Patent Publication Number: US-2002007902-A1

Title: Method of manufacturing a condiment cup

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     [0001] This application for a utility patent is a continuation-in-part of the following previously filed, and still pending, patent applications: application Ser. No. 09/590,607, filed Jun. 9, 2000; application Ser. No. 29/124,653, filed Jun. 9, 2000, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. D 445,676; application Ser. No. 29/139,331, filed Mar. 27, 2001; application Ser. No. 29/142,468, filed May 25, 2001; and application Ser. No. 09/896,714, filed Jun. 30, 2001. This application for a utility patent claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/138,704, filed Jun. 11, 999. 
    
    
     
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH  
       [0002] Not Applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0004] This invention relates generally to condiment cups, and more particularly to a method for manufacturing a condiment cup having an attachment arm and an oxygen barrier.  
       [0005] 2. Description of Related Art  
       [0006] There is a need in the marketplace for a secondary container that can be readily attached to a storage container. An example of a market for such a product is in the fast food industry. In the sale of fast food, it is desirable to be able to dispense condiments such as ketchup in a condiment cup that can be readily carried with their associated foods, such as french-fries.  
       [0007] It is highly desirable that the condiment cup be securely attachable to the storage container so as to prevent spillage; and it is also desirable that the containers be inexpensive to manufacture, store, ship, and use. To meet this goal, the container must have an attachment arm or arms for attaching the condiment cup to the storage container. It is highly desirable that the condiment cup be constructed so that the attachment arm securely locks onto the storage container.  
       [0008] Garrett, U.S. Pat. No. 2,597,468, teaches a supplementary container for holding cream on the rim of a coffee cup. The supplementary container includes a hook-shaped member for mounting the container on the coffee cup, and a positioning rib that is positioned beneath the hook-shaped member for clamping the coffee cup.  
       [0009] Waterston et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,975, teaches a recyclable materials caddy that can be attached to a waste receptacle. The caddy is constructed of a linear blank of corrugated plastic and includes a metal hangar member that allows the caddy to be mounted on the rim of a wastebasket.  
       [0010] In addition to a need for an attachment arm, the condiment cup must also include an oxygen barrier that prevents oxygen from penetrating the condiment cup once the condiment cup has been sealed and while the condiment cup is in storage. This is important because oxygen tends to penetrate ordinary plastic in sufficient quantities to harm foodstuffs stored therein. For example, ketchup tends to turn brown in the presence of oxygen.  
       [0011] The prior art teaches various supplementary containers that can be mounted upon another container or cup. However, the prior art does not teach a method of manufacturing a condiment container that includes an attachment arm and an oxygen barrier. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012] The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.  
       [0013] The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a condiment cup. The method teaches the use of a thermoplastic material having a means for resisting oxygen permeation.  
       [0014] The thermoplastic material is then thermoformed into the condiment cup having a base and an upwardly extending sidewall that together define a storage space, the upwardly extending sidewall terminating in a perimeter lip that defines an opening for accessing the storage space. The condiment cup further includes a horizontal attachment arm extending outwardly from the perimeter flange. The horizontal attachment arm is then bent downwardly to form an attachment arm extending downwardly from the perimeter flange.  
       [0015] A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a condiment cup, the method having advantages not taught by the prior art.  
       [0016] Another objective is to provide a method for manufacturing a condiment cup that includes an attachment arm and is resistant to the permeation of oxygen through the condiment cup.  
