阅读说明：本技术 用于运输和储存食物产品的容器 (Container for transporting and storing food products ) 是由 卡斯珀·W·蒋 道格拉斯·J·明克勒 茱莉娅·柯林斯 亚历山大·约翰·加登 切斯特·瓦伊达 于 2018-07-03 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明公开了用于提供可分解食品容器的系统和方法,该食品容器在延长的持续时间内保持食物产品的品质,并且任选地允许在其中烹饪食物产品。在一些具体实施中,该食品容器是坚固的、可堆叠的、绝缘的,并且需要最少的人工劳动或不需要人工劳动来组装。在一些具体实施中,该食品容器包括基部和盖,该基部和该盖配合以形成用于支撑、保护、隔离和任选地烹饪食物产品诸如比萨的封闭腔室。该基部和该盖可各自由单层材料形成,该材料包括但不限于模制甘蔗纤维(“甘蔗渣”)、模制木纤维、模制竹纤维、模制纸材或塑料。该基部和/或该盖可包括一个或多个可拆卸部分,该一个或多个可拆卸部分可与该基部和/或该盖的其余部分选择性地分离。(Systems and methods for providing a decomposable food product container that maintains the quality of the food product for an extended duration and optionally allows the food product to be cooked therein. In some implementations, the food container is strong, stackable, insulated, and requires minimal or no manual labor to assemble. In some implementations, the food product container includes a base and a lid that cooperate to form an enclosed chamber for supporting, protecting, isolating, and optionally cooking a food product, such as a pizza. The base and the lid may each be formed from a single layer of material including, but not limited to, molded sugar cane fiber ("bagasse"), molded wood fiber, molded bamboo fiber, molded paper, or plastic. The base and/or the lid may include one or more detachable portions that are selectively detachable from the remainder of the base and/or the lid.)

1. A food container comprising:

a base having at least one edge, the base comprising a raised rim disposed about a perimeter of an upwardly facing food-receiving portion that receives a food product, the food-receiving portion comprising a substantially planar surface and a plurality of channels that are each recessed downwardly into the planar surface and extend across at least a portion of the planar surface, wherein at least one channel and a corresponding portion of the at least one edge delineate respective detachable portions of the food-receiving portion, each of the detachable portions being selectively separable from the other detachable portions; and

a cover selectively engageable with at least a portion of the raised rim of the base, the cover including a substantially downwardly facing inner surface and a substantially upwardly facing outer surface, the inner surface having a perimeter channel sized and dimensioned to engage the at least a portion of the raised rim of the base when the cover is engaged with the base, and the cover being sized and shaped to provide an interior chamber for protecting the food product, the interior chamber being at least partially defined by the inner surface of the cover and a corresponding portion of the food-receiving portion.

2. The food product container of claim 1 wherein the at least one detachable portion is selectively separable along a separation line formed into the base along the at least one channel.

3. The food product container of claim 2 wherein the at least one edge includes a notch directed inwardly toward the raised rim, the notch being aligned with the separation line.

4. The food product container of claim 2 wherein a subset of the channels have separation lines.

5. The food product container of claim 2 wherein the base comprises a material having a uniform thickness except at the separation line, the separation line comprising a portion of the base having a reduced thickness relative to other portions of the base.

6. The food product container of claim 2 wherein the separation line includes a row of perforations.

7. The food container of claim 2 wherein the separation line comprises a line that is weakened prior to distribution of the food container by a manufacturer of the food container.

8. The food product container of claim 2 further comprising:

a flange extending outwardly from the raised rim of the base.

9. The food product container of claim 2 further comprising:

a flange extending outwardly from the food receiving portion, the flange having a first pair of parallel sides and a second set of parallel sides forming an outer perimeter of the food container, wherein the first pair of parallel sides and the second pair of parallel sides surround the raised rim.

10. The food product container of claim 9 wherein the flange includes at least one notch located along one of the sides of the flange, the at least one notch directed inwardly toward the raised rim and aligned with the separation line.

11. The food product container of claim 10 wherein the at least one notch is operable to effect separation along the separation line.

12. The food product container of claim 1 wherein the base includes N scalloped portions, the lid includes N internal chambers, and each of the internal chambers is vertically aligned with one of the detachable portions when the lid is engaged with the base.

13. The food container of claim 1, wherein the lid includes a plurality of detachable lid portions, each of the lid detachable portions corresponding to a detachable portion on the base, and at least one of the lid detachable portions being selectively detachable from at least one other lid detachable portion.

14. The food product container of claim 1 wherein the base includes N scallops and the lid includes M internal chambers, and wherein N is a positive integer and M is a positive integer less than N.

15. The food product container of claim 1 wherein the base is rectangular in shape having a length and a width, and each of the channels extends across at least a portion of the width of the base.

16. The food product container of claim 1 wherein each detachable portion includes a raised detachable portion rim extending upwardly from the planar surface and adjacent to at least one of the channels delineating the detachable portion.

17. The food product container of claim 1 wherein the base has a rectangular outer perimeter with rounded corners, the outer perimeter defined by first and second parallel edges and third and fourth parallel edges, and each of the channels is non-parallel to each of the first, second, third and fourth edges.

18. The food product container of claim 1 wherein the base includes a base flange surrounding at least a portion of the raised rim and the lid includes a lid flange surrounding at least a portion of the peripheral channel of the inner surface.

19. The food product container of claim 18 wherein the base flange includes at least one base fastening groove extending downwardly from the base flange and the lid flange includes at least one corresponding lid fastening protrusion extending downwardly from the lid flange, the at least one base fastening groove being sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the at least one lid fastening protrusion when the lid is engaged with the base.

20. The food product container of claim 19 wherein the at least one base fastening groove and the at least one lid fastening protrusion are each sized and dimensioned to provide an audible cue when the at least one base fastening groove is separated from the lid fastening protrusion.

21. The food product container of claim 19 wherein the at least one base fastening groove has a depth greater than 5 millimeters and a diameter greater than 8 millimeters, and the at least one lid fastening protrusion has a depth less than the depth of the at least one base fastening groove by 1 millimeter and a diameter greater than the diameter of the at least one base fastening groove by 1 millimeter.

22. The food product container of claim 18 wherein the base flange includes at least one base fastening projection extending upwardly therefrom and the lid flange includes at least one corresponding lid fastening groove extending upwardly therefrom, the at least one lid fastening groove being sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the at least one base fastening projection when the lid is engaged with the base.

23. The food product container of claim 1 wherein each detachable portion includes a fan-shaped well extending downwardly from the planar surface.

24. The food product container of claim 23 wherein the fan-shaped well of each detachable portion has a rim adjacent the flat surface, the rim having an outline in the shape of at least one of an oval, a circle, a triangle, a square, or a symbol.

25. The food product container of claim 24 wherein each of a plurality of features including the raised rim, the fan-shaped well, the channel, and the raised fan-shaped rib is spaced apart from at least one other feature of the plurality of features by a distance of less than or equal to one inch.

26. The food product container of claim 1 wherein each detachable portion includes a plurality of raised scalloped ribs extending upwardly from the planar surface.

27. The food container of claim 1 wherein the base has an overall height of less than or equal to 1.5 inches.

28. The food product container of claim 1 wherein each of the base and the lid is formed from a single layer of material having a thickness in a range of 0.5 millimeters to 1.0 millimeters.

29. The food product container of claim 1 wherein each detachable portion of the base does not have a continuous flat surface that exceeds 2 inches by 2 inches.

30. The food product container of claim 1 wherein the base has a length dimension greater than or equal to 12 inches.

31. The food container of claim 1 wherein each of the base and the lid may be formed from one of sugar cane fiber, wood fiber, bamboo fiber, or paper, or plastic, biodegradable plastic, or other synthetic material.

32. The food product container of claim 1 wherein the base has a square perimeter with rounded edges and the raised rim forming the perimeter of the product receiving portion has a circular profile.

33. The food product container of claim 1 wherein the lid has at least one non-nesting lug that provides a space between at least a portion of the lid and at least a portion of another lid when the lids are stacked together.

34. The food product container of claim 1, wherein the food product container is positionable on a platen to receive a food item, and wherein the base includes a plurality of registration features that selectively physically engage with corresponding registration features on the platen to align the base on the platen.

35. The food product container of claim 34 wherein the registration feature on the deck comprises one or more apertures and the registration feature on the base comprises a corresponding number of tabs, each tab sized and shaped to securely physically engage one of the apertures.

36. The food product container of claim 34 wherein each detachable portion includes a fan-shaped well extending downwardly from the planar surface, wherein the registration feature on the deck includes one or more apertures and the registration feature on the base includes one or more fan-shaped wells, and wherein each of the one or more fan-shaped wells on the base is sized, shaped, and positioned to engage a corresponding aperture on the deck to align the food product container on the deck.

37. The food product container of claim 34 wherein the registration feature on the deck comprises one or more protrusions extending upwardly and the registration feature on the base comprises a corresponding number of apertures or raised portions, each protrusion sized and shaped to securely physically engage one of the apertures or raised portions.

38. The food product container of claim 1 wherein the plurality of channels includes N channels delineating corresponding N +1 detachable portions of the food product receiving portion, where N is a positive integer.

39. The food product container of claim 1 wherein the plurality of channels includes N channels delineating corresponding N detachable portions of the food product receiving portion, where N is a positive integer.

40. The food product container of claim 1 wherein at least some of the channels intersect other channels.

41. The food product container of claim 1 wherein the base and lid are each formed from a single layer of material and the base and lid are sized and dimensioned to nest with the other base and lid, respectively.

42. The food product container of claim 1 wherein the plurality of channels are radially equally spaced apart to enable cutting of the food product into equally sized pieces as a cutting tool moves along the channels.

43. A food product support device, comprising:

a base, the base comprising:

an edge;

a raised peripheral edge; and

a food receiving portion disposed within the raised perimeter rim that receives a food product, the food receiving portion including a substantially planar surface and a plurality of channels that are each recessed downwardly into the planar surface and extend across at least a portion of the planar surface, at least one channel and a corresponding portion of the rim delineating a respective detachable portion of the food receiving portion, each of the detachable portions being selectively separable from the other detachable portions.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to containers for protecting, insulating, transporting, and/or cooking food products.

Background

Disclosure of Invention

A food container may be summarized as including: a base having at least one edge, the base comprising a raised rim disposed about a perimeter of an upwardly facing food-receiving portion that receives a food product, the food-receiving portion comprising a substantially planar surface and a plurality of channels, each channel recessed downwardly into the planar surface and extending across at least a portion of the planar surface, wherein the at least one channel and a corresponding portion of the at least one edge delineate respective detachable portions of the food-receiving portion, each of the detachable portions being selectively separable from the other detachable portions; and a lid selectively engageable with at least a portion of the raised rim of the base, the lid including a substantially downwardly facing inner surface and a substantially upwardly facing outer surface, the inner surface having a peripheral channel sized and dimensioned to engage at least a portion of the raised rim of the base when the lid is engaged with the base, and the lid being sized and shaped to provide an interior chamber for protecting the food product, the interior chamber being defined at least in part by the inner surface of the lid and a corresponding portion of the food-receiving portion.

The at least one detachable portion is selectively separable along a separation line formed into the base along the at least one channel. The at least one edge may include a notch directed inwardly toward the raised rim, the notch being aligned with the separation line. A subset of the channels may have a separation line. The base may comprise a material having a uniform thickness except at a separation line comprising a portion of the base having a reduced thickness relative to other portions of the base. The separation line may comprise a row of perforations. The separation line may comprise a line that is weakened prior to distribution of the food container by a manufacturer of the food container.

The food container may also include a flange extending outwardly from the raised rim of the base.

The food product container may further include a flange extending outwardly from the food product receiving portion, the flange having a first pair of parallel sides and a second set of parallel sides forming an outer perimeter of the food product container, wherein the first pair of parallel sides and the second pair of parallel sides surround the raised rim.

The flange may include at least one notch located along one of the side edges of the flange, the at least one notch directed inward toward the raised edge and aligned with the separation line. The at least one notch is operable to effect separation along the separation line. The base may include N scalloped portions, the cover may include N interior chambers, and each of the interior chambers may be vertically aligned with one of the detachable portions when the cover is engaged with the base. The cover may include a plurality of detachable cover portions, each of the cover detachable portions corresponding to a detachable portion on the base, and at least one of the cover detachable portions being selectively detachable from at least one other cover detachable portion. The base may include N scallops and the lid may include M internal chambers, and wherein N may be a positive integer and M may be a positive integer less than N. The base may be rectangular in shape having a length and a width, and each of the channels may extend across at least a portion of the width of the base. Each detachable portion may include a raised detachable portion rim extending upwardly from the planar surface and adjacent to at least one of the channels delineating the detachable portion. The base may have a rectangular outer perimeter with rounded corners, the outer perimeter defined by first and second parallel edges and third and fourth parallel edges, and each of the channels may be non-parallel to each of the first, second, third, and fourth edges. The base may include a base flange surrounding at least a portion of the raised rim and the lid may include a lid flange surrounding at least a portion of the peripheral channel of the inner surface. The base flange may include at least one base fastening groove extending downwardly from the base flange, and the lid flange may include at least one corresponding lid fastening protrusion extending downwardly from the lid flange, the at least one base fastening groove being sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the at least one lid fastening protrusion when the lid is engaged with the base. The at least one base fastening groove and the at least one lid fastening protrusion may each be sized and dimensioned to provide an audible cue when the at least one base fastening groove is disengaged from the lid fastening protrusion. The at least one base fastening groove may have a depth greater than 5mm and a diameter greater than 8mm, and the at least one cover fastening protrusion may have a depth less than the depth of the at least one base fastening groove by 1 mm and a diameter greater than the diameter of the at least one base fastening groove by 1 mm. The base flange may include at least one base fastening projection extending upwardly from the base flange, and the lid flange may include at least one corresponding lid fastening groove extending upwardly from the lid flange, the at least one lid fastening groove being sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the at least one base fastening projection when the lid is engaged with the base. Each detachable portion may include a fan-shaped well extending downwardly from the planar surface. The fan-shaped well of each detachable portion may have a rim adjacent to the flat surface, the rim having an outline in the shape of at least one of an ellipse, a circle, a triangle, a square, or a symbol. Each of the plurality of features including the raised rim, the scalloped well, the channel, and the raised scalloped rib may be spaced apart from at least one other feature of the plurality of features by a distance of less than or equal to one inch. Each detachable portion may include a plurality of raised fan ribs extending upwardly from the planar surface. The base may have an overall height of less than or equal to 1.5 inches. Each of the base and the cover may be formed from a single layer of material having a thickness in a range of 0.5 millimeters to 1.0 millimeter. Each detachable portion of the base may not have a continuous flat surface in excess of 2 inches by 2 inches. The base may have a length dimension greater than or equal to 12 inches. Each of the base and the lid may be formed from one of sugar cane fiber, wood fiber, bamboo fiber, or paper material, or plastic, biodegradable plastic, or other synthetic material. The base may have a square perimeter with rounded edges and the raised rim forming the perimeter of the food receiving portion may have a circular profile. The lid may have at least one non-nesting lug that provides a space between at least a portion of the lid and at least a portion of another lid when the lids are stacked together. The food product container can be positioned on the deck to receive the food item, and the base can include a plurality of registration features that selectively physically engage with corresponding registration features on the deck to align the base on the deck. The registration feature on the platen may include one or more apertures and the registration feature on the base may include a corresponding number of tabs, each tab sized and shaped to securely physically engage one of the apertures. Each detachable portion may include a fan well extending downwardly from the planar surface, wherein the registration feature on the platen may include one or more apertures, and the registration feature on the base may include one or more fan wells, and wherein each of the one or more fan wells on the base may be sized, shaped, and positioned to engage a corresponding aperture on the platen to align the food product container on the platen. The registration feature on the platen may include one or more protrusions extending upwardly, and the registration feature on the base may include a corresponding number of apertures or raised portions, each protrusion sized and shaped to securely physically engage one of the apertures or raised portions. The plurality of channels can include N channels delineating corresponding N +1 detachable portions of the food receiving portion, where N is a positive integer. The plurality of channels can include N channels delineating corresponding N detachable portions of the food receiving portion, where N is a positive integer. At least some of the channels may intersect other channels. The base and lid may each be formed from a single layer of material, and the base and lid may be sized and dimensioned to nest with other bases and lids, respectively. The plurality of channels may be radially equally spaced apart to enable the food product to be cut into equal sized pieces as the cutting tool moves along the channels.

A food product support apparatus can be summarized as including: a base, the base comprising: an edge; a raised peripheral edge; and a food-receiving portion disposed within the raised peripheral rim that receives the food product, the food-receiving portion including a substantially planar surface and a plurality of channels that are each recessed downwardly into the planar surface and extend across at least a portion of the planar surface, a corresponding portion of the at least one channel and rim delineating a respective detachable portion of the food-receiving portion, each of the detachable portions being selectively separable from the other detachable portions.

Drawings

In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate similar elements or acts. The sizes and relative positions of elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the shapes of various elements and angles are not necessarily drawn to scale, and some of these elements may be arbitrarily enlarged and positioned to improve drawing legibility. Further, the particular shapes of the elements as depicted are not necessarily intended to convey any information regarding the actual shape of the particular elements, and may have been solely selected for ease of recognition in the drawings.

Fig. 1A is a top perspective view of a food product container according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 1B is a top perspective view of a food product container with its lid separated from its base according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 2A is a bottom perspective view of a food product container according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 2B is a bottom perspective view of a food product container with a lid separated from a base according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a food product container according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the food container taken along line 4A-4A of fig. 3, according to one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the food container taken along line 4A-4B of FIG. 1B, according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the food container taken along line 5A-5A of fig. 3, according to one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the food container taken along line 5A-5B of FIG. 1B, according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of a lid of a food product container according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of a lid of a food container according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a base of a food product container according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of a food product container according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 10 is a front elevational view of a base of a food product container, according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 11A is a cross-sectional elevation view of a first food product container vertically aligned and spaced apart from a second food product container, according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 11B is a cross-sectional elevation view of a first food product container and a second food product container in a stacked relationship in accordance with one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 11C is a detailed view of a portion of fig. 11B, according to one illustrated implementation.

Figure 12 is a top plan view of a food product container including N food product receiving portion channels and corresponding N scallops according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional elevation view of a base of a food product container showing various dimensions thereof, according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 14A is a top perspective view of another food product container, according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 14B is a top perspective view of the food container of fig. 14A with the lid of the food container separated from its base according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 15A is a bottom perspective view of the food container of fig. 14A according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 15B is a bottom perspective view of the food container of fig. 14A with the lid separated from the base according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 16 is a top plan view of the food container of fig. 14A, according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 17 is a bottom plan view of a lid of the food container of fig. 14A, according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 18 is a front elevation view of a lid of the food container of fig. 14A, according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 19 is a top plan view of the base of the food container of fig. 14A, according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 20 is a bottom plan view of the food container of fig. 14A, according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 21 is a front elevation view of the base of the food container of fig. 14A, according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 22A is a top perspective view of another food product container, according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 22B is a top plan view of the base of the food container of fig. 22A, wherein portions of the base are selectively separable from other portions of the base, according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 22C is a top plan view of different portions of the base of the food container of fig. 22A, where the different portions have been separated, according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 23 is a top perspective view of a cover and corresponding platen of a food product container according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 24A is a top perspective view of a rectangular food product container according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 24B is a top plan view of the base of the rectangular food container of fig. 24A, wherein portions of the base are selectively separable from other portions of the base, according to one illustrated implementation.

Fig. 24C is a top plan view of different portions of the base of the rectangular food container of fig. 24A, where the different portions have been separated, according to one illustrated implementation.

Detailed Description

In the following description, certain specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosed implementations. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that a particular implementation can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures associated with computer systems, server computers, and/or communication networks have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of the specific implementations.

Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims that follow, the word "comprise" is synonymous with "including", and is inclusive or open-ended (i.e., does not exclude additional unrecited elements or method acts).

Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrases "in one implementation" or "in an implementation" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same implementation. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more implementations.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It should also be noted that the term "or" is generally employed in its sense including "and/or" unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

The headings and abstract of the disclosure are provided herein for convenience only and do not interpret the scope or meaning of the particular implementations.

One or more implementations of the present disclosure are directed to providing a food product container that maintains the quality of a food product over a period of time, and optionally allows the food product to be cooked therein. In one or more implementations, the food containers discussed herein are structurally strong, stackable, insulated, disposable (e.g., disintegrable), and require minimal or no manual labor to assemble. In some implementations, the food containers discussed herein use relatively small amounts of decomposable and/or recyclable materials as compared to existing corrugated cardboard containers.

First, a first embodiment of the food container will be discussed with reference to fig. 1A to 11C and fig. 13. Next, a second embodiment of the food container is discussed with reference to fig. 12. Next, a third specific implementation of the food container is discussed with reference to fig. 14A to 21. Additional implementations of the food container are then discussed with reference to fig. 22A-24C. One or more features of the implementations discussed herein can be modified and/or combined to provide further implementations.

Referring to fig. 1A through 11C, various views of the food container 100 are shown. For illustrative purposes, the food container 100 is shown as a container for holding pizza, but it should be understood that the disclosure is not so limited. As shown in fig. 1B, the food container 100 includes a base 102 and a separate lid 104 that cooperate as shown in the figures and described below to form an enclosed chamber 106 for supporting, protecting, isolating, and optionally cooking a food product (e.g., pizza).

In some implementations, the base 102 and the cover 104 can each be separately formed from a single layer of liquid-resistant insulating material, including, but not limited to, molded sugar cane fiber ("bagasse"), molded wood fiber, molded bamboo fiber, molded paper, plastic (e.g., biodegradable plastic, thermoplastic material, bio-based plastic, recycled plastic, recyclable plastic), or synthetic food-safe material other than plastic. The base and/or the cover may be opaque, translucent or transparent (e.g. an opaque base made of moulded fibre and a cover made of a transparent plastics material). This is in contrast to conventional pizza boxes made from corrugated cardboard. In implementations in which the base 102 and cover 104 are formed from molded fibers, the single layer of material may have a relatively small thickness of between 0.5mm and 1.0mm (e.g., 0.8 mm). In implementations in which the base 102 and cover 104 are formed of plastic (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA)), the single layer of material may have a thickness of 0.5-0.6mm or less.

In some implementations, the base 102 is formed from a single layer of insulating material and includes an upwardly facing circular food receiving portion 108 on which the pizza is received. The base 102 also includes a raised peripheral rim 110 disposed about the periphery of the food receiving portion 108. The rim 110 includes a convex upwardly facing top surface 112 (see fig. 4B) and a downwardly and outwardly extending sidewall 114 that intersects a substantially flat base flange 116 extending outwardly from the rim. As shown in fig. 1B, the base flange 116 has a substantially rectangular (e.g., square) outer perimeter with rounded corners defined by first and second parallel edges 118A, 118B and third and fourth parallel edges 118C, 118D. The base flange 116, among other things, adds stiffness to the base 102.

The food receiving portion 108 of the base 102 includes a planar surface 109 and a plurality of features extending at least one of upwardly or downwardly from the planar surface 109. Specifically, the food receiving portion 108 includes a central well 120 that extends downwardly from the planar surface 109 and receives drippings of juice or condensate from cooked food (e.g., pizza) placed in the food container 100. In the illustrated implementation, the centerwell 120 has a circular perimeter, but may have other shapes (e.g., triangular, octagonal) in other implementations.

The food product receiving portion 108 further includes a plurality of food product receiving portion channels or flutes 122 (also referred to herein as "channels") extending downwardly below the planar surface 109 and extending radially outwardly from the centerwell 120 and terminating at the raised peripheral rim 110. In some implementations, the radial channel 122 may extend only partially between the centerwell 120 and the raised peripheral rim 110. In the illustrated implementation, each of the channels 122 has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile, but in other implementations, the channels may have other shapes (e.g., V-shapes). In some implementations, each channel 122 may slope downward from the rim 110 toward the centerwell 120 to facilitate liquid flow through the channel into the centerwell. Each pair of adjacent channels 122 and corresponding portions of the raised peripheral rim 110 delineate a respective scalloped portion 124 of the food receiving portion 108 that supports a portion of a food item (e.g., a single pizza slice). In the illustrated implementation, the base 102 includes eight channels 122 and eight scallops 124. In general, the base 102 can include N channels and N scalloped portions, where N is a positive integer.

The plurality of channels 122 are equally spaced radially so that a food item (e.g., pizza) can be cut into equal-sized pieces as a cutting tool (e.g., knife) moves along the channels. Because the channel 122 extends downwardly from the planar surface 109, a user can cut through the food item above the channel without damaging (e.g., cutting) the food-receiving portion 108 of the base 102. Further, each of the channels 122 is not parallel to each of the edges 118A-118D of the base 102, which increases the stiffness of the base. In the illustrated implementation, each of the channels 122 is offset 22.5 ° from vertical with respect to a respective one of the edges 118A-118D toward which the channel extends. Further, each of the channels 122 is collinear with an opposing channel that extends radially in opposite directions. Thus, when the base 104 is to be discarded (e.g., disassembled), a user can fold the base along an axis extending through the two opposing collinear channels to reduce the size of the base, thereby fitting the base within the disassembled container.

The channel 122 serves, among other things, to enhance the rigidity of the base 102 and provide support to the food receiving portion 108 when the base is placed on a stationary surface such as a countertop, oven, or another food container. The channel 122 also serves as a guide for a cutting tool to cut eight equal-sized pieces of food items (e.g., pizza). In addition, the channel 122 provides an air space under the food items, which provides additional insulation. In some implementations, because the channel 122 can be substantially covered by food items placed on the food-receiving portion 108, indicia (e.g., visual and/or tactile indicia) can be positioned radially along the channel on or adjacent the rim 110 to assist the user in slicing the pizza along the channel.

As described above, each pair of adjacent channels 122 and corresponding portions (e.g., 45 ° arc-shaped portions) of the raised peripheral rim 110 delineate a respective sector 124 of the food receiving portion 108 that receives a single piece of food item (e.g., a pizza piece). Each scallop 124 includes a portion of the flat surface 109 and a raised scallop rim 126 (fig. 1B) that extends upward from the flat surface and adjacent to each of the channels 122 that define the scallop. In addition to supporting food items above the flat surface 109, the raised scalloped portion edges 126 adjacent the channels 122 can also help support food items near the cutting location, thereby facilitating the cutting process to provide accurate individual pieces.

Each sector 124 also includes a sector well 128 that can receive dripping juice from the food product. In the illustrated implementation, each sector well has a peripheral edge adjacent to the flat surface 109 that has an elliptical profile. In other implementations, each of the peripheral edges can have a contour of at least one of a circle, a triangle, a square, another shape, or a symbol (e.g., a logo). Each sector 124 also includes a plurality of raised sector ribs or projections 130 extending upwardly from the planar surface 109 about the sector well 128, with the uppermost portions supporting the hot food product (e.g., pizza). In some implementations, the combined area of the ribs 130 in the scalloped portion 124 is smaller than the portion of the flat surface 109 in the scalloped portion. Thus, when a food product is supported on the uppermost portion of the ribs 130 and the raised scallop rim 126, heat loss due to conduction through the flat surface 109 is significantly reduced as compared to a food container having a flat bottom surface with a relatively large surface area in contact with the bottom surface of the food product. In addition, the raised ribs 130 and scalloped portion edges 126 tend to isolate the bottom surface of the food product from the flat surface 109, which prevents the food product from becoming soggy due to trapped liquid on the flat surface 109 of the food receiving portion 108.

In the illustrated implementation, the ribs 130 are elongated in shape and have a length dimension that extends radially with respect to the centerwell 120. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, the ribs 130 are radially symmetrical. In other implementations, the number, size, and dimensions of the raised ribs 130 may be different than that shown in the figures. The raised ribs 130 also serve to improve the stiffness of the base 102.

In some implementations, each of the plurality of features of the base 102 including the raised rim 110, the centerwell 120, the scalloped wells 128, the channel 122, and the raised scalloped ribs 130 is spaced apart from at least one other feature of the plurality of features by a distance less than or equal to one inch. In some implementations, the food-receiving portion 108 of the base 102 does not have a continuous flat surface that exceeds 2 inches by 2 inches due to the aforementioned plurality of features. Such features significantly improve the strength of the base 102 while allowing the base to have a length dimension greater than 12 inches (e.g., 16 inches), a width dimension greater than 12 inches (e.g., 16 inches), an overall height less than 1.5 inches (e.g., 1 inch), a material thickness between 0.5 millimeters and 1.0 millimeters (e.g., 0.8 millimeters). In other implementations, the base 102 may have a relatively large height and the cover 104 may have a relatively small height.

The base flange 116 extending around the raised rim 110 includes eight fastening grooves or standoffs 132 extending downwardly from the base flange. As described below, each of the fastening grooves 132 of the base 102 receives a corresponding one of a plurality of downwardly extending fastening protrusions 134 of the cover 104 to selectively retain the cover on the base 102. The fastening groove 132 is generally dome-shaped in the illustrated implementation, but may be other shapes and sizes in other implementations. In addition, other implementations may include more fastening grooves, fewer fastening grooves, or no fastening grooves.

In some implementations, at least some of the securing grooves 132, the centerwell 120, and the scalloped wells 128 extend downwardly to the lowermost portion of the base 102 such that they are weight-bearing and serve as "feet" that create an insulating air space between the food-receiving portion 108 of the base 102 and a resting surface when the base is supported on the resting surface. Thus, the raised ribs 130 of each sector, together with at least some of the fastening grooves 132, the central well 120 and the sector wells 128, form an air insulation layer between the flat surface 109 of the food receiving portion 108 and the food product, and between the food receiving portion and the resting surface using only a single layer of material (i.e., the material forming the base 102). In addition, the aforementioned "feet" elevate the remainder of the base 102 (and the cover 104, when engaged with the base) to a position slightly above the resting surface (e.g., a table), which results in the projection of a shadow, similar to a more positive dinner tray.

The cover 104 comprises a single layer of thermally insulating material (e.g., molded fiber) and includes a central dome portion 136 that includes a substantially downward facing inner surface 138 (fig. 2B) and a substantially upward facing outer surface 140 (fig. 1B). As shown in fig. 4B, the dome portion 136 includes a convex outer rim 142 spaced radially outwardly from the center of the dome portion that terminates in a downwardly and outwardly extending sidewall 144. The sidewall 144 intersects a substantially planar lid flange 146 extending laterally outwardly therefrom. Similar to the base flange 116, the cover flange 146 has a substantially rectangular outer perimeter with rounded corners defined by first and second parallel edges 148A, 148B and third and fourth parallel edges 148C, 148D (see fig. 1B). The cover flange 146, among other things, enhances the rigidity of the cover 104.

The lid flange 146 also includes eight integrally formed fastening tabs 134 extending downwardly from the lid flange. The securing protrusion 134 is generally dome-shaped in the illustrated implementation, but may be other shapes and sizes in other implementations. In addition, other implementations may include more fastening tabs, fewer fastening tabs, or no fastening tabs. As shown in fig. 11C, each of the fastening protrusions 134 of the cover flange 146 is vertically aligned with one of the integrally formed fastening grooves 132 of the base flange 116 to form the fastener 131. In operation, each fastening groove 132 may receive a corresponding fastening protrusion 134 when the cover 104 is placed on the base 102. Such fasteners 131 may, among other things, limit lateral or rotational movement of the cover 104 relative to the base 102, which maintains alignment of the cover relative to the base. In some implementations, each fastening groove 132 can be sized and dimensioned to receive a corresponding fastening protrusion 134 in response to an external force that pushes the fastening groove and fastening protrusion together when the cover 104 is placed on the base 102, thereby forming an interference or press fit. In such implementations, upon receiving the fastening protrusions 134, the fastening grooves 132 may generate a fastening force that facilitates maintaining the cover 104 on the base 102 in a closed configuration. Such a securing force resists external forces applied to the container 100 such that the container remains closed throughout storage, transport, or any other function of the container.

In some implementations, the base flange 116 can include a plurality of fastening protrusions extending upwardly from the base flange, and the cover flange 146 can include a corresponding number of fastening grooves extending upwardly from the cover flange. In such implementations, the fastening groove of the cover 104 can receive the fastening protrusion of the base 102.

For plastic blister or thermoformed packages, due to their resilient nature, when the fastening or positioning mechanism is disengaged, the mechanism will produce an audible cue (e.g., "snap") to signal movement. This is due to the "undercut" design, which is a well known design technique in the plastic packaging industry. This is possible because the plastic molding process allows for an undercut design. For paper or molded pulp products, it may not be possible to make such an undercut design, and therefore it is generally believed that molded pulp packages cannot have any locking design with an audible snap function. However, in some implementations of the present disclosure, due to the combination of dimensional interference, angles, and thicknesses of the base 102 and cover 104, the fastening mechanism provides an unexpected performance with an audible cue (e.g., "snap") when the fastening protrusions disengage from the corresponding fastening grooves. In some implementations, the audible cue can be generated more than once (e.g., each time the fastening projection is disengaged from the fastening groove). In some implementations, each fastening groove has a depth greater than 5 millimeters and a diameter greater than 8 millimeters, and each fastening protrusion has a depth less than the depth of the fastening groove by 1 millimeter and a diameter greater than the diameter of the fastening groove by 1 millimeter.

The dome portion 136 also includes an irregularly shaped convex inner edge 150 disposed radially inward of the convex outer edge 142 and a substantially flat roof portion 152 disposed inward of the convex inner edge. In some implementations, the convex inner rim 150 has a radially asymmetric profile. A downwardly extending dome portion channel or trough 154 is positioned radially between the convex outer rim 142 and the convex inner rim 150. In other implementations, the shape and size of the convex outer edge 142, the dome portion channel 154, and the convex inner edge 150 may be different. Together, the convex outer edge 142, the dome portion channel 154, and the convex inner edge 150 provide rigidity to the dome portion 136, which as discussed below provides support to the roof portion 152 and facilitates stacking of multiple containers 100 together. In the illustrated example, the height of the convex inner edge 150 is lower than the height of the convex outer edge 142, but in other implementations, the height of the inner edge may be equal to or greater than the height of the outer edge. As discussed further below with reference to fig. 11A-11C, the outer rim 142 of the central dome portion 136 also includes eight spaced-apart dome grooves 156, each dome groove being sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of a corresponding sector well 128 of the base 102 of another food container 100 when the another food container is stacked on top of the lid 104 of the food container.

The shape of the sidewall 144, raised outer rim 142, dome portion channel 154, and raised inner rim 150, among other things, serves to improve the rigidity of the lid 104 and serves to distribute the supporting force when an object (e.g., one or more other food containers) is stacked on the lid 104. Further, the shape of the inner surface 138 of the central dome portion 136 and/or the texture (e.g., rough texture) of the inner surface may tend to absorb or retain moisture (e.g., condensation), which reduces the amount of moisture returned into the hot food item (e.g., pizza) that may cause degradation of the quality of the food item. In addition, the generally circular shape of the central dome portion 136, which corresponds to a circular food item (e.g., pizza), provides a reduced surface area for heat transfer as compared to conventional square pizza boxes, thus extending the duration that the food item remains at an elevated temperature. In other implementations, the size and/or dimensions of the central dome portion 136 may be different than shown in the illustrated implementations.

As shown in fig. 4A and 4B, the inner surface 138 of the sidewall 144 of the central dome portion 136 has an inwardly and downwardly facing peripheral channel 160 sized and dimensioned to form an engagement with the raised peripheral rim 110 of the base 102 when the cover 104 is engaged with the base. When the lid 104 is engaged with the base 102, the peripheral channel 160 of the lid's side wall 144 contacts the top surface 112 of the raised rim 110 of the base 102 and the side wall 114 to form a "seal" that can limit or even prevent air from flowing into or out of the enclosed chamber 106 containing the food items. In some implementations, the peripheral channel 160 and the raised rim 110 are sized and dimensioned to form an interference or press fit therebetween when the cover 104 is engaged with the base 102.

The various features of the dome portion 136 provide significant strength that allows, among other things, a plurality of food containers 100 to be stacked together. In particular, the dome portion 136 includes several curved or angled portions that together improve the stiffness of the cover 104. For example, the dome portion 136 includes a peripheral channel 160 adjacent the base flange 116, a curved sidewall 144 radially inward of the peripheral channel, a convex outer edge 142 radially inward of the sidewall, a dome portion channel 154 radially inward of the convex outer edge, a convex inner edge 150 radially inward of the dome portion channel, and a flat roof portion 152 radially inward of the convex inner edge.

When the lid 104 is engaged with the base 102 (fig. 4A), the base flange 116 and lid flange 146 are also contacted and fastened by the fasteners 131, which, as described above, serve to limit lateral or rotational movement between the lid and base to increase the strength of the assembled food container 100 and increase the restriction of airflow into the chamber 106. As described above, in some implementations, the fasteners 131 may form an interference or press fit between each pair of protrusions 134 and recesses 132 of the cover 104 and base 102, respectively. In such implementations, the fastener 131 also functions to retain the cover 104 on the base 102.

In the illustrated implementation, the outer dimensions of the base 102 and the cover 104 are substantially matched, which aids a user in aligning the cover 104 when the cover is placed on the base during use, particularly when the cover is not connected to the base via a hinge (e.g., a flexible joint). In some implementations, due to the various symmetries of the base 102 and the cover 104, the cover can be secured to the base at any of four relative rotational angles (e.g., 0 °, 90 °, 180 °, and 270 °) with respect to the base. That is, the edge 148A (FIG. 1B) of the cover 104 can be vertically aligned with any of the edges 118A-118D of the base 102. To remove the cover 104 from the base 102, a user may lift the cover relative to the base with a force sufficient to overcome the "seal" between the peripheral channel 160 of the cover and the rim 110 of the base, and in implementations in which the fasteners 131 are secured by an interference or press fit, a force sufficient to overcome the fastening force of the respective fastener 131.

As shown in fig. 1B, in some implementations, the raised rim 110 of the base 102 includes one or more grooves or notches 162 at the intersection of the top surface 112 of the rim 110 and the side walls 114. Such grooves 162 may serve to release the seal between the lid 104 and the base 102 when the user begins to lift the lid from the base before the peripheral channel 160 disengages from the remainder of the raised rim 110. Such features advantageously make the lid 104 easier to remove from the base 102 when a user desires to access food items in the food container 100.

The base 102 and lid 104 of the food container 100 may nest with the other bases and lids, respectively, and have a minimum amount of vertical height (i.e., substantially the thickness of the material of each component). That is, when the first base 102 is stacked on top of the second base, the top surface of the feature of the lower second base is positioned adjacent to the bottom surface of the corresponding feature of the upper first base with minimal air space therebetween. Similarly, when the first cover 104 is stacked on top of the second cover, the top surface of the feature of the lower second cover is positioned adjacent to the bottom surface of the corresponding feature of the upper first cover. Thus, multiple bases may be stacked together at a height much less than the combined height of a single base. Similarly, multiple covers may be stacked together at a height much less than the combined height of the individual covers. Such nesting features are advantageous for transporting and storing food containers 100 in small spaces (e.g., restaurants, vehicles, packaging).

Furthermore, unlike conventional pizza boxes formed from cardboard blanks that must be folded, no pre-assembly is required. Thus, the user does not need to handle the base 102 and cover 104 before selecting for performing their intended function, which greatly reduces the likelihood of contamination.

In operation, a user can select a base 102 from a stack of nested bases, place a food item (cooked or uncooked) on the food receiving portion 108 of the base, select a lid 104 from a stack of nested lids, and place the lid on the base, as shown in fig. 1A and 2A.

Because the food items are generally supported above the flat surface 109 of the food receiving portion 108 by the raised ribs 130 and the sector edges 126 of each sector 124, juice dripping from the food items falls off the food items and into the sector wells 128, the centerwell 120, and/or the channels 122. Such features, in addition to enhancing the rigidity of the food container, also prevent the bottom of the food item from becoming soggy. Thus, the foregoing features of food container 100 provide an enclosure that is light, strong, disintegratable and supports food items in a manner that maintains the food items in a dry-hot state, which preserves the freshness of the food items.

Fig. 11A-11C illustrate how a food container 100 may be stacked with one or more other food containers (e.g., another food container 200 that is substantially identical or identical to the food container 100). As shown in fig. 11C, the inward facing portion of the apex of the convex outer rim 142 of the central dome portion 136 of the cover 104 includes a plurality of dome grooves or abutments 156 radially spaced from the center of the dome portion. Each of the domed recesses 156 is sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of one of the scalloped wells 128 of the base 102 of another food container 100 when the other food container is stacked on top of the lid 104 of the food container 200. In some implementations, the shape of the groove 156 may be complementary to the shape of the fan well 158 to maximize the surface area of contact between the groove and the fan well. Thus, the scalloped wells 128 serve as "feet" for the base of the food container 100 when the food container 100 is stacked on top of the food container 200. When in this stacked relationship, only the scalloped wells 128 of the base 102 of the top food container 100 contact the domed recess 156 of the lid 104 of the bottom food container 200, which provides a significant air space between the two containers 100 and 200, minimizing heat transfer therebetween. In addition, because the scalloped wells 128 of the base 102 of the top food container 100 are spaced apart from the food product in the food container 100 and the scalloped grooves 156 of the dome portion 136 of the bottom food container 200 are not in contact with the food product in the food container 200, the surfaces of the food containers adjacent the hot food product do not contact each other when the containers are stacked, which further minimizes heat transfer between the containers.

As described above, the outer rim 142 of the central dome portion 136 is structurally rigid and serves to distribute the supporting force of the scalloped wells 128 of the base 102 when the top food container 100 is stacked on the lid 104 of the bottom food container 200. Further, when the food containers 100 are stacked on the food containers 200 and the bottom surface of each of the scalloped wells 128 of the base 102 is received in a respective one of the domed recesses 156, lateral or rotational movement of the food containers 100 and 200 relative to each other is limited, which helps to maintain the food containers in a stacked relationship during transport of the food containers.

Fig. 12 shows a simplified schematic of a base 240 for a food product container. The base 240 may be similar or identical to the base 102 discussed above. In this implementation, the base 240 includes a food receiving portion 242 that includes N channels CC1-N that delineate corresponding N scalloped portions SP 1-N. The channel CC1-N and scalloped portions SP1-N may be similar to the channel 122 and scalloped portions 124, respectively, discussed above. As a non-limiting example, the number N may be equal to a positive integer (e.g., 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 16).

Fig. 13 illustrates a cross-sectional elevation view of a base 102, and includes a plurality of dimensional measurements and radius of curvature measurements in millimeters of the base 102, according to one or more implementations. Fig. 6 also shows exemplary measurements of the outer edge of the cover 104 and/or the base 102. As shown, in some implementations, the base 102 and the cover 104 may each have an outer dimension of 410 millimeters by 410 millimeters. The aforementioned reinforcing structural features allow the food container 100 to be relatively large and utilize a relatively thin layer of material for each of the base and lid, while providing the aforementioned required support for receiving food items and/or stacking multiple food containers together. Such measurements are provided as examples only and should not be considered limiting.

Referring now to fig. 14A-21, various views of a food container 300 are shown. The food container 300 may be similar or identical to the food containers 100 and 200 in many respects (e.g., shape, material, size, features). Accordingly, at least some of the above discussion applies to food container 300 and may not be repeated below for the sake of brevity.

As shown in fig. 14B, the food container 300 includes a base 302 and a separate lid 304 that cooperate as shown in the figures and described below to form an enclosed chamber for supporting, protecting, isolating and optionally cooking a food product (e.g., pizza). In at least some implementations, the base 302 is formed from a single layer of insulating material and includes an upwardly facing circular food receiving portion 308 on which the pizza is received. The base 302 also includes a raised peripheral rim 310 disposed about the periphery of the food receiving portion 308. The rim 310 includes a convex upwardly facing top surface 312 (fig. 21) and a downwardly and outwardly extending sidewall 314 that intersects a substantially flat base flange 316 extending outwardly from the rim. As shown in fig. 14B, the base flange 316 has a substantially rectangular (e.g., square) outer perimeter with rounded corners defined by first and second parallel edges 318A, 318B and third and fourth parallel edges 318C, 318D (collectively "one or more edges 318"). The base flange 316, among other things, adds rigidity to the base 302.

The food receiving portion 308 of the base 302 includes a planar surface 309 and a plurality of features extending at least one of upwardly or downwardly from the planar surface 309. Specifically, the food receiving portion 308 includes a central well 320 that extends downwardly from the planar surface 309 and receives drippings of juice or condensate from deli (e.g., pizza) placed in the food container 300. In the illustrated implementation, the centerwell 320 has a circular perimeter, but may have other shapes (e.g., triangular, octagonal) in other implementations.

The food receiving portion 308 also includes a plurality of food receiving portion channels or flutes 322 (also referred to herein as "channels") extending downward below the planar surface 309 and extending radially outward from the central well 320 and terminating at the raised peripheral rim 310. In some implementations, the radial channels 322 may extend only partially between the central well 320 and the raised peripheral rim 310. In the illustrated implementation, each of the channels 322 has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile, but in other implementations, the channels may have other shapes (e.g., V-shapes). In some implementations, each channel 322 may slope downward from the rim 310 toward the centerwell 320 to facilitate liquid flow through the channel into the centerwell. Each pair of adjacent channels 322 and a corresponding portion of the raised peripheral rim 310 delineate a respective scalloped portion 324 of the food receiving portion 308 that supports a portion of a food item (e.g., a single pizza slice). In the illustrated implementation, the base 302 includes eight channels 322 and eight scallops 324. In general, the base 302 may include N channels and N scalloped portions, where N is a positive integer.

The plurality of channels 322 are equally spaced radially so that a food item (e.g., pizza) can be cut into equal-sized pieces as a cutting tool (e.g., knife) moves along the channels. Because the channel 322 extends downward from the planar surface 309, a user can cut through the food item above the channel without damaging (e.g., cutting) the food-receiving portion 308 of the base 302. Further, each of the channels 322 is not parallel to each of the edges 318A-318D of the base 302, which increases the stiffness of the base. In the illustrated implementation, each of the channels 322 is offset 22.5 ° from vertical with respect to a respective one of the edges 318A-318D toward which the channel extends. Further, each of the channels 322 is collinear with an opposing channel that extends radially in an opposite direction. Thus, when the lid 304 is to be discarded (e.g., disassembled), a user can fold the base along an axis extending through the two opposing collinear channels to reduce the size of the base, thereby fitting the base within the disassembled container.

Among other things, the channels 322 serve to enhance the rigidity of the base 302 and provide support to the food receiving portion 308 when the base is placed on a stationary surface such as a table, oven, or another food container. The channel 322 also serves as a guide for a cutting tool to cut eight equal-sized pieces of food items (e.g., pizza). In addition, the channels 322 provide an air space beneath the food items, which provides additional insulation. In some implementations, because the channel 322 can be substantially covered by the food item placed on the food receiving portion 308, indicia (e.g., visual and/or tactile indicia) can be positioned radially along the channel on or adjacent the rim 310 to assist the user in slicing the pizza along the channel.

As described above, each pair of adjacent channels 322 and a corresponding portion (e.g., a 45 ° arc) of the raised peripheral edge 310 delineate a respective sector 324 of the food receiving portion 308 that receives a single piece of food item (e.g., a pizza piece). Each scallop 324 includes a portion of the flat surface 309 and a raised scallop rim 326 (fig. 14B) that extends upward from the flat surface and adjacent to each of the channels 322 that define the scallop. In addition to supporting the food item above the flat surface 309, the raised scalloped portion edges 326 adjacent the channels 322 can also help support the food item near the cutting location, thereby facilitating the cutting process to provide an accurate single piece.

