Patent ID: 8459536

Claim:
An outer container for housing an inner storage container such as for transporting a food product therein, the inner storage container including a bottom, a generally upright sidewall projecting upwardly from the bottom, and a flange connected to the sidewall, said outer container comprising: upper and lower portions joined to one another such that said upper portion is pivotable away from said lower portion to define an open configuration of said outer container and such that said upper portion of said outer container is pivotable toward said lower portion to define a closed configuration of said outer container, said upper portion of said outer container including a generally planar top wall; said lower portion of said outer container including: a generally planar bottom wall having a first pair of generally parallel side edges and a second pair of generally parallel side edges extending transversely relative to said first pair of side edges; first and second elongate sidewalls joined to said bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom along said first pair of side edges; and third and fourth elongate sidewalls joined to said bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom along said second pair of side edges, said third and fourth sidewalls being oriented transversely relative to said first and second sidewalls; said top wall having respective first and second edge portions which, when said outer container is in said closed configuration, are disposed adjacent to but in vertically-spaced relation from, respective first and second upper edge portions of said first and second sidewalls to define respective first and second generally sidewardly-opening slots, said first and second slots being unobstructed sidewardly by any part of said outer container such that a flange of an inner storage container engages in said first and second slots and projects sidewardly outwardly through said first and second slots when housed within said outer container, said top wall having a first pair of generally parallel side edges and a second pair of generally parallel side edges extending transversely relative to said first pair of side edges, said top wall mounting thereon a front locking flap joined to one of said side edges and foldable downwardly relative to said top wall for engagement with one of said third and fourth sidewalls to lock said upper portion to said lower portion in said closed configuration of said outer container.