Patent Application
20250100742
Containers, cartons, and trays for holding food items are well known in the food and beverage packaging industry. Food and beverage providers often desire to have separated compartments in a single tray to hold and keep food items and the like separated. Such trays often require a molding procedure that can be expensive and inflexible to operational needs. Further, the molded trays can result in additional shipping and storage costs due to the physical volume of the trays. One such solution is to use a folded paperboard tray formed from a flat blank of paperboard material. However, conventional paperboard trays require using glue or other adhesives to hold the tray in its desired shape. Using glue or other adhesives can be less environmentally friendly and can require extra time and expertise, especially for complex trays with multiple compartments. Another problem with conventional folded paperboard trays is that they can have a tendency to not remain in the desired folded condition.
Accordingly, a need exists for a paperboard tray that can be folded from a blank without the use of glue or other adhesives. A further need exists for user friendliness and ease of creating the tray, regardless of the complexity of the tray and number and type of compartments. A further need exists for a folded paperboard tray that reliably maintains its desired shape, even when including separate compartments.
The present invention is directed generally to a multicompartment paperboard tray and a blank for forming the same. The blank can be stored or transported flat and/or stacked or in another compact manner. A user can easily create the tray by folding the blank to “lock” the end panels and side panels to form compartments in a stable configuration without the need for glue or other adhesives.
According to one embodiment, a blank is provided to form a tray with multiple compartments separated by partitions. The blank may be cut or formed to include end panels on opposite ends of a bottom construct. The blank may also include side panels on opposite sides of the bottom construct such that the side panels and end panels may form an outer or perimeter wall when the tray is formed. The perimeter wall may be formed by folding the side panels and end panels upwards relative to the bottom construct. The bottom construct may include divider panels between bottom panels such that the divider panels can be folded together to form partitions between adjacent compartments in the formed tray.
The blank (and therefore the tray) may be constructed of paperboard, laminated paperboard, cardboard, polymers, thermoplastic materials, molded pulp fiber, laminated molded pulp fiber, or any other suitable material now known or hereafter developed. The blank may include fold lines (e.g., score lines, perforated lines, or the like) to facilitate formation of the tray from the blank.
The end panels may include tabs foldably connected on the distal ends of the end panel, and the side panels may include slots to receive a portion of the tabs (or tabs included on the side panels and slots in the end panels). The slots may be a cut line in the paperboard material of the side panels. The material on either side of the slot may be bent or manipulated such that at least a portion of a tab can pass through the slot. Frictional engagement and/or interference between portions of the tab and slot can help prevent the end panels and side panels from moving relative to each other, which can create a stable perimeter wall arrangement from the end panels and side panels. Thus, inserting the tabs into the slots can hold or lock the tray in a stable folded configuration.
Further advantages, features, and details of the invention are elucidated on the basis of preferred embodiments thereof, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings.
In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like or similar parts in the various views:
The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. For purposes of clarity in illustrating the characteristics of the present invention, proportional relationships of the elements have not necessarily been maintained in the drawing figures. It will be appreciated that any dimensions included in the drawing figures are simply provided as examples and dimensions other than those provided therein are also within the scope of the invention.
The following detailed description of the invention references specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The present invention is defined by the appended claims and the description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense and shall not limit the scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
The present invention is directed generally to a container, carton, or tray 100 that includes multiple compartments 102 separated by one or more partitions 104 and a blank 106 for forming the tray 100 as illustrated in the several figures. It is often desirable to have a tray 100 with multiple compartments 102 to hold and separate food items such as cookies, crackers, snack foods, or other items. The tray 100 may be formed from a single unitary blank 106 of paper or paperboard material for sustainability and other purposes. The blank 106 may be die cut from a larger sheet or roll of paperboard material. Fold lines (or score lines, perforated lines, or the like) may also be formed into the blank 106 by a die or other process to facilitate formation of the tray 100 during the folding process of the blank 106. The blank 106 may be constructed of a multiple layer paperboard material or may be constructed of laminated paperboard, cardboard, polymers, thermoplastic materials, molded pulp fiber, laminated molded pulp fiber, or any other suitable material now known or hereafter developed. The blank 106 may optionally be coated on one or more of its surfaces with a waterproof or water-resistant material and/or oilproof or oil-resistant material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyester.
