DE29811916U1 - Popsicle packaging - Google Patents

Description

·..*·..' PATENT ATTORNEYS

KERN, BREHM & PARTNERS GbR

irt-Rosshaupter-Str. 73 - D - 81369 Munich - Telephone (089^ 760 55 20 760 55 26 - Fax iO89^ 760 55

SCHRUTT GmbH 03 July 199 8

D-83626 Valley RUT-05

Popsicle packaging

Description :

The present invention relates to an ice cream stick packaging according to the preamble of claim 1.

Ice cream sticks are bought in particular by children and young people. The ice cream stick packaging should have an additional benefit that appeals to these groups of buyers in order to promote sales of ice cream sticks packaged in this way. In this case, this additional benefit consists of a removable adhesive label printed with motifs that appeal to children and young people, for example with comic motifs from a series story. The adhesive label is provided with a removable and reusable adhesive that allows it to be re-applied to any surface. These adhesive labels can be used to decorate other objects, they can be exchanged or collected to complement a given comic story and in this respect represent a more sentimental value for children and young people. It is a promotional factor that can promote sales of the product equipped with them.

The intention is to put such adhesive labels into circulation with a variety of different motifs. Children and young people are usually curious and love surprises. The sales-promoting effect is increased if the buyer cannot easily tell from the intact packaging which specific motif the adhesive label in a given ice cream package has. The intention is therefore to attach the adhesive label in a removable manner to the inside of the ice cream package. Here the adhesive label is in direct contact with the ice cream during transport and storage. Mutual influences and interactions must be avoided.

Based on this, the object of the present invention is to provide an ice cream stick packaging which is provided with a removable adhesive label on its inner surface, which reliably avoids any influence or damage to the ice cream quality even in the event of prolonged direct contact with ice cream.

Starting from a

Popsicle packaging

with a cover enclosing the ice cream made of cold-sealable paper or of a cold-sealable film, the solution to the above problem according to the invention is characterized in that

an adhesive label is detachably attached to a section of the inside of the cover, which - starting from the inside of the cover - has the following layer structure:

(a) a layer of removable pressure-sensitive adhesive;

(b) a polypropylene film as a printing carrier;

(c) a multi-coloured print on the printing medium;

(d) a layer of adhesive varnish; and

(e) a transparent laminating film.

The present invention provides a packaging for ice cream sticks, which is provided with an internal, removable adhesive label that can be reused as a decorative or collectible item. Typically, such an adhesive label can have a rectangular shape, for example, with a length of about 40 to 70 mm and a width/height of about 30 to 50 mm. Although the adhesive label can be in direct contact with the ice cream during transport and storage, any impairment of the taste and quality of the ice cream is safely excluded - thanks to a specific selection of the adhesive label components and thanks to a specific adhesive label design. The following contribute to this:

The printing medium consists of a plasticizer-free polypropylene film that neither releases ingredients from the printing medium or components of the printing ink(s) of the print to the ice cream via migration, nor has a wicking effect against oils and fats and other substances from the ice cream, so that the latter cannot penetrate the adhesive label.

The multi-coloured print is produced in particular and preferably with the help of radiation-curing printing inks. When properly cured with radiation, in particular under UV radiation, the low-molecular printing ink components polymerise into higher-molecular substances that are no longer capable of migration.

The curing/drying of the printing ink(s) and/or the adhesive varnish takes place in particular and preferably in the cold UV drying process at temperatures between 35 and 40°C and with the exclusion of ozone formation,

The entire multi-coloured print is covered with a transparent laminating film, which serves as a full

A flat separating layer or barrier prevents direct contact between ice cream and printing ink.

All components of the adhesive label are selected in such a way that they are compatible with food. With regard to the laminating film, adhesive varnish, printing substrate and pressure-sensitive adhesive, materials are selected that have official approval (FDA approval, approval by BGA and/or conformity with EU directives), which confirms suitability for direct contact with food.

All of these features and measures work together and promote and reinforce each other - in the sense of a synergistic effect - to create an internal insert within an ice cream packaging which - despite possibly prolonged, immediate and direct contact with the ice cream - does not impair the taste and quality of the ice cream.

Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the ice cream stick packaging according to the invention result from the subclaims.

It can preferably be provided that the printing carrier consists of a plasticizer-free, white polypropylene film. A biaxially stretched polypropylene film filled with finely divided silicon dioxide, for example, with a layer thickness of about 55 μιλ, the total

Migration is less than 10 mg/dm. A film of this type suitable as a printing substrate can be obtained, for example, from Mobil Plastics Europe, Belgium under the trade name MW 247. Mobil Plastics Europe confirms that

that this film type MW 24 7 is suitable for direct contact with food, in accordance with the European Directives 90/128/EEC and their amendments 92/39/EEC, 93/9/EEC, 9 5/3/EEC and 96/11/EEC.

