FR3094002A1 - COMPARTMENT CONTAINER FOR PACKAGING THE SAME FLUID - Google Patents

Abstract

Compartmentalized container to condition the same fluid. The invention relates to packaging solutions for perishable fluids, such as drinks or sauces. It is a compartmentalized container (2) composed of several compartments (C), which have their own orifice, independently sealed and hermetically closed, and which are assembled together to make a single container (2) which comprises an identical fluid (3) present in at least two compartments (C1, C2). Depending on the variants, the compartmentalized container (2) is a tube, a can or a bottle. The invention is particularly suitable for a compartmentalized tube of sauce, for a compartmentalized can of carbonated drink, for a bottle of mineral water comprising two compartments of the same sparkling water and two compartments of the same still water. Figure to be published with the abstract: Fig. 2.

Description

COMPARTMENTAL CONTAINER FOR CONDITIONING THE SAME FLUID

FIELD OF THE INVENTION TO WHICH THE INVENTION RELATES

The invention relates to packaging solutions for perishable products in the form of fluids.

It will be noted that the invention relates to many food products whether they are viscous such as sauces or whether they are liquid such as many sweet, alcoholic or carbonated drinks.

There are many examples of a compartmentalized container intended to contain fluids such as liquid food.

For example, it is well known to use a two-compartment container in the form of an oil and vinegar dish put together.

There are even containers of this type with three compartments to combine an oil cruet and two vinegar sets for two kinds of vinegars.

In the field of liqueurs, there is a famous glass bottle with four compartments for 4 different liqueurs sharing the same neck.

In these examples, it is not a question of solutions for conditioning perishable liquids, the liquids in question being able to remain in the open air with almost no degradation. In addition, the liquids in this case are each time different in each compartment and are not fractions of the same liquid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

To provide a solution for conditioning a fluid, the invention provides the combination of a compartmentalized container and the fluid which becomes a compartmentalized assembly.

This compartmentalized assembly comprises a compartmentalized container composed of several compartments which have their own orifice, independently sealed and hermetically sealed, and which are assembled together to make a single container.

Thus this compartmentalized container makes it possible to condition a fluid fractionated at least into two parts present in two different compartments.

This is all the more interesting since the fluid is perishable, and in particular a sauce or a soft drink.

Depending on the number of compartments, this does not preclude packaging a second fluid, which may or may not be perishable in other compartments.

In this case, it is preferable in order to be able to identify without being mistaken the compartment which contains a type of fluid, that the two compartments containing an identical fluid are substantially visually identical.

In a first embodiment, the container is a compartmentalized tube with several separate caps.

In this case, the fluid is more of a viscous food product such as a sauce.

In a second embodiment, the container is a compartmentalized can with several lids.

In this case, the fluid is more of a liquid such as a carbonated drink.

In a third embodiment, the container is a compartmentalized bottle.

Preferably, the compartmentalized bottle is made of plastic and therefore the compartments can be produced by blowing.

In one embodiment, the compartments are sectors of the bottle.

Preferably, the dimension of the bottle section thus obtained fits into a square with a side of ten centimeters.

In terms of use, in fact the use of a compartmentalized container comprising several independently sealed and hermetically sealed compartments is different from the examples cited in that it is used with at least one identical fluid between two compartments.

This use is all the more relevant since the identical fluid is a perishable drink, and in particular a sauce or a carbonated drink.

Of course, this translates into the fact that the fluid from the second compartment is only consumed after consuming the fluid from the first compartment.

If the number of compartments is sufficient, this does not prevent the container from also being used with a second identical fluid between two other compartments,

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the detailed description which follows, for the understanding of which reference is made to the appended drawings.

Figure 1 shows in a perspective view an exemplary embodiment according to the invention of the compartmentalized assembly in the case of a tube.

Figure 2 shows from the same angle of view a cutaway of the example embodiment according to the invention of the compartmentalized assembly in the case of a tube shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows in a perspective view an exemplary embodiment according to the invention of the compartmentalized assembly in the case of a can.

Figure 4 shows in section the half-height section of the embodiment of Figure 3 and in particular the presence of liquid in two compartments in the case of a can.

Figure 5 shows in a perspective view an exemplary embodiment according to the invention of the compartmentalized assembly in the case of a bottle.

Figure 6 shows in section the half-height section of the embodiment of Figure 5 and in particular the presence of liquid in two compartments in the case of a bottle.

Figure 7 shows a half-height sectional view of a variant of the compartmentalized assembly in the case of two different liquids such as sparkling mineral water and still mineral water each present in two compartments of a compartmentalized bottle.

