WO1999026864A1

WO1999026864A1 - Packaging container for food product

Info

Publication number: WO1999026864A1
Application number: PCT/FR1998/002473
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean-Marie Linard
Original assignee: Sodiaal International - Societe De Diffusion Internationale Agro-Alimentaire
Priority date: 1997-11-21
Filing date: 1998-11-19
Publication date: 1999-06-03
Also published as: JP2001524424A; FR2771382A1; AU1244899A; FR2771382B1

Abstract

The invention concerns a packaging container (2) comprising a primary wall (6) and an aperture (4) adapted to be assembled by interlocking with the primary wall (6) of an identical container (2), the primary wall comprising projections (18) such that the aperture (4) can be assembled by interlocking simultaneously with the primary walls (6) of two identical containers (2). The container (2) comprises at least one secondary wall (8) adapted to be assembled by interlocking with an identical container (2) first primary wall (6).

Description

"PACKAGING CONTAINER FOR FOOD PRODUCT".

The present invention relates to packaging containers, in particular for food products, which once empty can be assembled together in the manner of a construction toy. WO-93 08888 discloses such containers. Each container has a mouth adapted to be arranged on the bottom of another container in coincidence with it. In addition, the bottom and side walls of the container are provided with slides adapted to cooperate with each other to assemble identical containers by means of these walls and the bottom. But once assembled, the containers are necessarily aligned with each other (in one or more directions), which makes the game unattractive.

Document DE-297 11007 also discloses a container comprising a mouth and a bottom, this container being configured to allow the mouth to be assembled simultaneously with the bottoms of several identical containers. However, this container requires for assembly that all the mouths are oriented in the same direction, which limits the possibilities of arrangement.

An object of the invention is to provide a container suitable for constituting an assembly play element of a different type and in particular offering a greater number of assembly possibilities.

With a view to achieving this aim, a packaging container is provided according to the invention comprising a primary wall and a mouthpiece adapted to be assembled by form complementarity with the primary wall of an identical container, the primary wall comprising projections so that 1 mouth can be assembled by complementarity of shape simultaneously with the primary walls of two identical containers, wherein the container has at least one secondary wall adapted to be assembled by complementarity of form with the primary wall of an identical container.

Thus, the number of possibilities for assembling the containers together is increased, which makes the game more attractive. In particular, the mouth can be assembled with one or more primary walls, and the primary wall can be assembled with the secondary wall or the mouth.

Advantageously, the mouthpiece is adapted to be assembled by complementarity of shape simultaneously with the walls of four identical containers.

Thus, the number of assembly possibilities is further increased.

Advantageously, the projections are adapted to cooperate with container faces contiguous to the mouth.

Advantageously, the primary wall comprises primary reliefs and the secondary wall comprises secondary reliefs adapted to cooperate by friction for the assembly of the primary and secondary walls. Advantageously, the primary reliefs are distinct from the projections.

Thus, the primary wall carries two types of relief, each type of relief being specifically adapted for fixing with the mouth or the secondary wall. We can therefore achieve in each case a good quality assembly.

Advantageously, the primary reliefs include primary studs and the projections include mouth studs surrounding the primary studs. Advantageously, the container comprises at least one tertiary wall adapted to be assembled by complementary shape to the secondary wall of an identical container. Advantageously, the tertiary wall includes tertiary reliefs adapted to cooperate by friction with the secondary reliefs for the mutual assembly of the secondary and tertiary walls.

Advantageously, the container has stiffening reliefs connecting to each other at least some of the secondary or tertiary reliefs, and extending projecting from the associated wall.

Thus, the mechanical strength of the wall carrying the stiffening reliefs is reinforced. In return, we can therefore reduce the thickness of this wall. Being a packaging container, it is therefore possible to reduce the cost price of the container.

Advantageously, the stiffening reliefs form a frame surrounding a free area of one face of a wall.

Thus, we have a privileged location to place a text, an illustration, a logo, a brand, etc.

Advantageously, at least some of the reliefs or protrusions are suitable for assembling the associated walls in a direction perpendicular to the walls.

Advantageously, at least some of the reliefs or projections have hollowed-out studs. Thus, during the injection molding of the container, it is avoided, if necessary, shrinking problems due to the withdrawal of the plastic. In addition, it reduces the amount of material required for the manufacture of the pot, which makes it less expensive. Advantageously, the container is intended for a food product.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the description which follows of two preferred embodiments of the packaging container given by way of nonlimiting examples. In the accompanying drawings:

- Figures 1 to 6 are respective front, right, left, bottom, top and rear views of a container according to a first embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 7 is an enlarged view of a detail D of Figure 3;

- Figure 8 is a sectional view along the plane VIII-VIII of Figure 7;

- Figure 9 is an enlarged view of a detail E of Figure 1;

- Figure 10 is a sectional view along the plane X-X of Figure 9; - Figures 11 to 13 schematically show different assemblies of containers according to the invention;

