Abstract:
A container for salad includes a base, a removable cover and a chamber insert which projects through the cover and into the container. The container is sealed by a removable cap. Pressure applied by a user to a portion of the chamber insert releases the cap and allows salad dressing which is stored in an enclosure in the chamber member to flow onto salad ingredients which are in the base. Shaking the container facilitates uniform mixing of the salad dressing with the salad ingredients.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to food containers and more particularly to a salad container with an insert chamber for salad dressing. 
     Prior art relates to containers for storing and transporting salads and includes various conventional containers which are generally bowl-like and relatively shallow in configuration. Salad dressing which is sold along with the salad typically is provided in a small cylindrical container, about the size of a shot glass, which is placed in the bowl-like container along with the salad ingredients. During transportation the salad dressing container is free to move within the bowl-like container and the salad dressing container often opens thereby coating the salad ingredients, causing them to wilt and become unappetizing. 
     An additional problem of the prior art typically occurs when a bowl-like salad container is opened and it is desired to mix the salad dressing and the other salad ingredients. The generally shallow bowl-like configuration of the conventional salad container often causes awkwardness in a mixing process resulting in uneven mixing of the dressing with the other salad ingredients. Spillage of various ingredients can result therefrom. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a salad container with an chamber insert which can be used to store conveniently and transport salad ingredients and salad dressing without unwanted mixing prior to use. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a salad container with a chamber insert that can be used to mix salad ingredients and salad dressing in a neat and efficient manner prior to ingestion. 
     Another object the present invention is to provide a salad container with a chamber insert which can be used to serve mixed salad in a convenient manner. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a salad container with a chamber insert which keeps salad ingredients crisp and free of dressing until they are ready to be eaten. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a salad container with a chamber insert which can be used to mix the salad ingredients and the dressing by shaking. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a salad container with a chamber insert which facilitates uniform mixing of th salad ingredients and the salad dressing. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a salad container with a chamber insert which prevents spillage of salad ingredients. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a salad container which includes a relatively small number of component parts, each of which can be manufactured economically in volume resulting in a low overall cost. 
     The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly hereinafter. 
     In accordance with the present invention there is provided a salad container having a chamber insert which container includes: a container base, a removable container cover, a chamber insert and a removable cap which seals an enclosure in the chamber insert. The chamber insert projects through an opening in the container cover. The cap includes a shaft, the end of which projects proximate to a central portion of the chamber insert. Pressure applied by a user to a central flexible portion of the chamber insert applies a force to the shaft which releases the cap from the chamber insert and allows salad dressing, which is stored in the enclosure in the chamber insert, to flow onto salad ingredients in the container. Shaking the salad container facilitates efficient and uniform mixing of the salad ingredients with the salad dressing. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing and other objectives and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully from a detailed description thereof which follows. The description should be read in conjunction with accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a salad container having an internal chamber made in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the salad container of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional elevational view taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional elevational view similar to FIG. 3, showing the cap dislodged from the chamber insert; and 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 are detail views showing an alternate interlocking connection for a cover and base of the salad container. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers designate like or corresponding parts throughout, there is shown a salad container generally designated  10  having a dressing enclosure  15  in a dressing chamber insert  16  made in accordance with the present invention. 
     The salad container  10  includes a container base  12 , a container cover  14 , the dressing chamber insert  16  and a dressing chamber cap  18 . The container base  12  is generally cup-shaped in configuration typically having an outwardly directed circular rim  20  formed at an upper edge  22  of the chamber base  12 . The container base  12  as well as the container cover  14  and the dressing chamber insert  16  are generally radially symmetrical about an imaginary central axis, thereby facilitating economical manufacture. 
     The container cover  14  is generally dome-shaped with a centrally located inwardly directed portion  24 . The inwardly directed portion  24  is funnel-shaped in configuration. A lower portion  26  of the cover  14  includes an outwardly projecting rim  28  which is spaced away from a skirt portion  30  the lower edge  32  of which extends below the rim  28 . Edge  32  of the skirt portion  30  helps guide the cover  14  onto the container base  12 . When the cover  14  is in place on the container base  12 , an upper edge  34  of the base  12  enters a space  36  formed between the rim  28  and the skirt portion  30 . 
     The rim  28  and skirt portion  30  of the cover  14  cooperate to form an effective snap-fit seal which prevents the cover  14  from being dislodged accidentally from the base  12  and prevents unwanted spilling of contents of the salad container  10 . The skirt portion  30  allows the cover  14  to be engaged quickly onto the base  12  and the rim  28  enables a user quickly and easily to remove the cover  14  when desired. 
