EP2644531B1

EP2644531B1 - Container with a double cover

Info

Publication number: EP2644531B1
Application number: EP12164732.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Klemencas Agentas
Original assignee: UAB "MANTINGA"; UAB MANTINGA
Current assignee: UAB "MANTINGA"; UAB MANTINGA
Priority date: 2012-03-27
Filing date: 2012-04-19
Publication date: 2018-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 2032-04-19
Also published as: EP2644531A1; LT2012025A; LT5932B

Description

Field of the invention

The invention refers to a container according to the preamble of claim 1. Also, the invention refers to a method of obtaining the container of the invention and a method to use it.

Description of prior art

For the rushing, fast food has long been a part of the daily food ration. Currently various porridges, pastas, and soups are being offered, which are produced by pouring boiled water or heated up in a microwave. Fast food must be not only rapidly prepared but also conveniently consumed: it can be consumed during walking, driving or likewise. It is important that food is fresh and well balanced.
The aim of our invention is to develop a comfortable disposable container for various types of already prepared soups, which are heated prior to consumption.
The patent EP2125568 is known, where the system and method for soup preparation and presentation in the public catering during a flight is described. Soup is poured into disposable containers, the cover is placed, which is secured by the label. The cover has holes for air discharge. However, the drawback of the product is that soup in the container can be used only for 5 days after filling, the whole cup is opened during the time of consumption, there is a possibility of spillage.
The patent JP11011543 is known, which presents a cup designed for the heating in the microwave, having a double-structure cover. Therefore, one of the parts of the structure, which has holes, is designed to discharge steam during the heating of the contents of the cup, but it does not have the hole which is specially designed for the consumption of the product.
The patent application JP2007091317 is known, which describes a container with a double cover, the upper cover of which is continuous, covering the container and detachable. The lower cover covers only the half of the container and has small holes. The container's inner cover with holes is designed to pour off the water from the container; however it is not intended for consumption of the prepared product.
The patent application JP200929490 is known, which describes a container for the preparation of fast food, which in its cover has laminated hardening strips, which automatically press the cover to the container, when the cover is torn off and the required amount of water is added.
The patent CA2133479 is known, where a cup for juice and wine is presented, which has a two-layer cover, between which a wafer is placed. However, in this invention both layers are torn off in turn, the second layer of which is intended for a wafer. Therefore, a two-layer cover has a different purpose.
The patent EP1559658 is known, which describes a container which has a two-layer cover, the upper cover of which is continuous, while the lower cover has perforated strips intended to be torn off prior to the consumption. The removal of the strips is intended for the steam discharge during the heating and removal of the product, however, it is not designed for a comfortable consumption of the product.
The patent AT 11 583 U1 discloses a container which has a two-layer cover, the upper cover and lower cover of which are continuous before the upper cover is torn off. The removal of the upper cover causes also a piece of the lower cover to be torn off so to create a hole for the consumption of the product. Patents FR 2 734 243 , WO 2006/113951 and DE 20 2011 004 614 U1 disclose similar containers.

Summary of the invention

This invention relates to a container according to claim 1.
The dependent claims describe preferred embodiments of the invention.
The invention further provides a container comprising a double cover designed for a liquid or thick product, preferably a soup, which is intended for the distribution in supermarkets and is very comfortable to use. The hole in a shape of an elongated oval at the bottom cover allows comfortably to drink the soup without spilling or splashing.
The container is further filled with a liquid or thick product, preferably a soup. The soup can be of various types: cream of chicken soup, of broccoli soup, of Mexican soup, of potato, of peas, of ham and other soups. Moreover, the invention presents various types of soups which can be frozen. The soups presented in this invention are not limited to the examples. Soups are produced industrially with appropriate ingredients according to the chosen type.
Also this invention includes a method as per claim 7 of the production of the container, where the double cover is attached to the edge of the container by the hot stamping method. Furthermore, the invention includes also a method as per claim 14 for using the container.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 - according to this invention, general view of the container with the upper cover which is closed;
Fig. 2 - general view of the container with the upper cover which is partially torn off;
Fig. 3 - general view of the container without the upper cover, only with lower cover;
Fig. 4 - double cover.

Detailed description of the invention

The presented container (Fig. 1) consists of a round body (1) and a double cover (2). The diameter of the container is 65-95 mm, volume 200-400 ml. The round body (1) can be produced from various plastic materials. According to this invention, the round body (1) can be heated up to 130°C, therefore it is made from heat-resistant material. The plastic packaging, preferably of polypropylene (PP), is suitable for the production of the round body (1). The container is put into carton case/label, which allows to hold the container in hands after its heating. The double cover of the container is attached to the edge of the round body (1) by the hot stamping method. The cover can be used for tight covering of various liquid and thick foods.
The cover of the container consists of the upper cover (2a) and the lower cover (2b) (Fig. 2), where the aforementioned double cover is attached to the edge of the round body (1) in such a way that the upper cover (2a) is easily torn off from the edge of the container and the lower cover (2b) remains to cover the container.
The upper cover (2a) completely covers the round body (1) and at one edge of the container it has an extended tongue (4) designed to tear off the upper cover (2a). The upper cover (2a) is produced from metal foil, preferably aluminium foil, and completely torn off prior to the heating of the product in the microwave.
Before the consumption, the container, in which the soup is packed, is shaken, its upper cover (2a) is torn off completely and it is heated in the microwave up to desired temperature (Fig. 2).
The heated soup is consumed through the hole (3) in a shape of an elongated oval at the remaining lower cover (2b), (Fig 3).
The lower cover (2b) (Fig. 4) is produced from plastics, which can be selected from the group of polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, preferably from polypropylene. The lower cover has a hole in a shape of an elongated oval, the narrow end of which is situated along the center of the lower cover (2b), while the wider end is along the edge of the container, and which is designed not only for steam discharge during the heating but also for a comfortable consumption of the product. The length of the elongated oval is 30-41 mm, width 14-41 mm. Since the lower cover (2b) remains to cover the container, the hole (3) in a shape of an elongated oval does not allow for the soup to cool and allows to drink soup comfortably, for example when walking or driving, without spilling or splashing.

The most appropriate option of implementation

The cooked soup of the temperature of 75-85°C is industrially poured into the round body (1). The double cover (2) is attached to the edge of the round body (1) by the hot stamping method. The hermetically sealed container with the soup is kept turned upside down for 1-3 minutes to disinfect the double cover (2) by means of hot fill technology. The container is covered with paper case/label which retains heat. The container with the soup is prepared for consumption. The container with the soup is chilled down and stored at the temperature of +6°C.
Before the consumption, the container, where the soup is stored, is shaken, the metallized upper cover (2a) is torn off by means of the tongue (4), and the container is heated up to the desired temperature in the microwave. The heated soup is consumed through the hole (3) in a shape of an elongated oval at the lower cover (2b).
In order to illustrate the invention, the examples are presented which do not limit the use of the invention.

Example 1

The round body (1) is industrially filled with the cream of broccoli soup which is boiled at the temperature of 75-85°C. The round body (1) is sealed with the double cover (2) by means of the hot stamping method and the container is turned upside down for 1 to 3 seconds to sterilize. Before the consumption, the container is shaken, the upper cover (2a) is torn off by means of the tongue (4), and the container with the cream of broccoli soup is heated up to the desired temperature in the microwave. The lower cover (2b) remains to cover the container and the soup is consumed through the hole (3) in a shape of an elongated oval at the lower cover.

Example 2

The round body (1) is industrially filled with ham soup which is boiled at the temperature of 75-85°C. The round body (1) is sealed with the double cover (2) by means of the hot stamping method and the container is turned upside down for 1 to 3 seconds to sterilize. The container with soup is cooled down to of +6°C, then in order to freeze, it is stored at -18°C temperature for 5 days, later, it is stored at -18°C temperature, it expires after 6-12 months. Before the consumption, the upper cover (2a) is completely torn off by means of the tongue (4) and the container is heated up to the desired temperature in the microwave. The lower cover (2b) remains to cover the container and the soup is consumed through the hole (3) in a shape of an elongated oval at the lower cover.
In order to illustrate and describe the invention, the most appropriate implementation options are described above. This is not intended to complete or limite the invention by aiming to determine an exact form or implementation option. The aforementioned description should be perceived as an illustration and not as a limitation. It is evident that for professionals of the field that there may be obvious many modifications and variations. Implementation options are selected and described in order the specialists of the field to provide the best explanation of the principles of the invention and their best practical application for different implementation options with different modifications suitable for a particular usage or application of implementation. The scope of the invention is specified in the appended claims where all terms have meaning at the widest limits unless it is specified otherwise. It must be recognized that in relation to the implementation options, described by professionals of the relevant field, modifications may be made without deviating from the scope of the invention, as it is presented in the following claims.

Claims

A container comprising a round body (1) and a double cover (2), which consists of an upper cover (2a) and a lower cover (2b), which are adjacent to one another, where the upper cover (2a) has a tongue (4) designed to tear off the aforementioned upper cover (2a), wherein the aforementioned double cover (2) is attached to the edge of the round body (1) in such a way that the upper cover (2a) is easily torn off from the edge of the container and the lower cover (2b) remains to cover the container, characterized in that the lower cover (2b) has a hole (3) prior to the upper cover (2a) being torn off and through which the product is consumed after the upper cover (2a) is torn off.
The container according to Claim 1 characterized in that at least the part of the upper cover (2a) covering the hole (3) in the lower cover (2b) is sterilized.
The container according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lower cover (2b) has a hole (3) in a shape of an elongated oval, the narrower end of which is closer to the centre of the cover, while the wider end is closer to the edge of the round body (1).
The container according to Claims 1-3, characterized in that the lower cover (2b) of the container is produced from plastic selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, polystirole, preferably from polypropylene (PP).
The container according to Claims 1-4, characterized in that the upper cover (2a) of the container is produced from metal foil, preferably aluminium foil.
The container according to any of the Claims 1-5, characterized in that it is filled with a liquid or thick product, preferably thick soup.
Method for production of the container according to any of the Claims 1-6, characterized in that method comprises the following steps:
a) in the lower cover (2b) a hole (3) is made, preferably in a shape of an elongated oval, which is intended for product consumption;

b) the double cover (2), which consist of the upper cover (2a) and the lower (2b) cover, which has a hole (3) preferably in a shape of an elongated oval, is attached to the round body (1) by means of a hot stamping method, in such a way that the upper cover (2a) is easily torn off from the edge of the container and the lower cover (2b) remains to cover the container.
Method for production of the container with a double cover according to Claim 7, characterized in that before attaching the double cover (2) to the round body (1), the round body (1) is filled with a liquid or thick product, preferably soup.
Method for production according to claim 8, characterized in that the liquid is a preferably tick hot soup, preferably at the temperature of 75-85 °C.
Method for production according to claim 9, characterized in that after attaching the cover (2) to the round body (1), the container is turned upside down, preferably for 1-3 seconds, to sterilize.
Method for production according to claim 10, characterized in that after sterilizing, the container is cooled, preferably to 6 °C, and then, if so wished, stored at -18 °C, preferably for 5 days, in order to freeze it.
Method for production according to Claims 7-11, characterized in that the lower cover (2b) of container is produced from plastic selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, polystirole, preferably from polypropylene (PP).
Method for production according to any of the Claims 7-12, characterized in that the lower cover (2b) has a hole (3) in a shape of an elongated oval, the narrower end of which is closer to the centre of the cover, while the wider end is closer to the edge of the container (1).
Method for using the container according to any of the Claims 1-6, characterized in that prior to the consumption the upper cover (2a) is torn off, while the lower cover (2b) remains to cover the container.
Method for using according to claim 14, characterized in that after the upper cover (2a) is torn off, the container is heated up to a desired temperature in the microwave.