WO2006057561A1

WO2006057561A1 - Packaging

Info

Publication number: WO2006057561A1
Application number: PCT/NO2005/000437
Authority: WO
Inventors: Amund Aalstad; Birger Steen
Original assignee: Smurfit Kappa Norpapp As
Priority date: 2004-11-23
Filing date: 2005-11-23
Publication date: 2006-06-01
Also published as: NO20045094L; NO322612B1; NO20045094D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of packaging goods (8), particularly foods, which are placed in a box-shaped container (1) and covered with an airtight shroud-like web material (9), in particular a plastic film, characterised in that the web material (9) is connected to the container (1) in such manner that it will form a lid on the container. The invention also relates to a box-shaped container (1) and a method of packaging and freezing goods.

Description

PACKAGING

The invention relates to packaging of articles and in particular foods which are to be siibjected to a chilling process.

Pelagic fishery goods, for example, mackerel and herring, are frozen to a temperature of -3 O⁰C for transport. The goods are arranged in 20kg boxes comprising a tray and a lid, and shroud is placed under the goods. After this the lid is put in place. The goods are frozen thereafter, this process taking up to 24 hours. The shroud is folded over the goods after freezing.

As the goods do not fill the boxes completely to allow expansion during freezing, an air space exists between the goods and the lid. This air space together with the lid provide thermal insulation which must be penetrated to achieve freezing, this procedure results in an increased freezing time.

One of the objects of the invention is to simplify the goods packaging process.

Another object of the invention is to avoid the need of a lid.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the freezing time for packaged goods. These and other objects are achieved by means of a method for packaging goods, particularly food products, which are placed in a box-shaped container and covered with a shroud-like web material, in particular a plastic film. The method is characterised in that the web material is connected to the container in such manner that it will form a lid on the container. In a preferred embodiment the web material is air tight.

In a preferred embodiment, the method is characterised in that the web material is placed on and over the container opening and connected so tightly to outwardly folded side flaps on the side walls of the container that when the side flaps are folded inwards towards the centre of the container, the web material will be slackened against the goods in the container. The advantage of this is that the goods are allowed to expand in the container without need for a lid and hence without formation of an unnecessary air space.

In an even more preferred embodiment, at least some of the air present between the container and the web material attached to the container is made to flow out of the container.. In this way it is ensured that the web material lies on the articles and a gap is provided between the upper surface of the container (i.e., a plane comprising the outwardly folded side flaps) and the web material. In one embodiment of this method, air is evacuated using a tube that is inserted through a container wall.

In one embodiment of the method, the box-shaped container is plastic-laminated and the web material is a plastic film that can be welded to the plastic laminate. The invention also comprises a box-shaped container for receiving goods, particularly food products, characterised in that the side walls of the container comprise outwardly and inwardly foldable side flaps in the top area and that the side flaps on two opposite container sides, at both ends, are extended beyond the length of the associated side wall.

In one embodiment, the container is a container with inwardly folding corner portions, which can be erected from a flat plastic-laminated blank, particularly a fibreboard sheet, with the plastic laminate on the inside.

The invention also comprises a method for packaging and freezing goods, particularly food products, in a box, wherein the box is erected from a flat, plastic- laminated blank, the box is filled with goods in a desired amount, shroud is arranged on top of the goods, the box is closed and subjected to a chilling process, characterised in that as the box a container is used, the side wall of which are provided on the top thereof with foldable side flaps, these side flaps are folded outwards and as shroud a plastic film is placed on and over the box, the plastic film also covering the outwardly folded side flaps, the plastic film is welded to the outer edge areas of the side flaps and the side flaps are folded inwards towards the centre of the box, and air is made to flow out from between the interior of the box and the plastic film. Although the prior art related to has been explained in relation to fish products and other products which during packaging undergo a freezing process, the invention can be implemented for packaging of any other kind of food products as e.g. meat, vegetables, fruit, etc. In some cases the web material is equipped with openings which permit partial ventilation of the goods. One of the basic ideas of the invention is that shroud and lid are combined, the shroud being fastened to the box in such manner that it will close the box.

