EP1236648B1

EP1236648B1 - Container for food and the like

Info

Publication number: EP1236648B1
Application number: EP01830466A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gianfranco D'amato
Original assignee: Seda SpA
Current assignee: Seda SpA
Priority date: 2001-02-22
Filing date: 2001-07-12
Publication date: 2006-06-21
Anticipated expiration: 2021-07-12
Also published as: DK1236648T3; PT1236648E; EP1236648A1; ITRM20010095A0; CY1105110T1; ITRM20010095A1; DE60120904D1; ATE330854T1; DE60120904T2; ES2266147T3

Abstract

A container (1) for food products such as ice-creams, milkshakes or the like, of the type having a main body and, integrally to the latter, at least two closing members (51,52,53,54) of the top portion thereof, wherein a top port is obtained (6) apt to allow the insertion of a stirrer thus avoiding an opening of the container for the preparation of the product. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a container for food products like ice cream, milkshakes or the like, comprising an essentially cylinder-shaped main body with a side wall and bottom wall, which container has closing means of the top portion of the container integral to the main body. The arrangement of those closing means when in a closed condition is such that the container has a port at the top portion thereof.
Such a container is known from WO 01/26980. The corresponding container is a discardable cup comprising a sheet of cardboard or the like and an end piece. The end piece may be part of said sheet or independent of it. The part of the cup opposite to this end piece is occupied by a lid which is an integral part of the sheet and which comprises a number of folds defining a fan-like closure with flaps corresponding to said folds superimposed on each other in said closure. In the superimposed position central cutouts of all of the plurality of flaps form an opening for a straw or the like.
It is an object of the invention to simplify such a container in particular in view of the flaps as corresponding closing means and additionally to stabilize the closing position of all of the closing means.
This object is solved by the features of claim 1.
Advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed by the subclaims.
Hereinafter, a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the container of the present invention will be provided, given by way of example and not for limitative purposes, making reference to the annexed drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a partially sectional perspective view of a container of the state of the art;
Fig. 2 is a plan view of a blank apt to make the container of the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a partially sectional perspective view of the container of the present invention in an opened condition;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the container of the present invention in a closed condition; and
Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the container of Fig. 4.

With reference now to Fig. 1, a container of the state of the art is illustrated. Typically, a substantially cylinder-shaped main body 1 having a side wall 2 with a bottom wall 7 (not shown in Fig.) is provided. The side wall 2 has, at the top end thereof, a curled edge 3 apt to snap-engage in a complementary annular edge 4 of a respective closing member 5. The closing member 5 has a top port 6 suitable to the insertion of a stirrer for the preparation of the product subsequently to the insertion of the latter into the container 1.
With reference now to Fig. 2, a blank 1 apt to make the container of the present invention once assembled is illustrated.
For simplicity's sake, same components will have the same reference numbers.
More precisely, the blank 1 has a plane surface apt to make the side wall 2 of the container 1 during assembly. At the top portion of the blank, edges 51, 52, 53 and 54 apt, once assembled, to make the closing member of the container 1, are provided. Onto the edges 51,52,53 and 54, weakening lines 510, 520, 530 and 540, as well as blank areas 550 apt to allow a precise and eased folding of the closing members subsequently to the filling of the container 1, are obtained.
Moreover, it is provided that among the edges 51, 52, 53 and 54 an area 61, apt to make the top port 6 following to the closing of the container 1 (better illustrated hereinafter), be obtained.
With reference now to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the container 1 obtained from the blank of Fig. 2 is illustrated. As it is apparent from the Figs., firstly the blank is arranged around a pre-set bottom wall 7. In this condition, the container 1 with the closing members lifted is made. Then, the container can be used to arrange the product to be consumed therein. Subsequently to the filling of the container 1, the edges 51, 52, 53 and 54 can be folded following the weakening lines 510,520, 530 and 540. This step is eased by the presence of the areas 550.
Upon folding the edges 51,52,53 and 54, the closing of the container, as well as a top port 6, is obtained in order to house the stirrer for the preparation of the product to be consumed.
It has to be pointed out that the arrangement of the edges 51, 52, 53 and 54 is anyhow such as to generate a seal, since the blank areas 550 lie coincidentally to the inside surface of the respective folded edges. Therefore, unlike the containers of the state of the art, the employ of a separate closing member becomes superfluous.

Claims

A container (1) for food products like ice cream, milkshakes or the like, comprising an essentially cylinder-shaped main body (1) with a side wall (2) and a bottom wall (7), which container (1) has integrally to the main body (1) closing means (51, 52; 53, 54) of the top portion of the container, the arrangement being such that when said closing means are in a closed condition the container has a port (6) at the top portion thereof, characterized in that exactly two of said closing means (51, 52; 53, 54) each with an area (61) for forming said port (6) are arranged opposite to each other, each closing means (51, 52; 53, 54) connected to the side wall (2) by a convexly curved folding line such that a concave surface of the container (1) is formed by those closing means (51, 52; 53, 54) when in said closed condition.
The container according to claim 1, characterized in that said closing means are integrally obtained onto the top portion of the container (1).
The container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said port (6) is obtained by overlapping said two areas (61) each provided among the edges of the corresponding closing means.
The container according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that four areas (550) are obtained by die-cutting of the side wall (2) at respective folding lines (510, 520, 530, 540) of the closing means (51, 52; 53, 54).
The container according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that each closing means (51, 52; 53, 54) has two further folding lines (510, 520, 530, 540) parting the closing means and extending in lengthwise direction of same.
The container according to claim 5, characterized in that each area (550) is arranged in an edge formed where said lengthwise extending folding line intersects said convexly curved folding line.