Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Packaging
Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to packaging. The invention relates in
particular
to an insert for a flow wrapped packaging assembly, to a flow wrapped
packaging
assembly comprising such an insert and to process for the production of a flow
wrapped
packaging assembly comprising the insert.
Background to the Invention
It is well known to provide beverage ingredients in a container which is
insertable in a compatible beverage preparation machine to make a beverage.
Typically,
a beverage container holds sufficient ingredients to produce a single-serving
of the
desired beverage, such as such as filter coffee, espresso coffee, americano,
cappuccino,
latte and the like. Such beverage ingredient containers are often referred to
as a "pad"
or "puck". For convenience, the term "beverage pad" will be used herein.
However, the
invention is applicable to packaging for many different types of such beverage
container and indeed can be used to package a variety of different products,
especially
where a number of products are to be packaged together.
One known type of beverage pad consists of a pre-dosed beverage ingredient
portion enclosed between two disc-shaped layers of flexible material, such as
filter
paper. The layers are usually sealed together about their peripheries,
creating an
enclosed cake or dose of ingredients. Such beverage pads are suitable to be
used in
coffee machines which can operate under pressure and/or at atmospheric
pressure. In
use, the pad is placed in a holder which is then closed with a lid. Hot water
is supplied
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to a top of the pad so that the hot water is passed through the pad to form
the beverage,
which leaves the holder through an outflow. In an alternative known
arrangement, a
beverage pad comprises rigid concave shell whose upper end is closed by a
first sheet
of flexible material. A second sheet of flexible material is located in the
base of the
shell and beverage ingredient is located between the first and second flexible
sheets.
The shell defines a fluid outlet and one or more fluid passages in its base.
The flexible
sheets are typically a filter material which allows water to pass through the
pad and the
beverage ingredient. This type of pad is used in a similar manner to the first
type
described above but is less prone to damage or incorrect insertion in a
machine. The
shell may be made of a polymeric material or a cardboard or cartonboard type
material
and the pad is typically disc-shaped.
Whilst coffee is the most common beverage ingredient used in beverage pads,
other ingredients or a mixture of ingredients can be used such as milk powder
and/or
tea. For some beverages, two pads containing different ingredients can be used
.. sequentially. For making a latte for example, it is known to use one pad
containing the
coffee ingredients and another containing powdered milk. In this case, each
beverage
pad only contains a proportion of the ingredients needed for a single serving.
Because the ingredients contained in beverage pads are perishable, it is usual
to
package a number of pads together in a hermetically sealed package made from a
flexible, gas impervious film to keep the ingredients fresh for longer. In a
known
arrangement, beverage pads are packaged in a bag or pouch made using a
vertical
form fill seal process (VFFS). VFFS is a well-known method of packaging in
which a
packaging film is drawn from a roll and folded about a former into a
vertically aligned
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tube. Opposite longitudinal edges of the film are sealed together to produce a
longitudinal seal, often positioned at the back of the package. Opposing
portions of the
film tube are sealed together at the base of the package to form a first
transverse seal
and the pads are dropped by gravity from a hopper into the partially sealed
package.
The package is then closed by forming a second transverse seal at the top,
above the
contents, and the film is cut to separate the filled package. This process is
repeated in a
substantially continuous process to produce a number of filled packages at
relatively
high speed.
With the VFFS process, it is not possible to form the package tightly about
the
beverage pads as a certain amount of free space (non-product filled volume
sometimes
referred to as "headspace") is required to allow evacuation of gas and/or air
from the
package when filled and to avoid any of the pads becoming stuck between the
opposing
layers of the film material when the filled package is sealed. Because the
package is
larger than is strictly needed to contain the products, it is arguable that
this method of
packaging uses an excess of packaging film material. This affects the cost of
the
packaging and has environmental consequences, including a larger than
necessary
carbon footprint. The fairly loose filling also results in a package which may
have
stability issues when the package is stood upright on a shelf for display
purposes.
Because beverage pads are not tightly packed in a VFFS package, they can
move around in the package and may become damaged. Damaged pads have an
inferior
appearance which leads to low consumer acceptance and therefore to low
customer
satisfaction. There is also a risk that damaged pads could break and/or open
into the
package, releasing beverage ingredient which may be spilled when the package
is
opened. This negatively affects the consumer experience. Damage to the pads
can also
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lead to brewing issues. For example, damage to a pad may lead to the formation
of
preferential pathways through the beverage ingredient cake/dose (so called `by-
pass'),
which could result in a partial extraction of the ingredient and a
consequentially poor
in-cup quality of the extracted beverage.
