EP0513606A1 - Liquid and gas tight package, mainly made of paperboard or similar, especially suitable for foodstuff - Google Patents

Abstract

The package according to the invention comprises an outer wrapping (I) which has the resistance required for protecting the contents, comprises at least one lining insert (F) made of a material which is flexible and weldable or has been made weldable, with which the inside of the outer wrapping is lined, comprises a covering (C) which is weldable or has been made weldable and is applied in a sealing manner only to the lining insert or inserts, the package made mainly of paper or similar. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates generally to the packaging field and, more particularly, to packaging made of paper or the like, which can be completely gas-tight and liquid-impermeable, and which is primarily, but not only, intended for the reception of food.

As is known, the packaging is used to store the contents and to transport them to their destination in a perfect state of preservation and presentation. For this reason, the packaging must have a certain stiffness and resistance, so that not only the content but also its wrapping arrive at their destination as unscathed as possible. It is also known that plastics already play an important role in the packaging field and have become practically irreplaceable because of their competitive prices. In fact, the majority of packaging for foodstuffs is now made of plastic, which has all the necessary resistance properties: it can be pressed in a wide variety of shapes and, in addition to its light weight, it is also particularly inexpensive.

In addition to all of these properties that make plastics leaders in the packaging sector, there is also the major environmental problem of their disposal. The majority of plastics cannot be biodegraded and when they are disposed of by incinerators, highly toxic compounds such as dioxin can develop.

Another disadvantage of plastic packaging is that no trademarks, legal inscriptions, shelf life information, etc. can be printed unless with the help of sticky notes or printing slips, the latter either being attached to the plastic or inserted into the package.

For this reason, there is now a tendency to reduce the use of plastic in the packaging area and to restrict its spread more and more by using other biodegradable materials which can be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner and which have the same special properties of the plastic as, for example, the Resilience, light shape, impermeability, etc.

One of the few biodegradable materials that can replace plastic is still paper, which, although somewhat more expensive than the plastics used in the packaging, also has important advantages, such as the small space required for the cuts, the possibility of printing with all of the legally required provided labels and an advertisement, which advertises the contents of the packaging. The only disadvantage with paper at the moment is that it is impossible to produce a liquid and / or gas-tight packaging, except for those such as Tetrapak and the like, which have a particular application.

To solve this problem, paper containers have already been produced in which a tubular laminated film or the like is attached, which is closed after the goods have been placed in the container. However, these containers, although they have the advantage of being made of cardboard and laminated film, such as aluminum / paper, still have disadvantages because they cannot be filled horizontally and the filling cannot be ordered Arrangement of the goods can be made to present the content in a good presentation.

In another solution, paper containers are provided which have a coating of spray plastic with which the inner surfaces of the container walls are coated. In this case, too, there are considerable shortcomings because the coating applied to the container is firmly attached to it and cannot be removed or removed.

The main object of the invention is therefore to provide a packaging which is particularly but not exclusively intended for solid and liquid foodstuffs, which consists mainly of paper and which can also be hermetically sealed against gas (and the plastic used, if possible, is of a recyclable nature).

Another object of the invention is to provide a packaging for foodstuffs predominantly made of paper or the like, in which the goods can be accommodated in an orderly manner in particular and maintain this arrangement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a package of the aforementioned type which can hold solid goods containing liquid without impairing the presentation of the contents.

Another object of the invention is to provide a packaging of the aforementioned type in which two or more different types of goods can be packed in one and the same container.

Another object of the invention is to provide packaging of the aforementioned type in which the food product can be removed and remains in its casing so that pre-cooked food can be packaged, which are to be heated in the oven, in hot water, etc.

• eine Außenhülle, die die nötige Widerstandsfähigkeit besitzt, um die darin enthaltene Ware zu schützen;
• wenigstens eine Futtereinlage aus flexiblem und schweißbarem Material, womit die Innenseite dieser Außenhülle verkleidet ist;
• eine schweißbare bzw. schweißbar gemachte Abdeckung, die nur auf die Futtereinlage oder Futtereinlagen abdichtend anzubringen ist,
• wobei diese Verpackung überwiegend aus Papier oder dgl. besteht.

