Patent Description:
Food trays are known which are made of a material such as cardboard, paper, polymeric sheet and/or a laminate which comprises one or more layers.

These trays are generally composed of several parts connected to each other by additional elements glued or non-glued. These additional elements can for example be plastic laminated sheets or the like which are absolutely necessary, as otherwise the tray would not be able to sustain itself in an operational position for containing food or similar products.

A certain formation complexity is thus achieved, requiring particularly complex machinery in which devices for forming the parts from the initial blank must be combined with devices for feeding additional parts. An actual cover must be made, for example, in line with a laminate of the initial cardboard blank.

In the absence of this, the cardboard blank would not even be able to create an open tray in an operational position capable of standing upright.

<CIT> relates to a tray according to the preamble of claim <NUM>. Furthermore, this document also relates to a method for producing the tray it describes.

The general objective of the present invention is to provide a blank and a method capable of solving the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art in an extremely simple, economical and particularly functional way.

A further objective of the present invention is to produce a particularly rapid tray to be assembled from a single blank without adding parts or additional elements, except for the intervention of a simple glue.

The above-mentioned objectives are achieved by a tray in a single piece and a method for producing it according to the independent claims and following subordinate claims.

The structural and functional characteristics of the present invention and its advantages with respect to the known art will become even more evident from the following description, referring to the attached schematic drawings, which show an embodiment example of the same invention. In the drawings:.

With reference to the figures, which are illustrative and non-limiting, these show embodiments of a blank which then creates a tray for food according to the present invention.

Indications such as "vertical" and "horizontal", "upper" and "lower" (in the absence of other indications) should be read with reference to the assembly (or operating) conditions and referring to the normal terminology used in current language, wherein "vertical" indicates a direction substantially parallel to that of the force of gravity vector "g" and a horizontal direction perpendicular to it.

Furthermore, indications such as "longitudinal" and "transverse" refer: the former to the main and adjacent side panels and the latter passing through and/or parallel to the folding line between the two panels.

As shown in <FIG>, in a first embodiment for producing a food tray according to the present invention, a blank is used, punched or sheared, made of material suitable for containing a food product, indicated as a whole with <NUM> in its unfolded flat position. In the blank <NUM>, a main panel <NUM> is defined in a longitudinal direction L with which a side panel <NUM> is foldably associated, thus indicated as a whole.

The main panel <NUM> consists of a rectangular frame which comprises two shorter sides <NUM> and <NUM> from which two small panels <NUM> and <NUM>, shaped in the form of isosceles trapezoids, extend in a transverse direction T towards an internal central opening or cutout <NUM>. The above-mentioned frame is continuous and closed, without interruptions. Two longer sides <NUM> and <NUM> of the main frame panel <NUM> are also indicated in the transverse direction T; more specifically, <NUM> indicates the free terminal side and <NUM> indicates that with which the side panel <NUM> is associated.

More specifically, a strip <NUM> having the same size is juxtaposed with respect to the side <NUM> of the main frame panel <NUM>, which acts as an attachment portion of the adjacent side panel <NUM>.

The side panel <NUM> comprises a central internal panel <NUM> from which peripheral panels <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, shaped in the form of an isosceles trapezoid and extending outwardly from the central internal panel <NUM>, extend on the four sides.

More specifically, the peripheral panel <NUM> extends from the strip <NUM>, which has been seen to act as an attachment portion of the side panel <NUM>. Said peripheral panel <NUM>, called transverse, is arranged transversely in the side panel <NUM>. Said peripheral panel <NUM> provides at its opposite side ends, two triangular panels <NUM> and <NUM> facing the adjacent longitudinal peripheral panels <NUM> and <NUM> respectively. These longitudinal peripheral panels <NUM> and <NUM> in turn extend outwardly into a panel having a rectangular flap <NUM> and <NUM> which will be seen hereunder.

And again, a transverse peripheral panel <NUM>, opposite the transverse peripheral panel <NUM> with respect to the central internal panel <NUM> (also arranged transversely), also has at its opposite side ends, two triangular panels <NUM> and <NUM> facing the adjacent longitudinal peripheral panels <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively. It should also be noted that this transverse peripheral panel <NUM> extends outwardly into a panel with a rectangular flap <NUM>, also transverse.

It should also be specified that one <NUM> of said transverse peripheral panels is associated with said strip <NUM>, which acts as an attachment portion of the side panel <NUM>, and that one <NUM> of said transverse peripheral panels opposite the previous panel <NUM> is associated with a panel having a rectangular flap <NUM>.

