Thermoformed Tray for Food Products

Abstract

Thermoformed trays comprising ribs retain individual food products in place. The individual food products are generally elongate and prone to displacement during handling. The formed trays comprise: a base; a plurality of sidewalls integrally formed with and extending from the base, the base and sidewalls defining an interior cavity having a cavity width; a plurality of pairs of ribs integrally formed with and extending from first and second opposing sidewalls into the interior cavity, and a plurality of channels positioned between and separating adjacent ribs, wherein each channel of an adjacent pair of ribs defines an individual food product receiving slot. Each rib may extend into the interior cavity a length that is at least about 7% of the cavity width.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A formed tray for packing food products, the tray comprising:
 a base;   a plurality of sidewalls integrally formed with and extending from the base, the base and sidewalls defining an interior cavity having a cavity width;   a plurality of pairs of ribs integrally formed with and extending from first and second opposing sidewalls into the interior cavity, and   a plurality of channels positioned between and separating adjacent ribs, wherein each channel of an adjacent pair of ribs defines an individual food product receiving slot.   
     
     
         2 . The formed tray of  claim 1 , wherein each rib extends into the interior cavity a length that is at least about 7% of the cavity width. 
     
     
         3 . The formed tray of  claim 2 , wherein the length that each rib extends into the interior cavity is at least about 10% of the cavity width. 
     
     
         4 . The formed tray of  claim 3 , wherein the length the each rib extends into the interior cavity is at least about 14% of the cavity width. 
     
     
         5 . The formed tray of  claim 1 , wherein each pair of ribs is effective to retain an individual food product in the individual food product receiving slot upon movement of the tray from a first position to a second position, the second position being greater than or equal to about 45° more uptight than the first position. 
     
     
         6 . The formed tray of  claim 1 , wherein each rib comprises a food contacting face, a secondary face opposing the food contacting face, and a fluted edge at an intersection of the food contacting and secondary faces. 
     
     
         7 . The formed tray of  claim 6 , wherein the fluted edge of each rib is disposed at an angle α relative to an interior surface of the base, and about 80°≥α≥90°. 
     
     
         8 . The formed tray of  claim 6 , wherein each food contacting face is disposed at an angle Θ 1  relative to the sidewall from which the rib extends and about 135°≥Θ 1 ≥45° and each secondary face is disposed at an angle Θ 2  relative to the sidewall from which the rib extends and about 135°≥Θ 2 ≥45°. 
     
     
         9 . The formed tray of  claim 1 , wherein the interior cavity has a depth “D” that is 1.1 to 3.0 times greater than a diameter or thickness of an individual food product. 
     
     
         10 . The formed tray of  claim 1  further comprising third and fourth opposing sidewalls. 
     
     
         11 . A formed tray for packing food products, the tray comprising:
 a base;   a plurality of sidewalls integrally formed with, and extending from the base, the base and sidewalls defining an interior cavity having a cavity width, the plurality of sidewalls comprising first and second sets of opposing sidewalls;   a plurality of pairs of ribs integrally formed with and extending from the first set of opposing sidewalls into the interior cavity, and   a plurality of channels positioned between and separating adjacent ribs, wherein each channel of adjacent pairs of ribs defines an individual food product receiving slot;   wherein each rib comprises a food contacting face, a secondary face opposing the food contacting face, and a fluted edge at an intersection of the food contacting and secondary faces.   
     
     
         12 . The formed tray of  claim 11 , wherein each rib extends into the interior cavity a length that is at least about 7% of the cavity width. 
     
     
         13 . The formed tray of  claim 11 , wherein each food contacting face is disposed at an angle Θ 1  relative to the sidewall from which the rib extends and about 135°≥Θ 1 ≥45° and each secondary face is disposed at an angle Θ 2  relative to the sidewall from which the rib extends and about 135°≥Θ 2 ≥45°. 
     
     
         14 . A food package comprising:
 one or more formed trays of  claim 1 ; and   a lidding film sealing food products in the interior cavity by a heat seal.   
     
     
         15 . The food package of  claim 14 , wherein the food products are elongate. 
     
     
         16 . The food package of  claim 15 , wherein the food products are cylindrically-shaped. 
     
     
         17 . The food package of  claim 14  comprising two formed trays joined along edges of flanges of the trays. 
     
     
         18 . A method of packaging food comprising:
 thermoforming a tray according to  claim 1 ; and   sealing foods in the interior cavity of the tray with a lidding film.   
     
     
         19 . A method of displaying food products comprising:
 obtaining the food package of  claim 14 ; and   tilting the package from a first position to a second position, the second position being greater than or equal to about 45° more upright than the first position.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein individual food products are retained in the individual food product receiving slots upon tilting.