FOOD PACKAGE

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a food package comprising a plurality of food products comprising granules that may get separated from the food product. The food package comprises a packaging box arranged around the plurality of food products and comprising a body and a cover, which body is provided with a bottom wall and first and second mutually opposed side walls, which bottom wall is interconnected with the first and the second side walls along edges of the packaging box formed on folding lines, therewith defining an inner space in the body for the food products. The inner space of the body is exposed at a top side for provision and removal of food products. The cover at least covers said exposed inner space of the body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Food products comprising granules that may get separated are for instance sugar cubes and cookies. These products are typically packaged in packaging boxes, and have granular elements that may get separated from the product during transport or storage.

[0003] Sugar cubes are a well-known product. Sugar cubes are typically made of refined or semi-refined crystalline sugar, which is produced from raw sugar in a plurality of purification steps known per se to the skilled person. The sugar granulate is reshaped into cubes by mixing with a binding agent such as water or egg white, and then forming the sugar into the desired shape, whereby it is commonly known that said desired shape does not need to be that of a cube, despite it being termed sugar cube.

[0004] After their formation, the sugar cubes are packed into packaging boxes. This packing process is suitably carried out when the sugar cubes may still be warm, in order to improve process optimization and reduce the risk of contamination. Typically, one filled packaging box has a total weight of around 1 kg, though larger or smaller packaging boxes are also quite feasible.

[0005] Individual sugar granules (i.e. crystals) may get separated easily, and moreover typically have a small size, which may allow them to get spilled from a package. This is particularly the case with packaging boxes in which no or hardly any glue is used. It is preferred in food production to avoid the use of glue so as to prevent any unintentional contamination of the food product with the glue. The use of plastic bags around the food products is moreover undesired, both in view of environmental concerns but also since it tends to reduce the packing density. An advantage of packaging boxes is the high density and the good stacking. As a consequence, there is a risk that granules that have gotten separated from the food product get spilled from the packaging box. This loss of sugar crystals may not only be considered as impractical and insufficiently clean by customers, but it also may attract animals during storage of the food product packages, for instance in warehouses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved food package of the type mentioned in the opening paragraph, which is less prone to loss of granules to an outside of the package.

[0007] According to the invention, this object is achieved in a food package as defined in claim 1. The food package comprises a plurality of food products comprising granules that may get separated from the food products during storage and/or transport; and a packaging box arranged around the plurality of food products and comprising a body that is provided with a bottom wall and first and second mutually opposed side walls, which bottom wall is interconnected with the first and the second side walls along edges of the packaging box, therewith defining an inner space in the body for the food products, which inner space of the body is exposed at a top side for provision and removal of food products. The packaging box is further provided with a cover, said cover comprising at least a wall covering said exposed inner space of the body. The body is further provided with at least one strip extending above said inner space, which strip is interconnected to a corresponding one of the first and second side walls along an edge of the body, wherein the strip touches the cover wall, in at least a portion of the strip and at least substantially.

[0008] US-A-4 738 365 discloses a container for storing a product and for holding it while it is heated in a microwave or a conventional oven. The container includes a tray-like box portion that is adherently sealed and secured inside a leakproof cover. A panel of the tray-like box has a tear-open access flap which may be tightly reclosed after being torn open and which is held in place by an interference fit between two spaced apart shoulders defined along a fold line where the access flap is joined to a reclosure tab.

[0009] GB-A-1912 20040 discloses a packet for holding a given number of lumps of sugar. The packet is made from a blank comprising a bottom, sides, and ends formed with flaps covering the tops of the lugs. Both top flaps are of a width equal to that of the packet, the outer one being secured by a tongue- and-slot connexion.

[0010] DE-U-94 13 813 discloses a single-piece paperboard form, suitable for the forming of a box for the aroma-tight packaging of tea bags.

[0011] DE-A-1 586 454 discloses a paperboard construction, consisting of a body and a cover.

[0012] US-A-3 572 576 discloses a frozen food carton formed out of a single blank comprising: a horizontally disposed bottom panel; vertically disposed and coextensive front, back and side panels hingedly connected to said bottom panel to form a rectangular tray portion defining a receptacle adapted to retain a commodity therein; a narrow flap hingedly connected to the top free edge of each of said front and side panels, each of said flaps having a vertical width substantially less than the vertical width of each of said front, back and side panels; and a rectangular and impervious cover panel hingedly connected to a top, free edge of said back panel and having outer corners defined by three straight intersecting free edges and further having a length and a width substantially the same as the respective length and width of said bottom panel to be coextensive therewith, said cover panel superimposed over all of said narrow flaps and adhesively secured solely to said narrow flaps to form a tightly sealed carton closure.

[0013] GB-A-1 256 801 discloses a method of making a carton of a single blank of sheet material, by folding and joining the blank into an open-ended tube comprising a front, bottom, rear, and top of the carton, and thereafter closing ends of the carton by further parts of the blank, the join in the circumference of the tube being formed by an edge part of the blank gripped by two other parts of the blank, so that the carton can be opened by withdrawing the said edge part from the two other parts and lifting the entire top as part of a lid hinged to the remainder of the carton.

