US-12617579-B2 - Tray with separable features

Abstract

A tray for holding one or more articles includes a plurality of tray portions, each tray portion having a plurality of panels extending at least partially around a respective tray compartment, and a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the respective plurality of panels, the plurality of end flaps of each respective tray portion including a respective plurality of top end flaps arranged to form a respective flange separably connected to a respective flange of a respective adjacent tray portion of the plurality of tray portions.

Inventors

• Sharon M. Weaver

Assignees

• GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20230519

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A tray for holding one or more articles, the tray comprising: a plurality of tray portions, each tray portion comprising: a plurality of panels extending at least partially around a tray compartment of each tray portion; and a plurality of top end flaps arranged to form a flange separably connected along a tray tear line to a flange of an adjacent tray portion of the plurality of tray portions; wherein the plurality of tray portions are components of a system that includes a lid comprising a plurality of lid panels, each lid panel separably connected along a respective lid tear line to an adjacent lid panel, wherein each lid panel is attached to a respective flange of a respective tray portion, and wherein each lid tear line is aligned with a respective tray tear line; wherein in a first configuration, a first tray portion of the plurality of tray portions and a respective attached first lid panel of the plurality of lid panels are separable from an adjacent tray portion and adjacent lid panel while the first lid panel remains attached to the first tray portion, and wherein in a second configuration, the first lid panel is separated from the first tray portion while remaining attached to the adjacent lid panel and the first tray portion is subsequently separable from the adjacent tray portion.
2. 2 . The tray of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of panels of each tray portion comprises a bottom panel and at least one side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel.
3. 3 . The tray of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of top end flaps of each tray portion comprises a respective top end flap foldably connected to the respective at least one side panel.
4. 4 . The tray of claim 3 , wherein the respective top end flap is separably connected to a respective flange of a respective adjacent tray portion of the plurality of tray portions.
5. 5 . The tray of claim 4 , wherein the respective at least one side panel is a respective first side panel foldably connected to the respective bottom panel, and the plurality of panels of each tray portion comprises a second side panel, a third side panel, and a fourth side panel each foldably connected to the respective bottom panel.
6. 6 . The tray of claim 5 , wherein the respective top end flap is a respective first top end flap foldably connected to the respective first side panel, and the plurality of top end flaps of each tray portion comprises a second top end flap foldably connected to the respective second side panel, a third top end flap foldably connected to the respective third side panel, and a fourth top end flap foldably connected to the respective fourth side panel, each respective first top end flap, second top end flap, third top end flap, and fourth top end flap forming a respective flange of the plurality of tray portions.
7. 7 . The tray of claim 6 , wherein the respective first top end flap, second top end flap, third top end flap, and fourth top end flap extend outwardly from the respective plurality of panels of each respective tray portion.
8. 8 . The tray of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of tray portions comprises a first tray portion forming a first tray compartment, a second tray portion forming a second tray compartment, a third tray portion forming a third tray compartment, and a fourth tray portion forming a fourth tray compartment.
9. 9 . The tray of claim 8 , wherein the third top end flap of the first tray portion is separably connected to the first top end flap of the second tray portion, the fourth top end flap of the second tray portion is separably connected to the second top end flap of the third tray portion, the first top end flap of the third tray portion is separably connected to the third top end flap of the fourth tray portion, and the second top end flap of the fourth tray portion is separably connected to the fourth top end flap of the first tray portion.
10. 10 . A system, comprising: a lid comprising a plurality of lid panels, each lid panel separably connected along a lid tear line to an adjacent lid panel; and a tray supporting the lid, the tray comprising: a plurality of tray portions, each tray portion comprising: a plurality of panels extending at least partially around a tray compartment of each tray portion; and a plurality of top end flaps arranged to form a flange separably connected along a tray tear line to a flange of an adjacent tray portion of the plurality of tray portions, wherein each lid tear line is aligned with a respective tray tear line; wherein each lid panel is attached to a respective flange of a respective tray portion, wherein in a first configuration, a first tray portion of the plurality of tray portions and a respective attached first lid panel are separable from an adjacent tray portion and an adjacent lid panel while the first lid panel remains attached to the first tray portion, and wherein in a second configuration, the first lid panel is separated from the first tray portion while remaining attached to the adjacent lid panel and the first tray portion is subsequently separable from adjacent tray portions.
11. 11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of panels of each tray portion comprises a bottom panel and at least one side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel.
12. 12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of top end flaps of each tray portion comprises a respective top end flap foldably connected to the respective at least one side panel.
13. 13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the respective top end flap is separably connected to a respective flange of a respective adjacent tray portion of the plurality of tray portions.
14. 14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the respective at least one side panel is a respective first side panel foldably connected to the respective bottom panel, and the plurality of panels of each tray portion comprises a second side panel, a third side panel, and a fourth side panel each foldably connected to the respective bottom panel.
