ES2876183T3 - Tray for transporting and displaying food products - Google Patents

Abstract

A tray for transporting and displaying food products, comprising a sheet that folds to define: - a bottom (2); - a first pair of side walls (4, 6) oriented along a first direction (Y); and - a second pair of lateral walls (8, 12) oriented along a second direction (X) transversal to said first direction (Y), in which said folded sheet further defines: two separating walls (14 , 16) which extend along said first direction (Y), and are parallel to each other and spaced apart to divide the tray into different compartments (C); wherein said partition walls (14, 16) extend along said first direction (Y) to the point of placing respective opposite edges immediately adjacent to said second pair of side walls (8, 12), in the that said partition walls (14, 16) and/or said second pair of sidewalls (8, 12) have connecting portions (132) connecting said opposite edges of said partition walls (14, 16) to said second pair of side walls (8, 12), said tray being characterized in that said sheet also defines a pair of folded portions (125, 127) that, respectively, connect each partition wall (14, 16) to the closest wall of said first pair of sidewalls (4, 6), and which, in the assembled condition of said tray, are positioned within a respective compartment (C) of said tray, and the tray being further characterized in that said folded portions (125 , 127) have a series of openings to receive said products, and assume a downwardly inclined position starting from said respective closest sidewalls (4, 6).

Description

DESCRIPTION

Tray for transporting and displaying food products

The present invention relates to a tray made of paper or cardboard material, for transporting and displaying food products.

In general, trays of this type are already known in the art. They must combine properties such as a resistant structure suitable for use as packaging, with a predisposition to make the transported products clearly visible.

A very widespread example is a folded sheet container, which has four side walls of reduced height, which expose large parts of the transported products. This type of tray offers the advantage of presenting a simple and inexpensive structure.

In applications with products packed in rigid or semi-rigid containers, these trays can be stacked directly one on top of the other, according to a condition in which the weight of the formed stack is supported by the products carried by the trays themselves.

Patent documents US2457291A1 and US20050023162A1 and JPS62105118U disclose prior art that may be of particular interest.

In this context, the present invention proposes the provision of an improved solution, which is capable of satisfying one or more of the following requirements:

- provide an arrangement of the products that also includes a support for the products;

- provide an arrangement of the products that guarantees stability even during handling and transport of the tray;

- provide a simple and low-cost structure;

- provide a simple and fast assembly of the tray;

- provide an improved exposure procedure.

The tray according to the present invention is characterized in that it has the characteristics referred to in claim 1.

The claims form an integral part of the technical disclosure provided herein in relation to the invention.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are provided by way of non-limiting example only and in which:

- Figure 1 represents a preferred embodiment of the tray described here, according to an axonometric view;

figure 2 represents the tray of figure 1, in a condition in which a series of products have been loaded thereon;

figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the tray of figure 1;

Figure 4 represents an example of a sheet to construct the tray of Figure 1.

In the following description, various specific details are illustrated intended to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. The embodiments can be implemented without one or more of the specific details, or with other procedures, components, materials, etc. In other instances, known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid overshadowing the various aspects of the embodiments.

The references used herein are provided for convenience only and therefore do not define the field of protection or the scope of the embodiments.

As previously anticipated, the tray described herein is intended to be used to transport and display food products.

In particular, the tray described in the present document has been designed for applications with products packed in rigid or semi-rigid containers, for example, made of plastic, paper, glass, aluminum material, etc.

With reference to the figures, the tray described in the present document, indicated as a whole by the reference number 10, is formed by a single folded sheet to define:

- a background 2,

- a first pair of side walls 4, 6 oriented along a first direction Y,

- a second pair of side walls 8, 12 oriented along a second X direction perpendicular to said first Y direction,

- two partition walls 14, 16 that extend along the first direction Y, and are parallel to each other and are spaced from each other to divide the tray into different compartments C.

The compartments C obtained are, in total, three, or rather, one central and two lateral ones located on opposite sides to the central one.

