EP1612150A1 - Bowl-in-Bowl-System - Google Patents

Abstract

A ready meal is held in three plastic bowls. Two bowls are attached to each other and have a common rim and may be of identical shape. The bowl dish locates in one of the other two empty bowls without projecting above the bowl in which it is stored.

Description

The invention relates to a shell-in-shell system for packaging food with a base shell of two separate compartments, each having a bottom and a bottom upwardly extending, circumferential side wall having a bottom edge opposite the bottom, the two Compartments are firmly connected.

Food packaging trays are known in numerous designs. Such packaging trays are often made of a plastic material and are made by deep drawing or thermoforming, for example, a polypropylene film.

Sometimes, in the area of food packaging, there is the desire or the need to package different foods and food ingredients in a container, but separately and thus separately. For this packaging trays are used, which have at least two separate compartments. A common representative of such a packaging tray is in the yoghurt field. For example, in one compartment the actual pure yoghurt and in the other compartment the ingredient, e.g. As fruits, kept for it. Shortly before consumption, the ingredient is added to the yoghurt and then consumed together.

Another combination in the food sector, which is advantageously packaged separately, is, for example, in the case of meat, which is to be offered together with a matching sauce.

In the previously known packages with two separate compartments, the combination of the two separately packaged food often difficult. In addition, it is not possible to handle the two foods separately, for example, to heat one food and then combine it with the other.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system for packaging food, in which a plurality of food or food ingredients in a container, but packaged separately and easily handled separately and, if desired, can be combined with each other.

This object is achieved by a shell-in-shell system according to the teaching of the claims.

An essential component of the shell-in-shell system is that in addition to a base shell having two separate compartments, a separate additional shell is provided, which is so used in a compartment of the shell-in-shell system according to the invention that the side edge of the additional shell does not protrude beyond the side edge of that compartment into which the additional shell is inserted.

If the compartment in which the additional tray is inserted is closed with a cover, which may be a lid or a film, then the contents of the additional tray are also separated from the outside world.

The additional shell may otherwise be provided with its own cover. Furthermore, the cover of the base shell both compartments and thus the one compartment in which the additional shell is located, and also that compartment in which there is no additional shell, cover or close. It is also possible that a single cover, for example a film, both the two compartments and the additional shell covers or closes. This can be done for example by sealing with a film, which will be discussed in more detail below.

The shell-in-shell system according to the invention is described here with reference to an embodiment in which the base shell has two compartments, the additional shell being used only in one of these compartments becomes. It is of course also possible to use an additional shell in both compartments.

Furthermore, the base shell can have more than two compartments, for example three, four, etc. compartments, wherein one compartment, two compartments or several compartments can each have an additional shell.

The shell-in-shell system of the present invention is a unit that can be handled as such, for example, by offering and handling meat and associated sauce separately but in a single unit. Later, the consumer can then remove the supplemental shell from this unit or shell-in-shell system and be handled separately from the food that is in the other compartment.

According to a preferred embodiment, the base shell and additional shell are configured such that the side edge of the additional shell, when inserted into the associated compartment, is at the same height as the side edge of the associated compartment of the base shell. In this way it is possible to provide both the additional shell and the associated compartment of the base shell with a common cover.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the side edge of the side wall of both compartments of the base shell has a seal edge parallel to the bottom, which forms the upper end of the side edge. Also, the side edge of the additional shell preferably has a sealing edge parallel to the bottom, which forms the upper end of the side edge. In this way, the compartments and the additional shell can be sealed by a foil.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the sealing edge of the additional shell and the sealing edge of the associated compartment and expediently also the sealing edge of the other compartment are in one Level. This makes it possible to seal the two compartments and the additional shell with only one foil.

The connection of the two compartments of the base shell is preferably in the range of adjacent side walls and can be done in any manner. It is even possible to design the base shell in such a way that both compartments have a common outer wall in some areas. Preferably, the connection of the two compartments of the base shell via a common sealing edge.

The two compartments of the base shell and the additional shell can be configured in principle arbitrary. Conveniently, a kind of rib structure is formed in the side wall of the compartments of the base shell and the additional shell and in the transition region from the side wall to the bottom, which is described in German Utility Model DE 203 08 312.1.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the outer contour of the additional shell in the region of the bottom and the side wall at least partially corresponds to the inner contour of the bottom and the side wall, that the outer circumferential surface of the bottom and side wall of the additional shell on the opposite inner lateral surface of the bottom and side wall of the associated compartment of the base shell comes into contact with the same form and area. In this way, the additional shell can be inserted into the associated compartment and then remains stationary there. In other words, additional shell and the corresponding compartment of the base shell fit matrix- and patrix-like.

