WO2023148164A1

WO2023148164A1 - Blank cut for packaging a portion of food

Info

Publication number: WO2023148164A1
Application number: PCT/EP2023/052319
Authority: WO
Inventors: Camille LECOINTE; Gilles Coupard
Original assignee: Bel
Priority date: 2022-02-01
Filing date: 2023-01-31
Publication date: 2023-08-10
Also published as: FR3132287B1; FR3132287A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a blank cut for packaging a portion of food (3), the blank cut comprising fold lines (1a, 1b, 1c) which define a lower panel (5) and two side flaps (6), each having a side panel (7) and an upper segment (8), the segments being arranged to together form an upper wall with each segment being provided with an opening tab (9) having a base (9a), each of said bases being arranged so as to be associated with one another such that they peel off when the opening tabs (9) are pulled, each flap (8) having two tear lines (10) which each extend from an edge of the base (9a) of the tab (9) along the upper panel segment (8) and the side panel (7), the lower panel (5) being devoid of a tear line.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Title: Blank for packaging a food portion

The invention relates to a blank for packaging a food portion, as well as a method of packaging a food portion using such a blank.

It applies in particular to the packaging of individual food portions of fresh dairy products, such as for example fresh and/or processed cheese, which are packaged in an open envelope formed by folding a blank before closing said envelope. .

To guarantee the preservation of the packaged portion, the flan must include at least one sealing layer having barrier properties to oxygen and/or water vapour, and the closure of the packaging must preserve this sealing. .

To benefit from a packaging of ecological design, in particular by facilitating its recycling after consumption of the food portion, the blank can be formed from a complex comprising an outer layer based on cellulose fibers and an inner sealing layer.

In particular, in connection with such a design of flans, there arises the problem of the antagonism between the ease of opening the packaging in order to be able to consume the portion, in particular by young children and/or for soft portions, and the aforementioned sealing constraints which require a robust blank and closure.

Document WO-2021/148526 proposes a blank having fold lines allowing said blank to be shaped into a packaging in which the food portion can be packaged, in which the edges of said blank are respectively equipped with a tongue and a hem. allowing longitudinal sealing of said free edges along a transverse joint which extends between two longitudinal joints of the packaging.

To be able to open such a package, the blank has two tear guide strips which each extend longitudinally from one edge of the tongue to the hem.

Thus, document WO-2021/148526 describes a solution in which the opening is made by holding the packaging with one hand, the other hand exerting traction on the tab allows opening initially by tearing the strips on the association tongue/hem, then by spreading these tears longitudinally along the entire blank.

This solution does not give complete satisfaction in that it requires, in particular in relation to a flan comprising a fibrous layer, a significant initial effort which may not be compatible with consumption by young children and/or of a soft portion .

In particular for a soft food portion such as an overflowing cheese, it can be complicated to maintain the packaging and to exert the tearing force without inducing a deformation of said portion which then becomes difficult to extract from said packaging.

Furthermore, the possibility of opening the packaging over the entire length of the blank does not provide the expected ergonomics, in particular in that the unpacked portion may fall insofar as it is no longer held by the flan.

The invention aims to improve the prior art by proposing in particular a blank, in particular of ecological design, which is arranged to form a packaging for packaging a food portion, said packaging combining optimal sealing with good opening ergonomics , in particular in relation to ease of opening for young children and/or in relation to a soft portion. To this end, according to a first aspect, the invention proposes a blank for packaging a food portion comprising fold lines allowing said blank to be shaped into an envelope in which said portion can be packaged before closing said envelope, said fold lines defining a blank having a lower panel intended to form a lower wall of said casing, said lower panel being extended on either side by respectively a first and a second side flap each having a side panel intended to form a side wall of said envelope and an upper panel segment which has an edge connected to said side panel and an opposite edge, said segments being arranged to together form an upper wall of the envelope by bringing together their opposite edge, each of the opposite edges being equipped with an opening tab having a base extending said opposite edge, said bases being arranged to be associated one on the other in a peelable manner by pulling on the opening tabs, each of said side flaps having two lines of a tear which each extends from an edge of the base of the tongue along the top panel segment and the side panel, the bottom panel having no tear line.

