EP0399981A2 - Method for closing a package - Google Patents

Method for closing a package Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0399981A2
EP0399981A2 EP90850205A EP90850205A EP0399981A2 EP 0399981 A2 EP0399981 A2 EP 0399981A2 EP 90850205 A EP90850205 A EP 90850205A EP 90850205 A EP90850205 A EP 90850205A EP 0399981 A2 EP0399981 A2 EP 0399981A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
tray
lid
plastic film
package
plastics material
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP90850205A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0399981A3 (en
EP0399981B1 (en
Inventor
Häkan Ingemarsson
Katarina Axelsson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Cerbo AB
Original Assignee
Cerbo AB
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cerbo AB filed Critical Cerbo AB
Publication of EP0399981A2 publication Critical patent/EP0399981A2/en
Publication of EP0399981A3 publication Critical patent/EP0399981A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0399981B1 publication Critical patent/EP0399981B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D77/00—Packages formed by enclosing articles or materials in preformed containers, e.g. boxes, cartons, sacks or bags
    • B65D77/10—Container closures formed after filling
    • B65D77/20—Container closures formed after filling by applying separate lids or covers, i.e. flexible membrane or foil-like covers
    • B65D77/2024—Container closures formed after filling by applying separate lids or covers, i.e. flexible membrane or foil-like covers the cover being welded or adhered to the container
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B7/00—Closing containers or receptacles after filling
    • B65B7/16—Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons
    • B65B7/168—Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons by applying and securing double closures

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a package and a method for sealing the package.
  • the package comprises a tray especially intended for keeping and heating ready-cooked food, and a lid which is removable from the tray.
  • a package fulfilling these requirements comprises an aluminium tray with a cardboard and/or aluminium lid which is attached to the tray by folding the edges surrounding the opening of the tray inwardly over the lid, and which can be removed therefrom after said edges have been folded away from the lid.
  • Disadvantages of this package are that sealing is carried out manually, that the food cannot be heated inside the package in a microwave oven and that the sealing will not be liquidproof.
  • a package in which the food can be heated in a micro­wave oven and which can be sealed mechanically comprises a tray of plastics material such as CPET and a lid made of plastic-coated cardboard, which lid can be welded (heat-­sealed) to the edges of the tray opening.
  • CPET plastics material
  • lid made of plastic-coated cardboard, which lid can be welded (heat-­sealed) to the edges of the tray opening.
  • the package according to the invention comprises a tray 1 of thermoformed CPET with an opening surrounded by a folded, approximately 5 mm wide edge which extends round the whole of the tray 1, a lid 2 of cardboard and plastics material, suitably a material marketed under the name of Invercote (registered trademark) G + AP (ethylene acrylic acid), and a film or sheeting 3 of polyester, suitably a film marketed under the name of Mylar (registered trademark) OL.
  • the materials of the tray 1, lid 2 and film 3 are heat-­sealable to each other, however, if the lid were to be heat-­sealed (welded) straight onto the tray, it would not be possible to remove it from the tray without it being destroyed (torn).
  • the figure shows the package being sealed.
  • the tray 1 After the tray 1 has been filled with ready-cooked food, it is placed on a support 4 provided with a rubber plate 5 with upwardly oriented edges 5a surrounding the base of the tray. This can be done manually or by means of a suitable feeding device.
  • a roll 6, on which the film 3 is wound in the form of a band, is located over and adjacent the support 4. The width of the roll 6 and therefore of the film 3 corre­sponds to or is slightly wider than the length of the tray 1, i.e. the greatest distance between opposite parts of the edges 1a.
  • the film 3 is intended to be advanced immediately over or in contact with the tray in the direction of the arrow a distance which corre­sponds to or is slightly longer than the width of the tray, by a suitable device not shown in the figure.
  • the lid 2 is placed, manually or by a device not shown, on top of the film 2 exactly over the tray 1.
  • the area of the lid 2 is selected such that the lid will cover the tray opening and the entire edge 1a.
  • a welding head 7 At a distance over the plate 5 slightly exceeding the height of the tray 1 there is arranged a welding head 7.
  • the head 7 is provided with a lower plane surface, the area of which corresponds to the area of the lid 2.
  • the head 7 is movable towards and away from the tray 1 with the film 3 and lid 2 thereon, and its temperature is such that heat-sealing or welding of the film to the tray and of the lid to the film will take place when the head is briefly pressed against these.
  • a sleeve 8 with a heated, lipshaped lower edge 8a which sleeve surrounds the welding head 7 and is guided by same, is carried downwardly towards the tray 1, whereby the film 3 will melt immediately outside the lid 2 so that the parts of the film surrounding the lid will be separated from the now finished package, which will then be removed from the support 4 either manually or by some suitable feeding-out device.
  • a package the contents of which can be heated in a microwave oven (also with the lid attached), and the top side of which can be preprinted or provided with print or the like in connection with sealing and the lid of which can be removed by the so called peel-off effect, i.e. the film is easily removable from the tray without the lid getting torn or destroyed in some other way.

