WO2001038176A2

WO2001038176A2 - Food container

Info

Publication number: WO2001038176A2
Application number: PCT/GB2000/004463
Authority: WO
Inventors: Garry Martin Beasley
Original assignee: Lemon Solutions Ltd
Priority date: 1999-11-25
Filing date: 2000-11-24
Publication date: 2001-05-31
Also published as: GB9927738D0; WO2001038176A3; AU1534301A

Abstract

This invention relates to the provision of a food container for use in the carrying of foodstuffs, typically precooked and/or ready to eat foodstuffs and also for use during the consumption of the foodstuffs. The food container (30) avoids the conventional occurrence of a person who purchases food finding that each food item is individually wrapped or packaged and then subsequently finds it difficult to be able to consume the various items of foodstuffs together. The container (30) in accordance with the invention, preferably has a holding means (44) which allows a consumer to hold the container (36) and a number of location means (40, 42), each of which allow for the location of dry foodstuffs such as chips, burgers etc and/or wet foodstuffs such as curries or the like and/or drinks. The foodstuffs can be placed directly in the location means (40, 42) of the food container (30) or can be provided themselves in individual food containers which can then be placed into the location means, carried and if required consumed from the container while being carried.

Description

Food Container

The invention which is the subject of this application relates to a food container means, in particular, but not exclusively, for containers for use by fast food restaurants and take away food shops, or any outlet which issues food to be carried.

A purpose of fast food restaurants and take away food shops is to provide members of the public with a quick, easy and inexpensive means of obtaining food. Many people buy food from these places to eat on the go, for example whilst walking or whilst travelling in a vehicle.

Conventionally these establishments serve food wrapped in paper or contained inside plastic or card containers . This form of packaging is sufficient for single items and a purchaser can simply unwrap the item and eat it using one or both hands . However, this form of packaging can be problematic when a number of items of food are bought as typically, each item o f food is individually wrapped or packaged.

Although some establishments provide tables to consume the food at, thereby allowing the consumer to unwrap the food and arrange it on a surface as required, many eateries do not. In addition, the consumer may not wish to sit down, for example, if a consumer wishes to walk at the same time as eating. Therefore, the consumer is faced with the problem of holding a number of different food products in one hand whilst keeping the remaining hand free for eating with.

At the present there is no known package which allows a number of food items to be held in combination by a person while simultaneously allowing the same to be eaten from the package. The lack of this form of package means that the eating of a number of foodstuffs such as if, for example, a number of different sauces are provided to be consumed with solid foods, and/or drinks, can be unappetising and messy, and can, in many instances, deter a person from purchasing as many items of food as they may otherwise have done.

Even if the food products are eaten at a table, the consumer has to unwrap individual packaging from each item before they can begin to eat, which may result in the food going cold. In addition, it is more time consuming to the fast food outlet and/or cleaning organisations to clear away the extra packaging.

An object of the present invention is to provide a food container means which can be held easily in a consumer's hand and which allows the consumer to eat and/ or drink foodstuffs from the container while carried.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a food container with easy access to different food products whilst keeping the products separate at least prior to consumption.

In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a food container for a number of foodstuffs; said foodstuffs consumable from the container, said container including a number of separate locations for receipt of foodstuffs therein and characterised in that said container is provided with a holding formation to allow a consumer to hold the container while consuming foodstuff from the container.

In one embodiment the holding formation is formed at an edge of the container to allow relatively easy gripping by the consumer. In one embodiment the formation is a protruding handle or alternatively can be an indented portion into which a user can place their thumb and/or fingers to grip the food container therewith. Alternatively, a location for a foodstuff and/or a foodstuff container can be gripped from the underside of the tray.

Typically a plurality of location means are provided for a number of foodstuffs and the holder location is compartmentalised for the reception of a number of foodstuffs held in separation.

In one embodiment the foodstuff locations are provided to contain solid foodstuffs such as formed and shaped items such as chicken, beef, pork which can be in the form of ribs , and/ or chips or other solid foodstuffs . Typically the remaining locations can be provided for the reception of any of a range o f liquid or wet foodstuffs such as sauces, dips, drinks , curries or the like.

In a further embodiment the container can be provided with location means for the location of any of sachets such as salt and pepper sachets and/or hygienic wipes and/or cutlery.

In one embodiment the foodstuff locations and holder formation are formed integrally as one unit or alternatively at least some of the locations act as means to engage further containers which can be placed therein and hence form part of the container of the invention. The further container may be located with the container of the invention by the foodstuff provider or may be required to be engaged by the foodstuff consumer.

The container may be formed of any suitable material but it is envisaged that card or plastics material can be particularly useful. If formed of card the container may be erectable between a flattened storage condition and an erected in use position.

Although reference is made to a food container and foodstuffs it should be appreciated that the container described will be of use in containing other combinations of articles and the scope of the patent application extends to these other uses.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a food container for carrying cooked and/or ready to eat foodstuffs, said container having a plurality of locations for the insertion of a foodstuff therein, said container capable of holding one or more food products separately and allowing the foodstuffs to be consumed by a person from the container while being carried by the person.

In a yet further aspect of the invention the container can include engagement means which are provided to engage with engagement means or other containers so as to form a larger container with a range of foodstuffs . In addition or alternatively engagement means can be used to locate the container on another article such as a window of a car, a shelf, edge of a chair or the like.

Preferably the holding formation is a container member located approximately centrally on the tray and said container member acts as a holder for further foodstuffs, such as a drink.

Preferably the food container is provided with a lid. The lid can cover one or more of the foodstuff locations . Alternatively, separate lids can be provided for one or more of the foodstuff locations . The lid can have engagement means to cooperate with the food container. Preferably the food container includes a stand member to allow the food container to stand unaided on a surface.

In a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a food container for a number of foodstuffs for consumption from the container, said container including a tray portion with location means for at least one foodstuff for engagement with at least one drink container.

Typically the tray portion includes a plurality of location means for a number of foodstuffs. The tray portion can in one embodiment include further holder means for further drinks containers such that the food container can be utilised by one or more people.

A further advantage is that the container provides opportunity for the carrying of advertising material thereon, thereby providing revenue to the foodstuff provider and/or information to the consumer.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings , wherein:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a food container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a food container with a lid in position according to the embodiment of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a food container according to the embodiment of Figure 1 ; Figure 4 illustrates a food container means according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 illustrates a detail of a further embodiment of the invention;

Figures 6A and B illustrate a further embodiment;

Figures 7A-D illustrate a further embodiment; and

Figures 8A-B illustrate a yet further embodiment.

Referring to Figures 1 , 2 and 3, there is illustrated a food container 30 having a number of location means 32 comprising a location means 34 for a drinks container 36, location means 38 for sauce and/or condiments and location means 40 and 42 for location of further foodstuffs .

Also provided, in this case as part of the location means 42 is a holding formation 44 in which a consumer can place their thumb, fingers and/or hand to hold the container therewith so as to leave the other hand free for consuming the foodstuff from the container. However, in one embodiment, not shown, the side of the location 42 can be "filled in" to form a bowl and it should be appreciated that any "wet" foodstuff such as curries or the like can be located in the location or locations as required.

A lid 46 is provided in this embodiment to cover the locations 40 and 42 and the lid can be used to help keep the foodstuffs inside the locations and/or to help keep the foodstuffs at a specific temperature prior to consumption. The container top surface is provided with an upstanding edge 48 which engages with a lip 50 of the lid 46, as illustrated in Figure 1. The lid can cover one or more of the location means as required or alternatively, separate lids can be provided for each or selected foodstuff locations on the tray. Typically the lid is provided with an aperture or apertures to allow the release of steam and/or moisture from the foodstuff.

Thus, in use, when a consumer visits a food outlet such as for example, a burger or other fast food outlet they may not wish to consume the food at the premises but instead consume the food as they move away from the same, by foot, car or the like and this may be especially the case at sports events , fun fair sites, leisure parks and the like. Thus the food provider can provide a container in accordance with this invention and fill as many of the foodstuff location as required to provide the ordered foodstuff combination. If required, the lid can be provided and, if a drink has been ordered, the same can be poured into a ready formed location on the container or, as shown in Figure 1 , the drink can be placed in a conventional cup 36 and the cup placed in suitable location means 34. When complete, the consumer can leave the vendor holding the container, using the holding formation, in one hand, and as and when they wish, they can choose to consume foodstuffs from the container with their other hand as they continue to move or can come to a stop and place the container on a support surface such as a table.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, two further embodiments of the invention of this application are described with reference to the holding of foodstuffs for consumption from the container. There is illustrated a food container means 2 comprising a tray portion 4, and a lid member 6, in Figure 4. The tray portion includes a plurality of locations 8 and locates with or is formed with an approximately centrally located location means 10. The container tray portion locations 8 and location means 10 are used to hold one or more different food products.

The tray portion 4 locations 8 are provided for the insertion of foodstuffs directly as shown in Figure 5 and/ or foodstuff containers 12 as shown in Figure 4. The foodstuffs for the tray are typically a range of sauces and dips into which the solid foodstuff which can be in the form of shaped meats or chips can be dipped and then consumed. The tray locations 8 are preferably cup shaped but could be any shape which allow any type of food to be contained, for example, cone shaped, squared shaped or rounded and the tray can be provided with engagement means to allow the same to be attached to the location 10 and hence form a food container in accordance with the invention.

