WO1999059891A1

WO1999059891A1 - Package for a food product packaged in liquid condition and method for obtaining the package

Info

Publication number: WO1999059891A1
Application number: PCT/IB1999/000836
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alessandro Grazia
Original assignee: OFFICINE MECCANICHE NATALINO CORAZZA SpA
Current assignee: OFFICINE MECCANICHE NATALINO CORAZZA SpA
Priority date: 1998-05-20
Filing date: 1999-05-10
Publication date: 1999-11-25
Anticipated expiration: 2000-11-20
Also published as: AU3439199A; ITBO980331A1; ITBO980331A0; IT1303978B1

Abstract

Package for a food product, the package (10) comprising a container (12) defining an inner chamber (14) and a food product (16) housed in said inner chamber (14) of said container (12), wherein the food product, which is introduced into said chamber in substantially liquid condition, presents an air bubble (40) generated during the filling operation inside the package (10). The package comprises means (29) to confine said air bubble (40) in a predefined position within the package (10). A method is also provided for the realisation of the present package.

Description

Package for a Food Product Packaged in Liquid Condition and Method for

Obtaining the Package

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a package for a food product and to a method for obtaining the package.

The package is of the type comprising a container defining an inner chamber for housing a food product which is introduced into said chamber in substantially liquid condition and wherein, inside the package, at least an air bubble is present which is generated during the package filling operation.

Background Art In traditional products, packaged in the liquid condition inside a container, such as some types of cheese which are molten in view of packaging and which then solidify at ambient temperature within the container assuming the shape of this container, during the filling operation, in the chamber housing the food product, an air bubble is disadvantageously created, which due to the movements and handling operations undergone by the package, migrates and moves, within said chamber housing the product, before the cheese is completely solidified and provides the final solid product a "pitted", not uniform, surface, which, when the package is opened and the product is extracted in view of its utilisation, makes the product itself definitely unpleasant to the consumer. Moreover, since a considerable portion of product to be consumed comes in contact with said air bubble movable within the package, which air bubble is certain to contain oxidising elements and may also contain contaminants of any nature, in the areas of the product contacted by said bubble, with subsequent rapid extension to the neighbouring areas, a precocious alteration of the product is generated which induces an excessively rapid deterioration of the entire good.

Disclosure of Invention

The aim of the present invention therefore is to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks.

The aforesaid aim is attained with a package having the characteristics of claim 1. In particular, the present invention provides a package for a food product, the package comprising a container defining an inner chamber wherein a food product is housed, which is introduced into said inner chamber in substantially liquid condition and wherein, inside the package, at least an air bubble is present which is produced during the package filling operation. The package being characterised in that it comprises means to confine, with the product in substantially liquid condition, said air bubble in a predefined position within the package.

Thanks to the fact that on the package are provided suitable means for confining the air bubble created during the packaging operation, it is possible to avoid this air bubble to come in contact with most of the packaged material and the consequent precocious deterioration of the product itself.

This advantageous confining of the air bubble can be obtained both in packages for products packaged liquid, or substantially liquid, and which then solidify in view of their consumption, and in packages for products which remain liquid even after packaging and are consumed in this condition.

Also avoided, when packaging a product that solidifies, such as cheese which is introduced, in molten condition, into the container defining the package, is the generation in the surface of the product of those small holes or pits which make the product unpleasant for the consumer.

The present invention further relates to a method for the realisation of a package for a food product, as set out in claim 13. In particular it relates to a method for the realisation of a package for a food product, wherein a container of the package is provided which presents an inner chamber and a through opening which opens into said housing chamber and towards the exterior of the container; wherein the product in substantially liquid condition is introduced inside said housing chamber, during which introduction operation at least an air bubble is produced which remains inside the package; and wherein the package is closed hermetically upon completion of the filling operation; the method being characterised in that said container is provided with means for receiving and means for retaining said air bubble within said receiving means; and in that the insertion of the air bubble within said means for receiving the air bubble is effected during the introduction of the product in liquid condition inside the package. The aforementioned method constitutes and advantageous and preferred procedure for obtaining the present innovative package.

The secondary claims refer to particular and advantageous embodiments. Further features and advantages of the invention shall be made more readily apparent from the content of the detailed description that follows, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, which represent embodiments provided purely by way of non limiting example.

- Figure 1 shows a front elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the package of the present invention;

- Figure 2 shows a slightly enlarged section view, taken according to line II-II of Figure 1 , relating to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, in a condition wherein the filling operation has been completed;

- Figure 3 shows a front elevation view of the present invention, highlighting in particular the filling phase effected with the product in liquid condition.

Figures 1 through 3 show a preferred embodiment of the package of the present invention. The package is for a food product which, fed into the container in substantially liquid condition is made to solidify to be consumed in the form of a solid product.

