Container for transport and storage of food products

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing compostable food containers which preserve the quality of a food product for an extended duration of time, and which optionally allow for cooking of the food product therein. In some implementations, the food containers are sturdy, stackable, insulating, and require minimal or no manual labor to assemble. In some implementations, the food container includes a base and a cover which cooperate to form a closed chamber for supporting, protecting, insulating and optionally cooking a food product, such as a pizza. The base and cover may each be formed of a single layer of material including, but not limited to, molded sugarcane fiber (“bagasse”), molded wood fiber, molded bamboo fiber, molded paper or plastic.

1 . A food container comprising:
 a base comprising a raised rim disposed about a perimeter of an upwardly facing food receiving portion which receives a food product, the food receiving portion comprising a planar surface, a central well disposed in the center of the food receiving portion, and a plurality of channels each extending downwardly from the planar surface and radially at least partially between the central well and the raised rim, each pair of adjacent channels and a corresponding portion of the raised rim delineating a respective sector portion of the food receiving portion, each sector portion comprises a sector well that extends downwardly from the planar surface; and   a cover selectively engageable with the base, the cover comprising a central dome portion having a substantially downward facing interior surface and a substantially upward facing exterior surface, the interior surface of the central dome portion having a perimeter channel sized and dimensioned to engage the raised rim of the base when the cover is engaged with the base, and the central dome portion sized and shaped to provide an interior chamber which protects the food product, the interior chamber defined at least in part by the interior surface of the central dome portion and the food receiving portion of the base, and the exterior surface of the central dome portion comprises a plurality of dome recesses, each of the plurality of dome recesses sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of a sector well of a base of another food container identical to the food container when the other food container is stacked on top of the cover of the food container.   
     
     
         2 . The food container of  claim 1  wherein the base comprises a number N of sector wells, the cover comprises the number N of dome recesses, and each of the dome recesses is vertically aligned with one of the sector wells when the cover is engaged with the base. 
     
     
         3 . The food container of  claim 1  wherein the base comprises eight sector wells and the cover comprises eight dome recesses, each of the dome recesses is vertically aligned with one of the sector wells when the cover is engaged with the base. 
     
     
         4 . The food container of  claim 1  wherein the central dome portion comprises a raised outer rim spaced radially outward from a center of the central dome portion, and each of the dome recesses is disposed on the outer rim of the central dome portion. 
     
     
         5 . The food container of  claim 4  wherein at least a portion of each of the dome recesses is disposed inward of an apex of the outer rim. 
     
     
         6 . The food container of  claim 4  wherein the central dome portion comprises a raised inner rim spaced radially outward from the center of the dome portion and spaced radially inward from the raised outer rim. 
     
     
         7 . The food container of  claim 1  wherein each sector well has a rim adjacent the planar surface which has an oval profile. 
     
     
         8 . The food container of  claim 1  wherein each of the sector wells and each of the dome recesses are sized and dimensioned to restrict at least one of lateral movement or rotational movement between the cover of the food container and a base of another food container when the other food container is stacked on the cover of the food container. 
     
     
         9 . The food container of  claim 1  wherein each sector portion comprises a plurality of raised sector ribs extending upwardly from the planar surface. 
     
     
         10 . The food container of  claim 9  wherein each of a plurality of features comprising the raised rim, the central well, the sector wells, the channels, and the raised sector ribs is spaced apart from at least one other of the plurality of features by a distance which is less than or equal to one inch. 
     
     
         11 . The food container of  claim 1  wherein the base has an overall height which is less than or equal to 1.5 inches. 
     
     
         12 . The food container of  claim 1  wherein each of the base and the cover is formed from a single layer of material having a thickness in the range of 0.5 millimeters to 1.0 millimeters. 
     
     
         13 . The food container of  claim 1  wherein the food receiving portion of the base does not have a continuously planar surface which exceeds 2 inches by 2 inches. 
     
     
         14 . The food container of  claim 1  wherein each of the base and the cover has a length dimension which is greater than or equal to 12 inches. 
     
     
         15 . The food container of  claim 1  wherein each of the base and the cover is formed from one of sugarcane fiber, wood fiber, bamboo fiber, paper or plastic. 
     
     
         16 . The food container of  claim 1  wherein the base has a square perimeter with rounded edges, and the food receiving portion has a perimeter having a circular profile. 
     
     
         17 . The food container of  claim 1  wherein the cover has at least one denesting lug which provides a space between at least a portion of the cover and at least a portion of another cover when the cover is stacked together with the other cover. 
     
