Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
F-so5o - 1 -
HINGED-LID FOOD CONTAINER WITH
SEALABLE COMPARTMENTS EMPLOYING
FRONT AND SIDE LATCHING MEANS
The present invention relates to a compartmented
food container, and more particularly, relates to a
multi-compartmented container for the discrete storage
and dispensing of a plurality of various comestibles,
in which a cover member is adapted to sealingly isolate
each compartment in the closed condition of the
container.
In recent years, single use vi u.~a~rvac..~.ac
containers for the storage, transport and serving of
various comestibles, whereby the containers are
constituted from a thermoplastic material, such as
foamed polystyrene or the like, have come into
widespread use in various institutions, so called
"take-out" restaurants and "fast-food'° retail
establishments. These containers generally incorporate
a tray member adapted to receive the comestibles, and a
superimposable cover structure hingedly connected to
the tray member to enable the contents of the container
to be sealed during transportation and storage, and in
many instances allows for maintaining specific
temperature conditions of the container contents. The
widespread acceptance of such containers by consumers
has lead to their development to incorporate a
plurality of compartments for the discrete storage
and/or serving of different types of food items; such
as a main course from one container compartment, a
vegetable or the like from another container
compartment, and possibly a dessert or salad from a
further container compartment. Containers of that type
are extremely popular inasmuch as they allow for the
storage and serving of entire meals therefrom without
having to resort to an array of separate containers for
' CA 02058810 1999-03-31
F-6050 -2-
serving the individual food items or comestibles of a meal,
Among the problems which have been encountered in the
storage of food items in a single container having a
plurality of compartments, each of which is intended to
receive a different type of food item or comestible, are
the difficulties in maintaining such items separated from
each other during the storage and transport of the
containers from one location to another, such as from the
retail or "fast-food" establishment towards a location
where the container contents are to be consumed, inasmuch
as this may quite frequently entail tipping and shaking, or
even inverting of the container, thereby causing the
compartmented container contents to intermingle and
possibly rendering the foods unattractive if not completely
unpalatable to a prospective consumer.
In order to ameliorate the problem of spillage of food
items from one compartment to another when the container is
in a closed condition and while it is being transported or
moved about in different orientations, structure has been
proposed in the form of either an internal lid closing off
the compartments beneath the cover or, alternatively, the
cover portion of the container itself may be provided with
suitable depending wall or rib structure which, when the
cover is closed over the tray member will contact the
upstanding walls of the compartments in generally sealing
engagement so as to inhibit foods contained in the
individual compartments from commingling with the contents
of other compartments in the container. This, in effect,
will considerably enhance the versatility of such
containers and render them adaptable for storage,
conveyance and serving of different types of foods from
compartments in the same container. Moreover the container
may also be
F-6050 - 3 -
constituted from a suitable material, such as foamed
thermoplastic, as polyethylene, polystyrene or the
like, which will ensure that the food items contained
in each of the various compartments maintain their
respective temperatures. For instance, one compartment
may contain hot food, whereas an adjoining compartment
may contain a cold food item, with each of the
compartmented foods being essentially in a thermally
sealed-off relationship relative to the other
compartments of the container. Additionally, the
material of the container may lend itself to use in a
microwave oven by being constituted of a material which
is transparent to microwave energy, thereby enabling
the heating of the food items while in the closed
container, thereby again rendering the container
contents more palatable and attractive to a prospective
consumer.
Numerous containers of the type described herein
are currently being marketed for purposes of storing,
heating and discretely serving a plurality of food
items or comestibles separately stored in various
compartments of such containers.
For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,081,646 discloses a
multi-compartmented container enabling the storage of
different types of foods in compartments which are
separated from each other by formations of upstanding
wall portions in a tray member. A cover member which
is hingedly connected to the compartmented tray member
containing the food items includes depending ribs which
are in the form of depending walls engaging into the
respective compartments so as to prevent contact
between the compartment walls and the foods, the latter
of which are generally in a frozen condition.