In one embodiment, the tray 100 and its contents may be wrapped in a wrapper (not shown) such as a plastic or paper film, to help keep the contents secure, protected, and fresh. In another embodiment, the tray 100 may include or be connected to a lid or cover portion (not shown), for example, a hinged cover portion to form a clamshell carton or other closable container, in order to cover the contents therein. In embodiments that include a hinged lid or cover portion, such lid or cover portion may be formed from the same single unitary blank 106 as the tray 100.
Turning to the figures,
The bottom construct 110 may include divider panels 116 between bottom panels 118 such that the divider panels 116 can be folded together to form partitions 104 between adjacent compartments 102 in the formed tray 100. For example, in the illustrated embodiment in
The blank 106 may be cut so that the end panels 108 are not foldably connected to any portion of the bottom construct 110 other than the central bottom panel 118a. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in
It will be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, the end panels 108 may be foldably connected to other portions of the bottom construct 110, for example a side bottom panel 118b, and not fixedly or foldably connected to the central bottom panel 118a. In other words, at least one end portion 136a or 136b of an end panel 108 may be connected to a side bottom panel 118b via a fold line and the central portion 134 of such end panel 108 may be separated from the central bottom panel 118a by a cut line defined therebetween.
As such, the divider panels 116 may be folded along their fold lines such that the first and second divider panels 116a, 116b form a partition 104. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the first and second divider panels 116a, 116b may be folded at an approximately 180° angle relative to each other such that they are generally in surface-to-surface contact with each other to form a singular wall body partition 104. The divider panels 116 may be folded at an approximately 90° angle relative to the bottom panel 118 that each is connected to such that the formed partitions 104 may generally extend upwards from the bottom panels 118. The side panels 112 and end panels 108 may each be folded at an approximately 90° angle relative to the respective bottom panels 118 that each is connected to. As such, the side panels 112 may lie in generally parallel planes, the end panels 108 may lie in generally parallel planes, and each side panel 112 may lie in a plane that is generally perpendicular to a plane that either of the end panels 108 lies in. However, it will be appreciated that the formed tray 100 may be constructed in other manners. For example, in one embodiment, the divider panels 116 may be folded such that the first and second divider panels 116a, 116b are not parallel or in surface-to-surface contact with one another (i.e., form an angle therebetween) and are not perpendicular to the bottom panels 118. Similarly, in one embodiment, the end panels 108 and/or side panels 112 may angle outwardly such that they are not perpendicular to the bottom panels 118.
The end panels 108 may include tabs 120 foldably connected on the distal ends of the end panel 108. These tabs 120 may be folded to make surface-to-surface contact with the side panels 112 when the side panels 112 and end panels 108 are folded to form the outer or perimeter wall 114 of the tray 100. The side panels 112 may include slots 122 configured to receive a portion of each tab 120. For example, as shown, the slots 122 may be a cut line in the paperboard material of the side panels 112. The material on either side of the slot 122 may be bent or manipulated such that a portion of a tab 120 can pass through the slot 122 so that part of the tab 120a is on an exterior side of the side panel 112 and another part of the tab 120b is on an interior side of the side panel 112 (see
For example, the tab 120 may include an angled notch 124 cutout such that the tab 120 does not resist insertion into the slot 122 but would resist removal from the slot 122 without extra manipulation of the material because of the notch 124 catching on the slot 122. The slot 122 may include a vertical portion 126 and an angled portion 128. The angled portion 128 may be configured to correspond to the angled notch 124 such that the angled portion 128 catches and interferes with the angled notch 124 moving in a direction that would remove the tab 120 from the slot 122.
