Insulated tray and cover therefor

Claim 2

In combination a tray and cover therefor, said tray having a base portion, a plurality of food holding receptacles formed on the upper surface of said base portion, each receptacle having a bottom and side walls upstanding therefrom, a relatively thin layer of heat insulating material on the bottom of each receptacle, each receptacle side wall having a layer of heat insulating material much thicker than the insulation of the receptacle bottom between it and an adjoining receptacle side wall and in its own outer side, interengaging portions on the upper surface of each side wall, interengaging portions formed on the lower surface of said base portion, said cover having a top portion and side walls and partitions depending therefrom to form a plurality of divided spaces, each coextensive with one of said receptacles in said tray so that when said cover is placed over said tray a plurality of completely enclosed food holding compartments are formed, said top portion having a relatively thin layer of heat insulating material, said top portion side walls and partitions having a layer of heat insulating material much thicker than the insulating material of the cover top portion, interengaging portions on the bottom of said top portion side walls and partitions for engagement with corresponding portions on the upper surface of said receptacle side walls to form a seal, and interengaging portions on the upper surface of said cover for mating engagement with corresponding interengaging portions on the lower surface of said tray so that a plurality of alternating trays and covers may be stacked.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein gripping means are formed in the upper surface of said cover.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 wherein each of said tray and said cover is formed by two sheets of rigid material spaced apart at said base portion, top portion side walls and partitions and said layers of insulating material are formed by foamed plastic in the spaced apart portions.

Claim 5

In combination a tray and cover therefor, said tray having a base portion, a plurality of food holding receptacles formed on the upper surface of said base portion, each receptacle having a bottom and side walls upstanding therefrom, a relatively thin layer of heat insulating material on the bottom of each receptacle, each receptacle side wall having a layer of heat insulating material much thicker than the insulating material of the receptacle bottom between it and an adjoining receptacle side wall and in its own outer side, interengaging portions on the upper surface of each side wall, interengaging portions formed on the lower surface of said base portion, said cover having a top portion and side walls and partitions depending therefrom to form a plurality of divided spaces, each coextensive with one of said receptacles in said tray so that when said cover is placed over said tray a plurality of completely enclosed food holding compartments are formed, said top portion having a relatively thin layer of heat insulating material, said top portion side walls and partitions having a layer of heat insulating material much thicker than the insulating material of the cover top portion, interengaging portions on the bottom of said top portion side walls and partitions for engagement with corresponding portions on the upper surface of said receptacle side walls to form a seal, interengaging portions on the upper surface of said cover for mating engagement with corresponding interengaging portions on the lower surface of said tray so that a plurality of alternating trays and covers may be stacked and wherein said tray has at least one portion extending laterally from said receptacles and said cover is coextensive with only the receptacles.

Claim 6

In combination a tray and cover therefor, said tray having a base portion, a plurality of food holding receptacles formed on the upper surface of said base portion, each receptacle having a bottom and side walls upstanding therefrom, a relatively thin layer of heat insulating material on the bottom of each receptacle, each receptacle side wall having a layer of heat insulating material much thicker than the insulating material of the receptacle bottom between it and an adjoining receptacle side wall and in its own outer side, interengaging portions on the upper surface of each side wall, interengaging portions formed on the lower surface of said base portion, said cover having a top portion and side walls and partitions depending therefrom to form a plurality of divided spaces, each coextensive with one of said receptacles in said tray so that when said cover is placed over said tray a plurality of completely enclosed food holding compartments are formed, said top portion having a relatively thin layer of heat insulating material, said top portion side walls and partitions having a layer of heat insulating material much thicker than the insulating material of the cover top portion, interengaging portions on the bottom of said top portion side walls and partitions for engagement with corresponding portions on the upper surface of said receptacle side walls to form a seal, interengaging portions on the upper surface of said cover for mating engagement with corresponding interengaging portions on the lower surface of said tray so that a plurality of alternating trays and covers may be stacked and wherein said tray has at least one portion extending laterally from said receptacles and said cover is coextensive with only the receptacles.