Patent Publication Number: US-8967408-B2

Title: Plastic food container with securable inner vessel

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     SEQUENCE LISTING, TABLE OR COMPUTER PROGRAM ON COMPACT DISC 
     Not applicable. 
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to plastic food containers. The invention is more specifically related to disposable plastic food containers designed to hold a main course food item that is accompanied by an accessory food item such as a side dish, sauce or condiment. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is known to use disposable plastic containers in the food preparation and restaurant industry to package prepared or take-out foods. The typical food container of the prior art consists of a clear or opaque color base and a clear or opaque lid. The clear lid of the prior art plastic food container allows visible inspection of the container contents. The lid and base of the prior art plastic food container may be separate articles or may be attached to each other via a hinge. 
     The lid and base of the prior art plastic container have complementary interlocking rim structures that seal the container. This interlocking rim arrangement is beneficial in helping keep cooked foods warm and in preventing spillage of food contents from the container. Main course take-out food items typically include a side dish, sauce or condiment. For example, when waffles or pancakes are ordered, the food establishment will include butter and syrup with the order. Likewise, when chicken strips are ordered, the food establishment will typically include a dipping sauce of the customer&#39;s choice with the order. In some cases, the main course item is intended to be sold and eaten with a side dish. For example, a chicken breast entree may include a side order of french fries, mashed potatoes, cole slaw or some type of salad. 
     When these types of foods are purchased for take-out, it is intended that the customer will eat the purchased food at some length of time after purchase. Hence, if a sauce or condiment is added to the main course item prior to or at the time of delivery of the food, the main course food item may degrade in texture and appeal by the time the customer is ready to eat the purchased item. The likewise can happen to both the main course item and side dish if they are placed in the same container and are caused to come in contact with each other or mix with each other. 
     To avoid the food degradation issue, the typical prior art take-out food establishment will provide any accompanying sauce, condiment or side dish in a separately sealed container that comprises a base component (a cup, bowl or tray) and a lid. Alternatively, in the case of a sauce or condiment, the sauce or condiment may be provided in the form of a pouch or packet. There are drawbacks associated with utilizing these separately sealed containers. Purchasing and providing these additional separately sealed containers increases the overhead cost of the food establishment. This cost is typically borne by the customer in the form of added food prices. In addition, the food establishment must dedicate storage space for the separate containers (base components and lids), pouches and packets. If the food handed to the customer is aggregated in a bag, the employee filling the order must make sure each separately sealed container is included in the bag that is given to the customer. As any person who has ever patronized a fast-food restaurant knows, it is not uncommon for take-out customers to be shorted one or more of their accessory food items. 
     In the case where the take-out food items are not given to the customer aggregated in a bag, the customer buying the main course item must now carry at least one additional container when taking away the purchased food item. Not only is this cumbersome for the customer, from an environmental standpoint, serving a main course food item with a separately sealed accessory food item doubles the amount of throw-away waste articles aggregating in landfills. Hence, using separately sealed containers and pouches to provide accessory food items for take-out purposes, is environmentally unfriendly. 
     The prior art attempts to deal with the drawbacks attendant to using separately sealed containers and pouches for accessory food items through the use of compartmentalized food containers. With these containers, the base component usually has one main compartment and one to two additional compartments for side dishes. One problem with the prior art compartmentalized container is that it is always compartmentalized and cannot be used for over-sized main dishes that do not need accessory food items. More problematic is the fact that the compartments are not leak-resistant, so even minor jostling of the container results in the contents of the compartments sloshing together. 
     There is thus a need in the art for an improved plastic food container that provides containment for take-out main course dishes, reduces the need to for secondary sealed containers for accessory food items and eliminates the lack of flexibility and lack of leak-resistance associated with known compartmentalized food containers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention satisfies the need in the art and provides an aesthetically appealing plastic food container that is easy to use, while providing for unitary carriage of both main course and accessory food items in a manner that will not degrade either the main course or the accessory food items. The present invention food container comprises a plastic container, comprising a lid and a base, that is adapted to secure at least one separate vessel inside the container. Unlike the prior art compartmentalized containers, the invention provides the flexibility to include a condiment or side dish in the container or allow the container to remain as a large unobstructed single cell for large food items. The invention also allows a side dish to be pre-packaged and held either hot or under refrigeration, until time of sale, and then added in a modular fashion, thereby creating a cost-efficient compartment instantly. Upon opening a filled container having an accessory food item in the vessel, the vessel (along with its contained contents) can be removed non-destructively out of the base of the container. 
