Packaging Containers

This invention relates to a packaging container, particularly, though not exclusively, intended for the storage and serving of meals.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a packaging container as aforesaid in which a plurality of courses or parts of courses of a meal can conveniently be packed, stored and transported and from which a said meal can conveniently be consumed.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a packaging container has a body at least one lid portion pivotably hinged thereto and a cover portion pivotally hinged to the lid portion, the body and said at least one lid portion each defining at least one storage compartment, the said storage compartments being mutually separated by the cover portion when the cover portion is pivoted into a first position in which it is folded over and closes the lid portion and the latter, in turn, is pivoted to a first position in which it is folded over and closes the container, and the said storage compartments being exposed in substantially the same plane, so that the container presents a tray-like configuration, when the lid and cover portions are each pivoted into second open positions.

Preferably, two lid portions, each with a cover portion, are provided along opposed edges of a body of rectangular form in plan.

Conveniently, at least two storage compartments are provided in the body separated by a wall which extends normal to the line of the hinge for the lid portion(s), the arrangement being such that, with the cover and lid portions in their folded over first positions, the upper edge of the wall acts to support the cover portion(s) against the weight of any contents in the storage compartment of the lid portion(s).

The container may be formed relatively cheaply by moulding or pressing a thin sheet material such as plastics, cardboard, or paper; the inner surface of the cardboard or paper may be suitably treated for containing the meal. Such a container may therefore be thrown away after use.

Alternatively, the container may be sturdily constructed of plastics or other suitable material so as to be durable for repeated use, for example, for picnics.

According to a feature of this invention, locking or attachment means are provided for attaching said lid portion in its folded over first portion, comprising connectable male and female elements at co-incident positions on the body and lid portions.

The cover portion may also be attached to the lid portion in its folded over first position, in which case, connectable male and female elements may also be provided at co-incident positions on the cover and lid portions; these latter elements may be sited such that those for the two sets of locking means in the lid portion are at offset positions.

In a preferred form the co-operable male and female elements are of generally circular cross-section, the female elements being of somewhat smaller diameter than the male element, and the wall of the male element having a pair of flats at substantially diametrically opposite positions.

According to another feature of this invention, at least one of the storage compartments of the container has a removable insert associated therewith, the insert being of smaller dimensions than its compartment and having a flange adapted to locate around the mouth of the compartment, and a raised boss or the like being provided on the container or insert, whereby the latter may seat onto the bottom of the compartment and thereby be supported in the compartment with a surrounding air gap.

According to a further feature of this invention the hinge between each lid portion and body, as well as its cover portions, each comprise a pair of closely spaced substantially parallel indentations or grooves formed in the container, the adjacent walls of the grooves being inclined towards each other.

According to a second aspect of this invention, a kit is provided comprising a plurality of containers according to the first aspect of this invention, and the same number of trays, each having a marginal upstanding wall and being of sufficient dimensions to provide a base for snugly retaining one open container within the marginal wall, or two closed containers side by side.

In order that the invention may be readily understood and further features made apparent, one embodiment thereof of packaging container in accordance therewith, and modifications thereof, will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view from above of the container in its closed condition,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view from below of the closed container,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view from above of the container in its open condition,

FIGS. 4a and 4b are an enlarged plan and elevation respectively showing details of the attachment or locking means and the hinges,

FIG. 5 is an elevation showing suitable inserts for the compartments,

FIGS. 6a and 6b are diagrammatic plan and perspective views respectively of a modified container in its open and in its closed condition, and

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic elevation showing a stacked kit of containers and trays associated therewith.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings the container, which is of thermoplastics material such as that known as "ABS" , is vacuum or pressure formed in a single operation from a sheet of said material of a thickness of 0.015 inch. The container comprises essentially, a rectangular body 1 having a first rectangular lid portion 2 and a second rectangular lid portion 3 integrally attached thereto along opposed edges of the body by a hinge 4 and 5 respectively. A cover portion 6, 7 respectively is integrally attached to each lid portion 2 and 3 also by way of hinges 8 and 9. The hinges are formed by suitably flexible regions of the integral body-lid structure and are discussed in more detail hereinafter.

