FR2882989A1 - Thermoformed food stuff package for e.g. agro-food industry, has compartments comprising respective bodies at opening and covering sides and including covers constituting totality of outer peripheral surface of package - Google Patents

Abstract

The package has compartments (2a-2d) comprising the respective thermoformed compartment bodies (3b-3d) at the opening and covering sides. The bodies have a transversal section shrinking at the side of the covering sides. The compartments are disposed around a common axis, with the covering sides oriented radially towards the exterior. The compartments have covers constituting the totality of the outer peripheral surface of the package.

Description

4 (7 DUP.doc

  The present invention relates to thermoformed packaging such as those commonly used in the food industry for the packaging of food for example.

  Traditional packaging for the packaging of foodstuffs is known, comprising a thermoformed parallelepiped packaging body with an opening face sealed with a printed lid. Such a package is then placed in the shelves of the magazines by resting on the flat face opposite to its operculously open face.

  The printed seal of the packaging is therefore oriented upwards, and is therefore not very visible for consumers, who must lean over the packaging to distinguish the inscriptions. The packaging body itself is difficult to print, so that its front face directly apparent to consumers is not easily used for communication.

  It is therefore inappropriate to place such packaging at the level of the eyes of consumers in store displays without specific device for their holding with the lid in frontal orientation. Therefore, these packages are mainly arranged at a much lower height than that of the eyes of consumers so that they can lean over the packaging and read what is mentioned on the operculently opening face.

  The use of such packaging is therefore restrictive, for two main reasons. The first is that these packaging can not be arranged without a specific means at the eye level of consumers, height which, as everyone knows, is the most appropriate to hold the attention of consumers. The second is that the arrangement of these packages at a much lower height than the view of consumers, with the operculum facing upward, requires the consumer to lean over the packaging to read the printed seal. A remote visual identification of the product by the consumers is thus strongly compromised, which is an obvious disadvantage for the sale of a product.

  Another disadvantage of conventional thermoformed packaging is that they are difficult to print, except on their operculum, which is not the bulk of the surface of the package.

  The present invention aims in particular to remedy these drawbacks of conventional thermoformed packaging, by proposing a new thermoformed packaging structure comprising several compartments each having a thermoformed compartment body operculously open face, making 4c7 d) Il'.dac possible advertising communication on most of the outer surface of the packaging, for remote visual identification of the product by consumers.

  Another object of the invention is to design a new type of thermoformed packaging, the mention of the product of which is easily visible to the customer since it is printed on the major part of its external surface, and which is suitable for being placed at a height from the eyes of consumers without requiring any additional specific means.

  In addition, the invention aims at designing a new type of thermoformed packaging comprising several compartments defining several portions that can be used separately by the consumer, each compartment having a stable position on a plane with the lid facing upwards. once separated from other compartments.

  To achieve these and other objects, the thermoformed package according to the invention comprises a plurality of compartments each having a thermoformed compartment body with operculved aperture face, wherein: the compartment bodies have a cross section tapering to the the spacing of their opening face, the compartments are arranged in a bundle around a common axis, with their radially outwardly facing operculum faces, holding means ensuring the shape of the bundle of compartments.

  The thermoformed packaging thus defined has a maximum printable surface on its outer periphery, visible by the customer at a great distance. This external printable surface is formed of all the lids of the compartments. The arrangement in a cluster around a common axis of the compartments also allows the thermoformed packaging to rest stably on a plane, without requiring any other additional means for its good performance. Finally, each compartment defines a portion that can be used by the user independently of the other compartments.

  According to a first embodiment, the compartments may be independent of each other, held in bundle by reported holding means.

  Thus, each compartment can be produced independently. Several compartments will then be assembled and then held in bundle by holding means to form the thermoformed packaging.

  4677) DeMdoc According to a second embodiment of the invention, the compartments may be articulated to each other along the adjacent edges of successive operculum opening faces.

  It is thus possible to advantageously limit the number of operations necessary for the constitution of a thermoformed packaging according to the invention, since the compartments will be articulated to each other: it will then only be necessary to orient them in a bundle and the provide with their means of maintenance.

  Advantageously, each opening face of the compartments can be closed by a specific operculum, the compartments being articulated to each other by the adjacent edges of the successive compartment bodies.

  This articulation to each other compartments by the adjacent edges of the successive compartment bodies allows a certain rigidity in their articulation to each other, contributing to the good stability of the thermoformed packaging once laid on a plane.

  Advantageously, a single cap can close the opening faces of all the compartments.

