The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art nor material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
The present invention relates generally to the field of containers of existing art and more specifically relates to portable meal containers.
Lunchboxes are well known items used by children in school through adults at work. The standard lunchbox containers provide a single cavity capable of holding all food items together. The standard lunchbox containers comprise of a hard shell having a volume capable of storing food. However, the standard lunchbox container is only useful for storing some food items. Storable food items in a standard lunchbox include items that are not at a risk of compressing, absorbing moisture, or spoiling in a tepid environment. These limitations are considerable and effectively reduce the usability of the container to store desired food.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,336 to Michael Haarlander relates to a lunch box assembly. The described lunch box assembly includes a main housing having a lid portion and a base portion hingedly secured with one another so as to provide access to an opened interior of the improved lunch box assembly. Further, a display panel is included and secured in overlying relation to one exterior wall surface of the main housing so that it defines a pocket therebetween which is visually accessible through a display opening defined in the display panel. Also, a display insert is included and structured to be removably inserted into the pocket between the display panel and the exterior wall surface so that a primary display face thereof is visible through the display opening in the display panel and so that while it is securely maintained within the pocket when in use it can also be easily removed for convenient cleaning or interchanging with a new display insert.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known portable meal container art, the present disclosure provides a novel organizable lunchbox system and method. The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a portable meal containers.
An organizable lunchbox system is disclosed herein. Briefly stated, the organizable lunchbox system includes an organizable lunchbox having an upper compartment, a middle compartment and a lower compartment. The organizable lunchbox system further features a plurality of compartment dividers configured to partition the upper compartment and the lower compartment. Finally, the organizable lunchbox system includes an organizable lunchbox carrying case that is configured to retain the organizable lunchbox.
More specifically, the upper compartment has an upper-interior, and an upper-exterior. The upper compartment has an upper-volume defined by upper-sidewalls, an upper-top surface and, an upper-base. The upper-top surface is hingedly connected to one of the upper-sidewalls to close the upper-volume. Each of the upper-sidewalls includes at least two upper-compartment guide slots. The middle compartment is disposed below and in thermal communication with the upper compartment. The middle compartment has a middle-volume defined by a middle-base, middle-sidewalls, and a middle-top surface. The middle-top surface is disposed adjacent to the upper-base. The middle compartment further includes a closable aperture disposed on one of the middle-sidewalls. The closable aperture allows access to the middle-volume. The lower compartment is disposed below, and in thermal communication with, the middle compartment. The lower compartment includes lower-sidewalls extending perpendicularly from a lower-base. One of the lower-sidewalls is hingedly connected to one of the middle-sidewalls. A lower-volume is defined by the lower-sidewalls, the lower-base and, the middle-base. Each of the lower-sidewalls includes at least two lower-compartment guide slots. The organizable lunchbox system includes a plurality of compartment dividers. Each of the plurality of compartment dividers includes opposing ends that are configured to mate with the upper-compartment guide slots and lower-compartment guide slots. The plurality of compartment dividers effectively partition the upper-volume, and, alternatively, the lower-volume.
The organizable lunchbox carrying case comprises a rigid base, a resealable storage compartment and, a plurality of pockets. The rigid base includes an interior surface and an exterior surface. The resealable storage compartment comprises a continuous wall having an interior and an exterior. The continuous wall circumscribes the rigid base and defines a front wall, a rear wall, and sidewalls. The resealable storage compartment defines a first cavity that is configured to store the organizable lunchbox. The first cavity is sealable by a first lid. A plurality of pockets are disposed on the exterior of the continuous wall.
According to another embodiment, a method of using an organizable lunchbox system is also disclosed herein. The method of using an organizable lunchbox system includes a step of, providing the organizable lunchbox system as described above. A step of, accessing the middle-volume of the middle compartment through the closable aperture. A step of, inserting an ice-back into the middle-volume. A step of, closing the closable aperture of the middle compartment, thereby sealing in the ice-pack. The method further comprises optional steps listed hereafter. A step of, partitioning the upper compartment with the plurality of compartment dividers. A step of, partitioning the lower compartment with the plurality of compartment dividers. A step of, removing the organizable lunchbox from the first cavity of the organizable lunchbox carrying case. A step of, inserting the organizable lunchbox into the first cavity of the organizable lunchbox carrying case.
For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description.
The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, an organizable lunchbox system and method, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.
The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.
As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to portable meal containers and more particularly to an organizable lunchbox system and method as used to improve the existing lunchbox art.
