CONTAINER FOR TRANSPORT AND STORAGE OF FOOD PRODUCTS

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing compostable food containers which preserve the quality of a food product for an extended duration of time, and which optionally allow for cooking of the food product therein. In some implementations, the food containers are sturdy, stackable, insulating, and require minimal or no manual labor to assemble. In some implementations, the food container includes a base and a cover which cooperate to form a closed chamber for supporting, protecting, insulating and optionally cooking a food product, such as a pizza. The base and cover may each be formed of a single layer of material including, but not limited to, molded sugarcane fiber (bagasse), molded wood fiber, molded bamboo fiber, molded paper or plastic.

Claims

1. A food container comprising: a compostable fiber base including an upwardly facing food receiving portion that receives a food product, the food receiving portion having an inner surface, a plurality of radial channels running radially in the inner surface, and a corresponding plurality of sector portions of the food receiving portion delineated by the plurality of radial channels; and a compostable fiber cover selectively engageable with the base, the cover including a substantially downward facing interior surface and a substantially upward facing exterior surface, the cover sized and shaped to provide an interior chamber which protects the food product, the cover including a peripheral sidewall having an inner surface, a smooth portion of the inner surface, and a rough portion of the inner surface.

2. The food container of claim 1 wherein the smooth portion and the rough portion of the inner surface promote increased condensation of vapor within the interior chamber and direct condensed liquid into specific regions of the food container.

3. The food container of claim 1 wherein the smooth portion of the inner surface is located above the rough portion of the inner surface.

4. The food container of claim 1 wherein a material of the sidewall is porous.

5. The food container of claim 1 wherein a material of the sidewall is capable of absorbing or adsorbing liquid.

6. The food container of claim 1 wherein the smooth portion of the inner surface of the sidewall is sloped so that water condensed onto the smooth portion of the inner surface of the sidewall flows down the sidewall.

7. The food container of claim 1 wherein the smooth portion of the inner surface of the sidewall is contiguous.

8. The food container of claim 1 wherein the smooth portion of the inner surface of the sidewall is non-contiguous.

9. The food container of claim 8 wherein the smooth portion of the inner surface of the sidewall is contiguous.

10. The food container of claim 1 wherein the smooth portion of the inner surface of the sidewall is hydrophobic.

11. The food container of claim 1 wherein a material of the sidewall is hydrophobic.

12. The food container of claim 1 wherein the smooth portion of the inner surface is connected with one or more channels or recessed areas for collecting condensed water.

13. The food container of claim 1, further comprising a coating material applied to the smooth portion of the inner surface, the coating material different than the compostable fiber material of the cover.

14. The food container of claim 13, wherein the coating material is hydrophobic.

15. The food container of claim 1, further comprising a laminating material that is laminated to the smooth portion of the inner surface, the laminating material different than the compostable fiber material of the cover.

16. The food container of claim 15, wherein the laminating material is hydrophobic.

17. The food container of claim 1 wherein each of the sector portions of the food receiving portion includes a plurality of circumferentially extending ribs that extend upward relative to other portions of the food receiving portion.

18. The food container of claim 1 wherein the fiber cover has an overall height of at least 2.5 inches.

19. The food container of claim 1 wherein the fiber base includes a raised peripheral rim disposed about a perimeter of the food receiving portion, the raised peripheral rim including a plurality of cutting notches formed therein.

20. The food container of claim 19 wherein the raised peripheral rim is thicker at locations below the cutting notches than at other portions of the raised peripheral rim.

21. A method of forming a food container comprising: molding a compostable fiber base including an upwardly facing food receiving portion that receives a food product, the food receiving portion having an inner surface, a plurality of radial channels running radially in the inner surface, and a corresponding plurality of sector portions of the food receiving portion delineated by the plurality of radial channels; and molding a compostable fiber cover selectively engageable with the base, the cover including a substantially downward facing interior surface and a substantially upward facing exterior surface, the cover sized and shaped to provide an interior chamber which protects the food product, the cover including a peripheral sidewall having an inner surface, a smooth portion of the inner surface, and a rough portion of the inner surface.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the smooth portion of the inner surface is molded against a polished metal surface and the rough portion of the inner surface is molded against a mesh material.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising: positioning a food item on the food receiving portion of the fiber base; engaging the fiber cover with the fiber base such that the food item is within the interior chamber; and cooking the food item while on the food receiving portion of the fiber base and within the interior chamber.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the cooking is performed in an oven.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the cooking is performed at a temperature higher than 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the cooking is performed in a commercial oven.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the cooking is performed at a temperature of at least 900 degrees Fahrenheit.

28. A molding system for molding a food container, the molding system comprising: a first mold configured to mold a compostable fiber base including an upwardly facing food receiving portion that receives a food product, the food receiving portion having an inner surface, a plurality of radial channels running radially in the inner surface, and a corresponding plurality of sector portions of the food receiving portion delineated by the plurality of radial channels; and a second mold configured to mold a compostable fiber cover selectively engageable with the base, the cover including a substantially downward facing interior surface and a substantially upward facing exterior surface, the cover sized and shaped to provide an interior chamber which protects the food product, the cover including a peripheral sidewall having an inner surface, a smooth portion of the inner surface, and a rough portion of the inner surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In the drawings, identical reference numbers identify similar elements or acts. The sizes and relative positions of elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the shapes of various elements and angles are not necessarily drawn to scale, and some of these elements may be arbitrarily enlarged and positioned to improve drawing legibility. Further, the particular shapes of the elements as drawn, are not necessarily intended to convey any information regarding the actual shape of the particular elements, and may have been solely selected for ease of recognition in the drawings.

[0019] FIG. 1A is a top perspective view of a food container, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0020] FIG. 1B is a top perspective view of the food container with a cover of the food container separated from a base thereof, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0021] FIG. 2A is a bottom perspective view of the food container, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0022] FIG. 2B is a bottom perspective view of the food container with the cover separated from the base, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the food container, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0024] FIG. 4A is a sectional view of the food container taken along the line 4A-4A of FIG. 3, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0025] FIG. 4B is a sectional view of the food container taken along the line 4A-4B of FIG. 1B, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0026] FIG. 5A is a sectional view of the food container taken along the line 5A-5A of FIG. 3, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0027] FIG. 5B is a sectional view of the food container taken along the line 5A-5B of FIG. 1B, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0028] FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the cover of the food container, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0029] FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the cover of the food container, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0030] FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the base of the food container, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0031] FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the food container, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0032] FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of the base of the food container, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0033] FIG. 11A is a sectional elevational view of a first food container vertically aligned with and spaced apart from a second food container, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0034] FIG. 11B is a sectional elevational view of the first and second food containers in a stacked relationship, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0035] FIG. 11C is a detailed view of a portion of FIG. 11B, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0036] FIG. 12 is a top plan view of a food container which includes a number N of food receiving portion channels and a corresponding number N of sector portions, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0037] FIG. 13 is a sectional elevational view of the base of the food container, showing various dimensions thereof, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0038] FIG. 14A is a top perspective view of another food container, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0039] FIG. 14B is a top perspective view of the food container of FIG. 14A with a cover of the food container separated from a base thereof, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0040] FIG. 15A is a bottom perspective view of the food container of FIG. 14A, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0041] FIG. 15B is a bottom perspective view of the food container of FIG. 14A with the cover separated from the base, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0042] FIG. 16 is a top plan view of the food container of FIG. 14A, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0043] FIG. 17 is a bottom plan view of the cover of the food container of FIG. 14A, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0044] FIG. 18 is a front elevational view of the cover of the food container of FIG. 14A, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0045] FIG. 19 is a top plan view of the base of the food container of FIG. 14A, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0046] FIG. 20 is a bottom plan view of the food container of FIG. 14A, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0047] FIG. 21 is a front elevational view of the base of the food container of FIG. 14A, according to one illustrated implementation.

[0048] FIG. 22A is a cross-sectional view of a profile of a cover portion of a food container, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0049] FIG. 22B is a cross-sectional view of a profile of a base portion of a food container, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0050] FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view of a profile of another cover portion of a food container, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0051] FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view of a profile of a cover portion of a food container engaged with a base portion of the food container, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0052] FIG. 25 illustrates a rough surface of a food container, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0053] FIG. 26 illustrates a smooth surface of a food container, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0054] FIG. 27 is a top perspective view of a base portion of a food container, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0055] FIG. 28 is a bottom perspective view of the base portion of FIG. 27, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0056] FIG. 29 is a top plan view of the base portion of FIG. 27, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0057] FIG. 30 is a bottom plan view of the base portion of FIG. 27, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0058] FIG. 31 is a side elevational view of the base portion of FIG. 27, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0059] FIG. 32 is a top perspective view of a cover portion of a food container, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0060] FIG. 33 is a bottom perspective view of the cover portion of FIG. 32, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0061] FIG. 34 is a top plan view of the cover portion of FIG. 32, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0062] FIG. 35 is a bottom plan view of the cover portion of FIG. 32, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0063] FIG. 36 is a side elevational view of the cover portion of FIG. 32, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0064] FIG. 37 is a top perspective view of a food container comprising the base portion of FIG. 27 and the cover portion of FIG. 32, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0065] FIG. 38 is a bottom perspective view of the food container of FIG. 37, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0066] FIG. 39 is a top plan view of the food container of FIG. 37, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0067] FIG. 40 is a bottom plan view of the food container of FIG. 37, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

[0068] FIG. 41 is a side elevational view of the food container of FIG. 37, according to at least one illustrated implementation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0069] In the following description, certain specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosed implementations. However, one skilled in the relevant art will recognize that implementations may be practiced without one or more of these specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures associated with computer systems, server computers, and/or communications networks have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of the implementations.

[0070] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims that follow, the word comprising is synonymous with including, and is inclusive or open-ended (i.e., does not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method acts).

[0071] Reference throughout this specification to one implementation or an implementation means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the implementation is included in at least one implementation. Thus, the appearances of the phrases in one implementation or in an implementation in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same implementation. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more implementations.

[0072] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms a, an, and the include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It should also be noted that the term or is generally employed in its sense including and/or unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0073] The headings and Abstract of the Disclosure provided herein are for convenience only and do not interpret the scope or meaning of the implementations.

[0074] One or more implementations of the present disclosure are directed to providing food containers which preserve the quality of a food product for a duration of time, and which optionally allow for cooking of the food product therein. In one or more implementations, the food containers discussed herein are structurally sturdy, stackable, thermally insulating, disposable (e.g., compostable) and require minimal or no manual labor to assemble. In some implementations, the food containers discussed herein use a relatively small amount of material compared to existing corrugated cardboard containers, which material is compostable and/or recyclable.

[0075] Initially, a first implementations of a food container is discussed with reference to FIGS. 1A-11C and 13. Then, a second implementation of a food container is discussed with reference to FIG. 12. Then, a third implementation of a food container is discussed with reference to FIGS. 14A-21. Features of one or more of the implementations discussed herein may be modified and/or combined to provide further implementations.

[0076] Referring to FIG. 1A through FIG. 11C, various views of a food container 100 are shown. The food container 100 is illustrated as a container for containing a pizza for explanatory purposes, but it should be appreciated that the present disclosure is not limited to such. As shown in FIG. 1B, the food container 100 includes a base 102 and a separate cover 104 which cooperate as shown in the figures and described below to form a closed chamber 106 for supporting, protecting, insulating and optionally cooking a food product (e.g., pizza).

[0077] In some implementations, the base 102 and cover 104 may each be separately formed of a single layer of liquid-resistant insulating material including, but not limited to, molded sugarcane fiber (bagasse), which is known to have heat resistance such that it does not deform at temperatures of up to at least 450 F. and has a known ignition temperature above 500 F., such as of between 537 F. and 681 F., molded wood fiber, molded bamboo fiber, molded paper, which has a known ignition temperature of above 450 F., such as 451 F., or plastic (e.g., biodegradable plastic, thermoplastic material, bio-based plastic, recycled plastic, recyclable plastic). The base and/or the cover may be opaque, semi-transparent, or transparent (e.g., an opaque base made with molded fiber and a cover made with transparent plastic material). This is in contrast to conventional pizza boxes which are made from corrugated cardboard. In implementations wherein the base 102 cover 104 are formed from molded fibers, the single layer of material may have a relatively small thickness of between 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm (e.g., 0.8 mm). In implementations wherein the base 102 and cover 104 are formed from plastic (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA)), the single layer of material may have a thickness of 0.5-0.6 mm or less.

[0078] In some implementations, the base 102 is formed of a single layer of insulating material and includes an upwardly facing circular-shaped food receiving portion 108 which receives the pizza thereon. The base 102 further includes a raised peripheral rim 110 disposed about a perimeter of the food receiving portion 108. The rim 110 comprises a raised upwardly facing apex surface 112 (see FIG. 4B) and an downwardly and outwardly extending sidewall 114 which meets with a substantially planar base flange 116 that extends outwardly from the rim. As shown in FIG. 1B, the base flange 116 has a substantially rectangular-shaped (e.g., square) outer perimeter with rounded corners defined by first and second parallel edges 118A and 118B and third and fourth parallel edges 118C and 118D. Among other things, the base flange 116 strengthens the rigidity of the base 102.

[0079] The food receiving portion 108 of the base 102 includes a planar surface 109 and a number of features which extend at least one of upward or downward from the planar surface 109. In particular, the food receiving portion 108 includes a central well 120 which extends downwardly from the planar surface 109 and receives liquid drippings or condensation from the cooked food (e.g., pizza) placed in the food container 100. In the illustrated implementation, the central well 120 has a circular perimeter, but may have other shapes (e.g., triangle, octagon) in other implementations.

[0080] The food receiving portion 108 also includes a plurality of food receiving portion channels or grooves 122 (also referred to herein as channels) extending downwardly below the planar surface 109 and running radially outward from the central well 120 and terminating at the raised peripheral rim 110. In some implementations, the radial channels 122 may extend only partially between the central well 120 and the raised peripheral rim 110. In the illustrated implementation, each of the channels 122 has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile, but in other implementations the channels may have other shapes (e.g., V-shaped). In some implementations, each channel 122 may slope downward from the rim 110 toward the central well 120 to facilitate the flow of liquid through the channel into the central well. Each pair of adjacent channels 122 and a corresponding portion of the raised peripheral rim 110 delineate a respective sector portion 124 of the food receiving portion 108 which supports a portion of a food item (e.g., an individual slice of pizza). In the illustrated implementation, the base 102 includes eight channels 122 and eight sector portions 124. Generally the base 102 may include N channels and N sector portions, where N is a positive integer.

[0081] The plurality of channels 122 are equally radially spaced to enable cutting of the food item (e.g., pizza) into equally sized pieces when a cutting tool (e.g., knife) moves along the channels. Since the channels 122 extended downward from the planar surface 109, a user may cut through the food item over the channels without damaging (e.g., cutting) the food receiving portion 108 of the base 102. Further, each of the channels 122 are non-parallel with each of the edges 118A-118D of the base 102, which improves the rigidity of the base. In the illustrated implementation, each of the channels 122 is offset by 22.5 from perpendicular from a respective one of the edges 118A-118D which the channel extends toward. Further, each of the channels 122 is collinear with an opposite channel that extends radially in the opposite direction. Thus, when the base 104 is to be discarded (e.g., composted), the user may fold the base along an axis which extends through two opposing collinear channels to reduce the dimensions of the base so the base will fit within a compost receptacle.

[0082] Among other things, the channels 122 function to strengthen the base 102 in rigidity and provide supporting forces to the food receiving portion 108 when the base is disposed on a resting surface, such as a countertop, oven or another food container. The channels 122 also serve as guides for a cutting tool to cut eight equally sized pieces of a food item (e.g., pizza). Further, the channels 122 provide air space below the food item, which provides additional insulation. In some implementations, because the channels 122 may be substantially covered by the food item placed on the food receiving portion 108, indicia (e.g., visible and/or tactile markings) may be positioned on or adjacent the rim 110 radially in line with the channels to aid the user in cutting the pizza into pieces along the channels.