The present package embodiment of the invention is preferably used for packaging a cheese, which is fed in the molten state into the container of the package. It is nonetheless usable for any other kind of food product such as ice cream, chocolate, jam or other products which can be fed in liquid condition into the package and can subsequently solidify in view of their use. One could also imagine using the present invention to package a product which remains and is consumed in liquid, or substantially liquid, condition even after packaging, such as yoghurt, fruit juices, drinks in general.

The package 10, according to the present preferred embodiment, comprises in essentially known manner a container 12 defining an inner chamber 14 and a food product 16 housed in said inner chamber 14 of said container. As highlighted particularly in Figure 2, the container 12 comprises a first and second associated shells 18, 20 facing each other to realise said inner chamber 14 for housing the food product. Said shells 18, 20 are mutually joined by seal 19 obtained between the respective peripheral borders 21, 23 of mutual contact which contour, delimiting it at the centre, said housing chamber 14. The material with which said shells of the container are realised is a plastic material having at least its inner surface, destined to contact the product, which can be peeled to allow for an easy detachment of the container from the product upon consumption thereof.

The present embodiment of the package comprises means suitable to allow mutually to disengage and separate said first and second shell 18, 20 realising the container 12.

In particular, said means for disengaging and separating said first and second shells 18, 20 comprise, on each of said shells of the container, respective first 32, 34 and second 36, 38 portions for gripping and spreading said shells 18, 20, which are positioned mutually opposite and close, though detached.

In the traditional packages for cheese of the kind referred above, within the chamber housing the product, an air bubble generated during the filling operation inside the package is present.

As Figure 2 shows, the present embodiment advantageously provides suitable means for confining the air bubble, indicated in the figure with the numeric reference 40, in a pre-defined position within the package 10.

In particular, said means to confine said air bubble 40 in a pre-defined position within the package 10 comprise, on the package, means for receiving or containing said air bubble 40, and means for retaining said air bubble within said receiving means. In this way the air bubble is prevented from circulating within the package before the solidification of the product, causing the drawbacks related above.

Advantageously said means for receiving said air bubble 40 are in the form of an elongated cavity 29, opening into the product housing chamber 16, which in the present embodiment is provided by a hollow tubular element 24 whose inner longitudinal cavity defines said cavity 29 for receiving said air bubble.

In a preferred manner, said hollow tubular element 24 extends for a certain section, with its lower longitudinal portion 28, into the product housing chamber 14 of said container 12 and presents means suitable to allow the insertion of the air bubble 40 into the cavity 29 of the tubular element. Said insertion means in this specific instance are realised by holes 42, 44, provided in the peripheral wall 46 of the tubular element 24. In particular, to allow the passage of all air present in the chamber 14 of the container into the confining area defining by the inner cavity 29 of the tubular element, said passage holes 42, 44 are advantageously provided in the portion of tubular element 24 that is, inside the product housing chamber 14, in the vicinity of the upper wall 43 of the container 12.

As shown, said tubular element 24 is, preferably, in the form of an element that is separate and distinct from said container 12 and is associated, with hermetic weld, to the container 12 itself in correspondence with a through opening 22 of the container which opens inferiorly into the chamber 14 for housing the product and superiorly towards the exterior of the product. The weld joining the tubular and the container being obtained by heating the plastic material of the container. One could in any case imagine the realisation of an element for receiving the air bubble, not by means of a separate and distinct element that is associated to said container prior to the filling operation, but by means of a portion obtained integrally, in a single piece with said container.

As Figure 3 clearly shows, in a preferred manner, the tubular element 24 extends upwards and also realises, through its inner cavity 29, open at both ends, means for the introduction of the product in liquid condition into the chamber 14 of the package. The liquid filling material is inserted into the tubular element 24 through the open top end 241 , and is transferred to the inner chamber 14 of the package through the open lower end 242 of the tubular element. Means for closing the inner cavity 29 of said tubular element 26 are provided, in the form of a hermetic weld 30 (shown in Figures 2 and 3) between opposite edges of the tubular element 24, realised upon completion of the package filling operation, in correspondence with the free top end 26 of the tubular element 24.

A preferred method for obtaining the present package thus provides for starting from a container 12 of the package which presents, as stated previously, an inner chamber 14 and a through opening 22 which opens into said inner chamber

14 and towards the exterior of the container 12. Such a container can easily be obtained by the person versed in the art.

The method then provides for introducing or injecting, into the inner chamber 14 of the container 12, the food product 16 in substantially liquid condition through an appropriate feeding nozzle 25, as shown in Figure 3.

