CLAMSHELL CONTAINERS

BACKGROUND

1. Field

[0001]The present disclosure relates to containers for products such as produce, protein, processed foods, and any product needing to be viewed through the container, and more particularly to clamshell type containers.

2. Description of Related Art

[0002]Traditional clamshell containers for produce and the like are made of transparent polymer materials. These containers allow for consumers to inspect the contents prior to purchasing. For example, berries are typically sold to consumers in clear plastic containers that allow the consumers to visually inspect the berries to confirm freshness, ripeness, quantity, and the like, without opening the container. In order to handle bulk amounts of these plastic containers, they are typically grouped into stacking trays. The stacking trays can be stacked onto pallets for shipping.

[0003]The conventional techniques have been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is an ever present need for improved systems and methods for containers. This disclosure provides a solution for this need.

SUMMARY

[0004]A container includes a container body of a corrugated paper material. The container body defines a tray and a clamshell lid hinged to the tray for movement between a closed position wherein the clamshell lid and tray enclose an interior space of the container body and an open position wherein the clamshell lid is clear of a top opening of the tray for access to the interior space. The tray includes a bottom panel defining a bottom window opening. The clamshell lid includes a top panel defining a top window opening. The top window opening and the bottom window opening are separated from one another by corrugated paper material of the container body. In the closed position, the top window opening is opposite from the bottom window opening. A transparent film is connected to the container body, covering over at least one of the window openings.

[0005]The transparent film can be adhered to an inside surface of the container body and can cover over the first and second bottom window openings. The transparent film can be a first transparent film that covers only the top window opening. A second transparent film spaced apart from the first transparent film can cover over the bottom window opening. It is also contemplated that a single transparent film can cover both the top window opening and the bottom window opening.

[0006]The bottom panel can be bounded by panel edges. The bottom window opening can be spaced apart from all of the panel edges. A second bottom window opening can be spaced apart from the first bottom window opening by a beam of the corrugated paper material. The beam of corrugated paper material can extend across the bottom panel, spanning a frame of the corrugated paper material defined in the bottom panel adjacent the panel edges. The beam can be configured to provide reinforcement to the transparent film against sag with contents bearing weight down on the transparent film.

[0007]The tray can include glue flaps securing sidewall panels in an upright position. The glue flaps can be outside of the interior space, configured to reduce abrasion of product within the interior space. In the closed position, three sidewall panels of the clamshell lid can all be outside of the interior space.

[0008]The top window opening can extend over at least one fold line into at least one respective sidewall panel of the clamshell lid. Side tray panels of the tray can include upward extending stacking tabs that protrude through corresponding apertures in the clamshell lid in the closed position. The bottom panel can include stacking apertures aligned with the stacking tabs for receiving stacking tabs of another container. Side lid panels of the clamshell lid can include upward extending stacking tabs and stacking notches aligned with the stacking tabs configured for receiving stacking tabs of another container.

[0009]A blank for forming a clamshell container includes a tray portion including a plurality of tray panels configured to form a tray for holding product in an interior space. The plurality of tray panels includes a bottom panel configured to define a bottom of a tray defining a bottom window opening therethrough, a front tray panel connected to the bottom panel, a back tray panel connected to the bottom panel opposite from the front tray panel, a first side tray panel connected to the bottom panel lateral from the front and back tray panels, and a second side tray panel connected to the bottom panel opposite from the first side tray panel. A lid portion includes a plurality of lid panels configured to form a clamshell lid for enclouding product in the interior space. The plurality of lid panels includes a top panel configured to define a top of the clamshell lid defining a top window opening therethrough. The top panel is connected to the back tray panel along a hinge line configured for moving the clamshell lid back and forth between an open position and a closed position relative to the tray. The plurality of lid panels includes a front lid panel connected to the top panel opposite the hinge line, a first side lid panel connected to the top panel lateral from the front lid panel, and a second side lid panel connected to the top panel opposite the first side lid panel. A transparent film is mounted to at least one of the tray portion and/or the lid portion, covering over at least one of the top and bottom window openings. The tray portion and the lid portion are of a corrugated paper material.

[0010]The transparent film can cover only the top window opening, and a second transparent film spaced apart from the first transparent film can cover over the bottom window opening. It is also contemplated that a single transparent film can cover both the top window opening and the bottom window opening.

[0011]The bottom panel can be bounded by panel edges. the bottom window opening can be spaced apart from all of the panel edges. A second bottom window opening can be included in the bottom panel spaced apart from the first bottom window opening by a beam of the corrugated paper material. The beam of corrugated paper material can extend across the bottom panel, spanning a frame of the corrugated paper material defined in the bottom panel adjacent the panel edges. The transparent film can be adhered to an inside surface of the corrugated paper material and can cover over the first and second bottom window openings. The beam can be configured to provide reinforcement to the transparent film against sag with contents bearing weight down on the transparent film. The top window opening can extend over at least one fold line into at least one respective sidewall panel of the clamshell lid.

