Abstract:
Packages for food products and food products packaged in such packages are described. A packaged food product may include a plurality of food items and a package comprising a container removeably coupled to a lid. The container may define an interior configured to receive the plurality of food items. The container can include a bottom portion and opposing first and second sidewalls forming a plurality of support portions configured to support the plurality of food items independent from one another. The support portions each include a support surface extending upward along at least a portion of the first and second sidewalls and across the bottom portion.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/699,050 filed on Sep. 10, 2012, which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates generally to packages for food products or food items, and more particularly, to packages having integrated support features and packaged food products having packages using such features. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    There are many challenges associated with providing food product packaging for accommodating multiple food items. Structural integrity considerations as well as visual appearance considerations can be considered, both of which may, at least in part, determine the success of a product with consumers. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, various embodiments disclosed herein are directed to improved packaging for food products and similar consumer products. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    One embodiment relates to a packaged food product including a plurality of food items, and a package comprising a container removeably coupled to a lid. The container defines an interior configured to receive the plurality of food items. The container includes a bottom portion and opposing first and second sidewalls forming a plurality of support portions configured to support the plurality of food items independent from one another. The support portions each includes a support surface extending upward along at least a portion of the first and second sidewalls and across the bottom portion. 
         [0006]    Another embodiment relates to a package for food products, the package including a top and a container removeably coupled to the top. The container includes a pair of opposing sidewalls, a pair of opposing end walls extending between the opposing sidewalls, and a bottom. The bottom defines a plurality of stepped support portions, each stepped support portion joining with a pair of side support portions extending up the opposing sidewalls. The side support portions are curved along at least a portion of the height of the opposing sidewalls and the side support portions decrease in width along at least a portion of the height of the opposing sidewalls. 
         [0007]    Another embodiment related to a packaged food product includes a top and a container releasably coupled to the top. The container defines an interior configured to receive and support a plurality of food products. The container includes a plurality of support surfaces, each support surface configured to support one of the plurality of food products. Each support surface includes a bottom stepped support portion and a pair of side support portions extending up from the bottom stepped support portion. The plurality of support surfaces are configured to orient the plurality of food products within the interior in a shingled fashion. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIGS. 1A-1D  illustrate a packaged food product according to an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0009]      FIGS. 2A ,  2 B,  2 C,  3 A,  3 B,  3 C,  4 A,  4 B and  4 C illustrate a package for the packaged food product of  FIGS. 1A-1D  according to an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the packaged food product of  FIGS. 1A-1D  according to an exemplary embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    Referring to the FIGURES generally, various embodiments disclosed herein relate to packaged food products having structural details that both provide for “shingling” of food products within a package (e.g., such that the food products are “tilted”), and suggest an “uprising heat and/or flavor” due to the exterior structure of the package. These features may assist in keeping the food products organized and protected within the package, along with providing an orientation of the packaged food product, which in turn enables quick access to the food product by consumers (e.g., such that a consumer can easily reach into the package and remove, e.g., a sandwich, etc.). 
         [0012]    Referring to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C and  1 D, a packaged food product  10  is shown according to an exemplary embodiment, and includes a number of food products  12  provided within a package  14 . Packaged food product  10  may be a non-refrigerated, refrigerated, or frozen product, and may include a variety of different food products  12 , including, but not limited to, sandwiches, bagels, meat products, bread products, combinations thereof, etc. All such applications are to be understood to be within the scope of the present disclosure. 
         [0013]    According to an exemplary embodiment, package  14  includes a container  16  (e.g., a tub, base, bottom or lower portion, receptacle, etc.) that may be coupled to a lid, or top  18  (e.g., a cover, top or upper portion, etc.). The container  16  in  FIGS. 1A-1D  is illustrated with a cutout  22  to expose the interior of the container  16  as well as the food product  12 . Top  18  may be secured to container  16  to secure food products  12  within the interior of the package  14 , and may be removed to permit access to the food products  12 . An insert, or sleeve  20  (e.g., a v-board, sleeve insert shown in the cutout  22  of  FIG. 1B , etc.) may be provided within the interior of the package  14  to provide various graphics, text, labeling, or other information to consumers (e.g., in the case of a transparent container which enables viewing of sleeve  20  through the container). Sleeve  20  may be made of any of a variety of materials, including paper-based products (e.g., paper, cardboard, etc.), polymer-based products, etc., and may take any suitable shape. 
         [0014]    With reference to  FIGS. 2A-2C ,  3 A- 3 C,  4 A- 4 C and  5 , an exemplary embodiment of container  16  is formed by first sidewall  24 , second sidewall  26 , first end wall  28 , second end wall  30 , and bottom portion  32 . A rim or lip  42  (see  FIG. 4 ) may extend around all or a portion of the top of the various sidewalls to facilitate coupling of container  16  to top  18 . Container  16  defines an interior that receives the food products  12  and keeps the food products  12  in a predetermined orientation, as discussed in greater detail below. Container  16  may be made of a polymer material by way of a molding process, including injection molding, blow-injection molding, thermoforming, vacuum forming, blow molding, sheet molding, etc. 