Another known process for producing a package made from a flexible film is
horizontal form fill seal (HFFS) or flow wrapping. In the HFFS process, the
product
being packaged is passed through a wrapping area in a generally horizontal
path. The
packaging film is drawn from a roll on to a former which guides the film into
a tubular
shape about the product. Opposite longitudinal edges of the film are sealed
together to
produce a longitudinal seal, often positioned at the back of the package.
Opposing
portions of the film tube are sealed together to form transversee seals at
either end of
the product to close the wrapper. The end seals may be formed sequentially or
simultaneously. The HFFS process is typically used to package solid products
such as
chocolate bars and blocks of cheese and the like and the film is drawn closely
about the
product minimising headspace.
Whilst HFFS is often used to package single, solid products, HFFS can be used
to package multiple products by supporting the products in an insert in the
form of a
tray and forming a flow wrapped wrapper about the tray and products. For
example, it
is known to use HFFS processes to package a stack of biscuits by lying the
stack on its
side in a tray made from cartonboard or the like and then flow wrapping about
the tray
and the stack of the biscuits. The tray typically has an elongate base with
opposed side
walls and opposed end walls to define a volume in which the biscuits are
placed. After
opening, the biscuits are either removed from the tray and stored elsewhere,
say in a
biscuit tin, or dispensed from the tray which must be kept generally
horizontal to
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prevent the biscuits from falling out. Whilst this works wells for some
products, such
as biscuits, it is not ideal for use in packaging beverage pads.
As used herein, the terms "flow wrapped, "flow wrap", "flow wrapping" and
the like should be understood as referring to HFFS processes.
5 A
further issue in packaging beverage pads in a hermetically seal package made
from a gas impervious flexible film is the tendency for some ingredients to
degas. In
particular roasted coffee will continue to degas after roasting. If packaged
in a
hermetically sealed package before degassing is complete, this can lead to the
package
swelling or even bursting. To prevent this, it is known to degas roasted
coffee before
packaging. However, this means the coffee is less fresh when packaged and
requires
considerable investment in degassing silos.
There is a need then for an alternative arrangement for packaging products,
especially beverage pads, which overcomes, or at least mitigates, some or all
of the
drawbacks of the known arrangements.
There is also a need for an alternative arrangement for packaging products,
especially beverage pads, in a flexible film which would enable a reduction in
the
amount of packaging film material required for a given number of products when
compared with the known VFFS process.
There is a further need for an alternative arrangement for packaging products,
especially beverage pads, in a flexible film which would reduce the amount of
headspace in the resulting package when compared with the known VFFS process.
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It would be also advantageous to provide an alternative packaging solution
which enables ingredients which have a tendency to degas, such as roasted
coffee, to
be packaged without having to be fully degassed prior to packaging.
Summary of the Invention
Aspects of the invention relate to an insert for a flow-wrapped packaging
assembly,
to a flow-wrapped packaging assembly, a process for manufacturing a flow
wrapped
packaging assembly, a blank of foldable material to form the insert and to use
of the
insert in a process for manufacturing a flow wrapped packaging assembly.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an insert for
a flow
wrapped packaging assembly comprising a bottom wall and a peripheral wall
extending
from said bottom wall to define with the bottom wall an interior volume for
containing
product, characterised in that said insert comprises at least one tongue at a
top end of
the peripheral wall distal from the bottom wall, said at least one tongue
being movable
between at least one closed position in which it at least partially closes the
interior
volume at the top end of the insert and at least one open position in which it
does not
impede access to the interior volume through the open top end.
The insert may have a single tongue which only partially closes the interior
volume
at the top end of the insert. In an embodiment, a major surface area of the
tongue is
smaller than the cross-sectional area enclosed by the peripheral wall at its
upper end
distal from the bottom wall.
The bottom wall may be fixed relative to the peripheral wall.
