ITMI20101716A1 - FOLDABLE WALLET PACKAGE FOR SWEET PRODUCTS, IN PARTICULAR BARS OR CHEWED RUBBER SHEETS - Google Patents

Description

Description of the industrial invention patent entitled:

â € œFOLDABLE WALLET PACK FOR DESSERT PRODUCTS, IN PARTICULAR RUBBER BARS OR SLABS TO CHEWâ €

DESCRIPTION

Field of the found

The present invention generally relates to the confectionery sector for confectionery products and more closely it concerns a folding package of the book or wallet type containing confectionery products, such as in particular bars or plates or similar forms of chewing gum.

Current state of the art

The current market presents, as easily verifiable by anyone, an innumerable and vast range of confectionery packages and containers, each with its own peculiarities and characteristics, in particular linked to both the specific shape and type of the product or confectionery products that are contained. in these packages and containers, both elements, of a more strictly commercial nature, aimed at making the offer of these confectionery products, such as chocolates, candies, sugared almonds and more, on the market particularly attractive to consumers.

Among these packages, since they are more directly relevant to the field of the present invention, mention should be made of those which are designed to contain chewing gum, known also by the English term â € œchewing gumâ €.

Naturally, also in this field of packaging and / or containers for chewing gum, the market offers a wide range of packages and / or containers, for example in the form of tubes, boxes of various shapes and shapes, dispensers, and more. .

The chewing gum in turn is packaged and offered on the market, by means of these packages and containers, in a variety of forms, for example sugared almonds, bars, plates, candies, and others, as well as it can be present and available in such packages and containers in various ways, for example in bulk or ordered in respective compartments or cells.

In general, the packages and containers for chewing gum, currently on sale and offered on the market, contain chewing gum of a single formulation or flavor, whereas chewing gum, regardless of the forms of consumption in which it is offered, or sugared almonds, bars, tablets, plates, candies, etc., it is notoriously produced in various formulations and flavors, for example mint, lemon, licorice, strawberry, added with fluorine, vitamins, mineral salts, etc., in order to meet and satisfy the different needs and taste preferences of consumers.

In other words, the chewing gum packages currently offered and for sale in the market usually contain one and only one formulation or one and only one flavor of chewing gum, whatever its intended form of consumption, i.e. slabs, dragees, candies, etc.

Therefore the consumer, when he buys one of these chewing gum packages currently on the market, in fact has available and can enjoy a single formulation or a single chewing gum flavor.

Packages and containers in general for consumer products have also been known for some time, which have a folding configuration of the so-called book or wallet type, i.e. comprising at least two parts in the form of sheets or panels and the like which are connected along an area or folding line and are designed to be folded relative to each other.

In detail, these packs and wallet containers of the known type are designed to contain and house consumer products, such as for example handkerchiefs or pharmaceutical pills, in respective seats and / or pockets and / or in general housings which are defined in each of the two. parts or sheets or folding panels of the package.

In use, the consumer opens the wallet package so as to access the seats and housings defined by the two folding parts and then take the product contained in them, for example, in the case of handkerchiefs, through slots associated with these housings.

By way of example, some of these wallet packs, specifically containing handkerchiefs, are described in the patent documents WO 2008/026190 A2 and WO 2008/026098 A2.

However, these folding wallet packs, while being very practical and convenient and having therefore enjoyed a certain commercial success, in particular in the field of `` disposable '' handkerchiefs, refer to a market and respond to needs that are considerably different from those of the packaging and offer on the market of confectionery products, and even more they are distant from the field of packaging a specific confectionery product such as chewing gum.

Now, analyzing the chewing gum market and the respective products for sale currently offered therein, according to what is briefly described above, the Applicant Perfetti Van Melle spa has perceived how the availability of a single formulation or flavor in the packaging of chewing gum, currently offers for sale in the market, actually limits the possibilities of choice of the consumer, whereas the availability of multiple formulations or flavors of chewing gum in a single package for sale could significantly expand these possibilities of choice and therefore meet the wishes of the consumer, and at the same time constitute an important element in determining the commercial success of the product in the market.

Summary of the finding

Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to propose a package for confectionery products, and in particular for chewing gum, which meets the needs mentioned above, or is such as to expand the consumer's choice of choices, while at the same time avoiding certain inconveniences. , often even not clearly perceived, such as having to buy two or more packs of chewing gum of different formulations and / or tastes, when the consumer usually prefers, consumes and alternates chewing gums of different formulations and / or tastes.

