US3398855A - Packaging unit - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 27, 1968 E. w. GRIESE, JR

PACKAGING UNIT Filed March 4, 1966 INVENTOR. Elmer W. Griese, Jr.

United States Patent 3,398,855 PACKAGING UNIT Elmer W. Griese, Jr., Wheeling, Ill., assignor to Ekco Products, Inc., Wheeling, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 531,934 4 Claims. (Cl. 220-93) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A packaging unit wherein the product holding area is in the form of an inner tray of high impact polystyrene resin composition or the like which is lifted from an outer container while the product is supported on said tray via an integral central hollow stem rising from the bottom of said tray.

This invention relates to a packaging unit in which a tray and an outer container having walls within which the tray is adapted to be confined in interlifting relation are combined to define the product holding area of the packaging unit pending withdrawal of the product therefrom and has special reference to a tray which provides an underlying support for the product while outside the confines of the container.

More particularly, this invention is concerned with a tray in the form of a relatively thin-walled body of semirigid material having an integral hollow stern rising centrally from the product supporting wall thereof to provide a handle adapted to be grasped and lifted readily with one hand to facilitate withdrawal of the tray from or deposit within the confines of the outer container.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved packaging unit for the marketing and serving of frozen foods, such as refrigerated articles of pastry made of pre-crumbled particles of cake, cookies or graham crackers by means of a tray construction which renders the product fully accessible for cutting into segments of desired individual serving size and shape without breakage or damage to the intended shape of the segment.

A further object resides in the provision of a packaging unit having an inner tray incorporating features of construction which add to the stability of the unit and its resistance to crushing during handling of such packaging units when in stacked condition.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded top perspective view of a container and inner receptacle as elements of a packaging unit incorporating the features of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the inner recptacle or tray as it appears when empty and outside the confines of the container.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along a diameter of the packaging unit illustrating its use with an article of frozen pastry.

FIG. 4 is a section taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating a modified form of the inner tray.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating a further modified form of the inner tray.

Referring now to the drawing, a packaging unit incorporating the features of this invention is shown as including an aluminum foil container 10 having a circular bottom wall 11 and an outwardly inclined side wall 12 extending upwardly from the perimeter of said bottom wall. The container may be closed by a cardboard cover 3,398,855 Patented Aug. 27, 1968 'ice or closure member C. Such a cover is adapted to have its marginal portion in downward seating engagement with an upwardly facing ledge 13 defining the upper rim of the side wall 12 and may be secured against unintentional removal from said ledge via a lip 14 along the outer periphery of the ledge 13 and bent inwardly against the upwardly facing marginal portion of the cover as shown in FIG. 3.

In thus utilizing the container 10 in connection with a packaging unit according to the present invention, an inner receptacle or tray T having a base 15 provides a holder in underlying relation to the product to be contained in said unit. The base 15 is of such configuration as to have relatively close interfitting engagement with the side walls of the container along the bottom wall of the container. As an example of a specific use of the present invention, the container 10 and tray T are described herein in relation to the packaging of an article of pastry P as shown in FIG. 3. However, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the packaging of such a product and on the contrary may be used in connection with the packaging of a wide variety of other goods. Such article of pastry P while thus supported on the base 15 occupies a position in surrounding relation to an integral hollow stem 16 of truncated conical form which extends upwardly from and centrally of the base 15. The base is preferably formed of relatively stiff material such as high impact polystyrene resin having a thickness of 5 to 20 mils. Upwardly open grooves formed in the base 15 along lines extending radially from the stem 16 define ridges 17 which have downward engagement with the surface of the bottom wall to support the base in operative relation to said bottom wall of the container 10. The ridges 17 are joined to a similar ridge 18 defined by a continuous groove extending circumferentially of the base in concentric relation to the stem 16 and relatively close to the outer periphery of the base 15.

An annular flange 20 extending inwardly from the upper limits of the stem terminates in a downwardly extending annular skirt 21. The area thus bounded by the skirt 21 is open except for a web 22 which bridges diametrically opposite portions of the flange 20. Wings 23 extending downwardly from the web 22 are joined to and form continuation of the skirt 21. Thus the stem 16 in conjunction with the skirt 21 and Wings 23 define a multi-wall structure at the upper end thereof. The open area between each wing 23 and the surface of skirt 21 opposite thereto provide pockets commensurate with the clearance needed to admit a persons fingers in gripping relation to the wings 23 and the web 22. Accordingly the stem 16 in conjunction with the wings 23 and web 22 provide means for handling the base 15 incident to moving the same toward and away from a confined position within the container 10.

