FR2695624A1 - Packaging for food products with stacked spacers. - Google Patents

Abstract

The field of the invention is that of packages, particularly for storing and transporting food products. The package according to the invention is of the type comprising a receptacle (1) closed by a removable lid (2) receiving at least one tray (31 to 35) on which food products may be placed. According to the invention, the horizontal overall size of the said trays (31 to 35) is substantially equal to the inner cross section of the said receptacle (1) in at least two different centring directions, and the package also comprises at least one spacing element (41 to 45) forming a stacking element (spacer) between two adjacent trays (31 to 35) or between a tray (31) and the lid (2), the said spacing elements (41 to 45) being extended in at least certain portions of its outer edge by wedging tongues (91 to 94) intended to abut against the inner wall of the receptacle (1). In this manner, each tray is wedged vertically owing to the superposition of the trays and of the stacking elements over which the lid is closed, and is wedged in the horizontal direction under the double effect of its overall size inscribed substantially in the horizontal cross section of the receptacle and of the gripping phenomenon induced by the superposition of trays and stacking elements, the latter themselves being wedged horizontally with the tongues.

Description

Packaging for food products with stacked spacers.

  The field of the invention is that of packaging, in particular for the

  storage and transportation of food products.

  More specifically, the invention relates to a package of the type comprising a receptacle closed by a removable cover accommodating one or more trays

  on which products, especially food, can be put.

  The invention has many applications, such as for example a buffet cabinet for storing, transporting and presenting cakes or petits fours, or

  another storage and transport package for smoked salmon.

  More generally, it can be applied in all cases where products

  foodstuffs to be stored and transported can be placed on trays.

  The simplest known solution for storing and transporting food products placed on trays is to use a receptacle, closed by a

  removable lid, for each tray.

  This known solution, if it offers the advantage of being simple, presents

several disadvantages.

  Firstly, the number of trays is high, and consequently the handling of receptacles are numerous since the number of receptacles is

  equal to the number of trays Also, the cost of the set is increased.

  In addition, even if the horizontal size of the tray is close to the inner section of the receptacle, there are still movements of the plate relative to the inner walls of the receptacle These plate movements cause displacements of food products on the tray These movements can cause the inner products of the receptacle to touch or touch the inner walls of the receptacle.

  lead to partial or total degradation of food products.

  For example, in the case of a buffet cabinet for the storage, transport and presentation of cakes, the transport phase of this buffet cabinet presents

  high risk of cake degradation.

  Other known solutions for storing and transporting food products placed on trays are to use containers that can

accommodate several trays.

  In this case, the trays must be sufficiently far apart (vertical-

  each other so that products placed on a tray do not come into contact with the upper tray. A first solution of this type is related to the use of trays having side walls. The trays can be superposed: each

  tray resting on the side walls of the lower tray.

  This solution does not make it possible to overcome the problem of relative movement

  trays relative to the inner walls of the receptacle.

  In addition, the height of the side walls of the trays depends on the height of the food products placed on these trays. This presence of side walls of generally high height makes it impossible to use these trays directly as a display medium. may, for example, not be used to present petit fours during a cocktail Therefore, it is necessary to transfer the food products transport trays on presentation trays This operation is long, and therefore expensive More , handling of food products during this

  operation tend to increase the risk of degradation of these products.

  A second solution of the receptacle type accommodating several trays consists in arranging inside the receptacle wedging means of each tray in a reserved place So each tray can slide

  horizontally to fit in a reserved place.

  Whatever their embodiment, the wedging means located on the

  internal walls of the receptacle increase the cost of manufacturing packaging.

  In addition, food products are not caught on the shelf and

  can collide, which can cause partial or total degradation.

  Moreover, good stability of the trays inside the receptacle can only be ensured by the wedging means at the cost of a high complexity and therefore expensive (the trays can, for example, slide over

  slides attached to the inner walls of the receptacle).

  Finally, with such a solution, the change in the height between two trays (related to a change of nature of the food transported) is difficult since it requires a displacement of the wedging means located inside the receptacle.

  The invention aims in particular to overcome these various drawbacks

from the state of the art.

  More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a packaging for storing and transporting food products, accommodating at least one tray on which are placed the food products, which prevents any

  relative movement of the trays relative to the inner walls of the receptacle.

  The invention also aims to provide such a package that keeps the food products on the trays and avoids any contact between the

  food products placed on a tray and the upper tray.

