AU2016201006B2

AU2016201006B2 - Oyster tray

Info

Publication number: AU2016201006B2
Application number: AU2016201006A
Authority: AU
Inventors: David Skilton
Original assignee: Eazy Azz Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Eazy Azz Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2016-02-17
Filing date: 2016-02-17
Publication date: 2021-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 2036-02-17
Also published as: AU2016201006A1; AU2022100026B4; AU2022100026A4; AU2022200634A1

Abstract

An oyster tray comprising a base section wherein a plurality of oyster cups are formed into the base section. Each oyster cup is adapted to hold an oyster and comprises four side walls, a cup base, a top end and a bottom end. The oyster tray is made of aluminium and each side wall of each oyster cup is substantially tapered such that a distance between opposed side walls of the oyster cup is less at the bottom end than at the top end of the oyster cup. 1/3 10 20 26 1 26 20 620 16 16 16 16 Fig. 1

Description

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AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

FOR A STANDARD PATENT (Original)

APPLICATION NO: LODGED: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION LODGED: ACCEPTED: PUBLISHED: RELATED ART:

NAME OF APPLICANT: Eazy Azz Pty Ltd

ACTUAL INVENTOR: David Skilton

ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: LORD AND COMPANY, Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, of PO Box 530, West Perth, Western Australia, 6872, AUSTRALIA.

INVENTION TITLE: "OYSTER TRAY"

The following Statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me/us:

TITLE "OYSTER TRAY" FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an oyster tray.

[0002] More particularly, the present invention relates to an oven-ready oyster tray made of aluminium.

BACKGROUND

[00031 Oysters caught by fisherman are commonly shucked and then packed into trays for their storage and transportation between fishing ports, markets, processing facilities and end customers.

[0004] Oyster trays consist of a plastic-based base that has a series of cups formed into the base. Each cup is shaped to accommodate and contain a single shucked oyster. Once a tray has been filled with shucked oysters, a plastic film is placed over, and fixed to, the top of the tray to seal the oysters inside, typically using a heat shrinking process.

[0005] Plastic-based oyster trays have several disadvantages. For example, the trays will melt when placed inside an oven to cook the oysters. A cook must, therefore, remove each of the oysters from the tray and place them into a separate cooking utensil prior to cooking. This is time consuming and increases the risk of the oysters being exposed to human contact and the external environment, increasing the potential for contamination of the oysters.

[0006] Removing the oysters from the tray also means that they are removed from their natural juices prior to cooking which lessens their quality and adversely effects their taste.

[0007] The present invention attempts to overcome, at least in part, the

aforementioned disadvantages of previous oyster trays.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an oyster tray comprising a base section, a plurality of oyster cups formed into the base section, each oyster cup being adapted to hold an oyster and comprising four side walls, a cup base, a top end and a bottom end, wherein: the oyster tray is made of aluminium; and each side wall of each oyster cup is substantially tapered such that a distance between opposed side walls of the oyster cup is less at the bottom end than at the top end of the oyster cup.

[0009] A top end of each side wall of each oyster cup may have a recess formed therein, the recess being adapted to retain at least part of the oyster held in the oyster cup.

[0010] The oyster tray may be made of thick-grade aluminium sheeting having a thickness of between 0.056 and 0.076 millimetres.

[0011] The base section of the oyster tray may have edges formed about a perimeter of the base section that are, at least in part, folded down such that the edges are substantially rounded.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0012] The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] Figure 1 is an isometric view of an oyster tray according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown from the top;

[0014] Figure 2 is a further isometric view of the oyster tray of Figure 1 shown from the bottom;

[0015] Figure 3(a) is a first side view of the oyster tray of Figure 1; and

[0016] Figure 3(b) is a second side view of the oyster tray of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Referring to the Figures, there is shown an oyster tray 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] The oyster tray 10 comprises a base 12 made of aluminium that has a plurality of oyster cups 14 formed into the base 12. Preferably, the base 12 has a total of six oyster cups 14 formed into the base 12.

[0019] Each oyster cup 14 is shaped such that it is adapted to contain and secure a single shucked oyster (not shown) therein for the purposes of its storage, transportation, cooking and consumption. After the oyster tray 10 has been filled with oysters, a plastic film (not shown) is placed over, and fixed to, the top of the oyster tray 10 in order to seal the oysters inside, preferably using a heat shrinking process.

