WO2000032058A1

WO2000032058A1 - Ice product for consumption purposes

Info

Publication number: WO2000032058A1
Application number: PCT/NL1999/000730
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fred Willem Savrij Droste; Arnoud Damink
Original assignee: Schmalbach-Lubeca Nederland B.V.
Priority date: 1998-12-01
Filing date: 1999-11-30
Publication date: 2000-06-08
Also published as: NL1010693C2; EP1051078A1; AU1586100A

Abstract

The invention relates to a more or less hard, at least solid and independently cohesive mass of ice-cream (2), and engaging means (3) for engaging thereof, for instance two edible flat wafers between which the mass is received, a rolled wafer inside which the mass is received, which rolled wafer takes the form of for instance a cornet, a non-edible packaging of for instance paper, aluminium foil and/or plastic foil, a stick of wood, plastic or other suitable material inserted into the mass with a part protruding out of the mass serving as handle. The product has the characteristic that it is received in a form-retaining container (4) of plastic or metal, for instance aluminium or tin, which container has a mouth opening through which the product can pass, which mouth opening is closed sealingly by a form-retaining cover (8), for instance of the same material as the container.

Description

ICE PRODUCT FOR CONSUMPTION PURPOSES

The invention relates to a more or less hard, at least solid and independently cohesive mass of icecream, and engaging means for engaging thereof, for instance two edible flat wafers between which the mass is received, a rolled wafer inside which the mass is received, which rolled wafer takes the form of for instance a cornet, a non-edible packaging of for instance paper, aluminium foil and/or plastic foil, a stick of wood, plastic or other suitable material inserted into the mass with a part protruding out of the mass serving as handle .

Such an ice product is known in many embodiments .

The known ice product has a generally vulnerable packaging, while in many cases even quite elementary requirements in respect of hygiene are furthermore not fulfilled.

It is an object of the invention to embody an ice product for consumption purposes of the stated type such that the mechanical vulnerability is reduced to negligible proportions, while it is moreover possible to ensure in simple manner that this product fulfills stringent requirements in respect of hygiene.

In respect of the above, the invention provides an ice product for consumption purposes of the stated type which has the feature that the product is received in a form-retaining container of plastic or metal, for instance aluminium or tin, which container has a mouth opening through which the product can pass, which mouth opening is closed sealingly by a form-retaining cover, for instance of the same material as the container.

A preferred embodiment has the special feature that the cover comprises a pull-tab and a peripheral tear- zone, which tear- zone at least predominantly bounds said mouth opening such that the cover is of the easy- opening type. In this way the consumer can open the container serving as packaging in very simple manner in order to take out the ice product without the use of any assist means. It is noted that in the case of a tear-zone in the form of a closed contour, the cover can be wholly removed, whereby the packaging then consists of two parts to be disposed of separately. It may be advantageous from environmental considerations not to separate the cover from the rest of the container and to have the mouth opening bounded only predominantly by the tear-zone. Such a structure achieves that the cover is not lost but remains connected to the container and can be easily discarded together therewith. This embodiment must of course also satisfy the requirement that the realized mouth opening is sufficiently large to allow passage therethrough of the product to be removed by the consumer . It is advantageous to embody the container such that it is possible to suffice with the smallest possible wall thickness of container and cover. Use can be made for this purpose of an extra rigidity which is imparted by an increased pressure prevailing in the container. A product according to the invention which meets this requirement has the special feature that prior to arranging of the cover a certain quantity of liquid nitrogen is admitted into the container filled with the product. The liquid nitrogen, which is admitted at a temperature of about -192°C, comes to the boil in the container and evaporates while expelling at least a substantial quantity of air, and thereby oxygen. After this effective expulsion of oxygen has taken place for a time, for instance a few seconds, the cover can be placed and be mounted on the mouth rim of the container by for instance a seam-folding operation. The pressure of the nitrogen gas in the container will hereby increase to a certain value, for instance several bar. The advantage of the described structure is that the ice product is no longer subjected in any way whatsoever to oxidation, which would have the effect of at least the surface of some products undergoing a certain discolouring, while the container moreover acquires an additional sturdiness as a consequence of the internal gas pressure.

In order to prevent damage during handling and transport of the ice product, use can be made of positioning means for holding the product at least roughly in position relative to the container.

A specific embodiment with said positioning means has the special feature that a stick is inserted into the mass, which stick is held in position with a part protruding from the mass by a positioning element arranged or formed on the cover.

A specific embodiment has the special feature that a stick is inserted into the mass, which stick consists of plastic and comprises two parts mutually connected by a film hinge, wherein in the packaged situation the free outer part is folded aside and in the removed situation can be placed in line with the part connecting thereto and protruding out of the mass in order to form a handle .

This variant preferably comprises fixation means for mutually fixing said two parts in the mutual longitudinal position.

A very simple and inexpensively manufactured embodiment has the special feature that the fixation means comprise a sleeve slidable over the hinge. In order to prevent unintended sliding back of the sleeve, whereby the stick could fold and the ice product could tip over, a variant has the special feature that the sleeve is slidable in only one direction.

Yet another embodiment has the special feature that the container comprises an additional compartment in which a product is received for the purpose of completing the ice product prior to consumption, for instance a viscous chocolate mass, a crispy, granular, optionally coloured mass or the like, which compartment has a mouth opening which is closed sealingly by a removable cover.

