Rotisserie chicken tray

Abstract

A food container system can include a tray with a bottom and a side wall, which together define a recess. The tray can have an array of ribs on the bottom panel that can extend to the side wall. The side wall can have female ribs that extend from the bottom panel to the top edge of the side wall. An inverted corner creating a concave shape on the exterior edge of the tray can be disposed at the intersection of the bottom wall and the side wall. The tray can include a rim that extends around the perimeter of the tray, which can accept a complimentary surface of a lid.

1 . A tray for a food container, comprising:
 a bottom wall comprising at least two first ribs disposed in a middle portion of the bottom wall, each first rib comprising two parallel ridges projecting a first distance above the bottom wall, separated by a channel, at least one of the first ribs being disposed generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tray and at least one of the first ribs being disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tray;   a side wall extending around the periphery of the bottom wall and defining an interior of the tray;   an inverted corner disposed along the intersection of the bottom wall and the side wall wherein the inverted corner is curved toward the interior of the container, creating a concave edge on the exterior surface of the tray;   at least one second ribs comprising two parallel ridges projecting a second distance above the bottom wall, separated by a channel, disposed on an outer portion of the bottom wall and the corner edge, extending from approximately an edge of the middle portion of the bottom wall to the side wall.   
     
     
         2 . The tray for a food container of  claim 1 , wherein the first ribs form an array comprising of three first ribs disposed generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tray and three first ribs being disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tray. 
     
     
         3 . The tray for a food container of  claim 1 , wherein the first distance of the first ribs and the second distance of the second ribs are substantially the same distance. 
     
     
         4 . The tray for a food container of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one cross-rib comprising two parallel ridges projecting a third distance above the bottom wall, separated by a channel, positioned within the ridges of the first ribs and generally perpendicular to the first ribs within which it is positioned. 
     
     
         5 . The tray for a food container of  claim 4 , wherein the first distance of the first ribs and the third distance of the cross-ribs are substantially the same distance. 
     
     
         6 . The tray for a food container of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the channels of the first ribs or second ribs is a U-shaped channel. 
     
     
         7 . The tray for a food container of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one first depression projecting a fourth distance below the bottom wall. 
     
     
         8 . The tray for a food container of  claim 7 , further comprising at least one second depression projecting from the first depressions to a fifth distance below the bottom wall. 
     
     
         9 . The tray for a food container of  claim 7 , further comprising at least one third rib projecting above the bottom wall and disposed adjacent the peripheral corners of the first depressions. 
     
     
         10 . The tray for a food container of  claim 8 , wherein the fifth distance of the second depression is greater than the fourth distance of the first depression. 
     
     
         11 . The tray for a food container of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one first female rib upwardly extending from the outer portion of the bottom wall to a top edge of the side wall, each of the first female ribs including at least one second female rib formed in the side wall disposed within the upper portion of the first female ribs. 
     
     
         12 . The tray for a food container of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one third female rib that comprises at least one channel upwardly extending along the side wall from an end of the second ribs to a top edge of the side wall. 
     
     
         13 . The tray for a food container of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one fourth female rib upwardly extending along the side wall disposed within the upper portion of the side wall. 
     
     
         14 . The tray for a food container of  claim 1 , further comprising an outward extending flange disposed around the periphery of a top edge of the side wall, wherein the flange surface is generally parallel to the bottom wall. 
     
     
         15 . The tray for a food container of  claim 14 , the extending flange further comprising an abutment surface positioned to couple with a complimentary abutment surface of a cover piece to form a snap fit in a closed position. 
     
     
         16 . A tray for a food container, comprising:
 a bottom wall comprising at least two ribs disposed in a middle portion of the bottom wall, each rib comprising two parallel ridges projecting a first distance above the bottom wall, separated by a channel, at least one of the ribs being disposed generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tray and at least one of the ribs being disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tray;   a side wall extending around the periphery of the bottom wall and defining an interior of the tray.   
     
     
         17 . The tray for a food container of  claim 16 , wherein the ribs form an array comprising of three ribs disposed generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tray and three ribs being disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tray. 
     
     
         18 . The tray for a food container of  claim 16 , further comprising at least one cross-rib comprising two parallel ridges projecting a second distance above the bottom wall, separated by a channel, positioned within the ridges of the ribs and generally perpendicular to the ribs within which it is positioned. 
     
     
         19 . The tray for a food container of  claim 18 , wherein the first distance of the ribs and the second distance of the cross-ribs are substantially the same distance. 
     
     
         20 . The tray for a food container of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the channels is a U-shaped channel. 
     
     
         21 . The tray for a food container of  claim 16 , further comprising at least one first depression projecting a third distance below the bottom wall. 
     
     
         22 . The tray for a food container of  claim 21 , further comprising at least one second depression projecting from the first depressions to a fourth distance below the bottom wall. 
     
     
         23 . The tray for a food container of  claim 21 , further comprising at least one rib projecting a fifth distance above the bottom wall and disposed adjacent the peripheral corners of the first depressions. 
     
     
         24 . The tray for a food container of  claim 22 , wherein the fourth distance of the second depression is greater than the third distance of the first depression. 
     
     
         25 . The tray for a food container of  claim 16 , further comprising at least one first female rib upwardly extending from the outer portion of the bottom wall to a top edge of the side wall, each of the first female ribs including at least one second female rib formed in the side wall disposed within the upper portion of the first female ribs. 
     
     
         26 . The tray for a food container of  claim 16 , further comprising at least one third female rib upwardly extending along the side wall disposed within the upper portion of the side wall. 
     
     
         27 . The tray for a food container of  claim 16 , further comprising an outward extending flange disposed around the periphery of a top edge of the side wall, wherein the flange surface is generally parallel to the bottom wall. 
     
     
         28 . The tray for a food container of  claim 27 , the extending flange further comprising an abutment surface positioned to couple with a complimentary abutment surface of a cover piece to form a snap fit in a closed position. 
     
     
         29 . A tray for a food container, comprising:
 a bottom wall;   a side wall extending around the periphery of the bottom wall and defining an interior of the tray;   at least one rib comprising two parallel ridges projecting a distance above the bottom wall, separated by a channel, disposed on an outer portion of the bottom wall, extending from approximately an edge of a middle portion of the bottom wall to the side wall.   
     
     
         30 . The tray for a food container of  claim 29 , further comprising at least one channel upwardly extending along the side wall from an end of the ribs to a top edge of the side wall. 
     
     
         31 . The tray for a food container of  claim 29 , further comprising an outward extending flange disposed around the periphery of a top edge of the side wall, wherein the flange surface is generally parallel to the bottom wall. 
     
     
         32 . The tray for a food container of  claim 31 , the extending flange further comprising an abutment surface positioned to couple with a complimentary abutment surface of a cover piece to form a snap fit in a closed position.