GB2390077A

GB2390077A - Cereal packet with integral sieve

Info

Publication number: GB2390077A
Application number: GB0227848A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Anthony Burfield
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-02-01
Filing date: 2002-11-29
Publication date: 2003-12-31
Anticipated expiration: 2022-11-29
Also published as: GB0202446D0; GB0227848D0; GB2390077B

Abstract

A packet for breakfast cereal 9 has a main upper compartment 3 divided from a lower compartment 4 by a sieve 1 through which unwanted small particles 6 of cereal can fall. The sieve is formed by gaps 2 in an intermittent bond between side walls of the packet, the bond being continuous at end portions 5 to act as a trap for particles 6 when the packet is tilted to pour out cereal 9. The bond may be formed by thermal sealing or adhesive. The base of the upper compartment 3 may slope towards the gaps 2. The packet may be held within an outer box 7 to which it is bonded at 8.

Description

l Cereal Package with Intearal Sieve This invention relates to a cereal

package with an integral sieve.

Cereal packages are well known, but suffer from the disadvantage that when they are transported and also in daily use, the cereal granules rub against each other and so cause smaller particles to break off. This is especially evident when the consumer pours the last servings from the package. These small particles may not be to the consumers liking, and so spoil the quality of the product.

Attempts have been made to resolve this problem, examples of solutions previously put forth are described in US 4,889,619 and US 5,958,483.

US 4,889,619 discloses a sieve member which can be inserted into a cereal package prior to filling the package for sieving contents subsequently added to the package. This arrangement is impractical for commercial use for a number of reasons. Firstly one needs to select a suitably proportioned and shaped sieve to suit each different sized or shaped package. Secondly, the member needs to sealed to the inner surfaces of the package. If these two steps are not taken, then inevitably there will exist gaps through which material which is desired to be retained may be lost among the filtered material which is desired to be discarded. This unnecessarily complex solution is not only inflexible and impractical, but would likely be too costly to implement in a commercial scale packaging process.

US 5,958,483 discloses a "double baggedn package, wherein the inner bag is perforated and the outer bag serves to collect debris filtered from the inner bag. Whilst a simple solution and relatively cheap to

implement on a commercial scale, this arrangement also suffers from disadvantages. Typically, a cereal package includes an inner moisture and air impermeable package (eg a vacuum sealed bag) housed in a decorative outer package (eg a printed cardboard box). The inner package is designed to keep the contents fresh and avoid contamination from airborne particles, whilst the outer packaging is permeable to any number of potential contaminants which may adversely affect or reduce the shelf life of the packaged product. Thus, the introduction of perforations in an

external surface of the inner package can adversely affect the packaged product. The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned problems identified for prior art cereal packages.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a package for cereal, the package having a main portion and a debris collecting portion, the main and debris-collecting portions being separated by a series of bonds between two opposing inner surfaces of the package, gaps between the bonds being configured for filtering particles of a predetermined size or smaller from cereal introduced into the main portion of the package, for collection in the debris-collecting portion. Preferably the package comprises a lightweight, impermeable material, such as a plastic, foil or coated (for example, waxed) paper. The bonds may be provided by adhering inner surfaces of the bag to one another, alternatively, with an appropriate choice of package material, the bonds may be formed through heat sealing. Gaps between the bonds provide a "sieve" for separating crumbs from unbroken pieces of cereal in a package.

In use, the package is opened at an edge of the main portion to provide a pouring spout. The package is lifted and tilted at an angle to the

vertical to allow contents from the package to be poured out. As the contents move, smaller particles fall under gravity and slip through the gaps between the bonds to be collected in the debris collecting portion.

Thus the pourer is provided primarily with large pieces of cereal from the pouring spout.

The bonds and gaps may be arranged in a straight line extending substantially horizontally across the package when the package is in an upright position with its pouring spout at the top Alternatively, the arrangement may be curved or bent to provide one or more dips into which debris is encouraged to collect for filtering through the sieve.

The sieve is integral with the sealed package so that the separation of particles occurs immediately the packet is filled with cereal, and continues until the consumer finishes the product.

Bonds of longer length may be provided adjacent edges of the package such that, when the package is tilted for pouring the contents, filtered particles are retained behind the longer length bonds.

The package may be enclosed in an outer package, such as a decorative cardboard box for easier display and storage.

In another aspe*, the invention comprises a method for manufacturing a cereal package having an integral sieve for sieving debris from the main contents of the package, comprising forming from a flexible, impermeable package material, a container with a single opening, forming an intermittent bond between two opposing, inner surfaces of the container whereby to provide two integrally formed portions of the container, only one of which includes the single opening.

The method may further comprise a step of introducing cereal into the single opening of the package and sealing the opening shut to enclose the cereal.

Some preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows an isometric view of the cereal package.

Figure 2 shows a side view cross section of the cereal package.

Figure 3 shows a plan view cross-section through the sieve.

Figure 4 depicts the invention in use.

As shown in Figure 1, the package comprises of a packet 3 that is segregated into two compartments by a sieve 1. The sieve has predetermined size apertures 2 within its form. Preferably, these apertures are not present for a predetermined length at each end 5. The profile of the sieve may be sloped or curved to promote the smaller particles to slide towards the apertures.

With reference to Figure 2, if the packet 3 is not self supporting, it is preferable to suspend the packet within an outer packet 7 that is made from a stiffer material (for example cardboard). The suspension is achieved by for example a bond 8 between the two packets. When the upper compartment is filled with cereal 9 the smaller particles 6 of a size smaller than the predetermined size of apertures 2 will fall into the lower compartment 4.

The reference to Figure 3, the sieve is produced by creating an intermittent bond across the cereal packet (by for example thermal sealing or adhesive 10). Preferably the apertures are formed into by for

example, back to back pleats 2 to increase the cross sectional area of the unsealed section. However, this is not essential if the packet material is pliable (for example, a thin plastic material) as the apertures would open up under the weight of the particles.

With reference to Figure 4, on serving the cereal from the packet, it can be seen that the small particles 6 are trapped behind the sealed area 5 and so are stopped from entering the bulk of the cereal In the upper compartment.

Claims

l CLAIMS

1. A package for cereal, the package having a main portion and a debris collecting portion, the main and debris-collecting portions being separated by a series of bonds between two opposing inner surfaces of the package, gaps between the bonds being configured for filtering particles of a predetermined size or smaller from cereal introduced into the main portion of the package, for collection in the debris-collecting portion.

2. A cereal package as claimed in claim 1 wherein the package is suspended within an outer packet made of a stiffer material.

3. A cereal package as claimed in any preceding claim where the bonds have a longer sealed length adjacent edges of the package, whereby to trap sifted particles against entering the main portion of the package when the package is tilted for pouring.

5. A cereal packet as claimed in any preceding claim where the bonds are arranged in a sloped or curved configuration to promote the movement of the smaller particles towards the gaps for filtering.

6. A method for manufacturing a cereal package having an integral sieve for sieving debris from the main contents of the package, comprising forming from a flexible, impermeable package material, a container with a single opening, forming an intermittent bond between two opposing, inner surfaces of the container whereby to provide two integrally formed portions of the container, only one of which includes the single opening.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising introducing cereal into the single opening of the package and sealing the opening shut to enclose the cereal.