Foldable, easily-disposable pizza box, and methods of making and using same

Pizza box blank comprising:

• a blank of paperboard;
• a matrix of pre-stressed lines on the blank defining a top lid panel having a length dimension "l" and a width dimension "w", a bottom tray panel having a length dimension and a width dimension substantially equal to the length and width dimensions of the top lid panel, and a rear sidewall panel joining the top lid panel to the bottom tray panel;
• the rear sidewall panel having one edge coincident with an edge of the top lid panel;
• the rear sidewall panel having an other edge, opposite the one edge, coincident with an edge of the bottom tray panel;
• the rear sidewall panel having a width dimension substantially equal to the width dimensions of the top lid and bottom tray panels;
• the rear sidewall panel having a height dimension "h" several times smaller than its width dimension and defined as the distance between the one and the other edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• at least one punch-out section formed in at least the rear sidewall panel, and extending heightwise at least completely across the rear sidewall panel from the one edge to the other edge of the rear sidewall panel, for facilitating folding an inter-folded pizza box formed from the blank;
• two punch-out sections disposed on the rear sidewall panel on either side of a centerline about which a pizza box assembled from the inter-folded blank is folded, each of the two punch-out sections extending at least completely across the rear sidewall panel from the top lid panel to the bottom tray panel;
• and
• at least one weakening line disposed on the rear sidewall panel, extending from a one of the two punch-out sections to an other of the two punch-out sections, for allowing the rear sidewall panel to deflect inward when the punch-out sections are removed from a pizza box assembled from the inter-folded blank, and the assembled pizza box is folded.

Pizza box blank for forming an inter-folded pizza box, comprising:

• a blank of paperboard;
• a top lid panel having four edges, a length dimension "l" between first two opposite of the four edges of the top lid panel, and a width dimension "w" between second two opposite of the four edges of the top lid panel;
• a bottom tray panel having four edges, a length dimension between first two opposite of the four edges of the bottom tray panel and substantially equal to the length dimension of the top lid panel, and a width dimension between second two opposite of the four edges of the bottom tray panel and substantially equal to the width dimension of the top lid panel;
• a rear sidewall panel having four edges, a first of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel joining a first of the four edges of the top lid panel, a second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel joining a first of the four edges of the bottom tray panel and opposite the first of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel, a third of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel extending at one end of the rear sidewall panel between the first and second edges of the rear sidewall panel, and a fourth of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel extending at an opposite end of the rear sidewall panel between the first and second edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• the rear sidewall panel having a width dimension between the third and fourth of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• the width dimension of the rear sidewall panel being substantially equal to the width dimension of the top lid panel;
• the rear sidewall panel having a height dimension "h" between the first and second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• the height dimension of the rear sidewall panel being several times smaller than the width dimension of the rear sidewall panel;
• a widthwise centerline defined on the rear sidewall panel at a position midway between the third and fourth of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel and extending between the first and second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• a punch-out section formed by at least two lines of perforations through the blank of paperboard;
• one of the at least two lines of perforations extending on one side of the widthwise centerline of the rear sidewall panel at least completely across the rear sidewall panel between the first and second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel, and disposed towards the third of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• an other of the at least two lines of perforations extending on an opposite side of the widthwise centerline of the rear sidewall panel at least completely across the rear sidewall panel between the first and second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel, and disposed towards the fourth of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• a widthwise distance between the one and the other of the lines of perforations being much smaller than the width dimension of the rear sidewall panel;
• further comprising:
• a plurality of weakening lines disposed on the rear sidewall panel facilitating folding an inter-folded pizza box formed from the blank;
• wherein:
• a first of the weakening lines extends from the first of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel to the second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel at a location distant from and to one side of the widthwise centerline;
• a second of the weakening lines extends from the first of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel to the second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel at a location distant from and to the opposite side of the widthwise centerline;
• a third of the weakening lines extends widthwise across the rear sidewall panel approximately parallel to and equidistant from the first and second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• a fourth of the weakening lines extends from one end of the first of the weakening lines to an end of the third weakening line;
• a fifth of the weakening lines extends from another end of the first of the weakening lines to the end of the third weakening line;
• a sixth of the weakening lines extends from one end of the second of the weakening lines to an other end of the third weakening line;
• a seventh of the weakening lines extends from another end of the second of the weakening lines to the other end of the third weakening line.

Pizza box blank for forming an interfolded pizza box, comprising;

• a blank of paperboard;
• a matrix of first pre-stressed lines on the blank defining:
• a top lid panel having four edges, a length "l" between first two opposite of the four edges of the top lid panel, and a width dimension "w" between second two opposite of the four edges of the top lid panel;
• a bottom tray panel having four edges, a length dimension between first two opposite of the four edges of the bottom tray panel and substantially equal to the length dimension of the top lid panel, and a width dimension between second two opposite of the four edges of the bottom tray panel and substantially equal to the width dimension of the top lid panel;
• a rear sidewall panel having four edges, a first of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel joining a first of the four edges of the top lid panel, a second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel joining a first of the four edges of the bottom tray panel and opposite the first of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel, a third of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel extending at one end of the rear sidewall panel between the first and second edges of the rear sidewall panel, and a fourth of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel extending at an opposite end of the rear sidewall panel between the first and second edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• the rear sidewall panel having a width dimension between the third and fourth of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• the width dimension of the rear sidewall panel being substantially equal to the width dimension of the top lid panel;
• the rear sidewall panel having a height dimension "h" between the first and second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• the height dimension of the rear sidewall panel being several times smaller than the width dimension of the rear sidewall panel;
• a widthwise centerline defined on the rear sidewall panel at a position midway between the third and fourth of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel and extending between the first and second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• a first punch-out section formed by first at least two lines of perforations through the blank of paperboard;
• a second punch-out section formed by second at least two lines of perforations through the blank of paperboard;
• the first punch-out section is disposed to one side of the widthwise centerline of the rear sidewall panel;
• the second punch-out section is disposed to an other side of the widthwise centerline of the rear sidewall panel;
• the first at least two lines of perforations extend at least completely across the rear sidewall panel between the first and second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• the second at least two lines of perforations extend at least completely across the rear sidewall panel between the first and second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• a first weakening line extending across the rear sidewall panel between the first and second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• a second weakening line extending across the rear sidewall panel between the first and second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• the first punch-out section defined by the first at least two lines of perforations and the first weakening line, and extending widthwise across the rear sidewall panel a distance much smaller than the width dimension of the rear sidewall panel;
• and
• the second punch-out section defined by the second at least two lines of perforations and the second weakening line, and extending widthwise across the rear sidewall panel a distance much smaller than the width dimension of the rear sidewall panel;
• wherein:
• the first punch-out section is approximately triangular;
• and
• the second punch-out section is approximately triangular.

Pizza box blank for forming an inter-folded pizza box, comprising:

• a blank of paperboard;
• a matrix of first pre-stressed lines on the blank defining:
• a top lid panel having four edges, a length dimension "l" between first two opposite of the four edges of the top lid panel, and a width dimension "w" between second two opposite of the four edges of the top lid panel;
• a bottom tray panel having four edges, a length dimension between first two opposite of the four edges of the bottom tray panel and substantially equal to the length dimension of the to lid panel, and a width dimension between second two opposite of the four edges of the bottom tray panel and substantially equal to the width dimension of the top lid panel;
• a rear sidewall panel having four edges, a first of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel joining a first of the four edges of the top lid panel, a second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel joining a first of the four edges of the bottom tray panel and opposite the first of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel, a third of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel extending at one end of the rear sidewall panel between the first and second edges of the rear sidewall panel, and a fourth of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel extending at an opposite end of the rear sidewall panel between the first and second edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• the rear sidewall panel having a width dimension between the third and fourth of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• the width dimension of the rear sidewall panel being substantially equal to the width dimension of the top lid panel;
• the rear sidewall panel having a height dimension "h" between the first and second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• the height dimension of the rear sidewall panel being several times smaller than the width dimension of the rear sidewall panel;
• a widthwise centerline defined on the rear sidewall panel at a position midway between the third and fourth of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel and extending between the first and second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• a first punch-out section formed by first at least two lines of perforations through the blank of paperboard;
• a second punch-out section formed by second at least two lines of perforations through the blank of paperboard;
• the first punch-out section is disposed to one side of the widthwise centerline of the rear sidewall panel;
• the second punch-out section is disposed to an other side of the widthwise centerline of the rear sidewall panel;
• the first at least two lines of perforations extend at least completely across the rear sidewall panel between the first and second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• the second at least two lines of perforations extend at least completely across the rear sidewall panel between the first and second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• a first weakening line extending across the rear sidewall panel between the first and second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• a second weakening line extending across the rear sidewall panel between the first and second of the four edges of the rear sidewall panel;
• the first punch-out section defined by the first at least two lines of perforations and the first weakening line, and extending widthwise across the rear sidewall panel a distance much smaller than the width dimension of the rear sidewall panel;
• and
• the second punch-out section defined by the second at least two lines of perforations and the second weakening line, and extending widthwise across the rear sidewall panel a distance much smaller than the width dimension of the rear sidewall panel;
• further comprising:
• a third weakening line extending widthwise across the rear sidewall panel between the first and the second punch-out sections.