Thereafter, the container is adapted to be exposed to
microwave energy in a microwave oven while in an
inverted condition, preferably within an outer
CA 02058810 1999-03-31
F-6050 -4-
receptacle incorporating wall portions which are
transparent to microwave energy so as to enable heating the
food, and then the container is reversed into its upright
position, the cover member lifted open and removed from the
container. This will enable the food items to be
maintained in the compartments without contacting the wall
surfaces thereof in a supposedly unsightly manner, thereby
rendering the contents more palatable to a consumer.
However, the construction of a multi-compartmented
container as described in this patent is relatively complex
and necessitates an extremely close accuracy in the
dimensioning of the depending wall structure of the cover
to enable one to sealingly engage the inner surfaces of
each of the tray compartments to prevent leakage of any
sauces or gravies between and contact with the cooperating
wall structures. Consequently, the container structure is
extremely expensive and complex in manufacture and renders
the containers uneconomical from the standpoint of mass
production and disposable applications in so-called ~~take-
out" or ~~ fast-food" retail operations .
U.S. Patent No. 4,653,685 describes a dual
compartmented sandwich package in which wall structure
provided on a container cover portion will separate tray
compartments so as to permit hot and cold foods contained
in each respective compartment to be maintained in a
separate condition.
Other containers which enable the separation of foods
and similar types of items contained therein are also
known. For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,234,097 discloses a
serving plate set having two similar receptacles which in
one form is separated by a sealing member that segregates
the receptacle contents, such member also being of a plate-
like configuration and which in another form employs the
two receptacles to create a closured container.
CA 02058810 1999-09-13
-$-
F-6050
U.S. Patent No. 4,440,303 relates to an improved
insulated tray having both of its top and bottom surfaces
configured so that either may receive food articles. The
configuration is such that the trays may be stacked one
upon the other in a wide variety of configurations. When
so stacked, the depressions in the upper tray serve to
provide a closure for the depressions in the lower tray.
U.S. Patent No. 4,545,487 relates to a food serving
tray which has a hood shaped to define a generally planar
upper surface along with a downwardly depending first
marginal skirt. A generally planer lid has an upwardly
projecting second marginal skirt that is bonded to the
first skirt. A food support is also of generally planar
shape and has a downwardly depending third marginal skirt
of a likewise generally planar base. The lid is indexed
so as to lie in mating relationship atop the support. A
liner desirably covers the support.
Although these publications describe multi-
compartmented containers of various types, none of these
are actually adapted for use in so-called "fast-food"
operations enabling their economical applications and
ready disposability after a single use by a consumer.
A compartmented food container which has been found
to be suitable for use in "fast food" operations and which
can be readily disposed of after a single use by a
consumer is, however, known; this container comprises a
tray member having a plurality of compartments separated
by upstanding wall portions, a bottom wall structure and
a peripheral sidewall forming an encompassing tray rim; a
cover member hingedly j oined to the tray member along a
portion of the tray rim, the cover member having a
peripheral depending wall structure engageable with the
tray rim to form a closed container arrangement;
CA 02058810 1999-09-13
-6-
F-6050
and depending rib means formed in the cover member
engageable with the surfaces of the upstanding wall
portions of the tray compartments for sealing the
compartments the container is in the closed condition. In
a preferred embodiment of such container, the cover member
and tray member each are provided with peripheral flange
portions, the tray member having a peripheral recess
formed in its flange portion for the purpose of receiving
the flange portion of the cover member in the closed
condition of the container so as to assist in providing a
sealed container structure. In a more preferred
embodiment of this compartmented container, the flange
portion of the cover member is provided with tabs along an
edge opposite the hinged connection between the tray and
cover, with slit means in the flange portion of the tray
member cooperatively engageable by the tabs for releasably
latching the container in a closed condition.
While the above-referred-to compartmented container
provides an effective structure, addressing the problem of
food item spillage between container compartments when
closed and moved about, and is particularly well-suited
for use in fast-food operations, a need still exists for
a container which provides enhanced sealing
characteristics for use in fast-food operations.
