Patent Publication Number: US-2021179312-A1

Title: Sausage tray and packaging method

Description:
FIELD 
     This relates to trays for soft solid materials, such as fresh meats, and to sealed arrangements containing said trays and methods of loading said trays. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Currently, soft materials, such as fresh meats (e.g. sausages), are typically sold to consumers in paper bags or vacuum sealed packages. Although this specification refers specifically to sausages, it is to be understood that the embodiments described herein are applicable to other soft meats and soft materials. 
     Paper bags are suitable for small quantities of sausages, but cannot be scaled up to larger quantities of sausages. Stacking paper bags would result in sausages in the lower levels being crushed and/or deformed, and unappetizing at best. Moreover, paper packaging is not air-tight and thus represents an inefficient use of space, and increases the likelihood of the sausages spoiling. 
     Another method of packaging sausages is placing sausages on a tray and performing a vacuum sealing process using, for example, a plastic sealing pouch. Vacuum sealing represents an improvement over paper packaging, as the sausages can be packed more tightly, thus saving space, and in an air-tight manner. However, soft materials such as sausages are easily deformed. As such, the vacuum sealing process causes the sausages to be crushed and/or deformed as the air is removed from the package. 
     One method for alleviating this problem is to freeze sausages prior to packaging them. For example, sausages can be frozen in advance of packaging, and then frozen, rigid sausages can be placed on a flat tray to be sealed. The cylindrical shape of the frozen, rigid sausages may be more closely preserved during vacuum sealing to avoid crushing (see, for example,  FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D ). 
     However, the pre-freezing process is energy-intensive, and takes a substantial amount of time before sausages are adequately frozen to be vacuum sealed with reduced deformation. Moreover, the frozen, packaged sausages have to be kept frozen. That is, they must be transported in trucks with cooling units, which represents further wastes of energy, and must be kept frozen at retailers. Further, when presented on display at retailers, these packages have a non-uniform, irregular shape. This is not aesthetically pleasing to customers. 
     As can be seen particularly in  FIG. 1B , the frozen sausages  2  in package  1  are quite bulbous, and the resulting top surface of the package  1  is uneven, with many undulations and ridges. As such, applying a label  4  to the package is cumbersome, since the surface is not close to being flat. Moreover, if a consumer wishes to purchase multiple packages  1 , the packages  1  do not stack easily, because the flat tray  3  does not have any stability when placed on top of the uneven top surface of another package. Thus, the customer experience is somewhat “messy” when using package  1 . 
     In addition, it is impossible to achieve a perfect seal between the frozen sausages and the wrapping material. As can be seen in  FIG. 1A , there are many areas in which there are air pockets  5 . These air pockets  5  allow frost to form on the sausages, which negatively impacts the quality of the sausage. Moreover, when the sausages are finally thawed by the end user for consumption, they may still be somewhat deformed, which may be unappetizing for consumers, and can be bothersome to consumers who place value on the “presentation” of foods. 
     Further, as a consequence of the requirement to freeze sausages, it is difficult or impossible to ship fresh sausages to customers (e.g. on the same day the sausages are made), because the freezing and packaging processes take too much time. This implies that sausage manufacturers located away from urban centres are at a competitive disadvantage to local butchers (who may be able to deliver small quantities locally through less efficient packaging means). 
     In addition, the loading of known tray  3  with sausages  2  is quite cumbersome. Sausages must be loaded manually onto tray  3 , and in a fairly haphazard manner, which is labour intensive and inefficient. 
     There is a need for systems and processes which reduce or eliminate one or more of the above-noted disadvantages associated with present systems. 
     SUMMARY 
     This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     According to an aspect, there is provided a tray for sausages. 
     According to another aspect, there is provided a method for loading sausages into a tray. 
