Abstract:
A method of forming a container for food or other items having a model vehicle configuration is provided that accurately depicts the contours and dimensions of the vehicle to enhance its appeal. An elongated, cardboard-like sheet is presented that is die cut to fold into a three dimensional model of the vehicle. The sheet&#39;s first end is folded along a first pair of transverse fold lines and secured in a position to present an open cabin, rear deck and tail of the vehicle, whereby the open cabin may provide the container for food and other items. The sheet&#39;s central portion is folded upwardly along a pair of longitudinal fold lines to present the sides of the vehicle, and the second end portion is folded along a second pair of transverse fold lines and secured in position to present the hood and front windshield of the vehicle.

Description:
The present invention relates to cartons or trays which are formed from a sheet of cardboard-like material and have a model vehicle configuration, and which are used as a promotional device to hold food or other items of interest to the user and also provide an advertising medium or display for the enjoyment and amusement of the user. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Disposable cardboard trays and cartons for holding food items have been used by restaurants and theaters as a convenience for their customers and in particular, to organize and hold food for children and create additional interest by designs that are displayed on the tray or carton. When intended as a promotional device, it is desirable for a cardboard model to be easily and quickly constructed preferably from a die cut cardboard sheet by folding various panels and tabs along score lines in the material into an assembled shape. Particularly with respect to young children, printed material on the carton adds to the child&#39;s interest. Furthermore, as the carton organizes food items together, it minimizes the volume of separate pieces of trash that must ultimately be disposed of by the provider. Advantages of a one sheet, i.e., one-piece unit, include factors such as lower cost, easier printing of the model design or artwork on the cardboard, compact shipping, and ease and quickness in construction; however, the one-piece system can also make it very difficult to realistically replicate the contours and features of certain designated objects, such as modern cars. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In an embodiment of the present invention a method of forming a container for food or other items having a model vehicle configuration is provided by an elongated, cardboard-like sheet having a first end portion that presents the cabin, rear deck and tail of the vehicle, a central portion that presents the bottom and sides of the vehicle and a second end portion that presents the hood and front windshield of the vehicle, with the first end portion including a pair of substantially parallel longitudinal fold lines defining left and right side segments of the vehicle and having a first pair of substantially parallel transverse fold lines between the first end portion and the central portion and a second pair of substantially parallel transverse fold lines between the second end portion and the central portion. The first end portion is folded along the first pair of transverse fold lines and secured in a position to present an open cabin, rear deck and tail of the vehicle, whereby the open cabin may provide the container for food and other items. The central portion is folded upwardly along the pair of longitudinal fold lines to present the sides of the vehicle, and the second end portion is folded along the second pair of transverse fold lines and secured in a position to present the hood and front windshield of the vehicle. 
     Other advantages of this carton assembly and method of making the same will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example an embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a piece of flat sheet material having fold and perforation lines thereon, from which a carton or tray is formed in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the sheet material of  FIG. 1 , with the first end folded over and secured to the central portion thereof. 
         FIG. 3  is a right side view of the sheet, showing the central portion&#39;s flaps folded inwardly. 
         FIG. 4  is a right side view of the cardboard-like sheet as in  FIG. 3 , showing the right side of the carton or tray folded into position. 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are sequential views showing the additional stages of the assembly of the carton or tray. 
         FIG. 7  is a side perspective view of the sheet of  FIG. 1  formed into a food carton in the form of a NASCAR stock race car. 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom plan view of the racecar of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a front perspective of the racecar of  FIG. 7 , showing the detail and contours of the hood and front windshield of the racecar in phantom as well as a package of candy, for example, in the rear compartment. 
         FIG. 10  is a side perspective of the racecar of  FIG. 7 , showing the detail and contours thereof in phantom. 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of the racecar of  FIG. 7  further showing detailing and contours thereof. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring initially to  FIGS. 1-7 , a sequence of steps is illustrated and shows a flat piece of sheet material  10  ( FIG. 1 ) which, after the assembly operation is complete, becomes an assembled carton or tray  20  ( FIG. 7 ). As shown and described herein, the carton  20  takes the form of a NASCAR stock racing car but could take any desired form. The sheet  10  is paperboard or a similar semi-rigid material capable of retaining fold lines and die cut so that tabs and openings are formed upon removal of the cutout portions. A suitable material is 18-point white C 1S SBS stock or a thin plastic material capable of retaining fold lines and being folded to a desired configuration. As is evident from  FIG. 1 , in its initially unassembled state, the sheet  10  is planar, flat and elongated and has a first or rear end  12  and a second or front end  14 . 
