JP2008280089A - Ingredient package and method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ingredient-separated package for packaging a plurality of ingredients capable of realizing an appropriate mixture in accordance with supply. <P>SOLUTION: Coaxial and non-coaxial ingredient packages provide an integrated inner and outer packages via a common crossing seal crossing opposing ends of the package. The transverse seal is accomplished through the outer surface of the inner package and the inner surface of the outer package. The inner package serves to receive the first ingredient, and the outer package serves to receive the second ingredient. A user can simultaneously open the inner and outer packages by an opening mechanism located in a selective package end. Thus, the common dispensing of package contents or ingredients is easily performed in a complementary manner for the appropriate mixture. Certain methodology for supplying and/or providing the coaxial ingredient or foodstuff is further presented in such a manner as to reflect a disclosed structure. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present disclosure generally relates to food ingredients or food packaging having individual food ingredients or food compartments, and specifically serves to package a plurality of food ingredients or food and to distribute food ingredients or food from the package. It relates to packaged food ingredients.

  Gas-filled candy, when exposed to moisture, tends to dissolve when exposed to moisture for a long time. When exposed to moisture for a sufficient amount of time (eg when exposed to a person's mouth), the candy shell surrounding the carbon dioxide bubbles essentially dissolves, thus popping sensation in the person's mouth To release carbon dioxide gas, which is often expressed as: Because the candy has its intended effect, it is preferred that it be dissolved at the time of consumption and therefore separated from the food ingredients, otherwise the food ingredients tend to prematurely dissolve the candy shell and release the popping gas. May be. However, candy is often enjoyed with foods or foods that have significant moisture, such as puddings. In order to successfully supply both pudding and gas-filled candy for consumption at the same time, it is necessary to separate the two food ingredients before consumption. Therefore, a packaging that allows a consumer to hold both food ingredients simultaneously and conveniently in a single package for simultaneous consumption and enjoyment is desirable.

  However, gas filled candy and pudding are exemplary food ingredients. Other foods or food ingredients that may be advantageously partitioned and separated prior to consumption include a significant number of probiotic products and / or fruits, fruit-based food ingredients, jams, and jelly Products containing active cultures such as yogurt and cottage cheese juxtaposed to other sugared food ingredients or food. Some of the more appropriate conventional techniques for packaging to compartmentalize food ingredients or components prior to active mixtures etc. are described below.

  U.S. Patent No. 6,057,049 to Llewellyn et al. Discloses a compartment package having variable volume compartments. Patent Document 1 discloses that a vertical diaphragm made of a thin film is sealed against an inner wall of a tubular member also made of a thin film, and the volume of the resulting compartment is variable so that the volume between the vertical diaphragm and the inner wall is variable. Teach a compartmentalized package that forms at least two continuous vertical straight joints. A two-compartment package with infinite relative volume variability in both compartments is a preferred embodiment.

  U.S. Patent No. 6,053,099, patented to Rowell, discloses certain containers and machines for making these containers. U.S. Pat. No. 6,057,049 teaches a container that is preferably made from sheet plastic composed of a bag containing a tubular valve member. The bag is sealed at each end by a seam, and the top seal has an opening therein for placing an access tube in the valve member, the valve member passing through the valve member and into the bag. Has a sealing seam that makes it easy to penetrate. A second bag may be provided in the first bag. A machine for continuously producing the container from sheet material is also disclosed.

  U.S. Patent No. 6,057,069, patented to Kerry et al., Discloses a package filled with a water-soluble toxic fine powder or granular product. Kerry et al. Note that some chemical products are so toxic that they should not come into contact with parts of the human body. Patent Document 3 teaches a package with a structure that limits and minimizes the risk of human contact with the product during filling and transportation of the package and during product release from the package. This package has a closed inner container in which the product is made of a water-soluble flexible material, and the filled inner container is made of a water-resistant flexible material. The inner container end strip is comprised of a flexible tube located inside the outer container, both the inner container and the outer container being closed by a transverse joint near the two ends. Is connected to the joining strip of the outer container such that there is a certain distance between the contents of the inner container and the joining strip, and one of the end strips of the inner container is exposed. A tear line is made in the part.

