• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
  • 引用文献
  • 法律状态
  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    The unitary blank and container defined therefrom including a base panel with four peripheral wall panels extending therefrom and edge joined by solid folding gussets. A first set of opposed walls include inwardly foldable stabilizing flanges, the second pair of opposed wall panels including a locking flange with a locking slot defined therein and a cover panel overlaying and closing the upper end of the container with a locking tab on the cover panel engaging within the locking slot. The formed container has a generally truncated pyramid configuration and inherent lines of strength extending diagonally across each panel.
    公开号:CA2239657A1
    申请号:C2239657
    申请日:1998-06-04
    公开日:1999-08-19
    发明作者:Liming Cai
    申请人:Dopaco Inc；
    IPC主号:B65D5-24
    专利说明:
    l Title: FOLDABLE WRAP FOR FOOD PRODUCTSInventor: Liming Cai B~1CKCROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention broadly relates to containers for use in fast food establishments and other establisaments where take-out food products are sold and packaged. Such containers are normally for single use and disposed of once the food has been i consumed or removed.Preferably, such containers should provide a stable and complete enclosure for the food product for convenient carrying in one's hand or in a bag with other contents. In view of the disposable nature of the container, and the fact that such containers are used in large numbers, manufacturers of such containers are particularly concerned with minimizing costs, both with regard to the materials used i i and the manufacturing procedures involved. Another factor of significance with regard to the economic practicabilities of such containers is the ease of introduction of the food (product and the subsequent closure of the container ' ~ protectively about the food product. Also to be considered is Ithe acceptance of the container by the purchasing public which will be affected by the security of the container, and the '' ease of opening the container and accessing the food product. At present the two most common types of package are i the rigid preformed "clamshell" cartons which, while providing ' protection, are quite expensive, and paper or foil wraps which, while inexpensive, provide little or no protection.~I1MM ~Y OF THF INVENTION It is a primary object of the invention to provide a Ilfast food container which constitutes a significant advance in this highly crowded art. More particularly, the invention provides for a unique combination of the best features of both preformed rigid cartons and foldable wraps. Significant economic advantages are achieved in the basic manufacture by requiring only minimal procedures including the cutting of the blank from a i sheet of appropriate paperboard material or the like, the provision of selected fold lines, and the forming of only a single internal or interior cut. No glue flaps, preforming or preassembly are required, and the blank is retained in its original planar form during both shipping and storage, and ... 2 ,;3, .-y' . . v~.: 'v:' . . _.;,.;...~, :..., Iluntil such time as the blank is formed or wrapped about a food product positioned thereon.1 The blank is folded into the container configuration by a simple manipulation of the blank by the retailer after the food product is placed therein. The formed container is self-sustaining and retained without any mechanical joinder of i i 'r the fold components other than for a cover latch. The actual r(folding procedure is simply effected and produces a stable and secure container with minimum effort. Similarly, the container is easily opened by the consumer with.the walls of the container tending to automatically unfold for unrestricted access to the food product. As desired, the container can easily be unfolded to its original blank, providing in effect a a tray or placemat for use as the food product is being consumed. In achieving the objects of the invention, the one piece blank is of a generally circular configuration with multiple fold lines formed therein to define a central ;' rectangular base panel with integral side walls extending from the four peripheral edges of the base panel and extending ~~~'~~'~.''