A Takeaway Food Container Assembly

The present invention relates to takeaway food containers such as pizza boxes.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

Pizza boxes are used to transport pizza from pizza shops to home.

Once the contents have been consumed, the disposable pizza boxes are typically discarded without much further thought.

The preferred embodiment provides further use for pizza boxes.

a takeaway food container; a target for fastening to the takeaway food container; and a movable object for moving to the target. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a takeaway food container assembly including:

Advantageously, the takeaway food container may become the focus of playing a game once its primary use for food carriage has been fulfilled.

The takeaway food container may include a pizza box. The target may be removably fastened to the container. The target may include a goal. The movable object may include a ball or a puck. The ball may be a ping pong ball. The object may pass through or into the target.

The target may include a basket. The target may include a cup for receiving the object. The target may include a net through which the object can pass. The target may include a cup holder for holding the cup. The cup may be disposable. The cup holder may include a panel or hoop. The target may include a hoop. The target may include a backboard or goalpost from which the hoop extends.

The assembly may include a fastener for fastening the target to the takeaway food container. The fastener may include a hook. The hook may include biasing means to compress against the takeaway food container. The fastener may include a receiver for receiving an edge of the container. The fastener may include a receiver for receiving an edge of the takeaway food container. The fastener may include biasing means, preferably in the form of a pair of inwardly-extending peripheral arms to compress against the takeaway food container.

The assembly may include a stem extending upwardly from the fastener. The stem may be releasably fastened to target.

The fastener may include biasing means to compress against opposite sides of the takeaway food container. The fastener may include a mount for mounting to the target. The mount may include one or a pair of mounting tabs for engaging with the target.

The assembly may further include game rules borne by the container.

The assembly may further include another takeaway container. The assembly may further include at least one fastener for fastening the takeaway containers together. The containers may be fastened together to form a right angle. The containers may be fastened together end to end. Each fastener may include a clip for clipping the containers together. Each fastener may include a pair of arms for being received in respective containers. Each fastener may include a stop for stopping against a container. The fastener may be molded.

The containers may be fastened together end to centre. Each fastener may include two receivers for receiving respective edges of the containers.

The target may include a panel. The panel may define two holes. The target may include a net between the holes. The net may be of one of multiple heights. The target may be a two player target. The panel may define a hole, and a net may surround the hole.

The target may include a sports target. The target may resemble a basketball basket, a NFL goal, a golf hole, a soccer goal, a hockey goal, a volleyball court, a table tennis table, a tennis court, an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) octagon, a baseball field, a Australian Rules Football (AFL) goal or Australian National Rugby League (NRL) goal.

a target for fastening to a takeaway food container; and a movable object for moving to the target. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a kit for forming a takeaway food container assembly, the kit including:

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a target for fastening to a takeaway food container to form a takeaway food container assembly.

Any of the features described herein can be combined in any combination with any one or more of the other features described herein within the scope of the invention.

100 102 According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a pizza (i.e. takeaway food) box (i.e. container) assemblyincluding an upright pizza box.

100 104 102 104 Furthermore, the assemblyincludes a basketball-like targetfor removably fastening to the pizza box. A movable object in the form of a ping pong ball is provided for moving to the target.

104 106 108 102 104 The targetalso includes a disposable cup, forming a goal or basket, for receiving the projectile ball which can be bounced off a table or other hard surface such as another horizontal pizza box. Advantageously, the pizza boxbecomes the focus of playing a bouncing or throwing ball game once its primary use for food carriage has been fulfilled and the targetresembling a basketball basket has been affixed.

2 FIG. 104 104 200 106 106 200 104 202 200 shows the removable basketball-like target. The targetincludes a hoop cup holderfor holding the cup. Typically, a mouth lip of the cuprests on the holder. The targetalso includes a backboardfrom which the hoop cup holderextends.

104 204 104 102 204 102 206 206 102 204 102 Further, the targetincludes a hook fastenerfor fastening the targetto the pizza box. The hook fasteneris hung over the top edge of the vertical pizza box, and includes biasing means in the form of a pair of inwardly-extending peripheral armsA,B, to compress against the pizza box. The fastenerforms a receiver for receiving and locking to the top edge of the box.

3 FIG. 100 300 108 100 302 102 108 Turning to, the assemblyfurther includes printed game rulesborne by the box. Additionally, the assemblyfurther includes at least one clip fastenerfor fastening the takeaway boxes,together at a right angle.

302 306 308 102 108 306 308 310 102 4 FIG. Each molded fastenerincludes a pair of arms,for being received in edge seams of respective boxes,. The arms,extend from a common bodythat stops against the boxwhen clipping the boxes together, end to end, as shown in.

5 FIG. 100 100 104 102 104 104 500 106 104 502 500 102 shows a golf pizza box assembly. The assemblyincludes a golf-like targetfor removably fastening to the pizza box. A movable object in the form of a ping pong ball is provided for rolling along the box and into the target. The targetincludes an annular panel cup holder, resembling a golf putting green with hole, in which the cuprests. The targetalso includes a channel fastenerextending from the cup holderand that receives an edge of the box.

6 FIG. 100 100 104 102 104 200 106 104 600 200 104 502 600 102 600 106 600 shows an NFL pizza box assembly. The assemblyincludes a goalpost-like targetfor removably fastening to the pizza box. The targetincludes a hoop cup holderfor holding the cup. The targetalso includes a goalpostfrom which the hup cup holderextends. The targetalso includes a U-shaped channel fastenerextending from the goalpostand that receives the edge of the box. A movable object in the form of a ping pong ball is provided for bouncing through the goal postand into the cupat the rear. In one embodiment, the NFL goalpostcan be replaced with an Australian Rules Football (AFL) or Australian National Rugby League (NRL) goalpost.

7 FIG. 100 104 700 500 104 shows an ice hockey pizza box assembly. The targetincludes a hockey goalpostextending up from the panel cup holder. A movable object in the form of a puck or disc is provided for moving to the target.

8 FIG. 100 700 shows a soccer pizza box assembly. A movable object in the form of a ping pong ball instead passes into the soccer goal.

9 FIG. 6 FIG. 100 900 shows the NFL pizza box assemblyofwith printed field markingsto assist with playing of the game.

104 102 104 The foregoing pizza box assemblies are provided as a kit. The kit includes a targetfor fastening to a pizza box, and a ball for moving to the target.

102 108 102 108 102 108 900 102 108 The concept of the preferred embodiments, is to supply with the pizza boxes,(or separately supply the items of the kit), the kit which enables the boxes,to be secured/fixed together either in an upright or flat configuration. On the boxes,(typically on the opposite side form that of the main branding) would typically be included game layouts for “playing fields” or playing surfaces. The Pizza boxes,therefore become objects which are the focus of playing games once the primary use for pizza delivery/carriage has been fulfilled.

102 108 900 The method of fixing of the boxes,together can vary from the method that has been described above. Likewise, the imagesdepicting the “playing fields/surfaces” can be different. The concept of re-use and specifically for enjoyable play related to sporting games is what the embodiments provide.

American football (NFL) Basketball (NBA) Hockey (or Ice Hockey) Soccer (Football elsewhere in the world) Golf The games of interest include the following:

102 108 There can be some simple attaching items particular to each desired playing game (like the basketball goal or ball etc) that can be provided and used along with the pizza boxes,to give effect to the experience.

100 10 11 FIGS.and According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a pizza (i.e. takeaway food) box (i.e. container) assemblyas shown in. Like reference numerals refer to like features previously described.

10 FIG.A 100 102 108 1000 As shown in, the base of assemblyis formed when the containers,are fastened together, end to centre, using two opposed molded fasteners.

10 FIG.B 1000 1002 1004 102 108 As can best be seen in, each fastenerincludes two U-shaped channel receivers,for receiving respective edges of the containers,to form a right angle.

11 FIG.A 100 1100 104 102 As shown in, the assemblyincludes a hook fastenerfor fastening the targetto the takeaway food container.

11 FIG.B 1100 102 206 206 102 As shown in, the fastenerincludes two biasing means, similar to before, to compress against opposite sides of the takeaway food container. Each biasing means includes a pair of inwardly-extending peripheral armsA,B, to compress against the pizza box.

1100 104 1102 1102 104 The fasteneralso includes an upper mount for releasably mounting to the target. The mount includes a pair of mounting tabsA,B for engaging within the target.

11 FIG.A 104 1104 104 1104 1106 1104 1104 1106 106 1304 1106 1304 Returning to, the targetincludes a horizontal panel. The targetincludes a planar panel, representing a court or table, and a netextending up from the panel. The horizontal paneldefines two holes, on either side of the net, through which the ball can pass. Cupscan be received in the holesto capture the ball once it has passed over the net. Advantageously, two players can concurrently play the game with a view of getting the ball in respective holes.

1106 1104 104 11 FIG. The height of the netfrom the panelvaries, depending upon whether the targetis a volleyball court-like target (), table tennis table-like target or tennis court-like target.

12 FIG. 104 100 1100 104 102 104 1200 1204 1200 1200 1206 1204 106 1206 1200 1208 102 1204 1206 shows an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) octagon-like target. The assemblyincludes the hook fastenerfor fastening the targetto the takeaway food container. The targetincludes a planar panel, upon which a pin-pong ball can be bounced, and an octagon-shaped netextending up from the panel. The horizontal paneldefines a hole, within the net, through which the ball passes into the removable cup(also located in the hole). The panelincludes a front bouncing pad, above the boxand adjacent the net, for bouncing the ball into the hole.

13 FIG. 104 100 1100 104 102 shows a baseball field-like target. As before, the assemblyincludes the hook fastenerfor fastening the targetto the takeaway food container.

14 FIG. 104 104 200 1400 1400 200 104 202 200 shows the removable basketball-like target. The targetincludes a hoop cup holderfor holding the molded netthrough which the ball can pass. Typically, a mouth lip of the netrests on the holder. The targetalso includes a backboardfrom which the hoop cup holderextends.

104 204 104 108 204 108 206 206 108 204 108 Further, the targetincludes a receiver fastenerfor fastening the targetto the edge of the horizontal pizza box. The fasteneris placed over the side edge of the vertical pizza box, and includes biasing means in the form of a pair of inwardly-extending peripheral armsA,B, to compress against the top of the pizza box. The fastenerlocks to the edge of the box.

15 FIG. 1500 204 1500 202 As shown in, a stemextends upwardly from the fastener, and the head of the stemreleasably clips into the backboardwhich rests upon it.

A person skilled in the art will appreciate that many embodiments and variations can be made without departing from the ambit of the present invention.

104 106 106 104 The targettypically includes the cupinto which the ball is received. However, the cupmay be omitted so that the ball instead passes through the hoop of the target.

104 104 104 The rigid targetmay be integrally formed. The targetmay be molded from plastics material. The targetmay also include branding or other printed materials.

In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect.

Reference throughout this specification to ‘one embodiment’ or ‘an embodiment’ means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrases ‘in one embodiment’ or ‘in an embodiment’ in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more combinations.