AU785435B2 - Single-use container, closure, and serving implement - Google Patents

Description

-1- C :\VirT"ofi le os m Xocklcy Spoolli\Spoo nali complne spe.doc-13/I 111

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

o* *oo o oo oooo ooooo Name of Applicant: Actual Inventors: Address for Service: Invention Title: Hockley Pty Ltd, ACN 076 002 483, of 110 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000 MULES, Andrew John Brandon MITCHELL, James Christian DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent Attorneys, of 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia "SINGLE-USE CONTAINER, CLOSURE, AND SERVING

IMPLEMENT"

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: C:iWmfafila crskaapuockle)sppnoni p-lm compkm sp.do-1311 101 -2- SINGLE-USE CONTAINER, CLOSURE, AND SERVING IMPLEMENT The present invention relates to the field of single-use containers, for food and non-solid consumer products, incorporating a integrated serving implement.

Convenience packaging is increasingly popular for many products because of the savings in time and effort that is afforded the user. Food packaging is particularly suitable for convenience packaging, for example by packaging food portions in single serving sizes that are easily consumed. Some foods are well adapted for convenient single serving packaging and consumption, such as crackers, nuts and other solid foods that can be easily manipulated using fingers. Other foods, however, require some form of serving implement to eat, for example non-solid foods like applesauce which are typically eaten with aid of a spoon or other eating implement. Such foods may benefit from packaging that includes an oooo eating implement integrated into the package for ease of consumption.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, there is provided a single-use :closure for a container such as ajar or the like, comprising: a cap having a securing portion and a handle portion, the securing portion ooooo being adapted to be secured and sealed over the mouth of a container; and a serving implement attached to the handle portion of the cap such that the serving implement projects into the container when the cap is secured thereon; wherein the cap is formed as a single unit with a frangible section between the securing portion and the handle portion such that the handle portion and attached serving implement can be broken away from the securing portion when secured to the 25 container.

The present invention also provides a single-use container comprising: a vessel for containing a non-solid product therein, the vessel having a mouth opening; and a closure comprising: a cap having a securing portion and a handle portion, the securing portion C-.%WINMm mrlksimnnsaopxoodacySwnlkftmpooidid mpM w sp-doc-13/1 -3being adapted to be secured and sealed over the vessel mouth opening; and a serving implement attached to the handle portion of the cap such that the serving implement projects into the vessel interior when the cap is secured over the vessel mouth opening; wherein the cap is formed as a single unit with a frangible section between the securing portion and the handle portion such that the handle portion and attached serving implement can be broken away from the securing portion.

The present invention further provides a single-use food container comprising: a vessel containing a food product, the vessel having a mouth opening; and a closure comprising: a cap having a securing portion and a handle portion, the securing portion .being adapted to be secured and sealed over the vessel mouth opening; and i'" a serving implement attached to the handle portion of the cap such that the serving implement projects into the vessel interior when the cap is secured •over the vessel mouth opening; wherein the cap is formed as a single unit with a frangible section between the securing portion and the handle portion such that the handle portion and attached serving implement can be broken away from the securing portion.

In the preferred form of the invention, the handle portion includes a projection extending from the securing portion. Preferably the handle portion is connected to the securing portion by way of a frangible circular web. In the preferred construction, the frangible circular web is formed between circular grooves in inner and outer surfaces in the cap.

In one form of the present invention the securing portion has a flange with an internal thread formation for screw thread attachment to the container.

In one form of the present invention the serving implement is attached to the handle portion of the cap by a heat welding procedure. Alternatively, the serving implement may be attached to the handle portion of the cap by interlocking clip formations. Alternatively, C-.XWINW"MfikS Ml\DclW\H" LS~wnlid\SN~n wmpkc Sp=.d=-13/1llO -4the cap and serving implement are formed as a unitary structure.

Preferably the cap and serving implement are formed of plastics materials using an injection molding process.

In a preferred form of the present invention the serving implement has an end which operatively projects into the container interior formed in the shape of a spoon, although fork, knife, spatula, and brush formations are amongst other possible end formations for the serving implement.