Abstract

A package comprising a tray and a removable lid, which tray is made of plastics material and is especially intended for keeping and heating of ready-cooked food, and which lid is made of cardboard and/or plastics material. The package include a plastic film (3) the area of which is at least as large as that of the lid (2) and which is heat-sealed to the lid and to the edge (1a) surrounding the opening of the tray (1) and the characteristics of which are such that the lid and the plastic film are removable from the edge without the lid or the tray being destroyed.
The invention also comprises a method for sealing the package.

Description

    Technical field
  • The present invention relates to a package and a method for sealing the package. The package comprises a tray especially intended for keeping and heating ready-cooked food, and a lid which is removable from the tray.
    • Prior art
  • It is known to keep and to heat ready-cooked food in packages consisting of a tray provided with a lid. It is essential that the food should not be affected by the packaging material and that the lid should be easily removable from the tray.
  • A package fulfilling these requirements comprises an aluminium tray with a cardboard and/or aluminium lid which is attached to the tray by folding the edges surrounding the opening of the tray inwardly over the lid, and which can be removed therefrom after said edges have been folded away from the lid. Disadvantages of this package are that sealing is carried out manually, that the food cannot be heated inside the package in a microwave oven and that the sealing will not be liquidproof.
  • A package in which the food can be heated in a micro­wave oven and which can be sealed mechanically comprises a tray of plastics material such as CPET and a lid made of plastic-coated cardboard, which lid can be welded (heat-­sealed) to the edges of the tray opening. A disadvantage of this kind of package is that the lid is difficult to remove from the tray and often breaks when being removed.
  • Further, it is known to weld a plastic film to a CPET tray. With this kind of package it is difficult to tear and to remove the film without touching the food. Moreover, it is not possible to provide the film with information in the form of, for example, advertising or a text starting the contents of the package, and packages of this kind are therefore often supplied in cardboard cases provided with such information.
    • Description of the invention
  • It is an object of the present invention to improve packages of the above-mentioned kind and to seal these in a simple, nonexpensive and efficient way.
  • This object is accomplished by providing the package of the invention with the features stated in the characterizing portions of the claims.
    • Description of the figures
    • The one figure of the drawing is a schematic, exploded perspective view showing sealing of a package according to the invention.
    Preferred embodiment
  • The package according to the invention comprises a tray 1 of thermoformed CPET with an opening surrounded by a folded, approximately 5 mm wide edge which extends round the whole of the tray 1, a lid 2 of cardboard and plastics material, suitably a material marketed under the name of Invercote (registered trademark) G + AP (ethylene acrylic acid), and a film or sheeting 3 of polyester, suitably a film marketed under the name of Mylar (registered trademark) OL.
  • The materials of the tray 1, lid 2 and film 3 are heat-­sealable to each other, however, if the lid were to be heat-­sealed (welded) straight onto the tray, it would not be possible to remove it from the tray without it being destroyed (torn).
  • The figure shows the package being sealed.
  • After the tray 1 has been filled with ready-cooked food, it is placed on a support 4 provided with a rubber plate 5 with upwardly oriented edges 5a surrounding the base of the tray. This can be done manually or by means of a suitable feeding device. A roll 6, on which the film 3 is wound in the form of a band, is located over and adjacent the support 4. The width of the roll 6 and therefore of the film 3 corre­sponds to or is slightly wider than the length of the tray 1, i.e. the greatest distance between opposite parts of the edges 1a. For each tray 1 placed on the plate 5, the film 3 is intended to be advanced immediately over or in contact with the tray in the direction of the arrow a distance which corre­sponds to or is slightly longer than the width of the tray, by a suitable device not shown in the figure.
  • The lid 2 is placed, manually or by a device not shown, on top of the film 2 exactly over the tray 1. The area of the lid 2 is selected such that the lid will cover the tray opening and the entire edge 1a.
  • At a distance over the plate 5 slightly exceeding the height of the tray 1 there is arranged a welding head 7. The head 7 is provided with a lower plane surface, the area of which corresponds to the area of the lid 2. The head 7 is movable towards and away from the tray 1 with the film 3 and lid 2 thereon, and its temperature is such that heat-sealing or welding of the film to the tray and of the lid to the film will take place when the head is briefly pressed against these.
  • After or in connection with the above described heat-­sealing a sleeve 8 with a heated, lipshaped lower edge 8a, which sleeve surrounds the welding head 7 and is guided by same, is carried downwardly towards the tray 1, whereby the film 3 will melt immediately outside the lid 2 so that the parts of the film surrounding the lid will be separated from the now finished package, which will then be removed from the support 4 either manually or by some suitable feeding-out device.
  • Owing to the film 3 being inserted between the lid 2 and the tray 1 and owing to the properties of the material of which they are made, there is provided a package the contents of which can be heated in a microwave oven (also with the lid attached), and the top side of which can be preprinted or provided with print or the like in connection with sealing and the lid of which can be removed by the so called peel-off effect, i.e. the film is easily removable from the tray without the lid getting torn or destroyed in some other way.
  • Although only one embodiment of the invention has been described above and shown on the drawing, it will be under­stood that the invention is not limited to said embodiment but only by the scope of the claims.

