Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CONTAINER CUP PACKAGE
CROSS-REFERENCE
[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.0 119(e) of
Provisional U.S.
Patent Application No. 62/073,694 filed on October 31, 2014, and entitled
"CONTAINER
CUP PACKAGE," the content of which is incorporated by reference herein in its
entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This disclosure relates generally to a food container, and more
specifically, to a
container for containing a pre-packaged food container.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Food containers have been around for many years to store and preserve
food
contents. These containers are used for many purposes, such as for storing
food in a
refrigerator or freezer, cooking in a microwave or oven, serving, and
transporting food items.
They come in a variety of sizes and shapes and can hold small volume items to
large volume
items such as for commercial food storage. In the food industry, food
containers are used to
hold items in solid, granular or powder form, such as dry cereal, and in
liquid form, such as
juice and soda. Containers can be vacuum sealed to prevent premature spoiling
or may have
secure lids to prevent spilling and can be made from a variety of materials
including glass,
plastic, ceramic, metal, or the like. A variety of containers for storing food
products exist,
such as, for example, ziploc containers, disposable food containers, take out
containers, or the
like.
[0004] Food containers may also come in a variety of configurations to store
and separate
the contents within one food container, and may be referred to as nesting
containers. Nesting
containers may comprise multiple compartments that can fit together. This can
provide an
easy way for someone to carry a wide variety of foods in one container. This
can also
provide someone to store toppings or mixtures separately within one container
with the intent
of combining the contents of the containers prior to consuming. An example of
this includes
U.S. Patent No. 6,068,865 (hereinafter "the '865 patent"). The '865 patent
purports to
describe a chocolate yogurt containing device configured to store the yogurt
and a chocolate
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mixture separately. A first containment device is used to store the yogurt and
a second
containment device is used to store the chocolate. When someone is ready to
consume the
chocolate yogurt, they open each container and mix them together, for example,
by pouring
the contents of the second container into the first container.
[0005] Food containers also exist for storing pre-packaged food containers. In
example of
this includes a pet food bowl, whereby a pre-packaged pet food container is
placed in the
food bowl and the cover is removed allowing a pet to access. The food bowl may
prevent the
pre-packaged container from sliding around and spilling, and it provides an
easy method for
cleaning up. After feeding is done, the container is removed, and minimal
cleaning of the
actual bowl is required.
[0006] However, existing containers have limited additional space for adding
additional
toppings or contents to a pre-packaged food container. This generally entails
either removing
the contents from the pre-packaged material and placing them into a larger
container or
minimizing the amount of additional toppings added. Thus, an improved
containment device
for supporting a pre-packaged food container having enough head space to allow
for
receiving toppings is desired.
SUMMARY
[0007] The disclosure relates generally to a combination package which
includes and outer
container and a pre-packaged food container, such as a yogurt container. The
pre-packaged
food container may fit within and be supported by the outer container. The
outer container is
configured to allow for a space between the top of the outer container and the
top of the pre-
packaged food container when the food container is placed within the outer
container, such
that additional contents may be added to the combination package.
[0008] An aspect of the present disclosure provides a combination package. The
combination package includes a pre-packaged food container and an outer
container. The
pre-packaged food container includes a cup, a support portion, and a spoonable
product. The
cup has a sidewall that has an upper sidewall portion and a lower sidewall
portion. The
support portion is circumferentially spaced on the sidewall of the cup. The
spoonable
product is supported within the cup.
[0009] The outer container defines a cup-shaped chamber having an outer wall.
The outer
wall defines a shoulder located radially around the outer wall. The cup-shaped
chamber is
configured to house the pre-packaged food container, such that the support
portion of the
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food container is located on the shoulder. An outer diameter of the support
portion is greater
than then a lowermost diameter of the shoulder such that the support portion
of the food
container rests on the shoulder of the outer container. The outer container
has a height
greater than a height of the pre-packaged food container, thereby forming a
headspace above
the pre-packaged food container capable of receiving toppings.
[0010] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method of preparing
and
transporting a food product. The method comprises providing a pre-packaged
food container
including an open-topped cup, a flange positioned radially around a sidewall
of the cup, and a
spoonable product in the cup; providing an outer container defining a cup-
shaped chamber
having an outer wall, the outer wall defines a shoulder located radially
around the outer wall,
and wherein the cup-shaped chamber is configured to house the pre-packaged
food container,
wherein an outer diameter of the flange is greater than then lowermost
diameter of the
shoulder such that the flange of the food container rests in the shoulder of
the outer container,
the outer container has a height greater than a height of the pre-packaged
food container to
enable forming a headspace above the pre-packaged food; providing toppings
configured to
be placed into the open-topped cup while it is located in the outer container;
and providing a
lid capable of engaging a rim of the outer container to enclose the open-
topped cup and
toppings.
