Container For Sliced And Fluffed Food Products
First Claim
1. A food package for containing a food product, the package comprising:
- a base member having a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls upstanding from the bottom wall that define an opening of the base member opposite the bottom wall, the side walls each having an upper section that extends substantially vertically downward from the opening, the base member having a ridge and a gripping portion thereof, the ridge extending outward from the plurality of side walls about the opening and defining an outer periphery of the base member, the ridge having a pair of straight portions that extend generally perpendicular to one another;
a lid having a cover wall for covering the opening of the base member, the lid having a plurality of walls that extend upward a distance from the cover wall and terminate at a lip, the cover wall and the plurality of walls being sized to fit within the opening of the base member, the plurality of walls of the lid nesting within the upper section of the base member side walls with the lid connected to the base member, the lip of the lid having a tab with upper and lower surfaces, the tab of the lid overlapping the gripping portion of the base member with the lid connected to the base member;
the gripping portion of the base member having a plurality of edges which define an outer profile of the gripping portion, the plurality of edges comprising a substantially straight edge that extends inward from one of the pair of straight portions of the ridge, a semicircular edge that extends inward from the other of pair of straight portions of the ridge about a first radius of curvature, and a rounded edge disposed between the straight edge and the semicircular edge such that the rounded edge connects the straight edge and the semicircular edge, the rounded edge having a second radius of curvature that is smaller than the first radius of curvature of the semicircular edge; and
a portion of the lower surface of the lid tab that is uncovered by the gripping portion of the base member with the lid connected to the base member, the uncovered portion of the tab lower surface being disposed outward from the outer profile of the gripping portion such that the tab of the lid may be readily separated from the gripping portion of the base member.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A food package for sliced food products to be maintained with a fluffed appearance, the package including a base member forming a compartment for receiving the food product and a lid sealed to the compartment. The base member has a gripping portion and the lid has a tab which overlies the gripping portion when the lid is connected to the base member. In one form, the gripping portion of the base member has a plurality of edges that define an outer profile of the gripping portion and expose a portion of a lower surface of the tab. The outer profile limits tacking of the tab to the gripping portion when the lid and base member are cut from respective webs of material. Additionally, a method is provided for assembling a food container.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A food package for containing a food product, the package comprising:
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a base member having a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls upstanding from the bottom wall that define an opening of the base member opposite the bottom wall, the side walls each having an upper section that extends substantially vertically downward from the opening, the base member having a ridge and a gripping portion thereof, the ridge extending outward from the plurality of side walls about the opening and defining an outer periphery of the base member, the ridge having a pair of straight portions that extend generally perpendicular to one another; a lid having a cover wall for covering the opening of the base member, the lid having a plurality of walls that extend upward a distance from the cover wall and terminate at a lip, the cover wall and the plurality of walls being sized to fit within the opening of the base member, the plurality of walls of the lid nesting within the upper section of the base member side walls with the lid connected to the base member, the lip of the lid having a tab with upper and lower surfaces, the tab of the lid overlapping the gripping portion of the base member with the lid connected to the base member; the gripping portion of the base member having a plurality of edges which define an outer profile of the gripping portion, the plurality of edges comprising a substantially straight edge that extends inward from one of the pair of straight portions of the ridge, a semicircular edge that extends inward from the other of pair of straight portions of the ridge about a first radius of curvature, and a rounded edge disposed between the straight edge and the semicircular edge such that the rounded edge connects the straight edge and the semicircular edge, the rounded edge having a second radius of curvature that is smaller than the first radius of curvature of the semicircular edge; and a portion of the lower surface of the lid tab that is uncovered by the gripping portion of the base member with the lid connected to the base member, the uncovered portion of the tab lower surface being disposed outward from the outer profile of the gripping portion such that the tab of the lid may be readily separated from the gripping portion of the base member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of assembling a package, the method comprising:
