U.S. patent application number 15/520936 was filed with the patent office on 2017-11-30 for package for take-away food products, in particular for pizza.
The applicant listed for this patent is Francesco Felice MARINCOLA. Invention is credited to Francesco Felice MARINCOLA.
Application Number | 20170341803 15/520936 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52130713 |
Filed Date | 2017-11-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170341803 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MARINCOLA; Francesco
Felice |
November 30, 2017 |
PACKAGE FOR TAKE-AWAY FOOD PRODUCTS, IN PARTICULAR FOR PIZZA
Abstract
A package has a base wall and a perimeter wall defining a
housing, in which a support wall is provided defining the bottom of
a compartment for a take-away food product, in particular for a
pizza; the support wall is vertically spaced and substantially
parallel with respect to the base wall, so as to define a gap in
the lower part of the housing; the support wall defines a grid
having a plurality of holes which establish communication between
the gap and the compartment; a movable cover, provided to
open/close the compartment, has a plurality of incisions which
establish communication between the compartment and the outside
environment.
Inventors: |
MARINCOLA; Francesco Felice;
(Frazione La Roche, 3, IT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
MARINCOLA; Francesco Felice |
Frazione La Roche, 3 |
|
IT |
|
|
Family ID: |
52130713 |
Appl. No.: |
15/520936 |
Filed: |
October 22, 2015 |
PCT Filed: |
October 22, 2015 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB2015/058164 |
371 Date: |
April 21, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2585/366 20130101;
B65D 5/4295 20130101; B65D 5/302 20130101; B65D 81/263 20130101;
B65D 5/5021 20130101; B65D 5/48018 20130101; B65D 2205/02
20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65D 5/42 20060101
B65D005/42; B65D 5/48 20060101 B65D005/48; B65D 5/30 20060101
B65D005/30; B65D 5/50 20060101 B65D005/50 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 22, 2014 |
IT |
T02014A000855 |
Claims
1-14. (canceled)
15. A package for take-away food products, in particular for pizza,
comprising: a base wall and a perimeter wall defining a housing; a
support wall having an upper surface that defines a bottom of a
compartment adapted to house a food product; support means for
maintaining said support wall in a position that is vertically
spaced and substantially parallel with respect to said base wall,
so as to define a gap which is part of said housing; said support
wall defining a grid having a plurality of holes that put said gap
in communication with said compartment; wherein said walls and at
least part of said support means are defined by one single blank
sheet which has been folded.
16. The package according to claim 15, wherein said support wall is
arranged at an intermediate height of said housing.
17. The package according to claim 15, wherein said support means
comprise a suspension wall, which joins an edge of said support
wall to an upper edge of said perimeter wall.
18. The package according to claim 15, wherein said perimeter wall
consists of a front wall, a rear wall and two lateral walls; and
wherein said compartment communicates with the outside environment
through: at least one inlet made in one of said front and rear
walls, while another of said front and rear walls is without
openings at said compartment; at least one outlet made in at least
one of said lateral walls.
19. The package according to claim 18, wherein said inlet and/or
said outlet are defined by holes that are part of a retaining
system provided to mutually hook said front, rear and lateral
walls.
20. The package according to claim 15, wherein said gap laterally
is completely closed off by a lower area of said perimeter
wall.
21. The package according claim 15, wherein said support means
comprise at least one tab that is arranged in said gap in
substantially vertical position and couples a central portion of
said support wall to a central portion of said base wall; said tab
terminating with a tooth that engages a slot made in one of said
central portions of said support wall and of said base wall.
22. The package according to claim 21, wherein said tab defines an
appendage that is folded with respect to another of said central
portions.
23. The package according to claim 22, wherein said tab defines an
appendage that is folded with respect to said support wall.
24. The package according to claim 21, wherein said support means
comprise at least one further tab, which defines an appendage
folded with respect to said support wall, extends downwards
starting from an edge of said support wall and has a lower edge
resting on said base wall.
25. The package according to claim 15, further comprising a movable
cover for opening/closing said compartment and a plurality of
incisions that place said compartment in communication with the
outside environment.
26. The package according to claim 25, wherein said incisions have
an annular trend to surround respective solid portions, which are
joined to a remaining part of said cover by bridges that may be
broken to be able to open or remove said solid portions.
27. A blank sheet for obtaining a package according to claim 15,
comprising: a first portion defining said base wall; a plurality of
second portions defining respective rectangular walls adapted to
form said perimeter wall; a third portion, which has substantially
the same shape and the same dimensions as said first portion,
defines said support wall with said grid; and a plurality of fourth
portions defining said support means.
