FR2571699A1 - PACKAGING FOR PRODUCTS PRESENTED IN GROUP PACKAGES - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A packaging for products presented in grouped lots, consisting of individual pots (1) each of which is closed by a cover (3), that are inserted into and joined together by a grid (13) presenting a number of holes (14) equal to that of the pots in each cluster, characterized in that the cover of each pot comprises in turb a contact area (8) at the top of the upper flange (4) of the pot, and a skirt (7) which possesses firstly, an annular internal shoulder (9) co-operating with an external shoulder (6) of that flange, and secondly two diametrically opposed tabs (10) each of which is an extension of a tearable zone (12) of that skirt, and in that the grid (13) comprises, concentrically with the hole (14) that serves to accommodate a pot (1), two circular arc cut-outs (17) so dimensioned to permit the passage of the two tabs of each pot cover and each of which is prolonged by a seating arranged below the grid and into which the tab (10) penetrates due to the elastic deformation of a retaining unit (19) that forms a portion of the grid, but from which it can only be extracted by breaking the retaining unit.

Description

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  PACKAGING FOR PRESENT PRODUCTS

IN GROUP PACKAGES

  Many products are packaged.

  This is particularly the case for food products, cleaning products, cosmetics ... In all cases, the product is contained in a container, and in a specified number the containers

  are linked together by a destructible or removable external means.

  In some cases, the containers do not include individual closure, and it is the outer means of connection between the containers that simultaneously carries out the closing of the containers. It's like that,

  for example, for white cheeses.

  Considering this particular case, the white cheeses are deposited in faisselles which are introduced in pots whose closure

  is made by a single lid fixed by interlocking or thermo-

1 5 sealing.

  This presentation in bundles has many

  practical and commercial benefits, and is particularly

  destined for consumption by communities and restaurants. However, it has various drawbacks, among which should be mentioned: a lack of rigidity of the assembly formed by the pots and their lid, which causes handling difficulties; a lack of tightness between the pots, which can cause the passage of the serum from one pot into another pot with the resulting consequences, namely that some cheeses are too dry, and others too wet; the quality of the cheese is not guaranteed; - the need to consume quickly all cheeses, from the moment the single lid has been removed;

  - And the difficulty of storage of this type of packaging.

  The invention overcomes these disadvantages. Its object is packaging which, for products to be packaged, has multiple applications because of the variety of these products.

  products. It is therefore only an example and for the sole purpose of clarifying

  the following text that the invention will be described in the case of its

  application to white cheeses, but without resulting in a

  any of its wide range of applications.

  This conditioning is constituted in combination by - individual pots each closed by a lid - and by a grid which has a number of orifices equal to that of the pots to be joined, caps these pots with these orifices, and comprises

  fastening means to the lids of these pots.

  This conditioning meets the first desired goal of allowing the grouping of several individually closed pots; and it responds to a second extremely important goal, residing in the guarantee that this or that pot was not opened before its presentation

  on sale. This guarantee requires inviolability of the packaging.

  This condition of inviolability is precisely satisfied by

  the packaging subject of the invention. Two inviolability systems

  lability are indeed foreseen: one at the level of the closure of each

  pot, and the other at the level of the grid that connects the pots.

  Various means can be used for the realization of these two systems of inviolability. Thus, according to one embodiment of the invention - the lid of each pot successively comprises a bearing zone on 'the top of the upper rim of the pot and a skirt which has, on the one hand, a inner annular shoulder cooperating with an outer shoulder of this flange and, on the other hand, two diametrically opposed tongues each extending a tear-off zone of this skirt; and the grid concentrically comprises the orifice serving

  each pot contains two arcuate cuts which are

  to allow the passage of the two tabs of each cover

  pot -et each extend by a housing - arranged under the grid and in which the tongue, penetrates through an elastic deformation of a retaining element forming part of the grid, but out of which it can be extracted only by breaking of this element of

detention.

  Considering this particular form of enforcement, the implementation

  place of the grid on the pots is made either manually or mechanically

  cally. It requires only after having capped the pots with the grid by passing the two tabs of each lid through the two corresponding cutouts of the grid, an angular movement movement is given to each pot to achieve its

hanging with the grid.

  Finally, and this is another characteristic of the invention, each of the orifices of the grid is arranged in the center of a circular zone set back from the plate constituting the grid, and each pot comprises a peripheral upper rim coming from resting on the annular zone thus arranged at the periphery of the orifice through which the pot body passes, while the rim of this annular zone comes into contact with the skirt of the lid of the pot. This arrangement contributes

  to achieve effective closure of the pot by the lid.

  The attached schematic drawing represents, moreover, by way of nonlimiting example, an embodiment of this packaging in the case of its application to the presentation of white cheeses in packaged form: Figure I is a perspective view of 4 and 5 are respectively perspective views of the grid and one of the pots prior to completion of the packaging, FIGS. 4 and 5 are plan views respectively of a pot and a pot. a corresponding portion of the grid, - Figures 6 and 7 are detail views and on an enlarged scale,

  in section respectively according to 6-6 and 7-7 of FIG.

  As is known per se, white cheeses are

  in pots with an inner faisselle. In the attached drawing, the pot is designated by (1) and the inner faisselle by (2). As is also known per se, the pot (1) is closed by a lid (3). This lid is relatively high to cover the faisselle (2) whose height is such that its upper edge overflows relative to

to that of the pot (1).

  With a view to their presentation in bundled packaging, namely

  four in the case shown in the drawing, each pot (1) according to the invention

  present, at its upper part, a connected peripheral flange (4)

  the pot body by an annular horizontal zone constituting a sponge.

