Packaging tray

Abstract

The invention relates to a packaging tray composed of plastic with a base (10) and sidewalls (11) which adjoin the base (10) and delimit a receiving space for a product being packaged, and with a baseplate (2) which is placed onto the upper side of the base (10) and forms a supporting surface for the product being packaged, wherein the baseplate (2) and the base (10) are formed with at least one releasable connecting means for releasably fixing the baseplate (2) to the base (10) of the packaging tray (1), wherein the connecting means are complementary with respect to one another and are formed integrally in the base (10) and in the baseplate (2).

Claims

1. A packaging tray composed of plastic with a base (10) and sidewalls (11) which adjoin the base (10) and delimit a receiving space for a product being packaged, and with a baseplate (2) having a multiplicity of cup-shaped depressions (202) forming liquid reservoirs which is placed onto the upper side of the base (10) and forms a supporting surface for the product being packaged, wherein the base (10) is formed with ribbings (101) protruding on the upper side and/or lower side, and the depressions (202) in the baseplate (2) that lie opposite the ribbings (101) protruding on the upper side have a correspondingly smaller depth than the adjacent depressions (202) in such a manner that the baseplate (2) can be oriented and can be fixed parallel to the base (10) and is supported on the base (2) by the depressions (202), wherein the baseplate (2) and the base (10) are formed with at least one releasable connecting means for releasably fixing the baseplate (2) to the base (10) of the packaging tray (1), wherein the connecting means are complementary with respect to one another and are formed integrally in the base (10) and in the baseplate (2).

2. The packaging tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one connecting means comprises a latching projection (100) and a latching recess (200) corresponding thereto.

3. The packaging tray as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base (10) is formed with at least one upwardly projecting latching projection (100) and the baseplate (2) is formed with corresponding latching recesses (200) on its lower side facing the base (10).

4. The packaging tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting means is arranged centrally in the base (10) and baseplate (2), wherein the upper side of the baseplate (2) is flat in the region of the connecting means.

5. The packaging tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening cross sections of the depressions (202) are dimensioned in such a manner that they receive liquids in a capillary-like manner.

6. The packaging tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper end of the sidewalls (11) facing away from the base is formed peripherally into a rounded edge (110).

7. The packaging tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the packaging tray (1) and the baseplate (2) are produced from an identical type of compact, unfoamed plastic.

8. The packaging tray as claimed in one of claim 7, wherein polypropylene, polyethylene and/or polyethylene terephthalate is provided as the plastic.

Description

(1) Further details and embodiments of the invention will be explained below with reference to the drawing which illustrates an exemplary embodiment and in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows the top view of a packaging tray according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the top view of a baseplate according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 shows, in a perspective illustration, the introducing of the baseplate according to FIG. 2 into the packaging tray according to FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 shows the packaging tray according to the invention in the use state.

(6) A packaging tray 1 for packaging, for example, foodstuffs, such as meat, can be seen in FIGS. 1 to 4. It is desirable for such packaging trays to be capable of receiving and retaining liquid, for example meat juice and blood, leaking out of the product being packaged.

(7) According to the illustration in FIG. 1, the packaging tray 1 has a construction which is known per se with a base 10 and sidewalls 11 which are adjacent to the base 10, extend upward and together bound a receiving space for receiving the product being packaged.

(8) The upper edge of the sidewalls 11 that is remote from the base 10 is formed peripherally into a smooth edge 110 which is bent over approximately semicircularly as viewed in cross section, such that a stretch film or sealing film (not illustrated) for closing the receiving space together with the product being packaged positioned therein can be placed on and optionally bonded along the edge 110.

(9) The packaging tray according to FIG. 1 is produced from a compact, unfoamed sheet, for example from polypropylene, by thermoforming and, in order to increase its dimensional stability, has a plurality of reinforcing ribs 101, here a total of four, which are formed upward in the base 10.

(10) Centrally in the base 10, furthermore, a latching projection 100 which is approximately X-shaped in top view and protrudes upward is molded integrally into the base 10.

(11) Corresponding to said packaging tray which can be seen in FIG. 1, a baseplate 2 according to FIG. 2 is provided, said baseplate being dimensioned in such a manner that it completely covers the base 10 of the packaging tray 1, i.e. corresponds in surface extent approximately to that of the base 10 of the packaging tray 1.

(12) The baseplate 2 is also produced from the same compact, unfoamed sheet material as the packaging tray 1; in the exemplary embodiment illustrated, to this extent likewise from polypropylene by thermoforming of a corresponding sheet.

(13) Corresponding to the arrangement of the latching projection 100 in the region of the base 10 of the packaging tray 1, the baseplate 2 also has, in its central region, a latching depression 200 which is formed in a complementary manner with respect to the latching projection 100, extends upward from the lower side of the baseplate 2 and, on the upper side of the baseplate 2, forms a circular, flat surface 201. Said flat surface 201 can be grasped, for example, by an automated suction gripper, and therefore it is possible, as illustrated in FIG. 3, to place the baseplate 2 into the packaging tray 1. The baseplate 2 here completely covers the base 10 of the packaging tray and forms the supporting surface for the product being packaged. At the same time, the latching projection 100 and the complementarily formed latching depression 200 enter into a releasable latching connection such that, in the use state illustrated according to FIG. 4, the baseplate 2 is positioned and fixed in a precise position in the packaging tray 1 and can no longer shift undesirably. Equally, it is possible, by applying a sufficiently large tensile force, also to detach the baseplate 2 again from the packaging tray 1.

(14) Furthermore, in order to receive the liquid leaking out of the product being packaged, the baseplate 2 is provided with a multiplicity of substantially correspondingly large cup-shaped depressions 202 which are arranged in the manner of a grid and extend in the opposite direction to the latching depression 200, i.e. run from an upper-side opening in the direction of the lower side of the baseplate 2 where they are closed, however, by a corresponding base region and to this extent form liquid reservoirs for liquid to be received.

(15) The opening width, or the opening cross section, of the individual depressions 202 that lies in the supporting surface for the product being packaged is dimensioned here in such a manner that each individual depression 202 can receive the liquids arising from the product being packaged in a capillary-like manner, i.e. using the capillary forces, and can retain said liquids within the depression. In the case of the approximately lenticular configuration of the opening cross section that is illustrated, this can be achieved, for example, by the smallest diameter being approximately at maximum 3 mm; however, this can be determined as desired by a person skilled in the art.

(16) The depth of the cup-shaped depressions 202 is substantially identical, but those depressions 202 which come to lie above the upwardly protruding reinforcing ribs 101 of the base 10 of the packaging tray 1 are formed with a correspondingly smaller depth, and therefore a flat position of the baseplate 2 on the base 10 of the packaging tray 1 can be achieved and the baseplate 2 is supported with the respective base regions of the depressions 202 on the base 10 of the packaging tray 1 including the protruding reinforcing ribs 101.

(17) The packaging tray 1 that is illustrated above and has an inserted and fixed baseplate 2 provides great capability for receiving liquids and, furthermore, owing to the type-specific production from unfoamed plastics, provides the possibility of particularly easy recyclability along with high safety during use.