[0014] It has been observed by the inventors in investigations leading to the present invention that the leakage of granules can be reduced substantially when applying strips touching the cover wall. The touching configuration achieves this improvement without application of glue between the strips and the cover wall, and constitutes therewith a viable option in the art of the packaging of sugar cubes, cookies and the like.

[0015] The strip is configured to be elastically rotatable along the said edge of the body. Thus, it will assume a 'free' orientation when the cover wall is not present. In such a free orientation, the strip encloses an angle with a plane parallel to the bottom wall in the range of 10 to 50 degrees, preferably from 15 to 45 degrees, for instance 20 to 45 degrees, more preferably from 25 or 30 to 40 degrees. However, upon assembly, the cover wall should be - at least substantially - in contact with the strip, or at least a portion thereof. The cover then applies a counterforce to the strip, such that the strip is rotated in downward direction. The strip thus operates spring-wise. The elasticity is therein set by the choice of material of the body, as well as by the formation of the edge along which rotation occurs. If the cover is removed, the strip will - in evidence of its spring-wise operation - rotate back towards its original configuration, i.e. its original 'free' orientation. In doing so, the strip will typically - and in function of the choice of material of the body and the edge formation - rotate back over at least one third of the degrees of the angle it originally had before the cover was put into contact with the strip during assembly. Preferably, the strip will rotate back over at least half of the degrees of the angle it originally had, most preferably over at least two-thirds or even over at least three quarters of the degrees of the angle it originally had.

[0016] According to the invention, the body edge is formed as a scored line. More particularly, the said body edge is scored from the outside of the body, such that the body can be bent inwards. The term 'scored' is used herein in its usual meaning of having an indentation for the purpose of providing a line along which folding can take place. It is preferred that the body edge forms a scored line that is continuously scored along the entire length of the "body edge" to the extent that it serves as a rotation axis. However, it is not excluded that the scored line would be limited to portions thereof, and/or is combined with local incisions that rupture the surface structure.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment the strip extends along the entire length of a side wall. Also, a plurality of short strips could be applied rather than one strip. Alternatively, the strip may be limited to a specific portion that may be most sensitive for leakage.

[0018] According to the invention, the body is made of paperboard comprising a plurality of layers and the scored line is configured so as to rupture a first of said layers of the paperboard. This has turned out an effective manner of obtaining the intended elasticity. More preferably, the paperboard has an asymmetrical layer stack, wherein the inner and the outer layer of the paperboard are different. The outer layer is in this embodiment suitably more rigid than the inner layer. The scored line is therewith able to reduce the rigidity of the paperboard to a level needed for the intended elasticity. In again a further embodiment, the paperboard comprises a layer that is water-impermeable, so as to reduce the diffusion of humidity through the food package. Such coatings are typically provided as an outer layer (i.e. at the outside or at the inside of the paperboard) and are known per se. Alternatively or additionally, the cover may be provided with such a water-impermeable layer. The term 'water-impermeable layer' is herein used to indicate a material that significantly limits flow of humidity (water) through the package.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, strips are present on two side walls of the body, more preferably on three side walls. In a further preferred embodiment, strips are present on all side walls of the body, i.e. each of them is interconnected with a corresponding side wall along a body edge. This body edge is arranged to constitute a score line. If the first and the second side wall do not have the same size, it may be appropriate that the score depth and/or score pattern (along the entire length or only along certain portions) is different for the first side wall and the second side wall. For sake of completeness, it is added that merely a portion of the strips may touch the cover wall, for instance in view of the upwards free orientation of the strips. Also, it is not excluded that some minor gap remains between strip and cover wall, for instance in the micron range, or that some local gaps would exist.

[0020] Most preferably, in such a situation, the side edges of the strip are oriented obliquely. More formally, those side edges extend between the body edge and a main edge extending substantially parallel to the body edge. Suitably, the said side edge and the body edge enclose an angle smaller than 45 degrees. This prevents that the corners of adjacent strips would overlap. Such overlap is undesired, as it would hamper the elasticity of the strips, increasing the risk of leakage.

[0021] In again a further embodiment, an access window is defined in a strip, so as to facilitate access to the food product by a user. Such an access window is most beneficial in combination with the preferred cover of the invention, which is provided with an opening panel extending on the cover wall and a front side wall of the cover. However, it may also be applied in combination with other covers. In fact, it is an advantage of the invention, that a variety of covers may be applied without increasing significantly a leakage risk. This variability of the cover applies both to the cover design as to the material of the cover.

[0022] Examples of cover materials include paperboard, both embodied as a single layer and as multiple layers, synthetic polymer materials such as polyethylene (typically LDPE or HDPE) and polypropylene, as well as multiple layers thereof. The outside of the cover is suitably provided with an image for marketing purposes. Preferably, the cover is made from the same material as is the body.

