WO2007147565A1

WO2007147565A1 - Edible packaging and method of producing an edible packaging

Info

Publication number: WO2007147565A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/005395
Authority: WO
Inventors: D'amato Gianfranco
Original assignee: Seda S.P.A.
Priority date: 2006-06-19
Filing date: 2007-06-19
Publication date: 2007-12-27
Also published as: TW200816928A; DE102006028067B3

Abstract

An edible packaging comprises at least a mechanically comparatively stable outer cone and a mechanically comparatively stable inner cone, a space that is at least partially filled with an edible filling material being formed between said outer and inner cones. In order to improve such an edible packaging in such a way that its mechanical stability will be increased in a simple manner, especially as far as a fracture of the inner or outer cone is concerned, the filling material is an edible support material with thermoplastic properties. A corresponding method for producing an edible packaging comprises the steps of providing an outer cone, filling the outer cone with an edible support material as a filling material, said support material having thermoplastic properties and being heated at least up to the melting point, and inserting an inner cone into the outer cone while distributing the heated thermoplastic support material within the space between said cones, and hardening the support material subsequently.

Description

Edible packaging and method of producing an edible packaging

The present invention relates to an edible packaging and a method for producing the same. Such an edible packaging comprises at least a mechanically comparatively stable outer cone and a mechanically comparatively stable inner cone, a space that is at least partially filled with an edible filling material being formed between said outer and inner cones.

Such a packaging is known e.g. from DE 202 12 266. The filling material in question has a creamy consistency and should additionally be resistant to moisture.

Although this edible packaging has already good properties especially for packaging icecream portions, it turned out in practice that the creamy filling material does not suffice to increase the strength of the edible packaging. The outer and the inner cone normally consist of an edible material which, though mechanically comparatively stable, is not very resistant to fracture. In order to increase the strength, it has therefore been suggested that this known packaging should be provided with a boundary termination on the upper end of the packaging. This boundary termination serves, on the one hand, the purpose of preventing the filling from escaping from the space between said cones and, on the other hand, it will lead to a further increase in stability, in particular in the area of the removal opening of the packaging.

US 1,690,984 discloses a further edible packaging comprising inner and outer cones. Also in this case, the upper ends of the inner and outer cones are interconnected by a curved flange so as to increase the stability of the packaging. The filling material between the inner and outer cones is of creamy consistency. US 4,600,591 discloses a method for producing an ice cream cone from a wafer. The ice cream cone comprises an inner cone and an outer cone, the space formed between said inner and outer cones being filled with a creamy filling material.

In order to sufficiently stabilize the inner and outer cones relative to one another, three linelike projections extending in the longitudinal direction of the inner cone are additionally provided.

In connection with the known packagings it must additionally be taken into account that, although a certain degree of moisture resistance of the filling material is given, a separate inner layer is applied to the inner surface of the inner cone in some cases. This separate inner layer is intended to increase the fluid tightness of the packaging.

Furthermore, it should be taken into account that, due to the creamy nature of the filling material, said filling material may, when the packaging is being used, perhaps be squeezed to such an extent that it will be forced out of certain areas of the space between the cones so that these areas will no longer be resistant to moisture. In addition, due to the brittle character of the material of the inner and outer cones, damage may be caused to the packaging in these areas. Since such damage may already be caused during transport of the packagings and will then become visible when the cone is removed from a foil wrapping or the like, the appearance of the packaging in its entirety or the usability of the packaging will be impaired.

In the case of the creamy filling material it also turned out that, for achieving a sufficiently high moisture resistance, a comparatively large amount of this creamy filling material is arranged in a suitably large space between the cones. In some cases, this will have the effect that the taste of the foodstuff contained in the packaging will be influenced or adulterated in an undesirable way.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to improve an edible packaging of the type specified at the beginning in such a way that its mechanical stability will be increased in a simple manner, especially as far as a fracture of the inner or outer cone is concerned.

This task is solved by the features of claim 1. According to the present invention, an edible support material with thermoplastic properties is used as a filling material. The term "thermoplastic" has here been borrowed from plastic processing and characterizes a material which is easily deformable in a specific temperature range, i.e. which is plastic. In contrast to this, there are elastomers and thermosetting materials, the elastomers being substantially comparable with the creamy filling material according to the above-mentioned prior art.

An edible, thermoplastic support material of the type in question is e.g. chocolate. Chocolate is capable of flowing in a specific temperature range, in particular above the melting temperature, and it can easily be filled into the outer cone. By inserting the inner cone into the outer cone, the still flowable chocolate is spread uniformly in the space between the cones. Subsequently, the chocolate is allowed to solidify, whereupon it will serve as a support material. Such a solidified support material will increase the stiffness of the inner and outer cones and it will also prevent a fracture of said two cones. The service life of the packaging is increased in this way. The solidified thermoplastic support material is, moreover, comparatively fluid-tight and, other than creamy filling materials, the material itself does essentially not contain any moisture.

In addition, the thermoplastic support material of the type in question can be used as a comparatively thin material without impairing the properties with regard to fluid tightness, stiffness, resistance to fracture or the like. This will also have the effect that the taste of the edible packaging becomes secondary in comparison with that of the content of the packaging so that the foodstuff contained in the packaging can be eaten almost without the taste of the edible packaging being noticed.

Due to the fact that the support material is allowed to solidify, other supporting measures between the inner and outer cones or on the upper ends of said cones can be dispensed with.

Furthermore, no additional coatings, e.g. on the inner surface of the inner cone, will be necessary for increasing the fluid tightness.

A great variety of chocolate, such as white or brown chocolate, and also other types of materials having a thermoplastic property can be used as support material. These mate- rials can also be combined so as to improve, if desired, the taste sensation for the consumer who eats the packaging.

Reference should additionally be made to the fact that, although the present application describes respective conical shapes for the packaging, also other suitable shapes, such as bowl or cup shapes, can be used for such an edible packaging. In addition, in the case of the conical shape in question, the diameter of the inner and of the outer cone can be circular, oval or angular. Also combinations of different diameters for the inner and outer cones are possible.

Different edible materials can be used for the inner and outer cones. Production will, however, be easier when both cones are made of the same material, in particular a wafer layer. Such wafer layers for inner and outer cones are often used for packaging foodstuff and can be eaten together with the foodstuff. It is, of course, also possible to eat from the wafer layer only the foodstuff contained therein and to refrain from eating the wafer layer in its entirety, or to eat only a part of the wafer layer. The material or the materials used for the outer and inner cones may have different flavours.

According to a preferred embodiment, the inner cone is insertable into the outer cone after filling the still plastically deformable filling material into the outer cone.

In order to obtain a suitable layer of support material having a comparatively uniform thickness in the space between the cones, the outer and inner cones can have the same conicity. The conicity corresponds in this connection to an angle of inclination of a wall of the inner or outer cone relative to the vertical.

It may, however, also be of advantage when the area between the lower closed ends of the inner and outer cones contain a larger amount of support material for increasing the sealing effect in this area. One possibility of achieving this is that the inner cone has a bigger conicity than the outer cone. Hence, a space whose thickness decreases in the direction to an upper removal opening will be formed between said inner and outer cones, whereas the support material provided between the lower ends of the inner and outer cones as well as in the lower areas of said space will have a higher thickness. In order to simplify the production of the inner and outer cones, both said cones can have essentially the same dimensions concerning height, wall thickness, diameter and the like, i.e. the inner and outer cones can be produced uniformly by a machine or the like; subsequently, they are put into one another, when the still deformable support material has been filled in. The inner cone will then project beyond the outer cone, but if this projecting mode of arrangement is not wanted, the projecting portion of the inner cone can be shortened, if desired.

In order to avoid such shortening from the very beginning, the inner cone can have a smaller height than the outer cone. It is also possible that, in the condition in which the inner cone is inserted in the outer cone, said inner cone is arranged on a lower level in said outer cone so that the actual removal opening is defined by the outer cone alone. This will be advantageous e.g. in cases where a specific foodstuff is used for completely filling the inner cone and where a second foodstuff is arranged above the inner cone, but such that at least most of its is arranged within the outer cone, without any gap being formed between said first and second foodstuffs.

When the inner and outer cones are produced especially from a waferlike material, it is also imaginable that the inner and/or outer cone(s) are rolled from a two-dimensional plate material having essentially the form of a sector of a circle, and that they are sealed along an overlap area. The sealing is normally effected without any additional sealing material, only be direct contact of the respective ends of the plate material in the overlap area.

It goes without saying that it is also possible to insert, in addition to the outer and inner cones, at least a second further inner cone into the packaging, a further space being thus formed between said first and second inner cones. Since a suitable stiffness of the packaging and a sufficient resistance to fracture is already given by the support material in the space defined between the outer and the inner cone, this second space can remain essentially empty or it can be filled with a soft filling material. Such a filling material is e.g. jam, a cream or the like.

According to an advantageous embodiment, also the further space can be filled with in particular the thermoplastic support material. This thermoplastic support material may, however, have a colour and/or flavour which is different from that/those of the support material in the other space. This applies analogously to still further spaces in the case of a third cone or further inner cones.

It will be of advantage when the edible packaging is used as an ice cream packaging.

The present invention also suggests a method for producing an edible packaging comprising at least an outer cone, an inner cone and a space formed therebetween. The method according to the present invention is characterized in that a suitable outer cone is provided. This outer cone is filled with a thermoplastic support material as a filling material, said support material being heated at least up to the melting point. Subsequently, the inner cone is inserted into the outer cone while distributing within said space the heated support material having thermoplastic properties. Due to the use of the heated thermoplastic filling material, a very good distribution of the filling material in said space will be obtained, whereby all the respective recesses or the like, which often exist in the case of waferlike packagings, will be filled. In addition, a good contact will be established to the inner side of the outer cone and to the outer side of the inner cone, respectively, so that the solidified thermoplastic support material will effectively support the inner and outer cones, whereby the stiffness of the packaging as well as the resistance to fracture of the inner and outer cones will be increased.

These properties and the putting together of the inner and outer cones can be improved still further, when, prior to providing the outer cone, said outer cone is heated and/or when, prior to inserting the inner cone into the outer cone, said inner cone is heated.

Although it is possible to heat the inner or outer cone by separate heating means so as to produce the packaging, the method according to the present invention could be simplified when such heating is effected during the production, especially during the baking of the outer and/or inner cone(s), i.e. the suitably heated thermoplastic support material would be filled into the outer cone immediately after the production of the inner or outer cone, and the still warm inner cone would be inserted into the outer cone while distributing the support material.

All the production steps of this method can, in their entirety, be executed in one device, the production of the outer and/or inner cone(s) comprising at least the following steps: a dough-like edible material, e.g. a wafer dough, is first heated between normally two plates so as to produce a two-dimensional plate material having essentially the form of the sector of a circle. When this plate material has been sufficiently baked and as long as it is still hot enough, it is rolled about a substantially cone-shaped mould and the resultant inner or outer cone is sealed along an overlap area after said rolling.

During such rolling, the respective cone is normally also closed on the lower end thereof.

Immediately after having been sealed in the overlap area, the finished cone can be conducted to a further processing station within the device in question, in which the heated thermoplastic support material is filled into the still very warm outer cone. Immediately afterwards, a correspondingly produced inner cone, which is also still warm, is inserted into said first-mentioned cone. The transport of the edible packaging is then continued, if necessary with active cooling, so as to harden the thermoplastic support material and cool down the packaging in its entirety.

It is here possible to produce the inner and the outer cone successively in the same device and to insert a substantially identically dimensioned inner cone subsequently into a corresponding outer cone which is partially filed with heated support material.

It is, however, also possible to produce the inner and outer cones in parallel; in this connection it will more easily be possible to produce e.g. the inner cone with dimensions which are different from those of the outer cone with regard to height, wall thickness and diameter.

At the end of the production method, a number of edible packagings are normally stacked into one another. In order to prevent the packagings from adhering, let alone sticking fast to one another, a separation layer is arranged between the packagings when they are being stacked. One example for such a separation layer is in particular a paper cone, which, prior to inserting an edible packaging into another one, is put into said other packaging as a separation layer.

In order to be able to provide other variations of taste, an edible inner layer can additionally be applied at least to the inner surface of the inner cone. This inner layer may e.g. be a layer of sugar, chocolate or some other edible layer. It can prove to be sufficient, when, after insertion of the inner cone into the outer cone, the heated thermoplastic support material exists only in such an amount that it will not completely fill the space between the cones. Since the edible packaging is normally held by a consumer in an area ranging from the middle down to the lower region of the cone, it may suffice to arrange the support material in this area. In addition, it is also possible to pour in a second filling material, when the inner cone has been inserted into the outer cone and when the support material has been distributed. The taste of this second filling material can differ from that of the support material and it can e.g. be in better harmony with a second foodstuff which may perhaps be contained in the packaging. The second filling material need not have a supporting effect in this connection, and it may also be of a creamy consistency.

It may additionally prove to be advantageous, when, after insertion of the inner cone into the outer cone, at least the inner cone is shortened such that it corresponds to the length of the outer cone. A uniform upper removal opening for both cones will be obtained in this way.

In the following, advantageous embodiments of the present invention will be explained in detail making reference to the figures enclosed in the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic cross-section through a first embodiment of an edible packaging;

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged representation of detail "X" of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 shows a cross-section, analogously to Fig. 1 , through a second embodiment according to the present invention;

Fig. 4 shows a cross-section, analogously to Fig. 1 , through a third embodiment and

Fig. 5 shows a top view of a two-dimensional plate material used for producing an inner or outer cone. Fig. 1 shows a cross-section through a first embodiment of an edible packaging 1. This edible packaging is defined by an outer cone 2 and an inner cone 3. These outer and inner cones are put into one another, whereby a space 5 is formed between them. The outer and inner cones 2, 3 terminate on the same level and encircle a suitable removal opening 21. The space 5 is filled with a filling material 4 which is implemented as a thermoplastic support material 6. The inner and outer cones 2, 3 consist of a wafer layer 7. The support material 6 within the space 5 is also flush with the removal opening 21.

It is also possible that e.g. the upper end of the outer cone 2 is higher than the upper end of the inner cone 3 so that the inner cone 3 terminates within the outer cone 2. The support material 6 can in this case also terminate with the upper end of the inner cone 3. The inner cone may also project beyond the outer cone.

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged representation of the detail "X" of Fig. 1. In this representation it can especially be seen that a conicity 8 of the outer cone 2 is identical with the conicity 9 of the inner cone 3. The conicity 8, 9 is here the angle of inclination of an inner surface of the inner or outer cone relative to the vertical.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, the inner cone 3 has a smaller conicity 9 than the outer cone 2. In the case of such an embodiment, the space 5, cf. again Fig. 1 , has a thickness that decreases in the direction of the upper removal opening.

The reverse dimensional relation of conicity 8 to conicity 9 is imaginable as well, i.e. the conicity 9 of the inner cone 3 can be bigger than that of the outer cone 2.

Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of an edible packaging 1. This second embodiment differs from the packaging according to Fig. 1 by a second inner cone 14 which is inserted in the first inner cone 3. A further space 15 is formed between the second inner cone 14 and the first inner cone 3. This further space is filled with a further filling material 16. Also this filling material can be implemented as a corresponding thermoplastic support material 6. It is, however, also possible that this filling material 16 is softer in consistency and is e.g. creamy. In Fig. 3 it can also be seen that the outer cone 2 has a height 10. It is possible that the inner cone 3 and the outer cone 2 are not only identical in height 10, but are identically implemented also with regard to other dimensions, such as wall thickness 11 , cf. Fig. 2, diameter on the upper end of the opening, cross-sectional shape or the like.

In the embodiments according to Fig. 1, 3 and 4, the heights of the outer and inner cones differ from one another, the respective free ends of the inner and outer cones being arranged on the same level in the area of the removal opening 21 such that they encircle the removal opening 21.

In the case of a further embodiment, an inner layer 18 can be applied to an inner surface 20, cf. Fig. 3, of the second inner cone 14 or to a corresponding inner surface of the first inner cone 3 according to Fig. 1. This inner layer 18 is edible as well. A corresponding additional layer can also be provided on the outer surface of the outer cone 2.

Fig. 4 shows a third embodiment of an edible packaging 1. This embodiment corresponds essentially to the embodiment according to Fig. 1, the space 5 being, however, filled with a second filling material 19 in addition to the thermoplastic support material 6. Also this second filling material 19 can be a thermoplastic support material. Normally, the support material 6 and the corresponding filling material 4 differ from the second filling material 19 at least with regard to colour and/or flavour.

In Fig. 4 a separation layer 17 in the form of a paper cone is arranged in the interior of the inner cone 3. This paper cone serves as a destacking aid in the case of a plurality of edible packagings 1 which are stacked into one another.

Fig. 5 shows a top view of a two-dimensional plate material 12 consisting of the respective wafer layer 7. This plate material 12 is rolled onto a cone-shaped mould as long as it is still warm and deformable. After rolling, the conical shape according to Fig. 1, 3 and 4 is obtained for the respective inner or outer cone. This will result in an overlap area 13 in which the ends of the plate material 12, which have been superposed by said rolling, overlap and are connected to one another for sealing the cone.

The overlap area 13 extends down to the lower end of the respective cone and serves also to seal and close this lower end. As far as the method according to the present invention is concerned, a cone of the type in question is produced in that plate materials 12 for the inner and outer cones 3, 2 are first produced, e.g. by baking a respective wafer dough. When fully baked, the still hot plate material 12 is suitably formed so as to obtain a cone and, simultaneously, it is sealed in the overlap area 13. The cone is formed comparatively rapidly so that the respective finished inner or outer cone is still very warm. A finished outer cone 2 is then filled with the thermoplastic support material 6 as filling material 4. Also this filling material has been sufficiently heated, e.g. at least up to the melting point, so as to be in a temperature range in which the support material is plastic. Subsequently, an inner cone 3, which is still warm as well, is inserted into the interior of the outer cone 2. When the inner cone is inserted into the outer cone, the space 5 will be formed; the plastic support material 6 spreads uniformly in said space 5. Subsequently, the packaging is cooled, if necessary actively cooled, so that the support material 6 will be able to solidify and so that the edible packaging 1 in its entirety will cool down. For stacking several edible packagings 1 into one another, the respective separation layer 17, cf. Fig. 4, will normally be arranged in a respective inner cone prior to stacking another edible packaging 1 into said inner cone.

