Multi-purpose merchandise tray

Abstract

A multi-purpose merchandise tray has base dimensions equal to support surface of a standard transport pallet. A plurality of the tray may be disposed in a stacked manner on the pallet with merchandise prearranged therein. The merchandise tray with the pallet may be readily transported and deposited at a selected location such as an aisle of the shop floor of a retail location for ready purchase of the merchandise by customers walking through the aisle.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to relatively large size merchandise trays having dimensions applicable conveniently for storage, transport of a selected large amount of merchandise as well as for displaying the merchandise at the sale location to facilitate easy selection of items to purchase from the tray by purchasers. More particularly, it relates to merchandise container trays made of cardboard or corrugated paperboard and having compatible dimensions suitable for being carried on common standard size pallets to utilize the support surface of the pallet fully and to facilitate transport of a selected large amount of merchandise as well as for ready display of the merchandise at the point of sale without requiring transfer of the merchandise to other display devices.

2. Background Art

Containers such as corrugated boxes are commonly used for storing and transporting merchandise from a manufacturing or distribution facility to a sale or retail location. However, the containers are not suitable for displaying the merchandise at the sale or retail location, since the merchandise is not readily accessible from the container by customers for selecting the items to purchase. Accordingly, the merchandise, after transported to the sale or retail location, must be unpacked from the containers and be transferred to display shelves, stands, or show cases in order that customers may select the items to purchase. This procedure is time consuming and labor intensive to carry out.

Also, a plurality of generally rectangular merchandise containers are normally placed on pallets for transportation. No provisions are made in the construction of the container to ensure the stability of the containers disposed on the pallet. Therefore, with a large number of containers stacked on top of one another on a pallet, often merchandise containers would fall off the stack during transport causing breakage, spoilage or spillage of the merchandise. Attempts have been made to incorporate interlocking means between stacked containers such as providing rectangular upstanding tabs at the middle at the top of their side panels and complementary openings formed at the middle of the side edge of the bottom panel of the container so that the complementary openings of a container stacked above another container located below it would engage with the tabs of the container below so as to hold the stacked containers together to reduce the relative movement between them for increasing the stability of the stacked containers during transport. However, such upstanding tabs are flimsy in construction and could easily be bent or crushed during handling of the containers and therefore rendering such provision ineffective. The drawback is further worsen by the fabrication of the containers with cardboard or corrugated board for reducing their weight and the cost and ease of their manufacture, because tabs made of cardboard or corrugated board are lacking the required rigidity and strength to withstand the inherent abuses they would be exposed to during the handling of the containers and they would readily be bent or mutilated.

Furthermore, in order to facilitate easy handling manually, merchandise containers are made in relatively small convenient sizes. Therefore for transporting a large quantity of required merchandise, it is necessary to place and to stack a large number of such relatively small convenient size containers on the pallet for their transportation. Since the size of the containers are commonly not designed to conform with the size of the load supporting top surface of the pallet, they could not normally be neatly arranged on the pallet; they may either not occupy the full usable top surface of the pallet so that the transport capability of the pallet is not fully utilized, or portions of some containers may extend outside of the top surface of the pallet in a hazardous manner thus making the load extremely unstable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide multiple use container trays which are applicable for transporting merchandise as well as be readily placed at a sale or retail location for displaying the merchandise therein for purchase by customers.

It is another object of the present invention to provide multiple use container trays having dimensions compatible with the supporting top surface of standard pallets such that the complete supporting top surface of the pallet can be efficiently utilized.

It is another object of the present invention to provide container trays having strong rigidity which can be readily fabricated with cardboard or corrugated paper board material

It is another object of the present invention to provide container trays having strong interlocking means such that a plurality of them may be disposed on a transport pallet with the trays coupled and/or stacked together securely and safely.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide container trays having relatively large dimensions for carrying a large number of merchandise. The trays have reinforced supports therein for supporting the weight of the stack as well as the large amount merchandise disposed therein.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide container trays having various means for retaining the merchandise therein securely during transport as well as displaying for purchase at the retail location.

