Portable Food Container

Abstract

A portable food container has a plate-shaped base part and a cover to be positioned on the base part. Locking elements are provided on the base part and are movable in each case via a fixed pivot pin connected to the base part. Contact surfaces are configured on the locking elements and the locking elements are non-positively and/or positively in engagement with corresponding contact surfaces on the cover in the locked position. With a lowering movement into the base part and through downwardly facing actuating lugs, the cover actuates the locking elements which move at the same time out of the open position into their locked position.

Claims

1. A portable food container (2) comprising: a plate-shaped base part (4); a cover (6) configured to be positioned on the base part (4) and comprising contact surfaces (28); locking elements (8) provided on the base part (4), wherein the locking elements (8) each are pivotably supported on a pivot pin (10) fixedly connected to the base part (4), wherein the base part (4) and the cover (6) are connectable to each other by the locking elements (8); wherein the locking elements (8) are pivotable to and fro about the pivot pin (10) between an open position and a locked position; wherein the locking elements (8) each comprise a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end comprises an actuating surface (12) and the second end comprises a locking body (14), wherein the pivot pin (10) is arranged between the first end and the second end, wherein, in the open position, the locking body (14) is remote from the base plate (4) relative to the pivot pin (10) and the actuating surface (12) is proximal to the base plate (4) relative to the pivot pin (10); wherein the locking elements (8) block with the locking body (14) a lift-off movement of the cover (6) from the base part (4) in the locked position; wherein the locking elements (8) each comprise contact surfaces (26) engaging non-positively and/or positively the contact surfaces (28) of the cover (6) in the locked position; wherein the base part (4) comprises a receiving space (16) in an area of the locking elements (8), respectively; wherein the cover (6) comprises a bottom edge facing the base plate (4) in the locked position, wherein the cover (6) comprises an actuating lug (18) arranged on the bottom edge of the cover (6) and facing downwardly away from the bottom edge; wherein the actuating surface (12) protrudes into the receiving space (16); wherein the actuating lug (18), when lowered along a lowering path into the receiving space (16), acts on the actuating surface (12) to pivot the first end downwardly about the pivot pin (10) and the locking body (14) upwardly against the contact surfaces (28) of the cover (6) so that the locking elements (8) pivot about the pivot pin (10) from the open position into the locked position.

2. The portable food container (2) according to claim 1, wherein the second end of the locking elements (8) in the locked position encloses the bottom edge and an outer edge of the cover (6) externally.

3. The portable food container (2) according to claim 1, wherein the second end comprises a gripping edge (20) configured to be grasped and manually actuated to move the locking elements (8) from the locked position into the open position.

4. The portable food container (2) according to claim 1, wherein the cover (6) comprises latching lugs (32b) and the locking elements (8) comprise latching lugs (32a) in a region of the contact surfaces (26, 28), respectively, wherein, when the locking elements (8) pivot into the locked position, the latching lugs (32a) of the locking elements (8) engage the latching lugs (32b) of the cover (6) to positively secure the locking elements (8) in the locked position.

5. The portable food container (2) according to claim 1, wherein the actuating lug (18) is an actuating projection (34) that extends in a direction of the lowering path and extends away from the bottom edge of the cover (6), wherein the bottom edge of the cover (6) in a locking region with the locking elements (8) has a support projection (36) which extends at least approximately or exactly in a direction transversely to the lowering path and comprises an externally facing front surface, wherein the contact surfaces (28) of the cover (6) are located on an upper face of the support projection (36), wherein, in the locked position of the locking elements (8), a portion of the base part (4) abuts against the externally facing front surface and the contact surfaces (26) of the locking elements (8) bear against the contact surfaces (28) of the cover (6), wherein the portion of the base part (4) is connected to the pivot pin (10).

6. The portable food container (2) according to claim 5, wherein the receiving space (16) is configured to receive the actuating projection (34) in regions adjacent to the locking elements (8), wherein, in the locked position, the support projection (36) in the regions adjacent to the locking elements (8) bears with the front surface against an inner face of a wall of the receiving space (16) and, in the locked position, the actuating projection (34) bears in the regions adjacent to the locking elements (8) with a lower face against a base of the receiving space (16).

7. The portable food container (2) according to claim 1, wherein the locking elements (8) are connected to the pivot pin (10) by a pivoting latching device provided in the respective locking element (8).

