Tray For Food Products

Abstract

A tray for one or more food products includes a base having a first plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the tray, a lid foldably connected to the base and having a second plurality of panels, a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the first plurality of panels and the second plurality of panels, and access features for facilitating reconfiguration of the tray between a closed configuration and an open configuration, the access features including an access opening formed in a portion of the lid and a portion of the base, the access opening for at least partially receiving at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps when the tray is reconfigured between the closed configuration and the open configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tray for holding one or more food products, the tray comprising:
 a base comprising a first plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the tray;   a lid foldably connected to the base, the lid comprising a second plurality of panels;   a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the first plurality of panels and the second plurality of panels; and   access features for facilitating reconfiguration of the tray between a closed configuration, in which the lid at least partially overlies the base of the tray, and an open configuration, in which the lid is raised away from the base, the access features comprising an access opening formed in a portion of the lid and a portion of the base, the access opening for at least partially receiving at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps when the tray is reconfigured between the closed configuration and the open configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of panels comprises a bottom panel, a front panel, at least one side panel, and a base back panel, the access opening at least partially defined in the base back panel. 
     
     
         3 . The tray of  claim 2 , wherein the second plurality of panels comprises a lid top panel and a lid back panel, the access opening at least partially defined in the lid back panel. 
     
     
         4 . The tray of  claim 3 , wherein, when the tray is in the open configuration, the lid top panel is positionable to be generally vertically aligned with the bottom panel. 
     
     
         5 . The tray of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one end flap is a side end flap foldably connected to the at least one side panel and positioned in at least partial face-to-face contact with the base back panel. 
     
     
         6 . The tray of  claim 5 , wherein the side end flap is positioned in at least partial face to-face contact with an interior surface of the base back panel. 
     
     
         7 . The tray of  claim 5 , wherein the side end flap comprises a base portion and a distal portion extending upwardly from the base portion, the distal portion of the side end flap at least partially aligned with the access opening. 
     
     
         8 . The tray of  claim 7 , wherein the lid back panel is foldably connected to the base back panel at a fold line interrupted by the access opening. 
     
     
         9 . The tray of  claim 8 , wherein the access opening is at least partially defined by an upper edge and a lower edge, the upper edge spaced above the fold line. 
     
     
         10 . The tray of  claim 9 , wherein the distal portion of the side end flap extends above the lower edge of the access opening. 
     
     
         11 . The tray of  claim 5 , further comprising locking features, the locking features comprising a locking tab extending from a respective end flap of the plurality of end flaps for being at least partially received between a locking opening at least partially defined between a respective panel of the plurality of panels and a respective end flap of the plurality of end flaps to maintain the tray in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The tray of  claim 11 , wherein the locking tab extends from a front side end flap foldably connected to the front panel, and the locking opening is at least partially defined between the lid top panel and a lid side end flap foldably connected to the lid top panel. 
     
     
         13 . The tray of  claim 12 , further comprising product visibility features in a respective panel of the plurality of panels providing a path from an exterior environment to the interior of the tray. 
     
     
         14 . A blank for forming a tray for holding one or more food products, the blank comprising:
 a base portion comprising a first plurality of panels for extending at least partially around an interior of the tray formed from the blank, the base portion for forming a base of the tray formed from the blank;   a lid portion foldably connected to the base portion and for forming a lid of the tray formed from the blank, the lid portion comprising a second plurality of panels;   a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the first plurality of panels and the second plurality of panels; and   access features for facilitating reconfiguration of the tray formed from the blank between a closed configuration, in which the lid at least partially overlies the base when the tray is formed from the blank, and an open configuration, in which the lid is raised away from the base when the tray is formed from the blank, the access features comprising an access opening formed in a portion of the lid portion and a portion of the base portion, the access opening for at least partially receiving at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps when the tray formed from the blank is reconfigured between the closed configuration and the open configuration.   
     
     
         15 . The blank of  claim 14 , wherein the first plurality of panels comprises a bottom panel, a front panel, at least one side panel, and a base back panel, the access opening at least partially defined in the base back panel. 
     
