PLASTIC TRAY HAVING FLEXIBLE PRONGS FOR HOLDING BEADS IN A MATRIX

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]The present invention claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/433,139, filed Dec. 16, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002]N/A

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003]The present invention is generally directed to a tray having a plurality of pockets or holders for securely receiving objects such as beads, the holders include flexible prongs for holding or locking the objects in place and a bottom depression for facilitating removal of the bead.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0004]A number of trays have been used to store or display candy and other small objects. Such trays can be set up to have a plurality of pockets for receiving the objects. The pockets are open and typically allow for easy placement or removal of the object.

[0005]Known trays of this type need to be carefully handled to avoid having some or all of the objects fall out of the tray. Accordingly, such trays cannot be tipped or held upside down without risk of losing the objects. In instances where the tray holds candy or other food items, tipping the tray could would result in ruining such candy or similar food items that fell to the floor.

[0006]The present invention provides a tray with a matrix of holders for securely maintaining objects in the tray and providing for easy removal of the objects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007]The present invention is generally directed to a plastic tray having flexible prongs for holding beads or other objects in a matrix of holders on the tray and a bottom wall with a depression to facilitate removal of the bead. The tray is preferably formed from a thin plastic film that is vacuum formed on a mold.

[0008]In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a tray for securely holding beads is provided. The tray comprises a support surface having an outer perimeter. The perimeter can include a side wall or border structure surrounding the tray. A plurality of bead holders are on the support surface within the outer perimeter. Each of the plurality of bead holders has a plurality of side walls extending upward above the support surface and a plurality of prongs that extend upward above the side walls to hold the beads in place. The tray of can be formed from a film of plastic.

[0009]Each of the prongs can include a stem portion and a top portion. The top portion of each prong can extend radially outward beyond an outer surface of the stem portion (i.e., essentially providing a hook for capturing objects in the holder). In this regard, the top portion of each prong can be flattened (to form the prong into a nail like shape). Each prong is preferably sufficiently flexible to bend outward during insertion of a bead to accommodate a large mid-portion of the bead, and sufficiently rigid (or have sufficient memory) to return to an original shape after the bead is inserted. The prongs also flex and return to their original shape when a bead is removed from the bead holder.

[0010]The plurality of bead holders can be arranged in an array or matrix on the support surface. The array can include a plurality of rows wherein adjacent rows are staggered from each other, however, other arrangements can be utilized.

[0011]Each bead holder includes a plurality of side walls extending upward from a bottom wall to form a cell or pocket. The number of side wall can be six side walls, however fewer or more side walls can be implemented as necessary or desired (e.g., depending on the shape of the object intended to be held in the tray). The bottom wall of each bead holder can also include a downwardly extending depression. The depression can be circular having an upwardly concave surface and a downwardly convex surface.

[0012]Additionally, each bead holder can include a plurality of prongs. The number of prongs can be six, however again, fewer or more can be implemented as needed or desired. The prongs can be placed, for example, at each corner between adjacent side walls.

[0013]In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a tray for securely holding beads is provided. The tray includes a support surface having an outer perimeter. A first holder is provided on the support surface for holding a first bead. The first holder includes a plurality of side walls extending upward above the support surface and a plurality of prongs that extend upward above the side walls.

[0014]The tray can include a plurality of additional holders, each additional holder having a plurality of side walls extending upward above the support surface and a plurality of prongs that extend upward above the side walls. Each of the prongs can include a flattened top portion or some other shaped projection. Each holder can include a bottom having a depression extending downward.

[0015]The trays of the present invention can be formed from a thin film of plastic. The plastic film can be vacuumed formed on a mold having side wall projections and pins for forming the prongs.

[0016]The present invention provides a tray having a plurality of pockets or holders for receiving beads. The beads can be a variety of materials, such as plastic or glass (in some instances, the beads can be formed from sugar and other related ingredients, such as jelly beans or other candy or food related products). Moreover, the beads can be any small item having appropriate dimensions to allow the prongs to hold the item in the holders of the tray.

[0017]The tray and pockets include a plurality of prongs or posts around each pocket that can flex outward when a bead is placed in the pocket. The bead can be formed such that it has a large diameter at one end or the middle of the bead (i.e., a larger middle or lower portion if not circular) so that the prongs or posts can snap back over the larger portion of the bead to keep it relatively locked in place until removed.

[0018]The beads can be removed by pushing on the bottom of the tray to force the prongs or posts to flex outward again and release the bead. A depression in the bottom wall of each pocket can facilitate removal. The structure of the prongs and depression allow the pocket holders to easily catch and release objects on the tray. The tray including the prongs/posts, side walls, bottom and pockets can be made from a plastic having a degree of flexibility, or from some other similar or suitable material. The prongs can include disks or other similar structures at a top end to help secure the bead in place. A hot plate can be used to contact the top of the prongs in a concurrent or subsequent forming step to create the flattened tops (or other similar structure) on the prongs.

[0019]The tray can be utilized, for example, as an art project where the colors of the beads can be chosen to form a design or picture.

