Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
  • B65D81/24—Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants
  • B65D81/26—Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants with provision for draining away, or absorbing, or removing by ventilation, fluids, e.g. exuded by contents; Applications of corrosion inhibitors or desiccators
  • B65D81/264—Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants with provision for draining away, or absorbing, or removing by ventilation, fluids, e.g. exuded by contents; Applications of corrosion inhibitors or desiccators for absorbing liquids

Definitions

• the present invention is in the field of packaging containers for food products, for example of the trays type, more particularly intended for foodstuffs liable to exudation during storage, for example in refrigerated display cases in shops.
• the invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a composite material suitable for producing this type of packaging container.
• trays which, as a general rule, consist of a bottom part, secured to transverse and longitudinal sides so as to produce, for example by forming a composite material, a container comprising an upper layer and a lower layer of synthetic material, impermeable to liquids, and between which an absorbent lining is interposed - in communication with the upper layer by perforations made in the latter.
• US-A-3 932 575 illustrate the prior techniques of implementation in the manufacture of trays such as bonding, the laying of the film constituting the upper layer, the perforation of the latter and thermoforming.
• a tray of this type is described in document EP-0 182 139 in which an absorbent lining and upper and lower layers as defined are produced, by cuts of the same * length of corresponding strips, the perforations of the upper layer being produced. both at the bottom and on the transverse zones of said upper layer, in line with the lining which covers them as an extension of the bottom.
• the filling is, in this embodiment, continuously unrolled continuously on the lower layer, in the form of a strip, before the upper layer is put in place, the cutting and then the forming of the tray being carried out successively.
• the presence of the absorbent pad on the transverse sides impairs a perfect and homogeneous connection of the periphery of the tray, and what is more, creates unsightly differences in thickness, certain zones comprising two layers, others three .
• the exudate for example the blood of a piece of meat
• the transverse sides can rise through the transverse sides and cause unpleasant stains when the container is gripped by a consumer.
• This phenomenon is further favored by the fact that perforations are provided longitudinally on either side of the bottom and extend over said transverse edges.
• the absorbent pads which should ensure the preservation of the meat, are not entirely satisfactory and allow the juices of the meat to flow and come into contact with the latter.
• An object of the present invention is to provide a packaging container, which is easy to produce, making it possible to remedy the drawbacks resulting from the multiple problems set out above.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a composite material more particularly suitable for the manufacture of packaging containers according to the invention.
• the invention also relates to a method of manufacturing this composite material so as to adapt it more particularly to the production of packaging containers of the invention.
• the present invention therefore relates to a container. • packaging of food products of the tray type, more particularly intended to receive materials capable of generating exudates during storage, in particular foods based on meat and / or fish and other consumer products, this container being constituted by a bottom portion, from which transverse and longitudinal sides extend so as to form a container obtained by forming a composite material and comprising an upper layer and a lower layer, of a liquid-tight synthetic material, and between which is interposed at least one absorbent and / or adsorbent intermediate layer in communication with the upper layer by perforations made in the latter, characterized in that each absorbent and / or adsorbent intermediate layer or lining is made up in whole or in part by a inorganic material, possibly associated with at least one mat riau organic having the same properties or properties compatible 1'utilisation.
• the surface of the intermediate layer or absorbent pad or adsorbent is less than the 'developed surface of the container formed by the upper and lower layers of plastic material, positioning said intermediate layer with respect to these last being substantially centered on the abscissa and on the ordinate, so as to leave a peripheral band free of absorbent or adsorbent material around the lining and capable of allowing the two upper and lower layers to be joined around their entire periphery according to a homogeneous thickness, thus avoiding leave a peripheral empty space between the periphery of the intermediate layer and the junction zone between the upper and lower layers.
• the invention is further remarkable by the following points:
• the inorganic material constituting the intermediate layer is in powder form.
• the inorganic material and / or the organic material is in expanded form.
• the particles of organic and / or inorganic material are associated with a support or with a binding agent forming a support with said elements or particles.
• the inorganic material is chosen from the group consisting of pulverulent perlil preferably obtained by cooking a perlite, dehydrated silica gel, inorganic salts, activated carbon, ores, minerals and the like.
