JAR AND LID TRAY SYSTEM

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/624,040, filed on Jan. 23, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The disclosed invention relates to a packaging system utilizing product packaging trays, and more specifically, to a packaging system utilizing trays for the stacking and packaging of jars and lids as used in forming a canning assembly for a canning process.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to provide a process for preserving food through canning. The process for canning to preserve food was first proven in the early 1800's and used a container such as a glass jar, a flat lid made of metal such as tin, and a seal such as wax. Later improvements to the early canning process came with the advent of the Mason jar and its reusable screw-on threaded band for providing a sealing mechanism between a metal lid of zinc with a rubber ring and a glass container with a mating thread molded at the opening. The rubber ring created a seal maintained by the threaded band screwed in place. Throughout its history, the metal lid and wax seal have not been reusable.

The advent and development of these components provided an affordable and easy to use method for home canning and became popular for preserving consumable foodstuff such as sauces, pickles, relishes, fruit, and tomatoes. This was an important development in the era pre-dating the common use of refrigeration and convenience stores for obtaining and keeping food from spoilage.

Other developments have followed to accomplish the same results, for example, jar variations allowing the use of glass lids held in place with a metal clamp for eliminating corrosion concerns and subsequent loss of seal, which can lead to food contamination. Further improvements to this style of jar and seal included a raised lip to help keep the jar from cracking.

Mass production and distribution of glass canning jars began in the early 1900's, led by the Ball Corporation. Easier to fill wide-mouth jars were introduced around this time, as well as the innovation of permanently attaching the gasket seal to the metal lid. By 1915, a smaller, flat metal lid with the same permanent composition gasket seal had been developed using the same practice of screwing a metal band onto a glass jar to seal and hold the lid in place during hot water processing. This improved the two-part lid system, thereby allowing canning jars to be used over and over with low cost and easy to use disposable metal lids that are presently still commonly in use.

Transport, stacking, and storage of canning lids, whether new or reused, causes challenges given the general non-stackable nature of two-part lid assemblies when each such tow-part lid assembly is provided without a respective container affixed thereto. That is, the elements forming the two-part lid assembly described above are not typically provided to include any form of nesting or complimentary features, and also are not dimensioned to occupy open spaces present between adjacent containers, hence a space-efficient packing of such two-part lid assemblies is not readily available.

In order to prevent damage during shipping, it is known to package canning jars, including both the container and the corresponding lid assembly of each of the canning jars, within an inner box that is subsequently placed within another outer box with packaging materials disposed therebetween. This configuration is intended to allow for the outer box to be dropped from approximately 30 inches onto a concrete surface without breaking the glass containers disposed therein. However, this configuration is excessively time consuming and complex to package, which leads to increased cycle time and the use of excess materials that negatively impact the weight of the resulting package.

There is accordingly a need for an improved and simplified system and method for the packaging and shipping of canning jars that results in a reduced packaging space and weight while also aiding in preventing damage to the canning jars when so packaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Concordant and congruous with the present invention, a new and improved packaging system for transporting, stacking, and/or storing canning jars has surprisingly been discovered.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a packaging system for the packaging of a plurality of canning jars each including a canning container, a lid element, and a retainer element includes a first tray formed by a first wall. The first wall includes a plurality of first container retention structures formed therein with each of the first container retention structures forming an indentation configured to receive a first end portion of one of the canning containers therein. The first wall further includes a plurality of lid retention structures formed therein with each of the lid retention structures configured to threadably engage one of the retainer elements to couple each of the retainer elements to the first tray with a corresponding one of the lid elements disposed between the first tray and one of the retainer elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above, as well as other advantages of the present invention, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective and partially exploded view of a packaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational exploded view of the packaging system;

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of an upper tray of the packaging system;

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the upper tray;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a lid retention structure of the upper tray;

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of a lower tray of the packaging system;

FIG. 7 is a perspective cross-sectional view taken through a row of canning jar assemblies when disposed within the packaging system;

