Transformable tray and tray system for receiving, transporting and unloading items

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12162702-B2
Application number	US-202217650831-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2022
Priority date	Oct 1, 2014
Publication date	Dec 10, 2024
Grant date	Dec 10, 2024

Abstract

Features for loading, transporting and unloading of items are disclosed. Systems, devices and methods for such operations using a tray are described. In some embodiments, a tray having a moveable bottom allows for switching between a configuration for loading and unloading items in and out of the tray and a configuration for transportation of items inside the tray. The trays may also be stacked, for transportation of multiple trays at once, and nested, for saving space when storing the trays. In some embodiments, the trays may be used in conjunction with loading and unloading systems.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tray system comprising:
a first tray having a front wall, a back wall, and a sidewall extending between the front wall and the back wall, each of the front wall, the back wall, and the sidewall comprising:
a top portion comprising a pad edge; and
a bottom portion;

the sidewall further comprising:
one or more handles protruding from the front wall and the back wall;
at least one foot disposed on the bottom portion;
at least one pocket formed in the top portion of the sidewall, the at least one pocket having a first depth smaller than the first height of the top portion; and
at least one recess formed in the top portion of the sidewall proximate the at least one pocket, the at least one recess having a second depth that is less than the first depth;

wherein the front wall, the back wall, and the sidewall of the first tray have the same height; and
a second tray having a front wall, a back wall, and a sidewall extending between the front wall and the back wall, the front wall, the back wall, and the sidewall comprising:
a top portion comprising a pad edge;
a bottom portion; and
one or more handles protruding from the front wall and the back wall;

the sidewall further comprising:
at least one pocket formed in the top portion of the sidewall, the at least one pocket having a first depth;
at least one recess formed in the top portion of the sidewall proximate the at least one pocket, the at least one recess having a second depth that is less than the first depth;

wherein the front wall, the back wall, and the sidewall of the second tray have the same height;
wherein with the first tray in a first orientation, the at least one foot of the first tray is configured to be received in the at least one recess of the second tray, and the one or more handles of the first tray is aligned with the one or more handles of the second tray; and
wherein with the first tray in a second orientation, the at least one foot of the first tray is configured to be received in the at least one pocket of the second tray, and the pad edge of the front wall, the back wall, and the sidewall of the first tray are in contact with the top portion of the second tray and the one or more handles of the first tray is aligned with the one or more handles of the second tray.

2. The tray system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one foot comprises a first foot and a second foot disposed on the sidewall, wherein the first foot is located near an end of the sidewall proximate the front of the first tray and the second foot is located near an end of the sidewall proximate the back of the first tray.

3. The tray system of claim 2 , wherein the first foot and the second foot are asymmetrically distanced from a respective end of the sidewall.

4. The tray system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pocket comprises a first pocket and a second pocket formed in the sidewall, wherein the first pocket is located near an end of the sidewall proximate the front of the first tray and the second pocket is located near an end of the sidewall proximate the back of the first tray.

5. The tray system of claim 4 , wherein the first pocket and the second pocket are asymmetrically distance from a respective end of the sidewall.

6. The tray system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one recess comprises a first recess and a second recess formed in the sidewall, wherein the first recess is located near an end of the sidewall proximate the front of the first tray and the second recess is located near an end of the sidewall proximate the back of the first tray.

7. The tray system of claim 6 , wherein the first recess and the second recess are asymmetrically distanced from a respective end of the sidewall.

8. The tray system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one foot further comprises a foot pad disposed on a bottom portion of the at least one foot.

9. The tray system of claim 1 , wherein the width of the at least one foot is complementary to the width of the at least one pocket and the width of the at least one recess.

10. The tray system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one foot extends down from the top portion and out from the bottom portion on the sidewall.

11. The tray system of claim 1 , further comprising two sidewalls, a third foot, and a fourth foot, wherein the third foot and the fourth foot are located on opposing sidewalls.

12. A tray system of claim 1 , wherein with the first tray in a second orientation the at least one foot of the first tray is configured to be received in the at least one pocket of the second tray.

13. The tray system of claim 1 , wherein in the second orientation the first tray is rotated 180° with respect to the first orientation.

14. A method for stacking trays comprising:
positioning in a first orientation a first tray having at least one foot disposed thereon over a second tray, the first tray comprising:
a front wall, a back wall, and a side wall, each of the front, back and sidewall comprising:
a top portion comprising a pad edge; and
a bottom portion;

the sidewall further comprising:
at least one foot disposed on the bottom portion; and
at least one pocket formed in the top portion of the sidewall;

the second tray comprising:
a front wall;
a back wall; and
a sidewall comprising:
having a top portion having a pad edge;
a bottom portion;
at least one recess having a first depth, and

at least one pocket formed in the sidewall thereof, wherein the at least one pocket has a second depth smaller than the first height of the top portion of the sidewall, wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth, wherein the front wall, the back wall, and the sidewall of the first tray have the same height; and

inserting the at least one foot of the first tray into at least one recess of the second tray, thereby contacting the pad edge of the front wall, the back wall, and the sidewall of the first tray with the top portion of the second tray.

15. The method for stacking trays of claim 14 , further comprising positioning in a second orientation the first tray over the second tray and inserting at least one foot of the first tray into at least one pocket of the second tray.

16. The method for stacking trays of claim 15 , wherein positioning the first tray over the second tray in the second orientation comprises rotating the first tray 180° with respect to the first orientation.

17. The method for stacking trays of claim 15 , wherein positioning trays in the second orientation reduces vertical dimension of the stacked trays compared to positioning trays in the first orientation.

18. The method for stacking trays of claim 15 , further comprising positioning a third tray with an at least one recess and an at least one pocket in the first orientation or the second orientation with respect to the second tray.

19. A tray system comprising:
a first tray having a plurality of sidewalls, and further comprising:
a front wall and a back wall, wherein each of the plurality of sidewalls have the same height as the front wall and the back wall;
a bottom portion having at least one foot disposed thereon;
a top portion comprising a pad edge; and
one or more handles protruding from the front wall and the back wall;
a second tray having a plurality of sidewalls, a front wall, and a back wall, wherein each of the plurality of sidewalls has the same height as the front wall and the back wall, and has one or more handles protruding from the at least one of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein at least one of the p

Assignees

• United States Postal Service

Inventors

• Stratton Christopher M
• Smith Gregory J
• Potter Thomas C
• Perry-Eaton Wayne R

Classifications

• B65G65/34

  Emptying devices (conveyor construction B65G15/00 - B65G35/00; devices similar to vehicle tipplers B65G67/48) · CPC title

• B65G65/32 Primary

  Filling devices · CPC title

• B07C3/008 Primary

  Means for collecting objects, e.g. containers for sorted mail items (pile receivers in general B65H31/00) · CPC title