EP0802120A1

EP0802120A1 - Corner-fold tubular packaging for food products, with heat sealing and relative support

Info

Publication number: EP0802120A1
Application number: EP96830670A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Tullio Vianello
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-04-16
Filing date: 1996-12-31
Publication date: 1997-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 2016-12-31
Also published as: DE69603943T2; ITTS960012U1; EP0802120B1; IT242201Y1; ES2138313T3; DE69603943D1; GR3031926T3

Abstract

The invention can be usefully employed into the food sector and especially in the seafood sector.

It consists of a corner-fold tubular packaging (1) with side openings (2) and heatsealing applied in different points. The size of the packaging may vary depending on the quantity of food products to be contained.

The support consists of a base (3), at least two angular elements (4), a minimum of two containment elements (5) and at least two props to hold the food products vertically. Both the angular elements (4) and the containment elements (5) are orthogonally fixed to the base (3) along its perimeter.

The base (3) consists of a plate of any shape, preferably an octagon, with or without feet, and with extensions (3.1) having slits (3.2). The base (3) has a large sinusoidal central opening (3.3) and a minumum of two smaller openings (3.4) near its edges.

The angular (4) and containment elements (5) are appropriately fixed to the base (3) by means of insertion, glueing, heatsealing or other technically known method.

Description

Technical Field

This invention can be usefully employed in the food sector, especially in that of seafood products.
Crustaceans (clams, coquina clams, carpet shells, mussels, scallops, oysters, etc.), molluscs and shellfish in general - meant for direct sale to the public - are usually packed in mesh bags which are closed at either end. These mesh bags, required by the law, are used to prevent the shellfish from opening. They come in different colours, depending on the processing stage and are divided into: unfarmed seafood products, farmed products, products ready for sale, etc.
According to the law, information regarding the producer, the collection or farming centre and packaging date must be printed both on the outside and the inside of the mesh bags. A ribbon bearing the same information may also be used. The ends of the ribbon must be firmly attached to the closures of the mesh bag.
The seafood products are subsequently transported, stored and sold in packagings that do not protect them from coming into contact with the sales counters (table tops, refrigerator shelves, etc.) or transport and storing surfaces, submitting the products to the action of the environmental agents.
The professionalism of the operators protect these products as far as hygiene is concerned; however, this is not sufficient to prevent the seafood from accidental contact with dirty or contaminated surfaces. This happens even in the case of other types of fresh food products. It is known that fresh seafood products may be stored in boxes to prevent contamination and protect them from aggressive external agents as far as possible.
These boxes have been described in the Italian Utility Model Application entitled "Packaging for fresh seafood products and food products in general" forwarded by the applicant hereto and filed on 14.04.1995 with No. TS94U000004. Each of these boxes is an upright octagonal prism with four (opposite) side walls that are wider than the others. The narrower walls have openings. The top of the box has a number of tabs which when joined form four triangular openings.
Seafood products that are not stored in the above mentioned boxes run the risk of contamination. They also face the problem of vertical propping. In fact, given their structure, the mesh bags currently used for sale are unable to stand upright.

