GB2398557A

GB2398557A - Folded container preferably for a sandwich

Info

Publication number: GB2398557A
Application number: GB0303769A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Rokov
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-02-18
Filing date: 2003-02-18
Publication date: 2004-08-25
Anticipated expiration: 2023-02-18
Also published as: GB0303769D0; GB2398557B

Abstract

A prism shaped container preferably for a sandwich is folded from a blank comprising a bottom wall (10), side walls (12,13), a foldable square element (33-34), triangular elements (30, 31-32) and a polygonal element (35-36). Edge portions (38) defined by notches (37) may cooperate with an aperture (39) to hold the erected container in a closed condition and portions (35,36) of the polygonal element may be folded together within the container to define a flap for engaging the sandwich. When unfolded, the blank may act as a plate on which to place the sandwich.

Description

Folded Containers The present invention relates to folded containers, and

particularly (though not exclusively) to folded containers for storing sandwiches and like articles.

A well-known form of folded container for storing sandwiches, when fully folded, has the form of a prism based on a 45 -45 -90 triangle; in other words, it lo is formed as two parallel 45 -45 -90 triangles, plus one long side rectangle and two short side rectangles, all of the same height, joining the two triangles. (For convenience we will take the triangles as horizontal and the rectangles as vertical.) The long rectangle is hinged to the long side of the dower triangle and has a flap along the opposite side which can be folded over the upper triangle and held in position by a detachable adhesive tag to close the container. Each end of this long rectangle has a narrow flange which is joined to a similar flange on the vertical edge of the adjacent rectangle.

The long rectangle has a vertical crease bisecting it (and its flap), and each so of the two triangles is also bisected by a crease passing through its 90 vertex.

These creases are effectively aligned, and allow the container to be collapsed flat from the open configuration.

The two short rectangles meet along a vertical line. One of these rect angles has, along that line, a flap which is glued to the other rectangle, to hold the two rectangles together. The upper triangle is similarly formed from two half triangles, each attached to a respective one of the two short side rectangles, and one having a flap which is glued to the other half-triangle.

The container can therefore be assembled from a flat blank which is folded up and glued together. The blank can be regarded as based on the lower triangle, which has the three rectangles attached to its three sides. The long rectangle has the closure flap on one side, and each of its two "vertical" sides is joined to the corresponding "vertical" side of the adjacent short triangle by the two flanges mentioned above. The second triangle is formed by two half-triangles each joined to the remaining respective "horizontal" sides of the short triangles.

The long rectangle has its central portion cut out and covered by a sheet of transparent material, to allow the contents of the container to be visible.

lo The object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of con tainers of this and similar types.

According to the invention there is provided a blank of card for forming a prism-shaped container having 45 -45 -90 triangular top and bottom walls and a long and two short rectangular side walls, one side wall being hinged along the long side of the bottom wall to form a lid, characterized by: a square element joining the adjacent edges of the side walls and bisected by a diagonal crease from the junction of the two short side walls; for each short side wall, a respective triangular element on the edge opposite the no bottom wall and forming a reflection of the bottom wall, one of those triangles being bisected by a crease; and a polygonal element bisected by a crease and bounded by the line joining the outer corners of the further triangular elements.

Is This blank can be folded up to form a triangular prism without the need for permanent gluing. It can therefore be unfolded by the user, to make it easier to gain access to the contents and/or, after they have taken out the sandwich, to act as a plate on which the sandwich can be placed during the period of consumption.

The unfolded blank can thus be used to protect the sandwich if there is no other so suitable clean surface readily available, and also to collect any food debris which may fall off the sandwich. If desired, the container can be re-folded after such unfolding.

Further, the blares will normally be folded in such a way that it includes portions which normally bulge inwardly. This will enable the container to hold firmly a sandwich which is thinner than the height of the container. The bulging portions may however readily be pushed flat, so the container readily adapts to a range of sandwich thicknesses.

lo If desired, each end of the long rectangle may be provided with a narrow flange which is joined to a similar flange on the vertical edge of the adjacent rec tangle. Preferably, however, the exposed end of one short rectangle is extended to form a carrying handle, which can conveniently be provided with a hole through which a finger may be inserted. In this case, the adjacent edge of the long rec tangle may be provided with a flap separated from the handle. (The opposite end of the long rectangle and the adjacent end of the other short rectangle nary be pro- vided with joined flanges as described above.) The bisected triangular element for a short side wall may have its outer edge cut back and notched to form an engagement element, with the triangular element or the other short side wall having a co-operating slot.

The long rectangle is hinged to the long side of the lower triangle and preferably has a flap along the opposite side which can be folded over the upper Is triangle. This flap is conveniently extended to form a hook which can be used to engage with the triangular elements to hold the long rectangle closed.

