Hanging condiment holder

Abstract

A packaging cup of the type typically utilized to contain a small volume of a condiment or sauce and formed of a resilient material. This cup has a reservoir and a flange which surrounds the reservoir with a lid sealed to the flange. The packaging cup is improved by including support segment cut into the flange of the packaging cup that engages with a corresponding slot cut into a vertical surface of a foodstuff container. A keyed geometry at the base of each side of the food container provides restriction to removing the packaging cup. This type of serving arrangement is illustrated for condiments such as ketchup for French fries, syrup for French toast sticks and barbeque sauce for chicken strips. Even though the packaging cup may have a pre-determined amount of condiment sealed within the reservoir, the consumer at the location where the packaging arrangement is used may also fill the packaging cup. The foodstuff container may be used with or without the packaging cup. The packaging cup may be accessed without mating with the foodstuff container.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0001] Condiment cups have been in the food service industry for a long time to hold a finite amount of garnish for foodstuff. Typical of the above referred to condiment cups are packaging cups utilized to hold ketchup as a garnish for French fries, barbeque sauce for chicken strips or syrup for French toast sticks. Normally certain food items such as French fries and the like are served to a patron in a small container as, for instance, a light cardboard container or thermoformed plastic cup. These containers are self-supporting such that the container of French fries can be placed on a table or held in the hand. If the patron is sitting at a table while eating the foodstuff, it is very convenient for the patron to set the condiment cup on the table and individually dip the foodstuff in the condiment cup.

[0002] At other times, however, the patron consumes the French fries or other foodstuff while walking, standing or sitting where a table is not available. To consume the product as, for instance French fries, the patron must hold the French fry container in one hand and utilize the other hand to convey the French fry or other food product to the patron's mouth. This leaves no hands free for holding the condiment cup. The patron must either attempt to hold both the food container and the condiment cup in one hand thereby freeing the other hand to feed himself/herself or to hold the food container in one hand and the condiment cup in the other and attempt to then manipulate the food item while holding both of these containers. This is an awkward situation and sometimes leads to spilling of one or the other of the food container or the condiment cup.

[0003] Lane (U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,466 dated Aug. 8, 1989) invented a hanging packaging cup which had slits cut into the flange of the packaging cup that could be bent down to form fingers that would allow the packaging cup to hang from the food stuffs container. Lane discussed many options for making this type of invention viable within the food industry. The main drawbacks to the Lane invention include the fact that in order to hang the packaging cup onto the vertical surface of the food container, the two fingers must be fully bent. If the patron only slightly bent the fingers, the stability of the packaging cup is severely compromised. In addition, because the fingers are bent inward from the plane of the flange, the foodstuff within the food container have the ability to disengage the fingers or flex them to a position where they did not remain supportive of the packaging cup thereby allowing the packaging cup to fall off the foodstuff container.

[0004] Shaw (U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,364 dated May 23, 1995) discusses a double basket invention where a secondary support panel can be opened or bent down in such a way to provide a shelf to place a condiment container. This invention primarily focused on the foodstuff container so that the container itself provided a method of holding the condiment container. This invention did not alter the condiment container. The condiment container could be placed on the support panel of the foodstuff container or removed without restriction.

[0005] Sharkey (U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,262 dated Jul. 4,1995) furthered the ability to combine a garnish container with the foodstuff container by forming permanent prongs within from the flange of the condiment container. The preferred embodiment was manufactured through plastic injection molding of appropriate materials. This invention provided the ability of the condiment container to have a strong interface between the flange of the container and the foodstuff container. Other material forming processes were suggested within the Sharkey invention. However, the rigidity of the prongs to support the condiment container is critical in the invention and plastic injection molding is the primary method for producing the product. Sharkey further discussed a condiment container that had an adhesive backing that could be applied to any area of the foodstuff container. The primary drawback of the Sharkey invention is in supporting this design through a manufacturing method that is economically justified within the food service industry. Injection molding is several times more expensive per unit cost compared with thermoforming. Thermoforming as a manufacturing process would not support the prongs.

[0006] These any many other inventions in the food service industry that have advanced the use of garnish for foodstuff to some degree. However, there still exists a need for an economical and easy to use system that combines the use of condiments with foodstuff especially where the condiment is pre-sealed within the condiment container.

[0007] For use in fast food and other industries, packaging cups have been developed to contain individual servings of condiments or other food products. These cups allow for dispensing of pre-measured and sealed amount of condiments such as ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, and the like.

