Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
F-7197-L~SGC) ~130~63
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DISPOSABLE MICROWAVABLE FOOD CONTAINER
Relat d Applications
This is a continuation-in-part of Application Serial Number
07/800,159, filed on November 27, 1991, the contents of which
are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Background of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in
thermoformed plastic containers for deli food and more
particularly, to such a container for packaging pre-prepared
foods of the type commonly referred to as "deli foods".
Containers for food or other articles thermoformed
15 from plastic material normally comprise a lid and base which
may be hinged to each other or may be separate parts. In order
to hold the lid and base of the container in closed condition,
it is necessary that the lid and base have a closure which can
be manually opened and closed with relative ease. However, the
20 closure should be capable of securely closing the container to
avoid accidental opening or leakage of the contents. Containers
for deli foods should have a lock which seals against liquid
spillage.
Various types of closures have been proposed in the
25 past. Some have included latching or locking structures. For
example, cylindrical male and female locking elements have been
proposed as disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,576,330. U.S. Patent
4,452,356-Dahl shows a container in which tabs are provided for
opening the container. U.S. Patent 5,046,659 is an example of
30 a food container made of clear plastic which presents an
attractive appearance for the food, plus a unique locking
closure.
However, deli foods are most often packaged in foil
bags, plastic bags, foil pans with deli overwraps or polystyrene
35 foam trays with overwraps. It is an object of the present
invention to improve the presentation of foods in containers
which can be used for microwave heating of the contents.
F-7197-L(SGC) ~13~3
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A thermoformed plastic container used primarily
for packaging pre-prepared foods has a base and a domed lid
of clear plastic. A closure including a male ridge around
5 the periphery of the flange of the base engages a mating female
groove in the flange of the lid. An upwardly extending wall
of the cover engages a mating wall on the base to form a
tight, double-sealed, liquid-proof seal.
This container is unlocked by separating stiff tabs
10 on the lid and the base. The tabs have embossed instructions,
such as "HOLD" and "LIFT", to facilitate easy opening of a
container which is otherwise tightly sealed.
The container is generally oval in shape with one
end rounded and pointed and the other end rounded and flat. The
15 shape of the container conforms generally to the food contained
therein, such as a whole roasted chicken. The handles are
formed by flat portions at both ends which are inwardly offset
with respect to the vertical walls of the base.
The base has a raised bottom with grooves therein
so that food can rest on the bottom of the base with the
liquid from the food being contained in the grooves. The
vertical walls have scallops which add to the rigidity of the
base~ The base and the clear plastic lid are made of materials
such that the packaged food product can be displayed in a
25 warming oven in the store, and then the container can also be
used for microwave heating of the contents at home.
The foregoing and other objects, features and
advantages of the invention will be better understood from the
following more detailed description and appended claims.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 is a view of the container in the closed ~-
position;
Fig. 2 shows the container with a low dome lid;
Fig. 3 is a view with the lid removed from the base;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the high domed lid in
the closed position;
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Fig. 5 is a plan view with the lid partially broken
away;
Fig. 6 is a side elevation;
Fig. 7 is a cross-section through the section 7-7 of
5 Fig. 6;
Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail of the seal mechanism;
Fig. 9 is an end view of the round pointed end;
Fig. 10 is an end view of the flat rounded end of the
base showing the handle;
Fig. 11 is a view of an embodiment of the container
having a mid-dome lid in the closed position;
Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the container with the
mid-dome lid;
Fig. 13 is a top plan view of the mid-dome lid removed
from the base; and
Fig. 14 is an plan view of the flat rounded end of the
container having a mid-dome lid, the container shown in the
closed condition.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
A food container has a base 11 with a horizontal
flange 12 extending around the periphery thereof~ A lid 13 has
a horizontal flange 14 extending around the periphery. Flange
25 14 engages flange 12 when the container is in the closed
condition. A male locking member 15 extends around the
periphery of the flange 12 on the base. Female locking member
16 is a groove which extends around the periphery of the flange
14 on the lid. Male locking member 15 is slightly smaller than,
30 but fits snugly into, female locking member 16 to form one part
of a double seal which will be resistant to leakage.
In order to open the container, a stiff tab 17 extends
from the periphery of base 11. A stiff tab 18 extends from the
flange of the lid. The tabs are in proximity to one another and
35 slightly displaced from one another. Disengagement of the seal
can be accomplished by holding the tab 17 and lifting the tab
18. The instructions "HOLD" and ~'LIFT" are embossed onto the
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F-7197-L(SGC)
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tabs 17 and 18 respectively. These provide visual instructions
for unlocking the container.
The container is generally oval in shape. Handles 25
and 26 are formed in both ends of the container as best shown
5 in Figs. 9 and 10.
The base 11 has vertical walls with a rim 23 extending
between the vertical walls and the flange 12. (Fig. 6). The
vertical walls of the base have scallops 33 which add rigidity
to the base and make it serviceable for its intended purpose
10 even though the base is thermoformed from relatively thin
plastic.
The vertical wall, at the flat rounded end of the
base, has a flat portion 19 which is offset inwardly with
respect to the vertical wall ~Fig. 9). Handle 25 is a generally
15 horizontal protrusion which extends between the flat portion 19
and the rim 23. At the other end of the container, a flat
portion 20 is offset inwardly with respect to the vertical wall
(Fig. 10). The handle 26 is a horizontal protrusion between the
flat portion 20 and the rim 23.
As shown in Fig. 8, the rim 23 extends upwardly to
form one vertical member 27 of the male locking member 15.
