Divisible thermoplastic egg carton

Claim 2

An egg carton structure formed from polystyrene foam comprising a cover section and a bottom cellular section hinged to said cover section, said cover section having a concavity in the central portion of the top wall of said cover section, said concavity being continuously slit along its bottom edge, and said concavity, when said carton is closed, cooperating with and bearing against a centrally located transverse egg separating member located in said bottom cellular section, said transverse member being slit along its upper edge and said cover section being further characterized by having slit means separated by unweakened areas of said foam, said slit means being in substantially longitudinal alignment with said transverse separating member when said carton is in an open position whereby when said carton is fractured by applying manual pressure on opposite ends of said carton said unweakened areas of said foam intermediate said slit means fracture along a line in longitudinal alignment with said slits.

Claim 3

An egg carton structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein when said egg carton structure is divided into two sections, opposite sides of said concavity form protective end walls for each of said sections.

Claim 4

A polystyrene foam egg carton comprising an inverted dish-like cover section and a bottom cellular section hinged to said cover section, said cover section comprising front and rear wall sections and opposite end wall sections integrally joined to said front and rear end wall sections and a rectangular top wall section integrally joined around its edges to said front, rear, and end wall sections, said top section having a centrally located concavity extending transversely of said cover section, said concavity having a continuous slit along its bottom edge, a series of slit means in substantial alignment with said continuous slit said slit means being separated by unweakened portions of said foam; a centrally located transverse egg separating member located in said bottom cellular section, adapted, when the carton is closed, to cooperate and bear against said concavity, said transverse member having a continuous slit along its upper edge, said bottom cellular member being further characterized by having a locking flap hinged along one longitudinal edge thereof, said locking flap having a transverse slit at its outer edge in alignment with the slit in the upper edge of said transverse member whereby, when said egg carton structure is transversely divided into two sections by fracturing said carton along said slits, each opposite side of said concavity forms a protective end wall for the cover section of each of said divided sections and opposite sides of said transverse member provide protective end walls for each of the cellular sections of said divided sections.

Claim 5

A polystyrene foam egg carton comprising an inverted dish-like cover section and a bottom cellular section hinged to said cover section, said cover section comprising front and rear wall sections and opposite end wall sections integrally joined to said front and rear end wall sections and a rectangular top wall section integrally joined around its edges to said front, rear, and end wall sections, said top section having a centrally located concavity extending transversely of said cover section, said concavity having a continuous slit along its bottom edge, a series of slit means in substantial alignment with said continuous slit said slit means being separated by unweakened portions of said foam; a centrally located transverse egg separating member located in said bottom cellular section, adapted, when the carton is closed, to cooperate and bear against said concavity, said transverse member having a continuous slit along its upper edge, said bottom cellular member being further characterized by having a locking flap hinged along one longitudinal edge thereof, said locking flap having a transverse slit at its outer edge in alignment with the slit in the upper edge of said transverse member whereby, when said egg carton structure is transversely divided into two sections by fracturing said carton along said slits, each opposite side of said concavity forms a protective end wall for the cover section of each of said divided sections and opposite sides of said transverse member provide protective end walls for each of the cellular sections of said divided sections.