Carton For Food Product

Abstract

A carton for holding a plurality of articles. The carton includes a plurality of panels that at least partially form an interior of the carton. In a first configuration of the carton, the carton contains at least one article containing a plurality of food products. The carton has features for converting the carton to a second configuration wherein the carton is converted to a serving tray for serving the plurality of food products.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A carton comprising
 a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton;   wherein in a first configuration of the carton, the carton contains at least one article containing a plurality of food products;   the carton has features for converting the carton to a second configuration wherein the carton is converted to a serving tray for serving the plurality of food products.   
     
     
         2 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of panels comprises a bottom panel, a front panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and a back panel foldably connected to the bottom panel. 
     
     
         3 . The carton of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of panels further comprises a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel and a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel. 
     
     
         4 . The carton of  claim 3 , wherein the features comprise at least one corner flap foldably connected to one of the first side panel and the second side panel. 
     
     
         5 . The carton of  claim 3 , wherein the features comprise at least one corner flap foldably connected to one of the front panel and the back panel. 
     
     
         6 . The carton of  claim 4 , further comprising at least one closure flap foldably connected to one of the front panel and the back panel along a fold line, wherein the first fold line comprises a cut. 
     
     
         7 . The carton of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one corner flap comprises a projection for being received in the cut. 
     
     
         8 . The carton of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one corner flap comprises a first corner flap and a second corner flap, and the projection comprises a first projection on the first corner flap and a second projection on the second corner flap. 
     
     
         9 . The carton of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one closure flap comprises a first closure flap foldably connected to the front panel at a first fold line having a first cut and a second closure flap foldably connected to the back panel at a second fold line having a second cut, the first projection is for being received in the first cut and the second projection is for being received in the second cut. 
     
     
         10 . The carton of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one corner flap comprises a projection and the features comprise a cut in at least one of the front panel and the back panel, the projection is for being received in the cut. 
     
     
         11 . The carton of  claim 2 , wherein the front panel is foldably connected to the bottom panel at a first curved fold line and the back panel is foldably connected to the bottom panel at a second curved fold line. 
     
     
         12 . The carton of  claim 2 , wherein the carton further comprises a first end flap foldably connected to the front panel and a second end flap foldably connected to the back panel, the first and second end flap being at least partially overlapped to close a first end of the carton. 
     
     
         13 . The carton of  claim 12 , wherein the carton further comprises a third end flap foldably connected to the front panel and a fourth end flap foldably connected to the back panel, the third and fourth end flap being at least partially overlapped to close a second end of the carton. 
     
     
         14 . The carton of  claim 13 , wherein the front panel has a first free edge and the back panel has a second free edge; and the first free edge is curved and extends between the first end flap and the third end flap, and the second free edge is curved and extends between the second end flap and the fourth end flap. 
     
     
         15 . The carton of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of panels comprises a bottom panel and a plurality of side panels foldably connected to the bottom panel. 
     
     
         16 . The carton of  claim 15 , wherein the bottom panel has eight sides and the plurality of side panels comprise a respective side panel foldably connected at each side of the bottom panel. 
     
     
         17 . The carton of  claim 16 , wherein the side panels have an arcuate shape and are separated by respective cuts. 
     
     
         18 . The carton of  claim 17 , wherein the side panels are for overlapping engagement in the second configuration of the carton. 
     
     
         19 . The carton of  claim 15 , further comprises a liner attached to the interior surface of the carton. 
     
     
         20 . A blank comprising
 a plurality of panels for forming an interior of a carton formed from the blank;   wherein in a first configuration of the carton formed from the blank, the carton contains at least one article containing a plurality of food products;   the carton formed from the blank has features for converting the carton to a second configuration wherein the carton is converted to a serving tray for serving the plurality of food products.   
     
     
         21 . The blank of  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of panels comprises a bottom panel, a front panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and a back panel foldably connected to the bottom panel. 
     
     
         22 . The blank of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of panels further comprises a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel and a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel. 
     
     
         23 . The blank of  claim 22 , wherein the features comprise at least one corner flap foldably connected to one of the first side panel and the second side panel. 
     
     
         24 . The blank of  claim 22 , wherein the features comprise at least one corner flap foldably connected to one of the front panel and the back panel 
     
     
         25 . The blank of  claim 23 , further comprising at least one closure flap foldably connected to one of the front panel and the back panel along a fold line, wherein the first fold line comprises a cut. 
     
     
         26 . The blank of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one corner flap comprises a projection for being received in the cut. 
     