Each sector 324 also includes a sector well 328 that can receive dripping juice from the food product. In the illustrated implementation, each sector well has a peripheral edge adjacent to the flat surface 309 that has an elliptical profile. In other implementations, each of the peripheral edges can have a contour of at least one of a circle, a triangle, a square, another shape, or a symbol (e.g., a logo). Each sector 324 also includes a plurality of raised sector ribs or projections 330 extending upwardly from the planar surface 309 about a sector well 328, with the uppermost portion supporting a hot food product (e.g., a pizza). In some implementations, the combined area of the ribs 330 in the scalloped portion 324 is smaller than the portion of the flat surface 309 in the scalloped portion. Thus, when a food product is supported on the uppermost portion of the ribs 330 and the raised scallop rim 326, heat loss due to conduction through the flat surface 309 is significantly reduced as compared to a food container having a flat bottom surface with a relatively large surface area in contact with the bottom surface of the food product. In addition, the raised ribs 330 and scalloped portion edges 326 tend to isolate the bottom surface of the food product from the flat surface 309, which prevents the food product from becoming soggy due to liquid trapped on the flat surface 309 of the food receiving portion 308.

In the illustrated implementation, the ribs 330 are elongated in shape and have a length dimension that extends radially with respect to the centerwell 320. Additionally, in the illustrated implementation, the ribs 330 are radially symmetrical. In other implementations, the number, size, and dimensions of the raised ribs 330 may be different than that shown in the figures. The raised ribs 330 also serve to improve the stiffness of the base 302.

In some implementations, each of the plurality of features of the base 302 including the raised rim 310, the center well 320, the scalloped wells 328, the channels 322, and the raised scalloped ribs 330 is spaced apart from at least one other feature of the plurality of features by a distance less than or equal to one inch. In some implementations, the food-receiving portion 308 of the base 302 does not have a continuous flat surface that exceeds 2 inches by 2 inches due to the aforementioned plurality of features. Such features significantly improve the strength of the base 302 while allowing the base to have a length dimension greater than 12 inches (e.g., 16 inches), a width dimension greater than 12 inches (e.g., 16 inches), an overall height less than 1.5 inches (e.g., 1 inch), a material thickness between 0.5 millimeters and 1.0 millimeters (e.g., 0.8 millimeters). In other implementations, the base 302 may have a relatively large height and the cover 304 may have a relatively small height.

The outwardly facing sidewall 314 of the raised rim 310 of the base 302 includes four cover interface portions 332 spaced 90 ° apart from one another that extend radially outward from the remainder of the outwardly facing sidewall 314. As discussed further below, when the cover is engaged with the base, the cover interface portion 332 of the base 302 engages the inwardly and downwardly facing peripheral channel 360 of the cover 304 to provide a friction fit between the cover and the base that retains the cover on the base until removed by a user.

In some implementations, at least some of the centerwell 320 and the fan wells 328 extend down to the lowest portion of the base 302 such that they are weight bearing and serve as "feet" that create an insulated air space between the food receiving portion 308 of the base 302 and the resting surface when the base is supported on the resting surface. Thus, the raised ribs 330 of each sector, along with at least some of the central well 320 and the sector wells 328, form an insulating layer of air between the flat surface 309 of the food-receiving portion 308 and the food product, and between the food-receiving portion and the resting surface using only a single layer of material (i.e., the material forming the base 302). In addition, the aforementioned "feet" raise the remainder of the base 302 (and the cover 304, when engaged with the base) to a position slightly above the resting surface (e.g., a table), which results in the projection of a shadow, similar to a more positive dinner tray.

The cover 304 comprises a single layer of thermally insulating material (e.g., molded fiber) and includes a central dome portion 336 that includes a substantially downward facing inner surface 338 (fig. 15B) and a substantially upward facing outer surface 340 (fig. 14B). In at least some implementations, the outer surface 340 is rounded, which facilitates printing (e.g., laser printing, pad printing) text and/or graphics (e.g., logos, images, instructions) thereon. As shown in fig. 14B, the dome portion 336 includes a raised outer rim 342 spaced radially outwardly from the center of the dome portion that terminates in a downwardly and outwardly extending sidewall 344. The side wall 344 intersects a cover flange 346 extending laterally outwardly therefrom. The lid flange 346 has a substantially circular outer periphery and includes a tab portion 348A that can align with one of the four corner portions of the base flange 316 when the lid 304 is engaged with the base. The tab portion 348A may be flat in shape or may have an upwardly extending distal portion 348B that may be grasped by a user to remove the cover 304 from the base 302 during use. Lid flange 346, among other things, enhances the rigidity of lid 304.

Dome portion 336 also includes a substantially flat canopy portion 352 disposed radially inward of raised outer rim 342. Raised outer rim 342 provides rigidity to dome portion 336, which provides support for roof portion 352 and facilitates stacking of multiple containers 300 together as discussed below. The outer rim 342 of the central dome portion 336 also includes eight spaced apart dome grooves 356, each dome groove sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of a corresponding sector well 328 of the base 302 of another food container 300 when the another food container is stacked on top of the lid 304 of the food container.

As described above, the inner surface 338 of the sidewall 344 of the central dome portion 336 has a peripheral channel 360 that is sized and dimensioned to engage the cover interface portion 332 of the raised peripheral rim 310 of the base 302 when the cover 304 is engaged with the base. In some implementations, the peripheral channel 360 of the raised rim 310 and the lid interface portion 332 are sized and dimensioned to form a friction or interference fit therebetween when the lid 304 is engaged with the base 302.

The various features of the dome portion 336 provide significant strength that allows, among other things, a plurality of food containers 300 to be stacked together. Specifically, the dome portion 336 includes several curved or angled portions that together improve the stiffness of the cover 304. For example, the dome portion 336 includes a peripheral channel 360 adjacent the base flange 316, a curved sidewall 344 radially inward of the peripheral channel, a convex outer rim 342 radially inward of the sidewall, and a flat roof portion 352 radially inward of the convex inner rim.

As shown in fig. 14B, in some implementations, the raised rim 310 of the base 302 includes one or more grooves or notches 362 at the intersection of the top surface 312 of the rim 310 and the side wall 314. Such grooves 362 may serve to release the seal between the cover 304 and the base 302 when a user begins to lift the cover from the base before the peripheral channel 360 disengages from the cover interface portion 332 of the raised rim 310. Such features advantageously allow the lid 304 to be more easily removed from the base 302 when a user desires to access food items in the food container 300.

The base 302 and lid 304 of the food container 300 may nest with the other bases and lids, respectively, and have a minimum amount of vertical height (i.e., substantially the thickness of the material of each component). That is, when the first base 302 is stacked on top of the second base, the top surface of the feature of the lower second base is positioned adjacent to the bottom surface of the corresponding feature of the upper first base with minimal air space therebetween. Similarly, when the first cover 304 is stacked on top of the second cover, the top surface of the feature of the lower second cover is positioned adjacent to the bottom surface of the corresponding feature of the upper first cover. Thus, multiple bases may be stacked together at a height much less than the combined height of a single base. Similarly, multiple covers may be stacked together at a height much less than the combined height of the individual covers. Such nesting features are advantageous for transporting and storing food containers 300 in small spaces (e.g., restaurants, vehicles, packaging).

In at least some implementations, the cap 304 can include one or more spaced apart non-nesting lugs 334 disposed on an inwardly facing surface 350 of the dome portion 336 spaced radially inward from the raised outer rim 342. The non-nesting lugs 334 may be spaced from each other at uneven intervals around the circumference of the inwardly facing surface 350. The non-nesting lugs 334 serve to make it easier for the user to separate the lids from each other when the lids are stacked. Thus, for example, a lid manufacturer may provide multiple lids stacked together, which may be easily separated prior to use. In particular, non-nesting ledge 334 provides spacing between two stacked lids 304, which allows easy gripping of only one of the lids by a person or machine. The non-uniform spacing of the non-nesting lugs 334 can reduce the likelihood that a non-nesting lug of one lid will align and mate with a non-nesting lug of another lid stacked on the lid, which would otherwise result in the non-nesting lugs failing to provide the desired spacing between the two lids.

Referring to fig. 22A-22C, various views of a food product container 500 are shown. For illustrative purposes, the food container 500 is shown as a container for holding pizza, but it should be understood that the disclosure is not so limited. As shown in fig. 22A, the food container 500 includes a base 502 and a separate lid 504 that cooperate as shown in the figures and described below to form an enclosed interior chamber 506 for supporting, protecting, isolating, and optionally cooking a food product (e.g., pizza).

In some implementations, the base 502 and the cover 504 can each be separately formed from a single layer of liquid-resistant insulating material, including, but not limited to, molded sugar cane fiber ("bagasse"), molded wood fiber, molded bamboo fiber, molded paper, plastic (e.g., biodegradable plastic, thermoplastic material, bio-based plastic, recycled plastic, recyclable plastic), or synthetic food-safe material other than plastic. The base 502 and/or the cover 504 may be opaque, translucent, or transparent (e.g., an opaque base made of molded fiber and a cover made of a transparent plastic material). This is in contrast to conventional pizza boxes made from corrugated cardboard. In implementations in which the base 502 and cover 504 are formed from molded fibers, the single layer of material may have a relatively small thickness of between 0.5mm and 1.0mm (e.g., 0.8 mm). In implementations in which the base 502 and cover 504 are formed of plastic (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA)), the single layer of material may have a thickness of 0.5-0.6mm or less.

In some implementations, the base 502 is formed from a single layer of insulating material and includes an upwardly facing circular food receiving portion 508 on which the pizza is received. The base 502 also includes a raised peripheral rim 510 disposed about the periphery of the food receiving portion 508. Rim 510 includes a convex upwardly facing top surface and a downwardly and outwardly extending sidewall 514 that intersects with a substantially flat base flange 516 extending outwardly from the rim. As shown in fig. 22B, the base flange 516 has a substantially rectangular (e.g., square) outer perimeter with rounded corners defined by first and second parallel edges 518A, 518B and third and fourth parallel edges 518C, 518D (collectively "one or more edges 518"). The base flange 516, among other things, adds rigidity to the base 502.

The food receiving portion 508 of the base 502 includes a planar surface 509 and a plurality of features extending at least one of upwardly or downwardly from the planar surface 509. Specifically, the food receiving portion 508 includes a central well 520 that extends downwardly from the planar surface 109 and receives drippings of juice or condensate from cooked food (e.g., pizza) placed in the food container 500. In the illustrated implementation, the centerwell 520 has a circular perimeter, but may have other shapes (e.g., triangular, octagonal) in other implementations.

The food receiving portion 508 also includes a plurality of food receiving portion channels or grooves 522 (also referred to herein as "channels") that are recessed downward below the planar surface 509 and span at least a portion of the planar surface 509. In some implementations, the radial channel 522 may extend only partially across the planar surface 509. In the illustrated implementation, each of the channels 522 has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile, but in other implementations, the channels may have other shapes (e.g., V-shapes). In some implementations, each channel 522 may slope downward from rim 510 toward centerwell 520 to facilitate liquid flow through the channel into the centerwell.

One or more of the channels 522 may include a separation line 523A, B (collectively 523) that extends partially or completely across the base 502. Each separation line 523 may be used to physically separate the base 502 along the separation line. This separation may be selectively achieved, for example, by a user separating or tearing the base 522 along one of the separation lines 523 extending along the channel 502. As shown in fig. 22B, one or more of the separation lines 523 may extend across the base 502 from one edge 518 of the base 502 to the opposite edge 518 of the base 502 through one or more channels 522. In some implementations, at least some of the separation lines 523 can intersect one another. Each separation line 523 can be used to manually separate the base 502 along the separation line 523 via, for example, tearing, without the use of tools (e.g., scissors, knives). In some implementations, the notch 525 can be cut into the base flange 516 and directed toward the raised peripheral rim 510. The notch 525 may be aligned with one of the separation lines and thus may be advantageously manipulated to facilitate tearing or separation of the base 502 along the separation line 523.