     
         18 . The food container of  claim 1  wherein the raised rim of the base includes a plurality of cover interface portions that extend radially outward from the remainder of the raised rim, and the perimeter channel of the cover is sized and dimensioned to engage each of the plurality of cover interface portions of the base when the cover is engaged with the base to provide an interference fit between the cover and the base. 
     
     
         19 . A food container comprising:
 a base comprising a raised rim disposed about a perimeter of an upwardly facing food receiving portion which receives a food product, the food receiving portion comprising a planar surface, a central well disposed in the center of the food receiving portion, and a plurality of channels each extending downwardly from the planar surface and radially at least partially between the central well and the raised rim, each pair of adjacent channels and a corresponding portion of the raised rim delineating a respective sector portion of the food receiving portion, each sector portion comprising a plurality of raised sector ribs extending upwardly from the planar surface, in each sector portion the combined area of the plurality of raised ribs is less than the area of the portion of the planar surface in the sector portion; and   a cover selectively engageable with the base, the cover comprising a central dome portion having a substantially downward facing interior surface and a substantially upward facing exterior surface, the interior surface of the central dome portion sized and dimensioned to engage the raised rim of the base when the cover is engaged with the base, and the central dome portion sized and shaped to provide an interior chamber which protects the food product, the interior chamber defined at least in part by the interior surface of the central dome portion and the food receiving portion of the base.   
     
     
         20 . The food container of  claim 19  wherein the base has a rectangular-shaped outer perimeter with rounded corners, the outer perimeter defined by first and second parallel edges and third and fourth parallel edges, and each of the channels are non-parallel with each of the first, second, third, and fourth edges of the base. 
     
     
         21 . The food container of  claim 19  wherein each sector portion of the food receiving portion comprises a sector well that extends downwardly from the planar surface. 
     
     
         22 . The food container of  claim 21  wherein each sector well has a rim adjacent the planar surface which has a profile in the shape of at least one of an oval, a circle, a triangle, a square, or a symbol. 
     
     
         23 . The food container of  claim 19  wherein each sector portion includes a raised sector portion rim which extends upward from the planar surface and is adjacent at least one of the two adjacent channels which delineate the sector portion. 
     
     
         24 . The food container of  claim 19  wherein at least some of the raised sector ribs in each sector portion have a length dimension which extends radially with respect to the central well. 
     
     
         25 . The food container of  claim 19  wherein the base comprises a base flange surrounding at least a portion of the raised rim, and the cover comprises a cover flange surrounding at least a portion of the central dome portion. 
     
     
         26 . The food container of  claim 25  wherein the base flange comprises at least one base fastening recess which extends downwardly from the base flange, and the cover flange comprises at least one corresponding cover fastening protrusion which extends downwardly from the cover flange, the at least one base fastening recess sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the at least one cover fastening protrusion when the cover is engaged with the base. 
     
     
         27 . The food container of  claim 26  wherein the at least one base fastening recess and the at least one cover fastening protrusion are each sized and dimensioned to provide an audible cue when the at least one base fastening recess is separated from the cover fastening protrusion. 
     
     
         28 . The food container of  claim 26  wherein the at least one base fastening recess has a depth that is greater than 5 millimeters and a diameter that is greater than 8 millimeters, and the at least one cover fastening protrusion has a depth which is 1 millimeter less than the depth of the at least one base fastening recess, and a diameter which is 1 millimeter greater than the diameter of the at least one base fastening recess. 
     
     
         29 . The food container of  claim 26  wherein the at least one base fastening recess comprises a plurality of recesses each having an upward facing surface and a downward facing surface, the downward facing surface of each of the plurality of base fastening recesses sized and dimensioned to be weight-bearing when the base is disposed on a planar support surface. 
     
     
         30 . The food container of  claim 25  wherein the base flange comprises at least one base fastening protrusion which extends upwardly from the base flange, and the cover flange comprises at least one corresponding cover fastening recess which extends upwardly from the cover flange, the at least one cover fastening recess sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the at least one base fastening protrusion when the cover is engaged with the base. 
     
     
         31 . The food container of  claim 25  wherein, when the cover is engaged with the base, a perimeter of the cover flange is vertically aligned with a perimeter of the base flange. 
     
     
         32 . The food container of  claim 19  wherein the food container is a first food container, and the central dome portion comprises a plurality of dome recesses, each of the plurality of dome recesses sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of a sector well of a base of a second food container when the second food container is stacked on top of the first food container. 
     
