Abstract:
A separable disposable foodservice product includes a plurality of sections. Each section has an outer lip portion, a divider portion, and a floor portion. The divider portion is located between pairs of the plurality of sections. There is one or more separation lines formed along the divider portion between each of the pairs of sections so that the separable disposable foodservice product is separable into individual sections along each of the one or more separation lines.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    This invention relates to the field of eating utensils and more particularly to disposable foodservice products. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Disposable dinnerware has been available for many years, often known as paper plates, foam plates, plastic dinnerware, etc. The paper plate is believed to have been invented by a German bookbinder named Hermann Henschel in 1867. Many restaurants serve food on disposable foodservice products for sanitary reasons, perhaps because those restaurants lack proper cleaning and sanitizing systems that are required for non-disposable foodservice products. Many people use disposable dinnerware such as paper plates as a convenience, or when eating where it is difficult to clean non-disposable dinnerware such as when camping or picnicking. 
         [0003]    Disposable foodservice products are typically made of materials such as aluminum, plastic, foam plastic, paper, paperboard, and certain recycled materials. Most of the materials used to make disposable foodservice products are readily recyclable and the energy and material cost for production of disposable plates is not significantly different than the energy and material costs (detergent, heat, water) used to clean and sanitize non-disposable foodservice products. In locations that experience extreme drought, disposable foodservice products offer an alternative to using water to wash non-disposable foodservice products. 
         [0004]    Today, disposable foodservice products are provided in a variety of sizes and shapes, typically in the shapes that are similar to their non-disposable foodservice products counterparts such as ceramic plates and bowls. Some existing disposable foodservice products are round, some are rectangular or triangular. Some have dividers to contain liquids from food contained in one area from contaminating food contained in a different area. Although disposable foodservice products are available in a range of sizes, most US households typically have a supply of disposable plates of a single size, usually round with a diameter of around nine inches to eleven inches. In general, users of such disposable foodservice products use such sized plates for smaller items, even though a smaller sized disposable plate would suffice. The reason for such is typically a lack of availability of multiple sizes of disposable foodservice products in the typical home, perhaps due to storage space, convenience, maintaining stock of multiple sizes, etc. Additionally, there is not always a significant price difference between different size disposable plates, wherein 48 seven inch plates cost about the same as 48 nine inch plates and, therefore, since there may be items that are too big for a seven inch plate, the tendency is to buy the larger disposable plates when costs are similar. 
         [0005]    When a larger sized disposable foodservice products is used for smaller items such as a scoop of potato salad or a sandwich, waste occurs, in that, the amount of material that must be produced by the manufacturer, transported to the retailer, transported to the landfill, etc., is greater than need be is a smaller disposable food service product was used. 
         [0006]    What is needed is a disposable foodservice product that is easily resized to meet the required usage. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    In one embodiment, a separable disposable foodservice product is disclosed including a plurality of sections. Each section has an outer lip portion, a divider portion, and a floor portion. The divider portion is located between pairs of the plurality of sections. There is one or more separation lines formed along the divider portion between each of the pairs of sections so that the separable disposable foodservice product is separable into individual sections along each of the one or more separation lines. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment, a method of using a separable disposable foodservice product is disclosed including (a) folding the separable disposable foodservice product along a separation line. The separation line is along a divider portion between a pair of sections of the separable disposable foodservice product and (b) repeating this until the separable disposable foodservice product separates at the separation line into two separate sections. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment, a separable disposable foodservice product is disclosed including three sections connected to each other by divider portions. Each section has an outer lip portion and a floor portion. An outer circumference of the separable disposable foodservice product is in the shape of a circle in which a first section of the three sections is approximately one-half of the area of the circle and each of the remaining two sections of the three sections is approximately one-quarter of the area of the circle. There is a first separation line formed along a first divider portion between the first section and the remaining two sections and a second separation line along a second divider portion between each of the remaining two sections, where the divider lines are structurally weaker than the remainder of the separable disposable foodservice product, facilitating division of the separable disposable foodservice product into subsections ate each of the separation lines. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a separable disposable foodservice product before separation. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the separable disposable foodservice product after separation. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of a separable disposable foodservice product before separation. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of a separable disposable foodservice product before separation. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of a separable disposable foodservice product before separation. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  illustrates a perspective view of a separable disposable foodservice product before separation. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  illustrates a perspective view of the separable disposable foodservice product after separation. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  illustrates a perspective view of the separable disposable foodservice product after separation. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , perspective view of a separable disposable foodservice product  10  are shown before separation ( FIG. 1 ) and after separation ( FIG. 2 ). 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the separable and disposable foodservice product  10  functions as an existing foodservice product, for example, to hold foodstuff. In this example, the separable and disposable foodservice product  10  has an outer lip  14 / 20  around the periphery of the separable and disposable foodservice product  10  and a divider  16 / 22  that creates compartments  11 / 13 , each compartment  11 / 13  having a floor  12 / 18 . The divider  16 / 22  bifurcates the separable and disposable foodservice product  10  into two compartments  11 / 13  for holding two different foodstuffs, one in each compartment  11 / 13 , reducing cross-contamination between foodstuffs held in each of the compartments  11 / 13 . 
