Convertible pizza box

Abstract

A container for pizza formable into a smaller, space saving box useful as, for example, refrigerator containers for pizza slices. Also disclosed are easily environmentally friendly disposable pizza boxes.

1 . A box useful for pizza, the box comprising:
 a first portion having a perimeter defined by opposing longitudinal side edges, a front edge and a back edge;   a second portion having a perimeter defined by opposing longitudinal side edges, a front edge and a back edge, the second portion being hingedly coupled to the first portion;   a pair of side walls each hingedly coupled to one of the opposing longitudinal side edges of the first portion, wherein each side wall comprises one or more score line to facilitate removal of a segment of said blank comprising at least a portion of said side wall;   a front end wall hingedly coupled to a front edge of one of the first portion and the second portion;   a back end wall hingedly coupled to a back edge of one of the first portion and the second portion; and   a transverse score line on the first portion and extending substantially between the opposing longitudinal side edges of the first portion, and   wherein non-removable segment(s) of each side wall do not comprise two substantially triangular side wall segments of substantially identical size.   
     
     
         2 . The box of  claim 1  being, in an unfolded state, a one piece blank. 
     
     
         3 . The box of  claim 1  wherein the transverse score line is offset from a centerline of the first portion. 
     
     
         4 . The box of  claim 1  wherein each of the side walls of the first portion includes a removable segment. 
     
     
         5 . The box of  claim 4  wherein the removable segments are substantially triangular in at least one plane. 
     
     
         6 . The box of  claim 1  wherein the each of the side walls includes a substantially triangular segment having an edge coextensive along at least a portion of one of the opposing longitudinal side edges of the first portion. 
     
     
         7 . The box of  claim 1  wherein, when the second portion is separated from the first portion and the first portion is folded along the transverse score line, the first portion defines a container having a tapering depth. 
     
     
         8 . The box of  claim 1  which comprises recycled materials. 
     
     
         9 . The box of  claim 1  wherein the second portion includes second portion score lines to facilitate breaking the second portion into a plurality of segments. 
     
     
         10 . The box of  claim 9  wherein at least two of the second portion score lines cross each other. 
     
     
         11 . The box of  claim 9  wherein each of the plurality of segments is substantially equal in size. 
     
     
         12 . A product formable into a space saving box, the product comprising:
 a substantially flat portion having a perimeter defined by opposing longitudinal side edges, a front edge and a back edge;   a pair of side walls each coupled to one of the opposing longitudinal side edges of the portion;   a front end wall coupled to a front edge of the portion;   a back end wall coupled to a back edge of the portion; and   
       at least one transverse score line on the portion and extending substantially between the opposing longitudinal side edges of the portion;
 wherein, when the portion is folded along the at least one transverse score line, the portion defines a box having a tapering depth. 
 
     
     
         13 . A composition formable into a space saving box for pizza, the composition comprising:
 a substantially flat portion having a perimeter defined by opposing longitudinal side edges, a front edge, and a back edge;   a pair of side walls each coupled to one of the opposing longitudinal side edges of the portion;   a front end wall coupled to the front edge of the portion;   a back end wall coupled to the back edge of the portion; and   a transverse score line located between and spaced apart from the front edge and the back edge of the portion and extending substantially between the opposing longitudinal side edges of the portion;   wherein, when the portion is folded along the transverse score line, the portion defines a box for pizza having an outer front wall and a tapering depth that continually decreases from the outer front wall to the folded transverse score line, said box further defining a substantially enclosed interior space for containing one or more pizza slice.   
     
     
         14 . A space saving box for pizza comprising:
 a substantially flat first portion having a perimeter defined by opposing longitudinal side edges, a front end and a back edge;   a pair of side walls each coupled to one of the opposing longitudinal side edges of the first portion, each of the side walls including a removable segment which is not substantially triangular in at least one plane,   a front end wall coupled to the front edge of the portion, and   a substantially continuously flat second portion having a front edge and a back edge, said back edge defined by a creased transverse score line hingingly coupling said second portion to the back edge of the first portion; wherein when said box is in a closed position the front edge of said second portion contacts the front end wall of the first portion defining a substantially enclosed interior space of tapering depth for containing one or more pizza slice.   
     
     
         15 . The product of  claim 14  wherein the transverse score line is offset from a centerline of the portion. 
     
     
         16 . The product of  claim 14  wherein each of the side walls of the portion includes at least one side wall score line to facilitate removal of the removable segment. 
     
     
         17 . A box useful for pizza, the box comprising: a first portion having a perimeter defined by opposing longitudinal side edges, a front edge and a back edge; a second portion having a perimeter defined by opposing longitudinal side edges, a front edge and a back edge, the second portion being hingedly coupled to the first portion; a pair of side walls each hingedly coupled to one of the opposing longitudinal side edges of the first portion, each of the side walls including a removable segment that is not substantially triangular in at least one plane; a front end wall hingedly coupled to the front edge of one of the first portion and the second portion; a back end wall hingedly coupled to the back edge of one of the first portion and the second portion; and a transverse score line extending across the first portion, the transverse score line located between and spaced apart from the front edge of the first portion and the back edge of the first portion, and extending substantially between the opposing longitudinal side edges of the first portion; the box being structured such that when the second portion is separated from the first portion and the separated first portion is creased along the transverse score line, the first portion, in an assembled condition, defines a container having an outer front wall, a hinge opposing the outer front wall and defined by the creased transverse score line, and a substantially tapering depth that decreases from the outer front wall to the creased transverse score line. 
     
     
         18 . The box of  claim 17  being, in an unfolded state, a one piece blank. 
     
     
         19 . The box of  claim 17  wherein the transverse scoreline is offset from a centerline of the first portion. 
     
     
         20 . The box of  claim 17  wherein each of the side walls of the first portion includes at least one side wall score line to facilitate removal of the removable segment.