Abstract:
A food container comprising an inter-engaged first receptacle (intended for receiving a primary food product) and receptacle holder, wherein when the receptacle holder is engaged with the first receptacle, the receptacle holder and the first receptacle define an aperture for receiving and retaining a second receptacle (intended for receiving a condiment). The means for inter-engagement are preferably but not necessarily corresponding slots in each of the first receptacle and receptacle holder.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to food containers, and more particularly to disposable food containers. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    It is very well known in the food services industry, and in particular the fact food industry, to utilize food containers that are simple and inexpensive to produce, and disposable, as well. For example, french fries are often sold to the public in a paper or cardboard container, which container can be disposed of once the french fries have been consumed. In addition, condiments such as ketchup nave become popular additions which are seen to enhance the flavour of the food product. 
         [0003]    However, the consumer is usually presented with multiple containers for the food product, condiment, etc. As this plurality of containers can be difficult to manipulate in some contexts, such as when eating in a motor vehicle, the consumer will often apply the condiment directly to the food product, often resulting in a soggy food product. In addition, the use of condiments in a motor vehicle or some other contexts can result in an undesirable mess should the condiment spill or drip onto adjacent surfaces or clothing given the difficulty of effectively manipulating a condiment packet or cup. 
         [0004]    Given this and other needs in the food services industry, a variety of container designs have been created. Numerous patents and patent applications have been published for container designs, including U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,466 to Lane, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,364 to Shaw; U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,262 to Sharkey; U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,700 to Manges; U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,208 to Huang; U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,362 to Rosenfeld; U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,890 to Sattler et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,946 to Cai; U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,959 to Spransy; U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,297 to Nance; U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,485 to Lackner et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,755,305 to Nance; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/758,069 to Fear et al.; U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 09/813,390 to Ciarrochi, Jr.; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10,217,591 to Krueger et al. 
         [0005]    While intended to address this pressing need in the food services industry, many of the designs are relatively complicated and expensive to produce. In addition, most require a significant alteration of the standard food container, which is undesirable in an industry driven by volume production of standard food containers. 
         [0006]    What is needed, therefore, is a simple, inexpensive means for providing ease of consumption of food products and condiments, while preventing sogginess of the food product and the mess often associated with use of existing condiment packaging. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention accordingly seeks to provide a simple, inexpensive food container which keeps the food product and condiment isolated during consumption (except for dipping of the food product by the consumer in the condiment). In addition, some embodiments of the present invention are intended to provide advertising space which can off-set at least some of the container manufacturing costs. 
         [0008]    According to a first aspect of the present invention, then, there is provided a food container comprising: 
         [0009]    a first receptacle; 
         [0010]    a second receptacle; and 
         [0011]    a receptacle holder having first engagement means for engaging the first receptacle; 
         [0012]    wherein when the receptacle holder is engaged with the first receptacle, the receptacle holder and the first receptacle define an aperture for receiving and retaining the second receptacle. 
         [0013]    In exemplary embodiments of the first aspect the first engagement means preferably comprise a first slot extending partially through the receptacle holder, and a second slot extending partially through the receptacle holder at a location spaced from the first slot, the first and second slots for engaging a lip of the first receptacle. 
         [0014]    In some embodiments, the food container may further comprise second engagement means on the first receptacle, the first engagement means and the second engagement means then configured to inter-engage. The first engagement means would then preferably comprise a first slot extending partially through the receptacle holder, and a second slot extending partially through the receptacle holder at a location spaced from the first slot, and the second engagement means would comprise at least one receiving slot extending partially through a surface of the first receptacle. Most preferably, the second engagement means would comprise a third slot extending partially through a surface of the receptacle holder, and a fourth slot extending partially through the surface of the receptacle holder at a location spaced from the third slot, the first slot for inter-engaging with the third slot, and the second slot for inter-engaging with the fourth slot. 
         [0015]    According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a food container comprising: 
         [0016]    a first receptacle; 
         [0017]    a second receptacle: and
       a receptacle holder,   wherein the first receptacle has first engagement means for engaging the receptacle holder, and   wherein when the receptacle holder is engaged with the first receptacle, the receptacle holder and the first receptacle define an aperture for receiving and retaining the second receptacle.       
 
         [0021]    According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a first food receptacle comprising engagement means for receiving a receptacle holder, engagement of the receptacle holder and the first food receptacle for defining an aperture for receiving and retaining a second food receptacle. 
         [0022]    According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a food receptacle holder comprising engagement means for engaging with a first food receptacle, engagement of the receptacle holder and the first food receptacle for defining an aperture for receiving and retaining a second food receptacle. 
         [0023]    In preferred embodiments of the present invention the second receptacle comprises a peripheral lip for abutting the receptacle holder to assist in the retaining of the second receptacle, and the receptacle holder comprises an outwardly disposed surface for receiving and displaying a printed image. 
         [0024]    The food container and components are preferably composed of paper of an appropriate weight and flexibility, being light and durable. 
         [0025]    As can be seen, food containers in accordance with the present invention can help prevent condiment waste and mess, and can employ a very simple design enabling extremely low cost production, which is very important in the fast food industry. Also, banner advertising on the outwardly disposed surface is a possibility, so some of the production costs can be off-set with advertising revenue. As the food container can be set in a cup holder in a motor vehicle, the present invention can support a better hands-free environment in the vehicle resulting in cleanliness and safety benefits. 
         [0026]    As fast food restaurants often run promotions to highlight their products, the advertising space on the receptacle holder can present significant benefits, in terms of promoting both new and existing product lines as well as being used as coupon space for specials. In addition, a food container according to the present invention can provide a medium for advertising films, sports teams, television programming, websites, products, and individuals such as recording artists and sports figures, which can generate advertising revenue for the fast food restaurant. The small yet potentially effective advertising surface allows both franchisors and franchisees the opportunity to broaden the base of potential advertising revenue to include companies that may not have the budget for large-scale campaigns that would require resurfacing the existing food container. 
         [0027]    Another potential benefit of a food container according to the present invention is that it can save money with respect to the amount of condiment provided to the customer. It is known in the fast food industry that there is significant waste when the condiment is applied to sandwich wrappers, and consumers generally ask for more condiments than are truly necessary in anticipation of the expected waste associated with providing them their condiment of choice. Condiment use can e made more efficient when the present invention is utilized. 
         [0028]    One other concern mentioned above is that condiments, when applied directly, can result in sogginess of the food product. It is generally understood that food products such as french fries are preferred to be hot and crisp, as opposed to saturated in ketchup. A food container according to the present invention can prevent the direct coating of food products with condiments, thereby helping prevent sogginess of the food product. 
         [0029]    A detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention is given in the following. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not to be construed as limited to these embodiments. 
         [0030]    BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0031]    In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention: 
         [0032]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a food and condiment container according to the present invention; 
         [0033]      FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         [0034]      FIG. 3  Is a side elevation view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         [0035]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         [0036]      FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of a food receptacle according to the present invention; 
         [0037]      FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of the embodiment of  FIG. 5 ; 
         [0038]      FIG. 7   a  is a front elevation view of a condiment receptacle holder according to the present invention; 
         [0039]      FIG. 7   b  is a front elevation view of an alternative condiment receptacle holder according to the present invention; 
         [0040]      FIG. 8   a  is a front elevation view of the condiment receptacle holder of  FIG. 7   a  with exemplary measurements: and 
         [0041]      FIG. 8   b  is a front elevation view of the condiment receptacle holder of  FIG. 7   b  with exemplary measurements. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0042]    Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings, there are illustrated exemplary embodiments of a food and condiment container, and components thereof, according to the present invention, the food and condiment container generally referred to by the numeral  10 . 
         [0043]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , there is illustrated an embodiment of a food and condiment container  10  according to the present invention. The food and condiment container  10  comprises a food receptacle  12  and a condiment receptacle holder  16 . The food receptacle  12  (for receiving a food product such as french fried, not shown) and condiment receptacle holder  16  are engaged such that a condiment receptacle  14  (for receiving a condiment, not shown) can be held in place within an aperture against the side of the food receptacle  12 . In this embodiment, the condiment receptacle comprises a lip  30 , which is designed to help retain the condiment receptacle  14  against the side of the food receptacle  12  by resting against a top edge of the condiment receptacle holder  16 . 
         [0044]    As can be seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the food receptacle  12  comprises two spaced-apart slots  18  in a front lip  24  of the receptacle  12  The slots  18  can be generally vertical, or they can be angled off of the vertical, as would be clear to a person skilled in the art given a desired condiment receptacle holder  16  design. 
         [0045]    Two embodiments of a condiment receptacle holder  16  according to the present invention are set out in  FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b , with  FIGS. 8   a  and  8   b  presenting exemplary measurements for some preferred embodiments. The condiment receptacle holder  16  comprises a slot  20  at a first and  26  thereof and another slot  20  at a second end  28  thereof. It is to be understood that the measurements in  FIGS. 8   a  and  8   b  are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit in any way the scope of the present invention. 
         [0046]    Referring now to  FIGS. 4 to 8   b , the means for inter-engaging the food receptacle  12  and condiment receptacle holder  16  are illustrated in exemplary fashion. The downwardly-oriented slots  20  at the first and second ends  26 ,  28  of the condiment receptacle holder  16  engage with the upwardly-oriented slots  18  on the food receptacle  12 , thereby holding the food receptacle  12  and condiment receptacle holder  16  together. Although the illustrated embodiments nave corresponding slots on each of the food receptacle  12  and condiment receptacle holder  16 , it is to be understood that one can work the present invention by having slots in either the food receptacle  12  or the condiment receptacle holder  16 , and not necessarily in both. It is accordingly within the scope of the present invention to have a condiment receptacle holder  16  with slots  20  for mating with a lip  24  of a standard food receptacle, without requiring any alteration to the standard food receptacle itself. 
         [0047]    Alternatively, a food receptacle  12  can be produced in accordance with the present invention with slots  18 , for receiving a condiment receptacle holder  16  without slots  20 . 
         [0048]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 7   a  to  8   b , a particularly beneficial feature of the present invention is illustrated. The condiment receptacle holder  16  includes advertising space  22 , which can be used for any number of useful purposes in the food services business, including new product advertisement and third-party product advertising, as discussed above. In  FIGS. 7   a  and  8   a , the condiment receptacle holder  16  is a simple sight design, easy to produce but with a relatively limited advertising space  22 . However, the condiment receptacle holder  16 , as can be seen in  FIGS. 7   b  and  8   b , can be increased in size to enable a much larger advertising space  22 . other sizes and forms of condiment receptacle holder  16  will now be obvious to one skilled in the art, and all are intended to be part of the present invention. 
         [0049]    As can be seen, then, a food container  10  according to the present invention is of simple and economical design, and can accordingly be printed off and cut at virtually any local print shop, enabling ease in addressing custom or rush orders. No additional packaging wrap will be required for bulk orders of the condiment receptacle holders  16 , thereby reducing shipping and handling costs. In addition, as mentioned above, there will be virtually no material waste during production. 
         [0050]    While particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention and are intended to be included herein. It will be clear to any person skilled in the art that modifications of and adjustments to this invention, not shown, are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention as demonstrated through the exemplary embodiments. The invention is therefore to be considered limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.