Container for storing and transporting food items for later consumption

Abstract

A food container has a container bottom and a container lid. The container bottom has a base and walls upstanding from the base to define a container bottom interior. The container lid has a top cover and side edges, and the top cover overlies the base when the lid is in closed connection with the bottom. The top cover includes an elastically deformable portion and an inelastic portion. Each of the elastically deformable portion and the inelastic portion overlies different portions of the base when the lid is in closed connection with the bottom. The elastically deformable portion facilitates accommodation of an item within the container bottom interior that rests on the base that underlies the elastically deformable portion and that extends into contact with the elastically deformable portion as the lid is shifted into closed connection with the bottom by deforming elastically outwardly away from the base.

Claims

1. A food container, the food container having: a container bottom having a base and walls upstanding from the base to define an interior; and a container lid having a top cover and side edges, the container lid enclosing the interior of the container bottom when the container lid is in closed connection with the container bottom, the top cover including: an elastically deformable portion and an inelastic portion, each of the elastically deformable portion and the inelastic portion overlying different portions of the interior of the container bottom when the container lid is in closed connection with the container bottom, the inelastic portion overlying a larger portion of the interior of the container bottom than the elastically deformable portion and having an opening formed therein, the elastically deformable portion closing the opening, the elastically deformable portion facilitating accommodation of an item within the container bottom interior that rests on a portion of the base that underlies the elastically deformable portion and that extends into contact with the elastically deformable portion as the container lid is shifted into closed connection with the container bottom, by the elastically deformable portion deforming elastically outwardly away from the base in contact with the item.

2. The food container of claim 1, wherein the opening of the inelastic portion is offset from a center of the top cover.

3. The food container of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the opening has an arcuate configuration.

4. The food container of claim 1, wherein the walls of the container bottom define a first compartment, a second compartment, and a third compartment within the container bottom interior.

5. The food container of claim 4, wherein the elastically deformable portion overlies the first compartment and the second compartment when the container lid is in closed connection with the container bottom.

6. The food container of claim 1, wherein the top cover is substantially flat and an upper surface of the elastically deformable portion is substantially flush with an upper surface of the inelastic portion when the elastically deformable portion is in a default state.

7. The food container of claim 1, wherein the opening of the inelastic portion is offset in a first direction from a center of the top cover, wherein the elastically deformable portion of the container lid elastically deforms away from the interior of the container bottom in a second direction, and wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction.

8. The food container of claim 1, wherein the walls of the container bottom define a first compartment, a second compartment, and a third compartment within the container bottom interior, wherein the first compartment and the second compartment are adjacent to one another on a first side of the container bottom, and wherein the third compartment is on a second side of the container bottom that is opposite the first side of the container bottom.

9. The food container of claim 8, wherein the inelastic portion overlies the third compartment when the container lid is in closed connection with the container bottom.

10. The food container of claim 8, wherein the elastically deformable portion overlies the first compartment and the second compartment when the container lid is in closed connection with the container bottom.

11. The food container of claim 1, wherein the opening has a rim and the elastically deformable portion is attached to the rim.

12. The food container of claim 1, wherein the opening has a rim and the elastically deformable portion is attached to the rim and to an inside surface of the top cover spaced from the rim.

13. The food container of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the inside surface of the top cover to which the elastically deformable portion is attached has a channel into which a portion of the elastically deformable portion is received and secured.

14. The food container of claim 1, wherein the opening is a circular opening.

15. A food container, the food container having: a container bottom having a base and walls upstanding from the base to define an interior, and at least one partition wall within the interior defining at least two compartments; and a container lid having a top cover enclosing the interior of the container bottom when the container lid is in closed connection with the container bottom, the top cover including: an inelastic portion having an aperture; and an elastically deformable portion sized to be held within the aperture, wherein the elastically deformable portion overlies only one of the at least two compartments when the container lid is in the closed connection with the container bottom, the inelastic portion overlying a remainder of the at least two compartments.

16. A food container, the food container having: a container bottom having a base and walls upstanding from the base to define an interior, and at least one partition wall within the interior defining at least two compartments; and a container lid having a top cover enclosing the interior when the container lid is in closed connection with the container bottom, the top cover including: an inelastic portion having an aperture offset from a center of the top cover; and an elastically deformable portion closing the aperture, wherein the elastically deformable portion overlies a compartment interior of one of the at least two compartments when the container lid is in the closed connection with the container bottom, the inelastic portion overlying a remainder of the interior of the container bottom.