  Another object of the invention is to provide such packaging which

  allows use of the trays as presentation support.

  A complementary object of the invention is to provide such a package

  simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

  Another object of the invention is to provide such a package

  requiring no wedging means attached to the inner walls of the receptacle.

  Another object of the invention is to provide such a package that can easily accommodate trays on which are placed food products of varying heights, these different heights can be changed at each

  new use of storage and transport.

  These objectives, as well as others which will appear later, are achieved according to the invention using a package comprising a receptacle closed by a removable cover accommodating at least one tray on which food products can be placed, the horizontal size of said trays being substantially equal to the inner section of said receptacle according to at least two different centering directions, the packaging also comprising at least one spacing element forming a spacer between two adjacent trays or between a tray and the lid, said spacers being extended in at least some portions of their outer edge by wedge tongues intended to abut against the inner wall of the receptacle. In this way, the spacers (or spacers) prevent the

  products placed on a tray do not come into contact with the upper tray.

  Each tray is wedged vertically due to the superposition of the trays and spacers on which the lid is closed, and is wedged in the horizontal direction under the double effect of its bulk marked substantially dasn the horizontal section of the receptacle, and the phenomenon of clamping induced by the superposition trays / spacers, the latter being themselves wedged

  horizontally with the tabs.

  These tongues extend in a substantially horizontal direction so as to bear against the inner wall of the receptacle as mentioned above. It is advantageous to oversize them slightly in order to obtain a good wedging of the spacers. This wedging of the spacers is obtained by playing on the elasticity of the material, either within the tongue itself, or on flexion

  borders of the spacer when the latter is recessed in its center.

  Advantageously, said spacing elements comprise at least side walls forming an intermediate support between two adjacent trays or between a plate and the cover, and releasing at least one housing space of the

foodstuffs.

  Preferably, said packaging is used for storage and

transport of food products.

  Advantageously, said centering directions are timing directions and said timing tongues are positioned in the zones of the

  internal wall of the receptacle intercepted by said centering directions.

  In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, said receptacle, said cover and said spacers are made by the setting volume

flat cuts.

  Preferably, at least one of the lateral faces of said receptacle can

  fold completely so that the stack of trays and space elements-

  alternatively superimposed can be laterally out of said receptacle.

  In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the side walls of said spacers is pierced with at least one window. Thus, the windows allow, for example, the passage of low temperature gas mixtures ensuring the preservation of food products More generally, these windows allow ventilation of the interior of the receptacle,

  and more particularly volumes between two trays.

  Advantageously, each of said wedge tongues of a spacer element is cut out of a side wall of said spacer element, the volume setting of each of said wedge tongue cutouts creating one

said windows.

  Preferably, the shape of the inner section of said receptacle, said cover and the shape of the section of said spacers belongs to the group comprising all substantially polygonal shapes having

minus four sides.

  Thus, several cases can be envisaged, namely: a substantially square shape and substantially circular plates; a substantially rectangular shape and substantially oval trays; a substantially rectangular shape and substantially rectangular trays. According to the embodiments, the number and the position of the windows vary, and, for example, the following provisions can be envisaged: each side wall of said spacers is pierced by a window placed substantially equidistant from the ends of said side wall ; windows pierced on opposite and parallel side walls of said spacers are located opposite each other; windows pierced on opposite and parallel side walls of said spacers are offset relative to one another

to others.

  Advantageously, said receptacle, said cover and said spacers are made of a material belonging to the group comprising: plastic; coated cardboard; aluminized cardboard; the plasticized cardboard;

metal.

  Advantageously, the one or more plates comprise on their face

  upper means for locking the side walls of a spacer element.

  In an advantageous embodiment, the height of the cover is chosen so that the cover makes it possible to block a stack of trays and spacing elements superimposed alternately, even when said face

  opening side is completely folded.

  Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent

  reading of the following description of a preferred embodiment of

  the invention, given by way of indicative and nonlimiting example, and the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a package according to the invention comprising a receptacle closed by a removable cover, accommodating five

  trays and five spacers.

  FIG. 2 shows a front view of a cutout whose setting in volume makes it possible to obtain a receptacle as presented on the

figure 1.

  FIG. 3 shows a front view of a cutout, the setting of which makes it possible to obtain a cover as shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 shows a front view of a cutout whose setting in volume makes it possible to to obtain a spacing element as presented

in Figure 1.

