Patent Publication Number: US-2017349318-A1

Title: Food Product Pedestal Tray

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/344,585, filed on Jun. 2, 2016, the entirety of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to containers, and more specifically to a container utilized to hold an item of food, such as a cake. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Today, a consumer looking for a food product, such as a cake for a special occasion, can order the product from a grocery store or bakery. For relatively heavy food products of this type the prior art packaging  10  that is currently used is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and includes a clear plastic dome lid  12  that attaches to black or other color plastic thermoformed bottom tray  14 . When using this type of packaging the food product, e.g., the cake, is usually placed on a coated corrugated pad (not shown) that is placed over the thermoformed bottom tray  14  and which has dimensions that enable it to fit within the packaging  10  when the lid  12  is secured to the bottom tray  14 . The coated corrugated pad provides a strong rigid member for the packaging  10  that enables the consumer to pick up the packaging  10  with the cake or other item positioned within it without it cracking the icing during movement or placement of the cake. Typically the black plastic bottom tray  14 , as a result of the thickness and material selected to form the bottom tray  14  is too weak, thin, flimsy, etc. to support the weight of the cake by itself without collapsing. Therefore, the packaging/container  10  requires the corrugated pad to provide the necessary rigidity to the container  10  to support the food item positioned therein. 
     Thus, while providing the corrugated pad enables the packaging t 10  to function as desired, the extra material and cost associated with the production and placement of the pad within the tray  14  is undesirable. 
     As a result, it is desirable to develop improved packaging for food products that can better hold the product therein while also being able to support the weight of food product within the packaging/container. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one exemplary aspect of the present invention, a container or package for a food product is provided that includes a pedestal tray support member formed of a material capable of supporting the weight of the food product to be positioned thereon and a cover engagable with the support member. The support member is formed with features to allow the cover to be readily engaged and disengaged from the support member and to enable the package to be easily grasped and moved in its entirety all without the need for a separate reinforcing corrugated pad as in the prior art. 
     According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the pedestal tray includes a support surface that extends across the entire tray, allowing the support surface to readily receive and support various food items thereon without the need for a separate supporting pad. 
     According to still another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the pedestal tray includes a unitary structure in which the support surface and the support structure are integrally formed with one another, significantly reducing the time and expense associated with the use of the pedestal tray. 
     Numerous other aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be made apparent from the following detailed description together with the drawings figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings illustrate the best mode currently contemplated of practicing the present disclosure. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art food package/container; 
         FIG. 2  is a partially broken away perspective view of the component parts of the food package/container of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a food packaging/container according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is perspective view of a support member of the food packaging/container of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a support structure for the support member of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a partially broken away perspective view of the support structure of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a partially broken away perspective view of an engagement structure of the support member of  FIG. 4 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a top plan view of a blank for the support structure of the container of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now in detail to the drawing figures, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the several views, an exemplary embodiment of a food packaging/container is illustrated generally at  100  in  FIGS. 3-7 . The container  100  includes a pedestal tray or support member  102  and a cover  104  secured to the support member  102 . 
     Looking at  FIGS. 4-6 and 8 , in the illustrated exemplary embodiment the support member  102  is formed of a blank  101  of any suitable material, such as a generally rigid material, and in the illustrated embodiment is formed of a corrugated material, such as a corrugated paperboard material. The support member  102  is formed with a top support surface  106  that is designed to generally conform in shape to the shape of the food item (not shown) to be positioned thereon. The support surface  106  includes a pair of opposed sides  108  and a pair of opposed ends  110  extending between the opposed sides  108 . In the illustrated exemplary embodiment each side  108  and end  110  is joined by a curved corner  112 , though other configurations for the corner  112  are also contemplated as being within the scope of the invention. 
     Looking now at  FIGS. 5, 6 and 8 , the support member  102  also includes a bottom surface  114  having a shape corresponding to that of the top surface  106  and to which is secured or integrally formed with a support structure  116 . The support structure  116  is formed of a pair of side panels  118  and a pair of end panels  120  that are each pivotally secured tom the support surface  106 , and in the exemplary illustrated embodiment are integrally but foldably secured to the respective sides  108  and ends  110  of the support surface  106  along fold lines  117  and  119 , respectively. The panels  118 , 120  each include end securing tabs  122 ,  124 , respectively, that are foldably secured to the panels  118 , 120  along fold lines  121 , 123 , respectively, in order to be positionable in an overlapping configuration with regard to one another for form the support structure  116  beneath the support surface  106 . To form the support structure  116 , the panels  118 , 120  are folded inwardly towards one another in order to position the tabs  122 , 124  in the adjacent and overlapping configuration shown in  FIG. 6 . At this location, the adjacent tabs  122 , 124  can be secured to one another in order to form the support structure  116  around the perimeter of the support surface  106 . The tabs  122 ,  124  can be secured to one another in any suitable manner, such as by utilizing an adhesive, a locking feature or any other suitable engagement structure to hold the tabs  122 , 124  in contact with one another to form the support structure  116 . 
     The panels  118 , 120  forming the support structure  116  are formed with a suitable width in order to provide a pedestal-like feature for the support structure  106  that positions the support surface  106  above the table (not shown) or other surface on which the packaging/container  100  is placed. This, in conjunction with folding handle flaps  130  formed in the end panels  120  between the tabs  124 , facilitates the easy grasping of the support structure  106  for pick up and movement of the container  100 . 
     In addition, looking at  FIGS. 3 and 7 , the cover  104  is formed of a plastic material, such as a thermoformed, transparent material, with a central portion  126  that extends over the support surface  106  and a locking flange  128  that extends around the perimeter of the central portion  126 . The flange  128  has a configuration complementary to the perimeter of the support surface  106  and the corners  112 . The flange  128  can extend over the support surface  106  to partially overlap the support structure  116  and frictionally engage the support surface  106  and corners  112  to securely but releasably hold the cover  104  of the support member  102 . 
     Other exemplary features and advantages of the container  100  include, but are not limited to: 
     1) The cover  104  locks to the corrugated pedestal tray  102   
     2) The corrugated tray/support member  102  is made with a coating (not shown) thereon to release the cake from the tray/support member  102   
     3) The corrugated pedestal tray/support member  102  eliminates the corrugated pad (not shown) and black plastic bottom  14  in prior art container  10   
     4) The tray/support member  102  design provides accurate tolerances to lock the lid/cover  104  in place every time 
     5) The tray/support member  102  is recyclable and reduces the weight going in the environmental waste stream 
     6) A hand hold feature/flap  130  is formed in the end panels  120  of the pedestal tray/support member  102  to allow for easy pick-up 
     7) The pedestal tray/support member  102  is sufficiently strong that it can handle the life cycle of the food product. 
     Changes can be made in the above constructions and method steps without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Various other embodiments of the present invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the filed claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.