Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MULTIPLE-ATMOSPHERE, NESTED FOOD CONTAINER
Field
[0001] This application generally relates to a multiple-atmosphere, nested
food
container for enclosing food items therein, and, in particular, a multiple-
atmosphere,
nested food container that comprises a food tray having an atmosphere filled
with a gas
other than air for packaging perishable food items therein and nested within
another tray
having a different atmosphere.
Back-ground
[0002] Food packages are known to comprise multiple compartments within a
single main tray. Multiple trays may also be used and packaged together, each
tray
having a different food component therewithin and at least one tray may have
multiple
compartments. When food packages are sold to consumers, it is often preferred
that
some portion of the package be clear or partially transparent so that the food
product
within can be visible to the consumer.
[0003] However, when multiple trays are packaged together they each can often
have their own closure film or lid. This entails extra material within the
package, as well
as an extra piece of packaging to be removed by the. consumer, and an
additional
manufacturing step when packaging the food. Furthermore, where it is desired
to
package two trays together in a snap-fit manner, they are often placed in a
"face-to-
face" orientation, such that each tray is separately sealed at its opening at
which the
trays are in contact. Therefore, when the outside perimeter of the assembled
package
is viewed, whether it is from the top or bottom, only the outside bottom
surface of the
trays are visible. If the trays are relatively clear or transparent, the food
packaged
therein may be visible. However, the food is typically packaged such that the
bottom or
back of the food product rests adjacent to the bottom of the tray with the
film seal or lid
placed over the top of the food product. Thus, when the trays are placed in
face to face
contact, the top of the food products are hidden from view within the interior
of the
package leaving only the bottom of the food product visible through the
package.
[0004] This face to face orientation does not provide a proper view of the
food
product to the consumer. Many times a consumer makes the decision to purchase
a
packaged food product based upon its appearance in the package. If the
consumer is
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not able to see the front or top side of the food product, which is typically
also the side
viewed when eating, the consumer may be hesitant to purchase the product
thinking
that perhaps what they cannot see is not good.
[0005] To somewhat alleviate this problem, an all clear tray and lidding film
have
been employed to seal the openings of the trays. This permits a consumer to
look
through the bottom-end of a the top tray compartment, i.e., the bottom end is
on top
when packaged in a face to face orientation, through the lidding film of both
trays, and
into the bottom tray compartment to see the top surface of the food product in
the
bottom tray compartment. However, the top tray still only displays the bottom
surface of
the food product due to the face to face orientation of the two trays, thus
hiding the top
surface from view.
[0006] Nesting of compartment trays within each other has been employed where
both trays can be oriented in the same direction, with one inside the other.
For
instance, the top compartment tray will remain in an upright position and can
nest or be
placed into the bottom compartment tray. However, these nested trays either
share a
common cover or lid, or the top tray is used as a cover for the bottom tray.
In both
instances, neither is packaged in a separate modified atmosphere, rather both
the top
and bottom are packaged in similar atmospheres. Thus, packaging food products
together that have differing shelf-life requirements in nested packages often
requires
that the food products be packaged in the same environment. Thus, if a
perishable food
is present, then the non-perishable food must also be packaged under the same
conditions as is required for maintaining the perishable food. This proves a
waste of
resources if not needed for non-perishable or prepackaged items, as well as
the non-
perishable food item taking up space in the package that could be used by
another
perishable food product.
Summary
[0007] A multiple-atmosphere, nested food container or package having at least
one tray packaged in a modified atmosphere environment and at least one tray
is not, is
provided. This type of multi-atmosphere food container allows for improved
shelf
appearance for differing shelf-life food products and frontal product
visibility through the
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trays to allow consumers clear visibility of the unpackaged, perishable food
items. This
type of container further allows packaging food products together that would
not be
obvious to package due to having different shelf lives, such as a cheese
product and a
dessert bar. The multi-atmosphere, nested food container is provided having an
opaque, thermoformed top tray nested within a transparent, thermoformed bottom
tray,
the top tray comprising multiple compartments sealed with a transparent
common, air
impermeable flexible film while packaged in a modified atmosphere ("MAP"). The
bottom tray is not MAP-sealed. The top tray further contains perishable food
items that
are not prepackaged or wrapped before placement into the compartments. The
bottom
tray does contain prepackaged food items and can optionally include non-food
items,
such as eating utensils.
[0008] The top tray is nested within the bottom tray in an upright position
such
that the bottom surface of the top tray is placed into the bottom tray at an
upper opening
thereat. Thus the top surface of the top tray remains visible and in a face-
forward
orientation. This orientation avoids a face to face positioning of the two
trays, ensuring
that the top of the food products remains visible.
[0009] Food packaged within the multi-atmosphere, nested food container allows
for packaging foods together that have differing shelf lives and that may not
have been
obvious to package in the same container. For instance, packaging a perishable
food
item with a non-perishable food item, where both would be packaged in its
separate
required atmosphere, is provided with the multi-atmosphere, nested container.
