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(11) | EP 0 188 731 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Egg container |
| (57) The invention discloses an egg container comprised of a bottom portion (T, B) and
a top portion. The bottom portion inciudes a tray member (T) and a base member (B),
with the tray member (T) being adapted to fit within the base member (B). The tray
member (T) is formed of a single piece of flexible plastic material, whereas the base
member (B) is formed of a reinforcing paperboard or cardboard material. |
[0001] The present invention relates to an egg container being formed of a flexible plastic material which includes a bottom portion and a top portion, the top portion being a cover member, the bottom portion including a plurality of spaced apart egg cells each adapted to receive a single egg, each of the egg cells having a generally enclosing cell side wall extending thereabout to thereby define the egg cell, and locking means associated with the bottom portion adapted to secure the cover to the bottom portion.
[0002] The use of egg containers is well known in the art. Conventionally, egg container have consisted of a tray and cover portion which may be hingedly connected thereto, with the egg tray having a plurality of egg cells. The eggs are placed in the egg cells and are not retained therein; normally, the eggs are free to move to a certain extent within each egg cell since, for any size of egg, there is a certain variation permitted. This movement of the eggs in a conventional container, permits a substantial breakage to occur. Normally, such trays are formed of a cardboard or a foam material.
[0003] The art also contains various proposals for means to cushion eggs. However, many such proposals have been deemed to be too complicated to manufacture and too expensive, and accordingly, they have not gained wide acceptance in the art.
[0004] An egg container which prevents movement of the eggs within the egg-receiving cells is disclosed in US-A-2,939,602. To this end, the egg-receiving cells are provided with a cup which, through a combination of convex and concave wall sections, is made resilient and capable of gripping and firmly holding eggs of all sizes because the convex sections are capable of being deflected outwardly to conform to the engaging contour of the lower end of the egg. However, gripping and holding of the eggs of all sizes is achieved in the egg-container of US-A-2,939,602 only by combined action of the resilient convex sections provided in the tray and of bosses depressed into the upper ends of the cups, which bear against the upper end of the egg because the deflectable convex sections grip the egg only at its lower portion so that it would fall out of the tray if the open tray was inverted. Moreover, the provision of resilient sections for gripping the eggs and/or cushioning means makes the manufacture of the tray complicated, since the other portions of the tray must be relatively strong to obtain a rigid tray per se.
[0005] Furthermore, an egg container of the type mentioned in the beginning is disclosed in US-A-3,648,916. This egg container consists of two main parts, namely a top portion and a bottom portion which are hingedly connected together along one longitudinal edge and which have locking means at the other longitudinal edge for securing the cover to the bottom portion. The outer surfaces of the side walls of the egg cells which are defined by the bottom portion are exposed and can therefore receive impacts capable of damaging the eggs which are not protected against such impacts.
[0006] It is the object of the present invention to provide an egg container wherein the eggs are securely held while being cushioned and which tray may be easily manufactured.
[0007] This object is achieved by an egg container of the type mentioned in the beginning which is characterized in that the bottom portion includes a tray member and a base member, the tray member being adapted to fit within the base member, the tray member being formed of a single piece of said flexible plastic material, the base member being formed of a reinforcing paperboard of cardboard material, the tray member having an enclosing tray side wall extending about the periphery of the tray member and having generally vertical wall portions spaced from the cell side walls, said base member having a plurality of wall sections which are secured to the tray side wall and which wall sections generally extend around the entire exterior surface area of the tray side wall.
[0008] Such a base member can easily be adapted to receive advertising and the like and adds rigidity to the tray member per se.
[0009] It is preferred that each egg-receiving cell is adapted to receive a single egg and is separated from each other egg-receiving cell, and that each cell has a plurality of egg-gripping means therein, which egg-gripping means are such that they will adapt to different sizes of eggs while retaining the egg securely spaced from adjacent eggs and from the bottom of the container.
[0010] Preferably the cover member is formed of a transparent material and has a plurality of inwardly projecting egg cushioning means with a separate inwardly projecting means disposed over each cell.
[0011] Furthermore, it is preferred that the enclosing cell side wall includes a plurality of inwardly generally convex shaped portions adapted to flex in response to the pressure of an egg inserted into the cell and to thereby exert a retaining force on the egg.
[0012] The egg retainer can be made such that the side wall extends substantially the full height of the tray member.
