Patent Application
20180273232
The invention relates generally to the field of shaped containers, especially those intended to segregate liquid and solid contents.
Shaped thermoplastic containers such as trays, bowls, and boxes are widely used to contain materials for shipping, display, and sale, such as for single-serving containers including meat containers and cups containing enough tea or coffee to make a single serving of a beverage. When wet items are to be contained, containers that are relatively impervious to liquid are employed, together with a lid, cover, or enveloping wrap to retain liquid within the container. For example, wrapped trays, cover-sealed boxes, and other containers are commonly used to contain and display food items at the point of sale. By way of example, cuts of meat and poultry are commonly sold at retail outlets (e.g., in supermarkets or at butcher shops) in packaging containers in which the cut is supported by a plastic or foam tray and wrapped with a polymeric sheet, at least a portion of which includes a clear window through which the cut may be viewed by potential purchasers. By way of further example, prepared solid or semi-solid foods are sometimes packaged in containers having a clear film or cover through which the food can be viewed.
In such containers, liquid that runs off from or is exuded from items on the container can form a pool or puddle within the container, and it can be undesirable for such a pool or puddle to be visible to one handling the container (e.g., a customer considering whether to purchase the container and its contents). Liquid in a food container can also harbor microorganisms, support their growth, and facilitate their transfer among items within the container, leading to spoilage of food items, appearance of spoilage, or both. Furthermore, transfer of free liquid from one component of a packaged food item to another (e.g., liquid exuded from a cooked meat item and absorbed by a pasta component packaged in the same container) can degrade the desirability or other properties of the food components. In each of these situations, it is desirable that liquid within the container be sequestered. Contact between solid and liquid components can also contribute to degradation of one or the other. For example, a cut of meat can spoil or develop an undesirable appearance more quickly when left in contact with exudate from the meat.
Sequestration of undesirable liquids within containers has been effected by others by configuring containers such that they include a portion into which liquid may drain under the influence of gravity. An example of such a container is a meat tray having a roughly planar region for supporting a cut of meat and a trough surrounding the planar region into which meat exudate (often termed “purge” by workers in this field) or other fluids can flow under the influence of gravity. A drawback of such containers is that when a potential purchaser handles the container, liquid within the trough can flow under gravity to other portions of the container, potentially spilling or becoming visible in a clear portion of a flexible polymeric wrapper that encompasses the container. Gravity-dependent packaging can also be of little assistance for separating liquids from items capable of absorbing it.
Liquid sequestration within containers has also been effected by others by including within a container a material (e.g., silica gel, porous paper, and liquid-absorbing fibrous or amorphous polymer materials) that absorbs intra-container liquid. Such absorbent materials can reduce spilling and intra-container flow of purge and other liquids. However, whether imbued with liquid or not, absorbent materials can adversely affect disposal of the packaging once it is no longer needed. By way of example, absorbent materials (especially those having fluid retained therein) can adversely affect the recyclability of the packaging or the willingness of a refuse source to accept the used packaging. In the context of food packaging, the absorbent materials can also be unsightly upon unpackaging and can harbor pathogens or organisms which cause or promote spoilage when maintained in close contact with food items. The absorbent material can segregate these fluids and organisms from stored articles (e.g., a cut of meat physically segregated from the absorbent material).
Use of drain trays within containers which include compartments (e.g., channels or voids) therein for sequestering undesirable fluid is also known. Drain trays are substantially planar sheets of (usually) plastic having one or more perforations extending therethrough and typically having ‘feet’ or ‘legs’ extending perpendicular to the tray, which serve to maintain an upper portion of the drain tray above the container surface upon which the drain tray rests, thereby maintaining a space into which can flow liquid which passes from the upper portion of the drain tray through a perforation. The feet or legs typically also serve to support the weight of items placed atop the drain tray without breaking or buckling the drain tray. An example of such a drain tray is the Cambro model 9OPPD 1/9 Size translucent polypropylene drain tray product (top and oblique underside views shown in
A shortcoming of existing drain trays is that they typically simply rest within a container (i.e., are contained within the interior of the container and remain there owing to the influence of gravity). Another shortcoming is that it can be difficult or cumbersome to sandwich other components (e.g., an absorbent pad) between the drain tray and the bottom of the container within which it rests, and compression of an absorbent pad can reduce its absorbent capacity. Still another shortcoming is that containers which include a drain tray must typically be assembled at the site of use, including insertion of an absorbent material between the drain tray and the container, and such assemblies can be easily disturbed between the time of their assembly and when they are actually used.
Disposal of used containers accounts for a tremendous amount of solid waste and burned rubbish. In recent decades, significant effort has been expended to reduce the quantity of such waste and to increase the amounts of such waste that are usable and used in recycled products. Food containers in particular have proven to be recalcitrant to waste-reduction efforts, especially those which include absorbent materials to absorb exudates. Although many containers can be disassembled by an end user to remove non-recyclable materials (e.g., soiled absorbent materials), the undesirable appearance, odor, or texture or the amount of effort required to effect such removal dissuades some end users from disassembling used containers and separating their recyclable and non-recyclable components. Reluctance by end users to disassemble such containers can be caused by the need for such users to touch the soiled interior of the container and its remaining contents after the product has been removed.
Food trays and other food packages need to have sufficient size, bulk, and rigidity to contain and support food products throughout the handling involved in food harvesting, preparation, shipping, and selling processes. Such containers need also comply with sanitary and regulatory needs to prevent food contamination and spoilage. They also need to contain and display contained foodstuffs in a manner consistent with ordinary retail marketing. Furthermore, in order to avoid being considered non-recyclable refuse by end users and recyclers, such containers need also be readily separable from visible and perceived contamination by food residue.
A need exists for containers which are capable of containing segregating solids and liquids contained therein in a safe, practical, and marketable condition and which are nonetheless substantially recyclable. Such containers are disclosed herein, as are methods of making and using them.
A need also exists for containers which have the capacity to sequester fluid present within the container and which have favorable disposability characteristics even upon sequestration of fluid. Such containers are disclosed herein, as are methods of making and using them.
