HK1245723B - Serving tray with inner raised surface incorporating thermoplastic polyurethane and methods for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Description

Pallets with internal raised surfaces incorporating thermoplastic polyurethane and methods of making the same

Related applications

This application is a continuation-of-patent application of non-provisional patent application serial number 15/153,274, filed on May 12, 2016, entitled “Serving Tray Incorporating Thermoplastic Polyurethane and Methods for Manufacturing the Same,” under 35 USC 120, which is incorporated herein by reference.

background

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of plastic trays and a method for manufacturing the same.

Description of the existing technology

Pallets have long been used in a variety of settings, including cafeterias, hospitals, hotels, bars, and restaurants. Many such pallets are made of plastic or plastic composites, including polyester resins and other polyethylene varieties. Other pallets may include one or more layers of fiberglass strand mats incorporated into their construction for added strength and durability.

Many plates in current use include a textured, oriented surface that helps prevent objects placed on the plate from sliding or moving around when the plate is moved or transported. Typically, the textured surface is formed or defined on the top surface of the plate itself, and is usually in the form of a series of bumps or protrusions that interact with the bottom surface of an object placed on the plate. Other plates do not include any textured surface at all, but instead include a pad made of rubber, cork, or other suitable material that is then placed directly on the plate and/or adhered to the plate. In this way, the textured surface or pad serves to help maintain any object placed on the plate in a fixed position.

While trays with raised or textured surfaces help reduce the risk of objects placed on dishes (e.g., plates, glasses, and other serving dishes) slipping and/or breaking, they are not completely foolproof and can still lead to unnecessary incidents and increased costs. Condensation that forms on the outer surface of the glass can flow down into the raised, textured surface of the dish, making it slippery and increasing the likelihood that the glass may slip or tip over when the dish is moved. Rubber and cork inserts can break down over time after repeated exposure to moisture, which reduces the overall durability and useful life of the dish, forcing the user to discard the dish or have it refurbished at a higher cost.

There is a need for a tray comprising a textured surface that does not have the limitations of the prior art and is capable of holding a glass or other object in an upward orientation without regard to condensation or other environmental factors. Additionally, there is a need for various manufacturing methods to produce such trays.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention is a tray comprising: a top surface, a bottom surface disposed on an opposite side of the top surface, and a raised rim disposed about the top surface. The tray further comprises an inner support structure disposed about the perimeter of the top surface. At least two stretched lips are disposed within the raised rim, and the top surface has a textured relief defined therein. Both the top and bottom surfaces are fabricated from at least one synthetic material, and the textured relief is fabricated from an insert that is integrally bonded to the at least one synthetic material.

In one embodiment, in particular, the insert of the dish integrally bonded to said at least one synthetic material is made from a sheet of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

In another embodiment, the inner support structure of the plate includes protrusions in its surface that provide an upwardly facing edge around the perimeter of the top surface of the plate.

In another embodiment, the inner support structure of the tray is disposed on the raised rim and above the top surface.

In another embodiment, the tray is made of several composite layers including at least two layers of randomly distributed and continuous glass fiber filament sheets, at least two layers of mutually interlocking glass fiber sheets with a chemical binder, and an interstitial layer of polycarbonate resin.

In one embodiment, the plate further includes a shaped smooth border portion between the textured surface and the inner support structure on the raised rim on the top surface.

In another embodiment, the textured relief comprises a plurality of raised protrusions and a plurality of recessed indentations that are asymmetrically arranged on the top surface.

The present invention also includes an improvement to a method for manufacturing a friction-enhanced plate in a die-casting apparatus. The method comprises placing an insert atop a lower tool portion of a die-casting apparatus, laminating at least two layers of randomly distributed, continuous glass fiber filaments atop the insert, and then laminating at least two layers of interlocking glass fiber sheets with a chemical adhesive atop the insert. Next, an interstitial layer of polycarbonate resin is disposed between the at least two layers of interlocking glass fiber sheets with a chemical adhesive. The insert, the at least two layers of randomly distributed, continuous glass fiber filaments, the at least two layers of interlocking glass fiber sheets with a chemical adhesive, and the interstitial layer of polycarbonate resin are then pressed against the lower tool portion of the die-casting apparatus, which also defines an internal support structure in the friction-enhanced plate. Finally, a textured relief is defined within the insert.

In one embodiment, the method step of defining a textured relief within the insert comprises: imprinting a chemically etched mold surface disposed on a lower tool portion into a surface of the insert.

