Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CONSUMABLES CONTAINER WITH NESTED INSERT
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a container suitable for storing multiple
food products
(consumables) by using a container having an insert nested within a
receptacle.
Description of Related Art
The design and construction of packaging for containers of consumables, such
as
potato chips, tortilla chips, or other snack products, requires the
consideration of several
sometimes competing factors.
One factor to consider regarding a consumables container design is application
specific design criteria. For example, and related to marketing
considerations, it may be
desirable to construct the container so that it can separately hold two or
more complementary
food products. Mixing separate, complementary food products just prior to
consumption is
often popular with consumers. For example, it may be desirable for a container
to hold both a
crispy food such as a tortilla chips, crackers, or potato chips and a non-
crispy condiment such
as a salsa, cheese, or onion dip.
Food ingredients are typically enclosed in a hermetically sealed food package
and thus
approach equilibrium with the relative humidity of the inside of the package.
Because of this
moisture migration it can be difficult to achieve a long shelf life on
multiple compartment
packages storing snack products sharing the same headspace. For example, the
crispy food
ingredient (e.g. tortilla chip) having a lower moisture content can absorb
evaporated moisture
from a non-crispy food ingredient (e.g., salsa or cheese) having a higher
moisture content. As
the lower moisture content food ingredient absorbs water it becomes less
crispy. As the
higher moisture content food ingredient loses water, it hardens. Additionally,
oxygen and
moisture migration into a container reduces the product's shelf life. Thus,
any container for
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holding separate food products should contain a moisture and oxygen barrier
layer
encompassing each food product compartrnent.
A second factor to consider regarding a consumables container design is the
ease in
which a consumer can access product. For example, the container can be
designed with an
easy-open top, a dimension or shape that makes it easy to grip the container
in one hand, and
an opening sufficient in size for the consuiner to retrieve the product from
the container by
pulling out the product with the other hand. Likewise, the ergonomics of the
container must
be considered. The container can be designed to be easily grasped and held in
one hand.
A third factor in consumables container design is the economics and
efficiencies of
filling and shipping the container. It may be beneficial to have the ability
to separately stack
food product compartments for easy shipment and handling prior to the filling
of the
compartment with a food product. Further, once filled, sealed, and assembled,
the containers
must fit economically into boxes or crates in order to minimize shipping
costs.
Unfortunately, the prior art fails to disclose a container having all of the
above
advantages. For example, U.S. Patent Nos. 5,277,920, 5,853,105, and 5,657,574
all disclose
multi-compartment food packages where the containers are adjacent and
integrated with one
another. Unfortunately, because the compartments do share a common bottom and
because
the compartments are typically held together with a thin flexible flange, a
consumer must
attempt to balance the container in the palm of one hand while using the other
hand to mix
then eat the packaged food products. However, it is very difficult to balance
or hold integral,
adjacent, multi-compartment food packages that fail to share a common bottom.
Thus, it is
often difficult for a consumer to hold any of the disclosed integral
containers in one hand
while using the other hand to mix a first food product with a second product
and then
consume the two food products.
In addition, it is difficult to use the disclosed prior art containers to
package a second
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food product at a location remote from where the final filling, sealing, and
labeling of an
integral multi-compartment food package occurs.
Consequently, a need exists for a multi-comparfinent food container that
allows a
consumer to easily eat multiple food products within the container with one
hand while
holding the container with the other hand. Further, the container should be
rigid enough to
allow a consumer to hold both food products in one hand so the other hand can
be used to
mix and then consume the food product combination. Such design should be
simple and
inexpensive to manufacture and be intuitively functional to the consumer. The
container
should economically fit into boxes or crates in order to minimize shipping
costs.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The proposed invention comprises a food product container for storing multiple
food
products having a nested insert cup in a receptacle. In one embodiment, the
first food product
can be placed into the receptacle, the insert cup can be nested in the
receptacle, and a second
food product can be placed into the insert cup. Both food products can then
have a single
removable seal placed over the receptacle and insert.
