U.S. patent application number 11/419850 was filed with the patent office on 2007-11-29 for container article.
This patent application is currently assigned to CONOPCO, INC., D/B/A UNILEVER, CONOPCO, INC., D/B/A UNILEVER. Invention is credited to Tiziano Joseph Bellon.
Application Number | 20070272580 11/419850 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38748533 |
Filed Date | 2007-11-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070272580 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bellon; Tiziano Joseph |
November 29, 2007 |
CONTAINER ARTICLE
Abstract
A container article is described, designed for a deformable food
composition, comprised of: a bowl-shaped body having a generally
planar base; said base having substantially circular bottom panel
with a slightly elevated center portion; said body further
comprising a depending sidewall integral with said base, thereby
defining a cavity therein; said sidewall being tapered, with the
bottom cross-sectional diameter being smaller that the top
cross-sectional diameter, said sidewall terminating in a lip;
wherein said lip is a convex flange having a substantially flat
seal surface extending outwardly in a plane generally parallel to
the plane of said base, and further comprising at least two arcuate
outer rib sidewall sections that surround the top portion of said
bowl sidewall discontinuously so as to form handles at the
discontinuities.
Inventors: |
Bellon; Tiziano Joseph; (New
Milford, CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
UNILEVER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY GROUP
700 SYLVAN AVENUE,, BLDG C2 SOUTH
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS
NJ
07632-3100
US
|
Assignee: |
CONOPCO, INC., D/B/A
UNILEVER
Englewood Cliffs
NJ
|
Family ID: |
38748533 |
Appl. No.: |
11/419850 |
Filed: |
May 23, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/515 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 21/0233 20130101;
B65D 25/2897 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/515 |
International
Class: |
B65D 21/00 20060101
B65D021/00 |
Claims
1. An article of manufacture comprising a container comprising: a
bowl-shaped body having a generally planar base; said base having
substantially circular bottom panel with a slightly elevated center
portion; said body further comprising a depending sidewall integral
with said base, thereby defining a cavity therein; said sidewall
being tapered, with the bottom cross-sectional diameter being
smaller that the top cross-sectional diameter, said sidewall
terminating in a lip; wherein said lip is a convex flange having a
substantially flat seal surface extending outwardly in a plane
generally parallel to the plane of said base; and further
comprising at least two arcuate outer rib sidewall sections that
surround the top portion of said bowl sidewall discontinuously so
as to form handles at the discontinuities.
2. The article according to claim 1 wherein said container has a
bowl-shaped body for receiving a liquid or semi-solid, deformable
savory food or vegetable oil containing food composition.
3. The article according to claim 1 wherein said sidewall is
tapered, with the bottom cross-sectional diameter being smaller
that the top cross-sectional diameter, preferably having an angle
relative to the vertical axis of about 5 to about 30 degrees, with
a height (or cavity depth) of about 2 to about 4 inches.
4. The article according to claim 1 wherein said substantially
semi-circular ribs are provided so as to fill in the empty space
within said convex flange with the plastic material of the
container, resulting in an outer rib sidewall section that may be
substantially perpendicular to the plane of base.
5. The article according to claim 1 wherein where said ribs are
discontinuous in surrounding the top sidewall, said handles are
formed by the empty space within the convex flange.
6. The article according to claim 1 wherein when two said ribs are
provided, said ribs are situated symmetrically opposite, thereby
forming two handles that are symmetrically opposite.
7. The article according to claim 1 having than two said handles
formed by a plurality of said discontinuities in said ribs.
8. The article according to claim 1 wherein said container is
variable in size.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] A container article having a bowl shape. In particular, a
bowl shaped article for holding foods that take the shape of the
container.
[0003] 2. The Related Art
[0004] A variety of food containers have been on the market for
many years, such as the COUNTRY CROCK product available from
Unilever, for example. Further efforts have been made for container
design, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,767,878.
[0005] Certain shortcomings in the commercially available articles
containing food compositions have been found. For example, it is
desirable to provide the container with handles, especially for
easy and safe handling of hot foods.
