U.S. patent application number 15/680979 was filed with the patent office on 2019-02-21 for container for protecting baked goods.
The applicant listed for this patent is Inline Plastics Corp.. Invention is credited to Roman D'Alessandro, Sameh Guirguis, Steve Introne, Victor Ivenitsky, Herb Knuston, Daniel A. Landan.
Application Number | 20190055081 15/680979 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 65360221 |
Filed Date | 2019-02-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20190055081 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Guirguis; Sameh ; et
al. |
February 21, 2019 |
CONTAINER FOR PROTECTING BAKED GOODS
Abstract
Disclosed is a container for protecting baked goods during
shipment that includes, among other elements, a lid and a base. The
base includes a plurality of wells and interconnected posts. Each
well is adapted for supporting a baked good during shipment. The
interconnected posts are formed in the base and extend upwardly
from a base bottom. Each post is positioned adjacent to four of the
wells and includes a retainer element that is positioned proximate
an upper end of the post and adapted to positively capture baked
goods in each of the four adjacent wells.
Inventors: |
Guirguis; Sameh; (Milford,
CT) ; Ivenitsky; Victor; (Milford, CT) ;
Landan; Daniel A.; (Oxford, CT) ; D'Alessandro;
Roman; (Brookfield, CT) ; Introne; Steve;
(Oxford, CT) ; Knuston; Herb; (Waterbury,
CT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Inline Plastics Corp. |
Shelton |
CT |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
65360221 |
Appl. No.: |
15/680979 |
Filed: |
August 18, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 43/162 20130101;
B65D 51/245 20130101; B65D 85/36 20130101; B65D 1/36 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65D 85/36 20060101
B65D085/36; B65D 1/36 20060101 B65D001/36; B65D 43/16 20060101
B65D043/16; B65D 51/24 20060101 B65D051/24 |
Claims
1-12. (canceled)
13. A method of forming a container for protecting baked goods,
comprising: a) providing a sheet of plastic material that is at
least partially transparent; b) forming a cover portion from a
portion of the sheet of plastic material, wherein the cover portion
includes a planar upper surface; and c) forming a base portion from
a portion of the sheet which includes a plurality of wells and a
plurality of interconnected posts, each well adapted for supporting
a baked good; and the interconnected posts are formed in the base
and extend upwardly from a base bottom, each post being positioned
adjacent four of the wells and including a retainer element
positioned proximate an upper end of the post and adapted to
positively capture baked goods in each of the four adjacent
wells.
14. The method as recited in claim 13, further including the step
of: forming a hinge from a portion of the sheet joining the cover
portion with the base portion, and wherein the cover portion, base
portion, and hinge are unitarily formed from the sheet of plastic
material.
15. A container for protecting baked goods during shipment,
comprising: a lid; and a base that includes a main body portion and
an upper peripheral rim, the main body portion defining a plurality
of wells and a plurality of interconnected posts, each well adapted
for supporting a baked good; and wherein the plurality of
interconnected posts extend upwardly from a base bottom, each post
being positioned adjacent four of the wells and having a post
height equal a height of the upper peripheral rim of the base so as
to limit rotational movement of the baked goods.
16. (canceled)
17. The container as recited in claim 15, wherein the baked good is
a cupcake with baking liner and the post height for each post is
greater than a height of the baking liner.
18. The container as recited in claim 15, wherein each post
includes a retainer element which projects from the post and is
positioned proximate an upper end of the post and arranged to
restrain axial movement of the baked goods in each of the four
adjacent wells.
19. The container as recited in claim 18, wherein the retainer
element associated with the upper end of each post includes four
ribs spaced around the periphery of the post, each rib projecting
horizontally outward from the post over one of the adjacent
wells.
20. The container as recited in claim 15, wherein the lid includes
a planar upper surface for supporting a product label.
21. The container as recited in claim 15, wherein the lid includes
a plurality of downwardly projecting spacer elements which extend
from the upper planar surface and engage the upper surface of a
corresponding post element.