The disclosure relates to a container for containing articles, and preferably for segregating those articles from liquids or small particles that may be or be generated within the storage compartment of the container. The container includes a shaped (e.g., thermoplastic) body and an insert. The body has a shape that includes an exterior surface, a peripheral rim, and an interior surface within the rim. The interior surface defines a storage space, a reservoir recessed away from the storage space at an opening between the storage space and the reservoir, a shelf portion within the reservoir, and an overhang extending into the storage space. The overhang is distally spaced from the shelf, relative to the reservoir. The insert is interposed between the shelf portion and the overhang at a position at which the shape and conformation of the insert are sufficient to segregate the interior of the reservoir from the storage space, other than at one or more channels having dimensions sufficient to occlude articles from passing from the storage space into the reservoir, while permitting passage of liquid or small particles through the channel(s). At least a portion of the body is sufficiently flexible that the insert can be displaced from the body by manually applying pressure to the exterior of the body by a person of ordinary strength who is holding the container at one or both of its rim and its exterior face. By way of example, the body can be made sufficiently flexible at the reservoir that the insert can be displaced from the body by pressure manually applied to the exterior face of the body at the reservoir. Alternatively, the body can be made sufficiently flexible at its rim that the insert can be displaced from the body by flexing the rim sufficiently to deflect one or more shelf portions or overhangs to a position at which the insert is no longer interposed between at least one shelf portion-overhang pair. As yet another example, the insert can be made sufficiently flexible that it can be substantially bent when pressure is applied to the insert by impingement thereon of a portion of the body that is deflected by pressure manually applied to the exterior of the body by a person of ordinary strength.
The container body can include a sufficient number of paired shelf portions and overhangs about the opening of the reservoir that the insert is not displaced from the body when the container is gently tumbled in space. The shelves can, for example, extend from the interior surface of the container body into the reservoir and can abut the reservoir. A single shelf portion can, for example, abut the reservoir and extend along a substantial portion (e.g., at least about one quarter, one half, or even the entirety) of the periphery of the reservoir. The shelf portion(s) are preferably integral parts of the body, but they need not be.
Within the container at least one overhang preferably overlaps at least one shelf portion. The body can include multiple overhangs and the insert can be interposed between the multiple overhangs and one or more shelf portions at at least two positions about the periphery of the reservoir, such as positions on opposite sides of the reservoir or at four positions about the periphery of the reservoir. Like the shelf portion, the overhang can, for example, extend along a substantial portion (e.g., at least about one quarter, one half, or even the entirety) of the periphery of the reservoir. Also like the shelf portion, the overhang(s) are preferably integral parts of the body, but they need not be. In some embodiments, the spacing between the shelf portion and the overhang is preferably not more than ten times (or, more preferably, about twice) the thickness of the portion of the insert that is interposed between the shelf portion and the overhang.
The container body can include a support bearing the shelf portion that extends inwardly from the interior of the reservoir toward the insert. Such a support can be integral with the body and extends approximately to the insert. The body can include two or more supports, each supports positioned sufficiently close to the rim that an adult human having hands of ordinary size can insert the thumb of each hand into one of the supports while gripping the rim with the at least one other finger of each hand. The body can include multiple supports spaced at varying distances from the rim, to accommodate human hands of various ordinary sizes.
In one embodiment the insert is a substantially flat plate having a shape that substantially covers the periphery of the reservoir, other than at an indentation at the peripheral edge of the insert. The insert can includes multiple peripheral indentation. In another embodiment, the insert is a substantially flat plate having a shape that substantially covers the periphery of the reservoir, the insert having at least one perforation extending therethrough.
The container body can be made from a variety of materials, such as a sheet of a thermoformable plastic (i.e., thermoformed into the shape of the body) or a paper pulp material. Examples of such materials include polyesters, polypropylenes, polyvinyl chlorides, polyethylene terephthalates, polystyrenes, and combinations of these. The body can have a peelable liner adhered to it and interposed between the body and the insert. The insert can be made of the same material as the body, if desired.
An absorbent material positioned can be positioned within the reservoir of the container. Such a material may, for example, be a woven material. The absorbent material can be in the form of an integral piece that is not fixedly attached to either of the body and the insert, so as to facilitate its removal from the container. Alternatively, the absorbent material is attached to the insert, or to the body.
The disclosure relates to shaped thermoplastic containers that include a drain insert which can segregate solid and liquid contents of the container, which is retained within the container even when it is inverted or tumbled, and which can be displaced from the container by a user without the user having to touch the interior of the container. Such containers can be to contain materials such as foods and foodstuffs for shipping, display, and sale.
The container includes a shaped thermoplastic body, at least some of which is flexible, and the drain insert. The container has an interior portion that includes a concave reservoir portion. The drain insert divides the interior portion of the container into the reservoir portion and a storage space within which articles (e.g., cuts of meat, vegetables, or frozen liquid-containing items) can be stored. Liquids or small particles in the storage space can pass through (e.g., through a perforation or pore in) the drain insert or around it to reach the reservoir, for example under the influence of gravity. By way of example, the container can have the appearance of a common grocery meat tray, with the concave storage section of the tray segregated from a recessed reservoir at the (gravitational) bottom of the storage section by a perforated plastic plate (i.e., the drain insert). Rather than including perforations, the drain insert can have a shape (e.g., scalloped or indented edges) which permits fluid or small particles to pass between the reservoir and the remainder of the interior of the container (i.e., through and/or around one or more edges of the drain insert). The reservoir can contain an absorbent material, so that liquid exuded by a cut of meat in the storage section of the tray passes through perforations in the plastic plate to the reservoir and is there absorbed into the absorbent material. The container can be wrapped or sealed (e.g., with a thin plastic film, as with conventional grocery containers) at a rim that defines the interior portion, so that any liquid that exists or is generated in the interior portion of the container remains in that interior portion.
