Domed casserole roaster container

Abstract

The present invention relates, generally, to food containers used in storing and displaying heated foods, as well as in serving foods from these containers. The food container of the present invention is an improvement over the conventional prepared food containers in that it features, among other things, an improved handle, where the heat from the container is not fully felt by the person holding the container, while still providing an advanced sealing mechanism to prevent the escape of the contents of the container.

1 . A container comprising a base and a lid,
 the lid comprising an upper lid surface, a lid sidewall and a lid lip,
 where the upper lid surface is a substantially planar surface defined by the top of the lid sidewall, and 
 where the lid lip extends upwardly and outwardly from the bottom region of the lid sidewall, and 
 where the lid sidewall extends outwardly and downwardly from the upper lid surface, such that as the distance from the upper lid surface increases, the lid sidewall transitions from a substantially outward extension to a substantially downward extension, and 
   the base comprising a lower base surface, a base sidewall and a base lip,
 where the lower base surface is a substantially planar surface defined by the bottom of the base sidewall, and 
 where the base lip extends outwardly from the top of the base sidewall, and 
   where the lid lip and the base lip both comprise an interlocking arrangement such that the lid may be secured to the base, and in being so secured provides an inner seal and an outer seal,
 the inner seal being defined by a base inner seal surface on the base lip coming into contact with a complimentary lid inner seal surface on the lid lip, and 
 the second outer seal being defined by a base outer seal surface on the base lip coming into contact with a complimentary lid outer seal surface on the lid lip, 
 where the aforementioned lid inner seal surface and lid outer seal surface are in substantially perpendicular arrangements relative to the upper lid surface, and are joined by a lid lip transition surface that is in a substantially parallel arrangement relative to the upper lid surface and located between the lid inner seal surface and lid outer seal surface on the lid lip, and 
 where the aforementioned base inner seal surface and base outer seal surface on the base lip are in substantially perpendicular arrangements relative to the lower base surface, and are joined by a base lip transition surface that is in a substantially parallel arrangement relative to the lower base surface and located between the base inner seal surface and base outer seal surface on the base lip, 
   where the lid lip and the base lip further comprise at least one handle region, the at least one handle region being located on an edge of the container,
 where the lid lip transition surface, in each of the at least one handle regions on the lid lip, comprises at least one lid surface area reduction notch, and 
 where the base lip transition surface, in each of the at least one handle regions on the base lip, comprises at least one base surface area reduction notch. 
   
   
   
       2 . The container of  claim 1 ,
 where the lid lip and the base lip further comprise two handle regions, the handle regions being located on substantially opposite ends of the container.   
   
   
       3 . The container of  claim 1 ,
 where the termination of the material that comprises the lid is in substantially the same plane, defining the edge of the lid, and   where the termination of the material that comprises the base is in substantially the same plane, defining the edge of the base.   
   
   
       4 . The container of  claim 1 ,
 where the base sidewall further comprises a series of base sidewall ridges, the base sidewall ridges being parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the lower base surface.   
   
   
       5 . The container of  claim 1 ,
 where the base further comprises at least one base de-nesting notch, the base de-nesting notch being located near the top of the base sidewall.   
   
   
       6 . The container of  claim 5 ,
 where the base further comprises four base de-nesting notches, the base de-nesting notches being located near the top of the base side wall, each base de-nesting notch being located at the ends of the two handle regions.   
   
   
       7 . The container of  claim 1 ,
 where the lid further comprises at least one lid de-nesting notch, the lid de-nesting notch being located substantially near the base of the lid sidewall.   
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 7 ,
 where the lid further comprises six lid de-nesting notches, the lid de-nesting notches being located substantially near the base of the lid sidewall, and the lid de-nesting notches being substantially equidistant from the two most adjacent lid de-nesting notches.   
   
   
       9 . The container of  claim 1 ,
 where the base further comprises at least one base de-nesting notch, the base de-nesting notch being located near the top of the base sidewall, and   where the lid further comprises at least one lid de-nesting notch, the lid de-nesting notch being located substantially near the base of the lid sidewall.   
   
   
       10 . The container of  claim 1 ,
 where the upper lid surface further comprises at least one vent, and   where the lower base surface further comprises at least one vent-complimentary notch.   
   
   
       11 . The container of  claim 10 ,
 where the lid lip and the base lip further comprise two handle regions, the handle regions being located on substantially opposite ends of the container, and   where the upper lid surface further comprises two vents, the vents being opposed to one another on the ends of the upper lid surface, generally in alignment with the handle regions of the container, and   where the lower base surface further comprises two vent-complimentary notches, the vent-complimentary notches being opposed to one another on the ends of the lower base surface, generally in alignment with the handle regions of the container, and   where the two vents and the two vent-complimentary notches, when a container base is on top of a container lid, in concert permit the venting of the container.   
   
   
       12 . The container of  claim 1 ,
 where the lower base surface further comprises a raised food-resting surface, and   where the upper lid surface further comprises a raised base-engaging surface.   
   
   
       13 . The container of  claim 1 ,
 where the lower base surface further comprises at least one fluid separation notch.   
   
   
       14 . The container of  claim 13 ,
 where the lower base surface further comprises eight fluid separation notches, where two of the fluid separation notches are positioned on opposite sides of the lower base surface, the ends generally in the location of the vent-complimentary notches.   
   