Moreover, the length L1 of the end panels 108 may be approximately equal to the combined width WBP of each of the bottom panels 118 (note that the width WBP may vary among bottom panels 118 to create compartments 102 of varying sizes in the same tray 100) plus the combined width of the partitions 104 (e.g., the combined material thickness of the divider panels 116 if the divider panels 116 are folded into a surface-to-surface contact configuration). More specifically, the length L2 from an outer edge of the end panel 108 to an edge of its connection to the central bottom panel 118a may be approximately equal to the width of the side bottom panel(s) 118b plus the width of the partition(s) 104 on that side.
Because the side panels 112 are foldably connected to the side bottom panels 118b and the end panels 108 are foldably connected to the central bottom panel 118a, “locking” the end panels 108 and side panels 112 into a stable perimeter wall 114 arrangement can further create a stable arrangement of the bottom panels 118 and divider panels 116 wherein they can resist movement relative to each other. That is, in the folded tray 100 configuration, the divider panels 116 can resist unfolding from each other because doing so generally pushes the side panels 112 farther apart from the central bottom panel 118a than the length L2 defined above.
Due to the folding and interlocking configuration described above, the tray 100 may be formed and reliably hold its shape without the use of glue or adhesives, which can save on manufacturing costs, lead to a recyclable and/or compostable waste product, and reduce environmental impact, among other benefits. Moreover, numerous blanks 106 may more easily be stored on-site, which can take less space than the formed trays 100. For example, the panels 108, 112, 116, and 118 of the blank 106 may all lie in a common plane such that blanks 106 can more easily and efficiently be stacked. The blanks 106 can relatively easily be formed into trays 100 on-site as demand calls for the trays 100, which can provide greater flexibility, operations efficiency, and cost savings.
As described above, in alternative embodiments, the first and second divider panels 116a, 116b may folded at angles significantly less than 180° relative to each other so that the partition 104 formed has an inverted V-shape, which may be useful for holding certain food items or objects in the compartments 102 of the tray 100. In such embodiments, the cumulative width of the bottom panels 118 may be reduced to account for the V-shape partition 104 having a width greater than the combined thickness of the first and second divider panels 116a, 116b. In yet another embodiment, a third divider panel (not shown) may be included in each partition 104 such that the partition 104 can be formed with a flat top with substantial width to further separate the compartments 102 if desired.
As shown in the illustrated embodiments, the height of the partitions 104 is less than the height of the perimeter wall 114. The height of the partitions 104 may be varied to create compartments 102 with more or less depth as desired. The height of the partition 104 is approximately equal to the width WDP of the divider panels 116. In the illustrated embodiments, the width of the first and second divider panels 116a, 116b are approximately equal. In other instances, the width of the second divider panel 116b could be less than the width of the first divider panel 116a. In this case, the associated side bottom panel 118b would not necessarily lie in the same plane as the central bottom panel 118a. Instead, they could be offset by the difference in the width of the first and second divider panels 116a, 116b. In such instances, the height of the associated side panel 112 may be less than the height of the end panels 108 by a similar amount so that the top of the perimeter wall 114 in the folded configuration is generally aligned. Offsetting a side bottom panel 118b from the central bottom panel 118a can create compartments 102 of varying depth within the same tray 100, which may be desirable for holding differing types or sizes of food items or other objects in the same tray 100.
As shown in the illustrated embodiments, the tabs 120 are foldably connected to the end panels 108 and the slots 122 are configured in the side panels 112. Alternatively, the tabs 120 may be foldably connected to the side panels 112 and the slots 122 may be configured in the end panels 108, or any combination of tabs 120 and slots 122 may be selected on the end panels 108 and side panels 112 so long as a tab 120 and a slot 122 are included at each distal end of an end panel 108 and corresponding side panel 112.
Tray 300 includes only two compartments 302 whereas tray 100 includes three compartments 102. As such, tray 300 includes just one partition 304 separating the compartments 302. The blank 306 may include a primary bottom panel 318a that is foldably connected to end panels 308. The primary bottom panel 318a may also be foldably connected to a side panel 312 on one side and a first divider panel 316a a on its other side. The blank 306 may be further be configured such that the first divider panel 316a may further be foldably connected to a second divider panel 316b on its side opposite the primary bottom panel 318, the second divider panel 316b further being foldably connected to a secondary bottom panel 318b on its side opposite the first divider panel 316a, and the secondary bottom panel 318b further being foldably connected to a side panel 312 on its side opposite the second divider panel 316b.
Somewhat similar to the embodiments described above, the blank 306 may be cut so that the blank 306 may be cut so that the end panels 308 are not foldably connected to any portion of the bottom construct 310 other than at a primary or single bottom panel 318a. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in
The remaining features of the tray 300 and blank 306 are generally similar to the features of the tray 100 disclosed above.
The illustrated embodiments show a tray 100 with two or three compartments 102. Alternative embodiments could have four or more compartments 102 by adding additional divider panels 116 between additional bottom panels 118.
The tray 100 may be formed from the blank 106 by making folds along the fold lines in any order. One such order of forming is as follows. First, the divider panels 116 may be folded up relative to each other and to the bottom panels 118 to form the partitions 104. Second, the side panels 112 and end panels 108 may each be folded up to form the perimeter wall 114. Finally, the tabs 120 may be folded and inserted into the slots 122 to hold the tray 100 in its folded configuration.
Various embodiments of systems, devices, and methods have been described herein. These embodiments are given only by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It should be appreciated, moreover, that the various features of the embodiments that have been described may be combined in various ways to produce numerous additional embodiments. Moreover, while various materials, dimensions, shapes, configurations, locations, etc. have been described for use with disclosed embodiments, others besides those disclosed may be utilized without exceeding the scope of the invention.
Persons of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize that the subject matter hereof may comprise fewer features than illustrated in any of the individual embodiments described above. The embodiments described herein are not meant to be an exhaustive presentation of how the various features of the subject matter herein may be combined. Accordingly, the embodiments are not mutually exclusive combinations of features; rather, the various embodiments can comprise a combination of different individual features selected from different individual embodiments, as understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Moreover, elements described with respect to one embodiment can be implemented in other embodiments even when not described in such embodiments unless otherwise noted.
The numerical ranges in this disclosure are approximate, and thus may include values outside of the range unless otherwise indicated. Numerical ranges include all values from and including the lower and the upper values, in increments of one unit, provided that there is a separation of at least two units between any lower value and any higher value. These are only examples of what is specifically intended, and all possible combinations of numerical values between the lowest value and the highest value enumerated, are to be considered to be expressly stated in this disclosure.
As used herein, “a,” “an,” or “the” can mean one or more than one. For example, “an” image can mean a single image or a plurality of images.
The term “and/or” as used in a phrase such as “A and/or B” herein can include both A and B; A or B; A (alone); and B (alone). Likewise, the term “and/or” as used in a phrase such as “A, B, and/or C” can include at least the following embodiments: A, B, and C; A, B, or C; A or C; A or B; B or C; A and C; A and B; B and C; A (alone); B (alone); and C (alone).
As used herein, the term “about” when referring to a measurable value such as an amount, a temporal duration, and the like, can include variations of +/−20%, more preferably +/−10%, even more preferably +/−5% from the specified value, as such variations are appropriate to reproduce the disclosed methods and systems.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are inherent to the structure and method. It will be understood that certain features and sub combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. Since many possible embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is also to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and not limiting.
The constructions described above and illustrated in the drawings are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the concepts and principles of the present invention. Thus, there has been shown and described several embodiments of a novel invention. As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. The terms “having” and “including” and similar terms as used in the foregoing specification are used in the sense of “optional” or “may include” and not as “required”. Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the present construction will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/585,445, filed on Sep. 26, 2023, to George Zeiler, entitled “Multicompartment Paperboard Tray,” currently pending, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63585445 | Sep 2023 | US |
