BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Some combinations of foods are best combined immediately before the combination is eaten. For example, it is often desirable to pour salad dressing onto a salad a short time (e.g. within one-half hour) before the salad is eaten, to prevent the salad from becoming “soggy”, or to pour ketchup onto French fries shortly before they are eaten. Also, it is often desirable to dispense syrup onto pancakes shortly before they are eaten. Some people prefer to not handle the salad dressing or other topping when it is poured onto the salad or other first food to avoid getting the dressing onto their hands, while others prefer to pour the dressing themselves. It is often desirable to package the salad dressing with the salad so the dressing is not forgotten.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a food package is provided which includes a base that forms a cavity to hold a first food such as a salad, and a cover or dome that covers the base, wherein the cover has a recess that holds a fluid second food such as salad dressing. The food package also includes a release mechanism that is operable from the outside of the cover, to release the salad dressing.
In one food package, the mechanism includes a lid that lies under the recess in the cover, and that has a first lid side that is pivotally mounted on the cover and a second lid side that is latched in an upward position wherein it prevents the release of the salad dressing. When the release mechanism is operated, the lid second side is unlatched so the lid can pivot down and the salad dressing can flow down onto the salad.
In another food package, the lid includes first and second lid parts that each lies under a separate quantity of only one-half of the salad dressing. Operating one side of the release mechanism releases only a first lid part to release only one-half of the salad dressing. Also operating a second side of the release mechanism also releases a second half of the salad dressing.
In another food package, the salad dressing is contained in a cup that is held to the top of the inside of the cover. When the mechanism is operated, the cup is released to fall onto the salad, or onto a table if the dome has first been removed from the base. A person then peels off a film on the cup and pours the salad dressing by hand onto the salad.
In another food package, the salad dressing is contained in a cup that lies upside down and is held to the top of the inside of the cover. When the mechanism is operated, it peels away part of a film lid that originally closed the cup, thereby allowing salad dressing to flow down onto the salad.
The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention will be best understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top isometric view of a food package of a first embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of the food package of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the food package of FIG. 1, with the salad dressing held by a cup lid that has not yet been released.
FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view similar to that of FIG. 3, but after the lid has been released to allow the salad dressing to flow down.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of area C-C of FIG. 3.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of area E-E of FIG. 3.
FIG. 7 is a partial sectional, top isometric view of a food package of another embodiment of the invention wherein the fluid second food is held in a cup that is releasable from the cover.
FIG. 8 is a partial sectional isometric view of the food package of FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a bottom isometric view of a food package of another embodiment of the invention wherein a person can control the amount of salad dressing that is dispensed.
FIG. 10 is an exploded bottom isometric view of the food package of FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 9, with phantom lies showing one of the lid parts open.
FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on line 12-12 of FIG. 9.
FIG. 13 is a sectional side view of a food package of another embodiment of the invention wherein the fluid second food is contained in a cup lying upside-down, and with a mechanism for peeling off the cup lid.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 2 shows a food package 10 which includes a base 12 that forms a base cavity 16 for holding a first food such as a salad, and a cover or dome 14 that releasably covers the base and its cavity. The base and cover are each formed of deformed plastic sheeting, with the cover preferably being transparent. The cover is installed by placing it on the base and turning the cover opposite to the direction of arrows 20. A mechanism 22 on the cover can be operated to release a lid 24 and allow a fluid second food such as salad dressing to be released so it flows onto the salad in the cavity. By placing the salad dressing in the top of the cover or dome 14, by the factory or merchant each day, applicant assures that the salad dressing will not be forgotten. Where the salad dressing can be dispensed without opening the food package, this avoids spreading salad dressing onto the diner's hands or clothes. As mentioned above, the flowable second food that is stored in the cover, can be ketchup for dripping onto French fries, syrup for applying to pancakes, yoghurt for dripping onto fruit, and a variety of other combinations. Whenever applicant uses the term “salad dressing”, it should be understood that applicant is referring to any flowable (liquid or powder) second food that serves as a topping that is placed on a first food that lies in the base cavity.
FIGS. 3-6 show salad dressing 30 lying in a recess 32 formed by recess walls 34 in the dome, over a salad 35 in the base cavity. The recess has an open bottom 36, and the lid 24 closes the recess bottom to keep in the salad dressing. The lid 24 has an upper surface 37 that initially extends at a downward incline of a plurality of degrees (e.g. 5° but preferably less than 30°) away from a mounted end 40 of the lid. This promotes rapid dispensing of the dressing when the lid opens.
As also shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the mounted side 40 of the lid has a part 39 that is snapped in place over an enlargement 42 on the recess walls, with that side of the lid having a bend region 44 that form a pivot hinge joint that makes the lid part 41 pivotal. The lid has a plurality of 90° bends 200, 202, 204, 206, 208, 210 that make the bend region 44 easily pivotal. The opposite second end 50 of the lid forms a concave curve to form a slight undercut 52. The second end 50 is held by a latching wall 51 that forms a convex curve projection 53 that projects into the undercut 52 and that forms a latch 54 on the recess wall. The projection 53 is continuously curved, so it is free of steps. FIGS. 3 and 4 show that the lid forms a post in the form of a lid button 60 that can be depressed by a person applying a downward force to a dome push part 62. If the lid button is depressed sufficiently, the undercut 52 (FIG. 5) is released from the latch 54 and a depressable lid part 63 moves down to pivot down the lid to the position of FIG. 4 (wherein lid upper surface 37 extends at a downward incline of 10° and the lid second end is open). Most of the salad dressing then flows and then drips out of the recess onto the salad. Even though the pivot angle of 10° of FIG. 4 is limited, almost all of the salad dressing flows down the inclined lid upper wall 64 onto the salad.