     
         33 . The food container of  claim 19  wherein the plurality of channels comprises a number N of channels which delineate a corresponding number N of sector portions of the food receiving portion, where N is a positive integer. 
     
     
         34 . The food container of  claim 19  wherein each of the base and the cover is formed from a single layer of material. 
     
     
         35 . The food container of  claim 19  wherein each of the base and the cover is formed from one of sugarcane fiber, wood fiber, bamboo fiber, paper or plastic. 
     
     
         36 . The food container of  claim 19  wherein the food receiving portion has a circular profile. 
     
     
         37 . The food container of  claim 19  wherein the base and the cover are each formed from a single layer of material, and the base and the cover are sized and dimensioned to be nestable with other bases and covers, respectively. 
     
     
         38 . The food container of  claim 19  wherein the plurality of channels are equally radially spaced to enable cutting of the food product into equally sized pieces when a cutting tool moves along the channels. 
     
     
         39 . The food container of  claim 19  wherein the base includes a plurality of weight-bearing recesses which form an insulating air space below the base and a support surface when the base is supported on the support surface. 
     
     
         40 . A food product support apparatus comprising:
 a base comprising:
 a raised perimeter rim; and 
 a food receiving portion disposed within the raised perimeter rim which receives a food product, the food receiving portion comprising a planar surface, a central well disposed in the center of the food receiving portion, and a plurality of channels each extending downwardly from the planar surface and radially at least partially between the central well and the raised perimeter rim, each pair of adjacent channels and a corresponding portion of the raised perimeter rim delineating a respective sector portion of the food receiving portion, each sector portion comprising a plurality of raised sector ribs that extends upwardly from the planar surface and a sector well that extends downwardly from the planar surface. 
   
     
     
         41 . A cover for a food container, the cover comprising:
 a central dome portion having a substantially downward facing interior surface and a substantially upward facing exterior surface, the central dome portion sized and dimensioned to provide an interior chamber, the exterior surface of the central dome portion comprises a plurality of dome recesses, each of the plurality of dome recesses sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of a foot of a base of another food container when the other food container is stacked on top of the cover of the food container.   
     
     
         42 . A food container comprising:
 a unitary molded fiber base comprising a food receiving portion delineated by a perimeter, a rim disposed about the perimeter, the food receiving portion which in use supports a food product; and   a unitary molded fiber cover comprising a central dome portion, the cover selectively coupleable to the base and completely separable therefrom without destruction of either the base or the cover, the cover and the base which in use separates the food product supported by the food receiving portion of the base from an external environment.   
     
     
         43 . The food container of  claim 42  wherein the central dome portion has an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface of the central dome portion having a circumferential portion that is sized and dimensioned to physically engage the rim of the base when the cover is coupled to the base. 
     
     
         44 . The food container of  claim 43  wherein the central dome portion comprises a raised outer rim and a ceiling spaced inwardly and relatively below an apex of the raised outer rim to provide rigidity to the cover. 
     
     
         45 . The food container of  claim 44  wherein the central dome portion comprises a raised outer rim and a ceiling spaced inwardly and relatively below an apex of the raised outer rim to provide rigidity to the cover. 
     
     
         46 . The food container of  claim 45  wherein the raised outer rim of the central dome portion has a convex profile. 
     
     
         47 . The food container of  claim 46  wherein the cover includes a plurality of recesses sized, dimensioned and arranged to mate with complementary structure on a base of another food container when stacked with the food containers are stacked. 
     
     
         48 . The food container of  claim 47  wherein the base includes a first plurality of fasteners and the cover includes a second plurality of fasteners, the second plurality of fasteners complementary to the first plurality of fasteners. 
     
     
         49 . The food container of  claim 42  wherein the central dome portion is sized and shaped to provide an interior chamber which protects the food product, the interior chamber defined at least in part by the interior surface of the central dome portion and the food receiving portion of the base. 
     
     
         50 . The food container of  claim 42  wherein the food receiving portion of the base comprises a planar surface, a central well disposed in the center of the food receiving portion, and a plurality of channels each extending downwardly from the planar surface and radially at least partially between the central well and the raised rim, each pair of adjacent channels and a corresponding portion of the raised rim delineating a respective sector portion of the food receiving portion, each sector portion comprising a plurality of raised sector ribs extending upwardly from the planar surface, in each sector portion the combined area of the plurality of raised ribs is less than the area of the portion of the planar surface in the sector portion. 
     
     
         51 . The food container of  claim 42  wherein each of the base and the cover comprises one of sugarcane fiber, wood fiber, or bamboo fiber.