Granted Patent B2

US 8,436,282 · App. 12/731,878 · Granted May 7, 2013

Abstract

Claims (29)

1. A food package kit comprising:

a first tray, a second tray, a third tray, and a fourth tray, each tray adapted to contain a food item, each tray including

a bottom,

a sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom and terminating at a top end, the sidewall including structure defining a collar extending radially outwardly therefrom, and a stacking wall extending upwardly from the collar and terminating at the top end of the sidewall, wherein the collar and stacking wall inhibits any of the other trays from entirely nesting within the tray,

a flange extending from the sidewall opposite the bottom, the flange including

a rim section configured to receive a sealing film,

a recessed section extending from the rim section, the recessed section terminating in a pair of opposed lateral edges and a pair of opposed longitudinal edges, wherein each of the opposed longitudinal edges intersect with a lateral edge at a corner, wherein each corner contains a handle, and

at least one catch member extending outwardly from the flange and disposed between the handles on each of the lateral edges,

wherein the flange and the collar define compound curves such that deflection or bending of the tray due to a weight of the food item is inhibited when the tray is lifted; and

a sleeve adapted to hold the first tray and the second tray therein such that the rim section of the first tray and the rim section of the second tray are each between the bottom of the first tray and the bottom of the second tray, and to hold the third tray and the fourth tray therein such that the rim section of the third tray and the rim section of the fourth tray are each between the bottom of the third tray and the bottom of the fourth tray, the sleeve including a sleeve top, a sleeve base, a first sleeve side and a second sleeve side,

wherein each of the at least one catch members is adapted to engage the sleeve to releasably retain the corresponding tray within the sleeve.

2. The food kit of claim 1 wherein the first sleeve side contains a first aperture for the catch members of the first tray and the second tray, and a second aperture for the catch members of the third tray and the fourth tray.

3. The food kit of claim 1 wherein the second sleeve side contains a third aperture for the catch members of the first tray and the second tray and a fourth aperture for the catch members of the third tray and the fourth tray.

4. The food kit of claim I wherein the sleeve further includes a perforation line disposed to divide the sleeve into a first sleeve half for the first tray and the second tray and a second sleeve half for the third tray and the fourth tray.

5. A container for use in microwave heating and adapted to contain a food item, the container comprising:

a bottom;

a sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom and terminating at a top end, the sidewall including structure defining a collar extending radially outwardly therefrom, and a stacking wall extending upwardly from the collar and terminating at the top end of the sidewall, wherein the collar and stacking wall inhibits another tray from entirely nesting within the container; and

a flange extending from the sidewall opposite the bottom, the flange including

a rim section adapted to receive a sealing film, and

a recessed section including a plurality of handles, and a pair of catch members located between the plurality of handles, the catch members extending radially outwardly from the flange on opposed sides of the container for engaging a sleeve to releasably retain the container within the sleeve,

wherein the flange and the collar define compound curves such that deflection or bending of the tray due to a weight of the food item is inhibited when the tray is lifted.

6. The container of claim 5 , wherein the sidewall includes a base section, an intermediate section, and an upper section, the upper section including the collar and the stacking wall.

7. The container of claim 6 , wherein the base section defines a transverse, cross-sectional radius of from about 0.25 to about 1.0 inches.

8. The container of claim 6 , wherein the intermediate section is linear in transverse cross-section.

9. The container of claim 8 , wherein the intermediate section defines an angle relative to the horizontal plane of from about 70 to about 89 degrees.

10. The container of claim 5 , wherein the recessed section includes two opposed linear edges.

11. The container of claim 5 , wherein each of the handles includes a grip that defines a plane that is lower than a plane defined by a surface of the rim section.

12. The container of claim 5 , wherein the recessed section includes a pair of opposed lateral sides and a pair of opposed longitudinal sides, a union of a lateral side and a longitudinal side defining a corner wherein each of the plurality of catch members radially extend from the lateral sides.

13. The container of claim 12 , wherein a handle is located at each of the corners.

Assignments (6)