CA2542667A1 - Food container - Google Patents

Food container Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2542667A1
CA2542667A1 CA 2542667 CA2542667A CA2542667A1 CA 2542667 A1 CA2542667 A1 CA 2542667A1 CA 2542667 CA2542667 CA 2542667 CA 2542667 A CA2542667 A CA 2542667A CA 2542667 A1 CA2542667 A1 CA 2542667A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
chamber
cap
container
bowl
lid
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA 2542667
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Thomas Gabriel Bela Merey
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to CA 2542667 priority Critical patent/CA2542667A1/en
Priority to CA2584345A priority patent/CA2584345C/en
Publication of CA2542667A1 publication Critical patent/CA2542667A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D51/00Closures not otherwise provided for
    • B65D51/24Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes
    • B65D51/28Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes with auxiliary containers for additional articles or materials
    • B65D51/2807Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes with auxiliary containers for additional articles or materials the closure presenting means for placing the additional articles or materials in contact with the main contents by acting on a part of the closure without removing the closure, e.g. by pushing down, pulling up, rotating or turning a part of the closure, or upon initial opening of the container
    • B65D51/2857Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes with auxiliary containers for additional articles or materials the closure presenting means for placing the additional articles or materials in contact with the main contents by acting on a part of the closure without removing the closure, e.g. by pushing down, pulling up, rotating or turning a part of the closure, or upon initial opening of the container the additional article or materials being released by displacing or removing an element enclosing it
    • B65D51/2878Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes with auxiliary containers for additional articles or materials the closure presenting means for placing the additional articles or materials in contact with the main contents by acting on a part of the closure without removing the closure, e.g. by pushing down, pulling up, rotating or turning a part of the closure, or upon initial opening of the container the additional article or materials being released by displacing or removing an element enclosing it the element being a lid or cover seated on a passage between the auxiliary container and the main container
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D81/00Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
    • B65D81/32Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents for packaging two or more different materials which must be maintained separate prior to use in admixture
    • B65D81/3205Separate rigid or semi-rigid containers joined to each other at their external surfaces
    • B65D81/3211Separate rigid or semi-rigid containers joined to each other at their external surfaces coaxially and provided with means facilitating admixture

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)

Abstract

The container has a bowl and lid which together define a hollow enclosure. A
chamber projects downwardly into the enclosure from the lid. The chamber has an opening which is closed by a cap which, when closed, prevents the contents of the chamber from discharging into the bowl. A lever is attached to the cap and is in contact with the rim of the opening. The rim acts as a fulcrum about which the lever pivots. A release hook has an end disposed outside the container and functions to cause the lever to pivot with resulting opening of the cap and discharging of the contents of the chamber into the enclosure.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to containers for food and more particularly to a container for por-tions or pieces of food such as a salad. The container has a chamber for sauces such as salad dressing and has means for selectively opening the chamber in order to discharge the sauces into the interior of the container where it mixes with the food portions.

Small portable containers intended specifically for such foods as salads are well known, Such containers contain two compartments, one which is relatively large for the salad and a second which is relatively small for a salad dressing. There is provision for opening the second dressing-containing compartment from outside the container, usually by applying downward pressure on a portion of the outer wall of the container. When the latter compartment is opened, the dressing spills into the salad below and the two can be mixed together by shaking the container. By keeping the salad and the dressing apart until immediately prior to serving, the salad remains fresh, dry and free of sogginess An example of such a container is described in U.S. patent no. 6,302,268 BI to Michaeli.
In that patent, the upper wall of the compartment containing the dressing is flexible and when it is pressed downward, a pin beneath the wall is forced downward. The pin is attached to a cap which opens and closes an outlet at the bottom of the compartment. When the cap is forced downward, it opens the compartment and allows the dressing to spill into the salad below.

Many such containers such as that described in the Michaeli have a number of short-I

comings. Their salad-dressing compartments project outwardly of the container and if the com-partments are accidentally pressed or squeezed, they will spring open with resulting spillage of the dressing onto the salad in the containers. A salad becomes soggy and unappetizing if the dressing remains in contact with it for too long.

Another shortcoming of many such containers is that the outlet in the salad-dressing compartment through which the dressing flows is too restricted and much of the dressing remains in the compartment after it is open. This is a particular problem where the dressing is viscous such as those containing particles of cheese and those containing thick cream.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The container of the subject invention overcomes many of the shortcomings of con-ventional containers such as those described above. In some embodiments of the subject invention, all of the shortcomings mentioned above are overcome. Briefly the container of the subject invention includes a bowl having an upwardly facing opening and a lid removably attached to the bowl for covering the opening. The bowl and lid together define a hollow enclosure. A chamber is associated with the lid and projects into the enclosure. The chamber has a downwardly facing outlet defined by a rim. A cap is removably attached to the chamber and, when closed, covers the outlet and prevents any contents within the chamber from discharging therefrom. A lever is associated with the cap and is in contact with the rim.
The rim acts as a fulcrum about which the lever pivots. Finally, the container includes a release hook having an
2 end disposed outside the enclosure. The hook functions to cause the lever to pivot with resulting opening of the cap and discharge of any contents within the chamber into the enclosure.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The container of the invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the container showing a chamber and other components in its interior through a transparent lid;

Figure 2 is a section of the container;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a cap disposed in the interior of the container;
Figure 4 is a plan view of the cap from its bottom ; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a release hook for operating the cap.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the description of the container.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the container of the invention includes a bowl 10 and a lid 12. The bowl has an upwardly facing opening defined by a circular rim 14 and the lid has an annular downwardly facing channel or socket 16 within which the rim is removably received when the container is closed.

When the container is closed, the bowl and lid define a hollow enclosure, generally 18 for relatively small portions or pieces of such food as lettuce, carrots, meat and the like.
3 The bowl and lid are composed of resiliently deformable material such as plastic so that the rim snaps into the socket in order to attach the rim to the bowl.
Conversely, the rim snaps out of the socket in order to separate the lid from the bowl.

A chamber 20 is integrally moulded with the lid or is friction-fit into an aperture 22 in the lid. The chamber extends downwardly into the interior of the container and terminates at a lower rim 24 which defines an outlet 26. The chamber is in the shape of a cylinder and has a vertical axis 28-28 which coincides with the longitudinal axis 30-30 of the container.

The diameter 32 of the cylindrical interior wall 34 of the chamber is substantially the same as the diameter of outlet 26.

With reference to Figures 2, 3 and 4, a cap 40 is removably attached to the chamber at its outlet 26. The cap has a slightly bevelled annular surface 42 at its upper end. The bevelled surface functions to frictionally engage the interior wall 34 of the chamber. When so engaged, the cap acts to close the chamber.

The uppermost wall 44 of the cap extends cross-axially inward from the bevelled surface and terminates at a downwardly extending cylindrical compartment 46.
Compartment 46 traps air and functions to facilitate removal of the cap. The way it does so is explained below.

A lever 50 is attached to the lower wall of the cap. The lever is composed of two identical parallel plates 50a,b which are spaced apart from each other by a small distance. The plates extend radially outwardly and terminate short of the outer wall of the bowl at an outer end 52. An eyelet
4 54 is formed in each plate adjacent to its outer end. The eyelet receives a release hook 56.
With reference to Figures 2 and 5, the release hook is T-shaped and is composed of an elongated rod 58 having a lower end 58a to which a short bar 60 is attached.
The point of attachment of the bar to the rod is approximately midway of the length of the bar and the long-itudinal axes of the rod and bar are normal to each other.

The release hook is attached to the lever by placing the rod between the two plates such that the longitudinal axis of the bar is parallel to the faces of the plates.
The rod is then rotated 90 degrees thereby forcing the plates apart sufficiently to allow each end of the bar to enter a separate eyelet. The lever is composed of resiliently deformable material to allow the plates to be forced apart in this manner.

The lower end of the release hook is attached to the lever in the interior of the container.
The rod extends upwardly through an aperture 62 in the lid and terminates at a threaded upper end 58b which is outside the container. A knob 64 is threadably attached to the upper end.

Since the chamber, cap, lever and release hook are all attached, either directly or in-directly, to the lid of the container, they do not interfere with the attachment or removal of the lid from the container.

With reference again to Figure 2, the bowl is provided with an annular shoulder or groove 70 on its side wall. The lid is also provided with an annular groove 72 on its upper wall. The two grooves 70, 72 are vertically spaced apart from one another and facilitate grasping of the bowl when it is being shaken.

