Abstract:
A packaging cup of the type typically utilized to contain a small volume of a condiment or sauce and formed of a resilient material. This cup has a reservoir and a flange which surrounds the reservoir with a lid sealed to the flange. The packaging cup is improved by including support segment cut into the flange of the packaging cup that engages with a corresponding slot cut into a vertical surface of a foodstuff container. A keyed geometry at the base of each side of the food container provides restriction to removing the packaging cup. This type of serving arrangement is illustrated for condiments such as ketchup for French fries, syrup for French toast sticks and barbeque sauce for chicken strips. Even though the packaging cup may have a pre-determined amount of condiment sealed within the reservoir, the consumer at the location where the packaging arrangement is used may also fill the packaging cup. The foodstuff container may be used with or without the packaging cup. The packaging cup may be accessed without mating with the foodstuff container.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    Condiment cups have been in the food service industry for a long time to hold a finite amount of garnish for foodstuff. Typical of the above referred to condiment cups are packaging cups utilized to hold ketchup as a garnish for French fries, barbeque sauce for chicken strips or syrup for French toast sticks. Normally certain food items such as French fries and the like are served to a patron in a small container as, for instance, a light cardboard container or thermoformed plastic cup. These containers are self-supporting such that the container of French fries can be placed on a table or held in the hand. If the patron is sitting at a table while eating the foodstuff, it is very convenient for the patron to set the condiment cup on the table and individually dip the foodstuff in the condiment cup.  
           [0002]    At other times, however, the patron consumes the French fries or other foodstuff while walking, standing or sitting where a table is not available. To consume the product as, for instance French fries, the patron must hold the French fry container in one hand and utilize the other hand to convey the French fry or other food product to the patron&#39;s mouth. This leaves no hands free for holding the condiment cup. The patron must either attempt to hold both the food container and the condiment cup in one hand thereby freeing the other hand to feed himself/herself or to hold the food container in one hand and the condiment cup in the other and attempt to then manipulate the food item while holding both of these containers. This is an awkward situation and sometimes leads to spilling of one or the other of the food container or the condiment cup.  
           [0003]    Lane (U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,466 dated Aug. 8, 1989) invented a hanging packaging cup which had slits cut into the flange of the packaging cup that could be bent down to form fingers that would allow the packaging cup to hang from the food stuffs container. Lane discussed many options for making this type of invention viable within the food industry. The main drawbacks to the Lane invention include the fact that in order to hang the packaging cup onto the vertical surface of the food container, the two fingers must be fully bent. If the patron only slightly bent the fingers, the stability of the packaging cup is severely compromised. In addition, because the fingers are bent inward from the plane of the flange, the foodstuff within the food container have the ability to disengage the fingers or flex them to a position where they did not remain supportive of the packaging cup thereby allowing the packaging cup to fall off the foodstuff container.  
           [0004]    Shaw (U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,364 dated May 23, 1995) discusses a double basket invention where a secondary support panel can be opened or bent down in such a way to provide a shelf to place a condiment container. This invention primarily focused on the foodstuff container so that the container itself provided a method of holding the condiment container. This invention did not alter the condiment container. The condiment container could be placed on the support panel of the foodstuff container or removed without restriction.  
           [0005]    Sharkey (U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,262 dated Jul. 4,1995) furthered the ability to combine a garnish container with the foodstuff container by forming permanent prongs within from the flange of the condiment container. The preferred embodiment was manufactured through plastic injection molding of appropriate materials. This invention provided the ability of the condiment container to have a strong interface between the flange of the container and the foodstuff container. Other material forming processes were suggested within the Sharkey invention. However, the rigidity of the prongs to support the condiment container is critical in the invention and plastic injection molding is the primary method for producing the product. Sharkey further discussed a condiment container that had an adhesive backing that could be applied to any area of the foodstuff container. The primary drawback of the Sharkey invention is in supporting this design through a manufacturing method that is economically justified within the food service industry. Injection molding is several times more expensive per unit cost compared with thermoforming. Thermoforming as a manufacturing process would not support the prongs.  
