Plastic Packaging Tray, Particularly For Bananas

Abstract

A tray, of approximately rectangular outline, has a bottom wall and continuous surrounding upstanding rims, one of which has a cover flap attached thereto by a living hinge. The bottom wall is formed with a projecting ridge extending transversely across the bottom wall, close to the back rim to which the cover flap is attached, the space along the bottom wall between the ridge and the side wall being preferably formed with means, such as depressions, to collect latex and other substances which are apt to ooze from the cut ends of bananas, the curve of the banana fitting over the ridge, to separate the oozing substance from the remainder of the banana and the remainder of the package.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a packaging tray and more particularly to a packaging tray for bananas, made of plastic material such as expanded, cellular polystyrene.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Various types of packaging trays have been proposed, some of them being universally applicable; other types of packaging trays are fitted to the specific articles to be packaged, and particularly to the characteristics thereof. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,974,843 and 3,346,400, for example, are specifically directed to meat trays, in which the bottom wall of the tray is formed with depressions or small receptacles to receive moisture, particularly water, which flows from the meat to be packaged therein upon storage; and which, further, provide an interrupted bottom support surface for the meat so that it will have access to air, and will not be entirely supported by a smooth surface.

Trays for packaging, whether made of pulp material (see, for example, the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 2,974,843) or of plastic material (see, for example, the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,346,400 which discloses the use of polyvinyl plastics, polystyrene, polyurethane, and the likes, preferably cellular and containing closed cells), while suitable for articles which are essentially rectangular in outline, are not suitable for other articles which do not provide a smooth support surface, and which require special handling due to the nature thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pre-packaging tray particularly for storage, shipping, and pre-package sale of bananas, which is particularly adapted to the characteristics of the bananas themselves.

Briefly, in accordance with the present invention, an essentially rectangular tray is provided which has a bottom wall and circumferential upstanding rims. One of the rims, forming the back wall, is integrally connected to a cover flap, preferably by a living hinge, to cover the cut ends of the bananas; a ridge is formed in the bottom wall, close to the back rim, to provide, between the back wall and the rims, a collecting channel for latex, and other substances oozing from the cut ends of the bananas. The bottom wall is preferably formed with a multiplicity of small receptacles, such as by forming depressions in the bottom wall or projections, the space between the projections then forming the receptacles, to accept such latex or other substances oozing from the bananas, and prevent contamination of the remainder of the bananas and the packages with the oozing substance.

The side walls, preferably, extend upwardly and outwardly at an angle from the bottom wall, for example at an angle about 30.degree. from the vertical or, in other words, about 60.degree. from the bottom wall. The projecting distance of the ridge is a fraction of the height of the side walls, for example, about 10 - 25 percent of the overall depth of the tray. The receptacles themselves can be rather small. The spacing of the ridge from the back wall, where the cut ends of the bananas are adapted to lie, may in example be about 10 percent of the overall length of the tray, measured in the direction of placement of the bananas.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description considered in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of the banana tray, with bananas therein;

FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the tray;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along section III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail view of a depression in the bottom wall; and

FIG. 5 is a detail view of a knob formed on the bottom wall.

The tray has a bottom wall 10, and four upstanding side rims 11, 12, 13, 14. Side rim 11 is joined to the bottom wall by a junction line 16. The side rims preferably extend outwardly at a slant, for example about 30.degree. from the vertical with respect to the horizontal plane of the bottom wall 10. Preferably, the underside of the bottom wall 10 is of slightly concave configuration from wall 13 to the base of the ridge 15 in bottom wall 10. Such a concave configuration, best shown in FIG. 3, generally minimizes bruising of bananas in one package stacked upon another package in transport containers. Integral with side wall 11 is a flap 20 which is connected by a living hinge 21 to side wall 11. The flap 20 may carry advertising, or brand indicia thereon.

A ridge 15 extends transversely of the tray from the bottom wall 10 thereof. Ridge 15 has a height h which is preferably about 10 - 25 percent of the overall depth D of the tray. The overall length, measured in the direction of placement of the bananas is indicated by L; the distance of the top of the ridge 15 from the junction 16 between bottom wall 10 and back wall 11 is usually about 10 - 25 percent of the overall length L. The ridge itself can be integrally formed in the bottom wall 10, with sides angled upwardly with respect to the bottom wall at, for example, about 60.degree., so that the upward angle of the ridge 15 corresponds approximately to the angle .alpha. which the side walls form with the bottom wall 10.

To accept substances oozing from the cut end of the bananas, such as stem latex, and the like, small receptacles may be formed in the region between the ridge 15 and the junction line 16 of the bottom wall 10 and back wall 11. These receptacles may be a multiplicity of depressions 25 (FIG. 4) formed in the bottom wall; or they may be the spaces between a multiplicity of upstanding knobs 30 (FIG. 5) formed in the bottom wall 10, as desired, or other means suitable for containing fluid from the bananas.

