Abstract:
A tray for storing and transporting products that are desirably kept separate from any liquid that may be present. The tray is made up of a base with a number of sidewalls extending up from the edges of the base. Preferably the sidewalls have an outwardly directed lip to which a suitable cover can be attached. The base of the tray is divided into a plurality of islands that cover the majority of the base by a plurality of intersecting channels. The width of the channels is sufficiently narrow to allow the product to span the channels and be supported by the islands. In some cases, a liquid permeable sheet may have to be placed over the channels to support products that cannot span even narrow channels. The collective volume of the channels is large enough to accept and contain all of the liquid that is likely to be present in the tray during use. In this way the liquid is kept separate and apart from the product contained in the tray.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This Nonprovisional application is based in part upon and claims priority to the Provisional Patent Application No. 60/330,644 entitled “Tray for Storing and Transporting Products,” filed Oct. 26, 2001 by Craig Sanders and Toby Wingfield. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    This invention relates generally to trays for storing and transporting products and, more particularly, to trays for storing and transporting food products, preferably fresh produce, that can benefit from being kept away from liquids exuded from the produce during storage and transport.  
           [0004]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0005]    It is known to those skilled in the art that certain products, such as cut up or sliced produce, deteriorates when in contact with liquid during storage and transport. In the case of cut up produce the liquid is generally juice that exudes from the produce itself. In other cases, the liquid may be water that condenses on the product or interior of the packaging during storage and transport. This deterioration substantially reduces the shelf life of the product, such as the allowable time between cutting of the produce and utilization thereof by the consumer.  
           [0006]    Attempts have been made to improve the shelf life of such products by packaging them in containers that are equipped with one or more absorbents. The container also would have some means to cause the liquid exuded from the cut produce to be absorbed by the absorbent. In this way, the produce is kept dry, thereby increasing its shelf life.  
           [0007]    The use of absorbents in the packaging has a number of shortcomings. The use of an absorbent will increase the cost of the packaging. This additional cost will result in either decreased profits or increased price of the products to the consumer. In addition, the packaging material must be specially designed to accommodate the absorbent. Finally, the absorbent used must be compatible with the product as well as comply with any governmental regulations that may apply, such as when the product is sliced produce. This may necessitate a number of absorbents be available to ensure compatibility with the product being shipped. Therefore, there remains a need for a container for the packing and shipping of products such as cut produce that does not require the presence of an absorbent and yet maintains the cut produce and the liquid exuded therefrom separate and apart from each other.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    A tray for storing and transporting products, particularly produce, that need to be kept separate from any liquid that may be present. The tray is composed of a base with walls extending up from all edges of the base. Preferably the walls have an outwardly directed lip to which a suitable cover can be attached if desired. The walls are connected to each other at the corners as well as to the base to form a receptacle for the products. The base of the tray contains a plurality of islands that cover the majority of the base. Separating the islands are a plurality of intersecting channels. The width of the channels is sufficiently narrow so products being transported span the channels and are supported by the islands. In some cases, it is necessary for a liquid permeable material to cover the channels to assist in supporting products that cannot span the width of even narrow channels. The collective volume of the channels is large enough to accept and contain all of the liquid that is likely to be present in the tray during its use. In this way any liquid produced during use is separated and kept apart from the products.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    The apparatus of the invention is further described and explained in relation to the following figures wherein:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a first preferred embodiment of the current invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the first preferred embodiment of the current invention as shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a close up view of the section of the tray in FIG. 1 surrounded by line  3 - 3 ;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of the current invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the second preferred embodiment;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  in FIG. 5; and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  in FIG. 5.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0017]    The following description will describe the structure and construction of the claimed tray in terms of a preferred embodiment that has a rectangular base and four sidewalls that extend upwards from the base. However, it will be understood by one skilled in the art that substantially any shape can be used for the base. For example, the base can have an arcuate single edge, such as a circle or ellipse. Then there would be a single sidewall that is positioned in an arcuate manner around the entire single edge and extending upwards from the base.  
