BR112020018388A2 - SEALED PACKAGING AND PLATE PACKAGING MATERIAL - Google Patents

Abstract

it is a sealed package (1, 1 ?, 1 ??, 1 ???) containing a pourable food product and comprising a lower portion (3), an upper portion (4) and a main portion (5 ) interposed between the lower portion (3) and the upper portion (4), and which includes a plurality of side wall portions (6); the main portion (5) being divided by the lower portion (3) and said upper portion (4), respectively, by means of a lower peripheral limit (8) and an upper peripheral limit (9, 9 ??) which extend transversely in relation to a longitudinal direction (a); wherein each of the lower peripheral limit (8) and the upper peripheral limit (9, 9 ??) has a dashed line shape and is formed by a plurality of contoured edges (8a, 8b, 8c; 9a, 9b, 9c; 9a ??, 9b ??, 9c ??) joined together; the lower portion (3) comprising a lower quadrilateral panel (10) bounded by the lower peripheral limit (8) and extending orthogonally in the longitudinal direction (a); wherein the upper portion (4) comprises an upper quadrilateral panel (14, 14 ??) bounded by the upper peripheral limit (9, 9 ??) and extending transversely in the longitudinal direction (a); being that the area of the lower panel (10) is different from the area of an upper quadrilateral (q) obtained by projecting, along the longitudinal direction (a), the upper panel (14, 14 ??) in a reference plane (p) parallel to the bottom panel (10), which crosses the package (1, 1 ?, 1 ??, 1 ???) and which contains at least one (9a, 9a ??) of the contoured edges (8a, 8b , 8c; 9a, 9b, 9c; 9a ??, 9b ??, 9c ??) of the upper peripheral limit (9, 9 ??).

Description

1/23 SEALED PACKAGING AND PACKAGING MATERIAL

IN PLATE

[001] The present invention relates to a sealed package containing a disposable food product.

[002] The present invention also relates to a sheet packaging material for producing a sealed package containing a disposable food product.

[003] As is well known, various disposable food products, such as fruit juice, UHT milk (treated at a high temperature), wine, tomato sauce, etc., are sold in packaging made from packaging material sterilized.

[004] A typical example is the elongated packaging for liquids or disposable food products known as Tetra Brik Aseptic (trademark), which is produced by folding, sealing and cutting a continuous sheet of laminated packaging material. In particular, the packaging material has a multilayer structure comprising a base layer, for example, of paper, covered on both sides with layers of heat-sealed plastic material, for example, polyethylene. In the case of aseptic packaging for long-term products, such as UHT milk, the packaging material also comprises a layer of oxygen barrier material, for example an aluminum foil, which is overlaid with a layer of plastic material sealed to hot, and is, in turn, covered with other layers of heat-sealed plastic material that form the inner face of the packaging that eventually makes contact with the food product.

[005] Packages of this type are normally produced in fully automatic packaging machines, in which a continuous tube is formed from the fed packaging material.

2/23 per continuous sheet; the continuous sheet of the packaging material is sterilized in the packaging machine, for example, by the application of a chemical sterilizing agent, such as a hydrogen peroxide solution, which, once the sterilization is finished, is removed from the surfaces the packaging material, for example, being evaporated by heat; the then sterilized continuous sheet is then kept in a sterile and closed environment, and is folded and sealed longitudinally to form a tube, which is fed vertically.

[006] In order to complete the forming operations, the tube is filled with sterile or sterilized processed food product, and is sealed and subsequently cut along equally spaced cross sections; pillow covers are then obtained, which are then mechanically folded in order to form the respective ready-made packages in a final fold.

[007] To enable folding of the wrapping material into continuous sheet both during forming and during the final folding, crease lines, ie reduction lines, are formed in the wrapping material at the production plant by creasing the tools . In practice, crease lines define the fold lines along which the cushion shells are folded to assume the desired final configuration.

[008] Alternatively, the packaging material can be cut into pieces, which are formed in the packaging in the forming spindles, and the resulting packages are then filled with the food product and sealed. An example of this type of packaging is the so-called “raised edge” packaging known by the brand name Tetra Rex (registered trademark).

[009] To open the packages described above, they are usually provided with a removable portion, which is partially detached

3/23 through an opening device for the rest of the packaging material to release an opening for dumping through which the product is dumped.

[0010] The removable portion is formed in the packaging material before folding and sealing the packaging material in order to form the ready packaging.

[0011] The removable portion normally comprises a so-called "pre-laminated" orifice, that is, a circular orifice that is formed by the single base layer of the packaging material and is covered, when the material is laminated, by the layers of heat-sealed plastic material and the barrier material, which adhere to each other in the hole.

[0012] Each package of the above type, whether cut by a tube of packaging material or formed by a forming spindle, is obtained by means of a basic unit of packaging material that has certain crease lines.

[0013] That is, the basic unit mentioned above represents the exact length of the packaging material used to produce a single package.

[0014] In the case of packaging produced by a tube of packaging material, the original continuous sheet includes a plurality of basic units joined together; in the case of packages produced in forming spindles, the basic unit is defined by cutting into pieces of the web before starting the forming and sealing operations.