[0083] As discussed above, each pair of adjacent channels 122 and a corresponding portion (e.g., a 45 arc portion) of the raised peripheral rim 110 delineate a respective sector portion 124 of the food receiving portion 108 which receives an individual piece of the food item (e.g., slice of pizza). Each sector portion 124 includes a portion of the planar surface 109 and a raised sector portion rim 126 (FIG. 1B) which extends upward from the planar surface and adjacent each of the channels 122 which define the sector portion. In addition to supporting the food item above the planar surface 109, the raised sector portion rim 126 adjacent the channels 122 may aid in supporting the food item near the cutting location, thereby facilitating the cutting process to provide accurate individual pieces.

[0084] Each sector portion 124 further includes a sector well 128 which may receive liquid drippings from the food product therein. In the illustrated implementation, each sector well has a perimeter rim adjacent the planar surface 109 which has an oval profile. In other implementations, each of the perimeter rims may have a profile in the shape of at least one of a circle, a triangle, a square, another shape, or a symbol (e.g., logo). Each sector portion 124 also includes a plurality of raised sector ribs or projections 130 which extend upward from the planar surface 109 around the sector well 128 having an uppermost portion which supports the hot food product (e.g., pizza). In some implementations, the combined area of the ribs 130 in a sector portion 124 is smaller than the portion of the planar surface 109 in the sector portion. Thus, when the food product is supported on the uppermost portions of the ribs 130 and the raised sector portion rim 126, heat loss due to conduction through the planar surface 109 is substantially reduced compared to food containers with flat bottom surfaces which have relatively large surface area contact with the bottom surface of the food product. Additionally, the raised ribs 130 and sector portion rim 126 tend to isolate the bottom surface of the food product from the planar surface 109, which prevents the food product from becoming soggy due to trapped liquid on the planar surface 109 of the food receiving portion 108.

[0085] In the illustrated implementations, the shapes of the ribs 130 are elongated and have a length dimension which extends radially with respect to the central well 120. Additionally, in the illustrated implementations the ribs 130 are radially symmetrical. In other implementations, the number, sizes and dimensions of the raised ribs 130 may be different from shown in the figures. The raised ribs 130 also function to improve the rigidity of the base 102.

[0086] In some implementations, each of a plurality of features of the base 102 comprising the raised rim 110, the central well 120, the sector wells 128, the channels 122, and the raised sector ribs 130 is spaced apart from at least one other of the plurality of features by a distance which is less than or equal to one inch. In some implementations, due to the aforementioned plurality of features, the food receiving portion 108 of the base 102 does not have a continuously planar surface which exceeds 2 inches by 2 inches. Such features significantly improve the strength of the base 102, while allowing the base to have a length dimension greater than 12 inches (e.g., 16 inches), a width dimension greater than 12 inches (e.g., 16 inches), an overall height which is less than 1.5 inches (e.g., 1 inch), and a material thickness between 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm (e.g., 0.8 mm). In other implementations, the base 102 may have a relatively larger height and the cover 104 may have a relatively smaller height.

[0087] The base flange 116 which extends around the raised rim 110 includes eight fastening recesses or seats 132 that extend downwardly from the base flange. As discussed below, each of the fastening recesses 132 of the base 102 receive a corresponding one of a plurality of downwardly extending fastening protrusions 134 of the cover 104 to selectively retain the cover on the base 102. The fastening recesses 132 are generally dome-shaped in the illustrated implementations, but may be other shapes and sizes in other implementations. Further, other implementations may include more fastening recesses, fewer fastening recesses, or no fastening recesses.

[0088] In some implementations, at least some of the fastening recesses 132, the central well 120, and the sector wells 128 extend downwardly to a lowermost portion of the base 102 so that they are weight-bearing and function as feet which form an insulating air space below the food receiving portion 108 of the base 102 and a resting surface when the base is supported on the resting surface. Thus, the raised ribs 130 of each sector portion, together with at least some of the fastening recesses 132, the central well 120, and the sector wells 128, form a layer of air insulation between the planar surface 109 of the food receiving portion 108 and the food product and a layer of air insulation between the food receiving portion and a resting surface using only a single layer of material (i.e., the material which forms the base 102). Additionally, the aforementioned feet raise the remainder of the base 102 (and cover 104 when engaged with the base) slightly above a resting surface (e.g., table), which causes a shadow to be cast, similar to a more formal serving plate.

[0089] The cover 104 comprises a single layer of thermally insulating material (e.g., molded fiber) and includes a central dome portion 136 comprising a substantially downward facing interior surface 138 (FIG. 2B) and a substantially upward facing exterior surface 140 (FIG. 1B). As shown in FIG. 4B, the dome portion 136 comprises a raised outer rim 142 spaced radially outward from the center of the dome portion which terminates in a downwardly and outwardly extending sidewall 144. The sidewall 144 meets with a substantially planar cover flange 146 which extends laterally outwardly therefrom. Similar to the base flange 116, the cover flange 146 has a substantially rectangular-shaped outer perimeter with rounded corners defined by first and second parallel edges 148A and 148B and third and fourth parallel edges 148C and 148D (see FIG. 1B). Among other things, the cover flange 146 strengthens the rigidity of the cover 104.

[0090] The cover flange 146 also includes eight integrally formed fastening protrusions 134 which extend downwardly from the cover flange. The fastening protrusions 134 are generally dome-shaped in the illustrated implementations, but may be other shapes and sizes in other implementations. Further, other implementations may include more fastening protrusions, fewer fastening protrusions, or no fastening protrusions. As shown in FIG. 11C, each of the fastening protrusions 134 of the cover flange 146 is vertically aligned with one of the integrally formed fastening recesses 132 of the base flange 116 to form a fastener 131. In operation, each fastening recess 132 may receive a corresponding fastening protrusion 134 when the cover 104 is placed on the base 102. Among other things, such fasteners 131 may restrict lateral or rotational movement of the cover 104 relative to the base 102 which maintains the alignment of the cover relative to the base. In some implementations, each fastening recess 132 may be sized and dimensioned to receive a corresponding fastening protrusion 134 responsive to an external force pushing the fastening recess and the fastening protrusion together when the cover 104 is placed on the base 102, forming an interference or press fit. In such implementations, upon receiving a fastening protrusion 134, a fastening recess 132 may generate a fastening force which facilitates holding the cover 104 in a closed configuration on the base 102. Such fastening force resists external forces applied to the container 100 so that the container remains closed throughout storage, transportation or any other function of the container.

[0091] In some implementations, the base flange 116 may include a number of fastening protrusions that extend upwardly from the base flange, and the cover flange 146 may include a corresponding number of fastening recesses that extend upwardly from the cover flange. In such implementations, the fastening recesses of the cover 104 may receive the fastening protrusions of the base 102.

[0092] For a plastic blister or thermoform package, due to its elastic property, when a fastening or positioning mechanism is separated the mechanism will generate an audio cue (e.g., snap) to signal the movement. This is due to the undercut design, which is a commonly known design technique in the plastic packaging industry. Such is feasible because the plastic molding process allows the undercut design. For paper or molded pulp products, it may not be possible make such an undercut design, and therefore it is typically accepted that a molded pulp package cannot have any locking design with an audible snap function. However, in some implementations of the present disclosure, due to the combination of dimension of the interference, the angle, and the thickness of the base 102 and cover 104, the fastening mechanisms provide an unexpected performance with an audible cue (e.g., snap) when the fastening protrusions are disengaged from the corresponding fastening recesses. In some implementations, this audible cue may be produced more than once (e.g., each time a fastening protrusion is disengaged from a fastening recess). In some implementations, each of the fastening recesses has a depth that is greater than 5 millimeters and a diameter that is greater than 8 millimeters, and each of the fastening protrusions has a depth which is 1 millimeter less than the depth of the fastening recesses, and a diameter which is 1 millimeter greater than the diameter of the fastening recesses.

