Cupcake container with integrated collar all formed from a common cardboard box blank

Abstract

A cupcake container that folds from a flattened orientation to an erect orientation. The container is formed from a single cardboard box blank including an integrated collar, which is raised over a bottom panel by two legs. The integrated collar has at least one circular opening into which a cupcake base is fitted. The front and top panels form an aperture closed by a polymer film to allow viewing of the contents of the container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cupcake container, comprising:
 a structure formed from a cardboard box blank having a plurality of scored fold lines and having adhered portions arranged so that the structure is movable between a flattened orientation and an erect orientation with folds occurring at each of the scored fold lines in the erect orientation, the structure being self-standing in the erect orientation in an upright position, wherein:   the cardboard box blank defines panels connected to each other in succession by associated ones of the plurality of scored fold lines, the panels including in succession a front, a bottom, a mediate spacer leg, a integrated collar, and a distal spacer leg, the distal leg being friction fit against the front in the erect orientation, the distal leg having a distal edge that is against the bottom as the distal leg is friction fit against the front.   
     
     
         2 . The cupcake container of  claim 1 , wherein the panels include first and second sets of the panels, the first set of panels having in succession a tuck tab, a top, the front, the bottom, the mediate spacer leg, the integrated collar, and the distal spacer leg, the second set having in succession a glue flap, a rear, a right sidewall, the front and a left sidewall, each of the first and second sets having the front in common with each other, the rear being connected to a support panel by one of the plurality of scored fold lines, the left and right sidewalls being connected to associated corner flaps by associated ones of the plurality of scored fold lines, each of the corner flaps being connected to glue tabs by additional scored fold lines, the additional scored fold lines being positioned to bend from a substantially unbent position with the structure in an erect orientation to a substantially bent position with the structure in the flattened orientation. 
     
     
         3 . The cupcake container of  claim 1 , wherein the integrated collar has an opening in communication with two stress relief recesses, the two stress relief recesses extending outwardly from the opening from locations of the opening that are substantially diametrically opposite each other. 
     
     
         4 . The cupcake container of  claim 2 , wherein the integrated collar has a plurality of openings each in communication with a respective pair of stress relief recesses, each of the pairs of the stress relief recesses extending outwardly from associated ones of the openings from locations of the associated ones of the openings that are substantially diametrically opposite each other. 
     
     
         5 . The cupcake container of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of openings are spaced apart from each other and from neighboring ones of the front, sidewalls and rear in an erect condition in a substantially equidistant manner. 
     
     
         6 . The cupcake container of  claim 1 , further comprising adhered portions that include portions of two glue tabs that are adhered to a support panel and to the bottom respectively, the two glue tabs being connected to two corner panels respectively by associated ones of additional scored fold lines and arranged so that with the structure in the erect orientation and upright position, an underside of the structure includes portions of surfaces of each of the two glue tabs, the two corner flaps, the support panel and the bottom, the additional scored fold lines being positioned to bend from a substantially unbent position with the structure in an erect orientation to a substantially bent position with the structure in the flattened orientation. 
     
     
         7 . The integrated collar of  claim 6 , wherein the integrated collar has an opening in communication with two stress relief recesses, the two stress relief recesses extending outwardly from the opening from locations of the opening that are substantially diametrically opposite each other. 
     
     
         8 . The cupcake container of  claim 6 , wherein the integrated collar has a plurality of openings each in communication with a respective pair of stress relief recesses, each of the pairs of the stress relief recesses extending outwardly from associated ones of the openings from locations of the associated ones of the openings that are substantially diametrically opposite each other. 
     
     
         9 . The cupcake container of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of openings are spaced apart from each other and from neighboring ones of the front, sidewalls and rear in an erect condition in a substantially equidistant manner. 
     
     
         10 . The cupcake container of  claim 6 , wherein the panels include first and second sets of the panels, the first set of panels having in succession a tuck tab, a top, the front, the bottom, the mediate spacer leg, the integrated collar, and the distal spacer leg, the second set having in succession the glue flap, a rear, a right sidewall, the front and a left sidewall, each of the first and second sets having the front in common with each other, the rear being connected to a support panel by one of the plurality of scored fold lines, the left and right sidewalls being connected to respective ones of the two corner flaps by associated ones of the plurality of scored fold lines. 
     
