Product packaging

Abstract

A tray device includes plastic material. The tray device further includes divided product compartments that separate multiple products. A top reinforced ridge surrounds the tray device. A perimeter upper trim is connected to the top reinforced ridge. The perimeter upper trim includes a surface that has a return towards a base of the tray device. The upper trim flexes upon wrapping the tray device with a sealing sheet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tray device for product packaging comprising:
 a tray device comprising plastic material, the tray device including:
 a plurality of divided product compartments that separate multiple products; 
 a top reinforced ridge surrounding the tray device; and 
 a perimeter upper trim coupled to the top reinforced ridge, the perimeter upper trim comprises a surface that includes a return towards a base of the tray device, the upper trim flexes upon wrapping the tray device with a sealing sheet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The tray device of  claim 1 , wherein the plastic material comprises one of:
 recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) or polystyrene (PS).   
     
     
         3 . The tray device of  claim 2 , wherein the tray device further comprises flat exterior side walls. 
     
     
         4 . The tray device of  claim 2 , wherein an exterior surface of the base is flat. 
     
     
         5 . The tray device of  claim 4 , wherein each of the divided product compartments has a curved shape and prevents adjacent products from contacting one another. 
     
     
         6 . The tray device of  claim 4 , wherein each of the divided product compartments has a semi-cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         7 . The tray device of  claim 6 , wherein the top reinforced ridge comprises strengthening ribs that prevent deflection of the top reinforced ridge upon wrapping the tray device with the sealing sheet. 
     
     
         8 . The tray device of  claim 4 , wherein the tray device is stackable with other tray devices. 
     
     
         9 . The tray device of  claim 8 , wherein the return is thermoformed and has a thickness that is less than a thickness for all other components of the tray device. 
     
     
         10 . The tray device of  claim 1 , wherein the tray device formed by thermoforming or injection molding, the plastic material comprises recycled or recyclable material, and the plurality of divided product compartments comprise one of a single row of divided corn produce product compartments or double rows of divided corn produce product compartments. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus comprising:
 a mold plate having a cavity for a plurality of divided product compartments for molding a tray device, and a plug assist portion;   a cavity for a top reinforced ridge that surrounds the tray device;   a cavity for a perimeter upper trim coupled to the cavity for the top reinforced ridge, the cavity for the perimeter upper trim comprises a groove in the mold plate for molding a surface that includes a return towards a base of the tray device,   wherein the cavity for the perimeter upper trim is coupled to a first vacuum through hole within the mold plate and a second vacuum through hole within the mold plate, the first through hole and the second through hole are each coupled to a third vacuum through hole in the mold plate.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the third through hole has a larger volume in the mold plate than each of the first through hole and the second through hole. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the groove in the mold plate is configured for forming a flexible surface coupled to the top reinforced ridge of the tray device. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the mold plate receives molding material comprising one of: recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) or polystyrene (PS). 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the mold plate includes a cavity for forming flat exterior side walls for the tray device, each divided product compartment has a curved shape and is configured for preventing adjacent produce products from contact with one another, and each of the divided product compartments has a semi-cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the flexible surface is thermoformed for having a thickness that is less than a thickness for all other components of the tray device. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of divided product compartments comprise one of a single row of divided corn produce product compartments or double rows of divided corn produce product compartments. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus comprising:
 a corn cob tray device comprising plastic material, the corn cob tray device including:
 a plurality of semi-cylindrical shaped product compartments that separate multiple corn produce products from coming into contact with one another; 
 a top reinforced ridge surrounding the corn cob tray device; and 
 a perimeter upper trim coupled to the top reinforced ridge, the perimeter upper trim comprises a surface that includes a return towards a base of the corn cob tray device, the upper trim flexes upon wrapping the corn cob tray device with a sealing sheet for prevention of tearing the sealing sheet. 
   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the plastic material comprises one of: recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) or polystyrene (PS);   the top reinforced ridge comprises strengthening ribs that prevent deflection of the top reinforced ridge upon wrapping the corn cob tray device with the sealing sheet;   the return is thermoformed and has a thickness that is less than a thickness for all other components of the corn cob tray device; and   the corn cob tray device formed by thermoforming or injection molding.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the corn cob tray device further comprises flat exterior side walls,
 wherein an exterior surface of the base is flat.