Disclosure of Invention

The primary object of the present invention is that to protect seafood products and fresh food products in general against polluting agents by a packagingas well as that of providing a support structure to allows these packagings to be stored without coming into contact with sales counters, transport surfaces and warehouse floors, thus guaranteeing further protection against polluting agents.
A further object is that of propping up the products vertically and allowing for stacking.
Yet another aim is that of providing economic operators with a packaging and a support that is far more pleasing to the eye than a mere net, and consequently more able to draw the customers' attention.
These and other objectives are reached by the present invention, which consists of a support structure and a corner-fold tubular packaging obtained by means of hot extrusion. The size of the packaging may vary depending on the type and quantity of food products to be contained. The packaging may be heat sealed in different ways (horizontally, vertically, obliquely) and the characteristics of the sealing may vary (thickness, impulse sealing, seam sealing, stitch sealing, etc.) depending on the point of application. Thanks to the adjustable width of the sides and the heat sealing methods used, the corner-fold tubular packaging is a self-supporting structure and stores the seafood products and fresh food products in a compact manner.
The corner-fold tubular packaging has openings (holes, slits, etc.) on its sides. These are obtained by means of pneumatic electronic perforation.
There is also one or more holes to allow for the packaging to be hung, as well as a space on which the packaging date is printed. The corner-fold tubular packaging is manufactured aseptically and kept germ-free until food products are introduced into it.
The above mentioned support - which serves the purpose of propping up the packaging - consists of a base comprising a minimum of two angular elements, two containment elements and two propping elements (necessary to store the food products vertically). All these elements should be made of polymeric materials (polyvinyl, polystyrene, etc.) if possible.
The base consists of a plate (with or without feet). It can be of any shape, but a quadrangular or octagonal base with rounded edges is preferable. There is a large central opening, circumscribed by a border (preferably sinusoidal) and at least two smaller openings near the edges and along the diagonals of the quadrilateral or the octagon. A second border is located along the outer circumference of the base. The base also has some embossement to allow the liquid discharged from the food products to flow into the above mentioned side openings. Both the borders and the embossements should be present on either face of the base.
The angular elements, the containment elements and the propping elements are fixed to the base, perpendicularly to it and preferably along its perimeter, by means of suitable fixing (with or without pins), glueing, heat sealing or other method.
The angular and containment elements consist of plates of any shape and there may be a difference in height between some of these. In fact, the containment elements are shorter than the angular ones.
Both the angular and the containment elements only have a plane of vertical symmetry. Therefore, as there is no plane of horizontal symmetry, there is a difference between height "h" (i.e. the height between the plane of horizontal symmetry of the base - once these elements have been fixed to the base - and the uppermost point of the elements) and height "H" (i.e. the height between the plane of horizontal symmetry of the base and the lowermost point of the elements).
The containment elements may vary in length to allow for two or more support staffs to be joined. The supports consist of staffs or bars with vertical development. They may be joined to angular elements (by means of fixing, glueing, heat sealing, etc.) or directly to the base. The distal ends of at least two supports may be knurled in order to hold the ends of a ribbon which serves as a handle (to carry the support) and prevents the products from falling off the support. The ribbon may be attached to the support or to the base by means of other methods as well (stapling, glueing, etc.). The ribbon may also be fixed to the sealing edges at either end of the corner-fold tubular packaging and should be long enough to be used as a handle.
The supports have rounded distal edges to allow for easy insertion into the boxes mentioned in Italian Utility Model Application No. TS95U000004 above, and to bear the weight of the products when the supports are stacked on top of each other. Since the extremities of the angular elements lie along the diagonals of the quadrilateral and the hexagon, they protrude from the triangular openings of the box mentioned in Italian Utility Model Application No. TS95U000004 above, supporting it and acting as its feet. There is no problem in stacking the boxes (during packaging or display on sales counters) as these ends lie on the top of the boxes.
The corner-fold tubular packaging ensures that the seafood products and fresh food products are stored in such a way as to prevent the loss of the organic liquid present within (which would cause deterioration). These packagings are perforated to allow the live products contained within to be stored in optimum preservation conditions, and with an excellent degree of moisture, which helps extend their shelf life.
Since the said containment elements differ in height with respect to the plane of symmetry of the base, by a simple 180° rotation of the support (with respect to the axis of horizontal symmetry of the base), they occupy different amounts of space inside the boxes (object of Italian Utility Model Application No. TS95U000004), thus acting as spacers.
As previously mentioned, the staffs, the angular elements and the containment elements can be permanently or temporarily joined to the base.
Depending on the type of fixing, it is possible to manufacture disassembled supports (that are more convenient economically and from the point of view of their transport to seafood producers), or permanently assembled supports (to be sent as display stands to distribution chains or retailers). The support prevents contact between the corner-fold tubular packaging (and, consequently, the products within) and dirty or contaminated surfaces.
Graphics printed on the outside of the support identify the contents, production and sales information, warnings and all pertinent government and E.C. regulations.

A Brief Description of the Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages offered by the corner-fold tubular packaging and its support will be clarified in the description of a particular kind of usage which is preferable but not compulsory. The description is given for illustration purposes only in the enclosed drawings in which: - figure 1 shows a perspective view of the corner-fold tubular packaging;

figure 2 and 3 show a front view of an angular element and a containment element respectively;
figure 4 shows a top view of the support (without pins and other props);
figure 5 shows a cross section of the base of the support according to the A-A plane of the preceding figure;
figure 6 shows a front view of a double containment element for the joining of two supports;
figure 7 shows a front view of the support (without pins and other props);
figure 8 shows a perspective view of the support (without pins and props);
figure 9 shows the corner-fold tubular packaging and the support inserted in the box (object of Italian Utility Model Application No. TS95U000004).

