Pizza delivery system and method

• US 6,398,028 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James G. Stovall
• Original Assignee: James G. Stovall
• Inventors: Stovall, James G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gehman, Bryon P.
• Application Number:
  US09/635,047
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 206/390, 206/411, 206/807, 206/820, 403/12, 229/102, 229/103, 476/115, 476/120, 476/124, 221/70, 221/73, 221/283, 221/282, 312/34.8, 312/34.19, 312/34.24
• US Class Current: 206/390
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2402/442 with openings for introducing material to be handled, e.g. for inserting web rolls
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2405/40 Holders, supports for rolls
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2601/322 Replenishing
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/194 Web supporting regularly spaced adhesive articles, e.g. labels, rubber articles, labels or stamps
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 37/002 Web delivery apparatus, the web serving as support for articles, material or another web
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/807 Tamper proof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/82 Separable, striplike plural articles

Abstract

A pizza delivery system and method is provided for insuring a pizza box has not been opened prior to delivery to the consumer. The pizza delivery system includes a tape dispenser for dispensing numbered pieces of tape used to seal a box in which fresh pizza has been placed for delivery to a consumer. The pizza delivery method generally provides for sealing the pizza box with a piece of numbered tape, reporting the number on the piece of tape to the consumer at the time the order is placed, and permitting the consumer to refuse the pizza if the piece of tape has been broken or removed prior to delivery of the pizza thus insuring the pizza has not been tampered with during delivery of the pizza.

Claims

1. A pizza delivery system comprising:

a box having a bottom, a perimeter wall extending upwardly from a perimeter edge of said bottom of said box, and a top pivotally coupled to said perimeter wall such that said top is pivotable between and open and a closed position whereby said box is adapted for surrounding a pizza inside said box when said top is in said closed position;

a piece of tape being engageable to said box such that said piece of tape extends between said top and said perimeter wall when said top is in said closed position whereby said piece of tape prevents pivoting said top of said box into said open position without breaking said piece of tape whereby said piece of tape is adapted for indicating to a buyer of the pizza that the box has not been opened since said piece of tape was engaged to said box;

said piece of tape being a selectable piece of tape from a plurality of pre-cut pieces of tape, each of said pieces of tape being removably coupled to a backing strip;

said plurality of pieces of tape on said backing strip being formed into a roll;

a housing for holding said roll, said housing having a slot for permitting a distal end of said backing strip to pass out of said housing for facilitating access to an end positioned one of said pieces of tape;

said housing having a door pivotally coupled to a main portion of said housing; and

a thumbscrew coupled to said door for selectively coupling to said main portion of said housing for holding said door in a closed position.

2. The pizza delivery system of claim 1, further comprising:

each of said pre-cut pieces of tape having indicia for distinguishing said piece of tape from each other piece of tape whereby each piece of tape is identifiable from said other pieces of tape for permitting a person placing the pizza into said box to communicate said indicia on a selected one of said pieces of tape to the buyer of the pizza.

3. The pizza delivery system of claim 2, further comprising:

said indicia being sequential numbering of each said piece of tape on said backing strip.

4. The pizza delivery system of claim 1, further comprising:

said housing having a connection portion including a plurality of connection holes whereby said connection portion is adapted for coupling to a wall.

5. A pizza delivery system comprising:

a box having a bottom, a perimeter wall extending upwardly from a perimeter edge of said bottom of said box, and a top pivotally coupled to said perimeter wall such that said top is pivotable between and open and a closed position whereby said box is adapted for surrounding a pizza inside said box when said top is in said closed position;

a piece of tape being engageable to said box such that said piece of tape extends between said top and said perimeter wall when said top is in said closed position whereby said piece of tape prevents pivoting said top of said box into said open position without breaking said piece of tape whereby said piece of tape is adapted for indicating to a buyer of the pizza that the box has not been opened since said piece of tape was engaged to said box;

said piece of tape being a selectable piece of tape from a plurality of pre-cut pieces of tape, each of said pieces of tape being, removably coupled to a backing strip;

each of said pre-cut pieces of tape having indicia for distinguishing said piece of tape from each other piece of tape whereby each piece of tape is identifiable from said other pieces of tape for permitting a person placing the pizza into said box to communicate said indicia on a selected one of said pieces of tape to the buyer of the pizza;

said indicia being sequential numbering of each said piece of tape on said backing strip;

said plurality of pieces of tape on said backing strip being formed into a roll;

a housing for holding said roll, said housing having a slot for permitting a distal end of said backing strip to pass out of said housing for facilitating access to an end positioned one of said pieces of tape;

said housing having a door pivotally coupled to a main portion of said housing;

a thumbscrew coupled to said door for selectively coupling to said main portion of said housing for holding said door in a closed position; and

said housing having a connection portion including a plurality of connection holes whereby said connection portion is adapted for coupling to a wall.

6. A method of delivering a pizza, the steps of the method comprising:

providing a box having a bottom, a perimeter wall extending upwardly from a perimeter edge of said bottom of said box, and a top pivotally coupled to said perimeter wall such that said top is pivotable between and open and a closed position;

providing a piece of tape engageable to said box;

placing a pizza into said box;

closing said top of said box;

engaging said piece of tape to said box such that said piece of tape extends between said top and said perimeter wall when said top is in said closed position whereby said piece of tape prevents pivoting said top of said box into said open position without breaking said piece of tape whereby said piece of tape is adapted for indicating to a buyer of the pizza that the box has not been opened since said piece of tape was engaged to said box;

delivering said pizza to the buyer;

providing indicia on said piece of tape for identifying said piece of tape;

reporting said indicia to the buyer when the buyer orders said pizza; and

permitting the buyer to view said indicia on said piece of tape for identifying for facilitating confirmation that said pizza conforms to specifications given by the buyer when the buyer ordered said pizza.