8. The portable food container (2) according to claim 1, wherein surfaces of the locking elements (8), of the cover (6) and/or of the base part (4) are provided with a soft plastics material in regions which are suitable for gripping.

9. The portable food container (2) according to claim 1, further comprising a presentation plate (22) which is releasably connected to the base part (4).

10. The portable food container (2) according to claim 9, wherein a hollow space (24) is configured between the presentation plate (22) and the base part (4).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Further modifications and embodiments of the invention may be derived from the following description of the subject-matter and the drawings.

[0023] The invention is now described in more detail with reference to an exemplary embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a view obliquely from above of the base part with the cover located thereabove.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows the food container with a cover locked to the base part in a view obliquely from above.

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view through the food container shown in FIG. 2.

[0027] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged sectional view of the locking zone with a first position of the locking sequence, wherein FIG. 4 shows the locking element in the open position.

[0028] FIG. 5 shows the locking element in an intermediate position of the locking sequence.

[0029] FIG. 6 shows the locking element in locked position.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] A food container 2 which is able to be substantially made up of a base part 4 and a cover 6 which is able to be positioned thereon is shown in FIG. 1. In order to prevent the cover 6 from being inadvertently released during transport, the base part 4 is able to be locked together with the cover 6 via the locking elements 8. With a secure locking, the food container 2 may also be carried on its carry handle located in the cover 6.

[0031] The locking elements 8 in each case are pivotable about a pivot pin 10. In order to pivot the locking elements 8, the cover 6 is lowered with the actuating lugs 18 located on the bottom edge of the cover 6 on the bottom side onto the respective actuating surface 12 located at the first end of a locking element 8. With a further lowering of the cover 6 along a lowering path into the receiving space 16, the respective actuating lug 18 presses down the actuating surface 12 of a locking element 8 assigned thereto. By the downward movement of the actuating surface 12 at the first end of the locking element 8, this locking element pivots about the pivot pin 10, wherein the second end of the relevant locking element pivots out of the open position in the direction of the locked position. If the cover 6 with the actuating lugs 18 reaches its end position along the lowering path, by the respective pivoting movements about the pivot pin 10, the locking elements 8 have reached their locked position in which they secure the cover 6 against being inadvertently lifted off the base part 4.

[0032] If the cover 6 is intended to be removed again from the base part 4, the locking elements 8 may be gripped on the gripping edge 20 and pulled outwardly in the radial direction. With the pivoting movement of the locking elements 8 thus produced, the cover 6 is lifted via the actuating surfaces 12 configured at the first end, so that said cover may be lifted easily off the base part 4 again after pivoting away the locking elements 8 out of the locked position.

[0033] FIG. 1 shows that in the exemplary embodiment a further separate presentation plate 22 is positioned on the actual base part 4. The presentation plate 22 may be lifted off the base part 4 in order to be able to present food located on the presentation plate 22 independently of the base part 4. The presentation plate 22 is per se already simpler in shape and thus visually more attractive than the base part 4, the locking elements 8 being fastened to said base part. The presentation plate 22 may have additional functional or decorative elements, such as for example cutting aid lines in the surface or in-mold labels for visual enhancement.

[0034] In FIG. 2 the food container 2 is shown in a closed state. FIG. 2 shows that the locking elements 8 surround the collar-like edge on the bottom end of the cover 6 from the outside.

[0035] The details of the locking technology and the sequence of a locking process are shown in enlarged sectional views in FIGS. 4-6. Whilst FIG. 4 shows a locking element 8 in the open position, the locking element 8 in FIG. 5 is pivoted into an intermediate position and has finally reached the locked position in FIG. 6.

[0036] In the enlarged view of FIG. 4, one can see that the actuating lug 18 on the cover 6 acts on the actuating surface 12 of the locking element 8. The actuating lug 18 may be specifically shaped but it is also possible to use a suitable portion of the single peripheral bottom edge of the cover 6 as the actuating lug 18 without this portion having a particular shape. Whilst the pivot pin 10 is fixedly connected to the base part 4, the locking element 8 with its clamp-like cross section may rotate about the pivot pin 10. The lowering path along which the actuating lug 18 is moved into the receiving space 16 is indicated in FIG. 4 by an arrow in dashed lines. In the start position of a locking process shown in FIG. 4, the actuating lug 18 has only been positioned onto the actuating surface 12 without the locking element 8 having been already pivoted thereby about the pivot pin 10. In the open position, the locking body 14 of the locking element 18 is pivoted into a position remote from the cover 6.

