A TRAY CONTAINER AND BLANK

Abstract: A tray and a blank (10) for forming a tray for holding foodstuff or the like which tray is formed from paperboard or like foldable sheet material and can be erected from a flat collapsed condition into a position of use. The tray comprises a plurality of panels (20, 14) including inner and outer base panels (20, 14) secured together and wherein one of the base panels includes a securing portion for securing to the other of said base panels, a lateral margin (72, 74) and a plurality of rib panels (76, 78, 94, 96) foldably interconnecting said securing portion to said lateral margin (72, 74). The lateral margin (72, 74) and rib panels (76, 78, 94, 96) are moveable relative the other of said base panels, such that the rib panels (76, 78, 94, 96) are moved out of alignment with the base panel to form a rib (75, 86), which rib (75, 86) is automatically erected when the tray is erected into the position of use.

Description: A TRAY CONTAINER AND BLANK The present invention relates to a carton (or tray) for accommodating foodstuff for example fish or meat and more particularly to a carton formed from one or more blanks of paperboard or other suitable foldable sheet material. It is known from WO 93/15962 to provide a fluid tight packaging tray formed from cardboard comprising a single base panel surrounded by side and end wall structures and connected by an enclosure arrangement to maintain a foodtight seal and to prevent liquid from rising by capillarity. Tray structures formed from board generally lack strength when compared to trays formed from plastics material, so more commonly trays are formed from polystyrene or other plastics material. Another problem is that there can be excess food liquid, for example blood or water, from foodstuff which is undesirable. One solution is illustrated in EP 0 662 066 which shows a food product support comprising a first layer formed from cardboard and a second layer secured to the first layer, the second layer comprising a contact impermeable layer. The resulting complex layer includes a plurality of perforations which extend completely through the impermeable layer and partially penetrate the cardboard to allow liquids to be absorbed by the carton or plate. The present invention in its preferred embodiment seek to overcome or at least mitigate the problems of the prior art. Accordingly, a first aspect of the present invention provides a carton (or tray) for holding foodstuff or the like which tray is formed from paperboard or like foldable sheet material and can be erected from a flat collapsed condition into a position of use, the tray comprising a plurality of panels including inner and outer base panels secured together and wherein one of the base panels includes a securing portion for securing to the other of said base panels, a lateral margin and one or more rib panels foldably interconnecting said securing portion to said lateral margin, wherein the lateral margin and said one or more rib panels is moveable relative to the other of said base panels, such that said one or more rib panels is displaced out of the plane of said one of the base panels to form a rib, which rib is automatically erected when the tray is erected into the position of use. An advantage of the tray of the first aspect of the invention is that the overall tray structure is strengthened by one or more ribs (or beam structures) and minimises sliding of slices of food when the tray is arranged vertically in the supermarket shelves. The use of paperboard allows printed matter to be applied to the tray for marketing purposes and provides an "environmentally friendly" alternative to plastics material. According to an optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the rib may be formed from the inner base panel and when erected defines a longitudinally extending panel portion. According to another optional feature of this aspect of the invention the rib may comprise a pair of rib panels foldably connected together to define a substantially V- shaped cross-section of said longitudinally extending panel portion. Alternatively, the rib may comprise three rib panels foldably connected together to define a substantially yoke shaped cross-section of said longitudinally extending panel portion. According to another optional feature of this aspect of the invention the lateral margin may be connected to a side wall and the rib is caused to be automatically erected by folding the side wall out of alignment from base wall panels. According to another optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the side wall may comprise an inner side wall panel foldably connected along first fold line to the lateral margin of said inner base panel and an outer side wall panel foldably connected along a second fold line to the outer base panel, and wherein the inner and outer side wall panels are secured together wherein said first and second