U.S. patent application number 12/060366 was filed with the patent office on 2009-10-01 for membrane-type vented food box.
Invention is credited to Kai-Cheng HUANG.
Application Number | 20090242579 12/060366 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41115571 |
Filed Date | 2009-10-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090242579 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HUANG; Kai-Cheng |
October 1, 2009 |
MEMBRANE-TYPE VENTED FOOD BOX
Abstract
The present invention provides a membrane-type vented food box,
including a bottom wall, side walls, an accommodating space and
opening on top of the side wall. A membrane is adhered onto the
joint surface of the opening, and air vents are opened on at least
two opposite sides of the side wall of the box. The spacing between
the bottom of air vents and the bottom wall must be bigger than 1
cm, and air flows transversely across the food box, so the
superimposed food box may not affect air ventilation, thus
providing an optimum air ventilation effect. Thanks to a spacing
bigger than 1 cm between the bottom of air vent and the bottom
wall, the steam generated by food in the accommodating space can be
easily discharged, thus providing a better preservative effect with
improved applicability.
Inventors: |
HUANG; Kai-Cheng; (Yuanlin
Township, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
EGBERT LAW OFFICES
412 MAIN STREET, 7TH FLOOR
HOUSTON
TX
77002
US
|
Family ID: |
41115571 |
Appl. No.: |
12/060366 |
Filed: |
April 1, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/745 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2205/02 20130101;
B65D 85/34 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/745 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/34 20060101
B65D025/34 |
Claims
1. A membrane-type vented food box, comprising: a box, having a
bottom wall, a framed side wall, an accommodating space formed by
said bottom wall, and a side wall, said side wall having a top with
an opening; a membrane, sealed onto a joint surface of said opening
of the box; and air vents opened on at least two opposite sides of
said side wall of said box; wherein spacing between the bottom of
air vents and the bottom wall must be bigger than 1 cm.
2. The food box defined in claim 1, wherein said air vents are
arranged vertically or transversely or obliquely into holes.
3. The food box defined in claim 1, wherein said membrane adheres
onto the joint surface of said opening of box.
4. The food box defined in claim 1, wherein said side wall of the
box can be designed into a quadrilateral, cylindrical and polygonal
shapes.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not applicable.
NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT
[0003] Not applicable.
REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON COMPACT DISC
[0004] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] 1. Field of the Invention
[0006] The present invention relates generally to a food box, and
more particularly to an innovative food box with a membrane-vented
structure.
[0007] 2. Description of Related Art Including Information
Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
[0008] Some vegetable boxes (e.g. cherry and tomato) currently
available are generally formed with air vents to avoid
deterioration of vegetables in the confined space. The air vents of
a typical food box are often opened at the top and bottom of the
box.
[0009] However, the following shortcomings are observed during
actual applications. If a plurality of food boxes are superimposed,
air vents on the top and bottom are aligned correspondingly, thus
blocking off the ventilation path and affecting air permeability.
If aforementioned air vents are opened on the top and bottom of a
membrane-type food box, the strength of the box will be highly
affected since the opening of the cover is sealed by the membrane.
Hence, this structure isn't suitable for a membrane-type food
box.
[0010] Thus, to overcome the aforementioned problems of the prior
art, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an improved
structure that can significantly improve efficacy.
[0011] Therefore, the inventor has provided the present invention
of practicability after deliberate design and evaluation based on
years of experience in the production, development and design of
related products.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Based upon the innovation of the present invention, air
vents are opened on at least two opposite sides of the side wall of
the box. Air flows transversely across the food box, so the
superimposed food box may not affect air ventilation, enabling the
membrane-type food box to yield an optimum air ventilation
effect.
[0013] Since air vents are opened on the side wall of the box, and
also located at a higher position on the side wall of an
accommodating space due to a spacing bigger than 1 cm between the
bottom of air vent and the bottom wall, the steam generated by food
in the accommodating space can be easily discharged, thus providing
a better preservative effect with improved applicability.
[0014] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its
preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other
possible modifications and variations can be made without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter
claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 2 shows an assembled perspective view of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 3 shows a side elevation view of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 4 shows another side elevation view of the operation of
the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 5 shows another side elevation view of an air vent of
the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the air vent of the
present invention.
[0021] FIG. 7 shows another perspective view of the membrane joint
surface of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 8 shows still another perspective view of a side wall
of the food box of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] The features and the advantages of the present invention
will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of
the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the
present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0024] FIGS. 1-3 depict preferred embodiments of a membrane-type
vented food box of the present invention. These embodiments are
only provided for explanatory purposes with respect to the patent
claims.
[0025] The food box A comprises a box 10, including a bottom wall
11, a framed side wall 12, an accommodating space 13 formed by the
bottom wall 11 and side wall 12, and an opening 14 on top of the
side wall 12. A membrane 20 is sealed onto the joint surface 15 of
the opening 14 of the box 10 (shown in FIG. 2). Air vents 30 are
opened on at least two opposite sides of the side wall 12 of the
box 10. Referring to FIG. 1, air vents 30 are opened on four side
walls 12 of the box 10. Moreover, referring to FIG. 3, the spacing
W between the bottom of air vents 30 and the bottom wall 11 must be
bigger than 1 cm.
[0026] Based upon above-specified structures, the membrane-type
vented food box A of the present invention is operated as shown in
FIG. 4, wherein the food box A contains food 40, and two food boxes
A are superimposed. It can be seen that, since air vents 30 are
opened at two opposite sides of the side wall 12 of the box 10, the
path of air flow is shown by arrow L, indicating air flows
transversely across the food box A. So, the superimposed food box A
cannot affect air permeability. Furthermore, since air vents are 30
opened on the side wall 12 of the box 10, and also located at
higher position on the side wall of accommodating space 13 due to a
spacing bigger than 1 cm between the bottom 31 of air vent 30 and
the bottom wall 11, the steam generated by food 40 in the
accommodating space 13 can be easily discharged (evaporation
direction of steam is from down to up).
[0027] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, air vents 30 are arranged vertically
into long holes, or referring also to FIG. 5, air vents 30B are
arranged transversely into long holes. In addition, said air vents
are also arranged obliquely into long, circular, square and polygon
holes or other holes of any optional shape, all of which are
implemented by means of punching dies.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 6, air vents 30 of the food box A are only
opened at two opposite side walls 12 of the box 10.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 2, said membrane 20 could be adhered onto
the entire joint surface 15 of the opening 14 of the box 10 (e.g.
thermal laminating). Referring also to FIG. 7, the membrane 20
could be adhered onto a portion of the joint surface 15 of the
opening 14 of the box 10, of which the section B not adhered can
also yield air ventilation effect for tearing off the membrane
20.
[0030] The side wall 12 of the box 10 can also be designed into a
quadrilateral shape (shown in FIG. 1); or the side wall 12B of the
box 10B can be designed into a cylindrical shape (shown in FIG. 8).
Additionally, the side wall can be designed into other polygon
shapes.
[0031] Additionally, the box 10 of said food box A can be made of
several materials, such as: Polyproylene (PP), Polyethylene
Terephthalate (PET) and poly lactic acid (PLA).
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