  U.S. Patent No. 6,057,037, issued to Benkus et al., Discloses a double bag package constructed by revising an existing double bag package and a punching knife and a method for manufacturing the same. U.S. Pat. No. 6,057,056 teaches several form-fill-packaging machines and drilling knives. In a preferred embodiment of this patent, the disclosure discloses a double bag by feeding a thin film roll having a graphic printed sideways, rather than vertically, from a single sheet of packaging film to a vertical bag-filling and sealing packaging machine. It involves the production of a package and the use of a novel drilling / cutting knife to alternately cut and drill transverse seals. The drilling / cutting knife has diagonal triangular pyramid teeth, each tooth having three cutting edges. The drilling / cutting knife generates a self-correcting T-shaped drilling pattern that can capture and correct the wrong tear for fail-safe direction separation.

  U.S. Patent No. 6,053,009, written by Richter et al. Discloses a container having a plurality of chambers for individually packaging components prior to mixing and use. The Richter et al. Brochure teaches a package for containing a product having at least two components, the package having at least two self-contained chambers, and individual components of the product, They can be stored so that they are hermetically separated from each other. The individual chambers are connected to one another such that they can be separated from one another only by breaking at least one chamber wall. Since the end regions of the chamber walls are in the form of a common closure for the individual chambers, it is only possible to open the individual chambers simultaneously. In this preferred embodiment, the package includes at least one folded carton, the carton having essentially front and rear walls, side walls, a bottom flap, and a top flap, with a constant inside the carton. At least two cylindrical inner child bags are arranged in a manner, each child bag directly containing one of the components, the child bag representing the chamber for the individual components and protruding from the inside of the folded carton The top end region of the child bag forms a common closure after the inner child bags are individually filled.

  From a review of these publications and other prior art generally known in the related arts, the prior art teaches packages for coaxially aligning and compartmentalizing the food components of the final mixture. I understand that there is no. In addition, the prior art provides food components by final displacement of food or axial displacement with respect to the packaging assembly, thereby providing a coaxial for mixing when multiple foods or food components are consumed. Does not teach a certain methodology. Thus, the prior art is a packaging assembly that provides consumers with a new means for accepting and consuming multiple food ingredients that, when mixed, have a demonstrably higher taste value than their collection of parts. And the need for an associated methodology.

US Pat. No. 3,861,522 US Pat. No. 4,495,748 US Pat. No. 4,681,228 US Pat. No. 6,935,086 International Publication No. 94/27886

  Accordingly, a food ingredient separation package is disclosed that functions to package and provide a plurality of food ingredients that can provide a suitable mixture upon donation.

  In one form, the package includes at least one inner tube or inner barrier, outer tube or barrier, first and second packaging ends, and a longitudinal extending between the first packaging end and the second packaging end. A packaging shaft may be provided. The inner and outer tubes may optionally extend coaxially around the packaging axis. The inner tube receives the inner food ingredient and the outer tube accepts both the inner and outer food ingredient containing the inner food ingredient. The inner and outer tubes are sealed at the first and second packaging ends. This prevents the inner tube from contacting uninterrupted food ingredients, which allows the outer tube to be surrounded by air, debris, or other substances that may be problematic to achieve a proper mixture of food ingredients. Seal coaxial packaging from material.

  The inner and outer tubes may be sealed to each other at the first and second packaging ends, and these tubes are preferably single, paired, continuous or dashed lasers according to the state of the art. It may include a certain manually enabled end opening structure as defined by scoring. This allows the user to selectively open or open the selected wrap end (usually the top wrap end as indicated by the outer illustrated instructions) and coaxially align the inner and outer food ingredients for subsequent performance or action. You may distribute. A methodology is further presented as reflecting the disclosed structure for coaxial food ingredient provision and food supply.

  Referring now more particularly to the drawings, an embodiment of a coaxial food ingredient or food package or coaxial package assembly 10 is generally illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, 14, and 16. Another embodiment of a non-coaxial food ingredient or food packaging assembly 102 is generally illustrated in FIGS. The coaxial wrap assembly 10 is basically designed to compartmentalize and package food ingredients or foods in a coaxial relationship with each other and to provide the consumers with coaxially aligned food ingredients or food. The non-coaxial packaging assembly 102 is basically designed to compartmentalize and package food ingredients or food for the consumer. In this regard, it should be noted that certain food ingredients and / or foods are often best packed or compartmentalized by the time of consumption or mixing.

