EP0686575B1 - Two-compartment container - Google Patents

Abstract

The container is made from a thermoplastics strip and comprises a main compartment (12) and a secondary compartment (14), a rim (16) and a zone (18) between the two compartments which is made with a line of reduced strength (34). The rim is inscribed in a rectangle, with the two compartments aligned in one direction (D1), and the line of reduced strength in a perpendicular direction (D2). The secondary compartment is half the size of the main one, and the combined dimensions of the two compartments is equivalent to a whole divisor of the width of the thermoplastics strip. The two compartments can be made from coextruded sections of strip material with different aspects, e.g. one of them can be opaque and the other transparent. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a container as described in the first part of claim 13. Such a container is known from FR-A-1 382 148.

The indication that the ledge is inscribed in a rectangle covers the fact that the outline of this rim delimits four main sides, whose tangents are perpendicular two by two and thus define a rectangle. These tangents are also confused with the contours of the ledge over a relatively large portion of the length of these last.

Such known containers are for example used for the packaging, in each of the two compartments, of products complementary foods that are not mixed by the consumer at the time of tasting.

Generally, the main compartment is intended to contain a commodity, such as a dairy product, while the compartment secondary is intended to contain an accompanying product, such as a seasoning or a fruit-based preparation, used to enrich the taste of the commodity. Under these conditions, the volume of the compartment the main compartment is significantly higher than that of the secondary compartment, and this main compartment is only partially filled for power, without overflow, receive the contents of the secondary compartment.

The upper end of the secondary compartment must however be wide enough to allow easy filling of this compartment on the packaging line with a product suitably dosed.

All these imperatives impose manufacturing conditions relatively strict. Given the fact that the thermoplastic tapes are delivered in specific widths, imposed by the dimensions of the machines used for their manufacture, it becomes very difficult to manufacture containers of the aforementioned type while avoiding the appearance of drops or losses notable cutting in the thermoplastic strip.

The cost price of such a band being relatively high, these loss of material increases the costs of manufacturing the containers.

The present invention aims to eliminate these drawbacks from known containers.

For this purpose, we proposes, according to the invention, a container, characterized by the arrangements indicated in the second part of claim 13.

The term "substantially" used here takes into account very light variations that can appear especially when cutting the containers after their manufacture, depending on the thickness of the tool cutout used.

The useful width of the thermoplastic strip is the measured width between the two marginal gripping portions, necessary to maintain this strip on a production line. The width of these portions which is relatively small, is imposed by the dimensions of the conventional tools for holding the strip in the production line.

These provisions give the two compartments a proper sizing, which makes their use very convenient, while allowing rational use of the thermoplastic strip, including only unused portions of significant size are the two portions gripping margins since we can manufacture a whole number of containers using substantially the entire useful width of the strip.

The main compartment and the secondary compartment are made of materials of appearance different.

By "materials with different aspects" is meant materials differentiating either by a chemical composition which gives them an appearance particular, either by a specific coloration of the same base material.

This embodiment of the invention provides a major advantage by compared to known containers, including the main and secondary are made of the same material, so it is not possible, without special labeling, to distinguish one from the other the containers of several variants of the same product range, including for example the same basic product, contained in the main compartment for containers and several product "scents" support contained in the secondary compartments of different containers.

By the conformation of these known containers, it is moreover not possible to realize their two compartments in materials of aspect different by manufacturing them, under viable economic conditions, on a conventional production line using an advancing thermoplastic strip step by step in the longitudinal direction.

The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing, from a thermoplastic strip, two-compartment containers, as described in the first part of claim 1. One such method is known from EP-A-0 354 172.

Known methods of this type do not make it possible to comply with the requirements related to the sizing of the containers, while avoiding, in the thermoplastic strip, the appearance of falls or losses which strain the manufacturing costs.

The purpose of the method according to the invention is to eliminate these disadvantages.

To this end, there is provided, according to the invention, a method according to claim 1.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the method according to the invention makes it possible to manufacture containers whose compartments main and secondary are made of materials with different aspects.

