This invention relates to a carton which is assembled from a sheet of cardboard-like material and has the shape and style of a sports car and is formed from side-by-side panels which, when assembled, present a sports car configuration having a cabin for receiving food or other items.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Cardboard trays and cartons having a sports car appearance hold food and other items for the convenience and interest of customers, children in particular, of fast-food restaurants. Designs displayed on the tray or carton create this interest and present designs and artwork that a child will recognize and enjoy. The carton for food or other items presents a unique and appealing sports car configuration in which the cabin behind the wheel is designed to receive food or other items.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In an embodiment of the present invention a carton having a space for holding food items is formed from semi-rigid sheet material having fold lines therein whereby front, rear, side, and top elements are formed that present a sports car configuration in which the space in the carton for holding the food or other items of interest is provided by an open compartment behind the steering wheel and windshield.
In another aspect of the invention, the sports car-like carton is formed by providing a sheet of semi-rigid material folded by the user to present a base panel, first and second laterally spaced side panels, and replicas of the front and rear wheels of the sports car for supporting the carton on a surface upon which the sports car may be placed.
In another aspect of the present invention a panel is folded to a position overlying a frontal portion of the carton and is shaped to present a hood of the carton at the front end thereof.
In a further aspect, the hood includes an upper, downwardly and forwardly extending nose portion and a lower, downwardly and rearwardly extending nose portion to thereby present a streamlined front end configuration.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the hood extends forwardly and downwardly over the side panels and is secured to a base panel to present a tapered hood presenting the front end of the sports car carton, and a cabin opening is provided rearwardly of the hood for holding food or other items.
In still another aspect of the invention, a simulated spoiler is provided that extends rearwardly and upwardly from the upper panel at the rear thereof and has opposed outer ends that are secured to the sheet to present the sports car configuration.
Additionally, in yet another aspect of the invention a spoiler extends rearward and upward at the rear end of the carton between the side panels to provide the sports car-like appearance.
Other features of the sports car carton and method of forming the same will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a sheet of paperboard showing the panel components and other elements of an embodiment of the carton before the components are folded and connected to one another to form the sports car carton of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows the initial folds of outer components of the paperboard sheet in the assembly of the carton.
FIG. 3 shows further folds of the outer components of the paperboard sheet which results in two flat layers of the carton components.
FIG. 4 shows the next step in construction wherein the partially assembled carton presents a top, a bottom and opposed side panels.
FIG. 5 shows the next step in which the hood and rear end are formed.
FIG. 6 shows a further step wherein the windshield is in place.
FIG. 7 shows a still further step in the assembly of the sports car carton wherein the back seat is folded down and in place.
FIG. 8 shows a punch out of a figure representing the driver of the sports car carton.
FIG. 9 shows the carton fully assembled.
FIG. 10 shows a carton similar to the carton of the FIG. 9 with a first modified embodiment of front end.
FIG. 11 shows a carton similar to the carton of FIG. 9 with a second modified embodiment of the front end.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a plan view of a sheet of paperboard from which the carton of the present invention is formed by folds made along parallel fold lines to present panels as will be described hereinbelow, and additional elements to form a carton having a sports car configuration for holding snacks, candy and other items of particular interest to children. Three embodiments of the invention to be set forth hereinbelow are referred to hereinafter as Shaker, Goldie and Sizzle. These are containers for food or other items of interest, particularly to children, and also provide space for holding food or these items of interest and provide an external display surface for decorative and advertising material.
The shaker embodiment is shown in FIG. 1 before assembly along fold lines to be set forth below. A first upper panel 20 has a rectangular configuration and has a front to rear fold line 22 at its outer longitudinal edge and a glue line 24 along its outer edge, plus points where glue is applied prior to assembly at, for example, each of six, small spaced circular areas 26. If desired, a lesser number of such circular areas, such as four, may be provided. A first side panel 28, a base panel 30, a second side panel 32, and a second upper panel 34 complete the components of the paperboard sheet prior to assembly into a completed sports car carton. The broken lines in FIG. 1 are fold lines as may be appreciated from FIGS. 2-7 and 8-11 showing the stages of folding the various elements of the carton to present the finished product.
FIGS. 2-5 show the stages of the folding of the elements to present, upon assembly, a paperboard carton having a sports car configuration as seen in FIG. 5. The first stage of the assembly is folding a first upper panel 20 and the opposed, rear end panel 34 inwardly as shown in FIG. 2 followed by a completion of the initial fold as seen in FIG. 3 wherein the second side panel 32 now overlies the base panel 30. In a subsequent step, the configuration shown in FIG. 3 is expanded to present the body of the vehicle shown preliminarily in FIG. 4 and in the final configuration in FIG. 5 where all four wheels 33 support the vehicle. In the final configuration the front end panel 34 presents the nose of the vehicle by folding the front end downwardly as illustrated by the arrow 36 in FIG. 4 to present the hood of the vehicle by insertion of the two spaced frontal tabs 38 into mating slots 40 (see FIG. 2) to present the finished, assembled hood 42 (FIG. 5).
A windshield 44 is a component of the panel 34 and is folded at line 46 to the upstanding position illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 and held in place by opposed elements 48 which are received respectively by, for example, Z-shaped slots 50 (FIGS. 1 and 2) in panel 20. A spoiler 52 at the rear end of the carton vehicle is pivoted upwardly along a fold line 54 to complete the assembly of the sports car carton. Additionally, an optional rear panel 56 and a dashboard 57 are shown in FIG. 7 folded downwardly into place to the rear of the windshield 44 to complete the assembly, as illustrated by the bold arrow.
The assembled views of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 present a sports car carton having a front hood 58 that slopes down to the front end 60 and then downwardly and rearwardly to present a sharply tapered V-shaped front end 60 as seen in FIGS. 6, 7 and 9. Alternatively, a front end presented by a full curve 62 may also be provided (FIG. 10) or a flat, horizontal nose 64 as seen in FIG. 11. FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 also illustrate three characters which may be added to the back seat to add interest to the car, particularly for children, shown in FIG. 9 as “shaker” as represented by the milkshake 64, “goldie” 66 as represented by the image of a girl, and “sizzle” 68 as represented by the illustrated character. Accordingly, the addition of these or other images of interest to children add to the character and appeal of the sports car carton. The present invention, therefore, provides a fanciful carton for food or other items of interest to children and thus contributes to the enjoyment and amusement of the user. Additionally, FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a punch-out for a milkshake 64 (“shaker”) which is added to the car 60 upon assembly thereof.
It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto, except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims.
Patent Grant
8783548
