Carrier and method
The carrier has beverage cup-holding receptacles on opposite sides of a vertical support panel, and a third much larger receptacle formed from the same blank. The carrier is stored flat and is unfolded for use at a usage location such as a motion picture theater concession stand, where it can be used to carry beverage cups in the smaller receptacles and a bucket of popcorn in the large receptacle. A tray can be mounted on an upright handle structure through a slot in the bottom, and can be used to carry other food item such as candy, hot dogs, etc. The carrier can be used to carry out fast foods such as fried chicken, french fries and beverages. Solid, bulky foods such as popcorn and fried chicken can be carried in the larger receptacle directly, without the use of a bucket or other separate container.
1. A carrier comprising
a vertical support panel structure having a hand-hold structure,
first, second and third receptacle structures secured to said vertical support panel structure and unfoldable to form first, second and third receptacles, said first and second receptacles being located on opposite sides of said panel structure,
said first and second receptacles comprising a pair of compartments having side walls including a portion of said support panel structure and side wall panels extending outwardly from said support panel structure in a first direction,
said third receptacle extending laterally away from said first and second receptacles in a direction transverse to said first direction,
said side wall panels including two sets of panels, each comprising three panels secured together in series along fold lines, each set being secured at its ends to said vertical support panel structure, each of said panels having an upper and a lower edge,
an automatically-opening bottom structure comprising selectively interconnected flanges extending from said lower edge of each of said panels for each of said two sets of panels,
said side wall panels forming side walls of said first, second and third receptacles, said bottom structures forming bottom walls for said first, second and third receptacles,
said vertical support panel structure being of much greater height adjacent said hand hold structure than laterally thereof to give said third receptacle twice the width of said first and second receptacles.
2. A carrier as in claim 1 in which each of said first and second receptacles includes a divider wall separating it from said third receptacle.
3. A carrier as in claim 1 including a further receptacle with means for mounting it on said vertical support panel structure above said first and second receptacles.
4. A carrier as in claim 1 in which said third receptacle is substantially larger than either of said first and second receptacles.
5. A carrier comprising
a vertical support panel structure having a hand-hold structure,
first, second and third receptacle structures secured to said vertical support panel structure and unfoldable to form first, second and third receptacles, said first and second receptacles being located on opposite sides of said panel structure,
said first and second receptacles comprising a pair of compartments having side walls including a portion of said support panel structure and side wall panels extending outwardly from said support panel structure in a first direction,
said third receptacle extending laterally away from said first and second receptacles in a direction transverse to said first direction, in which each of said first and second receptacles includes a divider wall separating it from said third receptacle, and
in which each of said receptacle structures includes a bottom structure having a foldable top wall comprising a broad panel extending, when unfolded, substantially across said bottom structure in said first direction, and substantially across said bottom structure in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, and the lower edge of each of said divider walls is located upwardly from said bottom structure to provide clearance for unfolding of said top wall when said bottom structure is being unfolded.
6. A carrier comprising
a vertical support panel structure having a hand-hold structure,
first, second and third receptacle structures secured to said vertical support panel structure and unfoldable to form first, second and third receptacles, said first and second receptacles being located on opposite sides of said panel structure,
said first and second receptacles comprising a pair of compartments having side walls including a portion of said support panel structure and side wall panels extending outwardly from said support panel structure in a first direction,
said third receptacle extending laterally away from said first and second receptacles in a direction transverse to said first direction, in which each of said first and second receptacles includes a divider wall separating it from said third receptacle, and
in which each of said receptacle structures includes a bottom structure having a foldable top wall, each of said top walls comprising a broad top panel extending, when unfolded, substantially across said bottom structure in said first direction and extending substantially across said bottom structure in a direction perpendicular to said first direction, and including a sealing panel for each of said first and second receptacles, each of said sealing panels being foldable into a position to form a barrier to prevent particulate materials from moving between said third receptacle and either of said first and second receptacles.