         [0018]    The tray is preferably made from high impact polystyrene. The material is also preferably transparent for marketing purposes. Alternatively, a molded or thermoformed polymeric material can be used. It is contemplated that other plastic or metal molding materials could be used so long as the material retains its shape while holding a substantial weight of product, particularly produce including fruits, vegetables, or a combination thereof, therein and is substantially inert to the product and the liquid that is likely to be found in the package, such as sliced tomatoes and their liquid exudates. The material must also have sufficient strength and rigidity to withstand the rigors of machine packing and transportation, including the stacking of several trays one on top of the other. If the material being stored and transported is a food product then the material should also be GRASS or preferably FDA approved. The preferred method of manufacture is through injection or compression molding. Vacuum forming can also be used but is not as desirable a method for this product. One of skill in the art will recognize that other methods of manufacturing can be utilized depending upon the material used.  
         [0019]    Referring to FIG. 2, tray  40  has a generally rectangular base  10 . Base  10  is formed of a generally flat surface containing channels  14 . Channels  14  are located in an intersecting pattern of parallel channels that form islands  12 . As seen in FIG. 1, channels  14  are semicircular in cross section as seen in FIG. 1 and have a depth well below the surface of islands  12 . The width of channels  14  is narrow enough so the product (not shown) can span the width of channels  14  and be supported by islands  12 . The width and depth of channels  14  are also sized so that the total combined volume of channels  14  is sufficient to accept and hold all of the liquid that is expected to be present in tray  40  during its use. The shape and size of channels  14  are such that a number of trays  40  can be nested one on top of the other. Channels  14  are of a uniform size, shape and depth and are evenly spaced apart, although this does not necessary have to be the case.  
         [0020]    It is contemplated that absorbent material may be placed in some or all of channels  14 . Also, a liquid permeable material may be placed over some or all of the channels. This provides a larger surface to support products that may not be able to span even relatively narrow channels. The permeable layer may be a porous fabric, such as a woven or knitted fabric or a non-woven fabric such as felt. It also may be a liquid impermeable sheet that is perforated. The use of plural liquid permeable sheets is also contemplated.  
         [0021]    Front wall  16  and rear wall  18  as well as sidewalls  20  and  22  extend upwardly from base  10 . As shown in FIG. 1, front wall  16  and rear wall  18  are flared outward as they extend upward from base  10 . Sidewalls  20  and  22  are likewise flared outward as they extend up from base  10 . The outward flare of walls  16 ,  18 ,  20 , and  22  serves to make it easier to remove tray  40  from the mold during manufacture. Walls  16 ,  18 ,  20  and  22  are suitably smooth and are joined to each other through arcuate corners  24 ,  26 ,  28  and  30  such that liquid runs smoothly down into channels  14  and there are no corners or crevices for liquid to accumulate. Walls  16 ,  18 ,  20  and  22  are connected to base  10  at seam  32  that runs around the edges of base  10 . Alternatively, walls  16 ,  18 ,  20  and  22  can be connected to base  10  through arcuate corners to form a less abrupt juncture.  
         [0022]    In order to strengthen walls  16 ,  18 ,  20 , and  22 , vertical supports  34  are added to the walls. Vertical supports  34  provide vertical and lateral stiffening of walls  16 ,  18 ,  20 , and  22  and are located on the outer surface of walls  16 ,  18 ,  20 , and  22  to minimize problems with removing the tray from the mold when it is made. Vertical supports  34  can also be located on the inside of the walls and still provide the desired structural stability to the tray. If vertical supports  34  are located on the inside of walls  16 ,  18   20 , and  22 , they should have a smooth transition into the lower wall portion so any liquid will easily move down into the base and not get caught up on the sidewall.  
         [0023]    At the top of walls  16 ,  18 ,  20  and  22  is lip  38 . Lip  38  is wide enough so cover  42  can adhere to lip  38  and cover tray  40 . Cover  42  is a suitable film form material such as transparent polyethylene sheeting. Cover  42  can be formed as a multi-layer laminated or co-extruded sheet of two or more polymers where the layers either are different materials or are all composed of the same material. Most preferentially, cover  42  is a sheet comprising a laminate of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and oriented polypropylene (OPP). The polypropylene film may be flat extruded and then oriented on a tenter frame or it may be extruded as a tube and then expansion oriented as a “bubble.” 
         [0024]    The layers making up cover  42  can be mono-axially oriented or bi-axially oriented or multi-axially oriented in order to alter its strength and oxygen transmission (OTR) characteristics, as known to those of skill in the art. The OTR characteristics of cover  42  are significant and depend upon the product being transported and stored. For example, in the case of sliced tomatoes, a high OTR has been found to be desirable to maintain the freshness of the product.  
