CA1313119C - Packaging - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT

A method of producing packaged goods together with an improved package. The method involves providing a base, providing skin packaged goods on the base and then providing a lid for the base. A gas to enhance the keeping of the goods can be placed between the lid and the skin packaged goods.

Description

~MPROVED PACKAGING
5 Field of the Invention This invention relates to improved packaging and relates particularly, but not exclusively, to improved packaging for containing meat, fish, poultry, vegetables or other food products.

10 Description of the Prior Art Hitherto, in the art of packaging meat, fish, poultry, vegetables or other food products, it has been a problem to (a) provide for relatively long shelf life of the packaged goods, (b) to provide a package which will not affect 15 the appearance or keeping qualities of the packaged goods, (c) 13131~9 to provide a package which is xelatively simple to manufacture, (d) to provide an ine~pensive ye.
sufficiently strong package and (e) to provide a package wherein fogging of the package from S moisture car-ied in the packaged goods will be inhibited.
Packaging has been known which includes certain gases to enhance the keep~ng aualities of the contents. For example, it has been known .o use packaging such as disclosed in PCT Patent Application No. PCT/AU84/00131. The shelf life of the packaged goods can thereby be enhanced.
Typically these packages are made f~om plastics material and the plastics material provides a partial barrier to the ingress of unwanted gases.
Some of the plastics material is such that it allows gases which may generate within the package to escape. Other known plastics materials allow certain gases to permeate to enhance the keeping qualities of the packaging goods.
Statement of th~ Invention The present invention attempts to overcome one or more of the aforementioned problems by including a skin wrapping in the total package. Skin packing is a known technique where goods are tightly packaged within a wrapping material and where substantially all of the atmospheric air is excluded. This known technique has been utilized to provide a different packaging method and structure than hitherto known.
Accoxding to the broad aspect of the present invention there is provided:
An improved package for perjshable goods comprising:
a base over which said goods are placed;

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a gas permeable flexible web covering and a~
least pa.rtially skin packing sa:.d goods and holding said goods relative to said base, said web being seal~d to said base;
a lid positioned ove.r the top of said base and sealed to said base over said flexible web;
a space above said goods fo.rmed between said flexible web and said lid; and a gas re~ained in said space, said gas is selected for enhancing preservation of the pac]caged goods by oexmearion OI said gas chrough said gas permeable web.
According 'o a further aspect of the pxesent invention there may be provided an apparatus fo. packing perishable goods comprising:
means for carry ng a base in which the perishable goods are placed;
means for applying a firsc flexibl~o gas permeable plastic web over said goods;
means for es~ablishing a reduced pressure below said fi.rst web .relative to that above said first web fo~ effecting at least partial skin packing of said first web over said goods and rela~ive co the base, so said goods axe held relative to said base by said at leasc partial sk~n packing;
means for applying a second plastlc web over said firsi web, said goods and said the base;
means for sealing the second web to said base so as 'co p~ovide a space between said fi^s'c web and said second web, and means for providing said space with a gas which can permea_e through sai.d firsL web 'oward the base to enhance preservation of said goods, said second web comprising a lid serving to retain the gas in said space.

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Most prefe:rably said des.ired gas has sufficient volume and is of such a type that lt will enhance the keeping qualities of the packaged goods.
It is also preferred ';hai there be a further web of plastics material between said base and said goods so thaL said goods will be substantially enclosed in a skin packing by said fle~cible web and said further web and substan,ially withou'L any air .herebetween.
According to a broad aspect of the present invention there is p.rovided a method of packaging goods including:
(a) providing a base, (b) placing goods over said base, (c) applying a flexible web of gas permeable skin wrapping plastics material over said base and said goods, (d) evacuaLing air or gas from between said base and said skin w~apping so as to allow said skin wrappe.r to flexibly displace onto said goods and to at least par'ially skin pack saicl goods relative to said base, (e) applying a lid over said skin wrapping and spaced the--efro~, (f) providing a desired gas in the space between said lid and said skin wrapping to enhance the keeping p.roper-'ies of ,he packaged goods by permeating said skin w;-apping, and (g) sealing said lid to sa.d base so that said space is permanently .-etained, and at'aching said skin w-apping relatj.ve to said base.
Most p:referably the-e is a further web of plastics ma.erial between the goods and the base, said further web being p.rovided so tha 'he goods can be subsfantially enclosed by a skin pac]cing and ~Y~

