Egg Carton with Separate Base and Lid Configurations and Moisture Venting

Abstract

A rectangular perimeter egg carton comprising:a lid, and a base separate from the lid, wherein the lid and base are assembled together to from a closed egg carton,the base having a top wall and a rectangular array of recessed base cells arranged in rows and columns depending from the top wall, each base cell having an open top end, a sidewall and a closed bottom wall and being sized and shaped to hold one egg in a generally upright position with the long axis of the egg disposed in a vertical direction transverse to a base reference plane in which the bottom walls of the base cells reside;the base and lid having respective mating rectangular perimeter edges, including opposing front and rear side edges and opposing left and right side edges, that mate with each other in a closed position to from the rectangular perimeter egg carton for enclosing an egg in each of the respective cells; anda plurality of spaced apart venting ports formed in each of the perimeter side edges of one or more of the base and lid perimeters for releasing moisture from the closed egg carton.

1 . A rectangular perimeter egg carton comprising:
 a lid, and a base separate from the lid, wherein the lid and base are assembled together to from a closed egg carton,   the base having a top wall and a rectangular array of recessed base cells arranged in rows and columns depending from the top wall, each base cell having an open top end, a sidewall and a closed bottom wall and being sized and shaped to hold one egg in a generally upright position with the long axis of the egg disposed in a vertical direction transverse to a base reference plane in which the bottom walls of the base cells reside;   the base and lid having respective mating rectangular perimeter edges, including opposing front and rear side edges and opposing left and right side edges, that mate with each other in a closed position to from the rectangular perimeter egg carton for enclosing an egg in each of the respective cells; and   a plurality of spaced apart venting ports formed in each of the perimeter side edges of one or more of the base and lid perimeters for releasing moisture from the closed egg carton.   
     
     
         2 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 1 , wherein the venting ports each comprise a groove formed in the base along each of the base perimeter edges. 
     
     
         3 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 1 , wherein there is at least one venting port disposed in the sidewall of each cell of the base. 
     
     
         4 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 1 , wherein the venting ports each comprise an outwardly projecting grooved surface, extending outwardly from the outer surface of the cell sidewall. 
     
     
         5 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 1 , wherein the lid and base perimeter edges include releasable connectors for removably attaching the lid to the base to temporarily seal an egg in each cell of the closed carton. 
     
     
         6 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 5 , wherein the releasable connectors are disposed between each pair of adjacent cells on each of the mating perimeter edges. 
     
     
         7 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 5 , wherein the releasable connectors comprise snap-fit tabs on the lid perimeter edges that extend over the base perimeter edges. 
     
     
         8 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the venting ports is disposed between each adjacent pair of the releasable connectors. 
     
     
         9 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls of two adjacent cells form a cell divider which prevents contact between eggs in the adjacent cells. 
     
     
         10 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes a base top wall forming a flat planar surface that extends between the open top ends of the cells and forms the base perimeter edges. 
     
     
         11 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes cell posts disposed between four adjacent cells in the rectangular array of cells. 
     
     
         12 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 11 , wherein the lid comprises a lid top wall disposed parallel to the base reference plane on which the cell base walls reside, and lid sidewalls extending downwardly between the lid top wall and the lid perimeter edges to form an interior chamber for enclosing an upper portion of the eggs disposed in the cells of the base. 
     
     
         13 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 12 , wherein the base cell posts extend above the base perimeter edges and into the interior chamber and mate with an inner surface of the lid top wall to strengthen the closed egg carton. 
     
     
         14 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls of the base cells extend the full height of the eggs disposed in the cells, and the lid comprises a flat planar lid top wall that is sealed about its perimeter edges to the mating perimeter edges of the base. 
     
     
         15 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls of the base cells extend less than the full height of the eggs disposed in the cells, and wherein the lid comprises a lid top wall disposed parallel to the base reference plane on which the cell base walls reside, and lid sidewalls extending downwardly between the lid top wall and the lid perimeter edges to form an interior chamber for enclosing an upper portion of the eggs disposed in the cells of the base. 
     
     
         16 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 1 , wherein the array of cells comprises one of a 2×3, 2×4, 2×5, 2×6, 3×3, 3×4, 3×5, 3×6, 4×4, 4×5, 4×6, 5×5, 5×6, or 6×6 rectangular matrix of cells. 
     
     
         17 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 1 , wherein the base and lid are formed of different materials. 
     
     
         18 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 1 , wherein the base is formed of molded pulp fiber, and the lid is formed of a solid plastic. 
     
     
         19 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 1 , wherein the different materials are solid plastic, foamed plastic, and pulp fiber. 
     
     
         20 . The rectangular perimeter egg carton of  claim 19 , wherein the plastic is one or more of polystyrene, polyester, polyethylene, or polylactic acid, including polymers, copolymers, mixtures and blends thereof.