[0006] Accordingly, it would be desirable to have an improved
bowl-shaped container that is light weight, thus less expensive,
and rigid at the same time while being provided with handles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] A container article is described, designed for a deformable
food composition, comprised of: [0008] a bowl-shaped body having a
generally planar base; [0009] said base having substantially
circular bottom panel with a slightly elevated center portion;
[0010] said body further comprising a depending sidewall integral
with said base, thereby defining a cavity therein; [0011] said
sidewall being tapered, with the bottom cross-sectional diameter
being smaller that the top cross-sectional diameter, [0012] said
sidewall terminating in a lip; [0013] wherein said lip is a convex
flange having a substantially flat seal surface extending outwardly
in a plane generally parallel to the plane of said base; [0014] and
further comprising at least two arcuate outer rib sidewall sections
that surround the top portion of said bowl sidewall discontinuously
so as to form handles at the discontinuities.
[0015] The article is stackable. The article is rigid while having
thin walls.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] Further features and advantages of the present invention are
described in the accompanying drawings in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container article
according to the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of stacked container
articles;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the container article according
to the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the circled
portion of FIG. 2 (the handle portion);
[0021] FIG. 5 is a detailed cross-sectional view through section
2-2 of FIG. 2 (the rib portion);
[0022] FIG. 6 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the circled of
FIG. 2 (the stack shoulder);
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] The present invention is based in part on, although not
limited to, the discovery that consumers prefer a bowl-shaped
container for deformable foods that contain a handle for easier
handling, especially of hot foods. A light weight and economical
design is desired by consumers and manufacturers. Also, the
provision of a handle leads to rigidity problems with the
container, which are ameliorated according to the present invention
by provision of a rib around the container and between the handles
to provide rigidity to the container.
[0024] The container is made of any semi-rigid plastic material.
Semi-rigid as it refers to the container structure according to the
present invention is one that maintains its shape under a normal
load, e.g. containing savory food products or spreads which take
the form of the container when placed within the cavity of the bowl
and which may be heated, but which container may be flexed upon the
application of additional force.
[0025] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, showing the article
according to the present invention, a container 10 includes
bowl-shaped body 12 for receiving a liquid or semi-solid,
deformable savory food or vegetable oil containing food
composition. Bowl-shaped body 12 has a generally planar base 14,
base 14 having substantially circular bottom panel 16 with a
slightly elevated center portion 18, with a depending sidewall 20
integral with base 14 defining a cavity 22. Sidewall 20 is tapered,
with the bottom cross-sectional diameter being smaller that the top
cross-sectional diameter, preferably having an angle relative to
the vertical axis of about 5 to about 30 degrees, with a height (or
cavity depth) of about 2 to about 4 inches.
[0026] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 4, sidewall 10 terminates in
lip 24, which is a convex flange having a substantially flat seal
surface 26 extending outwardly in a plane generally parallel to the
plane of base 14.
[0027] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 5, substantially semi-circular
hoops or ribs 28 are provided so as to fill in the empty space
within the convex flange (referred to above with) the plastic
material of the container, resulting in an outer rib sidewall
section 30 that may be substantially perpendicular to the plane of
base 14. Conversely, where ribs 28 are discontinuous in surrounding
the top sidewall 20, handles 32 are formed by the empty space
within the convex flange (as shown in FIG. 4). Preferably, when two
ribs 28 are provided, they are situated symmetrically opposite, so
that two handles 32 are symmetrically opposite. More than two
handles 32 may be created by making additional discontinuities in
ribs 28, and sidewall section 30 may assume a different suitable
shape.
[0028] With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, ribs 28 preferably
further include stack shoulders 34 that are vertical projecting
segments spaced along the length of ribs 28. The stacking is
illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0029] Sidewall 20 may be smooth or have a textured imprint 36
thereon (not shown). Preferably, container 10 is provided with a
seal film 38 (not shown) to adhere to seal surface 26. Preferably,
the seal film is a peel-away film which is easily pulled or torn
away when being separated from the substrate, i.e., seal surface
26. Additionally, a lid 40 (not shown) may be provided to cover
container 10 with or without seal film 38.
