FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to improved methods and apparatus for storing and carrying food such as pizza.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are various devices known in the prior art for storing and carrying food such as pizza. Summary of the Invention

The present invention in one or more embodiments, provides an apparatus and a method for reducing the size of a pizza box after a portion of a pizza pie has been eaten or otherwise disposed of. After reduction, the smaller pizza box can be easily inserted into a refrigerator. In contrast a typical pizza box is large and typically either cannot be inserted into a refrigerator or can only be inserted with great difficulty.

The present invention, in one embodiment, provides a pizza box comprised of a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion may be attached to the bottom portion by a first attachment device, so that the bottom portion can be easily detached from the top portion. The bottom portion may be comprised of a first section, a second section, and a third section. The third section can be folded over the first section, so that the first, second, and third sections form a substantially closed container.

The first, second, and third sections each may be comprised of a floor, a first wall, and a second wall. The floor of the first section may be attached to the floor of the second section through a second attachment device. The floor of the second section may be attached to the floor of the third section through a third attachment device. The first wall of the first section may be attached to the first wall of the second section through a fourth attachment device. The first wall of the second section may be attached to the first wall of the third section through a fifth attachment device.

The fourth attachment device allows the first wall of the first section to be detached from the first wall of the second section, and the fifth attachment device allows the first wall of the second section to be detached from the first wall of the third section, so that the first wall of the second section can be folded into a substantially different orientation from the first walls of the first and third sections;

The second wall of the first section may be attached to the second wall of the second section through a sixth attachment device. The second wall of the second section may be attached to the second wall of the third section through a seventh attachment device. The sixth attachment device allows the second wall of the first section to be detached from the second wall of the second section, and the seventh attachment device allows the second wall of the second section to be detached from the second wall of the third section, so that the second wall of the second section can be folded into a substantially different orientation from the second walls of the first and third sections.

When the first wall of the second section is detached from the first walls of the first and third sections and the second wall of the second section is detached from the second walls of the first and third sections, the first section can be easily folded over the third section, and the bottom portion of the pizza box can be placed into a state such that the second section is substantially perpendicular to the first and third sections, and the first, second, and third sections form a substantially closed container.

The present invention, in one embodiment, provides a method including attaching a top portion of a pizza box to a bottom portion of a pizza box by a first attachment device, so that the bottom portion can be detached from the top portion. The bottom portion of the pizza box may be configured as previously stated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an isometric perspective view of a top portion and a bottom portion of a modified pizza box in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, with a full pizza shown on a floor of the bottom portion and with the bottom portion of the modified pizza box shown in a completely open state;

FIG. 2 shows an isometric perspective view of a bottom portion of a modified pizza box in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, with the bottom portion of the modified pizza box shown in a completely open state;

FIG. 3 shows an isometric perspective view of the bottom portion of the modified pizza box of FIG. 1, with the bottom portion of the modified pizza box shown in a partially closed state;

FIG. 4 shows an isometric perspective view of the bottom portion of the modified pizza box of FIG. 1, with the bottom portion of the modified pizza box shown in a completely closed state;

FIG. 5 shows a top view of the bottom portion of the modified pizza box of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 shows a left side view of the bottom portion of the modified pizza box of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 shows a bottom view of the bottom portion of the modified pizza box of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 shows a right side view of the bottom portion of the modified pizza box of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 shows a rear view of the bottom portion of the modified pizza box of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 10 shows a front view of the bottom portion of the modified pizza box of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an isometric perspective view of a top portion 2 and a bottom portion 10 of a modified pizza box 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, with a full pizza 100 shown on a floor of the bottom portion 10 and with the bottom portion 10 of the modified pizza box 1 shown in a completely open state. The full pizza 100 includes eight slices, including slice 100a. The top portion includes sides 2a, 2b, and 2c and top 2d. The top 2d is connected by attachment device 2e to a rear side 14 of the bottom portion 1 0. The attachment device 2e may be a line or substantially linear section of perforated material, running from side 2c to side 2b along the periphery of top 2d, which allows the top portion 2 to be easily detached from the bottom portion 10.

FIG. 2 shows an isometric perspective view of a bottom portion 10, after the top portion 2 has been detached, with the bottom portion 10 shown in a completely open state. FIG. 3 shows an isometric perspective view of the bottom portion 10 of the modified pizza box 1, with the bottom portion 1 0 shown in a partially closed state. FIG. 4 shows an isometric perspective view of the bottom portion 1 of the modified pizza box 1, with the bottom portion 10 of the modified pizza box 1 shown in a completely closed state. FIGS. 5-10 show top, left side, bottom side, right side, rear, and front views of the bottom portion 10 of the modified pizza box 1.

