EP1773681A1

EP1773681A1 - Package for confectionery product

Info

Publication number: EP1773681A1
Application number: EP05793671A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sébastien Lamour; Cédric Peiffer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: EVOO
Priority date: 2004-08-03
Filing date: 2005-08-02
Publication date: 2007-04-18
Also published as: US20080299338A1; WO2006024774A1; CA2576713A1; CN1993274A; FR2874002A1; FR2874002B1

Abstract

The invention concerns a package (32) for a food product (10), such as a confectionery product which is wrapped in a rectangular band (14) of material which is wound around the product. The invention is characterized in that the package comprises: an outer sleeve (32) including an upper foil (36) and a lower foil (32) assembled together by a rear vertical back (38), and which extend respectively facing the opposite surfaces of the product; and means (50, 80, 82) for retaining the product (10) inside the sleeve (32). The packaging sleeve advantageously constitutes an advertising medium.

Description

"Packaging for a confectionery item"

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a packaging of a food product, in particular of rectangular parallelepiped general shape such as a square of chocolate, or of an individual confectionery article such as a candy, a biscuit, a madeleine or a bar.

The invention is also applicable to other individualized and packaged food products such as salted products.

STATE OF THE ART The invention thus relates to a packaging for a food product distributed in the general public, more particularly in cafes, brasseries and hotels to accompany the coffees served by these traders.

The food product of this type most commonly distributed, free of charge with each cup of coffee, is an individual chocolate square accompanying a so-called "espresso" coffee, the packaging of which usually comprises a first food contact sheet that completely protects the chocolate square. , and whose external appearance is usually metallized or shiny, and an outer shell called "chocolate ring".

The outer ring consists of a longitudinal strip of rectangular shape of a material which is most often a rectangular sheet of paper and which, in the manufacturing and packaging process, is wrapped around the square of chocolate with its sheet of paper. food contact and which is then closed by gluing an area of the back of the band on a portion vis-à-vis the recto it covers.

The ring-shaped band thus perfectly matches the shape of the food product, and in particular the rectangular parallelepiped shape of the chocolate, and its primary function is to keep the chocolate packaged in the first food contact sheet, avoiding any unwanted unpacking and for second function , to include on its front, that is to say on its face visible by the consumer, certain information such as for example the name of recovery which distributes the chocolates and other indications concerning the composition of the chocolate and its origin. The opening of the packaging for consumption is a particularly delicate operation requiring some dexterity of the consumer, in particular to allow him to catch any part of the ring to open it. In all cases, the opening results in tearing the ring.

Although disposable packaging disposable, and in addition to the difficulty of use, the destruction of the ring for the opening of the package makes its use unsuitable for the effective dissemination of messages perennial advertising on its faces, and in particular on its front and back, while such a paper support is an important vector for the dissemination of advertising messages given the large amount of products concerned and the type of consumer target that it can help to aim.

The invention also relates to a so-called "flow-pack" packaging commonly used in the field of the distribution of various food products, in particular confectionery articles.

This type of packaging and especially used for the distribution of chocolate squares mentioned above, biscuits called "speculos" or other items such as madeleines, nougats, etc.. which must be kept individually in a sealed package.

Like the packaging ring mentioned above, a "flow-pack" type packaging consists of a rectangular sheet of flexible material which is wrapped around the product, for example around the chocolate square or the madeleine, and which is closed by heat-sealing two zones opposite opposite longitudinal ends of the strip or sheet of material which is generally a sheet or film of plastic material, transparent or opaque. In the case of the paper ring mentioned above, the closure of the paper sheet is ensured by gluing while, in the present case of the "flow-pack", the closure is provided on the one hand by heat sealing of the two sections of paper. opposite longitudinal end of the strip, but also by heat sealing the opposite horizontal edges, top and bottom, of the strip so as to constitute a sealed package. Packaging in the form of a "flow-pack" envelope is very important in the field of confectionery. Indeed, in addition to packaging chocolate squares or cookies, many chocolate bars or the like are thus packaged, individually or in multiple copies, for distribution.

This distribution is for example provided in vending machines of the type in which each unit product, or group of products, is inserted between two consecutive turns of a helical worm wire wound. The structure of the packaging and the good behavior of the product or products in the envelope are crucial for the proper functioning of such a dispenser. In addition, each dispensed product undergoes a significant vertical drop after its release from the screw which may damage it. Whatever the application, the band of flexible material of the package "flow-pack" has the same difficulties of opening as those mentioned above and is not suited to advertising communication.

