Patent Application
20120228368
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers for carrying food items and more particularly to paperboard containers for carrying fast food items, such as beverage cartons for carrying multiple disposable beverage cups.
2. Description of the Related Art
Beverage cartons for carrying multiple cups are known and often used in the context of concession stands, fast food restaurants and the like. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,762 (“Krisko”)discloses a foldable beverage container formed from a single blank without the use of adhesives. The Krisko beverage container is designed to hold multiple beverage cups and includes an upstanding divider panel, extending above the main body of its container, which panel includes a handle portion.
Food containers that engage with other food containers are also known. As one example, the Krisko beverage carton engages multiple cups such that the cups are removably engagable with the container and are held in place during normal operations, mostly by gravity, but also by specially shaped recesses, opening in the upwards direction, sized and shaped to hold multiple cups.
As a further example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,239 (“Sandish”) discloses a paperboard carton for holding both: (i) a beverage cup; and (ii) a tub of solid food. The beverage cup drops into the top side of the carton into a recess sized and shaped to receive the cup. The tub slides into a peripheral side of the carton, where it: (i) is covered by a tear-away lid on the top side of the carton; but (ii) can be accessed by a user through the top side of the carton when a user tears away the tear-away lid from the carton. The Sandish paper carton is a single piece. That is, a single piece part holds both the solid foodstuffs and the (single) drink container.
The following published documents may also include helpful background information: (i) U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,212 (“Whitnell”); (ii) U.S. Pat. No. 7,708,143 (“Adams”); (iii) U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,403 (“Feldmeier”); (iv) U.S. Pat. No. 6,527,123 (“Ausaf”); and/or (v) U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,707 (“Esposito”).
Description Of the Related Art Section Disclaimer: To the extent that specific publications are discussed above in this Description of the Related Art Section, these discussions should not be taken as an admission that the discussed publications (for example, published patents) are prior art for patent law purposes. For example, some or all of the discussed publications may not be sufficiently early in time, may not reflect subject matter developed early enough in time and/or may not be sufficiently enabling so as to amount to prior art for patent law purposes. To the extent that specific publications are discussed above in this Description of the Related Art Section, they are all hereby incorporated by reference into this document in their respective entirety(ies).
One aspect of the present invention is directed to an add-on food holding carton including an attachment hardware set that is located, structured, sized and/or shaped to attach the add-on food holding carton to a peripheral upstanding wall of a primary food holding carton. Preferably, the primary food holding carton is a multiple-cup beverage holding carton. Preferably, the attachment hardware is structured, located, sized to attach at a top edge of the peripheral upstanding wall of the primary food holding carton so that the primary food holding carton does not need to be designed with any special attachment hardware of its own in order to receive the add-on food holding carton. Preferably, the attachment hardware includes at least one tab that defines a recess at its lower edge, with the tab and recess being structured, sized, shaped and/pr located to attach to the top edge of the peripheral upstanding wall of the primary food holding carton.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a food containing carton assembly includes a first attachment hardware set, a first food holding carton; and a second food holding carton. The first food holding carton includes a base member, which defines an upwards direction and a peripheral direction. The attachment hardware set detachably attaches the first food holding carton and the second food holding carton to each other in a side-by-side arrangement so that at least a portion of a peripheral upstanding wall of the first food holding carton abuts at least a portion upstanding wall of a peripheral upstanding wall of the second food holding carton. Preferably, the first food holding carton is sized, shaped, structured and/or located to hold multiple beverage cups. Preferably the assembly further includes a third food holding carton and a second attachment hardware set so that the second and third cartons are detachably attached at opposite sides of the first carton in a balanced manner. Preferably, the assembly further includes a plurality of beverage cups, and a plurality of packaged solid food items, with the plurality of beverage cups being at least partially located in an interior space of the first carton, with at least some of the plurality of solid food items being located in an interior space of the second carton and with at least some of the plurality of solid food items being located in an interior space of the third carton.
