Abstract: A system for packaging of perishable food products involves initially packaging the food product in a receptacle containing an inert gas atmosphere and sealing a film to the receptacle. The inert gas atmosphere prevents deterioration of the food product subsequent to shipment from a central processing facility. The receptacle includes a sealing flange and a tab portion extending from the sealing flange, to which the film is sealed. To prepare the food product for display at a retail establishment, the tab and the film sealed thereto are removed from the package, to form an opening between the film and the receptacle. An atmosphere exchange operation is carried out through the opening, by inserting a nozzle through the opening and introducing an oxygen-containing gas into the receptacle cavity through the opening. The inert gas atmosphere initially contained within the receptacle is exhausted through the opening.

Abstract: Disclosed is a disposable dish system, with the bottom surfaces of the disposable dishes being at least partially coated with a light tack non-toxic adhesive to retain it to a tablecloth, tray, or table in a manner which will be resistant to wind or tipping, but yet allow for easy removal and replacement during use. Also disclosed is a wind-resistant disposable tablecloth which includes adhesive disposed at certain locations on the tablecloth for use in retaining the tablecloth on a picnic table or a similar table or surface. The tablecloth has the adhesive placed thereon in strips, which are covered by strips of release liner prior to the tablecloth being used. The release liner strips are removed to expose the adhesive on the tablecloth, which is used to secure the tablecloth on the picnic table.

Abstract: A microwave steam tray is made of a thermo-formed co-polymer polypropylene quality food grade plastic. The microwave steam tray comprises a plastic container having a dish portion and a connected lid. The dish portion includes a bottom surface with four sidewalls extending therefrom to define a dish interior. A plurality of ribs are raised from the bottom surface to provide a cooking plane. Steam channels are formed between the ribs. The ribs extend radially from a moisture reservoir positioned within the dish interior. The moisture reservoir includes a retaining wall having a cup portion formed within the retaining wall. Recesses are formed within the retaining wall. Liquid based food products may be placed in the moisture cylinder during cooking. Steam generated from the moisture reservoir easily travels down the radial steam channels.

Abstract: A multi-ply food container. The multi-ply food container has selective reinforcement at the center of the food container, and regions of a raised side wall and/or rim which are not reinforced. The reinforcement is preferably done by joining an additional ply to the food container.

Abstract: Resiliently expandable sleeves to locate and protectively separate from each other bottles or other articles placed vertically in a container are each comprised of at least three side walls connected to each other at their adjacent edges, each said side wall being tapered from the width at its upper edge to a lesser width at its lower end, the dimensions of the opening at the top of each said sleeve formed by said upper edges being designed to provide free entry of said article into said tapered sleeve, with further insertion of said article into said sleeve causing each of said side walls to be resiliently deflected outwardly, thereby to create a grasping pressure over the area of contact between the outer surface of said article, and the inner surface of each of said side walls.

Abstract: A storage container (12) includes, in some embodiments, a tray insert (10) having a base (14) and side walls (16) which define a reservoir (18) for retaining fluids exuded from stored food. The base (14) of the tray insert (10) substantially conforms to the bottom of the storage container (12) into which the tray insert (10) is placed and the upper edge (28) of the side walls (16) substantially conforms to the interior side wall of the storage container (12). A series of ribs (20) and optional rib segments (25) extend upwardly from the base (14) of the tray insert (10), with the ribs (20 and 25) and the upper edge (28) of the side walls (16) supporting a cover (26) formed of liquid permeable sheet material so that the cover (26) supports food which has been placed into the storage container (12).

Abstract: A foil container formed from a single sheet of metal about orthogonal longitudinal and transverse axes, comprises a bottom panel, a continuous wall panel, and a continuous rim. The continuous wall panel encompasses the bottom panel and extends upwardly and outwardly from the bottom panel. The continuous rim encompasses an upper edge of the continuous wall panel and projects laterally outwardly therefrom. The bottom panel is constructed and arranged bend strength and aesthetic appeal of the container. In one embodiment, the bottom panel forms a network of clusters including hexagonal ribs, hexagonal embossments, and bar ribs. In another embodiment, the bottom panel forms a plurality of closely spaced, concentric elliptical ribs that occupy a substantial portion of the bottom panel.

