MXPA97004323A - Package or package for food and unaccess product - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to the package or package (1) comprises two half shells (2, 3) with respective mouth parts coupled in front coincidence relationship. One of the half-shells (2) defines the edible part of the container. the other (3) of the half-shells defines a receiving envelope for game or toy elements (1

Description

PACKAGE OR PACKAGE FOR FOOD PRODUCT AND ACCESSORY DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a package or package of food product comprising two half shells or semi-shells with the respective mouth parts coupled in front coinciding relationship and with at least one receiving shell for an accessory such as, for example, a toy or game medium. A container of this type is known, for example, from document IT-U-163428. In the containers of the type indicated above, the two semi-shells are usually constituted by two half-shells of chocolate and the receiving shell is constituted by a capsule or case usually made of plastic material, arranged inside the cavity defined jointly by the two half-shells in its coupling position. In such capsule or case an object of play can be placed, such as, for example, a small toy, possibly capable of being assembled to REF: 24866 from a plurality of pieces, a necklace, etc .; in this sense, the term "accessory", as used in the present description and / or in the claims that follow, must be interpreted in its broadest sense, so that it includes, for example, any object capable of being used. as "surprise" in conjunction with a food product, such as, for example, a confectionery product and / or accessories such as a so-called "spatula" for spreading or spreading a creamy product, for example, on a slice of bread. The present invention proposes, in the first place, the object of facilitating the manufacturing process of the container, in particular as regards the possibility of keeping the edible part and the inedible part of the container as separate as possible. Secondly, the present invention aims to make the modalities of 'realization of a container of the type indicated above, especially as regards the characteristics of the edible part of the container. More generally, the present invention intends to further extend the playful characteristics of a package as described above.