fold lines are offset such that the lateral margin of said inner base panel extends upwardly and is spaced from said outer base panel to define a void. Preferably, the void may be adapted to receive liquid from the foodstuff and optionally the void may include absorbing means to absorb said liquid. According to a further optional feature of this aspect of the invention the tray may comprise a plurality of perforations on the inner base panel and/or said first fold line to facilitate movement of liquid away from the foodstuff to be absorbed by absorbing means placed between inner and outer base panels. According to a further optional feature of this aspect of the invention the rib may adapted to define a void intermediate the inner and outer base panels. Preferably, the void may adapted to receive liquid from the foodstuff. According to a still further optional feature of this aspect of the invention the void may include absorbing means to absorb said liquid. According to yet another optional feature of this aspect of the invention the rib may be formed from the outer base panel and when erected defines a longitudinally extending support beam. A second aspect of the invention provides a blank for forming a tray comprising inner and outer base panels, pairs of oppositely disposed side and end walls interconnected to said outer base panel and end closure arrangements adapted to connect each side wall to adjacent end wall panels wherein the inner base panel includes a securing portion for securing to said outer base panel, a lateral margin and at least one rib panel foldably interconnecting said securing portion to said lateral portion, wherein the lateral margin and said at least one rib panel is moveable relative the outer base panel, such that said at least one rib panel is displaceable out of the plane of said one base panel to form a rib, which rib is automatically erected when the tray is erected into the position of use. According to an optional feature of the second aspect of the invention the blank may further comprise an inner side wall panel foldably connected along first fold line to the lateral margin of said inner base panel and an outer side wall panel foldably connected along a second fold line to the outer base panel, and wherein the inner and outer side wall panels are secured together such that said first and second fold lines are offset, the first fold line being superposed the outer side wall panel. Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a blank for forming a carton according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 2 and 3 illustrate a carton formed from the blank illustrated in Figure 1 during folding; and FIGURE 4 is an isometric illustration of a carton formed from a blank shown in Figure 1. Referring first to Figure 1 there is shown a blank 10 for forming a collapsible tray or carton made from one or more blanks of paperboard or similar foldably sheet material. The blank 10 comprises first outer side wall panel 12, outer base panel 14, second outer side wall panel 16, inner side wall panel 18, inner base panel 20, second inner side wall panel 22 hingedly connected along foldlines 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 respectively. In other embodiments, separate blanks may be used to form the inner and outer panels respectively. Preferably, there further comprises an end wall structure, for example an outer end wall panel 34 hingedly connected to a lateral edge of outer base panel 14 along fold line 36 and second outer end wall panel 38 hingedly connected to the opposing lateral edge of outer base panel 14 along fold line 40. Preferably, each outer end wall panel 34, 36 may further comprise a support flap 42, 44 positioned along distal edges of outer end flaps 34, 36 respectively along fold lines 46 and 48. Suitable securing means for connecting the end and side wall panels is provided. In this embodiment there comprises a pair of oppositely disposed securing flaps 50, 52 extending from opposite ends of outer end wall panels 34, 38 and connected thereto along fold lines 54 and 56 respectively. The securing flaps 50, 52 are adjacent the outer side wall panels 12, 16 and separated therefrom by cut lines 58, 60 respectively. The shape of the flaps and the use of cut lines 58, 60 results in a reduction in paperboard. Likewise, a pair of inner end flaps 62, 64 can be included which flaps 62, 64 are foldably connected to inner base panel 20 along opposed lateral edges. In this embodiment, end flap 62 is hingedly connected to inner base panel along a central portion of the lateral edge defined by fold line 66 and similarly, second end flap 64 is hingedly connected along a central portion of the opposed lateral edge defined by fold line 68. Turning to the construction of inner base panel 20, there comprises a securing portion 70, for securing the inner base panel to the outer base panel. In Figure 1 it is located in