Tray Assembly For One Or More Articles

Abstract

A tray assembly for holding one or more articles, the tray assembly including a lid having a lid portion coupled to an upper hinge portion, a base having a base portion coupled to a lower hinge portion, the base portion extending at least partially around an interior of the tray assembly, and a hinge between the lid and the base and including the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion, the hinge for repositioning the tray assembly between a closed configuration, in which the lid at least partially overlies the base, and an open configuration, in which the lid is raised away from the base, the upper hinge portion hingably coupled to the lower hinge portion, at least one of the lid portion, the base portion, the upper hinge portion, and the lower hinge portion includes paperboard.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tray assembly for holding one or more articles, the tray assembly comprising:
 a lid comprising a lid portion coupled to an upper hinge portion;   a base comprising a base portion coupled to a lower hinge portion, the base portion extending at least partially around an interior of the tray assembly;   a hinge between the lid and the base and comprising the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion, the hinge for repositioning the tray assembly between a closed configuration, in which the lid at least partially overlies the base, and an open configuration, in which the lid is raised away from the base, the upper hinge portion hingably coupled to the lower hinge portion,   at least one of the lid portion, the base portion, the upper hinge portion, and the lower hinge portion comprises paperboard.   
     
     
         2 . The tray assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the lid portion and the base portion comprises paperboard. 
     
     
         3 . The tray assembly of  claim 2 , wherein each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion comprises paperboard. 
     
     
         4 . The tray assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the hinge comprises a hinge component, the hinge component comprising a first portion extending from the upper hinge portion and a second portion hingably coupled to the first portion, the second portion of the hinge component coupled to the lower hinge portion. 
     
     
         5 . The tray assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the hinge is integrally formed with each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion. 
     
     
         6 . The tray assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising locking features for at least partially maintaining the tray assembly in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The tray assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the locking features comprise at least one locking protrusion extending from one of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion, and at least one locking opening at least partially defined in the other of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion for at least partially receiving the at least one locking protrusion. 
     
     
         8 . The tray assembly of  claim 7 , wherein each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion comprises a sidewall, the at least one locking protrusion extends away from the sidewall of the upper hinge portion and the at least one locking protrusion is at least partially defined in the sidewall of the lower hinge portion. 
     
     
         9 . The tray assembly of  claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the sidewall of the upper hinge portion overlaps and extends in front of at least a portion of the sidewall of the lower hinge portion when the tray assembly is in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The tray assembly of  claim 7 , wherein each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion comprises an upper surface, a lower surface, and a sidewall extending from the upper surface to the lower surface, the at least one locking protrusion extends from the lower surface of the upper hinge portion, and the at least one locking opening is at least partially defined in the upper surface of the lower hinge portion. 
     
     
         11 . The tray assembly of  claim 2 , wherein each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion comprises a respective sidewall at least partially defining a respective opening, wherein the lid portion comprises a top and a sidewall extending away from the top, wherein the base portion comprises a bottom and a sidewall extending away from the bottom, wherein the sidewall of the lid portion is at least partially received in the opening of the upper hinge portion, and wherein the sidewall of the base portion is at least partially received in the opening of the lower hinge portion. 
     
     
         12 . The tray assembly of  claim 11 , wherein each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion comprises a respective rim extending inwardly from the respective sidewall thereof, wherein each of the lid portion of the base portion comprises a respective flange extending away from the respective sidewall thereof, wherein the flange of the lid portion is positioned between the sidewall of the upper hinge portion and the rim of the upper hinge portion, and wherein the flange of the base portion is positioned between the sidewall of the lower hinge portion and the rim of the lower hinge portion. 
     
     
         13 . A combination of components for forming a tray assembly for holding one or more articles, the combination of components comprising:
 a lid portion;   an upper hinge portion for being coupled to the lid portion to form a lid when the tray assembly is formed from the combination of components;   a base portion for extending at least partially around an interior of the tray assembly;   a lower hinge portion for being coupled to the base portion to form a base when the tray assembly is formed from the combination of components,   at least one of the lid portion, the base portion, the upper hinge portion, and the lower hinge portion comprises paperboard,   the upper hinge portion for being hingably coupled to the lower hinge portions to form a hinge for repositioning the tray assembly formed from the combination of components between a closed configuration, in which the lid at least partially overlies the base, and an open configuration, in which the lid is raised away from the base.   
     
     
         14 . The combination of  claim 13 , wherein each of the lid portion and the base portion comprises paperboard. 
     
     
         15 . The combination of  claim 14 , wherein each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion comprises paperboard. 
     
     
         16 . The combination of  claim 14 , wherein the hinge comprises a hinge component, the hinge component comprising a first portion extending from the upper hinge portion and a second portion hingably coupled to the first portion, the second portion of the hinge component for being coupled to the lower hinge portion when the tray assembly is formed from the combination of components. 
     
     
         17 . The combination of  claim 14 , wherein the hinge is integrally formed with each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion. 
     