[0015] The basic unit, generally, has a rectangular or square configuration with two bordering edges parallel to a longitudinal direction and two other bordering edges parallel to a transverse direction orthogonally to the longitudinal direction.

[0016] Once the basic unit is folded and sealed to form the respective ready packaging, a longitudinal direction becomes the direction

4/23 along which the total height of the packaging itself is defined; the longitudinal direction also represents the main direction of extension of the web from which the basic unit is obtained.

[0017] The basic unit, commonly, includes at least two transverse crease lines that extend transversely in the longitudinal direction and that divide the basic unit itself into: - a lower region that contains a lower crease mold and that is configured to form a lower portion of the finished package; - an upper region which contains an upper crease mold and which is configured to form an upper portion of the finished package; and - an intermediate region contained between the transverse creasing lines, interposed between the lower region and the upper region, and which, commonly, has a plurality of longitudinal creasing lines designed to form side edges of a plurality of side walls of the finished package .

[0018] The transverse crease lines are also configured to define a lower peripheral limit and an upper peripheral limit of the finished package that has continuous configurations and that, respectively, divide the lower portion and the upper portion of the main portion.

[0019] The lower portion of the finished packaging, usually, includes a flat and horizontal lower panel that defines the resting surface of the packaging itself.

[0020] The upper portion of the finished packaging may include a top flat and horizontal panel, parallel to the bottom panel; alternatively, inclined top panels are conveniently widely used in combination with the opening devices because they are wider than the corresponding flat top panels of the elongated or prismatic packages and therefore enable the application of larger opening devices, for example, fitted with screw caps or

5/23 similar.

[0021] As it is known, after its production, the packages are transported to points of sale by placing them on transport pallets, which have predetermined sizes. Therefore, there is, in particular, a need in the packaging field in order to optimize the filling of the transport pallets with the ready packages while maintaining a pleasant appearance of such packages.

[0022] Therefore, an objective of the present invention is to provide a sealed package containing a disposable food product, which allows to meet the aforementioned need in a simple and economical way.

[0023] This objective is achieved by means of a sealed package according to claim 1.

[0024] This objective is also achieved by using a sheet packaging material to produce a sealed package containing a disposable food product according to claim 13.

[0025] Four non-limiting and preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described for illustrative purposes with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sealed package according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a small scale front view of the package of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a smaller scale side view of the package of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a lower view on a smaller scale of the package of Figure 1; Figure 5 is the projection, along a vertical direction, of an upper panel of the package of Figure 3 in a horizontal plane that

6/23 contains an upper front edge of the upper panel itself; Figure 6 is a front view of a basic unit of a sheet packaging material, according to the present invention, from which the packaging of Figures 1 to 5 is obtained; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a sealed package according to a differential embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 is a front view of a basic unit of a sheet packaging material, according to the present invention, from which the package of Figure 7 is obtained; Figure 9 is a perspective view of a sealed package according to a differential embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 is a front view of a basic unit of a sheet packaging material, according to the present invention, from which the packaging of Figure 9 is obtained; Figure 11 is a perspective view of a sealed package according to an additional embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 12 is a front view of a basic unit of a sheet packaging material, according to the present invention, from which the package of Figure 11 is obtained.

[0026] The number 1 in Figures 1 to 5 indicates, as a whole, a sealed package according to the present invention, which contains a disposable food product and which is obtained from a sheet packaging material 2 as shown in Figure 6.

[0027] The package 1 comprises a lower portion 3, an upper portion 4 and a main portion 5 interposed between the lower portion 3 and the upper portion 4 and that includes a plurality of side wall portions 6, each bounded by two zones opposite side edges 7.

[0028] The main portion 5 is divided from the lower portion 3 by means of a lower peripheral boundary 8 that has a configuration

7/23 continuous defined by a dashed line. In a completely analogous manner, the main portion 5 is divided from the upper portion 4 by means of an upper peripheral boundary 9 which also has a continuous configuration defined by a dashed line.

[0029] The lower portion 3 includes a flat and horizontal lower panel 10 that has a quadrilateral, that is, rectangular or quadrangular profile (in the example shown, rectangular), and defines the resting surface of the package itself.

[0030] The lower panel 10 is bounded by the lower peripheral limit 8, in turn, formed by the four segments or contoured edges, that is, the lower front edge 8a, the lower rear edge 8b parallel to the lower front edge 8a and the two lower lateral edges 8c, orthogonal to the lower front edge 8a and the lower rear edge 8b.

[0031] Due to the rectangular profile of the lower panel 10, the lower front edge 8a and the lower rear edge 8b are the same length; the same applies to the lower side edges 8c, which are also the same length.

[0032] The package 1 extends vertically along a longitudinal direction A, which is orthogonal to the bottom panel 10 and along which the total height of the package 1 itself is defined. The longitudinal direction A is also orthogonal to the lower front edge 8a, the lower rear edge 8b and the lower lateral edges 8c of the lower peripheral limit 8.

[0033] In this description and in the claims, the term "total height" stands out which means the height of the package when it has a constant height or the maximum height of the package when it has a variable height.

[0034] The lower portion 3 additionally includes two lower side flaps 11 that have substantially triangular and folded configurations in a known manner in the lower panel 10 (Figure 4).

