Patent Publication Number: US-6213389-B1

Title: Take-out carrier

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Take-out carriers or meal trays for the accommodation of multiple separate foodstuffs are commonly used in fast food restaurants, cafeterias and the like. 
     Such carriers are basically of a rectangular configuration with a large open compartment for the main foodstuff such as hamburgers, chicken pieces, and the like, and one or more secondary compartments with top panels having openings defined therein for receiving smaller containers for drinks, french fries and like foodstuffs. 
     These carriers are conventionally formed of folded paperboard or like sheet material, and unless preassembled at the point of manufacture, must be assembled or erected at the point of sale, either by the server or the customer. Heretofore, this has involved a rather elaborate manipulation or series of manipulations to align specifically provided locking tabs with a series of companion openings or slots, and an engagement of the tabs through the slots. As this is being done, the basic “box” portion of the carrier must be maintained to allow for substantially simultaneous engagement of the tabs. There is also the possibility of the tabs disengaging as the carrier is handled, particularly during use. While the procedures involved in erecting carriers with locking tabs appears quite straightforward, some degree of skill is involved in both properly aligning all of the involved tabs and ensuring that each tab is firmly and correctly inserted through the appropriate slot. If this is done by the serving establishment, it will probably be done innumerable times in a relatively short period of time, again requiring the exercise of a degree of skill by the serving personnel. If the tray is to be erected by the customer, as in a cafeteria environment, a lack of familiarity with the steps of aligning and engaging the tabs with the slots could be a problem. 
     Multiple compartment meal trays have also been proposed wherein adhesives have been used. However in such cases substantial assembly prior to shipping is involved, and relatively extensive modifications are required in the manufacturing procedures as compared to the basic tab and slot construction. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The take-out carrier of the present invention, while retaining the basic configuration and appearance of the conventional carrier or carriers with locking tab and slot assembly, substantially improves thereon in several aspects, including simplified manufacturing procedures, and an assembly procedure which is trouble-free and insures a proper erection of the carrier in a fool-proof manner even by unskilled personnel. The erected carrier, that is the carrier in its usable configuration, cannot inadvertently collapse, has no projecting tabs as might be accidently disengaged, and, when erected, provides substantially greater strength and stability. 
     These particular advantages are achieved with only very minor modifications in the conventional manufacturing equipment, and in fact utilize manufacturing techniques which are in some instances simplified. Manufacture of the carriers of the invention will involve only conventional equipment currently in use, while at the same time producing the superior product of the invention. 
     The carrier or carriers of the invention, as in the conventional carriers, include at least two compartments formed in a tray by one or more transverse partition walls folded downward from a top panel at an intermediate point along the length of the tray. The partition includes a laterally directed edge flange. In the conventional carton, the edge flange will have outwardly directed end tabs receivable within slots in the opposed side walls of the tray. Such an attachment means is rather difficult to engage, is not particularly secure, and does not provide for a positive seal along the base of the partition wall. 
     In the construction of the invention, the end tabs are eliminated and the undersurface of the partition wall flange is provided with a cold seal or cohesive coating along the full length thereof. Such a coating remains dry and non-sticking when touching any surface other than a similar cohesive coating. When touching a similar coating, there will be an immediate bonding therebetween which can be enhanced by a little finger pressure on the overlying portions. A similar coating is provided transversely across the upper surface of the bottom panel of the tray at a point corresponding to the desired upright position of the partition wall. Thus, in order to complete the erection of the carton of the invention, one need merely downwardly fold the partition wall until the edge flange thereof, with the cohesive coating thereon, engages the cohesive coating on the bottom panel, at which point a bonding is effected and a proper orientation of the partition wall is automatically achieved. The full length engagement of the coated flange and bottom panel effects a positive seal between the compartments to avoid any leakage therebetween and provides enhanced strength to the overall carton or carrier, and at the same time avoids any possibility of accidental disassembly. These factors are particularly significant in view of the relatively lightweight nature of the carrier and the relatively heavy products to be carried therein. 
     Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of carrier in its fully assembled usable configuration; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view taken substantially on a plane passing along line  2 — 2  in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carrier prior to final folding into its usable configuration and illustrating the stackable nature of the carton prior to full assembly; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another form of carrier in its fully assembled usable configuration; 
     FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross sectional view taken substantially on a plane passing along line  5 — 5  in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 illustrates the carrier prior to a final positioning of the partition walls with the walls upwardly turned to more clearly illustrate the positioning of the cohesive coatings or strips; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the carrier partially erected from its flat stackable configuration prior to assembly. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the carrier shown in FIG. 1 in a fully open position; and, 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the carrier of FIG. 4 shown in a collapsed position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now more specifically to the drawings, FIGS. 1-3 illustrate one form of take-out carrier  10 . The carrier  10 , when fully assembled in its usable configuration as in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes an elongate preferably rectangular tray  12  with opposed side walls  14  and opposed end walls  16  end joined to the side walls  14  by conventional glue flaps  18 . The walls  14  and  16  extend upwardly from the bottom panel  20  and are slightly outwardly inclined to facilitate stacking as shall be explained presently. 
     The tray is divided into a first upwardly opening compartment  22  and a second compartment  24  with an overlying elevated top panel  26 . The top panel  26  is at a greater height than the upper edges of the tray side walls  14  and includes integral depending side walls  28  which are slightly outwardly inclined and overlap the side walls  14  of the tray. The top panel  26  also includes a depending rear wall  30  which is integrally joined to the upper edge of the corresponding tray end wall  16  along a fold line  32 . A partition wall  34  is integral with the top panel  26  along the length thereof and depends from the forward or inner edge of the top panel  26  across the width of the tray  12  between the tray side walls  14 . The lower edge portion of the partition panel  34  defines a full length edge flange  36  which is outwardly folded to overlie the tray bottom or bottom panel  20 . The undersurface of the flange  36 , as well as the upper surface of the bottom panel directly aligned with the flange  36  are both provided with cohesive coatings or strips for a direct bonding of the flange to the tray bottom only upon alignment of the strips. Such coatings do not adhere to any surface of the carrier other than a similar coating. It is preferred that the partition wall and the flange extend completely across the tray and into close sliding engagement with the opposed tray walls  14  whereby a positive seal is provided between the compartments  22  and  24  both transversely across the bottom  20  and vertically along the tray walls  14 . It will also be appreciated that inasmuch as the conventional tab and slot interlocks have been eliminated, the tray walls, particularly adjacent the bottom panel  20 , are imperforate to avoid any potential leakage both outward from the tray and between the compartments. As will noted in FIGS. 2 and 3 in particular, the walls extending from the second compartment top panel  26  are end joined in a conventional manner by appropriate glue flaps  40 , forming in effect an inverted tray. The top panel itself will have appropriate container-receiving openings  42  therein for receiving, as desired, drink cups, french fry containers, and the like which will rest on the bottom of the tray  20  and be stabilized by the apertured top panel  26  in a conventional manner. Further, for ease in carrying the carrier  10 , appropriate hand holes  44  can be provided in the opposed tray end walls  16  at an appropriate height above the bottom  20 . 
     With reference to FIG. 3, the carrier  10 , prior to actual use will only be partially assembled, that is the top panel unit, including the top panel and the walls thereof, will be outwardly folded in alignment with the tray as suggested by the partially folded illustration in FIG.  3 . So positioned, the carriers, through the outward inclination of the tray and top panel walls, will compactly stack, one within another, for both shipping and storage purposes. This is an essential requirement for a conservation of space, and is of a significant economic advantage. 
     When the carrier is to be used either by the food server or the customer, the top panel  26  with the side and partition walls thereof is swung upwardly, inwardly and downwardly over the tray  12  which will automatically align the flange and the cohesive coating thereon with the tray cohesive coating and produce an immediate and effective bonding of the partition wall in position. This bond, if considered appropriate, can be enhanced by a slight finger pressure along the flange  36 . 
     The use of cohesive coatings is significant in that these coatings will only adhere to each other, and thus do not in any way interfere with the stacking of the carriers in their partially assembled configuration as suggested in FIG.  3 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 4-7, another form of take-out carrier  50  is illustrated therein. The carrier  50  is initially formed by folding a sheet of paperboard or the like into an elongate rectangular tubular configuration, forming a bottom or bottom panel  52 , opposed side walls  54  and a top panel  56 . An appropriate edge glue flap  58  secures the free edge of the bottom  52  to the free edge of the adjacent side wall  54  to retain the tubular configuration and basically define a tray with an overlying top panel. 
     The top panel  56  has a pair of partition walls  60  and  62  defined therefrom. The partition wall  60 , in the fully assembled usable carrier illustrated in FIG. 4, divides the carrier  50  into a first upwardly opening compartment  64  and a second compartment overlaid by the top panel  56 , similar to the first described embodiment. The second partition wall  62 , in the fully assembled usable carton, forms an opposed end wall for the open compartment  64  with this second partition wall  62  also depending from a minor portion of the top panel  56  toward the second end of the carrier remote from the second covered compartment  66 . 
     Each of the partition walls  60  and  62  includes a full length outer edge flange  68  with a cohesive coating  70  along the length thereof. Corresponding cohesive coating strips  72  are provided transversely across the bottom  52  of the tray of the carrier whereby upon a downward folding of the opposed partition walls  60  and  62 , the cohesive coatings  70  on the partition flanges will, upon alignment with the cohesive coatings  72  on the bottom  52 , automatically signal the proper alignment of the partition walls and effect an immediate bonding of the partition walls in place. Until such time as the cohesive strips are aligned and engaged with each other, there would be no bonding. 
     As suggested in FIG. 7, prior to assembly of the carrier  50  in its erected usable configuration, the partition panels  60  and  62  are coplanar with the top panel  56  with the cohesive strips on the flanges  68  adjacent to but slightly laterally spaced from each other, and similarly substantially laterally spaced from the cohesive strips  72  on the bottom  52 . Thus, the carrier, in this partially assembled configuration, can be laterally collapsed to a substantially flat position for both shipping and storage purposes. 
     To complete the erection of the carrier at the point of use, one need merely press the opposed sides of the flattened carton to bring the opposed side walls substantially vertically, at which time the opposed partition walls are merely downwardly folded with the partition wall flanges  68  either slightly upwardly pre-folded or merely automatically folding upon engagement with the bottom  52  and bonding upon contact with the corresponding bottom cohesive coating strips  72 . Once erected, the carrier cannot accidentally collapse. The assembled construction is both stable and of substantial strength in light of the full transverse securing of the lower edges of the partition walls and the extension of the partition walls across the full width of the tray. 
     As will be appreciated, the second compartment  66  of the carrier will have the overlying portion of the top panel  56  provided with an appropriate opening or openings  74  for the accommodation of containers such as a french fry carton. The outer end of this compartment  66  can remain open in that the foodstuffs received therein will be in their own containers. The partition wall  62  will close the outer end of the first compartment  64  slightly inwardly spaced from the extreme end of the carrier to provide a small hand grip area. 
     While only two embodiments have been illustrated, it is to be appreciated that the concepts of the invention are equally applicable to other forms of carriers which require assembly or final assembly at the point of use. Such other carriers can include end walls which automatically assemble upon an erection of the carrier, carriers with covered and apertured compartments at the opposed ends thereof with a central open tray area, and the like. 
     It is contemplated that use of cohesive strips, as opposed to the conventional locking tabs will, in addition to simplifying final assembly at the point of use, simplify manufacturing, both in the die cutting of the blanks and the folding thereof. Further, is contemplated that the cohesive strips can actually be applied at the time of the printing of the decorative and informative indicia on the carton blanks as a part of the printing process. Basically, the significantly advanced product of the invention can be produced with only very minor modifications in the manufacture procedures, thus substantially enhancing the practicability and economic feasibility of the carrier of the invention. 
     The invention is not to be taken as limited to the illustrated embodiments or to all the details thereof, as modification and variations thereof may be made without the parting from the spirit or scope of the invention.