Limited use-disposable salad container assembly

Abstract

A salad container assembly is disclosed including a base, a cover removably mounted on the base, and a sealed salad dressing insert for nesting within the cover having a flexible top, a salad dressing reservoir, an opening, a seal over the opening, and a puncturing mechanism capable of breaking the seal on application of sufficient pressure to the flexible top thereby allowing the contents of the reservoir to dispense into the base.

Description

I. RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is an application filed under 35 U.S.C. §111(a) claiming benefit pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e)(1) of the filing date of the Provisional Application 60 / 648,411 filed on Feb. 1, 2005 pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §111 (b), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.II. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to food containers and particularly to a salad container with an insert chamber for salad dressing, and even more particularly to a disposable, limited use salad container. III. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] As described in the earlier, U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,268, traditionally, containers are used for storing and transporting salads using various conventional containers which are generally bowl-like and relatively shallow in configuration. Salad dressing, which is sold along with the salad, typically is provided in a portion packaged squeeze tube or small cylindrical package and is plac...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable salad container of a design contemplating limited and / or single use where the container includes separate chambers for conveniently storing and transporting the salad ingredients and salad dressing without unwanted damage or mixing prior to use.

[0009] A further object of the present invention is to provide a lightweight, semi-disposable salad container with a salad dressing insert that can be used to mix salad ingredients and salad dressing in a neat and efficient manner, such as by shaking.

[0011] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a relatively lightweight, limited / single-use, disposable salad container which accommodates a complementary, economically manufactured, sanitary, easily shipped and vended salad dressing portion package that insures substantially uniform dispersal of the dressing within the container.

Problems solved by technology

If subject to movement, e.g., transportation, the salad dressing package, usually weighing more than, for example, lettuce, will settle to the bottom of the container and may move about freely within the container causing damage or bruising of the salad ingredients.

An additional problem typically occurs when it is desired to mix the salad dressing and the other salad ingredients.

Such action may be both awkward and messy, and in the event of an imperfectly closed container can result in spillage.

Furthermore, in the case of a shallow bowl-like container, the degree of mixing or tossing of the dressing with the salad ingredients may be uneven.

In the case where pre-packed salad dressing containers are not used, further problems of inefficiency and spillage may arise from filling individual salad dressing containers.

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