Abstract:
A food container having a sauce container coupled thereto is disclosed. The food container includes an open top adapted for received food articles. The sauce container also includes an open top. Coupling structure suited for yielding either a detachable or permanent coupling of the two containers is mechanically associated with the two containers.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/124,791, filed Mar. 17, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to condiment reservoirs and food containers typically used in the “fast-food” industry. More particularly, the invention is directed to food containers and condiment reservoirs for containing a variety of condiments including sauces which are compatible with the food held in the companion food container, such as catsup for French fries, sweet and sour sauce for chicken nuggets, etc. 
     2. State of the Art 
     The quick-service (also known as “fast-food”) restaurant industry is intensely competitive. This competition is primarily through quality, variety, and value perception of food products offered. In addition, location, speed of service, and effective marketing of new products are included among other important factors that yield a competitive advantage. Further, it is universally accepted in the industry that menu variety is an important part of customer satisfaction and that competitive advantage can also be established through a unique and diverse menu including a wide choice of condiments/sauces. 
     High sales are achieved in this highly competitive arena by providing quality products at everyday values. Earnings, on the other hand, are derived through careful control of food costs, labor costs, and other operating costs. Therefore, while “fast-food” restaurants constantly research new ways to gain market share, the most valuable changes are those that are made through low additional costs. 
     “Fast-food” restaurants were created to meet the demands of a mobile society. A principle requirement of the “fast-food” consumer is the ease in eating “fast-food” products while engaged in another activity, such as driving a car, walking, standing-waiting for a bus, etc. This is illustrated in part by the concept of the “drive up window” wherein consumers can purchase food and then actually eat while driving as they continue running errands. Presently, “fast-food” restaurants provide small packages and cups of catsup and other sauces (e.g., sweet and sour, honey mustard, etc.) that can be combined with “fast-food” products (e.g., French fries, chicken nuggets, buffalo wings, etc.). One method of combining sauce to food products is to squeeze out the sauce from said package onto a surplus food wrapper where the consumer can then begin to dip their food into the sauce. Another method is to squeeze the sauce from said package directly onto the food, a third method is to dip the food into a small cup of sauce. At the very least these options are inconvenient, in some cases not terribly appetizing and often messy. If one is not at a table, driving in one&#39;s car for instance, using the sauce on a surplus wrapper is not practical. The method of applying the sauce directly onto the food is very messy and using a cup of sauce is very awkward. As described above, most “fast-food” restaurants have drive-up windows where consumers are invited to speedily purchase a meal and eat on the run. Sometimes consumers will simply stop and eat in their car, others might stop and sit on a park bench while still others will continue on their way and must negotiate the inconvenience of eating while driving. In each scenario attempting to eat food with sauce is very inconvenient often times causing the consumer to preclude the use of any sauce, thus diminishing the culinary experience of consuming the food product. 
     Referring to drawing FIG. 1, the McDonald&#39;s Corporation (among others) has introduced a cardboard French fries container  10  having an enlarged opening  12  for receiving French fries (not shown). A side structure  16  having a flat lower most portion  18  forming a stable base to permit the container to be freestanding when placed on a horizontal surface. The container further includes a curved rear structure  22  and a curved frontal structure  24 , wherein both structures are convex to the enlarged opening  12 . A bottom structure  26  having a curved shape  28  forms the curves of curved rear structure  22  and of curved frontal structure  24  when pressed up inside the container from outside to inside. Typically fries containers are stored flat until needed. When needed, the bottom structure  26  is pressed (snapped) up into the underside of the fries container creating the enlarged opening  12  thus forming the shape of the curved rear structure  22  and the curved frontal structure  24 . 
     The McDonald&#39;s Corporation (among others) has introduced a vacuum-formed sauce container  30  as shown in FIG.  2 . This embodiment provides an upwardly projecting cup shape  32  defining a horizontally projecting plane  34  at the full perimeter of the upper most portion of the cup  32 . The plane  34  is the by-product of the manufacturing method known as vacuum-forming and historically has been used only as a surface to adhere a mylar/foil seal  36  thereto to provide a hermetically sealed container for the preservation of the enclosed sauce (not shown). The seal  36  is used to maintain food safety and consumer&#39;s perception of same. 
     The Wendy&#39;s Corporation (among others) has introduced a folded paper sauce container  31  as shown in drawing FIG.  2 A. The shape of the sauce container is generally a truncated cone, tapering to a smaller diameter in the downward direction. This container  31  provides an upwardly projecting cup shape  33  having a lip  35  around the entire perimeter of the upwardly projecting cup shape  33 . 