According to a second aspect, the invention proposes a method for packaging a food portion by means of such a blank, in which said blank is folded along its folding lines to form an open envelope in which said portion is packaged before closing said envelope, said method providing for associating the bases of the tabs in a peelable manner.

Other particularities and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, made with reference to the appended figures, in which: [Fig.1a] and

Fig.1 b] schematically represent in front view a blank according to one embodiment before its folding, respectively seen from the outside (figure 1a) and seen from the inside (figure 1 b);

[Fig.2a], [Fig.2b],

[Fig.2c] to

[Fig.2d] show in perspective along different orientations the blank of Figures 1a and 1b during different stages of its folding to form a package;

[Fig.3a],

[Fig.3b],

[Fig.3c] to

[Fig.3d] represent in perspective according to different orientations different stages of opening the packaging of figure 2d.

In relation to these figures, a blank is described below for packaging a food portion 3, in particular an individual portion of fresh dairy product, for example fresh and/or processed cheese. In particular, the flan allows the packaging of a portion of expanded cheese.

The flan is formed by a complex 4 which has a sealing layer 4i with oxygen and/or water vapor barrier properties, in order to guarantee the preservation of the packaged food portion 3.

The sealing layer 4i can be made of a food-grade plastic material, in particular in the case where it is intended to be in contact with the food portion 3 packaged in the packaging. To do this, the sealing layer 4i can be made based on polyethylene (PE) and/or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or based on other types of known food plastics, such as a polyamide (PA) , a polyproprylene (PP) or a polylactic acid (PLA).

Advantageously, the complex 4 comprises an inner sealing layer 4i as described previously, as well as an outer layer 4e based on cellulosic fibers. In particular, the cellulosic fibers can come from wood and be shaped by the papermaking process to form a layer of paper or cardboard, or be in the form of a nonwoven. Such an arrangement makes it possible to benefit from packaging of ecological design, in particular by facilitating its recycling after consumption of the food portion 3. In particular, the outer layer 4e can be made from fibers obtained from recycling.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the outer layer 4e has a surface mass comprised between 30 g/m ² and 150 g/m ² , in particular comprised between 50 g/m ² and 110 g/m ² , and more particularly of the order of 80 g/m ² .

Advantageously, complex 4 comprises between 60% and 90% by weight of cellulosic fibers. To this end, the outer layer 4e may have a thickness of the order of 60 μm, and the inner layer 4i a thickness of between 4 μm and 20 μm.

To improve the overall sealing properties of the packaging, the complex 4 may comprise at least one additional layer of film and/or varnish having suitable properties, in particular barrier to oxygen and/or vapor. water. In particular, the outer face of the outer layer 4e can be coated with an additional layer of varnish with anti-condensation properties.

The complex 4 can have decorations and/or markings, for example patterns and/or inscriptions of an aesthetic and/or commercial nature related to the food portion 3. These elements can be formed by printing and / or embossing directly on the 4th outer layer of cellulosic fibers.

The blank comprises fold lines 1, 1b, 1c allowing it to be shaped into an envelope 2 in which the food portion 3 can be packaged before closing said envelope to form a package. Advantageously, these fold lines 1a, 1b, 1c are formed by stamping the outer layer 4e of cellulosic fibers, which makes it possible to facilitate the folding of the blank while preserving the integrity of the sealing layer 4i.

In relation to the figures, the fold lines 1a, 1b, 1c together define a blank which has a lower panel 5 intended to form a lower wall of the envelope 2, said lower panel being extended on either side by respectively a first and a second side flap 6 each having:

- A side panel 7 intended to form a side wall 2iati of said casing;

- an upper panel segment 8 which has an edge 8a connected to said side panel and an opposite edge 8b; the segments 8 being arranged to together form an upper wall 2 _sup of the casing 2 by bringing together their opposite edge 8b, as shown in FIG. 2a.

