US3595425A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vented compartmented food tray
Assignee: Dow Chemical Co
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Filing: 1969-08-05
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Granted: 1971-07-27
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Expires: 1989-08-05
Abstract
Abstract A compartmented food tray used to transport hot foods to a serving area remote from the cooking area. The tray includes a lid which mates with a plate to segregate the tray into spillover free compartments. Each compartment has a complementary stacking feature in its lid and plate sections which permits nesting of trays in a stack. Each stacking feature in the lid includes a vent disposed to permit escape of excess steam and moisture even when the trays are nested.
Inventors
- 👤 Clara V Eicholtz
- 👤 Bertrand N Trombley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 11:14
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D21/00; B65D21/02; B65D21/0209; B65D21/0217; B65D21/0223; B65D1/00; B65D1/34; B65D1/36
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
A compartmented food tray comprising a plate and a lid, said plate including a plurality of compartments each surrounded about its periphery by an upwardly extending partition, said lid including a plurality of compartments each surrounded about its periphery by a downwardly extending partition, means for securing said lid to said plate, each said plate partition and each said lid partition mating when said lid is secured to said plate such that their respective compartments are in registration, a stacking boss extending downwardly from the bottom of more than one of said plate compartments, a stacking recess extending downwardly from the top of more than one of said lid compartments, each said boss being in alignment with a respective one of said recesses such that a plate of one such tray can nest in the lid of another such tray located immediately therebelow, said lid including a vent in the base of at least one of said recesses.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
158 words
A compartmented food tray comprising a plate and a lid, said plate including a plurality of compartments each surrounded about its periphery by an upwardly extending partition, said lid including a plurality of compartments each surrounded about its periphery by a downwardly extending partition, means for securing said lid to said plate, each said plate partition and each said lid partition mating when said lid is secured to said plate such that their respective compartments are in registration, a stacking boss extending downwardly from the bottom of more than one of said plate compartments, a stacking recess extending downwardly from the top of more than one of said lid compartments, each said boss being in alignment with a respective one of said recesses such that a plate of one such tray can nest in the lid of another such tray located immediately therebelow, said lid including a vent in the base of at least one of said recesses.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The compartmented food tray of claim 1, wherein each of said compartments of said plate have at least one of said stacking bosses and each of said compartments of said lid have at least one of said recesses.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The compartmented food tray of claim 1 wherein at least a vented base of one of said recesses or foot of a stacking boss aligned with such recess is generally inclined from the horizontal so as to provide a gap therebetween when the foot of one such base is nested in one such recess.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
The compartmented food tray of claim 2, wherein the feet of said stacking bosses are generally flat and horizontally disposed and the bases of said recesses are generally inclined from the horizontal so as to provide a gap therebetween when the feet are nested in the recesses.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The compartmented food tray of claim 4. wherein said vent is a hole located away from place of contact or near contact with each stacking boss foot engaged in each said stacking recess.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
81 words
The compartmented food tray of claim 5. wherein said vent is located about the center of the base of each recess, hot food is contained in at least one of the compartments, the vent being of sufficient diameter so as to release moisture which would otherwise accumulate on the lids'' undersurface and drop on the food, said vent and said gap providing an escApe channel for such excess moisture when a plurality of such trays are nested together in a stack.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The compartmented food tray of claim 6. wherein said plate and lid includes mating indexing means for maintaining each lid in proper orientation with each plate when engaged together.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The compartmented food tray of claim 7. which is formed of a polystyrene foam material to provide insulation properties for hot foods which can be transported to a serving area remote from the cooking area.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The compartmented food tray of claim 8 wherein the foam has a thickness of from 40 to 90 mils and a density of from about 4 to 12 lbs./ft.3
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The compartmented food tray of claim 9. wherein the foam is about 70 mils thick, has a density of about 6 lbs./ft.3, and said vent hole has a diameter of about 0.05 inches.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The compartmented food tray of claim 10. wherein a film of polystyrene is laminated with the foam to form a skin therewith.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-26 | 1975-01-25 | 1975-07-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-26 | 1979-01-25 | 1979-07-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-26 | 1983-01-25 | 1983-07-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |