EP3599182B1

EP3599182B1 - Containing device for food products and method

Info

Publication number: EP3599182B1
Application number: EP19187916.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Francesco Zotti
Original assignee: Nordfish Srl
Current assignee: Nordfish Srl
Priority date: 2018-07-23
Filing date: 2019-07-23
Publication date: 2021-09-01
Anticipated expiration: 2039-07-23
Also published as: IT201800007437A1; EP3599182A1

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a containing device for food products, in particular food products of a highly perishable nature.
In particular, the present device is configured to contain and possibly preserve in the short and medium term the product contained therein, and for its consumption.
The containing device for food products according to the present invention can be used for the retail or non-retail marketing of food products, especially in small formats such as for example a single portion.
In particular, the present containing device can be positioned both on a refrigerated counter and also on a shelf, depending on the characteristics of the food product it contains.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Within the food industry and the sale of corresponding products, the need to guarantee, especially in the case of perishable products, their preservation in controlled environments and temperatures is known.
This is to prevent, during the steps of production, transport, sale and subsequent storage by the end customer, the chemical and organoleptic composition of the food product from undergoing changes that make it inedible.
Especially in the case of dairy products (for example milk, cheese, yogurt or suchlike), animal products (for example hams, sausages, meat or suchlike) and fish products (for example fish, mollusks, crustaceans or suchlike), the need to preserve the product at a determinate temperature is essential to avoid undesired chemical and biological transformations of the product itself.
In fact, while chemical transformations involve the formation of acids that cause unpleasant odors, biological transformations involve the proliferation of bacteria, molds and fungi that can also be very harmful to human health.
Furthermore, the particular nature and consistency of some products means that possible temperature rises can cause an undesired overheating, with consequent damage to the product itself.
Especially in the event that the final consumer wants to consume a raw food product, it is necessary that during transport its properties are not altered, since raw products do not undergo any sterilization by cooking before being consumed.
Also, if the transport time of the food product is long, due to the distance or possible intermediate stops during the journey, and it is subjected to relatively high environmental temperatures, as could happen in the summer months, it is necessary that its properties are not altered during transport.
The importance of containing and preserving devices for products in the food sector is therefore evident.
It is therefore necessary to preserve food products in containing and preserving devices suitably configured according to the type of food product to be contained, the timing and methods of the distribution chain, the durability of the product, the quantity and the final consumer.
Although there are many types of containing and preserving devices on the market, however, the growing trend in the consumption of raw food products, of good quality food and packaged in single portions, has highlighted the lack of containers suitable for the purpose.
In addition, the need to consume food products everywhere, quickly and with maximum convenience has highlighted the problems and disadvantages of known containing and preserving devices.
In fact, it is known that there are different types of containing and preserving devices which, for example, can be vacuum-packed plastic bags, boxes and trays made of food-grade polystyrene, baskets and nets, cardboard boxes, small tubs and containers made of plastic or other.
However, the known containing and preserving devices for food products are configured only to contain the product, and at most, to avoid thermal dispersion therefrom and in any case are not able to guarantee the food product will be preserved and consumed at the suitable temperature.
Known containers for containing large quantities of a food product generally comprise four lateral walls, connected to each other to form a closed-loop structure, and a bottom wall connected to the lateral walls to form a box-like structure.
These containers also comprise a lid, suitably shaped to couple with the upper parts of the lateral walls in order to configure a hermetic seal of the container itself.
Known containers are usually made of food-grade polystyrene, it being a light material, thermally insulating and impermeable to liquids.
Known containers for containing single portions of food product are, instead, usually plastic tubs inside which the food product is placed before sealing it with a transparent or opaque plastic film. These containers are not able to thermally insulate the food product, which, once removed, for example, from the supermarket refrigerated counter, has to be quickly brought back to a controlled temperature, or consumed.
One disadvantage of known containers is that they only limit the decrease in, or at most preserve, the temperature of the food product. Moreover, known containers are not able to cool the products. Because of this, such known containers cannot guarantee long preserving times if exposed to ambient temperature, and transport must therefore occur in a fairly short time.
