Abstract:
A display container formed from a one-piece blank and having a base panel and four side panels, wherein a portion of the base panel is folded up to form an internal compartment. A triangular segment of the front panel is folded against the side of the internal compartment to stabilize same. Individual food servings are held by the main part of the container while appropriate utensils are held in the internal compartment.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a container, and in particular, to an improved display container for individual food servings having a main interior compartment for the individual food servings themselves and another for utensils to be used in conjunction with the individual food servings. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Containers formed from paperboard or corrugated cardboard are generally formed from a single blank of material. The blank generally has a plurality of panels that are folded such that a container may be manufactured in a collapsed, flat configuration and then folded into an erect condition. 
     One use of such containers is as a display container wherein the container is open for viewing and removal of the contents thereof. If the contents are individual food servings, the disadvantage exists that utensils for consumption of the individual food servings are not readily accessible. 
     Various containers are known wherein a single blank is formed into a container having partitions for a plurality of food or other products. However, such known containers do not contemplate providing a main compartment for individual food servings which also address the problem of making utensils more accessible for use with individual food servings of the container. 
     Thus there exists a need for a display container for a plurality of products such as individual food servings, particularly a container that can be formed from a flat blank, which container provides a convenient way to associate utensils with the individual serving. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention which comprises a display container with a main compartment for individual food servings and a separate integrally formed compartment for utensils or the like. 
     Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a container for individually packaged food servings which allows the retailer the ability to simply open the top panel to reveal the contained food products for retail sales thereof, while also providing an internal compartment for utensils. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide a container formed from a single blank of material with a base, side and end panels and separate compartments for holding the individual food servings and utensils to be used for consuming the individual food serving. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a container for food products which includes an internal utensil compartment which is formed solely by means of friction, thereby requiring no glue, tape or other securing means. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the internal utensil compartment is formed by means of a groove formed when an interior side panel flap is folded over, and wherein a flap forming the utensil compartment locks into such groove. In addition, a triangular portion of the front panel is folded against the internal utensil compartment to provide additional integrity and support. Therefore, no separate insert is needed to produce this internal compartment. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the containers may be individually packaged pudding snacks and the utensils can be plastic spoons. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a container for food products wherein the main internal compartment contains a plurality of individually packaged individual food servings and the smaller internal compartment contains a sufficient quantity of plastic spoons. 
     Further features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in, or apparent from, the detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof which follows. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and to the accompanying drawings which form part of the disclosure, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a top front perspective view showing a container formed from the blank of FIG. 6, showing individually packaged food servings and utensils. 
     FIG. 2 is a top front perspective view of the container formed from the blank of FIG. 6, in a closed condition. 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of the container formed from the blank of FIG. 6 with the top opened and folded back. 
     FIG. 4 is an elevational cross-sectional view taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is an elevational cross-sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 6 is a plan view of the blank used to form the container of FIGS.  1 - 5 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, like numbers represent like elements throughout the several views. Reference numeral  150  generally identifies a collapsed, container blank in FIG. 6, which is formed as an erect container  100  in FIGS. 1-5. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, container  100  contains a plurality of individually packaged food products  118  contained in a main internal compartment  106  and a plurality of individual servicing spoons  116  standing upright in a second internal compartment  110 . 
     FIG. 2 shows the compact nature of the container  100  and its ability to entirely encapsulate the contained food products and utensils. The top panel  138  has an enclosure means  140  in the closed position and a slit  142  to form a display panel  144  as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 6 is a plan view of the one piece blank  150  used to form the erect container  100 . To fold the flat blank  150  into the erect container  100 , the exterior left side panel  126  is folded upward ninety degrees along fold line  137  while the exterior right side panel  122  is similarly folded up along fold line  121 . There are two upper base panels, namely a first base panel  136   a  attached at fold line  135  to side panel  126  and a second base panel formed by panels  136   b ,  110   a  and  110   b  which is connected to side panel  122  at fold line  155 . The upper base panel  136  is then folded upward ninety degrees along fold lines  135  until the upper base panel  136  is aligned with fold line  133 . Similarly, the upper base panel  136   a ,  110   a  and  110   b  is folded up along line  155  until it is aligned with fold line  133 . Back panel  132  is then folded upward ninety degrees along fold line  133  until upper base panels  136   a  and  136   b ,  110   a  and  110   b  lie completely over lower base panel  134 . Internal left side panel  102  and internal right side panel  104  are then folded upward ninety degrees along fold lines  139  and  151 , respectively. Exterior front panel  130  is then folded ninety degrees upward along fold line  149  until interior left side panel  102  abuts fold line  135  and interior right side panel  104  abuts fold line  155 . The interior left side panel  156  is then folded ninety degrees along fold line  143  and again ninety degrees downward along fold line  145  over the top of panel  102  until left panel tab  148  engages tab insertion slot  146 . Similarly, interior right side panel  124  is folded ninety degrees downward along fold line  125  and again ninety degrees downward along fold line  127  over the top of panel  104  until right side panel tabs  154  engages tab insertion slot  152 , completing the formation of the main internal compartment  106 . 
     Second internal compartment  110  is then formed by folding panels  110   a  and  110   b  ninety degrees upward along fold line  153  and then folding panel  110   b  along fold line  111  until its edge  103  securely locks into groove  114 . Triangular stabilizing support  112  is then folded ninety degrees along fold line  113 . Interior front panel  115  is then folded ninety degrees inward along fold line  109  and again ninety degrees downward along fold line  121  until interior front panel  115  is lodged between interior front panel groove  108  and the interior of front panel  130 . Triangular stabilizing support  112  then abuts the panel  110   b  of second internal compartment  110 . 
     The main internal compartment  106  may be filled with food products  118  and the second internal compartment may be filled with utensils  116 . The container  100  can be securely closed by folding the enclosure means  140  ninety degrees downward along fold line  141  and the top panel  138  ninety degrees downward along fold line  131  until enclosure means  140  meets enclosure means groove  120  and negative space  101 . 
     To open the container  100  for retail use, the top panel  138  is lifted from its closed position along fold line  131  revealing the enclosure means  140 . The display panel  144  is utilized by folding along fold line  147  until the enclosure means  140  is aligned snugly against the back panel  132 . 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the food products  118  of the main internal compartment  106  are individually packaged pudding snacks and the utensils  116  of the second internal compartment  110  are plastic spoons which may be individually wrapped. Further, the blank  150  of the present invention can be made from, but is not limited to the following materials: cardboard, paperboard or matboard. The dimensions of the present invention are not limited and can vary depending on the number and the size of the contained food products and utensils. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the main internal compartment  106  contains fourteen individually packaged pudding snacks, the second internal compartment  110  contains at least fourteen individually wrapped plastic spoons and the blank  150  is made from corrugated cardboard. 
     Although the dimensions of the present invention are not limited, in one preferred embodiment the present invention preferably measures 273 millimeters in length, 138 millimeters in width and 114 millimeters in depth. 
     Although the invention has been described above in relation to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications can be effected in these preferred embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.