Improved packaging for frozen confectionery product

Abstract

 The present invention relates to a packaging for a frozen confectionery comprising a sleeve (10) and a lid (20), characterised in that the lid (20) is provided with a circumferential fastening zone (22) comprising a first surface (24) resting against the inner surface of the sleeve (10) in a region adjacent to its open end, and a second surface (26) obtained by folding down of a radially outer zone of the lid and resting against the outer surface of the sleeve in that same region.

Description

Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a packaging for a frozen confectionery such as an ice-cream cone and to a packaged frozen confectionery product.

Background of the invention

[0002] Frozen confectionery products are often packaged in individual portions. Common examples are ice-cream cones and also ice-cream cups or tubs. Ice cream cones comprising a wafer and an ice-cream filling are typically wrapped in a cone-shaped sleeve which is most commonly made of a paper and aluminium foil laminate substrate rolled into a cone shape with a tip at one end and an open end on the other end. The aluminium foil in the sleeve provides a certain form stability and a moisture barrier. The open end of the sleeve is usually closed by a cardboard or plastic lid. The upper end of the sleeve is usually crimped down towards the centre of the cone to hold the lid to the product.

[0003] A typical packaging for an ice cream cone is disclosed in US2006/0157544. The sleeve is made from a polymer film and is crimped down to hold a lid.

[0004] It has become more and more important to provide a sustainable and recyclable packaging, and manufacturers would thus like to have sleeves that can be recycled easily instead of the present laminates. Another reason why one would like to replace the aluminium and paper laminate by another material is that it is preferred to have a packaging not containing any metal. During production products are checked for metal parts with metal detectors, and the aluminium present in the packaging of classical ice-cream cone sleeves makes it necessary to have a special equipment. The use of a packaging not containing any metal would allow the use of more simple and thus less expensive detectors.

[0005] However, paper or cardboard sleeves lack the shape memory provided by the aluminium in the usual composite sleeves, and cannot be crimped down for holding the lid in the usual way.

Object of the invention

[0006] It is thus the object of the present invention to provide a packaging for frozen confectionery products according to the preamble of claim 1 which overcomes the drawbacks mentioned above.

Summary of the invention

[0007] This object is achieved by the packaging according to claim 1.

[0008] The lid is provided with a circumferential fastening zone comprising a first surface resting against the inner surface of the sleeve in a region adjacent to its open end, and a second surface obtained by folding down of a radially outer zone of the lid. The second surface rests on the outer surface of the sleeve in that same region, so that the sleeve is clamped between the two parallel surfaces of the lid. A shape memory of the sleeve material is not required, as the lid is crimped around the sleeve in the circumferential fastening zones. The choice of possible materials for the sleeve is thus much bigger than with the common fastening techniques.

[0009] The positioning and fixing of the lid on the sleeve is very convenient and only relatively simple tools are necessary for assembly. Due to the circumferential fastening zones with the two surfaces, the lid will always be well-aligned and will neither bend nor fold nor be inclined with respect to the sleeve. The product contained in the sleeve is therefore well protected and will not be damaged by a lid touching its upper part.

[0010] The packaging can of course not only be used for frozen confectionery products, but also for other food products, especially frozen or chilled products which need a moisture-tight packaging.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sleeve is made of flexible materials such as paper, cardboard, plastic films or composites. Paper or cardboard are renewable materials and they can be recycled. They are thus often perceived to have a reduced impact on the environment.

[0012] Depending on the material used, the sleeve can have different additional optical and / or functional features. It can for example be provided with a transparent window or even be completely transparent or it can have a smooth or an irregular surface provided with embossings, engravings or any kind of 3-dimensional structure. The sleeve can also carry a perfume, for example an aroma relating to the flavour of the frozen confectionery contained.

[0013] The lid is preferably made of a plastic material and can be partly or completely transparent, colored or carry a print. Typical plastic materials are polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polylactic acid (PLA). The lid can also contain a central part made of paper or cardboard with only the fastening zone consisting of a plastic material. Other material combinations are also possible.

[0014] The first and the second surface can extend over the complete circumference of the lid, so that the sleeve is held between the two surfaces over its complete circumference. Such a design has the advantage that the pressure is well distributed and one obtains thus a solid fixation of the lid on the sleeve without the risk of the sleeve being deformed.

[0015] Alternatively, several first and second surfaces can alternate with cut-out zones, so that only certain zones of the upper end of the sleeve are squeezed between the two surfaces of the lid.

[0016] Such a design provides an easy opening of the packaging. Furthermore, it gives an unusual aspect to the packaging, and the cut-out zones can help to differentiate the products from other packaged frozen confectionery products.

[0017] The lid can furthermore be provided with an articulation allowing it to be folded into two parts, so that the packaging can be opened partly by folding the lid along the articulation. In this case the articulation will preferably lie in the area of the cut-out zones to allow for an easy folding of the lid. Such a lid is particularly suitable for cup-like packagings containing a product to be eaten with a spoon.

[0018] According to a further preferred embodiment the lid comprises an annular groove extending radially inwards of the first surface. The main surface of the lid can then extend in the plane of the open end of the sleeve or even above, and the outer wall of the annular groove corresponds to the first surface resting against the inner surface of the sleeve. The advantage is a more attractive design, and an increase of the volume available for the frozen confectionery which is packaged.

[0019] As already mentioned above, the sleeve can have the shape of a cone, but it can also have the shape of a truncated cone or a cup. The cross section of the sleeve and thus of the lid is preferably circular, but an elliptic or even square or rectangular cross section, preferably with rounded corners, is also possible.

[0020] The present invention is also directed to a packaged frozen confectionery product which comprises a packaging according as described above and a frozen confectionery product contained therein. The frozen confectionery product can be an ice-cream cone, bulk ice cream, or any other frozen dessert.

Figures

[0021] The present invention is further described hereinbelow referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 is a schematical view, partly a cross-section, of a packaging according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows different steps of a method of making a packaging according to the present invention

Figure 3 is a 3-dimensional view of a packaged frozen confectionery product comprising a packaging according to the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematical view of a packaging according to one embodiment of the present invention, the left part of the drawing showing a cross section, and the right part showing an outside view.

[0023] The packaging comprises a conical sleeve 10 (only the upper part shown in Fig. 1) which consists of a simple paper sheet rolled into a cone having a circular cross-section. The paper can be coated with a coating forming a moisture barrier. On the open end 12 (Fig. 2) of the conical sleeve 10 sits a substantially circular lid 20, so that the sleeve 10 and the lid 20 form a closed packaging.

[0024] The lid 20 is provided with a circumferential fastening zone 22 which is also shown more in details in Fig. 2.
Figs. 2 a), b) and c) show in three steps how the lid 20 is fastened to the sleeve.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 2a), the sleeve 10 is held by a socket 30 which is not the object of the present invention and will thus not be described in detail herein.

[0026] Fig. 2b) then shows the lid 20 which comprises a circular central zone (cf. 29 in Fig. 3) being surrounded by an annular groove 28 which is tapering towards the tip 14 (Fig. 3) of the conical sleeve 10. The outer wall of this groove 28 forms a surface 24 which extends in parallel to the sleeve 10. The lid 20 is placed above the sleeve 10 as shown in Fig. 2b) and then lowered (arrow A) until the surface 24 of the lid 20 lies on the inner surface 16 (Fig. 2a) of the sleeve 10 (Fig. 2c)). Finally, the radially outer part of the lid 20 is folded down using a suitable tool as indicated by arrow B (Fig. 2b) until a second surface 26 rests on the outer surface 18 (Fig. 2a) of the sleeve 10. Fig. 2c) and Fig. 1 show the final state with an upper zone of the sleeve 10 being clamped between the first surface 24 and the second surface 26 of the lid 20. The two surfaces 24, 26 are linked by a small horizontal rim 25 which prevents the lid 20 from sliding downwards.

[0027] The sleeve material does not need to have a shape memory and can thus be paper or cardboard or other flexible material such as a plastic film comprising polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polylactic acid (PLA), whereas the material of the lid needs to have a shape memory, so that the second surface 26 remains in its folded position. A typical material for the lid 20, or at least for its radially outer portion, i.e. the fastening zone 22, is a plastics material such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polylactic acid (PLA). The central portion 29 of the lid (cf. Fig. 3) can either also be made of plastic or of another material such as paper or cardboard and can be engraved and/or printed.

[0028] Optionally, the fastening zone 22, in particular the part bearing the second surface 26, can have a decorative shape and can for example terminate in a toothed or ondulated line.

[0029] Fig. 3 shows an embodiment where the inner surface 24 is not continuous over the whole circumference, but is interrupted by cut-out zones 25. The sleeve 10 will thus only be clamped between the two surfaces 24, 26 of the lid in certain zones, whereas in the cut-out zones 25 only the outer second surface 26 lies on the sleeve, but not pressure is applied from the inside. As already mentioned above, this allows for an easy opening of the package and also gives an interesting aspect to the packaging.

Claims

1. Packaging for a frozen confectionery comprising a sleeve (10) with a closed end (14) and an open end (12), and a lid closing the open end (12) of the sleeve to form the packaging, characterised in that the lid is provided with a circumferential fastening zone (22) comprising a first surface (24) resting against the inner surface (16) of the sleeve (10) in a region adjacent to its open end (12), and a second surface (26) obtained by folding down of a radially outer zone of the lid (20) and resting against the outer surface (18) of the sleeve in that same region.

2. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve (10) is made of paper, cardboard, flexible plastic films or composites.

3. Packaging according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lid (20) is made of a plastic material.

4. Packaging according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first (24) and the second surface (26) extend over the complete circumference of the lid (20).

5. Packaging according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein several first (24) and second surfaces (26) alternate with cut-out zones (25).

6. Packaging according to claim 5, wherein the lid (20) is provided with an articulation allowing it to be folded into two parts, said articulation being located in the area of the cut-out zones (25).

7. Packaging according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the lid (20) comprises an annular groove (28) radially inwards of the first surface (24).

8. Packaging according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the sleeve (10) has the shape of a cone, a truncated cone or a cup, and the cross section of the lid (20) is circular.

9. Packaged frozen confectionery product comprising a packaging according to any of the preceding claims and a frozen confectionery product, preferably an ice-cream cone.

Drawing