BULK CONTAINER FOR CATERING OR LARGE FOOD ORDERS

Abstract

A foldable carton blank, and erected carton are provided which include vertical and/or horizontal dividers. The dividers are removably attached to the foldable carton blank. A method of erecting a carton from such a blank is also provided.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to a container and more specifically relates to a four-wall container made of a foldable material and formed from a one-piece blank, parts of which may be separated from the rest.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Boxes of various sizes and structures have been made to transport food, most of them sized for a single serving or small serving of food, such as a single sandwich or a single pizza. However, restaurants and catering companies often need to deliver prepared food in an amount that is a large quantity. While larger boxes are available, often times such caterers and food distributors desire a large container where different kinds of foods can be separated but still delivered in a single container such as a large box.

Accordingly, there is a desire in the food preparation and catering marketplace for a container that will facilitate the housing of multiple food items and which can be separated into multiple compartments for different foods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the carton of the present invention includes a bottom, front and rear walls, side walls, and a vertical or horizontal divider. The carton also preferably includes a top or lid, and in blank form, the divider or dividers are removably attached to the remainder of the carton blank.

One embodiment of the present invention is a four-wall container made of a foldable material having a bottom wall panel. The bottom panel has a front edge, a pair of side edges, and a rear edge. A front wall is hingedly joined to the front edge. A first side wall is hingedly joined to one of the side edges and a second side wall is hingedly joined to the other side edge. A rear wall is hingedly joined to the rear edge. Each of the front wall, the first and second side walls, and the rear wall is configured to be folded to a position, substantially vertical, that is substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall panel. Each of the front and rear walls has attached to it a flap on both sides thereof, the flaps for adding support to the box and to help hold the box together in the upright position, as described in more detail below.

The front and rear walls each preferably has slits therein, defining holding flaps. Each side wall has hingedly attached to it at the top of the side wall a narrow flap having tabs on opposite sides thereof to assist in retaining the box in an upright position once it is erected. Hingedly attached to the rear wall is a top cover. The top cover has a front flap with angled edges for insertion into the interior of the box when erected, and thus, closure of the container. In the blank form, each of the top cover and front flap optionally has removably attached thereto a large outer flap—which may be used as a separation member—that includes a central panel and two outer members which are hingedly attached to the center flap. The large outer flap is sized to fit into the interior of the box when erected to create a shelf or a horizontal separator so that certain foods will not get ruined and/or additional food can be added to the carton. At the opposite end of the blank, removably attached to the front wall and the flaps hingedly attached to the front wall, are two vertical dividers. Each vertical divider has a center portion and two U-shaped ends that are each hingedly attached to the center portion. The vertical dividers are configured to be held in place by the holding flaps when inserted into the erected carton.

To erect and use the box, the large outer flap is optionally removed from the top cover and front flap (if vertical separation is desired), and the vertical dividers are removed from the front wall and the flaps hingedly attached thereto. The box is then erected. With the bottom portion lying on a flat, horizontal surface, the flaps attached to the front and rear walls, respectively, are folded upwardly until they are substantially perpendicular to the front and rear wall flaps (i.e. substantially vertical). The front and rear walls are then folded, relative to the bottom portion, such that they are in a substantially vertical position and thus substantially perpendicular to the bottom panel. Each of the side walls is then folded upwardly relative to the bottom panel. The top flaps on the side walls are folded downwardly relative to the side walls, over the flaps attached to the front and rear walls. The tabs on the upper flaps are inserted into notches in the front and rear walls. One or both vertical dividers are then inserted into the slits in the front and rear walls, and/or the large separation member is inserted into the interior of the box. The top cover can then be folded over the interior space and the front flap inserted into the interior space to close the carton.

Other advantages, objects and/or purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons familiar with constructions of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a one-piece blank made of a foldable material;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a container formed from the blank illustrated in FIG. 1 having vertical dividers inserted therein;

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a container formed from the blank illustrated in FIG. 1 having a vertical divider inserted therein;

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of a container formed from the blank illustrated in FIG. 1, with a portion of the front wall removed for illustration purposes, and having a large separation member inserted therein; and

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of a one-piece blank for a container made of a foldable material.

Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience and reference only and will not be limiting. The words “up,” “down,” “left,” and “right” will designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “front” and “rear” will designate the front of the container facing the reader in FIG. 4 and the other directions will follow accordingly. Such terminology will include derivatives and words of similar import.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A first embodiment of a one-piece, four-wall container 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 and is made of a foldable material such as corrugated paper board. Referring to FIG. 1, the container is shown in blank form, and has a substantially rectangular bottom panel 12. Bottom panel 12 has a front edge 14, a rear edge 16 generally parallel to front edge 14, and a pair of generally parallel side edges 18, 20 which are opposite one another. A front wall 22 is hingedly joined to the front edge 14 via a fold line formed along front edge 14. A first side wall 24 is hingedly joined to side edge 18 via a fold line formed along side edge 18, and a second side wall 26 is hingedly joined to side edge 20 via a fold line formed along side edge 20. A rear wall 28 is hingedly joined to the rear edge 16 via a fold line formed along rear edge 16. Each of the front wall 22, the first and second side walls 24, 26, and the rear wall 28 is configured to be folded to a position that is substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall panel 12 as illustrated in FIGS. 2-4.

Front wall 22 has a top edge 30 spaced from and generally parallel to front edge 14, and two oppositely disposed and generally parallel side edges 32, 34. A side flap 36 is hingedly attached to edge 32 via a fold line formed along edge 32 and a side flap 38 is hingedly attached to edge 34 via a fold line formed along edge 34. A notch 40 is scored along or adjacent edge 32 toward the top of wall 22 and flap 36, and a notch 42 is scored along or adjacent edge 34 toward the top of wall 22 and flap 38. Side flaps 36, 38 are generally rectangular in shape, and each has a cutout portion at its respective upper, outer corner. Flap 36 includes cutout portion 44, and flap 38 includes cutout portion 46.

Front wall 22 also includes two slits 48, 50 therein. Slits 48 and 50 are spaced apart from one another and are each generally semi-circular in shape and mirror images of each other. The slits 48, 50 are scored through the entire thickness of the front wall 22 such that flaps are created that can be moved with respect to front wall 22. Slits 48 and 50 define flaps 52 and 54 which may be folded inwardly into the interior of the container 10 along fold lines 49 and 51, respectively, which in the illustrated embodiment are generally parallel to each other and edges 32 and 34. It is contemplated that one slit or more than two slits could be provided in both the front wall and rear wall, that shapes other than semi-circular could be used, and that the slits could be oriented in a direction so that same are not mirror images to one another.

Attached to the top edge 30 are two vertical dividers 60, 62. Vertical divider 60 is removably attached, along one or more perforated areas, to both front wall 22 and side flap 36, and includes a center member 70, which is approximately the same width as the carton 10 (denoted by “W” in FIG. 1). Center member 70 includes arms 72 and 74. Arm 72 is hingedly attached to an end member 76 along a fold line formed along an edge 75. End member 76 is generally C-shaped in the illustrated embodiment, but may be other shapes if desired. A second C-shaped end member 78 is hingedly joined to center member 70 along a fold line at an edge 77. Edges 75 and 77 are generally parallel to each other and to edges 32, 34. A second vertical divider 62 is also removably attached, along one or more perforated areas, to the top edge 30 of the front wall 22 and to side flap 38. The second vertical divider 62 preferably has the same shape and structure as the first vertical divider 60. Thus, vertical divider 62 includes a center member 80 comprising arms 82, 84 on opposite sides of the center member 80, and end members 86, 88. Arm 82 terminates at edge 85 and arm 84 terminates at edge 87. End member 86 is hingedly joined along a fold line to edge 85, and end member 88 is hingedly joined along a fold line to edge 87. Edges 85 and 87 are generally parallel to each other and to edges 32, 34. The first and second vertical dividers 60, 62 are removably attached to one another at a perforated area via end members 78 and 86. The areas of perforated attachment are shown as Xs in FIG. 1.

Side wall 24 has a cutout 90 in its side edge adjacent the front wall 22. The cutout 90 is in the general shape of an outer member 150 of a large outer flap 142, discussed in more detail below. Side wall 24 has a top edge 92 which has hingedly attached to it a top flap 94 via a fold line formed along top edge 92. The top flap 94 has two tabs 96, 98, extending therefrom, one on either side. Tab 96 extends in the direction of the front wall 22 and tab 98 extends in the direction of the rear wall 28. Side wall 26 is a mirror image of side wall 24. Specifically, side wall 26 includes a cutout 100, which faces or opens in the direction of front wall 22 and is in the general shape of an outer member 152 of large outer flap 142. Side wall 26 has a top edge 102 with a top flap 104 hingedly attached thereto via a fold line formed along top edge 102. Top flap 104 includes oppositely projecting tabs 106, 108 extending from either side of top flap 104. Notches 40, 42 are sized to receive tabs 96, 106 which are part of side wall top flaps.

Rear wall 28 includes a top edge 110, a first side edge 112, and a second side edge 114. Rear wall 28 has attached to it two side flaps 116, 118. Side flap 116 is hingedly joined to the first side edge 112 via a fold line formed along edge 112 and side flap 118 is hingedly joined to second side edge 114 via a fold line formed along edge 114. Side flaps 116 and 118 are mirror images of side flaps 36 and 38, respectively and thus have cutout portions 121 and 123, respectively, that extend in the same direction. Between side flap 116 and rear wall 28 along first side edge 112 is a notch 120 and between side flap 118 and rear wall 28 along second side edge 114 is a notch 122. Notches 120, 122 are for receiving tabs 98 and 108, respectively. Rear wall 28 also includes two generally semi-circular slits 124, 126. Slit 124 is a mirror image of slit 48 and creates a flap 128 which is joined to the rear wall 28 at a fold line 125. Because flap 128 is essentially a mirror image of flap 52, flap 128 extends in the same direction (toward side wall 24) as flap 52. Slit 126 creates a semi-circular flap 130 that is joined to rear wall 28 at a fold line 127. Because flap 130 is a mirror image of flap 54, flap 130 extends in the same direction (toward side wall 26) as flap 54. Fold lines 125 and 127 are generally parallel to each other and to edges 112, 114.

A generally rectangular top panel 132, or lid, is hingedly joined to the top edge 110 of rear wall 28 via a fold line formed along top edge 110. The lid 132 is, in the illustrated embodiment, the same size and shape as bottom panel 12 and includes a small flap 134 extending from an outer edge 136 of the lid 132. The small flap 134 is hingedly joined to outer edge 136 via a fold line formed therealong and includes angled sides 138, 140, i.e. sides which angle towards one another as same project away from edge 136, for easy insertion into the interior of the box 10. A large outer flap 142 is removably attached to the lid 132 and small flap 134 along perforated areas denoted by Xs in FIG. 1. The large outer flap 142 includes a generally rectangular central panel 144 which has two substantially parallel side edges 146, 148. The large outer flap 142 also includes a first outer member 150 hingedly joined to side edge 146 via a fold line formed along side edge 146, and a second outer member 152 hingedly joined to side edge 148 via a fold line formed along side edge 148. Outer members 150, 152 are sized and shaped to fit within the spaces defined by cutouts 90, 100 and side flaps 36, 38.

FIG. 2 shows the container 10 of FIG. 1 in erected form. To erect the carton 10, vertical dividers 60 and 62 are removed from the remainder of the carton blank and separated from each other. Large outer flap 142 may also be removed from the remainder of the carton, depending on whether it is going to be used in the interior of the carton 10 once the carton is erected. After these pieces are removed, if the remainder of the blank is lying generally horizontally (which is preferred, but not essential), front wall flap 22, along with side flaps 36, 38 are folded upwardly about the fold line formed along edge 14 until they are substantially vertical, and thus perpendicular to bottom panel 12. Once substantially vertical, side flaps 36, 38 are folded inwardly about fold lines formed along edges 32, 34, i.e. toward the rear wall 28. The rear wall panel 28 is then folded upwardly about the fold line formed along edge 16 in a similar manner to a substantially vertical position, along with side flaps 116 and 118. Side flaps 116, 118 are then folded inwardly, i.e. about fold lines formed along edges 112, 114, toward the front wall 22 such that they are substantially perpendicular to rear wall 28. One of the side walls, such as side wall 24, is folded upwardly about the fold line along edge 18, with respect to bottom panel 12 to a substantially vertical position. Subsequently, top flap 94 is folded over side flaps 36 and 116 about the fold line along top edge 92 and down into the interior of the carton 10. Tab 96 is inserted into notch 40 and tab 98 is inserted into notch 120, which effectively holds the side wall 24 and side flaps 36, 116 in place. Similarly, side wall 26 is folded upwardly about the fold line along edge 20 to a substantially vertical position and top flap 104 is folded inwardly and downwardly about the fold line along top edge 102 over side flaps 38 and 118. Tab 106 is inserted into notch 42, and tab 108 is inserted into notch 122 to effectively hold side wall 26 and side flaps 38, 118 in place. Front wall 22 and rear wall 28 are also thus held in place, creating an erected carton.

Once erected, one or both vertical dividers 60, 62 may be inserted into the interior of carton 10. To insert vertical divider 60, end members 76 and 78 are folded relative to the center member 70 about the fold lines along edges 75, 77, respectively, preferably substantially perpendicularly. As shown in FIG. 2, flap 52 is moved inwardly about fold line 49 into the interior of carton 10, which results in a holding space 154 between flap 52 and the plane in which front wall 22 resides. Similarly, flap 128 is folded interiorly about fold line 125 to create a holding space 156 between flap 128 and the plane in which the rear wall 28 resides. A portion of end member 78 is then placed within the holding space 154 and a portion of the end member 76 is placed within the holding space 156, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Flaps 52 and 128 are biased against end members 78 and 76, respectively, to hold the end members against the front wall 30 and rear wall 28, respectively. In similar fashion, vertical divider 62 may be inserted into the interior of carton 10. Vertical divider 62 may be erected by folding end members 86, 88 relative to center member 80 about fold lines along edges 85, 87, respectively, such that the end members 86, 88 are substantially perpendicular to center member 80. Flap 54 is moved about fold line 51 toward the interior of carton 10 to define a holding space 158, and flap 130 is moved about fold line 127 toward the interior of carton 10 to define a holding space 160. A portion of end member 88 is placed within holding space 158 and a portion of end member 86 is placed within holding space 160. Flap 54 is biased against end member 88 to hold end member 88 against front wall 22 and flap 130 is biased against end member 86 to hold end member 86 against rear wall 28. Once one or more vertical dividers are positioned within the interior of carton 10, the lid 132 may be folded downwardly about the fold line along top edge 110 to close off the interior of container 10. If large flap 142 has not been removed, central panel 144 is folded, along with small flap 134, about the fold line along edge 136 so that central panel 144 lies in juxta-posed relation to front wall 22. Outer member 152 may be folded about the fold line along edge 148 and inserted between side flap 38 and side wall 26 by use of cutout 100, and outer member 150 may be folded about the fold line along edge 146 and inserted between side flap 36 and side wall 24 by use of cutout 90.

Alternatively, large outer flap 142 may be removed from the lid 132 and small flap 134 to be used as a shelf or separator in the interior of carton 10. Once removed from the remainder of the carton blank, outer members 150 and 152 are folded about the fold lines along edges 146 and 148, respectively in the same direction relative to, and preferably perpendicularly to, central panel 144. The large outer flap 142 can then be placed within the interior of the carton 10, as shown in FIG. 4. Outer members 150, 152 act as legs to support central panel 144 which acts as a shelf spaced downwardly from top edges 30, 110.

A second embodiment of a carton blank 10A with dividers is depicted in FIG. 5. Components of carton blank 10A that are identical or virtually identical to those of the first embodiment are indicated using the same numbers as for the first embodiment, but with the suffix “A”. The embodiment depicted in FIG. 5 does not include a large outer flap, and therefore does not include cutouts in the side walls 24A, 26A.

The embodiment of FIG. 5 has side flaps that are different in shape and structure than the side flaps of the first embodiment. Side flaps 160 and 162 are hingedly joined via fold lines along edges 32A and 34A, respectively. Side flaps 164 and 166 are hingedly joined via fold lines along edges 112A and 114A, respectively. Side flap 160 includes a cutout portion 170 and a notch 172 between a leg portion 174 and a main body portion 176. Likewise, side flap 162 includes a cutout portion 178 and a notch 180 between a leg portion 182 and a main body portion 184. Side flap 164 includes a cutout portion 186 and a notch 188 between a leg portion 190 and a main body portion 192. Likewise, side flap 166 includes a cutout portion 194 and a notch 196 between a leg portion 198 and a main body portion 200. When the blank of the carton 10A is lying flat (i.e. all in the same plane), leg portions 174 and 190 extend in the same direction, thus defining notches 172 and 188 that extend in the same direction. Leg portions 182 and 198 extend in the same direction when the blank is flat, thus defining notches 180 and 196 which extend in the same direction. Accordingly, when the front wall 22A and rear wall 28A are folded upwardly about fold lines along edges 19A and 16A, respectively, with respect to bottom wall panel 12A, and the side panels 160, 162, 164, 166 are folded inwardly via fold lines along edges 32A, 34A, 112A, and 114A, respectively, the respective leg portions and notches may interact with each other for side panels 160 and 164 and for side panels 162 and 166 such that they are effectively held in place.

Although particular preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fully-erected four-wall container made of a foldable material, comprising: a bottom wall panel having a front edge, a first side edge, a second side edge, and a rear edge;a front wall hingedly joined to the front edge, a first side wall hingedly joined to the first side edge, a second side wall hingedly joined to the second side edge, and a rear wall hingedly joined to the rear edge;a first flap hingedly joined to the front wall;a second flap hingedly joined to the rear wall;

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the end member of the vertical divider is a first end member, and the vertical divider comprises a second end member.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein the slit in the slitted wall is a first slit, the slitted wall is a first slitted wall, the holding flap is a first holding flap, and the holding space is a first holding space, the container further comprising a second slit in the other of the front wall and the rear wall creating a second slitted wall disposed in a second substantially vertical plane, the second slit being substantially a mirror image in shape with respect to the first slit and defining a second holding flap joined to the second slitted wall, the second holding flap being at least partially disposed out of the second substantially vertical plane of the second slitted wall thereby defining a second holding space between the second holding flap and the second substantially vertical plane of the second slitted wall, the second end member partially disposed within the second holding space.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein the rear wall comprises a rear top edge, the container further comprising a lid hingedly joined to the rear top edge.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein the lid has a lid front edge, and the container further comprises a large flap removably attached to the lid front edge.

6. The container of claim 5, wherein the large flap comprises two side members.

7. The container of claim 6, wherein the first flap has a cutout portion sized and shaped to allow receiving of a side member of the large flap.

8. The container of claim 1, and further comprising a third flap hingedly joined to the front wall and a fourth flap hingedly joined to the rear wall.

9. The container of claim 8, the first flap and the third flap each having a cutout portion.

10. A one-piece carton blank of a foldable material, comprising: a substantially rectangular bottom panel disposed in a plane and having a front edge, a first side edge, a second side edge, a rear edge, and a width defined by the first edge;a front wall panel hingedly joined to the front edge, the front wall panel having a slit therein defining a first biasing flap extending in a first direction, a front wall outer edge, a front wall first side edge, and a front wall second side edge, the first biasing flap being in a first position and configured to be moved substantially out of the plane of the bottom wall panel to a second position, the biasing flap and front wall panel configured to define a first receiving space when the biasing flap is in the second position;a first side wall panel hingedly joined to the first side edge;a second side wall panel hingedly joined to the second side edge;a rear wall panel hingedly joined to the rear edge; anda divider removably attached to the front wall outer edge, the divider comprising a center member, a first end member joined to the center member, and a second end member joined to the center member, the center member having a length dimension that is substantially the same as the width of the bottom wall panel.

11. The one-piece carton blank of claim 10, wherein the rear wall has a slit therein defining a second biasing flap, the second biasing flap extending in the first direction.

12. The one-piece carton blank of claim 10, wherein the divider is a first divider and the one-piece carton further comprises a second divider which is removably attached to the front wall outer edge.

13. The one-piece carton blank of claim 10, wherein the rear wall panel has a rear wall outer edge and the one-piece carton blank further comprises a lid panel hingedly joined to the rear wall outer edge, and a small closing flap hingedly joined to the lid panel.

14. The one-piece carton blank of claim 13, and further comprising a large outer flap removably joined to the lid panel and small closing flap.