Pizza box spacer and parts for assembly thereof

Abstract

Apparatus comprising two separately formed, planar parts 12a, 12b shaped for assembly to form a pizza box spacer. The parts include spaced legs for standing the pizza box spacer in a pizza box. Each o

Description

Field of the Invention The invention relates to apparatus comprising parts for assembly to form a pizza box spacer. The invention further relates to a pizza box spacer formed from such parts and to a method of using such parts. The invention furthermore relates to a stacked pack of parts that can be used to assembly a plurality of such spacers. Background Pizza boxes are typically made of cardboard. Lids are known to sag or be easily depressed by pressure on them. When lids contact a top of a pizza, damage often occurs and taste can be impacted. Pressure on lids can very easily occur during delivery of a pizza. Spacers, known as “pizza savers”, are used to address this problem. A known patent publication, US4498586A, discloses a pizza saver formed as a single piece of moulded plastic. The pizza saver comprises a pizza box lid support and three legs for extending into a pizza. This pizza saver is not easily recyclable. Another known patent publication, DE102006016619B4, discloses a spacer for placing between a pizza and a pizza box. This spacer is formed of plastic and has bend lines. Again, it is not easily recyclable. An objective of the present invention is to provide a spacer that can be easily and cheaply made and disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus comprising two separate , rigid, planar parts shaped for assembly to form a pizza box spacer. The parts may include spaced legs for standing the pizza box spacer in a pizza box. Advantageously, since the parts are planar, they can be conveniently formed from sheet material. The sheet material can be selected from available materials that will not significantly impact taste of the pizza or leak toxins into the pizza, and can be easily recycled and / or composted. Further, the legs result in little or no damage to a pizza topping since there is little contact with the pizza, thereby preserving the topping quality and the aesthetic quality of the pizza. The parts have the following optional and / or preferred features. The parts may be shaped for assembly such that, when the pizza box spacer is assembled, each of the parts extends at an angle, for example orthogonally, relative to the other of the parts. This facilitates standing of the pizza box spacer in a pizza box. Predetermined edges of the planar parts on which the pizza box spacer can be stood may be coplanar. Predetermined further edges of the parts, disposed for abutting of a lid of a pizza box, may be coplanar. Each of the parts may comprise a respective slit, the slit of one of the parts extending, in use, downloadly from an upper edge, and the slit of the other of the parts extending, in use, upwardly from a lower edge. The parts may be assembled by engaging of the slits. The slit extending from the upper edge may extend to a mid-height of the one of the parts, and the slit extending from the lower edge may extend to a mid-height of the other of the parts. The parts, preferably each of the parts, may include at least one upper limbs for standing the spacer in the pizza box. Each of the parts may include at least two of the spaced legs and, for each leg, a respective upper limb, wherein each leg and the respective upper limb are aligned and, in use, extend vertically in the pizza box. Each part may comprise two struts each comprising a respective leg and an upper limb, and a bridging portion extending between the struts. Use of struts results in little contact between the spacer and the pizza, and thus insignificant damage to the pizza. Thus, with the struts, the parts are each “H” shaped. The “H” shape is intended to reduce or minimise use of material in production of the parts. Each slit may be located in the respective bridging portion. Each of the parts may be the same shape and size. This facilitates production and lowers costs. The height of the spacer may be at least 3cm and / or less than 5.5cm. The parts may be formed of compostable and / or recyclable material. The spacer preferably does not include plastics material. The planar parts may be formed of wood or primarily of wood, for example of bamboo or birch. The planar parts may be formed of non-deformable material. The apparatus may further comprise a co-located pizza box. According to a second aspect, there is provided a spacer assembled from the apparatus of the first aspect. According to a third aspect, there is provided a stacked pack of planar parts, wherein each of the planar parts of the stacked pack are the same size and shape, any two thereof being the planar parts of the apparatus of the first aspect and the pack being usable to assemble a plurality of pizza box spacers. According to a fourth aspect, there is provided a method comprising: assembling two separately formed, rigid, planar parts of predetermined shape to form a pizza box spacer; and locating the pizza box spacer in a pizza box. The parts may comprise optional and / or preferred features of the first aspect. According to a fifth aspect, there is provided a method comprising: providing a sheet of rigid material; and cutting separate planar parts in a predetermined shape, each having at