EP2032466B1

EP2032466B1 - Pack containing a pasty foofstuff

Info

Publication number: EP2032466B1
Application number: EP07700513A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giancarlo Chiari
Original assignee: RC SpA
Current assignee: RC SpA
Priority date: 2006-06-21
Filing date: 2007-01-25
Publication date: 2011-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 2027-01-25
Also published as: WO2007148165A1; PL2032466T3; EP2032466A1; ITBO20060482A1; ATE510782T1

Abstract

A pack (10) , preferably for a pasty product (11) such as a stock cube, comprises a wrapper (12) for wrapping the product (11) , preferably obtained from a plastic film and having a plurality of containment walls. The pack comprises means (26) for tearing and opening the wrapping sheet (12) , designed to tear the wrapper (12) at a zone between opposite end walls (22, 24) of the wrapper, remaining closer to one corresponding end wall (22) of the pack.

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a pack preferably intended to contain a foodstuff, especially a pasty foodstuff, such as a stock cube or the like, in particular in the form of a pressed stock cube.
The present invention also relates to a process for obtaining a pack preferably intended to contain a foodstuff, especially a pasty foodstuff, such as a stock cube or the like, in particular in the form of a pressed stock cube.

Background Art

There are prior art packs designed to contain a pasty product and comprising a wrapper for containing the product, in particular made of a plastic material, such as polypropylene or the like, which forms a plurality of product wrapping walls. For example: WO 2004/052753 A1 , EP 0057 644 A2 , CH 594 528 A5 .
In the prior art packs, in which a wrapper made of polypropylene or the like is used, the latter is uniformly closed, by means of heat sealing and forms a hermetically sealed wrapper, advantageously for the preservation and sanitariness of the foodstuff contained.
The prior art packs also have means for tearing and opening the wrapper.
However, in these prior art packs there is a problem at the moment of opening the pack, which is normally done in a way that is not advantageous. According to the methods for opening prior art packs, a risk to the sanitariness of the product contained is produced, since the user's fingers normally make contact with the product contained, with the additional disadvantage of the product dirtying the user's hands and making them smell.
Moreover, according to another disadvantageous aspect of the methods for opening prior art packs, after tearing, a wrapper is obtained which consists of two parts which are completely detached from one another and risk falling into the food to which the stock cube will be added, that is to say, they risk not being easily disposed of by the user, there being the risk that at least part may fall outside collection containment.

Disclosure of the Invention

It is provided a pack having the features defined in claim 1.
In this way, it is possible to obtain a pack which provides maximum sanitariness for the product contained and is very practical to use.

Brief Description of the Drawings

These and other features of the invention are clearly described in the claims below and its advantages are more apparent from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention provided merely by way of example without restricting the scope of the inventive concept, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of a pack in accordance with the present invention;
Figures 2A to 2F are different perspective schematic views illustrating the process for producing the pack;
Figure 3 is a perspective schematic view of a first step of opening the pack in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 4 is a perspective schematic view of a step of sprinkling the material contained in the pack in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 5 is a perspective schematic view of a second preferred embodiment of the pack in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

