RU2564591C2 - Package for portioned food product - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: packaging industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a package for portioned food product, i.e. the product that can be divided into portions with cold or hot filling. The package comprises, with respect to the assembled package: a lateral strip (20) having two longitudinal edges (20a), connected by two end edges (20b), and at least one bend and/or one fold to limit the storage space of the food product (CP), two panels (10) each of which has one side (10a) designed for contact with the product (P) and connected along the fold line to the lateral rib (10b) substantially perpendicular to the side (10a). At that the lateral strip is attached with the ability of detachment by tearing off to the panels (10) through their respective lateral rib, to enclose the food product in the storage space. The package, according to the invention, has a small size after the use, it is economical and practical in use, prevents contamination of the consumer fingers when opening and extracting the product. A method of manufacturing such package and its application are also described.

EFFECT: improvement of the design.

16 cl, 11 dwg

Description

The invention relates to packaging for portioned food product P.

In the further description, a portioned food product means products that can be divided into portions by cold pouring (from 45 to 70 degrees Celsius) or hot pouring (above 70 degrees Celsius), such as a mass of processed cheese, butter, chocolate, pastes, etc. etc., as well as products that can be divided into portions, for example, cut and placed in packaging, such as pieces of cheese or sausages.

The packaging of such products has been known for many years.

For low temperature portioning products such as butter, metallized paper is used that is wrapped around a portion of the product.

This packaging is not airtight, as it is simply bent and sealed. To seal it, it is necessary to apply heat and / or pressure, which is incompatible with such products.

Since there is no tightness, there is a high risk of contamination, accordingly, the limit date of consumption (DLU) should be calculated. In addition, when packaging, the product can exit through the folds and stain production equipment. Usually, when a consumer opens a bag of oil or a single serving of oil, he notices that the oil is in folds and he must be careful not to get dirty.

For products portioned at high temperature, it is essential that the packaging is airtight. Indeed, these products usually have significant fluidity at high temperature, higher than their fluidity at low temperature. Thus, if the packaging is not sealed, the product will immediately leak from the packaging during manufacture.

Packages of thermoformable materials are known, such as thermoplastics, which are heated for thermoforming and are welded (preferably by heat welding). The form that is attached to it is designed to contain the entire product. Therefore, these packages are in the form of a shell, half a shell or a cup, the volume of which is equal to the volume of the product. For example, such packaging is used for Ptit Louis® or Saint Moret® products. These packages require a lot of space, since they have the same volume as the product that they contain, and since they retain their shape after use. Therefore, they must be crushed in order to reduce their size. Finally, product recovery can be difficult if the hole is not in the middle of the product, as with P′tit Louis® products. Thus, these packages are usually reserved for products in trays that are cut with a knife in the tray itself (Saint Moret®).

Also known are lacquered aluminum packaging used for servings of cream cheese in the shape of a triangle, such as the product described in patent document WO 00/17064. These packages are beneficial in that they are very economical.

This package contains a container having a bottom and side edges. It is obtained from a sheet blank, issued horizontally, and collected in a holding form. It does not undergo thermoforming (since aluminum is not suitable for thermoforming), but simply folds up and then is held in this configuration by heat sealing of zones coated with heat-sealing varnish.

A mass of cream cheese is poured hot into a container. Then, on a still hot product, a lacquered aluminum top sheet is placed and part of the side panels are folded onto a part of the top sheet. Thus, the sheet is between the product itself and the bent part of the side panels.

The side panels are sealed on the top sheet, applying pressure and heating to fasten the varnish.

This packaging has many disadvantages.

It cannot be used with foods portioned at high temperature. Indeed, the pressure applied during sealing cannot be too strong, since it is indirectly applied to the product itself. Therefore, to facilitate the fastening of the varnish, the product temperature is used. Thus, a product that is proportioned at low temperature cannot participate in sealing. In parallel, care must be taken to ensure that the temperature of the sealing iron does not damage the integrity of the product.

In addition, the use of such packaging is impractical, and the consumer very often gets his fingers dirty, opening the packaging and removing the product for use.

On the other hand, in the corners of the package, the side panels are not perfectly welded to the top sheet. Indeed, in the corners of the package, two side panels fit onto the top sheet. Therefore, sealing between the sheet and the side panel directly in contact with it is poorly performed.

In addition, shaping the cup into a sheet creates very strong stresses in lacquered aluminum, which has many microcracks due to this. Therefore, the packaging is not completely sealed and there is a significant risk of contamination.

