Multi-compartment container system
View Patent ↗A food container system that comprises a tray member that is the primary storage container, a first lid member that is molded to comprise a plurality of recesses of either similar or varying sizes to house various foodstuffs, and optionally a third lid member. When assembled, the foodstuff in the first lid member may be retained by a foil that adheres to the mouths of the recesses or the optional third lid member which may be formed to snugly fit over the recesses of the first lid member. The foodstuffs may be mixed in any combination desired. Embodiments of the invention will include for the tray member that may be releaseably attached to either the first or second lid member via a snap-fit grip mechanism; additionally, the first and second lid members may be releaseably attached to each other in a similar manner. The utility of the container system is magnified through the multi-compartmentalized lid member.
1. A container system that includes a base with a cavity for holding food, a lid for covering said base, and an intermediate tray that lies between said base and lid, wherein:
said base has a base trapping portion with a base ledge having a flat horizontal portion at the bottom of said base trapping portion, and said lid has a trapping section that is received in the base trapping portion and that lies directly against the base trapping portion to resist lid lifting, with the lid having a flat primarily horizontal bottom that lies adjacent to said base ledge;
said intermediate tray has a primarily flat outward flange that is trapped between said primarily flat horizontal bottom of said lid and said flat base ledge.
2. The container system described in claim 1 , wherein:
said lid is primarily flat;
said base is formed into a loop that lies immediately below said intermediate tray outward flange, with said tray outward flange lying closely between the loop and a bottom of the lid, said loop having an upper loop side that forms said base ledge and a lower loop side.
3. A container system described in claim 1 , wherein:
said base has an upper end with a periphery that forms a tab-receiving slot that opens at least partially horizontally;
said lid has a lift tab at its periphery that projects outward through said tab receiving slot, with walls of said tab-receiving slot being breakable and requiring such breakage to enable said lift tab to be lifted to lift said lid while providing evidence of container opening.