AU656978B2

AU656978B2 - Folded packaging with a fold-free region attachable thereto

Info

Publication number: AU656978B2
Application number: AU18867/92A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Akiva Buchberg; Gilbert Capy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-05-03
Filing date: 1992-04-30
Publication date: 1995-02-23
Anticipated expiration: 2012-04-30
Also published as: DE69203237T2; AU1886792A; EP0598731B1; JP2584706B2; DK0598731T3; EP0598731A1; DE69203237D1; ES2076035T3; FR2676037A1; WO1992019509A1; KR100227010B1; FR2676037B1; GR3017433T3; JPH06506899A; ATE124368T1

Abstract

A separate fold-free region (25) is used to cover those areas left uncovered by the folded packaging (26) when it is wrapped around an object. In an alternative embodiment, a separate semi-rigid strip (27) is used to make the packaging mechanically resistant to vertical loads.

Description

DPI DATE 21/12/92 AOJP DATE 28/01/93 APPLN. ID 18867/12jjlIlN li11111li II1111 PCT NUMBER PCT/FR92 /00386 I I I i 1111I 111Dli AU921 8867 kI LA.INl LI -J.ILL -I IN 1131ffIII.L1.L'3J I )I Vf DE BREVETS (PCT) (51) Classification internationale des brevets 5 1 (11) Num6ro de publication internationale: WO 92/19509 75/28, 85/72, 65/12 65/38 Al (43) Date de publication internationale: 12 novembre 1992 (12.11.92) (21) Num~ro de la demnande internationale: PCT/FR92/00386 (22) Date de d~p6t international: 30 avril 1992 (30.04.92) Donn~es relatives A la priorit6: 91/05719 3 mai 1991 (03.05.91) (71)(72)1D posant et inventeur: BUCHBERG, Akiva [FR/FRI; bis, rue de Tilsitt, F-75017 Paris (FR).

(72) Inventeur: CAPY, Gilbert ;La Botte, F-69640 Jarnioux

(FR).

(74) Mandataire: SCHMITT. John; Cabinet John Schmitt, 9, rue Pizay, F-69001 Lyon (FR).

(81) Etats d&sign~s: AT (brev'et europ~en), AU, BE (brevet europ~en), CR (brevet europ~en), DE (brevet europ~en), DK (brevet europ~en), ES (brevet europ~en), FR (brevet europ~en), GB (brevet europ~en), GR (brevet europ~en), IT (brevet europ~en), JP, KR, LU (brevet europ~en), MC (brevet europ~en), NL (brevet europ~en), SE (brevet europ~en).

Publi~e Ai'ec rapport de re' ierche internationale.

Avant l'expirauion du d~'ai pr~vu pour la mnodiication des rei'endications, sera republke si de tel/es modifications sont repies.

97, (54)Title: FOLDED PACKAGING WITH A FOLD-FREE REGION ATTACHABLE THERETO (54)Titre: EMBALLAGE PLISSE COMPORTANT UNE ZONE SANS PLIS POUVANT ETRE RAPPORTEE (57) Abstract A~ separate fold-free region (25) is used to cover those areas left uncovered by the folded packaging (26) when it is wrapped around an object. In an alternative embodiment, a separate semi-rigid strip (27) is used to make the packaging mechanically resistant to vertical loads.

(57) Abregi La zone sans phi (25) rapport~e permet de recouvrir les zones non recouvertes par le dlploiement de l'emballage pliss&e (26) autour de l'objet. Dans une variante de l'invention, une bande semi-rigide (27) rapportee permet d'adjoindre A l'emballage une tenue mncanique Ai la charge verticale.

FOLDED PACKAGING WITH A FOLD-FREE REGION ATTACHABLE

THERETO

The invention relates to packages for articles of convex or similar shape, obtained from a thin pleated film, such as those described in French patent FR-A-2595666, the French certificate of addition FR-A-2628719 and French patent FR-A-2668457.

The abovementioned patents describe a packaging method carried out starting from a pleated arrangement formed from asymmetric pleats fastened to their edges. These patents describe a method of determining the shape of the pleats according to the product to be packaged; there nevertheless remain zones which are not covered and which in some cases constitute a prohibitive defect. Some product shapes too far removed from a shape of revolution lead to forms of packaging which have too high a paper consumption or which do not have a very aesthetically pleasing appearance. In particular, a sandwich called a "TACO", formed from a semi-rigid pancake folded in two and filled with meat and raw vegetables, has the shape of a semicircle; as much as the pleated arrangement, of a shape described in the abovementioned patents, may cover the semicircular zone correctly, in the straight zone it is nevertheless difficult to find a suitable pleat shape.