  (5); and at its upper part, the peripheral rim (4) presents

an outer bead (6).

  The lid (3) of the pot ends, for its part, at its lower part, by a cylindrical skirt (7) connected to the body of the lid by an annular horizontal zone (8); and at its lower end,

  this skirt (7) has an inner bead (9).

  It is therefore conceivable that by cooperation of the skirt (7) of the lid (3) with the flange (4) of the pot (1) and by cooperation of the beads respectively (9) of the lid and (6) of the pot, it is possible to obtain an easy and tight closure of the pot (1) by the lid

(3).

  The cover (3) has two tongues

  opposing sides (10) which project laterally in a horizontal plane

  zontal with respect to the skirt (7); and each tongue (10) extends in the rim (7) of the lid and on a portion of the height of the body of the lid by a line of least resistance (12) To be presented in a bundle, four pots (1), provided each of a lid (3), are associated with a grid generally designated by (13). This grid consists of a plate made advantageously, as the pots (1) and the covers (3), by molding in synthetic resin. This grid or plate (13) has four orifices (14) which are arranged in the center of four zones set back from the plate itself. Each orifice (14) is

  placed in the center of an annular zone (15) connected to the main face

  blade of the plate (13) by a vertical cylindrical zone (16).

  Concentrically at each orifice (14), the plate (13) has two cutouts (17) which are diametrically opposed and have a generally arcuate shape. The dimensions of these cutouts (17) are somewhat greater than those of the two tabs (10) of each lid (3) pot (1). Each cutout (17) extends itself, at one of its ends, by an arcuate slot (18) which gives

  the formation of a narrow leg (19) at both ends of the

  which are respectively provided a stop (21) and a redent (22), the spacing between this stop (21) and redent (22) being slightly greater than the length of the tab of the lid of the pot; and a zone of weakness (23) is provided at the end of the leg

  (19) in its area of connection with the plate (13).

  For the putting into service of the conditioning which is the object

  of the invention, four pots (1) closed by their lids (3) are associated with

  to a grid (13). For this association, each of the four pots is put in place in one of the orifices. (14) of the grid (13). This setting is carried out as follows: the pot (1) is presented above the grid (13) in a position such that the two tabs (10) of its cover (3) are placed above the two lights (17) of the grid (13). The pot (1) can thus freely descend through the orifice (14), until: - the shouldered zone (5) of the rim (4) of the pot bears against the annular zone (15); ) of the grid, - and the two tabs (10) of the lid are supported on the bottom (24) formed by the grid (13) below each cutout (17). To achieve the connection between the pot (1) and the grid (13), it remains to impose a small angular displacement to the pot relative to the grid. During this movement, each of the two tabs (10) of the pot lid is introduced elastically under the corresponding tab (19) and stops between the stop (21) and the corresponding redent (22). There is then imperative connection between the grid (13) and the pot (1) closed by its lid (3). This link can be removed only by breaking the two tabs (19), thanks to the two zones of least resistance (23) provided on the grid (13) on both sides

of each pot (1).

  The grid assembly (13) and pots (1) is therefore an inviolable system, since the gripping of a pot, in order to consume its contents, requires the rupture of a portion of the grid (13). This rupture being visible, the packaging which is the subject of the invention

  can therefore be regarded as satisfying the inviolability condition

  bility, while still allowing easy separation of pots

compared to the grid.

  Another advantage of this packaging lies in the fact that it ensures a good closure of each pot (1) by its lid (3). It must indeed be noted that when the pot closed by its cover (3) has been introduced into the grid (13), the skirt (7) of the lid (3) is pinched between the rim (4) of the pot (1) and the cylindrical wall (16)

  of the grid (13). This pinch associated with the cooperation of the two

  (6) and (9), respectively of the pot and the lid, guarantees a firm

  particularly tight sealing of the pot (1) by the lid (3).

  It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the sole embodiment of this packaging for products presented in bundles, which has been indicated above as an example.

  it embraces, on the contrary, all variants.

7 1699

Claims (4)

  I - Packaging for products presented in bundles, characterized in that it is constituted in combination by: - individual pots (1) each closed by a lid (3); and by a grid (13) which has a number of orifices (14) equal to that of the pots to be joined, caps these pots thanks to these orifices, and   comprises hooking means to the lids of these pots.   2 - Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the lid (3) of each pot (1) comprises successively a bearing zone (8) on the top of the upper rim (4) of the pot and a skirt (7) which has, on the one hand, an inner annular shoulder (9) cooperating with an outer shoulder (6) of this flange and, on the other hand, two diametrically opposed tabs (10) extending each   a tear-off zone (12) of this skirt.   3 - Packaging according to claims 1 and 2, characterized   in that the grid (13) comprises concentrically at the orifice (14) serving as a housing for each pot (1) two arcuate cuts (17) which are dimensioned to allow the passage of the two tongues of   each pot lid and are each extended by a suitable housing.   swims under the grid and in which the tongue (10) penetrates through an elastic deformation of a retaining element (19) forming part of the grid, but out of which it can be extracted only by rupture of this restraining element.   4 - Packaging according to any one of the claims   1 to 3, characterized in that each of the orifices (14) of the grid (13) is arranged in the center of a circular zone (15) set back from   to the plate constituting the grid, and each pot has a top rim   peripheral device (5) bearing on the annular zone (15) thus arranged at the periphery of the orifice (14) through which the body of the pot (1) passes, while the rim (16) of this annular zone (15) ) comes   in contact with the skirt (7) of the pot lid.   Packaging according to any one of the claims   I to 4, characterized in that the upper edge of the faisselle (2) contained in the pot (1) is located above the upper edge of the pot (1) and in   below the upper edge of the lid (3).