MXPA01000027A - Composed packaging material having a paper base layer and. - Google Patents

Abstract

AN ADDITIONAL LAYER FIXED OR ENVELOPED OF TUBULAR SLEEVE OF PLASTIC MATERIAL, PARTICULARLY FOR FOOD PRODUCTS AND METHOD THEREOF The present invention discloses a packaging material of fold component, particularly composed for food products, comprising a first component (10), which consists in a paper base sheet, and over it a second component (11) formed by a tubular sleeve of a plastic thin film that is adhered, of a kind approved for its use with food products. The sleeve member can be cut longitudinally in an appropriate position in order to make one or two free fins (11°, 13, 14) capable of folding.

Description

A COMPOSITE PACKAGING MATERIAL WHICH HAS A PAPER BASE LAYER AND AN ADDITIONAL LAYER PLACED OR CONTAINED WITH A TUBULAR HOSE OF PLASTIC MATERIAL, PARTICULARLY FOR FOODSTUFFS AND METHOD TO OBTAIN IT This invention is broadly related to packaging materials and more particularly relates to a dual-component, paper-based packaging material, specifically useful for packaging food products. While it should be understood that limitation of restrictive use should not be derived from the following specification, the specific field of use of the packaging material in accordance with this invention is the field of retail sale of food products, particularly products of a single piece or discrete, such as bacon, cheese, meats, chicken products and the like. As is well known, as a consequence of a general practice already established in compliance with always more and more restrictive and mandatory hygienic regulations, the food products offered for retail sale to the public are packaged in wrappings consisting of paper-based material. that are wrapped around the product. The packaging of paper-based material must meet well-established hygiene and safety requirements, so that for a certain time and nowadays it has been the general practice to use composite wraps comprising a paper-based sheet, intended not to be made contact with the food product, together with a thin film of a plastic material that complies with the regulations and legal requirements of hygiene and safety of use. These envelopes, however, have at least one deficiency. In fact, with the goal of preventing, during the wrapping operation, very frequently involves a real rolling of the paper-based material together with the food product contained therein, often consisting of a number of thin wafers, the product In the case of contact with the outer paper-based material, it is the usual practice to use a second sheet of plastic material to directly cover the food product in question, so that even when the wrapping material is wrapped very tightly, the The food product in question is always isolated and separated from the outer paper base layer. Even when it is certainly efficient, this approach involves the use of two different class materials, along with consequential problems for storage, inventory, separate housing compartments and the like. In addition, the handling of the materials involves an increased risk of contamination of the surfaces that make contact with the food product in question. It is an object of this invention to improve this kind of packaging materials and to realize a double component composite packing material, which can be easy to manufacture, as well as easy to store and apply, while providing immediately better performances than those offered by conventional packaging, even the most recently developed. In addition, the second component is substantially made as a sleeve member and is truly versatile, so that, with simple operations and provisions, many variations can be obtained with many possible application possibilities. The specific subject matter of this invention, therefore, is a double component packaging material, composed, particularly for food products, comprising a first component that acts as a base layer of carrier paper, on which it adheres a second component, consisting of a tubular sleeve made by a thin film of a hygienically acceptable material for contact with foodstuffs, wherein the thin film tubular sleeve of hygienically acceptable material has smaller cross-sectional size, equal to or greater than the cross-sectional size of the base layer, in accordance with the application for which the product is intended. Said sleeve allows that, once the product to be packaged is inserted in the tubular sleeve, the assembly can be rolled or folded while the base paper sheet is held out, with full and comprehensive guarantee that, whatever to carry out the rolling or bending operation, the packaged food product only and exclusively makes contact with the inner surface of the tubular sleeve and never makes contact with its outer surface and even less makes contact with any portion of the base sheet of paper . A sleeve member with equal or preferably greater transverse dimension makes it possible to obtain, by means of a simple longitudinal cutting operation of the sleeve material, a composite double layer packing material, comprising a first support layer having a second layer adhered thereto, consisting of the thin film of the longitudinally cut sleeve member with equal dimensions or preferably larger than the dimensions of the first support layer, so as to form at least one foldable fin, designed to be bent over the food product placed in the package, and preferably overlap itself. Both components of the packaging material can be provided with one or more longitudinal lines of weakness, for example a line of almost central weakness, so as to make it possible to remove half a portion of the complete package and uncover a portion of the packaged food product, for example a hot dog that is going to be consumed, while the other half portion of the package is kept as a protective cover for the food product that is being consumed. It will be apparent that it is possible to perform a transverse weld on an end edge of the double component packing material in order to obtain a bag-like package. Additional details and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description with reference to the following. annexed drawings, in which preferred modalities are shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a double component, composite component sheet sheet material in accordance with this invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a composite double sheet packing sheet material with the tubular sleeve in partially open condition, in order to show how the product is inserted therein. Figure 3 is a perspective view of a package containing a food product while it is bending. Figure 4 shows the final stage of the folding sequence of the package of figure 3, in which the open fins are hermetically sealed. Figure 5 is a top plan view of a different embodiment having two longitudinal fins adapted to be glued. Figure 6 is a perspective view of a double-layer composite sheet sheet material, having an overlapping and bent fin, obtained by means of a longitudinal cutting operation of the second sleeve-like component, having a dimension cross as the transverse dimension of the supporting paper base layer.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a double-layer packaging sheet material, composite having two fins capable of bending and overlapping, obtained by means of a longitudinal cutting operation of the second sleeve-like component, which has larger dimensions that the dimensions of the base layer of supporting paper, Figure 8 shows a sequence of use of a package having both longitudinally marked components in order to wrap a consumable food product and adapted to divide the package into two separate half portions by a simple detachment operation. Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, the main embodiment of this invention comprises a first component 10. consisting of a base sheet of paper material, on which a second component 11 formed by a tubular sleeve of a film Thin plastic material is applied, of a kind approved for use with food products. Said tubular sleeve 11 is made of polyethylene or the like, manufactured by conventional extrusion methods, and is also adhered to the paper base sheet 10 by means of conventional methods and equipment, for example by gumming.