A foamed, white, plasticizer-free polypropylene film can also be used as a printing medium. Due to the gas inclusions achieved through foaming, the film has a white appearance with high opacity and a mother-of-pearl effect. A film thickness of around 40 µm has proven to be effective. Foamed polypropylene films of this type can be obtained, for example, from Mobil Plastics Europe, Belgium.

Instead of white polypropylene films, transparent, silver-coated or other polypropylene films could also be used, provided they are suitable as printing media.

Such polypropylene films are odorless and tasteless, physiologically harmless and very resistant to oil, grease and water. Due to their high opacity they can be used excellently as printing media.

The white printing medium has a multi-coloured print on one side. The images used are preferably comic motifs from a serial story that encourage collecting and completing a series. The multi-coloured print is produced using radiation-curing printing inks. Radiation-curing printing inks and varnishes that contain acrylates in radical systems or epoxy resins in cationic systems as binding agents are particularly preferred, as they react quickly to form a plastic-like film when exposed to radiation and

crosslink, and which are optimized for a low odor level and low migration. Hybrid systems that contain both a radical system based on acrylate and a cationic system based on epoxy are also well suited. UV radiation or electron beams are used as crosslinking radiation, with UV radiation curing being preferred due to the lower equipment required. These radiation-curing printing inks are typically applied to the printing substrate using the offset printing process.

Preferably, cold UV-curing printing inks are used, which are cross-linked or cured and dried using the cold UV drying process. The cold UV drying process typically works in a temperature range of 3 5 to 4 0 ⁰ C. Under these conditions, ozone is not formed. Ozone formation should be avoided because the ozone produced during radiation curing sticks stubbornly to the labels and would produce the typical (undesirable) ozone smell.

After curing as intended, such radiation-curing printing inks contain significantly fewer migratory substances than conventional offset printing inks based on oil/mineral oil or known, physically drying flexo gravure printing inks. Suitable radiation-curing printing inks, preferably UV-curing printing inks, which have been specially formulated for food packaging, can be obtained, for example, from N.V. Sicpa Benelux S.A., Bornem, Belgium.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the print does not reach the edge of the printing medium at any point. Instead, on the printing medium, adjacent to the edge of the printing medium, there is an uninterrupted area of printing ink or

- 10 -

printing-free edge section is provided. Preferably, this edge section free of printing ink has a width of at least 0.8 mm, even more preferably at least a width of 1.0 mm.

In conjunction with the laminating film explained below, this uninterrupted edge section free of printing ink prevents the printing ink from coming into contact with the ice cream.

The entire print carrier, including the print, is completely covered with a transparent laminating film. A polypropylene film is preferably used as the laminating film. This laminating film preferably has a layer thickness of approximately 12 to 20 μm. A particularly suitable film is the polypropylene film sold by Hoechst Trespaphan GmbH, D-66539 Neunkirchen, under the trade name Trespaphan NNA/D, which is suitable for direct food contact in accordance with the standard 21 CFR 177.1520.

The laminating film is glued to the entire surface of the printing substrate. Since both the printing substrate and the laminating film are preferably made of polypropylene, a cold UV-curing laminating adhesive based on cycloaliphatic epoxy resin, tripropylene glycol diacrylate and acrylic acrylate prepolymer is preferably used as the adhesive varnish for bonding these two films. Such a laminating adhesive can be obtained, for example, from Chemische Fabrik Aarberg AG, CH-3270 Aarberg, Switzerland. Preferably, laminating adhesives are selected that cure and dry under essentially the same conditions as the printing inks. The curing/drying of the adhesive varnish should also preferably take place under UV radiation at 35 to 40 ^° C in order to avoid the formation of ozone.

The laminating film is glued to the surrounding edge section of the print substrate, which is free of printing ink, in a covering and tight manner via the adhesive varnish. This means that the color print on the print substrate is completely and tightly enclosed between the print substrate and the laminating film. Both act as separating layers or barriers, which largely prevent the migration of printing ink components.

On the side opposite the print, a pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied to the printing substrate, using which the adhesive label can be removably attached to the inside of the packaging sleeve. Preferably, a known, pressure-sensitive pressure-sensitive adhesive is provided, for example a hot melt adhesive or an emulsion adhesive that is applied from the aqueous emulsion.

Such a pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied to the back of the printing substrate in an amount of around 15 to 20 g/m. A suitable pressure-sensitive adhesive is the one sold by FAD Fabriano Autoadesivi S.p.A. in Sassoferrato, Italy, under the trade name FR 20, which complies with the FDA 175.105 standard.

