CONTAINER AND BLANKS FOR MAKING SAME

• US 3,637,130 A
• Filed: 08/10/1970
• Issued: 01/25/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Melville T. Farquhar
• Original Assignee: Melville T. Farquhar
• Inventors: Farquhar, Melville T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moorhead, Davis T.
• Application Number:
  US05/062,263
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 229/6,8,28,52B 206/46F,45.14,72
• US Class Current: 229/243
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0209 the tubular body having a curved or partially curved cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4802 formed by folding inwardly portions cut in the body B65D5/48006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/542 the lines of weakness being provided in the container body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/904 Compartmented fast food holder or lap tray
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/915 Stacking feature

Abstract

A food container is provided having a bottom wall, a top wall, and a pair of end walls arranged at opposite ends of the top and bottom walls. Each of the end walls is comprised of an inner flap having a substantially lenticular configuration which defines a lenticular cross-sectional configuration for the container. A divider flap is foldably connected to and made from material initially comprising a part of the top wall, with the divider flap extending between the bottom wall and top wall and defining a compartment on each side thereof. The container has weakening means provided in its top wall enabling severing of material comprising the top wall to define a comparatively large access opening on each side of the divider flap for easy access into each compartment; and, upon severing such material the lenticular extension flaps and bottom wall enable the container to be used as a deep substantially leak-proof serving dish.

Claims

1. A food container comprising, a bottom wall, a top wall, a pair of end walls arranged at opposite ends of said top and bottom walls, each of said end walls being defined by a substantially lenticular flap extending from said bottom wall and having an outer edge which engages said top wall to define a lenticular cross-sectional configuration for said container, a divider flap foldably connected to and made from material comprising a part of said top wall, said divider flap extending between said top wall and said bottom wall and defining a compartment on each side thereof, and weakening means in said top wall enabling severing of material comprising said top wall to define an access opening on each side of said divider flap for easy access into each compartment, said lenticular flaps and bottom wall defining a comparatively deep serving dish upon defining said access openings.

2. A container as set forth in claim 1 in which said divider flap also has a substantially lenticular configuration which helps maintain the lenticular configuration of the center portion of said container.

3. A container as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising a pair of extension flaps extending from opposite ends of said top wall, each extension flap being folded against an associated lenticular flap and cooperating therewith to define an associated end wall, and each of said extension flaps having an outer edge which defines a support at each end of said container.

4. A container as set forth in claim 3 in which each extension flap terminates in a planar edge which provides optimum stability for said container and each extension flap has an arcuate inside surface which extends beneath said bottom wall, said arcuate inside surface being particularly adapted to engage an arcuate outside surface of an extension flap comprising a container arranged there beneath to enable vertical stacking of a plurality of containers which are identical to said container.

5. A container as set forth in claim 1 made from a single piece of paperboard having a moisture impervious inside surface which prevents liquids comprising food contained within said container from weakening said paPerboard and the single piece construction of said container assuring said liquids cannot leak at the junction of said lenticular flaps and bottom wall.

6. A container as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising an aperture in said top wall and extending into one of said compartments, said aperture serving as a vent for hot food contained in said one compartment and enabling easy insertion of a finger therethrough for carrying of said container.

7. A container as set forth in claim 6 in which said weakening means comprises a plurality of spaced slits arranged in a substantially H-shaped pattern with said aperture comprising a central leg of said H-shaped pattern and enabling easy severing of said top wall between said slits to define an associated access opening into said one compartment.

8. A container as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising a pair of apertures in said top wall each extending into an associated compartment, each aperture cooperating with an associated portion of said weakening means to enable severing of a portion of said top wall to provide an access opening into an associated compartment, and said apertures serving as handle means for said container.

9. A container as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising another divider flap foldably connected to and made from material initially comprising a part of said top wall, said other divider flap extending between said top wall and said bottom wall and dividing one of said compartments into a pair of smaller compartments, with one of said smaller compartments having a cutout therein defined by said material initially comprising a part of said top wall, and said cutout being adapted to receive an associated receptacle therethrough.