FIG. 8 is an elevational cross-sectional view taken through a row of the canning jar assemblies when disposed within the packaging system and when wrapped with a retaining wrap; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary elevational cross-sectional view showing an interaction between a retainer element and lid element of a canning jar with a lid retention structure of the upper tray upon removal thereof from the packaging system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The following description of technology is merely exemplary in nature of the subject matter, manufacture and use of one or more inventions, and is not intended to limit the scope, application, or uses of any specific invention claimed in this application or in such other applications as may be filed claiming priority to this application, or patents issuing therefrom. Regarding methods disclosed, the order of the steps presented is exemplary in nature, and thus, the order of the steps can be different in various embodiments. “A” and “an” as used herein indicate “at least one” of the item is present; a plurality of such items may be present, when possible. Except where otherwise expressly indicated, all numerical quantities in this description are to be understood as modified by the word “about” and all geometric and spatial descriptors are to be understood as modified by the word “substantially” in describing the broadest scope of the technology. “About” when applied to numerical values indicates that the calculation or the measurement allows some slight imprecision in the value (with some approach to exactness in the value; approximately or reasonably close to the value; nearly). If, for some reason, the imprecision provided by “about” and/or “substantially” is not otherwise understood in the art with this ordinary meaning, then “about” and/or “substantially” as used herein indicates at least variations that may arise from ordinary methods of measuring or using such parameters.

All documents, including patents, patent applications, and scientific literature cited in this detailed description are incorporated herein by reference, unless otherwise expressly indicated. Where any conflict or ambiguity may exist between a document incorporated by reference and this detailed description, the present detailed description controls.

Although the open-ended term “comprising,” as a synonym of non-restrictive terms such as including, containing, or having, is used herein to describe and claim embodiments of the present technology, embodiments may alternatively be described using more limiting terms such as “consisting of” or “consisting essentially of.” Thus, for any given embodiment reciting materials, components, or process steps, the present technology also specifically includes embodiments consisting of, or consisting essentially of, such materials, components, or process steps excluding additional materials, components or processes (for consisting of) and excluding additional materials, components or processes affecting the significant properties of the embodiment (for consisting essentially of), even though such additional materials, components or processes are not explicitly recited in this application. For example, recitation of a composition or process reciting elements A, B and C specifically envisions embodiments consisting of, and consisting essentially of, A, B and C, excluding an element D that may be recited in the art, even though element D is not explicitly described as being excluded herein.

As referred to herein, disclosures of ranges are, unless specified otherwise, inclusive of endpoints and include all distinct values and further divided ranges within the entire range. Thus, for example, a range of “from A to B” or “from about A to about B” is inclusive of A and of B. Disclosure of values and ranges of values for specific parameters (such as amounts, weight percentages, etc.) are not exclusive of other values and ranges of values useful herein. It is envisioned that two or more specific exemplified values for a given parameter may define endpoints for a range of values that may be claimed for the parameter. For example, if Parameter X is exemplified herein to have value A and also exemplified to have value Z, it is envisioned that Parameter X may have a range of values from about A to about Z. Similarly, it is envisioned that disclosure of two or more ranges of values for a parameter (whether such ranges are nested, overlapping or distinct) subsume all possible combination of ranges for the value that might be claimed using endpoints of the disclosed ranges. For example, if Parameter X is exemplified herein to have values in the range of 1-10, or 2-9, or 3-8, it is also envisioned that Parameter X may have other ranges of values including 1-9, 1-8, 1-3, 1-2, 2-10, 2-8, 2-3, 3-10, 3-9, and so on.

When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.

Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

FIGS. 1 and 2 disclose a packaging system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The packaging system 100 is configured for the packaging of one or more canning jars in a manner facilitating the transport, handling, stacking, or storage of such canning jars in an effective and efficient manner. As utilized herein, each of the canning jars associated with the packaging system 100 comprises each of a canning container 3, a lid element 10, and a retainer element 70, wherein the lid element 10 and the retainer element 70 may be removably coupled to the corresponding container 3 to form a canning jar assembly during a corresponding canning process. The manner of operation and a method of assembling each such canning jar assembly is described briefly hereinafter to provide context to the advantageous features of the packaging system 100 in aiding in conducting a canning process and/or in storing the components forming each such canning jar assembly.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5, and 9, the lid element 10 generally includes a peripheral portion 12, a channel portion 20, and a domed portion 30. During a canning process, the peripheral portion 12 of the lid element 10 is configured to be disposed between a rim 6 of the canning container 3 and a radially extending portion 72 of the retainer element 70 when the retainer element 70 is threadably engaging a thread formed along a cylindrical finish portion 7 of the canning container 3. The lid element 10 is described hereinafter as including an inner face 10a and an opposing outer face 10b, wherein the inner face 10a refers to an outer surface of the lid element 10 facing in an interior axial direction into the interior of the canning container 3 when the lid element 10 is coupled thereto, whereas the outer face 10b refers to the outer surface of the lid element 10 facing in an exterior axial direction away from the interior of the canning container 3 when the lid element 10 is coupled thereto.