  The packaging described below is an embodiment of a buffet cabinet for storing, transporting and presenting cakes and / or petits fours. It is clear, however, that the invention is not limited to this single embodiment, nor to this application alone, and more generally relates to all the cases where it is desired to store, transport, and then present laid food products.

on trays.

  The packaging according to the invention presented in FIG. 1 comprises a receptacle 1 closed by a removable cover 2, accommodating five trays 3, 35 and

  five spacers 41 and 45.

  One of the lateral faces of the receptacle 1 can be folded down completely and constitutes an opening face 5 making it possible to leave the receptacle 1

  trays 31 to 3 and spacers 41 to 4, alternately superposed.

  The side faces 6, 7 located on either side of the opening face 5

  of the receptacle 1 comprise handles 8.

  The lid 2 is a bell-shaped lid which prevents an unexpected folding of the opening face 5 of the receptacle 1. In addition, the height of this lid 2 is chosen so that the lid 2 makes it possible to block the stack consisting of the five plates and five superimposed spacer elements

  alternatively, even when the opening face of the receptacle 1 is complete-

folded.

  The trays 31 to 3 are rectangular and the receptacle 1 is parallelepid

  The horizontal dimensions of the plates 31 to 35 are substantially equal to the

  inner section of the receptacle 1.

  The spacers 41 to 4, also rectangular, form a spacer between two adjacent trays or between the upper tray 41 and the tray.

  lid 2 when it is placed on the receptacle 1.

  Each spacing element 41 to 4 is extended on each of its outer edges by a locking tongue 91 to 94 intended to abut against the

inner wall of the receptacle 1.

  In addition, each spacing element 41 to 4 comprises side walls forming an intermediate support between two adjacent trays or between the last plate 41 and the lid 2, thus freeing a space for housing the food products. The height of these side walls depends on the height of

  food products placed on trays.

  Finally, each side wall of the spacers 41 to 45 is pierced by a window 10 placed equidistant from the lateral ends of this side wall. Each window 10 located on a side wall corresponds to the setting

  volume of a tongue 91 to 94 cut in the same side wall.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the pierced windows

  on opposite side walls are located opposite each other.

  It is clear that many other embodiments of the invention may be envisaged. In particular, it is possible to provide a receptacle of polygonal inner section comprising more than four sides, and trays of shapes.

other than rectangular.

  In this more general case, the horizontal space of the trays is chosen substantially equal to the inner section of the receptacle according to at least two different centering directions, and at least some of the outer edges of the trays.

  spacer elements are extended by locking tabs.

  In some particular embodiments, the centering directions are timing directions and the timing tabs are positioned in the

  areas of the inner wall of the receptacle intercepted by these centering directions.

  For example, the interior section of the receptacle may be substantially

  square, and the trays substantially circular.

  It is also possible to provide spacers comprising more

  a locking tongue and / or more than one window per side wall.

  Similarly, the windows on opposite and parallel sidewalls may be offset from each other instead of being facing each other.

to face.

  Finally, the upper face 11 of the spacers 41 to 45 which contributes, with the side walls, to carry the upper plate 31 to 35, can be full or perforated In FIG. 1, for example, this upper face 12 comprises only lips that delimit a filling frame In this case, the spacer element is placed on the tray, then serves as a frame during installation

food products.

  FIG. 2 presents a front view of a cutout 21, the setting of which

  volume allows to obtain a receptacle as shown in Figure 1.

  This cutout 21 has a bottom 22 and four lateral faces 23 to 26 having an identical height. The front lateral face 26 can be folded down.

  when the cut is put in volume.

  The two left and right side faces 23 are extended by double flaps 27, 28 The double flaps 27, 28 comprise at their ends two lugs 211 A, 211 B and 212 A, 212 B able to cooperate with openings 213 A, 213 B and 214 A, 214 B pierced on the edges of the bottom 22 joining the bottom and the faces

left side 27 and right 28.

  The front side faces 26 and rear 24 are provided with side closure flaps 29 A, 29 B and 210 A, 210 B Each side closure flap is slid, when setting volume, between one of the left side faces 27 and right 28, and

  the double flap 23, 25 corresponding.

  The double flaps 27, 28 also comprise on one side a notch 217, 218 facilitating the sliding of the flaps 29 A, 29 B during the folding of the flap.

front side face 26.

