In general, the present invention relates to folded boxes and the paperboard blanks that are used to create folded boxes. More particularly, the present invention relates to folded boxes that fold into a configuration adapted to hold a serving of food and at least one beverage.
Many restaurants, food trucks, food stands, and concession stands sell food that is carried away by the customer for consumption a short distance way, such as in a car, stadium seat or park table. Often, such food is provided to the customer in an open box or tray. In this manner, the customer can access the food as he/she is walking to a seat. When food is provided in a box, the customer does not pay for the box. Rather, the cost of the box is an overhead expense of the food provider. As such, food provider tends to supply boxes that are as inexpensive as possible. The problem is that inexpensive boxes tend to be insubstantial boxes. As such, the boxes provided often lack the strength or integrity to hold more than one servicing of food and perhaps one beverage.
In the prior art there are many types of folded boxes that are intended to carry a serving of food and a beverage. Some of these prior art boxes provide areas within the box for food and a cup receptacle that can hold a beverage. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,833,458 to Toensmeier, a folding box is provided that is made by folding a blank of paperboard. When folded, the box provides an area for food and a receptacle for a cup. However, due to the folding pattern of the paperboard blank, large holes exist in the side walls of the food compartment of the folded box. This obviously undesirable because it allows food to fall out of the food compartment and it also enables surrounding contaminants to enter the food compartment.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,389 to Cai, a folding box is disclosed that is designed to hold both a food and beverages in separate areas. However, the design of the folding box requires that two separate blanks of paperboard be cut and then glued together for form the complete box. The need for two blanks adds significantly to the cost of the folding box, therein making the folding box commercially unviable.
A need therefore exists for a folded paperboard box that is strong, inexpensive, and can be folded from a single stamped blank of paperboard, wherein the box can hold both food and beverages without holes in the box. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below.
The present invention is a folded box that is made from a single stamped blank of paperboard. When folded, a box is formed that contains both a food trough for holding food and a beverage rail for holding beverage cups.
The paperboard blank has a base panel that is defined on the paperboard blank between a first fold line, a second fold line, a third fold line and a fourth fold line. A front panel is coupled to the base panel along the first fold line. Two side panels are coupled to the base panel along the third fold line and the fourth fold line. Slots are formed in the side panels. A rear panel is coupled to the base panel along the second fold line. A cup receptacle panel extends from the rear panel along a fifth fold line. Locking tabs extend from the cup receptacle panel. A support panel extends between the cup receptacle panel and the base panel.
The folded box is configurable between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration. When in the unfolded configuration, the locking tabs on the cup receptacle panel extend through the slots in the side panels, therein mechanically interconnecting the cup receptacle panel to the side panels. This locks the folded box into its unfolded configuration and ensure that the folded box will not collapse during use. This provides strength and integrity to the box even then a thin piece of paperboard is used for the box blank.
For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of exemplary embodiments thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Although the dimensions of the present invention folding box can be altered to make boxes of different sizes, only two exemplary folded boxes are illustrated and described. The selected folded boxes are sized to hold beverages and a serving of prepared food. The exemplary embodiments are selected in order to set forth two of the best modes contemplated for the invention. The illustrated embodiments, however, are merely exemplary and should not be considered a limitation when interpreting the scope of the appended claims.
Referring to
Referring to
Two side panels 38, 40 extend from opposite sides of the base panel 20. The side panels 38, 40 are divided from the base panel 20 along the short third and fourth fold lines 25, 27. The side panels 38, 40 terminate with free edges 42, 44 that are parallel to the third and fourth fold lines 25, 27 as well as two each other. The side panels 38, 40 have the same width as the front panel 22.
The seventh and eighth fold lines 46, 48 extend through the side panels 38, 40. The seventh and eighth fold lines 46, 48 define a triangular region 50, 52 within each of the side panels 38, 40. Additionally, a slot 54 is formed in each of the side panels 38, 40. The slot 54 is not straight, but is shaped as a dogleg. Each slot 54 has a straight section 56 that leads into an angled section 58. The straight sections 56 of the slots 54 are parallel to the free is parallel to the free edges 42, 44 of the side panels 38, 40. The angled sections 58 are inclined by an offset angle of between twenty degrees and forty-five degrees.
A rear panel 60 extends from the base panel 20 along the second long fold line 23. The rear panel 60 has a simple rectangular shape. The rear panel 60 extends into a cup receptacle panel 62, wherein the rear panel 60 and the cup receptacle panel 62 join along a ninth fold line 64. The cup receptacle panel 62 has one or more of the cup openings 18 formed therein. The cup receptacle panel 62 also has side edges 66, 68 that are perpendicular to the ninth fold line 64. Two locking tabs 70 extend laterally from the side edges 66, 68 of the cup receptacle panel 62. Each of the locking tabs 70 contains a flap section 71 that is not directly connected to the side edges 66, 68 of the cup receptacle panel 62. The locking tabs 70 are sized to engage the slots 54 in the side panels 38, 40 of the folded box 10, as is later explained.
A rectangular support panel 72 extends from the cup receptacle panel 62, opposite the rear panel 60. The rectangular support panel 72 is joined to the cup receptacle panel 62 along a tenth fold line 74. Lastly, a short attachment panel 76 extends from the rectangular support panel 72 opposite the cup receptacle panel 62.
Referring to
The rear panel 60 is folded perpendicular to the base panel 20 at the second fold line 23. This manipulation creates the beverage rail 16, wherein the rectangular support panel 72 mimics the orientation of the rear panel 60. The cup receptacle panel 62 extends horizontally between the rear panel 60 and the rectangular support panel 72. In this position, the locking tabs 70 extend laterally from the cup receptacle panel 62 in the horizontal plane.
The side panels 38, 40 and the front panel 22 are all folded to be perpendicular to the base panel 20. The side panels 38, 40 contain slots 54. As the side panels 38, 40 become perpendicular to the base panel 20, the locking tabs 70 that extend from the cup receptacle panel 62 pass through the slots 54 in the side panels 38, 40. The slots 54 are not straight. Rather, the slots 54 are shaped as a dogleg. Consequently, the locking tabs 70 must be temporarily deformed to pass through the slots 54. As has been previously stated, each locking tab 70 has a flap section 71 that is not directly affixed to the cup receptacle panel 62. Each flap section 71 is easily bent and can pass through the angled section 58 of the slots 54. Once through the slots 54, the resiliency inherent in the material of the blank 12 causes the flap section 71 to rebound to its unbent state. Once the flap section 71 rebounds, the locking tab 70 can no longer pass through the slot 54. The locking tabs 70, therefore, lock the side panels 38, 40 in an orientation that is perpendicular to the base panel 20.
Returning to
Referring to
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