least two spaced legs, any two whereof can be assembled to form a pizza box spacer. The parts may comprise optional and / or preferred features of the first aspect. According to a fifth aspect, there is provided apparatus comprising at least two separately formed planar parts shaped for assembly to form a spacer, for example for pizza or for other food items, each including spaced legs and / or spaced upper limbs, for standing in a box for transporting one or more food item to prevent a lid of the box from touching food items contained in the box. Brief Description of Figures Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying Figures, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an example spacer in accordance with an embodiment; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of example planar parts used to form the spacer. Details Description of Embodiments Embodiments of the invention relate to a pizza box spacer, for supporting a lid of a pizza box to prevent the lid from touching or pressing against a pizza located in the pizza box. The spacer comprises planar parts from which it is assembled. Embodiments also relate to the planar parts. The planar parts are rigid, separately formed, and shaped for assembly. Pizza boxes have a conventional orientation when a pizza is inside, where a base of the pizza box is located horizontally and the lid is spaced from and above the base. Certain terms used in the following are to be construed in view of that orientation, namely the terms “vertical”, “horizontal”, “lower”, “upper” and variants of such terms. Herein the term “planar” is to be understood as meaning “thin” in one dimension relative to the other two dimensions. The term “rigid” is to be understood herein in relation to the parts as meaning sufficiently rigid for the spacer to be stood in a pizza box and to support the lid. Referring to Figure 1, in an embodiment, the spacer 10 comprises two planar parts 12a, 12b assembled together and extending orthogonally with respect to each other. The parts 12a, 12b are the same shape and size. Each is formed of rigid material. The planar parts 12a, 12b each comprise two spaced, parallel struts 14 and a respective bridging portion 16, the bridging portion 16 extending from mid-regions of the struts to join the respective struts together. Thus, each of the planar parts 12a, 12b is “H” shaped. A lower portion of each of the struts 14 is referred to as a “leg”. An upper portion is referred to as an “upper limb”. Legs of each planar part 12a, 12b are spaced and so have a recessed region between them. Respective upper limbs of each planar part 12a, 12b are spaced and so also have a recessed region between them. Each of the struts has a lower end edge 20 and an upper end edge 22. The lower end edges 20 of the parts 12a, 12b are coplanar when the spacer 10 is assembled. The upper end edges 20 of the parts 12a, 12b are also coplanar when the spacer 10 is assembled. The bridging portion 16 of one of the parts 12b has a slit 18b therein extending vertically from a position at half of a height (A-A) of the spacer 10 and opening at an upwardly facing edge 16a thereof. The bridging portion 16 of the other of the parts 12a has a slit 18b therein extending vertically from a position at half of the height of the spacer 10 and opening at a downwardly facing edge 16b thereof. Each of the slits 18a, 18b is located centrally with respect to a width B-B of the part. As can be understood, one of the planar parts 12a, 12b is in an inverted orientation relative to the other. The planar parts 12a, 12b are assembled by mutual engagement of the slits 18a, 18b such that the planar parts 12a, 12b are orthogonal. Each of the struts 14 is shaped to extend, in use, from a surface of a pizza in the pizza box, or from a base of the pizza box where the struts penetrate the pizza, to a height that is above a maximum height of the pizza in the pizza box and below the lid. Since the lower end edges 20 are coplanar, they can locate against the base of a pizza box, which is flat, or against the surface of a pizza, which the spacer 10 can press into, so the spacer 10 can stand stably on a pizza or base of a pizza box. Since the upper end edges 22 are coplanar, the upper end edges 22 all locate against an inner side of the lid, or this occurs if the lid is depressed or sags. The planar parts 12a, 12b are preferably provided flat packed in a pack comprising many parts 12a, 12b of the same shape and size. A pizza restaurant may thus have many such parts to hand. Such a pizza restaurant would typically have a stack of pizza boxes near the pack for convenience. In use, where the parts are provided in the pack, a user selects two parts 12a, 12b from the pack. The user engages the respective slits 18a, 18b to form the spacer 10. The spacer 10 is then placed against a top of a pizza in a central region of a pizza box with the lower end edges 20 pressing against the pizza or the base of the pizza box if the legs 14 penetrate the pizza. Thus, the struts are vertically orientated. The spacer 10 is placed such that the spacer 10 does not touch sides of the pizza box. The pizza prevents lateral movement of the spacer 10 in the box. The lid is then put on the pizza box. When the lid is pressed from above or sags, the lid presses against the upper end edges 22 of the spacer 10, which prevent the lid from making