AU2021100991A4

AU2021100991A4 - Food Container

Info

Publication number: AU2021100991A4
Application number: AU2021100991A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Cheuk Ki Chan
Original assignee: Closed Loop Environmental Solutions Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Closed Loop Environmental Solutions Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2021-02-23
Filing date: 2021-02-23
Publication date: 2021-04-29
Anticipated expiration: 2029-02-23

Abstract

A container for storing food comprising: a base portion integrally formed with a lid portion, the base portion and the lid portion connected along a common edge that functions as a hinge to facilitate pivotal movement of the lid portion with respect to the base portion between an open and a closed position; therein the base portion has a front wall that projects above the base portion, the front wall having a centrally located tab member projecting from a front surface thereof and wherein the lid portion has a front wall that is configured to pass over the front wall of the base portion when the lid portion is moved to the closed position and the lid portion has a centrally located slot that receives the tab member therein when the lid portion is in the closed position to lock the lid portion in the closed position

Description

FOOD CONTAINER FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to container for containing food to be consumed, and in particular, to a foldable contained for containing food having a locking mechanism for closing the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fast food, such as sushi, is typically placed in a container at the point of purchase for easy transport by the purchaser. Due to the large volume of goods that are typically sold at fast food outlets, the outlet typically requires a large number of containers that can be readily assembled for use. As the containers are typically single-use containers that are designed to be easily disposable, such containers are generally mass produced at a low cost so as to minimise any impact on the outlet's profit margins.

A problem with disposable food containers that are produced in high volumes and at low cost is that the materials used are often paper or cardboard and the designs are relatively basic due to lack of rigidity of the materials. Simple boxes having a hinge about which the halves of the box pivot to open or close to contain the food therein are common. Such boxes typically employ a simple latch mechanism or a rubber band or similar securing member to retain the halves of the boxes in the closed position to transport the food. Whilst such a design has proven to be useful in providing a container for temporarily storing the food in for transport, the simple latch mechanism typically relies upon the rigidity of the container, which can be easily inadvertently opened when the container is made from a paper or cardboard material with limited structural rigidity. Furthermore, where the container is closed by way of a rubber band or similar retaining means, there is a need for the fast food outlet to purchase such retaining means as a separate item which adds cost and complexity to the packaging process.

Thus, there is a need to provide a container for use in packaging fast food that is disposable and low cost but which can be more efficiently locked and unlocked to provide a more secure alternative for consumers.

The above references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the above prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

The invention according to one or more aspects is as defined in the independent claims. Some optional and/or preferred features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Accordingly, in one aspect of the invention there is provided a container for storing food comprising: a base portion integrally formed with a lid portion, the base portion and the lid portion connected along a common edge that functions as a hinge to facilitate pivotal movement of the lid portion with respect to the base portion between an open and a closed position; wherein the base portion has a front wall that projects above the base portion, the front wall having a centrally located tab member projecting from a front surface thereof and wherein the lid portion has a front wall that is configured to pass over the front wall of the base portion when the lid portion is moved to the closed position and the lid portion has a centrally located slot that receives the tab member therein when the lid portion is in the closed position to lock the lid portion in the closed position. In one embodiment, an upper portion of the front wall of the base portion is free standing and is free to flex inwardly with respect to the container as the front wall of the lid portion passes over the front wall of the base portion. The centrally located tab portion may be located on an upper end of the front wall of the base portion. The front wall of the base portion may have a flange member that is hingedly attached to the upper end thereof, the flange member being configured to pivot inwardly with respect to the front wall of the base portion. The flange member may be configured to abut an inner surface of a roof of the lid portion when the lid portion is in the closed position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container in a closed position in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container of Fig. 1 in an open position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a container of the present invention in a closed position;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the container of Fig. 4 in a closed position; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a blank for forming the container of the present invention in accordance with an embodiment thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the 1o features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention.