The peripheral wall may comprise opposed front and rear wall portions and
opposed
side wall portions extending between said front and rear wall portions. In an
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embodiment, the front and rear wall portions are substantially planar and said
side wall
portions are curved. The bottom wall may be sloped with respect to the plane
of the rear
wall portion of said peripheral wall. In an embodiment, the peripheral wall
slopes
downwardly towards the rear wall portion when the insert is in an upright,
generally
vertical orientation. The at least one tongue may be connected to the distal
upper end
of the rear wall portion by a hinge or fold line.
The insert may have a dispensing aperture defined in said front wall portion.
In an
embodiment, the dispensing aperture is open at the distal upper end of the
front wall
portion and extends over at least 50%, or at least 60%, or at least 70% or at
least 80%
of the length of the front wall portion from the distal upper end towards the
bottom end.
The dispensing aperture may extend across substantially the whole width of the
front
wall portion. Where the front wall portion is planar and the side wall
portions are
curved, the dispensing aperture may extend transversely over the whole of the
planar
extent of the front wall portion. The dispensing aperture could extend over
60% or
more, or over 70% or more, or over 80% or more of the length of the front wall
portion.
The dispensing aperture may occupy a significant proportion of the surface
area of the
front wall portion and may occupy over 50%, or over 60%, or over 70%, or over
80%
of the surface area of the front wall portion.
The tongue may have a shape selected from the group consisting of square,
rectangular, semi-circular, oblong, triangular, trapezium, oval, semi-oval,
boustrophedonic, butterfly-wing shaped, bone shaped, half-bone shaped, and/or
any
combination thereof
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Where the peripheral wall has substantially planar front and rear wall
portions and
curved side wall portions, the tongue may be mounted to the planar rear wall
portion
and may comprise part circular lobes on either side, each lobe being directed
towards a
respective one of the curved side wall portions when the tongue is in its
closed position.
The insert may be constructed from a single blank of foldable material, such
as
cardboard, cartonboard and the like. The insert may be made from a corrugated
material
such as corrugated cardboard or cartonboard or the like. The blank may have
interlocking formations which are configured to hold sections of the blank in
their
erected configuration such that the blank is erected into the insert without
the use of
.. adhesive. The interlocking formations may comprise interlocking tabs.
The peripheral wall may extend below the bottom wall, at least in side wall
regions
of the peripheral wall.
The insert may be configured such that is can be stood upright on a horizontal
surface when filled with product. The insert may be capable of being stood
upright on
the bottom wall or on a lower edge of the peripheral wall which extends below
the
bottom wall.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a flow
wrapped packaging assembly comprising an insert according to the first aspect
of the
invention as set out above containing product, the tongue of the insert being
in the
closed position, the insert being encased in a wrapper made from flexible
film, the
wrapper being closed by means of a longitudinal seal and a transverse seal at
either end
of the insert.
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The wrapper is formed using a HFFS processes. The flexible film may be a
laminated film having an inner sealing layer and an outer substantially gas
impervious
material. The outer lay may comprise one or more materials selected from the
group
comprising: polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and oriented polypropylene (OPP).
The product may comprise at least one stack of beverage pads. In an
embodiment,
the product comprises two stacks of beverage pads arranged side by side inside
the
insert. The beverage pads may be disc-shaped. In an embodiment, the insert has
substantially planar front and rear wall portions and curved side wall
portions, and the
product comprises two stacks of disc-shaped beverage pads arranged side by
side inside
.. the insert, each curved side wall portion extending about an outer
peripheral region of
a respective one of the stacks.
The wrapper may have a degassing valve, which may be an external one-way
sticker
valve.
At least one of seals may be a peelable seal and include a non-sealed tab
region
which can be grasped to initiate opening of the seal. At least one seal may be
peelable
and may have a cut out in one of the opposing regions of the film to assist a
user in
peeing the seal apart.
In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a
process for
the production of a flow wrapped packaging assembly according to the second
aspect
.. of the invention as set out above, the process comprising the steps of:
a. filling said insert with product whilst the tongue is in an open position;
b. subsequently moving the tongue to the closed position;
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c. forming the wrapper about the filled insert with the insert in a generally
horizontal orientation using a HFFS process.
In an embodiment, step a. is carried out with the insert in an upright,
generally
vertical orientation, the method comprising carrying out step b. prior to step
c.
5 The
method may comprise moving the tongue to the closed position whilst the insert
is still vertical after filling, or whilst the insert is moved to a horizontal
orientation for
step c., or after the insert has been placed in a horizontal orientation.
