Pizza box
AssigneeInternational Paper Company
InventorsWayne Kuhn, Frank Pizzitola
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A folded pizza box is formed from a lay flat blank for retaining, transporting and serving hot pizza. The blank includes an arrangement of end panels, side panels and lid panels foldable relative to a bottom panel such that, in the erected box, the lid panels overlap and are interlocked with the end panels by frictionally engaged detents. The side panels slant upwardly and inwardly from the bottom panel to add rigidity and save material for the carton. The end panels flare upwardly and outwardly from the bottom panel to prevent shifting of stacked boxes. The lid panels each have less width than the bottom panel and do not extend completely across the width of a box erected from the blank.
Claims19
A pizza box having length and width dimensions and comprising:
- a substantially flat and rectangular bottom panel having opposite end edges and opposite side edges;
- a pair of opposed end panels foldably connected to opposite end edges of the bottom panel;
- a pair of opposed side panels foldably connected to opposite side edges of the bottom panel;
- a lid panel foldably connected at one edge to each of said side panels and having an opposite free edge, said lid panels each having a width substantially less than the width of the box but wide enough to overlap at their free edges when the lid panels are in closed position;
- and
- cooperating detent means on the lid panels and end panels to lock the lid panels in closed position.
A method of packaging a pizza baked in an oven, comprising the steps of:
- providing a flat blank comprising a substantially rectangular bottom panel, a pair of opposed side panels foldably connected to opposite side edges of the bottom panel, a pair of opposed lid panels foldably connected to the side panels, a pair of opposed end panels foldably connected to opposite end edges of the bottom panel, and cooperating detent means on the lid panels and end panels to lock the lid panels in closed position;
- removing a pizza from the oven and placing it directly onto the bottom panel;
- slicing the pizza on the bottom panel;
- and
- folding the side and end panels and the lid panels to enclose the pizza.
A foldable blank for making a pizza box, said blank comprising:
- a substantially rectangular bottom panel having length and width dimensions;
- a pair of opposed end panels foldably connected to opposite end edges of the bottom panel;
- a pair of opposed side panels foldably connected to opposite side edges of the bottom panel;
- a pair of opposed lid panels, each foldably connected to a respective opposite side panel and having a free outer edge and opposite side edges, said lid panels each having a width substantially less than the width of the bottom panel;
- and
- cooperating detent means on the lid panels and the end panels to lock the lid panels in closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.