Patent ID: 6231906
Filing Date: 2001-05-15
Classification: B65D

Abstract:
A packaging system for tart shells comprising:a) an upper half and a lower half releasably connectable together;b) a chamber formed by portions of said upper and lower halves including an upper chamber half in said upper half and a lower chamber half in said lower half;c) said lower chamber half including a flat bottom surface and frusto-conical peripheral walls extending from said bottom surface upwardly and continuously to a vertical wall of said lower chamber half, said vertical wall extending upwardly and continuously to an upper horizontal surface of said lower half;d) said upper chamber half comprising a generally dome-like configuration having, relative to the top of the dome-like configuration, a lower periphery connected to an annular ledge, said annular ledge having an outwardly extending horizontal portion and a downwardly extending vertical portion, said annular ledge outwardly extending horizontal portion disposed above a portion of said frusto-conical peripheral walls, said annular ledge downwardly extending vertical portion in axial alignment with said lower chamber half vertical wall and extending to a lower horizontal surface of said upper half, which in turn is adjacent to said upper horizontal surface of said lower half; ande) a frusto-conical tart shell having outwardly extending walls, an upper outer edge and a bottom flat surface, said tart shell being located substantially in said lower chamber half, the upper outer edge of said shell walls, overhanging an upper portion of said frusto-conical peripheral walls of said lower chamber half and the frusto-conical peripheral walls of said lower chamber being angled away from said walls of said tart shell such that a space exists between an upper portion of said shell walls and an upper portion of said lower chamber peripheral walls, an upper surface of said outer edge of said tart shell contacting said annular ledge outwardly extending horizontal portion while simultaneously a bottom flat surface of said tart shell contacts and conforms to said flat bottom surface of said lower chamber half so that said tart shell is retained within said lower chamber half even if said packaging system is inverted.