Carton construction

June 2, 1970

3,515,331

C. W. GUTHRIE, SR

CARTON CONSTRUCTION

Filed Sept. 9, 1968

Sheets-Sheet 1

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ATTORNEYS

3,515,331

June 2,1970

Filed Sept. 9, 1968

C. W. GUTHRIE, SR

CARTON CONSTRUCTION

Sheets-Sheet 2

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ATTORNEYS

United States Patent Office

3,515,331

Patented June 2, 1970

515 331 CARTON CONSTRUCTION Clifton W. Guthrie, Sr., 1219 Wilmer Ave., Richmond, Va. 23227

Filed Sept. 9, 1968, Ser. No. 758,464

Int. Cl. B65d 5/56

U.S. CL 229—14 8 Claims

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A carton for maintaining a food product hot having means to absorb grease and means to absorb and retain moisture as well as heat insulation means to keep the product hot. The grease-absorbing means is supported by the bottom member of the carton and the means for absorbing moisture is suspended from the top member of the carton.

This invention relates to a carton construction for maintaining food products hot and, more particularly, to such a carton construction which also incorporates means for absorbing grease and means for absorbing and retaining moisture from the food products.

It is highly desirable to provide a carton capable of having a heated food product and preserving the heat thereof for extended period of time. It is also beneficial to preserve the quality of the food product so that when it is ready to be eaten, its appearance, texture and firmness will still be appetizing. The packaging difficulties are epitomized . by the problems encountered in preserving fried chicken from a point of sale where the product is freshly prepared hot to a point of consumption such as at a picnic or at one’s home. Not only must one provide a disposable carton that will preserve the heat of the fried chicken, but one is faced with the coexisting challenges of preserving the quality of a product which sits in its own exuded grease and a product which is adversely affected by condensation of moisture within the carton.

The foregoing inauspicious environment readily causes the product to become soggy, dissipates the crispness thereof, and in general produces an end product which is not only unsightly but also distasteful.

In accordance with the present invention, the foregoing problems and difficulties have been effectively overcome by providing a carton construction which not only thermally insulates the food product but also provides means for separating the great from contact with the product and for absorbing moisture from the food product within the carton. Separating the grease from the product is accomplished in one form of the invention by the provision of a corrugated member supported above the bottom member of the carton. The corrugated member is provided with a plurality of apertures in the valleys of the corrugations and an absorbent material is placed between the corrugated member and the bottom member. In combination therewith, the top member of the carton is utilized to suspend an absorbent member which will absorb and retain moisture from the food product within the carton. The invention includes a number of different embodiments specifically for the grease separating and absorbing means. Thus in another form of the invention the corrugated member is of laminated construction and is provided with a scalloped edge or a series of notches around the periphery thereof so as to permit the run-off of grease onto an absorbent material.

Other forms of the invention include one in which an absorbent element for the grease consists of expanded metal which itself provides a plurality of apertures which lead directly to an absorbent material and another in which perforated aluminum foil is placed directly over an absorbent material.

The inherent advantages and improvements of the present invention will become more readily apparent upon considering the following detailed description of the invention and by reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view in vertical cross section of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plant view in horizontal cross section taken along line 2—2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view in vertical cross section, drawn to an enlarged scale, showing a portion of the base container in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevation view in vertical cross section of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view in horizontal cross section taken along lines 5—5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevation view in vertical cross section of still another embodiment of the present inventoin;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view in horizontal cross section taken along the line 7—Ί of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary elevation view in vertical cross section illustrating a further embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view in horizontal cross section taken along line 9—9 of FIG. 8.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter illustrated and described with respect to a specific form of carton construction, it is to be understood that the various features features of this invention can be utilized singly or in various combinations thereof as well as in combination with other forms of carton construction.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited merely to the embodiments illustrated in the drawing because the drawings are utilized herein merely to illustrate one of a wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of these drawings, there is illustrated a carton indicated generally at 10. The carton 10 comprises side wall means indicated generally at 12, a bottom wall member indicated generally at 14, and a top wall member indicated generally at 16.

