(19)
(11)EP 2 965 997 B1

(12)EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45)Mention of the grant of the patent:
26.06.2019 Bulletin 2019/26

(21)Application number: 15396001.8

(22)Date of filing:  07.01.2015
(51)International Patent Classification (IPC): 
B65D 5/24(2006.01)
B65D 77/20(2006.01)
B65D 5/60(2006.01)

(54)

FOOD STUFFS PACKAGING AND A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME

LEBENSMITTELVERPACKUNG UND VERFAHREN ZUR HERSTELLUNG DERSELBEN

EMBALLAGE POUR DES ALIMENTS ET PROCÉDÉ DE FABRICIATION


(84)Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

(30)Priority: 07.01.2014 FI 20140008

(43)Date of publication of application:
13.01.2016 Bulletin 2016/02

(73)Proprietor: Jospak Oy
30101 Forssa (FI)

(72)Inventors:
  • Suokas, Jouni
    FI-31300 Tammela (FI)
  • Vikman, Kai
    FI-08800 Lohja (FI)

(74)Representative: Salomäki, Juha Kari Ensio 
Salomaki Oy Kankurinkatu 4-6
05800 Hyvinkää
05800 Hyvinkää (FI)


(56)References cited: : 
EP-A1- 2 441 696
DE-A1- 4 327 669
US-B1- 6 264 099
WO-A1-2013/002639
DE-A1- 19 654 230
  
      
    Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


    Description


    [0001] Invention relates to a food stuff packaging which comprises a space equipped with edges for the food stuff to be packed and at the upper edge of the mentioned space an attachment surface or an attachment edge in order to arrange a lid to be an upper surface of the packaging.

    [0002] Packagings with a plastic and metallic frame are previously known as food stuff packagings. Box-type packagings made of cardboard are also known but there is a laminated food stuff film on the surface of the cardboard used in them. The result of using this kind of laminated foodstuff film on the surface of the cardboard is that the cardboard is not accepted for recycling through the cardboard collection. Plastic and metallic packaging frames which are accepted for foodstuff usage can certainly be used and these materials can be recycled through the relevant recycling points but the frames manufactured of these materials have higher costs than the conventional cardboard frames.

    [0003] Further a food stuff packaging is known from the publication WO 2009/138786 which food stuff packaging has a bowl-like frame. A plastic film is formed to the cavity of the frame with the help of heating and pressure difference. The film is formed at the location of the bowl-like frame first in an opposite direction in relation to the cavity of the bowl-like frame with the help of a specific counter shape mould and pressure difference and after this at the following stage it is placed to the cavity of the frame with the help of pressure difference.

    [0004] The publications DE 196 54 230 A1 and DE 43 27 669 A1 disclose food stuff packing solutions with removable lid and removable film coating. However, the removal of the lid and the film coating is arranged from the one gripping recess. This arrangement is very hard to use, since when opening the packing lid, it is not easy to grip only to the lid from the recess, because the coating film layer lies just under the lid layer.

    [0005] The publication EP 2 441 696 A1 discloses a food stuff packing solution with removable lid from a perforated tear-off point, but not the removal of the coating film.

    [0006] The publication WO 2013/002639 A1 discloses a food stuff packing solution with complicated arrangement, where the lid and the film are separated from the frame. According to this solution a separate plastic ring, which comprises the film, the lid and the lip, is attached on the top of the packaging frame. This solution is different, complicated and expensive to manufacture comparing to the invention

    [0007] The fitting of the plastic film into the cavity of the frame in the above described way is difficult and slows down the packing process when the plastic film is formed first in the other direction with the help of heating and pressure difference and after that at the next stage in the opposite direction into the cavity of the bowl-like frame. This manufacturing method is not very advantageous because on the contrary all excessive and multiple working phases, which slow down the speed of the packing line, should be avoided in the packing process.

    [0008] In order to remove these disadvantages and in order to create a food stuff packaging that is manufactured of recyclable material, a new food stuff packaging has been developed in which the used materials can be easily separated and each material can be separately sorted to its separate recycling point. What has been presented in the claim 1 and in the dependent claims 2 - 4, is characteristic of the foodstuff packaging according to the invention.

