US20230278769A1

US20230278769A1 - Packaging For An Item And Packaged Item

Info

Publication number: US20230278769A1
Application number: US18/196,642
Authority: US
Inventors: Claudio Pascal FRITZ-VIETTA; Daniele GROTTO
Original assignee: Leef Blattwerk GmbH
Current assignee: Leef Blattwerk GmbH
Priority date: 2021-12-29
Filing date: 2023-05-12
Publication date: 2023-09-07

Abstract

A packaging for an item includes: a three-dimensionally shaped packaging base made from a leaf material of a plant; a base bearing surface, which is formed on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base and configured to accommodate an item to be packaged; a base rim, which, as part of the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base, surrounds the base bearing surface and forms a corner region between the base bearing surface and a rim section of the base rim, which is proximal with respect to the base bearing surface; and a packaging lid made from a recyclable material, which is provided as a folded lid and in which lateral folding elements are moulded onto a lid element in one piece and are arranged in a folded position to form an accommodating space in the packaging lid

Description

The invention relates to a packaging for an item, particularly a food, and a packaged item.

BACKGROUND

Packagings are used for example in order to package items for sale and distribution. The same is for example also known for the packaging of foods, which are thereby packaged for the user, for example for transport from the point of sale to the point of consumption.
It has been suggested to produce packagings or packaging containers from a plant container material. Palm leaves are for example used herein as plant container material. This is described for example in the documents DE 20 2017 006 954 U1 and U.S. Pat. No. 10,004,345 B1. Furthermore, it has been suggested to produce disposable tableware or trays from palm leaves (cf. EP 1 438 914 A1, DE 20 2015 105 015 U1).
Also, a packaging made from a palm leaf material is disclosed in the document DE 39 27 062 C2. In an embodiment, a packaging tray is produced, in which a container opening is closed by means of a plastic film to package the item. The plastic film is laid around a peripheral container rim in such a manner that the film is arranged both on the upper rim and also on the underside of the container rim. The plastic film thus laid around the container rim should adhere by means of adhesion. To configure the packaging container, it may be provided to print on the same. In this context, it is suggested to grind the blank material for the container prior to the pressing or the cutting to size and to print on the same in a desired manner, for example with a label. For optical reasons, the lower outer side of the container can also be ground smooth, so that labelling of the container is also enabled on the same by means of printing. It may additionally be provided to apply to the entire outer side of the container a protective layer before or after the application of the label.