a central position. There further comprises at least one lateral margin 72, 74 separated from the securing portion by at least one rib panel which is capable of being folded into a rib (or beam structure) 75, 86. In this embodiment, there comprises two beam structures 75, 86 formed from a pair of rib panels 76, 78, 94, 96 each defined by a set of three fold lines 80, 82, 84; 88, 90, 92 extending longitudinally across inner base panel 20. Lateral margins 72, 74 are foldably connected to rib panels 78, 94 along fold line 80, 92 respectively. Securing portion 70 is foldably connected to the other rib panels 76, 96 along fold lines 84, 88 respectively. In a set up condition, each beam structure is substantially "V'shaped in cross section. In other classes of embodiments, the ribs may comprise more (or less) panels adapted to define one or more ribs with different cross-sections, for example yoke-shape or square shape. In yet other classes of embodiments, there may only be one rib which could, for example, be located in a central portion of the base panel, whereby the securing portion would be moved to an outer part of the inner base panel. Alternatively, the or each rib could be formed from the outer base panel without departing from the scope of invention where it is desired to use the ribs as a stengthening and/or support member. In this embodiment, the or each beam structure 75, 86 and lateral margins 72, 74 are separated from end flaps 62, 64 by cut lines 98, 100 respectively. As illustrated in Figure 1, fold lines 30, 32 and the fold lines 80, 82, 84, 88, 90, 92 defining beam structures 75, 86 are preferably defined in part by a series of interrupted cuts for ease of folding the adjacent panels. The cuts may be positioned to help with removal of excess food liquid. Turning to the construction of the carrier illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the inner panels, 18, 20, 22; 62, 64 are folded about central fold line 28 and into superposed relationship with respective outer panels 16, 14, 12; 42, 44 and are secured together by the application of glue G or other suitable means known in the art. In the present embodiment, the central or securing portion 70, is secured to outer base panel 14 by a pair of glue lines 102 adjacent inner fold lines 84, 88 as shown in Figure 2. Additionally, inner side wall panels 18, 22 are secured to respective outer side wall panels 16, 12 by a pair of glue lines 104 adjacent fold lines 26, 24. Thus, the carton is in a flat collapsed form to be supplied to the user so that it can then be erected to provide a tray. It is envisaged that the carton of the present invention can be formed by a series of sequential folding and gluing operations which can be formed in a straight line machine so that the carton is not required to be rotated or inverted to complete its construction. The folding process is not limited to that described herein and can be altered according to the particular manufacturing requirements. Turning again to Figure 2, it will be seen that the lateral margins 72, 74 and rib panels 76, 78, 94, 96 of inner base panel 20 are not secured to outer base panel 14 and are therefore moveable with respect to outer base panel 14. In this embodiment, inner fold lines 30 and 32 are offset from fold lines 24 and 26 respectively by a distance "A" shown in Figure 2 which assists in facilitating construction of the beam structure, as described below. The carton (or tray) is formed by folding side wall panels 12/22 and 16/18 inwardly about fold lines 24 and 26 respectively, as shown in Figure 3. This folding action "X" and "Y" causes the lateral margins 72, 74 to be folded out of alignment along fold lines 30 and 32 and the rib panels 76, 78; 94, 96 of the inner base panel to move inwardly and to compress relative the outer side wall and base panels 16, 12, 14 and/or inner end wall panels 62, 64. Thus, the rib panels 76, 78, 94, 96 are folded out of alignment with the securing portion 70 and inner base panel 20, about fold lines 80, 82, 84, 88, 90, 92 such that the beam structures 75, 86 are automatically erected. It will be seen from Figure 3 that a void 112 is formed by the erection of the rib 75, 86. In this embodiment lateral margins 72, 74 are moved upwardly with respect to outer base panel 14 because fold lines 30, 32 are offset from the respective outer fold lines 26, 24 as illustrated in Figure 3. A void (or spacing) 110 is thereby formed between the or each lateral margin and the outer base panel. It is envisaged that the beam structure can be erected automatically by employing configurations other than those described above, without departing from the scope of invention. For example, the or each lateral margin need not be connected to the inner side wall panel(s) but could merely abut it. When side wall panels are inwardly folded, the lateral margins would be pushed inwardly by the side wall panels. Suitable means would