Abstract: A container which indicates if the lid (14) has been opened after a clerk loaded food into the base (12) and closed the lid. The base and lid each has a trapping portion (20, 22) and a pull-open portion (24, 32) with a tear-tab, or tear-open barrier (80). To close the lid, a clerk projects a tab (30) on the pull-open portion of the lid through a slot (26) in the pull-open portion of the base, and then presses down the entire trapping portion of the lid into the trapping portion of the base. The lid cannot be lifted up because the tear-open barrier (80) forming the top wall of the slot lies over the tab. To open the container, a person tears the barrier (80, FIG. 8) along a tear line (90, 92) extending from the slot (26) to the outer edge (50) of the base, or the person tears the tab to leave a short tab part that clears the barrier. The tab has a partially vertical stiffener (77) to prevent radially inward tab movement through the slot.

Abstract: A container (10) that is formed of sheet plastic that has been deformed, includes a base (12) having a plurality of egg-receiving recesses (20) and a cover (14) that can be latched closed on the base. The cover has a plurality of latch parts (30) spaced along each side and has a plurality of outwardly deformed chimney parts between the latch parts, that form chimneys (70) for ventilation of the eggs. Each egg-receiving recess in the base, has inclined ribs (62) that limit sideward egg movement and allow air circulation, has a recess bottom wall (66) for supporting the bottom of an egg, and has an air circulation region (64) lying between the recess bottom wall and rib bottoms for allowing the movement of air around the lower portion of the egg. The outer portion of the ventilation region forms legs (68) that support the container on a flat surface while holding the recess bottom above that flat surface.

Abstract: A rigid polymer domed food container system suitable for heated food products is described. Recessed vents in the lid of the food container systems permit stacking of multiple container systems while allowing heated gases to escape without restriction. Other features of this container system include the retention of food product within the central region of the tray, rigidized handholds to allow the consumer to lift the heated container, and a releaseably lockable snap-fit grip mechanism that facilitates opening of the container system among other things.

Abstract: A food container system that comprises a tray member that is the primary storage container, a first lid member that is molded to comprise a plurality of recesses of either similar or varying sizes to house various foodstuffs, and optionally a third lid member. When assembled, the foodstuff in the first lid member may be retained by a foil that adheres to the mouths of the recesses or the optional third lid member which may be formed to snugly fit over the recesses of the first lid member. The foodstuffs may be mixed in any combination desired. Embodiments of the invention will include for the tray member that may be releaseably attached to either the first or second lid member via a snap-fit grip mechanism; additionally, the first and second lid members may be releaseably attached to each other in a similar manner. The utility of the container system is magnified through the multi-compartmentalized lid member.

Abstract: A container which includes a base (12) that can hold food and a lid (14) that closes on the base, which clearly indicates if the lid has been opened after a clerk loaded food into the base and closed the lid. The base and lid each have trapping portions (20, 22) and pull-open portions (24, 32) with a tear-tab, or tear-open barrier (80). To close the lid, a clerk projects a tab (30) on the pull-open portion of the lid through a slot (26) in the pull-open portion of the base, and then presses down the entire trapping portion of the lid into the trapping portion of the base. The lid cannot be lifted up because the tear-open barrier (80) forming the top wall of the slot lies over the tab. To open the container, a person must tear the barrier so he/she can pull up the tab 30 and open the lid. The fact that the barrier has been torn is obvious.

Abstract: A food container that includes upper and lower trays (12), each of sheet plastic and having a plurality of food-holding recesses (30) for holding pieces of fruit, with the two trays preferably being identical. The two trays have complementary latches (80, 90) to latch to each other when the container is closed, the individual trays being stackable in a tight stack for storage and transport, and the closed containers being stackable. The latches are in the form of projection latches (80), and in the form of socket latches (90) that receive projection latches. The arrangement of projection and socket latches (and of aligners 70, 72) forms mirror image arrangements on opposite sides of a mid plane (102), so the upper tray is identical to the lower one, and the upper tray can be latched to the lower one by turning the upper tray 180° about an axis (100) lying on the mid plane.

Abstract: A food container system that comprises a main tray member that is the primary foodstuff storage tray, a lid member and an intermediate tray member that is molded to include a plurality of recesses to house various foodstuffs (e.g. condiment, toppings). The intermediate tray member is configured so that it is removeably connected to and held fast in the main tray member. The intermediate tray member is further formed with a smaller footprint so that it does not obstruct the view of the contents of the primary foodstuff storage tray when on display at a market. The consumer is easily able to view all the contents of the food container system without handling the food container. In order to service the needs of the fast food or ‘on-the-go’ consumer, the container system includes quick-release fasteners to which utensils may be attached. Further, the consumer may use the main tray member as a bowl or tray into which all the foodstuffs may be mixed in any quantity or combination desired.