In this embodiment, a thermoplastic strip is used which has, between its two marginal gripping portions, a alternating ribbons of a first and a second type, welded together and made of materials with different aspects and in which, at least for so-called "common" ribbons, located between the two extreme ribbons adjacent to the said marginal portions, the width of the current ribbons of the second type is substantially equal to half the width of the ribbons currents of the first type. In addition, for each container, the main compartment in a ribbon of the first type, and the compartment secondary in a ribbon of the second type.

The invention also relates to a thermoplastic strip intended for be used for the manufacture of containers according to the invention, comprising a main compartment and a secondary compartment made in materials of different appearance, as defined by claim 9.

According to the invention, this strip comprises, between two portions marginal gripping, alternating ribbons of a first type and ribbons of a second type, welded together and made of materials of different aspects. In addition, at least for the so-called "current" ribbons, located between the two extreme ribbons adjacent to said marginal portions, the width of common ribbons of the second type is substantially equal to the half the width of common ribbons of the first type.

• la figure 1 est une vue de face d'un récipient selon l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue de côté du même récipient,
• la figure 3 est une vue de dessus de ce récipient,
• la figure 4 représente une bande de matériau thermoplastique utilisée pour l'invention,
• les figures 5 et 6 illustrent respectivement deux variantes d'une telle bande,
• la figure 7 montre en vue de dessus un groupe de quatre récipients selon l'invention, accolés entre eux.

The invention will be better understood and its advantages will appear better on reading the detailed description which follows, of embodiments indicated by way of nonlimiting examples. The description refers to the accompanying drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is a front view of a container according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a side view of the same container,
• FIG. 3 is a top view of this container,
• FIG. 4 represents a strip of thermoplastic material used for the invention,
• FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively illustrate two variants of such a strip,
• Figure 7 shows a top view of a group of four containers according to the invention, joined together.

Figures 1 to 3 show a container 10, formed from a strip thermoplastic and comprising a main compartment 12 and a secondary compartment 14. This container also has a rim peripheral 16 and an intermediate zone 18 for connecting the compartments.

As can be seen in the figures, the flange 16 and the connection zone 18 are formed in continuity of each other and are two parts, respectively peripheral and intermediate, of the same zone of the thermoplastic strip remained substantially undistorted during the manufacture of the container and which constitutes the upper face 20 of the latter. Main compartment 12 has a bottom 22, a side wall 24, and an upper end 26 open on the upper face 20 of the container. Similarly, the compartment secondary 14 has a bottom 28, a side wall 30, and an end upper 32 open on the upper face 20 of the container.

An empty space 29 remains between the side walls 24 and 30 of each of the two compartments under the connection zone 18.

Figure 3 is a top view of the container and therefore shows the face upper 20 of the latter. The peripheral edge 16 and the connection zone 18 are formed in continuity with each other, as mentioned above, and in the plane of this upper face 20.

On the periphery of the openings 26 and 32 of the two compartments, are represented by the weld zones, respectively designated by the references 27 and 33, and used for fixing a closure lid of the container in one or two parts (not shown).

As seen in this figure 3, the peripheral rim 16 is inscribed in a rectangle R whose sides determine a first direction D1 and a second direction D2, these directions obviously being perpendicular to each other.

The compartments 12 and 14 are aligned in the first direction D1.

The connection zone 18 between the two compartments has a weakening line 34, also visible in Figure 1, which is straight and extends in direction D2.

This weakening line 34 can, for example, be produced by a series of small perforations or by a continuous streak and allows to make switch the secondary compartment 14 to the main compartment 12 to pour the contents of this compartment 14 into compartment 12.

Optionally, in a complementary or alternative way, the line weakening 34 can be used to easily separate the compartment secondary compartment.

Still with reference to FIG. 3, it can be seen that the dimension L1 of the small compartment 14 measured in the direction D1, from the end secondary 16a of the peripheral rim 16 adjacent to the compartment secondary 14 to the weakening line 34, is substantially equal to half the dimension L2 of the main compartment 12 measured in the direction D1 from the weakening line 34 to the end 16b of the peripheral rim 16 adjacent to the main compartment 12.

In other words, the upper face of the secondary compartment 14 occupies a first third of the rectangle R, while the upper face of the main compartment 12 occupies the remaining two thirds of this rectangle.