The present invention will be described below in relation to a container for retaining fast food, such as sushi and the like. However, it will be appreciated that the container of the present invention could be used to contain a variety of items, including food and other perishable items, as well as non-perishable items as would be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

Referring to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a container 10 is shown in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The container 10 comprises a base portion 12 and a lid portion 16 hingedly mounted with respect to the base portion 12. In the embodiment as depicted, the base portion 12 and the hinge portion 16 are formed integrally and are connected to each other along a common edge 17. The common edge 17 forms the hinge about which the lid portion pivots between an open position (Fig. 2) and a closed position (Fig. 1).

The base portion 12 and the lid portion 16 are configured such that a storage space 18 is formed therebetween for accommodating the food product to be stored therein. The container 10 is preferably made from a single wall corrugated paper board; however, other materials are also envisaged.

The base portion 12 comprises a floor 11 having a pair of opposing side walls 13 extending therefrom in a vertical manner that is outwardly angled with respect to the floor 11. A rear wall 14 also extends vertically from the floor 11 in an outwardly angled manner to terminate at the common edge 17 to form the hinge between the base portion 12 and the lid portion 16. The height of the rear wall 14 is substantially the same as the height of the opposing side walls 13.

The base portion 12 has a front wall 15 that projects from the floor 11 and has a height that extends beyond the height of the side walls 13. An upper end of the front wall 15 has a flange member 15a that is configured to be folded inwardly, towards the storage space 18, as shown in Fig. 2. The flange member 15a, when folded substantially perpendicular to the front wall 15, forms a stop member that abuts with an inner surface of the lid portion 16 when the lid portion 16 is in the closed position, as shown in Fig. 1. In this regard, the height of the front wall 15 defines the height of the container 10 when in the closed position of Fig. 1.

A tab member 15b projects outwardly from the upper periphery of the front wall 15, as shown in Fig. 1. The tab member 15b is positioned centrally with respect to the front wall 15 and extends from the common edge shared by the flange member 15a and the front wall 15. The tab member 15b may be in the form of a cut-out portion of the front wall 15 and projects beyond the front wall 15 a sufficient distance to form a projecting ledge, as will be described in more detail below. In its assembled form as shown in Fig. 2, the front wall 15 is connected to the side walls 13 at either ends at only at a lower portion thereof. As such, a majority of height of the front wall 15 is not connected or constrained at is ends and is able to flex inwardly and outwardly with respect to the storage space 18 when a force is applied to the front surface of the front wall 15, as will be discussed in more detail below.

The lid portion 16 is configured in a similar manner to the base portion 12. The lid portion 16 comprises a roof 20 that defines a top surface of the container 10 when in the closed position of Fig. 1. In the embodiment as depicted in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the roof 20 has a window 21 formed thereinto enable a user to look into the container 10 when the container 10 is in the closed position. The window 21 is typically formed by removing a portion of the roof 20 and overlaying the removed portion with a piece of plastic material 22 that is adhered to the surface of the roof 20 about a perimeter thereof, by way of a suitable adhesive or the like. In an alternative version of the container, as depicted in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, tow windows 21 are formed in the roof 20 of the container. It will be appreciated that the number of windows 21 and the form of the windows 21 may vary, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The lid portion 16 also comprises a pair of opposing side walls 23 and a rear wall 24, each of which are outwardly angled in the manner as shown. The rear wall 24 of the lid portion 16 projects toward the common edge 17 formed between lid portion 16 and the base portion 12 to form the hinge about which the lid portion pivots between an open position (Fig. 2) and a closed position (Fig. 1).

The front wall 25 of the lid portion 16 also projects forward from the roof 20 at an angle as depicted. A lip portion 26 is centrally located on the front surface of the front wall 25 along a common edge where the front wall 25 and the roof 20 meet. A slot 27 is provided immediately below the lip portion 26 so as to extend the length of the lip portion 26.

