FI130573B - Product package and method for producing the package - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a product package, a method for manufacturing the product package and a product package substance. The product package (1) comprises a placement space (1la), a cover film (7), an inner lining (6) and a body part (2), which body part (2) comprises walls (2a, 2b, 2c, 8), a bottom (3 ) and an edge part (4). The walls (2a, 2b, 2c, 8) of the body part (2) comprise a number of slots (5) for shaping the placement space (1a).

Description

PRODUCT PACKAGING AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING IT

The object of the invention is the product package presented in the preamble of claim 1, such as for example a food package, which is mainly made of recyclable fiber material, and the method presented in the preamble of claim 10 for producing said product package. Corrugated cardboard, cardboard or other suitable recyclable fiber material can be an inexpensive material alternative.

As is well known, there are various food packages that contain, for example, cold meats, other meat and fish products, cheeses or ready meals, which can be heated in a microwave oven or something similar, for example. In Skin packaging, the contents are packed in a vacuum between the SKIN film and the packaging body. The body part is coated with food film, which later can also be called the inner lining.

The flexible skin film gives the product a natural and salable appearance, while the distinctiveness of the product through the packaging improves. The flexible film precisely follows the surface of the product inside the package and creates a natural and visual impression of the product's freshness, colors and authenticity.

The vast majority of such packages today are made entirely of plastic, which cannot be recycled, and instead of printing, product information and brand information are often pasted on them with a sticker. This creates an environmental problem. The body of the package is made of a suitable plastic or it is lined on the inside with a separate food film. Packaging

N is shaped into a suitable shape so that the desired amount of food can be packed inside it. In addition, the design includes

N the horizontal border around the top of the entire package

E flange, which is intended as a mounting surface and a sealing base for the lid of the package, which is used to seal the package

S bevel by heat sealing when the package is filled and there

The food in N 35 is cooked if necessary. Often in packaging

The food in N must be fully cooked before it can be sent on to be sold as ready-made food. The problem is that the cooking takes place at a high temperature,

like in the oven, which not all the plastics in the packaging boxes can withstand, instead special plastics have to be used in the boxes, which are expensive.

Food packages are also known, which are made of, for example, cardboard or the like and lined on the inside with a separate food film. One such solution is presented in patent publication No. EP2441696. The upper edge of the cardboard food packaging described in the said publication has an essentially horizontal, sideward, planar edge flange for attaching the lid, as in the plastic packaging described above. The package is also lined on the inside with food film so that the film also comes on top of the edge flange. The problem with this solution is, among other things, that the cardboard package is supported in its shape only by the food film lined on the inside, which, together with the discontinuous edge section, means that the package is not rotationally rigid and the seam points of the edge flange on the top edge are not tight and smooth. The aforementioned increases the risk that unevenness and gaps remain between the food film drawn over the edge flange and the cover heat-sealed to it, causing, for example, the gas tightness of the food package to be lost and air to enter the food package. If the sealing cannot be done reliably and the packaging is not tight enough, the packaging may have to be wrapped inside a separate plastic, which in turn increases the material costs and the space required, and the exterior and interior of the packaging is not as neat as without such additional wrapping.

No <Q 30 In the publication JP 2000254985 A, a method for product packaging is described

To make N season, which product package includes investment

E tus space, inner lining and — body part formed from one blank. The body part comprises the walls, the base and the edge

S the part whose outer edges form the edge of the product packaging

The outer edges of section N 35. In the method, the body part is formed

N set of slots for shaping the placement space. In the body part, a uniform, seamless and planar frenulum section with no overlapping material sections is formed from the mentioned single blank. The publication does not describe a cover film or a method in which the inner lining has been made to extend partially or completely to the outside of the outer edges of the edge section.

Food packaging in industry is filled mechanically with food. If the stack of packaging cannot be easily handled mechanically, production problems easily arise. A very common problem occurs if the top of the nested packages does not come off when it is mechanically moved onto the conveyor belt. For this problem, various supports have been used in stackable food packaging, the task of which is to facilitate the dismantling of packaging stacks by mechanical methods, by keeping the gaps (gaps) of the stacked packaging suitable.