     
         16 . The blank of  claim 15 , wherein the second plurality of panels comprises a lid top panel and a lid back panel, the access opening at least partially defined in the lid back panel. 
     
     
         17 . The blank of  claim 16 , wherein, when the tray formed from the blank is in the open configuration, the lid top panel is positionable to be generally vertically aligned with the bottom panel. 
     
     
         18 . The blank of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one end flap is a side end flap foldably connected to the at least one side panel and for being positioned in at least partial face-to-face contact with the base back panel when the tray is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         19 . The blank of  claim 18 , wherein the side end flap comprises a base portion and a distal portion extending upwardly from the base portion, the distal portion of the side end flap for being at least partially aligned with the access opening when the tray is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         20 . The blank of  claim 19 , wherein the lid back panel is foldably connected to the base back panel at a fold line interrupted by the access opening. 
     
     
         21 . The blank of  claim 20 , wherein the access opening is at least partially defined by an upper edge and a lower edge, the upper edge spaced away from the fold line. 
     
     
         22 . The blank of  claim 21 , wherein the distal portion of the side end flap is for being positioned extending above the lower edge of the access opening when the tray is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         23 . The blank of  claim 18 , further comprising locking features, the locking features comprising a locking tab extending from a respective end flap of the plurality of end flaps for being at least partially received between a locking opening at least partially defined between a respective panel of the plurality of panels and a respective end flap of the plurality of end flaps to maintain the tray formed from the blank in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         24 . The blank of  claim 23 , further comprising product visibility features in a respective panel of the plurality of panels providing a path from an exterior environment to the interior of the tray formed from the blank. 
     
     
         25 . A method of forming a tray for holding one or more food products, the method comprising:
 obtaining a base portion comprising a first plurality of panels, a lid portion comprising a second plurality of panels, the lid portion foldably connected to the base portion, a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the first plurality of panels and the second plurality of panels, and access features comprising an access opening formed in a portion of the lid portion and a portion of the base portion;   positioning the first plurality of panels of the base portion to form a base of the tray extending at least partially around an interior of the tray;   positioning the second plurality of panels of the lid portion to form a lid of the tray; and   arranging the access features for facilitating reconfiguration of the tray between a closed configuration, in which the lid at least partially overlies the base of the tray, and an open configuration, in which the lid is raised away from the base, the access opening for at least partially receiving at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps when the tray is reconfigured between the closed configuration and the open configuration.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first plurality of panels comprises a bottom panel, a front panel, at least one side panel, and a base back panel, the access opening at least partially defined in the base back panel. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the second plurality of panels comprises a lid top panel and a lid back panel, the access opening at least partially defined in the lid back panel. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the tray is reconfigurable to the open configuration such that the lid top panel is positionable to be generally vertically aligned with the bottom panel. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one end flap is a side end flap foldably connected to the at least one side panel, and the method comprises positioning the at least one side panel in at least partial face-to-face contact with the base back panel. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the method comprises positioning the at least one side panel in at least partial face-to-face contact with an interior surface the base back panel. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the side end flap comprises a base portion and a distal portion extending upwardly from the base portion, the method comprises positioning the distal portion of the side end flap at least partially aligned with the access opening. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the lid back panel is foldably connected to the base back panel at a fold line interrupted by the access opening. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the access opening is at least partially defined by an upper edge and a lower edge, the upper edge spaced above the fold line. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the method comprises positioning the distal portion of the side end flap extending above the lower edge of the access opening. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising locking features, the locking features comprising a locking tab extending from a respective end flap of the plurality of end flaps for being at least partially received between a locking opening at least partially defined between a respective panel of the plurality of panels and a respective end flap of the plurality of end flaps to maintain the tray in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the locking tab extends from a front side end flap foldably connected to the front panel, and the locking opening is at least partially defined between the lid top panel and a lid side end flap foldably connected to the lid top panel. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising product visibility features in a respective panel of the plurality of panels providing a path from an exterior environment to the interior of the tray.