GB2331500A - Multipack of tapering containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A multipack for storing chilled or frozen food or the like includes a plurality of containers 5 each tapering from a closed end to an openable end 6 of greater cross-sectional area than the closed end. The containers are arranged within an outer receptacle 2 side by side in an alternate upright and inverted configuration. The containers may be of thermoformed plastics or cardboard, with a cover at 6 of cardboard, plastics or metal foil. The outer receptacle may comprise a cardboard box 2 having a polyethylene lining and covered by plastics film 3 and a snap-on plastics lid (not shown).

Description

2331500 Kulti The present invention is concerned with multipacks for

storing frozen or chilled desserts or the like.

In today's society, consumers desire food products which are packaged in "easy to store" containers which advantageously contain a variety of food products therein. Such large packs containing small individual portionsized packs, are commonly known as umultipacks". Multipacked products may include similar products varying only in, for example, flavour or colour, or alternatively, identical products which are simply packaged in individual portions for convenience.

Multipacks have been commercially available for many years for products such as crisps, biscuits, chocolate and the like; however, such multipacks are typically standard or individual portion-sized bags contained within a larger bag. Such multipacks are cumbersome and difficult to store.

A further type of multipack which is currently available is for chilled desserts such as yogurts andlor mousses or the like. Such multipacks comprise individual portion-sized containers being joined along the upper peripheral edge of the containers. Such multipacks are disadvantageous as they do not utilise the space available effectively. In addition, such arrangements do not provide sufficignt insulation, so that when the multipack is in a warm environment, the food product therein may become too warm, thus increasing the risk of bacteria growth in the chilled products andlor the risk of frozen food products melting.

Insulated storage devices known in the art typically comprise containers having walled cavities filled with foam, gel or the like, or alternatively, utilize packs or bags which contain gel or the like which have been previously frozen or chilled.

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a multipack suitable for both chilled and frozen food products, which provides good utilisation of space and provides protection against thermal shock.

According to the present invention therefore, there is provided a multipack for storing chilled or frozen food, which multipack includes a plurality of containers each tapering from a closed end to an openable end of greater cross-sectional area than the closed end, the containers being arranged within an outer receptacle side by side in an alternate upright and inverted configuration.

Advantageously, the tapered containers are truncated such that the closed end is a substantially flat portion thus acting as a base/stand for each container.

The tapered containers may be pyramidal or conical; a substantially square based pyramid is preferred.

The arrangement of the containers, such that each adjacent container is inverted relative thereto, provides good utilisation of space, facilitating optimisation of the number of containers that can be arranged within the outer receptacle. It is however advantageous to allow a small space between each of the adjacent containers to allow the circulation of air; thus, the circulation of air provides an insulation layer.

Although it is envisaged that the containers may be different, it is preferred that each container is of substantially the same size and shape; the containers may then be nestable which is advantageous when storing the containers prior to use in the present invention.

It is preferred that the containers are arranged in the outer receptacle in at least one row. Preferably, the outer receptacle contains more than one (typically two or three) rows of containers, each row preferably having more than one (typically three or four) columns.- The containers may be formed from plastics material (such as polyethylene or polypropylene) or cardboard; plastics materials are preferred. It is particularly preferred that the container is a tub formed by a thermoforming process. Each of 1 the containers typically has a cover which is arranged at the openable end of the container. The cover may be of plastics, metal foil or cardboard, although it is preferred that each cover is made from cardboard; preferably each cover further includes a lift up tab portion.

The outer receptacle is typically an open box-like structure which is typically made from plastics material or cardboard. Typically, such a boxli-ke structure includes a base and four upstanding walls therefrom. It is particularly preferred that the box-like structure is of cardboard; further preferably the inside of the box-like structure being lined with heat sealable plastics such as polyethylene.

Desirably, the outer receptacle is provided with a lid, which advantageously forms a sealed box-like structure. The outer receptacle lid may, for example, be of rigid plastics, plastics film or cardboard. It is desirable that when the lid is attached to the receptacle it forms a tamper-proof seal.

It is envisaged that the four upstanding walls are folded out to form a rim which has heat sealable plastics lining facing upwards. A plastics film lid may then be advantageously heat sealed to the heat sealable lining.

The addition of the lid creates a sealed region of air within the interior of the outer -receptacle, which generally surrounds each container; the air therefore acts as additional insulation, which reduces the risk of damage from thermal shock.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, the lid comprises plastics film which is attached to the upstanding walls of the receptacle by adhesive or the like. It is envisaged that in this embodiment, the apparatus may further include a sleeve (typically of cardboard) which is arranged to encompass the outer receptacle. In use, the plastics film (which provides a tamper-proof lid) is removed upon first opening the outer receptacle and discarded. The sleeve can then be slid over the outer receptacle to create a closed box which is advantageous during storage.

According to the second embodiment of the invention, the lid is formed from rigid plastics and is in the form of a usnap-on" type lid which is removably engageable from the outer receptacle. Typically, the lid further includes a tamper seal arranged on the outer surface of the upstanding walls, the seal being attached to the plastics lid. The seal may advantageously include a "rip-cord" or tear strip, which facilitates easier breaking of the seal at the desired time.

