the display tray system can further include a joining member coupled to the joining wall of the first tray and coupled to the joining wall of the second tray to couple the first and second trays together and provide vertical support.

In certain embodiments, the first support can include a pair of support wings hingedly attached thereto and the second support includes a pair of wings hingedly attached thereto. In certain embodiments, the first support wing of the first support and the first support wing of the second support can be within the first tray and the second support wing of the first support and the second support wing of the second support are within the second tray.

In the first tray of the display tray system, the first corner of the first tray includes a first corner post, and the second corner of the first tray includes a second corner post, where each of the first corner post and the second corner post extend above a height of each of the end wall, the first side wall, the second side wall, and the joining wall. The first tray further includes, a third corner defined by the junction of the first side wall and the joining wall, and a fourth corner defined by the junction of the second side wall and the joining wall. A height of the third corner and the fourth corner is less than the height of the first corner post and the second corner post. In certain embodiments, the height of the third corner of the first tray and the fourth corner of the first tray can be equal to the height of the first side wall, the second side wall, and the joining wall of the first tray.

In the second tray of the display tray system, the first corner of the second tray includes a first corner post, the second corner of the second tray includes a second corner post, where the first corner post and the second corner post extend above a height of each of the end wall, the first side wall, the second side wall, and the joining wall. The second tray further includes a third corner defined by the junction of the first side wall and the joining wall and a fourth corner defined by the junction of the second side wall and the joining wall, where a height of the third corner and the fourth corner is less than the height of the first corner post and the second corner post. In certain embodiments, the height of the third corner of the second tray and the fourth corner second tray can be equal to the height of the first side wall, the second side wall, and the joining wall of the second tray.

With the first tray and the second tray joined to form the display tray system, the first corner post of the first tray forms a first corner post of the display tray system, the second corner post of the first tray forms a second corner post of the display tray system, the first corner post of the second tray forms a third corner post of the display tray system, and the second corner post of the second tray forms a fourth corner post of the display tray system. In certain embodiments, each of the first, second, third, and fourth corner posts of the display tray system can further include a respective stacking tab extending from the respective corner post configured to slot into a respective receiving slot of a second display tray system to allow the second display tray system to stack atop the display tray system.

In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a blank for forming a tray includes a bottom panel defining a bottom wall of the tray and a first end panel hingedly coupled to a first end of the bottom panel for defining an end wall of the tray, wherein the second end panel includes a first group of a plurality of sub panels extending from a first side of the first end panel and hingedly connected to one another configured to fold into a first corner post and a second group of a plurality of sub panels extending from a second side of the first end panel and hingedly connected to one another configured to fold into a second corner post.

A first side panel is hingedly coupled to a first side of the bottom panel for defining a first side wall of the tray, the first side panel having a length approximately equal to a length of the first side of the bottom panel and a second side panel is hingedly coupled to a second side of the bottom panel for defining a second side wall of the tray, the second side panel having a length that is longer than a length of the second side of the bottom panel. A second end panel is hingedly coupled to a second end of the bottom panel for defining a joining wall of the tray. In certain embodiments, the length of the second side panel is greater than the length of second side of the bottom plus a length of the first end panel.

In certain embodiments, the first side panel includes first side outer panel and a first side inner panel hingedly coupled to the first side outer panel, where in a set up tray, the first side outer panel and the first side inner panel are configured to sandwich a portion of a second side wall of a second tray. In certain embodiments, an offset is defined at a junction between the first side panel and the second end panel such that in a set up tray a gap is formed between a first side wall formed form the first side panel and a joining wall formed from the second end panel, where the gap is configured for receiving the portion of the second side wall of the second tray.

In certain embodiments, the second side panel can include second side outer panel and a second side inner panel hingedly coupled to the second side outer panel, where in a set up tray, the second side inner panel is folded inward onto the second side outer panel to form a double walled second side panel.

