GB2396343A

GB2396343A - Confectionery container

Info

Publication number: GB2396343A
Application number: GB0327824A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Najaf Haider
Original assignee: HAIDER SHAHEEN
Current assignee: HAIDER SHAHEEN
Priority date: 2002-11-29
Filing date: 2003-12-01
Publication date: 2004-06-23
Anticipated expiration: 2023-12-01
Also published as: GB0227878D0; GB0327824D0; GB2396343B

Abstract

A container (1) for the storage and transport of confectionery, and in particular candy floss, is comprised of substantially rigid walls which are preferably constructed of a plastics material. An airtight seal (2) defining a hermetically sealed space is applied to the container (1) once the contents have been placed therein. This seal (2) is preferably foil or of a suitable metallic material. The container (1) may further comprise a lid (3) applied upon the airtight seal (2) to provide closure to the container once the foil seal has been initially removed. The ambient gas is preferably removed from the container and replaced with a storage gas such as nitrogen.

Description

. 1 "Confectionery Container" 3 The present invention provides a container

for 4 storing and transporting confectionery such as candy 5 floss and the like.

7 Candy floss is known to be sold at fun fairs, 8 circuses and the like. The confectionery product is 9 usually sold wound around a stick direct from the 10 machine to be consumed immediately. In some cases 11 the product is packaged into a polythene bag for 12 short-term storage prior to sale and consumption.

14 Candy floss, which is also known as candied floss, 15 is available in various flavours. Further, a 16 variety of candy floss, called cotton candy, is also 17 available. Cotton candy is a derivative of candy 18 floss wherein the product is formed into balls prior 19 to consumption.

21 Candy floss is formed from thin sugar fibres which 22 are highly susceptible to damage from compression.

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1 The delicate sugar fibres are also sensitive to 2 moisture, this causing the fibres to break down and 3 the sugar matter cohere. Currently candy floss has 4 a very short shelf life and accordingly, must be 5 consumed almost immediately after production. As 6 mentioned above, the short-term storage of the 7 product can be facilitated through packaging the 8 product in polythene bags.

10 The commercial success of cotton candy has resulted 11 in its wide scale supply and sale. The packaging of 12 such products is generally effected in wrappers or 13 bags constructed of a plastics material, such as 14 that provided for in US Design Patent No 363,670.

16 Such packaging has the advantage that it allows the 17 product to be kept in an airtight environment prior 18 to consumption and accordingly, results in a longer 19 shelf life of the product. However, due to the 20 delicate nature of the product, it can become liable 21 to damage, in particular that caused by compression 22 when stored in this way.

24 Further, the plastics material of which the wrappers 25 or bags are constructed may easily become pierced 26 allowing air to permeate the wrapper or bag.

27 Moisture and other gases in the air have a 28 significantly detrimental effect on the quality of 29 the cotton candy.

31 According to the present invention there is provided 32 a container for use in packaging confectionery, said

À seee À e eee À eee. e e e e e e e e e e e eee e e e e e e e e e e e À e ce e e e e e e 1 container including a substantially rigid plastics 2 portion which defines the main body of the container 3 and which has at least one opening, and a seal 4 conjoined to the container to provide a hermetical 5 seal to the at least one opening of the container.

7 Preferably the confectionery is candy floss.

9 Preferably the seal is comprised of any material 10 which is not permeable to air.

12 More preferably the seal is a foil seal.

14 Alternatively the seal is formed of a metallic 15 material which is substantially impermeable to air 16 and gas passage therethrough.

18 Preferably the container is substantially resistant 19 to compression.

21 Preferably the plastics material is substantially 22 transparent to allow the consumer to view the 23 product contained therein.

25 Preferably the plastics material can have a label 26 applied thereto.

28 Alternatively printing can be applied directly to 29 the plastic.

31 Preferably the sealed container defines a space 32 which is nonpermeable to gases, such as air.

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2 Optionally a reclosable lid may be additionally 3 applied to the container about the seal.

5 Preferably the lid is substantially rigid.

7 According to a further aspect of the present 8 invention there is provided a method of storing 9 candy floss, said method including the steps of; 10 - placing the candy floss to be stored in a 11 substantially rigid plastics container, 12 - removing ambient gas from the container 13 through replacement of the same with a storage gas, 14 and 15 hermetically conjoining a seal to the opening 16 of the container.

18 Preferably the storage gas is any gas which prevents 19 the degradation of the product.

21 Essentially the storage gas is not oxygen or does 22 not contain oxygen as a significant component 23 thereof.

25 Preferably the storage gas is Nitrogen.

27 Alternatively the gas is a gas mixture of which 28 Nitrogen is a significant component.

30 Preferably the seal is conjoined to the container by 31 means of heat sealing.

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1 Alternatively the seal is conjoined to the container 2 by means of an adhesive.

4 The present invention will now be described with 5 reference to the following non-limiting examples, 6 with reference to the figures, wherein: 8 Figure 1 shows a container (1) with the 9 airtight seal (2) applied thereto.

11 Figure 2 shows a container (1) with the 12 airtight seal (2) applied thereto; the lid (3) is 13 further applied thereon.