The invention also provides a container assembled from the blank.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows the principles of a known container Fig. 2 shows, by way of example, an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3 shows the embodiment approaching completion of assembly; and Fig. 4 shows diagrammatically a detail of Fig. 3. s

Fig. I shows the principles of the known container mentioned above. The container is folded up from a flat blank of cardboard. There is a base triangle 10, with side wall rectangles 11, 12, and 13 attached to it. Two further triangles 14 and 15 are attached to the opposite sides of the short side rectangles 12 and 13.

lo Flaps 21 and 22 are glued to the rectangle 13 and triangle IS as indicated. This partially closes up the blank from the planar configuration. A crease 24 allows the structure to be completely flattened, bringing the short sides 12 and 13 together.

For use, the structure is unfolded until the base triangle 10, the top triangle formed by triangles 12 and 13, and the long side I 1 are all flat. A sandwich is then placed in the container. The long side 11 is then folded up and a flap 16 thereon folded against the top triangle and secured thereto by any convenient means, such as a removable adhesive patch.

Flaps 17 to 20 are provided as shown. These are folded inwards as the assembly is opened out. The long side 11 has a window 23 formed by removing a rectangle of card from the long side and pasting a sheet of transparent material over it.

Fig. 2 shows a container, in blank form, embodying the present invention. I This has the same base triangle 10, side rectangles 11 to 13, flaps 16, 17, and 19, and window 23 as the known container. The window need not have a cellophane (RTl6) cover if eg the contents of the container are suitably packaged, and can have other so shapes and/or extend into adjacent elements such as the triangles 10 and/or 16.

A square element 33-34 joins the adjacent edges of the two short side walls 12 and 13; this square element is bisected by a diagonal crease from the junction of the two short side walls to form two triangles 33 and 34 as shown. The short side wall 12 has a 45 -45 -90 triangular element 30 on the edge opposite the bottom wall 10 and forming a reflection ofthe bottom wall. The short side wall 13 has a triangular element 31-32 on the edge opposite the bottom wall 10 and forming a reflection of the bottom wall; this triangular element is bisected by a crease to form two triangles 3 l and 32 as shown. A polygonal element 35-36 is located between the elements JO, 32, 33, and 32 as shown, bounded by the line to joining the outer corners B and D of the triangular elements 30 and 32; this polygonal element is bisected by a crease into two quadrilateral elements 35 and 36 as shown.

The assembly of this container can be regarded as occurring in two main steps. If desired, it can be assembled with a sandwich placed on the base triangle 10, to help in achieving the correct sequence of steps.

For the first step, the point C is pulled upwards, producing a mountain fold along crease AC and valley folds along creases AB and AD. This proceeds until to points B and D are brought together. The two large triangles formed by elements 33-35 and 34-36 coincide, and form a kind of loose flap inside the container. This flap is pushed leftwards, to bring point C to lie against point H. For the second step, the point C is pulled upwards and the point E is pushed downwards (outwards), producing a valley fold along crease EF and mountain t folds along creases DF and FG. This proceeds until points D and G are brought together. The two triangles 31 and 32 coincide, forming a kind of loose flap out side the container. This flap is folded against the triangle 30 and secured thereto by any convenient means.

This flap of triangles 31 and 32 may be secured to the top triangle of the container by means of an adhesive sticker, which is preferably removable. Prefer- ably, however, the point E is located slightly to the left of the point geometrically midway between D and G. The triangle 30 is also provided with an aperture 39, s positioned so that when the container is folded up, the corners of the triangles 31 and 32 adjacent to point F. can be tucked into the aperture 39 to hold them in place.

The edges ED and EG preferably have notches 37 in them as shown, positioned so that the edge portions 38 engage with the outer end of the aperture 39 and increase the security with which the triangles 31 and 32 are held by the aperture. The lo aperture may be a slot as shown or may have a more open shape, eg triangular as indicated.

At the point, the container has been substantially assembled. A sandwich may be inserted in it, and the long side 11 folded up and secured to close the con tainer. The flap l 7 is folded inwards for this. Flap 19, which is attached only to the end of the long side 1 1, is also folded inwards.

The flap 16 may be secured to the top triangle of the container by any suitable means, eg a removable adhesive sticker. Preferably, however, it is pro o vided with an extension 41, shaped as shown as a hook. The triangles 3] and 32 have been folded together with their common edge EF lying along the bisector of the top triangle of the container, and the hook 41 is shaped and positioned so that it may be pushed under this edge to hold the flap 16 removably in place.

The long side rectangle 12 has an extension 40, provided with a hole 41 as shown. This extension projects beyond the body of the assembled container, and acts as a carrying handle; the user can pass a finger through the hole to hold and carry the container. (This extension 40 is detached from the flap l 9.) If desired, a crease (not shown) may be provided between the main body of the side 12 and so the extension 40, to allow the container to hang more freely from the extension.