In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a method of forming a display tray system from a blank includes, folding a first blank into a first tray and folding a second blank into a second tray. Folding the first tray and folding the second tray includes folding a first end panel across a first end fold line forming a first end wall, folding an outer panel of a first side wall across a first side fold line forming a partial first side wall, folding an outer panel of a second side wall across a second side fold line and folding an inner panel of the second side wall across a second side middle fold line forming a second side wall, and folding a second end panel across a second end fold line forming a joining wall such that a gap exists between the first side wall and the joining wall.

The method further includes, inserting a portion of the second side wall of the first tray into the gap between the first side wall and the joining wall of the second tray such that the portion of the second side wall of the first tray extends along and abuts a portion of the first side wall of the second tray, and inserting a portion of the second side wall of the second tray into the gap between the first side wall and the joining wall of the first tray such that the portion of the second side wall of the second tray extends along and abuts a portion of the first side wall of the first tray.

The method can further include, folding an inner panel of the first side wall of the first tray across a first side middle fold line to enclose the portion of the second side wall of the second tray between the inner panel of the first side wall and the outer panel of the first side wall of the first tray forming a complete first side wall of the display system, and folding an inner panel of the first side wall of the second tray across a first side middle fold line to enclose the portion of the second side wall of the first tray between the inner panel of the first side wall and the outer panel of the first side wall of the second tray forming a complete second side wall of the display system.

The method can further include, folding a first group of a plurality of sub panels extending from a first side of a first end panel into a first corner post, and folding a second group of a plurality of sub panels extending from a second side of the first end panel into a second corner post, where the first corner post and the second corner post extend above a height of the first end wall, the second end wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall.

A display tray system includes a first tray having at least three outer walls defining an outer perimeter of the display tray system, a first corner having a first height at a junction of two of the at least three outer walls, a second corner having a height equal to the first corner at a junction of two of the at least three outer walls, a joining wall defining an inner border with a second tray, a third corner having at a junction of the joining wall and one of the at least three outer walls, a fourth corner having at a junction of the joining wall and one of the at least three outer walls, a second tray having at least three outer walls defining an outer perimeter of the display tray system, a first corner having a first height at a junction of two of the at least three outer walls, a second corner having a height equal to the first corner at a junction of two of the at least three outer walls, a joining wall defining an inner border with the first tray, a third corner having at a junction of the joining wall and one of the at least three outer walls, a fourth corner at a junction of the joining wall and one of the at least three outer walls, and a joining member coupled to the joining wall of the first tray and coupled to the joining wall of the second tray to couple the first and second trays together and provide vertical support.

The joining member includes an upper wall which can define a horizontal plane at a vertical height equal to the height of the first corner and second corner of the first tray and the first corner and the second corner of the second tray. The upper wall of the joining member can join a first support to a second support. The first support can be partially within the first tray and partially within the second tray. The first support can include a pair of support wings hingedly attached thereto and the second support can include a pair of wings hingedly attached thereto. The first support wing of the first support and the first support wing of the second support can be within the first tray and the second support wing of the first support and the second support wing of the second support are within the second tray.

An underside of the upper wall of the joining member and the upper edge of the joining walls of the first tray and the second tray can define a top and a bottom of an opening. The upper wall can include a plurality of tabs configured to couple a third tray and a fourth tray placed above the first tray and above the second tray. It is also considered that the joining wall of the first tray can include a height lower than the height of the first corner. The third corner of the first tray can include a height lower than the height of the first corner. The third corner of the first tray can includes a height equal to the height of the first corner.

The joining member can be saddle shaped. The joining member can extend up to 60% into the width of both the first tray and the second tray. The joining member can include at least a pair of slots for coupling to the joining wall of the first tray and coupling to the joining wall of the second tray. The joining member can be folded over the joining wall in a face-to-face relationship. The joining member can include a first panel hingedly coupled to a second panel and wherein the first panel includes a punch-out portion and the second panel includes an aperture for receiving the punch-out portion of the first panel.

