U.S. patent application number 12/792482 was filed with the patent office on 2011-06-09 for multi-compartment food tray.
Invention is credited to Lawrence Epstein, Al Fotheringham, Mark Poe.
Application Number | 20110132796 12/792482 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44080961 |
Filed Date | 2011-06-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110132796 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Epstein; Lawrence ; et
al. |
June 9, 2011 |
Multi-Compartment Food Tray
Abstract
A multi-compartment food tray includes at least a first
compartment and a second compartment formed from a paperboard
material, each compartment including a compartment lip, and a
carrier constructed from a paperboard material and including
openings receiving the first and second compartments. Each
compartment lip may be mechanically coupled to the carrier to
create an interface, wherein the interface may remain coupled
during food reconstitution, and may include at least one surface
having a coating. The first compartment may have a different volume
than the second compartment.
Inventors: |
Epstein; Lawrence;
(Bloomfield Hills, MI) ; Fotheringham; Al;
(Medina, OH) ; Poe; Mark; (Findlay, OH) |
Family ID: |
44080961 |
Appl. No.: |
12/792482 |
Filed: |
June 2, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61183175 |
Jun 2, 2009 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/557 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 81/3453 20130101;
B65D 1/36 20130101; B65D 2581/3416 20130101; B65D 81/343
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/557 |
International
Class: |
B65D 1/36 20060101
B65D001/36; A47G 19/02 20060101 A47G019/02 |
Claims
1. A multi-compartment food tray, comprising: a first compartment
and a second compartment formed of a paperboard material, each
compartment including a compartment lip; and a carrier formed of a
paperboard material and including openings receiving the first and
second compartments, wherein each compartment lip is mechanically
coupled to the carrier to create a coupled interface.
2. The tray according to claim 1, wherein the coupled interface is
inseparable while the tray is exposed to a food reconstitution
process.
3. The tray according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the
carrier and the compartments includes a coating.
4. The tray according to claim 3, wherein the coating is an
extrusion coating comprising at least one of polypropene (PP),
polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or polyethylene (PE).
5. The tray according to claim 1, wherein each compartment lip is
mechanically coupled to the carrier using an adhesive.
6. The tray according to claim 5, wherein the adhesive comprises a
water-based adhesive.
7. The tray according to claim 1, wherein the first compartment has
a different volume than the second compartment.
8. A multi-compartment food tray, comprising: a first compartment
and a second compartment formed of a paperboard material, each
compartment including a compartment lip; and a carrier formed of a
paperboard material and including openings receiving the first and
second compartments, wherein each compartment lip is mechanically
coupled to the carrier to create an interface, the interface
including at least one surface having a coating.
9. The tray according to claim 8, wherein the carrier comprises
uncoated paperboard and the compartments comprise coated
paperboard.
10. The tray according to claim 8, wherein the carrier comprises
coated paperboard and the compartments comprise uncoated
paperboard.
11. The tray according to claim 8, wherein the carrier and the
compartments comprise coated paperboard.
12. The tray according to claim 8, wherein the coating is an
extrusion coating comprising at least one of polypropene (PP),
polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or polyethylene (PE).
13. The tray according to claim 8, wherein at least a portion of
each compartment is coated with a silicon release coating.
14. The tray according to claim 8, wherein at least a portion of
each compartment is coated with an acrylic barrier.
15. The tray according to claim 8, wherein each compartment lip is
mechanically coupled to the carrier using an adhesive.
16. The tray according to claim 8, wherein the first compartment
has a different volume than the second compartment.
17. A multi-compartment paperboard food tray, comprising: a first
compartment and a second compartment, the first compartment having
a different volume than the second compartment, each compartment
including a compartment lip; and a carrier including openings
receiving the first and second compartments, the carrier including
a divider area between the openings and an outer flange area
adjacent the openings that are generally coplanar.
18. The tray according to claim 17, wherein each compartment lip is
mechanically coupled to the carrier.
19. The tray according to claim 17, wherein the first and second
compartments hold complementary food items.