Furthermore, as can be seen from FIG. 4, the sum of the dimensions L1 and L2, measured in the direction D1, is substantially equal to a whole divider of the useful width L _u of the thermoplastic strip 100 in which the container is made. This useful width L _u is defined as being the width of the strip located between the two marginal gripping portions 101 and 102 necessary for the step-by-step drive of the strip and for the maintenance of the latter during the various stages of the manufacture of the containers. In other words, the measurement of the width L _u is equal to the measurement of the total width of the strip, minus the widths of the two marginal gripping portions 101 and 102.

It can be seen in this FIG. 4 that rows r ₁ and r ₂ of six containers juxtaposed in the direction D1 occupy the entire useful width L _u of the strip 100.

For the sake of clarity, we have shown in dotted lines in this figure 4 the rectangles R, all similar to each other, in which the contours of the containers according to the invention, only the openings of the two compartments of these containers being all shown.

According to a preferred embodiment, the main compartment 12 and the secondary compartment 14 are made of materials of different appearance.

This is not visible in Figures 1 to 3 which were avoided to weigh down in differentiating the appearance of the two compartments. In contrast, Figure 4 indicates that the secondary compartments are made in ribbons slightly grayed out strip 100, designated by the references 104, 106, 108 and 110, while the main compartments are made in ribbons remained gray, designated by the references 105, 107 and 109.

As previously indicated, this allows a same range of containers, of which all the main containers have the same aspect, differentiating the variants of this range, only by the color or chemical composition of the material constituting the secondary compartments, which indicates for example the scent of their content.

Particularly advantageously, the compartment secondary 14 is transparent, while main compartment 12 is opaque.

This has the advantage of allowing consumers to directly view the contents of the small compartment 14.

The secondary compartment 14 is then for example made of crystal polystyrene, while the main compartment 12 can be produced made of polystyrene containing butadiene.

In this embodiment, in which the two compartments are made of materials of different appearance, we arrange for the demarcation between the two materials is substantially on the line weakening 34.

In the embodiment where the two compartments are made in the same material, we can plan to distinguish the two compartments by simply wrapping the side wall of the main compartment 12. In this case, if this material is transparent, only the contents of the secondary compartment 14 will still be visible.

Advantageously, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the side wall 30 of the secondary compartment 14 present, on the side opposite the main compartment 12, at least one advanced portion 30a.

This portion 30a is advanced relative to the other parts from the side wall 30 on the side opposite to the container 12, but does not extend beyond the dimension L1 previously defined. In other words, other parts 30b and 30c of this side wall 30 on the side opposite the main compartment 12 are simply set back from the portion 30a.

The forward portion 30a locally increases the dimension of compartment 14 without excessively increasing the capacity, so as to allow the insertion of a utensil such as a spoon.

It is indeed noted that the volume of the secondary compartment 14 is generally much smaller than the volume of the main compartment 12, which is explained by the fact that the secondary compartment 14 is not intended than to receive a product complementary to the product contained in the container 12, this complementary product need not necessarily be spilled in large quantities.

In this regard, the secondary compartment 14 is significantly less deep as the main compartment 12, and its bottom 28 extends at a distance from the bottom 22 of this main compartment 12. Still for the purpose of facilitate the use of a utensil such as a spoon, the bottom 28 is advantageously rounded.

When the secondary compartment 14 and the main compartment 12 are made of two materials with different aspects, the portion in advanced 30a may have another advantage. This portion 30a can indeed protrude locally from a packaging serving to contain the container 10, so that the material of the secondary compartment 14, or even the content of this last, be easily visible to the consumer, without running the risk that the secondary compartment 14 is released from the packaging, or even detached from the main compartment 12, during the various maneuvers handling the container in its packaging, prior to tasting of its contents.

Advantageously, and as the figures show, the wall side of the secondary compartment 14 has a single portion in projection 30a, constituted by a central cantilevered part, which is flared towards the opening of compartment 14 and narrows towards the bottom of this latest.

The peripheral flange 16 advantageously has at least one recess 17 on the side opposite to the main compartment 12. This or these recesses 17 then provide an advanced portion 17a towards the end 16a of the peripheral rim 16, which can also protrude partially of suitable packaging.

