TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to containers for jointly holding condiments and food items. More particularly, the present invention is directed towards a dual container that can accommodate a variety of condiments provided by a typical fast-food restaurant, as well as food items to be enjoyed with the condiments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Finger foods, such as chicken nuggets, popcorn shrimp, French fries, and onion rings are often served from small paperboard containers. These containers may be pouch-shaped, like those used for French fries in many fast-food establishments, or cup or cone-shaped. Because such containers are often used to scoop individual servings from a product batch, they are sometime referred to as â€œfood scoops.â€

The food products described above are often dipped into sauces or condiments, such as ketchup, mustard, or vinegar before they are eaten. Many food service establishments provide bulk containers of these condiments and small paper or plastic cups into which they can be dispensed. Alternately, the condiments may come prepackaged in a sealed container.

If the food product is consumed by a person while seated at a table, the condiment containers can be placed on the table. If a person wishes to walk with the container, on a boardwalk or at an amusement park, for example, or to eat the food product while driving a vehicle, the use of a condiment becomes more difficult. Both the condiment cup and food scoop must be held in one hand while the other hand grasps an item of food and dips it in the condiment. This method makes activities such as driving very difficult and possibly dangerous. It is also possible to dispense a condiment directly onto the food products in the food scoop, but this can be messy and often results in an uneven distribution of condiment. When walking or driving, therefore, persons sometimes forgo the use of sauces or condiments altogether, or have to endure the inconvenience of eating sticky, condiment-covered food products with their fingers.

It would therefore be desirable to provide a food scoop with an integrally formed condiment containment area capable of securely retaining a condiment even when the food scoop is carried or jarred, as well as preventing leakage of the condiment, and that can be produced at substantially the same cost as existing food scoops that lack such an inventive feature.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention eliminates the above-mentioned needs for a food scoop with an integrally formed condiment containment area.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a dual container for separately holding a food item and a condiment, including a first container having a front panel and a rear panel defining a first containment area, the first containment area having an open end; a second container having a front face and a plurality of attachment walls, the plurality of attachment walls affixed to a front panel body of the front panel; a base member in folding engagement with the front face and the plurality of attachment walls, the base member having a coating to prevent a condiment from being absorbed therethrough; and the front face, plurality of attachment walls, front panel body, and the base member defining a second containment area.

Additionally, there is further provided a dual container for separately holding a food item and a condiment, including a first container having a front panel and a rear panel defining a first containment area, the first containment area having an open end; a second container having a front face and a plurality of attachment walls, wherein one attachment wall of the plurality of attachment walls is integrally connected to the front panel and has a length greater than another attachment wall of the plurality of attachment walls, the plurality of attachment walls affixed to a front panel body of the front panel; a base member in folding engagement with the front face and the plurality of attachment walls, the base member having a coating to prevent a condiment from being absorbed therethrough; and the front face, plurality of attachment walls, front panel body, and the base member defining a second containment area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view illustration of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view illustration of an alternative embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view illustration of the alternative embodiment of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated as dual container 10. Dual container 10 includes rear panel 12, front panel 14, and front face 22.

To facilitate the description of the present invention, dual container 10 will be generally described in a position in which a consumer normally holds it, i.e., with the opening for a first containment area 16 being held at the top, a front panel 14 normally facing the consumer and a rear panel 12 positioned away from the consumer. This position is illustrated in FIG. 1 where the dual container 10 includes first containment area 16, a front panel 14, and a rear panel 12.

Generally, the same orientation applies to the condiment container 20, in that a second containment area 30 in condiment container 20 is adapted to receive condiments is open at its upper portion.

Rear panel 12 is adapted to serve as a â€œscoop,â€ so as to pick up food items quickly. Once rear panel 12 picks up the food items, the food items are positioned into a first container of dual container 10 by way of first containment area 16. First containment area 16 is open at its upper region and formed by the operative engagement between rear panel 12 and front panel 14. To this end, rear panel 12 and front panel 14 can be securely affixed to one another by any one of the methods well known in the art, such as adhesives.

It is preferred that a condiment container 20 be affixed to the outside surface of front panel 14 at front body panel 18. Positioning condiment container 20 on front body panel 18 retains the ability of high rear panel 12 to act as a scoop, since condiment compartment 20 is located on the opposite side of dual container 10, thus out of the way of rear panel 12.

Condiment container 20 is a second container that is formed from a folding engagement at fold areas 28a and 28b between front face 22, plurality of attachment walls 24a and 24b, base member 26, and lip 27a, and then affixing plurality of attachment walls 24a and 24 band lip 27a to front body panel 18. Preferably, the engagement between plurality of attachment walls 24a and 24b, base member 26, and lip 27a forms a tight seal with front body panel 18 so as to prevent leakage of the condiment outside of a second containment area 30 formed by condiment container 20. Having base member 26 impregnated with a wax or other filter further prevents leakage or absorption of the condiment contents through base member 26.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, an alternative embodiment of the present invention is illustrated as dual container 100. Dual container 100 is characterized by an elongated attachment wall 24a having lengthened portion 21. Lengthened portion 21 is integral to front panel 14, preferably being formed as a portion of front panel 14. In operation, once rear panel 12 and front panel 14 are placed in a fixed engagement through flaps 13a and 13b, lengthened portion 21 is folded over front panel body 18 and affixed thereto. Elongated attachment wall 24a is folded back over lengthened portion 21 and secured thereon; while base member 26, lip 27b, and attachment wall 24b are folded along fold lines B, C, and D, respectively, with base member 26 and attachment walls 24a and 24b further folded along fold areas 28a and 28b. Base member 26, lip 27b, and attachment wall 24b are then also affixed to front panel body 18.

Although only a few exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail in the following Figures, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that numerous modifications to the exemplary embodiments are possible without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.