     Other features will become apparent from the drawings in conjunction with the following description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       In the following figures, dimensions of components are chosen for convenience and clarity only and are not necessarily shown to scale. Embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a tray for sausages; 
         FIG. 1B  is a side-oriented view of the tray of  FIG. 1B ; 
         FIG. 1C  is a perspective view of the tray of  FIG. 1A  when unloaded; 
         FIG. 1D  is a side view of the tray of  FIG. 1C ; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of a tray for sausages according to some embodiments; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the tray of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the tray of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the tray of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a photograph of the underside of the tray of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the tray of  FIG. 1  when loaded with a plurality of sausages prior to sealing; 
         FIG. 8A  is a perspective view of the tray of  FIG. 1  when loaded with a plurality of sausages and vacuum sealed; 
         FIG. 8B  is a side-oriented view of the tray of  FIG. 8A ; 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram depicting an example process for loading a tray with sausages; 
         FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C  are views of an alternative embodiment of a tray for sausages; 
         FIGS. 11A and 11B  are views of an alternative embodiment of a tray for sausages; and 
         FIGS. 12A and 12B  are views of the alternative embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 11A and 11B . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various embodiments illustrate a tray for stacking, transporting, displaying, and selling packages filled with sausages and other soft materials. Though the following description makes frequent reference to “sausages” in connection with one or more embodiments, it should be appreciated that embodiments could also or instead be used in association with other soft materials, such as other meats, soft cheeses, and/or breads. 
       FIGS. 2-6  are views of an example embodiment of a stackable tray for sausages in accordance with one embodiment. In some configurations, the tray is shown with sausages filling one more portions, and in some configurations the tray is shown without sausages filling any portions. In some configurations, one or more trays are stacked, and in some configurations one or more trays are nested. It should be appreciated that the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 2 to 6  are intended solely for illustrative purposes, and that the present invention is in no way limited to the particular example embodiments explicitly shown in the drawings and described herein. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , tray  100  comprises a tray body comprising an outer top surface  112  provided with an array of one or more recessed cells  102  for receiving sausages. Each cell  102  may comprise a seat  104  and reinforcement ribs  106  which may surround the seat  104 . The tray  100  may further include base support columns  108 , which culminate in a top surface  110 . The base support columns  108  are generally formed at intersections of reinforcement ribs  106 . The cell  102  may be shaped to receive one or more sausages. Though cell  102  is depicted as having a substantially semi-cylindrical shape, this is not essential as other shapes may be employed. Moreover, the tray  100  can be configured and dimensioned differently so as to accommodate different sausage shapes and sizes, and/or a different number of sausages than the 12 cells  102  shown in  FIGS. 2 to 6 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 5 , the vertical height of the reinforcement ribs  106  may be vertically lower than the height of the outer top surface  112 . In some embodiments, the top surface  110  is substantially horizontal and flat. In some embodiments, the height of the top surface  110  is substantially similar to the height of the outer top surface  112 . In some embodiments, the height of the top surface  110  is vertically lower than the height of the outer top surface  112 . 
     The shape employed for cell  102  is dictated by the shape and size of the product (i.e. sausage or other soft material) to be accommodated, so as to effectively utilize space on tray  100  while maintaining structural integrity and functionality of the tray  100 . Sausages are normally substantially cylindrical in shape and manufactured in “links”. In some embodiments, the longitudinal length of cell  102  may be substantially equal to the length of a sausage, such that a sausage may lay flat across the cell  102  on its side (see, e.g.,  FIG. 7 ). In some embodiments (not shown), the seat  104  may be configured to receive two or more sausage placed alongside one another. In some embodiments, the seat  104  is contoured so as to accommodate a single sausage without warping the shape of the sausage. 
     It will be appreciated that in embodiments in which the shape of cell  102  substantially matches or is substantially complementary to the shape of a lower half of a sausage, there is minimal risk of permanent deformation on the underside of the sausage, and pre-freezing the sausages prior to placing them in the cell  102  of tray  100  is unnecessary. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the sausages may be placed into tray  100  fresh, without any pre-freezing step. As such, the pre-freezing stage of the conventional sausage packaging process may be bypassed, thus saving both time and energy, when sausages are stored in the tray  100 . 
     Both the stability of the tray and the degree to which sausages may be deformed while resting in the tray  100  may be enhanced when the cells  102  have a shape which is complementary to the shape of the sausages. This can assist with both lateral stability and axial stability in keeping stacked trays aligned. 