The compartment in which the additional shell can be used preferably has a terraced shoulder in its side wall. In this terraced paragraph, the side edge of the additional shell, which is preferably an outwardly bent or crimped side edge, rest in the inserted state. This terraced heel is preferably located in Transition area between the side edge and the remaining side wall. In other words, the terraced shoulder preferably connects the side edge to the remainder of the sidewall.

In the side wall of serving for receiving the additional compartment compartment a recessed grip is preferably formed such that a user can engage in the recessed grip and behind or under the side edge of the additional shell. The recessed grip is expediently designed such that a user can intervene with only one or with several fingers in this.

Both the base shell and the additional shell of the shell-in-shell system according to the invention are preferably in one piece and can be produced by injection molding, thermoforming or thermoforming of a plastic material, for. As a polypropylene film.

Both the additional shell and the compartments of the base shell can be sealed in a known manner with a film per se known manner, which cooperates with the above-described sealing edge. This film is expediently a transparent film so that a user or potential buyer can visually inspect the food offered in the dish-in-shell system. To open the shell-in-shell system, it is then only necessary to remove the film.

Figur 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Schale-in-Schale-Systems mit einer Basisschale mit zwei Abteilen und einer Zusatzschale,

Figur 2

eine perspektivische Aufsicht auf die in der Figur 1 gezeigte Basisschale mit zwei Abteilen,

Figur 3

eine Aufsicht von oben auf das in der Figur 1 gezeigte Schale-in-Schale-System mit eingesetzter Zusatzschale,

Figur 4

eine Seitenansicht des in der Figur 1 gezeigten Schale-in-Schale-Systems mit eingesetzter Zusatzschale,

Figur 5

eine perspektivische Ansicht der in der Figur 1 gezeigten Basisschale, die auf dem Kopf steht und somit umgedreht ist und

Figur 6

eine perspektivische Ansicht von schräg oben auf das in der Figur 4 gezeigte Schale-in-Schale-System mit eingesetzter Zusatzschale.

The invention is explained below with reference to the following drawings. Show

FIG. 1

a perspective view of a shell-in-shell system with a base shell with two compartments and an additional shell,

FIG. 2

3 is a perspective view of the base shell with two compartments shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3

a top view of the shell-in-shell system shown in Figure 1 with additional shell inserted,

FIG. 4

1 is a side view of the shell-in-shell system shown in FIG. 1 with the additional shell inserted;

FIG. 5

a perspective view of the base shell shown in Figure 1, which is upside down and thus reversed and

FIG. 6

a perspective view obliquely from above on the shell-in-shell system shown in Figure 4 with inserted additional shell.

The shell-in-shell system shown obliquely from above in FIG. 1 in a perspective view has a base shell 2 and an additional shell 5. The base shell 2 has two compartments 3, 4, wherein the compartment 4 serves to receive the additional shell 5.

Both compartments 3, 4 of the base shell 2 and the additional shell 5 have a bottom 7, 7 ', 7 "(Figures 2 and 3), from which a circumferential side wall 6, 6', 6" extends upward. The side wall 6, 6 ', 6 "does not run exactly vertically upwards, but is slightly inclined outwards, so that the shell widened overall upwards.

Since the two compartments 3, 4 and the additional shell 5 are designed in some respects the same or similar, the embodiments mentioned here refer to those parts or elements together, which are provided with a plurality of reference numerals. The reference numerals without a high line refer to that compartment 4, in which the additional shell 5 is to be used or can. The reference numerals with a high line refer to the additional shell 5. The reference numerals with two vertical lines refer to that compartment 3, in which no additional shell 5 is used.

The bottom 7, 7 ', 7 "opposite side edge 8, 8', 8" is bent or folded over to the outside and has a bottom 7, 7 ', 7 "parallel sealing edge 9, 9', 9", the The side edge 6, 6 ', 6 "is on the outside of the sealing edge 9, 9', 9" again folded down and then in turn horizontally folded.

The two compartments 3, 4 and the additional shell 5 have in supervision in approximately a rectangular shape. Thus, the side walls 6, 6 ', 6 "have two opposite longitudinal sides 11, 11', 11" and two opposite transverse sides 12, 12 ', 12 ".