The first tray can include a floor having at least one slot for accepting a tab of a joining member of a third tray. A third tray can be joined to a fourth tray by a second joining member, wherein the third tray and fourth tray can be joined to the joining member of the first tray and the second tray.

A blank for forming a tray is also disclosed. The blank includes a first panel extended along a longitudinal axis defining a joining wall of the tray, a second panel hingedly coupled to the first panel defining a floor of the tray and two outer walls of the tray, a third panel hingedly coupled to the second panel defining a third outer wall of the tray, wherein the third panel includes a first foursome of sections extended across the longitudinal axis hingedly attached to each other and to a first end of the third panel for defining a first corner post and a second foursome of sections extended across the longitudinal axis hingedly attached to each other and to a second end of the third panel for defining a second corner post. The blank can include several corner configurations including one with or without stacking tabs for coupling to an above tray, a closed corner post, an L-corner post, and a complex post.

The second panel can include a first tab hingedly attached at a first end and a second tab hingedly attached at a second end, wherein each tab includes a fold-out portion configured to partially detach from the tab and fold inwards in order to define a portion of a respective outer wall and to support the outer wall. The second panel can be wider than the first panel, and the second panel can be wider than the third panel. The third panel can include a fold-out tab hingedly attached at a first edge configured to partially detach from third panel and fold inwards in order to define a portion of a respective outer wall and to support the respective outer wall.

A blank for joining a first tray to a second tray is also disclosed. The blank includes a first panel extended along a longitudinal axis including a first end tab hingedly attached to the first end and a second end tab hingedly attached to the second end, a second panel hingedly attached to the first panel configured to define an upper wall of a joining member of a display tray system, and a third panel extended along the longitudinal axis including a first end tab hingedly attached to the first end and a second end tab hingedly attached to the second end. The second panel can include a plurality of tabs configured to bend in and out of a plane defined by the second panel. The first panel and the second panel each include a respective slot partially bisecting the respective panel.

These and other features of the systems and methods of the subject disclosure will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings.

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subject disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a partial view of an exemplary tray system in accordance with the disclosure is shown inand is designated generally by reference character. Other embodiments of the tray system, methods of constructing trays in accordance with the disclosure, or aspects thereof, are provided in, as will be described. The tray systems presented and described below improve product visibility in a display unit common in Club and other large format point of purchase applications, and improve stacking performance and reduce cost to use.

are perspective views of an exemplary embodiment of a tray systemaccording to the disclosure. The tray systemshows a first trayhaving three outer walls,,, a first cornerhaving a first height (h1) at a junction of two of the outer walls/, a second cornerhaving a height equal to the first cornerat a junction of two other outer walls/, a joining walldefining an inner border with a second tray, a third cornerat a junction of the joining walland outer wall, a fourth cornerat a junction of the joining walland outer wall. The second traysimilarly includes three outer walls,,, a first corner, a second corner, a joining wall, a third corner, and a fourth corner. A joining membercoupled to the joining wall of the first trayand coupled to the joining wall of the second trayto couple the firstand secondtrays and provide vertical support to the tray systemwhen other trays loaded with product are stacked on top. It is also considered that four trays can be combined with a joining member joining them all together and supported by a single joining member or a system of joining members.

is a side view the tray system. The joining memberincludes a flat upper walllevel to the height of the first cornersand second cornersof the first tray. The upper wallof the saddle shaped joining memberjoins a first supportand a second support. The first supportand the second supporteach straddle the joining walls/of each of the trays and are partially within the first trayand partially within the second tray. Each of the supports/includes a pair of support wings/and/respectively hingedly attached thereto. The supports wings/and/allow for better stability and flexibility in filling the trays with product. The support wings/and/can be positioned at a variety of angles in order to accommodate packages of various shapes and sizes while still providing support against vertical pressures.