The present invention also contemplates a method for use of a single-use food container as described above, comprising breaking off the handle portion and attached serving implement of the closure from the securing portion attached to the vessel, and serving or consuming the food product contents of the container using the serving implement.

The invention is described in greater detail hereinafter, by way of example only, through description of a preferred embodiment thereof and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is front view of a food container according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the food container; Figure 3 is a front cross-sectional view of the food container; Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the food container; Figures 5 to 8 illustrate opening of the food container for use; Figures 9 and 10 illustrate assembly of the food container; Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of a food container during opening for use; Figure 12 shows front and side cross-sectional views of the food container closure with integrated serving implement; Figure 13 is a top view of the food container closure; C-.%WR4NTP~files D U\d&Y SPO-WSPOUd-p& -p c.doc-13/1 110 Figure 14 is an exemplary life-cycle flow chart of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 15 is a front view of the food container fitted with a protective overcap.

A single-use package for non-solid materials having an integrated serving implement is disclosed herein. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, certain specific applications, specific nomenclature and specific implementation details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of features of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that these specific details are not required in order to practice the present invention. For example, the preferred embodiment is described primarily in the context of baby food containers, but the principles of the invention are equally applicable to containers for other non-solid foods and materials. Also, certain specific materials are indicated as being suitable for use in implementing the present invention, but those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other materials of •equivalent or similar function for the purposes of their use in this context could t alternatively be employed.

.ooo•i S A single-use food container 10 constructed according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in front and side views in Figures 1 and 2 respectively. The food container 10 comprises a bottle orjar 12 sealed by a closure 25. The closure includes a cap 20 that comprises a securing portion 30 which secures around the mouth of the jar 12, and an upstanding handle 40 that extends upwardly from the center of the closure. The closure 25 further includes a serving implement 50, such as a spoon as shown in the drawings, extending downwardly from the underneath of the cap 20 into the interior of the jar 12.

The structure of the food container 10 is shown in greater detail in Figures 3 and 4 which are front and side cross-sectional views, respectively. The jar 12 has a circular mouth at its top, over which the cap 20 is fitted. The securing portion 30 of the cap 20 has a downwardly extending peripheral flange and a top annular portion extending inwardly therefrom. The flange is adapted to attach the closure to the jar, such as by interfitting C XWDNNI\RkS i C\D zopXocdky SpooDiUSpmoolid compla .doc-13/ L1OI -6screw thread formations on the jar neck and closure securing portion as is commonly known in the art. The handle portion 40 of the cap 20 is integrally formed with the securing portion 30, the handle and securing portions being attached to one another around a sealing portion 35. The sealing portion 35 is a ring shaped region of reduced wall thickness of the cap around the inner edge of the top annulus of the securing portion. The sealing portion ring is substantially aligned with the inner edge of the jar mouth.

The sealing portion ring 35 is formed in the cap 20 by circular grooves in the upper and underside of the cap which creates a relatively thin web. For example, the sealing portion may comprise a narrow web formed by generally V-shaped aligned concentric grooves in the upper and lower cap material, wherein the thinnest section of the web is of the order of in thickness.

oooo "The handle portion 40 extends upwardly from the sealing portion ring at the bottom into a generally vertical, flat tab at the top thereof. The serving implement 50 is attached to the underside of the handle portion 40 so as to extend downwardly into the interior of the jar 12. In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the serving implement 50 has a flat shaft 56 extending from a top end portion 52 within the interior of the handle portion down to a spoon formation 58 at the bottom of the jar 12. The end portion 52 is secured within a recess 42 inside the tab at the top of the handle portion 40. In the region of the jar mouth the serving implement has a disk shaped shield portion 54 extending out from the •shaft to a circular edge that abuts against the underside surface of the handle portion The circular edge of the shield portion 54 may be secured to the handle underside by a clip formation or the like formed thereon, such as shown at 44 in the drawings. Along the shaft of the serving implement 50 below the shield 54 there is shown a bend portion 55 (Figure 4) below which the shaft of the serving implement extends at a slight angle toward the rear of the container.