In particular, the upper panel segments 8 have a similar dimension, allowing them to form the two halves of the upper wall 2 _sup of the envelope 2.

Each of the opposite edges 8b is equipped with an opening tab 9 having a base 9a extending said opposite edge, the bases 9a being arranged to be associated one on the other in a peelable manner by pulling on the opening tabs 9.

Thus, the packaging is opened by gripping each of the tabs 9 with one hand in order to exert opposite traction to separate them, and this without having to hold the packaging and therefore without risking deforming the portion food before its extraction from said packaging.

In particular, the upper panel segments 8 of similar size make it possible to arrange the tabs 9 in the upper central part of packaging, and therefore to confer a good balance of said packaging when it is opened.

To facilitate this opening, in particular by young children and/or in connection with a soft food portion 3, each of the side flaps 6 has two tear lines 10 which each extend from an edge of the base 9a of the tongue 9 , along the upper panel segment 8 and the side panel 7. In particular, the transverse distance separating the two tear lines 10 is greater than 80% of the width of the upper panel segments 8, in particular greater than 90%, or even even equal to said width.

Thus, by pulling on the tongues 9, the consumer can open the packaging by tearing along three contiguous walls of the envelope 2, in particular its upper wall 2 _sup and its two side walls 2iati, in order to form a large opening for allow the extraction of the food portion 3 of said packaging.

According to one embodiment, each of the tear lines 10 is obtained by partial pre-cutting of the thickness of the blank, in particular by removal of material, to a depth sufficient to form a line of weakening allowing the tearing of said blank to be guided along said line.

To preserve the integrity of the inner layer 4i and therefore the tightness of the packaging, the tear lines 10 are formed by at least partial removal of only the outer layer 4e.

Advantageously, the tear lines 10 are formed, for example by laser cutting or by mechanical cutting, over approximately 4/5 of the total thickness of the outer layer 4e, which allows a good compromise between the preservation of the tightness of the packaging and the ease of opening it by tearing along said lines. According to one embodiment, the tear lines 10 allow the tearing of the blank to be guided without prior pre-cutting of said blank, for example by means of a folding or grooving line of the blank, and/or a particular orientation of the fibers of the 4th outer layer along said line.

According to one embodiment, the respective inner layers 4i of the bases 8a of the tongues 8 are arranged to be associated in a peelable manner.

To this end, at least one of the inner layers 4i of the bases 9a of the tabs 9 can be peelable and/or provided with a peelable varnish 11, in particular based on polyethylene (PE) and/or polyester, to ensure peelable sealing of said tongue bases by their respective inner layers 4i (“flesh-flesh” type sealing).

In the figures, the bases 9a of the tabs 9 each have a layer of peelable varnish 11 applied to at least part of their inner layer 4i. In addition, each layer 11 also extends over a part of the tongue 9 adjacent to its base 9a, in order to allow the tongues 9 to be partially associated with each other in a peelable manner.

The lower panel 5 is also devoid of tear line, which allows it to retain its integrity after opening the packaging, thus forming a tray on which the food portion 3 can be maintained while waiting to be seized by the consumer. .

As represented in FIGS. 3a to 3d, the consumer wishing to open the packaging grasps the tabs 9 with each of his hands and exerts pulling movements on them in opposite directions. These movements generate a separation of the peelable seal between the tongues 9, then a tearing of each of their bases 9a along the two portions of tear lines 10 extending on either side of them. Then, the consumer continues to pull on said tabs to successively detach the upper panel segments 8 (Figure 3b) and the side panels 7 (Figure 3c), so that the food portion 3 rests on the upper panel 5 at the end of opening of the packaging (figure 3d).

Advantageously, the upper panel segment s and the side panel 7 of each of the flaps 6 are formed between two fold lines 1a which both extend on the base 9a of the tongue 9, each of the tear lines 10 extending with respect to one of these fold lines 1a, in particular parallel to the latter, forming between them a strip 12.