Likewise, when a pleated packaging, as described in the abovementioned patents, is to bc placed round a hamburger, it is found that a non-covered zone remains at the centre, and the hamburger has to be grasped with the hand, which is not easy if soiling of the hands is to be avoided. Finally, it may be necessary, where some hamburgers are concerned, to reinforce them to make it possible for them to support a vertical load.

There is disclosed herein a package for an article of convex or similar shape, S"comprising a thin pleated film with pleats being connected in the vicinity of their ends to narrow fastening zones, the package further comprising a non-pleated zone attached to another part of the pleated film and adapted to cover parts of the article not covered by the pleated film when packaged.

[N:\LIBLL]00089:LMM 2 Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a package, Figure 2 shows the package being placed round a hamburger, a Figure 3 shows a package in place on a hamburger, Figure 4 shows a package, the non-pleated part of which is formed of the same film as that from which the pleats are formed, in position for packaging a "TACO", Figure 5 shows a "TACO" being packaged, Figure 6 shows a packaged "TACO", Figure 7 shows a package, after the pleat-free zone has been secured, Figure 8 shows the same packaging in position of use, Figure 9 shows a package equipped with a semi-rigid reinforcing strip, Figure 10 is an exploded view of a hamburger, depicting how the reinforcing strip is placed between the deployed film and the hamburger, and 1 Figure 11 shows a package which comprises a reinforcing strip and a pleat-free zone for covering the zones not covered by the pleated part of the packaging when it is deployed.

To the end of the pleated package there is added a pleat-free zone 1 (Fig. 1) generally consisting of a thin film or of a semi-rigid thin material, depending on the desired performance; the pleat-free zone 1 is either an attached product fastened to the pleated film by all compatible means or a widened pleat-free zone 2 (Fig. 4) integrated as an element of the pleating, as described in the abovementioned patents.

The length 3 (Fig. 1) and the width 4 of the pleat-free zone 1 is determined, according to the particular instance, as a function of the product to be packaged; where a packaging for the "TACO" 6 (Fig. 4) is concerned, it is given substantially the length 5 of the rectilinear zone corresponding approximately to the diameter of the circular pancake; as regards the width 7, this can be smaller than the spacing 8 of the fastening zones of the pleats of the pleated zone; in a preferred version of the invention, the pleat-free zone 9 is obtained by a widening of the pleat-free zone, carried out in order to [N:\LIBLL]00089:LMM 3 make it possible to separate the packagings from one another according to the abovementioned patents.

As regards a packaging for a hamburger, this can be given a length 3 (Fig. 1) substantially smaller than the diameter 10 (Fig. 2) of the hamburger, but a width 4 (Fig. 1) appreciably larger than the distance 8 between the fastening zones of the pleats, so as to make it possible to cover the central round 11 (Fig. 3) left exposed by the pleated arrangement 12 when it is deployed round the hamburger; this pleat-free zone can consist of an attached film (Fig. 1) fastened to the end 14 of the pleated packaging 13 according to the patents mentioned; if, for example, the film used is a paper/polyethylene complex, the attached pleat-free zone 1 consists itself of a paper/polyethylene complex; the polyethylene face of the attached pleat-free zone 1 is fastened to the edge 14 of the pleated packaging 13 either on the paper side 16 (Fig. 2) or on the polyethylene side 17 (Fig. 8) of the pleated packaging 13; when it is attached to the paper side (Fig. 1) to make a weld like against unlike, the pleat-free zone 1 is positioned, at the moment of welding, in such a way as to be in its final position so that the polyethylene part 15 is on the same side as the product to be packaged; if the weld is made like against like, the attached pleat-free zone 1 (Fig. 7) is located, at the moment of welding, above the pleated zone 13 of the packaging, and it will be sufficient to overturn it (Fig. 8) in order to ensure that the zone supporting the polyethylene 15 of the pleat-free zone 1 faces towards the product to be packaged.

