Food Product Packaging and Method for Producing Food Product Packaging

Abstract

A food product packaging and method of producing the same is provided for containing rigid food products. The packaging includes a tray having at least one receptacle, rigid food products housed in the receptacle and a removable flexible film secured to the tray and enclosing the receptacle. The receptacle is shaped to enable the rigid food products to slide into and be positioned in the receptacle in an orientation that is generally parallel to the bottom wall thereby reducing the chances of the food products breaking in the receptacle and reducing the chances of the food products puncturing the flexible film.

Description

BACKGROUND

Consumers are looking for products containing food for snacking purposes and for on-the-go consumption. Manufacturers of such products are looking for food product packaging that is consumer friendly and manufacturing friendly to reduce breakage of the food.

SUMMARY

This invention relates to a method for manufacturing a tray containing mini crackers comprising the steps of providing the tray have a receptacle, the receptacle defined at least in part by a curved wall adjacent a bottom wall so as to define a shape of the receptacle; dropping the mini crackers into the receptacle, the shape of the receptacle enables the mini crackers to slide in the receptacle toward the bottom wall and stop in an orientation generally parallel to the bottom wall; and enclosing the receptacle with a flexible film wherein the occurrences of the mini crackers puncturing the flexible film is reduced due to the shape of the receptacle.

This invention relates to a method for manufacturing a tray containing mini rigid food products comprising the steps of providing the tray having a top surface and a receptacle, the receptacle having a bottom wall, having at least one side wall with a straight portion adjacent to and perpendicular to the top surface and integral with a curved portion adjacent to the bottom wall; moving at least ten of the mini rigid food products into the tray such that the mini rigid food products enter the receptacle, slide toward the bottom wall and stop in an orientation that is generally parallel to the bottom wall and below the top surface; and applying a flexible film removably securable to the top surface of the tray and enclosing the receptacle so that the flexible film is not punctured by the mini rigid food products when being secured to the top surface.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a tray containing food products comprising the steps of providing the tray having a receptacle, the receptacle having a shape defined at least in part by a bottom wall, a top surface, and a side wall having a straight portion adjacent to and perpendicular to the top surface and a curved portion integral with the straight portion and adjacent to the bottom wall; moving a plurality of the food products into the receptacle, the food products having a sharp portion and having a width dimension and a length dimension of 1.0 inches or less, so that the shape of the receptacle enables the food products to enter the receptacle and move into a position in the receptacle in an orientation that is generally parallel to the bottom wall and below the top surface; and removably securing a flexible film to the top surface of the tray to enclose the receptacle whereby the occurrences of the sharp portion of the food products puncturing the flexible film after the flexible film is secured to the top surface of the tray are reduced as compared to a tray not having the same shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tray of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the tray;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the tray;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the tray with food products;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the tray containing food products with a flexible film secured thereon;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of a manufacturing line for manufacturing the food product packaging;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another portion of the manufacturing line;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of square food products entering the tray;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the square food products settled in the tray;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of circular food products entering the tray;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the circular food products settled in the tray; and

FIG. 13 is a top view of various shapes of food products.

Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of constructions and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, there is shown a tray 10 that is a component of the food product packaging 12 (FIG. 7) of the present invention. The tray 10 is preferably semi-rigid and manufactured from an approved direct food contact thermoformed semi-rigid material such as APET, PVC or the like. The tray 10 includes a planar top surface 14 and two tabs 16 adjacent the top surface 14. The tray 10 includes at least one receptacle 20 for containing a food product, as will be discussed in more detail below. As shown in the drawings, the tray 10 includes two receptacles 20 and 22. It should be noted that any number of receptacles can be utilized.

The receptacle 20 defines a shape 24 that is advantageous for receiving and for containing the food products. The receptacle 20 includes a squared off end 26 at a draft angle up to 5 degrees to a pointed end 28. The pointed end 28 includes a wall 30 at a draft angle of about 45 degrees.

The receptacle 20 includes a first wall 32 extending from the top surface 14. Preferably, wall 32 is perpendicular to the top surface 14. Optionally, adjacent the wall 32 is a step-down 34 that provides rigidity to the tray 10. A curved wall 36 is adjacent the step-down 34 and intersects with a bottom wall 38. The curved wall 36 has a specific radius of curvature R.

Turning now to FIG. 5, tray 10 is shown with food products 40 in the receptacle 20. The receptacle 20 is suitably configured to contain rigid food products such as mini crackers. The mini crackers preferably have a width and a length dimension of one inch or less and can be of any geometry such as square or triangular. The mini crackers may include such food as crackers, chips, pretzels and like rigid food products. Preferably, the receptacle 20 is sized to accommodate between 10 and 35 mini crackers.

If the tray 10 includes more than one receptacle, the second receptacle 22 may contain the same food products 40 as in the first receptacle 20, different food products than in the first receptacle 20, or other materials such as utensils, napkins and the like. As shown in FIG. 5, the second receptacle 22 includes cubes of cheese 42.

As shown in FIG. 6, a flexible film 44 is used as a lidding film to enclose the receptacle 20. The flexible film 44 is preferably a material made of a barrier non-forming flexible film such as polyester or nylon containing PET/Adhesive/EVA barrier sealant containing EVOH. The flexible film 44 is removed by the consumer at one of the tabs 16 to enable access to the food products 40 therein.

