FOOD PACKAGING

Field of the invention

Engineering in relations to a packaging production, especially a disposable packaging for handling and storing food without causing any leakage or spilling of food from the container.

Background of the invention

There are many types of food packaging depending on the objectives of their uses which, in turn, causing their physical and engineering characteristics to be varied as well as their materials and production process. To address consumer needs there have been many packaging developments on the packaging containers or their lids or any or locking mechanisms or other additional tools to address their functions. Many of these developments are related to the locking mechanisms, opening or other complex physical characteristics.

The mechanisms which had been previously designed are not appropriate on many aspects as they are too complex and so are deemed not suitable for disposal as they are costly and wasteful. Other mechanisms provided by these inventions also have complicated production processes and are further containing weak locking mechanisms that cannot effectively handle liquid substances. Many of them also cannot solve disposable problem mat many restaurants and cafes are considering for effective disposable procedure. Current disposable packages are characterized by transparent plastic containers wherein the locking is done by stapling with a paper stapler or using a lid and tape sealing around one part of the edges of the lid and container which, once opened, the lid cannot be resealed to the container.

One example of a packaging development is related to the invention -food packaging" with a Thai patent application number TH0601003919 wherein said invention utilizes a connectability of a protruding component of the container along the separating wall and a corresponding dished component surrounding the lid; further, the assembly of the container and the lid is characterized by a locking of an acute angle and an obtuse angle which may not be suitable for uses by some users. Another invention which had been filed with the title "Food packaging" under a Thai patent application number TH 1503000715, which had been developed so that it is simplified in structure, reduced in materials used, and which can protect against leakage or spillage of liquid when completely sealed with a certain locking mechanism of the lid and the container without requiring taping or stapling, and is also resealable without distorting its shape; further, another invention titled "packaging" under the That patent application TH 1403001351 which comprises a leakage protection unit using a fang protruding from the lid of the packaging wherein the use of said fangs may only be suitable for some type of materials or production process. Further the act of opening and closing several times with forces may diminish the leakage protection property of the lid as well as the act of using the lid with different depths may limit the area of the product for use with the packaging.

Nevertheless, the mentioned inventions had been improved on many aspects or components so to make them more suitable for various production processes, reduction of materials used, and further development of the sealing component for that the liquid can be perfectly contained for a packaging that can be perfectly disposed after use. Summary of the invention

A food packaging according to this invention is developed in order to solve the problems as stated above by having a thinner wall, being completely disposable, saving on materials used during the production, and perfectly protecting from leakage of liquid from the container. The food packaging is also resealable without losing its shape and providing ease of molding via different methods; further, it can be created from various materials from related fields including, but not limited to, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, and polypropylene.

The food packaging according to this invention comprises at least one food containing component or container which is connectable to a lid or a cap wherein the container or the lid are connected or sealed together in order to seal the liquid inside wherein a sealing component for receiving food is upwardly bulging or is characterized by an upwardly protruded component from the container or the lid is suitably connectable to the sealing unit for insertion which is upwardly bulging or having a ridge from the container or the lid. The bulging is arranged so that it is in the sealing component for insertion or the sealing component for reception which is bulging upward and is connectable to the receiving part of the sealing component for insertion or sealing component for reception which are having corresponding characteristics. Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of the food packaging according to this invention;

Figure 2 illustrates one embodiment of the lid of the food packaging according to this invention;

Figure 2a illustrates one embodiment of the lid of said food packaging; Figure 2b illustrates one embodiment of the close-up view for sealing of said food packaging;

Figure 3 illustrates one embodiment of the container of the food packaging according to this invention;

Figure 3a illustrates one embodiment of the container of said food packaging; Figure 3b illustrates one embodiment of the close-up view of the container of said food packaging;

Figure 4 illustrates one embodiment of a locking or sealing mechanism of the lid with the container of the food packaging according to this invention; and

Figure 5 illustrates a close-up view of one embodiment of the locking or sealing mechanism of the lid with the container of the food packaging according to this invention.

Detailed description of the invention

Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of the food packaging according to this invention which comprises a containing unit or container d) connectable or scalable to a lid or cap <2) which can be separated or jointed together by a connecting or sealing the lid (2) and the container (1 ) wherein the lid is capable of covering and sealing the contained substance or food or article inside the container (1 ) by comprising a handle (3) on one part of the lid (2). The handle

(3) is protruded outward from the lid <2) or is provided for holding the lid (2) in order for opening the food packaging according to this invention. The packaging is further utilized with other articles or items that are commonly available such as a a holding or handling item. This invention is arranged such that the container (1) is characterized by having certain depth or having a bottom for containing or holding in substance, item, or food in at least one channel which is in a reception with a sealing component for reception (4) or with a sealing component for insertion (10) of the packaging which is in the lid (2) by means of one way of forming known to the standard practice of related arts or by means of thermoforming or injection molding. The material used for the production can be chosen from polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polypropylene, or other polymer mixture of at least one type whereby the packaging according to this invention is provided so that its surface is thin in order to make it economical for disposable use.