A significant aspect of the container is that the drain insert is interposed between two elements of the container's body—a shelf and an overhang—to limit or prevent its displacement within or from the container, except when such displacement is desired by a user of the container. Preferably, the number, placement, and/or circumferential coverage (i.e., about the circumference of the drain insert) of the shelf(ves) and overhang(s) are sufficient to prevent the drain insert from displacing substantially within or from the container, even when the container is tumbled in space or subjected to normal container-handling conditions. That is, the drain insert can be caused to remain in place until and unless the user decides to remove it from the body of the container.
Another significant aspect of the container is that the drain insert can be maintained at a distance from the surface(s) that define the reservoir, so as to maintain a space within the interior of the reservoir where liquid (and/or an absorbent material to absorb liquid) can be stored. Such spacing of the drain insert away from a surface defining the reservoir can be maintained in a variety of ways, and those ways can be combined. For example, one or more shelves can be positioned within, adjacent to, or simply near the opening of the reservoir and paired with one or more corresponding overhangs extending from the interior of the container body, so that when the drain insert is interposed between the shelves and overhangs, it is maintained at a distance from a surface of the reservoir. The drain insert can also be spaced apart from a surface of the reservoir by positioning a support between that surface and the drain insert. The support can be attached to (or integral with) one of the reservoir surface and the drain insert, or it can be attached to neither. Alternatively, some supports can be attached to (or integral with) the reservoir surface and other supports can be attached to (or integral with) the drain insert. Combinations of supports and shelf-overhang pairs can be employed. Indeed, if a support is sufficiently close to the opening of the reservoir, it may be indistinguishable from a shelf—the “top surfaces” (i.e., the portion that faces or is opposed against the drain insert) of both shelves and supports that extend from the container body have the same function—to prevent the drain insert from being urged flush against the interior container surface that defines the reservoir.
Yet another significant aspect of the container is that the drain insert can be removed from the container body by a user, preferably without the user having to touch any interior portion of the container body (i.e., without having to touch the inside of the storage space, the inside of the reservoir, or the drain insert). The drain insert can be displaced from the container body by flexing one or more flexible parts of the body. In an important embodiment, the drain insert is held in place between several pairs of shelves and overhangs (or between a shelf-overhang pair that extends completely, or almost completely, about the opening of the reservoir), and the drain insert is displaced by gripping the container body by its exterior, including the rim that surrounds the storage space and i) manually depressing a portion of the reservoir toward the drain insert to apply pressure to the reservoir-face of the insert, thereby urging it to ‘pop out’ from between the shelf-overhang pairs, ii) manually flexing the gripped ends of the container body outwardly to disengage the drain insert from one or more shelf-overhang pairs positioned on those ends, or iii) both i and ii. In one embodiment, the container body has a reservoir from the bottom of which one or more supports extend across the reservoir space and toward (or against) the reservoir-face of the drain insert. Owing to the close position of the insert-face of the support to the reservoir-face of the drain insert, less manual pressure may need to be applied to the exterior of the container body at positions corresponding to the locations of these supports in order to displace the insert from the body than would be necessary if the manual pressure were applied against portions of container body located farther from the drain insert; less flexibility of the container body is necessary for the same reason.
In another embodiment, the drain insert is fixed (removably or not) to the interior of the container body, such as to one or more shelves or supports which it contacts. Such fixation can be achieved in any conventional way, such as through use of adhesives, heat fusion, sonic welding. In this embodiment, the reservoir of the container can include an absorbent material (e.g., a fibrous pad) that is inserted between the drain insert and the container body before the drain insert is fixed to the container body. Alternatively, the reservoir can be left empty, so that liquid or small particles can pass into the reservoir during use of the container, the container can be inverted or shaken to remove materials from the reservoir after use, and the assembled container (i.e., having the drain insert still fixed to the container body) can be recycled as a unit. One embodiment of such a container resembles the container illustrated in
Various aspects and parts of the containers described herein are now separately described in discrete sections.
The container described herein includes a container body that has an interior portion that includes the storage space described herein. The storage space is circumscribed by a rim and has within it the concave reservoir, the reservoir communicating with the storage space by way of an opening between the two. Each of the storage space and the reservoir are defined by the interior surface of the container body. Preferably (at least for ease of manufacture), the reservoir is simply portion of the storage space that is recessed away from the remainder of the storage space. The container body can be conveniently made from a single piece of material, such as by thermoforming an initially flat thermoplastic sheet to confer the desired shape to it (and cutting any excess sheet material from the body) or by molding a thermoplastic material into a desired shape. The container body can also be made by a two-step process, whereby most portions of the container body are shaped through conventional thermoforming and some portions (e.g., the outwardly-projecting bulge 2 separating the support 15 and the shelf 16, as shown in
The container body includes at least one overhang which serves to mechanically inhibit movement of the drain insert from within the interior of the container body toward or through the rim of the container body. The container body also includes at least one shelf or support which serves to mechanically inhibit movement of the drain insert from a first position in which the insert is spaced apart from a surface of the reservoir portion to a second position in which the insert is flush against that surface. That is, the drain insert is interposed between at least one overhang and at least one shelf or support of the container body. Preferably, the size, number, and/or placement of the overhangs, shelves, and supports of the container body are selected sufficient to maintain the drain insert at a relatively fixed position between the storage space and the reservoir.
By way of example, if the reservoir is a disk-shaped recess from the storage space, a shelf situated circumferentially about the opening of the reservoir can prevent movement of a drain insert that rests upon the shelf into the reservoir, and three overhangs which extend over the shelf from the interior of the container body at positions 120 degrees offset from one another (relative to the center of the disk-shaped recess) can be used to prevent movement away from the opening of the drain insert that rests upon the shelf, so long as the spacing between the shelf and each of the overhangs is sufficiently large to accommodate the thickness of the drain insert, but not so large as to permit the drain insert to fall out from between the shelf and overhangs when the container is tumbled in space.
Another example of the interactions between overhangs, shelves, and a drain insert is illustrated in Figure.
