Collapsible food container

Abstract

The present specification discloses a collapsible food container. The container includes a wall portion with an outer surface having a substantially smooth shape. The wall portion is configured to bend from raised position to a collapsed position, with the food container being used to retain food in the raised position and being collapsed for storage in the collapsed position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A collapsible food container comprising:
 a base portion configured to stand upon a support surface and defining a bottom of the collapsible food container; and   a wall portion having a lower end joined to the base portion and being movable between a first position and a second position in which the wall portion has a lesser height than in the first position,   the wall portion in the first position extending upward from the lower end of the wall portion to an upper end of the wall portion, and having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface in the first position defining and facing towards an interior cavity for receiving food, the outer surface in the first position facing opposite the interior cavity and having a downward convex curvature,   the wall portion in the second position having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having a first thickness and in the second position being adjacent the base portion and having an upward convex curvature having a maximum, the second portion having a second thickness and in the second position being adjacent to the first portion and joined to the first portion at a transition and having a downward convex curvature having a minimum, and the second thickness is greater than the first thickness,   the wall portion in the second position not having a ridge in the outer surface from the maximum of the upward convex curvature to the minimum of the downward convex curvature, and   the transition forming a ridge in the inner surface of the wall portion when the wall portion is in the first position and not forming a ridge in the outer surface of the wall portion when the wall portion is in the first position.   
     
     
         2 . The collapsible food container of  claim 1 , wherein the upper end of the wall portion has a greater diameter than the lower end of the wall portion when the wall portion is in the first position. 
     
     
         3 . The collapsible food container of  claim 1 , wherein the ridge is positioned along the inner surface of the wall portion between the maximum and the minimum when the wall portion is in the second position. 
     
     
         4 . The collapsible food container of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion and the second portion each do not form a ridge in the outer surface of the wall portion when the wall portion is in the first position. 
     
     
         5 . The collapsible food container of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion joins to the base portion and then extends upwards and then downwards to form the upward convex curvature, and the second portion joins to the first portion at the transition and then extends downwards and then upwards to form the downward convex curvature when the wall portion is in the second position. 
     
     
         6 . The collapsible food container of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the collapsible food container extends in a plane, the outer surface of the wall portion passing through the plane when the wall portion is in the second position. 
     
     
         7 . The collapsible food container of  claim 1 , wherein the wall portion in the first position has a dome-like shape or a pyramidal shape. 
     
     
         8 . The collapsible food container of  claim 1 , wherein the base portion includes a stand configured to contact a support surface at a contact surface of the stand, the contact surface defining a plane, all parts of the wall portion being above the plane when the wall portion is in the second position. 
     
     
         9 . A collapsible food container comprising:
 a base portion defining a bottom of the collapsible food container; and   a wall portion joined to the base portion and being movable between a first position and a second position in which the wall portion has a lesser height than in the first position, and including a first portion joined to a second portion at a transition,   the wall portion in the first position having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface facing towards an interior cavity of the collapsible food container, the outer surface facing opposite the interior cavity,   the wall portion in the second position being bent from the first position such that the first portion of the wall portion extends upward and then downward to form an upward convex curvature portion that has a maximum, and such that the second portion of the wall portion extends downward and then upward to form a downward convex curvature portion that has a minimum,   the wall portion in the second position not having a ridge in the outer surface from the maximum of the upward convex curvature portion to the minimum of the downward convex curvature portion, and   the second portion having a thickness that is greater than the first portion, and the transition forming a ridge in the inner surface of the wall portion when the wall portion is in the first position.   
     
     
         10 . The collapsible food container of  claim 9 , wherein the upward convex curvature portion is positioned adjacent to the downward convex curvature portion when the wall portion is in the second position. 
     
     
         11 . The collapsible food container of  claim 9 , wherein the ridge is positioned along the inner surface of the wall portion between the maximum and the minimum when the wall portion is in the second position. 
     
     
         12 . The collapsible food container of  claim 9 , wherein the wall portion in the first position does not have a groove in the outer surface that formed the upward convex curvature portion in the second position. 
     
     
         13 . The collapsible food container of  claim 9 , wherein the wall portion in the first position has a dome-like shape or a pyramidal shape. 
     
     
         14 . The collapsible food container of  claim 9 , wherein the base portion includes a stand configured to contact a support surface at a contact surface of the stand, the contact surface defining a plane, all parts of the wall portion being above the plane when the wall portion is in the second position. 
     
     
         15 . A collapsible colander comprising:
 a base portion defining a bottom of the collapsible colander; and   a wall portion joined to the base portion and being movable between a first position and a second position in which the wall portion has a lesser height than in the first position, and including a first portion joined to a second portion at a transition,   the wall portion in the first position having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface facing towards an interior cavity of the collapsible colander, the outer surface facing opposite the interior cavity,   the wall portion in the second position being bent from the first position such that the first portion of the wall portion extends upward and then downward to form an upward convex curvature portion that has a maximum, and such that the second portion of the wall portion extends downward and then upward to form a downward convex curvature portion that has a minimum,   the wall portion in the second position not having a ridge in the outer surface from the maximum of the upward convex curvature portion to the minimum of the downward convex curvature portion, and   the second portion having a thickness that is greater than the first portion, and the transition forming a ridge in the inner surface of the wall portion when the wall portion is in the first position.   
     
     
         16 . The collapsible colander of  claim 15 , wherein a lower end of the wall portion joins to the base portion, and an upper end of the wall portion has a greater diameter then the lower end of the wall portion when the wall portion is in the first position. 
     
     
         17 . The collapsible colander of  claim 15 , wherein the base portion includes a stand configured to contact a support surface at a contact surface of the stand, the contact surface defining a plane, all parts of the wall portion being above the plane when the wall portion is in the second position. 
     
     
         18 . The collapsible colander of  claim 15 , wherein the upward convex curvature portion is positioned adjacent to the downward convex curvature portion when the wall portion is in the second position. 
     
     
         19 . The collapsible colander of  claim 15 , wherein the ridge is positioned along the inner surface of the wall portion between the maximum and the minimum when the wall portion is in the second position. 
     
     
         20 . The collapsible colander of  claim 15 , wherein the wall portion in the first position has a dome-like shape or a pyramidal shape.