  Thus, the coaxial food ingredient packaging assembly 10 can work well for packaging a plurality of food ingredients or foods in separate coaxial compartments and is illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, 6 and 8-13 and 16. At least one plastic bendable or pinchable inner food barrier or tube 11 as referenced, and one plastic bendable or pinchable as illustrated and referenced in FIGS. 1-5 and 7-16. And an outer food barrier or tube 12 capable of In addition, the packaging assembly 10 includes a first and second packaging end 13 as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3-5 and 9-15 and a longitudinal packaging shaft 100 as illustrated in FIGS. It can also be said that it is preferable to contain.

  The inner food ingredient or food barrier 11 is preferably formed as a first vertical bag-fill-seal (VFFS) assembly 15 as schematically shown in FIG. 16, and is made of polypropylene, polyester, paper, polyolefin extrusion, Preferably, it can be composed of a composite polymer material including materials of the state of the art such as adhesive laminates and other similar materials. It is noted that flavor retention is very important for many food ingredients, foods, or food products. In this regard, as noted in the prior art, a metal-coated food contact layer or food contact surface provides excellent flavor retention when juxtaposed adjacent to food ingredients. Accordingly, it is contemplated that a metallized food contact layer or food component contact layer may preferably or alternatively be capable of forming the innermost surface or layer 14 of the food barrier 11 as generally indicated in FIG.

  The thin film composition of the inner food barrier 11 outlined in FIG. 6 preferably includes the use of the tandem VFFS machine or assembly outlined in FIG. 16 the methodology that is necessarily included when constructing the packaging assembly 10. It should therefore be ideally suited for use in a vertical bag filling machine for packaging food ingredients or food products anyway. Both the innermost surface 14 of the barrier 11 and the outermost surface or layer 16 of the barrier 11 should provide excellent food contact barrier properties (preferably a thin metallized layer of aluminum, for example). In addition, the outermost surface 16 of the barrier 11 must allow a hermetic attachment to the innermost surface 14.

  In this regard, the state of the art to form a preferred longitudinal wrap seal may entail the use of metal-coated biaxially oriented polypropylene (OPP) or metal-coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Please note that. By using OPP or PET for the outer or outermost surface 16 of the barrier 11, excellent results have been achieved as long as this enables the state-of-the-art heat-sealed state of the thin film vertical back seal (or transverse seal). can do. In particular, an ink layer for the inner food ingredient or food barrier 11 is unnecessary because visualization graphics or the like may be considered unnecessary, otherwise they are hidden or shielded from view by the outer barrier 12. .

  6 and 8, a portion of inner surface layer 14 is mated with a portion of outer surface or layer 16 in the area indicated by the arrow (in FIG. 6) to form lap seal 20 (shown in FIG. 8). You can see that The lap seal 20 in this area may typically be achieved by applying heat and pressure to the membrane in such an area. Thus, the wrap seal design shown in the noted figure ensures that the product to be placed inside the formed package is protected and isolated from the material radially outside the inner food barrier 11.

  The inner food barrier 11 is preferably shown so as to minimize the volume of packaging material extending into the gap 17 between the inner food barrier 11 and the outer food barrier 12, which is generally indicated in FIG. 8 is intended to include a vertical wrap seal 20 of the type generally described and illustrated in FIG. 2 and 8, providing a wrap seal 20 on the barrier 11 not only minimizes the volume of packaging material, but also maximizes the volume 18 of the outer food and increases the outer food or food component. It can be seen that the obstacle (s) during the 28 axial dislocations is minimized. The outer food volume 18 is generally indicated in FIG. 2, and the outer food 28 is generally shown and displayed in FIGS. 4, 9, 14, and 16.

  The outer food barrier 12 is further illustrated as a second vertical bag-fill-seal (VFFS) assembly 19 juxtaposed in tandem adjacent below the assembly 15 as schematically illustrated in FIG. Preferably it is formed. The outer food barrier 12 may also preferably be constructed from composite polymeric materials including state of the art materials such as polypropylene, polyester, paper, polyolefin extrusions, adhesive laminates, and other similar materials. As noted, many foods or food products benefit from the use of a metal-coated food contact packaging layer or surface to preserve the flavor of the food. Thus, the metallized food contact layer may form the innermost layer or surface 23 of the food barrier 12 as shown in FIG.

