Abstract: A pizza carton providing a high degree of product protection through employing one or more structural features including a warp-resistant cover panel to prevent the cover from contacting the pizza, product anti-slide cover flaps and movable diagonal walls to contain the product on eight sides while still providing a square corner for packing an extra item in the box, and quick-release corner connections and a specially contoured inner panel of a double-panel front wall to allow for slicing pizza in the box without need to slide the pizza back-and-forth. Also included is a method for making a box having a warp-resistant cover.

Abstract: An easily-folded E-flute corrugated carton for pizza, breadsticks, donuts, and the like. The carton is formed from a matable, alignable blank that reduces material consumption and cost. Key structural elements include (a) a front-edge-sloping cover with free side edges, (b) a rear wall with free ends, (c) parallel side walls each with a free rear end and free top edge, (d) inward-slope-creating corner flaps on front corners of the side walls, and (e) proportional bottom panel dimensions that allow the box to have acceptable load-carrying capacity, or box cavity volume.

Abstract: A type of box comprising at least five walls yet with the capability of having the appearance of a square box, with a convertible corner feature that allows conversion of a diagonal wall to a square corner for carrying extra items, and with sloping side walls that allow multiple blanks to be inverted and mated for material savings. Also disclosed is a method for partially folding and nesting the box for conserving storage space used for set up boxes and a method for expanding and contracting the size of the inner cavity of the box.

Abstract: A blank for a one-piece octagonal pizza box that uses a minimum of material and that can be manufactured in multiple units in inverted-and-mated configuration for substantial savings in material and cost.

Abstract: A type of container allowing use of one or more sections of recessed cover edge that can be used for creating a uniquely shaped cover, thereby (a) providing a cover that can be shaped into the contour of a company logo or other unique graphic element and (b) providing a container that can be differentiated from competitors' containers and can be designed for extra strong memorability. The box is typically used for packaging relatively flat food products such as pizza and the like; however, it can serve other purposes, as well.

Abstract: A type of box comprising three unique components: (1) an over-extending trapezoid-shape diagonal side wall, (2) a flapless corner interlock, and (3) a cover with parallel free side edges and obliquely disposed cover interlock flaps. The preferred embodiments have six side walls consisting of a rear wall, first and second opposing side walls, third and fourth opposing side walls extending obliquely from the first and second side walls, and a front wall opposing the rear wall. Also disclosed is a two-part cover interlock flap that engages with the third and fourth diagonal side walls.

Abstract: An interlock is disclosed for stackable lower and upper boxes. The lower box is provided with upstanding hook-shaped tabs extending upwardly from parallel walls and the upper box is provided with slots in the bottom which register with the tabs when the upper box is laterally offset from the lower box. After the tabs are inserted into the slots, the boxes are shifted laterally into alignment with each other and the hook-shaped tabs overlap the bottom of the upper box. Box blanks are disclosed for making the upper and lower boxes with the interlock tabs positioned so that the box blanks can be nested for saving material. A corner interlock is disclosed for latching the interlock tab in the locked position.

Abstract: A one-piece box is disclosed which is foldable from a flat blank to an erect box. The box is provided with a corner interlock comprising a tab on the side wall extending through an opening in the front wall. A cover interlock is provided using a single panel front wall having a tab which extends through an opening in the cover. The box blanks may be cut from a single board in side-by-side nested relationship with a wall or flap of one box blank being of reduced height and receiving a protruding portion of the corresponding wall or flap of the adjacent box blank.

Abstract: An energy absorber system utilizing a pair of housings having facing cavities and with a hollow deformable torsion member interconnecting the housings. One portion of the torsion member is received in the cavity of one housing and another portion of the torsion member is received in the cavity of the other housing. The housing cavities have cross-sectional conformations which receive the torsion member in such a manner that relative rotation therebetween is prevented. Rotation of one housing relative to the other deforms the torsion member elastically and/or plastically. Such deformation absorbs the energy of forces tending to rotate the housings.