Interconnecting food container system

The claimed invention is a novel container system that adds utility and convenience for the consumer “on-the-go”. The container system claimed includes a main tray member that holds food product (e.g. carrots), and lid member that is configured so that, when it is inverted, it acts as a secondary tray member that holds food product (e.g. condiment) and is further attachable to the rim of the tray member via an interference fit or snap-fit grip fit. The resulting utility is that the consumer is able to hold the main tray member with one hand or have held the main tray member (e.g. in a recess in an automobile consol) and access the contents of both trays with a free hand.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a rigid food container system configuration for foodstuff that preserves and facilitates the displaying of contents. More particularly, the invention relates to a food packaging containment system where a first food container and a second food container are held together by snap-fit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Restaurants and food markets have utilized rigid containers to protect and display both perishable and fragile food items such as sandwiches, salads and bakery items. Rigid plastic food containers are typically manufactured from Polystyrene, Polypropylene, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polylactide, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), or other rigid polymers. They generally comprise either of two-parts—a tray and lid—or they may be a one-piece construction with a hinge that modifies one portion of the container to act as the tray and the other connected portion to act as a lid. Furthermore, they are available in a variety of shapes and cross-sections—circular, rectangular, square, and elliptical, etc.

These traditional roles of plastic packaging are now the minimum expected standards, and the requirements placed on plastic food packaging continue to expand as increasing demands are placed upon it. Presentation, brand presence, consumer desires, added value to enhance commercial competitiveness, differentiation, imagery and psychology has resulted in the design and application of plastic packaging becoming more challenging. Convenience and versatility continue to shape the future of packaging, with consumers gravitating toward packaged convenience items that minimize the impact on their behavior. This has forced packaging manufacturers to include social and environmental considerations into their development process. The growth of fast food restaurants and the competitive response from food markets offering packaged meal product for consumers “on-the-go” is such an indication of this trend. However, there is a growing body of evidence that consuming fast food product while driving presents enormous hazards. Despite regulation that requires at least one hand on the wheel at all times, much of currently available food product and its packaging is not designed with this regulation in mind. It is difficult, if not impossible, for example, for one to safely consume a food product that may need a condiment or other taste-enhancing feature. Additionally, this form of food consuming has gained more attention since the banning in some areas on handheld cell phones—representing a belief that multi-tasking when driving is hazardous.

Despite these concerns, this trend is unlikely to stop as consumers lifestyles evolve. The fast food industry is growing and the automotive industry continues to provide in-vehicle accessories and interiors to promote eating and drinking. All this presents opportunities to packaging manufacturers and their food processing clients to develop packaging integrated food solutions especially for convenience-oriented consumers while in transport.

There is a need to offer a variety of convenience-enhancing multiple compartmentalized food trays that take into account driver ergonomics, including the encumbrance consuming food while driving places on the driver and passengers, and existing accessories that currently exist in vehicles. This invention provides for a unique approach that achieves this objective.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the food container system comprises a first tray member and at least one smaller tray member, wherein the smaller tray member is formed with a shaped channel into its underside so that the rim of the first tray may be inserted into the shaped channel. The first tray member acts as the primary supporting means for the smaller second tray member so that a complementary combination of food items may be associated more effectively and will further be efficiently handed from one person to another. For example, the first tray member may contain corn chips or vegetables and a smaller second tray may contain a complementary condiment thereby providing enhanced utility to consumers. Ideally, the weight distribution between the first and the at least one smaller tray member is such that when they are integrated together by inserting the rim of the first tray member into the shaped channel of the smaller second tray member, the integrated food container system is able to stand alone and be held up by the base first tray.

In another embodiment of the invention, the food container system comprises a first tray member and a lid member, that when in its typical market display mode, the food container system stands upright with the base of the first tray member supported on, say, a shelf and the mouth of the lid member is attached to the mouth of the tray member in order to protect its contents using a detachable interlocking arrangement. The detachable interlocking arrangement may be a releaseably lockable snap-fit lock mechanism that ensures that the lid member and the tray member are held firmly together as the food container system is transported. Further, the lid member is formed firstly with a raised roof such that when the said lid member is inverted, it acts as a second smaller tray that can be used to hold additional foodstuff, and secondly with a shaped channel into which the rim of the first tray may be inserted. As in with the prior embodiment, the weight distribution between the first and second tray members are such that the integrated food container system is held up by the base tray when placed on a supporting surface, such as a table. Alternatively, the first tray member may be formed so that it can be held by the consumer with one hand, thereby leaving the consumer's other hand to access the food items in both tray members.