    [0009] What has been presented in the claim 5 and in the dependent claim 6, is characteristic of the method for manufacturing a food stuff packaging according to the invention.

    [0010] The advantage of the food stuff packaging according to the invention is the fact that a frame made of conventional cardboard can be used as the frame of the packaging which frame can be arranged to have the desired cup or bowl form at least with the help of folds and such an upper edge can be arranged for it to which the lid can be attached. At the disposal moment of the package the cardboard frame and the food stuff film that coats it can easily be separated as well as also the lid of the packaging wherein all these are separate and each is made of its own homogeneous matter wherein they can be placed in their separate recycling points.

    [0011] In the following the invention is described more detailed by referring to the accompanying drawings in which

    Figure 1 shows a food stuff packaging.

    Figure 2 shows a packaging of the figure 1 when a lid is removed and the coating film is at its place.

    Figure 3 shows a cardboard frame seen from the top.

    Figure 4 shows a cardboard frame as a side view.

    Figure 5 shows a cardboard packaging frame being opened.

    Figure 6 shows a cardboard packaging frame being partly folded.

    Figure 7 shows a fitting of the plastic film into a space of the frame.



    [0012] A food stuff packaging is shown in the figure 1 which food stuff packaging comprises a quadrangular, bowl-like frame which frame forms a space 2 for the food stuffs and a lid 1 which is attached on top of the frame which lid can be detached in a conventional way by gripping the tear-off extension 3. The lid 1 is made of cardboard or food stuff plastic onto which the needed information can be printed.

    [0013] Figure 2 shows the food stuff packaging of the figure 1 when the lid 1 has been removed. Thus, the food stuff film 5 which is adjusted inside the frame can be seen which food stuff film is adjusted against the frame and the edges of which film 5 extend on top of the folds belonging to the edges of the frame. Of the foodstuff film 5 the part 4 extends over the edge of the frame wherein the mentioned film 5 can be removed from the frame by gripping the part 4. The film 5 also extends on top of the part 4 and because the part 4 has been perforated so that it can be detached along the line 14 from the rest of the edge part, then by gripping the film coated part 4 the film 5 can be easily removed.

    [0014] In the figure 3 a frame of the packaging made of ordinary cardboard and formed with the help of folds inside which frame a locating space 2 for the food stuff is formed when the mentioned space is coated with a food stuff film 5. With the help of the folds an attachment surface which surrounds the upper edge 6 of the created frame can be formed which attachment surface is at the same level in the whole area which forms the whole upper edge 6. The folding arrangement, with the help of which the planar upper edge 6 can be created, is shown in the figures 4 - 6. In the enlargement a hole 15 located in the edge part 6 is shown. The plastic film 5 can be placed over the hole 15 wherein the film 5 can be gripped at the location of the hole 15 and the film 5 can be torn away at it from the locating space 2 when the materials are separated for recycling.

    [0015] Figure 4 shows the packaging frame of the figure 3 as a side view. The frame comprises several folds wherein the folds are attached to other frame parts with glue when the needed frame for the packaging has gradually been folded by using the straight, cut to shape cardboard. If the lid 1 is a food stuff plastic film, it is attached to the attachment surfaces, in other words to the upper edges 6 of the frame with a glue qualified for food stuff use which upper edges already have a food stuff plastic film 5 as the first, attached layer. An alternative lid 1 made of cardboard is attached to the film 5 which is attached to the attachment surface of the frame correspondingly with glue.

    [0016] In the figure 5 the cardboard billet of a packaging frame is shown as a straight plate. The billet is cut at its outer edges to its final form. The out cut parts belonging inside the billet are shown with a reference number 7. All the other lines being inside the billet show folding lines. At the location of these lines either creasings or preliminary folds or some other shapings that control the folding have been made.

