EP0686575A1 - Two-compartment container - Google Patents

Abstract

The container is made from a thermoplastics strip and comprises a main compartment (12) and a secondary compartment (14), a rim (16) and a zone (18) between the two compartments which is made with a line of reduced strength (34). The rim is inscribed in a rectangle, with the two compartments aligned in one direction (D1), and the line of reduced strength in a perpendicular direction (D2). The secondary compartment is half the size of the main one, and the combined dimensions of the two compartments is equivalent to a whole divisor of the width of the thermoplastics strip. The two compartments can be made from coextruded sections of strip material with different aspects, e.g. one of them can be opaque and the other transparent. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a container formed from a thermoplastic strip and comprising a main compartment, a secondary compartment, a peripheral rim and an intermediate zone for connecting the compartments, said compartments each comprising a bottom, a side wall and an upper end. open on the upper face of the container, the peripheral rim and the connection zone extending in the plane of said upper face, said rim being inscribed in a rectangle whose sides determine a first and a second direction, the compartments being aligned along the first direction and the connecting area having a line of weakness parallel to the second direction.

The indication that the rim is inscribed in a rectangle covers the fact that the outline of this rim delimits four main sides, whose tangents are perpendicular two by two and thus define a rectangle. These tangents are moreover confused with the contours of the rim over a relatively large portion of the length of the latter.

Such known containers are for example used for the packaging, in each of the two compartments, of complementary food products which are not mixed by the consumer until their tasting.

Generally, the main compartment is intended to contain a basic product, such as a dairy product, while the secondary compartment is intended to contain an accompanying product, such as a seasoning or a preparation based on fruits , used to enrich the taste of the basic product. Under these conditions, the volume of the main compartment is significantly greater than that of the secondary compartment, and this main compartment is only partially filled in order to be able to receive the contents of the secondary compartment without overflowing.

The upper end of the secondary compartment must, however, be wide enough to allow easy filling of this compartment on the packaging line with a suitably dosed product.

All these requirements impose relatively strict manufacturing conditions. Taking into account the fact that the thermoplastic strips are delivered in determined widths, imposed by the dimensions of the machines used for their manufacture, it becomes very difficult to manufacture containers of the aforementioned type while avoiding the appearance of significant drops or losses in cutting in the thermoplastic strip.

The cost price of such a strip being relatively high, these losses of material increase the costs of manufacturing the containers accordingly.

The present invention aims to eliminate these drawbacks of known containers.

For this purpose, in a container according to the invention, the dimension of the secondary compartment measured in the first direction, from the end of the peripheral rim adjacent to said secondary compartment to the line of weakness, is substantially equal to half of the dimension of the main compartment measured in the same direction, from said line of weakness to the end of the peripheral rim adjacent to said main compartment. In addition, the sum of said dimensions measured in the first direction is substantially equal to a whole divider of the useful width of the thermoplastic strip.

The term "substantially" used here takes into account the very slight variations which may appear in particular during the cutting of the containers after their manufacture, depending on the thickness of the cutting tool used.

The useful width of the thermoplastic strip is the width measured between the two marginal gripping portions, necessary for maintaining this strip on a production line. The width of these marginal portions, which is relatively small, is imposed by the dimensions of conventional tools for holding the strip in the production line.

These provisions give the two compartments an appropriate dimensioning, which makes their use very practical, while allowing rational use of the thermoplastic strip, the only unused portions of significant dimensions being the two marginal gripping portions since it is possible to manufacture a whole number of containers using substantially the entire useful width of the strip.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the main compartment and the secondary compartment are made of materials with different aspects.

By "materials with different aspects" is meant materials which differ either by a chemical composition which gives them a particular appearance, or by a specific coloration of the same basic material.

This embodiment of the invention provides a major advantage over known containers, whose main and secondary compartments are made of the same material, so that it is not possible, without special labeling, to distinguish between one from the other the containers of several variants of the same range of products, comprising for example the same basic product, contained in the main compartment of the containers and several "perfumes" of accompanying products contained in the secondary compartments different containers.

Due to the conformation of these known containers, it is moreover not possible to produce their two compartments in materials with different aspects by manufacturing them, under viable economic conditions, on a conventional production line using a thermoplastic strip. advancing step by step in the longitudinal direction.