- Figures 14 and 15 are views respectively in partial elevation and side view of an example of container assembly according to Figure 1; - Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a second embodiment of the container; and

- Figure 17 is an enlarged view of a detail F of Figure 16. With reference to Figures 1 to 6, in a first embodiment, the container 2 is intended for packaging a food product such as a product dairy. This container is rigid and has the general shape of a hollow cube delimited by five flat walls and open on a sixth face constituting a mouth 4 of the container. The five walls include a primary wall which is in this case a bottom wall 6 opposite the mouth 4, two secondary side walls 8 extending opposite each other, and two tertiary side walls 10 s extending across from each other. The four side walls 8, 10 are contiguous with the mouth 4. They have rectilinear edges 12 which delimit this mouth, each edge being slightly thicker than the associated wall. The four edges 12 are coplanar and adapted to receive a thermo-bonded film for sealing the mouth of the container 4.

Referring to Figure 2, the four side walls 8, 10 and the bottom 6 each have a solid continuous planar internal face 16 of square shape. The adjacent side walls 8, 10 have two by two a profiled junction in an arc arranged in the extension of these walls to allow easy emptying of the container of its contents, for example by means of a spoon.

Referring to Figures 1, 3 and 7, the bottom 6 has on an external face four studs 18 extending projecting from this face. Each block has a general shape of a square truncated at a corner by a section 20 cut at 45 °. The four studs 18 are arranged symmetrically to one another, in rotation symmetry about a center of this face at an angle of 90 °.

On each square, two external rectilinear sides 22 closest to the side walls 8, 10 are arranged slightly recessed with respect to these side walls. Two other internal rectilinear sides 24 are contiguous to the cutaway 20. The sides 22, 24 of the studs 18 are parallel to the edges of the external face of the background. The truncated corner 20 of the squares is the one closest to the center of the face. The eight external sides 22, 24 of the four studs define a male shape adapted to come into engagement in the mouth 4 of a container identical to the container 2, in respective contact with the internal faces 16 of the side walls 8, 10 to produce a shape complementarity assembly and friction fixing. The edge 12 of the mouth 4 then abuts against the outer face of the bottom 6 to limit the penetration of the studs 18 in the mouth.

With reference to FIG. 11, in a first assembly, the bottom wall 6 of one of the containers 2 is fitted into the mouth 4 of the other container 2, the two containers thus being positioned one relative to the other. The four side walls 8, 10 of a container extend geometrically in the extension of the four side walls 8, 10 of the other container. With reference to FIG. 12, another assembly can be produced by means of three identical containers 2. For this, two containers 2 are joined by two respective side walls 8, 10 by assembling or not these walls. The containers 2 rest on their mouths 4 on a flat support, two pairs of side walls 8, 10 of the containers being coplanar. The bottoms 6 of the containers being directed upwards, coplanar and side by side, there is the mouth 4 of the third container 2 against these two bottoms 6, straddling them. Two side walls 8, 10 of the third container are coplanar with the pairs of coplanar walls of the first two containers. The mouth 4 of the third container then engages with some of the outer sides 22 and some of the sides internal 24 of the studs 18. The third container is in engagement with two studs 18 of each container and positioned with respect thereto.

With reference to FIG. 13, five identical containers are provided for a third assembly 2. Four containers are arranged resting on a flat support by their mouths 4. The four containers are ^' arranged in a square and joined by some of their walls side 8, 10, the other side walls being coplanar in pairs. The four bottoms 6 being coplanar, the fifth container is placed on the four bottoms, in the center of the square. The mouth 4 of this fifth container 2 engages with the internal sides 24 of a stud 18 of each container. In this arrangement, the cutaway 20 of each stud 18 provides space for the rounded junction associated with the side walls of the fifth container.

Each mouth pad 18 is hollowed out at its center where the outer face of the bottom 6 appears. At the center of each pad 18, the bottom 6 comprises a primary pad 26 of circular shape, extending projecting from the outer face of the bottom . Each primary pad 26 is hollowed out at its center where the outer face of the bottom appears. The four primary pads 26 are arranged symmetrically to each other around the center of the bottom at an angle of symmetry of 90 °.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, each secondary wall 8 comprises on an external face four circular secondary pads 28 extending in projection and hollowed out in their center. The secondary pads 28 are arranged symmetrically to each other around a center of this face. They are sized and arranged so that they can simultaneously penetrate into the four respective primary pads 26 of the bottom when the secondary wall 8 is attached to the bottom 6 of another container coincidentally with their contours. They are dimensioned to provide, when this assembly is carried out, a friction fixing of the two containers 2 to one another.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 6 and 9, each tertiary wall 10 carries on a external face a frame 30 of generally square shape, centered on this face and having four rectilinear sides 32 parallel to the edges of this face. This frame extends projecting from the face while being hollowed out at its center where the external face appears. With reference to FIG. 9, each corner of the frame is replaced by an arc of circle 34 extending over 90 °, the center of curvature of which is located at the geometric angle of the corner of the frame. Next to each circular arc 34 extends another circular arc 36 also projecting from the external face, this arc being concentric with the arc 34, of the same radius as the latter and arranged symmetrically with respect to the latter. this.