22. The container as recited in claim 15, wherein the lid is
connected to the base through a hinge element to form a unitary
structure.
23. The container as recited in claim 15, wherein the number of
wells "W" is defined by the formula W=R.times.C wherein "R" equals
the number of well rows and "C" equals the number or well
columns.
24. The container as recited in claim 23, wherein the number of
posts "P" formed in the base is defined by the formula,
P=(R-1).times.(C-1).
25. The container as recited in claim 15, wherein the upper surface
of each well that is formed around a perimeter of the base includes
at least two horizontally projecting retaining ledge.
26. The container as recited in claim 15, wherein the upper surface
of each well that is formed in a corner of the base includes three
retaining ledges.
27. The container as recited in claim 18, wherein the baked good is
a cupcake that has a cake portion and a decorative crown and the
retaining element is positioned to positively capture an upper edge
of the cake portion.
28. The container as recited in claim 18, wherein the baked good is
a cupcake which is contained in a baking liner and the retaining
element extends over an upper edge of the baking liner to
positively capture the cupcake.
29. The container as recited in claim 15, wherein a recess is
provided between interconnected posts to facilitate removal of
baked goods from the wells.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0001] The subject disclosure relates to containers for protecting
baked goods, and more particularly to containers that include a lid
and a base and have a retainer elements formed in the base for
restricting the movement of the baked goods when the container is
closed and preventing damage during shipment.
2. Background of the Related Art
[0002] Baked goods, such as cupcakes and the like, typically
include two elements: a main body that is usually baked from a
composition of flour and other ingredients and a decorative crown.
The crown is usually deposited on the main body although it can be
added before or even during the baking process. However, the crown
is usually more delicate and can be easily distorted if it is
touched by a person or material, or if the cupcake falls on its
side or upside down. Very often the crown can be made of frosting,
whipped topping, soft cream or other similar, often pasty or
semi-liquid compositions.
[0003] Baked goods of this kind are very popular deserts and, as a
result, a large number of them are being produced in bakeries,
shipped to retail outlets and then sold to customers who then carry
them home. However, because their tops are very fragile, the
cupcakes are easily damaged during shipping, thereby losing at
least some of their aesthetic appeal. This is an especially acute
problem when a customer buys some cupcakes and takes them as a gift
to someone else. In this latter situation, presenting cupcakes with
damaged crowns can be socially embarrassing.
[0004] U.S. Patent Application Publication 2009/0242569 to Solomon
discloses one attempt at reducing the damage to the cupcake crown
during shipment. The Solomon publication discloses a food product
package that includes a base, a cover, and an insert. The cover is
fastened to the base and then insert, which could be paperboard, is
disposed between the base and the cover. A body of the base
includes at least one pocket adapted to hold a food product, such
as a cupcake. After the base is loaded with the cupcakes, the
insert is positioned onto the base such that an edge portion of the
insert contacts the food product. When the cover is fastened to the
base, a portion of the cover presses the insert against the base to
thereby securely hold the food product in place. A disadvantage of
this construction is that it requires the additional step of
positioning the insert onto the base prior to closing the
container. Not only does this additional element, the insert,
increase the cost of the packaging, it makes automating the process
more difficult and results in a package which is less aesthetically
pleasing to the consumer.
[0005] Another attempt at reducing the damage caused to the crown
of the cupcake during shipment is disclosed in U.S. Patent
Application Publication 2014/0363555 to Simpson et al. The Simpson
publication discloses a cupcake tray which has spikes, such as
paperboard spikes, that extend into a cupcake cavity. The spikes
prevent the cupcake from popping up and out of the insert when the
cupcake box is jarred. The spikes easily fold down when the cupcake
is inserted, but provide resistance in the upward direction when
the cupcake box is jarred. A disadvantage associated with this
package design is that the paperboard spikes rely on friction to
hold the cupcakes and do not positively capture the cupcake within
the tray.