15 Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the 16 invention wherein the container (1) is of a 17 different shape.

19 Figure 4 shows an expanded cross sectional view 20 of the attachment of the lid (3) to the container 21 (1) and the seal (2). The figure shows the edges of 22 the container (1) folded back upon themselves such 23 that they form a rim (4). The edges of the lid (3) 24 also fold back upon themselves such that they form a 25 second rim (5). The rim (5) has an indentation (6) 26 so as to resealably attach the lid (3) about the rim 27 (4) of the container (1). The lid (3) further 28 comprises a ridge (7) which runs around the inside 29 of the lid. This ridge can co-operate with the base 30 (8) of similar containers to facilitate stacking of 31 the product.

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À 1 The container is preferably formed of a 2 substantially rigid material which is preferably of 3 a plastics material. The plastics material will be 4 preferably moulded into the desired shape of the 5 container.

7 The container will have at least one opening defined 8 therein which can be used to package the product to 9 be stored within the container.

11 The sealing means, such as a foil seal, can be 12 applied about the opening in the container once the 13 product has been placed therein. The sealing means 14 is essentially of a material which is not permeable 15 to air and which, when applied about the opening of 16 the container, serves to form an airtight seal 17 thereabout. The seal also prevents moisture from 18 entering the opening and degrading the confectionery 19 placed therein. This air-tight seal therefore 20 serves to improve the freshness and in turn the 21 shelf-life of the product. The seal should also be 22 non-permeable to any other gas which may be used to 23 assist in the preservation of the condition of the 24 confectionery stored therein.

26 Optionally, a lid can be further applied to the 2 7 container about the seal. The lid serves as 28 protection to the foil or other sealing means and, 29 when placed on the container once the foil seal has 30 been broken, allows short-term storage of the 31 product.

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À Àese ce. a 1 The lid further contributes to the rigidity of the 2 container and also provides a re-sealable closure 3 once the airtight seal has been broken, so as to 4 provide protection for the contents of the 5 container. The lid can further be of such a design 6 as to co- operate with the base of similar containers 7 to facilitate the stacking of the containers.

9 The container thus provides hermetic protection as 10 well as mechanical support to the product such that 11 shaped candy floss, such as cotton candy, is not 12 damaged whilst in storage or transport.

14 Storage of the candy floss product within the 15 container of the present invention can result in the 16 product having a shelf life of at least 12 months.

18 In use, the candy floss confectionery is placed 19 within the container and the seal is affixed to the 20 rim of the container providing a hermetically sealed 21 container. The lid is further applied about the rim 22 of the container, as is illustrated in figure 4.

24 Following the initial placement of the candy floss 25 within the container, the ambient gas or air which 26 is contained within the empty spaces of the 27 container and which surrounds the candy floss 28 product may be removed and replaced with a gas which 29 extends the shelf life of the product by preventing 30 break down of the candy floss product. Such a gas 31 essentially is not or does not include oxygen. Such 32 a gas may preferably be Nitrogen, or a mixture of

eeÀ 8 ee. e ee e 8 À À À e 8 e 8 eÀe # e 8 À e e e e 8 e e e es ce e À 1 gas in which Nitrogen constitutes a substantial 2 proportion.

4 To access the candy floss, the lid is removed and 5 the seal broken, punctured or opened in order to 6 allow access through the opening of the container to 7 the candy floss which may then be removed. To re 8 close the container, the lid is re-applied as 9 described above. Once the hermetically conjoined 10 - seal has been broken, removed or punctured, it 11 cannot reform an airtight seal on the container.

12 Accordingly, the lid must be used thereafter to 13 provide a closure on the container in order to 14 preserve the product.

16 Although the invention has been particularly shown 17 and described with reference to particular examples, 18 it will be understood by those skilled in the art 19 that various changes in the form and details may be 20 made therein without departing from the scope of the 21 present invention.

Claims

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3 1. A container suitable for packaging confectionery 4 including a substantially rigid plastics portion 5 which defines the main body of the container and 6 which has at least one opening, and a seal 7 conjoined to the container to hermetically seal 8 the at least one opening of the container.

10 2. A container as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the 11 seal is comprised of any material which is not 12 permeable to air.

14 3. A container as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the 15 airtight seal is a foil seal.

17 4. A container as claimed in any one of the 18 preceding claims wherein a reclosable lid is 19 additionally applied to the container about the 20 seal. 22 5. A container as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the lid 23 is substantially rigid.

25 6. A method of storing candy floss, said method 26 including the steps of; 27 - placing the candy floss to be stored in 28 a substantially rigid plastics 29 container, 30 - removing ambient gas from the container 31 through replacement of the same with a 32 storage gas, and

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1 À À a 1 - hermetically conjoining a seal to the 2 opening of the container.

4 7. A method of storing candy floss as claimed in 5 claim 6, wherein the storage gas is Nitrogen.

7 8. A method of storing candy floss as claimed in 8 claims 6 or 7 wherein the seal is conjoined to 9 the container by means of heat sealing.

11 9. A method of storing candy floss as claimed in 12 claims 6 or 7 wherein the seal is conjoined to 13 the container by means of an adhesive.