       [0017] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
     [0018] The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings:  
     [0019]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a condiment cup manufactured according to the teachings of the present invention;  
     [0020]FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;  
     [0021]FIG. 3 is a rear side elevational view thereof;  
     [0022]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view thereof;  
     [0023]FIG. 5 is a top plan view thereof;  
     [0024]FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view thereof;  
     [0025]FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating how a sealing lid is peeled off of a condiment container;  
     [0026]FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating how the condiment container is attached to a storage container with an attachment arm;  
     [0027]FIG. 9 is a is a sectional view thereof taken along line  9 - 9  in FIG. 8;  
     [0028]FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of an alternative embodiment having a second attachment arm adjacent a grip enhancer opposite the attachment arm;  
     [0029]FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment in which the condiment cup is mounted inside the storage container;  
     [0030]FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment in which the attachment arm includes a curved spring portion;  
     [0031]FIG. 13 is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment that includes a divider sidewall that separates the condiment container into first and second compartments;  
     [0032]FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating a locking button of the attachment arm and a plurality of locking ribs of the grip enhancer;  
     [0033]FIG. 15 is a sectional view thereof taken along line  15 - 15  in FIG. 14;  
     [0034]FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment illustrating a condiment cup having a perimeter lip in the shape of a half-circle;  
     [0035]FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment illustrating a condiment cup having a perimeter lip in the shape of a triangle;  
     [0036]FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment illustrating a condiment cup having a perimeter lip in the shape of a half-trapezoid;  
     [0037]FIG. 19 is a side elevational view of a composite sheet being formed by a pair of rollers;  
     [0038]FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a mold being used to thermoform the composite sheet;  
     [0039]FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a thermoformed article formed by the mold;  
     [0040]FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a sealing machine being used to seal the sealing lid onto the thermoformed article;  
     [0041]FIG. 23 is an exploded perspective view of a diecutting trim press being used to cut an excess perimeter from the thermoformed article;  
     [0042]FIG. 24 is a side elevational view of a horizontal arm of the condiment cup being shaped by an arm formation die;  
     [0043]FIG. 25 is a top plan view of the condiment cup having the horizontal arm extending outwardly from the perimeter lip;  
     [0044]FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a n alternative embodiment of the mold illustrating the generally conical attachment arm forming region;  
     [0045]FIG. 27 is a top plan view of a second alternative embodiment of the condiment cup;  
     [0046]FIG. 28 is a side elevational view thereof;  
     [0047]FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a third alternative embodiment of the condiment cup;  
     [0048]FIG. 30 is a front elevational view thereof;  
     [0049]FIG. 31 is a rear elevational view thereof;  
     [0050]FIG. 32 is a side elevational view thereof;  
     [0051]FIG. 33 is a top plan view thereof;  
     [0052]FIG. 34 is a bottom plan view thereof;  
     [0053]FIG. 35 is a perspective view of a fourth alternative embodiment of the condiment cup;  
     [0054]FIG. 36 is a front elevational view thereof;  
     [0055]FIG. 37 is a rear elevational view thereof;  
     [0056]FIG. 38 is a side elevational view thereof;  
     [0057]FIG. 39 is a top plan view thereof; and  
     [0058]FIG. 40 is a bottom plan view thereof. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0059] The above described drawing figures illustrate the invention, a condiment cup  10  for containing a condiment  16  and for attachment to a storage container sidewall  14  of a storage container  12 . The condiment cup  10  includes a condiment container  20  for storing the condiment  16 , an attachment arm  30  for attaching the condiment container  20  to the storage container  12 , and a sealing lid  40  for sealing the condiment container  20 . The condiment container  20  is typically filled with the condiment  16 , such as ketchup, sealed with a sealing lid  40 , and then distributed to patrons of fast food restaurants. The patrons then peel off the sealing lid  40  and hang the condiment container  20  on the storage container  12 , such as a container of French fries.  
     [0060] As shown in FIGS.  1 - 18 , the condiment container  20  has a base  22  and an upwardly extending sidewall  24  that together define a storage space  26 . The upwardly extending sidewall  24  terminates in a perimeter lip  28  that defines an opening  29  for accessing the storage space  26 . The perimeter lip  28  is preferably shaped as an outwardly extending flange for facilitating bonding the sealing lid  40  onto the condiment container  20 , as described below. The opening  29  is shaped and sized to enable the patron to easily access the condiment  16  in the condiment container  20 , typically by dipping a food product such as French fries into the condiment  16  such as ketchup. The condiment container  20  is preferably constructed of molded plastic, although alternative embodiments might be constructed of paperboard or similar material. The condiment container  20  is preferably generally rectangular in shape; however, as shown in FIGS.  16 - 18 , the condiment container  20  can be constructed of almost any shape, including but not limited to a half-circle, triangular, half-hexagonal, or any other shape, including round or elliptical. The condiment container  20  can also be conical in shape, as the base  22  does not necessarily have to be formed as a flat surface.  