On the other hand, aluminum has only low mechanical strength, so often the consumer inadvertently crushes the package and it bursts.

Finally, the sheet blank required to obtain this package has many cuts, which entails significant loss of material.

The solution to these problems of tightness and mechanical strength was to offer packaging of a similar shape (the same cup shape), but from a thermoformed material.

Thermoformed packaging is obtained from a heated sheet of thermoformed material assembled in a molding mold with a depth suitable for containing the product.

Thus, this packaging remains expensive due to the required amount of material, and cumbersome due to its shape. In addition, removing the product from the mold is difficult: you need to remove the lid and remove the product, for example, using a knife.

Thus, the aim of the invention is to provide packaging that is small after use, economical and practical in use, preventing contamination of the consumer’s fingers when opening and removing the product.

Another objective of the invention is to offer packaging that takes up little space after use, is economical and practical in application and multi-purpose, that is, which can be used for a food product portioned at high or low temperature.

Another objective of the invention is to offer packaging that takes up little space after use, economical, multi-purpose, practical in use, and having optimal tightness, including in the corners and folds of the package.

To this end, the invention proposes to manufacture a package of thermoformed material containing several independent parts, the location of which allows hermetic sealing at all edges, and allowing the application of temperature and sealing pressure outside the product.

More precisely, an object of the invention is a packaging for a portioned food product, containing, with reference to the packaging assembly:

- a side strip having two longitudinal edges connected by two end edges and having at least one bend and / or one fold to define the storage space of the food product,

- two panels, each of which has a side intended for contact with the product, connected to the side rib, essentially perpendicular to the side, along the fold line,

- moreover, the strip is attached, with the possibility of separation by peeling, to the panels through their respective side rib to enclose the food product in the storage space.

The packaging of the food product is formed by structures of such materials and such a thickness that allows you to open it by hand (expanding or tearing). For example, such a package may consist of sheets of aluminum with a thickness of less than 50 microns, sheets of paper or cardboard with a density of less than 450 grams per square meter, sheets of polypropylene, polyethylene or polyester with a thickness of less than 100 microns.

The term “side” means that when the package is assembled, the strip limits the side of the package and the storage space of the food product.

The panels are designed to be taken by the consumer in order to hold the food product, while the strip is designed to separate from the panels. This strip, if pulled out, has the shape of a flat ribbon. In other words, the strip has a length along the longitudinal axis greater than the width along the transverse axis.

Preferably, the shape of the elongated flat strip is substantially rectangular, that is, it has longitudinal edges longer than the end edges. A "substantially rectangular" shape is a shape having two longitudinal edges longer than the end edges, all of which may be straight or have one or more bends or ribs. The term “substantially rectangular” also encompasses the trapezoidal shape of the strip (one of the end edges is narrower than the second end edge or the center of the strip).

When the packaging is assembled, the strip is folded so as to have a bend and / or crease. In other words, the strip has, in assembly, by

at least two planes, or an infinite number of planes if the strip is bent.

The fastening can be removed by peeling if both parts are glued or sealed so as to allow their separation by hand without tearing.

According to special forms of implementation:

- the side rib can be located outside the package, away from the product;

- a fold line for opening can pass through the side of the panels;

- the side edges of the panels may have at least two preliminary markings connected by a fold line for opening, located on the sides of the panels;

- preliminary markings can be cutouts;

- the package may contain a material selected from the group consisting of hot-melt materials, such as polyolefins, polyamides and polyesters, a laminated complex material containing at least one sheet of paper or cardboard and at least one sheet of hot-melt material, and a combination of these materials ;

- the package may contain material coated at least partially with glue;

- the specified material can be selected from the group consisting of paper, cardboard, aluminum and a plastic sheet, and the adhesive can be selected from hot-melt resin and heat-sealable varnish;

- the strip may have a stiffness less or the same as that of the panels.

The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the above packaging, comprising the following steps:

a) the panels are made so that each of them has a side intended to be in contact with the product and a side rib substantially perpendicular to that side;

b) attach a side strip, with the possibility of peeling off, only to part of the side ribs of the panels to form a storage space;

c) place the food product (P) in a storage space;

d) close the storage space by attaching, with the possibility of peeling off, the side strip to another part of the side ribs of the panels.