Furthermore, the food container disclosed herein allows for the top tray to
face forward
when nested in the bottom tray, so that the perishable foods can be viewed
from their
upper surface, or the surface visible when eating. This allows for improved
product
presentation because the consumer can see the top surface of the food they are
getting
and can be confident in the quality of that food. This container also allows
for improved
shelf appearance of the food products therein because the products can be
packaged in
their appropriate atmospheres to maintain their freshness qualities and
attractive
appearance. Since the bottom tray is also transparent, the consumer can also
view the
contents of the bottom tray.
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[0010] Additionally, less packaging material is required since the lid or
cover to
the bottom tray is simply the top tray itself. This further provides for less
manufacturing
steps since each tray does not need to be separately sealed.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0011] FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a multi-atmosphere, nested food
container;
[0012] FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIGURE 1, taken
along the line 2-2;
[0013] FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of the container of FIGURE 1;
[0014] FIGURE 4A is a top plan view of a top tray of the container of FIGURE
1;
[0015] FIGURE 4B is a bottom plan view of the top tray of FIGURE 4A;
[0016] FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of a bottom tray of the container of FIGURE
1;
[0017] FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a fully assembled multi-atmosphere,
nested food container;
[0018] FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a multi-
atmosphere, nested food container;
[0019] FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIGURE 7, taken
along the line 8-8;
[0020] FIGURE 9 is an exploded view of the container of FIGURE 7;
[0021] FIGURE 10 is a top plan view of a top tray of the container of FIGURE
7;
[0022] FIGURE 11 is a top plan view of a bottom tray of the container of
FIGURE
7;
[0023] FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of a fully assembled multi-atmosphere,
nested food container of the second embodiment; and
[0024] FIGURE 13 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of a top tray of a
multi-atmosphere, nested food container.
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Detailed Description of the Drawings
[0025] A multiple-atmosphere, nested food container is provided with a food
tray
packaged in a modified atmosphere and hermetically sealed, and nested inside
of
another food tray, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-13. The food package or container
can have
a top tray and a bottom tray, where the top tray can contain multiple
compartments for
receiving unpackaged, perishable food. The top tray can be covered with a
common
transparent flexible film that hermetically seals the food items therein. The
top tray can
further contain a modified atmosphere comprising a gas other than air that is
maintained
in the compartments once the flexible film is placed thereon. The bottom tray
can
contain a main compartment for receiving prepackaged food and/or non-food
items
therein. Since the food items are prepackaged, the bottom tray does not need
to be
sealed with film or filled with a modified atmosphere. The top tray can
provide a closure
for the compartment of the bottom tray by snapping into the opening of the
bottom tray.
FIGS. 1-6 represent a first aspect of the food container with a first design
of the top and
bottom trays. FIGS. 7-12 represent a second aspect of the food container with
a
second design of the top and bottom trays. FIG. 13 represents a third design
of the top
tray. All different tray components can be interchangeable with one another.
[0026] Turning to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of a food container 10 is shown
in its
assembled form. The food container 10 has an opaque, thermoformed top tray 12
and
a transparent, thermoformed bottom tray 14, the top tray 12 insertable into
the bottom
tray 14, and further comprising a transparent common, air impermeable flexible
film 16
placed over the top surface of the top tray 12 and forming a hermetic seal
over the top
tray 12. The top tray 12 can comprise a plurality of openings or compartments
for
receiving food directly therein. The food items placed in the top tray
compartments do
not need to be prepackaged since they are sealed with the common flexible film
to
preserve the food's freshness, to be discussed in more detail herein.
[0027] The top tray 12 can comprise at least two compartments, or as shown in
FIGS. 1-6, can have at least six compartments 18a to 22b in one aspect of the
food
container 10. The compartments can have any shape, such as square,
rectangular, any
rectilinear shape, or circular, to name a few, and can be oriented in any
manner, such
as similarly shaped pairs arranged in a column or multiple single compartments
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arranged randomly and having different shapes. In another aspect, a top tray
212 can
comprise only two compartments, as shown in FIG. 13. Both compartments can be
shaped differently from each other, with one being generally circular and the
other
generally rectilinear. In yet another aspect, the top tray 121 can comprise
three
compartments, as shown in FIG. 7. Each compartment can again have a different
shape from the other compartments, with one being generally circular and the
other two
having a generally curved rectilinear compartment. However, any number of
compartments can be provided on the top tray and in any shape or
configuration.
[0028] As can be seen from FIG. 4A, the top tray 12 can have at least three
pairs
of food compartments, for a total of six compartments, with each pair
comprising
similarly shaped compartments. A first compartment pair 18a and 18b can each
have a
generally square shape with similar dimensions. A second compartment pair 20a
and
20b can also have a generally square shape and a third compartment pair 22a
and 22b
can have a generally rectangular shape with similar dimensions. However, any
shape
compartments may be provided and the compartment pairs do not need to all be
similarly shaped and sized.
