Tamper-evident food delivery container

Abstract

A tamper-evident food delivery container comprising a basin portion and a cover portion. The basin portion is enclosed by a first plurality of sidewalls and the cover portion is enclosed by a second plurality of sidewalls. The tamper-evident food delivery container also includes a flap extending from either the first or second plurality of sidewalls, and operable to be affixed to the other of the first or second plurality of sidewalls to seal the tamper-evident food delivery container. A pull tab disposed in the flap is operable to be pulled to detach a portion of the flap, and to allow access to the food delivery container when the pull tab is detached. A closing mechanism is also provided to prevent the food delivery container from opening automatically once the pull tab is detached.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tamper-evident food delivery container, comprising:
 a food chamber comprising a basin portion enclosed by a first plurality of sidewalls;   a cover comprising a cover portion enclosed by a second plurality of sidewalls, the cover being coupled to the food chamber along a shared edge and configured to be positioned over the food chamber;   a flap extending from one of the first and second plurality of sidewalls, the flap being operable to be affixed to the other of the first and second plurality of sidewalls to form a tamper-evident seal around the food chamber, and to prevent access to the food chamber;   a pull tab disposed in the flap, the pull tab being operable to be pulled to detach a portion of the flap and to allow the food delivery container to be re-opened when the pull tab is detached; and   a closing mechanism operable to keep the food chamber and cover together once the pull tab has been detached.   
     
     
         2 . The food delivery container according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover is configured to be positioned over the food chamber wherein at least a portion of the second plurality of sidewalls overlaps a portion of the first plurality of sidewalls. 
     
     
         3 . The food delivery container according to  claim 1 , wherein the pull tab is disposed in the flap in a position wherein when the flap extends from the second plurality of sidewalls and is affixed to the first plurality of sidewalls, the pull tab is oriented at a height that is below a horizontal plane corresponding to a top surface of the first plurality of sidewalls. 
     
     
         4 . The food delivery container according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of shield walls extending from the first plurality of sidewalls and interposed between the food chamber and the flap. 
     
     
         5 . The food delivery container according to  claim 1 , wherein the pull tab comprises printed material on at least one surface of the pull tab. 
     
     
         6 . The food delivery container according to  claim 1 , further comprising an affixing agent applied to the plurality of sidewalls that adheres to the flap when the flap is pressed into contact with the affixing agent. 
     
     
         7 . The food delivery container according to  claim 6 , wherein the affixing agent comprises:
 a strip of adhesive material disposed on an exterior surface of at least one of the first and second plurality of sidewalls; and   a disposable cover provided over the adhesive material, wherein the flap is affixed to the at least one of the first and second plurality of sidewalls by pressing the flap to the strip of adhesive material when the disposable cover is removed.   
     
     
         8 . The food delivery container according to  claim 7 , wherein the disposable cover comprises a strip of material with a non-stick surface. 
     
     
         9 . The food delivery container according to  claim 8 , wherein the disposable cover comprises a strip of wax paper. 
     
     
         10 . The food delivery container according to  claim 7 , wherein the disposable cover is brightly colored. 
     
     
         11 . The food delivery container according to  claim 6 , wherein the affixing agent comprises a sprayed-on layer of adhesive material. 
     
     
         12 . The food delivery container according to  claim 6 , wherein the affixing agent comprises a first material applied to an exterior surface of the at least one of the first and second plurality of sidewalls and a second material applied to an interior surface of the flap, wherein the first material adheres to the second material when physically pressed together. 
     
     
         13 . The food delivery container according to  claim 6 , wherein the flap comprises a folded over portion, which when unfolded, exposes the affixing agent. 
     
     
         14 . The food delivery container according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of vents disposed on at least one of the cover portion, the first plurality of sidewalls, and the second plurality of sidewalls. 
     
     
         15 . The food delivery container according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
 a plurality of ridges disposed along an interior surface of the basin portion; and   a plurality of trenches disposed along an interior surface of the basin portion.   
     
     
         16 . The food delivery container according to  claim 1 , wherein the basin portion of the food chamber is separated into a plurality of sub-compartments. 
     
     
         17 . The food delivery container according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the cover section is transparent. 
     
     
         18 . The food delivery container according to  claim 1 , wherein the closing mechanism comprises a slot disposed in one of the first and second plurality of sidewalls, and a tab disposed in the other of the first and second plurality of sidewalls and operable to be inserted into the slot, wherein a closure of the food delivery container is secured when the tab is inserted through the slot. 
     
     
         19 . The food delivery container according to  claim 1 , wherein the closing mechanism comprises at least one of:
 a clasp;   a button;   a tie; and   a zipper mechanism.   
     
     
         20 . The food delivery container according to  claim 1 , wherein the pull tab comprises a section of the flap perforated by a plurality of interrupted cuts. 
     
     
         21 . A single-chambered food delivery container comprising:
 a food storage chamber;   a sealing mechanism operable to be affixed in order to form a tamper-evident seal around the food storage chamber, and further operable to prevent access to the food storage chamber;   a pull tab; the pull tab operable to be pulled to detach a portion of the food storage chamber, and to allow the food storage chamber to be re-opened when the pull tab is detached; and   a closing mechanism operable to allow the food storage chamber to be re-closed once the pull tab has been pulled.   
     
     
         22 . The single-chambered food delivery container of  claim 21 , wherein the single-chambered food delivery container comprises at least one of:
 a bag;   a sack; and   an oyster pail.   
     
     
         23 . The single-chambered food delivery container of  claim 21 , wherein the closing mechanism comprises at least one of:
 a tab and slot configuration;   a clasp;   a button;   a tie; and   a zipper mechanism.   
     
     
         24 . The single-chambered food delivery container according to  claim 21 , wherein the pull tab comprises a section of a portion of the food storage chamber perforated by a series of interrupted cuts. 
     
     
         25 . A method for sealing food in a food delivery container, the method comprising:
 in a food delivery container comprising a food chamber containing a consumable item, activating an adhesive agent disposed along an exterior of a first plurality of sidewalls comprised in the food delivery container;   positioning a cover portion of the food delivery container over the food chamber; and   pressing a second plurality of sidewalls comprised in the cover portion against the adhesive agent disposed along the first plurality of sidewalls to seal the food delivery container,   wherein access to an interior of the food delivery container is obtained by pulling a pull tab disposed in the second plurality of sidewalls to detach a portion of the second plurality of sidewalls oriented above a position of the adhesive agent.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the exposing the adhesive agent comprises removing a non-stick strip of material disposed over the adhesive agent. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the exposing the adhesive agent comprises unfolding a portion of the sidewalls disposed over the adhesive agent. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the exposing the adhesive agent comprises applying the adhesive agent along an exterior of the first plurality of sidewalls.