EP1764312A1

EP1764312A1 - Fruit and vegetable produce packaging

Info

Publication number: EP1764312A1
Application number: EP05380201A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Javier c/o Seinec S.A. Lopez Fernandez
Original assignee: Seinec SA
Current assignee: Seinec SA
Priority date: 2005-09-16
Filing date: 2005-09-16
Publication date: 2007-03-21

Abstract

A packaging for fruit, vegetables or dried fruits and nuts comprises a base receptacle (2), in a rigid material, an enclosing netting (3), and a carrying handle (20) joined to the side walls of the base receptacle (2). The mesh (3) is joined to the base receptacle (2) in an area (5) adjacent to the edges (6) of the latter, for example through heat-welding (4), adhesion, "hot melt" or a similar technique. The enclosing netting (3) and the base receptacle (2) are joined to each other, defining a single space in which to hold and confine the fruit and vegetable produce (22) contained in the packaging (1). The produce (22) is perfectly contained, without the possibility of relative displacement of the base receptacle (2) in relation to the netting (3) or of being loose between the latter and the base receptacle.

Description

Technical sector of the invention

The invention refers to a packaging for fruit and vegetable produce, of the type comprising a base of a rigid material and enclosing netting.

Background of the invention

Various ways of manufacturing basket-shaped packaging for fruit and vegetable produce are known, comprising a base tray, which receives and holds the fruit, vegetables, or dried fruits and nuts and for example, and which is enveloped in confining means such as for example a small mesh made of netting, or a continuous wrap in a transparent material such as cellophane, paper or see-through plastic.
Traditionally, the netting or the cellophane, paper, or plastic wrap completely surrounds the base tray and must be broken in order to access the packaging's contents, thus destroying the means of confinement. Moreover, in the case of a continuous cellophane, paper or plastic wrap, it must be perforated in order to allow the contents to be able to breathe and transpire.
In any event, these basket-type containers are also awkward in that the base tray and netting or wrap are usually separate and the package's contents can move within the space remaining between the base tray and the netting or wrap, making product stowage and presentation more difficult and inconveniencing the consumer.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel packaging of this type that, in addition to resolving the abovementioned problem, affords other advantages in relation to traditionally known containers, such as the use of fewer raw materials, and the possibility of packaging the produce and configuring the packaging in a continuous fashion.

Explanation of the invention

To this effect, the object of the present invention is a novel packaging for fruit and vegetable produce, of the type consisting of a base receptacle made of a rigid material, and enclosing netting, which is essentially characterised by the fact that it comprises means of joining the netting to the base receptacle in an area adjoining the latter's edges, in such a way that the enclosing netting and the base receptacle are joined without a continuous wrap solution, defining a single space in which to hold and confine the fruit or vegetable contents, without the possibility of relative displacement of the base receptacle in relation to the netting.
According to another of the invention's characteristics, the base receptacle is made of a flexible and rigid material comprising a base, and sides attached to the base through folds in the material itself, with folds at the corners in order to reinforce the base receptacle.
The packaging is equipped with a handle, consisting of a strip of material, joined to the side walls of the base receptacle.
Preferably, although not exclusively, the means of joining these elements is through heat-welding.
Preferably, the folds are achieved through a "French pleat" made at the ends of a section of tubular fabric comprising a central area of netting and two ends of the base's material whose edges are joined in a welding line. Thus, the folds are those of a French pleat, in which one longitudinal part of the material, from end to end, of the tubular fabric, is introduced within the cylinder defined by said tubular fabric, with the folds arranged in substantially diametrical opposition in relation to the closed configuration of the tubular fabric.

Summarised description of the drawings

The attached drawings show by way of illustration but not limitation, the preferred, although not exclusive, method of realising the packaging for fruit and vegetable produce that is the object of the present invention. In said drawings:

Fig. 1: is a view in perspective, from above, of a way of realising the packaging of the invention; and
Fig. 2: is a view in perspective, from below, of the packaging shown in Fig. 1.

