Personal container for food item storage and distribution

Abstract

A container ( 10 ) is provided for storing and distributing items. The container ( 10 ) includes a cover ( 12 ) and a tray ( 50 ) which are complimentary in shape and configured so that the tray ( 50 ) can be retained within the cover ( 12 ). The container ( 10 ) has a fully closed position in which a tray top opening ( 44 ) is fully contained within an internal volume of the cover ( 12 ) and a fully open position in which at least one cover retention element engages the tray ( 50 ) to resist further outward movement of the tray ( 50 ) from the internal volume. The cover ( 12 ) and tray ( 50 ) both preferably have curved shape that allows the container ( 10 ) to be more comfortably transported in a clothing pocket. The tray ( 50 ) and cover ( 12 ) preferably cooperate to form a moisture barrier to preserve items contained within the tray ( 50 ).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a cover comprising a cover top side, a cover bottom side, a cover left side, a cover right side, and a cover rear side, which collectively define a cover internal volume, each of the cover top side, the cover bottom side, the cover left side, and the cover right side have a front edge that collectively define a cover front opening, the cover further comprising at least one cover retention element and a cover width extending from the cover left side to the cover right side;   a tray comprising a tray front side, a tray bottom side, a tray left side, a tray right side, and a tray rear side, wherein the tray front side, the tray left side, the tray right side, and the tray rear side collectively define a tray top opening having a tray length extending from the tray front side to the tray rear side and a tray width extending from the tray left side to the tray right side;   wherein the tray and cover are complimentarily shaped and the tray is configured to be inserted within the cover internal volume through the cover front opening; and   wherein the tray has a fully closed position in which the tray top opening is fully contained within the internal volume and the tray front side fully covers the cover front opening, and a fully open position in which the at least one cover retention element is configured to engage the tray to resist further outward movement of the tray from the internal volume, wherein, in the fully open position, the tray top opening comprises a covered portion that is contained within the internal volume, and an exposed portion comprising no more than 75% of the length of the tray top opening.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the exposed portion comprises no more than 50% of the length of the tray top opening. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tray further comprises at least one tray retention element, the at least one tray retention element configured to engage with the at least one cover retention element when the tray is in the fully open position, thereby resisting further outward movement of the tray from the internal volume of the cover. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one tray retention element comprises the tray rear side. 
     
     
         5 .- 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tray closure element is located on the tray bottom surface and the at least one cover closure retention element is located on the cover bottom surface. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one anti-compression ridge located on an exterior surface of the tray bottom side. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one anti-compression ridge comprises at least two linear ridges that are parallel to the tray left side and tray right side. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of claim  16 , wherein the at least one tray closure element comprises the tray rear side. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tray front side comprises a finger slot formed between a front lip of the tray front side and a tray insertion stop lip, the tray insertion stop lip configured to form a lid covering the cover front opening when the tray is in a fully closed position within the cover, wherein the finger slot is configured to provide a grip for a user of the apparatus to withdraw the tray from the cover from the fully closed position to the fully open position. 
     
     
         22 .- 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tray front side further comprises a chamfered portion extending from an inner surface of the tray insertion stop lip to the tray top opening, the chamfered portion tapering in thickness from the tray insertion stop lip to the tray top opening, the chamfered portion being shaped and sized to frictionally engage at least one inner surface of the cover when the tray is in the fully closed position. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the tray front side provides a moisture barrier between the contents of the tray and an exterior environment of the apparatus when the tray is in the fully closed position. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the tray front side further comprises a tray insertion stop that encircles and rests against the cover front edge when the tray is in the fully closed position. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the tray front side further comprises a hollow front opening configured to receive the user's fingers to withdraw the tray from the cover from the fully closed position to the fully open position, the hollow front opening extending in depth from the front lip of the tray front side to an inner surface of a chamfered portion of the tray front side. 
     
     
         28 .- 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cover bottom side has a cover bottom shape that is concave along the cover width. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the cover top side has a cover top shape that is convex along the cover width. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the tray bottom side has a tray bottom shape that is concave along the tray width. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the cover bottom side shape is arcuate and has a radius of curvature no less than 8.0 inches (20.3 cm) to 14.0 inches (35.6 cm). 
     
     
         34 .- 44 . (canceled)