20. The tray according to claim 17, wherein at least one of the
carrier and the compartments comprises paperboard having a coating.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional
Application No. 61/183,175 filed Jun. 2, 2009, the disclosure of
which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This invention relates to a multi-compartment food tray.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Conventional food trays have been manufactured to not only
function as a packaging container for food, but also as a container
for food preparation and/or reconstitution, such as heating,
cooling, freezing and thawing of food. For instance, food trays
have been manufactured from metal materials, such as tin or
aluminum, which allows food to be reconstituted in conventional
ovens without unacceptable degradation of the food tray. In
addition, food trays have been manufactured from synthetic resin
materials, such as food grade polypropylene and crystallized
polyethylene terephthalate (CPET). Polypropylene food trays allow
food to be heated in microwaves without undesirable degradation.
CPET food trays allow food to be heated in ovens and microwaves
without undesirable degradation.
[0004] While certain known food trays may be cost-effective,
light-weight and/or durable, these materials may also have
undesirable characteristics. For instance, metal food trays defeat
metal detection systems that are commonly used to detect the
presence of metal within the food contained in the tray. Therefore,
customers that implement these metal detection systems find metal
food trays unsuitable for this purpose. As another example, CPET
food trays may suffer from poor performance under extreme
temperature conditions. The CPET material may crack under
relatively cold conditions, and may become unstable and flimsy at
relatively high temperatures. Moreover, this material is relatively
bulky and heavy to ship. Also, a food tray made from 100% plastic
material takes a relatively long time to biodegrade (and in some
instances, may not biodegrade) compared to a food tray made with a
fraction of plastic material.
[0005] Against this backdrop, manufacturers have developed food
trays that are made from paperboard materials. Such experimentation
has provided food trays that are durable during transportation as
well as safe during food reconstitution. However, manufacture of
multi-compartment food trays made from paperboard materials have
suffered from one or more drawbacks.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a top view of a prior art multi-compartment food
tray a prior art;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a side view of the multi-compartment food tray
depicted in FIG. 1;
[0008] FIG. 3 is a top view of a multi-compartment food tray
according to one embodiment of the present application;
[0009] FIG. 4 is a side view of the multi-compartment food tray
depicted in FIG. 3;
[0010] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the multi-compartment
food tray depicted in FIG. 4; and
[0011] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the multi-compartment food
tray according to another embodiment of the present
application.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention
are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the
disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that
may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are
not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or
minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore,
specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not
to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis
for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present
invention.
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates a known multi-compartment food tray 10
manufactured from a single piece of paperboard material. Food tray
10 may be manufactured using a stamping process that uses heat and
extreme pressure to form a food tray from paperboard stock, such as
rolled stock. The stamping process may use a stamping press, which
can be driven, hydraulic, or screw type, for example. Food tray 10
includes first and second compartments 12 and 14, each configured
to contain food. Each compartment 12 and 14 may be stamped to a
particular size and configuration. As depicted in FIG. 1, food tray
10 is molded to include a divider wall 16, which separates each
compartment 12 and 14 from each other. As such, food tray 10 is
capable of storing different food items within each separated
compartment 12 and 14.
[0014] The combination of the stamping process and the paperboard
material may present certain limitations on the sizes and
configurations that can be manufactured while providing the
requisite strength to the finished food tray.
[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, food tray 10 has a scored or scalloped
flange surface 15 and a divider wall surface 17, which is spaced
apart from the scored or scalloped flange surface 15. Food tray 10
is manufactured with this structure to provide reinforcement
between compartments 12 and 14. Otherwise, if the surfaces 15 and
17 were coplanar, divider wall 16 would act as a highly flexible
hinge, which could cause one of the compartments 12 or 14 to rotate
away from the other compartment, thereby spilling the contents of
one or both of the compartments 12 and 14. However, by spacing
apart the surfaces 15 and 17, the volume of compartments 12 and 14
is less than a similar structure having coplanar surfaces.
[0016] Further, divider wall 16 is formed with a width tapering
from a small end on divider wall surface 17 to large end proximate
to base walls 20 and 24 of food tray 10. The tapered width is
provided as a structural reinforcement for food tray 10. While it
achieves this benefit, it sacrifices volume of compartments 12 and
14.
