"PACKAGING"

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a multi-compartment container. More particularly the present invention consists in an improvement over the invention of our New Zealand patent specification 533049 adapted to house salad and a salad dressing separately and which might be used to separate other precursors of a food mix (whether to be cooked or not) eg, pasta and sauce, stir-fry materials and sauce or condiment, etc.

BACKGROUND ART

The full content of the aforementioned New Zealand patent specification 533049 is here included by way of reference.

There is disclosed a multi-compartment container capable of housing salad and salad dressing substantially separately having a salad storing compartment and a dressing storing compartment located inferior to the salad storing compartment, the salad storing compartment and salad dressing compartment being substantially separated by an apertured partition.

In use the salad and salad dressing container is inverted thereby to allow gravity assisted passage of the liquid salad dressing into the compartment having the salad.

The present invention envisages a similar arrangement but one where mere inversion of the product will not accidentally lead to any downside from salad dressing being mingled with the salad. Likewise if to contain pasta and a sauce therefor, stir-fry materials and a sauce or condiment therefor, etc.

As used herein the term "salad" is to be generic of any fresh vegetable and/or fruit product, or mixtures or hybrid thereof. As used herein the term "salad dressing" is to include any liquid or liquid composition adapted to enhance appeal and/or taste of a salad as herein defined.

Examples of salads and/or salad dressings appropriate include those marketed by us under our SALAD SHAKERS® brand in containers as in NZ533049. These include baby salad greens (mesclun, fancy lettuce, spinach, rocket, romaine), fresh cut salads (caesar, coleslaw, herbslaw, kalian style), stir fry vegetable meals, salads of the world kits, dressings (balsamic and olive oil vinaigrette, blue cheese, caesar, ranch, French red wine vinaigrette, Italian white wine vinaigrette, tangy citrus vinaigrette), fresh cut fruit (fruit salad, melon mix, tropical fruit salad, exotic fruit salad, rockmelon, honeydew melon, watermelon, pineapple, classic diced |

strawberries), salad sprinkles (tomato and onion, garlic and chilli, bacon and chives) and iceberg lettuce.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an alternative to a container as aforesaid. It is an alternative or further object of the present invention to provide a unitary moulded container able by movement (eg, locking down and/or subsequent dislodgement) to either partition the container for a purpose as previously described or to allow mingling of materials from different chambers.

It is an alternative or further object of the present invention to provide, as an assembly, a container able to separate a salad from a salad dressing (or other food stuff pairing) yet which requires no more than slight squeezing and/or simple inversion and/or no more than slight squeezing and shaking when upright for any substantial mingling of the salad dressing with the salad.

It is an alternative or further object of the present invention to provide a container and use of such a container, the container being substantially as hereinafter described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

In an aspect the invention is a food pack having an openable container having food of a different kind in at least two compartments thereof separated by a dislodgable partition, the pack lending itself to squeezing and shaking to allow the foods to mingle.

In another aspect the present invention consists in a container for separating components of a food mixture, said container comprising or including an integrally moulded part (eg, a hinged flap) able to be positioned (preferably with locking) to provide for at least a substantial separation within the container of at least one space or compartment ("space") from another.

Preferably said container is a freestanding container with an integrally hinged lid.

Preferably said container is capable of being moulded from a two part mould assembly.

Preferably said container includes a said hinged flap hinging from a wall or an upstand. Optionally there are two flaps. Such flaps can be a bifurcation (eg, preferably by parallel hinge axes from an upstand of the base).

Any such flaps can be perforated or imperforated (preferably imperforate) and preferably are if easily dislodged by appropriate squeezing.

In another aspect the present invention consists in, a container assembly for separating components of a food mixture, said container comprising or including at least two parts hingedly connected (eg, by a ball and joint mechanism or a lock and key mechanism or some equivalent) whereby the condition of one relative to the other can provide for at least a substantial separation within the defined container of at least one space or compartment ("space") from another.

Preferably one of said components is a moulded container form and the other component is a member to hinge within the confines of that container.