In some implementations, the separation line 523 can include a row of perforations 523 a. Such perforations 523a may be of any shape (circular, oval, elliptical, rectangular, elongated slit, etc.). In some implementations, some or all of the perforations 523a may extend completely through the base 502. In some implementations, some or all of the perforations 523a may extend only partially through the base 502. In some implementations, the separation line 523 can be a tear line 523b formed by a groove that forms a continuous groove into at least a portion of the base 502. The tear line 523b can extend from one edge 518 of the base through the food receiving portion 508 and a portion of the base flange 516 of the base 502 to the opposite edge 518. The thickness of the base 502 along the tear line 523b may be less than the thickness of the rest of the base 502. For example, the base may be formed of a material having a substantially uniform thickness, except at the parting or tear lines where the thickness is reduced relative to the thickness across the remainder of the base. The parting or tear line may be pre-weakened, i.e. deliberately weakened, e.g. by repeated flexing, exposure to chemicals or irradiation by ionizing or non-ionizing (UV, IR) radiation, before the manufacturer distributes it to the end user or retailer.

As shown in fig. 22B, a pair of channels 522 and corresponding portions of one or more edges 518 may delineate respective detachable portions 524 of the food receiving portion 508 that support a portion of the food item (e.g., a single pizza slice). In the illustrated implementation, the base 502 includes eight channels 522 including separation lines 523 and eight removable portions 524. In some implementations, not all of the channels 522 include a separation line 523. Generally, for a circular food object such as a pizza, the base 502 may include N channels with a separation line 523 and N detachable portions, where N is a positive integer. For example, as shown in fig. 22C, the base 502 of fig. 22A and 22B is separated into eight different detachable portions 524 along separation lines 523 in each of the channels 522. Thus, as shown in fig. 22C, the detachable portions 524 may be delineated by each of the adjacent channels 522 and corresponding portions of the one or more edges 518 of the base 502. In some implementations, the plurality of detachable portions 524 can be separated from the base 502 as one continuous unit by selectively separating the non-adjacent channels 522 and corresponding portions of the raised rim 510 from the remainder of the base 502. In some implementations, the separation line 523 may not be present in all of the channels 522, such that the detachable portion 524 may correspond to a relatively large portion of the food item, such as a half or quarter pizza.

The plurality of channels 522 are equally radially spaced apart to enable a food item (e.g., pizza) to be cut into equal-sized pieces when a cutting tool (e.g., knife) or device is engaged with the channels 522. For example, because the channel 522 is recessed downward from the planar surface 509, a user can cut through the food item above the channel 522 without damaging (e.g., cutting) the food receiving portion 508 of the base 502. Further, each of the channels 522 may not be parallel to each of the edges 518 of the base 502, which increases the stiffness of the base. In the illustrated implementation, each of the channels 522 is offset 22.5 ° from vertical with respect to a respective one of the edges 518. Further, each of the channels 522 may be collinear with an opposing channel 522 that extends radially in opposite directions from the center of the food product receiving portion 508 of the base 502. Thus, when the lid 504 is to be discarded (e.g., disassembled), a user can fold the base along an axis extending through the two opposing collinear channels to reduce the size of the base, thereby fitting the base within the disassembled container.

The channel 522 serves, among other things, to enhance the rigidity of the base 502 and provide support to the food receiving portion 508 when the base is placed on a stationary surface such as a table, oven, or another food container. The channel 522 also serves as a guide for a cutting tool or device to cut eight equal-sized pieces of food items (e.g., pizza). In addition, the channel 522 provides an air space under the food item, which provides additional insulation. In some implementations, because the channel 522 may be substantially covered by the food item placed on the food-receiving portion 508, indicia (e.g., visual and/or tactile indicia) may be positioned radially along the channel 522 on or adjacent to the rim 510 to assist the user in cutting the food item into pieces along the channel 522.

As described above, a pair of channels 522 including separation lines 523 and corresponding portions (e.g., 45 ° arc-shaped portions) of one or more edges 518 delineate respective detachable portions 524 of the food item receiving portion 508 that receive individual pieces of food items (e.g., pizza pieces). Each detachable portion 524 includes a portion of the planar surface 509 and a raised detachable portion rim 526 that extends upwardly from the planar surface and adjacent each of the channels 522 that define the detachable portion 524. In addition to supporting food items above the flat surface 509, the raised removable portion rim 526 adjacent the channel 522 may also help support food items near the cutting location, thereby facilitating the cutting process to provide an accurate single piece.

Each removable section 524 also includes a fan well 528 that can receive dripping juice from the food product. In the illustrated implementation, each sector well 528 has a peripheral edge adjacent the flat surface 509 that has an elliptical profile. In other implementations, each of the peripheral edges can have a contour of at least one of a circle, a triangle, a square, another shape, or a symbol (e.g., a logo). Each detachable section 524 may also include a plurality of raised fan ribs or protrusions 530 extending upwardly from the planar surface 509, the plurality of raised fan ribs or protrusions having an uppermost portion that supports a hot food product (e.g., a pizza). In some implementations, the combined area of the ribs 530 in the scalloped portion 524 is smaller than the portion of the flat surface 509 in the scalloped portion. Thus, when a food product is supported on the uppermost portion of the ribs 530 and the raised detachable portion rim 526, heat loss due to conduction through the flat surface 509 is significantly reduced as compared to a food container having a flat bottom surface with a relatively large surface area in contact with the bottom surface of the food product. In addition, the raised ribs 530 and the detachable portion rim 526 tend to isolate the bottom surface of the food product from the flat surface 509, which prevents the food product from becoming soggy due to trapped liquid on the flat surface 509 of the food receiving portion 508.

In the illustrated implementation, the ribs 530 are elongated in shape and have a length dimension that extends radially with respect to the centerwell 520. Additionally, in the illustrated implementation, the ribs 530 are radially symmetric. In other implementations, the number, size, and dimensions of the raised ribs 530 may be different than that shown in the figures. The raised ribs 530 also serve to improve the stiffness of the base 502.

In some implementations, each of the plurality of features of the base 502 including the raised rim 510, the center well 520, the scalloped wells 528, the channel 522, and the raised scalloped ribs 530 is spaced apart from at least one other feature of the plurality of features by a distance less than or equal to one inch. In some implementations, the food-receiving portion 508 of the base 502 does not have a continuous flat surface of more than 2 inches by 2 inches due to the aforementioned plurality of features. Such features significantly increase the strength of the base 502 while allowing the base to have a length dimension greater than 12 inches (e.g., 16 inches), a width dimension greater than 12 inches (e.g., 16 inches), an overall height less than 1.5 inches (e.g., 1 inch), a material thickness between 0.5 millimeters and 1.0 millimeters (e.g., 0.8 millimeters). In other implementations, the base 502 may have a relatively large height and the cover 504 may have a relatively small height.

The base flange 516 extending around the raised rim 510 includes eight fastening grooves or standoffs 532 extending downwardly from the base flange. As described below, each of the fastening grooves 532 of the base 502 receives a corresponding one of a plurality of downwardly extending fastening protrusions 534 of the cover 504 to selectively retain the cover on the base 502. The fastening groove 532 is generally dome-shaped in the illustrated implementation, but may be other shapes and sizes in other implementations. In addition, other implementations may include more fastening grooves, fewer fastening grooves, or no fastening grooves.

In some implementations, at least some of the fastening grooves 532, the center well 520, and the fan wells 528 extend down to the lowest portion of the base 502 such that they are weight-bearing and serve as "feet" that create an insulating air space between the food-receiving portion 508 of the base 502 and the resting surface when the base is supported on the resting surface. The base 502 may include additional "feet" extending downward and spaced along the base 502 such that each removable portion 524 may rest stably on a resting surface. Thus, the raised ribs 530 of each sector, together with at least some of the fastening grooves 532, the central well 520, and the sector wells 528, form an air insulation layer between the flat surface 509 of the food receiving portion 508 and the food product, and between the food receiving portion and the resting surface using only a single layer of material (i.e., the material forming the base 502). In addition, the aforementioned "feet" raise the remainder of the base 502 (and cover 504, when engaged with the base) to a position slightly above the resting surface (e.g., table), which results in the projection of a shadow, similar to a more positive dinner tray.

The cover 504 comprises a single layer of thermally insulating material (e.g., molded fiber) and includes a substantially downward facing inner surface 538 and a substantially upward facing outer surface 540. As shown in fig. 22A, the cover 504 includes a raised outer rim 542 spaced radially outward from the center of the cover portion that terminates in a downwardly and outwardly extending sidewall 544. The side wall 544 intersects a substantially planar cover flange 546 extending laterally outwardly therefrom. Similar to the base flange 516, the cover flange 546 has a substantially rectangular outer periphery with rounded corners defined by first and second parallel edges 548A and 548B and third and fourth parallel edges 548C and 548D. The cover flange 546 enhances the rigidity of the cover 504, among other things.

The cover flange 546 also includes eight integrally formed fastening projections 534 extending downwardly from the cover flange. The securing protrusion 534 is generally dome-shaped in the illustrated implementation, but may be other shapes and sizes in other implementations. In addition, other implementations may include more fastening tabs, fewer fastening tabs, or no fastening tabs. As shown in fig. 22A, each of the fastening protrusions 534 of the cover flange 546 is vertically aligned with one of the integrally formed fastening grooves 532 of the base flange 516 to form a fastener 531. In operation, each fastening groove 532 can receive a corresponding fastening protrusion 534 when the cover 504 is placed on the base 502. Such fasteners 531 may, among other things, limit lateral or rotational movement of the cover 504 relative to the base 502, which maintains alignment of the cover relative to the base. In some implementations, each fastening groove 532 can be sized and dimensioned to receive a corresponding fastening protrusion 534 in response to an external force that pushes the fastening groove and fastening protrusion together when the cover 504 is placed on the base 502, thereby forming an interference or pressure fit. In such implementations, upon receiving the securing protrusion 534, the securing groove 532 may generate a securing force that facilitates maintaining the cover 504 on the base 502 in a closed configuration. Such a securing force resists external forces applied to the container 500 such that the container remains closed throughout storage, transport, or any other function of the container. The inner surface 538 of the cover 504 and the one or more removable portions 524 of the food receiving portion 508 of the base 502 may delineate the interior chamber 506 for receiving food items.

In some implementations, the base flange 516 can include a plurality of fastening protrusions extending upwardly from the base flange, and the cover flange 546 can include a corresponding number of fastening grooves extending upwardly from the cover flange. In such implementations, the fastening groove of the cover 504 can receive the fastening protrusion of the base 502.

For plastic blister or thermoformed packages, due to their resilient nature, when the fastening or positioning mechanism is disengaged, the mechanism will produce an audible cue (e.g., "snap") to signal movement. This is due to the "undercut" design, which is a well known design technique in the plastic packaging industry. This is possible because the plastic molding process allows for an undercut design. For paper or molded pulp products, it may not be possible to make such an undercut design, and therefore it is generally believed that molded pulp packages cannot have any locking design with an audible snap function. However, in some implementations of the present disclosure, due to the combination of dimensional interference, angles, and thicknesses of the base 502 and cover 504, the fastening mechanism provides an unexpected performance with an audible cue (e.g., "snap") when the fastening protrusions disengage from the corresponding fastening grooves. In some implementations, the audible cue can be generated more than once (e.g., each time the fastening projection is disengaged from the fastening groove). In some implementations, each fastening groove has a depth greater than 5 millimeters and a diameter greater than 8 millimeters, and each fastening protrusion has a depth less than the depth of the fastening groove by 1 millimeter and a diameter greater than the diameter of the fastening groove by 1 millimeter.

