Article of manufacture and method for the packaging of food products

• US 20060172043A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cynthia A. Saltzman, Jean M. Krebs
• Original Assignee: Cynthia A. Saltzman, Jean M. Krebs
• Inventors: Krebs, Jean M., Saltzman, Cynthia A.
• Application Number:
  US11/047,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20060172043A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/106
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/20 Lunch or picnic boxes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 7/0045 comprising a plurality of separable elements which can be used independently of one another
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0204 and joined together by interconnecting formations forming part of the container, e.g. dove-tail, snap connections, hook elements

Abstract

A food container has a geometric shape selected in response to dietary or nutritional guidelines. The food container is divided into compartments based on a number of desired servings or proportions of different food groups. The compartments are sized and arranged in response to the dietary or nutritional guidelines.

Claims

1. A container for food products, wherein the container comprises:

at least one exterior sidewall;

at least one interior sidewall separating the container into at least two compartments, wherein the at least one interior sidewall is positioned relative to the at least one exterior side wall such that the relative size of the two compartments is related to an amount of at least two food products that is recommended by at least one dietary or nutritional guideline;

a material in contact with the at least one exterior sidewall and the at least one interior sidewall, the material forming a first surface; and

a flexible film in contact with the at least one exterior sidewall and the at least one interior sidewall, the flexible film forming a second surface.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein at least one surface of the container is in the shape of a triangle.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein at least one surface of the container is in the shape of a trapezoid.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein at least one surface of the container is in the shape of a circle.

5. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is a polyhedron.

6. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is shaped as a pyramid.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is shaped as a frustum.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is shaped as a cylinder

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the shape of the container corresponds to a relationship between a number of portions of different foods recommended by the at least one dietary or nutritional guideline.

10. The container of claim 1, wherein the material is a polymer.

11. The container of claim 1, wherein the number of the at least two compartments is selected in response to the at least one dietary or nutritional guideline.

12. The container of claim 1, wherein the size of each of the at least two compartments is selected in response to the at least one dietary or nutritional guideline.

13. A method of packaging food products, the method comprising:

forming a food container, wherein at least one surface of the food container is in a shape selected in response to at least one nutritional or dietary guideline; and

forming a plurality of compartments in the food container, wherein the number of the plurality of compartments are related to the amount of a food recommended by the at least one nutritional or dietary guideline.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein forming the food container comprises forming the food container with the at least one surface having the shape of a triangle.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein forming the food container comprises forming the food container with the at least one surface having the shape of a trapezoid.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein forming the food container comprises forming the food container with the at least one surface having the shape of a circle.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein forming the food container comprises forming the food container in the shape of a polyhedron.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein forming the food container comprises forming the food container in the shape of a pyramid.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein forming the food container comprises forming the food container in the shape of a frustum.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein forming the food container comprises forming the food container in the shape of a cylinder.

21. The method of claim 13, and further comprising placing a food in at least one of the plurality of compartments.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein there are at least three of the plurality of compartments and wherein the method further comprises:

placing a grain-based food into at least one of the at least three compartments;

placing a fruit or vegetable food into at least one of the at least three compartments; and

placing a protein product into at least one of the at least three compartments.

23. The method of claim 13, and further comprising applying a flexible film overlying the plurality of compartments, the flexible film being suitable for food-contact applications.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein applying a flexible film further includes applying a translucent film overlying the plurality of compartments.

25. A container for food products, wherein the container comprises:

a first food package containing a first type of food;

a second food package containing a second type of food; and

at least one connector operable to physically couple the first food package and the second food package.

26. The container of claim 25, wherein the at least one connector has a first portion associated with the first food package and a second portion associated with the second food package.

27. The container of claim 25, wherein the at least one connector has a first portion associated with the first food package and a second portion associated with the second food package and wherein the two food packages are operable to be physically coupled by the first portion engaging the second portion.

28. The container of claim 25, wherein the at least one connector is Velcro™

.

