Patent Grant
8973776
1. Field of the Invention
One or more embodiments of the invention are related to the field of containers. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, one or more embodiments of the invention include a cup with nestable food container and cover, wherein the food container serves as a lid for the cup and may include one or more cavities to hold food or independent drop-in containers. The food container enables simultaneous or intermittent access of the contents of the food container and attached cup without disengagement of the food container from the cup. Furthermore, according to one or more embodiments, the cup includes narrow portion or ledge that supports a portion of the food container and this narrow portion may also be utilized as a fill line when filling liquids into the cup, to ensure that insertion of the food container does not result in overflow of liquid from the cup.
2. Description of the Related Art
Standard cup lids are simple covers that do not include an integrated food container. Rather, known lids cover the contents of a cup wherein the lid forms a closed container in combination with the cup itself. Known containers that couple with cups include food containers that fit onto the top of yogurt cups for example. These containers typically have to be removed from the yogurt cup and then flipped over and opened before the contents of the container and cup may be accessed. It is generally not possible to access the contents of the cup while also accessing the contents of the container without first disengaging the container from the cup. Additionally, food containers that attach to yogurt cups, for example, in an upside-down position have a limited food-volume capacity. In such cases, as the yogurt example shows, the food-container walls narrow as they proceed upward toward the bottom of the upside down container. Other known devices having a container or shelf combined with a lid have limitations, which makes these devices impractical to use.
One category of devices typically includes a container combined with a cup, but utilizes a hole in the middle of the lid. This makes it generally impossible to store relatively circular items, i.e., non-ring or non-annular items having no central hole, in the container, such as hamburgers, cookies or muffins for example. Another category of device typically includes a container combined with a lid, but does not allow for simultaneous access of the contents of the cup and the container, and does not allow for the container to be resealed or a drop-in seated container to be inserted and removed from the food container. Other containers that form portions of the lid have limitations in the amount of storage or shape of the storage area, which limits the quantity or type of food respectively.
Thus simultaneous or intermittent access of the contents of known cups and of the contents of an attached container is not practical for at least the reasons listed above. This makes for difficult drinking/eating coffee, soda, snacks, popcorn, etc., in malls, fast food restaurants, theaters, amusement parks, and sports stadiums or in any other venue. In addition, this makes it difficult to eat and drink food in a theater or stadium with one cup-holder per seat, and makes it difficult to simultaneously access solids and liquids using a plurality of containers and container cavities, without disengaging the containers/cavities.
Generally, spill proof dual function food/drink containers have been developed for parents to provide their children with a snack and drink at the same time. These types of containers which supply a food container body that rests in the upper portion of a drink cup are, typically, thick-walled, injection molded, and reusable. Such containers are usually manufactured abroad and are relatively expensive to manufacture compared to thin film or thin wall disposable containers. Reusable containers may be disassembled such that the various parts may be placed in a dishwasher. Thick walled reusable containers may additionally employ parts that screw together and utilize “O” rings for a tight leak-proof seal.
Although thick walled, reusable, food/drink containers have been developed, skillfully engineered, thin film thermoformed or thin wall injection molded disposable containers have not been developed for the fast food and convenience store industries. Thin film thermoforming and thin wall injection molding are typically the two most cost efficient manufacturing methods for producing high volume parts. According to industry standards, thin film or thin wall construction is defined in the approximate range of 0.010 to 0.030.