Another object of the present invention is also to promote and further improve the offer on the market of the specific chewing gum product, also taking into account the foreseeable and future evolution of this market towards an ever greater number of alternatives and tastes, in order to satisfy the increasingly articulated and complex needs of consumers.

A further object of the present invention is also to propose a package of chewing gum bars or plates of several flavors which, in addition to being practical and convenient to use by the consumer, can be industrially manufactured in a simple way and at low costs.

These objects are fully achieved by the collapsible package for confectionery products, in particular chewing gum, which has the characteristics defined by the main independent claim 1.

Particular and advantageous forms of the invention are further defined by the dependent claims.

The packaging for chewing gum according to the present invention is associated with numerous advantages, in part already implicitly announced before, among which the following are reiterated:

- the availability on the market of a single product which gives the consumer a wider choice between the various formulations and favorite flavors of chewing gum that he usually consumes;

- greater convenience and practicality of use, in the sense that the consumer accustomed to consuming chewing gums of different formulations and tastes no longer has to buy and carry around numerous packs of chewing gum, but must buy only one where he can find its formulations and his favorite chewing gum flavors;

- lower packaging cost, and therefore a lower cost of the product to the consumer, for the same number of chewing gum formulations and flavors offered for sale.

A further advantage of the present invention is to make, once the package has been opened, a plurality of compartments equally and easily accessible to the consumer, for the greatest possible ease of choice.

Brief description of the drawings

These and other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clear and evident from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a first perspective view of a collapsible package containing chewing gum, according to the present invention, in an open configuration;

Fig. 2 is a second perspective view, from an opposite observation point, of the open folding package of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the folding package of Fig. 1, in the open configuration;

Fig. 4 is a third perspective view of the collapsible package of Fig. 1, in a closed or folded configuration;

Fig. 5 is a top view of the folding package of Fig. 4, in the closed configuration, with a cover sheet raised;

Figs. 6A is a perspective view, with a portion in schematic form, of a first variant, with three compartments, of the collapsible package of Fig. 1, for chewing gum, in an open configuration;

Figs. 6B is a schematic top view of the first variant, with three compartments, of Fig. 6A, in a closed or folded configuration; And

Figs. 7A and 7B schematically show in perspective form and from above a second variant, with four compartments, of the folding package of Fig. 1, for chewing gum, respectively in an open configuration and in a closed or folded configuration

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention

With reference to Figs. 1-5, a package containing confectionery products and made in accordance with the present invention is indicated as a whole with 10.

In particular, the confectionery products contained in the package 10 consist of a plurality of single pieces, of elongated shape, such as bars, plates or similar shapes, of chewing gum, indicated in general with G, while the single bars or plates, of rubber to chew are indicated with G1 and G2.

The package 10 has a typical folding configuration of the so-called book or wallet type in turn defined by a container comprising two main parts, in the form of a sheet or panel or the like, indicated respectively with 11 and 12, in which these two main parts 11 and 12 are connected to each other along an intermediate folding region 15 and each have a respective internal surface 11a and 12a, and a respective external surface 11b and 12b.

These two parts 11 and 12 are foldable relative to each other around the folding area 15 between a closed or folded configuration of the package 10, indicated with C and represented in Figs. 4 and 5, in which the internal surfaces 11a and 12a of the two parts 11 and 12 are facing and in contact with each other, and an open configuration, indicated by C and represented in Figs. 1-3, of the same package 10, in which the internal surfaces 11a and 12a are spaced apart, in order to allow the consumer access to the chewing gum bars contained in the package 10.

According to a salient feature of the present invention, each of the two folding parts 11, 12 of the package 10 is provided, along the respective internal surface 11a, 12a, with at least one pocket or compartment, indicated respectively with 13 and 14, which contain the confectionery product , ie the chewing gum bars, whereby the package 10 has at least two compartments or pockets for the chewing gum bars G1 and G2, each corresponding to a respective folding part.

In particular, as shown in the drawings, each of the two folding parts 11 and 12 is associated with a single compartment, respectively 13 and 14, containing the bars of chewing gum, but it is clear in any case that each of the two folding parts can define and be provided with several compartments, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention.

Furthermore, according to another salient feature of the present invention, the confectionery product, that is the chewing gum bars, which are contained and housed in these two compartments 13, 14, are available and offered in at least two different formulations, and in in particular in two different flavors corresponding to the bars G1 contained in the first compartment 13 and to the bars G2 contained in the second compartment 14.

