Abstract:
A folding pastry box is provided having a folding lid portion that is hinged to a lower box portion. The folding lid has a window that extends between the lid portion and the lower box portion for viewing the contents of the folding pastry box. The lower box portion includes a pastry portion that is hinged and connected to the lower box portion. The folding pastry box can be folded flat and is stamped from a single sheet of stock. The box is then unfolded and the pastry portion is hinged and resides inside the lower box portion. The size of the pastry portion fits in the lower box snugly and is retained.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/005,530, filed May 30, 2014, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This present disclosure relates to foldable boxes, specifically boxes that are intended to be shipped flat then folded into a container that can be self-supporting and used for securely carrying individual pastries. Folding boxes are well known in the art that are shipped flat and then unfolded before being used, commonly at a store or bakery. The box must be easy to open but be strong enough to carry baked goods and possibly tolerate being stacked. Proper storage and display of the baked goods assist the user in selecting the right goods from a display case or shelf. The box must tolerate handling and retain the baked goods. Many boxes attempt to solve this problem. Current foldable boxes are formed with several parts that need to be assembled, either at the manufacturing location or the point where the retail sale occurs. Some use a standard pastry box and add an insert. This requires that separate stock for the inserts be maintained. Further, several parts require assembly, creating issues with tolerances and proper assembly. An improved folding pastry box is needed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present disclosure describes a folding box for transportation and storage of pastries, specifically cupcakes. The box is formed from a single sheet of material with glue flaps and an integral pastry portion. A window is stamped through the material and a cellophane or similar transparent window is affixed. The box can be stored in a flat condition, allowing many boxes to be stored in a relatively small area. When the user needs to expands the box by folding up the perimeter walls and then folds the pastry portion towards the interior of the box. The pastry portion, being integral to the box folds in and becomes self-supporting. The size of the pastry portion creates an interference fit, securing the pastry portion to the bottom of the box without the need for any separate gluing, extra parts, or additional process steps. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a die-cut unfolded stamping of the box before it is assembled; 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the stamping in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the stamping in  FIG. 1  as partially assembled; 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the stamping in  FIG. 3  as further assembled; 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the stamping in  FIG. 4  as a completed box; 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of the box in  FIG. 5  as fully complete and closed; 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is a detail view of pastry hole  20  in the stamping in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 8  is a partial isometric view  8 - 8  of the box in  FIG. 5 ; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 9  is a partial isometric view  9 - 9  of the box in  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0013]    The blank  10  of  FIG. 1  consists of a single die cut piece of cardstock. The die cut piece of cardstock has an inside surface and an outside surface. The outside surface is typically decorative with a different color or pattern but can also be plain. The inside surface can be different, but the blank  10  as shown in all FIGS is symmetrical, the inside surface and outside surface are interchangeable before assembly. For the purposes of clarity, the inside surface of the blank  10  makes up a majority of the surfaces on the inside of the box  8 ,  FIG. 8  when it is completely assembled. The blank  10  has a bottom portion  16 , a tray portion  30 , and a lid portion  12  as shown in  FIG. 1 . All portions described herein are all part of the same die-cut piece. The bottom portion  16  is hinged to the lid portion  12  by a transverse crease  14 . The top portion  12  has a window  18  that extends across transverse crease  14 . The window is flexible enough that it will bend with the third transverse crease  14 . Pastry holes  20  are also stamped through the tray portion  30  of the blank  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Creased, scored, or perforated lines are impressed into the blank  10  to create folds when one portion is bent over another. 
         [0014]    The lower box portion  16  is located between the lid portion  12  and a tray portion  30 , specifically between third transverse crease  14  and second transverse crease  58 . The bottom portion  16  has a bottom  38  and is bordered by right and left sides  52  and  152 , a connecting portion  28 , and back  72 . The bottom  38  is defined by the area between first transverse crease  56  and second transverse crease  58 , and lateral creases second  66  and first  166 . The bottom depth  80  is defined by the distance between first transverse crease  56  and second transverse crease  58 . The width of the bottom  38  is defined by the distance between second lateral crease  66  and first lateral crease  166 . The right and left sides  52  and  152  respectively extend laterally from bottom  38  via lateral creases second  66  and first  166 . Right and left glue flaps  48  and  148  are portions of sides  52  and  152  respectively via perforated crease  50  and  150 . Perforated crease  50  is obliquely angled from lateral and transverse creases extending outward from the intersection of second lateral crease  66  and first transverse crease  56 . Perforated crease  150  is a mirror image of perforated crease  50 , extending from the intersection of first transverse crease  56  and first lateral crease  166 . Sides  52  and  152  have an outside radius  76  and  176  that facilitate closure of the lid portion  12 . Sides  52  and  152  form upstanding walls when folded perpendicular with respect to the bottom  38 . Another upstanding wall is formed when back  72  is folded about first transverse crease  56  with respect to bottom  38 . The height of back  72  is the same as the width of sides  52  and  152 . The angled perforated creases  50  and  150  reduce the effort of folding the glue flaps  48  and  148  with respect to the sides  52  and  152 . The perforated creases  50  and  150  become hinges when the box is folded flat for shipping. The back  72  is attached to the bottom  38  via first transverse crease  56 . The back  72  is defined by the distance between sixth lateral crease  68  and fifth lateral crease  168  and the height between third transverse crease  14  and first transverse crease  56 . Extending laterally from back  72  through sixth lateral crease  68  and fifth lateral crease  168  are folding flaps  36  and  136  respectively. The outside surface of folding flaps  36  and  136  are adapted to receive glue. 
         [0015]    The lid portion  12  has a top  22 , a front  24  with right and left flaps  32  and  132 , and right and left sides  26  and  126  with foldable glue flaps  40  and  140  respectively. The right and left sides  26  and  126  laterally extend from the top  22  via lateral creases fourth  70  and third  170  respectively. Creases fourth  70  and third  170  are formed to create a natural fold for sides with respect to the top during preliminary assembly. Glue flaps  40  and  140  are separated by perforated creases  44  and  144  respectively. Perforated crease  44  is obliquely angled from lateral and transverse creases extending outward from the intersection of fourth lateral crease  70  and fourth transverse crease  54 . Perforated crease  144  is a mirror image of crease  44 , extending from the intersection of fourth transverse crease  54  and third lateral crease  170 . The right and left sides  26  and  126  form upstanding walls when folded perpendicular with respect to the top  22 . The front  24  forms another upstanding wall when it is folded perpendicular with respect to the top  22  along fourth transverse crease  54 . The angled perforated creases  44  and  144  reduce the effort of folding the glue flaps  40  and  140  with respect to the sides  26  and  126 . The perforated creases  44  and  144  become a hinge when the box is folded flat for shipping. The front  24  is attached to the top  22  via fourth transverse crease  54  and right and left flaps  32  and  132  that are attached via eighth lateral crease  74  and seventh lateral crease  174  respectively. The lid portion  12  and structure is commonly known in the art. The outside surface of flaps  32  and  132  are designed to receive glue or other adhesive. 
         [0016]    The tray portion  30  has a pastry portion  42  and is bordered by walls  28 ,  46 ,  146  and  34 . The pastry portion  42  has a width defined the by the distance between tenth lateral crease  62  and ninth lateral crease  162 . Although  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  8 , and  9  show walls  46  and  146 , these are not necessary, but serve to stabalize the pastry portion  42 . It is contemplated that the side walls  46  and  146  are not present and the ninth lateral crease  162  and tenth lateral crease  62  are lateral edges. The pastry portion  42  may have a width defined by cut lateral edges representing the ends of the tray portion  42  located at the position of the ninth and tenth lateral creases  62 ,  162 . The pastry portion  42  has a defined depth  80  as measured between fifth transverse crease  60  and sixth transverse crease  64 . The side walls  46  and  146  extend outward laterally from the pastry portion  42  via tenth lateral crease  62  and ninth lateral crease  162  respectively and have the same depth as the pastry portion depth  82 . The edges  49  and  149  and ends  45  and  145  of the sidewalls  46  and  146  are aligned with the fifth transverse crease  60  and sixth transverse crease  64 . The connecting portion  28  is attached to the bottom  38  by second transverse crease  58 . The pastry portion depth  82  is greater than the bottom depth  80 . Connecting portion  28  has a height  29  which is defined by the distance between second transverse crease  58  and fifth transverse crease  60 . Height  29  is the same as the width  47  and  147  of side walls  46  and  146  respectively. Wall  34  has a height  35  which is the same as height  29 . When connecting portion  28  and walls  34 ,  46 , and  146  are folded perpendicular to the pastry portion  42 , the walls form a plane that is parallel to and offset from the bottom  38 . It is further contemplated that the connecting portion  28  could include lateral tabs (not shown) that extend and lateral edges that are shown in the FIGS. would become lateral creases. One of the lateral tabs, for example, would be located between sides  146  and  152 . The other lateral tab would be located between sides  46  and  52 . 
         [0017]    The pastry portion  42  contains a series of pastry holes  20 . In the embodiment in all FIGS, six pastry holes  20  are equally spaced interiorly. The pastry portion  42  is not limited to pastry holes  20 . The pastry holes  20  have an overall diameter  84  with optional points  86  and access areas  88 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . The overall diameter  84  is sized to accept commonly available cupcakes or other related baked goods. The access areas  88  facilitate the retrieval of a cupcake from the pastry hole  20  by allowing the user to insert fingers through access areas  88  and lift the cupcake by the cup without touching the pastry itself. The points  86  help retain the cupcake during handling by protruding into the overall diameter  84  and pressing against corrugations in a cupcake cup. 
         [0018]    The box  8  is assembled in two phases. As is visible in  FIG. 2 , a window of cellophane  92  or another flexible transparent material is adhered to the top  22  and back  72  overlapping the perimeter of window  18 . The first phase of folding as shown in  FIG. 3  is where flaps  32  and  132  are folded perpendicular to front  24  along eighth lateral crease  74  and seventh lateral crease  174  with the inside surface of  32  and  132  respectively toward the inside surface of front  24 . Sides  26  and  126  are folded perpendicular to top  22  along fourth lateral crease  70  and third lateral crease  170  respectively where the inside surface of glue flaps  40  and  140  overlay outside surface of flaps  32  and  132 . Front  24  is then folded perpendicular to the top  22  along fourth transverse crease  54  with the inside surface of  24  toward the inside surface of top  22 .  FIG. 4  shows this along with other steps of folding. Next, glue  90  is applied to either the inside surface of glue flaps  40  and  140  or the outside surface of  32  and  132 . The adhesion takes place only between glue flaps  40  and  140  and the corresponding outside surfaces of  32  and  132 . In  FIG. 3 , glue  90  is shown as applied to the outside surface of glue flaps  40  and  140 . This affixes the outside surface of  32  and  132  to the inside surface of glue flaps  40  and  140  respectively. In order for the box to be folded flat for shipping and storage, the glued surface which defines a bonded area overlaps only the outside surface of glue flaps  40  and  140 . The second phase of folding, as shown in  FIG. 4 , is where  72  is folded perpendicular to the bottom  36  along first transverse crease  56  with the inside surface of back  72  toward the inside surface of  38 . Flaps  36  and  136  are folded perpendicular to back  72  along sixth lateral crease  68  and fifth lateral crease  168  with the inside surface of flaps  36  and  136  respectively toward the inside surface of  72 . Next, glue  90  is applied to either the inside surface of glue flaps  48  and  148  or the outside surface of  36  and  136 . The adhesion takes place only between glue flaps  48  and  148  and the corresponding outside surfaces of  36  and  136 . Sides  52  and  152  are folded perpendicular to bottom  38  along second lateral crease  66  and first lateral crease 166  respectively where the inside surface of  48  and  148  overlay outside surface of  36  and  136 . This affixes the outside surface of  36  and  136  to the inside surface of glue flaps  48  and  148  respectively. In order for the box to be folded flat for shipping and storage, the glued surface overlaps only the outside surface of glue flaps  48  and  148 . 
         [0019]    To fold the box  8  flat for storage and shipping, flaps  36  and  136  are pulled inward, causing sides  52  and  152  to begin folding inward. Creases  50  and  150  begin to hinge and outside surfaces of side  52  abut glue flap  48 . Correspondingly, side  152  abuts glue flap  148 . This pulls back  72  inward such that the inside surface of  72  overlies the inside surface of bottom  38 . For the lid to fold, flaps  32  and  132  are pulled inward, causing sides  26  and  126  to begin folding inward. Creases  44  and  144  begin to hinge and outside surfaces of side  26  overlies glue flap  40 . Correspondingly, side  126  overlies glue flap  140 . This pulls front  24  inward such that the inside surface overlies the inside surface of top  22 . 
         [0020]    After shipping, the box  8  is expanded and completely assembled by the end user. The bottom portion  16  is expanded by pivoting side  52  by second lateral crease  66  and side  152  by first lateral crease  166  outward, thereby bringing flaps  36  and  136  overlying  52  and  152  to form upstanding walls. This moves the back  72  substantially perpendicular to the bottom  38 . Additionally, the lid portion  12  is expanded by pivoting side  26  by fourth lateral crease  70  and side  126  by third lateral crease  170  outward, thereby bringing flaps  32  and  132  overlying  26  and  126  to form upstanding walls. Front  24  then becomes substantially perpendicular to the top  22 . Finally, sides  46  and  146  are folded about tenth lateral crease  62  and ninth lateral crease  162  along with wall  34  and connecting portion  28  to form upstanding pastry portion  42 . The pastry portion  42  is folded inward towards bottom about second transverse crease  58  and fifth transverse crease  60  to make the inside surface of  38  parallel to and facing the inside surface of pastry portion  42 . By folding the pastry portion  42  inward, sixth transverse crease  64  is brought into contact with the back  72 . Because the pastry area depth  82 ,  FIG. 1  is greater than bottom depth  80  the tray portion  30  fits tightly when it is fully assembled. This can be seen in  FIGS. 8 and 9  when walls  46  and  146  protrude past the connecting portion  28  slightly. Because the connecting portion  28  is the same height as  34  and the same as the width of  46  and  146  but the pastry area depth  82  being greater than bottom depth  80  causes connecting portion  28  to be angled from vertical when the box  8  is fully assembled. Fifth transverse crease  60  is spaced farther from the inside surface of back  72  than second transverse crease  58 . This means that wall  28  is located tightly behind edges  49  and  149  of walls  47  and  147  which provide lateral stability as walls  46 ,  146  are captured between  34  and  52 ,  152  respectively. This causes a tight fit, maintaining the tray portion  30  firmly nested in the interior of the bottom portion  16 . 
         [0021]    It is understood that while certain aspects of the disclosed subject matter have been shown and described, the disclosed subject matter is not limited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments and aspects. No specific limitation with respect to the specific embodiments disclosed herein is intended or should be inferred. Modifications may be made to the disclosed subject matter as set forth in the following claims.