[0011] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a plastic outer
container having an
outer cup and a lid. The plastic outer container comprising a frusto-conical
sidewall
extending from a standing ring, a rim located at an uppermost portion of the
sidewall, and a
concave, circumferential shoulder formed in the sidewall. The rim is adapted
for receiving
the lid. The shoulder is configured such that the outer diameter of a support
portion of a pre-
packaged food cup is greater than then lowermost diameter of the shoulder such
that the
support portion of the food container rests on the shoulder of the outer
container. The outer
container has a height greater than a height of the pre-packaged food
container, thereby
capable of forming a headspace above the pre-packaged food container capable
of receiving
toppings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic of a container cup package, according to an
aspect of the
disclosure.
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[0013] FIG. 2A is a side view of an outer container, according to an aspect of
the
disclosure.
[0014] FIG. 2B is a side view of the top of an outer container, according to
an aspect of the
disclosure.
[0015] FIG. 3A is a side view of a lid, according to an aspect of the
disclosure.
[0016] FIG. 3B is a side view the top of a lid, according to an aspect of the
disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 4A is a side view a pre-packaged food container, according to an
aspect of the
disclosure.
[0018] FIG. 4B is a side view the top of a pre-packaged food container,
according to an
aspect of the disclosure.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a side view a pre-packaged food container within an outer
container,
according to an aspect of the disclosure.
[0020] FIG. 6 is an isometric view of an outer container, according to an
aspect of the
disclosure.
[0021] FIG. 7 is an illustration of a side view an outer container, according
to an aspect of
the disclosure.
[0022] FIG. 8 is an illustration a top view of an outer container, according
to an aspect of
the disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0023] The following description is of an exemplary embodiment of the
invention and is
not intended to limit the scope or applicability on the invention in any way.
Rather, the
following description is intended to provide convenient illustrations for
implementing various
embodiments of the invention.
[0024] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a cross sectional view of an embodiment of
a
combination package 10 including a pre-packaged food container 400, a lid
component 300,
and an outer container 100, according to an aspect of the disclosure. The pre-
packaged food
container 400 is positioned within the outer container 100 and the lid
component 300 is
securedly and removably attached to the outer container 100.
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[0025] Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the outer container 100 includes an outer
wall 102
and a base 104. The outer wall 102 and the base 104 are formed together in a
unit to form a
chamber 114, such that no fluid can flow through the coupling. The chamber 114
may define
a cup-shape. The outer container 100 is preferably formed of a conventional
plastic, such as
polystyrene, polyethylene, PVC, LDPE, PET or the like, and by a conventional
process, such
by injection molding, blow molding, thermoforming, or other similar process.
Preferably, the
outer container 100 may be transparent.
[0026] The outer wall 102 includes an upper section 106, a lower section 108,
and a
shoulder 116. The upper section 106 is spaced from the lower section 108 along
a
longitudinal direction D, and the shoulder 116 is positioned in between the
upper section 106
and the lower section 108 in the longitudinal direction D. A height H1 of the
outer wall 102
extends from an upper most portion of the upper section 106 to a lower most
portion of the
lower section 108. It should be appreciated that the use of the term "upper"
refers to a
location closer to the upper section 106 in the longitudinal direction D,
accordingly, the term
"lower" or "below" refers to a location closer to the lower section 108.
Additionally, "upper
direction" refers to the direction from the lower section 108 toward the upper
section 106,
while "lower direction" refers to the direction from the upper section 106 to
the lower section
108.
[0027] The upper section 106 includes a rim 110 that defines an opening 112.
The rim 110
is circumferential about the upper most portion of the upper section 106 in a
radial direction
R. The rim 110 has an inner rim diameter dl that is substantially similar to a
diameter of the
upper most portion of the upper section 106, and an outer rim diameter d2,
whereby the rim
110 extends in the radial direction R from the inner rim diameter dl to the
outer rim diameter
d2. The upper section 106 may have a frusto-conical shape that extends from an
upper
shoulder portion 120 of the shoulder 116 to an upper most portion of upper
section 106. The
inner rim diameter dl may be greater than a diameter of a lower most portion
(not labeled) of
the upper section 106.