[0012]Side tray panels of the tray can include stacking tabs that are configured to protrude upward through corresponding apertures in the clamshell lid in the closed position. The bottom panel can include stacking apertures aligned with the stacking tabs for receiving stacking tabs of another container. Side lid panels of the clamshell lid can include stacking tabs configured to extend upward in a first container formed from the blank and stacking notches aligned with the stacking tabs configured for receiving stacking tabs of a second container.

[0013]A front pair of glue flaps can extend from opposite ends of the front tray panel. A back pair of glue flaps can extend from opposite ends of the back tray panel. The front and back pairs of glue flaps can be configured to be adhered to outside surfaces of the first and second side tray panels to form sidewall panels of a tray of a container formed from the blank. The glue flaps can be configured to be outside of an interior space of the container to reduce abrasion of product within the interior space. A top pair of glue flaps can extend from respective front ends of the first and second side lid panels opposite the hinge line, configured to be adhered to an inside surface of the front lid panel, to form the sidewall panels of the clamshell lid in the container formed from the blank such that in the closed position, three sidewall panels of the clamshell lid are all outside of the interior space

[0014]These and other features of the systems and methods of the subject disclosure will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015]So that those skilled in the art to which the subject disclosure appertains will readily understand how to make and use the devices and methods of the subject disclosure without undue experimentation, preferred embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below with reference to certain figures, wherein:

[0016]FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a container constructed in accordance with the present disclosure, showing the clamshell lid in the open position;

[0017]FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the container of FIG. 1, showing the clamshell lid in the closed position;

[0018]FIG. 3 is a plan view of a blank for constructing the container of FIG. 1, showing the corrugated paper material and the transparent film covering the window openings;

[0019]FIG. 4 is a plan view of another configuration of the blank of FIG. 3, showing two separate transparent films used to cover the window openings;

[0020]FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of another configuration of the container of FIG. 1, showing a top window that extends down into the sidewalls;

[0021]FIG. 6 is a plan view of a blank for forming the container of FIG. 5;

[0022]FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of another configuration of the container of FIG. 1, showing a different configuration for the stacking tabs; and

[0023]FIG. 8 is a plan view of the blank for forming the container of FIG. 7; and

[0024]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a palletized stack of containers as in FIG. 1, showing how the stack does not require any packaging beyond the stacked containers themselves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025]Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subject disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a partial view of an embodiment of a container in accordance with the disclosure is shown in FIG. 1 and is designated generally by reference character 100. Other embodiments of systems in accordance with the disclosure, or aspects thereof, are provided in FIGS. 2-9, as will be described. The systems and methods described herein can be used to provide see-through clamshell containers for product utilizing corrugated paper material.

[0026]The container 100 includes a container body 102 of a corrugated paper material, e.g. a corrugated sheet of paper adhered between two flat sheets of paper, as shown in the cut edges of the container 100 in FIG. 2. The container body 102 defines a tray 104 and a clamshell lid 106 hinged to the tray 104 for movement between an open position as shown in FIG. 1 and a closed position as shown in FIG. 2. In the open position of FIG. 1, the clamshell lid 106 is clear of a top opening 110 of the tray 104 for access to the interior space 108. In the closed position of FIG. 2, the clamshell lid 106 and tray 104 enclose the interior space 108 of the container body 102.

[0027]With continued reference to FIG. 1, the tray 104 includes a bottom panel 112 defining first and second bottom window openings 114, 116. The clamshell lid 106 includes a top panel 118 defining a top window opening 120. The top window opening 120 and the bottom window openings 114, 116 are separated from one another by corrugated paper material of the container body 102. In the closed position, shown in FIG. 2, the top window opening 120 is opposite from the bottom window openings 114, 116. A transparent film 122 is connected to the container body 102, covering over at least one of the window openings 114, 116, 120. In FIGS. 1 and 3, the transparent film 122 is a single film that covers the top window opening 120 and the bottom window openings 114, 116. As shown in FIG. 4, it is also contemplated that multiple separate films can be used. In FIG. 4, a first transparent film 122 covers only the top window opening 120. A separate second transparent film 122 is spaced apart from the first transparent film 122 and covers over both of the bottom window openings 114, 116. The transparent film or films 122 can be permeable to air and water vapor, e.g. as a permeable film per se, or as an impermeable film that is perforated as needed.

[0028]Referring to FIG. 3, where the blank 101 for forming the container 100 of FIG. 1 is shown, the bottom panel 112 is bounded by panel edges, i.e. the fold lines 124 that connect the bottom panel 112 with the sidewall panels 126, 128, 130, 132 of the tray 104. Each of the bottom window openings 116, 114 is spaced apart from all of the panel edges, and the top window opening 120 is similarly spaded apart from all edges to the top panel 118. The second bottom window opening 116 is spaced apart from the first bottom window opening 114 by a beam 134 of the corrugated paper material. The beam 134 of corrugated paper material extends across the bottom panel 112, spanning a rectangular frame 136 of the corrugated paper material defined in the bottom panel 112 adjacent to and following the panel edges. The transparent film 122 is adhered to an inside surface of the container body 102, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The beam 134 is thus configured to provide reinforcement to the transparent film 122 against sagging when contents of the container 100 bear weight down on the transparent film 122.