     Referring to FIG. 3, the McDonald&#39;s Corporation (among others) has introduced a mylar/foil sauce package  38 . The package  38  is a pillow shaped package of sauce having serrated edges  40  at two sides of said package  38 . The serrations  40  are designed to simplify opening of the sauce package  38 . 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method and structure for coupling a condiment reservoir to a food container to improve the convenience of eating food from such a container with a condiment. The invention enables the condiment and food container to be easily held in one hand and reduces the mess associated with eating food from such a container with a condiment. The invention is especially beneficial to a user engaged in an activity such as driving a car, walking, standing-waiting a bus, etc. In one embodiment of the present invention, a food container is adapted with structure for attaching a condiment reservoir thereto. In a second embodiment, a condiment reservoir is adapted with structure adapted for attaching the condiment reservoir to a food container. In yet another embodiment, a coupling structure is mechanically associated with a condiment reservoir and a food container, the coupling structure being adapted for attaching the reservoir to the food container. 
     The present invention contemplates various structures for interconnecting a condiment reservoir and a food container, such structures may include adhesive strips, an integral carriage formed as part of the fries container, and mechanical structure formed in the condiment reservoir. The present invention also contemplates some embodiments wherein the attachment of the reservoir to the food container is a permanent attachment. In other embodiments, the attachment is a detachable or removable attachment. In some embodiments the food container and the condiment reservoir may form an integral structure, while in other embodiments the reservoir is a separate element distinct from the food container. 
     A condiment reservoir is an important aspect of the invention because it simplifies storage considerations and offers the flexibility of numerous condiment options to the consumer, provided that whatever the means of attachment, the attachment couples the condiment reservoir to the food container. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a prior art French fries container; 
     FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a prior art vacuum-formed sauce reservoir; 
     FIG. 2A shows a perspective view of a prior art sauce container; 
     FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a prior art mylar/foil sauce package; 
     FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 shows a side view of the first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a sauce container adapted for use in the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a fries container adapted for use in the present invention; and 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a fries container adapted for use in the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will be better understood when the drawings are taken in conjunction with the detailed description of the invention. 
     Drawing FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional cardboard French fries container  10  having an enlarged opening  12  for receiving French fries (not shown). Side structure  16  includes a flat lowermost portion  18  which forms a stable base to permit the container to be freestanding when placed on a horizontal surface. A curved rear structure  22  and a curved frontal structure  24 , are positioned to be convex to the enlarged opening  12 . A bottom structure  26  has a curved shape  28  that forms the curved configuration of curved rear structure  22  and of curved frontal structure  24  when pressed up inside the container from outside to inside. Typically the fries containers are stored flat until needed, at which time the bottom structure  26  is pressed (snapped) up into the underside of the fries container creating the enlarged opening  12  thus forming the shape of the curved rear structure  22  and the curved frontal structure  24 . 
     Referring to drawing FIG. 2, a conventional vacuum-formed sauce container  30  is shown. The container provides an upwardly projecting cup shape  32  and a horizontally projecting flange or plane  34  which extends about the full perimeter of the upper most portion of the cup  32 . The flange  34  is the by-product of the manufacturing method known as vacuum-forming. Historically, the flange has been used only as a surface to adhere a mylar/foil seal  36  thereto to provide a hermetically sealed container for the preservation of the enclosed sauce (not shown). The seal  36  is used to maintain food safety and consumer&#39;s perception of same. 
     Drawing FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional mylar/foil sauce package  38 , which is unaffected by present invention. 
     The present invention provides a structure for interconnecting a condiment reservoir with a food container, preferably in a spatially proximate orientation. Various structures for interconnecting the condiment reservoir to the food container are contemplated in the invention. The illustrated invention is presently described by means of a french fry container in association with a sauce container. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to this particular type of food container nor this particular type of condiment. Instead, the invention is seen as being applicable to a variety of food containers and their associated condiments. 
     Referring to drawing FIG. 4, a first embodiment  100  of the invention is shown as having a catsup/sauce reservoir  102  coupled to a fries/food container  104 . The fries container  104  includes an enlarged opening  106  for receiving French fries (not shown). A side structure  108  having a flat lowermost portion  110  which forms a stable base to permit the container to be freestanding when placed on a horizontal surface. The container  104  further includes a curved rear structure  114  and a curved frontal structure  116 . Both of the front and rear structures are oriented to be structures convex to the enlarged opening  106 . A bottom structure  118  having a curved shape  120  forms the curves of curved rear structure  114  and the curved frontal structure  116  when the bottom structure is pressed up inside the container from outside to inside. Typically the fries containers are stored flat until needed. When needed, the bottom structure  118  is pressed (snapped) up into the underside of the fries container creating the enlarged opening  106  thereby forming the shape of the curved rear structure  114  and the curved frontal structure  116 . 
