Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D51/00—Closures not otherwise provided for
  • B65D51/24—Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes
  • B65D51/246—Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes provided with eating utensils or spatulas
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
  • B65D81/38—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents with thermal insulation
  • B65D81/3813—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents with thermal insulation rigid container being in the form of a box, tray or like container
  • B65D81/3818—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents with thermal insulation rigid container being in the form of a box, tray or like container formed with double walls, i.e. hollow
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
  • B65D81/38—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents with thermal insulation
  • B65D81/3837—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents with thermal insulation rigid container in the form of a bottle, jar or like container
  • B65D81/3841—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents with thermal insulation rigid container in the form of a bottle, jar or like container formed with double walls, i.e. hollow
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
  • B65D85/70—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for materials not otherwise provided for
  • B65D85/72—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for materials not otherwise provided for for edible or potable liquids, semiliquids, or plastic or pasty materials
  • B65D85/78—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for materials not otherwise provided for for edible or potable liquids, semiliquids, or plastic or pasty materials for ice-cream

Definitions

• Container for packaging frozen or chilled food products
• the present invention relates to a container for packaging, particularly on an industrial scale, frozen or chilled food products, such as ice cream, sorbets or chilled desserts.
• the object of the invention is to provide a container which is inexpensive and therefore suitable for mass production on an industrial scale, and is such that the container can be kept outside a refrigerated environment for an extended period, without damage to the organoleptic properties of the food product contained therein.
• Another object of the invention is to provide a container which has thermal insulating characteristics such that, when the container is taken out of the refrigerated environment in which it is normally kept, the consistency of the food composition of the ice cream or similar product contained therein can change over time, as a result of progressive softening and melting, in a substantially uniform and homogenous way throughout its substance.
• the invention proposes a container for packaging frozen or chilled food products, characterized in that it comprises a first cuplike body, preferably made from thermoplastic material which is thermoformed or injection moulded, having a lateral wall and a mouth, and a second cuplike containing body, preferably made from thermoplastic material which is thermoformed or injection moulded, and having a corresponding lateral wall and mouth, the said second containing body being fitted into the first containing body and designed in such a way as to form an annular gap between its lateral wall and the lateral wall of the first containing body, and the lateral wall of the second containing body having an annular radial flange serving to seal the said gap.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container according to the invention
• Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the container of Fig. 1
• Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1
• Fig. 3a is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1, in another embodiment which is an alternative to that shown in Fig. 3
• Fig. 3b is a sectional view of a container according to the invention, provided with a lid
• Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container according to the invention
• Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the container of Fig. 1
• Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1
• Fig. 3a is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1, in another embodiment which is an alternative to that shown in Fig. 3
• Fig. 3b is a sectional view of a container according to the invention, provided with
• Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 2;
• Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a container according to the invention;
• Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of Fig. 5 ;
• Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of a container of the type shown in Fig. 1.
• the number 2 indicates a first cuplike containing body, preferably having a generally truncated conical configuration with a lateral wall 4, a bottom wall 6 and an open upper mouth 8.
• the containing body 2 is preferably made from plastics material suitable for contact with food, such as propylene, and is preferably produced by thermoforming or by injection moulding.
• a second cuplike containing body 10 also preferably made from thermoformed or injection moulded plastics material, suitable for contact with foods, with a lateral wall 12, a bottom wall 14 and an open mouth 16 .
• plastics materials are currently preferred for the containing bodies 2 and 10, the scope of the invention includes the use of other materials, such as, in particular, paper materials or combinations of paper materials and polymer films or foils.
• the containing body 10 which preferably has a general configuration in the form of a truncated cone, is designed so that it can be fitted into the containing body 2, thus forming between its lateral wall 12 and the lateral wall 4 of the first containing body 2 one or more gaps 18 (Figs. 3 and 3a) acting as an air chamber for thermal insulation.
• the lateral wall 1.2 of the second containing body 10 has a radial flange 20 and a collar portion 22, which extends from the said radial flange 20 to its mouth profile 16 and which, in the assembled configuration of the container, projects from the mouth profile 8 of the first containing body 2.
• the flange 20 has a perimetric profile corresponding or complementary to the cross-sectional perimeter of the containing body 2, at the position of its mouth or at a position slightly lower than this mouth.
• the portion of lateral wall 12 forming the collar 22 is turned back on itself so as to form a skirt 22a which extends at a radial distance from the wall 12 and which terminates in the aforesaid radial flange 20.
• the containing body 10 can be produced by thermoforming.
• the radial flange 20 is integral with and extends directly from the lateral wall 12, in which case ( Figures 3a and 3b) the containing body 10 can generally be produced by injection moulding.
• the vertical distance between the radial flange 20 and the mouth profile 16 of the containing body 10 is such that, when the containing body 10 is fitted into the containing body 2, the flange 20 is substantially flush with or slightly lower than the mouth profile 8 of the body 2, in such a way that the flange 20 (and the skirt 22a, if present) act as an upper sealing wall of the gap 18.
• the containing body 10 can be fixed in the containing body 2 by. making , its bottom wall 14 adhere, by gluing or heat welding for example, to the bottom wall 6.
