MXPA01000456A - Vented container with handles and embossment - Google Patents

Abstract

A container includes a base having a bottom (20), side walls (22) and end walls (24). Handle segments (78) which can be releasably engaged with each other are integrally formed with the outer rim (26) of the base and are rotatably attached to anchoring portions (80) at integral hinges. Hinged portions of each segment include upwardly and downwardly extending rib segments (108, 110) interconnected by integral hinges to distribute stress and obtain a proper container balance. Wells (40) in the bottom will retain fluid via capillary action when the base is tilted or turned upside-down. A rib (176) in the rim of a cover for the base includes notches (184) that align with notches (76) formed in a rib (26) of the base to define vent openings. Ventilation is also provided by apertures (166) in the cover walls. A recess (34) in the bottom may receive the handle portion of a lower container to facilitate container stacking.

Description

VENTILATED CONTAINER WITH HANDLES AND ENHANCED FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates, in general, to thermoformed containers for food or other articles, and in particular, to a container having a ventilation system, integrally formed handles, and an enhanced bottom surface for retaining liquids with surface tension forces. .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In many grocery stores and restaurants, particularly fast-food restaurants, counters, or rotisserie / fried chicken stalls, several food products typically are not served to the customer open on a plate, immediately after being cooked. Rather, the food products are placed in individual containers so that each container can be handled, stored, reheated, or packaged in a bag, easily and conveniently. After cooking but before serving, food products can be packaged and maintained in a conservation area, either in the store, during transportation, or at home, for a short period of time. This is especially true when a fast-food restaurant or counter shop prepares and prepares a number of food products in advance of the traditional busy lunch and dinner periods. During this period of conservation, before being served, certain food products may undergo changes in temperature, appearance, texture and taste. For example, the edges of burgers can become relatively cold and hard, or potato chips can absorb vegetable oil that remains on their surfaces after cooking, pizza can get wet, roasted chicken can be dried, and fried chicken It can lose its crispy characteristic. These changes in appearance and taste tend to diminish customer satisfaction with respect to those food products. Also, the efficiency with which food products can be served during peak hours decreases when it is not possible to pack food for fear of these unpleasant changes. The temperature and quality of appearance, texture, and flavor, reduced, make these products less appetizing. It is also known that certain food products, such as fried chicken, emit moisture or water vapor together with the latent heat stored in the chicken, due to cooking and heating. At least a portion of this latent heat and moisture can condense or be reabsorbed by the chicken itself, making the fried chicken hudemezca, less crispy, and hard to chew. Also, the water vapor can condense on the interior surfaces of the container and drip to the bottom of the container so that the pieces of fried chicken from the bottom absorb it. If the circulation of air adjacent to and around the chicken is poor, the reabsorption of water by the chicken increases, since it is further prevented that the latent heat and the resulting water vapor circulate out of the chicken. In addition, if the air inside the container is not allowed to be changed with air coming from outside the container, condensation of water vapor over the interior of the container is more likely to occur. Although a relatively small amount of water vapor escapes from the chicken and condenses, or is prevented from flowing out of the chicken, this amount may be sufficient to make the chicken undesirable. After the water vapor condenses on the surface of the container and migrates to the bottom of the container, it is mixed with the fat and residual juices that have exuded from the food product. After cooling and resting for a period of time in that fluid, a piece of fried chicken, for example, may lose its delicious pasta when it is lifted from the container and the bread remains stuck to the bottom surface. As well, after remaining at rest on its own soup of fat, moisture, and juice of the meat, a piece of the food product may be semi-patched with that fluid. Hence, there is also a need for containers that are more efficient in preventing excess fat and moisture from contacting the food. Numerous attempts have been made to provide a container that prevents the condensation of the food product from being reabsorbed. U.S. Patent No. 5,423,477 to Valdman et al, issued June 13, 1995, discloses a pizza box incorporating a lid covered with an inner layer of moisture absorbing starch. Also, a wide variety of container inserts have been developed to improve the quality of the food, especially when cooked in a microwave oven. For example, it is known to place a fluid absorbent pad within a package, to absorb food byproducts such as moisture and grease exudates from the food during cooking in a microwave oven, as shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,873,101. issued to Larson et al on October 10, 1989. These pads should not only provide sufficient capacity for the amount of food byproducts produced during cooking, but must also withstand the high temperatures required to adequately heat precooked foods, without degradation. Other patents describe ways of exchanging air between the interior of the container and the outside air, to allow the water vapor to escape. For example, U.S. Patent No. 3,335,846, issued to R.E. Mills on August 15, 1967, describes a pizza container that has a series of ventilation channels that allow that exchange. The lid in this container is provided with one or more orifices in such a way that the vapors coming from inside the container can be purged to the atmosphere. One difficulty with prior art containers designed to keep moisture away from heated food is that specialized coatings and layered structure make the containers both prohibitively expensive and difficult to manufacture. Although these techniques may have been useful in preventing certain food products from failing, an improved container is desired. Other problems with the prior art containers, such as visibility of grease and moisture, spillage of fluid through the ventilation openings, and inefficiencies associated with the pre-package, are discussed below. There is a need to hide the resulting fluid by-product from the consumer, especially the fat that fattens. Traditionally, bucket-type containers or folded boxes made of cardboard or other low-cost, easily absorbed fat-absorbing material have been used in the market. When using paper trays or folded paper boxes, the problem becomes worse when the food product is allowed to stand inside the container. After a period of time, the fat begins to soak the container and stains the same revealing the high fat content of the food. This container, and especially its contents, quickly become unpleasant to the conscious consumer regarding the damage caused by fats. Another problem is the danger of spillage. During the storage time and, in particular, during transport, the food juices may spill from the container and stain clothing and upholstery. Hence, preventing the run-off of food juices is of primary importance, especially if the container has ventilation holes large enough to allow food and juice to pass through. In addition, the pre-packaged food product frequently requested, can minimize the time of paid work, especially during the peak hours at dinner. However, using opaque cardboard containers leads careful consumers to reopen and check pre-packaged containers to be sure it is the correct order. This inconvenience has increased the demand for food packages that attractively exhibit and allow the consumer to see a substantial portion of the food product, and at the same time provide convenience in handling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention consists of a thermoplastic container. According to one embodiment, the container includes a base having a bottom, a pair of opposite side walls and a pair of opposite end walls. The side walls and end walls extend upward from the bottom, and the end walls extend between the side walls. An edge encompasses an upper edge of the side walls and the end walls and extends laterally outward therefrom. The bottom also includes a plurality of hanging cavities small enough to retain a volume of fluid in the cavities, through capillary action or surface tension forces, such that the volume of fluid therein does not flow toward outside when the base tilts or tilts down. Each of the cavities has an interior surface area. The ratio of the volume of fluid to the inner surface area is in the range of about 0.071 centimeters (2.8xl0 ~ 2 inches) to 0.010 centimeters (3.8 xl0 ~ 3 inches). According to another embodiment, the container includes a base having a bottom, a pair of opposite side walls and a pair of opposite end walls. The side walls and end walls extend upward from the bottom, and the end walls extend between the side walls. An edge of the base encompasses an upper edge of the side walls and the end walls and extends laterally outward therefrom. The edge has an integrally formed outer rim and a pair of opposed anchoring portions. The outer flange includes a pair of opposed handle segments, each of which has a pair of generally parallel hinged portions and a gratable, chamfered portion extending