In an embodiment, step c. comprises conveying the filled insert in a
horizontal
orientation through a wrapping area of a HFFS apparatus in which a packaging
film is
10 formed
into a tube about the insert, the method comprising holding the tongue in its
closed position whilst the insert is conveyed in a horizontal orientation
towards said
wrapping area. The method may comprise holding the tongue in its closed
position by
means of a retaining or pushing lug forming part of the HFFS apparatus for
conveying
the inset into the wrapping area. The method may further comprise withdrawing
the lug
prior to the insert being fully encased in the film tube. The method may
comprise
holding the tongue in its closed position through the packaging film after the
lug has
been withdrawn. The method may comprise using abutment members (fingers)
forming
part of the HFFS apparatus to engage the tongue through the film at the sides
of the
insert to hold the tongue closed.
Where the insert is formed from a single blank of foldable material, the
method may
comprise erecting the blank to form the insert prior to step a.
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Where the blank comprises interlocking formations configured to hold sections
of
the blank in their assembled conditions; the method may comprise engaging the
interlocking formations to hold the blank in its erected configuration.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided use of
an insert
according to the first aspect of the invention in a HFFS flow wrapped package.
In accordance with a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a blank
of
foldable material for forming an insert according to the first aspect of the
invention as
set out above, the blank comprising:
a bottom wall panel which forms the bottom wall of the insert when erected,
the
bottom wall panel having curved edge regions at opposing sides and straight
edge
regions along front and rear portions which extend between the curved edge
regions;
a first peripheral wall panel connected by a fold line to the bottom wall
panel along
the front straight edge region, the first peripheral wall panel configured to
define the
front wall portion and part of each of the side wall portions of the insert
when erected,
a dispensing aperture defined in first peripheral wall portion;
a second peripheral wall panel connected by a fold line to the bottom wall
panel
along the rear straight edge region, the second peripheral wall panel
configured to
define the rear wall portion and part of each of the side wall portions of the
insert when
erected;
the tongue being connected to an edge of the second peripheral wall panel
distal
from the bottom wall panel by a fold line.
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The blank may be configured such that outer lateral edge regions of the first
and
second peripheral wall panels which are not connected with the bottom wall
panel
overlap to define side wall portions of the insert when erected. In an
embodiment, the
overlapping outer lateral edge regions of the first and second peripheral wall
panels are
provided with interlocking formations which are configured to be engaged to
hold the
blank erected. The interlocking formations may comprise corresponding pairs of
tabs
on the first and second peripheral wall panels. There may be two, or three, or
four, or
five interlocking pairs of tabs on either side.
Detailed Description of the Invention
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, embodiments
thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the
accompanying drawings of which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an insert for a flow wrapped package
according
to an aspect of the invention, showing the insert filled with two stacks of
beverage pads
and with a movable tongue in an open position;
Figure 2 is a front view of a packaging assembly according to an aspect of the
invention comprising the filled insert of Figure 1 encased in a flexible
wrapper formed
using a HFFS process;
Figure 3 is a view from the rear of the packaging assembly of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a perspective, schematic drawing illustrating a typical HFFS
apparatus for producing the packaging assembly of Figures 2 and 3;
Figure 5 is a plan view of a blank of foldable material for forming the insert
of
Figure 1;
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Figures 6 to 9 are a series of perspective views illustrating alternative
embodiments of the insert of Figure 1, showing the insert empty and with the
movable
tongue in a closed position; and
Figure 10 is a view of part of the flow wrapped packaging assembly of Figure
2, illustrating a degassing valve applied to the wrapper.
Embodiments of a packaging assembly 10 in accordance with an aspect of the
invention have an insert 12 which is configured to hold a number of products
14 and
which, after filling, is enclosed in an outer wrapper 16 using a HFFS process.
The
packaging assembly 10 according to the embodiments described herein is
particularly
suitable for packaging disc-shaped (e.g. round or circular in plan) beverage
pads 14 of
the type comprising a rigid shell closed at an upper end by a filter material.
However,
the invention in its various aspects can be adapted to package beverage pads
of a variety
of types and shapes and indeed to package a variety of other products.