The closure 25, comprising the integrally formed securing and handle portions 30, 40 and the serving implement 50, is preferably formed from plastics materials by injection molding or the like in a mass production process. The closure can be constructed from any C-.%WINNT~mfiks LmDcsklopkCocklc)Anpinlx ,pfrtc spc9.doc.l3/ 01 -7suitable plastics material, bearing in mind the functions thereof which are described in greater detail hereinbelow. In particular, a primary requirement is that, under certain conditions, the cap should fracture around the seal ring 35 so that the handle portion and attached serving implement can be detached from the securing portion attached to the jar mouth. Materials such as high-density polyethylene are suitable for the closure. However, if the serving implement and securing/handle portions of the closure are fabricated separately and then attached to one another as in this embodiment the separate pieces may be constructed from different materials. The bottle or jar 12 can be constructed from glass or a plastics material PET) as may be appropriate for the particular intended contents of the container.

Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 are side views of the container 10 illustrating configurations thereof during use by a consumer. The container 10 is shown in its manufactured state in Figure with the closure 25 affixed over the mouth of the jar 12, sealing the serving implement 50 inside. The container in this state would be filled with a food product, such as a fruit paste for example. The food product is sealed inside the jar 12 by the cap 20. In S"particular, the securing portion 30 is secured around the neck of the jar by a screw thread or the like which holds the annular top of the securing portion against the jar mouth edge.

The top of the cap 20 is sealed by the handle portion 40 which is attached to the securing portion 30 around the sealing portion 35 (not visible in Figure For use of the container 10, to consume the food product therein for example, the handle portion is broken away from the securing portion of the closure as pictorially illustrated in Figure 6. This can be done by exerting a transverse force on the top of the handle portion relative to the securing portion and jar so that the frangible sealing portion 35 fractures and the handle portion and securing portion separate from one another. The flat tab shape at the top of the handle portion 40 facilitates the breakaway operation of the handle from the securing portion, allowing the consumer to grasp the jar 12 in hand and press with one or both thumbs against the flat front or back tab surface to exert the breaking force on the closure. The breakaway of the handle portion from the securing portion forms a circular edge 45 around the base of the handle portion, and a corresponding circular opening in the C.IWDINTsrafiks =U~edaWXroocy SPOD~ichnWkimplm spc.do-131 101 -8top of the securing portion aligned with the jar mouth. The view of Figure 6, with the handle portion and attached serving implement of the closure being broken away from the securing portion, is also shown Figure 11, with the jar 12 and securing/handle portions illustrated in central cross-section.

Once the handle portion 40 has been broken away from the securing portion 30 of the closure 20, the attached serving implement 50 can be drawn out from the interior of the jar 12, as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. Then, the handle portion 40 can be grasped in the fingers by the consumer and the spoon (58) of the serving implement used to consume the container contents through the opening in the top. Once the contents of the container have been consumed, the entire container may be disposed of for recycling or the like.

Figure 9 shows a side view of the two separate components of the closure 25 in the preferred embodiment, being the cap 20 comprising integral securing and handle portions 30, 40, and the serving implement 50. The serving implement 50 is generally elongate, having a spoon formation 58 at one end, and an end portion 52 at the other. A shaft 56 extends from the spoon formation 58 to a bend portion 55, and beyond that a disk shaped shield 54. When the serving implement is inserted into the underside of the closure, the end portion projects into a recess within the handle portion 40 and the edge of the shield 54 abuts against the underside surface of the handle portion base. The closure 20 is shown in side and front views in Figure 12 with the securing portion and handle portion illustrated S"in cross-section.

o: As seen best in Figure 12, the end 52 of the serving implement 50 projects up into a recess 42 within the flattened part of the handle portion 40. In a preferred implementation of the closure, the serving implement 50 is secured to the handle portion 40 by heat welding of the plastic material of the end portion 52 to the adjacent walls of the handle portion in the vicinity of the recess 42. This can be accomplished by inserting the end portion of the serving implement into the recess 42, and pressing a heated element against the front and/or back of the handle portion aligned with the end 52 so as to fuse the inner surface of the recess 42 onto the end portion 52. Alternatively, the serving implement 50 can be kW[WrU cUlmvI\OCkleyM1todopljdSD] CO L SWOcC- IN I -9attached to the handle portion using interlocking "clip" formations, for example, on the end portion 52 and in recess 42, and/or the shield disk 54 can be secured to formations 44 on the underside of the handle base as shown in Figures 3 and 4. Many other ways of attaching the serving implement to the handle portion are of course possible and readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.

