A TRAY CONTAINER AND BLANK

Abstract: A tray (10) and a blank for forming a tray for holding foodstuff or the like including a corner arrangement for retaining liquid from the foodstuff in the tray which corner arrangement comprises securing means (22) for securing together a side panel (14) and an end panel (18) of the tray and at least one tab (30) foldably interconnecting said side panel and end panel, which tab is adapted to protrude outwardly of said corner arrangement.

Description: A TRAY CONTAINER AND BLANK The present invention relates to a carton (or tray) for accommodating an article, for example foodstuff or the like formed from a unitary blank of paperboard or other suitable material and more particularly to a comer arrangement for retaining liquid from the foodstuff. Commonly, trays are formed from plastics material, for example polystyrene. It is also 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. The present invention and its preferred embodiment seeks to overcome or at least mitigate the problems of the prior art. A first aspect of the invention provides a tray for holding foodstuff or the like comprising a base panel, side panels and end panels and further including a securing flap at each comer of the tray for securing together the adjacent side and end panels and wherein the securing flap is severed from a deformable portion hinged to the adjacent side and end panels between the base panel and the securing flap, said deformable portion deformed when the tray is erected to provide a ply of material spanning the side and end panels to inhibit egress of fluid from the base panel at each said comer of the tray. A second aspect of the invention provides a tray for holding foodstuff or the like including a comer arrangement for retaining liquid from the foodstuff in the tray which comer arrangement comprises securing means for securing together a side panel and an end panel of the tray and at least one tab foldably interconnecting said side panel and end panel, which tab is adapted to protrude outwardly of said comer arrangement. An advantage of the carton (or tray) of the first or second aspects of the invention is that a leak proof comer arrangement is provided with a simple folding arrangement to minimise the "folding process" time. According to an optional feature of this aspect of the invention said securing means may comprise a flap hingably connected to one of said side and end panels and foldable to be superposed with the other said side and end panels to be secured therewith. According to another optional feature of this aspect of the invention the comer arrangement may further comprise an anchoring member to receive and retain a stretch film applied to the tray to seal the package. According to another optional feature of this aspect of the invention said anchoring member may be provided by said at least one protruding tab formed at each comer of the tray. A third aspect of the invention provides a blank for forming a tray for holding foodstuff or the like comprising opposed side and end panels foldably connected to a base panel and a comer arrangement including a flap hingably connected to one of said side and end panels and at least one tab foldably interconnecting said side and end panels. A forth aspect of the invention provides a blank for forming a tray for holding foodstuff or the like comprising a base panel, side panels and end panels and further including a securing flap at each comer of the blank for securing together the adjacent side and end panels and wherein the securing flap is severed from a deformable portion hinged to the adjacent side and end panels between the base panel and the securing flap, said deformable portion is capable of being deformed when the tray is erected to provide a ply of material spanning the side and end panels to inhibit egress of fluid from the base panel at each said comer of the erected tray. An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the comer arrangement of a blank for forming a carton or tray according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 5 illustrate the steps during construction of the comer arrangement from a blank shown in Figure 1 ; FIGURE 6 is an isometric illustration of a comer arrangement fully closed and sealed; and FIGURE 7 is an isometric illustration of a carton formed incorporating the comer arrangement illustrated in Figure 6. Referring first to Figure 1 there is illustrated part of a blank 10 for forming a collapsible tray or carton made from a unitary blank of paperboard or similar foldable sheet material and adapted to hold foodstuff or the like. The tray includes a comer arrangement for retaining liquid from the foodstuff which comer arrangement comprises securing means 22 for securing together a side panel 14 and an end panel 18 of the tray and at least one tab 30 foldably interconnecting said side panel and end panel, which tab is adapted to protrude outwardly of said comer arrangement. More particularly, there is shown in Figure 1, a portion of the base panel 12, and a side panel 14 hingably connected to base panel 12 along fold line 16. There further comprises part of an end panel 18 hingably connected to base panel 12 along fold line 20. In this embodiment, securing means 22 comprises a securing flap 24 hingably connected to end panel 18 along fold line 25. As shown in Figure 1, end flap 24 is positioned adjacent side panel 14 being contiguous therewith and separated by cut line 26. Cut line 26 terminates short of the intersection of fold lines 16, 20 and 25 and is