Food container with lid closure having a stand feature
AssigneeGeneral Mills, Inc.
InventorDavid S. Anderson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are containers having a stand feature comprising a tray having a major open end and a defined lid closure for the open end providing the stand feature. The stand feature allows the tray to stand vertically on a sidewall thereby allowing presentation of the package with the lid towards the viewer. The container finds particular suitability for use as a food container for shelf stable packaged food items. The stand feature allows the package to be fabricated without the conventional outer carton or outer shrink wrap film. Also disclosed are package flats for lids having a defined stand forming tab which lids are suitable for use as a closure for trays so as to provide the trays with the present side stand feature.
Claims27
A container for a packaged item adapted to stand on its sidewall in a vertically aligned position on a shelf thereby allowing presentation of a major face to the consumer without requiring an outer carton and which subsequent to opening can be partially reclosed, comprising:
- A. a tray for supporting the item having a rear major surface, an open major face opposite the rear major surface and a continuous sidewall having a top edge
- B. a lid closure fabricated from a single flexible material piece having
- a lid panel having an outside and inside major surface and upper and lower ends overlaying the open face and extending over the top edge surface,
- means for supporting the tray in said vertically aligned position, said means being integrally connected to said lid panel proximate the sidewall, said lid panel being hingedly connected to the support means,
- adhesive means for releasably attaching said lid panel to the top edge surface of the tray,
- a means for controllably opening the lid closure,
- wherein the means for supporting the tray, the plurality of panels includes
- a base panel hingedly connected to the lid panel along a first common transverse fold line and wherein the base panel is in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the lid panel,
- a rear panel hingedly connected to the base panel along a second common transverse fold line and wherein the rear panel is in the plane as the tray rear face, and
- at least one support panel hingedly connected to the rear panel along a third common fold line, said support panel having at least a portion being adhesively secured to the outside of the tray sidewall.
A one-piece package blank for a package lid useful as a lid closure for an open faced tray having a sidewall fabricated with a peripheral flange and which supports the tray in a vertical position, comprising:
- A. a first major face panel for overlaying the tray open face having inner and outer major surfaces and first and second ends:
- B. a stand tab hingedly connected to the first end of the face panel along a first common fold line, said stand tab comprising
- a base panel hingedly connected to the face panel along the first fold line,
- a rear panel hingedly connected to the base panel along a second common fold line,
- at least one support panel hingedly connected to the rear panel along a third common fold line;
- and
- C. a pull tab hingedly connected to the second end of the face panel along a fourth, transverse common fold line.
A one-piece package blank for a package lid useful as a lid closure for an open faced tray having a sidewall fabricated with a peripheral flange and which supports the tray in a vertical position, comprising:
- A. a first major face panel for overlaying the tray open face having inner and outer major surfaces and first and second ends;
- B. a stand tab hingedly connected to the first end of the face panel along a first common transverse fold line, said stand tab comprising
- a base panel hingedly connected to the face panel along the first transverse fold line,
- a rear panel hingedly connected to the base panel along a second common fold line,
- at least one support panel hingedly connected to the rear panel along a third common fold line;
- and
- C. a pull tab hingedly connected to the second end of the face panel along a fourth, transverse common fold line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.