Abstract: A container (10) for holding a bundt cake (12), which avoids an unsightly accumulation of sugar frosting around the central hole in the cake, and which provides strength for stacking containers with cakes therein on top of one another. The container includes a base (14) with a cake-supporting surface (30) and a central upward projection (32) for insertion into the central cake hole, and a cover (16) with a cover top (20) and with side walls (22) that have bottoms (24) that latch to the base. The central upward projection has a plurality of largely vertically extending grooves (40) that allow hot frosting to flow down to a recess (44) lying below the cake-supporting surface. The middle of the cover forms a downwardly-extending post (62) that engages the top of the center projection on the base, to support the cover, especially when containers holding cakes are stacked.

Abstract: A tamper-evident rigid plastic food container system wherein the outer periphery of the mating surfaces of the lid and tray are permanently bonded together after the food product has been placed in the tray, a set of perforated rows at an inner periphery, the interconnect of which needs to be torn into order to open the lid. Intentional, inadvertent or malicious ingress into the container can only be made by tearing at the perforations thereby evidencing the potential tampering and contamination of the packaging contents. The lid and tray edges may further include mechanical interference fits, including snap-fit grips that may be of the releaseably lockable kind to permit sealing, release and re-sealing multiple times without deterioration in reliability, and which can further prevent or minimize leakage of liquid food product.

Abstract: A prepackaged food container system comprising a larger first container that is releaseably attached to a smaller second container is described. The first container may be used to contain food product such as vegetable, fruit or bakery items, and the second container used to hold a matching condiment. The second container is releaseably attached to the lid of the first container and may be placed on the outside or inside of the first container as desired by the food packager and/or consumer. Attaching the containers together is achieved using commonly known snap-fit mechanisms that may be continuous grooves or ribs on the periphery of the side wall; alternatively, the snap-fit mechanism may be cantilever-type. The food product contents of both containers may be mixed in the larger first container and consumed directly from said first container. Plastic food containers with lids allows for sealing, release and re-sealing multiple times without deterioration in reliability.

Abstract: A food container formed from plastic, can be loaded with food and then closed by a clerk, and thereafter cannot be opened without tearing apart first sides (24, 26) of the base (12) and lid (16). The container is formed by a single sheet of plastic that forms a base and lid with second sides (20, 22) that are latched together and with adjacent first sides that are joined by a joint line (30) in the plastic that is creased and that has slits (40). At the joint line, the lid has a projecting lid tab (32) and the base has a projecting base tab (36). A person grasps both tabs, and lifts only the lid tab to tear apart the first sides of the base and lid along the joint line (30). Thereafter, the lid can be easily closed and reopened on the base.

Abstract: A container clearly indicates that it has been opened after a store clerk loads food into the base of the container and closes a covering of the container onto the base. The covering (16) includes a peripheral cover portion (22) that becomes fixed to a peripheral base portion (32) when the clerk initially closes the container. To thereafter open the container, a person forcefully lifts a tab (30) on the covering to tear the covering along a long tear line (26) that separates the peripheral cover portion (22) from a lid (24) formed by a radially inner covering portion. The base (12) is fixed to the peripheral covering portion (22), and together they form a base device (40). After the lid has been torn free of the peripheral covering portion, the lid can be closed and latched to the base device and then can be easily opened again.

Abstract: An improvement to a container of the type that includes a vacuum formed transparent base and lid, the container having opposite sides that each forms a base flap (20) and a lid flap (22) that lie adjacent and parallel to each other, wherein the container indicates if it has been opened after a store clerk has loaded food into the container. An indicator sheet (34) lies between the base and lid and has cut-out characters (60) lying in holes (62) of a carrier (64), the carrier being bonded to the base flap and the characters being bonded to the lid flap. The container is opened by a person pulling up the lid flap, with the characters lifting out of their holes as they move up with the lid flap, and with the carrier that forms the character holes remaining on the base flap. When the lid is closed by pressing down the lid flap against the base flap, there will be some misalignment of the characters with the holes that they previously lay in, creating gaps that are readily noticeable.

Abstract: A container (10) for holding a bundt cake (12), which avoids an unsightly accumulation of sugar frosting around the central hole in the cake, and which provides strength for stacking containers with cakes therein on top of one another. The container includes a base (14) with a cake-supporting surface (30) and a central upward projection (32) for insertion into the central cake hole, and a cover (16) with a cover top (20) and with side walls (22) that have bottoms (24) that latch to the base. The central upward projection has a plurality of largely vertically extending grooves (40) that allow hot frosting to flow down to a recess (44) lying below the cake-supporting surface. The middle of the cover forms a downwardly-extending post (62) that engages the top of the center projection on the base, to support the cover, especially when containers holding cakes are stacked.