[0020]Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the following Figures and Attachments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND ATTACHMENTS

[0021]To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings and attachments in which:

[0022]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plastic tray having flexible prongs or posts for holding beads or other similar objects in a matrix of bead holders;

[0023]FIG. 2 is a close-up perspective view of the plastic tray of FIG. 1 having flexible prongs or posts for holding beads in the matrix;

[0024]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the tray of FIG. 1 showing a bead being inserted into a bead holder of the matrix, with the prongs or posts flexing outward to accommodate the bead;

[0025]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the tray of FIG. 3 showing the bead in its resting position in a bead holder of the matrix, with the prongs or posts retaining the bead from falling out of the matrix;

[0026]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the tray of FIGS. 3 and 4 showing the bead being removed from the bead holder of the matrix by application of finger pressure to the underside or bottom of the bead holder of the matrix, with the prongs or posts flexing outward again to allow the bead to be dislodged from the bead holder;

[0027]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another plastic tray having flexible prongs or posts for holding beads in a matrix;

[0028]FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a corner of the tray of FIG. 6;

[0029]FIG. 8 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a portion of the tray of FIG. 6;

[0030]FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the tray of FIG. 6 showing a bead being removed from one bead holder of a matrix having adjacent beads in adjacent bead holders; and,

[0031]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a bead being removed from an otherwise empty tray in accordance with an aspect of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032]While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

[0033]FIGS. 1-5 show a tray 10 having a matrix of bead holders or pockets 12 in accordance with the present invention. The bead holders 12 of the matrix can be set up in a plurality of rows 14 that substantially fill the upper surface of a bottom wall 16 of the tray 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the rows 14 can be slightly offset, or staggered, from adjacent rows. Other arrangements or patterns of the bead holders 12 can also be implemented.

[0034]Each of the bead holders 12 is shaped and sized to hold a single bead 18 (see e.g., FIGS. 3-5). In this regard, the bead 18 preferably has an ovoid or egg shape with a center or lower portion having an outer perimeter greater than that of an upper portion of the bead 18. This shape allows the bead holder 12 to securely embrace or grip the bead 18 as explained herein.

[0035]Each of the bead holders 12 is formed to include a plurality of thin side walls 20 that extend upward from the upper surface of the bottom wall 16 of the tray to form an open container or pocket. In the embodiment shown in the Figures, each of the bead holders 12 has six side walls 20 forming a hexagonal shape (this shape facilitates the “staggering” of the rows 14 of the matrix). Moreover, each side wall 20 includes an arcuate upper edge sloping downward in a middle portion of each side wall 20. While six side walls 20 are shown, fewer or more side walls 12 can be utilized or implemented as desired or needed.

[0036]Each of the bead holders 12 also include a plurality of prongs 22 that extend upward above the height of the side walls 20. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, each bead holder has six prongs (located at the corners between adjacent side walls 20). In the matrix configuration shown, other than the prongs 22 on the outer edges of the matrix, each of the remaining prongs 22 will effectively be part of multiple pockets or bead holders 12. The prongs 12 are generally cylindrical (although they could have other similar or suitable shapes) with a flattened top portion 24 that extends radially outward from the stem of each prong 22. The prongs 22 are formed to have a sufficient rigidity to maintain a bead 18 in the bead holder 12, but are flexible enough to move during insertion or removal of the bead 18 as needed.

[0037]As illustrated in FIG. 3, when a bead 18 is inserted into a bead holder 12, the prongs 22 associated with that bead holder 12 flex outward as a mid-section of the bead 18 (having a larger perimeter or circumference than a lower section) moves downward into the bead holder 12. The prongs 22 spring back to an upright position after the mid-section of the bead 18 passes as shown in FIG. 4. At this point, the flattened ends 24 of the prongs 22 help keep the bead 18 securely in the bead holder 12.

[0038]Removal of the bead 18 from the bead holder 12 is illustrated in FIG. 5. In this regard, upwardly directed pressure asserted on the bottom wall 16 of the tray 12, as demonstrated by the hand 26 shown in the Figure, causes the bead 18 to move upward—again, flexing the prongs 22 outward—until it is no longer captured within the bead holder 12. The bottom wall 16 of the tray has sufficient flexibility to enable such removal.

[0039]Other examples of the tray 10′ are provided in FIGS. 6-10. As shown in FIG. 6, the bottom wall 16 in each bead holder 12 can be provided with a downwardly extending depression 28. The depression 28 can be circular and positioned in the middle of the bottom wall of each bead holder 12. The depression 28 can facilitate insertion and/or removal of the bead 18 from the bead holder 12. The removal process is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 which shows a hand 26 pushing upward on the circular depression 28 to force the bead 18 upward out of the grasp of the prongs 22. In the otherwise empty tray of FIG. 10, the outward flexing of the prongs 22 is apparent. In this example, the depression 28 goes from an upwardly concave (i.e., downwardly convex) configuration to an upwardly convex (i.e., downwardly concave) configuration.

[0040]As also evident in FIG. 6, the tray 10′ can include an outer side wall 30 about the perimeter of the tray 10′. The outer wall 30 is double walled and surrounds the matrix of bead holders 12. Additionally, a variety of other structures can also be utilized for the outer perimeter of the tray.

[0041]The prongs in the tray, along with the depression in the bottom wall, enable the bead holders in the tray to easily catch and release the beads. In this regard, the flattened top portions of the prongs act as top hooks to hold the bead or other object in the bead holder, and the bubble (e.g., circular depression) underneath facilitates popping the bead out of the bead holder.

[0042]The trays of the present invention are preferably formed from plastic or other similar or suitable materials. In accordance with one embodiment, to create the tray 10, 10′, a thin film of plastic is vacuumed formed about a heated mold or plate having a plurality of pins to form the prongs and planar structures to form the side walls. The top of the prongs can be flattened with another heated plate.

[0043]Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be protected otherwise than as specifically described.