Patent Publication Number: US-6702178-B2

Title: Sandwich wrap

Description:
PRIOR APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/634,922, filed on Aug. 9, 2000, now abandoned, and which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/148,074 filed Aug. 10, 1999, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to sheet wraps for wrapping food products. More particularly, the present invention pertains to sandwich wraps useful in wrapping sandwiches, and to a method of unwrapping a sandwich. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Food products, such as sandwiches, that are sold in fast food-type of restaurants are typically packaged in one of several different types of packages to protect the food product until it is consumed. One type of package involves the use of flat paper sheet wrap. The sandwich is placed on a flat paper sheet which is then folded around the sandwich. The paper sheet is typically held in place by tucking the free edges or corners of the sheet under the sandwich. The wrapped sandwich can then be placed in a storage bin for future sale or may be placed in a bag for being carried out of the restaurant. 
     It has been found, however, that this type of packaging suffers from several disadvantages. In one respect, when the packaged sandwich is placed in a storage bin for later sale or in a bag for transportation and later consumption, the paper sheet wrap has a tendency to come unwrapped. 
     Known paper sheet wraps include minimal crush-resistant properties, such as rigidity, to help prevent a packaged or wrapped sandwich from being crushed. Consequently, sandwiches packages in such materials are prone to being crushed when stored in a storage bin or placed in a bag with other items. Although other types of packaging materials such as foam and paperboard cartons have been used to protect the packaged sandwich, these cartons require a significant amount of storage space as a result of their construction. Also, it is necessary for the consumer to remove the sandwich from the carton in order to eat it. That can involve sanitary problems, for example, in the case of sandwiches purchased at a drive-through window of a restaurant, since the consumer normally would not be able to wash his or her hands before eating, and may attempt to consume the sandwich while riding in, or even driving, a moving (bouncing) vehicle. Food items such as lettuce, pickles, chopped onions, tomatoes, etc. may fall from the sandwich and onto the consumer as it is being eaten under those conditions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a sandwich wrap comprising a base strip and a sheet wrap attached thereto. The base strip is elongated in a longitudinal direction and includes at least one tear line extending substantially between the longitudinal ends. Two tear lines may also be included, forming a tear strip therebetween. The sheet wrap is shorter than the base strip in the longitudinal direction and longer than the base strip in the lateral direction. When attached, the longitudinal ends of the base strip extend beyond respective longitudinal edges of the sheet wrap. The sheet wrap is also more pliable than the base strip. The base strip and the sheet wrap sections may be folded around a sandwich. Thusly packaged, the sandwich is accessible by severing the sandwich wrap along the tear line, to separate the base strip into respective sections, at least one of which may be removed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals designate like elements and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a sandwich wrap according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II—II in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a view taken in the direction of arrow  40  in FIG. 1 as the sheet portion of the wrap is being folded onto a sandwich; 
     FIG. 4 is a view taken in the direction of arrow  42  in FIG. 1 as the base strip is being folded around the sandwich; 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a package formed in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a top view of the package depicted in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the package depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a side view taken in the direction of arrow  31  in FIG. 7 or in the direction of arrow  54  in FIG. 12; 
     FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 6 as sections of a tear strip are in the process of being removed; 
     FIG. 10 is a schematic side elevational view depicting the manner of removing the tear strip sections; 
     FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the package after the tear strip has been completely removed to divide the wrap into half-sections; 
     FIG. 12 is a view taken in the direction of arrow  51  in FIG. 11 after one of the half sections of the wrap has been discarded in the direction of arrow  53  in FIG. 11; 
     FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12 of another side of the package; 
     FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 5 of an alternative embodiment according to the present invention; and 
     FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 5 of yet another alternative embodiment according to the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     A sandwich wrap  10  depicted in FIG. 1 comprises a relatively stiff base strip  12  and a highly pliant sheet wrap  14  attached thereto. The base strip  12  and the sheet  14  are both generally rectangular in shape, with the long side edges  12   a,    12   b  of the base strip  12  defining the longitudinal direction. Longitudinally, the base strip  12  is longer than the sheet  14 , with the opposite longitudinal ends  12   c,    12   d  of the base strip extending beyond the respective longitudinal edges  14   a,    14   b  of the sheet  14 . Laterally, the base strip  12  is shorter than the sheet  14 , with the lateral end edges  14   c,    14   d  of the sheet  14  extending beyond the respective lateral edges  12   a,    12   b  of the base strip  12 . The base strip  12  could be of any suitable type, such as paperboard or plastic, for example, and the sheet  14  could be any suitable light-weight sheet material, such as tissue paper for example. 
     Alternatively, if heat retention properties are desired, the sheet could comprise a Quilt-Rap® material typically in the form of a three-ply laminated structure consisting of a polyethylene layer laminated between two outer paper layers (e.g., tissue paper). 
     The base strip  12  contains a pair of parallel longitudinal tear lines  20 , defining a tear strip  22  therebetween. The tear lines  20  extend substantially the entire length of the base strip  12 , running between one longitudinal end  12   c  to the other longitudinal end  12   d . The sheet  14  also includes a pair of tear lines that are substantially aligned with the tear lines  20  in the base strip  12 . With tear lines in both the base strip  12  and the sheet  14 , the sandwich wrap  10  may be divided into separate parts when the tear strip  22  is removed as described below. The tear strip  22  is severed near its midpoint by a transverse cut line  24  to be divided into a pair of tear strip sections  22   a,    22   b . The tear lines  20  could extend in the machine direction or the cross direction of the base strip  12 . 
     The base strip  12  also includes a plurality of parallel, transverse fold lines  26   a ,  26   b,    28   a,    28   b  formed by transverse score lines. The fold lines divide the base strip  12  longitudinally into a top panel  30   t , a pair of identical side panels  30   s , and a pair of bottom panels  30   b,    32   b.    
     The longitudinal ends  12   c,    12   d  can be secured together by connecting elements. For example at one end of the base strip  12 , i.e., along an edge of the bottom panel  30   b , there is provided a pair of lock tabs  34 , and the other bottom panel  32   b  contains a pair of slits  36  intersected by respective apertures  38 . As will be explained, the slits  36  are adapted to receive respective back tabs  34 . Alternative to the use of two of the tabs, a single tab and slit could be employed. 
     To use the sandwich wrap  10 , the wrap would be placed on a support surface, and a sandwich S would be placed on the wrap in overlying relationship to the top panel  30   t  (see the phantom lines in FIG.  1 ). Then, the sheet  14  is folded up and over the sandwich, as shown in FIG. 3 which is a view taken in the direction of arrow  40  in FIG.  1 . At the same time, the longitudinal ends of the strip base  12  are raised, as shown in FIG. 4 which is a view taken in the direction of arrow  42  in FIG.  1 . The base strip  22  is folded along the score lines  26   a,b  and  28   a,b,  whereby the bottom panels  30   b,    32   b  come together at the top of the sandwich, and the locking tabs  34  are inserted into respective slits  36  to lock the bottom panels together, as shown in FIG.  5 . The resulting package P comprised of the sandwich S and the wrap  10  is then flipped over to expose the top panel  30   t  (FIG.  6 ). 
     The consumer has two options for eating the sandwich. For example, the consumer can unlock the tabs  34 , unfold the wrap, and pick the sandwich out of the wrap. That could be the method of choice if the consumer were, for example, eating the sandwich at a table. 
     The other option involves pulling off the tear strip sections  22   a,    22   b  to divide the wrap  10  into two separate sections  50 , 52 . Then, one of the sections  52  is discarded in the direction of arrow  53 , leaving the sandwich S seated in the other of the sections (e.g., section  50 —see FIG. 12) which can be held by the consumer to grip the sandwich as he/she eats the sandwich. Sanitary conditions are maintained, because the consumer&#39;s hands do not come into direct contact with the sandwich, and any food items (e.g., lettuce, onions, pickles, tomatoes, sauce, etc.) dropping from the sandwich fall onto the sheet  14  (see FIG. 8 which is a view in the direction of the arrow  54  of FIG.  12 ). That could be the method of choice if the consumer were eating the sandwich in a vehicle, or from his/her lap. 
     The longitudinal ends of the base strip can be secured together by any suitable connecting means other than a locking tab arrangement. For example, the longitudinal ends could be secured by adhesive, e.g., adhesive strips, or pieces of tape  60 , as shown in FIG.  14 . The tape pieces could be initially attached to one of the end edges and then attached to the other end edge after removing pieces of backing material. In the event that it is not intended to give the user the option of separating the ends of the base strip from one another, the tape or adhesive strips could be of the non-removable type. Then, the consumer would be required to remove the tear strip  22 . 
     Also, instead of providing a pair of tear lines  20  for forming a tear strip  22 , there could instead be formed only a single tear line  62 , as shown in FIG. 15, to be severed by the consumer. 
     Although the present invention has been described in connection with preferred embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that additions, deletions, modifications, and substitutions not specifically described may be made.