Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention provide a three-panel lidding device used to seal a food container. Such devices are particularly useful for covering and sealing a plastic food container, eliminating (or diminishing) the need for an outer carton and the clear film membrane that traditionally covers a food container. The lidding device may contain all brand identifiers, product messaging, ingredient list, instructions (e.g., opening and cooking) printed directly on the device. The device may also allow for venting of the food container during cooking and may then be removed for serving. The device may further provide a foot panel that allows the food product container/lidding device to sit upright, enhancing store front and freezer display options.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/721,933, filed Nov. 2, 2012, titled “Paperboard Lidding Device,” the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to a three-panel lidding device used to seal a food container. Such devices are particularly useful for covering and sealing a plastic food container, eliminating (or diminishing) the need for an outer carton and the clear film membrane that traditionally covers a food container. The lidding device may contain all brand identifiers, product messaging, ingredient list, instructions (e.g., opening and cooking) printed directly on the device. The device may also allow for venting of the food container during cooking and may then be removed for serving. The device may further provide a foot panel that allows the food product container/lidding device to sit upright, enhancing store front and freezer display options. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Frozen and microwavable foods are becoming more and more popular, in light of their convenience and the explosion of new food offerings becoming available. Frozen foods are easy to store, transport, and serve. Other types of foods are also sold in stores as pre-prepared and ready for immediate cooking or microwaving. The packaging of these foods typically uses a clear plastic film that covers the food product inside the food container or bowl, as well as an outer package or box in which the food container is housed. In use, the consumer must open the box, cut or remove the plastic film in order to vent the food during cooking, cook/microwave the food, then discard the box and film. There are, however, instances when the film is not properly vented or when the user does not have the proper tool (e.g., knife or scissors) to vent the film, causing undesirable mistakes in the food cooking process. Providing both a plastic film and a packaging box also creates undesirable waste. Accordingly, improvements in the packaging of pre-prepared food products are desirable. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the invention described herein thus provide a lidding device, such as a paperboard lidding device, that can be used to cover a food product container. In some embodiments, the lidding device may be used to seal a container, such as but not limited to, a plastic container housing frozen food that is intended to be frozen and/or defrosted and/or heated by use of a microwave or other oven. The lidding device eliminates the need for an outer carton as well as a clear film membrane that traditionally covers the plastic food container. In some embodiments, the carton may be configured for re-use, recyclability, biodegradability, and/or compostability. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a top perspective view of a lidding device in place on a food container. 
         FIG. 2  shows the device of  FIG. 1  standing on its foot panel. 
         FIG. 3  shows a top plan view one embodiment of a blank that may be used to form lidding device. 
         FIG. 4  shows a side perspective view of one embodiment of how a lidding device may be opened to vent food and to remove the lid panel. 
         FIG. 5  shows a top plan view of an alternate blank that may be used to form a lidding device. 
         FIG. 6  shows a top plan view of a further alternate blank that may be used to form a lidding device. 
         FIG. 7  shows a side perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a lidding device being vented. 
         FIG. 8  shows a top plan view of a lidding device in place on a food container, the lidding device having a perforation for its venting system. 
         FIG. 9  shows a side perspective view of an alternate venting system for a lidding device. 
         FIG. 10  shows a top plan view of one lidding device blank that has a tear strip feature. 
         FIG. 11  shows a side perspective view of a lidding device with an alternate tear strip feature being vented. 
         FIG. 12  illustrates that any number of lidding device configurations may be used, with various tabs at various locations and various perforation/score line locations. 
         FIG. 13  illustrates top plan view of a blank that has a push to vent feature. 
         FIG. 14  illustrates top plan view of a blank that has an alternate push to vent feature. 
         FIG. 15  illustrates top plan view of a blank that has a push to vent and pinch to pull and open feature. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The figures illustrate various embodiments of a lidding device  10 . As shown in the Figures, the lidding device  10  comprises three panels: a first panel  14  separated from a third panel  42  by a second panel  40 . Any of the panels may include marketing materials, product identifiers and information, or graphics. The first panel  14  forms a lid that covers and seals the contents of a food container  12 . The second panel forms a foot  46  that is useful for display purposes. The third panel  42  provides a base panel. 