     The base of the present invention container may be any food holding vessel, including but not limited to a plate, a tray, bowl or casserole dish. The base has a floor, a base sidewall and a base rim formed atop the base sidewall. The lid of the present invention container has an upper portion, a lid sidewall and a lid rim formed at the bottom of the lid sidewall. The lid rim is adapted for sealing engagement with the base rim. The container also includes the separate vessel intended for securement inside the container. 
     To achieve securement, the floor of the base has a first vessel-receiving mechanism formed therein. The first vessel-receiving mechanism formed in the base floor is sized and shaped to receive the bottom of the securable vessel that will be housed and secured within the interior of the container when the lid and base are in sealed engagement. In the event the container is needed to package a large main food course item, the securable inner vessel can be dispensed with and the container can be used as a standard, one-compartment container. 
     To complete securement of the vessel inside the sealed lid and base of the container, the first vessel-receiving mechanism formed in the base floor has a counterpart second vessel-receiving mechanism formed in the upper portion of the lid. The second vessel-receiving mechanism is sized and shaped to receive the top rim of the securable inner vessel when the securable vessel is located in the first vessel-receiving mechanism and the lid and base are in sealed engagement. With the securable vessel received by the first vessel-receiving mechanism, the lid and base can be sealingly engaged, thereby causing the second-vessel receiving mechanism in the lid to receive the top rim of the vessel. The first vessel-receiving mechanism and the second vessel-receiving mechanism restrain the securable vessel from lateral and vertical movement within the sealed container. Additionally, the action of the first and second vessel-receiving mechanisms on the vessel creates a leak resistant seal between the top rim of the vessel and the second vessel-receiving mechanism. 
     The invention is further directed to a container system that includes the specially adapted plastic container and the one or more securable inner vessels. The preferred embodiment securable vessel is a cup, but it may also be a bowl, mug or any other holding vessel. In a more specific preferred embodiment, the securable inner vessel is a paper cup and the first vessel-receiving mechanisms is an impressed rib forming a ring-shaped trough in the inner surface of the floor of the base. The ring-shaped trough is further shaped to receive structure descending from the floor of the cup, such as the bottom rim at the portion of the sidewall that is located below the floor of a paper cup. 
     In the preferred embodiment described immediately above, the second vessel-receiving mechanism is also an impressed rib forming a ring-shaped trough in the inner surface of the lid upper portion and sized and shaped to receive the top rim of the vessel. 
     In one embodiment the lid is vented. In this respect the container lid may contain vents known in the prior art, which can be located over the portion of the container reserved for the main food item course and the portion of the container in which a vessel is secured. In the latter respect, the lid over the securable inner vessel is vented. The container lid and base can be two separate articles or can be conjoined on a unitary structure via a hinge. In varying embodiments wherein the vessel is a cup, the cup may be formed of paper, plastic or any other material. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention plastic container in the sealed state in which it is capable of securing a separate inner vessel. The shown embodiment container includes a lid that is sealingly engaged to a base and is adapted to secure a single inner vessel in the form of a cup. 
         FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of a cup, which is the preferred embodiment separate securable inner vessel for the preferred embodiment plastic container shown in the figures. 
         FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention plastic container in sealed arrangement with the securable inner vessel in its secured position. The secured vessel is shown in phantom, broken-line format. The bottom of the vessel is received by the first vessel-receiving mechanism located in the floor of the base and the top rim of the vessel is engaged by a preferred embodiment, second vessel-receiving mechanism in the lid. 
         FIG. 4  is a front perspective, cut-away view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention plastic container in sealed arrangement with the securable inner vessel (cup) in its secured position. The cut-away detail shows the bottom rim of the cup seated in a preferred embodiment, first vessel-receiving mechanism located in the floor of the base and with the top cup rim engaged by a preferred embodiment, second vessel-receiving mechanism in the lid. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded front perspective view of the lid and base of a preferred embodiment of the present invention plastic container with the preferred embodiment securable inner vessel removed. 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded front perspective view of a preferred embodiment container system that includes a preferred embodiment plastic container (lid and base) and the preferred embodiment securable inner vessel nested in a preferred embodiment, first vessel-receiving mechanism in the floor of the base. 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded front, upwardly-looking perspective view of the lid and base of a preferred embodiment of the present invention plastic container showing the features of the floor of the base, including the first vessel-receiving mechanism. In the drawing, the preferred embodiment securable inner vessel is received by the second vessel-receiving mechanism in the upper portion of the lid. 
         FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment base showing the inner surface of the floor of the base and the first vessel-receiving mechanism. 
