Food Grade Container

Abstract

Food grade container with a double wall structure that provides the benefits of insulating the contents from the environment and also serving to enhance the structural rigidity of the item in use. Multiple cavities are formed between the two walls designed to contain an insulating air barrier. The geometric structure of the cavities enhances the structural integrity by providing support for each wall and cushioning movement in one or both walls when constructed of an elastomer.

1 . A food grade container comprising at least one wall being manufactured from an elastomer, the at least one wall having a first surface and an opposing second surface, and a plurality of cavities formed in the at least one wall between the first and second surfaces. 
     
     
         2 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cavities are elongated. 
     
     
         3 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cavities extend between opposing edges of the at least one wall. 
     
     
         4 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cavities are substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         5 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cavities are spaced substantially uniformly from each other. 
     
     
         6 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wall comprises a plurality of webs that define the plurality of cavities. 
     
     
         7 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wall comprises a plurality of webs that define the plurality of cavities. 
     
     
         8 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of webs extends between the first and second surfaces. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cavities are distributed substantially non-uniformly along the at least one wall. 
     
     
         11 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cavities comprises at least one cross section selected from the group consisting of circular, semi-circular, square, rectangular, triangular and oval cross-sections and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cavities are alternately arranged such that a base of a first triangular elongated cavity corresponds to a portion of the first surface and a base of an adjacent triangular elongated cavity corresponds to a portion of the second surface. 
     
     
         14 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the at least one wall comprises a plurality of webs interposed between the plurality of triangular cavities, the plurality of webs forming a generally zig-zag pattern between the first surface and the second surface. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the elastomer is silicone rubber. 
     
     
         17 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising insulation disposed within each of the plurality of cavities. 
     
     
         18 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wall forms a side wall which extends substantially upwardly and terminates at an opening. 
     
     
         19 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 18  wherein the container includes a base from which the at least one wall extends. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of cavities in the at least one wall are elongated and extend substantially horizontally. 
     
     
         22 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wall includes a container lid to close the food grade container in use. 
     
     
         23 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the at least one wall extends upwardly from the base and terminates at an opening. 
     
     
         24 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the base is generally rectangular and further comprising three generally rectangular side walls, two of the three side walls being opposing side walls with the third side wall extending therebetween. 
     
     
         25 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising body wherein:
 the first surface is defined by an inner layer and the second surface is defined by a fluted outer layer.   
     
     
         29 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the fluted outer layer defines a plurality of external grooves. 
     
     
         30 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 29  further comprising an outer housing comprising a wall having an inner surface, wherein at least a portion of the body is configured to locate within the outer housing such that circumferential contact portions of the body abut the inner surface of the outer housing to enclose each of the plurality of grooves to define a further plurality of cavities between the body and the outer housing. 
     
     
         31 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 30 , further comprising insulation disposed within each of the plurality of cavities. 
     
     
         32 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the at least one wall of each of the first body and the second body includes:
 a side wall which extends generally upwardly and terminates at an opening.   
     
     
         33 . A food grade container as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the body and the outer housing each includes a base from which the corresponding wall extends.