SUMMARY

It is the object of the invention to specify a packaging for an item and a packaged item, using which the packaging can be adapted to different items in a flexible manner and at the same time supports the safe transport of the packaged item.
To achieve this, a packaging for an item and a packaged item according to the independent claims 1 and 14 are created. Embodiments are the subject-matter of dependent claims.
According to one aspect, a packaging for an item is provided, comprising: a three-dimensionally shaped packaging base made from a leaf material of a plant; a container bearing surface formed on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base and configured to accommodate an item to be packaged; a container rim, which, as part of the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base, surrounds the container bearing surface and forms a corner region between the container bearing surface and a rim section of the container rim, which is proximal with respect to the container bearing surface; and a packaging lid made from a recyclable material, which is formed as a folded lid and in which lateral folding elements are moulded onto a lid element in one piece and are arranged in a folded position to form an accommodating space in the packaging lid; wherein the packaging lid is arranged on the container bearing surface such that the accommodating space opens towards the container bearing surface and distal rim sections of the lateral folding elements, which distal rim sections are distal with respect to the lid element, each come to bear in the corner region, such that the packaging lid is fixed on the container bearing surface in its relative position thereto.
According to a further aspect, a packaged item is provided, which comprises an item in the form of a food and a packaging of the previously mentioned type, wherein the item is packaged by means of the packaging such that the item is arranged in the region of the container bearing surface, which is formed on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base, and is covered by means of the packaging lid.
A sustainable packaging for any desired items, particularly food, is provided using the proposed technology, which packaging consists at least to some extent of renewable plant materials. The packaging lid is adapted to the three-dimensional shaping of the packaging base by means of folding of the folded lid in such a manner that the folded lid, the lateral folding elements of which come to bear in the corner regions of the packaging base, is fixed on the container bearing surface. Inadvertent slipping of the packaging lid on the packaging base is efficiently prevented.
The packaging lid can thereby be arranged in a completely adhesion-free manner on the packaging base, that is to say free from any adhering connections between the packaging base and packaging lid.
The container bearing surface can be constructed as an essentially planar bearing surface, along the edges of which the corner region is formed.
The three-dimensionally shaped packaging base can for example be a plate or a tray made from the leaf material of the plant. In one embodiment, a surface-side coating can be provided on the packaging base, particularly in the region of the top surface or only in the region of the container bearing surface. A coating made from a plastic material may be provided, which optionally is biodegradable.
A sleeve is made from a recyclable material and configured to secure the packaging lid to the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base. Packaging bases and packaging lids can additionally be secured in their relative position to one another with the aid of the sleeve. In the various embodiments, the sleeve can for example consist of a paper or paperboard material. A design made from plant fibres may also be provided.
The sleeve may substantially completely surround the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base with the packaging lid arranged on the same. The sleeve, as a full perimeter sleeve, may be pushed onto the arrangement with packaging base and packaging lid arranged thereon, so that it can easily be pulled off again by the user if the user would like to access the packaged item.
The sleeve can bear in an adhesion-free manner, i.e. without adhesion, on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base and the packaging lid. Herein, adhesion-free in particular means that the sleeve does not adhere by means of an adhesive or bonding agent on the packaging base and the packaging lid. The use of an adhesive may for example be provided in embodiments in which the sleeve does not completely surround the arrangement with packaging base and packaging lid (closed sleeve), but rather ends of the sleeve adhere for example on the underside of the packaging base and the sleeve surrounds both sides starting from the packaging lid.
The corner region may be formed peripherally continuously around the container bearing surface between the container bearing surface and the proximal rim section of the container rim. Alternatively, the design of the corner region may be interrupted in one or more subsections along the peripheral container rim, for example owing to a local recess.
The distal rim sections of the lateral folding elements may come to bear in the corner region peripherally continuously around the container bearing surface. In this embodiment, the lateral folding elements extend peripherally around the container bearing surface as far as into the corner region and thus peripherally close the accommodating space inside the folded lid.
Connecting elements may be arranged between lateral folding elements assigned to one another and arranged adjacently to one another along a periphery of the lid element, wherein the connecting elements stiffen the folded lid and are each moulded in one piece onto the lateral folding elements that are assigned to one another. The connecting elements constructed between adjacent lateral folding elements may be folded inwards towards the accommodating space during the folding of the lateral folding elements into the folded position to form the folded lid. In particular, corner regions between adjacent folding elements can additionally be stiffened with the aid of the connecting elements, which supports the mechanical stability of the folded lid forming the packaging lid.