7. A carrier comprising
a vertical support panel structure having a hand-hold structure,
first, second and third receptacle structures secured to said vertical support panel structure and unfoldable to form first, second and third receptacles, said first and second receptacles being located on opposite sides of said panel structure,
said first and second receptacles comprising a pair of compartments having side walls including a portion of said support panel structure and side wall panels extending outwardly from said support panel structure in a first direction,
said third receptacle extending laterally away from said first and second receptacles in a direction transverse to said first direction,
in which said vertical support structures comprises a pair of vertical panels secured together back-to-back, said vertical support panels being of much greater height in the vicinity of said first and second receptacles than in the vicinity of said third receptacle to form a short vertical spine for said third receptacle.
8. A carrier as in claim 7 in which said carrier has a side wall formed by a pair of panels joined together by a pair of flanges secured together at a position aligned with said spine.
9. A carrier as in claim 3 in which said further receptacle is a tray which has a bottom wall with a slot in it through which said vertical panel structure can extend.
10. A carrier comprising
a vertical support panel structure having a hand-hold structure,
first, second and third receptacle structures secured to said vertical support panel structure and unfoldable to form first, second and third receptacles, said first and second receptacles being located on opposite sides of said panel structure,
said first and second receptacles comprising a pair of compartments having side walls including a portion of said support panel structure and side wall panels extending outwardly from said support panel structure in a first direction,
said third receptacle extending laterally away from said first and second receptacles in a direction transverse to said first direction,
in which said carrier includes a foldable panel forming a bottom support member which is shaped and sized to bear against at least one of said side walls to hold said carrier open to facilitate loading said carrier.
11. A carrier comprising
a vertical support panel structure having a hand-hold structure,
first, second and third receptacle structures secured to said vertical support panel structure and unfoldable to form first, second and third receptacles, said first and second receptacles being located on opposite sides of said panel structure,
said first and second receptacles comprising a pair of compartments having side walls including a portion of said support panel structure and side wall panels extending outwardly from said support panel structure in a first direction,
said third receptacle extending laterally away from said first and second receptacles in a direction transverse to said first direction,
including a cover over each of said first and second receptacles, said cover having a hole to support a container in said receptacle.
12. A carrier comprising
a vertical support panel structure having a hand-hold structure,
first, second and third foldable container structures secured to said vertical support panel structure and unfoldable to to form first, second and third receptacles, said first and second receptacles being located on opposite sides of said panel structure,
said first and second receptacles comprising a pair of compartments having side walls including a portion of said support panel structure and side wall panels extending outwardly from said support panel structure in a first direction,
said third receptacle extending laterally away from said first and second receptacles in a direction transverse to said first direction,
said side wall panels including two sets of panels, each comprising three panels secured together in series along fold lines, each set being secured at its ends to said vertical support panel structure, each of said panels having an upper and a lower edge,
an automatically-opening bottom structure comprising selectively interconnected flanges extending from said lower edge of each of said panels for each of said two sets of panels,
said side wall panels forming side walls of said first, second and third receptacles, said bottom structures forming bottom walls for said first, second and third receptacles,
said vertical support panel structure being of much greater height adjacent said hand hold structure than laterally thereof to give said third receptacle twice the width of said first and second receptacles,
(b) placing at least one container of said first size in one of said first and second receptacles,
(c) placing a container of said second size in said third receptacle, and
(d) carrying said carrier.
13. A method of distributing food in containers including containers of a first size and a second size much greater than said first size,
(a) providing a carrier comprising
a vertical support panel structure having a hand-hold structure,
first, second and third foldable container structures secured to said vertical support panel structure and unfoldable to form first, second and third receptacles, said first and second receptacles being located on opposite sides of said panel structure,
said first and second receptacles comprising a pair of compartments having side walls including a portion of said support panel structure and side wall panels extending outwardly from said support panel structure in a first direction,
said third receptacle extending laterally away from said first and second receptacles in a direction transverse to said first direction,
in which each of said receptacles includes at least one rectangular bottom structure formed of four flanges, each hinged to the bottom of one of said side walls, flanges at opposite corners of said rectangular bottom structure being attached to one another and foldable along diagonal lines, and one of said flanges covering the entirety of said bottom structure.
