FOOD TRAY

• US 20110308991A1
• Filed: 06/21/2011
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sabert Corporation
• Original Assignee: LBP Manufacturing LLC (Sabert Corporation)
• Inventors: Hubbard, James, Cook, Matthew R., Fu, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,216,837 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 5/2052 characterised by integral closure-flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/2057 Inter-engaging self-locking flaps B65D5/4254 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/24 with adjacent sides interconnected by gusset folds
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/28 with extensions of sides permanently secured to adjacent sides, with sides permanently secured together by adhesive strips, or with sides held in place solely by rigidity of material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6605 the lid being formed by two mating halves joined to opposite edges of the container body
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6614 with means for retaining the lid in open position
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6644 the lid-halves being held in closed position by local tabs or projections at the upper edge of opposite walls of the container body, e.g. by entering within slots provided in the lid-halves

Abstract

A food tray includes a front wall with a distal end and a proximal end, and a rear wall with a distal end and a proximal end. A first sidewall extends between the distal end of the front wall and the distal end of the rear wall, and a second sidewall that extends between the proximal end of the front wall and the proximal end of the rear wall. The front wall, rear wall, first sidewall, and second sidewall define an opening through which an item is placed in the food tray. The first and second sidewalls each define a slot and an extension extending above the slot. A lid member extends from a top edge of the front wall and defines a pair of tabs that engage the slots defined by the first and second sidewalls when the lid is folded over the opening. The top edge of the front wall is configured to cause the lid member to open when the first and second sidewall extensions are pulled apart.

Claims

1. A food tray comprising:

a front wall with a distal end and a proximal end, and a rear wall with a distal end and a proximal end;

a first side wall that extends between the distal end of the front wall and the distal end of the rear wall, and a second side wall that extends between the proximal end of the front wall and the proximal end of the rear wall, wherein the front wall, rear wall, first side wall, and second side wall define an opening through which an item is placed in the food tray, wherein the first and second side walls each define a slot and an extension extending above the slot; and

a lid member that extends from a top edge of the front wall that defines a pair of tabs that engage the slots defined by the first and second side walls when the lid is folded over the opening, wherein the top edge of the front wall is configured to cause the lid member to open when the first and second side wall extensions are pulled apart.

2. The food tray according to claim 1, further comprising a second lid member that extends from a top edge of the rear wall that defines a pair of tabs that engage the apertures defined by the first and second side walls when second lid is folded over the opening, wherein the top edge of the rear wall is configured to cause the second lid member to open when the first and second side wall extensions are pulled apart.

3. The food tray according to claim 2, wherein the front wall and the rear wall are bowed when the first lid member and the second lid member are in a closed configuration.

4. The food tray according to claim 2, further comprising a first slot positioned on the first lid member and a second slot positioned on the second lid member, wherein the first slot and second slot are configured to engage one another when the food tray is in a closed configuration, wherein the respective slots facilitate locking of the first lid member to the second lid member.

5. The food tray according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the front wall and rear wall defines an opening that enables venting the food tray.

6. The food tray according to claim 1, wherein the front wall, rear wall, first side wall, and second side wall are tapered to enabled the insertion of a second food tray into the opening.

7. The food tray according to claim 1, further comprising a sheet configured to be folded to define the front wall, rear wall, first side wall, second side wall, and the lid.

8. The food tray according to claim 7, wherein the sheet comprises paperboard or microfluted paperboard coated with a water and/or grease barrier coating or lamination, or an uncoated paperboard or microfluted paperboard.

9. The food tray according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of gussets formed on respective corners of the food tray.

10. The food tray according to claim 9, further comprising a lock tab that extends from on a corner of each of the plurality of gussets configured to engage complementary lock tabs that extend from the first sidewall and the second sidewall.

11. The food tray according to claim 1, wherein the first sidewall and the second side wall include respective shelf portions configured to be folded towards a center of the food tray, wherein the respective shelf portions are configured to support the lid member.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the user selectable vent is disposed on at least one of the front wall and the rear wall.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein creases that define the front wall, rear wall, first sidewall, and second sidewall are configured so that when assembled, the food tray is tapered to enable stacking of the food tray.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the sheet comprises paperboard or microfluted paperboard coated with a water and/or grease barrier coating or lamination, or an uncoated paperboard or microfluted paperboard.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising one or more glue strips disposed on the sheet.

19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising forming a first and a second tab on the lid member and a first and a second slot on the first and second side walls, respectively, wherein the first tab and the second tab are configured to engage the first slot and the second slot.

12. A method of manufacturing a food tray comprising:

creasing a sheet of material to define;

a front wall, a rear wall, a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a lid member, wherein the lid member and the front wall are separated by a crease that is in the shape of an arc.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising creasing the sheet of material to define a second lid member, wherein the second lid member and the rear wall are separated by a crease that is in the shape of an arc.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising perforating the sheet to define at least one user selectable vent.

20. A food tray comprising:

a front wall with a distal end and a proximal end, and a rear wall with a distal end and a proximal end;

a first side wall that extends between the distal end of the front wall and the distal end of the rear wall, and a second side wall that extends between the proximal end of the front wall and the proximal end of the rear wall, wherein the front wall, rear wall, first side wall, and second side wall define an opening through which an item is placed in the food tray, wherein the first side wall and second side wall define respective flap members, wherein each respective flap member defines a tab;

a first lid member that defines a pair of tabs configured to engage the tabs defined by the respective flap members; and

a second lid member that defines a pair of apertures through which the pair of tabs defined by the first lid member extend when engaged with the pair of tabs defined by the respective flap members.

21. A food tray comprising:

a front wall with a distal end and a proximal end, and a rear wall with a distal end and a proximal end;

a first side wall that extends between the distal end of the front wall and the distal end of the rear wall, and a second side wall that extends between the proximal end of the front wall and the proximal end of the rear wall, wherein the front wall, rear wall, first side wall, and second side wall define an opening through which an item is placed in the food tray, wherein the first side wall and second side wall define respective extension members, wherein each respective extension member defines a slot; and

a first lid member that defines a pair of slots, each slot including a tab that extends from an edge of a respective slot towards a center region of the respective slot;

a second lid member that defines a pair of slots, wherein the first lid member and the second lid member are configured to be folded over one another, and wherein when folded, the respective extension members of the first side wall and the second side wall extend through the respective pair of slots on the first lid member and the second lid member, respectively, and wherein each tab extends through a corresponding slot of the pair of slots defined by each extension member.

22. A food tray comprising:

a front wall with a distal end and a proximal end, and a rear wall with a distal end and a proximal end;

a first side wall that extends between the distal end of the front wall and the distal end of the rear wall, and a second side wall that extends between the proximal end of the front wall and the proximal end of the rear wall, wherein the front wall, rear wall, first side wall, and second side wall define an opening through which an item is placed in the food tray, wherein the first and second side walls each define a slot and an extension extending above the slot; and

a first lid member and a second lid member that extend from a top edge of the front wall and a top edge of the rear wall respectively that each define a horizontal portion that substantially forms a closed top of the food tray and a flap portion, the flap portions each configured to form a rib that extends perpendicular to the horizontal portion when the food tray is in a closed configuration, wherein each flap portion includes a pair of tabs that engage the slots defined by the first and second side walls when the lid is folded over the opening, wherein the top edge of the front wall is configured to cause the lid member to open when the first and second side wall extensions are pulled apart and to force respective facing surfaces of the flap portions of the first lid member and second lid member against one another to thereby seal the top of the food tray.