[0037] On the locking element 8 are located contact surfaces 26 which in the locked position may be in contact with contact surfaces 28 on the cover 6 but depending on the design of the base part 4 additionally may also be in contact with the contact surfaces 30 on the base part 4.

[0038] The views of FIGS. 4-6 shows that the first end of the locking element 8, which is configured as an actuating surface 12, protrudes sufficiently far into the receiving space 16 that it reaches into the lowering path of the actuating lug 18 in the receiving space 16. FIGS. 5 and 6 show that even in the locked position the actuating surface 12 ultimately reaches into the lowering path of the actuating lug 18 in the receiving space 16.

[0039] The rotational movements which the actuating surface 12 at the first end of the locking element 8, on the one hand, and the locking body 14 at the second end of the locking element 8, on the other hand, perform during a locking procedure are illustrated in FIG. 1 by the corresponding arrows in the shape of a circular arc segment. Whilst during a lowering movement of the actuating lug 18 into the receiving space 16 the actuating surface 12 moves substantially downwardly, the locking body 14 is pivoted from a lateral position relative to the pivot pin 10 into a position which lies approximately above the pivot pin 10. The lowering movement of the actuating lug 18 and the associated pivoting of the locking element 8 are clearly identifiable by a comparison of the positions of the corresponding elements in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6.

[0040] FIG. 6 shows clearly that in its locked position the locking element 8 encompasses the bottom and outer edges of the cover 6 from outside with the second end. In this case the locking body 14 engages at least partially over the outer edge of the cover 6 so that the cover may not be moved upwardly out of the locked position.

[0041] In order to be able to release the locking element 8 again from the locked position shown in FIG. 6, a gripping edge 20 is configured on the locking element 8. If the gripping edge 20 is pulled in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 6, the locking element 8 pivots back again toward the open position.

[0042] In the exemplary embodiment, latching lugs 32a, 32b are located on the locking element 8 and on the cover 6, said latching lugs being in engagement with one another in the locked position shown in FIG. 6.

[0043] FIGS. 4 to 6 show that in the exemplary embodiment the actuating lug 18 is the lower end of an actuating projection 34 which extends in the direction of the lowering path and which, facing downwardly, extends away from the peripheral bottom edge of the cover 6. Moreover, the peripheral bottom edge of the cover 6 in the locking region with a locking element 8 has a support projection 36 extending at least approximately or exactly in a direction transversely to the lowering path. FIG. 6 shows that the support projection 36, extending at least approximately or exactly in a direction transversely to the lowering path, has an outwardly facing front surface 38 which in the locked position of the cover 6 abuts against a portion of the base part 4. The portion of the base part 4 against which the front surface 38 abuts is connected to the pivot pin 10. The fixed bearing of the support projection 36 with its front face 38 against a portion of the base part 4 in the region of the pivot pin 10 results in a particularly stable and fixed connection of the cover 6 with the base part 4 in the region of a locking element 8.

[0044] Contact surfaces 28 are also configured on the upper face of the support projection 36, the contact surfaces 26 of a locking element 8 bearing thereagainst in the locked position thereof.

[0045] FIGS. 1 and 3 show that the receiving space 16 is configured for receiving an actuating projection 34 outside the extent of the locking elements 8 on the base part 4. In the exemplary embodiment, in the locked position of the cover 6, the support projection 36 in this region of the receiving space 16 bears with its respective front face against the inner face of the outer wall of the receiving space 16. Additionally, in the locked position of the cover 6, the actuating projection 34 in this region bears with its lower face against the base of the receiving space 16. The multiple bearing of components of the cover 6 against corresponding surfaces of the base part 4 results in a very stable and torsionally stiff connection of the respective parts.

[0046] In FIGS. 4 through 6, one can see that the locking element 8 is connected via a pivoting latching device to the pivot pin 10.

[0047] The exemplary embodiment described above serves only for describing the invention. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment. It is easy for the person skilled in the art to modify the exemplary embodiment in a suitable manner in order to adapt it to a practical application.

[0048] The specification incorporates by reference the entire disclosure of European priority document 17 154 472.9 having a priority filing date of Feb. 2, 2017.

[0049] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.