BE894377A - Multicompartment food packs of thermo-formed film - with internal seams which can be parted to mix or release the contents - Google Patents

Abstract

A pack for individual food portions for babies comprises a laminate of flat sheet (2) with one thermoformed or moulded to provide one or more compartments insulated from an integral nipple by a seal or membrane which can be ruptured just before use. Pref. the pack incorporates two or more compartments, e.g. to contain a dehydrated food and potable water separately, the seals between the compartments and/or the outlet being ruptured preferentially by applying pressure to the compartment walls or to a local integral air pocket. opt. ancillary tabs may be provided for better grip to apply tension to part the seal. Pref. the link to the nipple can flex so that it is presented at a different angle to the main body of the pack. The pack is pref. made of matl. which can withstand heating in a steamer: the seal surfaces may be made of or coated with polyethylene to provide a seal which will part locally without producing ancillary tearing. Used esp. suitable for packs for use where strile conditions and/ or potable water may be difficult to secure.

Description

       

  PACKAGING SYSTEM FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSE OF FOOD

POUF? BABIES.

  
For many baby foods, asking

  
a preparation by individual doses, it would be very advantageous to be able to have a tight, simple packaging

  
and very functional, which would allow to store, mix, possibly heat and release the food by a system that can be handled as a unit.

  
The system would be particularly interesting

  
for concentrates or dehydrated foods to be mixed with

  
dose of water, which in many parts of the world is not

  
not always available in sufficient sanitary condition.

  
Storage times are greatly increased

  
 <EMI ID = 1.1>

  
only at the time of consumption.

  
The purpose of the present invention is to provide

  
means for producing unitary packaging making it possible to

  
keep, isolated from an outlet opening, one or more ingredients making up a dose of baby food, until the moment of consumption, means are provided so that the food can be absorbed directly through the outlet opening.

  
To achieve these goals, the means proposed essentially consist of two parts of plastic film, one of which is formed or thermoformed in order to produce the, or the cavities which may contain the ingredients, compre-

  
 <EMI ID = 2.1>

  
nipple, the other part being welded to the first so as to seal and temporarily isolate the cavities between them and between the outlet opening.

  
 <EMI ID = 3.1>

  
a non-limiting example will be described below.

  
 <EMI ID = 4.1>

  
thermoformed plastic and a flat plastic film 2 welded thereto, on the periphery and between the cavities, and the outlet opening, in order to seal and isolate the cavities 3-4-5 and the opening 6 in the form of a pacifier.

  
The cavity 3 contains, for example, a food

  
 <EMI ID = 5.1>

  
sterile 3.

  
The nipple-shaped outlet nozzle 6 is provided with a hole 9, and the bubble 5 contains air.

  
The powder and the water are separated by a breakable barrier 10, and the dose of liquid contained in the cavity 4 is connected to the outlet nozzle 6 by a conduit II closed also, momentarily, by a breakable barrier 12.

  
All the components are therefore isolated from each other, as well as from the outlet opening, and the packaging can be handled as a sealed unit.

  
During consumption, or can therefore manually press the waterproof bubble 3.

  
When the internal pressure of this bubble

  
 <EMI ID = 6.1>

  
of the barrier 10, move away by tearing off the welded material, and the powder 7 can mix with the dose of sterile water 8.

  
When the mixing is carried out, the unit can optionally be heated, for example in a water bath, and when desired, the bubble 5 can be manually pressed.

  
When the pressure exerted on the bubble 5 reaches a certain level, the barrier 13 located between the bubble and the conduit II opens, and by lifting causes, in its tearing, the barrier 12, and the liquid can pass

  
 <EMI ID = 7.1>

  
outlet 9 through which food can be absorbed.

  
To weld the thermoformed part I and the film 2 in order to seal the different elements and form the rupturab barriers, we can for example use plastic film provided with a thin layer of polyethylene which will allow excellent fusion welding, breakable in narrow areas of the barriers.

  
When the barriers are not broken by manual pressure on the cavities 3 or 4, or on the bubble 5, provision may be made for a break by manual traction of the barriers 10 and 12 in the direction of the arrows 14-15 of the partial view of FIG. 3.

  
In this case, a thermo-thermal part is provided

  
 <EMI ID = 8.1>

  
mite barriers, and a thermoforming or a welded tab on the film 2, also on or near the barriers, so that a manual pull on these protrusions tears off the weld and destroys the barrier.

  
It can be seen that the arrangement of the cavities of the system makes it possible to release only the dose of water if desired.

CLAIMS

  
1 - Sealed packaging system for

  
individual dose of baby food, characterized in that means are provided for producing a unit composed of

  
2 parts formed or thermoformed, superimposed and welded

  
so as to produce one or more cavities intended to contain food or ingredients, generally comprising a dose of water: and an outlet forming a teat, means are provided for being able to mix the components, and means are provided for releasing the food towards the outlet opening.


    

Claims (1)

2 - According to claim 1, characterized in that the means provided for being able to mix the components consist in that the welds isolating the thermoformed cavities from each other are breakable, so that as soon as a manual pressure of a certain level is exerted on one or the other cavities, the barrier separating them is annihilated. 3 - According to claim I, characterized in that the means provided for mixing the ingredients, consisting of <EMI ID = 9.1> thermoformed exit from each other, are breakable so that by manual traction of a wall of the barrier relative to the other, the welding is annihilated at this location allowing the ingredients to mix and / or be free towards the exit opening. 4 - According to claims 1-3, characterized in that the means provided for releasing the food towards the outlet opening consists of a cavity or bubble, thermoformed between one of the cavities and the teat-shaped outlet opening , so that a sufficient manual pressure applied to this bubble, annihilates the weld forming barrier at this point, and which, by ruturing, causes in its movement, the rupture also of the insulating barrier, until this moment, food from the outlet opening. 5 - According to claim 4, characterized in that the barriers of the bubble and that isolating the food from the outlet opening are joined at substantially 90 degrees from each other, in a T shape, so that the lifting of one automatically leads to the other. 6 - According to claims 1-5, characterized in that means are provided so that the teat-shaped outlet opening can be folded or can take automatic action.  <EMI ID = 10.1> seems conditioning. 7 - According to claim 6, characterized in that the means provided so that the teat-shaped outlet opening can be forced into a different angular position relative to that of the assembly, consist of weakening of the thermoformed material , grooves or folds in the plastic, between the teat-shaped outlet pipe and the rest of the packaging. 8 - According to claims 1-5, characterized in what means are provided to bare the part of the room  <EMI ID = 11.1> tine, or thermoformed so as to have an angular inclination relative to the rest of the packaging.