The present invention relates to packaging for food. More especially the invention relates to packaging for perishable food, such as for example doughnuts and which is designs and constructed to be sent to a recipient for a postal service.

BACKGROUND

In recent years it has become increasingly common for people to order products and food online to be delivered to the home. Postal delivery is always a risk with fragile or delicate items. The postal service is generally not suitable to be used for the delivery of delicate food items, particularly those with toppings, such as cakes and doughnuts, as the package is generally treated the same within the postal system as any other item and the strong likelihood is that the food item would arrive damaged and/or separated.

By postal services, it is meant any delivery of the food product to the home or location of the consumer.

The present invention aims to provide packaging for delicate food items which protects the item during transit preventing it from becoming lose within the packaging and damaged.

Furthermore, the postal service may take one or days to deliver the package to the door and this delay can cause the food item to perish within the packaging thereby losing its freshness and arriving in a state that makes it unappetising.

The present invention also seeks to provide packaging that provides some aeration such that the food items remain fresh during transit.

A further aim of the invention is to provide fully biodegradable packaging with minimal manufacturing impact by being formed of a single structure that can represent both the holding tray and a lid and which can be altered in size to transport varying numbers of food product. STATEMENTS OF INVENTION

According to a first aspect there is provided, packaging for food item suitable to be transported through postal services, the packaging comprising a main body formed as tray and having at least one recess to hold a food item in use, wherein the recess is formed with a base and upstanding peripheral wall and an upper part of the wall has at least one upwardly tapered rib.

Preferably, the base of the recess has at least one aperture.

Preferably, the rib is formed with a smooth curved surface so not to catch the food item during its insertion into or removal from the packaging.

Preferably, the peripheral wall has two or more spaced ribs.

Preferably, the main body has means to connect to a further main body of the same structure when the main bodies are in opposed orientations.

Preferably, the connection means comprises two pairs of raised sections each pair comprising a male connector and a female connector.

Preferably, the male connector comprises an outwardly extending protrusion receivable within a complimentary shaped recess formed in the top surface of the female connector.

Preferably, the male and female connectors or each pair are in reverse orientation.

Preferably, the main body comprises a third pair of raised sections having flattened top surfaces.

Preferably, an outside edge of the main body is turned over.

Preferably, at least one de-nesting nodule formed in the side wall of the main body. Preferably, the main body comprises more than one recess.

Preferably, part of the peripheral wall separating adjacent recesses is recessed so to be lower than the remaining part of peripheral wall.

Preferably, the main body further comprises a line of perforations extending width wise along the centreline of the main body.

Preferably, the or each recess is bowl-shaped.

Preferably, the main body is made from Bagasse. Preferably, at least one side of the main body is formed with an outwardly extending flange section with an aperture so to form a carry handle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of packaging constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of a recess holder formed within packaging; Figure 3 is an exploded view illustrating how a doughnut is gripped within the holder;

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the area between adjacent holders;

Figure 5 shows the tray divided into two sections;

Figure 6 shows two tray sections combined to form a closed packaging;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of packaging constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the packaging of figure 7 closed;

Figure 9 is a plan view of one tray of the packaging of figure 7;

Figure 10 is a side view of the packaging of figure 8;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of packaging constructed in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the packaging of figure 11 closed;

Figure 13 is a plan view of one tray of the packaging of figure 11 ; and

Figure 14 is a side view of the packaging of figure 12. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The packaging described hereinafter has been specifically designed for the transportation of doughnuts, such as those for the which the applicant is world renowned. The doughnuts are high quality and are known for having a large selection of delicate and sometimes unusual toppings. The doughnuts are generally circular in shape.

It will be appreciated though that packaging could have a different structural design to accommodate different food stuffs, for example different shaped doughnuts or other fresh but perishable food items such as sandwiches.

Referring first to figure 1 , packaging constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention comprises a main body in the form of a tray 2 having a plurality of bowl-shaped recess holders 4 having dimensions suitable for the foodstuff to be packaged, in this case doughnuts.

The tray 2 made from a fully biodegradable material such as Bagasse, a fry pulpy fibrous material that remains after crushing sugarcane or sorghum stalks to extract their juice.

Other suitable materials may be used for the packaging which may or may not be similarly biodegradable.