The relative sizes and shapes of the storage space and the reservoir are not critical. Generally, the size and shape of the storage space should be selected to accommodate articles that are anticipated to be stored therein. By way of example, it is well known that grocery containers are manufactured in a variety of sizes and shapes intended to accommodate common grocery items, such as individual pieces of plants (e.g., cherries, strawberries, or salad greens) or animals (e.g., beef steaks, chicken wings, legs, and gizzards or hamburger patties), and similar shapes and sizes can be selected for the storage space of the containers described herein. The size of the reservoir is preferably selected to be sufficiently large to accommodate the amount of liquid expected to occur in the storage space (e.g., the quantity of liquid expected to be exuded by a cut of meat upon storage or the quantity of liquid expected to be retained by salad greens upon washing incident to packaging). The shape of the reservoir is ordinarily unimportant, and can be selected to correspond to expected locations of liquid, to provide a suitable base upon which the container can rest, to accommodate a desired amount of absorbent material, or using other considerations.
An important characteristic of the container body is that at least a portion of the body is sufficiently flexible to facilitate displacement of the drain insert from the body by a user without the user having to touch the interior of the body. The body must be sufficiently rigid that it can perform its storage function. As is well known in the plastic container arts, the composition, thickness, and geometry (e.g., overall shape, inclusion of ribs) of a shaped plastic body can strongly influence the flexibility and rigidity of various portions of a that body. A skilled artisan in this field understands a variety of ways in which combinations of these factors can be employed to make containers having the functionality described herein.
By way of example, the insert in the container illustrated in
Further by way of example, the insert 20 in the container illustrated in
Torsional pressure applied to the container body 10 can also induce flexing of the container body 10 and/or insert 20 that is sufficient to result in displacement of the insert 20 from the body 10. By way of example, the short ends of the containers illustrated in
Combinations of the methods (i.e., torsional twisting, application of pressure at the from the bottom side of the container, and application of pressure at supports) can be used to effect displacement of the insert from the body. Likewise, stretching and/or folding of the body can be used to effect sufficient flexion of the body and/or insert to effect displacement of the two. These operations are well understood. What is important is not so much the precise manipulations necessary to displace the support from the body, but rather that manual forces applied to the exterior of the container by a person of ordinary strength are sufficient to effect such displacement, preferably as easily as possible when desired by that person, consistent with the insert remaining engaged with the body prior to such intentional application of displacing forces. That is, the container should remain assembled during use for storage, but should be easily disassemblable when a user desires to disengage the drain insert from the body.
In several of the figures included with this disclosure, the container body is illustrated having the shape of a rounded rectangular tray in which the reservoir has the shape of a rounded rectangular cavity with a shelf extending completely around the opening of the reservoir, the shelf being substantially parallel to the rim of the container, and the insert being a rounded rectangular plate having a plurality of perforations extending therethrough. However, these shapes and conformations are illustrations only. The container body 10 can be round, square, or irregularly shaped, or it can have a shape selected to conform to the shape of an article expected to be stored therein (e.g., a violin case or an egg carton).
The container can be constructed so that the reservoir 30 has a substantially flat bottom 18 that is substantially parallel to the rim of the container and generally rests at the gravitational bottom of the container during its intended use. However, this conformation and arrangement are not necessary. As illustrated in
The containers described herein are useful for containing foodstuffs, but have a variety of other uses. They are useful in any situation in which it is desirable to segregate articles or substances incapable of passing through the channels between the storage space and the reservoir, those channels having dimensions defined, at least in part, by the insert.
The containers can also be useful for processing foodstuffs or otherwise contacting solids with either liquids or small particles. In such an embodiment, a foodstuff is contained within the storage compartment of the container (i.e., on the rim-face of the drain insert), and a liquid or a plurality of small particles is directed toward the foodstuff from the direction of the rim. The liquid (e.g., hot water) can contact the foodstuff (e.g., ground coffee) and thereafter pass into the reservoir (e.g., as brewed coffee). If desired, the liquid or small particles can be collected from the reservoir.
In a particular embodiment, coffee grounds are contained within the storage compartment, the opening of the concavity being sealed with a foil or film to retain them therein and the drain insert having perforations and/or a peripheral shape sufficient to retain the coffee grounds within the storage compartment. In this embodiment, the foil or film can be pierced by a nozzle that delivers hot water into the storage compartment, and the bottom of the container can be pierced by a fluid conduit (e.g., a hollow needle-shaped conduit) to drain fluid from the reservoir. Hot water can be injected by the nozzle into the storage compartment, wherein it mixes with the coffee grounds, becoming liquid coffee. The liquid coffee is able to pass through and/or around the drain insert into the reservoir, whence it can flow through the fluid conduit to a desired location (e.g., to a cup held opposite the other end of the fluid conduit). The coffee grounds, however, are too large to pass through the perforations, gaps, or pores in and around the drain insert, so they are retained within the storage compartment. After passage of liquid is complete, the still-assembled container can be discarded as waste. Alternatively, the foil or film can be removed from the container rim, the coffee grounds removed from the storage compartment, and the drain insert can be ejected from the container as described herein, the drain insert and/or the container body being recycled. As still another alternative, if the interior of the container body has a thin peelable liner attached to it, ejection of the drain insert as described herein (e.g., effected by holding the rim of the container and pressing inwardly on the bottom of the container in the direction of the rim) can both displace the drain insert from the container and displace the peelable liner from the interior of the container. So long as the foil/film remains mostly sealed across the orifice of the container rim, it is possible to separate from the container body a unit that includes the liner, the drain insert, the foil/film, and the contents of the storage compartment. That unit can be discarded and the container body (which can include the bulk of recyclable material) can be recycled.