The bottom portion 10 of the modified pizza box 1 includes sections 12, 30 and 40. Section 12 includes walls 14, 18, and 20. Section 12 also includes overlap portions 16 and 22. The wall 14 includes front surface 14c, shown in FIG. 2, and rear surface 14d shown in FIG. 3. The wall 14 also includes notches 14a and 14b. The walls 18 and 20 are connected to overlap portions 16 and 22, respectively. Each of the overlap portions 16 and 22 are parallel to and overlap a portion of wall 14. Section 12 also includes a floor 11 having a top surface 11a, shown in FIG. 2 and a bottom surface 11b shown in FIG. 4.

The section 12 is connected to the section 30 by attachment device 36b, which may be a fold, crease or line having a thinner material than floors 11 or 31, so that the section 12 can be easily folded from the fully opened state of FIG. 2 to the partially opened state of FIG. 3. The section 30 may include walls 32 and 34 and a floor 31. The floor 31 may have a top surface 31a, shown in FIG. 2, and a bottom surface 31b shown in FIG. 7. The section 30 may include lines of perforations or notched lines 32a, 32b, 34a, and 34b. The line of perforations 32a allow the wall 32 to be easily detached from the wall 42, and the line of perforations 32b allow the wall 32 to be easily detached from the wall 20, so that the wall 32 can be folded in towards floor surface 31a or outwards. Similarly, the line of perforations 34a allow the wall 34 to be easily detached from the wall 50, and the line of perforations 34b allow the wall 34 to be easily detached from the wall 18, so that the wall 34 can be folded in towards floor surface 31 a or outwards. With the walls 34 and 32 detached, the section 12 can be folded over from the state in FIG. 2 to the state in FIG. 3, or to the state in FIG. 4.

The section 30 is connected to the section 40 by attachment device 36a, which may be a fold, crease or line having a thinner material than the floors 31, or 41, so that the section 30 can be easily folded from the fully opened state of FIG. 2 to the fully closed state of FIG. 4. Section 40 includes walls 42, 44, and 50. Section 40 also includes overlap top section 46 and overlap wall 48. Walls 44 and 48 includes semicircular notch 44a and 48, respectively. Wall 44 includes protruding sections 44b and 44c.

The section 40 also includes insert walls 43 and 53 which are connected to walls 42 and 50 , respectively. The insert walls 43 and 53 are substantially perpendicular to the floor 41 and lie between the walls 44 and 48. In this matter the walls 44 and 48 retain the walls 42 and 52 in an orientation which is substantially perpendicular with respect to the floor 41. Assuming the wall 32 is still connected to the walls 42 and 20 and the walls 50 and 18 are still connected to the wall 34, then the walls 42, 32, 20, 22, 16, 18, and 50 are also held in a substantially perpendicular orientation with respect to the floors 41, 31, and 11. However, when the wall 32 is separated from the walls 42 and 20 and the wall 34 is separated from the walls 50 and 18, by tearing or otherwise separating along perforations 32a, 32b, 34a, and 34b, the section 12 can be folded over the section 40, as shown by FIGS. 2, 3, and 4.

The wall 14 may not be held to the overlapping walls 22 and 16 and may fold outward away from the floor 11a. Section 40 also includes a floor 41 having a top surface 41a, shown in FIG. 2 and a bottom surface 41b shown in FIG. 7.

In operation, a full pizza pie may be inserted into the chamber, recess, or opening 91 of the bottom portion 10, covering a portion of floor surfaces 41a, 31a, and 11a. After some of the pizza has been eaten the bottom portion 10 can be transformed into a smaller container as follows. The wall 32 is separated from the walls 42 and 20 by tearing or otherwise separating along line of perforations 32a and 32b, respectively. The wall 34 is separated from the walls 50 and 18 by tearing or otherwise separating along line of perforations 34a and 34b, respectively. The walls 32 and 34, after separation, can then be folded outward or inward, so that the walls 32 and 34 may be substantially parallel to the floor surface 31a, while the walls 42, 20, 50, and 18 remain substantially perpendicular to the floor surface 31a.

After the walls 32 and 34 have been separated, and the walls 32 and 34 folded inwards or outwards, the section 12 can be folded from the state of FIG. 2 to the state of FIG. 3, along fold 36b. Thereafter the section 30 can be folded along the fold line 36a, to provide a completely closed smaller container, as shown in FIG. 4. The smaller container formed can more easily fit into a refrigerator than a typical pizza box.

Although the invention has been described by reference to particular illustrative embodiments thereof, many changes and modifications of the invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to include within this patent all such changes and modifications as may reasonably and properly be included within the scope of the present invention's contribution to the art.