Vertical member 27 and vertical member 28 of the male locking
member extend upwardly and outwardly. Because the male locking
member has greater thickness at its topmost portion, it snaps
25 into the groove of the female locking member 16. An upwardly
extending vertical member 34 on the lid engages vertical member
27 of the base. This also forms a seal so the container has a
double seal. At the bottom of vertical member 34, the lid
extends in the horizontal section 21, then extends upwardly from
30 the female locking member into the dome 13. This forms a good
liquid-tight seal.
The container has a round pointed end 30 and a
flat rounded end 31. The oval base and dome lid conform
generally to the shape of a whole roasted chicken contained
35 therein to present an attractive appearance for the food. The
high dome lid shown in Figs. 1 and 4 will accommodate a whole
cooked chicken and presents an attractive package for the
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chicken. The flat domed container shown in Fig. 2 is
particularly adapted for accommodating cut food parts such as
chicken wings or other deli foods.
A flat portion 32 of the lid provides space for
S embossed cooking instructions. For example, instructions for
microwaving the food contained therein may be embossed the flat
portion 32.
Another embodiment of the present invention is
depicted in Figs. 11-14, this embodiment employing a lid
10 referred hereinbelow as being of a mid-dome design. Referring
now to Fig. 11 an embodiment of the container having a mid-dome
lid is depicted in the closed position. The food container has
a base 11 which advantageously is of the same design as the base
depicted in Figs. 1-10 and, as such, like numerals will be used
15 to describe its like component parts. Base 11 has a horizontal
flange 12 extending around the periphery thereof. The mid-dome
lid 113 has vertical walls having scallops 133 which add
rigidity to the lid 113 and make it serviceable for its intended
purpose even though the lid 113 is thermoformed from relatively
20 thin plastic.
Mid-dome lid 113 has a horizontal flange 114 extending
around the periphery. Flange 114 engages flange 12 when the
container is in the closed condition. A male locking member 15
extends around the periphery of the flange 12 on the base.
25 Female locking member 116 is a groove which extends around the
periphery of the flange 114 on the mid-dome lid 113. Male
locking member 15 is slightly smaller than, but fits snugly
into, female locking member 116 to form one part of a double
seal which will be resistant to leakage.
Still referring to Fig. 11, in order to open the
container, a stiff tab 17 extends from the periphery of base 11.
As with the previously described embodiment of Figs. 1-10, a
stiff tab 118 extends from the flange of the lid. The tabs are
in proximity to one another and slightly displaced from one
35 another. Disengagement of the seal can be accomplished by
holding the tab 17 and lifting the tab 118. The instructions
"HOLD" and "LIFT" are embossed onto the tabs 17 and 18
F-7197-L(SGC) 2130863
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respectively. These provide visual instructions for unlocking
the container.
The container is generally oval in shape. Again,
handles 25 and 26 can be formed in both ends of the container
5 base as best shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The base 11 has vertical
walls with a rim 23 extending between the vertical walls and the
flange 12. (Fig. 6). The vertical walls of the base have
scallops 33 which add rigidity to the base and make it
serviceable for its intended purpose even though the base is
10 thermoformed from relatively thin plastic.
The vertical wall, at the flat rounded end of the
base, has a flat portion 19 which is offset inwardly with
respect to the vertical wall (Fig. 9). Handle 25 is a generally
horizontal protrusion which extends between the flat portion 19
15 and the rim 23. At the other end of the container, a flat
portion 20 is offset inwardly with respect to the vertical wall
(Fig. 10). The handle 26 is a horizontal protrusion between the
flat portion 20 and the rim 23.
As shown in Fig. 8, the rim 23 extends upwardly to
20 form one vertical member 27 of the male locking member 15.
Vertical member 27 and vertical member 28 of the male locking
member extend upwardly and outwardly. Because the male locking
member has greater thickness at its topmost portion, it snaps
into the groove of the female locking member 116. An upwardly
25 extending vertical member 134 on the lid engages vertical member
27 of the base. This also forms a seal so the container has a
double seal. At the bottom of vertical member 134, the lid
extends in the horizontal section 121, then extends upwardly
from the female locking member into the dome 113. This forms
30 a good liquid-tight seal.
The container having a mid-dome lid has a round
pointed end 130 and a flat rounded end 131. The oval base and
dome lid conform generally to the shape of a whole roasted
chicken contained therein to present an attractive appearance
35 for the food. The mid-dome lid shown in Figs. 11-14 will
accommodate one-half of a cooked chicken or cut food parts such
as chicken wings or other deli foods.
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A flat portion 132 of the lid provides space for
embossed cooking instructions. For example, instructions for
microwaving the food contained therein may be embossed the flat
portion 132.
The base is made of a microwavable plastic. The dome
is made of a material which is suitable for covering foods
during warming oven display and microwave heating. The generic
materials for the base, and examples thereof,
include: talc-filled polypropylene, polypropylene, styrene
10 maleic anhydride (Arco Dylark), polyphenylene oxide/polystyrene
(General Electric Noryl) or crystallized polyethylene
terephthalate (CPET). The base is constructed of opaque
plastic, whereas the lid is constructed of clear plastic. The
lid may be made from amorphous polyethylene-terephthalate,
15 oriented polystyrene or styrene maleic anhydride (Arco`s
Dylark). The clear dome is coated with a suitable anti-fog
agent to enhance product visibility during warming oven or
refrigerator display.
While a particular embodiment of the invention has
20 been shown and described, various modifications are within true
spirit and scope of the invention. The appended claims, are,
th-refore, intended to cover all such modifications.
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