Claims (5)

1 A package comprising a tray and a removable lid, which tray is made of plastics material and is especially intended for keeping and heating of ready-cooked food, and which lid is made of cardboard and/or plastics material, characterized by a plastic film (3) the area of which is at least as large as that of the lid (2), the plastic film being heat-sealed to the lid and to the edge (1a) surrounding the opening of the tray (1) and the characteristics of which are such that the lid and the plastic film are removable from the edge without the lid or the tray being destroyed.
2 A package according to claim 1, in which the tray is made of thermoformed CPET, characterized in that the plastic film (3) is made of polyester.
3 A method for sealing a package comprising a tray and a lid, which tray is made of plastics material and is material and is especially intended for keeping of ready-cooked food and heating of same in a microwave oven, and which lid is made of cardboard and/or plastics material, characterized in that
a) the tray (1) with contents is placed on a support (4, 5),
b) a plastic film (3), the area of which is larger than that of the tray opening, is placed over the tray,
c) the lid (2), the area of which is larger than that of the tray opening, is placed on top of the plastic film,
d) the plastic film is welded to the tray and the lid is welded to the plastic film in one and the same operation.
4 A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the area of the plastic film (3) is essentially larger than that of the lid (2) when the plastic film is placed over the tray and is given substantially the same length-width dimension as the lid in connection with its being welded to the tray (1).
5 A method according to claim 4, characterized in that the plastic film (3) in the form of a band is advanced to a position over the tray (1) in which the plastic film is given substantially the same length-width dimension as the lid through separation by means of heat.
EP90850205A 1989-05-24 1990-05-23 Method for closing a package Expired - Lifetime EP0399981B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE8901848 1989-05-24
SE8901848A SE464629B (en) 1989-05-24 1989-05-24 PROCEDURE FOR PACKAGING OF PACKAGING

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0399981A2 true EP0399981A2 (en) 1990-11-28
EP0399981A3 EP0399981A3 (en) 1991-04-17
EP0399981B1 EP0399981B1 (en) 1993-12-01

Family

ID=20376038

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP90850205A Expired - Lifetime EP0399981B1 (en) 1989-05-24 1990-05-23 Method for closing a package

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0399981B1 (en)
DE (1) DE69004859D1 (en)
FI (1) FI902571A0 (en)
NO (1) NO902278L (en)
SE (1) SE464629B (en)

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0481943A1 (en) * 1990-10-19 1992-04-22 Ab Cerbo A package and a method for sealing the package
WO1993019986A1 (en) * 1992-04-02 1993-10-14 Noren Tony A method for sealing a tray by means of a lid
US5484984A (en) * 1994-03-04 1996-01-16 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Ovenable food package including a base with depending leg member and a plurality of raised portions and associated food packages
WO1996004186A1 (en) * 1994-08-03 1996-02-15 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Ovenable food package
US5492703A (en) * 1994-08-30 1996-02-20 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Food package including a food package tray partially surrounded by a food package jacket and an associated method
WO1996015049A1 (en) * 1994-08-03 1996-05-23 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Food product container
US5565228A (en) * 1995-05-02 1996-10-15 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Ovenable food product tray and an ovenable food product package
US5679109A (en) * 1994-08-30 1997-10-21 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Method of making a food package and an associated apparatus
US5709308A (en) * 1995-06-06 1998-01-20 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Food product container including a tray and a jacket and an associated food product package
US5743402A (en) * 1997-03-18 1998-04-28 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Food package including a tray and a sleeve
US5888599A (en) * 1993-04-19 1999-03-30 E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Multi-layer lidding film having improved heat seal properties and methods relating thereto
US5900263A (en) * 1997-06-26 1999-05-04 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Food package having a rigid leg member for displaying the front panel thereof
SG80087A1 (en) * 1998-12-21 2001-04-17 Johnson & Johnson Vision Prod Heat seal apparatus for lens packages