After they have been produced, the adhesive labels are typically placed on an intermediate carrier. An example of an intermediate carrier is an endless belt made of waxed paper or glassine paper coated with solvent-free silicone. The width of the intermediate carrier is only slightly larger than the width of an adhesive label. A large number of adhesive labels are placed on this intermediate carrier, adjacent to each other and at a short distance from each other. The intermediate carrier is formed into a roll. This roll is used to feed a labeling machine.

which, fully automatically, without direct human intervention and thus without any contamination, removes the adhesive labels from the intermediate carrier and applies them to the inside of the sleeves of an ice cream packaging, which are fed one after the other in a flat state from another source. In this way, the adhesive labels can be applied to the inside of the ice cream packaging in a sterile or sterile manner without direct human intervention, while observing the otherwise usual hygienic conditions.

The wrapper for the ice cream packaging is made of a material that is already known in itself, for example white, wood-free paper, which has a cold-sealable, glossy or matt coating on the surface intended for contact with the ice cream. Alternatively, a cold-sealable film, for example a cold-sealable, plasticizer-free polypropylene film, can be used as the packaging material.

After an adhesive label has been stuck to the inside of each still flat ice cream packaging - as explained above - this packaging sleeve is used in the usual way to package ice creams that are supplied from other sources. The ice cream packaging is then closed using cold sealing on one or two opposite edge sections that are doubled by overlapping.

The invention will now be explained in more detail using a preferred embodiment with reference to the drawings, which show:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an ice cream stick located inside an ice cream stick packaging according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic sectional view

along the section line H-II of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail and

partially broken away illustration of section "A" from Fig. 2 to explain the layer structure of an adhesive label; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of an adhesive label provided according to the invention.

A typical ice cream stick consists of a cylindrical or essentially cuboid-shaped ice cream mass 1, but with rounded edges, into which a stick 2 protrudes, with which the ice cream can be held during consumption. During transport and storage, the ice cream mass 1 is located within a sleeve 3 serving as ice cream packaging, which consists of coated, cold-sealable paper or a cold-sealable film. After the ice cream mass 1 has been introduced into the prepared sleeve 3, this is closed by means of cold sealing along opposite edge sections 4 and 4 ¹ which overlap by doubling. Although this is not shown, the outside of the sleeve 3 is printed in the usual way with the manufacturer's logo, the name of the specific product, the price, any pictorial representations and the like. In addition and in addition, an adhesive label 10 is detachably glued to the inside of the sleeve 3, which is indicated in Fig. 1 with dashed lines.

Fig. 2 shows the ice cream stick 1 inside a casing 3 in a schematic sectional view. As shown, the adhesive label 10 is releasably glued to the inside 5 of the casing 3 and thus forms an internal insert that is typically in direct contact with the ice cream 1. The section "A" from Fig. 2 that includes the adhesive label 10 is shown enlarged, schematically and partially broken away in Fig. 3 in order to explain the layer structure of the adhesive label 10. It can be seen that a print carrier "b" is releasably glued to the inside 5 of the casing 3 via an adhesive layer "a". On the opposite side of the print carrier "b" there is a multi-colored print "c". Finally, a laminating film "e" serving as a cover layer is glued over the entire surface to the printed side of the print carrier "b" via an adhesive varnish layer "d".

Fig. 4 shows a top view of an adhesive label 10 provided according to the invention. As explained above with reference to Fig. 3, the adhesive label 10 has a print carrier "b" which is provided with a multi-colored print "c" which reproduces a colored image 15 or motif and is optionally additionally provided with a label or text. The print carrier "b" and the adhesive label 10 have a matching, circumferential edge 11. This edge 11 is adjoined by an uninterrupted edge section 12 which is kept free of any print. In a practical embodiment, the adhesive label 10 has a length of 60 mm and a width/height of 50 mm, and this circumferential edge section 12 free of print or printing ink has a width of at least 1.0 mm. As explained in detail in the previous description, this uninterrupted edge section 12 free of printing ink prevents any contact between the printing ink or print and the ice cream 1.

Example;

The starting material is a rolled-up endless web (width between 250 and 500 mm) made of composite material, consisting of a carrier material (silicone-coated glassine paper), pressure-sensitive adhesive (the pressure-sensitive adhesive used by FAD Fabriano Autoadesive SpA, Sassoferrato, Italy under the trade name FR 20) and printing substrate. For example, a polypropylene film filled with silicon dioxide and approximately 40 to 60 μm thick, sold under the trade name MW 247 by Mobilplastics Europe, Belgium, serves as the printing substrate. The various printing colors of the comic motifs of the adhesive labels are applied to this printing substrate one after the other using an offset printing process. The printing inks used are UV-curing printing inks from the 565 color series from NV Sicpa Benelux SA, Bornem, Belgium. The printing inks are cured using UV radiation (one or more medium-pressure mercury vapor arc lamps with an output of 80 to 160 watts/cm) in a continuous process at about 35 to 40 ⁰ C. After curing and cooling, an adhesive varnish is applied to the entire surface of the printed composite material in an amount of

