Unitary protective food cover

Abstract

A protective food product cover includes a hollow sidewall that is covered at one end by a support member to create an enclosure. The support member is formed with cross-slits. Further, the sidewall is engageable with a tray to protect the food product (e.g. a cake) from contamination, while it is carried on the tray in the enclosure. A plastic sheet is affixed to the support member to create a hermetic seal for the cover. In use, the plastic sheet is removed to expose the cross-slits on the support member. Candles are then inserted into the cross-slits and lit for a celebration. Subsequently, the sidewall, support member and candles are removed from the tray for access to the food product.

1 . A protective food product cover for supporting at least one celebratory candle which comprises: 
 a hollow sidewall having a top end and a bottom end;    a support member covering the top end of said sidewall to create an enclosure, said support member being formed with at least one depression for receiving a candle therein to support the candle on said support member; and    a tray for carrying the food product, the bottom end of said side wall being engageable with said tray to confine the food product in the enclosure to protect the food product from contamination while the food product is in the enclosure.    
   
   
       2 . A protective food product cover as recited in  claim 1  wherein said support member has a substantially flat surface with a plurality of depressions formed into said surface.  
   
   
       3 . A protective food product cover as recited in  claim 2  wherein each depression has a characteristic dimension measured on said surface of said support member.  
   
   
       4 . A protective food product cover as recited in  claim 3  wherein said characteristic dimension is a diameter.  
   
   
       5 . A protective food product cover as recited in  claim 4  wherein the diameter of each depression is a same diameter.  
   
   
       6 . A protective food product cover as recited in  claim 4  wherein at least one said depression has a diameter “d 1 ” and at least one said depression has a diameter “d 2 ”, and further wherein “d 1 ” is greater than “d 2 ”.  
   
   
       7 . A protective food product cover as recited in  claim 1  wherein said sidewall has a circular configuration.  
   
   
       8 . A protective food product cover as recited in  claim 1  wherein said sidewall has a rectangular configuration.  
   
   
       9 . A protective food product cover as recited in  claim 1  wherein the food product is a birthday cake.  
   
   
       10 . A protective food product cover for supporting at least one celebratory candle which comprises: 
 a means for enclosing the food product in an enclosure, wherein said enclosing means is formed with at least one depression for receiving a candle therein to support the candle; and    a sealing means to provide an hermetic seal for the food product in the enclosure.    
   
   
       11 . A protective food product cover as recited in  claim 10  wherein said enclosing means comprises: 
 a hollow sidewall having a top end and a bottom end;    a support member covering the top end of said sidewall, said support member being formed with the at least one depression; and    a tray for carrying the food product, said tray being engageable with said support member to create the enclosure.    
   
   
       12 . A protective food product cover as recited in  claim 11  wherein said sealing means comprises an edge at the bottom end of said sidewall, said edge being engageable with said tray to confine the food product in the enclosure to protect the food product from contamination while the food product is in the enclosure.  
   
   
       13 . A protective food product cover as recited in  claim 11  wherein said support member has a substantially flat surface with a plurality of depressions formed into said surface.  
   
   
       14 . A protective food product cover as recited in  claim 13  wherein each depression has a characteristic dimension measured on said surface of said support member.  
   
   
       15 . A protective food product cover as recited in  claim 14  wherein said characteristic dimension is a diameter.  
   
   
       16 . A protective food product cover as recited in  claim 13  wherein each said depression has a substantially conical-shaped wall, with an open end of diameter “d” at the surface of said support member, and a closed end of diameter “d*” at a depth from the surface of said support member, wherein “d” is greater than “d*”.  
   
   
       17 . A protective food product cover as recited in  claim 11  having a plurality of depressions formed as a word.  
   
   
       18 . A protective food product cover as recited in  claim 11  having a plurality of depressions formed as a figure.  
   
   
       19 . A method for manufacturing a protective food product system for supporting at least one celebratory candle which comprises the steps of: 
 forming a food product cover having a hollow sidewall with a top end and a bottom end, with a support member covering the top end of said sidewall, and wherein said support member is formed with at least one depression for receiving a candle therein to support the candle; and    shaping said food product cover with an edge at the bottom end of said sidewall, said edge being engageable with a tray to create an enclosure to confine the food product in the enclosure and protect the food product from contamination while the food product is in the enclosure.    
   
   
       20 . A method as recited in  claim 19  wherein said forming step and said shaping step are accomplished by a blow molding process.