Designer pizza box with enhancements

• US 5,961,035 A
• Filed: 04/16/1998
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Correll Concepts Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Correll Concepts Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Correll, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US09/061,302
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 229/104, 229/110, 229/152, 229/178, 229/902, 229/906
• US Class Current: 229/110
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/366 Pizza
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/2033 polygonal having more than four sides, e.g. hexagonal, octogonal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/2047 trapezoidal, e.g. to form a body with diverging side walls B65D5/2033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/22 held erect by extensions of one or more sides being doubled-over to enclose extensions of adjacent sides
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6658 combined with flaps or tabs provided at the side edges of the lid
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/36 for bakery products, e.g. biscuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/906 Baked goods

Abstract

A designer-type pizza box employing one or more unique structural elements including: (a) at least six walls comprising front and rear walls, a pair of forward side walls, and a pair of non-parallel rearward side walls, with the length of the front wall being longer than the length of the rear wall; (b) an easy-folding rear diagonal side wall structure comprising a diagonally-disposed rearward side wall and a unitary plurality of hingedly connected connector panels extending between the rearward side wall and a rear wall; (c) a type of thermal-leg comprising a corner flap attached to the end of a wall and disposed between the panels of a double-panel wall and projecting through a hole in the bottom of the box; (d) a hole-covering double-panel wall structure comprising a hole-covering flap attached to the bottom edge of an inner panel of a double-panel wall and covering an opening in the bottom of the box; and (e) a strengthened double-panel wall comprising inner and outer panels joined by a double-panel connecting structure comprising first and second fold lines and a connector bridge of material between the fold lines, with the first and second fold lines being non-parallel.

Claims

1. A blank for a box having at least six sides, said blank being of foldable material cut and scored to define:

(a) a bottom panel having a plurality of edges each having a predetermined length, said plurality of edges including;

(i) opposing front and rear edges,

(ii) first and second forward side edges disposed adjacent said front edge,

(iii) non-parallel first and second rearward side edges disposed adjacent said first and second forward side edges, respectively;

(b) a plurality of wall structures including a rear wall hingedly attached to said rear edge;

(c) a cover hingedly attached to said rear wall;

wherein the predetermined length of said front edge is noticeably longer than the predetermined length of said rear edge by a predetermined percent;

whereby after said blank has been erected into a box said box has a unique shape and structure.

2. The blank of claim 1 wherein:

each of said first and second forward side edges is disposed at a non-acute angle to said front edge.

3. The blank of claim 1 wherein:

a difference in length exists between the predetermined length of said first forward side edge and the predetermined length of said first rearward side edge, said difference in length is at least ten percent of the predetermined length of either of said first forward side edge and said first rearward side edge.

4. The blank of claim 1 wherein:

said predetermined percent is at least ten percent.

5. The blank of claim 4 wherein:

the predetermined length of said first forward side edge is longer than the predetermined length of said first rearward side edge by at least twenty percent;

said plurality of wall structures further includes;

(a) a front wall structure hingedly attached to said front edge,

(b) first and second forward side walls hingedly attached to said first and second forward side edges, respectively.

6. The blank of claim 5 wherein:

said first and second forward side edges are non-parallel.

7. The blank of claim 5 wherein:

said first and second forward side walls are single-panel walls having a top edge free of attachment.

8. The blank of claim 5 wherein:

said front wall structure comprises an outer panel hingedly attached to said front edge and an inner panel hingedly linked to a top edge of said outer panel.

9. The blank of claim 5 wherein:

said cover comprises a cover panel and a front wall interlock means hingedly attached thereto, whereby after said blank is erected into a box said front wall interlock means interlocks with said front wall structure.

10. The blank of claim 5 wherein said plurality of wall structures further includes:

double-panel first and second rearward side wall structures each comprising an outer panel hingedly attached to one of said first and second rearward side edges and an inner panel hingedly linked to said outer panel at a top edge.

11. The blank of claim 10 wherein:

each of said first and second rearward side wall structures further comprises a flap hingedly attached to a rear end of said outer panel.

12. The blank of claim 5 wherein said plurality of wall structures further includes:

first and second rearward side wall structures each comprising a rearward side wall hingedly attached to a rear end of one of said first and second forward side walls.

13. The blank of claim 12 wherein:

each of said first and second rearward side wall structures further comprises a unitary plurality of hingedly connected connector panels hingedly attached to a bottom edge of said rearward side wall and to an end of said rear wall.

14. A paperboard box having at least six sides and comprising:

a bottom panel,

a plurality of walls each having a predetermined length, said plurality of walls including;

(a) opposing front and rear walls,

(b) first and second forward side walls disposed adjacent said front wall,

(c) non-parallel first and second rearward side walls adjacent said first and second forward side walls, respectively;

a cover attached to said rear wall;

wherein the predetermined length of the front wall is noticeably longer than the predetermined length of the rear wall by a predetermined percent.

15. The box of claim 14 wherein:

each of said first and second forward side walls is disposed at a non-acute angle to said front wall.

16. The box of claim 14 wherein:

a difference in length exists between the predetermined length of said first forward side wall and the predetermined length of said first rearward side wall, said difference in length is at least ten percent of the predetermined length of either of said first forward side wall and said first rearward side wall.

17. The box of claim 14 wherein:

said plurality of walls consists of the front wall, rear wall, first and second forward side walls, and first and second rearward side walls.

18. The box of claim 14 wherein:

said predetermined percent is at least ten percent.

19. The box of claim 18 wherein:

the predetermined length of said first forward side wall is longer than the predetermined length of said first rearward side wall by at least twenty percent.

20. A blank for a box having at least one thermal-leg, said blank being of foldable material cut and scored to define:

a bottom panel having adjacent first and second edges and a double-panel interlock opening disposed along said first edge,

a plurality of wall structures including;

(a) a double-panel wall structure comprising an outer panel hingedly attached to said first edge and an inner panel hingedly linked to a top edge of said outer panel, said inner and outer panels each having a predetermined height, the predetermined height of the inner panel being substantially the same as the predetermined height of the outer panel, whereby after said blank has been erected into a box said double-panel wall structure forms a double-panel wall comprising inner and outer panels with a portion of a bottom edge of said inner panel being engaged within said double-panel interlock opening;

(b) another wall structure comprising a wall hingedly attached to said second edge and a corner flap hingedly attached to an end of said wall and adjacent said double-panel wall structure, said wall having a wall bottom edge and a bottom edge extension line defined as an imaginary line extending from said wall bottom edge and aligned therewith, said corner flap having a flap bottom edge;

wherein at least a portion of said flap bottom edge extends at least ten millimeters below the bottom edge extension line of said wall,

whereby after said blank has been erected into a box said corner flap is disposed between the inner and outer panels of said double-panel wall and a portion of said corner flap projects through said double-panel interlock opening and extends below said bottom panel by at least six millimeters, thereby forming a thermal-leg that helps hold the bottom panel of the box above a support surface, such as a table, by a substantial distance.

21. The blank of claim 20 wherein:

said plurality of wall structures further includes a rear wall hingedly attached to said bottom panel and having a cover hingedly attached thereto,

said double-panel wall structure opposes said rear wall, whereby after said blank has been erected into a box the double-panel wall structure forms at least a part of a front wall portion of said box.

22. A box having two thermal-legs, said box being of corrugated paperboard and comprising:

a bottom panel having a plurality of edges including front and rear edges,

a plurality of walls including a front wall attached to said front edge,

first and second thermal-legs;

wherein;

(a) said first and second thermal-legs each have a bottom edge, at least a portion of said bottom edge extending at least ten millimeters below said bottom panel,

(b) said first and second thermal-legs are disposed closer to said front wall than to any other wall of said plurality of walls,

(c) said first and second thermal-legs constitute all the thermal-legs on said box.

23. The box of claim 22 wherein:

said bottom panel has first and second double-panel interlock openings disposed along said front edge,

said front wall is a double-panel wall structure comprising approximately parallel inner and outer panels,

said plurality of walls further includes first and second side walls adjacent said front wall and having respective first and second corner flaps attached to a front end thereof, said first and second corner flaps being disposed between said inner and outer panels and having first and second downward-projecting portions, respectively, extending through said first and second double-panel interlock openings, respectively;

wherein said first and second downward-projecting portions constitute said first and second thermal-legs, respectively.

24. The box of claim 23 wherein:

said plurality of walls further includes a rear wall having a cover hingedly attached thereto.

25. The box of claim 24 wherein:

said box is a hot food carton.

26. A box having a hole-covering double-panel wall structure, said box comprising:

a bottom panel,

an opening in said bottom panel,

a plurality of wall structures including a rear wall and a double-panel wall structure,

said double-panel wall structure comprising;

(a) an outer panel attached to said bottom panel,

(b) an inner panel hingedly linked to a top edge of said outer panel and disposed approximately parallel to said outer panel,

(c) a hole-covering flap attached to a bottom edge of said inner panel and disposed at an angle to said inner panel;

wherein said hole-covering flap covers at least a portion of said opening, whereby air flow into and out of said box is minimized.

27. The box of claim 26 further comprising:

a thermal-leg disposed adjacent said opening.

28. A paperboard box having at least six sides and comprising:

a bottom panel,

a plurality of walls each having a predetermined length, said plurality of walls including;

(a) opposing front and rear walls,

(b) non-parallel first and second forward side walls disposed adjacent said front wall,

(c) non-parallel first and second rearward side walls adjacent said first and second forward side walls, respectively;

wherein;

the predetermined length of said front wall is at least ten percent longer than the predetermined length of said rear wall,

the predetermined length of said first forward side wall is longer than the predetermined length of said first rearward side wall by at least twenty percent.

29. A box having a strengthened double-panel wall, said box comprising:

a bottom panel and a plurality of wall structures including;

(a) a rear wall attached to said bottom panel and having a cover hingedly attached thereto,

(b) a double-panel front wall structure comprising approximately parallel inner and outer panels joined by a double-panel connecting structure comprising first and second fold lines and a connector bridge of material between said fold lines,

(c) opposing first and second side walls attached to said bottom panel and disposed adjacent said double-panel front wall structure;

wherein said first and second fold lines are non-parallel and, thereby, said connector bridge of material is wider at a first spot than at a second spot and said first spot is a middle portion of said connector bridge of material and said second spot is an end portion of said connector bridge of material.

30. The box of claim 29, wherein:

said cover comprises a cover panel, first and second side flaps attached to first and second side edges of said cover panel, and first and second front wall interlock flaps attached to a front end of said first and second side flaps, respectively.