Patent Publication Number: US-2005139495-A1

Title: Food vessel with media closure

Description:
The present application claims the benefit of to U.S. Provisional Patent Application entitled “FOOD VESSEL WITH MEDIA CLOSURE,” Application No. 60/532,836, filed on Dec. 26, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Technical Field  
      The present invention relates to food vessels that retain media. More particularly, the invention relates to a food vessel such as a plate or bowl that retains a piece of advertising media.  
      2. Description of Related Art  
      Merchandise containers, such as plastic or paper bags, cardboard boxes, or combinations thereof, are well known. It is often desirable to provide a compartment on the container for holding marketing media. Thereby, the container can be provided with an additional function of carrying a piece of media. For example, coupons and prizes are often included in food containers such as cereal boxes or snack chip bags.  
      Not only is desirable to provide a compartment on a container to display media, it is also desirable to include a piece of marketing media on an exterior portion of a container. For example, a coupon for an item may be adhered to the outside of a container holding the item to induce the purchase of the product by a consumer. Another example includes the use of one or more game pieces placed onto the exterior of a food container such as a sandwich box or a drink cup.  
      Electronic media storage devices such as music CDs, CD-ROMs, and DVDs have become common advertising media. One example of this has been to include a CD-ROM within a container holding another item such as software, hardware, or food items.  
      What is needed is an apparatus that will allow a variety of media, especially electronic media, to be displayed to a customer. If would be beneficial if the media was displayed in a food vessel whereby as a consumer eats or moves the food about the food vessel, the media would become visible. This would cause the consumer to become curious and interested in seeing the entirety of the media. Also, because the consumer typically needs to look at food numerous times during a meal in order to eat, it would be beneficial if the apparatus could provide a new platform for companies to market products to customers dining at a restaurant.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is a food vessel that contains a holding compartment for retaining an article of media. A food vessel is a plate or a bowl having at least one portion that is planar or flat. The planar or flat portion contains a holding compartment to hold protectively an article of media. Typically, at least a portion of the food vessel and holding compartment may be made of paper, plastic, or metal. As to articles of media that may be readily contained within a holding compartment of a food vessel, these may include a music CD, CD-ROM, DVD, mini disc, business card CD, game piece, coupon, photograph, or any other type of media material.  
      As food is provided in the food vessel, the article of media is covered by the food such that the media is not viewable in whole or at least in part. As a consumer eats the food or moves the food about the plate, the media becomes visible through the food vessel.  
      In application, the food vessel of the present invention will have practical applications for several types of facilities offering food. Fast food and chain restaurants may offer marketing campaigns or product endorsements. Businesses may wish to use food vessels to promote themselves. Food vessels may be provided containing a party favor or memorabilia at special occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, birthday, graduation, and other parties. Also, the food vessel has applications for theme parks, movie theaters, sporting arenas, museums, and the like. In addition, the food vessel of the present invention may be constructed as a souvenir itself.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a top view of a food vessel in accordance with the present invention holding an article of media;  
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the food vessel shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the food vessel shown in  FIG. 1  without an article of media;  
       FIG. 4  is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention of a food vessel holding an article of media;  
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the food vessel shown in  FIG. 4  without an article of media; and  
       FIG. 6  is a side view of another alternative embodiment of the present invention of a food vessel for holding an article of media.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      In the descriptions that follow, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same numerals, respectively. The drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale and certain figures may be shown in exaggerated or generalized form in the interest of clarity and conciseness.  
       FIG. 1  shows a top view of food vessel  102 , holding container  104 , and article of media  106 . Food vessel  102  is a container for holding food, liquid, or any material that is relatively easily removed from food vessel  102 . The shape of food vessel  102  may be round, square, rectangular, triangular, or any other polygon. As to composition of food vessel  102 , it may be comprised of paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, or any other type of material that would allow food vessel  102  to hold food, liquid, or other material that is relatively easily removed from food vessel  102  such as small tools, screws, nails, or sand. Preferably, at least a portion of food vessel  102  is made from a transparent or translucent material such as polystyrene, acrylic, polycarbonate, or some other similar transparent or translucent material.  FIG. 2  is a side view of food vessel  102  illustrating lip  108 . Lip  108  is for containing the material in food vessel  102 . In one embodiment, food vessel  102  has at least one flat portion  112  which contains holding container  104   
      Holding container  104  is a container for holding media  106 . The shape of holding container  104  may be round, square, rectangular, triangular, or any other polygon. Holding container  104  may be made of paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, or any other type of material that would allow holding container  104  to hold media  106 . Preferably, at least a portion of holding container  104  is made from a transparent or translucent material such as polystyrene, acrylic, polycarbonate, or some other similar transparent or translucent material. As shown in  FIG. 1 , holding container  104  is a pocket. The pocket is horseshoe shaped and has round edge  108  and flat edge  110 . Round edge  108  is attached to flat portion  112  of food vessel  102 . Flat edge  110  is not attached to flat portion  112  and is able to allow media  106  to be inserted into and removed from holding container  104 .  FIG. 3  shows holding container  104  without an article of media.  
      Media  106  may be a music CD, CD-ROM, DVD, mini disc, business card CD, game piece, coupon, photograph, paper, plastic, or metal media, printed or graphical media, keys to a house or car, currency, or any other type of media material or promotional material that may be readily contained within holding container  104 . Media  106  shown in  FIG. 1  is a CD-ROM attached to a media paper with graphics.  
       FIG. 4  shows food vessel  401  having at least one flat portion  412 , and hinged door  402 . Hinged door  402  has at lease one free edge  404  and an attachment edge  406 . Attachment edge  406  is attached to flat portion  412 .  
      When closed, free edge  404  of hinged door  402  is connected to flat portion  412  by adhesive, tab, perorations, or some other attachment means know in the art. At lest one free end  408  contains notch  410  to assist in removing free end  408  from flat portion  412 . In use, a finger, thumb or some other object is placed in notch  410  to pull free edge  404  away from flat portion  412 . As free edge  404  is pulled away from flat portion  412 , attachment edge  406  rotates about an axis defined at edge  406  to allow access to the contents in holding container  104 .  FIG. 5  shows holding container  104  where free edge  404  has been disconnected from flat portion  412 .  
      Container  401  has a rectangular profile but may be round, square, triangular shaped, or any other polygon.  
       FIG. 6  shows an alternative embodiment whereby food vessel  602  is secured to holding container  604  by locking member  606  extending from holding container  604 .  
      Holding container  604  contains flat portion  608  and locking member  606 . Locking member  606  is a snap lock or some other similar type snap closure known in the art.  
      In use, media  608  is placed in holding container  604 . After inserting the media  608  into holding container  604 , food vessel  602  is pressed down onto holding container  604  such that locking member  606  engages with and secures food vessel  602  to holding container  604 . Thereby, food vessel  602  rests upon media  608  while being securely retained with locking member  606  to holding container  604 . With this embodiment, no access door is required on food vessel  602  or holding container  604 . To extract media  608 , downward pressure is applied to locking member  606  to release food vessel  602  and allow access to media  608 .  
      Although the invention has been described with reference to one or more preferred embodiments, the description is not to be construed in a limiting sense. There is modification of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments of this invention, which will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art and various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention shall be viewed as limited only by reference to the following claims.