The dimensions of the tray structure itself may be selected to depend on the number of bananas, types and size which are to be packed. For a package of about five to six "small" to "medium" size bananas a dimension for LL of about 7 inches is usually suitable. Dimension L can then be about 5 inches and dimension 1 between one-half to three-fourths inch, for example about five-eighths inch. For a package of four to six larger sized bananas, the dimension for "LL" may be about 9 inches. The depressions 25, or knobs 30 may have only a short depth, or elevation, respectively, for example of about one-sixteenth inch. The depth of the tray, dimension D usually varies between 1 and 11/2 inches, and, more specifically, may be about 11/8 inch. The dimension of the flap between its outer edge and the living hinge 21 may be, for example, about 11/2 to 2 inches. None of these dimensions are critical, and they may vary widely, depending on the character of the bananas to be packed.

The spacing of the ridge 15 from the inner edge 16 (dimension 1) likewise is not critical and may vary within substantial limits, depending on the cutting of the bananas, and their shape and characteristics. Dimension h of the upstanding projecting ridge should be sufficiently high to provide a collection area between the ridge and edge 16 but not so high as to provide a pressure point on the bananas in the package. The height for dimension h may, in a suitable embodiment, be on the order of about one-fourth inch. The location of the depressions 25, or the knobs 30, respectively, is preferably selected about midway between the bottom junction of the ridge 15 with the bottom wall 10, and the inner edge 16 forming the junction between the bottom wall 10 and the adjacent side wall 11. The projecting ridge 15 has, in specific embodiments, a projecting height h of about 10 - 25 percent of the depth D of the tray, which will usually fit the average type of banana being sold at retail, and specifically adapted for pre-packaging. As aforesaid, the spacing 1 of the ridge 15 from the inner junction line 16 is preferably about 10 - 25 percent of the overall length L of the bottom of the tray. The length of the flap 20, dimension FL in FIg. 3, is at least about the projected distance, or length PL between the peak of the projecting ridge 15 and the edge of rim 11, which is also the location of the living hinge 21.

In use, the packaging tray embodied herein with produce (bananas) packaged therein is normally overwrapped with flexible packaging material such as transparent plastic film. In an embodiment, the film is wrapped tightly about the packaged article and the supporting tray and the film edges overlapped around the underside of the tray where they are heat sealed together, thereby completing the overwrap packaging operation. In another embodiment, the overwrapping may be done by use of a stretch film (transparent plastic) by means, as known to those skilled in the art, for stretching the film whereby it tightly wraps the tray and articles packaged therein.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the inventive concept.

Claims

1. Banana packaging tray comprising

a bottom wall (10) of approximately rectangular outline;

continuous upstanding side rims (11, 12, 13, 14) extending outwardly at an angle from said bottom wall (10) to form a surrounding rim about the support surface;

a projecting ridge (15) extending transversely across said bottom wall (10) and located spaced from and adjacent to one of said side rims (11) the ridge (15) projecting by a distance (h) which is a fraction of the height of projection of the side rims (11-14) above the bottom wall (10);

and a cover flap (20) unitary with one of said side rims (11) and extending the width of the outer dimensions of the rims (12, 14) adjacent to said one rim (11), said cover flap being hinged (21) to said one rim, said flap (20) having a length (FL) of at least about the projected distance (PL) between the peak of the projecting ridge (15) and the edge of said one

2. Tray according to claim 1 wherein the tray is adapted to hold cut bananas with the cut ends located adjacent the junction line (16) between the bottom wall (10) and said one rim (11);

said tray further comprising means (25, 30) located on the bottom wall (10) in the space between said projecting ridge (15) and the connection or junction line (16) between the bottom wall (10) and said one rim (11) to form entrapment receptacles for liquid oozing from the cut ends of the bananas, between the projecting ridge (15) and the adjacent said one rim

3. Tray according to claim 2 wherein said means to form entrapment receptacles comprises spaced depressions (25) formed in the bottom wall.

4. Tray according to claim 2 wherein said means to form entrapment receptacles comprises spaced projecting knobs (30) formed in the bottom

5. Tray according to claim 2 wherein said entrapment receptacles are located about midway between the bottom of the projecting ridge (15) and the connection or junction line (16) between the bottom wall (10) and said

6. Tray according to claim 1 wherein said cover flap (20) is dimensioned to form a partial lid over said bottom wall when folded over the rim and

7. Tray according to claim 1 wherein a living hinge (21) is provided to

8. Tray according to claim 1 wherein the rims are angled outwardly with

9. Tray according to claim 1 wherein said projecting ridge (15) has a projection (h) which is about 10 - 25 percent of the depth (D) of the tray measured from the upper edge of the rim (11-14) to the top surface of the bottom wall (10);

and the projecting ridge (15) is spaced from the connecting or junction line (16) between the bottom wall (10) and said one rim (11) by a distance (1) of about 10 - 25 percent of the distance (L) across the bottom wall (10).