Single taco trap and holder

[0001] This invention relates generally to a disposable trap and holder to support one taco per holder and the like that is suitable for mass production and inclusion in packaging for public restaurants and consumer use.

[0002] In providing a taco holder for inclusion in public restaurants and consumer use, among the considerations that must be addressed are the ease of assembly and use by the consumer: the efficiency for holding a taco in an upright position, to serve and the like without spillage or breakage during filling and possibly heating; the ability to hold a taco and the like for individaulized servings; and the ability of the holder to be efficiently packaged in a retail container.

[0003] The disadvantages with some holders, besides being too expensive and structually complex in design, are the difficulties for the consumer to assemble the device and the inadequacy to facilitate packaging in a retail container.

[0004] In the past, efforts have been made toward mastering an inexpensive, disposable holder that is both structurally adequate and easy to package in a retail container.

[0005] For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,273,278 and 5,971,168 disclose a holder for multiple taco shells, which is disposable, and can be maintained in a flat position prior to use.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,010 discloses a taco tray, which is made by converting the retail container that is used to package food items, such as taco shells.

[0007] U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,005,704, 4,925,032, and 4,872,566 disclose a holder for single taco shells, which is disposable, and can be maintained in a flat position prior to use.

[0008] The disadvantages of prior designs as those disclosed in the '278, '168, '010, '704, '032, and '566 patents are the difficulties of assembling the taco holders and the structural complexity to economically manufacture such designs. The design disclosed in the '278 patent requires the bottom wall folds in on itself so that the holder may be shifted to a rise position by unfolding and flattening the bottom wall. The design disclosed in the '168 patent requires that in conjunction with forming several folds, several tabs and slots or glue strips must be employed in order to create the finished holder. The '010 patent requires that several perforated sections be removed from the box in order to form the taco holder, thus can no longer provide a means to store remaining unused product. The '704, '032, and '566 patents, even though being single taco holders, once again, require that in conjunction with forming several folds, several tabs and slots or glue strips must be employed in order to create the finished holder.

[0009] It can be seen that the present invention is an improvement over these prior-art taco holders by providing a simple, easy to assemble, cost efficient taco holder, which can be disposable and meets the criteria desired for such devices.

[0010] Accordingly, it is an object that the present invention provide a single holder for a taco and the like comprised of semi-rigid flat material structurally adequate to support a taco and the like in an upright position and which is also inexpensive to make, easy to assemble, and maintains a flat position prior to use for incorporation into a retail container. The taco trap and holder preferably comprises a base portion and a centrally located pair of side structures defining an open slot for receiving a taco and the like when folded outward at center. The center portion of the taco trap and holder may contain a plurality of lines punched therein with two peripheral lines of weakness so that the holder may be maintained in a flat position prior to use.

[0011] The above object and advantages of this invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims and annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, the advantages, and the objects obtained by its use, the following drawings which form a further part hereof, should be referenced in which there is illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

[0018] As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the invention is preferably embodied in a holder 6 formed of semi-rigid material. Virtually any semi-rigid material may be suitable to practice the invention; examples of such materials are various grades of paper or paperboard approved for direct food contact, including, but not limited to, solid bleached sulfate, solid unbleached sulfate, recycled paperboard, unbleached craft chipboard, or combinations of these or other materials. In a preferred embodiment, a recyclable, bleached paperboard with a polymer based coating is used to manufacture the invention.

[0019] Several types of plastic approved for direct food contact may be utilized for such coating.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a polyethylene coating is used. Although materials of various thicknesses would be appropriate to practice the invention, in a preferred embodiment the thickness of the paperboard varies between about 1/16 inch to about ⅛ inch.

[0021] To achieve adequate stiffness, the thickness of the material should be a minimum of about 1/16 inch.

[0022] A circular blank for the taco trap and holder in accordance with a first embodiment is drawn approximately 125% in size in FIG. 2.

[0023] Although the size of the food article to be placed in the holder may vary in thickness slightly, the dimensions of the preferred embodiment 6 of each unassembled blank is 2½to 3 inches in diameter. A plurality of lines 7 punched therein with two peripheral lines 8 of weakness provides a means to fold outwardly a pair of adequately spaced, first 9 and second 10 side walls, to accommodate and support a taco and the like in an upright position.

[0024] As to assemble the taco trap and holder from the blank in FIG. 2, the central lines 7 and 11 punched therein are situated along the longitudinal axis of the blank and parallel to each other from center of blank along lines of weakness 8. The displacement of the side walls 9 and 10 may be folded backward to maintain an upright position.

[0025] To assemble the taco trap and holder from the blank of FIG. 2, folds are made along the lines of weakness 8.

[0026] The central 11 and side cut edges 7 form the walls of the holder with the peripheral lines of weakness 8 situated at opposing sides of the base 6.

[0027] Once the holder is assembled and the side walls 9 and 10 are in an upright position, the apertures provide a means for holding a taco 12 and the like in place.