Foldable covered food container

• US 5,788,145 A
• Filed: 12/23/1996
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bell Paper Box, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bell Paper Box, Inc.
• Inventors: Green, Gregory A., Grahahm, Mark S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Foster, Jimmy G.
• Application Number:
  US08/771,674
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 206/551, 229/113-115, 229/141, 229/145, 229/146, 229/148, 229/149, 229/154, 220/4.22, 220/4.23
• US Class Current: 229/113
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/366 Pizza
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/2028 triangular
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/667 Lids in the form of an inverted tray

Abstract

A covered food container especially adapted to hold a single slice of pizza or the like is described having a polygonal configuration and an integrated cover which folds over and is securely latched to enclose the contents. The covered food container can be formed from a single sheet of material such as cardboard or styrene foam and has the advantage that the top and base trays forming the container are interchangeable.

Claims

1. A lockable, closeable container comprising two substantially identical trays, each having a flat multi-sided base and a plurality of respective, intersecting side walls, each side wall extending vertically from one of the sides of said base;

one respective single side wall of each of said trays being joined to the other by a fold line extending the length of said single side wall to form a hinge connecting the two trays together such that one of said trays forms a substantially coextensive cover over the other tray;

the respective point or points of intersection between the remaining side walls of each tray being each provided with an interlocking component remotely opposed to said hinge and comprising a vertical slot and horizontally projecting latch member such that the latch member or members of one tray engages with the corresponding slot of the other tray where one tray is folded over the other to hold the respective trays together in closed, secure relationship.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein one of said trays partially folds within the other in said closed relationship to engage said respective latch members and slots with one another.

3. The container of claim 1 which is formed from a single, unitary sheet of semi-flexible material.

4. The container of claim 3 wherein said material is cardboard.

5. The polygonal container of claim 1 wherein each of said trays has a triangular base and three intersecting side walls.

6. The polygonal container of claim 1 wherein each of said trays has a rectangular base and four intersecting side walls.