U.S. patent number RE29,415 [Application Number 05/724,499] was granted by the patent office on 1977-09-27 for food container assembly.
Invention is credited to Lyman D. Dunn, Sam Ricobene.
United States Patent |
RE29,415 |
Ricobene , et al. |
September 27, 1977 |
Food container assembly
Abstract
A nestable stackable food container for the temporary storage of
items, particularly food items, characterized by the provision of
interengageable tray-like members having a channeled interior
bottom surface and vent means leading outwardly of the tray
members, with the tray members including a bottom, a top, which is
nestably associated with the bottom, for containing a single food
item; and a plurality of intermediate tray members which may be
stacked in vertical tandem for containing a plurality of food
pieces in a unitary stacked carton arrangement.
Inventors: |
Ricobene; Sam (Chicago, IL),
Dunn; Lyman D. (Chicago, IL) |
Family
ID: |
26964580 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/724,499 |
Filed: |
September 20, 1976 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
287651 |
Sep 11, 1972 |
03908852 |
Sep 30, 1975 |
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/550; 206/545;
220/4.27; 217/25.5; 220/23.6; 229/406 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C
11/20 (20130101); B65D 11/188 (20130101); B65D
21/083 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A45C
11/20 (20060101); B65D 21/08 (20060101); B65D
21/00 (20060101); A45C 011/20 (); B65D 001/24 ();
B65D 021/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;206/541,545,550
;229/2.5 ;220/4B,4E,4C,4D,9F,23.6 ;217/25.5,26,26.5 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lowrance; George E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Mason, Kolehmainen, Rathburn &
Wyss
Claims
We claim:
1. A container assembly comprising:
a bottom end panel having an inner face defining a support surface,
and a plurality of bottom side walls extending upwardly from the
inner face, each bottom side wall terminating in an upper edge
defining an irregular offset portion, said bottom panel having a
plurality of vent ports or apertures for air communication with the
exterior;
at least one intermediate panel adapted to fit on top of the bottom
end panel and having a generally horizontal web with a top surface
defining a support surface, the web of said intermediate panel
including a plurality of apertures for permitting the flow of gas
and moisture through said intermediate panel, a plurality of
intermediate side walls depending from said web and terminating in
an offset lower edge complementary to said bottom end panel upper
edge and adapted to matingly interengage with said bottom end panel
upper edge, and a plurality of upstanding intermediate side walls
terminating in an offset upper edge identical with said bottom side
wall upper edge; and
a top end panel identical to said bottom panel to fit on top of the
intermediate panel and having an inner bottom face, and a plurality
of side walls depending from the inner face and terminating in a
downwardly facing lower edge identical to said depending
intermediate side wall lower edge and adapted to matingly
interengage with said upstanding intermediate side wall upper edge,
each of said intermediate and bottom panels having on its lower
surface and said top panel having on its upper surface a plurality
of transverse intersecting channels defining a plurality of pads
for supporting a food product with said channels forming conduits
for air flow from the bottom panel vent ports through the container
and exiting from said top panel vent ports to keep the food product
crisp.
2. The .[.carton member.]. .Iadd.container assembly .Iaddend.of
claim 1 wherein the apertures include vents provided at the
intersection of each side wall and in a regular pattern in the
panel area. .Iadd. 3. A container assembly comprising:
a bottom panel having a bottom wall with an inner face defining a
support surface in the form of a plurality of intersecting
channels, said channels in turn defining therebetween a plurality
of pads for supporting a food product, a plurality of ports in said
bottom wall for air communication of said channels with the
exterior of said container for entry of air into said channels,
said bottom panel also having upstanding side wall means
terminating at an upper edge defining an irregular offset portion,
vent ports in said side wall means for emission of vapors to the
exterior of said container assembly; a top panel identical to said
bottom panel to fit on top of the bottom panel and having an inner
bottom face, and a plurality of side walls depending from the inner
face and terminating in a downwardly facing lower edge identical to
said upstanding side wall of said bottom panel edge and adapted to
matingly interengage with said upstanding bottom panel side wall
upper edge, a plurality of vents in the top panel side wall for
emission of vapors to the exterior of said container assembly said
top panel having on its upper surface a plurality of transverse
intersecting channels defining a plurality of pads capable of
supporting a food product when in use as a bottom panel with said
channels forming conduits for air flow from the bottom panel vent
ports through the container and exiting from said top panel vent
ports and said side wall vent ports to keep the food product crisp.
.Iaddend..Iadd. 4. The container assembly of claim 3 wherein said
bottom and top panels are generally square in configuration with
side wall portions meeting at corners and said side wall ports are
in the corners. .Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to food containers and more particularly to
a nestable tray-like container for the storage of food stuffs.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Typically food stuffs, such as pizzas, are stored in cardboard
cartons or the like incident to delivery and use. Recently,
expanded foam plastic food containers have come into use. These
containers have featured a lid and a base member for holding an
individual pizza. Other food stuffs, such as chicken products or
the like, generally come in cardboard boxes which have poor
insulating qualities and which tend to retain the moisture therein
so as to cause the food product to become soggy and lose its
crispness over a period of time.
It is the object of this invention to meet the need and desire in
the packaging art to provide a container arrangement which may
adequately maintain a quantity of cold or hot food over a period of
time in a "fresh" condition. It is further the object of this
invention to provide a container arrangement which may be used for
packaging a single product or multiplicity of products in variable
tandem array wherein only two different members are provided, with
the container top and bottom being identical and nestably
engageable with each other; and wherein an additional intermediate
member is provided which is universally interengageable with either
the container top or the bottom or a like intermediate member to
increase the capacity of the container unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed, in brief, to the provision of an
improved vertically nestable container arrangement particularly
suited for food products or the like.
The best mode currently contemplated for carrying out the invention
includes at least a pair of first tray-like members which are
intended to comprise both the bottom and top of a container. Each
first member has a base which is scored to provide channels therein
and side walls projecting upwardly from one face of the base. Each
of the side walls terminates in offset tongue and groove portions
so that two such first members can be assembled together to form a
container with a single interior cavity. Second or intermediate
members may also be provided, with each intermediate member
including a medial panel which is scored on both sides. The second
member has side walls which project beyond both faces of the medial
panel equidistant therefrom with each of the side walls having
identical offset tongue and groove portions to those of the first
members so that the second intermediate member may be positioned
between a pair of the first members, in any rotational orientation
relative thereto, and mate therewith, so as to increase the number
of interior cavities for holding an article. Preferably a plurality
of vent holes are provided in each of the first and second members
for permitting the escape of moisture laden air or the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container arrangement of this
invention showing a pair of first members and a single intermediate
member so that the container is provided with two interior
cavities;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the container arrangement shown in
FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container arrangement with an
additional intermediate member positioned between the top and
bottom so as to further increase the capacity of the unit shown
therein;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the container arrangement of this
invention wherein only the top and bottom panels are connected
together to provide a container with a single cavity for holding a
product therein;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged section view showing the
interengagement between vertically adjacent container members;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view showing the offset
relationship of the tongue and groove portions of the side walls of
each of the container members;
FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a top or bottom panel unit showing the
location of vent holes therein; and
FIG. 8 is a top plan view of an intermediate panel unit showing the
location of vent holes therein.
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different
forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described
in detail a specific embodiment therefor, with the understanding
that the present disclosure is to be considered as an
exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not
intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The food container assembly 10 of this invention comprises at least
a pair of identical end panels 12 as shown in FIG. 4 and also may
include a single intermediate panel 14 as shown in FIG. 1 or a
plurality of intermediate members 14 as shown in FIG. 3.
Each of the end panels 12 is generally tray-like in configuration
and includes a base portion 16 which is a substantially planar
structure having an outer face 16a and an inner face 16b. In the
illustrated embodiment, members 12 are generally rectangular in
configuration and are provided with four outwardly projecting side
walls 18. Each side wall is divided, along its longitudinal extent,
into a half tongue portion and a half groove portion. Specifically,
each side wall 18 has a medially upwardly projecting tongue 20
along half of its longitudinal extent which is flanked by two
shoulders 22a and 22b. The other half of each side wall 18 is
provided with a relative groove 24 flanked by two upstanding rails
26a and 26b. Generally speaking the base of groove 24 is co-planar
with the surface of shoulders of 22a and 22b, and the height of
tongue 20 is substantially co-planar with the height of rails 26a
and 26b. The tongue 22 is generally of a size and shape to be
matingly nestably received within groove 24 in a snug locking
arrangement, as illustrated in FIG. 5.
The inner face 16b of each of the end panels 12 is scored in
transverse channels 28 and 30 providing a plurality of relatively
raised pads 32 upon which the article to be held within the
container will be supported. In the preferred embodiment each pad
is approximately 1/2 by 1/2 inch in dimension in that the
intersecting channels 28 and 30 are formed in parallel rows a half
inch apart.