. outward therefrom with slightly converging side edges. A~;y -:.,-single folding gusset, with a central fold line, extends y~~.: II i ' r f . ., :'S .:t>:between the side edges of adjacent ones of said side walls. Afirst opposed pair of said side walls have integral stabilizing flanges along the outer edges thereof extending beyond the generally circular configuration. The second opposed pair of side walls include a locking flange extending from the outer edge of one of the second pair of side walls :;and a closure lid or cover with a locking tab extending from the outer edge of the other one of said second pair of side walls. The particular configuration of the blanks allows for a minimal use of material and minimal waste when formed from a sheet of paperboard with the blanks internested and oriented at substantially 45° to the length or width of the sheet. So 7 positioned, the blanks are oriented at 45° to the direction of the grain of the paperboard. In those situations wherein the nks are to be formed from a thin corrugated cardboard with bla mini flute s the 45° positioning of the blanks to the basic .-l sheet of material will provide for a formed blank wherein the ~~ flutes extend at 45° thereacross. In each instance the flat :, panels have the stability enhanced by the orientation of the major strength lines of the material diagonally across the :1 a a i base, wall and lid panels, and at 45° relative to the corresponding fold lines. In use, the food product will be placed on the base i panel and the first pair of opposed side walls upwardly folded i toward an upright position with the four gussets substantially automatically inwardly folding toward the interior. The stabilizing flanges will be inwardly folded at the same time, after which the second pair of opposed walls will be upwardly folded with the lock flange folding over the stabilizing Iflanges and the cover panel closing over the upper edges of walls with a tab thereon engaged through a locking slot formed ' by the locking flange. The container, thus formed, has the side walls tapering upwardly and angled slightly inwardly into a truncated pyramid configuration with the base slightly i larger than the cover or flat upper end. The upper portion of v:'Ithe container is small enough for easy grasping, while the ~,<y enlarged lower portion of the container provides a stable base ~j and easily accommodates a hamburger, fish cake, or like food ;-'product. When access to the food product is desired, the customer need only disengage the locking tab with the ~,j~'container, either automatically or with slight encouragement, :, opening to provide easy access to the food product and, as :.. 5 i desired, a serving plate with the side walls slightly upwardly and outwardly inclined to avoid spillage.~~ ~~ Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following more i detailed description. DRTEF DESCRTPTTON OF THE DRAWINGSi Figure 1 is a perspective view of the formed i container;Figure 2 is a plan view of the blank, on a reduced scale, from which the container is formed;.'j Figure 3 illustrates an initial step in folding the blank about a received food product;l Figure 4 illustrates a further step in the folding of the blank;'=a Figure 5 illustrates the folded blank and the .j container immediately prior to a closing thereof; Figure 6 is perspective detail illustrating the ' ' : 1 locking slot; and ' lan view of a layout of multiple blanks Figure 7 is a p as they are formed from a sheet of paperboard or the like. I a D~~g,TpTTON QF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The container 10 of the invention is formed from a planar unitary wrap in the nature of a blank 12 of foldable paperboard, cardboard, thin mini flute corrugated material, i and the like. Referring first to the wrap or blank 12, the overall configuration is generally circular, the foldable components thereof being designated by their orientation or function in the folded container. Accordingly, the blank includes a ~j I~ central rectangular base panel 14 with four side walls or side wall panels 16, 18, 20 and 22 respectively integral with the four linear peripheral edges of the base panel 14 along the full length thereof. A fold line 24 is defined along each of the base panel edges between each of the edges and the corresponding side walls 16-22.~ The side walls 16-22 are equal or substantially equal :r height with respective side edges_convereging outward relative to the base panel l4 at slight angles relative to each other. Each of the side walls 16-22 terminates in a straight outer edge paralleling the corresponding inner fold line 24. The side wall outer edges define fold lines 16', 18', 20' and 22' as shall be referred to subsequently.r ,i o -~ A gusset 26 is formed between and integral with the adjacent side edges of each adjacent pair of side walls, for example between side walls 16 and 18. Each of the gussets is in turn bisected by a central fold line 28 extending outward from the corresponding corner of the rectangular base panel 14. The central fold line 28 defines a pair of gusset leaves or sections 30 each integrally formed with one of the side ~~ wall side edges with a fold line 32 defined along each side edge. The gusset sections 30 of each gusset 26 have outer edges 34 converging toward each other and angling slightly outward from the outer corners of the adjacent side walls, for ~7 example 16 and 18. These outer edges 34 terminate at a :~( .. .