EP0516912A1

EP0516912A1 - Thin-walled container with two compartments

Info

Publication number: EP0516912A1
Application number: EP91500091A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Enrique Bernat Fontlladosa
Original assignee: Enrique Bernat F SA
Current assignee: Enrique Bernat F SA
Priority date: 1991-06-06
Filing date: 1991-08-07
Publication date: 1992-12-09
Also published as: ES1017784U; ES1017784Y

Abstract

Container for delicacies that includes two compartments (1,2) open on the same side and with openings arranged coplanar fashion and provided with a peripheral rim (5), one part (4) of this rim consisting of the join between the two compartments and having a laminar lid (7) that adheres to the rim (5).

Description

This invention concerns a container for delicacies, especially confectionery and similar products intended to be eaten by children.
The container that is the subject of the invention is conceived in such a way that it offers small children something much more attractive than the simple buying of the delicacy.
This aim is achieved by the special design of the container, which allows the buyer to be offered the chosen product or delicacy, and also a surprise gift preferably consisting of a toy or a small-sized present, generally of a non-edible nature.
The walls of the container can be made opaque and include pictures or information on their outside relating to the edible product or delicacy contained inside, but without making any reference to the gift item, so that this becomes a surprise for the small child.
The container that is the subject of the invention is also designed in such a way that the delicacies are kept separate and isolated from the surprise or the gift item with which, in the general case of both items being of a different nature, one edible and the other one not, there is no risk of any kind of undesirable contamination occurring for the delicacy or edible product.
In accordance with this invention, the container preferably consists of flexible walls enclosing two independent compartments that open on to the same side, having coplanar openings that are closed by means of a cover or a laminar lid. These two compartments are kept separate by a narrow intermediate space. The walls of the two compartments are joined together via an intermediate strip that is an extension of the adjacent edges of these walls. The other edges of the walls forming the borders of the two compartments are extended in a continuous peripheral rim which, along with the intermediate area mentioned above, acts as a surface to take the lamina or cover that closes the two compartments.
The coplanar openings of the two compartments will preferably be closed with a single lid common to both openings, though they could also be closed by means of independent lids.
One of the compartment of the container is intended to hold the edible product, for example a delicacy. The other compartment will contain a surprise or a gift item, preferably non-edible, which could consist of a small-sized toy.
The container's two compartments can have different dimensions, with the smaller one intended for the delicacy or edible product being smaller and the larger one for the gift item or surprise.
The whole container could consist of an internal wall, which will be shaped by the compartments mentioned above, and a cover or an outer wall that is made to look attractive, perhaps having drawings or information relating to the edible product that it contains.
The design of the container that is the subject of this invention will be more easily understood with the following description, which refers to the attached diagram showing a perspective view of an example - not intended to be restrictive - of this invention.
The container shown in the attached diagram consists of a flexible wall of narrow thickness and made of a plastic material. This container includes two compartments, referenced with numbers 1 and 2, the compartment with number 1 being larger than the other. The two compartments could have the same height, with their shape being varied.
In the example shown in the diagram, compartments 1 and 2 have the approximate shape of a right-angle prism, with rounded edges and corners, but they could be adapted to any other shape, for example, cylindrical, truncated conical, etc.
Compartments 1 and 2 are open on the same side. In the example given here, they open via one of their bases, with the openings or open bases being coplanar and edged by a continuous peripheral rim 5.
Compartments 1 and 2 are separated by an intermediate space 6 of narrow width, joining together the adjacent parts of the wall of the two compartments via an intermediate strip, 4.
The strip 4 and the rim 5 are coplanar with each other and create the surface for attaching the closing lamina or cover, 7. The lamina can also be made of plastic or be metallic, or even have a plastic coating on its underside so that it can be joined to the peripheral rim 5 by means of thermosoldering.
The smaller compartment 2 is intended to take the edible product - the delicacy - while the larger compartment will contain the toy or gift item - the surprise.
As already explained above, the whole container can consist of an internal wall, which can have a transparent wall and shape the compartments 1 and 2, and an outer wall that would preferably be opaque so that the gift item or object contained in compartment 1 would not be visible from the outside.
With the design described here, a container is achieved for delicacies that would be highly attractive for young children due to the fact that, as well as containing food, it would also enclose a gift item or object.
Though the example shown in the diagram has the two compartments 1 and 2 being closed by means of a close lid 7 common to both compartments, independent lids could also be used.

Claims

Container for delicacies, consisting of a flexible wall of narrow thickness, characterized by the fact that it includes two independent compartments that open onto the same side, having coplanar openings that are closed by means of a cover or a laminar lid, one of the compartments holding an edible product while the other contains a surprise object, preferably non-edible, such as a toy.
Container as per patent claim 1, characterized by the openings of the compartments being edged by a continuous peripheral rim to which the lid is attached.
Container as per patent claim 1, characterized by the two compartments being of different sizes.
Container as per patent claim 1, characterized by the fact that the said two compartments are separated by a narrow intermediate space, leaving their wall joined together by means of an intermediate strip that is an extension of the adjacent borders of these walls and coplanar with the said rim.
Container as per patent claim 1, characterized by the fact that it includes an internal wall that shapes the said compartments and a cover or outside wall that is opaque and designed to look attractive.