  Thus, a single seal can ensure the articulation to each other of the various constituent compartments of the thermoformed packaging. This allows a more flexible joint but still very resistant.

  According to the invention, the thermoformed packaging may comprise a precut of the body and / or the seal along the adjacent edges of the opening faces of two successive compartments.

  The various compartments constituting the thermoformed packaging are thus easily separable from each other so that the consumer can use each of the compartments and its contents independently of the other compartments. The user thus does not need any specific means such as a knife or a pair of scissors for separating the compartments.

  Advantageously, the holding means may comprise at least one adhesive, repositionable or not, to connect the extreme compartments to each other.

  According to another embodiment, the holding means may comprise at least one removable ring encircling the bundle of compartments.

  It is also possible that the holding means may comprise at least one cover, a peripheral edge partially covers the periphery of the compartment beam.

  Finally, it is conceivable that the holding means comprise an envelope leaving at least a portion of an operculously open face visible.

  According to the invention, the holding means may comprise interpenetrating and complementary deformations made on the adjacent faces of the compartment bodies. The relative movements along the common axis of the beam of two consecutive compartments are thus prevented.

  Advantageously, the deformations of a compartment body may be alternately arranged to form stabilizing protrusions distributed on either side of the compartment body, the stabilizing protrusions being dimensioned and placed so as to come into simultaneous support. on a laying plane substantially parallel and opposite to the opening face.

  It is thus possible, by means of the deformations of a compartment body, to ensure a safe and stable installation on a plane of each of the compartments once separated from each other, without reducing the interior volume of the compartment.

  The user can therefore, in the case where the compartment contains foodstuffs, use it as a plate.

  According to the invention, the stabilizing protuberances of a compartment body can develop in such a dimension that they define a bearing zone whose width is greater than half the width of the opening face of the compartments. . This provides a satisfactory stability for the usual conditions of use.

  Advantageously, the compartment bodies may have a general triangular section prism shape, the assembly forming a polygonal prismatic beam.

  The number of facets of the polygonal prismatic bundle constituted by the thermoformed package depends on the angle of the triangular section of the compartment bodies.

  According to another embodiment, the compartment bodies may have a general shape in a pyramid sector, the assembly forming a pyramidal bundle.

  The compartment bodies can thus have different shapes making different shapes of the bundle constituting the thermoformed packaging possible. For the thermoformed packaging, it is therefore possible to create attractive and innovative shapes that are able to capture the consumer's attention.

  Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of particular embodiments, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: FIG. in perspective of a thermoformed packaging according to an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of several other embodiments of the holding means; Figure 3 is an expanded perspective view of thermoformed compartments for forming a thermoformed package of Figure 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the steps of using a thermoformed package of Fig. 1; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one of the thermoformed compartments of the thermoformed package of FIG. 1; and - Figure 6 is an end view of a thermoformed compartment of the package of Figure 1, placed on a support plane.

  In FIGS. 1 to 4 described above, the thermoformed packaging 1 comprises several compartments 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d each having a compartment body 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d thermoformed with an opening face 4a, 4b, 4c , 4d closed by a cover 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d. Each thermoformed compartment body, such as the compartment body 3a shown in Figure 5, develops along a longitudinal axis 1-1 and a transverse axis II-II.

  In Figure 1 is shown the assembled thermoformed package 1. The compartment bodies 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d have a cross-section narrowing away from their respective opening faces 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, as can be seen by the triangular shape of the upper surface of end 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d of the compartment bodies. The compartments 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d are arranged in a bundle around a common axis III-III, with their opening faces 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d oriented radially outwards. The covers 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d constitute the entire outer peripheral surface of the package, and can be easily printed to form an informational or advertising display. The thermoformed packaging 1 thus formed therefore has an informational or advertising display on most of its outer surface. The operculum faces 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d are perpendicular to the horizontal laying surface 7 of the thermoformed packaging 1. Thus, consumers can read without difficulty what is written on the covers 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d of the compartments 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d without having to lean over the thermoformed package 1.

  4 (7) 1): An adhesive 8 makes it possible to keep the compartments in a beam shape around the common axis III-III. The adhesive 8 may be repositionable, to be peeled off and glued without difficulty for maintaining the shape of the bundle of compartments around the common axis IIIIII. The adhesive can however be non-repositionable. The use of the adhesive 8 as a holding means is quick, easy to set up and economical.

  The thermoformed package 1 shown in Figure 1 has only four compartments 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d triangular section. The triangular section of each of the compartments 2 has an angle A of about 90 at the apex 9 farthest from the opening face 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d. The thermoformed packaging 1 thus has a substantially parallelepipedal external shape.

