U.S. patent application number 10/803441 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-22 for storage container with cutting surface therein.
Invention is credited to Leibowitz, Marc.
Application Number | 20050205572 10/803441 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34985123 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050205572 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Leibowitz, Marc |
September 22, 2005 |
Storage container with cutting surface therein
Abstract
A covered food storage container having a food cutting board
surface therein, includes a food storage container defining an open
top and a cover unit including a cover, configured and dimensioned
to close the open top, and a food cutting board surface, removably
secured to the cover for movement therewith as a unit. The cover
unit is movable between a covering orientation wherein the cutting
board surface is disposed entirely within the covered container,
and a cutting board orientation enabling cutting on the cutting
board surface.
Inventors: |
Leibowitz, Marc; (Syosset,
NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
AMSTER, ROTHSTEIN & EBENSTEIN LLP
90 PARK AVENUE
NEW YORK
NY
10016
US
|
Family ID: |
34985123 |
Appl. No.: |
10/803441 |
Filed: |
March 18, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/212 ;
220/574 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J 47/08 20130101;
B65D 51/24 20130101; A47J 47/005 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/212 ;
220/574 |
International
Class: |
B65D 051/24; A47G
019/00 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A covered food storage container having a food cutting board
surface therein, the covered container comprising: (A) a food
storage container defining an open top; and (B) a cover unit
including (a) a cover configured and dimensioned to close said open
top; and (b) a food cutting board surface secured to said cover for
movement therewith as a unit; said cover unit being movable between
(i) a covering orientation wherein said cover is removably secured
to said container to close said open top thereof, with said cutting
board surface being disposed entirely within the covered container,
and (ii) a cutting board orientation wherein said cover is removed
from said container so as to expose said open top thereof and
inverted so as to enable cutting on said cutting board surface.
2. The covered container of claim 1 wherein said container and said
cover are formed of a first plastic, and said cutting board surface
is formed of a material harder than said first plastic.
3. The covered container of claim 1 wherein said cutting board
surface is manually separable from said cover.
4. The covered container of claim 1 wherein said cover additionally
defines spout means extending from adjacent said cutting board
surface to a location remotely spaced from said cover to facilitate
manual movement of cut food from said cutting board surface a
remote location.
5. The covered container of claim 1 wherein said cover defines
inwardly extending lips, and said cutting board surface defines
peripheral recesses configured and dimensioned to releasably
receive said lips.
6. The covered container of claim 1 wherein said cover additionally
defines inwardly extending lips extending below and overlapping
said cutting board surface.
7. The covered container of claim 1 wherein said cutting board
surface is more rigid than said cover.
8. A covered food storage container having a food cutting board
surface therein, the covered container comprising: (A) a food
storage container defining an open top; and (B) a cover unit
including (a) a cover configured and dimensioned to close said open
top; and (b) a food cutting board surface releasably secured to
said cover for movement therewith as a unit; said cover unit being
movable between (i) a covering orientation wherein said cover is
removably secured to said container to close said open top thereof,
with said cutting board surface being disposed entirely within the
covered container, and (ii) a cutting board orientation wherein
said cover is removed from said container so as to expose said open
top thereof and inverted so as to enable cutting on said cutting
board surface; said container and said cover being formed of a
first plastic, and said cutting board surface being formed of a
material harder than said first plastic; said cover additionally
defining spout means extending from adjacent said cutting board
surface to a location remotely spaced therefrom to facilitate
manual movement of cut food from said cutting board surface to a
remote location.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a covered food storage
container, and more particularly to such a container having a food
cutting board surface therein.
[0002] Covered food storage containers are commonplace items and
are available in a variety of different sizes and shapes, including
circular, oval, rectangular and other polygonal configurations. The
cover container simply comprises a food storage container defining
an open top and a removable cover configured and dimensioned to
close the open top. The cover is movably between a covering
orientation wherein the cover is removably secured to the container
to cover the open top thereof and a removed orientation wherein the
cover is removed from the container to expose the open top thereof
so that food may pass therethrough into or out of the
container.
[0003] Frequently, the food being stored within the covered
container will require cutting (e.g., slicing, dicing, comminuting
and the like) prior to being consumed. Preferably such cutting is
performed on a food cutting board to avoid damage to the cutting
utensils (e.g., knife) or the substrate on which the cutting is to
be performed (e.g., a counter or tabletop). This can present a
problem where the space on the counter or tabletop is limited and
does not readily accommodate the combined footprints of the
container, the removed cover, and the cutting board. Further, time
must be taken to locate an appropriate cutting board and position
it on the counter for cutting thereon. Indeed, if the cutting board
has been recently been used for food other than that in the
container, it is desirable to first thoroughly clean the cutting
board to avoid any mixing of the flavors of such food (let alone
bacteria) with those of the food in the container.
[0004] Further, the cutting board surface is typically planar
(except perhaps for a handle) and thus does not lend itself to a
clean and easy transfer of the food cut thereon to a location
remote therefrom.
[0005] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide, in a preferred embodiment, a covered food storage
container having associated therewith a food cutting board surface
which does not require any footprint on the counter space beyond
that required by the removed cover itself.
[0006] Another object to provide such a container wherein, in a
preferred embodiment, the cutting board surface is secured to the
cover for movement therewith as a unit, yet is readily manually
separable from the cover--for example, for cleaning purposes.
[0007] A further object is to provide such a container including,
in a preferred embodiment, spout means on the cover for
facilitating the manual movement of cut food from the cutting board
surface to a remote location.
[0008] It is also an object of the present invention to provide
such a container which, in a preferred embodiment, is simple and
easy to manufacture, use and maintain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] It has now been found that the above and related objects of
the present invention are obtained in a covered food storage
container having a food cutting board surface associated with the
cover thereof. The covered container comprises (a) a food storage
container defining an open top and (b) a cover unit including (i) a
cover configured and dimensioned to close the open top, and (ii) a
food cutting board surface removably secured to the cover for
movement therewith as a unit. The cover unit is movable between a
covering orientation, wherein the cover is removably secured to the
container to close the open top thereof, with the cutting board
surface being disposed entirely within the covered container, and a
cutting board orientation, wherein the cover is removed from the
container so as to expose the open top thereof and enable cutting
of food on the cutting board surface.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment the container and the cover are
formed of a first plastic, and the cutting board surface is formed
of a material harder than the first plastic. Preferably the cutting
board surface is readily manually separable from the cover.
[0011] The cover preferably additionally defines spout means
extending from adjacent the cutting board surface to a location
remotely spaced therefrom to facilitate manual movement of cut food
from the cutting board surface to a remote location.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0012] The objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will be more fully understood by reference to the
following detailed description of the presently preferred, albeit
illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein;
[0013] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a generally rectangular covered
container;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;
[0015] FIGS. 3 and 4 are end elevational views thereof;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the cover unit in an
inverted and removed cutting board orientation;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line
6-6 of FIG. 5;
[0018] FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a generally circular covered
container;
[0019] FIG. 8 is a side elevational view thereof;
[0020] FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the cover unit thereof
in an inverted and removed cutting board orientation.
[0021] FIG. 10 is an exploded isometric view of a cover unit of a
variant of the generally rectangular covered unit;
[0022] FIG. 11 is a bottom plan view thereof;
[0023] FIG. 12 is a top plan view thereof;
[0024] FIGS. 13 and 14 are side and end elevational views thereof,
respectively;
[0025] FIG. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line
15-15 of FIG. 11;
[0026] FIG. 16 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partially in
section, showing cut food being manually moved from the cutting
board surface into the container; and
[0027] FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken along the line 17-17 of
FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0028] Referring now to the drawing, and in particular to FIGS. 1-6
and 16-17 thereof, therein illustrated is a first embodiment of a
covered food storage container according to the present invention,
generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The covered
container 10 is of generally rectangular configuration in plan
although alternatively it may be of other configurations such as
circular (see FIGS. 7-9), oval or of other polygonal design in
plan.
[0029] The covered container 10 comprises a food storage container,
generally designated 12, defining an open top 14 as best seen in
FIG. 16. The sidewall 16 of the container may be straight or bent
and preferably defines an outwardly and downwardly extending ledge
18 to preclude slippage of the container 12 from a user's hand and
facilitate separation of the cover from the container 12. The
interior of container 12 may define a single open food storage
compartment bounded by sidewall 16 or be subdivided into a
plurality of smaller compartments by partitions 19.
[0030] The covered container 10 additionally comprises a cover
unit, generally designated 20, best seen in its removed and
inverted cutting board orientation in FIG. 16. The cover unit 20
includes a cover 24 configured and dimensioned to cover, and
thereby close, the container open top 14. Adjacent its periphery
the cover 24 defines an open bottom grooved portion 26 configured
and dimensioned to releasably receive and resiliently grasp therein
the top portion of container sidewall 16 (above ledge 18). The
cover unit 20 further includes a food cutting board 30 removably
secured to the cover 24 for movement therewith as a unit. The
cutting board 30 has a surface 32 available for cutting of food
thereon when the cover unit 20 is removed from the container 12 and
inverted so that the cover 24 rests on a counter or tabletop 25, as
best illustrated in FIG. 16.
[0031] More particularly, the cutting board 30 is disposed, at
least partially, within a recess formed by the undersurface of
cover 24, with portions of the peripheral edges of the cutting
board 30 being received within an interior peripheral groove of the
cover 24. Preferably, the bottom surface of cover 24 defines
inwardly extending tabs or lips 40 (one or more lips 40 at each
short end and two or more lips 40 on each long side) which extend
beneath corresponding marginal edge portions 38 of the cutting
board 30 to releasably secure the cutting board 30 and the cover 24
together for movement as a unit. The cover 24 is preferably
resiliently flexible such that it can be bent as necessary to
accommodate the ready manual insertion and/or removal of the
cutting board 30 therefrom, thereby to permit separate washing of
the cutting board 30 and the cover 24 if desired.