17. The food container of claim 16, wherein the elastically deformable portion overlies only one of the at least two compartments when the container lid is in the closed connection with the container bottom.

18. The food container of claim 16, wherein the inelastic portion entirely overlies one of the at least two compartments and the elastically deformable portion overlies another of the at least two compartments when the container lid is in closed connection with the container bottom.

19. The food container of claim 16, wherein the elastically deformable portion is removably held within the aperture in the top cover.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In order that the invention may be more fully understood, some embodiments will now be described with reference to the figures in which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a container according to the present invention with the container shown in a closed condition.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates the container of FIG. 1 with the lid of the container in a slightly open or ajar position.

(4) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 1 taken through section A-A of FIG. 1.

(5) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 2 taken through section A-A of FIG. 1 but with lid of the container in a slightly open or ajar position as shown in FIG. 2.

(6) FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 1 showing the elastically deformable portion being deformed outwardly.

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates the container of FIG. 1 with the lid of the container in a fully open position.

(8) FIGS. 7 to 12 illustrate different arrangements for forming the elastically deformable portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) The accompanying figures show a food container according to one embodiment of the invention. It is to be appreciated however, that the food container 10 of the figures is just one form of container to which the present invention applies.

(10) The food container of FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a container bottom 11 and a container lid 12. The container bottom 11 has a base 13 from which walls 14 are upstanding. The base 13 and walls 14 define a container bottom interior 15. Fixed to a front wall 14 is a carry strap 16.

(11) The container lid 12 has a rectangular top cover 18 and side edges 19 in which the side edges 19 form a downwardly extending lip about the top cover 18 that in the closed condition of the container 10, overlaps with upper ends of the walls 14. The side edges 19 extend generally perpendicular to the top cover 18.

(12) The lid 12 is connected to the container bottom 11 via a rear hinge 21 and a hinged clip or latch 22, which locks about a projection 23 in the closed condition shown in FIG. 1. It will be readily evident that the container 10 can be opened by a release of the latch 22 from the projection 23 and the lid 12 can rotate upwardly and away from the bottom 11 about the hinge 21.

(13) The container 10 includes an elastically deformable portion 25 and an inelastic portion 26. FIGS. 3 to 5 show that the inelastic portion 26 is interrupted at the elastically deformable portion 25. The inelastic portion 26 forms the major part of the top cover 18 in the container 10. As is evident from FIG. 1, in the closed condition of the container 10, the elastically deformable portion 25 and the inelastic portion 26 both overlie the base 13 of the container bottom 11. However, the respective portions 25 and 26 overlie different portions of the base 13.

(14) A cross-sectional view of the container 10 shown in the closed condition of FIG. 1 and taken through section A-A of FIG. 1 is illustrated in FIG. 3. FIGS. 4 and 5 also show the container 10 taken through the section A-A but in FIG. 4, the lid 12 is slightly ajar from the bottom 11, while in FIG. 5, the lid is in the closed condition but shows the elastically deformable portion 25 in an outwardly deformed state. In each of FIGS. 4 and 5, a spherical food item 30, in the form of an apple, is shown within the container bottom interior 15.

(15) FIG. 6 is a view of the container 10 with the lid 12 fully open relative to the container bottom 11. FIG. 6 illustrates that the container bottom 11 includes partition walls 31 that extend upwardly from the base 13. FIG. 2 also shows the partition walls 31, although they are partly obscured. The container bottom 11 thus forms separate compartments for the separate storage of different food items. While two compartments 32 and 33 are evident from FIGS. 3 to 5, FIG. 6 shows that the container 10 includes three compartments 32 to 34. The compartments 32 and 33 are substantially identical in shape and configuration and are approximately square shaped, while the compartment 34 extends along the side of the container bottom 11 from front to back, to form a single, generally rectangular compartment which is approximately the same size as the combined compartments 32 and 33.

