Rigid insulated food tray

• US 5,326,021 A
• Filed: 01/28/1993
• Issued: 07/05/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company (Weyerhauser)
• Original Assignee: Westvaco Corporation (Meadwestvaco Corporation)
• Inventors: Huffman, Todd H., Farrell, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US08/010,561
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 229/2.5 R, 229/3.1, 229/108, 229/109, 229/110, 229/114, 229/DIG. 2, 220/441, 220/443, 220/453, 220/462, 220/574
• US Class Current: 229/109
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/2033 polygonal having more than four sides, e.g. hexagonal, octogonal
• 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 5/28 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 5/56 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: Y10S 229/939 Container made of corrugated paper or corrugated paperboard

Abstract

A composite material package in the configuration of a fluid confining tray or bowl is fabricated with a corrugated paperboard structural substrate and internally sealed with a blow mold applied film of polymer.

Claims

1. A fluid container comprising:

an outer article blank;

an inner blow molded polymer lining wherein said article blank is further comprised of an integral sheet of thermal insulated, corrugated paperboard, said sheet having a centralized bottom panel defined by a plurality of straight first score lines continued substantially end to end to and from points of angular departure around a closed perimeter of a polygon, each of said first score lines delineating a bottom edge of a corresponding side wall section also having lateral edges and a top edge, said lateral edges respective to adjacent said side wall sections radiating in straight lines from one of said points of angular departure to said top edges of said respective side walls, at least one wall panel of said top edge being defined by a straight second score line delineating a top flange panel such that said blank is formed into a tray; and

a polymer lining is in integral contact with said tray to form said fluid container such that said polymer lining is blow molded into contact with said tray.

2. An article blank as described by claim 1 wherein said polygon is a square.

3. An article blank as described by claim 1 wherein said polygon is a rectangle.

4. An article blank as described by claim 1 wherein said polygon is a pentagon.

5. An article blank as described by claim 1 wherein said polygon is a hexagon.

6. An article blank as described by claim 1 wherein said polygon is an octagon.

7. A fluid holding article comprising:

an outer article blank and an inner blow molded polymer lining wherein said blank is further comprised of an integral, thermal insulated, corrugated paperboard sheet formed in a configuration having a centralized, planar bottom panel defined by a plurality of straight first fold lines continued substantially end to end to and from points of angular departure around a closed perimeter of a polygon;

each of said first fold lines delineating a bottom edge of a corresponding planar side wall section also having lateral edges and a top edge;

said lateral edges respective to adjacent said side wall sections radiating in straight lines from one of said points of angular departure to said top edges of said respective side walls;

at least one wall section of said top edge being defined by a straight second fold line delineating an adjacent top flange panel;

a plane of said side wall sections being erected at an angle to a plane of said bottom panel whereby said straight line edges of said adjacent side wall edges are aligned in adjacent parallelism and are facing said bottom panel and said side walls in order to define an interior surface; and

said side walls being structurally secured at said erected angle to said bottom panel by an integral, continuous, fluid impermeable, blow molded coating of a polymer applied to said bottom panel and said side wall interior surfaces of said formed corrugated paperboard sheet.

8. A fluid holding article as described by claim 7 wherein said polygon is a square.

9. A fluid holding article as described by claim 7 wherein said polygon is a rectangle.

10. A fluid holding article as described by claim 7 wherein said polygon is a pentagon.

11. A fluid holding article as described by claim 7 wherein said polygon is a hexagon.

12. A fluid holding article as described by claim 7 wherein said polygon is an octagon.