8/23

[0035] The upper portion 4 includes a flat and inclined upper panel 14 that has a quadrilateral, that is, a square or rectangular profile and that has a forward-prone configuration in relation to the longitudinal direction A.

[0036] In the example shown in Figures 1 to 3, the top panel 14 is a rectangle that approaches a square.

[0037] The upper panel 14 is bounded by the upper peripheral limit 9, in turn, formed by four segments or contoured edges, that is, an upper front edge 9a parallel to the lower front edge 8a and to the lower rear edge 8b, an edge top rear 9b, parallel to the top front edge 9a and arranged so that it is higher than the top front edge 9a itself, and two top side edges 9c, orthogonal to the top front edge 9a and the top back edge 9b and polarized with respect to to longitudinal direction A.

As a consequence, the upper peripheral limit 9 extends transversely in relation to the longitudinal direction A.

[0039] Due to the rectangular profile of the upper panel 14, the upper front edge 9a and the upper back edge 9b are the same length; the same applies to the upper side edges 9c, which are also the same length.

The upper portion 4 additionally includes two upper side flaps 15 which have substantially triangular and folded configurations in a known manner in two opposite side wall portions 10 of the main portion 5.

[0041] As seen in Figures 1 to 3 and Figure 5, the upper portion 4 is also provided with an opening device 16 of plastic material placed on and around the removable portion 17 (Figure 6) of the packaging material 2. The opening device 16 is applied to the upper panel 14 by means of conventional fastening systems, such as

9/23 as adhesives, or by means of a micro flame, electric current induction, ultrasound, laser, injection molding or other hot sealing techniques.

[0042] In the example shown in Figures 1 to 5, the main portion 5 of the package 1 includes four portions of the side wall 6 with different profiles and sizes; advantageously, the areas of the side edges 7 that delimit the portions of the side wall 6 have rounded configurations.

[0043] In particular, a first portion of the side wall 6, designed to define a front face of the package 1, has a substantially rectangular configuration delimited, at the bottom and at the top, by the straight lower front edge 8a and by the straight upper front edge 9a , and on opposite sides, by the respective areas of the rounded and convex side edges 7.

[0044] A second portion of the side wall 6, designed to define a rear face of the package 1, also has a substantially rectangular configuration delimited, at the bottom and at the top, by the straight lower rear edge 8b and by the straight upper rear edge 9b , and on opposite sides, by the respective areas of the rounded and convex side edges 7; this second portion of the side wall 6 faces the portion of the side wall 6 designed to define the front face of the package 1 and has a height, parallel to the longitudinal direction A, greater than the height of this portion of the side wall 6.

[0045] Each of the other two portions of the side wall 6 has a profile that is substantially similar to a rectangular trapezoid that is delimited: - by the lower part, by one of the respective horizontal lower lateral edges 8c; - by the upper part, by one of the respective polarized lower lateral edges 9c; - on opposite sides, by the respective areas of the lateral edges

10/23 rounded and convex 7.

[0046] The two portions of the side wall 6 have trapezoidal profiles that receive the respective upper side flaps 15 on their external surfaces.

[0047] According to an important aspect of the present invention, the area of the lower panel 10 is different from the area of an upper quadrilateral Q (Figure 5) obtained by projecting, along the longitudinal direction A, an upper panel 14 in a reference plane P (Figure 3) parallel to the lower panel 10, which crosses the package 1 and which contains the upper front edge 9a of the upper peripheral limit 9.

[0048] In particular, the area of the lower panel 10 is smaller than the area of the upper quadrilateral Q.

[0049] According to other possible variants not shown, the area of the lower panel 10 may be larger than the area of the upper quadrilateral Q.

[0050] Analogously to the upper panel 14, the upper quadrilateral Q is a square or a rectangle, in the examples shown, a rectangle that approaches a square.

[0051] Particularly, with reference to Figure 5, the upper quadrilateral Q includes an upper front segment Q1, corresponding to the lower front edge 8a, a lower rear segment Q2, corresponding to the lower rear edge 8b, and two upper lateral segments Q3, respectively , corresponding to the lower lateral edges 8c.

[0052] Preferably, the upper side segments Q3 have the same length, which is in turn different from the length of the lower side edges 9c. More specifically, in the example shown, the length of the lower side edges 9c is less than the length of the upper side segments Q3.

[0053] In a similar way, the upper frontal segment Q1 and the upper

11/23 lower rear segment Q2 have the same length, which in turn is different from the length of the lower front edge 8a and the lower rear edge 8b.

[0054] More specifically, in the example shown, the length of the lower front edge 8a and the lower rear edge 8b is greater than the length of the upper front segment Q1 and the lower rear segment Q2.

[0055] The packaging material 2, from which the packaging 1 is produced, is shown in Figure 6 and has a known multilayer structure (not shown) that comprises a base layer, for example, of paper, for the hardness, and several layers of lamination that covers both sides of the base layer.

[0056] Preferably, the lamination layers comprise a layer of oxygen barrier material, for example, an aluminum foil, and several layers of heat-sealed plastic material covering both sides of the base layer and both sides layer of oxygen barrier material. That is, advancing along the side that eventually forms the inside of the package 1, the packaging material 2 comprises a layer of heat-sealed plastic material, a layer of oxygen barrier material, another layer of plastic material sealed to the base layer and one or more additional layers of heat-sealed plastic material.