The domed portion 30 forms a central portion of the lid element 10 and includes a circular perimeter shape. The channel portion 20 is disposed radially outwardly of the domed portion 30, and the peripheral portion 12 is disposed radially outwardly of the channel portion 20 about a periphery of the lid element 10. The peripheral portion 12 and the channel portion 20 are each annular in shape. When the lid element 10 is coupled to the rim 6 of the canning container 3, the channel portion 20 projects axially in the interior axial direction away from each of the peripheral portion 12 and the dome portion 30 and forms an axially distal surface of the lid element 10 along the inner face 10a thereof.

The lid element 10 further includes a sealing element 50 disposed along the peripheral portion 12 thereof. Specifically, the sealing element 50 is disposed within a concave surface formed annularly along the inner face 10a of the lid element 10 immediately adjacent a periphery of the lid element 10. The sealing element 50 may be formed from a flexible and resilient elastomeric material, such as a suitable rubber. The sealing element 50 is configured to engage an axial end portion of the rim 6 of the canning container 3 during a canning process. The sealing element 50 may be configured to sealingly engage the rim 6 when a pressure differential is formed between the interior and the exterior of the canning container 3 with respect to the opposing faces 10a, 10b of the lid element 10 such that the lid element 10 is urged in the interior axial direction and the sealing element 50 is compressed in the axial direction between the peripheral portion 12 and the rim 6. The lid element 10 is thus configured for use with a canning container 3 having a rim 6 of a specified radius/diameter suitable for sealingly engaging the corresponding sealing element 50. The sealing element 50 may accordingly extend annularly along those radial positions corresponding to a nominal radius of the rim 6 of the canning container 3 to ensure contact therebetween when the lid element 10 is centered relative to the rim 6.

The retaining element 70 includes an axially extending portion 71 and the previously mentioned radially extending portion 72 for engaging the peripheral portion 12 of the lid element 10. The axially extending portion 71 is substantially cylindrical in shape and includes an inner circumferential surface having a thread 79 configured to engage the thread formed along the finish portion 7 of the canning container 3. The axially extending portion 71 extends axially from a first end to an opposing second end, wherein the first end is open and configured for reception over the finish portion 7 of the canning container 3 and the second end intersects the inwardly turned radially extending portion 72. The radially extending portion 72 is annular in shape and extends radially inwardly from the axially extending portion 71 until terminating at a lip defining a periphery of a circular opening through the radially extending portion 72 configured for axial alignment with the dome portion 30 of the lid element 10 when coupled to the canning container 3.

The canning container 3 extends axially from a first end 4 to a second end 5, wherein the first end 4 represents an upper end of the canning container 3 and the second end 5 represents a lower end thereof when the canning container 3 is disposed in an upright configuration. The first end 4 includes the rim 6 defining a periphery of an opening leading into an interior of the canning container 3. The previously mentioned finish portion 7 refers to a cylindrical portion of the canning container 3 extending axially downwardly from the rim 6 (when in the upright configuration) and including the thread (not shown) for engaging the thread 79 of the retainer element 70. A body portion 9 of the canning container 3 generally refers a portion of the canning container 3 defined by a sidewall thereof that extends primarily in the axial direction between the finish portion 7 and a bottom portion 40 of the canning container 3 disposed at the second end 5 thereof. The body portion 9 may include a neck portion and an enlarged portion, wherein the neck portion tapers radially outwardly when extending axially from the finish portion 7 towards the enlarged portion. However, the canning container 3 may have substantially any configuration of the body portion 9 while remaining within the scope of the present invention. The bottom portion 40 of the canning container 3 includes a bottom wall 42 arranged substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the canning container 3.

The packaging system 100 includes a first tray 200 and a second tray 300, wherein the first tray 200 is referred to as the upper tray 200 and the second tray 300 is referred to as the lower tray 300 hereinafter in accordance with the typical orientation of the packaging system 100 as shown in FIG. 1. However, it should be understood that the packaging system 100 may be reoriented to include a different configuration of the trays 200, 300 relative to the vertical direction of gravity without departing from the scope of the present invention. Further, a height direction of the packaging system 100 as utilized hereinafter refers to the (vertical) direction of spacing present between the trays 200, 300 when in the configuration shown in FIG. 1, which also coincides with the direction of stacking of the trays 200, 300 and the canning jar components 3, 10, 70 when the packaging system 100 is assembled into the configuration shown in FIG. 1. As used hereinafter, the packaging system 100 further includes a length direction and a width direction, each of which is horizontally arranged in the illustrated configuration. The length direction is perpendicular to the width direction, and both the length direction and the width direction are perpendicular to the height direction.

