Abstract:
The present invention relates to a foldable carton blank that, when folded, forms a carton having a partition wall for segregating products within the carton. The partition wall member may be hingedly attached to a front panel of the carton such that the partition wall member may be unattached from the front panel and extended across the bottom panel of the carton to form two compartments within the carton. A slot in the rear panel of the carton may secure an end portion of the partition wall member when the partition wall member extends across the bottom panel of the carton to form the two compartments within the carton.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is based on and claims priority of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/789,889 of Bell for CARTON WITH FOLDOUT PARTITION, filed Mar. 15, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    Foldable cartons or containers have a wide variety of applications in a variety of industries. One industry where foldable cartons are commonly used is the food service industry, where the cartons are used as take-out boxes for storing leftover or take-out food. Often, when taking leftover food home from a restaurant, a restaurant customer may want to keep her main dish separate and apart from her side dish. However, it is not always the case that a separate compartment is necessary, and thus it would be preferable if a carton could serve as a partitioned or un-partitioned container. 
         [0003]    The cartons may be manufactured in at least two ways. First, they may be prepared as carton blanks, flat sections of cardboard, paper, or other material that include flaps and score lines. The carton blanks may be folded in such a way that they form a carton. Advantageously, carton blanks are easily shipped because they can be stacked and bundled as flat goods. Moreover, the fact that the carton blanks may be stacked as flat carton blanks in a food facility decreases the amount of storage space that the cartons take up in a facility. In addition to being manufactured as carton blanks, the cartons may be manufactured as pre-formed cartons in manners described below. 
         [0004]    Most foldable carton blanks used throughout the art do not include partitions. Still, cartons with dividers are commonly seen throughout the restaurant industry as foam containers that include a number of sections that are partitioned to keep food segregated. While those well-known containers effectively keep food segregated, they pose a number of issues. First, foam containers do not biodegrade easily, thus negatively impacting the environment. Moreover, if food is too hot, the foam containers may melt, risking ruined food and even burns. Foam containers must be stacked in order to be shipped as well, which can cause shipping expenses to increase. Stacking the containers also takes up valuable storage space when the containers are stored at a restaurant facility. 
         [0005]    As an alternative, containers constructed substantially similarly to the foam containers described above may be constructed of a disposable plastic or even biodegradable paper material. Despite these cartons reducing some of the environmental impact that the foam containers may have, the cartons still must be shipped in a stack, increasing shipping costs and reducing storage space. 
         [0006]    Thus it is desirable to provide a carton blank that is foldable, such that it can be shipped and stored in flat, stackable bundles, thus making the carton blank able to be shipped at a lower price and stored more compactly. The containers should include a partition that is easily constructed when the carton blank is folded that can also be easily removed or positioned such that the partition is out of the way when the container should not include segregated compartments. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention relates to a product carton used to store and transport food items, wherein the carton includes a partition member that may be selectively engaged in order to form two compartments within the carton. The carton is manufactured as a foldable blank that may be folded when it is ready for use to form a carton that may selectively include the partition wall member forming the two compartments within the carton. 
         [0008]    The foldable blank includes a plurality of panels, wherein when the panels are folded according to the teachings of the present invention, the carton described herein is formed. When the foldable blank is in an unfolded position, a cover panel is hingedly connected to a top panel via a score line. The cover panel is hingedly connected to a rear panel, the rear panel is hingedly connected to a bottom panel, and the bottom panel is hingedly connected to a front panel. All of the aforementioned hinged connections may be made by a score line. The aforementioned panels also may further include end panels extending from the opposing side edges thereof the panels, wherein the end panels are also connected to the panels via score lines. The front panel is further connected to a partition panel, which includes a flap portion and a partition wall portion, wherein the two portions may be separated by a score line. 
         [0009]    When the foldable blank is folded into a carton for carrying goods, the various panels are folded along the score lines separating the panels, such that the bottom panel forms a bottom portion of the carton, the rear panel forms a rear portion of the carton, the top panel forms a top portion of the carton, and the front panel and cover panel form overlapping front portions of the carton. A slot and/or slit of the front panel may receive a locking tab or latch of the cover panel to releasably secure the cover panel to the front panel and close the carton. 
         [0010]    When the foldable blank is in its folded position and has formed the carton shape described above, the partition panel may be in a number of positions. In one embodiment the partition panel may be folded inwards toward the inside portion of the front panel such that the partition panel abuts the front panel and the carton only includes one compartment therein. In that embodiment the partition panel may be tacked, glued, or otherwise secured to the front panel. 
         [0011]    In the preferred embodiment, the partition wall portion of the partition panel is unattached from the front panel, and the flap portion of the partition panel remains attached to the front panel via the score line. The flap portion is folded inwards to abut the inside portion of the front panel, where it may further be attached to the front panel in one of the manners described above. The partition wall portion is folded along the score line separating it from the flap portion. The partition wall portion may then be extended across the inside of the bottom panel forming the bottom portion of the carton so as to form two compartments within the carton. 
         [0012]    The partition wall portion extending across the bottom panel may be secured in a number of ways. Its end portion may be secured by a slot positioned and located in a predetermined position of the rear panel. Alternatively a tab positioned extending down therefrom the partition wall portion may be received by a corresponding slot in the bottom panel of the carton. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0013]    In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of the specification and is to be read in conjunction therewith in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like or similar parts in the various views: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a blank used to form a carton with a foldout partition constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a carton constructed of the blank illustrated in  FIG. 1 , including a foldout partition in a partially folded position in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the carton illustrated in  FIG. 2 , wherein the foldout partition of the carton is arranged to create one compartment within the carton. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the carton illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , wherein the foldout partition of the carton is arranged to create two compartments within the carton. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    The present invention is directed generally toward a carton having a foldout partition that may be selectively arranged such that the carton may include either one compartment or multiple compartments depending upon a user&#39;s preference. The carton is constructed as a flat blank such that when it is folded it will form the carton including either one compartment or multiple compartments. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the carton of the present invention may be formed from a flat blank of material  10  that may be constructed of paperboard or other suitable material. One or both sides of the paperboard material may have a coating and/or graphics applied thereto. In one embodiment, the carton blank  10  is comprised of six main panels including a cover panel  12 , top panel  14 , rear panel  16 , bottom panel  18 , front panel  20  and partition panel  22 . The panels are hingedly connected to one another by score lines, the score lines being constructed in a manner known throughout the art. The cover panel  12 , top panel  14 , rear panel  16 , bottom panel  18  and front panel  20  are each hingedly connected by score lines to end flaps  24  protruding from the opposing side edges thereof. One or more of the panels may include optional vents  26  defined therein that may be pushed open by a user. The carton blank  10  may be cut from a larger sheet of material in a die-stamping process. Some or all of the score lines may be perforated to assist in the folding of the blank into the finished carton. 
         [0020]    In one embodiment, the cover panel  12  includes a locking tab or latch  28  formed therein or protruding therefrom. In the same embodiment, the front panel  20  includes a corresponding slot  30  or slit  31  defined therein and configured to be engaged by the locking tab  28  of the cover panel  12  for maintaining the carton in a closed orientation. 
         [0021]    As illustrated in the figures, the carton of the present invention includes a partition panel  22 . The partition panel  22  may be optionally implemented to divide the carton into multiple compartments ( FIG. 4  illustrates a carton including a partition panel  22  positioned to divide the compartment into two compartments). This embodiment is of particular benefit in cases where the carton contains two or more different types of contents carried therein. The partition panel  22  may comprise a flap portion  32  and a partition wall portion  34 , which are hingedly connected together by a score line. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the partition panel  22  is located adjacent the front panel  20 . The flap portion  32  of the partition panel  22  is hingedly connected to the front panel  20  by a score line. The partition panel  22  may, be of a height that is substantially similar to that of the front panel  20  and rear panel  16  of the carton. 
         [0022]    When not in use, the entire partition panel  22  may be folded back against either the inner or outer surface of the front panel  20  or, alternatively, may be removed.  FIG. 3  illustrates the carton when the partition panel  22  has been secured adjacent the inner surface of the front panel  20 . 
         [0023]    When the partition panel  22  is positioned to divide the carton into two compartments, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the flap portion  32  (not visible in  FIG. 4 ) of the partition panel  22  is folded back against the inner surface of the front panel  20  and may optionally be glued thereto, whereas the partition wall portion  34  extends between the front panel  20  and the rear panel  16 . In one embodiment, the flap portion  32  is glued to the inner surface of the front panel  20  and the partition wall portion  34  is free to be either folded against the front panel  20  (as illustrated in  FIG. 3 ) or extended to the rear panel (as illustrated in  FIG. 4 ).  FIG. 2  illustrates the partition panel  22  when the partition wall portion  34  has been unattached from the front panel  20  but is still attached to the flap portion  32 . 
         [0024]    The two compartments formed within the carton when the partition wall portion  34  is extended to the rear panel  16  may be of varying sizes. The size of the compartments is determined by the length of the flap portion  32 . For example, if the compartments are to be of equal size, the flap portion  32  will have a length that is equal to half the length of the front panel  20 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the length of the flap portion  32  (not illustrated in  FIG. 4  because it is abutting the front portion of front panel  20 ) is less than half the length of the front panel  20 , such that the partition panel  22  does not interfere with the slot  30  defined in the front panel  20 . As a result, the left compartment is smaller than the right compartment in that embodiment. 
         [0025]    As depicted in the figures, the rear panel  16  may include a slit or slot  36  defined therein suitable for receiving a terminal end  38  of the partition wall  34  order to hold or lock the partition wall  34  in place.  FIG. 4  illustrates the terminal end  38  of the partition wall  34  inserted through the slot  36  formed in the rear panel  16 . In another embodiment, the partition wall  34  may either float freely or may comprise a tab (not shown) protruding from its bottom edge that may engage a slot (not shown) defined in the bottom panel  18 . In a further embodiment, the partition wall  34  may be folded so as to extend between the front panel  20  and an end flap or sidewall in order to form a triangular compartment. 
         [0026]    From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure. It will be understood that certain features and sub combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. Since many possible embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is also to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and not limiting. 
         [0027]    The constructions described above and illustrated in the drawings are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the concepts and principles of the present invention. Thus, there has been shown and described several embodiments of a novel invention. As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. The terms “having” and “including” and similar terms as used in the foregoing specification are used in the sense of “optional” or “may include” and not as “required”. Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the present construction will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.