         [0022]    A separation line  25  is made across the divider  16 / 22 . The separation line  25  shown in  FIG. 1  is a perforation, though there is no limitation of a specific type of separation line  25  in any embodiment of the separable and disposable foodservice product  10 . A perforated separation line  25  is anticipated, for example, in paper plates or foam plates, while other types of separation lines are anticipated for plastic plates, etc. 
         [0023]    The separation line  25  provides a weakened bond between each compartment  11 / 13  of the separable and disposable foodservice product  10  such that, each compartment  11 / 13  of the separable and disposable foodservice product  10  is easily separable into two separate disposable foodservice products as shown in  FIG. 2 . The separation line  25  provides for a clean, predictable separation. Without the separation line  25 , one trying to conserve by tearing a typical disposable foodservice product of the prior art often destroys the foodservice product because it is difficult to cleanly separate each half without the use of a tool such as a scissor or knife. Depending upon the strength of the separation line  25 , the separable and disposable foodservice product  10  is separated into two independent compartments  11 / 13  by tearing or folding/unfolding along the separation line  25  until the compartments  11 / 13  separate cleanly along the separation line  25 . 
         [0024]    Note that there is no limitation regarding the material used to fabricate the separable and disposable foodservice product  10  and any suitable material known or a future material is anticipated, having properties desired for foodservice products such as rigidity, moisture resistance, etc. Also, there is no limitation as to the quantity and/or location of the separation lines  25  (as will be shown) and there is no limitation that each compartment  11 / 13  is a half of the separable and disposable foodservice product  10 , as in some embodiment, the separation line  25  is not central. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a perspective view of a separable disposable foodservice product  10 A is shown before separation. In this example, the separation line  35  along the divider  16 / 22  is a weakened line of material, formed or cut into the material along the divider  16 / 22 . This separation line  35  has a thinner area where the separation will occur, typically after bending the separable and disposable foodservice product  10 A is repeatedly bent back and forth along the separation line  35  (in parallel to the separation line  35 ) until the sections  11 / 13  separate. This type of separation line  35  provides a cleaner separation of the sections  11 / 13  and works well with all materials, especially hard plastic. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a perspective view of a three-compartment separable disposable foodservice product  50  is shown before separation. In this example, the separable and disposable foodservice product  50  has an outer lip  54 / 62 / 72  around the periphery of the separable and disposable foodservice product  50  and dividers  56 / 64 / 66 / 74 / 76  that creates three compartments  51 / 53 / 55 , each compartment  51 / 53 / 55  has a respective floor  52 / 60 / 70 . The dividers  56 / 64 / 66 / 74 / 76  separate the separable and disposable foodservice product  50  into three compartments  51 / 53 / 55  for holding two different foodstuffs, one in each compartment  51 / 53 / 55 , reducing cross-contamination between foodstuffs held in each of the compartments  51 / 53 / 55 . 
         [0027]    Separation lines  75 / 80  are made across the dividers  56 / 64 / 66 / 74 / 76 . The separation lines  75 / 80  are shown as a perforation, though there is no limitation of a specific type of separation line  75 / 80  in any embodiment of the separable and disposable foodservice product  50 . 
         [0028]    Note that in non-symmetrical examples as in  FIG. 4 , it is anticipated that the separable and disposable foodservice product  50  is separated first along a major separation line  75  into two sections, then one or both sections be separated along a minor separation line  80  into two subsection, if needed, though there is no limitation on the order of separation. In some uses, separation is made by repeatedly folding along the separation lines  75 / 80  or by pulling/tearing at the separation lines  75 / 80 . 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , a perspective view of an exemplary four-compartment, round separable disposable foodservice product  100  is shown before separation. In this example, the separable and disposable foodservice product  100  has an outer lip  104 / 114 / 124 / 134  around the periphery of the separable and disposable foodservice product  100  and dividers  106 / 108 / 116 / 118 / 126 / 128 / 136 / 138  that creates four compartments  101 / 103 / 105 / 107 , each compartment  101 / 103 / 105 / 107  having a corresponding floor  102 / 110 / 120 / 130 . The dividers  106 / 108 / 116 / 118 / 126 / 128 / 136 / 138  separate the separable and disposable foodservice product  100  into four compartments  101 / 103 / 105 / 107  for holding different foodstuffs, one in each compartment  101 / 103 / 105 / 107 , reducing cross-contamination between foodstuffs held in each of the compartments  101 / 103 / 105 / 107 . 