    [0017] In the figure 6 the billet of the figure 5 is shown slightly folded wherein the space 2 itself, in other words the cavity which is located inside the attachment surfaces of the upper edge 6 is already formed. The flaps 10 and 8, 9 and 11 and 12 and 13 are still not folded and must be attached with gluing of which flaps the flaps 9 and 10 are folded to the lower surface of the attachment surfaces of the upper edge 6 and the flaps 8, 11 and 12 are attached to the sides of the frame and the part 13 is attached to the bottom of the frame.

    [0018] In the figure 7 the fitting of the plastic film 5 from the slide to the cavity of the frame according to the invention is shown which cavity functions as the space 2 for the food stuffs. The movement of the film 5 is stopped when the packaging frame has moved to the locating station of the film 5 at which station there is heating/blowing tool 16 for the film 5 above the film 5 and a suction tool 17 for the film 5 underneath said film. Both the upper side 16 and the lower side tools 17 are both moved to have a contact with the film 5 so that the edges of both tools are squeezed a little bit against each other. The film 5 and the upper edges 6 of the frame will thus be squeezed.

    [0019] Hot air is blown towards the film 5 through the tool which is located above the film. Most advantageously hot air is blown already earlier before the tool is lowered to have a contact with the film 5. The suction is started through the tool 17 which is located underneath said film when it is lifted to have a contact with the upper edges 6 of the frame. The suction coming from underneath occurs through the cardboard which functions as the frame. This method eases considerably the removal of the air from between the packaging frame and the film 5. Even though in this case the tools 17 and 16 are discussed as tools that are located underneath and above said film, their positions can naturally be also in other directions in relation to the film 5 but however on the opposite sides of the film 5.


    Claims

    1. Food stuff packaging which comprises a space (2) equipped with edges for the food stuff to be packed and comprises an attachment surface or an attachment edge at the upper edge (6) of the mentioned space for adjusting a lid (1) to be an upper surface of the packaging, in which packaging a frame of the space (2) is formed of recyclable cardboard, and the frame of the space (2) is formed with the help of folds in such a way that the upper edges (6) of all sides of the frame are adjusted to be at the same upper surface level by means of the dimensions of the folds forming the frame and that the mentioned space (2) is coated on the inside with a separate food stuff film (5) which is turned to extend on top of the upper edge (6) that surrounds the frame, the food stuff packaging comprises a tear-off point (4) and the film (5) is arranged to be removed from the mentioned frame by gripping the tear-off point (4), and that in order to ease the removal of the food stuff film (5), the mentioned film (5) is arranged on to the tear-off point (4), characterized in that the tear-off point (4) extends over the upper edge (6) of the frame and is separated with perforation (14) from the upper edge (6).
     
    2. Food stuff packaging according to the claim 1, characterized in that the lid (1) is made of recyclable food stuff plastic or recyclable cardboard.
     
    3. Food stuff packaging according to the claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lid (1) is attached with the help of glue to the upper edge (6) of the frame onto the surface of the food stuff film (5) which is located at the upper edge.
     
    4. Food stuff packaging according to any of the claims above, characterized in that the food stuff film (5) that coats the frame is formed/stretched to have the shape of the frame.
     
    5. Method for manufacturing a food stuff packaging which comprises a space (2) equipped with edges for the food stuff to be packed and an attachment surface or an attachment edge located at the upper edge (6) of the mentioned locating space to which the lid (1) is attached to form the upper surface of the packaging, the frame of the space (2) is formed of recyclable cardboard and with the help of folds in such a way that the upper edges (6) of all sides of the frame will be located at the same upper surface level due to the dimensions of the folds forming the frame, and a tear-off point (4) is formed, and the mentioned space (2) is coated on the inside with a separate food stuff film (5) the edges of which food stuff film are extended on top of the upper edge (6) of the frame of the space (2) covering also the tear-off point (4), whereby and at the fitting stage of the film (5) the needed area of the film (5) is squeezed together with the upper edges (6) of the mentioned frame between the edge parts of the tools (17),(16) that are located underneath and above the film wherein through the tool (17) underpressure is formed between the film (5) and the frame and through the tool (16) at least the heating of the film (5) is arranged, characterized in that the tear-off point (4) extends over the upper edge (6) and is separated with perforation (14) from the upper edge (6).
     
