DISPOSABLE FAST FOOD HOLDER

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the selling, serving and eating of fast food. More particularly, the invention provides a holder for a main solid food item plus one or two small containers for condiments.

Fast food such as fish and chips, seafood, pizza, pita falafel and the like is served in millions of portions daily for consumption by people on the move who do not have time or desire to sit down for a conventional meal. The fast food item may be presented to the consumer resting on a stainless steel rack, partially enclosed in a piece of paper or in a paper bag. In England a popular food item used to be fish and chips presented in newspaper wrapped in conical fashion. Today such unhygienic arrangements are no longer acceptable, resulting in the development of specially-shaped disposable holders.

An important consideration is that the consumer not only expects that the hands of the vendor do not touch the food item, but also requires a method of eating that avoids contact with his/her own hands as far as possible. Also, as often the food item is consumed while riding or driving a vehicle it is important that spillage of any part of the food be avoided.

Additionally, consumers are concerned about their own clothing and also for this reason wish to prevent any spillage. Today fast food holders meeting all these requirements are known, but surprisingly few patents were found which detail this item.

In 1987 Wall et al. disclosed a disposable holder for food items as detailed in US Patent No. 4,671,404. The holder seen in FIG. 1 is arranged to rest on a horizontal surface and is not suitable for holding in the hand. In FIG. 4 there is seen a simple holder for a fast food item which can be hand held.

US Patents 5,971,168 and 6,273,278 refer to holders for taco, also arranged to rest on a horizontal surface and being unsuitable for holding in the hand.

McPhee in US Patent No. 4,782,953 presents a food pouch holder which could be hand held as well as resting on a horizontal surface. The holder is claimed to be suitable for both frozen and hot food items.

In Patent WO2005053475 Cerchione discloses a disposable container arranged to hold a paper serviette, flatware and a round drink container. The container is too large for convenient hand holding.

Fast food items are often consumed together with a condiment such as salt, tomato juice, mayonnaise, mustard and other flavorings. None of the above disclosures make provision for holding these items. These items are being sold in small packages which the customer helps himself, usually with far more than needed.

The prior art disclosures thus display one or more of the following disadvantages: a) unsuitability for hand holding, b) too little protection against dripping, c) no provision for the storage of condiments, and d) waste of large quantities of condiments.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one of the objects of the present invention to obviate the disadvantages of prior art holders for fast food and to provide a hand-held non-dripping container for a food item and separately for one or two condiments which are readily accessible by the user and form an integral part of the holder.

It is a further object of the present invention to reduce manufacturing, storage and transport expenses by use of a cut-out from a flat one-piece made of a foldable material, the holder being erected only shortly before use. A further object of the present invention is to save costs of condiment packages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention achieves the above objects by providing a one-piece disposable holder for a substantially solid fast food item comprising a main holder and including one or more smaller containers integrally attached to said main holder, said smaller container(s) being suitable for holding liquid or solid condiments, and said disposable holder being storable and transportable as a flat cut-out from a sheet of foldable material.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a disposable holder wherein said foldable material is a carton sheet.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a disposable holder wherein fold lines are provided to facilitate fast erection of said holder.

In yet a further preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a disposable holder wherein the outer perimeter of the holder is ready cut for fast removal of the holder blank from said sheet.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a disposable holder wherein said carton has at least one coated face.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a disposable holder wherein said coated face is arranged to be on the inside of the erected holder and said carton is decoratively printed on its outer face.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a disposable holder wherein an adhesively coated tab is provided added to the shape of said holder for overlapping closure of said erected main holder.

In a most preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a disposable holder wherein means are ^' provided for interconnecting a comer of said two smaller containers to the front wall of said main holder.

It will thus be realized that the novel device of the present invention serves the requirements of both vendors and consumers. The vendor is able to store large numbers of collapsed holders in a very compact manner. The holder is low in cost and enables the sale of fast food in a manner compatible with consumer expectations and with local regulations regarding hygienic conditions. Any lull between customers can be usefully employed by erecting a few holders. The carton is easily printed, thus allowing the vendor to advertise thereon.

The consumer benefits in receiving a fast food item that can be eaten without dirtying the fingers, clothing or a vehicle. While some hand contact with the food may eventually occur, at least when the holder is full, eating is possible directly therefrom. Most vendors offer a choice of condiments such as ketchup, mayonnaise, humus, salt, and the like free of extra charge, and the user of the holder made according to the present invention allows the fast food purchaser to take up to two condiments for later application by the consumer, selected according to taste and personal preference.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The invention will now be described further with reference to the accompanying drawings, which represent by example preferred embodiments of the invention. Structural details are shown only as far as necessary for a fundamental understanding thereof. The described examples, together with the drawings, will make apparent to those skilled in the art how further forms of the invention may be realized.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the food holder according to the invention, shown before erection;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a second preferred embodiment of the food holder shown before erection;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the embodiment seen in FIG. 1, erected;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the embodiment seen in FIG. 2 after erection;

FIG. 5 is a perspective detail view similar to FIG. 3, showing means for retaining the small condiment containers in contact with the main walls;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a further embodiment showing further means for retaining the small containers;

FIG. 7 is an outline cut-out for a marquise shaped holder; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the erected holder using the cut-out seen in FIG. 7.

DISCLOSURE QF THE INVENTION

There is seen in FIG. 1 a sheet of foldable material 10 bearing the outline 12 of a one-piece disposable holder 16, seen in FIG. 3, for a solid fast food item 14 seen in FIG. 4. Suitably the foldable material 10 is a carton sheet.

The outline 12 includes the four main walls 18, 20, 22, 24 of the main holder and also two smaller containers 26, 28 integrally attached thereto. The smaller containers 26, 28 are suitable for holding liquid or solid condiments. The disposable holder 16 is storable and transportable as a single flat cut-out from a sheet of carton.

Advantageously the outline 12 of the holder is ready cut for fast removal of the holder blank from the sheet material 10. The holder outline 12 can be retained in the carton 10 by thin bridges 30 which are broken on separation of the outline 12 from the carton sheet 10.

Fold lines 34, shown as dashed lines, are provided to ^' facilitate fast erection of the holder.

An adhesively coated tab 32 is added to the shape outline 12 of the holder for overlapping closure and partial stabilizing of the erected main holder.

The figure also shows two substantially-triangular cut outs 36, 38, the purpose of which will be explained with reference to FIG. 3.

With reference to the rest of the figures, similar reference numerals have been used to identify similar parts.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is seen a cut-out shape 40 from a single sheet of carton. The holder 64 after erection as in FIG. 4, is configured for support by a horizontal surface or by the hand of the consumer. The cut-out shape 40 has a base 42, a front 44, a back 46, two sides 48 ₅ 50 and two adhesive tabs 52, 54. Two condiment pouches 56, 58 are provided. Also, 4 feet 60 are seen, but these are optional.

FIG. 3 illustrates the disposable holder 16 erected into an inverted pyramid form, and described in the flat state with reference to FIG. 1.

The holder is made of a carton having a coated inner face 62 for proper retention of the food items to be held thereby.

With regard to the two substantially-triangular cut outs 36, 38 seen in FIG. I ₅ these provide passage, after folding, and support for the small condiment containers 26, 28 after erection. The holder 16 is intended for holding in the hand of the consumer. It can however be presented by the vendor by providing a counter stand having at least one suitable upper aperture. This stand is not part of the present invention and is not described herein.

Seen in FIG. 4 is the disposable holder 64 outlined in FIG. 2 and here seen erected. The components seen and listed in FIG, 2 have been folded and/or cut out. The base portion 42, hidden by the front wall 44, prevents dripping. The front wall 44 is low cut to provide access for the mouth of the consumer, while the rear face 46 is higher to provide support to the food item. The base portion 42 also has a second function - stabilizing the holder 64 after erection. As seen in present figure the base portion 42 is arced upwards, the upper portion of the arc 66 being in the center of the holder. If the holder 64 is to be refolded, finger pressure is applied from inside the holder 64 to straighten the base portion 42. The base portion 42 then folds on itself along its major axis and projects downwards beyond the main walls of the holder 44, 46. The holder is provided with two condiment pouches 56, 58. In the present embodiment, as- opposed to the embodiment seen in FIG. 3, the pouches are formed after bending over the top edge of the front wall 44, and no apertures are needed for their passage. The coated face 62 of the carton is disposed on the inside of the erected holder and the carton is decoratively printed on its outer face. An advertising message 68 is seen on the front wall 44.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is depicted detail of a disposable holder 70 wherein means are provided for retaining the two small condiment containers 72, 74 in contact with the main walls 76, 78 and thus to stabilize the condiment containers.

The condiment containers 72, 74 are provided with an integral hook-like extension 80 which can be connected to the front wall 76, 78 of the main holder, or as seen in the diagram to a

corner between said walls. The figure shows the hook-like extension 80 before engagement to the main body of the holder 70.

Also seen in the figure is a V notch 82, the purpose of which is to secure the extension 80 in its desired location and also to match the point of engagement of the main walls 76, 78 to the height of the extension 80 to ensure easy engagement there-between.

FIG. 6 illustrates a further example of a food holder 84. Two substantially-triangular cut outs, are seen to better effect in FIG. 1 at 36, 38. The cut-outs provide passage, after folding, and support for the condiment containers 86, 88. Upper flaps 90 of the cut outs 36, 38 retain the small condiment containers 86, 88 in contact with the main walls 92, 94.

The main walls 92, 94, 96, 98 of the holder 84 form an approximate square. The holder has four interlocking flaps, two of which. 100, 102, have been opened for illustrative purposes. In combination the flaps are inter-engaged to form the base 104 of the holder 84.

Turning now to FIG. 7 there is seen outline cut-out 106 for a marquise-shaped holder 122 seen erected in FIG. 8. The outline 106 includes a front 108, a back 110, an adhesive tab 32, two condiment containers 112, 114 joined by a foldable leak-prevention sector 116, two hook-like members 118 and apertures 120 through which said hook-like members 118 are

^■ anchored during erection for stabilization of the condiment containers 112, 114.

FIG. 8 shows the erected food holder 122 seen in its flat state in FIG. 7. The food holder 122 is opened for insertion of the main food item by hand squeezing the two edges 124, 126 towards each other.

With regard to the two apertures 120 seen in FIG. 7, after folding along the line 128 the two apertures 120 are directly adjacent to each other, thus forming a single aperture of doubled strength to engage the two hook-like members 118 and thus stabilize the two condiment containers 112, 114 and hold them close to the front 108.

The scope of the described invention is intended to include all embodiments coming within the meaning of the following claims. In particular it should be noted that the erected holder can be stabilized by application of a strip of adhesive tape. The foregoing examples illustrate

useful forms of the invention, but axe not to be considered as limiting its scope, as those skilled in the art will be aware that additional variants and modifications of the invention can readily be formulated without departing from the meaning of the following claims.