PACKAGING FOR CONSERVING AND TRANSPORTING FRESH PRODUCTS

Abstract

Transport and conservation packaging is made from a blank sheet of material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard. The packaging can be used for the transport of fresh food such as fish or meat, either alone or with the addition of ice. The packaging includes a bottom and relatively hermetic side walls, to withstand exudates and/or melting ice and to improve retention, possibly channeling evacuation. The packaging further includes a lid adapted to the base.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of French Patent Application No. 1252929, filed on Mar. 30, 2012, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to packaging for transport and conservation made from a blank sheet of material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard, and more particularly, to such packaging used for the transport of fresh food such as fish or meat, either alone or with the addition of ice.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Packaging used for such applications is known. One example combining various technical devices appears in patent EP 93401932.4. This patent includes devices shown in FIG. 4, such as the side gussets marked out by two 90° seams (reference number 110) and a 45° seam (reference number 113) between the previous two, so that the external assembly devices, such as the panels (reference number 107) and their extensions on both sides, are combined with the panels (reference number 109). The purpose of the gussets is to ensure the continuity of the side walls between them and with the base, and the purpose of the external assembly devices is to prevent liquids from travelling back up the material through capillary action as internal devices would do. The aforementioned devices have the advantage of not letting any edge of the material come into contact with the liquid inside.

On the other hand, these devices have many disadvantages.

As with the seam (reference number 113) of the aforementioned patent, the gussets have 180° seams that cause partial rupture of the protective lining film and reinforced walls whose resistance to folding negatively affects the ease of assembly and precision. The external assembly devices have the great drawbacks of often being impossible to assemble mechanically and/or quickly, and of weakening resistance to stacking packaging placed on top of each other due to excess play.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, the present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks, while ensuring the relative sealing required. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the packaging consists of a bottom and relatively hermetic side walls to withstand exudates and/or melting ice and to improve retention, possibly channeling evacuation, and of a lid adapted to the base.

These and other objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be better appreciated in view of the drawings and following detailed description of preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flat view of the base of the packaging according to an embodiment of the present invention, as supplied by the packaging manufacturer to the user possessing a mounting/assembly machine, after cutting the punch and before assembling the volume and assembling the packaging on itself.

FIG. 2 is a flat view of the lid of the packaging according to an embodiment of the present invention, as supplied by the packaging manufacturer after cutting the punch.

FIG. 3 is a 3D view of the base of the packaging of FIG. 1, after mounting/assembly and before filling by the user/customer.

FIG. 4 is a 3D view of the base of the packaging in FIG. 3 after filling and fastening the lid of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The first component (F) of the packaging subject to the invention is the base shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

This first component is built around the central panel (1) forming the base itself, preferably rectangular or square, extended on all four sides by roughly rectangular side panels (2 and 3) in opposing pairs on either side of the central panel (1) in perpendicular directions. The first side panels (2) opposing each other in a first direction are connected to the base by hinge folds (4). The side panels (3) opposing each other in a direction perpendicular to the previous one are joined to the base by hinge folds (5). The second side panels (3) are themselves extended by partial shuttering panels (6) for closing the upper part of the base, connected to the second side panels (3) by hinge folds (7) and themselves extended in a perpendicular direction by supplementary assembly tabs (8) by means of folding lines and hinge folds (9). Running parallel with the previous, main assembly tabs (10) also extend the second side panels (3) by means of folding lines and hinge folds (11).

Formation and assembly is performed in the following way:

Firstly: lay down wide lines of thick adhesive (12) parallel to the folding lines (11) between the second side panels (3) and the main assembly tabs (10). These lines of adhesive, laid over the second side panels (3), are very close to the folding lines (11) so as to be located opposite the edge of the material of the first side panels (2) where they end and will bear on the internal side of the second side panels (3) after formation. Thus, the adhesive will seal the edge of the material (13) along the entire height-depth of the packaging and ensure the connection necessary for a hermetic seal along the perimeter formed by the alternating sequence of the side panels (2 and 3). The lines of adhesive (12) are laid roughly along the extension of the hinge folds (4) connecting the central panel (1) to the first side panels (2).

