Flexible hinge clam shell food service container with continuous sidewall construction
First Claim
1. A foldable clam shell food service container formed from a single blank of paperboard material or the like, comprising;
- a lid, a base, an intermediate panel joining said lid and said base, the intermediate panel forming a rear wall of the container;
an intermediate fold line between the intermediate panel and each of the lid and the base;
side panels on each of said lid and base defined by side fold lines to define side walls of the erected container;
wherein the container has an open position and a closed position, said intermediate panel forming a flexible hinge construction having end portions disposed between the side panels of the lid and base, respectively, and configured to facilitate closing of the container when the end portions are urged outwardly,the lid, intermediate panel and base form a continuous flat surface when the container is in the open position, andthe end portions of the flexible hinge construction have an outward swept wing-like configuration when the container is in the closed position; and
further wherein front faces disposed at outer ends of each of said lid and base overlie each other when the container is in the closed position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There is described herein a disposable clam shell food service container having a continuous sidewall which includes a novel flex-hinge panel between the lid and bottom of the container. This construction permits the container to open easily when the lid is pushed upwardly resulting in a flat tray like configuration devoid of the typical upstanding median wall or divider and which may be used as a serving plate by the consumer. The container may be easily snapped closed and locked to allow later consumption of any uneaten food products. Several additional embodiments of the invention are also presented, all of which include a continuous sidewall which ensures that the food product will remain warm and one of several lock means to secure the container in its closed condition. A triangular form of the container is also described for serving of pizza, pies and similar shaped food products.
31 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A foldable clam shell food service container formed from a single blank of paperboard material or the like, comprising;
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a lid, a base, an intermediate panel joining said lid and said base, the intermediate panel forming a rear wall of the container; an intermediate fold line between the intermediate panel and each of the lid and the base; side panels on each of said lid and base defined by side fold lines to define side walls of the erected container; wherein the container has an open position and a closed position, said intermediate panel forming a flexible hinge construction having end portions disposed between the side panels of the lid and base, respectively, and configured to facilitate closing of the container when the end portions are urged outwardly, the lid, intermediate panel and base form a continuous flat surface when the container is in the open position, and the end portions of the flexible hinge construction have an outward swept wing-like configuration when the container is in the closed position; and further wherein front faces disposed at outer ends of each of said lid and base overlie each other when the container is in the closed position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A triangular shaped foldable clam shell food service container formed from a single blank of paperboard material or the like for serving pizza and similar shaped food products, comprising;
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a lid and a base, each having a triangular shape, an intermediate panel joining said lid and said base, the intermediate panel forming the rear wall of the container; an intermediate fold line between the intermediate panel and each of the lid and the base; side panels on each of said lid and base defined by side fold lines to serve as side walls of the erected triangular container; wherein the container has an open position and a closed position, said intermediate panel forming a flexible hinge construction having end portions disposed between the side panels of the lid and base, respectively, and configured to facilitate closing of the container when the end portions are urged outwardly, the lid, intermediate panel and base form a continuous flat surface when the container is in the open position, the end portions of the flexible hinge construction have an outward swept wing-like configuration when the container is in the closed position, and further wherein said side panels on each of said lid and base are adapted to overlie each other when the container is in the closed position. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A blank for forming a flexible clam shell food service container, said blank being preformed from a flat sheet of paperboard, said blank being scored laterally adjacent its center by a pair of opposed spaced apart fold lines having a portion adjacent the ends of the fold lines being arcuate in shape to define an intermediate panel, a portion of the blank located above one of the fold lines defining a lid of the container, a portion of the blank located below the other fold line defining a base of the container, a pair of generally longitudinal score lines on the sides of each of said lid and base of said blank spaced inwardly of the sides thereof to define foldable side panels of the container,
wherein the container when formed from the blank has an open position and a closed position, said intermediate panel forming a flexible hinge construction having end portions disposed between the side panels of the lid and base, respectively, and configured to facilitate closing of the container when the end portions are urged outwardly, the lid, intermediate panel and base form a continuous flat surface when the container is in the open position, and the end portions of the flexible hinge construction have an outward swept wing-like configuration when the container is in the closed position.
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21. A blank for forming a flexible clam shell food service container, said blank being preformed from a flat sheet of paperboard, said blank being scored laterally adjacent its center by a pair of opposed and parallel spaced apart fold lines to define an intermediate panel, a portion of the blank located above one of the fold lines defining a lid of the container, a portion of the blank located below the other fold line defining a base of the container, a pair of generally longitudinal score lines on the sides of each of said lid and base of said blank spaced inwardly of the sides thereof to define foldable side panels of the container, said longitudinal score lines joining with the parallel fold lines by small radius cuts which serve to aid in the erection of the said container,
wherein the container when formed from the blank has an open position and a closed position, said intermediate panel forming a flexible hinge construction having end portions disposed between the side panels of the lid and base, respectively, and configured to facilitate closing of the container when the end portions are urged outwardly, the lid, intermediate panel and base form a continuous flat surface when the container is in the open position, and the end portions of the flexible hinge construction have an outward swept wing-like configuration when the container is in the closed position.
Specification