METHOD FOR PACKAGING BREAD PRODUCTS

Abstract

The present application provides a tray for stacking flatbread in a partially overlapping relationship to each other. The tray includes a structure having a plurality of recesses therein, each of the recesses having an essentially planer trailing and an essentially planer leading surfaces extending between opposing sides of the tray, the recesses therewith arranged inclined relative to each other to form a saw-tooth pattern having peaks and troughs.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present application relates generally to bread products and more specifically methods for packaging bread products for resale.

Bread products have been packaged for resale for some time. The type of packaging depends on the type of bread product. With regard to pitas and other flatbreads, these types are typically stacked over each other in a vertical arrangement and placed into a bag for shipping. This method has several limitations. For example, stacking vertically makes it difficult to prevent these breads from being crushed and, when these breads are frozen, from separating individual pitas from the stack without damaging the bread. Accordingly, there is a need for packaging pita and flatbreads that are not so limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, methods for packaging flatbreads are provided that uses a tray to store pre-sliced pita in a way that the pre-sliced edges will not be pushed/compressed together, and therefore will prevent the two layers which form the pocket of each individual pita from sticking together.

In at least one embodiment, a tray for stacking flatbread in a partially overlapping relationship to each other is provided that includes a structure having a plurality of recesses therein, each of the recesses having an essentially planer trailing and an essentially planer leading surfaces extending between opposing sides of the tray, the recesses therewith arranged inclined relative to each other to form a saw-tooth pattern having peaks and troughs.

In at least one embodiment, a plurality of the recess include leading surfaces having essentially the same height peak to trough.

In at least one embodiment, a plurality of the recess include trailing surfaces having essentially the same height peak to trough.

In at least one embodiment, at least one of the plurality of recesses includes a trailing surface having a height essentially twice the height of another recess.

In at least one embodiment, a plurality of the recess include trailing surfaces essentially parallel to each other.

In at least one embodiment, a plurality of the recess include leading surfaces essentially parallel to each other.

In at least one embodiment, at least one of the plurality of the recess include trailing surfaces that is not parallel to a trailing surface of another recess.

In at least one embodiment, a plurality of the recess include surfaces with ridges therein.

In at least one embodiment, the ridges extend from a front to back of the tray.

In at least one embodiment, at least one of the leading surfaces is essentially plumb relative to a plane of a rim of the tray.

In at least one embodiment, each of the leading surfaces is essentially plumb relative to a plane of a rim of the tray.

In at least one embodiment, at least one of the trailing surfaces is at an incline relative to a plane of a rim of the tray.

In at least one embodiment, each of the trailing surfaces is at an incline relative to a plane of a rim of the tray.

In at least one embodiment, a leading surface of at least one of the recesses is at a different include the leading surfaces of another of the recesses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of a packaging tray according to at least one embodiment of the trays discussed herein.

FIG. 2 provides a side view of a packaging tray according to at least one embodiment of the trays discussed herein.

FIG. 3 provides a side view of a packaging tray according to at least one embodiment of the trays discussed herein with a set of square pitas disposed therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present application generally provides a method for packaging bread products using the tray or trays depicted in the accompanying figures. Referring to FIG. 1, a tray according to at least one embodiment of the trays disclosed herein generally includes a basic structure 100 with a plurality of recesses 102 therein for stacking bread products, such as pitas and other flatbreads, at an inclined relationship relative to a horizontal reference plane, with the bread products only partially overlapping each other as shown in FIG. 3.

In one embodiment, the basic structure 100 includes a plurality of opposing sides 108 with the recesses 102 each having planer surfaces extending between the opposing sides 108. The planer surfaces of at least one or all of the recesses 102 may be parallel to corresponding surfaces of at least one other of the recesses 102. A plurality of the recesses 102 each include an essentially planer leading surface 106 and an essentially planer trailing surface 104. An essentially planer surface generally includes flat surfaces with ridges therein, for example, to strengthen the tray. The dimensions of the tray and the number of recesses 102 may vary. In one embodiment, the tray has a width (side 108 to side 108 dimension) from about 4 inches to about 12 inches, a height (bottom to top dimension) from about 1 inch to about 3 inches, and a depth (front to back) from about 6 inches to about 18 inches. In one embodiment, the tray includes 6 recesses 102 for packing half a dozen pitas or other flatbreads.