These and still other objects that emerge from the following description are solved with the packaging according to the invention, which is characterized by

• an outer shell that has the necessary resilience to protect the goods contained therein;
• at least one lining made of flexible and weldable material, with which the inside of this outer shell is covered;
• a weldable or weldable cover that is only to be sealed to the lining or lining,
• this packaging mainly consists of paper or the like.

According to a further feature of the invention, the lining is removably attached to the outer casing.

According to another feature of the invention, the lining is permanently attached to the outer casing so that the packaging can absorb toxic substances or the like in this way.

According to another feature of the invention, the lining is only partially inserted into the outer casing in order to form a gap between the lining and the container bottom.

According to yet another feature of the invention, several lining inserts are inserted at different heights into the outer shell.

According to another feature of the invention, the lining can have a perforated central area.

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to a preferred but not limited to an embodiment, which is only given as an example and is shown in the accompanying drawings.

• Figur 1 eine perspektivische Explosionsdarstellung, die die erfindungsgemäße Verpackung, in diesem Fall eine Schale, zeigt;
• Figur 2 eine perspektivische Ansicht der Schale nach Figur 1 im fertigen Zustand;
• die Figuren 3A, 3B und 3C schematisch die Herstellungsphasen der erfindungsgemäßen Verpackung, und insbesondere zeigen Figur 3A die Außenhülle, Figur 3B die Außenhülle mit dem darin angebrachten Futter und Figur 3C die Außenhülle mit dem darin angebrachten Futter und der an das Futter angeschweissten Abdeckung;
• die Figuren 4A, 4B und 4C schematisch ein Herstellungsbeispiel der erfindungsgemäßen Verpackung, und zwar zeigen Figur 4A den Beginn der Einführung des Futters in die Außenhülle, Figur 4B die Phase der vollständigen Einführung des Futters in die Außenhülle und Figur 4C das Anbringen der Abdeckung und deren Anschweißen an das Futter;
• die Figur 5 eine perspektivische Ansicht der Schale nach Figur 1, quergeschnitten, in welche das Futter nur teilweise eingeführt ist zwecks der Bildung eines doppelten Bodens; und
• die Figur 6 eine zu Figur 5 ähnliche Ansicht, die eine Schale mit zwei eingeführten Futtereinlagen zur Bildung von drei Füllfächern darstellt.

Show it:

• Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the packaging according to the invention, in this case a tray;
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of the shell of Figure 1 in the finished state;
• FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C schematically show the production phases of the packaging according to the invention, and in particular FIG. 3A shows the outer casing, FIG. 3B the outer casing with the lining attached therein and FIG. 3C the outer casing with the lining attached and the cover welded to the lining;
• FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C schematically show a production example of the packaging according to the invention, namely FIG. 4A shows the beginning of the introduction of the feed into the outer cover, FIG. 4B the phase of the complete introduction of the feed into the outer cover and FIG. 4C the attachment of the cover and its Welding to the lining;
• FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the shell according to FIG. 1, in cross section, into which the feed is only partially inserted in order to form a double bottom; and
• FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, which shows a bowl with two inserted feed inserts to form three filling compartments.

If one now considers in particular FIG. 1, a packaging according to the invention is shown there, in this case only illustrated, for example, in the form of a shell made of plastic or paper or the like, which can have any geometrical shape or size.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the shell essentially consists of an outer shell, generally designated I, a lining, generally designated F, and a cover, generally designated C. The lining F is inserted into the outer casing I, as will be explained below and attached to it either in a permanent manner by welding or gluing or in a detachable manner, for example by spot welding or gluing, so that it adheres to the inner surfaces of the shell walls. When the goods to be packaged have been placed in the tray, the cover C is only welded to the lining F in a sealing manner. In this way, the goods contained therein are in a kind of bag sealed against liquids and gas, which is why the goods packed therein are completely protected and insulated from the outside. As already mentioned, the packaging according to the invention is primarily, but not exclusively, intended for foods which are housed in a hermetically sealed bag in this way and can be stored for a long time and even persistently if an inert gas is introduced into the bag, which, thanks to the seal, keeps food inside. Furthermore, given the density of the bag, the tray obtained in this way can also hold goods in a liquid state.

