Unitary supplementary packaging systems

Abstract

The present invention is directed to new premium retail disposable packaging systems. In particular, the packaging systems of the present invention offer a secondary/supplementary compartment with opening facial angles positioned through an inversion hinge at a supplementary pairing angle to one of the primary compartment containment side-walls. Such designed packaging systems offer a premium appearance that is more appealing to the consumer by separating additional components (such as utensils or condiments), and orienting the supplementary compartment behind/underneath the product for display, as well as reducing the potential for contamination of a product with potentially non-sanitized additional components. In specific embodiments, this packaging system may be positioned in a standing orientation to further increase the premium nature of the product displayed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system comprising
 a base portion forming the primary storage compartment wherein the base portion is defined by a bottom storage tray in combination with at least three containment side-walls enclosing a volume of storage space to form said primary storage compartment;   a cover portion designed to be mated to the rim of the base portion for opening and closing access into the primary storage compartment; and   a supplementary compartment linked to an extension flange of the base portion through an inversion support hinge that positions the opening facial angle of the supplementary compartment adjacent to one containment side-wall of the base portion, wherein the angle of said one containment side-wall of the base portion is structured to be a supplementary pairing angle of the opening facial angle of the supplementary compartment.   
     
     
         2 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of  claim 1 , wherein the inversion support hinge is connected to the extension flange of the base through a flexible non-frangible score line. 
     
     
         3 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of  claim 1 , wherein the inversion support hinge is connected to the flange of the supplementary compartment through a flexible non-frangible score line. 
     
     
         4 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the inversion support hinge is about the same as the base extension flange length. 
     
     
         5 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of  claim 1 , wherein the inversion support hinge comprises a raised ridge. 
     
     
         6 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of  claim 1 , wherein the supplementary compartment comprises a structural ridge positioned adjacent to the inversion support hinge in the facially closed position to facilitate positioning of the opening facial angle of the supplementary compartment against the supplementary pairing angle of said one containment side-wall. 
     
     
         7 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of any one  claims 1  to  6 , wherein one wall of the supplementary compartment is relatively in the same two dimensional plane as the bottom storage tray of the primary storage compartment. 
     
     
         8 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of  claim 7 , wherein the supplementary compartment is a triangular prism. 
     
     
         9 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of  claim 8 , wherein the outside angle of the supplementary compartment is roughly 90 degrees. 
     
     
         10 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of any one of  claim 7 ,  8  or  9 , wherein the system may be positioned in a standing orientation on the outside wall and rim of the base portion creating a consumer favorable display angle of the primary storage compartment. 
     
     
         11 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of  claim 1 , wherein the supplementary compartment is suitable for storing one or more utensils. 
     
     
         12 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of  claim 1 , wherein the supplementary compartment comprises a utensil mount structure. 
     
     
         13 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of  claim 1 , further comprising a locking tab assembly for locking the supplementary compartment to the primary storage compartment when the supplementary compartment is positioned in the facially closed position. 
     
     
         14 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of  claim 13 , wherein the locking tab assembly comprises a paired button assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of  claim 1 , wherein the cover portion further comprises a peripheral locking flange assembly for mating the cover portion and base portion, and wherein the peripheral locking flange assembly comprises a truncated recessed flange (TRF). 
     
     
         16 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of  claim 1 , further comprising a hinge connecting the cover portion to the base portion. 
     
     
         17 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of  claim 16 , wherein the hinge is positioned opposite the inversion support hinge. 
     
     
         18 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of claim  21 , wherein the hinge comprises a tamper evident linkage structure. 
     
     
         19 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of  claim 18 , wherein the tamper evident linkage structure comprises a wedged fracture tab (WFT) wherein the WFT is configured to produce access flaps upon full fracture and removal of the tab from the cover and base portions. 
     
     
         20 . The unitary supplementary packaging (USP) system of  claim 19 , wherein the asymmetrically frangible wedged fracture tab (WFT) is configured to produce alternating access flaps upon full fracture and removal of the tab from the cover and base portions of the container.