Thus, after the packaging has been opened, each band 12 rests on an upper wall of the food portion 3, so as to keep a side wall 2i _to t2 of the casing 2 to which it is integral, resting on it. This arrangement allows the food portion 3 to be wedged laterally on the lower panel 5 while awaiting its extraction by the consumer, as shown in FIG. 3c.

Each of the strips 12 has a width which is less than 10% of the width of the upper panel segments 8, and in particular less than 5% of said width. This arrangement facilitates the extraction of the food portion 3 by the consumer, who then simply has to move aside the side walls 2iat2 (FIG. 3d) in order to be able to remove said portion from the lower panel 5 while retaining its integrity of form, in particular in the case of a 3 soft food portion.

In the embodiment shown, the lower panel 5 and the side panels 7 each have a quadrilateral geometry, making it possible to form a parallelepipedic envelope 2, said blank having an axis of symmetry along its median axis.

In relation to figures 1a and 1b, the blank has: - A first transverse end edge 13, from which extends an opening tab 9; And

- a second transverse end edge 14, longitudinally opposite said first transverse edge, and on which the other tab 9 is formed.

In particular, the tongues 9 each have a gripping part 9b which extends longitudinally projecting from an edge 13, 14 respectively, and the blank has two transverse fold lines 1b each extending adjacent to and parallel to respectively an end edge 13, 14, in particular along the edge 8b of the adjacent segment 8, in order to define the base 9a of said tongue and to allow the folding of said base relative to the adjacent side panel 7 during the formation of the envelope 2.

The blank further comprises two longitudinal edges 15 extending on either side of the side flaps 6 and of the lower panel 5, and each equipped with a plurality of fold lines 1a, 1c making it possible to form side walls 2iat2 of envelope 2.

In Figures 1a and 1b, the edges 17 each extend from an end edge 15 to the opposite end edge 16.

Furthermore, each border 15 comprises two end parts each extending longitudinally in a side flap 6 respectively, being separated from the side panel 7 and from the corresponding upper segment 8 by a longitudinal fold line 1a opposite which a line tear 10 extends parallel.

Thus, the bands 12 are each adjacent respectively to a border 15, the latter then forming the side walls 2iat2 intended to hold the food portion 3 on the lower panel 5 at the end of the opening of the packaging.

In relation to FIGS. 2a to 2d, a method for packaging a food portion 3 by means of a blank as described previously will now be described. This method provides for folding the blank along its fold lines 1a, 1b, 1c, so as to form an open envelope 2 in which the food portion 3 is packaged before said envelope is closed, as well as for associating in a peelable manner the bases 9a of tabs 9.

Advantageously, the method provides for folding the blank so as to leave a single opening in the casing 2 (FIG. 2c), in order to form, by means of said casing, a mold into which the food portion 3 can be poured in liquid form. or viscous before closing said envelope, which makes it possible to limit production costs by dispensing with an additional step of shaping said food portion before packaging in the packaging.

This arrangement also makes it possible to produce food portions 3 packaged in a more hygienic manner and with better preservation conditions. Indeed, by pouring the food portion 3 directly into its individual packaging, its exposure to the ambient air is limited, which makes it possible to limit the risks of contamination, in particular by germs. Moreover, if food portion 3 is poured at a temperature above the pasteurization temperature, this makes it possible to improve its preservation properties even more.

In the embodiment shown, the association of the bases 9a of the tongues 9 is carried out prior to the packaging of the food portion 3, the subsequent closing of the envelope 2 being carried out by folding and association of an edge 15 of the blank.