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providing a web of material for a base member, the base member web including a ridge that defines an outer periphery of the base member, the ridge having a pair of straight portions that extend generally perpendicular to one another; forming a gripping portion in the ridge of the base member, the gripping portion having a plurality of edges which define an outer profile of the gripping portion, the plurality of edges comprising a substantially straight edge that extends inward from one of the pair of straight portions of the ridge, a semicircular edge that extends inward from the other of the pair of straight portions of the ridge about a first radius of curvature, and a rounded edge disposed between the straight edge and the semicircular edge such that the rounded edge connects the straight edge and the semicircular edge, the rounded edge having a second radius of curvature that is smaller than the radius of curvature of the semicircular edge; shaping a compartment of the base member in the base member web, the compartment having a bottom wall, an opening opposite the bottom wall, and a plurality of side walls upstanding from the bottom wall, wherein each of the side walls has an upper section that extends vertically downward from the ridge about the opening; providing a web of material for a lid, the lid web including a lip that defines an outer periphery of the lid, the lip having a tab with upper and lower surfaces; shaping a plurality of walls of the lid that extend downward a distance from the lip and terminate at a cover wall, the plurality of walls and cover wall being sized to fit within the opening of the compartment; bringing the base member web and the lid web together so that the cover wall of the lid closes the opening of the compartment of the base member and the plurality of walls of the lid nest with the upper section of the sidewall portions of the compartment, and the tab of the lid overlaps the gripping portion of the base member with a portion of the lower surface of the tab being uncovered by the gripping portion, the uncovered portion of the tab lower surface being disposed outward from the outer profile of the gripping portion. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A food package for containing a food product, the package comprising:
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a base member having a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls upstanding from the bottom wall that define an opening of the base member opposite the bottom wall, the side walls each having an upper section that extends substantially vertically downward from the opening, the base member having a ridge and a gripping portion thereof, the ridge extending outward from the plurality of side walls about the opening and defining an outer periphery of the base member, the ridge having a pair of straight portions that extend generally perpendicular to one another; a lid having a cover wall for covering the opening of the base member, the lid having a plurality of walls that extend upward a distance from the cover wall and terminate at a lip, the cover wall and the plurality of walls being sized to fit within the opening of the base member, the plurality of walls of the lid nesting within the upper section of the base member side walls with the lid connected to the base member, the lip of the lid having a tab with upper and lower surfaces, the tab of the lid overlapping the gripping portion of the base member with the lid connected to the base member; the gripping portion of the base member having a plurality of edges which define an outer profile of the gripping portion, the plurality of edges comprising a substantially straight edge that extends inward from one of the pair of straight portions of the ridge, a semicircular edge that extends inward from the other of pair of straight portions of the ridge about a first radius of curvature, and a rounded edge disposed between the straight edge and the semicircular edge such that the rounded edge connects the straight edge and the semicircular edge, the rounded edge having a second radius of curvature that is smaller than or about equal to the first radius of curvature of the semicircular edge; a sealing area surrounding the opening of the base member; and a protuberance of the base member upstanding from the gripping portion, the protuberance having a center separated from the sealing area by a first distance and separated from the semicircular edge by a second distance, the first distance being between about equal to about five times the length of the second distance. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of assembling a package, the method comprising:
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forming a cutout in a web of material for a base member, the base member web including a ridge that defines an outer periphery of the base member and a pair of straight portions of the ridge that extend generally perpendicular to one another, the cutout at least partially defining an outer profile of a gripping portion of the ridge; shaping a compartment of the base member in the base member web, the compartment having a bottom wall, an opening opposite the bottom wall, and a plurality of side walls upstanding from the bottom wall, wherein each of the side walls has an upper section that extends vertically downward from the ridge about the opening; shaping a cover wall in a web of material for a lid, the lid web including a lip that surrounds the cover wall and defines an outer periphery of the lid, the lip having a tab with upper and lower surfaces; bringing the base member web and the lid web together so that the cover wall of the lid closes the opening of the compartment of the base member and the tab of the lid overlaps the gripping portion of the base member with a portion of the lower surface of the tab being uncovered by the gripping portion, the uncovered portion of the tab lower surface being disposed outward from the outer profile of the gripping portion. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification