Technical Field

The invention relates to a box configuration that can be used in order to deliver food to the restaurants, houses or offices with a method called takeaway.

The invention particularly relates to a tamper-proof box configuration which, after being placed into the box and packaged, is opened for the first time by the customer and, which becomes evident that it has been opened due to the deformation of the box if the box has been previously opened.

State of the Art

Nowadays, in terms of practicality, ordering fast food to the houses and offices is common for customers. After ordering food, during delivery, in order to preserve food while being transported, boxes made of cardboard or paperboard are used. These boxes mentioned above don't have a tamper-proof configuration that provides safety for the food. For this reason, it cannot be known whether the food has been opened by someone else after packaging. For example, in the event that the package falls to the ground during delivery and the food inside the package scatters around the floor, it may be possible for the delivery person to put the scattered food back into the box so that the price of the food is not deducted from his/her salary. Due to these reasons, consumers doubt whether or not delivered food is hygienic.

In the present art, a functional pizza box made of a cellulose-based material which is obtained by appropriately folding a monolithic planar structure is used. By means of the perforated line used in this art which is located on the upper cover, said cover is separated from the container by being ripped along this line and it can also be used as an extra case. In said art, however, there is no tamper-proof configuration which enables the cover to be closed over the container by being opened only once when placing the food initially into the container.

As a result of a research carried out regarding this issue, the utility model document numbered TR 2018/09533, titled "locked pizza box at minimum cost" has been found. In said document, a locking configuration is disclosed which is formed by opening the folded areas that have been folded flaps configured to the box enter into the slit which opens at the upper surface of the box is disclosed. With this configuration, the upper cover of the box is deformed, but the box can be opened without being deformed by removing the cover flaps located on the sides. In such a case, whether the box has been opened for the first time or not by the customer cannot be clearly determined. As said locked box is used only to deliver pizza, this makes this solution insufficient.

In the TR 2018/08028 numbered patent document found as a result of another research carried out regarding this issue, a security label is disclosed which allows the box to be preserved as is, until it is opened by the customer by adhering the label onto to the surface of the cover that can be opened, after the cover of the box is closed when the food is placed inside said box. Said security label is not a configuration which belongs to the food delivery box. The security label is applied by the workers after placing the food into the box. Therefore it is possible for the person to forget to apply the label. Customers who are unaware of such a label may not notice such a shortcoming and they may suspect that their package has been opened.

Consequently, due to the above mentioned disadvantages and inefficacy of the existing solutions regarding the subject, an improvement in the related art was required.

Aim of the Invention

The invention is formed by being inspired by the current situation and aims to solve the abovementioned disadvantages.

The main object of the invention is to allow packaged food to remain closed until it reaches to the customer by means of a tamper-proof box configuration.

Another object of the invention is to be able to determine if the package has been opened due the deformation of the box in the event that it has been opened before it has reached the customer.

Another object of the invention is to maintain the temperature of the food inside the box by preventing the box from being opened until it has been delivered to the customer.

In order to achieve the abovementioned objects, the invention is a box configuration which comprises at least one container in which food is placed, at least one cover closed over the container on which there is provided at least one lateral area that is formed by folding the right and left parts of the cover which then enter into the container after being closed and at least one upper section located between the lateral areas, wherein the box comprises a coupling surface composed of at least one retaining surface on which there is at least one adhesive surface that allows the container and the cover to be coupled to each other, at least one perforation which is formed on the upper part of the said retaining surface, at least one separation line located between upper perforation and lower perforation which causes upper perforation and lower perforation to be ripped off by being pulled and causes the cover to be released and at least one opening flap which is formed to protrude out from the front edge of the upper section and which causes the cover of the container to be opened by holding and lifting up said opening flap.

Structural and characteristic features and all the other advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the drawings given below and from the detailed description made with reference to these drawings and therefore the evaluation regarding the invention should be made in view of these drawings and detailed description.

Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a front representative view of the tamper-proof box configuration of the invention.

Figure 2 is a top representative view of the cover of the tamper-proof box configuration of the invention.

Figure 3 is a representative view of the coupling surface of the cover of the tamper proof box configuration of the invention.

Description of the Part Reference Numbers

1. Container

2. Cover

2.1. Lateral area

2.2. Coupling surface 2.2.1. Opening flap

2.2.2. Upper perforation

2.2.3. Lower perforation

2.2.4. Separation line

2.2.5. Adhesive surface

2.2.6. Retaining surface 2.3. Upper section

Detailed Description of the Invention

In this detailed description, preferred embodiments of the tamper-proof box configuration of the invention are only disclosed in order to better explain the subject matter of the invention.

In its simplest form, the tamper-proof box configuration shown in Figure 1 in a representative view is composed of at least one container (1 ) which ensures that the food is stored during delivery and at least one cover (2) closed over the said container (1 )·

In its simplest form, the cover (2) shown in Figure 2 in a representative view is composed of at least one lateral area (2.1 ) which is formed by folding the right and left parts to a certain extent and is closed such that it enters into the container (1 ); at least one coupling surface (2.2) which is formed by folding the front part to a certain extent; at least one upper section (2.3) which is located between said lateral areas (2) and coupling surface (2.2) and is connected to the back wall of the container (1 ) from the back edge of said container.

Coupling surface (2.2) shown in Figure 3 in a representative view is composed of an opening flap (2.2.1 ), upper perforation (2.2.2), lower perforation (2.2.3), separation line (2.2.4), adhesive surface (2.2.5) and retaining surface (2.2.6) members. Said opening flap (2.2.1 ) provides a handle for opening the cover (2) by protruding from the front edge of the upper section (2.3). The adhesive surface (2.2.5) is positioned on the retaining surface (2.2.6) forming the lower part of the coupling surface (2.2) and it allows the retaining surface (2.2.6) to be coupled to the container (1 ). The area between lower perforation (2.2.3) formed on the upper edge of the retaining surface (2.2.6) and upper perforation (2.2.2) formed on the upper edge of the coupling surface (2.2) forms the separation line (2.2.4).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, closing and opening process of the tamper proof box configuration is realized as follows;

• placing the food to be delivered into the container (1 ),

• coupling the cover (2) with the container (1 ) via the adhesive surface (2.2.5) positioned on the retaining surface (2.2.6) at the lower part of the coupling surface (2.2) (Thereby, the cover (2) remains closed over the container (1 ).),

• ripping of the upper perforation (2.2.2) and lower perforation (2.2.3) by pulling the right and left ends of the separation line (2.2.4) by the customer and thereby releasing the cover (2),

• opening the cover (2) over the container (1 ) preferably by holding and lifting the opening flap (2.2.1 ) protruding from the front edge of the upper section (2.3).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said container (1 ) may have a colored and patterned surface in accordance with demand and may vary in structure according to the shape and the size of the food to be preserved in therein.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said tamper-proof box configuration can be made of materials such as any kind of laminated or non-laminated card board and corrugated paperboard.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the area in which said opening flap (2.2.1 ), separation line (2.2.4) and retaining surface (2.2.6) are positioned may vary in view of the box shape. Adhesion or opening processes may also be implemented at the front, back or lateral surfaces.

By means of the disposable feature of the tamper-proof box configuration of the invention, in a case where the box is opened before being delivered to the customer, it is detected that the box is opened and if the customer doesn't want it, he/she may not accept the delivery of the box. In another case, if an accident occurs during delivery and the box falls to the ground, as the box has not been opened, it is not possible for the food placed in the box to be scattered around and the customer can safely consume the food.