Joining membercan be self-locking or pre-glued. It is also considered that the joining member can join four quarter trays together using various slit combinations. The supports/can also include rolled-up 3D self-locked or glued supports that will give further vertical support.

further shows a windowbetween the joining walland joining member. An underside of the upper wallof the joining memberand the upper edgeof the joining walls/of the first trayand the second traydefine a top and a bottom of the window. The windowallows a user to see from one side of the tray system to the other. Not only can a customer see around the joining memberto see what is in the back of the tray, but the customer can also see through the joining memberto see what is on the other side of the tray, and if needed extract product from that side over the abutting tray walls. Another feature improving sight lines across the tray is having the joining walls/along with the third cornerand fourth cornerare below the heights of the first cornerand second corner.

As seen in, the upper wallincludes a plurality of tabswhich couple to slotsof a floorof a trayabove the first trayand the second tray. The tabsprovide further stability to the tray system seen in. The joining memberextends 60% or less into the width of each of the trays: This combination allows for the desired staging of products shown in.

show a single trayof the tray system of. The trayis coupled with the joining memberby matching the slots of the joining memberwith the slotsof the joining walls/.is a plan view of a blankfor constructing the single tray shown in. The blankincludes a first panelwhich defines the joining wallof tray. A second panelis hingedly attached to the first panelwhich defines a floorof trayand outer wallsandof tray. A third panelis hingedly attached to the second paneland defines the third outer wallof tray. The third panelincludes a first foursomeof sections extended across the third panelhingedly attached to each other and to a first endof the third panel. The first foursomedefines a first corner postof tray. A second foursome of sectionsat a second enddefine the second corner post. It should be understood to one of ordinary skill in the art that multiple variations and combinations of corners. Details of possible corners are shown and discussed in.

The second panelincludes a first tabhingedly attached at a first endand a second tabhingedly attached at a second end. Each tab includes a respective fold-out portion/to partially detach from the respective tab/and fold inwards in order to define a portion of a respective outer wall/and to support the outer wall. The second panelis generally wider than the first panel, and the second panelis generally wider than the third panel. However, it should be understood that various configurations and dimensional combinations can be used to create a desired tray. The third panelincludes a fold-out tabhingedly attached at a first edgeto partially detach from the third paneland fold inwards in order to define a portion of outer walland to provide added thickness to outer wall.

show another possible features of the previously discussed tray system. It should be understood that the tray systemshown here includes all of the features previously discussed but adds height to the third corner postand the fourth corner post. The height of the third cornerand fourth corneris equal to the height of the first cornerand the second corner. In sacrificing visibility and lines of sight the higher corner postsallows for greater weight support in the tray system. The added stability also allows the joining memberto forgo tabs that get placed within the above tray.

shows a plan view of a blankfor constructing the single tray of. Similarly to the previously discussed blank, the blankincludes a first panelwhich defines the joining wallof tray. A second panelis hingedly attached to the first panelwhich defines a floorof trayand outer wallsandof tray. A third panelis hingedly attached to the second paneland defines the third outer wallof tray. The first paneland third paneleach includes a respective foursome/of sections extended across the respective panels hingedly attached to each other and to a first end. The first foursomes/define the first corner postand third corner postof tray. A second foursome of sections/at a second enddefine the second corner postand fourth corner post.

is a plan view of a blankfor constructing the joining member previously shown in. The blankincludes a first panelforming the first supportof tray, a first end tabhingedly attached to the first endforming the first support wingand a second end tabhingedly attached to the second endforming the second support wing, a second panelhingedly attached to the first panel defining the upper wallof joining memberof tray. A third panelincludes a first end tabdefining the first support winghingedly attached to the first endand a second end tabdefining the second support winghingedly attached to the second end. The second panelincludes a plurality of tabswhich bend in and out of the page to create the tabsof tray. The first paneland the second paneleach include a respective slot/partially bisecting the respective panel in order to couple to the joining walls of tray.

are perspective views of an exemplary embodiment of a tray system according to the disclosure showing a variety of joining members being placed.shows a two panel joining memberbeing folded over the joining wallsof the traysand. Joining memberfurther includes a slitplaced in the middle of the panels not reaching the end, that slides over the joining wallsof traysand.show joining member being placed over the joining walls.shows a tray stack, with each tray having the joining member.

