Food product packaging with purge trap

Abstract

A package for retaining a food item includes a base and at least one side wall extending away from the base and terminating at a flange. The flange includes a sealing edge configured to contact a film wrap. The sealing edge is positioned inward of at least a portion of the side wall to guide fluids toward an interior volume of the package.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A package for retaining a food item comprising:
 a base; and   at least one side wall extending away from the base and terminating at a flange;   wherein the flange comprises a sealing edge configured to contact a film wrap, the sealing edge positioned inward of at least a portion of the side wall.   
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the flange is positioned inward of the at least a portion of the side wall. 
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one side wall comprises a channel positioned between the base and the flange, the channel positioned outward of the sealing edge to minimize the flow of fluids toward the sealing edge. 
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the flange is configured to operate in an initial position and in a final position, the sealing edge moving relative to the sealing wall when the flange is moved from the initial position to the final position. 
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 4 , wherein the sealing edge moves inwardly when the flange is moved from the initial position to the final position. 
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 1 , further comprising the film wrap positioned over the at least one side wall and contacting the sealing edge. 
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing edge is positioned at an uppermost location on the at least one side wall when the package is oriented in an upright position with the base on a horizontal surface. 
     
     
         8 . A food product package comprising:
 a tray comprising at least one side wall defining an interior volume and a flange connected to the at least one side wall; and   a film wrap positioned over at least a portion of the tray to seal a food item in the interior volume;   wherein a seal lip of the flange is positioned over the interior volume to guide fluids toward the interior volume when fluids contact the seal lip.   
     
     
         9 . A method of sealing a food product package comprising:
 wrapping a film wrap around a tray, the tray comprising a seal lip configured to contact the film wrap and seal a food item in the tray; and   moving the seal lip from an initial position to a final position, wherein the seal lip is positioned over an interior volume of the tray when the seal lip is in the final position.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the wrapping of the film wrap around the tray causes the seal lip to move from the initial position to the final position. 
     
     
         11 . A package for retaining a food item comprising:
 a base; and   a side wall extending away from the base and terminating at a flange, wherein a first portion of the side wall has a first thickness and a second portion of the side wall has a second thickness;   wherein the base and the side wall bound an interior space, and wherein the flange extends from the side wall away from the interior space and terminating at a sealing edge configured to contact a film wrap;   wherein the flange is configured to pivot from an initial position to a final position by pivoting about the second portion of the side wall.   
     
     
         12 . The package of  claim 11 , wherein a tensile force applied by the film wrap pivots the flange from the initial position to the final position. 
     
     
         13 . The package of  claim 12 , wherein the sealing edge moves toward the interior space when the flange is pivoted from the initial position to the final position. 
     
     
         14 . The package of  claim 13 , wherein the sealing edge is disposed above the first portion of the side wall when the flange is in the final position. 
     
     
         15 . The package of  claim 14 , wherein the sealing edge is positioned at an uppermost location of the package when the flange is in the final position and the package is oriented in an upright position with the base on a horizontal surface. 
     
     
         16 . The package of  claim 11 , wherein the base is substantially parallel to the flange when the flange is in the initial position. 
     
     
         17 . The package of  claim 11 , wherein the base is substantially perpendicular to the flange when the flange is in the final position. 
     
     
         18 . A package for retaining a food item comprising:
 a base; and   a side wall extending away from the base and terminating at a flange, wherein a first portion of the side wall has a first thickness and a second portion of the side wall has a second thickness;   wherein the base and the side wall bound an interior space, and wherein the flange extends in a first direction from the side wall away from the interior space terminating at a first end and in a second direction from the side wall towards the interior space and terminating at a second end;   wherein the flange is configured to pivot from an initial position to a final position by pivoting about the second portion of the side wall.   
     
     
         19 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein the first end and the second end are each configured to contact a film wrap. 
     
     
         20 . The package of  claim 19 , wherein a tensile force applied by the film wrap pivots the flange from the initial position to the final position. 
     
     
         21 . The package of  claim 20 , wherein the second end moves away from the interior space when the flange is pivoted from the initial position to the final position. 
     
     
         22 . The package of  claim 21 , wherein the second end is disposed above the second portion of the side wall when the flange is in the final position. 
     
     
         23 . The package of  claim 22 , wherein the second end is positioned at an uppermost location of the package when the flange is in the final position and the package is oriented in an upright position with the base on a horizontal surface. 
     
     
         24 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein the base is substantially parallel to the flange when the flange is in the initial position.