It will be realized that while the creases must in general be substantially straight, the precise shapes of many of the outer edges may be varied from the straight lines as shown.

The element 36 forms the innermost element of the top triangle of the con tainer (apart from a small exposed corner of triangle 30). By suitable adjustment of the precise geometry of the elements 33 to 36, such as moving the point C slightly to the right from the geometric mid-point between points B and D, this triangle may be caused to bow substantially into the container. This allows rela o tively thin sandwiches to be held finely in the container, while still allowing a thick sandwich (or a pair of thin sandwiches) to be inserted (or the container to be l assembled around such a thick sandwich).

Additional elements (not shown) may be provided at suitable positions around the edge of the blank as so far described, somewhat analogously to the flanges 17 and 19. Such additional elements could serve to hold the contents of the container more firmly in place, reduce the risk of spillage, extend the shelf life of the container plus its contents, etc. Also, the sandwich or other contents could be wrapped or pre-covered, eg with cellophane R At), Fig. 3 shows the container at a late stage during assembly. The container is shown at the point just before the long side 11 is folded over to close it. It is shown as seen from in front and above, with the container standing balanced on the edge between triangles 33 and 34.

As will be seen, most of the panels of the container are formed by single elements of the blank, but the front triangular panel is formed by several super posed elements. Fig. 3A shows diagrammatically the upper edge of this front triangular panel, which can be regarded as formed primarily by the triangular so element 30. Inside this there is a large flap formed by the folded-together elements 35 and 36; as discussed above, element 36 may be displaced and/or bowed inwardly as shown, to hold a thin sandwich in place, depending on the exact position of the fold between these elements. Outside the element 30 there is a smaller flap formed by the folded-together elements 31 and 32, which are held in place by the corner region 38 being tucked into the slot 39. s

Normally, a pack of flat blanks will be supplied, for individual assembly as sandwiches are prepared. However, a set of assembled containers may be pro- vided if desired. 2S

Claims so Any feature of novelty or combination thereof within the meaning of Article 4H of the International Convention (Paris Convention).

Claims

Claims s 1 A blank of card for forming a prism-shaped container having

45 45 -90 triangular top (14-15) and bottom (10) walls and a long (] 1) and two short (12, 133 rectangular side walls, one side wall being hinged along the long side of the bof tom wall to form a lid, characterized by: a square element (33-34) joining the adjacent edges of the side walls and bisected lo by a diagonal crease from the junction (A) of the two short side walls; for each short side wall, a respective triangular element (SO, 31-32) on the edge opposite Me bodom wall and forming a reflection of the bottom wall, one of those trier ales (31-32) being bisected by a crease (EF); and a polygonal element (35-36) bisected by a crease (to G) and bounded by the line Is (BGD) joining the outer corners of the further triangular elements (JO, 31-32), whereby the blank can be folded without the need for gluing 2 A blank according to claim 1 including at least one portion (35, 36) which normally bulges inwardly on folding 3 A black according to claim 2 wherein the sine of the portion or portions which fold inwardly on folding is adjustable to set the size of the bulge to a des ired size.

4 A blank according to claim 3 wherein the portion or portions which fold inwardly on folding can be pushed flat.

A blank according to any previous claim wherein each end of the long rectangle is provided with a narrow flange (17, 19) which is joined to a similar 3e flange ( 18, 20) on the vertical edge of the adjacent rectangle' A blank according to any of claims I to 4 wherein the exposed end of one short rectangle (12) is extended to form a carrying handle (40.

7 A blank according to claim 6 wherein the carrying handle is provided with a hole (41) through which a finger may be inserted.

8 A blank according to claim 7 wherein the adjacent edge of the long rectangle is provided with a flap ( 19) separated from the handle.

lo 9 A blank according to either of claims 7 and 8 wherein the opposite end of the long rectangle and the adjacent end of the other short rectangle are provided with joined flanges (17, 18).

JO A blank according to any previous claim wherein the bisected triangular s element (31-32) for a short side wall has its outer edge (GED) cut back and notched (373 to form an engagement element, with the triangular element or the other short side wall having a co-operating slot (39).

11 A blank according to any previous claim wherein the long rectangle has a flap (16) along the opposite side which can be folded over the upper triangle.

12 A blank according to claim 1 1 wherein the flap is extended to form a hook (41) which can be used to engage with the triangular elements to hold the long rectangle closed 13 A blank of card for forming a container substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 2 to 4 14 A container assembled from a blank according to any previous claim.

IS Any feature of novelty or combination thereof within the meaning of Article 4H of the International Convention (Paris Convention).