     
         27 . The blank of  claim 26 , wherein the at least one corner flap comprises a first corner flap and a second corner flap, and the projection comprises a first projection on the first corner flap and a second projection on the second corner flap. 
     
     
         28 . The blank of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one closure flap comprises a first closure flap foldably connected to the front panel at a first fold line having a first cut and a second closure flap foldably connected to the back panel at a second fold line having a second cut, the first projection is for being received in the first cut and the second projection is for being received in the second cut when the blank is formed into the carton. 
     
     
         29 . The blank of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one corner flap comprises a projection and the features comprise a cut in at least one of the front panel and the back panel, the projection is for being received in the cut when the blank is formed into the carton. 
     
     
         30 . The blank of  claim 21 , wherein the front panel is foldably connected to the bottom panel at a first curved fold line and the back panel is foldably connected to the bottom panel at a second curved fold line. 
     
     
         31 . The blank of  claim 21 , wherein the front panel and the back panel are foldably connected to the bottom panel, and the blank further comprises a first end flap foldably connected to the front panel and a second end flap foldably connected to the back panel, the first and second end flap are for being at least partially overlapped to close a first end of the carton when the carton is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         32 . The blank of  claim 31 , wherein the blank further comprises a third end flap foldably connected to the front panel and a fourth end flap foldably connected to the back panel, the third and fourth end flap are for being at least partially overlapped to close a second end of the carton when the carton is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         33 . The blank of  claim 32 , wherein the front panel has a first free edge and the back panel has a second free edge; and the first free edge is curved and extends between the first end flap and the third end flap, and the second free edge is curved and extends between the second end flap and the fourth end flap. 
     
     
         34 . The blank of  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of panels comprises a bottom panel and a plurality of side panels foldably connected to the bottom panel. 
     
     
         35 . The blank of  claim 34 , wherein the bottom panel has eight sides and the plurality of side panels comprise a respective side panel foldably connected at each side of the bottom panel. 
     
     
         36 . The blank of  claim 34 , wherein the side panels have an arcuate shape and are separated by respective cuts. 
     
     
         37 . The blank of  claim 35 , wherein the side panels are for being in an overlapping engagement in the second configuration of the carton when the carton is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         38 . The blank of  claim 34 , further comprises a liner attached to the interior surface of the blank. 
     
     
         39 . A method of forming a carton that is positionable between a first configuration and a second configuration, the method comprising
 obtaining a carton comprising a plurality of panels and positioning the carton in the first configuration wherein the plurality of panels extends at least partially around an interior of the carton;   placing at least one article containing a plurality of food products in the interior of the carton in the first configuration;   activating features of the carton to position the carton in a second configuration wherein the at least one article is removed from the interior and the carton is converted to a serving tray for serving the plurality of food products.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the plurality of panels further comprises a bottom panel, a front panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a back panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and at least one corner flap foldably connected to one of the first side panel and the second side panel. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the carton further comprising at least one closure flap foldably connected to one of the front panel and the back panel along a fold line, and at least one corner flap foldably connected to one of the first side panel and the second side panel,
 wherein the first fold line comprises a cut, the at least one corner flap comprises a first corner flap, a second corner flap, and a projection for being received in the cut, and the projection comprises a first projection on the first corner flap and a second projection on the second corner flap, the at least one closure flap comprises a first closure flap foldably connected to the front panel at a first fold line having a first cut and a second closure flap foldably connected to the back panel at a second fold line having a second cut; and   the method further comprises positioning the first projection in the first cut and the second projection in the second cut.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the plurality of panels comprises a bottom panel, a front panel is foldably connected to the bottom panel at a first curved fold line and a back panel is foldably connected to the bottom panel at a second curved fold line. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the plurality of panels comprises a bottom panel, a front panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and a back panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and the carton further comprises a first end flap foldably connected to the front panel, a second end flap foldably connected to the back panel, a third end flap foldably connected to the front panel and a fourth end flap foldably connected to the back panel; the front panel has a first free edge and the back panel has a second free edge; and the first free edge is curved and extends between the first end flap and the third end flap, and the second free edge is curved and extends between the second end flap and the fourth end flap and
 the method further comprises at least partially overlapping the first and second end flap to close a first end of the carton and at least partially overlapping the third and fourth end flap to close a second end of the carton.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the plurality of panels comprises a bottom panel, a plurality of side panels foldably connected to the bottom panel, and a liner attached to the interior surface of the carton, the bottom panel has eight sides and the plurality of side panels comprise a respective side panel foldably connected at each side of the bottom panel, the side panels have an arcuate shape and are separated by respective cuts; and
 the method further comprises positioning the side panels in overlapping engagement.