Fry and food scoop with condiment cells

• US 20060180644A1
• Filed: 02/14/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Altivity Packaging LLC
• Inventors: Baker, Mark P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,273,162 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 229/120.180
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/18 by folding a single blank to U-shape to form the base of the container and opposite sides of the body portion, the remaining sides being formed primarily by extensions of one or more of these opposite sides, e.g. flaps hinged thereto B65D5/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/906 Baked goods

Abstract

A fry scoop with one or two cells store food and condiments within a folded container. The fry scoop starts as a single blank with a rear panel, a rear wall, a bottom, a front wall with flanking side panels, and a front panel. The panels fold onto their respective walls, the walls fold upwardly from the bottom, and the sides then fold and attach to the rear wall. With the sides, front wall, and rear wall upright, an open top food container forms. Pulling the front and rear panels inwards opens two condiment cells. The front and rear panels have similar edge shapes and attain the same height from the bottom. The similarity between the front and the rear of the present invention allows consumers, or restaurant staff, to load the scoop from the front or the rear.

Claims

1. A food container formed from a single blank comprising:

a front wall;

a rear wall opposite said front wall;

a left side contiguous with said front wall and abutting said rear wall;

a right side opposite said left side and contiguous with said front wall, abutting said rear wall, and having the same elevation as said right side;

a bottom contiguous with said front wall and said rear wall and abutting said left side and said right side; and

,

one or more cells within said container;

said front and rear walls and cells being generally the same height for stability;

whereby said front wall, said right side, said rear wall, and said left side extend upwardly and generally perpendicular from said bottom thereby containing food and said cells.

2. The food container of claim 1 further comprising:

a front panel hingedly connected to said front wall whereby said front panel folds upon said front wall generally towards the interior of said container, said front panel secures to said front wall leaving one edge open; and

,

a rear panel hingedly connected to said rear wall whereby said rear panel folds upon said rear wall generally towards the interior of said container, said rear panel secures to said rear wall leaving one edge open;

whereby said front panel and said rear panel each form said cell to receive condiments, said cells having the same elevation.

3. The food container of claim 2 further comprising:

said left side and said right side each having a contiguous flap, said flaps securing upon said rear wall; and

,

said bottom having a longitudinal crease forming said bottom into an arcuate surface towards the interior of said container;

whereby said flaps and said bottom provide rigidity for said food container.

4. The food container of claim 3 wherein said bottom is raised above the lowest edge of said left side and said right side, and the lower edges of said left and right sides being squared to provide support and stability when said scoop is stood upon a flat surface.

5. The food container of claim 3 further comprising:

a recess along the top edge of said left side, said recess extending over one third the depth of said container and having a square edge.

6. The food container of claim 3 wherein said front wall and said rear wall each have one or more creases extending from the lower corners inward toward the center of the top edge, said left side and said right side each have a centered crease, and said cells have one or more creases in said rear panel and said front panel extending from the lower corners inward toward the center of the top end;

whereby, said front wall, said rear wall, said left side, and said right side expand outwards from said food container.

7. The food container of claim 3 wherein said front wall and said rear wall each have a generally trapezoidal shape with the wide base forming a convex edge at the top of said food container and the narrow base forming a concave fold with said bottom and said left side and said right side each have a generally oval shape with truncated ends providing a square edge denoting the lower and upper edges of said left side and said right side.

9. The food container of claim 1 wherein the left side and right side provide cutouts at their upper edges, provide greater clearance for entry into the container.

10. The food container of claim 1 wherein at least one of the front wall and rear wall, in addition to the upper edge of one or more cells are contoured to add to their attractiveness.

11. The food container of claim 1 wherein there are two cells provided within said container.

8. A method of forming a cell within a container comprising:

a) having a panel contiguous with a wall at two or more shoulders along a common fold;

b) folding said panel upon said wall; and

,

c) securing said panel to said wall so that one edge remains open;

whereby a consumer can place condiments within the formed cell.