Clamshell food container

Abstract

A one-piece thermoformed food package comprises a base with a peripheral male rim and, connected to the base by a hinge, a lid having a peripheral female rim channel. The corners of the male rim of the base includes a first set of tabs extending inwardly from the rim towards the interior of the base, and a second set of tabs extending outwardly from the opposite side of the rim towards the exterior of the base. The tabs are configured to engage corresponding hidden recesses formed in the side walls of female rim channel of the lid. A plurality of ridges in the sidewalls increases structural stability, and assists in mating the base with the lid.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A clamshell food container having a base with a peripheral male rim having at least two corners, a lid connected to the base by a hinge, the lid having a peripheral female rim channel, wherein each of the corners of the male rim distal to the hinge include a first set of tabs extending inwardly from the rim towards the interior of the base, and a second set of tabs extending outwardly from the opposite side of the rim towards the exterior of the base, and a first side of the female rim channel of the lid includes a first set of recesses configured to engage the first set of tabs, and a second side of the female rim channel of the lid includes a first set of recesses configured to engage the second set of tabs. 
     
     
         2 . The clamshell food container of  claim 1 , wherein the lid includes scalloped lid sidewalls having a plurality of lid ridges, the base has scalloped base sidewalls having a plurality of base ridges, and one end of the scalloped lid sidewalls and one end of the scalloped base sidewalls are each configured to complementarily mate with one another. 
     
     
         3 . A quadrilateral clamshell food container having a base with a peripheral male rim, a lid connected to the base by a hinge, the lid having a peripheral female rim channel, wherein the four corners of the male rim of the base includes a first set of tabs extending inwardly from the rim towards the interior of the base, and a second set of tabs extending outwardly from the opposite side of the rim towards the exterior of the base, such that the tabs engage corresponding recesses formed in the side of female rim channel of the lid.