         FIG. 9  is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment container in sealed arrangement and showing the outer surface of the upper portion of a preferred embodiment lid, the ring-shaped feature being a preferred embodiment second vessel-receiving mechanism. 
         FIG. 10  is a front elevation view of the preferred embodiment container system showing the base and lid sealingly engaged and the secured inner vessel shown in phantom, broken line format. 
         FIG. 11  is a left elevation view of the preferred embodiment container system showing the base and lid sealingly engaged and the secured inner vessel shown in phantom, broken line format. 
         FIG. 12  is a right elevation view of the preferred embodiment container system showing the base and lid sealingly engaged and the secured inner vessel shown in phantom, broken line format. 
         FIG. 13  is a bottom plan view of the preferred embodiment container showing the detail of the floor of the base and the first vessel-receiving mechanism. The lid and base are sealingly engaged in the figure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention is directed to both a container and a system using the container. The container includes one or more vessel-receiving mechanisms on the lid and base to restrain one or more innerly securable vessels. The present invention container thus comprises at least one first vessel-receiving mechanism situated on the floor of the base and at least one counterpart vessel-receiving mechanism located on the lid of the container. Each second vessel-receiving mechanism is preferably, but not necessarily, located opposingly (perpendicularly above) the first vessel-receiving mechanism when the lid and tray are sealingly engaged. The accompanying figures depict the invention in its preferred embodiment form with only a single securable vessel for clarity purposes. Hence, the accompanying figures are not intended to be limiting, but are intended to more clearly show the overall invention. 
     A preferred embodiment plastic container  1  of the present invention in the sealed arrangement is shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  4  and  9 - 12 . The container is preferably thermoformed. As shown by these figures, container  1  comprises a base (main food item holding vessel)  2  and lid  3  to secure one or more inner vessels  4 . In the disclosed embodiment, base  2  is a tray. Base  2  may be clear or opaque. Lid  3  can be clear or opaque and includes upper portion  10 , descending peripheral sidewall  11  and multi-segment peripheral rim  12 . Lid  3  and base  2  are manufactured from a conventional plastic material. Upper portion  10  is preferably flat, but can be curved or domed and have one or more upper portion ribs  21  in accordance with the prior art to enhance such factors as container volume, strength, nesting of multiple lids, stackability of sealed containers and see-through visibility. In the preferred embodiment lid upper portion  10  includes plateau  31 . Lid  3  includes sidewall  11 . Sidewall  11  extends from upper portion  10  to lid rim  12 . Sidewall  11  preferably includes ribs  22  for strength and appearance. 
     The structure of preferred embodiment base  2  is best shown in  FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 , and  13 . Base  2  includes a floor  9  adjoined to peripheral sidewall  7 . Sidewall  7  extends between floor  9  and peripheral multi-segment rim  8 . Sidewall  7  preferably includes ribs  27  for strength. The structure of base rim  8  is adapted to complementarily and sealingly engage the structure of lid rim  12  when lid  3  and base  2  are placed in sealing arrangement. 
     The container is adapted to restrain in its interior a separate, securable inner vessel  4 , shown singularly in  FIG. 2 . The securable inner vessel is a separate item that is not integrally formed as part of either the lid or base. Hence, at the option of the user, securable inner vessel  4  may be placed in container  1  to load accessory food items or not used with container  1 . If used, then after opening container  1 , vessel  4  may be separately and non-destructively removed from container  1 . Inner vessel  4  can be formed of paper, plastic or any other material from which vessels, particularly disposable ones, are made. In the depicted preferred embodiment, vessel  4  is a paper cup. Vessel  4  includes a vessel bottom  19 , a vessel sidewall  23 , a vessel top rim  20  and vessel top portion  30 . In the depicted preferred embodiment paper cup, vessel  4  also includes a raised floor  29  and lower sidewall  24 . Lower sidewall  24  is that portion of sidewall  23  that extends beneath floor  29  to bottom  19  of preferred embodiment cup-shaped vessel  4 . On the bottom  19  of depicted embodiment paper cup  4  there is a bottom cup rim  33  located at the end of lower sidewall  24 . 
     As seen best in  FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 , and  13 , base  2  includes structure formed in or on the inside surface  13  of floor  9 . This structure constitutes first vessel-receiving mechanism  5 . In the present invention, base floor  9  can have one or more first vessel-receiving mechanisms  5  formed in it. Vessel-receiving mechanism  5  operates to locate and provide a nesting receptacle to receive the bottom  19  of vessel  4 . 