If the resistance of the hamburger to a vertical .2 load is to be reinforced, it is possible, by way of example, to fasten a piece of cardboard 18 (Fig. 9) of a width 19 substantially equal to the height 20 (Fig. of the hamburger 24 and of a length 21 contained between, for example, half the perimeter of the hamburger and its complete perimeter along a section perpendicular to its axis of symmetry 22; the piece of cardboard 18 (Fig. 9) q can consist, for example, of a cardboard/polyethylene 4 complex and be fastened, by means of a like-against-like weld, to the end 14 of the pleated part of the packaging; as in the preceding instance, the piece of cardboard 18 is positioned above the pleated zone 13 of the pleated packaging, but there is no overturning, as there was before, to allow the piece of cardboard 18 (Fig. 10) to be positioned between the deployed film 23 and the hamburger 24; in the latter instance, the addition of a non-pleated zone 25 (Fig. 11), to close the central round not covered by the pleated part 26, and of a piece of cardboard 27, for ensuring stability under load, can be combined.

For the packaging of a "TACO", the latter is I placed on the upper half of the pleat-free zone 9 (Fig.

i 15 the other half 28 (Fig. 5) of the pleat-free zone 9 is turned down on top, in order thereby to cover particularly the zones which will not be covered as a result of the deployment of the pleats of the pleated zone; the 4 "TACO" can be grasped by means of the film folded in this way; it is then sufficient to deploy the pleat 29 (Fig.

6) over the rounded part, so as partially to cover the pleat-free zone 9; it is clear that the shape and the i number of the pleats are determined, according to the patents mentioned, so as to cover the semicircular zone correctly. To package the hamburger, it is possible to proceed in an identical way and hold the hamburger 31 (Fig. 2) by means of the pleat-free zone 30 turned down on either side of the hamburger 31 and covering the central zone 11 (Fig. 3) not covered by the pleated zone of the deployed packaging 12. It is possible to make do with a covering rate, defined according to the terms of the patents mentioned, which is lower, and consequently, by producing a packaging comprising fewer pleats, recover the quantity of film additionally expended in the nonpleated zone 1 (Fig. 1).

Finally, as regards a piece of reinforcing cardboard 18 (Fig. 10), the packaging is placed in the way described above and in the patents mentioned, and the p F1,1 piece of cardboard 18 is positioned between the hamburger r rand the deployed pleated film 23, on which it is buttressed and which gives it its shape by curving it, so as to give it a semi-cylindrical shape especially suitable for resistance to a vertical load parallel to the axis 22. The advantage of such a device is that the film, I when it is deployed round the hamburger 24, is in shape i and retains the piece of cardboard 18 which does not need to surround the hamburger 24 completely and be locked on i itself in order to perform a function of stability under a vertical load; this piece of cardboard constitutes, furthermore, a thermal barrier limiting the cooling of the packaged hamburger and can have an aluminised face in order further to improve this insulating effect.

Ii

Claims

1. A package for an article of convex or similar shape, comprising a thin pleated film with pleats being connected in the vicinity of their ends to narrow fastening zones, the package further comprising a non-pleated zone attached to another part of the pleated film and adapted to cover parts of the article not covered by the pleated film when packaged.

2. A package according to claim 1, wherein the non-pleated zone has a width larger or smaller than the distance separating the fastening zones and is attached to the pleated film by means of a like-against-unlike weld.

3. A package according to claim 1, wherein the non-pleated zone has a width larger or smaller than the distance separating the fastening zones and is attached to the pleated film by means of a like-against-like weld, at the moment of welding the pleat-free zone being located above the pleated zone and then being overturned in order to be put into a final position.

4. A package according to claim 1, wherein the non-pleated zone comprises a semi-rigid film of a width smaller than the distance separating the fastening zones and substantially equal to the height of the article to be packaged, so as to reinforce its stability under a vertical load, and of a length smaller than or equal to the perimeter of the article to be packaged, and which can be attached to an end of the pleated zone by means of a like-against-like weld, in such a way that the semi-rigid film strip is above the non- pleated zone, so that, during the deployment of the packaging, the semi-rigid strip is positioned between the article to be packaged and the pleated film. A package according to claim 1, wherein the non-pleated zone is continuous with the pleated film, and the non-pleated zone has a width equal to the distance separating the fastening zones of the pleats.

A t

6. A package according to claim 1, wherein the non-pleated zone has a width larger than the distance separating the fastening zones thus adapted to cover a central part of the article to be packaged.

7. A package substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated 29 November, 1994 Akiva Buchberg Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON [N:\LIBLL]00089:LMM