# US 11,993,419 B2 · Packaged food product and method of producing the packaged food product > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,993,419 B2 - Document ID: US11993419B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/386,827 - Filed: 2021-07-28 - Published: 2021-11-18 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-18 - Assignees: Blue Buffalo Enterprises, Inc. - Applicants: Blue Buffalo Enterprises, Inc. - Inventors: Sean Evelich; Nicole Kandoth; James E. McCay; Noel R. Pollen; Trond Erik Tollefsen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993419B2 ## CPC - B65D 21/086: {Collapsible or telescopic containers (B65D1/0292 and B65D21/068 take precedence)} - A01K 5/00: Feeding devices for stock or game (A01K1/10 takes precedence; feeding devices for poultry or other birds A01K39/00){; Feeding wagons; Feeding stacks} - A01K 5/0121: {Disposable pet feeders} - A23K 50/48: Moist feed - A23P 10/00: Shaping or working of foodstuffs characterised by the products - A47G 21/02: Forks; Forks with ejectors; Combined forks and spoons; Salad servers - A47J 43/28: Other culinary hand implements, e.g. spatulas, pincers, forks or like food holders, ladles, skimming ladles, cooking spoons; Spoon-holders attached to cooking pots - A47J 43/288: {Spatulas; Scrapers; Multi-purpose hand implements} - B65D 1/32: Containers adapted to be temporarily deformed by external pressure to expel contents - B65D 1/34: Trays or like shallow containers {(B65D81/3813 takes precedence)} - B65D 1/40: Details of walls (other container details B65D23/00, B65D25/00) - B65D 75/326: {and forming one compartment} - B65D 77/2024: {the cover being welded or adhered to the container} - B65D 77/2032: {by peeling or tearing the cover from the container} - B65D 77/245: {Utensils for removing the contents from the package, e.g. spoons, forks, spatulas (B65D77/28 takes precedence)} - B65D 81/36: adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents - B65D 83/0094: {Containers having an external wall formed as, or with, a diaphragm or the like which is deformed to expel the contents (B65D1/32 takes precedence)} - B65D 85/72: for edible or potable liquids, semiliquids, or plastic or pasty materials - B32B 2439/70: Food packaging - B65D 2575/3245: by peeling off the non-rigid sheet - B65D 2575/54: Cards, coupons, or other inserts or accessories - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS - A23K: FODDER - A23P: SHAPING OR WORKING OF FOODSTUFFS, NOT FULLY COVERED BY A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS - A47G: HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT (book-ends A47B5/00; knives B26B) - A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM ## Abstract A packaged food product includes a container and a food product. The container has a rim and at least one wall extending away from the rim. The at least one wall defines a storage area, and the food product is retained within the storage area such that the food product is in contact with the at least one wall. The at least one wall is readily deformable by a hand of a user to reduce a volume of the storage area. Reducing the volume of the storage area causes the food product to exit the storage area. The container includes an integral tool portion including a tine extending from a distal end of the tool portion for breaking up the food product after removal from the storage area. The food product can be a wet cat or dog food. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A packaged food product comprising: a container, wherein the container includes: a rim; at least one wall extending away from the rim, wherein the at least one wall defines a storage area; and a tool portion integral with and fixed relative to the rim, and, as packaged, extending from the rim beyond and externally away from the at least one wall and including at least one tine extending from a distal end of the tool portion; and a food product, being a wet cat food or a wet dog food, retained within the storage area and in contact with the at least one wall, wherein the at least one wall is configured to be readily deformable by a hand of a user to reduce a volume of the storage area, and the packaged food product is configured such that reducing the volume of the storage area causes the food product to exit the storage area, with the at least one tine being configured for use in breaking up the food product after the food product is removed from the storage area. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The packaged food product of claim 1, wherein the at least one wall has a first thickness, the rim has a second thickness, and the second thickness is greater than the first thickness. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The packaged food product of claim 2, wherein the at least one wall constitutes a blow-molded wall which is integral with both the rim and the tool portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The packaged food product of claim 1, wherein the at least one wall includes a bottom wall and at least one sidewall, and the bottom wall and the at least one sidewall together define the storage area, with the at least one sidewall tapering inward from the rim. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The packaged food product of claim 4, wherein the at least one sidewall is tiered. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The packaged food product of claim 1, wherein the tool portion extends from the rim beyond the at least one wall by at least 1 centimeter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The packaged food product of claim 6, wherein the tool portion of the rim extends beyond the at least one wall by at least 2 centimeters. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The packaged food product of claim 1, wherein the tool portion of the rim includes at least two spaced tines extending from the distal end. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The packaged food product of claim 1, wherein the container further includes a lid in contact with the rim, with the lid sealing the storage area. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The packaged food product of claim 1, wherein the container constitutes a first container, and the food product constitutes a first food product, the packaged food product further comprising a second container detachably connected to the first container and a second food product retained within the second container. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The packaged food product of claim 1, wherein the tine is at least partly defined by multiple straight edges. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The packaged food product of claim 11, wherein the tine is further at least partly defined by rounded corners connecting respective ones of the multiple straight edges. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The packaged food product of claim 1, wherein the rim includes a recessed region configured to be used for gripping the container while using the at least one tine for breaking up the food product after the food product is removed from the storage area. ### Claim 14 (depends on 4) The packaged food product of claim 4, wherein the at least one sidewall includes a protrusion configured to be used for gripping the container during dispensing of the food product. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The packaged food product of claim 9, wherein the lid is further in direct contact with the tool portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The packaged food product of claim 8, wherein each of the at least two spaced tines extending from the distal end is at least partly defined by two substantially parallel edges.