The invention is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, provides adequate
protection
for the product contained therein, and is easy to use for the consumer. The
container permits
a consumer to easily eat multiple food products within the container with one
hand while
holding the container with the other hand. The container is an improvement
over the prior art
in the packaging efficiencies, and functional use by the consuiner. The above
as well as
additional features and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent in the
following written detailed description.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in
the
appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of
use, further
objectives and advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the
following
detailed description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with
the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure la is a top perspective view illustrating the receptacle without the
insert and
without the seal;
Figures lb is a partial top plan view of the receptacle depicted in Figure la;
Figure 1c is a cross-sectional side view of the portion of the receptacle
taken along
line 1 c-1 c of Figure lb;
Figure 2a is a top perspective view of the insert in one embodiment of the
invention;
Figure 2b is a bottom perspective view of the insert depicted in Figure 2a;
Figures 3a is a perspective view of the insert shown in Figures 2a-2b prior to
nesting
with the receptacle shown in Figure la;
Figures 3b is a perspective view of the receptacle with the nested insert in
accordance
with one embodiment of the present invention;
Figures 3c is a top plan view of the container shown in Figure 3b;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the container depicted in Figure 3b having a
single
heat sealed lid covering both the container and nested dip insert.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Figure la is a top perspective view illustrating the receptacle without the
insert and
without the seal. Referring to Figure la, the receptacle 100 comprises a
receptacle mouth
end 102 and a receptacle base 104 coupled with a receptacle wall 106. In one
embodiment,
the receptacle 100 comprises a recessed base 104. In one embodiment, the
receptacle 100
comprises a tapered receptacle wa11106. The receptacle 100 provides for the
rigidity of the
container as well as necessary moisture barrier properties. The receptacle 100
can also be
opaque in order to preclude exposure to light on the product contained
therein. The
receptacle 100 is typically injection molded and can be constructed of
materials comprising
polypropylene, which provides for effective moisture barrier properties. Such
material can
provide a container having a water vapor transmission rate of about 0.004
g/inZ/day and an
oxygen transmission rate of 7.2 cubic centimeters/m2/day. Examples of other
suitable
material for use in constructing the receptacle include high density
polyethylene. In one
embodiment, the receptacle 100 and insert 200 are made of microwaveable
materials.
Figure lb is a partial top plan view of the receptacle depicted in Figure 1a.
Figure
ic is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the receptacle taken along
line 1c-1c of
Figure lb. Referring to Figures lb and lc, the receptacle mouth end 102
comprises a flange
108. In one embodiment, the flange 108 is integral the receptacle wa11106
about the
receptacle mouth end 102. The flange 108, in one embodiment, comprises a flat
section 112,
a protruded section 114, and a ledge section 110. The ledge section 110
extends about the
outer perimeter of the flange 108. The protruded section 114 protrudes
slightly inward in the
vicinity of the rounded corners of the container. The amount of protrusion has
been
exaggerated in the drawing for purposes of illustration. In one embodiment,
the protruded
section 114 extends beyond the receptacle wa11106 by about 0.50 millimeters.
In one
embodiment, the flange 108 does not have a protruded section 114 in the non-
rounded portion
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116 of the container.
Figure 2a is a top perspective view of the insert 200 in one embodiment of the
invention. Figure 2b is a bottom perspective view of the insert depicted in
Figure 2a.
Referring to Figures 2a and 2b, the insert 200 comprises an insert cup 201 and
a rim 210.
The insert cup 201 further comprises an insert mouth end 202 and an insert
base 204
connected by an insert wall 206. In one embodiment, the rim 210 is an L-shaped
rim 210 that
extends beyond the insert cup 201 to form a pass-through opening 220. In one
embodiment,
the rim 210 is integral with the insert mouth end 202. In an alternative
embodiment, the rim
210 is snap-fit on the insert cup 201.
Figure 3a is a perspective view of the insert shown in Figures 2a and 2b prior
to
nesting with the receptacle shown in Figure la. Figure 3b is a perspective
view of the
receptacle with the nested insert in accordance with one embodiment of the
present invention.
Figure 3c is a top plan view of the container shown in Figure 3b. Referring to
Figures 3a,
3b, and 3c, in one embodiment, the L-shaped rim 210 having a perpendicular
section 212 is
dimensioned so as to mate above the flange flat section 112 of the receptacle
100 and
substantially abut the first receptacle ledge 110 to enable the insert 200 to
be nested within
the receptacle 100. Hence the rim 210 is dimensioned so as to mate with and
nest inside the
receptacle 100. In one embodiment, the protruded section 114 snaps into a
channel 214
(shown in Figure 2b)disposed about the four corners within the perpendicular
section 212 of
the L-shaped rim 210. In one embodiment, the channels 214 are dimensioned to
ensure a
tight fit with the protruded section 114. The pass-through opening 220 permits
a consumer
to conveniently retrieve food from the receptacle 100.
