Food container

Substantially similar upper and lower container sections are shaped to cooperate and define an enclosure for receiving the food item, such as a pizza pie, to be delivered in the container. Each of these sections is formed of a substantially square panel, defining a base plane and having four lateral edges of substantially equal length and four corners, as well as depending sidewalls formed integrally with the panel and extending along its lateral edges at an angle with respect to the base plane. Each sidewall is of substantially constant width along the length of the edge. The food item is maintained in a fresh condition by providing a “chimney” at each of the four corners of the container for passage of vapors (e.g., steam) from the inside of the container to the outside. Each chimney has at least one vent, allowing vapors to enter the chimney “flue” from the container and dissipate to the atmosphere when the vapor pressure inside the container exceeds a certain threshold above the atmospheric pressure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a disposable food delivery container and, more particularly, to a container commonly known as a “pizza box”.

Food containers, such as pizza boxes, are very well known. The purpose of the container is to receive a food item, such as a pizza pie, which has just been prepared for consumption; e.g., oven baked, and to hold it for an extended period of time in its original condition in such a way that its freshness and taste are, to the greatest extent possible, retained.

Numerous food containers of this type have been devised and patented. Set forth below is a list of the most relevant patents known to applicant.

All of these prior art containers comprise substantially similar upper and lower container sections which are shaped to cooperate and define an enclosure for receiving the food item to be delivered in the container. Usually these sections are formed of a substantially square panel, defining a base plane and having four lateral edges of substantially equal length and four corners, as well as depending sidewalls formed integrally with the panel and extending along its lateral edges at an angle with respect to the base plane. Each sidewall is of substantially constant width along the length of the edge.

In a common embodiment of the food delivery container known in the art, the sidewalls of the upper container section interleave, either inside or outside, with the sidewalls of the lower container section, when the two container sections are mated together with a food item inside. In another common embodiment of the food delivery container, the four sidewalls of each container section define a plane of attachment to the other corresponding container section, with the sidewalls adapted to mate with the corresponding sidewalls of the other container section at the plane of attachment. Such an arrangement is known, for example, from the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,237. It is also known, in a round configuration, from the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,273,174 and 5,605,231.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a disposable food delivery container of the type described above which is capable of holding a food item, such as a pizza pie, for an extended period of time in a relatively fresh condition.

This object, as well as other objects which will become apparent from the discussion that follows, are achieved, in accordance with the present invention, by providing at least one “chimney” formed integrally with the panel in each of the two square sections and extending outward from the base plane to the plane of attachment. A chimney is arranged adjacent each of the four corners of the panel and is adapted to mate with a corresponding chimney of the other container section at the plane of attachment. This chimney forms a “flue” for the passage of vapors from the inside of the container to the outside thereof and has at least one vent for allowing vapors to enter the flue from the container and dissipate to the atmosphere when the vapor pressure inside the container exceeds a certain threshold above the atmospheric pressure.

The four chimneys according to the present invention thus allow steam and condensation to escape from the container. When hot condensation occurs, it causes the vents to open, releasing the vapors from the heated food (e.g., pizza) within the container. In the case of pizza, this release of vapors occurs when the temperature of the pizza is greater than about 185° F. The vent or vents within the chimneys are preferably formed as a “flap valve”. In the preferred embodiment, the flap valve is formed of a circular membrane, supported at its periphery, which has a plurality of cuts extending from its center to its periphery. For example, the vent may include six cuts spaced equidistantly apart and forming a 60° angle between them.

In this way, as the inside temperature of the container gradually decreases, the vents return to their closed position to maintain the inside elevated temperature for a prolonged period of time. As a result, the food item (e.g., pizza) stays fresher and crispier, due to the release of condensation, while staying hot.

Preferably, the chimneys of one container section include means for connecting themselves with corresponding chimneys of the other container section so that, when the two sections are placed together in mating relationship, the chimneys assist in holding the two container sections together, while allowing vapors to pass between the mating chimneys.

In a preferred feature of the invention, the sidewalls of the two container sections are provided with additional means for connecting one section with the other, when the two sections are in mating relationship.

In still another preferred feature of the invention, the bottom panel of at least one of the sections is corrugated or “fluted” with a wavelike form that keeps the contents of the container, e.g., pizza, elevated and removed from the influence of the outside surface that supports the container. The inside grooves between the ridges of the corrugations let moisture and other vapors escape from the bottom of the food item. As such, the corrugations facilitate the free passage of the vapors from the bottom of the food item to the chimney vents.

The corrugations may be designed, for example, as parallel straight lines, alternative convex and concave dimples or concentric circles with radially extending passages for the escape of vapors.

According to still another preferred feature of the present invention, the container may include an insert section formed of a substantially square panel with four lateral edges each substantially equal in length to the lateral edges of the two container sections. This insert section can be inserted between the two container sections at their plane of attachment to divide the container into two compartments, top and bottom, on either side of the insert section. In this way, two separate food items, e.g., two pizza pies, may be enclosed in the container.

Advantageously, the insert section is also corrugated to provide ventilation to the food item resting upon it.

In a further preferred feature of the present invention, the insert section may include a downwardly depending spindle, disposed at approximately the center thereof, for supporting the insert section at its middle when a food item is placed on it. The spindle may assume any shape but is preferably cone-shaped with its apex pointing downward.

The two container sections which, when mated together, form the container may be formed separately or, in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention, integrally connected together along one sidewall at the plane of attachment. In the latter case, the container sections form a “clamshell” like arrangement which can be closed and thereafter opened without separating the two sections.

In any case, whether the container sections be independent or connected together to form the “clamshell”, the sections are preferably “nestable”, with one immediately adjacent (on top of) the other for ease of storage and transportation.

The sections of the container, as well as the insert, may be made of any suitable material which is light, non-toxic and sufficiently rigid to maintain its shape. Preferred materials are molded pulp paper, foamed or unfoamed plastic, such as polystyrene, and polyehylene.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference toFIGS. 1-29of the drawings. Identical elements shown in the various figures are identified with the same reference numerals.

FIGS. 1 and 18show generally a first and a second preferred embodiment, respectively, of the food container according to the present invention. In both embodiments, the food container is illustrated as a “pizza box”; i.e. a box for holding one or two pizza pies.

In the first embodiment, shown inFIG. 1, a two-piece pizza box is formed by mating together a top section10and a bottom section12. If desired, an insert section14may be inserted between the top and bottom sections to form two chambers, an upper chamber and lower chamber, when the pizza box is closed, making it possible to hold and carry two pizza pies within the box. Otherwise, the insert section14may be omitted and the box, with a single chamber, may hold and carry only a single pizza pie.

Both the top section10and bottom section12of the pizza box are preferably identical. Such identical elements simplify manufacturing and facilitate nesting of the sections for transportation and storage. Each section is formed of a substantially square panel, element16in the case of the top section and element18in the case of the bottom section, which is substantially square and has four lateral edges of substantially equal length and four corners. The panel,16or18, defines a “base plane” indicated at20inFIGS. 6 and 22inFIG. 7. Each section,10and12, is provided with sidewalls indicated as24on the bottom section and26on the top section, respectively, formed integrally with the panel16,18and extending along each lateral edge at an angle with respect to the base plane20,22. Each sidewall is of substantially constant width and defines, together with the three other sidewalls, a plane of attachment28to the other, mating container section. As such, the sidewalls are adapted to mate with the corresponding sidewalls of the other container section at the plane of attachment28.

As shown particularly inFIG. 1, the top section, which in the preferred embodiment is identical to the bottom section, must be rotated 90° about the plane of attachment with respect to the bottom section prior to its attachment to the bottom section.

According to the invention, the top section and bottom section of the pizza box are each provided with four “chimneys” located at each corner of the substantially square section.

Each chimney30includes a vent or flap valve covering an opening32, as illustrated inFIG. 9, which allows vapors within a closed container to enter a “flue” of the chimney and dissipate to the atmosphere when the vapor pressure inside the container exceeds a certain threshold above the atmospheric pressure. In the case of pizza, the flap valve may release vapors such as steam when the temperature of the pizza is greater than about 185° F. As may be seen inFIG. 9, the valve is formed of a circular membrane, supported at its periphery, which has a plurality of cuts extending from its center to its periphery. In this embodiment, the valve includes six cuts spaced equidistantly apart and forming a 60° angle between them which opens when sufficient pressure is applied to one side.

FIGS. 11 and 12show cross sections the chimneys of the top and bottom container sections, respectively. As may be seen, the chimneys each have an opening32which is covered by a thin film or membrane33, attached by an adhesive or the like on one side of the chimney flue. The membrane, which may be of polystyrene, for example, is cut in the manner shown inFIG. 9to form the flap valve.

If the material forming the container sections10and12is, of itself, thin enough, a separate membrane33is not necessary and the cuts can be made directly on the chimney flue to form the flap valve.

The chimneys of one container section include means for connecting themselves with corresponding chimneys of the other container section so that, when the two sections are placed together in mating relationship, the chimneys assist in holding the two container sections together, while allowing vapors to pass between the mating chimneys. These interlocking chimneys are best illustrated inFIG. 10which shows a chimney of the top section of the container, illustrated inFIG. 11, interlocked with a chimney of the bottom section of the container, illustrated inFIG. 12.

In order to insure an airtight seal between the top section and bottom section of the container when it is closed, the sidewalls of the top and bottom sections are provided with elongate mushroom-type connectors40along their lateral edges. These connectors, which comprise a mushroom-shaped (in cross section) strip42extending upward from the bottom section, and a mating receptacle44on the top section, are best illustrated inFIG. 10and inFIGS. 13 and 14.

As is best illustrated inFIG. 6, and in top view inFIG. 4, the base panel of at least the bottom section of the container—that is, the panel upon which the food item rests—is corrugated. These corrugations raise the food item away from the outside surface supporting the container and permit vapors, such as steam, to escape from the bottom of the food item to the interior of the container and, with sufficient pressure, through the vents and chimneys to the atmosphere.

As noted above, an insert section14may be inserted between the top section10and the bottom section12of the container to form two compartments, as shown in cross section inFIG. 17. The insert section14may simply comprise a square corrugated sheet50with four openings52at its corners for the chimney flues. A central spindle54, which is preferably cone shaped as shown inFIG. 15, may be provided to support the center of the insert section when it is placed in the container.

FIGS. 18-29illustrate a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is very similar to the first embodiment shown inFIGS. 1-17except that the top section10is integrally connected with the bottom section12along one edge or seam60to form a hinge. The two sections of the container, thus connected, form a “clamshell-like” container. In all other respects, however, this second embodiment is similar or identical to the first embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 19-29illustrate the various features of the container which correspond to the features of the first embodiment shown inFIGS. 2-14.