Figure 1 illustrates a first preferred embodiment 10 of a pack in accordance with the present invention.
The pack 10 is intended to contain a pasty foodstuff, labelled 11 in the accompanying drawings, consisting of a stock cube, in particular a stock cube in the pressed packaging condition, that is to say, compacted so that it is able to maintain the shape given to it during the successive packaging steps.
As illustrated in Figure 2C, the stock cube 11 is preferably in the form of a cube-shaped body, having a plurality of faces, labelled 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11e, and 11f in the drawings.
As illustrated in Figure 1, the pack 10 comprises a wrapper 12 for wrapping the product 11, made from a sheet 13, illustrated in Figure 2B, preferably obtained from a plastic film 15, in particular made of polypropylene or a similar material, illustrated in Figure 2A.
Once folded, the wrapper 12 forms a plurality of product 11 containment walls, comprising, in the conventional way, a front wall 14, a rear wall 16 and a pair of opposite side walls 18 and 20, as well as an upper wall 22 and a lower wall 24, positioned at and in contact with respective faces of the cube-shaped product 11.
The pack comprises means 26 for tearing and opening the wrapping sheet 12, shown with a dashed line in Figure 1 and having the form of a strip or tape of plastic material which can be sealed on the plastic film of the wrapper.
Advantageously, the tearing means 26 are suitable for producing a cut 27 in the wrapper 12, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, and, in particular, they are designed to tear the wrapper 12 at a zone of the wrapper which is off-centre, between opposite end walls, in particular between the upper wall 22 and the lower wall 24, remaining closer to one end wall, in particular to the upper wall 22.
In this way, it is possible to leave, between the tearing zone 27 and the lower opposite wall 24, a greater space available for the user's fingers to grip, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, so that, when pouring the stock cube into the food, it is possible to avoid any contact between the fingers and the product 11. This is advantageous in terms of practical use of the pack and product 11 sanitariness. Obviously, it would also be possible to imagine the user consuming the product 11 directly. In that case safeguarding product sanitariness would be even more welcome.
According to the invention, the tearing means 26 are designed to tear the wrapper 12 close to the corresponding wall 22 of the pack and according to another viewpoint, even more advantageous, it would also be possible to imagine that the tearing means 26 were designed to tear the wrapper 12 at the edge which separates the wall 22 from the adjacent walls 14, 18, 20 of the pack. In this way a space which is as large as possible can be obtained, available to the user's fingers for more a convenient grip of the stock cube.
According to a preferred size, the sides of the stock cube are less than 1.5 cm long. In cases of this type, for easy use of the present product with guaranteed sanitariness, the present pack configuration is particularly advantageous.
As illustrated in particular in Figure 4, in the open condition, the wrapper 12 comprises a first part 12a and a second part 12b, held together by corresponding connecting means.
This makes it possible to avoid producing separate pieces, which make disposal of the wrapper 12 difficult once it has been emptied of the product contained 11, and also avoids the risk that the individual parts of this wrapper 12 may become detached and contaminate the food being prepared, that is to say, escape disposal in the proper way, once the wrapper has been emptied of the product contained.
As illustrated, the part 12a of the present wrapper forms the main part of it, whilst the part 12b forms a smaller portion, at the upper wall 22 of the pack, supported and held by the main portion 12a.
According to the invention, the connecting means between the first and second parts 12a, 12b of the wrapper 12 . comprise the entire rear wall 16 of the wrapper and a part of the side walls 18, 20 of the wrapper, extending from its rear wall 16.
Advantageously, the means for tearing or opening the wrapper are designed to tear the wrapper 12 along its perimeter, forming a torn stretch 27a, illustrated in Figure 4, extending completely over a corresponding wall, in particular the front wall 14, of the wrapper.
According to another aspect, there are means 26 for tearing and opening the wrapper 12, designed to tear the wrapper 12 along its perimeter, forming a torn stretch 27b, extending at least partly over an adjacent wall, in particular a side wall 18, of the wrapper. As illustrated, the adjacent torn stretch 27b extends from the front torn stretch 27a.
Moreover, the means 26 for tearing the wrapper 12 are designed to tear the wrapper along its perimeter, forming a torn stretch 27c, extending at least partly over another adjacent wall, in particular the other side wall 20 of the wrapper, forming a torn stretch on the opposite side to that of the first torn stretch 27b extending adjacently. This second adjacent torn stretch 27c also extends directly from the main torn stretch 27a.
