EP1164088A1

EP1164088A1 - Package for tomatoes

Info

Publication number: EP1164088A1
Application number: EP00500129A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Francisco Giralt Martin
Original assignee: Dynaplast SA
Current assignee: Dynaplast SA
Priority date: 2000-06-15
Filing date: 2000-06-15
Publication date: 2001-12-19

Abstract

A package for tomatoes, especially for small sized practically spherical tomatoes, made up of a laminar body (1) divided into two sections (2,3), base (2) and lid (3), joined by a hinge. The base (2) includes numerous semi-spherical cells (5) to lodge the tomatoes and the lid (3) a helmet that rises above the base to lodge the tomatoes. The package includes a special arrangement of protuberances (8) that act as separators and ensure that the tomatoes stored are completed ventilated.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

This invention refers to a package for tomatoes, particularly for a variety of small size tomatoes that are notably spherical in shape, package that maintains the tomatoes as isolated units, in optimum conditions of preservation and transport.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tomatoes are normally marketed in cases similar to those used for different types of fruit and vegetables, and in the specific case of the variety of tomatoes that we have previously mentioned, because of their small size they are marketed in small baskets, generally made out of plastic, where the tomatoes are placed in bulk, so that there is contact between them, and the tomatoes that occupy the lower level, which is on the bottom of the basket, must support the weight of the tomatoes on top of them, which evidently has a negative impact on their conditions of preservation, substantially shortening the period during which the preservation is acceptable.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The package that the invention proposes satisfactorily solves the previously described problem because, as previously mentioned, it establishes individual lodgings for the tomatoes, where they are perfectly isolated and protected.
More specifically, the package is materialised in a laminar body, plastic in nature, preferably obtained by injection, in which there are two sectors connected together by a hinge, so that the two sectors are able to adopt a position on the same plane, when the package itself is stored and when it is filled, and from this position one of the sectors fold over the other, to establish a closed position in which the tomatoes are protected and adequately ventilated.
One of these two sectors has a series of cells, approximately semi-spherical, communicated at the level of the mouth and designed to receive each one a tomato. At the same time, the other sector of the body configures a kind of rectangular housing, adaptable at the mouth to the first sector after being folded along the hinge that connects both sectors, with the particularity that from the bottom of the housing configured by this second sector a series of protuberances emerge, tronco-conical in shape, which act as separating supports that when the package is closed prevent this sector from being deformed as it acts as a lid, when packages are stacked and from the weight of the packages placed on top of it.
In accordance with another of the characteristics of the invention, the sector provided with cells has linear extensions on its three free edges, which affect only part of the edges and which in collaboration with the hinge itself, fitted with two parallel folding lines, determine a certain distance between the sector that functions as the base and the sector that functions as the lid, which at the same time determines marginal slits to ventilate the inside of the package, ventilation that is also favoured by the low walls that connect the cells together and because of the inexistence of cells in the sector that functions as the lid.
In accordance with another of the characteristics of the invention, one of the two sectors has small sunken parts on its edges and the other has protuberances in the same positions that can be pressed into them to establish a stable closure for the package, at the same time as one of the free vertices of the two sectors has tabs that are positioned slightly off centre from each other, which makes the package easy to open by hand.
Finally, and in accordance with another of the characteristics of the invention, on the outside of the sector that functions as a lid and close to its vertices, there are small angular protuberances that act as lateral stabilisers between packages, when they are stacked.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complete the description that is being provided and in order for it to be easier to understand the characteristics of the invention, this descriptive text is accompanies by a set of illustrative but not restrictive drawings, which forms part of the description, where the following has been represented:
Figure 1. This shows, from a perspective view, a package for tomatoes manufactured in accordance with the object of this invention, presented in a closed position.
Figure 2. This shows, also from a perspective view, the same package from the previous figure, in an opened position.
Figure 3. This shows a transversal section of the package, following the A-B cutting line in figure 1.
Figure 4. This shows another transversal section of the package, now following cutting line C-D in figure 1.
Figure 5. Finally, this shows another transversal section of the package, following cutting line E-F in figure 1.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

