PRODUCT DISPLAY PLATFORM

Abstract

A product display platform for use in the packaging and display of a food or other product is disclosed. The product display platform is comprised of a base panel having a peripheral edge defining a central area for receiving a product and a sidewall downwardly depending from the peripheral edge of the base panel, the sidewall being generally continuous around the perimeter of the base panel. In some embodiments the base panel is formed with a textured pattern to enhance the packaging/storing of the product, especially for food products, and also provides aesthetic appeal. In use, a protective film arranged over top of and around the product and product display platform is subject to a heat shrink wrapping process allowing the product arranged on the base panel to be fully viewable when arranged on the corresponding product display platform.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The specification relates to a product display platform primarily for use in packaging and presentation of food products.

BACKGROUND

Food products, such as fish or meat, are often pre-packaged prior to display and/or sale. Typically, food products of this type are arranged on a tray and covered by a protective film or cover. Standard packaging trays often include a base area surrounded by upstanding sidewalls to ensure that the food product (or other product) is secured within a confined area and that any liquid or other debris that may leak or breakaway from the product is safely contained within the area bounded by the upstanding sidewalls. These types of packaging trays, however, often obscure portions of the product.

Smoked Salmon is often times packaged in a skin pack with a flexible film enveloping a flat paperboard (known as a “fish board” and the smoked salmon product). Smoked Salmon, however, does not retain the same levels of moisture as non-cooked proteins such as fish and meat described above in paragraph 0002.

Accordingly, there is a need for improved forms of packaging and product display that enhance product display and generally improve customer experience with the product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a product display platform, comprising a base panel having a peripheral edge defining a central area for receiving a product; a sidewall downwardly depending from said peripheral edge of said base panel, said sidewall being generally continuous around the perimeter of the base panel and a peripheral flange extending outwardly away from said sidewall in a plane generally parallel to the plane of said base panel.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the base panel is formed with an embossed slate rock surface pattern. An open, cavity spaced is provided underneath the central area of the base panel wherein said open cavity space is bounded by said downwardly depending sidewall.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the embossed pattern is formed from a casting of a slate rock surface, flora, fauna, or other rock surfaces.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the embossed patterns include multiple depressions which allow for acceptance of excess moisture from the food product placed on the platform.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings which show example embodiments of the present application, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the product display platform according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the product display platform of FIG. 1 with a food product and protective film;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the product display platform of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the product display platform of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the product display platform of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a detail view the top surface of product display platform of FIG. 1.

Similar reference numerals may have been used in different figures to denote similar components.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 6, there is shown a product display platform 10 in use for the packaging and display of a food product 100 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. The product display platform 10 has a base panel 12 defining a central area 14 for receiving the food product 100. In use, a protective film 16 is arranged over top of the food product 100 a secured around the product display platform 10 to ensure complete coverage of the food product 100 so as to protect the food product 100 from ambient elements in accordance with principles known in the art. For example, once positioned over top of the food product 100 and platform 10, depending on the specific type of protective film 16 used, air can be evacuated from between the protective film 16 and the product display platform 10 or heat can be applied to the protective film 16 causing the film 16 to shrink tightly over and around the food product 100 and product display platform 10 which it is covering.

The structure of the product display platform 10 will now be described in further detail with particular reference to the Figures. As shown, the product display platform 10 is formed with a main, base panel 12. The base panel 12 has a peripheral edge 18 that defines the central area 14 for receiving and displaying a product, such as food product 100, thereon. Central area 14 is generally planar and serves as a support surface for receiving the corresponding food product 100. A downwardly depending sidewall 22 extends away from the peripheral edge 18 of the base panel 12 in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane in which the central area 14 of the base panel 12 lies. The sidewall 22 extends from the peripheral edge 18 continuously around the perimeter of the base panel 12 thereby defining a cavity space 24 underneath the central area 14 of base panel 12 and bounded by sidewall 22. While the sidewall 22 is described as extending downwardly away from the peripheral edge 18 of the base panel 12 in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane in which the central area 14 of the base panel 12 lies, it will be understood that the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the sidewall 22 extending at 90 degrees from the peripheral edge 18 of the base panel 12 and that the sidewall 22 may also extend at an angle that is greater than, or less than, 90 degrees.

A peripheral flange 26 extends outwardly away from sidewall 22 in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the central area 14 of the base panel 12. Accordingly, the base panel 12, sidewall 22 and peripheral flange 26 together define a step-down edge or profile of the product display platform 10. Therefore, the base panel 12 is free of any upstanding sidewall or any sort of side obstruction surrounding the central area 14 that could otherwise obscure the visual display area provided by the base panel 12 as is often the case with traditional or conventional packaging trays.

In some embodiments, the central area 14 of the base panel 12 is formed with a textured or embossed pattern across its surface. For instance, as shown in FIG. 6, a slate rock surface texture 30 is formed across the surface of the central area 14 of the base panel 12. Texture 30 protrudes out of the surface of central area 14 thereby forming corresponding depressions 40 or valleys, the texture 30 therefore creating multiple depressions and inclinations across the surface of the central area 14, which allow moisture from the food product to cumulate away from the product while remaining in the central area. The texture 30 illustrated in the Figures is a single example a possible texture. Textures may be formed from castings of naturally occurring random textures from flora, fauna, and/or organic or inorganic objects such as without limitation rock surfaces, animal skins, wood grains, leaves, shrubbery, and then using the casting to create a reproducible mold. A blank product display platform (preferably made of compressible plastic or foam) is then applied to the mold to create the desired textured surface on the mold. The presence of multiple random depressions 40 in the surface creates multiple locales for moisture emanating from the food produce to cumulate without being undesirably directed off the platform, or creating unsightly liquid pockets during the application of the protective film to the product and platform by shrink wrapping or other conventional or known means.

Once the protective film 16 is positioned over top of and around the food product 100 and product display platform 10 and is subject to vacuum sealing or a heat shrink wrapping process, the protective film 16 closely follows the profile of the food product 100 allowing the food product 100 to be fully on display with minimal obstruction from the accompanying product display platform 10. This allows for improved aesthetic appeal when displaying with packaged food product 100 and improves the overall customer experience since the product display platform 10, itself, provides adequate support to the food product 100 and facilitates the stacking and/or arrangement of the packaged food product 100 in the corresponding display.

While an example embodiment of a packaging tray has been described, it will be understood by persons skilled in the art that certain adaptations and modifications of the described embodiment can be made. Therefore, the above discussed embodiments are considered to be illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

1. A product display platform, comprising:

a base panel having a peripheral edge defining a central area for receiving a product; and

a sidewall downwardly depending from said peripheral edge of said base panel, said sidewall being generally continuous around the perimeter of the base panel.

2. The product display platform as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a peripheral flange extending outwardly away from said sidewall in a plane generally parallel to the plane of said base panel.

3. The product display platform as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base panel is formed with an embossed pattern that extends across said central area.

4. The product display platform as claimed in claim 1, wherein an open, cavity spaced is provided underneath the central area of the base panel wherein said open cavity space is bounded by said downwardly depending sidewall.

5. The product display platform as recited in claim 3 wherein the embossed pattern is a slate rock surface pattern.

6. The product display platform as recited in claim 3 wherein said embossed pattern is formed from a casting of flora, fauna, or rock surfaces.

7. The product display platform as recited in claim 1 further comprising a thin plastic film enveloping said platform and said product in a vacuum seal.

8. The product display platform as recited in claim 3 wherein the embossed pattern includes a plurality of depressions.