~1 '~ central gusset edge length 36 which extends perpendicularly :..1 across the corresponding gusset fold line 28. The gussets 26, ::;with the outer periphery configured by the edges 34 and 36 :=~; provide, in conjunction with the outer edges of the side walls, a generally circular configuration.'~- The o osed pair of side walls 16 and 20 each have a PP. i ,"~stabilizing flange 38 integral therewith along the respective outer edge fold lines 16' and 20' and extend along the full length thereof. These stabilizing flanges 38 are of a substantially lesser height than the corresponding side walls ~~and are intended, in the erected container, to only partially extend across the open upper end of the container as will be readily apparent from figures 1 and 5. With regard to the second pair of opposed side walls 18 and 22, side wall 22 has, integral with the outer edge fold line 22', a locking flange 40 of a height approximately equal to that of the stabilizing flanges 38. The fold line 22' is interrupted, along the central portion thereof, by a cut line 42 which is offset slightly into the locking flange 40. The cut line 42 is of a length equal to approximately 1/3 the a length of the fold line 22' with the opposed end portions of the cut line 42 extending a short distance along the fold line i itself as indicated at 42'.;~ The opposed side wall 18 has a cover panel 44 integral therewith along the outer edge fold line 18'. The cover panel ~ ~:'.' h '' 44 is co-extensive with the outer edge fold line 18' and is rectangular and of a height, outward from the fold line 18', to completely overlie the upper end of the formed container °:'.;~ 10.;i '_' The outer edge 46 of the cover panel 44 parallels the fold line 18' and includes an integral'centrally projecting locking tab 48. The tab 48 has an outer head portion 50 and a i :i i j narrower neck portion 52 with a fold line 54 provided between the tab neck portion 52 and the cover panel 44 centrally along the cover panel outer edge 46. Figures 3, 4 and 5 illustrate sequential steps in folding the planar wrap or blank 12 to the container configuration. Specifically, the food product 56, which may ~~ be a hamburger or the like, is placed on the base panel 14.~~ The first pair of opposed side walls 16 and 20 are folded out of the plane of the blank to a substantially vertical position with the four corner gussets 26 folding inward. The gussets f 26, through the fold lines formed therein, may either be ' predisposed to inwardly fold or may be easily manually :1 inwardly directed by slight finger pressure with each side ;~ wall and the adjoining gussets easily manipulated by a single j hand . With the side walls 16 and 20 in an upright position, the upper or outer stabilizing flanges 38 are inwardly folded toward each other about the corresponding fold lines 16' and .j 20'. The second pair of opposed side walls 18 and 22 are then >~ also folded upwardly, preferably generally simultaneously, to :<engage against the side edges of the side walls 16 and 20 and the end edges of the previously folded stabilizing flanges 38.,, In folding the side walls in this manner and engaging the edges of adjacent side walls, an upwardly tapering generally pyramid configuration is formed. The corner gussets 26 form leak-proof corners and tend to fold against the erected side ~~ walls 18 and 22. The container is closed by first inwardly folding the locking flange 40 to overlie the adjacent portions of the stabilizing flanges 38 and the corresponding upper edges of the side walls 16 and 20. Upon a folding of the locking flange 40 an open slightly widened slot 58 is defined centrally therein along the outer fold line 22' of the side wall 22. The side wall 22 itself, due to the offset nature of the cut line 42, will extend slightly above the outer edge of -v.s the side wall 22 along the length of the formed opening 58 to form a small guide lip 60.,.o.; The final step in closing the container is the downward folding of the cover panel 44 over the open upper mouth of the container 10 and the frictional introduction of the tab 48 through the slot or opening 58, this insertion being guided by a slightly arcuate outer edge on tab 48 and a projecting lip 60. In order to secure the tab 48, the slot 58 is formed whereby the full width of the head 50 of the tab is ' ~ ~ t I'i accommodated by the cut line end extensions 42' while the central portion of the slot, defined by the central offset in the cut line 42 is only sufficient to accommodate the narrower tab neck portion 