NZ530970A - Container - Google Patents

Abstract

A food container including a lid portion and a base portion. The lid portion is pivotally connected to the base portion , enabling the lid portion to be pivoted relative to the base portion from a closed position to an open position, allowing access to the inside of the container. The base portion includes a sidewall connected to and upstanding from the edge region of a container base. The sidewall includes an access region to facilitate insertion of a utensil or implement between the base and the container contents thereon for removal of the contents from the container.

Description

530 9 7 0 Patent Form No. 5 NEW ZEALAND Patents Act 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION TITLE: CONTAINER intellectual property office of n.z - 4 FEB 2004 RECEIVED We Signum Specialities Pty. Ltd., an Australian company of 47 Dallas Drive, Broadmeadows, Victoria, 3047, Australia, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 4003q 2 Container The present invention relates generally to an improved container. The invention has particular application to containers for packaging food and is 5 herein described in that context. However, it will be appreciated that the invention has broader application and is not limited to that particular use.

A wide range of packaging forms exists for the packaging of food for display and/or sale. Even when considering a relatively specific food type, a 10 variety of food packaging forms for that food type generally spring to mind.

The packaging of cakes, buns, doughnuts, pastries, lamingtons and similar items (hereinafter collectively referred to simply as "cakes") provides one exemplary range of sale and/or display packaging possibilities.

Cakes are often sold in boxes constructed from lightweight cardboard. The cardboard box can be one-piece, having a lid and body constructed from a single cardboard blank. Alternatively, the cardboard box could be a two-piece construction having a body portion and separate lid. Cardboard boxes are 20 advantageously relatively inexpensive tp manufacture. However, it can be difficult to display cakes already packaged in a cardboard box, even upon removal of the box lid. Also, removal of the cake from such containers without damaging the cake can be difficult, owing to the often narrow space between the sidewalls of the box and the cake.

In another arrangement, cakes are sold in disposable two-piece disposable plastic containers. Such containers have a body portion and separate lid. These containers are relatively inexpensive to produce. They can also advantageously be made transparent, enabling the packaged cake to be 30 displayed while in the container. However, crushing of the lid can occur during display and the lid can separate from the base during handling It would therefore be desirable to provide improved packaging for the display and/or sale of cakes.

W:\MaryO\Davin\Provisionais\cake tray New Zealand complete speci.doc 3 The present invention relates to a food container including a lid portion and a base portion. The lid portion is pivotally connected to the base portion, enabling the lid portion to be pivoted relative to the base portion from a closed position to an open position, allowing access to the inside of the container. The base portion includes a sidewall connected to and upstanding from the edge region of a container base. The sidewall includes an access region to facilitate insertion of a utensil or implement between the base and the container contents thereon for removal of the contents from the container.

The container according to the present invention is especially but not exclusively applicable for packaging cakes for sale and/or display, and has been designed to enable relatively easy and damage-free removal of cakes from within such a container.

Reference has been made above to the access region enabling the insertion of a utensil or implement (hereinafter collectively referred to as "utensil") between the base and any contents (typically food) thereon for removal of the contents from the container. It is to be appreciated that the 20 utensil could be of any practical form, including but not limited to cake servers, knives, spatulas and tongs. Therefore, the access region is preferably configured to enable access to the container contents using a variety of utensils including those specifically referred to above.

Preferably, the access region extends upwardly from the edge region of the container base. This configuration enables a utensil to be relatively easily inserted between the container base and the container contents. In addition, the wide opening facilitates the removal of the contents by hand (i.e. without a utensil).

Preferably, the access region extends about the edge region of the container base a sufficient distance to accommodate utensils of any practical size that are likely to be used by a consumer to remove the container contents.

W:\MaryO\Davin\Provisionals\cake tray New Zealand complete speci.doc 4 In a preferred form, the sidewall varies in height about the edge region of the container base. In a particularly preferred form, the sidewall varies in height from a maximum height on the edge region of the base immediately opposite the access region, to a minimum height on the edge region of the base 5 immediately adjacent either side of the access region.

Preferably, the inside of the container defines an approximately squat cylindrical shape when the lid portion is in a closed position. In this way, the container can accommodate cakes and other food products, which are often 10 produced in an approximately squat cylindrical shape. It is to be appreciated, however, that the container could be manufactured in any practical size or In a particularly preferred form, the container is manufactured in one piece 15 from a rigid thermoplastic material, such as, for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with the base portion and the lid portion integrally and pivotally connected by a hinge.

Preferably, at least a portion of the container is transparent to enable the 20 container contents to be easily viewed,1 even when the lid portion is in the closed position. More preferably, however, at least a substantial portion of the container is transparent.

The container could be manufactured using any practical technique and, 25 most preferably, is manufactured by a thermoforming process.

The sidewall and lid portion preferably include scallops, ribs or the like to facilitate ease of removal from the die during the manufacturing stage.

Scallops, ribs or the like could also be added to any desired region(s) of the container surface for added container strength.

W:\MaryO\Davin\Provisionals\cake tray New Zealand complete speci.doc The container preferably includes means to releasably secure the lid portion to the base portion when in the closed position. In one particularly preferred form, the securing means is integrally formed with the container.

A lid portion opening arrangement is preferably provided to facilitate opening of the lid portion when secured in the closed position. In one particularly preferred form, the opening arrangement includes at least one \ aperture defined between the edges of the lid and base portions when the lid portion is in the closed position. The at least one aperture is sized and shaped 10 for receiving a fingertip therein, to release the securing means and open the lid portion to access the container contents.

In a preferred form, at least one of the container lid portion and base portion include flat surface sections to enable the attachment of a pressure 15 sensitive label, thus providing pilfer/tamper evidence.

It will be convenient to hereinafter describe a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. The particularity of the drawings is to be understood as not limiting the broad description of the 20 invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container according to an embodiment of the invention with the lid portion in the closed position.

Figure 2 is a top view of the container illustrated in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a front view of the container illustrated in Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a side view of the container illustrated in Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is a rear view of the container illustrated in Fig.1.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the container illustrated in Fig. 1, with the lid portion in the open position.

Referring to the drawings, a container 10 is disclosed. The container 10 has been designed primarily as a food container, and especially (but not exclusively) as a container packaging for cakes on display and/or for sale. The W:\MaryO\Davin\Provisionals\cake tray New Zealand complete speci.doc 6 container 10 is of a generally squat cylindrical shape in the arrangement illustrated in Figures 1 to 5.

The container 10 is manufactured from a rigid thermoplastic material. The 5 container 10 is transparent, enabling the container contents to be viewed.

The container 10 includes a lid portion 12 and a base portion 14. The lid portion 12 and the base portion 14 are integrally manufactured. The lid portion 12 is pivotally connected to the base portion 14 by a hinge 16. The hinge 16 10 enables the lid to be pivoted relative to the base portion from the closed position illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, to the open position illustrated in Figure 6 for access to the container contents (not illustrated).

The lid portion 12 includes a top 18, and a sidewall 20. The sidewall 20 15 extends downwardly from the edge region 22 of the top 18. The sidewall 20 includes tapering wall portions 24,26. The portions 24,26 include scallops 28, which facilitate removal of the container 10 from the die during manufacture. The sidewall 20 also includes a flat forwardly facing portion 30. The top 18 and portion 30 provide regions for attachment/adornment of information, advertising 20 and the like. 1 The base portion 14 includes a container base 32, and a sidewall 34 that extends upwardly from the edge region 37 of the base 32. The sidewall 34 includes tapering wall portions 36,38. The portions 36,38 include scallops 40 25 that, like the scallops 28, facilitate removal of the container 10 from the die during manufacture.

The sidewall 34 includes an access region 42 (see Figure 6) for ready access to the contents of the container 10 when the lid portion 12 is in the open 30 position. The access region 42 enables a utensil (not illustrated) to be easily inserted between the container base 32 and the container contents without damage to either the container 10 or container contents.

W:\MaryO\Davin\Provislonals\cake tray New Zealand complete speci.doc 7 The access region 42 includes a lower lip 44 that is substantially flush with the surface of the base 32. In this way the lip 44 avoids providing an impediment to insertion of a utensil between the base 32 and the container contents, as may exist if the lip 44 was at a height above the surface of the 5 base 32.

The lip 44 is sufficiently wide to accommodate a variety of utensils, such \ as cake servers, knives, spatulas and the like.

A means for releasably securing the lid portion 12 to the base portion 14 when in the closed position is provided. The releasable securing means is in the form of a pair of downwardly extending male connectors 46,48 provided on the front edge of the lid portion 12, and a pair of downwardly extending female connectors 50,52 provided on the base portion 14. The male connectors 46,48 15 are receivable by way of an interference fit in the respective female connectors 50,52 to releasably secure the lid portion 12 in the closed position illustrated in Figures 1 to 5. The male connectors 46,48 are integrally formed on the lid portion 12, and the female connectors 50,52 are integrally formed on the base portion 14. The securing means is advantageously resealable upon initial 20 opening of the container lid portion 12.

An arrangement is provided to facilitate opening of the lid portion 12 from the closed position illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 to the open position illustrated in Figure 6. The arrangement includes a pair of apertures 54,56 (not clearly visible 25 from the drawings) defined between the edges of the lid portion 12 and the base portion 14 when the lid portion 12 is in the closed position. The apertures 54,56 are sized and shaped for receiving a fingertip therethrough in order to release the securing means and open the lid portion 12 to access the container contents. The lid portion 12 includes integrally formed dome portions 58,60 30 immediately above the apertures 54,56 defining respective voids for receiving a fingertip therein when opening the lid portion 12.