A further disadvantage of known containers is that they are configured only to contain the product, and not to be able to possibly also consume it, this necessity having become urgent in the face of the growing development of the take-away food sector.
Similar problems also occur when transporting pre-cooked and pre-heated products, which have to be consumed at the correct consumption temperature. If food products are not adequately packaged, in fact, in the event of a cold climate or when a long journey has to be made between the place where the heated product is purchased and the place where it is consumed, the product can become excessively cold, compromising its quality.
Documents JP-U-S62 203889 , US-A-4.946.094 , KR-U-2010/0010201 and JP-U-H01 122470 describe some known containing devices.
JP-U-S62 203889 describes a containing device made starting from a shaped and folded cardboard sheet. The conformation of the cardboard sheet makes mounting the device complicated, as well as requiring a seal to ensure a stable closure. Furthermore, the support structure is cumbersome, not allowing to define compartments useful for containing objects and at the same time defining an excessively wide support surface not suitable to allow the transfer of cold or heat from a source under the product. The support surface, in fact, acts as an insulator. Therefore, this solution is not suitable to contain and transport containers for food products, guaranteeing a correct thermal preservation.
Document US-A-4.946.094 describes a containing device for food products suitable to be coupled to the body of a user in order to be transported by the latter. The solution described in this document does not provide any closure of the compartment for housing the food products, and therefore does not allow them to be preserved at a controlled temperature and their hygienic protection to ensure adequate transport.
Document KR-U-2010/0010201 describes a containing device for food products made starting from a shaped cardboard sheet suitably folded to define a compartment and other separate components which contribute to define, inside the compartment, a plurality of compartments suitable to receive food products. This device, in addition to being complicated to make and assemble, since it provides the assembly of separate elements from the shaped sheet, has a series of elements protruding externally on several sides with respect to its overall profile, which cause storage problems, does not guarantee a correct closing of the compartment and is not suitable to guarantee a correct preservation thereof at a controlled temperature nor a hygienic protection to guarantee their adequate transport.
Document JP-U-H01 122470 describes a containing device for food products consisting of a plurality of separate components assembled together to define a compartment closed at the upper part by a plane, and a plurality of compartments inside it to contain one or more food products. However, this device is very complicated to assemble and is, as a whole, cumbersome. Furthermore, the disposition of the compartments does not guarantee an adequate and efficient preservation of the food products at a desired temperature.
There is therefore the need to perfect a containing device for food products that can overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art.
One purpose of the present invention is therefore to provide a containing device for food products, for example fish products, pre-cooked food products, or other, able at least to maintain the temperature of the food product or to change its temperature, if conditions allow it, in order to cool it or heat it at least partially.
Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a containing device for food products configured to allow, in addition to transport, also the consumption of the food product contained therein.
Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a containing device for food products which allows to consume the food product contained therein anywhere, quickly and in maximum convenience.
The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention.
In accordance with the above purposes, a containing device for food products, obtained by folding a suitably shaped sheet, comprises lateral walls associated with each other, a bottom wall and a closing wall configured to selectively open/close a compartment defined by the bottom wall and by the lateral walls.
The containing device for food products comprises a plurality of separator elements, also obtained by folding the sheet, located inside the compartment, having a height lower than the height of the lateral walls and defining a support plane to position a container for food products.
Advantageously, the containing device can be obtained from a single sheet, or blank, and can therefore be mounted completely and quickly in a moment preceding its filling and closing.
The support plane is therefore defined by the tops of the separator elements.
The separator elements are also configured to form a plurality of seatings located under the support plane.
According to the present invention, the containing device also comprises a container containing food products, such as for example a tub, or suchlike, positioned above the support plane, and at least one temperature conditioning device positioned in at least one of the seatings disposed under the support plane.
The conformation of the separator elements is preferably thin, so as to on the one hand optimize the spaces of the seatings, and on the other hand to minimize the points of contact with the container for food products disposed on them.