contact with the pizza. The parts are formed by cutting from a sheet of material. For example, the parts 12a, 12b may be die-cut or laser cut. The parts may be formed from one or more sheets of material to provide the parts of a pack. Alternatively, the parts may be otherwise formed. For example, with some materials a moulding and curing process is possible to form the parts. Advantageously, the parts 12a, 12b having legs and / or upper limbs is advantageous when the parts are formed by cutting of sheet material. More pieces can be produced per unit area of sheet material than could be otherwise. The spacer 10 is intended to be for single-use and can thus be disposed of afterwards. The material from which the parts are made is preferably readily recyclable or compostable. Preferably the parts are formed of material that is not pliable or otherwise deformable. The material may be wood, for example birch or bamboo. The material may be formed of a woodbased material such as processed birch or bamboo or a plurality of different woods. Embodiments are not limited to the parts being formed of such materials. However, where the parts are to be formed from a sheet, there is advantage to selection of a material that can be provided as a sheet, of which such materials are examples. The material may a wood derivative such as cardboard. However, cardboard may deteriorate, that is, soften, during transportation of a pizza and may affect pizza taste, and so is not preferred. Embodiments are not limited to the particular shape of the parts 12a, 12b, other than that they are planar and provided a spacer made from such parts stays in place in a central region of the box and prevents potential damage to a contained pizza from a lid. For example, in a variant embodiment, the upper and lower end edges have pointed ends. In another variant example, each part need not be “H” shaped, but may be rectangular or trapezoid (thus lacking legs), with a slit extending from a position at half of a height of the part (the height corresponding to the use orientation of the spacer) to an upper or lower edge, depending on orientation. Notably, if the parts required to assembly the spacer are of different shapes, each may be provided in a stack of like parts used for assembly of a plurality of spacers. Pizza boxes have a height in a range of about 4cm to 5.5cm, enabling accommodation of pizzas of all typical heights. Heights (A-A) and widths (B-B) of the parts are not limited to any values, provided the spacer 10 can function as intended. The height of the parts, which corresponds to the height of each strut, may be at least 3cm and less than 5.5cm, for example. The width of each of the planar parts 12a, 12b may be 3cm to 5cm. Embodiments are not limited to a spacer having two planar parts. For example a spacer may be assembled from three planar parts. In this case, each part has first and second slits therein, each extending vertically from a position at half of the height of the spacer, the first opening at an upper edge and the second opening at a lower edge. Each of the parts can be joined to each other of the parts by engaging of respective slits so that parts define a triangular space, the first slit of each engaging with the second slit of an adjacent one. Planar parts that can be assembled to form a spacer comprising greater than three such parts may be formed in a similar way. Various other modifications may be made to the planar parts within the scope of the claims. For example, it is not essential for the planar parts to be the same shape and size. Differently shaped parts may be assembled to form a spacer. Also, where a spacer comprises two planar parts, they need not assemble to be mutually orthogonal. In variant embodiments, an angle between each of the planar parts need only be sufficiently great such that the spacer does not topple in use. Further, the slits need not be centrally located with respect to the width of the parts 12a, 12b. Instead they may be offset from a middle of the width. In a variant embodiment, legs and upper limbs need not be in the form of struts. Legs may be offset from upper limbs. Each planar part may also have more than two spaced legs and more than two upper limbs. The assembled spacer may only have three legs. The assembled spacer may have only a single upper limb. In an alternative embodiment, a spacer that is not necessarily a pizza box spacer, but similar to spacer 10, may be used not only to space a lid of the box to prevent damage to contained items, but to separate food items where multiple separate food items are contained in the box. The spacer thus also serves as a divider. Such food items may be, for example, baked goods including patisseries, donuts and cupcakes. Such a spacer has the same general configuration of the spacer 10, but each planar part is adapted to extend between each pair of opposing sides of a typical box to prevent lateral movement. Each planar part may be provided in a length suitable for a particular box. Parts for such a spacer may have all of the same features and optional features as those for the pizza box spacer 10, and be made in the same way. Such a spacer may be used in much the same way, differing in the type of box into which the spacer is located. Each planar part may have more than two spaced legs and more than two upper limbs. Each leg may be aligned with a respective