FR2698080A1 - Sandwich packaging case - includes fluted opposite faces closed by end flaps with flutings of same form and direction - Google Patents

Abstract

The packaging case is made from a thin semi rigid sheet having an opening closed by flaps (5). It has two opposite faces (1,2) which have flutings (3).The flaps (5) are an extension of these faces (1,2) and have flutings of the same form and same direction as the flutings (3). The folding line (7) is curved so as to give the opposite faces, after folding the flaps, a convex form and the flaps a concave form allowing the automatic fastening of the ends. Flutings on opposite faces are displaced on one half relative to the edge folding lines (4) to allow correct fitting of the flutes when the case is flat. USE - Packaging and preserving sandwiches.

Description

The invention relates to a packaging for sandwiches or similar products re-read from a thin semi-rigid fluted sheet.
The development of fast food using waste packaging7 poses many problems; with regard to packaging7 in particular, there is the problem of recycling, biodegradability, the volume of waste produced, the economy of the materials consumed; but also the problem of their implementation within the framework of the procedures in force in restaurants; since the use of boxes has been eliminated in the great American channels, they have generally been replaced by simple sheets of paper which are not entirely satisfactory; in particular because the sandwich is crushed inside when the paper is folded and there is then no ventilation of the contents. On the other hand, paper cups are known having grooves on the edges in which one and small ovens; but this packaging design does not make it possible to obtain a packaging which is sufficiently closed to preserve the content of external pollution.

The object of the invention is to provide a packaging solution for sandwiches which combines the advantages of the packaging which we have just described without having the disadvantages.

Fig.1 shows the case according to the invention when it is flat with flaps at each end
Fig.2 shows a variant of the case according to lSinvention when it is flat with a closed end and wall with flaps.

Fig3 shows the case according to the invention when it is in shape.

Fig.11 shows a perspective view of a case according to the invention.

Fig.12 shows a perspective view of a detail of the grooves of the upper and lower faces of the case and their connection with those of the grooved flaps before their shaping.

Fig. 13 shows the folded case according to the invention.

Fig.14 shows the case in a preferred version of the invention.

The invention consists in manufacturing a case Fig. 37 from a semi-rigid thin sheet previously wavy; the case Fig.3 when it is in shape7 consists of two side walls Ci and (R) forming sectors of cylinders whose generatrices are parallel to the grooves (3) of the semi-rigid thin sheet; the side walls (1) and (2) are 7 for example, naturally linked together by the continuity of the sheet which is simply folded at the junction (4) of the two walls (1) and (2) 7 the convex shape of the walls lateral (1) and (2) is maintained by folding the flaps (5) 7 located at the ends (6) of the lateral faces (1) and (2) 7 along curved fold lines (7) which give the flaps ( 5) a concave shape when folded; the edge (8) Fig. 1 and
Fig.2 of the flaps is generally cut out so that, when they are in place Fig.3, the end (8) is inside the surface delimited by the fold line (9) of the flap ( 10) located opposite; the pliaye line (7)
Fig.1 or Fig.2 is made by simple creasing according to the traditional techniques used in the forming of cardboard. In a variant of the invention, one of the ends (11) Fig.2 of the case is already closed7 for example by gluing7 but can also be deformed to form a concave bottom as previously along fold lines (12) curves; this simplifies the gestures when opening the case insofar as a simple pressure at the level of the junction lines (12) of the side walls (13) makes it possible to form the bottom. When the case is empty
Fig.17 the flaps (5) are in the extension of the side walls (1) and (2) and the case can be flattened to take up less space; it is preferable under these conditions that the grooves (3) can fit into each other; in the event that the case is made from a sheet whose grooves have a continuous sinusoidal shape, it is imperative to locate the fold (4) 7 separating the two side walls (1) and (2) 7 at the level change in the direction of curvature of the sinusoid; in these conditions the grooves (3) of the two walls (1) and (2) fit perfectly together. In a variant of the invention, at least one of the ends (8) Fig.3 of the case has fold lines flaps (5) which have a precut allowing the user to detach the flaps (5) when the case is opened in order to improve access to the interior of the case; more particularly7 when the case includes a sandwich7 it suffices to partially protrude the latter from the case in order to be able to consume it easily due to the concave shape of the cutout of the end of the case.