The containers described herein include at least one shelf that occludes movement of the insert toward at least one surface that defines the reservoir. The purpose of this shelf is to maintain an open (or, optionally, partially or completely filled with an absorbent material) reservoir into which materials can move from the storage space of the container (at least, if those materials are able to pass through a channel that extends through or around the edge of the insert). The shelf confers positional stability to the insert when materials within the storage space exert force upon the insert in the direction of the reservoir surface. A shelf can be an extension of the inner wall 17 of a container body 10, that extends inwardly from the periphery into the interior of a reservoir 30 and accommodates the insert 20, such as the shelf 16 illustrated in
The shelves and supports are preferably unitary with the container body, but need not be. They can be attached to (e.g., fused with or attached by adhesive) to the container body, or they can be simply placed within the interior of the container body to separate the insert from a surface of the reservoir against which the insert would fall if the shelf or support were not present. However, both for ease of manufacture and to facilitate recycling of used containers, the container body preferably includes one or more shelves and/or supports as integral parts thereof. By way of example, a container body including shaped portions (shelves and/or supports) suitable for use as shelf portions can be made by thermoforming a flat thermoplastic sheet against a mold that confers such shaped portions (as well as the other features of the container body) to the flat sheet during a conventional thermoforming process. Suitable thermoforming processes are well known and described elsewhere. Alternatively, as illustrated in
The container body can include a single shelf (e.g., as illustrated in
The drain insert and its interactions with sides of the container body and/or with shelves and supports formed in the container body can contribute to the structural characteristics of the container. By way of example, if the sides of the container body 10 illustrated in
Another important consideration when selecting the number, size, shape, and arrangement of shelves and supports is the role that these structures serve in facilitating and inhibiting displacement of the insert from the container body when a user wishes to accomplish such displacement. The insert is held within the container body by the combined motion-limiting capacities of overhangs (inhibiting movement of the insert toward the rim of the container) and of shelves/supports (inhibiting movement of the insert toward the face of a reservoir). Force manually applied by a user to the exterior of the container at the location of a shelf or support can be transmitted to the insert when the shelf or support contacts the insert. For this reason, it can be advantageous to position shelves and supports at locations at which externally-applied pressure can be transmitted to the insert to overcome the outward-movement-inhibiting influence of overhangs. Positioning of shelves and supports can also reduce or prevent compression of an absorbent material positioned in the reservoir space; that is, if the weight of an article that rests upon the drain insert described herein is carried by one or more shelves or supports, rather than by the absorbent material, then the absorbent material can be left free to absorb as much liquid as possible, rather than having its absorbent capacity limited by compression transmitted by the weight of the article on the drain insert and thence upon the absorbent material. That is, non-compression of absorbent material and non-blockage of its surface by a stored article (e.g., when the stored article is segregated from the surface of the absorbent material by the drain insert) can each improve the ability of the absorbent material to absorb liquid and ‘wick’ it away from the stored article.
By way of example, the container 1 illustrated in
For ease of assembly, simplicity of design, and stability of the resulting container (even when articles are loaded into its storage space), it can be advantageous if the container body includes one or more shelves which abut the reservoir.
The containers described herein include at least one, and preferably two or more, overhangs which extend inwardly from one or more sidewalls of the container to inhibit movement of the insert outwardly from the interior of the container, such as when the container is tumbled in space or gently shaken. Together with the shelves and/or supports described herein, the overhangs serve to restrain the drain insert within the container during its use for storage, but to permit its intentional displacement from the container body when the user desires to do so.
Whereas the purposes of the shelves and supports are both to secure the drain insert in place and to maintain the patency of the reservoir between the container body and the insert, the primary purpose of the overhangs is to secure the drain insert in place. It is primarily the resistance to movement of the insert that is effected by the overhangs that must be overcome in order to achieve displacement of the insert from the body. That resistance can be overcome because one or both of the body and the insert are flexible.
Flexibility of the container body can permit stretching or outward displacement of the portions of the body that bear the overhangs such that the overhangs no longer overlap one or more shelves or supports. Flexibility of the container body can also permit compression or outward displacement (i.e., away from the interior) of the overlaps themselves, permitting the insert to move past the overhangs when force is applied to the insert in the direction of such movement. Flexibility of the insert can permit it to bend or deflect, such that the bent or deflected insert “fits” through the space adjacent the overlaps (e.g., through the space denoted w′″ in
Overhangs of the container body can be aligned with shelves and/or supports of the body, so that portions of the insert overlap an overlap on one face and overlap a shelf or support on at the same position on the opposite face of the insert. That is, the overhangs can overlap one or more shelves or supports. Alternatively, the overhangs can be positioned such that they do not overlap shelves or supports. A container body can have multiple non-continuous overhangs (e.g., the four overhangs 15 of the container body illustrated in
Overhangs can be paired with shelves or supports such that when the insert is interposed between a paired overhang/shelf or a paired overhang/support, the ability of the insert to move from that position to the exterior of the container is obstructed by the presence of the overhang and the ability of the insert to move from that position against the face of an adjacent reservoir is obstructed by the presence of the shelf or support. Paired overhangs and shelves/supports can be spaced closely enough to one another that the insert is substantially immobilized between them (e.g., if the spacing is not significantly greater than the thickness of the insert or if flexation induced in the insert when interposed causes the insert to abut both of the pair simultaneously).
In one embodiment (illustrated in
Displacement of the insert from the container body can involve moving one or both of the insert and an overhang-shelf/-support pair from a position in which the insert is interposed between the pair to a position in which the insert is no longer interposed between the pair (and is therefore no longer constrained from moving past the overhang and out of the container body interior). Such movement can be induced by flexation of the container body, the insert, or both, as described herein. Movement of the insert within the space between paired overhangs and shelves/supports is tolerable, so long as such movement will not permit the insert to be displaced from the container body under ordinary storage conditions (e.g., when the container is tumbled in space or shaken gently). Such displacement can generally be limited by decreasing the spacing between the pairs, by increasing the degree of overlap between each half of the pair and the insert, or both. By way of example, if the distance between paired overhangs and shelves/supports is less than about twice the thickness of the insert, significantly less movement and consequently smaller likelihood of displacement can be expected than if the distance between the paired elements is ten or twenty times the thickness of the insert.