According to an important feature of the tray described herein, the partition walls 14 and 16 are directly connected to the two walls 8 and 12 by means of connecting parts. In various preferred embodiments, these connection parts define the only connection points of the tray. The "connection points" are the parts of the sheet that form the tray, which are connected to each other, after folding of the sheet, to lock the sheet in the folded configuration. In various preferred embodiments, these connecting parts define the only gluing points. In various preferred embodiments, as well as in the one illustrated, the two walls 14 and 16 both rest on the bottom 2. Furthermore, in various preferred embodiments, such as the one illustrated, the indicated sheet defines a pair of folded parts 125 , 127 which respectively connect each partition wall 14, 16 to the nearest wall 4 or 6, and which, in the assembled condition of the tray, are arranged within a respective compartment C of the tray, in particular, in the two side compartments in the illustrated example.

As can be seen in figure 3, preferably, the two parts 125, 127 assume a downward sloping position, starting from the respective side wall 4 or 6, so that the two partition walls 14, 16 come into contact with each other. the bottom 2, resting on it with its lower edges.

The partition walls 14, 16 have the function of dividing the tray into the indicated compartments and, furthermore, of constituting a support for the products. The second function is particularly advantageous for applications where the products have a non-flat bottom so that they cannot stand upright or are not self-supporting. In various preferred embodiments, such as the one shown in Figure 2, the products in question are products packaged in containers 20.

In various preferred embodiments, such as the one illustrated, these containers are arranged in an ordered arrangement of parallel rows. Preferably, in each row, each container is connected to at least one other container in the same row.

In various preferred embodiments, as well as in the one illustrated, the containers 20 are provided, at their upper ends, with respective peripheral edges 21 that protrude laterally with respect to the underlying portion of the individual container.

The aforementioned connection between containers can be made at these perimeter edges, in the form of connection points or lines formed on these edges.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the containers 20 in each row are connected to each other along the connection lines T.

The described containers 20 can be obtained, for example, by means of a conventional form-fill-seal process, in which a plurality of containers are thermoformed starting from a single sheet of plastic material. The indicated connection lines (or points) T consist of lines (or points) of weakening of the formed plastic sheet, to facilitate the separation of the individual containers.

Returning to the tray 10, the group of products described is arranged thereon according to an arrangement in which adjoining containers of the same row are arranged on either side of the dividing walls 14, 16.

In this way, within a respective compartment C, therefore, containers 20 of different rows are arranged, and the connecting lines T of the individual rows lie above the dividing walls 14 and 16.

The two partition walls 14 and 16 act as a support for the containers 20 to stably hold them in a vertical position.

In various preferred embodiments, the two walls 14 and 16 extend vertically until they reach the connecting lines T. In various preferred embodiments, such as the one illustrated, the upper edges of these walls are shaped in such a way as to define a plurality of recesses 14 ', 16' within which the connection lines T and, possibly, the corresponding confining parts of the containers 20 are received.

Thanks to the described configuration, the two walls 14 and 16 can contain the containers 20 in both the X and Y directions.

In alternative embodiments, the same containers 20 can be separated from each other and not connected to each other; Also in this case, the partition walls 14, 16 and the respective shaped edges nevertheless exert a stabilizing action on the containers 20.

Referring now to Figure 4, this represents an example of a sheet for constructing the tray 10 of Figures 1 and 2. This sheet can, for example, be made of cardboard, corrugated cardboard, etc.

This sheet, indicated in figure 4 as a whole by the reference number 100, has an outer profile 101 and predefined fold lines 103.

In various preferred embodiments, as in the one illustrated, the sheet 100 defines a quadrangular portion 111, which is included between a first pair of fold lines 103 I and 103 ", parallel to each other, and a second pair of fold lines. 103 m and 103 IV, parallel to each other and perpendicular to lines 103 I and 103 ". The part 111 is intended to define the bottom 2 of the tray 10.

To the part 111 are connected, on opposite sides, by means of the fold lines 103 I and 103 ", the two parts 113, 115, respectively, which instead are intended to define the two walls 4 and 6 of the tray 10 .

Still on opposite sides, part 111 is also connected, through fold lines 103 m and 103 IV, to additional parts 117, 119, which instead are intended to define walls 8 and 12 of tray 10. Furthermore , the sheet 100 has two end portions 121, 123, which are located at opposite ends of the sheet and are intended to define the two partition walls 14, 16 of the tray 10.

The two end parts 121, 123 are connected, respectively, to the parts 113 and 115, through the two additional parts 125, 127 indicated above, which constitute the connection of the two partition walls to the base structure of the tray (consisting of the bottom and the side walls), and whose width (measured in the direction of the fold lines 103 IV and 103 m) determines the positioning of the two walls on the bottom 2.

