This disclosure relates to food holders, and more particularly to stackable, disposable food holders.
The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Restaurants, fast food businesses and other on-the-go food sellers generally serve food in various plastic and paper containers, packages, and trays. For some foods, the serving tray has been adapted specifically for the particular meal or snack. For example, nacho serving trays include an integral, divided area for keeping cheese or salsa separate from the nacho chips. For tacos, hot dogs and other like foodstuff, various holders are known in the art to keep the food upright until the food is picked up for consumption. In this way, food in the middle of the foodstuff remains in the center of the tortilla, wrap or hot dog bun instead of spilling outside.
These known taco holders are disadvantaged in that heat is not dissipated from an underside of the taco. Leaving the heated tortilla against a surface builds moisture within the tortilla from the heated taco filling and taco elements, such as heated beans, cheese, and vegetables, in some cases. Moisture compromises the integrity of the tortilla shell, i.e., the tortilla shell becomes soggy and susceptible to tearing when lifting to consume. When a compromised tortilla is lifted to be consumed, the tortilla can rip apart, spilling the taco filling and taco elements.
What is needed is a food holder that allows heated air to escape from the tortilla or breaded wrap before being absorbed in the tortilla.
A food holder is disclosed. The food holder includes a first and second inclined sidewall separated by a mostly flat base portion. The inclined sidewalls include a plurality of channels configured to dissipate heat and humidity from the food item.
Certain embodiments include a perforation for dividing the holder into food dividers.
This summary is provided merely to introduce certain concepts and not to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter.
One or more embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, where like reference numerals represent like parts and assemblies throughout the several views. Reference to various embodiments does not limit the scope of the invention, which is limited only by the scope of the claims attached hereto. Additionally, any examples set forth in this specification are not intended to be limiting and merely set forth some of the many possible embodiments for the claimed invention.
Throughout the specification and claims, the following terms take at least the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context dictates otherwise. The meanings identified below do not necessarily limit the terms, but merely provide illustrative examples for the terms. The meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference, and the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on.” The phrase “in one embodiment,” as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may. Similarly, the phrase “in some embodiments,” as used herein, when used multiple times, does not necessarily refer to the same embodiments, although it may. As used herein, the term “or” is an inclusive “or” operator, and is equivalent to the term “and/or,” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term “based, in part, on”, “based, at least in part, on”, or “based upon” is not exclusive and allows for being based on additional factors not described, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein the depictions are for the purpose of illustrating certain exemplary embodiments only and not for the purpose of limiting the same,
As
The base 18 and sidewalls 14 and 16 are formed with a plurality of channels 20. As shown, the channels 20 form a concave throughway at least from an apex 30 of the first sidewall 14 to an apex 40 of the second sidewall 16. In this way, the channels 20 form a void space between a surface of the sidewalls and the food stuff that dissipates heat and humidity from a foodstuff surface. In one embodiment, the throughway continues from a first side edge 22 of the food holder 10 to an opposing edge 24. In this way, the food holder 10 can mate in a stackable, i.e., nestable, fashion with other food holders. In other embodiments, the channels may be formed to incline at angles that are not perpendicular with an apex of the sidewalls. As
The sidewalls 14 and 16 preferably include one or more notches 15. The notches 15 of the first sidewall 14 may mirror notches in the second sidewall 16. In one embodiment, the notches 15 of the sidewalls may be alternating, or periodically alternating, with respect to segments 17 of a same sidewall. In one embodiment, the notches 15 may be alternating with respect to the opposing sidewall. For example, as shown in
Segments 17, as used herein, are defined as a portion of the food holder 10 of a single sidewall extending from a mid-point of one channel to a mid-point of a second channel. The mid-point may be a low point within the channel 20. Each sidewall 14 and 16 preferably includes a plurality of segments 17. In one embodiment, the segments are sized and shaped for matching with undersides of segments from other food holders.
As shown, the base 18 is defined by a narrow longitudinal planar-shaped surface having a plurality of lateral, crossing channels 20 below a surface for engaging food. The base 18 terminates on the opening ends at edges 21 and 23 and at the beginning of the incline of the sidewalls 14 and 16. Edges 21, 22, 23, and 24 form a peripheral edge for support.
The base 18 preferably includes channels 20 linked to channels of the sidewalls 14 and 16. In various embodiments, the channels of the base 18 may be sized and shaped for longitudinal exit from the base 18, instead of the lateral exit as shown in the figures. As shown in the figures, the base 18 is substantially planar-shaped. It is contemplated herein that the base may be more curved in alternative embodiments, having a smooth transition from a bottom portion to the apex of the sidewalls.
With specific reference to
In one embodiment, the entire food holder 10 is integrally formed of a substantially uniform thickness. In this way, the holders 10 may be stacked more economically for better storage and shipping.
In one embodiment, the food holder 10 may be perforated longitudinally through a middle of the base 18. In this way, the food holder 10 may be selectively separated into two separate sidewalls that may each function as a food divider. This feature may be helpful when a user desires to keep food separated in a bowl or dish. For example, the food divider may be useful for keeping rice separate from refried beans in a dish.
With specific reference to
The disclosure has described certain preferred embodiments and modifications thereto. Further modifications and alterations may occur to others upon reading and understanding the specification. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/547,991 filed on Aug. 21, 2017, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety in this disclosure.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2814381 | Stevick | Nov 1957 | A |
2823797 | Amatel | Feb 1958 | A |
3084790 | Lugt, Jr. | Apr 1963 | A |
3101166 | Van Antwerpen | Aug 1963 | A |
3128030 | Davies | Apr 1964 | A |
3212907 | Caprioli | Oct 1965 | A |
3362609 | Freedy | Jan 1968 | A |
3372812 | Parcels | Mar 1968 | A |
3559866 | Olson, Sr. | Feb 1971 | A |
3591032 | Baxter | Jul 1971 | A |
3610512 | Hermalin | Oct 1971 | A |
D246491 | D'Alo | Nov 1977 | S |
4101049 | Wallace | Jul 1978 | A |
4195732 | Bell | Apr 1980 | A |
D263191 | Moore | Mar 1982 | S |
4369913 | Muise | Jan 1983 | A |
4832199 | Rigby | May 1989 | A |
5058744 | Creaden | Oct 1991 | A |
D334867 | May | Apr 1993 | S |
5310977 | Stenkamp | May 1994 | A |
D385080 | Schueneman | Oct 1997 | S |
5884783 | Proulx | Mar 1999 | A |
6142440 | Gratz | Nov 2000 | A |
6269961 | Porcelli | Aug 2001 | B1 |
6273278 | Enyedy | Aug 2001 | B1 |
6474613 | O'Malley | Nov 2002 | B2 |
20080286431 | Brown | Nov 2008 | A1 |
20100112292 | Gilfert | May 2010 | A1 |
20110094918 | Hernandez | Apr 2011 | A1 |
20110120993 | Birchmeier | May 2011 | A1 |
20130134067 | Ramirez | May 2013 | A1 |
20170295974 | Lai | Oct 2017 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20190053652 A1 | Feb 2019 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62547991 | Aug 2017 | US |