[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of food tray 10. As
illustrated, first compartment 12 may include side wall 18 and base
wall 20 and second compartment 14 may include side wall 22 and base
wall 24. As shown in FIG. 2, side walls 18 and 22 taper inward from
surface 15 towards base walls 20 and 24. The pronounced tapered
shape, which reduces volume compared to slightly tapered or
untapered side walls, is a result and a limitation of the stamping
process used to form food tray 10 having two compartments 12 and
14. Moreover, the stamping process for creating a multi-compartment
tray from a single piece of paperboard may limit the shape and
dimensions of each compartment 12 and 14.
[0018] Also, the food tray 10 may suffer from design limitations
due to the multiple scoring in different directions that may be
needed to produce food tray 10. The process of forming the blank
for use in manufacturing food tray 10 may be relatively
inefficient, and result in wasted material and/or tearing.
[0019] Additionally, in certain instances, a post trim process is
used to trim flange surface 17, which may exhibit uneven or
scalloped paper gathering. This additional step adds to
manufacturing time and cost, and may result in wasted paper
material.
[0020] FIG. 3 illustrates a multi-compartment food tray 30
according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. Food
tray 30 may include at least a first and second compartment 32 and
34 molded of a paperboard material capable of containing food. In
one or more embodiments, the paperboard material of each
compartment 32 and 34 may be manufactured using a micro-flute or
micro-corrugated flute material.
[0021] In one or more embodiments, the paperboard material is
formed of base paper material including a film or coating, for
example an extruded coating, on one or both of the surfaces of the
base paper material. Non-limiting examples of paper materials
include solid bleach of sulfate (SBS), solid unbleached sulfate
(SUS), laminates, silicone laminates and parchment paper.
[0022] In one or more embodiments, the film or coating provides the
paperboard material with a food contacting surface sufficient to
withstand one or more processes for reconstituting food. For
example, the film or coating may allow each compartment to be
heated within a microwave or conventional oven without the paper
material experiencing unacceptable degradation. Each compartment 32
and 34 may include an extrusion coating of polypropene (PP) or
polyethylene terephthalate (PET) on one or both sides of the base
paper material. By using a PP or PET coating, each compartment 32
and 34 may be capable of withstanding the relatively high
temperatures needed to sufficiently heat food for certain
applications. Alternatively, each compartment 32 and 34 may include
an extrusion coating of polyethylene (PE) on one or both sides of
the base paper material. The extrusion coating of PE may allow each
compartment 32 and 34 to be cooled within a freezer or ice chest
without the paper material experiencing unacceptable degradation.
In addition, by using a PP, PET, or PE coating, the strength and
rigidity of each compartment 32 and 34 may be increased. Other
non-limiting examples of films or coatings include polypropylene
and bakery release coatings, such as PBT and PMP.
[0023] In one or more embodiments, the film or coating may be
applied as an emulsion using a coating machine, e.g., a rod coating
machine.
[0024] The inner walls of each compartment 32 and 34 may be coated
with a silicon release coating so that food does not adhere to the
interior walls when heated in a conventional oven or microwave. For
example, by coating each compartment 32 and 34 with a silicon
release coating, food items such as muffins, brownies, or cakes may
not adhere to the interior walls of each compartment 32 and 34
during baking.
[0025] Each compartment 32 and 34 may further be coated with an
acrylic barrier that may be moisture and/or grease-resistant. The
acrylic barrier may allow cooking of food items, such as meat and
poultry, within each compartment 32 and 34. For example, by using
an acrylic barrier each compartment 32 and 34 may be capable of
cooking a beef stew or stroganoff. As such, wet food items may be
cooked within each compartment 32 and 34 which may otherwise soak
into and deteriorate a conventional paperboard food tray that may
not be coated with an acrylic barrier.
[0026] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, a carrier 36 is provided
having openings 37 and 39 for receiving compartments 32 and 34,
respectively. Openings 37 and 39 may be correspondingly sized based
upon the volumes of the compartments 32 and 34, wherein the
compartments 32 and 34 may be of the same or different volumes.
Each compartment 32 and 34 may further include a compartment lip 38
and 40 which may designed so that each compartment 32 and 34 may be
mechanically coupled to a the carrier 36. For example, FIG. 5
illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4.
As illustrated, compartment lip 40 may be mechanically coupled to
carrier 36 using an adhesive bond 42, such as glue or the like.