Preferably said second component is hinged from a wall or upstand of that component which defines the container proper.

In another aspect the invention consists in, a container suitable for use in a food pack of a kind which separates components of the food (ie, a salad from a salad dressing, a pasta from a sauce, etc) said container comprising or including, as a unitary moulded item an open mouth container able to be stood on its base, there being a hingedly deployable integrally moulded flap able to achieve at least a substantial degree of separation of a lower space from an upper space within the container, said flap when undeployed being at least substantially in its as moulded condition which will enable filling into said lower space. Nevertheless, optionally the flap can swing both ways.

Preferably said flap hingedly deploys down to a distal support passed a locking blip. In one option said hinged connection is from a wall of said container.

In another embodiment said hinged connection is from an upstand from the base. In a further aspect said container can include a hingedly connected integral lidding feature.

Any such flaps can be imperforate and preferably are if easily dislodged by appropriate squeezing.

In a further aspect the invention consists in a food pack comprising a container as previously described, said container being lidded and having said flap deployed to achieve at least a substantial degree of separation between said or a lower space and said or an upper space, ' there being different food (whether solids and/or liquid) in the different spaces. Preferably the liquid is in the lower space.

Preferably the food can be a salad in the upper space and a dressing for that salad in the lower space. Another option is a pasta or noodles in the upper space and a sauce for the pasta or noodles in said lower space. Yet another option is cereal and yoghurt. In still other options

particulate material such as breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese or the like could be stored in said lower space. Variations can involve rice, fruit, etc.

In some aspects there can be more than one said lower space. Preferably each such lower space is associated with a hingedly deployable flap. That flap can be integrally formed with the container or associated therewith (eg, by fabrication using a key /lock, or like, association to provide the hinge).

Preferably said food pack includes the use of a container or container assembly in ^' accordance with the present invention.

In a further aspect the invention consists in a method of providing a food pack which comprises or includes the steps of taking a moulded container suitable for use in a food pack of a kind that can separate components of the food (ie, a salad from a salad dressing, a pasta from a sauce, etc), inserting a (optionally a liquid or semi-liquid) food item in said lower space whilst said integrally moulded hinged flap is not substantially deployed from its as moulded condition, deploying said flap to its partitioning condition, inserting a food item into said upper space over said deployed flap, and lid closing or foil or otherwise closing said upper space. In another aspect the invention consists in, in combination ot assembly, a moulded open top container capable of being supported in a stable condition with the mouth uppermost, and a partitioning member ("partition") located in, and sealing peripherally to, the inner surface of said container thereby to provide for separation of a compartment below the partition from any compartment to be closed above said partition.

Preferably the partition is a snug fit or a push fit, or both. Preferably the partition is a disc.

Preferably the partition is a clip fitxetained or retainable on a shoulder or shoulders of the container.

Preferably the shoulders and clip fit features of the container are mouldable using a two part mould (eg, the clip fit features can be bumped off the tooling). Preferably the assembly, when loaded, is lid engageable and/or foil or film ("foil" whether a hybrid or not) sealable.

In another aspect the invention consists in, in combination or assembly, a moulded open top container capable of being supported in a stable condition with the mouth uppermost, and

a partitioning member ("partition') (preferably imperforate) located in, and sealing peripherally to, die inner surface of said container thereby to provide for separation of a ' compartment below the partition from any compartment to be closed above said partition, and, optionally, a lid to close the open top of the container. Preferably the partition is a disc.

Preferably the partition is a clip fit retained or retainable on a shoulder or shoulders of the container.

Preferably the shoulders and clip fit features of the container are mouldable using a two ^' part moulded (eg, the clip fit features can be bumped off the tooling). Preferably the container has an outward flange or lip to which said lid and/ or foil engages or is engageable.

