US2758774A

US2758774A - Package

Info

Publication number: US2758774A
Application number: US489362A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ranald K Grunert; William S Huss
Original assignee: Marathon Corp
Current assignee: Marathon Corp
Priority date: 1955-02-21
Filing date: 1955-02-21
Publication date: 1956-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 1973-08-14

Description

Aug. 14, 1956 I R, K. GRUNERT ET AL PACKAGE 5 Sheets-Sheet '1 Filed Feb. 21, 1955 INVENTORS T A R E NS U5 RU GH EV Mr/ m u m RW/ Y ATTOP/VEYJ.

1956 R..K. GRUNERT ETAL PACKAGE 3 Shee ts-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 21, 1955 VENTORS GRUNERT K. zi

RANALD wnu m 5. HUSS w 9 v R. K. GRUNERT ET A1. 2,758,774 PACKAGE 7 Filed Feb. 21, 19 55 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS RANALD K. GRUNERT W\LLIAM 5.HU5S

PACKAGE Ranald K. Grunert and William S. Huss, Appleton, Wis., assignors to Marathon Corporation, Menasha, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application February 21, 1955, Serial No. 489,362

8 'Claims. (Cl. 229-15) This invention relates to a package for the unitary carrying of a multiplicity of items which must be retained in separate condition within the package. In a more particular application, the package is admirably suited for use in the relatively new field of packaged hot meals. In such particular use, the meal to be eaten is prepared and packaged by the restaurant or other food-selling institution, and in this form it is transferred to the consumer at the point of preparation for carry-' ing to an ultimate destination for consumption, or is transported by the preparing institution to a place such as the consumers home for consumption at that place. In either event, there results an appreciable lapse of time between preparation and consumption, and there is further involved the act of transportation which will inevitably cause considerable jostling of the packaged meal.

It is thus essential that the meal be so packaged that the lapse of time will not result in serious degradation of the various food items and that the act of transportation not result in displacement or intermixing of the various food items. Our package achieves these results in a highly satisfactory manner.

Until the advent of our package, there has been available no means of satisfactorily accomplishing the desired results. The packages commonly found are bulky, inconvenient to handle and use, and do not satisfactorily maintain separation of the various food items. In most usual form, these packages comprise merely a main carton or container in which the various items are loosely placed, or such a container having loosely placed receptacles for the various food items. As a result of the handling such packages inevitably receive, with no satisfactory means to prevent displacement and intermixing of the foods contained, there frequently results a most unattractive and unpalatable end product, for consump tion by the purchaser.

Our package in a unique manner further functions as the serving means from which the food is eaten, requiring no transfer from the carrying package to plates or other means of service. In addition, our package also provides means for retention of certain desired characteristics of the food products to be contained. Other objects and advantages of our invention will be readily apparent from the description of the following drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of our complete package in open position,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the blank from which the main carton forming a part of our package is formed,

Figure 3 is a perspective view, partially cut away, similar to Figure 1 but with a part of the elements of the package removed,

Figure 4 is a perspective view, similar to Figure 1, but with the package in condition for consumption of the food contents, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view, with certain portions cut away, of our completed package as it is ready for transportation of the food contents.

Referring first to Figure 1, it is seen that our package nited States Patent 2,758,774 Patented Aug. 14, 1956 comprises a main carton 1 within which are disposed a pair of lower trays 2 and 3, only partially visible, an upper tray 4 and an auxiliary carton supported within upper tray 4.

The main carton 1 is formed from the integral flexible blank shown in Figure 2, of paperboard or other suitable material. The blank of Figure 2 is divided by a series of cut, score and perforation lines into a series of walls, flaps, panels and other members. These include cover front and top walls and 11 hinged together along a score line 12 and a pair of cover side walls 13 hinged to the side edges of top wall 11 along score lines 14. Glue flaps 15 are hinged to the side edges of side walls 13 adjacent cover front wall 10 by perforation lines 16. Triangular portions 17 of cover side walls 13 are defined adjacent flaps 15 by perforation lines 18. Locking segments 19 are defined in adjacent portions of flaps 15 and portions 17 by cut lines 20 parallel to score lines 14 and score lines 21 parallel to perforation lines 16. Segments 20 are divided by score lines 22 which are a condition of perforation lines 16. Top wall 11 contains irregular cut lines 23 defining depressable tabs 24, the purpose of which will be explained later herein.

The blank of Figure 2 further includes a box part bottom wall having a rear wall 31 and front wall 32 hinged to opposite edges thereof along

score lines

33 and 34. Rear wall 31 is integrally hinged to cover top wall 11 along score line 35. The end edges of bottom wall 30 have box part end walls 36 hinged thereto along score lines 37, and a pair of bellows panels 38 are hinged to the end edges of rear wall 31 and the adjacent side edges of side walls 36 along

score lines

39 and 40 respectively. Bellows panels 38 are diagonally divided by perforation lines 41 into triangular

shaped portions

42 and 43. Diagonal perforation line 44 in side walls 36 define glue flap portions 45 in side walls 36.

A pair of glue flaps 46 is hinged to the side edges of box part front wall 32 along score lines 47. Locking segments 48 are defined from box part front wall 32 and glue flaps 46 by score lines 49 parallel to score line 34 and score lines 50 parallel to score lines 47.

A T-shaped locking tab 51 is formed in bottom wall 30 by

cut lines

52, 53, 54 and 55, tab 51 being hinged to bottom wall 30 along score line 56. Tab 51 has lateral extensions or portions 58, the function of which will be explained later herein. Locking tabs 59 are formed in box part side walls 36 by U-shaped cut lines 60 and are hinged to walls 36 along score lines 61.

Cut out portions 62 are formed in the end edges of box part side walls 36, cut outs 63 are made in the remote corners of glue flaps 46 to correspond to cut outs 62 in the erected condition of the main carton, and box part side walls 36 and cover front panel 10 are along the side edges cut away at 64 and 65 respectively, all for a purpose to be described later herein.

Referring also to Figures 1, 3 and 4, it will be noted that lower trays 2 and 3 are of well known manufacture, in which the four side walls are somewhat inclined rela tive to the bottom. Upper tray 4 is similar, except that it is provided with supporting tabs which function in a manner to be described in detail later herein. Auxiliary carton 5 is also of well known construction, and its bottom portion is similar to trays 2 and 3, but it has a cover wall 71 attached to one side wall thereof, the cover wall having elongated opening or slot 72 formed therein.

Except for details previously indicated and to be fully described later, our main carton 1 is generally of conventional construction, and is erected in a conventional fashion. Front wall 32 is erected perpendicularly to bottom wall 30, and glue flaps 46 are turned inwardly. Box part side walls 36 are then erected perpendicular to It will be obvious that numerous modifications might be made in our package without departing from the spirit of our invention. For example,

perforation lines

18, 41 and 44 might equally well be score lines providing the required weakness for collapsing of the carton. And as previously mentioned, additional lower trays might be provided by merely adding additional corresponding features already described. Therefore, it is to be understood that no limitations upon our invention are intended except as specifically set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A package for separately containing a variety of items, the package comprising a collapsible main carton having a box part including bottom, front and side walls and a rear wall connected to the side walls by webs permitting collapse of the rear wall to a position coplanar with said bottom Wall and a cover hinged to the rear wall for telescoping over the box part and including top, front and side walls, the cover walls in cover-telescoped position overlying the corresponding box walls, the cover front wall at its side edges being connected to the adjacent edges of the cover side walls by a readily-severable connection, a plurality of lower trays positioned on the bottom wall of the box part and together forming a tray layer superimposed on substantially all of said bottom wall surface, an upper tray spaced above the lower trays of size to fit within the open box part, the side walls of said upper tray having tabs connected to the free upper edges thereof and folded over the free top edges of the box part side walls to overlie the outer faces thereof to support said upper tray in such spaced relation above the lower trays, and a closed auxiliary carton supported within said upper tray and having an opening in the top thereof, the box part front and side walls and cover front and side walls having adjacent the edges along which such front and side walls are joined together a pair of spaced out lines parallel to the box part bottom wall, the upper cut lines being positioned immediately below the lowermost portion of the upper tray and the lower cut lines being positioned immediately above the upper portion of said lower trays, said cut lines defining locking and supporting portions pushed inwardly to lock the cover and box part together, to support the adjacent lower portions of the upper tray and to override the adjacent portions of the lower trays for retention thereof, the box part side walls having tabs defined therein and hinged inwardly parallel to the bottom wall to closely overlie the upper portion of the adjacent lower trays for retention thereof, and the box part bottom wall having a tab defined therein and extended upwardly between adjacent lower trays, said tab having lateral extensions on its free end bendable to closely overlie the upper portion of the lower trays for retention thereof, and the cover top wall having a confined portion thereof depressed into the opening in the top of the auxiliary carton disposed therebelow for retention of said carton in fixed position.

2. A package for separately containing a variety of items, the package comprising a main carton having a box part including bottom, front and side walls and a rear wall and a cover for telescoping over the box part and including top, front and side walls, the cover walls in cover-telescoped position overlying the corresponding box part walls, the cover front wall at its side edges being connected to the adjacent edges of the cover side walls, a lower tray positioned on the bottom wall of the box part, an upper tray above the lower tray of size to fit within the box part, the side walls of said upper tray having tabs connected to the free upper edges thereof and folded over the free top edges of the box part side walls to overlie the outer faces thereof to support said upper tray, the box part side walls having tabs defined therein and hinged inwardly above the bottom wall to closely overlie the upper portion of the lower tray for retention thereof.

3. A package according to claim 2, further characterized by the fact that the main carton is collapsible, the upper tray is spaced above the lower tray and maintained in such spaced relationship by said tabs connected to the upper edges of the upper tray, and the cover in package closed position is releasably locked to the box part.

4. A package according to claim 3, further characterized by the fact that the rear and side Walls of the box part are connected together by integral webs permitting collapse of the rear walls to a position coplanar with the bottom wall.

5. A package according to claim 4, further characterized by the fact that the cover front wall at its side edges is connected to the adjacent edges of the cover side walls by a readily-severable connection.

6. A package according to claim 5, further characterized by having a plurality of lower trays positioned on the bottom wall of the box part, and by the fact that the bottom wall has tab portions defined therein and extended upwardly between adjacent lower trays, said tab portions having lateral extensions on their free ends folded to closely overlie the upper portion of the lower trays for retention thereof, said tab portions being of such length that their free ends supportingly contact the lowermost portion of the upper tray.

7. A package for separately containing a variety of items, the package comprising a collapsible main carton having a box part including bottom, front and side walls and a rear wall and a cover for telescoping over the box part and including top, front and side walls, the cover Walls in cover-telescoped position overlying the corresponding box part walls, the box part rear wall being connected to said box part side walls by webs permitting collapse of said rear wall to a position coplanar with the bottom wall, the cover front wall at its side edges being connected to the adjacent edges of the cover side walls by a readily-severable connection, a lower tray positioned on the bottom wall of the box part, an upper tray spaced above the lower tray of size to fit within the box part, the side walls of said upper tray having tabs connected to the free upper edges thereof and folded over the free top edges of the box part side walls to overlie the outer faces thereof to support said upper tray, said main carton including means for releasably locking the box part and cover together in package-closed position.

8. A package according to claim 7, further characterized by having a plurality of lower trays positioned on the bottom wall, and by the fact that the box part side walls have tabs defined therein hinged inwardly above the bottom wall to closely overlie the adjacent upper portion of the lower trays for retention thereof and the bottom wall has cut lines therein defining tab portions therein and extended upwardly between adjacent lower trays, said tab portions having lateral extensions on their free ends folded to closely overlie the upper portion of the lower trays for retention thereof, said tab portions being of such length that their free ends supportingly contact the lowermost portion of the upper tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 814,069 Naylor Mar. 6, 1906 1,669,617 Kennedy May 15, 1928 1,901,530 Pellymounter Mar. 14, 1933 1,991,427 Spachmann Feb. 19, 1935 2,329,637 Miller Sept. 14, 1943