         [0025]    Cover  42  is attached to lip  38  of tray  40  through heat-sealing. Cover  42  can also be attached to lip  38  by gluing, electrostatic attractions, or other methods known to those of skill in the art. Cover  42  may be further perforated or otherwise weakened in order to permit easy access to the interior of tray  40 . Alternatively, cover  42  can be a relatively rigid material that either overlays tray  40  or hingedly connects to lip  38 . In either case, at least a portion of cover  42  may laterally terminate in a locking mechanism that is adapted to mate with lip  38  so that cover  42  can be snapped into place on tray  40  through downward pressure, in a manner known to those of skill in the art.  
         [0026]    A second preferred embodiment is depicted in FIGS.  4 - 7  that is especially designed to hold sliced produce, such as tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, oranges, pineapple or the like, in an upright position. Referring to FIG. 4, tray  44  is integrally molded and generally made up of base  46 , front wall  48 , back wall  50 , side walls  94  and  96 , and channels  68  that define islands  66 . Walls  48 ,  50 ,  94  and  96  are sufficiently smooth to allow liquid to flow down into channels  68  without getting caught in any corner or crevice and are flared outward as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 to make it easier to remove tray  44  from the mold during manufacturing. Like in the previous embodiment, lip  64  provides a surface for any desired cover to be attached.  
         [0027]    As can be seen in FIG. 5, channels  68  are composed of parallel channels  70 ,  72  and  74  as well as cross channels  76 ,  78 ,  80  and  82 . Parallel channels  70 ,  72 , and  74  are parallel to each other and run the length of tray  44  with parallel channels  70  and  72  adjacent to front wall  48  and rear wall  50  respectfully and parallel channel  74  running down the middle of base  46  equally spaced from parallel channels  70  and  72 . Channels  68  are all of an equal depth that gives channels  68  a total volume sufficient to accept and hold any liquid exuded from said produce slices during storage and transport.  
         [0028]    Cross channels  76  and  82  angle from the respective ends of parallel channel  72  to parallel channel  70 . Likewise cross channels  78  and  80  angle from the respective ends of parallel channel  72  to parallel channel  74 . Cross channels  76 ,  78 ,  80 , and  82  allow fluid communication between parallel channels  70 ,  72 , and  74  and are angled so that sliced produce can be held in an upright position on islands  66 , perpendicular to parallel channels  70 ,  72 , and  74  while ensuring that no slice will fall into cross channels  76 ,  78 ,  80 , or  82 .  
         [0029]    Channels  68  define islands  66 , which are made up of center islands  84  and end islands  86 . FIG. 5 shows how islands  66  are aligned in two rows between parallel channels  70 ,  72  and  74 . Center islands  84  and end islands  86  in each row are identical to each other except that center islands  84  are bound on either side by cross channels  76  and  82 , or cross channels  78  and  80 , while end islands  86  are bound by cross channels  76 ,  78 ,  80  or  82  on one end and sidewall  94  or  96 , on the other end.  
         [0030]    As shown in FIG. 7, center islands  84  and end islands  86  have arcuate top surfaces  88  that slopes toward parallel channel  72 . Arcuate top surfaces  88  on either side of parallel channel  72  are part of the circumference of the same circle. This allows a substantially circular product, such as slices of produce on their edges, to be supported by arcuate top surfaces  88  while preventing the product from deforming or shifting more than desired. Arcuate top surfaces  88  are desirably sized so that produce slices can be supported in a vertical configuration by islands  66  with every slice spanning parallel channel  72 .  
         [0031]    As seen in FIG. 6, center islands  84  have sloped surfaces  90  on either end. Sloping surfaces  90  are a result of the intersection of cross channls 78  and  80  with arcuate top surface  88 . Arcuate top surface  88  gets higher as you go from parallel center channel  72  to parallel channel  74 . Consequently, as cross channels  78  and  80  angle further toward parallel channel  74 , more of arcuate top surface  88  is visible from the perspective shown in FIG. 6. This produces sloped surfaces  90  shown in FIG. 6.  
         [0032]    The above descriptions of certain embodiments are made for the purposes of illustration only and are not intended to be limiting in any manner. Other alterations and modifications of the preferred embodiment will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this disclosure, and it is intended that the scope of the invention disclosed herein be limited only by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims to which the inventor is legally entitled.