Part 17a does not, however, extend outside rectangle R and does not not modify the dimension L1 previously defined.

When the forward portion 30a is present, the portion 17a of the rim 16 is advantageously located above the latter.

Advantageously, the containers according to the invention are packaged in groups of at least two containers placed side by side others by their respective peripheral edges which can be separated from each other others by breaking at least one line of least resistance practiced on the border of adjacent peripheral edges.

This is illustrated in FIG. 7, which shows four containers 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, joined together by the adjacent ends of their edges peripheral devices. The borders of the contiguous edges are designated by the general reference 11.

The joined edges, which are located towards the inside of the group, are designated by the reference 16c, while the edges which are towards the exterior are designated by the general reference 16d.

To facilitate the consumption of their content, and in a known manner as such, the containers can be separated from each other by breaking a line of least resistance located on border 11. However, it is important avoid that when handling the containers to separate them from each other others, the weakening lines 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d located in the area of connection between their two respective compartments are broken in same time as the lines of least resistance 11.

The group of at least two containers is therefore advantageously designed so that the line or lines of least resistance 11 are likely to be broken more easily than the line of weakness of each of the containers.

For this purpose, you can for example mark line 11 with a more deeper than that which marks the weakening lines or, in case we use a series of perforations, make more perforations reconciled on line 11.

With reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, the method will now be described, according to the invention, for manufacturing containers with two compartments from a thermoplastic strip.

In this method, the thermoplastic strip 100 is maintained by its longitudinal marginal gripping portions 101 and 102, the strip 100 is advanced step by step in the longitudinal direction, at least one transverse row r ₁ of containers is thermoformed, forming, for each container, a main compartment and a secondary compartment, these compartments each comprising a bottom, a side wall and an open upper end situated in the plane of the strip 100, by producing in this plane a peripheral rim 16 and a connection zone 18 between the compartments 12, 14, and a weakening line 34 directed in the second direction D2 of a rectangle R in which the peripheral rim 16, the compartments 12 and 14, is produced in this connection zone 18 being aligned in the first direction D1 of this rectangle R.

FIG. 4 shows the rectangles R, in which the containers are inscribed with punctuated lines, and the directions D1 and D2 defined by the sides of these rectangles.

To avoid weighing down the drawing, in general only the upper open ends 26 and 32 of each of the compartments of the containers 10 have been shown. For reasons which will be explained below, only a central group of four containers extending over two lines and in rows r ₁ and r ₂ is shown in more detail, the peripheral edges of these containers being shown schematically.

As indicated by the dotted lines at the two ends of the strip 100, only a longitudinal portion of the latter is shown, while its entire width is shown in the drawing.

In the process according to the invention, and as shown in FIG. 4, we realizes the main and secondary compartments juxtaposed in the direction transverse of the thermoplastic strip 100, the first direction D1 of rectangles R thus extends in the transverse direction of this strip, while the second direction D2 of these rectangles extends in the longitudinal direction. We give the dimension L1 of the secondary compartment, measured in the transverse direction of the strip, from the end of the peripheral rim adjacent to this secondary compartment to the weakening line located on the connection zone between the secondary and main compartments, a value substantially equal to half that of the dimension L2 of the main compartment measured in the same direction, from this line weakening to the end of the peripheral rim adjacent to said main compartment.

The ends of the peripheral edges of each container coincide over at least a significant part of their length with the sides of rectangles R. We therefore understand that the longitudinal end, that is to say directed in the longitudinal direction of the strip 100, the peripheral rim of a container coincides with the longitudinal end of the peripheral rim of the neighboring container.

This avoids the formation of falling cuts extending over the entire length of the strip between the ends of the flanges peripherals of two adjacent containers.

In order to also avoid the appearance of such falls in other places of the strip, the sum of the dimensions L1 and L2 in the transverse direction of the main and secondary compartments is given a value substantially equal to an integer divider of the value of the useful width L _u of the strip 100, measured between these two marginal gripping portions 101 and 102.

In the example shown, this integer divisor is equal to six. It is advantageously even when it is desired to package the containers by group of at least two juxtaposed containers in the direction D1 of rectangles R.