[0057] The letter M, in Figure 6, indicates a basic unit of packaging material 2, from which packaging 1 is produced, which can be a pre-cut scrap, or a portion of a continuous sheet of material packaging system comprising a succession of basic M units.

[0058] In the first case, the basic unit M is folded into a known forming spindle (not shown), filled with the food product and sealed at the top to form the final packaging.

12/23

[0059] In the second case, described in this document and with reference to Figures 1 to 12, the continuous sheet of packaging material 2, which comprises a succession of basic units M, is: - folded in a cylinder and sealed longitudinally in order to to form a vertical tube; - continuously filled with the food product; and - transversely sealed and cut into basic units M, which are then folded to form the respective packages 1.

[0060] After completing these operations, the package 1 has: - a lower transverse sealing strip 18 (Figure 5) that crosses the lower panel 10 along a central line of the same and which extends parallel to the lower front edge 8a and the rear lower edge 8b; - an upper transverse sealing strip 19 (Figures 1 to 4) which crosses the upper panel 14 parallel to the upper front edge 9a and the upper back edge 9b, and between them; and - a longitudinal sealing strip 20 that extends perpendicularly between the lower transverse sealing strip 18 and the upper transverse sealing strip 19 along the respective portions of the lower panel 10 and the upper panel 14 and along the side wall portion 6 which defines the rear face of the package 1.

[0061] More specifically, after the package 1 has been completely sealed and formed, the lower panel 10 is crossed by the lower transverse sealing strip 18 and an end portion 20a of the longitudinal sealing strip 20 extending perpendicularly from the lower cross seal strip 18.

[0062] In a completely analogous manner, after the package 1 has been completely sealed and formed, the upper panel 14 is crossed by the upper transverse sealing strip 19 and an end portion 20b

13/23 of the longitudinal sealing strip 20 extending perpendicularly from the upper transverse sealing strip 19 and opposite to the end portion 20a; in detail, the upper transverse sealing strip 19 divides the upper panel 14 into two zones 14a, 14b and in the end portion 20b of the longitudinal sealing strip 20 which extends in one (14b) of such zones 14a, 14b from a intermediate portion of the upper transverse sealing strip 19.

[0063] During forming operations to obtain package 1, the upper transverse sealing strip 19 is folded in zone 14b and in the end portion 20b of the longitudinal sealing strip 20; in this way, zone 14a has a larger area than zone 14b and is therefore more suitable for receiving the removable portion 17 and the opening device 16.

[0064] In the example shown in Figure 6, the removable portion 17 has a circular profile and is designed to be at least partially detached, when used, from the rest of the packaging material by the opening device 16 to release the opening for pouring , from which the product is dumped.

[0065] The removable portion 17 is formed in the packaging material 2 before folding and sealing the packaging material 2 itself in order to form the ready packaging.

[0066] In the present case, the removable portion 17 comprises a so-called "pre-laminated" orifice, that is, a circular orifice which is formed by the single base layer of the packaging material 2 and which is covered, when the packaging material itself packaging 2 is laminated by the layers of heat-sealed plastic material and the oxygen barrier material, which adhere to each other in the orifice.

[0067] In particular, with reference to Figure 6, the basic unit M of packaging material 2 has a rectangular configuration and is delimited by:

14/23 - two lateral boundary edges 22 parallel to a longitudinal direction equivalent to longitudinal direction A in a verticalized condition of the basic unit M; - a lower border 23 parallel to a transverse direction B orthogonal to the longitudinal direction A; and - an upper border edge 24 parallel to the transverse direction B and the lower border edge 23.

[0068] The basic unit M of the packaging material 2 comprises several crease lines that define the respective fold lines, along which the packaging material 2 itself is folded in order to form the ready packaging 1.

[0069] More specifically, the basic unit M comprises two transverse crease lines 25, 26 which extend transversely in relation to the longitudinal direction A and which divide the basic unit M itself into: - a lower region 27 containing a crease mold lower 28 and which is configured to form the lower portion 3 of the package 1; - an upper region 29 containing an upper crease mold 30 and which is configured to form the upper portion 4 of the package 1; - an intermediate region 31 contained between the transverse crease lines 25, 26, interposed between the lower region 27 and the upper region 29 and designed to form the side wall portions 6 of the package 1.

[0070] The transverse crease line 25 extends parallel to the lower boundary edge 23 and the upper boundary edge 24 and is arranged closer to the lower boundary edge 23 than the transverse crease line 26. The transverse crease line 25 is configured to define the lower peripheral limit 8 of package 1.

15/23

[0071] In particular, the transverse crease line 25 includes: - a lower central portion 25a configured to define the lower front edge 8a of the package 1; - two lower end portions 25b arranged on opposite sides of the lower central portion 25a, located adjacent to the respective lateral border edges 22 and configured to define the lower rear edge 8b of the package 1; and - two lower side portions 25c which extend adjacent the opposite sides of the lower central portion 25a, which connect the central portion 25a itself to the respective end portions 25b and which are designed to define the respective lower side edges 8c of the package 1 .