To provide a solution for conditioning a fluid, the invention provides the combination of a compartmentalized container (2) and the fluid (3) which becomes a compartmentalized assembly (1).

This compartmentalized assembly comprises a compartmentalized container (2) composed of several compartments (C) which have their own orifice, independently sealed and hermetically closed, and which are assembled together to make a single container.

Conventionally for products of this type, the container is sealed and hermetically closed on each of its openings either by a cover completed with a stopper or by a stopper with a detachable collar.

On first use, either the cap is removed or the collar separated from the stopper.

Thus this compartmentalized container (2) makes it possible to condition a fluid (3) fractionated at least into two parts present in two different compartments (C1, C2).

This is all the more interesting since the fluid (3) is perishable, and in particular a sauce or a soft drink.

Depending on the number of compartments (C), this does not preclude packaging a second fluid (4), which may or may not be perishable in other compartments.

This number of compartments (C) is not restrictive of the invention as long as it is at least equal to two for an identical liquid (3) present in two compartments (C1, C2), to three for a second liquid. (4) present in a compartment (C3), 4 for a second liquid (4) present in two other compartments (C3, C4).

In this case, it is preferable in order to be able to identify without being mistaken the compartment which contains a type of fluid, that the two compartments (C) containing an identical fluid are visually identical even partially. For example, it could be the same cap of the same color.

In a first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the container (2) is a compartmentalized tube with several separate orifices. Each orifice is sealed by a separate cap (A) completed with a stopper.

In this case of a tube, the fluid (3) is rather viscous and if it is a food product, it would, for example, be a mayonnaise, béarnaise or ketchup type sauce.

The three compartments are not completely identical insofar as the middle compartment (C2) is in this case sandwiched between the compartments (C1) and (C3).

As a variant, each compartment is made in the form of a bellows, which facilitates the industrialization of the assembly of the compartments. The partitions of the adjacent compartments can then be glued or shared between two compartments (C). By analogy, it is always considered that this is a product corresponding to the name of a tube even in the physical absence of a tube.

In a second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the container is a compartmentalized can with several lids.

For example, the compartmentalization would be obtained by a set (B) of three partitions (B1, B2 and B3) positioned at 120 ° and interconnected, made of a plastic product meeting the food contact standard. This may be, for example, injection of PP polypropylene.

To ensure tightness, it is possible to add sealing lips to the periphery of the assembly (B) of the three partitions (B1, B2 and B3) in contact with the metal can. These lips (L) in the form of flexible blades can come directly from the injection mold. This compensates for the variation in distance linked to the manufacturing tolerance of the metal can as well as the variation in distance linked to the clearance angle of the injection mold of the assembly (B).

This set (B) of partitions is to be inserted into the can before finalizing its shape, the introduction of the liquid (3) and the final closing of the cover with the three covers (A1, A2, A3) positioned opposite the compartments. (C1, C2, C3).

In the case of a can, the subdivision is particularly relevant in the case of a carbonated drink with a large capacity greater than 250 milliliters, in particular cans with a capacity of 473 milliliters.

In a third embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the compartmentalized container (2) is a compartmentalized bottle.

In the example illustrated in Figure 5, the compartmentalized bottle (2) consists of four compartments C1, C2, C3 and C4. To produce a compartmentalized bottle industrially, the compartmentalized bottle is preferably made of plastic and therefore the compartments can be produced by blowing.

This is for a conventional plastic bottle of a polymeric material such as PET, polyethylene terephthalate.

In a preferred embodiment, the compartments (C) are sectors of the bottle (2) as shown in FIG. 5.

Preferably, the dimension of the bottle section thus obtained fits into a square with a side of ten centimeters. This has the advantage of remaining within the conventional dimensions of a bottle of mineral water and in particular of being able to store in the bottom of a refrigerator door.

Thus, this compartmentalized bottle makes it possible to condition a liquid (3) divided into at least two parts present in two different compartments (C1, C2).

This is shown in Figure 6 in a sectional view. The liquid (3) is present in two compartments (C1, C2) of the compartmentalized bottle (2).

If the capacity of the bottle is of the order of 1.5 liters to 2 liters, this gives compartment capacities of the order of 375 to 500 milliliters.

This is all the more interesting since the liquid is a perishable, and in particular a carbonated drink.

Particularly in the case of a 2 liter bottle of soft drink, if the drink is not consumed quickly enough, the remainder not consumed loses its carbonation and it is known that the last quarter of the bottle will have lost its initial flavor. .

Depending on the number of compartments, this does not preclude packaging a second liquid, which may or may not be perishable in other compartments.

FIG. 6 illustrates, in a sectional view similar to FIG. 5, the case of the presence of two different liquids (3) and (4) present respectively in the compartments (C1, C2) and (C3, C4).

It is indeed common to give the choice between a sparkling mineral water and a still mineral water. It is therefore possible to propose in the context of the bottle with four compartments illustrated in Figure 5 to dedicate two compartments C1 and C2 to sparkling mineral water and the compartments C3 and C4 to still mineral water.

In this case, in order to be able to identify without being mistaken the compartment which contains a type of liquid, it is preferable that the two compartments containing an identical liquid are substantially visually identical.

For example, the compartment (C) can be differentiated by the color of its cap.

It can also be differentiated by the color of the blown plastic material. If we want to avoid changing the material, we can also differentiate by a texture. For example, a soft drink would be associated with a grainy wall and still mineral water with a smooth wall.

Finally, it is possible to add a label to the entire bottle as long as it is indexed to orient it so that each portion of the label is substantially opposite the respective associated compartment (C).

In terms of use, in fact the use of a compartmentalized container (2) comprising several compartments (C) is different from the previous examples cited in that the orifices are separate, independently sealed and hermetically closed and in that it is used with at least one identical liquid (3) between two compartments (C1, C2).

This use is all the more relevant because the identical fluid (3) is a perishable fluid, whether it is a viscous fluid such as a sauce or liquid fluid such as a carbonated drink.

Of course, this results in the fact that the fluid (3) of the second compartment C2) is only consumed after having consumed the fluid (3) of the first compartment (C1).

Due to the fact that each orifice is sealed separately, this results in the fact that at the first use only one cover or stopper is opened, and that only after having consumed the liquid (3) of the first compartment (C1), the second cover or stopper will be opened in a second step for the compartment (C2).

If the number of compartments is sufficient, this does not prevent the compartmentalized container (2) from also being used with a second identical fluid (4) between two other compartments (C3, C4),

These uses preferably relate to the cases of the compartmentalized container (2) which are the case of a tube, the case of a can and the case of a bottle.

The invention is particularly suitable for a compartmentalized tube of sauce, for a compartmentalized can of carbonated drink, for a bottle of mineral water comprising two compartments of the same sparkling water and two compartments of the same still water.

The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described and shown, but those skilled in the art will know how to make any variant in accordance with their spirit for a range of products in different fields.

Claims (20)

Compartmentalized assembly (1) characterized by the fact that it comprises a compartmentalized container (2) composed of several compartments (C), that these compartments (C) have their own orifice, independently sealed and hermetically closed, and that these compartments ( C) are assembled together to make a single container which comprises an identical fluid (3) present in at least two compartments (C1, C2). Compartmentalized assembly (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the fluid (3) is a perishable drink. Compartmentalized assembly (1) according to Claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the perishable drink is a carbonated drink. Compartmentalized assembly (1) according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a second different fluid (4) present in at least two other compartments (C3, C4). Compartmentalized assembly according to Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that two compartments (C) containing an identical fluid are substantially visually identical. Compartmentalized assembly (1) according to Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the container is a tube. Compartmentalized assembly according to Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the fluid is a viscous food product Compartmentalized assembly (1) according to Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the container (2) is a can. Compartmentalized assembly according to Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the container (2) is a bottle. Compartmentalized assembly (1) according to Claim 9, characterized in that the compartmentalized container (2) is a compartmentalized plastic bottle. Compartmentalized assembly (1) according to Claim 10, characterized in that the compartments (C) are sectors obtained by blowing. Use of a compartmentalized container (2) comprising several compartments (C) independently sealed and hermetically closed, characterized in that it is used with at least one identical fluid (2) between two compartments (C). Use according to Claim 12, characterized in that the identical fluid (3) is a viscous fluid. Use according to Claim 12, characterized in that the identical fluid (3) is a perishable drink Use according to Claim 13, characterized in that the perishable drink is a carbonated drink. Use. according to claims 12 to 15, characterized in that the fluid (3) of the second compartment (C2) is only consumed after having consumed the fluid (3) of the first compartment (C1). Use according to Claims 12 to 16, characterized in that the container (2) is used with a second liquid (4) identical between two other compartments (C3, C4) Use according to Claims 12 to 17, characterized in that the container (1) is a tube according to claims 12 to 17, characterized in that the container (1) is a can according to Claims 12 to 17, characterized in that the container (1) is a bottle.