• the bottom wall 14 of the containing body 10 is spaced apart from the bottom wall 6 of the containing body by spacing means such as a pedestal, which may consist of a tubular base or one or more spacing partitions 14b (Fig. 7) . This solution improves the insulation of the bottom.
• the containing body 10 can be fixed to the containing body 2 by engagement means of the shape-based or insertion type, such as an annular ridge 48 projecting towards the interior of the wall 4, under which the flexible peripheral edge of the flange 20 can be snap-fitted.
• engagement means of the shape-based or insertion type such as an annular ridge 48 projecting towards the interior of the wall 4, under which the flexible peripheral edge of the flange 20 can be snap-fitted.
• the engagement means can comprise vertical ribs 48a, spaced apart angularly, which interact with the annular ridge 48 to lock the edge of the flange between the ridge 48 and their upper ends.
• locking means are also provided, for preventing any rotary movement (about the vertical axis of the container) of one containing body with respect to the other.
• These locking means can be locking means of the insertion type associated with the walls of the containing body, for example one or more axial ridges of the lateral wall 12 of the body 10 which can engage with axial grooves of the wall
• ridges, ribs or projections on the bottom wall 6 or on the bottom wall 14, so as to limit the contact between the said walls and form one or more additional bottom air chambers with a thermal insulation function; the bottom wall 14 can be domed or curved and can be in contact with a substantially flat bottom wall 6.
• the collar 22 projects axially from the mouth profile 8 of the containing body 2, and preferably the flange 20 is in a position slightly below the said mouth profile 8, so as to form an annular channel 24.
• the container comprises a lid 26 which also preferably has thermal insulation characteristics .
• the lid 26 of thermoplastic or paper material, thermoformed or injection moulded, is shaped so as to form a peripheral annular channel 28, open towards the outside and delimited by annular walls 30 and 32, joined together by an annular wall 34.
• the channel 28 is closed at its top by an auxiliary disc-shaped lid element 36 made from plastics, card or plastics/card laminate, made to adhere to or associated by insertion with the upper wall 38 of the lid 26, so as to form a sealed air chamber 40 in the channel 28, with a thermal insulation function.
• the lid 26 is fitted on the collar 22 with its annular wall 30 in sliding engagement with the radially outer wall of the collar 22.
• the container can be provided with a lid 26a comprising a disc-shaped upper wall 36a from which a peripheral annular wall 32a extends in a direction orthogonal to the general plane of the disc 36a.
• the wall 32a is preferably grooved or pleated ( Figure 3b) .
• the annular wall 32 of the lid 26 also has a pleated outer surface, in other words has a plurality of longitudinal grooves with V- or U-shaped cross sections.
• the lateral wall 4 of the containing body it is preferable for the lateral wall 4 of the containing body to be pleated as well.
• the pleated area is limited to a lower portion 4a of the lateral wall 4, while the adjacent portion of wall 4b is preferably a circular or truncated conical cylindrical surface.
• the portion of wall 4b preferably extends over 1/3 to 1/2 of the total extension of the wall .
• the gap 18 lying between the pleated wall 4 and the wall of circular cross section (conical . or cylindrical) 12 has a cross section whose radial width varies in the circumferential direction; the wall 12 can also be in contact, or almost in contact, with the inner peak profiles of the pleats ( Figure 3b) ; the gap 18 can thus be continuous or discontinuous in the circumferential direction.
• the wall 4 of the containing body 2 and the wall 12 of the containing body preferably have a generally conical or flared configuration which widens towards the mouth of the container.
• the cross-sectional area of the gap 18 thus preferably increases towards the mouth of the container.
• the cross- sectional area of the gap is preferably constant in the axial direction in the region 4b, and in this region it is in any case preferably greater than the area of any cross section of the pleated portion 4a.
• the containing body 10 has, at its mouth end 16a, a radial flange 20a which seals the top of the annular gap 18 formed between the lateral walls of the containing bodies 2 and 10.
• the peripheral edge of the flange 20a is welded, for example by heat or ultrasonic welding, to the mouth profile 8a of the lateral wall 4 of the containing body 2, or is associated with the wall 4 by insertion, for example by snap-fitting engagement means such as the ridge 48 described previously.
• the container can be sealed by a discshaped lid 44 which engages in a recessed annular seat 46 of the radial flange 20a.
• the lateral wall of the outer containing body 2 is again preferably pleated as described above for the container of Figs. 1-4.
• a spatula or miniature spoon is associated with the lid of the container.
• the spatula forms an integral part of the lid 26 or 26a.
• the wall 38 of the lid 26 (or the wall 36a of the lid 26a) can have a region 50 delimited by a weakened line 52 (or a precut line) shaped like the profile of a spatula.
• a second area 54 of the wall 38 is delimited by a weakened or precut line 56, shaped like the profile of an extension handle of the spatula 50.
• the shaped areas 50 and 54 can be separated from the lid 26 by a pressure exerted by the user. After separation, the end 58 of the extension handle 54 can engage, by insertion for example, with the terminal end 60 of the spatula 50, to produce a longer spatula.
• the container according to the invention is particularly suitable for use for packaging iced products, particularly ice cream, sorbets and the like which need to be kept in a refrigerated environment at temperatures as low as -25°C.
• This category of products is to be understood as including iced substances which can be kept in the liquid state and are intended to be frozen in a refrigerator for domestic use, in static conditions, in other words without the incorporation of air, as described for example in EP 1,072,196 and EP 192,753.
• the container is also suitable for packaging food substances of products called “chilled” , normally kept at a temperature between +4°C e +8°C.
• the thermal insulation characteristics of the container are such that the food product contained therein can be kept outside the refrigerated environment in which it is normally kept for a sufficient period of time for its consumption, and in order to obtain the characteristics of consistency which the consumer considers preferable.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)
• Containers Having Bodies Formed In One Piece (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=34971132

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (5)

Family Cites Families (11)

• 2004
  • 2004-05-03 IT ITTO20040276 patent/ITTO20040276A1/it unknown
• 2005
  • 2005-04-28 EP EP05738333A patent/EP1765690A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-04-28 WO PCT/IB2005/051390 patent/WO2005105602A2/en not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events