Tray For Holding A Food Product

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/123,117, filed Nov. 7, 2014.

[0002] The disclosure of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/123,117, which was filed on Nov. 7, 2014, is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if presented herein in its entirety.

[0003] The present disclosure generally relates to packages for holding and displaying food. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to trays having reinforcement features.

[0004] In one aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a tray for holding a food product. The tray includes a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the tray. The plurality of panels comprises a bottom panel, a side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and an end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel. The tray includes a rim structure having a rim panel foldably connected to at least one panel of the plurality of panels and a support panel foldably connected to the rim panel. The tray further includes a gusset panel foldably connected to the side panel. The gusset panel and the end panel are at least partially overlapping one another.

[0005] In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a blank for forming a tray for holding a food product. The blank includes a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and an end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel. The blank includes a gusset panel foldably connected to the side panel and rim features for forming a rim structure when the blank is formed into the tray. The rim features comprise a rim panel foldably connected to at least one panel of the plurality of panels and a support panel foldably connected to the rim panel.

[0006] In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a method of forming a tray for holding a food product. The method includes obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and an end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel. A gusset panel is foldably connected to the side panel. The blank further includes rim features comprising a rim panel foldably connected to at least one panel of the plurality of panels and a support panel foldably connected to the rim panel. The method includes forming an interior of the tray at least partially defined by the plurality of panels. The forming of the interior of the tray comprises positioning the gusset panel and the end panel to at least partially overlap one another. The method further includes forming a rim structure by folding the rim panel and the support panel with respect to the side panel.

[0007] Those skilled in the art will appreciate the above stated advantages and other advantages and benefits of various additional embodiments reading the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the below-listed drawing figures.

[0015] Corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference numbers throughout the drawings.

[0016] The package of the present disclosure can be useful in containing a food product such as any suitable type of food product that can be wrapped or sealed and stacked or placed on display. For example, the food product could include vegetables, deli foods, or raw food products. Some suitable food products could comprise sliced meat or cheese, raw meat, or any other suitable food or nonfood product. Further, the package of the present disclosure can be used for color coding, providing brand and product information, and providing value-added features such as recipes and coupons. It is understood that products other than the food products listed herein may be contained in the package. Further, food products contained in this package may be generally triangular, round, square, rectangular, irregular, amorphous, or any other shape. In this specification, the terms “lower,” “bottom,” “upper,” and “top” indicate orientations determined in relation to fully erected and upright packages.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an interior side 101 of a tray blank, generally indicated at 103, used to form a tray 105 (FIGS. 2-4), with an interior 107, according to a first exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. The tray 105 can be used to hold a food product (not shown). In the illustrated embodiment, the tray 105 is generally rectangular-shaped and can be suitable for holding a food product of any shape (e.g., vegetables, fruit, sliced deli meats or cheeses, ground beef, chicken cutlets, etc.) in a suitable manner for purchase at a grocery store or other retailer, but the package could be otherwise shaped with the same or a different number of side panels to hold correspondingly shaped food products. Further, the tray 105 and blank 103 may be alternatively sized, shaped and/or otherwise arranged to hold any number of food products including a single food product or more than two food products. In one embodiment, the tray 105 is useful for holding the food product during storage in a refrigerator, a freezer, on display on shelves or in a deli case, during heating and/or cooking, and/or during serving or consumption of the food product.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the tray blank 103 has a longitudinal axis L1 and a lateral axis L2. In the illustrated embodiment, the tray blank 103 comprises a bottom panel 110 foldably connected to a first side panel 112 at a lateral first fold line 114. A second side panel 116 is foldably connected to the bottom panel 110 at a lateral second fold line 118. A first end panel 120 is foldably connected to the bottom panel 110 at a longitudinal third fold line 122, and a second end panel 124 is foldably connected to the bottom panel 110 at a longitudinal fourth fold line 126. The blank 103 includes gusset panels 128, 130 respectively foldably connected to the first side panel 112 at fold lines 132, 134 located at respective ends of the first side panel. Gusset panels 136, 138 are respectively foldably connected to the second side panel 116 at fold lines 140, 142 located at respective ends of the second side panel. The gusset panels 128, 136 can be separable from respective ends of the first end panel 120 along tear lines or cuts 144, and the gusset panels 130, 138 can be separable from respective ends of the second end panel 124 along tear lines or cuts 146.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the blank 103 includes first rim features 145 for forming a first rim structure 147 in the tray 105 (FIGS. 2-4) and second rim features 157 for forming a second rim structure 159 in the tray 105 (FIGS. 2-4). In the illustrated embodiment, the rim features 145, 157 can be foldably connected to the respective first and second side panels 112, 116. The first rim features 145 can include a first rim panel 148 foldably connected to the first side panel 112 along a lateral fold line 150, a first rim support panel 152 foldably connected to the first rim panel 148 along a lateral fold line 154, and a first attachment flap 156 foldably connected to the first rim support panel 152 along a lateral fold line 158. The second rim features 157 can include a second rim panel 160 foldably connected to the second side panel 116 along a lateral fold line 162, a second rim support panel 164 foldably connected to the second rim panel 160 along a lateral fold line 166, and a second attachment flap 168 foldably connected to the second rim support panel 164 along a lateral fold line 170. In one embodiment, the fold lines 150, 154, 162, 166 are lines of weakening formed by partial cut separated by nicks or portions of material between the cuts that are free from any form of weakening, but it is understood that the fold lines 150, 154, 162, 166 could be other lines of weakening without departing from the disclosure. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the fold lines 158, 170 are lines of weakening formed by full cuts separated by nicks or portions of material between the cuts that are free from any form of weakening, but it is understood that the fold lines 158, 170 could be other lines of weakening without departing from the disclosure.

