Clamshell Containers

The present disclosure relates to containers for products such as produce, protein, processed foods, and any product needing to be viewed through the container, and more particularly to clamshell type containers.

Traditional clamshell containers for produce and the like are made of transparent polymer materials. These containers allow for consumers to inspect the contents prior to purchasing. For example, berries are typically sold to consumers in clear plastic containers that allow the consumers to visually inspect the berries to confirm freshness, ripeness, quantity, and the like, without opening the container. In order to handle bulk amounts of these plastic containers, they are typically grouped into stacking trays. The stacking trays can be stacked onto pallets for shipping.

The conventional techniques have been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is an ever present need for improved systems and methods for containers. This disclosure provides a solution for this need.

A container includes a container body of a corrugated paper material. The container body defines a tray and a clamshell lid hinged to the tray for movement between a closed position wherein the clamshell lid and tray enclose an interior space of the container body and an open position wherein the clamshell lid is clear of a top opening of the tray for access to the interior space. The tray includes a bottom panel defining a bottom window opening. The clamshell lid includes a top panel defining a top window opening. The top window opening and the bottom window opening are separated from one another by corrugated paper material of the container body. In the closed position, the top window opening is opposite from the bottom window opening. A transparent film is connected to the container body, covering over at least one of the window openings.

The transparent film can be adhered to an inside surface of the container body and can cover over the first and second bottom window openings. The transparent film can be a first transparent film that covers only the top window opening. A second transparent film spaced apart from the first transparent film can cover over the bottom window opening. It is also contemplated that a single transparent film can cover both the top window opening and the bottom window opening.

The bottom panel can be bounded by panel edges. The bottom window opening can be spaced apart from all of the panel edges. A second bottom window opening can be spaced apart from the first bottom window opening by a beam of the corrugated paper material. The beam of corrugated paper material can extend across the bottom panel, spanning a frame of the corrugated paper material defined in the bottom panel adjacent the panel edges. The beam can be configured to provide reinforcement to the transparent film against sag with contents bearing weight down on the transparent film.

The tray can include glue flaps securing sidewall panels in an upright position. The glue flaps can be outside of the interior space, configured to reduce abrasion of product within the interior space. In the closed position, three sidewall panels of the clamshell lid can all be outside of the interior space.

The top window opening can extend over at least one fold line into at least one respective sidewall panel of the clamshell lid. Side tray panels of the tray can include upward extending stacking tabs that protrude through corresponding apertures in the clamshell lid in the closed position. The bottom panel can include stacking apertures aligned with the stacking tabs for receiving stacking tabs of another container. Side lid panels of the clamshell lid can include upward extending stacking tabs and stacking notches aligned with the stacking tabs configured for receiving stacking tabs of another container.

A blank for forming a clamshell container includes a tray portion including a plurality of tray panels configured to form a tray for holding product in an interior space. The plurality of tray panels includes a bottom panel configured to define a bottom of a tray defining a bottom window opening therethrough, a front tray panel connected to the bottom panel, a back tray panel connected to the bottom panel opposite from the front tray panel, a first side tray panel connected to the bottom panel lateral from the front and back tray panels, and a second side tray panel connected to the bottom panel opposite from the first side tray panel. A lid portion includes a plurality of lid panels configured to form a clamshell lid for enclouding product in the interior space. The plurality of lid panels includes a top panel configured to define a top of the clamshell lid defining a top window opening therethrough. The top panel is connected to the back tray panel along a hinge line configured for moving the clamshell lid back and forth between an open position and a closed position relative to the tray. The plurality of lid panels includes a front lid panel connected to the top panel opposite the hinge line, a first side lid panel connected to the top panel lateral from the front lid panel, and a second side lid panel connected to the top panel opposite the first side lid panel. A transparent film is mounted to at least one of the tray portion and/or the lid portion, covering over at least one of the top and bottom window openings. The tray portion and the lid portion are of a corrugated paper material.

The transparent film can cover only the top window opening, and a second transparent film spaced apart from the first transparent film can cover over the bottom window opening. It is also contemplated that a single transparent film can cover both the top window opening and the bottom window opening.

The bottom panel can be bounded by panel edges. the bottom window opening can be spaced apart from all of the panel edges. A second bottom window opening can be included in the bottom panel spaced apart from the first bottom window opening by a beam of the corrugated paper material. The beam of corrugated paper material can extend across the bottom panel, spanning a frame of the corrugated paper material defined in the bottom panel adjacent the panel edges. The transparent film can be adhered to an inside surface of the corrugated paper material and can cover over the first and second bottom window openings. The beam can be configured to provide reinforcement to the transparent film against sag with contents bearing weight down on the transparent film. The top window opening can extend over at least one fold line into at least one respective sidewall panel of the clamshell lid.

Side tray panels of the tray can include stacking tabs that are configured to protrude upward through corresponding apertures in the clamshell lid in the closed position. The bottom panel can include stacking apertures aligned with the stacking tabs for receiving stacking tabs of another container. Side lid panels of the clamshell lid can include stacking tabs configured to extend upward in a first container formed from the blank and stacking notches aligned with the stacking tabs configured for receiving stacking tabs of a second container.

A front pair of glue flaps can extend from opposite ends of the front tray panel. A back pair of glue flaps can extend from opposite ends of the back tray panel. The front and back pairs of glue flaps can be configured to be adhered to outside surfaces of the first and second side tray panels to form sidewall panels of a tray of a container formed from the blank. The glue flaps can be configured to be outside of an interior space of the container to reduce abrasion of product within the interior space. A top pair of glue flaps can extend from respective front ends of the first and second side lid panels opposite the hinge line, configured to be adhered to an inside surface of the front lid panel, to form the sidewall panels of the clamshell lid in the container formed from the blank such that in the closed position, three sidewall panels of the clamshell lid are all outside of the interior space

These and other features of the systems and methods of the subject disclosure will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings.

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subject disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a partial view of an embodiment of a container in accordance with the disclosure is shown inand is designated generally by reference character. Other embodiments of systems in accordance with the disclosure, or aspects thereof, are provided in, as will be described. The systems and methods described herein can be used to provide see-through clamshell containers for product utilizing corrugated paper material.

The containerincludes a container bodyof a corrugated paper material, e.g. a corrugated sheet of paper adhered between two flat sheets of paper, as shown in the cut edges of the containerin. The container bodydefines a trayand a clamshell lidhinged to the trayfor movement between an open position as shown inand a closed position as shown in. In the open position of, the clamshell lidis clear of a top openingof the trayfor access to the interior space. In the closed position of, the clamshell lidand trayenclose the interior spaceof the container body.

With continued reference to, the trayincludes a bottom paneldefining first and second bottom window openings,. The clamshell lidincludes a top paneldefining a top window opening. The top window openingand the bottom window openings,are separated from one another by corrugated paper material of the container body. In the closed position, shown in, the top window openingis opposite from the bottom window openings,. A transparent filmis connected to the container body, covering over at least one of the window openings,,. In, the transparent filmis a single film that covers the top window openingand the bottom window openings,. As shown in, it is also contemplated that multiple separate films can be used. In, a first transparent filmcovers only the top window opening. A separate second transparent filmis spaced apart from the first transparent filmand covers over both of the bottom window openings,. The transparent film or filmscan be permeable to air and water vapor, e.g. as a permeable film per se, or as an impermeable film that is perforated as needed.

Referring to, where the blankfor forming the containerofis shown, the bottom panelis bounded by panel edges, i.e. the fold linesthat connect the bottom panelwith the sidewall panels,,,of the tray. Each of the bottom window openings,is spaced apart from all of the panel edges, and the top window openingis similarly spaded apart from all edges to the top panel. The second bottom window openingis spaced apart from the first bottom window openingby a beamof the corrugated paper material. The beamof corrugated paper material extends across the bottom panel, spanning a rectangular frameof the corrugated paper material defined in the bottom paneladjacent to and following the panel edges. The transparent filmis adhered to an inside surface of the container body, as shown in. The beamis thus configured to provide reinforcement to the transparent filmagainst sagging when contents of the containerbear weight down on the transparent film.