This invention is a novel plastic packaging solution that improves significantly on the convenience and therefore marketability of food product.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention is described. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, the embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

Referring to the drawings and in particular toFIG. 1, there is shown a rigid polymer construct food container system1according to the present invention, which has a vertical axis70. Radial directions are directions generally toward and away from the axis. The food container system1comprises a first tray member, or base4and a second smaller tray member or cover2. The cover2is designed to also act as a lid member when it is inverted as shown.FIG. 1shows the cover in a right-side-up position wherein the cover covers substantially all of the base recess7, whileFIG. 4shows the cover in an upside-down, or inverted, position wherein the cover covers only part of the base recess.FIG. 1shows that the cover has a top74and has a bottom72forming a rim8that is configured so that it mates with the base rim16. Such attachment is achieved by the use of an annular snap-fit lock mechanism wherein the cover rim8is releaseably lockable to the base rim16. The cover2comprises a planar surface3that lies above the cover rim8but below a cover too peripheral wall5that lies at the too74of the cover. The planar surface forms a shallow cavity23. The cover forms a curvilinear shaped channel14that is configured to receive and latch to the base rim16. The shaped channel14has an inner sidewall10and an opposing outer sidewall12between which the base rim16is inserted when the cover2is turned upside as inFIG. 4. This feature is exemplified in more detail in FIGS.3&4. Turning first, however, toFIG. 2, therein is shown a cross-sectional view of the assembled, “ready-for-sale” container system ofFIG. 1. The snap-fit lock mechanism that is used to releaseably lock the cover2to the base4is further exemplified here. Snap-fit locks have in common the principle that a protruding part of one component, e.g., a hook, stud or bead, is deflected briefly during the joining operation and is lodged in a complementary configured depression in the complementary mating component. In this instance, the snap-fit lock mechanism, as shown, is of an annular ring type wherein a continuous circumferential female cover groove9is formed immediately adjacent to the base rim8and that mates with a complementary continuous circumferential male rib11formed at the base16. When the cover2and base4are assembled in this manner with foodstuff within it, the container system1is in a “ready-for-sale” condition. It will be appreciated that the annular ring snap-fit approach provides resistance to leakage that would not be offered by discrete or non-annular (e.g. hook, stud) type snap-fit lock mechanisms. The planar surface3of the cover2is elevated above the base rim8by distance H. The distance h between the floor18of the shaped channel14and the plane of the base rim16is preferably not greater than the distance H.

InFIG. 2the cover is shown in its covering position wherein it covers all of the base recess. Turning now toFIG. 3, therein is shown the embodiment inFIG. 1but with the second smaller tray member or cover2inverted from its covering position. The cover2is shown inverted to display tray recess19into which other foodstuff may be placed. In a covering position ofFIG. 2wherein the cover covers the recess of the base, the channel14opens upward, while in an upside-down or inverted position ofFIG. 3the channel opens downward. For illustrative purposes, shown is a polymer film or foil25that may be used to optionally retain the foodstuff within its respective base recess7. In a similar manner, the foodstuff in the cover2may optionally be retained within its cover recess19with a film such as a foil (not shown). Turning toFIG. 4, therein is shown the container system inFIG. 3with the inverted cover2attached to the base4to form an integrated food container system21. Attachment of the inverted cover2to the base4is achieved by inserting any segment of the base rim16into the shaped channel14of the inverted cover2and causing an interference fit between the inner and outer sidewalls10,12of the cover2and the base rim16.FIG. 4Ashows an elevation side view of the assembled container system inFIG. 4. Turning now toFIG. 4B, therein is shown an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area P-P inFIG. 4Ashowing the interlocking arrangement between the base rim16and the inverted cover2. The inner sidewall10and outer sidewall12are formed at an angle toward each other so that, together, they enable an interference fit with the base4at the base wall13and at the base rim16. Further, as shown, when inserted fully, the shaped channel floor18preferably sits on the base rim16so that the planes of the mouths of the cover2and the base4approximately coincide. The consumer has then a number of options including placing the lower portion of the base4into, say, an automobile center consol cup-holder or holding the base4with one hand while using their free hand to access the foodstuff in both the base and cover recesses. For example, sliced carrots may be placed into the base recess7and a salad dressing placed into the cover recess19.