     [0061] As shown in FIGS.  1 - 18 , the condiment cup  10  further includes an attachment arm  30  extending downwardly from the perimeter lip  28 . The attachment arm  30  preferably includes an outwardly extending portion  32 , a downwardly extending portion  34 , and ends at a terminal end  38 . The outwardly extending portion  32  and the downwardly extending portion  34  are at least semi-rigid to support the condiment cup  20  as described. The outwardly extending portion  32  functions to outwardly space the downwardly extending portion  34  from the upwardly extending sidewall  24 . The attachment arm  30  is preferably integrally molded with the condiment container  20  and extends far enough downward to provide a secure anchor point for the condiment cup  10 , but not so far as to interfere with shipping and handling of the condiment cup  10 . The attachment arm  30  preferably extends approximately half of the height of the upwardly extending sidewall  24 .  
     [0062] Once the condiment container  20  has been filled with the condiment  16 , the sealing lid  40  is attached to the condiment container  20 . The sealing lid  40  has a lid perimeter  42  that is shaped and adapted to be bonded to the perimeter lip  28  such that the sealing lid  40  seals the opening  29  of the condiment container  20 . The sealing lid  40  preferably includes a pull tab  44  that extends outwardly from the lid perimeter  42  for facilitating the peel-removal of the sealing lid  40  from the condiment container  20 . The sealing lid  40  is preferably constructed of a thin material such as foil or plastic. The lid perimeter  42  of the sealing lid  40  is preferably bonded to the perimeter lip  28 , either with an adhesive or a heat welding, although those skilled in the art may devise other equivalent mechanisms for bonding the two surfaces, and these alternatives should be considered within the scope of the claimed invention.  
     [0063] In use, the patron of a fast food restaurant is given the condiment cup  10  with their meal. For example, when the patron orders French fries, he or she is given a condiment cup  10  that contains ketchup. This of course will vary depending upon the restaurant. A Mexican restaurant might serve nachos, in which case the condiment cup  10  might be filled with salsa or cheese. A chicken restaurant might serve chicken with a condiment cup  10  full of barbeque sauce. Since the condiment cup  10  can hold a large amount of the condiment  16 , a single container is all that is required, rather than a large number of small packets of the condiment. The condiment cup  10  reduces waste of the condiment by including the condiment in a single container, rather than dispensing large numbers of small packets.  
     [0064] As shown in FIG. 7, when the patron is ready to consume the meal, he or she simply peels the sealing lid  40  from the condiment container  20  to expose the condiment  16 . The patron then can hang the condiment container  20  on the storage container sidewall  14  of the storage container  12 , as shown in FIG. 8, and dip the food through the opening  29  of the condiment container  20  and into the condiment  16 . The condiment cup  10  provides a handy method of dispensing the condiment  16  while the patron eats his or her meal.  
     [0065] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2,  4 ,  6 - 10 , the condiment cup  10  preferably includes at least one grip enhancer  50  extending outwardly from the upwardly extending sidewall  24  adjacent the attachment arm  30 . The at least one grip enhancer  50  provides an outwardly extending sidewall  52  that supports a grip surface  54 . The outwardly extending sidewall  52  is preferably integral with the upwardly extending sidewall  24  and extends outwardly from the upwardly extending sidewall  24  approximately the same distance as the outwardly extending portion  32  of the attachment arm  30 . For purposes of this application, when we say that the outwardly extending sidewall  52  extends outwardly from the upwardly extending sidewall  24  approximately the same distance as the outwardly extending portion  32  of the attachment arm  30 , this is intended to include the situation when the outwardly extending sidewall  52  extends outwardly from the upwardly extending sidewall  24  a distance that is slightly less than the outwardly extending portion  32  of the attachment arm  30 —as long as the relationship between the outwardly extending sidewall  52  and the attachment arm  30  is functional to grip the storage container sidewall  14 .  
     [0066] The grip surface  54  is preferably an elongate surface that is generally parallel to the attachment arm  30 . The grip surface  54  is vertically aligned with and horizontally spaced from the attachment arm  30 . For purposes of this application, vertically aligned means that at least a portion of the grip surface  54  is the same distance from the base  22  as at least a portion of the attachment arm  30 ; and specifically, that a top edge  56  of the grip surface  54  is higher than a terminal end  38  of the attachment arm  30 . In the preferred embodiment, the grip surface  54  is positioned between the outwardly extending portion  32  of the attachment arm  30  and the terminal end  38 . As shown in FIG. 9, the grip surface  54  is adapted to cooperate with the attachment arm  30  to clamp the storage container sidewall  14  and thereby support the condiment cup  10  on the storage container sidewall  14 .  