Preferably the Hd is moulded and is bulbous. In another aspect the invention consists in an assembly of a moulded open top container, and an imperforate or perforate partitioning member as a partition located in, and sealing peripherally to, the inner surface of said container thereby to provide for separation of a compartment on either side thereof, and optionally, a lid and/or foil to close the open top of said moulded open top container, wherein the partition can be dislocated from its sealing condition by application of some pressure through said container.

Preferably the partition is a disc.

Preferably the partition is a clip fit retained or retainable on a shoulder or shoulders of the container. Preferably the shoulders and clip fit features of the container are mouldable using a two part mould (eg, the clip fit features can be bumped off the tooling).

In another aspect the invention consists in a food containing pack comprising or including a moulded open top container, an imperforate partitioning member located as a partition in, and sealing peripherally to, the inner surface of said container thereby to provide for separation of a compartment on either side thereof, a lid and/or foil to close the open top of said container,

salad dressing, sauce, liquid or dry condiment, or the like ("secondary food") in the compartment on that side of the partition furtherest from the open top of the container, and a salad, pasta, stir-fry material(s), or the like ("primary food") in that compartment between the partition and the lid, wherein the partition can be dislodged from its sealing condition by application of some pressure through said container and/or violent shaking whereby mixing of the secondary food with die primary food can occur, or whetein the partition can be dislodged to allow the outpouring of the secondary " food. In another aspect the invention consists in a salad and salad dressing pack comprising or including a moulded open top container, a perforated or imperforated (preferably imperforate) partitioning member located as a partition in, and sealing peripherally to, the inner surface of said container thereby to provide for separation of a compartment on either side thereof, a lid and/or foil to close the open top of said container, . salad dressing in the compartment on that side of the partition furtherest from the open top of the container, and a salad in that compartment between the partition and the Ed, wherein the partition can be dislodged from its sealing condition by application of some pressure through said container and/or violent shaking.

In a further aspect the invention consist in an arrangement, combination, assembly, pack or the like of any of the preceding aspects of the invention, or any components substantially as herein described, wherein any one or more of the following applies: - the partitioning member, perforate or imperforate, is at any suitable height within the base container or the container, the container or any part of the container can have any of the shapes hereinafter described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings, the partitioning member can be flat as depicted and/or concave or convex, whether disc like or not, there can be perforations of any kind and in any number in the partitioning member,

there is an ability for an insert to be kept in the container in addition to and/or instead of the partitioning member and that can slide up the container and disperse liquid, the base container or the container can be provided with a hinged lid, - the base container or the container can have the partitioned member integrally moulded therewith in such a way that it can fold or otherwise be moved downwardly to provide for the sufficiently effective partitioning of the chambers, there can be provided a fully peripheral shoulder as a retention and/ or supporting feature of the container for the partition. In some forms of the present invention preferably said container includes substantially upstanding from the notional or actual plane formed by the base of the container a partitioning member able to be hinged downwardly to affect partition of the container as previously defined.

In other aspects of the present invention an over label can be provided over the lid and/or any foil cover for the base container or container and such labelling and/or the base container can include press here or some similar instruction suitable to disrupt the position of the partition thus to allow the missing of the contents of the pack.

In a further aspect the invention is a container assembly comprising or including a moulded open top container capable, at least when closed, of sitting on a flat support with its open top uppermost, a lid closing the open top, and a moulded member positioned in the container by an engagement with the container and deployed to partition the lower part of the container, as a chamber, from the upper part of the container yet capable of being at least in part undeployed by application of some pressure through the container. Preferably the lid has been moulded with the container and the partition when deployed is circular in plan.

In a further aspect the invention consist in a method of mixing foods (eg, applying a salad dressing to a salad or a sauce or other liquid condiment to any pasta or other " foodstuff) which comprises, in a pack in accordance with the present invention and/or substantially as hereinafter described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings, dislodging the partition to allow, by shaking, inversion or otherwise mingling of the salad dressing with the salad.

In a further aspect the invention consists in components (s) of a pack or components (s) of a combination or assembly substantially as herein described with reference to ' any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

As used herein "comprising" can mean "includes" as well as consisting only of. As used herein the term "and/ or" means "and" or "or", or both.