In another embodiment, the method steps of pressing the insert and defining an inner support structure in the friction-enhanced plate include defining the inner support structure higher than the insert on a raised edge disposed about a perimeter of the insert. Defining the inner support structure higher than the insert on the raised edge disposed about a perimeter of the insert further includes defining protrusions along a length of the inner support structure.

In another embodiment, the method further includes defining a smooth boundary portion having a shape disposed about the textured relief defined in the insert and beneath the inner support structure.

In another embodiment, specifically, the method step of placing an insert on top of a lower tool portion of a molding apparatus includes placing a sheet of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) on top of the lower tool portion of the molding apparatus.

Finally, in another embodiment, the method step of defining a textured relief within an insert includes asymmetrically defining a plurality of elevated protrusions and a plurality of recessed indentations in a surface of the insert.

The present invention also includes an improvement to a method for manufacturing a friction-enhanced plate in an injection molding apparatus. The method comprises placing an insert on a first half of a mold in the injection molding apparatus, encapsulating the insert by abutting the second half of the mold against the first half of the mold, the first and second mold halves forming a complete mold tool, and then injecting liquid interstitial resin into the complete mold tool. Next, forming the plate around the insert in the complete mold tool. Simultaneously, an internal support structure is formed in the plate, while a textured relief is defined within the surface of the insert.

In one embodiment, in particular, the method step of defining a textured relief in the surface of the insert comprises: imprinting a mold surface arranged on a first half of the mold into the surface of the insert.

In another embodiment, the method step of forming an internal support structure in a dish includes forming the internal support structure higher than the insert on a raised edge disposed around the perimeter of the insert. This embodiment of forming the internal support structure higher than the insert on a raised edge disposed around the perimeter of the insert further includes forming protrusions along the length of the internal support structure.

In another embodiment, the method further includes defining a smooth boundary portion having a shape disposed about the textured relief defined in the surface of the insert and beneath the inner support structure.

In another embodiment, the method step of placing an insert on a first half of an injection molding apparatus includes placing a sheet of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) on the first half of a mold of the injection molding apparatus.

Although the apparatus and method are described or will be described with functional explanations for the purpose of grammatical fluency, it should be clearly understood that the claims should not be construed in any way as limited by the construction of "means" or "step" limitations, but should be fully governed by the meaning and equivalents provided by the definition provided by the doctrine of equivalents in the claims, and in the case where the claims are clearly stated in accordance with 35 USC 112, they should be fully governed by the provisions of 35 USC 112. This document is further illustrated by the following drawings, in which like elements are marked with like reference numerals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tray according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the tray shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the tray shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG4 is a block diagram showing a die assembly for manufacturing the tray shown in FIG1.

FIG5 is a block diagram showing the construction of an injection molding apparatus for manufacturing the pallet shown in FIG1.

6 is a side elevational view of the tray shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view of the tray shown in FIG. 6 .

7B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the surface of the tray shown in FIG. 7A .

8 is a side elevational view of a plurality of the trays shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 when stacked or nested upon one another.

9A is a cross-sectional view of the plurality of stacked or nested trays shown in FIG. 8 .

9B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the stacked or nested surface of the plurality of trays shown in FIG. 9A .

This document and its various embodiments may be better understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which are presented as examples of embodiments defined by the claims. It should be understood that the scope of the embodiments defined by the claims may be broader than the exemplary embodiments described below.

Preferred embodiments

The present invention includes a tray of fabricated goods, which can be seen in Figures 1-3 and generally designated by the reference numeral 10. Referring to Figures 1-3, tray 10 is substantially circular in shape, although other shapes known in the art, such as rectangular and square, may be used without departing from the original spirit and scope of the invention. Tray 10 includes a top surface 12 with a raised rim 14 extending around the perimeter of top surface 12. Raised rim 14 begins at the outer edge of top surface 12 and is angled relative to the substantially horizontal or flat top surface 12. Raised rim 14 also includes at least two extended lips 16 diametrically disposed across tray 10. Each lip 16 represents a raised portion or portion having an increased surface area compared to the remainder of raised rim 14, and is oriented substantially perpendicular to the inclined orientation of raised rim 14, as best seen in the top-down view of Figure 2. Tray 10 also includes a bottom surface 18, as shown in Figure 3. Bottom surface 18 also includes a plurality of bases 20 arranged in a symmetrical pattern around the perimeter of bottom surface 18. The plurality of bases 20 help maintain the plate 10 in a fixed position when placed on a table or other horizontal surface, as is known in the art.