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

The corner-fold tubular packaging 1 has holes 2 along its sides. These holes 2 are obtained by means of pneumatic electronic perforation. There is also a hole 2.1 so that the packaging 1 can be hung, and a space 2.2 on which the packaging date and/or other indications required by the law are printed.
The corner-fold tubular packaging 1 is heat sealed in different ways (horizontally or vertically) and has different characteristics (thickness, impulse sealing, seam sealing, stitch sealing) depending on the point of application.
The support that is the object of the patent hereto comprises a base 3, four angular elements 4 and four containment elements 5. Both the angular elements 4 and the containment elements 5 are orthogonally fixed to the base 3 along its perimeter.
The base 3 is an irregular octagonal plate (with four long sides and four short ones) with an extension 3.1 on each side. Openings 3.2 are made in each of these extensions 3.1. The base 3 has a large central opening 3.3 and four smaller openings 3.4 near the shorter sides.
The base 3 has a special shape. The central opening 3.3 is circumscribed by a sinusoidal border 3.5 with introversions and extroversions 3.6. A second border 3.7 is located along the external perimeter of the base 3. The base 3 has two reliefs 3.8 that allow the liquid discharged by the food products to flow into the openings 3.4. Both the borders 3.5, 3.7 and the reliefs 3.8 are embossed on either face of the base 3.
The angular elements 4 consist of hexagonal plates (with smaller horizontal sides) and are uneven in height externally. The containment elements 5 also consist of hexagonal plates (with at least two horizontal sides) - they are shorter than the angular elements 4. The angular elements 4 and the containment elements 5 are irregular hexagons and only have a plane of vertical symmetry. Each element has a horizontal slit 4.1, 5.1. Since these slits 4.1, 5.1 do not lie along the plane of symmetry of these elements 4, 5 there is a difference between heights "a" and "b" (that lie between the slits 4.1 and 5.1) and the upper edge of elements 4, 5) and heights "A" and "B" (that lie between the slits 4.1, 5.1) and the lower edge of elements 4 and 5.
At the moment of assembly of the support, the angular elements 4 and the containment elements 5 are closened to the perimeter of the base 3 making sure that the extensions 3.1 pass through the slits 4.1 and 5.1. The above mentioned elements 4 and 5 are then fixed to the base 3, inserting the extensions 3.1 of the props (in the case of the angular elements) and/or the pins (in the case of the containment elements) into the opening 3.2.
The extremities of the angular elements 4 act as feet for the base 3, allowing the corner-fold tubular packaging 1 to be stored without coming into contact with the sales counter.
The extremities of the props of the support meet the ends of the angular elements 4 of a second support placed above it, permitting easy stacking.
At the moment of packaging the food products are first placed in the corner-fold tubular packagings 1. One or more corner-fold tubular packagings 1 are then inserted into the support. The containment elements 5 prevent the food products from slipping off the support. To prevent the packagings 1 from bending over to one side, they are forecefully thrust into the opening 3.3 on the centre of the base 3, and simultaneously twisted on. The extroversions 3.6 of the border 3.5 are then inserted into the container 1 preventing any further shifting. If the corner-fold tubular packagings 1 have been inserted into the boxes 6 that have been described in Italian Utility Model Application No. TS95U000004, the support acts as a spacer, regulating the internal volume on the basis of the type of food products to be contained.
The horizontal sides of the containment elements 5 rest on the bottom of the boxes 6.
As previously described, as there is a difference between height "b" (between opening 5.1 and the upper edge of element 5 and height "B" (between opening 5.1 and the lower edge of element 5, by simply rotating the support 180° (with respect to the horizontal axis of symmetry of the base), it is possible to use the support to contain different quantities of products. The distal part of the angular elements 4 protrudes from the triangular openings present at the bottom of the box 6.
The size of the support is such that it can be inserted in the box 6 for small seafood products such as clams, coquina clams, carpet shells, etc. and other small size food products. This box is a vertically developed upright octagonal prism.
For larger seafood products (mussels, scallops, oysters, etc.) and other voluminous food products, the base of the above mentioned box must be larger and must also be calibrated in height to calculate the quantity of product to be contained. In this case a special containment element 7 that is double in length will be used. It has two openings 7.1 into which the extensions 3.1 of the two supports are fitted, allowing them to be joined.

Claims

Corner-fold tubular packaging for food products, with heat sealing and relative support where the packaging is characterized by the fact that it consists of a blowed tubular packaging (1), obtained by means of hot extrusion and heat sealed in different ways (horizontally, vertically, obliquely) with varying characteristics of the sealing (thickness, impulse sealing, seam sealing, stitch sealing, etc.) depending on the point of application; the corner-fold tubular packaging (1) has openings (holes (2), slits, etc.) on its sides obtained by means of pneumatic electronic perforation; there is also one or more holes (2.1) so that the packaging (1) can be hung, and a space (2.2) on which the packaging date and/or other indications required by the law are printed; the support consists of a base (3) and at least two angular elements (4), two containment elements (5) and two props to store the food products vertically; both the angular elements (4) and the containment elements (5) are orthogonally fixed to the base (3) along its perimeter, and are preferably made of polymeric material (polyvinyl, polystyrene, etc.); the said base (3) consists of a plate of any shape, preferably quadrangular with rounded edges (with four long sides and four shorter ones), with or without feet and extensions (3.1) having slits (3.2); the said base (3) has a large central sinusoidal opening (3.3) and at least two smaller openings (3.4) near the edges and along the diagonals of the quadrilateral or the octagon; the said base (3) also has a first border (3.5) that circumscribes the central opening (3.3) and a second border along the external perimeter of the base (3); the said base (3) has alsoone relief or more (3.8) to allow the liquid discharged by the food products to flow into the side openings (3.4); both the borders (3.7) and the reliefs (3.8) are embossed on either face of the base (3); the above mentioned angular elements (4) and containment elements (5) are fixed to the base (3) (with or without pins that are inserted into the slits (3.2) of the extensions (3.1)) or by means of glueing, heat sealing, etc.; the said angular (4) and containment elements (5) consist of plates of any shape and there may be an unevenness in height between them; they also have openings (4.1, 5.1); since both these elements (4, 5) have only a plane of vertical symmetry, there is a difference between height "h", (i.e. the height between the plane of horizontal symmetry of the base (3) - once these elements (4, 5) have been attached to the base (3) - and the uppermost point of the elements) and height "H" (i.e. the height between the plane of horizontal symmetry of the base (3) and the lowermost point of the elements); the containment elements (5) are shorter than the angular elements (4); the above mentioned props consist of rods or staffs with rounded distal ends; they may be joined to the angular elements (4) or directly to the base (3) (by means of glueing, fitting, heat sealing, etc.); the extremities of at least two props are knurled to hold the ends of a ribbon; the extremities of the said support props meet the extremities of a second support placed above the first, allowing for easy stacking.
Corner-fold tubular packaging for food products, with heat sealing and relative support, according to claim 1, in which the distal ends of the above mentioned angular elements (4) are characterized by the fact to act as the feet of the base (3), allowing the corner-fold tubular packaging (1) to be lie above and not come into contact with the sales counter.
Corner-fold tubular packaging for food products, with heat sealing and relative support, according to the above mentioned claims, where the support is of suitable size to allow it to be placed inside the box (6) which is the object of Italian Utility Model Application No. TS95U000004; this box (6) consists of an upright octagonal prism with four (opposite) sides that are wider than the others; the narrower sides have openings, and the bottom and top of the box are made up of tabs that form four triangular openings; the above mentioned containment elements (5, 7) are characterized by the fact that they differ in length to allow them to be joined to one or more supports to be placed inside different size boxes.
Corner-fold tubular packaging for food products, with heat sealing and relative support, according to the above mentioned claims -in which the above mentioned elements (4, 5) are characterized by the fact that there is a difference in height "h", (i.e. the height between the plane of horizontal symmetry of the base (3) - once these elements (4, 5) have been attached to the base (3) - and the uppermost point of the elements (4, 5)) and height "H" (i.e. the height between the plane of horizontal symmetry of the base (3) and the lowermost point of the elements(4, 5)); a simple 180° rotation of the support (with respect to the horizontal axis of symmetry of the base (3)) makes it possible to use the support to occupy different amounts of space inside the boxes (6).
Corner-fold tubular packaging for food products, with heat sealing and relative support, according to the above mentioned claims - characterized by the fact that a ribbon serving as a handle (for the transport of the support and/or box (6)) may be attached to the props, the base (3)or the sealing surfaces of the extremities of the corner-fold tubular packaging (1) by various means (stapling, heat sealing, glueing, etc.).
Corner-fold tubular packaging for food products, with heat sealing and relative support, according to the above mentioned claims - in which the support is characterized by the fact that it can host the distal ends of the angular elements (4) of the above mentioned box (6), in the triangular openings at the bottom of the support itself.