[0028] The shoulder 116 is positioned lower than and directly below the
upper section
106, whereby a diameter of the lower most portion of the upper section 106 is
substantially
similar to an upper shoulder diameter d3 of an upper shoulder portion 120 of
the shoulder 116
at the juncture. The shoulder 116 has a lower shoulder diameter d4 and is
formed by the
outer wall 102 and extends radially around the longitudinal direction D. The
shoulder 116
may also have a frusto-conical shape extending from a lower shoulder portion
118 to the
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upper shoulder portion 120 of the shoulder 116, such that the lower shoulder
diameter d4 is
less than the upper shoulder diameter d3. The frusto-conical shape of the
shoulder 116 may
have an angle D, which is the angle between the longitudinal direction D and
the line
extending from the lower shoulder portion 118 to the upper shoulder portion
120 of the
shoulder 116. The anglecto ranges from just above 0 degrees to 90 degrees. It
should be
appreciated that the angle 01) may be greater than an angle Q between the
longitudinal
direction D and a line 121 extending from the lower most portion of the upper
section 106 to
the upper most portion of the upper section 106.
[0029] The upper section 106 has a height H2 that extends in the longitudinal
direction D
and the lower section 108 has a height H3 that extends in the longitudinal
direction D. The
height H2 is less than the height H3, however, it should be appreciated that
in another aspect
this disclosure, the height H3 may be less than the height H2. The
configuration of the
diameters dl, d2, d3, and d4, the heights H2 and H3, and/or the anglecto of
the shoulder 116
may depend upon the size and dimension of a container positioned within, for
example, the
size and dimension of the pre-packaged food container 400.
[0030] Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, side views of the lid component 300 are
shown,
according to an aspect of the disclosure. The lid component 300 is configured
to removably
attach to the outer container 100. The lid component 300 includes an upper lid
section 302
and a lower lid section 304 located below the upper lid section 302 in a
longitudinal direction
E. The upper lid section 302 and the lower lid section 304 are spaced radially
about the
longitudinal direction E in the radial direction R', and form a headspace 316.
[0031] The upper lid section 302 defines a recess 306. The recess 306 has an
outer recess
edge 308 and a base 310. The recess is formed by the intersection of the edge
308 with the
base 310, which are spaced radially about the upper lid section 302 in a
radial direction R'.
The base is positioned lower than the upper most portion of the upper lid
section 302 along a
longitudinal direction E. The recess 306 is configured to support a container,
for example,
the outer wall 102 and the base 104 of the outer container 100.
[0032] The lower lid section 304 (FIG. 3B) has a lid base 310 having a base
diameter d5, a
rim support 312 having a first attachment diameter d6, and a rim lock 314
having a second
attachment diameter d7. Each diameter d5, d6, and d7 extends about the
longitudinal axis E
in the radial direction R'. The second attachment diameter d7 is less than the
first attachment
diameter d6. The length of base diameter d5 is greater than the diameters of
d6 and d7, and
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the lengths of the diameters d6 and d7 are such that a rim of a container or
cup can be
positioned radially in between. For example, the first attachment diameter d6
may be
configured to have a diameter that is less than the outer rim diameter d2 of
the rim 110 of the
outer container 100, and the second attachment diameter d7 may be configured
to have a
diameter greater than outer rim diameter d2 of the rim 110 when the rim 110 is
positioned
radially in between diameters d6 and d7.
[0033] FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a side view of a pre-packaged food container
400 and a
side view of a top portion of a pre-packaged food container 400, respectively.
It should be
appreciated that in an aspect of this disclosure, the pre-packaged food
container 400 may be a
yogurt cup, soup cup, or similar cup configured to hold a fluid or spoonable
product.
[0034] The food container 400 includes an inner container sidewall 402, which
has a top
inner section 404, a flange or first support portion 408, and a lower inner
section 406. The
height H4 of the food container 400 extends from the upper most portion of the
top inner
section 404 to the lower most portion of the lower inner section 406.
[0035] The top inner section 404 includes an inner rim or second support
portion 410 that
defines an opening 412. The inner rim 410 is spaced radially about the upper
most portion of
the top inner section 404 in a radial direction R". The inner rim 410 has an
inner and outer
rim diameter d9 and d8, respectively, whereby the inner rim 410 extends in the
radial
direction R" from the inner rim diameter d9 to the outer rim diameter d8.