As best shown in FIG2 , top surface 12 is substantially circular or rounded in shape, while lip 16 helps to shape or elongate the overall shape of raised rim 14 into a substantially elliptical or oval shape, thereby creating an oval or elliptical upper profile of the plate and a circular lower profile of the plate. The oval upper profile of plate 10, including lip 16, allows a user to easily grip and carry plate 10 when placing glasses and other objects on its top surface 12, while the circular lower profile of plate 10 allows multiple plates to be stacked or nested within one another, regardless of the relative orientation of each successive plate 10. In other words, when a second plate is placed on top of a first plate 10, the second plate's circular lower profile easily fits against the top of top surface 12 and within the confines of raised rim 14 of the first plate 10, regardless of the current orientation of lip 16. This, in turn, allows for quick and efficient stacking of multiple plates 10 when the plates 10 are not in use or being stored.

The plate 10 also includes a textured relief 22 defined within the top surface 12. The textured relief 22 preferably comprises a plurality or series of raised protrusions or bumps and a corresponding plurality of recessed indentations or valleys distributed in an asymmetrical pattern about the top surface 12, although other similar or equivalent relief patterns known in the art or later invented may be used without significantly departing from the original spirit and scope of the present invention. The textured relief 22 is configured to dramatically increase the coefficient of friction of the top surface 12 so that when a glass or other object is placed thereon, the object remains frictionally engaged and does not move on the top surface, even when the plate 10 is tilted to an angle of up to and including 45 degrees relative to horizontal. The textured relief 22 is defined over substantially all of the top surface 12, but as best shown in FIG. 2 , the textured relief 22 terminates at a specific distance from the start of the raised edge 14, thereby leaving a shaped, smooth border portion 24 disposed about the perimeter of the dish 10, between the relief portion 22 and the raised edge 14.

1 and 2 , the dish 10 further includes an inner support structure 60. The inner support structure 60 is a generally annular or ring-shaped protrusion that is elevated or raised relative to the surface of the raised rim 14. The inner support structure 60 is disposed along the surface of the raised rim 14 and is elevated above the top surface 12 and the smooth border portion 24. As best shown in FIG. 2 , the inner support structure 60 is disposed around the entire inner perimeter of the dish 10.

The majority of plate 10 preferably comprises a continuous layer of plastic or plastic composite (as described in further detail below), but disposed on or located on top surface 12 is preferably an insert 26 comprising at least one layer of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). As is known in the art, TPU is part of a class of polyurethane plastics that have high shear strength and high elasticity, making them ideal for use in molding processes. TPU is also highly resistant to liquids, oils, and greases, making it suitable for use in the food and beverage industry, where it often comes into contact with various liquids or oils. When an object (e.g., a glass, cup, or other dish) is placed on plate 10, which includes insert 26 comprising TPU integrally bonded to top surface 12, the object will remain straight on plate 10, even when plate 10 is tilted at an angle of up to 45 degrees relative to horizontal. Because of TPU's ability to resist liquids, the plate 10 comprising a TPU top surface will still hold an object in an upright position even when the object is wet, condensation forms on the object, or liquid is spilled on the top surface 12 of the plate 10 .

7A and 7B , further details of the inner support structure 60 are provided. The inner support structure 60 is disposed around the perimeter of the plate 10, at a constant height above the top surface 12, and along the inner surface of the raised rim 14. As best shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 7B , the inner support structure 60 includes protrusions or bumps 62 that provide a localized increase in thickness to the raised rim 14, thereby creating an upward-facing edge or surface around the inner perimeter of the tray area of the plate 10.

