초록 ▼

A packaging system for tart shells includes transparent plastic lower and upper halves connected together and lockable together by protrusions and recesses in the halves. The upper and lower halves have one or more chambers defined by chamber halves formed in the lower and upper halves that combine

A packaging system for tart shells includes transparent plastic lower and upper halves connected together and lockable together by protrusions and recesses in the halves. The upper and lower halves have one or more chambers defined by chamber halves formed in the lower and upper halves that combine together to form each chamber. In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, anywhere from one to eight chambers may be provided in the packaging system. Concerning each such chamber, the lower half of the packaging system includes a recess sized and configured to receive the undersurface of a tart shell. The upper chamber half includes a generally dome-shaped portion designed to overlie a recess within the tart shell that is normally filled with an edible material and has a lower periphery spaced radially inwardly from the periphery of the lower chamber half. Radially outwardly from the lower periphery of the dome-shaped portion, a ledge is formed that overlies the outer periphery of the lower chamber half. This ledge is sized and configured to capture the periphery of a tart shell contained within the chamber and prevents movement of the tart shell out of snug engagement with the lower chamber half.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A packaging system for tart shells comprising:a) an upper half and a lower half releasably connectable together;b) a chamber formed by portions of said upper and lower halves including an upper chamber half in said upper half and a lower chamber half in said lower half;

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A packaging system for tart shells comprising:a) an upper half and a lower half releasably connectable together;b) a chamber formed by portions of said upper and lower halves including an upper chamber half in said upper half and a lower chamber half in said lower half;c) said lower chamber half including a flat bottom surface and frusto-conical peripheral walls extending from said bottom surface upwardly and continuously to a vertical wall of said lower chamber half, said vertical wall extending upwardly and continuously to an upper horizontal surface of said lower half;d) said upper chamber half comprising a generally dome-like configuration having, relative to the top of the dome-like configuration, a lower periphery connected to an annular ledge, said annular ledge having an outwardly extending horizontal portion and a downwardly extending vertical portion, said annular ledge outwardly extending horizontal portion disposed above a portion of said frusto-conical peripheral walls, said annular ledge downwardly extending vertical portion in axial alignment with said lower chamber half vertical wall and extending to a lower horizontal surface of said upper half, which in turn is adjacent to said upper horizontal surface of said lower half; ande) a frusto-conical tart shell having outwardly extending walls, an upper outer edge and a bottom flat surface, said tart shell being located substantially in said lower chamber half, the upper outer edge of said shell walls, overhanging an upper portion of said frusto-conical peripheral walls of said lower chamber half and the frusto-conical peripheral walls of said lower chamber being angled away from said walls of said tart shell such that a space exists between an upper portion of said shell walls and an upper portion of said lower chamber peripheral walls, an upper surface of said outer edge of said tart shell contacting said annular ledge outwardly extending horizontal portion while simultaneously a bottom flat surface of said tart shell contacts and conforms to said flat bottom surface of said lower chamber half so that said tart shell is retained within said lower chamber half even if said packaging system is inverted.