         [0015]    Bottom  32  forms a lower support surface for the food products, and includes a number of stepped support portions  38 , which are formed by the bottom  32  of the container  16  angling upward and then back downward. The stepped support portions  38  can be generally planar or contoured, depending on the embodiment. Extending from each stepped support portion  38  are a pair of side support portions  44  (e.g., wavy, or contoured portions, etc.), such that one side support portion  44  extends along each one of sidewalls  24 ,  26 . Stepped support portion  38  and side support portions  44  collectively form a support surface (e.g., a contoured, wavy, or curved support surface) that extends from stepped support portion  38  and upwards along sidewalls  24 ,  26 . The support surfaces formed by the stepped support portions  38  and the side support portions  44  may be continuous or may include one or more discontinuities (e.g., grooves, ribs, cavities, etc.). Side support portions  44  gradually decrease in width along the height of the sidewalls  24  and  26  (e.g., from bottom to top) until they become flush with the sidewalls. As best illustrated in  FIGS. 4A and 4C , the exterior contour of exemplary container  16  generally corresponds to the interior contour. 
         [0016]    Each stepped support portion  38  and associated pair of side support portions  44  are configured to provide a bottom support for an individual food product, and maintain the food product  12  at a desired orientation, or angle, such that the food products  12  are “shingled” relative to one another within the packaging. Shingling of the food products  12  may be more visibly appealing to consumers, along with facilitating viewing of the food products  12  within the package and removing food products  12  from the packaging. Furthermore, the stepped support portions  38  and associated side support portions  44  provide additional structural rigidity for package  14 . In some embodiments, the food products  12  are held loosely in place, such that individual food products  12  may be easily removed from the package  14 . For example, as shown in the FIGURES, package  14  includes three stepped support portions  38  and is configured to hold four individual food products  12 . It should be noted that the food products  12  may be individually packaged with separate packagings to maintain freshness, etc. Furthermore, according to various exemplary embodiments, the space between the stepped support portions  38 , the “height” of the stepped support portions  38 , and the number of stepped support portions  38  may be varied to accommodate a particular food product  12  and/or packaging configuration. 
         [0017]    According to an exemplary embodiment, side support portions  44  are generally symmetric relative to the length of package  14 , and form waves, or curved surfaces. In one embodiment, only a portion  36  (see  FIGS. 4A and 5 ) of side support portions  44  actually touches, or supports, the food product  12 . The wave, or curve of the side support portions  44  may provide consumers with a sense of “uprising” heat, flavor, etc. According to various alternative embodiments, shapes other than those shown in the FIGURES may be used for side support portions  44 . For example, in some embodiments, the side support portions  44  may take other shapes, including forming a relatively flat/planar surface, etc. 
         [0018]    According to an exemplary embodiment, top  18  may include one or more indents/detents that form a top detail that has a corresponding shape to the bottom  32  of container  16 . As such, multiple packages  14  may be stacked securely on top of one another. In one embodiment, top  18  is a thermoformed lid made of a transparent thermoplastic material and may be any suitable color (e.g., red, etc.). Providing a transparent lid permits viewing of food products  12  within package  14  and permits additional labels to be used on the inner surface of the top  18  if desired. 
         [0019]    Top  18  may engage container  16  in any conventional manner, such as by way of a snap-fit provided by corresponding/interlocking structural features. In some embodiments, after placing sleeve  20  into place, food products  12  may be placed into the package, and an additional seal material may be applied around the top/container interface for product tamper resistance or to hold gases within the packaging should the packaging be a modified atmosphere package (MAP). In some embodiments one or more pads (e.g., a cushion, absorbent member, etc.) may be provided integrating with or separate from sleeve  20 , and may be positioned in the bottom  32  of the package  14  to support the food products  12 , absorb excess moisture, provide visual consumer information (e.g., text, graphics, etc.), etc. 
         [0020]    It should be noted that the various embodiments of the packaged food product disclosed herein may provide benefits over more traditional packagings. For example, the stepped support portions of the package creates “pockets” within the package that contain the individual food products, making viewing removal of food products easier than in many conventional packages. Furthermore, the contoured shapes of the packaging may provide a more visually appealing appearance, suggesting “uprising heat and/or flavor” to consumers. Further yet, the packaged food products are stackable, and the transparency of the package permits use of an inner sleeve, or insert, which can include a variety of information for consumers. 
         [0021]    It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the packaged food products and/or methods as shown in the exemplary embodiments are illustrative only. Although a few embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in the various embodiments. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and/or omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.