W:\MaryO\Davin\Provisionals\cake tray New Zealand complete speci.doc 8 The lid portion 12 includes a downwardly extending peripheral lip 62 that, in the closed position, encompasses the upwardly extending lip 64 of the base portion 14.

The surface of the container base 32 is textured (not clearly visible) and includes a recessed section 66, which can best be described as defining generally a spoked-wheel configuration. The recessed section 66 enables air circulation and reduces the possibility of the cake base sticking to the container base 32.

The present invention provides numerous advantages when compared to existing food packaging containers.

The container 10 is one-piece, thereby making it more simply and easily 15 handled than existing two-piece containers.

The provision of a one-piece container enables the container lid portion 12 to be easily and simply pivoted between the opened and closed positions.

The container 10 enables relatively easy access to and removal of the (often delicate) container contents. This is at least in part due to the provision of the access region 42 and the tapering sidewall portions 36,38. In particular, the access region 42 enables a utensil to be easy inserted between the container base 32 and the container contents without damage to the contents.

Advantageously, the container 10 can be manufactured in any practical size and shape. It is also lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture.

Furthermore, the container 10 is easily nestable with the lid portion 12 in 30 the open position and stackable with the lid portion 12 in the closed position.

Finally, the container 10 is advantageously recyclable when manufactured from polyethylene terephthalate PET, the preferred rigid thermoplastic material.

W:\MaryO\Oavin\Provisionais\cake tray New Zealand complete speci.doc It is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced into the product and/or process for manufacturing the product previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.

W:\MaryO\Davin\Provisionals\cake tray New Zealand complete speci.doc

Claims (18)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A food container including: 5 a lid portion; and a base portion; wherein the lid portion is pivotally connected to the base portion, enabling the lid portion to be pivoted relative to the base portion from a closed position to an open position to allow access to the inside of the container; 10 the base portion includes a container base and a sidewall; the sidewall is connected to and upstanding from the edge region of the container base; the sidewall includes an access region to facilitate insertion of at least one of a utensil, an implement and a human hand between the container base 15 and any container contents thereon for removal of the contents from the container.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the access region extends upwardly from the edge region of the container base. 20 1

3. A container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sidewall varies in height about the edge region of the container base.

4. A container according to claim 3, wherein the sidewall varies in height 25 from a maximum height on the edge region of the base immediately opposite the access region, to a minimum height on the edge region of the base immediately adjacent either side of the access region.

5. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the 30 inside of the container defines an approximately squat cylindrical shape when the lid portion is in the closed position.

6. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container is manufactured in one piece from a rigid thermoplastic material. W:\MaryO\DavinVProvisionals\cake tray New Zealand complete speci.doc 11

7. A container according to claim 6, wherein the container is manufactured from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with the base portion and the lid portion integrally and pivotally connected by a hinge. 5

8. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least a portion of the container is transparent to enable the container contents to \ be viewed with the lid portion in the closed position. io

9. A container according to claim 8, wherein at least a substantial portion of the container is transparent.

10. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container is manufactured by a thermoforming process. 15

11. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sidewall and lid portion include a plurality of scallops.

12. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the 20 sidewall and lid portion include a plurality of ribs. 25

13. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, including means to releasably secure the lid portion to the base portion when in the closed position.

14. A container according to claim 13, wherein the securing means is integrally formed with the container.

15. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, including a lid 30 portion opening arrangement having at least one aperture defined between the edges of the lid and base portion when the lid portion is in the closed position, the at least one aperture being sized and shaped for receiving a fingertip therein, to release the securing means and open the lid portion to access the container contents. W:\MaryO\Davin\Provisionals\cake tray New Zealand complete speci.doc 12

16. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lid portion and base portion include flat surface sections for the attachment of a pressure sensitive label.

17. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container is suitable for the packaging of cakes for sale and display.

18. A container substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. W:\MaryO\Davin\Provisionals\cake tray New Zealand complete speci.doc ABSTRACT A food container (10) including a lid portion (12) and a base portion (14). The lid portion (12) is pivotally connected to the base portion (14), enabling the lid portion (12) to be pivoted relative to the base portion (14) from a closed position to an open position, allowing access to the inside of the container (10). The base portion (14) includes a sidewall (34) connected to and upstanding from the edge region (37) of a container base (32). The sidewall \ (34) includes an access region (42) to facilitate insertion of a utensil or implement between the base (32) and the container contents thereon for removal of the contents from the container (10).