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Party trayRelated Patent Categories: Food Or Edible Material: Processes, Compositions, And Products, Processes, Packaging Or Treatment Of Packaged Product, In Container Having Diverse Utility, E.g., Dispensing, Etc.Party tray description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060210683, Party tray. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a divisional of copending application Ser. No. 10/222,435 filed Aug. 16, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. ______ (Docket 14181). This application is also related to (i) a continuation application of application Ser. No. 10/222,435 which is being filed contemporaneously with this application (Docket 14181-1), (ii) a second divisional application of application Ser. No. 10/222,435 which is being filed contemporaneously with this application (Docket 14181-2), and (iii) Pat. No. D482,280, which issued on Design patent application Ser. No.29/165,789 filed Aug. 16, 2002 (Docket 14182). The disclosure of each of those applications is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to party trays. [0003] The term "party tray" is used herein to denote a tray of assorted foodstuffs to be served at a party. Especially when one or more of the foodstuffs is a respiring foodstuff, for example fresh fruits or vegetables, it is desirable that the party tray should provide a sealed package for the foodstuffs. This makes it possible to use the known technique of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), and/or to control the initial atmosphere within the party tray, in order to help the foodstuffs to remain in good condition for a longer time, thereby increasing the shelf life of the party tray. [0004] Known sealed party trays are usually prepared in quantity in manufacturing facilities, using carefully selected foodstuffs and under carefully controlled conditions. As displayed for sale, such trays comprise a container body containing separate compartments for different foodstuffs; foodstuffs within the compartments; a transparent polymeric sheet which is sealed over the container body, thus providing a sealed package for foodstuffs; and a transparent cover over the sealing sheet. The size of party trays is such that the sealing sheet is not robust enough to withstand routine handling of the tray unless it is protected by a cover. The container body and the cover are formed by molding polymeric materials, the container body being formed with cavity walls which define the separate compartments. The container body is often black or another solid color to provide a contrasting background for the foodstuffs, but can also be clear. [0005] When the foodstuffs in the known party tray are to be consumed, the cover and the sealing sheet are removed, and the foodstuffs are served, using the container body as the serving tray. [0006] When a party tray is displayed for sale in a supermarket or other store, it is desirable that shoppers should be able to view the contents of the tray clearly, and should have the impression that the tray has been recently prepared at the store level. A disadvantage of the known sealed party trays is that shoppers must view the contents of the tray through the cover and the sealing sheet. This detracts from the appearance of the foodstuffs, and may also indicate to shoppers that the tray has not been prepared at the store level. Another disadvantage is that the cavity walls of the container body are at least 0.375 in. (9 mm) wide. This further detracts from the appearance of the foodstuffs, and also reduces the amount of the foodstuffs that can be placed in a given total volume. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] I have realized, in accordance with the present invention, that improved results can be obtained by loading the foodstuffs into a transparent container body, securing a sealing sheet to the container body to provide a sealed package containing the foodstuffs; placing a support tray over the sealing sheet; and then turning the assembly of the support tray and the sealed package upside-down. In this specification, the term "in the loading orientation" means that the container body is oriented so that any foodstuffs in it rest on the base of the container body; and the term "in the display orientation" means that the container body is oriented so that the base of the container body in the loading orientation provides the top surface of the sealed package. Thus, if a container body, after having been loaded with foodstuffs and sealed with a sealing sheet, is in the display orientation, the foodstuffs rest on the sealing sheet (which is in turn supported by the support tray), and the foodstuffs are viewed by shoppers through the single thickness of the transparent container body. As a result, the foodstuffs are readily visible, and it is not apparent that the party tray was prepared in a manufacturing facility. [0008] When the contents of the novel party tray are to be served, the sealed container body is returned to the loading orientation; the support tray is removed; the sealing sheet is removed; the support tray (or a platter provided by the consumer) is placed over the open container body; the support tray (or provided platter) and container are returned to the display orientation; and finally the container body is removed, so that the foodstuffs can be served from the support tray (or provided platter). [0009] I have also realized, in accordance with the present invention, that by using partitions which are prepared separately from the container body, and are then located within the container body, the partitions can provide a smaller proportion of the visual appearance and physical contents of the party tray. In preferred embodiments, the partitions are located within the container body by location members formed in the base and/or wall of the container body. [0010] This invention includes novel methods for preparing and/or serving party trays, novel container bodies (and other components) for party trays, novel kits of parts for use in the assembly of party trays, and novel party trays, which make use of, or which can be used to implement, the present invention as summarized above. The invention includes, but is not limited to, the specific aspects of the invention which are set out in the Detailed Description of the Invention below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0011] The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which [0012] FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are top, bottom, front and side views, respectively, of a container body for a party tray according to the invention, the container body being in the display orientation; [0013] FIGS. 5 and 6 are cross-sections on lines V-V and VI-VI of FIG. 1; [0014] FIGS. 7 and 8 are side and top views respectively of partitions for use in conjunction with the container body illustrated in FIGS. 1-6; [0015] FIG. 9 is a top view of two partitions as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 joined together to form a single partition; [0016] FIG. 10 is a top view of a container body as shown in FIGS. 1-6 into which have been fitted two pairs of partitions as shown in FIGS. 7-8, joined together as shown in FIG. 9, the container body being shown in the loading orientation; [0017] FIG. 11 is a top view of a container body which has been fitted with partitions, as shown in FIG. 10, loaded with vegetables and with a carton of vegetable dip, and then sealed with a polymeric sheet; [0018] FIG. 12 is a top view of a loaded and sealed container body as shown in FIG. 11, after a support tray has been placed over the sealing sheet, and the assembly then turned over into the display orientation; [0019] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view on line XIII-XIII of FIG. 12; and [0020] FIGS. 14-16 are top, bottom and side views of another container body for a party tray according to the invention, the container body being in the display orientation. Continue reading about Party tray... Full patent description for Party tray Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Party tray patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Party tray or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Party tray Next Patent Application: Party tray Industry Class: Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Party tray patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.13865 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Accenture , Agouron Pharmaceuticals , Amgen , AT&T , Bausch & Lomb , Callaway Golf 174 |
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