According to the present advantageous method, said container is provided, as referred above, with means 29, or equivalent, suitable to receive, by insertion thereinto, said air bubble 40 with the additional provision of means suitable for retaining said air bubble 40 within said receiving means 29.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the present method, the insertion and trapping of the air bubble 40 within said receiving means 29 occurs automatically in the course of the filling operation of the product in liquid condition in the package. With particular reference to Figure 3, it can be understood that the filling of the package preferably occurs with the package 10 held vertical in such a way that said means 29 for receiving said air bubble are placed in a position above said product housing chamber 14 of said container and injecting from above the product (indicated by the arrows P directed downwards in Figure 3) in liquid condition.

The product in liquid condition is made to pass through said cavity 29 of the tubular element 24, accumulates starting from the bottom of the housing chamber 14 and rising therein it progressively ejects the air contained within said chamber 14. In particular, as shown by the arrows A directed upwards in Figure 3, the elimination of said air from the package occurs through said lateral holes 42, 44 provided in the tubular element, which allow the passage within the inner cavity 29 of said tubular element and the escape therefrom, flowing opposite to the feeding of the filling product.

As the filling of the package continues, the residual air present in the package is progressively made to pass into the cavity 29 of the tubular element. Upon completion of the filling operation, the sealing closure of the package is effected by means of a welding 30 of the tubular element 24, which as Figure 2 shows is obtained in correspondence with said upper end of the tubular element, where said bubble 40 is positioned, remaining trapped below said weld 30. Since the tubular element 24 extends superiorly beyond the container 12, it is possible to obtain, in addition to the easy introduction into its inner cavity 29 of said air bubble 40 by positioning the bubble itself in an area far from the product to be consumed, also an extremely easy and rapid execution of said sealing weld 30 of the package, which is effected by the simple adhesion of opposite walls of said tubular element and presents a high degree of reliability.

According to the present embodiment of the invention, the means to retain or trap the air bubble within said tubular receiving element are determined by the ratio between the length, or depth, of the receiving cavity 29 and the inner diameter, or transverse dimension, thereof; said length/diameter ratio of the cavity 29 is determined in such a way as to prevent said air bubble from escaping outside the receiving cavity under any operative situation experienced by the package during the subsequent handling operations. In this way it is possible to prevent said air bubble, once trapped, from departing, as an effect of any movement, even if the package is upset, said tubular cavity 29 and return to the chamber 14 housing the food material 16. At present, it is deemed that a 2 to 1 ratio between the length of the tubular element and the inner diameter of the cavity of the tubular element, and higher ratios, can be particularly well suited to the attainment of the aforesaid purpose. Additionally, it is also provided for said means to retain the air bubble 40 within said receiving cavity 29 to be determined by such a ratio between the length of the receiving cavity 29 and its diameter as to provide a capillarity effect on the liquid product within the cavity 29 for receiving the air bubble. This capillarity effect keeps the column of liquid present below the bubble 40 firmly within the cavity 29 and prevents any possible leakage of the air itself from said cavity 29.

The capillarity effect inside the cavity 29 of the tubular element further provides, in the final phases of the filling operation, when the nozzle 25 no longer dispenses said material and just before the intervention by the welding plates that provide for the welding 30 of the top of the tubular element 26, a certain rise of the liquid product inside the cavity 29 which allows to eject, before the closure welding, a greater volume of air and hence determines, within the package, an air bubble with a more reduced volume.

With a further advantage, the presence of an elongated tubular element that extends within the container and externally therefrom, possibly also only inside and outside it, also allows to introduce the material in liquid condition with less turbulence into the inner chamber of the container thereby obtaining a reduction in the formation of bubbles or air inclusions within the product.

The invention thus conceived can be subject to numerous modifications and variations, without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept according to the claims. Moreover, all components can be replaced with technically equivalent elements.

Claims

1. Package for a food product, the package (10) comprising a container (12) defining an inner chamber (14) within which is housed a food product (16) that is introduced into said inner chamber (14) in substantially liquid condition; wherein, inside the package, is present at least an air bubble (40) which is produced during the package filling operation; the package being characterised in that it comprises means (29) for confining, with the product in substantially liquid condition, said air bubble (40) in a pre-defined position within the package (10).

2. Package according to claim 1, characterised in that said means for confining said air bubble (40) in a predefined position inside the package (10) comprise, on the package (29) means for receiving said air bubble (40), and means for retaining said air bubble within said receiving means (29) .

3. Package according to claim 2, characterised in that said means for receiving the air bubble are in the form of an elongated cavity (29) opening into the product housing chamber (14).

4. Package according to claim 3, characterised in that said cavity for receiving said air bubble (40) is obtained from the inner cavity (29) of an elongated tubular element (24) of the package.

5. Package according to claim 4, characterised in that said hollow tubular element (24) extends for a certain section into the cavity (14) for housing the product of said container and presents means for inserting said air bubble (40) within the cavity (29) of the tubular element, said means for inserting the air bubble (40) in the cavity (29) being realised by passage holes (42, 44) provided in the peripheral wall (46) of the tubular element (24).