According to the present invention, such an object is achieved thanks to a package of food product having the characteristics specifically contained in the claims that follow. The invention will now be described, purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a food product package according to the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view according to line II-II of figure 1, relating to a first possible embodiment of a package according to the invention; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view, which refers to a first possible variant embodiment of a package according to the invention; and Figure 4 is another perspective view, in exploded view, which refers to another possible variant of the execution of a package according to the invention. In the figures, a food product package is indicated in conjunction with 1, which can be used in particular in conjunction with a confectionery food product. Such indications of possible use should not, however, be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Specifically, the term "container or package" has been used here to indicate a set consisting of both edible parts and non-edible parts joined together in a specific and autonomous article. In the exemplary embodiment referred to in the figures, the container 1 is essentially configured as an egg, for example an egg of the dimensions of a chicken egg, in which two half shells or semi-shells can be distinguished (semioved in the illustrated embodiment example), indicated respectively with 2 and 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the two half shells 2 and 3 have almost identical dimensions and are, therefore, intended for be coupled with each other in relation to • frontal coincidence in correspondence with its mouth parts, with an equally oval contour. The solution according to the invention lends itself, however, also to be used with different geometries and, therefore, in joints of half-shells having, for example, spherical, polyhedral, etc., and / or semi-shells having dimensions of shapes different from each other For example, also maintaining the general egg shape, the two half shells 2 and 3 could be made so that they occupy, once coupled together, one of them the base or bottom part and the other the head part or top of the egg shape. This regardless of which of the two half shells (that is, if the base or head) constitutes and / or contains the edible part of the container. Keeping constant the essence of the overall appearance of the package (illustrated in Figure 1), the various forms of execution thereof, represented in Figures 2 to 4, differ from each other especially in regard to the characteristics of the first half shell 2, intended to constitute and / or contain the edible part • of the food product, of the container. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the half shell 2 is essentially composed of a waffle shell body 4 which receives a filling inside it, such as, for example, a hazelnut cream 5, and that closes again as a seal with a sheet 6, itself of waffle material, which extends in correspondence with its mouth part. The contour of the sheet 6 corresponds to the internal contour of the mouth part of the wafer 4 and thus ensures the closure, with the consequent protection with respect to the external environment of the creamy filling 5. The assembly thus constituted (capable of being made with techniques known per se, which need not be illustrated in this case, also because they are not in themselves relevant for the purpose of understanding the invention), is then coated ("sed") with a layer of cream 4a, for example cream of chocolate flavor. In the embodiment variant of Figure 3, the reference 7 indicates a chocolate shell body, or similar material, containing within it a creamy filling mass 8 (analogous or similar to the creamy filling mass 5 that is used -in the embodiment of Figure 2). Also in this case, the shell body 7 containing the filling 8 is closed like a seal, in correspondence with its mouth part, by means of a guaranteed peripheral profile sheet 9. In this case, the sheet 9 is also made of chocolate, or similar product, applied on the mouth part of the shell body 7 and is joined or welded thereto (also here by known techniques), so that the insulation of the filling is made with respect to the external environment. In the additional embodiment variant of FIG. 4, the half-shell 2 comprises, on the other hand, a shell 14 of inedible material (or non-food material, the two terms being used here as synonyms), such as, normally, stamped plastic material and compatible for contact with food products. The body 14 contains in its interior a creamy filling mass 15 (analogous or similar to the filling masses 5 and 8 which are used in the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3), also as regards the possible presence of a sheet similar or equal to the sheets 6 and 9 actually comprised in the filling mass. In this case, the shell body 14 is also closed in the manner of an operculum, in correspondence with its mouth part, provided in this case with a rim with flange 14a, projecting outwards from the half shell 2, by means of a lamella or sheet with diaphragm function 16, for example plastic material with oval peripheral profile. In this case, the diaphragm 16 constitutes the bottom part of a cup body with the lowered profile provided, along the contour of its mouth part, of an edge with flange 16a, likewise of oval development, capable of being joined (for example by means of thermowelding) to the homologous edge 14a of the shell body 14, to thus close in a watertight manner the filling mass 15 of the inside of the half shell 2. In any case, the presence of a sheet or diaphragm separating the edible part and the accessory 10, regardless of whether said sheet or diaphragm is made, allows to keep in position the edible mass, even when it is or becomes fluid (for example, by a softening induced by heat). It goes without saying that both the embodiment of Figure 2 and the variants of Figures 3 and 4 are to be interpreted in a purely exemplary sense. Maintaining constant the objective of realizing a half-shell capable of defining the edible part of the container 1 (possibly constituting itself, as in the case of the embodiment of figures 2 and 3, an element of said edible part), the specific solutions of execution are practically infinite: just to give some examples, we can mention structures of stuffed pastilles with pasty or creamy fillings, possibly containing dried fruits, or liquid or syrupy masses, etc. In all the embodiments of Figures 2 to 4, the half-shell 3 is intended to define a receiving shell of an accessory 10 constituted, for example, by one or more game elements, such as a small toy, an accessory, such as a "spatula" (for the meaning to be attributed to the expression, accessory, it is necessary to refer to the previously mentioned of the terminological nature in the introduction part of the present description). Figure 4 of the drawings illustrates, as an alternative to being placed in the half-shell 3, how such a "spatula" (indicated with 17) can be constituted by an integral or associated part of the diaphragm 16, obtained, for example, by thermoforming. The diaphragm part 16 constituting the spatula 17 can be removed from the diaphragm by breaking one or more peduncles connecting it to the diaphragm 16. In the case where the spatula 17 constitutes an associated part of the diaphragm 16, such associated part is ordinarily located on the side of the diaphragm 16 opposite the food dough 15. The half-shell 3 is here essentially constituted by a shell body 11 made of inedible material (for example a semi-shell of stamped plastic material). In the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3, the mouth part of the body 11 is closed, in order to prevent the accidental ejection of the game elements 10, by a sheet 12. It can be, for example, a aluminum foil or any sheet material of the type normally adopted for the production of sealing foils, also in the sector of food products, applied (preferably welded) on the mouth portion of the body 11. All this so that it can be torn and / or easily removed by the user, for example by acting on a pull tab 13, to thereby fully or partially discover the mouth part of the body 11 to access the game or toy elements 10 and thus be able to remove them of the container 1. The embodiment of Figure 4 shows how the "The presence of the sheet 12 may be superfluous, given the presence of the sheet 16. When it is joined with its edge 16a to both the peripheral edge 14a of the body 14 of the half shell 2 and to a corresponding peripheral edge with flange lla of the body 11 ( also here in a usual manner by thermowelding made from the upper part of the packaging preparation), the sheet 16 can, in fact, act as a closing cover for both shell halves.The closure system of the package illustrated in Figure 4, created by means of suitable appendages 1 a, 14 a, 16 a projecting along the periphery of the coupling area, can be carried out in such a way as to allow the first opening of the half shell 3 containing the play medium and, only then, the opening of the half-shell 2 containing the edible dough.This result is achieved by superimposing the opening fin 19a of the half-shell containing the food dough with the fin. 19b of the sheet or diaphragm (16), making these two superimposed fins 19a, 19b turn, in turn, deviated with respect to the fin 20 provided in the other half-shell. In this way, the person opening the container can grip with one hand the fins 19a, 19b superimposed on each other, and with the other hand the fin 20, then moving the hands one from the other. The half-shell 3 is thus separated from the half-shell 2, which, however, is sealed securely by the sheet or diaphragm 16. This can then be removed from the half-shell 2 by removing the wings 19a and 19b.