[0029] Various food items can be placed directly into the desired compartments
18a to 22b of the top tray 12 without requiring the food items to be
prepackaged, and
can be covered with a common air impermeable flexible film layer 16. The
flexible film
16 can be affixed to the top tray 12 to hermetically seal the openings to each
compartment 18a to 22b. The flexible film 16 can further be provided as a
clear or
transparent film to allow viewing therethrough of the food items in their
respective
compartments 18a to 22b such that the contents or interiors of the separate
compartments are each visible from an upper surface 30 of the food container
10
through the flexible film 16. The flexible film layer 16 can be sealed to a
portion of an
uppermost generally planar flange 54 surrounding the periphery of the top tray
12 at an
upper surface 30 of the top tray 12 to hermetically seal each of the
compartments, as
shown in FIG. 3. The planar flange 54 can surround a plurality of the openings
or
compartments of the top tray 12 and can surround a periphery of the tray 12.
The
flexible film 16 can maintain the shelf-life of the food items thus preserving
the food
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items' freshness. The flexible film 16 can further be a peelable seal, such
that it can be
removed easily from the top tray 12 without cutting.
[0030] Furthermore, as the flexible film 16 is being sealed to the top tray
12, the
food compartments 18a to 22b can relatively simultaneously be flushed and/or
filled with
a modified atmosphere gas other than air to provide a packaging environment
that can
also extend the shelf-life of the food items and help the food items maintain
a desirable
appearance during retail display. Such a packaging environment may include a
modified atmosphere package ("MAP") that includes, without limitation,
atmospheres
comprising oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and combinations
thereof. In one aspect, the modified atmosphere environment may comprise a
mixture
of gases comprising about 25% carbon dioxide (CO2) and about 75% nitrogen
(N2). In
general, the modified atmosphere can contain about 70% to about 85% nitrogen,
and
preferably the balance can be carbon dioxide.
[0031] The top tray 12 can also have a vertical flange 56 depending from the
planar flange 54 and generally extending about the entire perimeter of the top
tray 12.
The vertical flange 56 can further terminate in a horizontal flange portion
58. These
flange portions can cooperate with similarly situated flange portions of the
bottom tray
14 when in the closed configuration to provide a closed container 10, to be
discussed in
further detail herein below.
[0032] Each compartment of the top tray 12 can have a depending sidewall and a
bottom wall, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, with an opening opposite the bottom
wall and
defining an interior for containing discrete, unpackaged perishable food items
directly
therein. Any variation on the number of sidewalls can be provided and
typically four
upstanding sidewalls are provided when the compartment has a generally
rectilinear
shape, as in FIG. 1. If the compartment has a generally circular shape it can
have at
least one upstanding sidewall, or at least two upstanding sidewalls. In one
aspect,
compartment 20b has a bottom wall 34 and three upstanding sidewalls 40a, 40b
and
40c and one partial upstanding sidewall having sidewall portions 40d and 40d'
adjacent
to compartment 20a. The partial upstanding sidewall 40d and 40d' can be
divided by an
optional notch or depression 44 positioned between compartments 20a and 20b in
a
common sidewall. The notch 44 can be used as a finger insert that allows the
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consumer to insert a finger or other removal means or tool to assist in
removal of the
food item therein. Thus, at least two of the six total compartments can have
this
common depressed sidewall that provides for a finger insert or other removal
tool.
[0033] Another pair of compartments 22a and 22b can also contain a bottom wall
with four upstanding sidewalls. For instance, compartment 22b has a bottom
wall 36
and four upstanding sidewalls 42a, 42b, 42c and 42d. Sidewall 42a can
similarly
contain an optional finger insert in the form of a recess or an indentation
46. The
indentation 46 can span a portion of the sidewall 42a, such that it can span
at least
enough of a distance to allow a consumer access to the interior of the
compartment 22b
to make removal of the food item easier. In one aspect, the indentation 46 can
be
positioned at about a midpoint of the sidewall 42a and can make up about 1/3
of the
length of the sidewall 42a. Similarly, compartment 22a also can contain an
optional
indentation 48 in its sidewall 42a'.
[0034] The final pair of compartments 18a and 18b can have a multi-level
bottom
wall due to a raised portion 26 in the bottom of each compartment 18a and 18b.
The
raised portion 26 at the bottom interior of the compartment 18a or 18b can be
provided
to allow a smaller height food item or stack to be packaged and stored therein
and still
be at the same final height as food items in adjacent compartments 20a, 20b,
22a and
22b. The food compartments 18a to 22b can each have a similar depth
compartment.
