| 摘要 |
Container (10) for the freezing and very compact storage of fluid foodstuffs of very low viscosity, such as juice, or of higher viscosity, for example, soup concentrate. The container has a substantially rectangular open top (15), generally parallel, slightly downwardly convergent side and end walls (11, 12, 13, 14), the depth of one end wall (13) being substantially greater than the depth of the other end wall (14). The bottom (18) is corrugated and defines, together with the side walls and longer end wall, at least two downwardly depending transverse substantially parallel pockets (19, 20) of equal depth. The spaces between the pockets are greater than the maximum size of the pockets. A transverse, horizontal ledge is provided at one end of the bottom which, in combination with the spaces between the pockets allows the containers and frozen contents to be stacked so that each alternate row is inverted and reversed. The container is constructed of a plastic material which is extensible in response to the expansive force of foregoing freezing foodstuff to prevent 'doming'. The container is provided with expansion ribs (30) to further allow for the lateral expansion of the freezing foodstuff. The present container affords the advantages of not only substantially eliminating 'doming' of the contents but also allowing for the rapid and uniform rate of freezing, the compact storage and the increase in bulk density to facilitate the handling of relatively large volumes of the frozen foodstuff. |
