IT201900001087A1 - MULTI-COMPARTMENT CONTAINER - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

of the Italian Patent for Industrial Invention entitled:

"MULTI-COMPARTMENT CONTAINER"

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a multi-compartment container.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-compartment container for food use.

PRE-EXISTING TECHNIQUE

As is known, in the food sector - preferably but not limited to the large-scale distribution sector - the use of tray containers containing ready-to-use foods, for example ready to be consumed by the buyer, is known.

These containers can be single-compartment, for example provided with a closure film or lid, or multi-compartment.

The multi-compartment containers are usually made of plastic material, for example transparent, and are obtained by thermoforming various impressions starting from a monolithic sheet of plastic material which is then shaped as necessary to form a plurality of trays with each other separated by partitions.

The realization with this technique of formation of multi-compartment containers in biodegradable material (preferably compostable), such as paper materials (based on cellulose) such as cardboard, is however decidedly complex and considerably limits the shape, size and depth. trays or compartments that can be obtained starting from a single monolithic body of cardboard.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art, within the context of a simple, rational and low cost solution.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to allow the realization of a multi-compartment container, for example also in a biodegradable material (preferably compostable), such as a paper material (e.g. cardboard), in a simple and effective way, without constraints of arisen with regard to the shapes and dimensions (width and depth) of the trays or compartments that constitute it, in a relatively cheap, productively effective way and, moreover, convenient to use for the purchaser of the products contained therein.

These purposes are achieved by the characteristics of the invention reported in the independent claim. The dependent claims outline preferred and / or particularly advantageous aspects of the invention.

EXHIBITION OF THE INVENTION

The invention, in particular, makes available a multi-compartment food container which includes:

- a plurality of trays each comprising a closed bottom wall bounded perimeter by a side wall rising from the bottom wall, in which the side wall defines an opening surrounded by a flange protruding radially towards the outside of the side wall;

- a support tray comprising a sheet-like body provided with a plurality of through holes;

in which each tray is inserted inside a respective through hole with its own flange resting on an internal perimeter edge of the sheet body that surrounds the respective through hole.

Thanks to this solution, it is possible to produce a multi-compartment container (in any material and, therefore, also in cardboard) in a particularly economical and effective way, without any limit of shape, size and depth of the compartments thereof.

For example, the container as a whole can be made of cardboard (food).

Advantageously, in which at least one tray (or each of them) can be made of (food) cardboard, possibly coated with an impermeable coating.

According to an advantageous aspect of the invention, at least one tray (or each of them) can be obtained by thermoforming.

Furthermore, the support tray can be made of cardboard.

According to an aspect of the invention, the container can comprise a sealing film that closes the opening of each tray, practically closing the compartment with the food product inside.

A further aspect of the invention provides that the flange of each tray can be fixed to the perimeter edge that surrounds the respective through hole by means of fastening means, which can be defined by the aforementioned sealing film itself.

Advantageously, the sealing film can adhere to the flange of each tray, effectively closing each of them individually and the container as a whole.

Thanks to this solution, it is possible to selectively open a tray leaving the others of the container closed, where desired.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the sealing film can adhere to at least a sealing portion of the plate-like body that surrounds the perimeter edge of each through hole on which a flange of a tray rests.

Thanks to this, the sealing film itself defines the (temporary) fixing means which fix each tray to the support tray.

Preferably, the seal portion and / or the container in general can comprise a detachment area to facilitate the detachment of the sealing film from the seal portion, for example by defining a preferential detachment line for opening the individual trays and / or for the detachment of the individual trays from the support tray.

According to an advantageous aspect of the invention, the detachment area can comprise a groove closed on itself in a ring around the respective perimeter edge, in which the bottom of the groove is detached from the sealing film.

Thanks to this solution, the detachment of the sealing film from the support tray is made easy, easy to identify for the user and highlighting any tampering (tamper evident).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention will become evident from reading the following description provided by way of non-limiting example, with the aid of the figures illustrated in the attached tables.

Figure 1 is an axonometric view of a multi-compartment container according to the invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded axonometric view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an isometric view of a support tray of the multi-compartment container according to the invention.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view along the section line V-V of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlargement of the detail VI of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is an axonometric view of a multi-compartment container according to the invention without the sealing film.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a side view of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a view along the X-X sectional trace of Figure 8.

BEST WAY TO IMPLEMENT THE INVENTION

With particular reference to these figures, the numeral 10 globally indicates a container, preferably a food container, or intended to contain food products, such as pre-cooked or fresh foods.

The container 10 is preferably a container suitable for displaying and storing the products contained therein.

In greater detail, the container 10 is a multi-compartment container, ie defining a plurality of distinct and separate compartments within which different products can be housed.

The container 10 comprises at least one tray 20, which for example comprises a bottom wall 21 from whose outer periphery a side wall 22 rises which surrounds the entire perimeter of the bottom wall 21.

The bottom wall 21 and the side wall 22 define a chamber, open at the top and accessible through an upper opening 23 bounded perimeter by the top (free of the side wall 22) distal from the bottom wall, for the introduction and extraction of a product, for example a food product, from its chamber.

The side wall 22 may have, for example at its top, a substantially planar flange 24, preferably parallel to the bottom wall 21 and extending towards the outside of the side wall 22.

The flange 24 therefore comprises a lower face facing the bottom wall 21 and an opposite upper face.

The side wall 22 has a substantially truncated conical or truncated pyramidal shape, which is closed at the bottom by the bottom wall 21 which defines the minor base and whose cross section can have any shape, for example quadrangular, or rectangular (with rounded edges or non-rounded), square, or circular or oval or similar.

For example, the tray 20 is made from a monolithic body, for example obtained by thermo-forming.

The tray 20 is for example made of a paper material, for example cellulose-based, preferably cardboard (possibly coated on the intrados with a waterproofing layer, for example in cellophane).

However, it is not excluded that the tray 20 may be made of a polymeric material, for example a transparent polymer, or a biodegradable or compostable polymer.

The container 10 comprises, in particular, a plurality of trays 20, for example of any shape and size, for example different from each other or homologous.

The container 10 then comprises a support tray 30, which comprises (or consists of) a sheet-like body 31, for example substantially planar.

The sheet-like body 31 has two opposite main faces, of which an upper face and an opposite lower face.

The sheet-like body 31 has any shape in plan, in the quadrangular example, preferably rectangular, with rounded edges.

It is not excluded that the sheet-like body 31 may have any polygonal or circular or oval shape or any complex / irregular shape.

The support tray 30, or the sheet-like body 31 that defines it, is for example a monolithic body which is preferably made of a paper material, for example based on cellulose, preferably cardboard (possibly coated on its upper face with a waterproofing layer , for example in cellophane).

The support tray 30, as a whole, is obtained for example by punching.

However, it is not excluded that the support tray 30 may be made of a polymeric material, for example a biodegradable or compostable polymer. Furthermore, the sheet-like body 31 has at least one through hole 32, which crosses the entire thickness of the sheet-like body 31 from the upper face to the lower face.

In the example, the plate-like body 31 comprises a plurality of said through holes 32 (in the example three in number).

Each through hole 32 has a shape and size substantially homologous to a transverse (axial) section of a tray 20, or of a side wall 22 of a tray 20.

In the example, each through hole 32 has a quadrangular shape, for example rectangular (with rounded edges).

It is not excluded that one or more through holes 32 may have a square or circular or oval or similar shape.

The through holes 32 have in the example shapes equal to each other and different sizes, it is not excluded, however, that they can all be of the same size or have different shapes, depending on the needs.

Each through hole 32 is surrounded by a perimeter edge 33, for example substantially planar and annular in shape (fully developed or discontinuous in sections), which is defined by an internal portion of the plate-like body 31. The perimeter edge 33 in the for example, it has an upper face, which is substantially flush or slightly lowered with respect to the upper face of the sheet-like body 31.

In turn, each perimeter edge 33, in correspondence with the upper face of the sheet-like body 31, is peripherally surrounded by a groove 34, for example of an annular shape (fully developed), which is defined by a lowered internal portion of the sheet-like body 31.

The groove 34 is open at the top (in correspondence with the upper face of the plate-like body 31) and has a closed bottom, which is located at a lower level than the upper face of the plate-like body 31, for example intermediate between the upper face and the inner face of the same.

The groove 34 defines, for example, an area with reduced thickness with respect to the (general) thickness of the sheet-like body 31.