[0093] The dome portion 136 further comprises an irregularly-shaped raised inner rim 150 disposed radially inward of the raised outer rim 142, and a substantially planar ceiling portion 152 disposed inward of the raised inner rim. In some implementations, the raised inner rim 150 has a radially asymmetric profile. A downwardly extending dome portion channel or groove 154 is positioned radially between the raised outer rim 142 and the raised inner rim 150. The shapes and dimensions of the raised outer rim 142, the dome portion channel 154 and the raised inner rim 150 may be different in other implementations. The raised outer rim 142, the dome portion channel 154 and the raised inner rim 150 together provide rigidity to the dome portion 136 which, as discussed below, provides support to the ceiling portion 152 and facilitates stacking of multiple containers 100 together. In the illustrated example, the raised inner rim 150 is lower in height than the raised outer rim 142, but in other implementations the height of the inner rim may be equal to or greater than the outer rim. As discussed further below with reference to FIGS. 11A-11C, the outer rim 142 of the central dome portion 136 also includes eight spaced apart dome recesses 156 each sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of a corresponding sector well 128 of a base 102 of another food container 100 when the other food container is stacked on top of the cover 104 of the food container.

[0094] Among other things, the shapes of the sidewall 144, raised outer rim 142, dome portion channel 154, and raised inner rim 150 function to improve the rigidity of the cover 104, and serve to distribute supporting forces when an object (e.g., one or more other food containers) is stacked on the cover 104. Further, the shape of the interior surface 138 of the central dome portion 136 and/or the texture (e.g., rough texture) of the interior surface may tend to absorb or retain moisture (e.g., condensation) which reduces the amount of moisture that returns to the hot food item (e.g., pizza) which could cause quality deterioration of the food item. Additionally, the generally round shape of the central dome portion 136 which corresponds to a round food item (e.g., pizza) provides a reduced surface area for heat transfer compared to a conventional square pizza box, thus prolonging the duration that the food item maintains an elevated temperature. In other implementations, the central dome portion 136 may be sized and/or dimensioned differently than shown in the illustrated implementations.

[0095] As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the interior surface 138 of the sidewall 144 of the central dome portion 136 has an inwardly and downwardly facing perimeter channel 160 sized and dimensioned to form engage the raised perimeter rim 110 of the base 102 when the cover 104 is engaged with the base. When the cover 104 is engaged with the base 102, the perimeter channel 160 of the sidewall 144 of the cover contacts the top surface 112 and sidewall 114 of the raised rim 110 of the base 102 to form a seal which may limit or even prevent the flow of air into or out of the enclosed chamber 106 which houses the food item. In some implementations, the perimeter channel 160 and the raised rim 110 are sized and dimension to form an interference or press fit therebetween when the cover 104 is engaged with the base 102.

[0096] The various features of the dome portion 136 provide significant strength which, among other things, allows for stacking multiple food containers 100 together. Specifically, the dome portion 136 includes several curved or cornered portions which together improve the rigidity of the cover 104. For example, the dome portion 136 includes the perimeter channel 160 adjacent the base flange 116, the curved sidewall 144 radially inward of the perimeter channel, the raised outer rim 142 radially inward of the sidewall, the dome portion channel 154 radially inward of the raised outer rim, the raised inner rim 150 radially inward of the dome portion channel, and the planar ceiling portion 152 radially inward of the raised inner rim.

[0097] When the cover 104 is engaged with the base 102 (FIG. 4A), the base flange 116 and cover flange 146 are also in contact and fastened by the fasteners 131 which, as noted above, serve to restrict lateral or rotational motion between the cover and the base, to add strength to the assembled food container 100, and to increase the limiting of airflow into the chamber 106. As discussed above, in some implementations the fasteners 131 may form an interference or press fit between each pair of protrusions 134 and recesses 132 of the cover 104 and base 102, respectively. In such implementations, the fasteners 131 also function to retain the cover 104 on the base 102.

[0098] In the illustrated implementation, the outer dimensions of the base 102 and the cover 104 are substantially matched which aids the user in aligning the cover 104 when placing the cover onto the base during use, particularly when the cover is not joined to the base via a hinge (e.g., flexible joint). In some implementations, due to various symmetries of the base 102 and the cover 104, the cover may be secured to the base at any of four relative rotational angles (e.g., 0, 90, 180, and 270) relative to the base. That is, the edge 148A (FIG. 1B) of the cover 104 may be vertically aligned with any of the edges 118A-118D of the base 102. To remove the cover 104 from the base 102, the user may lift the cover relative to the base with sufficient force to overcome the seal between the perimeter channel 160 of the cover and the rim 110 of the base and, in implementations where the fasteners 131 are secured by interference or press fits, sufficient force to overcome the fastening forces of the respective fasteners 131.

[0099] As shown in FIG. 1B, in some implementations, the raised rim 110 of the base 102 includes one or more grooves or notches 162 at an intersection of the top surface 112 and the sidewall 114 of the rim 110. Such grooves 162 may function to release the seal between the cover 104 and the base 102 when the user begins to lift the cover from the base prior to the perimeter channel 160 disengaging with the remainder of the raised rim 110. Such feature advantageously makes the cover 104 easier to remove from the base 102 when a user desires to access the food item in the food container 100.

[0100] The base 102 and cover 104 of the food container 100 may be nestable with other bases and covers, respectively, with a minimum amount of vertical height (i.e., essentially the thickness of the material for each component). That is, when a first base 102 is stacked on top of a second base, the top surfaces of the features of the lower second base are positioned adjacent the bottom surfaces of corresponding features of the upper first base, with minimal air space therebetween. Similarly, when a first cover 104 is stacked on top of a second cover, the top surfaces of the features of the lower second cover are positioned adjacent the bottom surfaces of corresponding features of the upper first cover. Thus, numerous bases may be stacked together at a height which is much less than the combined height of the individual bases. Similarly, numerous covers may be stacked together at a height which is much less than the combined height of the individual covers. Such nesting feature is advantageous for shipping and for storing the food containers 100 in a small space (e.g., restaurant, vehicle, packaging).

[0101] Further, unlike conventional pizza boxes formed from a cardboard blank which has to be folded, no pre-assembly is required. Thus, the base 102 and cover 104 need not be handled by a user until selected for use to perform its intended function, which significantly reduces the likelihood of contamination.

[0102] In operation, a user may select a base 102 from a stack of nested bases, place a food item (cooked or uncooked) onto the food receiving portion 108 of the base, select a cover 104 from a stack of nested covers, and lower the cover onto the base as shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A.

[0103] Because the food item is generally supported above the planar surface 109 of the food receiving portion 108 by the raised ribs 130 and sector portion rim 126 of each sector portion 124, liquid drippings from the food item fall away from the food item and into the sector wells 128, the central well 120 and/or the channels 122. Such features prevent the bottom of the food item from becoming soggy in addition to strengthening the rigidity of the food container. Thus, the aforementioned features of the food container 100 provide a housing which is lightweight, sturdy, compostable, and supports the food item in a manner which keeps the food item in a hot and dry condition, which preserves the freshness of the food item.

[0104] FIGS. 11A-11C show how the food container 100 is stackable with one or more other food containers, such as another food container 200 which is substantially the same or identical to the food container 100. As shown in FIG. 11C, an inward facing portion of the apex of the raised outer rim 142 of the central dome portion 136 of the cover 104 includes a plurality of dome recesses or seats 156 radially spaced from the center of the dome portion. Each of the dome recesses 156 are sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of one sector well 128 of a base 102 of another food container 100 when the other food container is stacked on top of the cover 104 of the food container 200. In some implementations, the shape of the recesses 156 may complement the shape of the sector wells 158 to maximize the contact surface area between the recesses and the sector wells. Thus, the sector wells 128 function as feet for the base of the food container 100 when the food container 100 is stacked on top of the food container 200. When in such a stacked relationship, only the sector wells 128 of the base 102 of the top food container 100 contact the dome recesses 156 of the cover 104 of the bottom food container 200, which provides a substantial air space between the two containers 100 and 200, thus minimizing heat transfer therebetween. Additionally, since the sector wells 128 of the base 102 of the top food container 100 are spaced apart from the food product in the food container 100 and the sector recesses 156 of the dome portion 136 of the bottom food container 200 are not in contact with the food product in the food container 200, surfaces of the food containers adjacent the hot food products do not contact each other when the containers are stacked, which further minimizes heat transfer between containers.

