Patent Application
20240067391
The present disclosure relates in general to the field of handling food dishes, and more particularly to handling heated food dishes.
Frozen meals are generally heated for consumption through microwave or oven heating. Microwave heating of frozen meals provides convenience for people seeking quick meal solutions because of the rapid heating of the food materials by the microwaves. However, microwave heating of frozen food carries risks of burning consumers upon removal from the microwave.
Furthermore, microwave heating dishes made from pliable materials may cause the materials to become flimsy, which increases the risks of food spilling out of the dishes. Therefore, a need exists for an inexpensive way of removing a heated dish from a microwave and increasing the structural support of a heated dish.
Novel aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a box for handling a dish for eating food. In a non-limiting embodiment, the box comprises a plurality of surfaces defining a volume sized to enclose the dish. A first surface of the plurality of surfaces is an operative surface of the box. The box further comprises a score line disposed on the operative surface. The score line defines a removable portion sealing an opening of a remaining portion of the operative surface. The opening is dimensioned to suspend the dish within the volume.
Novel aspects of the present disclosure are also directed to a box containing a dish for eating food. The box comprises a plurality of surfaces defining a volume. One of the plurality of surfaces is an operative surface. The dish is disposed within the volume. The box further comprises a score line disposed on the operative surface and defines a removable portion sealing an opening of a remaining portion of the operative surface. The opening is dimensioned to suspend the dish within the volume.
Novel aspects of the present disclosure are also directed to a method of manufacturing a box for holding a dish. The method includes the steps of identifying one or more cutting lines on a box template and identifying one or more crease lines on the box template. The one or more crease lines define a plurality of surfaces of the box, and wherein one of the plurality of surfaces is an operative surface. The method further includes identifying a score line on the box template such that the score line is disposed on the operative surface and defines a removable portion dimensioned to accommodate the dish. The method further includes cutting a stock material with the cutting die based on the one or more cutting lines and the one or more perforation lines to produce a cut material, and folding the cut material along the one or more crease lines to form a structure of the box.
Other aspects, embodiments and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures. In the figures, each identical, or substantially similar component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a single numeral or notation. For purposes of clarity, not every component is labeled in every figure. Nor is every component of each embodiment of the invention shown where illustration is not necessary to allow those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:
In some configurations, the plurality of surfaces comprises an operative surface 108, an opposing surface 109, a first end wall 104, a second wall 105 opposing the front wall, and two opposing lateral walls 106 and 107, as can be seen in more detail in
Optionally, at least one of the plurality of surfaces 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, and 109 includes another score line that defines a vent 117. A lateral wall 106, the first end wall 104, and/or the second end wall 105 comprises a vent 117 in one configuration. In another configuration, the operative surface 108 and/or the opposing surface 109 comprises a vent 117. The user may expose the vent 117 according to the similar techniques described herein concerning the exposure of the opening 110 by removing removable portion 108A. It may be advantageous to include a vent 117 in at least one of the plurality of surfaces to prevent the user from being burned. For example, if the box 102 comprises vents, heat from the dish will primarily transfer through the vents into the environment instead of through the box and increasing the temperature of the box in the process.
Referring to
In some embodiments, the dimensions of the opening 210 of the box 202 is based on the dimensions of the dish 220 to allow the dish 220 to be suspended within the volume 215 of the box 202, which would reduce and/or eliminate conductive heat transfer through the plurality of surfaces of the box 202 to prevent a user from being burned or to prevent the dish from damaging surfaces, such as wooden tabletops. For example, the body 226 of the dish 220 can be sized smaller than the opening 215, but with a lip 224 that has a shape and size that is similar but larger than the opening 210, which would allow dish 220 to be suspended in the volume 215 from the operative surface 205 via the lip 224. In another embodiment, the shape of the opening 210 can allow the outer surface of the body 226 of the dish 220 to rest on the remaining portion 208B so that the body 226 of the dish 220 is only suspended partially within the volume 215. Another advantage of suspending the dish 220 within the volume 215 of the box 202 is to provide structural support for the dish 220 in a heated state. For example, the dish 220 may be composed of a material that becomes flimsy after heating, which degrades the structural integrity of the dish 220. When the dish 220 loses structural integrity, the contents of the dish 220 are more likely to spill outside of the dish 220. Thus, by suspending the dish 220 within the volume 215 of the box 202, the box 202 enables the dish 220 to retain its original shape and prevent spillage.
In yet another embodiment, the opening 210 of the box 202 is dimensioned to allow the dish 220 to rest on the bottom surface (not shown) while maintained within the volume 215. In these embodiments, it may be advantageous to use a material with poor heat transfer properties (e.g., paper-based) to construct the box 202.
In some configurations, the dish 220 does not contact the opposing surface while it is suspended within the volume 215 of the box 220. An advantage to dimensioning the box 202 such that the dish 220 does not contact the opposing surface is that there will not be direct (conductive) heat transfer from the dish through the bottom surface, which decreases the likelihood that a user will be burned. Alternatively, the box 202 may be dimensioned such that the dish 220 contacts the opposing surface while suspended within the volume 215. In configurations with the dish 220 contacting the opposing surface, it may be advantageous to use a material with poor heat transfer properties (e.g., paper-based) to construct the box 202.
The method further includes cutting 450 cutting a stock material with a cutting die based on the one or more cutting lines and the one or more score lines to produce a cut material. In step 460 an adhesive is applied to the one or more glue areas and in step 470 the cut material is folded along the one or more crease lines to form the box.
Additionally, the section headings herein are provided for consistency with the suggestions under 37 C.F.R. 1.77 or otherwise to provide organizational cues. These headings shall not limit or characterize the invention(s) set out in any claims that may issue from this disclosure. Specifically, and by way of example, although the headings refer to a “Technical Field,” the claims should not be limited by the language chosen under this heading to describe the so-called field. Further, a description of a technology as background information is not to be construed as an admission that certain technology is prior art to any embodiment(s) in this disclosure. Neither is the “Summary” to be considered as a characterization of the embodiment(s) set forth in issued claims. Furthermore, any reference in this disclosure to “invention” in the singular should not be used to argue that there is only a single point of novelty in this disclosure. Multiple embodiments may be set forth according to the limitations of the multiple claims issuing from this disclosure, and such claims accordingly define the embodiment(s), and their equivalents, that are protected thereby. In all instances, the scope of such claims shall be considered on their own merits in light of this disclosure, but should not be constrained by the headings set forth herein.
Moreover, the Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b), requiring an abstract that will allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.
