Convertible food tray

Abstract

A food tray is automatically convertible from a flat position to an erect, elevated position. The food tray is fabricated as a blank, preferably of rigid cardboard, which is appropriately folded and, with interlocking tabs, assembled to lay flat under the food, particularly a pizza pie, when the pizza remains in its flat delivery box. When the pizza is to be removed from its box, the central tray section of the convertible food tray is lifted, with the pizza thereon. This permits folded wing sections of the tray located beneath the central section to swing down to become tray leg support members. When the support members of the tray are placed on a table or similar surface, the weight of the pizza on the central section compels the support members inward, to a position perpendicular to the central section, to securely provide elevated support to the pizza on the food tray.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pizza pies are routinely packaged and delivered in the flat cardboard boxes with which most consumers are familiar. A typical box consists of the relatively large, open main container section, two to three inches in depth, in which the pizzas are placed, and large lids which are connected to the container section and serve to enclose the pizzas within the boxes. This type pizza box, used for years, is perfectly suited for safely housing, protecting, transporting, and delivering pizzas. However, the box is not particularly accommodating in the post-delivery process. Once the box's lid is pulled back and the box is opened, access to and retrieval of the pizza itself presents certain annoying challenges. Reaching into the box to lift out a hot pizza presents several obvious problems, as does where to put the pizza once it is removed from the box. If the pizza is left in the box, the box most often remains on the table while individual slices of pizza are awkwardly removed. The size of the box itself, especially when the lid is open, takes up a large amount of space. This usually results in the lid being haphazardly ripped off, causing an unsightly torn box, disruption of the pizza in the box, and loose scattered pieces of ripped cardboard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is thus the object of the present invention to overcome the limitations, disadvantages and challenges presented by the packaging and transporting of flat foods, particularly pizzas, in their boxes or enclosures.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a convertible food tray which can be folded flat and placed within a flat pizza type box in order to support a pizza or similarly shaped hot or cold food item in the box.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a convertible food tray which can be lifted out of a flat pizza type box, with a pizza resting on the tray, and in which leg support members will automatically open to securely support the pizza on the tray in an elevated position.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a convertible food tray which is very economical to manufacture in mass quantities, but individually very lightweight.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a convertible food tray which is easy to assemble and readily and quickly positioned in an existing pizza type box.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a convertible food tray which is extremely simple to use and which is easily disposed of or available for reuse.

These and other objects are accomplished by the present invention, a food tray which is automatically convertible from a flat position to an erect, elevated position. The food tray is fabricated as a blank, preferably of rigid cardboard, which is appropriately folded and, with interlocking tabs, assembled to lay flat under the food, particularly a pizza pie, when the pizza remains in its flat delivery box. When the pizza is to be removed from its box, the central tray section of the convertible food tray is lifted, with the pizza thereon. This permits folded wing sections of the tray located beneath the central section to swing down to become tray leg support members. When the support members of the tray are placed on a table or similar surface, the weight of the pizza on the central section compels the support members inward, to a position perpendicular to the central section, to securely provide elevated support to the pizza on the food tray.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention, itself, however, both as to its design, construction and use, together with additional features and advantages thereof, are best understood upon review of the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of the inner surface side of the open blank of the food tray of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the blank of the food tray of the present invention, partially assembled.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the food tray of the present invention in its collapsed position.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the food tray of the present invention supporting a pizza pie before being placed on a table or similar surface.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the food tray of the present invention supporting a pizza pie on a table or similar surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Convertible food tray 1 of the present invention comprises flat blank 2. It is critical that blank 2 be made of a rigid cardboard, or equivalent material, which allows the blank to be folded, but still retain its integrity and rigidity. The type of cardboard commonly utilized for commercial flat pizza boxes is representative of the type of material which is contemplated.

Blank 2 has tray or central section 3 with inner surface 4 and outer surface 5, and wing members 6a and 6b extending from and connected to the central section at fold lines 8a and 8b, located between the central section and the wing members. Wing members 6a and 6b each comprise a plurality of foldable segments, including intermediate support segments 10a and 10b extending from central section 3 and separated by fold lines 8a and 8b, and outer support segments 12a and 12b extending from intermediate segments 10a and 10b and separated by fold lines 14a and 14b which are parallel to fold lines 8a and 8b.

Intermediate support segments 10a and 10b comprise triangular shaped segments 16a/18a and 16b/18b separated by fold lines 20a/22a and 20b/22b. End segments 24a/26a and 24b/26b extend from triangular segments 16a/18a and 16b/18b and are separated by fold lines 28a/30a and 28b/30b. End segments 24a/26a and 24b/26b each have tab members 32a/34a and 32b/34b.

Outer support segments 12a and 12b comprise lateral segments 36a/38a and 36b/38b separated by fold lines 40a/42a and 40b/42b. Lateral segments 36a/38a comprise segments 43a/44a, 46a/48a, and 50a/52a. Segments 43a/50a and 44a/52a are separated from outer support segment 12a by fold lines 40a and 42a. Segments 46a/50a and 48a/52a are separated by fold lines 54a/56a. Cut out openings 58a and 60a extend between segments 43a/50a and 44a/52a. Partial cutout openings 62a and 64a extend between segments 43a/46a and 44a/48a.

Likewise, lateral segments 36b/38b comprise segments 43b/44b, 46b/48b, and 50b/52b. Segments 43b/50b and 44b/52b are separated from outer support segment 12b by fold lines 40b and 42b. Segments 46b/50b and 48b/52b are separated by fold lines 54b/56b. Cut out openings 58b and 60b extend between segments 43b/46b and 44b/52b. Partial cutout openings 62b and 64b extend between segments 43b/46b and 44b/48b.

Convertible food tray 1 is easily and quickly assembled as follows. Open blank 2 is positioned such it is resting on outer surface 5 of central member 3 as seen in FIG. 1. Wing member 6a is first folded down onto inner surface 4 of the central section, at fold line 8a. See FIG. 2 which shows wing member 6b fully assembled and the assembly of wing member 6a in progress. With intermediate support segment 10a resting on inner surface 4, outer support segment 12a is folded up so that it is upstanding and substantially perpendicular to central section 3. Lateral segments 36a and 38a are folded at fold lines 40a and 42a so that they are also upstanding and substantially perpendicular to central section 3. End segments 24a and 26a are folded up at fold lines 28a and 30a so they too are substantially perpendicular to central section 3 and outboard of upstanding lateral segments 36a and 38a. Tab members 32a and 34a are next inserted through cutout openings 58a/60a and 62a/64a to interlock the ends of intermediate support segment 10a to outer support segment 12a.

The identical assembly process is performed with the segments which comprise wing member 6b.

When outer support segments 12a and 12b of wing members 6a and 6b are folded up at fold lines 14a and 14b, the wing members are upstanding and substantially perpendicular to central section 3, as seen in FIG. 2.

To place food tray in its fully collapsed position, assembled wing members 6a and 6b are folded down onto inner surface 4 of central section 3, such that all segments of the wing members lay flat and are substantially parallel to the central section. This is accomplished by folding wing members 6a and 6b down onto central section 3 via fold lines 14a and 14b and then folding lateral sections 36a/38a and 36b/38b down onto outer support segments 12a and 12b via fold lines 40a/42a and 40b/42b. When fully folded on central section 2, the outboard edges of outer support segments 12a and 12b of wing members 6a and 6b almost meet. See FIG. 3.

In use, assembled food tray 1 is initially positioned with outer surface 5 of central section 3 facing up and assembled wing members 6a and 6b folded flat beneath the central section in collapsed position as shown in FIG. 3. A pizza pie 100, or like food, is placed on outer surface 5 of central section 3. Especially with the weight of pizza 100 thereon, food tray 1 remains in its collapsed, folded position. Food tray 1, with pizza 100 thereon, is then lifted to allow wing members 6a and 6b to swing down and out from below central section 3 and thus to be repositioned downward from the central section as tray leg support members. See FIG. 4. When food tray 1, with wing support members 6a and 6b extended downward, is placed down on a table or other surface, the weight of pizza 100 pushes central section 3 down, which in turn forces down intermediate support sections 10a and 10b and triangular shaped segments 16a/18a and 16b/18b, via fold lines 8a/8b, 20a/28a, 22a/30a, 20b/28b and 22b/30b. This compels wing support members 6a and 6b inward and substantially perpendicular to central section 3, thereby providing the requisite support to maintain food tray 1, with pizza 100 thereon, in a stable, elevated position. See FIG. 5.

