BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The subject invention is directed to product packaging, and more particularly, to a paper tray having divided compartments for packaging products, which is adapted and configured to be nested together with other like trays.

2. Description of Related Art

Currently, trays having divided compartments for packaging products such as cookies and the like, are made from plastic materials. This presents an environmental issue, since plastic products are not fully recyclable.

It would be beneficial therefore, to provide compartmented trays that are made from paper board materials, which are fully recyclable and safe for the environment. It would also be beneficial to provide compartmented trays in a configuration that promotes nesting, so that multiple compartmented trays can be packaged together for shipment and use in an efficient manner.

The subject invention provides such a solution by providing a die cut paper board blank that can be formed into a tray having two or more divided compartments, which is adapted and configured to be nested with other trays so they can be packaged together for shipment and use. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The subject invention is directed to a die cut paper or paperboard blank for constructing a tray having divided compartments. The blank includes a first compartment portion having a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to a first side edge of the bottom panel, a second side panel foldably connected to a second side edge of the bottom panel, a front panel foldably connected to a front edge of the bottom panel and a rear panel foldably connected to a rear edge of the bottom panel.

The blank further includes a second compartment portion having a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to a first side edge of the bottom panel and foldably connected to the second side panel of the first compartment portion along an adjoining fold line, a second side panel foldably connected to a second side edge of the bottom panel, a front panel foldably connected to a front edge of the bottom panel and a rear panel foldably connected to a rear edge of the bottom panel, wherein the front and rear panels of the second compartment portion each have an integral glue tab for securement to exterior surfaces of the front and rear panels of the first compartment portion.

The first side panel of the first compartment portion has front and rear glue tabs foldably connected to respective front and rear edges thereof for securement to interior surfaces of the front and rear panels of the first compartment portion. The second side panel of the second compartment portion has front and rear glue tabs foldably connected to respective front and rear edges thereof for securement to interior surfaces of the front and rear panels of the second compartment portion.

The blank further includes a third compartment portion having a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to a first side edge of the bottom panel and a second side panel foldably connected to a second side edge of the bottom panel and foldably connected to the first side panel of the first compartment portion along an adjoining fold line, a front panel foldably connected to a front edge of the bottom panel and a rear panel foldably connected to a rear edge of the bottom panel, wherein the front and rear panels of the third compartment portion each have an integral glue tab for securement to exterior surfaces of the front and rear panels of the first compartment portion. The first side panel of the third compartment portion has front and rear glue tabs that are foldably connected to respective front and rear edges thereof for securement to interior surfaces of the front and rear panels of the third compartment portion.

The front and rear edges of each side panel of each compartment portion are angled with respect to the side edges of the side panels, and the front and rear panels of each compartment portion have oppositely angled side edges. In addition, the front edges of adjoining side panels are oppositely angled, and the rear edges of adjoining side panels are also oppositely angled. The first and second side edges of the bottom panel of each compartment portion are parallel to one another, and the adjoining fold line is parallel to the first and second side edges of the bottom panel of each compartment portion.

The second side panel of the first compartment portion and the adjoining first side panel of the second compartment portion have an equal width, which is less than a width of the first side panel of the first compartment portion and a width of the second side panel of the second compartment portion. The width of the first side panel of the first compartment portion and the width of the second side panel of the second compartment portion are equal to one another. The bottom panels of each compartment portion have an equal width. The subject invention is also directed to a tray formed from a blank of paper or paperboard material that has divided compartments. The tray includes a first compartment portion having a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to a first side edge of the bottom panel, a second side panel foldably connected to a second side edge of the bottom panel, a front panel foldably connected to a front edge of the bottom panel and a rear panel foldably connected to a rear edge of the bottom panel.

The tray further includes a second compartment portion having a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to a first side edge of the bottom panel and foldably connected to the second side panel of the first compartment portion along an adjoining fold line, a second side panel foldably connected to a second side edge of the bottom panel, a front panel foldably connected to a front edge of the bottom panel and a rear panel foldably connected to a rear edge of the bottom panel, wherein the front and rear panels of the second compartment portion each have a glue tab secured to exterior surfaces of the front and rear panels of the first compartment portion.