     As is best seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6  and  9 , lid  3  also includes a second vessel-receiving mechanism  6  that is sized and located on lid  3  such that when vessel  4  is situated in first vessel-receiving mechanism  5  and rim  12  of lid  3  is sealingly engaged to rim  8  of base  2 , second vessel-receiving mechanism  6  frictionally engages the top rim  20  of vessel  4 . Hence, lid  3 , tray  2  and vessel  4  of the present invention container are optimally sized in height such when base  2  and lid  3  are sealingly engaged, bottom  19  of vessel  4  and inner surface  13  of floor  9  are in contact at the same time that vessel top rim  20  and lid upper portion  10  are in contact with each other. Further, vessel top rim  20 , first vessel-receiving mechanism  5  and second vessel-receiving mechanism  6  are optimally shaped such that the engagement of vessel top rim  20  by second vessel-receiving mechanism  6  provides a leak resistant seal. 
     In the preferred embodiment wherein the separate, securable inner vessel is a cup, first vessel-receiving mechanism  5  is an impressed rib  32  on inner surface  13  of floor  9 . In the preferred embodiment, rib  32  forms a ring-shaped trough in inner surface  13  of floor  9 . This trough is complementary in dimension to the circular shape of cup bottom rim  33  located on lower sidewall  24  of cup  4 . The trough cross-sectional shape of ring-shaped first vessel-receiving mechanism  5  receives the rim  33  of lower sidewall  24 . By being a ring-shaped trough, cup bottom rim  33  may be inserted into first vessel-receiving mechanism  5 . When formed in this fashion, first vessel-receiving mechanism  5  acts to prevent both radial inward and outward movement of cup  4 . 
     Vessel-receiving mechanism  5  could, however, be a simple impression, complementarily shaped in accordance with the perimeter footprint of vessel  4 . Thus, in one embodiment, first vessel-receiving mechanism  5  is an impressed area formed in the inner (food bearing) surface of the floor of the base and shaped to follow the footprint of the vessel. In another embodiment, first vessel-receiving mechanism  5  is an embossed perimeter rib formed upwardly from the inner surface of the floor and shaped and sized to follow the outer footprint of securable vessel  4  and continuously embrace its bottom  19 . In another embodiment, first vessel-receiving mechanism  5  is a plurality of embossments on the inner surface of the tray floor shaped to follow the footprint of securable vessel  4  and discontinuously embrace bottom  19 . 
     In another embodiment, also for use with cups that have the lower sidewall  24  feature depending from a floor  29 , first vessel-receiving mechanism  5  could be an embossed (upwardly-directed) protrusion upon which cup  4  is seated. In this embodiment, when cup  4  is seated upon upwardly protruding first vessel-receiving mechanism  5 , the mechanism is encapsulated by floor  29  and lower sidewall  24 . Specifically, when cup  4  is situated on first vessel-receiving mechanism  5 , embossed first vessel-receiving mechanism  5  is located in the space underneath floor  29  of cup  4  and within the circular space defined by lower sidewall  24 . 
     When used by a food establishment to house a main course food item, vessel  4  will normally be loaded with an accessory food item before food is placed in base  2 . Once filled, vessel  4  would be placed in first vessel-receiving mechanism  5  in base  2 . At this point, base  2  would be filled with a main course food item. Upon placement of filled cup  4  and the main course food item in base  2 , container  1  is now in condition to be sealed. 
     Container  1  with filled vessel  4  nested in vessel-receiving mechanism  5  is sealed by placing lid  3  over tray  2  and snap fitting engageable rims  8 ,  12 . In the shown embodiment, both first vessel-receiving mechanism  5  and second vessel-receiving mechanism  6  are respectively asymmetrically located on base  2  and lid  3 . Accordingly, in the depicted asymmetrical embodiment, in order for second vessel-receiving mechanism  6  of lid  3  to properly engage vessel top rim  20 , lid  3  must be oriented with tray  2  when engaging lid  3  to tray  2 . When oriented properly and sealingly engaged, the inner surface of lid upper portion  10  and vessel top rim  20  form a leak resistant seal. The leak-resistant seal between vessel top rim  20  and second vessel-receiving mechanism  6  reduces spillage of the contents of vessel  4  in the event that filled container  1  is tilted or inverted. 