    6. Method according to the claim 5, characterized in that underpressure is sucked through the mentioned frame between the film (5) and the frame of the space (2).
     


    Ansprüche

    1. Nahrungsmittel-Box, mit einem mit Rändern versehenen Raum (2) für das aufzubewahrende Nahrungsmittel, und ferner aufweisend eine Verpackungsfläche oder einen Verpackungsrand an dem oberen Rand (6) des besagten Raumes zum Festlegen eines Verschlussdeckels (1) als obere Fläche der Box, in welcher Box ein Grundrahmen des Raumes (2) aus recycelbarem Karton gebildet ist, und der Rahmen des Raumes (2) mit Hilfe von Falzen gebildet ist, derart, dass die oberen Ränder (6) von allen Seiten des Rahmens auf demselben oberen Flächenniveau mittels der Dimensionierungen der Falze eingestellt sind, die den Rahmen bilden, und dass der besagte Raum (2) auf der Innenseite mit einem separaten Nahrungsmittel-Gewebefilm (5) beschichtet ist, der sich oben auf den oberen Rand (6) erstreckend wölbt, welcher den Rahmen umläuft, wobei die Nahrungsmittel-Box einen Abriss-Punkt (4) aufweist und der Film (5) von dem besagten Rahmen durch Ergreifen des Abriss-Punktes (4) abzuziehen ist, und dass zum Vereinfachen der Beseitigung des Nahrungsmittel-Gewebefilms (5) der besagte Film (5) auf dem Abriss-Punkt (4) angeordnet ist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Abriss-Punkt (4) sich über den oberen Rand (6) des Rahmens erstreckt und mit einer Perforation (14) von dem oberen Rand (6) separiert ist.
     
    2. Nahrungsmittel-Box gemäß Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Deckel (1) aus einem recycelbaren Nahrungsmittel-Gewebekunststoff oder einem recycelbaren Karton gefertigt ist.
     
    3. Nahrungsmittel-Box gemäß Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Verschlussdeckel (1) mit Hilfe eines Klebstoffes an dem oberen Rand (6) des Rahmens auf der Fläche des Nahrungsmittel-Gewebefilms (5) befestigt ist, der sich an dem oberen Rand befindet.
     
    4. Nahrungsmittel-Box gemäß einem der obigen Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Nahrungsmittel-Gewebefilm (5), der den Rahmen abdeckt, so geformt/gedehnt wird, dass er die Gestalt des Rahmens aufweist.
     
    5. Verfahren zum Herstellen einer Nahrungsmittel-Box, die einen mit Rändern ausgerüsteten Raum (2) für das aufzubewahrende Nahrungsmittel aufweist, sowie einer Befestigungsfläche oder einem Befestigungsrand, der an dem oberen Rand (6) des besagten Aufbewahrungsraumes angeordnet ist, an dem der Verschlussdeckel (1) festgelegt ist, um die obere Fläche der Box zu bilden, wobei der Rahmen des Raumes (2) aus einem recycelbaren Karton gefertigt ist, mit Hilfe von Falzen, derart, dass die oberen Ränder (6) von allen Seiten des Rahmens auf demselben Flächenniveau auf der Grundlage der Dimensionierungen der den Rahmen bildenden Falze platziert sind, sowie mit Bildung eines Abriss-Punktes (4), wobei der besagte Raum (2) auf der Innenseite mit einem separaten Nahrungsmittel-Gewebefilm (5) beschichtet ist, welche Ränder des Nahrungsmittel-Gewebefilms sich auf den oberen Rand (6) des Rahmens des Raumes (2) erstrecken und ebenso den Abriss-Punkt (4) abdecken, wobei dadurch und beim Fertigungsschritt des Films (5) der benötigte Bereich für den Film (5) zusammen mit den oberen Rändern (6) des besagten Rahmens zwischen den Randteilen des Werkzeugs (17), (16) verpresst wird, die sich unterhalb und oberhalb des Films befinden, wobei durch das Werkzeug (17) ein Unterdruck zwischen dem Film (5) und dem Rahmen gebildet wird und durch das Werkzeug (16) zumindest das Aufheizen des Films (5) erzeugt wird, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass sich der Abriss-Punkt (4) über den oberen Rand (6) erstreckt und mit einer Perforation (14) von dem oberen Rand (6) separiert ist.
     