be used to restrain vertical movement of the lateral margins for example a hook or protruding portion. Of course, in such embodiments, a void or spacing would not necessarily be formed when the beam structures are automatically erected. To complete construction of the carton of the illustrated embodiment, the end walls are formed by folding the end wall panel 34, 38 about fold lines 36, 40 and end flaps 42, 44 are folded inwardly about fold lines 46, 48 respectively to be placed intermediate inner end wall panels 62, 64 and end portions of the beam structures 75, 86. Preferably, the end flaps 42, 44 are retained by beam structures 75, 86 and/or lateral margins 72, 74. Beneficially, glue is therefore not required to retain the end flaps 42, 44. Finally, the securing flaps 50, 52 are secured to the outer side wall panels 12, 16 by suitable known securing means to retain the tray in a set up condition, as illustrated in Figure 4. Thereafter, foodstuff is loaded into the tray from above and stretch film can be applied to the tray to seal the package. Thus, Figure 4 shows a tray for holding foodstuff or the like which tray is formed from paperboard or like foldable sheet material and can be erected from a flat collapsed condition shown in Figure 2, into a position of use as illustrated in Figure 4. The tray comprises a plurality of panels including inner and outer base panels 14, 20 secured together. One of the base panels 20 includes a lateral margin 72, a securing portion 70 for securing it to the other of the base panels 14 and at least one rib panel 76, 78 foldably interconnecting the securing portion to the lateral portion. The lateral margin and rib panel(s) are moveable relative the other of the base panels, such that the rib panel(s) is displaced out of the plane of said one base panel to form a rib 75, which rib 75 is automatically erected when the tray is erected into the position of use shown in Figure 3. The beam structures 75, 86 in the package strengthens the overall tray structure and assist in preventing the foodstuff from sliding (for example a slice of meat or fish) when the tray is arranged vertically on the supermarket shelf. The resulting void (or spacing) 112 created by the beam structure 75, 86 and/or the void 110 beneath the lateral margins 72, 74 of the inner panel provide a spacing between the two ply layer which can be used to receive surplus food liquid (e.g. blood or water). It is envisaged that the or each void 112, 110 can be adapted to receive suitable absorbing material, for example absorbing stamp or bag, preferably during the initial set up process or by the application of absorbing polymer gel, for example polyacrylamide, during the set up or gluing steps of carton construction. Alternatively, the inner surfaces forming the voids 110, 112 could be uncoated so that the foldable sheet material absorbs the liquid directly. In one class of embodiments, cuts or perforations are struck from the inner base panel 22 to assist in movement of liquid from the upper surface of the inner base panel 22 into the or each void 110, 112. In other embodiments, liquid can be absorbed by the abutting inner surfaces of the inner and outer base panels. In those embodiments where fold lines 30, 32, 80, 82, 84 are defined in part by a series of cuts, the cuts can assist in fluid movement. An advantage of the preferred feature referred to in the preceding paragraph is to allow a space (or void) between the two ply structure which can be used to absorb surplus food liquid and, advantageously minimises the effect of capillarity. Beneficially, the two ply embodiment hereinbefore described provides a structure that is strengthened to retain foodstuff. The use of paperboard material provides an "environmentally friendly" alternative to trays formed from plastics material and the tray can include printed matter for marketing purposes. It will be recognised that as used herein, directional references such as "top", "base", "end", "side", "inner" and "outer" do not limit the respective panels to such orientation, but merely serve to distinguish these panels from one another . Any reference to hinged connection should not be construed as necessarily referring to a single fold line only: indeed it is envisaged that hinged connection can be formed from one or more of one of the following, a score line, a frangible line or a fold line, without departing from the scope of invention. The present invention and its preferred embodiment relates to an article carrier which is shaped to provide satisfactory rigidity to hold items such as meat or fish securely but with a degree of flexibility. The shape of the blank minimises the amount of paperboard required for the carton. The items can be applied to the carrier by hand or automatic machinery. It is anticipated the invention can be applied to a variety of carton or tray types and not limited to those of the flat tubular sort, for example the flat tubular structure could be replaced by a structure with longer sides and end wall panels to receive larger cuts of meat. Furthermore, the beam structure(s) can be formed from the outer panels of the carton and/or can include one or more beam structures, without departing from the scope of invention.