- 4a -wherein salcl desired gas ls between salcl flexl~le web and said lid, and said Eur-her web and sald base Brief Description of Preferred Embodiments In o~der that the invention can be more clearly ascer,ained the constcuction of preferred emboàiments will now be described with reference to ,he accompanying drawings wherein Figures 1 through 5 diagrammatically represent side views of six different types of packaging wi.hin the scope of the present invention;
Figure 6 is a schematic side view of one prefe~-red machine used for performing a preferred method of the present invention;
Figure 7 is a close-up side cross-sectional view of a station of the machine where a web of plas,ics material is skin packaged over goods on the base;
Figure 8 is a vlew similar ,o that of Figure 7 but showing a gas flushing sta.ion;
Figure 9 is a diagrammatical side view of a different type of packaging wi,hin the scope of the present invention;
Figure 10 is a diagrammatic side view of a p eferred machine for mak ng the package shown in Figure 9; and Figure 11 is a plan view of a preferred insert for use in the package produced by the machine of Figure 10 De.ailed Description of Preferred Embodiments Referring now to Figure 1 ~here is shown packaging made of plastics materials The packaging comprises a gene_ally rectangular shaped base 1 with a bottom of the base being somewhat lower han a top surface of the base The base 1 is preferably made by a ,hermo forming process as will be described later Typically the base 1 is 131311~
- 4b -made from a plastlcs material which may be gas permeable or it may be a partial gas barrier material. Examples of gas permeable mate:rials are a multi-layer web comp.ising one layer of P.V.C.
and anothe:r layer of P.E... The P.V.C. can have a ,-hickness of about 400 microns whilst the .hic]cness of the P.E. can be about 70 mic:~ons. Throughout this specifica'ion the te,rn micron is to 1 31311 ~

be understood as a dimension equal to 1/1000 of a millimetre.
Micron is sometimes referred to as micrometre. Alternatively, the material may be a multi-layered web of P.V.C. with a heat sensitive coating which will enable heat bonding to other 5 plastics components in the package. The P.V.C. can be of a thickness of 450 microns and the coating can be of a thickness of about 5 microns. When a partial gas barrier material is provided, then it may be comprised of multi-layered web of P.V.C./P.V.D.C./P.E.. The overall thickness of the plastics 10 material is preferably about 450 microns. If desired, the base may be of a single web of plastics material such as P.V.C. of about 450 microns. Other suitable materials can be chosen if desired. It should be understood that polyethylene will provide for a relatively low gas barrier, P.V.C. will -15 provide for a high gas barrier and P.V.C. in a multilayered form such as P.V.C./P.V.D.C. will provide an even higher gas barrier. Aluminium materials such as of about 20 micron thickness will provide for an even higher gas barrier material. All of these materials are suitable for any of the 20 webs of any of the embodiments disclosed herein.
Goods 3 are provided in the base 1. The goods 3 are typically meat, fish, poultry or fresh vegetables although other types of goods such as foodstuffs can be packaged if desired. Typically the goods 3 have about the same shape and 25 are of the same size as the bottom of the base 1 so that the base 1 is substantially filled with goods over the bottom of the base 1.
A web of flexible plastics material 5 skin packages the goods 3 to the base 1. The flexible plastics material 5 30 is typically of polyethylene/E.V.A. of 50-100 micron thickness. Alternatively, it may comprise a plasticized P.V.C. of 50-100 micron thickness which is preferably heat sealable to the base 1. It may be otherwise sealable to the base if desired. The above described web 5 is a gas permeable 35 web. If a partial gas barrier web is required then it may ' ' ' ' . ;:
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comprise a mul~ ayered web of P.E./P.V.D.C/E.V.A. of about 50-100 micron thickness overall. Other suitable plastics materials for the web can be used if desired.
A lid 7 is fitted over the top of the base 1 so as 5 to provide a free space 9 between the web 5 and the lid 7.
The lid 7 and the web 5 are sealed to the base 1 around a peripheral lip 11 of the base 1. Conveniently the sealing is by way of a heat sealing although other forms of sealing are envisaged. The free space 9 can contain air if desired and/or 10 a suitable gas which will enhance the keeping of the packaged goods. Typically the volume of the free space 9 is arranged to be at least equal to the volume of gas necessary to maintain the keeping of the packaged goods for several days or several weeks depending on the nature of the goods and the 15 sale time conditions applicable following packaging.
The lid 7 is typically of 80-120 microns in thickness. If it is of a gas permeable material it may comprise a multi-layer of P.V.C./P.E.. Alternatively, it may comprise a multi-layer of P.V.C. wi~h a heat sensitive coating 20 such as an adhesive to effect sealing to the flexible web 5 which is, in turn, sealed to the peripheral lip 11 of the base 1. Alternatively, it may be a single web of plastics material such as P.V.C..
If the lid material is to be a partial gas barrier, 25 then one suitable form may comprise polyester/P.V.D.C./P.E. or other suitable materials. If a very high gas barrier is required then the lid can be aluminium which may be coated with a plastics material to enhance bonding to peripheral lip 11.
In a further variation of the container referred to in Figure 1, the materials may be as follows. The base 1 may be of P.V.C. whilst the web 5 may be of a plasticized P.V.C.
(P.P.V.C.), and the lid may be P.V.C.. The thicknesses of the plastics materials may be generally of the same thickness as 35 previously described.