The cover 504 also includes an irregularly shaped convex inner rim 550 disposed radially inward of the convex outer rim 542 and a substantially flat roof portion 552 disposed inward of the convex inner rim. In some implementations, the convex inner rim 550 has a radially asymmetric profile. A downwardly extending cover portion channel or trough 554 is positioned radially between lobe outer edge 542 and lobe inner edge 550. In other implementations, the shape and size of the protrusion outer edge 542, the cover portion channel 554, and the protrusion inner edge 550 can be different. The bulge outer edges 542, the lid portion channels 554, and the bulge inner edges 550 together provide rigidity to the lid 504, which provides support to the roof portion 552 and facilitates stacking of multiple containers 500 together, as discussed below. In the illustrated example, the height of raised inner edge 550 is lower than the height of raised outer edge 542, but in other implementations, the height of the inner edge may be equal to or greater than the height of the outer edge. As discussed above with reference to fig. 11A-11C, the outer rim 542 of the lid 504 also includes eight spaced apart recesses 556, each recess sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of a corresponding scalloped well 528 of the base 502 of another food container 500 when the other food container is stacked on top of the lid 504 of the food container.

The shape of the side walls 544, the raised outer edges 542, the lid portion channels 554, and the raised inner edges 550, among other things, serve to improve the rigidity of the lid 504 and serve to distribute the supporting force when an object (e.g., one or more other food containers) is stacked on the lid 104. Further, the shape of the inner surface 138 of the lid 504 and/or the texture (e.g., rough texture) of the inner surface may tend to absorb or retain moisture (e.g., condensation), which reduces the amount of moisture returned into the hot food item (e.g., pizza) that may cause degradation of the quality of the food item. In addition, the generally circular shape of the lid 504 corresponding to a circular food item (e.g., pizza) provides a reduced surface area for heat transfer as compared to conventional square pizza boxes, thus extending the duration of time that the food item remains at an elevated temperature. In other implementations, the size and/or dimensions of the central dome portion 136 may be different than shown in the illustrated implementations.

The inner surface of the side wall 544 of the cover 504 has an inwardly and downwardly facing peripheral channel 560 sized and dimensioned to form an engagement with the raised peripheral rim 510 of the base 502 when the cover 504 is engaged with the base 502. When the lid 504 is engaged with the base 502, the peripheral channel 560 of the lid's sidewall 544 contacts the sidewall 514 of the raised rim 510 of the base 502 to form a "seal" that may restrict or even prevent air from flowing into or out of the sealed food container 500. In some implementations, the peripheral channel 560 and the raised rim 510 are sized and dimensioned to form an interference or press fit therebetween when the cover 504 is engaged with the base 502.

When the lid 504 is engaged with the base 502, the base flange 516 and the lid flange 546 are also contacted and fastened by the fasteners 531 used to limit lateral or rotational movement between the lid and the base as described above to increase the strength of the assembled food container 500 and limit airflow into the sealed food container 500. As described above, in some implementations, the fasteners 531 may form an interference or press fit between each pair of the protrusions 534 and the recesses 532 of the cover 504 and the base 502, respectively. In such implementations, the fastener 531 also functions to retain the cover 504 on the base 502.

In the illustrated implementation, the base 502 and the cover 504 have substantially matching outer dimensions, which aids a user in aligning the cover 504 when placing the cover on the base during use, particularly when the cover is not connected to the base via a hinge (e.g., a flexible joint). In some implementations, due to the various symmetries of the base 502 and the cover 504, the cover can be secured to the base at any of four relative rotational angles (e.g., 0 °, 90 °, 180 °, and 270 °) with respect to the base. That is, edge 548A (FIG. 1B) of cover 504 may be vertically aligned with any of edges 518A-518D of base 502. To remove the lid 504 from the base 502, a user may lift the lid relative to the base with a force sufficient to overcome the "seal" between the peripheral channel 560 of the lid 504 and the rim 510 of the base 502, and in implementations in which the fasteners 531 are secured by an interference or press fit, to overcome the fastening force of the respective fasteners 531.

The lid 504 and the removable base 502 may be conveniently used to transport large, hot, prepared food items (e.g., oversized baked pizza) between the dining position to the dining position while maintaining the food items at a desired dining temperature. Once the food item is in the dining position, one or more of the detachable portions 524 of the base 502 can be detached to provide an eating surface similar to a plate for supporting a portion of the food item being eaten. In some implementations, a plurality of consecutive detachable portions 524 can be separated from the base 502 as a consecutive unit to support a larger portion of the food item, such as a half or quarter pizza. For example, the various portions may be spread over a counter, table, or some other dining surface to provide multiple locations where a person may extract a portion of a food item.

Fig. 23 shows a base 502 and a corresponding platen 590, in which the base 502 may be placed on the platen 590 for processing by a machine or device, such as a cutting tool, according to one illustrated implementation. The base 502 may include one or more registration features 592a that may be selectively physically engaged with corresponding registration features 592b in the platen 590. As shown in fig. 23, the registration features 592a may include one or more of the fan-shaped wells 528 within the base 502 and one or more corresponding apertures 594 within the platen 590, wherein the apertures 594 are sized and dimensioned to receive a bottom portion of the fan-shaped wells 528. Additionally or alternatively, the platen 590 can also include one or more platen channels 596 corresponding to the channels 522 in the base 502. Thus, when the base 502 is aligned with and rests on the platen 590, at least a portion of the fan well 528 may be lowered into and engage the aperture 594 in the platen 590. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, at least some of the channels 522 in the base 502 may be engaged by the platen channels 596. Such engagement of the aperture 594 and/or the platen channel 596 may prevent the base 502 from moving when the apparatus or machine is processing food items supported by the food receiving portion 508 on the base 502.

Other types of registration features besides scallops 528 and apertures 594 and channels 522 and platen channels 596 may be used to align and engage base 502 on platen 590. For example, instead of using scalloped wells 528, the base 502 may include one or more tabs or other protrusions that may vertically align with and engage one or more apertures on the platen 590. In some implementations, the platen 590 can have a registration feature 592b that includes one or more protrusions or raised portions extending upwardly from the surface of the platen 590. Such protrusions may be vertically aligned with corresponding registration features 592a on the base 502, which may include one or more recessed areas or apertures on the base. In such implementations, each protrusion on the platen 590 can be sized and shaped to securely engage a corresponding aperture or raised portion on the base 502.

Fig. 24A-24C illustrate a portion of a rectangular food product container 600, including a base 602 and a separate lid 604 that cooperate as shown in the figures and described below to form a plurality of enclosed interior chambers 606 for supporting, protecting, isolating and optionally cooking a food product (e.g., a sandwich). The rectangular food container 600 may have a length 601 and a width 603.

In at least some implementations, the base 602 and the cover 604 can each be separately formed from a single layer of liquid-resistant insulating material, including, but not limited to, molded sugar cane fiber ("bagasse"), molded wood fiber, molded bamboo fiber, molded paper, plastic (e.g., biodegradable plastic, thermoplastic material, bio-based plastic, recycled plastic, recyclable plastic), or synthetic food-safe material other than plastic. The base 602 and/or the cover 604 may be opaque, translucent, or transparent (e.g., an opaque base made of molded fiber and a cover made of a transparent plastic material). In implementations in which the base 602 and cover 604 are formed from molded fibers, the single layer of material may have a relatively small thickness of between 0.5mm and 1.0mm (e.g., 0.8 mm). In implementations in which the base 602 and cover 604 are formed of plastic (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA)), the single layer of material may have a thickness of 0.5-0.6mm or less.

In some implementations, the base 602 is formed from a single layer of insulating material and includes an upwardly facing rectangular food receiving portion 608 on which a portion of a food item (e.g., sandwich, bread) is received. The base 602 also includes a raised peripheral rim 610 disposed about the periphery of the food receiving portion 608. Rim 610 includes a convex upwardly facing top surface and a downwardly and outwardly extending sidewall 614 that intersects with a substantially flat base flange 616 extending outwardly from the rim. As shown in fig. 24A, the base flange 616 has a substantially rectangular outer perimeter with rounded corners defined by first and second parallel edges 618A, 618B and third and fourth parallel edges 618C, 618D (collectively "edges 618"). The base flange 616, among other things, adds rigidity to the base 602.

The food receiving portion 608 of the base 602 includes a planar surface 609 and a plurality of features extending at least one of upwardly or downwardly from the planar surface 609. Specifically, the food receiving portion 608 includes a fan-shaped well 628 that extends downwardly from a planar surface 609 and receives dripping juices or condensates from cooked food (e.g., sandwiches) placed in the rectangular food container 600. In the illustrated implementation, the centerwell 620 has an oval perimeter, but may have other shapes (e.g., circular, triangular, octagonal designs) in other implementations.

The food receiving portion 608 also includes a plurality of food receiving portion channels or grooves 622 (also referred to herein as "channels") recessed downward below the planar surface 609 and spanning at least a portion of the planar surface 609. In some implementations, the channel 622 may extend only partially across the planar surface 609. In the illustrated implementation, each of the channels 622 has an open rectangular cross-sectional profile, but in other implementations, the channels may have other shapes (e.g., U-shape, V-shape). One or more of the channels 622 can include a separation line 623 (e.g., perforations 623a and/or tear lines 623b) that extends partially or fully through the base 602. Each separation line 623 may be used to create a physical separation in the base 602. This separation may be selectively achieved, for example, by a user selectively separating or tearing the base 622 along one of the separation lines 623 that extend along the channel 602. As shown in fig. 24A, one or more of the separation lines 623 may extend across the base 602 from one edge 618 (e.g., edge 618A) of the base 602 to an opposite edge 618 (e.g., edge 618B) of the base 602 through one or more channels 622. In some implementations, at least two of the separation lines 623 can intersect each other.

As shown in fig. 24A, the one or more channels 622 and corresponding portions of the one or more edges 618 can outline a corresponding detachable portion 624 of the food-receiving portion 608 that supports a portion of a food item (e.g., a portion of a sandwich). In the illustrated implementation, the base 602 includes three channels 622 including a separation line 623 and four removable portions 624. In some implementations, not all of the channels 622 include separation lines 623. For rectangular food objects such as sandwiches or breadsticks, the base 602 can include N channels with separation lines and N +1 detachable sections, where N is a positive integer. For example, as shown in fig. 24C, the base 602 of fig. 24A and 24B is separated into four distinct detachable portions 624 along separation lines 623 in each of the channels 622. Thus, as shown in fig. 24C, the detachable portion 624 can be delineated by each of the adjacent channels 622 and corresponding portions of the one or more edges 618 of the base 602. In some implementations, the plurality of detachable portions 624 can be separated from the base 602 as one continuous unit by selectively separating corresponding portions of the non-adjacent channels 622 and raised rims 614 from the remainder of the base 602. In some implementations, there may be no separation line 623 in all of the channels 622, such that the detachable portion 624 may correspond to a relatively large portion of a food item, such as a half or quarter sandwich.

The plurality of channels 622 may be equally spaced along the length 601 of the base 602 to enable a food item (e.g., a sandwich) to be cut into equal-sized pieces when a cutting tool (e.g., a knife) or device is engaged with the channels 622. In some implementations, the plurality of channels 622 need not be equally spaced, but may have a variable pitch. As shown in fig. 24A, the channel 622 may be parallel to a set of edges (e.g., 618C). In some implementations, the channel 622 is not parallel to the set of edges 618 and can be used, for example, to store sandwiches or other food items that have been cut using an angled (i.e., non-perpendicular) cut. For example, because the channel 622 is recessed downwardly from the planar surface 609, a user can cut through the food item above the channel 622 without damaging (e.g., cutting) the food receiving portion 608 of the base 602.

In addition, the channel 622 provides an air space under the food item, which provides additional insulation. In some implementations, because the channel 622 may be substantially covered by the food item placed on the food receiving portion 608, indicia (e.g., visual and/or tactile indicia) may be positioned on or adjacent the rim 610 along the channel 622 to assist the user in dicing the food item along the channel 622.

As described above, the one or more channels 622 and the corresponding portion of the one or more edges 618, including the separation line 623, delineate the corresponding detachable portion 624 of the food item receiving portion 608, which receives a single food item piece (e.g., a portion of a sandwich). Each detachable portion 624 includes a portion of the planar surface 609 and a raised detachable portion rim 626 that extends upwardly from the planar surface and adjacent to each of the channels 622 that define the detachable portion 624. In addition to supporting food items above the planar surface 609, the raised removable portion rim 626 adjacent the channel 622 can also help support the food items near the cutting location, thereby facilitating the cutting process to provide an accurate single piece.