As will be seen hereunder, glue lines are naturally further provided, which join overlapping panels or parts thereof.

It should also be noted that the transverse peripheral panel <NUM> in one of its intermediate areas provides a folding invitation line <NUM> which thus defines a panel part thereof indicated with <NUM> close to the central internal panel <NUM>.

And this detailed description of the blank <NUM> is shown in all of its details in <FIG> in the flat extended position.

The following figures show the steps or phases through which the blank is folded and shaped to form the final tray or container.

In particular, <FIG> shows how in the blank, from the flat extended position of <FIG>, a first fold is made in its side panel <NUM> in an intermediate area using the folding invitation line <NUM>. In this way, the part <NUM> of the side panel <NUM> remains stationary and the remaining part of the panel <NUM> is brought to overlap the part <NUM> and the central internal panel <NUM>.

In this way, a second position of at least part of the side panel <NUM> is created.

<FIG> shows how from this second position in <FIG> only the panel with a rectangular flap <NUM> is folded outwardly, which is thus brought to superimpose part of the side panel <NUM>.

It should be noted that on this flap panel <NUM>, there is a line of glue indicated with <NUM>, facing upwards in <FIG> which will then be coupled with the free end side <NUM> of the main frame panel <NUM>.

And in this respect, it should also be noted that the strip <NUM> of the side panel <NUM> is provided with a glue line indicated with <NUM> facing upwards in <FIG> which will then be coupled with the side <NUM> of the main frame panel <NUM>.

Once this operation has been effected, the main panel <NUM> is rotated onto the side panel <NUM>. This occurs thanks to a folding invitation line <NUM> defined between the side <NUM> of the main frame panel <NUM> and the strip <NUM> of the side panel <NUM>, which, as already mentioned, acts as an attachment portion.

The glue lines <NUM> and <NUM> thus constrain the main panel <NUM> to the side panel <NUM> superimposed on each other as can be clearly seen in <FIG>. In particular, this position between the parts is that which is reached by the blank <NUM> by effecting the above-mentioned foldings and the two gluings indicated. This situation is usually created by the paper industry that produces the blank and which then passes it, thus partially formed, to the user who uses it in the complete shaping machine of the tray to be obtained.

<FIG> shows a section or a view from one end of the blank, when it has been glued as described above, in its various constituent portions, to form the arrangement of <FIG>. Identically <FIG> shows, in a perspective view, how the various panels of the tray being formed appear after the first two gluings of the glue lines <NUM> and <NUM> previously described.

At this point, the phases that take place in the machine automatically and which are shown in the following figures, are described.

<FIG> shows how the various panels are moved together to reach a subsequent step for forming the tray. More specifically, it can first of all be noted that two lines of glue <NUM> are applied on opposite free side edges of the small-sized panel <NUM>, shaped in the form of an isosceles trapezoid on one side of the tray. On the other side, it can be noted that two lines of glue <NUM> are applied on opposite free side edges of the panel having reduced dimensions <NUM>, shaped in the form of an isosceles trapezoid.

At this point, the triangular panels <NUM> and <NUM>, which extend from the peripheral panels <NUM> and <NUM>, shaped in the form of an isosceles trapezoid, are folded towards the inside of the tray being formed i.e. towards the central internal panel <NUM>. Equivalently, the triangular panels <NUM> and <NUM> are folded, which extend from the peripheral panels <NUM> and <NUM>, shaped in the form of an isosceles trapezoid, also towards the inside of the tray being formed i.e. towards the central internal panel <NUM>.

The small-sized panel <NUM> is now pushed from one side towards the two triangular panels <NUM> and <NUM> so as to bring the glue lines <NUM> to face each other between the parts (<FIG>) in order to glue and constrain the panels together. From another side, the small-sized panel <NUM> is pushed towards the two triangular panels <NUM> and <NUM> so as to bring the glue lines <NUM> to face each other between the parts in order to glue and constrain the respective panels together.

In this way, the internal edges of the tray that is formed in its internal part are constrained. Otherwise, the peripheral panels <NUM> and <NUM> respectively protruding from the side panel <NUM> and free with respect to the main panel <NUM>, are still left flat.

<FIG> show how to proceed in a subsequent phase when the peripheral panels <NUM> and <NUM> are brought into contact with the small-sized panels <NUM> and <NUM> respectively.