The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing, from a thermoplastic strip, of containers with two compartments, according to which the thermoplastic strip is maintained by its longitudinal marginal gripping portions, said strip is advanced step by step in the direction longitudinal, at least one transverse row of containers is thermoformed, forming, for each container, a main compartment and a secondary compartment each comprising a bottom, a side wall and an open upper end situated in the plane of the strip, making in this plane a peripheral rim and a connection zone between the compartments, and a weakening line directed in the second direction of a rectangle in which the peripheral rim fits, the compartments being aligned, is formed in said connection zone in the first direction of this rectangle.

Known methods of this type do not make it possible to comply with the requirements linked to the dimensioning of the containers, while avoiding, in the thermoplastic strip, the appearance of drops or losses which increase the manufacturing costs.

The purpose of the method according to the invention is to eliminate these drawbacks.

For this purpose, the main and secondary compartments of each container are produced, juxtaposed in the transverse direction of the thermoplastic strip, the first direction of the rectangles thus extending in said transverse direction, the dimension of the secondary compartment is measured in the transverse direction, from the end of the peripheral rim adjacent to said secondary compartment to the line of weakness, a value substantially equal to half that of the dimension of the main compartment measured in the same direction, from the line of weakening up to the end of the peripheral rim adjacent to said main compartment and, the longitudinal end of the peripheral rim of a container coinciding with that of the peripheral rim of the neighboring container, the sum of said dimensions is given in the transverse direction of the main compartments and secondary a value substantially equal to an integer divisor the value of the useful width of the strip, measured between its two marginal gripping portions.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the method according to the invention makes it possible to manufacture containers, the main and secondary compartments of which are made of materials with different aspects.

In this embodiment, a thermoplastic strip is used which has, between its two marginal gripping portions, an alternation of ribbons of a first and a second type, welded together and made of materials of different aspects and in which, at least for the so-called "current" ribbons, situated between the two extreme ribbons adjacent to said marginal portions, the width of the current ribbons of the second type is substantially equal to half the width of the current ribbons of the first type. In addition, for each container, the main compartment is produced in a ribbon of the first type, and the secondary compartment in a ribbon of the second type.

The invention also relates to a thermoplastic strip intended to be used for the manufacture of containers according to the invention, comprising a main compartment and a secondary compartment made of materials with different aspects.

According to the invention, this strip comprises, between two marginal gripping portions, an alternation of ribbons of a first type and of ribbons of a second type, welded together and made of materials with different aspects. In addition, at least for the so-called "current" ribbons, located between the two extreme ribbons adjacent to said marginal portions, the width of the common ribbons of the second type is substantially equal to half the width of the common ribbons of the first type.

• la figure 1 est une vue de face d'un récipient selon l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue de côté du même récipient,
• la figure 3 est une vue de dessus de ce récipient,
• la figure 4 représente une bande de matériau thermoplastique utilisée pour l'invention,
• les figures 5 et 6 illustrent respectivement deux variantes d'une telle bande,
• la figure 7 montre en vue de dessus un groupe de quatre récipients selon l'invention, accolés entre eux.

The invention will be better understood and its advantages will appear better on reading the detailed description which follows, of embodiments indicated by way of nonlimiting examples. The description refers to the accompanying drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is a front view of a container according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a side view of the same container,
• FIG. 3 is a top view of this container,
• FIG. 4 represents a strip of thermoplastic material used for the invention,
• FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively illustrate two variants of such a strip,
• Figure 7 shows a top view of a group of four containers according to the invention, joined together.

Figures 1 to 3 show a container 10, formed from a thermoplastic strip and comprising a main compartment 12 and a secondary compartment 14. This container also has a peripheral rim 16 and an intermediate zone 18 for connecting the compartments.

As can be seen in the figures, the rim 16 and the connection zone 18 are formed in continuity with one another and are two parts, respectively peripheral and intermediate, of the same zone of the thermoplastic strip which has remained substantially non deformed during the manufacture of the container and which constitutes the upper face 20 of the latter. The main compartment 12 has a bottom 22, a side wall 24, and an upper end 26 open on the upper face 20 of the container. Similarly, the secondary compartment 14 has a bottom 28, a side wall 30, and an upper end 32 open on the upper face 20 of the container.

An empty space 29 remains between the side walls 24 and 30 of each of the two compartments under the connection zone 18.

Figure 3 is a top view of the container and therefore shows the upper face 20 of the latter. The peripheral rim 16 and the connection zone 18 are formed in continuity with one another, as said above, and in the plane of this upper face 20.