It is still another further object of the present invention to provide container trays which can be fabricated with a single piece of cardboard or corrugated paper board.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects of the invention will become apparent in the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification.

FIG. 1 is a front and side perspective elevation view of the container tray of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom and side perspective elevation view of the container tray.

FIG. 3 is a top perspective elevation view of the configuration formed on a single piece of cardboard or corrugated paper board for fabricating the container tray according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a top and side perspective elevation view of the container tray with various portions therein folded and engaged together during its fabrication.

FIG. 5 is a top and side perspective elevation view of the container tray with additional portions therein engaged together to form the reinforced supports during its fabrication.

FIG. 6 is a front and top perspective elevation view showing the container tray of the present invention provided with transverse dividers for dividing the interior space of the tray into various areas for holding merchandise of various varieties as well as provided additional supports when at least two container trays are stacked one on top of the other and placed on a standard pallet.

FIG. 7 is a front perspective elevation view showing a plurality of container trays securely stacked together and placed on a standard pallet.

FIG. 8 is a front and top perspective elevation view showing an alternative elongated longitudinal divider mounted in the container tray for dividing the interior space into two longitudinal areas for holding various merchandise as well as providing additional support when at least two container trays are stacked together.

FIG. 9 is a front perspective elevation view showing a plurality of container trays with each tray provided with the longitudinal divider and stacked together and the stack is placed on top of a pallet having standard dimensions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the drawings in which like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the different views, the container tray 10 of the present invention includes a rectangular tray 11. The tray 11 may be conveniently fabricated with a configuration 12 as best shown in FIG. 1 formed by stamping of a single piece of cardboard or corrugated paper board. The tray 11 has a rectangular bottom panel 13 preferably having dimensions of 24 inches by 48 inches. The bottom panel 13 has two opposite longer side edges 14 and 15, and two opposite shorter side edges 16 and 17. Six evenly spaced slot openings 18 are formed adjacent to and along the longer side edge 14 and similar six evenly spaced slot openings 19 are formed adjacent to and along the other longer side edge 15. Three evenly spaced lengthwise slot openings 20, 21 and 22 parallel to the longer side edges are formed along the longitudinal center of the bottom panel 13. Two transverse slot openings 23 and 24 parallel to and spaced from the shorter side edges as well as spaced and parallel from one another are also formed in the bottom panel 13. A rectangular first end panel 25 having the same width as the shorter side edge 16 of the bottom panel 13, extends outward from the short side edge 16 of the bottom panel 13 and it is also foldable upward relative to the bottom panel 13 along the side edge 16. Two mutually parallel end panel slots 26 and 27 are formed in the first end panel 25. The end panel slots 26 and 27 are parallel and spaced from the adjacent side edges 28 and 29 respectively of the first end panel 25. A narrow width rectangular support panel 30 extends outwards from the outer edge 31 of the first end penal 25, and it is also foldable relative to the first end panel 25 along this outer edge 31. A rectangular interior panel 32 equal in shape and dimensions to the first side panel 25 extends outwards from an intermediate outer edge 33 of the interior panel 32 and it is also foldable along the outer edge 33 relative to the support panel 30. A center slot opening 34A perpendicular to the edge 31 and 33 and located at the middle of and adjacent to the outer edge 31 is formed in both the support panel 30 and the edge portion of the interior panel 32. Two additional mutually parallel slot openings 35A and 36A which are equally spaced from the center slot opening 34A are formed in both the support panel 30 and the edge portion of the interior panel 32 as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A first slot opening 37 is located adjacent to and parallel to one side edge 38 of the interior panel 32 and a second slot opening 39 is also located adjacent to the parallel to the other side edge 40 of the interior panel 32. A rectangular first edge panel 41 equal in width to the support panel 30 extends sideway from the side edge 38 of the interior panel 32. A rectangular second edge panel 42 equal in dimensions to the first edge panel 41 extends sideway from the side edge 40. A first foldable rectangular panel 43 extends outwards from the outer edge 44 of the first edge panel 41, and a second foldable rectangular panel 45 extends outwards from the outer edge 46 of the second edge panel 42. A short open slot 47 is formed at the middle of the outer edge of the first foldable rectangular panel 43 and a similar short open slot 48 is formed at the middle of the outer edge of the second foldable rectangular panel 45. Two rectangular openings 49 and 50 are optionally formed at the two outer corners of the interior panel 32, and an optional foldable rectangular flap 51 extends outwards from the outer edge 52 of the interior panel 32. The distance between the inner end of the open slot 47 to the outer edge 44 of the first edge panel 41 is equal to half of the length of the interior panel 32, and similarly the distance between the inner end of the open slot 48 to the outer edge 46 of the edge panel 42 is also equal to half of the length of the interior panel 32.