The transverse peripheral panels <NUM> and <NUM> are brought to face each other and come into contact with glue lines <NUM>, arranged centrally on the small-sized panels <NUM> and <NUM>. In the same way, glue lines <NUM> are arranged on the panels with a rectangular flap <NUM> and <NUM> of the longitudinal peripheral panels <NUM> and <NUM> which extend outwardly from the side panel <NUM>. These glue lines <NUM> are brought to face each other and come into contact with the two shorter sides <NUM> and <NUM> of the rectangular frame of the main panel <NUM>, reciprocally blocking each other.

The tray is thus formed as shown in <FIG> both on the short side and on the long side.

As can be seen, this type of tray is formed from a single blank and, once the glue lines have been prepared and activated, it is able to remain open by itself without the aid of further sheets of paper or plastic material, such as a lining.

The tray is particularly sturdy as the main panel <NUM>, as already mentioned, consists of a rectangular frame in a single piece which comprises two shorter sides <NUM> and <NUM> oriented longitudinally in the direction L and two longer sides <NUM> and <NUM> oriented transversely in the direction T.

The present invention also relates to a method for forming a container for containing a food product. The method can consist of producing a tray comprising a main panel with which a side panel is foldably associated, wherein the main panel, which consists of a rectangular frame comprising two shorter sides and two longer sides, is folded and superimposes the side panel by means of a folding invitation line defined between a longer side of the main frame panel and an adjacent strip of the side panel, said two panels folded over each other and superimposed being at least partially constrained by lines of glue.

In particular, the method prior to these steps provides for forming a blank or die-cut made of paper material or cardboard for food in a food tray, first in a main panel <NUM> with which a side panel <NUM> is foldably associated, wherein said main panel <NUM> consists of a rectangular frame comprising two shorter sides <NUM>, <NUM> and two longer sides <NUM>, <NUM>, wherein said two shorter sides <NUM>, <NUM> extend in a longitudinal direction L and said two longer sides <NUM>, <NUM> extend in a transverse direction T.

This forming step also defines in the blank a central internal opening or cutout <NUM> of said main panel <NUM> from whose two shorter sides <NUM>, <NUM> two smaller panels <NUM>, <NUM> shaped in the form of isosceles trapezoids, extend in a transverse direction T towards said central internal opening or cutout <NUM>.

In forming, the method further provides that said side panel <NUM> extends from one <NUM> of said two long sides <NUM>, <NUM> of the main frame panel <NUM> by means of a strip <NUM>, which acts as an attachment portion of the side panel <NUM>.

In the forming, moreover, an internal panel <NUM> is defined in said side panel <NUM>, central to the same, from which two transverse peripheral panels <NUM>, <NUM> and two longitudinal peripheral panels <NUM>, <NUM>, in the form of an isosceles trapezoid, extend outwardly, on all four sides, from the central internal panel <NUM>.

In particular, the method provides that one <NUM> of said transverse peripheral panels be associated with said strip <NUM>, which acts as an attachment portion of the side panel <NUM>, and one <NUM> of said transverse peripheral panels, opposite the previous one, is associated with a panel with a rectangular flap <NUM>.

During the various steps for forming and folding the panels to produce the tray, the method provides that glue lines <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> be arranged on the panels for joining overlapping panels or parts of them.

The method advantageously provides that, for producing the tray, it is preferably defined that the one transverse peripheral panel <NUM> provides for the formation of two triangular panels <NUM>, <NUM> at its opposite side ends facing the adjacent longitudinal peripheral panels <NUM>, <NUM>. In particular, said longitudinal peripheral panels <NUM>, <NUM> in turn extend outwardly into a longitudinal panel with a rectangular flap <NUM>, <NUM>. With respect to the other transverse peripheral panel <NUM>, the method provides for forming, at its opposite side ends, two triangular panels <NUM>, <NUM> also facing said adjacent longitudinal peripheral panels <NUM>, <NUM>, wherein said other transverse peripheral panel <NUM> extends outwardly into said panel with a rectangular flap <NUM>.

The method then preferably provides steps wherein said strip <NUM>, which acts as an attachment portion of the side panel <NUM>, said longitudinal rectangular flap panels <NUM>, <NUM> and said panel with a rectangular flap <NUM> are provided with glue lines <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

Furthermore, in one step, it is provided that the transverse peripheral panel <NUM> in an intermediate area thereof provides a folding invitation line <NUM> which thus defines a panel part <NUM> of the same close to the central internal panel <NUM>.

