WO2019068303A1

WO2019068303A1 - Food container

Info

Publication number: WO2019068303A1
Application number: PCT/EE2017/000007
Authority: WO
Inventors: Egon VAIKSAAR
Original assignee: Festplate Oü
Priority date: 2017-10-05
Filing date: 2017-10-05
Publication date: 2019-04-11
Also published as: EE01487U1; EE01479U1

Abstract

The invention provides a food container for serving food and beverages at public gatherings. The container is provided to lie on the hand. The container has a cup holder 5 for a cup. The position of the container on the hand is stabilized by eight points of support - we grip the cone in the centre of the container with fingers and palm, the depression between the cup holder 5 and food compartments 1, 2, 3, 4 is placed on the index finger and thumb, the wall of the food compartment 1, 2, 3 toward the cup holder 5 lies wedge-like on the handback with its side, the opening 12 through which the arm protrudes from under the container, the rims 19 and 20 of food compartments 1 and 3 on both sides of the hand twine wedge-like round the hand, the bottom of the smaller food compartment 4 is placed on the wrist and arm. The container can be covered with a lid which has an opening 9 for a cup.

Description

Food container TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention provides a food container/plate for serving food and beverages at public gatherings as well as in fast food restaurants, pubs, cinemas, picnics etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Serving food to the public is usually a big problem at public gatherings, A portion of food is generally served on an insecure disposable cardboard or plastic plate, a beverage in a cup, bottle or can. As a rule, for consuming food conveniently, there are not enough tables. Different plates and food containers have been produced to solve the problem.

The document US5593062 describes a plate for serving food at social gatherings where the guests may stand and eat at the same time. The container has a depression in its centre, which on the upper surface of the container can hold a cup, and on the lower surface may serve as a handle by which the plate can be held, so that the other hand of the person holding the contatner will be free to hold a utensil to eat the food on the container. Corresponding upper surfaces and the lower surfaces nest so that a plurality of the containers may be easily stacked.

A disadvantage of the invention described above is its low and wide depression for holding merely a short glass or, to be more exact, a wide-bottomed cup. A taller glass, bottle or can cannot be kept upright on the container while standing or walking and therefore it is not suitable for holding a taller cap, bottle or can while moving around. A smaller hand does not reach the cone which is too low to be clasped with fingers and, in fact, it is so low thai it can be held with a palm or with spread fingers. The plate lacks a depression for a holding hand where the container with food on it can lie. In addition, the rims are very low and therefore the food may slide off in case of a slightest tilt. The container does not have a Sid. Beside this, if is not possible to place the container on the table - it will lie on the cup holder depression that protrudes from the bottom surface. It is not possible to eat off such a container on the table.

Likewise, the document US5429231 describes a portable food tray for supporting food and a drink container which is adapted to be securely and comfortably held by one hand of the user. The disadvantages of the invention are in principle the same as in case of the previous invention. In addition to the disadvantages given above, the cup holder depression is not in the centre of the container, therefore holding the container in hand is unstable. In addition, the container does not have an opening for the arm protruding from under the bottom, and therefore the hand is curved which is not convenient, and in case of longer use the hand tires of holding the container/plate. The rims of the food area are low and the position does not guarantee balance, i.e. if a heavier food portion is put on one side of the container or if the amount of the food changes on one side of the container in the process of eating, the container starts tilting towards the heavier side. The container must be held firmly in order to balance it. In case the hand is small and does not reach to grip the cone, the food can spill because of a tilt. It is difficult to balance the container because the serving area is placed on the hand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the present invention is to provide a container, more particularly, a food container/plate (henceforth, container) which is convenient and secure to hold, where food on the container is not on the hand, but is located in compartments around the drink holder and hand. The container which can be easily placed on the table or some other surface without spillage. In addition to a serving area, it has a drink holder, and it is possible to cover it with a lid while the cup or bottle or can is located in drink holder.

The invention represents a disposable or reusable container which in addition to a food serving area or food compartments has a depression for a cup, bottle or can (henceforth, cup). The container can be covered with a lid. An opening in the lid makes it possible to hold a cup in the container when the container is covered with the lid, and to transport it from a caterer to the location/venue holding it with one hand. Thus, one person can conveniently and securely transport two containers with two cups.