Various embodiments of the present invention may exhibit one or more of the following objects, features and/or advantages:
According to an aspect of the present invention, an add-on carton is for use with a primary carton (including a primary chamber) which includes at least a base member and a first upstanding peripheral wall. The add-on carton includes an add-on chamber and an attachment hardware set. The add-on chamber includes a first upstanding peripheral wall. The add-on chamber is sized, shaped, located and/or structured to hold packaged foodstuffs. The attachment hardware set is structured, located, sized and/or shaped to form a detachable attachment with the primary chamber so that at least a portion of the first upstanding peripheral wall of the add-on chamber abuts to at least a portion of the first upstanding peripheral wall of the primary chamber.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a packaged food holding carton assembly includes a primary carton, a first attachment hardware set, a second attachment hardware set, a first add-on carton and a second add-on carton. The primary carton includes a primary chamber that is structured, shaped and/or located to hold multiple beverage cups. The primary chamber includes set of upstanding peripheral wall(s). The first add-on carton includes a first add-on chamber. The first add-on chamber includes set of upstanding peripheral wall(s). The second add-on carton includes a second add-on chamber. The second add-on chamber includes set of upstanding peripheral wall(s). The first add-on chamber is sized, shaped, located and/or structured to hold solid, packaged foodstuffs. The second add-on chamber is sized, shaped, located and/or structured to hold solid, packaged foodstuffs. The first attachment hardware set detachably attaches the primary carton to the first add-on carton in a relative mutual orientation so that at least a portion of an upstanding peripheral wall of the first add-on chamber abuts to at least a portion of an upstanding peripheral wall of the primary chamber. The second attachment hardware set detachably attaches the primary carton to the second add-on carton in a relative mutual orientation so that at least a portion of an upstanding peripheral wall of the second add-on chamber abuts to at least a portion of an upstanding peripheral wall of the primary chamber.
The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Chamber 101 includes a base member (no separate reference numeral) and four, upstanding peripheral walls (no separate reference numerals) which are arranged in the shape of a rectangular box with an open top. Alternatively, chamber 101 could take many different shapes. As one example, the set of upstanding peripheral wall(s) could take the form of a single upstanding peripheral wall, elliptical in footprint. As a further example, the chamber might not include a base member and might not be self-standing on its base member the way that carton 100 is. As a further example, the walls and/or other members that make up the chamber and define the interior space could be discontinuous, such as made out of net or mesh or paperboard cut out in a mesh pattern. However, at least in most embodiments of the present invention, the chamber should be sized, shaped and/or otherwise structured to be capable of holding packaged food items, like hamburger sandwiches or bags of potato chips, when the chamber is self-supporting and/or secured in its upright position.
As shown in
Now the discussion will move to the manner in which these tabs, the recesses defined by the underside of the tabs and the upstanding peripheral wall work together to form a detachable attachment to another “primary,” food containing carton to form a food containing carton assembly. Such an assembly 50 is shown in
Beverage holder carton 75 includes: four cup chamber 77; cruciform divider 79 and handle 81. The beverage cups reside at the central portion of the assembly in carton 75, while the solid packaged foodstuffs reside in the add-on cartons 100a, 100b, which are disposed one on each opposite side of carton 75, and are disposed peripherally distant from the central vertical axis of chamber 77 (that is, the add-ons are spaced away from the vertical central axis of chamber 77 in the radial direction. The add-on cartons are not initially attached to carton 75, but are initially separate from carton 75 and are only attached to carton 75 as certain types of food orders are fulfilled.
This particular arrangement has some advantages which are not immediately obvious. This system allows some modularity in the schemes for packaging various types of food orders as will now be described. In some transactions, a customer orders only several beverages. In this case, the customer will probably want a relatively rigid and secure holding device (rather than, for example, a bag) because it is important to maintain the drinks in an upright position, and a multiple cup beverage carton allows several drinks to be held, with a minimum of care and attention, in a way that prevents tipping. In this case, the primary carton is used with no add-on cartons added on, because the order is drinks-only. This is an advantage over food container systems where the drink holder and the solid foodstuff holder are built integrally together as a single unit. In other transactions, the customer orders only solid foodstuffs. These type of orders might not require a carton at all, and a bag might be used instead. Alternatively, an add-on carton 100 could be used and placed inside the bag to help keep the solid food stuffs at a desired orientation (for example, to keep French fry boxed upright). However, in solid-foodstuff-only orders where a carton is desired or needed, there would be no need to include a beverage holding carton in the packaging of that order because the add-on carton is separable, and initially separate, from the beverage holding carton.
