Leak resistant food tray

Abstract

A leak resistant paperboard tray formed from a blank having a scored surface that defines a base, panels and webbing flaps at the corners. When folded at the score lines of the scored surface in an appropriate manner, an leak resistant food tray forms and the webbing flaps are then adhered to neighboring walls to retain the shape in the folded condition. The adhesive is applied to exterior facing surfaces of the webbing flaps so that food contents of the container do not come into contact with the adhesive and thereby avoiding the risk of contamination.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A leak resistant food tray, comprising:
 a scored surface that has score lines that define a base, a plurality of panels, and a plurality of webbing flaps, the base having a perimeter and being separated from the panels by two pairs of the score lines, each of the plurality of panels being defined by further ones of the score lines that diverge in a direction outward away from the perimeter of the base in an oblique manner and that separate the plurality of webbing flaps from neighboring ones of the panels, each of the webbing flaps being divided into symmetric halves by additional ones of the score lines, the scored surface being foldable at all of the score lines in a manner that bends the plurality of panels into an upright orientation from the base and folds the webbing flaps so that one of the halves of the webbing flaps faces a neighboring one of the panels.   
     
     
         2 . The leak resistant food tray of  claim 1 , wherein the two pairs of score lines that define the perimeter of the base are transverse to each other, the score lines of one of the pairs being substantially parallel to each other, the score lines of a remaining one of the pairs being substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         3 . The leak resistant food tray of  claim 1 , wherein the scored surface in a flattened configuration fits within an area defined by intersecting parallel lines in line with peripheral edges of the plurality of panels. 
     
     
         4 . The leak resistant food tray of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a coating on an interior facing side of the base and on interior facing sides of each of the panels, the webbing flaps lacking the coating and thus being free and clear of the coating, the coating being resistant to staining by water and by grease.   
     
     
         5 . The leak resistant food tray of  claim 1 , wherein the scored surface is folded at the score lines in the manner that bends the plurality of panels into the upright orientation from the base and folds the webbing flaps so that one of the halves of the webbing flaps faces a neighboring one of the panels; further comprising:
 means for adhering the one of the halves of each of the webbing flaps to neighboring ones of the panels to maintain the scored surface in the upright orientation.   
     
     
         6 . The leak resistant food tray of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of panels include a pair of side panels and a pair of end panels, the side panels being longer in lengthwise dimension than the end panels, the webbing flaps being adhered to the side panels. 
     
     
         7 . The leak resistant food tray of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of panels include a pair of side panels and a pair of end panels, the side panels being longer in lengthwise dimension than the end panels, the webbing flaps being adhered to the end panels. 
     
     
         8 . The leak resistant food tray of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a coating on an interior facing side of the base and on interior facing sides of each of the panels, the webbing flaps lacking the coating and thus being free and clear of the coating, the coating being resistant to staining by water and by grease.   
     
     
         9 . The leak resistant food tray of  claim 5 , wherein the panels taper to the base, the open top defining a perimeter larger than the perimeter of the base. 
     
     
         10 . The leak resistant food tray of  claim 5 , in combination with a plurality of additional scored surfaces each of a different dimension and each being arranged and maintained in the open tray orientation and nested with each other. 
     
     
         11 . The leak resistant food tray of  claim 5 , in combination with a plurality of additional containers each of a substantially same dimension and being arranged and maintained in the open tray orientation and stacked in succession upon each other in a stable manner without tipping over. 
     
     
         12 . The leak resistant food tray of  claim 5 , wherein said means for adhering includes a plurality of adhesive dots arranged between the one of the halves of each of the webbing flaps and the neighboring ones of the panels in line with each other closer to the additional ones of the score lines than to the further ones of the score lines for at least a majority of a length of the further ones of the score lines. 
     
     
         13 . The leak resistant tray of  claim 5 , wherein said means for adhering includes an adhesive that maintains adhesion integrity despite exposure to microwave energy delivery of 800 watts within confines of a microwave oven.