Abstract:
A food item delivery apparatus is disclosed, that includes a delivery container, as well as one or more removable shelves stackable within the delivery container, such that each of the one or more removable shelves is configured to be inserted and removed from the delivery container using a finger-gripping mechanism. The one or more removable shelves are configured to be inserted and removed from the delivery container while the food item is resting thereon. At least one shelf is supported by one or more variable-sized support members attached thereto, the one or more support members being perpendicular to a top surface of the shelf, and resting on a bottom of the delivery container or a top surface of another shelf directly underneath the shelf. The delivery container and the shelves may be coated with insulating material to promote heat circulation and to avoid sticking.

Description:
FIELD  
       [0001]    This relates generally to food delivery container, and in particular, to a food delivery apparatus and one or more stackable shelves that can be easily inserted or removed from the food delivery apparatus. 
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]    Traditionally, when multiple food items (e.g., baked goods, such as cookies) are to be delivered together within a box, the food items are layered on top of each other, in order to maximize storage space in the box. This can result in crushing or otherwise damaging the food items at the bottom of the box, as well as the layers of food items sticking together. 
         [0003]    It is conventional to use a separating material, like parchment paper or metal foil, placed between layers of the food items to keep the food items from sticking together; however, a thin piece of paper or foil does not protect the bottom layers of food items from being crushed by the weight of the box&#39;s contents. 
         [0004]    Therefore, there is a need for a food delivery apparatus or container configured to store a maximum amount of food items for delivery, while promoting heat circulation and without crushing or otherwise damaging the food items. 
       SUMMARY  
       [0005]    The presently disclosed embodiments are directed to solving issues relating to one or more of the problems presented in the art, as well as providing additional features that will become readily apparent by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
         [0006]    Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a food item delivery apparatus. The food item delivery apparatus includes a delivery container; and one or more removable shelves stackable within the delivery container, such that each of the one or more removable shelves is configured to be inserted and removed from the delivery container using a finger-gripping mechanism. According to certain embodiments, the one or more removable shelves are configured to be inserted and removed from the delivery container while the food item is resting thereon. According to certain embodiments, at least one shelf is supported by one or more support members attached thereto, the one or more support members being perpendicular to a top surface of the shelf, and resting on a bottom of the delivery container or a top surface of another shelf directly underneath the shelf. 
         [0007]    Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a food delivery container. The delivery container includes a bottom; a top; a plurality of side walls; and one or more removable shelves, having a substantially similar shape to the food delivery container, stackable within the food delivery container, such that each of the one or more removable shelves is configured to be inserted and removed from the food delivery container using a finger-gripping mechanism. According to certain embodiments, the one or more removable shelves are configured to be inserted and removed from the delivery container while a food item is resting thereon, and at least one shelf is supported by one or more support members attached thereto, the one or more support members being perpendicular to a top surface of the shelf, and resting on the bottom of the delivery container or a top surface of another shelf directly underneath the shelf. 
         [0008]    Yet another embodiment is directed to a stackable shelf for use within a food item delivery container, such that the stackable shelf is configured to be inserted and removed from the food item delivery container. The stackable shelf may include one or more perforated sections forming one or more finger-gripping mechanisms, respectively, when removed; and one or more support members attached to the stackable shelf, the one or more support members being perpendicular to a top surface of the stackable shelf, and resting on a bottom of the food item delivery container or a top surface of another stackable shelf directly underneath the stackable shelf. 
         [0009]    According to various embodiments, the one or more support members are formed by folding a perforated portion of the stackable shelf by approximately 90 degrees, and each of the one or more support members are variable in size, by including multiple perforated portions for each of the one or more support members. 
         [0010]    Further features and advantages of the present disclosure, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present disclosure, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0011]    The present disclosure, in accordance with one or more various embodiments, is described in detail with reference to the following figures. The drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only and merely depict exemplary embodiments of the disclosure. These drawings are provided to facilitate the reader&#39;s understanding of the disclosure and should not be considered limiting of the breadth, scope, or applicability of the disclosure. It should be noted that for clarity and ease of illustration these drawings are not necessarily made to scale. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates a food item delivery system, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2(   a ) is a top view of a shelf with perforations for forming support mechanisms and finger-gripping mechanisms, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2(   b ) is a top-view of a shelf after forming support mechanisms and finger-gripping mechanisms, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]    The following description is presented to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. Descriptions of specific devices, techniques, and applications are provided only as examples. Various modifications to the examples described herein will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other examples and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the examples described herein and shown, but is to be accorded the scope consistent with the claims. 
         [0016]    Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as is commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. 
         [0017]    The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example or illustration.” Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. 
         [0018]    Reference will now be made in detail to aspects of the subject technology, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary food item delivery apparatus, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.  FIG. 1  shows a food item delivery container (hereinafter referred to as a “box” for exemplary purposes)  100 , which can be any conventional container intended for storage and/or delivery of food (e.g., baked goods or pizza). Box  100  as shown in  FIG. 1  is substantially rectangular, with four sidewalls  102 . It should be noted that box  100  can include any number of sidewalls  102 , and can be any shape or size suitable for storage and delivery of any particular food item. Box  100  can further include a lid or top cover  103 , which may be foldably attached to one or more sidewalls  102  or completely removable from the box  100 . Food items (not shown) can be placed in box  100 , such that the bottom layer of the food items are directly on the bottom  101  of the box  100 . 
         [0020]    Box  100  may be formed of one piece of foldable material, such as paperboard or cardboard; however, any material may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. Part or all of the insides of top  103 , bottom  101  and/or sidewalls  102  can be lined with an insulating material (e.g., aluminum foil, or the like), in order to trap heat, thereby substantially maintaining the temperature of a freshly baked food item, for example. 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , any number of stackable shelves (or trays)  120  can be placed inside the box  100 . For exemplary purposes,  FIG. 1  illustrates 4 shelves  120 . Each shelf  120  can include one or more vertical support members  140 , which provide clearance below the top surface of each shelf  120 . This allows food items (e.g., cookies or pizza) to sit on top of and below each shelf  120 , without crushing the bottom food item(s) or causing the food item(s) to stick together. Support member  140  can be of any size (or variable in size, as described below with respect to  FIG. 2(   a )), depending on the thickness of the food item that is to sit below the particular shelf  120 . 
         [0022]    Each shelf  120  can have one or more finger-gripping mechanisms  130 , which may be, for example, in the form of a round or semicircle hole cut out of the top surface of shelf  120 . In the example shown in  FIG. 1 , finger-gripping mechanisms  130  are semicircles cut out of two sides of each shelf  120 . This allows a user to easily load each shelf  120  into the box  100 , while maximizing the surface area space of each shelf  120  within the box  100 . Further, a consumer of the food items can easily remove each shelf  120  (with or without the food items still sitting thereon) to access the food items below the shelf  120 . As another exemplary advantage, when a shelf  120  is removed with the food item(s) thereon, the shelf  120  can be utilized as a serving tray, without the need to transfer the food item(s) to another serving piece. 
         [0023]    Any number, size or location of finger-gripping mechanisms  130  can be included. For example, only one circular finger gripping mechanism  130  can be included in the center of a shelf  120 , allowing a user to insert or remove the shelf  120  by hooking a finger into the finger-gripping mechanism  130  and lifting and/or lowering the shelf  120  in or out of the box  100 . Additionally, one or more of the shelves  120  can be partially or completely lined with an insulating material, such as aluminum foil and/or parchment paper, to trap heat and/or prevent sticking. According to one embodiment, only the bottom of each shelf  120  is lined with an insulating material to trap the rising heat from the food item beneath. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2(   a ) is a top view of a shelf  120  with perforations for forming support members  140  and finger-gripping mechanisms  130 , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 2(   a ), each shelf  120  may be previously perforated so that support members  140  can be formed by folding along the perforation by approximately 90 degrees. The perforations are shown by dotted lines  210 . According to one embodiment, multiple perforations  210  can be included, such that a user can determine how large each support mechanism  140  should be. In the depicted example, two perforated lines are provided for each support mechanism  140  as size options, but any number may be included. For example, each shelf  120  can have a different height, depending on which food item rests beneath it. 
         [0025]    In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 , the support members  140  are folded downward, thereby contacting the bottom  101  of the box  100  or the top  220  of a lower shelf  120 ; however, the support members  140  can alternatively be folded upward, thereby contacting the bottom of the shelf  120  above. 
         [0026]    Similarly, finger-gripping mechanisms  130  can be formed by punching out previously perforated sections shown by dotted lines  200 . As noted above, any number, size or location of finger-gripping mechanisms  130  can be used. In the depicted example, finger-gripping mechanisms  130  are placed in a semicircle shape on two sides of the shelf  120 , as well as an option for a center hole finger-gripping mechanism  130 . As an alternative, the shelves  120  can be prefabricated to include finger-gripping mechanisms  130  already formed. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2(   b ) is a top-view of a shelf  120  after forming support members  140  and finger-gripping mechanisms  130 , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the side semicircle finger-gripping mechanisms  130  were chosen and formed by punching out part of the top surface of the shelf  120  along the perforations. After folding along perforations  210  to form support members  140 , only top surface  220  is visible from the top-view. 
         [0028]    Using a delivery food apparatus, such as box  100 , configured to hold one or more shelves  120 , a maximum amount of food items for delivery can be stored in box  100 , while allowing heat circulation and without crushing or otherwise damaging the food items. Moreover, using finger-gripping mechanisms  130 , one can easily insert or remove shelves  120  from the box  100 , without compromising the structural integrity of the box  100 , yet maintaining a maximum surface area of each shelf  120 . In addition, a user or a consumer can insert and/or remove a shelf  120  with the food item(s) pre-loaded on the shelf without damaging the food item(s). As yet another advantage, by providing multiple perforations  210  for forming support member  140 , a user can determine how tall a shelf  120  should be, based on the thickness of the food item(s) stored below in order to assure that the food item(s) stored below are not crushed. 
         [0029]    While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not by way of limitation. Likewise, the various diagrams may depict an example architectural or other configuration for the disclosure, which is done to aid in understanding the features and functionality that can be included in the disclosure. The disclosure is not restricted to the illustrated example architectures or configurations, but can be implemented using a variety of alternative architectures and configurations. Additionally, although the disclosure is described above in terms of various exemplary embodiments and implementations, it should be understood that the various features and functionality described in one or more of the individual embodiments are not limited in their applicability to the particular embodiment with which they are described. They instead can be applied alone or in some combination, to one or more of the other embodiments of the disclosure, whether or not such embodiments are described, and whether or not such features are presented as being a part of a described embodiment. Thus the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments. 
         [0030]    Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposed to limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” should be read as meaning “including, without limitation” or the like; the term “example” is used to provide exemplary instances of the item in discussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof; and adjectives such as “conventional,” “traditional,” “normal,” “standard,” “known”, and terms of similar meaning, should not be construed as limiting the item described to a given time period, or to an item available as of a given time. But instead these terms should be read to encompass conventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that may be available, known now, or at any time in the future. Likewise, a group of items linked with the conjunction “and” should not be read as requiring that each and every one of those items be present in the grouping, but rather should be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Similarly, a group of items linked with the conjunction “or” should not be read as requiring mutual exclusivity among that group, but rather should also be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, although items, elements or components of the disclosure may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated to be within the scope thereof unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated. The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to”, or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases may be absent.