[0105] As discussed above, the outer rim 142 of the central dome portion 136 is structurally rigid and serves to distribute supporting forces of the sector wells 128 of the base 102 when the top food container 100 is stacked on the cover 104 of the bottom food container 200. Moreover, when the food container 100 is stacked on the food container 200 and the bottom surface of each of the sector wells 128 of the base 102 is received in a respective one of the dome recesses 156, the food container 100 and the food container 200 are restricted from lateral or rotational movement with respect to each other, which helps keep the food containers in a stacked relationship during transportation of the food containers.

[0106] FIG. 12 shows a simplified schematic diagram of a base 240 for a food container. The base 240 may be similar or identical to the base 102 discussed above. In this implementation, the base 240 includes a food receiving portion 242 which includes a number N of channels CC.sub.1-N which delineate a corresponding number N of sector portions SP.sub.1-N. The channels CC.sub.1-N and sector portions SP.sub.1-N may be similar to the channels 122 and sector portions 124, respectively, discussed above. As a non-limiting example, the number N may be equal to a positive integer (e.g., 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 16).

[0107] FIG. 13 shows a sectional elevational view of the base 102 and includes a number of dimensional measurements and radius of curvature measurements in millimeters for the base 102, according to one or more implementations. FIG. 6 also shows example measurements for the outer edges of the cover 104 and/or base 102. As shown, in some implementations the base 102 and cover 104 may each have outer dimensions of 410 millimeters by 410 millimeters. The aforementioned strengthening structural features allow the food container 100 to be relatively large and to utilize a relatively thin layer of material for each of the base and the cover while providing the aforementioned required support for receiving a food item and/or stacking multiple food containers together. Such measurements are provided as examples and should not be considered to be limiting.

[0108] Referring now to FIG. 14A through FIG. 21, various views of a food container 300 are shown. The food container 300 may be similar or identical to the food containers 100 and 200 in many respects (e.g., shapes, materials, sizes, features). Accordingly, at least some of the discussion above is applicable to the food container 300 and may not be repeated below for the sake of brevity.

[0109] As shown in FIG. 14B, the food container 300 includes a base 302 and a separate cover 304 which cooperate as shown in the figures and described below to form a closed chamber for supporting, protecting, insulating and optionally cooking a food product (e.g., pizza). In at least some implementations, the base 302 is formed of a single layer of insulating material and includes an upwardly facing circular-shaped food receiving portion 308 which receives the pizza thereon. The base 302 further includes a raised peripheral rim 310 disposed about a perimeter of the food receiving portion 308. The rim 310 comprises a raised upwardly facing apex surface 312 (FIG. 21) and a downwardly and outwardly extending sidewall 314 which meets with a substantially planar base flange 316 that extends outwardly from the rim. As shown in FIG. 14B, the base flange 316 has a substantially rectangular-shaped (e.g., square) outer perimeter with rounded corners defined by first and second parallel edges 318A and 318B and third and fourth parallel edges 318C and 318D. Among other things, the base flange 316 strengthens the rigidity of the base 302.

[0110] The food receiving portion 308 of the base 302 includes a planar surface 309 and a number of features which extend at least one of upward or downward from the planar surface 309. In particular, the food receiving portion 308 includes a central well 320 which extends downwardly from the planar surface 309 and receives liquid drippings or condensation from the cooked food (e.g., pizza) placed in the food container 300. In the illustrated implementation, the central well 320 has a circular perimeter, but may have other shapes (e.g., triangle, octagon) in other implementations.

[0111] The food receiving portion 308 also includes a plurality of food receiving portion channels or grooves 322 (also referred to herein as channels) extending downwardly below the planar surface 309 and running radially outward from the central well 320 and terminating at the raised peripheral rim 310. In some implementations, the radial channels 322 may extend only partially between the central well 320 and the raised peripheral rim 310. In the illustrated implementation, each of the channels 322 has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile, but in other implementations the channels may have other shapes (e.g., V-shaped). In some implementations, each channel 322 may slope downward from the rim 310 toward the central well 320 to facilitate the flow of liquid through the channel into the central well. Each pair of adjacent channels 322 and a corresponding portion of the raised peripheral rim 310 delineate a respective sector portion 324 of the food receiving portion 308 which supports a portion of a food item (e.g., an individual slice of pizza). In the illustrated implementation, the base 302 includes eight channels 322 and eight sector portions 324. Generally the base 302 may include N channels and N sector portions, where N is a positive integer.

[0112] The plurality of channels 322 are equally radially spaced to enable cutting of the food item (e.g., pizza) into equally sized pieces when a cutting tool (e.g., knife) moves along the channels. Since the channels 322 extended downward from the planar surface 309, a user may cut through the food item over the channels without damaging (e.g., cutting) the food receiving portion 308 of the base 302. Further, each of the channels 322 are non-parallel with each of the edges 318A-318D of the base 302, which improves the rigidity of the base. In the illustrated implementation, each of the channels 322 is offset by 22.5 from perpendicular from a respective one of the edges 318A-318D which the channel extends toward. Further, each of the channels 322 is collinear with an opposite channel that extends radially in the opposite direction. Thus, when the base 304 is to be discarded (e.g., composted), the user may fold the base along an axis which extends through two opposing collinear channels to reduce the dimensions of the base so the base will fit within a compost receptacle.

[0113] Among other things, the channels 322 function to strengthen the base 302 in rigidity and provide supporting forces to the food receiving portion 308 when the base is disposed on a resting surface, such as a countertop, oven or another food container. The channels 322 also serve as guides for a cutting tool to cut eight equally sized pieces of a food item (e.g., pizza). Further, the channels 322 provide air space below the food item, which provides additional insulation. In some implementations, because the channels 322 may be substantially covered by the food item placed on the food receiving portion 308, indicia (e.g., visible and/or tactile markings) may be positioned on or adjacent the rim 310 radially in line with the channels to aid the user in cutting the pizza into pieces along the channels.

[0114] As discussed above, each pair of adjacent channels 322 and a corresponding portion (e.g., a 45 arc portion) of the raised peripheral rim 310 delineate a respective sector portion 324 of the food receiving portion 308 which receives an individual piece of the food item (e.g., slice of pizza). Each sector portion 324 includes a portion of the planar surface 309 and a raised sector portion rim 326 (FIG. 14B) which extends upward from the planar surface and adjacent each of the channels 322 which define the sector portion. In addition to supporting the food item above the planar surface 309, the raised sector portion rim 326 adjacent the channels 322 may aid in supporting the food item near the cutting location, thereby facilitating the cutting process to provide accurate individual pieces.

[0115] Each sector portion 324 further includes a sector well 328 which may receive liquid drippings from the food product therein. In the illustrated implementation, each sector well has a perimeter rim adjacent the planar surface 309 which has an oval profile. In other implementations, each of the perimeter rims may have a profile in the shape of at least one of a circle, a triangle, a square, another shape, or a symbol (e.g., logo). Each sector portion 324 also includes a plurality of raised sector ribs or projections 330 which extend upward from the planar surface 309 around the sector well 328 having an uppermost portion which supports the hot food product (e.g., pizza). In some implementations, the combined area of the ribs 330 in a sector portion 324 is smaller than the portion of the planar surface 309 in the sector portion. Thus, when the food product is supported on the uppermost portions of the ribs 330 and the raised sector portion rim 326, heat loss due to conduction through the planar surface 309 is substantially reduced compared to food containers with flat bottom surfaces which have relatively large surface area contact with the bottom surface of the food product. Additionally, the raised ribs 330 and sector portion rim 326 tend to isolate the bottom surface of the food product from the planar surface 309, which prevents the food product from becoming soggy due to trapped liquid on the planar surface 309 of the food receiving portion 308.

[0116] In the illustrated implementations, the shapes of the ribs 330 are elongated and have a length dimension which extends radially with respect to the central well 320. Additionally, in the illustrated implementations the ribs 330 are radially symmetrical. In other implementations, the number, sizes and dimensions of the raised ribs 330 may be different from shown in the figures. The raised ribs 330 also function to improve the rigidity of the base 302.