29. The container of claim 25, wherein the at least one connector is a dovetail joint.

30. The container of claim 25, wherein the at least one connector is slidable.

31. The container of claim 25, wherein the container is formed in a shape selected in response to at least one nutritional or dietary guideline.

32. The container of claim 25, wherein the size of the first and second food packages is determined in response to proportions of food recommended by at least one nutritional or dietary guideline.

33. A method of packaging a food product, wherein the method comprises:

selecting a first food package containing a first type of food;

selecting a second food package containing a second type of food;

physically coupling the first food package to the second food package.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein physically coupling the first food package to the second food package comprises attaching the first food package to a connection strip and attaching the second food package to the connection strip.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein selecting the first food package further comprises selecting the first food package from a plurality of food packages, the plurality of food packages including at least two types of food.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein physically coupling the first food package to the second food package further comprises physically coupling the first food package to the second food package in response to the first food package being a first type of food and not a second type of food.

37. A container for food products comprising a plurality of compartments, each of the plurality of compartments corresponding to a food product identified in such nutritional guidelines.

38. The container of claim 37, wherein the container is formed in a shape corresponding to a nutritional guideline as to the amount of a plurality of food products recommended for consumers.

39. The container of claim 37, wherein the container includes at least one surface in the shape of a triangle.

40. The container of claim 37, wherein the container includes at least one surface in the shape of a circle.

41. The container of claim 37, wherein the container is formed in the shape of a polyhedron.

42. The container of claim 37, wherein the container is in the shape of a cylinder.

43. The container of claim 37, wherein the container includes a lid and a base, the lid including an opening, the lid being operable to be movable such that the opening changes position relative to the base.

44. The container of claim 43, wherein the base is marked with at least one indication of a particular type of food, the indication being associated with a particular compartment of the container.

45. The container of claim 44, wherein the indication is operable to be visible through the lid when the opening is over the portion of the base marked with the indication.

46. The container of claim 45, wherein the particular compartment is accessible through the opening in response to the opening being over the portion of the base marked with the indication.

47. A container for food products having a plurality of compartments, each of the plurality of compartments being associated with at least one connector operable to physically couple the compartment to at least one of the other of the plurality of compartments.

48. The container of claim 47, wherein each of the plurality of compartments has a shape and wherein the plurality of compartments are operable to form a predetermined shape of the food container when they are physically coupled together in an arrangement determined in response to at least one nutritional or dietary guideline.

49. The container of claim 47, wherein the at least one connector is configured relative to the exterior surface of at least one of the plurality of compartments such that the plurality of compartments are operable to be physically coupled in an arrangement determined in response to at least one nutritional or dietary guideline.

50. The container of claim 47, wherein each of the plurality of compartments includes food selected from at least two types of food, and the position of the at least one connector is operable to prevent one of the plurality of compartments having one of the two types of food is not physically coupled to another one of the plurality of compartments having the same type of food.

51. A lunch box having a plurality of compartments, each compartment corresponding to a food group of a nutritional or dietary guideline.

52. The lunch box of claim 51, wherein the shape of the lunch box corresponds to a nutritional or dietary guideline.

53. The lunch box of claim 51, wherein the lunch box includes a lid, the lid having an opening, the opening being operable to be moved relative to the lunch box to allow food to be removed from the lunch box when the opening is positioned over a portion of the lunch box, the portion of the lunch box being associated with a particular food group.

54. The lunch box of claim 51, wherein the lunch box includes a lid and a base, the lid including an opening, the lid being operable to be movable such that the opening changes position relative to the base.

55. The lunch box of claim 54, wherein the base is marked with at least one indication of a particular type of food, the indication being associated with a particular compartment of the lunch box.

56. The lunch box of claim 55, wherein the indication is operable to be visible through the lid when the opening is over the portion of the base marked with the indication.

57. The lunch box of claim 56, wherein the particular compartment is accessible through the opening in response to the opening being over the portion of the base marked with the indication.