[0072] The transverse crease line 26 is arranged closer to the upper boundary edge 24 than the transverse crease line 25 and is configured to define the upper peripheral boundary 9 of package 1. Particularly, the transverse crease line 26 has a dashed line format with: - an upper central portion 26a parallel to the transverse direction B and configured to define the upper front edge 9a of the package 1; - two upper end portions 26b parallel to the transverse direction B, arranged closer to the upper border edge 24 than the upper central portion 26a and configured to define the upper rear edge 9b of the package 1; and - two upper polarized side portions 26c which have configurations inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction A and the transverse direction B, and each connects the upper central portion 26a to the respective upper end portions 26b.

[0073] As seen in Figure 6, the upper lateral portions 26c

16/23 converge towards the upper central portion 26a.

[0074] The basic unit M includes two additional transverse crease lines 32, 33 which extend parallel to direction B and which are placed near the lower border 23 and the upper border 24, respectively; the transverse crease lines 32, 33 delimit, with the lower boundary edge 23 and the upper boundary edge 24, the respective lower transverse seal area 34 and the respective upper transverse seal area 35 which are configured to define the transverse seal strip bottom 18 and the top transverse sealing strip 19 of package 1.

[0075] The lower crease mold 28 was designed to produce the lower panel 10 and the lower side flaps 11 of the package 1. In particular, the lower crease mold 28 includes, in a known manner, four longitudinal crease lines 36a, 36b parallel to longitudinal direction A and extending between transverse crease lines 25 and 32.

[0076] The longitudinal crease lines 36b are the innermost lines, while the longitudinal crease lines 36a are located close to the opposite lateral bordering edges 22; the area between the longitudinal crease lines 36b, as well as the areas bounded by the longitudinal crease lines 36a with the respective side border edges 22 are configured to define the lower panel 10 of the package 1.

[0077] In each of the areas bounded between the longitudinal crease lines 36a and 36b, the lower crease mold 28 additionally includes two additional crease lines 37, 38 polarized with respect to both the longitudinal direction A and the transverse direction B.

[0078] In particular, the additional crease lines 37, 38 of each pair have a common end located on the transverse crease line 32 and opposite ends located at the points of intersection between the transverse crease line 25 and the longitudinal crease lines 36a and 36b, respectively. In this way, each pair of additional crease lines 37, 38

17/23 delimits a triangle 39 with the transverse crease line segment 25 comprised between the additional crease lines 37, 38.

[0079] Each area between the longitudinal crease lines 36a and 36b is configured to define a respective lower side flap 11 of the package

1.

[0080] The upper crease mold 30 was designed to produce the upper panel 14 and the upper side flaps 15 of the package 1. In particular, the upper crease mold 30 includes four longitudinal crease lines 40a, 40b parallel to the longitudinal direction A and that extend between the transverse crease lines 26 and 33.

[0081] The longitudinal crease lines 40b are the innermost lines, while the longitudinal crease lines 40a are located close to the opposite lateral bordering edges 22; the area between the longitudinal crease lines 40b, as well as the areas bounded by the longitudinal crease lines 40a with the respective side edges 22 are configured to define the upper panel 14 of the package 1. The removable portion 17 is formed in the region area top 29 comprised between the longitudinal crease lines 40b.

[0082] In each of the areas bounded between the longitudinal crease lines 40a and 40b, the upper crease mold 30 additionally includes two additional crease lines 41, 42 polarized with respect to both the longitudinal direction A and the transverse direction B.

[0083] In particular, the additional crease lines 41, 42 of each pair have a common end located on the transverse crease line 33 and opposite ends located at the opposite ends, or adjacent to them, of the respective upper polarized side portion 26c of the transverse crease line 26.

[0084] In this way, each pair of additional crease lines 41, 42 delimits a triangle 43 with the respective upper side portion 26c of the line

18/23 cross crease 26.

[0085] Each area between the longitudinal crease lines 40a and 40b is configured to define a respective upper side flap 15 of the package

1.

[0086] According to an important aspect of the present invention, the length of the upper central portion 26a of the transverse crease line 26 is different from the length of the lower central portion 25a of the transverse crease line 25; furthermore, the length of each of the lower side portions 25c of the transverse crease line 25 is also different from the length of the projection R, parallel to the longitudinal direction A, of each of the upper side portions 26c of the transverse crease line 26 in one reference line S parallel to the transverse crease line 25 and containing the upper central portion 26a.

[0087] In particular, the length of the upper central portion 26a is less than the length of the lower central portion 25a; in a different way, the length of each projection R is greater than the length of the corresponding lower side portion 25c.

[0088] As shown in Figure 6, the length of the lower central portion 25a corresponds to the length of the segment of the transverse crease line 32 comprised between the longitudinal crease lines 36b; in a completely analogous manner, the length of the upper central portion 26a corresponds to the length of the transverse crease line segment 33 comprised between the longitudinal crease lines 40b.

[0089] The same applies to the lower side portions 25c, whose lengths correspond to the lengths of the respective transverse crease line segments 32 comprised between each pair of longitudinal crease lines 36a and 36b. Similarly, the lengths of the R projections correspond to the lengths of the respective transverse crease line segments 33 between each pair of crease lines

19/23 longitudinal 40a and 40b.