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In a furthe:r variation of materials, if the lid 7 and the web 5 are LO be peeled off the base 1 as a single uni~ary structure, then the base 1 may be ei~her P.V.C./E.V.A. which is co-extruded or an extrusion laminate or a laminate. The flexible web 5 may be plasticized P.V.C. (P.P.V.C.), and the lid 7 may be P.V.C.. The thicknesses of the base 1, the web 5 and the lid 7 may be as previously described.
In a further embodirnent where the lid only is to be peeled off leaving the flexible web 5 intac.
with the base 1, then the base 1 may be of P.V.C., the flexible web 5 of a plasticized P.V.C.
(P.P.V.C.), whils-t the lid 7 is of a P.V.C./E.V.A.
laminate which can be formed as a co-extrusion o.
an extrusion laminate. When the lid 7, or the lid 7 and the flexible web 5 are peeled off, oxygen can contact the goods 3 within the base 1 by eithe~
directly contacting the goods or by passing th~ough the flexible web 5. It is known that red mea~
turns dark brown when oxygen is depleted from the blood. The red colour can be restored by allowing oxygen to contact the blood on the surface of the meat by re;noving the lid 7, or the lid 7 and ~he flexible web 5.
Referring now to Figure 2 there is shown a construction very similar to that of Figure 1 and accordingly like numerals have been given to the same components. In -this construction, the goods 3 are received on a fu.rther web 13 of plastics material which may be the same material as web 5.
In this embodiment the goods 3 a.e completely skin packed around-their external surface by 'he web 5 of plasti.cs material and the fu.rther web of plastics material 13. It is noted that a further free space 15 is provided underneath .he goods 3 .

`` - 81313119 below the further web 13 of plastics material.
This free space 15 may be filled wlth gas such as air and/or other gas to enhance the keeping of the packaged goods 3. This gas may be the same as or different tO the gas in the free space 9.
Figure 3 shows an embodiment similar to ihat of Figure 2 bu'. wherein there are a plurality of layers of packaged goods 3. In this embodiment, each of ~he layers of goods 3 is individually skin wrapped by its own individual web of plastics material designated generally by numeral 17. Each of the webs of plastics material 17 may comprise the same materials as that proposed for the webs 5 and 13. In this embodiment the lid 7 may include a pouch 9 into which condiments can be provided.
Typically the condiments can be sauces for the packaged goods. The pouch 9 can have a removable cover 21 which may conveniently comprise a web of paper o~ the like with a suitable adhesive medium on the underside to bond to the lid material around the periphe~y of the pouch 19.
Figure 4 shows an embodiment similar to that of Figure 2 but wherein there is additionally provided an uppe~ lid 23 which contains eating implements such as a knife, fork or spoon 25.
Figure 5 shows an embodiment similar to that of Figure 1 but wherein there is additionally provided an ovenable tray 27. The ovenable t-ay 27 may conveniently be comprised of metal foil or of a plastics material such as crystallizable polyethylene terephthalate C.P.E.T. of about 400 microns in thickness. This ma_erial C.P.E.T. is known for its dual ovenable quali.ies i.e. -thermal and microwave, and is used in the food packaging industry.