     [0067] In a first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the at least one grip enhancer  50  includes two grip enhancers  50 , each of the two grip enhancers  50  being horizontally spaced on either side of the attachment arm  30 . The grip surface  54  of the grip enhancers  50  are adapted to cooperate with the attachment arm  30  to clamp the storage container sidewall  14  and thereby support the condiment cup  10  on the storage container sidewall  14 .  
     [0068] In a second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the condiment cup  10  includes a second attachment arm  60  and a single grip enhancer  50 . The grip enhancer  50  is positioned between the attachment arm  30  and the second attachment arm  60 . The grip surface  54  of the grip enhancer  50  is adapted to cooperate with the attachment arm  30  and the second attachment arm  60  to clamp the storage container sidewall  14  and thereby support the condiment cup  10  on the storage container sidewall  14 .  
     [0069] In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the attachment arm  30  includes a curved spring portion  36  extending to the terminal end  38  that is outturned away from the upwardly extending sidewall  24 . The attachment arm  30  is preferably constructed of a resilient material that enables the curved spring portion  36  to bend and accommodate the storage container sidewall  14  when the terminal end  38  captures the storage container sidewall  14 , the curved spring portion  36  then functioning to bias the attachment arm  30  against the storage container sidewall  14 , thereby further enhancing the grip of the attachment arm  30  against the storage container sidewall  14 .  
     [0070] In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, the condiment cup  10  further includes a divider sidewall  62  that is integral with the base  22  and the upwardly extending sidewall  24  and positioned to separate the storage space  26  into a first compartment  64  and a second compartment  66 . The divider sidewall  62  includes a divider lip  68  that is adapted to be bonded to the sealing lid  40 , thereby sealing the divider sidewall  62  and separating the first compartment  64  from the second compartment  66 . This enables the storage of both the condiment  16  and a second condiment  18  within the condiment cup  10 . For example, the condiment cup  10  could be used to store ketchup and barbeque sauce, cheese and salsa, chocolate and sprinkles, or any number of combinations of condiments.  
     [0071] In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the condiment cup  10  further includes a locking button  70  or buttons extending from an inner surface of the attachment arm  30 . The locking button  70  functions to increase the strength of the connection between the condiment cup  10  and the storage container sidewall  14 . The connection can be especially strong if the storage container sidewall  14  includes a dimple that matches the locking button  70 .  
     [0072] In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 10, 14, and  15 , the condiment cup  10  further includes a plurality of locking ribs  74  extending from the grip surface  54  of the at least one grip enhancer  50 . The plurality of locking ribs  74  further function to increase the strength of the grip of the at least one grip enhancer  50  upon the storage container sidewall  14 .  
     [0073] The condiment container  20  preferably has a base  22  that is angled, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 15, to facilitate dipping the food into the condiment  16 . In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the condiment cup  10  further includes at least one support leg  76  extending downwardly from the base  22  of the condiment container  20 . The at least one support leg  76  is adapted to cooperate with the base  22  to support the condiment container  20  in an upright orientation when the condiment container  20  is placed upon a surface.  
     [0074] In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, the base  22  is planar and adapted to support the condiment cup  10  on a surface such as a table, in addition to attaching the condiment cup  10  onto the storage container sidewall  14 .  
     [0075] The invention further includes a method of manufacturing the condiment cup  10  described above. The condiment cup  10  is preferably constructed of a thermoplastic material  91  having a means for resisting oxygen permeation. The thermoplastic material  91  is thermoformed using a mold  80  into the condiment cup  10  described above.  
     [0076] According to the preferred method, the mold  80 , described in greater detail below, is adapted for thermoforming a composite sheet  90  of the thermoplastic material  91  into the condiment cup  10 . The composite sheet  90  includes a thermoplastic material  91  and a means for resisting oxygen permeation. The thermoplastic material  91  preferably includes polyethylene and/or polypropylene, although those skilled in the art of polymers and plastics can devise alternative materials that will function in the present invention. The thermoplastic material  91  is then integrated with the means for resisting oxygen permeation, described below.  