It can be seen from these figures how the package for tomatoes that the invention proposes is structured from a laminar body (1) obtained by injection of preferably transparent plastic material, in which a sector (2) is defined that functions as the base, and a sector (3) is defined that functions as a lid, connected together by a hinge defined by two parallel folding lines that are close together (4-4'), which allow sector (3) to fold over sector (2) from their initial position on the same plane as shown in figure 2.
In sector (2), which functions as the base, there are a number of cells (5), in the form of spherical helmets, with an approximately semi-spherical configuration, adequately sized for the tomatoes to be received, with a small tronco-conical projection (6), which functions as a leg, and it is foreseen that a pair of these cells (5') is directly communicated together, forming a double cell capable of receiving, for example, instead of two tomatoes, three slightly smaller ones.
In the small spaces between the cells (5) there a small square shaped surfaces (7) which support, in a closed position, protuberances (8) that emerge from the base of sector (3) that functions as a lid, which adopts the general configuration of a housing, from the bottom of which these protuberances (8) emerge and act as separators that make the lid (3) rigid, allowing full packages to be stacked without becoming deformed.
This housing shape of the lid (3), together with the communication between the cells (5) by means of low walls (9) at the level of their mouth, and together with the existence in the marginal areas that correspond to the free edges of both the base (2) and the lid (3), of linear protuberances (10) that, when they face each other, form slits with access to the inside of the package, provide for the ventilation of the product that is packed inside, that is, the ventilation of the tomatoes.
The package, to maintain the closed position represented in figure 1 and be stable, has in one of the sectors, for example in the base sector (3) marginal sunken sections (11) preferable on its three free edges, which with the collaboration of the additional pivots (12) that exist in the sector (3) that functions as a lid, providing a male-female coupling that provides the stable closure of the lid (3) over the base (2).
It is easy to establish this closed position with the collaboration of a couple of tabs (13) and (14), conveniently positioned on the base (2) and the lid (3), so that, as can especially be seen in figure 1, they are slightly off centred and easily accessible with different fingers of the hand.
On the outside of sector (3) that functions as a lid and close to its vertices, there are small angular protuberances (15) that act as a means of retention for the sides of the package that its stacked on top, specifically acting on the protuberances (6) that, functioning as legs, emerge from the cells (5), specifically the cells that are positioned near to the vertices of the base.
The sector (3) that functions as a lid also has a slightly sunken part (16), preferably circular, concentrical to one of the protuberances (8), with a considerable diameter as not very deep, so that the package can easily be labelled.
Although this description is based on small sized spherical tomatoes, it is evident that this package is applicable to any other horticultural product of similar characteristics.

Claims

Package for tomatoes, especially conceived for the variety of very small spherically shaped tomatoes, characterised in that it is made up of a laminar body (1), preferably injected in transparent plastic, in which there are two sectors (2,3), connected together by means of a hinge, of which one forms a base (2) with numerous semi-spherical cells (5), to lodge the tomatoes, while the other forms a lid for closure (3), which can be attached to the base (2) and which forms a kind of housing that is sufficiently elevated over the base (2) to lodge the tomatoes.
Package for tomatoes, according to the 1^st claim, characterised in that the cells (5) of the base are inter-communicated at the level of their mouth by means of low walls (9), and in the areas between the cells there are small square platforms (7) that are supports for protuberances (8) that emerge from the bottom of the lid (3), acting as separators that connect the bottom of the lid with the base (2), preventing the lid (3) from deforming when filled packages are stacked.
Package for tomatoes, according to the 1^st claim, characterised in that the base (2) include a cell (5') formed by a pair of cells (5) that are directly communicated, the side of which that is closest to the free edge parallel to the hinge is straight.
Package for tomatoes, as claimed in any preceding claims, characterised in that both at the level of the mouth of the base (2) and of the lid (3), in the marginal areas that correspond to free edges, there are additional linear protuberances (10) that act as separators between both mouths, creating ventilation slits for the tomatoes when the package is in a closed position.
Package for tomatoes, as claimed in any preceding claims, characterised in that on one of the two sectors (2,3) of the package, such as for example on the base (2), there are sunken sections (11) on its free edges that can be coupled by pressure on the pivots (12) that emerge from the same areas on the lid (3), and this male-female coupling provides for the stable closure of the lid (3)over the base.
Package for tomatoes, as claimed in any preceding claims, characterised in that both the base (2) and the lid (39 have, on the level of their mouths and corresponding to one of the vertices opposite the hinge, tabs (12,14) that are off centred to establish means of opening the package by hand.
Package for tomatoes, as claimed in any preceding claims, characterised in that the cells (5) of the base have small external tronco-conical projections (6) in the bottom, which function as legs, whereas the sector that forms the lid (3) has on the outside, and close to its vertices, small angular resorts (15) that act as retention stops for the legs of the base of other packages, when closed packages are stacked.
Package for tomatoes, according to the 1st claim, characterised in that the closing lid (3) includes a sunken part (16) that is concentrical to one of the protuberances (8), close to the closing hinge, low and circular, with a diameter slightly less than the distance that separates the end protuberances (8) between which it is located.