GB2167725A

GB2167725A - Pocket wrap

Info

Publication number: GB2167725A
Application number: GB08528671A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jeffrey J Cortopassi
Original assignee: Taco Bell Corp
Current assignee: Taco Bell Corp
Priority date: 1984-11-21
Filing date: 1985-11-21
Publication date: 1986-06-04
Also published as: BR8505856A; GB8528671D0; MX164949B; GB2167725B

Abstract

A wrap for a comestible product, e.g. a hot dog is constructed to provide a pocket adapted to enclose the comestible product, with the pocket being formed by front and back sheets 14, 16 which are joined along both a first side edge 22 and a bottom edge 18, and which are openable and detached along both a second side edge 26 and a top edge 28. The relatively open pocket enables the product to be easily inserted therein, and also allows the product to be conveniently relocated in the pocket to extend therefrom during consumption while still remaining wrapped therein. An overwrap sheet 20 is formed integrally with the pocket back sheet, and extends therefrom, with the overwrap sheet being designed to be folded over the pocket front sheet after insertion of the product into the pocket, thereby wrapping and packaging the product in a manner suitable for initial delivery to a customer. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Pocket wrap The present invention relates generally to a versatile pocket wrap for a comestible product, such as a taco or a burrito, which provides a product overwrap, and which also serves as a convenient wrap for the product to be hand held in during consumption. More particularly, the subject invention pertains to a pocket wrap which is formed from a simple and relatively inexpensive paper blank, such that it is designed to be disposable and thereby particularly useful for fast food operations.

Fast food restaurants typically sell a large number of comestible products such as burritors, tacos, hot dogs, sandwiches, croissants, hot pretzels, etc.

which are usually wrapped for delivery to a customer, and which are normally hand held during consumption at a nearby table or booth or as a take-out item. Wrapping of these fast food comestible products should be accomplished relatively easily and fast, and the wrapping or packaging materials should be designed with minimal costs as these items are normally disposable throw-away items. In view of these cost constraints, these products are frequently wrapped with only a rectangular paper overwrap, the usage of which during wrapping is relatively time consuming, and further the packaged product does not provide a particularly convenient wrap designed to provide for manual handling of the product while it is being consumed.

In accordance with the teachings herein, the present invention provides a simple and versatile pocket wrap for a comestible product which is frequently hand held during consumption. The wrap is constructed to provide a pocket adapted to enclose the comestible product, with the pocket being formed by front and back sheets which are joined along both a first side edge and a bottom edge, and which are openable and detached along both a second side edge and a top edge. The relatively open pocket enables a comestible product to be easily inserted therein, and also allows the comestible product to be conveniently relocated in the pocket to extend therefrom during consumption while still remaining wrapped therein. The wrapping thus allows a consumer to hold the wrapped product during consumption without any direct and possibly messy handling of the comestible itself.

Moreover, an overwrap sheet is also formed integrally with the pocket back sheet, and extends upwardly therefrom, with the overwrap sheet being designed to be folded downwardly over the pocket front sheet after insertion of a comestible product into the pocket, thereby wrapping and packaging the comestible product in a manner suitable for initial delivery to a customer.

In greater detail, the pocket is generally rectangular in shape, with the top and bottom edges of the pocket extending along the length of the pocket. The overwrap sheet is also generally rectangular in shape, having approximately the same length and width as the pocket. Moreover, the pocket front and back sheets and the overwrap sheet are preferably integrally formed from one generally rectangular sheet of paper material folded once along the bottom edge of the pocket and folded a second time to form an inwardly extending tab along the first side edge.

The pocket back sheet can also be provided with a decorative printed sheet overlaying the outer surface thereof, providing for decorative and trademark printing thereon, and also reinforcing the strength of the pocket. The decorative printed sheet is preferably substantially coextensive with, or slightly smaller than, the rectangular pocket back sheet.