The shield disk 54 of the serving implement is provided primarily for cosmetic purposes to shield the hollow interior of the handle portion of the closure and prevent the ingress of food product from the jar thereinto. The reason that the handle portion may be preferred to have this hollow interior is so that less plastic material is required for its fabrication.

Although the presence of food product inside the hollow part of the handle portion does not compromise the sealed integrity of the container before the handle portion is snapped from the securing portion, it may nevertheless present an undesirable appearance. The shield disk which contacts around the base of the handle portion may also provide additional structural rigidity to the handle and serving implement assembly during the snap off procedure to ready the container for consumer use and during product consumption .o using the handle and serving implement. This structural rigidity can be enhanced by providing some form of interfitting between the shield disk and handle base, or by attaching the handle and serving implement thereat using heat welding or the like.

""""!Although the preferred embodiment of the closure is described herein as being fabricated S"in two parts the cap comprising the integrally formed securing portion and handle portion, and the serving implement) that are then attached, it will be recognized that these two components could alternatively be molded as a single unitary piece. In that case, the shape of the handle portion 40 and/or serving implement 50 may be somewhat different than the particular embodiment depicted in the drawings in order to accommodate any restrictions that may be imposed by molding processes employed, for example.

The bend portion 55 that is provided between the elongate shaft 56 of the serving implement and the attachment thereof to the handle portion allows some additional flexibility to the handle portion and serving implement structure in the plane transverse to c-.xwNKWro,.fiskjcm\Dertopuw~kyxlpoo-lid"Sm idc sp .do.-3I3 1/01 the front/back faces of the handle portion. Such flexibility may be useful if, for example, the spoon end presses against the wall of the jar whilst the handle portion is tilted during the snap-off procedure. The shaft 56 of the serving implement may also be slightly angled as shown in the drawings. It should be borne in mind, however, that the end of the angled serving implement should not project out beyond the extent defined by the mouth of the jar 12 for ease of assembly of the closure onto the jar. The length of the shaft 56 should be such that the end of the serving implement the end of spoon formation 58) almost touches, or lightly presses against, the bottom of the jar 12 when the closure 20 is secured to the jar. This allows the user to more easily reach the food product at the bottom of the jar with the spoon during consumption.

A flowchart of an exemplary life cycle 100 of the container is also shown in Figure 14.

To begin with, the cap and serving implement are fabricated at 102 and 104, respectively.

:""This can be done using conventional injection molding techniques, for example. The cap and serving implement are then assembled together at 108 to form the complete closure.

°This may involve a mechanical robotic operation in which the serving implement end is inserted into the underside of the handle portion of the cap and secured therein with a clip or by heat welding as discussed above. As mentioned previously, the closure may alternatively be fabricated as a single unit, in which case an assembly stage would not be required. However, a unitary cap and serving implement may necessitate a complex "molding procedure or tool that may be disadvantageous.

ee i The jar is fabricated at 106, which may involve a blow molding procedure, for example.

The jar can be constructed from glass or plastic material, and the most appropriate material may depend upon the product that is intended for the container. For example, certain food products may require ajar with good oxygen barrier properties, as is known in the art. The jar is filled with the product at 110 using a standard filling operation.

The closure is fitted onto the filled jar at 112. This may be accomplished using a capping machine as known in the food and beverage industry. Although some capping machinery may require slight modification for use with the closure of the present invention, such C:WWINKT\Rafresii=\Dmopa\H -ySpWSpdopwnlm omplde epodocI3/1 -11machinery modification is within the capability of those having ordinary skill in that industry. The closure is fitted to the filled jar by insertion of the serving implement into the jar and sealing the cap over the jar mouth. The closure can be secured to the jar by relative rotation of the closure and jar so as to engage the screw threads on the securing portion and jar neck, for example. Figure 10 illustrates the closure 20 and jar 12 positioned for assembly into a completed container. With the closure fitted and secured on the container the serving implement is sealed within the container and substantially immersed in the food product inside the jar.

