FR2957336A1 - PACKAGING A PORTIONABLE FOOD PRODUCT - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention aims to provide a compact packaging after use, economical and practical use, avoiding the user to get dirty fingers when opening and entering the product. The subject of the invention is a packaging of a portible food product, comprising, with reference to the packaged volume: • a lateral strip, having two longitudinal edges connected by two end edges, and having at least one curvature and / or a fold to delimit a storage space of the food product, • two panels each having a face intended to be in contact with the product and connected to a lateral ridge substantially perpendicular to the face by a fold line, the strip being releasably attached to the panels by their respective side rim so as to enclose the food product in the storage space.

Description

PACKAGING OF A PORTIONABLE FOOD PRODUCT. The invention relates to a packaging of a portible food product P. In the following description, portible food product is understood to mean the products which can be portioned by cold casting (between 45 and 70 degrees Celsius) or by heating ( above 70 degrees Celsius), such as melted cheese pasta, butter, chocolate, rillettes, etc., as well as products that can be portioned for example by cutting and deposited in their packaging, such as slices of cheese. cheese or cold cuts.

A package of such products has been known for many years. For cold portionable products, such as butter, a metallized paper is used which is folded around the portion of product. This packaging is not waterproof since it is simply folded and sealed. To seal them, it would be necessary to apply heat and / or pressure, which is incompatible with such products. Since they are not waterproof, the risk of contamination is high and the expiry date must be calculated accordingly. In addition, during the realization of the packaging, the product can come out by the folds and contaminate the production tool. Generally, when a user opens a packet of butter or a single serving of butter, he finds that butter is in the folds and he must be careful not to get dirty. For hot-swab products, it is essential that the packaging is waterproof. Indeed, these products have, generally, a significant fluidity when hot, higher than their cold fluidity. Thus, if the packaging was not waterproof, the product would immediately flow out of the packaging during manufacture. Packaging is known from thermoformable materials, such as thermoplastics, heated to be thermoformed and sealed (preferably by heat sealing). The form given to them is designed

to contain the entire product. Thus, these packages have forms in the shell, half-shell or bucket whose volume is equal to that of the product. For example, such packages are used for P'tit Louise or Saint Moret® products. These packages generate a significant amount of space since they have the same volume as the product they contain and they retain their shape after use. It is therefore necessary to grind them to reduce their bulk. Finally, the demolding of the product can be difficult if the opening is not localized in the middle of the product, as for P'tit Louis® products. These packages are therefore generally reserved for products in trays that are cut with a knife in the tray itself (Saint Moret®). Lacquered aluminum packages used for triangularly shaped portions of processed cheese such as the product described in patent document W000 / 17064 are also known. These packages have the advantage of being very economical. This package comprises a receptacle comprising a bottom and side edges. It is obtained from a blank delivered flat and placed in volume in a holding mold. It is not thermoformed (since the aluminum is not thermoformable), but simply folded and then maintained in this conformation by heat sealing areas covered with a heat-sealable lacquer. The melted cheese paste is hot-poured into the receptacle. Then a lacquered aluminum cover sheet is deposited on the still hot product and part of the side walls is folded over a portion of the cover sheet. This is therefore taken between the product itself and the folded portion of the side walls. The sidewalls are sealed on the cover sheet by applying pressure and heating to seal the lacquer. This package has many disadvantages.

It can only be used with hot-rollable products. Indeed, the pressure applied during the sealing can not be too much

important since it is applied indirectly to the product itself. The temperature of the product is therefore used to promote the sealing of the lacquer. A cold portionable product can not participate in sealing. At the same time, it is necessary to be careful that the temperature of the sealing iron does not affect the integrity of the product. Moreover, the use of such a package is impractical and the user very often gets dirty fingers opening the package and removing the product for consumption. On the other hand, in the corners of the package, the side walls are not perfectly sealed on the cover sheet. Indeed, in the corners of the package, two side walls overlap on the cover sheet. Sealing is therefore poor between the sheet and the side wall immediately in contact with it. In addition, the forming of the sheet in a bucket generates very high stresses in the lacquered aluminum, which therefore has numerous microcracks. The packaging is not perfectly waterproof and the risk of contamination is important. On the other hand, aluminum has only a low mechanical strength, so it is common that inadvertently the user crushes the package and bursts. Finally, the blank required for the production of this packaging has many cutouts that cause significant losses of material. One solution to these sealing and mechanical resistance problems has been to provide a package of similar shape (same form of cup), but made of thermoformed material. A thermoformed packaging is made from a sheet of thermoformable material heated and placed in volume in a mold of shape and depth adapted to contain the product. This package therefore remains expensive because of the amount of material needed, and bulky because of the shape. In addition, the

demolding of the product is difficult: it is necessary to remove the lid and remove the product with the help of a knife for example. The invention therefore aims to provide a compact packaging after use, economic and practical use, avoiding the user to get dirty fingers when opening and entering the product. Another object of the invention is to provide a compact packaging after use, economical, practical and versatile, that is to say, can be used for a food product portionable hot or cold.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compact packaging after use, economical, versatile, practical use and having an optimal seal, including in the corners and in the folds of the package. To this end, the invention proposes to produce a package of thermoformable material comprising a plurality of independent parts whose arrangement allows sealing on all edges, and to apply a temperature and sealing pressure outside the product. More specifically, the subject of the invention is a packaging of a portible food product, comprising, with reference to the packaged volume: • a lateral strip, having two longitudinal edges connected by two end edges, and having minus one curvature and / or one fold to delimit a storage space of the food product, • two panels each having a face intended to be in contact with the product and connected to a lateral flange substantially perpendicular to the face by a fold line, The strip being releasably attached to the panels by their respective lateral rim so as to enclose the food product in the storage space.

A food product package consists of material structures (x) and thickness (s) allowing them to be opened to the

hand (by unfolding or tearing). For example, such a package may consist of aluminum foils less than 50 μm thick, sheets of paper or board of a grammage of less than 450 grams per square meter, polypropylene sheets, polyethylene, or polyester less than 100 μm thick. The term "side" refers to the fact that when the package is set volume, the strip laterally delimits the packaging and the storage space of the food product. The panels are intended to be gripped by a user to hold the food product, while the strip is intended to be detached from the panels. This band has the shape of a flat band when it is flat. In other words, the strip has a length along a longitudinal axis greater than the width along the transverse axis. Preferably, the shape of the flat strip is substantially rectangular, that is, it has longitudinal edges longer than end edges. A "substantially" rectangular shape is a shape having two longitudinal edges longer than the end edges, all these edges being rectilinear or have one or more curves or edges. The term "substantially rectangular" also covers a trapezoidal shape of the headband (one of the end edges is narrower than the second end edge or the center of the headband). When the package is set volume, the strip is shaped to have a curvature and / or a fold. In other words, the band has, in volume, at least two planes, or even an infinity of planes if the band is curved. By "detachable" is meant a waterproof fastening of the lateral strip on the lateral edges of the panels, making it possible to separate them manually, during normal use of the package. This separation can be done either by tearing the attachment of the two parts, or by peeling the two parts without tearing them.

The fastener is torn when it comprises a preferential cutting means, such as a mid-pulley line (dotted or dashed), a tear line, a crease line, etc. The attachment is also considered torn, in the present description, when the package is provided with an attached tear strip (that is to say added to the blank of the package), or "tircelle", this tear strip causing tearing of the portion of the package that carries it. The fastener is peeled when the two pieces are glued or sealed so as to allow their manual separation without tearing them.

According to particular embodiments: the fold line connecting the side to the side flange may carry preferential cutting means; the side rim may be disposed towards the outside of the package, opposite the product; an opening fold line can cross the face of the panels; the lateral flanges of the panels may have at least two premarkings connected by the opening fold line disposed on the faces of the panels; premarkings may be cutouts; the package may comprise a material selected from the group consisting of hot melt materials, such as polyolefins, polyamides and polyesters, a laminated complex comprising at least one sheet of paper or cardboard and at least one sheet of hot melt material, and a combination of these materials; the package may comprise a material covered, at least partially, with an adhesive; said material may be selected from the group consisting of paper, cardboard, aluminum and a plastic sheet, and the glue may be selected from a heat-fusible resin and a heat-sealable lacquer; the strip may have a rigidity less than or equal to the panels.

The invention also relates to a method for producing a preceding packaging, comprising the following steps: a) manufacturing the panels so that they each have a face intended to be in contact with the product, and a substantially perpendicular lateral edge on the face; b) releasably attaching the side strip to only a portion of the side edges of the panels to form a storage space; c) placing the food product (P) in the storage space; d) closing the storage space by releasably securing the side strip to the other portion of the side edges of the panels. According to particular embodiments: step a) may comprise the following steps: a1) providing two panels of thermoformable material; a2) thermoforming the panels so that they each have a face intended to be in contact with the product, and a lateral flange substantially perpendicular to the face; step b) may comprise the following steps: bl) arranging the panels at a determined distance (d) facing each other, so that the lateral flanges are in opposition and directed outward of packaging; b2) detachably fixing the lateral strip on only part of the lateral edges of the two panels, so as to form a storage space between the faces of the two panels, and to keep a portion of the lateral flanges free; and step d) comprises closing the storage space by releasably securing the side strip to the free portion of the side flanges of the two panels; step b) may consist of releasably attaching the lateral strip to a side edge of one of the two panels, so as to form a storage space between the face of the panel and the strip, and step d)

may include closing the storage space by releasably securing the side strip to the side edge of the second panel; - Fixing the strip on the side edges of the panels can be made by welding, sealing, crimping or gluing.