[0023] Examples of cover designs are a cover having a cover wall and first and second mutually opposed side walls; a cover based on a cover wall and a bottom walls and a first pair of side walls, suitably fixed to each other, which can be wrapped around the body. Such a cover design does not need to have a second pair of side walls, although such side walls may be present as flaps to be bent and suitably fixed to the body after the wrapping. Other designs known to the skilled person as well as variations thereof may be used alternatively. The advantage of using a separate cover can be that if the cover will be printed with an image, the body does not need to be printed. However, in a further embodiment, the cover wall - with any further side strips - is part of the body, i.e. cover and body are composed of a single piece of material.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the cover wall and at least the side walls extending along the longer edges of the cover wall (i.e. the first side walls) are composed of a single sheet of material. Preferably, said longer edges are defined as folding lines. In such a design, the advantage of an upwards curved shape of the cover wall lies at least in that the angle along the folding line is somewhat larger than 90° and also because of temperature variations during the packaging process. This occurs more particularly, if the sugar cubes are packed into the packaging box when still warm. The initial expansion of the paper box due to the heat dissipation for the sugar cubes may result in tolerance upon gradual cooling.

[0025] Preferably, the cover is provided with an opening panel extending on its top side (i.e. as part of the cover wall) and more preferably also extending to a first side wall. An image on the cover may indicate that the first side wall constitutes the front side wall of the food package.

[0026] While the food package of the invention is very suitable as a sugar cube package, it may also be applied for other food products comprising granules that may get separated during storage or transport. More particularly, the sugar cube package is intended for use with sugar cubes comprising a groove, such that an individual sugar cube may be divided by a user easily. This type of sugar cubes is sold by the present applicant under the trade names of Harde Klontjes™ and Morceaux Durs™. However, the present food package may also be used advantageously for cookies and biscuits that are conventionally packaged with an insert and often with a hermetically sealed layer of synthetic polymer. The sealing achieved by the invention allows packaging in high density and without risk of leakage that may be appropriate for such food products. It has the further advantage that it is preferably made from recyclable materials, which is beneficial from environmental perspective.

BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF THE FIGURES

[0027] These and other aspects of the food package of the invention will be further elucidated with reference to the Figures, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a blank of the body of the packaging box of the food package;

Fig. 2 shows a blank of the cover of the packaging box of the food package;

Fig. 3 shows a view in bird's eye perspective of the packaging box from a bottom side, wherein the bottom wall is made transparent / not shown;

Fig. 4 shows a view in bird's eye perspective of the body of the packaging box;

Fig. 5 shows a side view of the body of the packaging box,

Fig. 6 shows a view in bird's eye perspective of the packaging box, of which the opening panel is opened, and

Fig. 7 shows a view in bird's eye perspective of a further embodiment of the packaging box.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] The figures are not drawn to scale and diagrammatical in nature. Equal reference numerals in different figures refer to identical or corresponding elements. The food products are not shown in the food package, for sake of clarity.

[0029] Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of the food package, more particularly the packaging box thereof. The packaging box is constructed from two major elements, the body and the cover. A blank of the body 10 is shown in Fig. 1 A blank of the cover 60 is shown in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 6, the packaging box is suitably block-shaped with a cover wall comprising opening panel 68 on a top side and extending to a front side with a front side portion 65. Upon opening, portions 69 of the cover wall (61, see Fig. 2) remain closed. The opened opening panel 68 exposes an inner space of the packaging box, and also of the body (10, see, Fig. 1). The inner space is defined by means of a bottom wall 11 and first side walls 12 (see Fig. 1) and second side walls 16. The cover further comprises first side walls 62 (see Fig. 2) and second side walls 66. Glue may be present between the first side walls 12, 62 and between the second side walls 16, 66, so as to mutually fix the body and the cover. Fig. 6 additionally shows a strip 22, provided with an access window 29

[0030] It was found that a commercially available food package without such strip 22 showed leakage of sugar granules, particularly when transported over major distances, and/or stored in warehouses during a significant time span. This leakage is counteracted by the present invention. It is evidently desired herein, that costs remain low. For marketing reasons, it is beneficial if a packaging box does not need to change fundamentally in aspects other than those needed for implementing the present invention; it is an advantage of the present invention that this goal can indeed be achieved. In order to prevent contamination, any additional use of glue is deemed risky and preferably to be avoided. One solution could have been the sealing of the packaging box or a plurality of packaging boxes with an additional sealing layer, such as for instance made of polyethylene film. However, this is deemed undesired in view of cost and environmental concerns.

[0031] According to the invention, the body 10 is provided with strips 21, 22, as shown in Fig. 4 and 5. The strips 22 are interconnected to the first side walls 12 along body edges 23. The strips 21 are interconnected to the second side walls 16 along body edges 24. In the preferred embodiment shown in Fig 4 and 5, strips 21, 22 are present on all sides, i.e. along the four body edges 23, 24; however, this may not always be necessary. Moreover, the strips 21, 22 are present along the entire extension of the body edges 23, 24. This is preferable, but, depending on the situation and the requirements, may not be strictly necessary. In view of the construction of the cover and the body, it appears that the second side walls 16, 66 constitute the primary leakage path. Therefore, it is preferable, that the strips extend particularly along the body edges 24 to the second side walls 16, and more preferably, also along the body edges 23 in areas adjacent to the corners of the packaging box. More particularly, according to the invention, when the food package is closed the strips 21, 22 touch the cover wall 61. That is to say: the strips 21, 22 are in at least a portion thereof substantially in contact with the cover wall 61, without being fixed to the cover wall 61. This is achieved, in one embodiment of the invention, in that the strips 21, 22 are oriented upwards, in the sense that the main edge 25 of the strip 21, 22 extends higher than the body edge 23, 24. This is shown in Fig. 4 and particularly in Fig. 5. This higher extension occurs most prominently in the "free state", i.e. when the packaging box is open. When body and cover are combined into a closed package box, the cover wall 61 of cover 60 suitably pushes back, i.e. exerts a downwards force on the strips 21, 22. This pushing back is enabled in that the strips 21, 22 may rotate along the body edges 23, 24.