     The dressing chamber insert  16  defines the enclosure  15  and is generally mushroom-shaped in configuration with a dome-shaped cap portion  38  which fits over and completely closes the inwardly directed portion  24  of the cover  14 . A lower portion  40  of the dressing chamber insert  16  is generally funnel-shaped in configuration and a wall  42  of the lower portion  40  conforms to the funnel shape of the inwardly directed portion  24  of the cover  14 . In the preferred embodiment, a wall  46  of the inwardly directed portion  24  of the cover  14  is concave while the wall  42  of the lower portion  40  of the dressing chamber insert  16  is convex. 
     A lower portion  48  of the portion  40  of the dressing chamber insert  16  leads to a cylindrical portion  50  which projects downwardly past a lower edge  52  of the portion  24 . A lower edge  54  of the cylindrical portion  40  has an outwardly directed rim  56  which cooperates with the cap  18  to hold the cap  18  closed. 
     An upper portion  58  of the cylindrical portion  40  includes a rim  60  which, during installation of the dressing chamber insert  16 , is forced past a bottom end  62  of the central portion  24  of the cover  14 . The rim  60  locks the dressing chamber insert  16  in place on the cover  14 . 
     The dressing chamber insert  16  preferably is fabricated of a flexible plastic and consequent flexibility of the dome-shaped cap portion  38  forms a key feature of the present invention. 
     The cap  18  forms a snap-fit on the cylindrical portion  50  and the flexible construction of the dressing chamber insert  16  in combination with the rim  56  and provides a fluid-tight seal between the cap  18  and the dressing chamber insert  16 . The cap  18  includes a ring  66  which fits around the cylindrical portion  50  and which is connected to the cap  18  by a flexible strap  68 . An inner surface  70  of the cap  18  includes a shaft  72  which preferably is formed integrally therewith. The shaft  72  projects upwardly from the cap  18 . An upper end  74  of the shaft  72  is disposed proximate to an inner surface  76  of the dome-shaped cap  38  portion of the dressing chamber insert  16 . 
     Downward pressure on the dome-shaped portion  38  in the direction shown by the arrow  78  in FIGS. 1 and 3 causes the portion  38  to flex and come into contact with the end  74  of the shaft  72  and continued pressure dislodges the cap  18  from the dressing chamber insert  16 , as shown in FIG. 4, thereby allowing contents of the cap  18 , of the salad dressing, to flow out of the enclosure  15  of the dressing chamber insert  16  and onto contents of the container base  12 , the salad ingredients. 
     During use, the container base  12  is filled with the salad ingredients. The enclosure  15  of the dressing chamber insert  16  is inverted and filled with salad dressing and the cap  18  is snap-fit onto the cylindrical portion  50 . When it is desired to consume salad, the dome-shaped portion  38  is pressed in the direction indicated by the arrow  78  in FIGS. 1 and 3, thereby dislodging the cap  18  and allowing the salad dressing in the enclosure  15  of the dressing chamber insert  16  to flow onto the salad ingredients in the container base  12 . The container is shaken, thereby allowing the salad dressing to coat uniformly the salad ingredients. The cover  14  is then removed, providing access by the user to the salad which can be eaten directly from the container base  12  or transferred to a plate, bowl or other article of holloware. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the cover  14  and the base  12  are made of a transparent or translucent plastic to permit observation of the salad ingredients. 
     As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, instead of the rim  28  and the skirt portion  30  cooperating to form a snap-fit seal between the container base  12  and the cover  14 , an interlocked connection can be provided. The skirt portion  30  can be shortened with the edge  32  still guiding the cover  14  onto the container base  12 . Studs  71  are arranged to project radially outwardly from the vicinity of the upper edge  34  of the container base  12 . The studs are spaced at intervals about the periphery of the edge  34 . The studs  71  support ears  72  spaced from the container base  12 . Longitudinal openings  73  are provided in the outwardly projecting rim  28  which is spaced away from the skirt portion  30  with each of the longitudinal openings  73  arranged to receive a corresponding one of the studs  71 . A transverse slot is formed in the rim  28  of the cover  14 , each of the openings  73  corresponding to a slot  74  receiving one of the studs  71 , whereby on rotating of the container cover  14  in a closing sense each of the studs  71  enters its corresponding slot  74  and each of the ears  72  engages with the rim  28  to hold the cover  14  onto the container base  12 . To remove the cover  14  from the container base  12  the user rotates the cover in an opening sense, opposite to the closing sense, whereby each of the studs  71  is rotated to align with its corresponding longitudinal slots  73 . Then the container cover  14  can be easily lifted from the container base  12  with each of the studs  71  exiting its corresponding slot  73 . 
     The foregoing specific embodiments of the present invention as set forth in the specification herein are for illustrative purposes only. Various deviations and modifications can be made within the spirit and scope of this invention, without departing from the a main theme thereof.