COMBINATION SEAL/EASY-OPEN FEATURE FOR TRAY PACKS

FOOD RATIONS ARE PACKAGED FOR MILITARY AND CIVILIAN USE AS A PRECOOKED, PREMEASURED MEAL PORTION. THESE MEALS ARE TYPICALLY ASSEMBLED IN A SEALED TRAY AND PRESERVED FOR CONSUMPTION AT A LATER DATE. CURRENT DESIGNS OF MILITARY FOOD TRAYS ARE METALLIC AND MUST BE OPENED WITH A CAN OPENER. THIS POSES SEVERAL UNDESIRABLE CHARACTERISTICS. AMONG THESE ARE READY ACCESS TO A CAN OPENER. LOSS OF THE CAN OPENER FORCES USE OF A KNIFE OR BAYONET WHICH MAY BE UNSANITARY. THE CAN OPENER AND THE KNIFE BOTH PRODUCE UNDESIRABLE SHARP EDGES. ALSO, THE METAL TRAY CANNOT BE HEATED BY QUICK METHODS. THE METAL TRAYS ALSO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE EXCESSIVE NOISE IN FIELD OPERATIONS IN TRANSPORT AND IN OPENING FOR CONSUMPTION. AN EASY OPENING MECHANISM WILL BE DEVELOPED THAT WILL BE ADAPTABLE TO THE CURRENT METAL FOOD TRAYS AS WELL AS THE POLYMERIC ONES UNDER DEVELOPMENT. THE MECHANISM WILL SEAL THE CONTENTS AND WILL BE QUIET IN OPERATION.