For example, each groove 34 has a substantially quadrangular plan shape, for example rectangular, with straight sides.

Preferably, two adjacent grooves 34 share a common portion or side.

Each groove 34 is placed at a predetermined non-zero distance from the respective inner perimeter edge 33 of the sheet-like body 31 which delimits the respective through hole 32, so that the groove 34 distances from the through hole 32 by a greater distance than the width of the flange 24 tray 20.

Furthermore, each groove 34 is placed at a non-zero distance from the outer perimeter edge of the plate-like body 31, so that between each groove 34 and the outer perimeter edge of the plate-like body 31 there is radially interposed a free portion (above) of the upper face of the sheet body 31.

Furthermore, each side of the groove 34 (or some of them) is axially extended by at least one extension groove 35 towards an outer peripheral edge of the sheet-like body 31.

In the example, each side of the groove 34 is axially extended by two opposing extension grooves 35 which extend from the intersection of the sides of the groove 34 up to a respective (proximal) outer perimeter edge of the sheet-like body 31.

The container 10 is therefore substantially composed as follows.

Each tray 20 (individually), or its side wall 22, is inserted (from above) into a respective through hole 32 with its own flange 24, or the lower face of the same, resting on a perimeter edge 33, or its upper face, of the plate-like body 31.

In practice, the side wall 22 of each tray 20 has an axial portion (for example of the top, proximal to the flange 24) substantially fitted to size inside a respective (and homologous) through hole 32 of the support tray 30.

In this position, the tray 20 has the bottom wall 21 placed at the minimum level of the container 10, i.e. at a level lower than the level of the lower face of the tray 30 and, for example, the upper face of the flange 24 placed at the maximum level of the container 10, for example a level higher than the level of the upper face of the tray 30 or substantially coplanar with it.

In practice, the outer perimetral edge of each flange 24 is placed at a predetermined non-zero distance from the groove 34 which surrounds the through hole 32 engaged by the respective tray 20 (i.e. its perimetral edge 33 engaged by the flange itself).

A further free portion (at the top) of the upper face of the sheet-like body 31 is therefore radially interposed between the outer perimeter edge of each flange 24 and the respective groove 34.

In the example shown, each tray 20 is simply resting, by means of the respective flange 24, on the perimeter edge 33 of a respective through hole 32.

However, it is not excluded that the container 10 may comprise fixing means configured to fix together (for example in a removable or releasable way) the flange 24 and the respective perimeter edge 33, for example these fixing means could be of the adhesive type.

Furthermore, in the illustrated example it is shown that each of the through holes 32 of the support tray 30 receives a respective tray 20, i.e. the trays 20 of each container 10 are equal in number to the number of through holes present in the support tray 30 of the same. container 10.

However, it is not excluded that only some of the through holes 32 may be occupied by respective trays 20 or that, at most, more trays 20 are inserted into the same through hole 32.

In practice, however, the container 10 comprises a plurality of compartments each defined by a chamber (open at the top) of a tray 20.

Finally, the container 10 comprises a sealing film 40, which is adapted to close (substantially hermetically) the container 10 itself, or all or some of the compartments thereof, as will be better described below, once produced ( food) have been introduced into the special compartments of the container 10 defined by the chambers of the trays 20.

The sealing film 40 can be transparent or at least partially transparent and, for example, can be made of at least one plastic material, for example a thermoplastic polymer (or cellophane).

In the example, the container 10 has a single sealing film 40 suitable for closing all the trays 20 of the container itself.

In particular, the sealing film 40 is defined by a (thin) sheet having a plan shape substantially homologous to the plan shape of the (outer perimeter margin of) tray 30 (or slightly reduced).

The sealing film 40 can be fixed, for example by heat sealing, to at least one of the support tray 30 and each tray 20 or both.

The sealing film 40, or its sealing, could also have the further purpose of reciprocal retention between the support tray 30 and each tray 20, or perform the function of the aforementioned fixing means (exclusively or in aid thereof).

In particular, the sealing film 40 is fixed (heat-sealed) to the support tray 30 in correspondence with a sealing portion of the sheet-like body 31 which surrounds the perimeter edge 33 of each through hole 32 on which the flange 24 of the respective tray 20 rests.

