Recyclable Food Package

Abstract

A recyclable food package has a body, a bottom board and a top roof. The body has two opposite first sidewalls and two opposite second sidewalls to form an internal accommodating space. The bottom board is mounted on a bottom of the body and has two horizontal folding lines connected to each other. The top roof is mounted on a top of the body. The horizontal folding lines facilitate squashing the recyclable food package.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a food package, and more particularly to a recyclable food package that is capable of being completely squashed and flattened to minimize the volume thereof and facilitate stacking and transportation in the post recycling processes.

2. Description of Related Art

Conventional paper-made food packages such as Tetra Pak™ type milk boxes, after used, are usually classified into recyclable paper garbage for recycling. To recycle the aforementioned food packages, each food package is squashed and flattened to facilitate transporting the food packages and increase recycling efficiency.

The aforementioned food package has no assistant components for the squashing process. Therefore, to squash the food package, a user must try hard to force and depress two opposite sides of the food package and then force a front surface to abut a rear surface of the package so that the food package is changed to a thinner configuration. The incompletely squashed food packages with bulging parts cannot be entirely stacked together, which disadvantages transportation in recycling processes.

However, the user does not always successfully squash a food package into a completely flattened configuration and certain parts on the food package remain bulging.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a recyclable food package to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the invention is to provide a recyclable food package that is capable of being completely squashed and flattened to minimize the volume thereof and facilitate stacking and transportation in the post recycling processes.

A recyclable food package in accordance with the present application has a body, a bottom board and a top roof The body has two opposite first sidewalls and two opposite second sidewalls to form an internal accommodating space. The bottom board is mounted on a bottom of the body and has two horizontal folding lines connected to each other. The top roof is mounted on a top of the body. The horizontal folding lines facilitate squashing the recyclable food package.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a recyclable food package in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an operational perspective view of the recyclable food package in FIG. 1 squashed completely with a bottom protruding outward;

FIG. 3 is an operational perspective view of the recyclable food package in FIG. 1 squashed completely with a bottom protruding inward;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the recyclable food package in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the recyclable food package in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an operational side view of the recyclable food package in FIG. 4 squashed halfway;

FIG. 7 is an operational bottom view of the recyclable food package in FIG. 5 squashed halfway;

FIG. 8 is an operational side view of the recyclable food package in FIG. 6 squashed completely;

FIG. 9 is an operational bottom view of the recyclable food package in FIG. 7 squashed completely;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the recyclable food package in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of a part of the recyclable food package in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is another enlarged perspective view of a part of the recyclable food package with a mouth detached.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a first embodiment of a recyclable food package in accordance with the present invention comprises a body 10, a bottom board 20, a top roof 30 and a mouth assembly 40.

The body 10 is hollow and has a top, a bottom, two opposite first sidewalls 11, two opposite second sidewalls 12, two upper forcing points B and may further have two vertical folding lines 15.

The first sidewalls 11 and the second sidewalls 12 cooperate to define an internal accommodating space 100.

The two upper forcing points B are formed respectively on two top edges of the second sidewalls 12.

The vertical folding lines 15 are formed respectively on the second sidewalls 12 and each vertical folding line 15 has a bottom end and a top end, the top end located on one of the upper forcing points B.

The bottom board 20 is mounted on the bottom of the body 10, closes the internal accommodating space 100 and has two lower forcing points A and two horizontal folding lines 25.

The lower forcing points A are formed respectively on two opposite edges of the bottom board 20.

The horizontal folding lines 25 are connected to each other and may correspond to the vertical folding lines 15 and be connected respectively to the bottom ends of the vertical folding lines 15. Each horizontal folding line 25 has an inside end and an outside end. The inside ends of the horizontal folding lines 25 are connected to each other. Each outside end is located on one of the lower forcing points A and may be connected to the bottom end of a corresponding vertical folding line 15.

Furthermore, the bottom board 20 may further have two intersecting diagonal lines to define two opposite triangular lapping surfaces 22 and two triangular non-lapping surfaces 21. The non-lapping surfaces 21 correspond to the horizontal folding lines 25 and the lower forcing points A. Each non-lapping surface 21 has a thickness being thinner than that of each lapping surface 22 so that the non-lapping surface 21 is easier to be folded than the lapping surface 22.

The top roof 30 is triangular and prism-like, is mounted on the top of the body 10, closes the internal accommodating space 100, has two opposite first surfaces 31 and two opposite second surfaces 32, and may further have two inclined folding lines 35 and an outlet hole 33. The first surfaces 31 correspond to the first sidewalls 11. The second surfaces 32 correspond to the second sidewalls 12 and correspond to the horizontal folding lines 25. The inclined folding lines 35 are formed respectively on the second surfaces 32 and may be connected respectively to the top ends of the vertical folding lines 15. The outlet hole 33 is defined through one of the first surfaces 31. Furthermore, an outer adhering area 330 is defined on one of the first surfaces 31 around the outlet hole 33.

The mouth assembly 40 is mounted on the outer adhering area 330 of the first surface 31 and communicates with the outlet hole 33 and has a mouth member and a cap. The mouth member is cylindrical, threaded and mounted on the outlet hole 33. The cap is detachably screwed on the mouth member.

With further reference to FIGS. 4 to 9, when the recyclable food package is squashed, a user presses the lower forcing points A on the outside ends of the horizontal folding lines. At the mean time, the thickness difference between the lapping surfaces 22 and the non-lapping surfaces 21 generates two intersecting natural folding lines along the diagonal lines on the bottom board 20. The lapping surfaces 22 are moved toward and abut each other to fold and flatten the bottom board 20. The pressed outside ends of the horizontal folding lines 25 cause the second sidewalls 12 of the body 10 to be depressed. Then, further pressing the upper forcing points B generates natural vertical folding lines respectively on the second sidewalls 12 of the body 10 and causes the second surfaces 32 of the top roof 30 to be depressed and folded. The first sidewalls 11 of the body 10 are moved toward and abut each other to flatten the body 10. Therefore, the recyclable food package can be completely squashed conveniently. Alternatively, the vertical folding lines 15 and the inclined folding lines 35 facilitate quickly folding the second sidewalls 12 of the body 10 and the second surfaces 32 of the top roof 30.

With further reference to FIGS. 10 to 12, a second embodiment of the recyclable food package further has a removal member 50 mounted on the mouth member to easily remove the mouth assembly 40, and the removal member 50 has a mounting collar 51 and a pulling tab 52.

The mounting collar 51 is mounted securely around the mouth member.

The pulling tab 52 is formed on and protrudes radially from the mounting collar 51 and has a finger hole 521 defined through the pulling tab 52 so that a user may quickly remove the mouth assembly 40 by pulling the pulling tab 52. With the removal member 50, the recyclable food package can be squashed and flattened completely.

In a preferred embodiment, the horizontal folding lines 25, the vertical folding lines 15 and the inclined folding lines 35 may be continuous or discontinuous stamped lines or cut lines formed by a stamp machine or a cutting machine.

The recyclable food package of the present invention has the following advantages.

1. The horizontal lines 25, the vertical folding lines 15, or the inclined folding lines 35 allow a user to conveniently and completely squash the bottom board 20, the body 10 and the top roof 30 of the recyclable food package without any bulging parts.

2. The removal member 50 ensures that the squashed recyclable food packages can be stacked for storage or transportation in later recycling processes.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A recyclable food package comprising:

a body being hollow and having a top, a bottom, two opposite first sidewalls and two opposite second sidewalls, the first sidewalls and the second sidewalls cooperating to define an internal accommodating space; and

a bottom board mounted on the bottom of the body, closing the internal accommodating space and having two lower forcing points formed respectively on two opposite edges of the bottom board; and two horizontal folding lines connected to each other, and each horizontal folding line having an inside end, the inside ends of the horizontal folding lines connected to each other; and an outside end located on one of the lower forcing points; and

a top roof mounted on the top of the body, closing the internal accommodating space and having two opposite first surfaces corresponding to the first sidewalls; and two opposite second surfaces corresponding to the second sidewalls;

wherein to squash the recyclable food package, the lower forcing points on the horizontal folding lines are pressed, the bottom is folded and flattened, and the first sidewalls of the body are moved toward and abut each other to flatten the body.

2. The recyclable food package as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the bottom board further has two intersecting diagonal lines to define two opposite triangular lapping surfaces and two triangular non-lapping surfaces;

the non-lapping surfaces correspond to the horizontal folding lines and the lower forcing points; and

when the recyclable food package is squashed, the lapping surfaces are moved toward and abut each other.

3. The recyclable food package as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the body further has two upper forcing points formed respectively on two top edges of the second sidewalls; and two vertical folding lines formed respectively on the second sidewalls and each vertical folding line having a bottom end and a top end, the top end located on one of the upper forcing points;

the horizontal folding lines correspond to the vertical folding lines and are connected respectively to the bottom ends of the vertical folding lines, and the outside end of each horizontal folding line is connected to the bottom end of a corresponding vertical folding line.

4. The recyclable food package as claimed in claim 3, wherein the top roof further has two inclined folding lines formed respectively on the second surfaces and connected respectively to the top ends of the vertical folding lines.

5. The recyclable food package as claimed in claim 4, wherein an outlet hole is defined through one of the first surfaces of the top roof.

6. The recyclable food package as claimed in claim 5, wherein a mouth assembly is mounted on one of the first surfaces of the top roof, communicates with the outlet hole and has a mouth member and a cap detachably mounted on the mouth member.

7. The recyclable food package as claimed in claim 6, wherein a removal member is mounted on the mouth member and has

a mounting collar mounted securely around the mouth member; and

a pulling tab formed on and protruding radially from the mounting collar and having a finger hole defined through the pulling tab.

8. The recyclable food package as claimed in claim 7, wherein the horizontal folding lines, the vertical folding lines and the inclined folding lines are continuous stamped lines.

9. The recyclable food package as claimed in claim 7, wherein the horizontal folding lines, the vertical folding lines and the inclined folding lines are discontinuous stamped lines.

10. The recyclable food package as claimed in claim 7, wherein the horizontal folding lines, the vertical folding lines and the inclined folding lines are continuous cut lines.

11. The recyclable food package as claimed in claim 7, wherein the horizontal folding lines, the vertical folding lines and the inclined folding lines are discontinuous cut lines.

12. The recyclable food package as claimed in claim 7, wherein each non-lapping surface has a thickness being thinner than a thickness of each lapping surface.