Food Product Packaging And Method For Producing Food Product Packaging

Abstract

A food product packaging and method of producing the same is provided for containing rigid food products. The packaging includes a tray having at least one receptacle, rigid food products housed in the receptacle and a removable flexible film secured to the tray and enclosing the receptacle. The receptacle is shaped to enable the rigid food products to slide into and be positioned in the receptacle in an orientation that is generally parallel to the bottom wall thereby reducing the chances of the food products breaking in the receptacle and reducing the chances of the food products puncturing the flexible film.

1 . A package for containing rigid food products comprising:
 a tray having at least one receptacle, the receptacle having a bottom wall and having a shape to enable rigid food products to slide toward the bottom wall in an orientation that is generally parallel to the bottom wall to minimize the food products being broken in the receptacle, the receptacle including a wall with at least one radius of curvature; and   a flexible film removably secured to the tray and enclosing the receptacle, wherein the occurrences of the rigid food products puncturing the flexible film is reduced due to the shape of the receptacle.   
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the shape of the receptacle is defined by a curved wall having a radius of curvature of about at least 0.35 inches. 
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the shape of the receptacle accommodates rigid food products having a width and a length dimension of 1 inch or less. 
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the receptacle houses between 10 and 35 rigid food products. 
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 3  wherein the receptacle has a height and wherein the receptacle height is no more than 1.5 times the width or the height dimension of the rigid food products. 
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the shape of the receptacle includes a squared off end and a pointed end. 
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 6  wherein the pointed end includes a wall having a draft angle. 
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the receptacle includes a step-up to provide rigidity to the tray. 
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the tray is semi-rigid. 
     
     
         10 . A food product packaging for containing mini crackers comprising:
 a tray having at least one receptacle, the receptacle having a shape defined at least in part by a curved wall and a bottom wall;   a plurality of rigid mini crackers housed in the receptacle, the mini crackers having a width and a length dimension of 1.0 inches or less; and   a flexible film removably secured to the tray and enclosing the receptacle,   wherein the curved wall has a radius of curvature of at least about 0.35 inches so that the shape of the receptacle enables the mini crackers to be positioned in the receptacle in an orientation that is generally parallel to the bottom wall thereby reducing the occurrences of the mini crackers breaking in the receptacle and thereby reducing the occurrences of the mini crackers puncturing the flexible film.   
     
     
         11 . The packaging of  claim 10  wherein the receptacle houses between 10 and 35 mini crackers. 
     
     
         12 . The packaging of  claim 10  wherein the receptacle has a height and wherein the receptacle height is no more than 1.5 times the width or the height dimension of the mini crackers. 
     
     
         13 . The packaging of  claim 10  wherein the shape of the receptacle includes a squared off end and a pointed end. 
     
     
         14 . The packaging of  claim 10  wherein the pointed end includes a wall having a draft angle. 
     
     
         15 . The packaging of  claim 10  wherein the tray is semi-rigid and wherein the receptacle includes a step-up to provide rigidity to the tray. 
     
     
         16 . The packaging of  claim 10  wherein the at least one receptacle is two receptacles, and wherein the second receptacle contains cheese. 
     
     
         17 . A method for filling and for enclosing a tray containing mini crackers comprising the steps:
 providing a tray have a receptacle, the receptacle defined at least in part by a curved wall adjacent a bottom wall so as to define a shape of the receptacle;   dropping mini crackers into the receptacle, the shape of the receptacle enables the mini crackers to drop into and slide in the receptacle toward the bottom wall in an orientation generally parallel to the bottom wall; and   enclosing the receptacle with a flexible film wherein the occurrences of the mini crackers puncturing the flexible film is reduced due to the shape of the receptacle.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the mini crackers are dropped into the receptacle using a funnel having an opening with a geometry similar to the shape of the receptacle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the shape of the receptacle is defined by a curved wall having a radius of curvature of at least about 0.35 inches and wherein the shape of the receptacle accommodates mini crackers having a width and a length dimension of 1 inch or less and wherein the receptacle houses between 10 and 35 mini crackers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  and further including the step of vibrating the tray after the dropping step and before the enclosing step.