    6. Verfahren gemäß Anspruch 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Unterdruck durch Absaugen aus dem besagten Rahmen zwischen dem Film (5) und dem Rahmen des Raums (2) erzeugt wird.
     


    Revendications

    1. Emballage pour aliments qui comprend un espace (2) équipé de bords pour les aliments à emballer et comprend une surface de fixation ou un bord de fixation au niveau du bord supérieur (6) de l'espace cité pour ajuster un couvercle (1) pour qu'il soit une surface supérieure de l'emballage, dans lequel emballage un cadre de l'espace (2) est formé de carton recyclable, et le cadre de l'espace (2) est formé à l'aide de plis de manière à ce que les bords supérieurs (6) de tous les côtés du cadre sont ajustés pour qu'ils soient au même niveau de surface supérieure au moyen des dimensions des plis formant le cadre et que l'espace (2) cité est recouvert sur l'intérieur d'un film alimentaire (5) séparé qui est tourné pour s'étendre sur le bord supérieur (6) qui entoure le cadre, l'emballage pour aliments comprend un point de déchirement (4) et le film (5) est agencé pour être retiré du cadre cité en saisissant le point de déchirement (4), et afin de faciliter le retrait du film alimentaire (5), le film (5) cité est agencé sur le point de déchirement (4), caractérisé en ce que le point de déchirement (4) s'étend par-dessus le bord supérieur (6) du cadre et est séparé par des perforations (14) du bord supérieur (6).
     
    2. Emballage pour aliments selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que le couvercle (1) est composé de plastique alimentaire recyclable ou de carton recyclable.
     
    3. Emballage pour aliments selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce que le couvercle (1) est fixé à l'aide de colle au bord supérieur (6) du cadre sur la surface du film alimentaire (5) qui se situe au niveau du bord supérieur.
     
    4. Emballage pour aliments selon l'une quelconque des revendications ci-dessus, caractérisé en ce que le film alimentaire (5) qui recouvre le cadre est formé/étiré pour avoir la forme du cadre.
     
    5. Procédé pour fabriquer un emballage pour aliments qui comprend un espace (2) équipé de bords pour l'aliment à emballer et une surface de fixation ou un bord de fixation positionné au niveau du bord supérieur (6) de l'espace de positionnement cité auquel le couvercle (1) est fixé pour former la surface supérieure de l'emballage, le cadre de l'espace (2) est formé de carton recyclable et à l'aide de plis d'une manière telle que les bords supérieurs (6) de tous les côtés du cadre seront positionnés au même niveau de surface supérieure en raison des dimensions des plis formant le cadre, et un point de déchirement (4) est formé, et l'espace (2) cité est recouvert sur l'intérieur d'un film alimentaire (5) séparé, les bords du film alimentaire s'étendent sur le bord supérieur (6) du cadre de l'espace (2) recouvrant également le point de déchirement (4), selon lequel et à l'étape d'installation du film (5), la zone nécessaire du film (5) est pressée avec les bords supérieurs (6) du cadre cité entre les parties de bord des outils (17), (16) qui sont positionnés au-dessous et au-dessus du film, dans lequel, par l'intermédiaire de l'outil (17) une sous-pression est formée entre le film (5) et le cadre et par l'intermédiaire du film (16) au moins le chauffage du film (5) est agencé, caractérisé en ce que le point de déchirement (4) s'étend par-dessus le bord supérieur (6) et est séparé par des perforations (14) du bord supérieur (6).
     
    6. Procédé selon la revendication 5, caractérisé en ce qu'une sous-pression est aspirée à travers le cadre cité entre le film (5) et le cadre de l'espace (2).
     




    Drawing














    Cited references

    REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION



    This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

    Patent documents cited in the description