Food transport tray

Abstract

Food transport tray. Food tray (100) comprising a polygonal geometry with a first notch (101) and a second notch (102) located in correspondence with each of the corners (104) of the upper peripheral edge (103), in which: the first notch (101) and the second notch (102) start from the surface of said upper peripheral edge (103) and extend to a depth located between the surface of the upper peripheral edge (103) and the bottom (105) of the tray (100); the depth of the first notch (101) is less than the depth of the second notch (102), and; the geometries of the first notch (101) and the second notch (102) are such that the cross-section of each second notch (102) of a first tray (100) can be inscribed in the cross-section of a respective first notch (101) of a second tray (100). Figure for the abridged version: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Tray for transporting food Technical field of the invention

[0001] The object of this invention is a tray for transporting food, intended to form a food container when said tray is covered or sealed by a protective film.

[0002] The food transport tray, which is the subject of this invention, facilitates the unpacking or unstacking of trays when they are going to be used to be filled with a specific food product.

[0003] The food transport tray, which is the subject of this invention, is preferably applicable to containers with plastic trays (for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) trays) intended for holding perishable foods, for the proper preservation of these foods and for their sale on supermarket shelves. The tray of this invention is preferably applicable to containers with plastic trays (for example, PET trays) intended for holding food products in a modified atmosphere where, for this reason, it is particularly important to maintain a high degree of airtightness in the seal between the tray and the protective film. State of the art

[0004] In most supermarkets and / or food stores or establishments, many perishable foods are contained in hermetically sealed plastic containers for proper preservation during the period that these foods remain on sale on store shelves.

[0005] These plastic containers usually consist of a tray (generally made of PET plastic) covered with a plastic film. A hermetically sealed space is created between the tray and the plastic film, which contains the food product to be preserved.

[0006] Once the plastic trays are manufactured, they are supplied to food producers so that they can fill them with food and close the trays, for final delivery later to food stores.

[0007] The plastic trays are supplied to food producers in stacks or towers of plastic trays, which are stacked one on top of the other. The food producers must then unpack or unstack the trays in order to fill each one.

[0008] Unpacking or destacking machines are generally used to unpack trays, which use flaps that must be inserted into the spaces between the trays, in order to unstack them. It is therefore very important that there be a minimum space between the trays (between the upper perimeter edge of one tray and the upper perimeter edge of the tray immediately above it) to allow the flaps of the unpacking machine to be inserted.

[0009] Trays can be manufactured with a design that includes notches corresponding to the corners of the trays to ensure a minimum separation space between the trays to allow the insertion of the flaps of the unpacking machine. In this way, by means of these notches, a given tray located in a stack or tower of trays rests on the tray immediately below it, with each notch of the upper tray coming into contact with the perimeter edge of the tray below.

[0010] There is a problem associated with plastic trays that have an adhesive layer on their upper perimeter edge (an adhesive designed to facilitate sealing the tray with a coating film). In this type of tray, the use of a notched design that allows a tray located above to rest, by means of these notches, on the upper perimeter edge of the tray located immediately below, implies the risk that these notches of the upper tray will stick to the lower tray, making it difficult to unpack the two trays using the unpacking or destacking machine, a difficulty that can lead to breakage of the trays when they are separated from each other. Description of the invention

[0011] In order to solve the aforementioned problems, this invention refers to a tray for transporting food, with a design that guarantees a minimum space between trays when stacked in a tower or stack of trays, while eliminating the risk of sticking between trays in cases where the trays have a layer of adhesive on their upper perimeter edge.

[0012] The food transport tray, which is the subject of this invention, comprises a polygonal geometry with a plurality of notches located at the corners of the upper perimeter edge of the tray.

[0013] In a novel way, the food transport tray, which is the subject of this invention, comprises a first notch and a second notch located at each of the corners of the upper perimeter edge of the tray.

[0014] The first and second notches of each corner of the upper perimeter edge start from the surface of said upper perimeter edge and extend to a depth between the surface of the upper perimeter edge and the bottom of the tray, so that the lower surface of the notches (the bottom of each notch) is located between the upper perimeter edge and the bottom (the base) of the tray.

[0015] The depth of the first notch is less than the depth of the second notch.

[0016] The geometries of the first notch and the second notch are such that the cross-section of each second notch of a first tray (for example, a tray located in a stack of trays) is capable of being inserted into the cross-section of a respective first notch of a second tray (for example, a tray located immediately below the first tray, in the same stack of trays), said cross-sections being parallel to the bottom of the tray (i.e., a horizontal plane, in the position of use of the tray).