The presence of internal support structure 60 facilitates the ability to nest or stack multiple plates 10, as shown in Figures 8, 9A, and 9B. Figures 8 and 9A show that when multiple plates 10 are stacked vertically relative to each other, each subsequent plate 10 is positioned within the plate 10 directly below it. Specifically, the bottom surface 18 of the nested plate 10 is disposed within the enclosed perimeter formed by the raised edge 14 of the plate 10 below it. The enlarged cross-section of Figure 9B shows that when the bottom surface 18 of the stacked plate 10 is placed within the plate 10 below it, it comes to rest on top of the internal support structure 60. More specifically, the bottom surface 18 rests on the upward-facing surface of the protrusion 62. Because the internal support structure 60 is arranged around the perimeter of the plates 10, any subsequent plate 10 nested therein is maintained at a constant height, above the top surface 12 of the bottom plate 10. This process can be repeated for each subsequent nested plate 10, with the bottom surface 18 of each plate 10 resting against the inner support structure 60 of the plate 10 directly below it, thereby forming a stack as shown in Figures 8 and 9A. Maintaining each plate 10 at an elevated height relative to the plate 10 below it when in the stacked configuration enables multiple plates 10 to be easily stacked in a stable position. Furthermore, because each plate 10 is maintained at a fixed elevated height, the lips 16 of each plate 10 are also maintained at a fixed elevated height relative to each other (as shown in Figure 9B), allowing a user to easily and quickly grasp an individual plate 10 by grasping the corresponding lip 16 and lifting upward. Thus, the inner support structure 60 of the plates 10 herein prevents multiple plates 10 from wedging or sticking together when in the stacked configuration.

In one embodiment, the plate 10 can be manufactured according to a wet compression molding process. As shown in FIG4 , in this embodiment, an insert 26 comprising a TPU sheet is placed on a lower tool 28 of a pressing apparatus, generally as indicated by reference numeral 30. The TPU sheet 26 preferably comprises a hardness value of 65A to 85D and an overall thickness of 0.005-0.060 inches, although other hardness values or thickness values may be used without significantly departing from the overall scope and spirit of the claims. A first submat or fiberglass yarn 32 is placed on the TPU sheet 26, followed by a first chopped strand mat 34. A portion of liquid polyester resin 36 is then evenly or symmetrically distributed over the first chopped strand mat 34. Next, a second chopped strand mat 34′ is placed over the now resin-covered first chopped strand mat 34. Finally, a second submat or fiberglass yarn 32′ is layered over the second chopped strand mat 34′, thereby completing a fully formed stack or sandwich structure 40 for forming the plate 10. Alternatively, the TPU sheet 26 can be placed directly onto the lower tool 28 while forming the sandwich structure 40 comprising the first and second submats 32, 32', the first and second chopped filament mats 34, 34', and the resin 36 in separate locations. The resin 36 is preferably an interstitial resin, meaning that the resin 36 is able to flow into and completely fill the volume defined between the first and second chopped filament mats 34, 34'. The sandwich structure 40, formed as a single unit, can then be moved to the pressing device 30 and placed onto the TPU sheet 26. After all the layers of the disc 10 are in place, the pressing device 30 is activated, and the upper tool 38 moves downward and presses the sandwich structure 40 and the TPU sheet 26 against the lower tool 38, pressing the layers into a shape having the shapes shown by the lower tool 28 and the upper tool 38. As the layers of the disc 10 are pressed, each layer of the disc is pressed together, forming a mechanical bond between each subsequent layer, including the TPU sheet 26, which becomes an integral part of the structure of the disc 10. At the same time, a lower tool 28, which includes a chemically etched mold for the top surface 12 of the plate 10, presses the TPU sheet 26 into the TPU sheet 26 to a sufficient depth to fully form the textured relief 22, preferably in the range of 0.002-0.025 inches. The mold etched into the surface of the lower tool 28 is configured to form the smooth portion 24 and the support structure 60. Having a smooth portion 24 on the top surface 12 of the plate 10 is critical because it creates a buffer zone between the support structure 60 and the textured relief 22. Resin 36 that leaks or is squeezed out by the pressing process is stopped by the mold of the lower tool 28, which prevents the resin 36 from interfering with the formation of the textured relief 22. If the resin 36 is allowed to seep onto the top surface 12 while the textured relief 22 is being formed, the resin 36 will be pressed into the TPU sheet 26 and the various bumps, protrusions, indentations, and depressions comprising the textured relief 22 will be filled or covered by the resin 36, thereby significantly disrupting the desired friction curve of the textured relief 22. Once pressing is complete, the upper tool 38 is pulled away from the lower tool 28, and the now fully formed plate 10 can be lifted off the lower tool 28 and removed from the pressing apparatus 30. The user can then repeat the process and produce more plates 10 as desired.