The strip 100 of FIG. 4 presents, between its two portions grip handles 101 and 102, alternating ribbons of a first and a second type. The ribbons of the first type are designated by the odd references 105, 107 and 109, while the ribbons of the second type are designated by the even references 104, 106, 108 and 110.

These ribbons are all welded together and made of materials of different aspects, the difference in appearance being shown in the figures by a slight hatching of the ribbons of the second type.

For the clarity of the description, there are the extreme ribbons 104 and 110, which are adjacent to the marginal gripping portions 101 and 102, other ribbons (called "current"), located between these extreme ribbons and designated by the references ranging from 105 to 109. Furthermore, the widths of the different components of the tape are measured in the direction transverse of the latter.

Figures 5 and 6 show two variants, respectively 200 and 300 of the thermoplastic strip, which respectively comprise marginal gripping portions 201, 202 and 301, 302.

The strip 200 has an alternation of ribbons of a first and of a second types, designated by references ranging from 203 to 209. Among these last, the odd references designate the ribbons of the first type, while the even references denote the ribbons of the second type.

Similarly, the strip 300 includes an alternation of ribbons of a first and a second type, designated by references ranging from 304 to 315, the odd references designating the ribbons of the first type, while the even references denote the ribbons of the second type.

Extreme and common ribbons are defined analogously to those of figure 4.

In Figure 4, we see that the current ribbons 106 and 108 of the second type have a width T2 substantially equal to half the width T1 of the common ribbons 105, 107, 109 of the first type.

This also applies to Figure 5, as noted in comparing the width T'2 of common ribbons of the second type 204, 206, 208 and the width T'1 of common ribbons of the first type 205, 207.

In Figure 6, all ribbons of the second type have a width substantially equal to half that of ribbons of the first type.

According to the method, the compartment is produced for each container. main 12 in a ribbon of the first type and the secondary compartment 14 in a ribbon of the second type.

In FIG. 4, the two extreme ribbons 104 and 110 are all two of the second type. Their width T22 is substantially equal to half the width T2 of common ribbons of the second type.

In FIG. 5, the extreme ribbons 203 and 209 are of the first type and their width T'11 is substantially equal to half the width T'1 of common ribbons of the first type.

In either case, the weakening lines between the two compartments of the containers on the border between the ribbons of the first type and ribbons of the second type. In the figures, this border is limited by the lines directed in the longitudinal direction of the strip 100 or 200, which separate the different ribbons and are designated by the reference F.

On the other hand, the longitudinal ends of the edges are delimited peripherals on the median lines of the ribbons of the first and second types of bands 100 or 200. Thus, the line E in FIG. 4 which marks the border between the adjacent peripheral edges of the juxtaposed containers, is located in the middle of the ribbon 105.

This obviously applies to the ends of the edges which are apart from the extreme ribbons. It is clear that the longitudinal outer ends of the containers adjacent to the portions marginal grips are delimited on the border between these marginal portions and extreme ribbons.

These provisions allow, as seen in Figure 4, to fabricate the containers such that a given container 10a which is located, in the transverse direction, between a container 10b and a container 10e, have its main compartment adjacent to the main compartment of one of the containers, container 10b, and its secondary compartment adjacent to the secondary compartment of the other container, container 10e.

The juxtaposition of two main compartments belonging to two separate containers occupies substantially the entire width T1 or T'1 of a current ribbon of the first type on the strip 100 or 200.

Similarly, the juxtaposition of two secondary compartments belonging to two separate containers occupies substantially the entire width T2 or T'2 of a current ribbon of the second type on the strip 100 or 200.

The method advantageously includes a step in which groups the containers by group of at least two containers, the peripheral edges located towards the inside of the group are joined, one step in which a line of least resistance is made on the border between these contiguous edges, and a step in which we cut each group according to the contours of the peripheral edges situated towards outside the group.

We can group the containers as well in the transverse direction of the strip, only in the longitudinal direction of the latter.

In a manner known per se, the method comprises a step of filling of the two compartments of the containers with a metered product suitably, and a step of fitting and fixing at least one cover closure on the upper side of the containers.

According to a first variant comprising the step in which groups the containers together, we simultaneously perform the step in which we cuts each group on the edges of the peripheral edges exteriors, the stage in which the lines of least resistance are made on the border between the contiguous inner edges of the containers and the step in which we realize the lines of weakness between the two compartments of each container, these three steps, which actually make it that since they are carried out simultaneously, intervene after the step for fitting and fixing the closure cap.

In this case, if the cover is made from a continuous strip, the stage in which the lines of least resistance are made will allow cut a separate lid per container, and the step in which we carry out the weakening lines will distinguish this seal in two parts specifically covering on the one hand the main compartment and, on the other hand, the secondary compartment.

According to another variant, which also includes the step in which we group the containers, we first practice the lines weakening between the two compartments of each container before carry out the step of fitting and fixing at least one closure cap, the stage in which the lines of least resistance are practiced on the border between the contiguous edges of the containers, and the stage in which cut out each group.

This cutting step and the step in which the lines are practiced less resistance can also be carried out simultaneously.

FIG. 4 shows a central group of four containers 10a, 10b, 10d, shown in more detail in FIG. 7. In fact, in the variant of this figure, the end tapes 104 and 110 are tapes of the second type and an even number of containers is made on each row (only rows r ₁ and r ₂ are shown).

The containers are then grouped into groups of four containers, including each group includes two rows of two juxtaposed containers transversely and whose main compartments are adjacent.

We cut each group according to the edges of the edges 16d peripherals located outside the group (see Figure 7).

In Figures 4 and 5, the two end ribbons are of the same type. In contrast, Figure 6 shows extreme ribbons of a different type.

It can be seen in this figure that the width of the end strip 304 of the second type is substantially equal to that of the current ribbons of the second type, and that the width of the extreme current 315 of the first type is substantially equal to the width of common ribbons of the first type.

In this case, the entire width T''1 of a ribbon of the first type to make the main container compartment and the the entire width T''2 of ribbons of the second type to make the secondary compartment. The longitudinal ends of the peripheral edges on the passing border, in one direction (reference S) given, parallel to the transverse direction of the strip and in which the first end tape is a tape of the second type, a tape of the first type to a ribbon of the second type, while making the lines of weakening on the border passing, in the same direction, of a ribbon of the second type to a ribbon of the first type.

When the containers are grouped, it is advantageous to carry out the lines of least resistance, located at the borders between the edges inside the group, so that they can be broken more easily as the lines of weakness located on the connecting areas between the two compartments of the same container.

To do this, the lines of least resistance will be made using more strongly marked partial merger or punching (higher temperature, longer processing time or longer punching close together) than partial melting or punching to achieve lines of weakness.

When forming the containers, a protruding part can be formed on the side wall of the secondary compartment, opposite the compartment main.

During the step of cutting the outline of the rim of the containers, can achieve a setback on the part of the rim opposite the main compartment, so as to make a complementary part in advanced.

The thermoplastic strip, of which the three variants are shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 and which presents an alternation of ribbons of the first and of the second type, can for example be produced by co-extrusion.

As previously indicated, ribbons of both types can be distinguished from each other by their chemical composition or by their coloring.

Claims (18)

