Egg Packaging Carton and System

Abstract

An improved egg carton for packaging one or more eggs includes an egg holding compartment that maintains the egg in a desired position, and accommodates eggs of variable sizes. A system of packaging eggs utilizing the egg carton of the present invention is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An egg packaging carton, comprising:
 a bottom portion including a first plurality of egg receiving areas, each one of said first plurality of egg receiving areas defined by a bottom surface, sidewalls extending upwardly from and surrounding said bottom surface, and flexible projections extending from said sidewalls and biased outwardly and into a corresponding one of said first plurality of egg receiving areas; and   a top portion coupleable to said bottom portion, said top portion including a second plurality of egg receiving areas, each one of said second plurality of egg receiving areas defined by a top surface, sidewalls extending upwardly from and surrounding said top surface, and flexible projections extending from said sidewalls and biased outwardly and into a corresponding one of said second plurality of egg receiving areas,   wherein said first plurality of egg receiving areas is alignable with said second plurality of egg receiving areas to define a plurality of egg holding compartments when said top portion is coupled to said bottom portion.   
     
     
         2 . The egg packaging carton of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom portion includes at least four projections disposed within each one of said first plurality of egg receiving areas, said projections spaced around a central axis of the corresponding one of said first plurality of egg receiving areas so that an egg received therein is centered within the corresponding one of said first plurality of egg receiving areas. 
     
     
         3 . The egg packaging carton of  claim 1 , wherein said top portion includes at least four projections disposed within each one of said second plurality of egg receiving areas, said projections spaced around a central axis of the corresponding one of said second plurality of egg receiving areas so that an egg received therein is centered within a corresponding one of said plurality of egg holding compartments. 
     
     
         4 . The egg packaging carton of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom surface of each one of said first plurality of egg receiving areas includes a raised central segment extending inwardly toward the corresponding one of said first plurality of egg receiving areas, said raised central segment including a dimpled area configured to receive a first end of an egg and generating a recoiling force against depression thereof by the egg. 
     
     
         5 . The egg packaging carton of  claim 4 , wherein said bottom surface of each one of said first plurality of egg receiving areas includes a plurality of lugs extending outwardly and away from the corresponding one of said first plurality of egg receiving areas, and a first plurality of connecting segments disposed between and interconnecting said raised central segment and said lugs. 
     
     
         6 . The egg packaging carton of  claim 5 , wherein said bottom surface includes a second plurality of connecting segments disposed between and interconnecting said raised central segment and said sidewalls, said first and second pluralities of connecting segments alternating around said raised central segment. 
     
     
         7 . The egg packaging carton of  claim 4 , wherein said top surface of each one of said second plurality of egg receiving areas includes a raised central segment extending inwardly toward the corresponding one of said second plurality of egg receiving areas, said raised central segment including a dimpled area configured to receive an opposite second end of the egg and generating a recoiling force against depression thereof by the egg. 
     
     
         8 . The egg packaging carton of  claim 7 , wherein said dimpled areas of said first and second pluralities of egg receiving areas are axially aligned when said top portion is coupled to said bottom portion so that the recoiling forces oppose each other and bias the egg away from said bottom surface and said top surface toward a centered position within a corresponding one of said plurality of egg holding compartments. 
     
     
         9 . The egg packaging carton of  claim 7 , wherein said top surface of each one of said second plurality of egg receiving areas includes a plurality of outwardly extending lugs, and a plurality of connecting segments disposed between and interconnecting said central segment and said lugs. 
     
     
         10 . The egg packaging carton of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom portion includes lugs extending outwardly from said bottom surface thereof, and said top portion includes lugs extending outwardly from said top surface thereof, said lugs of said bottom portion being nestable and interlockable with said lugs of said top portion. 
     
     
         11 . The egg packaging carton of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of egg holding compartments accommodate eggs of variable size and weight. 
     
     
         12 . The egg packaging carton of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom portion includes a first flanged edge extending outwardly from a perimeter thereof and having one or more engagement members thereon, and said top portion includes a second flanged edge extending outwardly from a perimeter thereof and having one or more engagement members thereon, said engagement members of said first and second flanged edges cooperating to releasably secure said bottom portion to said top portion. 
     
     
         13 . The egg packaging carton of  claim 1 , wherein said top portion is hingedly attachable to said bottom portion via a flexible label member. 
     
     
         14 . A system of packaging eggs including at least a first egg carton and a second egg carton, each of said first and second egg cartons comprising:
 a bottom portion including a first plurality of egg receiving areas, each one of said first plurality of egg receiving areas defined by a bottom surface and sidewalls extending upwardly from and surrounding said bottom surface, and a plurality of lugs extending outwardly from said bottom surface of each one of said first plurality of egg receiving areas; and   a top portion coupleable to said bottom portion, said top portion including a second plurality of egg receiving areas, each one of said second plurality of egg receiving areas defined by a top surface and sidewalls extending upwardly from and surrounding said top surface, and a second plurality of lugs extending outwardly from said top surface thereof,
 wherein said first plurality of egg receiving areas are alignable with said second plurality of egg receiving areas to define a plurality of egg holding compartments when said top portion is coupled to said bottom portion, and 
 wherein said lugs of said bottom portion of the first egg packaging carton are nestable and interlockable with said lugs of said top portion of the second egg packaging carton. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein each of said first and second egg cartons further comprises:
 flexible projections extending from said sidewalls of said bottom portion and biased outwardly and into a corresponding one of said first plurality of egg receiving areas; and   flexible projections extending from said sidewalls of said top portion and biased outwardly and into a corresponding one of said second plurality of egg receiving areas.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein each of said first and second egg cartons further comprises:
 a dimpled lower platform coupled to said bottom surface of each one of said first plurality of egg receiving areas, said dimpled lower platform extending away from said plurality of lugs of said bottom portion and configured to receive a first end of an egg, and generating a first recoiling force against depression thereof; and   a dimpled upper platform coupled to said top surface of each one of said second plurality of egg receiving areas, said dimpled upper platform extending away from said plurality of lugs of said top portion and configured to receive an opposite second end of the egg, and generating a second recoiling force against depression thereof, said second recoiling force opposing said first recoiling force.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein each of the first and second egg packaging cartons includes a front edge, and wherein when said lugs of said bottom portion of the first egg packaging carton are nested with said lugs of said top portion of the second egg packaging carton:
 the front edge of the first egg packaging carton is substantially parallel to the front edge of the second egg packaging carton; or   the front edge of the first egg packaging carton is substantially perpendicular to the front edge of the second egg packaging carton.   
     
     
         18 . A method of packaging eggs, comprising the steps of:
 providing an egg carton including a bottom portion including a plurality of egg receiving areas, and a top portion including a plurality of egg receiving areas, the plurality of egg receiving areas of the bottom portion alignable with the plurality of egg receiving areas of the top portion to define a plurality of egg holding compartments;   disposing a plurality of eggs in the plurality of egg receiving areas of the bottom portion; and   moving the top portion toward the bottom portion until the top portion is coupled to the bottom portion to define the plurality of egg holding compartments,
 wherein the egg receiving areas of the top portion are axially aligned with the egg receiving areas of the bottom portion during said moving step. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising the further step of biasing each of the plurality of eggs toward centered positions within corresponding egg holding compartments. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising the further step of affixing a flexible member to the egg carton after said moving step, the flexible member having a first portion coupled to the bottom portion and a second portion coupled to the top portion, thereby hingedly connecting the bottom portion to the top portion.