BI-LEVEL FOOD STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION CONTAINER
A food storage container is provided which has compartments with bottom surfaces at differing vertical positions for storing various food items while keeping those food items separated from one another.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/217,953 filed Jun. 8, 2009 and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/217,966 filed Jun. 8, 2009, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present invention relates containers for carrying food. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved lunchbox for carrying food which includes compartments designed to protect soft items in the container from damage caused by heavy items in the lunchbox.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONCertain food carrying containers, referred to as lunchboxes, are well-known as a convenient way to store, protect and carry food for consumption away from home. Children commonly carry lunchboxes to school. The lunchboxes typically contain a combination of purchased items, such as drink containers and bagged snacks, as well as homemade items such as sandwiches and cookies. Adults also sometimes carry lunchboxes to work, with similar items inside. Lunchboxes are commonly either soft-sided or hard-sided rectangular boxes with a single compartment inside.
These prior art lunchboxes have significant drawbacks. Most importantly, the typical lunch consists of both heavy, hard objects and light, fragile objects. For example, a lunch may include a can or bottle of a beverage and an apple, combined with a sandwich and a bag of potato chips. When all of these items are placed in a single compartment, the heavy items may crush the light items, because the heavy items are free to move around in the single rectangular compartment.
Another drawback of soft-sided lunchboxes is that they are difficult to clean. They are typically cleaned by hand with soap and water or household cleaners. Often, such cleaning methods do not sanitize the lunchbox, often leaving food particles and live microorganisms behind.
A further drawback to current lunchbox designs is that the lunchboxes are not customizable. Once purchased, the ornamental design features on the outside of the lunchbox cannot be changed easily. These drawbacks, among others, are addressed with the lunchbox of the present invention.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA food storage container is provided which includes first and second shells. The second shell is connected to the first shell for pivotal movement of the first shell with respect to the second shell. Preferably, the first and second shells are attached to one another by hinges. In one embodiment, the hinges have a flat outside surface such that the food storage container will remain in place when the outer surfaces of the hinges are placed on a horizontal surface. A latch is preferably included for releasably securing the first shell to the second shell.
The food storage container has a vertical axis passing through the first shell and the second shell. The second shell has a first compartment with a bottom surface at a first vertical location. The food storage container has a second compartment with a bottom surface at a second vertical location lower than the first vertical location and a third compartment having a bottom surface at a third vertical location lower than the first vertical location. In one embodiment, the second and third vertical locations are at substantially the same point on the vertical axis. Preferably, the second and third compartments are each sized to hold at least a cylindrical object having a diameter of at least of at least 2.5 inches and a height of at least 4.75 inches while the first shell is secured to the second shell. Preferably, the first compartment is sized to hold at least an object having the approximate dimensions of 6.5 inches in length, 5 inches in width and 2 inches in height when the first shell is secured to the second shell. In one embodiment, the first compartment has a volume of between 60 cubic inches and 120 cubic inches and the second and third compartments have a volume of between 50 cubic inches and 100 cubic inches each.
Preferably, the food storage container includes a spring button attached to the inside of one of the first shell and the second shell. The spring button is capable of moving between a first position in which the spring button is near one of the first shell and the second shell and a second position in which the spring button is further away from the one of the first shell and the second shell. Additional spring buttons can also be used.
In one embodiment, the food storage container includes a hand grip area located on one of the first shell and the second shell and having depressions therein each sized to receive a finger of a user. The hand grip area could be made from, for example, thermoplastic elastomers, silicone or other suitable materials.
In one embodiment, one of the first and second shells has an outside surface with a cavity therein. A decorative plate can be releasably secured within the cavity. Additional decorative plates can be releasably secured within the cavity in place of the first decorative plate. The user of the lunchbox can modify the appearance of the decorative plates by generating a decorative image on a personal computer, printing the image and attaching the decorative image to the decorative plate.
The interior 30 of the lunchbox 10 is shown in
A latch 60 is fastened to the first shell 12 and interacts with a post 62 on the second shell 14 to close the first shell 12 with respect to the second shell 14, although other means to secure the first shell 12 to the second shell 14 are possible. One alternative latch arrangement is shown in
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One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that there are many equally feasible physical arrangements of the various elements described. The foregoing description is meant to provide a conceptual overview and should not be viewed as limiting the invention. While the invention has been described by reference to various specific embodiments, it should be understood that numerous changes may be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the described embodiments, but will have full scope defined by the language of the following claims.
Claims
1. A food storage container, comprising:
- a first shell;
- a second shell connected to the first shell for pivotal movement of the first shell with respect to the second shell;
- a latch for releasably securing the first shell to the second shell;
- the food storage container having a vertical axis passing through the first shell and the second shell, the second shell having a first compartment having a bottom surface at a first vertical location, a second compartment having a bottom surface at a second vertical location lower than the first vertical location and a third compartment having a bottom surface at a third vertical location lower than the first vertical location.
2. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the second and third vertical locations are at substantially the same point on the vertical axis.
3. The food storage container of claim 1 further including a spring button attached to one of the first shell and the second shell, the spring button capable of moving between a first position in which the spring button is near one of the first shell and the second shell and a second position in which the spring button is further away from the one of the first shell and the second shell.
4. The food storage container of claim 3 further including a second spring button attached to one of the first shell and the second shell, the second spring button capable of moving between a first position in which the second spring button is near one of the first shell and the second shell and a second position in which the second spring button is further away from the one of the first and second shell.
5. The food storage container of claim 1 further including a hand grip area located on one of the first shell and the second shell and having depressions therein each sized to receive a finger of a user.
6. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the second and third compartments are each sized to hold at least a cylindrical object having a diameter of at least 2.5 inches and a height of at least 4.75 inches while the first shell is releasably secured to the second shell.
7. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the first compartment is sized to hold at least an object having the approximate dimensions of 6.5 inches in length, 5 inches in width and 2 inches in height when the first shell is secured to the second shell.
8. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the first compartment has a volume of between 60 cubic inches and 120 cubic inches.
9. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the second compartment has a volume of between 50 cubic inches and 100 cubic inches.
10. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the second and third compartments are each sized to receive a generally cylindrical container with a diameter of greater than 2.5 inches and a height of greater than 4.75 inches, when the first shell is secured to the second shell.
11. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein one of the first and second shell has an outside surface and wherein the outside surface has a cavity therein, and further including a first decorative plate releasably secured within the cavity.
12. The food storage container of claim 11 further including a second decorative plate adapted to be releasably secured within the cavity in place of the first decorative plate.
13. The food storage container of claim 12 wherein a user of the lunchbox can modify the appearance of the first decorative plate by generating an decorative image on a personal computer and attaching the decorative image to the decorative plate.
14. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the first shell is connected to the second shell by hinges.
15. The food storage container of claim 14 wherein the hinges have a flat outer surface such that the food storage container will remain in place when the outer surfaces of the hinges are placed on a horizontal surface.
16. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the first and second shells are made from high density polyethylene.
17. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the first and second shells are made from low density polyethylene.
18. The food storage container of claim 1 wherein the first and second shells are made from polypropylene.
Type: Application
Filed: May 27, 2010
Publication Date: Dec 9, 2010
Applicant: Boomerang Brands, LLC (Westmont, IL)
Inventors: Richard John Simon (Hinsdale, IL), Jason Dee Holt (St. Charles, IL)
Application Number: 12/788,675
International Classification: B65D 6/28 (20060101);