The three elements which form the packaging according to the invention will now be described in detail.

Outer shell

The outer casing I is preferably made of paper, preferably cardboard, but could also be made of wood pulp, plastic, aluminum, wood and the like. You must have the resilience that is necessary for the storage of the goods contained while keeping their presentation. If the outer shell is made of plastic, it is correspondingly resistant Use plastic material. If the outer casing is made of cardboard or the like, the usual measures can be taken to make the packaging walls very strong.

Lining

• Aluminium/Papier/Polypropylen, das ist ein licht- und gasundurchlässiges heißsiegelbare Material, das sich zur Verpackung von Fleischextrakten, getrockneten Präparaten für Suppen, Kaffee und anderen wertvollen und leichtverderblichen Lebensmitteln sehr gut eignet;
• Aluminium/Polypropylen, das vollkommen licht- und gasundurchlässig und mechanisch beständig ist; es läßt sich heißsiegeln und ist sterilisierbar und zur Verpackung von Nahrungsmitteln geeignet, bei welchen die Konservierung der Aromen wichtig ist, wie Kaffee, Tee, Aromen, fetthaltige Lebensmittel, insbesondere die durch die Einwirkung von Licht oder Luftsauerstoff leichtverderblichen Waren;
• Polypropylen/Aluminium/Polyäthylen, das ist ein heißsiegelbares Material und kann in der hochwertigen Verpackung von Warensorten, die durch den Kontakt mit äußeren Einflüssen, wie Licht, Luft, Feuchtigkeit leicht verderben, Verwendung finden; es eignet sich gleichfalls für die Hochvakuumverpackung und deshalb zu einer vollständigen Abschützung des Inhalts;
• Polyäthylentetraphtalat/Polypropylen, das steriliserbar und transparent ist und deshalb bei hohen Arbeitstemperaturen eingesetzt werden kann, wie bei Speisen, die einer Vorkochbehandlung unterzogen wurden und die Kochphase im Beutelinneren zu Ende führen; und
• Aluminium/Papier, das für die Verpackung von frischen Nahrungsmitteln, wie Käse und Fleisch, sehr geeignet ist.

The lining F must consist of a flexible and weldable material. The flexibility is required for the lining F to adhere to the inner surfaces of the walls of the outer shell I and the weldability for welding the cover C on. The lining preferably consists of a pleasant-looking laminated film with good mechanical resistance, a good resistance to chemical and physical substances such as light, temperature and moisture. Some laminated foils that are very suitable for this purpose are:

• Aluminum / paper / polypropylene, this is a light and gas impermeable heat-sealable material that is very well suited for packaging meat extracts, dried preparations for soups, coffee and other valuable and perishable foods;
• Aluminum / polypropylene, which is completely light and gas impermeable and mechanically resistant; it can be heat-sealed and sterilized and is suitable for packaging foods in which the preservation of flavors is important, such as coffee, tea, flavors, fatty foods, in particular goods which are perishable due to the action of light or atmospheric oxygen;
• Polypropylene / aluminum / polyethylene is a heat-sealable material and can be used in the high-quality packaging of types of goods that easily deteriorate due to contact with external influences such as light, air, moisture; it is also suitable for high vacuum packaging and therefore for complete protection of the contents;
• Polyethylene tetraphtalate / polypropylene, which can be sterilized and is transparent is and can therefore be used at high working temperatures, such as for dishes that have been subjected to pre-cooking treatment and which finish the cooking phase inside the bag; and
• Aluminum / paper, which is very suitable for packaging fresh foods such as cheese and meat.

However, the lining F can also be a plastic film, as is used today in food packaging and which has the property of being heat-weldable.

cover

The cover C also preferably consists of laminated foils or a film, which have the property of weldability. However, this does not exclude that it can also be made from a rigid material, for example cardboard or other. In this case the rigid cover must be made weldable to be compatible with the lining F.