In a first embodiment, the characterization feature of the thin film tubular sleeve 11, however, is that, for convenience of use and due to functional reasons, it has a transverse dimension no greater than the base sheet 10 and can particularly be more narrow that the base sheet 10, so as to leave a certain free edge on one or both sides. During the introduction of the food product in question towards the sleeve, it is retained in a covered and protected condition and the upper fin of the sleeve performs the same function as that performed by a second, superimposed sheet of plastic material in accordance with the present state of The technique . Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, the initial step for the use of the packaging material is shown, in which the upper fin of the tubular sleeve 11 is slightly raised so as to introduce the food product thereinto. Figure 3 shows the subsequent step to be used in which the package is folded. The bending mode is self-explanatory, but it should be understood that the bending step can also be carried out as a rolling step and that said bending or rolling step can also be carried out in a different direction with respect to the bending step. illustrated, without abandoning the scope of the invention. Referring to Figure 4, it can be seen that the simplest procedure for sealing the package provides that the longitudinal fins are bent. In this regard, however, the possibility that the tubular sleeve 11 has longitudinal dimensions even smaller than the longitudinal dimension of the base sheet 10 should be mentioned., so as to leave one or two free longitudinal edges 12 of the base sheet. These free edges 12 can be provided with appropriate glue strips, for example a pressure sensitive adhesive, so as to make the sealing operation of the package more immediate and safer, as already illustrated in Figure 4, said glued strips of pressure-sensitive adhesive being also adapted to be protected before use by detachable cover strips, so as to activate the effect of gumming only at the desired time. As mentioned above, the adhesion between the base sheet and the thin plastic tubular sleeve stretched thereon can be effected by any desired method and equipment, but in any way it is suggested that the adhesion does not extend to any the contact surface, so as to leave a nonadherent peripheral edge designed to help lift the upper fin of the sleeve. The packing according to this invention allows a longer storage of the food product contained therein and eliminates any possibility that the operator, for example, the servant in the gastronomy bar, makes contact with the internal surface of the packing sleeve, thus ensuring the possibility of handling the package as an entire without any risk of hygienic contamination. In addition, the extremely simple procedure followed to close the package by a simple folding operation with optional optional adhesion of its longitudinal edges allows the consumer to reuse the package, or if desired, only his tubular sleeve for disposal of any residues. resulting With reference to Figure 6 of the drawings, it can be observed by way of non-restrictive example that, assuming that the sleeve component 11 has transverse dimension equal to the transverse dimension of the support base sheet 10, the sleeve member is it can cut longitudinally, in a lateral position, so as to form a free vane 11 '. After the food product has been placed on the double layer portion of the packing sheet, the free fin 11 'thus formed bends and lies on the food product, in order to perform the same function as that performed by a second separate sheet of plastic material according to the state of the art. Referring now to Figure 7 of the drawings, a further embodiment of this invention again comprises a first component that acts as a support base sheet 10, with a second sleeve-like component 11 having a transverse dimension much greater than the dimension cross section of the support base sheet 10. On the other hand, however, the sleeve member 11 has been cut longitudinally in an almost central position, so as to form two free fins 13 and 14. After the food product has been placed on the double layer portion of the packing sheet, the free fins 13 and 14 formed in this manner are folded and laid on the food product, in order to perform the same function as is done by a second separate sheet of plastic material according to the state of the art Depending on the dimensions of the sleeve-like member, during bending, the free wings 13 and 14 can only be juxtaposed in an intermediate manner, but can also overlap slightly to each other in the intermediate area, to increase the effect of covering on the food product. Figure 8 shows a sequence of use of a package according to this invention, in which a line of weakness has been made, for example by marking, on both components of the package. This embodiment has been found to be very useful for packaging _ food products intended for extemporaneous consumption, for example a hot dog or a piece of pizza. After the food product has been inserted into the packaging (first stage) and the package has been folded (second stage) and rolled (third stage) and possibly closed at the bottom edge (fourth stage), a half portion of it can be detached (fifth stage), so that the other half portion continues to act as a cover for the product involved and only the uncovered portion of it is accessible for consumption. The remaining half portion then acts as a bag that allows the contents to be removed only by a pushing action exerted on the outer side of the package, thus avoiding any risk of soiling a person's hands or contaminating the contents.