In particular, this embodiment initially provides for bringing the edges 8b of the upper segments 8 closer together to effect the "flesh-flesh" peelable association of the tongues 9 (FIG. 2a), then for bending the bases 9a of the associated tongues 9 along their transverse lines 1b in order to fold them flat on the upper wall 2 _sup formed by said segments (FIG. 2b). Then, the method provides for folding a first longitudinal border 15 to close one of the sides of the packaging, so as to leave open the opposite side to allow the introduction of the food portion 3, in particular in liquid or viscous form ( figures 2b, 2c).

Finally, the method provides for folding the second longitudinal edge 15 to completely close the packaging (Figure 2d).

According to a variant of this embodiment, the method may provide for simultaneously forming several blanks in the same sheet of complex 4, then separating said blanks from each other after they have been filled with a food portion 3.

To do this, the method may provide for forming, in a rectangular sheet of complex 4, several blanks as represented in FIGS. 1a and 1b by pre-cutting and stamping, so that a free longitudinal edge 16 of a border 15 of a first blank coincides with the free longitudinal edge 16' of the opposite edge 15 of a second adjacent blank.

According to another variant not shown, the method may provide for closing the envelope 2 by combining the bases 9a of the tabs 9.

Claims

1 . Blank for packaging a food portion (3) comprising fold lines (1a, 1b, 1c) allowing said blank to be shaped into an envelope (2) in which said portion can be packaged before closing said envelope, said fold lines defining a blank having a lower panel (5) intended to form a lower wall of said casing, said lower panel being extended on either side by respectively a first and a second lateral flap (6) each having a side panel (7) intended to form a side wall (2i _a ti) of said casing and an upper panel segment (8) which has an edge (8a) connected to said side panel and an opposite edge (8b), said segments being arranged to together form an upper wall (2 _sup ) of the casing (2) by bringing their opposite edge (8b) closer together, said blank being characterized in that each of the opposite edges (8b) is equipped with a tongue of opening (9) having a base (9a) extending said opposite edge, said bases being arranged to be associated one on the other in a peelable manner by pulling on the opening tabs (9), each of said side flaps having two tear lines (10) which each extend, from an edge of the base (9a) of the tongue (9), along the top panel segment (8) and the side panel (7), the bottom panel ( 5) being devoid of a tear line.

2. Blank according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper panel segments (8) have a similar dimension which makes it possible to form the two halves of the upper wall (2 _sup ) of the casing (2).

3. Blank according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is formed of a complex (4) comprising an outer layer (4e) based on cellulosic fibers and an inner layer (4i) of sealing.

4. Blank according to claim 3, characterized in that the inner layers (4i) of the bases (9a) of the tongues (9) are arranged to be associated in a peelable manner.

5. Blank according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one of the inner layers (4i) of the bases (9a) of the tongues (9) is peelable and/or is provided with a peelable varnish (11).

6. Blank according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the tear lines (10) are formed by at least partial removal of only the outer layer (4th).

7. Blank according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the upper panel segment (8) and the side panel (7) of each of the flaps (6) are formed between two fold lines (1a) , said lines extending on the base (9a) of the tongue (9).

8. Blank according to claim 7, characterized in that each of the tear lines (10) extends relative to a fold line (1a) forming a band (12) between them.

9. Blank according to claim 8, characterized in that each of the bands (12) has a width which is less than 10% of the width of the upper panel segments (8), in particular less than 5%.

10. Blank according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises a transverse edge (13) from which extends an opening tab (9), and an opposite transverse edge (14) on which the other tab (9) is formed.

11 . Blank according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises two longitudinal borders (15) extending on either side of the side flaps (6) and of the lower panel (5), the said borders being equipped with fold lines making it possible to form side walls (2i _to t2) of the envelope

12. Blank according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the lower panel (5) and the side flaps (6) each have a quadrilateral geometry making it possible to form a parallelepipedic envelope (2).

13. Method for packaging a food portion (3) by means of a blank according to any one of claims 1 to 12, in which said blank is folded along its folding lines (1a, 1b, 1c) to form an open envelope (2) in which said portion is packaged before closing said envelope, said method providing for associating the bases (9a) of the tabs (9) in a peelable manner.