Tray container and blank

• US 20040232034A1
• Filed: 02/21/2003
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems, LLC (Meadwestvaco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems, LLC (Meadwestvaco Corporation)
• Inventors: Lebras, Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 7,216,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/557
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/2047 trapezoidal, e.g. to form a body with diverging side walls B65D5/2033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/245 the gussets folds comprising more than two gusset panels
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/36 specially constructed to allow collapsing and re-erecting without disengagement of side or bottom connections
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/40 specially constructed to contain liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/56 Linings or internal coatings , e.g. pre-formed trays provided with a blow- or thermoformed layer to protect the articles from mechanical damage B65D81/127
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/261 for draining or collecting liquids without absorbing them

Abstract

An article carrier and a blank for forming an article carrier, for holding one or more articles, for example foodstuff or the like, including a base panel, a pair of outwardly sloping side wall panels hingedly connected to the base panel and one or more inwardly sloping end wall panels hingedly connected to the base panel.

Claims

1. An article carrier for holding one or more articles, comprising a base panel, a pair of opposed outwardly sloping side wall panels hingedly connected to the base panel, and at least one inwardly sloping end wall panel hingedly connected to the base panel, wherein each of said side wall panels is connected to said at least one end wall panel by a corner arrangement, each of said corner arrangements comprising a web panel hingedly connected to a respective one of said side wall panels, and a gusset panel hingedly connected to said at least one end wall panel, said gusset panel of said each corner arrangement being connected to a respective one of said web panels so that said at least one end wall panel is caused to be erected from a flat collapsed condition into a position of use by inwardly folding said side wall panels.

2. The article carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said each corner arrangement further comprises an engagement panel hingedly interconnecting the respective web panel and a respective one of said gusset panels, said engagement panel of said each corner arrangement is disposed in overlapping relationship with the respective gusset panel.

3. The article carrier as claimed in claim 2, wherein said engagement panel of said each corner arrangement is hingedly connected to said at least one end wall panel by a pair of divergent fold lines defining a substantially triangular panel comprising a respective one of said engagement panels.

4. The article carrier as claimed in claim 2, wherein said each corner arrangement inhibits egress of fluid from said base panel at each corner of the carrier.

5. The article carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one end wall panel is hingedly connected at opposite lateral edges thereof to adjacent ones of said gusset panels, said at least one end wall panel and said adjacent gusset panels are adapted to be folded upwardly and outwardly with respect to said base panel to form an erected tray.

6. The article carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said opposed side wall panels and said base panel is of a two-ply structure including inner and outer layers, and wherein a void is provided between said inner and outer layers of said each side wall panel, said void being adapted to receive liquid from an object to be packaged in said carrier.

7. The article carrier as claimed in claim 6 further comprising a plurality of perforations on the base panel and/or fold lines interconnecting said base and the side wall panels to facilitate movement of liquid away from a packaged object to be absorbed by absorbing means placed between said inner and outer layers of said base panel.

8. The article carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base panel is raised at its ends.

9. The article carrier as claimed in claim 2 wherein said gusset panel of said each corner arrangement is in underlying relationship with said at least one end wall panel, wherein said gusset panel of said each corner arrangement interconnects a respective one of said engagement panels and said at least one end wall panel.

10. The article carrier as claimed in claim 9 wherein said gusset panel of said each corner arrangement is connected to said at least one end wall pane along a first fold line, said first fold line of said each corner arrangement is aligned with a second fold line interconnecting the respective web panel and an adjacent one of said side wall panels when said carrier is in blank form.

11. The article carrier as claimed in claim 10 wherein said gusset panel of said each corner arrangement is connected to said respective engagement panel along a third fold line, and an angle subtended by said first and third fold line of said each corner arrangement is substantially the same as an angle subtended by said first fold line of said each corner arrangement and a fourth fold line interconnecting said base panel and said at least one end wall panel.

12. The article carrier as claimed in claim 9 wherein said engagement panel of said each corner arrangement is disposed intermediate the respective web panel and the respective gusset panel.

13. A blank for forming an article carrier for holding one or more articles, comprising a base panel, a pair of opposed outwardly sloping side wall panels hingedly connected to the base panel and at least one inwardly sloping end wall panel hingedly connected to the base panel, wherein each of said opposed side wall panels is connected to said at least one end wall panel by a corner arrangement comprising a web panel hingedly connected said each side wall panel and a gusset panel hingedly connected to said at least one end wall panel, said gusset panel of each of said corner arrangement being connected to a respective one of said web panel so that said at least one end wall panel is capable of being erected from a flat collapsed condition into a position of use in a set up carrier by inwardly folding said side wall panel.

14. The blank as claimed in claim 13 wherein said each corner arrangement further comprises an engagement panel hingedly interconnecting the respective web panel and a respective one of said gusset panels, wherein said engagement panel of said each corner arrangement is adapted to be disposed in overlapping arrangement with the respective gusset panel in a set up carrier.

15. The blank as claimed claim 14 wherein said engagement panel of said each corner arrangement is hingedly connected to said at least one end wall panel by a pair of divergent fold lines to define the respective gusset panel of a substantially triangular configuration.

16. The blank as claimed in claim 15 wherein said at least one end wall panel is hingedly connected at opposed lateral edges thereof to adjacent ones of said gusset panels, said adjacent gusset panels and said at least one end wall panel being adapted to be folded upwardly and outwardly with respect to said base panel to form a tray.

17. The blank as claimed in claim 13 wherein each of said opposed side wall panels and base panel is of a two-ply structure including inner and outer layers.

18. The blank as claimed in claim 17 further comprising a plurality of perforations on said inner layer of said base panel and/or fold lines interconnecting said base and side wall panels to facilitate movement of liquid away from a packaged object to be absorbed by absorbing means placed between said inner and outer layers of said base panel in a set up carrier.

19. The blank as claimed in claim 13 wherein said web panel of said each corner arrangement is hingedly connected to a side edge of an adjacent one of said side wall panels, and said gusset panel of said each corner arrangement is hingedly connected to a side edge of said at least one end wall panel, said gusset and web panels of said each corner arrangement being mutually hingedly interconnected thereby enabling said gusset panel of said each corner arrangement to be placed intermediate the respective web panel and said at least one end wall panel when the blank is erected to form a carrier.

20. The blank as claimed in claim 19 wherein a first fold line interconnects said at least one end wall panel and said gusset panel of said each corner arrangement, said first fold line of said each corner arrangement is aligned with a second fold line interconnecting the respective web panel and the adjacent side wall panel.

21. The blank as claimed in claim 20 wherein a third fold line interconnects said gusset panel of said each corner arrangement and an engagement panel, and an angle subtended by said first and third fold lines of said each corner arrangement is substantially the same as an angle subtended by said first fold line of said each corner arrangement and a fourth fold line interconnecting said base panel and said at least one end wall panel.