Sometimes cardboard or cardboard packaging is bent to fit from a flat packaging blank. In order to minimize costs, the aim is to make the packaging blank completely from one blank, but often, for example, the corners of food packaging are folded in such a way that the walls or especially the corners at the fold have more than one layer of material on top of each other.

The above-mentioned drawback causes additional costs for the production of food packaging in the form of material waste.

The product packaging box filling process is automatic and the individual product packaging box is picked up from the product packaging stack & is done mechanically. Condensed and attached to each other

N these product packaging boxes cause disturbances in the filling process, which in turn increases the production time of the product batch and

N efficiency of the production process. z — The purpose of this invention is to replace those in use

S airtight mold solutions, for example all-plastic skin-

N 35 pans with a solution containing less plastic and replace

N straight skin bases made of laminated cardboard-plastic structure with smaller skin channels. For example, biodegradable plastic products made from natural materials, such as PLA plastic, can also be used as plastic films. In addition, the purpose of this invention is to remove the other disadvantages mentioned above and to provide an affordable, stackable, condensation-free and machine-processable, sturdy and space- and cost-efficient product packaging. The purpose is also to create a product package with a reliable lid attachment and the product package is therefore tight when it is closed with the lid.

Thanks to the efficient use of the surface area of the blank, the separation of plastic and cardboard, and the large printing area, the solution improves recyclability, brand visibility, shelf life and transport efficiency.

The product packaging according to the invention is characterized by what is presented in the characterizing part of claim 1.

Correspondingly, the method according to the invention for producing the mentioned product package is characterized by what is presented in the distinguishing part of claim 10. Other applications of the invention are characterized by what is presented in other patent claims.

The product package according to the invention comprises a storage space, an outer film, an inner lining and a body part, which comprises a base, an edge part and walls, of which the partition walls also comprise support parts. The walls of the body part comprise a number of slits for shaping the placement space.

In the method according to the invention for manufacturing a product package, the product package comprises a storage space, a cover film,

N inner lining and body part, which body part comprises wall <Q 30 mät, base, edge part and support parts. Body part wall-

A number of gaps are formed in N min and possibly also in the bottom

E for shaping the investment space.

S The product packaging blank comprises a recyclable fiber

A plate-like structure made of S 35 material, with

N bottom section(s), wall section(s) and edge section - the bottom, walls, support

for tinos and edge part. The edge section of the product packaging blank is the same as the edge section of the finished product packaging.

Advantageously, in the solution according to the invention, the bottom section(s), wall sections and edge section of the body part are formed from a packaging blank and attached with the help of an inner lining from a two-dimensional packaging blank into a three-dimensional product package.

The advantage of the solution according to the invention is, among other things, that the product packaging is mainly made of recyclable material, which eliminates the environmental problems related to plastic packaging almost completely. In this sustainable development solution, the user can easily separate the plastic layers from the frame material into separate recycling waste. In addition, the advantage is that the planar edge part covered with the inner lining of the product package is essentially seamless and flat throughout, so that the product package can be closed with the lid securely and reliably and the package becomes completely airtight. This results in the advantage that there is no need for additional plastic wrap, and the food can be packed, for example, in SKIN packaging or in protective gas, which increases the shelf life of the food.

The advantage is also the saving of manufacturing material and costs, because the product packaging according to the invention is folded from one cardboard or cardboard blank and there are no overlapping material sections in the product packaging. In addition, the outer edges of the material blank & are the outer edges of the edge portion of the product package and

The inner section N is used in its entirety to form the product package <Q 30, so that the blank material is not lost.

N too. x a — The advantage is, among other things, that the product packaging is made easily

S for nesting stacking in a way that the finished product packaging stack does not

N 35 can condense during storage and transport. In addition

The advantage of N is that individual product packaging can be easily taken from the stack of product packaging. The former enables a reliable mechanized product packaging filling process, whereby the filling

problem situations in the process are reduced and the processing time of the process is accelerated.

The surfaces on both sides of the base and the edge part enable inexpensive and environmentally friendly printing to identify the brand and present product information.