The first and second chopped-filament mats 34, 34' preferably comprise interlocking glass fibers interwoven with a chemical binder that holds the glass fibers together in sheet form. Depending on the density of the glass fibers, each chopped-filament mat 34, 34' may have a weight of 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, or 2 ounces per square foot. In contrast, the first and second submats 32, 32' comprise continuous glass fiber filaments that are randomly distributed and bonded together with a specially formulated resin or adhesive. The first and second submats 32, 32' allow the resin 36 to reach the surface of the plate 10 and improve the overall surface appearance of the plate 10. Each submat 32, 32 preferably has a thickness of 7 mm/2.6 grams per square foot to 30 mm/9.7 grams per square foot. Both the chopped-filament mats 34, 34' and the submats 32, 32' each include a sizing agent that is a silane coupling agent. The sizing compound helps form the necessary bond between the fiberglass filaments of the submats 32, 32' and the chopped filament mats 34, 34' with the resin 36 to produce the dish 10.

Although insert 26 is described above as comprising a sheet of TPU that serves as the topmost addition to the composition of dish 10, similar or additional materials may be used without departing from the original spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the insert may comprise other materials such as rubber, silicone, polyurethane-coated paper, polyurethane-coated styrene acrylonitrile (SAN) sheets, or combinations thereof.

Similarly, while epoxy resin is described above as forming the primary composition of the plate 10, this is for illustrative purposes only. Similar or additional materials other than those described above may be used without departing from the original spirit and scope of the present invention, such as thermosetting matrix resins, vinyl esters, or unsaturated polyesters. More specifically, the types of unsaturated polyesters used may include, but are not limited to, bisphenol A fumarate, DCPD modified materials, flame retardants, isophthalic acid-based, low-VOC or non-VOC, phthalic acid-based or terephthalic acid-based unsaturated polyesters, or combinations thereof.

In another embodiment, the plate 10 can be manufactured using injection molding techniques. As shown in FIG5 , in this embodiment, a sheet of TPU 26 is placed onto the first half 42 of an injection molding apparatus mold, generally indicated by reference numeral 50 . The mold is then closed by placing the second half 44 of the mold against the first half 42. Simultaneously, plastic or plastic composite pellets are transferred from a hopper 46 to a heated barrel 48 . The barrel 48 heats the plastic composite pellets, producing a liquid or interstitial polymer resin from the material containing the plastic composite pellets, and delivers the resin to the mold through a nozzle. The resin then flows into the mold and forms the plate 10 around the TPU sheet 26, as determined by the specific contours and shape of the mold itself. Similar to the lower tool 28 described above, the first half 42 of the mold is chemically etched to form the textured relief 22 on the top surface 12 of the plate 10. The combined pressure of the first and second halves 42, 44 presses into the TPU sheet 26 to a sufficient depth to form the textured relief 22 and integrate the TPU sheet 26 into the overall structure of the plate 10. The etched surface of the first half 42 of the tool is configured to form the smooth portion 24 and support structure 60 shown in FIG2 . Once the resin has sufficiently filled the mold, the mold is allowed to cool. The mold is then opened by pulling the second half 44 away from the first half 42. The now fully formed dish 10 is then ejected or otherwise removed from the mold, and the entire process can repeat itself as needed.

Although insert 26 is described above as comprising a TPU sheet that is used as an additive to the mold after the resin is injected into the mold, similar or additional materials may be used without departing from the original spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, insert 26 may comprise other materials such as rubber, silicone, polyurethane-coated paper, polyurethane-coated styrene acrylonitrile (SAN) sheet, or combinations thereof.

Similarly, while the above description describes heating plastic pellets to produce a polymer resin that is then injected into a mold to form the plate 10, this is for illustrative purposes only. Similar or additional materials other than those described above may be used without departing from the original spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, polycarbonate, copolymers, polypropylene, or polyethylene resins may also be used. Furthermore, other materials, such as nylon, acrylic backing (ABU), TPU, or combinations thereof, may also be used to form the plate 10 and produce substantially the same results.

Those skilled in the art may obtain many variations and improvements without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments herein. Therefore, it must be understood that the embodiments shown are merely examples and should not be limited to the following embodiments and their various embodiments.

Therefore, it must be understood that the embodiments shown are for illustrative purposes only and should not limit the embodiments to the claims below. For example, despite the fact that the elements of the following claims have certain combinations, it must be clearly understood that the embodiments include other combinations of fewer, larger, or different elements, even if such combinations were not initially claimed, which are disclosed above. The teaching of combining two elements in the claimed combination is also understood to also allow for the claimed combination below, where the two elements are not combined with each other, but can be used alone or combined into other combinations. The excision of any disclosed element of the embodiment is expressly intended to be within the scope of the embodiment.