           [0006]    These any many other inventions in the food service industry that have advanced the use of garnish for foodstuff to some degree. However, there still exists a need for an economical and easy to use system that combines the use of condiments with foodstuff especially where the condiment is pre-sealed within the condiment container.  
           [0007]    For use in fast food and other industries, packaging cups have been developed to contain individual servings of condiments or other food products. These cups allow for dispensing of pre-measured and sealed amount of condiments such as ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, and the like.  
           [0008]    The above referred to packaging cups include a cup body, which is normally vacuum formed out of a resilient material as, for instance, polyethylene. The cup body has a reservoir for holding a volume of the foodstuff or the like and a lip or flange that extends completely around the reservoir. Sealing the lid to the lip seals a lid over the cup. Since the lip extends completely around the reservoir, securing the lid to the lip seals the lid over the top of the reservoir. Peeling the lid back from the lip to expose the reservoir and the contents therein opens the cup.  
           [0009]    This invention is directed to a packaging cup that includes support segment cut in the outer flange or lip of the cup forming a “T” shaped geometry that can hang within a slot die cut into the food container. There are numerous design variations within this concept that will become clearer in the description of the inventions and its various embodiments.  
         BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    It is evident that there exists a need for a new and improved packaging cup for holding condiments and the likes wherein the packaging cup is capable of being suspended from a food stuff container such that the condiments within the packaging cup can readily be accessed conveniently with the hand that is used to feed the patron while the other hand is used to support the food stuff container. It is a broad object of this invention to provide such new and improved packaging cup.  
           [0011]    It is a further object of this invention to provide for hanging or suspendable packaging cup that is easily utilized by the consumer yet is still economically produced.  
           [0012]    These and other objects will become evident from the remainder of this specification. The hanging packaging cup includes a resilient body having a reservoir and a lip integrally formed together. The reservoir has a periphery that surrounds an opening into the reservoir. The lip is formed as a continuous essentially planar flange extending around the totality of the periphery of the reservoir. The shape of the flange can be rectangular, circular, ovular, irregular or generally shaped to complement the shaped of the foodstuff container. The shape of the reservoir many also be specified based upon the type and consistency of the condiment or garnish within the reservoir. The bottom of the reservoir is generally flat to facility placing the packaging cup on a horizontal surface such as in cases where a meal is served on a table. This specification provides flexibility for the packaging container to be used either independently from the foodstuff container or in a combined relationship with the foodstuff container. A lid is specified to seal a predetermined amount of condiment or garnish within the reservoir.  
           [0013]    Having a ‘T’ shape geometry cut into the flange further differentiates the packaging cup. This ‘T’ shape interfaces with a slot cut into the vertical surface of the foodstuff container. The slot in the foodstuff container is cut to a depth that positions the reservoir of the packaging cup at a convenient level for accessing the condiments within the reservoir. The bottom edges of the slot in the foodstuff container may also provide a key type geometry that provides some vertical restriction in removing the packaging cup once properly placed at the bottom position of the slot on the foodstuff container. The ‘T’ shape geometry on the packaging cup can also be cut in such a way to minimize the gap between the flange and the foodstuff container to further strength the combined food serving arrangement.  
           [0014]    Another configuration of the packaging arrangement provides for an additional slot parallel to the back surface to be cut within the ‘T’ section. This configuration further strengthens the interface between the packaging cup and the foodstuff container. This modified configuration requires two slots to be cut into the foodstuff container so that the portion of the foodstuff container between the two slots would interface with the additional slot of the packaging cup. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    This invention will be better understood when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing a French fry container and a hanging packaging condiment cup of the invention with the hanging cup shown attached to the French fry container.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 are isometric views of a first embodiment of the packaging condiment cup with bearing surface variation;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 are isometric views of a second embodiment of the packaging condiment cup with bearing surface variation;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 are isometric views of the first embodiment of the foodstuff container with locking variation as utilized with FIG. 2;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 are isometric views of the second embodiment of the foodstuff container with locking variation as utilized with FIG. 3;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 is an isometric view showing the progression of bank or matrix of packaging cups being filled, sealed and die cut on a packaging machine;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 7 is a fragmentary isometric view of a conveyor element of the packaging machine utilized in FIG. 6;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 8 are isometric views of the packaging system with the packaging cup in the front and side positions of the food stuffs container; and  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 9 are isometric views of packaging systems for French toast sticks and chicken strips. 
     
    
       [0025]    This invention utilizes certain principals and/or concepts as are set forth in the claims appended. Those skilled in the packaging arts will realize that these principles and/or concepts are capable of being expressed in a variety of embodiments that may differ from the exact embodiments utilized for illustrative purposes herein. For this reason this invention is not to be construed as being limited to the illustrative embodiments, but should only be construed in view of the claims.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]    Condiments are served with many fast food items as, for instance, serving ketchup with French fries, sauces with chicken strips and syrup with French toast sticks. One ideal packaging method for dispensing individual portions of these condiment items is in sealed containers hereinafter referred to as packaging cups. These packaging cups have a reservoir for the cup contents. This is integrally formed with a lip that surrounds the opening to the reservoir. A lid is sealed to the cup to preserve the contents therein by sealing the lid to the lip that surrounds the opening in the reservoir. To utilize the contents of the cup, the lid is peeled back exposing the opening to the reservoir and the contents therein.  
         [0027]    In FIG. 1 an improved packaging cup  10  of the invention is shown as it is utilized in conjunction with a container  12  containing as, for instance, French fries depicted by the numeral  14 . A quantity of ketchup  16  is exposed through an opening  18  in a reservoir  20  of the cup  10 . Surrounding the opening  18  of the reservoir  20  of the cup  10  is the cup lip  22 . The lip  22  extends completely around the reservoir  20 .  
         [0028]    The invention is further illustrated in FIG. 2. From FIG. 1 it is evident that when a consumer of the French fries  14  holds the container  12  the consumer is simultaneously also supporting the condiment packaging cup  10 . FIG. 2 shows an isometric view of the improved packaging cup  10 . The lid  34  is shown sealed on lip  22  that extends completely around the reservoir  20  with a cut away view of opening  18  to reservoir  20 . The lip  22  also is shown with underside  32  that extends around the reservoir  20 . The lip  22  also has connecting member  35  of approximate width of ⅜″-½″ between the flange section and the support members  24  and  26 . The support members  24  and  26  and the connecting member  35  make up the T-section  21  of the packaging cup  10 . The support members  24  and  26  are approximately ⅛″ to ½″ wide. Gap  30  exists between the edges of support members  24  and  26  and the outer lip  22 .  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 2 a  illustrates a variation to the packaging cup illustrated in FIG. 2. Connecting member  35  is shown extending from lid  34 . From connecting member  35 , support members  24  and  26  extend outward forming T-section  21 . Extending from support member  24  is bearing surface extension  25  that minimizes gap  31  between the support member  24  and the outer lip  22 . Extending from support member  26  is bearing surface extension  27  that minimizes gap  31  between the support member  26  and the outer lip  22 . As will be described below in greater detail, the packaging cup  10  may be formed from a sheet of polyethylene through vacuum forming. This can be accomplished to form a matrix of joined packaging cups. These are then filled, sealed and separated from one another to form the individual cups  10 .  
