Prewhip dollop in packaging

Abstract

The present invention provides a preformed dollop that is inserted into a dollop receptacle and a method for using and manufacturing the preformed dollop in the dollop receptacle.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A dollop receptacle design to contain a dollop, said dollop receptacle including a body and a removable seal, said body includes a cavity designed to receive the dollop, said top end of said body having a top opening that provides access to said cavity, said removable seal removably connected to said top end of said body and fully overlies said top opening. 
     
     
         2 . The dollop receptacle as defined in  claim 1 , including a container rim that is connected to and positioned on said top end of said body and fully encircles said top opening, said container rim including a container flange that is designed to engage an outer surface of a rim of a food receptacle to enable said body to be removably secured to the rim of the food receptacle, said container flange extending at least partially upwardly from said top end of said body. 
     
     
         3 . The dollop receptacle as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said removable seal includes a tab, said tab designed to enable a user to easily grasp said tab and facilitate in the removal of said removable seal from said body. 
     
     
         4 . The dollop receptacle as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said removable seal has a thickness that is less than a thickness of said body. 
     
     
         5 . The dollop receptacle as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said removable seal is a plastic material that is clear or semi-opaque. 
     
     
         6 . The dollop receptacle as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a surface of said cavity that is designed to contact the dollop is formed of a non-stick material, includes a release agent, or combinations thereof to facilitate in the release of said dollop from said dollop receptacle. 
     
     
         7 . The dollop receptacle as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a surface of said cavity that is designed to contact the dollop includes one or more surface structures that are designed to form a predefined shape on the dollop when the dollop is inserted into said cavity. 
     
     
         8 . The dollop receptacle as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said body includes one or more compressible contact points that are designed to cause the dollop to release from said body when pressed by a user after said dollop receptacle has been placed on or over a food receptacle. 
     
     
         9 . The dollop receptacle as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said body includes a bottom opening and a bottom removable seal and/or penetrable seal, said bottom opening positioned on a bottom portion of said body, a cross-sectional area of said bottom opening being smaller than a cross-sectional area of said top opening, said bottom removable seal and/or penetrable seal connected to said body and fully overlies said bottom opening. 
     
     
         10 . The dollop receptacle as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said bottom removable seal and/or penetrable seal includes a tab, said tab designed to enable a user to easily grasp said tab and facilitate in the removal of said bottom removable seal and/or penetrable seal from said body. 
     
     
         11 . The dollop receptacle as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said bottom removable seal and/or penetrable seal has a thickness that is less than a thickness of said body. 
     
     
         12 . A method for inserting a preformed dollop onto a food product in a food receptacle comprising:
 a. providing a food receptacle that includes a food product, said food product including a liquid, semi-liquid or non-liquid food product;   b. providing a dollop receptacle that includes a preformed dollop, said dollop receptacle including a body and a removable seal, said body including a cavity that includes said preformed dollop, said top end of said body having a top opening that provides access to said cavity, said removable seal removably connected to said top end of said body and fully overlies said top opening;   c. removing said removable seal from said body of said dollop receptacle;   d. positioning said dollop receptacle on or over said food receptacle such that said top opening is positioned over said food product in said food receptacle; and,   e. causing said preformed dollop to release from said body of said dollop receptacle so that said preformed dollop is positioned on a top surface of said food product in said food receptacle.   
     
     
         13 . The method as defined in  claim 12 , wherein said food receptacle includes an upper rim and said body of said dollop receptacle includes a container rim that is connected to and positioned on said top end of said body and fully encircles said top opening, said container rim including a container flange that is designed to engage an outer surface of a rim of said food receptacle to enable said body to be removably secured to the rim of said food receptacle, said container flange extending at least partially upwardly from said top end of said body, and further including the step of removably securing said dollop receptacle to said rim of said food receptacle after said removable seal is removed from said body of said dollop receptacle. 
     
     
         14 . The method as defined in  claim 12 , wherein a surface of said cavity of said body of said dollop receptacle that is designed to contact said preformed dollop is formed of a non-stick material, includes a release agent, or combinations thereof to facilitate in the release of said dollop from said dollop receptacle. 
     
     
         15 . The method as defined in  claim 12 , further including the step of pressing one or more compressible contact points on an outer surface of said body of said dollop receptacle to cause said preformed dollop to release from said body. 
     
     
         16 . The method as defined in  claim 12 , wherein said body of said dollop receptacle includes a bottom opening and a bottom removable seal and/or penetrable seal, said bottom opening positioned on a bottom portion of said body, a cross-sectional area of said bottom opening being smaller than a cross-sectional area of said top opening, said bottom removable seal and/or penetrable seal connected to said body and fully overlies said bottom opening. 
     
     
         17 . A dollop receptacle that includes a preformed dollop, said dollop receptacle including a body and a removable seal, said body includes a cavity that includes said preformed dollop, said top end of said body having a top opening that provides access to said cavity, said removable seal removably connected to said top end of said body and fully overlies said top opening, said preformed dollop sealed in and air-tight and water-tight environment by said cavity of said body and said removable seal. 
     
     
         18 . The dollop receptacle as defined in  claim 17 , including a container rim that is connected to and positioned on said top end of said body and fully encircles said top opening, said container rim including a container flange that is designed to engage an outer surface of a rim of a food receptacle to enable said body to be removably secured to the rim of the food receptacle, said container flange extending at least partially upwardly from said top end of said body. 
     
     
         19 . The dollop receptacle as defined in  claim 17 , wherein said removable seal includes a tab, said tab designed to enable a user to easily grasp said tab and facilitate in the removal of said removable seal from said body. 
     
     
         20 . The dollop receptacle as defined in  claim 17 , wherein an inner surface of said cavity that contacts said preformed dollop is formed of a non-stick material, includes a release agent, or combinations thereof to facilitate in the release of said preformed dollop from said dollop receptacle. 
     
     
         21 . The dollop receptacle as defined in  claim 17 , wherein a surface of said cavity that contacts said preformed dollop includes one or more surface structures designed to form a predefined shape on said preformed dollop while said preformed dollop is inserted into said cavity. 
     
     
         22 . The dollop receptacle as defined in  claim 17 , wherein said body includes one or more compressible contact points that are designed to cause said preformed dollop to release from said body when pressed by a user after said dollop receptacle has been placed on or over a food receptacle. 
     
     
         23 . The dollop receptacle as defined in  claim 17 , wherein said body includes a bottom opening and a bottom removable seal and/or penetrable seal, said bottom opening positioned on a bottom portion of said body, a cross-sectional area of said bottom opening being smaller than a cross-sectional area of said top opening, said bottom removable seal and/or penetrable seal connected to said body and fully overlies said bottom opening. 
     
     
         24 . A method for forming a preformed dollop in a dollop receptacle comprising:
 a. providing a dollop receptacle design to contain the dollop, said dollop receptacle including a body, said body includes a cavity designed to receive the dollop, said top end of said body having a top opening that provides access to said cavity;   b. inserting a dollop into said cavity of said body; and,   c. applying a removable seal to said top end of said body, said removable seal fully overlies said top opening, said dollop sealed in an air-tight and water-tight environment by said cavity of said body and said removable seal.   
     
     
         25 . The method as defined in  claim 24 , including the step of refrigerating or freezing said dollop after said removable seal is applied to said top end of said body. 
     
     
         26 . The method as defined in  claim 24 , further including the step of adding one or more toppings in said cavity, said toppings can be added prior to, during, after, or combinations thereof said dollop being inserted into said cavity. 
     
     
         27 . The method as defined in  claim 24 , wherein said food receptacle includes an upper rim and said body of said dollop receptacle includes a container rim that is connected to and positioned on said top end of said body and fully encircles said top opening, said container rim including a container flange that is designed to engage an outer surface of a rim of a food receptacle to enable said body to be removably secured to the rim of the food receptacle, said container flange extending at least partially upwardly from said top end of said body. 
     
     
         28 . The method as defined in  claim 24 , wherein a surface of said cavity of said body of said dollop receptacle that is designed to contact said preformed dollop is formed of a non-stick material, includes a release agent, or combinations thereof to facilitate in the release of said dollop from said dollop receptacle. 
     
     
         28 . The method as defined in  claim 24 , wherein said body includes one or more compressible contact points that are designed to cause the dollop to release from said body when pressed by a user after said dollop receptacle has been placed on or over a food receptacle. 
     
     
         29 . The method as defined in  claim 24 , wherein said body of said dollop receptacle includes a bottom opening and a bottom removable seal and/or penetrable seal, said bottom opening positioned on a bottom portion of said body, a cross-sectional area of said bottom opening being smaller than a cross-sectional area of said top opening, said bottom removable seal and/or penetrable seal connected to said body and fully overlies said bottom opening. 
     
     
         30 . A sheet of dollop receptacles comprising a plurality of dollop receptacle that are releasably connected together, each of said dollop receptacles including a body and a removable seal, said body including a cavity that includes a preformed dollop, said top end of said body having a top opening that provides access to said cavity, said removable seal removably connected to said top end of said body and fully overlies said top opening, said preformed dollop sealed in and air-tight and water-tight environment by said cavity of said body and said removable seal.