     The leak resistant seal between lid upper portion  10  and vessel top rim  20  may be formed simply by the downward pressure of lid upper portion  10  on vessel rim  20  located at the upper portion  30  of securable inner vessel  4 . In the disclosed embodiment, second vessel-retaining mechanism  6  is a ring shaped trough impressed in the inner surface (not shown) of upper portion  10  of lid  3 . The drawings show the outside surface of lid upper portion  10  and therefore this ring appears as an embossed circular structure on the outer surface of upper portion  10 . To provide enhanced leak resistance, this ring-shaped trough is sized to complement the inner and outer dimensions of cup rim  20  and receive cup rim  20  when lid  3  is sealingly engaged to base  2 . In still another embodiment, second vessel-retaining mechanism  6  is an embossed ring or protrusion that is sized to complement the inner diameter of cup upper portion  30  and cup rim  20 . This embodiment of second vessel-receiving mechanism is designed to provide plug-type leak resistance. In this embodiment when the lid and tray are sealingly engaged, second vessel-receiving mechanism  6  is received by (inserted into) the top of cup and frictionally engages the inner part of sidewall  23  at the upper portion  30  of vessel  4  at the same time upper portion  10  of lid  3  exerts downward pressure on cup rim  20 . In this embodiment, second vessel-receiving mechanism  6  acts to plug vessel  4 . 
     In one embodiment, at least one of the second vessel-receiving mechanisms is an impressed area formed in the inner surface of the lid upper portion and sized and shaped to encapsulate the rim of the vessel. In another embodiment, at least one of the second vessel-receiving mechanisms is an embossed perimeter rib formed on the inner surface of the upper portion of the lid with a shape complementary to that of the inner or outer diameter of the rim of the vessel. In another embodiment, at least one of the second vessel-receiving mechanisms is a plurality of embossments on the inner surface of the lid upper portion with a shape complementary to that of the rim of the vessel. 
     In one embodiment, lid  3  has one or more vents  28  for venting the container and controlling internal moisture levels. The size and number of vents can be varied to accommodate the food heating environment or the requirements of the food placed in the container. The container can be provided with the shown lid vents  28  to further enhance the flow of steam out of the container. In this respect the container lid may contain vents known in the prior art, which are located over the portion of the container reserved for the main food item course and the portion of the container in which a vessel is secured. In the latter respect, the lid over the securable inner vessel is thus vented and allows for hot sauces and side dish items. The container lid and base can be two separate articles or can be conjoined on a unitary structure via a hinge. In varying embodiments wherein the vessel is a cup, the cup may be formed of paper, plastic or any other material. 
     In the depicted embodiment with tray-shaped base  2 , floor  9  preferably includes two or more ribs  26  and may have alternative levels or elevations for strength, gripping of solid food items and fluid control. Floor  9  may also include perimeter rib channel  25 , which adds strength and retains liquid away from food items in container. To further enhance strength and appearance of tray-shaped base  2 , base  2  comprises sidewall ribs  27 , which project upward from floor  9  along tray sidewall  7 . Sidewall  11  of lid  3  may also have ribs  22  formed in it. 
     As noted, lid  3  and base  2  can be formed so as to have retaining mechanisms to restrain one or more securable inner vessels. In this embodiment the food container would comprise a lid and a base, each formed from plastic and adapted to innerly secure one or more vessels as herein described. The base has a floor, a base sidewall and a base rim formed atop the base sidewall. The lid has an upper portion, a lid sidewall and a lid rim formed at the end of the lid sidewall. The lid rim is adapted for sealing engagement with the base rim. Further, the floor has one or more first vessel-receiving mechanisms formed therein for receiving the bottom of each of one or more securable inner vessels. In turn, the lid has one or more second vessel-receiving mechanisms formed therein. Each second vessel-receiving mechanism is sized and shaped to receive the top of one of the one or more securable inner vessels when that vessel that is received by a first vessel-receiving mechanism and when the lid and base are in sealed engagement. When the lid and base are in sealed engagement with each of the securable inner vessels received by a first vessel-receiving mechanism and a second-vessel receiving mechanism, each of the one or more vessels is restrained from lateral and vertical movement within the container. The container system, in turn, would include the one or more securable inner vessels. Each securable inner vessel has a vessel bottom, a vessel sidewall and a vessel top rim. 
     A lid and base constructed in accordance with the present invention can be manufactured in a variety of shapes and sizes, and is preferably formed of resins or plastic materials including, but not limited to, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene terephthalate (“PET”). The lid and base are preferably thermoformed. The container lid and base can be transparent or translucent, and may be colored in either instance. Further, the container can be of any shape, including round or polygonal. The lid and base of the container may be separate articles as shown or may include a hinge such that the lid and base are connected to each other in a clamshell configuration. 
     Having described the invention in detail, those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications may be made of the invention without departing from its spirit. Therefore, it is not intended that the scope of the invention be limited to the specific embodiment illustrated and described.