As discussed above, a person releases salad dressing by depressing a depressable cover part at 62 (FIG. 4) so as to depress a lid part 64. In FIG. 4 the depressing forces are transmitted by a lid button 60 that extends upward from the lid upper wall. In FIG. 11 the depressing forces are transmitted by posts 120, 1222 formed in a dome part 102. In either case, one of parts forms a vertical extension (60, 120, 122) that is a plurality (preferably at least five times) of times as tall as the lid thickness. If there is a need, then a part on the dome can be moved horizontally to cause depression of the lid through a cam.
The recess walls 34 (FIG. 4) include annular depressions 70, 72 in the upper surface of the cover that form bends and that connect the push part 62 to a cover outer region 76. These depressions and bends facilitate downward movement of the cover push part 62 so the lid button 60 can be depressed far enough to open the lid.
FIGS. 7 and 8 show another food package 80, where a cup 82 with a peelable lid 84 is held in the inside of the dome. The entire cup is releasable to drop down onto the salad, by operating a mechanism 86 on the top of the dome. FIG. 8 shows that a person depresses a raised rib 90 to move a flange 92 down and radially outward away from the package axis 94 to release the cup flange 96. After the cup has dropped down, the person peels open the cup lid and pours the salad dressing onto the salad. The person may prefer to remove the food package dome and place it over a table top, when the salad dressing cup is released to fall out.
FIGS. 9-12 illustrate a food package where recess walls 100 include an upper part 102 that is preferably part of the cover although it can be mounted on the cover. The package also includes a lower part in the form of a lid 104. A mechanism 110 can be operated to release only one-half of the salad dressing stored in an isolated first recess region 112 of the recess 114 onto a first side of the salad, or from an isolated second recess region 116 onto the opposite second side of the salad. The mechanism also can be operated to release the entire quantity of stored salad dressing, with half distributed onto each half of the salad for a more even distribution of dressing. In many cases, a person wants some salad dressing on his/her salad but prefers to limit the amount, as to limit the calories consumed, and the mechanism 110 allows for this.
FIG. 10 shows that the upper part 102 of the recess walls include two vertical extensions in the form of downward-projecting posts 120, 122. The lower part 104 of the recess walls form a pair of lid parts 124, 126 that are each hingedly joined by hinges 130, 132 to a center portion 134. Each lid part has an inner end 124E, 126E that presses firmly against the center portion 134 when the cover is closed to avoid leakage. The high viscosity of dressing also helps prevent leakage.
FIG. 11 shows that the upper ends of the posts 120, 122 are joined by reverse bends 140 that extend it circular rings in plastic sheeting that connects to the rest of the upper part 102, to allow the posts to be easily depressed. The center portion 134 of the lower part 104 serves to divide the space within the lower part into the two regions or spaces 112, 116 that are isolated from each other. Each space hold a quantity 152, 154 of salad dressing.
To dispense salad dressing, a person depresses one or both of the posts 120, 122. In FIG. 11, only one post 120 has been depressed, and this causes the first lid part 124 to move down far enough to unlatch from a latch 156. The first quantity 152 of salad dressing flows down the first lid at 124A onto one side of the salad. If the person also depresses the second post 122 then the second quantity 154 of salad dressing will be dispensed. The upper ends of the posts are narrow enough that a person can press a thumb T against the top of each post to depress it far enough to dispense a corresponding quantity of salad dressing. The lower part 104 of the recess walls are snapped to the upper part by latches 160.
FIG. 13 illustrate another embodiment of the invention wherein an ordinary salad dressing cup 170 is held in walls 172 of a dome cover 14B. The cup is of the type that has a peelable layer 174 that must be peeled off to release salad dressing. The device includes a band or string 176 that has a first end 180 fixed to the end of the peelable layer, and a second end 182 fixed to a shaft 184. A mechanism that is shown as including two wheels 190, 192, has an exposed upper end that can be turned to wind up the band 176 onto the shaft and thereby peel off the layer 174. This allows the salad dressing to flow onto the salad.
Thus, the invention provides food packages that facilitate the dispensing of a fluid second food such as salad dressing, onto a first food lying in the base cavity such as a salad. The salad dressing is held in a recess at the inside of the top of the dome of the cover, and a mechanism is operated to release the dressing. In one system, the mechanism includes a post which is manually depressed to depress a lid or one of a plurality of lid parts to release the dressing. In another system a cup the holds salad dressing is released to fall, so its peelable layer can be removed and the dressing manually applied to the salad. In another system, the cup is mounted upside down in the top of the dome and the peelable layer can be peeled open while the dome remains on the base.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated herein, it is recognized that modifications and variations may readily occur to those skilled in the art, and consequently, it is intended that the claims be interpreted to cover such modifications and equivalents.