The location 10 is used to contain chips 14 and shaped meats 16 as shown in Figure 5 in separate compartments 18, 20 respectively and can be removed by the user for consumption and/or dipping as required. In use, the location 10 can be shaped to act as a holding formation so as to be held in the consumer's hand. The container can also be provided with a support formation 20 as shown in Figure 4 to allow the container to be placed on a substantially planar surface and stand unaided.

The food container can be provided with more than one holder means for drinks containers such that the food container can be used by more than one person.

Figures 6A and B illustrate a further embodiment of container with solid food location means 60, 62 and a drink location 64. Holding means 66 are provided to allow easy and convenient holding of the container. Figures 7A-D illustrate a yet further embodiment with food location means 68, 70, drinks container 72 and locations 74, 76 for sauces and dips .

Figures 8A-B show a food container 78 in one embodiment and in this embodiment the container has holding means 80 and location means 82 in which a smaller food tray 84 with locations 86, 88 is provided. This food tray is provided with a lid 90 as shown in figure 8B. A further location 92 is provided in which a drinks cup 94 is located. Thus in this embodiment the foods container acts as a location means for further foods containers 84, 94 so as to provide a food container in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

The food container can be formed of any suitable material such as card or plastic material. If the container is formed of card, the container could be erectable between a flattened storage condition and an erected in use position.

In one embodiment the container can include engagement means to allow a number of containers to be engaged together to form larger or communal foodstuff containers and lids can be provided for one or a number of locations as required. The container and/or lid can be formed of insulating material as required to enable certain foodstuffs in hot conditions or indeed to keep foodstuffs cool as required.

There is therefore provided a container which can be used to contain a number of foodstuff types, especially fast food type products which are provided to be used together by the consumer and therefore provides a first advantage of providing the foodstuffs together in a package. A second advantage is that the package allows the consumer to take the foodstuffs in a single unit and, if required carried by one hand to a place for consumption if they require. Furthermore the consumer can easily get access to the foodstuffs as they move and also consume the foodstuffs together rather than one item after another, from the same container which renders the consumption more convenient, the foodstuffs more tasty and in a less messy manner than is conventionally the case. The containers can be used in many areas such as funfairs, cinemas with items such as popcorn, ice cream, dips , sauces , and in any areas and with foodstuffs in combination as required.

Claims

1 A food container for a number of foodstuffs; said foodstuffs consumable from the container, said container including a number o f separate locations for receipt of foodstuffs therein and characterised in that said container is provided with a holding formation to allow a consumer to hold the container while consuming foodstuff from the container.

2 A container according to claim 1 characterised in that the holding formation is formed at an edge of the container to allow relatively easy gripping by the consumer.

3 A container according to claim 2 characterised in that the formation is a protruding handle.

4 A container according to claim 2 characterised in that the holding formation is an indented portion into which a user can place their thumb and/or fingers to grip the food container therewith.

5 A container according to claim 1 characterised in that one o f the foodstuff locations can be used as the holding formation for the container.

6 A container according to claim 1 characterised in that a plurality of location means are provided for a number of foodstuffs and the holder formation is compartmentalised for the reception of a number of foodstuffs held in separation.

7 A container according to claim 1 characterised in that foodstuff locations are provided to contain solid foodstuffs such as formed and shaped items such as chicken, beef, pork which can be in the form of ribs, and/or chips or other solid foodstuffs.

8 A container according to claim 1 characterised in that foodstuff locations are provided for the reception of any of a range of liquid or wet foodstuffs.

9 A container according to claim 1 characterised in that location means are provided for the location of any of sachets such as salt and pepper sachets and/or hygienic wipes and/or cutlery.

10 A container according to claim 1 characterised in that the foodstuff locations and holder formation are formed integrally as one unit.

1 1 A container according to claim 1 characterised in that at least one o f the locations act as means to engage a further container which can be placed therein and hence form part of the container of the invention.

12 A food container for carrying cooked and/or ready to eat foodstuffs, said container having a plurality of locations for the insertion of a foodstuff therein, said container capable of holding one or more food products separately and allowing the foodstuffs to be consumed by a person from the container while being carried by the person.

13 A container according to claim 12 characterised in that the holding formation is a container member located approximately centrally on the tray and said container member acts as a holder for further foodstuffs, such as a drink.

14 A container according to any of the preceding claims characterised in that the container is provided with a lid.

15 A container according to claim 14 characterised in that the lid covers one or more of the foodstuff locations .

1 6 A container according to claim 15 characterised in that separate lids are provided for one or more of the foodstuff locations . .

17 A container according to any of the preceding claims characterised in that the food container includes a stand member to allow the food container to stand unaided on a surface.

18. A food container for a number o f foodstuffs for consumption from the container, said container including a tray portion with location means for at least one foodstuff for engagement with at least one drink container.

19 A food container according to claim 1 8 characterised in that the tray portion includes a plurality of location means for a number of foodstuffs .

20 A container according to claim 1 8 characterised in that the tray portion includes location means for a number of drinks containers .