[0020] In the illustrated embodiment, each of the first and second end panels 120, 124 can include a respective end reinforcement flap 172, 174 (broadly, “reinforcement flap”) respectively foldably connected to one of the first and second end panels at a respective longitudinal fold line 176, 178. The blank 103 could be otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or configured without departing from the disclosure. For example, the gusset panels could be foldably connected to the end panels 120, 124 instead of the side panels 112, 116, or the gusset panels could be omitted. Additionally, any of the panels and flaps of the blank 103 can be omitted without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the blank 103 is formed into the tray 105 with an interior 107 by folding the first and second side panels 112, 116 and the first and second end panels 120, 124 relative to the bottom panel 110 along respective fold lines 114, 118, 122, 126. The gusset panels 128, 136 are folded along the respective fold lines 132, 140 and adhered in face-to-face contact with an exterior surface of the first end panel 120 so that the gusset panels are attached to the end panel at the exterior surface 181 of the tray 105. The gusset panels 130, 138 are folded along the respective fold lines 134, 142 and adhered in face-to-face contact with an exterior surface of the second end panel 124 so that the gusset panels are attached to the end panel at the exterior surface 181 of the tray 105. Accordingly, the erected gusset panels 128, 136, 130, 138 in face-to-face contact with the respective end panels 120, 124 form reinforced ends 182, 184 of the tray 105. The ends 182, 184 of the tray 105 can be alternatively, shaped, arranged, and/or configured without departing from the disclosure. For example, the gusset panels 128, 136, 130, 138 could be in face-to-face contact with the interior surfaces of the respective end panels 120, 124.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the first rim features 145 can be formed into the first rim structure 147 of the tray 105 by folding the first rim features 145 along the fold lines 150, 154, 158. For example, the first rim panel 148 can be folded along the fold line 150 so that the first rim panel is generally parallel to the bottom panel 110. Additionally, the first rim support panel 152 and the first attachment flap 156 can be folded along the respective fold lines 154, 158 so that the first attachment flap 156 is adhered in face-to-face contact with an exterior surface of the first side panel 112 corresponding to the exterior surface 181 of the tray, and so that the first rim support panel 152 extends obliquely from the first attachment flap 156 to the first rim panel 148. The second rim features 157 can be formed into the second rim structure 159 by folding the second rim features 157 along the fold lines 162, 166, 170. For example, the second rim panel 160 can be folded along the fold line 162 so that the second rim panel is generally parallel to the bottom panel 110. Additionally, the second rim support panel 164 and the second attachment flap 168 can be folded along the respective fold lines 166, 170 so that the second attachment flap 168 is adhered in face-to-face contact with an exterior surface of the second side panel 116 corresponding to the exterior surface 181 of the tray, and so that the second rim support panel 164 extends obliquely from the second attachment flap 168 to the second rim panel 160. The rim structures 147, 159 can be alternatively configured or formed without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, the rim features 145, 157 could be folded inwardly to form the respective rim structures 147, 159 and the respective attachment flaps 156 and 168 could be adhered in face-to-face contact with the interior surface of the respective side panels 112, 116.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the end reinforcement flaps 172, 174 can be downwardly folded along the respective fold lines 176, 178 over the respective ends 182, 184 of the tray 105. In one embodiment, the end reinforcement flap 172 can be adhered in face-to-face contact with the gusset panels 128, 136 that are in face-to-face contact with the end panel 120. Accordingly, the end reinforcement flap 172 can be downwardly folded to overlap the end panel 120 and the gusset panels 128, 136. Similarly, the end reinforcement flap 174 can be adhered in face-to-face contact with the gusset panels 130, 138 that are in face-to-face contact with the end panel 124. Accordingly, the end reinforcement flap 174 can be downwardly folded to overlap the end panel 124 and the gusset panels 130, 138. As such, the reinforced ends 182, 184 of the tray 104 comprise a respective end panel 120, 124, a respective pair of gusset panels 128, 136 and 130, 138 that are folded in face-to-face contact with the respective end panels 120, 124, and the respective reinforcement flaps 172, 174 that are downwardly folded to overlap the respective pair of the gusset panels 128, 136 and 130, 138 to reinforce the respective end panels 120, 124 and further secure the gusset panels 128, 136, 130, 138. The tray 105 can be formed by other flap or panel positioning steps, and the tray 105 could be otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or configured without departing from the disclosure. For example, the end reinforcement flaps 172, 174 could be folded inwardly in face-to-face contact with the interior surface of the respective end panels 120, 124.