In the following, the invention is explained in more detail with the help of two application examples by referring to the attached drawings, in which: figure 1 shows a product package according to known technology viewed obliquely from the side and from above, figure 1a shows a product package according to known technology viewed from above, simplified and not to scale, according to figure 1] non-uniform corner, figure 1b shows, viewed from the side, simplified, partially cut and not to scale, the non-uniform corner and non-tight lid joining solution of the product package according to the known technology according to figure 1, figure 2a shows a direct top view of one product package according to the invention, & figure 2b shows side view, not to scale figure

one side wall of the product packaging according to N 2a, placed in the shape <Q 30,

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E figure 2c shows a diagonal view from the side and top, no — to scale the product packaging according to figures 2a and 2b

When set in S ta shape,

A 35

Figure 2d shows the packaging blank of the product package according to Figure 2, viewed directly from above,

Fig. 3a shows, viewed directly from above, the second packaging blank before it has been placed as a product package, Fig. 3b shows, viewed from the side, not to scale, one side wall of the product package according to Fig. 3a when placed in the shape, Fig. 4 shows, viewed from the side, cut, folded and not to scale part of one product package according to the invention equipped with a skin film, Figure 5k shows a side view, cut, simplified and not to scale of the product package according to Figure 4 equipped with a support part, Figure 6k shows a side and top view of the product package according to Figure 5k, and Figure 7k shows, viewed directly from above, the packaging blank of the product package according to figure 5k.

Figures 1, 1a and 1b show one product package according to the invention. Pa (Prior Art: EP 2441696 A1). For illustrative purposes, the thickness of the packaging material and films has been exaggerated in some of the figures.

Figure 1 shows one product package according to known technology

Pa shown diagonally from the side and top view. Product packaging & packaging Pa is folded up from one of the cardboard blanks. Product-

N package Pa consists of body part 2 and inner lining 6.

TF Correspondingly, the body part 2 consists of a base 3, two sidewalls

Q 30 of these and the two end walls and the side and end wall

From the essentially planar edge portion extending outwards from the upper edge of the fins to the side 4. The manufacturing material of body part 2

A suitable recyclable fiber material has been used as

N rials, like cardboard. The product packaging Pa remains for it

N 35 in its closed form, based on the thin food-grade plastic used as inner lining 6, laminated to the body part 2, which makes

makes the structure weak and unsupportive, among other reasons, because the edge part of the upper part is not seamless and uniform.

Fig. 1a shows the non-uniform corner of the product package Pa according to Fig. 1, viewed from above, simplified and not to scale. The above-mentioned structure made solely for the inner lining causes that in the assembly stage of the product package Pa, where the inner lining 6 is attached to the body part 2 and the planar edge part 4, the product package

Small gaps remain in the corner seams 5 of the planar edge portion 4, which make the planar edge portion 4 non-uniform.

Figure 1b shows, viewed from the side, simplified, partially cut and not to scale, the non-uniform corner and non-tight lid connection solution of the product package Pa according to Figure 1. When there is a gap in the corner seam 5 of the planar edge portion 4 of the product package Pa, the food grade plastic used in the inner lining 6 fixed on top of the planar edge portion 4 tends to be shaped in the direction of the gap, leaving a groove 6a in the direction of the corner seam 5 on the surface of the planar edge portion.

Later, the product package Pa is filled with food product and the cover film 7 is attached to the part of the inner lining 6 fixed on top of the flat edge portion 4 of the product package Pa, for example by heat sealing. The grooves 6a inner lining 6 mentioned above, formed at the points of the corner seams 5, leave an air channel between the inner lining 6 and the cover film 7 and thus also in the placement space la of the product package 1, in which case the product package does not

N is not airtight and not necessarily even waterproof. In product packaging according to the <Q 30 structure in question, it is not possible to use pre-

N stands for shielding gas to improve the preservation of the food product

For example, they are not suitable as skin packs.

S Figures 2a, 2b and 2c show one according to the invention

S 35 product packaging 1. Figure 2d shows the packaging blank 9a,

N from which the body part 2 of the product package according to figures 2a, 2b and 2c is formed.

Figure Za shows a product package 1 according to the invention as viewed directly from above. Preferably, the product package 1 according to the invention is a food package, for example for cold cuts. The empty product package 1 consists of a body part 2 and an inner lining 6, such as food film. Correspondingly, the body part 2 consists of nine bottom sections 3a, two side walls 2a and two end walls 2b, as well as the partition walls 2c between them, in the corners of the product package, and additionally from the top edge of the side, middle and end walls extending outward to the side from the uniform seamless edge part 4, which forms the essentially planar edge part 4 of the product package 1. The bottom parts 3a form the base 3.