This seal portion can also be defined in (or constituted by) the free portion (at the top) of the upper face of the plate-like body 31 radially interposed between each groove 34 and the outer perimeter edge of the plate-like body 31.

This seal portion can be defined (also) in (or constituted by) the further free portion (at the top) of the upper face of the sheet-like body 31 radially interposed between the outer perimeter edge of each flange 24 and the respective groove 34 (i.e. the entire free portion itself).

In practice, the sealing film 40 is adapted to adhere (for example in a removable or peelable way or, alternatively, in a substantially irremovable or difficult to peel way) to said seal portion (s).

The aforementioned seal portion (defined for example by the set of aforementioned seal portions) includes a detachment area to facilitate the detachment of the sealing film 40 from the seal portion itself.

In particular, this detachment zone allows the tearing of the sealing film 40 in a controlled and predefined manner, for example along a detachment line closed on itself in a ring and which externally surrounds the flange 24 of one or each (individually or as a whole) tray. 20.

The detachment zone is for example defined by each groove 34 (and by each extension groove 35), the bottom of which is distant and detached from the sealing film 40 (i.e. not adhering to it), which is stretched above it .

The detachment of the sealing film 40, in particular of a portion thereof, from the support tray 30 can be operated / facilitated by tearing the sealing film 40 along a detachment line (annular), for example by cutting with a suitable cutting tool made by following with this tool the line identified by each groove 34 (and extension groove 35), which effectively defines a longitudinal guide for cutting.

Furthermore, the sealing film 40 is fixed (heat-sealed) to each tray 20 of the container 10 at the upper face of the flange 24 of the respective tray 20, so as to close and seal (hermetically) each tray 20.

Before sealing the container 10 with the sealing film 40 it is possible to modify the internal atmosphere of each tray 20 or some of them.

For example, the air inside each tray 20 (or some of them) can be removed, for example by means of suitable aspirators, and a gas mixture can be introduced, by means of suitable insufflators, into the tray 20.

The gas mixture could include carbon dioxide and / or nitrogen and / or oxygen.

Thanks to the aforementioned configuration of the grooves 34 and of the container 10 it is possible to open one tray 20 at a time by first tearing a respective portion of sealing film 40 (circumscribed within a groove 34) by acting with the cut along the respective groove 34, as above. described, and it is possible to remove the tray 20 from the support tray 30, once the respective portion of sealing film 40 has been torn as mentioned above, to facilitate its consumption and / or heating independently of the rest of the container 10. The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept.

Furthermore, all the details can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements without thereby departing from the scope of the protection of the following claims.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS 1. A multi-compartment food container (10) which includes: - a plurality of trays (20) each comprising a closed bottom wall (21) bounded perimeter by a side wall (22) rising from the bottom wall (21) and defining an opening (23) surrounded by a protruding flange (24) radially outwards of the side wall (21); - a support tray (30) comprising a sheet-like body (31) provided with a plurality of through holes (32); in which each tray (20) is inserted inside a respective through hole (32) with its own flange (24) resting on a perimeter edge (33) inside the sheet-like body (31) that surrounds the respective through hole ( 32). The container (10) according to claim 1, in which at least one tray (20) is made of cardboard. The container (10) according to claim 1, in which at least one tray (20) is obtained by thermoforming. The container (10) according to claim 1, wherein the support tray (30) is made of cardboard. The container (10) according to claim 1, wherein the flange (24) of each tray (20) is fixed to the perimeter edge (33) which surrounds the respective through hole by means of fastening means. 6. The container (10) according to claim 1, which comprises a sealing film (40) which closes the opening (23) of each tray (20). The container (10) according to claim 6, wherein the sealing film (40) adheres to the flange (24) of each tray (20). The container (10) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the sealing film (40) adheres to at least a sealing portion of the sheet-like body (31) which surrounds the perimeter edge (33) of each through hole (32) on which rests a flange (24) of a tray (20). The container (10) according to claim 8, wherein the sealing portion comprises a release zone to facilitate the detachment of the sealing film (40) from the sealing portion. The container (10) according to claim 9, wherein the detachment area comprises a groove (34) closed on itself in a ring around the respective perimeter edge (33), in which a bottom of the groove (34) is detached from the sealing film (40).