Resealable food container

Abstract

A polygonal shaped container is provided which includes a wrapper surrounding a food product. The shape of the container is defined by either a frame containing a food product or rigid material incorporated with the wrapper. Access to contents in the container is provided by withdrawing a resealable sealing layer sealed to the top or side surface of the container and withdrawing the sealing layer from the container or by pivoting a rigid lid away from the top of the container.

1 . A food container comprising: 
 a frame defining the shape of the container, said container having a top, a bottom and sides connecting the top and bottom, the frame containing a food product;    a wrapper surrounding said frame, said wrapper forming the top, sides and bottom of the container;    said top and one said side having an access opening sufficiently large to provide access to substantially all of the food product contained within the frame; and    a sealing layer having a starter portion which can be grasped by a user, said sealing layer adhesively sealed to said top and said one side around said opening, said sealing layer being releasable when said starter portion is pulled in a direction away from said side to in turn pull and thereby release at least a portion of said sealing layer to provide said hand access to said top access opening and resealable against said top and side one side to seal said opening when said sealing layer is moved back against said top and said one side.    
   
   
       2 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein said top and the one said side of said wrapper comprise a flap have substantially the same dimensions as said opening and permanently affixed to said sealing layer.  
   
   
       3 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein said starter portion comprises a tab which projects past an edge of said one side of the container upon which said starter portion is sealed, said tab being accessible beyond said edge to be grasped by a user.  
   
   
       4 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein said starter portion comprises a tab.  
   
   
       5 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein said sealing layer is transparent.  
   
   
       6 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein said top of the container includes graphics around said opening, and said sealing layer includes graphics which match the graphics on said top.  
   
   
       7 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein said starter portion is located at a crimp seal end of said wrapper.  
   
   
       8 . A polygonal shaped food container comprising: 
 a frame defining the polygonal shape of the container, said container having a top, a bottom and sides connecting the top and bottom, the frame containing a food product;    a wrapper surrounding said frame, said wrapper forming the top, sides and bottom of the container;    said top having at least two access openings to, together, provide access to substantially all of the food product contained within the frame; and    at least two sealing layers, each having a starter portion which can be grasped by a user, each said sealing layer adhesively sealed to said top around a respective one of said two openings, each said sealing layer being releasable when a respective said starter portion is pulled in a direction away from said top to in turn pull and thereby release at least a portion of said respective sealing layer to provide said hand access to said respective top access opening and resealable against said top to seal said respective opening when said respective sealing layer is moved back against said top.    
   
   
       9 . The polygonal shaped food container of  claim 8 , wherein said frame comprises a tray.  
   
   
       10 . The polygonal shaped food container of  claim 9 , wherein said tray comprises two compartments, each compartment accessible through a respective one of the at least two openings.  
   
   
       11 . The polygonal shaped food container of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of said at least two sealing layers extends from said top along at least a portion of one of the sides of said container.  
   
   
       12 . A polygonal shaped food container comprising: 
 one or more food protectors containing a food product and defining the polygonal shape of the container, said container having a top, a bottom and sides connecting the top and bottom;    a wrapper surrounding said one or more food protectors, said wrapper forming the top, sides and bottom of the container;    one of said sides having an access opening sufficiently large to allow said one or more food protectors to be withdrawn therethrough; and    a sealing layer having a starter portion which can be grasped by a user, said sealing layer adhesively sealed to said one side around said opening, said sealing layer being releasable when said starter portion is pulled in a direction away from said side to in turn pull and thereby release at least a portion of said sealing layer to provide withdrawal of said one or more food protectors and reclosable against said side to seal said opening when said sealing layer is moved back against said side.    
   
   
       13 . The polygonal shaped food container of  claim 12 , wherein said one or more food protectors comprises a tray.  
   
   
       14 . The polygonal shaped food container of  claim 12 , wherein said one or more food protectors comprises a slug surrounding the food product.  
   
   
       15 . The polygonal shaped food container of  claim 12 , wherein said one or more one food protectors comprises a core buff surrounding the food product.  
   
   
       16 . The polygonal shaped food container of  claim 12 , wherein said one or more one food protectors comprises a frame surround the food product.  
   
   
       17 . The polygonal shaped food container of  claim 16 , wherein said frame comprises sides but not a bottom or a top.  
   
   
       18 . A polygonal shaped food container comprising: 
 a wrapper composed of a first, flexible material;    a second material more rigid than the first material, said second material incorporated with said wrapper to provide rigidity to said wrapper and to define faces of the container, said faces comprising a top, sides and bottom of the container, the wrapper with incorporated rigid material containing a food product;    one of said faces having an access opening sufficiently large to provide access to the food product contained within the wrapper; and    a sealing layer having a starter portion which can be grasped by a user, said sealing layer adhesively sealed to said one face around said opening, said sealing layer being releasable when said starter portion is pulled in a direction away from said face to in turn pull and thereby release at least a portion of said sealing layer to provide withdrawal of said food items and reclosable against said face to seal said opening when said sealing layer is moved back against said face.    
   
   
       19 . The polygonal shaped food container of  claim 18 , wherein said second material is disposed along substantially the entire the perimeter of at least one of said faces of said container.  
   
   
       20 . A polygonal shaped food container comprising: 
 a frame defining the polygonal shape of the container, said container having a top, a bottom and sides connecting the top and bottom, the frame containing a food product;    a wrapper surrounding said frame, said wrapper forming the top, sides and bottom of the container;    said top having an access opening sufficiently large to provide access to substantially all of the food product contained within the frame; and    a rigid lid hingedly attached to said top, wherein said container is transformed to an opened configuration by pivoting said lid away from said top along said hinge to provide said access to said top access opening, and returned to a closed configuration by turning said lid back along said hinge so that said lid covers said access opening.    
   
   
       21 . The polygonal shaped food container of  claim 20  further comprising a rigid collar surrounding said access opening; said collar engaging with said lid when said container is in a closed configuration.  
   
   
       22 . The polygonal shaped food container of  claim 21 , wherein said collar forms an interlocking engagement with said lid when said container is in the closed configuration.