Typically, thin film thermoforming and thin wall injection molding are specific manufacturing sciences that demand precise engineering and highly accurate tolerances. Strategic strength features or elements that stabilize the structural integrity of the cups and containers, generally, must be incorporated into the construction of thin wall parts. Without strength elements, thin wall parts generally become flimsy and lose their ability to precisely mate with one another. Typically, thin film thermoforming requires drafts on all parts such that the parts may release from their prospective molds. When it comes to thin film or thin wall construction, every detail is important. Without precise engineering, for example, thin wall parts may lack structural integrity and these parts may lose their ability to precisely fit together.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,827 to Labe et al., entitled “Multi-Purpose Closure for Containers”, appears to disclose a straw that goes directly through the inner cavity that is formed between a base member and a top cover, where the straw directly interferes with the inner cavity that holds an article or food item. The reference appears to lack any mention of an outer diameter flange of an upper food container cover, and wherein the outer diameter flange of the upper food container body may include two horizontal cap wall surfaces which meet and become flush when the upper food container cover is placed on the upper food container body. In addition, the reference appears to lack any mention of an arched shaped straw notch that intersects the outer edge or a straw hole adjacent to the outer edge that occur in the flush horizontal cap wall surfaces that are integrated into the outer edge regions of the upper food container cover and upper food container body. Hence, embodiments that show a straw require that the straw be removed before removing the cover to access the contents of the container, hence Labe does not allow for simultaneous access of the contents of the cup and container. Furthermore, the device of Labe et al. appears to lack any mention of a food container with a plurality of cavities to hold solids and liquids and at least one independent drop-in container.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,217,434 to Loh et al., entitled “Condiment Dispenser for Beverage Container”, appears to show a seal-on/peel-off cover sealing over a straw hole located adjacent to an outer diameter edge of a cylinder. The reference appears to lack any mention of tapered or drafted sidewalls due to the fact that a cylinder is a tube like structure that has straight or parallel sidewalls. In addition, using the device of Loh, before a straw can be inserted, it appears as though the seal-on/peel-off layer must be removed, since a straw notch or straw hole is not present at the outer edge of the cylinder or cylinder cover. Loh discloses wherein the seal-on/peel-off layer is adhesively adhered to the top edge of the cylinder, and wherein the seal-on/peel-off cover is flat thus restricting the height of food items that may be placed within the cylinder from proceeding above the rim of the cylinder. Loh appears to lack any mention of a domed upper food container cover or variable height domed cover that is replaceable, that allows for a wider variety of foods of various heights to be placed within the upper food container and reduces the depth requirement of the food cavity thus making it easier to reach in and grab food that is contained within the cavity. Loh is silent to resealing the container once the straw is inserted as well. Furthermore, the device of Loh appears to lack any mention of a food container with a plurality of cavities to hold solids and liquids and at least one independent drop-in container.
United States Patent Publication 20030089725 to Kang, entitled “Double Cup Separable Into Upper and Lower Sections”, appears to disclose an auxiliary cup with a hole through the bottom that may allow liquid to enter the food volume cavity of the auxiliary cup. In addition, Kang appears to show a guide rod through which a straw may pass to prevent food within the auxiliary cup from getting wet. However, the guide rod and straw appear to be centrally located which prevents a large food item or items from being placed within the auxiliary cup. Furthermore, Kang appears to show a cup with no structural support in the top edge of the up, and the cup may only be injection molded and utilized with a thick wall construction. The straw space as shown in the reference appears to be extremely large which increases the possibility that liquid will escape when the cup is tilted as the user is drinking from the cup. Additionally, it appears as though Kang lacks any mention of a straw notch or straw hole that may be placed in the top cover. Kang also describes an auxiliary cup that has no top edge or stopper thus making it difficult for the cover to attach to a cup lip that has no top edge. Furthermore, the device of Kang appears to lack any mention of a food container with a plurality of cavities that may hold solids and liquids and at least one independent drop-in container.
United States Patent Publication 20110094904, to Lee, entitled “Container for Food and Beverage”, appears to show that a straw cannot be installed in the main body of the container, sub-receiving cavity or the spouting portion until the thin seal layers are removed from the sub container body and the spouting hole. Removing the thin seal layers prior to using the device of Lee, for example, complicates the process of accessing the food and beverage contained within the main body and the sub-receiving cavity. Additionally, Lee appears to disclose wherein the sub-receiving cavity is tightly coupled to the main body, which further complicates the process of removing the sub-receiving cavity when refilling the main body with a liquid or beverage. Furthermore, the sub-receiving cavity and the sub container, of Lee, appear to be sealed by a seal member such as aluminum foil, and the seal member is designed to reseal. However, the seal member, for example, does not appear to include a thermoformed or injection molded snap-on or press-fit cover that includes an arch shaped straw notch or cut out that proceeds around the location of a straw or a pre-formed or pre-cut straw hole through which a straw may proceed to the contents of the main body or beverage cup. Furthermore, the device of Lee appears to lack any mention of a food container with a plurality of cavities that may hold solids and liquids and at least one independent drop-in container.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,740,575, to Fontaine, entitled “Dispensing Container” appears to disclose an inner container with a flat peripheral flange that is secured in a downwardly located annular grove located near the upper edge region of an outer cup. As such, the device of Fontaine makes it difficult to reach down into the cup to grip the edge of the inner container to remove it from the outer cup in order to refill the cup with a beverage or liquid. Additionally, using the device of Fontaine, it appears as though a straw cannot be inserted into the opening adjacent to the inner container until the top cover has been removed. The top cover appears to be flat which limits the height of food items that may be placed within the inner cavity. The device of Fontaine appears to lack any mention of a food container with a plurality of cavities that may hold solids and liquids and at least one independent drop-in container, and an upper food container cover that includes a simple domed or variable height domed cover.
Furthermore, there are no known devices that relate to an upper food container body that rests in the upper portion of a drink cup that demonstrates an inward arched or planar indent that intersects the outer substantially vertical sidewall of both the upper dome shaped food container cover and upper food container body where both inward indents are perpendicularly intersected by a horizontal cap wall that employs an arch shaped straw notch or straw hole and where both horizontal cap walls meet and become flush with one another when the cover is placed on the food container body and where additionally both flush cap walls form a double wall liquid retention barrier that surrounds the location of where the straw enters the arch shaped straw notch or straw hole.
In addition, no known devices show an inverted structural trough element integrated into an outer edge area of an upper food container body, where the inverted trough element may additionally acts as a spill retention barrier wall as well as providing a vertically oriented receiving wall that meets the small horizontally oriented flexible flange/lip of the upper dome shaped food container cover. Furthermore, no known devices demonstrate an upper dome shaped food container cover that employs a small horizontally oriented flexible flange/lip that rapidly snaps past one or more continuous or non-continuous male snap/bump elements that are integrated into the vertically oriented receiving wall of the inverted structural trough element that is part of the upper food container body.
No known devices disclose a thin wall upper dome shaped food container cover that employs an inward arched or planar indent that is perpendicularly intersected by a horizontal cap wall that employs an arch shaped straw notch that intersects an outside curved edge of the horizontal cap wall, wherein the straw notch allows the cover to be removed from the food container body without disturbing the orientation of the straw, such that the straw maintains its original position within the cup. Generally, an arch shaped straw notch may only be utilized when the upper food container cover snaps to the vertically oriented receiving wall of the inverted structural trough element. If the cover snaps to the exterior wall of inverted structural trough element, then it may be necessary to employ a straw hole due to the specific requirements of die cutting procedures.
Generally, known devices lack a food container body that rests in the upper portion of a cup and includes one or more dividing walls that form one or more downward oriented food cavities within the upper food container body. Furthermore, known devices typically lack a downward sauce or condiment cavity that may receive a prefilled condiment container located adjacent to a food cavity in order to facilitate the convenience of close proximity dipping. In addition, no known devices include two symmetrical sauce or condiment cavities located within the upper food container body, wherein the two prefilled drop-in sauce or condiment containers may be easily oriented as they are dropped into the symmetrical cavities.
Typically, no known devices show interchangeable upper food container bodies that may employ one or more downward food or sauce cavities that may vary in depth in relation to one another, wherein each of the different and unique food container bodies may fit into the upper region of a same size drink cup. Furthermore, typical devices appear to lack a disclosure of an upper dome shaped food container cover that may be configured according to the various height requirements of various foods, such that the various height food container covers may be interchanged with the various food container bodies that fit within the upper region of the same size drink cup.
Generally, no known devices use an independent drop-in food container with a replaceable press-on cover, such that the upper food container body may include a microwaveable, independent drop-in food container with a replaceable interior wall or exterior wall press-on cover. In addition, no known devices include an upper food container body with a downward food cavity that may receive an independent drop-in food container, and one or more downward arch shaped finger grab indents adjacent to the downward food cavity that may facilitate easy lifting and removal of the independent drop-in food container from the downward food cavity.
Typically, known devices appear to lack an upper dome shaped food container cover that additionally includes a downward cavity of any size or shape in the top horizontal wall of the variable height dome shaped cover that may hold one or more additional sauce or condiment containers, small cookies, candy, toys, utensils or promotional items. Furthermore, known devices generally lack any disclosure of an additional downward cavity in the top horizontal wall of the variable height dome shaped food container cover that may include a replaceable interior wall or exterior wall snap-on or press-fit cover that may contain the contents of the downward cavity.
For at least the limitations described above there is a need for a cup with nestable food container and cover wherein the container includes at least one or a plurality of downward oriented container cavities.
One or more embodiments described in the specification are related to a cup with nestable food container and cover wherein the food container nests in the upper region of a cup. In at least one embodiment of the invention, the food container includes at least one wall that defines at least one container body and at least one or a plurality of downward oriented cavities, wherein the at least one container body stores food including a first solid or liquid. For example, in one embodiment, the food container may also include one wall that defines at least one container body and one downward oriented cavity. In embodiments, the at least one container body may include an outer edge area, and a plurality of downward oriented cavities for example include a bottom outer portion, such as, but not limited to a corner portion. In at least one embodiment, the corner portion may rest on a corner portion that is integrated into the sidewall of the cup for example to support the food container. In other embodiments any portion of the container may rest on the cup alone or in combination, include on the upper lip, strength portions of the cup or any other area of the cup.
According to at least one embodiment, the cup includes a substantially vertical sidewall and an annular opening for example that may lie or reside in an annular plane on top of the cup. In one or more embodiments, the substantially vertical sidewall includes a lower cup body, and an upper cup body having a portion that is wider than the lower cup body. In at least one embodiment, at the location where the upper cup body transitions into the lower cup body there is a portion, for example a point, line or series of lines, piecewise continuous, slanted, angled, curved or other any other shape, for example a continuous outer corner portion that defines a fill line which indicates the volume of beverage to place in the cup. The corner portion of the upper cup body that forms the fill line may also be utilized as a support for the food container.
By way of at least one embodiment, the at least one container body contacts the first solid or liquid on one side and the second solid or liquid on an opposing side of the at least one wall. In one or more embodiments, the upper cup body holds the food container, and the at least one container body may descend into the annular opening of the cup and down into the portion that is wider than the lower cup body. In at least one embodiment, the bottom corner portion of the at least one of the plurality of downward oriented cavities may rest on the continuous outer corner portion that defines the fill line. In other embodiments, any portion of the container may rest on or otherwise be supported by any portion of the cup.
In one or more embodiments of the invention, the at least one container body may include at least one dividing wall defining the plurality of downward oriented container cavities to hold the first solid or liquid. According to one or more embodiments, the at least one container body may include a plurality of container bodies, wherein the plurality of container bodies each include the plurality of downward oriented container cavities, and the plurality of downward oriented container cavities may each vary in size, shape and depth.
According to at least one embodiment, the food container includes at least one cover, such as a single cover or a plurality of covers, to enclose at least a portion of the food container. In at least one embodiment, the food container and the at least one cover together may be a one-piece element, or may be separate elements. In one or more embodiments, the plurality of covers may vary in one or more of height and shape. In at least one embodiment, the at least one cover, or plurality of covers, includes at least one downward oriented cover cavity. In one or more embodiments, the at least one downward oriented cover cavity may include at least one replaceable snap-on or press-fit cover. In at least one embodiment, the at least one replaceable snap-on or press-fit covers may include an upward vertically oriented handle.
In one or more embodiments of the invention, at least one downward oriented container cavity of the plurality of downward oriented container cavities may receive an independent drop-in container that may employ an independent drop-in container cover. In at least one embodiment, the independent drop-in container and the independent drop-in container cover are microwavable.
By way of at least one embodiment, the at least one container body may include a first inward arched or planar indent, and the at least one cover may include a second inward arched or planar indent. In one or more embodiments, the at least one cover and the at least one container body may include a substantially vertical sidewall, such that both the first inward arched or planar indent and the second inward arched or planar indent intersect the substantially vertical sidewalls of the at least one cover and the at least one container body. In one or more embodiments, the first inward arched or planar indent may be configured as an inverted trough dividing wall that travels diagonally across the width of the at least one container body.
In at least one embodiment, the first and second inward arched or planar indents that intersect the substantially vertical sidewall of the at least one container body and the at least one container cover are intersected at a predefined angle, for example perpendicularly intersected by a first horizontal cap wall (respectively) and a second horizontal cap wall, or at any other desired angle.
According to one or more embodiments, the first and second horizontal cap walls include a straw notch or straw hole to accept a straw. In at least one embodiment, the first and second horizontal cap walls may meet and be flush with one another when the at least one cover is placed on the at least one container body. As such, in at least one embodiment, the flush horizontal cap walls form a double wall liquid retention barrier to surround a location of where the straw enters the straw notch or straw hole.
In one or more embodiments, the outer edge area of the at least one container body includes an inverted structural trough element, that acts as an integrated coupling element that allows the at least one cover to couple to the at least one container body. In at least one embodiment of the invention, the at least one cover may include at least one horizontally oriented flexible flange/lip located at the outer edge. According to one or more embodiments, the integrated coupling element that may be configured as an inverted structural trough element may include an inner vertical wall surface that may include at least one male snap/bump element. As such, in at least one embodiment, the at least one horizontally oriented flexible flange/lip of the at least one cover may snap over the at least one male snap/bump element. Any number of snap elements may be utilized in keeping with the spirit of the invention.
By way of at least one embodiment, the integrated coupling element or inverted structural trough element may reside above the annular plane formed by the rim of the cup. In one or more embodiments, the integrated coupling element or inverted structural trough element may be or act as a spill retention barrier wall.
In at least one embodiment, the cup may include a rolled rim with a top surface, wherein the integrated coupling element or inverted structural trough element may reside directly over and touch the top surface of the rolled rim. In one or more embodiments, the integrated coupling element or inverted structural trough element may be secured in an elevated position above the annular plane formed by the rim of the cup, such that the elevated position allows the straw to enter the arched or planar indent that may be configured as an inverted trough dividing wall that may travel diagonally across the width of the at least one container body. In the embodiment that includes an inverted trough dividing wall, the straw may diagonally enter the inverted trough dividing wall such that an inward arched or planer indent, or horizontal cap wall, and a straw notch or straw hole, are not required in the at least one cover.
According to at least one embodiment, the substantially vertical sidewall of the cup may include at least one horizontal step wall or strength rib element integrated into the upper region of the upper cup body. The at least one cover may include at least one horizontal step wall or strength rib element that is integrated into the lower region of the substantially vertical sidewall of the at least one cover. In one or more embodiments, the at least one cover may include a grip handle and at least one vent hole. The at least one vent hole, in at least one embodiment, may prevent condensation from building up within the at least one cover and the at least one container body.
The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:
A cup with nestable food container and cover, for example a cup with an upper cup body that receives at least one food container body that may include at least one or a plurality of downward oriented cavities and at least one container cover will now be described. In the following exemplary description numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to an artisan of ordinary skill that the present invention may be practiced without incorporating all aspects of the specific details described herein. In other instances, specific features, quantities, or measurements well known to those of ordinary skill in the art have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the invention. Readers should note that although examples of the invention are set forth herein, the claims, and the full scope of any equivalents, are what define the metes and bounds of the invention.
Referring to
In at least one embodiment, the cup 130 includes a substantially vertical sidewall and an annular opening defined by the rim 131 (see
According to at least one embodiment, the food container includes at least one cover 110c, to enclose the at least one food container 120. In at least one embodiment, the at least one food container 120 and the at least one cover 110c may be configured as a one-piece clamshell construction, or may be separate elements as shown. In one or more embodiments, the at least one cover 110c may vary in height or shape. In one or more embodiment, the at least one cover 110c may be configured as a raised dome shaped cover.
According to at least one embodiment, the substantially vertical sidewall of the cup 130 may include the at least one horizontal step wall or strength rib cup element 130d integrated into the upper cup body 130b. In one or more embodiments, the at least one cover 110d may include an upward vertically oriented handle 701 (see
By way of at least one embodiment, the at least one container body 120 may include a first inward arched or planar indent 128a, and the at least one cover 110c may include the second inward arched or planar indent 128. In one or more embodiments, each of the at least one cover 110c and the at least one container body 120 may include a substantially vertical sidewall, such that both the first inward arched or planar indent 128a and the second inward arched or planar indent 128 intersect the substantially vertical sidewalls of the at least one cover 110c and the at least one container body 120. In one or more embodiments, the first inward arched or planar indent 128a may be configured as an inverted trough dividing wall that travels diagonally across the width of the at least one container body 120.
In one or more embodiments, the at least one container body 120 may be divided into at least two cavities that reside on either side of the inverted trough dividing wall or inward arched or planar indent 128a. In at least one embodiment (see
By way of at least one embodiment, the at least one container body 120 contacts the first solid or liquid on one side and the second solid or liquid on an opposing side of the at least one wall. In one or more embodiments, the upper cup body 130b holds the food container, and the at least one container body 120 (see
According to at least one embodiment of the invention, the cup 130 and may include an insulation layer that may float on top of the second solid or liquid in the cup 130. For example, the floating insulation layer may be useful when the second solid or liquid may include a cold item. In one or more embodiments, the insulation layer, that may be a floating insulation layer, may be a substantially circular layer that may be die-cut. In at least one embodiment, the insulation layer may be die-cut from a thin sheet of closed cell foam or bubble-wrap, or any other insulative material in keeping with the scope of the invention. According to one or more embodiments, the insulation layer may include any type of cut out through the insulation layer, wherein the cut out may intersect an outer diameter edge of the insulation layer, such that a straw, such as straw 301a, may access the solid or liquid in the cup 130.
As shown in
In one or more embodiments of the invention, at least one downward oriented container cavity of the plurality of downward oriented container cavities 101a and 101b may receive at least one independent drop-in container 401 with an independent drop-in container cover (not shown). In at least one embodiment, the independent drop-in container 401 and the independent drop-in container cover (not shown) are microwavable.
In at least one embodiment, the at least one cover 110c may include a horizontally oriented flexible flange/lip 110c4 at the outer edge of the cover 110c. In at least one embodiment, the first and second inward arched or planar indents 128a and 128 are perpendicularly intersected by the horizontal cap wall 110c2 and the second horizontal cap wall 105b.
According to one or more embodiments, the integrated coupling element 121 may include at least one male snap/bump element 402 integrated into the inner surface of the integrated coupling element 121. As such, in at least one embodiment, the horizontally oriented flexible flange/lip 110c4 may snap over the at least one male snap/bump element 402.
According to one or more embodiments, the horizontal cap walls 110c2 and 105b may include a straw notch 110c3 or straw hole 105a to accept the straw 301a. In at least one embodiment, the horizontal cap walls 110c2 and 105b may meet and be flush with one another when the at least one cover 110c is placed on the at least one container body 120. As such, in at least one embodiment, the flush horizontal cap walls 110c2 and 105b form a double wall liquid retention barrier to surround the location where the straw 301a enters the straw notch 110c3 and straw hole 105a. In one or more embodiments, the container may include a recessed top horizontal wall 127b.
In at least one embodiment, the recessed top horizontal wall 127b may be recessed in an area located adjacent to the straw hole 105a. According to one or more embodiments the recessed area defined by the recessed top horizontal wall 127b is recessed to accommodate the horizontal flange or lip of the at least one independent drop-in container 401 or independent drop-in containers 401a (of
In one or more embodiments, the at least one container body 120 and the at least one cover 110c may both employ an inward arched or planar indent 128a and 128, that intersect the substantially vertical sidewall of both the at least one container body 120 and the at least one cover 110c. As such, in one or more embodiments, utilizing the second inward arched or planar indent 128 that intersects the substantially vertical sidewall of at least one cover 110c allows for the use of a straw 301a and straw notch 110c3 in the domed shaped cover 110c.
In at least one embodiment, the arched or planar indents 128a and 128 are perpendicularly intersected by the horizontal cap walls 110c2 and 105b. The horizontal cap wall 110c2 is integrated into the horizontally oriented flexible flange/lip 110c4 of cover 110c. The horizontal cap wall 110c2, of the cover 110c, in at least one embodiment, may include an arched shaped straw notch 110c3, located near the second inward arched or planar indent 128 that intersects the outer diameter edge of the horizontal cap wall 110c2. In one or more embodiments, the straw 301a may enter the at least one container body 120 when the inverted structural trough element 127 is located above the rolled rim 131 of the cup 130. In one or more embodiments, the horizontal cap wall 110c2 of the at least one cover 110c may include a straw hole as will be discussed further below.