A suitable recyclable fiber material has been used as the manufacturing material of body part 2. Preferably, the material is, for example, corrugated cardboard, cardboard or some other suitable recyclable fiber material. The inner lining 6 is food-grade plastic and can be easily removed from the frame part 2 after use, so that the frame part 2 and the inner lining 6 can be sorted for recycling. The body part 2 is manufactured by shaping and folding it, for example, mechanically from the packaging blank 9a.

The uniform and seamless planar edge part 4 of the body part 2 of the product package 1 is the part that holds the walls (2a, 2b, 2c) together, a common component that makes the structure sturdy. & The edge section (4) includes those bent from the bending lines (4de).

N side walls 2a, end walls 2b and partition walls 2c, of which <Q 30 by folding along the bending lines 3e, the bottom parts are formed

No. 3a. x a — Side walls 2a, end walls 2b and partition walls 2c together

S together with the bottom parts 3a form a space for the product to be packed

S 35 le when the packaging blank 9a is folded along the bending lines 4e and 3e

N along the la of the placement space as the frame for the food ration. With the non-uniform structure of the body of the storage space la, which also includes a number of gaps 5, the material cost is saved

in, because the frame structure 2 has no overlapping material sections and no material waste caused by cutting, and in addition, a number of slits 5 increase the volume of the placement space la. The frame of the storage space la equipped with the inner lining 6 forms an actual sturdy storage space la, which also thanks to the inner lining 6 reliably maintains its shape and tightness.

The manufacturing method enables the product package 1 to have a uniform and smooth and seamless planar edge section 4, so that the outer film 7 can be attached to the product package in an airtight manner. In Skin packages, the air is sucked out of the package and the airtightness of the package ensures that a vacuum remains in the product package 1.

Figure 2b shows the other end of the product package 1 according to Figure 2a, viewed from the side, simplified and not to scale, where the end wall 2b and two partition walls 2c and the edge part 4 and the inner lining 6 extending over the edge part on each side of the edge part 4 are visible.

An inner lining 6 is mechanically fixed on top of the body and flat edge part 4 of the storage space la of the folded and assembled product package 1. The inner lining 6 is attached to the body part 2 and it is arranged to make the package airtight together with the cover film 7. The fastening of the inner lining 6 is done, for example, in such a way that a negative pressure is produced on the bottom & side of the body part 2. With the help of negative pressure, the inner lining 6,

N, which has glue on its lower surface, is arranged to be sucked onto the inner surface of the body part 2. This happens by sucking the underpai-

With the help of the body part 2 and the inner lining placed inside

E the air between it 6 out through the body part 2 and the openings 5. The excess pressure above the packing causes the attachment

S still more help. Using the method described above, inner lining 6

N 35 is tightly attached to the body of the housing part 2 of the placement space la

N on the inner surface and on top of the freuna section 4. In addition, the inner lining extends over the edge section 4, enabling the used packaging

for easy separation of body part 2 and inner lining 6 for sorted recycling.

At the edge section 4, the inner lining 6 lays down evenly, and no groove or bump can form in the inner lining 6 that hinders the tightness of the product package 1. Later, the product package 1 is filled with a food product and a cover film 7 is attached to the part of the inner lining 6 fixed on top of the uniform, seamless edge portion 4 of the product package 1. The cover film 7 of the product package 1 is arranged to be attached to the inner lining 6, for example by heat sealing or some other suitable fastening method. In the above-mentioned points of the planar seamless edge section 4, the outer film 7 fits tightly against the inner lining 6, ensuring the watertightness and airtightness of the product package 1 placement space la.

Thanks to the tightness, the product packaging 1 according to the invention ensures that a vacuum is maintained, for example in skin packaging applications, or the product packaging 1 can use, for example, a shielding gas to improve the preservation of the food product.

