Container

May 19, 1970

R. K. ROBINSON

3,512,697

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R. K. ROBINSON

CONTAINER

3,512,697

Sheets-Sheet 2

May 19, 1970

Filed Jan. 6, 1969

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United States Patent Office

3,512,697

Patented May 19, 1970

2

3,512,697 CONTAINER Roderick K. Robinson, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., assignor to Consolidated Papers, Inc., Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin

Filed Jan. 6, 1969, Ser. No. 789,237 Int. CI. B65d 5/10 U.S. Cl. 229—39 2 Claims

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A substantially octangular carton comprised of a blank cut, scored and edgewise secured to form a collapsible tube erectible to provide top and bottom walls and relatively shallow side and end walls and inwardly foldable ¹⁵angular corner components to provide reinforcements for the top and bottom.

This invention relates to a novel package adapted for the packing of flat food products subject to damage by crushing such as cakes or pies, and is particularly adapted for the packaging of pizza pies. These packages are generally shallow and have relatively wide tops and bottoms subject to being deflected into contact with the contents.

This package was particularly developed to answer the problem of the tuck style carton used by the pizza industry which was found unsatisfactory for two reasons. First, gg that the top side center of the box has a tendency to warp down or cave causing the inside of the sheet to come in contact with the cheese or other ingredients on the top of the pizza bringing about adherence. Secondly, the style of carton is not compatible to stacking when the gg product is enclosed and very apt to crush and break down.

The present carton reinforces the corners at an approximate 45 degree angle thereby giving the exterior of the carton an octagon appearance. This support across the corners aids considerably in reducing damage to the pizzas by reducing the cave-ins or crush occurring when stacking. It also helps to alleviate warp of the carton board which could warp sufficiently to come in contact with the top surface of the product.

These supports across the corner when folded inwardly are scored at say a 45 degree angle. The dimension of this angle is determined to allow the outer circumference of the pie to clear without touching the angle side of the carton.

By using this special angle supported corner which is part of the one-piece construction of this package one can provide better stacking because the support is now closer to the circumference of the pizza. In bending in the corners as used in this style of carton there is eliminated the inner width flaps as used in the standard tuck style carton. One is able, however, to insert two tongue locks on the outer length flaps into the area formed when the 45 degree comers are bent into the body part of the carton. These tongue locks have a small slot lock which 60 locks into the corners when inserted.

This style of carton can be made to fit all sizes of pizzas but the effectiveness of the supporting comers is more apparent on the larger sizes.

The invention, its details of construction, arrangement θ⁵of parts and the advantages thereof will be further apparent from a consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank cut and scored for forming the package of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the blank of FIG. 1 partially folded or set up in tubular form, the opposed end being identical.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 but with the characterizing comers folded inwardly.

FIG. 4 is a view progressive to that of FIG. 3 with the tuck flaps inserted; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the entire set-up carton of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a blank composed of the bottom panel 10 and a pair of top panel components 11—11 which are adapted to be sealed together by means of the narrow strip 12 to form a tube. The blank further comprises the relatively narrow side wall panels 13 hinged to and between the panel 10 and panel portions 11—11, the panels 13 extending above the normal terminal edges 14 of the panel 10 and the fold lines 15 of the panel portions 11—11.

The extensions of side wall panels 13 include opposed lateral triangular portions 16 which meet with the inclined fold or score lines 17 which in turn are directed inwardly to the transverse fold lines 18 in side walls 13, and define the triangular side wall portions 16'. The unitary triangular portions 16-16' are foldable on the score lines 19 from the position shown in FIG. 2 to that shown in FIG. 3 to against and between the top and bottom walls 11 and 10 in reinforcing relationship therewith and to provide the overall octagonal contour shown in FIG. 5.

The ends of the top and bottom panels are provided with interlocking end closure panels comprising the flaps 20 hinged medially to the bottom 10 and each formed with the medial slot 21, the flaps 20 being folded down first as shown in FIG. 3.

The top portions 11—11 have the flap portion 22 with a medial tongue 23 adapted to be received in slot 21. The ⁴⁰ flap 22 further has a spaced pair of hinged tongues 24—24 adapted to be received, in part, beneath the overfolded triangular portions 16-16', and are further notched at 25 for interlock and reception of flap 20.