GB2091205A

GB2091205A - Food tray cover

Info

Publication number: GB2091205A
Application number: GB8200816A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Alcan Ohler GmbH
Current assignee: Novelis Deutschland GmbH
Priority date: 1981-01-13
Filing date: 1982-01-12
Publication date: 1982-07-28
Also published as: SE458921B; SE8200082L; DE3100761C2; BE891778A; DE3100761A1; CH653640A5; FR2497771A1; FR2497771B1; NL8200121A; DK149487C; DK149487B; LU83872A1; DK9582A

Abstract

A foil cover (22) of a food container, having a rounded rim (28), consists of a rectangular sheet (10) having no cuts, of which four corners are folded, for the provision of removal tabs 18, about fold lines extending at an angle to the edges on the upper face thereof. The container is opened by first pulling opposite corners outwardly. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cover of foil material for rectangular containers and method for the manufacture thereof The invention relates to a cover of foil material for the formation of beading on all sides of a rectangular container with a peripheral rounded edge flange at the corners, in particular a meal tray. The invention relates moreover to a method for the manufacture of such a cover.

From German specification open to public inspection No. 21 39 588 a thin-walled container for prepared dishes were published, of which the cover consisting of aluminium foil has grip tongues at the smaller sides which are folded back on to the upper face of the cover. For the formation of the grip tongues one proceeds during the manufacture of this cover from a rectangular foil section, of which the four corners are cut out. Furthermore the beading zone of this known cover is cut out at four opposed positions arranged in pairs, the cut-outs being connected by bend lines in pairs.In this way it is achieved that during the opening of the container after pulling off the two grip tongues these can be bent over onto the pre-prepared bend lines, whereby the cover can be withdrawn from the container in the plane of the cover, the rim flanges thus acting as guides on both longitudinal sides of the container.

It is disadvantageous with the known embodiment, that for the formation of the grip tongues the foil section must be subjected initially to a cutting operation. Furthermore, it must be subjected to operations such that the flanging of the cover at the two longitudinal rims is applied in most cases so tightly to the rim flange of the container, that sliding displacement of the cover is possible only with difficulty or not at all.

Furthermore, such a withdrawal of the cover would unavoidably lead to the soiling of the eating place, since on the underside of the cover food particles are attached, which during the withdrawal process drip off.

The subject matter of German published patent application 1300061 is a cover of foil material, which is made from a rectangular foil section. For the formation of three tear tabs the foil section is cut for the application of the cover to the container at one smaller side in the longitudinal direction, so that after the flanging with the rim flange of the container on the upper side of the cover the three tear off tongues project, which can damage the cover during the opening of the container. Apart from this, this known cover also requires for its manufacture a cutting operation, and it must be destroyed during the opening of the container, so that it in no way can be avoided that reorientation forces cause adhesion of the particles of food on the underside of the cover.

The invention is based on the problem of so constructing a cover of foil material of the kind in question so that it can be released without damage from a container closed by it without soiling by dripping particles of food or spraying by fluids as a result of difficult opening processes.

In accordance with the invention this problem is solved in that the cover consists of a foil section known in itself which is substantially rectangular but however is not cut, of which the four corners for the formation of the pull-off tabs folded around fold lines extending in a direction inclined to the rims of the foil section above the upper face. By this solution the opening of the cover is substantially simplified, without it thereby being damaged. It is sufficient particularly for opening, to grip the corners arranged in respective pairs and to draw them off diagonally to one another so that by progressive withdrawal of the flanged rim of the cover from beneath the edge flange of the container, until the container is free and can be lifted upwardly.

The problem underlying the invention is further solved by a method for the manufacture of such a cover, which consists in that with a substantially rectangular, uncut foil section initially the four corners are folded at an angle to the edges of the foil section about fold lines on to the upper face and thereby form pull-off tabs whereby one can in a known manner and with the formation of rounded corners wrap the rim region downwardly.

This method has, in comparison with the known manner of manufacture, the advantage that during the formation of the foil section neither a cutting operation is necessary nor will waste arise, since the corners are not cut, but folded under and in this condition are used as pull-off tongues. Furthermore, the disadvantage is avoided by the folding around of the corners of balling together of the material during the flanging of the rims in the corner regions. It is advantageous, furthermore, that additional grip tongues are no longer necessary, which must be folded back on to the upper face of the cover, so that during manufacture a substantially simpler and less costly fold arrangement is sufficient.

The invention is explained hereinafter with reference to the embodiment by way of example, which is illustrated in the drawing.

here is shown in: Figure 1 a plan of a rectangular foil section for the manufacture of a cover in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 the following working step for the folding of the four corners with the container indicated thereunder, Figures 3A and 3B a side view and a plan view of a container closed with a cover in accordance with the invention, and Figures 4A and 4B corresponding illustrations of the container during opening.

Figure 1 shows a rectangular foil section 10 of aluminium which is cut at no point, from which the cover in accordance with the invention is to be manufactured. During the working step illustrated in Figure 2, the four corners 12 of the foil section 10 are folded about fold lines 14 on to the upper face of the foil section 10, which extend at an angle to the edges 16 of the foil section 10. In this mannerpull-offtabs 18 are produced at the four corners 12.

In the second working step the edge region 20 of the cover 22 manufactured according to Figure 2 is angled with the formation of rounded corners 24, whereby the cover 22 is made ready for the closure of a container 26.

Figures 3A and 3B show the securing of such a cover 22 to a container 26 of aluminium, for example a meal tray. At the upperside of the container 26 an edge flange 28, likewise rounded, extends peripherally at the corners. The edge zone 20 of the cover 22 is wrapped around this edge flange 28.

For the opening of the container 26 and for the release of the cover 22 therefrom it is now sufficient to grip the opposed pairs of pull-off tabs 18 and by diagonal pulling to release the rim flange 28 of the container 26 outwardly. Initially therefore the pull-off tabs 18 are drawn outwardly substantially in the plane of the container and then downwardly pulled until progressively the whole of the cover 22 wrapped around the edge zone 20 of the cover is released from the edge flange 28. Then the cover can be lifted off without damage and without effort.

During the whole of the opening process the container 26 remains stationary in its place. Because of the lifting of the cover 22 above the container 26, particles of the filling material adhering to the underside of the cover only drop back into the container and therefore do not soil the eating place.

Claims

1. Acoveroffoil material for providing beading peripherally on all sides of a rectangular container provided with rounded rim flanges at the corners, in particular a meal tray, characterised in this that the cover (22) consists of a foil section (10), known perse, of which four corners (12) fortheformation of pull-off tabs (18) are folded on to the upper side aboutfold lines extending at an angle to the edges of the foil section (10).

2. Method for the manufacture of a cover for a container according to Claim 1, characterised in this that with a substantially rectangular, uncut foil section (10) initially the four corners (12) are folded about fold lines (14) inclined to the edges (16), on to the upper side of the foil section (10) as a result of which in a known manner and with the formation of radiussed corners (24) the edge region (20) is wrapped downwardly around the edge zone (20).

3. A cover for a meal tray substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. A method of manufacturing a cover for a meal tray substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.