between the hinged portions. The articulated portions are connected, so that they can rotate, with the respective anchoring portions, for oscillating movements upwards and downwards. The handle segments include means for releasably attaching the handle segments to each other. Each of the articulated portions has at least one upwardly extending shoulder segment, extending upwardly from an upper surface of the associated hinged portion, at least one downwardly extending shoulder segment extending to down from a lower surface of the associated hinged portion, and at least one integral hinge forming a defined bend point. In accordance still with another embodiment, the container includes a base having a bottom, a pair of opposite side walls of the base, a pair of end walls of the base, opposite, and an edge of the base. The side walls of the base and the end walls of the base extend upwards from the bottom, and the end walls of the base extend between the side walls of the base. An edge of the base encompasses an upper edge of the side walls of the base and the end walls of the base and extends laterally outward therefrom. The edge of the base has an elongated shoulder, projecting upwards, with ventilation slots in the base that intermittently interrupt the projection protruding upwards. The container further includes a lid having an upper part, a pair of opposite side walls, a pair of opposite end walls, and a lid edge. The lid side walls and the end walls of the lid extend downwardly from the top, and the end cap walls extend between the lid side walls. The lid edge encompasses a lower edge of the lid side walls and the end cap walls and extends laterally outward therefrom. The lid edge has a projection protruding downwardly where ventilation slots of the lid intermittently interrupt the protrusion protruding downwards. The ventilation slots of the cover are aligned with the respective base ventilation slots and form respective ventilation holes when the cover is secured on top of the base.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the reading of the following detailed description and with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the container; Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the container; Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a base of the container; Figure 4 is a plan view of the base of the container; Figure 5 is a plan view of an alternative base of the container; Figure ß is a side elevational view of the alternative base of the container; Figure 7 is a side elevational view of a container lid; Figure 8 is a plan view of the lid of the container; Figure 9 is a plan view of an alternative lid of the container; Figure 10 is a side elevational view of a container stacked on top of another container; Y Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken, in general, along the line 11-11 of Figure 1. Although the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, a specific embodiment thereof has been presented to exemplary manner in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE MODALITIES Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, a container 10 according to the invention is shown. As illustrated, the container includes a base 12 having an integrally formed handle structure 14, and a ventilated lid 16 attached to the base with the base 12 and the lid 16, defining a chamber 18 for storing food. The container 10 can have any desired shape, such as round, oval, square, etc., but preferably it is rectangular. With particular reference to Figures 3 through 6, the base 12 includes a bottom 20, two opposite side walls 22, two opposite end walls 24, and an edge 26 with an integrally formed handle structure 14. The walls extend around the periphery of the base 12 defining a generally rectangular shape wherein the length of the longitudinal side walls is greater than the length of the end walls. The base 12 can be made of any type of material suitable for food packaging systems, such as oriented polystyrene (OPS), polypropylene filled with talc (TFPP), or polypropylene (PP). The bottom 20 of the base 12 has a central receptacle portion 28 and a peripheral portion 30 that is formed along the periphery of the bottom 20 to encircle the central receptacle portion 28. The peripheral portion 30 includes a slightly recessed channel 32. in relation to the central receptacle portion 28 when viewed from inside the chamber 18. In one embodiment, to assist in distributing the contents of the container 10 including the fluid by-product, in a more optimal or convenient manner along the bottom 20 of the container 10, the central receptacle portion 28 is bent upwards. The convex surface, as seen from inside the chamber 18 of the central receptacle portion 28, directs the fluid to flow away from the center and towards the side walls 22 and towards the end walls 24. Focusing now on Figures 4 and 5, the central receptacle portion 28 can have a variety of surfaces. Preferably, the central receptacle portion 28 includes two substantially parallel handle cavities 34 for receiving portions of the handle structure 14 when folded over the lid 16 to facilitate stacking of the containers. The handle structure 14 of the base 12 will be discussed later. When observed from inside the camera 18, the cavities 34 form convex ridges having inclined interior surfaces 36. In an alternative embodiment, the central receptacle portion 28 includes a plurality of shoulders 38. For example, as shown in Figure 5, five shoulders 38 are formed in the central receptacle portion 28, each of which has a concavo-convex cross section. A shoulder 38 is located between the cavities 34 and two are located on the outer side of each cavity 34. As shown in Figure 4, only one shoulder 38 is located on the outer side of each cavity 34. The cavities 34 and the shoulders 38 help to raise the food from the bottom 20 and increase the stiffness of the base 12 allowing less material to be used to form the base, than in another case. Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the central receptacle portion 28 includes a plurality of integrally molded, closely spaced cavities 40, which serve for the collection of condensed moisture and juices emanating from foods within the container 10. The cavities 40 can be of any shape, such as polyhedral, conical, cylindrical, parabolic, etc., but, in general, they are preferably almost hemispherical and have a size small enough to take advantage of the effects of surface tension to contain the fluid within the cavities 40. The diameter of the hemispherical cavities 40 is approximately in the range of 0.080 to 0.635 centimeters (1/32 to 1/4 of an inch). When the fluid by-product enters the cavities 40, the open surface of the fluid within the cavities 40 is under a state of surface tension, which creates a tendency for the portions of the surface to separate from each other, especially in the borders, due to the polarized dipoles of water molecules, which determine their adhesion forces and the surface tension of water. Since the diameter of each pit-shaped cavity 40 is small enough but not "too small to prevent fluid from entering the cavities 40, the surface of the fluid within the cavities 40 exhibits surface tension properties similar to those of an elastic film stretched on top of the fluid When the container 10 tilts posteriorly, which frequently occurs while the container 10 is being transported, all of the collected fluid, or a portion thereof, in the central receptacle portion 28 does not spill out of "the cavities 40. Even when the base 12 is reversed, the water does not leave the cavities 40 unless it is shaken rigorously or destroyed. When the fluid migrates through the central receptacle portion 28, the fluid naturally accumulates within the cavities 40. Since the cavities 40 are closely arranged, close to each other, they are substantially vertically with respect to the bottom 20 or the central receptacle portion 28, and any overflow from a cavity 40 is free to flow into the adjacent cavities 40. Therefore, the cavities 40 help prevent excess fat and moisture from contacting the food. The contact with the trapped fluid is also minimized since the food items are generally supported by the walls 42 of the cavities, in addition to the shoulders 38 and cavities 34, thereby preventing the bread or the like from adhering to the bottom over time. Trapping the condensate or other fluid in the cavities 40 not only prevents the hot food article from contacting and reabsorbs the fluid, but also advantageously maintains the food article in a hot state. The hot or condensed water that is trapped in the cavities 40 radiates its heat back into the chamber 18 for food storage and potentially aids in keeping the food item warm. SimilarlyWhen a container with a food product is removed from the freezer, any frozen fluid found in the cavities can potentially help keep the food item cold for a longer period of time. - Still referring to Figures 3 to 6, the four walls 22, 24 are integrally connected to the bottom 20 in the peripheral portion 30 and provide a curvilinear transition wall surface therebetween. The walls 22, 24 have an upper edge 44 and are interconnected at the corners 46. Each of the walls extending upwards and outwards 22, 24 has a step 48 that divides each wall into upper and lower portions 50, 52 wherein the upper portion 50 has a plurality of horizontal shoulders 54. The upper and lower wall portions 50, 52 are covered by a plurality of shoulders 56 that extend vertically from the bottom 20 of the container 10 to the upper edge 44 of the walls 22, 24. Each projection 56 includes a central vertical cavity 58 when viewed from outside the chamber 18. To assist channeling of the fluid condensate to the bottom 20, each shoulder 56 is preferably bent outwardly. The shoulders 56 bent towards the front extend away from the upper and lower portions 50, 52 of the walls 22, 24 and define intermittent grooves 60 in the upper edge 44 of the walls 22, 24. The number, size and shape of ridges 56 contained in each wall, may vary without departing from the spirit of the invention. As seen in the best way in the Figures 4 and 5, the edge 26 of the base 12 of the container 10 includes an inner rim 62, a flat, central, horizontal rim, 64, and a handle structure 14. The inner rim 62 projects laterally outward from the top edge 44 of the walls 22, 24 and includes a projection 66 and an elongate ledge 68. The projection 66 encompasses the walls 22, 24 and has an inner edge 70 defined by the upper edge 44 of the walls 22, 24. The width of the projection 66 varies along the walls 22, 24. For example, the width of the ledge 66 is greater between the shoulders 56 and at the corners 46 between the walls 22, 24. The elongated ledge 68 of the inner flange 62 is continuously located at along the edge 26 and encompasses the projection 66. The elongated ledge 68 is integrally formed with the edge, projects upwardly from the edge 26, has an inner 72 and outer edge 74, and a substantially square U-shaped cross section . At the corners 46, elongated shoulder 68 is curvilinear and of a generally constant width and height, and includes an indentation 75 for the finger, to provide access to the finger and to remove the lid 16 from the base 12. Throughout the walls 22, 24, elongate shoulder 68 is intermittently provided with ventilation slots 76, such that in each ventilation slot 76 the shoulder 68 is of less height. The ventilation slots 76 can be of any shape. Generally, the ventilation slots 76 are rectangular and are located on the elongated shoulder 68 between the shoulders 56 in the walls 22, 24 where the protrusion 66 of the inner flange 62 is wider. That arrangement helps to prevent fluid traveling along the shoulders 56 from flowing easily out of the chamber 18 through the ventilation slots 76. The projection 76 and the elongate shoulder 68 provide a resting ridge to maintain the lid 16 and the base 12 of the container 10 in a closed condition. The flat, central, horizontal flange 64 of the edge 26 is located continuously along the edge 26 and encompasses the inner flange 62. The width of the flat, central flange 64, is generally constant along the edge 26 but it can have any shape. The handle structure 14 preferably includes a pair of handle segments 78 rotatably hinged to the anchor flanges 80. Although a handle may be sufficient for a small container 10, a larger container 10 may include two or more handle segments 78 for stabilize the container 10 when transported. Also, the shape of the handle segments 78 may vary with the shape of the base 12. For a rectangular container 10 the handle segments 78 are, in general, substantially U-shaped. The handle segments 78 are arranged on sides opposites of base 12 in points, substantially, diametrically opposed. For example, a pair of handle segments 78 may be positioned diagonally with respect to the base 12. Each anchor flange 80 includes a reinforcing shoulder 82 that extends upwardly from an upper surface 84 of the edge 26 and parallel to the shoulders. side walls 22. Each reinforcement shoulder 82 further includes a pair of curved shoulder ends 83. The handle structure 14 is integrally made with the base 12 of the container 10 and is a lateral extension of the central planar shoulder 64. It can be incision 86 in the central planar rim 64 so that the segments 78 can be released from the base 12 of the container 10 but remain integrally connected to the anchor flange 80. A portion 88 of material in the central planar rim 64 is left without an incision, such that the anchor flange 80 can not be removed from the container 10. In one embodiment, the portion 88 of the central planar flange 64 is connected by a plurality of projections criss-crossings 87 as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The crossed shoulder 87 closest to each end 83 of the shoulder, is located at a certain distance removed from the end 83 of the shoulder to form a substantially U-shaped cavity 89. The incision 86 extends into the U-shaped cavity 89 to prevent the incision from propagating as a result of the concentrations of stresses associated with the repeated rotation of the handle segments 78. "Incision" means a partial depth cut in the material or, equally, a cut completely through the material. If the material is completely cut, then the handles 78 can flex freely. If the line 86 of the incision is not completely cut through the material of the container, a user can grab a handle segment 78 and break or cut the remaining material in order to release the handle. Also, the partial incision along a side length of the handles may form rupture interferences, such that some material of the container remains intact. Then, a user needs only to break the relatively small amount of the remaining material constituting the break interference, to release the handles 78. When the handle segments 78 are separated from the base 12, they are released to rotate around the flange. of anchor 80 in oscillation movements up and down. While they are in their normal free positions they are slightly above or approximately at the level of the edge 26 of the base 12, or hang slightly below at that site. Each substantially U-shaped handle 78 includes a pair of hinged portions 90, a manually graspable central portion 92, and preferably a fixing structure 94. Each hinged portion 90 of handle 78 is integrally interconnected with central portion 92 that can be grasped, in a corner flange 96. To increase the rigidity of the handle, a small corner shoulder 98 is provided in the corner flange 96. The hinged portions 90 of each handle are substantially parallel and adjacent to the walls laterals 22 when formed and placed on opposite sides of the base 12 substantially at diametrically opposite points. The length and design of the articulated portion may vary with the size of the container 10. For example, a container 10 with a base length of approximately 20.32 centimeters (8.0 inches), measured between the end walls 24, has an articulated portion 90. about 3.3 centimeters (1.3 inches) long; while a container with a base length of approximately 30.48 centimeters (12.0 inches), measured between the end walls 24, has an articulated portion 90 of approximately 9.14 centimeters (3.6 inches) in length. Although each articulated portion 90 is identical and equal numbers are used to designate like parts, it should be understood that the configuration of each articulated portion 90 may vary. Each articulated portion 90 includes an upper surface 100, a lower surface 102, a first end 104, a second end 106, at least one upstanding shoulder segment 108, at least one shoulder segment extending downwardly 110. , and at least one integral hinge 112. Generally, the integral hinges 112 are formed by molding portions of material with a thickness that allows bending of those portions of material easily and without breaking. Preferably, when formed, the upwardly extending shoulder segments 108 are located proximate the first end 104 and the downwardly extending shoulder segments 110 are located proximate the second end 106 of the articulated portion 90. Consecutive segments of projection that extend upwards 108 are interconnected in integral hinges 112 formed by integrally molded grooves 114 in upper surface 100, and consecutive downwardly extending shoulder segments 110 are interconnected in integral hinges 112 formed by molded grooves. integrally 114 on the lower surface 102 of the articulated portion 90. Also, a slot 114 is located at the junction of the first end 104 of the hinge portion and of the anchor flange 80. The slots 114 and the integral hinges 112 can be any type but preferably have a V shape. A bisagr Transition a 116 is located between consecutive shoulder segments extending up and down 108, 110. Each hinge 112 forms defined bend points, for the hinged portion 90 of the handle structure 14 such that when the handle segments 78 are turned upwards, as shown in Figure 2, the articulated portion 90 helps distribute the stress and obtain the proper balance of the container 10. In addition to the integral hinges 112, the number, size, and length of the shoulder segments 108, 110 helps define the articulation of the articulated portion 90. With particular reference to Figures 3 and 4, in one embodiment for a container approximately 20.32 centimeters (8.0 inches) in length, there are two shoulders that they extend upwardly 108 close to the first end 104 and two projections extending downwardly 110 close to the second end 106. The most advantageous segment of the shoulder The first end portion 104 has a length of approximately 0.95 centimeters (3/8 inch) and is longer than other shoulder segments 108, 110 in the articulated portion 90. The other segment of shoulder that extends upward, has a length of approximately 0.64 centimeters (1/4 inch) and, in one embodiment, is slightly shallower than the innermost shoulder segment. The two downwardly extending shoulder segments 110 are also approximately 0.64 centimeters (1/4 inch) in length. The number, shape, size, and orientation of the shoulder segments can vary without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Generally, the larger the container 10 the greater number of shoulder segments are included through the articulated portion 90. With particular reference now to Figures 5 and 6, in an alternative embodiment for a 30.48 centimeter (12.0 inch) container having an articulated portion length of approximately 9.22 centimeters (3.63 inches), there are six upwardly extending shoulder segments 108 and two downwardly extending shoulder segments 110 placed in a manner similar to that described above for a container 10 of approximately 20.32 centimeters (8.0 inches) in length. The shoulder