Figure 2d shows, viewed from above, one inexpensive packaging blank 9a before it has been shaped into a product package 1. The packaging blank 9a has suitable cuts and bending lines 3e and 4e at the folding points of the product package to facilitate the mechanical folding of the packaging blank 9a into a product package 1. Bending lines 3e and 4e is done, for example, by using &

N o <Q 30 The packaging blank 9a preferably comprises a recyclable fiber

A plate-like structure made of N material, with

E the bottom sections separated by the bending lines 3e, 4e and cuts — 3a, the wall sections 2y and the edge section dy from the packaging blank are folded

1, base 3, walls of the product package to be manufactured in S

N 35 for 2a, 2b, 2c and edge part 4. In one inexpensive rat-

In the N fold, the bottom sections 3a are separated from the wall sections 2y forming the walls (2a, 2b and 2c) along the bending lines 3e.

Figure 3a shows another planar packaging blank 9b viewed from above before it has been shaped into a product package 1. The packaging blank 9b in question has a planar and seamless edge section 4y and a planar uniform bottom section 3a.

Between the bottom section 3a and the edge section 4y, there is a wall section 8y of the packaging blank 9b, which is formed from uniform nested perimeter sections 8a. The peripheral parts 8a are separated from each other by the systematic alternation of circumferential cutting seams 8b and fasteners 8c. The edge section 4y and the bottom section 3a are respectively separated from the perimeter sections 8a. The single perimeter part 8a is thus connected by the fasteners 8c to the adjacent perimeter parts 8a, which structure enables the later formed flexible and basket-like structure and placement space la for the product to be packed.

Figure 3b shows, viewed from the side, the body part 2 of the product package 1 formed from the packaging blanks 9b according to Figure 3a, placed in the form. The body part 2 includes a base 3, an edge part 4 and a wall 8. The wall 8 comprises uniform perimeter parts 8a, fasteners 8c connecting the perimeter parts 8a and a set of gaps 5 formed by cutting seams 8b. Once placed in the product package 1, the body of the storage space 1a is formed, while the perimeter parts 8a, cutting seams 8b and fasteners 8c of the wall 8 form a basket-like structure thanks to systematic alternation. When the inner lining 6 is installed in the basket-like body part 2 formed in this way, the structure of the product package 1 and the storage space for the product to be packed are stiffened.

S is formed. o <Q 30 Figure 4 shows, viewed from the side, cut, single-

N multiplied and not to scale part of one of the invention

From the product package according to E 1 with cover film 7. — The figure illustrates how product packaging 1 is positioned

The space 1a and the planar edge part 4 are covered with

N 35 with tone lining 6 and how the finished food product 10 si-

The product package 1 containing N is closed at the smooth and flat edge section 4 with a cover film 7 attached to the inner lining 6. The edge section of the Skin product package according to the pattern

the sections of the cover film 7 and the inner lining 6 that extend outside the 4 are not attached to each other, so that the product package 1 can be easily opened. After use, the inner lining 6 can be easily removed from the body part 2 by pulling the inner lining 6 section outside the edge part 4.

Figure 5k shows a side-viewed, cut, simplified and not to scale product package according to Figure 4 equipped with a support part 11. At the support part 11, the fold 2c between the edge part 4 and the partition folds in a different direction outside the support part 11.

Figure 6k shows the corner of the product package 1, viewed obliquely from the side and top, where the support part 1 is pressed out into its shape.

Figure 7k shows, viewed directly from above, the packaging blank 9a of the product package 1, between the wall sections 2y and the edge section 4y, cuts lla and notches 11b have been made to form the support part 11. However, the picture does not show the essential greater width of the horizontal part of the support part 11 compared to its vertical part.

Advantageously, the product package 1 forms a large potential information presentation surface, such as a printing surface or a printing surface, on both sides of the surfaces of the base and the edge section and, in certain applications, also on the surfaces of the wall sections. Both-

The display surfaces on both sides enable printouts/results

The use of data for, among other things, brand identification and product information

N 30 for presentation. = a — It is clear to a person skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to

S to the examples shown above, but may vary

S within the scope of the patent claims presented below. So-

N 35, for example, some structural solutions may be different from those presented above.

It is also clear to a person skilled in the field that the product packaging can also be different in shape from what is presented above.

The simplest and most common body part of the product package is, for example, rectangular. However, the shape of the package can be other than a box-like rectangular shape.