Two storage compartments 1a, 1b are provided in the body separated by a wall 10 generally extending normal to the line of the hinges 4 and 5. The wall 10 is part-circular over part of its length whereby a rounded region 11 is provided in storage compartment 1a, of appropriate dimensions to accommodate a drinking cup snugly therein which, if packed with a beverage therein, would be provided with a sealed lid. The lid portions 2 and 3 also define storage compartments 2a and 3a, and these compartments, together with compartments 1a, and 1b of the body, are intended to accommodate different courses or parts of courses of a meal, e.g. lunch, such as salad, a meat course, a dessert and cheese, as well as condiments and cutlery which, conveniently, may be of plastic material. The main course is intended to be contained within compartment 1b, whilst one of the compartments 2a, 3a of the lid portions, which are of the same dimensions, may accommodate a small bottle of beverage for dispensing into an empty drinking cup.

The cover portions 6 and 7 are of substantially the same overall shape and size as their lid portions 2 and 3. Thus, each cover portion can be folded over on to its respective lid portion so as to close the compartments 2a, 3a which, when the lid portions are pivotted into the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are compactly arranged over the body 1 and the various compartments are separted by the wall 10 and the cover portions 6 and 7. It will be appreciated that the upper edge of the wall 10 also acts to support the cover portions in their closed positions against the weight of articles or courses contained in the compartments 2a and 3a. With the cover portions and lid portions each pivotted to open positions, the various compartments are exposed in the same plane, thereby presenting a tray-like configuration; to facilitate this, the depth of the body 1 is made the same as that of the lid portions 2, 3. It will be seen that the walls of the lid and body portions are tapered to facilitate removal from the forming machine and to enable containers to be stacked within each other in their open condition. The walls are formed with vertical strengthening ribs 14.

In the closed condition as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lid portions 2, 3 are locked or held in their closed positions on the body by co-operable male and female elements 15, 16 respectively positioned along marginal flanges 17 and 18 of the container at co-incident positions. In this embodiment two spaced pairs of elements are provided in each flange 17 and 18 for each lid portion. Similar locking means 19, 20 are provided for attaching each cover portion 6, 7 to its respective lid portion; one pair of elements is provided for each flange 16, 17 of the container and are so positioned that the elements provided in the flanges of each lid portion are located centrally between those for attaching the lid portion to the body 1. Such an arrangement of the pairs of elements is clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Alternatively, male and female elements may be provided alternately at co-incident positions in said body, lid portions and cover portions, the arrangement being such that the cover portions are first folded onto their lid portions and the elements thereof connected, and these connected elements are in turn connected to their respective elements of the body when the lid portions are folded over the latter.

The male elements 19 of the cover portions 6, 7 are provided on tabs 21 one of which is extended beyond the width of flange 18 (see particularly FIGS. 1 and 2) whereby, with the container in the closed condition, the tabs may be pulled firstly to facilitate unlocking of the lid portions from the body and, thereafter, the cover portions from their lid portions, as shown in FIG. 3 the margin of the cover portions may be formed with raised male sections 22 shaped to seat closely into the mouth of the compartments 2a, 3a of their respective lid portions 2, 3 to enhance the locking and sealing effect of said cover portions.