The invention also relates to the use of a previous package, comprising the following steps: i. seize the packaging by the panels, between two fingers of one hand; ii. grasp the headband with the other hand and detach it from the panels on at least a portion of the lateral rim; According to particular embodiments: the use may further include a step of folding the panels so as to remove from the product a portion of the faces of the panels; the strip can be detached by peeling at least partially from the lateral edge of the panels; the strip can be detached by tearing the lateral flange of the faces of the panels at least partially along the preferred cutting means. Other features of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description below, made with reference to the appended figures which represent, respectively: FIG. 1, a diagrammatic perspective exploded view of a first form of a packaging according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the package of FIG. 1 during assembly; - Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of an example of a cutting arrangement of several panels of the first form of the package according to the invention, limiting losses of material during manufacture; Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of the package of Figure 2 being filled with food product;

- Figure 5, a schematic perspective view of the package of Figure 4 after closure; - Figures 6 and 7 are schematic perspective views of the package of Figure 5 being opened; - Figure 8, a schematic perspective view of a second form of a package according to the invention; - Figures 9 to 11, schematic sectional views of a first embodiment of a method of manufacturing a package according to the invention; and - Figures 12 to 14, schematic sectional views of a second embodiment of a method of manufacturing a package according to the invention. The first form of a packaging according to the invention illustrated in FIG. 1 has two panels 10 each comprising a face 10a intended to be in contact with the product P and a lateral flange 10b substantially perpendicular to the face 10a. The panels are identical. In the illustrated example, the face 10a of each panel is of generally triangular shape. The corners of the corners are preferably rounded to allow a good seal of the package. In general, whatever the geometrical shape of the face 10a, rounded vertices will preferably be chosen. Of course, when the number of sides increases, the corners do not really need to be rounded because sealing problems decrease. For example, an octagonal shape does not necessarily require that vertices be rounded. Preferably, the shape of the panels is chosen to limit the losses of material during the cutting of the panels in the base sheet. For example, as shown in Figure 3, the panels 10 have a shape for making several panels nested on a single strip of material. Loss of materials L,

shown in gray in Figure 3, represent a much smaller surface than the losses generated by foldable aluminum triangular packages with complex blanks. Thus, the invention makes it possible to limit the loss of material.

The panels are made of thermoformable material. They are heated and then pressed into a mold to thermoform the face 10a and the lateral flange 10b substantially perpendicular to the face (within plus or minus 10 °). The height h of the lateral rim is independent of the quantity of product that will be contained in the package. It is therefore not necessary that the lateral strip is a high height. Those skilled in the art will be able to choose the height of the side rim as a good compromise between a sufficient area of attachment to the ribbon and a quantity of economic material. The packaging according to the invention also comprises a lateral strip 20, having two longitudinal edges 20a, connected by two end edges 20b. The strip has, when the package is placed in volume, at least one curvature and / or fold to laterally delimit a storage space of the food product P. During the assembly illustrated in Figure 2, the panels 10 are arranged at a distance determined d facing each other, so that the side edges are in opposition and directed outwardly of the package. The distance d is measured between the two faces 10a of the panels 10. The distance d is strictly less than the width 1 of the strip. Preferably, the width 1 is equal to d + 2h.

Then, the strip 20 is detachably fastened to only a portion of the side edges 10a of the panels 10, to form a storage space between the faces 10a of the panels 10 and the strip 20, and to keep free a portion of the lateral flanges of to be able to lock the food product in the storage space in the next step (Figure 4).

