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, and wherein the exterior surface of the central dome portion further comprises a plurality of denesting lugs, each of the plurality of denesting lugs sized and dimensioned to provide spacing between at least a portion of an interior surface of another cover identical to the cover when the other cover is stacked on top of the cover.   
     
     
         2 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein the central dome portion comprises a raised outer rim and an inward facing surface disposed within the raised outer rim. 
     
     
         3 . The food container of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of denesting lugs are disposed on the inward facing surface. 
     
     
         4 . The food container of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of denesting lugs are spaced apart from each other at uneven intervals around a circumference of the inward facing surface. 
     
     
         5 . The food container of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of dome recesses project substantially inward from the exterior surface of the central dome portion and the plurality of denesting lugs project substantially outward from the exterior surface of the central dome portion. 
     
     
         6 . The food container of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of dome recesses are spaced apart from each other at even intervals around a circumference of the raised outer rim. 
     
     
         7 . The food container of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of denesting lugs comprise an odd number of denesting lugs and wherein the plurality of dome recesses comprise an even number of dome recesses. 
     
     
         8 . The food container of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of denesting lugs comprise a different number of denesting lugs than the plurality of dome recesses. 
     
     
         9 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises a cover flange and wherein the base comprises a base flange. 
     
     
         10 . The food container of  claim 9 , wherein the cover flange comprises at least one downwardly extending fastening protrusion and wherein the base flange comprises at least one downwardly extending fastening recess configured to engage with the at least one fastening protrusion when the cover is engaged with the base. 
     
     
         11 . The food container of  claim 9 , wherein the base flange extends around a full perimeter of the food receiving portion and wherein the cover flange extends from a portion of the central dome portion. 
     
     
         12 . The food container of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one downwardly extending fastening protrusion is discrete from the at least one dome recess. 
     
     
         13 . The food container of  claim 10 , wherein the central dome portion comprises an uppermost extent of the cover. 
     
     
         14 . The food container of  claim 13 , wherein the downwardly extending fastening protrusion comprises a lowermost extent of the cover.