Carrier and method
View Patent ↗The carrier has an automatic self-locking bottom construction which is actuated simply by placing a beverage or other container onto a bottom panel which traverses the whole width of the bottom and causes one or more tabs to snap into slots to perform the locking function. Special covered auxiliary containers which slip down over the upstanding handle of the carrier are provided for carrying donuts, rolls, pizza slices, sandwiches, or other food items, together with beverages in the carrier. Preferably, the container is made to be oven-proof so that the food items can be heated in the trays before mounting the trays on the carriers. The food items can be stored in the covered trays safely before distribution so as to speed the distribution process.
1. A carrier comprising:
a central support structure having two central support panels and a handle structure; each of said central support panels having upper and lower portions,
said handle structure being located in said upper portion of said central support panels;
a pair of foldable side wall structures each extending outwardly from said lower portion of said central support structure when unfolded to form a side wall for a retainer structure;
each of said side wall structures comprising three side wall panels attached together and to said support structure along vertical fold lines, and a fourth side wall panel comprising said lower portion of said central support structure, each of said side wall panels having an upper edge and a lower edge, and a foldable flange extending downwardly from said lower edge of each of said side wall panels,
said flanges being secured together and foldable so as to unfold automatically when said carrier is unfolded and to at least partially overlap one another to form a bottom structure for each of said retainer structures, and
further central support panels, each overlying and secured to said upper portion of one of said central support panels, in which said flanges include a wide flange extending from said central support panel completely across the bottom of each retainer structure when unfolded to engage the opposite side wall.
2. A carrier as in claim 1 including at least one foldable divider wall for each of said retainer structures, each of said divider walls having two ends and extending between and secured to said central support structure at one of said ends, and to one of said three side wall panels at the other of said ends to divide one of said retainer structures into at least two compartments.
3. A carrier as in claim 1 in which each of said flanges is secured to an adjacent flange with a diagonal fold line.
4. A carrier as in claim 1 in which each of said further central support panels comprises a panel secured along a fold line to said upper portion of said one central support panel.
5. A carrier as in claim 2 in which each of said divider walls has an upper edge and a lower edge, said lower edge being spaced upwardly from the lower edges of said side wall panels to permit downward unfolding of said flanges.
6. A carrier as in claim 1 in which said flanges include a first flange extending from said central support panel and a second flange extending from a side wall panel opposite said central support panel, said second flange having an outermost edge at a location to engage said central panel structure, and at least one tab projecting from said outermost edge, said one central support panel having at least one slot positioned to receive said tab when said second flange is pressed downwardly.
7. A carrier as in claim 1 including a gusset between each of said side walls which joins with one of said central support panels and the central support panel with which it joins.
8. A carrier comprising:
a central support structure having two central support panels and a handle structure; each of said central support panels having upper and lower portions,
said handle structure being located in said upper portion of said central support panels;
a pair of foldable side wall structures each extending outwardly from said lower portion of said central support structure when unfolded to form a side wall for a retainer structure;
each of said side wall structures comprising three side wall panels attached together and to said support structure along vertical fold lines, and a fourth side wall panel comprising said lower portion of said central support structure, each of said side wall panels having an upper edge and a lower edge, and a foldable flange extending downwardly from said lower edge of each of said side wall panels,
said flanges being secured together and foldable so as to unfold automatically when said carrier is unfolded and to at least partially overlap one another to form a bottom structure for each of said retainer structures,
further central support panels, each overlying and secured to said upper portion of one of said central support panels,
including at least one foldable divider wall for each of said retainer structures, each of said divider walls having two ends and extending between and secured to said central support structure at one of said ends , and to one of said three side wall panels at the other of said ends to divide one of said retainer structures into at least two compartments, and
in which each of said divider walls is vertically elongated and tapered to a narrow lower end to extend to adjacent said bottom support structure to provide cushioning between side-by-side containers in said compartments and flexibility to allow said flanges to unfold.
9. A carrier as in claim 2 in which each of said dividers is formed as a hinged cutout from one of said central support structure panels, and including at least one or more further panels covering at least a portion of the cutout openings in areas where containers in compartments on one side of said central support are aligned with containers on the other side thereof so as to provide cushioning between said containers.
10. A carrier comprising:
a central support structure having two central support panels and a handle structure; each of said central support panels having upper and lower portions,
said handle structure being located in said upper portion of said central support panels;
a pair of foldable side wall structures each extending outwardly from said lower portion of said central support structure when unfolded to form a side wall for a retainer structure;
each of said side wall structures comprising three side wall panels attached together and to said support structure along vertical fold lines, and a fourth side wall panel comprising said lower portion of said central support structure, each of said side wall panels having an upper edge and a lower edge, and a foldable flange extending downwardly from said lower edge of each of said side wall panels,
said flanges being secured together and foldable so as to unfold automatically when said carrier is unfolded and to at least partially overlap one another to form a bottom structure for each of said retainer structures, and
further central support panels, each overlying and secured to said upper portion of one of said central support panels, including added further central support panels, each overlying one of said first-named further panels and said upper portion of said one central support panel to doubly reinforce said central support panel.
11. A carrier as in claim 10 in which each of said added further support panels is fastened to the first-named further panel along a fold line to be foldable onto said first-named further panel.
12. A carrier comprising:
a central support structure having two central support panels and a handle structure; each of said central support panels having upper and lower portions,
said handle structure being located in said upper portion of said central support panels;
a pair of foldable side wall structures each extending outwardly from said lower portion of said central support structure when unfolded to form a side wall for a retainer structure;
each of said side wall structures comprising three side wall panels attached together and to said support structure along vertical fold lines, and a fourth side wall panel comprising said lower portion of said central support structure, each of said side wall panels having an upper edge and a lower edge, and a foldable flange extending downwardly from said lower edge of each of said side wall panels,
said flanges being secured together and foldable so as to unfold automatically when said carrier is unfolded and to at least partially overlap one another to form a bottom structure for each of said retainer structures, and
further central support panels, each overlying and secured to said upper portion of one of said central support panels
in which at least one of said flanges in each retainer structure is shaped and positioned to engage a surface in said retainer structure upon at least partial unfolding thereof to hold said retainer structure open to receive objects therein.
13. A carrier as in claim 12 in which first ones of said flanges extend from said central support panels and second ones of said flanges extend from side walls opposite said central support panels, each of said first and second flanges has an offset with the offset portion engageable with the offset portion of the other of said first and second flanges to hold said carrier open.