ANTI-LEAK FOOD BOX

Abstract

The food box contains a box member and a cover member. The box member has a storage space with a top opening. At least a box flange extends from the top opening's circumference. An upward extending anti-leak wall surrounds the top opening. At least a first connection element is configured along the anti-leak wall. The cover member seals the top opening, and has at least a cover flange extending laterally from the cover member's circumference. An upward extending anti-leak ditch surrounds the circumference of the cover member compatible with the anti-leak wall. At least a second connection element is configured along the anti-leak ditch. When the cover member seals the box member, the anti-leak wall is embedded into the anti-leak ditch so as to prevent a content of the food box from leaking.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention is generally related to containers for food, and more particular to an anti-leak food box.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

Observation shows that more and more people order take-outs and carry a food box packaging the take-outs back to where he/she works or lives.

An ordinary food box contains a box member, a pivoted openable cover joined to a top edge of the box member. The box member and the cover usually have flanges and, after food is stored, rubber bands are used to bind the cover to the box member.

However, if the food box is rocked or shook, the stored food often spill outside the box member.

Also the rubber bands can only provide limited bondage and the food may leak out of the box from where the rubber band cannot provide tight sealing.

Of course if the box is not bound by enough rubber bands, the food leakage problem is always inevitable. It should be obvious that the food box requires a better design to obviate the aforementioned shortcomings

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, a major objective of the present invention is to provide a novel food box with enhanced anti-leaking capability by configuring interlocking means on the food box.

To achieve the objective, the food box contains a box member and a cover member. The box member has a storage space with a top opening. At least a box flange extends from the top opening's circumference. An upward extending anti-leak wall surrounds the top opening. At least a first connection element is configured along the anti-leak wall and each first connection element has a first fastener. The cover member seals the top opening, and has at least a cover flange extending laterally from the cover member's circumference. An upward extending anti-leak ditch surrounds the circumference of the cover member compatible with the anti-leak wall. At least a second connection element is configured along the anti-leak ditch and each second connection element has a second fastener. When the cover member seals the box member, the anti-leak wall is embedded into the anti-leak ditch so as to prevent a content of the food box from leaking.

The cover member and the box member are integrally formed.

The box member and the cover member have compatible geometric shapes.

The first fastener is configured in an upper section, a middle section, or a lower section on at least a laterally outward facing side of the first connection element.

The first fastener is an indentation.

The second fastener is configured in an upper section, a middle section, or a lower section on at least a laterally outward facing side of the second connection element.

The second fastener is an indentation.

The first and second connection elements have a block shape whose circumferential wall has a 3-like sectional shape.

The anti-leak ditch has an inverted U-like sectional shape.

The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram showing a food box according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective diagram showing the food box of FIG. 1 with a cover member of the food box opened.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the interaction between a first connection element and a second connection element of the food box of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective diagram showing the food box of FIG. 1 when its cover member is opened.

FIG. 5 is a perspective diagram showing a food box according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective diagram showing a food box according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a food box according to an embodiment of the present invention contains a box member 1 which has a storage space with a top opening. The box member 1 contains at least a box flange 11 extending laterally outward from a section of the top opening's circumference and an upward extending anti-leak wall 13 surrounding the top opening. At least a first connection element 12 is configured along the anti-leak wall 13. Each first connection element 12 has a first fastener 121. The food box further contains a cover member 2 edge-to-edge joined to the box member 1 so as to seal the top opening. The cover member 2 contains at least a cover flange 21 extending laterally outward from a section of the cover member 2's circumference and an upward extending anti-leak ditch 23 surrounding the circumference of the cover member 2. At least a second connection element 22 is configured along the anti-leak ditch 23. Each second connection element 22 has a second fastener 221. When the cover member 2 covers and seals the top opening of the box member 1, the anti-leak wall 13 is embedded into the anti-leak ditch 23, and each first connection element 12 is embedded into a corresponding second connection element 22 with their first and second fasteners 121 and 221 tightly matched with each other.

In the present embodiment, the cover member 2 and the box member 1 are integrally formed.

The first fastener 121 is configured in an upper section, a middle section, or a lower section on at least a laterally outward facing side of the first connection element 12.

Preferably, the first fastener 121 is an indentation.

The second fastener 221 is configured in an upper section, a middle section, or a lower section on at least a laterally outward facing side of the second connection element 22.

Preferably, the second fastener 221 is an indentation.

The first and second connection elements 12 and 22 have a block shape whose circumferential wall has a 3-like sectional shape.

The anti-leak ditch 23 has an inverted U-like sectional shape.

In alternative embodiments, the box member 1 and the cover member 2 have other compatible geometric shapes.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the cover member 2 seals the box member 1, the anti-leak wall 13 is embedded into the anti-leak ditch 23, and the first and second connection elements 12 and 22 are joined together. The first and second fasteners 121 and 221 are tightly fitted together so as to secure the connection between the first and second connection elements 12 and 22, which in turn locks the cover member 2 and the box member 1 reliably together, thereby preventing the content in the food box from splitting or leaking.

As shown in FIG. 4, to open the cover member 2, the box and cover flanges 11 and 21 provide convenient handles. In other words, by exerting a downward force on the box flange 11 and an upward force on the cover flange 21, the interlocking between the first and second connection elements 12 and 22 are disrupted, and the cover member 2 can be easily opened.

As shown in FIG. 5, in another embodiment of the present invention, the cover member 2 and the box member 1 are separately formed. The other details are identical to the previous embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 6, in yet another embodiment of the present invention, the first and second fasteners 121 and 221 are not confined to the first and second connection elements 12 and 22 only. In this embodiment, both the anti-leak wall 13 and the anti-leak ditch 23 have the first and second fasteners 121 and 221 configured along their entire circumferential sides, respectively.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A food box, comprising:

a box member having a storage space with a top opening, a box flange extending laterally outward from a section of the top opening's circumference, and an upward extending anti-leak wall surrounding the top opening, where a plurality of first connection elements are configured along and on the anti-leak wall, and each first connection element is located at a corner of the anti-leak wall; and

a cover member for sealing the top opening, the cover member having a cover flange extending laterally outward from a section of the cover member's circumference, and an upward extending anti-leak ditch surrounding the circumference of the cover member compatible with the anti-leak wall, where a plurality of second connection elements are configured along and on the anti-leak ditch, and each second connection element is located at a corner of the anti-leak ditch corresponding to a first connection element;

wherein the first and second connection elements have compatible block shapes; a first fastener is configured along laterally outward facing sides of each first connection element; a second fastener is configured along laterally outward facing sides of each second connection element; the first and second fasteners are indentations of compatible cross-sectional shapes substantially as the numeral 3; the first and second fasteners are configured in an upper section, a middle section, or a lower section of each first connection element and each second connection element, respectively.

2.-4. (canceled)

5. The food box according to claim 1, wherein, when the cover member seals the box member, the anti-leak wall is embedded into the anti-leak ditch so as to prevent a content of the food box from leaking.

6. The food box according to claim 5, wherein the anti-leak ditch has an inverted U-like sectional shape.

7. The food box according to claim 1, wherein the box member and the cover member have compatible geometric shapes.

8. The food box according to claim 1, wherein the first fastener is further configured along outer circumferential side of the anti-leak wall; and the second fastener is further configured along outer circumferential side of the anti-leak ditch.

9.-15. (canceled)