Dual chamber salad container

Abstract

The present invention comprises a salad container having a container body an open top, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a cavity, the cavity divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a selective barrier secured to the interior surface of the body to selectively exclude relatively large ingredients such as salad roughage from entry into the lower chamber and to provide passage therethrough of relatively small food ingredients, such as granular ingredients including, for example, ground pepper and/or such as liquids, including, for example, salad dressing, into and out of the lower chamber.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A salad container comprising: 
 a container body having an open top, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a cavity, the cavity divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a selective barrier secured to the interior surface and sufficiently configured to selectively exclude entry of relatively large food items into the lower chamber and to provide passage through the barrier of relatively small food ingredients into and out of the lower chamber.    
     
     
         2 . The salad container of  claim 1 , wherein the selective barrier is integrally secured to the body.  
     
     
         3 . The salad container of  claim 2 , wherein the selective barrier is formed as part of the body.  
     
     
         4 . The salad container of  claim 1 , wherein the selective barrier is releasably secured to the body.  
     
     
         5 . The salad container of  claim 1  including a lid.  
     
     
         6 . The salad container of  claim 1 , wherein the selective barrier has one opening.  
     
     
         7 . The salad container of  claim 1 , wherein the selective barrier has one upwardly facing barrier surface.  
     
     
         8 . The salad container of  claim 1 , wherein the selective barrier has at least one upwardly facing barrier surface.  
     
     
         9 . A salad container comprising: 
 a container body having an open top, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a cavity, the cavity divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a selective barrier having a plurality of openings, the barrier releasably secured to the interior surface and sufficiently configured to selectively exclude entry of relatively large food items into the lower chamber and to provide passage of relatively small food ingredients into and out of the lower chamber.    
     
     
         10 . The salad container of  claim 9 , wherein the interior surface includes at least one barrier retainer.  
     
     
         11 . The salad container of  claim 10 , wherein the barrier is sufficiently flexible to be press fit into the at least one retainer.  
     
     
         12 . The salad container of  claim 9 , wherein the selective barrier has a barrier edge with at least one opening.  
     
     
         13 . A salad container comprising: 
 a unitary container body having an open top, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a cavity, the cavity divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a selective barrier integrally formed as part of the body and having one opening and a plurality of upwardly facing barrier surfaces separated and connected together by a grid of interconnected troughs defining the lower chamber, each trough having opposing longitudinally parallel interior surface top edges connected to adjacent barrier surfaces and positioned sufficiently apart to selectively exclude entry of relatively large food items into the lower chamber and to provide passage of relatively small food ingredients into and out of the lower chamber.    
     
     
         14 . The salad container of  claim 13 , wherein the body includes a stand.  
     
     
         15 . The salad container of  claim 13 , wherein the body includes a rim.  
     
     
         16 . A salad container comprising: 
 a container body means having an open top, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a cavity for containing food items, the cavity divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a selective barrier means secured to the interior surface and sufficiently configured to selectively exclude entry of relatively large food items into the lower chamber and to provide passage through the barrier of relatively small food ingredients into and out of the lower chamber.    
     
     
         17 . The salad container of  claim 16 , wherein the selective barrier means is integrally secured to the body.  
     
     
         18 . The salad container of  claim 17 , wherein the selective barrier means is formed as part of the body.  
     
     
         19 . The salad container of  claim 16 , wherein the selective barrier means is releasably secured to the body.  
     
     
         20 . The salad container of  claim 16  including a lid means for covering the container body.  
     
     
         21 . The salad container of  claim 16 , wherein the selective barrier means has one opening.  
     
     
         22 . The salad container of  claim 16 , wherein the selective barrier means has one upwardly facing barrier surface.  
     
     
         23 . A salad container comprising: 
 a container body having means an open top, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a cavity for containing food items, the cavity divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a selective barrier means having a plurality of openings, the barrier means releasably secured to the interior surface and sufficiently configured to selectively exclude entry of relatively large food items into the lower chamber and to provide passage of relatively small food ingredients into and out of the lower chamber.    
     
     
         24 . The salad container of  claim 23 , wherein the interior surface includes at least one barrier retainer means for releasably securing the barrier means.  
     
     
         25 . The salad container of  claim 23 , wherein the barrier means is sufficiently flexible to be press fit into the at least one retainer means.  
     
     
         26 . The salad container of  claim 23 , wherein the selective barrier means has a barrier edge having at least one opening.  
     
     
         27 . A salad container comprising: 
 a unitary container body means having an open top, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a cavity for containing food items, the cavity divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a selective barrier means integrally formed as part of the body means and having one opening and a plurality of upwardly facing barrier surfaces separated and connected together by a grid means of interconnected troughs defining the lower chamber, each trough having opposing longitudinally parallel interior surface top edges connected to adjacent barrier surfaces and positioned sufficiently apart to selectively exclude entry of relatively large food items into the lower chamber and to provide passage of relatively small food ingredients into and out of the lower chamber.    
     
     
         28 . The salad container of  claim 27 , wherein the body means includes a stand.  
     
     
         29 . The salad container of  claim 27 , wherein the body means includes a rim.  
     
     
         30 . A method for containing foodstuffs separately in one container, said method comprising: 
 selecting a container body having an open top, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a cavity;    dividing the cavity into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a selective barrier;    securing the barrier to the interior surface; and    sufficiently configuring the barrier to selectively exclude entry of relatively large food items into the lower chamber and to provide passage through the barrier of relatively small food ingredients into and out of the lower chamber.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the selective barrier is integrally secured to the body.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the selective barrier is formed as part of the body.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the selective barrier is releasably secured to the body.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30  including a lid.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the selective barrier has one opening.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the selective barrier has one upwardly facing barrier surface.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the selective barrier has at least one upwardly facing barrier surface.  
     
     
         38 . A method for containing foodstuffs separately in one container, said method comprising: 
 selecting a container body having an open top, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a cavity;    dividing the cavity into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a selective barrier having a plurality of openings;    releasably securing the barrier to the interior surface; and    sufficiently configuring the barrier to selectively exclude entry of relatively large food items into the lower chamber and to provide passage of relatively small food ingredients into and out of the lower chamber.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the interior surface includes at least one barrier retainer.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the barrier is sufficiently flexible to be press fit into the at least one retainer.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the selective barrier has a barrier edge with at least one opening.  
     
     
         42 . A method for containing foodstuffs separately in one container, said method comprising: 
 selecting materials to form a unitary container body having an open top, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a cavity, the cavity divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a selective barrier integrally formed as part of the body and having one opening and a plurality of upwardly facing barrier surfaces separated and connected together by a grid of interconnected troughs defining the lower chamber, each trough having opposing longitudinally parallel interior surface top edges connected to adjacent barrier surfaces and positioned sufficiently apart to selectively exclude entry of relatively large food items into the lower chamber and to provide passage of relatively small food ingredients into and out of the lower chamber; and    forming said container body.    
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the body includes a stand.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the body includes a rim.  
     
     
         45 . A salad container kit comprising: 
 a container body having an open top, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a cavity, the interior surface having at least one barrier retainer positioned thereon; and    a selective barrier having a plurality of openings and being releasably secureable to the at least one barrrier retainer and when secured to the retainer divides the cavity into an upper chamber and a lower chamber to selectively exclude entry of relatively large food items into the lower chamber and to provide passage of relatively small food ingredients into and out of the lower chamber.