On the periphery of the openings 26 and 32 of the two compartments, there are shown weld zones, respectively designated by the references 27 and 33, and serving for the fixing of a lid for closing the container in one or two parts (not shown) .

As can be seen in this FIG. 3, the peripheral rim 16 is inscribed in a rectangle R whose sides determine a first direction D1 and a second direction D2, these directions obviously being perpendicular to each other.

The compartments 12 and 14 are aligned in the first direction D1.

The connection zone 18 between the two compartments has a weakening line 34, also visible in FIG. 1, which is rectilinear and extends in the direction D2.

This weakening line 34 can, for example, be produced by a series of small perforations or by a continuous streak and makes it possible to tilt the secondary compartment 14 towards the main compartment 12 to pour the contents of this compartment 14 into the compartment 12 .

Optionally, in a complementary or alternative manner, the weakening line 34 can be used to easily separate the secondary compartment from the main compartment.

Still with reference to FIG. 3, it can be seen that the dimension L1 of the small compartment 14 measured in the direction D1, from the secondary end 16a of the peripheral rim 16 adjacent to the secondary compartment 14 as far as the weakening line 34, is substantially equal to half the dimension L2 of the main compartment 12 measured in the direction D1 from the line of weakness 34 to the end 16b of the peripheral rim 16 adjacent to the main compartment 12.

In other words, the upper face of the secondary compartment 14 occupies a first third of the rectangle R, while the upper face of the main compartment 12 occupies the remaining two thirds of this rectangle.

Furthermore, as can be seen from FIG. 4, the sum of the dimensions L1 and L2, measured in the direction D1, is substantially equal to a whole divider of the useful width L _u of the thermoplastic strip 100 in which the container is made. This useful width L _u is defined as being the width of the strip situated between the two marginal gripping portions 101 and 102 necessary for the step-by-step drive of the strip. and maintaining the latter during the various stages of the manufacture of the containers. In other words, the measurement of the width L _u is equal to the measurement of the total width of the strip, minus the widths of the two marginal gripping portions 101 and 102.

It can be seen in this FIG. 4 that rows r₁ and r₂ of six containers juxtaposed in the direction D1 occupy the entire useful width L _u of the strip 100.

For the sake of clarity, there are shown in dotted lines in this FIG. 4 the rectangles R, all similar to each other, in which the contours of the containers according to the invention are inscribed, only the openings of the two compartments of these containers being all shown .

According to a preferred embodiment, the main compartment 12 and the secondary compartment 14 are made of materials of different appearance.

This is not visible in Figures 1 to 3 which was avoided to weigh down by differentiating the appearance of the two compartments. On the other hand, FIG. 4 indicates that the secondary compartments are produced in the slightly gray ribbons of the strip 100, designated by the references 104, 106, 108 and 110, while the main compartments are produced in ribbons which remain un-grayed, designated by the references 105, 107 and 109.

As indicated above, this makes it possible to manufacture the same range of containers, among which all the main containers have the same appearance, by differentiating the variants of this range, only by the color or the chemical composition of the material constituting the compartments. secondary, which indicates for example the fragrance of their content.

Particularly advantageously, the secondary compartment 14 is transparent, while the main compartment 12 is opaque.

This has the advantage of allowing consumers to directly view the contents of the small compartment 14.

The secondary compartment 14 is then for example made of crystal polystyrene, while the main compartment 12 can be made of polystyrene containing butadiene.

In this embodiment, in which the two compartments are made of materials of different appearance, it is arranged so that the demarcation between the two materials is located substantially on the line of weakness 34.

In the embodiment where the two compartments are made of the same material, provision can be made to distinguish the two compartments by a simple wrapping of the side wall of the main compartment 12. In this case, if this material is transparent, only the content of the secondary compartment 14 will still be visible.

Advantageously, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the side wall 30 of the secondary compartment 14 has, on the side opposite to the main compartment 12, at least one advanced portion 30a.

This portion 30a is advanced relative to the other parts of the side wall 30 on the side opposite to the container 12, but does not extend beyond the dimension L1 previously defined. In other words, the other parts 30b and 30c of this side wall 30 on the side opposite to the main compartment 12 are simply set back relative to the portion 30a.

The forward portion 30a makes it possible to locally increase the size of the compartment 14 without excessively increasing the capacity thereof, so as to allow the insertion of a utensil such as a spoon.

