US 5,326,577 A · Shrink wrap package for fragile food products

Abstract

A packaging assembly for packaging brittle food products such as taco shells and tostada bowls is provided. The package has a generally L-shaped backing assembly into which the food product is inserted. A transparent overwrap covers the entire package. The L-shaped cardboard backing assembly is a three-layer cardboard assembly having an inner corrugated cardboard layer and top and bottom thin cardboard layers with the top and bottom thin layers preferably capable of receiving printed graphics. In a preferred embodiment, the upper and lower thin cardboard layers are formed from a single unitary cardboard sheet which is folded over onto the corrugated sheet to form a sandwich-type three-layer structure. The resulting package supports and protects the tortilla products from damage, yet allows a substantial portion of the tortilla products to be viewed by a consumer, allowing the consumer to quickly verify that the tortilla product has not been damaged or spoiled.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A package containing a food product, comprising:

a three-layer L-shaped backing assembly having (1) a rigid inner layer and (2) top and bottom thin outer layers comprised of a single unitary piece of thin cardboard folded over the rigid inner layer, the outer layers capable of receiving printed graphics, the L-shaped backing assembly having a flat back portion and an extending base portion, the back and extending base portions being sized to support a portion of the food product with the back portion and a portion of the food product with the extending base portion;
and
a transparent shrink wrap covering the product and the backing assembly, the shrink wrap holding the product against the backing.

A package containing a food product comprising:

an internal support sheet having a front side, a back side, an upper end, and a lower end;
a first fold line located horizontally on said support sheet between the upper and lower ends, said first fold line dividing said support sheet into a vertical support back and a horizontal support shelf, the horizontal support shelf protruding perpendicularly from the front side of the vertical support back along the first fold line to form a first inside corner, a space adjacent to the front side of the horizontal support shelf and to the front side of the vertical support back defining a protective support space for the food product;
a cover sheet being thinner than said support sheet and having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top end, and a bottom end, the outer surface of said cover sheet being suitable for receiving and bearing printed matter related to the food product;
a primary fold line located horizontally on said cover sheet between the top and bottom ends, said primary fold line dividing said cover sheet into an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being about twice as long as the vertical support back and the lower portion being about twice as long as the horizontal support shelf;
said cover sheet being located adjacent to said support sheet with the inner side and the primary fold line of said cover sheet located adjacent to the back side and the first fold line of said support sheet;
the upper and lower portions of said cover sheet being folded respectively around the vertical support back and the horizontal support shelf to form three layers, the inner surface of said cover sheet facing the front and back sides of said support sheet, the matter printed on the outer surface of said cover sheet being exposed away from both the front and back sides of the support sheet;
and
a transparent shrink wrap securing the food product in the protective support space while visually exposing the food product and the matter printed on the outer surface of said cover sheet, thereby providing a package which protects the food product, is visually informative as to a condition of the food product, and is attractive for viewing by a prospective purchaser.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Shrink wrap package for fragile food products

Life of this patent

Shrink wrap package for fragile food products

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17