Abstract:
A holdable food tray comprises specially positioned punch-out holes configured and sized for passing fingers through so as to improve holdability of the food tray.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims priority based on provisional application 60/679,066 filed May 9, 2005 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The invention relates generally to disposable food containers but more particularly to a food container convertible to a holdable food tray.  
         [0004]     2. Background of the Invention  
         [0005]     Fast food outlets serve they foods in various types of disposable containers ranging from simple paper wraps to more elaborate containers having hingedly openable lids. These are often used as food trays for people on the run who eat in their cars. Unfortunately, these trays are not always easy to hold in one&#39;s hands.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is a main advantage of this invention to provide for a food tray having improved hand holdability features to facilitate holding with the hands.  
         [0007]     In order to do so, the invention comprises specially positioned punch-out holes configured and sized for passing fingers through so as to improve holdability of the food tray.  
         [0008]     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.  
         [0009]     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.  
         [0010]     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
         [0011]     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.  
         [0012]     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  Isometric view of a first embodiment of a holdable food tray with no lid on.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  Isometric view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with a lid on.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  Top view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 4   ab  Side views of a second embodiment of a holdable food tray with an integrated lid open and closed, respectively.  
         [0017]      FIG. 5   abc  Isometric views of a third embodiment of a holdable food tray with a finger cylinder, detail of the cylinder overlap, and with food inside the tray, respectively. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0018]     A holdable food tray ( 10 ) has at least one but preferably a pair of punch-out holes ( 12 ,  12 ′) through which a user&#39;s finger passes, usually the pinkie finger entering by hole ( 12 ) and exiting by hole ( 12 ′) so as to hold the holdable food tray ( 10 ). The rest of the fingers can be used for holding the food ( 14 ). The general construction of the holdable food tray ( 10 ) is in other points similar to food containers as known in the art.  
         [0019]     If a user has very small hands, at least one loop ( 16 ) and an optional 2 nd  loop ( 16 ′) can be used for inserting the user&#39;s finger, usually the thumb. Both loops ( 16 ,  16 ′) can be used by inserting the finger diagonally through both loops ( 16 ,  16 ′). It is also a way of not putting one&#39;s finger inside the holdable food tray ( 10 ) and provides an alternate way of holding it.  
         [0020]     Users having very large hands can have one of their fingers like, for example, their pinkie finger hold the holdable food tray ( 10 ) underneath by its bottom and punch-out one or more larger punch-out opening(s) ( 18 ,  18 ′) wherein they can pass their other fingers to hold the food ( 14 ).  
         [0021]     Alternatively, in a third embodiment, as per  FIG. 5   ab , a cylinder ( 20 ) can be used for inserting a finger. That way, the finger does not make contact with the food which can sometimes be oily or greasy. The cylinder ( 20 ) is fixedly attached at both its distal end ( 22 ) and its proximal end ( 24 ) to the holdable food tray ( 10 ) by way of tabs ( 25 ,  25 ′) which can be set either inside or outside the cylinder as per  FIG. 5   a . The cylinder ( 20 ) is allowed to expand in diameter (as in  FIG. 5   b ) by having a freely moving overlap ( 26 ) so as to allow expansion so that a finger can be inserted while at the same time being somewhat held tightly by tapering off towards the distal end ( 22 ). Alternatively, both the proximal and the distal ends ( 22 ,  24 ) can be opened and the overlap is continuous from the proximal end ( 22 ) to the distal end ( 24 ). In such a case, obviously, only tabs ( 25 ) located outside the cylinder are feasible.  
         [0022]     The holdable food tray ( 10 ) can be turned 180 degrees from the views shown so as to be used by a left handed person.  
         [0023]     The punch-out holes ( 12 ,  12 ′) and punch-out openings ( 18 ) are perforated into the holdable food tray ( 10 ) at the manufacturing stage and the loop ( 16 ) is also created at the manufacturing stage and so is the cylinder ( 20 ) by processes known in the art, whether the holdable food tray ( 10 ) is made out of cardboard, plastics, styrofoam or other materials useable for making food containers.  
         [0024]     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.  
         [0025]     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.  
         [0026]     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.