The end panels 12 are further provided with vent means in the form
of apertures, including apertures 34a, b, c, d, and e in the base
portion 16 thereof and an aperture 36 in each of the corners of the
side walls 18. Those vents 34a through e which are formed in the
base members preferably include one aperture 34a which is in the
middle of the base, with the other four apertures being located
along a mid-point on each of the diagonals between the corner of
the base and the middle vent 34a.
Each intermediate tray member 14 comprises a generally planar
medial web 40 having opposite faces 40a and 40b. Again, with the
configuration of the elements being generally rectangular, the
medial webs are provided with four side walls 42 which project an
equal distance above and below the medial web 40. The side walls
each are divided into one half tongue portions and one half groove
portions identical to those described with respect to the side
walls of the end panels 12. Each side wall has a tongue 44 along
one half of its extent bordered by shoulders 46a and 46b and, is
provided with a groove 48 bounded by rails 50a and 50b along the
other half of its extent.
The tongue and groove arrangement 44 and 48 in the side walls 42 of
the intermediate members 14 is intended to be identical with that
tongue and groove arrangement 20 and 24 of the end panels 12 so
that the intermediate panels will nestably engage therewith. Thus
the illustrations of the structure of tongue and groove 44 and 48
in FIG. 5 is also illustrative of tongue and groove 20 and 24 and
the converse is true with respect to FIG. 6.
Each face 40a and 40b of the web 40 is also scored in transverse
intersecting channels 28 and 30 to provide a plurality of
relatively raised pads 32 which will support an article held on the
web 40. Again, preferably the pads 32 are approximately a half inch
on a side in that the channels 28 and 30 are formed in parallel
rows approximately 1/2 inch apart.
Vent means are provided for permitting the flow of gas and moisture
through the intermediate panels 14. Included in this vent means is
a plurality of apertures formed in the web 40, such as the
apertures 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d, 60e, 60f, 60g, 60h, 60i, 60j, 60k,
60l, and 60m. It is to be noted that the aperture 60a is formed in
the center of web 40 with the apertures 60b, c, d, and e formed
closely adjacent thereto in a square rectangular pattern thereabout
concentric to the configuration of the web 40. The remaining
apertures 60f through 60m are formed close to the side walls 42 and
are generally spaced a third of the way in from each corner of the
web 40. In addition, vents are formed on each corner of the
intermediate panel 14, above and below the medial web 40 in
vertical pairs including the pair 62a, 62b as illustrated in FIGS.
1 and 3. It is to be understood that a like pair of vents is
provided in each corner of the member 14 with each aperture 62a
being relatively below the medial web 40.
The food carton assembly of this invention is extremely well suited
for maintaining heated articles of food in a condition of warmth
and freshness over comparatively long periods of time. The
channeled bottom .[.surfaces.]. .Iadd.surface .Iaddend.of each
panel member supports the food article over a series of
communicating grooves which act as conduits to permit the
circulation .[.if.]. .Iadd.of .Iaddend.air completely about the
.[.good.]. .Iadd.food .Iaddend.article. As the air circulates it
will tend to collect moisture and the moisture laden air will
escape outwardly through the several vents provided in each panel
member. Thus there is no opportunity for the air within the
container to become super saturated with moisture which would
condense in the container and have a deleterious effect on the food
held therein.
When the two end panels 12 are assembled together as shown in FIG.
4, a single container interior chamber is formed for holding an
item therein. With the addition of each intermediate panel member
14 inserted between the end panels 12 and number of interior
chambers .[.is increased by one. Each of the interior chambers.].
forms a container sub-unit of the entire assembled unit which in
theory may consist of two end panels 12 and an unlimited number of
intermediate panels 14.
In the assembly as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 wherein a plurality of
panels 12 and 14 are assembled in vertical tandem, the interior of
each container sub-unit is in communication with the interior of
the next vertically adjacent container sub-unit so that air may
circulate between the containers, as well as outwardly to the
exterior of the assembly. This provides a cumulative heating effect
while permitting the escape of the moisture laden air from each
compartment. It has also been found that the food container
assembly of this invention is also well suited for maintaining cold
food articles in a state of coolness and freshness over an extended
period of time as well.
The complementary offset mating side wall structure provides a
means for securely assembling the several portions together with a
minimum of initial orientation of the compartments required, in
that each side wall of each end member 12 or intermediate member 14
is matingly engageable with any side wall of another member 12 or
14. With respect to the intermediate members 14 this is further
true independent of whether face 40a or face 40b is facing upwardly
or downwardly as best illustrated in FIG. 2.
The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of
understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be
understood therefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those
skilled in the art.
* * * * *