It may be desirable in some circumstances to include a protective overcap that is fitted over the securing portion and handle portion of the container to protect the handle portion from being unintentionally broken away from the container during handling, transport and storage. An overcap fitted for that purpose is illustrated at 60 in a front view of the container 10 shown in Figure 15. The overcap 60 has a base that fits over the securing portion of the closure and a top that covers the handle portion, so that forces applied to the •top of the container are transmitted from the overcap to the securing portion, thereby .e preventing forces from being applied to the handle portion which could cause premature breakage thereof.

After sealing of the filled container, and associated operations such as labeling, packaging, et cetera, the filled container is distributed to supermarket stores and the like for sale to ooooo S"consumers at 114. A consumer purchases the filled container and, in preparation for consumption, opens the closure at 116 according to the procedure described hereinabove in relation to Figures 5 to 8. After opening the container by snapping off the handle portion from the securing portion, the consumer can then use the handle and attached serving implement to consume the product within the container (118). For example, by grasping the handle in the thumb and fingers the spoon can be used to scoop and serve or eat the food contents of the container. Once the container contents have been consumed, the container can be disposed of for recycling of the materials therein at 120.

The foregoing detailed description of an embodiment of the present invention has been C.IWDMsr\Rfil- -OaJ-p\H-kky'Sp-did\S c mp P pkdoc-I3/ II JI 12presented by way of example only, and it is contemplated that changes and modifications may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art, to the materials and arrangements of elements of the described constructions without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example, in the preferred embodiment the closure is described as being secured to the bottle or jar using a screw thread coupling, but many other ways of securing the closure to the jar are also possible within the scope of the invention. Since the securing portion of the cap does not need to be removed from the jar after it is put on, non-removable securing means can be employed to affix the closure to the jar. For example, a snap-fit cap may be used, or the cap and jar can be constructed with a screw thread having at least one interlocking ratchet formation which allows the cap to be screwed onto the jar but not off again. Alternatively, other securing means such as glue or heat welding could be used in some circumstances.

:.7 The serving implement described and depicted herein is in the form of a spoon which is suitable for container contents such as fruit pastes apple sauce) and the like. Other •forms of serving implement can also be used in the present invention, as may be S"appropriate for other kinds of contents. For example, a fork formation may be appropriate for some food contents, or a knife or spreading spatula for other foods such as peanut butter or other spreads. Furthermore, the container and closure of the present invention is not limited in application to food products, and other single-use products can also be used.

For example, paint samples or the like may be used as the container contents, in which ooooo case the serving implement could be in the form of a small paint brush.

Other variations to the described constructions will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art and also fall within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

P:AOPERUPN\2476687 Ipa.doc-03/2007 12Ahroughout this specification and the cla which follow, nless the context re re otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of 10 endeavour to which this specification relates.

S*

Claims (29)

1. A single-use closure for a container such as ajar or the like, comprising: a cap having a securing portion and a handle portion, the securing portion being adapted to be secured and sealed over the mouth of a container; and a serving implement attached to the handle portion of the cap such that the serving implement projects into the container when the cap is secured thereon; wherein the cap is formed as a single unit with a frangible section between the securing portion and the handle portion such that the handle portion and attached serving implement can be broken away from the securing portion when secured to the container.

2. A single-use closure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the handle portion includes a •projection extending from the securing portion. *.o 15

3. A single-use closure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the handle portion is connected the securing portion by way of a frangible circular web. .o

4. A single-use closure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the frangible circular web is formed between circular grooves in inner and outer surfaces in the cap.

5. A single-use closure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the securing portion has a •flange with an internal thread formation for screw thread attachment to the container. i

6. A single-use closure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the serving implement is attached to the handle portion of the cap by a heat welding procedure

7. A single-use closure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the serving implement is attached to the handle portion of the cap by interlocking clip formations.