     Reinforcement ribs  106  may surround the seat  104  and may be shaped and sized to provide rigidity and stability to the tray  100 . The base support columns  108  may also provide structural, mechanical and functional support to tray  100  to prevent the tray  100  from warping or buckling, and to distribute surface tension from any wrapping material used for vacuum packing, as described in further detail below, to aid in avoiding excess forces being applied to the sausages to avoid deformation of the sausages. 
     The base support columns  108  may be arranged to protrude upwardly from areas between adjacent cells  102 . The base support columns may be either vertically protruding, or protruding with a varying slope or slant. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the underside of the tray  100  may include receptors  114  which are complementary in shape to the base support columns  108 , and any teeth  118  on top surface  110 , as well as rib grooves  116 . This relationship allows for convenient nesting of multiple unloaded trays. In some embodiments, the top surface  110  is smooth and does not include teeth  118 , and the underside of the tray does not include receptors complementary in shape to teeth  118  (as depicted in  FIG. 6 ). 
     Base support columns  108  may be integral with reinforcement ribs  106  and/or seat  104 , but may also be separable from the tray  100 . The base support columns, if not formed integrally with tray  100 , may be made of a different material than tray  100 . The shape of base support columns  108  may be wider at the lower end and become increasingly narrow towards top surface  110 . The base support columns  108  may also be hollow so as to allow for nesting of a first tray with another tray above or below the first tray. Base support columns  108  may also, when trays are nested, prevent lateral movement of the trays. Different base support columns  108  on tray  100  may be different shapes and/or heights. In some embodiments, each base support column  108  has the same shape and height. 
     Top surface  110  may have any suitable texture or shape. In some embodiments, top surface  110  comprises one or more teeth  118  which have a shape complementary with tooth receptors on the underside receptors  114  of tray  100 . In some embodiments, the teeth  118  on a first empty tray  100  may, when nested with a second tray  100 , fit into tooth receptors on the second tray and provide a friction fit. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , more than one cell  102  may be provided. Specifically, the outer top surface  112  may include two or more cells  102  ( FIG. 4  depicts 12 cells  102 ), which may be substantially the same size or may differ at least in size. For example, tray  100  may be provided with an array of cells  102  which differ in size from one another. For example, one cell  102  may be dimensioned to fit two sausages, while another cell  102  may be dimensioned to fit one sausage. 
     The tray  100  may be made of a single material (e.g. plastic), and in particular may be made from a variety of processes (e.g. injection molding, compression molding, thermoforming, or the like). Plastics may include any known variants of polyethylene or polystyrene, as well as metals, papers, or combinations thereof. The tray  100  may also be made from a composite of separate materials joined together. In some embodiments, the tray  100  is a plastic molding in which the top surface and bottom surface are complementary surfaces (i.e. receptors  114  are the underside of base support columns  108 , rib grooves  116  are the underside of reinforcement ribs  106 , and the like). It will be understood that in embodiments in which different base support columns  108  have different shapes (e.g. cross-sectional shape, height, and/or width), in order to achieve optimal nesting capabilities, trays  100  used for nesting should have similar or identical dimensions. 
     As noted above, and as depicted in  FIG. 7 , the cells in tray  100  are dimensioned and shaped to receive soft food items (e.g. sausages).  FIG. 7  is a perspective photo of a tray  100  which has been loaded with sausages. As can be seen, the sausages fit into each individual cell. Because fresh sausages are soft and deformable, the cells  102  can accommodate sausages with varying shapes and dimensions (that is—the tray  100  can accommodate some variation in the size of each individual sausage, without requiring all sausages to be identical). The sausages in  FIG. 7  are fresh sausages and are not frozen. Tray  100  can be loaded with fresh sausages without any pre-freezing step. Moreover, the dimensions and shape of tray  100  may allow for novel and inventive methods of loading fresh sausages into tray  100 . As noted above with respect to known tray  1 , sausages are required to be loaded manually. Tray  100  facilitates more efficient methods and processes for loading tray  100  with fresh sausages. 
