Container

Abstract

A collapsible container made from sheet material, comprising a cover portion and a base portion; the cover portion and base portion each being pivotally connected at respective spaced fold lines to a rear wall each, wherein each of the cover portion and base portion comprises a main panel having, at its edge remote from the rear wall portion, a front wall and, at its opposite side edges, side walls wherein the side and front walls portions of the cover portion interfit with one another to retain them in position extending generally perpendicular to the panel of the cover portion and the side and front walls of the base portion are able, to lie within inwardly facing surfaces of the side and front walls of the cover portion.

1 . A collapsible container made from sheet material, comprising:
 a cover portion;   a base portion;   a rear wall portion connected to each of the cover portion and base portion at respective spaced fold lines;   each of the cover portion and base portion comprising a main panel, a front wall portion at an edge of the main panel remote from the rear wall portion, and side walls at opposite side edges of the main panel; wherein   the side walls and front wall of the cover portion interfit with one another to retain them in position extending generally perpendicular to the main panel of the cover portion; and   the side walls and front wall of the base portion of the container are able to lie within inwardly facing surfaces of the side and front wall thereof.   
     
     
         2 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein the side walls of the cover portion are provided, at their free end adjacent the front wall of the cover portion, with respective tabs which engage the front wall. 
     
     
         3 . A container according to  claim 2  wherein the tabs are folded to extend generally at right angles to the side walls, and are constrained between surfaces of respective parts of the front wall which have been folded to overlie one another. 
     
     
         4 . A container according to  claim 3  wherein the respective parts of the front wall are retained in their folded, overlying, position by formations on a free edge of the front wall prior to its folding, the formations engaging in receiving formations where the front wall is connected to the main panel of the cover portion. 
     
     
         5 . A container according to  claim 3  wherein, prior to folding thereof so that its one portion overlies the other, the dimension of the front wall is substantially that of the height of the side walls of the cover portion. 
     
     
         6 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein at least one of the cover and base portions has at least its main panel provided with at least one surface relief extending between opposite regions of the panel, for facilitating folding of the panel along the relief. 
     
     
         7 . A container according to  claim 6  wherein the at least one main panel having the relief has first and second reliefs extending along respective axes between opposed regions of the panel and through a central region of the panel, the axes extending generally perpendicular to one another. 
     
     
         8 . A container according to  claim 6  wherein the at least one relief extends from the panel into adjacent wall portions of the container at the edges thereof. 
     
     
         9 . A container according to  claim 6  wherein respective parts of the container, separated from one another when the container has been folded along the reliefs, have formations engageable with one another to hold the container in the folded condition. 
     
     
         10 . A container according to  claim 1  wherein the sheet material is corrugated cardboard, having surface layers separated by a corrugated flute. 
     
     
         11 . A container according to  claim 1  which is a pizza box. 
     
     
         12 . A blank of sheet material for erection into a container according to  claim 1  the blank comprising main panels for the cover portion and base portion of the container, a rear wall panel connecting said main panels at spaced parallel fold lines, and flaps at free edges of the main panels to form side and front walls of the cover portion and base portion of the container. 
     
     
         13 . A method of packaging a pizza in a container according to  claim 11 , comprising erecting the cover portion of the container by folding the side walls and front wall thereof from the main panel thereof and interfitting the walls with one another to retain them in position; placing a pizza on the main panel of the base portion of the blank; optionally cutting the pizza into portions while it is on the base portion of the blank; folding the side and front walls of the base portion upwardly from the main panel of the blank, and closing the cover portion of the container relative to the base portion to hold the side and front walls of the base portion within the side and front walls of the cover portion.