[0006] There is, therefore, a need for a baked goods storage
container which positively captures or restrains the baked goods,
such as cupcakes, and keeps them from moving around inside the
storage container, even when the container is tipped or turned
over.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present disclosure is directed to a container for
protecting baked goods during shipment that includes, among other
elements, a lid and a base. The base includes a plurality of wells
and interconnected posts. Each well is adapted for supporting a
baked good prior to consumption and during shipment. The
interconnected posts are formed in the base and extend upwardly
from a base bottom. Each post is positioned adjacent to four of the
wells and includes at least one retainer element that is positioned
proximate an upper end of the post and is adapted to restrain the
at least one of the baked goods and restrict its axial movement
within the well. In certain embodiments, the retainer elements are
horizontally-projecting or formed such that they extend
horizontally from the post.
[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the retainer element associated
with the upper end of each post includes four ribs which are formed
around the periphery of the post, each rib projecting horizontally
outward from the post over one of the adjacent wells. In certain
constructions, the retainer elements or ribs are formed by creating
an undercut in the posts of the base. It is envisioned that each
retainer element could include a single rib element which is
adapted to restrain one of the four adjacent food items/baked
goods.
[0009] Preferably, the lid includes a planar upper surface for
supporting a product label. It is envisioned that the lid can
further include a plurality of downwardly projecting spacer
elements which extend from the upper planar surface and engage the
upper surface of a corresponding post element.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the lid is connected to the base
through a hinge element to form a unitary structure. However, those
skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the lid and the
base can be formed separately and the container can be a two-piece
design.
[0011] In certain constructions, the number of wells "W" formed in
the base is defined by the formula W=R.times.C; wherein "R" equals
the number of well rows and "C" equals the number or well columns.
Still further, the number of posts "P" formed in the base is
defined by the formula, P=(R-1).times.(C-1).
[0012] Preferably, the upper surface of each well that is formed
around a perimeter of the base includes at least two retaining
ledges that are preferably, horizontally projecting. Still further,
in this embodiment the upper surface of each well that is formed in
a corner of the base can include three retaining ledges.
[0013] It is envisioned that the baked good can be a cupcake that
has a cake portion and a decorative crown and the retaining element
is positioned to positively capture an upper edge of the cake
portion. However, the cupcake can be contained in a baking liner.
In such a construction, the retaining element can be adapted to
extend over an upper edge of the baking liner to positively capture
the cupcake within the well. Preferably, the baking liner has a
corrugated side wall.
[0014] It is envisioned that a recess can be provided between
interconnected posts to facilitate automated insertion of the baked
goods or removal of the baked goods from the wells.
[0015] The present disclosure is also directed to a method of
forming a container for protecting baked goods, which includes,
among other steps, the steps of a) providing a sheet of plastic
material that is at least partially transparent; b) forming a cover
portion from a portion of the sheet of plastic material, wherein
the cover portion includes a planar upper surface; and c) forming a
base portion from a portion of the sheet which includes a plurality
of wells and a plurality of interconnected posts, each well adapted
for supporting a baked good; and the interconnected posts are
formed in the base and extend upwardly from a base bottom, each
post being positioned adjacent four of the wells and including at
least one projecting retainer element positioned proximate an upper
end of the post and adapted to positively capture at least one of
the baked goods in the four adjacent wells.
[0016] It is envisioned that the method could further include the
step of: forming a hinge from a portion of the sheet joining the
cover portion with the base portion, and wherein the cover portion,
base portion, and hinge are unitarily formed from the sheet of
plastic material.
[0017] The present disclosed is further directed to a container for
protecting baked goods during shipment that include, inter alia, a
lid; and a base. The base includes a main body portion and an upper
peripheral rim, the main body portion defines a plurality of wells
and a plurality of interconnected posts, each well is adapted for
supporting a baked good. The plurality of interconnected posts
extend upwardly from a base bottom, each post is positioned
adjacent four of the wells and has a post height adapted to limit
rotational movement of the baked goods within the corresponding
well.