In this case, the shape can be, for example, polygonal or also round or oval, depending on, for example, the bending lines of the ready-made blank. When the shape deviates from a square, the number of walls may also differ from the above, in which case, for example, there may not be separate side and end walls. Also, for example, the angle between the base and the walls can be softened with one additional fold to the walls to the thickness of the base. In addition, the shape can also be asymmetrical.

It is also clear to a professional in the field that product packaging can be made of other materials than recyclable fiber material. In this case, the body part of the product packaging can be made from other foldable material than corrugated cardboard. The body part of the product package can be made of, for example, different cardboards, cartons or papers, or also braided material, or a combination of different materials.

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Claims (12)

PATENT CLAIMS 1. A product package comprising a placement space (1a), a cover film (7), an inner lining (6) and a body part (2) which has been created from a single substance by folding, which body part (2) has walls (2a, 2b, 2c, 8), a bottom (3) and an edge part (4) as well as a number of slots (5) for shaping the placement space (1a), which edge part (4) has been created from the single blank whose outer edges form the outer the edges of the edge part (4) of the package, characterized in that the edge part (4) of the body part (2) is a continuous, seamless and flat part which connects the walls (2a, 2b, 2c, 8) of the body part (2) and which has no overlapping material parts, and that the inner lining (6) partially or completely extends outside the outer edges of the edge part (4), whereby the inner lining (6) can be detached from the body part by detaching this part of the inner lining (6) in its entirety (2). 2. Product packaging according to patent claim 1, characterized in that the continuous inner lining (6) covers the placement space (la) and edge part of the product packaging (1) (4). 3. Product packaging according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the cover film (7) of the product packaging (1) covers the packaged product and is sealed to the inner covering (6) at least along the edge portion (4). 2 a 4. Product packaging according to one of the preceding patent claims, <Q 30 characterized in that the body part (2) of the product packaging (1) is N formed from a product packaging blank (9a, 9b), and that the E product packaging blank (9a, 9b) is provided with cuts by means of which the three-dimensional structure S of the body part (2) is arranged to be formed. A 35 N 5. Product packaging according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that its body part (2) is made of a recyclable fiber material, and that the material consists of corrugated cardboard, cardboard or any other suitable recyclable fiber material. 6. Product packaging according to any of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the body part (2) of the product packaging (1) has one or more continuous surfaces for displaying information. 7. Product packaging according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the walls (2a, 2b and 2c) and the bottom (3) of the body part (2) of the product packaging (1) are provided with a number of slots (5), which walls (2a, 2b yes 2c), which bottom (3) and which amount of slits (5) together with the inner lining (6) form the placement space (1a). 8. Product packaging according to patent claim 8, characterized in that the wall part (8) of the body part (2) together with peripheral parts (8a), which lie inside each other, and connections (8c), which lie in between, are formed into a basket-shaped wall part ( 8) which has a number of slots (5) and which together with the bottom (3) and the inner lining (6) form the placement space (la). 9. Product packaging according to any of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the body part (2) of the product packaging (1) has more than one support part (11) for pouring product packaging (1), which are placed inside each other, at a distance from each other. & 10. A method for producing a product package, N which product package (1) comprises a placement space (1a), a cover film (7), an inner lining (6) and a body part (2) which has been created from a single substance, which body part (2) E has walls (2a, 2b, 2c, 8), a bottom (3) and an edge part — (4) whose outer edges form the outer edges of the package edge part (4), and in which process the body part (2) N 35 is provided with a number of slots (5) for shaping the placement space (1a), characterized in that a continuous, seamless and flat edge part is created on the body part (2) (4), which has no overlapping material parts, from said single substance, and that the inner lining (6) is arranged to partially or completely extend beyond the outer edges of the edge portion (4), whereby the inner lining (6) by detaching at this part of the inner lining (6) in its entirety can be detached from the body part (2). 11. Method according to patent claim 10, characterized in that the inner lining (6) is attached to the surface of the body of the placement space (la) and to the edge part (4) in order to function as a smooth and continuous attachment surface for the cover film (7) of the product packaging. 12. Method according to patent claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the cover film (7) of the product package (1) is attached to the part of the inner lining (6) placed on the flat edge part (4) of the product package (1) by heat sealing or some other suitable connection method. O N O N o <Q © N I jami a 0 O N O N