     After loading tray  100  with fresh sausages, the tray  100  may be sealed. As shown in  FIG. 7 , adjacent to the tray  100  is a plastic pouch  702  which may be bonded and sealed to tray  100 . It will be appreciated that the bottom side of the pouch  702  has a form which is substantially similar to the underside of tray  100 . The pouch  702  is placed around the tray  100  and is subsequently sealed. The sealing process may be, for example, a thermal sealing process in which air is vacuumed out of the pouch and the pouch  702  bonds to the upper surface  112  of tray  100 .  FIGS. 8A and 8B  illustrate a sealed pouch  702  which contains tray  100  loaded with sausages. 
     It will be appreciated that it is theoretically possible to simply place sausages directly in pouch  702 , without using tray  100 , and then to vacuum seal the pouch  702 . In fact, during development of the present invention, the inventors were advised that there was no need for a tray  100 , and that the concept of using a tray  100  within pouch  702  would be redundant and a waste of material, given that sausages could be placed directly into pouch  702  rather than using a tray. However, the inventors found that the use of tray  100  resulted in numerous unexpected advantages, which are described herein. 
       FIG. 8A  is a perspective view of a sealed arrangement  800  including tray  100  loaded with sausages. The sealed arrangement  800  may result from applying the pouch  702  to the loaded tray  100  in  FIG. 7  and vacuum sealing the pouch around the tray  100 . It will be appreciated that the upper surface  802  of the sealed arrangement  800  is substantially flat. Contrastingly, it will be appreciated that in  FIG. 7 , each fresh sausage  2  is somewhat bulbous and protrudes from the cell  102  of tray  100  in which the sausage  2  is stored, and there is ample spacing between individual fresh sausages  2 . 
     When vacuum sealing is applied to the pouch  702 , the pouch tightens around the top surface  112  and the underside of tray  100 . In so doing, the fresh sausages  2  are compressed. In some embodiments, the effect of this compression on the sausages  2  is a substantially continuous upper surface  802  with substantially no open space between sausages. As shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B , the fresh sausages are capable of deforming under the pressure of vacuum sealing to fill any space which remains between tray  100  and upper surface  802  of the pouch  802 . This upper surface offers numerous unexpected advantages over other tray designs. 
     First, it should be noted that the above-noted vacuum sealing process can be conducted using fresh sausages. As noted above, prior trays required the sausages to be frozen prior to vacuum sealing the tray. With prior trays, any attempt to vacuum seal fresh sausages would result in the sausages squirting out of the tray, or being crushed by the sealing to the extent that the sausages could not regain their regular shape after removal from the tray. 
     Contrastingly, in some embodiments, the tray  100  allows for the pre-freezing step to be avoided. This represents a substantial improvement in efficiency and in the possibilities for selling fresh sausages. For example, the time required to pre-freeze the sausages to a desired level of rigidity may be avoided using tray  100 , thus reducing the length of production cycles. Moreover, inventory costs may be reduced by reducing the need for freezer space required by the pre-freezing step. This may also allow sausage producers to produce and package fresh sausages for sale on the same day, rather than having to freeze sausages and then sell the sausages from frozen the following day. 
     Moreover, when the arrangement  800  is subsequently opened (e.g. by a consumer) after the vacuum sealing, the sausages  2  are sufficiently resilient to substantially regain their original shape. That is, the sausages can regain their original shape with little or substantially no permanent deformation. In some embodiments, the sausages may regain from ⅞ of their original shape to a full regaining of the original sausage shape. This would not be possible with previous tray designs—which result in the sausages being deformed and disfigured, and thus less attractive to the end user. The cells  102  in tray  100  are dimensioned so as to substantially maintain the original cylindrical shape of the sausages  2  prior to freezing. Contrastingly, a flat tray would not provide any support for maintaining the shape of the fresh sausage. 
     As a further advantage, it should be appreciated that the sealed arrangement  800  includes substantially no air pockets between sausages. Relative to the tray in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  (which contains numerous air pockets  5  when sealed), the tray  100  may allow for more efficient packing of sausages. Moreover, should the sealed arrangement  800  be subsequently frozen after sealing (e.g. for longer term storage and/or transportation to commercial selling locations), the reduction in air pockets may also reduce the likelihood of frost or “freezer-burn” occurring within the package, thus improving the quality of the sausages  2  when ultimately consumed by the end user. 
