U.S. patent application number 10/782650 was filed with the patent office on 2004-08-19 for holder for pita pockets, tacos and the like.
Invention is credited to Ross, Robert N..
Application Number | 20040159620 10/782650 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32853577 |
Filed Date | 2004-08-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040159620 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ross, Robert N. |
August 19, 2004 |
Holder for pita pockets, tacos and the like
Abstract
A holder for pita pockets, tacos and like shaped items, to
support a minimum of one to multiple items upright during heating,
filling, transporting, or consuming. The new and improved holder
has a curvilinear outer surface with a stable base and is
stackable, and equipped with carrying handle means. The holder may
incorporate stiffening means. The holder may also incorporate
additional components added to handles for grip and heat insulation
as well as components added to opposing base edges for grip and
attachment to serving surfaces. The holder's versatile geometry
lends itself to be economically fabricated by diverse manufacturing
methods.
Inventors: |
Ross, Robert N.; (Gardner,
MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Robert N. Ross
563 Whitney Street
Gardner
MA
01440
US
|
Family ID: |
32853577 |
Appl. No.: |
10/782650 |
Filed: |
February 19, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60448274 |
Feb 19, 2003 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/85.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 2019/306 20130101;
A47G 19/30 20130101; A47F 7/0071 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/085.4 |
International
Class: |
A47F 007/00 |
Claims
What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by letters patent
of the United States is:
1. A holder for supporting pita pockets, tacos, and any likewise
shaped item in an upright position comprising: a) an outer surface
wherein a portion of said outer surface and related inner surface
is a segment of a substantially thin walled cylinder having a
curvilinear geometry about an axis, and b) a stable base,
established by contact points that lie on a common base plane
wherein said contact points are positioned on opposing edge
portions of said outer surface, and c) item receptacle means
positioned within said outer surface sized slightly wider than said
item to provide side support and also provides bottom support of
said item orientating the length of said item generally transverse
to said axis, and d) handle means to carry said holder with said
item installed, and also e) an interior volume accessible from an
underside open expanse between said opposing edge portions,
allowing multiple said holders to be stacked one upon the
other.
2. The holder as recited in claim 1 wherein said receptacle means
comprises a single or plurality of receptacles positioned in said
outer surface for supporting multiples of said item.
3. The holder as recited in claim 1 wherein said receptacle means
comprises a single or plurality of apertures penetrating the said
outer surface.
4. The holder as recited in claim 1 wherein said receptacle means
comprises a single or plurality of substantially thin walled
impressions formed to contour to said item, wherein downward facing
sidewalls are sufficiently tapered for stacking multiple said
holders one on the other.
5. The holder as recited in claim 1 wherein said handle means
comprises a minimum of one extension from the topside of said outer
surface.
6. The holder as recited in claim 1 wherein said handle means
comprises a minimum of one opening within said outer surface.
7. The holder as recited in claim 1 wherein said handle means
incorporates added materials to improve gripping properties, and
heat insulating properties.
8. The holder as recited in claim 1 wherein stiffening means are
formed into said holder.
9. The holder as recited in claim 1 wherein said stable base
incorporates added material to improve friction and gripping
properties, and heat insulating properties.
10. The holder as recited in claim 1 wherein multiple devices are
formed from multiple sheets of material stacked together and formed
in a sequential forming process.
11. The holder as recited in claim 1 wherein said stable base
incorporates attachment means to secure said holder to serving
surfaces.
12. A holder for supporting pita pockets, tacos, and any likewise
shaped item in an upright position comprising: a) an outer surface
wherein a portion of said outer surface and related inner surface
is a segment of a substantially thin walled cylinder having a
curvilinear geometry about an axis, and b) a stable base,
established by contact points that lie on a common base plane
wherein said contact points are positioned on opposing edge
portions of said outer surface, and c) item receptacle means
positioned within said outer surface sized slightly wider than said
item to provide side support and also provides bottom support of
said item orientating the length of said item generally transverse
to said axis, and d) handle means to carry said holder with said
item installed, and also e) an open interior volume accessible from
an underside open expanse between said opposing edge portions,
allowing multiple said holders to be stacked one upon the other,
and f) stiffening means formed into said holder.