segment closest to the first end 104 has a length of approximately 1.27 centimeters [inch] and is longer and deeper than the other shoulders 108, 110 in the articulated portion 90. The five upwardly extending shoulder segments, other than the innermost shoulder segment, are approximately 0.56 centimeters (7/32 of an inch) in length and are slightly shallower than the lower segment. more internal highlight. The two downwardly extending shoulder segments 110 have a length of about 0.95 centimeters (3/8 inch) and about the same depth as the five upwardly extending shoulder segments 108. In general, in one embodiment, the articulated portion 90 includes at least one inner shoulder segment located at a site proximate the first end 104, at least one outer shoulder segment is located near the second end, and at least one middle shoulder segment is located therebetween. The inner shoulder segments are, in general, deeper than the less deep middle and outer shoulder segments. Also, the inner shoulder segment is longer than the outer shoulder segment which is longer than the middle shoulder segment. As with the smaller container, the number, shape, size and orientation of the shoulder segments may vary without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The unique combination of the integral hinges 112, number, size, orientation and length of the shoulder segments 108, 110 helps to properly balance the container 10 when lifted by the handle segments 78. The resultant increased flexibility of the portions articulated 90 helps maintain the level of container when transported and, therefore, prevents spills. In addition, the articulated handle structure 14 allows easy articulation, up or down, of the handle segments 78. The graspable central portions 92 are substantially parallel to and end adjacent to the end walls 24 they form. Each central portion that can be grasped 92 is preferably provided with an elongated molding 118 integrally formed, having a concave-convex cross-section. This cross section increases the rigidity of the handles and also provides a more substantial feel when gripping. When the handle segments 78 are in an upturned position, the graspable central portions 92 are positioned side by side to form a double handle and the moldings 118 are joined together to form a substantially gripping portion 92. cylindrical that has the appearance and feel of a unitary handle. The moldings 118 may together form a graspable portion 92 having any shape, including rectangular and ergonomic. The fixing structure 94 allows the handle segments turned upwards 78 to be engaged with each other. The preferred fixation structure 94 is shown in U.S. Patent 5,046,659 issued to Warburton on September 10, 1991 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The fixing structure 94 includes a pair of substantially rectangular male bosses 120 extending from one of the handle segments 78 and a pair of hanging, substantially rectangular female cavities 122 formed in the other handle segment 78 positioned and sized to receive the cooperating male lugs 120. Opposite ends 124 of each male lug have an outwardly extending projection structure 126 with sides 128 of male lug 120 that are substantially straight. Each female cavity 122 includes opposite ends 130 having an inwardly extending projection structure 132 adapted to match the outwardly extending projection structure 126 of the male boss 120. The sides 134 of the female cavity 122 are substantially straight. . When the male shoulder 120 is pressed towards the female cavity 122, the ends of the male boss 120 and the female cavity 122 will flex relative to each other, such that the boss structure 126 on the male boss 120 will press fit into its position below the boss structure 132 in the female cavity 122 and secured therewith for engaging the handle segments 78 with each other. A variety of other fixing structures of various shapes are equally possible, such as any interference fit coupling having, for example, a round shape or any polygonal shape. The shoulders 120 and the cavities 122 of the fastening structure 94 may be located anywhere on the handle segments 78 such as on each of the corner flanges 96, but are preferably provided along the central portion 92. on opposite sides of the molding 118 between the molding 118 and the corner flange 96. Alternatively, a female cavity 122 and a male shoulder 120 may be located on one of the handle segments 78 with a co-operating male shoulder 120 and an engaging female cavity 122 located at opposite sites on the other handle segment 78. Any combination, number , or arrangement of the male projections 120 and female cavities 122 are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Referring now to Figures 7 through 9, the lid 16 of the container 10 has an upper part 136, two side walls 138, two end walls 140, and an edge 142. The side walls 138 and the end walls 140 are they extend around the periphery of the upper part 136 defining a shape corresponding to the base 12. The cover 16 has a generally rectangular shape wherein the length of the opposite, longitudinal side walls 138 is greater than the length of the end walls opposite 140. The lid 16 of the container is preferably made of any clear, mouldable plastic material, such as oriented polystyrene (OPS), polypropylene filled with talc (TFPP) or polypropylene (PP), or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and can be provided with an anti-fog surfactant. The upper part 136 of the lid 16 has a raised peripheral portion 144 that encompasses a recessed central portion 146 having an outwardly curved dome 148. As seen from inside the chamber 18, the concavity of the dome 148 allows any condensed moisture on the dome 148 travel towards the walls 138, 140 instead of falling directly on the food product. The walls 138, 140 are integrally connected to the upper part 136 at an upper edge 150 and provide a smooth curvilinear transition between the raised peripheral portion 144 and the walls 138, 140. The walls 138, 140 are interconnected at the corners 152. Each one of the downwardly sloping and downwardly sloping walls 138, 140 has a step 154 that divides each wall into upper portions 156 and lower 158 where the lower portion 158 has a plurality of horizontal shoulders 160. The upper wall portions and lower 156, 158 are covered by a plurality of shoulders 162 extending vertically from the edge 142 towards the upper edge 150 at the top 136 of the walls 138, 140. In general, each shoulder 160 includes a central vertical cavity 164. when viewed from outside of chamber 18 and is bent outward to assist in channeling the fluid condensate to the bottom 20 of the container 10. The outwardly curved shoulders 162 project away from the upper and lower portions 156, 158 of the walls 138, 140. The number, size and shape of the shoulders 162 contained in each wall 138, 140 may vary. without departing from the spirit of invention. To provide ventilation between the chamber 18 for food storage and the exterior of the container 10, the upper wall portion 156 includes a plurality of elongated fluted holes 166. The holes 166 are generally located between the shoulders 162 and have an arched upper end 168 on the upper edge 150 of the walls 138, 140 and a lower end 170 at the step 154. The size and number of holes 166 provided in the lid 16 may vary with the size of the container 10 or with the optimum ventilation requirements of the anticipated food product transported within the container. For example, each orifice 166 is approximately 0.25 square inches. In general, each side wall 138 of the 20.32 centimeter (8 inch) container 10 includes three holes 166 and each end wall includes two holes 166. In general, for the 30.48 centimeter (12 inch) container 10, each side wall 138 includes five openings 166 and each end wall includes two openings 166. As best seen in Figures 7 to 9, the four cover walls 138, 140 are interconnected with the peripheral edge 142 on a lower edge 172. The edge 142 includes a flange. substantially horizontal exterior 174 and a scalloped hanging shoulder 176. Although it is shown that the outer flange 174 has a substantially straight outer edge 178 on the walls 138, 140 and a smooth curvilinear transition at the corners 152, the outer flange 174 may have any shape . The outer flange 174 encompasses the scalloped hanging shoulder 176 and is interconnected thereto on an inner edge 182 of the outer flange 174. The pendant scalloped shoulder 176 encompasses all four walls 138, 140 and is located between the inner edge 182 of the outer flange. 174 and the bottom edge 172 of the walls 138, 140. The cross section of the scalloped shoulder 176 has a substantially U-shape with a plurality of elongated chamfered ventilation holes, 184, intermittently provided on the shoulder 176 along the length of the side walls 138 and end walls 140 positioned to align with the ventilation slots 76 of the edge 26 of the base. The chamfered ventilation openings 184 can be of any shape and size to serve different purposes of ventilation or fixation. As a result of the chamfered ventilation holes 184, the depth of the shoulder 176 varies. The scalloped shoulder 176 is deeper at the sites adjacent the shoulders 162 than at the areas between the shoulders where the chamfered air holes 184. are provided. Also, the width of the scalloped shoulder 176 varies. The scalloped shoulder 176 is wider between the shoulders 162 than in the areas adjacent the outwardly extending shoulders 162. The scalloped shoulder 176 not only serves for important ventilation functions but also, together with the outer rim 174 of the rim. 142 of the lid, provides features for securing the lid 16 to the base 12 of the container 10. The lid 16 is adapted for placement on the base 12 in order to define the chamber 18 for storing food, wherein the product food is stored during storage and transport.

The peripheral configuration of the lid 16 is adapted for the snap-fit coupling, complementary to the edge 26 of the base 12, such that the scalloped shoulder 176 of the lid 16 is placed slightly inside the elongate shoulder 68 of the base 12. When the lid 16 is pressed on the base 12, the lid 16 and the base 12 will flex slightly and the scalloped backing 176 of the lid 16 will snap into position, inside the elongated ledge 68 of the base 12 for engaging the lid 16 to the base 12. The lid 16 is held in position against the elongate shoulder 68 in a friction or interference fit coupling. When the lid 16 is placed on the base'12 and the container 10 is in a closed position, the outer rim 174 of the lid 16 rests on portions of the elongated ledge 68 of the base 12 and the scalloped lug 176 of the lid 16 rests over the projection 66 of the base 12. The projection 66 of the base 12 can be further provided with at least one protrusion 180 against deflection of the cover, in order to help secure the cover and prevent warping. The lid 16 can be, preferably, completely disengaged from the base 12 or, alternatively, it can be hingedly coupled thereto to close or open the chamber 18 for the storage of food, as access to it is needed. .

In another embodiment, as shown in Figure 9, to secure the lid 16 to the base 12, the container 10 is provided with a latching structure 190. The preferred latching structure 190 is shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,046,659 issued to Warburton on September 10, 1991 and in U.S. Patent Application No. 09 / 113,645 filed July 10, 1998, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The latch structure 190 is similar to the fastening structure 94 described above to secure the handle segments 78 to each other. The latch structure 190 includes four substantially rectangular male bosses 192 formed in the scalloped shoulder 176 and in the corners 152 of the lid 16 as shown in Figure 9. Substantially rectangular female cavities (not shown) are formed in the base 12 and are positioned and sized to receive the male lugs 192. Each male lug 192 includes a protrusion structure 194 that is immobilized with the female cavity to engage the lid 16 and the base 12 with each other. A variety of other latching or positioning structures of various shapes are equally possible, such as any interference fit coupling, having, for example, a round or polygonal shape. For example, in one embodiment, conical protrusions, female and male, complementary (not shown) are formed in the scalloped shoulder 176 and base 12 to place the cap 16 on top of the base 12. The shoulders 192 and cavities of the latching structure 190 may be located anywhere on the base 12 and lid 16. Alternatively, the female cavities may be formed on the lid 16 and the engaging male bosses may be located at opposite positions on the base 12. Any combination, The number or arrangement of the male bosses 192 in female cavities, as well as fixing characteristics, are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. With the lid 16 and base 12 engaged, the shoulders 56 on the lid 16 are substantially vertically aligned with the shoulders 162 on the base 12. The shoulders 56, 162 can also provide locking bed surfaces for stacking multiple containers. , as shown, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 08 / 37,353 filed March 26, 1993 by Jay M. Wiley, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. As shown in Figure 10, a series of capped containers can be stacked vertically, one on top of the other, in a secure arrangement, by inserting the hanging channel 32 of the base 12 into the complementary recessed central portion 146 of the upper part 136. the "peripheral" portion The upper part 144 of the upper part 136 provides bed surfaces for the channel 32 of the bottom 20 and vice versa A container 10 is easily stacked on top of another, even with the handle segments secured resting on the top part of the lid 16 since the portions of the handle structure 14 of a lower container 10 are received within the cavity 34 of an upper container 10. As best seen in Figure 11, when the lid 16 is in position above the base 12 of the container 10 a plurality of ventilation openings 186 is formed along the interface of the base 12 with the cover 16 where the cover 16 is separated from the base 12 of the container 10 for forming vent openings 186 that allow venting of vapor that may emanate from hot foods within the container 10. Ventilation openings 186 are, in general, located between the shoulders 56, 162 of the lid 16 and the base 12 and are defined by the union of the chamfered ventilation holes 184 of the cover 16 with the ventilation slots 76 in the base 12. Hence, the multiplicity of elongated, intermittent ventilation openings 186, extends as far as possible. along the interface of the lid 16 and the base 12.