The first side panel of the first compartment portion has front and rear glue tabs foldably connected to respective front and rear edges thereof and secured to interior surfaces of the front and rear panels of the first compartment portion. The second side panel of the second compartment portion has front and rear glue tabs foldably connected to respective front and rear edges thereof and secured to interior surfaces of the front and rear panels of the second compartment portion.

The tray further includes a third compartment portion having a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to a first side edge of the bottom panel and a second side panel foldably connected to a second side edge of the bottom panel and foldably connected to the first side panel of the first compartment portion along an adjoining fold line, a front panel foldably connected to a front edge of the bottom panel and a rear panel foldably connected to a rear edge of the bottom panel, wherein the front and rear panels of the third compartment portion each have a glue tab secured to exterior surfaces of the front and rear panels of the first compartment portion. The first side panel of the third compartment portion has front and rear glue tabs foldably connected to respective front and rear edges thereof secured to interior surfaces of the front and rear panels of the third compartment portion.

These and other features of the compartmented trays of the subject invention will become more readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art to which the subject invention appertains from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the following brief description of the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that those skilled in the art will readily understand how to make and use the compartmented trays of the subject invention without undue experimentation, preferred embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below with reference to the figures wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the tray of the subject invention, which has two divided compartments, and which is shown containing products and enclosed within a package;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a blank for forming the tray of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the tray formed from the blank of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a plurality the trays of Fig. 3 nested together;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the tray of the subject invention, which has three divided compartments, and which is shown containing products and enclosed within a package;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a blank for forming the tray of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the tray formed from the blank of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a plurality the trays of Fig. 7 nested together.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or elements of the subject invention, there is illustrated in Fig. 1 a compartmented tray 100 contained within a packaging enclosure 102 and having two compartment portions 20, 40 for packaging food products such as cookies 104 or the like, and which is adapted and configured to be nested with other compartmented trays 100 so they can be packaged together for shipment and use, as explained in more detail below.

The compartmented tray 100 is erected from a die cut paper or paperboard blank 10, which is illustrated in Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 2, the blank 10 includes the first compartment portion 20 which has a bottom panel 22, a first side panel 24 foldably connected to a first side edge 22a of the bottom panel 22, a second side panel 26 foldably connected to a second side edge 22b of the bottom panel 22, a front panel 28 foldably connected to a front edge 22c of the bottom panel 22 and a rear panel 30 foldably connected to a rear edge 22d of the bottom panel 22.

The blank 10 further includes the second compartment portion 40 which has a bottom panel 42, a first side panel 44 foldably connected to a first side edge 42a of the bottom panel 42 and also foldably connected to the second side panel 26 of the first compartment portion 20 along an adjoining fold line 35. Second compartment portion 40 further includes a second side panel 46 foldably connected to a second side edge 42b of the bottom panel 42, a front panel 48 foldably connected to a front edge 42c of the bottom panel 42 and a rear panel 50 foldably connected to a rear edge 42d of the bottom panel 42. The front and rear panels 48 and 50 of the second compartment portion 40 each have an integral glue tab 48a and 50a for securement to exterior surfaces of the front and rear panels 28 and 30 of the first compartment portion 20. In addition, the first side panel 24 of the first compartment portion 20 has front and rear glue tabs 24a and 24b that are foldably connected to respective front and rear edges 24a and 24d thereof for securement to interior surfaces of the front and rear panels 28 and 30 of the first compartment portion 20. Similarly, the second side panel 46 of the second compartment portion 40 has front and rear glue tabs 46a and 46b foldably connected to respective front and rear edges 46c and 46d thereof for securement to interior surfaces of the front and rear panels 48 and 50 of the second compartment portion 40.