  The thin film composition of the outer food barrier 12 outlined in FIG. 7 also preferably includes the use of tandem VFFS machines or assemblies 15 and 19 as the methodologically included when constructing the packaging assembly 10. Anyway, it should be ideally suited for use in a vertical bag filling machine for packaging food ingredients or food products. The innermost surface 23 of the barrier 12 should provide excellent barrier properties (preferably a thin metallization layer of aluminum, for example) and should allow a hermetic adhesion to itself. In this last respect, state-of-the-art techniques for forming the fin seal 22 also entail the use of metal-coated biaxially oriented polypropylene (OPP) or metal-coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Please note that it is also possible. By using OPP or PET for the inner or innermost surface 23 of the barrier 12 as long as the OPP or PET allows the state of the art heat seal state of thin film vertical back seals (or transverse seals) The result can be achieved. In particular, the outer food barrier 12 may include an outer ink or graphic layer for a graphic display that can be viewed through a transparent outer layer 24 that may be composed of state of the art OPP or PET material.

  In this last regard, it will be noted that the vertical fin seal 22 generally illustrated in FIGS. 2, 8, and 9 should be preferred for longitudinally sealing the back of the outer food barrier 12. The outer food barrier 12 may preferably include a longitudinal fin seal of the type generally described and illustrated so as to maximize the outermost (seal) seal integrity of the packaging assembly, and the fin seal is generally superior. It is generally understood to provide a hermetic seal. Further, contrary to the inner wrap seal 20 which serves to provide a benefit by reducing the volume of the gap wrapping material, there is no same benefit of this type outside the package, so the outer fin seal 22 is air, It should be preferred to provide a good seal and barrier against materials external to the packaging assembly 10, such as microorganisms, debris and the like. However, as an alternative, it is contemplated that a wrap seal may also be used to back seal the outer food barrier 12, for example, in situations requiring storage of the material.

  Generally, the illustrated fin seal deformation also protects the product to be placed in the formed package from the ink layer by the inner surface or layer 23. In addition, the outer layer 24 typically does not contact any packaged food product. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, the inner surface or layer 23 is folded and then sealed itself in the area indicated by the arrow. Furthermore, this seal is achieved by applying heat and pressure to the membrane at reference numeral 25 in the area shown, as can be seen from a general examination of FIG.

  The packaging material fed into the bag making, filling and sealing machine shown in FIG. 16 is a packaging such as polypropylene, polyester, paper, polyolefin extrusion, adhesive laminate, other similar materials, or layered combinations thereof. It should probably be reiterated that a thin film is preferred. For many food products where preservation of flavor is important, the innermost layer may be formed with a metallized layer, and in the case of the inner food barrier 11, the innermost surface or Both layer 14 and outermost surface or layer 16 may be formed.

  As can be further seen by examining FIG. 16, the inner food barrier 11 serves to receive the inner food ingredient or inner food 26, thereby forming an inner (food) package 27. Inner food ingredient or inner food 26 is further illustrated and displayed in FIGS. The outer food barrier 12 then receives the inner food package 27 and the outer food 28 in a substantially coaxial relationship about the packaging axis 100. The inner food barrier 11 essentially serves to prevent contact between the inner food 26 and the outer food 28 as further illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4, 9, 14, and 16. The outer food barrier 12 essentially serves to prevent contact between the outer food 28 and the radially surrounding material (such as air or debris) or the radially outer material of the packaging assembly 10.

  Finally, the first and second packaging ends 13 are preferably thermocompression sealed to ultimately seal the packaging assembly 10. The sealed first and second packaging ends 13 effectively provide contact between the inner and outer food products 26 and 28 and the axially surrounding material or axially external material of the packaging assembly 10. It works to prevent selectively. With regard to this last point, a note that selectively prevents contact between the inner and outer foods 26 and 28 and the axially surrounding material is that the user can move between the two by, for example, opening the packaging assembly 10. Means suggesting that you may choose to allow contact. Thus, the coaxial food package or package assembly 10 is more preferably any manually operable end to allow the user to open the selected package end manually (in other words with one hand and / or finger). A part opening means may be included. This selected packaging end is selected from the group consisting of the first and second packaging ends 13, as indicated by the graphic instructions that can be seen through the outer packaging structure. It is preferably located near the top end.

