EP1637472A1

EP1637472A1 - Packaging for polygonal-shaped food products

Info

Publication number: EP1637472A1
Application number: EP05019594A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giorgio Marazzi; Michele Amigoni
Original assignee: Barilla G e R Fratelli SpA
Current assignee: Barilla G e R Fratelli SpA
Priority date: 2004-09-10
Filing date: 2005-09-08
Publication date: 2006-03-22
Also published as: ITMI20041735A1

Abstract

A package (1) for a plurality of rigid food products (2) with substantially flattened profile, such as biscuits, rusks and similar polygonal-shaped food products, juxtaposed to each other to form a prismatic pile (3), comprises a wrapper (5, 6) which exhibits a sheet of card (6) in contact with the side faces (3a) of the prismatic pile (3) and a flexible sheet (5) of plastic material for food enveloped around the prismatic pile (3) covered at the side by card (6) and a slot (7) for dispensing-taking out products (2) extending transversally formed from said wrapper (5, 6), and to close off said slot (7), a strip-shaped portion (8) defined by a weakened tear-away punched line (9), extending on three sides of the strip-shaped portion (8), the fourth non-punched side (9a) being substantially parallel to the longitudinal corners (3b) of the side faces (3a), gripping means (10) being associated with the side of the strip-shaped portion (8), opposite the non-punched side (9a), to tear it away along the weakened line (9), obtaining the slot (7).

Description

The present invention generally relates to the packaging field of food products, such as biscuits, rusks and similar rigid food products with flattened profile, having a polygonal shape, for example triangular, quadrangular, hexagonal-shaped, etc.
More specifically and with reference only as an example to quadrangular-shaped biscuits, the present invention concerns a package of the type substantially consisting of a prismatic wrapper enveloping a plurality of juxtaposed to each other biscuits to form a pack or a prismatic pile, such a wrapper comprising a flexible sheet of plastic material for foodstuffs, for example polypropylene, which is enveloped around the prismatic pile of biscuits, welded longitudinally and folded upon itself at the opposite ends thereof, the folded edges being appropriately welded or glued together.
Generally, for taking out and consuming the thus-package biscuits, the package is arranged to be opened at one of the two ends of the prismatic wrapper, such opening being obtained by pulling away the folded and reciprocally welded edges thereof.
Taking the first biscuits out of the package thus opened is relatively easy, but then, for the subsequent biscuits, it becomes increasingly difficult, so that at a certain point the laceration of a major portion, if not the entire wrapper is required.
The negative consequences of this drawback are well-known to the consumers: loss of protection that the package carried out against dust and environmental contamination; need to restore such protection making use, for example, of containers more or less suitable for the purpose; high risk of breaking and crumbling of the biscuits themselves when they are taken out.
Moreover, even if the wrapper is managed not to be torn, by carefully handling the package, after a certain number of biscuits have been removed, the package, which generally has an elongated profile, is flabby and crumpled at its end, which substantially compromises its presentability.
Packages, in particular for rusks, are known in which a pile of rusks is covered on the side by a sheet of corrugated card and the whole thing is enveloped by a flexible wrapper of plastic material for food folded upon itself at its opposite ends. To open such packages the folded and welded flaps of' the wrapper must be separated or a part of the wrapper must be removed at an end of the package by pulling a suitable strip operating on a weakenin area.
In both cases, whilst good protection against breaking and crumbling is ensured, the protection of the uneaten rusks left in the package against dust and environmental contamination is insufficient and taking the last rusks out is difficult..
The aim of the present invention is that of providing a new type of package for rigid food products, such as biscuits, rusks and similar food products, having a polygonal shape, which allows the aforementioned drawbacks with reference to the prior art to be overcome and that has stability of shape and size up until, for example, the biscuits contained in it have all been consumed.
This aim is achieved according to the invention by a package for a plurality of rigid food products with substantially flattened profile, such as biscuits and similar polygonal-shaped food products, which are juxtaposed to each other to form a prismatic pile including at least three side faces extending between opposite polygonal ends, comprising a wrapper which exhibits a sheet of card in contact with said side faces and a flexible sheet of plastic material for food enveloped around said prismatic pile covered at the side by the card, a slot for dispensing-taking out biscuits extending transversally formed from said wrapper, characterised in that said wrapper comprises, to close off said slot, a strip-shaped portion defined by a weakened tear-away punched line, extending on three sides of said strip-shaped portion, the fourth non-punched side being parallel to the longitudinal corners of said side faces, gripping means being associated with the side of said strip-shaped portion, opposite the non-punched side, to tear it away along said weakened line, obtaining said slot.
Preferably, the gripping means consist of a tab equipped with glue.
With the package according to the invention it is possible to easily take out, for example, the biscuits contained in it right until the last one, at the same time keeping the initial shape of the package unchanged, thanks to the support carried out by the card. This allows a suitable presentation of the biscuits for the entire period of consumption, accompanied by the excellent protection against dust and environmental pollutants ensured by the opening/reclosing tab.
The advantages and characteristics of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description of' some embodiments thereof, made hereafter with reference to the attached drawings given for indicating and not limiting purposes, in which:

figure 1 illustrates a package according to the invention, in closed state;
figure 2 is a perspective view of a package according to the invention in open state for taking out a biscuit;
figure 3 shows a perspective view, in closed state, of a package in accordance with a variant embodiment of the invention;
figure 4 shows the variant embodiment of figure 3 in open state for taking out a biscuit.

With reference to figure 1, a package for a plurality of biscuits 2, of polygonal shape and in particular, in the example of the figures, having a quadrangular shape, juxtaposed to each other to form a pack or a parallelepiped pile, is globally indicated with 1,
The parallelepiped pile 3 includes four side faces 3a defined by four longitudinal corners 3b, extending between opposite polygonal ends 4, 4a.
The package 1 comprises a prismatic wrapper, consisting of a flexible sheet 5 of a plastic material for food, for example a polyethylene-polypropylene combination, which is enveloped around a parallelepiped pile 3 of biscuits 2, and a layer of card 6 in contact with the side faces 3a of the parallelepiped pile 3 of biscuits 2.
As highlighted in the example of the figures the card 6 is of the corrugated type, with it nevertheless being possible, in the package according to the present invention, to include a layer, in contact with the pile of biscuits, of plain card.
In such a wrapper, at a predetermined distance from one of the polygonal opposite ends 4, 4a, for example from the polygonal end 4, a slot 7 is formed, extending transversally for a portion at least equal to, and preferably slightly greater than, the width of at least one of the side faces 3a of the parallelepiped pile 3, and having a width at least equal to the thickness of a packaged biscuit.
As it will be apparent from the rest of the description, the slot 7 is used to dispense-take out individual biscuits 2 from the package 1 according to the present invention.
In accordance with the invention, at the same predetermined distance from the polygonal end 4 of the parallelepiped pile 3, a strip-shaped portion 8 of the wrapper (consisting of flexible sheet 5 and the underlying corrugated card 6), extending transversally, is defined on just three sides by a tear-away weakened line 9 (punched line), the fourth non-punched side (9a) being preferably parallel to the aforementioned longitudinal corners 3b of the parallelepiped pile 3.
Gripping means 10 are simultaneously applied onto such a strip-shaped portion 8 and onto the wrapper surrounding it.
Advantageously, such gripping means are in the form of a tab 10 equipped with glue, preferably of the permanent type, having substantially larger dimensions (length and width) than those of the strip-shaped portion 8 and arranged symmetrically with respect to it.
An initial portion 10a of the tab 10 that, on the side opposite the non-punched side 9a of the strip-shaped portion 8, does not cover such a strip-shaped portion 8, lacks glue and constitutes a valid grip of the tab 10 when it is pulled away from said wrapper.
With such separation the strip-shaped portion 8 is also simultaneously pulled away, consequently obtaining the slot 7 for dispensing-taking out the packaged biscuits 2.
With particular reference to figure 2, it should be noted that the corrugated card 6 of the strip-shaped portion 8 is firmly attached to the flexible sheet 5 of the strip-shaped portion 8 itself, and this is in turn firmly attached to the adhesive tab 10. Such double attachment allows the strip-shaped portion 8 to be ripped away, and preferably it remains as such after the slot 7 has been obtained.
With dispensing complete, the strip-shaped portion 8 can be reapplied to close said slot 7, thanks to the presence of the adhesive layer on the tab 10.
Once a biscuit has been removed from the package 1, another biscuit 2 goes in front of the slot 7, urged by the weight of the pile of remaining biscuits. This new biscuit can in turn be taken out, or else the strip-shaped portion 8 of wrapper can be reclosed on it through the adhesive tab 10.
As far as the slot 7 is concerned, it is preferably equidistant from the ends of the package and its preferred width corresponds more or less to the thickness of four biscuits, which are preferably regular polygonal-shaped.