The insert 12 has a bottom wall 18 and a peripheral wall 20 which extends
upwardly about the bottom wall. The bottom wall 18 and the peripheral wall 20
together
define an internal volume 21 for receiving the beverage pads 14. The insert 12
has a
tongue (alternatively called a tab) 22 movably attached to an upper end 24 of
the
peripheral wall 18 distal from the peripheral wall. The tongue 22 is attached
to the distal
end of the peripheral wall by means of a hinge or fold line 26 and can be
moved between
a closed position as illustrated in Figures 6 to 9 and an open position as
illustrated in
Figure 1. In the closed position, the tongue extends across the insert
opposite to the
bottom wall so as to at least partially close the insert at the upper end of
the internal
volume. The tongue 22 may extend substantially parallel to the bottom wall in
the
closed position but this is not essential. In the open position, the tongue
does not extend
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across the insert so that it does not impede access to the internal volume 21.
The tongue
22 may extend generally co-planar with the portion of the peripheral wall to
which it is
attached in the open position so as to form an extension of the peripheral
wall. However,
the tongue 22 could be folded outwardly at least a little to ensure clear
access to the
interior volume. The tongue in the present embodiment is smaller than the
cross-
sectional area enclosed by the peripheral wall at its upper end distal from
the bottom
wall so that the tongue only partially closes the insert. That is to say that
a major surface
area of the tongue is smaller than the cross-sectional area enclosed by the
peripheral
wall at its upper end distal from the bottom wall.
The insert 12 forms a container for holding a plurality of beverage pads 14 in
a
desired configuration and about which a packaging film can be flow wrapped. In
the
present embodiment, the beverage pads are arranged in two stacks 28 arranged
side-by-
side. The insert 12 is configured so that the peripheral wall conforms closely
to the
outer profile to the adjacent stacks in order to minimise the free volume
within the insert
when it is full. To this end, the peripheral wall 20 has a substantially
planar rear wall
portion 30 and an opposing substantially planar front wall portion 32. The
front and
rear wall portions are joined by curved side wall portions 34, 36 which each
closely
follow the outer peripheral shape of a respective one of the stacks of disc-
shaped
beverage pads. The stacks 28 each rest on the bottom wall when the insert is
upright as
shown in Figure 1, such that stacks are aligned generally vertically with a
longitudinal
axis of each stack extending generally perpendicular to the bottom wall 18.
However,
in an embodiment, the bottom wall 18 is arranged to slope downwardly towards
the rear
wall portion slightly (as considered when the insert is in an upright
position). This
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encourages the stacks of beverage pads to fall backwards on to the rear wall
portion
when conveyed and reduces the risk of the pads falling out of the insert.
It will be appreciated that the shape of the insert can be adapted depending
on
the shape and arrangement of the products 14 but will generally be configured
to
5 minimise the free space inside the insert when filled. For example, the
insert could be
adapted to have a generally tubular shape for holding a single stack of disc-
shaped
beverage pads 14.
The insert defines a dispensing aperture 38 in the front wall portion 32. This
provides easy access to the beverage pads in the insert so that after opening
the
10 .. packaging assembly 12 and removing the insert from the wrapper 16, a
user is able to
select and remove individual pads 14, either through the top of the insert or
out through
the dispensing aperture. The dispensing aperture 38 is open at the upper end
of the front
wall portion 32 so that the dispensing aperture is contiguous with the open
upper end
of the insert/internal volume and extends downwardly for 50% or more of the
length of
15 the front wall portion. The dispensing aperture could extend over 60% or
more, or over
70% or more, or over 80% or more of the length of the front wall portion. The
dispensing aperture 38 extends substantially over the full width of the planar
front wall
portion 32. The dispensing aperture occupies a significant proportion of the
surface area
of the front wall portion and could occupy over 50%, or over 60%, or over 70%,
or over
80% of the surface area of the front wall portion. The dispensing aperture 38
is made
as large as possible whilst ensuring the beverage pads are retained in the
insert prior to
being dispensed. To this end, the curved side wall regions of the insert
extend beyond
the widest part of the two stacks of beverage pads as measured in the
transverse
direction of the insert (e.g. perpendicular to a longitudinal axis X of the
insert/packaging
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assembly). The side wall portions 34, 36 extend beyond a midline of the
beverage pads
at least partially around a forward portion of the pads. The provision of a
large
dispensing aperture 38 not only provides for easy access to the beverage pads
but also
reduces the amount of material used in the insert.