Of course, assembly 50, with its central beverage holding carton and two add-on cartons is generally used only for orders with multiple drinks and multiple solid, packaged foodstuffs—exactly the type of orders that are most difficult for the customer to carry due to the weight and volume of the food. This is where a “primary,” beverage holding carton may be provided with one, two (or in some embodiments even more) add-on cartons. The drinks are held in the center of the assembly, secured in recesses (in this embodiment, rectangular recesses) in the beverage holding chamber 77. More specifically, in this embodiment, these recesses (not shown) are formed by the cruciform divider 79 and the interior surfaces of the base member (not shown) and the four upstanding peripheral walls (no separate reference numbers, only one of these four walls is shown in
When both beverages and solid, packaged foodstuffs make up a food order, it is preferable to have the beverage cups at the center so that they don't form long moment arms along the base member in either of the orthogonal horizontal directions defined by cruciform divider 79. In simpler terms, because they are close to the center of the assembly, and not cantilevered away from the center, the assembly is easier for a user to support, and support stably, as she moves the assembly from one place (for example, the food counter) to another (for example, her vehicle's cargo storage area). On the other hand, the solid foodstuffs tend to be less massive than the beverages, so they can be positioned away from the center, and away from the handle, without creating large moment arms or other stability issues.
While a centrally-located beverage cup holding carton, having a centrally located handle, is preferred, other embodiments of the present invention might not include these things. It has already been mentioned that the beverage holding carton may be designed to hold other types of foodstuffs. Also, some embodiments of the present invention may have no handles, and other embodiments may have handles provided on the add-on carton (as will be discussed below in connection with the add-on embodiment carton of
As shown in
More specifically, the tabs of add-on carton 100a hook over peripheral wall of chamber 77, and the tabs of add-on carton 100b hook over the opposite peripheral wall so that the two add-cartons are assembled 180 degrees apart about the central vertical axis of the primary carton. This means that the assembly can be packed with foodstuffs in such as way as to be roughly balanced about its vertical center plane. For example, if the order includes only three beverages, then there will be two beverages on one side of the center plane (let's say the 102a side) and only one beverage on the other side (let's say the 102b side). However, in this situation, carton 102b can be packed with more of the solid foodstuffs, especially the heavier ones, in order to maintain balance about the vertical plane and thereby reduce the amount of support against rotation of the assembly by the user as she carries the assembly about.
The tabs and their recesses are located at a vertical height based on the height of the primary carton with which the add-on carton is designed to detachably attach. When assembly 50 is lifted up, it it's the tab-and-slot engagements 110 that prevent the add-on cartons from falling in the vertical direction V, under the influence of gravity. The detachably attachable connection is also formed in part by the abutment 111 between the respective upstanding peripheral walls of the primary carton and the add-on carton. This abutment prevents the add-on carton from rotating in the R2 direction about the top edge of the upstanding peripheral wall of chamber 77 of carton 75. The weight of solid food stuffs 85 help prevent rotation in the R1 direction. If desired, the add-on chamber can be detached by the customer by lifting the add-on carton away from the primary carton to release tab-and-slot engagement 110.
Many alternative types attachment hardware sets for forming the detachably attachment between the add-on carton and the primary carton are possible (although not necessarily preferred). At a general level, it is noted that the primary carton (for example, the beverage holding carton) could have hardware built into it (beyond a mere peripheral wall with a top edge) that forms part (or all) of the attachment hardware set. As a simple example, the peripheral walls of chamber 77 of carton 75, or the corners between the upstanding peripheral walls, could be cut with slots to accept tabs extending from the various add-on cartons. As a further (not necessarily preferred) example, both the primary carton and the add-on carton could be provided with mutually engagable hook-and-loop fabric to form detachable attachments that way. While there may be assembly embodiments of the present invention where respective upstanding peripheral walls of the primary carton and secondary carton do not abut, this is a highly preferred feature of many embodiments of the present invention.