As used herein the term "(s)" following a noun includes, as might be appropriate, the singular or plural forms of that noun.

As used herein "peripherally sealed" envisages sufficient closeness of fit to keep salad ' dressing passage to a low acceptable level, if indeed any passage at all is possible. As used herein "food" or variations of it can refer to solids, or liquids, or both.

As used herein "clipfit" or "clickfit" means the same ie, some retention reliant on some deformation and resilience.

In this specification where reference has been made to patent specifications, other external documents, or other sources of information, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the invention. Unless specifically stated otherwise, reference to such external documents is not to be construed as an admission that such documents, or such sources of information, in any jurisdiction, are prior art, or form part of the common general knowledge in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view with a lid not present of an open mouthed container with a partitioning member (a disc) located on a skeletal peripheral shoulder under clip fit features of the container,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the arrangement shown in Figure 1 ,

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2 rotated by 90 degrees,

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 3, Figure 5 is a perspective view of the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 4,

Figure 6 is a perspective view from above of the moulded container to show the skeletal shoulder providing features and the clip fit features on the inner surface thereof, the disc not being shown to reveal the detail of those features,

Figure 7 is a plan view from above of the arrangement shown in Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the container as shown in Figure 6 and 7,

Figure 9 is another side elevation of the container as shown in Figure 6 to 8, this time rotated by 90°,

Figure 10 is a bottom view of a container as shown in Figures 5 to 9, Figure 11 is a perspective view of a container as shown in Figures 6 to 10,

Figure 12 shows the disc being displaced from the clip retaining and/ or sealing condition, if not mattering whether or not there is inversion or not, by application of pressure to the side wall of the container,

Figure 13 is a top view of a lidded assembly, Figure 14 is a side elevation of the lidded assembly of Figure 13,

Figure 15 is a sectional view of an lidded assembly as shown in Figures 13 and 14 having below the disc as the partition a salad dressing and above the partition, but below a lidding foil or the like, the salad and showing an optional inclusion below an engaging lid of additions and eating utensils (eg, bread crumbs, cheese, or the like and a fork), Figure 16A through 16C show how dislodgement by deformation and "popping" can allow the shaking, and optionally with inversion, the mingling of the salad dressing with the salad.

Figures 17 through 21 show different variations of the embodiments previously defined. Figure 22 is a diagrammatic side view of a unitary moulded container in accordance with the present invention having a wall hinged flap able to close down to the condition as shown in Figures 24 and 25, such hinging optionally being from a flattened wall region (to enable two part tooling) such that the perimeter of the flap (preferably imperforate) can substantially distally be dislodgably locked by the blips of the distal wall, Figure 23 is a diagrammatic plan view of the arrangement as shown in Figure 22,

Figure 24 is a similar view to Figure 22 but showing the flap in its locked down condition from which it can be dislodged by appropriate squeezing and shaking to allow by inversion and/ or simple shaking the mingling of the components of the two spaces,

Figure 25 shows the flap down in the condition as in Figure 24 when viewed in the same manner as in Figure 23, and

Figure 26 is a similar view to that of Figure 21 showing the option of hinging such a flap from an upstand or other profiled feature not of the wall but upwardly of the base, it being realised that other variations are possible with one or more flaps,

Figure 27 shows an open mouthed but integrally lidded container of circular horizontal section near its bottom but oval in cross section as it rises from the bottom region and having fitted in a click fit manner in a recess in the bottom of the open mouthed container a separately moulded member able to be folded down to assume a disc like form as shown by the broken lines, and

Figure 28 is an exploded view of the two components of the assembly of Figure 27. In a form of the present invention there is provided a moulded transparent container 1 (see Figures 6 through 11) where there is preferably a circular cross section at the lower reaches thereof to enable the disc or other partition 2 (see Figure 5) to be supported on the shoulders 3 and under the clip fit members 4 and with its periphery closely conforming to and preferably sealing against the inner surface of container 1.