The accommodating space may be a closed space when the packaging lid is arranged on the container bearing surface. In this embodiment, the item to be packaged is arranged and packaged on the container bearing surface in a closed accommodating space.
The packaging lid may have a viewing window, through which it is possible to see into the accommodating space from the outside. The viewing window may be an open or a closed viewing window. To close the viewing window, a transparent plastic material may for example be applied to the packaging lid in the region of the viewing window, for example by means of adhesive bonding.
The viewing window may be arranged in the region of the lid element. Alternatively or additionally, a viewing window may be provided in the region of one or more lateral folding elements.
A plurality of container part bearing surfaces may be formed on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base, which container part bearing surfaces are separated from one another on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base by means of a separating device; and the packaging lid may be formed in multiple parts with a plurality of separate packaging part lids, which are each assigned to a different one of the plurality of container part bearing surfaces. This embodiment makes it possible for a plurality of items to be packaged separately by means of the one packaging, for example foods of a meal that are to be separated from one another. On the one hand, a plurality of container part bearing surfaces are constructed on the common packaging base, which are separated from one another by means of the separating device. On the other hand, the packaging lid comprises a plurality of separate packaging part lids, which can each be provided in accordance with the previously explained design variants. The respective lid then comes to bear in the peripheral corner region of the assigned container part bearing surface and is thus used for packaging an item arranged thereon. The container part bearing surfaces and/or the packaging part lids can each be provided to be of the same size. Alternatively, different sizes may be provided for the container part bearing surfaces and/or for the packaging part lids, which make it possible to respectively package items of different size in the packaging on the common three-dimensionally shaped packaging base.
The separating device may have a separating web, fillet or partition wall, using which the corner region is formed along the separating web, fillet or partition wall. The separating web, fillet or partition wall between container bearing surfaces may be constructed in a continuous or interrupted manner between the same. The separating web, fillet or partition wall can be shaped from the leaf material of the packaging base. Alternatively, a separating web, fillet or partition wall can be produced by means of material deposition on the leaf material.
The sleeve may be formed according to a sleeve design selected from the following group: common sleeve for the plurality of separate packaging part lids, and a plurality of separate sleeves which are each assigned to a different one of the plurality of packaging part lids. In the case of the plurality of packaging part lids, the same can be secured on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base with the aid of the common sleeve. Alternatively, a plurality of separate sleeves may be used.
The base rim can have a first securing element and/or at least one of the lateral folding elements can have a second securing element. The first securing element and the second securing element can be configured to act together to secure the packaging lid on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base.
The base rim can also have a plurality of first securing elements, particularly two, three or four first securing elements. It may be provided that (in each case) two of the first securing elements are arranged on opposite sections of the base rim.
A plurality of second securing elements can be provided on the lateral folding elements. In particular, two, three or four of the lateral folding elements can in each case have a second securing element (or a plurality of second securing elements).
Alternatively, at least one of the lateral folding elements can also have at least one first securing element and the base rim can have at least one second securing element.
The first (or second) securing element can be arranged at (essentially) half of the height of the base rim. The first (or second) securing element can be arranged in an upper or a lower half of the base rim.
The first securing element can be formed as a recess (particularly a hole, preferably in the base rim) and the second securing element can be formed as a projection. The projection can preferably be configured to be accommodated in the recess.
The recess can be formed to penetrate the base rim completely. Alternatively, the recess can be formed as a depression, which faces the accommodating space, in the base rim.
The recess can be formed to be planar or curved. In particular, the recess can be formed to be slot-shaped, particularly as a linear slot. The recess can however also be formed in a V-shaped or U-shaped manner.
The second securing element can be arranged on a distal folding element (for example a (paper) flap), which is formed in one piece on the at least one of the lateral folding elements. The distal folding element can be formed by folding at the distal rim section of the lateral folding element. The second securing element, in particular the projection, can be formed so as to lie in one plane with the distal folding element.
The embodiments previously explained in connection with the packaging can correspondingly be provided in connection with the packaged item.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Further exemplary embodiments are explained in the following with reference to figures of a drawing. In the figures:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration for producing a packaging for an item;