     
         18 . The combination of  claim 14 , further comprising locking features for at least partially maintaining the tray assembly formed from the combination of components in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         19 . The combination of  claim 18 , wherein the locking features comprise at least one locking protrusion extending from one of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion, and at least one locking opening at least partially defined in the other of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion for at least partially receiving the at least one locking protrusion. 
     
     
         20 . The combination of  claim 19 , wherein each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion comprises a sidewall, the at least one locking protrusion extends away from the sidewall of the upper hinge portion and the at least one locking protrusion is at least partially defined in the sidewall of the lower hinge portion. 
     
     
         21 . The combination of  claim 20 , wherein at least a portion of the sidewall of the upper hinge portion is for overlapping and extending in front of at least a portion of the sidewall of the lower hinge portion when the tray assembly formed from the combination of components is in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         22 . The combination of  claim 19 , wherein each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion comprises an upper surface, a lower surface, and a sidewall extending from the upper surface to the lower surface, the at least one locking protrusion extends from the lower surface of the upper hinge portion, and the at least one locking opening is at least partially defined in the upper surface of the lower hinge portion. 
     
     
         23 . The combination of  claim 14 , wherein each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion comprises a respective sidewall at least partially defining a respective opening, wherein the lid portion comprises a top and a sidewall extending away from the top, wherein the base portion comprises a bottom and a sidewall extending away from the bottom, wherein the sidewall of the lid portion is for being at least partially received in the opening of the upper hinge portion when the tray assembly is formed from the combination of components, and wherein the sidewall of the base portion is for being at least partially received in the opening of the lower hinge portion when the tray assembly is formed from the combination of components. 
     
     
         24 . The combination of  claim 23 , wherein each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion comprises a respective rim extending inwardly from the respective sidewall thereof, wherein each of the lid portion of the base portion comprises a respective flange extending away from the respective sidewall thereof, wherein the flange of the lid portion is for being positioned between the sidewall of the upper hinge portion and the rim of the upper hinge portion when the tray assembly is formed from the combination of components, and wherein the flange of the base portion is for being positioned between the sidewall of the lower hinge portion and the rim of the lower hinge portion when the tray assembly is formed from the combination of components. 
     
     
         25 . A method of forming a tray assembly for holding one or more articles, the method comprising:
 obtaining a lid portion;   obtaining an upper hinge portion;   obtaining a base portion extending at least partially around an interior of the tray assembly;   obtaining an upper hinge portion;   obtaining a lower hinge portion;   coupling the lid portion to the upper hinge portion to form a lid when the tray assembly is formed from the combination of components;   coupling the base portion to the lower hinge portion to form a base; and   hingably coupling the upper hinge portion to the lower hinge portion to form a hinge for repositioning the tray assembly between a closed configuration, in which the lid at least partially overlies the base, and an open configuration, in which the lid is raised away from the base.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein each of the lid portion and the base portion comprises paperboard. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion comprises paperboard. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the upper hinge portion comprises a hinge component, the hinge component comprising a first portion extending from the upper hinge portion and a second portion hingably coupled to the first portion, and the method further comprises coupling the second portion of the hinge component to the lower hinge portion. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the hinge is integrally formed with each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion further comprise locking features for at least partially maintaining the tray assembly in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the locking features comprise at least one locking protrusion extending from one of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion, and at least one locking opening at least partially defined in the other of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion for at least partially receiving the at least one locking protrusion. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion comprises a sidewall, the at least one locking protrusion extends away from the sidewall of the upper hinge portion and the at least one locking protrusion is at least partially defined in the sidewall of the lower hinge portion. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the tray assembly is formed such that at least a portion of the sidewall of the upper hinge portion is for overlapping and extending in front of at least a portion of the sidewall of the lower hinge portion when the tray assembly is in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion comprises an upper surface, a lower surface, and a sidewall extending from the upper surface to the lower surface, the at least one locking protrusion extends from the lower surface of the upper hinge portion, and the at least one locking opening is at least partially defined in the upper surface of the lower hinge portion. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion comprises a respective sidewall at least partially defining a respective opening, wherein the lid portion comprises a top and a sidewall extending away from the top, wherein the base portion comprises a bottom and a sidewall extending away from the bottom, wherein coupling the lid portion to the upper hinge portion comprises at least partially receiving the sidewall of the lid in the opening of the upper hinge portion, and wherein coupling the base portion to the lower hinge portion comprises at least partially receiving the sidewall of the base portion in the opening of the lower hinge portion. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein each of the upper hinge portion and the lower hinge portion comprises a respective rim extending inwardly from the respective sidewall thereof, wherein each of the lid portion of the base portion comprises a respective flange extending away from the respective sidewall thereof, wherein coupling the lid portion to the upper hinge portion comprises positioning the flange of the lid portion between the sidewall of the upper hinge portion and the rim of the upper hinge portion, and wherein coupling the base portion to the lower hinge portion comprises positioning the flange of the base portion between the sidewall of the lower hinge portion and the rim of the lower hinge portion.