Patent Application
20050242092
This invention relates to resealable containers for food storage, and more particularly to plates for storing and serving food.
Container storage systems are used for the temporary storage, transport and serving of food. Many such containers provide only a single compartment and require a separate, detachable cover for sealing the contents stored inside. Two different components: a cover and a base container must be manufactured for each storage system. The cover and corresponding base container can often become separated and lost and may not provide for the single stacking or all components.
A multi-compartment plate system includes upper and lower plates, each having an outer perimeter surrounding first and second compartments disposed on an obverse side of the plates, Each plate defines a respective recess extending about the periphery of its second compartment, and each plate has a raised rim extending about the periphery of its first compartment. The rim is contoured to nest within the recess of the second compartment of the other plate, such that when the upper plate is inverted and rotated with respect to the lower plate, the first and second compartments of the upper plate engage the opposing second and first compartments of the lower plate, respectively, to form a nested covered plate defining two separate, covered containers.
In various implementations, the recess and the raised rim of the plate system can each include a substantially convex portion adjacent a substantially concave portion. The concave portion of the recess for each of the first compartments engages the convex portion of the rim for each of the second compartments to form a releasable seal between the upper and lower plates. The seal can be substantially liquid-tight or substantially air-tight in some examples.
The plate system can also include additional compartments such as a third compartment disposed between the first and second compartments. In some examples, the plate system includes a number of ventilation holes extending through at least one of the compartments. A graspable tab can extend from the outer perimeter of one of both of the plates to separate the plates. In one example, a reverse side of the plates is contoured to receive and engage the obverse side of the plates to permit nested stacking of the plates for compact storage.
In another aspect, a first multi-compartment feeding plate includes a first compartment disposed on an obverse side having a raised rim extending about the periphery of the first compartment and a second compartment disposed on the obverse side having a recess extending about the periphery of the second compartment, where the recess of the second compartment is sized and configured for sealing engagement with the raised rim of the first compartment of an additional multi-compartment feeding plate, comparable to the first multi-compartment feeding plate, to form a covered plate defining two separate, covered containers.
In various implementations, the recess and the raised rim each include a substantially convex portion adjacent a substantially concave portion. The convex portions and concave portions of the recess are adapted for engaging the opposing concave and convex portions of the raised rim of the additional multi-compartment feeding plate, respectively, to form a interlocking seal. The reverse side of the plates can be contoured to receive and engage the obverse side of the plates to facilitate nested stacking for compact storage as in the above aspect.
The plate can also include additional compartments, such as a third compartment disposed between the first and second compartments. The plate can include a number of ventilation holes extending through one or both of the compartments. A graspable tab can extend from the perimeter of one or both of the plates.
The plate can be formed from a sheet of thermoplastic material by a manufacturing method such as injection molding, blow-molding, composite injection molding, compression molding or any combination of the foregoing. In some examples, the plate is thermoformed by the application of either vacuum or pressure. The thermoplastic material forming the plate can include a polymeric material such as polyesters, polystyrenes, and polypropylenes. In some examples, the plate has a wall thickness of from about 0.25 to about 3.0 millimeters.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
Referring to
In one implementation, the plates 10, 10′ are formed from a resilient material to permit a pressure-fit along the raised rims 20, 20′ and the recesses 30′ 30, respectively. One or both of the plates 10, 10′ can be formed from a transparent or translucent material to provide visual access to the content of the volumes defined by the compartments without requiring separation of the plates. Plate 10 can have a wall thickness from about 0.25 to about 3.0 millimeters and in some examples, a wall thickness from about 0.25 to about 1.0 millimeters
With continued reference to
Referring now to
When the plates 10, 10′ are pressed together in sealing engagement, the convex portion 85 of shoulder 75 engages the concave portion 100′ of shoulder 80′ and the concave portion 90 of shoulder 75 engages the convex portion 95′ of shoulder 80′ to form the container 45 between the second compartment 25 of the plate 10 and the first compartment 15′ of plate 10′. Similarly, the convex portion 95 of shoulder 80 engages the concave portion 90 of shoulder 75′ and the concave portion 100 of shoulder 80 engages the convex portion 85′ of shoulder 75′ to form the container 50 between the first compartment 15 of plate 10 and the second compartment 25′ of plate 10′. The releasable seals between the opposing compartment can be liquid-tight or air-tight depending upon the specific implementation. The compartments 35 and 35′ are joined to form the container 55 between the plates 10, 10′.
The plate system can provide a complete multi-compartment storage system using two substantial comparable plates 10, 10′. The reverse side of the plate 10′ can be contoured to receive and engage an obverse side of the plate 10 to facilitate nested stacking for compact storage.
A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the plates 10, 10′ can be formed to include four or more compartments and formed into generally rectangular or circular shapes. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