         [0030]    The variation to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3. From FIG. 1 it is evident that when a consumer of the French fries  14  holds the container  12  the consumer is simultaneously also supporting the condiment packaging cup  10 . FIG. 3 shows an isometric view of a variation of the improved packaging cup  10 . The lid  34  is shown sealed on lip  22  that extends completely around the reservoir  20  with a cut away view of opening  18  to reservoir  20 . The lip  22  also is shown with underside  32  that extends around the reservoir  20 . The lip  22  also has connecting member  35  of approximate width of ⅜″-½″ between the flange section and the support members  36  and  38 . The support members  36  and  38  and the connecting member  35  make up the T-section  21  of the packaging cup  10 . The support members  36  and  38  are approximately ⅛″ to ¼″ wide. Gap  30  exists between the edges of support members  36  and  38  and the outer lip  22 . FIG. 3 further illustrates slot detail  33  within T-section  21 .  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 3 a  illustrates a variation to the packaging cup illustrated in FIG. 3. Connecting member  35  is shown extending from lid  34 . From connecting member  35 , support members  36  and  38  extend outward forming T-section  21 . Extending from support member  36  is bearing surface extension  37  that minimizes gap  31  between the support member  36  and the outer lip  22 . Extending from support member  38  is bearing surface extension  39  that minimizes gap  31  between the support member  38  and the outer lip  22 . As will be described below in greater detail, the packaging cup  10  may be formed from a sheet of polyethylene through vacuum forming. This can be accomplished to form a matrix of joined packaging cups. These are then filled, sealed and separated from one another to form the individual cups  10 .  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 4 illustrates foodstuff container  12  with hanging detail  2  that is specifically cut in the front panel  11  to work with the packaging cup illustrated in FIG. 2. Hanging detail  2  is formed by opening  120  of width slightly wider than connecting member  35  of FIG. 2. Opening  120  extends down to depth  124 . Side edges  122  can vary with a height of approximately ½″ to ¾″. FIG. 4 a  illustrates a variation to the foodstuff container  12  illustrated within FIG. 4. Hanging detail  2  is shown with opening  120  of width slightly larger than connecting member  35  of FIG. 2 in the front panel  11  in container  12 . side edges  122  are angle slightly in forming inward taper  130  on both sides of the opening  120 . At the base of the hanging detail  2  is a wider section  137 . On both sides of wider section  137  are locking details  136 . Providing restricting edge  132  above wider section  137  forms the locking details  136 . The restricted section  138  is slightly narrower than the connecting member  35  of FIG. 2.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 5 illustrates a variation to foodstuff container  12  with hanging detail  2  that is specifically cut in the front panel  11  to work with the packaging cup illustrated in FIG. 3. Hanging detail  2  is formed by opening  120  of width slightly wider than connecting member  35  of FIG. 3. Opening  120  extends down to depth  124 . Side edges  122  can vary with a height of approximately ½″ to ¾″. Tongue section  125  is illustrated with upper corners  127  for facilitating slot detail  33  of FIG. 3 to engage tongue  125 . Tongue section  125  has leading edge  121  shown slightly lower than opening  120 . The leading edge  121  of tongue section  125  may be about ⅛″ to facilitate the engagement of slot detail  33  of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 further illustrates width  123  between side edge  122  and tongue  125 .  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 5 a  illustrates a variation to the foodstuff container  12  illustrated within FIG. 5. Hanging detail  2  is shown with opening  120  of width slightly larger than connecting member  35  of FIG. 3 in the front panel  11  of container  12 . Side edges  122  are angle slightly in forming inward taper  130  on both sides of the opening  120 . Tongue section  125  is illustrated with upper corners  127  for facilitating slot detail  33  of FIG. 3 to engage tongue  125 . FIG. 5 a  further illustrates width  123  between side edge  122  and tongue  125  is larger than the width  139  at the locking section  136 . Providing restricting edge  132  above wider section  137  forms the locking details  136 . The restricted section  138  is slightly narrower than the connecting member  35  of FIG. 2.  
         [0035]    Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, a packaging machine is utilized to form the packaging cups  10  has a conveyor belt having a series of support plates  100  linked together to form a continuous belt. A preformed as, for instance a vacuum formed matrix of connected packaging cups  102 , is positioned in one of the support plates  100  and the individual cups are then filled with a condiment or other material by a fill head  104 .  