Abstract: A paperboard material 101 is mainly composed of a paperboard having a weight of 200 to 450 g/m.sup.2, a density of 0.65 to 0.82 and a gas permeability of 50 to 200 sec. A first resin layer having liquid-impermeability and thermal resistance is formed entirely on the surface of the paperboard on the inner side of the receptacle, and a second resin layer having permeability to gas and liquid is formed entirely on the back surface of the paperboard. Radial score lines 117 are formed in the portion corresponding to the corners of the paperboard material 101 toward its outer periphery. The score lines 117 do not reach the outer periphery of the paperboard material 101 but terminate at the position at a distance "a" (1 to 3 mm). The score lines 117 are formed by pressing the paperboard with a pressing die from the side constituting the inner side of the receptacle toward the outer side.

Abstract: A container formed from a unitary paperboard blank having a substantially planer inner region, a sidewall region and a rim region formed about the periphery thereof is disclosed. The sidewall region includes a generally annular region flaring upwardly and outwardly from a periphery of the planer inner region and a first frusto-conical region adjoining the annular region with the frusto-conical region sloping outwardly and upwardly from the annular region. The rim region includes an outwardly flaring arcuate annular region adjoining an outer periphery of the first frusto-conical region, and a second frusto-conical region extending substantially tangentially from the arcuate annular region. During the fabrication of the paperboard material for forming the aforementioned container, the paperboard material is impregnated with a sizing adhesive equivalent to at least 6 pounds of starch per 3,000 ft.sup.

Abstract: A processor tray is provide for maintaining plastic film wrapped thereabout in a taut state. The tray is unitarially formed with a plurality of sidewalls, a comer joining each pair of sidewalls, and a base. A flange is formed to extend outwardly and downwardly from uppermost portions of the sidewalls and the corners preferably in the range of 15.degree.-35.degree.. Additionally, the flange may be formed with varying widths about the perimeter of the tray. The base may be either formed flat or, alternatively, the base may be formed with three concentric regions to define a concavity, with one region being planar and raised relative to the bottom of the tray.

Abstract: A formed plastic container having a cover portion and a bottom portion, also includes a latch. The latch has a projection extending out from the cover, and a locking flap extending out from the bottom that flexes to meet and hold the projection. In one embodiment, the projection includes a tab, and the locking flap includes a rib that lifts the flap above the tab when closed, in order to reduce the possibility of the tab coming away from the flap.

Abstract: A disposable food container comprises a lid and a base optionally connected to each other along a resilient hinge. The lid includes a top wall, a continuous lid side wall, and a plurality of lid corners. The lid side wall encompasses the top wall and extends downwardly and outwardly from the top wall. The plurality of lid corners are at least partially formed by the lid side wall and include a pair of front lid corners. The base includes a bottom wall, a continuous base side wall, and a plurality of base corners. The base side wall encompasses the bottom wall and extends upwardly and outwardly from the bottom wall. The plurality of base corners are at least partially formed by the base side wall and include a pair of front base corners. If the container is provided with a resilient hinge, the pair of front lid corners and the pair of front base corners are spaced away from the hinge. The container includes a corner latch closure for releasably engaging the lid and the base in a closed position.

Abstract: A sheet of expanded plastics material with absorbent properties towards aqueous liquids has a structure with intercommunicating cells and comprises at least one surfactant and at least one lubricating agent. The invention also relates to a tray (1) of plastics material for foods which may release liquids, comprising a base (2) and side walls (3), wherein the base (2) has holes (4) of 0.1-1.5 mm diameter in the surface (4) which is intended to contact the food, and is produced from a sheet as described above. Methods of producing the sheet and the tray are also described.

Abstract: A packing tray of the type for packing fruit usable with a denesting apparatus for removing a single packing tray from a stack of trays. The tray has a plurality of cups for containing the fruit. The tray has a plurality of pick receiving areas for receiving picks on the denesting apparatus which engage the tray and remove the tray from the stack. The pick receiving areas are located in a sidewall of the tray, such that the locations of the pick receiving areas are independent of the locations of the cups. The pick receiving areas are shaped to permit substantially unimpeded movement of the picks into the pick receiving areas and clamping of the tray between the picks and adjacent alignment members. The alignment members are located to support the stack of trays while the picks engage a single fruit packing tray.

