Container for strawberries

Abstract

A punnet for strawberries, configured by a sheet with a flat surface, from which a number of cavities extend inferiorly, to accommodate strawberries in a horizontal position, and superiorly a number of protuberances, located in correspondence with the cavities. The protuberances feature a hollow interior which defines a niche to accommodate strawberries in a vertical position. The geometry and dimensions of each of the cavities and the niches are determined by those of the strawberries to be accommodated therein. The sheet of the punnet further comprises a plurality of tear lines to enable its division into a plurality of punnets. The punnet thus defined therefore enables the accommodation of strawberries in a horizontal position in a first orientation and in a vertical position in a second orientation, opposite and alternative to the first.

Claims

1. A punnet for strawberries, intended to be fitted in the interior of a box for its storage and transport, configured by a sheet which comprises: a flat surface, a number of cavities which extend inferiorly from the flat surface to accommodate the strawberries in a horizontal position, and a number of protuberances located in correspondence with each of the cavities and which extend superiorly with regard to the flat surface, wherein the cavities and the protuberances are uniformly distributed throughout the flat surface, wherein the cavities present a curved configuration delimited by an essentially elliptic perimetral edge featuring a larger axis and a smaller axis, which enable the accommodation of the strawberry in the first position, wherein the first position is a horizontal position and the protuberances extend from at least one of the extremities of the larger axis, incorporating an outstanding sector, featuring an external side and an internal side, opposite to the external side, and a niche delimited by the internal side of said outstanding sector, to accommodate the strawberries in a vertical position; and the internal side of the outstanding sector which delimits the niche is defined by progressively decreasing horizontal sections of an oval configuration, enabling the accommodation of the strawberry in a vertical position.

2. A punnet for strawberries, as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the cavities features a perforation performed at its base, to facilitate the refrigeration of the strawberry contained therein.

3. A punnet for strawberries, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheet features a plurality of tear lines to enable the division by traction of said sheet, and the punnet configured by the same, into a plurality of punnets of smaller dimensions.

4. A punnet for strawberries, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the perimetral edge of the sheet further incorporates a reversible extension to facilitate the fitting of the punnet in the box.

5. A punnet for strawberries, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheet is of an essentially rectangular shape.

6. A punnet for strawberries, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheet is made from a material selected between plastic, pressed cellulose and paper.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) As a supplement to the description made herein, and for the purpose of aiding the better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred example of a practical embodiment of the same, wherein the tray comprises 16 compartments, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description wherein, by way of illustration and not limitation, the following is portrayed:

(2) FIG. 1 portrays a plan view of the upper side of the tray, wherein the principal elements constituting the same may be viewed.

(3) FIG. 2 portrays a perspective view of the upper side of the tray.

(4) FIG. 3 portrays a lateral view of a longitudinal cross-section of the tray.

(5) FIG. 4 portrays a plan view of the lower side of the tray.

(6) FIG. 5 portrays a perspective view of the lower side of the tray.

(7) FIG. 6 portrays a plan view of a detail of the upper side of the tray, wherein the format of a cavity and its corresponding protuberance may be viewed.

(8) FIG. 7 portrays a plan view of a detail of the lower side of the tray, wherein the niche formed in the hollow interior of the protuberance may be viewed.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

(9) With the aid of FIGS. 1 to 7 mentioned above, a detailed explanation of an example of a preferred embodiment of the object of the present invention, wherein the tray comprises 16 compartments, is provided below.

(10) The punnet for strawberries, intended to be contained in box-like packages of standardised dimensions for their transport and storage on pallets, is comprised of a sheet (1) of an essentially rectangular shape, with bevelled corners, as portrayed in FIG. 1, said sheet (1) featuring a flat surface (2).

(11) As may be seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, from the flat surface (2) of the sheet (1), a plurality of cavities (3) extend inferiorly. Said cavities (3) present a curved configuration, delimited by an essentially elliptic perimetral edge, featuring a larger axis and a smaller axis, with two bevel edges, each of said bevel edges being defined at each of the extremities of the larger axis, thus endowing the cavities (3) with a three-dimensional geometry, essentially alveolar in shape, which enables the accommodation of the strawberries in a horizontal position, revealing their lateral surface.

(12) From the flat surface (2) of the sheet (1), a number of protuberances (4) extend superiorly, located in correspondence with one of the bevel edges of each of the cavities (3). As is portrayed in FIG. 3, the protuberances (4) incorporate an outstanding sector (5), featuring an external side (6) and an internal side (7), defining and delimiting a niche (8).

(13) In the preferred embodiment described herein, said internal side (7) is defined by progressively decreasing horizontal sections of an oval configuration, giving rise to a niche (8), geometrically shaped so as to enable the accommodation of the strawberry in a vertical position, leaving the sepal in view, as portrayed in FIGS. 4 and 5.

(14) The external side (6) of the protuberances gives rise to a supporting surface which enables the punnet to be slightly tilted, with the strawberries contained within the cavities (3) in a horizontal position, in such a way that they are in full view of the consumer without the strawberry slipping and falling from the cavity (3) due to the effect of gravity.

(15) The option that each of the cavities (3) may feature a perforation (9) at its base, as portrayed in FIGS. 6 and 7, is considered, in order to enable uniform refrigeration of the strawberries and the drainage of accumulated fluids, thus avoiding problems in the preservation of the fruit.

(16) It is further foreseen that the sheet (1) may feature on its flat surface (2) a plurality of tear lines (10), in order to separate, by means of simple traction, the sheet (1) and therefore the punnet formed by the same into as many as 4 equal parts, thus giving rise to as many as 4 punnets of smaller dimensions.

(17) Finally, consideration has also been given to the additional option that the perimetral edge of the sheet (1) may incorporate a reversible extension (11). Said extension (11) facilitates the fitting of the punnet into the box for its transport and prevents contact between the fruit and said box, and furthermore, after removal of the punnet from the box, enables its placement both at the sales outlet and in the domestic environment.

(18) Both the geometry and the dimensions, and therefore the number, of the cavities (3) and their corresponding protuberances (4) in the punnet are variable, in accordance with the size of the strawberries which they are destined to contain. In addition to the preferred embodiment portrayed in FIGS. 1 to 7, wherein there are 16 cavities (3) and protuberances (4) and their corresponding niches (8), to accommodate 16 large-sized strawberry units, options featuring 24, 32, 44, 60 and 76 cavities (3) are considered, for the accommodation of strawberries of a smaller size.

(19) In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the rectangular sheet (1) of the punnet comprises dimensions of 22.838.5 centimetres, enabling its fitting into the boxes habitually employed for the transport of fruit, these being stackable on euro-pallets. The tear lines (10) enable the division of the sheet (1) into as many as 4 equal parts, giving rise to as many as 4 punnets.

(20) The sheet (1) of the punnet is made preferably from a material to be selected between plastic, pressed cellulose and paper.