Pizza Carton

Abstract

A carton for holding a food product. The carton has a central panel and a plurality of panels foldably connected to the central panel to form a tray for receiving the food product. At least one retention panel is foldably connected to one of the plurality of panels. The retention panel is in generally spaced apart relationship with the central panel to form a receiving space for at least partially receiving the food product.

1 . A carton for holding a food product, the carton comprising:
 a central panel and a plurality of panels foldably connected to the central panel to form a tray for receiving the food product;   at least one retention panel foldably connected to one of the plurality of panels, the retention panel being in generally spaced apart relationship with the central panel to form a receiving space for at least partially receiving the food product.   
     
     
         2 . The carton of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of panels comprises a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel. 
     
     
         3 . The carton of  claim 1  wherein the retention panel at least partially encloses a corner of the tray. 
     
     
         4 . The carton of  claim 3  wherein the central panel is generally square-shaped and the carton comprises four retention panels, respectively partially enclosing corners of the tray. 
     
     
         5 . The carton of  claim 2  wherein the retention panel comprises a reinforcement flap foldably connected to the retention panel for interlocking engagement with at least one of the plurality of panels. 
     
     
         6 . The carton of  claim 5  further comprising a reinforcement tab foldably connected to one of the plurality of panels for securing the reinforcement panel in an assembled position. 
     
     
         7 . The carton of  claim 6  wherein the reinforcement tab, reinforcement flap, and one of the plurality of panels are in generally face-to-face relationship. 
     
     
         8 . The carton of  claim 7  wherein adhesive is applied to at least one of the reinforcement tab, the reinforcement flap, and one of the plurality of panels to secure the retention panel in the assembled position spaced apart from the central panel. 
     
     
         9 . The carton of  claim 2  wherein the retention panel has three edges comprising a lateral edge, a longitudinal edge, and an oblique edge. 
     
     
         10 . The carton of  claim 9  wherein the retention panel is spaced apart from the central panel by at least one panel selected from the group consisting of the side panels, the top panel, and the bottom panel. 
     
     
         11 . The carton of  claim 10  wherein the retention panel is generally parallel to the central panel. 
     
     
         12 . A blank for forming a carton for holding a food product, the blank comprising:
 a central panel and a plurality of panels foldably connected to the central panel for being formed into a tray; and   at least one retention panel foldably connected to at least one of the plurality of panels, the retention panel is for being positioned in generally spaced apart relationship with the central panel to form a receiving space in the carton formed from the tray.   
     
     
         13 . The blank of  claim 12  wherein the plurality of panels comprise a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel. 
     
     
         14 . The blank of  claim 13  wherein the central panel is generally square-shaped and the blank comprises four retention panels respectively foldably connected to one of plurality of panels at a location adjacent to a corner of the central panel. 
     
     
         15 . The blank of  claim 12  wherein the retention panel comprises a reinforcement flap foldably connected to the retention panel for interlocking engagement with at least one of the plurality of panels. 
     
     
         16 . The blank of  claim 15  further comprising a reinforcement tab foldably connected to one of the plurality of panels for securing the reinforcement panel in an assembled position in the carton formed from the blank. 
     
     
         17 . The blank of  claim 12  wherein the retention panel has three edges comprising a lateral edge, a longitudinal edge, and an oblique edge. 
     
     
         18 . The blank of  claim 13  wherein the retention panel is spaced apart from the central panel by at least one of the plurality of panels in the carton formed from the blank. 
     
     
         19 . The blank of  claim 18  wherein the retention panel is generally parallel to the central panel in the carton formed from the blank. 
     
     
         20 . A method of forming a carton, the method comprising:
 providing a blank having a central panel and a plurality of panels foldably connected to the central panel, the plurality of panels comprising a first side panel, a second side panel, a bottom panel, and a top panel, and at least one retention panel foldably connected at least one of the plurality of panels;   upwardly folding the side panels, top panel, and bottom panel relative to the central panel to form a tray;   folding the retention panel relative to at least one panel selected from the group consisting of the side panels, the bottom panel, and the top panel so that the retention panel is spaced apart from the central panel to form a receiving space for retaining the food product in the carton.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising securing the retention panel in position to form the receiving space. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the blank comprises a reinforcement flap foldably connected to the retention panel and a reinforcement tab foldably connected to one of the plurality of panels, and wherein securing the retention panel comprises folding the reinforcement tab and reinforcement flap and securing the reinforcement tab, reinforcement flap, and one of the plurality of panels in generally face-to-face relationship. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein securing the retention panel comprises applying adhesive to at least one panel selected from the group consisting of the reinforcement flap, the reinforcement tab, and the one of the plurality of panels. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the central panel is generally square-shaped and folding the retention panel comprises at least partially enclosing a corner of the tray. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the blank comprises four retention panels and the method comprises folding each of the retention panels to respectively enclose four corners of the tray. 
     
     
         26 . A blank for forming a carton for holding a food product, the blank comprising:
 a central panel and a plurality of panels foldably connected to the central panel;   at least two retention panels foldably connected to at least one of the plurality of panels, the retention panels being spaced apart by a gap.   
     
     
         27 . The blank of  claim 26  wherein said gap is in a lateral direction of the blank. 
     
     
         28 . The blank of  claim 27  wherein the gap comprises a space between longitudinal edges of the retention panels. 
     
     
         29 . The blank of  claim 26  wherein the plurality of panels comprises a first side panel and a second side panel, the at least two retention panels comprise a first pair of retention panels foldably connected to the first side panel and a second pair of retention panels foldably connected to the second side panel, and the gap comprises a first gap between the first pair of retention panels and a second gap between the second pair of retention panels.