Then, the food product P is disposed in the storage space, as shown by the arrow F1, and the storage space is closed by detachably fixing the end of the lateral strip on the part left free of the lateral edges of the panels. . Preferably, the end portions 21 and 22 of the strip 20 carrying the end edges 20b overlap to ensure a perfect seal. For this purpose, they are folded respectively in the direction of the arrow F2, then in the direction of the arrow F3. Also preferably, the end portion 21 of the strip carrying the end edge which is above the other end edge, that is to say towards the outside of the package, is left free to be able to be entered by the user (Figure 5). Advantageously, this free end edge has a convex shape to facilitate the taking of the headband and the opening of the package. When the user wants to consume the product P, he grasps the packaging according to the invention by placing his fingers on the faces 10a of the panels 10 (FIGS. 6 and 7). The strip 20 being detachably attached to the lateral rim 10b, the user can separate the strip 20 from the panels 10. For this, as shown in FIG. 6, he grasps the end portion 21 of the strip 20 left free and lifts the strip. 20 in the direction of the arrow F4. According to a first embodiment, the strip 20 comprises preferential cutting means, such as a mid-pulley line (dashed or dashed), a tear line, a crease line, a tear strip reported (tircelle), etc. In this embodiment, the strip 20 is torn off with respect to the lateral flanges 10b which remain associated with the faces 10a of the panels 10. Alternatively, the preferential cutting means are carried by the lateral flanges 10b of the panels 10, advantageously on the 30 fold line connecting the faces 10a to their respective lateral rim 10b. In this case, the traction on the strip 20 in the direction of the arrow F4 causes the

cutting preferential cutting means and the side flanges 10b are torn from the faces 10a and remain glued to the strip 20. Then the user separates, at least partially, the strip 20 and the panels 10 along the preferred cutting means.

Preferably, the strip 20 remains partially integral with the panels 10 so that the package remains in one piece when it is open, which is more convenient to throw in a bin. According to a second embodiment, the strip 20 is peelably attached, by gluing or sealing, to the lateral flanges 10b.

Thus, by lifting the strip 20 in the direction of the arrow F4, the user separates the strip 20 and the side flanges 10b along a fastening area without tearing or cutting. It is only the attachment area that is peeled off / loosened. Preferably, the faces 10a each carry a fold line 11 (Figure 7). These fold lines allow the user who holds the packaging by the panels, for example between the thumb and forefinger, to remove some of these panels according to the arrows F5 and F6 to be able to very easily put the product P in his mouth or on a stand. Advantageously, the lateral flanges 10a of the panels 10 have at least two premarquings 11a in extension of the fold line 11. These premarkings facilitate the folding of the panels 10 of thermoformable material. These premarkings 11a may be upsetting lines or cutouts. Thus, according to the invention, the panels are of identical shapes, and the strip has a shape with little or no loss of material L during manufacture. The height of the side rim of each panel is independent of the amount of product to be contained in the package. Thus, thanks to the invention, it is possible to produce packages of different capacities, without having to change the formation mold panels. Only the width of the sideband varies. This

bandeau is not thermoformed, a change in its width is very easy to implement. The package according to the invention is therefore very economical while being versatile.

In addition, the size of the full package is less than the size of the empty package. In addition, it allows the realization of packaging of different shapes, such as that illustrated in Figure 8 where the panels have a generally square shape with rounded tops.

Furthermore, when the packaging according to the invention is set in volume, the lateral edges of the panels are directed towards the outside of the packaging set in volume relative to the storage space of the food product, projecting from to the planes formed by the faces of the panels. The shape of the panels / side edges is therefore not used to contain the product between the face and the side edge. On the contrary, according to the invention, the lateral flanges have a closure surface opposite the product. In this way, during manufacture, by means of counterpressure means (not shown) disposed under the side flanges 10b and against the faces 10a, it is possible to apply a significant fastening pressure on the lid and on the side edges. For example, the detachable attachment of the side strip to the side flanges can be achieved by winding the side strip around the panels rotated but held motionless relative to each other. Figures 9 to 11 illustrate an example of a method of producing a package according to the invention. In general, the method comprises a first step in which the panels are manufactured so that they each have a face intended to be in contact with the product, and a lateral flange substantially perpendicular to the face. Advantageously, this step

is made with two panels of thermoformable material. These are heated and deformed in a mold so that they each have a face intended to be in contact with the product, and a lateral flange substantially perpendicular to the face.

Alternatively, the panels can be simply stamped into a mold to obtain the required shape. This can be done for aluminum panels, for example. In a second step, the lateral strip is fixed releasably on only part of the lateral edges of the panels, so as to form a storage space. The fixing of the strip on the lateral edges of the panels can be made by welding, sealing, crimping or gluing. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9, this second step is implemented by fixing the lateral strip 20 in a detachable manner, for example by heat sealing 30, on a lateral rim 10b of a panel 10 (the lower panel in FIG. 9), so as to form a storage space between the face of the panel 10 and the strip 20. In a third step, the food product P is disposed in the storage space (FIG. 10) and in a fourth step, the storage space is closed by releasably securing the lateral strip on the other side of the side edges of the panels. In the embodiment of FIG. 11, this fourth step consists in closing the storage space by detachably fixing, for example by heat sealing 30, the lateral strip 20 on the lateral rim 10a of the second panel 10 ( the top panel in Figure 11). According to another embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 12 to 14, the second and fourth steps are implemented by fixing the lateral strip 20 on the lateral flanges 10b of the panels 10 by crimping 40.