     A thermoplastic or heat seal coating may be applied to the food-facing side of the first panel  14 , which is the side that interacts with the container  12  to seal the contents of the container. The heat seal coating is applied at suitable places around the panel. This coating also acts as a barrier to protect the lid from water/oils in the product(s) stored in the container. In some embodiments, the thermoplastic coating is a polyolefin dispersion, although other water or solvent-based coatings that provide a suitable seal between the device and the container may be used. For example, polymeric based films, which may be adhesively laminated to the paperboard blank or directly extrusion coated to the blank, may be used. In some embodiments, the heat sealable coating is applied to the underside of substantially the entirety of the first panel  14  so that it faces and covers/seals the contents of the container. In some cases, the coating consists of a heat sealable adhesive that is applied to the paperboard blank as part of production before the blank is cut, and in other cases is applied afterwards. The coated paperboard is configured to withstand a range of environmental conditions relating to manufacture, transportation, storage (which may include freezing), sale, and use of the product, which may include defrosting and/or heating (such as by microwave oven, conventional oven, convection oven, and/or toaster oven) of the product stored within the food container. The coated paperboard is also configured to be safe for contact with food products in compliance with 21 CFR 176.170. 
     One specific embodiment of a lidding device  10  that is useful for covering and sealing a food product container  12  is illustrated by  FIG. 1 . Appropriate food product containers  12  are typically made of plastic, but may be made of any appropriate material that can house and store food, and that also allow the food to be cooked therein. Such containers are commonly recognizable as the type of containers that are used for microwavable food products, but they may also be used in conventional ovens, toaster ovens, or convection ovens. 
     The lidding device  10  that is used to cover and protect the food contained in the container  12  is typically made of paperboard, but may be made of any printable, foldable, fiber-based substrate. In a particular embodiment, the lidding device  10  is made of a two-sided clay coated SBS (Solid Bleached Sulfate) having an appropriate coating as described above applied thereto, although it should be understood that any food-safe lidding material may be used. 
     The lidding device  10  provides a three-panel system that covers the top and bottom of the food container  12 , as well as provides a side panel that functions as a connecting panel, which also provides a display function. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a first panel  14  is provided to form the cover or lid panel of the lidding device. The first panel may have an opening feature that allows for venting during the heating process. For example, first panel may have a venting system  20 , as will be described in more detail with respect to further figures, and venting system  20  may be provided in a number of ways. For example, the venting and/or opening feature may include lines of weakness that are configured to be broken and/or removed or displaced to provide ventilation. Optionally, a pull tab or tear strip adjacent the opening feature may be used to move the opening feature into its vent position. 
     Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 3 , first panel  14  has one or more lines of weakness  16  provided along its edge areas  18 , which allows the first panel  14  to be removed before, during and/or after the cooking process. Lines of weakness  16  may be provided as perforations, score lines, partial cuts, reverse partial cuts, or any other feature that allows the first panel  14  to be broken, removed or displaced upon application of the appropriate amount of pressure. These lines  16  may assist with the venting, but they may also be used to remove the entire lid panel  14  from the container  12 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 3  also shows an embodiment of a venting system  20  that is created via cooperation between a pull tab  22  and a score line  24 . In use, the user grasps pull tab  22  and pulls a portion of the panel lid  14  back to the area where the score line  24  is located in order to create an opening in the panel lid  14 . The pull tab  22  is generally located near the side of the panel where the venting score line  24  is located. The pull tab  22 /score line  24  system may be provided near the right side of the panel  14  ( FIG. 3 ), along the left side of the panel  14  ( FIG. 5 ) or along the top (or bottom) of the panel  14  ( FIG. 6 ). Pull tab  22  may be any appropriate shape, such as a rectangular tab ( FIGS. 3 and 6 ) or a rounded protrusion ( FIG. 5 ). As the edge portion of the panel lid is pulled back, the lines of weakness  16  that secured the lid in place are disrupted, and they allow a peeling back of the lid portion to the score line  24 . It is also possible to create further lines of weakness  26  that extend between the tab  22  and the score line  24 , in order to further ease the peeling back of the lid, if desired or necessary. 
     In an alternate embodiment, no tab is required, but a line of weakness  28  is provided as the venting system  20 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . In use, finger pressure may be used along the venting line of weakness  28  to create the desired opening. This line of weakness  28  may be formed as a shape  28  that could be peeled back or punched out/removed completely, as shown in  FIG. 8 . Alternatively, this portion may be provided as a single perforated line  30  that is punctured to create a venting slit or hole, as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     In a further embodiment, a pull open tear strip  32  may be provided, as shown in  FIG. 10 . The pull open tear strip  32  features a thumb tab  34  connected to a tear strip feature  36  that travels along an edge of the panel lid  14 . In an alternate embodiment as shown in  FIG. 11 , instead of a thumb tab, there is a puncturable/covered opening  35  provided in the lid where a thumb may punch out the removable portion, insert a thumb, and grasp the tear strip feature  36 . 
     In a further embodiment, there may be provided a push to vent feature in the lid. One embodiment of a simple push to vent feature is shown in  FIG. 9 , where the opening  30  is created by thumb pressure along the perforated line. More fully developed embodiments of push to vent features are shown in  FIGS. 13-15 . For example,  FIG. 13  shows a push to vent feature  48  which is adjacent to a pull to open feature  50 . The user may press at the push to vent  48  portion in order to create a venting area. Once the cooking/heating process has been completed, the user may then grasp the pull to open  50  portion to remove the lid from the food container. 
     An alternate embodiment of a push to vent feature is shown in  FIG. 14 . This figure illustrates back-to-back push to vent  48  and pull to open  50  areas. A further embodiment provides a pinch to open feature  52 , as shown in  FIG. 15 . In this embodiment, two push to vent features are provided as semi-circles  54  formed as perforations in the lid. After the semi-circles  54  are pressed in for venting during cooking/heating, they may be used to pinch the lid to open. The space  56  between the semi-circles creates somewhat of a handle for the user to raise the lid. 
     Although a number of alternate embodiments for venting system are shown and described, it should be understood that any configuration that provides a venting system may be used in connection with the three-panel lid disclosed herein. Regardless of the embodiment provided, upon appropriate pressure or pulling at the venting system  20 , the first panel  14  opens or separates from the container  12 , allowing air to vent into and from the food container during cooking. In some embodiments, the first panel is removed before serving and consumption. Once the food has cooked completely, the entire panel lid  14  may be removed, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The edge lines of weakness  16  may assist with this removal. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates that alternate shapes and sizes for the panels may be provided, depending upon the shape and size of the container to be lidded. In general, however, the first panel  14  is generally shaped to cover a food product container  12 , albeit slightly larger than the opening of the container so that the entire opening of the container  12  is covered. The tabs may be positioned at any appropriate location, the score lines may be interchanged for perforations and vice versa, and alternate venting systems may be provided. 
     Reference is now made back to  FIGS. 3, 5, 6, 8, and 12 , which show embodiments of the lidded device blank prior to its being folded, shaped, and enclosing a container  12 . A second panel  40  is connected to the first panel  14 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , second panel  40  is positioned between and separates the first panel  14  and the third panel  42 . The connection areas are generally via either score lines  43  or small cuts or perforations  44  in the blank that allow easy removal of the second panel  40  from the first and third panels  14 ,  42  in use. Although score lines  43  are shown in some figures are perforations  44  in others, it should be understood that these features may be interchangeable and/or used collectively. (It is expected that perforations will ease complete removal of the panels for serving purposes, however.) 
     The second panel  40  generally forms a side or bottom panel (depending upon how the device  10  is positioned). In some embodiments, the second panel is configured to serve as a foot  46  that keeps the bowl upright, as shown in  FIG. 2 . Once the lidded device  10  is folded and positioned with respect to a food container  12 , the foot  46  can be used to allow the device  10  to stand thereon, such that the device can be easily stacked in a freezer, refrigerator, or shelf section, while still displaying the package printing and taking up less space than if the containers were stacked vertically. 
     Any or all of the panels have at least one (or both) side(s) that are configured to be printable for printing product identifying material and/or instructions thereon. For example, the non-food facing side of the first panel  14  generally contains brand and product messaging or images, while additional information, such as a list of ingredients and cooking and/or opening instructions, may be included on another panel, such as the second and/or or third panels. 
     Also disclosed is a method of forming a lidding device. In one embodiment, the device may be formed using standard paperboard forming machinery to form a die-cut blank, having various lines of weakness, such as score lines and/or perforations, positioned thereon. A clay coating is then applied to the blank. Next, the suitable thermoplastic heat seal coating is applied to one side of the blank, which will generally be the food-facing side of at least the first panel  14 . Alternatively, the thermoplastic heat seal coating may be applied during manufacture of the paperboard out of which the blank is cut. The paperboard may be printed with heat resistant microwaveable inks and/or overprint. Moreover, the blank used to form the lidding device may be die cut to a customer&#39;s specifications, depending upon the shape of the food container to be covered and sealed. 
     In use, the container  12  is filled with food (or other product) and the lidding device  10  is folded and formed from the blank and wrapped around the container  12 . Heat sealing equipment may then be used to activate the heat sealable coating to bind the paperboard to the container. In other embodiments, ultrasonic or radio frequency sealing technology may be used to activate the heat sealable coating. This may be done using any suitable machinery or method. 
     Different arrangements of the components depicted in the drawings or described above, as well as components and steps not shown or described, are possible. Similarly, some features and subcombinations are useful and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. Embodiments of the invention have been described for illustrative and not restrictive purposes, and alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this patent. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or depicted in the drawing, and changes and modifications, additions and deletions may be made to the structures and methods recited above and shown in the drawings without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention and the following claims.