In the example shown the tray has twelve holders 4 to our allow delivery of twelve doughnuts. As will be explained below, the size of the tray 2 may be varied to reduce the number of holders. Alternatively, the primary tray 2 may have different dimensions or shape to accommodate any number of holders 4.

Each recess holder 4 is identical in structure and generally comprises a substantially circular base 6 with a peripheral upstanding curved wall 8.

The base 6 has four equally spaced central apertures 10 to provide ventilation and prevent the build up of moisture inside the cavities which would be detrimental to the contents of the packaging. The inside of the peripheral wall 8 of each holder 4 has four equally spaced upwardly tapered ribs 12. The number of ribs 12 may be more or less than four. By upwardly tapered it is meant that the ribs 12 increasingly extend inwardly towards the top of each holder 4. This is the opposite to known trays for cup holders for example, which often have downwardly tapered ribs for the intention of gripping the base of a conical cup.

By contrast, the ribs 12 of the present invention are not intended to provide a squeeze grip of the doughnut along its depth but rather to provide a gentle grip at the “equator” of the doughnut, preventing any visible damage to the doughnut or its toppings. To this end the surfaces of each rib 12 is smooth and curved so not to catch the doughnut during its insertion or removal.

Figures 2 and 3 shown exploded views of the ribs 12 and how they gently grip a doughnut 14 to hold it within the recess holder 4.

The base of each rib 12 is spaced from the base 6 of the holder 4 such that the majority of the doughnut sits underneath the rib 12 is not unnecessarily compressed.

As can be seen in figure 1 , part of the peripheral wall 16 between adjacent holders 4 is recessed to be lower than the remaining peripheral wall section, or has been entirely removed, to allow for ease of removal of each doughnut 14 from its respective holder 4.

The tray 2 is formed with perforations 18 width wise along its centreline to allow the tray 2 to split or folded in half to transport six doughnuts 14, as can be seen in figure 5, which shows the tray 2 separated into two pieces 2A, 2B, as opposed to folded.

The tray 2 is designed to function as a holder or a lid, to be placed over another tray acting as a holder. This reduces an impact of manufacturing as a single tool is required for only one structural element. To this end, the tray 2 includes complimentary connecting members in the form of three pairs of raised sections 20 between the central junctions of each holder 4. The two outer pairs of raised sections have opposing male and female connectors 20A, 20B. The male connector 20A comprises an upwardly extending protrusion 22 receivable in a complimentary shaped recess 24 formed in the top surface of the female connector 20B.

The male and female connectors in each outer pair are reversed such that the to ensure that each male connector 20A connects with a respective female connector 20B when the one tray 2A is turned over and placed over and onto another tray 2B so that they interlock, as can be seen in figures 5 and 6.

The central pair of raised sections 20C are formed with flattened top surfaces 26 which abut one another when one tray 2A is placed on to the other 2B.

It can be seen from figure 1 that the perforated line extends width wise across the centre of the central pair of raised section 20C.

Figure 7 shows an exploded view of a side cross section of the trays 2A and 2B when secured together. It can be seen, the outside edge 28 of each tray 2 is turned over to increase the strength of each tray 2.

A nodule 30 is provided in the side surface of at least one holder 4 to assist separation or de nesting of the trays 2 when they are nested or stacked together for storage.

Figures 7 to 10 illustrate trays 32 second embodiment of the invention with four recess holders 4 thereby used for transporting four doughnuts. A single raised section in the form of a female connector 20B is formed in its centre. To connect to trays 32, a separate connector (not shown), for example a clip may be provided or formed in the rim 34 of the tray 32. Alternatively, the outer top surface 36 of the female connector 20B could be depressed inwardly to form a protrusion, and thus a male connector 20A in one tray 32A to be received by the female connector 20B of the other tray 32B. One tray 32 may be folded or divided as previously described to form a two-doughnut package.

Figures 11 to 14 illustrate trays 38 third embodiment of the invention, this time for six-doughnut package. Two central raised sections provide male and female connectors 20A, 20B for interlocking two trays 38A, 38B. Alternatively the packaging may comprise two trays 38 hinged together.

One side of the tray 38 is formed with an outwardly extending flange section 40 with an elongate aperture 42 so to form a carry handle. Although not necessarily shown in the figures, all the features of the first embodiment, such as the raised turned outside edge 26 and the de-nesting module 28 would be equally applicable for use with the second and third embodiments.