[0013] It is also preferred that the top portion and the bottom portion include spaced apart areas to provide ventilation to the interior of the container.
[0014] The tray, as aformentioned, includes a plurality of egg cells therein with each cell having preferably a plurality of egg-gripping sections, which sections are partially deformable outwardly in response to the force of an egg being placed in the cell such that the gripping sections exert a restraining force inwardly on the eggs. Due to the deformable nature of the gripping sections, different sized eggs including variations in any one size may be accomodat- ed in a single size tray.
[0015] Having thus generally described the invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating embodiments thereof, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an egg container of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the tray of the egg container of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a plan view, with the cover removed on a portion thereof, of the container of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is an elevational view, partially cut away, of the container;
Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 of Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a sectional view along the lines 6-6 of Figure 3;
Figure 7 is a sectional view along the lines of 7-7 of Figure 3;
Figure 8 is a sectional view along the lines of 8-8 of Figure 3;
Figure 9 is a sectional view along the lines of 9-9 of Figure 3; and
Figure 10 is a sectional view along the lines of 10-10 of Figure 3.
[0016] In greater detail, the egg container of the present invention includes a tray member T, a cover member C and a base member B.
[0017] Tray member T consists of a plurality of egg cells, each adapted to contain a single egg. In the embodiment illustrated, the container consists of two half-sections, each having six egg cells therein.
[0018] Tray member T is of a generally rectangular configuration and has an outer side wall 16 having a plurality of inwardly extending ribs 18 formed therein to add rigidity to the wall. At the corners of the tray side wall 16, an angled portion 14 is provided as shown in Figure 2. Extending inwardly from the upper margin of side wall 16 is an upper horizontal wall portion generally designated by reference numeral 20.
[0019] Tray member T as aformentioned, includes a plurality of egg cells generally designed by reference numeral. 10. Each egg cell is partially defined by a generally circular lower cell wall 22 having a plurality of corrugations or flutes 24 therein. Extending along the lower margin of lower cell wall 22 is a bottom cell wall 26.
[0020] At the upper margin of lower side wall 22 is an intermediate horizontal wall section 34. Intermediate horizontal wall section 34 terminates in an upper side wall portion 32. Forming a portion of upper side wall 32 are a plurality of egg gripping sections generally designated by reference numeral 30. Each cell 10 has four of such egg-gripping sections 30, each of which sections 30 is adapted to flex outwardly when an egg is placed in such cell 10 and thereby retain the egg in its desired position.
[0021] Each section 30 terminates in at least a partial dome portion. In this respect, in the center of tray T there are provided five full dome portions 28, each of which has four egg-gripping sections 30 extending therefrom. Similarly, there are provided twelve half-dome sections 27 which have two egg-gripping sections 30 extending therefrom and at the four corners of the container, there are provided quarter-dome sections 29 each having a single egg-gripping section 30 extending therefrom.
[0022] Upper horizontal wall section 20 terminates at an upper outer wall generally designated by reference numeral 38. As may be seen from Figure 2, half-dome portions 28 are formed in two different alternating configurations. In a first configuration, horizontal wall section 20 extends inwardly a slightly greater distance than usual and upper outer wall 38 has a projection 36 extending outwardly therefrom. Projection or nose 36 has an arcuate upper surface 37 and a lower substantially horizontal surface 39. In the alternate configuration, horizontal wall section 20 does not extend inwardly to the same extent as that previously described and upper outer wall 38 merely terminates at the drop of half-dome 27 without any projection thereon.
[0023] Each half-dome section 27 includes a recess 41 therein, which recess forms a portion of the locking means as will be discussed hereinbelow. As will be seen from Figure 2, the half-dome 27 formed at either of the ends of the tray T have projection 36 formed on upper outer wall 38.
[0024] Base portion B which may be made of a suitable paperboard or cardboard material comprises a bottom 60 and walls 62 adapted, by means of glue 64, to adhere to outer side walls 16.
[0025] Cover portion C, in the embodiment illustrated, is divided into two half-sections 100 and 102, each section being substantially identical and being joined by an intermediate section 104.