According to special forms of implementation:

- step a) may comprise the following steps:

a1) receive two panels of thermoformed material;

a2) thermoforming the panels so that each has a side intended to be in contact with the product and a side rib substantially perpendicular to that side;

- step b) may comprise the following steps:

b1) place the panels at a predetermined distance (d) relative to each other so that the side ribs are opposite each other and are directed outside the package;

b2) fix the side strip, with the possibility of peeling off, only on the part of the side ribs of both panels in order to create a storage space between the sides of the two panels and leave a part of the side ribs free;

and step d) consists in closing the storage space by attaching, with the possibility of peeling off, the side strip to the remaining free part of the side ribs of the two panels;

- step b) may consist in attaching a side strip, with the possibility of peeling off, to the side edge of one of the two panels to form a storage space between the side of the panel and the strip,

and step d) may consist in closing the storage space, securing, with the possibility of peeling off, the side strip on the side edge of the second panel;

- fixing the strip on the side edges of the panels can be done by sealing or gluing.

The invention also relates to the use of the above packaging, comprising the following steps:

i. take the packaging for the panel with two fingers of one hand;

ii. they grab the strip with the other hand and separate it from the panels on at least one part of the side rib;

iii. bend the panels to divert part of the side of the panels from the product (P).

According to other special forms of implementation, the strip can be separated by tearing it, at least partially, from the side edge of the panels.

Other characteristics of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description below, made with reference to the attached figures, which show, respectively:

- FIG. 1: schematic exploded perspective view of a first form of packaging according to the invention;

- FIG. 2: a schematic perspective view of the packaging of FIG. 1 during assembly;

- FIG. 3: a schematic top view of one example of a cutout layout of several panels for a first form of packaging according to the invention, limiting loss of material during manufacture;

- FIG. 4: a schematic perspective view of the packaging of FIG. 2 during filling with a food product;

- FIG. 5: a schematic perspective view of the packaging of FIG. 4 after closing;

- FIG. 6 and 7: schematic perspective views of a second form of packaging of FIG. 5 during opening;

FIG. 8: a schematic perspective view of a second form of packaging according to the invention; and

- FIG. 9-11: schematic sectional views of a first embodiment of a method for manufacturing a package according to the invention.

The first form of packaging according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 has two panels 10, each of which has a side 10a intended to be in contact with the product P, and a side rib 10b substantially perpendicular to this side 10a.

The panels are the same. In the example shown, the side 10a of each panel is generally triangular in shape. The vertices of the corners are preferably rounded to allow good tightness of the package. Usually, whatever the geometric shape of the side 10a, it is preferable to choose rounded vertices. Of course, when the number of sides increases, the corners do not really need to be rounded anymore, since leakage problems are reduced. For example, an octagonal shape does not strictly require that the vertices be rounded.

Preferably, the shape of the panels is chosen so as to reduce material loss when cutting the panels from the base sheet.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the panels 10 are shaped to allow several panels to be tightly spaced on a single strip of material. Material losses L shown in gray in FIG. 3 have a much smaller area than the losses caused by bendable triangular aluminum packages having complex side surfaces. Thus, the invention allows to reduce the loss of material.

The panels are made of thermoformed material. They are heated, then pressed into a mold in order to thermoform the side 10a and the side rib 10b substantially perpendicular to this side (with an accuracy of plus or minus 10 °). The height h of the side rib does not depend on the amount of product that will be contained in the package. Therefore, it is not required that the side strip have a significant height. The specialist is able to choose the height of the side rib as a good compromise between a sufficient fixation area with a strip and an economical amount of material.

The package according to the invention also has a side strip 20 comprising two longitudinal edges 20a connected by two end edges 20b.

When the package is assembled, the strip has at least one bend and / or fold to limit laterally the storage space for food P.

In the assembly process shown in FIG. 2, the panels 10 are placed at a predetermined distance d relative to each other so that the side ribs are opposite each other and directed outward of the package. The distance d is measured between the two sides 10a of the panels 10. The distance d is strictly less than the width of 1 strip. Preferably, width 1 is d + 2h.

Then, the strip 20 is attached, with the possibility of peeling off, only to the part of the side ribs 10a of the panels 10 to form a storage space between the sides 10a of the panels 10 and the strip 20 and to leave a part of the side ribs free so that the food product can be placed in the storage space on the next step (Fig. 4).