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1379891A (en) * 1963-12-09 1964-11-27 Quaker Oats Co Molded plastic sealed container, particularly for food products
CH475883A (en) * 1967-07-18 1969-07-31 Tedeco Verpackung Gmbh Packs, in particular for food, and processes for their manufacture
CH517030A (en) * 1970-08-06 1971-12-31 Schneiter Riniker Kurt Packaging containers, in particular for meat products
FR2383833A1 (en) * 1977-03-14 1978-10-13 Erca Moulded container sealing machine - has lid formed from thermoplastic web for sealing on container using heated tool
FR2427956A1 (en) * 1978-06-08 1980-01-04 Vmw Ranshofen Berndorf Ag PACKAGING FOR CARBONATED AND NON-CARBONATED BEVERAGES
GB2123786A (en) * 1982-05-14 1984-02-08 Bowater Packaging Ltd Covered containers

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1379891A (en) * 1963-12-09 1964-11-27 Quaker Oats Co Molded plastic sealed container, particularly for food products
CH475883A (en) * 1967-07-18 1969-07-31 Tedeco Verpackung Gmbh Packs, in particular for food, and processes for their manufacture
CH517030A (en) * 1970-08-06 1971-12-31 Schneiter Riniker Kurt Packaging containers, in particular for meat products
FR2383833A1 (en) * 1977-03-14 1978-10-13 Erca Moulded container sealing machine - has lid formed from thermoplastic web for sealing on container using heated tool
FR2427956A1 (en) * 1978-06-08 1980-01-04 Vmw Ranshofen Berndorf Ag PACKAGING FOR CARBONATED AND NON-CARBONATED BEVERAGES
GB2123786A (en) * 1982-05-14 1984-02-08 Bowater Packaging Ltd Covered containers

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0481943A1 (en) * 1990-10-19 1992-04-22 Ab Cerbo A package and a method for sealing the package
WO1993019986A1 (en) * 1992-04-02 1993-10-14 Noren Tony A method for sealing a tray by means of a lid
US5888599A (en) * 1993-04-19 1999-03-30 E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Multi-layer lidding film having improved heat seal properties and methods relating thereto
US5484984A (en) * 1994-03-04 1996-01-16 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Ovenable food package including a base with depending leg member and a plurality of raised portions and associated food packages
WO1996004186A1 (en) * 1994-08-03 1996-02-15 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Ovenable food package
WO1996015049A1 (en) * 1994-08-03 1996-05-23 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Food product container
US5492703A (en) * 1994-08-30 1996-02-20 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Food package including a food package tray partially surrounded by a food package jacket and an associated method
US5614235A (en) * 1994-08-30 1997-03-25 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Method of making a food package having a jacket partially surrounding it
US5679109A (en) * 1994-08-30 1997-10-21 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Method of making a food package and an associated apparatus
US5565228A (en) * 1995-05-02 1996-10-15 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Ovenable food product tray and an ovenable food product package
US5709308A (en) * 1995-06-06 1998-01-20 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Food product container including a tray and a jacket and an associated food product package
US5743402A (en) * 1997-03-18 1998-04-28 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Food package including a tray and a sleeve
US5900263A (en) * 1997-06-26 1999-05-04 Gics & Vermee, L.P. Food package having a rigid leg member for displaying the front panel thereof
SG80087A1 (en) * 1998-12-21 2001-04-17 Johnson & Johnson Vision Prod Heat seal apparatus for lens packages

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NO902278L (en) 1990-11-26
SE8901848D0 (en) 1989-05-24
SE464629B (en) 1991-05-27
FI902571A0 (en) 1990-05-23
EP0399981A3 (en) 1991-04-17
SE8901848L (en) 1990-11-25
NO902278D0 (en) 1990-05-23
EP0399981B1 (en) 1993-12-01
DE69004859D1 (en) 1994-01-13

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