WO2009034505A1

WO2009034505A1 - Heat-insulating container for food products which are to be frozen

Info

Publication number: WO2009034505A1
Application number: PCT/IB2008/053607
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giuseppe Terrasi
Original assignee: Soremartec S.A.; Ferrero S.P.A.; Ferrero Offene Handelsgesellschaft M.B.H.
Priority date: 2007-09-10
Filing date: 2008-09-05
Publication date: 2009-03-19
Also published as: DE602008004669D1; RU2010114210A; EP2185443B1; RU2463228C2; ES2360165T3; ITTO20070632A1; ATE495985T1; WO2009034505A8; PL2185443T3; EP2185443A1

Abstract

Heat-insulating container for the packaging of food products which are frozen or are to be frozen, comprising a first cuplike containing body (2), having a lateral wall (4), a bottom wall (6) and an open mouth (8), and a second cuplike containing body (10) with a corresponding lateral wall (12) and mouth (16), with which a closing element (36) is associated, said second containing body (10) being fitted into the first containing body (2) and being shaped so as to form a gap (18) between its lateral wall (12) and the lateral wall (4) of the first containing body (2), characterized in that the lateral wall of said first containing body (2) has a plurality of apertures (30) communicating with said gap, and in that the bottom wall (6) of said first containing body (2) has a plurality of apertures (32) also communicating with said gap (18), said apertures being arranged so as to permit a flow of air through said gap (18) when the container is placed with said closing element (36) resting on a supporting surface.

Description

Heat-insulating container for food products which are to be frozen

The present invention relates to a heat-insulating container for packaging food products intended to be consumed in the frozen state, such as ice cream, sorbets and chilled desserts.

In particular, the invention has been developed in order to provide a container for packaging a food composition for ice creams, sorbets or the like, which is not aerated, is marketed in the liquid state, and is intended to be frozen by the consumer in a conventional domestic freezer in static conditions to provide a frozen food product ready for use. Examples of compositions of the aforesaid type are described in EP-A-O 192 753 and EP- A-O 1 072 196.

The object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive container which is therefore suitable for large-scale industrial production, and which has good heat-insulating characteristics, such that the container can keep the food product in the frozen state for a prolonged period after its removal from the freezer, while also allowing the quick freezing of a liquid food composition contained therein, when the container is placed in a freezer.

A particular object of the invention is therefore to provide a container having the characteristic of being used in two configurations, namely a first configuration in which it has reduced heat-insulating properties such that the liquid food composition contained in it can be frozen quickly when placed in a freezer, and a second configuration in which it has increased heat-insulating properties such that the composition can be kept in the frozen state for a prolonged period when the container is removed from the freezer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container which has heat-insulating characteristics such that, when the container is taken out of the refrigerated environment in which it is normally kept, the consistency of the food composition of the ice cream or similar food product contained therein can change over time, as a result of the progressive softening and melting, in a substantially uniform and homogenous way throughout.

In view of these objects, the invention proposes a container having the characteristics defined in the claims below.

Further features and advantages of the container according to the invention will be made clear by the following detailed description, which refers to the attached drawings provided by way of non- limiting example, in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a container according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a partially sectional front view of a variant of the container; and

Figure 3 is a partially exploded front view of the container of Figure 2.

With reference to the drawings, the number 2 indicates a first cuplike containing body, preferably having a generally tapered configuration with a lateral wall 4, a bottom wall 6 and an open upper mouth 8. The containing body 2 is preferably made from plastics material suitable for contact with food, such as polypropylene, and is preferably produced by thermo forming or by injection moulding.

Into the body 2 there is fitted a second cuplike containing body 10, also preferably made from thermoformed or injection moulded plastics material, suitable for contact with foods, with a lateral wall 12, a bottom wall 14 and an open mouth 16.

Although plastics materials are currently preferred for the containing bodies 2 and 10, the scope of the invention covers the use of other materials, such as, in particular, paper materials or combinations of paper materials and polymer films or sheets, as well as polymer sheet or film combinations which act as oxygen barriers.

