Nestable serving dishes or trays for assembly into containers or boxes for holding foods and other items and containers or boxes so formed

Abstract

A separate and stackable serving dish or tray is disclosed configured to be releasably connected to an identical separate serving dish or tray to form a box for holding an item of food. Each serving dish or tray incudes a base wall and a sidewall upstanding and flaring outward from the base wall. The sidewall includes a male hermaphroditic connector located at a first portion of its upper edge and a female hermaphroditic connector at another portion of its upper edge. The male hermaphroditic connector of one serving dish or tray is configured to be releasably connected to the female hermaphroditic connector of an identical serving tray. Each serving dish or tray may also include auxiliary connectors to provide additional securement of the two serving dishes or trays to each other. Moreover, the serving trays may include one or more vents.

1 . A first serving dish or tray configured to be stacked with a second serving dish or tray of identical construction when not in use, and configured when in use to be connected to the second serving dish or tray to form a box for holding an item of food therein, said first serving dish or tray being a separate component comprising:
 a base wall;   a sidewall upstanding from said base wall and flaring outward from said base wall, said side wall having an upper edge;   a male hermaphroditic connector located at a first portion of said upper edge of said sidewall, said male hermaphroditic connector comprising rounded convex portion of a first flange, said rounded convex portion being located at a free end of said first flange; and   a female hermaphroditic connector located at a second portion of said upper edge of said sidewall, said female hermaphroditic connector comprising a rounded concave portion of a second flange having a free end, said second flange also including a rounded convex portion located at said free end of said second flange, said male hermaphroditic connector being configured to mate with the female hermaphroditic connector of the second serving dish or tray, whereupon said first serving dish or tray and the second serving dish or tray are releasably connected together to form the box and hold the box in a closed state to enclose and protect the item of food therein, said first serving dish or tray being configured to be completely separated from the second serving dish or tray of the box.   
     
     
         2 . The first dish or tray of  claim 1 , additionally comprising;
 an opening projecting outward from said sidewall of said first serving dish or tray adjacent said upper edge; and   a tab projecting outward from said sidewall of said first serving dish or tray adjacent said upper edge and spaced from said opening, said tab of said first serving dish or tray being configured to be releasably received in the opening of said second serving dish or tray to releasably secure said first serving dish or tray to said second serving dish or tray.   
     
     
         3 . The first serving dish or tray of  claim 1 , wherein said male hermaphroditic connector is located at an opposite portion of said upper edge of said first dish or tray from said female hermaphroditic connector. 
     
     
         4 . The first serving dish or tray of  claim 2 , wherein one of said tab and said opening is located between two portions of said male hermaphroditic connector, and the other of said tab and said opening is located between two portions of said female hermaphroditic connector. 
     
     
         5 . The first dish or tray of  claim 1 , wherein said male hermaphroditic connector forms approximately one half of said upper edge of said sidewall, and wherein said female hermaphroditic connector forms approximately one half of said upper edge of said sidewall. 
     
     
         6 . The first serving dish or tray of  claim 1 , wherein said male hermaphroditic connector includes a portion having a convex cross-section, and wherein said female hermaphroditic connector includes a portion having a convex cross section configured to receive said convex cross section portion of said male hermaphroditic connector. 
     
     
         7 . The first serving dish or tray of  claim 1 , wherein said male hermaphroditic connector is configured to snap-fit within said female hermaphroditic connector. 
     
     
         8 . The first serving dish or tray of  claim 1 , additionally comprising at least one vent. 
     
     
         9 . The first serving dish or tray of  claim 8 , wherein said sidewall includes at least one tab bent out of said sidewall to form said at least one vent. 
     
     
         10 . The first dish or tray of  claim 2 , wherein said upper edge of said sidewall includes a protrusion or jut in which said opening is located. 
     
     
         11 . A container or box for holding an item of food comprising;
 a first serving dish or tray and a second serving dish or tray, each of said serving dishes or trays being a separate unit configured to be stacked with another serving dish or tray of identical construction when not in use, but releasably connected together to form said container or box, each of said serving dishes or trays comprising:   a base wall;   a sidewall upstanding from said base wall and flaring outward from said base wall, said side wall having an upper edge;   a male hermaphroditic connector located at a first portion of said upper edge of said sidewall, said male hermaphroditic connector comprising rounded convex portion of a first flange, said rounded convex portion being located at a free end of said first flange; and   a female hermaphroditic connector located at a second portion of said upper edge of said sidewall, said female hermaphroditic connector comprising a rounded concave portion of a second flange having a free end, said second flange also including a rounded convex portion located at said free end of said second flange, said male hermaphroditic connector of said first separate serving dish or tray mating with said female hermaphroditic connector of said second separate serving dish or tray, whereupon said first separate serving dish or tray and said second separate serving dish or tray are releasably connected together to form said container or box and which can be separated from each other so that said first serving dish or tray and said second serving dish or tray are completely separated from each other.   
     
     
         12 . The container or box of  claim 11 , additionally comprising;
 an opening projecting outward from said sidewall of each serving dish or tray adjacent said upper edge; and   a tab projecting outward from said sidewall of each serving dish or tray adjacent said upper edge and spaced from said opening, said tab of said first serving dish or tray being releasably received in the opening of said second serving dish or tray to releasably secure said first serving dish or tray to said second serving dish or tray to hold said container or box in a closed condition.   
     
     
         13 . The container or box of  claim 11 , wherein said male hermaphroditic connector of each serving dish or tray is located at an opposite portion of said upper edge of each serving dish or tray from said female hermaphroditic connector. 
     
     
         14 . The container or box of  claim 12 , wherein one of said tab and said opening is located between two portions of said male hermaphroditic connector and the other of said tab and said opening is located between two portions of said female hermaphroditic connector. 
     
     
         15 . The container or box of  claim 11 , wherein said male hermaphroditic connector is configured to snap-fit within said female hermaphroditic connector 
     
     
         16 . The container or box of  claim 11 , wherein each of said serving dishes or trays includes at least one vent. 
     
     
         17 . The container or box of  claim 12 , wherein said sidewall of each of said serving dishes or trays includes at least one tab bent out of said sidewall to form said at least one vent. 
     
     
         18 . The container or box of  claim 17 , wherein said upper edge of said sidewall includes a protrusion or jut in which said opening is located.