Detailed description of the drawings

In said drawings, it can be seen that the packaging 1 in the shape of a basket for fruit and vegetable produce 22, such as for example fruit, vegetables, or dried fruits and nuts, consists of a base receptacle 2, of a rigid material, enclosing netting 3, and a carrying handle 20, joined to the side walls of the base receptacle 2.
The netting 3 is joined to the base receptacle 2 in an area 5 adjacent to the edges 6 of the latter, for example through heat-welding 4, adhesion, "hot melt" or an equivalent technique. The enclosing netting 3 and the base receptacle 2 are joined without a continuous wrap solution, defining a single space in which to hold and confine the fruit and vegetable produce 22 contained inside the packaging 1. The produce 22 is perfectly contained, without the possibility of relative displacement of the base 2 with respect to the netting 3 or of being loose between the latter and the base.
The base receptacle 2 is made of a flexible and rigid material and comprises a base 7 and sides 8-11, joined to the base 7 through folds 12 - 15 in the material itself, configuring a packaging 1 that is essentially parallelepiped. The receptacle 2 has at the edges of its sides 8-11 corresponding reinforcing folds 16-19 that help to maintain the base 7 essentially flat and to ensure sufficiently rigid side walls 8 - 11, providing consistency and stability to the ensemble.
Preferably, the container is achieved on the basis of a section of tubular fabric, consisting of a central longitudinal part of the fabric of which the netting is made 3 and two ends of the material of which the base 3 is made, joined to the central part by heat-welding 4 in area 5. The opposite edges of the ends are joined in a welding line 21.
On the basis of this section of tubular fabric, so called "English pleats" are made at the ends, by introducing within the cylinder defined by said tubular fabric, the ends facing against the closed configuration.
In this way, the folds 16 - 19 of the packaging 1 are the folds of an "English pleat", in which a longitudinal part of the material, from end to end, of the section of tubular fabric, is introduced within the cylinder defined by said tubular fabric, with such folds arranged in substantially diametrical opposition in relation to the closed configuration of the tubular fabric.
Various prototypes made by the inventor have shown that the present invention allows to ensure a packaging 1 with sufficient rigidity that, having an essentially parallelepiped shape, is capable of accommodating small variations in shape to adapt to the shape of adjacent packagings 1 of the same type during storage. In addition, it provides a low-cost container that can be very easily handled by users. Moreover, packaging 1 can be manufactured and filled using conventional machines, with no requirement other than having to make the relevant modifications.
Having sufficiently described the nature of the present invention, and the way of realising it, we note that insofar as its basic principle is not modified, altered or changed it is subject to variations in detail.

Claims

Packaging (1) for fruit and vegetable produce, of the type consisting of a base receptacle (2), of a rigid material, and an enclosing netting (3), characterised in that it comprises means (4) for attaching the netting (3) to the base receptacle (2) in an area (5) adjacent to the edges (6) of the latter, all of the above in such a way that the enclosing mesh and the base receptacle are joined without a continuous wrap solution, defining a single space for holding and confining the fruit and vegetable produce (22) contained within the packaging.
Packaging (1) for fruit and vegetable produce, according to claim 1, characterised in that the base receptacle (2) is made of a flexible and rigid material and comprises a base (7) and sides (8 - 11), joined to the base (7) through the corresponding folds (12 - 15) in the material itself, and provided at its edges with reinforcing folds (16 - 19) to stabilise the base receptacle (2).
Packaging (1) for fruit and vegetable produce, according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that it comprises a handle (20), consisting of a strip of material joined to the side walls of the base receptacle (2).
Packaging (1) for fruit and vegetable produce, according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that the means of attachment consists of heat-welding (4).
Packaging (1) for fruit and vegetable produce, according to claim 2, characterised in that the folds (16 - 19) are those of an "English pleat", in which a longitudinal part of the material, from end to end, of the tubular fabric, is introduced within the cylinder defined by said tubular fabric, with such pleats arranged in substantially diametrical opposition in relation to the closed configuration of the tubular fabric.