Patent ID: 10414567

Abstract:
The invention relates to a vacuum skin packaging process, to a tray suitable for a vacuum skin packaging process and to the package thus obtained. The vacuum skin packaging process of the invention comprises providing a tray loaded with a product said tray comprising a bottom wall, a side wall upwardly extending from said bottom wall and terminating in an outwardly projecting horizontal rim, said side wall comprising at least one hole; placing the product loaded tray in a vacuum chamber; positioning a film above the product loaded tray; forming an airtight contact between the film and the rim of the tray; evacuating air from above the film to bring it into contact with a heating platen to heat the film; evacuating air from within the tray through the at least one hole; introducing air from above the film pushing the film in contact with the product and welding it to the inner surface of the tray closing the at least one hole in the side wall characterized in that the film is held in contact with the heating platen while air begins to be evacuated from within the tray. Preferably the film is positioned above the product loaded tray is a discrete piece of film having the size of the tray thus reducing the amount of film which is scrapped during a vacuum skin packaging process.