The invention will now be elucidated with reference to the annexed drawings of a number of embodiments.

Figures 1-8 each show a broken-away perspective view of an embodiment .

Figure 1 shows an ice product 1 for consumption purposes, comprising a more or less hard mass of ice- cream 2 and a stick partially received therein and partially protruding therefrom and serving as handle with the protruding part 3. The stick takes an elongate, generally flat form. Product 1 is accommodated in a container 4 consisting in this case of aluminium which on the underside is formed integrally with a base 5 by deep- drawing respectively wall-ironing. Mouth rim 6 of the container connects onto a mouth rim zone 7 narrowing toward the outside and is connected by a folded seam connection to a cover 8 likewise consisting of aluminium. Cover 8 has a central cover part 10 which is bounded by a peripheral slot 9 and to which a pull-tab 12 is connected by means of a rivet 11. Using this pull-tab 12 the consumer can remove cover part 10 so as to remove product 1 from container 4 by grasping stick 3. In this embodiment the mass 2 is supported by support elements 13.

Corresponding components in the other figures are designated where appropriate with the same reference numerals as in figure 1. Figure 2 shows an embodiment in which an ice mass 14 is provided with a more or less cylindrical stick 15. This stick is held at least roughly in position by a positioning sleeve 16 which is connected to cover 8 with rivet 11 during arranging of pull tab 12. Sleeve 16 serves as positioning element for stick 15, whereby product 14, 15 is at least more or less positioned in container 4. Figure 3 shows an embodiment partially corresponding with that of figure 2 but differing therefrom in one respect, i.e. the presence of a dividing wall 17 which, when compared to the embodiment according to figures 1 and 2, fulfills the function of base, which base bounds together with the wall of container 4 the first compartment 18 in which product 14, 15 is accommodated. In the embodiment of figure 3 dividing wall 17 also bounds a second compartment 19 which, similarly to first compartment 18, is closed with a cover 20 which can be placed and embodied in wholly the same way as cover 8. The second compartment 19 contains a chocolate sauce or the like in which, after removal of cover 20, the mass 14 can be dipped. Figure 4 shows an embodiment which corresponds by and large with that of figure 1. Use is made however of positioning elements 21 which engage on the top part of mass 2 and prevent the ice mass coming into contact with the inner surface of container 4. Figure 5 roughly corresponds with figure 2, but shows application of positioning elements 22 which engage on the corners of mass 14.

Figure 6 roughly corresponds with figure 3, but makes use of positioning elements 23 situated in the central zone of first compartment 18.

Figure 7 shows an embodiment which partially corresponds with that of figure 1. In this embodiment a stick 24 is embodied in two parts. A first part 25 protrudes partially in and partially out of mass 2. A second part 26 connects onto the free end of the first part 25 with interposing of a film hinge 27. The stick 25, 26, 27 is formed integrally from plastic by injection moulding.

Parts 25 and 26 have the same cross-sectional form. After first removing the product 2, 24, 25, 26, 27 from container 4 once the cover has been taken off, sufficient space is created to fold the second part 26 upward in the direction of arrow 28, so that it comes to lie in line with the first part 25. A slidable sleeve 30 is then pushed over hinge 27 as far as a stop edge 31 on first part 25, whereby hinge 27 becomes inactive and the two parts 25, 26 are fixed relative to each other. The use of a barb structure can ensure that sleeve 30 cannot be pushed back in this situation. Such a barb structure can for instance comprise one or more co-acting teeth on respectively an outer surface of a part 25, 26 and the inner surface of sleeve 30. It is noted that other hinged constructions may also be suitable.

Figure 8 shows a variant of the embodiment of figure 5. In the embodiment according to figure 5 the stick 15 is positioned relative to the cover by means of sleeve 16. In the embodiment of figure 8 this sleeve 16, which requires an additional production step with an extra component, is replaced by a surrounding rib 32 pressed out of its plane and formed on cover 8.

It will be apparent that the invention is not limited to the above described and shown embodiments.

Claims

1. Ice product for consumption purposes, comprising a more or less hard, at least solid and independently cohesive mass of ice-cream, and engaging means for engaging thereof, for instance two edible flat wafers between which the mass is received, a rolled wafer inside which the mass is received, which rolled wafer takes the form of for instance a cornet, a non-edible packaging of for instance paper, aluminium foil and/or plastic foil, a stick of wood, plastic or other suitable material inserted into the mass with a part protruding out of the mass serving as handle, characterized in that the product is received in a form-retaining container of plastic or metal, for instance aluminium or tin, which container has a mouth opening through which the product can pass, which mouth opening is closed sealingly by a form-retaining cover, for instance of the same material as the container.

2. Product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a pull-tab and a peripheral tear-zone, which tear-zone at least predominantly bounds said mouth opening such that the cover is of the easy-opening type.

3. Product as claimed in claim 1, wherein prior to arranging of the cover a certain quantity of liquid nitrogen is admitted into the container filled with the product .

4. Product as claimed in claim 1, comprising positioning means for holding the product at least roughly in position relative to the container.

5. Product as claimed in claim 4, wherein a stick is inserted into the mass, which stick is held in position with a part protruding from the mass by a positioning element arranged or formed on the cover.