EP1646567B1

EP1646567B1 - Container for food

Info

Publication number: EP1646567B1
Application number: EP03817518A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Pere Teixidor Casanovas
Original assignee: Videcart SA
Current assignee: Videcart SA
Priority date: 2003-07-23
Filing date: 2003-07-23
Publication date: 2007-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 2023-07-23
Also published as: US20060175223A1; ATE371601T1; EP1646567A1; AU2003249467A1; DE60316043D1; DE60316043T2; WO2005007525A1

Abstract

It comprises two pieces comprising a base ( 1 ) and a lid ( 2 ). It is characterized in that the coupling means between the lid ( 2 ) and the base ( 1 ) are formed by a rim ( 3 ), provided on the edge of one of the pieces of the container, which defines a C-shape cavity ( 4 ), into which a complementary flange ( 5 ), provided on the edge of the other piece of the container, is fitted. It is obtained a container for pizzas and the like which occupies a reduced space when it is opened compared with the well-known container for pizzas, because the lid is not joined to the base.

Description

The present invention refers to a container for pizza and the like, formed by a base and a lid that are coupled together.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Current pizza containers are made up of a base of corrugated cardboard sheet and a lid coupled over it. As the container is made from only one sheet, the lid is joined to the base.
This type of container has various drawbacks. Firstly, it is very common that the container with the recently cooked pizza inside is placed directly onto the table, and on opening the container the space that the lid takes up can be a real nuisance.
Furthermore, they also take up a lot of transport and storage space, as although they are made up of only one sheet, the dimensions of it are quite large.
Another drawback is the time it takes to assemble each container. The time required for assembling the containers means that usually a certain amount is mounted and then stored, which means they occupy even more space.
There is another type of containers made of sheet material, preferably cardboard, which are formed of a base and a lid which are coupled together. The coupling between the base and the lid is made by fitting the lid into the top part of the base. However, this type of containers needs some kind of seal or the like, as without it the container can come open if it is accidentally tilted.
FR-A-2 811 638 and US-A-1 596 367 disclose containers comprising a base and a lid, including coupling means between the lid and the base formed by a rim, provided on the edge of one of the pieces of the container, which defines a C-shape cavity, into which a complementary flange, provided on the edge of the other piece of the container, is fitted.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

with the container of the invention all the aforementioned disadvantages are eliminated, and present other advantages described below.
The pizza container of the invention comprises two pieces consisting of a base and a lid which can be coupled together, the coupling means between the lid and the base are formed by a rim, provided on the edge of one of the pieces of the container, which defines a C-shape cavity, a complementary flange provided in the edge of the other piece of the container fitting inside said cavity, and it is characterised in that the base and the lid are dish-shaped and in that both the lid and the base are formed of at least one layer of cardboard.
Thanks to this characteristic, it is obtained a container for pizzas and the like made up of a base and lid that fit together. Therefore, the container of the invention takes up less space when opened if compared to currently known pizza containers, as the lid can be removed from the table, or it can even be used as a plate.
Furthermore, thanks to the aforementioned coupling means, no type of seal is necessary to avoid the container opening if tilted.
Preferently, the aforementioned rim which defines a C-shape cavity is provided on the base.
Advantageously, both the base and the lid have sloping walls to make storage easier.
Also advantatgeously, the lid comprises an orifice in its sloping wall making it easier to open the container. This way, the container can be opened by inserting a finger into the orifice and raising the lid.
Another point that makes removing the lid easier is that the said flange has a cut-out in the area adjacent to the aforementioned orifice in the sloping wall of the lid.
To pile up the containers the base comprises a projection complementary with a cavity provided in the lid, or vice versa.
To make it easier to put the lid in place, it comprises a series of cuts in its wall directed towards the centre of the lid.
According to a preferred embodiment, both the base and the lid comprise a layer of corrugated cardboard, thus permitting the container to present thermal insulating properties as well as the desired stiffness.
Advantageously, both the base and the lid comprise an internal layer of anti-grease material and/or an internal layer of thermally insulating material.
Preferently, at least one of the mentioned layers covers the whole of the base and the lid except the rim or the coupling flange to make production of the container easier and to avoid unnecessary waste of material.
To facilitate the storing of the containers, the external edge of the lid coincides substantially with the internal edge of the base, so that the lid is placed upside down inside the base, with the said flange being inserted in said C-shape cavity.
To make it easier to remove the lid from inside the base when they are coupled in the storage or transporting position, when the container of the invention is empty, said rim comprises at least one pair of cuts, each pair of these cuts defining a tongue.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To better understand all the aforementioned, there are some accompanying drawings which, diagramatically and only as a non-limitative example, represent a practical embodiment.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the base and the lid which form the container of the invention separated one from each other;
Figure 2 is an elevation view of one sectioned end of the container of the present invention, with the base and the lid coupled together;
Figure 3 is an elevation view of two containers of the present invention piled one on top of the other;
Figure 4 shows an elevation view of a container of the present invention sectioned, with the base and the container coupled in their storage and transporting position when empty; and
Figure 5 is an elevation view of two bases of the container of the present invention coupled together for its transporting and storage.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As can be appreciated in figures 1 and 2, the container of the present invention is formed by a base 1 and a lid 2 which can be coupled together.
To couple the pieces together, the base 1 comprises a rim 3 along its edge which defines a C-shape cavity 4, while the lid 2 comprises a flange 5 which is fitted into said cavity 4. To make this coupling easier, the lid 2 has a series of cuts 12 distributed around the edge in a suitable way.
To remove the lid 2 an orifice 8 is provided for a finger to be inserted and the lid 2 to be raised. To make opening the container of the invention even easier, the flange 5 comprises a cut-out 9 in the zone adjacent to the said orifice 8.
Therefore, it is obtained a container made up of two pieces, base 1 and lid 2, it being easy to fit and remove the lid 2.
In figure 2, it can be appreciated in detail the layers which form both the base 1 and the lid 2. In the case of the represented embodiment, the base 1 and the lid 2 have the same number of layers and said layers present of the same characteristics.
Specifically, and according to the represented embodiment, the lid 2 and the base 1 are made from an intermediate layer 13 of corrugated cardboard, which presents characteristics of adequate thermal insulating and stiffness. Furthermore, the base 1 and the lid 2 comprise an internal layer 14 of an anti-grease material and an external layer 15 of a thermally insulating material. To make production of the invented container easier and to avoid unnecessary waste of material, the internal layer 14 and the external layer 15 do not cover the rim 3 or the flange 5.
As can be clearly appreciated from figure 3, the containers of the present invention can be piled up one on top of the other. This characteristic is achieved by the provision of a projection 10 in the base 1 complementary with a cavity 11 provided in the lid 2, or vice versa, so that when two containers of the present invention are piled up the said projection 10 is fitted inside the complementary cavity 11.
So that the container takes up the least possible space when empty in its storage or transporting position, both the base 1 and the lid 2 have sloping walls 6, 7, so that the internal edge of the base 1 coincides substantially with the external edge of the lid 2, or vice versa. If required, it is also possible to transport and store the lids 2 piled one on top of the other independently of the bases 1, which will also be piled one on top of the other. These storage positions can be appreciated clearly in figures 4 and 5.
To make it easier to remove the lid 2 in the storage position when the lid 2 is placed upside down on the base 1, there are provided some cuts 16 (figure 1) which define tongues 17. If removal of the lid 2 from the base 1 is required, simply pulling one of the said tongues 17 gives access to the flange 5, which when pulled removes the lid 2.
Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been referred to, it is evident to a person skilled in the art that the described container is susceptible to numerous variations and modifications, and that all the aforementioned details can be substituted by technically equivalent others, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Container for pizza and the like, which comprises two pieces comprising a base (1) and a lid (2) which can be coupled together, the coupling means between the lid (2) and the base (1) being formed by a rim (3), provided on the edge of one of the pieces of the container, which defines a C-shape cavity (4), into which a complementary flange (5), provided on the edge or the other piece of the container, is fitted, characterised in that the base and the lid are dish-shaped and in that both the lid and the base are formed of at least one layer of cardboard.
Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the said rim (3) which defines a C shape (4) is provided on the base (1).
Container according to claim 1, characterized in that both the base (1) and the lid (2) have sloping walls (6, 7).
Container according to claim 3, characterized in that the lid (2) comprises an orifice (8) in its sloping wall (7) to make opening the container easier.
Container according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the said flange (5) presents a cut-out (9) in the zone adjacent to said orifice (8) provided on the sloping wall (7) of the lid (2).
Container according to anyone of the previous claims, characterized in that the base (1) comprises a projection (10) complementary with a complementary cavity (11) provided on the lid (2), or vice versa.
Container according to anyone of the previous claims, characterized in that the lid (2) comprises a series of cuts (12) in its wall (7) directed towards the centre of the lid (2).
Container according to anyone of the previous claims, characterized in that both the base (1) and the lid (2) comprise a layer of corrugated cardboard (13).
Container according to anyone of the previous claims, characterized in that both the base (1) and the lid (2) comprise an internal layer (14) of anti-grease material.
Container according to anyone of the previous claims, characterized in that both the base (1) and the lid (2) comprise an external layer (15) of thermally insulating material.
Container according to the claims 8, 9 and 10, characterized in that said at least one of said layers covers all of the base (1) and all of the lid (2) except the rim (3) or the coupling flange (5).
Container according to anyone of the previous claims, characterized in that the outside edge of the lid (2) coincides substantially with the internal edge of the base (1), said flange (5) fitting inside said C-shape cavity (4).
Container according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least a pair of cuts (16) provided on said rim (3), each pair of these cuts (16) defining a tongue (17).