A closure provided in this way permits expansion of the goods during freezing and at the same time ensures that it always will be situated directly on the goods.

The inwardly folded side flaps provide a sort of frame which stiffens the box sufficiently for storage and transport. The welded connection of the web material to the box will be protected on the underside of the flaps.

Thus, the container according to the invention does not require a separate lid for stiffening/safe storage of the goods.

One advantage of the invention is that the freezing time is reduced to about 16 hours. The lid of the packaging essentially comprises a plastic layer, and this layer has a much lower insulation value than the lids of the prior art. The invention will now be described in more detail with the aid of attached Figures 1-11, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a flat blank for making the container; Figure 2 shows the erection of the side walls of the container; Figure 3 shows the container with erected side wall and side flaps; Figure 4 shows the container with folded side edges; Figure 5 illustrates the placing of web material on the container: Figure 6 illustrates the sealing of the packaging; Figure 7 illustrates the folding of the side edges; Figure 8 illustrates the folding of the side edges;

Figure 9 illustrates the evacuation of air from the packaging;

Figure 10 shows the application of sealing after the evacuation of air; and

Figure 11 is a cross section of the container with web material after vacuumising.

Figure 1 shows a flat blank for making the container. The figure shows the container 1 before it is erected. The container comprises side walls 2 and 4 with side flaps 3 and 5 respectively, bottom 6 and inwardly folding corner portions 7. In this embodiment, the side walls 2 are shorter than the side walls 4.

Figure 2 shows the erection of the side walls 2 and 4 of the container 1.

Figure 3 shows the container 1 with erected side walls 2 and 4 and side flaps 3 and 5, respectively. The side flaps will be folded down later in the process.

Figure 4 shows the container 1 with outwardly folded side edges 3 and 5. In this position, the side edges form a supporting surface for web material. The erected packaging 1 is filled with goods 8 before the welding on of film 9.

Figure 5 illustrates the placing of a web material 9 on the container. The web material 9 is, for example, PE/PET film and the packaging is, for example, a fibre packaging with PE/PET laminate. The arrows A show the direction in which the web material 9 is to be placed.

Figure 6 illustrates the sealing of the packaging using the web material 9. The side edges 3 and 5 are still folded outwards. The fibre packaging 1 is made having side flaps 3, 5 on both the short sides 2 and the long sides 4. These side flaps 3, 5 can be folded at least 90 degrees in both directions after the erection of the tray. The side edges have several functions. After the erection of the tray, the side flaps 3, 5 are folded 90 degrees turned outwards from the centre of the packaging. This is done so that the plastic film 9 can be welded to the side flaps 3, 5 using heated tools. The sealing of the film 9 against the fibre packaging 1 with plastic laminate is done by melting together the plastic laminate and the film 9 at the contact point of the heated steel frame in the sealing machine.

Figure 7 illustrates the inward folding of the side edges 3 and 5. After the welding on of the film, the side flaps 3, 5 are folded 180 degrees inwards towards the centre of the packaging 1. This means that the area the plastic film is to cover in the inside of the packaging is reduced. This has the effect of causing the headspace between goods 8 packed in the packaging 1 and the side flaps 3, 5 located on top of the packaging to be reduced or eliminated as a result of there being an excess of plastic material, and therefore the plastic film 9 can be laid down against the goods 8 when the height of the goods is lower than the height of the packaging.

Figure 8 illustrates the folding of the ends of the side edges.

Figure 9 illustrates the evacuation of air from the packaging. The evacuation is carried out, for example, using a hollow needle 9. The drawing out of air from the packaging after sealing results in a further reduction of headspace in that it is ensured that the plastic film 9 is drawn down against the surface of the goods 8. At the same time, there is a reduction in the size of any air pockets that may have been formed between the goods and the plastic film on the surface of the goods as a direct result of air being drawn out of the packaging after sealing.

