WO1995008492A1

WO1995008492A1 - Food container

Info

Publication number: WO1995008492A1
Application number: PCT/GB1994/002083
Authority: WO
Inventors: Øistein LØKKEBERG; Sigrid Hurv
Original assignee: Matforsk; Cockbain, Julian
Priority date: 1993-09-24
Filing date: 1994-09-23
Publication date: 1995-03-30
Also published as: GB9319707D0; AU7702094A

Abstract

The present invention provides a container (1) for holding two distinct food products (6, 7) separated by an edible barrier (9), wherein a wall of the container is provided with a barrier engaging portion (4, 5) arranged to cooperate in use with an edible barrier in order to prevent displacement of said barrier.

Description

Food Container

This invention relates to the field of food containers, and in particular to containers designed to hold two distinct food products which may be mixed together by the consumer shortly before eating.

Many popular food products contain two separate components which are in some way combined before eating but which cannot be stored in contact with each other. For example, sponge puddings are often eaten with a sauce, but if the sauce is poured over the pudding too long before consumption then the pudding may become soggy and thereby lose its desired texture. Another example is that in recent years it has become increasingly popular to mix yoghurt with nuts, fruit or muesli etc. just before eating it. As a consequence, a substantial number of yoghurt manufacturers now supply their product together with such mixers. In order to package the product as a single item there have been designed various different two compartment containers. These generally take the form of a moulded plastic body divided into two parts with a foil lid covering both parts. In order to eat the product, the consumer tears off the foil and then tips the mixer into the yoghurt.

This way of separating the two food components has several disadvantages. The structure of the packaging is, of necessity, somewhat complex in comparison to a normal yoghurt pot and consequently is both extravagant in its use of materials with obvious environmental and cost implications. In addition the shape is irregular and therefore somewhat difficult to package and transport. Furthermore, when the consumer wishes to eat the product it is necessary to unseal the two separate compartments and to move food from one part to the other. This may be inconvenient and increases the possibility of spillage.

It is known from United States Patent No. 4,820,533 to provide a container for holding two distinct food products, one above the other, separated by an edible barrier. When the product is to be eaten, the barrier may be broken with a spoon and mixed with the other food products. Thus, the requirement for two-compartment containers is removed. However, as the edible barrier is merely held in place by being sandwiched between the two food components, it is of necessity formed of a rigid material. Such a material may not have an appropriate texture when broken for mixing with, for example, yoghurt. In addition, it is believed that if a sufficiently fluid material were provided in the lower part of the container, then the rocking and tipping which is to be expected during normal handling and transport of the container could cause the barrier to displace and therefore result in a leak occurring around its edges. If the container were inverted then the barrier would be free to move up and down relative to the walls of the container with further scope for the undesirable mixing of the two separate components of food. Moreover, since the barrier must be rigid it is necessary to form it of materials such as biscuit or wafer which absorb moisture and therefore they have to be coated with a waterproofing material. Furthermore, being rigid the barrier is prone to premature breakage during normal transport and pre- and post- sales handling.

According to the present invention there is thus provided a container for holding two distinct food products separated by an edible barrier, wherein a wall of the container is provided with a barrier engaging portion arranged to cooperate in use with an edible barrier in order to prevent displacement of the barrier. Thus, in contrast to the prior art which discloses a straight-walled container having only a very small contact area between the circumference of the edible barrier and the walls of the container, the present invention provides a container with a barrier engaging portion which enables an edible barrier to be held securely in place. This prevents unwanted mixing of components and allows the provision of barriers formed of flexible material.

There are a considerable number of ways in which the container may be provided with the barrier engaging portion and the precise design appropriate to a particular case would, of course, depend upon the physical nature of the barrier employed. This would, in turn depend upon the nature of the food products since it is desirable that the barrier at best compliments, or at worst, does not adversely affect, the flavour of the food. For example, if the barrier material which is to be employed has significantly adhesive qualities, then the barrier engaging portion could comprise a surface generally parallel to the plane in which the edible barrier lies and to which the barrier may adhere. It is, of course, possible for the barrier to be placed at various orientations relative to the wall of the container, but generally it is desired to provide one product beneath another and therefore the container is preferably adapted to receive a barrier which is generally horizontal with respect to the normal orientation of the container.

The barrier engaging portion may also be arranged to provide an abutment surface against which the barrier may engage. This is particularly appropriate in the case of a barrier with non-adhesive properties but, of course, in the case of a "sticky" barrier the abutment surface may also adhere to the barrier thereby further improving its effectiveness. The abutment surface may be provided either above or below the barrier, depending upon the nature of the products within the container. Alternatively, abutment surfaces may be provided to co-operate with both sides of the barrier.

The barrier engaging portion may comprise a projection from the interior wall of the container. This could be in the form of an interior flange. Such a flange could be incorporated in the container when originally moulded, or alternatively could be fabricated separately and fastened in place. Alternatively, the container could be formed with a shoulder with either an upper, or lower, surface to engage with the barrier. Thus, in the cross section, the container would have a step in its wall. A further alternative is to provide the container with a region of greater diameter than its surrounding portion, for example by forming a narrow recess around the circumference of the container. In use, the barrier would extend into this recess and would thereby be held in place.

An important feature of the invention is the way in which the container is adapted to co-operate with its contents, and in particular the edible barrier. Therefore, the invention preferably further comprises a first food product located in the container and an edible barrier located above the first food product and co-operating with the barrier engaging portion. Such a product would provide room for a second food product to be added subsequently. (If the second food product had a short shelf life it may not be appropriate to put both in the container at the same time) .