As with shelves and supports, the overhangs are preferably unitary with the container body, but need not be. They can be attached to (e.g., fused with or attached by adhesive) to the container body to prevent the insert from readily moving from the interior of the container body to its exterior, as it could if the overhangs were not present. In another alternative, the overhangs can be a portion of the container body wall that has been partially cut therefrom (e.g., a ‘U’-shaped cut that produces a finger-shaped displaceable portion of the wall) and displaced so that it extends into the interior of the container body and overhangs the insert, thereby obstructing its egress from the interior of the container body. However, both for ease of manufacture and to facilitate recycling of used containers, the container body preferably includes one or more overhangs as integral parts thereof. By way of example, a container body including shaped portions (e.g., multiple lobes as shown in
The containers described herein include a drain insert that is interposed between one or more overhangs and one or more shelf portions (e.g., shelves or supports) and which divides the interior of the container body into a storage portion and one or more reservoirs. Then thus assembled, the container has one or more channels that extend between the storage portion and at least one of the reservoirs, at least one of the channels being defined at least in part by the insert. Although the channels permit passage therethrough of liquids and gasses, the channels have dimensions that are sufficient small to occlude stored articles from passing from the storage space into the reservoir. By way of example, the insert can be a flat plate having a plurality of perforations extending therethrough from the storage space on one face to a reservoir on the opposite face. Alternatively, as illustrated in
An important characteristic of the containers described herein is that the drain insert is manually displaceable from the interior of the container by a user who desires to achieve such displacement. Preferably, the insert can be displaced by the user without touching any surface on the interior of the container (i.e., which surfaces may be undesirable to touch, for example, on account of unsanitary conditions or substances present on the interior). Thus, the containers have the characteristic that a user can grasp the container by its exterior (including the rim of the container) and displace the insert from the container by applying manual force sufficient to flex at least a portion of the container body sufficiently to displace the insert. Flexibility of the insert can facilitate its displacement from the container body, since forces that are manually exerted on the exterior of the container body can be transmitted through the container body to the insert by flexing portions of the body. The insert may be displaceable from between supports and overhangs, as described herein. Alternatively, the insert may be adhered or frangibly welded or melted to one or more of a shelf and a support in the body, such that the adherence can be overcome or broken by force manually exerted upon the body.
By way of example,
The insert should cover the opening between the storage space and the reservoir sufficiently that articles to be stored in the container cannot move between the two spaces around the periphery of the insert. The insert need not be flat, but can instead be curved or shaped to match the conformation of this opening. Channels between the storage space and the reservoir can be provided by way of pores, tortured passageways, or perforations extending through the insert, by way of one or more gaps or indentations at the insert periphery that leave uncovered at least a portion of the opening between the two spaces, or a combination of these. By way of example, a non-perforated drain insert can have a toothed or zig-zag shaped periphery such that it retains articles to be stored in the storage compartment, but permits passage of fluid or small particles between the storage compartment and the reservoir.
At least one of the insert and the container body should be sufficiently flexible that it can be substantially bent, stretched, or displace by pressure sufficient to cause the insert to become interposed between the overhangs and shelves or supports of the container body. Such flexibility also facilitates displacement of the insert from the container body when desired by a user.
At least in some embodiments, the purpose of the reservoir of the container described herein is to provide a space into which can flow fluids which occur or are generated in the storage space. By way of example, plant or animal parts (e.g., cuts of meat or sliced vegetables) can exude liquid that can be visually undesirable or induce spoilage.
Although it can be desirable simply to facilitate movement of liquid from the storage space to the reservoir, it can sometimes be even more desirable to sequester liquid within the reservoir, so as to prevent it from moving back to the storage space. Such sequestration can be achieved by including an absorbent material in the reservoir. Sequestering exudate in an absorbent material 40 contained within the reservoir 30 of the containers described herein has the advantage of both preventing the exudate from moving into the storage space and retaining any microorganisms or other unwholesome substances in that exudate separate from items in the storage space. This can improve both the overall appearance of the package and the microbial safety and wholesomeness of foods contained within it.
Numerous absorbent materials are known (e.g., cotton fibers, absorbent papers, woven and non-woven fabrics, and liquid-absorbent polymers), and substantially any of these materials can be used. Naturally, any absorbent material should be selected to be consistent with the intended use of the container. For example, if the container is intended to be used to store food items, absorbent materials suitable for use with consumable food items should be employed.
The absorbent material may be present as a single, unitary absorbent body (e.g., the non-woven mat shown in
It can be desirable that the absorbent material can be displaced from the container body when the drain insert is displaced therefrom, either simultaneously or sequentially. In one embodiment, the absorbent material is attached to the drain insert (e.g., by adhering or fusing the two), so that it is displaced from the container body together with the insert. Alternatively, the absorbent material can be separate from both the insert and the container body, so that it can be removed separately. If desired, the absorbent material can be attached to the container body, so that it will not be displaced therefrom when the insert is displaced from the container body.
In an important embodiment, the container is sealed at the open end of its interior to prevent transit of liquid between the exterior of the container and the storage space of the container body. By way of example, the container can be sealed by a plastic film that is adhered or fused to the rim of the container about the entire perimeter of that rim, creating a fluid-resistant barrier. Alternatively, the entire container can be wrapped in a sheet of a fluid-resistant film (e.g., the sorts of films used to wrap conventional grocery packages of meats and plants), and overlapping portions of the film can be sealed to prevent transit of liquid between the interior of the film-wrapped bundle (i.e., where the container is located) and the exterior of the film-wrapped bundle (i.e., the portion handled by users prior to opening the bundle).
The identities of the materials used to make the container body, the drain insert, and (if present) the absorbent material are not critical. Many materials (e.g., plastics, foamed or expanded plastics, paperboards, metal foils, and absorbent materials) used to make conventional containers can be used to make the containers described herein.
The materials and dimensions used for the body and the insert should be selected so that the resulting container exhibits the flexibility properties described herein. That is, at least certain portions described herein of the container body should be sufficiently flexible that a person of ordinary strength can manually apply force to the exterior of the container that will deform the container sufficiently to facilitate displacement of the insert from the container body. Flexibility exhibited by the insert can affect the required flexibility of the container body. The materials used should also be sufficiently resilient to withstand the expected stresses and strains incident to manufacture, use for storage, and displacement of the insert from the container body as described herein (i.e., the materials will preferably not break or tear under such conditions).