     Using at least two trays  100  it may be possible to create a stacked arrangement of loaded trays, where a first cell  102  of a first tray  100  receives a sausage. Normally, all cells  102  in a first tray would be occupied by sausages and vacuum sealed before a second tray is placed on top of the first loaded, sealed tray. However, it is not strictly necessary for all cells  102  in the first tray  100  to be occupied. 
     As seen in  FIG. 8B , the upper surface  802  of sealed arrangement  800  is fairly flat. In embodiments in which the sausages are fresh, sealed arrangements are easily stacked without the sausages being damaged. For example, the weight of sealed arrangements  800  stacked on top of a base sealed arrangement is dispersed throughout the material used for the upper surface  802 , and the sausages cannot deform in any appreciable way under the weight of other trays. 
     Moreover, in embodiments in which the sealed arrangement is subsequently frozen after sealing, the relatively flat upper surface  802  of sealed arrangement  800  provides a fairly even surface for stacking. While not perfectly flat, sealed arrangements  800  may be stacked with a high degree of stability. It is clear from  FIGS. 1A and 1B  that the previous tray configurations contained substantial variations in depth and surface contours on the upper surface, because the sausages are pre-frozen to maintain a somewhat cylindrical shape. This variation in upper surface results in fairly clumsy stacking arrangements in view of the flat shape of the underside of the prior tray. It is much easier for a flat try to slide and fall off from an uneven surface in any of a number of directions than it is for a tray with multiple recessed cells. Moreover, stacking multiple levels of the prior trays of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  results in a compounding of the instability from the stacking of one level of trays. This is an important feature in terms of in-store displays. Consumers tend to be attracted to packaging which is neat and organized, and as such the tray  100  may be more attractive to consumers in a display setting because the trays stack in a stable and organized manner. 
     Various embodiments described herein may be used in conjunction with systems and methods for loading a tray with sausages or other soft materials.  FIG. 9  is a perspective view depicting an example system for loading tray  100  with fresh sausages. It will be appreciated that the system depicted in  FIG. 9  is merely an example and that other variants are contemplated. 
     As depicted, system  900  includes a processor  904 , a sensing device  902 , a sausage conveyor  906 , and a tray conveyor  908 . Sausage conveyor  906  is configured to move sausage links  2   a,    2   b ,  2   c  and  2   d,    2   e ,  2   f  in direction A at a predetermined speed. Tray conveyor  908  is configured to move tray  100  in direction B. In some embodiments, the tray conveyor may provide pulsed movement. For example, a motor driving tray conveyor  908  may operate in accordance with a duty cycle (illustrated as a square wave in  FIG. 9 ) calculated and provided by processor  904 , meaning the tray is stationary for a period of time, and is then moved for a period of time at a given speed. In some embodiments, there is a jerk or jarring movement associated with the start-and-stop pulsing of a duty cycle. 
     In operation, the sausage links  2   a ,  2   b  and  2   c  are propelled by sausage conveyor  906  in the longitudinal direction with sufficient velocity so as to cause sausage  2   a  to land in the vicinity of cell  102   a  in tray  100 . In some embodiments, a sloped surface is provided between the sausage conveyor and the tray conveyor. The sausages may deflect off the sloped surface so as to impart lateral motion to the sausages. In some embodiments, sausage links  2   a ,  2   b ,  2   c  may be connected by links. In other embodiments, sausage links  2   a ,  2   b ,  2   c  may be separate from one another. The calibration and selection of the appropriate speed for launching sausages  2   a ,  2   b ,  2   c  into the cells  102   a ,  102   b  and  102   c  of tray  100  will depend on the particular configuration of a given system, but can be calibrated. It will be appreciated that the speeds and distances involved will vary with different shapes and sizes of sausages. 
     In embodiments in which sausage links are connected, the linkage between individual sausages may facilitate the subsequent landing of sausage  2   b  into cell  102   b  after sausage  2   a  has landed substantially in cell  102   a . Likewise, the position of sausages  2   a  and  2   b  in cells  102   a  and  102   b , respectively, may facilitate the landing of sausage  2   c  into cell  102   c.    
     In embodiments in which sausages are not linked, the presence of sausage  2   a  in cell  102   a  may still provide a degree of facilitation of placing sausage  2   b  into cell  102   b , since sausage  2   b  may bump into sausage  2   a  while being projected from sausage conveyor  906 . 