[0008] The above referred to packaging cups include a cup body, which is normally vacuum formed out of a resilient material as, for instance, polyethylene. The cup body has a reservoir for holding a volume of the foodstuff or the like and a lip or flange that extends completely around the reservoir. Sealing the lid to the lip seals a lid over the cup. Since the lip extends completely around the reservoir, securing the lid to the lip seals the lid over the top of the reservoir. Peeling the lid back from the lip to expose the reservoir and the contents therein opens the cup.

[0009] This invention is directed to a packaging cup that includes support segment cut in the outer flange or lip of the cup forming a “T” shaped geometry that can hang within a slot die cut into the food container. There are numerous design variations within this concept that will become clearer in the description of the inventions and its various embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] It is evident that there exists a need for a new and improved packaging cup for holding condiments and the likes wherein the packaging cup is capable of being suspended from a food stuff container such that the condiments within the packaging cup can readily be accessed conveniently with the hand that is used to feed the patron while the other hand is used to support the food stuff container. It is a broad object of this invention to provide such new and improved packaging cup.

[0011] It is a further object of this invention to provide for hanging or suspendable packaging cup that is easily utilized by the consumer yet is still economically produced.

[0012] These and other objects will become evident from the remainder of this specification. The hanging packaging cup includes a resilient body having a reservoir and a lip integrally formed together. The reservoir has a periphery that surrounds an opening into the reservoir. The lip is formed as a continuous essentially planar flange extending around the totality of the periphery of the reservoir. The shape of the flange can be rectangular, circular, ovular, irregular or generally shaped to complement the shaped of the foodstuff container. The shape of the reservoir many also be specified based upon the type and consistency of the condiment or garnish within the reservoir. The bottom of the reservoir is generally flat to facility placing the packaging cup on a horizontal surface such as in cases where a meal is served on a table. This specification provides flexibility for the packaging container to be used either independently from the foodstuff container or in a combined relationship with the foodstuff container. A lid is specified to seal a predetermined amount of condiment or garnish within the reservoir.

[0013] Having a ‘T’ shape geometry cut into the flange further differentiates the packaging cup. This ‘T’ shape interfaces with a slot cut into the vertical surface of the foodstuff container. The slot in the foodstuff container is cut to a depth that positions the reservoir of the packaging cup at a convenient level for accessing the condiments within the reservoir. The bottom edges of the slot in the foodstuff container may also provide a key type geometry that provides some vertical restriction in removing the packaging cup once properly placed at the bottom position of the slot on the foodstuff container. The ‘T’ shape geometry on the packaging cup can also be cut in such a way to minimize the gap between the flange and the foodstuff container to further strength the combined food serving arrangement.

[0014] Another configuration of the packaging arrangement provides for an additional slot parallel to the back surface to be cut within the ‘T’ section. This configuration further strengthens the interface between the packaging cup and the foodstuff container. This modified configuration requires two slots to be cut into the foodstuff container so that the portion of the foodstuff container between the two slots would interface with the additional slot of the packaging cup.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] This invention will be better understood when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

[0016] FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing a French fry container and a hanging packaging condiment cup of the invention with the hanging cup shown attached to the French fry container.

[0017] FIG. 2 are isometric views of a first embodiment of the packaging condiment cup with bearing surface variation;

[0018] FIG. 3 are isometric views of a second embodiment of the packaging condiment cup with bearing surface variation;

[0019] FIG. 4 are isometric views of the first embodiment of the foodstuff container with locking variation as utilized with FIG. 2;

[0020] FIG. 5 are isometric views of the second embodiment of the foodstuff container with locking variation as utilized with FIG. 3;

[0021] FIG. 6 is an isometric view showing the progression of bank or matrix of packaging cups being filled, sealed and die cut on a packaging machine;

[0022] FIG. 7 is a fragmentary isometric view of a conveyor element of the packaging machine utilized in FIG. 6;

[0023] FIG. 8 are isometric views of the packaging system with the packaging cup in the front and side positions of the food stuffs container; and

[0024] FIG. 9 are isometric views of packaging systems for French toast sticks and chicken strips.