13. The holder as recited in claim 12 wherein said receptacle means
comprises a single or plurality of receptacles positioned in said
outer surface for supporting multiples of said item.
14. The holder as recited in claim 12 wherein said stiffening means
comprises areas of raised or indented geometric features in said
outer surface.
15. The holder as recited in claim 12 wherein said stiffening means
comprises edge features formed on said outer surface.
16. The holder as recited in claim 12 wherein said stable base
incorporates attachment means to serving surfaces.
17. The holder as recited in claim 15 wherein said edge features
comprises extended downward facing tapered sidewall of said outer
surface on one or both ends of said holder positioned transverse to
said axis.
18. The holder as recited in claim 17 wherein said handle means
comprises an opening in said extended tapered sidewall.
19. The holder as recited in claim 12 wherein said holder has
environmental resistance to cooking ovens.
20. A holder for supporting pita pockets, tacos, and any likewise
shaped item in an upright position comprising: a) an outer surface
wherein a portion of said outer surface and related inner surface
is a segment of a substantially thin walled cylinder having a
curvilinear geometry about an axis, and b) a stable base,
established by contact points that lie on a common base plane
wherein said contact points are positioned on opposing edge
portions of said outer surface, and c) item receptacle means,
positioned within said outer surface sized slightly wider than said
item to provide side support and also provides bottom support of
said item orientating the length of said item generally transverse
to said axis, and d) handle means to carry said holder with said
item installed, and e) an open interior volume accessible from an
underside open expanse between said opposing edge portions,
allowing multiple said holders to be stacked one upon the other,
and f) stiffening means formed into said holder, and g) attachment
means on said stable base to secure said holder to a serving
surface.
Description
[0001] This is a nonprovisional patent application claiming
priority of provisional patent application serial No. 60/448,274
filed Feb. 19, 2003
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to holders that support one or more;
pita pockets, tacos, or other similarly shaped food items. The new
holder supports a minimum of one of the food items while
positioning the open side of the food item upright to prevent its
contents from easily falling out during preparation and eating of
the food item.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Pita pockets and tacos are food items that consist of an
open sided outer shell, designed for holding various food fillings.
The geometries of their outer shells make it difficult to rest them
in an upright position, with out aided support. When pita pockets,
tacos, or other similarly shaped food items are placed on their
side, the contents are more likely to fall out of the shell.
[0006] The pita pocket is typically a half circular section cut
from the round pita bread. The pita pocket is formed when it is
split along the cut edge, separating the outer walls to form an
opening. The seam around the outer circumference of the circular
edge maintains intact, thus creating a circular pocket. In most
instances the pita pocket is filled with various desired food
items.
[0007] Due to the radius on the bottom edge of the pita pocket, it
is typically served lying on its side on a plate or eating surface,
often the pita pocket is placed in to a custom shaped paper wrap to
prevent the loss of contents falling out of the opening during
transportation and eating. The pita pocket contents will usually
fall out of the opening most frequently because it has to rest on
its side.
[0008] Tacos are traditionally a Mexican food that consists of an
edible open sided taco shell designed to hold various food
fillings. There are many different types of taco shells in regards
to size, hardness, and ingredients. The two most popular taco
shells are the soft and hard shells. Both soft and hard taco shells
are formed from a generally round shaped flour or corn
tortilla.
[0009] The taco shell geometry is slightly different from the pita
pocket. The opening is the inverse of the pita pocket, where the
circular edge is open and the contents rests along the folded or
straight edge. The geometry of the taco shell provides even less
support then the pita pocket does to prevent the filling from
falling out.
[0010] The soft taco shell is folded along the mid section of the
soft round flour tortilla. While usually being hand held, the
filling is added into the flexible shell. Holding the soft taco
shell while filling, and transporting can be difficult, especially
if it is desired to prepare more than one taco at a time. Often it
is desired to heat the soft tacos with contents, depending upon how
well they were folded, the shell tends to want to unfold.
[0011] The traditional hard taco shell has the same basic simple
geometry as a folded soft taco shell, with the exception that the
hard taco shell geometry is more rigid, its sidewalls do not
unfold. Although some times fun to prepare and eat, there is an
inherent challenge with the functionality of the geometry of the
classical hard taco shell, its folded geometry consists of a
rounded bottom, and sidewalls that extend almost parallel to each
other. In preparing the hard taco shells it is often desired to
heat the shells in an oven to soften the shells. Conventional oven
heating is the most desired method to heat the hard taco shell. The
rounded bottom tends to make the hard tacos awkward to heat in an
upright position while in an oven. The best surface to rest the
tacos on is one of the tacos sidewalls. When the taco shell is
heated on its side, the other sidewall tends to droop down, closing
the opening for the filling.
[0012] Another problem that arises while preparing tacos is while
filling with contents, especially if more than one taco is desired
to be prepared at a given time, it is awkward to support the taco
shells upright without them tipping over. The best way to prepare
the tacos without a proper support is to prepare one at a time,
then to rest them on their side or to try to lean them against each
other, so they do not tip on their side. The filling is more likely
to fall out of the tacos when they are rested on their side during;
preparation, transportation and resting in between consuming
bites.
[0013] There are many taco holder designs that have been disclosed
in various utility as well as many design patents that describe
rigid devices to support tacos.
[0014] There are recent designs for taco holders that are intended
to be disposable, disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,273,278 and
5,971,168. U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,278 discloses a semi-rigid holder
that is designed to be foldable and requires simplified assembly.
This design also discloses a base portion that provides structural
strength. The materials used to fabricate the U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,273,278 and 5,971,168 designs are not resistant to conventional
oven heating. Restaurants as well as consumers would benefit from
devices that can be made reusable or disposable and do not require
any assembly.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a
new and improved pita pocket and taco holder that would have an
appealing functional geometry that is rigid, not requiring
assembly, is stackable, and incorporates handle means to
independently transport the device with food contents. The
invention can be made out of varying material types and by various
manufacturing methods for both disposable and reusable devices,
which can withstand exposure to different oven types and
temperatures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of this
invention that can hold a single pita pocket, taco, or other single
food item;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of this
invention that can hold multiple pita pockets, tacos or other
multiple food items;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of this
invention made from thin metal foil or other thin materials,
incorporating structural reinforcement features;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment of this
invention formed from plastic or other thin walled materials that
incorporates structural reinforcement features;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of this
invention that incorporates full sidewalls and an alternate handle
means;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a side view of various shaped devices stacked
together;
[0022] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one embodiment of this
invention whose outer surface conforms to the food items
geometry;
[0023] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one embodiment that has
added components to improve grip and to insulate handles and
base.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0024] The embodiment in FIG. 1 is shown to support a single food
item as depicted by the pita pocket 1 positioned above the single
item holder 2. A substantially thin walled material forms the shape
of the single item, holder 2. The said single item holder
incorporates a minimum of one aperture 3. The ends of the aperture
cut out 4 and 5 act as the base support for the food item. The
sidewalls of the aperture cut out 6 and 7 act as the side supports
for the food item. Since pita pockets vary in size, the aperture's
dimensions in length and width will vary accordingly. The base of
the device is formed by edges 8 and 9 as seen in FIG. 1. The base
stably supports the device and its contents onto a desired surface
such as a table, or serving plate. The base edges 8 and 9 are shown
to be straight in FIG. 1, however their length may also incorporate
intermittent breaks to form feet or multiple contact points that
lie on a common base plane. The base length can be extended beyond
the required width of the holding portion in order to provide added
stability, especially in single item holders. The holder 2 in FIG.
1 is equipped with tabs 10 and 11 that act as handles. The tabs 10
and 11 provide means to independently carry the holder with
contents from one place to another without the need for any
additional supporting devices. The interior volume between the base
edges 8 and 9 is generally hollow and allows multiple holders to be
stacked one on top of the other for compact storage or display.
