Food container with integrated condiment holder

Abstract

Containers such as food containers with integrated compartments such as for condiments. The container includes a plurality of side walls and a bottom, together surrounding the internal container space, and a condiment compartment configured to hold a condiment or a condiment container and located within the internal container space. The container is constructed of a planar material and has a first configuration in which the entire container is flat and a second configuration in which the container is configured for use with the placement of food within the internal container space.

1 . A food container with an integrated condiment compartment, the food container, when configured for use, comprising:
 a first side wall and an opposing second side wall, each of the first and second side walls having a top edge, a bottom edge, and two opposing side edges;   a third side wall and an opposing fourth side wall, each of the third and fourth side walls having a top edge, a bottom edge, and two opposing side edges, the third and fourth sidewalls connected to the first and second side walls along their two side edges;   a bottom portion, wherein the first, second, third and fourth side walls and the bottom portion surround an internal container space;   a condiment compartment configured to hold a condiment or a condiment container, the compartment located within the internal container space;   wherein the food container comprises a planar material having a first configuration in which the entire container is flat and a second configuration in which the container is configured for use with the placement of food within the internal container space.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the condiment compartment is adjacent to the top edge of the first side wall. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2  wherein the condiment compartment comprises a four sided pyramidal space formed by a first side wall, a second side wall, a third side wall and a fourth side wall, the four side walls of the condiment compartment together forming a point at the bottom and being open top, wherein the first and second side walls of the condiment compartment comprise portions of the first and second side walls of the container. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 3  wherein the third condiment compartment side wall is attached to the first side wall of the container and the fourth condiment side wall is attached to the second side wall of the container within the internal container space. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4  wherein the condiment compartment can be alternatively adjusted by a user into a closed configuration or an open configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 2  further comprising;
 a top flap having an outside edge and a bottom edge, the bottom edge of the top flap connected to the upper edge of the first side wall; 
 wherein the condiment compartment comprises an aperture in the top flap, the aperture configured to fit and support a condiment container within the aperture when the top flap is folded along the bottom edge of the top flap into a horizontal configuration over the internal container space. 
 
     
     
         7 . A food container with an integrated condiment compartment, the container, when configured in an open configuration for use, comprising:
 a first side wall and an opposing second side wall, each of the first and second side walls having a top edge, a bottom edge, and two opposing side edges;   a third side wall and an opposing fourth side wall, each of the third and fourth side walls having a top edge, a bottom edge, and two opposing side edges, the third and fourth sidewalls connected to the first and second side walls along their two side edges;   a bottom portion, wherein the first, second, third and fourth side walls and the bottom portion surround an internal container space;   a top flap comprising an outside edge and a bottom edge, the bottom edge of the top flap connected to the upper edge of the first side wall along a flap fold line;   an aperture within the top flap, wherein the aperture is configured to fit and support a condiment container within it the aperture when the top flap is folded along the bottom edge into a horizontal configuration.   
     
     
         8 . The food container of  claim 7  wherein the aperture extends to the bottom edge of the flap. 
     
     
         9 . The food container of  claim 8  wherein the first side wall of the container further comprises a tab portion adjacent to the aperture and configured to fold inward or outward as a horizontal projection or to be removed. 
     
     
         10 . The food container of  claim 9  wherein the tab portion further comprises one or more rows of perforations or cuts within the first side wall to assist with separating the tab portion from the first side wall prior to folding the tab portion inward or outward or removing the tab portion. 
     
     
         11 . The food container of  claim 7  wherein the food container comprises a planar material having a first configuration in which the entire container is flat and a second configuration in which the container is configured for use with the container space open within the container. 
     
     
         12 . The food container of  claim 7  wherein the top flap, when folded into a horizontal orientation across the open container space, extends only part way across the internal container space. 
     
     
         13 . The food container of  claim 12  wherein the top flap comprises a first top flap and the fold line of the top flap comprises a first fold line, the food container further comprising a second top flap, the second top flap comprising an outside edge and a bottom edge, the bottom edge of the second top flap connected to the upper edge of the second side wall along a second flap fold line. 
     
     
         14 . The food container of  claim 13  wherein the second top flap is sized to extend across the aperture of the first top flap when the first and second top flaps are folded inward into a horizontal configuration over the container space. 
     
     
         15 . The food container of  claim 14  wherein the first side wall of the container further comprises a tab portion adjacent to the aperture and configured to fold inward or outward as a horizontal projection, wherein when the first and second top flaps are folded inward into a horizontal configuration over the container space and when the tab portion is folded inward or outward, the container space remains visible through a gap in the first side wall created by folding the tab portion. 
     
     
         16 . A food container with an integrated condiment compartment, the container, when configured in an open configuration for use, comprising:
 a first side wall and an opposing second side wall, each of the first and second side walls having a top edge, a bottom edge, and two opposing side edges;   a third side wall and an opposing fourth side wall, each of the third and fourth side walls having a top edge, a bottom edge, and two opposing side edges, the third and fourth sidewalls connected to the first and second side walls along their two side edges;   a bottom portion, wherein the first, second, third and fourth side walls and the bottom portion surround the open container space;   a condiment compartment within the open container space, wherein the condiment compartment is adjustable between a closed configuration in which the condiment compartment is flat against one or more walls of the container and an open configuration in which the condiment compartment is open and extends into the open container space.   
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 15  wherein the condiment compartment comprises a four sided pyramidal space formed by a first side wall, a second side wall, a third side wall and a fourth side wall, the side walls of the compartment together forming a point at a bottom and being open at a top of the condiment compartment. 
     
     
         18 . The condiment compartment of  claim 16  wherein the first and second side walls of the condiment compartment comprise portions of the first and second side walls of the container. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 17  wherein the condiment compartment further comprises a tab, the tab located at a top edge of the third side wall of the condiment compartment and, when the condiment compartment is in a closed configuration, the tab extending above the top edges of the first and second side walls of the container. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 18  wherein the food container comprises a planar material having a first configuration in which the entire container is flat and a second configuration in which the container is configured for use with an open container space.