52. Thus, subsequent to an introduction of the tab 48 through the slot 58, the head portion of the tab will tend to lock beneath the locking flange and resist any Iy, tendency for an accidental opening of the cover while still allowing for ready manual release.reciated, the formed container provides As will be app ,Ia highly stable protective enclosure for the food product with i ~1 the walls being sealed to each other throughout the full height thereof and with the cover sealed to the corresponding side wall 18 and substantially sealed to the remaining side r ;'~ walls by an overlapping engagement with the stabilizing ~~ 1 flanges 38 and the locking flange 40. Additional strength is ~' derived from the general pyramid configuration and the bracing ..,, , ~' i '' achieved between the various panels themselves, and between '!i the panels and the gussets. Of particular significance is the fact that the stable i and substantially sealed container is formed directly from a ' blank in the manner of a wrap at the point at which the food ~'.I product is introduced with the formed container requiring no i i i . . .; j _. , ..;:; j I..._.._..~._,.- ...a : ,.:, ,~ , . ..,... .~ . i glue step at either the manufacturing stage or at the food dispensing stage. As such, the container of the invention significantly improves over both a conventional paper wrap which affords no structural protection for the food product, i and a conventional container requiring multiple pre-forming i ;a and gluing procedures. It will also be recognized that the :s, inherent lines of strength, whether these be flutes in corrugated board or the grain direction in single ply board, schematically designated at 62 in the blank of figure 2, extend diagonally across the blank in all the panels thereof at, preferably, a 45° angle. As such, these lines of strength, in the erected container, will also extend diagonally across the individual panels and hence add a further degree of strength and stability to the container. In ,!this manner, there is an inherent resistance to any tendency for the panels of the container to fold along other than the pre-defined fold lines.i:'~ , w. Noting figure 7. it will be seen that the blanks are Iformed in a layout or pattern to be cut from a continuous sheet of paperboard or the like 64, the board sheet 64 extending in either the length or height of the actual sheet i on which figure 6 is presented and as illustrated by the direction arrows A and B. The sheets or running length of sheet material 64 is so arranged as to have the grain direction or flute direction extending either longitudinally therealong or transversely thereacross. The blank patterns, Iin turn, are both longitudinally and transversely aligned with y each individual blank pattern positioned at a substantially 45° angle relative to the grain direction. Thus, as the ~a ' individual blanks are cut from the sheet material 64; the 'i v;grains or flutes therein will extend diagonally across the panels both in the blank and in the erected container for :~.a:v.'.'~:~ enhanced stability and rigidity while maintaining minimal ,:.;..b _~a board thickness.~~~~ ~.Y~ .~w;~>a An additional advantage of the 45° orientation of the blank patterns is the effective minimizing of waste material :r::~~ and the attendant problem of removing the waste from the .i i.~:;~-~ individual formed blanks .': i '. ~~ i.,y~ With continued reference to figure 7, it will be noted that the arcuate outer edge of the locking tab 48 is defined ;'-i from the outer edge of the locking flange 40 of an adjoining ~':~1 blank, thereby providing for a closer nesting of a pair of blank patterns at the desired 45° angle. This formation of 1.;~the tab will leave the corresponding arcuate recess 66 ': '.3 centrally within the outer edge of the locking flange 40. The recess 66 is of a length approximately equal to the distance between the free edges of the opposed stabilizing flanges 38 in the folded container, thus allowing for a slightly greater exposure of the interior of the container upon an unlocking and upward pivoting of the cover panel. At the same time, the :.i locking flange 40, to the opposite sides of the central recess :i 66 is maintained at full depth for overlying engagement with .;.;::T,,~ the adjoining end portions of the stabilizing flanges 38.y~; With additional reference to the blank layout, it will .,y i be noted that the gusset central outer edge portions 36 directly engage each other both longitudinally and transversely of the layout. In addition, the outer edges of :;the stabilizing flanges of a pair of diagonally aligned blanks or cutout patterns engage or are on a common line with the opposed side edges of the locking panel of one of a line of blanks perpendicular to the first mentioned blanks. The internested illustrated relationship is intended to minimize the amount of overall board required and to minimize the cut lines required to form the individual blanks. It is of interest to note that each blank, within the confines thereof, f includes only a single relatively short cut line 42 formed to define the locking slot 58.::, a The foregoing is illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention, and is not to be considered a ., limitation on the scope of the invention which is to be defined solely by the claims appearing hereinafter.j j i i i :.r :.1 i. t r I It~i