(16) It will be evident from FIGS. 3 to 5, that the elastically deformable portion 25 is part of a larger seal component 35 that extends across and seals over the respective compartments 32 and 33. As shown in FIG. 3, the elastically deformable portion 25 overlies only the compartment 33. Of course, the elastically deformable portion 25 could be arranged to extend over the compartment 32 as well, or a separate elastically deformable portion could be included to extend over that compartment. Accordingly, while the placement of the elastically deformable portion 25 is shown as overlying the compartment 33 in FIG. 3, it is not restricted to that position, or to overlying just a single compartment.

(17) The seal component 35 thus comprises seal portion 36 and the elastically deformable portion 25. The seal portion 36 underlies a section of the inelastic portion 26, while the seal component 35 is secured to the lid 12 by the projections 37, 38 and 39 being received within channels formed in the lid 12. The elastically deformable portion 25 extends through an opening 40 in the inelastic portion 26 of the top cover 18 and engages the rim 41 of the opening 40 within corresponding recesses formed within the external periphery of the elastically deformable portion 25. The opening 40 is a circular opening, so that the rim 41 is a circular rim.

(18) The entire seal component 35 is formed of an elastically deformable material, preferably silicone. Thus, the material of the elastically deformable portion 25 is continued through the seal portion 36 and the respective projections 37, 38 and 39. The seal component 35 is intended to seal against the upper ends or edges of the walls 14 and the partition walls 31 that define the compartments 32 and 33. The seal component 35 does not overlie the compartment 34 and therefore does not seal over that compartment. This arrangement is simply the arrangement adopted as an example to illustrate one form of the present invention, and so different seal configurations can be provided to seal different compartments or all of the compartments that might be provided in a container bottom.

(19) It will be appreciated that in a closed condition of a container 10 such as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, the maximum height of an item that can be stored in the compartment 34 is the height H.sub.34. That height is the spacing between the inside surfaces of the lid 12 and the base 13 and with respect to the compartment 34, there is no seal interposed between those surfaces. It follows that the maximum height of an item that can be contained in the compartment 32 is slightly less than in the compartment 34 by virtue of the existence of the seal portion 36. Given that the seal portion 36 is formed of an elastically deformable material, an item that has a height that is greater than the spacing between the inside surface of the base 13 and the facing surface of the seal portion 36 will cause the seal portion 36 to deform towards the lid 12, but deformation will terminate as soon as the seal portion 36 engages the inside surface of the lid 12. It follows, that in respect of the compartments 32 and 34, substantially the same maximum height applies to items that can be stored within those compartments when the lid 12 is closed onto the container bottom 11.

(20) However, the same height restriction does not apply in relation to items that are placed within the compartment 33. As is evident from FIG. 5, a food item 30 that would otherwise not fit within the compartment 32 or 34 by virtue of its height exceeding the height H.sub.34, can be successfully placed within the compartment 33 and the lid 12 closed over the container bottom 11. This occurs by virtue of the elastically deformable portion 25 deforming elastically outwardly (away from the base 13) as the food item 30 engages the elastically deformable portion 25 as the lid 12 is shifted into closed connection with the container bottom 11.

(21) It is important to understand that while the food item 30 is shown as a spherical item, the elastically deformable portion 25 would deform elastically outwardly on contact with any item within the compartment 33 that exceeds the height that exists between the facing surfaces of the base 13 and the inside surface 45 of the elastically deformable portion 25. Moreover, the elastically deformable portion 25 has a generally planner configuration at all times except upon engagement by an item. Upon engagement, the portion 25 would deform outwardly to accommodate an item within the compartment 33. There will of course be a limit to the extent to which outward deformation of the portion 25 can occur, but the expectation is that items that are placed within the container 10 will usually be of a height which is less than H.sub.34, or where greater than that height, will only be a small amount greater. That is, the elastically deformable portion 25 is provided to accommodate items that will usually only be just a small amount greater than H.sub.34.

(22) FIGS. 7 to 10 illustrate different arrangements for forming the elastically deformable portion 25. The arrangements of FIGS. 7 to 11 differ from the manner which the elastically deformable portion 25 is illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 6. FIGS. 7 to 11 each show a portion 50 of an inelastic section of a container lid, and an elastically deformable portion of the lid. Each of the figures shows the elastically deformable portion in two positions, being a resting position (the upper image) and an elastically deformed position (the lower image).

