FR2782063A1 - Expanded polystyrene pack to be covered with film flap comprises compartments joined at their rims, in zones which can be separated to release individual compartments or sub assemblies - Google Patents

Abstract

The pack includes compartments (1-4) each formed by a rimmed (11-14) tub. The rims are joined in zones which are divisible to separate the compartments individually or as sub-assemblies. An Independent claim is included for the method of food packaging and for equipment carrying it out.

Description

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  PACKAGING, ESPECIALLY PACKAGING FOR

  FOOD PRODUCTS MADE BY MOLDING OR

  THERMOFORMING OF EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE, OR MATERIAL

EQUIVALENT EXPANSE.

  The present invention relates to the field of packaging, in particular packaging for food products, produced by molding or thermoforming of

  expanded polystyrene, or equivalent expanded material.

  In the state of the art, trays closed with a sealing film are known. Often, food products are enclosed in a modified atmosphere to improve the duration of consumption and to avoid degradation. The film is sealed

  on the edge of the tray with a seal.

  These trays of the prior art, however, have a drawback: their dimensions are fixed, and do not meet the diversity of consumer needs. It is certainly possible to increase the dimensions of the trays to offer a wider range of trays. However, this poses problems of logistics and organization of stores as well as equipment with a wide range of tools, because for each dimension

corresponds to a different tool.

  It would also be possible to provide individual trays, allowing the consumer to

  decide the number of trays corresponding to his need.

  Such a solution is not satisfactory because it involves excessive handling of small trays, both at the time of packaging and at the time of storage and sale. This results in

elsewhere additional costs.

  The object of the present invention is to reconcile apparently contradictory needs and constraints:

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  - satisfy the consumer wishing to adapt the size of the packaging to their specific needs - standardize and standardize the packaging to facilitate packaging operations and

storage.

  The invention proposes a technical solution to this problem by packaging in expanded polystyrene or in an equivalent expanded material sealed with a sealing film, characterized in that it has a plurality of compartments each formed by a tray, the upper part of which is surrounded by a peripheral border, said compartments being joined by a connection zone of the adjacent borders of two consecutive compartments, said connection zone being divisible to allow a division of the packaging into unit trays or a subset of unit trays. According to a particular variant, each compartment has at its outer surface at least one rib perpendicular to the sealed surface, the ribs of two consecutive compartments being at least

partially merged.

  These ribs stiffen the packaging during handling. When they extend to the bottom surface of the package, they allow

  also stacking of packaging.

  Advantageously, two adjacent ribs have a breaking line to facilitate the

  separation of individual trays or sub-

sets of trays.

  According to a variant, two adjacent ribs have on the side opposite the sealing film a breaking point to facilitate the separation of the trays

  individual or subsets of trays.

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  According to a preferred embodiment, the packaging according to the invention is sealed by a sealing film covering all of the compartments, the film being glued or welded in a sealed manner to the peripheral edges surrounding each of the trays, the film being cut at least partially along lines

  medians between two consecutive compartments.

  The invention also relates to a method for packaging products, in particular food products, characterized in that the compartments are filled with a packaging having a plurality of compartments each formed by a tray, the upper part of which is surrounded by a border. peripheral, said compartments being joined by a breakable connection zone and in that the packaging is sealed with a film covering each of the

  compartments and glued to the peripheral edges.

  According to a variant, one proceeds after sealing with a partial or total incision of the sealing film and, if necessary, skin coating to form a line of embrittlement facilitating the separation of the trays

  individual or sub-sets of trays.

  According to a first embodiment, the incision is made by a movable blade

  perpendicular to the plane of the film.

  According to a second embodiment, the incision is made by a movable toothed blade

perpendicular to the film.

  According to a third embodiment, the incision is made by a wheel, in particular a

toothed wheel.

  The invention also relates to equipment for packaging products, in particular food products, characterized in that it comprises means for filling compartments with a packaging having a plurality of compartments, means for sealing the packaging with a film covering each of the compartments and being glued to the peripheral edges, and means for producing lines of embrittlement of the sealing film extending between the compartments. The invention will be better understood on reading

  the following description, referring to the accompanying drawings o

  - Figure 1 shows a perspective view of three-quarters above a package according to the invention; - Figure 2 shows a top view of a package according to the invention; - Figure 3 shows a view along the sectional plane BB of the package; - Figure 4 shows a view along the sectional plane AA of the package; - Figure 5 shows a perspective view

  three-quarters below a package according to the invention.

  Figures 1 to 5 show different views

  of a nonlimiting example of embodiment of the invention.

  The packaging is produced by thermoforming or molding of expanded polystyrene, according to known methods

  for the production of trays in such materials.

  The packaging is divided into four compartments (1 to 4) having the general shape of trays usually used for the packaging of food products such as meat. The interior surface and the edges of the compartments (1 to 4) can be treated in a known manner, for example by laminating or by any other surface treatment, to give it

  sealing properties and resistance to various agents.

  Each compartment (1 to 4) has at its upper part a peripheral border (11 to 14) whose upper surface forms a plane intended to receive a

sealing film.