It is also noted that a candy wrapped in "papillote" in a strip of material such as paper has the same characteristics as a product packaged under "flow-pack", that is to say that its foil has two parts "flat" "end on both sides of the candy.

In all these examples of packaging, the strip of material wound around the product is closed at least in two longitudinal end regions, high and low, and which is for example closed by fixing, especially by bonding or heat sealing, two zones vis-à-vis the two longitudinal ends, high and low, of the band. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to remedy these drawbacks, the invention proposes a packaging of a food product, such as a chocolate square, or a confectionery article such as a candy, a biscuit or a bar, which is packaged in a strip rectangular material which is wound around the product and which is closed at least in two longitudinal end regions, high and low, of the strip, characterized in that the packaging comprises: an outer jacket, made of rigid or semi-rigid material, comprising an upper sheet and a lower sheet interconnected by a rear vertical back, and which respectively extend facing opposite faces of the product; and means for retaining the product inside the liner.

According to other features of the invention:

- said retaining means are constituted by at least a portion of the liner (32); said retaining means comprise at least one retaining tab which extends horizontally from the free vertical front edge of the lower sheet of the liner inside the liner and towards the rear to cooperate with a complementary part wrapped product to retain the product; the retaining tongue is centered vertically with respect to the vertical front edge of the lower sheet of the liner;

said retaining means comprise at least two retaining flaps, top and bottom, which extend horizontally from the free vertical front edge of the bottom sheet, inside the liner and towards the rear, and which extend respectively opposite high and low parts of the product packaging to frame between the two components;

- The two up and down flaps are two high and low stops vertically retaining the product packaged inside the shirt;

the product wrapping sheet extends upwards and downwards, beyond the upper and lower ends of the product, by high and low extensions each of which is at least partially covered by a retaining flap, high and low respectively; - The wrapped product has a vertical slot, and in that the retaining tongue extends horizontally through the slot;

- The slot is closed at least at one of its two vertical ends to cooperate with a horizontal edge vis-à-vis the retaining tab; the slot is closed at its two opposite vertical ends, and in that the width of the tongue is substantially equal to the height of the slot; - The upper sheet has a vertical fold which divides it into two inclined faces so as to give the shirt a prism shape with triangular section;

the liner comprises complementary means for locking the liner in the closed position;

- The shirt is made in one piece of rigid or semi-rigid material cut and folded, including cardboard or cardboard cut and folded.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Other features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic top view of a first embodiment of a package according to the teachings of the invention which is shown in closed position in association with an individual square of chocolate packed in a ring;

- Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the square of chocolate contained in the packaging of Figure 1; FIG. 3 is a view from above illustrating the packaging of FIG. 1 in its unfolded or deployed initial state;

- Figure 4 is a view similar to the previous one on which the packaging is shown in the open position with the square of chocolate in position retained by the tongue according to the invention; - Figure 5 is an end view of the bottom according to the arrow F5 of Figure 4 and on which there is also shown in silhouette the packaging in the closed position;

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a product packaged according to the "flow-pack" technique and illustrated in association with a retaining tab;

- Figure 7 is a schematic sectional view along the line 7-7 of Figure 6; and

- Figures 8 and 9 are views similar to those of Figures 3 and 4 which illustrate another embodiment of the packaging according to the invention; - Figures 10 and 11 are views similar to those of Figures 8 and 9 which further illustrate another embodiment of the packaging according to the invention;

- Figure 12 is an end view of the packaged product shown in Figure 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES In the following description, identical, similar or analogous components will be designated by the same references.

By way of non-limiting example, in order to facilitate the understanding of the description, the claims and the drawings, the terms vertical, upper, lower, horizontal, longitudinal, transverse with reference to the trihedron V, L, T indicated in FIGS. FIGS.

FIG. 2 shows a first packaged food product 10 of generally rectangular parallelepiped shape, which here is an individual square of chocolate 12 which is surrounded by a packing ring 14.

For reasons of simplification, the individual chocolate 12 is represented without its first food-contact type packaging sheet and is thus in the form of a simple rectangular parallelepiped delimited by two large lower square faces 16 and upper 18, two large lateral faces and opposite left 20 and right 22, and two small opposite side faces 24 and 26. The packing ring 14 consists of a strip, for example paper, of generally rectangular shape which is wrapped around the main faces lower 16 and upper 18 and lateral 24 and 26 of the square of chocolate.

According to a known design not shown in detail, the strip 14 is delimited laterally by two parallel and opposite longitudinal edges 28 and 30 and by two transverse outer and outer end edges which overlap so as to constitute two mutual zones of overlapping closure and bonding, generally substantially over the entire overlap area.

