Food container, condiment container and method of mounting the condiment container to the food container

Abstract

A food container, such as a scoop formed of lightweight paperboard, has a slit (or slot) extending in substantially a straight line across a front panel thereof for receiving a flange of a condiment container such as a cup covered by a lid. The condiment container may be securely attached the food container by inserting the flange in to the slit, from the outside of the food container, sufficiently that at least one locking feature on the flange becomes disposed within the food container. At least one locking feature is formed on a surface of the flange. The locking feature is tapered from a leading edge to a trailing edge thereof, and has a thickness (t 2 ) at its trailing edge which is substantially greater, such as five to ten times greater, than its thickness (t 1 ) at the leading edge thereof The locking feature can be in the geometric form of a triangle, having an apex oriented towards a leading edge of the flange. Two locking features may be provided on the flange, such as on the top surface thereof The flange itself extends substantially perpendicular to a side wall of the condiment container and may be integral with a portion of a lip which extends from a top edge of the side wall. The condiment cup may be formed of a resilient material, selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene. The lid for the condiment cup may be formed of a material selected from the group consisting of foil or plastic laminate.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A food container having a generally rectangular panel, comprising: 
 a slit extending across the panel for receiving a flange of a condiment container.    
     
     
         2 . A food container, according to    claim 1   , wherein: 
 the panel has a top and a bottom side and the slit is disposed nearer to the top than to the bottom side of the panel.    
     
     
         3 . A food container, according to    claim 1   , wherein: 
 the panel has a top and a bottom side and the slit is disposed nearer to the bottom than to the top side of the panel.    
     
     
         4 . A food container, according to    claim 2   , further comprising: 
 a second slit disposed nearer to the bottom than to the top side.    
     
     
         5 . A food container, according to    claim 1   , wherein: 
 the slit has a length dimension which is between 10-50% of a width dimension of the panel.    
     
     
         6 . A food container, according to    claim 1   , wherein: 
 the panel has a top and a bottom side and the slit is disposed equidistant from both sides.    
     
     
         7 . A food container, according to    claim 1   , further comprising: 
 a second slit next to the slit extending across the panel for receiving a flange of a second condiment container.    
     
     
         8 . A food container, according to    claim 1   , wherein: 
 the slit is in a shape selected from the group consisting of a straight line, a curved line, an “H” design, a “U” design, or at least two cuts each designed to hold a single locking mechanism.    
     
     
         9 . A food container, according to    claim 2   , wherein: 
 the slit extends in substantially a straight line across the panel.    
     
     
         10 . A food container, according to    claim 3   , wherein: 
 the slit extends in substantially a straight line across the panel.    
     
     
         11 . A food container, according to    claim 1   , wherein: 
 the food container is formed from a material chosen from the group consisting of lightweight paperboard, corrugated composite structures, honeycomb composite structures, plastic or plastic laminate.    
     
     
         12 . A food container having a generally cylindrical panel and a generally circular bottom attached to an end of the generally cylindrical panel, comprising: 
 a slit extending across the panel for receiving a flange of a condiment container.    
     
     
         13 . A food container, according to    claim 12   , wherein: 
 the panel has a top and a bottom side and the slit is disposed nearer to the top than to the bottom side of the panel.    
     
     
         14 . A food container, according to    claim 12   , wherein: 
 the panel has a top and a bottom side and the slit is disposed nearer to the bottom than to the top side of the panel.    
     
     
         15 . A food container, according to    claim 13   , further comprising: 
 a second slit disposed nearer to the bottom than to the top side.    
     
     
         16 . A food container, according to    claim 12   , wherein: 
 the slit has a length dimension which is between 10-50% of a width dimension of the panel.    
     
     
         17 . A food container, according to    claim 12   , wherein: 
 the slit is disposed between a top side and a bottom side of the panel.    
     
     
         18 . A food container, according to    claim 12   , further comprising: 
 a second slit next to the slit extending across the panel for receiving a flange of a second condiment container.    
     
     
         19 . A food container, according to    claim 12   , wherein: 
 the slit is in a shape selected from the group consisting of a straight line, a curved line, an “H” design, a “U” design, or at least two cuts each designed to hold a single locking mechanism.    
     
     
         20 . A food container, according to    claim 13   , wherein: 
 the slit extends in substantially a straight line across the panel.    
     
     
         21 . A food container, according to    claim 14   , wherein: 
 the slit extends in substantially a straight line across the panel.    
     
     
         22 . A food container, according to    claim 12   , wherein: 
 the food container is formed from a material chosen from the group consisting of lightweight paperboard, corrugated composite structures, honeycomb composite structures, plastic or plastic laminate.    
     
     
         23 . A condiment container comprising: 
 a side wall;    a flange extending from the side wall and having a top surface, a bottom surface and a leading edge;    at least one locking feature formed on a one of the top and bottom surfaces of the flange;    the at least one locking feature is tapered from a leading edge thereof to a trailing edge thereof.    
     
     
         24 . A condiment container, according to    claim 23   , wherein: 
 the at least one locking feature has a thickness at its trailing edge which is substantially greater than its thickness at the leading edge thereof.    
     
     
         25 . A condiment container, according to    claim 24   , wherein: 
 the thickness of at least one locking feature at its trailing edge is five to ten times greater that the thickness at the leading edge.    
     
     
         26 . A condiment container, according to    claim 24   , wherein: 
 the thickness of the at least one locking feature at its leading edge is substantially equal to the thickness of a material of the flange.    
     
     
         27 . A condiment container, according to    claim 23   , wherein: 
 the at least one locking feature is formed on the top surface of the flange    
     
     
         28 . A condiment container, according to    claim 23   , wherein: 
 the at least one locking feature is an out-of-plane, raised, deformation of the flange.    
     
     
         29 . A condiment container, according to    claim 23   , wherein: 
 the at least one locking feature is in the geometric form of a triangle, having an apex oriented towards the leading edge of the flange.    
     
     
         30 . A condiment container, according to    claim 23   , wherein: 
 two locking features are provided on the flange.    
     
     
         31 . A condiment container, according to    claim 23   , wherein: 
 the flange extends substantially perpendicular to the side wall.    
     
     
         32 . A condiment container, according to    claim 23   , wherein: 
 the flange is integral with a portion of a lip which extends from a top edge of the side wall.    
     
     
         33 . A condiment container, according to    claim 23   , wherein: 
 the flange is sized and shaped to securely attach the condiment container to a corresponding slit on a panel of a food container.    
     
     
         34 . A condiment container, according to    claim 23   , wherein: 
 the condiment is formed of a resilient material, selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene.    
     
     
         35 . A condiment container, according to    claim 23   , further comprising: 
 a lid extending over an opening of the condiment container.    
     
     
         36 . A condiment container, according to    claim 35   , wherein: 
 the lid is sealed to a lip extending around the opening.    
     
     
         37 . A condiment container, according to    claim 35   , wherein: 
 the lid comprises a thin membrane of material selected from the group consisting of foil or plastic laminate.    
     
     
         38 . Method of mounting a condiment container to a food container, comprising: 
 providing a condiment container having a side wall; a flange extending from the side wall and having a top surface, a bottom surface and a leading edge; and at least one locking feature formed on a one of the top and bottom surfaces of the flange;    providing a food container having a mounting feature which is a slit extending in substantially a straight line across a front panel for receiving the flange of the condiment container; and    inserting the flange into the slit, from the outside of the food container, sufficiently that the at least one locking feature is within the food container, thereby securely attaching the condiment container to the food container.