[0032] The cover unit 20 is movable between the covering
orientation (illustrated in FIGS. 1-3), wherein the cover 24 is
removably secured to the container 12 to close the open top 14
thereof, and a cutting board orientation (illustrated in FIG. 16),
wherein the cover 24 is removed from the container 12 so as to
expose the open top 14 thereof. In the covering orientation, the
cutting board surface 32 is disposed entirely within the covered
container 10, but in the cutting board orientation, the cover unit
20 is separated therefrom and inverted so as to enable the cutting
of food on the cutting board surface 32 thus exposed.
[0033] The container 12 and the cover 24 are preferably formed of a
first plastic, while the cutting board surface 32 (and typically
the entire cutting board 30) is formed of a material harder than
the first plastic and more suitable for cutting (e.g., wood or a
second harder plastic) so that food may be cut thereon. The first
plastic may be opaque, but is preferably transparent, translucent
or tinted, as desired, to enable at least partial viewing of the
contents of the container 12 without removal of the cover 24 from
the container 12.
[0034] The cover 24 may additional define spout means 50 curving
upwardly and outwardly from adjacent the cutting board surface 32
to a location remotely spaced from the cover. As illustrated by the
arrows of FIG. 16, this facilitates manual movement of cut food F
from the cutting board surface 32 of the inverted cover 24 (shown
resting on a counter 25) to a remote location (illustrated as the
container 12).
[0035] Referring now to FIGS. 7-9 in particular, therein
illustrated is a circular second embodiment of the present
invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 10'. The
circular covered container 10' of the second embodiment is composed
of elements similar to the rectangular covered container 10 of the
first embodiment, except for the absence of any spout means 50.
Accordingly, similar elements of the circular embodiment 10' have
the same numbers as the corresponding elements of the rectangular
embodiment 10.
[0036] For a small circular embodiment 10' four or less
equidistantly spaced lips 40 extending inwardly from the inner
circumference of the cover 24 are typically sufficient, although a
greater number of lips 40 may be preferred for larger circular
embodiments.
[0037] Referring now to FIGS. 10-15 in particular, therein
illustrated is a variant of the first embodiment 10, generally
designated by the reference numeral 10". The variant 10" is similar
to the first embodiment 10, except in the following respects:
[0038] 1. There is no spout corresponding to spout means 50.
[0039] 2. Instead of a single lip 40 at each short end, there are
two such lips 40 on each short end.
[0040] 3. Instead of the lips 40 extending under the underside of
the cutting board 30 (as best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6), the lips 40
extend into respective recesses 100 formed in each peripheral
sidewall of the cutting board 30 (as best seen in FIG. 10 and
15).
[0041] 4. Thus, in variant 10' there are two recesses 100 on each
short end of the cutting board 30 and three recesses 100 along each
long side of the cutting board 30. Each recess 100 is configured
and dimensioned to receive a corresponding one of the lips 40 so
that the cutting board 30 is firmly held by the cover 22 during
normal use, but is readily manually removable therefrom--for
example, by flexing of the cover 22 relative to the more rigid
cutting board 30.
[0042] Cumulatively the three embodiments illustrate that the
containers 10, 10', 10" may vary in configuration (i.e., be
rectangular, circular or of other configuration), the spout means
50 is optional, the number of lips 40 may be varied (e.g., with the
size or configuration of the cutting board 30), etc. The method of
engagement between the cover 24 and the cutting board 30 may also
be varied (e.g., the engagement of embodiments 10, 10' being
visible and the engagement of embodiment 10" being hidden or
concealed). The use of a "hidden" engagement between the cover 24
and the cutting board 30 (that is, the use of lips 40 and recesses
100) is not simply for aesthetic purposes, however, but to maximize
the useful area of the cutting board surface 32 and to minimize
potential accidents which might occur when a knife 40 being used to
cut food on the cutting board surface 32 suddenly encounters an
overlapping lip 40.
[0043] To summarize, the present invention provides a covered food
storage container having associated therewith a food cutting board
surface which does not require any footprint on the counter space
beyond that required by the removed cover itself. The cutting board
surface is removably secured to the cover for movement therewith as
a unit, yet is preferably readily manually separable from the
cover--for example, for cleaning purposes. Spout means are provided
on the cover for facilitating the manual movement of cut food from
the cutting board surface to a remote location. The container is
simple and easy to manufacture, use and maintain.
[0044] Now that the preferred embodiments of the present invention
have been shown and described in detail, various modifications and
improvement thereon will become readily apparent to those skilled
in the art. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the present
invention is to be construed broadly and limited only by the
appended claims, and not by the foregoing specification.
* * * * *