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1313~ ~ 9 In the case of embodiments shown in Figures through 5 the base 1 may be of a semi rigid construction whllst the webs 5, 13 and 17, are relatively flexible. In the case of the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the lid 7 or lid 23 may be of a semi rigid constxuction.
If desired punched openings may be made through the vaLious webs 5, 13 and 17 around -the peripheral sides of the goods 3 in such a manner that the goods 3 are still sealed within the webs, but so that there are openings exkending therethrough but not into the spaces therebetween.
This will allow the gas which is in the free spaces 9 and 15 to freely circulate around the webs covering the goods 3.
Referring now to Figure 6 there is shown a side view of diagrammatic form of a preferred packaging machine which performs a preferred packaging method in accordance with the presen~
invention. The machine is a~ranged so that a web of plastics material 31 can pass underneath a heating member 33, be heated and then pass .o a thermo forming station 35 where trays 1 can be p-oduced by inserting a male die member 37 into a female die cavity 39. The so formed bases 1 then move to a goods loading station 41. The bases 1 are loaded with the goods such as food and then pass into a skin packing station 43. ~t the skin packing station 43, a web of plastics material 45 is arranged to run parallel with the web 31.
Figure 7 shows a close up view of the skin packing station 43. Here there is an upper chamber 47 and a lower chamber 49. The lower chamber 49 has a cavity 51 into which the bases 1 are received. The upper chamber 47 contains a heated member 53 which is used to heat the web 45 to a deformable temperature for skin packing. The upper chamber 47 ~313 i~

and -the lower chamber 49 are then c~osed and air is evacuated via gas passageways 55 and 57. The web 45 is maintained separate from the top of the base 1 during this evacuation p.ocess. The web 5 is then caused to move towards ,he heated member 53 to heat it to a deformable tempe.rature. The undersurface of heated member 53 could be scalloped upwardly - i.e. concavely shaped so as to mi-ror imitate, at least to a small degree, the displacement required for the web 5 to skin pack to the goods 3. When the air has been evacua'ed, the heated member 53 is moved downwardly to then heat seal the web 45 a-ound the periphery of the base 1 to the lip 11. Air or a gas is then reintroduced through passageway 55, at least, and this, in tu~n, causes the web 45 to skin pack the goods 3 to the base 1. The reason that it skin packs the goods 3 is that there is substantially no air between the web 45 and the base 1. Accordingly, when the ai-or gas is introduced through the passageway 55 the flexible web 45 skin packs the goods 3 by being displaced onto the upper surface of the goods 3.
The bases 1 '_hen move to a lid sealing s~ation 59. At this station, a web of plastics material 61 is provided over the top of the base 1, over the .
web 45. Figure 8 shows a detailed cross-sectional view of the lid sealing station 59. The lid sealing station 59 comprises an upper chamber 63 and a lower chamber 65. It also includes a heated platen 67. The platen 67 is conveniently heated only around the lip 11 region of the base 1. In use, the upper chamber 63 and the lower chamber 65 are closed together and air ls evacuated th-ough the air passageway 69. If desired a desired flushing gas can then be admitted into the closed upper chamber 63 and lower chamber 65 so as to provide a desired gas between the lid and the base, i.e. between the web 61 and web 31. The platen 67 can then be lowered to heat seal the lid to the lip 11 of the base 1.
It should be appreciated that when the lid 7 is sealed to the base 1, there will be provided a free space, as shown by 9 in Figuxe 1, and the free space contains a desired gas such as 2~ N2 or CO2 or other like gases which will enhance the kee~lng qualities of the packaged goods. If desired it may simply comprise atmospheric air.
The package is then removed from the lid sealing station 59 and sepa-ated from the web 31 by suitable means.
If desired, the skin packing s~ation 43 can also include the step of admitting a desired flushing gas through the gas passageways 55 or 57 immediacely prior to the sealing of the web 45 .o the lip 11 of the base 1. This will provide a desired flushing gas within the space between 'he base 1 and the web 45.
It can be appreciated that by adding various stations io the apparatus shown in Figure 7, any one of the embodiments shown in Figures 1 through 6 can be produced. For example, to produce the embodiment of Figure 2 â further web of plastics material 13 needs to be provided p--ior to loading of the goods 3 into the base 1. The web 13 and 5 can be simultaneously welded o the peripheral lip 11 by a single heated platen. In producing ihe embodiment of Figure 3 each of the webs 17 and goods 3 can be individually layered and then heat sealed to the peripheral lip 11. By appropriate addicions, any one of the embodiments of Figuros 1 through 5 can be produced. Such production is relatively economic and will yield a high throughput of packages.

~313~ 9 When packaglng goods such as fish, it is possible to retain the usual drip liquid with the fish but to allow for controlled atmosphere or gas to permeate through the skin webs. This, in turn, will allow for freezing of the contents without the grow~h of ice crystals ox the like as is normal in frozen fish packaging. The appearance of the package is particularly enhanced by the double glazing effect provided by the lid 7 and the web 5 and 13 or webs 17. In the embodiments of Figures

2, 3, and ~ the goods 3 are effectively within an inner pouch. If desired the goods 3 can be frozen in a sepaxately filled and sealed frozen pouch or in a jug of the same size as the semi rigid ovenable tray 27 - see Figure 5. Thus the goods 3 may be maintained in a separate pouch of plasLics material prio~ to the freezing.
All the plastics materials from which the packaging is made may individually or collectively restrict and/or inhibit or control or allow selected atmosphei-e or gases '-o flow into or out of the package.
Refeiring now to Figure 9 there is shown a preferred form of an alternative embodimen' of packaging. Here there is provided a P.V.C. base 1 with a skin packing 71. The skin packing 71 may be a par',-ial gas barrier matexial of the type previously described. Goods 3 are placed within the base 1 above the skin packing 71. A further web of skin packing 77 is provided over the goods

3. The further web 77 is bonded 'to the web 71 and the~efore a unitary package is provided by the base 1, the skin packing 71 and the fur-ther skin packing 77. Preferably, the web of skin packing 77 is a partial gas barrier ma.erial of the type previ.ously described. If desired a lid 81 can be provided over the top of the base 1 as shown. Preferably 13131 1~

the lid 81 is a gas barrier material and a gas such as 2~ N2~ C2 ~ like gas which will assist the keeping of the goods is p.rovided in the space 83 which is foxmed between the skin packing material 77 and the peripheral lip 85 of the base 1 under the lid 81.
Refe ring now to Figure 10 there is shown a diagrammatic side view of a prefer.-ed machine for producing the package shown in Figure 9. Here a web of plastics material 87 is produced with a number of depressions therein to form bases 1.
Typically the web of plastics material 87 is P.V.C.
which is relatively inexpensive. A heater 33 is provided for heating the web 87 whereupon the web 87 passes to a thermo forming station 35 where the bases 1 are produced by inserting a male die member 37 into a female die cavity 39.
The bases 1 are then passed to a skin packing station 73 where a web of skin packing plastics material 71 skin packs to the base 1. The skin packing station 73 is of a type similar to that shown in Figure 7 and therefore has noi been described in detail here. When the plastics material 71 is skin packed io the base 1, the base 1 is then passed to a station 74 where goods 3 are provided onto the base 1. The bases 1 and goods 3 then pass to a fu.rther skin packing station 75 where a web of plastics material 77 is skin packed to the top of the goods 3 and to the peripheral lip 85 around each of the bases 1. The bases 1 then advance to a lid sealing station 79 where lid ma.erial 81 is applied and bonded around the peripheral lip of the bases 1. If the webs 71, 77 and 81 are of a gas barrier material or selected ones of those webs is a gas barrier rnaterial and suitable gases are employed in the packaging either 131~ ~.9 between the webs 7l and 77 and/or between webs 77 and al, then -the shelf life of the packaged goods 3 may be able to be enhanced.
Figure 11 shows an insert 89 which can be placed into the bases 1 prior to the web 71 being skin packed there,o. In this connection the insert 89 is shaped so as to closely follow the contour of the bases 1. Thus when the skin packing material 71 is skin packed to the base 1, the insert 89 will be held firmly thereto. The insert 89 can have advertislng ma~erial printed thereon so as to obviate the need for subsequent labeling of .he package. Typically the insert 89 can be of a cardboard material and/or a paper and/or a plastics and/or a metal or foil or waxed ma-erial. By appropriate choice of the material of insert 89 it may be possible to avoid the necessity for skin packing a web of skin pack material 71 to the base 1. Accordingly, by providing the inse~t 89, the web 71 may be dispensed wi~-h.
Suitable gases for use in any of the embodiments herein are a combination of gases, o~ a single gas, including such atmospheric gases as Nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide and Oxygen, as well as other suitable gases.
Modifications may be made to the invention as would be apparent to persons skilled in the packaging and/or foodstuff art. These and other modifications are deemed .o be within the scope of the invention, the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description.