10. A container as set forth in claim 9 and further comprising an enlargement flap defined as an integral part of said top wall and being adapted to be folded within said one smaller compartment to increase the size of said cutout and enable receipt of a larger receptacle therethrough.

11. A container as set forth in claim 10 in which said other divider flap has a base defined by an arcuate fold line and the remainder thereof defined by a substantially U-shaped cut in said top wall having a bight and outwardly extending legs with ends of the outwardly extending legs of said cut terminating on said arcuate fold line.

12. A container as set forth in claim 11 in which said enlargement flap has a base defined by another arcuate fold line which is similar to and the reverse of said first-named arcuate fold line and the remainder thereof defined by said bight of said U-shaped cut and a pair of cuts extending beyond and aligned with said outwardly extending legs of said U-shaped cut.

13. A container as set forth in claim 9 in which each of said divider flaps has a substantially lenticular configuration including an outwardly convex outer edge and said outwardly convex outer edges engage the inside surface of said bottom wall enabling said divider flaps to help maintain the lenticular configuration of the center portion of said container.

14. A container as set forth in claim 9 and further comprising a pair of symmetrically arranged cuts in said bottom wall on opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline thereof, each of said symmetrically arranged cuts enabling material arranged inwardly of the outline thereof to be pushed outwardly to define a substantially planar supporting platform for said receptacle.

15. A blank being cut and scored and adapted to be assembled to define a resulting container, said blank comprising, a pair of foldably connected walls defining a bottom wall and a top wall in said resulting container, a pair of substantially lenticular flaps extending from opposite ends of said bottom wall with each lenticular flap having an outer edge which is adapted to engage said top wall to define a lenticular cross-sectional configuration for said resulting container, a divider flap foldably connected to and made from material compRising a part of said top wall, said divider flap extending between said top wall and said bottom wall of said resulting container and defining a compartment on each side thereof, and weakening means in said top wall enabling severing of material comprising said top wall to define an access opening on each side of said divider flap for easy access into each compartment of said resulting container, said lenticular flaps and bottom wall cooperating in said resulting container to define a comparatively deep serving dish upon defining said access openings.

16. A blank as set forth in claim 15 in which said divider flap also has a substantially lenticular configuration which helps maintain the lenticular configuration of the center portion of said resulting container.

17. A blank as set forth in claim 15 and further comprising a pair of extension flaps extending from opposite ends of said top wall, each extension flap being folded against an associated lenticular flap and cooperating there with to define an associated end wall in said resulting container, and each of said extension flaps having a planar outer edge which is arranged beneath the bottom wall of said resulting container and defines a stable support therefor.

18. A blank as set forth in claim 15 and further comprising an aperture in said top wall and extending into an associated compartment of said resulting container, said aperture serving as a vent for hot food contained in said resulting container and enabling easy insertion of a finger therethrough for carrying thereof.

19. A blank as set forth in claim 18 in which said weakening means comprises a plurality of spaced slits arranged in a substantially H-shaped pattern with said aperture comprising a central leg of said H-shaped pattern and enabling easy severing of said top wall between said slits to define an associated access opening into said associated compartment of said resulting container.

20. A blank as set forth in claim 15 and further comprising another divider flap foldably connected to and defined as an integral part of said top wall, said other divider flap being adapted to be extended between said top wall and said bottom wall in said resulting container and dividing one of said compartments into a pair of smaller compartments, with one of said smaller compartments having a cutout therein defined by said other divider flap, and in said resulting container said cutout is adapted to receive an associated receptacle therethrough.

21. A blank as set forth in claim 20 and further comprising an enlargement flap defined as an integral part of said top wall and being adapted to be folded in said resulting container within said one smaller compartment to increase the size of said cutout and enable receipt of a larger receptacle therethrough.

22. A blank as set forth in claim 20 and further comprising a pair of symmetrically arranged cuts in said bottom wall on opposite sides of a longitudinal center line thereof, each of said symmetrically arranged cuts enabling material arranged inwardly of the outline thereof to be pushed outwardly in said resulting container to define a substantially planar supporting platform for said receptacle.