FOOD TRAY

• US 20120261298A1
• Filed: 05/03/2012
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sabert Corporation
• Original Assignee: LBP Manufacturing LLC (Sabert Corporation)
• Inventors: Hubbard, James A. Jr., Cook, Matthew R., Fu, Thomas, Wolf, Kurt
• Granted Patent: US 9,505,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/518
• 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 5/2057 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 5/6632 the lid-halves being held in closed position by flaps or tabs provided at their side edges only B65D5/6644, B65D5/6647 take precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6652 Flaps or tabs provided at the side edges of the lid only

Abstract

A food tray formed of a unitary sheet of material includes a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall, first sidewall, and a second sidewall that define an opening through which an item is placed in the food tray. First and second flaps extend from respective top edges of the first and second sidewalls and are configured to be folded toward an interior of the food tray. The first and second flaps each define slots. First and second lid members extend from respective top edges of the front wall and the rear wall and are configured to be folded toward the interior of the food tray. The first and second lid members define a pair of tabs on respective side edges that are configured to engage the slots defined by the first and second flaps.

Claims

1. A food tray formed of a unitary sheet of material 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 sidewall that 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, wherein the front wall, rear wall, first sidewall, and second sidewall define an opening through which an item is placed in the food tray;

a bottom wall extending between the front wall, rear wall, first sidewall, and second sidewall;

first and second flaps that extend from respective top edges of the first and second sidewalls, the first and second flaps configured to be folded toward an interior of the food tray, wherein each of the first and second flaps defines a slot; and

first and second lid members that extend from respective top edges of the front wall and the rear wall, wherein the first and second lid members are configured to be folded toward the interior of the food tray, wherein each of the first and second lid members defines a pair of tabs on respective side edges of the first and second lid members that are configured to engage the slots defined by the first and second flaps when the first and second lid members are folded over the opening to thereby secure the first and second lid members to the first and second flaps.

2. The food tray according to claim 1, wherein the front wall, rear wall, first sidewall, and second sidewall are tapered to enable the insertion of a second food tray into the opening for stacking or nesting.

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

4. The food tray according to claim 1, wherein the unitary sheet comprises a material from the group consisting of:

coated or uncoated corrugated paper, paperboard, chipboard, and plastics.

5. The food tray according to claim 1, wherein the unitary sheet of material has a generally square shape.

6. The food tray according to claim 1, wherein the unitary sheet of material has a generally rectangular shape.

7. A food tray formed of a unitary sheet of material 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 sidewall that 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, wherein the front wall, rear wall, first sidewall, and second sidewall define an opening through which an item is placed in the food tray;

a bottom wall extending between the front wall, rear wall, first sidewall, and second sidewall;

first and second flaps that extend from respective top edges of the first and second sidewalls, the first and second flaps configured to be folded toward an interior of the food tray, wherein each of the first and second flaps defines a slot;

a lid member that extends from a top edge of the rear wall, wherein the lid member is configured to be folded toward the interior of the food tray, wherein the lid member defines a pair of tabs on respective side edges of the lid member that are configured to engage the slots defined by the first and second flaps when the lid is folded over the opening to thereby secure the lid member to the first and second flaps; and

a third flap that extends from an edge of the lid member that is opposite the top edge of the rear wall, wherein the third flap is configured to be folded about the edge when the lid member so that when the lid member is secured to the first and second flaps, the third flap is disposed in the interior of the food tray, wherein the edge from which the third flap extends defines a slot in a middle region that is configured to receive a slot that extends from a top edge of the front wall to secure the lid member to the front wall.

8. The food tray according to claim 7, wherein the lid member defines an opening in a center region and the food tray further comprises a clear material that spans the opening to facilitate viewing of an item within the food tray.

9. The food tray according to claim 7, wherein the front wall, rear wall, first sidewall, and second sidewall are tapered to enable the insertion of a second food tray into the opening.

10. The food tray according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of gussets formed on respective corners of the food tray.

11. The food tray according to claim 7, wherein the unitary sheet comprises a material from the group consisting of:

coated or uncoated corrugated paper, paperboard, chipboard, and plastics.

12. The food tray according to claim 7, wherein the unitary sheet of material has a generally square shape.

13. The food tray according to claim 7, wherein the unitary sheet of material has a generally rectangular shape.

14. A food tray formed of a unitary sheet of material 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 sidewall that 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, wherein the front wall, rear wall, first sidewall, and second sidewall define an opening through which an item is placed in the food tray;

a bottom wall extending between the front wall, rear wall, first sidewall, and second sidewall;

first and second flaps that extend from respective top edges of the first and second sidewalls, the first and second flaps configured to be folded toward an interior of the food tray;

a lid member that extends from a top edge of the rear wall, wherein the lid member is configured to be folded toward the interior of the food tray; and

a third flap that extends from an edge of the lid member that is opposite the top edge of the rear wall, wherein the third flap includes a tear strip that extends along a length of the third flap that is parallel to the edge, wherein the third flap is configured to be folded about the edge of the lid member that is opposite the top edge of the rear wall when the lid member is folded toward the interior of the food tray, and secured to an outside surface of the front wall via an adhesive strip, wherein the tear strip is configured to facilitate tearing of the third flap to facilitate opening of the lid member.

15. The food tray according to claim 14, wherein the adhesive strip is disposed on the third flap.

16. The food tray according to claim 14, wherein the adhesive strip is disposed on the front wall.

17. The food tray according to claim 14, wherein the lid member defines an opening in a center region and the food tray further comprises a clear material that spans the opening to facilitate viewing of an item within the food tray.

18. The food tray according to claim 14, wherein the front wall, rear wall, first sidewall, and second sidewall are tapered to enable the insertion of a second food tray into the opening for stacking or nesting.

19. The food tray according to claim 14, further comprising a plurality of gussets formed on respective corners of the food tray.

20. The food tray according to claim 14, wherein the unitary sheet comprises a material from the group consisting of:

coated or uncoated corrugated paper, paperboard, chipboard, and plastics.