[0025] This invention utilizes certain principals and/or concepts as are set forth in the claims appended. Those skilled in the packaging arts will realize that these principles and/or concepts are capable of being expressed in a variety of embodiments that may differ from the exact embodiments utilized for illustrative purposes herein. For this reason this invention is not to be construed as being limited to the illustrative embodiments, but should only be construed in view of the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Condiments are served with many fast food items as, for instance, serving ketchup with French fries, sauces with chicken strips and syrup with French toast sticks. One ideal packaging method for dispensing individual portions of these condiment items is in sealed containers hereinafter referred to as packaging cups. These packaging cups have a reservoir for the cup contents. This is integrally formed with a lip that surrounds the opening to the reservoir. A lid is sealed to the cup to preserve the contents therein by sealing the lid to the lip that surrounds the opening in the reservoir. To utilize the contents of the cup, the lid is peeled back exposing the opening to the reservoir and the contents therein.

[0027] In FIG. 1 an improved packaging cup 10 of the invention is shown as it is utilized in conjunction with a container 12 containing as, for instance, French fries depicted by the numeral 14. A quantity of ketchup 16 is exposed through an opening 18 in a reservoir 20 of the cup 10. Surrounding the opening 18 of the reservoir 20 of the cup 10 is the cup lip 22. The lip 22 extends completely around the reservoir 20.

[0028] The invention is further illustrated in FIG. 2. From FIG. 1 it is evident that when a consumer of the French fries 14 holds the container 12 the consumer is simultaneously also supporting the condiment packaging cup 10. FIG. 2 shows an isometric view of the improved packaging cup 10. The lid 34 is shown sealed on lip 22 that extends completely around the reservoir 20 with a cut away view of opening 18 to reservoir 20. The lip 22 also is shown with underside 32 that extends around the reservoir 20. The lip 22 also has connecting member 35 of approximate width of ⅜″-½″ between the flange section and the support members 24 and 26. The support members 24 and 26 and the connecting member 35 make up the T-section 21 of the packaging cup 10. The support members 24 and 26 are approximately ⅛″ to ½″ wide. Gap 30 exists between the edges of support members 24 and 26 and the outer lip 22.

[0029] FIG. 2a illustrates a variation to the packaging cup illustrated in FIG. 2. Connecting member 35 is shown extending from lid 34. From connecting member 35, support members 24 and 26 extend outward forming T-section 21. Extending from support member 24 is bearing surface extension 25 that minimizes gap 31 between the support member 24 and the outer lip 22. Extending from support member 26 is bearing surface extension 27 that minimizes gap 31 between the support member 26 and the outer lip 22. As will be described below in greater detail, the packaging cup 10 may be formed from a sheet of polyethylene through vacuum forming. This can be accomplished to form a matrix of joined packaging cups. These are then filled, sealed and separated from one another to form the individual cups 10.

[0030] The variation to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3. From FIG. 1 it is evident that when a consumer of the French fries 14 holds the container 12 the consumer is simultaneously also supporting the condiment packaging cup 10. FIG. 3 shows an isometric view of a variation of the improved packaging cup 10. The lid 34 is shown sealed on lip 22 that extends completely around the reservoir 20 with a cut away view of opening 18 to reservoir 20. The lip 22 also is shown with underside 32 that extends around the reservoir 20. The lip 22 also has connecting member 35 of approximate width of ⅜″-½″ between the flange section and the support members 36 and 38. The support members 36 and 38 and the connecting member 35 make up the T-section 21 of the packaging cup 10. The support members 36 and 38 are approximately ⅛″ to ¼″ wide. Gap 30 exists between the edges of support members 36 and 38 and the outer lip 22. FIG. 3 further illustrates slot detail 33 within T-section 21.

[0031] FIG. 3a illustrates a variation to the packaging cup illustrated in FIG. 3. Connecting member 35 is shown extending from lid 34. From connecting member 35, support members 36 and 38 extend outward forming T-section 21. Extending from support member 36 is bearing surface extension 37 that minimizes gap 31 between the support member 36 and the outer lip 22. Extending from support member 38 is bearing surface extension 39 that minimizes gap 31 between the support member 38 and the outer lip 22. As will be described below in greater detail, the packaging cup 10 may be formed from a sheet of polyethylene through vacuum forming. This can be accomplished to form a matrix of joined packaging cups. These are then filled, sealed and separated from one another to form the individual cups 10.