[0024] In the illustrated embodiment, the side panels 112, 116 and the end panels 120, 124 of the assembled tray 105 are sloped so that multiple trays 105 can be stacked with one or more trays each nested in the tray below. The rim support panels 152, 164 of an upper tray can engage and rest upon the respective fold lines 150, 162 forming edges of the respective rim panels 148, 160 of a respective lower tray in a nested tray arrangement. In one embodiment, the first rim structure 147 comprises a triangular cross-section formed by the generally horizontal rim panel 148, the oblique rim support panel 152, and the sloped side panel 112. Additionally, the second rim structure 159 can have a similarly formed triangular cross-section. The triangular cross-section can strengthen the rim structures to help resist torsion and folding or buckling of the rims. For example, in one embodiment, the rim structures 147, 159 can provide lateral side panel reinforcement to help inhibit bowing and subsequent damage to products held in the tray 105. In one example, the rim structures 147, 159 can help resist inward pressure on the side panels 112, 116 by a shrink film overwrap that could otherwise cause bowing of the side panels 112, 116.

[0025] One or more products, such as raw or prepared food products (not shown), can be inserted into the interior 107 of the tray 105. In one exemplary embodiment, the tray and product(s) can be wrapped in plastic or other material, sealing the product(s) in the tray to keep the product(s) fresh, to prevent contamination of the product(s), and/or to help prevent leaking of fluids. Additionally, an insert, a coating, an absorption pad, or other features can be applied to the tray to help control fluids and/or retain the product(s) in the tray.

[0026] Logos, brand information, product information, other printed material, or combinations thereof can be printed on any surface of the tray 105. In one embodiment, the coated exterior surface 101 of the blank 103 provides ideal surfaces of the tray for printing graphics or other indicia. In the illustrated embodiment, the tray 105 can include tear-away panels (not shown) or other features for including coupons, recipes, or other value-added features. In one exemplary embodiment, the tray 105 comprises paperboard and provides a collapsible, crushable, and degradable tray for helping to reduce the volume and duration of waste. Additionally, the paperboard can be recyclable.

[0027] In one embodiment, the tray 105 can be formed with either the coated (exterior) surface 101 of the blank 103 forming the interior surface 107 of the tray, or the uncoated (interior) surface of the blank forming the interior surface 108 of the tray. When the exterior, coated surface of the blank is used to form the interior surface 107 of the tray, the interior surface of the side panels 112, 116 and end panels 120, 124 are coated and the exterior surface of the side panels 112, 116 and end panels 120, 124 is uncoated. When the interior, uncoated surface of the blank is used to form the interior surface 107 of the tray, the interior surface of the side panels 112, 116 and end panels 120, 124 are uncoated and the exterior surface of the side panels 112, 116 and end panels 120, 124 is coated. The tray 105 could be formed by other forming steps or processes without departing from the disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 5 illustrates an interior side 201 of a blank 203 for forming a tray 205 (FIGS. 6-8) according to a second embodiment of the disclosure. The second embodiment is generally similar to the first embodiment, except for variations noted and variations that will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, similar or identical features of the embodiments have been given like or similar reference numbers. As shown in FIG. 5, the blank 203 includes end panels 120, 124 that have a longitudinal edge 206, 208 instead of the reinforcement flaps 172, 174 of the first embodiment. Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 6-7, the reinforced end 282 includes the first end panel 120 overlapped by the gussets 128, 136, and the reinforced end 284 includes the second end panel 124 overlapped by the gussets 130, 138. Also in the second embodiment, the lateral fold lines 150, 154, 162, 166 are in the form of cut/crease lines which include 100% cuts and adjacent creases. The fold lines 150, 154, 162, 166 could be other lines of weakening without departing from the disclosure. The blank 203 and/or tray 205 could have other features without departing from the disclosure.