Secondly: lay thinner lines of assembly adhesive (14) on the internal side of the main assembly tabs (10) and attach by superimposing these main assembly tabs (10) onto the external side of the first side panels (2).

Thirdly: lay shorter lines of assembly adhesive (15) on the internal side of the secondary assembly tabs (8) and attach by superimposing these secondary assembly tabs (8) onto the external side of the main assembly tabs (10).

At least one hole per panel, if not two or three, is cut out of the side panels tangentially to their folding lines and hinge folds with the central panel, the holes allowing for evacuation of exudates or the water of melted ice to the outside of the packaging, in accordance with applicable legislation when storage and transport conditions permit. Packaging destined for air transport, for example, does not have evacuation holes.

The second component (C) of the packaging subject to the invention is the lid shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. It is adapted to the structure of the upper plane of the first component, which it completes by finishing the packaging seal.

This second component consists of a flat main panel (20) roughly in the form of a cross. Two parallel folding lines and hinge folds occur twice (22) and define the locking tabs (21).

Whereas the main panel (20) is partially superimposed on the partial shuttering panels (6) of the base, after pivoting the free ends of the locking tabs (21) according to their hinge folds (22), they slip into these same panels to prevent the lid from shifting horizontally (C) in both directions perpendicular to the side walls of the base (2 and 3). On the periphery of these panels and tabs, the straight lines (23) or right-angle lines forming the perimeter of the lid (C) are preferably beveled or rounded to reduce the chance of packaging getting entangled during handling.

The distance between both split parallel hinge folds (21) of the lid (C) is less than the remaining free space between the partial shuttering panels (6) of the base (F) so that the locking tabs (21) may be engaged correctly in the partial shuttering panels (6) and positioned in such a way that in plans they form an obtuse angle with the central panel (20) of the lid in order to not bear on the contents of the packaging.

The maximum distance between the free opposite outer edges of both locking tabs (21) of the same side of the lid (C) is roughly equal to the available inner distance between the first two side panels (2) of the base (F) when they are in position after formation in order to avoid any lateral movement of the lid relative to the base in that direction.

The foregoing description is provided for illustrative and exemplary purposes; the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. Rather, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications, as well as adaptations to particular circumstances will be possible within the scope of the invention as herein shown and described and of the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. Transport and conservation packaging comprising:

a base made from a sheet material formed and assembled on itself through adhesion, the base having, when flat, a central panel extended in a first direction by opposing first side panels, and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, extended on opposing second side panels, the second side panels being further extended in the second direction by partial shuttering panels, the second side panels being extended in the first direction by main assembly tabs, the partial shuttering panels being extended in the first direction by secondary assembly tabs; and

a complementary lid made from a sheet material, the lid having a main panel roughly in the form of a cross extended on all four corners by locking tabs connected to the main panel;

wherein the first side panels have edges, the edges being perpendicular to folding lines and hinge folds that connect the first side panels to the central panel, that bear on inner sides of the second side panels and are connected thereto by wide and thick lines of adhesive along their entire height roughly along the extension of the hinge folds connecting the first side panels to the central panel;

wherein the main assembly tabs are glued on their inner side and folded to the outside of the first side panels, such that a continuous perimeter is formed alternating between the first and second side panels of the packaging;

wherein the secondary assembly tabs are glued on their inner side and folded to the outside of the main assembly tabs; and

wherein the locking tabs connected to the main panel are pivoted under the partial shuttering panels of the base, the main panel partially bearing on top of the shuttering panels.

2. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein liquid evacuation holes are defined in the at least some of the first and second side panels opposite and tangent to the folding lines between the first and second side panels and the central panel.