GB2349381A

GB2349381A - A tray

Info

Publication number: GB2349381A
Application number: GB9909573A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ernest Curry
Original assignee: Field Group PLC
Current assignee: Field Group PLC
Priority date: 1999-04-26
Filing date: 1999-04-26
Publication date: 2000-11-01
Also published as: WO2000064759A1; GB9909573D0; AU4932400A

Abstract

A tray which may be made from a blank and be suitable for displaying food products, has a base 1 with side walls 2 - 5 upstanding therearound and adjoining each other at corners of the base by way of a pair of fold lines 10, 11. The fold lines 10, 11 are substantially laterally spaced from each other centrally of the length of the wall but converge together towards the said corners, to provide a region of transition between the plane of the base and the plane of the side wall. There may be a top cover flap 6 - 8 on three of the side walls. The tray may be made from cardboard, paper board or similar lightweight foldable sheet material.

Description

2349381 70026.604 "Containers" This invention relates to tray-like

containers made of cardboard, paperboard or similar lightweight foldable sheet material, primarily for containing foodstuffs, e.g. meat or fish, for display and sale. One desirable way of sealing such a container, while still leaving its contents visible, is by shrink wrapping it, or at least tightly wrapping it, with plastics film, but this has tended to distort the container, for example by forcing its sides walls inwards. A primary object of the present invention is to provide a container which is not so prone to such distortion.

According to the present invention there is provided a tray-like container made of cardboard, paperboard or similar lightweight foldable sheet material, having a base with side walls upstanding therearound and adjoining each other at corners of the base, each of the side walls being connected to the base by way of a pair of fold lines which are substantially laterally spaced from each other centrally of the length of the wall but converge together towards the said corners, to provide a region of transition between the plane of the base and the plane of the side wall.

We have found that connecting the side walls to the base in this fashion has the effect of at least reducing the tendency for the walls to collapse inwardly when the tray is shrink wrapped, or tightly wrapped, in plastics film.

Preferably the fold lines of each said pair meet each other at the base of their associated side wall at the said corners. It should however be understood that it is not necessary for the fold lines to meet each other. Thus their outer ends could still be laterally spaced apart, after converging together towards the said corners.

In a preferred form of the invention the said fold lines are straight, between the centre of the side wall and the said corners, thus defining an elongate diamond shaped area between them. Many other configurations are possible, however, within the constraints of the fold lines being substantially spaced from each other centrally of the wall but converging together towards the corners. For example the fold lines could be straight and parallel with each other over a substantial distance in the central region of the wall and then converge together outwardly, to define a flattened six sided shape, or they could be curved over their whole length to define a shape similar to a convex lens.

The said side walls are preferably outwardly inclined from the vertical, which also helps to prevent them from collapsing inwardly.

Preferably a top cover flap is provided on at least one of the side walls, to extend partially over the top of the container. Such a f lap may be printed with information relating to the contents of the container.

In a preferred form of the invention in which the container is four-sided and oblong, a said flap is provided on each of the longer sides and on one of the shorter sides, the flap on the shorter side overlying those on the longer sides.

The scope of the invention also extends to a blank for making a container as described above.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank for making a container according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the erected container, with its top cover flaps open; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the erected container when shrink wrapped; Figure 4 is a cross-section of the container alone, on the line A-A of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a similar cross-section on the line B-B of Figure 3.

Referring first to Figure 1, a cardboard blank for making a tray-like container for the display and sale of foodstuffs comprises an oblong base panel 1, two long side wall panels 2 and 3, and two short side wall panels 4 and 5. Top cover f laps 6 and 7 are connected to each of the side wall panels 2 and 3 and a further top cover flap 8 is connected to the side wall panel 4. Gluing tabs 9 are provided on the ends of the wall panels 2 and 3, for securing to the inside faces of the wall panels 4 and 5 in the erected tray.

Each of the side wall panels is connected to the base panel 1 by way of a pair of fold lines 10 and 11 which are spaced apart laterally at the centre of the length of the wall panel but converge together to meet at the base of the wall, at the corners of the base panel. All of the fold lines 10 and 11 are straight, so that the pairs of fold lines define respective elongate diamond shaped areas 12 between themselves.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, the tray is erected by folding the side wall panels up about the pairs of fold lines 10 and 11 and gluing the tabs 9 to the inside faces of the side wall panels 4 and 5, so as to form an oblong tray with outwardly inclined side walls, in which the areas 12 between the fold lines 10 and 11 provide regions of transition between the plane of the base and the planes of the side walls.

In use, an article of foodstuff, in this case a piece of fish 13, is packed in the tray before the top cover flaps 6, 7 and 8 are folded in, with the flap 8 on top, and the package is then shrink wrapped as indicated in Figure 3. The outer surface of the top cover flap 8 is printed with any desired descriptive matter relating to the packed product, and printing may also be applied, in whatever manner is desired, to the top cover flaps 6 and 7 and indeed to the exterior surfaces of the side walls and the base.

As previously mentioned, it has been found that the configuration of the fold lines 10 and 11 between the base and the side walls, and the outwardly inclined arrangement of the walls themselves, act to prevent inward collapse of the walls when the pack is tightly shrink wrapped. The ability to print descriptive matter on the exterior surfaces of the cardboard tray is a further advantage, as compared with previous proposals using a shrink,' wrapped plastics tray.

Claims

Claims:

1. A tray-like container made of cardboard, paperboard or similar lightweight foldable sheet material, having a base with side walls upstanding therearound and adjoining each other at corners of the base, each of the side walls being connected to the base by way of a pair of fold lines which are substantially laterally spaced from each other centrally of the length of the wall but converge together towards the said corners, to provide a region of transition between the plane of the base and the plane of the side wall.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fold lines of each said pair meet each other at the base of their associated side wall at the said corners.

1

3. A container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said fold lines are straight, between the centre of the length of the associated side wall and the said corners.

4. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the said side walls are outwardly inclined.

5. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a top cover f lap is provided on at least one of the said side walls, to extend partially over the top of the container.

6. A container as claimed in claim 5, which is foursided and has a said top cover flap on three of its side walls.

7. A container as claimed in claim 6, which is oblong and has a said top cover flap on each of its longer sides and on one of its shorter sides.

8. A container as claimed in claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A blank for making a container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8.