During normal operation, the presence of hot food product 188 in chamber 18 and possible heating thereof by heating lamp, raise the temperature of air within chamber 18 and create air currents by natural convection in the chamber. same, indicated by the arrows shown in Figure 11. The hot air that is inside the chamber 18 flows up and out through the fluted openings 166. This air flowing through the chamber 18 and outwardly of the fluted apertures 166 draws cold air into the chamber 18 from the outside of the container 10 through the ventilation openings 186, whereby moisture is removed and the air temperature is maintained within the chamber 18 below the maximum humidity and temperature critical of the food product. - The design and number of ventilation openings 166, 186 can be altered depending on the desired consistency of the food product placed inside the chamber 18. If the ventilation openings 166, 186 are larger or more numerous, then more moisture will easily escape from chamber 18. The result of having an ideal number of holes is that of a food product that is hot enough to be eaten without having a compromised texture. Greater ventilation will allow the food product, such as fried chicken, to stay crispier. Less ventilation, as a result of closed ventilation holes or fewer, reduces the possibility of escape of vapors, creating a condition of maximum heat retention. As a result, moisture emanating from the food product in the form of vapor, surrounds the food product and can render the food product too watery. The number of fluted openings 166 can be adapted to the need according to the food that is transported by the container 10. Adequate ventilation is provided when the containers 10 are stacked one on top of the other, without the upper container blocking the ventilation holes of the one below. Each one of these modalities and obvious variations thereof, is contemplated within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, which are presented in the following claims.

Claims (76)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the above invention, it is considered as a novelty, and therefore, the content of the following is claimed as property: CLAIMS

1. A base for a thermoplastic container, characterized in that it comprises: a bottom; a pair of opposite side walls and a pair of opposite end walls, the side walls and the end walls extend upward from the bottom, the end walls extend between the side walls; and, an edge comprising an upper edge of the side walls Les and of the end walls and extending laterally outwards therefrom, the bottom has a plurality of hanging cavities small enough to retain a volume of the liquid in each of the cavities, through capillary action or surface tension forces, so that the volume of liquid in them does not flow outward when the base is tilted or turned down, each of the cavities has an interior surface area, the container has a ratio of the capacity for that volume of liquid, with respect to the interior surface area, which is in the range of approximately 0.071 centimeters (2.8xl0 ~ 2 inches) to 0.010 centimeters (3.8 xlO "3 inches) 2.

The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the cavities for retaining the liquid retain a volume of liquid that is less than a ca total volumetric capacity of each cavity, when the base is tilted or turned down.

The container according to claim 1, characterized in that all the cavities are of a uniform shape and size.

4. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the cavities have a substantially hemispherical shape.

The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the cavities for retaining liquid retain a volume that is approximately 0.003 cubic centimeters (1. lxl0 ~ cubic inches) to 0.060 cubic centimeters (3.6x10 ~ 3 cubic inches).

The container according to claim 5, characterized in that the cavities have a diameter of about 0.238 centimeters to 0.953 centimeters (3/32 to 3/8 of an inch).

7. A thermoplastic container, characterized in that it comprises: a bottom; a pair of opposite side walls and a pair of opposite end walls, the side walls and the end walls extend upward from the bottom, the end walls extend between the side walls; and, an edge of the base covering an upper edge of the side walls and end walls and extending laterally outward therefrom, the edge has an integrally formed outer rim, with a pair of anchoring portions. opposite, the outer rim forms at least one handle segment, each of the handle segments having a pair of articulated, generally parallel portions, and a graspable portion, extending between the articulated portions, the articulated portions they are rotatably connected with the respective anchoring portions, for the up and down oscillating movements, the handle segments have means for the releasable engagement of the handle segments with each other, each of the articulated portions has at least an upwardly extending shoulder segment, extending upwardly from an upper surface of the associated hinged portion, at least a shoulder segment extending downward, extends downwardly from a lower surface of the associated hinged portion, and at least one integral hinge that forms a defined bend point.

The container according to claim 7, characterized in that each of the articulated portions has a plurality of upwardly extending shoulder segments, extending upwardly from the upper surface of the associated hinged portion, and a plurality thereof. of shoulder segments extending downward, extending downwardly from the lower surface of the associated hinged portion; wherein the consecutive upwardly extending shoulder segments are interconnected at the integral hinges, the consecutive downward shoulder segments are interconnected at the integral hinges, and the consecutive segments of the shoulder segments are they extend up and down, they are interconnected by integral hinges.

The container according to claim 7, characterized in that the integral hinges between the consecutive upwardly extending shoulder segments are formed by integrally molded substantially V shaped grooves and the integral hinges between the shoulders. consecutive, downwardly extending shoulder segments are formed by integrally molded substantially V-shaped grooves.

The container according to claim 7, characterized in that each of the articulated portions has a plurality of upwardly extending shoulder segments, extending upwardly from the upper surface of the associated hinged portion, and a plurality thereof. of segments of downwardly extending shoulders extending downwardly from the lower surface of the associated hinged portion, the upwardly extending shoulder segments are located close to the respective anchoring portion relative to the segments of projection that extend downward, when formed, the downwardly extending shoulder segments are located distally from the respective anchoring portion, relative to the upwardly extending shoulder segments, when formed.

The container according to claim 10, characterized in that one of the upwardly extending shoulder segments is rotatably joined and articulated to the anchoring portion, the attached shoulder segment being longer than the other segments of the segments. of extension that extend up and down, in the articulated portion.

The container according to claim 11, characterized in that the upwardly extending shoulder segments, located between the joint shoulder segment and the downwardly extending shoulder segments, have approximately the same depth, and are shorter in length than the projecting segments that extend downwards.

The container according to claim 11, characterized in that the distance between the opposite end walls is approximately 20.32 centimeters (8 inches), the joint shoulder has a length of approximately 0.95 centimeters (3/8 inch), the upwardly extending shoulder segment, located between the joint shoulder segment and the downwardly extending shoulder segment, has a length of approximately 0.635 centimeters (1/4 inch), and the shoulder segment that is extends downward and has a length of approximately 0.635 centimeters (1/4 inch).

The container according to claim 11, characterized in that the distance between the opposite end walls is approximately 30.48 centimeters (12 inches), the joint shoulder has a length of approximately 1.27 centimeters (^ inches), the shoulder segment which extends upwards, located between the junction segment and the segment of the junction. which extends downwards, has a length of approximately 0.29 centimeters (7/32 of an inch), and the segment of shoulder that extends downwards has a length of approximately 0.95 centimeters (3/8 of an inch).

The container according to claim 7, characterized in that the articulated portions of each of the handle segments are integrally interconnected with the respective graspable portion, in corner flanges., the corner flanges have a reinforcement molding.

The container according to claim 7, characterized in that each of the anchoring portions includes a reinforcing shoulder that extends "upwardly, substantially parallel to the side walls of the base 17.

The container in accordance with the claim 16, characterized in that the shoulder of the base also includes an elongated shoulder projecting upwards, the container further includes at least one crossed shoulder placed between the elongated shoulder and the reinforcing shoulder 18.

The container in accordance with the claim 17, characterized in that the crossed shoulder is substantially parallel to the end walls of the base 19.

The container according to claim 7, characterized in that the means for the releasable coupling of the handle segments includes at least one male shoulder that extends from one of the handle segments, and at least one hanging female cavity, formed in the other segments handle.

