Special receptacle or package – Combined or convertible – Packaged assemblage or kit
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-04
2004-04-13
Luong, Shian (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
Combined or convertible
Packaged assemblage or kit
C383S104000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06719140
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a food bag for use in connection with carrying food and serving it out of the same resealable container. The food bag has particular utility in connection with providing a disposable bag that can transport foodstuff and utensils and can be used to serve the food.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Containers or bags that are used to transport food and then provide a dish for eating the meal are desirable when there is not facilities for washing out the dish after use; when the user does not want to have to carry the container home; or when the user does not want to carry a container for transport, a dish for serving the meal and utensils. Supplying utensils and napkins attached to a disposable food container is desirable whenever the user will need a fork, spoon, or other utensil to eat the contents of the bag or container.
The use of disposable food bags and containers is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,907 to Galomb discloses a disposable bowl bag with a resealable closure and optional utensils, which are found in pockets or additional compartments in the bag. This bag stands upright and can be used for storage and for serving. However, Galomb's patent does not allow the utensil pocket to be severed from the bowl before heating the bowl bag, and has further drawbacks of not providing an outer wrap of paper to cover the bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,378 to Thomas discloses a reclosable stand-up bag that may be used for food transportation. However, Thomas' patent does not provide a bag that is designed for eating out of, and additionally does not provide means for attaching utensils to the bag.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,679 to Newarski discloses a rigid disposable container for dry food and liquid that holds the two foods separate during storage and optionally has a utensil disposed in dry food container area. However, Newarski's patent does not provide for a container where the utensils can be removed from the container for heating or otherwise preparing the contents, and does not provide for clean utensil storage if the contents of the container contain a sauce or other food with a moist form. This container also cannot be manufactured as efficiently as a bag having a single storage container and no valves.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,637 to DeRoseau discloses a disposable food container that has a height substantially less than the width and breadth and includes eating utensils attached to the upper surface. These utensils are mechanically joined to the container. Deroseau's patent does not provide a container from which the food can be easily eaten and does not allow for removal of the utensils before heating or otherwise preparing the food in the container, and has the additional deficiency of requiring special utensil that can be mechanically attached to the container.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,466 to Stevenson discloses a reclosable bag capable of going from the freezer to the microwave oven that can stand upright and contains a spout. However, Stevenson's patent does not provide for eating utensils attached to the bag and further does not provide for a container from which the food can be easily eaten.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a food bag that allows for the user to store or carry food in the bag and then when ready to eat, remove the utensils from the bag without having to dig through the food to do so, heat or otherwise prepare the food in the bag, and eat out of the bag.
None of the patent disclosed hereinabove makes provision for providing a food bag with a paper exterior in addition to the plastic interior bag. A paper exterior is desirable because this allows the user to transport a bag that is either nondescript paper or one having a color or a pattern instead of an unappetizing view of lunch through a plastic bag.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved food bag that can be used for both transporting and serving food. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the food bag according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of transporting and serving food.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of food bags and containers now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved food bag, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved food bag which has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned heretofore and many novel features. This results in a food bag that is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a disposable food bag is provided. The food bag comprises: a plastic inner liner comprising a bottom panel, a front and a back wall panel extending upwards from the bottom panel, and two gusseted side wall panels extending upwards from the bottom panel and connected to the front wall panel and the back wall panel; a resealable closure assembly coupled to the upper edge portions of the front and back wall panels of the inner liner, the closure assembly allowing for releasable engagement of the front and back wall panels of the plastic inner liner and creating a leak-proof container; a paper outer wrap comprising a bottom panel, a front and a back wall panel extending upwards from the bottom panel, and two gusseted side wall panels extending upwards from the bottom panel and connected to the front wall panel and the back wall panel , wherein the front wall panel of the outer wrap is attached to the front wall panel of the inner liner and the back wall panel of the outer wrap is attached to the back wall panel of the inner liner; and a utensil bag attached to the front wall panel of paper outer wrap. This attachment may be perforated for easy removal of the utensil bag from the outer wrap. The utensil bag comprises one or more utensils disposed inside the utensil bag wherein the utensil bag is adapted for easy removal from the outer wrap. The utensils preferably comprise a fork and a spoon, a napkin, and optionally comprise seasonings such as a package of salt and a package of pepper and a knife. The bags may be a variety of sizes, one example is a bag that is approximately 5″ wide by 5″ high by 8.5″ long. The resealable closure preferably comprises a zipper-type closure. The outer wrap may be brown, colored, or contain a pattern, a design, or text
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this respect, before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and
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