Food product container

Abstract

A pizza box comprises a container having an assembled state as a box and an unassembled state as a flat sheet, wherein in the assembled state a top portion and a bottom portion of the box define a generally polygon shaped enclosure including at least one diagonal side. The pizza box also comprises means for generating a visual perception of higher volume of contents within the pizza box via increasing a horizontal surface area of the box external to the generally polygon shaped enclosure that contains a pizza pie. Variations of the pizza box comprise flap structures and reciprocating slots for securely fastening the top portion relative to the bottom portion as well as structures for maintaining continuous display of printed matter whether the box is open or closed via pivotal movement of the top portion relative to the bottom portion.

1 . A food product container comprising: 
 a bottom portion including: 
 a bottom panel; and  
 a generally polygon-shaped vertical support wall extending generally perpendicular to the bottom panel, the vertical support wall including at least four diagonal members, a first side portion and a second side portion disposed at opposite side edges of the bottom panel relative to each other, and a front portion and a rear portion with the front portion and the rear portion disposed at opposite side edges of the bottom panel relative to each other, the at least four diagonal members including a first diagonal member interposed between the rear portion and the first side portion, a second diagonal member interposed between the first side portion and the front portion, a third diagonal member interposed between the front portion and the second side portion, and a fourth diagonal member interposed between the second side portion and the rear portion; and  
 four ledges with each ledge extending generally outward from, and generally perpendicular to, each of the four diagonal members of the vertical support wall;  
   a top portion including a generally polygon shaped top panel with the top panel hingedly connected to the bottom portion via the rear portion of the vertical support wall, wherein the top panel is sized and shaped to generally correspond to the size and shape of bottom panel to enable the top portion to form an enclosure with the bottom portion upon contact of the top portion with the vertical support wall of the bottom portion. with the bottom portion upon contact of the top portion with the vertical support wall of the bottom portion.    
   
   
       2 . The food product container of  claim 1  wherein the top portion includes: 
 a pair of rear flaps with each rear flap extending from a rear diagonal edge of the top portion, wherein when the top portion of the food product container is in a closed position relative to the bottom portion, each rear flap is folded over a respective diagonal member of the vertical support wall of the bottom portion to extend against an exterior surface of the respective rear diagonal member and to be removably secured relative to the bottom panel to maintain the rear flaps in the folded-over position.    
   
   
       3 . The food product container of  claim 2  wherein the top portion comprises: 
 a pair of side flaps with each side flap extending from a respective side edge of the top panel and each side flap of the top portion configured to be slidably positioned against an interior surface of each side portion of the vertical support wall when the top portion is in a closed position relative to the bottom portion; and    a front flap extending from a front edge of the top panel with the front flap being sized and shaped for slidable insertion into a slot in the front portion of the vertical support wall.    
   
   
       4 . The food product container of  claim 2  wherein the bottom panel comprises: 
 a pair of slots with each slot adapted for receiving one flap of the pair of rear flaps of top portion, each slot being sized, shaped, and positioned generally parallel to a respective diagonal member of the vertical support wall.    
   
   
       5 . The food product container of  claim 1  wherein each ledge is sized, shaped and positioned relative to the size and shape of the top portion to be visible when the top portion is closed over the bottom portion and when the top portion is opened relative to the bottom portion of the food product container.  
   
   
       6 . The food product container of  claim 5  wherein at least one of the ledges comprises printed matter including at least one of a symbol, a text, a pattern, a numeral, and a color.  
   
   
       7 . The food product container of  claim 5  wherein each ledge is generally triangular shaped.  
   
   
       8 . The food product container of  claim 1  wherein the front portion of the vertical support wall comprises a pair of front arcuate supports extending laterally from the front portion as a bridge to a front edge of the bottom panel.  
   
   
       9 . The food product container of  claim 8  wherein the rear portion of the vertical support wall comprises a pair of rear arcuate supports extending laterally from the rear portion as a bridge to a rear edge of the bottom panel.  
   
   
       10 . The food product container of  claim 9  wherein the arcuate supports of the front portion and of the rear portion are concave shaped.  
   
   
       11 . The food product container of  claim 8  wherein the front portion comprises an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion wherein each arcuate support extends from opposite side edges of the outer wall portion.  
   
   
       12 . The food product container of  claim 1  wherein the top portion is sized and shaped so that when the top panel is laid over bottom portion, a front flap of the top portion is insertable into a slot of the front portion of the vertical support wall, side flaps of top portion are insertable along an interior surface of the side walls, and rear flaps of top portion are foldable over and extend along an exterior surface of the respective rear diagonal members to be removably secured relative to bottom portion via a slot in the bottom panel adjacent vertical wall portion.  
   
   
       13 . The food product container of  claim 1  wherein the generally polygon shaped vertical support wall and the generally polygon shaped top panel each comprise a generally octagon shape with eight sides.  
   
   
       14 . A pizza box comprising: 
 a generally polygon shaped bottom portion defining a vertical support wall and a generally polygon shaped top portion that is pivotally connected relative to the bottom portion at a rear portion of the box for enclosing the pizza box by covering the bottom portion via contact of the top portion with the vertical support wall; and    means for maintaining generally unimpeded visibility of printed matter on at least one horizontal surface of the box independent of whether the top portion is closed or open relative to the bottom portion, wherein the at least one horizontal surface is external to the generally polygon shape of the bottom portion.    
   
   
       15 . The pizza box of  claim 14  wherein the means for maintaining comprises: 
 four generally horizontal ledges with each ledge extending generally outward from, and generally perpendicular to, each respective diagonal member of the bottom portion of the box.    
   
   
       16 . The pizza box of  claim 14  wherein each ledge has a generally triangular shape.  
   
   
       17 . The pizza box of  claim 14  wherein the generally polygon shaped bottom portion and the generally polygon shaped top portion each comprise a generally octagon shape.  
   
   
       18 . A food product container comprising: 
 a generally polygon shaped bottom portion defining a vertical support wall and a generally polygon shaped top portion that is pivotally connected relative to the bottom portion at a rear portion of the box for enclosing an interior of the food product container by covering the bottom portion via contact of the top portion with the vertical support wall; and    a pair of exterior flaps extending from the top portion and spaced laterally from each other, with each external flap configured for folding over the vertical support wall at each rear diagonal member of each rear corner portion of the vertical support wall of the bottom portion, the external flaps including at least one tab for slidable insertion into a slot of the bottom portion to secure the top portion of the box relative to the bottom portion.    
   
   
       19 . The food product container of  claim 18  wherein each external flap extends outside of an exterior surface of the diagonal member of vertical support wall when the top portion is closed over the bottom portion, the top portion further comprising at least one interior flap that extends inside relative to an interior surface of the vertical support wall when the top portion is the closed position.  
   
   
       20 . The food product container of  claim 19  wherein the at least one interior flap comprises: 
 a pair of side flaps extending from the top portion with each side flap positioned for insertion adjacent an interior surface of a side portion of the vertical support wall of the bottom portion; and    at least one front flap extending from the top portion and configured for slidable insertion into a front portion of the vertical support wall, with the front portion being disposed on an opposite side of the bottom portion relative to the rear portion of the food product container.    
   
   
       21 . The food product container of  claim 20  wherein the bottom portion comprises a pair of ledges with each ledge extending outwardly and generally perpendicular to the vertical support wall adjacent the location of each exterior flap at the rear diagonal members of the rear corner portions of the bottom portion.  
   
   
       22 . The food product container of  claim 18  wherein the generally polygon shaped bottom portion and the generally polygon shaped top portion comprise a generally octagon shape.  
   
   
       23 . A pizza box comprising: 
 a container having an assembled state as a box and an unassembled state as a flat sheet, wherein in the assembled state a top portion and a bottom portion of the box define a generally octagonal shaped enclosure, the enclosure defining eight sides including four diagonal sides and configured to contain a pizza pie; and    means for generating a visual perception of increased surface area of pizza pie within the generally octagon shaped enclosure via provision of increased horizontal surface area of the box external to the generally octagon shape enclosure.    
   
   
       24 . The pizza box of  claim 23  wherein the means for generating comprises: 
 four ledges with each ledge extending generally horizontally outward from the diagonal sides of the box, wherein each ledge is sized, shaped, and positioned relative to both the top portion and the bottom portion to enable the substantially entire surface area of each ledge to remain visible whether the box is open or closed via pivotal movement of the top portion relative to the bottom portion.