     Numerous systems for attaching the catsup/sauce reservoir  102  to the fries/food container  104  may be used. For the purpose of the present description, the preferred structure of attachment requires apertures  122  that provide predetermined locations for releasably attaching the reservoir  102  to the container  104 . See FIG.  7 . The apertures  122  may be in various positions on the fries container  104  to account for stability and center of gravity considerations. An advantage realized by utilizing the apertures  122  as a method of attachment is they do not interfere with the present practice of storing the French fries containers in a collapsed condition, i.e., flat, prior to their use. 
     Various locations of the apertures  122  are possible, for the purpose of the present invention, the preferred locations of the apertures  122  as shown in FIG. 7 are identified. 
     Referring to drawing FIG. 5, a sauce reservoir  102  is coupled at the uppermost position  210  of the fries container  104 , this being one of the preferred locations of positioning the coupled sauce reservoir. The uppermost position  210  locates the sauce reservoir  102  in close proximity to the enlarged opening  114  of the fries container  104  and fries (not shown). An alternate location of the sauce reservoir  216  (dashed), i.e., at a lowermost position  214  is also illustrated. In the lowermost position of the sauce reservoir  102  (dashed), the lowermost portion of the sauce reservoir  216  is in the same horizontal plane as the lowermost portion  110  of the side structure  108 . This orientation is the second preferred location of the coupled sauce reservoir, in that it facilitates the placement of the coupled fries container  104  and sauce reservoir  102  on a horizontal surface permitting it to be freestanding. 
     FIG. 6 illustrates a sauce reservoir  102  which has been configured for use in the present invention. The container  102  is shown having a vacuum-formed shape. The sauce container  102  provides an upwardly projecting cup shape  304  and a horizontally projecting flange or plane at the full perimeter of the uppermost portion of said cup  304 . The flange  306  may be formed by vacuum-forming and may be used as a surface to adhere a mylar/foil seal (not shown) thereto to provide a hermetically sealed container for the preservation of the enclosed sauce (not shown). A system for attaching the catsup/sauce reservoir  102  to a fries/food container may be configured in the flange  306 . As shown, a pair of clip-like ears  310  are formed on opposing sides of the flange  306 . Various methods can be applied to form clip  310 , in this embodiment. For example, the horizontal flange  306  may be die-cut thereby forming the clip  310 . For this preferred method of attachment the sauce reservoir  102  would embody a curved rear wall  312  and opposing side walls  314 . The reservoir flange  306  is preferably formed of a material which has some flexibility associated therewith, e.g., plastic. This elasticity permits the clips  310  to be urged toward each other and thereafter inserted into the apertures  122  of container  104 . After the insertion of the clips the side walls of the reservoir are released thereby permitting them to spring back and into engagement against the sidewalls of the container  104  which defines the apertures  122 . 
     Each of the clips  310  defines a notch  308  therein which is adapted to receive a portion of the sidewall of the container  104  and form a spring biased pressure fit union with that sidewall. The distance (A) separating the outermost edges of the two openings  122  is dimensioned to be slightly less than the distance (B) separating the innermost ends of the notches  308 . The notch further provides a measure of resistance against a rotation of the container about axis y—y. 
     Referring to FIG. 5, the sauce reservoir  102  is preferably configured such that when it is placed in its coupled orientation the lower edge of the curved rear wall  312  abuts against and otherwise engages the surface of the front wall  214  of the container  104 . 