It is in fact noted that the volume of the secondary compartment 14 is generally much less than the volume of the main compartment 12, which is explained by the fact that the secondary compartment 14 is only intended to receive a product complementary to the product contained in the container 12, this additional product does not necessarily have to be poured in large quantities.

In this regard, the secondary compartment 14 is considerably less deep than the main compartment 12, and its bottom 28 extends away from the bottom 22 of this main compartment 12. Still with the aim of facilitating the use of a utensil such than a spoon, the bottom 28 is advantageously rounded.

When the secondary compartment 14 and the main compartment 12 are made of two materials with different aspects, the forward portion 30a can have another advantage. This portion 30a can indeed protrude locally from a packaging serving to contain the container 10, so that the material of the secondary compartment 14, or even the content of the latter, is easily visible to the consumer, without running the risk that the secondary compartment 14 is released from the packaging, or even detached from the main compartment 12, during the various operations for handling the container in its packaging, before tasting its contents.

Advantageously, and as shown in the figures, the side wall of the secondary compartment 14 has a single forward portion 30a, constituted by a central cantilevered portion, which is flared towards the opening of the compartment 14 and tapers towards the bottom of the last.

The peripheral rim 16 advantageously has at least one recess 17 on the side opposite to the main compartment 12. This or these recesses 17 then provide an advanced portion 17a towards the end 16a of the peripheral rim 16, which can also partially exceed one suitable packaging.

The part 17a does not however extend outside the rectangle R and does not modify the dimension L1 previously defined.

When the advanced portion 30a is present, the portion 17a of the rim 16 is advantageously located above the latter.

Advantageously, the containers according to the invention are conditioned in groups of at least two containers joined to each other by their respective peripheral edges and separable from each other by breaking at least one line of least resistance practiced on the border of adjacent peripheral edges.

This is illustrated in Figure 7, which shows four containers 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, joined together by the adjacent ends of their peripheral edges. The borders of the contiguous edges are designated by the general reference 11.

The contiguous edges, which are located towards the inside of the group, are designated by the reference 16c, while the edges which are located towards the outside are designated by the general reference 16d.

To facilitate the consumption of their content, and in a manner known per se, the containers can be separated from each other by breaking a line of least resistance situated on the border 11. It is however important to avoid that when handling the containers to separate them from each other, the weakening lines 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d located in the area of link between their two respective compartments are broken at the same time as the lines of least resistance 11.

The group of at least two containers is therefore advantageously made in such a way that the line or lines of least resistance 11 are liable to be broken more easily than the weakening line of each of the containers.

For this purpose, one can for example mark line 11 with a deeper streak than that which marks the weakening lines or, in the case where a series of perforations is used, make more close perforations on line 11 .

Referring to Figures 4 to 6, we now describe the method according to the invention, for manufacturing containers with two compartments from a thermoplastic strip.

In this process, the thermoplastic strip 100 is maintained by its longitudinal marginal gripping portions 101 and 102, the strip 100 is advanced step by step in the longitudinal direction, at least one transverse row of containers is thermoformed, forming, for each container, a main compartment and a secondary compartment, these compartments each comprising a bottom, a side wall and an open upper end situated in the plane of the strip 100, by producing in this plane a peripheral rim 16 and a zone 18 of connection between the compartments 12, 14, and a weakening line 34 directed in the second direction D2 of a rectangle R in which the peripheral rim 16 is inscribed, in this connection zone 18, the compartments 12 and 14 being aligned in the first direction D1 of this rectangle R.

In FIG. 4, the rectangles R have been represented, in which the containers are inscribed, by punctuated lines, and the directions D1 and D2 have been indicated defined by the sides of these rectangles.

To avoid weighing down the drawing, in general only the upper open ends 26 and 32 of each of the compartments of the containers 10 have been shown. For reasons which will be explained below, only a central group of four containers extending over two lines and in rows r₁ and r₂ is shown in more detail, the peripheral edges of these containers being shown schematically.

As indicated by the dashed lines which appear at the two ends of the strip 100, only a longitudinal portion of the latter is shown, while the entire width is shown in the drawing.

