Bi-level food storage and transportation container

Abstract

A food storage container is provided which has compartments with bottom surfaces at differing vertical positions for storing various food items while keeping those food items separated from one another.

1 . A food storage container, comprising:
 a first shell;   a second shell connected to the first shell for pivotal movement of the first shell with respect to the second shell;   a latch for releasably securing the first shell to the second shell;   the food storage container having a vertical axis passing through the first shell and the second shell, the second shell having a first compartment having a bottom surface at a first vertical location, a second compartment having a bottom surface at a second vertical location lower than the first vertical location and a third compartment having a bottom surface at a third vertical location lower than the first vertical location.   
     
     
         2 . The food storage container of  claim 1  wherein the second and third vertical locations are at substantially the same point on the vertical axis. 
     
     
         3 . The food storage container of  claim 1  further including a spring button attached to one of the first shell and the second shell, the spring button capable of moving between a first position in which the spring button is near one of the first shell and the second shell and a second position in which the spring button is further away from the one of the first shell and the second shell. 
     
     
         4 . The food storage container of  claim 3  further including a second spring button attached to one of the first shell and the second shell, the second spring button capable of moving between a first position in which the second spring button is near one of the first shell and the second shell and a second position in which the second spring button is further away from the one of the first and second shell. 
     
     
         5 . The food storage container of  claim 1  further including a hand grip area located on one of the first shell and the second shell and having depressions therein each sized to receive a finger of a user. 
     
     
         6 . The food storage container of  claim 1  wherein the second and third compartments are each sized to hold at least a cylindrical object having a diameter of at least 2.5 inches and a height of at least 4.75 inches while the first shell is releasably secured to the second shell. 
     
     
         7 . The food storage container of  claim 1  wherein the first compartment is sized to hold at least an object having the approximate dimensions of 6.5 inches in length, 5 inches in width and 2 inches in height when the first shell is secured to the second shell. 
     
     
         8 . The food storage container of  claim 1  wherein the first compartment has a volume of between 60 cubic inches and 120 cubic inches. 
     
     
         9 . The food storage container of  claim 1  wherein the second compartment has a volume of between 50 cubic inches and 100 cubic inches. 
     
     
         10 . The food storage container of  claim 1  wherein the second and third compartments are each sized to receive a generally cylindrical container with a diameter of greater than 2.5 inches and a height of greater than 4.75 inches, when the first shell is secured to the second shell. 
     
     
         11 . The food storage container of  claim 1  wherein one of the first and second shell has an outside surface and wherein the outside surface has a cavity therein, and further including a first decorative plate releasably secured within the cavity. 
     
     
         12 . The food storage container of  claim 11  further including a second decorative plate adapted to be releasably secured within the cavity in place of the first decorative plate. 
     
     
         13 . The food storage container of  claim 12  wherein a user of the lunchbox can modify the appearance of the first decorative plate by generating an decorative image on a personal computer and attaching the decorative image to the decorative plate. 
     
     
         14 . The food storage container of  claim 1  wherein the first shell is connected to the second shell by hinges. 
     
     
         15 . The food storage container of  claim 14  wherein the hinges have a flat outer surface such that the food storage container will remain in place when the outer surfaces of the hinges are placed on a horizontal surface. 
     
     
         16 . The food storage container of  claim 1  wherein the first and second shells are made from high density polyethylene. 
     
     
         17 . The food storage container of  claim 1  wherein the first and second shells are made from low density polyethylene. 
     
     
         18 . The food storage container of  claim 1  wherein the first and second shells are made from polypropylene.