However, it is also envisaged that the multipack may include a plastics film according to the first embodiment and a snap-on type lid according to the second embodiment.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of storing chilled or frozen food which method includes:

(a) placing the food to be stored in a container tapering from a closed end to an open end of greater cross-sectional area than the closed end; (b) providing a cover (typically of plastics material, cardboard or metal foil) on each of the containers; (C) arranging a plurality of the containers from step (b) in an outer receptacle side by side in an alternate upright and inverted configuration; (d) storing the outer receptacle and its contents at the desired temperature (for example in the range -20"'C to +100C).

The outer receptacle may be a pre-f ormed body (such as an open-topped box-like structure along the lines indicated above). Alternatively, it may be a box or the like formed in situ on a production line.

The present invention ma be more clearly understood from the following description, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 represents a plan view of a multipack according to the present invention; Figure 2 represents a cross-section along the line X-X; and Figure 3 represents a cross-section along the line Y-Y.

Referring to the drawings, like numerals are used to represent like parts, a multipack is generally indicated by the 1:

numeral 1. The multipack 1 comprises an outer box 2 made from cardboard and having a polyethylene lining on the interior; the box 2' has a plastics film 3 which ig heat sealed to rim 4 of box 2. The box further has a "snap-on" rigid plastic lid (not shown) which can be removably engaged. Inside box 2, there are eight truncated square-based pyramidal tubs 5a,5b,5c,5d,5e,5f,5g and 5h arranged in two rows. The containers are arranged such that each upright tub is adjacent to an inverted tub. For example, with reference to the drawings, tub 5c is in an upright position, therefore tubs 5b,5d and 5h are inverted.

Each individual tub 5a,5b,5c,5d,5e,5f,Sg and 5h has a respective cover 6a, 6b,6c,6d,6e (6f,6g and 6h are not shown), which are made from cardboard.

In use, frozen dessert or the like is placed into the tubs 5 and cardboard covers 6 are placed on top of the f rozen dessert. The tubs 5 are arranged so that covers 6 alternate between f acing up and facing down. The f ilm 3 is then heat sealed to box 2. The resultant cavities between each tub contains air; the air acts as an additional insulation layer to prevent a product f rom "heat shock". A snap-on lid is then attached to the upstanding walls of the box 2.

The entire box 2 and its contents are then stored in a refrigerated container at a temperature of -200C.

When it is desired to eat one of the frozen desserts, the snap-on lid (not shown) is removed and plastics film 3 peeled off. The desired number of tubs is removed from box 2 (the frozen dessert being accessed by removal of lids 6). The snap-on lid can then be re-attached to box 2, and the box returned to the refrigerated storage.

cl:

1. A multipack for storing chilled or frozen food, which multipack includes a plurality of containers each tapering from a closed end to an openable end of greater crosssectional area than the closed end, said containers being arranged within an outer receptacle side by side in an alternate upright and inverted configuration.

2. A multipack according to claim 1, wherein said tapered containers are truncated such that said closed end is a substantially flat portion.

3.

A multipack according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said tapered containers are pyramidal or conical (preferably a square based pyramid).

A multipack according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of said containers are of substantially the same size and/or shape.

A multipack according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said outer receptacle contains more than one rows of containers.

6. A multipack according to claim 5, wherein each of said rows has more than one columns.

A multipack according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein said containers are formed from plastics material or cardboard.

8. A multipack according to claim 7, wherein said container is formed from plastics material.

9. A multipack according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein said container is a tub formed by a thermoforming process.

i R 10. A multipack according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein each of said containers have a cover which is arranged at said openable end of said container.

11. A multipack according to claim 10, wherein said cover is plastics material, metal foil or cardboard.

12. A multipack according to claim 11, wherein said cover is cardboard.

13. A multipack according to claim 11 or 12, wherein each cover further includes a lift up tal portion.

14. A multipack according to any of claims 1 to 13, wherein said outer receptacle is made from plastics material or cardboard.

15. A multipack according to any of claims 1 to 14, wherein said outer receptacle is of cardboard having a plastics internal lining.

16. A multipack according to any of claims 1 to 15, wherein said outer receptacle is an open box-like structure.

17. A multipack according to any of claims 1 to 16, wherein said outer receptacle is provided with a lid, which advantageously forms a sealed. box-like structure.

18. A multipack according to claim 16 or 17, wherein said boxlike structure typically including a base and four upstanding walls therefrom.

19. A multipack according to claim 18, wherein said lid comprises plastics film which is attached to said upstanding walls of said receptacle by adhesive or the like.

7 20. A multipack according to any of claims 1 to 19, which further includes a sleeve which is arranged to encompass the outer receptacle.

21. A multipack according to claim 18, wherein said lid formed from rigid plastics.

is 22. A multipack according to claim 21, wherein said lid is a usnap-on" type lid.

23. A multipack according to claim 21 or 22, wherein said lid further includes a tamper seal arranged on an outer surface of said upstanding walls, said seal being attached to said plastics lid.

24. A multipack according to claim 23, wherein said seal includes a "ripcord" or tear strip.

25. A method of producing a multipack for chilled or frozen food which method includes:

(a) placing said food to be stored in a container tapering f rom a closed end to an open end of greater crosssectional area than said closed end; (b) providing a cover on each of said containers; and (c) arranging a plurality of said containers from step (b) in an outer receptacle side by side in an alternate upright and inverted configuration.

26. A method according to claim 25 which further includes storing said outer receptacle and its contents at a temperature in the range -20c'C to +100C, after step (c).

27. A method according to claim 25 or 26, wherein said outer receptacle is formed prior to step (c).

28. A method according to claim 25 or 26, wherein said outer receptacle is a box formed in situ on a production line.