Side wall means 12 is illustrated to consist of an interior member of paperboard 18 laminated to an exterior of foil 20, such as aluminum foil. Similarly, bottom wall member 14 has a paperboard interior 22 laminated to a foil exterior 24. Bottom wall member 14 has a downwardly extending flange 26 which is received in interlocking and adhesive relationship with upturned flange 28 of side wall means 12 in conventional manner.

The top wall member 16 is illustrated to consist of a paperboard interior member 30 and an exterior member of foil 32 laminated thereto. The side wall means 12 has the shape of a truncated cone which is provided with an outwardly extending annular groove 34 into which the top wall member 16 is snapped in friction-sealing engagement. The use of foil, such as aluminum foil, on the top, bottom and side wall of the carton 10 provides heat reflectance thereby helping to keep the contents hot.

Carton 10 is further illustrated to be provided with means to absorb grease indicated generally at 36 in FIG. 1 on which rests one of a number of typical food products 38 which, for example, may consist of a chicken part.

Reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate in greater detail the means 36 to absorb grease. Thus there is shown a corrugated member 40 having peaks and valleys with a plurality of apertures 42 being provided in the valleys thereof. An absorbent material is illustrated at 44 which may consist of paper, cotton or any other absorbent material compatible with a food product. The absorbent material 44 rests on the paperboard portion 22 of the bottom wall member 14.

3,515,331

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Referring now to FIG. 1, a means to absorb and retain moisture is indicated generally at 46 suspended from top member 16. The means 46 to absorb and retain moisture include an absorbent material 48 having end portions thereof 50, for example, adhesively secured to top member 16. Any suitable means may be used to suspend the absorbent material 48 from the top wall member 16. In order to insure that the absorbent material 48 will both absorb and retain the moisture from within the carton, it has been found that it is desirable for the absorbent material to have an absorbent capacity of one-half ounce per ten square inches of top wall member.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is illustrated another means 36α to absorb grease. In this instance, the means 36α to absorb grease consists of a corrugated paperboard material 52 laminated to aluminum foil 54 or the like. As seen best in FIG. 5, the means 36α to absorb grease is provided with a scalloped edge or notches 56 which permit grease retained in the valleys of the corrugated member to run off when the carton is tilted to an absorbent material 44 placed beneath the means 36α for absorbing the grease and the bottom wall member 14.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, there is illustrated still another means to absorb grease, indicated generally at 36b, consisting of expanded metal 58 which in the course of its expansion is provided with a plurality of apertures 60 which provide direct access from a food product contained within the carton 10 to an absorbent material 44 placed beneath the means 366 to absorb grease and paperboard layer 44 of the bottom wall member 14.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, there is illustrated a further means to absorb grease indicated generally at 36c. In this instance, means 36c consists of aluminum foil or the like 62 having a plurality of holes 64 therein and placed directly over an absorbent material 44. As in the other embodiments of this invention, the absorbent material 44 directly overlies the paperboard surface 22 of the bottom wall member 14.

It will be apparent that the present invention provides means not only for thermally insulating the carton construction by having a foil-lined reflective surface completely enclosing the food product but also provides means for absorbing grease which exudes from the product as well as means for absorbing moisture from the food product within the carton. Thus the food product contained within the carton does not rest or lie in its own grease, thereby imparting an extremely onerous grease flavor thereto. Also, there is no condensation of moisture from within the carton by virtue of the absorbent material suspended from the top member of the carton which is capable of absorbing and retaining moisture within the carton. Various changes and modifications can be made in this invention. For example, corrugated member 40 may be constructed from a foil material such as aluminum foil, or may also consist of a laminated material such as is shown at 36α in FIG. 4. Similarly, the member 36α may be supplied with a plurality of apertures as is the corrugated member 36 in FIG. 1.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the forms hereinbefore described being merely preferred embodiments thereof.