Each removable portion 624 also includes a fan well 628 that can receive dripping juices from the food product. In the illustrated implementation, each fan-shaped well 628 has a peripheral edge adjacent to the planar surface 609 that has an elliptical profile. In other implementations, each of the peripheral edges can have a contour of at least one of a circle, a triangle, a square, another shape, or a symbol (e.g., a logo). Each detachable portion 624 may also include a plurality of raised scalloped ribs or protrusions 630 extending upward from the planar surface 609 with an uppermost portion supporting a hot food product (e.g., a sandwich). In some implementations, the combined area of the ribs 630 in the scalloped portion 624 is less than the portion of the flat surface 609 in the scalloped portion. Thus, when a food product is supported on the uppermost portion of the ribs 630 and the raised detachable portion rim 626, heat loss due to conduction through the flat surface 609 is significantly reduced as compared to a food container having a flat bottom surface with a relatively large surface area in contact with the bottom surface of the food product. In addition, raised ribs 630 and removable portion rim 626 tend to isolate the bottom surface of the food product from the flat surface 609, which prevents the food product from becoming soggy due to trapped liquid on the flat surface 609 of food receiving portion 608.

In the illustrated implementation, the ribs 630 are elongated in shape and have a length dimension that extends along the width 603 of the base 602. Additionally, in the illustrated implementation, the ribs 630 are parallel. In other implementations, the number, size, orientation, and dimensions of raised ribs 630 may be different than shown in the figures. The raised ribs 630 may also serve to improve the stiffness of the base 602.

In some implementations, each of the plurality of features of the base 602 including the raised rim 610, the scalloped wells 628, the channels 622, and the raised scalloped ribs 630 is spaced apart from at least one other feature of the plurality of features by a distance less than or equal to one inch. In some implementations, the food-receiving portion 608 of the base 602 does not have a continuous flat surface that exceeds 2 inches by 2 inches due to the aforementioned plurality of features. Such features significantly improve the strength of the base 602 while allowing the base to have a length dimension greater than 12 inches (e.g., 16 inches), a width dimension greater than 6 inches (e.g., 10 inches), an overall height less than 1.5 inches (e.g., 1 inch), a material thickness between 0.5 millimeters and 1.0 millimeters (e.g., 0.8 millimeters). In other implementations, the base 602 may have a relatively large height and the cover 604 may have a relatively small height.

Optional base flange 616 extending around raised rim 610 includes twelve fastening grooves or standoffs 632 extending downwardly from the base flange. As described below, each of the fastening recesses 632 of the base 602 receives a corresponding one of a plurality of downwardly extending fastening protrusions 634 of the cover 604 to selectively retain the cover on the base 602. The fastening recess 632 is generally dome-shaped in the illustrated implementation, but may be other shapes and sizes in other implementations. In addition, other implementations may include more fastening grooves, fewer fastening grooves, or no fastening grooves.

In some implementations, at least some of the fastening grooves 632 and the fan-shaped wells 628 extend down to the lowest portion of the base 602 such that they are weight-bearing and serve as "feet" that create an insulating air space between the food-receiving portion 608 of the base 602 and the resting surface when the base is supported on the resting surface. The base 602 may include additional "feet" extending downward and spaced along the base 602 such that each removable portion 624 may rest stably on a resting surface. Thus, the raised ribs 630 of each sector, together with at least some of the fastening grooves 632 and the sector wells 628, form an air insulation layer between the flat surface 609 of the food receiving portion 608 and the food product, and an air insulation layer between the food receiving portion and the resting surface is formed using only a single layer of material (i.e., the material forming the base 602). In addition, the aforementioned "feet" elevate the remainder of the base 602 (and the cover 604, when engaged with the base) to a position slightly above the resting surface (e.g., a table), which results in the casting of a shadow, similar to a more positive dinner tray.

The scalloped wells 628 or other features may be used as registration features for aligning and securing the rectangular food product container 600 on, for example, a platen or other processing surface, as discussed above with respect to fig. 23.

The cover 604 comprises a single layer of thermally insulating material (e.g., molded fiber) and includes a substantially downward facing inner surface 638 and a substantially upward facing outer surface 640. As shown in fig. 24A, the cover 604 includes one or more domed portions 605 that may include a top planar surface 652 and one or more sidewalls 644. The sidewall 644 intersects a substantially planar lid flange 646 extending laterally outwardly therefrom. Similar to the base flange 616, the cover flange 646 has a substantially rectangular outer perimeter with rounded corners defined by first and second parallel edges 648A, 648B and third and fourth parallel edges 648C, 648D (collectively "edges 648"). The cover flange 646, among other things, enhances the rigidity of the cover 604.

In some implementations, at least a portion of the inner surface 638 of the dome portion 605 and the food receiving portion 608 of the base 602 can delineate the interior chamber 606 for receiving the food item. When the cover 604 is engaged with the base 602, each of the interior chambers 606 may be vertically aligned with a corresponding detachable portion 624 in the base 602. Thus, in such implementations where the base 602 includes N detachable portions 624, the cover 604 may include a corresponding N number of internal chambers 606, where N is a positive integer. In some implementations, the cover 604 can include one or more detachable cover portions 607 formed by one or more separation lines 611 that extend across, for example, the width 603 of the cover 604. Each of the detachable cover portions 607 may be delineated by one or more parting lines 611 and portions of one or more edges 618 of the cover 604. Each detachable cover portion 607 is selectively detachable from the remaining detachable cover portions 607 of the cover 604.

The cover flange 646 may include twelve integrally formed fastening tabs 634 extending downwardly from the cover flange. The fastening protrusion 634 is generally dome-shaped in the illustrated implementation, but may be other shapes and sizes in other implementations. In addition, other implementations may include more fastening tabs, fewer fastening tabs, or no fastening tabs. As shown in fig. 24A, each of the fastening protrusions 634 of the cover flange 646 is vertically aligned with one of the integrally formed fastening grooves 632 of the base flange 616 to form a fastener 631. In operation, each fastening recess 632 may receive a corresponding fastening protrusion 634 when the cover 604 is placed on the base 602. Such fasteners 631 can, among other things, limit lateral movement of the cover 604 relative to the base 602, which maintains alignment of the cover relative to the base. In some implementations, each fastening recess 632 can be sized and dimensioned to receive a corresponding fastening protrusion 634 in response to an external force that pushes the fastening recess and fastening protrusion together when the cover 604 is placed on the base 602, thereby forming an interference or press fit. In such implementations, upon receiving the fastening protrusions 634, the fastening recesses 632 may generate a fastening force that facilitates maintaining the cover 604 on the base 602 in a closed configuration. Such a securing force resists external forces applied to the rectangular food container 600 such that the container remains closed throughout storage, transport, or any other function of the container. The inner surface 638 of the cover 604 and the one or more detachable portions 624 of the food receiving portion 608 of the base 602 may delineate the interior chamber 606 for receiving food items.

In some implementations, the base flange 616 can include a plurality of fastening protrusions extending upwardly from the base flange, and the cover flange 646 can include a corresponding number of fastening grooves extending upwardly from the cover flange. In such implementations, the fastening groove of the cover 604 can receive the fastening protrusion of the base 602.

For plastic blister or thermoformed packages, due to their resilient nature, when the fastening or positioning mechanism is disengaged, the mechanism will produce an audible cue (e.g., "snap") to signal movement. This is due to the "undercut" design, which is a well known design technique in the plastic packaging industry. This is possible because the plastic molding process allows for an undercut design. For paper or molded pulp products, it may not be possible to make such an undercut design, and therefore it is generally believed that molded pulp packages cannot have any locking design with an audible snap function. However, in some implementations of the present disclosure, due to the combination of dimensional interference, angles, and thicknesses of the base 602 and the cover 604, the fastening mechanism provides an unexpected performance with an audible cue (e.g., "snap") when the fastening protrusions disengage from the corresponding fastening grooves. In some implementations, the audible cue can be generated more than once (e.g., each time the fastening projection is disengaged from the fastening groove). In some implementations, each fastening groove has a depth greater than 5 millimeters and a diameter greater than 8 millimeters, and each fastening protrusion has a depth less than the depth of the fastening groove by 1 millimeter and a diameter greater than the diameter of the fastening groove by 1 millimeter. As described above, the dome portion 605 of the cover 604 can also include one or more substantially flat canopy portions. The shape of the inner surface 638 of the cover 604 and/or the texture (e.g., rough texture) of the inner surface 638 may tend to absorb or retain moisture (e.g., condensation), which reduces the amount of moisture returned into the hot food item (e.g., pizza) that may cause degradation of the quality of the food item.

The inner surface of the sidewall 644 of the cover 604 has an inwardly and downwardly facing peripheral channel 660 that is sized and dimensioned to form an engagement with the raised peripheral rim 610 of the base 602 when the cover 604 is engaged with the base 602. When the cover 604 is engaged with the base 602, the peripheral channel 660 of the cover's sidewall 644 contacts the sidewall 614 of the raised rim 610 of the base 602 to form a "seal" that can restrict or even prevent air from flowing into or out of the sealed rectangular food container 600. In some implementations, the peripheral channel 660 and the raised rim 610 are sized and dimensioned to form an interference or press fit therebetween when the cover 604 is engaged with the base 602.

When the lid 604 is engaged with the base 602, the base flange 616 and lid flange 646 are also contacted and fastened by fasteners 631 that serve to limit movement between the lid and base to increase the strength of the assembled rectangular food container 600 and limit airflow into the sealed rectangular food container 600. As described above, in some implementations, the fasteners 631 can form an interference or press fit between each pair of the protrusions 634 and the recesses 632 of the cover 604 and the base 602, respectively. In such implementations, the fasteners 631 also function to retain the cover 604 on the base 602.

In the illustrated implementation, the outer dimensions of the base 602 and the cover 604 are substantially matched, which aids a user in aligning the cover 604 when placing the cover on the base during use, particularly when the cover is not connected to the base via a hinge (e.g., a flexible joint). In some implementations, due to the various symmetries of the base 602 and the cover 604, the cover can be secured to the base at either of two relative rotational angles (e.g., 0 ° and 180 °) with respect to the base. That is, the edge 648A (fig. 24A) of the cover 604 can be vertically aligned with any of the edges 618A-618B of the base 602. To remove the cover 604 from the base 602, a user may lift the cover relative to the base with a force sufficient to overcome the "seal" between the peripheral channel 660 of the cover 604 and the rim 610 of the base 602, and in implementations in which the fasteners 631 are secured by an interference or press fit, a force sufficient to overcome the fastening force of the respective fasteners 631.

The cover 604 and the detachable base 602 may be conveniently used to transport large, hot, prepared food items (e.g., submarine sandwiches) between the dining location to the dining location while maintaining the food items at a desired dining temperature. Once the food item is located at the meal, one or more of the detachable portions 624 of the base 602 can be detached to provide an eating surface similar to a plate for supporting a portion of the food item being eaten. In some implementations, the plurality of continuous detachable portions 624 can be separated from the base 602 as a continuous unit to support a larger portion of a food item, such as a half or quarter sandwich. For example, the various portions may be spread over a counter, table, or some other dining surface to provide multiple locations where a person may extract a portion of a food item.

The various implementations described above can be combined to provide further implementations. These and other changes can be made to the specific implementations in light of the above detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific implementations disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible implementations along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.

To the extent not inconsistent with the specific teachings and definitions herein, all U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, including but not limited to U.S. patent application serial No. 62/311,787 entitled "Container for Transport and Storage of Food Products" filed 3/22/2016; PCT application No. PCT/US2017/023408 entitled "Container for Transport and storage of Food Products" filed on 21/3/2017; U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/529933 entitled "contact FOR TRANSPORT AND STORAGE OF FOOD PRODUCTS" filed 7/2017; U.S. patent application serial No. 29/558,872; U.S. patent application serial No. 29/558,873 and U.S. patent application serial No. 29/558,874, are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.