[0026] Cover C includes an upper horizontal top wall 106 having, at a location corresponding to the top of each egg cell 10, a dimple or egg-cushioning means generally designated by reference numeral 108. In addition, two additional dimples 108 are provided adjacent intermediate section 104. Extending downwardly in an arcuate manner as will be described in greater detail, is cover side wall 110. Cover side wall 110, as may be noted from Figures 5, 6 and 8 through 10, extends outwardly and downwardly adjacent cushioning means 108 at a different angle than where recesses 41 are provided. Adjacent recesses 41, cover side wall 110 extends substantially downwardly and terminates in an outwardly extending horizontal portion generally designated by reference numeral 112.
[0027] Formed within horizontal section 112 is a male projection 115 adapted to seat in recess 41. Also, in those portions of cover side wall 110 corresponding to where projections 36 are located, there is provided an outwardly extending flange portion 116 and subsequent undercut 114 which is adapted to receive projection 36 and thus provide a locking means for the cover to the tray.
[0028] Cover side wall 110 includes a plurality of inwardly extending corrugations or flutes 118 which add rigidity to the cover structure. In addition, corrugations or flutes 118 are provided in intermediate section 104 as seen in Figures 1 and 9.
[0029] Both the tray and cover are preferably made of a suitable plastic material having the desired flexibility for proper functioning of the container. Preferably, the cover is made of a transparent material such that visual inspection of the eggs may be had.
[0030] In packaging the eggs, each egg is placed in a cell 10 and a gentle downward pressure may be exerted thereon. This causes egg-gripping sections 30 to flex inwardly while exerting a pressure on the eggs. In this respect, it will be noted that egg-gripping sections 30 are arcuate in nature in both directions - i.e. from the top of dome section 28, they curve inwardly down to lower cell wall 22. This permits the eggs to be securely held and the container may be turned upside down without the eggs falling out. The container is sized such that the eggs do not touch bottom cell wall 26. Preferably, the placement of the egg is such that approximately 60% of the height of the egg is below the point of first contact of egg-gripping section 30 with the egg.
[0031] Following placement of the egg in the cell 10, cover C is placed on top. The cover is sized such that dimples 108 are adapted to just touch the top of an egg placed in an egg cell 10. Dimples 108 will act as a cushioning means for the eggs due to the flexible nature of the plastic material forming cover C. As may be seen from the figures, the mating of projections 36 with flange 116 and undercut 114 forms a locking means to retain the cover on the tray. In addition, the mating of recesses 41 and male projection 115 prevent the side walls 110 from flexing outwardly when a pressure is put on top 106.
[0032] It has been found that the egg container of the present invention may be adapted to hold several different sizes of eggs in a single size container. Due to the nature of egg-gripping sections 30 and the design of the I container, the single size container may serve to package and hold securely both small and medium (and in some instances large) eggs.
1. Egg container being formed of a flexible plastic material which includes a bottom
portion (T,B) and a top portion (C), the top portion (C) being a cover member, the
bottom portion (T,B) including a plurality of spaced apart egg cells (10) each adapted
to received a single egg, each of the egg cells (10) having a generally enclosing
cell side wall (22,32) extending thereabout to thereby define the egg cell (10), and
locking means (36) associated with said bottom portion (T,B) adapted to secure the
cover (C) to the bottom portion (T,B), characterized in that the bottom portion (T,B)
includes a tray member (T) and a base member (B), the tray member (T) being adapted
to fit within the base member (B), said tray member (T) being formed of a single piece
of said flexible plastic material, said base member (B) being formed of a reinforcing
paperboard or cardboard material, said tray member (T) having an enclosing tray side
wall (16) extending about the periphery of said tray member (T) and having generally
vertical wall portions spaced from the cell side walls (22,32,), said base member
(B) having a plurality of wall sections (62) which are secured to the tray side wall
(16) and which wall sections (62) generally extend around the entire exterior surface
area of said tray side wall (16).
2. The egg container of claim 1, characterized in that said cover member (C) is formed
of a transparent material and has a plurality of inwardly projecting egg cushioning
means (108) with a separate inwardly projecting means (108) disposed over each cell
(10).
3. The egg container of claim 1, characterized in that said enclosing cell side wall
(22,32) includes a plurality of inwardly generally convex shaped portions (30) adapted
to flex in response to the pressure of an egg inserted into the cell (10) and to thereby
exert a retaining force on the egg.
4. The egg container of claim 1, characterized in that said tray side wall (16) extends
substantially the full height of the tray member (T).
5. The egg container of claim 1, characterized in that said top portion (C) and said
bottom portion (T) include spaced apart areas to provide ventilation to the interior
of the container.