[0029] FIG. 9 illustrates an interior side 301 of a blank 303 for forming a tray 305 (FIG. 10) according to a third embodiment of the disclosure. The third embodiment is generally similar to the first embodiment, except for variations noted and variations that will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, similar or identical features of the embodiments have been given like or similar reference numbers. As shown in FIG. 9, the first and second end panels 120, 124 can include a lip, shoulder, or edge 373, 375 on either or both sides of the of the end panels adjacent the respective end reinforcement flaps 172, 174. In one embodiment, the edges 373, 375 extend obliquely from the respective fold line 176, 178. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the gusset panels 128, 136, 130, 138 can be inwardly folded to be in face-to-face contact with the interior surfaces of the respective end panels 120, 124. Accordingly, the erected gusset panels 128, 136 and 130, 138 and the respective end panels 120, 124 form the respective reinforced ends 382, 384 of the tray 305 with the gusset panels being in the interior 307 of the tray. The blank 303 and/or tray 305 could have other features without departing from the disclosure.

[0030] Any of the various embodiments of the present disclosure generally could include at least one microwave energy interactive element that may comprise a susceptor for becoming hot when exposed to microwave energy, although other types and various combinations of microwave energy interactive elements are also within the scope of the present disclosure. Also, the various embodiments of the present disclosure could be free of a microwave energy interactive element without departing from the disclosure.

[0031] A blank according to the present disclosure can be, for example, formed from coated paperboard and similar materials. For example, the interior and/or exterior sides of the blank can be coated with a clay coating. The clay coating may then be printed over with product, advertising, price coding, and other information or images. The blank may then be coated with a varnish to protect any information printed on the blank. The blank may also be coated with, for example, a moisture barrier layer, on either or both sides of the blank. In accordance with the above-described embodiments, the blank may be constructed of paperboard of a caliper such that it is heavier and more rigid than ordinary paper. The blank can also be constructed of other materials, such as cardboard, hard paper, or any other material having properties suitable for enabling the package to function at least generally as described herein. The blank can also be laminated or coated with one or more sheet-like materials at selected panels or panel sections.

[0032] In accordance with the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, a fold line can be any substantially linear, although not necessarily straight, form of weakening that facilitates folding therealong. More specifically, but not for the purpose of narrowing the scope of the present disclosure, fold lines may include: a score line, such as lines formed with a blunt scoring knife, or the like, which creates a crushed portion in the material along the desired line of weakness; a cut that extends partially into a material along the desired line of weakness, and/or a series of cuts that extend partially into and/or completely through the material along the desired line of weakness; and various combinations of these features.

[0033] As an example, a tear line can include: a slit that extends partially into the material along the desired line of weakness, and/or a series of spaced apart slits that extend partially into and/or completely through the material along the desired line of weakness, or various combinations of these features. As a more specific example, one type tear line is in the form of a series of spaced apart slits that extend completely through the material, with adjacent slits being spaced apart slightly so that a nick (e.g., a small somewhat bridging-like piece of the material) is defined between the adjacent slits for typically temporarily connecting the material across the tear line. The nicks are broken during tearing along the tear line. The nicks typically are a relatively small percentage of the tear line, and alternatively the nicks can be omitted from or torn in a tear line such that the tear line is a continuous cut line. That is, it is within the scope of the present disclosure for each of the tear lines to be replaced with a continuous slit, or the like. For example, a cut line can be a continuous slit or could be wider than a slit without departing from the present disclosure.

[0034] The above embodiments may be described as having one or more panels adhered together by glue during erection of the package embodiments. The term “glue” is intended to encompass all manner of adhesives commonly used to secure package panels in place.

[0035] The foregoing description illustrates and describes various embodiments of the present disclosure. As various changes could be made in the above construction, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Furthermore, the present disclosure covers various modifications, combinations, and alterations, etc., of the above-described embodiments that are within the scope of the claims. Additionally, the disclosure shows and describes only selected embodiments, but various other combinations, modifications, and environments are within the scope of the disclosure as expressed herein, commensurate with the above teachings, and/or within the skill or knowledge of the relevant art. Furthermore, certain features and characteristics of each embodiment may be selectively interchanged and applied to other illustrated and non-illustrated embodiments of the disclosure.