It should also be noted that with the present method in subsequent steps, the two panels having reduced dimensions <NUM>, <NUM> of said main panel <NUM> are provided with two lines of glue <NUM> on opposite free side edges.

Similarly, glue lines <NUM> are arranged centrally on the small-sized panels <NUM>, <NUM> which in turn are brought to face each other and come into contact with said transverse peripheral panels <NUM>, <NUM>.

Finally, glue lines <NUM> are arranged on panels with a rectangular flap <NUM>, <NUM> of the longitudinal peripheral panels <NUM>, <NUM> which extend outwardly from the side panel <NUM> and said glue lines <NUM> are brought to face each other and come into contact with the two shorter sides <NUM>, <NUM> of the rectangular frame of the main panel <NUM>, blocking each other.

<FIG> show similar views and positions for a second embodiment of a blank useful for forming a tray according to the invention.

In this second embodiment of a blank for a tray, the same elements are indicated with the same reference numbers.

Additional elements with respect to those previously described relate to triangular panels <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, <NUM> respectively, which extend from the two panels having reduced dimensions <NUM>, <NUM>, shaped in the form of isosceles trapezoids, of the main panel <NUM> with a rectangular frame.

As can be seen from the specific figures, these triangular panels <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, <NUM> respectively, extend from the tilted sides of the isosceles trapezoids and rest on the transverse peripheral panels <NUM> and <NUM> towards the inside of the tray being formed i.e. towards the central internal panel <NUM>.

These triangular panels <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, <NUM> respectively provide a reinforcement at the edges of the tray when formed by the folding of the various panels.

In the forming method, folding and positioning steps of these triangular panels <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> and <NUM> respectively, are added.

A blank and a method are therefore created which are particularly suitable for the formation of a tray deriving from a blank or die-cut in a single piece which is formed and kept in its operating condition for receiving food exclusively thanks to the arrangement of its panels and glue lines that keep them constrained to each other, without adding other kinds of materials or sheets.

It cannot be excluded however that a plastic barrier lining can be applied to the inside so that food that releases a liquid portion can be accommodated.

The limits of the state of the art have thus been overcome, wherein in order to produce a functional tray, a paper or plastic element had to be arranged, that would keep the various panels of the blank together.

The objective mentioned in the preamble of the description has thus been achieved.

Claim 1:
A food tray produced from a blank or die-cut made of paper material or cardboard for food comprising:
- a main panel (<NUM>) with which a side panel (<NUM>) is foldably associated, wherein
- said main panel (<NUM>) consists of a rectangular frame, which is continuous, closed and without interruptions, and which comprises two shorter sides (<NUM>,<NUM>) and two longer sides (<NUM>,<NUM>), wherein said two shorter sides (<NUM>,<NUM>) extend in a longitudinal direction (L) and said two longer sides (<NUM>,<NUM>) extend in a transverse direction (T),
- two panels having reduced dimensions (<NUM>,<NUM>), shaped in the form of isosceles trapezoids extend from said two shorter sides (<NUM>,<NUM>) in a transverse direction (T) towards a central internal opening or cutout (<NUM>) of said main panel (<NUM>),
- said side panel (<NUM>) extends from one (<NUM>) of said two long sides (<NUM>,<NUM>) of the main frame panel (<NUM>) by means of a strip (<NUM>), which acts as an attachment portion of the side panel (<NUM>),
- wherein said side panel (<NUM>) comprises a central internal panel (<NUM>) from which two transverse peripheral panels (<NUM>,<NUM>) and two longitudinal peripheral panels (<NUM>,<NUM>) extend outwardly on the four sides, one (<NUM>) of said transverse peripheral panels being associated with said strip (<NUM>), which acts as an attachment portion of the side panel (<NUM>), and the other (<NUM>) of said transverse peripheral panels, opposite the previous panel, being associated with a panel having a rectangular flap (<NUM>),
- lines of glue being further provided (<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>) which join overlapping panels or parts thereof,
characterized in that said two transverse peripheral panels (<NUM>,<NUM>) and said two longitudinal peripheral panels (<NUM>,<NUM>) are shaped in the form of an isosceles trapezoid,
wherein said transversal peripheral panel (<NUM>) in an intermediate area thereof provides a folding invitation line (<NUM>) which thus defines a panel part (<NUM>) thereof close to the central internal panel (<NUM>).