14. A method as in claim 13 including
(e) providing a further receptacle with means for mounting it on said vertical support panel above said first and second receptacles,
(f) placing additional solid food items in said further receptacle,
(g) mounting said further receptacle on said vertical support structure before said carrying step.
15. A method of distributing food in containers including containers of a first size and a second size much greater than said first size,
(a) providing a carrier comprising
a vertical support panel structure having a hand-hold structure,
first, second and third foldable container structures secured to said vertical support panel structure and unfoldable to form first, second and third receptacles, said first and second receptacles being located on opposite sides of said panel structure,
said first and second receptacles comprising a pair of compartments having side walls including a portion of said support panel structure and side wall panels extending outwardly from said support panel structure in a first direction,
said third receptacle extending laterally away from said first and second receptacles in a direction transverse to said first direction,
(b) providing a further receptacle with means for mounting it on said vertical support panel above said first and second receptacles,
(c) placing at least one container of said first size in one of said first and second receptacles,
(d) placing a container of said second size in said third receptacle,
(e) placing additional solid food items in said further receptacle,
(f) mounting said further receptacle on said vertical support structure, and
(g) carrying said carrier, and including the step of heating said solid food items before said mounting step.
16. A method of distributing food in containers including containers of a first size and a second size much greater than said first size,
(a) providing a carrier comprising
a vertical support panel structure having a hand-hold structure,
first, second and third foldable container structures secured to said vertical support panel structure and unfoldable to form first, second and third receptacles, said first and second receptacles being located on opposite sides of said panel structure,
said first and second receptacles comprising a pair of compartments having side walls including a portion of said support panel structure and side wall panels extending outwardly from said support panel structure in a first direction,
said third receptacle extending laterally away from said first and second receptacles in a direction transverse to said first direction,
(b) placing at least one container of said first size in one of said first and second containers,
(c) placing a container of said second size in said third receptacle,
(d) carrying said carrier,
in which said receptacles have bottom structures with flanges shaped to bear against at least one side wall of said carrier, and using said flanges to prop said carrier open while it is being loaded.
17. A method as in claim 13 in which said container of said second size contains a food selected from the group consisting of fried chicken, cooked meat, take-out foods, and popcorn, and said container of said first size contains a liquid beverage.
18. A method of distributing food in containers including containers of a first size and a second size much greater than said first size,
providing a carrier comprising
a vertical support panel structure having a hand-hold structure,
first, second and third foldable receptacle structures secured to said vertical support panel structure and unfoldable to form first, second and third receptacles, said first and second receptacles being located on opposite sides of said panel structure,
said first and second receptacles comprising a pair of compartments having side walls including a portion of said support panel structure and side wall panels extending outwardly from said support panel structure in a first direction,
said third receptacle extending laterally away from said first and second receptacles in a direction transverse to said first direction, and
a wall structure separating said third receptacle from said first and second receptacles,
said side wall panels including two sets of panels, each comprising three panels secured together in series along fold lines, each set being secured at its ends to said vertical support panel structure, each of said panels having an upper and a lower edge,
an automatically-opening bottom structure comprising selectively interconnected flanges extending from said lower edge of each of said panels for each of said two sets of panels,
said side wall panels forming side walls of said first, second and third receptacles, said bottom structures forming bottom walls for said first, second and third receptacles,
said vertical support panel structure being of much greater height adjacent said hand hold structure than laterally thereof to give said third receptacle twice the width of said first and second receptacles,
(b) placing at least one container of said first size in one of said first and second receptacles,
(c) Utilizing said third receptacle as said container of said second size to hold food items, and
(d) carrying said carrier using said hand-hold.
19. A method as in claim 18 in which said food items in said third receptacle are selected from the group consisting of popcorn, fried chicken, cooked meats, nachos, hamburgers, hot dogs and other take-out foods, and said container of said first size contains a liquid beverage.