Advantageously, the flexible sheet 5 is welded longitudinally, i.e. through welding parallel to the longitudinal corners 3b and it is sealed at the polygonal ends 4, 4a of the parallelepiped pile 3 to constitute the opposite bases of the package 1.
In accordance with a further characteristic of the present invention, the package 1 comprises a tamper-proof seal 10b applied only partially on the tab 10.
The tamper-proof seal 10b, advantageously consisting of a small tag or adhesive tab, being equipped with permanent glue and being positioned in part on the adhesive tab 10 and in part on the flexible sheet 5, ensures the integrity of the package 1 until the first time it is opened.
Indeed, after the first time the package 1 is opened, through partial detachment of the adhesive tab 10 from the parallelepiped pile, the seal 10b is torn, generally it is split into at least two portions, with consequent clear warning to the consumer that it has already been opened.
In an alternative embodiment, the package according to the present invention can comprise a tamper-proof seal formed directly from the adhesive tab 10.
In this last case, a small portion of the tab itself is defined through a punched weakened line. At the moment of first opening, the adhesive tab divides along such a weakened line tearing into two portions, the smaller of which, i.e. the tamper-proof seal, remains on the wrapper.
In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a package 11, which shall hereafter be described with reference to figures 3 and 4.
The package 11 comprises a wrapper including a sheet of card 16 in contact with the side wall 13a of a pile or pack 13 of biscuits 12 juxtaposed to each other and a flexible sheet 15 of plastic material for food enveloped around the pile 13 of biscuits covered on the side by the card 16.
As shown in the figures, the card 16 is corrugated, with it nevertheless being possible to provide, in the package according to the present invention, a layer of plain card, in contact with the pile of biscuits.
In such a wrapper, at a predetermined distance from one of the opposite ends 14, 14a of the pile 13 of' biscuits 12, for example from the end 14, a slot 17 for dispensing/taking out individual biscuits 12 is formed, extending transversally for a portion at least equal to, and preferably slightly greater than, the width of a biscuit, and having a longitudinal width at least equal to the thickness of a packaged biscuit.
According to the invention, at a predetermined distance from the end 14 of the pile of biscuits, a strip-shaped portion 18 of the wrapper (consisting of the flexible sheet 15 and the underlying corrugated card 16), extending transversally to close off the slot, is precut on just three sides, the fourth uncut side 19 preferably extending longitudinally with respect to the pile.
In particular, according to a preferred embodiment, such a strip-shaped portion 18 comprises a first strip-shaped portion 18a precut on three sides, along a first cut line 19a, formed from the flexible sheet 15 and having a greater longitudinal width than a second strip-shaped portion 18b precut on three sides, along a second cut line 19b, formed from the corrugated card 16.
Again preferably, also along the transversal direction the first strip-shaped portion 18a is larger in size than the second strip-shaped portion 18b.
In accordance with a further characteristic of the invention, the package 11 comprises gripping means 20 associated with such a first strip-shaped portion 18a.
Advantageously, such gripping means consist of a tab 20, equipped with glue on the lower side, applied on the first strip-shaped portion 18a and having greater dimensions (length and width) than such a first strip-shaped portion 18a,
Preferably, a portion of such a tab 20 corresponds to the portion lying over the first strip-shaped portion 18a is provided with permanent glue, the remaining portion being equipped with glue of the suitable type to ensure repeated opening/ closing operations of the package 11,
An initial portion 20a of the tab 20 that, on the side opposite the non-precut side 19, does not cover such a first strip-shaped portion 18a, lacks glue and constitutes a valid grip of the tab 20 during such opening/ closing operations of the package 11.