[0030] Container 10 may be made of any rigid plastic material, such
as acetal, which is suitable for direct food contact, particularly
hot food contact. Preferably, the plastic permits formation of
container 10 that is optimally thin-walled while sufficiently thick
and rigid to support the food placed therein as a single container
10 and during stacking of multiple containers 10. Container 10 is
preferably injection molded.
[0031] In Use. Use of container article 10 occurs in the following
manner. Container articles 10 are stored in a stacked configuration
as shown in FIG. 2 during transport or storage either empty or
filled with deformable food. Container articles 10 are sufficiently
rigid to withstand the downward pressure that is applied against
container 10 when stacked, and especially when filled with
food.
[0032] A consumer will remove any lid 40 that may cover container
article 10, followed by easily peeling away seal film 38 from seal
surface 26. The food may be consumed cold or hot directly from
container article 10. Article 10 with savory or vegetable oil food
composition is held by hand by way of handles 32, especially when
hot.
[0033] Composition. Savory or vegetable oil containing composition
preferably is a food product, such as, for example, salad, hot
meal, or vegetable spread. Ingredients may include edible vegetable
oil, water, and food grade acids such as citric acid or acetic
acid. Further ingredients may include, but are not limited to,
preservatives, flavors, fragrances, thickeners, sugar, and salt.
The vegetable oils can be any food grade liquid oil, including but
not limited to soybean oil, olive oil, canola oil, corn oil,
sunflower seed oil, and rapeseed oil. The vegetable oils may be
saturated or unsaturated, however, non-hydrogenated oils are
preferred. The viscosity of the compositions may be adjusted to
suit a particular product and to work with a particular dispenser
variation. Preferably, the food composition is such that it takes
the form of the container upon filling.
[0034] Except in the operating and comparative examples, or where
otherwise explicitly indicated, all numbers in this description
indicating amounts of material ought to be understood as modified
by the word "about".
[0035] The term "comprising" is meant not to be limiting to any
subsequently stated elements but rather to encompass non-specified
elements of major or minor functional importance. In other words
the listed steps, elements or options need not be exhaustive.
Whenever the words "including" or "having" are used, these terms
are meant to be equivalent to "comprising" as defined above.
EXAMPLE 1
[0036] A study was conducted to evaluate the rigidity of container
10.
[0037] The test method for measuring rigidity involved the
following procedure. Containers 10 were placed on top of a rigidity
plate and compressed until a deflection of 0.5 inches was reached.
The Table below outlines the test parameters in terms of maximum
force (kg). It was found that container 10 withstood the stresses
of this test.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1A Parts were allowed to rise in fixture
ZT60329CP1P1 T51328CP1 3.156 2.006 3.386 1.846 3.276 1.718 3.888
1.218 3.996 1.874 3.806 1.530 3.688 1.542 3.890 1.766 4.128 1.554
3.638 1.806 Average 3.685 1.686
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 1B Parts were not allowed to rise in fixture
ZT60329CP1P1 T51328CP1 4.624 3.520 4.548 3.580 4.466 3.444 4.442
3.832 4.530 3.726 4.170 4.026 4.246 3.718 4.645 3.914 4.018 3.416
4.378 3.242 Average 4.407 3.642
[0038] While the present invention has been described herein with
some specificity, and with reference to certain preferred
embodiments thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will
recognize numerous variations, modifications and substitutions of
that which has been described which can be made, and which are
within the scope and spirit of the invention. It is intended that
all of these modifications and variations be within the scope of
the present invention as described and claimed herein, and that the
invention be limited only by the scope of the claims which follow,
and that such claims be interpreted as broadly as is reasonable.
Throughout this application, various publications have been cited.
The entireties of each of these publications are hereby
incorporated by reference herein.
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