As illustrated the adjacent side torn stretches 27b, 27c extend over more than half the width of the corresponding side wall 18, 20.
As is more apparent in the description below, the side walls 18 and 20, affected by the tearing, comprise at least a first and a second layer, partly overlapping one another. For this purpose, the tearing means 26 operate on the upper or outer layer of these overlapping layers.
In this way, only part of the corresponding wall is removed. Therefore, the partly overlapping part of the other layer forms a portion on which the user's fingers can rest, thus increasing the surface on which the fingers can rest.
Advantageously, there are means for gripping and pulling the tearing means, in the form of a tab 30, formed by the wrapper 12, where one end 26a of the tear tape extends.
In particular, as illustrated in Figure 1, the tear tab 30 extends from an edge 18', at a corresponding side wall 18 and remains, as illustrated, above the end 26a of the tear tape.
In particular, the tab extends from a folded edge 18' lying inside the wall 18, as is more apparent below. This tab 30 arrangement prevents unwanted rubbing from causing partial and unwanted pack opening.
Advantageously, the tab extends from a folded edge 18', which is substantially orthogonal to the wall 22, and which extends from an oblique folded edge 18", lying inside the wall 18.
As illustrated, the tear tape 26 has a stretch 26', at the front wall 14 and corresponding stretches 26b, 26c at the side walls 18, 20.
The tab 30 is delimited by a projecting curved edge 30a, on the extension of which there are notches 34, 36 in the corresponding flap of the wrapper 12.
Said notches 34, 36 form advantageous means for directing wrapper 12 tearing, at the grip tab 30. In practice, the first and second notches 34, 36, extending from the edge 18' of the upper folded portion forming the wall 18, form, at the sides of the tear tape 26 grip portion 26a, means for limiting the tearing, which prevent the tearing from spreading to an unwanted zone of the wrapper and allow a grip tab 30 to be obtained which is easy to lift and extends at least partly in the corresponding portion of wrapper 12 wall 18, without excessively affecting its profile.
With the present arrangement of the tearing means 26 at stretches which partly overlap with flaps of the side walls 18, a greater guarantee of product sanitariness against any external contamination is possible.
The invention also provides an advantageous process for producing a pack. The pack preferably being intended to contain a foodstuff which is pasty, such as a stock cube and the like, in particular a pressed stock cube. The process involves preparing, or obtaining, a sheet 13 for wrapping the product 11 and associating means 26 for tearing and opening the wrapper 12 with said sheet 13.
As illustrated, according to the present process the sheet 13 is obtained from a film web 15 unwound from a reel 17 and in the form of a film of plastic material, preferably polypropylene or the like.
As illustrated, the sheet 13 has a quadrangular shape, in particular having the shape of a rectangle with short sides 13a, 13b and opposite long sides 13c, 13d.
As illustrated, the sheet 13 has a tear strip or tape 26, taken from a corresponding web 29 which is associated with the film 15, using means embodied by the roller 129 by way of example.
Once the tear tape web 29 has been associated with the film 15, corresponding sheets 13 with the tear element 26 are cut from the film 15.
Advantageously, the means for tearing and opening the wrapper 12 are positioned in a zone between opposite ends 13a, 13b of the sheet 13 or between opposite ends 15a, 15b of the film 15, the tearing means remaining closer to one corresponding end edge, 13a or 15a, of the sheet or the film 15.
Advantageously, the tearing means 26 extend parallel with the short sides 13a, 13b of the sheet 13, substantially perpendicular to the long sides 13b 13c of the sheet, that is to say, parallel with the edges 15a, 15b of the film 15.
In this way, as explained in more detail below, by folding the sheet 13 on the product 11, the tear tape 29 is positioned at the corresponding side walls 14, 18, 20 of the pack, forming a grip end at an overlapping portion 135b of a side wall 18.
As already indicated, to obtain this advantageous arrangement of the tear tape 26, a web 29, from which the tear tape 26 is cut, is associated with a film 15, from which the sheet made of polypropylene or the like is obtained, the web 29 being positioned closer to one longitudinal edge 15a of the film 15 than to an opposite longitudinal edge 15b of said film.
As illustrated, the tear tape 26, associated with the sheet 13, extends over the entire length of the sheet 13 in the corresponding direction.
As illustrated, the distance between the tear tape 26 and the edge 13a of the sheet 13 to which it is closest is less than one third of the length "1" of the corresponding web, that is to say, the distance between the short sides 13a, 13b of the sheet.