The container according to claim 19, characterized in that the male shoulder is substantially rectangular and includes a protrusion structure extending outward from opposite ends of the male shoulder, the female cavity is positioned and sized to receive the male shoulder cooperating, the female cavity has opposite ends, the opposite ends of the female cavity have a protruding structure extending inward, adapted to coincide with the outwardly extending protrusion structure, of the male shoulder, the ends of the male shoulder and the ends of the female cavity are constructed and arranged to flex with respect to each other, such that when the male shoulder is pressed into the female cavity, the protrusion structure on the male shoulder will snap into position by under the protruding structure in the female cavity and it will be immobilized with the same for enganc make the handle segments with each other.

The container according to claim 7, characterized in that the bottom includes at least one elongated cavity for substantially receiving a portion of the handle segments to facilitate stacking of the containers, the portion including the portion that can be gripped.

22. The container according to claim 7, characterized in that it further includes a lid having an upper part, a pair of opposite side cover walls, a pair of opposed end cap walls, and a lid edge, the side walls. of cover and the end cap walls extend down from the top, the end walls of the cap extend between the cap side walls, the edge of the cap encompasses a lower edge of the cap side walls, and extends laterally outward from them.

The container according to claim 22, characterized in that the edge of the lid further includes a shoulder projecting downwardly, the edge of the base further includes an elongated shoulder projecting upwardly.

24. The container according to claim 23, characterized in that it also includes means for securing the cover to the base.

25. The container according to claim 24, characterized in that the means for securing the cover to the base includes the projection protruding downwards from the edge of the cover, and the elongated projection protruding upwards from the edge of the base. , the projection protruding downwards from the edge of the lid is adapted for the complementary snap-fit coupling with the elongated projection protruding upwards from the edge of the base.

26. The container according to claim 24, characterized in that the means for securing the cover to the base includes at least one male shoulder and at least one corresponding female cavity.

27. The container according to claim 26, characterized in that the male shoulder and the female cavity have a substantially conical shape.

28. The container according to claim 26, characterized in that the male shoulder is substantially rectangular and includes a protruding structure extending outwardly from the opposite ends of the male shoulder, the female cavity is positioned and sized to receive the shoulder. cooperating male, the female cavity has opposite ends, the opposite ends of the female cavity have a protruding structure extending inward, adapted to coincide with the outwardly extending protrusion structure of the male shoulder, the ends of the shoulder The male and the ends of the female cavity are constructed and arranged to flex relative to each other, such that when the male shoulder is pressed into the female cavity the protrusion structure on the male shoulder will snap into position by under the protruding structure in the female cavity and immobilized with the same for hook the lid and the base to each other.

29. The container according to claim 23, characterized in that the elongated projection protruding upwards from the edge of the base includes a plurality of ventilation slots of the base, intermittently interrupting the elongated projection projecting upwards from the base. edge of the base.

The container according to claim 23, characterized in that the projection protruding downwards from the edge of the lid includes a plurality of ventilation slots of the lid, which intermittently interrupts the projection protruding downwards from the edge of the lid. the lid.

The container according to claim 23, characterized in that the elongated projection protruding upwards from the edge of the base includes a plurality of base ventilation slots intermittently interrupting the elongated projection projecting upwards from the edge. of the base, the projection protruding downwards from the edge of the lid, includes a plurality of ventilation slots of the lid intermittently interrupting the projection protruding downwards from the edge of the lid.

32. The container according to claim 31, characterized in that the ventilation slots are aligned with the respective ventilation slots of the cover, and form respective ventilation holes when the cover is secured on top of the base.

33. The container according to claim 22, characterized in that the lid includes a plurality of openings formed substantially in the side walls of the lid and in the end walls of the lid.

34. The container according to claim 33, characterized in that each of the openings has an area of approximately 1.61 square centimeters (0.25 square inches).

35. The container according to claim 34, characterized in that the distance between the opposite end walls of the lid is approximately 20.32 centimeters (8 inches), each of the end walls of the lid has two of the openings , each of the side walls of the lid has three of the openings.

36. The container according to claim 34, characterized in that the distance between the opposite end walls of the lid is approximately 30.48 centimeters (12 inches), each of the end walls of the lid has two such openings, each of the side walls of the lid has five of those openings.

37. The container according to claim 33, characterized in that the openings are aligned with the ventilation holes.

38. The container according to claim 22, characterized in that it also includes means for stacking the containers.

39. The container according to claim 38, characterized in that the stacking means includes a recessed bottom portion hanging from the bottom., and a recessed upper portion hanging from the upper part, whereby a plurality of those containers, when stacked on top of each other, provide an immobilization of the stack produced by the upper portion sized and positioned to receive the hanging bottom portion, cooperating, for the adjacent container in the stack.

40. The container according to claim 39, characterized in that the recessed bottom portion and the recessed upper portion are bent.

41. A thermoplastic container characterized in that it comprises: a base including a bottom, a pair of side walls of the base, opposite, a pair of end walls of the base, opposite, and an edge of the base, the side walls of the base and the end walls of the base extend upwards from the bottom, the end walls of the base extend between the side walls of the base, the edge of the base encompasses an upper edge of the side walls of the base and of the end walls of the base, and extends laterally outwardly therefrom, the edge of the base has an elongated shoulder projecting upward, with base ventilation slots intermittently interrupting the shoulder projecting upwards; and, a cover including an upper part, a pair of opposed side cover walls, a pair of opposite end cap walls, and a cover edge, the side walls of the cover and the end walls of the cover extend towards down from the top, the end walls of the lid extend between the side walls of the lid, the edge of the lid comprises a lower edge of the side walls of the lid and the end walls of the lid and extends laterally outward from them, the edge of the lid has a protrusion that protrudes downwards.

42. The container according to claim 41, characterized in that the edge projecting downwards from the edge of the lid includes ventilation slots of the lid that intermittently interrupt the projection protruding downwards.

43. The container according to claim 42, characterized in that the ventilation slots of the lid are aligned with the respective ventilation slots of the base, and form respective ventilation holes when the lid is secured on top of the base.

44. The container according to claim 41, characterized in that it also includes means for securing the cover to the base.

45. The container according to claim 44, characterized in that the means for securing the cover to the base includes the projection protruding downwards from the edge of the cover, and the elongated projection protruding upwards from the edge of the base. , the projection protruding downwards from the edge of the cover are adapted for the complementary snap-fit coupling with the elongated projection protruding upwards from the edge of the base.

46. The container according to claim 44, characterized in that the means for securing the cover to the base includes at least one male shoulder and at least one corresponding female cavity.

47. The container according to claim 46, characterized in that the male shoulder and the female cavity have a substantially conical shape.

48. The container according to claim 46, characterized in that the male shoulder is substantially rectangular and includes a protrusion structure extending outwardly from the opposite ends of the male shoulder, the female cavity is positioned and sized to receive the male shoulder. cooperating, the female cavity has opposite ends, the opposite ends of the female cavity have a protruding structure extending inward, adapted to coincide with the outwardly extending protrusion structure of the male shoulder, the ends of the male shoulder and the ends of the female cavity are constructed and arranged to flex with respect to each other, such that when the male shoulder is pressed into the female cavity the protrusion structure on the male shoulder will snap into position by under the protruding structure in the female cavity and immobilized with the same for attach the lid and the base to each other.