1. Process for manufacture of containers from a thermoplastic strip (100, 200, 300), in accordance with which the thermoplastic strip (100, 200, 300) is held by its longitudinal marginal grip portions (101, 102, 201, 202, 301, 302), the said strip is advanced longitudinally in indexed manner, and at least one transversal row (r₁, r₂) of containers (10) is heat formed giving these containers a peripheral rim (16) which extends in the plane of the strip,
      characterised by the fact that, for each container, there is formed a main compartment (14) and a secondary compartment (12), each including a base (22, 28), a lateral wall (24, 30) and an upper open end (26, 32) situated in the plane of the strip (100), forming in this plane a peripheral rim (16) and a joining zone (18) between the compartments (12, 14), and in the said joining zone (18) is formed a line of weakness (34) directed in the second direction (D2) of a rectangle (R) in which the peripheral rim (16) is inscribed, the compartments (12, 14) being aligned in the first direction (D1) of this rectangle (R), by the fact that the main (12) and secondary (14) compartments of each container which are formed juxtaposed in the transversal direction of the thermoplastic strip (100), the first direction (D1) of the rectangles (R) thus extending in the said transversal direction, by the fact that the dimension (L1) of the secondary compartment (14) measured in the transversal direction, from the end (16a) of the peripheral rim (16) adjacent to the said secondary compartment (14) to the line of weakness (34), is given a value substantially equal to half that of the dimension (L2) of the main compartment (12) measured in the same direction, from the line of weakness (34) to the extremity (16b) of the peripheral rim (16) adjacent to the said main compartment (12), and by the fact that the longitudinal extremity of the peripheral rim (16) of one container (10) coinciding with that of the peripheral rim of the adjacent container, to the sum of the said dimensions (L1, L2) in the transversal direction of the main (12) and secondary (14) compartments is given a value substantially equal to a whole divisor of the value of the useable width (L_u) of the strip (100), measured between its two marginal grip portions (101, 102).
2. Process as described in claim 1, characterised by the fact that a thermoplastic strip (100, 200, 300) is used which has, between its two marginal grip portions (101, 102; 201, 202; 301, 302), an alternation of bands of a first and of a second type (104 to 110; 203 to 209; 304 to 315), welded together and made of materials having different appearances, at least for the bands termed "standard" (105 to 109; 204 to 208; 305 to 314), situated between the two end bands (104, 110; 203, 209; 304, 315) adjacent to the said marginal portions (101, 102; 201, 202; 301, 302), the width (T2, T'2, T''2) of the standard bands of the second type (106, 108; 204, 206, 208; 306, 308, 310, 312, 314) being substantially equal to half the width (T1, T'11, T''1) of the standard bands of the first type (105, 107, 109; 205 207; 305, 307, 309, 311, 313), and by the fact that, for each container, the main compartment (12) is made of a strip of the first type, and the secondary compartment (14) is made of a strip of the second type.
3. Process as described in claim 2, characterised by the fact that the containers (10) are grouped into groups of at least two containers (10a, 10b) of which the peripheral rims (16c) situated towards the inside of the group are joined side by side, by the fact that a line of least resistance (11) is formed along the interface between the said rims joined side by side (16c) and by the fact that each group is cut out along the outlines of the peripheral rims (16d) situated towards the outside of the group.
4. Process as described in claim 3, comprising a step of filling the two compartments (12, 14) of the containers (10) and a step of applying and fixing at least one closing lid on the upper surface of the containers,
      characterised by the fact that, after this applying and fixing step, are simultaneously performed the step in which each group is cut out, the step in which the lines of least resistance (11) are formed along the interface between the rims (16c), which are joined side by side, of the containers and the step in which the lines of weakness (34) are formed between the two compartments (12, 14) of each container (10).
5. Process as described in claim 3, comprising a step of filling the two compartments (12, 14) of the containers (10) and a step of applying and fixing at least one closing lid to the upper surface of the containers,
      characterised by the fact that the lines of weakness (34) are formed between the two compartments (12, 14) of each container (10) before performing the said step of applying and fixing at least one closing lid, of forming the lines of least resistance (11) on the interface between the rims (16c), which are joined side by side, of the containers and performing the step in which each group is cut out.
6. Process as described in any one of claims 2 to 5, characterised by the fact that the width (T22; T'11) of the end bands (104, 110; 203, 209) being substantially equal to half the width (T2, T'1) of the standard bands (106, 108; 205, 207) of the same type as the said end bands, the lines of weakness (34) are formed along the interface (F) between the bands of the first type and the bands of the second type, and the longitudinal extremities of the peripheral rims are defined along the median lines (E) of the bands of the first and second types, in such a manner that a given container (10a) situated, in the transversal direction between two other containers (10b, 10e), has its main compartment adjacent to the main compartment of one of the said containers (10b) and has its secondary compartment adjacent to the secondary compartment of the other of the said containers (10e).
7. Process as described in claim 6, characterised by the fact that, the end bands being bands of the second type (104, 110), an even number of containers is manufactured in each row (r₁, r₂) and the containers are grouped into groups of four, each group comprising two rows of two transversally juxtaposed containers the main compartments of which are adjacent, and by the fact that each group is cut out along the outlines of the peripheral rims (16d) situated towards the outside of the group.
8. Process as described in any one of claims 2 to 5, characterised by the fact that the width (T''1, T''2) of the end bands (304; 315) being substantially equal to that of the standard bands of the same type (306; 307), the longitudinal extremities of the peripheral rims are formed along the interface passing, in a given direction (S) parallel with the transversal direction and in which the first end band (304) is a band of the second type, from a band of the first type (305) to a band of the second type (306), while the lines of weakness are formed along the interface passing, in the same direction, from a band of the second type (304) to a band of the first type (305).
9. Thermoplastic strip (100, 200, 300), intended to be used for implementing the process as described in claims 1 and 2, characterised by the fact that it includes, between two marginal grip portions (101, 102; 201, 202; 203; 204), an alternation of bands of a first type (105; 205; 305) and bands of a second type (106; 206; 306), welded together and made of materials having different appearances, and by the fact that, at least for the bands termed "standard", situated between the two end bands (104, 110; 203, 209; 304, 315) adjacent to the said marginal portions (101, 102; 201, 202; 301, 302), the width (T2, T'2, T''3) of the standard bands of the second type is substantially equal to half the width (T1, T'1, T''1) of the standard bands of the first type.
10. Strip (100, 200) as described in claim 9, characterised by the fact that the end bands (104, 110; 203, 209) are of the same type, and by the fact that the width (T22; T'11) of the said end bands is substantially equal to half the width (T2, T'1) of the standard bands of the same type.
11. Strip (100, 200) as described in claim 10, characterised by the fact that the two end bands (104, 110) are bands of the second type.
12. Strip (300) as described in claim 10, characterised by the fact that that it includes an end band of the first type (315) the width of which is equal to that (T''1) of a standard band of the same type, and an end band of the second type (304) the width of which is equal to that (T''2) of a standard band of the same type.
13. Container (10) which may be obtained by the process as described in claims 1 and 2, the container being formed from a thermoplastic strip (100) and comprising a main compartment (12), a secondary compartment (14), a peripheral rim (16) and an intermediate zone joining the compartments (18), the said compartments each comprising a base (22, 28), a lateral wall (24, 30) and an open upper extremity (26, 32) on the upper surface (20) of the container (10), the peripheral rim (16) and the joining zone (18) extending in the plane of the said upper surface (20), the said rim (16) being inscribed in a rectangle (R) the sides of which determine a first and a second direction (D1, D2), the compartments (12, 14) being aligned in the first direction (D1) and the joining zone (18) having a line of weakness (34) parallel with the second direction (D2), the dimension (L1) of the secondary compartment (14) measured in the first direction (D1), from the extremity (16a) of the peripheral rim (16) adjacent to the said secondary compartment (14) to the line of weakness (34), being substantially equal to half the dimension (L2) of the main compartment (12) measured in the same direction (D1), from the said line of weakness (34) to the extremity (16b) of the peripheral rim (16) adjacent to the said main compartment (14),
       characterised by the fact that the main compartment (12) and the secondary compartment (14) are made from materials having different appearances and by the fact that the sum of the said dimensions (L1, L2) measured in the first direction (D1) is substantially equal to a whole divisor of the useable width (L_u) of the thermoplastic strip (100).
14. Container as described in claim 13, characterised by the fact that the secondary compartment (14) is transparent, while the main compartment (12) is opaque.
15. Container as described in claim 13 or 14, characterised by the fact that, on the side opposite to the main compartment (12), the lateral wall (30) of the secondary compartment (14) has at least one set-forward portion (30a).
16. Container as described in claim 15, characterised by the fact that the set-forward portion is formed by a central corbelled part (30a).
17. Container as described in any one of claims 13 to 16, characterised by the fact that, on the side opposite to the main compartment (12), the peripheral rim (16) has at least one set-back portion (17).
18. Group of at least two containers (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) as described in any one of claims 13 to 17, joined together side by side by their respective peripheral rims (16c) and separable from each other by breaking at least one line of least resistance (11) formed along the interface of the adjacent peripheral rims,
       characterised by the fact that the said line of least resistance (11) is able to be broken more easily than the line of weakness (34a, 34b, 34c, 34d) of each of the containers (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d).

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