The present invention relates to container system configurations for foodstuff. More particularly, the invention relates to a food packaging containment system that is suitable for heated food items such as rotisserie chicken and the like, and includes a tray compartment and a lid member. The container system preferably includes tamper-resistant features, as well as tamper-evident features that visually evidence unauthorized ingress if interfered either inadvertently or with the intent to cause harm.
Retail markets have utilized rigid and flexible plastic containers to protect and display both perishable and fragile food items such as sandwiches, salads and bakery items. These traditional roles of plastic packaging are now the minimum expected standards, and the requirements placed on plastic food packaging continue to expand as increasing demands are placed upon it. Presentation, brand presence, consumer desires, added value to enhance commercial competitiveness, differentiation, imagery and psychology has resulted in the design and application of plastic packaging becoming more challenging. Convenience and versatility continue to shape the future of packaging, with consumers gravitating toward packaged convenience items that minimize the impact on their behavior. This has forced packaging manufacturers to include social and environmental considerations into their development process. The provision of multiple compartments in a variety of shapes and utilities in rigid plastic containers has been one such direction that packaging manufacturers have been pursuing.
Rigid plastic food containers are typically manufactured from Polystyrene, Polypropylene, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polylactide, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), or other rigid polymers. They generally comprise either of two-parts—a tray and lid—or they may be a one-piece construction with a hinge that modifies one portion of the container to act as the tray and the other connected portion to act as a lid. Furthermore, they are available in a variety of shapes and cross-sections—circular, rectangular, square, and elliptical, etc.
The use of such plastics for holding heated food has gained favor with the rotisserie chicken being one of the fastest growing applications. However, many currently available food packages have not been designed to cater to the consumer's needs as related to the handling of such container systems for heated foods. Heating of the container contents result in high temperature fluids and gases result in increased pressure build-up, can be painful to the touch. Such constraints also place limitations on the logistical elements such as containerization of large quantities of heated food product. This invention provides for a unique approach that achieves this objective.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tray and lid members of the container system possess edges that are designed to mate with and be releaseably lockable to each other. The releaseably lockable mechanism is usually accomplished using a snap-fit grip and the elements comprising the releaseably lockable snap-fit grip enable a force fit between the lid member and the tray member of the container system. In this embodiment, the releaseably lockable mechanism is further designed to have a uniform cross-section along its entire periphery and is specially configured to hinder condensate from escaping at the lid-tray interface.
In another embodiment of the invention, opposing sides of the lid and tray members are extended to act as handholds to help the consumer lift the heated container system. Generally, markets that offer heated food products such as rotisserie chickens in plastic container system either provide gloves for the consumer to handle the heated package or the heated package is placed in a cardboard lifting cradle with a handle that resides over the top of the lid member of the container system. This embodiment of the present invention eliminates the need for such devices and additionally enables the food manufacturer and retailer to stack the container systems.
Without venting, expansion of the container as a consequence of heated gases including steam would cause the lid to pop from the tray member. Vents permit the release of these trapped vapors. In another embodiment of the invention, the vents are recessed into the top of the lid member. The recessed vents serve to permit stacking of the containers without blocking of the vents, thus allowing the food retailer additional space savings while maintaining the display effectiveness of the container system.
In another embodiment of the invention, the lid of the container system is secured to the tray by means of a tamper-evident tamper-resistant snap-fit grip mechanism. Rigid plastic tamper-evident packaging generally provide visible-to-the-naked-eye indication that a container has been interfered with, that is, it had previously be opened and then re-closed prior to purchase. This invention is a novel plastic packaging solution that improves significantly on the convenience and therefore marketability of food product.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, this embodiment is provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
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The lid and tray members 2, 4 of the container system can be molded, through known thermoforming manufacturing means, from a single sheetline of polymer material work piece into a predetermined shape and thickness as required. The lid and tray members 2, 4 of the container system may also be formed, through known thermoforming manufacturing means, into a curvilinear geometry to thereby provide the end user with a variety of polygonal shapes. In the container system of the invention, the lid member 2 has geometry that permits even mating with the tray member 4 at their peripheral edge. Additionally, mating between lid member 2 and tray member 4 is releaseably lockable and achieved using a snap-fit grip 25. As shown, the releaseably lockable mechanism is a slotable mechanical interface wherein the tray member snap-fit grip component 33 is the male element and the lid member snap-fit grip component 31 is the female element. Rib element 16 increases the rigidity and strength of the in the lid member handhold 15. Separating the lid member 2 from the tray member 4 is facilitated by pulling the lid member handhold 15 away from the tray member handhold 17. Also shown are raised ribbed sidewalls 10, 11 in the lid and tray members that improve the overall rigidity of the container system.
Also shown is the planar surface 12 of the lid member 2 that is bordered by a raised rib periphery 3, 3′ with the raised rib periphery 3, 3′ separated at their ends by recessed vents 14, 18. In addition to improving the structural integrity of the lid member, the raised rib periphery 3, 3′ serves to hold in place the tray member 4 of a second identical container system that may be stacked on the lid member 2. This feature is illustrated in greater detail in
The extended flange lip 23 of the tray member is defined by the points 13 and 54, and extending outwards to points 9 and 39, and raised rib 6, together form the tray member handhold 19. Similarly, the extended flange lip 37 of the tray member defined by the points 27 and 55, and extending outwards to points 29 and 50, and raised rib 8, together form the tray member handhold 17. This design significantly increases the rigidity and the strength of the handholds 17 and 19 of the tray member 4. Together with the lid member handhold 15, tray member handholds 17, 19 give the consumer increased control when both lifting and opening the heated container system.
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Plastic packaging sealing mechanisms generally include snap-fit grips that effectively provide a leak-proof seal that allows the consumer to open, close and releaseably lock the container system multiple times. Some of the advantages of this aspect of the invention are that food freshness can be extended then would otherwise occur without sealing and spillage of the food content is prevented.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.