Abstract: A packaging tray for use with food such as meat or fish formed from a hollow plastics material board, the base portion (14) of the tray having holes (16) formed in the upper portion thereof and the holes having a lip (18) which is at least partly removed on the top side. The tray is preferably formed from corrugated plastics material sheet of a recyclable material such as polyolefin. The holes are star-shaped and channels are formed through the lip in the interstices between adjacent points of the star allowing liquor to drain into the interior of the board but not back out again.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a food storage device that is capable of storing food items for an extended period of time. This device includes a bottom wall that has a sidewall extending upward from its periphery forming a cavity therein. A removable platform is further contained within the cavity capable of supporting food items therein. The removable platform supported within the cavity by a support structure. The support structure embodied by either legs extending downward from the removable platform, pegs extending upward from the bottom wall or a ridge extending inwardly from the sidewall. The cavity is enclosed by a cover that is removably attached to the sidewall.

Abstract: A tray for containing fluid-exuding foods, such as meat, fish and the like, comprises a laminate having upper and lower laminae, with openings in the upper lamina. Fluid retaining cavities are formed in the lower lamina or between adjacent lamina to keep exuded liquids away from the food and out of sight of the purchaser. The upper surface of the lower lamina is embossed to form regularly shaped liquid containment cells. The openings in the upper layer are preferable aligned in accordance with a predefined pattern and in register with the cells on the lower lamina. An intermediate lamina of absorbent material and a reticulate lamina may be disposed between the upper and lower lamina.

Abstract: An improved container for storing and transporting a hot pizza product that includes a top and bottom with nonzero Gauss curvatured structures over a major portion of the supporting surface so that less material need be used for fabrication without a lowering of structural integrity. The top and bottom members are adapted to nest with other like tops and bottom members to reduce the need storage space near the pizza oven where they are ready for use without preassembly. The floor of the bottom comprises upstanding projections with small top surface area to reduce the heat conduction path and to support the product above the floor to form an air insulating space between the product and the floor. The bottom member includes a sidewall that intersects the floor to form a supporting line when resting on a supporting surface, thermal conduction being limited to such line. The curved, convex shape of the floor then provides a closed air insulating space between the bottom and the resting surface.

Abstract: A plastic openwork receptacle and a plastic openwork cover therefor, the receptacle and cover having plastic hinge interconnection, the receptacle having an upper rectangular ledge, facing upwardly, and the cover having a lower rectangular ledge facing downwardly, in closed connection, the upper and lower ledges sized to register upon closing of the cover over the receptacle. Each of the ledges has two laterally spaced longitudinally elongated first sections, and two longitudinally spaced laterally extending second sections, each first section being about twice the length of each second section.

Abstract: A molded plastic overwrap tray is disclosed having a base and first and second sets of opposed sidewalls. The base and sidewalls define a food retaining chamber. The upper edges of the sidewalls define an upper plane of the tray. The upper edges of one set of opposed sidewalls have first and second pairs of opposed indentations for receiving the respective opposed ends of a pair of spaced-apart support bars. The support bars have an upper surface defining a plane substantially parallel to the upper plane of the tray, whereby an overwrap on the tray is supported by the upper surface of the support bars to minimize sagging of the overwrap and prevent the overwrap from coming in contact with food in the food retaining chamber. The support bars also assist in maintaining the engaged opposed upper edges substantially parallel to one another to reduce distortion and breakage of the tray when the overwrap is tightly stretched thereover.

Abstract: A nestable food or snack tray having a pair of recessed food storage compartments each adapted to receive and hold food is vacuum molded from a single sheet of lightweight plastic, such as polystyrene. A first recessed compartment is shaped in the form of an athletic field or stadium such as a tennis or basketball court, a baseball or football stadium, a hockey rink, etc., and includes a tiered, or step-like layered, peripheral portion representing court-side (or field-side) seats. The floor of the first recessed compartment includes various details of the court, field or rink and may include terrain features such as where the recessed compartment depicts a golf course. The tiered structure forms spaced horizontal ribs which increase the strength and rigidity of the lightweight plastic tray, particularly when the compartments carry food.

Abstract: A tray (10) for receiving a plurality of fish fillets (28) in a layer for compaction and freezing in a stack of layers. The tray is formed from a sheet (18) of material having a first portion (12) joined to a second portion (14) by a flexible hinge portion (16). The first portion is formed to define a plurality of first recesses (24) and the second portion is formed to define a plurality of negative second recesses (26). A fillet is received within each of the first recesses to form a layer, the tray is folded, and an additional layer of fillets is received within the second recesses. The tray is constructed and configured to be deformed and to enable the fillets to deform within the recesses, under the force of compaction, to form separable layers of substantially separate frozen fillets.