The front and rear edges of each side panel of each compartment portion 20, 40 are angled with respect to the side edges of the side panels. More particularly, the front and rear edges 24c and 24d of side panel 24 are angled with respect to the side edges of panel 24, and the front and rear edges 46c and 46d of side panel 46 are angled with respect to the side edges of panel 46. In addition, the front and rear panels 28 and 30 of compartment portion 20 have oppositely angled side edges 28a, 28b and 30a, 30b respectively, and the front and rear panels 48 and 50 of compartment portion 40 have oppositely angled side edges 48b, 48c and 50b, 50c, respectively.

Furthermore, the front edges of adjoining side panels are oppositely angled, and the rear edges of adjoining side panels are also oppositely angled. More particularly, the front edges 26b and 44b of adjoining panels 26 and 44 are oppositely angled, as are the rear edges 26b and 44b of adjoining panels 26 and 44 The first and second side edges 22a and 22b of the bottom panel 22 of compartment 20 and the first and second side edges 42a and 42b of the bottom panel 42 compartment portion 40 are parallel to one another, and to the adjoining fold line 35 between the adjoining panels 26 and 44.

With continuing reference to Fig. 2, the first side panel 24 of compartment portion

20 and the second side panel 46 of compartment portion 40 have an equal width w _a , the bottom panel 22 of compartment portion 20 and the bottom panel 42 of compartment portion 40 have an equal width Wb, and the second side panel 26 of compartment portion 20 and the adjoining first side panel 44 of compartment portion 40 have an equal width w _c . The width w _a of side panels 24 and 46 is greater than the width w _c of adjoining side panels 26 and 44.

Referring to Fig. 3, to construct the tray 100 from the blank 10 the glue tabs 48a and 50a of the second compartment portion 40 are glued or otherwise secured to the exterior surfaces of the front and rear panels 28 and 30 of the first compartment portion 20. In addition, the front and rear glue tabs 24a and 24b are glued or otherwise secured to the interior surfaces of the front and rear panels 28 and 30 of the first compartment portion 20. In addition, the front and rear glue tabs 46a and 46b are glued or otherwise secured to the interior surfaces of the front and rear panels 48 and 50 of the second compartment portion 40. Once the tray 100 has been erected, a plurality of such trays 100 can be nested with one another so they can be packaged together for shipment and use, as best seen in Fig. 4.

Referring now to Fig. 5, there is illustrated another compartmented tray 200 contained within a packaging enclosure 202 and having three compartment portions 120, 140 and 160 for packaging food products 204 such as cookies or the like, and which is adapted and configured to be nested with other compartmented trays 200 so they can be packaged together for shipment and use, as explained in more detail below. The compartmented tray 200 is erected from a die cut paper or paperboard blank 110, which is illustrated in Fig. 6.

Referring to Fig. 6, the blank 110 includes first compartment portion 120 having a bottom panel 122, a first side panel 124 foldably connected to a first side edge 122a of the bottom panel 122, a second side panel 126 foldably connected to a second side edge 122b of the bottom panel 122, a front panel 128 foldably connected to a front edge 122c of the bottom panel 122 and a rear panel 130 foldably connected to a rear edge 122d of the bottom panel 122.

The blank 110 further includes second compartment portion 140 having a bottom panel 142, a first side panel 144 foldably connected to a first side edge 142a of the bottom panel 142 and foldably connected to the second side panel 126 of the first compartment portion 120 along an adjoining fold line 135, a second side panel 146 foldably connected to a second side edge 142b of the bottom panel 142, a front panel 148 foldably connected to a front edge 142c of the bottom panel 142 and a rear panel 150 foldably connected to a rear edge 142d of the bottom panel 142. The front and rear panels 148 and 150 of the second compartment portion 140 each have an integral glue tab 148a and 150a for securement to exterior surfaces of the front and rear panels 128 and 130 of the first compartment portion 120.

The second side panel 146 of the second compartment portion 140 has front and rear glue tabs 146a and 146b foldably connected to respective front and rear edges 146c and 146d thereof for securement to interior surfaces of the front and rear panels 148 and 150 of the second compartment portion 140.