     
         11 . The cupcake container of  claim 10 , wherein the front and the top define a common aperture so that there are respective ones of the scored fold lines separating the front and the top from each other on either side of the common aperture, and a transparent polymer film adhered to the front and the top and arranged to extend across an entirety of the aperture. 
     
     
         12 . The cupcake container of  claim 11 , wherein in the erect orientation, the distal leg being friction fit against a portion of an inside surface of the front that is clear of the common aperture, the distal leg having a distal edge that is against a topside of the bottom as the distal leg is friction fit against the portion of the inside surface of the front. 
     
     
         13 . The cupcake container of  claim 10 , wherein further ones of the scored fold lines separate the left and right sidewalls from associated dust flaps so that in the erect condition the top overlies each of the associated dust flaps with the further ones of the scored fold lines bent accordingly. 
     
     
         14 . The cupcake container of  claim 2 , wherein the front and the top define a common aperture so that there are respective ones of the scored fold lines separating the front and the top from each other on either side of the common aperture, and a transparent polymer film adhered to the front and the top and arranged to extend across an entirety of the aperture. 
     
     
         15 . The cupcake container of  claim 14 , wherein in the erect orientation, the distal leg being friction fit against a portion of an inside surface of the front that is clear of the common aperture, the distal leg having a distal edge that is against a topside of the bottom as the distal leg is friction fit against the portion of the inside surface of the front. 
     
     
         16 . The cupcake container of  claim 2 , wherein further ones of the scored fold lines separate the left and right sidewalls from associated dust flaps so that in the erect condition the top overlies each of the associated dust flaps with the further ones of the scored fold lines bent accordingly. 
     
     
         17 . A cupcake container, comprising:
 a structure formed from a cardboard box blank having a plurality of scored fold lines and having adhered portions arranged so that the structure is movable between a flattened orientation and an erect orientation with folds occurring at each of the scored fold lines in the erect orientation, the structure being self-standing in the erect orientation in an upright position, wherein:   the cardboard box blank defines a first set of panels connected to each other in succession by associated ones of the plurality of scored fold lines, the cardboard box blank also defining a second set of panels connected to each other in succession by further ones of the plurality of scored fold lines,   the first set of panels having in succession a tuck tab, a top, a front, a bottom, a mediate spacer leg, a integrated collar, and a distal spacer leg,   the second set having in succession a glue flap, a rear, a right sidewall, the front and a left sidewall, each of the first and second sets having the front in common with each other,   the rear being connected to a support panel by one of the plurality of scored fold lines,   the left and right sidewalls being connected to associated corner flaps by associated ones of the plurality of scored fold lines, each of the corner flaps being connected to glue tabs by additional scored fold lines,   the adhered portions include portions of the glue flap and one of the side walls that are adhered to each other and including portions of both of the glue tabs that are adhered to the support panel and to the bottom respectively so that an underside of the structure in the erect orientation and the upright position includes portions of surfaces of both of the glue tabs, both of the corner flaps, the support panel and the bottom, the additional scored fold lines being positioned to bend from a substantially unbent position with the structure in an erect orientation to a substantially bent position with the structure in the flattened orientation,   the front and the top define a common aperture so that there are respective ones of the scored fold lines separating the front and the top from each other on either side of the common aperture,   the integrated collar having an opening in communication with two stress relief recesses, the two stress relief recesses extending outwardly from the opening from locations of the opening that are substantially diametrically opposite each other; and   a transparent polymer film adhered to the front and the top and arranged to extend across an entirety of the aperture.   
     
     
         18 . The cupcake container of  claim 17 , wherein in the erect orientation, the distal leg being friction fit against a portion of an inside surface of the front that is clear of the common aperture, the distal leg having a distal edge that is against a topside of the bottom as the distal leg is friction fit against the portion of the inside surface of the front. 
     
     
         19 . The cupcake container of  claim 17 , wherein the further ones of the scored fold lines separate the left and right sidewalls from associated dust flaps so that in the erect condition the top overlies each of the associated dust flaps with the further ones of the scored fold lines bent accordingly.