    权利要求:
    Claims (17)
    [1] 1. A container for the reception and protective enclosure of a food product, said container being defined from a unitary blank and comprising a rectangular base panel with four peripheral edges and four corners, four side walls of substantially equal height and respectively integral with said four base panel edges and projecting outward relative to said base panel, a fold line defined between each side wall and said base panel along the corresponding base panel edge, said side walls comprising first and second opposed side walls, and third and fourth opposed side walls said side walls having outer edges remote from said base panel, a stabilizing flange integral and coextensive with, and foldable relative to, said first and second side walls about fold lines defined along said outer edges of said first and second side walls, a locking flange integral with and foldable relative to said third side wall about a fold line defined along said outer edge of said third side wall, and a cover panel integral with and foldable relative to said fourth side wall about a fold line defined along said outer edge of said fourth side wall, a locking slot defined in said locking flange, said cover panel having an outer edge with a tab extending therefrom for selective reception within said locking slot, said side walls each having opposed side edges, with each wall side edge having an adjacent side edge on an adjacent side wall, and four folding gussets, one gusset integral with and extending between the adjacent side edges of each of adjacent pairs of said side walls.
    [2] 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein each said side wall has said side edges thereof converging outwardly relative to the corresponding base panel side edge and terminating in the corresponding side wall outer edge, each of said side wall outer edges paralleling the corresponding base panel edge whereby each side wall is of a generally truncated triangular configuration and wherein said side walls define the container in the form of a truncated pyramid.
    [3] 3. The structure of claim 2 including a fold line formed along each side wall side edge between said side wall and the corresponding gusset, each of said gussets including a central fold line extending outward from said base panel to an outer edge of said gusset wherein a pair of relatively foldable gusset sections are defined in each gusset with said gussets being inwardly foldable within the container.
    [4] 4. The structure of claim 3 wherein the outer edge of each gusset includes an outer edge portion for each section, said gusset section outer edges of each gusset converging inwardly toward each other from said outer edges of the corresponding adjacent side walls, said gusset outer edge having a central outer edge portion generally perpendicular to the central fold line of the gusset and extending between and defining a continuation of the corresponding converging outer gusset section edge portions.
    [5] 5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said walls of said container define an upwardly opening container mouth, said cover panel folding over said open mouth and engaging said side wall outer edges peripherally thereabout.
    [6] 6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said stabilizing flanges, in the erected container, are inwardly directed toward each other and underlie the closed cover panel.
    [7] 7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said locking flange is inwardly foldable to overlie said stabilizing flanges with said slot being upwardly directed relative to said base panel immediately inward of said third side wall, said third side wall having a projecting lip extending upward beyond said slot.
    [8] 8. The structure of claim 6 wherein said unitary blank includes inherent lines of strength extending diagonally across said base panel, said side walls and said cover panel.
    [9] 9. The structure of claim 2 wherein said walls of said container define an upwardly opening container mouth, said cover panel folding over said open mouth and engaging said side wall outer edges peripherally thereabout.
