DISPOSABLE CARRY-OUT FOOD CONTAINER

Abstract

A disposable carry-out food container shaped like a picnic basket. The subject food container has a bottom wall having two side edges extending in a longitudinal direction between opposing ends, two end walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall at the opposing ends respectively, two side walls extending upwardly from the two side edges of the bottom wall to extend in the longitudinal direction between the opposing ends, two lid panels supported on the walls for pivotal movement about respective lateral axes oriented generally perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction between a closed position in which the lid panels enclose an open top end of the container and an open position in which the open top end is substantially unobstructed by the lid panels, and at least one handle coupled at opposing ends on the two side walls respectively such that said at least one handle extends generally in a direction of the lateral axes between the two side walls.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the container in an open position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container according to FIG. 1 in a closed position.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the container according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the container according to FIG. 1 in an unfolded and pre-assembled condition.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the container.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the container.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the container.

FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are perspective views of a further embodiment of the container in respective closed and open positions.

Claims

1. A disposable carry-out food container comprising: a bottom wall having two side edges extending in a longitudinal direction between opposing ends;two end walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall at the opposing ends respectively;two side walls extending upwardly from the two side edges of the bottom wall to extend in the longitudinal direction between the opposing ends;two lid panels supported on the walls for pivotal movement about respective lateral axes oriented generally perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction between a closed position in which the lid panels enclose an open top end of the container and an open position in which the open top end is substantially unobstructed by the lid panels; andat least one handle coupled at opposing ends on the two side walls respectively such that said at least one handle extends generally in a direction of the lateral axes between the two side walls;the walls, lid panels and said at least one handle being configured to resemble a picnic basket.

2. The container according to claim 1 wherein the container is formed of lightweight, disposable and moisture resistant materials.

3. The container according to claim 1 wherein both an inner side and an outer side of the container are provided with a printed image thereon.

4. The container according to claim 1 wherein an outer surface of the container includes a wicker pattern printed thereon.

5. The container according to claim 1 wherein an inner surface of the container includes a tablecloth type pattern printed thereon.

6. The container according to claim 1 wherein the side walls increase in height from the end walls to an apex centrally located in the longitudinal direction.

7. The container according to claim 1 wherein the lid panels are hinged on the end walls respectively and meet one another at a longitudinal center of the container in the closed position.

8. The container according to claim 7 wherein one of the lid panels includes an integral extension panel having a tongue formed therein which mates with a slot in the other lid panel to latch the lid panels in the closed position.

9. The container according to claim 1 wherein there is provided only one handle spanning between the side walls at a longitudinal center of the container.

10. The container according to claim 1 wherein the handle is formed of a moisture resistant plastic material having greater strength than a material forming the walls of the container.

11. The container according to any one of claims 1 through 10 wherein the handle comprises a flat band of a flexible material having respective ends which are mounted flat against the respective side walls.

12. The container according to claim 1 wherein the handle includes a retainer flange formed at each end thereof for being selectively retained within a mating slot formed in a respective one of the side walls.

13. The container according to claim 1 wherein there is provided an upright divider wall supported within an interior of the container which is separate from said at least one handle and which is selectively removable from the interior of the container.

14. The container according to claim 1 wherein the lid panels are hinged on the end walls respectively and meet at respective free ends between the end walls and wherein there is provided an upright divider wall supported within an interior of the container which is supported between the free ends of the lid panels in the closed position of the lid panels.

15. The container according to claim 1 wherein there is provided an upright divider wall supported within the container which is selectively removable from the container and which includes a pair of bottom panels spanning outwardly from opposing sides of the divider to fully span the bottom wall of the container.

16. The container according to claim 1 wherein the bottom wall comprises a plurality of panels extending from the walls respectively in an overlapping configuration, wherein an uppermost one of the panels substantially fully spans the bottom wall of the container.

17. The container according to claims 1 through 16 wherein one of the lid panels includes a cut-out suitably shaped for mating with a bottle.

18. The container according to claim 1 wherein there is provided an upright divider wall supported within an interior of the container and wherein there is provided a cut-out formed in the divider which is suitably shaped for receiving a bottle therein.

19. A disposable carry-out food container comprising: a bottom wall having two side edges extending in a longitudinal direction between opposing ends;two end walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall at the opposing ends respectively;two side walls extending upwardly from the two side edges of the bottom wall to extend in the longitudinal direction between the opposing ends, the side walls increasing in height from the end walls to an apex centrally located in the longitudinal direction;two lid panels supported on the ends walls respectively for pivotal movement about respective lateral axes oriented generally perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction between a closed position in which respectively free ends of the lid panels meet at the apex of the side walls and the lid panels enclose an open top end of the container and an open position in which the open top end is substantially unobstructed by the lid panels; andat least one handle coupled at opposing ends on the two side walls respectively such that said at least one handle extends generally in a direction of the lateral axes between the two side walls;the walls, lid panels and said at least one handle being formed of lightweight, disposable and moisture resistant materialsan outer surface of the container including a wicker pattern printed thereon and an inner surface of the container including a tablecloth type pattern printed thereon;whereby the container is configured to resemble a picnic basket.

20. The container according to claim 19 wherein there is provided an upright divider wall which is separate from said at least one handle and which is supported within an interior of the container between the free ends of the lid panels in the closed position of the lid panels.