[0017] The tray described above ensures that, if glue is applied to the upper perimeter edge of the tray, no glue will be deposited on the lower surface of the notches, because this lower surface is located at a depth between the upper perimeter edge and the base or bottom of the tray.

[0018] The tray design defined above allows for two tray variants (the solution is not shown in the figures): a first variant and a second variant of the tray. In the first variant, the relative position of the first and second notches at each corner of the upper perimeter edge of the tray is inverse to the relative position of the first and second notches at each corner of the upper perimeter edge of the tray according to the second variant.

[0019] Thus, by using the tray defined above, and having the two tray variants described in the preceding paragraph, it is guaranteed that, when stacking several trays one on top of the other in a stack of trays, by interleaving trays according to the first variant and trays according to the second variant in said stack, the second notch of each corner of a tray fits into the first notch of each corner of the tray immediately below. This ensures that a distance is maintained between the perimeter edges of the trays and also ensures that the notches do not rest on the perimeter edge of the tray below (avoiding adhesion problems in the case of trays with adhesive on the perimeter edge).

[0020] According to one possible embodiment, the geometry of the first notch is complementary to the geometry of the second notch. This facilitates and improves the interlocking of the second notch of each corner of one tray into the first notch of each corner of another tray.

[0021] According to one possible embodiment, the relative position of the first notch and the second notch at any corner of the upper perimeter edge of the plate is inverse to the relative position of the first notch and the second notch at: - the diagonally opposite corner of the upper perimeter edge of the plate, and / or at the level; - adjacent corners of the upper perimeter edge of the tray.

[0022] By means of the embodiment described above, it is not necessary to have two different versions of the plate. Indeed, by arranging each rotating plate relative to the plate immediately below it, the second notch of each corner of a plate rests on the first notch of each corner of the plate immediately below it, thus guaranteeing a distance between the perimeter edges of the plates and ensuring that the notches do not rest on the perimeter edge of the lower plate (avoiding adhesion problems in the case of plates with adhesive on the perimeter edge).

[0023] According to one possible embodiment of this invention, the tray comprises a non-square rectangular geometry (i.e. with adjacent sides of different lengths), where the relative position of the first notch and the second notch at any corner of the upper perimeter edge is inverse to the relative position of the first notch and the second notch at the diagonally opposite corner of the upper perimeter edge of the tray.

[0024] According to another possible embodiment of the invention (not shown in the figures), the tray comprises a square geometry (a rectangular and, specifically, square geometry), where the relative position of the first notch and the second notch at any corner of the upper perimeter edge is inverse to the relative position of the first notch and the second notch at the diagonally opposite corner of the upper perimeter edge of the tray.

[0025] According to another possible embodiment of the invention (not shown in the figures), the tray comprises a square geometry (a rectangular geometry, specifically a square), where the relative position of the first notch and the second notch at any corner of the upper perimeter edge is inverse to the relative position of the first notch and the second notch at the adjacent corners of the upper perimeter edge of the tray. Description of the figures

[0026] The following figures have been included as part of the explanation of at least one embodiment of the invention.

[0027] [Fig.1]: shows a schematic perspective view of a possible embodiment of the tray for transporting food, which is the subject of this invention.

[0028] [Fig.2]: shows a perspective view of a detail of the corner of the upper perimeter edge of the plate on [Fig.1], where the first notch and the second notch can be seen.

[0029] [Fig. 3]: shows a schematic perspective view of two food transport trays, according to the embodiment shown in [Fig. 1], with a platform resting on top of the other, where a detail of a first notch of the upper platform resting on a second notch of the lower platform can be seen.

[0030] Detailed description of embodiment(s)

[0031] The present invention relates, as mentioned above, to a tray (100) for transporting food.

[0032] As shown in [Fig.1] and [Fig.2], the plate (100), which is the subject of this invention, includes notches (101, 102) located in correspondence with the upper perimeter edge (103) of the plate (100) and, more specifically, in correspondence with the corners (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103).

[0033] Although the embodiment shown in the Figures and described below refers exclusively to a plate (100) with two notches (101, 102), the plate (100), which is the subject of this invention, can also include (according to embodiments not shown in the Figures) three or more notches (101, 102).

[0034] The notches (101, 102) of the plate (100) are arranged in pairs so that, corresponding to each corner (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103) of the plate, there is a first notch (101) and a second notch (102).