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A tray for holding foodstuff or the like which tray is formed from paperboard or like foldable sheet material and can be erected from a flat collapsed condition into a position of use, the tray comprising a plurality of panels including inner and outer base panels secured together and wherein one of the base panels includes a securing portion for securing to the other of said base panels, a lateral margin and one or more rib panels foldably interconnecting said securing portion to said lateral margin, wherein the lateral margin and said one or more rib panels is moveable relative to the other of said base panels, such that said one or more rib panels is displaced out of alignment of said one of the base panels to form a rib, which rib is automatically erected when the tray is erected into the position of use. 2. The tray as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rib is formed from said inner base panel and when erected defines a longitudinally extending panel portion. 3. The tray as claimed in claim 2 wherein the rib comprises a pair of rib panels foldably connected together to define a substantially V-shaped cross-section of said longitudinally extending panel portion. 4. The tray as claimed in claim 2 wherein the rib comprises three rib panels foldably connected together to define a substantially yoke shaped cross-section of said longitudinally extending panel portion. 5. The tray as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4 wherein the lateral margin is connected to a side wall and the rib is caused to be automatically erected by folding the side wall out of alignment from base wall panels. 6. A tray according to claims 5 wherein the side wall comprises an inner side wall panel foldably connected along a first fold line to the lateral margin of said inner base panel and an outer side wall panel foldably connected along a second fold line to the outer base panel, and wherein the inner and outer side wall panels are secured together, said first and second fold lines are offset such that the lateral margin of said inner base panel extends upwardly and is spaced from said outer base panel to define a void. 7. The tray as claimed in claim 6 wherein the void is adapted to receive liquid from the foodstuff. 8. The tray as claimed in claim 7 which tray further comprises a plurality of perforations on the inner base panel and/or said first fold line to facilitate movement of liquid away from the foodstuff to be absorbed by absorbing means placed between inner and outer base panels. 9. The tray as claimed in any of claims 2 to 8 wherein the rib is adapted to define a void intermediate the inner and outer base panels. 10. The tray as claimed in claim 9 wherein the void is adapted to receive liquid from the foodstuff. 11. The tray as claimed in any of claims 6 to 10 wherein the void includes absorbing means to absorb said liquid. 12. The tray as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rib is formed from said outer base panel and when erected defines a longitudinally extending support beam. 13. A blank for forming a tray comprising inner and outer base panels, pairs of oppositely disposed side and end wall panels interconnected to said outer base panel and end closure arrangements adapted to connect each side wall panel to adjacent end wall panels, wherein the inner base panel includes a securing portion for securing to said outer base panel, a lateral margin and at least one rib panel foldably interconnecting said securing portion to said lateral portion, wherein the lateral margin and said at least one rib panel is moveable relative the outer base panel, such that said at least one rib panel is movable out of alignment with said one base panel to form a rib, which rib is automatically erected when the tray is erected into the position of use. 14. The blank as claimed in claim 12 further comprising an inner side wall panel foldably connected along first fold line to the lateral margin of said inner base panel and an outer side wall panel foldably connected along a second fold line to the outer base panel, and wherein the inner and outer side wall panels are secured together such that said first and second fold lines are offset, the first fold line being superposed the outer side wall panel. 15. A blank for forming a tray as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12.

Inventors: LEBRAS PHILIPPE, LEBRAS, PHILIPPE
Applicants: LEBRAS PHILIPPE, MEAD CORP, LEBRAS, PHILIPPE, THE MEAD CORPORATION
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B65D81
IPC codes: B65D5, B65D81