Food carrier

Abstract

A food carrier for carrying a plurality of meal containers includes an insulated housing having a closed bottom, a closed top, and least one side wall having a first opening proximate the top of the housing and a second opening proximate the bottom of the housing, wherein the first opening receives a meal container therethrough, and wherein the second opening allows removal of the meal containers and precludes simultaneous removal of all of the meal containers. The food carrier includes a first door movable between an open position, wherein the meal containers may be loaded within the housing via the first opening, and a closed position, wherein the first door covers the first opening, and a second door movable between an open position, wherein the meal containers may be removed from within the housing via the second opening, and a closed position, wherein the second door covers the second opening.

The invention claimed is:  
     
         1 . A food carrier for carrying a plurality of meal containers, comprising: 
 an insulated housing having a closed bottom, a closed top, and at least one side wall having a first opening proximate the top of the housing and a second opening proximate the bottom of the housing, the first opening being sized to receive at least one meal container therethrough, the second opening being sized to allow removal of the meal containers from within the housing and to preclude simultaneous removal of all of the meal containers from within the housing, thereby limiting heat transfer from within the housing;    a first door operably connected with the housing, the first door movable between an open position, wherein the meal containers may be loaded into the housing via the first opening, and a closed position, wherein the first door covers the first opening, thereby limiting heat transfer from within the housing; and    a second door operably connected with the housing, the second door movable between an open position, wherein the meal containers may be removed from within the housing via the second opening, and a closed position, wherein the second door covers the second opening, thereby limiting heat transfer from within the housing.    
     
     
         2 . The food carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second openings are located within the same side wall.  
     
     
         3 . The food carrier of  claim 2 , wherein the housing is constructed of a flexible fabric.  
     
     
         4 . The food carrier of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second doors are each constructed of a flexible fabric.  
     
     
         5 . The food carrier of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second doors are connected to the housing by living hinges.  
     
     
         6 . The food carrier of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second doors are each held in the closed position by hook-and-loop type fabric fasteners.  
     
     
         7 . The food carrier of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second doors each include an interior pocket, and wherein the interior pocket of each door removable receives an insulation pad therein.  
     
     
         8 . The food carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the housing and the doors are each constructed of a flexible fabric.  
     
     
         9 . The food carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the doors are held in the closed position by a hook-and-loop type fabric fasteners.  
     
     
         10 . The food carrier of  claim 1 , further including: 
 a pair of handles fixedly attached to the housing and juxtaposed across the housing, and wherein the handles are constructed of a flexible fabric.    
     
     
         11 . The food carrier of  claim 1 , further including: 
 at least one structural supporting strap that is fixedly attached to and extends across the bottom of the housing.    
     
     
         12 . The food carrier of  claim 1 , further including: 
 a pair of handles constructed of a flexible fabric and juxtaposed across the housing; and    at least one structural supporting strap that extends across the bottom of the housing, wherein the handles and the supporting strap are constructed as a single piece.    
     
     
         13 . The food carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is constructed of a rigid material.  
     
     
         14 . The food carrier of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second doors are each constructed of a rigid material.  
     
     
         15 . The food carrier of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second doors are connected to the housing by at least one piano-type hinge.  
     
     
         16 . The food carrier of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second doors are configured to overlap when in the closed position.  
     
     
         17 . The food carrier of  claim 16 , wherein the first door cannot be moved from the closed position to the open position without moving the second door from the closed position to the open position.  
     
     
         18 . The food carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second doors are connected to the housing by at least one piano-type hinge.  
     
     
         19 . The food carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second doors are configured to overlap when in the closed position.  
     
     
         20 . The food carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the first door cannot be moved from the closed position to the open position without moving the second door from the closed position to the open position.  
     