     After sausages  2   a ,  2   b  and  2   c  have landed substantially in cells  102   a ,  102   b  and  102   c , tray conveyor  908  may be actuated to move tray  100  laterally in direction B. Preferably, the tray  100  is moved by a distance substantially similar to the width of cells  102   a ,  102   b , and  102   c . Thus, the next set of sausage links  2   d,    2   e ,  2   f  will be propelled by the sausage conveyor  906  into the next column of cells  102   d ,  102   e ,  102   f.    
     In some embodiments, the duty cycle or speed at which tray conveyor  908  moves tray  100  is determined in part by a sensing device  902 . The sensing device  902  may, for example, detect the presence of sausages or a particular number of sausages, and communicate this sensing data to processor  904 . Processor  904  may in turn send a signal to the motor driving tray conveyor  908  to move at a certain speed or to adjust a duty cycle so as to ensure synchronization between the incoming sausage links from sausage conveyor  906  and open cells  102  in tray  100 . 
     In some embodiments, sensing device  902  may be an optical sensor. For example, the optical sensor may send a first signal when no sausages are visible, and send a second signal when sausages are detected. The length of time between first and second signals may be used to determine an appropriate speed or duty cycle for tray conveyor  908  in order for tray  100  to receive the incoming sausages. 
     It will be appreciated that sausages do not have identical shapes and that some variation will be present. As such, sausages may not fall perfectly into cells  102   a ,  102   b ,  102   c . It has been found that if a duty cycle is used for tray conveyor  908 , the jerking motion during tray movement may assist with causing the sausages to fall into the correct cell. Because the cells  102   a ,  102   b  and  102   c  are shaped to substantially match the shape of sausages  2   a ,  2   b ,  2   c , and because the tray  100  includes ribs  106 , a sausage which does not land perfectly within a particular cell may fall into place after the pulse of lateral movement provided by the tray conveyor  908  when the tray is moved to the next position. 
     This may provide substantial advantages over prior systems, which required either the manual placement of sausages into a tray, or the use of robotic arms to detect and place sausages in a certain manner. It will be appreciated that building and customizing a robotic system is prohibitively expensive and impractical for most circumstances. Moreover, it will be appreciated that reducing the cost of labour associated with having employees manually place sausages into a tray would be advantageous for a business. For example, rather than having 6 employees manually placing sausages into trays, the system of  FIG. 9  may instead be sufficient to function with  1  employee for quality control (in the event that a sausage fails to fall into a cell perfectly, after the pulse from conveyor tray  908 ). 
     Thus, the systems and methods described herein provide for numerous improvements in efficiency and many advantages over conventional tray systems. 
     In addition, further embodiments are contemplated, in particular for different shapes of sausages. For example,  FIGS. 10A and 10B  are side and perspective views of a tray  1000  which is adapted to receive longer, narrower sausage (for example, hot dogs). The cells  1020  are configured to receive hot dogs and the ribs  1060  provide similar structural and functional benefits as ribs  106  described above.  FIG. 10C  is a perspective view of the underside of tray  1000 , illustrating the corresponding shape of rib grooves  1160  to ribs  1060 . Tray  1000  may be loaded with fresh sausages in a manner similar to tray  100  described above, and may be vacuum sealed in a manner similar to that which is described above. 
       FIGS. 11A and 11B  are perspective and side views of a tray  2000  which is adapted to received curved sausages. The cells  2020  are configured to receive the curved sausages and the ribs  2060  provide similar structural and functional benefits as ribs  106  and  1060  described above, with additional curvature, in that the sausages may be guided into cells  2020  and be helped in maintaining their shape by cells  2020  having a shape substantially similar to a portion of the sausage being received. Although not shown, embodiments are also contemplated for cells for sausages with similar dimensions to tray  2000  but without the curvature. Tray  2000  is also stackable, as the rib grooves  2160  are complementary in shape to ribs  2060 . 
     Of course, the above described embodiments are intended to be illustrative only and in no way limiting. The described embodiments are susceptible to many modifications of form, arrangement of parts, details and order of operation. The invention is intended to encompass all such modification within its scope, as defined by the claims.