Box for Transporting, Displaying and Serving Food

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/658,088, filed Jun. 10, 2024, and is a continuation of U.S. Design application Ser. No. 29/936,893, filed Apr. 11, 2024; the entire contents of both aforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to delivery boxes for transporting, displaying, and serving food.

Restaurants typically invest a great sum in the look and feel of their restaurants, which allow them to stand out from competitors. Often, the way a restaurant looks can create a first impression of the care and quality of food being served. With the increase in food delivery over the last few years, some patrons may never experience the look and feel of a restaurant, thus said first impressions are made upon delivery. Typically, many small to midsize restaurants use the same generic delivery boxes, which are only differentiated by the logos or markings made on the sides and top of said boxes.

Delivery boxes are an effective method of transporting food from a restaurant. Typically made from cardboard, the food box has a top lid that secures the food contents within and protects the food when traveling from a restaurant to a home, office, or the like. During transportation, there is danger the food items stored within the box may shift and move, possibly damaging and even ruining the food item before reaching final destination. Furthermore, the delivery boxes are normally intended to only transport the food items themselves, so additional plates and utensils are needed once the food items are removed from the delivery box.

Another form of food transportation is food trays. Food trays, such as those made from paper and cardboard, allow restaurants to serve food items without the need for costly serving dishes and can be easily discarded and/or recycled once finished. While the food trays are more individualized, they typically are intended to only be used in close proximity to, or shortly after departing from, a restaurant. The movement of the food trays provides less protection than movement of the delivery boxes.

Thus, there is a need for a food delivery device that is presentable and able to keep food items safe and secure during travel.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to improve upon the display of the delivery box.

It is also an object of the present invention to improve transportation of food contents.

It is another object of the present invention to improve upon the method in which food contents within a delivery box are served.

These and other objects are attained by the present invention which provides a box for transporting, displaying and serving food as well as providing security of the food contents within the box, along with a foldable lid display that is more appealing than traditional generic delivery boxes, and containing a plurality of food trays within the box for serving.

During shipping and/or storage of the box and food trays, the box and trays can each be a flat sheet that can later be assembled when ready for use. The assembly process can be done without the need for additional adhesives by strategically placing slits and corresponding tabs that when combined will retain a box-like shape of the trays and box. Additionally, handles can be cut out on the sides of the box for carrying capabilities.

In a preferred embodiment, the foldable lid can be folded into a display. Thus, an image facing upwardly when the box is closed would face forward when folded into an open displayed position.

Furthermore, the plurality of food trays can be aligned in neat and equal rows, and the total perimeter of all the food trays can fit securely within the box with little to no movement during transportation.

The present disclosure may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of the disclosure taken in connection with the accompanying drawing figures, which form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting of the claimed disclosure.

Also, as used in the specification and including the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference to a particular numerical value includes at least that particular value, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to “about” or “approximately” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. It is also understood that all spatial references, such as, for example, horizontal, vertical, top, upper, lower, bottom, left, right, are for illustrative purposes only and can be varied within the scope of the disclosure.

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, which are illustrated in the accompanying figures.

Referring to, in a preferred embodiment the food box includes an outer boxcontaining four side walls-, a bottom panel, and a top lid. The box is preferably composed of cardboard, although other rigid or semi-rigid materials, such as biodegradable plastics, are contemplated. As seen in, the outer boxis preferably constructed such that a single flat sheet of cardboard or cardboard-like material can be folded to create the box without the need for any other external fasteners or adhesives, which allows for ease of shipping and storage when not in use. While construction of the outer boxcan vary depending on the shape of the single flat sheet, assembly of the present embodiment can be achieved by first folding side wallsandto an upright position, folding sideandto an upright position, folding the flaps located on both sides of side wallsandtoward the inside of the outer boxand abutting the interior facing portion of side wallsandfolding the outwardly facing flaps of side wallsandover the flaps of sides wallandand inserting said outwardly facing flaps of side wallsandsuch that the protrusionsandengage within respective apertureslocated along the edges of bottom panel. Further, the outer boxmay contain holesfor use as handles located on two parallel side wallsof the box.

The top lidis attached to the rear side walland hinges on the rear side walle.g. along a bendable crease, as best seen in, when transitioning between an open and closed configuration. The top lidfurther has a securing flap, which is insertable within the interior of the outer box, specifically behind the front side wallto secure the contents within the outer boxin the closed configuration. In the preferred embodiment, the top lidhas two foldable hingesdisposed across opposite ends of the midpoint of the top lid. The two hingesextend parallel with the front and back side walland terminate at a hemispherical cut-out. While the present embodiment depicts a hemispherical cut-out, other shapes are contemplated. When in open configuration, the two hingesallow the top lidto be folded such that the outer facing portion of the top lidis divided into two segmentsin which one segmentfaces the front of the outer boxand one segmentfaces the rear of the outer box, allowing for an image to be displayed on the top lidwhen in either open or closed configuration. In open configuration, the hemispherical cut-out formsan arc, but other cut-out shapes are contemplated. Removing a center cut out and having a hinge disposed across the entire length of the top lidis also contemplated. As best seen in, opening of the outer box can be achieved by lifting the top lid, folding the top lidalong the hinges, and positioning securing flapagainst the interior facing portion of side wallsuch that the top lidis in a vertical position. It is contemplated that a vent holemay be centrally disposed along the edge between top lidand securing flapto reduce moisture when in the closed configuration.

In a preferred embodiment, the outer boxis preferably 17.25 to 19.5 inches by 17 to 17.5 inches with a height of 2.25 to 3.25 inches when in the closed configuration. While the dimensions described are preferred, other dimensions may be used to accommodate different numbers or sizes of foods tray. For example, other embodiments are depicted inwhere the outer boxhas a smaller perimeter to hold fewer food traysthan the preferred embodiment. The outer box ofpreferably is 9.5 to 10.5 inches by 11.875 to 12.125 inches with a height of 2.25-3.25 inches when in the closed configuration and the outer box ofpreferably is 17-18 inches by 9.875 to 10.125 inches with a height of 2.25 to 3.25 inches. It is contemplated that varying amounts of food traysmay be used, and the outer boxmay be dimensioned accordingly. Other sizes of outer boxesare contemplated. The dimensions recited are merely for exemplary purposes and to illustrate the varying dimensions of the outer box.

Within the outer boxare a plurality of removable food trays. Ideally, the food traysare seated tightly together and organized in such a way that the total perimeter of the plurality of food trays(i.e. the total food tray perimeter) are marginally less than the inner perimeter of the outer boxin order for the contents to remain secure during transportation of the food items. In a preferred embodiment, the rectangular food traysare organized uniformly facing the same direction, as seen in, although other configurations, orientations, number, and sizes of the food trays, as seen in, discussed infra., are contemplated. The shape of the food traysare also not limited to a rectangular shape but may be any shape that can be packed together or a variation of the rectangular shape such as a box with a combination of curved and straight edges to form an “S” shape and which can seat tightly with a neighboring box. In a preferred embodiment, the food trays are preferably 5.25 to 5.75 inches by 2 to 2.5 inches with a height of 1.5 to 2.5 inches, having a height no more than the height of a side wall (e.g.,) to permit the top lidto close properly.

In another embodiment, as seen in, the food traysmay vary in size depending on the food item to be served, in which a combination of different sized food traysmay be inserted into the outer box. For example, the present figure depict a rectangular food tray, but the food trays can be varied to hold different size food items and can be appropriately placed in one of food traysA, B, C or D. It remains preferred that when the food trays are combined in any of the configuration of varying sizes that the food traysremain seated tightly against a neighboring food tray and form an outer food trayperimeter to fit within the outer box. Thus, the dimensions of the outer boxare determined based on the food item(s) and corresponding number of food trays to be placed inside the outer box.

In a preferred embodiment, the food tray, as best seen in, consists of a self-locking box constructed of cardboard, paper, or other flexible material to complementary seat next to a neighboring food tray, but other food-safe materials are also contemplated. During transportation and storage, the food trayscan remain flat and can be transported together or separate from the outer boxwhen not in use. When inserting a food item, the bottom of the food traycan lock together and form a box which can be used to serve an individual food item when separated from the outer box.

In the preferred embodiment, the food traysare dimensioned to transport tacos, and the outer boxis dimensioned to carry 21 food trays holding 21 tacos. As discussed supra., other embodiments to carry 8 or 12 tacos can be achieved by dimensioning the outer boxto carry the corresponding number of food trays. While the preferred embodiment is designed and dimensioned to carry tacos,depicts food trays of varying sizes to transport various other food items of varying sizes, for example sandwiches, burgers, hot-dogs, French fries, nachos, quesadillas, taquitos, or the like, or some may hold food related items including napkins, utensils, sauce-holding containers or packets.

While the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods have been described in reference to the environment in which they were developed, they are merely illustrative of the principles of the inventions. Modification or combinations of the above-described assemblies, other embodiments, configurations, and methods for carrying out the invention, and variations of aspects of the invention that are obvious to those of skill in the art are intended to be within the scope of the claims.