  The edges (11 to 14) have common edges (5 to 8). These common edges are weakened to allow a division of the packaging into individual trays or into sub-assemblies. The embrittlement can be achieved in different ways. In the example described, the embrittlement is achieved by perforations crossing wholly or partly only the common border, along a median line between the

compartments (1 to 4).

  The central zone (9) where the edges (11 to 14) meet is hollowed out to avoid unexpected rupture of the edges and of the top of the compartments during the division of the packaging. This obviously also allows

  guarantee a pleasant and aesthetic symmetry after cutting.

  The compartments (1 to 4) also have ribs (15 to 22) on their lateral blanks arranged perpendicular to the plane of the sealing film, and extending to the lower edge of the packaging. These ribs thus form legs allowing stacking

packaging.

  The compartments have walls with a thickness of 9 mm, and borders with a thickness of 10

  mm. The ribs are 8 mm wide.

  The central ribs (30, 31) or (32, 33)

  adjacent are merged over part of their height.

  In the example described, they join together

  ends by connecting bridges (34, 35) or (36, 37).

  According to a variant, the lower bridges do not extend to the lower end of the bridges, to preserve a starting point for rupture. These bridges slightly stiffen the packaging before division, to avoid unexpected separation by a buckling effect when handling the packaging. The sections of

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  bridges or ribs can be constant or variable or

  present a gradient from the sidewalk to the bottom.

  The connecting bridges of adjacent ribs have a weakening line (40) which facilitates breaking when the user exerts a torque.

separation on the compartments.

  The ribs are distributed to form a cross at the bottom defining a flat support surface. They can also come slightly back to form a recess for the lower tray. The sealing film is sealed on the flat surface of the edges (11 to 14), possibly under a controlled atmosphere. It is heat-sealed or glued to the edge surface. It is then prérainé or completely cut by a toothed wheel cutting a line of weakness, or by a toothed or heated blade creating a line of weakness avoiding the detachment of the

  film when dividing into individual trays.

  The equipment for the realization of this line comprises a wheel or a mechanism actuating in a movement perpendicular to the plane of the film a toothed blade

cold or heating.

  The toothed blade may optionally have teeth the height of which is determined to perforate the border and the sealing films and, if appropriate, the laminating over all or part of the

height of height.

  The invention is described in the foregoing to

by way of nonlimiting example.

Claims (5)

R E V E N D I C A T I 0 N S   1 - Packaging made of expanded polystyrene or equivalent expanded material intended to receive a sealing film characterized in that it has a plurality of compartments (1 to 4) each formed by a tray, the upper part of which is surrounded by a border ( 11 to 14) peripheral, said compartments (1 to 4) being joined by a connection zone of the adjacent edges of two consecutive compartments (1 to 4), said connection zone being divisible to allow a division of the packaging into unit trays or a subset of unit trays.   2 - Packaging according to claim 1 characterized in that each compartment has at its outer surface at least one rib perpendicular to the sealed surface, the ribs of two compartments (1   to 4) consecutive being at least partially merged.   3 - Packaging according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that two adjacent ribs have a breaking line to facilitate the separation of individual trays or subsets of trays. 4 - Packaging according to at least one of   previous claims characterized in that two   adjacent ribs have on the opposite side to the sealing film a breaking point to facilitate the separation of the individual trays or subsets of trays. - Packaging according to at least one of   previous claims characterized in that it is   sealed with a sealing film covering all of the compartments, the film being sealed in a sealed manner on the peripheral edges surrounding each of the trays, the film being at least partially precut along 8 2782063   midlines between two consecutive compartments (1 to 4). 6 Packaging according to at least one of   previous claims characterized in that it comprises   furthermore a laminating film. 7 - A method of packaging products, in particular food products, characterized in that the compartments (1 to 4) are filled with a packaging having a plurality of compartments (1 to 4) each formed by a tray, the part of which upper being surrounded by a peripheral border (11 to 14), said compartments (1 to 4) being joined by a breakable connection zone and in that the packaging is sealed with a film covering each of the compartments (1 to 4 ) and welded or   glued to the peripheral borders.   8 - A method of packaging products, especially food products according to claim 7, characterized in that one proceeds after sealing to a total or partial incision of the film to form a line of embrittlement facilitating the separation of individual trays or under - sets of trays. 9 - A method of packaging products, especially food products according to claim 8, characterized in that the incision is made by a   movable blade perpendicular to the plane of the film.   - Method for packaging products, in particular food products according to claim 8, characterized in that the incision is made by a   toothed blade movable perpendicular to the film.   11 - A method of packaging products, especially food products according to claim 8, characterized in that the incision is made by a wheel. 12 - Equipment for the packaging of products, in particular food products, characterized in that it comprises means for filling compartments (1 to 4) with a packaging having a plurality of compartments, means for sealing the packaging with a film covering each of the compartments (1 to 4) and being glued to the peripheral edges, and means for producing lines of embrittlement of the sealing film extending between the compartments.