Thus, the product as it would be sold in the shops would also contain a second food product provided within the container, preferably with sealing means disposed thereover, (e.g. a metal or plastics foil or a plastics lid) and the edible barrier would prevent the first and second food products from intermixing. In this way, the distinct character of the separate products may be maintained.

Various barrier materials are known, for example, biscuits and wafers as discussed in respect of the prior art. However, a particular advantage of the present invention is that it enables barriers formed of gel materials such as gelatin and alginates, or even jam, to be used. As discussed previously, such substances would be quite unsuitable for use in this function in known containers.

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings:-

Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a container according to a first embodiment of the invention

Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a container according to a second embodiment of the invention

Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a container according to a third embodiment of the invention

Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a container according to a fourth embodiment of the invention

Figure 1 illustrates a two-compartment food container 1 which is suitable for use with yoghurt in one portion and cereal or fruit in the other. The container 1 has a base 2, sides 3. The container has a circular shape in plan. Towards the top of the sides there is a protuberance 4 on the outside which corresponds to a flange 5 on the inside. The flange is in the form of an annular ring which projects into the interior of the container. As may be seen from the Figure, the upper surface of the flange, in combination with the interior of the protuberance, provides a significant surface area on which an edible barrier 9 such as gel may be located after a first food product 6 has been placed in the container up to the level of flange 5. The gel may be introduced in liquid form and allowed to set in place above the first food product. If a suitable gel is used as the barrier 9 it will adhere to the flange, thereby securing itself in place. Once the gel has set, a second food product 7 may be placed on top of it and the container sealed using a conventional closure, such as foil.

It will be appreciated that the barrier is secured in place by its adhesion to the flange and therefore even if the container is tipped the food product 6 in the lower portion will not come into contact with food product 7 in the upper portion. In addition, the physical presence of the flange prevents the gel from dropping downwards and also keeps the food product 6 away from the junction between the barrier and the edges of the container where leaks are most likely to occur.

In order to eat the contents of the container, the consumer will first unseal it and will then break the barrier and mix both food components using a spoon.

Figure 2 illustrates a container 11 having a base 12 and sides

13 in which the barrier is secured in position by means of a shoulder 14 formed in the side of the container. The shoulder

14 corresponds to a step 15 within the container beneath which the barrier 18 may be secured in place. The barrier 18 co¬ operates with the step 15 in a manner substantially similar to the way in which the barrier co-operates with the flange in the first embodiment, except that the barrier is secured below the step 15. It may be held in position simply by the physical presence of the step against which it abuts, or the barrier may have adhesive properties as discussed previously. The container is filled and consumed in the manner previously discussed. .

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate two further embodiments of the invention, illustrating two further possible barrier engaging arrangements which are appropriate for different shaped containers. In Figure 3 the container 21 has sides 23 which have upper and lower portions 24 and 25 respectively between which is formed a V 26. As this V is the widest portion of the container, if the barrier is moulded into position with its circumference located in the bottom of the V, then it will not be able to move upwards or downwards without distortion. In addition, if the sides of the V are reasonably steep, then the area of contact between the barrier and the container is considerably greater than in the case of a straight sided container.

Finally, Figure 4 illustrates a container 31 with straight sides 32 around which an annular recess 33 is provided. It will be appreciated that such a recess retains a barrier in a manner closely analogous to the V of the third embodiment, except that this embodiment provides a greater area of container in contact with the barrier 34 and the angular sides to the recess provide a more positive register and thereby grip the barrier more firmly. Again, in common with the other embodiments, the barrier is located in position after the first food product has been placed in the lower portion of the container. Container 31 is, of course, particularly suitable for use with a barrier, such as a gel, which may be poured in and then allowed to set, since it would clearly be extremely difficult to locate a rigid barrier within the recess.

It will be appreciated that all of the diagrams are schematic and that as well as being applicable to containers of circular cross-section, other shapes are possible, such as square or polygonal cross-sections.

Claims

1. A container for holding two distinct food products separated by an edible barrier, wherein a wall of the container is provided with a barrier engaging portion arranged to cooperate in use with an edible barrier in order to prevent displacement of said barrier.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein said barrier engaging portion comprises a surface generally parallel to the plane in which said edible barrier lies and to which said barrier may adhere.

3. A container according to either preceding claim, adapted to receive said barrier disposed in a generally horizontal orientation.

4. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein said barrier engaging portion is arranged to provide an abutment surface against which said barrier may engage.

5. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein said barrier engaging portion is arranged to provide abutment surfaces to co-operate with both sides of said barrier.

6. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein said barrier engaging portion comprises a projection from the interior wall of said container.

7. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein said barrier engaging portion comprises an interior flange.

8. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said barrier engaging portion comprises a shoulder.

9. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said barrier engaging portion of said container comprises a region of greater diameter than the surrounding portions thereof.

10. A container according to claim 9, wherein said barrier engaging portion comprises a narrow recess in the circumference of said container.

11. A container according to any preceding claim, further comprising a first food product located therein and an edible barrier located above said first food product and co-operating with said barrier engaging portion.

12. A container according to claim 11, wherein a second food product is provided therein with sealing means disposed thereover, and with said edible barrier disposed to prevent said first and second food products from intermixing.

13. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein said edible barrier comprises a gel selected from gelatine, alginate and jam.