[0035] The first notch (101) and the second notch (102) of each corner (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103) both start from the surface of said upper perimeter edge (103), and extend to a certain depth, located between the surface of the upper perimeter edge (103) and the bottom (105) of the plate (100).

[0036] The depth of the first notch (101) is less than the depth of the second notch (102).

[0037] Since the lower surface of the notches (101, 102) is located at a depth between the upper perimeter edge (103) and the bottom (105) of the tray (100), this allows, in the case of trays (100) which have glue on their upper perimeter edge (103), the system responsible for depositing the glue on said upper perimeter edge (103) not to deposit glue on the lower surface of the notches (101, 102).

[0038] For a plate (100) with a rectangular rather than square geometry (i.e. with adjacent sides of different lengths), such as that shown in [Fig.1], the relative position of the first notch (101) and the second notch (102) at each corner (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103) varies between one corner (104) and the diagonally opposite corner (104).

[0039] For a plate (100) with a square geometry (not shown in the Figures), the relative position of the first notch (101) and the second notch (102) at the level of each corner (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103) can vary between a corner (104) and the diagonally opposite corner (104), or between a corner (104) and the adjacent corner (104).

[0040] The geometry of the first notch (101) completes the geometry of the second notch (102), so that a second notch (102) of a given plate can fit into a first notch (101) of a plate located immediately below.

[0041] In the case of rectangular non-square plates (100), in order for a second notch (102) of a given plate (100) to fit into a first notch (101) of a plate (100) located immediately below, the upper plate must be rotated 180° relative to the plate (100) which is located immediately below it.

[0042] In the case of square plates (100) (not shown in the Figures), in order for a second notch (102) of a given plate (100) to fit into a first notch (101) of a plate (100) located immediately below it, the upper plate must be rotated 90° or 180° relative to the plate (100) located immediately below it, depending on whether the relative position of the first notch (101) and the second notch (102) at each corner (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103) varies between one corner (104) and the adjacent corner (104) or between one corner (104) and the opposite corner (104).

[0043] Fig. 3 represents a tray (100) stacked on top of another tray (100), showing a detail of how a second notch (102) of the upper tray fits into a first notch (101) (drawn in dotted lines) of the lower tray (100).

Claims

Demands

1. A tray (100) for transporting food comprising a polygonal geometry with a plurality of notches (101, 102) located at the corners (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103) of the tray (100), characterized in that it comprises a first notch (101) and a second notch (102) located at each of the corners (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103) of the tray (100), wherein: - the first (101) and second notches (102) of each corner (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103) originate from the surface of said upper perimeter edge (103) and extend to a depth between the surface of the upper perimeter edge (103) and the bottom (105) of the tray (100), such that the lower surface of the notches (101, 102) is located between the upper perimeter edge (103) and the bottom (105) of the plate (100); - the depth of the first notch (101) is less than the depth of the second notch (102), and;- the geometries of the first notch (101) and the second notch (102) are such that the cross-section of each second notch (102) of a first plate (100) can be inscribed in the cross-section of a respective first notch (101) of a second plate (100), said cross-sections being parallel to the bottom (105) of the plate (100).;

2. Tray (100) for transporting food according to claim 1, characterized in that the cross-section of each second notch (102) is complementary to the cross-section of each first notch (101).

3. Tray (100) for transporting food according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the relative position of the first notch (101) and the second notch (102) at the level of either corner (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103) is inverse to the relative position of the first notch (101) and the second notch (102) at the diagonally opposite corner (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103) of the tray (100) and / or at the adjacent corners (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103) of the tray (100).

4. Tray (100) for transporting food according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a non-square rectangular geometry, in which the relative position of the first notch (101) and the second notch (102) at either corner (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103) is inverse to the relative position of the first notch (101) and the second notch (102) at the diagonally opposite corner (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103) of the plate (100).

5. Tray (100) for transporting food according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a square geometry, in which the relative position of the first notch (101) and the second notch (102) at either corner (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103) is inverse to the relative position of the first notch (101) and the second notch (102) at the diagonally opposite corner (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103) of the tray (100).

6. Tray (100) for transporting food according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a square geometry, in which the relative position of the first notch (101) and the second notch (102) at either corner (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103) is inverse to the relative position of the first notch (101) and the second notch (102) at the adjacent corners (104) of the upper perimeter edge (103) of the tray (100).

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