Accordingly, in order to obviate the above-described
limitations and disadvantages, the present invention
provides a hinged-lid food container having sealable
compartments for the discrete storage and dispensing of a
plurality of various comestibles, in which a cover member
is adapted to sealingly isolate each compartment in the
closed condition of the container. The container comprises
a tray member
CA 02058810 1999-03-31
F-6050 -7-
having a plurality of compartments separated by upstanding
wall portions, a bottom wall structure and a peripheral
sidewall forming an encompassing tray rim; a cover member
hingedly joined to the tray member along a portion of the
tray rim, the cover member having a peripheral depending
wall structure engageable with the tray rim to form a
closed container arrangement; and depending rib means
formed in the cover member engageable with the surfaces of
the upstanding wall portions of the tray compartments for
sealing the compartments in the closed condition of the
container; wherein the cover member and the tray member
each include peripheral flange portions, at least one
latching means being formed in the peripheral flange
portion of the tray member for receiving the corresponding
flange portion of the cover member in the closed condition
of the tray member for receiving the corresponding flange
portion of the cover member in the closed condition of the
container so as to provide a sealed container structure.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a mufti-compartmented food container in which a
tray member includes a plurality of separate compartments
having upstanding wall portions, and a cover member
hingedly connected with the tray member and including
depending wall structure therein which will overlap the
outer surfaces of the compartment walls of the tray member
so as to cause the compartment to be essentially sealed
relative to each other in the closed condition of the
container.
Still another object of the present invention is to
provide a simple mufti-compartmented food container of the
type described in which the compartments are sealed in the
closed condition of the container, which is constituted
from a foamable thermoplastic material, is extremely simple
in construction and economically disposable after only a
single use by a consumer.
- CA 02058810 1999-03-31
F-6050 -8-
Furthermore, it is another object of the present
invention to provide a container incorporating a plurality
of compartments for the discrete storage and serving of
various food items which are essentially thermally sealed
separated relative to each other in the closed condition of
the compartment, and in which the container is of a
material which is transparent to microwave energy so as to
enable the container contents to be heated therein in a
microwave oven.
Other objects and the several advantages of the
present invention will become apparent to those skilled in
the art upon a reading of the specification and the claims
appended thereto.
Reference may now be had to the following detailed
description of an exemplary embodiment of a multi-
compartmented food container constructed pursuant to the
invention in which:
Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the inventive
container shown in a closed condition;
Fig. 2 illustrates a top plan view of the inventive
container shown in an open condition;
Fig. 3 illustrates a side view of the open container
depicted in Fig. 2; and
Fig. 4 illustrates a side view of the container
depicted in Fig. 2 in a closed condition.
Referring now in detail to the drawings of Figs. 1
through 4, there is illustrated a container 10 of generally
rectangular shape, which includes a tray member 12 adapted
to receive foods, and a cover member 14 hingedly joined to
or integrally formed with the tray member 12 so as to be
pivotable between a container closed condition as shown in
Fig. 1; or an open condition as shown in Fig. 2, in which
access to the contents of the tray member 12 of the
container 10 is afforded to a consumer.
F-6050 - 9 -
The container 10 has the tray member 12 separated
into a plurality of compartments 16, 18 and 20, as
described hereinbelow, and wherein the tray member 12
includes a substantially flat bottom wall structure 22,
and upwardly and outwardly diverging sidewalls 24 and
36 which at their other upper ends, excepting where the
tray member 12 is hinged to the cover member 14, extend
radially outwardly into a peripheral generally
horizontal flange structure 26.
Similarly, the cover member 14 which is hinged to
an edge at one side of the tray member 12 includes a
substantially flat top surface wall 40 and depending
and outwardly diverging wall portions 28 which at the
ends coplanar with the hinged connection 50 of the
cover member 14 with the tray member 12, extend into
peripheral horizontal radially outwardly extending
flange structure 30. The edge of the flange structure
30 on cover member 14 which is located opposite that of
the hinge connection 50 with the tray member 12 is
provided with a pair of protruding tab members 32
adapted to releasably engage into cooperating slits 34
formed in the flange of the tray member 12 so as to
provide a locking tab arrangement when the container 10
is in a closed position, as is known in the art.
