EP0631560B1 - Packaging made from a thin pleated sheet forming a bag for loose goods - Google Patents

Abstract

A sheet including at least one pleated region (13) with end-fastened folds (3). The sheet is folded in half in a direction perpendicular to that of the folds (3) and at least one of its ends (15) is sealed by fastening together the edges to give a receptacle suitable for loose goods. The receptacle may then be extended out to provide a fully or partially sealed package.

Description

The present invention relates to a packaging produced from a pleated film and capable of packaging in particular bulk products such as fries, but not exclusively.

Patent FR-A-2595666 claims the packaging of a convex body using a thin pleated sheet, the folds of which are fixed at their ends. Patent FR-A-2628719 claims several methods of fixing said folds. Patent FR-A-2676037 describes a packaging made of paper, one part of which is pleated and capable of unfolding and the other non-pleated part consisting of the same sheet or of a different sheet fixed to the end of the pleated part. . This packaging is intended to package a convex object of relatively stable shape. None of this packaging allows, in return, to pack a set of non-coherent objects since they do not have a stable shape, because it is impossible to deploy the packaging around. Patent FR-A-2681582 proposes a solution to this problem by associating a cardboard receptacle with a sheet of pleated paper capable of unfolding; the products are introduced into the cardboard receptacle, then the sheet of paper is deployed using the cardboard receptacle as a support having a convex shape; this solution which makes it possible to obtain a relatively aesthetic packaging is expensive since it uses cardboard; However, it has the drawback of associating a rigid sheet of complex shape and a pleated flexible sheet which creates risks of tearing at the connection of the two types of sheets during handling.

The object of the invention is to provide packaging, in particular for bulk products, which is only designed from thin films, and which avoids the aforementioned drawbacks. This object is achieved by the packaging according to claim 1, the preamble of which is based on the state of the art according to FR-A-2 676 037.

The accompanying drawings show exemplary embodiments of this packaging.

Fig.1 shows a package according to the invention not deployed.

Fig.2 shows a package according to the invention not deployed and provided with a bellows-shaped bottom.

Fig.3 shows a package according to Fig.1 deployed.

Fig.4 shows a package according to Fig.2 deployed in a configuration where the shape of the folds allows to create a receptacle.

Fig.5 shows a variant of the packaging according to the invention comprising a non-pleated part closed at its end.

Fig.6 shows the packaging of Fig.5 deployed.

Fig.7 shows a package according to the variant shown in Fig.5, the non-pleated part is fixed on the one hand at its end and on the other hand to the connection with the pleated part to form a bag.

Fig.8 shows a package according to the variant shown in Fig.5 whose pleated part is replaced by a pleated part whose folds are blocked so that they cannot deploy.

The FiG.9 represents the packaging of Fig.8 when it is closed by the deployment of the pleated part.

Fig.10 shows a package according to the variant shown in Fig.8 whose folds are not blocked and which can be deployed before closing by deployment of the pleated part.

Fig.11 shows the packaging according to Fig.10 when it is fully deployed.

Fig.12 shows the packaging of Fig.6 after turning and opening.

Fig; 13 shows a bag with offset edges according to the invention.

Fig.14 shows a film whose edge has a hem made before pleating the film.

Fig. 15 shows the previous pleated film with indication of the pleat fixing zones.

Fig.16 shows a bag whose folds have been undone to widen the opening.

Fig. 17 shows a bag according to the invention containing a sandwich.

Fig.18 shows the bag containing the sandwich according to Fig.17 closed by a flap.

Fig. 19 shows the bag according to Fig. 17 whose folds have been removed to widen the opening.

Fig. 20 shows a section of the pleated area according to Fig. 15 located below the hem.

