Food container

Abstract

A reheatable container for food items includes an annular body portion having a large, centrally positioned, opening surrounded by a generally planar flange. A generally circular disk covers the opening and is supported by the planar flange. The upper edge structure of the body portion includes a generally planar sealing surface to which a transparent quadrilateral cover film is sealed. The body portion is preferably fabricated from CPET. The food item may be heated in the container at the time of preparation, shipped in the container, stored in the container, and reheated in the container. Removal of the circular disk simultaneously removes the food item from the body portion.

1 . A container for preparing and distributing a food product, comprising: 
 a body portion fashioned from a material which can be heated two or more times to a temperature as great as about 450° F., the body portion having first and second ends, the first end having a peripheral, generally planar seal surface, the second end having an opening surrounded by a flange having a generally planar surface;    a bottom element sized to cover the opening in the second end of the body portion, having sufficiently large dimensions to also cover at least a sufficient portion of the flange that the flange supports the bottom element; and    a cover element sized to cover the first end of the body portion, supported on the seal surface, and made from a material that can be secured to the seal surface so as to exclude foreign matter from the inside of the body portion.    
   
   
       2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the body portion is fabricated from a dimensionally stable thermoplastic material.  
   
   
       3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic material is crystalline polyester terephthalate.  
   
   
       4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom element is fabricated from paperboard.  
   
   
       5 . The container of  claim 4 , wherein the bottom element is fabricated from corrugated paperboard.  
   
   
       6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the cover is fabricated from a transparent plastic material.  
   
   
       7 . The container of  claim 1 , including a food item.  
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the food item is a dessert food.  
   
   
       9 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the food item is selected from the group consisting of pie, cake, cupcake, cheese cake, and tarts.  
   
   
       10 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container body is annular.  
   
   
       11 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein the container has a generally frusto-conical side wall.  
   
   
       12 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein the container has an axis and a side wall having a frusto-conical portion inclined relative to the axis at an angle less than about 10°.  
   
   
       13 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein the container has an axis and a side wall having a frusto-conical portion inclined relative to the axis at an angle in the range of about 10° to about 15°.  
   
   
       14 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein the container has a second frusto-conical portion inclined relative to the axis at an angle in the range of about 10° to about 15°.  
   
   
       15 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein an end wall surrounds the flange and is operable to position the bottom element relative to the opening.  
   
   
       16 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the body portion is fashioned from a microwave susceptor material.  
   
   
       17 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the body portion includes a microwave susceptor coating.  
   
   
       18 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom element is fashioned from a microwave susceptor material.  
   
   
       19 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom element includes a microwave susceptor coating.  
   
   
       20 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom element includes a nonstick coating.  
   
   
       21 . A packaged food item, comprising: 
 an annular body portion, fabricated from crystalline polyester terephthalate, having a first end and a second end, the second end having an opening, an end wall surrounding the opening and be spaced from that opening, and a generally frusto-conical side wall extending between the first and second ends;    a food item selected from the group consisting of pies, cakes, and tarts, the food item substantially conforming to the side wall;    a removable bottom, underlying the food item, covering the opening, and being positioned over the opening by the end wall; and    a cover element, sealed to the first end of the body portion, and sufficiently transparent that the food item can be seen therethrough.    
   
   
       22 . The packaged food item of  claim 21 , wherein the food item is an entrée.  
   
   
       23 . The packaged food item of  claim 21 , wherein the food item is a dessert.  
   
   
       24 . A nestable container body, comprising: 
 an annular shell, fashioned from crystalline polyester terephthalate, having a first end and a second end, a generally frusto-conical side wall extending between the first end and the second end, and the second end including a central opening;    an edge structure, positioned at the first end of the annular shell, integrally connected with the side wall, defining a generally planar seal surface, having a predetermined depth measured from the seal surface, and a limit protrusion extending outwardly of the side wall, spaced from the seal surface by a distance greater than the predetermined depth, and operable to engage the edge structure of a second substantially identical nestable body portion so as to support the nestable body portions relative to one another.    
   
   
       25 . A process of preparing a food item, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a container assembly having a body portion fashioned of CPET, and a removable body portion;    placing an uncooked food item in the container assembly;    heating the food item in the container assembly;    cooling the food item in the container assembly;    covering the container assembly with a transparent cover element;    removing the cover element from the container assembly;    thermally treating the food item in the container assembly; and    removing the removable bottom element and the food item from the body portion.    
   
   
       26 . The process of  claim 25 , wherein the thermal treatment step includes thawing the food item.  
   
   
       27 . The process of  claim 25 , wherein the thermal treatment step includes tempering the food item.  
   
   
       28 . The process of  claim 25 , wherein the thermal treatment step includes reheating the food item.  
   
   
       29 . The process of  claim 25 , wherein the thermal treatment step includes microwave heating of the food item.