In the method according to the invention, and as shown in FIG. 4, the main and secondary compartments are made juxtaposed in the transverse direction of the thermoplastic strip 100, the first direction D1 of the rectangles R thus extends in the transverse direction of this strip, while the second direction D2 of these rectangles extends in the longitudinal direction. The dimension L1 of the secondary compartment, measured in the transverse direction of the strip, is given from the end of the peripheral rim adjacent to this secondary compartment to the weakening line situated on the connection zone between the secondary compartments and main, a value substantially equal to half that of the dimension L2 of the main compartment measured in the same direction, from this line of weakness to the end of the peripheral rim adjacent to said main compartment.

The ends of the peripheral edges of each of the containers coincide over at least a significant part of their length with the sides of the rectangles R. It is therefore understood that the longitudinal end, that is to say directed in the longitudinal direction of the strip 100, of the peripheral rim of a container coincides with the longitudinal end of the peripheral rim of the neighboring container.

This prevents the formation of cutouts extending over the entire length of the strip between the ends of the peripheral edges of two adjacent containers.

In order to also avoid the appearance of such falls in other places of the strip, the sum of the dimensions L1 and L2 in the transverse direction of the main and secondary compartments is given a value substantially equal to an integer divider of the value of the useful width L _u of the strip 100, measured between these two marginal gripping portions 101 and 102.

In the example shown, this integer divisor is equal to six. It is advantageously even when it is desired to package the containers by group of at least two juxtaposed containers in the direction D1 of the rectangles R.

The strip 100 of FIG. 4 has, between its two marginal gripping portions 101 and 102, an alternation of ribbons of a first and a second type. The ribbons of the first type are designated by the odd references 105, 107 and 109, while the ribbons of the second type are designated by the even references 104, 106, 108 and 110.

These ribbons are all welded together and made of materials with different aspects, the difference in appearance being shown in the figures by a slight shading of the ribbons of the second type.

For the clarity of the description, a distinction is made between the extreme ribbons 104 and 110, which are adjacent to the marginal gripping portions 101 and 102, from the other ribbons (called "currents"), located between these extreme ribbons and designated by the references ranging from 105 to 109. Furthermore, the widths of the various constituent elements of the strip are measured in the transverse direction of the latter.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show two variants, respectively 200 and 300 of the thermoplastic strip, which respectively comprise marginal gripping portions 201, 202 and 301, 302.

The strip 200 has an alternation of ribbons of a first and a second type, designated by references ranging from 203 to 209. Among these, the odd references designate the ribbons of the first type, while the even references designate the ribbons of the second type.

Similarly, the strip 300 comprises an alternation of ribbons of a first and a second type, designated by references ranging from 304 to 315, the odd references designating the ribbons of the first type, while the even references designate the ribbons of the second type.

The extreme and current ribbons are defined in a similar manner to those in FIG. 4.

In Figure 4, we see that the current ribbons 106 and 108 of the second type have a width T2 substantially equal to half the width T1 of the current ribbons 105, 107, 109 of the first type.

This observation also applies to FIG. 5, as can be seen by comparing the width T'2 of common ribbons of the second type 204, 206, 208 and the width T'1 of common ribbons of the first type 205, 207.

In FIG. 6, all the ribbons of the second type have a width substantially equal to half that of the ribbons of the first type.

According to the method, the main compartment 12 is produced for each container in a ribbon of the first type and the secondary compartment 14 in a ribbon of the second type.

In Figure 4, the two end tapes 104 and 110 are both of the second type. Their width T22 is substantially equal to half the width T2 of common ribbons of the second type.

In FIG. 5, the extreme ribbons 203 and 209 are of the first type and their width T'11 is substantially equal to half the width T'1 of common ribbons of the first type.

In either case, the weakening lines are made between the two compartments of the containers on the border between the ribbons of the first type and the ribbons of the second type. In the figures, this border is limited by the lines directed in the longitudinal direction of the strip 100 or 200, which separate the different ribbons and are designated by the reference F.

On the other hand, the longitudinal ends of the peripheral edges are delimited on the median lines of the ribbons of the first and second types of the strips 100 or 200. Thus, the line E of FIG. 4 which marks the border between the adjacent peripheral edges of the juxtaposed containers, is located in the middle of the ribbon 105.

This obviously applies to the ends of the edges which are outside the end ribbons. It is indeed clear that the outer longitudinal ends of the containers adjacent to the marginal gripping portions are delimited on the border between these marginal portions and the end ribbons.

