Tray for food products

Abstract

A tray for holding one or more food products includes a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the tray, the plurality of panels including a bottom panel, a plurality of side panels foldably connected to the bottom panel, a plurality of corner panels foldably connected to a respective side panel and at least partially forming a plurality of gussets, at least one handle activation panel foldably connected to a respective side panel, and at least one handle panel foldably connected to the respective side panel and separable from the at least one handle activation panel at a cut, and handle features including the at least one handle panel, the at least one handle panel positionable extending outwardly from a respective panel of the plurality of panels to form at least one handle of the tray.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tray for holding one or more food products, the tray comprising:
 a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the tray, the plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a plurality of side panels foldably connected to the bottom panel, a plurality of corner panels foldably connected to a respective side panel of the plurality of side panels and at least partially forming a plurality of gussets of the tray, at least one handle activation panel foldably connected to a respective side panel of the plurality of side panels, and at least one handle panel foldably connected to the respective side panel of the plurality of side panels and separable from the at least one handle activation panel at a cut; and   handle features comprising the at least one handle panel, the at least one handle panel positionable extending outwardly from a respective panel of the plurality of panels to form at least one handle of the tray.   
     
     
         2 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one handle panel is repositionable between a downwardly folded position and the outwardly extending position to provide the at least one handle reconfigurable between an activated configuration and an inactivated configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The tray of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one handle activation panel is in at least partial face-to-face contact with the respective side panel of the plurality of side panels. 
     
     
         4 . The tray of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one handle panel is positionable in generally planar relation with the at least one handle activation panel when the at least one handle panel is in the downwardly folded position. 
     
     
         5 . The tray of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one handle panel is positionable in at least partial face-to-face contact with the respective side panel of the plurality of side panels when the handle is in the inactivated configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The tray of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one handle activation panel is a first handle activation panel, the at least one handle panel is a first handle panel, the at least one handle is a first handle, the respective side panel of the plurality of side panels is a first side panel and the plurality of side panels further comprises a second side panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a second handle activation panel foldably connected to the second side panel, a second handle panel foldably connected to the second side panel, and the handle features further comprise a second handle at least partially formed by the second handle panel. 
     
     
         7 . The tray of  claim 6 , wherein each gusset of the plurality of gussets comprises a respective first corner panel of the plurality of corner panels in at least partial face-to-face contact with a respective second corner panel of the plurality of corner panels. 
     
     
         8 . The tray of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of side panels further comprises a third side panel and a fourth side panel, the plurality of gussets comprises a first gusset, a second gusset, a third gusset, and a fourth gusset, the first gusset is foldably connected to each of the first side panel and the third side panel, the second gusset is foldably connected to each of the first side panel and the fourth side panel, the third gusset is foldably connected to each of the fourth side panel and the second side panel, and the fourth gusset is foldably connected to each of the second side panel and the third side panel. 
     
     
         9 . The tray of  claim 8 , wherein each of the first gusset and the fourth gusset are in at least partial face-to-face contact with the third side panel and each of the second gusset and the third gusset are in at least partial face-to-face contact with the fourth side panel. 
     
     
         10 . A blank for forming a tray for holding one or more food products, the blank comprising:
 a plurality of panels for at least partially around an interior of the tray formed from the blank, the plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a plurality of side panels foldably connected to the bottom panel, a plurality of corner panels foldably connected to a respective side panel of the plurality of side panels and for at least partially forming a plurality of gussets of the tray formed from the blank, at least one handle activation panel foldably connected to a respective side panel of the plurality of side panels, and at least one handle panel foldably connected to the respective side panel of the plurality of side panels and separable from the at least one handle activation panel at a cut; and   handle features comprising the at least one handle panel, the at least one handle panel positionable extending outwardly from a respective panel of the plurality of panels to form at least one handle of the tray formed from the blank.   
     
     
         11 . The blank of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one handle panel is repositionable between a folded position and the outwardly extending position to provide the at least one handle reconfigurable between an activated configuration and an inactivated configuration when the tray is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         12 . The blank of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one handle activation panel is a first handle activation panel, the at least one handle panel is a first handle panel, the at least one handle is a first handle when the tray is formed from the blank, the respective side panel of the plurality of side panels is a first side panel and the plurality of side panels further comprises a second side panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a second handle activation panel foldably connected to the second side panel, a second handle panel foldably connected to the second side panel, and the second handle panel is for forming a second handle when the tray is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         13 . The blank of  claim 12 , wherein each gusset of the plurality of gussets comprises a respective first corner panel of the plurality of corner panels in at least partial face-to-face contact with a respective second corner panel of the plurality of corner panels. 
     
     
         14 . The blank of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of side panels further comprises a third side panel and a fourth side panel, the plurality of gussets comprises a first gusset, a second gusset, a third gusset, and a fourth gusset, the first gusset is foldably connected to each of the first side panel and the third side panel, the second gusset is foldably connected to each of the first side panel and the fourth side panel, the third gusset is foldably connected to each of the fourth side panel and the second side panel, and the fourth gusset is foldably connected to each of the second side panel and the third side panel. 
     
     
         15 . A method of forming a tray for holding one or more food products, the method comprising:
 obtaining a blank, the blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a plurality of side panels foldably connected to the bottom panel, a plurality of corner panels foldably connected to a respective side panel of the plurality of side panels, at least one handle activation panel foldably connected to a respective side panel of the plurality of side panels, at least one handle panel foldably connected to the respective side panel of the plurality of side panels and separable from the at least one handle activation panel at a cut, and handle features comprising the at least one handle panel;   positioning the plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the tray;   positioning the plurality of corner panels at least partially forming a plurality of gussets of the tray; and   forming a handle from the at least one handle panel such that the at least one handle panel is positionable extending outwardly from a respective panel of the plurality of panels.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one handle panel is repositionable between a downwardly folded position and the outwardly extending position to provide the at least one handle reconfigurable between an activated configuration and an inactivated configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one handle activation panel is in at least partial face-to-face contact with the respective side panel of the plurality of side panels. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one handle panel is positionable in generally planar relation with the at least one handle activation panel when the at least one handle panel is in the downwardly folded position. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one handle panel is positionable in at least partial face-to-face contact with the respective side panel of the plurality of side panels when the handle is in the inactivated configuration. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one handle activation panel is a first handle activation panel, the at least one handle panel is a first handle panel, the at least one handle is a first handle, the respective side panel of the plurality of side panels is a first side panel and the plurality of side panels further comprises a second side panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a second handle activation panel foldably connected to the second side panel, a second handle panel foldably connected to the second side panel, and the method further comprises forming a second handle from the second handle panel. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein positioning the plurality of corner panels comprises positioning a respective first corner panel of the plurality of corner panels in at least partial face-to-face contact with a respective second corner panel of the plurality of corner panels. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of side panels further comprises a third side panel and a fourth side panel, the plurality of gussets comprises a first gusset, a second gusset, a third gusset, and a fourth gusset, the first gusset is foldably connected to each of the first side panel and the third side panel, the second gusset is foldably connected to each of the first side panel and the fourth side panel, the third gusset is foldably connected to each of the fourth side panel and the second side panel, and the fourth gusset is foldably connected to each of the second side panel and the third side panel. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising positioning each of the first gusset and the fourth gusset in at least partial face-to-face contact with the third side panel and positioning each of the second gusset and the third gusset in at least partial face-to-face contact with the fourth side panel.