8. A single-use closure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cap and serving implement are formed as a unitary structure. C .\Wr NNTRo.ai cmU \ao\Hoodde) oopmnlpooSp o.Widu spw.docl3/ lJ -14-

9. A single-use closure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cap and serving implement are formed of plastics materials using an injection molding process.

10. A single-use closure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the serving implement has an end which operatively projects into the container interior formed in a shape selected from: a spoon, a fork, a knife, a spatula, a brush.

11. A single-use container comprising: a vessel for containing a non-solid product therein, the vessel having a mouth opening; and a closure comprising: a cap having a securing portion and a handle portion, the securing portion i* being adapted to be secured and sealed over the vessel mouth opening; and 15 a serving implement attached to the handle portion of the cap such that the serving implement projects into the vessel interior when the cap is secured over the 0 vessel mouth opening; wherein the cap is formed as a single unit with a frangible section between *e the securing portion and the handle portion such that the handle portion and attached serving implement can be broken away from the securing portion.

12. A single use container as claimed in claim 11, wherein the handle portion includes 6% 0a projection extending from the securing portion.

13. A single-use container as claimed in claim 12, wherein the handle portion is connected to the securing portion by way of a frangible circular web.

14. A single-use container as claimed in claim 13, wherein the frangible circular web is formed between circular grooves in inner and outer surfaces in the cap.

A single-use container as claimed in claim 11, wherein the securing portion has a C\wINM~mptrcs =\Dcskim'diodkySpoonbdSp comide swp..doc-13/1 1il1 flange with an internal thread formation for screw thread attachment to a complementary screw thread formation on a neck portion of the vessel surrounding the mouth opening thereof

16. A single-use container as claimed in claim 11, wherein the serving implement is attached to the handle portion of the cap by a heat welding procedure

17. A single-use container as claimed in claim 11, wherein the serving implement is attached to the handle portion of the cap by interlocking clip formations.

18. A single-use container as claimed in claim 11, wherein the cap and serving implement are formed as a unitary structure. see,

19. A single-use container as claimed in claim 11, wherein the cap and serving 15 implement are formed of plastics materials using an injection molding process. oo••oC

20. A single-use container as claimed in claim 11, wherein the serving implement has an end which operatively projects into the vessel interior formed in a shape selected from: a spoon, a fork, a knife, a spatula, a brush.

21. A single-use food container comprising: a vessel containing a food product, the vessel having a mouth opening; and a closure comprising: a cap having a securing portion and a handle portion, the securing portion being adapted to be secured and sealed over the vessel mouth opening; and a serving implement attached to the handle portion of the cap such that the serving implement projects into the vessel interior when the cap is secured over the vessel mouth opening; wherein the cap is formed as a single unit with a frangible section between the securing portion and the handle portion such that the handle portion and attached serving implement can be broken away from the securing portion. P:OPERUCMSpoond cWjma ,p.dow13/1 Ij -16-

22. A single-use food container as claimed in claim 21, wherein the handle portion includes a projection extending from the securing portion, and wherein the handle portion is connected to the securing portion by way of a frangible circular web.

23. A single-use food container as claimed in claim 22, wherein the handle portion is adapted to break away from the securing portion through said frangible web upon application of a transverse force to the handle projection by the hand of a consumer. 10

24. A single-use food container as claimed in claim 21, wherein the cap and serving implement are formed of plastics materials using an injection molding process.

A single-use food container as claimed in claim 21, wherein the serving implement has an end which operatively projects into the vessel interior formed in a shape selected from: a spoon, a fork, a knife, a spatula, a brush.

26. A method for use of a single-use food container as claimed in claim 23, comprising: breaking off the handle portion and attached serving implement of the closure from 20 the securing portion attached to the vessel; and serving or consuming the food product contents of the container using the serving implement.

PAOPERUPNU24766S7 I spa dm-6103t2OO 17 AiiivLs clsr i a co~ntainer, substalla-y as herein 11 or deie lt reference to the drawings and/or Examples.

28. A single-use container, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings and/or Examples.

29. A single-use food container, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings and/or Examples.