According to Figure 2, namely Figure 2a illustrates one example of the lid of the food packaging wherein the lid (2) is thin and provides closure or coverage of the container (1) completely. In mis invention comprises a component for protection against leakage or spillage and for sealing the parts tightly together. The lid (2) provides a sealing component for sealing as expanded in Figure 2b wherein on the side of the lid (2) which seals or connects to the container d)on at least one location contains sealing component for reception (4) or sealing component for insertion (10), and wherein the sealing component for reception (4) as illustrated is bulging or protruding ridge on at least one part of the lid (2) laying across the plane to connect or seal with the container d)or is bulging or protruding upward on some part by which one side of the sealing component for reception (4) is arranged to contain a receiving portion (5) or a bulging portion (11). This example shows the receiving portion (5) which is characterized by a hollow, dipped, or inwardly arching portion for sealing or connecting with the sealing component (4) or which can be an inwardly arching portion or a deep portion protruding into the sealing component for reception (4) whereas the receiving portion (5) having an appropriate depth for sealing or connecting and whereas the width of said portion (5) is of suitable size for the sealing component for reception (4) or the portion (5) is only one of the portion of component

(4). The portion (5) further comprises a fang (6) which is formed from an inwardly arching portion of the receiving portion (5) wherein the fang (6) provides an angle which is an arched portion and is optionally protruded from the sealing component for reception (4) or has a same level of height as the component for reception (4) or is positioned lower than the surface of component for reception (4) depending on the forms of connection or sealing with the sealing component for insertion (10). The component (4) contains a gap from an outer edge (7) of the lid (2) which creates a channel (8) for connecting or sealing with the sealing component for insertion (10). Adjacent to the outer edge (7) provides a surface of a lid edge (9) which is flatten or is easy for opening or closing from outside. Figure 3 illustrates one embodiment of the container of the food packaging wherein

Figure 3a illustrates the container (1) which comprises a sealing component as depicted in

Figure 3b which illustrates one embodiment of the close-up view of the container. This embodiment shows an edge portion of the container d) comprising the sealing component for insertion (10) or the sealing component for reception (4) and wherein said embodiment provides the sealing component for insertion (10) which is bulging or protruding across the whole length of a plane or only on some parts of the container (1) mat contains bottom or certain depth for containment with least one channel. The sealing component for insertion (10) comprises, on its uppermost portion or on some of its bulging parts or ridges, a bulging portion (11) or the receiving portion (5) wherein said embodiment shows the bulging portion (11) characterizing by a ridge or bulging portion from the surface of the sealing component for insertion (10) wherein said portion can be arch-shaped, triangularly-shaped, or any other shape that suitably fits the receiving portion (5) of the component for reception (4). Nevertheless, the size and height of the bulging portion (11) depends on the connection or sealing with the receiving portion (5) wherein the sealing component for insertion is positioned higher on the wall plane of the container (1) or providing a gap between the wall of container (1) to create an inner edge (12) or is elevated with at least one inner edge ( 12) or providing the inner edge (12) with arching or slanting characteristic. The sealing component for insertion (10) is positioned closely with the outer edge of the packaging or is positioned along the plane of the container (1 ) or providing with a container edge (13) which is an edge locating externally of the container (1) with flatten or other characteristic for ease of use during opening or closing. In the case wherein the sealing component for reception (4) is contained with the container (1), there shall be a gap between component (4) from the edge of container (1) so that the gap enables a connection or sealing with the component for insertion (10).

The sealing mechanism according to this invention is illustrated on Figure 4 for connecting or sealing the lid and the container of the food packaging wherein the sealing occurs around the edge of or connection plane of the container (1 ) and the lid (2) on one of the part or all container channels of the container (1) to be sealed with the lid by sealing of the sealing component (14) which is shown in close-up view in Figure 5. The sealing component for insertion (10) shall suitably fit a groove (8) created from an outer edge (7) or from one of the wall portions mat protrudes upward from the packaging portion, providing that when the sealing component for reception (4) is sealed with the bulging portion (11) shall then be fitted or connected with the receiving portion (5) of the sealing component for reception (4). The act of sealing according to said embodiment can protect against leakage and the act of forming or producing said structure can be done easily by means of having the lid (2) with a lid edge (9) that perfectly fits with the container edge (13) in a flatten or other manner for ease of opening and closing, and the act of sealing the receiving portion (5) and bulging portion (11) are in alignment and suitably fit into the design or structure of the portion (5) and portion (11). Preferably, the sealing or connection occurs by having an arched or bulged portion (11) and an arched portion created by the bowl-shaped or inwardly arching form of the receiving portion (5). The above invention is only one of the embodiments being shown wherein the receiving portion (5) is inside the lid (2) or the container (1) or the receiving portion (5) is in the sealing component for reception (4) or sealing component for insertion (10) as similar as the bulging portion (11) on the lid (2) or container (1) or the bulging portion (11) is on the sealing component for reception (4) or the sealing component for insertion (10). Preferably, the lid (2) provides the sealing component for reception (4) wherein the groove (8) is presented and is created from the sealing component for reception (4) with outer edge (7) of the lid (2). The sealing component for insertion (10) is positioned on the edge of the container (1) wherein one of the side of the sealing component for insertion (10) which is positioned at the edge is bulging (11). The sealing component for insertion (10) suitably fits the groove (8) that is created for the bulging of the sealing component for reception (4) and the edge (7). The sealing component of said packaging containing the lid edge (9) for connecting or sealing with the container edge (13) for ease of opening and closing. In the case of the container (1) which contains more than one adjacent portion, the sealing component for reception (4) or sealing component for insertion (10) of the container (1) or the lid (2) which are adjacent to each other, they can be used together as provided in the example by having the container (1), which is adjacently located, with the sealing component for insertion (10) wherein are jointly utilized by having bulging portions (11) on both sides and wherein the lid comprises the sealing component of reception (4) which contains the sealing component for reception (5) being laid down horizontally with the sealing component for insertion (10) on the two sides.

Although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certain embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof.