Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1
Container
The present invention relates to a container according to the preamble of the
claim.
Such containers are particularly known to be used in fastfood restaurants.
They serve to
receive foodstuff, for instance sandwiches or burgers. After the sandwich or
burger has
been put into the bottom part of the container, the lid of the container is
closed and the
closed container is handed over to the customer.
It is not unusual that customers do not already eat their fastfood items in
the fastfood
restaurants, but first transport the food to another place or eat it on their
way. Therefore, the
containers should not only be adapted to be filled in a fast and easy way, but
they should
also permit a safe (especially drip-free) transport of the food and
subsequently a very easy
handling of the food while it is eaten.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a container which meets
all of these
requirements with the help of means that are constructionally as simple as
possible.
This object is achieved by a container comprising the features of claim 1.
The present invention is characterized in that at least one of the lateral
wall areas of the
bottom part is pivotable about the edge of the bottom area connecting this
lateral wall area
and the bottom area. Particularly, this lateral wall area can therefore be
pivotable between
an upwardly folded position in which the bottom part is closed in the form of
a box for
transporting the food, and a position folded outwards or downwards. In this
downwardly
folded position, in which the lateral wall area could especially be in
alignment with the
bottom part, the food can be introduced into or removed from the bottom part
in a
particularly easy way, for in this position the bottom part is accessible not
only in a vertical
direction from above, but is also laterally accessible due to the downwardly
folded side wall.
It is even better if two, three or four of the lateral wall areas are
pivotable around the edge of
the bottom area connecting the respective lateral wall area and the bottom
area. On the one
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, 2
hand, this offers additional possibilities of accessing the interior of the
bottom part. On the
other hand, it would be conceivable that each outwardly folded lateral wall
area in the
outwardly folded position is in alignment with the bottom area or just shows a
minor angle of
inclination relative to the bottom area. In this case the bottom area and the
outwardly folded
lateral wall areas so to speak form a tray for the food, the surface of the
tray being that of
the bottom area plus the surfaces of the outwardly folded lateral wall areas.
This "tray" will be provided with the largest surface if the whole bottom part
is foldable into a
flat position in which particularly all of the lateral wall areas of the
bottom part are pivotable
or foldable relative to the bottom area. The larger the formed tray is, the
more efficiently can
it prevent parts of the food, such as dressings or the like, from falling or
flowing out of the
container.
A connecting lug is preferably provided between two neighboring lateral wall
areas. Such a
connecting lug offers various advantages. On the one hand it can help to
transmit the
movement of a lateral wall area during inward or outward pivoting to the
neighboring lateral
wall area, so that it participates in the movement. Secondly, the lugs serve
to seal the
contact edges between two neighboring lateral wall areas at least in part in a
collapsed
position of the bottom part so as to prevent parts of the food from falling or
dripping
outwards. Thirdly, the connecting lugs in the unfolded tray-like position of
the bottom part
serve to enlarge the surface of the tray. A connecting lug may particularly
also be provided
on each corner on which the two lateral wall areas of the bottom part are
neighbors.
Preferably, the connecting lug has a given folding line along the bisecting
line between the
two neighboring lateral wall areas. This helps to fold the connecting lug
inwards when the
lateral wall area is pivoted relative to the bottom part.
It is particularly expedient when the connecting lug projects into the
interior of the bottom
part in an approximately box-shaped position. The container can thereby be
closed in a
better way because the connecting lug does not protrude on the outside of the
bottom part.
Moreover, the connecting lug in the interior of the bottom part can fulfill
other advantageous
tasks.
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3
In a preferred embodiment of the invention a recess is provided on the outer
edge of a
connecting lug, i.e. on the edge of the connecting lug facing away from the
bottom area.
When the corresponding lateral wall areas are pivoted upwards relative to the
bottom area,
the connecting lug projects into the interior of the bottom part and is there
provided with the
recess. This recess may now serve to secure an item received in the container,
e.g. a food.
To be more specific, the recess may be arranged approximately in the middle
region of the
outer edge of a connecting lug, preferably in symmetry with the bisecting line
between the
two neighboring lateral wall areas. This has the effect that the two sections
of the recess are
positioned one on top of the other at the opposite sides of the bisecting line
when the
connecting lug projects into the interior of the bottom part so as to jointly
form an enlarged
recess in this way.
It is also advantageous when the recess is positioned approximately on half of
the height of
the lateral wall areas relative to the bottom area in case the lateral wall
areas are pivoted
upwards relative to the bottom area. When a food is then secured in the
recess, this has the
advantage particularly in the case of heated or even hot foodstuff that the
foodstuff is kept at
some distance from the bottom area. As a consequence, an air gap which
thermally
insulates the food relative to the bottom area remains between the food and
the bottom
area. Thus the food remains hot for a longer period of time and the handling
of the container
is improved for the user.
Advantageously, the dimensions of the bottom area approximately correspond to
the
dimensions of the lid area or they are at least in part slightly smaller than
the lid area. The
container can thereby be brought particularly easily into a closed position in
which the lid
part covers the bottom part.
It is expedient when the three flanks of the lid part are secured to one
another such that they
are each approximately perpendicular to the lid area. This makes the lid part
particularly
stable and it is given a box-shaped configuration in which it can overlap the
bottom part.
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4
To achieve a design of the lid part that is as permanently stable as possible,
it is
advantageous when two respective neighboring flanks of the lid part are glued
to one
another. Alternatively, other types of connection would also be feasible.
In a further improved variant of the invention, at least one flank of the lid
part has a folding
line along the bisecting line between the connecting edges of this flank to
the lid area and
the connecting edge of this flank to the neighboring flank. This makes it
possible to fold or
pivot the corresponding flanks into a position where they lie flat on the lid
area, so that they
need less space.
Even better, two opposing flanks of the lid part are each provided with a
folding line along
the bisecting line between the connecting edge of the respective flank to the
lid area and the
connecting edge of the respective flank to the neighboring flank. This has the
advantage
that the two opposing flanks are pivotable into a position where they lie flat
on the lid area,
the flanks transmitting this movement via the folding line to the middle
flank, so that this
flank is also folded to lie flat on the lid area. The lid part on the whole is
thus foldable into a
flat position in which all of its components rest flat on one another. This,
in turn, has the
advantage that with a correspondingly flat-foldable bottom part the whole
material for the
container is foldable into a flat position in which a great number of
containers can be
stacked in a very space-saving way. As a consequence, this offers enormous
logistical
advantages.
One possibility of forming folding lines consists in providing a perforation
in the material of
the container at the corresponding place of the container. This is a
possibility that can easily
be put into practice technically, i.e. to predetermine the extension of the
folding line and to
facilitate folding at said line due to the weakened material.
To facilitate transportation of the item contained in the container, it is
advantageous when
the container is foldable into a closed position in which the bottom part
assumes a box-
shaped position and in which the lid part overlaps the bottom part. This has
the advantage
that the lid part by overlapping the bottom part prevents the pivotable
lateral wall areas of
the bottom part from pivoting outwards, thereby ensuring that the bottom part
remains in the
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box-shaped position. The item contained in the container can be transported in
such a way
that there is no risk that the container will unfold unintentionally.
Even better is a situation where in the closed position of the container the
flanks of the lid
part are arranged to be approximately plane-parallel with and outside of the
lateral walls of
the box-shaped bottom part. In this way the flanks double the corresponding
lateral walls of
the bottom part; an air gap may here still remain in the interior of the
double walls. Both
factors will improve the thermal insulation of the container considerably.
A further advantageous design is that a lateral wall area is connected at a
first edge to the
lid area and at an edge opposite said first edge to the bottom area. Thus the
axis about
which the lid part is pivotable relative to the bottom part is located on an
upper edge of a
lateral wall of the box-shaped bottom part. From there the lid part can be
pivoted particularly
easily into a position overlapping the bottom part.
In a further advantageous variant, at least one flank of the lid part is
provided with a grip
recess. It enables the user to grip the bottom part in the closed position of
the container with
at least one finger, so that said part can be retained while the lid part is
upwardly pivoted
relative to the bottom part.
It is here particularly advantageous when the grip recess is provided at the
end of a flank
that is in the neighborhood of the edge connecting the lid part and the bottom
part. It is
thereby ensured that the grip recess is positioned as close as possible to the
pivot axis
connecting the lid part and the bottom part, which is of particular advantage
to the handling
of the container, particularly to the upward pivoting of the lid part.
A technically simple and moreover esthetically satisfactory possibility of
forming the grip
recess consists in rounding off a corner on the corresponding flank.
A further improvement of the container according to the invention is that at
least one lateral
wall of the bottom part comprises a closing lug which in a closed position of
the container
can be introduced into a closing opening or a closing pocket on the lid part.
The
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6
engagement between the closing lug and the closing opening or closing pocket
makes sure
that in the closed position of the container the freedom of movement of the
lid part relative to
the bottom part is restricted, so that the container will keep its closed
position more reliably.
It would also be possible that the container is formed from a one-part blank.
In comparison
with a variant which is also feasible and in which the lid part and the bottom
part are first
formed separately, a one-part blank would offer the advantage of an easier and
faster
production. The blank could here e.g. be produced by a punching tool.
Manufacture could also be simplified in that the container is formed from one
symmetrical
blank. As a rule, a great number of different materials are suited as a
material for the
container, i.e. not only foldable materials. To simplify the handling of the
container and its
manufacture, foldable materials, such as plastics, paper, cardboard, or also
other cellulose
materials, are preferred.
Two preferred embodiments of the container according to the invention shall
now be
described in more detail with reference to the attached drawing. In detail,
Fig. 1 shows a blank for a container according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a container according to the
invention with
folded lateral walls of the bottom part;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the container shown in Fig. 2 with upwardly
pivoted lateral
walls of the bottom part;
Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the container at the position marked with
IV-IV in Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the container shown in Figs. 2 and 3 in a
closed position; and
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a container according
to the
invention.
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7
Like parts are designated throughout all figures with like reference numerals.
Fig. 1 is a top view on a flat blank 1 for a preferred embodiment of a
container 2 according
to the invention. The blank consists preferably of a foldable material, such
as paper or
cardboard. The blank may e.g. be punched out of a larger portion of said
material.
On its smallest region, the blank 1 shown in Fig. 1 defines a pivot edge 3. In
the top view
shown in Fig. 1, the part of the blank at the left side from the pivot edge 3
represents the lid
part 4 of the container 2 whereas the portion at the right side from the pivot
edge 3 forms
the bottom part 5. In the embodiment as illustrated, the container 2 is formed
as one part in
that lid part 4 and bottom part 4 are each part of a single blank 1.
The lid part 4 centrally comprises a rectangular, here particularly square,
lid area 6 which
will later form the top side or the lid area of the container 2 in a closed
condition of the
container 2. The lid area 6 is pivotably connected with the bottom part 5 via
the pivot edge
3, which is one of the lateral edges of the lid area 6. The pivot edge 3 may
here serve as a
pivot axis. At its three other edges 7, 8, 9, the lid area 6 is connected with
flanks 10, 11, 12,
namely with two mutually opposite lateral flanks 10, 12 and a middle flank 11
which is
exactly opposite the pivot edge 3. The two lateral flanks 10, 12 are each
provided with an
adhesive lug 13, 14, which are separated by incisions 15, 16 from the middle
flank 11.
The bottom part 5 has a central bottom area 17, which is also rectangular,
here particularly
square. At its four edges 18, 19, 20, 21 the bottom area 17 is connected with
a respective
lateral wall area 22, 23, 24, 25, so that the bottom area 17 and the side wall
areas 22, 23,
24, 25 have a cruciform shape on the whole.
A connecting lug 26 is provided between each neighboring pair of lateral wall
areas. Each
connecting lug 26 has a substantially triangular shape with two lateral wall
edges 27, 28 on
which the connecting lug 26 contacts a neighboring lateral wall area 22, 23,
24, 25, and an
outer edge 29 facing away from the bottom area 17. In its central region a
recess 30 is
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8
provided on the outer edge 29. This recess 30, which is here about
semicircular, is arranged
in symmetry with the two neighboring lateral wall areas 22, 23, 24, 25.
In the central region of the lateral wall edges 27, 29, sectional incisions
31, 32 may be
respectively provided to promote a folding-in of the connecting lugs 26 along
the lateral wall
edges 27, 28. Moreover, each connecting lug 26 is provided along the bisecting
line
between the neighboring lateral wall areas 22, 23, 24, 25 with a predetermined
folding line
33, the extension of which may particularly be predetermined by a perforation.
Each of the lateral wall areas 22, 23, 24, 25 is pivotable in the illustrated
embodiment via the
joint edge 18, 19, 20, 21 relative to the bottom area 17. The lateral wall
area 25 closest to
the cover part 4 adjoins the bottom area 17 via an edge 21, whereas the edge
of the lateral
wall area 25 opposite the edge 21 is the pivot edge 3 which pivotably connects
the lid part 4
with the bottom part 5.
In the region of the pivot edge 3 a small stepped portion 34 can be seen at
both sides of the
blank. The stepped portion 34, which is here made oblique, has the consequence
that a
longitudinal dimension of the bottom area 17 is slightly smaller than a
corresponding
dimension of the lid area 6. This will later be of benefit to the reception of
the bottom part 5
in the lid part 4 in a closed position of the container 2.
Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the container 2 according to the invention,
which
container was formed from the blank shown in Fig. 1. To this end the two
lateral opposing
flanks 10, 12 of the lid part 4 are pivoted upwards by 90 relative to the lid
area 6.
Subsequently, the adhesive lugs 13, 14 are pivoted by 90 towards the lid area
6 until they
are oriented in parallel with the edge 8 of the lid area 6. Subsequently, the
middle flank 11
was pivoted upwards so that it is perpendicular to both the two neighboring
flanks 10, 12
and the lid area 6. An adhesive bond between the adhesive lugs 13, 14 and the
middle flank
fastens the three flanks 10, 11, 12 in a permanent way to one another and
ensures that
the lid part 4 remains in the position shown in Fig. 2, in which each flank
10, 11, 12 is
oriented in a direction perpendicular to the lid area 6.
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As can further be seen, the lateral flanks 10, 12 are each provided with a
rounding 35
having a wide radius of curvature. The rounding 35 is provided at that end of
the lateral
flanks 10, 12 that is closest to the pivot edge 3 connecting the lid part 4
and the bottom part
5. The rounding 35 has a radius of curvature which exactly corresponds to the
height of the
respective flank 10, 12 relative to the lid area 6. The rounding 35 will later
serve to provide a
grip recess on the lid part 4.
In Fig. 2 the bottom part 5 is located in the same flat position as in Fig. 1.
In this "tray
position" of the bottom part 5, the bottom area 17, the lateral wall areas 22,
23, 24 and 25
and the connecting lugs 26 are positioned in a joint plane in which the lid
area is also
positioned. Thanks to this planar arrangement the components of the bottom
part 5 so to
speak form a "tray", i.e. a planar surface.
Fig. 3 shows the container 2 which has already been illustrated in Fig. 2. In
contrast to Fig.
2, Fig. 3 shows a position in which the three lateral wall areas 22, 23, 24 of
the bottom part
have been pivoted or folded upwards around the corresponding edges 18, 19, 20
relative to
the bottom area 17 such that they are each perpendicular to the bottom area
17. To achieve
this, and starting from the "tray position" in Fig. 2, the two opposing
lateral wall areas 22, 24
at the side may first be pivoted upwards by 90 . Subsequently, the middle
lateral wall area
23 is also pivoted upwards by 90 . During this movement the two connecting
lugs 26 in the
neighborhood of the lateral wall area 23 are folded such that their folding
lines 33 are
oriented towards the interior of the bottom part 5. As soon as the middle
lateral wall area 23
has been pivoted by 90 relative to the bottom area 17, the two halves of each
connecting
lug 26 that are defined by the folding line 33 lie flat on each other, whereby
they prevent any
further pivoting of the lateral wall area 23. In the position of the container
2 as shown in Fig.
3, the lid area 6, the bottom area 17, and the intermediate lateral wall area
25 are positioned
in a joint plane.
Fig. 4 shows a vertical section through the embodiment of an inventive
container 2, as
shown in Fig. 3, at the position marked with IV-IV in Fig. 3. As can be seen
here, the lateral
wall areas 22, 24 are pivoted about the edges 18 and 20, respectively,
relative to the bottom
area 17 in such a way that they are approximately perpendicular to the bottom
area 17. In
CA 02622815 2008-03-17
this position, the bottom part 5 assumes an approximately box-shaped position,
with the
bottom of the box being formed by the bottom area 17 and the lateral walls of
the box by the
lateral wall areas 22, 24.
The connecting lugs 26 project obliquely into the interior of the box-shaped
bottom part 5.
Since the recesses 30 are arranged in the middle region of the outer edges 29
of the
connecting lugs, the recess 30 is arranged approximately on half of the height
of the lateral
wall areas 22, 24 in the box-shaped position of the bottom part 5 as is shown
here.
An item 36, for instance a food, is received between the two recesses 30 as
shown here.
This may e.g. be a sandwich or a burger. Since the item 36 is clamped between
the
recesses 30, it cannot move in the bottom part 5. To be more specific, it can
thus not drop
down onto the bottom area 17. Thus, an air gap 37 remains between the item 36
and the
bottom area 17. In the case of a warmed or heated item 36, the air gap 37 can
serve the
thermal insulation of the item 36 relative to the container 2. This has the
advantage that the
item 36 cools at a slow pace and that the walls 17, 22, 24 of the container 2
are not heated
and can thus be gripped by a user more easily.
Fig. 5 shows the container 2 of the invention in a closed position. In this
position the bottom
part 5 is shaped into a box by the measure that all of its lateral wall areas
22, 23, 24, 25 are
pivoted upwards by 90 relative to the bottom area 17. In all of the four
corners of the
bottom area 5 a connecting lug 26 projects into the interior of the bottom
part 5 and can
therefore retain an item 36 in the bottom part 5 in the way shown in Fig. 4.
The lid part 4 is then pivoted about the pivot edge 3 in such a way over the
box-shaped
bottom part 5 that the lid part 4 overlaps the bottom part 5. This overlapping
is facilitated by
the measure that due to the stepped portions 34 the cross-sectional dimensions
of the
bottom part 5 are slightly smaller than those of the lid part 4.
In the closed position of the container 2 a flank of the lid part 4 and a
lateral wall area of the
bottom part 5 are plane-parallel one on top of the other on three lateral
walls of the
container 2. The flank 10 is plane-parallel above the lateral wall area 24,
the middle flank 11
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11
is plane-parallel above the lateral wall area 23 and the lateral flank 12 is
plane-parallel
above the lateral wall area 22. It is just one single wall of the container 2
formed by the
lateral wall area 25 that remains single-layered. All of the other three sides
of the container
2 are double-layered due to the superimposed flanks and lateral wall areas,
and an air gap
may still be present between the flanks and the associated lateral wall areas.
Both the
double-layered configuration and the air gap further help to thermally
insulate the container
2.
Due to the rounding 35 the overlap of the lateral wall area 24 by the flank 10
is not
complete, but there remains a grip recess 38. A corresponding grip recess 38
is also found
on the opposite lateral wall of the container 2 where the flank 12 does also
not fully cover
the lateral wall 22 because of the rounding 35. On the grip recesses 38 the
respective
lateral wall area 22, 24 of the bottom part 5 is exposed and can be gripped by
a user. While
the user is retaining the bottom part 5 in this way, he can pivot the lid part
4 relative to the
bottom part 5 with his other hand. The grip recesses 38 thereby facilitate the
handling of the
container 2.
Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of a container 2 according to the invention.
It differs in
two points from the preceding embodiment. Both points can also be realized
independently
of one another on a container 2.
A first difference between the container 2 shown in Fig. 6 and the preceding
embodiment is
that the container 2 in Fig. 6 comprises a closing mechanism. For this purpose
a closing lug
39 is formed on the edge of the lateral wall area 23 that is facing away from
the bottom area
17. It has an elongate shape and is positioned in one plane with the lateral
wall area 23.
The cover part 4 has provided thereon a closing pocket 40 with which the
closing lug 39 can
be engaged. The closing pocket 40 is formed by an incision into the adhesive
lugs 13, 14
through which the closing lug 39 can pass into a space between the adhesive
lugs 12, 14
and the middle flank 11 when the lid part 4 is pivoted over the bottom part 5
into a closed
position of the container 2. It would also be possible that a closing opening
is formed by an
incision in the edge 8 between the lid part 6 and the middle flank 11, whereby
the closing
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12
lug 39 can then get into engagement with said closing opening. Due to the
engagement of
the closing lug 39 in the closing pocket 40 or closing opening, the freedom of
movement of
the lid part 4 is restricted vis-a-vis the bottom part 5, so that the
container 2 can be more
securely transported in its closed position.
A further difference of the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 with respect to the
preceding
embodiment is that the two opposing lateral flanks 10, 12 of the cover part 4
are each
provided with a folding line 41. The folding lines 41 are each arranged along
the bisecting
line between the connecting edge 7, 9 of the respective edge relative to the
lid area 6 and
the connecting edge of the flank 10, 12 with respect to the adhesive lug 13,
14 assigned to
it. The extension of the folding line 41 may e.g. be predetermined by a
perforation. Along the
folding line 41 the respective flank 10, 12 can be folded such that the flank
10, 12 lies flat on
the lid area 6. By virtue of the folding line 41 this folding movement is
transmitted to the
middle flank 11 such that said flank is also pivoted around the edge 8
relative to the lid area
and passes into a position where it lies flat on the lid area 6. Although the
adhesive lugs 13,
14 are still glued to the middle flank 11, the container 2 can be folded into
a completely flat
position in this way. In this position the containers can be stacked and
transported very well.
Starting from the illustrated embodiments the container 2 according to the
invention can be
modified in many ways. Of course the container 2 is not restricted to being
used with
foodstuff. Instead of this, other items 36 can also be accommodated in the
container 2 and
transported. Furthermore, the container 2 is not limited to the square shape
shown in this
instance. It would for instance also be possible that the lid and bottom areas
6, 17 have the
form of a circle, a triangle, a polygon, or any other desired geometric
figure. The forms of
the lid area 5 and the bottom area 17 need also not be the same. Of course,
this will also
increase or decrease the number of the lateral walls.
It would particularly also be possible that the bottom part comprises only one
single lateral
wall area 22, 23, 24, 25 that is pivotable relative to the bottom area 17
while the position of
the remaining lateral wall areas is fixed relative to the bottom area 17. This
already offers
advantages because a pivoting of the pivotable lateral wall area facilitates
access to an item
36 positioned in the container 2.