Then the food product P is placed in the storage space, as shown by arrow F1, and the storage space is closed, securing with the possibility of peeling off, the end of the side strip on the remaining free part of the side ribs of the panels. Preferably, the end portions 21 and 22 of the strip 20 having end edges 20b overlap to provide perfect impermeability. To do this, they are bent respectively in the direction of the arrow F2, then in the direction of the arrow F3. It is also preferable that the end portion 21 of the strip having an end edge and located above the other end edge, that is, facing the outside of the package, remain free so that the consumer can grasp it (Fig. 5). Preferably, this end edge, remaining free, is convex in order to facilitate grip of the strip and opening of the package.

When the consumer wants to consume the product P, he takes the package according to the invention, placing his fingers on the sides 10a of the panels 10 (FIGS. 6 and 7).

Since the strip 20 is fixed to the side rib 10b with the possibility of peeling off, the consumer can separate the strip 20 from the panels 10. For this, as shown in FIG. 6, it captures the left end portion 21 of the strip and lifts the strip 20 in the direction of arrow F4.

According to one embodiment, the strip 20 is secured, with the possibility of peeling, by gluing or sealing to the side ribs 10b.

Thus, raising the strip 20 in the direction of the arrow F4, the consumer separates the strip 20 and the side ribs 10b along the fastening zone without tearing or cutting them.

Only the attachment area is peeled off / printed.

Preferably, each side 10a has a fold line 11 (FIG. 7). These fold lines allow the consumer who holds the packaging by the panel, for example, between the thumb and forefinger, to extend the honor of these panels according to the arrows F5 and F6, so that it can be very easy to put the product P in the mouth or on the stand.

Preferably, the side ribs 10a of the panels 10 have at least two preliminary markings 11a in the direction from the fold line 11. These preliminary markings facilitate the folding of the panels 10 of the thermoformed material. These preliminary markings 11 may be extruded lines or cutouts.

Thus, according to the invention, the panels have the same shape, and the strip has a shape that does not give or gives little material loss L in the manufacture. The height of the side rib of each panel does not depend on the amount of product that must be contained in the package. Thus, thanks to the invention, it is possible to obtain packages of different capacities without the need to change the forms for forming the panels. Only the width of the sideband changes. Since this strip is not thermoformed, changing its width is very easy to implement.

Thus, the packaging proposed by the invention is very economical, while being multi-purpose.

In addition, the dimensions of an empty package are smaller than the dimensions of a filled package.

In addition, packages of various shapes can be obtained, as shown in FIG. 8, where the panels are generally square in shape with rounded vertices.

In addition, when the package according to the invention is assembled, the side ribs of the panels are directed outside the assembled package relative to the storage space of the food product, protruding relative to the planes formed by the sides of the panels. Thus, the shape of the panels / side ribs does not serve to contain the product between the side and the side rib. In contrast, according to the invention, the side ribs have a covering surface opposite to the product.

Thus, in the manufacture, due to the back pressure mechanism (not shown) located under the side ribs 10b and against the sides 10a, significant downward pressure can be applied to the cover and side ribs.

For example, fixing, with the possibility of separation, the side strip on the side ribs can be done by wrapping the side strip around panels that rotate, but remain stationary relative to each other.

FIG. 9-11 illustrate one example of a method for manufacturing a package according to the invention.

Generally speaking, the method includes a first step, during which the panels are made so that each of them has a side intended to be in contact with the product and a side rib substantially perpendicular to that side. Preferably, this step is carried out with both panels of thermoformed material. So, they are heated and deformed in the form so that each of them has a side designed to be in contact with the product, and a side rib, essentially perpendicular to this side.

Alternatively, the panels can simply be stamped into a mold to obtain the desired shape. This can be done, for example, for aluminum panels.

In a second step, the side strip is attached, with the possibility of peeling off, to only part of the side ribs of the panels to form a storage space. Fastening the strip to the side edges of the panels can be done by sealing or gluing.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, this second step is an assembly by securing the side strip 20, with the possibility of peeling off, for example by hot sealing 30, on the side rib 10b of one panel 10 (bottom panel in FIG. 9) to create a storage space between the side of the panel 10 and strip 20.

In the third stage, the food product P is placed in the storage space (Fig. 10), and in the fourth stage, the storage space is closed and the side strip is attached, with the possibility of peeling, to another part of the side edges of the panels. In the embodiment of FIG. 11, this fourth step consists in closing the storage space by securing it so that it can be peeled off, for example by hot sealing 30 of the side strip 20 on the side rib 10a of the second panel 10 (top panel in FIG. 11).

Thus, pressure P is never applied to the product P contained in the storage space, either directly or indirectly. Similarly, it is possible to locally heat the strip and side ribs with this pressure application without risking to heat the product.