In at least one embodiment, the at least one cover 110c may include an arch shaped straw notch 110c3, while the at least one container body 120 may include a straw hole 105a. The arch shaped straw notch 110c3, in one or more embodiments, in the at least one cover 110c, allows the at least one cover 110c to be removed from at least one container body 120 without interference from the straw 301a, wherein the straw 301a remains in the cup 130.
In one or more embodiments, the at least one cover 110c may include a straw hole 110c4 that is located adjacent to the second inward arched or planar indent 128. The straw hole 110c4 may be utilized when the at least one cover 110c couples to the exterior wall of the inverted structural trough element 127 or integrated coupling element 121. When the cover 110c couples to the exterior wall of the integrated coupling element 121, a straw hole 110c4 rather than a straw notch must be utilized. The disadvantage of utilizing a straw hole 110c4 in the horizontal cap wall 110c2 is that the straw 301a remains engaged with the straw hole 110c4 when the at least one cover 110c is removed from the at least one food container 120. Simply stated, when the at least one cover 110c is removed from the at least one food container 120, the straw stays with the at least one cover 110c and is removed from the cup 130.
In at least one embodiment of the invention, a single inward arched or planar indent is included, such as the first inward arched or planar indent 128a of the at least one container body 120. As such, the straw 301a may enter the cup 130 via the first inward arched or planar indent 128a, which may be located below the inverted structural trough element 127 when the at least one food container 120 is secured in an elevated position above the rim 131 of the cup 130.
According to one or more embodiments, the coupling element 121 and/or inverted structural trough element 127 may be located above the rolled rim 131, wherein the inverted structural trough element 127 may also serve as a spill retention barrier wall as well as providing a vertically oriented receiving wall for the vertical or horizontal outer edge flange or lip of the at least one cover 110c.
In at least one embodiment, the inverted structural trough element 127 may be located at a height that is equal to the height of the rolled rim 131, wherein the inverted structural trough element 127 resides directly over the rolled rim 131, such that an upper interior wall of the inverted structural trough element 127 touches the top surface of the rolled rim 131. According to one or more embodiments, when the structural trough element 127 touches the top surface of the rolled rim 131, and the at least one cover 110c is placed on the at least one container body 120, the at least one cover engages with an exterior wall of the inverted structural trough element 127.
According to at least one embodiment of the invention, the at least one cover 110c may be a quick press-fit cover, that may be domed shaped, with a vertical flange that quickly press-fits over the substantially vertical sidewall of the inverted structural trough element 127 of the at least one container body 120. As such, in one or more embodiments, when the at least one cover press-fits over the exterior vertical sidewall of the inverted structural trough element 127, a straw hole 110c4 is utilized in the horizontal cap wall 110c2.
In one or more embodiments, the domed shaped food container cover 110c or 110d may be a variable height domed cover that may be replaceable, and allows for a wider variety of foods of various heights to be placed within the food container, while ensuring the variety of foods remain warm.
According to at least one embodiment of the invention, the at least one downward oriented cover cavity 101a1 may be located adjacent to the second inward arched or planar indent 128 that intersects the substantially vertical sidewall of the at least one cover 110c. As such, in one or more embodiments, when an independent drop-in cover container 401 is placed in the at least one downward oriented cover cavity 101a1, the outer horizontal flange or lip of the independent drop-in condiment container 401 may overhang past an inner edge of the second inward arched or planar indent 128. As such, in at least one embodiment, the overhanging horizontal flange or lip of the at least one drop-in condiment container 401 makes it easy to lift and remove the at least one independent drop-in cover container 401 from the at least one downward oriented cover cavity 101a1. In other embodiments the replaceable snap-on or press-fit cover 902 and the upward vertically oriented handle 901 may cover cavity 101a1 without an independent drop-in container if desired.
While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims. Various configurations of the invention have been shown—each containing individual embodiments. For the sake of brevity and repetition not all embodiments have been mentioned in every configuration. The embodiments described herein may implement or combine any features from any other embodiment and as such any new configuration/embodiment combination, which arises from embodiments herein, is in keeping with the spirit of the invention.
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