Flip Tray

Abstract

A flip tray is provided that includes a transparent, compartmentalized container body and a flexible sealing sheet sealed to partition walls and to the peripheral rim of the compartmentalized container body. Plant material with active respiratory activity such as fruits and vegetables are disposed in the compartments of the transparent container body. Each of the compartments exchanges respiratory gases through the micro-perforated sealing sheet individually in a controlled manner. A tray having a completely flat bottom is secured to the container body so as to underlie the flexible sealing sheet and includes peripheral vent conformations.

1 . A flip tray comprising:
 a transparent, compartmentalized container body defining a plurality of compartments each having peripheral walls, and a continuous peripheral rim between and surrounding said compartments;   a sealing sheet adhered to the continuous peripheral rim of the container body compartments; and   a cover tray having a completely flat bottom, without any ribs or undulations, and peripheral conformations defining at least one vent opening.   
   
   
       2 . A flip tray as in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the container body and the cover tray includes a groove and the other of the container body and cover tray includes a corresponding protrusion for releasably locking the cover tray and the container body to one another. 
   
   
       3 . A flip tray as in  claim 2 , wherein a groove and corresponding protrusion are provided at each corner of the container body and cover tray. 
   
   
       4 . A flip tray as in  claim 1 , wherein the sealing sheet includes at least one micro-perforation associated with at least two of said discrete container compartments and wherein at least two of said container compartments have a different number of micro-perforations from one another so as to provide differing atmosphere control as between said two compartments. 
   
   
       5 . A flip tray as in  claim 1 , wherein a mechanism is provided for controlling an internal atmosphere of at least one of said compartments. 
   
   
       6 . A flip tray as in  claim 5 , wherein mechanism comprises a plurality of micro-perforations in said sealing sheet and creating an opening to said compartment. 
   
   
       7 . A flip tray as in  claim 1 , wherein the container body has a depth of between about 1 and 4 inches. 
   
   
       8 . A flip tray as in  claim 1 , wherein the container body has a circumference of between about 20 and 100 inches. 
   
   
       9 . A flip tray as in  claim 1 , wherein the continuous peripheral rim has a width of at least about 0.125 inches. 
   
   
       10 . A flip tray as in  claim 9 , wherein the continuous peripheral rim has a width of at least about 0.25 inches. 
   
   
       11 . A flip tray as in  claim 1 , wherein said cover tray is opaque. 
   
   
       12 . A method of preparing a flip tray comprising:
 providing a container body comprised of a transparent polymeric material defining a plurality of individual compartments and a continuous rib between and peripherally of the compartments,   placing the container body on a work surface with compartments opening up,   placing food stuffs in at least some of the compartments,   sealing a sealing sheet to the rim of the container body so that the individual compartments are substantially sealed and the seal is substantially continuous along the rim;   providing a cover tray having a completely flat bottom without any ribs or undulations;   placing the cover tray over the sealing sheet and securing the cover tray to the container body; and   turning the assembled container body and cover tray over so that the cover tray side is down, so that the food stuffs rest on the sealing sheet and the sealing sheet is supported by being adhered to the continuous rim, whereby the flip tray is displayed for sale in a display orientation wherein the food stuffs are viewed through the container body walls.   
   
   
       13 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the container body and the cover tray includes a groove and the other of the container body and cover tray includes a corresponding protrusion and the cover tray is secured to the container body by engaging said groove and protrusion. 
   
   
       14 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein a groove and corresponding protrusion are provided at each corner of the container body and cover tray. 
   
   
       15 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein the sealing sheet is micro-perforated so as to have at least one micro-perforation associated with each of at least two of said discrete container compartments and wherein at least two of said container compartments have a different number of micro-perforations from one another so as to provide differing atmosphere control as between said two compartments. 
   
   
       16 . A method as in  claim 12 , further comprising controlling an internal atmosphere of at least one of said compartments. 
   
   
       17 . A method as in  claim 16 , said atmosphere control is provided by micro-perforating said sealing sheet. 
   
   
       18 . A method as in  claim 17 , wherein said sealing sheet is micro-perforated with a laser. 
   
   
       19 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein the container body has a depth of between about 1 and 4 inches. 
   
   
       20 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein said cover tray is opaque.