Pull-away Wrapper and Box
A box with slits at one side, such as the back, is disclosed. Paper or other planar material enters through the slits to separate layers of food or other items in the box. In one embodiment, the box has two parallel slits, and the paper is folded such that it enters through each of the two parallel slits, forming a U-shape where the stems of the “U” each pass between layers of the food, and the base of the “U” lies flat against the box. A handle may be integrated with the paper, allowing one to pull the handle to remove the paper from both slits simultaneously. One may therefore receive a burger free of sogginess, with condiments and accoutrements (e.g. sauces) thereon, and remove the paper through a single motion, just before removing the food from its packaging.
The disclosed technology relates generally to food packaging, and, more specifically, to a wrapper situated between buns and contents between the buns.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGYA well-known problem in the prior art is that of the “soggy bun.” The term refers to a bun to which something wet has been added, including items such as tomatoes, sauces such as ketchup, or meat with liquid, any of whch are typically added to a warm burger. During the time a hamburger, or the like, is created with food products between a top and bottom part of the bun, until the food product is delivered to the consumer, the liquid penetrates the aforesaid bottom or top and causes a less satisfying culinary experience to the customer. The problem is most acute when the food product will be delivered to the customer or or is part of a take-out (when the customer will eat the burger in a half hour, hour, or even a day or two later). However, just getting a burger from behind the counter to your seat can result in an unwanted soggy bun, or might even induce establishments not to serve burgers with condiments already added. The typical solution in the art is simply to work around the issue, as mentioned above, or deal with a soggy bun. Neither option is ideal.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGYIn a first embodiment of the disclosed technology, a box for food has at least two sides. These “at least two sides” are at least a bottom side and a back side. The back side has at least one slit extending along part of a length thereof, the at least one slit being parallel to the bottom side. The demarcation point between sides is defined by a crease or change in angle from another side, whereas sides are defined as being generally planar, whereby “generally” is defined as “according to an ordinary observer.” A paper extends into the slit substantially parallel to the bottom side (at the point of entry, being substantially parallel). “Substantially” is defined as “exactly so with a tolerance of plus or minus 1%, 5%, or 10%.” The paper is adapted to be placed between two stacked items in the box, such that pulling the item through the slit and away from the box dislodges the paper from between the two stacked items.
A “box” is defined as an item for carrying another item, having at least a bottom and a back side, but may have has many as 12 sides and be open or closed at the top. For example, in an embodiment, a first portion or side of a box has a bottom, back, front, left side, and right side. A second portion has a top side, left side, right side, and front side; and the top and bottom sides are attached in a hinged manner. The slit extends through the back side of the bottom portion of the box.
There may be two slits, in parallel to each other (and the bottom side) extending across a side of the box, such as the back side. These slits may be spaced apart, such that a first slit corresponds to an approximate anticipated height just above a lower bun resting on the bottom side of the box, and the second slit corresponds to an approximate anticipated height just below an upper bun. “Approximate height” is defined as an estimated height for the slit, as cut by a manufacturer of the box or person/entity ordering the box, based on where such a person/entity expects, within their defined tolerance level, the bun (top and bottom) to fall in the box.
With the box, a U-shaped piece of paper may be included. Each stem (that is, the equivalent of the two vertical lines in a capital “U”) of extends through a respective slit of the food box, in an embodiment of the disclosed technology. The base of the U-shape (the portion between the two stems) of the paper has a handle extendable in a direction away from the stems of the U-shape, in an embodiment of the disclosed technology. This handle may be used to pull the paper out of the box, as described in the method described below.
In a method of use of the above devices, a bottom bun is placed on the bottom side of the box. A first stem of the paper is extended through the first slit of the box over at least a major part of the bottom bun. At least one middle food item is placed on the paper and the bottom bun (such as meat of a hamburger), and a second stem of the paper is extended through the second slit of the box over at least a major part (majority) of the at least one middle food item. A top bun is placed over at least a majority of the middle food item and at least some of the paper which was extended through the second slit. The box is then closed, with the two parts of the paper and food inside, and a middle portion of the paper outside. “Closing” a box is defined as tightly enclosing all sides of the contents therein.
In a different method of using the box and paper described above, the box is received with a food item on the bottom of the box and paper between layers of said food item in at least two places. One then pulls the paper in a direction substantially perpendicular to the back side of the box and away from the box, causing removal of the paper from between the layers thereof. One may then remove the food item from the box only after complete removal of the paper from the box.
A box and paper of an embodiment of the disclosed technology may include the following. The box has a back side with two parallel slits further extending parallel to the bottom side of the box, and the paper is a single piece of paper extending through each slit of the two parallel slits, the paper having a handle which may be positioned parallel to each portion of the paper which extends through each recited slit. “Paper,” for purposes of this disclosure, is defined as planar but bendable/mailable material having a top and bottom side, and an extremely thin (less than 5 mm) edge. It may be constructed of pressed together moist fibers, plastic, metal (e.g., “roll of tin foil”), biodegradable cardboard, plastic or wax paper or other material, for purposes of this disclosure, or the equivalents thereof. Further, the paper may be unmalleable such that it retains its shape and structure during ordinary usage with a corresponding box and food product.
In another method of use, that is, in a method of food packaging and delivery, one places at least one bottom portion of a food item on a bottom of a box, extends a bottom portion of a single piece of paper through a first slit of the box, and over at least a major part (majority) of the at least one bottom portion of the food item. Then, one places at least one middle portion of the food item on the bottom portion of the single piece of paper extending through the first slit and extends a top portion of the single piece of paper through a second slit of the box and over at least a major part of the at least one middle portion of the food item. Once the box is closed, the food is ready for delivery. For example, such a food item may be a hamburger, consisting of a bottom and a top portion of a bun, filled there-between with cooked meat, with the paper adjacent to each portion of the bun.
In the above method, a step of causing a handle portion of the paper to reside outside the box, when the bottom and the top portion of the single piece of paper are inserted into respective slits, may also be carried out. A person receiving a delivery of the closed box with the food item may then pull the handle away from the box, causing the paper to be dislodged from the box, and open the box to remove the food item (the food item, at this time, lacking paper there-between, but the buns being “dry” (un-soaked except at the point of contact) as the middle food items just begin to touch the bun).
A box with slits at one side, such as the back, is disclosed. Paper or other planar material enters through the slits to separate layers of food or other items in the box. In one embodiment, the box has two parallel slits and the paper is folded such that it enters through each of the two parallel slits, forming a U-shape, where the stems of the “U” each pass between layers of the food, and the base of the “U” lies flat against the box. A handle may be integrated with the paper, allowing one to pull the handle to remove the paper from both slits simultaneously. One may therefore receive a burger free of sogginess, with condiments and/or sauces thereon, and remove the paper through a single motion, just before removing the food from its packaging.
Embodiments of the disclosed technology will become clearer in view of the following description of the figures.
While the disclosed technology has been taught with specific reference to the above embodiments, a person having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and the scope of the disclosed technology. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. Combinations of any of the methods, systems, and devices described herein-above are also contemplated and within the scope of the disclosed technology.
Claims
1. A food box comprising:
- a box having at least two sides, said at least two sides being at least a bottom and back side, said back side comprising at least one slit extending along part of a length of said back side and parallel to said bottom side;
- a paper extending into said slit substantially parallel to said bottom side and adapted to be placed between two stacked items in said box, such that pulling said item through said slit and away from said box dislodges said paper from between said two stacked items.
2. The food box of claim 1, wherein said at least two sides of said box comprise:
- a first portion with said bottom, said back side, a front side, a left side, and a right side;
- a second portion with a top side, left side, right side, and front side; and
- said slit extends through said back side of said second portion, and said left side and said right side of said second portion are hinged to said left side and said right side of said first portion.
3. The food box of claim 1, wherein said at least one slit is actually two parallel slits.
4. The food box of claim 3, wherein said two parallel slits are spaced apart, such that a first slit corresponds to an approximate anticipated height just above a lower bun resting on said bottom side of said box, and said second slit corresponds to an approximate anticipated height just below an upper bun.
5. A kit, comprising said food box of claim 3, and a U-shaped piece of paper, such that each stem of said U-shape extends through a respective said slit of said food box.
6. The kit of claim 5, wherein said base of said U-shape of said paper comprises a handle extendable in a direction from said U-shape away from said stems of said U-shape.
7. A method of using said kit of claim 6, comprising:
- placing a bottom bun on said bottom side of said box;
- extending a first stem of said paper through said first slit of said box over at least a majority of said bottom bun;
- placing at least one middle food item on said paper and said bottom bun;
- extending a second stem of said paper through said second slit of said box over at least a majority of said at least one middle food item;
- placing a top bun over at least a majority of said middle food item and at least some of said paper extending through said second slit;
- closing said box with said paper in said box in two places, and outside said box at a mid-portion of said paper.
8. A method of using said kit of claim 6, comprising:
- receiving said box with food item on said bottom side of said box and said paper between layers of said food item at, at least, two places;
- pulling said paper in a direction substantially perpendicular to said back side of said box and away from said box, causing removal of said paper from between said layers thereof;
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising a step of removing said food item from said box only after complete removal of said paper from said box.
10. A box and paper product comprising:
- a box having a back side with two parallel slits further extending parallel to a bottom side of said box;
- a single piece of paper extending through each said slit of said two parallel slits, said paper comprising a handle positionable parallel to each portion of said paper which extends through each said slit.
11. A method of food packaging and delivery, comprising:
- placing at least one bottom portion of a food item on a bottom side of a box; extending a bottom portion of a single piece of paper through a first slit of said box and over at least a majority of said at least one bottom portion of said food item;
- placing at least one middle portion of said food item on said bottom portion of said single piece of paper extending through said first slit;
- extending a top portion of said single piece of paper through a second slit of said box and over at least a majority of said at least one middle portion of said food item;
- placing at least one top portion of said food item on said top portion of said single piece of paper extending through said second slit;
- delivering a closed box with said food item.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein said food item is a hamburger and said bottom and top portions each comprise a bun, and said middle portion comprises cooked meat with said paper adjacent to each portion of said bun.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprises a step of causing a handle portion of said paper to reside outside said box when said bottom and said top portion of said single piece of paper are inserted into respective said slits.
14. The method of claim 13, carried out by a person receiving said delivery of said closed box with said food item, comprising:
- pulling said handle away from said box, causing said paper to dislodge from said box; and
- opening said box and removing said food item.
16. The box and paper product of claim 10, wherein said paper is malleable.
17. The box and paper product of claim 10, wherein said paper is in a fixed shape.
18. The box and paper product of claim 17, wherein said fixed shape is a U-shape.
19. The box and paper product of claim 16, wherein said paper is formed into a U-shape when inserted into the box, and a portion of the paper is flat against said back side of said box.
20. The box and paper product of claim 19, wherein said paper further comprises a handle which is a folded portion of said paper, such that said paper is one planar sheet folded at each seam and twice at said handle, forming said handle.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 10, 2013
Publication Date: Aug 29, 2013
Inventor: Jeffrey Tognetti (Edgewater, NJ)
Application Number: 13/859,907
International Classification: B65D 81/26 (20060101);