[0090] It is important to note that the length of the upper front segment Q1 and the lower rear segment Q2 of the upper quadrilateral Q corresponds to the length of the upper central portion 26a; similarly, the length of the upper lateral segments Q3 of the upper quadrilateral Q corresponds to the length of the projections R.

[0091] In the modality shown in Figure 6, the intermediate region 31 includes a central transversal strip 44 that has a uniform structure, that is, that lacks any crease or reduction, and that crosses the areas of the intermediate region 31 elaborated to form the respective side edge zones 7 of the side wall portions 6 of the package 1.

[0092] Preferably, the intermediate region 31 of the basic unit M additionally comprises a plurality of V 45-shaped crease lines that have the respective vertices 46 located on the transverse crease lines 25, 26, or adjacent to them, and at certain points of the same elaborated to define the opposite ends of the respective zones of the lateral edges 7 that delimit the portions of the lateral wall 6 of the package 1; each V-shaped crease line 45 extending from the respective transverse crease line 25, 26, and in close proximity thereto, to the central transverse strip 44 and comprising two legs 47 diverge at the respective apex 46.

[0093] In particular, each V 45-shaped crease line extends from the respective transverse crease line 25, 26 towards the other transverse crease line 26, 25 and has a size, parallel to the longitudinal direction A, larger than zero and less than a quarter, preferably less than a tenth, of the total height of the intermediate region 31 measured parallel to the longitudinal direction A.

[0094] In this description and in the claims, the term “total height of the intermediate region 31” stands out, which corresponds to the total height of the

20/23 packaging.

[0095] In practice, each V 45-shaped crease line extending across the transverse crease line 25 and the corresponding V 45 crease line extending across the transverse crease line 26 are spaced parallel to the longitudinal direction A.

[0096] Preferably, each V 45-shaped crease line has a size, parallel to the longitudinal direction A, less than the maximum height of the lower region 27 or the upper region 29 measured parallel to the longitudinal direction A.

[0097] More preferably, each leg of the V 45-shaped crease lines is less than the maximum length of the heights of triangles 39, 43 in reference to their bases on the respective transverse crease lines 25, 26.

[0098] In the example shown, each V 45-shaped crease line has a size, parallel to the longitudinal direction A, substantially equal to a fourteenth of the total height of the intermediate region 31 measured parallel to the longitudinal direction A.

[0099] As seen in Figures 1 to 4, the V 45-shaped crease lines are the only crease lines present in the intermediate region 31 in the areas designed to define the zones of the side edges 7 between the portions of the side wall 6 of package 1.

[00100] Due to the absence of continuous longitudinal crease lines between the transverse crease lines 25, 26, the resulting package 1 has a round configuration along the side edge areas 7. The V 45-shaped crease lines are function to facilitate the folding of the packaging material 2 in the corners between the areas of the lateral edges 7 of the portions of the lateral wall 6 and the lower peripheral limit 8 and the upper peripheral limit 9 without affecting the round configuration of the areas of the lateral edge 7.

21/23

[00101] In the example shown, the legs 47 of each V 45-shaped crease line are straight or straight; as a possible alternative not shown, the legs 47 of each V 45-shaped crease line can also be curved, preferably with their hollows facing each other.

[00102] Preferably, the legs 47 of each V-shaped crease line 45 delimit an angle between 45 ° and 90 °.

[00103] The number 1 'in Figure 7 indicates, as a whole, a differential embodiment of a sealed package in accordance with the present invention and obtained by means of a basic unit M' (Figure 8) of the packaging material in sheet 2 Since packaging 1 'is similar to packaging 1, the following description is limited to the differences between them, and the same references are used, where possible, for identical or corresponding parts; the same applies for the basic units M 'and M.

[00104] In particular, the package 1 'differs from the package 1 only in those areas of the side edges 7 between the portions of the side wall 6 which are defined by the respective longitudinal crease lines 50 extending between the transverse crease lines 25 and 26. The longitudinal crease lines 50 are slightly inclined in relation to the longitudinal direction A due to the different lengths between the lower central portion 25a and the upper central portions 26a of the transverse crease lines 25, 26, as well as between the lower lateral portions 25c of the transversal crease line 25 and the respective projections R in the reference line S.

[00105] In this case, there is no need for V-shaped crease lines, which are therefore absent.

[00106] The number 1 ”in Figure 9 indicates, as a whole, a differential modality of a sealed package according to the present invention and obtained by means of a basic unit M” (Figure 10) of the packaging material in sheet 2 . Package 1 ”being similar to

22/23 packaging 1, the following description is limited to the differences between them, and the same references are used, when possible, for identical or corresponding parts; the same applies for the basic units M ”and M.

[00107] Particularly, the package 1 ’’ differs from the package 1 only in that it has an upper panel 14 ’’ which extends horizontally and parallel through the lower panel 10.

[00108] In more detail, the upper panel 14 '' is bounded by an upper peripheral limit 9 '' (formed by the edges 9a '', 9b '', 9c '') parallel to the lower peripheral limit 8 and which is derived from a transverse crease line 26 '' also parallel to transverse crease line 25 and transverse direction B.