  The left and right side faces 28 are pierced by an opening 215, 216 forming a handle. Each of the lateral closing flaps 29 A, 29 B, 210 A, 210 B is pierced with a notch 223 A, 223 B, 224 A. , 224 B coming into one of the openings 215, 216 forming a handle during the setting volume The angles 219 A, 219 B of the closure flaps 29 A, 29 B of the front face 26 are softened in order to

  facilitate the folding of this front side face 26.

  Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the setting volume is performed according to the following steps: the outer portions 219, 220 double flaps are plated on the central portions 221, 222 of these same double flaps; the lugs 211A, 211B, 212A, 212B are inserted into the openings 213A, 213B, 214A, 214B so as to secure the position of the double flaps 27, 28 on the left and right side faces 27 brought back to a substantially vertical position; the rear lateral faces 24 and front 26 are brought back to a substantially vertical position, the closing flaps 29 A, 29 B, 210 A, 210 B sliding between one of the left and right side faces 23 and the double flap 27, 17 corresponding, the front side being

foldable at any time.

  FIG. 3 shows a view of a cutout 31 whose volume

  allows to obtain a lid as shown in Figure 1.

  This cutout 31 comprises an upper face 32 and four lateral faces 33 to 36. Two of these lateral faces 33, 35 have a length

  greater than the two other lateral faces 34, 36.

  The two longer side faces 33, 35 are extended by flaps 37, 38 comprising pins 39 A, 39 B, 310 A, 310 B adapted to cooperate with openings 312 A, 312 B, 313 A, 313 B breakthroughs on the edges of the upper face 32

  joining the upper face 32 and the longer side faces 33, 35.

  The two shorter side faces 34, 36 are provided with lateral closing flaps 314 A, 314 B 315 A, 315 B which, when setting volume, is slid between one of the side faces 33, 35 the most 37 and 38 corresponding flap These closure side flaps include recesses

  316 A, 316 B, 317 A, 317 B facilitating their sliding during the setting volume.

  The building up is carried out according to the following steps: the pins 39 A '39 B, 310 A, 310 B are inserted in the openings 314 A, 314 B' 315 A, 315 B so as to secure the position of the flaps 37, 38 it on the shorter side faces 34, 36, these lateral faces 34, 36 being brought back to a substantially vertical position, the longer lateral faces 33, 35 are brought back to a substantially vertical position, the closing flaps 314 A, 314 B, 315 A, 315 B sliding between one of the side faces 33, 35 most

  long and flap 37, 38 corresponding.

  FIG. 4 shows a view of a blank 41 whose volume is

  allows to obtain a spacer element as shown in Figure 1.

  This cut 41 differs from the cut 31 of a cover by the following characteristics: the dimensions (those of the lid are necessarily greater than those of a spacer); the lateral faces 42, 43, 44, 45 comprise a cutout 48, 49, 410, 411 delimiting a wedge tongue. This cutout also forms a window during the setting of volume by folding the lateral faces 42, 43, 44, 45 while the wedge tongues remain in the plane of the upper face 46; the upper face 46 comprises an opening 47 This opening allows to keep only a filling frame when the

cutout 41 is put in volume.

  The cuts 21, 31, 41 are, for example, made of cardboard (coated,

aluminized, or plasticized).

  In other embodiments (not shown), these various elements (receptacle, lid, spacer elements) may be plastic or

made of metal.

  Likewise, the invention is in no way limited to the cuts presented in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 for the production of the receptacle, the cover, and the spacing elements.

  make these locking tabs and these windows.

Claims (16)

  1 package comprising a receptacle (1) closed by a removable cover (2) accommodating at least one tray (41 to 45) on which food products can be placed, characterized in that the horizontal dimensions of said trays (41 to 4) is substantially equal to the inner section of said receptacle (1) in at least two different centering directions, and in that it also comprises at least one spacing element (41 to 45) forming a spacer between two adjacent plates (31 to 35) or between a plate (31) and the cover (2), said spacers (41 to 45) being extended in at least some portions of their outer edge by locking tongues (91 to   94) intended to abut against the inner wall of the receptacle (1).   2 Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that it is used to   storage and transportation of food products.   Pack according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that   said spacers (41 to 4) comprise at least lateral walls forming an intermediate support between two adjacent trays (31 to 3%) or between a plate (31) and the cover (2), and releasing at least one space of housing of food products.   Pack according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that   said centering directions are timing directions and said timing tabs (91 to 94) are positioned in the areas of the wall   internal receptacle intercepted by said centering directions.   Packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized   what said receptacle (1), said cover (2) and said spacers (4   45) are produced by placing in volume flat cutouts (21; 31; 41).   Pack according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that   at least one of the side faces (9) of said receptacle (1) can be folded completely so that the stack of trays (31 to 35) and spacers (41 to 4) alternately superposed can be output laterally of said receptacle (1).   Pack according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized   each of the sidewalls of said spacers (41 to 4) is   pierced with at least one window (10).   Packaging according to Claim 7, characterized in that each of said wedge tongues (91 to 94) of a spacer element (41 to 45) is cut out of a side wall of said spacer element, the setting in volume of each   said tongue-and-groove blanks creating one of said windows.   Pack according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that   that the shape of the inner section of said receptacle (1), said cover (2) and the shape of the section of said spacers (41 to 45) belongs to the group comprising all substantially polygonal shapes having at least four sides. Packaging according to claim 9, characterized in that said shape and said trays (41 to 45) belong to the group comprising: a substantially square shape and substantially circular trays; a substantially rectangular shape and substantially oval trays; a substantially rectangular shape and substantially rectangular trays.   Pack according to one of claims 9 and 10, characterized   in that each side wall of said spacers (41 to 4) is pierced by a window (10) positioned substantially equidistant from the ends of said side wall.   Packaging according to any one of claims 9 and 10, characterized   in that the windows (10) pierced on opposite and parallel side walls   said spacers (41 to 4) are located opposite one another.   Packaging according to any one of claims 9 and 10, characterized   in that the windows (10) drilled on opposite and parallel side walls of said spacers (41 to 45) are offset relative to one another.   Packaging according to any one of Claims 1 to 13, characterized   in that said receptacle (1), said cover (2) and said spacers (41 to 45) are made of a material belonging to the group comprising: plastic; coated cardboard; aluminized cardboard; the plasticized cardboard; metal.   Packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized   in that the at least one plate (31 to 35) comprises on their upper face   means for locking the side walls of a spacer element (41 to 45).   Pack according to one of claims 6 to 15, characterized   in that the height of the lid (2) is chosen so that the lid (2) makes it possible to lock a stack of plates (31 to 35) and spacers (41 to 45) superposed alternately, even when said opening side face (5) is completely folded.   Packaging according to any one of claims 6 to 16, characterized   in that the plane cutout (21) from which the receptacle (2) is made comprises a bottom (22) and four lateral faces (23 to 26), the front side face (26) being foldable, both sides lateral left (23) and right (25) being extended by double flaps (27, 28) comprising lugs (211 A, 211 B, 212 A, 212 B) adapted to cooperate with openings (213 A, 213 B, 214 A, 214 B) pierced on the edges of said bottom (22) joining the bottom (22) and said left (23) and right (24) lateral faces, the front (26) and rear (24) lateral faces being provided with flaps closing (29 A, 29 B, 210 A, 21 B)), each lateral closing flap slipping, when the said cutout (21) is brought into volume, between one of the said left lateral faces (23); ) and right (25) and the double flap (27, 28) corresponding, in that each of said double flaps (27, 28) comprises a notch (217, 218), each of said flaps (29 A, 29 B, 210 A, 210 B) comprising a softened angle (219 A, 219 B), said notches (217, 218) and said softened angles (219 A, 219 B) facilitating the folding of the front side face (26), and in that said left (23) and right (25) side faces are pierced with a handle opening (215, 216), each of said lateral closure flaps (29 A, 29 B, 210 A, 210 B) being pierced with a notch (223 A, 223 B, 224 A, 224 B)   slipping into one of said openings (215,216) during the setting volume.   Packaging according to any one of Claims 1 to 17, characterized   in that the plane cutout (41) from which a spacer element (41 to 45) is formed comprises an upper face (46) and four lateral faces (42 to 45), two opposite first lateral faces (44, 45) being extended by a flap comprising lugs adapted to cooperate with openings placed on the edges of said upper face (46) joining said upper face and said first opposite side faces (44, 45), two opposite second side faces.   (42, 43) being provided with lateral closure flaps comprising   elements, each lateral shutter slipping, when the said cutout (41) is placed in volume, between one of the said first lateral faces (44) and the corresponding flap, the said recesses facilitating this sliding, and in this respect each of said flaps comprises at least one cut (48,49,410, 411)   delimiting a locking tab and forming a window during the setting volume.   19 Spacer (41 to 45) used in a package according to one   any of claims 1 to 18.