Food receptacle

Abstract

A food receptacle includes a top surface for retaining food and the top surface has a perimeter, an outer wall connected to the perimeter, a finger slot in the outer wall, a bottom surface with a finger channel, the finger channel corresponding to a ridge in the top surface, and a fastener that releasably attaches the receptacle to an external surface, wherein the fastener, finger slot, and finger channel are arranged so that a finger can be inserted through the finger slot and finger channel in a direction toward the fastener, and wherein the finger slot and finger channel provide a substantially unobstructed linear path to the fastener.

1 . A food receptacle comprising:
 a top surface for retaining food, the top surface comprising a perimeter;   an outer wall connected to the perimeter;   a finger slot in the outer wall;   a bottom surface comprising a finger channel, the finger channel corresponding to a ridge in the top surface;   a fastener that releasably attaches the receptacle to an external surface, wherein the fastener, finger slot, and finger channel are arranged so that an adult sized finger can be inserted through the finger slot and finger channel in a direction toward the fastener, wherein the finger slot and finger channel provide a substantially unobstructed linear path to the fastener, and wherein the substantially unobstructed linear path has a length of at least about 22 mm and a cross-section at least about 13 mm wide and 22 mm high throughout the unobstructed linear path.   
     
     
         2 . The food receptacle of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle has a central axis and the finger channel and finger slot are oriented at an angle from the central axis between 10 and 40 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The food receptacle of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener is a suction device. 
     
     
         4 . The food receptacle of  claim 3 , wherein the height of the outer wall approximates the height from the bottom of the fastener to a point on the top surface where the outer wall connects to the perimeter when the fastener is not attached to the external surface. 
     
     
         5 . The food receptacle of  claim 1 , wherein the top surface for retaining food comprises a plurality of food compartments and wherein the ridge separates at least about two of the plurality of food compartments. 
     
     
         6 . The food receptacle of  claim 1 , further comprising a stabilizing member to limit rotation of the receptacle on the external surface. 
     
     
         7 . The food receptacle of  claim 6 , wherein the stabilizing member is a non-skid surface attached to a bottom of the outer wall. 
     
     
         8 . The food receptacle of  claim 6 , wherein the stabilizing member is a non-skid surface attached to the bottom surface. 
     
     
         9 . The food receptacle of  claim 1 , further comprising a cover removably attached to the top surface. 
     
     
         10 . The food receptacle of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener comprises a release tab that is positioned in the substantially unobstructed linear path. 
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing a food receptacle, comprising:
 providing a main portion comprising:
 a top surface for retaining food, the top surface comprising a perimeter; 
 an outer wall connected to the perimeter; 
 a finger slot in the outer wall: 
 a bottom surface comprising a finger channel, the finger channel corresponding to a ridge in the top surface; 
   a coupling member, wherein the coupling member, finger slot, and finger channel are arranged so that a finger can be inserted through the finger slot and finger channel in a direction toward the coupling member,   wherein the finger slot and finger channel provide a substantially unobstructed linear path to the coupling member, and wherein the substantially unobstructed linear path has a length of at least about 22 mm and a cross-section at least about 13 mm wide and 22 mm high throughout the unobstructed linear path; and   providing a fastener configured to couple to the coupling member, wherein the fastener is further configured to releasably attach to an external surface.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the receptacle has a central axis and the finger channel and finger slot are oriented at an angle from the central axis between 10 and 40 degrees. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the fastener is a suction device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the height of the outer wall approximates the height from the bottom of the fastener to a point on the top surface where the outer wall connects to the perimeter when the fastener is not attached to the external surface. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the top surface for retaining food comprises a plurality of food compartments and wherein the ridge separates at least about two of the plurality of food compartments. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the food receptacle further comprises a stabilizing member to limit rotation of the receptacle on the external surface. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the stabilizing member is a non-skid surface attached to a bottom of the outer wall. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the stabilizing member is a non-skid surface attached to the bottom surface. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the food receptacle further comprises a cover removably attached to the top surface. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the fastener comprises a release tab that is oriented on the fastener so that the release tab lies in the substantially unobstructed linear path when the fastener is coupled to the coupling member. 
     
     
         21 . A food receptacle comprising:
 a top surface having at least two food compartments for retaining food separated by a ridge, the top surface comprising a perimeter having a shape;   an outer wall connected to the perimeter;   a finger slot in the outer wall;   a bottom surface opposite the top surface;   a suction device coupled to the bottom surface configured to releasably attach the receptacle to an external surface, the suction device having a release tab aligned toward the finger slot, wherein the release tab is configured to release suction pressure of the suction device to remove the receptacle from the external surface; and   a finger channel on the bottom surface having a first distance between the outer wall and release tab of the suction device, the finger slot being configured to accommodate insertion of an adult finger to engage the release tab;   wherein the first distance from the outer wall to the release tab is within reach of an adult sized finger but out of reach of a child sized finger.   
     
     
         22 . The food receptacle of  claim 21 , wherein the finger channel has a length of at least about 22 mm and a cross-section at least about 13 mm wide and 22 mm high throughout the first distance. 
     
     
         23 . The food receptacle of  claim 21 , wherein the shape of the food receptacle perimeter has a central axis and the finger channel and finger slot are oriented at an angle from the central axis between 10 and 40 degrees, such that when the food receptacle is attached to an external surface and in front of a child, the finger slot is out of the reach of the child and/or hidden from view of the child. 
     
     
         24 . The food receptacle of  claim 21 , wherein:
 at least a first portion of the ridge extends to the perimeter;   the finger slot in the outer wall is proximate the first portion of the ridge;   the release tab is proximate a second portion of the ridge; and   the finger channel is positioned within the ridge extending between the first and second portions of the ridge in a substantially unobstructed linear path between the outer wall and release tab of the suction device, the finger channel being configured to accommodate insertion of an adult finger to engage the release tab.   
     
     
         25 . The food receptacle of  claim 21 , further comprising a stabilizing member to limit rotation of the receptacle on the external surface. 
     
     
         26 . The food receptacle of  claim 21 , further comprising a cover removably attached to the top surface covering the food compartments. 
     
     
         27 . The food receptacle of  claim 26 , wherein the cover is watertight. 
     
     
         28 . The food receptacle of  claim 26 , wherein the cover is coupled to the ridge(s) between the at least two food compartments and is configured to provide sealing of each food compartment to prevent mixing of food and/or liquids between compartments. 
     
     
         29 . The food receptacle of  claim 26 , wherein the cover is an activity cover configured to engage a child's attention, the activity cover being selected from the group consisting of: a sketch/draw/art center with color safe markers; a track built into the cover for racing toy cars; a media center having a device mounted in the cover for listening to music or watching a movie; and built in buttons and colors that makes noise each time the button or color is pressed 
     
     
         30 . The food receptacle of  claim 21 , wherein the food receptacle perimeter comprises an aesthetic element such that the functional elements described above are embodied in a shape selected from the group consisting of: animals (such as a penguin, whale, butterfly, caterpillar, or other animals); moving vehicles (such as cars, trains, sailboats, rocket ships, or other moving vehicles); cartoon characters, nursery rhymes; and geometric shapes (such as a circle, a square, an oval, a trapezoid, or other geometric shapes).