Two-tiered pastry box

Abstract

A pastry box includes a shelf portion which is formed from a blank that is separate from a one-piece box blank. The shelf includes flaps that provide support for the shelf when inserted into the folded box, thereby creating a box with two overlying compartments. The shelf is glued at its rear flap to the rear sidewall of the box thereby providing a hinge for the shelf so the shelf may be raised to provide access to a lower compartment.

1 . A two-tiered box for food items, comprising: 
 a box shell, said box shell having a width, length, and height;    a shelf;    said shelf including a shelf panel, a glue flap at one side of said shelf panel and a support flap at an opposite side of said shelf panel, wherein width and length dimensions of said shelf panel are substantially similar to said width and length dimensions of said box shell;    said glue flap being integrally connected to said shelf panel via a dividing line; and    said glue flap being affixed to an inside panel of said box shell such that when said glue flap is affixed to said inside panel of said box shell said shelf panel is parallel to a bottom of said box shell at a predetermined height relative to said box shell bottom.    
   
   
       2 . A two-tiered box according to  claim 1 , wherein said box shell includes a top portion comprising a two-sided roof with a pitched upper portion having mating handle cutouts that have locking tabs for securing the two portions together.  
   
   
       3 . A two-tiered box according to  claim 1 , wherein said box shell includes a top portion comprising a flat planar roof  
   
   
       4 . A two-tiered box according to  claim 3 , wherein said flat planar roof comprises a flat tuck-top.  
   
   
       5 . A two-tiered box according to  claim 1 , wherein said shelf further includes two opposed side reinforcing flaps carried one at each end of said shelf panel.  
   
   
       6 . A two-tiered box according to  claim 5 , wherein said two reinforcing flaps are integrally connected to said shelf via respective cut-score lines such that when said reinforcing flaps are folded outwardly along said respective cut-score lines, said reinforcing flaps are directed towards said bottom of said box shell.  
   
   
       7 . A two-tiered box according to  claim 5 , wherein one of said reinforcing flaps integrally connected to said shelf is glued to said shelf panel and the opposed side reinforcing flap is folded outwardly along a cut-score line and directed towards the bottom of said box shell.  
   
   
       8 . A two-tiered box according to  claim 1 , wherein said shelf further includes at least one hole cut therein, said hole being closer to a side of said shelf containing said support flap than to a side of said shelf containing said glue flap.  
   
   
       9 . A two-tiered box according to  claim 1 , further comprising a handle assembly connected to said box shell.  
   
   
       10 . A two-piece blank of foldable material cut to define: 
 first and second pieces;    said first piece including 
 a first side panel integrally connected to a first end panel at one end via a first fold line and to a second end panel at another end via a second fold line;  
 a second side panel integrally connected to said second end panel at one end via a third fold line and to a first glue flap at another end via a fourth fold line;  
 said first side panel integrally connected to a first side bottom flap via a fifth fold line;  
 said second side panel integrally connected to a second side bottom flap via a sixth fold line;  
 said first end panel integrally connected to a first end bottom flap via a seventh fold line; and  
 said second end panel integrally connected to a second end bottom flap via an eighth fold line;  
   said second piece including a shelf panel integrally connected to a second glue flap via a dividing line and to a shelf flap via a cut-score line; and    said first and second pieces dimensioned such that when said first and second pieces are constructed into a box said second glue flap is glued to an inside of said second side panel and said shelf panel is positioned at a predetermined height relative to said first piece bottom flaps.    
   
   
       11 . A two-piece blank according to  claim 10 , wherein said second piece is further cut to define first and second reinforcing flaps integrally connected to said shelf panel via first and second cut-score lines, respectively, wherein one of said first and second reinforcing flaps are mutually exclusively connected to said shelf panel at each one of the two ends thereof.  
   
   
       12 . A two-piece blank according to  claim 11 , wherein said second piece is further cut to define at least one hole cut within said shelf panel.  
   
   
       13 . A two-piece blank according to  claim 10 , wherein said first piece is further cut to define: 
 said first side panel integrally connected to a first side cover panel via a ninth fold line;    said first side cover panel integrally connected to a first handle portion via a tenth fold line;    said second side panel integrally connected to a second side cover panel via an eleventh fold line,    said second side cover panel integrally connected to a second handle portion via a twelfth fold line;    said first end panel integrally connected to a first end cover panel via a thirteenth fold line;    said second end panel integrally connected to a second end cover panel via a fourteenth fold line;    said first end cover panel including a first hole cut therein;    said second end cover panel including a second hole cut therein;    said first handle portion including a third hole cut therein, said third hole accommodating at least more than one finger of a user, at least a portion of said third hole being located along said tenth fold line;    said second handle portion including a fourth hole cut therein, said fourth hole being a mirror image of said third hole;    said first handle portion including first and second tabs at opposing ends of said first handle portion; and    said second handle portion including third and fourth tabs at opposing ends of said second handle portion;    wherein when said first piece is assembled into said box, said first and fourth tabs fit into said first hole of said first end cover panel and said second and fourth tabs fit into said second hole of said second end cover panel, thereby maintaining said third and fourth holes of said first and second handle portions, respectively, adjacent and aligned to one another.    
   
   
       14 . A two-piece blank according to  claim 10 , wherein said second piece is further cut to define first and second side reinforcing flaps integrally connected to said shelf panel via first and second cut-score lines, respectively, wherein said first and second side reinforcing flaps are connected to said shelf panel on ends thereof.  
   
   
       15 . A two-piece blank according to  claim 14 , wherein said second piece is further cut to define at least one hole cut within said shelf panel.