These arrangements make it possible, as seen in FIG. 4, to manufacture the containers so that a given container 10a which is located, in the transverse direction, between a container 10b and a container 10e, has its main compartment adjacent to the main compartment of one of the containers, container 10b, and its secondary compartment adjacent to the secondary compartment of the other container, container 10e.

The juxtaposition of two main compartments belonging to two separate containers occupies substantially the entire width T1 or T'1 of a running ribbon of the first type on the strip 100 or 200.

Similarly, the juxtaposition of two secondary compartments belonging to two separate containers occupies substantially the whole of the width T2 or T'2 of a current ribbon of the second type on the strip 100 or 200.

The method advantageously includes a step in which the containers are grouped by group of at least two containers whose peripheral edges situated towards the interior of the group are joined, a step in which a line of least resistance is produced on the border between these joined edges, and a step in which each group is cut according to the contours of the peripheral edges situated towards the outside of the group.

The containers can be grouped both in the transverse direction of the strip, as well as in the longitudinal direction of the latter.

In a manner known per se, the method comprises a step of filling the two compartments of the containers with a suitably dosed product, and a step of fitting and fixing at least one closure cap on the upper face of the containers.

According to a first variant comprising the step in which the containers are grouped together, the step in which each group is cut out on the contours of the outer peripheral edges is simultaneously carried out, the step in which the lines of least resistance on the border are made between the contiguous inner edges of the containers and the step in which the weakening lines are made between the two compartments of each container, these three steps, which in reality are only one since they are carried out simultaneously, take place after the step of fitting and fixing the closure cap.

In this case, if the cover is made from a continuous strip, the step in which the lines of least resistance are produced will make it possible to cut a separate cover per container, and the step in which the lines d weakening will make it possible to distinguish this cover in two parts specifically covering on the one hand the main compartment and, on the other hand, the secondary compartment.

According to another variant, which also includes the step in which the containers are grouped together, the weakening lines between the two compartments of each container are first practiced before performing the step of laying and fixing at least a closure seal, the step in which the lines of least resistance are practiced on the border between the contiguous edges of the containers, and the step in which each group is cut.

This cutting step and the step in which the lines of least resistance are practiced can also be carried out simultaneously.

FIG. 4 shows a central group of four containers 10a, 10b, 10d, shown in more detail in FIG. 7. In fact, in the variant of this figure, the end tapes 104 and 110 are tapes of the second type and an even number of containers is made on each row (only the rows r₁ and r₂ are shown).

The containers are then grouped into groups of four containers, each group of which comprises two rows of two containers juxtaposed transversely and the main compartments of which are adjacent.

Each group is cut according to the contours of the peripheral edges 16d situated towards the outside of the group (see FIG. 7).

In Figures 4 and 5, the two end ribbons are of the same type. In contrast, Figure 6 shows extreme ribbons of a different type.

It can be seen in this figure that the width of the extreme tape 304 of the second type is substantially equal to that of the common ribbons of the second type, and that the width of the extreme current 315 of the first type is substantially equal to the width of the common ribbons of the first type .

In this case, the entire width T''1 of a ribbon of the first type will be used to make the main compartment for the containers and the entire width T''2 of the ribbons of the second type to make the secondary compartment. The longitudinal ends of the peripheral edges are then produced on the passing border, in a given direction (reference S), parallel to the transverse direction of the strip and in which the first end strip is a strip of the second type, of a ribbon of the first type to a ribbon of the second type, while the lines of weakness on the border are made passing, in the same direction, from a ribbon of the second type to a ribbon of the first type.

When the containers are grouped, it is advantageous to make the lines of least resistance, located at the borders between the edges inside the group, so that they can be broken more easily than the lines of weakness located on the connection zones between the two compartments of the same container.

To do this, the lines of least resistance will be made using a partial fusion or a more marked punching (higher temperature, longer treatment time or closer punching) than partial fusion or punching allowing to realize the lines of weakness.

When forming the containers, a protruding part can be formed on the side wall of the secondary compartment, opposite the main compartment.

During the step of cutting the contour of the rim of the containers, it is possible to produce a step on the part of the rim opposite the main compartment, so as to produce a complementary part in advance.

The thermoplastic strip, the three variants of which are shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 and which has alternating ribbons of the first and second types, can for example be produced by co-extrusion.

As previously indicated, the ribbons of the two types can be distinguished from one another by their chemical composition or by their coloring.