It is further desired that the food items are placed in the food compartments
at the same
visible elevation, such that the top surface of the uppermost food item can be
viewed
from the top of the tray. The food items preferably are packaged such that the
uppermost food item is almost flush with the top surface 30 of the top tray
12. All of the
food items are preferably placed in their respective compartments at
approximately the
same height. Where the food item or stack of food items is not tall enough,
the bottom
wall 32 of the food compartment 18a and 18b can contain raised portion 26 for
supporting food thereon, which can slightly elevate the food therein to a
height that is
generally equivalent to the height of the other food items in the adjacent
compartments,
and above a bottommost portion of the bottom wall 32.
[0035] The raised portion 26 can be present in one compartment, more than one,
or all, however, the presence of a raised portion 26 within the compartments
is optional
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and does not need to be present at all. The use of a raised portion 26 can be
dependant upon the food item to be stored therein and whether or not the food
item will
be tall enough to be substantially fully viewed from its upper surface when
placed in the
compartment. In one aspect, compartment 18b, as shown in FIG. 2, can have a
bottom
wall 32 that has three portions 32a, 32b and 32c. The middle portion 32b of
the bottom
wall 32 can form the raised portion 26 within the interior of the compartment
18b, and
the two outer portions of the bottom wall 32a and 32c can be flush with the
other bottom
walls 34 and 36 of the outer compartments. The compartment 18b also can have
four
upstanding sidewalls 38a, 38b, 38c and 38d. Along a portion of sidewall 38b a
finger
insert can be provided, such as an indentation 50, similar to the indentations
46 or 48 at
compartments 22a and 22b. Likewise, compartment 18a can also have an
indentation
52 in a portion of its sidewall 38b'. Thus, at least one compartment, and
preferably all,
can contain a recess or notch for inserting a finger or other removal tool
therein to
provide for easier removal of the food item stored in the compartment.
[0036] The bottom tray 14 can comprise a bottom wall 62 and a peripheral
sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom wall 62. In one aspect, the bottom
wall 62
can have four upstanding sidewalls 64a, 64b, 64c and 64d, as shown in FIG. 5.
Opposite the bottom wall 62, there can be an open end 66 surrounded by an
uppermost
peripheral rim 68 at an upper end of the sidewalls 64. The sidewall and bottom
wall can
define an interior 24 of the bottom tray 14, which can be filled with
prepackaged food
items or non-food items, such as plastic eating utensils, napkins, and the
like, in a non-
modified atmosphere. The bottom tray 14 does not need to be hermetically
sealed
and/or MAP-sealed due to the food items therein already being prepackaged.
Thus, the
opening 66 of the bottom tray 14 does not need to be sealed with a film or
other air-tight
seal, rather a lid or other enclosure can be used to close the interior 24 of
the bottom
tray 14 to prevent the contents therein from spilling out.
[0037] The peripheral rim 68 of the bottom tray 14 has a vertical flange
portion 70
that depends therefrom and generally extends about the entire perimeter of the
opening
66 of the bottom tray 14. The vertical flange portion 70 can terminate in a
horizontal
flange portion 72. The vertical flange portion 70 can contact the vertical
flange portion
56 of the top tray when the container 10 is placed in a closed configuration.
Similarly,
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the respective horizontal flange portions 58 and 72 can also contact one
another upon
closing.
[0038] To place the container 10 in a closed configuration, the sealed top
tray 12
can be inserted into the bottom tray 14 in an upright position such that the
top tray 12
can nest just inside a portion of the interior 24 of the bottom tray 14 to
provide a durable
enclosure that covers the opening 66 of the bottom tray 14 and can act as a
lid for the
bottom tray 14. The top tray 12 can snap into the bottom tray 14 while in an
upright
position, with the top surface 30 of the top tray 12 facing outward and fully
visible when
displayed. The upright position of the top tray 12 is achieved by inserting a
bottom
surface of the top tray 12 into the opening 66 at the top surface of the
bottom tray 14,
such that a portion of the flange 54 surrounding the periphery of the top tray
12 rests on
the peripheral rim 68 surrounding the opening 66 of the bottom tray 14. The
term
"upright position" refers to the top surface 30 of the top tray 12 being
visible in relation to
the bottom tray 14, such that the top surface 30 faces forward. It is to be
understood
that the closed and fully assembled container 10 can be displayed on its side,
or in any
other manner, yet the top surface will still remain visible and can be
considered to be in
an "upright position" in relation to the bottom tray 14. When the container 10
is closed,
the underside of the planar flange 54 can be adjacent the top surface of the
peripheral
rim 68 of the bottom tray 14. Similarly, the underside of the vertical flange
56 and
horizontal flange 58 of the top tray 12 can be adjacent to the vertical flange
70 and
horizontal flange 72, respectively, of the bottom tray 14.
[0039] In order to achieve a snap-fit of the top tray 12 over the bottom tray
14, as
well as an audible snapping sound, the top and bottom trays 12 and 14 can have
elastic
engagement of their respective edge. This can be provided by a rib and groove
pair
positioned in at least one corner of the container 10, and preferably one in
each corner
of the container 10, that cooperate to fit the top tray 12 and bottom tray 14
together. In
one aspect, there can be a groove 80 and 81 in each corner 82 and 83 of the
bottom
tray 14. These grooves 80 and 81 can be positioned along a portion of the
vertical
flange 70 that cooperate with corresponding ribs 84 and 85, respectively,
positioned on
the top tray 12 along a portion of the vertical flange 56 in corners 86 and
87,
respectively, on the underside thereof, as seen in FIG. 4B. The large grooves
80 can
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be positioned in opposite corners 82 adjacent an optional tab extension 74.
These
large grooves 80 can be larger in size than the small grooves 81 in adjacent
corners 83,
and can have a larger size and length indent due to being positioned adjacent
the tab
extensions 74. As the ribs 84 and 85 from the top tray 12 slide over and into
their
respective grooves 80 or 81, at a minimum the corners 86 and 87 of the top
tray 12 can
deform and snap back into place, snapping into their respective groove 80 or
81. The
food container 10 can have a rib 84 or 85 and corresponding groove 80 or 81 in
each of
its four corners, however, less than that number can be supplied and at least
one of
each can be provided. Alternatively, the opposite configuration may also be
provided
where the ribs are located on the bottom tray 14 and the grooves are located
on the top
tray 12.
[0040] The items located inside the interior 24 of the bottom tray 14 can be
arranged at a height that does not interfere with the underside of the bottom
walls 32,
34, and 36 of the top tray 12 when placed over the opening 66 of the bottom
tray 14.
Depending on what the depth of the top tray 12 compartments 18a to 22d are,
the items
packaged in the interior 24 of the bottom tray 14 should be packaged at least
this
distance below the top flange 68 of the bottom tray 14.
[0041] FIGS. 7-12 illustrate another aspect of the food container. FIG. 7
shows a
food container 100 comprising a top tray 121 and a bottom tray 141. The top
tray 121
can contain three compartments 102, 104, and 106 in the aspect shown. The
three
compartments 102, 104, and 106 can all be shaped or sized differently from one
another. At least one compartment can have a generally circular side. In one
aspect, a
first compartment 102 can be sized generally circular, with a bottom wall 132
and at
least two upstanding sidewalls. The first compartment 102 can also be the
largest sized
compartment for storing a large food item or items. The next largest
compartment 104
can be generally rectilinear in shape with generally rounded edges. The
compartment
104 can have a bottom wall 134 and four upstanding sidewalls. The last
compartment
106 can be the smallest sized compartment and it can generally comprise a
parallelogram shape. The compartment 106 can have a bottom wall 136 and four
upstanding sidewalls.
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[0042] The top tray 121 can have compartments at a similar depth as those of
the
previous container 10, however, raised portions at the bottom of the
compartments do
not need to be provided. Alternatively, the raised portions may be provided
where the
food item stored therein is small in height and needs an increased display
height in
order to reach the same display height of adjacent food items. Additionally,
the
compartments 102, 104 and 106 are shown without indentations or notches
therein for a
finger or other removal tool to be inserted, however, this feature may
optionally be
provided in one or more of the compartments.
[0043] The bottom tray 141 can be similarly sized and shaped as the bottom
tray
14 in the previous embodiment. The outer surface of the bottom tray 141 can
have a
different ribbing design along its sidewalls and a portion of its bottom wall
132 than the
previous bottom tray 14, as shown in FIG. 7, can be the same, or it may not
contain any
ribbing at all. All of the remaining aspects of the food container 100 are the
same as the
food container 10 previously described. Similarly labeled reference numerals
relate to
the same features in both.
[0044] Another aspect is shown, in FIG. 13, where the top tray 212 can
comprise
two compartments 202 and 204. The compartments 202 and 204 are both sized
larger
than if there were more than two compartments provided. This allows for
storing larger
sized food items. The top tray 212 can likewise snap and fit into the bottom
tray 14 or
141 of the previous embodiments. A flexible film 16 is sealed over the planar
flange
254 of the top tray 212 to enclose the food items directly stored within the
compartments 202 and 204. The bottom tray can contain prepackaged food and/or
non-food items, as previously discussed.
[0045] The top tray 12, 121 or 212 and bottom tray 14 or 141 can both
optionally
contain a tab extension 60 and 74, respectively, at one or two opposing
corners 82 and
86 of the food container 10. These tab extensions 60 and 74 can assist in
opening the
food container 10. The consumer can grasp the tab extension 60 located at the
comer
86 of the top tray 12 and apply an upward force to separate the tab extension
60 from
the tab extension 74 below it, in an effort to remove the top tray 12 from the
bottom tray
14. Furthermore, an optional raised protuberance 88, such as a half circle,
can be
provided on the upper surface of the tab extension 74 on the bottom tray 14.