For example, the first compartment 13 provided in the first part 11 contains a plurality of bars or plates G1 of chewing gum with a lemon, orange or other flavor, while the second compartment 14, provided in the second part 12, contains a plurality of G2 bars or plates of chewing gum flavored with mint, licorice, or other flavors, other than those of the G1 bars or plates contained in the first compartment 13.

In summary, by exemplifying the concept of the present invention, the package 10 is characterized by a folding configuration of the book or wallet type with two parts or folding sheets containing in respective at least two compartments at least two types of chewing gum bars, in particular of at least two different flavors.

The two folding parts 11 and 12 have substantially the same extension and shape, typically rectangular, so that, once folded in the closed configuration C of the package 10, they completely overlap one another along the respective internal surfaces 11a and 12a, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The folding configuration of the package 10 is made starting from a single starting sheet, for example of cardboard, suitably shaped, and subsequently folding certain portions of this single starting sheet so as to obtain the two main parts 11 and 12 with the respective compartments 13 and 14 intended to contain the bars G1 and G2 of chewing gum G.

In particular, each of the two compartments 13 and 14, provided in the two folding parts 11 and 12 and containing the two different types G1 and G2 of chewing gum bars, is formed by a folded sheet, indicated respectively with 13a and 14a, which extends parallel to the sheet that defines the external surface 11b, 12b of the corresponding folding part. Again, these sheets 13a and 14a have a length substantially equal to and a smaller height, defined by a respective edge 13aâ € ™ and 14aâ € ™, than that of the sheet extending along the outer surface 11b, 12b of the corresponding folding part 11, 12.

The various bars G1 and G2 of chewing gum have an elongated shape and are arranged vertically in the respective compartments 13, 14 so as to protrude at least partially from the latter, and therefore can be easily removed from the respective compartments in the open configuration Câ € ™ of the packaging 10.

The package 10 again comprises a folding cover sheet, indicated with 17 and connected along a folding area 18 with the first part 11, in which this sheet 17 is provided to stably cover the two parts 11 and 12 folded one on top of the other in the closed configuration C of the package 10.

For this purpose, in this closed configuration C, the cover sheet 17 is folded and inserted into a corresponding slot 19 formed on the external surface 12b of the other part 12, as shown in Fig. 4.

It is therefore clear, from what has been described, that the present invention fully achieves the objectives it had set itself, and in particular proposes a package for confectionery products, in particular containing a plurality of chewing gum bars, which offers the consumer a wider choice between the formulations and flavors of bars of his preference that he usually consumes.

Without prejudice to the basic concepts of the present invention, it is also clear that the package described up to now for confectionery products, consisting in particular of chewing gum bars, can be modified, modified and further improved, without thereby abandoning the scope of the same finding.

For example, according to a first variant indicated with 20 and represented in Figs. 6A and 6B, the package containing the chewing gum bars G can comprise three folding parts, indicated respectively with 21, 22 and 23, instead of two as the package 10, in which the part 22 is arranged between the two folding parts of ends 21 and 23.

In particular, these folding parts 21, 22 and 23 are connected two by two along two intermediate folding zones 15â € ™ and 15â € ™, they are foldable relative to each other around these folding areas 15 'and 15', and each define a respective compartment, 24, 25 and 26, containing a plurality of chewing gum bars, in which these chewing gum bars contained in the compartments 24, 25 and 26 they are available in three different formulations or flavors, indicated with G1, G2, and G3, corresponding respectively to the three compartments 24, 24 and 26.

Similarly to package 10, also in package 20 a folding cover sheet 27, connected along a folding area with one of the two end folding parts, for example 21, is provided to cover the three parts 21, 22 and 23, in the closed configuration of the package 20.

Furthermore, for the sake of completeness of information, Figs. 7A and 7B represent a further variant, indicated with 30, of the package of the present invention, comprising four folding parts 31, 32, 33 and 34 each defining a respective compartment 35, 36, 37 and 38, in which each of these compartments itself contains a certain type or flavor of chewing gum bars C.

Therefore in this case the package 30 contains four formulations or flavors of bars, indicated with G1, G2, G3 and G4, of chewing gum G, which are available to be selected and consumed by the consumer in the respective four compartments 35, 36, 37 and 38 of pack 30.