The container body described herein can advantageously be made from a single sheet of a thermoformable plastic using conventional thermoforming processes. Briefly summarized, the sheet is heated within a thermoforming apparatus to a temperature at which the plastic softens sufficiently that it attains the shape of one or more molds (e.g., female or male molds, optionally assisted by application of positive or negative air pressure to portions of the sheet) into which the softened sheet is inserted. Upon cooling the sheet retains the molded shape and the shaped article (e.g., the container body) can be cut from a larger sheet of the plastic. If desired, the cut-out article can be further processed, for example to turn the sharp edge of the cut sheet to a position at which it will not impinge upon a plastic film used to seal an adjacent portion of the article (e.g., to form the turned-under edge 11 of the rim 12 shown in
A wide variety of thermoformable plastics can be used to make the container body, such as one selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polypropylenes, polyvinyl chlorides, polyethylene terephthalates, polystyrenes, and combinations of these. Recyclable materials are preferred, so that the container body can be recycled after removing the stored articles therefrom and displacing the drain insert and any absorbent material(s) from the container body.
The identity of the material(s) from which the drain insert are made are likewise not critical, nor is the manner by which the insert is made critical. Substantially any material capable of maintaining segregation between the storage space and the reservoir of the container body in the presence of stored articles and under the ordinary conditions of filling, storage, shipping, and handling can be used. The drain insert can, for example, be a molded, thermoformed, or cast plastic materials. Preferably, the insert is made from a recyclable plastic, so as to encourage recycling of the materials. Alternatively, the drain insert can be made from a paper slurry product, such as filter paper type material, a perforated cardboard or paperboard. The drain insert can also be made from a woven or non-woven fibrous material, so long as it retains the physical properties (e.g., rigidity) required in the drain insert of a particular embodiment.
If the drain insert is stiffer than the container body, then this stiffness can facilitate stretching or displacement of flexible portions of the container body when force is applied by a user to the insert (by pressing another portion of the container body against the insert), thereby facilitating displacement of the insert from the body. If the drain insert is more flexible than the container body, then this flexibility can facilitate bending or folding of the insert when force is applied by a user to the insert (by pressing another portion of the container body against the insert), thereby facilitating displacement of the insert from the body.
The container described herein is made by forming the container body and the insert and then assembling the container. The insert is interposed between one or more overhangs and one or more shelf portions (carried by either a shelf or a support) of the container body. Generally, the insert is placed within the interior of the container adjacent the position at which it will be interposed between the overhangs and shelves/supports, and then one or both of the container body and the insert are stretched, bent, folded, or deflected sufficiently to effect such interposition. Next, forces that were applied to achieve such stretching, bending, folding, or deflection are released so as to at least partially reverse those effects, effectively ‘locking’ the insert in the interposed position. Now, if the assembled container is tumbled in space or gently shaken, the insert will remain in the interposed position and will not be displaced from the container body until a user applies manual pressure to its exterior as described herein.
If desired, an absorbent material can be inserted within a reservoir prior to assembling the container body and the insert. Following assembly, articles can be placed within the storage space of the container, and the container can be sealed with a lidding or by wrapping it, if desired.
In a preferred embodiment, the container described herein includes a translucent (preferably clear) container body 10, a translucent (preferably clear) drain insert 20, and an absorbent material 40 that is translucent (preferably clear) when saturated with a clear liquid like water. Such containers provide the beneficial property that materials contained within them can be viewed through the container body, drain insert, and absorbent material—diffusely in the case of translucent materials and relatively distinctly in the case of clear materials. Thus, if these parts of the container are all clear, and the container is wrapped in a clear film, a person attempting to view a cut of meat, for example, contained within the container is able to view the cut from most or all angles. If the contents of the package exude a water-based liquid (like purge), the absorbent material can absorb the liquid and the package can remain substantially clear, subject to the non-clarity of the absorbed liquid. (Of course, each of the container body, drain insert, and absorbent material may be clear, translucent, or opaque, and each may have any desired color regardless of opacity.)
Any of the wide variety of optically translucent and clear plastics can be used to make container bodies and drain inserts that are translucent or clear, employing only the ordinary skill of an artisan in this field. Selection of absorbent materials that are translucent or clear may require additional expertise, such as that provided below. Even if the absorbent material is not translucent or clear, selection of clear or translucent container body and drain insert parts nonetheless improves visibility of contained items.
An absorbent material for facilitating visibility of a contained item therethrough should be selected such that light reflected from (or transmitted through) the contained item can penetrate through the absorbent material and be perceived be a viewer attempting to look through the absorbent material at the contained item. For this reason, the absorbent material should be selected such that it transmits a substantial portion (e.g., at least 10%, and preferably 50%, 75%, or 90% or more, as assessed by measuring light intensity across all human-visible wavelengths) of visible light incident upon one face of the absorbent material through the material (e.g., through the normal thickness of a pad of absorbent material used in the container) when the absorbent material is saturated with water. Preferably, the absorbent material should be selected such that the clarity of the water-saturated absorbent material permits acute visual perception of the contained item, when viewed through the absorbent material. Clarity of the wet absorbent material can be assessed by measuring scattering of visible light passed through the material, and such scattering should be not greater than about 90% (i.e., transmission of at least 10%, as assessed by measuring scattering across all human-visible wavelengths), and is preferably less than 50%, 25%, 10%, 5%, or 1% in “clear” absorbent materials, assessed at the thickness to be used in the container.
A suitable absorbent material for use in this embodiment is the polymer referred to colloquially as polylactic acid or “PLA.” PLA is a polymer of lactic acid and exists in many known forms, including spun, drawn, or cast fibers, woven and non-woven fabrics, and wools (e.g., bunched or tangled non-woven fibers). Especially relevant in this embodiment is the property that thin PLA fibers become substantially transparent when wetted with water. Even when dry, a thin fabric woven of PLA fibers can scatter relatively little light passing therethrough. Thus, for example, fabrics woven of PLA fibers have been used to create bags for containing tea leaves for common teabags used to brew teas in cups of hot water. Such PLA teabags permit a person to easily see the contents of the teabag when it is dry and become nearly transparent when wet.