[0029]With continued reference to FIG. 3, the blank 101 for forming the clamshell container 100 of FIG. 1 includes a tray portion, i.e. the portion for forming the tray 106. This includes a plurality of tray panels configured to form the tray 106 shown in FIG. 1. The plurality of tray panels includes the bottom panel 112 and a set of tray sidewall panels. These tray sidewall panels include a front tray panel 138 connected to the bottom panel 112 along a fold line 124, a back tray panel 130 connected to the bottom panel 112 along a fold line 124 opposite from the front tray panel 138, a first side tray panel 128 connected to the bottom panel 112 along a fold line 124 lateral from the front and back tray panels 138, 130, and a second side tray panel 132 connected to the bottom panel 112 along a fold one 124 opposite from the first side tray panel 128.

[0030]With continued reference to FIG. 3, a lid portion of the blank 101 corresponds to the portions of the blank 101 that form into the clamshell lid 106 shown in FIG. 1. The lid portion includes a plurality of lid panels that form a clamshell lid 106. The plurality of lid panels includes the top panel 118 that is configured to define a top of the clamshell lid 106 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The top panel 118 is connected to the back tray panel 130 along a hinge line, i.e. the fold line 124 connecting the panels 118, 130 to one another, that configured for moving the clamshell lid 106 back and forth between the open position of FIG. 1 and the closed position of FIG. 2 relative to the tray 104. The plurality of lid panels include three lid sidewall panels, namely a front lid panel 142 connected to the top panel 118 along a fold line 124 opposite the hinge line 124, a first side lid panel 144 connected to the top panel 118 along a fold line 124 lateral from the front lid panel 142, and a second side lid panel 146 connected to the top panel 118 along a fold line 124 opposite the first side lid panel 144. The tray and lid portions of the blank 101 are of corrugated paper material. The transparent film 122 is mounted, e.g. adhered, to one side of the corrugated paper material, covering over the window openings 114, 116, 120 as described above.

[0031]A front pair of glue flaps 148 extend from opposite ends of the front tray panel 126. A back pair of glue flaps 150 extend from opposite ends of the back tray panel 130. In forming the blank 101 of FIG. 3 into the container of FIGS. 1-2, the front and back pairs of glue flaps 148, 150 are adhered to outside surfaces of the first and second side tray panels 128, 132 to secure the sidewall panels of the tray 104 in an upright position. As shown in FIG. 1, the glue flaps 148, 150 are all outside of the interior space 108, giving the sidewalls in the tray 104 a smooth interior surface configured to reduce abrasion of product within the interior space. A top pair of glue flaps 152 extend from a front end of each of the side lid panels 144, 146 opposite from the hinge, or could extend from opposite ends of the front lid panel 142. In the container 100 of FIG. 1 formed from the blank of FIG. 3, the glue flaps 152 are adhered to an inside surface of the front lid panel 142 to form the upright sidewall panels 142, 144, 146 of the clamshell lid 106 such that in the closed position shown in FIG. 3 all three sidewall panels 142, 144, 146 of the clamshell lid 106 are all outside of the interior space 108.

[0032]With continued reference to FIGS. 1-3, the side tray panels 128, 132 of the tray 108 include upward extending stacking tabs 154 that protrude through corresponding apertures 156 in the clamshell lid 106 in the closed position shown on FIG. 3. The bottom panel 112 includes stacking apertures 158, which extend over the respective fold lines into the respective side tray panels 128, 132. The stacking apertures 158 are aligned with the stacking tabs 154 for receiving stacking tabs 154 of another container for stacking multiple containers 100 and keeping them aligned. As shown in FIGS. 5-6, the container 100 and blank 101 can optionally include contours 160 in the edges of sidewall panels 130, 138, 142. The contours 160 allow for the top window opening 120 to extend over the respective fold lines into respective sidewall panels 130, 138, 142 of the clamshell lid 106.

[0033]With reference now to FIGS. 7 and 8, another configuration of the container 100 and blank 101 are shown, respectively, similar to those in FIGS. 5-6, but with a different configuration of stacking tabs 154. In the configuration shown in FIG. 7-8, the side lid panels 146 include upward extending stacking tabs 154. The side lid panels 146 also include stacking notches 156 aligned with the stacking tabs 154 configured for receiving stacking tabs 154 of another container for stacking as described above with respect to FIGS. 1-6.

[0034]As shown in FIG. 9, containers 100 as described above allow for stacking of the clamshell containers 100 on a pallet 162 without the need for a separate tray or container to hold the containers 100 on the pallet 162 or in the stack 164. The containers 100 can hold produce such as berries, fruits, vegetables, protein foods, processed foods, or any other suitable product benefiting from windows. This can be used to replace the traditional plastic clamshell containers and the layer trays holding the plastic clamshells in stacks and on pallets.

[0035]The methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described above and shown in the drawings, provide for see-through clamshell containers for product utilizing corrugated paper material. While the apparatus and methods of the subject disclosure have been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that changes and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure.