Multiple-compartment insulated food tray

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a multiple-compartment insulated food tray and lid for storage and service. The insulated food trays allow for two or more stacked strays to be mechanically unified using the weight of the top tray on the bottom tray in any orientation where the weight of the second tray remains on the first tray. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a polymer with foam and blowing agents are used during the molding process to create in a first phase a hard shell in contact with the mold. In a second phase, insulation is created in the hard shell by thermal treatment and expansion of the residual polymer inserted in the mold. In a third embodiment of the present disclosure, the insulated food trays, when stacked, can be placed in a nondiscriminatory arrangement.

1 . An insulated food tray, comprising:
 an upper surface member; and   a lower surface member circumferentially connected to the upper surface member during a formation process to form an outer shell with an inner volume;   the inner volume is filled with an insulated medium as a result of the formation process of the outer shell; and   wherein the upper surface member is relieved to define a plurality of inner compartments having a first top lip and the lower surface member is relieved to define inner ribs with a first bottom lip so that the bottom lip of a second food tray connects with the first top lip of a first food tray.   
   
   
       2 . The insulated food tray of  claim 1 , wherein the formation process is injection molding. 
   
   
       3 . The insulated food tray of  claim 2 , wherein the insulated medium is an insulating foam made by an endothermic or an exothermic reaction to the formation process of the outer shell by adding a blowing agent and a foaming agent to an injection polymer used in the injection molding of the outer shell. 
   
   
       4 . The insulated food tray of  claim 3 , wherein from 1% to 5% of blowing agent is added to the injection polymer. 
   
   
       5 . The insulated food tray of  claim 3  wherein from 5% to 20% of foaming agent is added to the injection polymer.