     [0077] In the preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 19, the means for resisting oxygen permeation is a sheet of ethyl vinyl alcohol (EVOH)  94 , although other materials can also be used, including but not limited to a copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinylidene chloride sold under the name SARAN® by the DOW® Chemical Corporation. In this embodiment, the thermoplastic material  91  is integrated with the sheet of EVOH  94  by sandwiching the sheet of EVOH  94  between first and second sheets of thermoplastic material  91  and  97  to form the composite sheet  90 . In this embodiment, the composite sheet  90  includes, in a stack, a first sheet of thermoplastic material  91 , a first sheet of plastic adhesive  92 , a first sheet of EVOH adhesive  93 , the sheet of EVOH  94 , a second sheet of EVOH adhesive  95 , a second sheet of plastic adhesive  96 , and then the second sheet of thermoplastic material  97 . The stack is compressed using a pair of rollers  98  to form a composite sheet  90 .  
     [0078] In this embodiment, the first and second sheets of thermoplastic material  91  and  97  are preferably polyethylene or polypropylene, and these layers provide the basic structural support for the condiment cup  10 , as well as a safe surface for contacting the condiment  16  or other food product. The first and second sheets of plastic adhesive  92  and  96  are adhesives that bond to the first and second sheets of thermoplastic materials  91  and  97 , respectively. Since the sheet of EVOH  94  will not typically bond with the first and second sheets of plastic adhesives  92  and  96 , the sheet of EVOH  94  is sandwiched between the first and second sheets of EVOH adhesive  93  and  95  which are designed to bond to the sheet of EVOH  94 , and then function to bond to the first and second sheets of plastic adhesive  92  and  96 . The adhesives described herein are well known in the art, and are therefore not described in greater detail herein.  
     [0079] In another embodiment, the means for resisting oxygen permeation is an oxygen resistant additive that is added to the thermoplastic material  91 . The oxygen resistant additive and the thermoplastic material  91  are melted, mixed together, and then poured into a sheet or other shape and cooled to form the composite sheet  90 . In the preferred embodiment, the oxygen resistant additive is the formulation sold by the DOW® Chemical Company under the name NMDX6®. This composite sheet  90  can be used in the thermoforming process described herein, or alternatively used in an injection molding process to form the condiment cup  10 .  
     [0080] While the above description of the thermoplastic material  91  describes the preferred embodiment in which the thermoplastic material  91  is in the form of a sheet, it is specifically contemplated that the scope of the invention should not be limited thereto. While providing the thermoplastic material  91  in the form of a sheet is particularly suitable for the thermoforming process, the thermoplastic material  91  could be shaped in any manner of “blank” that can be utilized in the thermoforming process. Those skilled in this art can devise alternative shapes that can be used, and these alternatives are considered within the scope of the claimed invention.  
     [0081] Once the thermoplastic material  91  has been integrated with the means for resisting oxygen permeation to form the composite sheet  90 , the composite sheet  90  is ready to be thermoformed into the condiment cup  10 . As shown in FIG. 20, the composite sheet  90  is heated above the heat distortion temperature of the composite sheet  90  with a thermoform heater  88  and thermoformed onto the mold  80  such that the composite sheet  90  is shaped by the mold  80  into a thermoformed article  100 . A vacuum  89  operably attached to the mold  80  can be used to force the composite sheet  90  onto the mold  80 ; however, alternative mechanisms well known in the art, such as air pressure or other means, can also be used to similar and equivalent effect.  
     [0082] The mold  80  has a base forming region  81 , an upwardly extending sidewall forming region  82 , and a perimeter lip forming region  83 , each of the regions of the mold  80  being adapted for forming a respective portion of the condiment cup  10 . The perimeter lip forming region  83  includes an attachment arm forming region, described in greater detail below. The attachment arm forming region is shaped to form the attachment arm  30  portion of the condiment cup  10 , at least partially while the thermoformed article  100  is impressed onto the mold  80 . The attachment arm forming region can vary, however, depending upon the particular process selected, and the various equivalent processes available should be considered within the scope of the claimed invention.  
