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 .- 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A food container comprising:
 a frame defining a shape of the food container, said container having a top, a bottom and sides connecting the top and bottom, the frame containing a food product comprised of discrete food articles, the frame having a bottom, sides, and an open top;   a wrapper surrounding said frame, said wrapper forming the top, sides and bottom of the food container;   said top having at least two access openings to, together, provide access to substantially all of the discrete food articles contained within the frame such that the discrete food articles may be accessed through the access openings while the frame is disposed within the wrapper;   a sealing layer covering each of the two access openings; and   a starter portion for the sealing layer adjacent each access opening, which can be grasped by a user, the sealing layer adhesively sealed to said top around the two access openings, the sealing layer being releasable when a respective one of said starter portions is pulled in a direction away from said top to in turn pull and thereby release at least a portion of the sealing layer to provide access to a respective one of the at least two access openings and resealable against said top to seal said respective one of the at least two access openings when the sealing layer is moved back against said top.   
     
     
         24 . The food container of  claim 23  wherein said frame comprises a tray. 
     
     
         25 . The food container of  claim 24  wherein said tray further comprises two compartments, each compartment accessible through the respective one of the at least two access openings. 
     
     
         26 . The food container of  claim 23  further comprising a first sealing layer and a second sealing layer, and wherein the first sealing layer covers one of the at least two access openings and the second sealing layer covers the other of the at least two access openings. 
     
     
         27 . The food container of  claim 23  wherein the at least two access openings providing access to substantially all of the discrete food articles contained within the frame further comprises the at least two access openings and the discrete food articles configured such that each of the discrete food articles may be individually accessed through the at least two access openings while the frame is disposed within the wrapper. 
     
     
         28 . The food container of  claim 23  wherein the starter portions comprise a first and a second tab. 
     
     
         29 . The food container of  claim 28  wherein the first tab is disposed adjacent a first edge of the container and the second tab is disposed adjacent a second edge of the container. 
     
     
         30 . The food container of  claim 29  wherein the first tab projects past the first edge of the container and the second tab projects past the second edge of the container. 
     
     
         31 . The food container of  claim 29  wherein the first and second edges are opposite one another. 
     
     
         32 . The food container of  claim 23  wherein the top of the container has a first and a second cut formed therein defining the two access openings. 
     
     
         33 . The food container of  claim 32  further comprising an adhesive disposed between the sealing layer and the top of the container and wherein the first and second cuts define first and second flaps that expose the two access openings when the first and second flaps are pulled back from the container when the sealing layer is pulled back. 
     
     
         34 . The food container of  claim 33  wherein the sealing layer is a label that is affixed to the first and second flaps with the adhesive.