Typically, the insert 12 is filled whilst in an upright, generally vertical
orientation with the tongue in its open position as shown in Figure 1. This is
advantageous as it enables top filling of the insert 12 making use of gravity
to feed the
pads 14 into the insert from above. After filling, the tongue 22 is moved to
the closed
position, extending over the uppermost products in each stack. When the tongue
is
closed, it is operative to prevent the pads 14 from spilling out of the insert
when in a
horizontal orientation for flow wrapping. The tongue can be moved to the
closed
position whilst the insert is still upright or may be moved as the insert 12
is tilted from
a vertical orientation into a horizontal orientation or even once the insert
has reached
the horizontal.
Once the insert 12 has been filled and with the tongue 20 moved to the closed
position, it is flow wrapped using a largely conventional HFFS flow wrap
process to
fully enclose the insert and beverage pads 14 in the wrapper 16.
HFFS processes for flow wrapping are well known in the art and will not be
described in detail. However, briefly with refence to Figure 4 which shows a
typical
HFFS flow wrapping arrangement, the filled insert 12 is conveyed in a
horizontal
orientation towards and through a wrapping area 40. The insert 12 is expected
to be
positioned so that it lies on the rear wall portion 30 of the peripheral wall
with the
bottom wall 18 at the leading or trailing end with reference to the machine
direction M.
A substantially continuous length of flexible packaging film 42 is drawn from
a roll 44
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down over a forming box 45 which guides the film into a tubular shape
surrounding the
filled insert 12. Opposite longitudinal edge regions of the film are bonded
together to
form a longitudinal seal 46. In the present embodiment, the longitudinal seal
is a fin
seal 46 in which the longitudinal edge regions of the film are bonded together
inner
face to inner face by a pair of fin seal rollers 48. In the completed
packaging assembly,
the fin seal 46 is folded over to one side or the other as is known in the
art. However,
the longitudinal seal could be a lap seal. After the film material has being
wrapped
around the insert 12, a pair of end seal bars 50 crimp opposing layers of the
film tube
together to form a transverse end seal 52 at either end of the insert 12. In
the present
embodiment, the end seals are formed sequentially but they could be formed
simultaneously using two pairs of end seal bars. The end seals are also fin
seals but the
end seal adjacent the bottom wall of the insert is folded over to one side so
that the
packaging assembly 10 can be stood upright on its base as shown in Figures 2
and 3.
The process is run on a substantially continuous basis for a period of time
with a number
.. of filled inserts 12 being conveyed through the wrapping area 40 one after
the other at
a, usually, set spacing to be wrapped in the film 42.
At least the uppermost end seal 52a is a peelable seal and, as illustrated in
Figure
2, can be formed in a header 53 which includes a tab arrangement to assist a
user in
opening the wrapper 16. The header 53 has a region 53a of increased depth (as
measured
in the longitudinal direction of the package assembly) at the centre in which
there is a
non-sealed area 53b outboard of the transverse end seal 52a. In the non-sealed
area 53b,
the opposing portions of the film material are not bonded together so that
they form
tabs which can be grasped by a user to peel the uppermost end seal 52a apart.
Typically,
the longitudinal seal 46 will also be a peelable seal so that the wrapper can
be opened
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sufficiently to remove the insert 12. The outer/upper edge of the header 53
may be
curved at the centre to provide the region of increased depth.
In an embodiment which is a modification to the general HFFS process and
apparatus, the tongue 22 is held in its closed position as the insert 12 is
conveyed
towards and into the wrapping area. This may be effected by means of a
retaining or
pushing lug indicated schematically at 54 in Figure 4) which engages the outer
surface
of the tongue as the insert is conveyed and may be part of the infeed conveyor
system.
The lug is moved out the way when the insert is conveyed into the film tube so
as not
to foul the film. The HFFS apparatus may also be provided with finger's or
other
abutment means which (indirectly) engage the tongue at sides of the pack from
outside
the film at the time the lugs fall away to hold the tongue in the closed
position. This
prevents the beverage pads falling out until the film has been drawn around
the end of
the insert sufficiently to prevent the tongue opening.
It will be appreciated that the HFFS process for forming the wrapper 16 may
vary from that shown in Figure 4.
Because the flexible packaging film 42 is wrapped around the insert, 12 and
the
insert is configured closely to the outer periphery of the stacked beverage
pads, the free
space within the packaging assembly is kept to a minimum. This reduces the
amount of
packaging film 42 required when compared to that required to package an
equivalent
number of beverage pads using the known VFFS process. The beverage pads 14 are
also much more securely packaged and less prone to movement within the
packaging
assembly.