(23) With reference to FIG. 7, an integral formation is illustrated showing inelastic portions 50 on either side of an elastically deformable portion 51. The portion 51 is a thinned section of the same material as the inelastic portions 50 and for example, can be formed by creating both of the portions 50 and 51 from polypropylene. As indicated above, the wall thickness of the inelastic portions 50 could be in the region of over 2 to 4 mm, while the wall thickness of the elastically deformable portion 51 could be in the region of 0.2 to 1 mm.

(24) FIG. 8 illustrates a further integral construction but in FIG. 8, the elastically deformable portion is formed from a corrugated section, so that outward elastic deformation is achieved initially by a deformation of the corrugated profile of portion 51 and further deformation can be achieved by straightening out or flattening of the corrugations themselves. Still further deformation can be achieved by elastic stretching of the portion 51 once the corrugations have flattened.

(25) FIG. 9 illustrates an overmoulded arrangement, whereby a TPE (thermoplastic elastomer), or other appropriate soft elastic material, such as TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) portion 53 is overmoulded with an inelastic plastic material (such as PP-polypropylene) of the portion 50. Opposite edges of the portion 53 connect to facing edges of the portion 50 to form chemical bonds during overmoulding which holds the two materials together.

(26) FIG. 10 illustrates an arrangement in which the inelastic portion 50 includes downwardly extending projections 54 onto which is secured an elastically deformable, but removable seal 55. The seal 55 underlies an overmould section 56 that can be moulded to the inelastic portions 50 in the same manner as described above in relation to FIG. 9.

(27) The FIG. 10 arrangement also illustrates how the elastically deformable portion 25 could be applied in the container 10, without the seal portion 36 of the overall seal component 35 also being provided. Thus, in FIG. 3, the elastically deformable portion 25 could terminate at the projection 38 rather than extending into the seal portion 36. In such an arrangement, and with reference also to FIG. 6, only compartment 33 would then be sealed.

(28) FIG. 11 illustrates a similar arrangement to FIG. 10, so that it shows the inelastic portions 50 and an overmould section 56 connected therebetween, but it also shows a removable peripheral seal 58 applied to the downwardly extending projections 54. The peripheral seal 58 does not underlie the overmould section 56 of FIG. 9, but rather, extends about or surrounds it.

(29) FIG. 12 illustrates a similar arrangement to FIG. 8, so that it shows an integral formation comprising inelastic portions 50 on either side of an elastically deformable portion 60. The portion 60 comprises a thinned section 61 that is integral with and of the same material as the inelastic portions 50. The section 61 is a corrugated section. The portion 60 further comprises an overmould section 62 that is moulded into the corrugations of the upper surface of the section 61. The arrangement of FIG. 12 is such that the overmould section 62 forms an outside surface of the elastically deformable portion 60 and the corrugated section 61 forms an inside surface of the elastically deformable portion 60.

(30) The advantage of this arrangement is most relevant for food grade containers. In those containers, silicone is usually used for surfaces that come into contact with food. However, silicone is more expensive than other materials. But in FIG. 12, a combination of a thin corrugated food grade PP (section 61) is used with an overmoulded TPE (section 62). This reduces the amount of silicone used (because the section 61 is thin) but also facilitates a pleasingly aesthetic look to the outside of the container by the use of the TPE which can be suitably coloured and which is soft to the touch.

(31) Returning to FIGS. 3 and 4, the elastically deformable portion 25 approximately continues the planar upper surface of the inelastic portion 26. While this is aesthetically pleasing, in other forms of the invention, the FIG. 10 arrangement could be adopted but without the overmoulded portion 56. Thus, in the non-deformed state, the elastically deformable portion 55 would extend below the outer surface of the inelastic portion 50, but on engagement with an item, the elastically deformable portion 55 would push through and past the outer surface of the inelastic portion 50 depending on the amount of deformation required to accommodate the item.

(32) The food container 10 advantageously facilitates accommodation of items, such as food items, that have a height that exceeds the height H.sub.34 of the containment space of the container 10, by the elastically deformable portion 25 elastically deforming outwardly so that the height of the containment space H.sub.34 is increased.

(33) Where any or all of the terms comprise, comprises, comprised or comprising are used in this specification (including the claims) they are to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components, but not precluding the presence of one or more other features, integers, steps or components.

(34) Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described. It is understood that the invention includes all such variations and modifications which fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.