A first U-shaped side panel 53 extends outwards from the side edge 14 of the bottom panel 13. The first U-shaped side panel 53 has an elongated rectangular middle panel and two vertical side panels 54 and 55 extending in a perpendicular manner from the two end portions of the middle panel. The width of the middle panel is much shorter than the length of the side edge 28 of the first end panel 25, and the length of the vertical side panels 54 and 55 is longer in length than the length of the side edge 28 of the first end panel 25. A first reinforced end panel 56 extends sideways from the outer edge 57 of the vertical side panel 53. The length of the both the vertical side panel 54 and the first reinforced end panel 56 are longer than the side edge 28 of the first end panel 25. A first foldable tab 58 extends outwards from the lower middle portion of the outer edge 59 of the first reinforced end panel 56. The first foldable tab 58 has a retaining tab 60 formed at its outer edge and a retaining slot 61 is formed on the edge portion of the edge 57 of the vertical side panel 54 and located directly opposite to the retaining tab 60. The width of the first foldable tab 58 is equal to the length of the slot 26 in the first end panel 25, and the length of the first foldable tab 58 is equal to the distance between the slot 26 to the side edge 28 of the first end panel 25. A second foldable tab 62 extends inwards from the inner edge 63 of the vertical side panel 54, and the distance between its upper edge 64 and the edge 14 of the base panel 13 is equal to the length of the side edge 28 of the first end panel 25. A retaining tab 65 is formed at the middle of the inner edge 66 of the second foldable tab 62.

Three foldable reinforce side panels 67, 68, and 69 extends upwards from the upper edge 70 of the elongated middle panel of the U-shaped side panel 53, and retaining tabs are formed at the outer edge of these reinforce side panels 67, 68 and 69. These foldable side panels 67, 68 and 69 are foldable inwards and downward towards the base panel 13 with their retaining tabs engaging with the slot openings 18 to secure in place in a folded position lying against the inner surface of the elongated middle panel of the side panel 53. A first vertical slot 71 is formed between the foldable side panels 67 and 68, and a second vertical slot 72 is formed between the foldable side panels 68 and 69.