• the lower layer is obtained from an expanded, extrudable and thermoformable plastic.
• the expanded plastic material forming the lower layer is chosen from polystyrenes and expanded polyethylenes.
• the upper layer is a film made of a plastic material chosen from polystyrenes, polyethylenes, polyvinyl chloride and polycarbonates. %
• the film constituting the upper layer has a nature such that it allows the printing of a decorative and / or advertising motif.
• the film constituting the upper layer is provided with micro-perforations made in line with the intermediate layer or absorbent or adsorbent lining, thereby obtaining a better distribution of the absorption or adsorption of the exudates and these excluding any other place on the tray.
• the process for manufacturing a multi-layer material, described in the certificate will preferably be used. French Utility No.
• the invention also relates to a process for the manufacture of a packaging container of the tray type according to the invention, this process being characterized by the following successive steps:
• a strip or sheet of plastic foam intended to constitute the lower layer of the composite material is prepared, by extrusion • from an expanded plastic material;
• a positive thermal gradient is applied to the inner layer so as to make it adhesive
• an absorbent or adsorbent intermediate layer obtained from a soft width fed discontinuously and calibrated according to a predetermined surface and disposed on said lower layer according to predetermined marks relative to a center;
• the plastic film is perforated in line with the absorbent or adsorbent intermediate layer, according to the same positioning marks thereof; -
• the complex thus formed is wound on a reel which is stored for a period of 36 to 60 hours, preferably 48 hours;
• a blank obtained in this way is formed by thermoforming in order to produce a number of containers each having the appropriate shape, which will be separated by cutting from one another in order to obtain the packaging containers or trays of the invention .
• the multi-layer composite material will advantageously be produced in the form of. continuous strips so that a roll can be formed suitable for being unwound during the thermoforming operation of the blanks, before cutting.
• the sheets or strips are arranged in multi-poses for a simultaneous unfolding of these various operations.
• a layer of crystal polystyrene is applied to the composite material before the winding operation, which adheres to the upper layer.
• the invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method specified above, this device comprising means for feeding a sheet of expanded polystyrene, means for feeding a sheet made of an adsorbent or absorbent material, means for longitudinal cutting of the sheet of absorbent or adsorbent material from a number of secondary sheets, means of cutting the secondary sheets of absorbent or adsorbent material into unitary intermediate layers, means of centering and positioning the unitary intermediate layers on the sheet of polystyrene, means for applying an upper layer to the assembly formed by the unitary intermediate layers and the lower layer, means for perforating the superimposed layer, winding means for storage and thermoforming means, this device being characterized in that it further comprises:
• - Marking means allowing synchronization between the transverse cutting of the intermediate layer and the application of the unitary intermediate layers thus formed on the intermediate layer; and _ means making it possible to reactivate, by application of a positive thermal gradient, the adhesive power of the lower layer at the level of its junction with the unitary intermediate layers.
• FIG. 1 represents a tray seen in perspective, with partial cutaway so as to show in section the structure of the composite material which constitutes it;
• Figure 2 shows on a larger scale, in cross section, the bottom and one of the transverse sides of the tray;
• FIG. 3 represents a strip of thermoformed composite material, before cutting the blanks of the trays;
• Figure 4 is a schematic illustration, in side elevation, of the production line of the packaging containers of the present invention. As shown more particularly in FIGS.
• the tray designated as a whole by the reference numeral 1
• the tray consists of a bottom part 2 from which depart transverse 3 and longitudinal 4 sides so as to form a container for general parallelepiped shape, provided with an upper flange which surrounds said sides 3, 4 in order to give the assembly a certain rigidity.
• This container or container which can serve as a packaging container for food products. and which is more particularly intended for the packaging of foodstuffs of animal origin susceptible to exudation, such as meat and fish, 'is obtained by thermoforming of a composite material consisting of an upper layer 6 and a lower layer 7, both being made of a liquid-tight synthetic material.
• an absorbent or adsorbent intermediate layer 8 which communicates with the upper layer 6 by means of micro-perforations 9 made in the latter.
• the surface S of the intermediate layer or absorbent or adsorbent lining 8 is smaller than the developed surface SI of the container formed by the layers 6, 7 of plastic material.
• the intermediate layer 8 occupies a surface S substantially corresponding to the bottom 2 of the tray 1 and its positioning relative to the layers 6, 7 is centered on the abscissa ' and on the ordinate along the axes XX' and YY 'intersecting at the point 0 ( Figure 3).
• the three-layer composite material 6,7,8 is produced in the form of a continuous strip 11 so as to produce a roller capable of being unwound during the aforementioned cutting operation of the blanks before their shaping to form a tray.