6. Package according to claim 5, characterised in that said passage holes (42, 44) are provided in the portion of tubular element (24) that is, inside the chamber (14) for housing the product (16), in the vicinity of the upper wall (43) of the container (12).

7. Package according to any one of the previous claims 4 through 6, characterised in that said container (12) presents a through opening (22) and said tubular element (24) is in the form of an element distinct from said container (12) whereto it is associated, with hermetic connection, in correspondence with said through opening (22) .

8. Package according to any of the previous claims 4 through 7, characterised in that said tubular element (24) extends outside the container (16) and realises, by means of passage in its inner cavity (29), means for introducing the product (16), in liquid condition, into the product housing chamber (14); means (30) for closing the inner cavity (29) of the tubular element are provided in correspondence with the free end (26) of said tubular element (24) .

9. Package according to any of the previous claims 3 through 8, characterised in that said means for retaining the air bubble (40) within said elongated cavity (29) for receiving the air bubble (40) are determined by the ratio between the length of the receiving cavity (29) and its diameter, which is such as to prevent said air bubble (40) from escaping outside the receiving cavity (29).

10. Package according to any one of the previous claims 3 through 9, characterised in that said means for retaining the air bubble (40) within said elongated cavity (29) for receiving the air bubble (40) are determined by the diameter of the cavity (29), which is such as to provide a capillarity effect of the liquid product inside the cavity (29) for receiving the air bubble (41).

11. Package according to any one of the previous claims 1 through 9, characterised in that means are provided on said package (10) to favour the rise within the receiving cavity (29) of the food product (16) in liquid condition.

12. Package according to claim 11 , characterised in that said means for favouring the rise within the tubular element (24) are realised by the diameter of said tubular element (24) which is such as to favour the rise within it, by capillarity, of the food product (16) in liquid condition.

13. Method for the realisation of a package for a food product, wherein a container (12) of the package is provided which presents an inner chamber (14) and a through opening (22) which opens into said inner chamber (14) and towards the exterior of the container (12); the food product (16) is introduced into the inner chamber (14) in substantially liquid condition, during which introduction at least an air bubble is produced which remains inside the package (10); and wherein the package (10) is hermetically closed at the end of the filling operation; the method being characterised in that said container is provided with means (29) for receiving said air bubble (40) and means for retaining said air bubble (40) within said receiving means (29); and in that the passage of the air bubble (40) into said means (29) for receiving the air bubble (40) is effected during the introduction of the product in liquid condition in the package (10).

14. Method according to claim 13, characterised in that said means for receiving the air bubble are in the form of an elongated cavity (29) opening into the product housing chamber (14).

15. Method according to claim 14, characterised in that said means for receiving the air bubble are realised by an inner cavity (29) of a tubular element (24) opening towards said product housing chamber (14), said tubular element being associated to said container (12) in correspondence with said through opening (22) before the phase whereby the product in liquid condition is filled in the package.

16. Method according to either one of the previous claims 14 and 15, characterised in that said inner cavity (29) of the tubular element (24) is open towards the exterior of the package to allow, during the filling operation, the escape of the air present in said chamber (14) of the container.

17. Method according to claim 16, characterised in that, to introduce said product (16) in liquid condition into the package (10), the product itself is made to pass through said cavity (29) of the tubular element (24), simultaneously making the air present within said product housing chamber (14) escape through the same inner cavity (29) of the tubular element, thereby causing the insertion of said air bubble (40) within said inner cavity (29) of the tubular element (24).

18. Method according to any of the previous claims 13 through 17, characterised in that in order to allow the insertion of said air bubble (40) into said means (29) for receiving the bubble, during the introduction of the product in liquid condition in the chamber (14) of the container (12), said container (12) is positioned in such a way that said means (29) for receiving said air bubble (40) on the package are positioned superiorly to said product housing chamber (14).

19. Method according to claim 18, characterised in that said hollow tubular element (24) is associated to said container in such a way as to extend for a certain section into the product housing cavity (14) of said container and presents means for the insertion of the air bubble (40) into the cavity (29) of the tubular element, said means for inserting the air bubble (40) into the cavity (29) being realised by at least one through hole (42, 44) provided in the peripheral wall (46) of the tubular element (24); said tubular element being associated to said container in such a way that said through hole (42, 44) is positioned in the vicinity of the upper wall (43) of the product housing chamber (14) of the container (12).

20. Method according to claim 18, characterised in that said tubular element (24) is extended externally beyond the container (12), and in that a closure (30) sealing the package is effected in correspondence with the end of said projecting portion (26) of the tubular element.

21. Method according to claim 17, characterised in that said tubular element extends into and/or outside said container (12).