PACKAGING FOR KEEPING ARTICLES COLD

Abstract

The invention comprises a first (1) and a second (2) flexible sheet that are connected together to form a housing for articles, with an opening through which said articles can be inserted and which includes closure means; the invention is characterized in that, furthermore, it comprises a third (3) flexible sheet arranged between the first (1) and the second (2) flexible sheet, therefore forming two separate compartments (4 and 5), one in which a cold item (8), such as ice, frost or a chemical product, is placed and another in which an article (9) is placed. The arrangement described makes it possible to extend the preservation period of the article (9).

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The invention is related to a packaging envisaged for keeping articles cold, of the type having a flexible configuration, and that is intended for keeping articles cold a longer time, extending the preservation period thereof.

For this, the packaging of the invention comprises two compartments, one in which an article is placed, and another in which a cold item is placed, such that the temperature of the cold item is transmitted to the article, extending its preservation period.

Generally, the invention is applicable for the packaging of any article that is susceptible to deterioration due to poor thermal preservation, and more specifically for the packaging of food articles in which is convenient to maintain the cold to prevent breaks in the cold chain or the deterioration of the food as a result of an excessive temperature and/or a high transport time. More specifically the invention is applicable for the transport of foods which exude liquid, such as fresh or frozen meats or fish, due to the impermeability of the package of the invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of packaging comprising two flexible sheets connected together to form a housing for articles, also comprising an opening through which said articles can be inserted, and which includes means for the closure of the packaging, is known in the state of the art, such as e.g. it is described in the Spanish Utility Models with application numbers U9803051, U200601636 and U200601859.

Although these packaging have an arrangement that makes it possible to transport foods such as fresh or frozen meats or fish, said packaging are subject to ambient temperature, so in the case that the temperature is high and/or the transportation time is high, the food acquires the ambient temperature, which may determine its defrosting and/or deterioration.

None of these devices make it possible to cool down the packaging, in order to extend the preservation period of the packaged food.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

To achieve the objectives and solve the drawbacks mentioned above, the invention has developed a new packaging for keeping articles cold that, the same as those provided for in the state of the art, comprises a first and a second flexible sheet connected together, so that they form a housing for articles including an opening through which the same can be inserted, having envisaged that said opening is equipped with closure means to facilitate the transport and preservation of the packaged article.

The main novelty of the invention lies in the fact that it comprises a third flexible sheet arranged between the first and the second flexible sheet, therefore forming two separate compartments, one in which the article to be preserved is placed, and the another in which a cold item is placed, such as it may be e.g. ice, frost or a cold chemical compound, such that the temperature of the cold item is transmitted to the packaged article, preventing breaks in the cold chain and/or the packaged article is preserved for a longer time.

In an embodiment of the invention the three sheets are made of paper, and at least the inner side of the first and the second sheet, as well as at least one of the sides of the third sheet are laminated, to keep the two compartments watertight, what prevents the passage of the liquid exuded by certain foods such as meat and fish, to the compartment in which the cold item is placed, and conversely, preventing the mix of both. Obviously all and each one of the sides of the flexible sheets may be laminated.

In another embodiment of the invention it is envisaged that at least one of the three flexible sheets is made of plastic, for example to allow viewing the interior of one or the two compartments of the packaging.

The invention provides for that the three sheets are connected by their sides forming a continuous reel that is supplied to the unit where the articles will be packaged. In this case the person that has to pack the articles is allowed to cut the packaging to the appropriate size. It is also possible that the continuous reel is fitted with pre-cut lines, to facilitate the cutting and the obtainment of the packaging from said continuous reel. In either of these two cases, the open sides of the packaging obtained from the continuous reel are closed by thermo-welding after making the cut and inserting the article into the interior of the packaging.

Each of the packaging obtained from a continuous reel, comprises a “U”-configuration perforated line to allow opening a hole by way of a handle that facilitates the transport of the article by a user.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the closure means of the opening are determined by an arrangement of the three flexible sheets with different lengths, such that a staggered gap is set in the opening between the three flexible sheets, wherein the first and the second sheet have different lengths and the third sheet an intermediate length between the lengths of the first and the second sheet. To perform the closure of this arrangement, the inner side of the longest first or second sheet, or the outer side of the shortest first or second sheet, are equipped with an adhesive strip covered by a protective strip, such that after removing said protective strip and bending the three sheets towards the outer side of the shortest first or second sheet, the bonding of the three sheets on the adhesive strip is carried out, providing a watertight closure of the opening. For this, the strip must have a sufficient width that allows the adhesion of the three flexible sheets.

It should be noted that the closure means of the opening, as well as of the open sides in the case wherein the packaging is formed from a continuous reel, are determined by the laminated sides of the three sheets, which are welded when heat is applied, closing them.

Therefore, by using the invention the preservation period of the food is extended, and also it is prevented that they can come into contact directly with water or ice, which could impair their quality.

Next, a series of figures are accompanied wherein with illustrative character and without limitation the object of the invention has been represented.

BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1.—It shows a view of a possible example of embodiment of the packaging of the invention.

FIG. 2.—It shows a view according to a longitudinal section of the packaging of the previous figure.

FIG. 3.—It shows another possible example of embodiment of the invention wherein the packaging is obtained from a continuous reel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Below there is a description of the invention based on the aforementioned figures.

In a first embodiment of the invention, as it is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the packaging comprises a first flexible sheet 1 and a second flexible sheet 2 among which a flexible third sheet 3 is arranged, such that the three sheets 1, 2 and 3 are connected together by three of their sides 6 forming two separate compartments 4 and 5 which are accessed through an opening 7. In the embodiment of the example the sides of the three sheets are laminated.

This arrangement makes it possible to insert in the compartment 4 a cold item 8, such as it may be e.g. frost or ice, and in the compartment 5 is inserted a food article 9, such that then it is possible to perform the closure of the opening 7, for which the first sheet 1 has a smaller length than the second sheet 2, and the third sheet 3 has an intermediate length between the two. The outer side of the first sheet 1 is provided with an adhesive strip 10 covered by a protective strip 11, such that after removing the protective strip 11, when bending the opening of the three sheets 1, 2 and 3, over the adhesive strip 10, they are bonded to it and there is the closure of both compartments at the same time.

This arrangement extends the preservation period of the food 9 due to the cold transmitted by the ice 8.

In another embodiment of the invention, as it is shown in FIG. 3, the packaging is supplied in a continuous reel 12 that can include pre-cut lines 13 to facilitate the cutting of the packaging, such that once said cut has been made and after inserting the ice 8 and food 9 in the compartments 4 and 5 respectively, is performed the closure of the open sides of the packaging through thermo-welding of the laminated sides.

Furthermore, each of the packaging obtained from the reel 12, may comprise in its three sheets 1, 2 and 3 perforated lines 14 forming a “U”-configuration such that once the packaging is closed it is possible for the user to tear it and generate a small hole by way of a handle to facilitate its transport manually.

Claims

1. Packaging for keeping articles cold, comprising a first flexible sheet (1) and a second flexible sheet (2) connected together, to form a housing for articles (9), with an opening (7) through which said articles (9) can be inserted and which includes closure means; characterized by comprising a third flexible sheet (3) arranged between the first flexible sheet (1) and the second flexible sheet (2), forming two separate compartments (4 and 5), one (4) in which a cold item (8) is placed and another (5) in which an article (9) is placed.

2. Packaging for keeping articles cold, according to claim 1, characterized in that the cold item (8) is selected from ice, frost and a chemical compound.

3. Packaging for keeping articles cold, according to claim 1, characterized in that the three sheets (1, 2 and 3) are made of paper and at least the inner side of the first (1) and the second sheet (2), as well as at least one of the sides of the third sheet are laminated, to keep the two compartments watertight.

4. Packaging for keeping articles cold, according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the three flexible sheets (1, 2 and 3) is made of plastic.

5. Packaging for keeping articles cold, according to claim 1, characterized in that the three sheets (1, 2 and 3) are connected by their sides and forming a continuous reel (12).

6. Packaging for keeping articles cold, according to claim 5, characterized in that the reel (12) is provided with pre-cut lines (13).

7. Packaging for keeping articles cold, according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure means of the opening (7) are determined by an arrangement of the three flexible sheets (1, 2 and 3) with different length, such that a staggered gap is set in the opening (7) between the three flexible sheets (1, 2 and 3), wherein the first flexible sheet (1) and the second flexible sheet (2) have different length, and the third flexible sheet (3), has an intermediate length between the length of the first sheet (1) and the second sheet (2); a side selected from the inner side of the longest sheet and the outer side of the shortest sheet has an adhesive strip (10) covered by a protective strip (11), such that when removing said protective strip (11) and bending the three sheets (1, 2 and 3) towards the outer side of the shortest flexible sheet, it is bonded on the adhesive strip (10), providing a watertight closure of the opening (7).

8. Packaging for keeping articles cold, according to claim 3, characterized in that the closure means of the opening (7) and of the open sides of the continuous reel (8) are determined by laminated sides of the three sheets which are welded when heat is applied, performing the closure.

9. Packaging for keeping articles cold, according to claim 5, characterized in that the three flexible sheets (1, 2 and 3) of each packaging obtained from a continuous reel (12), comprise a “U”-configuration perforated line (14) for making it possible to open a hole by way of a handle.

10. Packaging for keeping articles cold, according to claim 5, characterized in that the closure means of the opening (7) and of the open sides of the continuous reel (8) are determined by laminated sides of the three sheets which are welded when heat is applied, performing the closure.

11. Packaging for keeping articles cold, according to claim 3, characterized in that the three sheets (1, 2 and 3) are connected by their sides and forming a continuous reel (12), and the closure means of the opening (7) and of the open sides of the continuous reel (8) are determined by laminated sides of the three sheets which are welded when heat is applied, performing the closure.