In particular, the part 125 is connected to the part 113 through the fold line 103 V, and to the end part 121 through the fold line 103 VI. On the other hand, the part 127 is connected to the part 115 through the fold line 103 VI1, and to the end part 123 through the fold line 103 VI.

As already noted above, in the assembled condition of the tray, the parts 125, 127 lie within the two side compartments C and assume a downward sloping orientation, starting from the respective side walls of the tray to which they are connected. , so that the partition walls 14 and 16 can rest with their lower edges directly on the bottom 2, thus further increasing the stability of the overall structure.

In various preferred embodiments, as well as the one illustrated, these parts 125 and 127 each have a series of openings 125 ', 127', respectively, suitable for receiving the individual products.

As mentioned above, according to an important feature of the tray described herein, the partition walls 14 and 16 are directly connected to the two walls 8 and 12 through connecting parts.

In this regard, with reference to sheet 100, in various preferred embodiments, such as the one illustrated, the two end portions 121 and 123, which define the two partition walls 14, 16, are arranged with their respective opposite edges perpendicular to the fold lines 103 VI and 103 Vm, with tabs 132 that are connected to the parts 121, 123 through fold lines 103 1, and that are intended to connect to the internal faces of the two parts 119, 117 , which define the two side walls 8 and 12.

In various preferred embodiments, tabs 132 identify the only connection points for tray 10.

In particular, it should be noted that these flanges create a connection, between the two partition walls 14 and 16 and the side walls 8 and 12, configured to create mutual support between them, which is sufficient to rigidly block the entire structure of the tray. in its closed configuration. Finally, with reference to the construction process of the tray 10, it simply requires folding the sheet 100 along the indicated fold lines, to bring the parts 119, 113, 117, 115, 121 and 123 to a vertical position, and connect tabs 132 to parts 117 and 119.

In view of the above, the simplicity of the structure and the ease of assembly of the tray described here is therefore evident.

Of course, without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the details of the construction and the embodiments may vary, even significantly, with respect to those illustrated here, by way of non-limiting example only, without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (6)

1. A tray for transporting and displaying food products, comprising a sheet that folds to define: - a bottom (2); - a first pair of side walls (4, 6) oriented along a first direction (Y); and - a second pair of side walls (8, 12) oriented along a second direction (X) transverse to said first direction (Y), wherein said folded sheet also defines: two partition walls (14, 16) that extend along said first direction (Y), and are parallel to each other and are spaced apart to divide the tray into different compartments (C); wherein said partition walls (14, 16) extend along said first direction (Y) to the point of placing respective opposite edges immediately next to said second pair of side walls (8, 12), wherein said partition walls (14, 16) and / or said second pair of side walls (8, 12) have connecting portions (132) connecting said opposite edges of said partition walls (14, 16) to said second pair of side walls (8, 12), said tray being characterized in that said sheet further defines a pair of folded parts (125, 127) which, respectively, connect each partition wall (14, 16) to the closest wall of said first pair of side walls (4, 6), and which , in the assembled condition of said tray, are placed inside a respective compartment (C) of said tray, and the tray being further characterized in that said folded parts (125, 127) have a series of openings to receive said products, and assume a downward sloping position starting from said respective closest side walls (4, 6). A tray according to claim 1, wherein said partition walls (14, 16) are provided with one or more flanges (132) on said opposite edges, to connect said opposite edges to said second pair of side walls (8, 12). A tray according to claim 2, wherein said flanges are connected to said second pair of side walls (8, 12) by means of glue or by means of a snap-fit connection. A tray according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said connection parts (132) define the only connection points of said tray, preferably said connection points being covered with glue. A tray according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said partition walls (14, 16) rest on said bottom (2). A tray according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of products that are packaged in containers (20) provided, at their upper ends, with respective perimeter edges (21) projecting laterally with respect to the part below the single container, wherein said containers (20) are placed inside said different compartments (C) according to an ordered arrangement of parallel rows, wherein the containers of the same row are connected to each other by means of said perimeter edges (21), at or along connection points or lines (T), and are placed on said tray so that the adjoining containers of the same row straddle one of said partition walls (14, 16), wherein said partition walls (14, 16) have upper edges shaped to define a series of recesses (14 ', 16'), wherein said connection points or lines (T) between said perimeter edges of said contiguous containers are placed within said recesses (14 ', 16').