According to the invention, a pleated packaging is produced from a thin sheet according to one of the patents FR-A-2595666 and FR-A-2676037; the pleating is in a substantially planar and rectangular shape; the packaging is folded back on itself (fig.1) so that the fold 1 or folds 2 (fig.2) which result therefrom are perpendicular to the folds 3 (fig.1) constituting the packaging; then, the side edges 4 and 5 are fixed together by means suitable for the composition of the thin sheet in order to form a sachet; it is possible, by appropriate folding, to make a bellows 6 at the bottom of this bag (fig. 2) so as to give more space in the bottom of the bag. This sachet (fig.1 or fig.2) can be used advantageously in fast food as a replacement for the traditional fries cone; it is designed for example from a complex formed of paper and polyethylene in a thin layer, fixing the folds 3 at their ends 7 and side edges 4 and 5 is made by welding; the bag as described can be filled with fries like a cardboard cone; the sachet, like the cornet, serves as a dispenser for the quantity of fries delivered; the operator's hand is protected during operation by several thicknesses of paper resulting from the initial folding, making it possible to obtain the folds 3; one can conceive the folding so that there is at least 3 thicknesses of paper by choosing the ratio between the short side of the fold and its large side, as defined in the patents cited in reference, in an appropriate manner; for a ratio greater than 2, there is an alternation of zone comprising three thicknesses and zones comprising only one thickness, while for a value less than 2, there are at least three thicknesses of paper. When the sachet (fig.1) is filled with its quantity of fries, it is possible, by spreading the base 8 by pulling on the corners 9, to unfold the folds 3; the volume of the sachet increases (fig.3) and the fries thus fall into a cavity which protects them from cooling, while keeping the initial opening 10 which then serves as ventilation and which tends to close partially like lips; the deployed bag, thus formed, can be placed on a tray and keep a stable position there; depending on the height 29 of the bag, the deployment rate as a function of the shape of the folds (fig. 3 and fig. 4), it is possible to create a mass phenomenon making it possible to limit the exit of the fries if the bag is turned over deployed; if for example the ratio of the sides of the folds is high and for example greater than 2 with a height 29 for example substantially equal to the width 30, the profile of the deployed pouch (fig. 3) resembles a sector of circular ring, formed of two concentric arcs of a circle, limited by radii, formed by the lateral weld lines 4 and 5, forming an angle between them 11 less than 180 °; if the pouch is turned over, the fries have the possibility of being guided preferably towards the opening of the bag, especially if the angle is small; if the ratio of the sides of the folds is small, for example of the order of 1.5 (FIG. 4) and the ratio of the width 30 and the height 29 remains for example in the same proportions, the angle 11 of the spokes, formed by the lateral welds 4 and 5 is greater than 180 °; the bag formed has kinds of horns in which the fries can be housed when the bag is turned over and thus they cannot fall through the opening 10 which is then located above the product. All this does not prevent the consumer from passing his fingers through the opening of the deployed sachet (fig. 3 and fig. 4) to pick up the fries in order to eat them. We have represented indifferently a bag with a bellows bottom (fig.2 and Fig.4) and a bag with a bottom without bellows (fig.1 and fig.3); the solutions described above, like those which will follow, apply equally to these two types of folding of the bottoms 1 and 2; in what follows, only one of the two cases will be described.

To allow better opening of the pleated bag described above, simply offset the edges 31 and 32 (fig.13); the wall 33 of the bag corresponding to the longest edge 32 serves as a guide to separate the other wall 31 and thus open the bag. Under these conditions, when the pleats 34 are fixed by a hem 35, for example from a sheet of polyethylene coated paper on one side, an offset 36 is chosen between the two edges 31 and 32, preferably greater than the height 37 of the hem 35; the hem 35 of the most set back edge 32 comes into contact with a polyethylene coated wall 33, when the side edges 4 and 5 of the bag are welded 40, and can therefore be fixed on the other face 33. The offset 36 between the two edges 31 and 32 can be voluntarily increased so that one of the two walls 41 (fig.17) can constitute a flap allowing the bag to be closed (fig.18) thus produced acting as one closes an envelope. It can be seen that in the bag thus produced, the presence of the folds means that at least one part 42 (fig. 20) of the surface of the bag has at least three thicknesses of paper 43,44,45 and constitutes, in these areas, a more effective insulation against heat loss.

If you want to be able to undo the folds of the sachet (fig. 16) to open it widely without risking tearing the pleated film by a primer from the edge of the film, just make a hem 46 (fig. 14) beforehand the pleating (fig. 15) of the film 47 (fig. 14); this hem 46, which can be fixed according to the materials used by any known means, prevents the edge 48 from being subjected directly to tensile stresses; then the folds 49 (fig. 15) are preferably fixed together on one side of the film so that, for example, the sheets 44 and 45 (fig. 20) adhere together by welding the outer layer of the film when it is attached, for example by adhesive bonding or by coating, or by adding glue directly to the surface of the film, while the sheets 43 and 44 do not adhere to one another. When using, for example, a coated paper of polyethylene, the hem 46 (fig.14) is made by positioning the plastic inside the fold and the hem 46 is welded at 50; to fix the ideas, the hem 46 is, for example, located between 5 and 10 mm in width for a package intended to contain about 150 g of fries; then the pleating is carried out (fig. 15) and the pleats are fixed in the area 51 which adjoins the hem 46 by direct heating of the paper so that the walls 52 and 53 (fig. 20) of the sheets 44 and 45 coated with polyethylene, which are in contact with each other, are fixed together by welding; the pleated area 54 (fig. 15) corresponding to the hem 46 having only paper walls, there is no fixing of the folds between them in this zone 54 which is therefore free from any constraint when the folds 34 are pulled in the perpendicular 55 direction folds 34 to undo them; in return, in the area 51 for fixing the plies together, the polyethylene layer common to the two walls 52 and 53 (fig. 20) located opposite separates from one of the walls under the action of the traction 55 which is exerted perpendicular to the folds 34; this tearing is facilitated by the fact that, in the technique chosen for fixing the pleats, the weld works by peeling and not by shearing. It is possible for certain applications to fix the pleats 34 (FIG. 15) in the same way as that just described in other areas of the bag and in particular in the vicinity of the bottom 56 (fig. 16); indeed we may want to widen the opening 57 of the bag to give it the shape of a basket without the bottom unfolding, or vice versa, deploy only the bottom 56 of the bag so that the opening closes and preserves at best the warmth of the contents. This type of bag can very well be used (fig. 17) to place sandwiches of various shapes; closing (fig.18) can be ensured by a flap 41 formed by the longest side, and maintained for example by a sticker 58 or any other system available on the market. To consume the sandwich 59 (fig. 17), contained in this sachet, it suffices to spread the edges 60 (fig. 19) of the sachet to increase its size and to release part of the sandwich 59 without, however, needing the remove from its packaging. This sachet is particularly well suited to long sandwiches.