The foregoing objects and advantages of the present invention for a versatile pocket wrap may be more readily understood by one skilled in the art, with reference being had to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like elements are designated by identical reference numerals throughout the several views, and in which:: Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a pocket wrap pursuant to the present invention having a taco extending therefrom; Figure 2 is a plan view of a pocket wrap in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, illustrating in phantom the position of a taco inserted fully therein, prior to folding of the wrap; Figure 3 illustrates the pocket wrap of Figure 2 after an initiate first folding of the wrap; Figure 4 illustrates the pocket wrap of Figures 1 and 2 after a second and final folding of the wrap; Figure 5 is a rear illustration of the folded pocket wrap of Figure 4, showing a decorative printed surface which overlays the back sheet of the pocket wrap and provides for printed graphics thereon to be registered with the product placement; and Figure 6 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a flat paper blank prior to folding and formation thereof into a pocket wrap pursuant to the teachings of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a pocket wrap 10 constructed pursuant to the teachings of the present invention and having a taco 12 extending therefrom, in a general position as might be suitable for the taco to be hand held within the overwrap while being consumed.

Referring to both Figures 1 and 6, the pocket wrap of Figure 1 is formed from one paper blank, as shown in Figure 6, having a panel 14 forming the pocket front sheet, a panel 16 forming the pocket back sheet, and a panel 20 forming an overwrap sheet. The overwrap sheet 20 is formed generally integrally with the back sheet 16, having approximately the same length and width thereas.

The pocket wrap is initially formed by folding the front sheet 14 upwardly and over the back sheet 16 along fold line 18. The left edge 22 of the pocket wrap is then formed by folding oyer a left tab 24 such that it extends inwardly from the left edge 22, and is joined to the remainder of the pocket wrap by a suitable adhesive or glue. As illustrated in Figure 5, a decorative printed sheet 26 can be placed on to overlay the outer surface of the back or rear sheet 14 to provide for decorative and color printing thereon, for trade mark and aesthetic purposes.

The pocket wrap is thus formed to provide a simple and versatile pocket wrap for a comestible product, with the pocket being formed by the front and back sheets 14 and 16, which are joined along both a first side edge 22 and a bottom edge 18, and which are openable and detached along both a second side edge 26 and a top edge 28. The relatively open pocket enables a comestible product such as a taco 12 to be easily inserted therein to a position as shown in Figure 2.

As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the overwrap sheet 20 is designed to be folded downwardly along fold line 27 over the pocket front sheet after insertion of a comestible product into the pocket, thereby wrapping and packaging the comestible product in a manner suitable for initial delivery to a customer. The wrap can be initially folded along line 29, as illustrated in Figure 3, to close the second side edge of the overwrap, and the overwrap can then be folded downwardly as illustrated in Figure 4.

The pocket wrap 10 of the subject invention, by starting with a pocket for the comestible product as shown in Figure 2, reduces the wrapping time of the comestible product, a significant consideration in a typical fast food operation. Moreover, the pocket wrap can be constructed relatively inexpensively, a significant consideration for a fast food wrap, which is typically disposed of after a single usage, from an easily manufactured blank formed or a relatively inexpensive material such as paper, coated paper, or paper laminated to foil.

Moreover, the provision of a separate decorative printed sheet 26, which can be formed of a thicker coated sheet of paper, provides for decorative and trademark printing graphics 30 thereon, and also serves to reinforce the strength of the pocket. The decorative printed sheet 26 is preferably substantially coextensive with, or slightly smaller than, the rectangular pocket back sheet 16.

As illustrated in Figure 6, in one preferred embodiment, both the pocket wrap blank and the resultant pocket wrap are generally rectangular in shape. However, as illustrated particularly by Figures 2 and 3, the generally rectangular shape can have rounded edges, as at 32. Moreover, the particular shape of the pocket wrap will depend, to a large extent, on the product being wrapped. A taco, burrito, hot dog or elongated sandwich can be wrapped with a wrap as illustrated in Figures 1 through 5. However, a squarer shape wrape might be more appropriate for hamburgers, sandwiches and soft pretzels.