This
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raised protuberance 88 can aid in separating the tab extension 60 from the
lower tab
extension 74 by keeping a slight space between the two, and allow easier
grasping of
the upper tab extension 60 upon removal of the top tray 12.
[0046] Furthermore, where the top and bottom trays 12 and 14 contain tab
extensions 60 and 74, respectively, the compartments 18a and 22b in the top
tray 12
adjacent the tab extensions 60 can have a curved corner edge, as can be seen
in FIG.
4. For instance, the first compartment 18a has a generally rectilinear shape
that is
similar to the adjacent generally rectilinear compartment 18b. The only
difference being
between the two compartments 18a and 18b is that of the shape of the first
compartment 18a, which has one corner edge of its rectilinear compartment 18a
curved
rather than meeting at a generally 90 degree angle, as in the adjacent
compartment
18b. Compartments 22a and 22b are similarly configured with a corner of
compartment
22b having one rounded corner adjacent the tab extensions 60 and 74.
[0047] The food container 10 or 100 can also optionally contain a paperboard
sleeve 28 that extends and wraps around the top tray 12, 121, or 212 and the
bottom
tray 14 or 141 when in the closed configuration, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 12.
The
sleeve 28 can hold the trays together against unintentional separation until
removal of
the sleeve 28. The sleeve 28 can also contain a tear strip 76 for easy removal
of the
sleeve 28 without requiring cutting or tearing through the sleeve 28. The tear
strip 76
can have a tab 78 at one end for grasping, which the consumer can use to pull
along
the tear strip 76 to separate the sleeve 28 at scored lines of the tear strip
76.
Optionally, the sleeve 28 can also contain writing or graphics printed on it.
[0048] Still optionally, the sleeve 28 can be adhered to a portion of the food
container 10 or 100 to ensure that the sleeve 28 cannot slide off of the
container 10 or
100 or be removed unintentionally. Thus, an underside of the sleeve 28 can be
glued or
adhered to a portion of the container 10, such as a small section of the
bottom tray 14
or 141. The sleeve 28 remaining intact helps to ensure that the top and bottom
trays
remain together.
[0049] The top and bottom trays 12, 121 or 212 and 14 or 141 may be
thermoformed trays made from a rigid material. The term "rigid" is used herein
to
indicate that the structures made of these materials have the ability to
generally retain
13
CA 02705623 2010-05-27
their respective shapes during normal handling, such as polyester,
polypropylene, high
impact polystyrene, high density polyethylene, amorphous polyethylene
terephthalate,
or a combination thereof. The bottom tray 14 or 141 can preferably be made
from a
transparent or translucent material such that the contents therein can be
viewed by the
consumer when looking through the bottom tray 14 or 141 when the container 10
or 100
is in the closed configuration. However, the top tray 12, 121 or 212 does not
need to
also be transparent. The top tray 12, 121 or 212 can comprise a non-
transparent
material, a colored material, or it can be transparent. The top tray 12, 121
or 212 can
comprise an oxygen barrier material, such as high impact polystyrene ("HIPS").
The top
tray can have an oxygen transmission rate of about 0.2 to about 0.4
cc/100in2/24h at a
temperature of about 73 F. The bottom tray 14 or 141 can comprise a non-
barrier
material, such as amorphous polyethylene terephthalate ("APET").
[0050] The air impermeable flexible film 16 that seals the top tray 12, 121 or
212
can comprise a transparent film to permit viewing therethrough of the food
items within
their respective compartments. The material of construction of the flexible
film 16 may
be polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, ethylene vinyl alcohol, ethylene
vinyl
acetate, polyester, polyolefin, polypropylene or a combination thereof. In one
aspect, a
flexible film 16 is provided comprising polyethylene terephthalate coextruded
with a
combination of polyethylene, ethylene vinyl alcohol and ethylene vinyl
acetate. The
flexible film 16 can preferably comprise an oxygen barrier film material, such
that the
food items sealed within the compartments of the top tray 12, 121, or 212 are
hermetically sealed therein. The flexible film material used may have a
barrier layer
added to it that keeps out oxygen, has an antifog feature, and provides for
easy open of
the flexible film 16 from the top tray peripheral flange 54, 154, or 254. The
flexible film
16 can be heat sealed to the top tray peripheral flange 54, 154 or 254 or any
similar
method of adhering the flexible film 16 to the top tray may be used.
[0051] Typical overall dimensions of the container 10 or 100 can comprise a
length and width of about 5 inches to about 10 inches in length and of about
4.5 inches
to about 6.5 inches in width. The length and width of the top and bottom trays
should
be similarly sized so that the two trays can fit together snugly when placed
in the closed
configuration. The dimensions of the container 10 or 100 are provided such
that various
14
CA 02705623 2010-05-27
sizes can be accommodated. For instance, it may be desirable to size the
container 10
or 100 so that it can hold a pizza snack product, or in another instance, a
cracker snack
product, where both may require a different depth tray.