This packaging is particularly suitable for products whose height is less than 50% of the width of the object to be packaged taken perpendicular to the direction of the grooves in the case.

When the object to be packaged has a height which approximates its width7 the deformation of the package that we have just described becomes very important unless the width (14) Fi is considerably increased. side faces (1) and (2); to find a reasonable shape, you need a ratio between the width (14) Fig.1 of the side faces (1) and (2) of the case and the maximum distance (15) between the side walls (1) and (2) when the case is shaped7 of the order of 2 But in this case it is easier to keep evolving the design of the case.

The case then consists of a body (101) of substantially parallelepiped shape having an upper face (102) and a lower face (103) grooved; two opposite side faces (104) consist of a semi-rigid sheet, preferably not grooved, and the last two faces constitute openings (105); the openings (105) consist of flaps (107) and (106) which extend on both sides the lower faces (lOoi and upper (102) and flaps (108) which extend the sides the lateral sides (104) as they would in a traditional case; the grooves (109) of the semi-rigid sheet of the upper (102) and lower (103) faces have a sinusoidal shape taken in the direction perpendicular to the opposite lateral faces (104) and the pitch (110) Fig. 12 of the grooves is for cases in common use of the order of 2.5 to Smm between two grooves and the amplitude (111) of the groove from 275 to Smm. The flaps (106) and (107) can have a groove at their base as described above; this creasing can be straight or curved as we will specify below. In a variant of the invention the flaps (106) and (107) corresponding to the upper faces ( 102) and lower (103) have grooves (112) Fig. 12 which have the same shape if nusoidal than the grooves (109) but they are offset by half a step so as to be inverted at the height of the folding zone (114) of the flaps
(106) and (107) so as to create a zone of weakness allowing folding to avoid creasing; the Fiv there
Fig.12 and Fig.13 shows this device in its various aspects but the mime cases could instead include the simple creasing shown in Fig.l Fig.2 and Fig.3 for folding the flaps while remaining in the area of In order to clarify this aspect of the invention, when looking for example at the upper face (102) Fig. 12 above, we see that the grooves (110) consist of bumps (113) separating recesses (115) forming rectilinear grooves joining a flap (106) of the upper face (102) to the other; at the level of the fold region (114) of the flap (106) the gutters (115) become bumps (116) separating splines (117) placed in the extension of the previous bumps (113); the inversion takes place along a profile (118) which always retains the me-width to the face (102) considered and the me length of semi-rigid sheet; when the case is closed by folding in particular the flap (106), the grooves on the upper face (102) bend at the junction! 123) of the bumps (113) with the start of the recesses (117) of the flap (106 ) ;; the same principle is found for the flaps (107) of the lower face (103) 7 while the lateral flaps (108) do not have grooves like the faces (104) from which they originate in return for the area of folding (125) is offset from the folding zone (114) of the fluted flaps so that they do not come up against the flaps (108) when the case is closed. 109) of the upper (102) and lower (103) faces is such that when the case Fig. 13 is folded by folding the lateral faces (104) in the middle
(119), the upper (102) and lower (103) faces and
their flaps (106) and (107) and their grooves (109) and
(, 12) respective overlap each other without interlocking which implies that they are offset by a half step (110) relative to each other; this way of proceeding allows the grooves (112) of the flaps to be able to fit into one another when the case is closed at its ends after having been previously filled; the lateral sides are folded in such a way that the fold (119) is outside the upper (102) and lower (103) faces and not inside like a bellows because the thickness of the folded cases would increase .