Turning now to FIGS. 7 and 8, a portion of the manufacturing line 50 for producing the food product packaging 12 is shown. A conveyor 52 transports trays 10 to a scale (not shown) and a funnel 54. The funnel 54 releases a predetermined weight of food products 40 into the receptacle 20 such as 0.5 to 1.5 ounces. The funnel 54 preferable has a geometry that contours to the shape 24 of the receptacle 20. After being filled with food products 40, each tray 10 is transported on the conveyor 52 across a vibratory station 56 to further settle the food products 40 in the receptacle 20 if necessary. Thereafter, the flexible film 44 is applied to the top surface 14 of the tray 10 at sealing station 58 using time, temperature and pressure as is known in the art.

The shape 24 of the receptacle 20 is designed to enable the rigid food products 40 to drop from the funnel 54 and slide to the bottom wall 38 of the receptacle 20 into an orientation so as to by lying flat on the bottom wall 38 and not to be standing up to potentially puncture the flexible film 44 when the flexible film 44 is being secured to the top surface 14. The shape 24 of the receptacle 20 is also designed to minimize breakage of the rigid food products 40 in production and during distribution. To enable these functions, the tray 10 includes the curved wall 36 with a specific radius of curvature R. For rigid food products 40 having a length and a width dimension of one inch or less, the radius of curvature R is preferably about at least 0.35 inches. The curved wall 36 enables the food products 40 to slide to the bottom wall 38 of the receptacle and not end up in the receptacle 20 in an upright orientation.

For example, see FIG. 9 showing square crackers 40 after entering the tray 10 and extending above the top surface 14 and FIG. 10 wherein the shape of the receptacle 20 enables the square crackers 40 to slide into the receptacle 20 in an orientation lying flat and not to be extending above the top surface 14 to thereby minimize the flexible film being punctured thereafter and to thereby minimize breakage of the square crackers 40 in production and distribution.

For example, see FIG. 9 showing circular crackers 40 after entering the tray 10 and extending above the top surface 14 and FIG. 10 wherein the shape of the receptacle 20 enables the circular crackers 40 to slide into the receptacle 20 in an orientation lying flat and not to be extending above the top surface 14 to thereby minimize the flexible film being punctured thereafter to thereby minimize breakage of the square crackers 40 in production and distribution.

It is a purpose of the invention that all of the food products 40 are settled into the receptacle 20 and are not extending above the top surface 14 thereby interfering with the sealing before the trays 10 enter the sealing station 58. If the food products 40 extend above the top surface 14 before they enter the sealing station 58, then there is a high risk of flexible film 44 puncturing. Accordingly, a tray 10 with a specific radius of curvature R is necessary to enable the food products 40 to settle within the receptacle 20 before the flexible film 44 is applied at the sealing station 58.

Referring to FIG. 13, various shapes for the rigid food products 40 are shown. It should be noted that other shapes can be utilized with the present invention.

Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a tray containing mini crackers comprising the steps: providing the tray have a receptacle, the receptacle defined at least in part by a curved wall adjacent a bottom wall so as to define a shape of the receptacle;dropping the mini crackers into the receptacle, the shape of the receptacle enables the mini crackers to slide in the receptacle toward the bottom wall and stop in an orientation generally parallel to the bottom wall; andenclosing the receptacle with a flexible film wherein the occurrences of the mini crackers puncturing the flexible film is reduced due to the shape of the receptacle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the mini crackers are dropped into the receptacle using a funnel.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the shape of the receptacle is defined by a curved wall having a radius of curvature of at least about 0.35 inches and wherein the shape of the receptacle accommodates the mini crackers having a width dimension and a length dimension of 1 inch or less and wherein the receptacle houses between 10 and 35 mini crackers.

4. A method for manufacturing a tray containing mini rigid food products comprising the steps: providing the tray having a top surface and a receptacle, the receptacle having a bottom wall, having at least one side wall with a straight portion adjacent to and perpendicular to the top surface and integral with a curved portion adjacent to the bottom wall;moving at least ten of the mini rigid food products into the tray such that the mini rigid food products enter the receptacle, slide toward the bottom wall and stop in an orientation that is generally parallel to the bottom wall and below the top surface; andapplying a flexible film removably securable to the top surface of the tray and enclosing the receptacle so that the flexible film is not punctured by the mini rigid food products when being secured to the top surface.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the mini rigid food products have a width dimension and a length dimension of 1 inch or less.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein between 10 and 35 mini rigid food products are moved into the tray.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the receptacle has a height and wherein the receptacle height is no more than 1.5 times the width dimension and the height dimension of the mini rigid food products.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the tray is fabricated of a semi-rigid material.

9. A method for manufacturing a tray containing food products comprising the steps: providing the tray having a receptacle, the receptacle having a shape defined at least in part by a bottom wall, a top surface, and a side wall having a straight portion adjacent to and perpendicular to the top surface and a curved portion integral with the straight portion and adjacent to the bottom wall;moving a plurality of the food products into the receptacle, the food products having a sharp portion and having a width dimension and a length dimension of 1.0 inches or less, so that the shape of the receptacle enables the food products to enter the receptacle and move into a position in the receptacle in an orientation that is generally parallel to the bottom wall and below the top surface; andremovably securing a flexible film to the top surface of the tray to enclose the receptacle whereby the occurrences of the sharp portion of the food products puncturing the flexible film after the flexible film is secured to the top surface of the tray are reduced as compared to a tray not having the same shape.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the receptacle has a height and wherein the receptacle height is no more than 1.5 times the width dimension or the height dimension of the food products.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the shape of the receptacle includes a squared off end and a pointed end.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the pointed end includes a wall having a draft angle.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the tray is fabricated of a semi-rigid material and wherein the receptacle includes a step-down to provide rigidity to the tray.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the tray includes a second receptacle containing cheese.