Abstract:
A convertible pastry storage container construction ( 10 ) that has one configuration adapted to store loose pastries ( 101 ) in different compartments and another configuration that can store a box of pastries ( 100 ). The construction includes a lid member ( 30 ) hingedly connected to a receptacle member ( 20 ) which defines a receptacle chamber ( 26 ) dimensioned to receive a box ( 100 ) of pastries. The interior of the receptacle member ( 20 ) is provided with a plurality of partition members ( 50 ) moveable from a vertical upright position to a stored position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of specialized storage containers in general, and in particular to a pastry storage container having moveable interior partitions. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,281,489; 4,955,502; 5,277,329; 5,323,926; and 5,390,815, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse compartmented storage compartments. 
     While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical compartmented storage container for either loose or boxed pastries such as donuts, bagels, and the like. 
     As most donut and bagel lovers are aware, these pastries stay fresh the longest when stored in a generally air tight container at room temperature. 
     In addition, while some people prefer storing the pastries in their original container which is in turn placed within a surrounding sealed enclosure, other people prefer to remove the pastries from their original container and place the pastries in an ordered manner in a compartmented sealable container. 
     As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need for a new and improved pastry storage container construction that is quickly and easily convertible from a compartmented interior chamber designed to store loose pastry articles to a container that will store an entire box filled with loose pastry articles, and the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly stated, the convertible pastry storage container that forms the basis of the present invention comprises in general a receptacle unit, a lid unit, and a plurality of removable partition units operatively associated with the receptacle unit. 
     As will be explained in greater detail further on in the specification, the lid unit is hingedly connected to the receptacle unit and the interior of the receptacle unit cooperates in a unique manner with the plurality of partition units such that the partition units can be deployed in a vertically upright position within the receptacle unit to define individual storage compartments within the receptacle unit, and in the alternative, the partition units can be removed and stored within the receptacle unit to define a single enlarged receptacle chamber which can receive a box of pastries in the receptacle unit. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other attributes of the invention will become more clear upon a thorough study of the following description of the best mode for carrying out the invention, particularly when reviewed in conjunction with the drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the compartmented loose pastry storage configuration of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the whole box storage configuration of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the hinge assembly that connects the lid unit to the receptacle unit; 
     FIG. 4 is an isolated detail view of the engagement of one of the removable partition units with the receptacle unit; 
     FIG. 5 is an end view of a portion of the hinge assembly; 
     FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a portion of the hinge assembly; 
     FIG. 7 is an isolated detail view of the latch assembly on the front of the receptacle and lid units; and 
     FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken through line  8 — 8  of FIG.  7 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As can be seen by reference to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, the convertible pastry storage container construction that forms the basis of the present invention is designated generally by the reference number  10 . The construction  10  comprises in general a receptacle unit  11 , a lid unit  12 , and a plurality of removable partition units  13 . These units will now be described in seriatim fashion. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the receptacle unit includes a generally rectangular receptacle member  20  having a floor  21 , a pair of side walls  22 ,  23 , a rear wall  24  and a front wall  25  which define a receptacle chamber  26 . Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, the rear wall  24  is raised relative to the sidewalls  22 ,  23  and the front wall  25  and provided with a plurality of pairs of vertical rib elements  27 . 
     In addition, as can be seen by reference to FIG. 3, the upper portion of the rear wall  24  is provided with a plurality of barrel shaped eyelets  27 . The rear wall  24  is slightly raised relative to the sidewalls  22 ,  23  and the front wall  25  and further provided with pairs of closely spaced vertical ribs  28  which define vertical slots  29 . 
     Turning now to FIG. 4, it can be seen that the front wall  25  is also provided with pairs of closely spaced vertical ribs  28 ′ which define vertical slots  29 ′ which are aligned with the vertical slots  29  on the rear wall  24 . The purpose and function of the vertical slots  29  and  29 ′ will be described in greater detail further on in the specification. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, and  5  through  8 , the lid unit  11  comprises a generally rectangular lid member  30  having a downwardly depending peripheral skirt portion  31  which extends around the sides  32 ,  33  and the front  34  of the lid member  30 . The bottom of the skirt portion  31  is provided with a recess  35  dimensioned to sealingly engage a raised rib  36  which projects upwardly from the top of the sidewalls  22 ,  23  and the front wall  25  of the receptacle member  20 . 
     In addition, as shown in FIGS. 3,  5 , and  6 , the inboard end of the lid member  30  is further provided with a plurality of barrel shaped eyelets  37  which are adapted to be pressed into alignment with the barrel shaped eyelets  27  on the receptacle member  20 . The eyelets  27  and  37  are dimensioned to receive an elongated, removable pivot rod  38  to form a hinged connection between the lid member  30  and the receptacle member  20 . 
     In addition, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the pivot rod  38  has an enlarged head  38 ′ formed on one end and is dimensioned such that the other end  38 ″ will project beyond the barrel shaped eyelets  37 ,  27  on the lid member  30  and the receptacle member  20  to facilitate the removal of the pivot rod  38  for cleaning. 
     Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7, the front skirt portion  34  of the lid member  30  is provided with a catch element  39  which is adapted to be releasably engaged by a pivoted latch element  40  provided on the front wall  25  of the receptacle member  20 . 
     As can best be seen by reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the plurality of removable partition units  13  include a generally rectangular partition member  50 . The opposite ends of the partition member are adapted to be received in the vertical slots  29 ,  29 ′ on the rear  24  and front  25  walls of the receptacle member  20  in a well recognized manner to create interior compartments of different widths. 
     As shown in FIG. 4, the partition members  50  are vertically deposited into the slots  29 ,  29 ′ to create the partitioned configuration of the construction  10  as depicted in FIG.  1 . However, should the user wish to store the pastries  101  in their original container  100  as depicted in FIG. 2, all that is required is to lift each of the partition members  50  upwardly to either remove the partition members  50  from the receptacle member  20  or for storage in the bottom of the receptacle member  20  wherein the interior of the receptacle member  20  can now accommodate the original container  100 . 
     Although only an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims. 
     Having thereby described the subject matter of the present invention, it should be apparent that many substitutions, modifications, and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that the invention as taught and described herein is only to be limited to the extent of the breadth and scope of the appended claims.