The pressure is never applied directly or indirectly to the product P contained in the storage space. Similarly,

it is possible to heat the strip and the side flanges locally during this pressurization, without risking heating the product. This packaging structure therefore makes it possible to package hot and cold portionable products, such as butter or cold cuts, while ensuring a perfectly sealed package. In addition, the side rim serves as a stop on the fingers of the user, when opening the package. Indeed, the tearing of the headband can drag the packaging of the hands of the user. Having a side flange turned outwardly relative to the product prevents the package from sliding fingers during opening. Advantageously, the strip has a lower rigidity to the faces of the panels. Thus, when the user opens the package, the panels are more resistant to mechanical deformations than the strip. In addition, the presence of the lateral rim stiffens the panels.

This prevents the package from crashing into the user's bag. This also makes it possible to manufacture a less expensive package while ensuring that the panels retain their shape when opening. Thus, the user can hold between his fingers the panels that contain the food product, after opening.

Claims (17)

REVENDICATIONS1. Packaging of a portionable food product, characterized in that it comprises, with reference to the packaged volume: • a lateral strip (20), having two longitudinal edges (20a) connected by two end edges (20b) ), and having at least one curvature and / or one fold to define a storage space of the food product (P), • two panels (10) each having a face (10a) intended to be in contact with the product (P) and connected to a lateral flange (10b) substantially perpendicular to the face (10a) by a fold line, • the strip (20) being releasably attached to the panels (10) by their respective lateral flange (10a). to enclose the food product in the storage space. 2. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein the fold line connecting the face to the side edge carries preferential cutting means. 3. Package according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the side flange (10a) is disposed towards the outside of the package, opposite the product. 4. A package according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein an opening fold line (11) passes through the face (10a) of the panels (10). 5. Packaging according to claim 4, wherein the lateral flanges (10a) of the panels have at least two premarquages (11a) connected by the opening fold line disposed on the faces of the panels. 6. Package according to claim 5, wherein the premarkings are cutouts. A package according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a material selected from the group consisting of hot melt materials, such as polyolefins, polyamides and polyesters, a laminate complex comprising at least one sheet of paper or cardboard and at least one sheet of hot melt material, and a combination of these materials. 8. Package according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising a material covered, at least partially, with an adhesive. The package of claim 8, wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of paper, cardboard, aluminum and a plastic sheet, and the glue may be selected from a hot melt resin and a heat sealable lacquer. 10. Package according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the strip has a rigidity less than or equal to the panels. 11. A method of producing a packaging of a food product portionable according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising the following steps: a) manufacture the panels so that they each have a face intended to be in contact with the product, and a lateral ridge substantially perpendicular to the face; b) releasably attaching the side strip to only a portion of the side edges of the panels to form a storage space; c) placing the food product (P) in the storage space; d) closing the storage space by releasably securing the side strip to the other portion of the side edges of the panels. 12. The production method according to the preceding, wherein step a) comprises the following steps: a1) providing two panels of thermoformable material; a2) thermoforming the panels so that they each have a face intended to be in contact with the product, and a lateral flange substantially perpendicular to the face; 13. The method of realization according to any one of claims 11 or 12, wherein step b) comprises the following steps: bl) arrange the panels at a determined distance (d) facing one another, so that the lateral edges are in opposition and directed towards the outside of the package; b2) detachably fixing the lateral strip on only part of the lateral edges of the two panels, so as to form a storage space between the faces of the two panels, and to keep a portion of the lateral flanges free; and step d) is to close the storage space by detachably fixing the lateral strip on the free portion of the lateral flanges of the two panels. 14. The method of realization according to any one of claims 11 or 12, wherein step b) consists of fixing the lateral strip detachably on a lateral rim of one of the two panels, so as to form a space between the panel face and the strip, and step d) is to close the storage space by releasably securing the side strip to the side edge of the second panel. 15. A method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the fixing of the strip on the side edges of the panels is made by welding, sealing, crimping or gluing. 16. Use of a package according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising the following steps: i. seize the packaging by the panels, between two fingers of one hand; ii. grasp the headband with the other hand and detach it from the panels on at least a portion of the lateral rim; iii. fold the panels so as to move some of the faces of the panels away from the product (P). 17. Use according to the preceding claim, wherein the strip is detached by at least partially peeling the side edge of the panels, or tearing the side edge of the faces of the panels at least partially along the preferred cutting means.