     
         21 . A food carrier for carrying a plurality of meal containers, comprising: 
 an insulated housing having a closed bottom, a closed top, and at least one side wall defining an interior compartment and an opening proximate the top and bottom of the housing, a first portion of the opening proximate the top of the housing being sized to receive a meal container therethrough, a second portion of the opening proximate the bottom of the housing being sized to allow removal of the meal container from within the housing; and    a first door operably connected with the housing and having a first portion movable between an open position, wherein the meal containers may be loaded into the housing via the first portion of the opening, and a closed position, wherein the first portion of the door covers at least a portion of the first opening, thereby limiting heat transfer from within the housing, and a second portion movable between an open position, wherein the meal containers may be removed from within the housing via the second portion of the opening, and a closed position, wherein the second portion of the door covers at least a portion of the second opening, thereby limiting heat transfer from within the housing.    
     
     
         22 . The food carrier of  claim 21 , wherein the second portion of the first door may be selectively opened to allow a meal container to be removed from within the housing and to preclude simultaneous removal of all of the meal containers from within the housing.  
     
     
         23 . The food carrier of  claim 22 , wherein the first portion of the first door may be selectively opened to allow multiple meal containers to be simultaneously placed within the housing.  
     
     
         24 . The food carrier of  claim 23 , wherein the housing is constructed of a flexible fabric.  
     
     
         25 . The food carrier of  claim 24 , wherein the first door is constructed of a flexible fabric.  
     
     
         26 . The food carrier of  claim 25 , wherein the first and second portions of the first door are connected to the housing by at least one living hinge.  
     
     
         27 . The food carrier of  claim 26 , wherein the first and second portions of the first door are held in the closed position by hook-and-loop type fabric fasteners.  
     
     
         28 . The food carrier of  claim 27 , wherein the first and second portions of the first door each include an interior pocket, and wherein the interior pocket of each portion of the first door removable receives an insulation pad therein.  
     
     
         29 . The food carrier of  claim 21 , wherein the housing and the first and second portions of the first door are each constructed of a flexible fabric.  
     
     
         30 . The food carrier of  claim 21 , wherein the first portion of the first door may be selectively opened to allow multiple meal containers to be simultaneously placed within the housing.  
     
     
         31 . The food carrier of  claim 21 , wherein the first and second portions of the first door are connected to the housing by at least one living hinge.  
     
     
         32 . The food carrier of  claim 21 , wherein the first and second portions of the first door are held in the closed position by hook-and-loop type fabric fasteners.  
     
     
         33 . The food carrier of  claim 21 , wherein the first and second portions of the first door each include an interior pocket, and wherein the interior pocket of each portion of the first door removable receives an insulation pad therein.  
     
     
         34 . The food carrier of  claim 21 , further including: 
 a pair of handles fixedly attached to the housing and juxtaposed across the housing, and wherein the handles are constructed of a flexible fabric.    
     
     
         35 . The food carrier of  claim 21 , further including: 
 at least one structural supporting strap that is fixedly attached to and extends across the bottom of the housing.    
     
     
         36 . The food carrier of  claim 21 , further including: 
 a pair of handles constructed of a flexible fabric and juxtaposed across the housing; and    at least one structural supporting strap that extends across the bottom of the housing, wherein the handles and the supporting strap are constructed as a single piece. as a single piece.    
     
     
         37 . The food carrier of  claim 21 , further including: 
 an interior wall dividing the interior compartment into a first section and a second section.    
     
     
         38 . The food carrier of  claim 37 , further including: 
 a second door operably connected with the housing and having a first portion movable between an open position, wherein the meal containers may be loaded into the second section of the interior compartment via the first portion of the opening, and a closed position, wherein the first portion of the second door covers at least a portion of the first opening, thereby limiting heat transfer from within the second section housing, and a second portion movable between an open position, wherein the meal containers may be removed from within the interior compartment via the second portion of the opening, and a closed position, wherein the second portion of the second door covers at least a portion of the opening, thereby limiting heat transfer from within the second section of the interior compartment.    
     
     
         39 . The food carrier of  claim 38 , wherein the first and second doors are operably connected to the housing via piano-type hinges.  
     
     
         40 . The food carrier of  claim 39 , wherein the housing further includes a beam member aligned with the interior wall, and wherein the first and second doors are operably connected with the beam member.