The base 15 accordingly functions as a tray which is especially useful in handling the article of pastry incident to its removal from the container as well as facilitating the severance of the article into segments of individual serving size while freed of any obstruction by the side walls of the container with which it is associated pending such removal. As shown in FIG. 3, the stem 16 is of such height as to provide an upwardly facing seat substantially in alignment with a plane containing the ledge 13 of the container 10 so as to furnish a central underlying support for the cover C. Accordingly, the stem 16 effectively reinforces the packaging unit against collapse under weight applied on a packaging unit in underlying relation to a stack of such units.

FIG. 6 shows a slightly modified form of the invention wherein the tray is provided with a stem 26 having a downwardly ext-ending annular skirt 27, a web 28 and wings 29 corresponding to the skirt 21, web 22 and wings 23 of the tray shown in FIG. 3 except that the skirt and wings are of gradually reduced thickness in a direction away from the web 28 and the lower limits of the skirt 27 and wings 29 are joined by a diaphragm 30 of a thickness substantially equivalent to the thinnest portion of the skirt 27 and wings 29. This treatment of the skirt and wings bestows a flexibility that allows a firmer gripping of the wings 29 and the web 28 when a persons fingers are applied thereto for the purpose of handling the tray between installed and withdrawn positions relative to the container 10.

FIG. 7 shows a further modified form of a packaging unit embodying the present invention wherein the tray is provided with a base 24, and a side wall 25 rising upwardly from the perimeter of said base whereby the goods contained in the unit are confined against unintentional lateral displacement from the tray when the tray is withdrawn from container 10.

What is claimed is:

1. A packaging unit including an outer container having a bottom wall and a side extending upwardly from the perimeter of said bottom wall, means cooperating with said container to define the product containing area of said unit including an inner tray having a base of such peripheral contour as to be receivable within the confines of said outer container so as to occupy a seated position against said bottom wall of said container, an integral hollow stem rising upwardly from and centrally of said base, said base being formed to provide upwardly open grooves arranged symmetrically about said stem and defining reinforcing ribs operative to provide bearing areas in downwardly offset relation to lower surfaces of said base between said ribs, said stem having its upper end open except for a web bridging opposite upright wall portions of said stem with which the fingers of a person may have gripping engagement for eifecting withdrawal of said tray from or disposal of said tray within the confines of said container whereby the product is removable from said container while supported on said inner tray. 4

2. A packaging unit according to claim 1 wherein said tray is of high impact polystyrene resin composition having a thickness of to mils.

3. A packaging unit including an outer container having a bottom wall and a side extending upwardly from the perimeter of said bottom wall, means cooperating with said container to define the product containing area of said unit including an inner tray having a base of such peripheral contour as to be receivable Within the confines of said outer container so as to occupy a seated position against said bottom wall of said container, an integral hollow stem rising upwardly from and centrally of said base, said stern having its upper end open except for a web bridging opposite upright wall portions of said stem with which the fingers of a person may have gripping engagement for effecting withdrawal of said tray from or disposal of said tray within the confines of said container whereby the product is removable from said container while supported on said inner tray, and said stem having its upper limits defined by an annular inwardly extending flange which terminates in a downwardly extending annular skirt, and wings extending downwardly from the web are joined to and form a continuation of said skirt.

4. A packaging unit including an outer container having a bottom wall and a side extending upwardly from the perimeter of said bottom wall, means cooperating with said container to define the product containing area of said 'unit including an inner tray having a base of such peripheral contour as to be receivable within the confines of said outer container so as to occupy a seated position against said bottom wall of said container, an integral hollow stem rising upwardly from and centrally of said base, said stem having its upper end open except for a web bridging opposite upright wall portions of said stem with which the fingers of a person may have gripping engagement for effecting withdrawal of said tray from or disposal of said t-ray within the confines of said container whereby the product is removable from said container while supported on said inner tray and said stem having its upper limits defined by an annular inwardly extending flange which terminates in a downwardly extending annular skirt, and wings extending downwardly from the web are joined to and form a continuation of said skirt, said skirt and said wings being of gradually reduced thickness in a direction downwardly of said web.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,811,566 6/1931 Scott 249-112 2,756,793 7/1956 Tupper -5 2,897,996 8/1959 Billig et al. 22017 3,179,036 4/1965 Luker 220-72 RAPHAEL H. SCHWARTZ, Primary Examiner.

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