AU2003100822A4 - Fruit carton insert - Google Patents

Description

P001 Section 29 Regulation 3.2(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: FRUIT CARTON INSERT The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: FRUIT CARTON INSERT FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention concerns an insert for use in cartons that are to contain pieces of fruit and in particular mangoes.

BACKGROUND

Mangoes, avocados and other fruits are often packed in cartons for transport, storage and display purposes. In the case of mangoes particularly, it is considered important that means be provided in each carton to support and separate the individual pieces of fruit to avoid damage from movement in the carton and impact of pieces against each other during transport, and from poor circulation of air and moisture. Mangoes are normally packed in cartons in a single layer as they cannot in general support significant loads such as might be found in a multi-layer carton where the weight of one layer is taken by the layer below.

At present, in Australia, several approaches to the above requirements are followed in the mango trade. In one approach, a layer of plastic "bubble wrap" material is placed in the carton to provide a measure of support. "Bubble wrap" here means a flexible padding material in sheet form, whose padding function is provided by an array of closed, air-filled cells formed on a surface of a flexible plastic sheet. In another approach, a plastics insert is placed in the carton before the individual fruits, the insert being at least semi-rigid and having a cup-like recess for each individual piece of fruit. Such inserts are available commercially in a number of designs each providing a specific fruit count per layer. Inserts having counts of 6 to 14 are available, i.e. 9 separate designs in all.

Such inserts carry a significant cost, particularly as they must be stocked in a number of sizes. In addition, it has been found that they do not always provide fruit in the best possible condition for sale. This may be because of poor circulation of air and water vapour around the individual fruits (the plastics material normally used being by nature impervious to both) and because of collection of water and sap in the recesses. This sap oozes from cut stems of the fruits and if allowed to collect along with water can cause a sticky film to be left on the fruit. This is undesirable from the consumer's point of view. The water can be water that comes from condensation caused by changes in fruit temperature when fruit is moved in out of cold storage facilities and some transport situations when its surface becomes wet within the pack.

The cartons themselves are typically of the well-known corrugated cardboard type and can be damaged by excess moisture and/or sap.

The present invention addresses and at least alleviates the problems set out above, i.e. cost, and suitability for avoiding sap and water damage to fruit and carton. The use of plastic material is nowadays undesirable in itself, from an environmental point of view as recycling may or may not always be practised.

Currently most plastic based materials are "type specific" and not recycled to any uniform degree. Paper pulp inserts are 100% recyclable and paper recycling is currently the most widespread and efficient system available throughout the community.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, there is provided in an insert for use in a fruit carton, said insert being adapted to fit closely between opposing sidewalls and endwalls of a fruit carton and generally parallel to a base of said carton, and having a plurality of main recesses each shaped to receive at least one individual piece of fruit therein, wherein a base part of at least one said main recess is shaped to support said at least one individual piece of fruit therein and to provide a space below said piece of fruit adapted to collect and contain water and/or sap so that said water and/or sap is kept apart from the or each piece of fruit in said main recess. Such an insert does rely on the carton being maintained, once packed, in a reasonably horizontal position and with the insert below the fruit (i.e.

"right way but that is the normal practice in the trade.

Preferably, said space is within a secondary recess formed in said base part of said main recess.

It is preferred that said insert is formed from moulded paper pulp. The advantages of such a material include low cost, and the ability to absorb a certain quantity of water (and to a lesser degree sap) without degrading excessively in strength so that the amount of liquid in the second recess(es) that could contact the fruit is kept as low as possible. In addition, the ability to absorb moisture is believed to enable maintenance of a somewhat lower humidity level within the carton than plastic bubble wrap or plastic inserts. Thus, pathogen spores naturally present on the fruit are considered likely to be better controlled, resulting in less premature fruit breakdown during storage, transport and retail display stages.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the or at least one main recess is an elongate main recess and is adapted to receive a plurality of said individual pieces of fruit. The attraction of such an arrangement is that it is not necessary to maintain as many separate types or designs of insert to cover the necessary range of fruit counts per carton, as an elongate recess can, within limits, be filled with a variable number of fruits. Preferably a secondary recess associated with said elongate main recess is elongate and extends lengthwise within said elongate main recess. This feature minimizes the distance water (and particularly the comparatively viscous sap) has to flow to enter the second recess so that the fruit is properly drained. It also assists in providing adequate second recess capacity.

In a simple and suitable possible embodiment of the inventive insert, said main recesses are formed integrally with an at least substantially planar lamina having outer edges shaped and sized to fit between opposing side walls and opposing end walls of said carton.

The invention will now be described in more detail, non-limitingly, by reference to the attached Figures, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an insert according to the invention, showing its upper side; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the insert shown in Figure 2, taken at station and Figure 3 is a detailed cross-sectional view of a further insert according to the invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring initially to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown an insert 1, according to the invention, for a fruit carton such as would be used for mangoes and the like, i.e. fruits that are susceptible to damage and degradation if not stored and handled with some care.

The insert 1 is in the form of a generally rectangular lamina 4 in which are formed three elongate recesses 5, 6 and 7. In use, and as seen in Figure 1, the recesses 5 7 are concave upwards. The insert 1 can be accommodated within a conventional carton formed of corrugated paperboard or the like, in well-known manner. The insert 1 is sized and shaped to fit closely between the sidewalls and endwalls of a carton and to lie on and/or generally parallel to base of the carton.