After pizza 100 is consumed, food tray 1 can be disposed of or, if it is needed for reuse, wing support members 6a and 6b can simply be refolded and collapsed beneath central section 3 once again.

Certain novel features and components of this invention are disclosed in detail in order to make the invention clear in at least one form thereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention as disclosed is not necessarily limited to the exact form and details as disclosed, since it is apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A symmetrical one piece flat blank for a convertible food tray comprising: a flat central section having a given dimensional width, two diametrically opposite lateral sides, a top edge and a bottom edge, a flat first wing section attached to and extending from one lateral side of the central section, a fold line between the two sections, a flat second wing section identical to the first wing section extending from the second lateral side of the central section, and a second fold line between the second wing section and the central section, each of the wing sections having a dimensional width of approximately one-half the dimensional width of the central section, the wing sections attached to the lateral sides of the central section comprising the only attachments of the blank which extend from the central section, the central section having nothing attached to its top and bottom edges, each wing section further comprising an intermediate support section, and an outer support section of equal dimensional lengths, a wing fold line parallel to the first and second fold lines extending the full lengths of and between the intermediate support sections and the outer support sections, foldable segments at the ends of both the intermediate and outer support sections, and segment fold lines between the foldable segments and the intermediate and outer support sections, the segment fold lines extending the entire width of the wing sections and perpendicular to the wing fold lines.

2. The blank for a convertible food tray as in claim 1 further comprising means at the ends of the intermediate support sections and the outer support sections of the wing sections for interconnecting the segments of said intermediate support sections to the segments of the outer support sections of the wing sections.

3. The blank as in claim 1 wherein blank consists of a rigid cardboard material.

4. A food tray for supporting food, said food tray being convertible between a collapsed food supporting position and an erect food elevating position and comprising: a central section having a given dimensional width and inner and outer surfaces, a first wing section attached to and extending from one side of the central section and a second wing section attached to and extending from the diametrically opposite side of the central section, the wing sections comprising the only attachments of the tray which extend from the central section, each of the wing sections further comprising an intermediate support section and an outer support section of equal dimensional lengths, a wing fold line extending the full lengths of and between the intermediate and outer support sections, foldable segments at the ends of both the intermediate and the outer support sections, and segment fold lines between the foldable segments and the intermediate support sections and outer support sections, the segment fold lines extending the entire width of the wing sections and perpendicular to the wing fold lines, the support sections and foldable segments of the wing sections being configured to be folded such that they are layered on top of the inner surface of the central section when the tray is in the collapsed position, at least one pair of said foldable segments in each wing section comprising interlocking segments, whereby the food tray is in the collapsed position to support food on the outer surface of the central section when each wing section is folded flat and is layered on top of the inner surface of the central section such that the wing sections are substantially parallel to the central section, the weight of the food on the outer surface of the central section maintains the food tray in said collapsed position, and upon the food tray with the food on the central section being lifted from the collapsed position, the wing sections are caused to swing down and out from below the central section to a position substantially perpendicular to the central section to elevate the food tray to the erect position and the central section to a dimensional height equivalent to the dimensional widths of the outer support sections and at least one-third the dimensional width of the central section.

5. The food tray as in claim 4 wherein segments of the intermediate support section and the outer support section of each wing member interlock at the ends of said sections.

6. The food tray as in claim 4 wherein when the tray is in the collapsed position, the intermediate support sections and outer support sections of each wing section lay substantially parallel to each other, and when the food tray is in the erect position, the intermediate support section of each wing section is substantially perpendicular to the outer support section of its respective wing member.

7. The food tray as in claim 4 wherein the central section and both wing sections are made of rigid cardboard material.