  The end opening means are shown in a single score line 30 as outlined in FIGS. 11 and 13, a paired score line 31 as outlined in FIGS. 3, 10, 12 and 14, FIGS. It may be defined by a certain selection scoring as selected from the group comprising a continuous score line 32 as outlined and a dashed score line as outlined in FIGS. It is further intended. Selective scoring is preferably aligned or orthogonal to the packaging axis 100 to allow the user to remove the selected packaging end as illustrated relative to FIGS. It will be understood by examining the diagram of interest. Selective scoring preferably opens the compartments 38 and 39 containing the inner food 26 and the outer food 28, respectively, manually and uniformly to the surrounding material including the user's mouth 101 as outlined in FIG. It is further contemplated that laser scoring may be used as a means to improve the user's ability to do so.

  In this last respect, the preferred open technique is in the form of a laser score and is intended to be defined by the laser score. The laser score is on both the inner tube 11 and the outer tube 12. It is further contemplated that a laser score may preferably be added while the package is in a roll before being formed into a tube. As mentioned earlier, the score can be a number of different designs: a solid score, a dashed score (as shown as a dotted line), a double score, where the scores are about 1 mm apart from each other. Thus, it is preferred to facilitate alignment of the inner and outer scores to cleanly remove the selected wrap end (ie, top) of each tube. By using the laser score, the entire selected packaging end (i.e. top) of the tube can be removed to further clean the inner food ingredients or the distribution of the inner and outer foods 26 and 28, or an axial obstruction. To minimize.

  Certain food supply and / or serving methodologies are essentially taught by the structure (s) previously disclosed and described. For example, certain food supply methods are contemplated that can prevent contact between multiple foods prior to final food supply. In this regard, the method is intended to include several steps including aligning an inner food such as inner food 26 around a food axis such as packaging axis 100. The step of aligning the inner food may be accomplished structurally by constraining or wrapping the inner food with a first food barrier such as the inner food barrier 11 as outlined at 35 in FIG. The methodology may further include coaxially aligning at least one outer food product, such as outer food product 28, about the inner food product (and food axis). The step of outer food coaxial alignment is constrained by a second or secondary food barrier (such as outer food 12), such as outer food (s) as outlined in 36 of FIG. It may be achieved structurally by packaging.

  After each food product is aligned axially, they may be sealed from ambient materials (such as air or debris) to contain and / or transport food ingredients or food products, and the food products are prior to final food supply. It may be opened or opened to surrounding material (such as a dish or human mouth). After opening a food that has been sealed without being opened, this methodology can be used to prepare a food that is coaxially aligned in front of the food consumer, for example, or directly to the food consumer. Finally dispensing the inner and outer foods to the food consumer by dispensing from the alignment, for example by dispensing the contents directly into a person's mouth as outlined in FIG. It is intended that it may be accompanied.

  In particular, the food alignment and food sealing step (s) may be defined by the process of packaging the food in respective food sheaths such as inner and outer food barriers 11 and 12. Accordingly, the methodology contemplated herein may further include preventing food contact during the coaxial food alignment step. In addition, the inner and outer foods may be squeezed, eg, pinched (as at 37 in FIGS. 9 and 14), during the final food supply, or otherwise forced out of the structure specified herein. May be displaced simultaneously and axially. These structures may be defined as the inner chamber 38 and the outer chamber 39 outlined in FIG.

  With regard to this last point, as outlined in FIG. 14, it is intended that the user choose to be able to pull food or other food component contents from the inner and outer chambers 38 and 39 by gravity, and this If so, both gravity (in other words, the weight of the package contents as shown by vector arrow 40) and the user's pinch force 37 force food 26 and 28 out of chambers 38 and 39 for further processing. May work. Therefore, it can also be said that the inner and outer foods may be forced to axially shift by pinching the food along the food axis.

  Typically, after the food is finally delivered, the user may choose to mix the food out of coaxial or concentric alignment. This may be accomplished in a number of ways, in particular this is achieved by mixing the food in the mouth as implicit in FIG. In particular, the user may choose to dispense the contents of the container directly into the mouth from the open selected packaging end, so that the mixing of the food ingredients can also be achieved effectively, thereby mixing Flavor and enjoyment are brought before consumption of food or food ingredients.

  It is contemplated that the process of providing food (s) may be somewhat different from the food delivery methodology described above. A providing method, i.e., a providing method for providing a plurality of food products coaxially to a food consumer, is considered to essentially include the step of coaxially aligning the plurality of food products around a food axis. The process of coaxial food alignment is thought to set up a process for axially translocating food along the food axis, which sets up a process for providing food coaxially to food consumers. In other words, the coaxially aligned food product may be provided to food consumers after being axially displaced. As mentioned above, multiple food items may be prevented from contacting each other during the coaxial alignment of the food items. In addition, the food should benefit from being sealed from the surrounding material (e.g. for storage on a market shelf) so that the food is sealed from the surrounding material and opened before the axial food shift. This dislocation may be effectively accomplished or performed by pinching or other forceful means as previously intended.

  While the above description includes a number of specificities, this specificity should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. However, it is to be construed as one specific example of the present invention. For example, the present invention may be described as a coaxial food package having separate coaxial compartments for containing separate food ingredients that can be separated until actual consumption. The preferred embodiment disclosed illustrates a two-chamber food package. However, a coaxial food package comprising three or more separate compartments according to the teachings described so far is contemplated. Since the manufacturer should choose to form three or more compartments, the inner barrier should take the form of the inner food barrier 11 and the outermost barrier should take the form of the outer food barrier 12. It is intended to be.

  Furthermore, a package of food or other food components for providing a plurality of foods or food components in a package is disclosed. The package essentially consists of at least one inner food or food ingredient barrier (such as barrier 11), outer food or food ingredient barrier (such as barrier 12), first and second packaging edges, and at least one ( Includes a vertical wrapping shaft (such as shaft 100). The inner food barrier extends between the outer food barrier and the packaging shaft to receive the inner food and form one or more inner food packages. The outer food barrier accepts the inner food package (s) and outer food, and the outer food essentially fills the interstitial space between the outer barrier (s) and the inner food package. To do. The inner food barrier essentially serves to prevent contact between the inner food and the outer food, and the outer food barrier essentially serves to prevent contact between the outer food and the radial surrounding material. To do.

  The first and second packaging ends are sealed to selectively prevent contact between the inner and outer food items and the axial surrounding material. In this regard, it is contemplated that a multi-axis food package may be found from the teachings described herein, where the food package has a certain inner food barrier and inner (s). It may include a plurality of inner foods constrained by a single outer food that fills the interstitial space between the food barrier and the outer food barrier. Further, with respect to the food provision method, a method for providing a plurality of foods to a food consumer includes a plurality of foods arranged in an axial direction in order to provide a plurality of foods to a food consumer in an axial direction. And axially translating along with providing the food consumer with the axially aligned and axially displaced food product. Preferably, this method may be defined by coaxially aligning multiple foods or food ingredients prior to axial dislocation.

  Finally, it can be seen that the types of food ingredients that can be stored in a package do not necessarily have to be repulsive to each other, as is the case with high moisture food ingredients such as gas-filled candy and pudding. I will. The package includes outer cottage cheese, inner fruit sauce, outer chocolate sauce (such as BRAKESTONE'S® food ingredient / KNUDSEN® COTTAG DOUBLE® brand snack pack) Separate food ingredient pairs such as inner marshmallow cream, outer pudding and inner whipped cream, outer peanut butter and inner jelly, outer ketchup and inner mustard, and outer pudding and inner gas candy Can work as well. The packaging can be made partially visible through the transparency of the thin film, so that the contents containing both foods can be made visible through the transparency of the thin film used for the packaging This allows the outer package to have a brand name and, if necessary, can be manufactured to promote the manufacturer.