Due to the above arrangement, when the lid portion 16 is moved to the closed position of Fig. 1, the front wall 25 of the lid portion is brought down over the top of the front wall 15 of the base portion 12. As the top most portion of the front wall 15 of the base portion is not constrained at its ends, it is free to flex inwardly as the front wall 25 of the lid portion 16 closes over it. The front wall 25 of the lid portion 16 will continue to close over the front wall 15 of the base portion 12 until the flange member 15a abuts with the roof 20 of the lid portion 16. When this is achieved, the lid portion 16 will be in the closed position as shown in Fig. 1 and the tab member 15b that projects from the front surface of the front wall 15 of the base member 12 will be aligned with the slot 27 formed in the front wall 25 of the lid portion 16. Upon alignment of the tab member 15b with the slot 27, the tab member 15b will project through the slot 27 thereby locking the lid portion 16 in the closed position of Fig. 1. Such a locking process occurs automatically as part of the process of closing the lid portion 16.

Referring to Fig. 3 and Fig.4, to open the container 10 from the locked position of Fig. 3 the user merely applies a force to the front wall 15 of the base portion 12 at the points 30 as shown. The user can apply the pressure by way of their thumbs or fingers and by applying the pressure to the surface of the front wall 15, the front wall 15 will flex inward and the tab member 15b will be disengaged from the slot 27 to enable the lid portion 16 to be pivoted to the open position of Fig. 4. The user can then access the contents of the container 10. To close the container 10 the user can merely lower the lid portion 16 as described above, to reengage the locking mechanism.

As previously discussed, in a preferred form, the container 10 is formed from one integral piece of material, preferably a single walled corrugated paper board. Fig. 5 depicts a blank 40 that is generated by a laser cutting machine or the like, for assembly into the container 10. The blank 40 comprises tabs 42 which can be simply glued into position to form the container 10, with fold lines 44 created in the blank to enable the container to take its form. The blank 40 can be simply mass produced and assembled prior to use to for a low cost perishable item.

It will be appreciated that the container of the present invention provides a simple and cost effective solution for storing food products, such as sushi, in a convenient and secure manner. The container is configured such that the locking mechanism is simply engaged each time the lid portion is closed over the base portion, and can be disengaged by applying a force against the front wall of the base portion. Such a container does not require any external fastening means to secure the container in the closed position and does not require any intentional folding or manipulation by the user to facilitate the locking mechanism.

Throughout the specification and claims the word "comprise" and its derivatives are intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusive meaning unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. That is, the word "comprise" and its derivatives will be taken to indicate the inclusion of not only the listed components, steps or features that it directly references, but also other components, steps or features not specifically listed, unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise.

Orientational terms used in the specification and claims such as vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, upper and lower are to be interpreted as relational and are based on the premise that the component, item, article, apparatus, device or instrument will usually be considered in a particular orientation, typically with the container uppermost.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the methods of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A container for storing food comprising: a base portion integrally formed with a lid portion, the base portion and the lid portion connected along a common edge that functions as a hinge to facilitate pivotal movement of the lid portion with respect to the base portion between an open and a closed position; wherein the base portion has a front wall that projects above the base portion, the front wall having a centrally located tab member projecting from a front surface thereof and wherein the lid portion has a front wall that is configured to pass over the front wall of the base portion when the lid portion is moved to the closed position and the lid portion has a centrally located slot that receives the tab member therein when the lid portion is in the closed position to lock the lid portion in the closed position.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein an upper portion of the front wall of the base portion is free standing and is free to flex inwardly with respect to the container as the front wall of the lid portion passes over the front wall of the base portion.

3. A container according to claim 2, wherein the centrally located tab portion is located on an upper end of the front wall of the base portion.

4. A container according to claim 2, wherein the front wall of the base portion has a flange member that is hingedly attached to the upper end thereof, the flange member being configured to pivot inwardly with respect to the front wall of the base portion.

5. A container according to claim 4, wherein the flange member is configured to abut an inner surface of a roof of the lid portion when the lid portion is in the closed position.