   
       15 . The container of  claim 12 ,
 where the lower base surface further comprises eight fluid separation notches, where two of the fluid separation notches are positioned on opposite sides of the lower base surface, the ends generally in the location of the vent-complimentary notches, and where six of the fluid separation notches are positioned on the raised food-resting surface.   
   
   
       16 . The container of  claim 1 ,
 where the lid lip further comprises at least one lid-opening tab, and   where the base lip further comprises at least one base opening tab.   
   
   
       17 . The container of  claim 16 ,
 where the lid lip further comprises two lid-opening tabs, located on opposite ends of the lid, each offset from the handle regions, and   where the base lip further comprises one base opening tab, located in the vicinity of one handle region and located such that, when the base and the lid are engaged, the base opening tab is offset from the closest lid-opening tab.   
   
   
       18 . A container comprising a base and a lid,
 the lid comprising an upper lid surface, a lid sidewall and a lid lip,
 where the upper lid surface is a substantially planar surface defined by the top of the lid sidewall, and 
 where the lid lip extends upwardly and outwardly from the bottom region of the lid sidewall, and 
 where the lid sidewall extends outwardly and downwardly from the upper lid surface, such that as the distance from the upper lid surface increases, the lid sidewall transitions from a substantially outward extension to a substantially downward extension, and 
   the base comprising a lower base surface, a base sidewall and a base lip,
 where the lower base surface is a substantially planar surface defined by the bottom of the base sidewall, and 
 where the base lip extends outwardly from the top of the base sidewall, and 
 where the base sidewall comprises a series of base sidewall ridges, the base sidewall ridges being parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the lower base surface, and 
   where the lid lip and the base lip both comprise an interlocking arrangement such that the lid may be secured to the base, and in being so secured provides a first inner seal and a second outer seal,
 the inner seal being defined by a base inner seal surface on the base lip coming into contact with a complimentary lid inner seal surface on the lid lip, and 
 the second outer seal being defined by a base outer seal surface on the base lip coming into contact with a complimentary lid outer seal surface on the lid lip, 
 where the aforementioned lid inner seal surface and lid outer seal surface are in substantially perpendicular arrangements relative to the upper lid surface, and are joined by a lid lip transition surface that is in a substantially parallel arrangement relative to the upper lid surface and located between the lid inner seal surface and lid outer seal surface on the lid lip, and 
 where the aforementioned base inner seal surface and base outer seal surface on the base lip are in substantially perpendicular arrangements relative to the lower base surface, and are joined by a base lip transition surface that is in a substantially parallel arrangement relative to the lower base surface and located between the base inner seal surface and base outer seal surface on the base lip, and 
   where the termination of the material that comprises the lid is in substantially the same plane, defining the edge of the lid, and where the termination of the material that comprises the base is in substantially the same plane, defining the edge of the base, and   where the lid lip and the base lip further comprise two handle regions, the handle regions being located on substantially opposite ends of the container,
 where the substantially elliptical frustral transition lid lip surface, in each of the handle regions on the lid lip, comprises at least one lid surface area reduction notch, and 
 where the substantially elliptical frustral transition base lip surface, in each of the handle regions on the base lip, comprises at least one base surface area reduction notch, 
   where the base further comprises four base de-nesting notches, the base de-nesting notches being located near the top of the base sidewall, with one base de-nesting notch being located in each end of each handle region on the container, and   where the lid further comprises six lid de-nesting notches, the lid de-nesting notches being located substantially near the base of the lid sidewall, and the lid de-nesting notches being substantially equidistant from the two most adjacent lid de-nesting notches, and   where the upper lid surface further comprises two vents, the vents being opposed to one another on the ends of the upper lid surface, generally in alignment with the handle regions of the container, and   where the lower base surface further comprises two vent-complimentary notches, the vent-complimentary notches being opposed to one another on the ends of the lower base surface, generally in alignment with the handle regions of the container, and   where the two vents and the two vent-complimentary notches, when a container base is on top of a container lid, in concert permit the venting of the container, and   where the lower base surface further comprises a raised food-resting surface, and   where the upper lid surface further comprises a raised base-engaging surface, and where the raised food-resting surface and the raised base-engaging surface are so configured as to allow a container base to be stacked on top of a container lid, and   where the lower base surface further comprises eight fluid separation notches, where two of the fluid separation notches are positioned on opposite sides of the lower base surface, the ends generally in the location of the vent-complimentary notches, and where six of the fluid separation notches are positioned on the raised food-resting surface, and   where the lid lip further comprises two lid-opening tabs, located on opposite ends of the lid, each offset from the handle regions, and   where the base lip further comprises one base opening tab, located in the vicinity of one handle region and located such that, when the base and the lid are engaged, the base opening tab is offset from the closest lid-opening tab.   
   
   
       19 . A container base comprising,
 a lower base surface, a base sidewall and a base lip,
 where the lower base surface is a substantially planar surface defined by the bottom of the base sidewall, and 
 where the base lip extends outwardly from the top of the base sidewall, and 
 where the base lip comprises a base inner seal surface and base outer seal surface on the base lip that are in substantially perpendicular arrangements relative to the lower base surface, and are joined by a base lip transition surface that is in a substantially parallel arrangement relative to the lower base surface and located between the base inner seal surface and base outer seal surface on the base lip, 
 where the base lip transition surface, in each of the handle regions on the base lip, comprises at least one base surface area reduction notch. 
   
   
   
       20 . The container base of  claim 19 ,
 where the base sidewall further comprises a series of base sidewall ridges, the base sidewall ridges being parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the lower base surface.