  Turning now to the embodiment of FIGS. 17-19, the structure and manufacture of the package 102 is similar to the structure and manufacture of the package 10 discussed above, but is not coaxial. More particularly, the package 102 includes an inner food barrier 111 disposed within the outer food barrier 112. The inner food barrier 111 may include an inner food 126 and may have an outer layer 116 that separates the inner food 126 from the outer layer 124 of the outer food barrier 111 and the outer food 128 contained therein. The inner food 126 and the outer food 128 may be different or the same. As with the package 10 also discussed above, the package 110 is a wrap between the sealed first and second ends 113, the ends of the outer layer 116 of the inner food barrier 111, as shown in FIG. It has a seal 120 and a fin seal 122 between the ends of the outer layer 124 of the outer food barrier 112. As shown in FIG. 19, the outer food 128 does not necessarily have to surround the inner food barrier 111.

  Although described with reference to the preferred embodiment and certain alternative embodiments, it is not intended that the novel assembly be limited by these embodiments, but this variation is broad and within the scope of the above disclosure. , And claims appended hereto, and are intended to be included in the accompanying drawings.

1 is a front or top perspective view of one embodiment of a coaxial food ingredient packaging assembly. FIG. It is a cross-sectional view of the coaxial food ingredient packaging assembly shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a front or top plan view of one embodiment of a coaxial food ingredient packaging assembly illustrating the outline of a hidden inner food ingredient compartment in dotted lines. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the coaxial food ingredient packaging assembly shown in FIG. 3 illustrating the coaxial inner and outer food ingredient compartments. FIG. 4 is an end view of the coaxial food ingredient packaging assembly shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a back or bottom perspective view of the inner food ingredient barrier of a coaxial food ingredient packaging assembly configured for a wrap seal type vertical seal. FIG. 5 is a back or bottom perspective view of an outer food ingredient barrier of a coaxial food ingredient packaging assembly configured for a fin seal type vertical seal. FIG. 4 is a back or bottom perspective view of an inner food ingredient barrier and an outer food ingredient barrier of a coaxial food ingredient packaging assembly coaxially aligned about a vertical packaging axis. Coaxial food ingredient packaging wherein the first end is removed and the user pinches or squeezes the second end to indicate the first and second coaxial aligned food ingredients are coaxially displaced from the packaging assembly. FIG. 5 is a back or bottom perspective view of the assembly. FIG. 4 is a partial view of a selected packaging end manually removed from a coaxial food ingredient packaging assembly illustrating a dashed paired score line to allow manual end removal. FIG. 6 is a partial view of a selective packaging end illustrating a single score line in a dashed line to allow further manual edge removal, with edge removal beginning at the left of the figure. FIG. 4 is a partial view of a selected packaging end of a coaxial food ingredient packaging assembly illustrating a continuous pair of score lines to allow manual end removal. FIG. 4 is a partial view of a selected packaging end of a coaxial food ingredient packaging assembly illustrating a continuous single score line to allow manual end removal. The first package end is removed and the user pinches or squeezes the second end, thereby manually assisting the axial displacement of the first and second food ingredients and opening the first and second food ingredients FIG. 4 is an enlarged front or top view of a coaxial food ingredient packaging assembly showing the state of being provided coaxially at the finished first packaging end. The user pinches or squeezes the coaxial food ingredient packaging assembly at the sealed first packaging end so that the first and second coaxially aligned first and second food ingredients are opened for mixing in the mouth. 2 is a partial view showing a state in which the position is shifted directly in the user's mouth through the packaging end portion in the axial direction. FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of two tandem vertical bag-fill-seal assemblies that form a coaxial food ingredient packaging assembly. FIG. 6 is a front or top perspective view of another embodiment of a food ingredient packaging assembly. FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the food ingredient packaging assembly of FIG. 17 taken along line 18-18 of FIG. FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the food ingredient packaging assembly of FIG. 17 taken along line 19-19 of FIG.

