Package

Abstract

Food packages comprising a tray with a cover sealed about a surrounding flange of the tray are provided, where the flange is non-planar. The flange can have a planar leading edge and a planar trailing edge that lie in planes angled relative to each other. Side edges of the flange extending between the leading and trailing edges can include non-planar segments in addition to planar segments. A recloseable feature can also be provided with the cover.

1 . A package comprising:
 a tray having a rear wall, a bottom wall, and a pair of upstanding side walls defining an interior to receive products therein, the tray including free edges comprising a front edge of the bottom wall, edges of the side walls, and a top edge of the rear wall, the edges of the side walls including non-planar portions;   the free edges of the tray defining an opening to the interior thereof, the opening having a forward opening portion and a top opening portion; and   a cover attached relative to at least some of the free edges to cover the top and front portions of the opening.   
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 2 , wherein a peripheral flange extends from the free edges of the tray and defines front, side, and top sealing surfaces, the side sealing surfaces having arcuate portions corresponding to the sidewall edge non-planar portions. 
     
     
         3 .- 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the products are generally cylindrical with curved outer edges and the tray is configured to receive two rows of the generally cylindrical products on edge in rows in a horizontally stacked orientation, and the bottom wall includes an upwardly projecting contour that divides the bottom wall into two portions to individually receive the stacked rows of the products, and wherein the upwardly projecting contour optionally has curved sidewalls that are complementary to the curved outer edges of the generally cylindrical products. 
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall includes an upwardly tapering front portion configured to retain the products within the tray with the front opening portion uncovered. 
     
     
         10 .- 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the upwardly tapering front portion is sized so that an outer edge of the peripheral flange extending outwardly from the front edge of the bottom wall acts as a stabilizing support for the tray. 
     
     
         13 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the front opening portion and/or the top opening portion are sized and configured such that the products within the tray can be individually accessed and removed therethrough with the other of the top opening portion and front opening portion covered. 
     
     
         14 .- 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the tray further includes one or more protrusions extending outwardly from the rear wall, the protrusions providing a support for a position of stability. 
     
     
         18 .- 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the cover includes an access opening therein and a sealing layer sealed around the access opening. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral flange includes a breakable tab; and the cover extends to the tab so that the tab can be broken from the peripheral flange and drawn across the cover to tear an access opening in the cover. 
     
     
         27 .- 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the package is configured to rest in a vertical orientation on the sidewall; and the access opening is adjacent to the sidewall. 
     
     
         31 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the access opening is sized to allow two or less products therethrough with other products being restricted from being removed by the cover adjacent to the access opening. 
     
     
         32 .- 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the tray further comprises a dividing wall extending between the sidewalls thereof and the cover sealingly engages a top surface of the dividing wall. 
     
     
         40 .- 58 . (canceled) 
     
     
         59 . A package comprising:
 a tray having an interior defined by a pair of generally planar end walls and a substantially curved side wall extending therebetween;   the tray including a free edge of one the end walls, a free edge of the other of the end walls, and a pair of spaced free edges of the sidewall;   the free edges each having a flange such that the flanges combine to at least partially surround an opening to the interior of the tray, the flange of the free edges of the end walls are each substantially arcuate and the flange of each of the free edges of the sidewall are generally planar; and   a cover sealingly engaged relative to the flanges to cover the opening.   
     
     
         60 . The package of  claim 59 , wherein the generally planar flanges of the pair of spaced free edges of the sidewall are angularly off-set relative to each other. 
     
     
         61 . (canceled) 
     
     
         62 . The package of  claim 59 , wherein the flange includes a detachable portion thereof, the detachable portion having the cover adhered thereto, the detachable portion being usable to secure the cover in a closed position after opening. 
     
     
         63 .- 70 . (canceled)