FIG. 2 shows a further schematic illustration for producing the packaging for an item from FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 shows schematic perspective illustrations of packagings, in which the packaging lid and packaging base are secured by means of a sleeve;

FIG. 4 shows schematic perspective illustrations of packagings with sleeve, wherein a viewing window is provided in the packaging lid;

FIG. 5 shows schematic perspective illustrations of packagings without sleeve;

FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration of packaging with a plurality of packaging part lids, which are secured to a common packaging base by means of a sleeve; and

FIG. 7 shows schematic illustrations of packaging lids in the non-folded state.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic perspective illustration of a packaging base having a first securing element and a packaging lid having a second securing element;

FIG. 9 shows a schematic illustration for producing the packaging for an item by means of additional securing elements;

FIG. 10 shows a schematic illustration of an arrangement of packaging lid and packaging base including securing elements in different perspectives;

FIG. 11 shows schematic illustrations of packaging including securing elements, wherein packaging base and packaging lid have a round, triangular, square or rectangular base; and

FIG. 12 shows schematic illustrations of packaging including securing elements, wherein viewing windows are additionally provided.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective illustration of a three-dimensionally shaped packaging base 1, which consists of a leaf material of a plant.
The packaging base 1 forms a receptacle for an item (not illustrated) in the region of a base accommodating or base bearing surface 2, for example for accommodating a food. The base bearing surface 2 is surrounded by a base rim 3, which extends diagonally upwards starting from the base bearing surface 2 in the illustrated embodiment. A corner region 5 is formed peripherally between the base bearing surface 2 and a proximal rim section 4 of the base rim 3 with respect to the base bearing surface 2.
A packaging lid 6 is assigned to the packaging base 1 to form a packaging, which packaging lid is folded according to FIG. 1 by means of lateral folding of folding elements 7, which are arranged along a peripheral edge 8 of a lid element 9, to form a folded lid 10, which is shown in FIG. 2 . By means of the folding of the lateral folding elements 7 along the edge 8, which can be provided with folding lines, an accommodating space 11 is created in the interior of the folded lid 10, which opens towards the base bearing surface 2, when the folded lid 10, as shown in FIG. 2 , is arranged on the packaging base 1, in such a manner that distal rim sections 12 of the lateral folding elements 7 come to bear in the corner region 5, so that the packaging lid 6 is fixed in its relative position with respect to the base bearing surface 2. The packaging lid 6 can then no longer slip to the side on the base bearing surface 2. For additional securing of the arrangement with packaging base 1 and packaging lid 6, a sleeve 13 is provided in FIG. 2 , which surrounds the packaging base 1 and packaging lid 6 arranged thereon.
According to FIG. 1 , connecting elements 14 are provided between adjacent lateral folding elements 7, which are moulded onto the adjacent lateral folding elements in one piece and fold inwards during folding, so that they are no longer visible in the folded lid 10 (cf. FIG. 2 ). The connecting elements 14 support stiffness and thus the mechanical stability of the packaging lid 6.
in the various embodiments, the connecting elements 14 can have an adhesive on the surface at least in certain regions, for example a glue, so that at least the adjacent connecting elements 14 can be formed to adhere to one another when they come to rest against one another.
The packaging lid 6 and/or sleeve 13 are made from a recyclable material, for example paper or paperboard.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show further embodiments for the packaging with packaging base 1 and packaging lid 6 and sleeve 13, wherein in the embodiments in FIG. 4 , a viewing window 15 is formed in the region of the lid element 9 by means of an opening in the lid element 9, which viewing window can be open or closed, wherein a closed window may for example be covered with the aid of a transparent (recyclable) plastic material.
FIG. 5 shows packagings without additional securing by means of the sleeve 13, wherein the packaging base 1 and packaging lid 6 have a round or triangular base.
FIG. 6 shows schematic perspective illustrations of different packagings, in which base bearing part surfaces 2 a, 2 b are formed on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base 1, which are separated from one another with the aid of a separating web 16 which may also be regarded as a fillet or partition wall. Packaging part lids 6 a, 6 b are assigned to the container accommodating part surfaces 2 a, 2 b and arranged thereon in such a manner that the distal rim section 10 comes to bear in the corner region 5.
FIG. 7 shows further embodiments for the packaging lid 6 with lateral folding elements 7 in the non-folded state.
FIG. 8 shows a schematic perspective illustration of a packaging base 1 having first securing elements 17 and a packaging lid 6 having second securing elements 18. The first securing elements 17 are formed as recesses 19 in the base rim 3 and the second securing elements 18 are formed as projections 20, which are configured to respectively engage in the recesses 19 and/or to be accommodated in the recesses 19.
The projections 20 are respectively arranged on distal folding elements 21, which are respectively formed in one piece or integrally on one of the lateral folding elements 7. The distal folding elements 21 can be formed by folding at the distal rim section 12 of the respective lateral folding element 7. The projections 20 respectively extend at distal ends of the distal folding elements 21.
FIG. 9 shows a schematic illustration for producing the packaging for an item by means of additional securing elements 17, 18. The folded packaging lid 6 is placed onto the packaging base 1 in such a manner that the projections 20 engage into the recesses 19 and the packaging lid 6 is secured on the packaging base 1 in this manner,
FIG. 10 shows a schematic illustration of an arrangement of packaging lid 6 and packaging base 1 including securing elements 17, 18 in different perspectives,
FIG. 11 shows packaging including securing elements 17, 18, wherein packaging base 1 and packaging lid 6 have a round, triangular, square or rectangular base and/or a plurality of base part bearing surfaces/container accommodating part surfaces 2 a, 2 b.
FIG. 12 shows packaging including securing elements 17, 18, wherein viewing windows 15 are additionally provided.
The features disclosed in the above description, the claims, and the drawing can be of significance both individually and in any combination for the implementation of the different embodiments.