While a preferred embodiment of the present invention for a pocket wrap is described in detail herein, it should be apparent that the disclosure and teachings of the present invention will suggest many alternative designs to those skilled in the art.

For instance, the particular configuration of the overwrap shape and fold lines can vary in alternative embodiments, as can the type of paper or other alternative sheet material. The decorative printed sheet can be omitted, or the shape and placement of the trademark or other decorative printing thereon can also vary considerably in alternative embodiments.

Claims

1. A simple and versatile pocket wrap for a comestible product which is frequently hand held during consumption, comprising: a. a pocket adapted to enclose a comestible product which is frequently hand held during consumption, formed by front and back sheets which are joined along both a first side edge and a bottom edge, and which are openable and detached along both a second side edge and a top edge, said joined first side and bottom edges of the pocket enabling a comestible product to be conveniently inserted into the pocket, and said open second side and top edges allowing the comestible product to extend from the pocket for consumption while still being wrapped therein and hand held by a consumer; and b. an overwrap sheet formed integrally with said pocket back sheet and extending upwardly from said pocket, said overwrap sheet being designed to be folded downwardly over said pocket front sheet after a comestible product is inserted into the pocket, thereby wrapping and packaging the comestible product in a manner suitable for take out, and also enabling the product to be consumed by being relocated in the pocket so as to extend from said open second side or top edge.

2. A simple and versatile pocket wrap for a comestible product as claimed in Claim 1 wherein: a. said pocket is generally rectangular in shape, with said top and bottom edges of the pocket being formed along the length of the pocket; and b. said paper overwrap is also rectangular in shape, having a length approximately equal to the length of the pocket top, and having a width approximately equal to the width of the pocket.

3. A simple and versatile pocket wrap for a comestible product as claimed in Claims 1 or 2 wherein said pocket and overwrap being integrally formed from a rectangular sheet of paper material, folded once along the bottom edge of said pocket, and folded a second time to form an inwardly extending tab along said first side edge.

4. A simple and versatile pocket wrap for a comestible product as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein, said front and back sheets and said overwrap sheet being formed from one integral substantially rectangular sheet of paper with said front sheet, said back sheet and said overwrap sheet each comprising approximately one third of the area of the rectangular sheet, with the rectangular sheet being folded initially along said bottom edge joinder of said front and back sheets, and then folded a second time along said first side edge joinder of said front and back sheets and continuing up along said first side edge into the overwrap sheet, with a short inwardly extending tab being formed along said first side edge and extending from the overwrap sheet in which the tab is two sheets thick to the first side edge joinder of the front and back sheets where the tab is four sheets thick in the common area of overlap of the folds.

5. A simple and versatile pocket wrap for a comestible product as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein, said pocket back sheet having a decorative printed sheet overlaying an outer surface thereof opposite the surface facing the inside of the pocket, said decorative sheet providing for decorative and trademark printing thereon, and also reinforcing the strength of said pocket.

6. A simple and versatile pocket wrap for a comestible product as claimed in Claim 5 wherein said decorative printed sheet being generally rectangular in shape, and being substantially coextensive with, and slightly smaller than, said rectangular pocket back sheet.

7. A simple and versatile pocket wrap for a comestible product as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein, in combination with an elongated comestible product inserted into said rectangular pocket with the length of the elongated comestible product extending along the length of said pocket, and the substantially rectangular overwrap being folded downwardly along said fold line to substantially completely overlie the pocket front sheet.

8. A simple and versatile pocket wrap in combination with an elongated comestible product as claimed in Claim 7 wherein said elongated comestible product comprising a taco.

9. A simple and versatile pocket wrap in combination with elongated comestible product as claimed in Claim 7 wherein said elongated comestible product comprising a burrito.

10. A pocket wrap for a comestible product which is hand held during consumption, the pocket wrap being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.