Similarly, a second U-shaped side panel 73 equal in shape and dimensions to the first U-shaped side panel 53, extends outwards from the side edge 15 of the base panel 13. The U-shaped side panel 73 has two vertical side panels 74 and 75 extending upward from two end portions of the elongated middle panel. A second reinforced end panel 76 extends sideways from the outer edge 77 of the vertical side panel 74. The length of the vertical side panel 74 and the second reinforced end panel 76 is longer than the length of the side edge 29 of the first end panel 25. A second foldable tab 78 extends outward from the middle upper portion of the outer edge 79 of the second reinforced end panel 76. The second foldable tab 78 has a retaining tab 80 formed at its free edge and a mounting slot 81 is formed at the outer edge 77 of the vertical side panel 74 and located directly opposite to the retaining tab 80. A third foldable tab 82 extends sideway from the inner edge 83 of the vertical side panel 74, and a retaining tab 84 extends inward from the inner edge of the third foldable tab 82. The distance between the lower edge 85 and the edge 15 is equal to the length of the edge 29 of the first end panel 25. Three foldable reinforce side panels 86, 87 and 88 are formed along the outer edge 89 of the elongated middle panel of the side panel 73. The foldable reinforce side panels 86, 87 and 88 are foldable along the outer edge 89 inwardly and downwardly to lie juxtaposed to the inside surface of the elongated middle panel of the side panel 73 with the tabs formed at their outer free edge engaging with the slots 19 formed along the edge 15. A first vertical slot 90 is formed between the foldable reinforce side panels 86 and 87, and a second vertical slot 91 is formed between the foldable reinforce side panels 87 and 88. The vertical slot 90 is located directly opposite to the first vertical slot 71 formed between the foldable reinforce side panels 67 and 68, and the second vertical slot 91 is located directly opposite to the slot 72 formed between the foldable reinforce side panels 68 and 69.

The rectangular second end panel 92 and all associated parts attached thereto are identical in construction to the rectangular first end panel 25 and the associated parts 26 to 81 described above.

The tray 11 may be fabricated by first folding the U-shaped side panels 53 and 73 upwards along the foldable edges 14 and 15 respectively until they are perpendicular to the bottom panel 13. The foldable reinforce side panels 68 and 87 may then be folded inwardly and downwardly to lie juxtaposed to the inner surface of the elongated middle panel of the side panels 53 and 73 with the mounting tab at their free edges engaging with the associated slot openings 18 and 19 respectively formed along the edges 14 and 15 of the bottom panel 13 so as to maintain the side panels 53 and 73 securely mounted in the vertical position perpendicular to the bottom panel 13 to form rugged side panels for the tray 10. As best shown in FIG. 4, the first end panel 25 is then folded upwards along the side edge 16 until it is perpendicular to the bottom panel 13. The first reinforced panel 56 and the second reinforced panel 76 are folded along the edges 57 and 77 respectively while the first foldable tab 58 and the second foldable tab 78 are folded along edges 59 and 79 respectively to insert through the slot openings 26 and 27 respectively located in the end panel 25 into the interior of the tray. After having been inserted through the slot openings 26 and 27, the foldable tabs 58 and 79 are bent and folded towards the side panels 53 and 73 until their retaining tabs 60 and 80 engage with the retaining slots 61 and 81 respectively located at the edges 57 and 77 respectively, thus maintaining the side panels 25 mounted in the erected vertical position as best shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5.

The first edge panel 41 and the second edge panel 42 are folded upwards along fold lines 38 and 40 respectively until they are perpendicular to the interior panel 32. The first foldable rectangular panel 43 and the second foldable rectangular panel 45 are the folded along fold lines 44 and 46 respectively toward one another and are mounted to one another by slidably engaging the open slot 47 and 48 with one another so that they form a combined panel equal in shape and dimension to the interior panel 32 and spaced therefrom of a distance equal to the width of the edge panels 41 and 42. The interior panel 32 is then folded along the line 33 until the interior panel 32, the combined panel, the edge panels 41 and 42 and the support panel 30 together form a rectangular case 93 as best shown in FIG. 5. The rectangular foldable flap 51, if provided, is folded rearward until it extends perpendicular to the interior panel 32 to cover the bottom of the rectangular case 93. The rectangular case 93 is then folded along line 31 inwardly and downwardly until the combined panel lies in a vertical position juxtaposed to the first end panel 25 with the optionally provided rectangular foldable flap 51, if provided, abutting the bottom panel 13. The rectangular case 93 is secured in place with the foldable tabs 62 and 82 from the side panels 53 and 73 bent and folded against the interior panel 32 and the retaining tabs 65 and 84 are bent to engaged with the slot openings 37 and 39 respectively formed in the interior panel 32. Since the vertical panel 54 and reinforced panel 56 as well as the vertical panel 74 and the reinforced panel 76 have a length longer than the side edge 28 of the end panel, the upper end portions of the vertical panel 54 and reinforced panel 56 in combination form a rugged first right angle mounting bracket 94 at one upper corner of the tray 11 while the upper end portions of the vertical panel 74 and the reinforced panel 76 in combination form a rugged second right angle mounting bracket 95 at the other upper corner of the tray 11. The foldable side panels 69 and 88 are then folded inwardly and downwardly to lie juxtaposed to the elongated middle panel of the side panels 53 and 73 respectively with their mounting tabs engaging with the slots 18 and 19 respectively formed along the side edges 14 and 15 of the bottom panel 13 respectively. The folded foldable side panels 69 and 88 not only reinforce the strength of the side panels 53 and 73, their end portions also press the rectangular case 93 firmly in place against the end panel 25 as best shown in FIG. 2.