[0020] Each oyster cup 14 comprises four side walls 16 and a cup base 18. As best shown in Figure 1, a top end of each side wall 16 has at least one recess 20 formed therein. Each recess 20 is adapted to retain at least part of an oyster that is placed into the oyster cup 18 and improves the ability of the oyster cup 18 to accommodate and hold the oyster.

[0021] The oyster cups 14 are integral with the base 12 and are each formed deformably into the base 12 using an appropriate manufacturing method such as, for example, using an aluminium sheet roller, mould and press. The applicant has found that such methods can lead to damage to the oyster tray 10 during manufacture causing a reduction in production efficiency and wastage of source materials. In particular, the aluminium sheet will often be torn as each oyster cup 14 is formed into the sheet by the press.

[0022] To alleviate these issues, as is most clearly shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b), each oyster cup 14 has a top end 22 and a bottom end 24. The side walls 16 of each oyster cup 14 are substantially tapered towards the bottom end 24 of the oyster cup 14, such that a distance between opposed side walls 16 at the bottom end 24 of the oyster cup 18 (indicated in Figures 3(a) and 3(b) by D1) is less than at the top end 22 of the oyster cup 18 (indicated by D2). This tapering ensures that the oyster cups 14 may be pressed into the base 12 during manufacture without causing tearing to the base 12. This leads to a corresponding increase in production speeds and a significant reduction in material wastage.

[0023] As mentioned above, prior art oyster trays are typically made of plastic or a hybrid plastic-based material such as, for example, corn-starch based plastic. Plastic based oyster trays have several disadvantages. In particular, these types of trays will melt when placed inside an oven to cook the oysters. A cook must, therefore, remove each of the oysters from the tray and place them into a separate cooking utensil prior to cooking. This is time consuming and increases the risk of the oysters being exposed to human contact and the external environment, significantly increasing the potential for contamination.

[0024] The oyster tray 10 herein disclosed is made of aluminium. This allows the oyster tray 10 to be placed directly into an oven by a cook without having to touch or remove the oysters. The cook merely needs to pierce and remove the plastic film seal before placing the tray 10 into an oven.

[0025} Because the oysters may be kept inside the tray 10, this also means that the oysters remain in their own natural juices from the point of shucking and packing all the way through to cooking and consumption. This substantially improves their freshness, quality and taste.

[0026] Using aluminium as the base material for the oyster tray 10 also provides that the oyster tray 10 is aesthetically appealing to consumers and provides that the oysters held inside are presented to consumers in an appetising manner. The oysters may, therefore, be consumed directly from the oyster tray 10 which further lessens the potential for contamination.

[0027] Using aluminium is also advantageous as it provides that the oyster tray 10 is recyclable.

[0028] The oyster tray 10 is, preferably, made of a thick-grade aluminium sheeting having a thickness of between 0.056 and 0.076 millimetres. This grade ensures that the oyster tray 10 has the requisite strength and resilience to allow the oyster cups 18 to be formed deformably therein using a press during manufacture, yet also ensures that the oyster tray 10 is lightweight enough to facilitate efficient handling and transportation of the oyster tray 10.

[0029] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the base section 12 has four edges 26 formed about a perimeter of the base section 12. The aluminium sheeting that comprises the base section 12 is folded downwards at the four edges 26 so that each of the edges 26 are substantially rounded. This ensures that the edges 26 are blunt so that users of the oyster tray 10 do not cut their hands when handling the oyster tray 10.

[0030] Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An oyster tray comprising a base section, a plurality of oyster cups formed into the base section, each oyster cup being adapted to hold an oyster and comprising four side walls, a cup base, a top end and a bottom end, wherein: the oyster tray is made of aluminium; and each side wall of each oyster cup is substantially tapered such that a distance between opposed side walls of the oyster cup is less at the bottom end than at the top end of the oyster cup, wherein a top end of each side wall of each oyster cup has a recess formed therein, the recess being adapted to retain at least part of the oyster held in the oyster cup.

2. An oyster tray according to any preceding claim, wherein the oyster tray is made of thick-grade aluminium sheeting having a thickness of between 0.056 and 0.076 millimetres.

3. An oyster tray according to any preceding claim, wherein the base section of the oyster tray has edges formed about a perimeter of the base section that are, at least in part, folded down such that the edges are substantially rounded.