Tray for food products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11827430-B2
Application number	US-202117519084-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2021
Priority date	Nov 6, 2020
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

A tray for holding at least one food product includes a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the tray, the plurality of panels including a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, and at least one side panel, a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels and cooperating to form a rim extending outwardly from the plurality of panels, and locking features comprising at least one male locking feature extending from at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps, the at least one male locking feature at least partially inserted through at least one female locking feature in a respective panel of the plurality of panels to reinforce the rim.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tray for holding at least one food product, the tray comprising:
a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the tray, the plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, at least one side panel, and at least one corner panel comprising a first locking section and a second locking section, one of the first locking section and the second locking section at least partially overlapping the at least one side panel and the other of the first locking section and the second locking section at least partially overlapping one of the front panel and the back panel;
a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels and cooperating to form a rim extending outwardly from the plurality of panels; and
locking features comprising at least one male locking feature extending from at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps, the at least one male locking feature at least partially inserted through at least one female locking feature in a respective panel of the plurality of panels to reinforce the rim.

2. The tray of claim 1 , wherein the at least one female locking feature is an at least one cut in a respective panel of the plurality of panels.

3. The tray of claim 2 , wherein the at least one male locking feature is an at least one tab extending from the at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps.

4. The tray of claim 3 , wherein the at least one end flap is foldably connected to the at least one corner panel.

5. The tray of claim 4 , wherein the at least one corner panel comprises a central section foldably connected to each of the first locking section and the second locking section, the at least one end flap foldably connected to a respective locking section.

6. The tray of claim 5 , wherein the at least one cut is formed in the at least one side panel.

7. The tray of claim 5 , wherein the at least one cut is formed in one of the front panel and the back panel.

8. The tray of claim 5 , wherein the at least one end flap is a first corner section top end flap foldably connected to the first locking section, the plurality of end flaps further comprises a second corner top end flap foldably connected to the second locking section, the at least one tab is a first tab extending from the first corner section top end flap, and the locking features further comprise a second tab extending from the second corner section top end flap.

9. The tray of claim 8 , wherein the at least one cut is a first cut in the at least one side panel and the locking features further comprise a second cut in one of the front panel and the back panel.

10. The tray of claim 1 , wherein the at least one female locking feature is an at least one locking opening defined in a respective panel of the plurality of panels.

11. The tray of claim 10 , wherein the at least one male locking feature is an at least one locking portion extending from the at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps.

12. The tray of claim 11 , wherein the at least one locking portion extends generally perpendicularly away from a central portion of the at least one end flap.

13. The tray of claim 11 , wherein the at least one side panel is a first side panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a second side panel, the at least one end flap is a first side top end flap foldably connected to the first side panel, and the plurality of end flaps further comprises a second side top end flap foldably connected to the second side panel, a front top end flap foldably connected to the front panel, and a back top end flap foldably connected to the back panel.

14. The tray of claim 13 , wherein each of the front top end flap and the back top end flap overlap respective portions of the first top end flap and the second top end flap.

15. A tray for holding at least one food product, the tray comprising:
a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the tray, the plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, and at least one side panel;
a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels and cooperating to form a rim extending outwardly from the plurality of panels; and
locking features comprising at least one locking portion extending from at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps, the at least one locking portion at least partially inserted through at least one locking opening defined in a respective panel of the plurality of panels to reinforce the rim, wherein the at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps is foldably connected to the at least one side panel, the at least one locking portion is a first locking portion extending from the at least one end flap, the locking features further comprise a second locking portion extending from the at least one end flap, wherein the at least one locking opening is a first locking opening in the front panel and at least partially receiving the first locking portion, and the locking features further comprise a second locking opening in the back panel and at least partially receiving the second locking portion.

16. A blank for forming a tray for holding at least one food product, the blank comprising:
a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, at least one side panel, and at least one corner panel comprising a first locking section and a second locking section, one of the first locking section and the second locking section for being positioned at least partially overlapping the at least one side panel when the tray is formed from the blank, and the other of the first locking section and the second locking section for being positioned at least partially overlapping one of the front panel and the back panel when the tray is formed from the blank;
a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels for cooperating to form a rim extending outwardly from the plurality of panels when the tray is formed from the blank; and
locking features comprising at least one male locking feature extending from at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps, the at least one male locking feature for being at least partially inserted through at least one female locking feature in a respective panel of the plurality of panels to reinforce the rim when the tray is formed from the blank.

17. The blank of claim 16 , wherein the at least one female locking feature is an at least one cut in a respective panel of the plurality of panels.

18. The blank of claim 17 , wherein the at least one male locking feature is an at least one tab extending from the at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps.

19. The blank of claim 18 , wherein the at least one end flap is foldably connected to the at least one corner panel.

20. The blank of claim 19 , wherein the at least one corner panel comprises a central section foldably connected to each of the first locking section and the second locking section, the at least one end flap foldably connected to a respective locking section.

21. The blank of claim 20 , wherein the at least one cut is formed in the at least one side panel.

22. The blank of claim 20 , wherein the at least one cut is formed in one of the front panel and the back panel.

23. The blank of claim 20 , wherein the at least one end flap is a first corner section top end flap foldably co

Assignees

• Graphic Packaging Int Llc

Inventors

• Brink Thomas
• Hithersay Elliot

Classifications

• B65D5/30

  with tongue-and-slot or like connections between sides and extensions of other sides · CPC title

• B65D85/34

  for fruit, e.g. apples, oranges or tomatoes · CPC title

• B65D5/247

  and being maintained in erected condition by integral mechanical locking means formed on, or coacting with, the gusset folds, e.g. locking tabs, tongue and slit (B65D5/248 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D5/246

  the container body comprising a continuous rim or flange · CPC title

• B65D5/443

  Integral reinforcements, e.g. folds, flaps (double walls B65D5/02) · CPC title