49. The container according to claim 41, characterized in that the lid includes a plurality of openings.

50. The container according to claim 49, characterized in that the openings are substantially formed in the side walls and in the end walls of the lid.

51. The container according to claim 50, characterized in that the openings are aligned with the ventilation holes.

52. The container according to claim 41, characterized in that the container includes means for stacking the containers.

53. The container according to claim 52, characterized in that the means for stacking includes a recessed bottom portion hanging from the bottom, and a recessed upper portion hanging from the top, whereby, a plurality of the containers , when stacked one on top of the other, provides a stacking immobilization produced by the upper portion, sized and positioned to receive a cooperating, hanging bottom portion of the adjacent container in the stack.

54. The container according to claim 53, characterized in that the recessed bottom portion and the recessed upper portion are bent.

55. The container according to claim 41, characterized in that the bottom includes at least one reinforcing shoulder.

56. A thermoplastic container characterized in that it comprises: a base including a bottom, a pair of side walls of the base, opposite, a pair of end walls of the base, opposite, and one edge of the base, the side walls of the base and the end walls of the base extend upwards from the bottom, the end walls of the base extend between the side walls of the base, the edge of the base encompasses an upper edge of the side walls of the base and the walls end portions of the base and extends laterally outwardly therefrom, the edge of the base has an elongated shoulder projecting upwards; and, a lid including an upper part, a pair of opposite side cover walls, a pair of opposite end cap walls, and a lid edge, the side walls of the lid and the end walls of the lid extending downwards from the top, the end walls of the lid extend between the side walls of the lid, the edge of the lid comprises a lower edge of the side walls of the lid and the end walls of the lid and laterally outwardly extending therefrom, the edge of the lid has a projection protruding downwards with ventilation slots of the lid intermittently interrupting the protrusion projecting downwards.

57. The container according to claim 56, characterized in that the elongated projection protruding upwards from the edge of the base includes ventilation slots of the base which interrupt intermittently the protrusion projecting upwards.

58. The container according to claim 56, characterized in that the ventilation slots of the cover are aligned with the respective ventilation slots of the base, and form respective ventilation holes when the cover is secured on top of the base.

59. The container according to claim 56, characterized in that it also includes means for securing the cover to the base.

60. The container according to claim 59, characterized in that the means for securing the cover to the base includes the projection protruding downwards from the edge of the cover, and the elongated projection protruding upwards from the edge of the base. , the projection protruding downwards from the edge of the lid is adapted for the complementary snap-fit coupling with the elongated projection protruding upwards from the edge of the base.

61. The container according to claim 59, characterized in that the means for securing the cover to the base includes at least one male shoulder and at least one corresponding female cavity.

62. The container according to claim 61, characterized in that the male shoulder is substantially rectangular and includes a protrusion structure extending outward from opposite ends of the male shoulder, the female cavity is positioned and sized to receive the male shoulder. cooperating, the female cavity has opposite ends, the opposite ends of the female cavity have a protruding structure extending inward, adapted to coincide with the outwardly extending protrusion structure, of the male shoulder, the ends of the male shoulder and the ends of the female cavity are constructed and arranged to flex relative to each other, such that when the male shoulder is pressed into the female cavity, the protruding structure that is on the male shoulder will enter under pressure in its position below the protruding structure in the female cavity and will be immobilized with the to hook the lid and the base together.

63. The container according to claim 56, characterized in that the lid includes a plurality of openings. •

64. The container according to claim 63, characterized in that the openings are formed substantially in the side walls and in the end walls of the lid.

65. The container according to claim 64, characterized in that the openings are aligned with the ventilation holes.

66. The container according to claim 56, characterized in that the container includes means for stacking the containers.

67. The container according to claim 66, characterized in that the means for the api1amiento include a recessed bottom portion hanging from the bottom, and a recessed upper portion hanging from the top, whereby a plurality of those containers, when stacked on the others, it provides a stacking immobilization produced by the upper portion dimensioned and positioned to receive the cooperating, hanging bottom portion of the adjacent container in the stack.

68. The container according to claim 67, characterized in that the recessed bottom portion and the recessed upper portion are bent.

69. The container according to claim 56, characterized in that the bottom includes at least one reinforcing shoulder.

70. A thermoplastic container characterized in that it comprises: a base including a bottom as a pair of opposite side walls of the base, a pair of end walls of the base, opposite, and an edge of the base, the walls, sides of the base and the extreme walls of the base extend upwards from the bottom, the end walls of the base extend between the side walls of the base, the edge of the base encompasses an upper edge of the side walls of the base and the end walls of the base and extends laterally outwards from the same, the edge of the base has an elongated shoulder projecting upwards, the edge has an outer rim formed integrally with a pair of opposite anchoring portions, each anchor portion has a pair of ends, the outer rim defines an incision forming at least one handle segment which is rotatably connected to the respective ends of the anchoring portions in integral joints, the elongate shoulder and the anchoring portion define an intermediate shoulder portion therebetween, the incision extends in the portion of medium flange.

71. The container according to claim 70, characterized in that the anchoring portion includes a reinforcing shoulder that extends upwards.

72. The container according to claim 70, characterized in that the middle flange portion includes at least one crossed shoulder placed between the elongated shoulder and the anchoring portion.

73. The container according to claim 72, characterized in that the cross-shoulder closest to the end of the anchoring portion is placed some distance removed from the end, to form a cavity.

74. The container according to claim 73, characterized in that the cavity has a substantially U. shape

75. The container according to claim 73, characterized in that the incision extends into the cavity.

76. The container according to claim 72, characterized in that the anchoring portion is substantially parallel to the side walls and the crossed shoulder is substantially parallel to the end walls. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A thermoplastic container for food or other items is presented. The container includes a base having a bottom, a pair of opposite side walls and a pair of opposite end walls extending upwardly from the bottom. A pair of integral handle segments are formed with the outer edge of the base and rotatably attached to the anchoring portions in the integral joints. The handle segments can be releasably coupled together and include a pair of articulated portions. Each articulated portion has at least one upwardly extending shoulder segment and at least one downwardly extending shoulder segment, interconnected by integral hinges forming defined bend points, for the articulated portions of the handle segments, Such that when the handle segments are turned upward, the articulated portion helps distribute the stress and obtain an appropriate balance of the container. A plurality of cavities designed to retain fluid therein, through capillary action or surface tension forces, are formed at the bottom, such that the fluid does not flow out of the cavities when the base is tilted. or it is turned down. A lid can be attached, so that it can be removed, to the base, to define a chamber for storing food. A downwardly extending shoulder, formed on the edge of the lid, is intermittently provided with a plurality of vent slots of the lid, which are aligned with respective base ventilation slots, formed in an elongated shoulder, which it extends upwards, from the base. With the cover on top of the base, the union of the ventilation slots of the base and the ventilation slots of the cover, define ventilation holes. Another set of openings for additional ventilation are provided in the side walls of the lid. Also, multiple containers can be stacked on top of each other and the bottom includes at least one elongated cavity to substantially receive a portion of the handle segments, in order to facilitate stacking. The most representative figure of the invention is number 1.