The product 10, of known general design, thus offers the possibility, used in the context of the present invention, of sliding horizontally a tongue-like object under the band or ring 14, and for example from left to right under the band 14 and above the upper face 18.

As can be seen in particular in Figures 1, and 3 to 5, the packaging 32 according to the invention is in the form of a jacket which is for example made by cutting and folding a lightweight carton so, in the closed position illustrated in particular in Figure 1, to give it the form of a "folder" for housing for example the individual square of chocolate 10, 12 shown in Figure 2.

The outer jacket 32 thus comprises a lower sheet 34, on the left considering the figures, and a top sheet 36 on the right which are interconnected by an intermediate vertical back 38.

More specifically, and by convention, the rectangular lower sheet 34 is delimited longitudinally or horizontally, along the axis L of the trihedron, by a free vertical front edge 40 and a rear vertical edge 42, while the rectangular top sheet

36 is delimited by a rear free vertical edge 44 and a front vertical edge 46, the edges 42 and 46 delimiting between them the vertical back 38 which, in the folded and closed position of the packaging as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5, constitutes the edge rear right of conditioning 32.

In order to facilitate the folding closure of the jacket constituting the package 32, the parallel vertical edges 42 and 46 are preferably marked in the form of pleats.

The liner 32 is generally vertically bounded by two top 33 and bottom 35 horizontal edges which extend between opposite free vertical edges 40 and 44.

According to the teachings of the invention, in a centered manner vertically along the front free edge 40, the lower sheet 34 is extended horizontally forwards by a tongue 50 for retaining the product 10.

The tongue 50 is made integrally in one piece by cutting and folding with the jacket 32. The tongue 50 is delimited vertically by two high horizontal edges 52 and bottom 54 which extend from the vertical edge O

front free end 55 of the tongue 50 to the front vertical free end edge 40 of the lower sheet 34.

Near the edge 40, the retaining tab 50 has a marked fold 56 of vertical orientation. As can be seen in Figures 1, 4 and 5, the dimensions of the retaining tab 50 are such that they allow the introduction of the tongue 50 under the strip 14 and along the upper face 18 of the chocolate 12.

As can be seen in Figures 4 and 5, the product 1 0 is then housed above the inner face 37 of the lower sheet 34 with its lower face 16 adjacent to the inner face 37. Depending on the positioning of the product the retaining tongue 50 is adjacent to the upper face 18 or the lower face 16 of the product 1 0.

Due to the dimensions of the tongue 50 and the product 10, the latter is retained in the jacket 32. The product 10 is retained in the vertical direction V to the extent that its opposite horizontal edges 52 and 54 are received inside. of the band 14, practically without play, thus opposing any vertical movement of the product 10 inside the jacket 32. In the closed position of the shirt and as can be seen in particular in Figure 1 and in silhouette in Figure 5, the product 10 is retained in both directions horizontally to the left and to the right, firstly by the vertical strip 57 of the tongue 50 delimited by the edges 55 and 40 and, secondly, by the inner face 39 of the vertical back 38.

Finally, the product 10 is retained in the direction T inside the closed jacket 32 to the extent that it is sandwiched between the lower sheets 34 and 36 with its lower face 16 adjacent to the inner face 37; its upper face 18 is facing the inner face 41 of the upper sheet 36.

By way of non-limiting example, and according to another characteristic of the invention, there is also shown in the figures means for maintaining or "lock" the jacket 32 in the closed position. These locking means are for example also made integrally in one piece by cutting and folding with the jacket 32 and here comprises a central rear locking lug 58 whose opposite high 60 and low 62 ends are respectively received in high slots 64 and low 66 formed vis-à-vis along the front edge 40 in association with two "latches" at 68 and bottom 70. The latches 68 and 70 are shaped to facilitate locking and unlocking for opening.

In addition to its function of protecting the product 10, the packaging formed by the jacket 32 constitutes an ideal advertising medium, in particular by its large surface area. The product is perfectly maintained inside the jacket and this practically without clearance because of the pinch effect resulting from the closure of the jacket 32, especially when the latter has locking means in the closed position.

The messages with advertising content may appear not only on the inner back of the jacket 32 constituted by the internal faces 37, 39 and 41 (here represented by the letters V), but of course also and preferably on the outer face of the shirt 32 constituted by the outer faces 37 ', 39' and 41 'of the shirt 32 (here represented by the letters R). Advantageously, the jacket 32 is after use (that is to say after opening for consumption of the product 10), an advertising medium that the consumer can keep.

The surface or area available for messages with advertising content is much larger than that constituted by the surface or area of the packaging strip 14.

In addition, the choice of materials available for the shirt 32 makes the prints much easier to implement by offering unlimited creative possibilities. It is also particularly advantageous to be able to use a standard or neutral product, that is to say not having any particular advertising message other than the brand of its manufacturer and its food composition, in association with a personalized packaging shirt 32. , especially according to an advertising campaign.

The tongue 50 with its two opposite inner and outer faces also constitutes an additional advertising surface. When the product is not perfectly parallelepipedal, for example curved such as a candy, a madeleine or a nougat, it is possible to provide a cut for example in the upper sheet, and / or lower and / or to conform the central portion of this curved form sheet complementary to the product.

This is possible in particular if the jacket is made of plastic sheet molded by thermoforming. In the case where a cut is used, it can ensure by itself the retention of the product in the jacket. FIG. 6 schematically shows a product 10 packaged in a "flow-pack" type packaging.

The product 10 is here, for example, a rectangular individual chocolate square or a flat rectangular biscuit such as a speculos (not visible in FIG. 6). The packaging of the product is constituted here, in known manner, by a strip or sheet 14 of flexible material, for example a transparent or opaque plastic sheet whose sealing is provided by thermoforming or heat sealing.

A central portion 72 of similar general shape and complementary to that of the product that it houses, for example parallelepipedal rectangle similar to that of the individual chocolate contained inside, and two parts of high ends 74 and low 76 are thus delimited. "without thickness".

The sealing technique of the packaging 10 is such that it results, in particular in the central part 72, in the formation of a covering 78 delimiting a slot in which, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 6, it is it is possible to introduce at least one free end section delimited by the vertical edge 55 of a retaining tongue 50 similar to that described above. This possibility is also illustrated schematically in the sectional view of FIG.

Due to the heat sealing closure of the high end 74 and low 76 portions, the slot (under the cover 78) in which the retaining tab 50 is received is also closed at its two opposite vertical ends.

Such a product 10 with its packaging "flow-pack" can be put in place and retained in a packaging jacket 32 of the type described and shown with reference to Figures 1 to 5, in the same way that a chocolate with its ring.

Whether it is a chocolate with a ring or a chocolate in a "flow-pack" package, the retaining tab 50 can extend "above" the upper face 18 of the product 10 "covering" the latter as illustrated in the figures or, as a variant not shown, extend "below" the lower face 16 of the product 10, that is to say that there is then the thickness of the paper of the ring or the "flow-pack" packaging 14 between the tongue 50 and the inner face 37 of the lower sheet 34.

According to a variant not shown, the retaining tongue 50 can extend over the entire height of the vertical front edge 40 and thus having the same height as the lower sheets 34 and upper 36, while the product 10 then protrudes upwards and downwards. downwards beyond the edges 33 and 35, the locking means in the closed position can also intervene at the right edges facing 56 and 44.

According to yet another variant not shown, the retaining tongue is not centered in the vertical edge 40 but can be shifted up or down.

In the case of a "flow-pack" packaging, the packaging jacket is rigid and homogeneous which greatly facilitates the introduction and distribution of this type of products in the screw-type automatic distributors mentioned above. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, to further increase the "advertising" area and especially better maintain or hold the product, here packaged in a pack "flow-pack", it can achieve two high 80 and low 82 (come from material by cutting and folding) which - in position of the product 10 inside the jacket 32 - extend opposite the upper end portions 74 and lower 76 "without thickness" of the sheet 14 of packaging which envelops the product made of chocolate 12.

The dimensions of the different cutouts are such that the high side faces 86 and 88 of the bottom product 12 are received, virtually without play, between the edges facing low 90 and high 92 of the flaps 80 and 82 respectively. This design with two retaining flaps allows if necessary, especially if no slot is available or if the slot is not closed at its two opposite vertical ends to ensure the retention of the product. This design with two high and low shutters 80, 82 is also particularly suitable for the packaging of "non-flat" products, that is to say of generally convex shape such as candies, nougats, madeleines, etc..

Another embodiment modified for this purpose is illustrated in Figures 10 and following, here for the packaging of a small madeleine contained in a packaging type "flow-pack".

Insofar as the packaged product is a product of left-hand form in volume and of more or less variable contour, that is to say not regular like a square of parallelepiped chocolate rectangle, the shirt 32 of conditioning is first of all modified in that its upper sheet 36 is divided or divided into two sections 36a and 36b which are separated by a vertical fold 94 so as to be able to conform the upper face 36 folded inverted V, as can be seen in Figure 12 and therefore the jacket 32 into a product of generally triangular section.

The general polyhedral shape or prism triangular section of the jacket 32 can accommodate a product of various shapes and voluminous while retaining all the benefits inherent in the invention, including those relating to the maintenance or the retention of the product in the shirt 32.

For this purpose, the edges 90 and 92 of the cutouts defining the flaps 80 and 82 and the tab 50 are V-shaped opposite with the concave internal parts of the two capital letters V facing as can be seen in Figure 10. As can be seen in Figure 1 1, this allows to house the packaged product in its "flow-pack" between the two cuts 90 and 92 and therefore between the two flaps 80 and 82 easily and in such a way that the free ends 81 and 83 of the flaps 80 and 82 provide a "clamp" effect retaining even more the product. The cut constituted by the two opposed V edges 90 and

92 is thus globally complementary to the periphery of the shape of the product to be housed and conditioned. The bottoms of the two "V" also cooperate advantageously with the serrated edges of the "flow-pack" (illustrated in Figure 6) which then constitute retaining notches received in the bottoms of the "V". The length according to "L" of the two flaps 80 and 82 is preferably sufficiently large for when folding in a triangle and the closure of the jacket "force" the flaps to extend across, ie not parallel to the lower sheet 34.

Thus, the retaining means constituted by the shutters 80 and 82 prevent a user from trying to extract the product vertically according to "V" by forcing him to open the folder, which is particularly important when the folder 32 comprises a message on the back.

In this embodiment, the locking tab 58 is received in a locking slot 64 formed in the fold 40 corresponding to the leading edge.

The locking tab 58 extends longitudinally outwardly by a gripping lug 59 which facilitates the opening of the packaging for unfolding and access to the product it contains.

In all the embodiments that have been illustrated and described, the "flat" folder is generally rectangular in outline.

Alternatively, it is of course possible to give it other forms so that once the product packaged with the shirt, it has an original shape, for example the shape of a roller.

Similarly, the section of the shirt with several sides of its upper sheet is not limited to a triangle, but can be of any polygonal shape adapted to the product to be packaged.

Claims

1. Packaging (32) a food product (10), such as a chocolate square (12), or a confectionery item such as a candy, a biscuit or a bar, which is packaged in a rectangular strip Material (14) which is wrapped around the product and which is closed at least in two longitudinal, high and low end regions of the web, characterized in that the package comprises:

- an outer jacket (32) comprising an upper sheet (36) and a lower sheet (34) interconnected by a rear vertical back (38), and which respectively extend opposite opposite faces of the product;

and means (50, 80, 82) for retaining the product (10) inside the jacket (32).

2. Packaging according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said retaining means (50, 80, 82) are constituted by at least a portion of the liner (32).

3. Packaging according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said retaining means comprise at least one retaining tab (50) extending horizontally from the front free vertical edge (40) of the lower sheet (34) of the liner (32), inside the liner and back to cooperate with a complementary portion of the wrapped product to retain the product.

4. Packaging according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the retaining tongue (50) is centered vertically with respect to the vertical front edge (40) of the lower sheet (34) of the liner (32).

5. Packaging according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that said retaining means comprise at least two retaining flaps, high (80) and bottom (82), which extend horizontally from the front free vertical edge (40) of the lower sheet (34) of the liner (32), inside the liner and towards the rear, and which respectively extend opposite upper (74) and lower (76) portions of packaging the product (10) to frame it between the two flaps (80, 82).

6. Packaging according to claim 5, characterized in that the two up and down flaps (80, 82) constitute two abutments high. and vertical retaining bottom of the packaged product (10) within the liner (32).

The package according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the product wrapping sheet (14) extends upwardly and downwardly, beyond upper and lower ends (86, 88) of the product, by high and low extensions (74, 76) each of which is at least partially covered by a retaining flap, up and down (80, 82) respectively.

8. Packaging according to claim 2, characterized in that the wrapped product (10, 12, 14) comprises a vertical slot, and in that the retaining tongue (50) extends horizontally through the slot.

9. Packaging according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the slot is closed at least at one of its two vertical ends to cooperate with a horizontal edge vis-à-vis (52, 54) of the retaining tongue ( 50).

10. Packaging according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the slot is closed at its two opposite vertical ends, and in that the width of the tongue (50) is substantially equal to the height of the slot.

1 1. Packaging according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper sheet has a vertical fold (94) which divides it into two inclined faces (36a, 36b) so as to give the jacket a prism shape with triangular section .

12. Packaging according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the liner (32) comprises means (58, 68, 70) complementary locking of the liner in the closed position.

13. Packaging according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the liner (32) is made in one piece of rigid or semi-rigid material cut and folded, especially cardboard or paperboard cut and folded.