The packaging system 100 is shown as packaging twelve different canning jars with each of the canning jars including a corresponding container 3, lid element 10, and retainer element 70 arranged in alignment with each other along the height direction, which also coincides with what may be referred to as the axial direction of each of the corresponding components 3, 10, 70 when packaged within the packaging system 100. The packaging system 100 as shown includes the twelve different groupings of the components 3, 10, 70 forming each respective canning jar as being arranged in a 3×4 grid pattern comprising four rows of the canning jars extending in the length direction and three columns of the canning jars extending in the width direction, wherein equal spacings are present between adjacent canning jars with respect to both the width direction and the length direction.

As explained hereinafter, each of the trays 200, 300 includes features suitable for mating or otherwise engaging corresponding structures of each of the canning jars, hence it should be apparent that each such feature is likewise arranged into a corresponding pattern or array matching that of the canning jars themselves, which in the present case results in each of the described features of the trays 200, 300 being arranged in a 3×4 grid of columns and rows. It should be apparent to one skilled in the art that different numbers of canning jars may be packaged within the packaging system 100 via an adjustment of the number of rows and/or columns of the canning jars and corresponding features of the trays 200, 300, hence the present invention is not limited to the number and configuration of canning jars shown throughout the figures.

Both the upper tray 200 and the lower tray 300 are provided as thin-walled structures where features shown and described as being formed in a first major surface of each of the respective trays 200, 300 are correspondingly formed in an oppositely arranged second major surface of each of the respective trays 200, 300 while offset therefrom by the thickness of the corresponding wall defining each of the opposing major surfaces. As such, it should be apparent that concave indentations or depressions formed in the first major surface take on the form of convex projections or extensions in the opposing second major surface, and vice versa, with respect to each of the trays 200, 300, even when not explicitly described as doing so.

The upper tray 200 is formed by a first wall 201 having a first major surface 201a and an oppositely arranged second major surface 201b, wherein a thickness of the first wall 201 is measured between the opposing major surfaces 201a, 201b. When in the upright configuration of FIG. 1, the first major surface 201a generally faces vertically upwardly with respect to the height direction while the second major surface 201b generally faces vertically downwardly with respect to the height direction. As shown, the first major surface 201a is configured to face towards and engage the lid element 10 and the retainer element 70 associated with a corresponding one of the canning jars whereas the second major surface 201b is configured to face towards and engage the canning container 3 associated with the corresponding one of the canning jars.

The first wall 201 is formed to include an upwardly facing lip 202 having a substantially rectangular or rounded rectangular shape about a periphery of the first wall 201, wherein the lip 202 acts as a boundary where the major surfaces 201a, 201b of the first wall 201 intersect about the periphery thereof. A peripheral segment 204 of the first wall 201 depends axially downwardly from the lip 202 about the periphery of the upper tray 200 and may be slightly tapered inwardly (inclined) when extending vertically away from the lip 202 and towards a base segment 206 of the first wall 201 offset vertically downwardly from the lip 202 with respect to the height direction, thereby aiding in facilitating a stacking of multiple of the upper trays 200 when not utilized in forming the assembled packaging system 100. The base segment 206 may be substantially planar in configuration and may extend in the width and length directions of the packaging system 100.

The first wall 201 of the upper tray 200 includes the formation of a plurality of first container retention structures 220 therein at positions disposed along the base segment 206 inward from the peripheral segment 204, wherein each of the first container retention structures 220 is associated with retention of a corresponding canning jar having a respective container 3, lid element 10, and retainer element 70, thereby resulting in a 3×4 grid of the first container retention structures 220 formed within the base segment 206 of the first wall 201.

Each of the first container retentions structures 220 is provided as a segment of the first wall 201 including a substantially cylindrical circumferential wall segment 224 extending primarily in the height direction as well as an end wall segment 222 extending primarily in a radial direction of the circumferential wall segment 224. Each of the first container retention structures 220 is provided as a projection projecting outwardly from the base segment 206 in the vertical upward direction with respect to the first major surface 201a of the first wall 201. Conversely, each of the first container retention structures 220 is provided as an indentation or depression indented inwardly from the base segment 206 in the vertical upward direction with respect to the second major surface 201b of the first wall 201.

