U.S. patent application number 10/652038 was filed with the patent office on 2005-03-03 for food scoop and serving container.
This patent application is currently assigned to DOPACO INCORPORATED. Invention is credited to Bodary, Michael G., Cai, Liming.
Application Number | 20050045708 10/652038 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34217537 |
Filed Date | 2005-03-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050045708 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bodary, Michael G. ; et
al. |
March 3, 2005 |
Food scoop and serving container
Abstract
A two-piece food scoop and serving container includes an
upwardly tapered frusto-conicle portion of stiff resilient paper
board and a base for closing a bottom of said frusto-conicle
portion and wherein the grain direction of said cellulosic material
in said frusto-conicle portion is circumferential.
Inventors: |
Bodary, Michael G.;
(Downingstown, PA) ; Cai, Liming; (West Chester,
PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DENNISON, SCHULTZ, DOUGHERTY & MACDONALD
1727 KING STREET
SUITE 105
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
DOPACO INCORPORATED
|
Family ID: |
34217537 |
Appl. No.: |
10/652038 |
Filed: |
September 2, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
229/400 ;
229/5.5; 229/933 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 3/14 20130101; B65D
3/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
229/400 ;
229/005.5; 229/933 |
International
Class: |
B65D 003/00; B65D
013/00; B65D 005/00; B65D 003/10 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A food scoop and serving container comprising: an upwardly
tapered frusto-conicle portion of stiff resilient cellulosic
material having a generally circumferential grain direction and a
base for closing a bottom of said frusto-conicle portion.
2. A food scoop and serving container according to claim 1 in which
said base has a generally circular shape.
3. A food scoop and serving container according to claim 2 in which
said base is formed separately from said upwardly tapered
frusto-conicle portion.
4. A food scoop and serving container according to claim 3 in which
said upwardly tapered frusto-conicle portion defines an open scoop
shaped top having an open face portion.
5. A food scoop and serving container according to claim 4 in which
said stiff resilient cellulosic material is paper board and which
said food scoop and serving container defines a generally cup shape
container.
6. A carton blank for forming a plurality of upwardly tapered
frusto-conicle portions of a food scoop and serving container, said
carton blank comprising a flat sheet stiff resilient sheet of
cellulosic material defining multiple rows of side by side carton
elements having a top, a bottom and two opposite sides and wherein
the grain direction of said cellulosic material is in the direction
of said rows.
7. A carton blank for forming a plurality of upwardly tapered
frusto-conicle portions of a food scoop and serving container
according to claim 6 in which said top of a carton element is
contiguous with a bottom of an adjacent carton elements in each of
said rows in a repeating format.
8. A carton blank for forming a plurality of upwardly tapered
frusto-conicle portions of a food scoop and serving container
according to claim 7 in which the sides of each of said carton
elements define a pair of converging linear edges which converge
from said top to said bottom.
9. A carton blank for forming a plurality of upwardly tapered
frusto-conicle portions of a food scoop and serving container
according to claim 8 in which said bottom of each of said carton
elements in said flat sheet defines an arc shaped concave edge.
10. A carton blank for forming a plurality of upwardly tapered
frusto-conicle portions of a food scoop and serving container
according to claim 9 in which said top edge of said carton element
defines an undulating shape with a concave portion opposite the top
of said arc shaped bottom.
11. A carton blank for forming a plurality of upwardly tapered
frusto-conicle portions of a food scoop and serving container
according to claim 7 in which said carton elements in one of said
rows is staggered with respect to said carton elements in an
adjacent row in order to reduce scrap material between said carton
elements.
12. A carton blank for forming a plurality of upwardly tapered
frusto-conicle portions of a food scoop and serving container
according to claim 11 in which said cellulosic material is paper
board with a thickness of about 0.012.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a food scoop and serving
container and more particularly to a two-piece frusto-conicle scoop
and serving container for the sale of measured portions of french
fried potatoes and the like.
BACKGROUND FOR THE INVENTION
[0002] Collapsible french fry scoops and serving containers which
must be assembled from a collapsible position into an open position
are widely used in the fast food industry. In such scoops and
serving containers, a scooped out center portion of a side wall
blank forms the lower most edge portion of the mouth of the scoop
or scuttle configuration. Such scoops or containers are not
generally capable of standing upright.
[0003] Two-piece frusto-conicle scoop and serving containers are
also known. For example, the Herbst et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,264
discloses a two-piece scoop and serving container with internal and
external core and method for applying such decor. As disclosed
therein, a two-piece frusto-conicle container is provided with a
scalloped side wall having a lower most depressed edge portion
opposite to an upper most edge portion in a scoop configuration.
When filled with food, the container will stand alone. A lapped
side seam extends from the base of the upper most edge portion to
lend stiffness to the scoop configuration.
[0004] In the current fast food market, many fast food purveyors
are using "fry cups" to serve french fried potatoes and the like.
Such containers are becoming more popular since the fry cups can be
set on a table without falling over or spilling food and can be
carried while walking or driving a motor vehicle and have
sufficient stiffness so that the food is not inadvertently ejected
from a container due to squeezing. Further, such containers reduce
the likelihood of spilling an amount of food if an individual
stumbles while walking.
[0005] It is presently believed that there will be a significant
commercial demand for an improved two-piece food scoop and serving
container in accordance with the present invention. There should be
a significant demand because such containers offer all of the
advantages of the prior art two-piece food scoops and serving
containers and offer additional advantages. For example, the food
scoops and serving containers in accordance with the present
invention are stiffer and stronger then those presently in the
market, but use thinner carton blanks. Accordingly, the containers
use less paper, produce less scrap during the manufacturing
process, are lighter, stiffer and more durable.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In essence, the present invention contemplates a food scoop
and serving container for french fries, onion rings, popcorn,
shrimp and other finger foods which are served in small cellulose
or paper board containers. The food scoop and food containers
include an upwardly tapered frusto-conicle portion of a stiff but
resilient cellulosic material such as a paper board and has a
generally circumferential grain direction. The food scoop and
container also include a base or bottom for closing the bottom of
the frusto-conicle portion and an open top with an open front face
portion for facilitating access to the food contained therein.
[0007] The present invention also contemplates a carton blank for
forming a plurality of upwardly tapered frusto-conicle portions of
a food scoop and serving container. The carton blank comprises a
flat sheet of stiff resilient cellulosic material, preferably a
paper board of the type used for french fried potatoes in fast food
outlets as will be well understood by persons of ordinary skill in
the art.
[0008] In the present invention, the flat sheet of cellulosic
material defines multiple side by side rows of side by side carton
elements each of which has a top, a bottom and two opposite sides.
An important aspect of this invention resides in the grain
direction of the cellulosic material which is in a direction
parallel to the rows. Accordingly, the grain direction in a
finished product is circumferential about the upwardly titled
frusto-conicle portion.
[0009] The invention will now be described in connection with the
accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals have been
used to indicate like parts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a top or plain view of a carton blank which
illustrates a layout for a traditional fry cup with a grain
direction in accordance with the prior art;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a top or plain view of a carton blank in
accordance with the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a top or plain view of a single carton element for
use in forming an upwardly extending frusto-conicle portion of a
food scoop and serving container in accordance with the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a food scoop and serving
container in accordance with the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the food scoop and
serving container shown in FIG. 4;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the food scoop and
serving container shown in FIGS. 4 and 5;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a top view of the food scoop and serving container
shown in FIGS. 4-6; and
[0017] FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the bottom structure of
a food scoop and serving container in accordance with the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0018] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a carton blank 2 for a
conventional fry cup includes a single row 4 of identical container
portions 6, 8, 10 and 12 disposed in a top to bottom configuration
wherein the grain direction is parallel to the row i.e., runs from
the top to the bottom of each of the container portions 6, 8, 10
and 12. In practice, the carton blank 2 would include multiple rows
where the carton elements in adjacent rows are reversed in order to
reduce scrap in adjacent container portions.
[0019] By contrast, FIG. 2 illustrates a carton blank 20 in
accordance with the present invention. As shown therein, the carton
blank 20 includes multiple rows 21-26 each of which includes a
plurality of identical carton elements or container portions, as
for example, elements 27-30 in row 21 and elements 31-34 in row
22.