[0117] In some implementations, each of a plurality of features of the base 302 comprising the raised rim 310, the central well 320, the sector wells 328, the channels 322, and the raised sector ribs 330 is spaced apart from at least one other of the plurality of features by a distance which is less than or equal to one inch. In some implementations, due to the aforementioned plurality of features, the food receiving portion 308 of the base 302 does not have a continuously planar surface which exceeds 2 inches by 2 inches. Such features significantly improve the strength of the base 302, while allowing the base to have a length dimension greater than 12 inches (e.g., 16 inches), a width dimension greater than 12 inches (e.g., 16 inches), an overall height which is less than 1.5 inches (e.g., 1 inch), and a material thickness between 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm (e.g., 0.8 mm). In other implementations, the base 302 may have a relatively larger height and the cover 304 may have a relatively smaller height.

[0118] The outward facing sidewall 314 of the raised rim 310 of the base 302 includes four cover interface portions 332 spaced 90 apart from each other that extend radially outward from the remainder of the outward facing sidewall 314. As discussed further below, the cover interface portions 332 of the base 302 engage an inwardly and downwardly facing perimeter channel 360 of the cover 304 when the cover is engaged with the base to provide a friction fit between the cover and the base, which retains the cover on the base until removed by a user.

[0119] In some implementations, at least some of the central well 320 and the sector wells 328 extend downwardly to a lowermost portion of the base 302 so that they are weight-bearing and function as feet which form an insulating air space below the food receiving portion 308 of the base 302 and a resting surface when the base is supported on the resting surface. Thus, the raised ribs 330 of each sector portion, together with at least some of the central well 320 and the sector wells 328, form a layer of air insulation between the planar surface 309 of the food receiving portion 308 and the food product and a layer of air insulation between the food receiving portion and a resting surface using only a single layer of material (i.e., the material which forms the base 302). Additionally, the aforementioned feet raise the remainder of the base 302 (and cover 304 when engaged with the base) slightly above a resting surface (e.g., table), which causes a shadow to be cast, similar to a more formal serving plate.

[0120] The cover 304 comprises a single layer of thermally insulating material (e.g., molded fiber) and includes a central dome portion 336 comprising a substantially downward facing interior surface 338 (FIG. 15B) and a substantially upward facing exterior surface 340 (FIG. 14B). In at least some implementations, the exterior surface 340 is circular in shape which facilitates printing (e.g., laser printing, pad printing) thereon with text and/or graphics (e.g., logo, image, instructions). As shown in FIG. 14B, the dome portion 336 comprises a raised outer rim 342 spaced radially outward from the center of the dome portion which terminates in a downwardly and outwardly extending sidewall 344. The sidewall 344 meets with a cover flange 346 which extends laterally outwardly therefrom. The cover flange 346 has a substantially circular-shaped outer perimeter and includes tab portion 348A that may align with one of the four corner portions of the base flange 316 when the cover 304 is engaged with the base. The tab portion 348A may be planar in shape or may have a distal portion 348B that extends upward that may be grasped by the user to remove the cover 304 from the base 302 during use. Among other things, the cover flange 346 strengthens the rigidity of the cover 304.

[0121] The dome portion 336 further comprises a substantially planar ceiling portion 352 disposed radially inward of the raised outer rim 342. The raised outer rim 342 provides rigidity to the dome portion 336 which, as discussed below, provides support to the ceiling portion 352 and facilitates stacking of multiple containers 300 together. The outer rim 342 of the central dome portion 336 also includes eight spaced apart dome recesses 356 each sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of a corresponding sector well 328 of a base 302 of another food container 300 when the other food container is stacked on top of the cover 304 of the food container.

[0122] As noted above, the interior surface 338 of the sidewall 344 of the central dome portion 336 has the perimeter channel 360 sized and dimensioned to engage the cover interface portions 332 of the raised perimeter rim 310 of the base 302 when the cover 304 is engaged with the base. In some implementations, the perimeter channel 360 and the cover interface portions 332 of the raised rim 310 are sized and dimension to form a friction or interference fit therebetween when the cover 304 is engaged with the base 302.

[0123] The various features of the dome portion 336 provide significant strength which, among other things, allows for stacking multiple food containers 300 together. Specifically, the dome portion 336 includes several curved or cornered portions which together improve the rigidity of the cover 304. For example, the dome portion 336 includes the perimeter channel 360 adjacent the base flange 316, the curved sidewall 344 radially inward of the perimeter channel, the raised outer rim 342 radially inward of the sidewall, and the planar ceiling portion 352 radially inward of the raised inner rim.

[0124] As shown in FIG. 14B, in some implementations, the raised rim 310 of the base 302 includes one or more grooves or notches 362 at an intersection of the top surface 312 and the sidewall 314 of the rim 310. Such grooves 362 may function to release the seal between the cover 304 and the base 302 when the user begins to lift the cover from the base prior to the perimeter channel 360 disengaging with the cover interface portions 332 of the raised rim 310. Such feature advantageously makes the cover 304 easier to remove from the base 302 when a user desires to access the food item in the food container 300.

[0125] The base 302 and cover 304 of the food container 300 may be nestable with other bases and covers, respectively, with a minimum amount of vertical height (i.e., essentially the thickness of the material for each component). That is, when a first base 302 is stacked on top of a second base, the top surfaces of the features of the lower second base are positioned adjacent the bottom surfaces of corresponding features of the upper first base, with minimal air space therebetween. Similarly, when a first cover 304 is stacked on top of a second cover, the top surfaces of the features of the lower second cover are positioned adjacent the bottom surfaces of corresponding features of the upper first cover. Thus, numerous bases may be stacked together at a height which is much less than the combined height of the individual bases. Similarly, numerous covers may be stacked together at a height which is much less than the combined height of the individual covers. Such nesting feature is advantageous for shipping and for storing the food containers 300 in a small space (e.g., restaurant, vehicle, packaging).

[0126] In at least some implementations, the cover 304 may include one or more spaced apart denesting lugs 334 disposed on an inward facing surface 350 of the dome portion 336 spaced radially inward from the raised outer rim 342. The denesting lugs 334 may be spaced apart from each other at uneven intervals around the circumference of inward facing surface 350. The denesting lugs 334 operate to make it easier for a user to separate the covers from one another when stacked. Thus, for example, a manufacturer of the covers may provide a number of the covers stacked together which may be easily separated prior to use. In particular, the denesting lugs 334 provide spacing between two stacked covers 304, which allows for ease in grasping only one of the covers by an individual or a machine. The uneven spacing of the denesting lugs 334 may reduce the likelihood that the denesting lugs of one cover will align with and fit into the denesting lugs of another cover stacked the cover, which would cause the denesting lugs to fail to provide the intended spacing between the two covers.

[0127] FIGS. 22A, 22B, 23, and 24 illustrate cross-sectional profiles of respective cover portions 400a, 400b, and 400c (referred to herein collectively as cover portions 400) and base portions 402a and 402c (referred to herein collectively as base portions 402) of respective food containers. As illustrated in FIGS. 22A, 23, and 24, the cover portions 400 can include a planar cover flange 404, a perimeter channel 406, a sidewall 408, a raised outer rim 410, a groove 412, a raised inner rim 414, and/or a ceiling portion 416. Thus, the cover portions 400 have structures similar to the other cover portions described herein, and can include any of the features of the other cover portions described herein to the extent they are not incompatible with the features described herein for the cover portions 400. Further, the features described herein for the cover portions 400 can be incorporated into any of the other cover portions described herein to the extent they are not incompatible with the features of such other cover portions. As illustrated in FIGS. 22B and 24, the base portions 402 can include a planar base flange 418, a sidewall 420, a peripheral rim 422, and/or an apex surface 424. Thus, the base portions 402 have structures similar to the other base portions described herein, and can include any of the features of the other base portions described herein to the extent they are not incompatible with the features described herein for the base portions 402. Further, the features described herein for the base portions 402 can be incorporated into any of the other base portions described herein to the extent they are not incompatible with the features of such other base portions.