connected to a second cut line 28. Cut line 28 is substantially arcuate in shape and terminates at fold line 25. Thus, a tab 30 is defined by an extension of side panel 14, and by cut line 28 and fold line 25. Turning to the construction of the carrier, shown in Figures 2 to 7, side panel 14 is folded in direction "X" about fold line 16 into a substantially perpendicular relationship with base panel 12. Thus, securing flap 24 and tab 30 are moved out of alignment, as shown in Figure 2. Thereafter, end panel 18 is folded in direction "Y" about fold line 20 into a substantially perpendicular relationship with base panel 12, shown in Figures 3 and 4. It will be seen that the folding action of end panel 18 causes tab 30 to be compressed and pushed outwardly from the co er between side panel 14 and end panel 18, as shown in Figure 4. Thereafter, the securing flap 24 is folded in direction "Z" about fold line 25 into face contacting relationship with side panel 14 and is secured thereto by glue or other suitable means known in the art. Thus, the comer arrangement is in a complete set up form with tab 30 protruding outwardly as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The remaining comer arrangements are set up in like fashion such that the carton or tray is erected and ready to receive one or more articles, as shown in Figure 7. It is envisaged that the carton of the present invention could 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 above and can be altered to particular manufacturing requirements. Thereafter the article or foodstuff is loaded from above into the tray or carton and stretch film can be applied to the tray to seal the package. The shape of tab 30 defined by cut line 28 defines an anchor member 32, shaped to receive a portion of the stretch film applied to the tray to seal the package. Thus, the anchoring of the film by the tray is improved. It is envisaged that the shape of free edge 34 of tab 30 can be changed to incorporate a different design of anchor member 32, for example a barb, without departing from the scope of invention. The present invention and its preferred embodiment relates to an article carrier and more particularly a comer arrangement which is shaped to provide satisfactory rigidity to retain the tray and/or stretch film in a set up condition. 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 by automatic machinery. It is anticipated that the invention can be applied to a variety of cartons and not limited to those of a tray like sort. For example, the flat tray structure could be replaced by a structure with longer side and end panels to receive larger articles without departing from the scope of invention.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A tray for holding foodstuff or the like comprising a base panel, side panels and end panels and further including a securing flap at each comer of the tray for securing together the adjacent side and end panels and wherein the securing flap is severed from a deformable portion hinged to the adjacent side and end panels between the base panel and the securing flap, said deformable portion deformed when the tray is erected to provide a ply of material spanning the side and end panels to inhibit egress of fluid from the base panel at each said comer of the tray. 2. A tray for holding foodstuff or the like including a comer arrangement for retaining liquid from the foodstuff in the tray which comer arrangement comprises securing means for securing together a side panel and an end panel of the tray and at least one tab foldably interconnecting said side panel and end panel, which tab is adapted to protrude outwardly of said comer arrangement. 3. A tray according to claim 2 wherein said securing means comprises a flap hingably connected to one of said side and end panels and foldable to be superposed with the other said side and end panels to be secured therewith. 4. A tray according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the comer arrangement further comprises an anchoring member to receive and retain a stretch film applied to the tray to seal the package. 5. A tray according to claim 4 wherein said anchoring member is provided by said at least one protruding tab or, as the case may be, the deformable portion formed at each comer of the tray. 6. A blank for forming a tray for holding foodstuff or the like comprising opposed side and end panels foldably connected to a base panel and a comer arrangement including a flap hingably connected to one of said side and end panels and at least one tab foldably interconnecting said side and end panels. 7. A blank for forming a tray for holding foodstuff or the like comprising a base panel, side panels and end panels and further including a securing flap at each comer of the blank for securing together the adjacent side and end panels and wherein the securing flap is severed from a deformable portion hinged to the adjacent side and end panels between the base panel and the securing flap, said deformable portion is capable of being deformed when the tray is erected to provide a ply of material spanning the side and end panels to inhibit egress of fluid from the base panel at each said comer of the erected tray. 8. A tray for holding foodstuff or the like substantially as hereinbefore described by reference to or as illustrated in Figure 7.

Inventors: LEBRAS PHILIPPE, LEBRAS, PHILIPPE
Applicants: LEBRAS PHILIPPE, MEAD CORP, LEBRAS, PHILIPPE, THE MEAD CORPORATION
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B65D5
IPC codes: B65D5, B65D77