In an alternative embodiment (not shown), a different snap fitting means is
used
couple the insert 200 with the receptacle 100. There are numerous ways to snap
fit a smaller
Z5 nested insert into a larger receptacle as those skilled in the art are
aware. For example, in one
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embodiment, the flange 108 having a groove capable of receiving a lip can be
placed about
the mouth end 102 of the receptacle 100. A lip can then be placed about the
insert rim 210 so
as to mate with the groove to enable the insert 200 to be snap fit with the
receptacle 100.
Similarly, the groove can be placed on the insert rim 210 and the lip can be
placed about the
flange 108. The disclosed methods are shown by way of illustration and not
limitation. Any
method of snap fitting or placing the insert 200 into the receptacle 100 in a
nested fashion
known in the art can be used.
The first step in manufacturing the container of Applicants' invention
involves
constructing the receptacle 100 and insert 200. Construction of each is
typically performed
by injection molding of the material selected, but could also be accomplished
by blow
molding, thermoforming, or other means used in container manufacturing.
Manufacture of
the receptacle 100 and insert 200 are performed separately. After each
receptacle 100 is
removed from the mold, the receptacles can be efficiently nested and stored in
one another
and then shipped to a food processing facility where it can be filled with
product or
consumables. Alternatively, the receptacle, shortly after manufacture, can be
filled with a
first food product, such as corn-based snack foods, dropped into the
receptacle 100 through
the mouth end 102.
In one embodiment, after each insert 200 is removed from the mold, the inserts
can be
nested in one another for storage or shipment separate from the receptacle
100. In an
alternative embodiment, inserts 200 can be immediately nested into a
receptacle 100 that has
been filled with a first food product and a second food product including, but
not limited to, a
non-crispy condiment such as spreadable cheese, salsa, or bean dip, can then
be dropped into
the insert 200 through the insert mouth end 202.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the container depicted in Figure 3b having a
single
removable seal covering both the container and the nested dip insert. After
the insert 200 is
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nested in the receptacle 100 and filled with a second food product, a
removable seal (shown
as reference 410 in Figure 4) is secured over both the receptacle mouth end
110 as well as the
insert mouth end 210 by methods well known in the industry. Such seals can be
found, for
example, on the top of some plastic ketchup bottles. This removable seal can
be, for
example, a metalized polyester secured by a heat and pressure seal or other
means. In one
embodiment, once the removable seal is placed over each mouth end 110 210, a
label can be
affixed about the receptacle and the container can be shipped to consumers. It
should be
noted, however, that a label can be affixed about the receptacle at any time
after the
receptacle is manufactured.
The instant invention provides numerous other advantages as well. First, it
provides
for a multi-compartment food package that allows a consumer to easily eat the
food products
within the container with one hand while holding the container with the other
hand. For
example, referring to Figure 3b, because of the nested insert 200, the
consumer can easily
hold both the insert 200 and the receptacle 100 in one hand. The consumer can
then, with the
other hand, reach through the pass-through section 220 into the mouth end of
the receptacle,
and retrieve a first food product such as a tortilla chip. The consumer can
then place the first
food product into the mouth end of the insert and mix the first food product
with a second
food product, such as salsa. Moreover, if the second food product in the
insert requires the
application of some pressure to retrieve, the consumer can still apply the
requisite pressure
without additional difficulty in holding the container. For example, if
spreadable cheese is
placed in the nested insert, application of pressure first downward and then
toward an insert
side wall may be required to scoop the cheese onto a cracker. The instant
invention permits a
consumer to more easily perform this task than previously because the
container can be
gripped in one's first hand and pressure can be applied in numerous directions
within the
insert (e.g. scooping can occur with one's second hand) while still having the
ability to easily
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hold the container with the first hand. Second, the shape of the receptacle
can be fashioned
such that it is ergonomic and easy to hold. Third, the manufacture of the
container can be
performed by inexpensive molding methods consisting of injection molding, blow
molding
and thermoforming. Fourth, in one embodiment, the container requires only a
single heat-
sealed lid that covers both food products making it easier to manufacture a
multi-
compartment food container. Further, the container lid can be easily removed
by one hand as
the other hand holds the container. Moreover, the container shape provides for
easy stacking
in boxes for shipping and on shelves for display to a consumer.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference
to a
preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that
various changes in
form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and
scope of the
invention.