The containing body 10, which preferably has a general configuration in the form of a truncated pyramid or truncated cone, but which may have other shapes, such as a truncated hexagonal, cylindrical, parallelepipedal or other body, is designed so that it can be fitted into the containing body 2, thus forming between its lateral wall 12 and the lateral wall 4 of the first containing body 2 one or more gaps 18 which act as air chambers for thermal insulation. In the illustrated example, the gap 18 is annular and surrounds the whole lateral wall 12 of the first containing body; clearly, the wall 12 of the second containing body and/or the wall 4 of the first containing body can be shaped in such a way as to form a plurality of angularly adjacent and separate gaps. The lateral wall 12 of the second containing body 10 has, adjacent to its mouth 16, a radial flange 20 having a perimetric profile complementary to the mouth perimeter 8 of the first containing body 2 and acting as an upper wall which seals the gap 18.

In a currently preferred embodiment, the containing body 10 can be fixed to the containing body 2 by engagement means of the shape coupling or insertion type, such as an inward- projecting annular ridge, carried by the upper end of a collar 22 of the wall 4, under which the flexible peripheral edge of the flange 20 can be snap-fitted. Clearly, it is possible to provide other means of engagement between the two containing bodies: for example, the containing body 10 can be fixed inside the containing body 2 with its bottom wall 14 made to adhere, by gluing or heat-welding for example, to a central portion of the bottom wall 6 of the containing body 2.

The radial flange 20 of the second containing body 10 preferably has a tab 24 which engages in an aperture 26 of the collar 22.

Preferably, the lateral wall 4 of the first containing body 2 has a pleated surface: in other words, it has a plurality of longitudinal grooves 28, preferably having V-shaped cross sections. This configuration is preferred, since it ensures that the container can be gripped and handled by the consumer while limiting the contact of the fingertips with the lateral wall to the ridge areas of the longitudinal grooves 28, thus avoiding the disagreeable cold sensation that the consumer would feel if the contact area were larger.

The longitudinal grooves 28 can extend over the whole lateral wall of the container (as shown in the drawings), or can cover only a lower region of the lateral wall.

According to one feature of the invention, the lateral wall 4 of the first containing body has a plurality of apertures 30 which communicate with the aforesaid gap 18. These apertures 30 are preferably longitudinally elongate apertures and are placed in an annular arrangement. If, as mentioned above, the lateral wall 4 is pleated, at least some or all of the aforesaid apertures 30 are preferably placed in the valley of the longitudinal grooves 18. The bottom wall 6 of the containing body 2 also has a plurality of apertures 32 communicating with said gap or plurality of gaps 18, and which are preferably placed along a flat bottom surface which acts as supporting base of the container, in an annular arrangement.

The container also has a sealing strip 36, normally heat-welded to the flange 20 and to at least a portion of the tab 24. A further closing element 46 or cover can be placed on top of the sealing strip 36.

This closing element 46, shown in the variant of Figures 2 and 3, can be shaped so as to form within itself a space for containing an additional food product or a surprise gift, preferably a food product, which may be granular for example, intended to be mixed at the time of consumption with the food product present in the second containing body 10; in this case, the closing element 46 is provided with its own sealing strip 48.

The closing element 46, when used, has an upper surface 50 which is at least partially flat or in any case shaped in such a way that the container can be placed on a supporting surface and rest in a stable way on this surface. The closing element 46 can be hinged to the mouth edge or to the collar 22 of the containing body 2, or can form a separate element.

The function of the apertures 30 and 32 is to permit a variation of the heat-insulating properties of the container, by promoting or impeding the flow of air through the gap 18 according to whether the container is positioned resting on its bottom wall 6 or alternatively resting on the sealing strip 36 or on the closing element or cover 46.

As stated above, the container is intended particularly for packaging, within the second containing body 10, a liquid composition to be frozen by the consumer. In order to carry out the freezing operation, the consumer places the container in a freezer so that it rests on the sealing strip 36 or on the closing element or cover 46.

In this configuration, air can flow through the gap through the apertures 30 and 32, thus limiting the heat-insulating properties of the container and promoting quick freezing in a domestic freezer.

After the freezing has been completed, the consumer removes the container from the freezer and places it in the usual way on a surface for consumption, so that it rests on its lower wall 6, with the sealing strip 36 facing upwards. In this configuration, the apertures 32 are closed by the supporting surface in such a way as to limit to some extent the effect of the flow of air through the gap 18 which communicates with the external environment solely through the apertures 30; in this configuration, therefore, the insulating effect is increased, so that the container has considerably greater heat-insulating properties than those which characterize it when it is placed so that it rests on the sealing strip 36, or on the cover 46.

