US 6,581,795 B1Granted

Container having handles on both top and bottom thereof

AssigneeLeifheit AG

InventorsRolf Günter Schülein, Frank Bruchschmidt

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Abstract

A container for holding foods comprises a base member (1); a cover member (3) which is connected to the base member (1) by releasable locking engagement; a first recessed carrying handle (20) provided on a lower side of the base member (1); and a second recessed carrying handle (11) provided on an upper side of the cover member (3). To achieve a substantially flat support surface for both the base member (1) and the cover member (3), the first and second carrying handles (20, 11) are integrated with and recessed into the contour of the base member (1) and of the cover member (3), respectively, such that each of the base member (1) and the cover member (3) have substantially flat surface portions so that the container will rest stably on a flat support surface such as a table in both the upright and inverted positions of the container.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A container for holding foods, comprising:

a base member;
a cover member which is connected to the base member by releasable locking engagement;
a first carrying handle provided on a lower side of the base member;
and
a second carrying handle provided on an upper side of the cover member;
wherein to achieve a substantially flat support surface on both the base member and the cover member, the first carrying handle is integrated with and recessed into a contour of the base member such that a substantially flat bottom support surface is formed on the base member, and the second carrying handle is integrated with and recessed into a contour of the cover member such that a substantially flat top surface portion is formed on the cover member which serves as a support surface for the cover member when the cover member is inverted;
and
wherein said base member and said cover member are each provided with diametrically opposed grip tabs, and releasable locking members are provided for respectively connecting the grip tabs of said base member with the grip tabs of said cover member for releasable locking engagement in a vertical direction.

5 more elements

A container for holding foods, comprising:

a base member comprising a food supporting surface;
a cover member comprising:
(i) means for being engaged with and releasably locked to the base member in a vertical direction so as to serve as a cover for the base member, and (ii) means for independently holding food when said cover member is inverted;
a first carrying handle provided on a lower side of the base member;
and
a second carrying handle provided on an upper side of the cover member;
wherein the first carrying handle is integrated with and recessed into a contour of the base member such that a substantially flat bottom support surface is formed on the base member;
wherein the cover member comprises a substantially central recess and the second carrying handle is integrated with and recessed into the substantially central recess of the cover member such that a substantially flat top surface portion is formed on the cover member which serves as a support surface for the cover member when the cover member is inverted;
and
wherein the base member comprises a lower receptacle, below the food supporting surface thereof, for holding at least one temperature controlling element.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.