Single use butter preserving container

Abstract

The invention includes a single use (disposable) container with a lid and a base. The base includes an amount of seal-forming liquid, such as water. The lid includes a butter reservoir and cooperates with the base to enclose the butter reservoir and the water. The water and the butter reservoir form a seal to keep butter in the butter reservoir fresh at room temperature.

1 . A method for sale or non-sale distribution of butter between different persons, comprising the steps of:
 a) selecting a container structure that is designed and dimensioned for storing a predetermined amount of butter and configured for storing a seal forming liquid that is designed for extending a time of preservation of said butter stored within said container structure;   b) constructing said container structure from an amount and type of material that is water resistant and having a cost to manufacture that is less than a cost of a first amount of butter, said first amount of butter being equal to a maximum amount of butter that said container structure is designed to store when said fluid barrier is also stored within said container structure;   c) storing a second amount of unspoiled butter into said container, said second amount being less than or equal to said first amount of butter;   d) providing said container structure and said butter stored within said container structure as one combined item for sale or non-sale transfer of possession to another person.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said a cost to manufacture said container is less than or equal to 50 percent of the cost of said first amount of butter. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said amount and type of material has a cost to manufacture that is less than or equal to 30 percent of the cost of said first amount of butter. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said amount and type of material as manufactured as said container has a shipping weight that is less than that of said first amount of butter. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said amount and type of material as manufactured as said container has a shipping weight that is less than or equal to 50 percent of the shipping weight of said first amount of butter. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said amount and type of material has a shipping weight that is less than or equal to 30 percent of the shipping weight of said first amount of butter. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a majority portion of said material is a durable and temperature resistant plastic. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a majority portion of said material is a water-resistant paper-based material. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a majority portion of said material is a recyclable material. 
     
     
         11 . A low cost and light weight butter preserving container, comprising:
 a base configured to contain a liquid reservoir, the liquid reservoir including a seal-forming liquid;   a lid configured to enclose a butter reservoir, the lid configured to physically engage the base to enclose the butter reservoir and the liquid reservoir, and configured to provide a seal to the butter reservoir when the seal-forming liquid is contained within the base;   the base and the lid are each configured as a structure of material having an insubstantial cost of manufacture, the base and the lid being configured to support at least a single use of each said structure of material and where said single use includes a single filling of butter within said butter reservoir and subsequent removal of said butter from said butter reservoir.   
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11  wherein said insubstantial cost of manufacture is less than that of the cost of an amount of butter that would entirely fill said butter reservoir. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 11  wherein said insubstantial cost of manufacture is less than about 50 percent of the cost of an amount of butter that would entirely fill said butter reservoir. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein a substantial portion of said material is durable and temperature resistant plastic. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein a substantial portion of said material is a water-resistant paper-based material. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein a substantial portion of said material reflects thermal radiation. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 11 , the lid defining a recess and the base having a rim, the recess receiving the rim in a snap connection. 
     
     
         18 . The disposable container of  claim 11 , wherein the base and the lid being sealed together with a removable plastic wrap. 
     
     
         19 . A method of using a room temperature storage device for butter, comprising the steps of:
 a) purchasing a single use container of butter that is designed to accommodate storage of a seal-forming liquid that preserves said butter;   b) adding an amount of a seal-forming liquid to a liquid reservoir of a single use base, the amount of seal-forming liquid sufficient to form a seal when a disposable lid and said base are assembled; and   c) separating said lid from said base thereby unsealing the butter reservoir from the seal-forming liquid to provide access to the butter reservoir.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of re-sealing the lid to the base with a removable plastic wrap.