     FIG. 8 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the invention wherein a food container  104  is fitted with a coupling structure adapted for attaching the food container to a condiment reservoir. In this particular illustration, the coupling structure is shown as being an adhesive strip  412  on the face of the front wall of the food container  104 . The adhesive strip is formed as an elongate element having a generally rectangular configuration. The strip  412  is positioned to extend laterally across the face of the front wall of the container. A protective strip, e.g. a mylar strip  410  is positioned over the adhesive strip in order to preclude the adhesive adhering to anything prior to the time that the user wishes to attach a condiment reservoir  102 . The adhesive strip  412  may be a strip of double sided tape, wherein one adhesive side of the tape is used to secure the tape to the front wall of the container  104  while the second adhesive face is covered by the protective strip  410  to be used at a later time to secure the condiment reservoir to the container  104 . In this particular embodiment the invention may be seen as including only the food container  104  and the coupling structure  410 . Structures for coupling the sauce reservoir  102  to the container  104  may include a strip of adhesive material which may be attached to either the food container  104  or the sauce reservoir  102 . In some constructions, adhesive material may be attached to both the food container  104  and the sauce reservoir  102 . In this construction the sauce reservoir is coupled to the food container  104  by pressing the sauce reservoir against the food container with sufficient force that an adhesive bond is formed between the food container and the sauce reservoir. In this embodiment, the strip of adhesive may be covered by a protective strip which is removed prior to forming the adhesive connection of the two containers. The protective strip would permit the containers to be stored, e.g., in a stacked arrangement, without an adhesive bond being formed between adjacently positioned containers. 
     Alternate connection structure may include any mechanical fastener which would permit the temporary or permanent connection of the sauce reservoir with the food container even including the integral formation of the sauce reservoir in the structure of the food container. 
     Referring to drawing FIG. 7, a vacuum-formed sauce reservoir  102  is shown. The container  102  includes a curved rear wall  312  and opposing side walls  314 . Fries container  104 , has a curved rear structure  114  and a curved frontal structure  116 , both structures being convex to the enlarged opening  106 . Note, the arc or straightness of curved rear wall  312  shall be dictated by the curve or straightness of the food container frontal structure  116 . Again, numerous systems for attaching the sauce reservoir  102  to the fries/food container  104  may be applied, for the purpose of this embodiment the preferred means of attachment requires apertures  122 , the apertures  122  provide predetermined positions to attach the reservoir  102 . The sauce reservoir has a curved rear wall  312 , the curved rear wall  312  approximately matching curved frontal structure  116  of fries container  104 . The curved rear wall  312  is designed such that gentle pressure applied to opposing side walls  314  subtly buckles the curved wall  312  and permits clips  310  to pass through apertures  122 . By releasing pressure to opposing side walls  314 , the sauce reservoir is releasably coupled to the fries container  104 . 
     Referring to drawing FIG. 10 a perspective view of the invention is shown as having a catsup reservoir  502  coupled to a fries/food container  504  by means of a die-cut structure  522  forming a carriage  524  cut from fries/food container  504 . The die-cut structure  522  configured so as to form a locking device  526  that securely attaches the catsup reservoir  502  into the carriage  524 . The fries/food container  504  includes an enlarged opening  506  for receiving french fries (not shown). A side structure  508 , having a flat lowermost portion  510 , forms a stable base to permit the container to be freestanding when placed onto a horizontal surface. The container further includes a curved rear structure  514  and a curved frontal structure  516 . Both the front and rear structures are oriented to be convex to the enlarged opening  506 . A bottom structure  518  having a curved shape  520  forms the curves of curved rear structure and the curved frontal structure  516  when the bottom structure  518  is pressed up inside the container from outside to inside. Typically the fries containers are stored flat until needed, at which time the bottom structure  518  is pressed (snapped) up into the underside of the fries/food container  504  creating the enlarged opening  506  thereby forming the shape of the curved rear structure  514  and the curved frontal structure  516 . The die-cut structure  522  does not interfere with the manner in which the fries/food containers  504  are stored, even if flat. The die-cut structure  522  is positioned such that when the catsup reservoir  502  is secured into the carriage  224  by means of the locking device  526  the lowermost portion of the catsup reservoir  502  is in the same plane as the flat lowermost portion  510 . This enables the fries/food container  504  with the catsup reservoir  502  attached thereto to be freestanding when placed on a horizontal surface. 
     Referring to drawing FIG. 11 a perspective view of the invention shows a fries/food container  504  having a die-cut structure  522  cut into fries/food container  504 . The die-cut structure  522  has not yet been folded into position for holding a catsup reservoir as indicated in FIG.  10 . The die-cut structure  522  is configured to maintain tearout portions  528  to hold the die-cut closed until purposely folded into position. The diecut structure  522  does not interfere with the conventional manner in which the fries/food containers  504  are stored (even if flat)and does not interfere with the conventional manner in which the fries/food containers  204  are utilized. The die-cut structure  522  is configured such that the fries/food container  504  can be used as a conventional fries container as delineated in FIG. 1 (Prior Art) when catsup is not desired. 
     Characteristics of the described and illustrated embodiments are intended for illustrative purposes and are not to be considered limiting or restrictive. It is to be understood that various adaptations and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art to the embodiments illustrated herein, without departing form the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims thereof.