AU2007214376A1 - Improvements in containers for food products - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

F B RICE CO Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys Patents Act 1990 LASZLO KNEBL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title.

Improvements in containers for food products The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:- Cross-Reference to Related Applications The present application claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No 2006904926 filed on 7 September 2006, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Field of the Invention This invention relates to containers for food products. In one aspect, it relates to containers for forming a party platter or the like. Other aspects relate to containers for foodstuffs of the type which are typically kept separate but mixed together just before eating, such as pasta and sauces.

Background of the Invention Party platters are sold by supermarkets, delicatessens and the like. A typical party platter comprises a circular or oval platter or plate, typically with a circular container holding a dip of some sort in the centre of the platter. Around the outside of the dip, a series of stacks of different food products, typically small goods such as sliced salami, sausages, sliced ham, olives, gherkins, cubed cheeses or the like, are arranged. Generally speaking the food stacks are shaped like a sector of a circle, in plan view.

Although, many supermarkets provide party platters, often the provision of such platters is not profitable or cost effective. That is because it is an expensive and labour intensive process to create the platters, as they are typically assembled by hand. First, any food products which are not already diced or sliced into bite-sized pieces require slicing in the case of hams and salamis and the like, or cubing, in the case of cheeses or the like. Next the food products have to be weighed and then stacked in generally triangular piles, and subsequently the entire platter has to be wrapped in cling-film or the like.

Aside from the labour intensive manufacture of such platters, the fact that they do take time to assemble means that they have to be ordered by customers in advance, typically from a brochure which a customer looks up, and from which a particular platter is ordered and subsequently assembled. Such platters have a short shelf life and cannot therefore be displayed for impulse purchase by customers.

One additional problem is cross-contamination of the different foods on the platter. This is a particular problem if the platter includes both wet foods such as olives, gherkins or the like, and dry foods, such as crackers. Liquids from the wet 556442 1.doc foods often soften the dry foods such as crackers and limit the length of time for which the platter may be prepared prior to use.

Thus, in one aspect, the present invention seeks to provide improved packaging means for forming a party platters, or the like, which may overcome some of the disadvantages of the prior art. In particular, the invention seeks to provide a packaging means which can be formed from a plastic sheet film automatically filled and sealed in one process on a thermoform roll stock machine.

One other issue in relation to containers for food products relates to the provision of ready meals comprising a solid food and a more liquid sauce, such as pasta and sauce. Typically, such meals are provided with the solid food and sauce separate from each other, otherwise the sauce can adversely effect the solid food over time if it is mixed into it. For pasta and sauce, commonly the sauce will be provided in one sealed container, and the pasta in a second sealed container, and the two containers sealed into a larger container and then enclosed in a cardboard sleeve or the like. The use of two separate containers within in another container within a sleeve is a relatively excessive use of packaging, increases waste and also increases costs.

Thus, in a further aspect, the present invention seeks to provide improved packaging which addresses the above problem of separately packaged food stuffs, sauces or the like.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.

Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

Summary of the Invention In a first aspect the present invention provides a container for food products formed from a sheet of material, the container having a base and a top, at least two opposed side walls, and a first end wall, and wherein a peripheral flange extends around the top of the container, and wherein one or more male connecting means in the form of depending lugs are defined in the flange of one side wall and female 556442 1.doc connecting means, in the form of lugs or apertures are defined in the flange of the other opposite side wall such that two such containers can be attached or interlocked to one another along their sides, to form an assembly of such containers, characterised in that the lugs/holes are spaced from the top of the container so as to define a minimum width of flange extending around the top for attachment of a seal thereto, and in that the lugs/holes are located at corners of the flange Typically, the side walls will converge.

In use the containers will be filled with food products and sealed. The depending lugs allow the containers to be run and sealed on conventional commercial sealing apparatus. Platters can be assembled by conjoining multiple containers. By providing a series of discrete sealed pockets, the different foods for the platter may be kept separate. This allows both wet and dry foods to be sold in the same platter.

The spacing of the lugs to define a minimum width of flange extending around the top for attachment of a seal thereto, typically about 9mm, allows the container to be sealed with a sealing sheet of plastic, aluminium or the like that does not cover the lugs/holes. This allows the containers to be interlocked while still sealed. The provision of the holes/lugs on the corners of the flange allow the container to be made smaller than if the lugs were located along the flange extending along the side walls of the container. This reduces packing space and allows more containers to occupy a fixed amount of shelf space in a supermarket.

The containers may be gas flushed prior to sealing. This improves the shelf life of the food products. Further this enables sealed containers to be displayed to customers for impulse purchase, which is not currently possible with existing methods for preparing platters.

Typically, in the platter, different pockets will contain different food products from other pockets, although some products may be contained in more than one pocket.

It is a preferred feature that at least some embodiments of the container are microwaveable. In this way a container of, say sausage rolls, can be heated in a microwave and conjoined with other containers of food products which are typically eaten cold. It then become possible to assemble platters which provide both hot and cold foods which is not currently possible.

It is preferred that the platter defines a central aperture for supporting a container of dip, sauce or the like.

The wall of the central aperture may be higher than the outer edge wall of the platter so that the container slopes upwards from its outer edge towards its centre.

556442 1.doc The base of one or more of the pockets may define a recess which may be reversed to define a protrusion thereby raising the level of any food product in the pocket. This allows the pockets to be sealed allowing head space for the food product and at the same time by reversing the recess, raises the level of the food product in the pocket allowing easier access.

In one version the female connecting means comprises lugs having a diameter slightly greater than a diameter of the male depending lugs.

In another version, the female connecting means comprises holes having a diameter slightly greater than a diameter of the male depending lugs.

The converging side walls may be linked by a second end wall which is shorter than the first end wall or may meet at a corner.

It is advantageous that the longer end wall is lower in height than the second end wall or comer, so that the sides of the container extend generally upwards from the first wall to the second end wall or corner.

In a preferred embodiment the angle subtended by the converging side walls and divided into 3600 produces an integer so that when sufficient containers are joined side wall to side wall the resultant combination of units is generally circular.

Most preferably the angle which is subtended between the side walls of the container is 450 or 600 or 900.

In one embodiment the second end wall is curved as is the first end wall.

The curved walls may be arcuate and concentric or non-concentric.

In another embodiment, the second end wall is straight.

The base of the container may define a recess which may be reversed to define a protrusion thereby raising the level of any food product in the container.

Because of the shape of the container, as the container is emptied onto the platter, the food product will be deposited in a pile/stack of the correct configuration for the platter.

In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container system for food products comprising a first container typically formed from a sheet of material, the first container having a base and a top and one or more side walls defining a volume for receiving a food product wherein a flange extends around the top of the container; and a second container typically formed from a sheet of material, the second container having a base and a top and one or more side walls defining a volume for receiving food product wherein the flange of the first container defines a series of depending lugs or apertures and the flange of the second container defines a series of 556442 1.doc 6 upwardly projecting protrusions such that the flanges of the containers may be superposed and inter-engaged flange to flange by means of the male lugs and female lugs/apertures.

Each container is typically sealed and defines a tab which may be pulled to remove the seal from the containers. Typically, the containers will be sold clipped together. The tabs of each seal will preferably be joined so that the pulling of a single tab simultaneously removes at least a substantial part of the seal covering each container thereby allowing the contents of the containers to be inter-mixed without separating the containers.

The containers may contain any mix of food products, most typically a solid food and a sauce, such as pasta and tomato sauce, salad and salad dressing, nachos and cheese sauce, cooked rice and curry or the like.

A third aspect of the present invention provides a container system for food products comprising a first relatively larger container typically formed from a sheet of material, the first container having a base and a top and one or more side walls defining a volume for receiving a food product wherein one side wall defines a step on which at least one lug is defined and wherein a flange extends around the top of the container for attachment of a seal thereto; and a second relatively smaller container typically formed from a sheet of material, the second container having a base and a top and one or more side walls defining a volume for receiving a food product and defining a flange for attachment of a seal thereto the flange further defining a lug for inter-engagement with the lug of the first container.

Typically the smaller container will be filled with sauce or the like, sealed and located in the first container which is then filled with a food product and sealed.

Typically the step of the first container defines two upstanding lugs and the flange of the second container also defines two, slightly larger upstanding lugs.

Brief Description of the Drawings Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a top view of a first embodiment of a container for food products; Figure 2 is a view showing the underside of the container of Figure 1 from one end; Figure 3 is a view showing the underside of the container of Figure 1 from the opposite end; 556442 1.doc Figure 4a is a top view of the embodiment of Figure 1; SFigure 4b is a side view of the embodiment of Figure 1; Cc Figure 5a is a top view of a variant of the container of Figure 1; O Figure 5b is a side view of the container of Figure Figure 6 is a schematic drawing illustrating the interconnection of six containers Ssuch as are shown in Figure C ~Figure 7a shows a plan view of a second embodiment of a container; Figure 7b shows views of two containers which may be inter-engaged flange to flange; Figure 7c is a schematic illustration of the inter-engagement of the containers of SFigure 7b; Figure 8a is a schematic side view of a yet further embodiment of a container together with a sauce container; Figure 8b shows a schematic side view illustrating the sauce container inserted in the container; Figure 8c is a plan view of the arrangement shown in Figure 8b; and Figure 9 is a schematic view illustrating a thermoform rollstock apparatus for making and sealing containers embodying the present invention.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 to 4b show a first embodiment of a container 10. The container has a generally flat base 12 and defines a relative longer arcuate outer wall 14 and a relative shorter, but generally concentric arcuate inner wall 16. The radius of the outer wall is around 200mm and that of the inner wall is around 65mm, although these dimensions could be varied. The ends of the arcuate walls are connected by radially extending straight walls 18, 20. The angle subtended by the two side walls is approximately 600. In the specific example shown, the outer wall 14 has a height of around 20mm and the inner wall 16 has a height of around 60mm measured from the base to the top.

An external flange 30 extends around the perimeter at the top of the container.

The flange is oriented in a plane at an angle of 170 to the plane of the base as shown in Figure 4b, although that angle could be varied. At each of the four corners of the flange, there is a hollow cylindrical depending projection or lug 32a, 32b. The lugs 32a have a diameter of 8mm on one side 20 of the container and the lugs 32b have a diameter of 8.5mm on the other side 18. The slightly wider lugs 32b act as female engaging means and the narrower lugs 32a act as male engaging means and press fit 556442 l.doc into the lugs 32b defined on the side of a contiguous container. Six such containers can be interlocked side by side in a platter.

Importantly, the lugs are spaced from the top of the wall of the container defining a sealing region or strip 40 (shown hatched in Figure 4a) which extends all around the flange for attachment of a seal thereto. In order to properly seal the sealing region must be at least about 9mm wide. The location of the lugs on the corners of the flange enables the flanges to be narrower than would be possible if the lugs were located along the sides of the container. This feature is advantageous as it minimises the space that the containers take up on supermarket shelves, when packed.

Once filled with food, typically discrete pieces of the same foodstuff, the containers are sealed typically with a sheet 50 of plastics material. As is shown in Figures 1 to 3 the sealing sheet does not cover the lugs or any part of the lugs as that would make the interlocking means inoperative. The seal 50 includes a tab 52 which can be grasped and pulled for removing the seal from the container.

Figure 9 illustrates a process for large scale manufacture of the containers such as 10 filled with food in a thermoform rollstock machine. In this process, the containers are formed from plastic sheets/film, and automatically filled and sealed in one process. In such a process, packaging material 200 for the base container (thermo-forming film) is unwound from a reel 210 and heated in a forming dye 220 in which several containers are formed simultaneously. Typically, the material used to form the container is a web of 315 micron PVC with a 51 micron LLDVP (linear low density polyethylene) coating. The formed containers are then loaded manually or automatically at 230. An upper web of packaging material then covers the filled pockets. The upper web 240 forming the seal comprises a web of 15 micron biaxially oriented nylon, a layer of 38 micron peelable co extruded sealant so that the total thickness of the web is 51 microns. Both web products are available from Sealed Air Corporation of New Jersey USA under their Cryovac Registered Trade Mark. The upper web 240 material then covers the filled containers as they are transferred to a sealing die 250. Air is then evacuated from the container and a protective gas is then added, if required. The packages is then sealed by the application of heat and pressure.

The web of packs is then cut using a cutting means 260 to separate the individual packs which are then packed and sold. Typically, the containers will be assembled in batches, say a batch of meat sticks first, then say slices of salami, then some other food product and so on. As discussed above the seal extends in a band around 9mm wide around the container flange and does not cover the lugs.

556442 l.doc The individual packs can be specifically designed for the particular product applications, with a vacuum modified atmosphere, with a rigid or flexible film or any aluminium material based combination, with opening and reclosure facility, coating or the like to suit the particular product.

Figures 5a and 5b show a variant 10a of the container shown in Figures 1 to 3 in which the container is truncated either side of its widest part to reduce the maximum width of the container to around 150mm wide container to fit more easily on a typical supermarket shelf. Again the lugs are defined at corners of the flange outside a 9mm wide sealing strip (not shown) extending around the perimeter of the container. As shown in Figure 6 when six such containers are conjoined they form a generally flower shaped platter 100.

Figures 7a to 7c illustrate a second embodiment of the invention comprising a pair of interlockable containers 300 and 302. As shown in the drawings, each container has a base 304 and sloping side walls 305 and an external flange 306 at the top of the side walls. Each container has a generally rectangular cross section in plan view, however other shapes could be utilised. On one flange of one container 300 of the pair there is provided four upwardly projecting lugs 308, one at each corner of the container. The container is formed from sheet material, the lugs being formed in the manufacturing process by deforming the sheet material. As in the case of the containers 10, a sealing region 309 to be sealed to a covering film extends all around the flange having a width of about 9mm. The lugs are located between the outer edge of the flange and the sealing region and locating the lugs at the corners allows the flange to be narrower than it would be if the lugs were located long the sides.

On the flange 306 of the other container of the pair 302 there is provided four downwardly depending lugs 310, again one at each corner of the container. Once again a sealing region 309 extends around the flange to allow the container to be sealed without covering over the lugs.

Figure 7a illustrates a clear seal 312 applied to the flanges The seal includes a generally elongate tab portion 314 which can be pulled to remove the seal from the container 300.

As shown in Figure 7c, the two containers 300 and 302 can be superposed and interconnected flange to flange by interconnecting the lugs 308 and 310 on the flanges.

The upstanding male lugs 308 inter-engage in the depending female lugs 310 and the containers are then locked together with the seals 312 superposed. Figure 7c shows the tab 314 of the seals turned through 180' The tabs 314 may be conjoined so that pulling on one tab opens both containers simultaneously.

556442 l.doc One container will contain one food product such as pasta, while the other container will typically contain a sauce for the food product such as tomato sauce, bolognaise, cheese sauce or the like. Other product combinations are envisaged such as nachos and cheese sauce, rice and a sauce such as curry, salads and salad dressing, although meat and vegetables may be provided in the containers or any other suitable desired food combination. It is envisaged that the containers will be sold with the two products clipped together.

In use, a substantial portion of the seal is pealed away by pulling on the tab 314 to allow the contents of each container to mix together. The containers can then be micro-waved, if required or the product simply eaten in the case of food products which don't require heating.

Figures 8a to 8c show a yet further embodiment of the present invention in the form of a container 400 which includes a generally rectangular container pocket 402 having a rectangular base 404 and side walls 406, 408, 410 and 412. A flange 413 extends around the top of the pocket One side wall 412 of the container defines a step portion 414. A pair of lugs 416 extend upwardly from the step portion.

A relatively smaller container 420 for sauce, or the like is also shown. That container defines an external flange 422 which extends around the top of the container 420, to which a seal 424 may be applied (see Figure 8b). The flange 426 along one side is wider than the flange along the other sides and two upwardly projecting lugs 428 project from that flange 426 between the sealing region and the edge of the flange. As shown in Figure 8b the smaller container 420 may be filled with sauce or the like, sealed and located in the larger container 400 with its lugs 428 mounted on the lugs 416 in the larger container 400 thereby securing the smaller "sauce" container within the larger pocket. After the sauce container has been inserted into the pocket, the larger container pocket may be filled with a complementary food product and a seal 430 applied over the top.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

556442_1.doc

Claims (11)

1. 2. A container system as claimed in claim I wherein each container is sealed with a sheet of material, typically a plastics material, which seal includes a tab which may be pulled to remove the seal from the containers.
2. 3. A container system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the two containers each contain a different food product and are superposed and inter-engaged flange to flange with the tabs of each seal joined so that the pulling of a single tab simultaneously removes at least a substantial part of the seal covering each container, thereby allowing the contents of the containers to be inter-mixed without separating the containers.
3. 4. A container system as claimed in claim characterised in that the lugs/apertures are spaced from the top of the container so as to define a minimum width of flange of about 9mm extending around the top for attachment of a seal thereto, and in that the lugs/apertures are located at corners of the flange.
4. 5. A container for food products formed from a sheet of material, the container having a base and a top, at least two opposed side walls, and a first end wall, and wherein a peripheral flange extends around the top of the container, and wherein one or more male connecting means in the form of depending lugs are defined in the flange of one side wall and female connecting means, in the form of lugs or apertures are defined in the flange of the other opposite side wall such that two such containers can be attached or interlocked to one another along their sides, to form an assembly of such containers, characterised in that the lugs/holes are spaced from the top of the container so as to define a minimum width of flange extending around the top for attachment of a seal thereto, and in that the lugs/holes are located at corners of the flange
5. 6. A container for food products as claimed in claim 5 wherein the width of the external flanges and the size and location of the lugs/apertures is such that a minimum 556442 _.doc 12 width of flange extending around the top for attachment of a seal thereto of about 9mm, is defined to allow the container to be sealed with a sealing sheet of plastic, aluminium or the like that does not cover the lugs/apertures.
6. 7. A container for food products as claimed in claim 5 or 6 or a container system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the containers are microwaveable.
7. 8. A container for food products as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein the female connecting means comprises lugs having a diameter slightly greater than a diameter of the male depending lugs.
8. 9. A container for food products as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8 wherein the side walls converge and the converging side walls are linked by a second end wall which is shorter than the first end wall. A container for food products as claimed in claim 9 wherein the first end wall is lower in height than the second end wall.
9. 11. A container for food products as claimed in claim 9 or 10 wherein the angle subtended by the converging side walls and divided into 3600 produces an integer so that when sufficient containers are joined side wall to side wall the resultant combination of units is generally circular.
10. 12. A container for food products as claimed in claim 11 wherein the angle which is subtended between the side walls of the container is 450 or 600 or 900.
11. 13. A container system for food products comprising a first relatively larger container, the first container having a base and a top and one or more side walls defining a volume for receiving a food product wherein one side wall defines a step on which at least one lug is defined and wherein an external flange extends around the top of the container for attachment of a seal thereto; and a second relatively smaller container typically formed from a sheet of material, the second container having a base and a top and one or more side walls defining a volume for receiving a food product and defining a flange for attachment of a seal thereto the flange further defining a lug for inter-engagement with the lug of the first container. 14 A container system for food products as claimed in claim 13 wherein the smaller container contains sauce or the like, and is sealed and located in the first container which also contains a food product and is sealed. 556442 1.doc 13 O A container system for food products as claimed in claim 13 or 14wherein the 1 step of the first container defines two upstanding lugs and the flange of the second V container also defines two, slightly larger upstanding lugs for inter-engagement with 0 one another. O DATED this third day of September 2007 t'- Laszlo Knebl Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: 1 F.B. RICE CO. 556442 l.doc