• the sheets or strips 11 do not comprise a single row of absorbent or adsorbent linings but are arranged in multi-poses.
• the three-layer composite material used therefore comprises, as described above, an upper layer 6 and a lower layer 7 of waterproof synthetic material.
• the lower layer 7 is obtained from an foam of expanded plastic material, extrudable and thermoformable, for example a polystyrene, a polyethylene, a polypropylene and the like.
• the latter is in the form of a thin film obtained by extruding a polystyrene, a polypropylene, a polyvinyl chloride, a polyethylene, a polycarbonate. and the like.
• the film 6 is of such a nature as to allow the printing of a decorative and / or advertising motif.
• the film 6 is able to undergo micro-perforations 9 which are only made in line with the intermediate layer 8. This gives a better distribution of the absorption or of the adsorption of the exudates and this at 'exclusion from any other place on the tray.
• adsorbent or absorbent material for example cotton wool
• P a magnetic contactor
• a photoelectric cell (25) which, when it no longer detects the presence of absorbent or adsorbent material, actuates the actuating rollers (23) which unwind the web, thereby causing the raising the idler roller (22), releasing the magnetic contactor (P), which has the effect of releasing the pneumatic brake from the reel reel. There then occurs a normal unwinding of the width until the cell (25) again detects the presence of soft strand. Once the width has been delivered, it passes over a series of idle rollers (26) to come into the storage position in a second magazine (28) provided with a cell (29).
• the rollers (27) which drive the width to the longitudinal cutting station where discs (RI, R2, R3), adjustable and controlled by pneumatic cylinders, divide the width, for example, of 320 mm into four widths, for example, of 80 mm, and which are advantageously positioned at the correct center distance by the passage in guide elements (38) previously adjusted.
• This spot passing in front of the cell (F) activates the rollers (30) so as to unwind a length of intermediate layer corresponding substantially to the bottom of the tray to be thermoformed, further pushing the already cut length of unitary layer which is positioned on the expanded polystyrene sheet whose surface has been reactivated by hot air from ⁇ ⁇ a blowing thermal device (), which makes it very adhesive.
• the intermediate layer and the width of expanded polystyrene are brought into contact by the action of a pressing device (32) actuated by pneumatic cylinder.
• the guillotine (31) is simultaneously actuated, once the intermediate layer length has been reached. Once this cycle has ended, another spot reaches the cell (H) actuating the roller (30) and the next cycle can take place.
• the secondary widths, covered with unitary interlayer layers, deposited at regular intervals, are then transferred to a station for depositing a covering film of impact polystyrene, a station consisting of an extruder (J ') associated with a flat die (J ) which cooperates with a calendering device with 3 thermoregulated rollers (K).
• This calendering device is optionally supplied with a christal polystyrene film fed by a reel reel (L) with a control roller (S) for the web tension.
• This last film can be previously printed with any motif on request. It is advisable that these films are dyed and those in order to hide from view the intermediate layers filled with exudates.
• the composite webs thus formed are transferred via a guide roller (33) to the perforation station comprising spiked rollers (M) by bringing the previously printed spots facing the electrical cells (.Tl, T2), of which one (Tl) triggers the descent of the spiked rollers and the other the ascent of the latter.
• a guide roller (33) to the perforation station comprising spiked rollers (M) by bringing the previously printed spots facing the electrical cells (.Tl, T2), of which one (Tl) triggers the descent of the spiked rollers and the other the ascent of the latter.
• the composite product obtained is wound up on a storage reel for, for example, 48 hours, after which the composite product is transferred to a thermoforming station, not shown in the drawings, after which the trays thus formed are cut and the cutting waste is recycled 10.
• the micro-perforations 9 are advantageously of frustoconical shape using needles shape punches. corresponding opening onto the lower layer 8, this shape making it impossible to raise the exudates. '
• thermoforming of the film 6 prevents the ejudates from coming out of the absorbent or adsorbent intermediate layer and allows the tray to remain clean, whatever its position on a display.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)
• Grain Derivatives (AREA)
• Containers Having Bodies Formed In One Piece (AREA)
• Wrappers (AREA)
• Packging For Living Organisms, Food Or Medicinal Products That Are Sensitive To Environmental Conditiond (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (3)

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Citations (7)

• 1992
  • 1992-03-10 FR FR9202931A patent/FR2688474B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1993
  • 1993-03-08 AT AT93918745T patent/ATE130574T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1993-03-08 ES ES93918745T patent/ES2082658T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1993-03-08 EP EP93918745A patent/EP0629168B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1993-03-08 WO PCT/FR1993/000226 patent/WO1993017934A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1993-03-08 DE DE69300869T patent/DE69300869T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (7)

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