GB2484127A - Collapsible pizza box with surface reliefs - Google Patents

Abstract

A collapsible container, preferably a pizza box 10, consists of a blank having first 12 and second 14 main panels of sheet material, connected to one another at respective edges by a further panel 16. The first 12 and second 14 main panels are able to pivot about fold lines 16a, 16b so as to lie in face to face contact within one another. When the blank is erected into a box 10 the panels 12, 14 lie in spaced parallel relationship to one another. A pizza may be stored in the erected box 10. At least one of the main panels 12, 14 is provided with first and second surface reliefs 42, 46, 48 extending along respective perpendicular axes. The central region 58 of the panel 12, 14 or panels is not provided with the reliefs. The surface reliefs 42, 46, 48 allow the box 10 to be folded up or collapsed into a configuration that fits within a domestic refuse bin, while the central region 58 is strong enough to resist bowing caused by respective boxes 10 being stack one atop the other. The box 10 is preferably made of corrugated cardboard. Preferably the surface reliefs 42, 46, 48 are provided by lines of spaced short cuts which extend sufficiently far into the cardboard as to penetrate only one of its surface layers. The box 10 may have a formation that holds it in the collapsed configuration.

Description

Tide: CoUapsibie container epjIflQgpJJflyQpflQn This invention r&ates tO a coflap&bte container vftüch may be made outcf a sheet material such as corrugated. cardboard in The invention ha been d:eVised in reEatIon to a foo.d ccntaner, particu. INly a.

so-caUed pizza box;. commonly tised by fa.st4ood or c..ther estabJishments for containing ready to eat pizza for consumption off the premises However, it is to be understood that the invention is appucable to containers intended fo.r purpOses other than receMng. pizzas. Gonvention:al pizza bokes are made out of a suitable paper-based board material (in order to be bio-degradable) A piece of the material is cut to shape and. fbrme.d with lines along which the material is readily folded, so that the container, supplied in a flat or non-folded condition is readily erected by folding aiorg the pre4orrned lines to create a.

box which is generally square in plan view with dimensions suitable to 20. acconmodate a respective diameter of pizza, and heIght sufficient to accommodate the thicknEss of the pizza. The box: has. .a lid, or cc.ver which opens pivotally to give access for placing a pizza in tha box and removing the pizza therefrom, either in c..ne pièce or cut into a number of smaller pieces.

Pizza boxes are intended for a single use only, after which they are discarded as refuse One problem with such boxes is that, to accommodate a large pizza, the dimensions in plan view must be slightly greater than the pizza e g 330mm Square.. The panel's. of the box whIch form the cover and basS thereof are of such dimensidns Although the box ban: be collapsed readily from the erected condition, and fOlded so that the cover and base lie face in face-to face contact, as long as the cover and base are intact their dimensions are arger than can conveniently be accommodated in many domestic refuse co.ffainers.

It has therefore been proposed that a pizza box, n addition to the vflus 5: prepared folding lines en.bIe It to be erected and collapsed between Its flat and box-like configurattons, should be provided additionally with further "relleft" in Its panels: which are Ofthe largest dirtenSion s, namely its)bE and base panels, which rehefs facilitate the foldtng of the box from a partal1y coi[apsed candffion, n which the cover and base panels iS In fa *. cc to face relatIonship with one another; to,, a fully collapsed condition of further-reduced dim:ensilons. In the paftially collapsed cOnditkm the largest dimensions of the box are similar to the' dimensions in plan of the erected box with the cOVer closed (in fact slightly larger' because of the addition: of the further panels or flaps' which provide the. side, front and rear walls of the box, extending outwardly from the edges of the cover and base, panels of the box). The' reliefs enable the panels which provide the cover and base of the box to be folded together, firstly to approximately half their size and secondly, by folding in a direcUon generally perpendicular to that of the first folding, to approximately one quarter of their original siz.

Such a box is disclosed in US 691 5948B. As described therein, the rehefs, provided by spaced perforations in sUrfades cf each of the cover and base panels, comprise a first relief which extends along an axis running between opposed side edges of the paneL near a mid point between front and rear edges of that panel, to facilitate the first folding of the partially collapsed container from that cond:itior to reduce U to approximately half' its previous and a second relief which extends perpendicular to the axis of the first relief The second relief lies near the mid-point between opposed side edges of the upper and lower panels, and comprises spaced-apart parallel lines to facilitate the folding of the container to reduce it to approximately one quarter of its original size.

Whilst this is effective in facilitating space-efficient disposal of the boxes, it is disadvantageous in that the reflefs in the cover and the base panels reduce the rigidity thereof so that the effectiveness of the box in prOtecting it contents is reduced. This can be: disadvantageous if several erected bxes:, with or without contents, are stacked one on another, when the cover and base panels can bow upwardly or downward lv in their central regions According to one aspect of the present invention we provide a collapsible container comprising first and second panels of sheet material connected to one another at respective edges of the panels by a further panel of the material, enabling thls.. first and second panels to. lie in spaced. parallel relationship to one another, to pivot about the fold lines towards and away fto,m one another, and to lie in face-to-face contact with one anOther, at least one: of the panels: being' provided with. first and second sthiaoe rehets extending along respective axes running be:tween opposed portions of the pan&(s) and through a central region of the. panel; the axes extending generally perpendicular to one another, wherein a central region of the panel 15: not provided with the reliefs.

The. first and second panels preferably comprise a cover and a base. panel of the cortainer, respectively, and the further panel.connect foic: lines at rear edges of the respective panels to provide a rear wall of the container Preferably each of the cover and base p:anels is' provided with' the: first and second reliefs.

Tho panels are each preferably rectangular or square in shape, having front edges opposite their respective rear edges and side edges opposite one another and extending between the front edge and rear edge of each panel The front edges and side edges of the panels may be provided With flaps extending from the respective edges along fold lines, to form side walls of the container.

1h: first relief in each. pae may extend &otig an axis running between opposed side edges of the panel(s), substantially midway between and paräflel to the front and rear edges thereof The second relief may extend along an a>as runnng substantially perpendicular to: the axis of the first relief, 5. substantially midway between. the opposed side' edges of the panel(s), in a collapsible container, Preferably a pizza box, in accordance. with the invention, the disconun:uance of the reliefs in the central region of the, panel is' of significant benefit in not reducing the rigidity of the panel whilst still to fadilitatirig its' folding to reduce its dimensions when it is, to be discarded, The preferred material for a container in. accordance with the invent.iOn such as a pia box, is. corrugated cardboard comprising spaced parallel surface layers of flat cardboard,, separated by a spacer or ifiute" of corrugated configuration. For example, it may be of the "B" flute type, with an. overall thickness of approximately 4mm or the "E" flute type with an overall thickness cf approximately 2mm..

The surface reliefs may be afforded by lines, of spaced short cuts: which extend 20. sufficiently far intO: the corrugated cardboard to penetrate one of its: surface layers but not to penetrate, or to penetrate only minimall,, the flute separating the surface layer from the other surface layer of the cardboard There could, fOr example. be a succession of.c:uts of different depth:pf penetration from Ofl:5 another 2.5 The fold lines may be provided by pressing the cardboard to indent it along the Hnes' where it is to be folded, without cUttihg into Citht of the surface.lflit Ye fold lines and reliefs may be provided by cutting or pressing into the materIal from one side only thereof, thereby facilitating economical production.

A: cOntaner In accordance with the ihvention mAy: be collapsed from. its. erected : configuration as descdbed above and discosed in US 691 5948. When it iS collapsed to its mtnirnum surface area its oeraII thickness s equal to four times the thickness ofthe. orrgaed cardboard frnni which it is made; Respectwe parts of the container which are separated from one another by several intervening thicknesses of the corrugated cardboard, in the collapsed container, may be provided with formations engageable with one another to hold them in that relationship, he.. ta preven.t the collpsed contaifler.fror springing back to a configuration which occupies more space. Such formations may comprise a tongue able to be displaced from the board material of one part of the container, engageable with a groove or recess in the other part.

The invention will now b.e described by way of example with reference to the accompany drawings, ofwhich: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container namely a pizza box in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective vieW of a piece of corrugated cardboard fmm which 2,0 the. box of figure 1 can be erected.

Figure 3 is a section through a piece of the corrugated cardboard material, illustrating the formation of a relieftherein.

Referring to figures 1 and 2, a container, namely a pizza box, in accordance with the invention is indicated generally at 10 It is made by cuffing and folding of a single piece of corrugated cardboard of suitable thickness, and figure 1 shows the box comprises a base part indicated generally at 12 and a cover part indicated generally at 14 They are integrally connected to one another by a rear wall part 16, which extends between fold lines ISa, 16b at rearedges of the base part 12 and cover part 14.

Both the base part 12 and cover part 14 are square in 1an view, the cover being of marginally smaHer dimensions than the basa Each comphses a main parie of the corrugated paçdboard material, that for the base part being : indicated at 1 8 and thatfor the cover part beiqg indicated at 2O The baae part & 12 has respective side waus. 22 upstanding therefrom; these comprise flaps extenthng along the opoosed side edges of the panel 18 at fold lincs 22a enabling them to be bent upwardly from the panel 18 The base part further comprises a front wall indicated generally at 24 in figure 1 and whose cbristruction. comprises a doUble thickness of the corrugated cardboard: matenal, compnsuig a first flap 26 joined to the pan& 18 at a fold line 26a at the front edge thereof Adjacent the fold line 26a, the panel 18 has two spaced slots 28 extending parallel to the fold line 26a Joined to th.e flap 26 at a double fold line.3.Qa there is a further flap.30.1 The front ends of the side wall flaps 22 have respective end flaps 32 able to be pivoted r&ative to the side wails at respective continuations of the fold flne 26a. Flaps 32 are cut to separate them from the flap 26, while remaining attached to the flaps 22.

To erect the front wall of box from the flat condition shown in figure 2 the side walls firstly are pivoted upwardly about their fold lines 22 so that they are upstanding from the base panel 18 The flaps 32 are pivoted so that they extend parallel to the fold line 26a The flap 26 is then pivoted upwardly about the fold lIne 26a until it stand, upwardly from the panel 18 and' the flaps 3 lie against it The flap 3D is' then pivoted rearwardly about the doqie. fold US aDa to lie in face-to-face relationship With the flap 26 with the flaps 32 therebetween In this position tabs 30a on the free edqe of the flap 30 are able to be engaged in the slots 28 to hold the front wall 24 in its upstanding position and, by virtue of the engagement of the flaps 22 between the flaps 26, 28, also to hold the side walls 22 in the upstanding position.

At. the opposite end of the side wails:22. from the flaps 32, the side walls 22 have flaps 36 which are cut so as to be separate from the rear wall 16 but remain attached to the. side walls along continuations of the fo'd Une 16a.

When the box is erected, theffaps 36 lie within the box, alongside the. rear wall 5: 1 6; as visible in figure 1.

The cover panel 20 has flaps 38 along ts respective side edge, joined at fold : lins 8a., hd a flap: 40.. joined:at a fold line 40a to wh,at.,in. the erected bcx. Is the front edge of the cover panel 20 When the box is closed the flap 40 fits against the interior surface of the front wall 24, while the flaps 38 fit against the interior surface of the respective side.wAfls.2'2.

After use of a box as Shove described to transport a pizza, for example,. the flaps. which form the side. Walls of the cover and base of the box can simply be folded from their erected condibon so that the cardboard from which the box is made is returned, approximately, to its flat condition shown.in figure 2. The cover 20 can then be folded about the fold Uric 1.6.a or lSb to overlie the base panel 18. To facilitate the reduction of the surface area thus presented by the partiaily.dismantlec.. box, each.of the base and cover of the box provided with reliefs as now described The base 18 and cover 20 each have a first relief extending along an axis as indicated at 42, 44 respectively, these reliefs extending generally parallel to the front and rear edges of the main panels 18 of the base and cover, generally in the mid region of the panel between its front and rear edges In fact, they are positioned so tnat when the cover panel 20 is folded to overlie the base panel 18 about the fold line ISa they are in ahgnment with one another A second relief comprising two parts 46, 48 is provided in the base, extending subtantrally perpendicular to the first relief 42, along an axis lying approximately midway between and parallel to the. i.laps 22 and fold lines 22a. The:parts 46, 48 of the second rellef inthe base 18 each comprise two spaced parallel relief lines, the spacing between the two lines in the part 48 being greater than that between the. two lines in the part.46.

J The:OVer 20 a'so has a second relief çom�rsng two parts 50, 52 extehding : akng an axis in continuatIon of the axis of the relief parts 46, 48 substantially parallel. to the side flaps 38 and fold lines. 3,a,pf the cover panel 20. Again, each of the second relief parts 50, 52 of the; cc:ver comprises two relief lines, the relief lines 52 being spaced from one another slightly more wrdely than : thcseofthe part5O in each. of the base 18 and cover 20, there is a central area 54, respectively, in which he reliefs are interrupted i e there is no weakening of the material of the base and cover panels The reliefs above described in the base and cover panels enable reduction of the dimensions of the, partially-collapsed box, as above described.,, to ap.p.rokimately one quarter of' its previous surface area. With the cover panel 20 overlying the base. panel 18, the rear portic.ns of the two panels. may be folded about the first reliefs 42, 44 to overlie the front part of the box. Then, one side of the thus4old:ed box may be folded over the other side, about the relief parts 46 48, 50, 52 At this stage the thickness of the folded box arnc.'Unts to eight ti'me.s the nominal thickness of the corrugated cardboard material thereof, and it is the formation of the relief parts 50 52, 46 and 48 as two spaced relief lines, of different spacing therebetween and a maximum spacing between the two Fines of the part 48, which facilitates such folding For holding the fully-collapsed box in that condition one of the. flaps.. 32 has a generally T-shaped tongue 70 which can be displaced at its wide end from the flap 32 that end being engaged with the V-shaped slot defined between the flap 32 at the opposite side of the box and the adjacent part of the opposite flap 30.

Referring finally now to figure 3 of the drawings, this illustrates a preferred formation for the relief lines above referred to. Figure 3 shows, in:cross.

section, a piece of corrugated cardboard thateriäL of the type of which the box wcnId be rnade comprising two surface layers 60, 62 of flat cardboard with a corrugated flute 64 of th.i nner cardboard therebetween. The reflef is provided by a number of spaced cutters indicated at 66, each providing a straight cut 3Od1Ofl in line with thAt provided by the adjacen t tutters The:cutter are arranged to penetrate: the swface layer 60 Of the cardboard, but: nOt te pen4rae, pr to penetrate only to a small' extent the flute 64.

Such a relief weakens the cardboard along the line thereof to an extent 5ufficnt' to facilitate the above described folding red.uOtion of the Surface area of tha box to facilitate: disposal thereof. The. central regions 54, 56: in the panels 18, 20 of the base and cover, not being weakened by the reliefs, assist instrengthening the box for us,e in.the situation where: several are stacked one upon another.

In the illustrated box, all the reliefs are provided in the visible Uppermost surface of the piece of cardboard shown in Figure 2 of the drawings., :5 it is not necessary to operate on the cardboard from two sidesto provide the reliefs therein. For the style of box illustrated, the flute extends in the direction parallel to the reliefs 46,48 50, 52, so that in the front and rear watts Of the box the flute runs.verilcally to give these walls the maximum rigidity, and. strençth for the stacking of boxes on another. However the inventiOn is appJicbl to other styles: of box, in which the flute mayrun in another direction.

When used in this specification and claims, the terms comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean: that the specified features., steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components,.

The features disclosed in. the foregoing description, or the following claims or the accompanying dmwings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a 1:0 means fér perfonnirig ta disclosed function; py a method or process for ait4.Ining the disclosed:jesuft, as appropriati, may, separately; or in. ary combination of such tiatures, be utilised fcr.realising the Invention in diverse fèimemereot Ii