Each pair of facing arcs 34, 36 constitutes means forming tertiary studs. They are arranged and dimensioned to be able to receive the respective secondary studs 28 when a secondary wall 8 is attached to a tertiary wall 10 and to carry out an assembly by shape complementarity and a friction fixing similar to that of the bottom 6 to the secondary wall 8 Such an assembly is represented for example in FIG. 14. The rectilinear sides 32 of the frame 30 support the arcs of a circle 34 and in addition ensure the stiffening of the associated tertiary wall 10.

The aforementioned assemblies produced by joining the walls 6, 8, 10, as well as those obtained by fitting together a mouth 4 on 'one or more bottoms 6 can be obtained with four different angular orientations of the containers, spaced from each other by 90 °. The assemblies are carried out by bringing the associated walls and mouth in a direction perpendicular to the planes of the walls and the mouth. The containers 2 can thus be assembled at will in the manner of a game according to many possibilities. Additional accessories may be provided to complete the assembly consisting of receptacles 2. The accessories may be architectural elements such as part of the roof, door, window, etc. for the realization of miniature buildings, the containers of which constitute elementary modules or even bricks. The accessories may be members for the production of characters, the container 2 constituting the body of the character.

Referring to Figures 14 and 15, these accessories may include carriages 42 provided with wheels and adapted to be hung one after the other to form a train. Each carriage has a platform sized and arranged to be able to receive one or more receptacles 2 assembled to one another in an interlocking manner. The container 2 can be injection molded using polypropylene, a flexible and non-brittle material. This material can be colored. It may be opaque or translucent.

Figures 16 and 17 show a second embodiment of the container. Each mouth pad 18 has a general shape of a square. However, an outer quarter of the square adjacent to a corner of the bottom 6 is absent. From the middle of each outer side 22, a segment 50 extends towards the center of the square. The junction between the two segments 50 is constituted by an arc of circle 52 extending over 90 ° and whose center of curvature is directed towards the absent corner of the square. Each mouthpiece stud 18 is associated with another circular arc 54 extending over 90 °, concentric with the circular arc 52 and of the same radius, being arranged symmetrically with respect thereto. As before, the mouth stud 18 makes it possible to carry out the various assemblies between bottom 6 and mouth 4. The circular arcs 52 and 54 constitute means forming the primary stud ensuring the same assembly and fixing functions as the primary studs 26 of the first embodiment.

Of course, many modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the scope thereof.

The container may have a general shape different from those described, for example in a rectangular non-cubic parallelepiped.

Claims

1. Packaging container (2) comprising a primary wall (6) and a mouth (4) adapted to be assembled by complementary shape with the primary wall (6) of an identical container (2), the primary wall (6 ) comprising projections (18) so that the mouth (4) can be assembled by complementary shape simultaneously with the primary walls (6) of two identical containers (2), characterized in that the container (2) comprises at at least one secondary wall (8) adapted to be assembled by complementary shape with the primary wall (6) of an identical container (2).

2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the mouth (4) is adapted to be assembled by complementary shape simultaneously with the walls (6) of four identical containers (2).

3. Container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the projections (18) are adapted to cooperate with container faces contiguous to one mouth.

4. Container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the primary wall (6) comprises primary reliefs (26; 52, 54) and the secondary wall (8) comprises secondary reliefs (28) adapted to cooperate by friction for the assembly of the primary (6) and secondary (8) walls.

5. Container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the primary reliefs (26; 52, 54) are distinct from the projections (18).

6. Container according to claim 5, characterized in that the primary reliefs (26) comprise primary pads and the projections (18) comprise mouth pads surrounding the primary pads.

7. Container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the container

(2) comprises at least one tertiary wall (10) adapted to be assembled by complementary shape to the secondary wall (8) of an identical container (2).

8. Container according to claims 4 and 7, characterized in that the tertiary wall (10) comprises tertiary reliefs (34, 36) adapted to cooperate by friction with the secondary reliefs (28) for the mutual assembly of the secondary walls ( 8) and tertiary (10).

9. Container according to any one of claims 4, 5, 6 or 8, characterized in that it comprises stiffening reliefs (32) connecting to each other at least some (34) of the secondary reliefs or tertiary, and extending projecting from the associated wall (10).

10. Container according to claim 9, characterized in that the stiffening reliefs (32) form a frame (30) surrounding a free area of one face of a wall (10).

11. Container according to any one of claims 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 or 9, characterized in that at least some (18, 26, 28, 34, 36; 52, 54) of reliefs or protrusions are suitable for assembling the associated walls (6, 8, 10) in a direction perpendicular to the walls.

12. Container according to claim 11, characterized in that at least some (18, 26, 28) of the reliefs or protrusions have hollow studs.

13. Container according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it is intended for a food product.