Similarly, as shown in FIG. 5, a second rectangular case 96 is formed by folding the various panels associated with the second end panel 92 as described above for the formation of the rectangular case 93 with a center slot opening 34B formed in the middle of its upper top edge. Also, a rugged third right angle mounting bracket 97 and a fourth right angle mounting bracket 98 are formed at the two upper corners of the tray 11 in the same manner as best shown in FIG. 2 as the formation of the first and second right angle mounting brackets 94 and 95 described above.

Since the bottom panel 13 of the container tray 10 of the present invention has dimensions of 24 inches by 48 inches, it is compatible with the dimension of a standard 24 by 48 pallet such that it may be securely placed on the standard 24 by 48 pallet to utilize the usable support surface of the pallet fully as shown in FIG. 6. Two containers may be placed securely back to back on a standard 48 by 48 pallet.

As best shown in FIG. 6, two transverse dividers 99 and 100 may be mounted in the tray 11 for separating its interior space into three separated areas for holding various different varieties of merchandise as well as providing additional support of the middle portion of the tray. Each transverse divider has a generally cross sectional I-shape consisting of a vertical rectangular board 101 having a width equal to the width of the bottom panel 13 of the tray 11, and a thickness equal to each one of the slots 71, 72, 90 and 91. The height of the transverse divider is equal to the height of the each of rectangular cases 93 and 96. Two rectangular bottom rims 102 and 103 are formed at its two opposite bottom edges and extending outward perpendicular to its front and rear rectangular surfaces respectively. Two rectangular horizontal plates 104 and 105 are formed at its upper edges and extending also perpendicular to its front and rear rectangular surfaces. An upstanding tab 106 is formed at the middle of its upper surface. Four rectangular retaining tabs may optionally be provided at its four lower corners and are extending perpendicular to the front and rear surfaces. The transverse divider may be mounted in the tray 11 by slidably engaging its side edges with the opposite vertical slot openings 71 and 90, or 72 and 91 on the side of the tray 11 with the bottom rims 102 and 103 resting on the base panel 13, the side edges of the bottom rims 102 and 103 also would snappingly engage in the space between the lower edge of the foldable reinforce side panels 67, 68, 69 and the bottom panel 13 for securing and maintaining the transverse divider in the secure vertical mounted manner in the tray 11.

A plurality of container trays 10 with the transverse dividers mounted therein may be stacked together as shown in FIG. 7 with the lower corner portions of the upper container tray slidably engaging within the right angle mounting brackets of the lower container tray until the end portion of the upper tray is resting securely on the upper edge of the rectangular cases 93 and 96 of the bottom tray. Thus, the rectangular cases 93 and 96 provide firm supports for the two end portions of the upper container tray. The upstanding tab 106 of the transverse dividers 99 and 100 in the lower tray engage with the transverse slots 23 and 24 at the base panel 13 of the upper tray to align firmly two trays stacked together. The horizontal plates 104 and 105 of the transverse dividers in the lower tray also abut against the bottom of the bottom panel 13 of the upper container tray to provide additional support for the upper container. Thus, the two containers may be securely and removably stacked together. The right angle mounting brackets facilitate the ease of stacking of the container trays by engaging with the lower corners of the upper tray with the corresponding mounting bracket of the lower tray. A plurality of container 10 may be securely and easily stacked together in this manner and disposed on a pallet. A rectangular top cover 107 may be provided for covering over the top of the top container tray 10 as best shown FIG. 7.