[0128] Heat may be lost from a hot baked food item in at least four different ways: conduction, radiation, convection due to temperature differences between the food item and an ambient or environmental temperature, and vapor loss, which may depend on the water content and temperature of the food item. As one example, a pizza is baked in an oven at a temperature higher than 500 degrees Fahrenheit, with temperatures up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit being common with commercial ovens. A temperature of the pizza as it comes out of the oven is often well over 212 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the boiling point of water, with temperatures up to 240 degrees Fahrenheit being common. The latent heat or heat of vaporization for water is about 2230 joules per gram. A pizza of 1 Kg can lose 15 grams of water in 20 minutes in open air, 20 grams of water when in a box. This weight loss is directly proportional to the temperature decrease due to the loss of water vapor. It has been found that, between the various heat loss mechanisms, the heat loss due to water vapor loss, or the latent heat loss, is the main pathway of temperature loss.

[0129] Therefore, the cover portions 400 and base portions 402 are configured and designed to condense the water vapor on inside surfaces of the food containers, thereby capturing heat released by the water vapor as it condenses inside the package. Because the heat of condensation is equal to the heat of vaporization, it is expected that most of the heat lost when the water is vaporized can be recaptured by re-condensing the water vapor inside the package. This recaptured heat can be retained by the cover portions 400, by the base portions 402, by air surrounding a food item within an internal chamber 426 defined between the cover portions 400 and the base portions 402, or by the food item itself. Retaining this heat and thereby raising the temperature within the internal chamber 426 above the food item, can also reduce the amount of heat that is lost to convection.

[0130] The food containers and components thereof described herein, including the cover portions 400 and the base portions 402, can be manufactured of molded compostable fibers. In a method of molding a component of the food containers described herein, including the cover portions 400 and base portions 402, a pulp suspension is formed, comprising approximately 5% fiber suspension and 95% water. The pulp suspension is then mashed between a polished metal surface and a mesh material, which allows the water, but not the fibrous material, to escape the mold as the suspension is mashed, such as under the application of a vacuum. As a result, one side surface of a molded compostable component is typically very smooth and shiny because it is molded against the polished metal surface, as illustrated in one example in FIG. 26, while the opposing side surface of the component is typically rough because it is molded against the mesh, as illustrated in one example in FIG. 25.

[0131] The term smooth can be used to mean that a surface has a smoothness or a roughness typical of surfaces of molded compostable fiber materials when molded against a polished metal surface. Such a smoothness or a roughness can be defined by elevation differences between peaks and valleys of the surface, such as measured in a direction perpendicular to the surface, of less than 0.05 mm, or less than 0.02 mm, or less than 0.01 mm, or less than 0.005 mm. The term rough can be used to mean that a surface has a smoothness or a roughness typical of surfaces of molded compostable fiber materials when molded against a wire mesh, such as against a wire mesh with a mesh size of about 1818. Such a smoothness or a roughness can be defined by elevation differences between peaks and valleys of the surface, such as measured in a direction perpendicular to the surface, of greater than 0.05 mm, or greater than 0.1 mm, or greater than 0.2 mm, or greater than 0.5 mm.

[0132] Smoothness and roughness can also be defined by the degree to which a smooth surface differs from a rough surface. For example, a rough surface can have a roughness, as defined by elevation differences between peaks and valleys of the surface, such as measured in a direction perpendicular to the surface, that is larger than, at least twice as large as, at least five times as large as, or at least ten times as large as a roughness, as defined by elevation differences between peaks and valleys of the surface, such as measured in a direction perpendicular to the surface, of a smooth surface. A transition area between a smooth surface and a rough surface can be as small as about of an inch or about 1/16 of an inch. For reasons of aesthetics, it is typical to make the outside of the food container smooth and the inside of the food container rough.

[0133] As illustrated in FIGS. 23 and 24, the inner surfaces of the sidewalls 408 of the cover portions 400 include upper, smooth sections 428, which can also be porous or non-porous, and lower, rough sections 430. While FIGS. 23 and 24 illustrate these features in cross-sectional views, it will be understood that the upper smooth sections 428 and the lower, rough sections 430 extend circumferentially around an entire inner surface of the sidewalls 408. In some cases, each upper, smooth section 428 extends from an uppermost point of the inner surface of the sidewall 408, at the raised outer rim 410, to approximately a midpoint of the inner surface of the sidewall 408 between the uppermost point and a lowermost point of the inner surface of the sidewall 408, at the perimeter channel 406. In other cases, each upper, smooth section 428 extends from an upper point of the inner surface of the sidewall below the uppermost point, such as at an elevation approximating the height of the ceiling portion 416, to the approximate midpoint of the inner surface of the sidewall 408. Each lower, rough section 430 can extend from the bottom end of the respective upper, smooth section 428 at the approximate midpoint of the inner surface of the sidewall 408 to the lowermost point of the inner surface of the sidewall 408.

[0134] The smooth surfaces 428 increase the rate at which water vapor inside the food container condenses onto the inner surfaces of the sidewalls 408, such as by allowing the water vapor to condense onto the smooth surfaces 428 at a lower temperature and lower surface tension than on the rough surfaces 430. This increases the amount of heat released back into the overall system, such as into the sidewall 408 or into the air within the chamber 426. Once water vapor condenses onto a smooth surface 428 of an inner surface of a sidewall 408, the liquid water can coalesce and flow downward along the inner surface of the sidewall 408 under the influence of gravity until it meets an interface between the cover portion 400 and the base portion 402, where the water can be absorbed into the molded compostable fibers of the cover portion 400, such as the sidewall 408, or the base portion 402, or be retained within crevices formed between the components. The sidewall 408 can be sloped, nearly vertical, or vertical with respect to gravity to promote such flow. Because the water is absorbed into the components of the food container, the water is not absorbed by the food item stored within the food container, and therefore does not impact the crispiness of the food item.

[0135] Smooth surfaces of molded compostable fibrous packaging materials can also be shiny. Thus, the smooth surfaces 428 formed on the inner surface of the cover portions 400 can also reduce heat losses by reflecting heat that otherwise would have been lost by convection, conduction, and/or radiation. In some cases, a food additive can be applied to the smooth surfaces 428 to increase hydrophobicity of the smooth sections 428, thereby further accelerating condensation. In some cases, a laminating mold process can be used to incorporate a section of hydrophobic and smooth surface to induce and accelerate the condensation. In some cases, a coating, such as wax or any other hydrophobic material, can be applied to the smooth sections 428 to induce faster condensation and form water droplets.

[0136] The food containers and components thereof of FIGS. 22A, 22B, 23, and 24 are designed and configured to maximize the retained heat and temperature of a food item stored therein, while maximizing the crispiness of the food item by minimizing the moisture reabsorption by the food item and redirecting moisture and condensed water away from the food item.

[0137] Referring now to FIGS. 27-41, various views of a food container 500 and its base portion 502 and cover portion 504 are shown. The food container 500 may be similar or identical to the food containers 100, 200, and 300 in many respects (e.g., shapes, materials, sizes, features). Accordingly, at least some of the discussion above is applicable to the food container 500 and may not be repeated below for the sake of brevity. As examples, the cover portion 504 has structures similar to the other cover portions described herein, and can include any of the features of the other cover portions described herein to the extent they are not incompatible with the features described herein for the food container 500. Further, the features described herein for the cover portion 504 can be incorporated into any of the other cover portions described herein to the extent they are not incompatible with the features of such other cover portions. The base portion 502 has structures similar to the other base portions described herein, and can include any of the features of the other base portions described herein to the extent they are not incompatible with the features described herein for the food container 500. Further, the features described herein for the base portion 502 can be incorporated into any of the other base portions described herein to the extent they are not incompatible with the features of such other base portions.

[0138] FIGS. 27-31 illustrate top perspective, bottom perspective, top, bottom, and side views, respectively, of the base portion 502. As illustrated in FIGS. 27-31, the base portion 502 includes an upwardly facing circular-shaped food receiving portion 508 which receives a pizza thereon. The base portion 502 further includes a raised peripheral rim 510 disposed about a perimeter of the food receiving portion 508. The rim 510 comprises a raised, upwardly facing apex surface 512 and an downwardly and outwardly facing sidewall 514 which meets with a substantially planar base flange 516 that extends outwardly from the rim 510. The rim 510 improves the rigidity of the base portion 502, such as by interrupting bending of the base portion 502 along a diameter of the base portion 502. The rim 510 also prevents food items held on the food receiving portion 508 of the base portion 502 from sliding off the food receiving portion 508 of the base portion 502.