shows a variety of corner posts that can be used with each of the tray systems discussed previously.is a perspective view of an open corner postwith stacking tabandis a plan view of a blankfor constructing the corner post of. The outermost panelwith the stacking tabfolds inwards and attaches to the portion of the panelresponsible for creating an outer wall of the tray in an inner-to-inner relationship.is a perspective view of an open corner postandis a plan view of a blank for constructing the corner post of. Similarly, the outermost panelfolds inwards and attaches to the portion of the panelresponsible for creating an outer wall of the tray.shows a perspective view of a closed corner postwith stacking tabsandis a plan view of a blankfor constructing the corner post ofwherein the outermost panelfolds inward and attaches to the main panel, in an outer to inner relationship.shows a perspective view of an “L” corner postandis a plan view of a blankfor constructing the corner post of. Here the two outer most panelsandboth fold inward to form an inner-to-inner side relationship with the inner most paneland the main panel.shows a perspective view of a five-panel corner postandis a plan view of a blankfor constructing the corner postof. This corner postemploys five panels with the middle panelsbeing in mitered position.

are perspective views of a self-locking tray. The trayis similar to trayshown previously, but all of the folding is secured by tabs being placed into slots as a locking feature.is a plan view of a blank for constructing the self-locking tray of. The tabsare meant to be placed into slotswhen the blank is folded in a manner similar to that of blank.

Turning now to, another embodiment of a blank, a display tray, and display tray systemis shown. The blankand display tray systemcan be similar to and can have similar components and features with respect to the blanks and display tray systems described herein. For brevity, the description of common elements that have been described above will not be repeated with respect to blankand display tray systemas shown in. While the trayand display systemare shown and described with respect to blank, it should be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art that the blankcould be adapted to any one of the trays and display systems described herein.

shows a blank having a bottom panel, a first end panel, a second end panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel. A first sideof the first end panelincludes a first group of sub panelsconfigured to fold into a first corner post, e.g., as shown in the set-up tray. A second sideof the first end panelincludes a second group of sub panelsconfigured to fold into a second corner post, e.g., as shown in the set-up tray. The first end panelis hingedly coupled to the bottom panelat a first end fold line. For clarity, it should be understood that the blankshows an outer surface of the blank, or in other words, the blankfolds into the page when folding into the tray.

The first side panelis hingedly coupled to the bottom panelat a first side fold line. The first side panelincludes a first side outer paneland a first side inner panelhingedly coupled at a first side middle fold line. In the set-up tray, the first side inner panelis folded along fold lineto abut the first side outer panelto form the first side wall.

The second side panelis hingedly coupled to the bottom panelat a second side fold line. The second side panelincludes a second side outer paneland a first side inner panelhingedly coupled at a second side middle fold line. In the set-up tray, the second side inner panelis folded along fold lineto abut the second side outer panelto form the second side wall. As shown, the second side panelis longer than the first side panel, making the blank asymmetric.

The second end panelis hingedly coupled to the bottom panelat a second end fold line. An offsetis defined at the junction between the first side paneland the second end panel. This is more clearly shown in, for example, where a dotted line is drawn extending the first side fold linedownwards, parallel to the second end panel. In the set-up tray, the first side panelis folded into the first side walland the first end panelis folded into the joining wall. The offsetin the blank causes a gapto form between first side walland the joining wallin the set-up tray. This is shown in, for example.

shows a set up trayfolded from the blank. The trayis a half pallet tray configured and adapted to mate with another half pallet tray to form a full pallet tray. As will be discussed, the design of the trayis such that mating with a second tray adds increased strength across the horizontal direction, to avoid the first and second trays from separating during transit or stocking. The set-up trayincludes a bottom wall, first end wall, second end wall (or joining wall), first side wall, and second side wall. First end wallincludes first and second corner postsand, which extend above the height of the first and second side walls,.