Food product tray with expandable side panels
First Claim
1. A tray formed from a unitary blank for storing, cooking and serving food products, said tray comprising:
- a base panel;
a plurality of side panels foldably connected to said base panel and adjacent to one another;
each pair of adjacent side panels being slidably connected by a tab defined on one of said pair extending into a slot on the adjacent one of said pairsaid tab having a first tab catch and a second tab catch;
said slot having a tab stopwhereby said side panels are permitted to move from a first position relative to said base panel to a second position spaced angularly outward from said first position, said second position being at an obtuse angle relative to said base panel; and
whereby said side panels are stopped at said first position by engagement of said first tab catch with said tab stop, and whereby said side panels are stopped at said second position by engagement of said second tab catch with said tab stop.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved food product tray for storing, cooking and serving food products. The food product tray is used to store, cook and serve a food product without assembly or disassembly by the end user. The food product tray includes a floor or base panel and a plurality of upright side panels which enclose the food product. A tab/slot configuration allows the upright side panels to expand outwardly from a first position to a second position as the food product expands during cooking. The base panel may include legs to elevate the base panel, and the base panel may include a plurality of vents to release fluids and gases from the food product. The interior surfaces of the base panel and upright side panels may include microwave absorbent material to enhance cooking of the food product using microwave energy.
69 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A tray formed from a unitary blank for storing, cooking and serving food products, said tray comprising:
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a base panel; a plurality of side panels foldably connected to said base panel and adjacent to one another; each pair of adjacent side panels being slidably connected by a tab defined on one of said pair extending into a slot on the adjacent one of said pair said tab having a first tab catch and a second tab catch; said slot having a tab stop whereby said side panels are permitted to move from a first position relative to said base panel to a second position spaced angularly outward from said first position, said second position being at an obtuse angle relative to said base panel; and whereby said side panels are stopped at said first position by engagement of said first tab catch with said tab stop, and whereby said side panels are stopped at said second position by engagement of said second tab catch with said tab stop. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A tray for supporting a food product to be cooked using microwaves, comprising:
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a microwave absorbing floor panel; a plurality of microwave absorbing side panels foldably connected to said floor panel and adjacent to one another; said floor and side panels being capable of becoming hot on exposure to microwaves; each pair of adjacent side panels being slidably connected by a tab defined on one of said pair extending into a slot on the adjacent one of said pair; said tab having a first tab catch and a second tab catch; said slot having a tab stop; whereby said side panels are permitted to move from a first position relative to said base panel to a second position spaced angularly outward from said first position, said second position being at an obtuse angle relative to said base panel; and whereby said side panels are stopped at said first position by engagement of said first tab catch with said tab stop, and whereby said side panels are stopped at said second position by engagement of said second tab catch with said tab stop. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A tray formed from a unitary blank for storing, cooking and serving a food product, said tray comprising:
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a base panel; a plurality of side panels foldably connected to said base panel and adjacent to one another; each pair of adjacent side panels being slidably connected by a tab defined on one of said pair extending into a slot on the adjacent one of said pair; said tab having a first tab catch and a second tab catch; said slot having a tab stop; whereby said side panels are permitted to move from a first position relative to said base panel to a second position spaced angularly outward from said first position, said second position being at an obtuse angle relative to said base panel, said movement of said side panels for allowing lateral expansion of said food product during cooking; and whereby said side panels are stopped at said first position by engagement of said first tab catch with said tab stop, and whereby said side panels are stopped at said second position by engagement of said second tab catch with said tab stop. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification