Container formed from two identical trays with engagement, venting and stacking features

Abstract

A container includes trays having a substantially identical profile. For each tray, the tray includes a rim that includes a proximal segment, a bead segment, and at least one vent channel defined in the proximal segment, the bead segment has an upwardly-extending member and a downwardly-extending member, the upwardly-extending member defines a first cavity, and the downwardly-extending member defines a second cavity. When the trays are engaged to close the container, the upwardly-extending member of the first tray is received in the second cavity of the second tray, the upwardly-extending member of the second tray is received in the second cavity of the first tray, the first and second trays define an interior volume of the container, the proximal segments of the rims of the first and second trays are in face-to-face contact to substantially seal the interior volume, and each vent channel is in communication with the interior volume.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container comprising a first tray and a second tray, the first tray being releasably engageable with the second tray when the second tray is inverted relative to the first tray, each tray having a substantially identical profile, for each tray:
 the tray comprising a cover portion, a peripheral rim, and a sidewall extending between and coupling the cover portion and the rim;   the rim comprising a proximal segment and a bead segment, wherein the proximal segment extends outwardly from the sidewall to the bead segment, and wherein the rim includes at least one vent channel defined in the proximal segment; and   the bead segment has an upwardly-extending member and a downwardly-extending member, wherein the upwardly-extending member defines a first cavity, and wherein the downwardly-extending member defines a second cavity;   wherein, when the first tray engages the second tray inverted relative to the first tray:
 the upwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the first tray is received in the second cavity of the bead segment of the second tray and engages the downwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the second tray; 
 the upwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the second tray is received in the second cavity of the bead segment of the first tray and engages the downwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the first tray; 
 the sidewalls and the cover portions of the first and second trays define an interior volume of the container; 
 the proximal segments of the rims of the first and second trays are in face-to-face contact to substantially seal the interior volume; and 
 each of the at least one vent channels of the first and second trays is in communication with the interior volume. 
   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein, for each tray, the rim comprises a distal segment extending outwardly from the bead segment opposite the proximal segment, the distal segment defines a peripheral edge of the rim, wherein the at least one vent channel is defined in the proximal segment, the bead segment, and the distal segment, and wherein the at least one vent channel terminates prior to the peripheral edge of the rim. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein, for each tray, the rim comprises a distal segment extending outwardly from the bead segment opposite the proximal segment, the distal segment defines a peripheral edge of the rim, wherein the at least one vent channel is defined in the proximal segment, the bead segment, and the distal segment, and wherein the at least one vent channel extends to the peripheral edge of the rim such that, when the first tray engages the second tray inverted relative to the first tray, the at least one vent channel creates a continuous path extending between the rims of the trays. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein, for each tray, the at least one vent channel is defined in one of the upwardly-extending member and the downwardly-extending member of the bead segment. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein, for each tray, the upwardly-extending member extends between first and second ends and the downwardly-extending member extends between first and second ends, the first end of the downwardly-extending member being located proximate the second end of the upwardly-extending member, the second end of the downwardly-extending member being located proximate the first end of the upwardly-extending member, and wherein the at least one vent channel is defined in the bead segment and extends between the first end of the downwardly-extending member and the second end of the upwardly-extending member or between the second end of the downwardly-extending member and the first end of the upwardly-extending member. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein, for each tray, the rim includes vent channels each defined in the proximal segment. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 6 , wherein, for each tray, the vent channels are coextensive in length. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 6 , wherein, for each tray, each of the vent channels is defined in one of the upwardly-extending member and the downwardly-extending member and extends to a peripheral edge of the rim such that, when the first tray engages the second tray inverted relative to the first tray, each of the vent channels creates a continuous path extending between the rims of the trays. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein, for each tray, the cover portion comprises a first stacking member and a second stacking member each located proximate an outer edge of the cover portion, wherein, when the second tray is inverted relative to the first tray and the cover portion of the second tray is stacked on the cover portion of the first tray, the first stacking member of the first tray is engageable with the second stacking member of the first tray and the first stacking member of the first tray is engageable with the second stacking member of the second tray to limit movement of the first tray and the second tray relative to one another. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein the first stacking member is a first stacking bar and the second stacking member is a second stacking bar, each of the first and second stacking bars having a U-shape profile and extending outwardly from a surface of the cover portion. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein the first stacking bar and the second stacking bar each comprise stacking bar segments that are offset along the respective U-shape profile. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein the first stacking bar and the second stacking bar each comprise stacking bar segments that extend continuously along the respective U-shape profile. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein the first stacking member and the second stacking member each comprise stacking lugs and stacking indents in alternating arrangement along a U-shape profile of the respective stacking member, wherein, when the second tray is inverted relative to the first tray and the cover portion of the second tray is stacked on the cover portion of the first tray, the stacking indents of the second tray receive the stacking lugs of the first tray and the stacking indents of the first tray receive the stacking lugs of the second tray to limit movement of the first tray and the second tray relative to one another. 
     
     
         14 . A container comprising a first tray and a second tray, the first tray being releasably engageable with the second tray when the second tray is inverted relative to the first tray, each tray having a substantially identical profile, for each tray:
 the tray comprising a cover portion, a peripheral rim, and a sidewall extending between and coupling the cover portion and the rim;   the cover portion comprising a first stacking member and a second stacking member each located proximate an outer edge of the cover portion, the first and second stacking members each having a U-shape profile;   the rim comprising a proximal segment and a bead segment, wherein the proximal segment extends outwardly from the sidewall to the bead segment; and   the bead segment has an upwardly-extending member and a downwardly-extending member, wherein the upwardly-extending member defines a first cavity, and wherein the downwardly-extending member defines a second cavity;   wherein, when the first tray engages the second tray inverted relative to the first tray:
 the upwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the first tray is received in the second cavity of the bead segment of the second tray and engages the downwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the second tray; and 
 the upwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the second tray is received in the second cavity of the bead segment of the first tray and engages the downwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the first tray; and 
   wherein, when the second tray is inverted relative to the first tray and the cover portion of the second tray is stacked on the cover portion of the first tray, the first stacking member of the second tray is engageable with the second stacking member of the first tray and the first stacking member of the first tray is engageable with the second stacking member of the second tray to limit movement of the first tray and the second tray relative to one another.   
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein the first stacking member is a first stacking bar and the second stacking member is a second stacking bar, each of the first and second stacking bars extending outwardly from a surface of the cover portion. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein the first stacking bar and the second stacking bar each comprise stacking bar segments that are offset along the respective U-shape profile. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein the first stacking bar and the second stacking bar each comprise stacking bar segments that extend continuously along the respective U-shape profile. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein the first stacking member and the second stacking member each comprise stacking lugs and stacking indents in alternating arrangement along the U-shape profile of the respective stacking member, wherein, when the second tray is inverted relative to the first tray and the cover portion of the second tray is stacked on the cover portion of the first tray, the stacking indents of the second tray receive the stacking lugs of the first tray and the stacking indents of the first tray receive the stacking lugs of the second tray to limit movement of the first tray and the second tray relative to one another. 
     
     
         19 . A pair of containers, each container comprising a first tray and a second tray, the first tray being releasably engageable with the second tray when the second tray is inverted relative to the first tray, each tray having a substantially identical profile, for each tray:
 the tray comprising a cover portion, a peripheral rim, and a sidewall extending between and coupling the cover portion and the rim;   the cover portion comprising a first stacking member and a second stacking member each located proximate an outer edge of the cover portion, the first and second stacking members each having a U-shape profile;   the rim comprising a proximal segment and a bead segment, wherein the proximal segment extends outwardly from the sidewall to the bead segment; and   the bead segment has an upwardly-extending member and a downwardly-extending member, wherein the upwardly-extending member defines a first cavity, and wherein the downwardly-extending member defines a second cavity;   wherein, for each container, when the first tray engages the second tray inverted relative to the first tray:
 the upwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the first tray is received in the second cavity of the bead segment of the second tray and engages the downwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the second tray; and 
 the upwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the second tray is received in the second cavity of the bead segment of the first tray and engages the downwardly-extending member of the bead segment of the first tray; and 
   wherein, when a first container of the pair of containers is stacked on a second container of the pair of containers, the first stacking member of the first tray of the first container is engageable with the second stacking member of the second tray of the second container and the first stacking member of the second tray of the second container is engageable with the second stacking member of the first tray of the first container to limit movement of the first container and the second container relative to one another.   
     
     
         20 . The pair of containers of  claim 19 , wherein, for each tray, the first stacking member is a first stacking bar and the second stacking member is a second stacking bar, each of the first and second stacking bars extending outwardly from a surface of the cover portion.