The container is suitable for use where it is desired to store or to carry a quantity of relatively small portions or pieces of food such as a salad and to add a sauce such as a salad dressing to the food immediately before it is consumed but not before. The small portions of food are placed in the bowl while the bowl is upright. The sauce is poured into the chamber while the cap is removed from the chamber and the lid is upside down and removed from the bowl. The cap is then pressed over the outlet of the chamber to hold it in place and the lid is attached to the container by pressing the lid over the top of the bowl.

The air tapped in compartment 46 of the cap makes it possible to remove the cap should chamber 20 be filled to the brim with sauce. In the absence of the trapped air, there may be a vacuum in chamber 20 when it is closed by the cap. Such vacuum will resist removal of the cap and if knob 64 has to be pulled hard to overcome the vacuum, the lever or release hook may fracture. The air trapped in compartment 46 functions to relieve that pressure and will accordingly be possible to remove the cap without difficulty whether or not chamber 20 is full of sauce.

Immediately before the food is to be consumed, the knob of the release hook is manually grasped and is pulled upward and away from the container. As the knob is pulled, the release hook causes the outer ends of the two plates which make up the lever to pivot upward toward the lid.
The inner end of the lever is in contact with the rim 24 of the outlet of the chamber. The rim acts as a fulcrum about which the lever pivots so that as the outer end of the lever moves upward, the inner end to which cap 40 is connected pivots downward with resulting opening of the outlet.
The sauce within the chamber then spills into the food portions within the bowl.

The container is then manually grasped by inserting the thumb into groove 72 of the lid and the fingers into groove 70 of the bowl and the container is then shaken to distribute the sauce throughout the food portions. The loosened cap flops in the food portions as the container is shaken and aids in the mixing of the sauce and the food portions.

It will be understood that only by pulling the release hook away from the container will the chamber containing the sauce be opened. It will not be opened if the container or the chamber is pushed downward or is squeezed. It is highly unlikely that the release hook will be pulled outward unintentionally and accordingly accidental mixing of the sauce with the food portions in the container is highly unlikely. By contrast, sauces in chambers which are opened by downward pressure on the chamber are more likely to be mixed with food portions since pushing or squeezing of such containers can accidentally occur.

It will also be understood that modifications can be made in the structure of the container as described herein without departing from the scope and purview of the invention as claimed in the appended claims.

Claims (4)

I claim
1. A container for a number of small portions of food comprising:
(a) a bowl having an upwardly facing opening;

(b) a lid removably attached to said bowl for covering said opening, said bowl and lid together defining a hollow enclosure;

(c) a chamber associated with said lid and projecting into said enclosure, said chamber having a downwardly facing outlet defined by a rim;

(d) a cap removably attached to said chamber, said cap, when closed, covering said outlet and preventing any contents within said chamber from discharging therefrom;

(e) a lever associated with said cap and in contact with said rim, said rim acting as a fulcrum about which said lever pivots; and (f) a release hook having an end disposed outside said enclosure and operable to cause said lever to pivot with resulting opening of said cap with resulting discharge of any contents within said chamber into said enclosure.
2. The container of claim 1 wherein said chamber has a downwardly extending cylindrical interior wall and said outlet has a diameter substantially the same as that of said interior wall.
3. The container of claim 1 wherein said cap has a compartment in which air is trapped when said cap is attached to said chamber and when contents fill said compartment.
4. The container of claim 1 wherein said bowl and said lid each have an annular groove formed therein, said grooves being vertically spaced apart.
CA 2542667 2006-04-11 2006-04-11 Food container Abandoned CA2542667A1 (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA 2542667 CA2542667A1 (en) 2006-04-11 2006-04-11 Food container
CA2584345A CA2584345C (en) 2006-04-11 2007-04-10 Food container

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA 2542667 CA2542667A1 (en) 2006-04-11 2006-04-11 Food container

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2542667A1 true CA2542667A1 (en) 2007-10-11

Family

ID=38582160

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA 2542667 Abandoned CA2542667A1 (en) 2006-04-11 2006-04-11 Food container

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA2542667A1 (en)

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