[0036] The flange 408 is positioned in between the top inner section 404 and
the lower
inner section 406 in a longitudinal direction F. The flange 408 extends
radially about the
longitudinal direction F in the radial direction R". The flange 408 has an
inner flange
diameter d10 and an outer flange diameter (not labeled) that is substantially
similar to the
inner rim diameter d9. The flange 408 may be frusto-conical in shape, whereby
the inner
flange diameter d10 is less than inner rim diameter d9. The flange 408 extends
between a
lower flange portion 414 and an upper flange portion 416 at a flange angle E.
The flange
angle E extends between the longitudinal direction F and a line 417 extending
between the
lower flange portion 414 and the upper flange portion 416. The flange angle E
may be in a
range from 0 to 90 degrees.
[0037] The top inner section 404 has a height H5 that extends in the
longitudinal direction
F and the lower inner section 406 has a height H6 that extends in the
longitudinal direction F.
The height H5 is less than the height H6, such that when the flange 408 is
positioned on top
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of or supported by a shoulder, movement of the food container 400 may be
minimized. The
configuration of the diameters d8, d9, and d10, the heights H4, H5, and H6,
and/or the flange
angle E of the flange 408 depend upon the size and dimension of a container
for which the
food container 400 is positioned within, for example, the size and dimension
of the outer
container 100.
[0038] FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the pre-packaged food container 400
positioned
within the outer container 100. When the pre-packaged food container 400 is
positioned
within the outer container 100, the longitudinal axes D and F of each
container 100, 400 are
aligned. In an aspect of this disclosure, the height H4 of the food container
400 is less than
the height H1 of the outer container 100, such that the entire food container
400 is housed
within the outer container 100. Accordingly, the height H3 of the outer
container 100 is
greater than the height H6 of the food container 400, and the height H2 of the
outer container
100 is greater than the height H5 of the food container 400.
[0039] A outer container headspace 502 is formed when the pre-packaged food
container
400 is positioned within the outer container 100. The outer container
headspace 502 is
formed in the upper section 106 of the outer wall 102 of the outer container
100. The outer
container headspace 502 is capable of receiving toppings.
[0040] The flange 408 of the food container 400 and the shoulder 116 of the
outer container
100 are configured to align, whereby the food container 400 may be retained,
supported,
rested, or otherwise held in place by the shoulder 116 of the outer container
100. According
to an aspect of this disclosure, the lower shoulder diameter d4 of the
shoulder 116 is not
greater than the inner flange diameter d10 of the flange 408. The shoulder 116
may also be a
substantially horizontal shelf for receiving the flange 408.
[0041] FIG. 6 illustrates another aspect of an outer container 600, according
to this
disclosure. The outer container 700 may include a container sidewall 602 with
a shoulder
604 defined thereon. The shoulder 604 may be configured to receive a rim of a
food
container, such as the inner rim 410 of the food container 400.
[0042] FIGS. 7-8 illustrate another aspect of an outer container 700 including
a shoulder
recess 702 within a shoulder 704. The shoulder recess 702 extends radially
around the
shoulder 704. The shoulder recess 702 has an upper end 706, a lower end 708,
and a middle
section 710 positioned between the upper end 706 and the lower end. The
diameter of the
middle section 710 is greater than the diameters of the upper end 706 and the
lower end 708,
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such that a rim of a food container, such as the inner rim 410 of the food
container 400, may
be retained within the middle section 710 of the shoulder recess 702. In an
aspect of this
disclosure, the shoulder recess 702 may be a snap fit.
[0043] According to an aspect of this disclosure, a method for preparing and
transporting a
food product may include the steps of: providing the pre-packaged food
container 400 in the
shape of an open-topped cup and having food contents, providing the outer
container 100
defining the cup-shaped chamber 114, inserting the pre-packaged food container
400 into the
cup-shaped chamber 114, providing toppings configured to be placed into the
open-topped
cup while it is located in the outer container 100, and providing the lid 300
capable of
engaging the rim 110 of the outer container 100 to enclose the open-topped cup
and toppings.
[0044] It will be appreciated that the foregoing description provides examples
of the
disclosed system and method. However, it is contemplated that other
implementations of the
disclosure may differ in detail from the foregoing examples. All references to
the disclosure
or examples thereof are intended to reference the particular example being
discussed at that
point and are not intended to imply any limitation as to the scope of the
disclosure more
generally. All language of distinction and disparagement with respect to
certain features is
intended to indicate a lack of preference for those features, but not to
exclude such from the
scope of the disclosure entirely unless otherwise indicated.
[0045] Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a
shorthand
method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the
range, unless
otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the
specification as if
it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be
performed in any
suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly
contradicted by context.
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