Air can be drawn out of the packaging using a hollow needle. Sealing of the packaging after the hollow needle has been withdrawn from the side of the packaging is done by taping the hole after the withdrawal of air and the withdrawal of the needle.

An alternative method for reducing the amount of air in the packaging after sealing is to press a ram having a smaller area than the internal area of the packaging (length x breadth) against the plastic film and the goods. The ram will physically press the plastic film down against the surface of the goods, so as to ensure that headspace between the goods and the plastic film is reduced or eliminated.

Even after sealing, the packaging is able to allow air out in the corners at the four corners of the packaging in the area between the side edges and the side flaps. Figure 10 shows the application of sealing after air has been evacuated. Tape 11 is applied to the hole left by the needle 9 to seal it.

Figure 11 shows the container 1 and web material 9 after vacuumising. The gap between the top surfaces of the web material 9 and the side edges 3 and 5 has been given the reference numeral 12. The fibre packaging 1 is constructed so as to be watertight. This is done by using plastic laminate in the fibrous material. The plastic laminate is placed outermost in the fibrous material, so that the plastic laminate is the contact material against the food. The fibre packaging has a watertight construction in that the whole sheet is without any cutting-out in the forms of slits. The use of score lines to facilitate the folding up corners and the side edges means that a flat blank can be erected into a tray, without any danger of water penetration through the packaging structure.

The side flaps have a positive effect on the physical strength of the packaging, in that the side flaps, when turned 90 degrees inwards towards the centre of the packaging, reduce the chance of the packaging bulging out along the side edges.

After having been turned inwards 90 degrees, the side flaps will protect the sealing between the plastic film and the plastic laminate in the fibre packaging against undesired tearing because the sealing lies hidden under the side flaps.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1. A method for packaging goods (8), particularly food products, which are placed in a box-shaped container (1) and covered with shroud-like web material (9), in particular a plastic film, characterised in that the web material (9) is connected to the container (1) in such manner that it will form a lid on the container.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the web material is air tight.

3. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the web material (9) is placed on and over the, container opening and is connected so tightly to the outwardly folded side flaps (3, 5) on the side walls (2, 4) of the container that when the side flaps (3, 5) are folded inwards towards the centre of the container (1), the web material (9) is slackened against the goods (8) in the container (1).

4. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in. that at least some of the air present between the container (1) and the web material (9) fastened to the container (1) is made to flow out of the container (1).

5. A method according to claim 4, characterised in that the air is evacuated using a hollow needle (10) that is inserted through a container wall (2, 4).

6. A method according to one of claims 1-5, characterised in that the box-shaped container (1) is plastic-laminated and that the web material (9) is a plastic film that can be welded to the plastic laminate.

7. A box-shaped container (1) for receiving goods, particularly foods, characterised in that on the top of the side walls (2, 4) of the container there are provided outwardly and inwardly foldable side flaps (3 and 5, respectively), and that the side flaps on two opposite container sides, at both ends, are extended beyond the length of the associated side wall.

8. A container (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that it is a container with inwardly folding corner portions (7), which can be erected from a flat, plastic-laminated blank, particularly a fibreboard sheet, with the plastic laminate on the inside.

9. A method for packaging goods (8), particularly foods, in a container (1), wherein the container (1) is erected from a flat, plastic-laminated blank, the container (1) is filled with goods (8) in a desired amount, shroud (9) is arranged on top of the goods (8), the container (1) is closed and subjected to a chilling process, c h a r a c t e r i s e d ^' i n that as the container is used one whose side walls (2, 4) are provided on the top thereof with foldable side flaps (3, 5), these side flaps (3, 5) are folded outwards and as shroud (9) a plastic film is placed on and over the container (1), the plastic film (9) also covering the outwardly folded side flaps (3, 5), the plastic film is welded to the outer edge areas of the side flaps (3, 5) and the side flaps (3, 5) are folded inwards towards the centre of the container (1), and air is made to flow out from between the interior of the container (1) and the plastic film (9).