Here again, a collapsible cover sheet 39 is provided to stably cover the mutually collapsible parts 31, 32, 33 and 34 in the closed configuration of the package 30.

Furthermore, the distinctive characteristics that define the different types of chewing gum bars or plates that are contained in the various compartments of the package 10, 20 and 30, can be different from or complementary with respect to the taste, and for example include the color and / or the design of the casing of the bars, or the very shape of the bars or chewing gum plates, so that the consumer on the basis of these distinctive characteristics can easily recognize and identify the type of chewing gum bars he wants to consume.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS 1. Packaging (10; 20; 30) for confectionery products, in particular bars or plates (G1, G2) or similar forms of chewing gum (G), having a folding configuration of the book or wallet type comprising: at least two sheets or similar parts (11; 12; 21, 22, 23; 31, 32, 33, 34) connected one to the other along an intermediate folding area (15; 15â € ™, 15â € ™ â € ™) and each defining a respective internal surface (11a, 12a) and a respective external surface (11b, 12b), said at least two parts (11; 12; 21, 22, 23) being foldable one relatively to the other around said folding area (15; 15â € ™, 15â € ™ â € ™) between a closed or folded configuration (C) of said package (10), in which the internal surfaces (11a, 12a) of said at least two parts (11, 12) face each other, and an open configuration (C ...) of said package (10), in which said two parts (11, 12) and the respective internal surfaces (11a, 12a) are spaced apart from each other in order to allow access to said chewing gum bars or plates (G1, G2), in which each of said two parts (11, 12) is provided, along the respective internal surface (11a, 12a) of alm or a pocket or compartment (13, 14) containing said bars or plates (G1, G2) of chewing gum (G), and in which said bars or plates (G1, G2) of chewing gum (G), contained in these compartments (13, 14) are available and offered in at least two different formulations, in particular flavors (G1, G2), each corresponding to a respective compartment (13, 14). 2. Packaging (10) for confectionery products according to claim 1, in which each of said at least two folding parts (11, 12) is provided with a single compartment (13, 14) containing a corresponding and determined type or flavor (G1 , G2) of chewing gum bars or plates. Packaging (10) for confectionery products according to claim 1 or 2, in which said at least two folding parts (11, 12) have substantially the same shape and extension, so that once they have been folded into said closed configuration (C) , completely overlap each other along their respective internal surfaces (11a, 12a). Packaging (10) for confectionery products according to claim 3, in which said two parts (11, 12) both have a rectangular shape. Packaging (10) for confectionery products according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the two compartments (13, 14), provided in said two folding parts (11, 12) and containing two different formulations and / or flavors (G1, G2) of chewing gum bars or plates (G), are formed by a folded sheet (13a, 14a) having a substantially equal length and a height less than that of a sheet extending along the surface (11b, 12b) of the corresponding folding part (11, 12). 6. Packaging (10) for confectionery products (G) according to claim 5, in which said bars or plates (G1, G2) of chewing gum (G), contained in said compartments (13, 14), have an elongated shape of such length that they protrude at least partially from the respective compartments (13, 14). Package (10) for confectionery products (G) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a foldable cover sheet (17) adapted to cover said two parts (11, 12) in the closed configuration (C) of said package ( 10). 8. Package (10) for confectionery products (G) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the package is made starting from a single starting sheet and subsequently folding certain portions, suitably shaped, of said single sheet, so that to obtain said parts (11, 12) and the respective compartments (13, 14) suitable for containing the bars or plates (G1, G2) of chewing gum (G). 9. Packaging (20, 30) for confectionery products (G) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising at least three sheets or similar parts (21, 22, 23; 31, 32, 33, 34) mutually folding one on top of the other and each provided with at least one pocket or compartment (24, 25, 26; 35, 36, 37, 38), in which the compartments (24, 25, 26; 35, 36, 37, 38) provided in said three folding parts ( 21, 22, 23; 31, 32, 33, 34) contain three different formulations and / or flavors (G1, G2, G3; G1, G2, G3, G4) of chewing gum bars or plates corresponding to said compartments ( 24, 25, 26; 35, 36, 37, 38). Packaging (10, 20, 30) for confectionery products (G) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the distinctive characteristics that define the different types of bars or chewing gum sheets contained in the various compartments of said package (10, 20, 30) comprise the color and / or design of the wrapper of the bars and / or the shape of said bars or chewing gum plates.