    [10] 10. The structure of claim 1 including a fold line formed along each side wall side edge between said side wall and the corresponding gusset, each of said gussets including a central fold line extending outward from said base panel to an outer edge of said gusset wherein a pair of relatively foldable gusset sections are defined in each gusset with said gussets being inwardly foldable within the container.
    [11] 11. The structure of claim 9 wherein the outer edge of each gusset includes an outer edge portion for each section, said gusset section outer edges of each gusset converging inwardly toward each other from said outer edges of the corresponding adjacent side walls, said gusset outer edge having a central outer edge portion generally perpendicular to the central fold line of the gusset and extending between and defining a continuation of the corresponding converging outer gusset section edge portions.
    [12] 12. The structure of claim 1 wherein said unitary blank includes inherent lines of strength extending diagonally across said base panel, said side walls and said cover panel.
    [13] 13. For use in the forming of a container for the reception and protective enclosure of a food product, a unitary planar blank comprising a rectangular base panel with four peripheral edges and four corners, four side walls of substantially ,equal height and respectively integral with said four base panel side edges and projecting outward relative to said base panel, a fold line defined between each side wall and said base panel along the corresponding base panel edge, said side walls comprising first and second opposed side walls, and third and fourth opposed side walls said side walls having outer edges remote from said base panel, a stabilizing flange integral and coextensive with, and foldable relative to, said first and second side walls about fold lines defined along said outer edges of said first and second side walls, a locking flange integral with and foldable relative to said third side wall about a fold line defined along said outer edge of said third side wall, and a cover panel integral with and foldable relative to said fourth side wall about a fold line defined along said outer edge of said fourth side wall, said locking flange having a cut line therein generally along a portion of the corresponding fold line which, upon folding, defines a locking slot, said cover panel having an outer edge with a tab extending therefrom for selective reception within said locking slot, said side walls each having opposed side edges, with each wall side edge having an adjacent side edge on an adjacent side wall, and four folding gussets, one gusset integral with and extending between the adjacent side edges of each of adjacent pairs of said side walls, each of said side walls having the opposed side edges converging outwardly relative to the corresponding base panel edge and terminating in the corresponding side wall outer edge, each of said side wall outer edges paralleling the corresponding base panel edge whereby each side wall is of a generally truncated triangular configuration.
    [14] 14. The blank of claim 13 wherein said outer edges of said side walls and said gussets are continuous and define a substantially circular configuration.
    [15] 15. A sheet of shape-sustaining foldable material with a longitudinal extent and a transverse extent inherent lines of strength defined in said sheet and extending parallel to one of said extents, a layout for defining blanks from said sheet wherein said blanks are longitudinally and transversely aligned and wherein each of said blanks include generally rectangular panels oriented at an angle relative to said lines of strength wherein said lines of strength extend generally diagonally across each of said panels.
    [16] 16. The layout of claim 15 wherein said panels of each blank include a substantially rectangular central base panel with four edges, a first pair of opposed side panels integral with an opposed pair of said edges and extending outward therefrom, each of said first pair of side panels having a foldable flange thereon, a second pair of opposed side panels integral with and extending outward from a second opposed pair of said edges, one of said second pair of side panels terminating in a foldable locking flange, the other of said second pair of side panels having a cover panel integral therewith and extending co-planar therebeyond, said blanks being diagonally aligned in each of two directions perpendicular to each other with each cover panel of selected blanks being positioned between outer edges of two stabilizing flanges of two blanks adjacent and oriented perpendicular thereto with a single cut line separating the cover panel from each of the corresponding stabilizing flanges.
    [17] 17. The layout of claim 16 wherein selected ones of said cover panels have a projecting tab with an outer edge configuration aligned with an outer edge configuration of a locking flange of a diagonally aligned blank with a single cut line defining said tab outer edge configuration and said outer edge configuration of said locking flange.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    引用文献:
    公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题
    法律状态:
    2001-06-04| FZDE| Dead|
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    US2643298A| true| 1998-02-19|1998-02-19||
    US09/026,432||1998-02-19||
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