Food container assembly

Abstract

A nestable stackable food container for the temporary storage of items, particularly food items, characterized by the provision of interengageable tray-like members having a channeled interior bottom surface and vent means leading outwardly of the tray members, with the tray members including a bottom, a top, which is nestably associated with the bottom, for containing a single food item; and a plurality of intermediate tray members which may be stacked in vertical tandem for containing a plurality of food pieces in a unitary stacked carton arrangement.

We claim: 
     
       1. A container assembly comprising: a bottom end panel having an inner face defining a support surface, and a plurality of bottom side walls extending upwardly from the inner face, each bottom side wall terminating in an upper edge defining an irregular offset portion, said bottom panel having a plurality of vent ports or apertures for air communication with the exterior;   at least one intermediate panel adapted to fit on top of the bottom end panel and having a generally horizontal web with a top surface defining a support surface, the web of said intermediate panel including a plurality of apertures for permitting the flow of gas and moisture through said intermediate panel, a plurality of intermediate side walls depending from said web and terminating in an offset lower edge complementary to said bottom end panel upper edge and adapted to matingly interengage with said bottom end panel upper edge, and a plurality of upstanding intermediate side walls terminating in an offset upper edge identical with said bottom side wall upper edge; and   a top end panel identical to said bottom panel to fit on top of the intermediate panel and having an inner bottom face, and a plurality of side walls depending from the inner face and terminating in a downwardly facing lower edge identical to said depending intermediate side wall lower edge and adapted to matingly interengage with said upstanding intermediate side wall upper edge, each of said intermediate and bottom panels having on its lower surface and said top panel having on its upper surface a plurality of transverse intersecting channels defining a plurality of pads for supporting a food product with said channels forming conduits for air flow from the bottom panel vent ports through the container and exiting from said top panel vent ports to keep the food product crisp.   
     
     
       2. The .[.carton member.]. .Iadd.container assembly .Iaddend.of claim 1 wherein the apertures include vents provided at the intersection of each side wall and in a regular pattern in the panel area. .Iadd. 3. A container assembly comprising: a bottom panel having a bottom wall with an inner face defining a support surface in the form of a plurality of intersecting channels, said channels in turn defining therebetween a plurality of pads for supporting a food product, a plurality of ports in said bottom wall for air communication of said channels with the exterior of said container for entry of air into said channels, said bottom panel also having upstanding side wall means terminating at an upper edge defining an irregular offset portion, vent ports in said side wall means for emission of vapors to the exterior of said container assembly; a top panel identical to said bottom panel to fit on top of the bottom panel and having an inner bottom face, and a plurality of side walls depending from the inner face and terminating in a downwardly facing lower edge identical to said upstanding side wall of said bottom panel edge and adapted to matingly interengage with said upstanding bottom panel side wall upper edge, a plurality of vents in the top panel side wall for emission of vapors to the exterior of said container assembly said top panel having on its upper surface a plurality of transverse intersecting channels defining a plurality of pads capable of supporting a food product when in use as a bottom panel with said channels forming conduits for air flow from the bottom panel vent ports through the container and exiting from said top panel vent ports and said side wall vent ports to keep the food product crisp. .Iaddend..Iadd. 4. The container assembly of claim 3 wherein said bottom and top panels are generally square in configuration with side wall portions meeting at corners and said side wall ports are in the corners. .Iaddend.