[0052] The bottom and top trays can have a length from about 5 inches to about
inches, and in particular, a length of about 7 inches to about 9 inches. The
width of
the two trays can be from about 4.5 inches to about 6.5 inches, and in
particular, a width
between about 5 inches and 6 inches.
[0053] A depth of the bottom tray compartment can be from about 2 inches to
about 3.5 inches, and in particular, from about 2.5 inches to about 3 inches
deep. A
depth of the top tray compartments can be from about 0.5 inches to about 2
inches
deep, and in particular, from about 0.5 inches to about 1 inch deep.
[0054] In one aspect, as shown in FIGS. 1-6, the container 10 can have similar
dimensions of length and width for both the top and bottom trays 12 and 14
comprising
about 7.7 inches in length and about 5.2 inches in width. The top tray 12 can
have
compartment depths of about 0.7 inches deep, and the bottom tray 14 can have a
compartment depth of about 2.6 inches deep. In another aspect, as shown in
FIGS. 7-
12, the top tray 121 can have compartment depths of about 0.9 inches deep, and
the
bottom tray compartment 141 can have a depth of about 2.8 inches deep.
[0055] The thickness of the bottom tray 14 or 141 can be about 15 mil to about
25 mil, and in particular, about 22 mil. The thickness of the top tray 12, 121
or 212 can
be about 4 mil to about 16 mil, and in particular, about 4 mil after the tray
has been
formed. The thickness of the flexible film 16 can be about 0.5 mil to about 2
mil, and in
particular, about 1.5 mil.
[0056] The paperboard sleeve 28 can comprise a solid bleached sulfate
paperboard material that is not transparent. The sleeve 28 can have a length
of about 4
inches to about 5 inches, and in particular, about 4.5 inches. The width of
the sleeve 28
can be about 4.5 inches to about 6 inches, and in particular, about 5.3
inches. The
length and width of the sleeve 28 can be provided as a constant between
various
products, since similar length and width trays can be used across the board of
product
choices, however, the height or depth of trays can vary depending on the food
item
packaged therein. Therefore, the height of the sleeve 28 can vary depending on
the
CA 02705623 2010-05-27
product packaged and can be from about 2 inches to about 3 inches. In one
aspect,
where a cracker snack is packaged, the container 10 can have a sleeve 28
height of
about 2.7 inches. In another aspect, where a pizza snack is packaged, the
container
100 can have a sleeve 28 height of about 2.9 inches.
[0057] When the sleeve 28 is placed around the trays, about less than half of
the
top tray 12, 121, or 212 remains visible and uncovered. Thus, less than about
50% of
the uppermost surface 30 and compartments of the top tray 12, 121, or 212
remain
visible and uncovered upon application of the sleeve 28. Where the top tray 12
has six
compartments, some of the compartments 20a and 20b may be completely covered
by
the sleeve 28 and thus are not visible. Where the top tray 121 or 212 has two
or three
compartments, a portion of each compartment can remain visible and uncovered
upon
application of the sleeve 28. In one aspect, about 42% of the top tray 12 can
remain
visible and uncovered after the sleeve 28 is placed around the container.
[0058] The food container 10 or 100 described herein may be used to package
any variety of ready to eat foods that may or may not require further minimal
assembly
of the food items before consuming. Ready to eat food varieties may include
pizza
snacks, cracker snacks, desserts, lunch kits, sandwich kits, meal kits, pasta
kits, snack
mixes, and other food varieties. The food items packaged together in the food
container
or 100 are typically associated food products depending upon the ready to eat
food
that is being sold. For instance, if a pizza product is being sold in the food
container
100, then at a minimum, food items that are typical for a pizza can be
included in the
container 100, such as tomato sauce, cheese and a meat topping.
[0059] The top tray 12, 121 or 212 can comprise any number of various food
items that are directly filled into their respective compartments and sealed
with the
flexible film 16 in a MAP environment, with no additional packaging and no
prepackaging of the food items required. Food items packaged in the top tray
12, 121
or 212 may comprise deli meats, deli cheeses, cheese shreds, meat, bread,
pizza crust,
crackers, any farinaceous food product, vegetables, fruits, and any other food
item that
may have a shelf-life packaging requirement and may require hermetic and/or
gas-
flushed packaging.