However, the present disclosure further contemplates that each
compartment lip 38 and 40 may be coupled to the carrier 36 using
thermal bonding, ultrasonic bonding and/or welding, mechanical
fastening, or any other suitable method and/or substance. In one
embodiment, ultrasonic welding is used without the use of an
adhesive. In one or more embodiments, a water-based adhesive
certified for food containment and reconstitution is utilized to
couple the carrier 36 and compartment lips 38 and 40.
[0027] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in one or more embodiments the
carrier 36 may include a divider area 41 between the openings 37
and 39 and an outer flange area 43 surrounding the openings 37 and
39 that are generally coplanar. With this configuration, the volume
of the compartments 32 and 34 can be increased as compared with a
tray structure wherein the divider and outer flange areas are not
coplanar.
[0028] In one or more embodiments, the carrier 36 does not separate
from compartments 32 and 34 during transportation. In one or more
embodiments, once coupled, carrier 36 does not separate from the
compartments 32 and 34 when exposed to extreme temperatures. For
example, once coupled, carrier 36 may not separate from each
compartment 32 and 34 during exposure to extremely high heat during
baking or cooking. Also, once coupled, carrier 36 may not separate
from each compartment 32 and 34 during exposure to extremely low
temperatures when placed within a freezer or ice chest.
[0029] Because each carrier is designed to carry a number of
specifically designed compartments, the food tray is capable of
containing food that may not be contained using a one-piece
multi-compartment paperboard food tray. For example, certain
conventional food trays may not be capable of being manufactured to
hold a plurality of hotdogs and hotdog buns. However, a food tray
according to one or more embodiments of the present invention may
include compartments specifically designed to hold either a hotdog
or hotdog bun. Furthermore, such a food tray may couple a carrier
together with the compartments designed to contain the hotdog and
hotdog buns. The carrier may further be designed so that
compartments holding other food stuff, such as baked beans and
mashed potatoes, may be coupled together with the compartments
holding the hotdogs and hotdog buns. It should be appreciated that
other sized and shapes may be manufactured using the structures
according to one or more embodiments.
[0030] The manufacturing process for food tray 30 and other food
trays according to one or more embodiments includes the step of
securing the compartments to the carrier. While this represents an
additional step, the overall manufacturing process may represent a
cost and resource savings over a traditional manufacturing process
for a single-piece, multi-compartment construction. These savings
may stem from the increased reliability and speed of the stamping
step for producing a single compartment versus a multi-compartment
tray from a single piece of paperboard.
[0031] In another embodiment, FIG. 6 illustrates food tray 44
formed to function as a muffin tray. As such, food tray 44 may
include a number of circular compartments 45, 46, 47, and 48 formed
to allow for baking of muffins. Food tray 44 may further include a
carrier 50 that includes a number of circular openings configured
to receive the circular compartments 45, 46, 47, and 48. Each
circular compartment 45, 46, 47, and 48 may further include a
compartment lip 52, 54, 56, and 58. Each compartment lip 52, 54,
56, and 58 may allow the circular compartments 45, 46, 47, and 48
to be mechanically coupled to the carrier 50. As such, the circular
compartments 45, 46, 47, 48 may be filled with muffin mix and may
be baked within a conventional oven. Once the muffins are finished
baking, the muffins may be removed and the food tray 44 may be
placed within a garbage receptacle or recycle bin.
[0032] One feature of this invention is the recognition of the
materials for and/or positioning of interfacing surfaces of a
compartment lip and carrier. For example, the carrier may be made
of uncoated paperboard or micro flute corrugate material, while the
compartment is made of PET extrusion coated (or other plastic
coating or film) paperboard. Therefore, the interface is a paper
surface and a plastic coating or film surface. Alternatively, the
compartment may be uncoated and the carrier is coated or filmed. As
a third alternative, both compartments and carrier element are
coated or filmed. Using any alternative, one or more embodiments of
the present invention provide a permanent alternative between the
carrier and compartment. The positioning of the interfacing surface
may be a lower surface of the compartment lip and an upper surface
of the carrier, as shown in FIGS. 3-5 or vice versa, as shown in
FIG. 6.
[0033] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not
intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the
invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of
description rather than limitation, and it is understood that
various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various
implementing embodiments may be combined to form further
embodiments of the invention.
* * * * *