upper limb, so that each leg and upper limb are comprised in a respective strut. Alternatively, legs and upper limbs may not be aligned and / or the number of legs and upper limbs may differ. A prior art spacer has parts in the form of rectangular cardboard strips with slits in for mutual engagement, where the assembled strips extend perpendicularly. However, it is believed to be new for such parts to have spaced legs and / or upper limbs. This results in use of less material, meaning that more parts can be produced per unit area of sheet material than according to the prior art, thus resulting in less waste and lower costs. Embodiments of such a spacer may be defined by the following clauses: Apparatus comprising two separate, planar parts shaped for assembly to form a spacer, the parts including spaced legs for standing the spacer in a box and / or spaced upper limbs. The spacer may prevent a lid of the box from touching contained food items. The spacer may also divide an interior of the box into regions, thereby enabling separation of contained food items. The spacer may also be referred to as a “separator” or “divider”. The parts may be shaped for assembly such that, when the spacer is assembled, one of the planar parts extends perpendicularly relative to other of the planar parts, the other of the planar parts each extending in parallel. Predetermined edges of the planar parts non which the spacer can be stood are coplanar. Predetermined further edges of the parts, disposed for abutting of a lid of a box, may be coplanar. Each of the parts may comprise a respective slit, the slit of one of the parts extending, in use, downloadly from an upper edge, and the slit of the other of the parts extending, in use, upwardly from a lower edge, wherein the parts can be assembled by engaging of the slits. Each of the parts may include at least one upper limb for supporting a lid of the box. Each of the parts may include at least two spaced legs and, for each leg, a respective upper limb, wherein each leg and the respective upper limb are aligned and are for extending vertically in the box. Each part may comprise two struts for extending vertically in the box, each strut comprising a respective one of the legs and a respective one of the upper limbs. Each of the parts may include a bridging portion extending between adjacent legs, upper limbs or struts. Each slit may be located in the respective bridging portion. Each of the parts may be the same shape and size. The spacer preferably does not include plastics material. The planar parts may be rigid. The height of the spacer may be less than 15cm. The height of the spacer may be at least 3cm. The parts may be formed of compostable material. The planar parts are formed of wood or primarily of wood, for example, The apparatus may further comprise a box for transporting of food items such as baked goods, wherein the spacer is located in the box and at least one of the parts extends between respective opposed sides of the box. A spacer for a box assembled from the above-mentioned apparatus. A stacked pack of planar parts, wherein each of the planar parts of the stacked pack are the same size and shape, any two thereof being the planar parts of the above-mentioned apparatus and the pack being usable to assemble a plurality of spacers. Apparatus comprising the spacer and may further comprise a box for baked goods, wherein the spacer is located in the box and at least one of the planar parts extends between respective opposed sides of the box. Apparatus comprising the stacked pack of planar parts and at least one co-located box. A method comprising: assembling two separate, planar parts of predetermined shape to form a spacer, the parts including spaced legs for standing the spacer in a box and / or spaced upper limbs for supporting a lid of the box; and locating the spacer in a box. A method comprising: providing a sheet of rigid material; cutting separate planar parts of predetermined shape from the sheet, any two of which can be assembled to form a spacer, wherein the parts include spaced legs for standing the spacer in a box and / or spaced upper limbs; and providing the cut parts stacked in at least one pack. 5 Unless otherwise stated, all individual features and / or steps of all embodiments described herein are disclosed in isolation and any combination of two or more such features is also disclosed, to the extent that such features or steps or combinations of features and / or steps are capable of being carried out based on the present specification as a whole in the light of 10 the common general knowledge of a person skilled in the art, irrespective of whether such features.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising two separate, rigid, planar parts shaped for assembly to form a pizza box spacer, the parts including spaced legs for standing the pizza box spacer in a pizza box.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the parts are shaped for assembly such that, when the pizza box spacer is assembled, each of the parts extends at an angle relative to the other of the parts to facilitate standing of the pizza box spacer in a pizza box.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the parts are shaped for assembly such that, when the pizza box spacer is assembled, each of the parts extends orthogonally relative to the other of the parts.

4. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein predetermined edges of the parts on which the pizza box spacer can be stood are coplanar.

5. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein predetermined further edges of the parts, disposed for abutting of a lid of a pizza box, are coplanar.

6. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the parts comprises a respective slit, the slit of one of the parts extending downloadly, in use, from an upper edge, and the slit of the other of the parts extending, in use, upwardly from a lower edge, wherein the parts can be assembled by engaging of the slits.

7. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the parts includes at least one upper limb for supporting a lid of the pizza box.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of the parts includes at least two spaced legs and, for each leg, a respective upper limb, wherein each leg and the respective upper limb are aligned and are for extending vertically in the pizza box.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each part comprises two struts each comprising a respective leg and upper limb, and a bridging portion extending between the struts.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein each slit is located in the respective bridging portion.

11. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the parts is the same shape and size.

12. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacer does not include plastics material.

13. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the height of the spacer isless than 5.5cm.

14. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the height of the spacer is at least 3cm.

15. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the parts are formed of compostable material.

16. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the parts are formed of wood or primarily of wood,17. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a co-located pizza box, the parts being for use in the pizza box.

18. A pizza box spacer assembled from the apparatus of claims 1 to 16.

19. A stacked pack of planar parts, wherein each of the planar parts of the stacked pack are the same size and shape, any two thereof being the planar parts of the apparatus of claims 1 to 16 and the pack being usable to assemble a plurality of pizza box spacers.

20. Apparatus comprising the stacked pack of planar parts of claim 20 and at least one colocated pizza box.

21. A method comprising:assembling two separately formed, rigid, planar parts of predetermined shape to form a pizza box spacer; andlocating the pizza box spacer in a pizza box.

22. A method comprising:providing a sheet of rigid material;cutting separate planar parts of predetermined shape from the sheet, each having at least two spaced legs, any two of which can be assembled to form a pizza box spacer; andproviding the cut parts stacked in a pack.

23. Apparatus comprising at least two separately formed planar parts shaped for assembly to form a spacer, each including spaced legs and / or spaced upper limbs, for standing in a box for transporting food items to prevent a lid of the box from touching food items contained in the box.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein each of the parts comprises a respective slit, wherein the parts can be assembled by engaging of the slits.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 or claim 24, wherein each planar part comprises spaced struts each comprising a respective leg and upper limb, for extending vertically in a box.14

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