It has already been mentioned, but now it is wished to underline, that the packaging of two components can be welded transversely in an end edge, in order to realize a package similar to a bag. As mentioned above, the adhesion between the base sheet 10 and the film 11 of thin plastic material superimposed thereon can be effected by any desired method and equipment, but in any way it is suggested that the adhesion does not extend to the entire contact surface, so as to leave a nonadherent peripheral edge designed to help cover the fin or upper fins. Preferred embodiments of this invention have been described so far, but it should be expressly understood that those skilled in the art can make changes and modifications to details and material compositions, as well as thickness and shapes, without abandoning the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (13)

1. - A double component packaging material, composed, particularly for food products, comprising the first component, consisting of a base sheet of paper material, on which a second component formed by a tubular sleeve of a film is adhered thin plastic material, of a kind approved for use with food products.

2. A composite packaging material according to claim 1, characterized in that the thin film tubular sleeve has transverse sizes smaller or larger than the base sheet and in particular can be narrower than the base sheet, so as to Leave a free edge on one or both sides.

3. A composite packaging material according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesion between the base sheet and the tubular film sleeve on position extends less than its full contact surface, in order to leave an edge non-adherent peripheral to help opening the tubular sleeve by raising its upper fin. 4.- A packing material composed of - In ¬ according to claim 3, characterized in that the tubular sleeve has longitudinal dimensions smaller than the base sheet, so as to leave one or two free longitudinal edges of the base sheet and one or both longitudinal edges can be provided with rubberized strips suitable, for example, a pressure-sensitive adhesive, possibly protected before use by separable cover strips, in order to make the sealing operation of the package more immediate and safer. 5. A double layer packaging material, composed, particularly for food products, comprising a first support layer, on which a second layer is adhered, consisting of a thin film of a hygienically acceptable material for contact with products foodstuffs so as to form a double-layer sheet, the thin film of hygienically acceptable material has a transverse size no smaller than the transverse size of the first support layer, so as to form at least one free flap capable of bending to cover a product food placed on the double layer sheet, characterized in that the free wings are made by longitudinally cutting the second sleeve-like component of the package according to any of claims 1 to

4. 6. A packing material composed in accordance with claim 5, characterized in that the film of hygienically acceptable material forms two fins s. Opposite lateral free, 7. A composite packaging material according to claim 6, characterized in that the two opposing free wings, after being folded over the food product, are juxtaposed in an intermediate manner. 8. A composite packaging material according to claim 6, characterized in that the two opposite free wings, after being folded over the food product, slightly overlap each other in the intermediate area. 9. A composite packaging material according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesion between the first base component and the second sleeve-like component placed extends less than the entire contact surface, in order to leave an edge non-adherent peripheral for helping to bend the sleeve member or the upper fins; 10. A composite packaging material according to claim 1, characterized in that both components of the package are provided with one or more longitudinal lines of weakness. 11. A composite packaging material according to claim 10, characterized in that the line of longitudinal weakness is made by marking and is placed in an almost central position. 12. A composite packaging material according to claim 10, characterized in that the line of longitudinal weakness is made by marking and is placed in a laterally offset position. 13. A composite packaging material according to claim 1, characterized in that the packaging of two components is welded transversely at an end edge, so as to make a bag-like package.