Two longitudinal sides 11, 11 "of the two compartments 3, 4 are adjacent to one another and run approximately parallel to one another In this area, the two compartments 3, 4 have a common side edge 8, 8" and are joined by a common sealing edge 9 "". connected. In other words, instead of a separate sealing edge 9, 9 "for each compartment, only one common sealing edge 9" "is present in this area, in which area the sealing edge is then not folded further downwards or horizontally outwards.

The transition between the bottom 7, 7 ', 7 "and the associated side wall 6, 6', 6" is formed by a rounded edge region 10, 10 ', 10 ". In other words, the side wall 8, 8', 8" goes by means of an outwardly curved edge region 10, 10 ', 10 "in the bottom 7, 7', 7" on.

On the longitudinal sides 11, 11 ', 11 "and on the transverse sides 12, 12', 12" of the side edge 8, 8 ', 8 "adjacent channels 13, 13', 13" are in the edge region 10, 10 ', 10 "arranged which are open to the interior of the compartments 3, 4 and the additional shell 5 and thus to the space bounded by the side wall 6, 6 ', 6 "and the bottom 7, 7', 7", these channels 13, 13 ', 13 "extend approximately vertically. This statement refers to the case that the bottom 7, 7 ', 7 "is arranged horizontally.

The channel bottom of these channels 13, 13 ', 13 "is located at that end, which faces the bottom 7, 7', 7", at the same height or higher than the bottom 7, 7 ', 7 ".

The channels 13, 13 ', 13 "go to the side wall 6, 6', 6" in side channels 14, 14 ', 14 ", which extend vertically upwards in the side wall 6, 6', 6". The width of these side channels 14, 14 ', 14 "tapered upwards, and their depth also decreases towards their free, overhead end.

The formation of the two compartments 3, 4 and the additional shell 5 in the region of the side walls 6, 6 ', 6 "and the bottom 7, 7', 7" is otherwise known from the aforementioned German Utility Model DE 203 08 312.1.

Due to the formation of these channels 13, 13 ', 13 "and the side channels 14, 14', 14" results in the transverse sides 12, 12 ', 12 "and on the longitudinal sides 11, 11', 11" a kind of rib structure. This results for example from the fact that the channels 13, 13 ', 13 "and the side channels 14, 14', 14" are bulged outwards. Furthermore, a rib structure results in that a plurality of channels 13, 13 ', 13 "and side channels 14, 14', 14" are arranged close to each other and parallel to each other, so that adjacent side walls of these channels together a kind of rib 15 (Figures 2 and 6) form.

The channels 13, 13 '/ side channels 14, 14' in the compartment 4 and the additional shell 5 in the transverse sides 12, 12 'and the longitudinal sides 11, 11' correspond on the one hand in terms of number and on the other hand in terms of shape and size. Thus, the outer contour of the additional shell 5 in the region of the bottom 7 'and the side wall 6' including the intermediate rounded edge region 10 'partially corresponds substantially to the inner contour of the bottom 7, the side wall 6 and the intermediate rounded edge region 10 of the compartment 4 that the Outer surface of the additional shell 5 on the opposite inner circumferential surface of the compartment 3 in about form and area congruent comes into plant. The additional shell 5 is thus patrix-like used in serving as a matrix compartment 4, so that the sealing edge 9 'of the additional shell 5 is located on the same plane as the sealing edge 9 of the compartment. 4

In order to enable the latter, the compartment 4 has between the side edge 8 and the side wall 6 a terraced, circumferential shoulder 16. The side wall 6 of the compartment 4 is thus engaged inwardly. The terraced shoulder 16 has an approximately horizontally extending region which forms a circumferential strip on which the additional shell 5 rests with its bent side edge 8 'in the inserted state.

The side channels 14 of the compartment 4 thus begin only below this terraced paragraph 16th

In the side edge 8 of the compartment 4 at the transition to the terraced shoulder 16 a plurality of recessed grips 17 are formed, which are bulged from inside to outside. These recessed grips 17 are expediently formed in the corners of the rectangular compartment 4 and thus at the transition from the transverse side 12 to the longitudinal side 11, this transition representing a rounded region or section.

The compartment 4 has a further type of recessed grip 17 ', which is formed by the side edge 8 on the longitudinal side 11, which faces the compartment 3, in the transition region from transverse side 12 to longitudinal side 11 at a distance from the side edge 8' of the additional shell 5 runs.