Claims (22)

  A coaxial food package for packaging a plurality of food products in separate coaxial compartments, wherein the at least one inner food barrier, the outer food barrier, first and second packaging ends, and a longitudinal packaging shaft The inner food barrier receives an inner food to form an inner food package, the outer food barrier being substantially coaxial with the inner food package about the packaging axis. The inner food barrier prevents contact between the inner and outer foods, the outer food barrier prevents contact between the outer food and radially surrounding material, and the first and second packaging Coaxial food package, wherein the ends are sealed to selectively prevent contact between the inner and outer foods and the axially surrounding material.   The inner food barrier includes a vertical wrap seal, the outer food barrier includes a vertical fin seal, and the wrap seal is for minimizing the packaging material volume between the inner and outer food barriers, the fin seal The coaxial food package according to claim 1, characterized in that is for maximizing sealing integrity.   Including manual end opening means for allowing a user to manually open the selected packaging end, wherein said selective packaging end is said first and second The coaxial food package according to claim 1, wherein the package is selected from the group consisting of packaging end portions.   The end opening means is defined by selective scoring, and the selective scoring is selected from the group comprising a single score line, a paired score line, a continuous score line, and a dashed score line. The coaxial food package according to claim 3, wherein the selective scoring is orthogonal to a packaging axis.   The coaxial food packaging product according to claim 4, wherein the selective scoring is formed by laser scoring to improve a user's ability to manually open the selected packaging end.   A food package for packaging and providing a plurality of food products, the package comprising at least one inner food barrier, an outer food barrier, and first and second packaging ends, wherein the inner food barrier is the outer food barrier. Extending into the food barrier to surround the inner food to form an inner food package, the outer food barrier receiving the inner food package and the outer food, and the inner food barrier surrounding the inner food barrier Preventing contact between the inner and outer foods, the outer food barrier preventing contact between the outer food and a radially surrounding material, and the first and second packaging ends are located on the inner and outer foods. A food package characterized by being sealed to selectively prevent contact between food and an axially surrounding material.   The outer food barrier receives the inner food package and the outer food in a substantially coaxial relationship about the packaging axis, and the end opening means and the inner and outer boundaries cooperate to provide a user 7. The food package according to claim 6, wherein the inner and outer foods can be distributed coaxially.   Including a manual end opening means for allowing the user to manually open the selected packaging end from which the inner and outer foods can be dispensed axially. The food package according to claim 6, wherein the selected package is selected from the group consisting of the first and second package edges.   The end opening means is defined by selective scoring, and the selective scoring is selected from the group comprising a single score line, a paired score line, a continuous score line, and a dashed score line. The coaxial food package according to claim 8.   A food ingredient package for providing a plurality of food ingredients, comprising at least one inner tube, an outer tube, and first and second packaging ends, the inner tube receiving the inner food ingredient, The outer tube receives the inner tube and an outer food component, and the inner and outer tubes are sealed at the first and second packaging ends so that the inner tube prevents food component contact; The outer tube seals the package from the surrounding substances, and is a food ingredient package.   The inner and outer tubes are sealed to each other at the first and second packaging ends, the selective packaging end includes manual end opening means, and the end opening means allows the user to connect the selected packaging end. 11. A package according to claim 10, characterized in that it is manually opened to allow the inner and outer food ingredients to be distributed axially therefrom.   The end opening means is defined by selective scoring, and the selective scoring is selected from the group comprising a single score line, a paired score line, a continuous score line, and a dashed score line. The food packaging product according to claim 11. A food supply method for supplying mixable foods to food consumers,
Aligning the inner food around the food axis;
Aligning at least one outer food product coaxially around the inner food product;
Sealing the inner and outer foods from surrounding materials prior to final food supply;
Opening the inner and outer foods to the surrounding material for the final supply of foods;
And finally supplying the inner and outer foods.   The method of claim 13, wherein the inner and outer foods are prevented from contacting each other while being coaxially aligned.   14. The method of claim 13, wherein the inner and outer foods are translocated simultaneously and axially during final food supply.   16. The method of claim 15, wherein the inner and outer foods are forced axially displaced manually by pinching the food along the food axis.   14. The method of claim 13, wherein the inner and outer foods are mixed in the mouth after final food supply. A food provision method for providing a plurality of food products coaxially to food consumers,
Aligning a plurality of foods coaxially about a food axis;
Translating the food product axially along the food axis to provide the food product coaxially to food consumers;
Providing the food consumer with the food that is coaxially aligned and displaced in the axial direction.   The method of claim 18, wherein the food items are prevented from contacting each other while being coaxially aligned.   19. The method of claim 18, wherein the food product is sealed from ambient material prior to axial food rearrangement.   21. The method of claim 20, wherein the food is released to surrounding material prior to axial food rearrangement.   The method according to claim 18, wherein the food is axially displaced by pinching.

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