Thin PLA fibers can be used to make the absorbent material 40 for the containers described herein. By way of example, PLA fibers can be used in bulk, such as in a wool or in a pad made from one or more layers of woven or non-woven PLA fibers. PLA fibers can also be used to form a package (analogous to a teabag used for brewing tea) that can contain a second absorbent material. When moistened with a liquid (e.g., water or purge from a cut of meat), the PLA fibers can attain the clarity and transparency of the liquid and become essentially “invisible” in the liquid. Even used in bulk, the significant clarity of wet PLA fibers tends to permit a person to look through the fibers. A clear or translucent bag or pad, whether composed of a single absorbent material or multiple absorbent materials, permits a person to view a contained item through the bottom 18, absorbent material 40, and drain insert 20 of the container described herein. Other thermoplastic fibers can also be used to make woven or non-woven fabrics for containing absorbent materials, and fibers which are substantially clear or translucent can be selected by a skilled artisan in this field.
Another suitable absorbent material for use in this embodiment is wood fibers, preferably fibers which have been bleached (most preferably using oxygen-based bleaches, such as hydrogen peroxide-based products, rather than chlorine-based bleaches). By way of example, pulped Abaca (Manila hemp) fibers of the type typically used in making tea bag cases for brewing hot tea beverages can be used. Pulped soft wood fibers are also suitable. Pulped fibers can be used to form thin, non-woven mats that are porous. The nature of such plant fibers tends to induce absorption and transit of aqueous fluids (like purge) through capillary action and by virtue of the hydrophilic nature of the fibers themselves. Whether fibers are used to make woven or non-woven fabrics, a pore size sufficient to contain any absorbent materials to be contained within the fabric (e.g., SAP powder or particles) should be selected. By way of example a Manila hemp-based non-woven fabric having a maximum pore size of about 100 microns can be used to contain SAP particles having a diameter of about 300 microns. Many or most natural fibers will be clear or substantially clear or translucent when wetted using clear water, and this clarity or translucence is desirable when other container components are selected to be clear or translucent.
PLA fibers, other thermoplastic fibers, bleached Manila hemp or wood fibers, or other materials can be used to create a “bag” (analogous to a teabag) that contains a second absorbent material. If that second absorbent material exhibits significant clarity or light-transmissibility when moistened with water, the entire bag (bag+contents) can be substantially clear, or at least translucent. Such a second absorbent material can include particles of materials such as those known as “superabsorbent polymers” (SAPs). SAPs are well-known polymers that can be made from a variety of materials and which exhibit the property of being capable of absorbing many times (e.g.,) their weight and volume in water. SAPs made from a variety of materials are known, such as those made from polyacrylic acids (e.g., sodium polyacrylate), polyacrylamide copolymers, ethylene maleic anhydride copolymers, cross-linked carboxymethylcelluloses, polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, cross-linked polyethylene oxides, starch-grafted copolymers of polyacrylonitrile, and cross-linked polymers of polyacrylic acid and polyvinyl alcohols. SAPs may be used in the form of small particles (e.g., powders, such as those having particle sizes from tens or hundreds of microns), larger particles (e.g., those having maximum dimensions on the order of 0.1-10 millimeters), or large blocks or other shapes.
In a preferred embodiment, the container described herein includes an absorbent material bag which comprises a shell made of thin, woven thermoplastic fibers or thin, non-woven Manila hemp fibers, containing particles of a SAP; the shell is preferably closed (e.g., through sewing, folding and fastening, or heat-sealing thermoplastic fiber-based fabrics) sufficiently that no substantial amount of SAP particles (whether wet or dry) can escape the shell. The weave of the fabric or density of non-woven fibers will define a gap or pore size between fibers; SAP particles should be selected to substantially exceed the gap or pore size. When fibers and SAP particles are each selected such that each is substantially clear when wet, the resulting SAP-particle-containing-fiber-shell can permit a person to view an object through the absorbent material bag regardless of whether it is wet or dry. Thus, when such an absorbent material bag is included in the reservoir 30 of the container described herein and the container body 10 and drain insert 20 are each clear, a person will be able to see an item contained within the container by looking through the bottom 18 of the container, through the container body 10, absorbent material bag 40, and the drain insert 20. Such an absorbent material bag can be adhered within the reservoir 30 or non-fixedly placed or disposed within the reservoir 30. The reservoir can contain a single such bag or more than one. By way of example, the bags can be formed as relatively small (e.g., peanut- or ping pong ball-sized units when saturated with water) individual units, so that multiple bags can be readily placed within reservoirs of containers of various sizes. Such bags can have substantially any shape, such as roughly spherical, tubular, mat-shaped, or the shape of the reservoir intended to contain it (each assessed when the absorbent materials within the bag are in a liquid-engorged state).
The containers described herein can lack any overhang 15, such that the drain insert 20 merely abuts the shelf 16, without any opposed overhang 15. In such embodiments, the drain insert 20 simply rests upon the shelf 16 and is held in place, if at all, by gravitational force or by the force of materials in the interior space of the container (e.g., the force conferred by the weight of the materials, force conferred by wrapping the materials ‘against’ the drain insert 20, or both). If desired, the drain insert 20 can be fixed to the shelf 16 by any known method, such as by an interposed adhesive, by sonically welding the two, or by heating one or both above their glass transition temperature while compressing the two against one another.
The disclosure of every patent, patent application, and publication cited herein is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
While this subject matter has been disclosed with reference to specific embodiments, it is apparent that other embodiments and variations can be devised by others skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. The appended claims include all such embodiments and equivalent variations.
This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. application filed as international application PCT/ US17/15814, filed 31 Jan. 2017, that co-pending U.S. application being entitled to priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/261,413, filed 1 Dec. 2015.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62261413 | Dec 2015 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/US17/15814 | Jan 2017 | US |
| Child | 15992382 | US |