[0032] FIG. 4 illustrates foodstuff container 12 with hanging detail 2 that is specifically cut in the front panel 11 to work with the packaging cup illustrated in FIG. 2. Hanging detail 2 is formed by opening 120 of width slightly wider than connecting member 35 of FIG. 2. Opening 120 extends down to depth 124. Side edges 122 can vary with a height of approximately ½″ to ¾″. FIG. 4a illustrates a variation to the foodstuff container 12 illustrated within FIG. 4. Hanging detail 2 is shown with opening 120 of width slightly larger than connecting member 35 of FIG. 2 in the front panel 11 in container 12. side edges 122 are angle slightly in forming inward taper 130 on both sides of the opening 120. At the base of the hanging detail 2 is a wider section 137. On both sides of wider section 137 are locking details 136. Providing restricting edge 132 above wider section 137 forms the locking details 136. The restricted section 138 is slightly narrower than the connecting member 35 of FIG. 2.

[0033] FIG. 5 illustrates a variation to foodstuff container 12 with hanging detail 2 that is specifically cut in the front panel 11 to work with the packaging cup illustrated in FIG. 3. Hanging detail 2 is formed by opening 120 of width slightly wider than connecting member 35 of FIG. 3. Opening 120 extends down to depth 124. Side edges 122 can vary with a height of approximately ½″ to ¾″. Tongue section 125 is illustrated with upper corners 127 for facilitating slot detail 33 of FIG. 3 to engage tongue 125. Tongue section 125 has leading edge 121 shown slightly lower than opening 120. The leading edge 121 of tongue section 125 may be about ⅛″ to facilitate the engagement of slot detail 33 of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 further illustrates width 123 between side edge 122 and tongue 125.

[0034] FIG. 5a illustrates a variation to the foodstuff container 12 illustrated within FIG. 5. Hanging detail 2 is shown with opening 120 of width slightly larger than connecting member 35 of FIG. 3 in the front panel 11 of container 12. Side edges 122 are angle slightly in forming inward taper 130 on both sides of the opening 120. Tongue section 125 is illustrated with upper corners 127 for facilitating slot detail 33 of FIG. 3 to engage tongue 125. FIG. 5a further illustrates width 123 between side edge 122 and tongue 125 is larger than the width 139 at the locking section 136. Providing restricting edge 132 above wider section 137 forms the locking details 136. The restricted section 138 is slightly narrower than the connecting member 35 of FIG. 2.

[0035] Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, a packaging machine is utilized to form the packaging cups 10 has a conveyor belt having a series of support plates 100 linked together to form a continuous belt. A preformed as, for instance a vacuum formed matrix of connected packaging cups 102, is positioned in one of the support plates 100 and the individual cups are then filled with a condiment or other material by a fill head 104.

[0036] A lid material 106 is sealed to the matrix 102 of the individual cups. A die or other cutting mechanism as for instance a plurality of cutting knives is then utilized to separate the individual packaging cups 10 from the matrix 102.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 7 in a fragmentary close up view of the support plate 100, the support plate 100 has a plurality of channels formed therein. These channels include longitudinal channels 108 which go along the length of the support plate 100 in the direction of movement of the plate 100 and cross channels 110 which are perpendicular to the longitudinal channels 108.

[0038] The support plate 100 illustrated in FIG. 6 would be utilized to make the embodiment of the packaging cup 10 that is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Thus, in addition to the channels 108 and 110, the support plate 100 would include the T section detail channels 112 located adjacent to the longitudinal channels 108.

[0039] After the matrix of connected packaging cups has been filled and lid 106 heat sealed to the top thereof, further movement along the support plate 100 either underneath a plurality of cutting knives or under a cutting die. These engage respective channels 108, 110 and 1 12 to separate the individual packaging cups 10 from one another and to form the appropriate cuts necessary to define the T-section with support members of the packaging cups 10. The packaging cups 10 are then removed from the support plate 100.

[0040] While for the purposes of illustration, the cuts that define the T-section with support members were formed concurrently with the slits that separate the individual packaging cups from one another in the matrix of packaging cups. Alternately, the cuts that define the T-section with support members could be formed in the matrix of the packaging cups prior to filling and sealing. After being filled and sealed, the individual cups would then be separated from each other in a normal manner. As so formed, while the respective individual cups are separated from one another, the lid material of each individual cup would still be over the area of the slits in that individual cup that define the T-section with support members of the respective cup. Since the lid material is a thin foil or foil and plastic laminate, it would serve to fix the T-section with support member in the plane of the lip 22. In removing the cover, the T-section with support members would be open to interface with the foodstuff container 12.