Clearly, the arrangement of the apertures 32 and 30 can vary widely from that which is described and illustrated, provided that the arrangement of the apertures 32 on the bottom wall 6 is such that these apertures are substantially closed when the container is placed so that it rests on its bottom wall, with the sealing strip facing upwards.

In a preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the container also has an optional auxiliary annular element 38 which can engage the lateral wall 4 of the first containing body 2 and which has a circular cylindrical surface. This annular element 38 has an annular ridge 40 projecting radially inwards, which can engage in a plurality of holes 42 formed in the wall 4 with an annular arrangement, and which is kept in this position by a plurality of projections 44, each placed immediately underneath a corresponding hole 42.

The annular element 38 can thus be snap-fitted to the lateral wall 4 of the first containing body, preferably in a position in which it covers the apertures 30 at least partially, but without closing them. The annular element 38 has two functions: on the one hand, its flat outer surface permits the printing of information about the nature of the product and/or information of a commercial and/or advertising nature, or the application of an adhesive label carrying such information; on the other hand, the annular element can easily be removed by the consumer, for example before the container is placed in the freezer, so as to promote additionally the flow of air through the gap 18 to accelerate the freezing process. The annular element 38 can have a graspable appendage 52 enabling the container to be used as a cup.

Clearly, the embodiments and details of construction can be varied widely from what has been described and illustrated, without departure from the scope of the claims below. Thus, for example, the shape of the container and the arrangement of the apertures can be modified with respect to those which have been illustrated by way of example.

Claims

1. Heat-insulating container, particularly for the packaging of food products which are frozen or are to be frozen, comprising a first cuplike containing body (2), having a lateral wall (4), a bottom wall (6) and an open mouth (8), and a second cuplike containing body (10) with a corresponding lateral wall (12) and mouth (16), with which a closing element (36, 46) is associated, said second containing body (10) being fitted into the first containing body (2) and being shaped so as to form a gap (18) between its lateral wall (12) and the lateral wall (4) of the first containing body (2), characterized in that the lateral wall (4) of said first containing body (2) has a plurality of apertures (30) communicating with said gap; and the bottom wall (6) of said first containing body (2) has a plurality of apertures (32) also communicating with said gap (18), said apertures being arranged so as to permit a flow of air through said gap (18) when the container is placed with said closing element (36, 46) resting on a supporting surface.

2. Container according to Claim 1, characterized in that said lateral wall (12) of said second containing body (10) has a radial flange (20) serving to close said gap (18).

3. Container according to Claim 2, characterized in that said radial flange (20) is positioned substantially flush with the mouth profile (8) of said first containing body (2).

4. Container according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said first containing body (2) and second containing body (10) are joined together by engagement means of the snap- fitting or insertion type.

5. Container according to Claim 4, characterized in that said engagement means comprise an annular ridge on the lateral wall (4) of said first containing body (2) which can engage by snap-fitting or by insertion with the peripheral edge of said radial flange (20).

6. Container according to any one of Claims 2 to 5, characterized in that said first containing body (2) and second containing body (10) are joined together by engaging the peripheral edge of said radial flange (20) with, or welding it to, the mouth profile (8) of said first containing body (2).

7. Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lateral wall (4) of said first containing body (2) has a pleated surface (28).

8. Container according to Claim 7, characterized in that the pleated surface is formed by a plurality of longitudinal grooves (28), preferably having V-shaped cross sections (28).

9. Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said apertures (30) in the lateral wall (4) of the first containing body are placed in an annular arrangement adjacent to the mouth (8) of said first containing body (2).

10. Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lateral wall of said first containing body (2) has a pleated surface (28) and in which said apertures (30) of the lateral wall (4) are positioned in the recesses of at least some of the grooves (28) forming said pleating.

11. Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the apertures (32) of the bottom wall (6) of said first containing body (2) are placed in an annular arrangement.

12. Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an annular element (38) provided with engagement means (40) which can engage with said lateral wall (4) of the first containing body (2).

13. Container according to Claim 12, characterized in that said annular element (38) has a circular cylindrical surface.

14. Container according to Claim 12 or 13, characterized in that said annular element (38) comprises a graspable appendage (52).

15. Container according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a first closing element (36) associated with the mouth profile (20) of the second containing body (10) and a second closing element (46) provided with a sealing strip (48) and forming within itself a space for containing an auxiliary food product or a surprise gift.