Food container with integral condiment cup
AssigneesGalligreen Corporation, Gallimore Products (USA) Inc.
InventorGamila Gallimore
Life of this patent
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AssigneesGalligreen Corporation, Gallimore Products (USA) Inc.
InventorGamila Gallimore
Estimating the term…
A container for a single serving of ready-to-eat food includes opposing side walls, an open top and a cup integral with at least one of the side walls and protruding into the interior of the container. The cup is used to dispense a condiment to accompany the food. The cup includes at least one first cup wall that is configured to fold against the at least one side wall to dispose the cup in a closed position, and to unfold to open the cup into the interior of the container. The cup is urged towards the open and closed position by an overcenter mode of operation whereby partially opening or closing the cup initially encounters resistance, which causes connected container walls to bow; continued opening or closing past the overcenter point allows container walls to flatten, thereby urging the cup towards the open or shut position.
A collapsible container comprising opposing side walls that define an open interior when opened, an open top and a collapsible cup which is integral with at least one of said side walls and protrudes into the interior of said container, wherein said cup comprises first and second cup walls, wherein at least the first cup wall is configured to fold against said at least one side wall to dispose the cup in a closed position, and to unfold to open said cup into the interior of said container, wherein the container is configured to urge the cup into a selected one of the open or closed position by an overcenter operation generated by outward bowing of the at least one side wall as the cup is urged towards the closed or open position through an overcenter position, wherein the overcenter position is partway between fully open and fully closed positions of the cup, wherein the first and second cup walls meet in a central fold line, the first and second cup walls each consisting of a triangular panel which extends from a corresponding one of the side walls to the central fold line, wherein opening the cup urges the panels to diverge where they meet the side walls to bow the side walls outwardly when the container is opened or closed through the over center position.
A collapsible container comprising opposing side walls that define an open interior when opened, an open top and a collapsible cup which is integral with at least one of said side walls and protrudes into the interior of said container, wherein said cup comprises first and second cup walls, wherein at least the first cup wall is configured to fold against said at least one side wall to dispose the cup in a closed position, and to unfold to open said cup into the interior of said container, wherein two of said side walls each comprise two layers each defined by an outer wall and an inner wall, said inner walls forming said first and second cup walls, said side walls being configured for urging the cup into a selected one of the open or closed position by an overcenter operation generated by outward bowing of said side walls as the cup wall is urged towards the closed or open position through an overcenter position, wherein the overcenter position is partway between fully open and fully closed positions of the container, wherein the first and second cup walls meet in a central fold line, the first and second cup walls each consisting of a triangular panel which extends from a corresponding one of the side walls to the central fold line, wherein opening the cup urges the panels to diverge where they meet the side walls to bow the side walls outwardly when the container is opened or closed through the over center position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.