Alternatively, an elongated longitudinal rectangular divider board or case 108 may be mounted in the tray 11 as shown in FIG. 8 to divide its interior space into two separate longitudinal areas for holding different varieties of merchandise. The longitudinal rectangular divider board or case 108 has a height equal to the height of the rectangular cases 93 and 96 and a length equal to the distance between the rectangular cases 93 and 96. In the case of a divider case, the width of the case is wider than the width of the lengthwise slot openings 20, 21 and 22 formed in the base panel 13 of the tray. Two downwardly extending mounting hooks 109 and 111 are provided at its upper side corners. Two rectangular bottom flanges 112 and 113 extends sideways from the bottom edge of its two opposite rectangular surfaces. The rectangular bottom flanges 112 and 113 preferably have dimensions equal to half of the base panel 13 of the tray 11. The longitudinal rectangular divider board or case 108 may be mounted in the tray 11 by engaging the mounting hooks 109 and 111 with the center slot openings 34A and 34B formed at the middle of the top surface of the rectangular cases 93 and 96, with the rectangular bottom flanges 112 and 113 resting on the base panel 13 of the tray. The top edge of the longitudinal rectangular divider 108 is aligned with the top edge of the rectangular cases 93 and 96. Three spaced top mounting slots 114, 115, and 116 are formed in the top edge of the divider 108 when it is in the form of a rectangular case. The top mounting slots 114, 115 and 116 are aligned with the lengthwise slot openings 20, 21 and 22 when two trays are stacked together one on top of the other.

As shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of transverse slidable dividers 118 having a height equal to the height of the longitudinal rectangular divider 108 and a lower edge equal to the distance between the longitudinal rectangular divider 108 and the side panels 53 and 73. The transverse slidable divider 118 consists of a trapezoidal or rectangular shape board 119 mounted at its inner vertical edge to a rectangular slider board 120. The trapezoidal board 119 and the slider board 120 have a height equal to the height of the longitudinal rectangular divider 108. A selected number of slidable transverse dividers 118 may be slidably mounted in each longitudinally divided half areas of the tray 11 by slidably abutting the inner surface of the slider board 120 against longitudinal rectangular divider 108 and the outer edge of the trapezoidal board 119 slidable abutting the inner surface of the side panels of the tray 11. Two slidable dividers 118 may be mounted fixedly in the tray with the outer edge of the trapezoidal board 119 engaging with the slots 70, 72 and 90, 91 to divide each longitudinal divided half to three sub-divided areas in the tray.

A selected number of the merchandise tray 10 with the longitudinal divider and slidable transverse dividers mounted therein may be stacked together and placed on a standard supporting pallet as shown in FIG. 9. The upper edge of the longitudinal divider 108 and the support cases 93 and 96 provide completely secure support of the weight of the upper tray. The bottom corner portions of the upper container tray also slidably and securely engaged with the right angle mounting brackets of the lower container tray as in the above embodiment to maintain the trays securely mounted together.

In use, a selected number of the container trays may be stacked and placed on a standard transport pallet having a load supporting surface same as the bottom dimensions of the tray, at the merchandise manufacturing facility or at a distribution facility with the required merchandise placed into the trays. The stack of trays together with the pallet may then be covered with an outer protective wrap and be transferred to the transport vehicle by a forklift engaging the pallet in the common manner for delivery to the retail location. At the retail location the tray stack is unloaded from the transporting vehicle again with a forklift engaging the pallet in the common manner and placed at a desired floor area in the retail location. The desired area commonly is an aisle in the shop floor of the retail location. The outer wrap is then removed such that the merchandise is readily visible and available for purchase by customers walking through the aisle. The low height of the side panels of the tray 11 renders the merchandise clearly visible and easy access of the merchandise by the customers. When two stacks of the trays are located back to back on a 48 by 48 pallet, the merchandise are available to customers walking through both sides of the aisle. Therefore, the container tray of the present invention, greatly reduces the labor cost and time commonly required for having to pack the merchandise in transporting containers, stacking the containers in an inefficient manner on pallets, and then unloading the containers in the retail location, and unpacking the merchandise from the containers and rearranging them in or on other display devices.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above. It will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1-2. (canceled)

3. A multi-purpose merchandise tray comprising,

a large rectangular base panel having dimensions equal to dimensions of a 24 inches by 48 inches top supporting surface of a standard load supporting pallet,

two U-thaped side panels extending perpendicular to two long side edges of said base panel, said U-shaped side panels having an elongated portion and a vertical side portion extending vertically upward at two ends of said elongated portion, a reinforcing end panel extending outward from each vertical outer edge a said vertical side portion,

a plurality of foldable reinforce panels formed on an upper edge of said elongated portion of each one of said side panels, said foldable reinforcing panels being foldable downward to a folded position lying juuxtaposed to each corresponding one of said each one elongated portion of said side panels, said foldable reinforcing panels having mounting tabs formed at a free edge therein,

a plurality of mounting slots formed along said side edges of said base panel, said mounting slots being engageable with said mounting tabs of said foldable reinforcing panels for maintaining said foldable reinforcing panels in said folded position,

vertical slot openinsg formed by spacings between neighboring foldable reinforcing panels in said folded position and a pair of said vertical slot openings located at directly opposite associated positions in said side panels,

transverse slot openings formed in said base panel, said transverse openings being located at said associated positions aligned with two directly opposite vertical slot openings between said side panels,

two rectangular support cases located adjacent an inner surface of two opposite end panels of said tray, support cases having a height lower than said end panels of said tray,

an open transverse slot formed at a mid point of an upper surface of each of said support cases, and said open transverse slot being aligned with the longitudinal center of said base panel, and being located directly opposite to one another,

four right angle mounting brackets located at four upper corners of said tray, said right angle mounting brackets being formed by an upper edge portion of said of said vertical side portion at each end of said U-shaped side panels and an upper edge portion of said reinforcing end panel,

a plurality of longitudinal mounting slots formed in said base panel, said longitudinal mounting slots being located along the longitudinal center of said base panel,

two vertical transverse dividers mounted in said tray for dividing interior area of said tray into separate divided areas, each transverse divider having a generally I-shape in vertical side view, including a rectangular main board having a height equal to the height of said support cases and a width equal to the width of said base panel of said tray, two rectangular bottom rims extending perpendicularly to a bottom edge of two opposite surfaces of said main board, two horizontal plates extending outward perpendicular to an upper edge of said two opposite surfaces of said main board, an upstanding tab extending upwardly from a center portion of said upper edge of said main board.

4: A multi-purpose merchandise tray according to claim 3 wherein said rectangular main board is engageable with selected two opposite vertical slot openings formed between said neighboring foldable reinforcing panels, and are aligned with said transverse slots formed on the base panel of the tray.

5: A multi-purpose merchandise tray according to claim 4 wherein a plurality of said tray are removably and securely mountable in a stack manner with four bottom corners of an upper tray slidably engaging said four mounting bracket located at four upper corners of a lower tray, two end portion of said upper tray resting on upper edge of said support cases, and middle portion of said upper tray resting on said horizontal plates of said transverse dividers in said lower tray.

6-10. (canceled)

11: A multi-purpose merchandise tray according to claim 3 wherein said tray and said support cases are formed with a single configuration formed on a sheet material chosen selectively form the group consisting of paperboard and corrugated paper board.