28. The blank sheet according to claim 27, wherein it is made of
cardboard, and wherein the holes of said grid are closed by
detachable filling pieces.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention concerns a package for take-away food
products, in particular for pizza and other baked products.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] For the transport of freshly baked food products, the
majority of packages of known type consist of cardboard boxes or
stackable plastic trays and are made with characteristics such as
to retain the heat inside as far as possible.
[0003] Another need to be met is that of avoiding condensation of
the water vapour which naturally emanates from the food product
when still hot. In particular, the condensation deposits on the
inner surfaces of the package, comes into contact with the food
product and tends to cause loss of its crispness. Therefore, it is
expedient to avoid the formation of condensation, but without
affecting the heat retention function.
[0004] To avoid the stagnation of air saturated with water vapour,
the patent EP1851121 describes a package having a multilayer type
cardboard wall, with a corrugated layer which defines, within the
wall, a plurality of passages. Said wall is then provided with
windows which define aeration holes open towards the outside.
[0005] The need is felt to improve this type of solution, so as to
make it simpler and more effective, preferably without increasing
the costs and/or continuing to support and transport the pizza in a
stable manner.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a package
for take-away food products, in particular for pizza, which meets
the above need in a simple inexpensive manner.
[0007] According to the present invention a package is provided for
take-away food products, in particular for pizza, as defined in
claim 1.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The invention will now be described with reference to the
attached drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting embodiment
example, in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective of a preferred embodiment of the
package for take-away food products, in particular for pizza,
according to the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a different perspective which shows the package of
FIG. 1 from a different point of view and with partially open
walls; and
[0011] FIG. 3 is a plan view, on a reduced scale, of a cardboard
sheet defining a blank for obtaining the package of FIGS. 1 and
2.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0012] In FIG. 1, the reference number 1 indicates a package for
transporting take-away food products, for example for transporting
a pizza (not illustrated).
[0013] The package 1 is defined by a box made preferably of
cardboard and comprising a lower horizontal wall 3 (FIG. 2) and an
upper wall 4, which are vertically spaced from each other. The wall
4 is a movable cover, i.e. it can be rotated or removed, to open
from the top the package 1 and access a compartment 6 adapted to
house the pizza.
[0014] The package 1 further comprises a perimeter wall 7 which
extends upwards starting from the perimeter of the wall 3, so as to
delimit a housing 5. The wall 7 consists of a plurality of vertical
plane walls, each coupled to a corresponding side of the wall 3 by
means of a virtual hinge. In particular, the perimeter wall 7
consists of four rectangular walls, i.e. a front wall 10a, a rear
wall 10b and two lateral walls 10c. A retention system 9, of known
type and not described in detail, is provided to hook the walls
10a, 10b, 10c to one another and therefore maintain them in
vertical positions.
[0015] In particular, the rear wall 10b joins the wall 4 to the
wall 3. At least one of the two edges between the wall 10b and the
walls 3 and 4 defines a virtual hinge for rotating the wall 4 about
a horizontal axis and opening/closing the compartment 6.
[0016] The package 1 also has a retention device 12 of known type,
configured so as to maintain the wall 4 lowered, to close the
compartment 6. For example, the retention device 12 is defined by
at least one tab, adapted to fit into a corresponding slit 13
obtained along the upper edge 14 of the front wall 10a.
[0017] According to a variation not illustrated, the package 1 is
without the wall 4 and defines a stackable tray, where the
compartment 6 is adapted to be closed at the top by another package
placed on top of the package 1.
[0018] According to an aspect of the present invention, the package
1 comprises a support wall 15, which is substantially flat and
horizontal, is arranged in the housing 5 and is vertically spaced
from the wall 3 so as to define a lower gap 16 (FIG. 2) in the
lower part of the housing 5.
[0019] The wall 15 has an upper surface 17 defining the bottom of
the compartment 6 and, therefore, a support for the pizza. The wall
15 is arranged at an intermediate height of the wall 7, so as to
divide the housing 5 into two parts defined respectively by the
compartment 6 and the gap 16. The distance of the surface 17 from
the upper edge of the perimeter wall 7 must be sufficient to house
the pizza avoiding contact with the wall 4.
[0020] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the
wall 15 comprises an intermediate portion, having substantially the
dimensions of the pizza to be supported and defining a grid, since
it has a plurality of through holes 18 which establish a
communication between the gap 16 and the compartment 6 and have the
function of reducing the extension of the surface 17 which comes
into contact with the pizza. In particular, the holes 18 define a
reduction in the contact area equal to at least 10%. Furthermore,
the holes 18 allow the heat of the pizza to pass more easily into
the gap 16, where a "cushion" of hot air forms which tends to
insulate the wall 15 to limit cooling of the pizza. At the same
time, the holes 18 favour evacuation of the condensation from the
compartment 6 towards the gap 16.
[0021] Preferably, the holes 18 of the above-mentioned grid are
identical to one another and have a uniform distribution.
[0022] Preferably, the height of the gap 16 is greater than 1 cm,
in order to generate a sufficient circulation of hot air below the
wall 15.
[0023] Advantageously, at least one of the holes 18 has dimensions
sufficient to introduce hygroscopic granular material (for example
grains of salt) from above into the gap 16 (before depositing the
pizza in the compartment 6) in order to reduce the humidity of the
air in the housing 5.
[0024] With reference to FIG. 2, the package 1 comprises a
plurality of support elements which maintain the wall 15 and,
therefore, the pizza in the housing 5 in the established design
position.
[0025] Preferably, the support elements comprise a suspension wall
19 (partially visible in FIG. 2), which is made of the same
material as that of the walls 15 and 10a, is substantially vertical
and is joined to the wall 10a along the edge 14 and to the wall 15
along an edge 20 by means of respective virtual hinges. In other
words, the walls 15, 19, 10a and 3 constitute parts of one single
piece, and the edge 20 remains hanging from the edge 14 thanks to
the wall 19. At the same time, the slit 13 is defined between the
walls 10a and 19.
[0026] The above-mentioned support elements furthermore comprise at
least one foot or tab 21, which is made of the same material as the
wall 15, extends downwards starting from a corresponding edge of
the perimeter of the wall 15 and, in turn, has a lower edge 23
resting on the upper surface of the wall 3. In other words, the tab
21 defines an appendage folded with respect to the wall 15. In
particular, three tabs 21 are provided, arranged along the rear
edge 24 and the lateral edges 25 of the perimeter of the wall 15.
In this way, the support of the wall 15 is even more stable.
[0027] According to a not illustrated variation, at least one of
the tabs 21 is replaced by one or more horizontal projections of
the wall 15, defining respective teeth which engage corresponding
seats obtained in the perimeter wall 7.
[0028] Advantageously, the above-mentioned support elements
comprise at least one vertical tab 26 arranged in the gap 16 in a
position such as to couple a central portion 27 of the wall 15 with
a central portion 28 of the wall 3, to perform the function of a
spacer and strut, and therefore support the weight of the pizza and
prevent lowering of the portion 27 (which would limit the air
circulation below the wall 15). The tab 26 terminates in a tooth or
claw 29 which engages a slot 30 obtained in the portion 28, so as
to retain the tab 26 in a vertical position. In particular, one
single tab 26 is provided. Advantageously, the tab 26 and the wall
15 constitute part of one single piece, hence the tab 26 defines an
appendage folded with respect to the portion 27 and with one of its
edges resting on the portion 28. In this case, the engagement of
the tooth 29 in the slot 30 opposes the "memory" effect of the
material of the portion 27, which would tend to cause the tab 26 to
return to the horizontal position.
[0029] According to variations not illustrated, the tab 26 is in
one single piece with the wall 3, instead of with the wall 15; or
the tab 26 is a piece distinct from the walls 3 and 15.
[0030] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the
compartment 6 of the package 1 is subject, in use, to circulation
of air, since it communicates with the outside environment through:
[0031] at least one inlet 32 made in one of the walls 10a and 10b,
while the other of the walls 10a and 10b is completely solid, i.e.
without holes or openings, in the area of the compartment 6; [0032]
at least one outlet 33 made in at least one of the walls 10c.
[0033] In this way, a flow of air is ensured inside the compartment
6, but with reduced or controlled entity, since the inlet 32 and
the outlet 33 are provided in directions transverse to each other
and therefore they are not aligned.
[0034] Advantageously, the inlet 32 and/or the outlet 33 are
defined by holes forming part of the retention system 9.
[0035] Preferably, the inlet 32 and the outlet 33 lead only into
the compartment 6, and not into the gap 16, which therefore remains
completely closed by a lower area of the wall 7 throughout its
perimeter.
