Food container

Abstract

A food container is described and which includes an enclosure for holding a food product to be consumed and which is defined by a sidewall, and which has a first open end, and a second closed end; and a lid which releasably and matingly engages the first open end of the enclosure and which permits limited access to the enclosure, and which further defines a cavity which matingly receives the second end of the enclosure when the lid is removed from the enclosure.

1 . A food container, comprising:
 an enclosure for holding a food product to be consumed and which is defined by a sidewall, and which has a first open end, and a second closed end; and   a lid which releasably and matingly engages the first open end of the enclosure and which permits limited access to the enclosure, and which further defines a cavity which matingly receives the second end of the enclosure when the lid is removed from the enclosure.   
   
   
       2 . A food container as claimed in  claim 1 , and wherein the first open end of the enclosure is substantially circular. 
   
   
       3 . A food container as claimed in  claim 1 , and wherein the sidewall of the enclosure defines, at least in part, a cone having an apex which is located at the second end of the enclosure. 
   
   
       4 . A food container as claimed in  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a rim made integral with the first open end of the enclosure and which extends laterally outwardly relative thereto.   
   
   
       5 . A food container as claimed in  claim 4 , and further comprising:
 a circumscribing coupling member made integral with the lid, and which defines a circumscribing channel which sealably matingly receives the rim.   
   
   
       6 . A food container as claimed in  claim 3 , and wherein the lid further comprises an exterior facing surface which forms, at least in part, a dome, and the cavity, and wherein the cavity is frusto-conically shaped. 
   
   
       7 . A food container as claimed in  claim 6 , and wherein an aperture is defined by the exterior facing surface of the lid, and is located within the cavity. 
   
   
       8 . A food container comprising:
 a frusto-conically shaped enclosure for holding a food product, and which has a first open end, and a second closed end defining an apex, and wherein a rim is made integral with the first, open end, and extends substantially radially outwardly relative thereto; and   a lid for releasably engaging the first open end of the enclosure, and which further releasably matingly cooperates with the second end of the enclosure, when removed from the first open end, so as to support the enclosure on an underlying supporting surface, and in an orientation so that the food product deposited in the enclosure can be easily removed from the enclosure.   
   
   
       9 . A food enclosure as claimed in  claim 8 , and wherein the lid has an exterior facing surface which defines a frusto-conically shaped cavity which is dimensioned to matingly receive the second end of the enclosure. 
   
   
       10 . A food enclosure as claimed in  claim 9 , and wherein the frusto-conically shaped cavity has an apex defining an aperture and which permits a straw to extend therethrough and into the enclosure. 
   
   
       11 . A food enclosure as claimed in  claim 10 , and wherein the lid has a predetermined height dimension, and the frusto-conically shaped cavity has a depth dimension which is less that the height dimension of the lid. 
   
   
       12 . A food enclosure as claimed in  claim 11 , and wherein the lid has an outside diametral dimension, and the base of the frusto-conically shaped cavity has an inside diametral dimension which is less than the outside diametral dimension of the lid. 
   
   
       13 . A food enclosure as claimed in  claim 8 , and wherein the lid further defines a circumscribing channel which is dimensioned to releasably, matingly engage the rim in the manner of a snap-fit. 
   
   
       14 . A food enclosure as claimed in  claim 13 , and wherein the lid defines, at least in part a dome which substantially covers the first open end of the frusto-conically shaped enclosure. 
   
   
       15 . A food enclosure as claimed in  claim 12 , and wherein the lid is operable to shape the food product when the lid releasably engages the first, open end of the enclosure.