[0025] A multiple item holder embodiment described in FIG. 2
displays three tacos 12 positioned above their respective apertures
14, 15, and 16 within the multiple item holder 13. One base edge 17
of the holder is shown to be relieved in the middle having feet 18
and 19 on either end that lie on a common base plane with the
opposing base edge 20. An appropriate aperture size for holding
commercially available standard sized tacos is 1.25 inches wide
with a full radius on each end of the aperture, leaving material
before slot ends break into the base edges 17 and 20. This
appropriate aperture would be cut through the outer surface 21,
which is formed in an arc having a radius of 1.5 inches, and an arc
length of 4.75 inches. The material width of the outer surface 21
in between the apertures is 0.20 inches in the desired embodiment
for holding tacos. Other aperture shapes and sizes will be apparent
for similar food items. Other outer-formed surface geometries that
can stack one on top of the other will also be apparent
[0026] Some materials and construction methods suitable to
fabricate reusable version devices as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2
that can be heated in microwave ovens are; molded ceramics and
plastics, various die cut and thermal forming plastics and foams,
and wood that has been cut and shaped. Some materials that are
resistant to conventional oven heat include ceramics, some high
temperature plastics, cast metals, various sheet metals, such as
aluminum, stainless steel, plated steel, copper, silver, etc. The
preferred economical method to fabricate versions made from sheet
metal is punch and die stamping and forming. Aluminum sheet metal
has sufficient rigidity without reinforcement features to form the
devices as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, when its wall thickness is
greater than 0.04 inches thick. The preferred thickness of (5052
aluminum) sheet metal forming the outer geometry is 0.05/0.07
inches thick. Other manufacturing methods that can be utilized to
fabricate reusable metal version holders are forgings, metal
castings, and most traditional and modern cutting and forming
manufacturing techniques.
[0027] Disposable or minimum use versions of this invention may be
made from most of the materials and manufacturing methods sited
above with the exception of utilizing thinner walled material to
reduce costs. Thinner metal materials can be used such as aluminum
or stainless steel foils in very thin sheet thickness to form very
cost effective disposable or minimum use versions.
[0028] FIG. 3 describes an embodiment that is made from thin metal
foil with reinforced features. The form is readily made out of
aluminum foil in a thickness of 0.005/0.007-inch thick sheet. The
FIG. 3 embodiment incorporates the same functional features as the
reusable versions described in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Devices made from
the thin aluminum foil benefit from structural reinforcement
features such as crimped edge bends 22, rolled edges 23, indented
surface geometries 24 or raised surface geometries 25, and raised
or indented ribs 26 might be formed for increased rigidity.
Utilizing presses with die sets can form the metal foil versions.
Multiple foil sheets can be layered together and spaced between
separators such as coated paper sheet, so that one press can
fabricate multiple devices in a single sequence of operations. The
same applies to devices made from other thin walled materials; the
thin walled structure can obtain similar strength characteristics
as their thicker walled versions by implementing simple
reinforcement features.
[0029] FIG. 4 describes another thin walled material embodiment.
This version can be readily injection molded out of various
plastics, or formed from thin walled die cut and thermal formed
plastics having a wall thickness less than 0.04 inch thick. When
thermally formed, the thin material can bend to form the extended
exterior sidewalls on the ends of the device 27, and the formed
edges within the apertures 28. The bended edge geometry generates
increased reinforcement, as well as provides the visual effect of a
device with thick wall sections. To further decrease manufacturing
costs, multiple thermal formed plastic sheets can be formed
together in a single operation with a release barrier in between
each sheet.
[0030] For added reinforcement, the embodiment shown in FIG. 5
depicts the sidewall 29 extended further to create a full wall,
enclosing both ends of the device. The wall 29 is slightly tapered
so that the open base length is wider than the top portion to allow
multiple devices to stack and nest one on top of the other. The
added material on the sidewall allows for an alternate area to
incorporate a handle means to carry the device and contents by.
