Patent Publication Number: US-2011056978-A1

Title: Food container

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This document relates to food containers. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Conventional food containers for food items such as burgers have a lid or flap for a user to manually flip open to access the food item. A user may then entirely remove the food item from the container for consumption. In some cases a user may also manually pull out a portion of the food item, and then consume the portion while holding the rest of the food item in the container. 
     SUMMARY 
     A sandwich container is disclosed comprising: a housing having a base, a rear wall, a top wall, and sidewalls, the housing being at least partially enclosed and defining an interior for containment of a sandwich, the housing defining a dispensing end of the sandwich container; a push tab, formed in one or both of the base and the rear wall of the housing, adapted to hinge from a base end of the push tab into the housing toward the dispensing end for manual advancement, in operation, of the sandwich from the rear wall towards the dispensing end. 
     A food container is also disclosed comprising: a housing having a base, a rear wall, a top wall, sidewalls, and a front flap, the housing being enclosed and defining an interior for containment of a food item, the front flap adapted to enclose a dispensing end defined by the housing; a push tab, formed in one or both of the base and rear wall of the housing, adapted to hinge from a base end of the push tab into the housing toward the dispensing end for manual advancement, in operation, of the food item from the rear wall towards the dispensing end in order to contact and open the front flap. 
     These and other aspects of the device and method are set out in the claims, which are incorporated here by reference. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       Embodiments will now be described with reference to the figures, in which like reference characters denote like elements, by way of example, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a food container. 
         FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the food container of  FIG. 1  with the front flap open. 
         FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the rear wall of the food container of  FIG. 1  gripped by a user&#39;s fingers. 
         FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of the food container of  FIG. 1  gripped by a user&#39;s fingers with the front flap open to illustrate the interior of the food container. 
         FIGS. 5A-5E  are side elevation views that illustrate the operation of the push flap in manually advancing a sandwich out of the food container. 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevation view of an embodiment of a push tab used with a food container. 
         FIG. 7  is a blank of material configured to construct the food container of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Immaterial modifications may be made to the embodiments described here without departing from what is covered by the claims. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a food container, for example a sandwich container  10 , is illustrated comprising a housing  12  and a push tab  14 . Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , housing  12  has at least a base  16 , a rear wall  18 , a top wall  20 , and sidewalls  22  and  24 . Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5A , housing  12  is at least partially enclosed and defines an interior  26  for containment of a food item, such as a sandwich  28  (shown in  FIG. 5A ). Referring to  FIG. 5B , housing  12  also defines a dispensing end  30  of the food container  10 . Food container  10  may be used for containing items of food, such as a sandwich, burger as shown, bagel, donut, panini sandwich, philly cheesesteak sandwich, wrap, submarine sandwich, quesadilla, and other suitable containable food items. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , push tab  14  is formed in one or both of the base  16  and the rear wall  18  of housing  12 . Referring to  FIG. 7 , push tab  14  may be defined at least partially by perforated score lines  19  on the housing  12 . Referring to  FIGS. 5B-5E , push tab  14  is adapted to hinge from a base end  32  of the push tab  14  into the housing  12  toward the dispensing end  30  for manual advancement, in operation, of the food item from the rear wall  18  towards the dispensing end  30 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5E , the push tab  14 , in use, defines a tab stroke  34  within the housing. The tab stroke  34  may be broad enough to sweep the sandwich  28  entirely out of the container  10 , for example if the tab stroke  34  extends to the dispensing end  30 . Referring to  FIG. 5B  the tab  14  may initially contact a back end  36  of the sandwich  28 , at a position that is above half the height of the sandwich  28  for example. In some cases the position is above half the height of the container  10 , and may be even higher to ensure that the tab  14  contacts the sandwich  28  over a region that extends up to an upper portion or layer  40  of the sandwich  28 . This acts to prevent the layers of the sandwich  28  from being skewed across one another. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , push tab  14  may have at least one fold spaced between base end  32  and an upper edge  46 . Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5B , for example push tab  14  may have a series of spaced parallel lateral folds, such as folds  42 A,  42 B, and  42 C, which define an accordion-like series of surfaces, such as surfaces  44 A,  44 B, and  44 C. The container  10  may have more or less folds and surfaces than those shown. Referring to  FIG. 5B , an accordion-like series of surfaces such as is shown may allow the push tab  14  to hug the contour of the sandwich  28 . Referring to  FIG. 5D , the push tab  14  may have at least one push surface, such as surface  48  spaced from base end  32 , for example adjacent upper edge  46 , that is adapted to hinge backwards relative to the forward hinging of the push tab  14  at base end  32 . This allows surface  48  to flatly contact the back end  36  of the sandwich through a range of different hinge angles  50  at base end  32  through the advancement. Referring to  FIGS. 5C and 5D , as an example, surface  48  is illustrated at two different points along the tab stroke, flatly in contact with back end  36  of sandwich  28  in an upright position, which may be the most natural contact position for a sandwich of this type. This allows a user to apply a force vector  52  to the sandwich  28  in the direction of the desired advancement of the sandwich  28  out of the container  10 . Base end  32  may be located at the junction between the base  16  and the rear wall  18 . Referring to  FIGS. 5A and 7 , the push tab  14  may be formed in the base  16  and the rear wall  18  of the housing  12 , for example as shown. The push tab  14  may be formed to at least one-third, for example at least one-half to full length, of the distance up the rear wall  18  of the housing  12  from the base end  32 . In some embodiments, the base end  32  may be located on the rear wall  18 . In other embodiments, the base end  32  is located at least one-third of the length of the base  16  from the rear wall  18 . The base end  32  may hinge at the dispensing end  30  in some cases. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the push tab  14  is sized to fit the fingers  56  of a user&#39;s hand  58 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , the push tab  14  may be at least 3 cm, for example 4-5 cm, wide to suitably fit two fingers. Push tab  14  may also have width  54  sized to fit at least three fingers  56 . The push tab  14  may be at least 4 cm, for example 5-7 cm, wide to suitably fit three fingers. Sizing to fit the fingers allows the fingers  56  to operate the push tab  14  while a user&#39;s thumb  62  and at least one opposing finger, such as a user&#39;s fourth finger  56 D, are free to grip the sidewalls  22  and  24  of container  10  for lateral stability. Thus, single-handed-use of container  10  is afforded. Referring to  FIG. 4 , another configuration is envisioned where thumb  62  and a user&#39;s third and fourth fingers  56 C and  56 D, respectively, are used to grip the container  10 . At least one of the other two remaining fingers (not shown) may be used to operate the push tab  14 . Other configurations are possible, including using one to four of fingers  56  to operate push tab  14 . Push tab  14  may be provided with a width  54  sized to fit at least four or more fingers  56  as shown. The push tab  14  may be at least 5 cm, for example 7-9 cm, wide to suitably fit four fingers. Larger widths may be used. The width of tab  14  may be selected to correspond with the majority of expected widths of the fingers of a predicted consumer, for example a child or adult. Referring to  FIG. 6 , by providing a push tab  14  with a lateral width  54  suitable for protecting the fingers  56  from directly contacting the food item, push tab  14  forms a hygienic barrier. To improve this function, the width  54  of the push tab  14  may be sized at least 0.5 cm, for example 1-5 cm, larger than the width of the number of fingers  56  that the push tab  14  is sized for. In addition, this may be achieved by sizing the push tab  14  for more fingers than push tab  14  is intended to be operated with. The push tab  14  may have the width of at least three fingers  56 . The width of the push tab  14  may also correspond with the width of a sandwich contained in the sandwich container  10 . For example, the width of the push tab  14  may be at least half, for example at least three quarters, the width of the sandwich  28 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the housing  12  may have a front flap  64 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , front flap  64  may be adapted to close, for example enclose, the dispensing end  30  of the housing  12 , and may be adapted to hinge downwardly in operation. The front flap  64  may be constructed as part of a front wall (not shown) of the container  10 , for example if the flap  64  hinges downwardly from a hinge point located partially up the front wall. Referring to  FIG. 4 , the front flap  64  may comprise a perimeter lip, for example constructed of adjacent surfaces  66 ,  68 ,  70 ,  72 , and  74 , which collectively define a drip tray  76  when the front flap  64  is hinged downwardly in operation. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the perimeter lip may overlap the housing  12  when flap  64  is closed. Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , either or both of flap  64  and housing  12  may comprise one or more edge cutout, such as corresponding edge cutouts  76  and  78  centered on the edges of surfaces  70  and top wall  18 , respectively, in order to facilitate the opening of flap  64  from dispensing end  30 . Edge cutouts  76  and  78  may overlap one another when the flap  64  is closed. Edge cutout  76  may be used as a finger hold for manually opening front flap  64 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , sidewalls  22  and  24  may each be comprised of at least two angled surfaces, such as side surfaces  21 A and  23 A (sidewall  22 ) and side surfaces  21 B and  23 B (sidewall  24 ), adapted to flex inwardly under lateral gripping pressure in order to pop open the front flap  64 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5B , push tab  14  may be adapted to advance sandwich  28  towards the dispensing end  30  in order to contact and open the front flap  64 . This way, push tab  14  and front flap  64  cooperate together to allow a food item to be easily advanced and consumed using only a single hand. Referring to  FIG. 5B , once front flap  64  has been contacted by the advancing sandwich  28 , front flap  64  flips open, and may form the drip tray as discussed above. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , food container  10  may be constructed from a blank  82  of material. Blank  82  may have various features detailed into the construction of container  10 , such as slots  84 A,  86 A and corresponding insert flaps  86 A,  86 B, respectively. In addition, various reinforcing flaps may be used to overlap and reinforce parts of the container  10 , or to adhere adjacent surfaces together in a relatively angled conformation, for example using adhesive. For example, front flap  64  has reinforcing flaps  88 A,  88 B for adhering to a first front flap portion  92 , and reinforcing flaps  90 A,  90 B for adhering to a second front flap portion  94  to give the angled conformation illustrated in  FIG. 2 . In a similar fashion, rear wall  18  may have reinforcing flaps  96 A,  96 B for adhering to a first rear wall portion  100 , and reinforcing flaps  98 A,  98 B for adhering to a second rear wall portion  102 . Flaps  96 A,  96 B,  98 A, and  98 B may help to form an overlapping lip of rear wall  18 , the overlapping lip being formed of adjacent surfaces  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112 . 
     It should be understood that container  10  may have any suitable configuration, for example, cylindrical, box, polyhedron, and other configurations. One or more of walls  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24 , flap  64 , base  16 , and the front wall if present, may be comprised of two or more surfaces angled relative to one another, such as first rear wall portion  100  and second rear wall portion  102  in the case of rear wall  18  for example. 
     Housing  12  may be made from suitable material, such as one or more of cardboard, paperboard, construction paper, plastic, reinforced paper, and wax paper. Rigid materials may be used. 
     In the claims, the word “comprising” is used in its inclusive sense and does not exclude other elements being present. The indefinite article “a” before a claim feature does not exclude more than one of the feature being present. Each one of the individual features described here may be used in one or more embodiments and is not, by virtue only of being described here, to be construed as essential to all embodiments as defined by the claims.