Container for food and the like

Abstract

 A container (1) for food products such as ice-creams, milkshakes or the like, of the type having a main body and, integrally to the latter, at least two closing members (51,52,53,54) of the top portion thereof, wherein a top port is obtained (6) apt to allow the insertion of a stirrer thus avoiding an opening of the container for the preparation of the product.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a container for food products, e.g., ice-creams, milkshakes, and the like, of the type having a body and closing members of the top portion of the container in which a top port apt to allow the insertion of a stirrer is obtained while avoiding the opening of the container.

[0002] In the field of cold food products like ice-creams, milkshakes or the like, the art is aware of the employ of containers having a separate closing member. Upon filling said containers with the product to be consumed, a closing member having a top port in order to allow the insertion of a stirrer is arranged obtaining directly into the former the prepared product, such as a milkshake or the like, being then directly served to a consumer.

[0003] These containers, though very practical, entail the disadvantage of requiring the provision of a cover member thereof, separate and generally made in thermoformable material. This entails the need to separately provide to a plurality of containers a respective plurality of cover members with an entailed increase in costs.

[0004] Moreover, there is a further disadvanteged related to the use of plastics for manufacturing said closing members, entailing an environmental impact for the disposal thereof.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to overcome said disadvantages of the containers of the state of the art providing a container for food products like ice-creams, milkshakes or the like, of the type having a body and closing members thereof made integral thereto, and in which a top port is obtained for allowing the insertion of a stirrer thus avoiding the opening of the container.

[0006] Hence, the present invention provides a container for food products like ice-creams, milkshakes and the like, of the type comprising a main body having a side wall and a bottom wall,
   characterised in that integrally to the main body it has closing means of the top portion thereof, the arrangement being such that when said closing means are in a closed condition it has a port at the top portion thereof for the insertion of a stirrer for the preparation of the product.

[0007] Hereinafter, a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the container of the present invention will be provided, given by way of example and not for limitative purposes, making reference to the annexed drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a partially sectional perspective view of a container of the state of the art;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a blank apt to make the container of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a partially sectional perspective view of the container of the present invention in an opened condition;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the container of the present invention in a closed condition; and

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the container of Fig. 4.

[0008] With reference now to Fig. 1, a container of the state of the art is illustrated. Typically, a substantially cylinder-shaped main body 1 having a side wall 2 with a bottom wall 7 (not shown in Fig.) is provided. The side wall 2 has, at the top end thereof, a curled edge 3 apt to snap-engage in a complementary annular edge 4 of a respective closing member 5. The closing member 5 has a top port 6 suitable to the insertion of a stirrer for the preparation of the product subsequently to the insertion of the latter into the container 1.

[0009] With reference now to Fig. 2, a blank 1 apt to make the container of the present invention once assembled is illustrated.

[0010] For simplicity's sake, same components will have the same reference numbers.

[0011] More precisely, the blank 1 has a plane surface apt to make the side wall 2 of the container 1 during assembly. At the top portion of the blank, edges 51, 52, 53 and 54 apt, once assembled, to make the closing member of the container 1, are provided. Onto the edges 51,52,53 and 54, weakening lines 510, 520, 530 and 540, as well as blank areas 550 apt to allow a precise and eased folding of the closing members subsequently to the filling of the container 1, are obtained.

[0012] Moreover, it is provided that among the edges 51, 52, 53 and 54 an area 61, apt to make the top port 6 following to the closing of the container 1 (better illustrated hereinafter), be obtained.

[0013] With reference now to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the container 1 obtained from the blank of Fig. 2 is illustrated. As it is apparent from the Figs., firstly the blank is arranged around a pre-set bottom wall 7. In this condition, the container 1 with the closing members lifted is made. Then, the container can be used to arrange the product to be consumed therein. Subsequently to the filling of the container 1, the edges 51, 52, 53 and 54 can be folded following the weakening lines 510,520, 530 and 540. This step is eased by the presence of the areas 550.

[0014] Upon folding the edges 51,52,53 and 54, the closing of the container, as well as a top port 6, is obtained in order to house the stirrer for the preparation of the product to be consumed.

[0015] It has to be pointed out that the arrangement of the edges 51, 52, 53 and 54 is anyhow such as to generate a seal, since the blank areas 550 lie coincidentally to the inside surface of the respective folded edges. Therefore, unlike the containers of the state of the art, the employ of a separate closing member becomes superfluous.

Claims

1. A container (1) for food products like ice-creams, milkshakes or the like, comprising a main body (1) with a side wall (2) and a bottom wall (7),
   characterised in that it has integrally to the main body (1) closing means (51,52,53,54) of the top portion of the container, the arrangement being such that when said closing means (51,52,53,54) are in a closed condition the container has a port (6) at the top portion thereof for the insertion of a stirrer for the preparation of the product.

2. The container (1) for food products according to the preceding claims, wherein said closing means are at least two closing members (51,52,53,54) integrally obtained onto the top portion of the container (1).

3. The container (1) for food products according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said port (6) is obtained by overlapping two areas (61) obtained between two adjacent closing members (51,52,53,54).

4. The container (1) for food products according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising four areas (550) obtained by die cutting onto the skirt (2) at respective folding lines (510,520,530,540) of the closing members (51,52,53,54).

Drawing