The coupling system between the shell halves 2 and 3 and the sheet 16 can be of various types, but in any case with the characteristic of being easily openable. By way of example, the sheet 16 could be welded removably on the half-shell 2 containing the food dough and, on the contrary, be joined by means of elastic jump systems with the half-shell 3 containing the play medium 10. Other example could be that the sheet 16 was joined by elastic jump to the interior of the half-shell 2 containing the food dough and the two half-shells 2, 3 were joined together by a detachable weld. Naturally, keeping the principle of the invention constant, the details of embodiment and the embodiments could be varied widely with respect to what has been described and illustrated, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

- This applies in particular to the numerous details of embodiment of the shell halves 2 and 3 illustrated with reference to the various possible embodiments represented in figures 2 to 4; such details can be freely exchanged and transferred from one form of execution to another. In particular, even if in both embodiments of Figures 2 and 3 the two semi-shells 2 and 3 are closed in correspondence with their mouth part (the half-shell 2 by the sheets 6 and 9 of edible material and the half-shell 3 by the sheet 12 of sheet material), this solution, although preferred, is by no means imperative. The half shell 2 could be, in reality, simply a hollow half-shell of food material, without filling, and therefore without imperative need to be closed in correspondence with its mouth part. Similarly, the presence of the sealing foil 12, although preferred in order to make the half-shell 3 a self-supporting unit, capable of being manipulated, especially in the production phase of the container, without the danger of a new accidental fall of the elements. of toy 10, is not mandatory. The half-shell 3 can, in fact, also be made without a respective closing sheet, just as it happens for the embodiment of figure 4, taking advantage, in order to close the mouth part of the. half-shell 3, the operculum (sheet 16) that closes the other half-shell 2. Vice versa, it could be an inedible closing sheet associated with the half-shell 3 to close, in correspondence with the mouth part, the half-shell 2.

It is now recalled that the food dough contained in the package may be composed of products of various formulations, for example a dark chocolate coupled to a light chocolate placed in strips, spirals or drops secured to each other in the upper part, possibly with a wafer biscuit with the function of retaining the product located below and with the intention of providing the consumer with the effect of savoring "bread and chocolate". All of these possible variants, and others still within the scope of the skill of the skilled artisan of the sector, are, of course, within the scope of the present invention. Preferably, once completed in order to adopt the aspect illustrated in FIG. 1, the container 1 can then be further processed, for example by covering it with a wrapping of sheet material, such as an aluminum sheet, etc., all according to the modalities currents in the food products industry. On the other hand, the embodiment referred to in FIG. 4 (both semi-shells 2 and 3 delimited externally by shell bodies of inedible materials) has the additional advantage given by the fact that the two shell bodies 11 and 14 they can define themselves, with their convex surfaces, the outer surface of the container, carrying on said surfaces decorative and / or identifying material of the product, without the need for further manufacturing operations. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the present invention, is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects to which it refers. Having described the invention as above, the content of the following is claimed as property:

Claims (23)

1. Container or package of food product comprising two half shells with respective mouth parts coupled in front coinciding relationship and with at least one receiving shell for an accessory, such as a play medium or toy, characterized in that: - • one of said half-shells defines the edible part of the container, and the other of said half-shells is of non-food material and defines said receiving envelope of the accessory.

2. Package in accordance with the claim 1, characterized in that said one of said half shells is itself constituted by a body of food material.

3. Package in accordance with the claim 1, characterized in that said one of said semi-shells is made of non-food material and contains a mass of food material.

4. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that said semi-shells coupled together define together a package of the oval general appearance.

5. Container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said semi-shells have dimensions almost identical to each other.

6. Container according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of said half shells' comprises a closed shell body. in correspondence with the mouth part by a sealing sheet.

7. Container according to claim 6, characterized in that said sealing sheet is made of sheet material, such as aluminum or plastic material.

8. Package in accordance with the claim 6 or 7, characterized in that detachment / tearing means are associated to said sealing sheet.

9. Container according to claim 8, characterized in that said release / tear means are constituted by a tongue extending from said sealing sheet.

10. Container according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that said sealing sheet is provided with a protruding peripheral edge joined to an analogous protruding edge of the respective shell body.

11. Container according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the - the fact that said one of said half shells comprises a shell-like body of edible material closed in correspondence with its mouth part by a closing sheet of equally edible material.

12. Container according to claim 11, characterized in that said shell body and said closure sheet are constituted by the same edible material.

13. Container according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that said shell body of said one of said semi-shells is waffle material.

14. Container according to claim 13, characterized in that said one of said semi-shells has an external coating of material such as chocolate.

15. Container according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that said shell body of said one of said semi-shells is made of material such as chocolate.

16. Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said one of said half shells contains a filling mass.

17. Container according to claim 16, characterized in that said filling mass is constituted by a creamy filling.

18. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that said accessory comprises an accessory for spreading creamy products.

19. Container according to claim 6 and 18, characterized in that said accessory constitutes an element associated with said sealing sheet and is selectively removable from said sheet.

20. Container according to claim 3, characterized in that both semi-shells carry stamped material externally.

21. Container according to claim 6, characterized in that said one of the half-shells is closed in correspondence with its mouth part by a sealing sheet; said sealing sheet being openable to make said edible part accessible only after said half shells have been separated from each other.

22. Container according to claim 21, characterized in that said one of the half-shells and the closing sheet of the mouth part thereof have opening flaps superimposed on each other, and on the fact that the other of the The half-shells have a respective opening flap displaced or offset with respect to said opening flaps superimposed on each other.

23. Container according to claim 22, characterized in that said opening flaps superimposed on each other are, in turn, separable to allow removal of said sheet from said one of the half shells.