[0139] The outwardly facing sidewall 514 of the raised rim 510 of the base 502 includes eight cover interface portions 532 spaced 45 apart from each other, each of which is positioned equidistantly between an adjacent pair of cutting notches 518, which are described further below. The cover interface portions 532 extend radially outward from the remainder of the outward facing sidewall 514. The cover interface portions 532 of the base 502 can engage an inwardly and downwardly facing peripheral rim 526 of the cover 504 when the cover 504 is engaged with the base 502 to provide a friction fit, press fit, or interference fit between the cover 504 and the base 502, which retains the cover 504 on the base 502 until removed by a user.

[0140] The food receiving portion 508 of the base portion 502 includes a planar surface and a number of features which extend at least one of upward or downward from the planar surface. In particular, the food receiving portion 508 includes a central well 520 which extends downwardly from the planar surface and receives liquid drippings or condensation from the cooked food (e.g., pizza) placed in the food container 500. At a center of the central well 520, the food receiving portion 508 also includes a protrusion 506 that extends upward relative to the bottom of the central well 520 to an elevation substantially corresponding to an elevation of bottom ends of channels 522 formed in the food receiving portion 508, as described further below. The protrusion 506 at the center of the central well 520 improves the rigidity of the base portion 502, such as by interrupting bending of the base portion 502 along a line defined by two of the channels 522.

[0141] The food receiving portion 508 also includes a plurality of food receiving portion channels or grooves 522 extending downwardly below the planar surface and running radially outward from the central well 520 and terminating at the raised peripheral rim 510. Each pair of adjacent channels 522 and a corresponding portion of the raised peripheral rim 510 delineate a respective sector portion of the food receiving portion 508 which supports a portion of a food item (e.g., an individual slice of pizza). In the illustrated implementation, the base 502 includes eight channels 522 and eight sector portions.

[0142] The plurality of channels 522 are equally radially spaced to enable cutting of the food item (e.g., pizza) into equally sized pieces when a cutting tool (e.g., knife) moves along the channels. Since the channels 522 extended downward from the planar surface of the food receiving portion 508, a user may cut through the food item over the channels without damaging (e.g., cutting) the food receiving portion 508 of the base 502. The channels 522 serve as guides for a cutting tool to cut eight equally sized pieces of a food item (e.g., pizza). As illustrated in FIGS. 27-31, the raised peripheral rim 510 includes a plurality of cutting notches 518 where a notch is formed in the raised upwardly facing apex surface 512 of the rim 510. Each of the cutting notches 518 is located at a circumferential position about the central well 520 corresponding to or matching a circumferential position of a respective one of the grooves 522 about the central well 520.

[0143] Thus, when a knife, blade, wheeled pizza cutter, or other cutting tool used to cut a pizza received on the food receiving portion 508 reaches an outer peripheral end of one of the grooves 522, the blade or other tool can also be received within a respective one of the cutting notches 518. A portion of the rim 510 below or underneath each of the cutting notches 518 can be thicker than other portions of the rim 510, to provide additional support to the cutting notches 518 so they are less likely to collapse when contacted by a cutting instrument.

[0144] Each sector portion of the food receiving portion 508 includes a sector well 528 which may receive liquid drippings from the food product therein. Each sector portion also includes a plurality of outer, distal, or peripheral raised sector ribs or projections 530 which extend upward from the planar surface of the food receiving portion 508 having respective uppermost portions that support the hot food product (e.g., pizza). In the illustrated implementation, each of the ribs 530 is located between a respective sector well 528 and the portion of the rim 510 bounding the respective sector portion of the food receiving portion 508. Also in the illustrated implementation, shapes of the ribs 530 are elongated and have a length dimension which extends radially with respect to the central well 520. In alternative implementations, the ribs 530 may be sunken or recessed to form groves rather than ridges, and/or the shapes of the ribs 530 may be elongated and circumferential with respect to the central well 520.

[0145] Each sector portion also includes a plurality of inner, proximal, or central raised sector ribs or projections 524 which extend upward from the planar surface of the food receiving portion 508 having respective uppermost portions that support the hot food product (e.g., pizza). In the illustrated implementation, each of the ribs 524 is located between a respective sector well 528 and the central well 520 at the center of the food receiving portion 508. Also in the illustrated implementation, shapes of the ribs 524 are elongated and have a circumferential length dimension which extends circumferentially with respect to the central well 520, such that the ribs 524 within a single sector portion are concentric with one another. Including the circumferential ribs 524 can improve or increase the rigidity of the base portion 502, such as by interrupting bending of the base portion 502 along a diameter of the base portion 522. In alternative implementations, the ribs 524 may be sunken or recessed to form groves rather than ridges, and/or the shapes of the ribs 524 may be elongated and radial with respect to the central well 520.

[0146] FIGS. 32-36 illustrate top perspective, bottom perspective, top, bottom, and side views, respectively, of the cover portion 504. As illustrated in FIGS. 32-36, the cover 504 includes a central dome portion 536 having a raised outer rim 542 spaced radially outward from the center of the dome portion 536, a vertical sidewall 538 that extends downward from, and at a 90 angle with respect to, the raised outer rim 542, and a flat, substantially planar, horizontal ceiling portion 544 that extends radially inward from, and at a 90 angle with respect to, the vertical sidewall 538. An overall height of the cover portion 504 can be at least 2 inches, at least 2 inches, at least 2 inches, at least 2 inches, or at least 3 inches.

[0147] As also shown in FIGS. 32-36, the cover 504 includes a peripheral rim 526 located at an outer peripheral end and at a bottom end thereof. The peripheral rim 526 includes a plurality of radially outwardly extending protrusions 534, wherein an inner surface of each of the protrusions 534 is sized and dimensioned to receive, accommodate, or mate with an outer surface of a respective one of the relatively thick portions of the rim 510 of the base portion 502 underneath a respective one of the cutting notches 518. The protrusions 534 can be referred to as indexing bumps and can assist a user in aligning the cover portion 504 with the base portion 502 and locking the cover portion 504 to the base portion 502.

[0148] The peripheral rim 526 forms, bounds, and defines an inwardly and downwardly facing perimeter channel sized and dimensioned to engage the raised perimeter rim 510 of the base 502 when the cover 504 is engaged with the base 502. When the cover 504 is engaged with the base 502, the peripheral rim 526 contacts the top surface 512 and sidewall 514, including the cover interface portions 532 thereof, of the raised rim 510 of the base 502 to form a seal which may limit or even prevent the flow of air into or out of an enclosed chamber formed within the food container 500 to house the food item therein. In some implementations, the peripheral rim 526 and the raised rim 510, including the sidewall 514 and cover interface portions 532 thereof, are sized and dimension to form a snug fit, interference fit, press fit, or friction fit therebetween when the cover 504 is engaged with the base 502, thereby generating a frictional force which holds the cover 504 in a closed configuration on the base 502. Such frictional fastening force can resist external forces applied to the container 500 so that the container 500 remains closed throughout storage, transportation or any other function of the container 500.

[0149] FIGS. 37-41 illustrate top perspective, bottom perspective, top, bottom, and side views, respectively, of the food container 500 including both the base portion 502 and the cover portion 504, wherein the base portion 502 is snugly coupled to the cover portion 504.

[0150] To the extent that they are not inconsistent with the specific teachings and definitions herein, all of the US patents, US patent application publications, US patent applications, referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet, including but not limited to U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/311,787, filed Mar. 22, 2016, U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/651,633, filed Apr. 2, 2018, U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/667,179, filed May 4, 2018, and U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/697,029, filed Jul. 12, 2018, are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0151] The various implementations described above can be combined to provide further implementations. These and other changes can be made to the implementations in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific implementations disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible implementations along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.