The phases for maintaining the finished packaging are illustrated in FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C.

FIG. 3A shows the shell-shaped outer shell I, which, however, can also take on a different shape without leaving the scope of the invention.

FIG. 3B shows the insertion of lining F into the outer casing I. During this process, wrinkles form at the corners of the outer casing I, which must be flattened or otherwise removed in order to get the edge of the outer casing I thus lined essentially flat . The lining can be welded in a permanent manner or in a removable manner by spot welding or gluing, as with G indicated to be attached.

FIG. 3C shows the finished shell, specifically with the outer casing I, which contains the lining F attached to it, and with the cover C, which is attached after the introduction of the goods to be packaged and by welding onto the lining F, and not onto the outer casing I, is attached as shown in S.

The bag formed from the liner F and the cover C, provided that the liner has been removably attached to the outer case I, can be seen to be removed from the outer case I and, for example, in a refrigerator for storage, or if the bag is a pre-cooked product contains, immersed in hot water or placed in an oven to cook the food.

A practical way of maintaining the packaging according to the invention will be described later with reference to FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C. For the moment it is sufficient to say that the lining F is adhered to the inner surfaces of the walls of the outer casing I and, as already said, the wrinkles forming at the corners when flattened are flattened or otherwise removed in a known manner, so that the lining has a smooth surface at the top of the outer shell I.

The lining F can be permanently attached to the outer shell by welding or gluing and can be fastened to it in this way. This is done when toxic substances are to be packed in the shell, which is why it is important that the bag always remains attached to the outer casing. Preferably, however, the liner F is removably attached to the outer shell I, for example by spot welding or gluing, as illustrated in G, the purpose of which is explained below.

In Figure 2, the finished and sealed shell is shown with the goods packed therein.

Figures 4A, 4B and 4C schematically show a practical way of maintaining the packaging according to the invention.

In FIG. 4A, the outer casing I is supported with its edges B in a die M. The lining F is spread onto the outer casing I inserted into the die M. A stamp P with a heat sealing device Q is arranged above the die M. The punch P is lowered onto the die M, as a result of which the lining F adheres to the inner surfaces of the outer casing I. This process is shown in Figure 4B. If the chuck F is guided into the outer casing I and fastened therein by welding in a permanent manner or by spot gluing or welding G in a removable manner, the stamp P is raised and the shell is filled with the goods to be packaged. After filling, the cover C closing the tray is attached and the heat sealing device Q, as indicated in S, is lowered onto the lining F, as can be seen in FIG. 4C.

5 shows in perspective another packaging option that can be obtained with the tray according to the invention. Here the central area A of the lining F is perforated and this perforated part forms the bottom of the lining after it has been attached to the outer casing. In this case, however, the lining is only partially inserted into the outer casing I, so that an intermediate space D is created between the perforated bottom A and the bottom of the outer casing I, which is invisible. This packaging is particularly suitable for liquid-containing solid products, for example fresh meat, cream cheese, etc. The fresh products are indeed supported by the perforated base A of the feed F and the liquid emerging from these products flows through the holes in the base A of the feed F in the space D and remains out of sight. This bowl offers the great advantage of always presenting the goods in a clean manner and thus a pleasant presentation.

In this packaging, the lining F is attached to the outer casing by spot welding or gluing F. And once the cover C is welded to the lining F, the meat or cheese-containing bag thus formed can be removed from the outer casing I and placed in a refrigerator for storage, while the outer casing I, which contains the meat or meat the dripping liquid has accumulated, is thrown away.

Figure 6 illustrates another feature that the packaging of the invention provides. In this case, two lining inserts F1 and F2 are inserted into the outer casing, which is why the shell formed in this way has three compartments L1, L2, L3. In these three compartments, for example, different types of goods can be accommodated, which together form a confection of a food product to be prepared at the moment, for example a pizza or the like. For example, the dough for the pizza could be placed in compartment L3, the fresh ones in compartment L2 Put the tomatoes and the mozzarella or the like in the compartment L1. Of course, the two lining inserts F1 and F2 are welded together with the cover C, as a result of which a double compartment bag which can be removed from the outer casing I would result.

