EP1931579B1

EP1931579B1 - Package with a support structure for confectionery products

Info

Publication number: EP1931579B1
Application number: EP06780281A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giuseppe Terrasi
Original assignee: Ferrero OHG; Ferrero SpA; Soremartec SA
Current assignee: Ferrero OHG; Ferrero SpA; Soremartec SA
Priority date: 2005-08-08
Filing date: 2006-08-02
Publication date: 2010-03-10
Anticipated expiration: 2026-08-02
Also published as: EP1931579A1; PL1931579T3; WO2007017804A1; ATE460361T1; DE602006012856D1; ITTO20050565A1; ES2341623T3

Abstract

Support structure for confectionery products (P) , particularly pralines and the like, comprising a plurality of housing seats (4) for a respective confectionery product (P) . Each of said seats (4) comprises a base element (6), shaped in such a way as to support at least a portion of the surface of the confectionery product (P) and a wire-like annular retaining element (10) , overlying the base element (6) and connected thereto by means of wire-like connecting elements (12), wherein said annular retaining element (10) defines an opening shaped in such a way as to allow the introduction of the respective confectionery product (P) to bear on said base element (6) and wherein said annular retaining elements (10) are mutually interconnected.

Description

The present invention relates to a support structure for confectionery products, particularly pralines and chocolates, of the type comprising a plurality of housing seats able to hold, in a predetermined position, a respective confectionery product.
The invention further relates to a package, typically a box, e.g. made of cardboard or plastic, comprising said support structure in which the confectionery products are positioned.
According to the prior art in the packaging of confectionery products, the support structure whereto the invention refers is generally constituted by a thermoformed sheet of plastic with a recessed structure, which is positioned to bear on the bottom wall of the container. The sheeted plastic is thermoformed to define a plurality of recesses for housing a respective product, serving the function of holding the products in position and of preventing direct contact of the product with the bottom of the container.
While the solution described above is economical and functional, it is limiting in aesthetic terms and in particular in relation to the need to present and exhibit the confectionery products to the consumer purchaser.
In relation to said requirement, a well known solution is to package the confectionery products in containers provided with a lid, or with upper and/or lateral walls, at least partly transparent, such as to make it possible to display the confectionery product contained therein. This solution is disclosed in EP 1 403 194 A2 . However, in conventional support structures the shape of the recesses, necessary to hold the product in position inside the recess, is generally such that the product is not visible in its entirety, because the lateral walls of the recess cover the surface of the product at least in part.
In other words, conventional support structures instead of exhibiting and enhancing the aesthetic superficial characteristics of the product, conceal it at least in part.
A support structure having a grid configuration is disclosed in US 3 661 249 A .
The object of the present invention therefore is to provide a new support structure for confectionery products, in particular pralines or chocolates, which in addition to serving adequately the purposes of supporting, holding and protecting such products, improves the presentation of the products and in particular makes it possible to exhibit such products in their entirety.
Another object of the invention is to provide a support structure that achieves the above aims, without generating a substantial increase in manufacturing and material costs, but in fact reducing costs with respect to the prior art solution.
Yet another object of the invention is to facilitate (with reference to conventional support structures, so-called "acetates") stacking of the support structures, to enable the shipment of a higher quantity of pieces, for the same volume occupied by the shipping platform.
In view of said objects, the invention relates to a package comprising a support structure having the characteristics defined in the appended claims.
Additional characteristics and advantages of the package according to the invention shall become readily apparent from the detailed description that follows, provided purely by way of non limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a support structure according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a detail of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a section view according to the line III-III of Fig. 2; and
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the support structure.

As shown in the drawings, the support structure according to the invention, globally designated by the reference number 2, is a reticular or grid structure in a single piece or integral, comprising generally wire-like structural elements; it is generally made of plastic and it is obtainable by means of techniques for forming plastics.
The aforesaid grid structure defines a plurality of seats 4, each one of which is to receive a respective confectionery product P. In the representation of Fig. 1 and of Fig. 4, the seats are all mutually identical and they are arranged in mutually parallel rows; however, the case is also contemplated in which the seats can be mutually different.
Each seat comprises a base element 6, shaped according to the dimensional characteristics of the product P, in such a way as to support at least a portion of the base surface of said product.
The base element 6 has an annular wire-like shape; currently preferred is a multi-lobed annular shape, in particular three-lobed, as shown in the drawings.
Preferably, each base element is provided with a plurality of bearing feet 8 (Figs. 4, 2 and 3), which bear on the bottom wall of the container into which the support structure is inserted, in such a way that the annular element 6 is raised relative to said bottom wall.
The annular base elements 6 are generally co-planar to each other; however, the solution may also be contemplated in which some of said base elements lie in planes that are offset, i.e. vertically distanced from each other. This solution can be adopted, particularly when it is desirable to cause one or more of the confectionery products to be in a raised position relative to the others, in such a way as to highlight said products.
Each seat 6 further comprises a second wire-like annular element 10, serving the function of retaining the product P and positioned overlying the respective base element 6 and connected thereto by means of wire-like uprights or connecting elements 12; said wire-like connecting elements 12 extend from the contour of the base element and join the contour of the annular retaining element 10.
In the illustrated example, there are present - for each seat - three of said connecting elements 12, which extend from the apex region of each of the three lobes of the annular base element 6.
The annular retaining element 10 thus defines an opening that is shaped in such a way as to allow the introduction of the respective confectionery product P, in a position such that it bears on the base element 6. Naturally, the annular shape of the elements 10 may vary widely according to the dimensional and shape characteristics of the product P, it being understood that the circular shape illustrated is purely exemplary and preferred in relation to a product P, as shown, having a substantially spherical shape.
The annular retaining elements 10 are also mutually interconnected. Each annular element 10 is connected to each annular element adjacent thereto.
The interconnection is achieved by means of wire-like connecting elements 14, which extend from the contour of each annular retaining element, or which constitute a part of the contour of said annular elements. Such connecting elements 14 may assume different configurations, e.g. a bar-like or bridge-like configuration, rectilinear or curvilinear or with sinuous profile.
In the preferred embodiment of Fig. 4, the connecting elements 14 are rectilinear bridge elements, whose longitudinal extension can be reduced to a nearly point-like value.
In Fig. 1, the connecting elements are annular elements designated by the reference number 14a, each of which connects three annular retaining elements 10.
Additional wire-like auxiliary connecting elements 14b, with rectilinear or curvilinear profile, may be used to connect the peripheral annular retaining elements to each other.
In the illustrated examples, the annular retaining elements 10 are coplanar to each other and the connecting elements 14 are equally coplanar with the general plane in which the annular retaining elements 10 are positioned.
In this case too, solutions may be contemplated in which the annular retaining elements 10 lie in mutually offset planes.
The confectionery products to be inserted into the seats 4 can naturally have various shapes. Each product P can in turn be provided with a protective wrapping made of sheeted material and, according to the conventional praline packaging technique, it may be inserted in little paper cup with a pleated lateral wall, designated by the reference PR.
The product P, with or without a respective paper cup PR, is inserted into the seat to bear on the base element 6 and is retained in this position thanks to the annular retaining element 10 which limits its horizontal displacement.
Thanks to the characteristics described above, the grid support structure according to the invention is thus particularly light, both in terms of weight, and in terms of visual impact, making it possible to enhance the aesthetic characteristics of the outer surface of the confectionery product.
In particular, the structure can be formed from a transparent plastic, in order further to reduce its visibility from the exterior; alternatively, in a preferred embodiment, the grid support structure can be formed from a luminescent plastic which makes it possible to create pleasing aesthetic effects in combination with the surface characteristics of the confectionery product.
In the illustration of Fig. 1 and of Fig. 4, the dashed line indicates the lower containment portion of a container or box C, in which the support structure is inserted, positioned to bear on the bottom wall of the container. Preferably, the container used is a container made of plastic, entirely constituted by transparent or translucent plastic or having a lid made of said material.
Naturally, the possibility is also contemplated of using containers made of paper material, preferably provided with walls fitted with windows made of transparent plastic.
Naturally, the scope of the invention includes a package of confectionery products, comprising a container of the type specified above, into which is inserted the support element according to the invention, in turn containing the confectionery products, particularly pralines, positioned in the receiving seats.
Typically, the pralines or chocolates have maximum dimensions in the order of 10-35 mm and they can have various shapes, e.g. spherical or spheroidal, ovoidal, prismatic, pyramidal or pyramid frustum or parallelepiped.
The wire-like elements constituting the support can have a cross section that is square, rectangular, possibly with curved sides, or circular, elliptic or the like, preferably with a maximum cross section in the order of 1-3 mm.

Claims

Package comprising confectionery products selected from pralines or chocolates, comprising a box (C), in which is inserted a support structure for said confectionery products (P), wherein said support structure is constituted by a single piece, comprising a plurality of housing seats (4) for a respective confectionery product (P), characterised in that each of said seats (4) comprises a base element (6) consisting of a wire-like annular element, shaped in such a way as to support at least a portion of the surface of the confectionery product (P) and a wire-like annular retaining element (10), overlying the base element (6) and connected thereto by means of wire-like connecting elements (12), wherein said annular retaining element (10) defines an opening shaped in such a way as to allow the introduction of the respective confectionery product (P) to bear on said base element (6) wherein said seats are arranged according to a plurality of mutually parallel rows and wherein said annular retaining elements (10) are mutually interconnected by wire-like connecting elements (14) which mutually connect adjacent annular retaining elements (10) of a row and which also connect annular retaining elements of adjacent rows.
Package according to claim 1, characterised in that said base element (6) is provided with a plurality of bearing feet (8), so that said base element (6) is raised relative to the plane whereon said support structure bears.
Package according to Claims 1 or 2, characterised in that said base element (6) has a multi-lobe annular shape. (14).
Package according to any of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that said annular retaining elements (10) are interconnected by means of shared portions of their contour.
Package according to any of the previous claims. characterised in that said base elements (6) are mutually coplanar.
Package according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that said annular retaining elements (10) are mutually coplanar.
Package according to any of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the support structure is formed from a transparent plastic.
Package according to any of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the support structure is formed from a luminescent plastic.
Package of confectionery products according to claim 1, characterised in that said box (C) has at least one transparent upper wall or lid.
Use of a package according to any of the previous claims for the support and presentation of confectionery products (P) selected from pralines or chocolates.