The words used in this specification to describe various embodiments should not be understood solely in terms of their generally defined meanings, but should also include specific definitions within the structure, materials, or behaviors of this specification that extend beyond the generally defined meanings. Therefore, if an element can be understood to include more than one meaning within the context of this specification, its use in the claims must be understood to be general to all possible meanings supported by the specification and the word itself.

Therefore, the definitions of the words or elements of the following claims are defined in this specification to include not only the combinations of elements literally set forth, but also all equivalent structures, materials, or actions for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same manner to obtain substantially the same result. Therefore, in this sense, it is expected that any one element in the following claims may be replaced by an equivalent of two or more elements, or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. Although elements may be described above as functioning in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, it should be clearly understood that one or more elements from the claimed combination may be cut out from the combination in some cases, and that the claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination or a variation of the sub-combination.

Insubstantial variations of the claimed subject matter now known or later devised by one skilled in the art are expressly contemplated as being equivalently within the scope of the claims. Accordingly, obvious substitutions now or later known to one skilled in the art are intended to be within the scope of the defined elements.

Therefore, the claims are to be understood to include what is specifically shown and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what may be obviously substituted, and what substantially embodies the basic idea of the embodiments.

Claims (13)

1. A pallet comprising: Top surface; The bottom surface is arranged on the opposite side of the top surface; A raised edge arranged around the top surface; An inner support structure arranged along the perimeter around the top surface; At least two stretched lips arranged within the protruding edge; and Textured relief defined within the top surface; The top surface and the bottom surface comprise at least one synthetic material, and The textured relief includes an insert integrally integrated with the at least one synthetic material; Furthermore, the tray comprises a multilayer composite layer, which includes at least two layers of randomly distributed and continuous glass fiber filaments, at least two layers of interlocking glass fiber filaments with chemical adhesives, and a polycarbonate resin interlayer. The at least two layers of randomly distributed and continuous glass fiber filaments are stacked on the bottom layer of the insert; The at least two layers of interlocking glass fiber sheets with chemical adhesive are stacked on the bottom layer of the insert; The polycarbonate resin interlayer is arranged between the at least two layers of interlocking glass fiber sheets with chemical adhesives. 2. The tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insert integrally bonded to the at least one synthetic material comprises a sheet of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). 3. The tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner support structure includes a protrusion in its surface that provides an upward-facing edge around the perimeter of the top surface. 4. The tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner support structure is arranged on the raised edge and is higher than the top surface. 5. The tray of claim 1, further comprising a smooth boundary portion having a shape disposed between the inner support structure on the raised edge of the textured surface and the top surface. 6. The tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the textured relief comprises a plurality of raised protrusions and a plurality of recessed indentations asymmetrically arranged on the top surface. 7. An improved method for manufacturing a friction-enhanced disc in a molding apparatus, comprising: Place the insert on top of the lower tool section of the molding device; At least two layers of randomly distributed and continuous glass fiber filaments are stacked on top of the insert; At least two layers of interlocking glass fiber sheets with chemical adhesive are stacked on top of the insert; A polycarbonate resin gap layer is arranged between the at least two layers of interlocking glass fiber sheets with chemical adhesives. The insert, the at least two layers of randomly distributed and continuous glass fiber sheets, the at least two layers of interlocking glass fiber sheets with chemical adhesive, and the polycarbonate resin are pressed against the lower tool portion of the molding device, and an internal support structure is defined in the friction-enhanced disk; and A textured relief is defined within the insert. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein defining the textured relief within the insert comprises: imprinting the surface of a chemically etched mold disposed on the lower tool portion into the surface of the insert. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein pressing the insert and defining an inner support structure in the friction-enhancing plate comprises: defining the inner support structure above the insert on a raised edge, the raised edge being arranged around the perimeter of the insert. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein defining the inner support structure above the insert on the raised edge and the raised edge being arranged around the perimeter of the insert comprises: defining a protrusion along the length of the inner support structure. 11. The method of claim 7, further comprising: defining a smooth boundary portion having a shape surrounding the textured relief defined in the insert and disposed beneath the inner support structure. 12. The method of claim 7, wherein placing the insert on top of the lower tool portion of the molding apparatus comprises: placing a sheet of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) on top of the lower tool portion of the molding apparatus. 13. The method of claim 7, wherein defining a textured relief within the insert comprises: asymmetrically defining a plurality of raised protrusions and a plurality of recessed indentations on the surface of the insert.