Dual compartment sandwich containers having a hinged divider and removable hot/cold pack

• US 20050037113A1
• Filed: 08/15/2003
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Contain This! LLC
• Original Assignee: Contain This! LLC
• Inventors: Archie, Will N. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,968,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/109
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/20 Lunch or picnic boxes or the like

Abstract

A durable, reusable dual compartment sandwich container having upper and lower compartments that are pivotally connected to one another and separated by a rotatable divider. One or more slices of bread or an elongated sandwich roll is carried within the upper compartment and the ingredients for a sandwich are carried in the lower compartment. The divider is rotated over top of the lower compartment so as to segregate the wet ingredients from the dry bread and thereby prevent the bread from becoming soggy. A removable hot/cold pack is also carried within the lower compartment to provide heat or cold to the sandwich ingredients over a prolonged period of time in order to avoid the premature spoilage of the ingredients prior to consumption. In one embodiment, each of the upper and lower compartments, the divider and the hot/cold pack is shaped to resemble a slice of bread, so that in the closed configuration, the overall appearance of the sandwich container is that of a sandwich, whereby to provide a visual indication of the intended use thereof.

Claims

1. In combination:

at least one slice of bread; and

a dual compartment sandwich container, comprising;

an upper compartment having a shape to resemble a slice of bread so as to receive and carry the slice of bread therewithin;

a lower compartment pivotally connected to the upper compartment to receive and carry the ingredients of a sandwich therewithin, said upper compartment being rotatable between open and closed positions relative to said lower compartment; and

a divider pivotally connected to the lower compartment so as to be rotated over top of said lower compartment to thereby segregate the ingredients in said lower compartment from the slice of bread in said upper compartment, whereby to prevent the migration of water and liquids therebetween.

2. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein said dual compartment sandwich container is manufactured from a rigid material so as to be washed and reused.

3. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein said dual compartment sandwich container also comprises a clasp depending from said upper compartment to engage said lower compartment to hold said sandwich container in the closed position.

4. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein the lower compartment of said dual compartment sandwich container is also shaped to resemble a slice of bread, such that said sandwich container has the overall configuration of a sandwich when said upper compartment is rotated to the closed position relative to said lower compartment so as to provide a visual indication of the intended use of said sandwich container.

5. The combination recited in claim 4, wherein said divider is also shaped to resemble a slice of bread so as to be seated upon the bread shaped lower compartment of said dual compartment sandwich container.

6. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein said dual compartment sandwich container also comprises a hot/cold pack containing a material that is adapted to retain heat or cold for a prolonged period of time, said hot/cold pack being located in said lower compartment in thermal communication with the ingredients carried therewithin to prevent the premature spoilage of such ingredients.

7. The combination recited in claim 6, wherein the lower compartment of said dual compartment sandwich container is also shaped to resemble a slice of bread, said hot/cold pack being similarly shaped to resemble a slice of bread, said hot/cold pack being located in said lower compartment so as to provide uniform heating or cooling of the ingredients lying in thermal communication therewith.

8. The combination recited in claim 7, wherein said hot/cold pack includes a pull tab connected thereto, such that a pulling force applied to said pull tab causes said hot/cold pack to be lifted out of said lower compartment and removed from said dual compartment sandwich container.

9. A dual compartment sandwich container, comprising:

a first compartment within which to receive and carry at least one slice of bread;

a second compartment pivotally connected to the first compartment within which to receive and carry the ingredients of a sandwich, said first compartment being rotatable between open and closed positions relative to said second compartment;

a divider to be positioned over top of said second compartment to thereby segregate the ingredients in said second compartment from the slice of bread in said first compartment, whereby to prevent the migration of moisture and liquid therebetween; and

a hot/cold pack containing a material that is adapted to retain heat or cold for a prolonged period of time, said hot/cold pack being located in said second compartment in thermal communication with the ingredients carried therewithin to prevent the premature spoilage of such ingredients.

10. The dual compartment sandwich container recited in claim 9, wherein each of said first and second compartments is shaped to resemble a slice of bread, such that said sandwich container has the overall configuration of a sandwich when said first compartment is rotated to the closed position relative to said second compartment so as to provide a visual indication of the intended use of said sandwich container.

11. The dual compartment sandwich container recited in claim 10, wherein said divider is also shaped to resemble a slice of bread so as to be seated upon the bread shaped second compartment.

12. The dual compartment sandwich container recited in claim 10, wherein said hot/cold pack is also shaped to resemble a slice of bread, said hot/cold pack being located in said bread shaped second compartment so as to provide uniform heating or cooling of the ingredients lying in thermal communication therewith.

13. A dual compartment sandwich container, comprising:

a bread roll;

an upper compartment sized to receive said bread roll therewithin;

a lower compartment pivotally connected to said upper compartment, said lower compartment having a plurality of pockets formed therein, a first of said plurality of pockets adapted to carry the ingredients of a sandwich, said upper compartment being rotatable between open and closed positions relative to said lower compartment;

a divider to be positioned over top of said lower compartment to thereby segregate the ingredients in the first pocket of said lower compartment from the bread roll in said upper compartment, whereby to prevent the migration of moisture and liquid therebetween; and

a hot/cold pack containing a material that is adapted to retain heat or cold for a prolonged period of time, said hot/cold pack located in said lower compartment so as to lie in thermal communication with the ingredients in said first pocket to thereby prevent the premature spoilage thereof.

14. The dual compartment sandwich container recited in claim 13, wherein said upper compartment has a dome so as to accommodate said bread roll therewithin.

15. The dual compartment sandwich container recited in claim 14, wherein said divider has a flat bottom lying opposite the dome of said upper compartment so as to support the bread roll thereupon, whereby said bread roll is surrounded by said dome and said flat bottom.

16. The dual compartment sandwich container recited in claim 15, wherein said upper compartment has a ledge projecting inwardly therefrom, the flat bottom of said divider being seated upon said ledge to enable said divider to be positioned over top of said lower compartment so as to cover the plurality of pockets of said lower compartment.

17. The dual compartment sandwich container recited in claim 13, wherein said lower compartment has a wall extending thereacross to separate at least some of said plurality of pockets from one another.

18. The dual compartment sandwich container recited in claim 13, wherein said upper and lower compartments are pivotally connected to one another by way of a first hinge extending therebetween, and said divider is pivotally connected to said lower compartment by way of a second hinge extending therebetween.