EP1348641A1

EP1348641A1 - Packaging assembly

Info

Publication number: EP1348641A1
Application number: EP02006773A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michel Bourguignon
Original assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA; Nestle SA
Current assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA; Nestle SA
Priority date: 2002-03-25
Filing date: 2002-03-25
Publication date: 2003-10-01
Also published as: AU2003226677A1; EP1490273A1; WO2003080466A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a packaging assembly (1) comprising

a main container (2) presenting a bottom (9), lateral walls in the accordion form (5) and an outlet, said outlet being closed by closure means (8),
a product (3) inside said main container,
rigid means (4) for supporting the vertical pressure strength on said lateral walls.

Description

The present invention concerns a packaging assembly, wherein the consumer has the opportunity to consume directly the product from the packaging without the help of any material.
Products which can be directly consumed are already known on the market. One example is the product, particularly used for ice-cream, based on the push-up technology. The problem with this type of solution is that there is a leakage problem : when the ice is melting , the product flows and reaches the fingers of the consumer. A second solution is the package, object of the patent application of Danone, that is WO 01/68478 : this invention concerns a package for delivering a food product comprising an outer container and an inner container, which is deformable so as to vary the volume. During the use, the consumer has to press the inner container to eject the food product. The problem with this type of solution is that it is complex and therefore the costs for producing are high.
The aim of the present invention is to develop a packaging assembly without the drawbacks of the above mentioned solutions. That means a package assembly perfectly tight during the use by the consumer and wherein the costs can be kept low, because basically it is adapted from an existing packaging.
The present invention concerns a packaging assembly comprising

a main container presenting a bottom, lateral walls in the accordion form and an outlet, said outlet being closed by closure means,
a product inside said main container,
rigid means for supporting the vertical pressure strength on said lateral walls.

It is possible according to the invention to have a packaging assembly, which is squeeezable for very different products. These products may therefore be consumed directly from the packaging without needing spoons or any other expensive devices or extra packaging. Food products are the most preferred products concerned by the present invention, but it is also possible to consider any other flowable or pasty products, such as cosmetics, shampoos, perfumes, pharmacaceutical products.
The main container is made from a plastic material taken from the group consisting of Polystyrene, Polyactic Acid, Polyethylen Terephthalate, Polypropylene, blend and coextrusion of different plastics aimed to increase the oxygen barrier or any folding properties of said main container. The oxygen barrier material used is preferably Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) or ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH).The size of the main container can vary according to the product contained in said container. The size is normally seen such as it is used for one person. But, there is no criticality in said size.
The main container has lateral walls in the accordion (or bellows) form, that means with reducible gussets. The production of such container can be made by extrusion blow moulding, but it is known that such production creates cost, logistic and sanitation problems. It is therefore preferred to manufacture the main container by new technologies based on the form-fill-seal technology with opening moulds. The way of manufacturing said main container may also be extended to further new technologies.
The main container has different possible types of closure means. For example, one solution is to have directly a membrane sealed on the top of the lateral wall. This is the solution, which is normally taken in the yoghurt industry. A second solution is to have a spout with a lid sealed on said spout. The advantage of this solution is that it is possible to adapt the size of said spout to the mouth of the consumer. A third solution is to have the outlet of the container in the form of a bottle neck with a screwthread and a cap on it. It is clear that the possibility of the closure means is not limited to the above mentioned solutions : all other closure means known in the technique can be considered.
Another important feature of the invention is that the main container has rigid means for supporting the vertical pressure strength on said lateral walls. The rigidity is achieved through these rigid means. These means give the strength for the logistic operations from factories up to the product consumption.
In this case too, there are different ways to achieve the rigidity. According to a first embodiment there is a peelable label disposed around the lateral walls and sealed to the bellows edges. The material of the peelable label is taken from the group consisting of paper coated with hot melt glue, cartons. For consumption, the consumer will have to remove the peelable label and in the case of the outlet in the form of a spout, he has also to remove the lid on said spout. The consumer can then squeeze the container vertically to consume the product. The packaging assembly is used like a push-up system by pushing from underneath.
According to a second embodiment for achieving the rigidity, the container has a shrink sleeve or an insulated container to help to maintain the product at chilled temperature for a longer time. The material of the shrink sleeve is taken from the group consisting of Polyester, Polyvinylidene chloride. The material of the insulated container is taken from the group consisting of expanded polystyrene, cellulose materials and any foamed material with insulated properties.
The product inside the container is flowable, so that by squeezing the main container, said product is easily ejected. Possible products are set yoghurts, stirred yoghurts, fresh cheese, water-ice, ice-cream and others. According to the invention, it is possible to have chilled, frozen or shelf-stable products. Most preferably, we have to consider chilled products, like yoghurts.
According to the invention, the reduction rate of the accordion container has to be considered in order to limit the depth of the packaging at the end of its consumption. The reduction rates are comprised between 6 to 1 and 20 to 1, preferably between around 10 to 1.
As said before, the product is normally a food products taken from the group consisting of dairy product, fruit product, beverage, culinary product, ice-cream , chocolate, petfood or a combination of them.
The packaging assembly according to the invention does not need any expensive device for its concept, production and consumption. Furthermore, it has the advantage to be new in terms of consumption.
The description is now more clearly illustrated in relation with the following drawings, wherein
Fig. 1 is a schematic view of the packaging assembly of the invention according to a first embodiment,
Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the packaging assembly of the invention according to a first embodiment with a different closure means and
Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the packaging assembly of the invention according to a second embodiment.
The packaging assembly (1) comprises a main container (2), a product (3) inside said container and a peelable label (4) disposed around the main container. The main container (2) has an accordion form with reducible gussets (5). The label (4) is sealed to the main container on its bellows edges, respectively (6) and (7). The main container is closed with a membrane (8) sealed on the top rim of said main container. In the present example, the product (3) is yoghurt.
The material of the main container is polystyrene. The size of the container is the size of a normal yoghurt packaging. The peelable membrane is paperboard coated with hot melt glue to be stick to the polystyrene during the form-fill process.
As already said before, the advantage of this solution is that it is possible to consume the product at any time, anywhere, with no help of a spoon or something else. The consumer takes the peelable label (4) away, peels the membrane (8) off and can then push the bottom (9) of the main container to eject the food product from the container in his mouth. It is clear that the diameter of the main container is such that it matches for swallowing the product.
The figure 2 shows a second possibility with a different closure means. The packaging assembly (10) comprises a main container (12), a product (13) inside said container and a peelable label (14) disposed around the main container. The main container (12) has an accordion form with reducible gussets (15). The label (14) is sealed to the main container on its bellows edges, respectively (16) and (17), and eventually to all other points of contact (20) with the bellows edges. The outlet of the main container has a form of a spout (11), said spout being closed with a membrane (18). In the present example, the product (13) is again yoghurt.
The material of the main container and of the peelable label is the same as before.
For the consumer, the way of proceeding is the same as before, that is he takes the label (14) away, opens the spout (11) by tearing the membrane (18) and pushes then by the bottom (19) of the container the product (13) in his mouth.
The figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the packaging assembly with a different means to achieve the vertical pressure strength and to obtain further characteristics such as temperature protection. The packaging assembly (21) comprises a main container (27), a product (26) inside said container and an insulated container (22). The main container has an accordion form with reducible gussets (28). The insulated container is sealed in (25) to the enlarged upper part (29) of the main container (27). This main container comprises further a spout (24) and a sealed membrane (23). The packaging (22) guarantee the necessary vertical pressure strength of the accordion during all the logistic and distribution operation , as well as offers insulation characteristics. The will reinforce the "on the go" advantages of such an assembly. The packaging (22) is in polystyrene.
When the consumer wants to consume, he breaks the sealing (25), so that the main container (27) is taken out of the shell (22). He tears the membrane (23) of the spout and has to push beneath said container (27) to consume the product (26).

Claims

A packaging assembly comprising

a main container presenting a bottom, lateral walls in the accordion form and an outlet, said outlet being closed by closure means,

a product inside said main container,

rigid means for supporting the vertical pressure strength on said lateral walls.
A packaging assembly according to claim 1, wherein the main container is made from a plastic material taken from the group consisting of Polystyrene, Polyactic acid, Polyethylen Terephthalate, Polypropylene, blend and coextrusion of different plastics aimed to increase the oxygen barrier or any folding properties of said main container.
A packaging assembly according to any of claims 1 or 2, wherein the closure means is a membrane sealed on the top of the lateral wall.
A packaging assembly according to any of claims 1 or 2, wherein the closure means is a spout.
A packaging assembly according to any of claims 1 or 2, wherein the closure means is a bottle neck with a screwthread and a cap.
A packaging assembly according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the rigid means for supporting the vertical pressure strength is a peelable label disposed around the lateral walls and sealed to the bellows edges.
A packaging assembly according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the rigid means for supporting the vertical pressure strength is a shrink sleeve or an insulated container to help to maintain the product at chilled temperature for a longer time.
A packaging assembly according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the product inside the container is flowable.
A packaging assembly according to claim 8, wherein it is chilled, frozen or shelf-stable.
A packaging assembly according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the main container has a reduction rate comprised from 6 to 1 to 20 to 1.
A packaging assembly according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the product is taken from the group consisting of dairy product, fruit product, beverage, culinary product, ice-cream, chocolate or a combination of them.