Fruits are then placed in recesses 5, 6 and 7, and for transport and storage, a conventional lid can be placed on the carton. Thus, as is known in the tropical fruit trade, the carton contain a single layer of individual fruits parallel to its base.

Lamina 4 has several edge cutouts 10 both to assist in moving the insert 1 into or out of carton as required (by providing gripping points for a user's fingers) and to help ensure adequate circulation of air in carton.

The advantage of the elongate shape of recesses 5 7 is that the number of individual fruits that may be placed in each can vary according to the sizes of fruits. Thus, one insert 1 design can be used to provide a range of different fruit counts per carton. For example, in the insert 1, each one of recesses 5 7 could contain 3, 4 or 5 fruits according to size, so that insert 1 could contain from six to fifteen fruits in total. Recesses 5 7 are each shown as having end segments that are part-spherical and segments 21 of constant transverse cross-sectional shape extending between segments 20. However, the shape and number of recesses 5 7 may of course be varied.

It is within the scope of the invention to provide recesses equivalent to recesses 5 7 that are not elongate, but that are instead cup-like and that are each adapted to accommodate one item of fruit only. It is also within the scope of the invention to provide more than three recesses in the insert 1.

This is advantageous in that the packing process can be faster, since there is no need to choose between different inserts, potentially more space-efficient, in that with smaller fruits (or fruits with a wide size range) a higher count per carton can be obtained, and cheaper in that the number of different insert designs to be stocked can be minimized. If desired, spacers (not shown, but for example rolledup wads of paper) may be placed between the fruits in a recess 5, 6 or 7 if there is room, to avoid rolling of fruits within the recess 5, 6 or 7.

At the lowest points of recesses 5 7, there are formed elongate further secondary recesses 12, 13 and 14 respectively. These extend longitudinally in recesses 5 7, and are open-topped so that any water on the surfaces of fruits, or condensed from moisture lost by exudation or transpiration from the fruits can drain into the secondary recesses 12 14 and be retained there, so long as the carton remains at least approximately upright. In addition, secondary recesses 12 14 can collect sap exuded from the fruits or more specifically cut stems (not shown) thereof. It has been found that if fruits are allowed to sit in pools of collected water and/or sap, there can be left on their surfaces a sticky film which is undesirable from customers' points of view.

Insert 1 is formed from paper pulp in a suitable mould (not shown) in the manner known in the manufacture of egg cartons, pizza trays and the like. The use of moulded paper pulp for insert 1 is advantageous, by comparison with the use of plastics for example, because moulded paper pulp has the ability to absorb a certain amount of moisture without great loss of structural integrity. Thus, at least some water and/or sap collecting in secondary recesses 12 14 can actually be absorbed by the surrounding material, reducing the quantity of actual liquid held there, and in turn reducing the chance that handling of carton could cause the drained liquid to contact the fruits.

Similarly, the moulded paper pulp is believed, in use, to absorb moisture over other parts of its surface than the secondary recesses 12 14, whereas a plastic material does not. The result is believed to be that the atmosphere in which fruits are stored can be somewhat drier than if a plastic insert is used.

Without wishing to be held to a specific explanation, it is thought that because pathogen spores naturally present on the fruits are better controlled than in an insert without the secondary recesses 12 14 and/or made of plastics, premature degradation of fruits during storage and display may be lessened.

Although not shown in the Figures, insert 1 may of course be formed with holes to further enhance air circulation within the carton.

The secondary recesses 12- 14 may be of any suitable shape, consistent with the need to form them in a mould and release the completed insert 1 from the mould. Referring specifically to Figure 2, the secondary recess 12 in the left recess 5 is in the form of a pair of parallel channels 21 extending along the bottom of the recess 5. the secondary recess 13 provided in the middle recess 6 is in the form of a channel having a relatively narrow base 22 whereas the secondary recess 14 provided in the rightmost recess 7 is in the form of a channel having a relatively broad base 23. In practice, however, only a single 6 form of secondary recess would be provided at the base of each main recess of an insert 1.

Another possibility is shown in Figure 3. The insert 30 is the same as insert 1 save for the cross-sectional shape of its recess 31. A pair of raised ribs 34 are formed at the bottom of the recesses 31, to contact and support the fruits therein and so, in effect, to define a secondary recesses 35 for water and/or sap. It is also envisaged that a single rib be used or that more than two ribs be provided.

Many variations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (4)

1. An insert for use in a fruit carton, said insert being adapted to fit closely between opposing sidewalls and endwalls of a fruit carton and generally parallel to a base of said carton, and having a plurality of main recesses each shaped to receive at least one individual piece of fruit therein, wherein a base part of at least one said main recess is shaped to support said at least one individual piece of fruit therein and to provide a space below said piece of fruit adapted to collect and contain water and/or sap so that said water and/or sap is kept apart from the or each piece of fruit in said main recess.

2. An insert according to claim 1 wherein said space is within a secondary recess formed in said base part of said main recess.

3. An insert according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said insert is formed from moulded paper pulp.

4. An insert according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the or at least one main recess is an elongate main recess and is adapted to receive a plurality of said individual pieces of fruit. An insert according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said main recesses are formed integrally with an at least substantially planar lamina having outer edges shaped and sized to fit between opposing side walls and opposing end walls of said carton. DATED this 0 th day of September 2003 HUHTAMAKI AUSTRALIA LIMITED WATERMARK PATENT TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VICTORIA 3122 AUSTRALIA UIP1046AU00 MCQ/HY