With continued reference to, the blankfor forming the clamshell containerofincludes a tray portion, i.e. the portion for forming the tray. This includes a plurality of tray panels configured to form the trayshown in. The plurality of tray panels includes the bottom paneland a set of tray sidewall panels. These tray sidewall panels include a front tray panelconnected to the bottom panelalong a fold line, a back tray panelconnected to the bottom panelalong a fold lineopposite from the front tray panel, a first side tray panelconnected to the bottom panelalong a fold linelateral from the front and back tray panels,, and a second side tray panelconnected to the bottom panelalong a fold oneopposite from the first side tray panel.

With continued reference to, a lid portion of the blankcorresponds to the portions of the blankthat form into the clamshell lidshown in. The lid portion includes a plurality of lid panels that form a clamshell lid. The plurality of lid panels includes the top panelthat is configured to define a top of the clamshell lidas shown in. The top panelis connected to the back tray panelalong a hinge line, i.e. the fold lineconnecting the panels,to one another, that configured for moving the clamshell lidback and forth between the open position ofand the closed position ofrelative to the tray. The plurality of lid panels include three lid sidewall panels, namely a front lid panelconnected to the top panelalong a fold lineopposite the hinge line, a first side lid panelconnected to the top panelalong a fold linelateral from the front lid panel, and a second side lid panelconnected to the top panelalong a fold lineopposite the first side lid panel. The tray and lid portions of the blankare of corrugated paper material. The transparent filmis mounted, e.g. adhered, to one side of the corrugated paper material, covering over the window openings,,as described above.

A front pair of glue flapsextend from opposite ends of the front tray panel. A back pair of glue flapsextend from opposite ends of the back tray panel. In forming the blankofinto the container of, the front and back pairs of glue flaps,are adhered to outside surfaces of the first and second side tray panels,to secure the sidewall panels of the trayin an upright position. As shown in, the glue flaps,are all outside of the interior space, giving the sidewalls in the traya smooth interior surface configured to reduce abrasion of product within the interior space. A top pair of glue flapsextend from a front end of each of the side lid panels,opposite from the hinge, or could extend from opposite ends of the front lid panel. In the containerofformed from the blank of, the glue flapsare adhered to an inside surface of the front lid panelto form the upright sidewall panels,,of the clamshell lidsuch that in the closed position shown inall three sidewall panels,,of the clamshell lidare all outside of the interior space.

With continued reference to, the side tray panels,of the trayinclude upward extending stacking tabsthat protrude through corresponding aperturesin the clamshell lidin the closed position shown on. The bottom panelincludes stacking apertures, which extend over the respective fold lines into the respective side tray panels,. The stacking aperturesare aligned with the stacking tabsfor receiving stacking tabsof another container for stacking multiple containersand keeping them aligned. As shown in, the containerand blankcan optionally include contoursin the edges of sidewall panels,,. The contoursallow for the top window openingto extend over the respective fold lines into respective sidewall panels,,of the clamshell lid.

With reference now to, another configuration of the containerand blankare shown, respectively, similar to those in, but with a different configuration of stacking tabs. In the configuration shown in, the side lid panelsinclude upward extending stacking tabs. The side lid panelsalso include stacking notchesaligned with the stacking tabsconfigured for receiving stacking tabsof another container for stacking as described above with respect to.

As shown in, containersas described above allow for stacking of the clamshell containerson a palletwithout the need for a separate tray or container to hold the containerson the palletor in the stack. The containerscan hold produce such as berries, fruits, vegetables, protein foods, processed foods, or any other suitable product benefiting from windows. This can be used to replace the traditional plastic clamshell containers and the layer trays holding the plastic clamshells in stacks and on pallets.

The methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described above and shown in the drawings, provide for see-through clamshell containers for product utilizing corrugated paper material. While the apparatus and methods of the subject disclosure have been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that changes and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure.