Food product and its packaging

Abstract

The invention relates to a combination of at least one three-dimensional food product and a tray member for displaying the food product thereon. The tray member includes a support base and at least one first retaining member. The food product includes at least a bottom surface arranged so as to rest on the support base and at least one second retaining member. The first and second retaining members are complementarily shaped and arranged to adjust in engagement together so as to be capable to resist disengagement at least in a direction substantially parallel to the support base.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A combination of at least one three-dimensional food product and a tray member for displaying the food product thereon, wherein: 
 the tray member comprises a support base and at least one first retaining means for retaining the food product therein;    the food product comprises a side portion, a bottom surface arranged to rest on the support base and at least one second retaining means that forms part of the bottom surface, with the second retaining means being configured to adjust in shape engagement with the first retaining means of the tray member to resist disengagement of the food product from the tray member at least in a direction that is substantially parallel to the support base.    
     
     
         2  The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second retaining means are respectively located at an interface between the bottom surface of the food product and the support base of the tray member so that cover the side portion of the food product is not covered.  
     
     
         3 . The combination of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second retaining means are of a size that is smaller than that of the food product so that they remain invisible when the retaining means are engaged.  
     
     
         4 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second retaining means form together an arrangement wherein one is a projection and the other is a complementary-shaped cavity which engages the projection.  
     
     
         5 . The combination of  claim 4 , wherein the second retaining means is the projection and the first retaining means is the complementary-shaped cavity.  
     
     
         6 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the support base includes a substantially flat surface with no significant variation outside of the first retaining means.  
     
     
         7 . The combination of  claim 6 , wherein the base portion has a substantially rectilinear profile.  
     
     
         8 . The combination of  claim 6 , wherein the support base has either a convex or concave profile.  
     
     
         9 . The combination of  claim 4 , wherein the cavity has a tapered shape with a larger base and a narrower end portion.  
     
     
         10 . The combination of  claim 9 , wherein the cavity has a base portion having a first angular inclination with respect to the bottom surface and an end portion having a second angular inclination that is greater than the first angular inclination.  
     
     
         11 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the tray member is made of at least one layer of a formable material and the second retaining means is formed by permanent deformation in at least one layer of the tray member.  
     
     
         12 . The combination of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one layer of the tray member is made of plastic or metallic material.  
     
     
         13 . The combination of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one layer of the tray member is made of a transparent or translucent material and further comprising a decorative layer beneath the tray member layer.  
     
     
         14 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of first retaining means are provided on the support base for receiving and displaying a series of food products thereon, with each food product comprising at least one second retaining means that is adapted to complementary fit with at least one first retaining means; wherein the first retaining means are spaced apart one from another by a distance sufficient to clear the side portions of the food products of the series when positioned on the support base to enable lifting of each individual food product without disarranging the other food products.  
     
     
         15 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the tray member is made of at least one layer of a formable material and a series of first retaining means are provided on bands or discrete pieces that are attached to the at least one support layer of the tray member.  
     
     
         16 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second retaining means have respective cross-section in the form of a circle, a polygon, or a complex shape.  
     
     
         17 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the food product is a confection, a chocolate or a biscuit.  
     
     
         18 . The combination of  claim 17 , wherein the food product has a shell and a filling, with part of the shell forming the second retaining means.  
     
     
         19 . The combination of  claim 18 , wherein the shell comprises a cup-shaped portion and lid portion attached thereto to define an internal closed volume for the filling, with the bottom surface being formed by part of the shell which defines the retaining means therein.  
     
     
         20 . The combination of  claim 17 , wherein the shell and second retaining means are formed in a mold that includes a counterform of the first retaining retaining means therein.