[0036] According to a further aspect of the present invention, as
it can be seen in FIG. 1, the wall 4 has a plurality of cuts or
incisions 35 which establish communication between the compartment
6 and the outside environment for outflow of the hottest steam,
which originates from the centre of the pizza immediately during
the first seconds after closing of the compartment 6. The incisions
are very narrow openings which allow the steam, but not the heat,
to escape, so as to lower the humidity in the compartment 6 without
lowering the temperature. Preferably, the incisions 35 have a ring
shape (in this specific case an almost oval shape) so as to each
surround a relative solid part 36, which is connected to the
remaining part of the wall 4 by means of bridges (not visible in
FIG. 1) which can be broken by simply pushing said solid part 36.
If only some of said bridges are broken, it is possible to open
wide each solid part 36 with respect to the remaining part of the
wall 4 and slightly increase the extension of the openings. If said
bridges are completely broken, the solid parts 36 are removed. In
this way, the user can autonomously adjust the width of the
openings towards the outside through the wall 4.
[0037] According to a preferred embodiment, the package 1 is
produced starting from one single blank sheet 40 made of cardboard,
obtained by means of die-cutting and illustrated in FIG. 3.
Starting from one end (on the right in FIG. 3) and going towards
the opposite end, the blank sheet 40 comprises: two projecting
portions 41, defining the tabs 12; a quadrangular portion 42
defining the wall 4; a rectangular portion 43, elongated
transversally and defining the wall 10b; a quadrangular portion 44,
having substantially the same shape and the same dimensions as the
portion 42 and defining the wall 3, and two rectangular portions 45
elongated longitudinally, arranged along the sides of the portion
44 and defining the walls 10c respectively; two rectangular walls
46 and 47, elongated transversally, arranged one after the other
downstream of the portion 44 and defining the walls 10a and 19
respectively, with two intermediate openings 48 defining the inlets
for the slits 13; a quadrangular portion 50 having substantially
the same shape and the same dimensions as the portions 42 and 44
and defining the wall 15; an intermediate portion 49 internal to
the portion 50 and defining the tab 26; and three projecting
portions 51 arranged along the sides of the portion 50 and defining
the tabs 21 respectively.
[0038] The portions 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50 and 51 are
joined to one another along their edges by means of so-called
folding lines, defining respective virtual hinges to allow a user
to form the package by simply folding the various portions of the
blank sheet 40 with respect to one another.
[0039] In particular, in the portion 50 the holes 18 are closed by
respective filling pieces 52, which are joined along their profile
to the remaining part of the portion 50 so that they can be
manually detached with ease.
[0040] From the above it is evident that the solution proposed is
optimal for limiting the formation of condensation and therefore
for maintaining the crispness of the pizza 2 for as long as
possible. In particular, the package 1 provides an optimal
compromise between the need to retain the heat and the need to
avoid the formation of condensation in the compartment 6. In
particular, the configuration of the support wall 50 is extremely
important for obtaining said compromise. The construction
characteristics that allow ventilation of the compartment 6 towards
the outside and/or the circulation of air in the gap 16 and/or the
absence of ventilation from the outside into the gap 16 contribute
to ensuring an even more effective result.
[0041] Furthermore, the characteristics of the package 1 and, in
particular, of the above-mentioned support elements contribute to
making the proposed solution simple and to supporting the pizza in
a stable manner.
[0042] Furthermore, the package 1 can be easily obtained at a
limited cost by producing the blank sheet 40 and folding the
various portions described above and clearly illustrated in FIG.
3.
[0043] Lastly, from the above it is evident that modifications and
variations that do not depart from the protective scope of the
present invention, as defined in the attached claims, can be made
to the package 1 described with reference to the attached
figures.
[0044] In particular, materials other than cardboard could be used,
for example foldable plastic material, a combination of plastic
material and paper, etc. . . .
[0045] The dimensions and the shape of the package 1 could be
different, according to the type of food product to be transported.
Furthermore, the compartment 6 could be outside the housing 5, with
the wall 15 arranged substantially at the same height as the upper
edge 14: in this case, the wall 4 must be shaped so as to define a
compartment adapted to house the food product.
[0046] The holes 18, the inlet 32, the outlet 33 and the openings
defined by the incisions 35 and by the parts 36 can be made in a
number and/or in shapes and/or in dimensions different from those
indicated above. For example, the holes 18 could be made in a
non-uniform manner, for example on the basis of particular
aesthetic requirements.
[0047] Lastly, at least one of the surfaces of the compartment 6
could be defined by a covering sheet made of aluminium or another
material designed to reflect the heat.
* * * * *