Patent Application
20140263341
Various features relate to container assemblies, and more particularly, to container assemblies having adhesive members for securely closing the container assemblies.
Often times, hot food is available at the grocery store. It is placed in a container. After purchasing, an attempt is made to seal the container so it retains heat and the food does not spill out. Current methods to seal the container, however, are not very effective. For example, the cashier may place a rubber band on the box and/or pull tape out of a dispenser and tape the box shut in an attempt to make sure that the contents do not spill while in transit. This becomes an extra step for the already-busy cashier. Accordingly, new, easy methods of sealing the container are needed.
The features, nature, and advantages of the present aspects may become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which like reference characters identify correspondingly throughout.
A container assembly is provided. The container assembly includes a lid having a top surface; an adhesive member attached to the top surface; wherein the adhesive member comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein at least a portion of the bottom surface is attached to the lid, and at least a portion of the bottom surface comprises a covered sticky surface; and a body attached to the lid. The lid can be removably or fixedly attached to the body.
According to one aspect, at least a first portion of bottom adhesive member surface comprises a sticky surface, and at least a second portion of the bottom adhesive member surface is integrally formed with the top lid surface. At least a first portion of bottom adhesive member surface comprises a sticky surface, and at least a second portion of the bottom adhesive member surface is attached to the top lid surface. The sticky surface of the bottom adhesive member extends outwardly from the top lid surface and is covered with a removable material.
According to one aspect, the adhesive member comprises a length and a width, wherein the length is greater than the width. The adhesive member is attached to the lid in a length-wise fashion. The adhesive member is comprised of paper.
“Container or “container assembly” refers to any type of device for holding objects, including a receptacle, a bin, a box, a carton, and a case.
“Covered sticky surface” refers to that portion of adhesive member 106 that is covered by a material (as shown in
“End user” preferably refers to one or more persons that use the end product, i.e., the container assembly of the present invention. End users may refer to cashiers/clerk or those who purchase food products that are placed in the containers of the present invention. “End user” may also refer to an entity such as a grocery store or restaurant that sells prepared food. “End user” preferably does not refer to those that manufacture the container assembly itself.
In one embodiment, and as shown in
In one embodiment, container assembly 100 comprises a lid 102. Lid 102 comprises top lid surface 102a and a bottom lid surface 102b. Lid 102 may be circular, rectangular/square, and/or any other shape. For example, if lid 102 is square-shaped or rectangular-shaped, it may be permanently attached to one side of body 104. If lid 102 is circular, for example, it may not be permanently attached to body 104, i.e., it may removably attached to body 104 via any mechanism known in the art, i.e., via a snap-fit closure or the like.
Preferably, adhesive member 106 (discussed further below) is attached to lid 102 during the process of manufacturing lid 102. In this manner, preferably, adhesive member 106 is attached to lid 102 and/or formed from lid 102 before container assembly 100 reaches the end user, i.e., the grocery store of restaurant. In other embodiments, adhesive member 106 is not attached to lid 102 prior to reaching the end user. For example, adhesive member 106 may be attached to lid 102 via a separate manufacturing step, i.e., adhesive member 106 may be attached once container itself is assembled. Alternatively, the end user may attach adhesive member 106 to container.
In one embodiment, container assembly 100 comprises an adhesive member 106 (referred to herein singularly and plurally as “106”). Preferably, adhesive member 106 comprises a top adhesive member surface 106a and a bottom adhesive member surface 106b. Preferably, and as shown in
In one embodiment, adhesive member 106 comprises a length and a width. The length is preferably greater than the width. As shown in
Preferably, the end user does not have to attach adhesive member 106 to lid 102, as it is already attached during the manufacturing process and/or before it reaches the end user. As such, it is to be understood that container assembly 100 is provided to the end user with adhesive member 106 already attached to, and/or integrally formed with, lid 102. As such, the end user does not have to attach adhesive member 106 to lid 102. This eliminates a very time-consuming and tedious step at the check-out line of the grocery store.
Preferably, the shape of lid 102 dictates the number of adhesive members 106 it is manufactured with. For example, and as shown in
In one embodiment, container assembly 100 includes a body 104. Preferably, at least a portion of lid 102 is removably attached to body 104. Body 104 may include a bottom, and one or more sides integrally formed with one another. Body 104 may be any shape, i.e., circular or rectangular/square. Together, lid 102 and body 104 form a container.
According to one example, as shown in
Lid 102 and body 104 of the present invention may form a box. The box may comprise wax on the inside for holding hot food. In other embodiments, lid 102 and body 104 of the present invention may form a circular soup “to-go” container. In yet other embodiments, lid 102 and body 104 of the present invention may comprise a transparent “to-go” container. Regardless of the type of container formed by lid 102 and body 104, adhesive member 106 is preferably attached to lid 102 before container assembly 100 reaches the end user.
The container of the container assembly 100 of the present invention is a “to-go” box with a waxy inside to hold hot food. An end user, i.e., a shopper at a grocery store, places a variety of hot food inside the container assembly 100 of the present invention. Container assembly 100 comprises adhesive member 106. The shopper may close the lid, but not seal it shut. When ready to check-out, another end user, a cashier, weighs container assembly 100, and the hot food container therein, in order to determine how much the hot food costs. At this point, cashier may seal lid 102 shut by removing the material covering the sticky surface, thereby exposing the sticky surface. The cashier may slightly pull adhesive member 106 so the exposed sticky surface attaches to body 104, i.e., attaches flush to a side of body 104. The cashier does not need to pull tape out of a tape dispenser and stick it onto the container, as adhesive member 106 is already attached to lid 102 when it reaches shopper and cashier. In this manner, container assembly 100 is sealed shut very easily and quickly. As such, contents of container assembly 100 may not fall out during the shopper's ride home. Also, heat is contained within the container more effectively, as the seal is tighter than simply folding the container shut or adding tape. Preferably, container assembly 100 of the present invention is microwave-safe (for quick re-heating). In this regard, the shopper may simply microwave container assembly 100 and contents therein to re-heat the contents that may have cooled down during the ride home. In yet other embodiments, container may not have a waxy inside. Additionally, the container need not be microwave-safe.
The present Application for Patent claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/787,841 entitled “Container Assembly”, filed Mar. 15, 2013, which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61787841 | Mar 2013 | US |