The inventive structure of the container 10
incorporates the plurality of compartments 16, 18 and
20 in the tray member 12 in that a pair of the
compartments are formed into the tray bottom wall 22 in
the shape of upstanding wall portions 36, with
essentially beaded upper ends 38 extending co-planar
with the encompassing flange structure 28 on the tray
member 12. Thus, the illustrated larger compartment 16
in the tray member 12 may be adapted to receive a major
or heavier portion of a food item, and in order to
impart additional stiffness and rigidity to the tray
member 12, may be of a rib-like wavilinear
' CA 02058810 1999-03-31
F-6050 -10-
configuration 22a. This will provide a strengthened bottom
over a major bottom surface portion of the tray member 12.
Similarly, the cover member 14 has a flat top surface 40
which has ribs molded therein of generally the shape of
raised wall members 42 which, in the closed condition of
the container 10, are adapted to contact the upper beaded
end wall portion 38 of the compartments of the tray member.
As is preferred in the practice of the present
invention, in order to provide enhanced sealing
capabilities and more secure container closure, flange
structure 26 of tray member 12 is provided with latching
means 48, formed in a portion of peripheral flange
structure 26, for use in receiving the corresponding flange
portion 30 to cover member 14 in the closed condition of
container 10. A preferred location for latching means 48
is on at least one side adjacent to hinged connection 50 of
the tray member 12 and cover member 14. It is particularly
preferred that at least one latching means 48 be formed on
each of the sides of the peripheral flange 26 adjacent to
hinged connection 50. In a still more preferred embodiment
of the present invention and as depicted in Fig. 2,
latching means 48 comprises a curved latch body 46 having
a longitudinal slit 44 therein. As can be appreciated by
those skilled in the art, more than one such latching means
48 may be employed on a side adjacent hinged connection 50
of flanged portion 28, depending upon the particular
application. In operation, when the flange structure 30 on
cover member 14 engages into slits 44 of curved latch
bodies 46 of latching means 48, essentially sealed
container closure is provided when the cover member 14 is
closed over the tray member 12 and tabs 32 of cover member
14 engaged in slits 34.
F-6050 - 11 -
In essence, the foregoing structure provides for
an extremely rigid and sturdy container arrangement
which, when the container is closed, causes the
depending rib wall structure in the cover member 14 to
sealingly contact the smaller compartments 18, 20 in
the tray member 12, whereas the flange structure 30 on
the cover member 14 will engage slits 44 of curved
latch bodies 46 of latching means 48 causing sealing
contact of the remainder of flange structure 30 with
the interior of the flange structure 26 on the tray
member 12 so as to place all of the contents in the
compartments of the container 10 in an essentially
sealed condition with respect to each other and the
outside when the container 10 is closed and the tabs 32
are engaged into the cooperating slits 34 formed in the
tray member flange structure 26.
As mentioned hereinabove, the entire container 10
may be constituted from a foamed polystyrene or any
suitable moldable thermoplastic material, as is
well-known in the container molding technology, and may
be transparent to microwave energy so as to enable
heating the contents of the container in a microwave
oven while in the container.
Moreover, although the container 10 is illustrated
as being essentially of a rectangular or square
configuration, it becomes readily apparent to one
skilled in the art that the container may be circular,
oval or any multi-sided configuration. Additionally,
although the tray member 12 is illustrated as
possessing essentially only three compartments 16, 18
and 20, it is quite readily apparent that the container
may possess two, four or even a greater number of
compartments depending upon the cooperating wall and
rib structure respectively molded into the tray member
12 and into the cover member 14, enabling the sealing
of all of the compartments relative to each other.
F-6050 - 12 "
From the foregoing, it becomes readily apparent to
one skilled in the art that the entire container
construction is extremely simple in nature and
inexpensively produced so as to be adapted for mass
production and economical single use or disposable
utilization in so-called °'fast-food" or "take-out" food
retail establishments.
While there has been shown and described what is
considered to be a preferred embodiment of the
invention, it will, of course, be understood that
various modifications and changes in form or detail
could readily be made without departing from the spirit
of the invention. It is therefore intended that the
invention be not limited to the exact form and detail
herein shown and described, nor to anything less than
the whole of the invention herein disclosed as
hereinafter claimed.