Generally, the organizable lunchbox system provides a means to store and organize food items while providing a low temperature environment. The present lunchbox includes three stacked compartments, two of which are useful for storing food, with a middle compartment useful for storing an ice-pack. The upper compartment and the lower compartment include guide slots for removably replaceable walls that may be used to partition their respective interior volumes. The removably replaceable walls may be adjusted at a user's preference to accommodate various food items. The walls come in various sizes that may include guide slots of their own. The walls may be mated perpendicularly with each other to create smaller sections within the interior volumes of the food compartments. The middle compartment may be sandwiched between, and in thermal communication with, the upper compartment and the lower compartment. A user may insert an ice-pack, and alternatively, a heating-pack, into the middle compartment to regulate the temperature in the adjacent compartments.
The organizable lunchbox system further includes a durable carrying case configured to store the organizable lunchbox. The carrying case includes numerous pockets providing a means of retaining other items. A user may find the carrying case useful for storing electronic devices, notebooks, writing utensils, and other items that are commonly used. The carrying case may include shoulder straps, carabiners, buckles and various means of allowing a user to transport the carrying case. By design, the carrying case may be made of a durable material such as a reinforced canvas or similar material. A rigid base configured to withstand impact is also featured on the carrying case. The rigid base may be made of a rubber material having an impact disbursing design. Ultimately, the organizable lunchbox system provides an all-in-one utility for carrying food in an organized and temperature-controlled environment, as well as carrying commonly used items.
Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown in
The middle compartment 130 is disposed below, and in thermal communication with, the upper compartment 120. The middle compartment 130 has a middle-volume 133 defined by a middle-base 136, middle-sidewalls 134, and a middle-top surface 135. The middle-top surface 135 being disposed adjacent to the upper-base 126. The middle compartment 130 features a closable aperture 131 disposed on at least one of the middle-sidewalls 134. The closable aperture 131 allows access to the middle-volume 133. The closable aperture 131 of the middle compartment 130 may comprise a middle-door 137 pivotably attached to at least of the middle-sidewalls 134. In another embodiment, the middle-door 137 may be pivotably attached to the middle-top surface 135. The middle-door 137 may further include a middle-locking mechanism 138. The middle-locking mechanism 138 may be configured to close them middle-volume 133 create a middle-fluid proof seal 139.
The lower compartment 140 is disposed below, and in thermal communication with, the middle compartment 130. The lower compartment 140 has a lower-volume 143 defined by a lower-base 146 having lower-sidewalls 144 extending perpendicularly therefrom. One of the lower-sidewalls 144 is hingedly connected to one of the middle-sidewalls 134. The lower-volume 143 is closed with the middle-base 136. Each of the lower-sidewalls 144 includes at least two lower-compartment guide slots 147 (
A plurality of compartment dividers 150 (
The organizable lunchbox carrying case 200 is designed to carry the organizable lunchbox 110 and other auxiliary items. The organizable lunchbox carrying case 200 comprises a rigid base 210 (
According to one embodiment, the organizable lunchbox system 100 may be arranged as a kit 105. In particular, the organizable lunchbox system 100 may further include a set of instructions 107. The instructions 107 may detail functional relationships in relation to the structure of the organizable lunchbox system 100 such that the organizable lunchbox system 100 can be used, maintained, or the like, in a preferred manner.
In a preferred embodiment, the upper compartment 120 may include recessed tracks 300 disposed on the upper-exterior 122 (
The resealable storage compartment 220 comprises a continuous wall 221 having an interior 222 and an exterior 223. The continuous wall 221 circumscribes the rigid base 210 and defines a front wall 224, a rear wall 225 and, sidewalls 226. The resealable storage compartment 220 defines a first cavity 227 configured to store the organizable lunchbox 110 (
The plurality of pockets 230 are disposed on the exterior 223 of the continuous wall 221. The plurality of pockets 230 may further include fasteners 232. The fasteners 232 may be configured to close the plurality of pockets 230. The fasteners 232 may include, buckles, snaps, zippers and, all further conceived means of fastening the plurality of pockets 230. The plurality of pockets 230 may include a beverage holder 231. The beverage holder 231 may comprise a closed tube having an upwardly oriented substantially circular opening 233.
It should be noted that steps 505, 506, 507 and, 508 are optional steps and may not be implemented in all cases. Optional steps of method of use 500 are illustrated using dotted lines in
The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.
The present application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/522,195 filed Jun. 20, 2017, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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