Claims

1. A packaging for an item, comprising

a three-dimensionally shaped packaging base made from a leaf material of a plant;

a base bearing surface formed on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base and configured to accommodate an item to be packaged;

a base rim, which, as part of the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base, surrounds the base bearing surface and forms a corner region between the base bearing surface and a rim section of the base rim which is proximal with respect to the base bearing surface; and

a packaging lid made from a recyclable material, which is formed as a folded lid and in which lateral folding elements are moulded onto a lid element in one piece and are arranged in a folded position to form an accommodating space in the packaging lid;

wherein the packaging lid is arranged on the base bearing surface such that the accommodating space opens towards the container bearing surface and distal rim sections of the lateral folding elements, being distal with respect to the lid element, each come to bear in the corner region, such that the packaging lid is fixed on the container bearing surface in its relative position thereto.

2. The packaging according to claim 1, comprising a sleeve made from a recyclable material and configured to secure the packaging lid to the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base.

3. The packaging according to claim 2, wherein the sleeve is provided according to at least one of the following embodiments:

the sleeve substantially completely surrounds the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base with the packaging lid arranged on the same and

the sleeve bears on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base and the packaging lid without adhesion.

4. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein the corner region is formed peripherally continuously around the base bearing surface between the base bearing surface and the proximal rim section of the base rim.

5. The packaging according to claim 4, wherein the distal rim sections of the lateral folding elements come to bear in the corner region peripherally continuously around the base bearing surface.

6. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein, between folding elements that are assigned to one another and which are arranged adjacently to one another along a periphery of the lid element, connecting elements are arranged, which stiffen the folded lid and are each moulded in one piece onto the folding elements that are assigned to one another.

7. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein the accommodating space is a closed space when the packaging lid is arranged on the base bearing surface.

8. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein the packaging lid has a viewing window, through which it is possible to see into the accommodating space from the outside and which is preferably arranged in the region of the lid element.

9. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein the base rim has a first securing element and at least one of the lateral folding elements has a second securing element, wherein the first securing element and the second securing element are configured to act together to secure the packaging lid on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base.

10. The packaging according to claim 9, wherein the first securing element is formed as a recess in the base rim (3) and the second securing element is formed as a projection, which is configured to be accommodated in the recess.

11. The packaging according to claim 9, wherein the second securing element is arranged on a distal folding element, which is formed integrally on the at least one of the lateral folding elements.

12. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein

a plurality of base part bearing surfaces are formed on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base the base part bearing surfaces being separated from one another on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base by means of a separating device; and

the packaging lid is formed in multiple parts with a plurality of separate packaging part lids , which are each assigned to a different one of the plurality of base part bearing surfaces.

13. The packaging according to claim 12, wherein the separating device has a separating web, using which, along the separating web, the corner region is formed.

14. The packaging according to claim 12, wherein the sleeve is formed corresponding to a sleeve design from the following group: common sleeve for the plurality of separate packaging part lids, and a plurality of separate sleeves, which are each assigned to a different one of the plurality of packaging part lids.

15. A packaged item, comprising

an item, which is a food; and

a packaging according to claim 1,

wherein the item is packaged by means of the packaging in such a manner that the item is arranged in the region of the base bearing surface, which is formed on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base, and is covered by means of the packaging lid.