The shoulders 3 (eg, at least three and preferably, say, six as shown) and clip fit members 4 (preferably three, but two or more suffice) are preferably arranged equidistantly spaced as shown in the drawings. Preferably, but not necessarily, the container moves from its circular form as it rises above where the disc is to provide the partitioning.

Whilst the preferred partitioning member is a disc 2 as might be moulded or stamped from a sheet, other forms that peripherally conform to the cross section of the container 1 at the zone of fitment (whatever that cross-section might be), provided they can be got there (eg, by suction cup) and provided they can be dislodged when required, can be used. Examples abound eg, oval, elliptical, hexagonal, octagonal etc.

The top of the container preferably has the outer flange 5 on to which optionally a lidding seal, of for example, a metal foil or a plastics film material, or a hybrid (eg, laminate) of both, can be fitted to underlie a true lid 8. This enables below the disc 2 for a salad dressing 9 (or sauce or other fluid condiment) to be kept partitioned from a salad 10 (or pasta or other foodstuff). The provision of an optional sealing foil 7 allows, for example, cheese and/or bread crumbs or the like additions 11 to be contained in a third compartment ie, above the foil 7 and below the Ed 8, optionally with ^' eating utensils 12. The inclusions 11 and 12 optionally can be wrapped in an enclosing foil. For example in the case of a ceasar salad, additions 11 for the salad can be provided above the salad 10 and they can be added in prior to, or subsequent to, mingling of the salad dressing 9 with the salad 10, the intermingling in such a condition optionally, with or without the lid 8 fitted, happening, for example, in the conditions as shown in 16A through 16C.

In the preferred forms of the present invention the container 1, disc 2 and/ or lid 8, is injection moulded, or otherwise moulded or otherwise formed from a suitable food grade plastics material eg, PP, HDPE, PLA, PET, Foil, paperboard, etc..

In Figures 22 to 25, a flap 18 (preferably imperforate) is moulded from a wall 19 so that it can fold down to the condition as shown in Figure 25 and, as in Figure 24, to partition a space 20 below an upper space 21. For the purpose of such partitioning the flap 18 is preferably distally supported on a blip or mouldable feature 22 and held under a locking blip or feature 23. Appropriate squeezing will allow the flap 18 to move from the condition as shown in Figure 24 (the fully deployed condition) back to a condition such as towards that shown in Figure 22 which accords more or less with its moulded condition.

A two part moulding assembly may require the flap to be hinged from a flat wall.

Figure 26 shows how instead of hinging from the wall 19, as in Figures 22 through 25, there can instead be hinging at 24 from the base or some feature 25 from the base. One possibility is of course a non-flat base (ie, one having a 3D profile) such that there is a significant change to the footprint but which nonetheless lends itself to a hinging of a flap such as 26 directly from the base over a cavity in the base.

In the arrangement of Figures 27 and 28 a moulded container 28 which comprises an open mouth reservoir 29 with an integrally hinged lid 30 has a centrally placed recess 31 in its base adapted to receive the retention form 32 of the moulded member 29 in the manner as shown in solid lines in Figures 27. From this condition the parts 33 and 34 can be down folded to a condition where they are held as shown in broken lines as 33A and 34A in Figures 27. To facilitate this folding down and their retention ill a form from which they can be squeezed to allow the mingling to occur preferably the hinging axes 35 and 36 are aligned parallel to the flatter sides 37 of the container 29. As shown in Figure 28, preferably there can be provision for a peripheral or continuous or intermit support and/or retention form -38 much as previously been described.

This arrangement allows simple moulding tooling to be utilised and assembly can occur readily either prior or subsequent to insertion of any liquid or other content into the base of the container 29 (preferably before). Alternatives abound that are within the scope of the present invention.

The integral moulding optionally includes an integrally moulded lidding feature. Such a form lends itself best to recycling and showing to a user that all of the material (whether a plastics material or not) is of the same kind. An appropriately dotted lidding feature is shown in Figure 26 hinged at 27.