PACKAGING FOR READY-TO-USE COMPOUND PRODUCTS WITH A DEVICE FOR SEQUENTIAL AND SUITABLY DEFERRABLE INTEGRATION OF COMPONENTS

EMBALLAGE POUR PRODUITS COMPOSES PRETS A L'EMPLOI A DISPOSITIF POUR INTEGRATION DE COMPOSANTS SEQUENTIELLE ET CORRECTEMENT DIFFEREE

English Abstract

Packaging for ready-to-use compound products which consists of a container (1)
open in the upper part, a dispenser (11) and an element (21) which define an
inner compartment (18) for a first component of the product and other inner
compartments (23, 24) for other components of the product. The container (1)
is closed by a film (17) which is adhered to the flanged edge (3) of the
lateral wall (2) of the container (1); the compartment (23) is closed by means
of the sliding element (21) which defines, at the same time, the compartment
(24), closed by the same closure element (17) of the container (1) or by an
independent closure element, the compartment (24) can be provided with. When
the other inner compartments (23, 24) are closed it is impossible that their
content mixes with the content of the inner compartment (18). Acting suitably
on the mobile base (12) of the dispenser (11) and on the element (21), it is
possible to open the other inner compartments (23, 24) to allow the components
contained in said compartments to pass into the main compartment (18) via the
windows (14, 15) of the lateral wall (13) of the dispenser (11), in sequential
and suitably deferrable mode.

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un emballage de produits composés prêts à l'emploi constitué d'un récipient (1) dont la partie supérieure est ouverte, d'un distributeur (11) et d'un élément (21) qui définit un compartiment interne (18) destiné à un premier composant du produit et d'autres compartiments internes (23, 24) pour d'autres composants du produit. Le récipient (1) est fermé par un film (17) qui adhère au rebord (3) de la paroi latérale (2) du récipient (1); le compartiment (23) est fermé par un élément coulissant (21) qui définit parallèlement le compartiment (24), fermé par le même élément de fermeture (17) du récipient (1) ou par un élément de fermeture indépendant dont le compartiment peut être pourvu. Lorsque les autres compartiments internes (23, 24) sont fermés, leur contenu ne peut absolument pas se mélanger à celui de l'autre compartiment interne (18). En agissant de manière appropriée sur la base mobile (12) du distributeur (11) et sur l'élément (21), on peut ouvrir les autres compartiments (23, 24) afin que les composants qu'ils contiennent passent dans le compartiment principal (18) par les fenêtres (14, 15) de la paroi latérale (13) du distributeur (11) d'une manière séquentielle ou correctement différée

Claims

CLAIMS
1. A packaging for ready-to-use compound products, with device for sequential
and
suitably deferrable integration of the components, constituted by a container
(1)
open in the upper part, provided with a base (4) and with a lateral wall (2)
which
terminates with an edge (3), and by a dispenser (11), provided with a lateral
wall
(13) too which terminates with an edge (16) and with a mobile base (12), which
define the first inner compartment (18) to contain the first component of the
product, characterized by the fact that
- said edge (3) of said container (1) and said edge (16) of said dispenser
(11)
are acted to associate themselves to the superior closure element,
- that said lateral wall (13) of said dispenser (11) is provided with windows
(14, 15),
- that one element (21) is inserted in a sliding mode inside said dispenser
(11)
defining both an inner compartment (23) for a second component of the
product, together with the mobile base (12) of said dispenser (11), and one or
more than one further inner compartments (24) for one or more than one
further components of the product,
- that said base (12) and said element (21) are manoeuvrable from the outside,
- that, opportunely acting on the mobile base (12) and on the element (21),
this
latter can be moved along a determined direction inside the dispenser (11) up

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to open one or more than one said windows (14, 15) of said lateral wall (13)
of the dispenser (11), allowing, so, the passage into the compartment (18)
itself of the component/s of the inner compartment/s communicating with the
same said inner compartment (18) by means of said window/s opened in this
phase,
- that the element (21) can, moreover, be moved in the opposite direction
inside the dispenser (11) up to open the windows remained closed in the
previous phase, allowing the passage into the compartment (18) itself, of the
component/s of the inner compartment/s communicating with the same said
inner compartment (18) by means of said window/s opened in this phase.
2. A packaging for ready-to-use compound products, according to the claim 1,
characterized by the fact that said mobile base (12) and said element (21)
have,
respectively, a clutch (19) and a complementary clutch (22) acted to couple in
a
stable mode.
3. A packaging for ready-to-use products compound, according to the claims 1
or 2,
characterized by the fact that said mobile base (12) is provided with a button-
handle (20) to press or pull.

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4. A packaging for ready-to-use compound products, according to any previous
claim, characterized by the fact that said container (1) and said dispenser
(11)
are realised as a unique piece.
5. A packaging for ready-to-use compound products, according to any previous
claim, characterized by the fact that said container (1) and said dispenser
(11) are
realized as separated and subsequently assemblable pieces and that said
container
(1) presents a hole (10) on its said base (4), acted to allow a stable clutch
of the
dispenser (11).
6. A packaging for ready-to-use compound products, according to any previous
claim, characterized by the fact that the element (21) presents the horns (30)
acted to interfere with the edges (31) of the windows, in order to assure that
the
element (21) can not move over the position defined by such interferences.
7. A packaging for ready-to-use compound products, according to any previous
claim, characterized by the fact that ribs (25, 26), opportunely placed on the
element (21), interfere with the corresponding horns (27, 28) present inside
the
lateral wall (13) of the dispenser (11), stabilizing inside the dispenser
(11), the
position of the element (21), isolating, in addition, each of the compartments
(23,
24) defined in said dispenser.

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8. A packaging for ready-to-use compound products, according to any previous
claim, characterized by the fact that said base (4) of said container (1)
presents a
hole in its entire surface or only in its part.
9. A packaging for ready-to-use compound products, according to any previous
claim, characterized by the fact that said base (4) of said container (1)
presents a
relieved edge (7), on the opposite side inside the packaging which define one
or
more than one external compartments (8, 9).
10. A packaging for ready-to-use compound products, according to the claim 9,
characterized by the fact that in said external compartments (8, 9) the
accessories
for usage or preparation of the product can be placed.
11. A packaging for ready-to-use compound products, according to the claim 9,
characterized by the fact that said relieved edge (7) is acted to associate
itself to
an inferior closure element (5).
12. A packaging for ready-to-use compound products, according to the claim 11,
characterized by the fact that said inferior closure element (5) can be
removed
only in correspondence of the external compartment/s to the hole (10) and,

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anyway, to the non-holed part of the base ( 4).
13. A packaging for ready-to-use compound products, according to the claim 9,
characterized by the fact that the external compartment (8) corresponding to
the
holed portion of the base (4) of the container (1) is acted to keep inside an
excess
of components of the product, resulting from the preparation of said product
in
said packaging and that the band (33) of the base surface (4) obstacles the
excess
of components in the bay (8), to pass out of the said bay (8), when the
container
(1) will be inclined enough to allow to pour out the product.
14. A packaging for ready-to-use compound products, according to any previous
claim, characterized by the fact that said element (21) is provided with an
autonomous superior closure element compared to the superior closure element
(17) of the container (1).
15. A packaging for ready-to-use compound products, according to any previous
claim, characterized by the fact that said elements of superior closure of the
container (1) and of the element (21), as well as those of inferior closure
(5) of
the external compartments (8, 9), are constituted by a film of plastic
material.

Description

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DESCRIPTION
"PACKAGING FOR READY-TO-USE COMPOUND PRODUCTS WITH A
DEVICE FOR SEQUENTIAL AND SUITABLY DEFERRABLE INTEGRATION
OF COMPONENTS"
Technical field of invention
The present invention regards the field of packagings for containing products
composed of at least three components to be kept separately up to the moment
of
usage and, particularly the sector of packagings for containing food products.
For demonstration scopes, the invention may be used to realise the coating of
meat,
fish or vegetables with bread crumbs or flour mixture for further cooking.
The state of the art
As far as the food products is concerned, different types of packagings are
known
nowadays. Mostly, these packagings contain bags with mix for bread crumbs and
shaker bags in which the products to be coated with bread crumbs and the mix
mentioned before are introduced and shaked together.
The disadvantages connected to the use of such packagings are numerous: it is
necessary to get and use an additional fluid ingredient (oil, eggs ecc.),
which is often
necessary to veil preventionally the product in order to realize a better
adherence of
the bread coating; while opening the bags mentioned before it is possible to
pour out
occasionally its content; as the bag is flexible, its walls, humidified by
contact with a
food product and/or with the said additional fluid, may tend to adhere making
the

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bread coating introduction more difficult; it is necessary to assure an
adequate closure
of the bag to avoid the leak of product and bread coating, especially in the
shaking
phase; it is necessary to preview, furtherly to the avoiding of exceeding
bread coating
and before the baking, an operation which like all the previous operations
conducts to
getting dirty hands, dishes and different utensiles without increasing much
the
practicity of cooking.
So, the object of the present invention is to make available a packaging which
allows
mainly to:
- lceep opportunely separated the components of the product up to the moment
of their usage;
- mix the different components of the product in a practical, hygenic and
efficient manner, as well as in sequential and suitably deferrable mode;
- keep in a special bay the excess of some components.
Brief description of the figures
Fig. 1 a view of one embodiment of the packaging in absonometrical section;
Fig. 2 vertical section of the container (1) of fig. I with dispenser (11) and
element (21) present and closed inner compartments (18, 23, 24);
Fig. 3a vertical section of packaging of fig. 1, with the mobile base (12)
pushed
inside up to the stop point, with the activation of the sufficiently stable
hook between clutches (19, 22) and with the related opening of the
windows (14) of the lateral wall (13) of the dispenser (11);

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Fig. 3b vertical section of the packaging embodiment, in which the horns (30)
acted to interfere with the edges (31) of the windows of the lateral wall
(13) of the dispenser (11) are present on the element (21).
Fig. 4 vertical section of the container (1) of fig. 1 with the mobile base
(12)
described in the initial position with related pulling of the element (21)
towards the bottom of the container (1), which is possible because of
sufficiently stable hook between clutches (19, 22), and consequent
opening of the windows (15) of the lateral wall (13) of the dispenser
(11).
Detailed description of the figures
With reference to figure 1, the packaging is constituted by a container (1),
provided
with a lateral wall (2) which terminates with an edge (3), and by a base (4),
partially
holed and closed in the bottom by a film (5), generally of plastic material,
joined by
means of thermowelding or some other available technique to the flat surface
(6) of
inferior relieved edge (7). Said inferior relieved edge (7) and said film (5)
concur to
delimit, on the part of the base surface (4) opposite to the opening of the
container
(1), a bay (8) in correspondence of the holed part and a further separated bay
(9) in
correspondence of the solid part, in which different accessories, not shown
here, can
be located (absorbing paper, pliers for baked products, ecc.) and in which the
filming
that closes said bay (9) keeping said accessories, can be uncoupled without
removing
the part of the film which closes the bay (8) corresponding to the holed
portion.

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In the base surface (4) of said container (1) a hole (10) is made. On said
hole the
dispenser (11), constituted by a lateral wall (13) in which the windows (14,
15) are
opening is introduced. The lateral wall (13) terminates with a flanged edge
(16) on
which, at the end of the packaging, the same upper-sealing film (17) which
closes the
container (1) in correspondence of its flanged edge (3) is made adhere.
The container (1) and the dispenser (11) define the main compartment (18).
In the dispenser (11) a mobile base (12) is present. On its inner concave part
a clutch
(19) is placed and in its correspondence, on the convex side, a button-handle
(20) is
placed, which function will be explained later.
Inside the dispenser (11) the element (21) is placed. From its base a clutch
(22),
complementary to the clutch (19) starts. Said clutch is placed on the mobile
base (12)
of the dispenser (11), to which it joints in a particular phase of packaging
usage, as it
will be clear below.
After the introduction of the element (21) in the dispenser (11) in this
latter a
compartment (23) is defined in which the component, normally fluid, is placed
which
is first to be united with the product present in the main compartment (18).
The element (21) defines, on its turn, a compartment (24) which should
contain, for
instance, the bread crumbs.
In figure 2 a section of the packaging, in which, going up from the bottom,
the
following pieces are represented:
- the sealing film (5);

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- the external bay (9), in which it is possible to place different accessories
(absorbing
paper, pliers for baked products, ecc.) and in which correspondence the
sealing film
(5) is removable;
- the external bay (8), perinanently closed by the resting part of the sealing
film (5), in
which, through the holes of the base surface (4) of the container (1), it is
possible to
collect the bread crumbs in excess;
- the main compartment (18), containing the product to be coated with bread
crumbs;
- the dispenser (11) keyed in the hole (10) and in the relative compartment
(23)
containing the fluid component;
- the element (21) and the correspondent compartment (24) containing the bread
crumbs;
- the superior sealing film (17) which closes the compartments (18) and (24)
adhering
respectively to the flanged edges (3) and (16).
In a packaging phase, the dispenser (11) is inserted, by means of a sealed
joint, into
the hole (10) of the base surface (4) of the container (1), while in other
embodiments
of the invention it is still possible to realize the dispenser (11) directly
in a unique
block with the container (1), or insert it into the container (1), in phase of
usage, by
means of a coupling hole (10).
Furtherly a component (normally fluid) for the compartment (23) is introduced
and
after that it passes to place the element (21) pushing it, as necessary,
inside the
dispenser (11). The ribs (25, 26), present on the lateral wall of the element
(21),

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interfering with the corresponding horns (27, 28) opportunely realized inside
the
lateral wall (13) of the dispenser (11), stabilize inside the dispenser (11),
the position
of the element (21), isolating, in addition, each of the compartments (23, 24)
defined
in said dispenser.
So, the compartment (24) is filled and finally the container (1) is sealed by
the film
(17) adhered in the same time, by means of thermowelding or other known
technique,
to the flanged edge (3) of the container (1) and to the flanged edge (16) of
the
dispenser (11).
In figure 3a the section of the packaging according to one particular
application,
when, in the usage phase the mobile base (12) together with the element (21)
is
completely pushed by the user inside the packaging, discovering, without
opening
before the packaging itself, the windows (14) of the lateral wall (13) of the
dispenser
(11), capable to make communicate the compartments (23) and (18) is shown. The
use previews that in this phase the packaging should be put upside down on a
rigid
plain to assure that when the pressure applied by the user to the mobile base
(12) is
transmitted to the sliding element (21) this latter can not move over some
certain
position which in this case is the position in which the superior edge (29) of
the
compartment (24) meets the said rigid plain. This is to assure that in this
phase the
clutch (19) couples in a sufficiently stable way with the complementary clutch
(22).
Said coupling can also be realized as it is shown in figure 3b.
In this embodiment, the horns (30), present on the lateral wall of the sliding
element

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(21), interfere with the edge (31) of the windows (15) of the lateral wall
(13) of the
dispenser (11), assuring (for the same scope as described in the embodiment
shown in
fig. 3a) that said sliding element (21) can not move over the position
delimited by this
interference.
So, the usage of the packaging previews that the same is shaked to allow that
the
component leaked out of the compartment (23) mixes with the product contained
in
the compartment (18).
Figure 4 shows how, using the hooking between the complementary clutches (19,
22), is possible, pulling the button-handle (20) placed on the mobile base
(12), to
push in the same direction the element (21) too. Acting so, the opening of the
windows (15) of the lateral wall (13) of the dispenser (11) is determined, so
that by
overturning and shaking the packaging, the component of the compartment (24)
may
pass into the compartment (18) and complete the product preparation.
Putting upside down and shalcing another bit the packaging, the bread crumbs
in
excess will pass into the bay (8) through the holed part of the base surface
(4).
Once the container (1) is open, it will be possible to pour out the product,
for
example, in a pot, from the side (32) specifically previewed. During this
operation the
band (33) of the base surface (4) will obstacle the excess of bread crumbs in
the bay
(8) to pass out of the said bay when the container will be inclined enough to
allow to
pour out the product.
The absorbing paper, present in the bay (9) and not shown here, can be
opportunely

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conformed to be supported by the emptied container (1), in order to be able to
use it
for dripping the fried product, using also, for a better result, the presence
of the holed
portion of the base surface (4).
Other embodiments may preview that the mobile base (12) inside the dispenser
(11)
is also sliding.
In one of these further embodiments the mobile base (12) and the element (21)
can be
joined forming a piston which moves inside the dispenser (11).
In this embodiment the mobile base (12) is inserted, the compartment (23) is
filled,
the element (21) is inserted, the compartment (24) is filled. This latter is
provided not
only by the superior opening, in this case closed by a proper autonomous
closure
element, but also by lateral openings, temporarily closed by the portions of
the wall
(13) of the dispenser (11) with which said lateral openings contact.
In the usage phase the mobile base (12) is pushed and, opening the windows
(14), the
compartment (23) communicates with the compartment (18), to proceed to the
scattering of the liquid content into the compartment (23) on the product
contained in
the compartment (18). After that, by pressing on the autonomous closure
element up
to making coincide said lateral openings of the compartment (24) with the
openings
(15) of the dispenser (11), the compartment (24) communicates with the
compartment
(18), to proceed to the definitive coating of the product with bread crumbs.
The invention, certainly, is not limited, to the representation of the
figures, but can
receive perfections and modifications from men skilled in the art, without
going out

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of the patent frames.
Present invention permits numerous advantages and, particularly, allows to
overcome
the difficulties that could not be surmounted using the systems that are
actually in
commerce.

Representative Drawing