Food Container with Absorbent Bottom

Abstract

A tray for supporting food products that exude liquid. The tray ( 12 ) includes a bottom panel ( 20 ) and side walls defining a liquid collection space ( 34 ). A plurality of upwardly extending protrusions ( 42 ) are positioned in a pattern across and along the bottom panel. A liquid absorbent pad ( 18 ) is positioned in the liquid collection space and has seams ( 47 ) that match the pattern of the upwardly extending protrusions, so the protrusions of the tray support the seams of the absorbent pad over the bottom wall of the collection space.

1 . A container for liquid exuding food products comprising:
 a tray, said tray including a bottom panel and a raised perimeter rim surrounding said bottom panel and forming a collection space over said bottom panel,   a sloped perimeter wall extending from about said raised perimeter rim and sloped upwardly from said raised perimeter rim and forming with said bottom panel a basin for receiving liquids,   a side wall structure including a lower portion connected to said sloped perimeter wall and extending upwardly from said sloped perimeter wall and including an upper portion,   a rim extending outwardly from said upper portion of said side wall,   a plurality of grooves extending continuously down through said side wall, said sloped perimeter wall and said raised perimeter rim and in communication with said collection space, said grooves facing inwardly of said tray and forming drains for liquids in said tray to pass to the collection space,   a plurality of protrusions formed in the bottom panel and extending upwardly from the bottom panel and spaced from one another and forming between them an array of liquid collection spaces,   an absorbent pad positioned in the tray on the bottom panel, the absorbent pad including an upper sheet, a middle sheet and a lower sheet, seams connecting the upper sheet, middle sheet and the lower sheet and forming an array of pillows positioned in the liquid collection spaces, the perimeter seams of the pad match the raised perimeter rim of the tray and the perimeter seams of the pad are adhered to the raised perimeter rim,   liquid absorbent material positioned between the middle sheet and the lower sheet in the pillows of the array of pillows formed in the absorbent pad, the pillows defining openings for the passage of liquid into the pillows.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , and further including liquid exuding food products in said tray and resting on said absorbent material, and a sheet mounted to said rim and closing said tray. 
     
     
         3 . A container for liquid exuding food products comprising:
 a tray,   said tray including a bottom panel for supporting liquid exuding food products,   a side wall extending upwardly from said bottom panel surrounding said bottom panel and forming a liquid collection space over said bottom panel,   protrusions extending upwardly from the bottom panel in a pattern, and   an absorbent pad having seams extending there through that are formed in a pattern that matches the pattern of the protrusions.   
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 3 , and wherein the seams of the absorbent pad are heat sealed to the protrusions of the bottom panel. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4 , and wherein the pad is heat sealed to the raised perimeter rim. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 3  and wherein said pad forms a false bottom over said bottom panel. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 4 , and wherein said absorbent pad material comprises a pad with opposed bottom, middle and top surfaces, with the bottom and middle surface comprising porous material facing said bottom panel and the top surface formed of a perforated sheet. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 6 , and further including liquid exuding food products in said tray and resting on said absorbent pad, and a lidding film closing said tray. 
     
     
         9 . A container for liquid bearing food products comprising:
 a tray including a bottom panel defining a liquid collection space,   a side wall structure extending upwardly from said bottom panel,   plurality of protrusions extending upwardly from the bottom panel and spaced from one another and forming between them an array of liquid collection spaces,   a liquid absorbent pad for positioning in said liquid collection space, said liquid absorbent pad including seams that are formed in a pattern that matches the protrusions of the bottom wall and sized to support the liquid absorbent pad on the protrusions of the bottom panel.   
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein
 said liquid absorbent material is characterized by swelling in volume when contacted by liquid and urging said liquid impervious top sheet upwardly.   
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein said absorbent material comprises CMC, bentonite and aluminum potassium sulfate, said liquid porous bottom and middle sheets are formed from PET/PE, and said liquid impervious top sheet is formed from PET/PE. 
     
     
         12 . A container for supporting food products that exude liquid comprising
 a tray including a side wall structure and a bottom panel defining a liquid collection space,   the bottom panel including a plurality of upwardly extending protrusions positioned in a pattern extending across and along the bottom panel,   a liquid absorbent pad in said liquid collection space configured to support the food products,   the liquid absorbent pad defining seams that match the pattern of the upwardly extending protrusions, the seams of the liquid absorbent pad supported by the upwardly extending protrusions.   
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 12 , and further including
 a plurality of upright grooves formed in the side wall structure that face inwardly of the tray and form liquid channels for draining liquid exuded from the food products downwardly to the bottom panel of the tray where the liquid can be absorbed through the bottom of the liquid absorbent pad.   
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13 , further including
 a liquid bearing food product in said tray resting on said liquid impervious upper sheet of said liquid absorbent pad, and   a sheet applied to the side wall structure extending over said liquid bearing product.