         [0030]    Separation lines  140 / 142  are made across the dividers  106 / 108 / 116 / 118 / 126 / 128 / 136 / 138 . The separation lines  140 / 142  are shown as a perforation, though there is no limitation of a specific type of separation line  140 / 142  in any embodiment of the separable and disposable foodservice product  100 . 
         [0031]    It is anticipated that the separable and disposable foodservice product  100  be separated along a first separation line  140  forming two halves, then, if needed, one or both halves are separated along a second separation line  142 . There is no limitation on the order or granularity of separation. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a perspective view of an exemplary separable disposable foodservice product  200  is shown before separation. In this example, the separable and disposable foodservice product  200  has an outer lip  203 / 204 / 212 / 213 / 223 / 224 / 234 / 231  around the periphery of the separable and disposable foodservice product  200  and dividers  205 / 206211 / 214 / 221 / 224 / 232 / 233  that creates four compartments  201 / 203 / 205 / 207 , each compartment  201 / 203 / 205 / 207  has a corresponding floor  202 / 210 / 220 / 230 . The dividers  205 / 206211 / 214 / 221 / 224 / 232 / 233  separate the separable and disposable foodservice product  200  into four compartments  201 / 203 / 205 / 207  for holding multiple different foodstuffs, one in each compartment  201 / 203 / 205 / 207 , reducing cross-contamination between foodstuffs held in each of the compartments  201 / 203 / 205 / 207 . 
         [0033]    Separation lines  240 / 242  are made across the dividers  205 / 206211 / 214 / 221 / 224 / 232 / 233 . The separation lines  240 / 242  are shown as a perforation, though there is no limitation of a specific type of separation line  240 / 242  in any embodiment of the separable and disposable foodservice product  200 . 
         [0034]    It is anticipated that the separable and disposable foodservice product  200  be separated along a first separation line  240  forming two halves, then, if needed, one or both halves are separated along a second separation line  242 . There is no limitation on the order or granularity of separation. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , a perspective view of the separable disposable foodservice product  100  of  FIG. 5  is shown after separation. Although not required to separate into four sections  101 / 103 / 105 / 107 , this example shows the separable disposable foodservice product  100  fully separated into four sections  101 / 103 / 105 / 107 . It should be noted that it is possible to separate this exemplary separable disposable foodservice product  100  into two sections ( 101 / 103 )( 105 / 107 ) or three sections ( 101 / 103 )( 105 )( 107 ) or four sections ( 101 )( 103 )( 105 )( 107 ), a needed. Note how each section  101 / 103 / 105 / 107  maintains a portion of the dividers  106 / 108 / 116 / 118 / 126 / 128 / 136 / 138  and outer lips  104 / 114 / 124 / 134 , thereby providing containment as well as improved structural support, especially after being used with a moist foodstuff. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , a perspective view of the separable disposable foodservice product  200  of  FIG. 5  is shown after separation. Although not required to separate into four sections  201 / 203 / 205 / 207 , this example shows the separable disposable foodservice product  200  fully separated into four sections  201 / 203 / 205 / 207 . It should be noted that it is possible to separate this exemplary separable disposable foodservice product  200  into two sections ( 201 / 203 )( 205 / 207 ) or three sections ( 201 / 203 )( 205 )( 207 ) or four sections ( 201 )( 203 )( 205 )( 207 ), a needed. Note how each section  201 / 203 / 205 / 207  maintains a portion of the dividers  205 / 206211 / 214 / 221 / 224 / 232 / 233  and outer lips  203 / 204 / 212 / 213 / 223 / 224 / 234 / 231 , thereby providing containment as well as improved structural support, especially after being used with a moist foodstuff. 
         [0037]    As discussed previously, there is no limitation regarding the material used to fabricate the separable disposable foodservice product  10 / 10 A/ 50 / 100 / 200  as any suitable material including, but not limited to, aluminum, paper, cardboard, plastic foam, plastic, etc., is anticipated. There is no limitation on the outer shape of the separable disposable foodservice product  10 / 10 A/ 50 / 100 / 200 . Rectangular and round separable disposable foodservice products  10 / 10 A/ 50 / 100 / 200  have been shown, but other shapes are equally anticipated including, but not limited to, square, round, triangular, oval, pentagonal, hexagonal, irregular shapes, etc. There is no limitation on the quantity and/or the shape of the individual compartments. 
         [0038]    Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result. 
         [0039]    It is believed that the system and method as described and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.