[0018] In certain constructions, the post height for each post is
substantially equal a height for the upper peripheral rim of the
base. Moreover, in embodiments wherein the baked good is a cupcake
with baking liner, the post height for each post is greater than a
height of the baking liner.
[0019] It should be appreciated that the present invention can be
implemented and utilized in numerous ways, including without
limitation as a process, an apparatus, a system, a device, and a
method for applications now known and later developed. These and
other unique features of the system disclosed herein will become
more readily apparent from the following description and the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] So that those having ordinary skill in the art to which the
disclosed system appertains will more readily understand how to
make and use the same, reference may be had to the drawings
wherein:
[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container for protecting
baked goods during shipment which has been constructed in
accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure and is
shown in the closed position;
[0022] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 1
shown in the open position;
[0023] FIG. 3 is a perspective view taken from above of the base
portion of the container of FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in
FIG. 3 showing a post element formed in the base portion of the
container and the undercuts or reliefs used to create the
retaining/rib elements;
[0025] FIG. 5 is a is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cupcake
and baking liner positioned within one of the wells formed in the
base wherein the baking liner is being restrained by the
restraining rib formed on the post;
[0026] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a container for protecting
baked goods during shipment which has been constructed in
accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure and
is shown in the closed position;
[0027] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a container for protecting
baked goods during shipment which has been constructed in
accordance with a third embodiment of the present disclosure and is
shown in the closed position;
[0028] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 7
shown in the open position;
[0029] FIG. 9 is a perspective view taken from above of the base
portion of the container of FIG. 7; and
[0030] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 in
FIG. 9 showing the post elements formed in the base portion of the
container and the undercuts or reliefs used to create the
retaining/rib elements.
[0031] It should be understood that the appended drawings are not
necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified
representation of various preferred features illustrative of the
basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of
the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example,
specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be
determined in part by the particular intended application and use
environment
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0032] Disclosed herein are detailed descriptions of specific
embodiments of containers for protecting baked goods during
shipment and methods of constructing the same. It will be
understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of
the way in which certain aspects of the invention can be
implemented and do not represent an exhaustive list of all of the
ways the invention may be embodied. Indeed, it will be understood
that the systems, devices and methods described herein may be
embodied in various and alternative forms. Moreover, the figures
are not necessarily to scale and some features may be exaggerated
or minimized to show details of particular components.
[0033] Well-known components, materials or methods are not
necessarily described in great detail in order to avoid obscuring
the present disclosure. Any specific structural and functional
details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but
merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for
teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the
invention.
[0034] Unless otherwise apparent, or stated, directional
references, such as "right," "left," "upper," "lower," "outward,"
"inward," etc., are intended to be relative to the orientation of a
particular embodiment of the invention as shown in the first
numbered view of that embodiment. In addition, a given reference
numeral indicates the same or similar structure when it appears in
different figures and like reference numerals identify similar
structural elements and/or features of the subject invention.
[0035] The present disclosure now will be described more fully, but
not all embodiments of the disclosure are necessarily shown. In
addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular
situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without
departing from the essential scope thereof.
[0036] Referring now to FIGS. 1-5 which disclose a container which
has been constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the
present invention and has been designated as reference number 100.
Container 100 includes a lid 20 and a base 50.
[0037] As best shown in FIG. 1, lid 20 includes a generally planar
upper surface 22 onto which a label could be applied. Lid 20 also
includes side walls 24a-d each of which terminate in at female
sealing flange 26.
[0038] The base 50 includes a plurality of wells 52a-c (quantity
12) each of which are adapted for supporting a single baked good.
Wells 52a (quantity 4) are positioned in the corner of the base 50;
wells 52b (quantity 6) are located along the sides of the base 50
and wells 52c (quantity 2) are positioned in the interior of the
base 50.
[0039] Each well 52 has a well bottom 54 and a well sidewall 56.
The container shown in FIGS. 1-4 includes 12 wells and therefore is
referred to as a 12-count container. However, those skilled in the
art will readily appreciate that they container can include fewer
or more wells without departing from the scope of the present
invention. For example, FIG. 6 discloses a 24-count container 200
which includes 24 wells.