         [0036]    A lid material  106  is sealed to the matrix  102  of the individual cups. A die or other cutting mechanism as for instance a plurality of cutting knives is then utilized to separate the individual packaging cups  10  from the matrix  102 .  
         [0037]    As shown in FIG. 7 in a fragmentary close up view of the support plate  100 , the support plate  100  has a plurality of channels formed therein. These channels include longitudinal channels  108  which go along the length of the support plate  100  in the direction of movement of the plate  100  and cross channels  110  which are perpendicular to the longitudinal channels  108 .  
         [0038]    The support plate  100  illustrated in FIG. 6 would be utilized to make the embodiment of the packaging cup  10  that is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Thus, in addition to the channels  108  and  110 , the support plate  100  would include the T section detail channels  112  located adjacent to the longitudinal channels  108 .  
         [0039]    After the matrix of connected packaging cups has been filled and lid  106  heat sealed to the top thereof, further movement along the support plate  100  either underneath a plurality of cutting knives or under a cutting die. These engage respective channels  108 ,  110  and  1   12  to separate the individual packaging cups  10  from one another and to form the appropriate cuts necessary to define the T-section with support members of the packaging cups  10 . The packaging cups  10  are then removed from the support plate  100 .  
         [0040]    While for the purposes of illustration, the cuts that define the T-section with support members were formed concurrently with the slits that separate the individual packaging cups from one another in the matrix of packaging cups. Alternately, the cuts that define the T-section with support members could be formed in the matrix of the packaging cups prior to filling and sealing. After being filled and sealed, the individual cups would then be separated from each other in a normal manner. As so formed, while the respective individual cups are separated from one another, the lid material of each individual cup would still be over the area of the slits in that individual cup that define the T-section with support members of the respective cup. Since the lid material is a thin foil or foil and plastic laminate, it would serve to fix the T-section with support member in the plane of the lip  22 . In removing the cover, the T-section with support members would be open to interface with the foodstuff container  12 .  
         [0041]    In addition to forming the cup  10  of the invention out of polyethylene, other materials can also be utilized. The criteria for selecting a suitable material is that the material must be amendable to being formed in the cup and after being formed it must hold its shape. Further the material must be such that the T-section with support members (and of course the lip) must be stiff enough to retain their shape and support the weight of the filled reservoir. In addition, as the consumer utilizes the garnish within the cup  10 , additional vertical force will be applied to the cup.  
         [0042]    In addition to polyethylene other suitable materials which meet the above materials criteria can be selected from polypropylene, polystyrene, thick metal foils, a material know in the packaging industry as “ovenable board” and the like.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 8 illustrates a serving arrangement  40  containing improved packaging cup  10  fully engaged on the front panel  11  of foodstuff container  12 . The packaging cup  10  mated with foodstuff container  12  through opening  120  of container  12 . The support members of cup  10  remain within the interior cavity  140  of container  12 . Side edges  15  of front panel  11  restrict the support members of the T-section of cup  10  from disengaging outward from the front of the container  12 . Restricting the vertical movement with container locks  136  further enhances the engagement. FIG. 8 a  shows a variation to the location of the packaging cup  10  on container  12 . This figure illustrates the serving arrangement  40  on the side panel  13  of the foodstuff container  12 . Opening  60  in side panel  13  has edges  17  that restrict the support members of the T-section of cup  10  from disengaging outward from the side of the container  12 . The location of the packaging cup  10  on the foodstuff container  12  will vary on preference.  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 9 a  illustrates an exploded view of packaging cup  10  with barbeque sauce  7  within the reservoir prior to engagement with foodstuff container  12 . The opening  120  is located in front panel  11  of container  12 . Foodstuff container  12  is illustrated with chicken strips  80  located within cavity  140 . FIG. 9b illustrates an exploded view of packaging cup  10  with syrup  6  within the reservoir prior to engagement with foodstuff container  12 . The opening  120  is located in front panel  11  of container  12 . Foodstuff container  12  is illustrated with French toast sticks  90  located within cavity  140 .