The circumferential wall segment 224 projects vertically upwardly away from the base segment 206 such that each of the first container retention structures 220 includes a greater height than does the peripheral segment 204 of the first wall 201, thereby leading to the end wall segment 222 being disposed vertically above the lip 202 with respect to the height direction. The circumferential wall segment 224 includes an inner diameter that is substantially similar to (and slightly greater than) an outer diameter of the canning container 3 along the bottom portion 40 and/or the body portion 9 thereof, thereby facilitating reception of at least a portion of the bottom portion 40 of a respective canning container 3 within the cylindrical indentation formed by the respective first container retention structure 220 along the second major surface 201b of the first wall 201.

The circumferential wall segment 224 may be tapered slightly inwardly in a direction towards the end wall segment 222 to facilitate the stacking of the first container retention structures 220 of adjacent ones of the upper trays 200 when the upper trays 200 are removed from multiple of the disclosed packaging systems 100 and ready for subsequent storage. The described taper also aids in piloting the bottom portion 40 of the corresponding canning container 3 into the complimentary indentation formed by the corresponding first container retention structure 220 when the bottom portion 40 approaches the upper tray 200 from an underside thereof, which refers to movement of the bottom portion 40 in the vertical upward direction towards the second major surface 201b of the first wall 201 from the perspective of FIG. 1.

The first wall 201 of the upper tray 200 further includes the formation of a plurality of lid retention structures 250 therein, wherein each of the lid retention structures 250 is associated with and extending from a corresponding one of the first container retention structures 220. Each of the lid retention structures 250 is thus aligned with a corresponding canning jar and all associated components 3, 10, 70 thereof in similar fashion to the first container retention structures 220, thereby resulting in a 3×4 grid pattern of the lid retention structures 250 corresponding to that of the first container retention structures 220.

In the illustrated embodiment, as best shown in FIG. 5 herein, each of the lid retention structures 250 is formed by the cooperation of three different retention projections 252 projecting vertically upwardly from the base wall segment 222 of the corresponding first container retention structure 220 with respect to the first major surface 201a of the first wall 201. Each of the retention projections 252 includes a radially outwardly disposed cylindrical surface segment 254 having a shape and configuration corresponding to that of a cylinder centered relative to the corresponding first container retention structure 220 while having interruptions in the form of open spaces 270 present between adjacent ones of the retention projections 252, which are angularly displaced from one another by a common angular spacing with respect to a center of the cylindrical shape cooperatively formed by the cylindrical surface segments 254. The open spaces 270 may be provided to allow for the fingers of a manual operator to reach between the retention projections 252 in attempting to grasp or remove one or both of the lid element 10 or the retainer element 70 from the corresponding lid retention structure 250 when resting thereon.

The cylindrical shape corresponding to the cooperation of the cylindrical surface segments 254 includes an outer diameter slightly smaller than an inner diameter of the axially extending portion 71 of the retainer element 70 to allow the axially extending portion 71 to be received over the top of the annular array of the retention projections 252. Each of the cylindrical surface segments 254 further includes one or more thread segments 260 configured to threadably engage the thread 79 of the axially extending portion 71 of the retainer element 70 to allow for the threaded engagement and retention of the retainer element 70 to a corresponding one of the lid retention structures 250 in similar fashion to the coupling of the retainer element 70 to the finish portion 7 of the canning container 3. Each of the thread segments 260 is provided as a radially outwardly extending projection, but any configuration of the thread segments 260 suitable for mating with the thread 79 may be utilized while remaining within the scope of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the circular lid element 10 of the corresponding canning jar is configured for reception between the radially extending portion 72 of the retainer element 70 and the retention projections 252 cooperatively forming a corresponding one of the lid retention structures 250 while the lid element 10 is also received within the inner diameter of the axially extending portion 70 of the retainer element 70. The lid element 10 is thus able to also be retained relative to the upper tray 200 upon a threaded coupling of the retainer element 70 to the corresponding one of the lid retention structures 250 while the lid element 10 is constrained therebetween.

Referring back to FIG. 5, each of the retention projections 252 includes a first annular surface segment 262 and a radially outwardly disposed second annular surface segment 264 disposed along an upwardly distal portion of each of the retention projections 252, wherein each of the segments 262, 264 forms a segment of an annularly extending surface having a radius of curvature corresponding to a radial distance of the respective segment 262, 264 from the central axis of the corresponding cylindrical shape formed by cooperation of the cylindrical surface segments 254. The first annular surface segment 262 projects upwardly beyond and above the second annular surface segment 264 with respect to the height direction to form an upwardly distalmost surface of each of the retention projections 252, and hence of the cooperatively formed lid retention structure 250 corresponding thereto.

As can be seen in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 7, the channel portion 20 of each of the lid elements 10 is positioned radially to engage the upwardly disposed first annular surface segments 262 when the lid element 10 is received between the retainer element 70 and one of the lid retention structures 250 in a manner preventing direct contact between the sealing element 50 of the lid element 10 and the second annular surface segments 264 due to the spacing in the height direction present therebetween. The retainer element 70 may accordingly be fully threaded onto a corresponding one of the lid retention structures 250 until the intervening lid element 10 includes the channel portion 20 thereof compressively contacting the first annular surface segments 262 such that the sealing element 50 does not need to make compressive contact with any surfaces of the upper tray 200, thereby protecting the sealing element 50 from damage when installed within the packaging system 100 as described.

The lid retention structure 250 does not necessarily need to be formed by the cooperation of a plurality of different and angularly spaced retention projections 252, and may alternatively be formed by any number of projecting shapes that form the described cylindrical circumferentially extending surface(s) suitable for threadably engaging the retainer element 70 in the manner described herein, including the use of a single substantially cylindrical structure devoid of interruptions in the circumferential direction, or including only indentations or other open spaces for allowing passage of a finger under the lid element 10 and/or the retainer element 70. The annular surface segments 262, 264 may also be replaced with continuous annular surfaces or annular surfaces interrupted by indentations or openings, as needed with respect to the selected cylindrical configuration of the lid retention structure.

The first wall 201 is shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 as including various reinforcement features 210 formed therein, wherein said reinforcement features 210 may refer to any features of the first wall 201 deviating from a plane extending in the horizontal length and width directions in order to stiffen the first wall 201 or otherwise prevent undesired bending deformation thereof along certain axes or relative to certain planes. In the provided example, the reinforcement features 210 include raised portions 210a having a shape of the gaps present between adjacent ones of the first container retention structures 220 or the first container retention structures 220 and the peripheral segment 204 of the first wall 201, wherein the raised portions 210a project vertically upwardly from the plane formed by the base segment 206 of the first wall 201. The reinforcement features 210 also include corrugations or ribs 210b that extend in the width and length directions of the packaging system 100 to intersect the first container retention structures 220 along the described 3×4 grid pattern.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the lower tray 300 is formed by a second wall 301 having a first major surface 301a and an oppositely arranged second major surface 301b, wherein a thickness of the second wall 301 is measured between the opposing major surfaces 301a, 301b. When in the upright configuration of FIG. 1, the first major surface 301a generally faces vertically upwardly with respect to the height direction while the second major surface 301b generally faces vertically downwardly with respect to the height direction. As shown, the first major surface 301a is configured to face towards and engage the canning container 3 associated with the corresponding one of the canning jars.

The second wall 301 is formed to include a downwardly facing lip 302 having a substantially rectangular or rounded rectangular shape about a periphery of the second wall 301, wherein the lip 302 acts as a boundary where the major surfaces 301a, 301b of the second wall 301 intersect about the periphery thereof. A peripheral segment 304 of the second wall 301 extends vertically upwardly from the lip 302 about the periphery of the lower tray 300 and may be slightly tapered inwardly (inclined) when extending vertically away from the lip 302 and towards a border segment 306 of the second wall 301 offset vertically upwardly from the lip 302 with respect to the height direction, thereby aiding in facilitating a stacking of multiple of the lower trays 300 when not utilized in forming the assembled packaging system 100. The border segment 306 may be substantially planar in configuration and may extend in the width and length directions of the packaging system 100 around a periphery of the lower tray 300.

The border segment 306 of the second wall 301 may be provided as a relatively large reinforcement feature thereof for providing stiffness to the periphery of the lower tray 300. The border segment 306 may itself include one or reinforcement features 310 formed therealong in the form of one or more depressions 310a formed along the border segment 306 in the vertical downward direction with respect to the first major surface 301a of the second wall 301. A base segment 307 of the second wall 301 is recessed vertically downwardly relative to the border segment 306 and extends primarily along a plane extending in the horizontally arranged length and width directions.

The base segment 307 of the second wall 301 includes a plurality of second container retention structures 320 formed therealong with each of the second container retention structures 320 positioned for vertical alignment with a corresponding canning container 3, first container retention structure 220, and lid retention structure 250, thereby resulting in a 3×4 grid pattern of the second container retention structures 320 as described herein. Each of the second container retention structures 320 is provided as a portion of the second wall 301 configured to engage and/or be received within the correspondingly aligned canning container 3 when assembling the packaging system 100 into the configuration of FIG. 1.

Each of the second container retention structures 320 includes a projection 330 projecting vertically upwardly relative to the base segment 307 with respect to the first major surface 301a of the second wall 302. The projection 330 is substantially cylindrical in shape and may taper radially inwardly towards an upwardly disposed distal end of the projection 330 to facilitate a piloting of the projection 330 through the rim 6 of the canning container 3 and into the interior thereof and/or a stacking of a plurality of the lower trays 300 when removed from a plurality of the packaging system 100. A maximum outer diameter of the projection 330 may accordingly be less than an inner diameter across the rim 6 to allow for reception of the projection 330 therein in the manner described. The projection 330 may include a plurality of indentations 332 formed therealong to aid a manual operator in reaching under the rim 6 and grasping the canning container 3 when removing the canning container 3 from the lower tray 300. The indentations 332 may extend inwardly into the projection 330 while also extending axially along the projection 330 towards the distal end thereof.

Each of the second container retention structures 320 may further include an annular surface 340 formed around a base of the projection 330 at a radial position consistent with alignment of the annular surface 340 with the rim 6 of the canning container 3. The annular surface 340 may be provided with annular spaced and vertically downwardly depressed finger indentations 342 and/or annularly spaced and vertically upwardly embossed rim engaging ridges 344 for further aiding the finger of the manual operator in reaching under the rim 6. Specifically, the ridges 344 space the rim 6 slightly upwardly from a plane of the annular surface 340 while the finger indentations 342 further are depressed relative to the plane of the annular surface 342 to provide additional vertical spacing relative to the rim 6.

The second wall 301 forming the lower tray 300 may further include one or more additional reinforcement features 310 formed therealong in the form of one or more raised portions 310b formed along the base segment 307 and projecting in the vertical upward direction with respect to the first major surface 301a of the second wall 301. The raised portions 310b may be provided to fill the spaces not occupied by one of the second container retention structures 320 along the disclosed grid pattern.

Each of the trays 200, 300 may be formed from a polymeric material, such as a suitable plastic material, having some degree of resiliency such that each of the trays 200, 300 is capable of springing back towards an original configuration thereof following a limited degree of deformation thereof. Each of the trays 200, 300 may be further configured to plastically deform when subjected to a great enough force.

As shown in FIG. 2, assembly of the packaging system 100 includes the projection 330 of each of the respective second container retention structures 320 received within the interior of a corresponding canning container 3 via axial (vertical) passage of the projection 330 through the rim 6 of the canning container 3 until the rim 6 is resting on the first major surface 301a of the second wall 301 about the periphery of the projection 330. The canning containers 3 are accordingly installed into the lower tray 300 when in an inverted and non-upright orientation. This step of receiving the projections 330 within the canning containers 3 may occur with the downwardly disposed rim 302 of the second wall 301 resting on a horizontal surface.

Once all canning containers 3 are located relative to the corresponding ones of the second container retention structures 320, the upper tray 200 is then placed over the arrangement of the canning containers 3 such that the bottom portion 40 of each respective canning container 3 is vertically received within the indentation formed by a corresponding one of the first container retention structures 220, which may include the bottom wall 42 of the canning container 3, or a heel portion thereof, contacting the base segment 222 of the first wall 201 along the corresponding one of the first container retention structures 220. At this point, each of the canning containers 3 includes an open end thereof retained laterally and vertically relative to a corresponding one of the second container retention structures 320 of the lower tray 300 and a closed end thereof retained laterally and vertically relative to a corresponding one of the first container retention structures 220 of the upper tray 200.

Next, one of the lid elements 10 is positioned on the first annular surface segments 262 of each of the respective lid retention structures 250 and one of the retainer elements 70 is threadably engaged with each of the respective lid retention structures 250, thereby coupling a pairing of one of the lid elements 10 and one of the retainer elements 70 to each of the lid retention structures 250.

It should be readily apparent that the described steps may be performed in a different order from that described while still arriving at the same configuration, such as installing the lid elements 10 and retainer elements 70 to the upper tray 200 first, as desired, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the packaging system 100 may further include the use of a retaining wrap 400 and/or a box 500 for ensuring that the trays 200, 300 and the relevant features 3, 10, 70 of each canning jar are maintained in the configuration shown in FIG. 1 following assembly of the packaging system 100 as described thus far. The retaining wrap 400 may refer to any structure or material suitable for applying a compressive force to the packaging system 100 along the vertical/height direction such that the canning container 3 is vertically constrained between the upper tray 200 and the lower tray 300. Preferably, the retaining wrap 400 is formed by a polymeric material configured to contract around the packaging system 100 upon application of an appropriate contraction means. For example, the retaining wrap 400 may be a form of shrink wrap that is configured to contract when exposed to heat or following exposure to heat, thereby allowing for an enclosure formed by the polymeric material to shrink and contract around the packaging system 100 until appropriate compressive forces are applied to the packaging system 100 in the vertical direction such that undesired removal of one of the canning containers 3 from between the trays 200, 300 is not possible. As another example, the retaining wrap 400 may be a polymeric enclosure that is placed under a vacuum to conform the enclosure to the shape of the packaging system 100. As a final example, the retaining wrap 400 is stretched around the packaging system 100 to compressively bind the packaging system 100.

The box 500 may include a base wall and four side walls that at least partially surround/enclose five of the six primary sides of the substantially rectangular cuboid packaging system 100. Use of the box 500 may include the lower tray 300 being fully received within a hollow interior of the box 500 while surrounded by the four side walls with the lip 302 of the lower tray 300 resting on the base wall of the box 500 with the rims 6 of the canning containers 3 spaced apart vertically from the base wall of the box 500. As shown in FIG. 8, the retaining wrap 400 may be applied to the packaging system 100 following reception of the lower portion of the packaging system 100 within the box 500, thereby applying some of the compressive force of the retaining wrap 400 directly to the box 500.

Finally, with reference to FIG. 9, the configuration of each of the lid retention structures 250 may further facilitate use of the upper tray 200 as a lid locating feature following use of the packaging system 100 for transporting and storing the canning containers 3 and lid components 10, 70. That is, the upper tray 200 may be removed from the system 100 and utilized as a feature for locating or organizing the lid components 10, 70 contained within the packaging system 100 during a canning process or when storing such components 10, 70. The offset heights present between the first annular surface segments 262 and the second annular surface segments 264 allows for the central opening formed through the radially extending portion 72 of the retainer element 70 to receive the first annular surface segments 262 therethrough while the radially extending portion 72 rests on the second annular surface segments 264. The first annular surface segments 262 projecting vertically from the second annular surface segments 264 thus forms a locating feature for positioning the retainer element 70 on each of the lid retention structures 250 while in an inverted configuration allowing for the lid element 10 to be received within the interior of the retainer element 70 in a configuration corresponding to operational use of the combination of the lid element 10 and the retainer element 70. The configuration shown in FIG. 9 may accordingly aid an operator in preparing the lid components 10, 70 for a canning process following removal of the lid components 10, 70 from the packaging system 100.

In addition to the advantages already described, the disclosed packaging system 100 also aids in preventing damage to the (glass) canning containers 3 disposed therein due to the manner in which the described container retention structures 220, 320 are capable of acting as shock absorbers for absorbing any forces applied to the packaging system 100 during shipping or handling thereof. This occurs because each of the trays 200, 300 is formed from a resiliently flexible polymeric material capable of slight deformation when exposed to a force, wherein the trays 200, 300 can spring back towards an original configuration thereof following exposure to the force, such as when the packaging system 100 is dropped onto a surface. The container retention structures 220, 320 act as shock absorbers as a result of the manner in which each such feature deviates vertically from the horizontally extending plane otherwise defined by the corresponding tray 200, 300 such that the relatively thin wall 201, 301 of each such tray is able to flex about such transitions from horizontally arranged wall segments to vertically arranged wall segments. Any jolt delivered to the packaging assembly 100 can accordingly be absorbed by such flexing present between offset surfaces or features of each of the trays 200, 300, thereby preventing excessive force from being delivered to the glass canning containers 3.

The disclosed packaging system 100 is also able to be produced to include smaller dimensions and less weight than the box-in-box method proposed herein. The packaging system 100 thus saves materials while also being able to be shipped at lower shipping rates.

From the foregoing description, one ordinarily skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention and, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications to the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.