       FIG. 1  shows that the sheet  10  has a number of fold lines and perforation lines therein, the purpose of which will be described below. Additionally, the sheet stock from which the carton or tray  20  is formed is die cut to provide the perimeter configuration shown, which is essentially an elongated rectangle with three pairs of opposed, transversely projecting flaps  24 ,  26  and  28 , cut-out  29 , and a pair of mirror image cut-outs  30 . The first and second pairs of flaps  24  and  26  extend from the sheet&#39;s first or rear end portion  31 . Upon assembly, the rear portion  31  presents the cabin  32 , rear deck  34  and tail  36  of the race car carton  20 . The third pair of flaps  28  extend from the central or body portion  38  of the sheet  10  to present the bottom  40 , sides  42  and wheels  44  of the assembled race car carton  20 . The second or front end portion  48  extends from the body portion  38  and presents the hood  50  and front windshield  52  of the race car carton  20  upon assembly. The mirror image cut-outs  30  generally define the junction between the body portion  38  and the front end portion  48 . 
     The rear portion  31  includes an end flap  60  extending from the rear end  12  of the sheet  10  to a transversely extending fold line  62 . The fold line  62  extends between the rearward-most ends of flaps  24 . At the center of the fold line  62  is a cut out tab  64 . 
     A cabin panel  70  extends from the fold line  62  at one end to the fold line  72  at the other end and fold lines  74  and  76  along its sides. The fold line  72  extends transversely across the sheet  10  in alignment with the rearward-most ends of the flaps  26 , parallel to the fold line  62  and includes a central cut out tab  78 . The fold lines  74  and  76  extend longitudinally to form the junction between the flaps  24  and the panel  70 . 
     An end tail panel  80  is defined by a pair of parallel fold lines  82  and  84  extending transversely across the sheet  10 . The fold line  82  extends in alignment the central-most ends of the flaps  26 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , an initial fold is made at the fold line  82 . The end flap  60  is secured to the body portion  38  of the sheet  10  preferably with suitable glue or other adhesive so that the sheet  10  remains substantially flat and planar. The cabin panel  70  is folded forward along the fold lines  62  and  72 , and the flaps  24  are folded inwardly and rearwardly along the fold lines  74  and  76 . This causes the tail panel  80  to also stand upright along the fold lines  82  and  84 . The cabin panel  70  has a height greater than that of the end tail panel  80 . 
     The flaps  26  include a pair of parallel longitudinal fold lines  90 . The flaps  28  also include a second pair of parallel fold lines  92  which extend longitudinally except at the front and rear tire defining areas  94  and  96 , where they curve. The tire defining areas  94  and  96  and the rearward ends  98  of the flaps  28  are cut so that these portions of the flaps  28  may be separated or pulled free from the sheet  10 . Another cut line  99  extends where the rearward ends  98  meet the rear tire areas  96 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3  by arrow  1 , the flaps  26  are folded downwardly along the fold lines  90 , and then by arrow  2 , the flaps  28  are folded upwardly along the fold lines  92 . The rearward ends  98  of the flaps  28  are pulled outwardly to separate them from the sheet  10 . The result is shown in  FIG. 4 , where it can be appreciated that a portion of the tires now extend substantially perpendicularly from the sheet  10 . 
     Next, the tabs  102  that extend upwardly from the rear end of the flaps  28  are inserted into the corresponding slits  104  formed in the fold lines  90 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     The rear portion  31  further includes a second cabin panel  110  which extends between transversely extending fold line  112  and the cut-out  29 . Its sides are cut along the fold line  90  of the flaps  26 . The cabin panel  110  has an end flap  120  formed by fold line  114 . The end flap  120  includes a tab  116  extending from the center of the fold line  114 . Except at the tab, the fold line  116  extends transversely and parallel to the fold line  112 . 
     Now, formation of the cabin  32  is completed as best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 8 . The second cabin panel  110  is folded downwardly along the fold line  112 , and the end flap  120  is folded outwardly freeing the tab  116  which is then inserted into the corresponding slot  130  formed in the central portion  38  of the sheet  10  between the rear tire areas  96 . 
     The side panels  28  include slits  140  and  142  cut partially therethrough and fold lines  144  at the front end thereof. The slit  140  in right side panel  28  extends from the panel&#39;s lower edge, and the slit  142  in the left side panel extends from the panel&#39;s upper edge. 
     The front ends of the panels  28  are bent inwardly. The slits  140  and  142  receive one another securing the front ends of the panels  28  together to form the front of the car, as in  FIG. 5 . 
     The front portion  48  includes a pair of transversely extending fold lines  150  and  151  which join the front portion  48  to the central portion  38  of the sheet  10 . The front portion  48  further includes a transversely extending fold line  152  having a tab  154  formed at the center thereof. Finally, a pair of parallel tabs  156  extends outwardly from opposite sides of the front portion  48  substantially adjacent the front end  14  of the sheet  10 . 
     Next in assembly, as shown by the arrow in  FIG. 5 , the front portion  48  is folded at fold lines  150  and  151  upwardly and backwardly. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the front portion  48  is also folded forwardly along the fold line  152 , and as shown by an arrow, the tab  154  is inserted into the slot  169 . 
     Tabs  160  extending upwardly from the side panels  28  are folded inwardly along their fold lines  162 . As shown by an arrow in  FIG. 6 , the tabs  156  of the front portion  48  are inserted into the slits  164  formed in the fold lines  162  of the tabs  160  to secure the front portion  48  to the central portion  38  of the sheet  10 . 
     The body portion  38  of the sheet includes bottom tail panel  170  ( FIG. 8 ) which extends from the fold line  84  of the end tail panel  80  to the carton bottom  40 . The bottom tail panel  170  and the carton bottom  40  are separated by a pair of parallel and transversely extending fold lines  172  and  174 . One edge of the slot  130  forms the central portion of the fold line  174 . The bottom tail panel  170  includes aligned cut-outs  176 . 
     The rearward ends  98  of the flaps  28  present panels  180  defined by the cut line  99 , the ends of the fold lines  92  and a fold line  182 . These ends  98  include tabs  184  that extend into the bottom tail panel  170  before assembly. 
     Next, the carton&#39;s tail  36  is formed in assembly. As best seem in  FIG. 8 , the bottom tail panel  170  is pushed upwardly and forward along the fold lines  172  and  174 , and the panels  180  are folded along the fold lines  182 . The tabs  184  are inserted into their corresponding cut-outs  176 . The rearward ends  98  have previously been pulled out and separated from the sheet  10 . 
     Lastly, the sheet  10  includes top tail panel  190 . As in  FIG. 1 , The top tail panel  190  has a flap  192  defined on one end by a fold line  194  and on its other three sides by a cut line  196 . 
     As seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a compartment  200  is now formed by pushing downwardly on the flap  192  so that the flap  192  separates from the top tail panel  190  along the three sides having the cut line  196  and folds inwardly along the fold line  194 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the race car carton  20  is now assembled and ready to receive food or other items in either the cabin area  32  or the compartment  200 . The cabin area  32  may be enlarged if necessary. 
     The sheet  10  includes another panel  210  between the cut-out  29  and cabin panel  70  ( FIG. 1 ). This panel  210  includes a flap  212  defined on its sides by perforation lines  214  and its end by a fold line  216 . The slot  169  is positioned at the center of the fold line  216 . 
     If needed, the flap  212  is folded upwardly along its side perforations  214  and along the fold line  216  to enlarge the cabin area  32 . If this is done, the tabs  156  are disconnected from within slits  164 . 
       FIGS. 9-11  illustrates a carton  20  with detailing printed on the sheet  10  shown in phantom which makes the carton  20  more appealing, especially for children. A food item is also shown in phantom inserted into the compartment  200  in phantom. As shown and described herein, the carton  20  is printed to depict a NASCAR stock racing car. The method of folding the carton allows contours, such as curves and angles, to be accurately reflected to enhance the carton&#39;s appeal.