There is an area to allow for an aperture 30 to be cut through the
sidewall, the aperture 30 is suitable for a finger to grip,
preferably a 1.0-inch diameter hole. Other suitable aperture shapes
and sizes will be obvious. The full sidewall 29 gives added device
stiffness. The materials and manufacturing processes that are most
suitable for the embodiment in FIG. 5 are those that are also
suitable to fabricate versions described above in the FIG. 4
embodiment such as; injection molded plastics, thermal forming
plastics, and other materials that are readily formed, such as
foams, paper pulp, recycled paper, and paper or fabric board.
Paperboard and cotton fabric boards of various grades and thickness
may be used when they incorporate laminates and or bonding agents
like epoxies or adhesives as required for added strength and to
adhere folded side walls to front and back walls as required to
form outer shapes that conform to the claims of this invention.
[0031] In all embodiments, it is apparent that other outer surface
formed shapes may be generated to accomplish similarly equivalent
holding capabilities as the arced cylindrical shapes disclosed
above. The arced cylindrical shaped end view 31 as shown in FIG. 6,
describes the basic outer surface geometries of the embodiments
described in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The arced cylindrical outer surface
shape may be substituted by other functional shaped geometries that
can readily stack together such as; a triangular shape 32 as viewed
in end view FIG. 6, or a tapered rectangular shape 33 as viewed in
FIG. 6, or a varying surface geometry 34. The surface geometry of
item 34, has an added unique property, its mid section 35 is
indented lower than its top sections 36 and 37, this benefits the
device further by providing an area where fingers can reach lower
onto the food item for a less unobstructed grip. The same varying
outer geometry shapes described in FIG. 6 may also be applied to
the thin walled version devices with reinforcement features
described in FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG. 5 as well. Other stackable
curvilinear geometries will also be apparent.
[0032] An additional embodiment of the invention is described in
FIG. 7 where the outer formed shape has a substantially uniform
thin wall thickness 38, and the outer form 39 is shaped to
specifically contour to the food items geometry, while also
allowing downward facing side walls to be tapered sufficiently in
order for multiple devices having the same geometry to be stacked
one on top of the other in a nesting fashion. Fabrication methods
and materials that would be applicable to this shape are
injection-molded plastics, ceramics, cast metals, forged metals,
formed metals, thermal vacuum formed plastics, molded foam, and
pressed paper pulp.
[0033] The devices can have added components to the base contact
surfaces and also on the handle portions. In viewing FIG. 8, the
component 40 added to the base is to primarily improve the devices
gripping characteristics to the serving plate or eating surface,
and could also act as an insulator, to prevent excessive heating to
and from the device. An added component 41 to the handle area would
also act as a heat insulator to reduce the heat transmitted by the
device to the hands, and it also increases gripping properties.
Handle means that consist of an aperture through the sidewall of
the device such as the aperture 30 in FIG. 5 can be fitted with
grommets of varying materials and styles that fit into the
aperture. The gripping component materials may be high temperature
elastomers, plastics, wood, or other material that are heat
resistant in various types of ovens. The means to attach the
components can be by snap fit, adhesives, shrink fit, dip coating,
riveted, or by other standard fastening means.
[0034] Additions of other components may be incorporated to fixedly
support the device to serving surfaces. One component may be the
addition of suction cups 42 as shown in FIG. 8. Magnets may be
incorporated to help fix the device to magnetic surfaces. The
component may also be a removable accessory such as spring-loaded
clips, or other fastener means to specific serving plates, or
surfaces. Standard adhesives as well as standard fasteners can be
used to fix the device to a specific serving surface.
[0035] Variations of the disclosed holder have been discussed. It
is intended that there be variations in geometries as well as
suitable material types, including non biodegradable,
biodegradable, and edible materials, as well as diverse
manufacturing methods to be suitable within the scope of the
invention and that the invention is not limited to only those
specifically disclosed within this specification. Therefore it is
the intent of the appended claims to cover all such variations as
come within the true spirit and scope of this invention.
* * * * *