Claims (19)

Container (10) formed from a thermoplastic strip (100) and comprising a main compartment (12), a secondary compartment (14), a peripheral rim (16) and an intermediate zone for connecting the compartments (18), the said compartments compartments each comprising a bottom (22, 28), a side wall (24, 30) and an open upper end (26, 32) on the upper face (20) of the container (10), the peripheral rim (16) and the connecting zone (18) extending in the plane of said upper face (20), said flange (16) being inscribed in a rectangle (R) whose sides determine first and second directions (D1, D2), the compartments (12, 14), being aligned in the first direction (D1) and the connection zone (18) having a weakening line (34) parallel to the second direction (D2),
characterized in that the dimension (L1) of the secondary compartment (14) measured in the first direction (D1), from the end (16a) of the peripheral rim (16) adjacent to said secondary compartment (14) up to the line d weakening (34) is substantially equal to half the dimension (L2) of the main compartment (12) measured in the same direction (D1), from said weakening line (34) to the end (16b ) of the peripheral rim (16) adjacent to said main compartment (14), and in that the sum of said dimensions (L1, L2) measured in the first direction (D1) is substantially equal to an integer divider of the useful width (L _u ) of the thermoplastic strip (100). Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the main compartment (12) and the secondary compartment (14) are made of materials with different aspects. Container according to claim 2, characterized in that the secondary compartment (14) is transparent, while the main compartment (12) is opaque. Container according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, on the side opposite to the main compartment (12), the side wall (30) of the secondary compartment (14) has at least one advanced portion (30a). Container according to claim 4, characterized in that the advanced portion is constituted by a central part (30a) in cantilever. Container according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, on the side opposite the main compartment (12), the peripheral rim (16) has at least one recess (17). Group of at least two containers (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, joined to each other by their respective peripheral edges (16c) and separable from each other by breaking of at least one line of least resistance (11) formed on the border of the adjacent peripheral edges,
characterized in that said line of least resistance (11) is capable of being broken more easily than the line of weakness (34a, 34b, 34c, 34d) of each of the containers (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d). Method for manufacturing, from a thermoplastic strip (100, 200, 300), containers (10) with two compartments (12, 14), according to which the thermoplastic strip (100, 200, 300) is held by its portions longitudinal gripping edges (101, 102; 201, 202, 301, 302), said strip is advanced step by step in the longitudinal direction, at least one transverse row (r₁, r₂) of containers (10) is thermoformed , for each container, a main compartment (14) and a secondary compartment (12) each comprising a bottom (22, 28), a side wall (24, 30) and an open upper end (26, 32) located in the plane of the strip (100), by producing in this plane a peripheral rim (16) and a zone (18) for connection between the compartments (12, 14), and a line is produced in said connection zone (18) weakening (34) directed in the second direction (D2) of a rectangle (R) in which the peripheral edge is inscribed that (16), the compartments (12, 14) being aligned in the first direction (D1) of this rectangle (R),
characterized in that the main (12) and secondary (14) compartments of each container are produced, juxtaposed in the transverse direction of the thermoplastic strip (100), the first direction (D1) of the rectangles (R) extending thus in said transverse direction, in that one gives the dimension (L1) of the secondary compartment (14) measured in the transverse direction, from the end (16a) of the peripheral rim (16) adjacent to said secondary compartment (14 ) up to the weakening line (34), a value substantially equal to half that of the dimension (L2) of the main compartment (12) measured in the same direction, from the weakening line (34) to '' at the end (16b) of the peripheral rim (16) adjacent to said main compartment (12), and in that the longitudinal end of the peripheral rim (16) of a container (10) coinciding with that of the peripheral rim of the neighboring container, the sum of said dimensions is given (L1, L2) in the transverse direction of the main (12) and secondary (14) compartments, a value substantially equal to a whole divider of the value of the useful width (L _u ) of the strip (100), measured between its two marginal portions of grip (101, 102). Method according to claim 8, characterized in that a thermoplastic strip (100, 200, 300) is used which has, between its two marginal gripping portions (101, 102; 201, 202; 301, 302), an alternation of ribbons of a first and a second type (104 to 110; 203 to 209; 304 to 315), welded together and made of materials with different aspects, at least for the so-called "common" ribbons (105 to 109; 204 to 208; 305 to 314), located between the two end ribbons (104, 110; 203, 209; 304, 315) adjacent to said marginal portions (101, 102; 201, 202; 301, 302), the width (T2, T'2, T''2) of common second type ribbons (106, 108; 204, 206, 208; 306, 308, 310, 312, 314) being substantially half the width (T1 , T'11, T''1) common ribbons of the first type (105, 107, 109; 205, 207; 305, 307, 309, 311, 313), and in that, for each container, the main compartment (12) in a ribbon of the first type, and the c secondary compartment (14) in a ribbon of the second type. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that the containers (10) are grouped together in groups of at least two containers (10a, 10b) whose peripheral edges (16c) located towards the interior of the group are joined, in that a line of least resistance (11) is produced on the border between said contiguous edges (16c) and in that each group is cut according to the contours of the peripheral edges (16d) situated towards the outside of the group . Method according to claim 10, comprising a step of filling the two compartments (12, 14) of the containers (10) and a step of fitting and fixing at least one closure cap on the upper face of the containers,
characterized in that, after this laying and fixing step, the step in which each group is cut is simultaneously carried out, the step in which the lines of least resistance (11) are made on the border between the flanges (16c ) joined containers, and the step in which makes the weakening lines (34) between the two compartments (12, 14) of each container (10). Method according to claim 10, comprising a step of filling the two compartments (12, 14) of the containers (10) and a step of fitting and fixing at least one closure cap on the upper face of the containers,
characterized in that the weakening lines (34) are practiced between the two compartments (12, 14) of each container (10) before carrying out the said step of fitting and fixing at least one closure cap, to practice the lines of least resistance (11) on the border between the flanges (16c) adjoining the containers and to carry out the step in which each group is cut. Method according to any one of Claims 9 to 12, characterized in that, the width (T22; T'11) of the end ribbons (104, 110; 203, 209) being substantially equal to half the width (T2; T'1) common ribbons (106, 108; 205, 207) of the same type as said extreme ribbons, the weakening lines (34) are made on the border (F) between the ribbons of the first type and the ribbons of the second type, and the longitudinal ends of the peripheral edges are delimited on the median lines (E) of the ribbons of the first and second types, so that a given container (10a) located, in the transverse direction between two other containers (10b , 10e), has its main compartment adjacent to the main compartment of one of said containers (10b) and has its secondary compartment adjacent to the secondary compartment of the other of said containers (10e). Method according to claim 13, characterized in that, the end tapes being tapes of the second type (104, 110), an even number of containers is made on each row (r₁, r₂) and the containers are grouped in groups four, each group comprising two rows of two receptacles juxtaposed transversely and whose main compartments are adjacent, and in that each group is cut according to the contours of the peripheral edges (16d) located towards the outside of the group. Method according to any one of Claims 9 to 12, characterized in that, the width (T''1, T''2) of the end ribbons (304; 315) being substantially equal to that of common ribbons of the same type ( 306; 307), the longitudinal ends of the peripheral edges are produced on the passing border, in a given direction (S) parallel to the transverse direction and in which the first end strip (304) is a strip of the second type, from a strip of the first type (305) to a strip of the second type (306), while the lines of weakness are produced on the border passing, in the same direction, from a ribbon of the second type (304) to a ribbon of the first type (305). Thermoplastic strip (100, 200, 300), intended to be used for the manufacture of a container (10) according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it comprises, between two marginal gripping portions (101, 102; 201, 202; 203, 204), an alternation of ribbons of a first type (105; 205; 305) and of ribbons of a second type (106; 206: 306), welded together and made of materials d 'different aspects, and that, at least for the so-called "common" ribbons, located between the two extreme ribbons (104, 110; 203, 209; 304, 315) adjacent to said marginal portions (101, 102; 201, 202 ; 301, 302), the width (T2, T'2, T''3) of the common ribbons of the second type is substantially equal to half the width (T1, T'1, T''1) of the common ribbons of the first type. Strip (100, 200) according to claim 12, characterized in that the end tapes (104, 110; 203, 209) are of the same type, and in that the width (T22; T'11) of said end tapes is substantially equal to half the width (T2, T'1) of common ribbons of the same type. Strip (100) according to claim 13, characterized in that the two end tapes (104, 110) are tapes of the second type. Strip (300) according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises an end strip of the first type (315) whose width is equal to that (T''1) of a running strip of the same type, and a strip end of the second type (304) whose width is equal to that (T''2) of a common ribbon of the same type.

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