[0040] The base 50 also includes six interconnected posts 60. The
interconnected posts 60 are formed in the base 50 and extend
upwardly from a base bottom 62. Each post 60 is positioned adjacent
to four of the wells 52 and includes a horizontally-projecting
retainer element 64 that is positioned proximate an upper end 65 of
the post 60 and adapted to positively capture baked goods in each
of the four adjacent wells.
[0041] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-2, lid 20 includes a
plurality of downwardly projecting spacer elements 28 which extend
from the upper planar surface 22 and engage the upper end 65 of a
corresponding post element 60. Six spacer elements 28 are shown in
FIG. 2 and the number of spacer elements corresponds to the number
of posts 60. However, those skilled in the art will readily
appreciate that fewer spacer elements can be used without departing
from the scope of the present invention (see FIG. 5 for example).
The spacer elements 28 are adapted to prevent the lid 20 of the
container from collapsing and damaging the decorative crown of a
cupcake if other containers are stacked on top during shipment or
display.
[0042] In certain embodiments, the retainer element 64 associated
with the upper end of each post includes four ribs 64a-64d which
are spaced around the periphery of the post 60 and each rib 64a-64d
projects horizontally outward from the post 60 over one of the
adjacent wells 52. As will be discussed in detail with respect to
FIGS. 7-10, in certain embodiments, each post may only include a
single rib or less than four ribs. The ribs can be formed by
creating an undercut in the mold used to form the base and
associated posts.
[0043] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, the lid 20 is
connected to the base 50 through a hinge element 70 to form a
unitary structure. However, those skilled in the art will readily
appreciate that the lid and the base can be formed separately.
[0044] The base 50 also includes an upper peripheral rim/male
sealing flange 72 which engages with the female sealing flange 26
associated with the lid 20 to seal the container in the closed
position.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 2, the number of wells (52) designated as
"W" formed in the base 50 is defined by the formula W=R.times.C;
wherein "R" equals the number of well rows and "C" equals the
number or well columns. Still further, the number of posts (60)
designated as "P" formed in the base is defined by the formula,
P=(R-1).times.(C-1).
[0046] As shown in FIG. 2, the upper surface of each well 52b that
is formed along a side wall of the base 50 includes two
horizontally projecting retaining ledges 77a. Still further, the
upper surface of each well 52a that is formed in a corner of the
base includes three retaining ledges 77a, 77b and 77b. These ledges
77 provide additional mechanisms for restraining the baked goods
within the wells.
[0047] As discussed previously, the baked goods stored in container
100 can be cupcakes 75 that has a cake portion 77 and a decorative
crown 79. In such situations, as shown in FIG. 5, the length and
height of the retaining element and/or ledges are sized to
positively capture an upper edge of the cake portion after the
cupcake has been inserted into the well 52. Moreover, as shown in
FIG. 5, if the cupcake is contained in baking liner 87 the length
and height of the retaining element and/or ledges can be sized to
positively capture an upper edge of the baking liner after the
cupcake has been inserted into the well 52. If a baking liner is
used, a corrugated liner would be preferred because it would be
easier to retrain using the retaining element and/or ledges due to
its zig-zag cross-section providing more width to lay over.
[0048] As shown in FIG. 2 a series of recesses 80 can be provided
between interconnected posts 60 to facilitate removal of baked
goods from the wells 52. They also aid in the insertion of the
baked goods into the wells, especially if automated equipment is
used for the loading process.
[0049] Referring now to FIGS. 7-10 which disclose a container which
has been constructed in accordance with a third embodiment of the
present disclosure and has been designated as reference number 300.
Like the previously described containers, container 300 includes a
lid 320 and a base 350.
[0050] As best shown in FIG. 8, lid 320 includes a generally planar
upper surface 322 onto which a label could be applied. Lid 320 also
includes side walls 324a-d each of which terminate at female
sealing flange 326.