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Claims (59)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An improved package for perishable goods comprising:
a base over which said goods are placed;
a gas permeable flexible web covering and at least partially skin packing said goods and holding said goods relative to said base, said web being sealed to said base;
a lid positioned over the top of said base and sealed to said base over said flexible web;
a space above said goods formed between said flexible web and said lid; and a gas retained in said space, said gas is selected for enhancing preservation of the packaged goods by permeation of said gas through said gas permeable web.

2. The improved package of claim 1 in which the base is made of a gas permeable plastic material.

3. The improved package of claim 1 in which the base is formed of a material that creates a partial gas barrier.

4. The improved package of claim 1 in which the base is formed of a material that creates a partial gas barrier.

5. The improved package of claim 1 in which said base is about 450 microns thick.

6. The improved package of claim 1 in which said web forms a partial gas barrier.

7. The improved package of claim 1 in which said web is from 50-100 microns thick.

8. The improved package of claim 1 in which said lid is gas permeable.

9. The improved package of claim 1 in which said lid forms a very high gas barrier.

10. The improved package of claim 1 in which said lid forms a partial gas barrier.

11. The improved package of claim 1 in which said lid is from 80-120 microns thick.

12. The improved package of claim 1 in which the space between said lid and said web contains an amount of gas needed to preserve the goods for an extended period, the nature of the goods determining the gas selected.

13. The improved package of claim 12 in which said gas is oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, atmospheric air or another gas, or combinations thereof, selected for its preservation characteristics.

14. The improved package of claim l in which said lid is affixed to said base so that it may be removed form the package separately from said web.

15. The improved package of claim 1 in which said lid and said web are peelable as a unit from said base.

16. The improved package of claim 1 in which said base is made of P.V.C. said flexible web is made of plasticized P.V.C. and said lid is made of P.V.C.

17. The improved package of claim 1 in which said base is made of a P.V.C./E.V.A. laminate, said web is made of plasticized P.V.C. and said lid is made of P.V.C.

18. The improved package as in claim 1, in which said base is made of P.V.C., said web is made of' plasticized P.V.C. and said lid is made of a P.V.C./B.V.A.
laminate.

19. The improved package of claim 1 including a further gas permeable flexible web sealed relative to said base, said further web underlying and, in cooperation with said first web, substantially completely skin packing said goods.

20. The improved package of claim 19 in which said further web is dimensioned so as to form a`space between it and the base, said space being filled with a gas selected for enhancing preservation of the packed goods.

21. The improved package of claim 19 in which the gas between said further web and said base is different from that between said first web and said lid.

22. The improved package of claims 1 or 19 in which said lid provides a containing space for an eating implement.

23. The improved package of claims 1 or 19 further including an oven-microwave usable tray positioned between said base and said skin packed goods.

24. The improved package of claim 19 in which said base contains a plurality of skin packed goods, said goods being arranged on said base one on top of the other, said goods each being individually skin packed.

25. The improved package of claim 19 in which said bottommost skin packed goods are so positioned as to provide a gas retaining space between said base and said goods, said space being filled with a gas selected to enhance the preservation of the goods.

26. The improved package of claim 25 in which said gas may be oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, atmospheric air or another suitable gas.

27. The improved package of claim 1 in which said web is urged- into skin packing conformation with said goods be a reduced gas pressure below said web.

28. An apparatus for packing perishable goods comprising:
means for carrying a base in which the perishable goods are placed;
means for applying a first flexible gas permeable plastic web over said goods;
means for establishing a reduced pressure below said first web relative to that above said first web for effecting at least partial skin packing of said first web over said goods and relative to said base, so said goods are held relative to said base by said at least partial skin packing;
means for applying a second plastic web over said first web, said goods and said base;
means for sealing said second web to said base so as to provide a space between said first web and said second web, and means for providing said space with a gas which can permeate through said first web toward said base to enhance preservation of said goods, said second web comprising a lid serving to retain the gas in said space.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further including heating means for heating said first web to a deformable temperature to assist said at least partial skin packaging.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 in which the heating surface of said heating means is profiled so as to resemble, in general contour, the upper surface of the skin packed goods.

31. The apparatus of claim 28 further including means for applying an additional flexible plastic web under said goods to be skin packed and over said base, whereby said additional web effects further skin packing of said goods.

32. The apparatus of claim 28 further including means for charging said space between said web and said base with a gas selected to enhance the preservation of said goods.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 further including means for lowering the atmospheric pressure between said base and said additional plastic web to facilitate the placement of said additional web in said base.

34. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said means for sealing said second web to said base includes a heated platen and upper and lower moveable chambers, said lower chamber having a peripheral lip on which the outer regions of said lid and said first web overlie, said hated platen being movably positioned in said upper chamber and said base being positioned in said lower chamber, and means for urging said heated platen against the lip of said lower chamber to seal said lid and web to said base.

35. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said base comprises an elongate web from which individual bases are formed, and said first web similarly comprises an elongate web.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein said second web similarly comprises an elongate web.

37. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said means for establishing a reduced air pressure comprises a skin packaging station upstream of said means for sealing said second web to said base.

38. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein said means for establishing a reduced air pressure comprises a skin packaging station upstream of said means for sealing said second web to said base.

39. A method of packaging goods including:
(a) providing a base, (b) placing goods over said base, (c) applying a flexible web of gas permeable skin wrapping plastics material over said base and said goods, (d) evacuating air or gas from between said base and said skin wrapping so as to allow said skin wrapper to flexibly displace onto said goods and to at least partially skin pack said goods relative to said base, (e) applying a lid over said skin wrapping and spaced therefrom, (f) providing a desired gas in the space between said lid and said skin wrapping to enhance the keeping properties of the packaged goods by permeating said skin wrapping, and (g) sealing said lid to said base so that said space is permanently retained, and attaching said skin wrapping relative to said base.

40. The method of packaging goods according to claim 39, in which said web is heated prior to its displacement over said goods and said base.

41. The method of packaging goods according to claim 39, in which said lid and said flexible web are jointly sealed to said base.

42. The method of packaging goods according to claim 39, wherein said base has a cup shaped depression in which said goods are placed and a peripheral lip around the perimeter of said cup, and wherein said step of displacing effects movement of said web towards said base to position below said lip.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein at least a portion of said web displaced below said lip engages and is skin packed to said walls of said cup.

44. The method of claim 39, further including the step of placing a further flexible web over said base prior to placing said goods over said base whereby said goods are enveloped by said webs.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein said base has a generally cup shaped depression, and wherein said further flexible web is displaced into said cup.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein said further flexible web engages the bottom of said-cup.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein said further flexible web engages at least a portion of the side walls of said cup, and said first recited web overlies said further web in skin packing relation.

48. The method of packaging goods according to claim 39, in which said lid is semi-rigid, and said method includes the further step of placing a utensil in said lid.

49. The method of packaging goods according to claim 39, in which said flexible web is urged by positive gas pressure there above into skin packing conformation with its associated goods.

50. The method of packaging goods according to claim 39, in which said lid is sealed to said base in a manner that renders said lid peelable from said base separately from said flexible web.

51. The method of packaging goods according to claim 39, in which said base is made from a gas permeable material.

52. The method of packaging goods according to claim 39, in which said base is made of 2 parallel gas barrier material.

53. The method of packaging goods according to claim 39, in which said base is made of a high gas barrier material.

54. The method of packaging goods according to claim 39, in which said lid is made of a gas permeable material.

55, The method of packaging goods according to claim 39, in which said lid is made of a partial gas barrier material.

56. The method of packaging goods according to claim 39, in which said lid is made of a high gas barrier material.

58. The method of packaging goods according to claim 39, including the further step of placing a removable insert on said base prior to the placement thereon of goods or a flexible web.

58. The method of packaging goods according to claim 39, including the further step of placing an oven usable container on said base prior to the placement of goods therein.

59. The method of packaging goods according to claim 39, in which said lid and said flexible web are heat sealable to said base.