Another way to create a receptacle is from a pleated packaging of the type described in patent application FR-A-2676037 in which the pleated part 13 is extended by an unpleated part 14 allowing to wrap for example a sandwich made from a semi-rigid pancake folded in half; this package is folded back on itself, optionally making a bellows as before and only the end 15 of the non-pleated part is fixed; the product is arranged in the non-pleated part 14 so as to fill it as well as possible and thus constitute, in cooperation with the latter, a coherent assembly which can then be closed (fig. 6) by the deployment of the pleated part 13. It is possible to obtain the same result by using a non-pleated part 14 of width 16 different from the length 17 of the pleats, added and fixed to the part 13 as described in patent application FR-A-2676037; the assembly being folded as above and the end 15 of the non-pleated part 14 fixed on itself. One of the advantages of this kind of packaging is that it can be turned over to carry the deployed part 13 (fig.6); then the non-pleated part 14 can be lifted like a cover to reveal the bulk product which is held in the deployed part 13 which has the shape of a bowl (fig.12). In a variant of the version of the invention that has just been described, the non-pleated sheet 18 (fig. 7) and fixed on itself at each of its ends 19 and 20, forms a sachet which can be covered by the deployment of the pleated part 21. An improvement of the variants of the invention that have just been described consists in replacing the non-pleated part 14 or 18 by a pleated sheet 22 (fig. 8) whose folds are fixed to their ends, either of the same pitch as the pleated part 23, or of a different pitch; the folds 24 thus produced can serve as thermal insulator when they are not deployed; if necessary it is possible to fix them together, for example along one or more lines 25 perpendicular to the direction of the folds 24 to prevent them from unfolding and we find an insulated package (fig. 8 and fig. 9) functioning like those just described (fig. 5 and fig. 7). We can also not block the folds 26 (fig.10) and allow them to deploy so as to create a sort of receptacle 27 which, when filled with product and deployed, can be covered by deployment (fig. 11) of the pleated part 28 so as to close the opening. The variants which have just been described apply as has been said to packaging comprising a bottom in the form of a bellows 6 (FIG. 2) relating to the pleated part 13 (FIG. 5) as well as the non-pleated part 14, the figures cited being by way of example and not being limiting. Likewise, the non-pleated parts can be replaced by a pleated part 22 (fig. 8) with blocked pleats or with non-blocked pleats 26 (fig. 10) in all the variants described.

Claims (7)

1. Packaging intended to contain bulk products and made of a thin sheet comprising disymmetrical folds (3) fixed at their extremities, the folded portion being folded onto itself perpendicular to the direction of the folds so as to form a bottom (8) or bellows bottom (6), thus allowing an opening (10) to exist whose edges (31, 32) are aligned or offset and able to be extended from a non-folded zone (14) forming two walls connected together by at least one of their borders (4, 5), wherein the folds (3) are fixed at their extremities via the formation of a hem (35, 46) shaped prior to folding, and by adding an adhesive line on a single side of the sheet by means of another temporary fixing of the walls (52 and 53) of each fold located opposite it and situated on a given side of the sheet so that the internal faces (44 and 45) of the folds adhere together and so that the outer faces (43 and 44) do not adhere together so as to enable said folds to be deployed under the effect of a traction exerted perpendicularly on the comers (9) of the packaging separating the temporarily fixed portions (44 and 45) of the folds and enabling the volume of the packaging to be increased.
2. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein the non-folded zone (14), situated in the extension of the fold deployment direction and whose width (16) is equal to or different from the width (17) of the folded portion, originates from the same sheet as the folded portion or is mounted and is closed at its extremity opposite the folded portion so as to serve as a receptacle for the bulk product, whereas the folded portion (13) can be deployed to close the receptacle.
3. Packaging according to claim 2, wherein the non-folded portion is also closed at its extremity forming a separation zone (20) with the folded portion so as to constitute a bag able to be closed via the deployment of the folded portion.
4. Packaging according to claims 1 and 2, wherein the non-folded portion is replaced by a second folded portion (22) whose folds fixed at their extremities are kept along one or several lines (25) so as to prevent them from moving and create heat insulation via the superimposing of several sheet thicknesses.
5. Packaging according to claim 4, wherein one portion of the folds of the second folded zone (22) are only fixed at their extremities so as to be able to be deployed before the entire receptacle is closed by deploying the first folded portion (28).
6. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein the offsetting of the edges (31 and 32) is greater than the height (37) of the hem (35) so as to enable the edge of the shortest wall (31) to be secured to the internal wall (33) of the bag.
7. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein the same temporary method for fixing the folds is used in other zones of the bag and especially close to the bottom (8).

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