The blank 110 further includes a third compartment portion 160 having a bottom panel 162, a first side panel 164 foldably connected to a first side edge 162a of the bottom panel 162 and a second side panel 166 foldably connected to a second side edge 162b of the bottom panel 162 and foldably connected to the first side panel 124 of the first compartment portion 120 along an adjoining fold line 155, a front panel 168 foldably connected to a front edge 162c of the bottom panel 162 and a rear panel 170 foldably connected to a rear edge 162d of the bottom panel 162.

The front and rear panels 168 and 170 of the third compartment portion 160 each have an integral glue tab 168a and 170a for securement to exterior surfaces of the front and rear panels 128 and 130 of the first compartment portion 120. The first side panel 164 of compartment portion 160 has front and rear glue tabs 164a and 164b that are foldably connected to respective front and rear edges 164c and 164d for securement to interior surfaces of the front and rear panels 168 and 170 of compartment portion 160.

The front and rear edges 164c and 124d of side panel 164 are angled with respect to the side edges of panel 164, and the front and rear edges 146c and 146d of side panel 146 are angled with respect to the side edges of panel 146. In addition, the front and rear panels 128 and 130 of compartment portion 120 have oppositely angled side edges 128a, 128b and 130a, 130b respectively, the front and rear panels 148 and 150 of compartment portion 140 have oppositely angled side edges 148b, 148c and 150b, 150c, respectively, and the front and rear panels 168 and 170 of compartment portion 160 have oppositely angled side edges 168b, 168c and 170b, 170c, respectively. Furthermore, the front edges of adjoining side panels are oppositely angled, and the rear edges of adjoining side panels are also oppositely angled. More particularly, the front edges 126b and 144b of adjoining panels 126 and 144 are oppositely angled, as are the rear edges 126b and 144b of adjoining panels 126 and 144. Similarly, the front edges 166b and 166a and 124a of adjoining panels 166 and 124 are oppositely angled, as are the rear edges

166b and 124b of adjoining panels 166 and 124.

The first and second side edges 122a and 122b of the bottom panel 122 of compartment 120 and the first and second side edges 142a and 142b of the bottom panel 142 compartment portion 140 are parallel to one another, and to the adjoining fold line 135 between the adjoining panels 126 and 144. Similarly, the first and second side edges 122a and 122b of the bottom panel 122 of compartment 120 and the first and second side edges 162a and 162b of the bottom panel 162 compartment portion 160 are parallel to one another, and to the adjoining fold line 155 between the adjoining panels 166 and 124.

With continuing reference to Fig. 6, the first side panel 164 of compartment portion 160 and the second side panel 146 of compartment portion 140 have an equal width w _a , the bottom panel 122 of compartment portion 120, the bottom panel 142 of compartment portion 140 and the bottom panel 162 of compartment portion 160 have an equal width W _b , and the second side panel 126 of compartment portion 120 and the adjoining first side panel 144 of compartment portion 140 have an equal width w _c , and the first side panel 124 of compartment portion 120 and the adjoining second side panel 166 of compartment portion 160 also have an equal width w _c , The width w _a of side panels 146 and 164 is greater than the width w _c of adjoining side panels 126, 144 and 124, 166. Referring to Fig. 7, to construct the tray 200 from the blank 110 the glue tabs 148a and 150a of the second compartment portion 140 are glued or otherwise secured to the exterior surfaces of the front and rear panels 128 and 130 of the first compartment portion 20, and the glue tabs 168a and 170a of the third compartment portion 160 are also glued or otherwise secured to the exterior surfaces of the front and rear panels 128 and 130 of the first compartment portion 20.

In addition, the front and rear glue tabs 146a and 146b are glued or otherwise secured to the interior surfaces of the front and rear panels 148 and 150 of compartment portion 140, and the front and rear glue tabs 164a and 164b are glued or otherwise secured to the interior surfaces of the front and rear panels 168 and 170 of the third compartment portion 160. Once the tray 200 has been erected, a plurality of such trays 200 can be nested with one another so they can be packaged together for shipment and use, as best seen in Fig. 8.

While the subject disclosure has been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that changes or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject disclosure.