[00109] In this case, the upper panel 14 '' extends entirely through the reference plane P and, therefore, the projection of the upper panel 14 '' in this plane, that is, the upper quadrilateral Q, is equivalent to the upper panel 14 'itself. '.

[00110] The same applies to the R projections of the upper side portions 26c ’’ of the transverse crease line 26 ’’ on the reference line S, which are equivalent to the upper side portions 26c ’’ themselves; in fact, in this case, the reference line S is equivalent to the upper transverse crease line 26 ’’.

[00111] The number 1 ”'in Figure 11 indicates, as a whole, a differential embodiment of a sealed package according to the present invention and obtained by means of a basic unit M”' (Figure 12) of the packaging material in plate 2. Since package 1 ”'is similar to package 1' ', the following description is limited to the differences between them, and the same references are used, when possible, for identical or corresponding parts; the same applies to the basic units M ”‘ and M ’’.

[00112] Particularly, the package 1 ’’ ’’ differs from the package 1 ’’ only in those areas of the side edges 7 between the portions of the side wall

23/23 6 which are defined by the respective longitudinal crease lines 50 that extend between the transverse crease lines 25 and 26. Even in this case, the longitudinal crease lines 50 are slightly inclined in relation to the longitudinal direction A due at the different lengths between the lower central portion 25a and the upper central portion 26a '' of the transverse crease lines 25, 26 '', as well as between the lower side portions 25c and the upper lateral portion 26c '' of the same transverse crease lines 25, 26 ''.

[00113] Thanks to the presence of longitudinal crease lines 50, there is no need for V-shaped crease lines, which are therefore absent.

[00114] The advantages of packs 1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' '' and the basic units M, M ', M' ', M' '' of packaging material 2, according to the present invention, will become evident from the previous description.

[00115] In particular, all packaging solutions 1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' '' described have lower portions 3 slightly different from the upper portions 4. In this way, it is possible to optimize the filling of the transport pallets with the packages ready 1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' '', which have high flexibility in their dimensions without manifesting relevant changes in their appearance. For example, a thinner lower portion 3 than the upper portion 4 allows to compensate for the growth effect produced by gravity on the pourable product contained in the package when it is placed in a vertical position, where the product tends to accumulate in the portion itself bottom of package 1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' '', 1 '' ''.

[00116] Of course, changes can be made in packages 1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' '' and in the basic units M, M ', M' ', M' '' of packaging material 2, as described and illustrated in this document, without, however, departing from the scope of protection defined by the attached claims.

Claims (20)