Due to the depression that is between food compartments and the cup holder, and extends round the cup holder within the whole perimeter, it is convenient to hold the container. A hand can be wedged between two rims of two food compartments, so the container does not siide off the hand, even if the cup holder is not gripped with a palm and fingers. Figuratively, the bottom relief of the container follows the shape of the hand holding it; the arm protrudes from under the container through the opening between food compartments. The present invention has the advantage that in case the portion of food is put on the plate unequally, if does not slide off the container because of a tiit. The portion is put on the container in the shape of a circle around the hand and even if one of the food compartments becomes lighter, there is no risk that the container will slope. The relief of the bottom side, the wedge-like mode of its position on the hand described hereinafter and twining round the wrist prevent tilting. The container is fixed on the hand by at least eight points ~ we grip the cone in the centre of the container with fingers and paim, the depression between the cup holder and food compartments above lie on the index finger and thumb, the wall of the food compartment toward the cup holder leans wedge-like with its side on the handback, the opening through which the arm protrudes from under the container, the edges of food compartments on both sides of the hand twine wedge-like round the hand, the bottom of the smaller food compartment rests on the wrist and arm.

After arriving at the place where the food is served, the cup is first taken out for once in order to open the lid. Then the cup is put back in its place. As the container and the cup can be held with one hand, the other hand will be free for a fork or a spoon. So it is convenient, sitting, standing or moving about, to eat and drink without any need for a table. Yet, it is also possible to put the container on the table and eat and drink while sitting. DRAWINGS

The features given above and other characteristics, and advantages are described hereinafter with references to corresponding drawings which illustrate preferable reaiization modes, where FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of the container;

FIG, 2 is an axonornetnc view of the container shown in FIG, 1 ;

FIG, 3 is a top plan view of the open container;

FIG. 4 an axonometric view of the container shown in FIG. 3;

FIG, 5 is a top plan view of the open container marking the hand holding it;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the closed container showing how the container lies on the hand;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the container;

FiG. 8 is the section A-A of the container shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a view of the container without a lid;

FIG. 10 is a view of an oval container; and

FIG. 11 is a view of a square container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In drawings FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 the container is divided into sectors which form food compartments 1 , 2, 3, 4. The food compartments are suffscientty deep to prevent spillage. The drawing shows four food compartments, three larger ones 1 , 2, 3 for food and one smaller 4 e.g. for sauce. There may be fewer or more food compartments 1, 2, 3. The food compartments are separated by partition walls 14 which makes the container more sturdy. In the centre of the container there is a depression 5 for holding cups, bottles or cans (henceforth cup holder). The depression is suitable for holding the majority of widespread cups, bottles, and cans. The container can be covered with a lid 8, the closure 7 can be fixed in the opening 8 in the upper part of the container. The iid flange 16 adds necessary rigidity to the lid 8. In the centre of the lid 6 there is a round opening 9 for a cup when the container is closed. Although the cup holder 5 is sufficiently deep to keep the cup upright, in closed position the vertical support surface extends due to the edge 13 which is surrounding the opening, and therefore holding the cup, becomes more secure. Transportation of the container with a cup which is closed with the lid 6 through crowds is more secure because: when the container is covered with the lid 8, the support surface of the cup holder 5 cone extends guaranteeing the upright position of the cup which protrudes like a cork through the opening 9 in the lid 8, which does not allow the lid 8 open, or more particularly, keeps it in closed position; the closed Iid 6 does not let the food cool down, spill, and keeps the food clean and safe.

When the container is closed, the externaI edge 15 of the fid 8 is against the upper external edge 17 of the container, and the edge 13 of the drink container opening 9 is against the upper edge 18 of the cup holder 5 closing thereby all the food compartments. The lid 6 is connected to the container by a hinge 10.

FIG. 5 and FIG. 8 demonstrate that the container is fixed on the hand by eight points - we grip the cone in the centre of the container with fingers and palm, the depression area 11 between the cup holder 5 and food compartments 1, 2, 3, 4 above lie on the index finger and thumb, the wall of food compartments 1 , 2, 3 toward the cup holder leans wedge-like with its side on the handback, the opening 12 through which the arm protrudes from under the container, the rims 19 and 20 of food compartments 1 and 3 on both sides of the hand twine wedge-like round the hand, the bottom of the smaller food compartment 4 rests on the wrist and arm.

The cup holder 5 forms a cone under the plate for palm and finger grip. In addition to the cone, the depressed area 11 between food compartments 1 , 2, 3, 4 and cup holder 5, lies on the index finger, thumb, and handback in almost the whole range of perimeter. The arm protrudes from under the container through the opening 12 between the food compartments 1 and 3. The rims 19 and 20 of food compartments 1 and 3 twine wedge-like round both sides of the hand, the bottom of the smaller food compartment 4 from above rests on the wrist and arm.

FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 show the opening 12 for the holding hand between food compartments 1 and 3. The food compartment 4 between food compartments 1 and 3 is lower than food compartments 1 , 2 and 3 forming the opening 12, which makes it possible that the arm and wrist are straight when holding the container. This natural position is apparently the least tiring for the hand. More particularly, the horizontally positioned arm parallely to the ground, does not form an angle with respect to the wrist but is completely straight. The rims 19 and 20 of food compartments 1 and 3 twine wedge-like round both sides of the hand because the rims 19 and 20 are not quite vertical from top to bottom but form a slight angle. The food compartment 4 has suitably the depth for its bottom to lie on the hand/wrist so that it heips to balance and hold the container more firmly. As the outer rims of food compartments 1 and 3 extend outward in horizontal direction, the wrist may move without letting the container fall.

The planar bottom of food compartments 1 , 2, 3, 4 and cup holder 5 is relief , which adds rigidity to the container. Due to its planar bottom it is possible to put it on the table and eat using a knife and fork.

The container is designed so that corresponding upper surfaces and the lower surfaces nest in order to easily stack a plurality of the containers.

The lid 6 and the container are in one piece. The Hd 6 closes in the way that the food serving and cup holder 5 area are separated. The edge 13 surrounding the opening of the lid 6 is pressed against the upper edge 18 of the container. Therefore the food does not smear the cup, does not spill and cools slower, and it ensures food hygiene.

The opening 9 in the Iid 6 makes it possible to hold a cup in the container when the container is in the closed position. The container may be used without a lid as shown in FIG. 9.

Likewise, the container may be oval, square or some other form. Despite the shape all the other functional properties remain the same. The oval container is shown in FIG. 10 and the square container in FIG. 11

The optimal measures of the food container: diameter 22-30 cm; height 5-8 cm; with the lid 6 the height of the container is 8-12 cm. For popcorn, potato chips and other snack the container may be considerably bigger and deeper.

The container for disposable use is made of foam polystyrene, polypropylene, cardboard/cellulose, environmentally-friendly biodegradable plastic Poly (lactic acid) or polylactic acid or polyIactide (PLA) or some other suitable material. The Iidless variant of the container may be used in fast food restaurants, pubs, cafes etc. The material may be plastic, clay, porcelain, glass or some other materials.

At public gatherings generaliy disposable containers are used and they are made of foam plastic, cellulose, biodegradable or some other similar cheaper material. In this case the container is not washed and it is thrown away after one use. if the materiaI of the container is more expensive, durable and hygienically suitable e.g. thicker plastic, then for domestic use, picnics or some other private gatherings such containers may be washed and reused. Such reusable containers may be used with lids or without them. A long-term reusable container may be made of ceramics (clay, porcelain), glass etc. This modeI may generaliy be without a lid.

The container is well balanced and designed in the way that the heavier part of the portion Le. drink, is placed in the centre of the container. Even without drink or haIf empty the container is steady and handy to hold because, figuratively, its bottom relief follows the shape of the holding hand, therefore it can be held firmly.

A cup holder 5 may be used as a separate sector for food (e.g. sauce, soup, dessert etc.) if desired.

If the container with the open lid is turned 180 degrees in the way that the ltd lies on the arm and the closure in the direction of elbow, the lid 6 can form an additional serving area. The holding mode will change but it is acceptable in case of short-term use.

Claims

1, The food container is divided into sectors forming one or several food compartments (1, 2, 3, 4) with a cup hoider (5) in the centre which characterized in that the cup hoider (5) forms a cone under the container and the depressed area (11) surrounding the cup holder (5) in the whole range of perimeter is between a cup holder (5) and food compartments (1 , 2, 3, 4), provided to tie wedge-like on the index finger, thumb, and handback of the holding hand; the opening (12) between the food compartments (1,3) is provided for the holding hand while the food compartment (4) above the opening, is lower than the other compartments.

2. The lid (6) of the food container connected to the food container by the hinge (10) characterized in that the iid (6) has an opening (9) for a cup and when the container is closed the opening (9) is above the cup holder (5),

3. The food container and the ltd (6) according to points 1 and 2, characterized in that they may be round, oval, square or some other form.