In particular, with the opening of the package 11 the slot 17 for dispensing/taking out the biscuits 12 is obtained, whereas when dispensing has been completed, the first strip-shaped portion 18a can be reapplied to close off the slot 17, obviously in concomitance with the underlying second strip-shaped portion 18a, thanks to the presence of the adhesive layer on the lower side of the tag 20.
Even more specifically, once a biscuit has been removed from the package 1.1, another biscuit 12 goes in front of the slot 17, biased by the weight of the pile of remaining biscuits. This new biscuit can in turn be taken out, or else the strip-shaped portion 18 of' wrapper can be reclosed on it through the adhesive tab 20, as described above.
Advantageously, the flexible sheet 15, which is preferably a sheet of polypropylene, or of polyethylene, or a palyethylene-palypropylene combination, is welded longitudinally and sealed at the opposite ends 14, 14a of the pile 13 of biscuits, to constitute the opposite bases of the package 11.
As far as the slot 17 is concerned, it is preferably formed close to one of the ends of the package 11, i.e. close to one of the aforementioned bases of the package with a predetermined width corresponding more or less to the thickness of four biscuits.
Again advantageously, the aforementioned first and second strip- shaped portion 18a, 18b can be coupled together, for example firmly attached together through permanent glue; alternatively, and in any case not compromising the functionality of the package 11 according to the present invention, they can be not firmly attached, in other words separate from each other as shown in figure 4.
Indeed, since the second strip-shaped portion 18b is precut, access to the product is in any case ensured following the detachment of the adhesive tab, even when there is no firm attachment that makes such first and second strip- shaped portion 18a, 18b integral with each other.
Furthermore, in accordance with a further preferred characteristic of the present invention, the package 11 comprises a tamper-proof seal 30 applied only partially on the tab 20.
Such a seal 30, in the example of the figures represented by a small tag or adhesive tab, being equipped with permanent glue and being positioned straddling the adhesive tab 20 and the flexible sheet 15, ensures the integrity of the package 11 until it is first opened.
Indeed, after the first time the package 11 is opened, through partial detachment of the adhesive tab 20 from the pile of biscuits, the seal 30 is tom and split into two portions, with consequent clear warning to the consumer that it has already been opened.
In an alternative embodiment, the package according to the present invention can comprise a tamper-proof seal formed directly from the adhesive tab 20.
In this last case, a small portion of the tab itself is defined through a punched weakened line. At the moment of first opening, the adhesive tab divides along such a weakened line tearing into two portions, the smaller of which, i.e. the tamper-proof seal, remains on the wrapper.
The main advantage of the package according to the invention lies in the high mechanical strength of the package, thanks to the support of the card that, in closed state, integrally surrounds the side faces of the pile of biscuits, even where the slot for taking out-dispensing biscuits extends.
A further advantage of the package according to the invention lies in the possibility of ensuring perfect closing of the package, also after the first time it is opened. Such a possibility is ensured by the combination of card, flexible sheet, adhesive tab, arranged to close off the slot for dispensing/taking out. The presence of the card, indeed, makes the package rigid even as the amount of product contained decreases, allowing an always optimal adhesion of the adhesive tab to the flexible sheet and thus the optimal reclosing of the slot with total protection of the product from the effect of atmospheric agents,
Moreover, the strip-shaped portion of the wrapper, comprising the corrugated card, ensures that the glue of the outer tab does not come into direct contact with the food product at the moment of reclosing of the package,
It should be understood that a man skilled in the art can make numerous variants to the package for food products according to the invention to satisfy special and contingent requirements, all of which are covered by the scope of protection of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

Claims

Package for a plurality of rigid food products (2) with substantially flattened profile, such as biscuits, rusks and similar polygonal-shaped food products, juxtaposed to each other to form a substantially prismatic pile (3) including at least three side faces (3a) extending between opposite polygonal ends (4, 4a), comprising a wrapper which exhibits a sheet of card (6) in contact with said side faces (3a) and a flexible sheet (5) of plastic material for food enveloped around said prismatic pile (3) covered at the side by the card (6) and a slot (7) for dispensing-taking out products (2) extending transversally formed from said wrapper (5, 6), characterised in that said wrapper comprises, to close off said slot, a strip-shaped portion (8) defined by a weakened tear-away punched line (9), extending on three sides of said strip-shaped portion (8), the fourth non-punched side being substantially parallel to the longitudinal corners (3b) of said side faces (3a), gripping means (10) being associated with the side of said strip-shaped portion (8), opposite the non-punched side (9a), to tear it away along said weakened line (9), obtaining said slot (7).
Package according to claim 1, characterised in that said gripping means (10) consist of a tab equipped with glue.
Package according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said slot (7) extends transversally on at least the entire width of at least one side face (3a) of said side wall (3a) of said prismatic pile (3).
Package according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that said flexible sheet (5) of plastic material for foods is welded longitudinally and sealed at said polygonal opposite ends (4, 4a),
Package according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that said food products (2) are regular polygon-shaped.
Package according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that said slot (7) has a longitudinal width greater than or equal to the thickness of four of said food products (2).
Package according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that said slot (7) is equidistant from said polygonal ends (4, 4a) of said prismatic pile (3).
Package for a plurality of rigid food products (2) with substantially flattened profile, such as biscuits, rusks and similar polygonal-shaped food products, juxtaposed to each other to form a prismatic pile (3) enveloped in a wrapper (5, 6), said prismatic pile (3) including at least three side faces (3a) extending between opposite polygonal ends (4, 4a), characterised in that said wrapper comprises a sheet of card (6) in contact with said side faces (3a) and a flexible sheet (5) of plastic material for foods enveloped around said prismatic pile (3) covered by corrugated card (6), welded longitudinally and sealed at the opposite ends (4, 4a), in which, at a predetermined distance from at least one of said ends (4, 4a), in said wrapper (5, 6) a strip-shaped portion (8) is formed, defined by a punched line (9) extending on at least three sides thereof, the fourth non-punched side (9a) being parallel to the corners (3b) of said side faces (3a), said strip-shaped portion (8) extending on at least the entire width of at least one side face (3a) and having a width at least equal to the thickness of four of said food products (2), and in which an adhesive tab (10), having a greater width and length than those of said strip-shaped portion (8), is simultaneously applied onto said strip-shaped portion (8) and onto said wrapper (5, 6), an initial portion (10a) of said tab (10) lacking glue to constitute a grip for the detachment of the tab (10) and the simultaneous pulling away of said strip-shaped portion (8) from the wrapper (5, 6) to form a slot (7) for dispensing-taking out said food products (2) and to reposition said strip-shaped portion (8) and said tab (10) to close off said slot (7),
Package (11) for a plurality of biscuits (12) and similar rigid food products with substantially flattened profile, juxtaposed to each other to form a pile or pack (13) of biscuits comprising a wrapper which exhibits a sheet of card (16) in contact with the said side wall (13a) of said pile (13) of biscuits and a flexible sheet (15) of plastic material for food enveloped around said pile (13) of biscuits covered at the side by the card (16) and a slot (17) for dispensing-taking out biscuits extending transversally formed from said wrapper (15, 16), characterised in that said wrapper comprises, to close off said slot, a strip-shaped portion (18), extending transversally, precut on just three sides, the fourth non-precut side (19) extending substantially in the longitudinal direction with respect to the pile (13), gripping means (20) being associated with the side of said strip-shaped portion opposite the non-precut side (19), for the partial detachment thereof from the pile (13) of biscuits, obtaining said slot (17).
Package according to claim 9, characterised in that said strip-shaped portion (18) comprises a first strip-shaped portion (18a) formed from said flexible sheet (15) having a greater longitudinal width than a second strip-shaped portion (18b) formed from said card (16).
Package according to claim 10, characterised in that said first strip-shaped portion (18a) has a greater transversal size than said second strip-shaped portion (18b).
Package according to claim 10, characterised in that said first and second strip-shaped portion (18a, 18b) are firmly attached together.
Package according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that it comprises a tamper-proof seal (10b, 30) only in part positioned on, and firmly attached to, said gripping means (10, 20).
Package according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that it comprises a tamper-proof seal formed in said gripping means (10, 20) and defined in them through a punched weakened line.
Package according to claim 13, characterised in that said tamper-proof seal (10c, 30) is a tag or tab equipped with permanent glue.
Package according to claim 9, characterised in that said biscuits (12) are polygon shaped.
Package according to claim 9, characterised in that said biscuits are substantially round shaped.
Package according to claim 9, characterised in that said flexible sheet (15) of plastic material for foods is welded longitudinally and sealed at the opposite ends (14, 14a) of said pile (13) of biscuits.
Package according to claim 9, characterised in that said slot (17) is formed close to one of said opposite ends (14, 14a) of' said pile (13) of biscuits.
Package according to claim 9, characterised in that said slot (17) extends transversally to said wrapper for a portion at least equal to the width of a biscuit (12) and longitudinally to said wrapper for a portion of a width greater than or equal to the thickness of four biscuits (12).