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US 11,827,430 B2Granted
Tray for food products
AssigneeGraphic Packaging International, Inc.
InventorsThomas Brink, Elliot Hithersay
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tray for holding at least one food product includes a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the tray, the plurality of panels including a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, and at least one side panel, a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels and cooperating to form a rim extending outwardly from the plurality of panels, and locking features comprising at least one male locking feature extending from at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps, the at least one male locking feature at least partially inserted through at least one female locking feature in a respective panel of the plurality of panels to reinforce the rim.
Claims44
A tray for holding at least one food product, the tray comprising:
- a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the tray, the plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, at least one side panel, and at least one corner panel comprising a first locking section and a second locking section, one of the first locking section and the second locking section at least partially overlapping the at least one side panel and the other of the first locking section and the second locking section at least partially overlapping one of the front panel and the back panel;
- a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels and cooperating to form a rim extending outwardly from the plurality of panels;
- and
- locking features comprising at least one male locking feature extending from at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps, the at least one male locking feature at least partially inserted through at least one female locking feature in a respective panel of the plurality of panels to reinforce the rim.
1 more element
A tray for holding at least one food product, the tray comprising:
- a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the tray, the plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, and at least one side panel;
- a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels and cooperating to form a rim extending outwardly from the plurality of panels;
- and
- locking features comprising at least one locking portion extending from at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps, the at least one locking portion at least partially inserted through at least one locking opening defined in a respective panel of the plurality of panels to reinforce the rim, wherein the at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps is foldably connected to the at least one side panel, the at least one locking portion is a first locking portion extending from the at least one end flap, the locking features further comprise a second locking portion extending from the at least one end flap, wherein the at least one locking opening is a first locking opening in the front panel and at least partially receiving the first locking portion, and the locking features further comprise a second locking opening in the back panel and at least partially receiving the second locking portion.
1 more element
A blank for forming a tray for holding at least one food product, the blank comprising:
- a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, at least one side panel, and at least one corner panel comprising a first locking section and a second locking section, one of the first locking section and the second locking section for being positioned at least partially overlapping the at least one side panel when the tray is formed from the blank, and the other of the first locking section and the second locking section for being positioned at least partially overlapping one of the front panel and the back panel when the tray is formed from the blank;
- a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels for cooperating to form a rim extending outwardly from the plurality of panels when the tray is formed from the blank;
- and
- locking features comprising at least one male locking feature extending from at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps, the at least one male locking feature for being at least partially inserted through at least one female locking feature in a respective panel of the plurality of panels to reinforce the rim when the tray is formed from the blank.
1 more element
A blank for forming a tray for holding at least one food product, the blank comprising:
- a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, and at least one side panel;
- a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels for cooperating to form a rim extending outwardly from the plurality of panels when the tray is formed from the blank;
- and
- locking features comprising at least one locking portion extending from at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps, the at least one locking portion for being at least partially inserted through at least one locking opening defined in a respective panel of the plurality of panels to reinforce the rim when the tray is formed from the blank, wherein the at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps is foldably connected to the at least one side panel, the at least one locking portion is a first locking portion extending from the at least one end flap, the locking features further comprise a second locking portion extending from the at least one end flap, wherein the at least one locking opening is a first locking opening in the front panel for at least partially receiving the first locking portion when the tray is formed from the blank, and the locking features further comprise a second locking opening in the back panel for at least partially receiving the second locking portion when the tray is formed from the blank.
1 more element
A method of forming a tray for holding at least one food product, the method comprising:
- obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, at least one side panel, and at least one corner panel, the at least one corner panel comprising a first locking section and a second locking section, the blank further comprising a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, the blank further comprising locking features comprising at least one male locking feature extending from at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps and at least one female locking feature in a respective panel of the plurality of panels;
- folding the plurality of panels at least partially around an interior of the tray such that the at least one corner panel is positioned with one of the first locking section and the second locking section at least partially overlapping the at least one side panel and with the other of the first locking section and the second locking section at least partially overlapping one of the front panel and the back panel;
- positioning the plurality of end flaps to form a rim extending outwardly from the plurality of panels;
- and
- inserting the at least one male locking feature at least through the at least one female locking feature to reinforce the rim.
2 more elements
A method of forming a tray for holding at least one food product, the method comprising:
- obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, and at least one side panel, the blank further comprising a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, the blank further comprising locking features comprising at least one locking portion extending from at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps and at least one locking opening defined in a respective panel of the plurality of panels, wherein the at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps is foldably connected to the at least one side panel, the at least one locking portion is a first locking portion extending from the at least one end flap, the locking features further comprise a second locking portion extending from the at least one end flap, wherein the at least one locking opening is a first locking opening in the front panel and the locking features further comprise a second locking opening in the back panel;
- folding the plurality of panels at least partially around an interior of the tray;
- positioning the plurality of end flaps to form a rim extending outwardly from the plurality of panels;
- at least partially inserting the first locking portion through the first locking opening to reinforce the rim;
- and
- at least partially inserting the second locking portion through the second locking opening to reinforce the rim.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.