Peelable handheld food container

Abstract

A food container providing improved access to food items in packaged food products more conveniently and with less messiness while they are being eaten. The food products may be heated in the food container and the food container may be handheld in a comfortable manner or stored in a stable manner in a beverage receptacle installation in a vehicle or adjacent to spectator seats or furniture, wherein the food container includes at least one peelable portion having a free end bordering the upper end of the container which can be peeled away from the container to reveal more of the food contents of the container.

1 . A food container comprising: 
 an enclosure defining a cavity capable of being occupied by at least one food item, wherein the enclosure comprises: 
 a first section having first walled portion defining a first cavity region wherein the walled portion has a shape and size fittable into a cylindrical beverage receptacle, and having a closed bottom end sufficient to retain a food item within the first section;  
 a second section having a second walled portion defining a second cavity region, and an open top end defined by a free upper edge of the enclosure wherein the open top end is adapted for introducing a food item into the enclosure, and at least one peelable portion having a free end coinciding with part of the upper edge wherein the peelable portion is manually and selectively detachable from the enclosure effective to reveal more of the food item in the enclosure.  
   
   
   
       2 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one peelable portion is defined by lines of weakness formed in paperboard used to form the enclosure.  
   
   
       3 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one peelable portion has a profile that is relatively widest near the opening and tapers or narrows away from the opening.  
   
   
       4 . The food container of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one peelable portion has a profile selected from an inverted parabolic, inverted catenary or inverted triangular shape.  
   
   
       5 . The food container of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one peelable portion comprises a pair of peelable portions provided at generally opposite lateral sides of the second section.  
   
   
       6 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein the first section has a generally cylindrical shape or generally polygonal shape.  
   
   
       7 . The food container of  claim 2 , wherein the lines of weakness comprise a pair of lines of weakness extending generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container and defining the peelable portion therebetween.  
   
   
       8 . The food container of  claim 2 , wherein the lines of weakness are selected from group consisting of score lines, perforated lines, punched lines, tearable strands, or any combination thereof.  
   
   
       9 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is adapted to be held in a generally upright position within the beverage receptacle.  
   
   
       10 . A packaged food product comprising: 
 (A) a food product; and    (B) a food container comprising 
 an enclosure defining a cavity capable of being occupied by at least one food item, wherein the enclosure comprises: 
 a first section having first walled portion defining a first cavity region wherein the walled portion has a shape and size fittable into a cylindrical beverage receptacle, and having a closed bottom end sufficient to retain a food item within the first section;  
 a second section having second walled portion defining a second cavity region, and an open top end defined by a free upper edge of the enclosure wherein the open top end is adapted for introducing a food item into the enclosure, and at least one peelable portion having a free end coinciding with part of the upper edge wherein the peelable portion is adapted to be manually and selectively detached from the enclosure effective to reveal more of the food item in the enclosure.  
 
   
   
   
       11 . The packaged food product of  claim 10 , wherein the food item is selected from the group consisting of burritos, pizza rolls, egg rolls, wrap sandwiches, sandwich rolls, wrapped fruit pie pastries, baked goods, rolled sandwiches, and chicken pieces.  
   
   
       12 . The packaged food product of  claim 10 , wherein the food item comprises a dough enrobed roll-up containing at least one filling, wherein the dough is selected from the group consisting of a pizza crust, pita, flat bread, and French bread, and the at least one filling is selected from the group consisting of tomato sauce, cheese, meat, vegetable, and any combination thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The packaged food product of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one peelable portion id defined by lines of weakness formed in paperboard used to form the enclosure.  
   
   
       14 . The packaged food product of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one peelable portion has a profile that is relatively widest near the opening and tapers or narrows away from the opening.  
   
   
       15 . The packaged food product of  claim 14 , wherein the enclosure comprises a microwave susceptor material.  
   
   
       16 . The packaged food product of  claim 14 , wherein the peelable portion comprises a pair of peelable portions provided at generally opposite lateral sides of the second section.  
   
   
       17 . The packaged food product of  claim 10 , wherein the food container further comprises a sleeve attached circumferentially around an outer surface thereof.  
   
   
       18 . The packaged food product of  claim 13 , wherein the lines of weakness comprise a pair of lines of weakness extending generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container and defining the peelable portion therebetween.  
   
   
       19 . The packaged food product of  claim 13 , wherein the lines of weakness are selected from group consisting of score lines, perforated lines, tearable strands, or any combination thereof.  
   
   
       20 . The packaged food product of  claim 10 , wherein the enclosure is adapted to be held in a generally upright position within the beverage receptacle.