In this way, the temperature conditioning device can be disposed, during use, directly in contact with the container containing food products, so as to obtain an optimal heat exchange with it, guaranteeing their correct preservation at the desired temperature.
By conditioning device, here and in the following description, we mean a device suitable to maintain the temperature of the product around a predefined value, generally different from ambient temperature and independent therefrom. In the case of food products to be consumed cold, for example raw or fresh products, the conditioning devices can comprise cooling devices suitable to keep the product at a temperature value lower than ambient temperature, while in the case of food products to be consumed hot, such as for example cooked food, the conditioning devices can comprise heating devices suitable to keep the product at a temperature value higher than ambient temperature.
According to some embodiments, the sheet can comprise at least one flap provided with a plurality of portions connected reciprocally and to the flap by means of lines of intended folding; in this case, the separator elements are obtained by folding the portions along the lines of intended folding and lifting them with respect to the flap.
The separator elements are preferably obtained from adjacent and side-by-side portions, folded along a single, respective, intermediate line in correspondence with the respective top defining the support plane.
The containing device can comprise a base defined by the flap provided with the separator elements; preferably, the base has substantially the same size as the compartment so as to be coupled, by snap-fitting, with the compartment.
The containing device can comprise at least one seating where cutlery or suchlike is positioned.
The containing device can comprise at least one seating where containers are positioned able to contain condiments, other foodstuffs or useful items, such as bread sticks, hand wipes or other.
A further purpose of the invention is a method to produce a device for containing food products, comprising the folding of a suitably shaped sheet, so as to obtain lateral walls associated with each other, a bottom wall and a closing wall configured to selectively open/close a compartment defined by the bottom wall and by the lateral walls.
The method provides another folding of the sheet so as to obtain a plurality of separator elements, disposed inside the compartment, having a height lower than the height of the lateral walls and defining a support plane to position a container for food products.
The method further comprises positioning at least one temperature conditioning device in at least one of the seatings and positioning a container containing food products above the support plane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

fig. 1 is a perspective view of a containing device, and of possible combinations according to the present invention;
fig. 2 is a plan view of a shaped sheet suitable to form the device for containing, preserving and consuming food products of fig. 1.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can conveniently be incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

We will now refer in detail to the various embodiments of the present invention, of which one or more examples are shown in the attached drawings. Each example is supplied by way of illustration of the invention and shall not be understood as a limitation thereof.
With reference to the attached drawings, a containing device for food products is indicated as a whole with reference number 10.
The food products in question can be of various nature and can require different temperatures for preservation and/or consumption. For example, the food products can be fresh fish products, such as for example fish, mollusks, crustaceans, or dairy products, for example cheeses, or even raw meat, or pre-cooked products, ready for consumption or not.
The containing device 10 for food products is obtained by folding a suitably shaped sheet F (see fig. 2).
In particular, the present containing device 10 is obtained by folding a single suitably shaped sheet F.
This, as well as simplifying the production process to produce the sheets F and simplifying their storage, allows to obtain a containing device 10 which is simple to assemble, since no further separate components are required.
According to possible variant embodiments, the sheet F can be made of paper, cardboard, plastic material or a combination of these materials.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the sheet F is made of food-grade cardboard.
The containing device 10 comprises lateral walls 11, 12, 13, 14 associated with each other, a bottom wall 15 and a closing wall 16 configured to selectively open/close a compartment 17 defined by the bottom wall 15 and the lateral walls 11, 12, 13, 14.
According to some embodiments, the sheet F is made in such a way as to allow to obtain, once folded, a containing device 10 without elements protruding with respect to its own shape defined by the lateral walls 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, which can therefore be stacked and stored easily.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the lateral walls 13, 14 are formed by a first part 18 and a second part 19 which are symmetrical to each other with respect to the lateral line of intended folding 20 that connects them.
The lateral walls 11, 12 13, 14 can be connected to the bottom wall 15 with bottom lines of intended folding 21.
The lateral walls 11, 12 can be associated with the lateral walls 13, 14, during use and in a non-permanent manner, by means of tabs 22.
The tabs 22 are connected to the lateral wall 11 and to the lateral wall 12 by means of lines of intended folding 23 and are associated, as they are folded, with the first part 18 of the respective lateral wall 13, 14.
The second part 19 of the respective lateral walls 13, 14 is configured to fold, with respect to the lateral line of intended folding 20, on the first part 18 and on the tabs 22 of the respective lateral walls 13, 14.
According to possible solutions, the tabs 22 can be associated, alternatively, with the lateral wall 13 and the lateral wall 14.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the closing wall 16 and the lateral wall 12 are connected to each other by means of an upper line of intended folding 24.
The closing wall 16 can rotate with respect to the upper line of intended folding 24 so as to close/open the compartment 17.
According to one aspect of the present invention, association elements 25 can be connected, by means of closing lines of intended folding 28, to the closing wall 16, which are configured to fold and come into contact, during use, with the lateral walls 13, 14.
The association elements 25, in particular, are configured to slide from the top down onto the internal surface of the respective lateral walls 13, 14 in order to guide the closing wall 16.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a front part 26 can be connected, by means of a closing line of intended folding 28, to the closing wall 16, the front part 26 being configured to associate as it closes with the lateral wall 11.
Closing tabs 27 can be connected to the front part 26 by means of closing lines of intended folding 28.
The closing tabs 27 are configured to be inserted between the first part 18 and the second part 19 of the respective lateral wall 13, 14 in order to clamp the closing wall 16 by snap-fitting.
This way of closing the containing device 10 with the front part 26 in contact with the lateral wall 11 confers a high structural compactness and at the same time a stability of closing which prevents the containing device 10 from opening due to, for example, accidental impacts.
In the closed condition, in particular, the association elements 25 are positioned close to the second part 19 of the respective lateral wall 13, 14, while the closing tabs 27 are inserted in the slot between the first part 18 and the tab 22 of the respective lateral wall 13, 14.
The closing tabs 27, therefore, cooperating with the lateral walls 13, 14 allow a simple yet at the same time stable clamping of the closing wall 16.
Moreover, since the closing wall 16 substantially closes inside the overall shape of the containing device 10, without portions protruding toward the outside thereof, it allows an effective storage of the containing device 10, itself defining a support surface for further containing devices 10 to be stored.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the closing wall 16 comprises an aperture 29 of variable shape and size and configured to make the contents of the compartment 17 visible.
According to a possible variant embodiment, the aperture 29 can be closed with a membrane made of transparent material, thus allowing the contents of the compartment 17 to be visible and simultaneously preventing possible external bodies from penetrating into the compartment 17.
Thanks to the presence of the aperture 29, the final consumer can directly choose the containing device 10 inside which there is the product that most convinces him/her, which is something that would not be possible in the absence of the aperture 29, since it would be necessary to open the containing device exposing it to a sudden change in temperature and also to a possible environmental contamination.
The containing device 10 also comprises a plurality of separator elements 30, also obtained from the folding of said sheet F, and located inside the compartment 17.
The separator elements 30 are obtained by folding a flap 31 of the sheet F.
The flap 31 comprises a plurality of portions 32 connected to each other by lines of intended folding 33.
The portions 32 of the flap 31 are folded along the lines of intended folding 33 and raised with respect to the sheet F so as to define the separator elements 30, see fig. 1.
In particular, each separator element 30 is formed by a pair of portions 32 of the flap 31 folded along respective lines of intended folding 33.
The separator elements 30 are preferably obtained from adjacent portions 32 disposed side-by-side, folded along a single, respective, line of intended folding 33 in correspondence with a respective top and positioned substantially in contact with one another, so that they have a thin conformation.
The flap 31 is connected to the lateral wall 11 by means of a lower line of intended folding 34.
The flap 31, after the folding of the corresponding portions 32 so as to define the separator elements 30, defines a base 31' which has substantially the same size as the compartment 17 so as to be coupled, by simple snap-fitting, with this compartment 17, and therefore correctly position the separator elements 30 inside the compartment 17.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the separator elements 30 have a lower height than the height of the lateral walls 11, 12, 13, 14 and define a support plane 35 for the positioning of a container 36 for food product.
According to some embodiments, the separator elements 30 have a height comprised between about 30% and about 70% of the height of the compartment 17.
According to some embodiments, the separator elements 30 have a height comprised between about 40% and about 60% of the height of the compartment 17.
In accordance with some embodiments, the containing device 10 comprises a container 36 for food products positioned on the support plane 35.
According to some embodiments, the container 36 can be, for example, a tub closed with a lid made of transparent material, or a tray covered with a transparent film, so as to make the product inside it visible.
The support plane 35 is therefore defined by the tops, that is, by the upper edges of the separator elements 30.
In this way, as well as conferring stability and lift to the container 36, the support plane 35 thus defined reduces contact with the container 36 to a minimum, leaving most of the lower surface of the latter free.
According to some embodiments of the present invention, at least two of said separator elements 30 have the same height so as to configure said support plane 35.
The separator elements 30 can have a height coherent with the thickness of the container 36 in the same direction, so that, when the container 36 is positioned on the support plane 35 and the closing wall 16 closes the compartment 17, the space between the closing wall 16 and the container 36 is minimal, so as to avoid shaking and damage to the latter during transport.
The separator elements 30 can have a lateral extension at most equal to the lateral extension of the lateral walls 11, 12.
Advantageously, the separator elements 30 have a lateral extension equal to the lateral extension of the lateral walls 11, 12 so as to make the containing device 10 for food products more rigid.
The container 36 can be a closed tub with a shape and size suitable to rest on the support plane 35.
In particular, said container 36 has to have a thickness suitable to allow, once it is resting on the support plane 35, the closure of the closing wall 16.
The separator elements 30 are configured to form a plurality of seatings 37.
The seatings 37 are defined by the separator elements 30 and by the lateral walls 13, 14 and can be communicating with each other or completely separate.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the containing device 10 comprises at least one temperature conditioning device 38 positioned, during use, in at least one seating 37, under the container 36, and cooperating with the latter in order to guarantee that the temperature is maintained and/or possibly conditioned.
According to some embodiments, for example in the case of a containing device 10 configured to contain food products to be consumed cold, for example fresh or raw products, the at least one temperature conditioning device 38 can comprise one or more cooling devices to maintain the food product contained in the container 36 at a suitable temperature.
According to a possible variant, for example in the case of a containing device 10 configured to contain food products to be consumed hot, for example cooked or heated products, the at least one temperature conditioning device 38 can comprise one or more heating devices.
In accordance with possible embodiments, according to the needs and applications, the temperature conditioning devices 38 can be chosen from a group comprising cooling or heating eutectic plates, bags of gel or salts for thermostating, or other known devices.
Advantageously, the at least one seating 37 which contains the temperature conditioning devices 38 is the central one so that the heat exchange with the container 36 occurs as uniformly as possible.
Thanks to the particular conformation of the support plane 35, which reduces the contact points with the container 36 to a minimum, it is possible to obtain a particularly efficient and uniform heat exchange. In fact, almost all of the surface of the container 36 facing toward the seatings 37 and in particular toward the temperature conditioning devices 38 is free and usable for the heat exchange.
In accordance with possible embodiments, the temperature conditioning device 38 can be positioned, during use, directly in contact with, or in any case in close proximity to, a wide part of the lower surface of the container 36, reducing, if not eliminating, the layer of air present between them, which notoriously has an insulating effect, and in this way increasing the heat exchange.
According to a variant embodiment which is not shown, at least the bottom of the seating 37 designated to contain the cooling devices can advantageously be coated with an insulating and impermeable material to prevent respectively the heat exchange from occurring in an incorrect prevalent direction, and possible condensations from being able to cause damage to the containing device 10 for food products.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, cutlery 39 is positioned in another seating 37 to consume the food product of the container 36.