The packaging film 42 can be any suitable type of film known in the art and
the
seals can be formed in any desired manner known in the art which is compatible
with
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19
the intended application. The packaging film 42 may be a laminate having a gas
impervious outer layer and an inner seal layer. The inner seal layer may
comprise a heat
sealable medium but a cold seal or pressure seal could also be used. The
sealing medium
may provide a permanent seal or a peelable seal. In an embodiment at least one
seal is
a peelable seal. In an embodiment, at least one of the seals is peelable and
is provided
with a cut out in the film material on one side to make it easier for a user
to imitate
peeling the seal apart.
The outer layer of the film material may be any suitable material such as
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET). However, PET is not currently recyclable. In
an
embodiment, the film material 42 is selected to maximise the possibility of
recycling
and the outer layer could be an oriented polypropylene (OPP) or any other
suitable
material.
The insert 12 can me made of any suitable material. In an embodiment, the
insert
is made of a material which can be recycled. In an embodiment, the insert is
made of
carboard, or cartonboard or other paper-based material. In an embodiment, the
insert
is made of corrugated (fluted) material in which the corrugations are provided
on the
outer surfaces of the insert. The use of a corrugated material helps to
protect the
beverage pads 14 during handling and transport. In an embodiment, the insert
is made
of a corrugated cardboard or cartonboard. In an embodiment, the insert is made
from a
single blank 60 of foldable material, such as carboard, or cartonboard or
other paper-
based material and which may be corrugated. In an embodiment, the insert is
made from
a single blank of foldable material which can be erected without the use of
adhesives.
Figure 5 is a plan view of a blank 60 of foldable material for forming the
insert
of Figure 1.
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The blank 60 has a bottom wall panel 62 which forms the bottom wall 18 of the
insert 12 when erected. The bottom wall panel has curved edge regions 64, 66
at
opposing sides and straight edge regions 68, 70 along front and rear portions
which
extend between the curved edge regions.
5 A first
peripheral wall panel 72 is connected by a fold line 74 to the bottom
wall panel 62 along the front straight edge region 68. The first peripheral
wall panel
defines the front wall portion and part of each of the side wall portions of
the insert 12
when erected. The dispensing aperture 38 is defined in first peripheral wall
portion.
A second peripheral wall panel 76 is connected by a fold line 78 to the bottom
10 wall
panel 62 along the rear straight edge region 70. The second peripheral wall
panel
defines the rear wall portion and part of each of the side wall portions of
the insert when
erected. The tongue 22 is connected to an edge of the second peripheral wall
panel distal
from the bottom wall panel 62 by the fold line 26.
To erect the blank 60 into the insert, the first and second peripheral wall
panels
15 72, 76
are folded relative to the bottom wall panel 62 about their respective fold
lines
74, 78 in the same direction until they extend generally perpendicular to the
bottom
wall panel. Outer lateral edge regions of the first and second peripheral wall
panels
which are not connected with the bottom wall panel 62 are folded inwardly
about the
curved side edge regions of the bottom wall panel. On each side, the
respective outer
20 lateral
edge regions of the first and second peripheral wall panels are overlapped to
form the curved side wall regions of the insert and secured together where
they overlap
to hold the blank in its erected configuration. The overlapping outer lateral
edge regions
of the first and second peripheral wall panels may be bonded together using an
adhesive
or the like to hold them in position. However, in an embodiment, the
overlapping outer
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21
lateral edge regions are provided with interlocking tabs which are engaged to
hold the
blank erected without the use of adhesive. In the embodiment shown, the
interlocking
tabs 82 comprises corresponding pairs of tabs 82a, 82b on the first and second
peripheral wall panels. In the present embodiment there are three interlocking
pairs of
.. tabs 82a, 82b on either side but the number can be varied as required. The
number and
orientation of the interlocking tabs are selected to ensure that the
overlapping outer
lateral regions of the first and second peripheral wall panels remain firmly
connected
but without creating surfaces which may catch the packaging film or the
beverage pads.
Other arrangements for mechanically locking the overlapping outer lateral
regions of
the first and second peripheral wall panels can be adopted.