Obviously, the cover C can be welded to the chuck F using any technique used today, such as hot welding, ultrasonic welding, high frequency welding, etc., and using materials compatible with these types of welding.

The packaging according to the invention also enables the packaging of goods in a completely automatic manner by using a form-forming station for the outer casings, followed by a station for attaching the lining insert, as shown schematically for example in FIGS. 4A and 4B, then a filling station for the goods to be packaged and finally, a welding station for welding the cover, such as the one shown schematically in FIG. 4C, provides.

• besteht sie vorwiegend aus Papier, ist auch gegenüber Gas abdichtend verschließbar (das eventuelle Kunststoffmaterial ist von der rückführbaren Art), weshalb umweltfreundliche Entsorgung der Verpackung möglich ist;
• kann sie Flüsssigkeit enthaltende, feste Nahrungsmittelprodukte aufnehmen, ohne dabei die Präsentierung der enthaltenen Ware zu beeinträchtigen;
• kann eine Konfektion ergeben, die zwei oder mehr verschiedenartige Waren enthält;
• ermöglicht sie das Verpacken von vorgekochten Speisen, die im Backofen, im heißem Wasser etc. zu erhitzen sind;
• kann sie auf vollständig automatische Weise einschließlich das Füllen hergestellt werden;
• bietet sie die Möglichkeit, mit allen gesetzlich vorgesehenen Beschriftungen und Werbeimagen, die den Inhalt feilbieten, bedruckt zu werden.

From the above it is easy to see that the packaging according to the invention offers many advantages that other currently conventional plastic packaging cannot offer, namely:

• if it consists mainly of paper, it can also be sealed with a gas seal (the possible plastic material is of the recyclable type), which is why environmentally friendly disposal of the packaging is possible;
• it can absorb solid food products containing liquids without affecting the presentation of the goods contained therein;
• can result in a confection that contains two or more different types of goods;
• it enables the packaging of pre-cooked dishes to be heated in the oven, in hot water, etc.
• it can be made in a fully automatic manner including filling;
• it offers the possibility to be printed with all legally required inscriptions and advertising images that offer the content.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated only in terms of a preferred embodiment in the form of a shell, it goes without saying that the packaging according to the invention all today in Commercially available packaging forms can include, because the inventive concept is expressed in providing an outer casing or a container with a lining and welding the cover element only to the lining and not to the outer casing.

Claims (16)

Liquid and gas-tight packaging, in particular for packaging food, characterized in that it comprises: - An outer shell (I), which has the necessary resistance to protect the goods contained therein; - At least one lining insert (F) made of flexible and weldable material, with which the inside of this outer shell (I) is covered; - a weldable or weldable cover (C), which is only to be applied sealingly to the lining insert or lining inserts (F), - This packaging consists predominantly of paper or the like. And the plastic that may be used is of the traceable type. Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the lining (F) is attached to the outer casing (I) in a detachable manner so that it can be removed. Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the lining (F) is permanently attached to the outer casing (I) so that the packaging can absorb toxic substances or the like in this way. Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the lining (F) is only partially inserted into the outer casing (I) in order in this way to form an intermediate space (D) between it and the container bottom. Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that several lining inserts (F) are inserted at different heights into the outer casing (I). Packaging according to claim 1,4,5, characterized in that the lining (F) can have a perforated central area (A). Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer casing (I) consists of a recyclable plastic. Packaging according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the outer envelope (I) consists of paper. Packaging according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the outer casing (I) consists of aluminum. Packaging according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the outer casing (I) consists of wood. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lining (F) consists of one or more paper foils. Packaging according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the lining (F) consists of a film laminated with paper, aluminum and possibly plastic. Packaging according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the lining (F) consists of a plastic film. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover (C) consists of a possibly transparent plastic film. Packaging according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the cover (C) consists of a film laminated with paper, aluminum and possibly plastic. Packaging according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the cover (C) consists of a film made of a weldable rigid material.

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