Tray for holding a food product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10336500-B2
Application number	US-201514933316-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2015
Priority date	Nov 7, 2014
Publication date	Jul 2, 2019
Grant date	Jul 2, 2019

Abstract

A tray for holding a food product. The tray includes a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the tray. The plurality of panels includes a bottom panel, a side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and an end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel. The tray includes a reinforcing structure having a first reinforcement panel foldably connected to at least one panel of the plurality of panels, and a second reinforcement panel foldably connected to the first reinforcement panel. The tray further includes a gusset panel foldably connected to the side panel. The gusset panel and the end panel at least partially overlapping one another.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tray for holding a food product, the tray comprising:
a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the tray, the plurality of panels comprises a bottom panel, a side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and an end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;
a reinforcing structure comprising a first reinforcement panel foldably connected to at least one panel of the plurality of panels, and a second reinforcement panel foldably connected to the first reinforcement panel, the reinforcing structure forms a hollow rim defining an empty space between the first reinforcement panel and the at least one panel; and
a gusset panel foldably connected to the side panel, the gusset panel and the end panel at least partially overlapping on another,
the tray comprising paperboard.

2. The tray of claim 1 , wherein the second reinforcement panel at least partially overlaps the side panel, and the first reinforcement panel at least partially overlaps the second reinforcement panel.

3. The tray of claim 2 , wherein the second reinforcement panel at least partially overlaps an exterior surface of the side panel.

4. The tray of claim 2 , wherein the second reinforcement panel at least partially overlaps an interior surface of the side panel.

5. The tray of claim 1 , wherein the first reinforcement panel is foldably connected to the side panel along a fold line, and the hollow rim is further at least partially defined by an edge of the second reinforcement panel and the fold line.

6. The tray of claim 5 , wherein the first reinforcement panel is spaced apart from the side panel at the hollow rim, and the edge of the second reinforcement panel is spaced apart from the fold line at the hollow rim.

7. The tray of claim 1 , wherein the second reinforcement panel is in face-to-face contact with each of the side panel and the first reinforcement panel so that the reinforcing structure comprises three layers of material at an upper portion of the side panel.

8. The tray of claim 1 , wherein the side panel is a first side panel, the reinforcing structure is a first reinforcing structure, the first reinforcing structure is foldably connected to the first side panel, and the tray further comprises a second side panel foldably connected the bottom panel and a second reinforcing structure foldably connected to the second side panel.

9. The tray of claim 8 , wherein the second reinforcing structure comprises a third reinforcement panel foldably connected to the second side panel and a fourth reinforcement panel foldably connected to the third reinforcement panel.

10. The tray of claim 9 , wherein the second reinforcement panel at least partially overlaps the first side panel, the first reinforcement panel at least partially overlaps the second reinforcement panel, the fourth reinforcement panel at least partially overlaps the second side panel, and the third reinforcement panel at least partially overlaps the fourth reinforcement panel.

11. The tray of claim 9 , wherein the end panel comprises a first end panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a second end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and the tray further comprises:
a first reinforcement flap foldably connected to the first end panel, the first reinforcement flap being at least partially in face-to-face contact with an exterior surface of the first end panel; and
a second reinforcement flap foldably connected to the second end panel, the second reinforcement flap being at least partially in face-to-face contact with an exterior surface of the second end panel.

12. The tray of claim 11 , wherein the first side panel, the second side panel, the first end panel and the second end panel are sloped so that one or more trays may be stacked together in an at least partially nested relationship.

13. The tray of claim 1 , further comprising a reinforcement flap foldably connected to the end panel, the reinforcement flap at least partially overlapping the end panel.

14. The tray of claim 13 , wherein reinforcement flap is at least partially in face-to-face contact with an exterior surface of the end panel.

15. The tray of claim 13 , wherein the first reinforcement panel is foldably connected to the side panel along a first fold line, the reinforcement flap is foldably connected to the end panel along a second fold line, and the second fold line is generally perpendicular to the first fold line.

16. The tray of claim 13 , wherein the end panel is a first end panel, the reinforcement flap is a first reinforcement flap, and the tray further comprises a second end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel and a second reinforcement flap foldably connected to the second end panel, the second reinforcement flap at least partially overlapping the second end panel.

17. The tray of claim 1 , wherein the side panel is a first side panel, the gusset panel is a first gusset panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel and disposed opposite to the first side panel, the tray further comprises a second gusset panel foldably connected to the second side panel, and the second gusset panel and the end panel at least partially overlap one another.

18. The tray of claim 17 , wherein the first gusset panel comprises a first extension tab, the second gusset panel comprises a second extension tab, and the first extension tab and the second extension tab at least partially overlap one another.

19. The tray of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the first extension tab and the second extension tab is at least partially in face-to-face contact with the end panel.

20. The tray of claim 17 , wherein the first gusset panel comprises a cutout having a first edge and the second gusset panel comprises an extension tab having a second edge, the extension tab extending at least partially into the cutout so that the first edge is adjacent the second edge.

21. The tray of claim 17 , wherein the first gusset panel comprises an emboss portion, the second gusset panel comprises an extension tab, and the emboss portion at least partially overlaps at least a portion of the extension flap.

22. The tray of claim 21 , wherein the emboss portion at least partially defines a recess, and the extension tab is at least partially received in the recess.

23. The tray of claim 1 , wherein the end flap is foldably connected to the bottom panel along an arcuate fold line that is concave with respect to the bottom panel so that at least a portion of the end panel bends outwardly.

24. A blank for forming a tray for holding a food product, the blank comprising:
a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and an end panel foldably connected to the bottom panel;
reinforcing structure features comprising a first reinforcement panel foldably connected to at least one panel of the plurality of panels, and a second reinforcement panel foldably connected to the first reinforcement panel, the reinforcing structure features being for forming a hollow rim defining an empty space between the first reinforcement panel and the side panel when the tray is formed from the blank; and
a gusset panel foldably connected to the side panel, the gusset panel and the end panel being for at least partially overlapping one another when the tray is formed from the blank,
the blank comprising paperboard.

Assignees

• Graphic Packaging Int Llc

Inventors

• Burke Bradley J

Classifications

• B65D5/28

  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 title

• B65D5/4266

  Folding lines, score lines, crease lines · CPC title

• B65D5/2047 Primary

  trapezoidal, e.g. to form a body with diverging side walls (B65D5/2033 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D5/003 Primary

  having ledges formed by extensions of the side walls (B65D5/0045 and B65D5/0065 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65D5/008

  the container body having a pyramidal shape · CPC title