It follows that, according to the present invention, an edible packaging will be obtained, which has improved properties, such as a longer service life of the comparatively brittle outer and inner cones, increased stiffness of the packaging as well as a higher breaking strength. An additional layer in the interior of the inner cone, cf. Fig. 3, can be dispensed with, since sufficient fluid tightness, especially also in the area of the lower ends of the inner and outer cones, is given by the thermoplastic support material. Such an inner layer may, however, be applied as an additional layer for varying the flavour or for similar purposes.

Additional measures for increasing the stiffness or the breaking strength, such as upper flanges between the inner and outer cones or projections in the space between the inner and outer cones, are not necessary.

The present invention additionally provides the possibility of allowing variations of flavour, in that e.g. the respective wafers have different flavours and/or in that the flavour of the support material differs from that of the wafers of the inner and outer cones.

Claims

1. An edible packaging (1) comprising at least a mechanically comparatively stable outer cone (2) and a mechanically comparatively stable inner cone (3), a space (5) that is at least partially filled with an edible filling material (4) being formed between said outer and inner cones, characterized in that the filling material (4) is an edible support material (6) with thermoplastic properties.

2. An edible packaging according to claim 1 , characterized in that the outer and/or inner cone(s) (2, 3) are made of the same material, in particular a wafer layer (7), the material for the outer cone and the material for the inner cone having different flavours, if desired.

3. An edible packaging according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the outer and inner cones (2, 3) are insertable into each other after filling the plastically deformable support material (6) into the outer cone (2).

4. An edible packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer and inner cones (2, 3) have the same conicity (8, 9).

5. An edible packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner cone (3) has a bigger conicity (9) than the outer cone (2).

6. An edible packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner and outer cones (3, 2) have essentially the same dimensions concerning height (10), wall thickness (11), diameter, etc.

7. An edible packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner cone (3) has a smaller height (10) than the outer cone (2).

8. An edible packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner and/or outer cone(s) (3, 2) are rolled from a two-dimensional plate material (12) having essentially the form of a sector of a circle, and that they are sealed along an overlap area (13).

9. An edible packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least a second inner cone (14) is inserted in the packaging (1), a further space (15) being formed between said first and second inner cones (3, 14).

10. An edible packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the further space (15) is filled with in particular a thermoplastic support material as a filling material (16).

11. An edible packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the packaging is implemented as an ice cream packaging.

12. A method for producing an edible packaging (1) comprising at least an outer cone (2), an inner cone (3) and a space (5) formed therebetween, characterized by the following steps:

i) providing the outer cone (2);

ii) filling the outer cone (2) with an edible support material (6) as a filling material, said support material (6) having thermoplastic properties and being heated at least up to the melting point, and

iii) inserting the inner cone (3) into the outer cone (2) while distributing the heated thermoplastic support material (6) within said space (5), and hardening the support material subsequently.

13. A method according to claim 12, characterized by heating the outer and/or inner cone(s) (2, 3) prior to step i) and iii), respectively.

14. A method according to claim 13, characterized by heating the outer and/or inner cone(s) during their production, in particular by baking or the like.

15. A method according to one of the preceding claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the production of the outer and/or inner cone(s) (2, 3) comprises at least the following steps:

a) heating of a dough-like material between two plates to produce a two-dimensional plate material (12) having essentially the form of the sector of a circle, and

b) rolling of the plate material about a cone-shaped mould and sealing the material along an overlap area (13).

16. A method according to one of the preceding claims 12 to 15, characterized by producing the inner and outer cones (3, 2) in parallel.

17. A method according to one of the preceding claims 12 to 16, characterized by stacking the edible packagings (1) and arranging a separation layer (17), in particular in the form of a paper cone, between them.

18. A method according to at least one of the preceding claims 12 to 17, characterized by applying an edible inner layer (18) to at least the inner surface (20) of the inner cone (3).

19. A method according to one of the preceding claims 12 to 18, characterized by introducing a second filling material (19) after step iii).

20. A method according to one of the preceding claims 12 to 19, characterized by shortening at least the inner cone (3) such that its height corresponds to the height (10) of the outer cone (2).