[0051] The base 350 includes a plurality of wells 252 (quantity 12)
each of which is adapted for supporting a single baked good 275.
Each well 252 has a well bottom 254 and a well sidewall 256. The
base 250 also includes six interconnected posts 260. The
interconnected posts 260 are formed in the base 250 and extend
upwardly from a base bottom 262. As shown in FIG. 10, the height of
the posts is designated as h.sub.p. In certain constructions, the
height of the posts can be increased in order to further restrict
the rotational movement of the baked good within the closed
container. Longer posts will reduce the ability of the baked goods
to rotate within the container during shipment.
[0052] As best viewed in FIG. 10, each post 260 is positioned
adjacent to four of the wells 252 and includes a
horizontally-projecting retainer element 264 that is positioned
proximate an upper end 265 of the post 260 and adapted to
positively capture baked goods in each of the four adjacent wells.
Unlike in the previously described embodiments, the retainer
element 264 associated with the upper end of each post includes
only a single rib 264a that projects horizontally outward from the
post 260 over one of the adjacent wells 252. As discussed
previously, depending on the application or desired amount of
restraint and the number of baked goods to be restrained by a post,
the post may only include a single rib or multiple ribs.
[0053] The base 250 also includes an upper peripheral rim/male
sealing flange 72 which engages with the female sealing flange 26
associated with the lid 20 to seal the container in the closed
position. The height of the upper peripheral rim of the base has
been designated as h.sub.upr.
[0054] Like the previously described container 100, the upper
surface or rim area of each well 252 can include horizontally
projecting retaining ledges. These ledges can provide additional
mechanisms for restraining the baked goods within the wells.
[0055] Additionally, the sidewalls 324a-324d of the lid 320 can
arranged so as to be positioned over the outer periphery of the
underlying well when the container is closed in order to provide a
lower edge which restricts the movement of the baked goods. In the
embodiment shown in the figures, the sidewalls 324a-324d are formed
from a series of relatively flat sections 380a and arcuate sections
380b wherein the flat sections 380a are positioned over the outer
periphery of the underlying wells and restrict the movement of the
baked goods when the container is closed.
[0056] As noted previously, the post height is adapted to limit
rotational movement of the baked goods within the corresponding
well. In certain constructions, the post height h.sub.p for each
post is substantially equal a height for the upper peripheral rim
h.sub.upr of the base. Moreover, in embodiments wherein the baked
good is a cupcake with baking liner, the post height h.sub.p for
each post is greater than a height of the baking liner h.sub.1.
[0057] A representative method for forming a container which is
constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present disclosure includes, among other steps, the steps of a)
providing a sheet of plastic material that is at least partially
transparent; b) forming a cover portion from a portion of the sheet
of plastic material, wherein the cover portion includes a planar
upper surface; c) forming a base portion from a portion of the
sheet which includes a plurality of wells and a plurality of
interconnected posts, each well adapted for supporting a baked
good; and the interconnected posts are formed in the base and
extend upwardly from a base bottom, each post being positioned
adjacent four of the wells and including at least one
horizontally-projecting retainer element positioned proximate an
upper end of the post and adapted to positively capture a baked
good in an adjacent well; and d) forming a hinge from a portion of
the sheet joining the cover portion with the base portion, and
wherein the cover portion, base portion, and hinge are unitarily
formed from the sheet of plastic material.
[0058] It should be readily understood that a container constructed
in accordance with the present invention, which is preferably a
plastic container used for carrying edible items, can be
manufactured in a variety of shapes and sizes, and can be formed
from resins or plastic materials such as polyethylene,
polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene terephthalate
("PETE"), as well as other suitable materials or combinations
thereof. The forming process can also vary to include methods such
as thermo-forming, injection molding or blow molding. The container
can be transparent or translucent, and may be colored in either
instance. Also, vents can be provided in the container to promote
airflow therethrough, if appropriate based on the intended contents
of the container. Preferably, container 100 is formed from a roll
of PETE subjected to a vacuum and pressure mold with plug
assist.
* * * * *