Following erection of the blank to form the insert 12, the insert can be
filled as
described above and the tongue folded about fold line 26 to extend from the
rear wall
portion 30 towards the front wall portion 32 across the open end of the
interior volume
above the uppermost beverage pads in the stacks. The size and shape of the
tongue 22
can be varied. In an embodiment, the size and shape of the tongue 22 is
selected to
effectively hold the beverage pads 14 in position whilst using a minimum of
material.
As illustrated in Figures 1 and 5, the tongue may be substantially semi-
circular in shape
with a straight edge region at its edge distal from the fold line 26. However,
as
illustrated by broken lines 22a in Figure 5 and in the embodiments shown in
Figures 6
to 9, the tongue may have an alternative shape which is configured to best fit
the
products and outer peripheral shape of the insert 12. In the present
embodiment where
the insert is configured to contain two stacks of disc like beverage pads, the
tongue may
have two part-circular lug regions 22b, 22c which are directed towards the
curved side
wall portions 34, 36 such that each lug is located above a respective one of
the stacks.
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Generally speaking, the tongue should be shaped and dimensioned to be
effective in
holding the product 14 in place when the insert is orientated horizontally for
flow
wrapping whilst keeping the amount of material in the tongue to a minimum.
During the flow wrapping procedure, the interior of the wrapper may be flushed
with nitrogen in order to remove oxygen from the interior of the packaging
assembly
and help keep the ingredients, in particular coffee, fresh. In the present
embodiment
which comprises two side-by-side stacks 28 of beverage pads 14, there is
potentially a
dead space between the two stacks adjacent the rear wall portion 30 which may
not be
fully flushed. To alleviate this problem, a small hole or aperture 84 can be
provided in
the tongue at its centre adjacent to the rear wall and in a corresponding
location in the
bottom wall 18 to improve flushing and reduce oxygen levels in the pack.
As illustrated in Figure 10, the wrapper 16 may be provided with a one-way
degassing seal 86 to enable gasses given off by the packaged ingredients to
vent out of
the wrapper 16. This may be an external sticker seal which is adhered to the
outside of
the wrapper over one or mor venting apertures in the film material.
In addition to protecting the beverage pads 14 and providing a suitable
enclosure
for flow wrapping, the insert 12 forms a convenient dispenser for holding the
beverage
pads after the packaging assembly has been opened and from which beverage pads
can
be removed by a user as required. Once the user has opened the wrapper 16, the
filled
insert can be removed from the wrapper and placed upright on a suitable
surface resting
on the bottom wall or the lower edges of the peripheral side wall. The tongue
22 can be
moved to the open position to enable beverage pads to be selected and removed
from
the insert through the open upper end. In an alternative embodiment, a line of
weakness
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may be provided between the tongue and the peripheral wall to enable the
tongue to be
easily removed on opening of the package assembly.
Whilst the packaging assembly 10 in accordance with the embodiment
described above is particularly suited for packaging beverage pads 14, the
teaching
herein can be applied to packaging for a broad range of products. In
particular, the
teaching herein can be applied to packaging of other perishable products where
a
plurality of the products are to be packaged together, especially if the
products can be
arranged in stacks. The invention is particularly, but not exclusively,
suitable for
packaging a plurality of disc-shaped products. Such goods included as
biscuits, cookies
and other confectionery items. However, the invention in its broadest sense is
not
limited to use in packaging perishable or disc-shaped products can be adapted
more
widely for use in packaging any suitable product.
Relative positional terms such as "upper", "top", "lower" and "bottom" used
herein (including the claims) in relation to the insert 12, the packaging
assembly 10 and
parts thereof should be understood as referring to the insert, packaging
assembly, and
part thereof when the insert or packaging assembly is in an upright generally
vertical
position with its bottom wall 18 below the tongue 22 and with its longitudinal
axis X
extending generally vertically, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, and 6 to 9.
However, it
will be appreciated that the insert and packaging assembly can be used in
other
orientations. For the avoidance of doubt, reference to the insert being in a
horizontal
orientation should be understood as meaning that the insert is held with its
longitudinal
axis X lying substantially horizontally. Generally, the insert 12 will be laid
on its
peripheral wall 20 when in a horizontal orientation.
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The above embodiments are described by way of example only. Many variations
are possible without departing from the scope of the invention in its various
aspects as
defined in the appended claims and set out in the various statements of
invention in the
summary of invention above.