Turning now toFIGS. 5,6and7, therein are shown renditions of another embodiment of the present invention. In these renditions, when the cover2is inverted, the curvilinear configuration of the shaped channel14is such that it will mate with the base rim16only at the complementary curvilinear extended base rim segment28of the first tray member rim16as only here is the radius of the shaped channel14similar to that of the curvilinear extended base rim segment28. Additionally, the shaped channel inner sidewalls10,26&20and opposing outer sidewalls12,24&22are formed at an angle toward each other so that, together, they make a mechanical attachment with the base rim16when said curvilinear extended rim segment28is inserted into the shaped channel14in a similar manner as exemplified inFIG. 4B. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of the mouth of the tray member defined by the base rim16is less restricted as compared with the embodiment of the invention depicted inFIG. 1.

Turning toFIGS. 8 & 9, therein are illustrations of a preferred embodiment of the invention wherein the cover2and base4are secured to each other using screw thread connections to achieve a “ready-for-sale” condition.

FIG. 9shows the cover2inverted and attached to the first tray member4to form an integrated food container system21, and as illustrated, the male helical thread40in the cover2is formed on the tapered surface41, and designed to engage a similarly configured but complementary helical female thread38formed on the inner wall13. When engaged in this manner, the faying surfaces34,36of the cover and base2,4respectively, in concert with the threaded connections, makes leak-resistant the container system. Turning toFIG. 10, therein is illustrated an isometric view of the cover2of the embodiment inFIGS. 8 & 9. As shown, a discrete male rib thread42is formed on the outer sidewall12, and that is used to secure the inverted cover2to the base rim16. The manner of engagement of the inverted cover2is further exemplified inFIG. 11which is a cross-sectional view of the container system1inFIG. 9taken along the line N-N. Attaching the inverted cover2to the base4is achieved by placing the base rim16into the shaped channel14and then sliding said shaped channel14along the base rim so that the discrete male rib thread42slides along the female groove thread38of the base4; and the opposing resistance caused by the force between the inner sidewall10and the base rim16results in an interference fit that firmly holds the inverted cover2and base4together.

Turning now toFIGS. 12,13,14&15, therein is shown renditions of another embodiment of the invention. This embodiment possesses all the features of the embodiment depicted inFIGS. 8,9,10&11, except that securing the cover2to the base4is further facilitated by a discrete male protuberance44. Commonly referred to as a stud snap-fit lock, securing the cover2to the base is achieved by sliding the shaped channel14along the base rim16as previously described and exemplified inFIGS. 8,9,10&11, and by further ensuring that the discrete male protuberance44in the cover2“snaps” into the complementary female depression46of the base4.

Turning toFIGS. 16,17,18&19, therein are shown another rigid polymer construct embodiment of a further enhancement of the previously described embodiment of the present invention, the enhancement being the formation of a male protuberance53that is formed into the floor of the shaped channel14. A complementary female slot54is formed in a radially (with respect to the axis) outward extension76, with slot54formed to accept the male protuberance53. The coupling of the two tray members is further enhanced by the use of a snap-fit grip mechanical means. The snap fit grip means is formed by the undercut of slot, or recess,54and of protuberance or projection53shown inFIG. 19which holds the cover protuberance in the slot. In these illustrations, shown formed into the male protuberance53is a discrete rib edge56that mechanically engages a corresponding complementary ledge58in the female slot54to help secure the cover2to the base4.FIG. 17shows that when the inverted cover2is mounted on the base4, the channel floor18is supported on the base rim16.

Turning toFIG. 20, therein is shown a first container system50stacked upon a second container system52of the present invention. The dimensions and configuration of the bottom48of the base4are such that it permits a close fit with cavity23formed in the top of the lid member2. The stacking feature of the container system to facilitate transportation, as well as display at the market.

FIG. 21shows a different embodiment of the present invention that does not utilize the smaller second tray members to act as a lid that mates with the mouth of the first tray member. As shown, there is illustrated a first tray member4to which is attached two smaller tray members60,62. The manner of attachment of the smaller tray members60,62to the first tray member4have previously been described.