Advantageously, the cutlery 39 can be sealed in sanitized bags made of plastic or paper.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, containers 40 are positioned in another seating 37 suitable to contain condiments, other foodstuffs or useful items, such as bread sticks, hand wipes.
In the following claims, the sole purpose of the references in brackets is to facilitate reading and they must not be considered as restrictive factors with regard to the field of protection claimed in the specific claims.

Claims

Containing device for food products, obtained by folding a suitably shaped sheet (F), comprising lateral walls (11, 12, 13, 14) associated with each other, a bottom wall (15) and a closing wall (16) configured to selectively open/close a compartment (17) defined by the bottom wall (15) and by the lateral walls (11, 12, 13, 14), the containing device further comprising a plurality of separator elements (30), also obtained by folding said sheet (F), located inside the compartment (17), having a height lower than the height of the lateral walls (11, 12, 13, 14) and configured to define a support plane (35) and form a plurality of seatings (37) located under said support plane (35), characterized in that said containing device comprises a container (36) containing food products positioned on said support plane (35), and at least one temperature conditioning device (38), positioned in at least one of said seatings (37) under said container (36) and cooperating with the latter to condition the temperature of the food product contained in said container (36).
Containing device as in claim 1, characterized in that said sheet (F) comprises at least one flap (31) provided with a plurality of portions (32) connected reciprocally and to said flap (31) by means of lines of intended folding (33), said separator elements (30) being obtained by folding said portions (32) along said lines of intended folding (33) and lifting them with respect to said flap (31).
Containing device as in claim 2, characterized in that each separator element (30) comprises at least a pair of said portions (32) folded and lifted with respect to said sheet (F).
Containing device as in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that it comprises a base (31'), defined by said flap (31), provided with said separator elements (30), said base (31') having substantially the same size as the compartment (17) so as to be coupled, by snap-fitting, with said compartment (17).
Containing device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said seatings (37) are defined between said separator elements (30) and said lateral walls (11, 12, 13, 14) of the containing device.
Containing device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it comprises, positioned in at least one seating (37), cutlery (39).
Containing device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it comprises, positioned in at least one seating (37), containers (40) able to contain condiments, other foodstuffs or useful items, such as bread sticks or hand wipes.
Containing device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said closing wall (16) comprises an aperture (29) of a variable shape and size, configured to make the content of said compartment (17) visible.
Containing device as in claim 8, characterized in that said aperture (29) is closed with a membrane made of transparent material, configured to allow the contents of said compartment (17) to be visible and at the same time prevent any foreign bodies from accessing inside it.
Containing device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it is obtained by folding a suitably shaped single sheet (F).
Containing device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said temperature conditioning devices (38) are positioned directly in contact with said container (36).
Containing device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it comprises association elements (25), connected to said closing wall (16) by closing lines of intended folding (28), and configured to fold and come into contact, during use, with said lateral walls (13, 14).
Containing device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that a front part (26) is connected, by a closing line of intended folding (28), to said closing wall (16), the front part (26) being configured to overlap, in the closed condition, over one (11) of said lateral walls.
Containing device as in claim 13, characterized in that closing tabs (27) are connected to said front wall (26) configured to be inserted, during use, between a first part (18) and a second part (19) of the respective lateral walls (13, 14) so as to slot into them and clamp said closing wall (16) in a stable position.
Method to produce a device for containing food products, comprising the folding of a suitably shaped sheet (F), so as to obtain lateral walls (11, 12, 13, 14) associated with each other, a bottom wall (15) and a closing wall (16) configured to selectively open/close a compartment (17) defined by the bottom wall (15) and by the lateral walls (11, 12, 13, 14), and another folding of said sheet (F) so as to obtain a plurality of separator elements (30), located inside the compartment (17), having a height lower than the height of the lateral walls (11, 12, 13, 14) and defining a support plane (35) and a plurality of seatings (37) located under the support plane (35), characterized in that the method further comprises:
- positioning at least one temperature conditioning device (38) in at least one of said seatings (37);

- positioning a container (36) containing food products above said support plane (35).