     [0083] In a first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 26, the attachment arm forming region includes a is generally conical attachment arm forming region  84  that is shaped to form an attachment arm  30  that is generally conical in shape and extends downwardly from the perimeter lip  28 . In this embodiment, the step of forming the attachment arm  30  is completed entirely during the initial thermoforming step. The generally conical shape of the attachment arm  30  formed enables the attachment arm  30  to be produced using just the thermoforming process without additional shaping or molding. The generally conical shape functions to provide the strength required to support the condiment cup  10  upon the storage container  12 . The shape that we use to describe the attachment arm  30  of this embodiment, which we call generally conical, is meant to include similar shapes beyond the scope of the literal meaning of conical. Similar shapes include any manner of generally tapered hollow shapes, whether their cross section is circular, square, oval, or any other shape. Furthermore, the shape does not have to terminate at a point, but can terminate in any shape, whether a point, line, geometric shape, or similar blunt end. Various alternative embodiments of the condiment cup  10  utilizing this design are illustrated in FIGS.  27 - 40 .  
     [0084] In a second embodiment, as shown in FIGS.  20 - 25 , the attachment arm forming region of the mold  80  preferably includes a horizontal arm forming region  85  that extends outwardly from the perimeter lip forming region  83  such that, when the composite sheet  90  is thermoformed, a horizontal arm  86  is formed. The horizontal arm  86  is an outwardly extending flange having dimensions generally equal to the dimensions of the attachment arm  30  that is desired. The horizontal arm  30  is preferably further defined during the trimming step, resulting in a condiment cup  10  having a horizontal arm  86 , as shown in FIG. 25.  
     [0085] As shown in FIG. 24, once the horizontal arm  86  has been formed, it is heated and shaped into the attachment arm  30  using an arm formation die  110 . The arm formation die  110 , or an equivalent mechanism, first heats a portion  114  of the horizontal arm  86  with an arm heater  112  at a point near the perimeter lip  28  so that the portion  114  is temporarily soft and malleable. At this moment, the arm formation die  110  stamps the horizontal arm  86  into the shape of the attachment arm  30 . Once the attachment arm  30  cools, the plastic rigidly sets in the new shape.  
     [0086] As shown in FIG. 20, the mold  80  preferably further comprises at least one grip enhancer forming region  87  that functions to form, on the condiment cup  10 , the at least one grip enhancer  50  extending outwardly from the upwardly extending sidewall  24  adjacent the attachment arm  30 , as described above. The mold  80  can include two or more grip enhancer regions  87 , each of the grip enhancer regions  87  functioning to form, on the condiment cup  10 , a grip enhancer  50 , each of the two grip enhancers  50  being horizontally spaced on either side of the attachment arm  30 .  
     [0087] As shown in FIGS.  21 - 23 , when the thermoformed article  100  is removed from the mold  80 , the thermoformed article  100  includes both the condiment cup  10  and an excess perimeter  104  extending outwardly from the perimeter lip  28 . At a later stage, as shown in FIG. 23, the thermoformed article  100  is trimmed in a diecutting trim press  102  to separate the condiment cup  10  from the excess perimeter  104 . The construction of the diecutting trim press  102  is well known to those skilled in the art, and is therefore not described in greater detail herein.  
     [0088] At some point in the production, the condiment cup  10  is filled with the condiment  16  and sealed with the sealing lid  40 . First, as shown in FIG. 21, the condiment  16  or similar food product is deposited into the storage space  26  of the condiment cup  10 . If the condiment cup  10  includes the second compartment  66 , the second condiment  18  is added, either simultaneously or as an additional filling step.  
     [0089] As shown in FIG. 22, the sealing lid  40  is positioned on top of the perimeter lip  28  such that the lid perimeter  42  abuts the perimeter lip  28 . This step is typically performed automatically using a pivot arm  120  that is controlled by an automated machine. The pivot arm  120  typically includes a suction cup  122  that functions to grab the sealing lid  40  and then release the sealing lid  40  at the proper time. The construction and control of such a pivot arm  120  is known in the art, and therefore not described in greater detail herein. Finally, the lid perimeter  42  is sealed to the perimeter lip  28  using a sealing machine  116 , thereby sealing closed the opening  29  of the condiment cup  10 . The sealing machine  116  typically uses a burst of sonic energy to weld the sealing lid  40  to the perimeter lip  28 . The construction of to the sealing machine  116  utilized in the present method is well known in the art, and is therefore not described in greater detail herein.  
     [0090] The steps of filling and sealing are preferably performed to the thermoformed article  100  prior to the trimming using the diecutting trim press  102 , although the order of these steps can be modified by those skilled in the art depending upon the production strategy of the manufacturer.  
     [0091] While the invention has been described with reference to at least one preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims.