Food containers formed with one or more pop-out surface portions including advertising indicia and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A food container formed with one or more detachable surface portions (e.g., pop-outs) bearing advertising or promotional indicia and a method of manufacturing the same. In various embodiments of the present invention, the one or more pop-out surface portions are shaped such that they can be fitted together to form a three-dimensional object (such as a toy, model, or animal figure).

I claim:  
     
         1 . A food container, comprising: 
 a single-piece folded box suitable for storing food, the box being formed with one or more pop-out surface portions at least one of which bears advertising indicia.    
     
     
         2 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein the box is formed with corrugated cardboard.  
     
     
         3 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein the box is a pizza box.  
     
     
         4 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more pop-out surface portions are shaped such that they can be fitted together to form a three-dimensional object.  
     
     
         5 . The food container of  claim 4 , wherein the three-dimensional object is a toy.  
     
     
         6 . The food container of  claim 4 , wherein the three-dimensional object is a model.  
     
     
         7 . The food container of  claim 4 , wherein the three-dimensional object is an animal figure.  
     
     
         8 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein the advertising indicia pertain to a business entity other than a retail seller of food who is using the box to package food.  
     
     
         9 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein the advertising indicia pertain to goods or services other than those provided by a retail seller of food who is using the box to package food.  
     
     
         10 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein the advertising indicia pertain to an event or other promotion unaffiliated with business operations conducted by a retail seller of food who is using the box to package food.  
     
     
         11 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein the advertising indicia pertain to a retail seller of food who is using the box to package food.  
     
     
         12 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein the advertising indicia pertain to goods or services provided by a retail seller of food who is using the box to package food.  
     
     
         13 . The food container of  claim 1 , wherein the advertising indicia pertain to an event or other promotion affiliated with business operations conducted by a retail seller of food who is using the box to package food.  
     
     
         14 . A food container, comprising: 
 a corrugated cardboard pizza box, the box being formed with one or more pop-out members bordered by cuts, scores and/or perforations in the box, at least one surface of the pop-out members including advertising indicia.    
     
     
         15 . The food container of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more pop-out members are shaped such that they can be fitted together to form a three-dimensional object.  
     
     
         16 . The food container of  claim 15 , wherein the three-dimensional object is a toy.  
     
     
         17 . The food container of  claim 15 , wherein the three-dimensional object is a model.  
     
     
         18 . The food container of  claim 15 , wherein the three-dimensional object is an animal figure.  
     
     
         19 . The food container of  claim 14 , wherein the advertising indicia pertain to a business entity other than a retail seller of food who is using the box to package food.  
     
     
         20 . The food container of  claim 14 , wherein the advertising indicia pertain to goods or services other than those provided by a retail seller of food who is using the box to package food.  
     
     
         21 . The food container of  claim 14 , wherein the advertising indicia pertain to an event or other promotion unaffiliated with business operations conducted by a retail seller of food who is using the box to package food.  
     
     
         22 . The food container of  claim 14 , wherein the advertising indicia pertain to a retail seller of food who is using the box to package food.  
     
     
         23 . The food container of  claim 14 , wherein the advertising indicia pertain to goods or services provided by a retail seller of food who is using the box to package food.  
     
     
         24 . The food container of  claim 14 , wherein the advertising indicia pertain to an event or other promotion affiliated with business operations conducted by a retail seller of food who is using the box to package food.  
     
     
         25 . A method of manufacturing food containers including pop-outs for presenting advertisements to purchasers of food packaged in the food containers, the method comprising the steps of: 
 applying advertising indicia to one or more portions of a plurality of flat-form corrugated sheets; and    cutting through the corrugated sheets to form a box design and cutting, scoring and/or perforating along borders of the one or more portions to form one or more pop-outs for each box design.    
     
     
         26 . The method of manufacturing food containers of  claim 25 , further comprising the step of: 
 shrink-wrapping the printed and cut corrugated sheets in bundles and palletizing the bundles for delivery.