Tray with divider features

Abstract

A tray for holding food products includes an upper construct having a rim panel and a plurality of side panels foldably connected to the rim panel, a lower construct having a bottom panel, a plurality of lower side panels, a plurality of support panels, and a plurality of upper side panels, the plurality of support panels forming a support in the interior of the tray, the plurality of upper side panels of the lower construct extend at least partially around an upper compartment in the interior of the tray and the plurality of lower side panels of the lower construct extend at least partially around a lower compartment in the interior of the tray, and divider features for at least partially separating the upper compartment from the lower compartment in the interior of the tray, the divider features including the support arranged for at least partially supporting a divider.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tray for holding one or more food products, the tray comprising:
 an upper construct comprising a plurality of panels, the plurality of panels comprising a rim panel extending at least partially around an opening and a plurality of side panels foldably connected to the rim panel, the rim panel at least partially forming a rim of the tray;   a lower construct comprising a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the tray, the plurality of panels of the lower construct comprising a bottom panel, a plurality of lower side panels, a plurality of support panels, and a plurality of upper side panels, the plurality of support panels arranged to form a support in the interior of the tray,   the plurality of upper side panels of the lower construct extend at least partially around an upper compartment in the interior of the tray and the plurality of lower side panels of the lower construct extend at least partially around a lower compartment in the interior of the tray; and   divider features for at least partially separating the upper compartment from the lower compartment in the interior of the tray, the divider features comprising the support arranged for at least partially supporting a divider.   
     
     
         2 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of support panels are in generally spaced and parallel relation with the bottom panel. 
     
     
         3 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of support panels extend outwardly from the plurality of lower side panels. 
     
     
         4 . The tray of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of upper side panels extend generally upwardly from the plurality of support panels. 
     
     
         5 . The tray of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of lower side panels extend generally downwardly from the plurality of support panels. 
     
     
         6 . The tray of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of lower side panels are foldably connected to the bottom panel, the plurality of support panels are foldably connected to the plurality of lower side panels, and the plurality of upper side panels are foldably connected to the plurality of support panels. 
     
     
         7 . The tray of  claim 2 , wherein the divider features further comprises the divider in the interior of the tray and received on the support. 
     
     
         8 . The tray of  claim 4 , wherein the divider comprises a plurality of openings for facilitating fluid communication between the upper compartment and the lower compartment in the interior of the tray. 
     
     
         9 . The tray of  claim 2 , wherein the rim panel has a generally circular configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The tray of  claim 9 , wherein the bottom panel has a generally polygonal configuration. 
     
     
         11 . The tray of  claim 2 , wherein the rim panel has a generally rectangular configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The tray of  claim 11 , wherein the bottom panel has a generally rectangular configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The tray of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of side panels of the upper construct are in at least partial face-to-face contact with the plurality of upper side panels of the lower construct. 
     
     
         14 . The tray of  claim 13 , wherein the lower construct further comprises a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels of the lower construct, the plurality of end flaps in at least partial face-to-face contact with the rim panel to at least partially form the rim of the tray. 
     
     
         15 . A combination of blanks for forming a tray for holding one or more food products, the tray comprising:
 an upper blank construct comprising a plurality of panels, the plurality of panels comprising a rim panel extending at least partially around an opening and a plurality of side panels foldably connected to the rim panel, the rim panel for at least partially forming a rim of the tray formed from the combination of blanks;   a lower blank comprising a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the tray formed from the combination of blanks, the plurality of panels of the lower construct comprising a bottom panel, a plurality of lower side panels, a plurality of support panels, and a plurality of upper side panels, the plurality of support panels for being arranged to form a support in the interior of the tray formed from the combination of blanks,   the plurality of upper side panels of the lower blank for extending at least partially around an upper compartment in the interior of the tray formed from the combination of blanks and the plurality of lower side panels of the lower blank for extending at least partially around a lower compartment in the interior of the tray formed from the combination of blanks; and   divider features for at least partially separating the upper compartment from the lower compartment in the interior of the tray formed from the combination of blanks, the divider features comprising the plurality of support panels for being arranged to form a support for at least partially supporting a divider when the tray is formed from the combination of blanks.   
     