2
3 g/m. The adhesive varnish used is the laminating adhesive obtained from Chemische Fabrik Aarberg AG, CH-3270 Aarberg, Switzerland. A laminating film is applied and laminated onto this adhesive varnish layer. The laminating film used is a polypropylene film sold by Hoechst Trespaphan GmbH, D-66539 Neuenburg, under the trade name Trespaphan NNA/D. The laminating adhesive is hardened/dried using a cold UV drying process in a continuous process at around 35 to 40 ⁰ C. The individual adhesive labels are then punched out of the resulting composite by removing edge material, in the example given with dimensions of around 40 x 50 mm, without the carrier material.

to damage. The printed, laminated and punched composite material is then rolled up again. The roll undergoes a visual inspection (for missing labels) and is then cut into individual rolls the width of a single label (plus 1 mm margin on both sides). These individual rolls are fed into a labeling machine, which fully automatically removes the individual adhesive labels from the carrier material serving as an intermediate carrier and applies them to the inside of packaging films that are still flat and are supplied from other sources.

A sensory test based on DIN IO 955 (04/83) is carried out on an exemplary adhesive label produced in this way. The taste transfer to a test food is carried out both in direct and indirect contact. Grated milk chocolate was used as the test food, the taste of which, according to experience, reacts very sensitively to transferable flavors. The only contact surface is the top of the laminating film. Seven test persons took part in the test. The results obtained are shown in the table below:

TABEL

Taste test intensity

Taste transition over the

Airspace (indirect contact) 0

Taste transition at

direct contact 0

Annotation:

According to DIN IO 955 the following intensity scale applies:

0 = no noticeable taste difference;

1 = just noticeable taste deviation;

2 = slight taste deviation;

3 = significant taste deviation; and

4 = strong taste deviation

According to this sensory test, an adhesive label provided according to the invention also appears to be suitable for prolonged direct contact with ice cream without affecting the taste and quality of the ice cream. This means that such an adhesive label can be provided as an internal insert within an ice cream stick packaging.

Claims (11)

'··"··* PATENT LAWYERS KERN, BREHM & PARTNER GbR Albert-Rosshaupter-Str. 73 - D - 81369 Munich - Telephone (089) 760 55 20 760 55 26 - Telefax (089) 760 55 SCHROTT GmbH 03. Juli 1998 D-83626 Valley RUT-05 St i el ei s-Verpackung Claims: 1. Popsicle packaging with a cover (3) enclosing the ice cream (1) made of cold-sealable paper or cold-sealable film,
characterized in that an adhesive label (10) is detachably attached to a section of the inside (5) of the cover (3), which - starting from the inside (5) of the cover (3) - has the following layer structure: (a) a layer of removable pressure-sensitive adhesive; b) a polypropylene film as a printing carrier; (c) a multi-coloured print on the printing medium; d) a layer of adhesive varnish; and e) a transparent laminating film. 2. Popsicle packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the printing carrier ("b") consists of a plasticizer-free, white, foamed polypropylene film or a film filled with finely divided silicon dioxide. 3. Popsicle packaging according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the multi-colored print ("a") has been produced with the aid of radiation-curing printing ink(s). 4. Popsicle packaging according to claim 3, characterized in that a UV-curing, radical system based on acrylate and/or a UV-curing, cationic system based on epoxy is used as the printing ink(s). 5. Popsicle packaging according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that hardening or drying printing ink(s) are used in the cold UV drying process. 6. Popsicle packaging according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the adhesive varnish ("d") is a laminating adhesive which hardens in a cold UV process and is based on cycloaliphatic epoxy resin, tripropylene glycol diacrylate and acrylic acrylate prepolymer. 7. Popsicle packaging according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the hardening/drying of the printing ink(s) and/or the adhesive varnish is carried out at a temperature of 35 to 40 ^° C and thus with the exclusion of ozone formation. · 8. Popsicle packaging according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that on the printing medium ("b"), an uninterrupted edge section (12) free of printing ink or print ("c") is provided adjacent to the printing medium edge (11). 9. Popsicle packaging according to claim 8, characterized in that the uninterrupted edge section (12) free of printing ink has at least a width of 0.8 mm, in particular a width of at least 1.0 mm. 10. Popsicle packaging according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the laminating film ("e") is a bi-axially stretched, transparent polypropylene film which has a layer thickness of 12 to 20 µm. 11. Popsicle packaging according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the prefabricated adhesive label (10) has been applied to the inside (5) of a flat casing material using a labelling machine fully automatically and without direct human intervention.