Thus, this packaging structure allows you to pack products portioned at both high and low temperatures, such as butter or sausages, providing perfectly tight packaging.

In addition, the side rib serves as an abutment for the consumer’s fingers when opening the package. Indeed, when the strip is torn off, the packaging can slip out of the hands of the consumer. The fact that the side rib is prudently facing outward from the product prevents the packaging from slipping out of the fingers when opened.

Preferably, the strip has a stiffness that is less than the rigidity of the sides of the panels. So, when the consumer opens the package, the panels are more resistant to mechanical deformations than the strip. In addition, the presence of a side rib makes the panels more rigid.

This prevents crushing of the packaging in the consumer bag. This also allows for less expensive packaging, while ensuring that the panels retain their shape when opened. Thus, after opening the consumer can hold between two fingers the panels that contain the food product.

Claims (16)

1. Packaging for portioned food product, characterized in that it contains, in relation to the packaging assembly:
- a side strip (20) having two longitudinal edges (20a) connected by two end edges (20b) and having at least one bend and / or one fold to form a food storage space (P),
- two panels (10), each of which has a side (10a) intended for contact with the product (P), and connected along the fold line with the side rib (10b), essentially perpendicular to the side (10a),
- wherein the side strip (20) is detachably attached to the panels (10) through their respective side rib (10b) in order to enclose the food product in the storage space. 2. A package according to claim 1, wherein the side rib (10b) is located outward of the package, away from the product. 3. Packaging according to any one of paragraphs. 1 or 2, in which a fold line (11) for opening opens through the side (10a) of the panels (10). 4. A package according to claim 3, in which the side ribs (10b) of the panels have at least two preliminary markings (11a) connected along the fold line for opening, located on the sides of the panels. 5. Packaging according to claim 4, in which the preliminary markings are cutouts. 6. The package according to claim 1, containing a material selected from the group consisting of hot-melt materials, such as polyolefins, polyamides and polyesters, a layered complex material containing at least one sheet of paper or cardboard and at least one sheet of hot-melt material , and a combination of these materials. 7. The package according to claim 1, containing material coated at least partially with glue. 8. The packaging according to claim 7, in which said material is selected from the group consisting of paper, cardboard, aluminum and a plastic sheet, while the adhesive can be selected from a hot-melt resin and heat-sealable varnish. 9. The packaging according to claim 1, in which the strip has a stiffness less or the same as that of the panels. 10. A method of manufacturing a packaging for a portioned food product according to any one of paragraphs. 1-9, containing the following steps, in which:
a) the panels are made in such a way that each one has a side intended for contact with the product and a side rib substantially perpendicular to that side;
b) attach a side strip, with the possibility of peeling off, only to part of the side ribs of the panels to form a storage space;
c) place the food product (P) in a storage space;
and
d) close the storage space, securing with the possibility of separation by tearing, the side strip on another part of the side ribs of the panels. 11. The method according to p. 10, in which step a) comprises the following steps:
a1) provide two panels of thermoformed material;
a2) thermoform the panels so that each of them has a side intended for contact with the product and a side rib substantially perpendicular to that side. 12. The method according to p. 10 or 11, in which step b) comprises the following steps:
b1) place the panels at a predetermined distance (d) relative to each other so that the side ribs are opposite each other and are directed outside the package; and
b2) attach the side strip, with the possibility of peeling off, only to part of the side ribs of both panels to create storage space between the sides of the two panels and leave part of the side ribs free,
at the same time, at step d), the storage space is closed by attaching, with the possibility of peeling off, a side strip on the remaining free part of the side ribs of the two panels. 13. The method according to p. 10 or 11, in which in step b) a side strip is attached, with the possibility of peeling, to the side edge of one of the two panels to form a storage space between the side of the panel and the strip, and in step d) they are closed storage space by attaching, with the possibility of peeling off, the side strip to the side edge of the second panel. 14. The method according to p. 10, in which the fastening of the strip on the side
the edges of the panels are sealed or glued. 15. The use of packaging according to any one of paragraphs. 1-9, containing the following steps:
i. grabbing the package behind the panel with two fingers of one hand;
ii. gripping the strip with the other hand and separating it by tearing it away from the panels on at least a portion of the side rib;
iii. bending the panel so as to divert part of the sides of the panels from the product (P). 16. The use according to claim 15, in which the strip is separated, tearing it off at least partially from the side edge of the panels.

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