Referring now to FIGS. 4a and 4b, in a preferred form, the locking or attachment means comprises pairs of co-operable elements comprising male element 15 and female element 16 both of circular cross-section. The female element 16 is of smaller diameter than the male element 15, which latter has two flats 23 in its wall at diametrically opposite positions as shown. The arrangement is such that when the elements are engaged and pressed together, because of the different diameters the flats tend to bow and thus allow a tight friction fit between the co-operating circular wall parts of the elements. It will be seen that in this embodiment the flats are orientated so that they are normal to the line of the hinges 4 and 5. However, it will be appreciated that this orientation is not critical and that lacking would be equally effective, e.g. with the flats parallel to said hinges. It will also be seen from these figures that the hinges 4, 5, 8 and 9 are each provided by a pair of spaced indentations in the form of grooves 24. In this embodiment the grooves have a radiused bottom of approximately 1/8 inch radius, a depth of approximately 3/16, inch and they are spaced approximately 1/8 inch apart, the adjacent walls of the grooves converging and being joined at a point 25. Thus, it has been found that the above dimensions provide an effective hinge for a vacuum or pressure formed plastics container having a nominal thickness of 0.015 inch although the bottom of the grooves will be thinner, the depth having a relationship with the thickness of the material. In particular, the portions on each side of the hinge can be folded flat on to each other and there is minimum distortion over the length of the hinge.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the compartment 1a may have an insert 26 associated therewith, the insert being of substantially the same shape as the compartment, but of smaller diameter, whereby it may nest in the compartment with a surrounding air gap 27. As shown, the insert is supported in its nested position by a marginal flange 28, which seats around the mouth of the compartment, and by support feet 29 formed in the bottom of the insert. At least some of the feet 29 may seat onto strengthening ribs 30 in the bottom of the compartment, and the insert may be provided with a hinged lid 31 arranged to fit into the insert opening. The surrounding air gap 27, which is preferably 1/8 inch or more, may be completely sealed by the provision of corresponding male and female raised sections provided respectively around the mouth of the compartment 1a and the flange 28 of the insert. Thus, an effective insulation space can be provided around the bottom and walls of the insert 26, the only heat paths being at the contact points of the feet 29. A substantially closed air space may be provided above the insert 26, with the lid portions 2 and 3 folded over the body portion 1 and locked thereto, by arranging that the plane of the lid 31 of the insert in its closed position is below the upper level of the opening of the insert as shown. Alternatively, as shown for the compartment 3a, the insert 24 may have a flat bottom and rest directly on strengthening ribs 30, whilst the upper end of the insert is formed with a bead 32 fitting within the mouth of the compartment.

Referring to FIGS. 6a and 6b, the cover portions 6 and 7 each have a further flap portion 33 hinged thereto, the hinge being preferably as described above with reference to FIGS. 4a and 4b. The flap portion 33 has an opening 34 punched out and that part of cover portion 6, 7 fitting into the mouth of its compartment 2a, 3a being cut out as shown by reference 22a; the arrangement is such that, whilst flap portion 33 can be folded to a vertical position, as shown in FIG. 6b, to provide a carrying handle for the closed container, the cut-out parts can be folded over independently to close off the compartments 2a, 3a, closure being retained by the raised sections 22.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the containers in their closed condition are shown stacked in tiers, each tier comprising two containers of substantially the form described hereinbefore, and preferably with no carrying flaps as described with reference to FIGS. 6a and 6b, and two trays 35, 36. Each tray is formed with a marginal wall 37 and is of dimentions sufficient to retain two closed containers snugly in a side-by-side relationship. As shown, the tray 35 provides a base for the containers, whilst the tray 36 is reversed and laid over the tops of the containers. The next tier with its base tray 35 is then mounted on top of tray 36 of the first tier and this is repeated for each subsequent tier. To facilitate stacking and to locate the tiers firmly, each tray is provided with co-operating keys and keyways 38, 39. Such a kit of stackable containers and trays provides a convenient arrangement for dispensing the containers, for example, they may be food containers to be served to delegates in their seats at a convention, conference or similar, the tray being used on the lap of each delegate as a base for an open food container. An open container is shown in position on the uppermost base tray 35.

Whilst the embodiment and modifications thereto have been described as a relatively cheaply produced container which may readily be thrown away after use, it will be appreciated that a durable version for repeated use at picnics, etc., may readily be formed of thicker plastics or other suitable material, perhaps with small modifications to the hinges and other details to cater for the extra thickness and/or less pliable nature of the particular material used.