[0032] According to the invention, the rotation along the body edges 23, 24 is configured to be elastic. It is deemed that such an elastic configuration is highly suitable to obtain an intimate contact between the strips 21, 22 and cover wall 61, so as to minimize leakage. Moreover, this configuration is beneficial in combination with a cover 60 that is relatively flexible, for example in case cover 60 is thin. When using a relatively flexible cover, the cover 60 may have a somewhat concave shape. As a consequence, the exact vertical location of a small area of the cover wall 61 of cover 60 may slightly vary. By configuring the strip to be elastically rotatable along the body edges 23, 24, the strip (and particularly a portion close to the strip edge 25) will touch the cover wall 61 even in situations wherein the vertical location of cover wall 61 varies somewhat. Moreover, when the cover wall 61 is pushed down, for instance when a plurality of packaging boxes are stacked on top of each other, the strip 21, 22 may adapt its orientation.

[0033] The elastic rotation along the body edges 23, 24 is suitably implemented in that these body edges 23, 24 are embodied as score lines. The score line reduces the thickness of the body, and therewith generates a predefined line of rotation. The spring constant for the rotation may herein be chosen in lines with the needs. By means hereof, the strip can obtain an upwards orientation in its free state.

[0034] More preferably, the strip 21, 22 is configured to allow an elastic rotation around the body edge 23, 24, and to allow elastic deformation of the cover wall 61 and/or the strip 21, 22 relative to each other. The elastic rotation is a form of bending at the height of a connection piece (i.e. the body edge and/or an area around it), which is suitably fully elastic. Alternatively, the bending may be elastic within a range of angles. The spring constant is suitably large enough to withstand the force of gravity, and to provide a counterforce against the cover wall 61 of the cover 60. The elastic deformation of the cover wall 61 and/or the strip 21, 22 can be suitably arranged in that the cover wall 61 of the cover 60 is less stiff (more flexible) than the strip 21, 22 and more preferably less stiff than the connection piece (for instance the score line at the body edge 23, 24). This preferred embodiment enables that the cover wall 61 will obtain a shape that is conformal to the strip 21, 22 at a microscopic level.

[0035] Fig. 1 shows a blank of the body 10 provided with a bottom wall 11 as a central portion, and first side walls 12, and second side walls 16. The first side walls 12 are interconnected to the bottom wall 11 along edges 13, which constitute folding lines. The second side walls 16 are interconnected to the bottom wall 11 along edges 14, constituting folding lines. The edges 13, 14 are preferably scored to facilitating folding as known to the skilled person. The edges 14 extend along the first side walls 12. They constitute interconnecting edges between the first side walls 12 and side flaps 17. The second side walls 16 are most suitably provided with incision lines 161. Further incision lines 171 are present, in this example in the side flaps 17. After folding, the side flaps 17 may be inserted through the incision lines 161 so as to constitute a mechanical connection. The corners 162 of an inner portion of the second side walls may again be inserted through the further incision lines 171, so as to strengthen and flatten said mechanical connection.

[0036] Fig. 1 further shows the presence of the strips 21, 22 that are interconnected to the first and second side walls 16, 12 along body edges 23, 24. The outer edge of the blank is defined by a strip edge 25. Side edges 26, 27 extend between the body edges 23, 24 and the strip edges 25, which suitably (as shown in this example of Fig. 1) extend substantially parallel to the body edges 23, 24 and enclose angles α₁ and α₂. The angles α₁ and α₂ of the side edges 26, 27 on the strips 22, 21 on the first and the second side walls 12, 16 may be mutually equal or different. Suitably, the sum of the angles α₁ and α₂ is smaller than 90 degrees. Preferably, each of the angles α₁ and α₂ is smaller than 45 degrees. However, if the width (i.e. the perpendicular distance between the body edge 23, 24 and the strip edge 25) of the strips 21, 22 is mutually different, it may be suitable that one angle is larger and the other is smaller than 45 degrees. It is deemed suitable that the angles of the side edges on a single strip are substantially equal in magnitude (though opposite in orientation). Alternatively, the angles on each left hand edges may be substantially identical and the angles on each right hand edge may be substantially identical. Further variations hereon are not excluded, and may depend on the exact design of the packaging box.

[0037] Preferably, the width of the strips is chosen in the range of 0.3 to 1.0 cm, for instance 0.4 to 0.8 cm. The exact width clearly depends on the size of the packaging box. It is preferably chosen such that the strip 21, 22 touches the cover wall 61 within a two-dimensional contact area (rather than only along a single line). The width is moreover relevant for the mechanical behavior of the strip. More particularly, it is understood that the desired width is dependent on the stiffness of the material of the cover wall, on tolerances in the manufacturing process, the vertical distance between the edge of the cover wall 61 and the edge of the strips 21, 22 (where connected to the side walls 16,12), and the size of the packaging box. More specifically, if the cover wall 61 is part of a cover 60 or cover portion extending first side walls 62, then the width is suitably in the range of 4-10% of the width of the cover wall 61 between the opposed side walls 62. As is apparent from the blank, the first side walls 12 have a length that is at least twice that of the second side walls 16. However, this is an implementation open to design and also dependent on the package size.

[0038] Fig. 2 shows the blank of the cover 60 used in this preferred embodiment. However, it is not excluded that an alternative cover is used. A cover wall 61 is arranged as a central piece. First and second side walls 62, 66 are interconnected to the cover wall 61 along edges 63, 64, embodied as folding lines. The folding line 64 extends to the first side wall 62 is used a folding line with the side flaps 67. An opening panel 68 is defined, primarily in the cover wall 61, with a front portion 65 extending on one of the first side walls 12. A removal strip 75 is defined for facilitating the opening of the opening panel 68. The opening panel 68 and the removal strip 75 are defined on the basis of a partially cut lines 73A, 73B, 74A, 74B. The partially cut lines 73A-74B suitably have a dotted, a dash-dotted or a dashed pattern, i.e. with cutted portions and non-cutted portions. The cut portions may extend fully or partially through the material of the cover 60. It is suitable that the partially cut line 73A on the cover wall 61 has a different pattern than the partially cut lines on the first side wall 73B, 74A, 74B. Reasons may be both to prevent inflow of moisture into the packaging box, but also easy operation by a user. The partially cut line 73A is suitably less open (more closed), in view thereof that there is no underlying additional package layer.

[0039] Fig. 3 shows the packaging box in a bird's eye perspective from a bottom side. For sake of illustration, the bottom wall 11 is shown to be transparent. This figure illustrates how the strips 21, 22 touch the cover wall 61. Preferably, this touching occurs over a two-dimensional contact area, wherein the cover wall 61 and the strip 21, 22 are mutually aligned, therewith leaving no intermediate gap.

[0040] Fig. 4 and 5 furthermore show the body 10 in different perspectives. As is clear hereof, the strip 21, 22 extend upwards, at least slightly, so as to bridge any gap with the cover 60, and to ensure the presence of a two-dimensional contact area. Glue may be provided to the side walls 12, 16 so as to fix the cover 60 to the body 10. Such glue may be defined as a glue line on the rear side of the cover, and be activated thermally. The thermal activation may be provided by heat dissipating from food products, i.e. sugar cubes inside the inner space defined by the body 10. However, alternative manners for fixation of the cover 60 to the body 10 are not excluded.

[0041] Fig. 7 shows in a schematical bird's eye perspective a further embodiment of the packaging box in accordance with the invention. The box is shown in a state before filling with sugar cubes and before final bending of the cover wall 61 and related pieces 62, 66 for closing the packaging box. According to this embodiment, the cover wall 61 is integrated with body 10, in the sense that the cover wall 61 is interconnected to one side wall 12 of the body 10. The cover wall 61 and the other elements of the body (i.e. the bottom wall 11, and the side walls 12, 16, and the strips 21,22) are thus composed of a single piece of material.

[0042] As shown in this embodiment, the cover wall 61 is interconnected to the side wall 12 extending on the long side of the bottom wall 11. This side wall 12 defines suitably the rear side of the packaging box. However, it is not excluded that this side wall 12 defines the front wall of the packaging box, and that an opening panel is defined that extends both on the cover wall 61 and the side wall 12 to which the cover wall 61 is connected.

[0043] As is further shown in this fig. 7, the cover wall 61 is connected to side walls 62, 66. These side walls are designed to be aligned with the side walls 12, 16. Suitably, the side walls 12,62 and 16,66 are again glued or otherwise fixated.

[0044] Rather than that the cover wall 61 is interconnected to the side wall 12 and is part of the body, the cover wall 61 could be interconnected to a further side wall 62, extending parallel with and being assembled to the (rear) side wall 12, for instance by means of glue. Such a design minimizes paper consumption by leaving out flaps 67 (as shown in Fig. 2). This omission of the flaps 67 is enabled through the strips 21, 22, which protect the edges of the packaging box against leakage. Moreover, because the flaps 67 are left out, the box gets thinner on the sides, and any grooves between the flaps 67, the side wall 66 and the side wall 16 are minimized.

[0045] Tests were carried out with the improved packaging box containing sugar cubes supplied by the Applicant under the trade name of Harde Klontjes™ / Morceaux durs™. These sugar cubes contain a groove facilitating division of the sugar cube by a user. Use was made of packaging boxes of the invention and of known packaging boxes currently used by Applicant. Sugar cubes were provided into the package box directly after their formation in an amount of 1 kg. The embodiment of the packaging box as shown in Fig. 1 and 2 was used. The prior art packaging box had a substantially similar design, however did not have strips (21, 22). The packaging box was closed by means of glue on the first and second side walls. After storing, the packaging boxes were rotated over 360° several times, such that the cover went through a downwards-oriented position during each rotation. The amount of sugar granules leaking from the packaging box according to the invention was close to zero, and in this test at least 80% and mostly more than 90% smaller than the amount of sugar granules leaking from the prior art packaging box.

[0046] Thus, in summary, the invention provides a food package for a plurality of food products comprising granules, such as sugar cubes. The food package comprises a packaging box arranged around the food products and comprising a body 10. The body 10 is provided with a bottom wall 11 and first and second mutually opposed side walls 12, 16, therewith defining an inner space in the body 10 for the food products. The inner space of the body 10 is exposed at a top side for provision and removal of food products. The packaging box further comprises a cover 60 comprising a cover wall 61; cover wall 61 covers covering said exposed inner space of the body 10. The body 10 is provided with at least one strip 21, 22 extending above said inner space, which strip is interconnected to a corresponding one of the first and second side walls 16, 12 along an edge 23, 24 of the body, wherein the strip 21, 22 touches the cover wall 61, in at least a portion of the strip 21, 22 and at least substantially. The strip 21, 22 is suitably configured such that a two-dimensional contact surface exists between the cover wall 61 and the strips 21,22. The strip is suitably extending upwards in a free state, without counterforce from the cover 60. The body edge thereto is defined as score lines, defining a connection piece along which an elastic rotation or bending of the strip is feasible.

Claims

1. A food package comprising

- a plurality of food products comprising granules that may get separated from the food products during storage and/or transport; and

- a packaging box arranged around the plurality of food products and comprising a body (10) that is provided with a bottom wall (11) and first and second mutually opposed side walls (12, 16), which bottom wall (11) is interconnected with the first and the second side walls (12, 16) along edges (13, 14) of the packaging box, therewith defining an inner space in the body (10) for the food products,

- which inner space of the body (10) is exposed at a top side for provision and removal of food products,

- which packaging box further comprises a cover (60), said cover comprising at least a cover wall (61) covering said exposed inner space of the body (10),

wherein the body (10) is provided with at least one strip (21,22) extending above said inner space, which strip (21,22) is interconnected to a corresponding one of the first and second side walls (12, 16) along an edge (23, 24) of the body (10), wherein the strip (21,22) touches the cover wall (61), in at least a portion of the strip (21,22) and at least substantially, and wherein the at least one strip (21, 22) is configured to be elastically rotatable along the said edge (23, 24) of the body (10), whereby if the cover wall (61) is removed, the strip (21,22) will rotate back towards its original configuration, and wherein there is no application of glue between the at least one strip (21,22) and the cover wall (61),
wherein the edge (23,24) of the body (10) along which the strip (21,22) is interconnected to the side wall (16,12) is embodied as a scoreline,
characterized in that:

- the body is made of paperboard comprising a plurality of layers;

- said scoreline is configured so as to rupture a first of said layers of the paperboard.

2. The food package of claim 1, wherein the strip (21, 22) of the body (10) encloses an angle relative to a plane parallel to the bottom wall (11) in the range of 15 to 60 degrees, which angle is measured when the strip (21, 22) is not in contact with the cover wall (61).

3. The food package as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein all side walls (16, 12) are provided with a strip (21,22) extending above said inner space and touching the cover wall (61), in at least a portion of the strip (21, 22) and at least substantially.

4. The food package as claimed in any of the preceding claims, particularly claim 3, wherein the strip (21,22) is provided with a strip edge (25) substantially parallel to said edge (23, 24) of the body and with side edges (26,27) extending between said strip edge (25) and said body edge (23, 24), and wherein said side edges (26, 27) are oriented obliquely.

5. The food package as claimed in claim 4, wherein the side edges (26,27) and said body edge (23,24) enclose an angle (α₁, α₂) smaller than 45 degrees.

6. The food package as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein a first strip (22) is provided with an access window (29) facilitating access to the food product in the inner space after opening of the food package.

7. The food package as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of layers of the paperboard body (10) define an asymmetrical layer stack.

8. The food package as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the cover wall (61) is part of a cover (60) that is assembled to the body, for instance by gluing.

9. The food package as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cover further comprises first and second mutually opposed side walls (62,66), whereby the cover wall (61) is interconnected with the first and the second side walls (62, 66) along edges (63, 64) of the packaging box.

10. The food package as claimed in any of the claims 1-7, wherein the cover wall (61) is integrated with the body (10) and is interconnected with at least one of the first and second side walls (12,16) thereof.

11. The food package as claimed in any of the preceding claims, particularly claims 8 or 9, wherein an opening panel (68) is defined at least in the cover wall (61) by means of partially cut lines (73A, 73B, 74A, 74B).

12. The food package as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the food product is a sugar cube.

Ansprüche

1. Lebensmittelverpackung, umfassend

- eine Vielzahl von Lebensmittelprodukten, umfassend Granulate, die von den Lebensmittelprodukten während Lagerung und/oder Transport getrennt werden können; und

- eine Verpackungsbox, angeordnet um die Vielzahl von Lebensmittelprodukten und umfassend einen Körper (10), der mit einer unteren Wand (11) und ersten und zweiten einander gegenüberliegenden Seitenwänden (12, 16) versehen ist, wobei die untere Wand (11) mit der ersten und zweiten Seitenwand (12, 16) entlang von Kanten (13, 14) der Verpackungsbox verbunden ist, womit ein Innenraum in dem Körper (10) für die Lebensmittelprodukte definiert wird,

- wobei der Innenraum des Körpers (10) an einer Oberseite zum Bereitstellen und Entnehmen von Lebensmittelprodukten freiliegt,

- wobei die Verpackungsbox ferner einen Deckel (60) umfasst, wobei der Deckel mindestens eine Deckelwand (61) umfasst, die den freiliegenden Innenraum des Körpers (10) abdeckt,

- wobei der Körper (10) mit mindestens einem Streifen (21, 22) versehen ist, der sich über dem Innenraum erstreckt, wobei der Streifen (21, 22) mit einer entsprechenden einen von der ersten und zweiten Seitenwand (12, 16) entlang einer Kante (23, 24) des Körpers (10) verbunden ist, wobei der Streifen (21, 22) die Deckelwand (61) in mindestens einem Abschnitt des Streifens (21, 22) und mindestens im Wesentlichen berührt, und wobei der mindestens eine Streifen (21, 22) dazu ausgelegt ist, entlang der Kante (23, 24) des Körpers (10) elastisch drehbar zu sein, wobei dann, wenn die Deckelwand (61) entfernt wird, sich der Streifen (21, 22) zurück in seine ursprüngliche Konfiguration dreht, und wobei keine Anwendung von Klebstoff zwischen dem mindestens einen Streifen (21, 22) und der Deckelwand (61) erfolgt,
wobei die Kante (23, 24) entlang des Körpers (10), entlang dem der Streifen (21, 22) mit der Seitenwand (16, 12) verbunden ist, als eine Falzlinie verkörpert ist,

dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass:

- der Körper aus Papierkarton, umfassend eine Vielzahl von Schichten, hergestellt ist;

- die Falzlinie dazu ausgelegt ist, eine erste der Schichten des Papierkartons zu reißen.

2. Lebensmittelverpackung nach Anspruch 1, wobei der Streifen (21, 22) des Körpers (10) einen Winkel relativ zu einer Ebene parallel zu der unteren Wand (11) in dem Bereich von 15 bis 60 Grad einschließt, wobei der Winkel gemessen wird, wenn der Streifen (21, 22) nicht im Kontakt mit der Deckelwand (61) ist.

3. Lebensmittelverpackung nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei alle Seitenwände (16, 12) mit einem Streifen (21, 22) versehen sind, der sich über dem Innenraum erstreckt und die Deckelwand (61) berührt, in mindestens einem Abschnitt des Streifens (21, 22) und mindestens im Wesentlichen.

4. Lebensmittelverpackung nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, insbesondere Anspruch 3, wobei der Streifen (21, 22) mit einer Streifenkante (25) im Wesentlichen parallel zu der Kante (23, 24) des Körpers und mit Seitenkanten (26, 27) versehen ist, die sich zwischen der Streifenkante (25) und der Körperkante (23, 24) erstrecken, und wobei die Seitenkanten (26, 27) schräg ausgerichtet sind.

5. Lebensmittelverpackung nach Anspruch 4, wobei die Seitenkanten (26, 27) und die Körperkante (23, 24) einen Winkel (α₁, α₂) einschließen, der kleiner als 45 Grad ist.

6. Lebensmittelverpackung nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei ein erster Streifen (22) mit einem Zugangsfenster (29) versehen ist, der einen Zugang zu dem Lebensmittelprodukt in dem Innenraum nach dem Öffnen der Lebensmittelverpackung ermöglicht.

7. Lebensmittelverpackung nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei die Vielzahl von Schichten des Papierkartonkörpers (10) einen asymmetrischen Schichtenstapel definieren.

8. Lebensmittelverpackung nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei die Deckelwand (61) Teil eines Deckels (60) ist, der an dem Körper angebracht ist, beispielsweise durch Kleben.

9. Lebensmittelverpackung nach Anspruch 8, wobei der Deckel ferner erste und zweite einander gegenüberliegende Seitenwände (62, 66) umfasst, wobei die Deckelwand (61) mit den ersten und zweiten Seitenwänden (62, 66) entlang Kanten (63, 64) der Verpackungsbox verbunden ist.

10. Lebensmittelverpackung nach einem der Ansprüche 1-7, wobei die Deckelwand (61) in den Körper (10) integriert ist und mit mindestens einer von den ersten und zweiten Seitenwänden (12, 16) davon verbunden ist.

11. Lebensmittelverpackung nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, insbesondere den Ansprüchen 8 oder 9, wobei eine Öffnungstafel (68) mindestens in der Deckelwand (61) mittels partiell geschnittener Linien (73A, 73B, 74A, 74B) definiert ist.

12. Lebensmittelverpackung nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei das Lebensmittelprodukt ein Zuckerwürfel ist.

Revendications

1. Emballage pour produits alimentaires comprenant:

- une pluralité de produits alimentaires comprenant des granules qui peuvent être séparés des produits alimentaires pendant l'entreposage et/ou le transport; et

- une boîte d'emballage agencée autour de la pluralité de produits alimentaires et comprenant un corps (10) qui est pourvu d'une paroi de fond (11) et de première et seconde parois latérales mutuellement opposées (12, 16), laquelle paroi de fond (11) est reliée aux première et seconde parois latérales (12, 16) le long des bords (13, 14) de la boîte d'emballage, définissant avec celles-ci un espace intérieur dans le corps (10) pour les produits alimentaires,

- lequel espace intérieur dans le corps (10) est exposé au niveau d'un côté supérieur pour la fourniture et le retrait des produits alimentaires,

- laquelle boîte d'emballage comprend en outre un couvercle (60), ledit couvercle possédant au moins une paroi de recouvrement (61) qui recouvre ledit espace intérieur exposé du corps (10),

le corps (10) étant pourvu d'au moins une bande (21, 22) s'étendant au-dessus dudit espace intérieur, laquelle bande (21, 22) étant reliée à une paroi correspondante des première et seconde parois latérales (12, 16) le long d'un bord (23, 24) du corps (10), la bande (21, 22) étant en contact avec la paroi de recouvrement (61), dans au moins une partie de la bande (21, 22) et au moins sensiblement, et l'au moins une bande (21, 22) étant configurée pour pouvoir pivoter élastiquement le long dudit bord (23, 24) du corps (10), de sorte que, si la paroi de recouvrement (61) est enlevée, la bande (21, 22) pivotera en arrière vers sa configuration originale, et dans lequel il n'y a aucune application de colle entre l'au moins une bande (21, 22) et la paroi de recouvrement (61),
le bord (23, 24) du corps (10) le long duquel la bande (21, 22) est reliée à la paroi latérale (16, 12) étant réalisé sous la forme d'une ligne de pliure,
caractérisé en ce que:

- le corps est fait de carton comprenant une pluralité de couches;

- ladite ligne de pliure est configurée de manière à rompre une première couche desdites couches du carton.

2. Emballage pour produits alimentaires selon la revendication 1, dans lequel la bande (21, 22) du corps (10) forme un angle par rapport à un plan parallèle à la paroi de fond (11) dans la plage de 15 à 60 degrés, lequel angle est mesuré lorsque la bande (21, 22) n'est pas en contact avec la paroi de recouvrement (61).

3. Emballage pour produits alimentaires selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel toutes les parois latérales (16, 12) sont munies d'une bande (21, 22) s'étendant au-dessus dudit espace intérieur et sont en contact avec la paroi de recouvrement (61), dans au moins une partie de la bande (21, 22) et au moins sensiblement.

4. Emballage pour produits alimentaires selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, en particulier la revendication 3, dans lequel la bande (21, 22) est pourvue d'un bord de bande (25) sensiblement parallèle audit bord (23, 24) du corps et de bords latéraux (26, 27) s'étendant entre ledit bord de bande (25) et ledit bord du corps (23, 24), et dans lequel lesdits bords latéraux (26, 27) sont orientés de manière inclinée.

5. Emballage pour produits alimentaires selon la revendication 4, dans lequel les bords latéraux (26, 27) et ledit bord du corps (23, 24) forment un angle (α1, α2) inférieur à 45 degrés.

6. Emballage pour produits alimentaires selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel une première bande (22) est pourvue d'une fenêtre d'accès (29) facilitant l'accès au produit alimentaire dans l'espace intérieur après ouverture de l'emballage alimentaire.

7. Emballage pour produits alimentaires selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la pluralité de couches du corps (10) en carton définit une pile de couches asymétrique.

8. Emballage pour produits alimentaires selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la paroi de recouvrement (61) fait partie d'une couverture (60) qui est assemblée au corps, par exemple par collage.

9. Emballage pour produits alimentaires selon la revendication 8, dans lequel le couvercle comprend en outre des première et seconde parois latérales mutuellement opposées (62, 66), la paroi de recouvrement (61) étant reliée aux première et seconde parois latérales (62, 66) le long des bords (63, 64) de la boîte d'emballage.

10. Emballage pour produits alimentaires selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 7, dans lequel la paroi de recouvrement (61) est intégrée au corps (10) et est reliée avec au moins l'une de ses première et seconde parois latérales (12, 16).

11. Emballage pour produits alimentaires selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, en particulier selon les revendications 8 ou 9, dans lequel un panneau d'ouverture (68) est défini au moins dans la paroi de recouvrement (61) au moyen de lignes partiellement découpées (73A, 73B, 74A, 74B).

12. Emballage pour produits alimentaires selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le produit alimentaire est un morceau de sucre.

Drawing