In this recessed grips 17, 17 ', a user can reach in with one or more fingers and the side edge 8' of the additional shell 5 under and engage behind and thereby lift out of the compartment 4 of the base shell 2 and handle separately. In the additional shell 5, for example, a sauce can be located while in the compartment 3 is the associated meat. The sauce can then easily over the meat can be poured or previously changed separately. The same applies to the meat.

As can be seen in particular from FIG. 6, the sealing edges 9, 9 ', 9 "of both compartments 3, 4 and the additional shell 5 lie in one plane, so that the compartments 3, 4 and the additional shell 5 are replaced by a common transparent packaging film of conventional type By peeling off this film, the two compartments and also the additional tray are opened together.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Shell-in-shell system

2

base shell

3

compartment

4

compartment

5

additional tray

6, 6 ', 6 "

Side wall

7, 7 ', 7 "

ground

8, 8 ', 8 "

margin

9, 9 ', 9 "

sealing edge

9 '' '

common sealing margin

10, 10 ', 10 "

rounded edge area

11, 11 ', 11 "

long side

12, 12 ', 12 "

transverse side

13, 13 ', 13 "

channel

14, 14 ', 14 "

side channel

15

rib

16

terraced heel

17, 17 '

grip

Claims (11)

A tray-in-tray food packaging system comprising a base shell (2) made up of two separate compartments (3, 4), each having a bottom (7, 7 ") and extending from the bottom (7, 7") upwardly extending, circumferential side wall (6, 6 ") having a bottom (7, 7") opposite side edge (8, 8 "), wherein the two compartments (3, 4) are fixedly connected to each other,
characterized,
in that at least one compartment (3, 4) has a separate additional shell (5) with a bottom (7 ') and a peripheral side wall (6') extending upwards from the bottom (7 '), which forms a bottom wall (7'). ) opposite side edge (8 ') has, is used and
the side edge (8 ') of the additional shell (5) in the state inserted into the associated compartment (4) does not protrude above the side edge (8) of the associated compartment (4) of the base shell (2). Shell-in-shell system according to claim 1,
characterized,
that the side edge (8 ') of the additional shell (5) when inserted into the associated compartment (4) state at the same height as the side edge (8) of the associated compartment (4) of the base shell (2). Shell-in-shell system according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized,
that the side edge (8, 8 ') of the side wall (6, 6 ") of the two compartments (3, 4) of the base shell is bent (2) to the outside and a bottom (7, 7') parallel sealing edge (9, 9 ' ), which forms the upper end of the side edge (8, 8 "), and / or the side edge (8 ') of the additional shell (5) is bent outwards and has a sealing edge (9') parallel to the bottom (7 ') which forms the upper end of the side edge (8 ') of the additional shell (5). Shell-in-shell system according to claim 3,
characterized,
that the sealing edge (9 ') of the additional shell (5) and the sealing edge (9) of the associated compartment (4) and in particular also the sealing edge (9 ") of the further compartment (3) lie in one plane. Shell-in-shell system according to claim 3 or 4,
characterized,
that the two compartments (3, 4) of the base shell (2) have a common sealing edge (9 "') and are interconnected. Shell-in-shell system according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the outer contour of the additional shell (5) in the region of the bottom (7 ') and the side wall (6') at least partially corresponds to the inner contour of the bottom (7) and the side wall (6) of the associated compartment (4) that the outer circumferential surface of ground (7 ') and side wall (6') of the additional shell (5) on the opposite inner lateral surface of the bottom (7) and side wall (6) of the associated compartment (4) of the base shell (2) comes into contact with the surface and congruent. Shell-in-shell system according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
in that the compartment (4) into which the additional shell (5) can be inserted has in the side wall (6) a terraced shoulder (16) on which the bent or folded side edge (8) of the additional shell (5) in FIG used condition rests. Shell-in-shell system according to claim 7,
characterized,
in that the terraced shoulder (16) connects the side edge (8 ') with the remaining side wall (6'). Shell-in-shell system according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
in that at least one recessed grip (17, 17 ') is formed in the side wall (6) of the compartment (4) for receiving the additional shell (5) in such a way that a user engages in the recessed grip (17, 17') and the side edge (4). 8 ') of the additional shell (5) can engage behind or under. Shell-in-shell system according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the side walls (6, 6 ', 6 ") of the base shell (2) and the additional shell (5) partially have a rib structure. Shell-in-shell system according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the base shell (2) is integrally formed from a plastic material and / or the additional shell (5) is integrally formed from a plastic material.

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