  Such a parallelepipedal shape of the thermoformed packaging 1 proves particularly judicious for several reasons. First of all, this allows the safe and stable thermoformed package 1 to be placed on an opening face 4a, 4b, 4c or 4d, or on the upper lateral face 10, or on the lower side face 11. , the thermoformed packaging 1 thus formed is easily stackable and / or stackable with great compactness, which allows a significant space saving in supermarket display shelves to consumers.

  In Figure 2 are shown other embodiments for the holding means in the form of the compartment beam.

  In the packaging 1 a left, the holding means comprise a removable ring 12 encircling the compartment beam 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d to maintain them. The removable ring 12 may be made of different materials, printable or not. For example, the removable ring 12 may be cardboard with a printed logo. It can also be imagined that the removable ring 12 is made of transparent plastic, so that the consumers can read what is printed on the covers 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d through the removable ring 12.

  In package 1b, the holding means comprise an upper lid 13a and a lower lid 13b disposed on the upper and lower side faces 11 of the thermoformed package 1b. The covers 13a and 13b have peripheral edges 14a and 14b partially covering the periphery of the compartment beam 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d. The peripheral edges 14a and 14b have heights H1 and H2 sufficient to maintain the shape of the compartment beam 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, leaving however visible to consumers most of the lids 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d of the compartments.

  ar, 7JDI '.do Each cover 13a and 13b can be printed or not, and transparent or not.

  In the right packaging 1 c, the holding means comprise an envelope 15 leaving at least a portion of a lid 5a of a compartment 2a visible.

  All the means described above in connection with FIG. 2 make it possible to constitute effective and aesthetic means for keeping the beam of compartments 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d in shape.

  FIG. 3 represents the step of sealing a succession of bodies to compartment 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d thermoformed. The compartment bodies 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d thermoformed here are independent of each other, and their opening faces 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d will be closed by a single and same pre-cut seal 16. Thus, the compartments 2a , 2b, 2c, 2d will be articulated to each other along the adjacent edges of the opening faces 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d successive operculants through the pre-cut operculum 16 applied on their opening faces 4a, 4b , 4c, 4d.

  Thus a flexible articulation of the compartments 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d to each other. The pre-cut lid 16 is applied and sealed on the opening faces 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d of the compartment bodies 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d at one time, which allows rapid production.

  The seal 16 being precut, the consumer can easily separate the compartments 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d from each other for independent use.

  In FIG. 4, the compartments 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d are each closed off according to their respective opening face 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d by a specific cap such as the cap 5a of the compartment 2a.

  The successive thermoformed compartment bodies 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d are connected to each other by their adjacent edge, and are therefore not independent of each other.

  However, in order to make it possible for the consumer to separate the compartments 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d from each other, precut 17 is performed on the compartment bodies 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d thermoformed along their adjacent edges.

  In this embodiment, the articulation of the compartments 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d to each other is more rigid, even in the presence of a precut 17.

  Another mode of articulation of the compartments 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d to each other is conceivable, by combining the means of FIGS. 3 and 4. It is therefore possible to realize an articulation of the compartments 2a, 2b , 2c, 2d to each other through the compartment bodies 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d thermoformed and a single pre-cut seal 16 closing at one time the four opening faces 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d of compartment body 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d.

  In Figure 5 is shown a compartment body 3a thermoformed with the opening face 4a facing downwards. We distinguish the faces 19 and 20 of the compartment body 3a. These comprise outward deformations 21 and reentrant deformations 22. These deformations 21 and 22 are interpenetrating and complementary. Thus, when the compartments 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d are arranged in the form of a bundle to form the thermoformed packaging 1, the outward deformations 21 of a first compartment and the re-entrant deformations 22 of the adjacent compartment will fit into each other. others. This effectively prevents any relative movement of two adjacent compartments 2a and 2b along the common axis III-III of the beam.

  The number of protruding deformations 21 and re-entrant deformations 22 on an oblique face 19 or 20 of a thermoformed compartment body 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d may be odd or even. In FIG. 5, the thermoformed compartment body 3a has an odd number of deformations 21 and 22 on each of its oblique faces 19 and 20. The consequence of an odd number is that the compartment bodies 3a can not be arranged, 3b, 3c, 3d thermoformed side by side as in Figure 3 randomly so that the deformations 21 and 22 of these come to fit properly during the beam shaping compartments 2. Indeed, at each overlying deformation 21 must correspond to a reentrant deformation 22 and vice versa. It is therefore necessary to position the compartment bodies 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d side by side without risk of possible error. This is possible thanks to the use of a shape-correcting wrench as shown in FIG. 5, where a misalignment shape 23 is formed on a corner 24a of the compartment body 3a to allow its orientation. Harmonious orientation of the compartment bodies 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d thermoformed is thus possible as shown in Figure 3 where the corners 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d of each of the compartment bodies 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d are oriented from the same way.

  In the case where the oblique faces 19 and 20 of the compartment bodies 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d comprise an even number of deformations 21 and 22, there is no need to pay attention to the orientation of the compartment bodies 3a. , 3b, 3c, 3d relative to each other for their good interlocking beam form.

  4679DI7'Ah, the outward deformations 21 and 22 recesses of a compartment body 3a are arranged alternately on the oblique faces 19 and 20 to form stabilization protrusions distributed on either side of the compartment body 3a. The stabilizing protuberances are dimensioned and placed so as to come into simultaneous support on a laying plane substantially parallel and opposite to the opening face 4a.

  Such a pose is illustrated in FIG. 6, where the thermoformed compartment body 3a has protruding deformations 21 on either side of a median axis IV-IV. The compartment body 3a is then placed on a plane 25 by simultaneously pressing the protruding deformations 21. The union of two protruding deformations 21 located on either side of the median axis IV-IV has a width L allowing a setting Stable of the compartment body 3a on the plane 25. In Figure 6, this width L is approximately equal to half the width I of the opening face 4a of the compartment body 3a.

  In the foregoing description, the thermoformed package 1 has four compartments 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d. The invention however applies to packages with a different number of compartments, for example three compartments or six. To optimize the useful volume of the packaging with respect to the overall volume, the angle A will be chosen according to the number of compartments, so that the oblique faces 19 and 20 of the adjacent compartments united in a bundle are contiguous. As already indicated, the angle A is about 90 for a thermoformed package 1 with four compartments 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d. It will be about 120 for a three-compartment package and 60 for a six-compartment package.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been explicitly described, but it includes the various variants and generalizations thereof within the scope of the claims below.

J (79DI, P.dnc)

Claims (12)

  1 thermoformed packaging (1) comprising a plurality of compartments (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) each having a thermoformed opening-facing compartment body (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) with opening face (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d), characterized in that: the compartment bodies (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) have a cross-section narrowing away from their opening face (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d), the compartments (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) are arranged in a bundle around a common axis (III-III), with their radially outward facing faces (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d), - holding means (8; 12; 13a; 13b; 15) maintain the beam of compartments (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) in shape.   2 Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the compartments (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) are independent of each other, held in bundle by reported holding means (12; 13a; 13b; 15).   3 Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the compartments (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) are articulated to each other along the adjacent edges of the opening faces (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) operculants successive.   4 Packaging according to claim 3, characterized in that each opening face (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) of the compartments (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) is closed by a specific seal (5a), the compartments (2a , 2b, 2c, 2d) being articulated to each other by the adjacent edges of the successive compartment bodies (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d).     Packaging according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that a single cap (16) closes the opening faces (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) of all the compartments (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) .   6 Packaging according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a precut bodies (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) and / or the seal (16) along the adjacent edges of the faces of opening (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) of two successive compartments (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d).   Packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the holding means comprise at least one adhesive (8) for connecting the extreme compartments (2a, 2d) to one another.   8 Packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the holding means comprise at least one removable ring (12) encircling the bundle of compartments (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d).   9 Packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the holding means comprise at least one 4679011P.Joc cover (13a, 13b), a peripheral edge (14a, 14b) partly covers the periphery of the beam of compartments (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d).     Packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the holding means comprise a casing (15) leaving at least part of an opening face (4a) operculously visible.   Packaging according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the holding means comprise interpenetrating and complementary deformations (21, 22) made on the adjacent faces of the compartment bodies (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d). .   Packaging according to Claim 11, characterized in that the deformations (21, 22) of a compartment body (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) are alternately arranged to form distributed stabilizing excrescences on both sides. other of the compartment body (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d), the stabilizing protrusions being dimensioned and placed so as to come into simultaneous support on a laying plane (25) substantially parallel and opposite to the opening face ( 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d).   13 Packaging according to claim 12, characterized in that the stabilizing protuberances of a compartment body (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) develop in a dimension such that they define a bearing zone whose width (L ) is greater than half the width (I) of the opening face (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) of the compartments (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d).   14 Packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the compartment bodies (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) have a general shape in triangular section prism, the assembly forming a polygonal prismatic beam.     Packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the compartment bodies (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) have a general shape pyramid sector, the assembly forming a pyramidal bundle.