Referring to FIG. 2, the recesses 102 according to at least one embodiment are arranged in a saw-tooth pattern with a plurality of peaks 202 and troughs 204. In one embodiment, the leading surface 106 of at least one of the recesses 102 is essentially vertical or plumb, i.e., 90 degrees relative to a level surface ±5 degrees (e.g., the plane of the perimeter rim about the structure of the tray). The trailing surface 104 of at least one of the recesses 102 is preferably at an incline relative to the level surface, i.e., between about 20 degrees and about 70 degrees. In at least one embodiment, the height of the leading surface 106 is essentially the same, e.g., ±20%, of the thickness of the pita placed therein. In at least one embodiment, the peak to trough dimension of at least one of the trailing surfaces 104 is essentially half, e.g., ±20%, the height of a rectangular pita placed therein (measured in the direction of peak to trough). In at least one embodiment, at least one of the trailing surfaces 104, e.g., the lowest in the stack, has a height that is essentially the same, e.g., ±20%, as the height of the rectangular pita placed therein (measured in the direction of peak to trough), and the other trailing surfaces 104 are essentially half, e.g., ±20%, of the height of the pita placed therein or of the other trailing surfaces. This relationship beneficially creates a partial overlap between rectangular pitas stacked in the tray, which, among other things, overcomes at least some of the prior stacking arrangements.

In one embodiment, the planer surfaces include ridges therein, such as vertical ridges in the sides 108 and leading surfaces 106, and front to back ridges in the trailing surfaces 104. The ridges may be straight or curved, and may generally form a sinusoidal pattern in cross-section.

The process of packaging pita and other flatbreads, according to one embodiment, begins with providing a tray as described herein. A user may insert a pita, e.g. a rectangular pita, in each of the recesses 102, beginning with the farthest recess 102 from the front of the tray (i.e., the lowest in the stack). In this instance, the farthest recess 102 may be the recess 102 having a trailing surface 104 with the peak to trough dimension essentially equal to that of the pita placed therein. Once filled, the tray and the pita inserted therein may be placed into a bag that is sealed for shipment to merchants. This process may be performed manually or automated in a conveyor system.

What has been described and illustrated herein is a preferred embodiment of the invention along with some of its variations. The terms, descriptions and figures used herein are set forth by way of illustration only and are not meant as limitations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention in which all terms are meant in their broadest, reasonable sense unless otherwise indicated. Any headings utilized within the description are for convenience only and have no legal or limiting effect.

Claims

1. A tray for stacking flatbread in a partially overlapping relationship to each other comprising a structure having a plurality of recesses therein, each of the recesses having an essentially planer trailing and an essentially planer leading surfaces extending between opposing sides of the tray, the recesses therewith arranged inclined relative to each other to form a saw-tooth pattern having peaks and troughs.

2. The tray of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the recess include leading surfaces having essentially the same height peak to trough.

3. The tray of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the recess include trailing surfaces having essentially the same height peak to trough.

4. The tray of claim 3, wherein at least one of the plurality of recesses includes a trailing surface having a height essentially twice the height of another recess.

5. The tray of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the recess include trailing surfaces essentially parallel to each other.

6. The tray of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the recess include leading surfaces essentially parallel to each other.

7. The tray of claim 6, wherein at least one of the plurality of the recess include trailing surfaces that is not parallel to a trailing surface of another recess.

8. The tray of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the recess include surfaces with ridges therein.

9. The tray of claim 8, wherein the ridges extend from a front to back of the tray.

10. The tray of claim 1, wherein at least one of the leading surfaces is essentially plumb relative to a plane of a rim of the tray.

11. The tray of claim 1, wherein each of the leading surfaces is essentially plumb relative to a plane of a rim of the tray.

12. The tray of claim 1, wherein at least one of the trailing surfaces is at an incline relative to a plane of a rim of the tray.

13. The tray of claim 1, wherein each of the trailing surfaces is at an incline relative to a plane of a rim of the tray.

14. The tray of claim 13, wherein a leading surface of at least one of the recesses is at a different include the leading surfaces of another of the recesses.