Advantageous grip means, or a tab, are obtained thanks to a cut, labelled 30, 34, 36 as a whole, where there is a respective end 26a of the tearing means 26, suitable for forming their grip end, on the finished pack.
In particular, advantageously, the cut 30, 34, 36 is made in such a way that it forms the tearing means 30 directly in the flat film 15, before making the transversal cut which separates the sheet 13 from the plastic film web 15.
In particular, the cut 30, 34, 36 has a curved shape with the branches 34, 36 converging towards the tear tape 26.
As illustrated, the transversal cut, at the sides of the cuts 34, 36 is slightly recessed relative to the cut 30, so as to produce a sheet 13 which, at the tear tape 26, and in particular at one end of the latter, has a projection, in particular a curved projection 30, and a slight recess at the opposite side. This recess is labelled 30' in Figure 2B.
In particular, as illustrated, the notches 34, 36, with limited length extend from the cut edge 13d of the sheet 13, into the body of the respective sheet for a short stretch, forming, on the completed wrapper, advantageous means for directing the break at the grip means.
As illustrated in Figure 2C, the face 11f of the pressed cube 11 makes contact with the sheet 13 and the sheet 13 is folded around the cube 11 in a series of suitable steps to form the wrapper 12 shown in Figure 1.
However, it shall be understood that the same process could be used with the sheet 13 positioned under the product 11, as illustrated, or, vice versa, with the sheet 13 positioned over the product.
In particular, in accordance with a first step, illustrated in Figure 2D, the sheet 13 is folded upwards, forming a pair of opposite side flaps 131, 133, forming the front and rear walls, respectively 16 and 14 in contact with the faces 11a and 11b of the cube 11, whilst short flaps, only one of which is shown in Figure 2B labelled 135, are folded in contact respectively with the faces 11c and 11d of the cube 11.
During this step, the side portions of the flaps 131, 133 are overlapped by side portions of the short flaps covering the walls 11c and 11d. In detail, as shown in Figure 2D with reference to the short flap 135, the side portions of it, labelled 135a and 135b overlap, respectively in contact with the side portions of the flaps 131 and 133 which extend beyond the corresponding edge of the face 11b and 11a of the product. A similar situation applies for the short flap which, although not illustrated in the drawing, overlaps the face 11c of the product 11.
In a subsequent step, the side portions 131a and 131b, 133a and 133b of the flaps 131, 133, which project beyond the corresponding edge of the face 11b and 11a of the product, are folded in contact with the side faces 11c, 11d of the product 11, forming the side walls 18, 20 of the wrapper as illustrated in the subsequent Figure 2E.
In practice, the side walls of the pack are formed in this way, by overlapping a plurality of portions. The wall 18 is formed by overlapping the portion 133b with the portion 131b and the portion 135. The wall 20 is similarly formed.
With the present procedure, the tear tape 26 remains at the outer portion or flap of the wall 18, 20.
Another fold is made in the side and upper portions 131'a 133'a and 131'b, 133'b of the overlapping flaps 131, 133, folding these portions on the face 11e of the cube 11, to obtain the configuration illustrated in Figure 2F, where the upper portions 131"a and 133"a of the flaps 131, 133 remain projecting, and are then folded over the previously folded flaps and made to adhere to them at the respective overlapping ends, thus arriving at the pack shown in Figure 1, in which the upper wall 22 consists of a plurality of overlapping flaps or portions.
At this point sealing takes place, thanks to the fact that the upper face 13u of the sheet 13 and film 15 is suitably heat sealable, as are the overlapping flaps of the upper wall 22 and, if necessary also the overlapping flaps forming the side walls 18, 20.
With the present process, the tear strip or tape 26 is positioned extremely close to the upper wall 22 of the pack, remaining suitably hidden under the wrapper 12.
Moreover, at the grip end, the presence of the tear tape may be suitably indicated by appropriate colours on the wrapper.
Figure 5 shows a second preferred embodiment 110 of the pack, similar in most respects to the first preferred embodiment, differing from the latter only in that it does not have a projecting tab 30, but rather a tear tape end grip tab 26a in the form of a tab 130 recessed in the corresponding edge 118'e which is obtained thanks to notches 134, 136 extending parallel with the side edges of the tear tape 26, that is to say, extending parallel with the upper and lower edges of the side wall 18.
Therefore, with the present pack it is substantially possible to obtain side and upper walls consisting of overlapping portions, or flaps, of the sheet 13. To avoid any possible trouble when opening the pack, it may be appreciated how the tear tape 26 is positioned at the outermost portion or flap of the respective side wall.

Claims

A pack (10), containing a pasty foodstuff in the form of a stock cube and the like and preferably in the form of a pressed stock cube; the pack comprising a wrapper (12) for wrapping the product (11), obtained from a plastic film and having a plurality of containment walls, in which there are means (26) for tearing and opening the wrapper (12); the wrapper (12) forming a plurality of product (11) containment walls, comprising a front wall (14), a rear wall (16), a pair of opposite side walls (18, 20), an upper wall (22) and a lower wall (24), positioned at and in contact with respective faces of the cube-shaped product (11); the pack being characterised in that the means (26) for tearing and opening the wrapper (12) are in the form of a linear tape (26)
which is designed to tear the wrapper (12) at a zone located between opposite end upper and lower walls (22, 24) of the wrapper, and which remains closer to the upper wall (22) of the pack, providing
a wrapper (12) that, in the open condition, comprises a first main part (12a) and a second smaller part (12b), at the upper wall (22) of the pack, and which is supported and held by the main part (12a) by corresponding connecting means comprising the entire rear wall (16) of the wrapper and a part of the side walls (18, 20) extending from the rear wall (16), so that leaving a greater space available for the user's fingers to grip when pouring the stock cube.
The pack according to claim 1, characterised in that the means (26) for tearing and opening the wrapper (12) are designed to tear the wrapper (12) along its perimeter, forming a torn stretch (27a) extending completely over a corresponding front wall (14) of the wrapper (12).
The pack according to claim 2, characterised in that the means (26) for tearing and opening the wrapper (12) are designed to tear the wrapper (12) along its perimeter, forming a torn stretch (27b) further extending at least partly over an adjacent wall (18) of the wrapper.
The pack according to claim 3, characterised in that the means (26) for tearing and opening the wrapper (12) are designed to tear the wrapper (12) along its perimeter, forming a torn stretch (27c) further extending at least partly over an adjacent wall (20) of the wrapper, on the side opposite that of the first adjacent extension stretch (27b).
The pack according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that there is a torn stretch (27b, 27c), extending partly over a wall of the wrapper, extending over more than half the corresponding wall (18, 20).
The pack according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the respective wall comprises at least a first and a second layer which at least partly overlap one another; the tearing means (26) being at the upper or outer layer of these overlapping layers.
The pack according to claim 1, characterised in that there are means for gripping and pulling the tearing means, in the form of a tab (30), formed by the wrapper (12), where one end (26a) of the tear tape extends.
The pack according to claim 7, characterised in that the tear tab (30) extends from an edge (18'), at a corresponding side wall (18) and remains above the end (26a) of the tear tape.
The pack according to claim 8, characterised in that the tab extends from a folded edge (18') lying inside the wall (18).
The pack according to claim 7, characterised in that the tab extends from a folded edge (18'), which is substantially orthogonal to the wall (22), and which extends from an oblique folded edge (18"), lying inside the wall 18.
The pack according to claim 7, characterised in that the tear tape (26) has a stretch (26'), at the front wall (14) and corresponding stretches (26b, 26c) at the side walls (18, 20).
The pack according to claim 7, characterised in that the tab (30) is delimited by a projecting curved edge (30a), on the extension of which there are notches (34, 36) in the corresponding flap of the wrapper (12).
The pack according to claim 12, characterised in that said notches (34, 36) form means for directing wrapper (12) tearing, at the grip tab (30).
The pack according to claim 1, characterised in that of comprising a tear tape end grip tab (26a) in the form of a tab (130) recessed in the corresponding edge (118'e) which is obtained thanks to notches (134, 136) extending parallel with the side edges of the tear tape (26), and extending parallel with the upper and lower edges of the side wall (18).
The pack according to claim 1, characterised in that the sides of the stock cube are less than 1.5 cm long.