15. 15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the respective top end flap is a respective first top end flap foldably connected to the respective first side panel, and the plurality of top end flaps of each tray portion comprises a second top end flap foldably connected to the respective second side panel, a third top end flap foldably connected to the respective third side panel, and a fourth top end flap foldably connected to the respective fourth side panel, each respective first top end flap, second top end flap, third top end flap, and fourth top end flap forming a respective flange of the plurality of tray portions.
16. 16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the respective first top end flap, second top end flap, third top end flap, and fourth top end flap extend outwardly from the respective plurality of panels of each respective tray portion.
17. 17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of tray portions comprises a first tray portion forming a first tray compartment, a second tray portion forming a second tray compartment, a third tray portion forming a third tray compartment, and a fourth tray portion forming a fourth tray compartment.
18. 18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the third top end flap of the first tray portion is separably connected to the first top end flap of the second tray portion, the fourth top end flap of the second tray portion is separably connected to the second top end flap of the third tray portion, the first top end flap of the third tray portion is separably connected to the third top end flap of the fourth tray portion, and the second top end flap of the fourth tray portion is separably connected to the fourth top end flap of the first tray portion.
19. 19 . The system of claim 10 , wherein each lid panel is supported on a respective flange of a respective tray portion.
20. 20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein each lid panel at least partially overlies a respective tray compartment of the plurality of tray portions.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/344,114, filed on May 20, 2022. INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE The disclosures of each of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/344,114, filed on May 20, 2022, and U.S. Design patent application No. 29/892,605, filed on May 19, 2023, are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if set forth in their entireties. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure generally relates to containers for holding at least one article. In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to containers in the form of trays for holding at least one article and that include separable features. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE According to one aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a tray for holding one or more articles, the tray comprising a plurality of tray portions, each tray portion comprising a plurality of panels extending at least partially around a respective tray compartment, and a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the respective plurality of panels, the plurality of end flaps of each respective tray portion comprising a respective plurality of top end flaps arranged to form a respective flange separably connected to a respective flange of a respective adjacent tray portion of the plurality of tray portions. According to another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a system, the system comprising a lid and a tray supporting the lid. The tray comprises a plurality of tray portions, each tray portion comprising a plurality of panels extending at least partially around a respective tray compartment; and a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the respective plurality of panels, the plurality of end flaps of each respective tray portion comprising a respective plurality of top end flaps arranged to form a respective flange separably connected to a respective flange of a respective adjacent tray portion of the plurality of tray portions. According to another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a blank for forming a tray for holding one or more articles, the blank comprising a plurality of tray portions for forming a plurality of tray portions of the tray formed from the blank, each tray portion of the blank comprising a plurality of panels for extending at least partially around a respective tray compartment of the tray formed from the blank, and a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the respective plurality of panels, the plurality of end flaps of each respective tray portion of the blank comprising a respective plurality of top end flaps for being arranged to form a respective flange separably connected to a respective flange of a respective adjacent tray portion of the plurality of tray portions of the tray formed from the blank. According to another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a combination of blanks for forming a system, the combination comprising a tray blank for forming a tray for holding one or more articles, the tray blank comprising a plurality of tray portions for forming a plurality of tray portions of the tray formed from the tray blank, each tray portion of the tray blank comprising a plurality of panels for extending at least partially around a respective tray compartment of the tray formed from the tray blank, and a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the respective plurality of panels, the plurality of end flaps of each respective tray portion of the tray blank comprising a respective plurality of top end flaps for being arranged to form a respective flange separably connected to a respective flange of a respective adjacent tray portion of the plurality of tray portions of the tray formed from the tray blank. The combination further comprises a lid blank for forming a lid for being at least partially supported by the tray formed from the tray blank. According to another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a method of forming a tray for holding one or more articles, the method comprising obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of tray portions, each tray portion comprising a plurality of panels and a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the respective plurality of panels, the plurality of end flaps of each respective tray portion comprising a respective plurality of top end flaps. The method further comprises positioning each plurality of panels extending around a respective tray compartment of a respective plurality of tray portions of the tray, and arranging the plurality of end flaps of each respective tray portion of the blank to form a respective flange separably connected to a respective flange of a respective adjacent tray portion of the plurality of tray portions of the tray. Those skilled in the art will appreciate the above stated advantages and other