In a variant of the invention, the fold (119) is offset on one of the lateral faces by a half pitch (110) upwards and by the other by a half pitch (110) downwards so that the grooves can nevertheless nest one inside the other in order to prevent the grooves (109) and (112) from being deformed during storage of the folded cases. To open the case, it suffices to press the faces lateral (104) Fig. 13 at the level of their median fold (119), fold down the lateral flaps (108) Fig. 11 from one of the openings (105) to lock the lateral faces in the unfolded position at the end considered, and then folding down the upper (106) and lower (107) flaps so that their grooves (112) fit into each other; -when the sandwich is introduced into the boot, the other end of the case is similarly closed; the grooves (112) of the flaps (106) and (107) constitute reinforcements of resistance of the case to crushing. The locking of the flaps (106) and (107) in the closed position can be ensured by various known means like tape or glue; as we described previously in the initial version, a preferred version Fig.14 of the invention makes the self-locking flap thanks to a folding profile (120) 7 between the upper and lower faces (121) and the flaps
(122) corresponding substantially in the shape of an arc of a circle; this folding profile (120) tends to cause the faces to bulge
(121) which substantially take the form of a portion of a convex cylinder, while the flaps (122) take them
the shape of a concave cylinder portion and lock in position as soon as they are folded over one another. As described above, the fold profile r120) Fig. 14 of the flaps (12 or the fold line (114) Fi. Of the flaps (106) and that (125) of the side flaps (108), may include a precut allowing the consumer to cut the flaps after opening the case, so as to improve access to the contents of the case, and in particular to eat a sandwich while only partially removing it from the case which contains it. The presence of the grooves (109) and (112) limits the heat loss by conduction and the amplitude (of the grooves makes it possible to adapt the size of the case to variations in the dimensions of the product it contains; the presence of grooves also allows good ventilation of the sandwich bread and thus avoids too rapid softening. The semi rigid sheet used to make the case is pvrefXFence a paper of at least 45 grams per square meter preferably formed of a kraft long fibers to allow good maintenance ien folds after forming.The latter can title conform after humidification with steam of the paper followed by drying with a maintenance in the form; they can be formed continuously from reels using existing techniques for corrugated cardboard; the semi-rigid shaped sheet is then cut and grooved into blanks which are then folded and glued using traditional techniques to form the cases; but they can also be blind discontinuously shaped by stashes then cut and grooved to form blanks which are folded and glued as described previously by traditional techniques.

Claims (3)

Claims l-Case for the packaging of sandwiches, made from a semi-rigid thin sheet7 comprising at least one opening comprising flaps, characterized in that it comprises at least two opposite faces (1) and (2) or ( 102) and (103) which have grooves (3) or (112). ? - Case for the packaging of sandwiches, according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the flaps (5) or (122) are in the extension of the opposite fluted faces (1) and (2) or (102) and (103> and include grooves having the same shape and the same direction as the grooves (3) or (112) of the opposite grooved faces, and that their fold line (7) or (120) is curved so as to give the opposite faces, after folding the flaps, a convex convex shape7 and at the flaps a concave shape allowing the ends to self-lock. 3-Case for the packaging of sandwiches, according to the preceding claim7 characterized in that the fold lines (7) or (120) include pre-cuts. 4-Case for the packaging of sandwiches, according to any one of the preceding claims7 characterized in that the grooves of the opposite faces are offset by half a step with respect to the fold lines (4) or (9) of the edges of the case to allow correct fitting of the grooves when the case is flat.  5-Case for the packaging of sandwiches, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the grooves of the flaps are offset by a half pitch relative to the grooves of the corresponding faces in order to create in the folding region of the flaps a zone of weakness facilitating folding.  b-Case for the packaging of sandwiches, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the case comprises two non-grooved side faces (104) which may or may not have flaps (108) making it possible to package very thick objects. 7-Case for the packaging of sandwiches7 according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the fold lines (125) of the side flaps (108) have pre-cuts