As shown in
Interior space 306 is sized and shaped to receive the beverage holding carton. A beverage holding carton can be detachably attached to add-on 300 in its interior space 306 by: (i) the abutment between an exterior side of the base member of the beverage holding carton and the interior side of the base member of the add-on; (ii) the abutment between the exterior surfaces of the upstanding peripheral walls of the beverage holding carton and the upstanding peripheral walls defining interior space 306; and (iii) the insertion of tabs 308 into corresponding slots in the beverage holding carton. To attach the beverage holding carton to add-on 300: (i) the beverage holding carton is vertically descended into interior space 306 until it bottoms out on the base member of add-on 300; and (ii) tabs 308 are inserted into corresponding slots in the beverage holding carton
It is noted that, in embodiment 300, the base member of the add-on runs underneath the primary carton. This means that the primary carton does not need to have a handle, or, if it does have a handle, the handle need not be used because a handle could be provided on the add-on. For example a handle could extend all the way from one end of add-on 300 to the other.
Interior space 406: (i) is sized and shaped to receive the beverage holding carton; and (ii) has no base member at its bottom edge (see lowermost cut-away on
It is noted that, in embodiment 400, the base member of the add-on does not runs underneath the primary carton. This means that the primary carton will generally need to be directly supported by the user and will probably need a handle for this purpose. Also, the engagement between tabs 408 and the corresponding slots (not shown) in the beverage carton must be very secure so that the add-on does not fall away from the primary carton when the primary carton is lifted by its handle.
Any and all published documents mentioned herein shall be considered to be incorporated by reference, in their respective entireties. The following definitions are provided for claim construction purposes:
Present invention: means “at least some embodiments of the present invention,” and the use of the term “present invention” in connection with some feature described herein shall not mean that all claimed embodiments (see DEFINITIONS section) include the referenced feature(s).
Embodiment: a machine, manufacture, system, method, process and/or composition that may (not must) be within the scope of a present or future patent claim of this patent document; often, an “embodiment” will be within the scope of at least some of the originally filed claims and will also end up being within the scope of at least some of the claims as issued (after the claims have been developed through the process of patent prosecution), but this is not necessarily always the case; for example, an “embodiment” might be covered by neither the originally filed claims, nor the claims as issued, despite the description of the “embodiment” as an “embodiment.”
First, second, third, etc. (“ordinals”): Unless otherwise noted, ordinals only serve to distinguish or identify (e.g., various members of a group); the mere use of ordinals shall not be taken to necessarily imply order (for example, time order, space order).
Mechanically connected: Includes both direct mechanical connections, and indirect mechanical connections made through intermediate components; includes rigid mechanical connections as well as mechanical connection that allows for relative motion between the mechanically connected components; includes, but is not limited, to welded connections, solder connections, connections by fasteners (for example, nails, bolts, screws, nuts, hook-and-loop fasteners, knots, rivets, quick-release connections, latches and/or magnetic connections), force fit connections, friction fit connections, connections secured by engagement caused by gravitational forces, pivoting or rotatable connections, and/or slidable mechanical connections.
Carton: not limited to paperboard, or any other material, or group of materials.
Wall: a generally flat structure; may include apertures, embossments, discontinuities or the like, may be generally planar or curved.
Upstanding: generally vertical; may be angled or include angled portions; may be curved or include curved portions.
Unless otherwise explicitly provided in the claim language, steps in method or process claims need only be performed that they happen to be set forth in the claim only to the extent that impossibility or extreme feasibility problems dictate that the recited step order be used. This broad interpretation with respect to step order is to be used regardless of alternative time ordering (that is, time ordering of the claimed steps that is different than the order of recitation in the claim) is particularly mentioned or discussed in this document. Any step order discussed in the above specification, and/or based upon order of step recitation in a claim, shall be considered as required by a method claim only if: (i) the step order is explicitly set forth in the words of the method claim itself; and/or (ii) it would be substantially impossible to perform the method in a different order. Unless otherwise specified in the method claims themselves, steps may be performed simultaneously or in any sort of temporally overlapping manner. Also, when any sort of time ordering is explicitly set forth in a method claim, the time ordering claim language shall not be taken as an implicit limitation on whether claimed steps are immediately consecutive in time, or as an implicit limitation against intervening steps.