[0020] A key feature of the present invention resides in the
material grain direction which is parallel with the rows of side by
side carton elements so that the grain direction of a finished food
scoop and serving container is circumferential. It has now been
found that the food scoops and serving containers having a
circumferential grain direction and a wall thickness of 0.012
inches have an increased stiffness as compared to an identical food
scoop and serving container with a 0.015 thickness and a grain
direction from the top to the bottom. Further, the layout of the
carton elements reduces the scrap area and results in a 30% paper
board saving as the wall die cut. Then, by turning the carton
elements by 90.degree. results in significant savings in raw
materials.
[0021] FIG. 3 shows an individual carton element 27 as die cut from
the carton blank. The element 27 includes an annular arch shaped
concave base 40 which forms a generally flat base or bottom when
the element 27 is formed into an upwardly tapered frusto-conicle
shape.
[0022] Each of the carton elements 27-34 are identical and referred
to in FIG. 3 as element 27. Those elements include an upper die cut
scalloped or undulating top edge 42. This top edge 42 includes an
arcuate depression 43 from which the remainder of the upper edge 42
proceeds in a pair of upwardly directed substantially symmetrical
curves to the upper apexes 44, 44' of the top edge 42. The carton
element 27 as well as the carton elements each include two side
edges 46 and 48 which define a pair of downwardly converging die
cut edges. A glue strip 50 is applied to one side of the carton
element along one edge thereof.
[0023] When the aforementioned carton elements 27-34 are formed
into a food scoop and serving container 60 the carton elements each
form an upwardly tapered frusto-conicle food scoop and serving
container with the glue strip 50 along the edge 46 overlapping the
edge 48 and adhesively bonded thereto to thereby form an upper
portion of the food scoop and serving container 60. In this
configuration, the upper most reaches of the top edge 42 from the
portion of the container 60 which first engages the food i.e., a
forwardly extending scoop. To provide increased stiffness at the
forward portion of the scoop, the side edge 46 overlaps the side
edge 48 with the glue strip 50 therebetween. This two ply glued
joint runs from the center of an open portion i.e., from the center
of the arcuate depression 43 to the bottom edge 44.
[0024] The carton elements 27-34 are shown in FIG. 2 in rows 21-26
and are arranged in each row in a repeating side by side pattern.
In this arrangement, the top of a first adjacent element 27 is
adjacent to and abutting a bottom side edge of the second adjacent
element. With this arrangement, the rows are staggered so that the
arcuate depression 43 of one carton element is adjacent to an apex
44 or 44' of a carton element in an adjacent row. This staggered
arrangement of rows is used to reduce scrap.
[0025] As illustrated in FIGS. 4-7 a two-piece food scoop and
serving container 70 in accordance with the present invention
includes an upwardly tapered frusto-conicle shaped upper or wall
portion 72 and a closed bottom 74. The upwardly tapered frusto or
conicle portion 72 includes the arcuate depression 43 which forms
an open front portion of the container 70. The frusto-conicle
portion 72 also includes appexes 44 and 44' which are joined
together at the overlapping sides 46 and 48 to thereby provide a
reinforced section along a bottom side of a scoop from a leading
edge 46 of the scoop to the bottom 74. This leading edge 46 of the
scoop also serves as a back of the serving container which provides
ready access to the food container through the front portion
thereof.
[0026] The bottom structure of the container 70 is shown more
clearly in FIG. 8 and may be of any conventional design for a base
in cups or the like. The design of a base structure may be of a
conventional design and can be manufactured using conventional
techniques which will be well understood of persons of ordinary
skill in the art. As shown in FIG. 8, a base structure includes a
bottom disc 80 having a downwardly extending skirt portion 82 which
is joined with a U-shaped portion 84 at the bottom of the
frusto-conicle portion or wall 72. With this construction, the
container 70 rests on the bottom of the U-shaped wall with a disc
80 elevated slightly above the bottom of the U-shaped wall.
[0027] While the invention has been described in connection with
the preferred embodiments, changes in modification may be made
therein without departing from the scope of the appended
claims.
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