[0041] In addition to forming the cup 10 of the invention out of polyethylene, other materials can also be utilized. The criteria for selecting a suitable material is that the material must be amendable to being formed in the cup and after being formed it must hold its shape. Further the material must be such that the T-section with support members (and of course the lip) must be stiff enough to retain their shape and support the weight of the filled reservoir. In addition, as the consumer utilizes the garnish within the cup 10, additional vertical force will be applied to the cup.

[0042] In addition to polyethylene other suitable materials which meet the above materials criteria can be selected from polypropylene, polystyrene, thick metal foils, a material know in the packaging industry as “ovenable board” and the like.

[0043] FIG. 8 illustrates a serving arrangement 40 containing improved packaging cup 10 fully engaged on the front panel 11 of foodstuff container 12. The packaging cup 10 mated with foodstuff container 12 through opening 120 of container 12. The support members of cup 10 remain within the interior cavity 140 of container 12. Side edges 15 of front panel 11 restrict the support members of the T-section of cup 10 from disengaging outward from the front of the container 12. Restricting the vertical movement with container locks 136 further enhances the engagement. FIG. 8a shows a variation to the location of the packaging cup 10 on container 12. This figure illustrates the serving arrangement 40 on the side panel 13 of the foodstuff container 12. Opening 60 in side panel 13 has edges 17 that restrict the support members of the T-section of cup 10 from disengaging outward from the side of the container 12. The location of the packaging cup 10 on the foodstuff container 12 will vary on preference.

[0044] FIG. 9a illustrates an exploded view of packaging cup 10 with barbeque sauce 7 within the reservoir prior to engagement with foodstuff container 12. The opening 120 is located in front panel 11 of container 12. Foodstuff container 12 is illustrated with chicken strips 80 located within cavity 140. FIG. 9b illustrates an exploded view of packaging cup 10 with syrup 6 within the reservoir prior to engagement with foodstuff container 12. The opening 120 is located in front panel 11 of container 12. Foodstuff container 12 is illustrated with French toast sticks 90 located within cavity 140.

Claims

1. A hanging packaging cup that comprises:

A resilient body having a product reservoir and a lip integrally formed together, said reservoir having a periphery surrounding an opening into said reservoir and said lip formed as a continuous essentially planar flange extending from the periphery of said reservoir;

A secondary T-segment formed integral with the lip that supports the hanging packaging cup on foodstuff container;

2. A hanging packaging cup of claim 1 including:

A lid for sealing said reservoir, said lid covering the reservoir opening and sealed to said lip around the totality of periphery of said reservoir:

3. The packaging cup of claim 1 where the support section has a minimum of one slot located within the support section for interface with the foodstuff container.

4. A packaging cup of claim 3 including:

A lid for sealing said reservoir, said lid covering aid reservoir opening and sealed to said lip around the totality of periphery of said reservoir.

5. A combination serving arrangement for providing simultaneous access to finite food pieces and a condiment for dipping the food pieces into the condiment comprising:

A foodstuff container defining an enclosure for containing a quantity of finite food pieces, the container having an outer wall with an upper edge defining a top opening for access to food pieces therein with a minimum of one slot in the foodstuff container of width specified for mating with the inner support segment of the hanging packaging cup; wherein

A hanging packaging cup that comprises:

A resilient body having a product reservoir and a lip integrally formed together, said reservoir having a periphery surrounding an opening into said reservoir and said lip formed as a continuous essentially planar flange extending from the periphery of said reservoir;

A secondary T-segment formed integral with the lip that supports the hanging packaging cup on foodstuff container;

6. The serving arrangement of claim 5 wherein the foodstuff container has locking corners to minimize vertical movement of the packaging cup.

7. A combination system of claim 5 wherein:

The outside periphery of said food container is circular with a minimum of one slot located in the food container with packaging cup interface following the same radius as the food container.

8. The combination system of claim 5 wherein:

A minimum of two slots is located within the food container forming a tongue portion in the foodstuff container that interfaces with a slot in the support segment of the packaging cup.

9. A process of forming a packaging cup that is capable of being suspended from a further foodstuff container that comprises:

Forming said packaging cup to include a product reservoir and a planar cup lip that extends outward in a plane around the totality of the periphery of the reservoir;

Filling the reservoir with a product;

Overlaying a lid on said cup to completely cover the product reservoir and to extend over the cup lip;

Sealing said lid to said cup lip;

Cutting support segment in said cup lip and cup lid sealed to said cup lip.

10. The process of claim 10 including:

At least one slot in the packaging cup.