     
         16 . The combination of blanks of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of support panels are for being positioned in generally spaced and parallel relation with the bottom panel when the tray is formed from the combination of blanks. 
     
     
         17 . The combination of blanks of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of lower side panels are foldably connected to the bottom panel, the plurality of support panels are foldably connected to the plurality of lower side panels, and the plurality of upper side panels are foldably connected to the plurality of support panels. 
     
     
         18 . The combination of blanks of  claim 16 , further comprising a divider blank for forming the divider received on the support in the interior of the tray formed from the combination of blanks. 
     
     
         19 . The combination of blanks of  claim 18 , wherein the divider blank comprises a plurality of openings for facilitating fluid communication between the upper compartment and the lower compartment in the interior of the tray formed from the combination of blanks. 
     
     
         20 . The combination of blanks of  claim 16 , wherein the rim panel has a generally circular configuration. 
     
     
         21 . The combination of blanks of  claim 20 , wherein the bottom panel has a generally polygonal configuration. 
     
     
         22 . The combination of blanks of  claim 16 , wherein the rim panel has a generally rectangular configuration. 
     
     
         23 . The combination of blanks of  claim 22 , wherein the bottom panel has a generally rectangular configuration. 
     
     
         24 . The combination of blanks of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of side panels of the upper blank are for being positioned in at least partial face-to-face contact with the plurality of upper side panels of the lower blank when the tray is formed from the combination of blanks. 
     
     
         25 . The combination of blanks of  claim 24 , wherein the lower blanks further comprises a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels of the lower blank, the plurality of end flaps for being positioned in at least partial face-to-face contact with the rim panel to at least partially form the rim of the tray formed from the combination of blanks. 
     
     
         26 . A method of forming a tray for holding one or more food products, the method comprising:
 obtaining an upper blank, the upper blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a rim panel extending at least partially around an opening and a plurality of side panels foldably connected to the rim panel;   obtaining a lower blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a plurality of lower side panels, a plurality of support panels, and a plurality of upper side panels;   forming an upper construct from the upper blank;   at least partially forming a rim of the tray from the rim panel;   forming a lower construct from the lower blank comprising positioning the plurality of upper side panels of the lower blank at least partially around an upper compartment in the interior of the tray and positioning the plurality of lower side panels of the lower blank extending at least partially around a lower compartment in the interior of the tray; and   arranging the plurality of support panels to form a support for at least supporting a divider for at least partially separating the upper compartment from the lower compartment in the interior of the tray.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , comprising positioning the plurality of support panels in generally spaced and parallel relation with the bottom panel. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , comprising positioning the plurality of support panels extending outwardly from the plurality of lower side panels. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , comprising positioning the plurality of upper side panels extending generally upwardly from the plurality of support panels. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , comprising positioning the plurality of lower side panels extending generally downwardly from the plurality of support panels. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of lower side panels are foldably connected to the bottom panel, the plurality of support panels are foldably connected to the plurality of lower side panels, and the plurality of upper side panels are foldably connected to the plurality of support panels. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising positioning the divider in the interior of the tray and received on the support. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the divider comprises a plurality of openings for facilitating fluid communication between the upper compartment and the lower compartment in the interior of the tray. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the rim panel has a generally circular configuration. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the bottom panel has a generally polygonal configuration. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the rim panel has a generally rectangular configuration. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the bottom panel has a generally rectangular configuration. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 27 , comprising positioning the plurality of side panels of the upper construct in at least partial face-to-face contact with the plurality of upper side panels of the lower construct. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the lower blank further comprises a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels of the lower blank, and the method comprises positioning the plurality of end flaps in at least partial face-to-face contact with the rim panel to at least partially form the rim of the tray.