1. Sealed packaging (1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' '') containing a pourable food product and comprising a lower portion (3), an upper portion (4) and a main portion (5) interposed between said lower portion (3) and said upper portion (4), and which includes a plurality of portions of the side wall (6); wherein said main portion (5) is divided by said lower portion (3) and said upper portion (4), respectively, by means of a lower peripheral limit (8) and an upper peripheral limit (9, 9 '') ), each one having a continuous configuration and extending transversely in relation to a longitudinal direction (A), along which the total height of the package (1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' '') is defined ; wherein each of said lower peripheral limit (8) and said upper peripheral limit (9, 9 '') has a dashed line shape and is formed by a plurality of contoured edges (8a, 8b, 8c; 9a, 9b, 9c; 9a '', 9b '', 9c '') joined together; wherein said lower portion (3) comprises a quadrilateral lower panel (10) bounded by said lower peripheral limit (8) and extending orthogonally in said longitudinal direction (A); and wherein said upper portion (4) comprises an upper quadrilateral panel (14, 14 ’’) bounded by said upper peripheral limit (9, 9 ’’) and extending transversely in said longitudinal direction (A); characterized by the fact that the area of the lower panel (10) is different from the area of an upper quadrilateral (Q) obtained by projecting, along said longitudinal direction (A), said upper panel (14, 14 '') on a reference plane (P) parallel to said lower panel (10), which crosses the packaging (1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' '') and which contains at least one (9a, 9a '') of contoured edges (9a, 9b, 9c; 9a '', 9b '', 9c '') of said upper peripheral limit (9, 9 ''). 2. Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that said reference plane (P) contains at least one upper front edge (9a, 9a '') of the contoured edges (9a, 9b, 9c; 9a '' , 9b '', 9c '') of said upper peripheral limit (9, 9 ''). 3. Packaging according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that the area of said lower panel (10) is smaller than the area of said upper quadrilateral (Q). Packaging according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said contoured edges of said lower peripheral limit (8) include a lower front edge (8a), a lower rear edge (8b) and two lower side edges (8c) and wherein said upper quadrilateral (Q) includes an upper front segment (Q1) corresponding to said lower front edge (8a), a lower rear segment (Q2), corresponding to said lower rear edge (8b) and two upper lateral segments (Q3), respectively, corresponding to said lower lateral borders (8c). 5. Packaging according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that said lower lateral edges (8c) have the same length, and said upper lateral segments (Q3) have the same length; and wherein the length of said lower lateral edges (8c) is different from the length of said upper lateral segments (Q3). 6. Packaging according to claim 5, characterized by the fact that said length of said lower lateral edges (8c) is less than said length of said upper lateral segments (Q3). Packaging according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that said lower front edge (8a) and said lower rear edge (8b) are of the same length, and said upper front segment (Q1) and said lower rear segment (Q1, Q2) are of the same length; and wherein the length of said lower front edge (8a) and said lower rear edge (8b) is different from the length of said upper front segment (Q1) and said lower rear segment (Q2). Packaging according to claim 7, characterized in that said length of said lower front edge (8a) and said lower rear edge (8b) is greater than said length of said upper front segment (Q1) and said lower rear segment (Q2). 9. Packaging according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said upper panel (14) is inclined in relation to said lower panel (10), said reference plane (P) and said longitudinal direction ( THE). 10. Packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by the fact that said upper panel (14 '') is parallel to said lower panel (10) and in which said upper quadrilateral (Q) is equivalent to said top panel (14``). 11. Packaging according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that each of said portions of the side wall (6) is delimited by two zones of the rounded side edge (7) convex outwards. Packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized by the fact that each of said portions of the side wall (6) is bounded by two straight side edge zones (7). 13. Sheet packaging material (M, M ', M' ', M' '') to produce a sealed package (1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' '') containing a disposable food product, in that said packaging material (M, M ', M' ', M' '') has a rectangular or square configuration with two border edges (22) parallel to a longitudinal direction (A), and two other border edges (23 , 24) parallel to a transverse direction (B) orthogonal to said longitudinal direction (A); said packaging material (M, M ', M' ', M' '') comprising at least one lower transverse crease line (25) and one upper transverse crease line (26, 26 '') which extend transversely to said longitudinal direction (A) and divide the packaging material (M, M ', M' ', M' '') into: - a lower region (27) containing a lower crease mold (28) and which is configured to form a lower portion (3) of said package (1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' ''); - an upper region (29) containing an upper crease mold (30) and which is configured to form an upper portion (4) of said package (1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' ''); - an intermediate region (31) contained between said lower transverse crease line (25) and said upper transverse crease line (26, 26 ''), interposed between said lower region (27) and said upper region ( 29), and designed to form a main portion (5) of said package (1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' '') having a plurality of side wall portions (6); wherein said lower transverse crease line (25) and said upper transverse crease line (26, 26 '') are configured to define a lower peripheral boundary (8) and an upper peripheral boundary (9, 9 '') said package (1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' ''), respectively, which divide said lower portion (3) and said upper portion (4) from said main portion (5); wherein said lower transverse crease line (25) extends in parallel in said transverse direction (B) and includes a lower central portion (25a), designed to define a lower front edge (8a) of said package (1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' ''), and two lower lateral portions (25c) that extend on opposite sides of said lower central portion (25a) and which are designed to define the respective lower lateral edges (8c) of the said packaging (1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' ''); wherein said upper transverse crease line (26) includes an upper central portion (26a, 26a ''), designed to define an upper front edge (9a, 9a '') of said package (1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' ''), and two upper lateral portions (26c, 26c '') which extend on opposite sides of said upper central portion (26a) and which are designed to define the respective upper lateral edges (9c, 9c ' ') of said packaging (1, 1', 1 '', 1 '' '); wherein said lower crease mold (28) is configured to define a quadrilateral lower panel (10) of said packaging (1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' ''), and said upper crease mold (30 ) is configured to define an upper quadrilateral panel (14, 14 '') of said packaging (1, 1 ', 1' ', 1' ''); characterized by the fact that the length of said upper central portion (26a, 26a '') of said upper transverse crease line (26, 26 '') is different from the length of said lower central portion (25a) of said crease line lower transverse (25). Packaging material according to claim 13, characterized in that the length of each of said lower lateral portions (25c) of said lower transverse crease line (25) is different from the projection length (R), parallel to said longitudinal direction (A), of each of said upper lateral portions (26c, 26c '') of said upper transverse crease line (26, 26 '') in a reference line (S) parallel to said line lower transverse crease (25) and containing at least said upper central portion (26a, 26a ''). Packaging material according to claim 14, characterized in that said length of each of said lower side portions (25c) is less than said length of said corresponding projections (R). Packaging material according to any one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that said length of said lower central portion (25a) of said lower transverse crease line (25) is greater than said length of said upper central portion (26a, 26a '') of said upper transverse crease line (26, 26 ''). Packaging material according to any one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that said upper lateral portions (26c) of said upper transverse crease line (26) are polarized with respect to both said longitudinal direction (A ) as to said transverse direction (B) and converge towards said upper central portion (26a). Packaging material according to any one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that said upper transverse crease line (26 '') is parallel to said lower transverse crease line (25) and is equivalent to said line reference (S), and wherein said projections (R) of said upper lateral portions (26c '') in said reference line (S) are equivalent to said upper lateral portions (26c ''). Packaging material according to any one of claims 13 to 18, characterized in that it additionally comprises a plurality of longitudinal crease lines (50) extending between said lower transverse crease line (25) and said upper transverse crease line (26, 26 '') and which is configured to define the respective side edge zones (7) of the side wall portions (6) of said package (1 ', 1' ''). Packaging material according to claim 19, characterized in that said longitudinal crease lines (50) are slightly inclined in relation to said longitudinal direction (A).