Foodstuff Holder, Blank for Same and Serving Method

Abstract

A foodstuff holder has first and second sidewalls of triangular area facing one another in an aligned manner at positions spaced apart from one another. A rear wall interconnects the first and second sidewalls along a respective rear side of the aligned triangular areas, and a bottom wall interconnects the first and second sidewalls along a respective bottom side of the aligned triangular areas. The bottom wall and the bottom side are longer than the rear wall and the rear side respectively giving the holder a shape suitable for a triangular piece of pizza folded in half along its length. A lip formed on the bottom wall at an end thereof opposite the rear wall on a face of the bottom wall facing into the open space prevents leakage from the holder. The holder may be formed from a foldable blank and used in methods of food preparation or service.

1 . A foodstuff holder comprising:
 first and second sidewalls facing one another at positions spaced apart from one another, a perimeter of each of the sidewalls closing around a triangular area on a face of the sidewall and the triangular areas on the two side walls being equal and aligned with one another across open space between the side walls;   a rear wall interconnecting the first and second sidewalls along a respective rear side of the aligned triangular areas; and   a bottom wall interconnecting the first and second sidewalls along a respective bottom side of the aligned triangular areas.   
     
     
         2 . The foodstuff holder of  claim 1  wherein the bottom wall and the bottom side are longer than the rear wall and the rear side respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The foodstuff holder of  claim 1  comprising a lip formed on the bottom wall at an end thereof opposite the rear wall on a face of the bottom wall facing into the open space between the aligned triangular areas of the side walls. 
     
     
         4 . The foodstuff holder of  claim 3  wherein the lip comprises a folded-over end portion of the bottom wall. 
     
     
         5 . The foodstuff holder of  claim 1  wherein the rear and bottom walls are disposed at a right angle with one another. 
     
     
         6 . The foodstuff holder of  claim 1  wherein a side of the triangular areas along which the open space between the side walls is unobstructed is longer than the rear and bottom sides of the triangular areas. 
     
     
         7 . A method of serving foodstuff, the method comprising:
 (a) selecting a foodstuff article to be consumed by a consumer; and   (b) obtaining a foodstuff holder comprising:
 first and second sidewalls facing one another at positions spaced apart from one another, a perimeter of each of the sidewalls closing around a triangular area on a face of the sidewall and the triangular areas on the two side walls being equal and aligned with one another across open space between the side walls; 
 a rear wall interconnecting the first and second sidewalls along a respective rear side of the aligned triangular areas; and 
 a bottom wall interconnecting the first and second sidewalls along a respective bottom side of the aligned triangular areas; and 
   (c) placing the selected foodstuff article into the open space between the sidewalls of the foodstuff holder through an open side of the foodstuff holder at which the open space between the sidewalls is left unobstructed between the rear and bottom walls;   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the foodstuff article is a slice of pizza, and step (c) comprises folding the slice of pizza in half along a longitudinal axis thereof and placing the slice of pizza into the open space of the foodstuff holder to seat a folded side of the slice of pizza on the bottom wall of the foodstuff holder with a crust end of the slice of pizza adjacent the rear wall of the foodstuff holder. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  comprising, prior to step (c), creating the foodstuff holder from a blank, including folding the blank to define the walls of the foodstuff holder. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein creating the foodstuff holder from the blank comprises forming the rear wall of the foodstuff holder by fastening together first and second rear wall portions of the blank fixed to the first and second sidewalls respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein forming the rear wall comprises fastening the first and second rear wall portions together by engaging a tab on the first rear wall portion of the blank with a slot on the second rear wall portion of the blank. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the rear wall of the foodstuff holder further comprises a third rear wall portion fixed to the bottom wall of the blank and folded relative thereto. 
     
     
         13 . A blank for forming a foodstuff holder, the blank comprising:
 a first sidewall section having a first face including a first triangular area and having first and second fold lines extending along a first and second sides of the first triangular area and a first outer edge extending along a longest third side of the first triangular area;   a middle section connected to the first sidewall section along the first fold line;   a second sidewall section having a second face including a second triangular area and having a third fold line extending along a first side of the second triangular area and a second outer edge extending along a longest second side of the second triangular area, the third fold line being disposed across the middle section from first fold line and the second sidewall section and the middle section being interconnected along the third fold line such that the first and second sidewall sections are disposed on opposite sides of the middle section connected therebetween; and   an additional wall section connected to the first sidewall section along the second fold line thereof.   
     
     
         14 . The blank according to  claim 13  wherein the first side of the first triangular area is longer than the second side of the first triangular area and shorter than the third side of the first triangular area, and the first side of the second triangular area is shorter than the second side of the second triangular area and longer than a third side of the second triangular area. 
     
     
         15 . The blank according to  claim 14  having a retaining lip fold line extending across the middle section proximate an end thereof opposite the second fold line. 
     
     
         16 . The blank according to  claim 13  having a fourth fold line extending along the third side of the second triangular area and a second additional wall section connected to the second sidewall section along the fourth fold line. 
     
     
         17 . The blank according to  claim 16  wherein the additional wall section has a slot therein extending along the second fold line and the second additional wall section comprises a tab projecting away from the fourth fold line and extending therealong, the tab being shaped for hooked engagement with the slot. 
     
     
         18 . The blank according to  claim 16  comprising a third additional wall section connected to the middle section along a fifth fold line extending between the first fold line and the third fold line at the ends thereof from the second and fourth fold lines extend. 
     
     
         19 . The blank according to  claim 13  wherein the first and third fold lines are parallel. 
     
     
         20 . The blank according to  claim 13  wherein the first and third fold lines are parallel and each other fold line is at a right angle to the first and third fold lines.