16
CA 02705623 2010-05-27
[0060] In one aspect, the food container 10 may comprise a cracker snack that
includes crackers, meat and cheese in the top tray 12. For instance, meat
slices 90
may be stored and stacked upon one another in the first pair of compartments
18a and
18b and cheese slices 92 may be stored and stacked in the last pair of
compartments
22a and 22b. The crackers 94 may be stored and stacked in the middle pair of
compartments 20a and 20b. The food items may be cut to any shape or thickness
such
that the food items are shaped to fit in their respective compartment and are
not taller
than the upper surface 30 of the top tray 12 when the food items are stacked
upon one
another. In the aspect shown in FIG. 6, the meat slices 90 may be cut to a
circular
shape and placed on the raised bottom portion 26 of the compartments 18a and
18b
such that the upper surface of the meat slices 90 can be positioned relatively
flush with
the opening of the compartment adjacent the upper surface 30 of the top tray
12 and at
a similar height to the cheese 92 and crackers 94. The cheese slices 92 can be
cut into
rectangular shapes and the cracker 94 may be circular in shape. However, any
shape
may be provided as long as the food item can fit into its compartment.
[0061] in another aspect, the food container 100 may comprise a meat pizza
snack. For instance, a bread or crust product 108 may be stored in the
circular shaped
compartment 102 with the toppings stored in the other adjacent compartments.
In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the meat product 110 may comprise pepperoni
slices
stored and stacked in one compartment 106 and cheese shreds 112 stored in an
adjacent compartment 104. In yet another aspect, the food container may
comprise a
cheese pizza snack with only two compartments in the top tray 212, one
circular
compartment 202 for the bread or crust product 108 and another compartment 204
for
the cheese shreds 112. The pizza sauce used in both pizza snack products can
be
prepackaged and stored in the bottom tray 14 or 141.
[0062] The bottom tray 14 or 141 can comprise any number of different
prepackaged food items and non-food items that do not require a MAP
environment.
The bottom tray 14 or 141 may contain a drink item, a dessert item, a dessert
cup, an
apple sauce, condiment packets, a yogurt, a pizza sauce pouch, an eating
utensil, a
napkin, a cup, a bag of chips, a bag of crackers, any other type of
prepackaged food
17
CA 02705623 2010-05-27
item that does not have any special packaging requirements that impact its
shelf life, or
any other type of non-food item that would be relevant to a ready to eat food
container.
[0063] In the aspect shown in FIG. 6, the bottom tray 14 can contain a bottle
of
water, a prepackaged apple sauce, a prepackaged dessert bar and a spoon. In
the
aspect shown in FIG. 12, the bottom tray 141 can contain a bottle of water, a
prepackaged pouch of pizza sauce and a prepackaged dessert item, such as
cookies.
However, the bottom tray 14 or 141 is not limited to the combinations
disclosed herein
and any number of food and non-food item combinations may be provided within
the
bottom tray 14 or 141.
[0064] Three different top tray 12, 121, and 212 embodiments were disclosed
where any top tray design is insertable into any bottom tray 14 or 141 design,
such that
the top and bottom tray designs can be mixed and matched. Additionally, other
variations on the top tray and associated compartments can be provided such as
different arrangements or orientations on the two or more compartment designs
disclosed herein, and so forth.
[0065] The food package or containers 10 or 100 disclosed herein can contain
various ready to eat food kits or packages that can be assembled by the
consumer prior
to eating. The food package 10 or 100 can first be opened to expose the food
items
stored therein. To open the food package, the consumer can first remove the
sleeve
28, if one is present, by grasping at the pull tab 78 and separating the
sleeve along its
tear strip 76 to allow it to be removed from around the top tray 12, 121 or
212 and the
bottom tray 14 or 141. Next, the top tray 12, 121 or 212 can be removed from
the
bottom tray 14 or 141 by grasping the top tray 12, 121 or 212 at its corner
tab extension
60 and pulling up while separating it from the bottom tray 14 or 141. The
bottom tray
tab extension 74 can also be grasped and pulled in the opposite direction to
enact a
separation of the top and bottom trays. Once the trays are separated, the
bottom tray
interior compartment 24 is exposed and the prepackaged food items and/or non-
food
items are accessible.
[0066] The flexible film 16 can then be removed from the top tray 12, 121 or
212
by peeling it away from the top tray peripheral flange 54, 154, or 254,
respectively, to
expose the food compartments therein. The food items that are packaged within
the
18
CA 02705623 2010-05-27
food compartments of the top tray are then exposed and can be removed from the
compartments. The consumer can then assemble the ready to eat food product by
removing its component food parts from the compartments and assembling them
into
the final food product. The bottom tray can contain food items that are
associated with
the final food product and can compliment the final food product.
[0067] From the foregoing, it will be appreciated a multiple-atmosphere,
nested
food container is provided that allows for packaging various food products
together
having different shelf lives and having improved product visibility, and
methods of
removal and assembly of the food product thereof. However, numerous
modifications
and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without
departing from
the scope of the food container and method set forth in the claims. Therefore,
the
disclosure is not limited to the aspects and embodiments described
hereinabove, or to
any particular embodiments. Various modifications to the food container and
the
method of removal and assembly of the food product could be made which can
result in
substantially the same food container and method of removal and assembly.
19
