Controlled-atmosphere product packaging and associated method of use

Abstract

The invention relates to a packaging for a product (2) including a container (5) made from a single-use cellulose-based material adapted to change by folding from a first configuration in the form of a flat plate to a second configuration in which the folded plate defines a product (2) receiving volume, the holding in shape in the second configuration being achieved, when the product (2) is in place in the container (5), by a sealing film (3) welded to the free upper end (14) of the container (5), the packaging comprising another, reusable part formed by a mold (7) of dimensions and shape corresponding to those of the container (5). The packaging also comprises a single-use, gas-tight, product (2) receiving bag (15) adapted to be positioned in the container (5) before the sealing film (3) is put in place (F1).

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

[0001] The invention relates to a controlled-atmosphere product packaging and a method of using such a packaging.

[0002] The invention will be described hereinafter for products in general, therefore for fresh or processed food products or for non-food products, e.g. medical devices, pharmaceutical products, electronic parts, aeronautical, space or nuclear parts or other products. In all cases, the products to be packaged, whether food products or not, have two characteristics, namely a shelf life of several days, or even several weeks or months, combined with preservation in a special, controlled atmosphere, that is to say a gas or mixture of gases that is not so-called natural air, that is to say air with a gaseous composition equal to the composition of the air naturally present on earth. These products must not come into contact with the outside world, and certainly not with the air, so as to avoid any contamination or degradation, whether of biological origin or not, such as microorganisms, dust or gas. For this purpose, these products are packaged in containers that are often provided with a film or cover, which is advantageously transparent and which seals the container and isolates the product from the outside world, while allowing the user to see the product and thus monitor its behavior and evolution over time.

[0003] Current regulations are directed toward the progressive disappearance of packaging made of non-recyclable polymers, which promotes packaging based on cardboard, wood, bamboo, plant fibers or more generally cellulose. Many packagings are of the tray type, that is to say a rectangular or square packaging with a relatively shallow depth with respect to its surface area, closed by a lid. In order to optimize the transport and / or storage of trays, and in particular to limit the space taken up by trays during transport and / or storage phases, FR-B-3 137 669 describes a food product packaging adapted to be folded from a first configuration in the form of a flat plate to a second configuration in which the folded plate defines a tray offering a volume for receiving a food product. The container is held in shape in the second configuration by attaching at least one film isolating the food product from the container, while another film ensures that the product is vacuum-packed. The plate is folded to form a container in a reusable mold. Such a solution complies with regulations on plastic packaging, while optimizing container transport and storage, since the containers are only shaped when they are filled with product. Nevertheless, such a solution is suitable for food products, whether processed or not, that need to be vacuum-packed, or for fresh products which, in any case, do not need to be packaged under a controlled and defined atmosphere.

[0004] The purpose of the invention is to offer a packaging solution that complies with current regulations, optimizes transport and storage of the packaging, is easy to implement with a minimum of components and is suitable for products that need to be packaged and stored in a given, controlled atmosphere.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] To this end, the object of the invention is a packaging for a product including a container made from a single-use cellulose-based material defining a product-receiving volume, said container being adapted to change by folding from a first configuration in the form of a flat plate to a second configuration in which the folded plate defines a product-receiving volume, the folded plate being held in shape in the second configuration, when the product is in place in the container, by attaching a sealing film welded to the free upper end of the container, said end extending outwards from the walls of the container and forming a rim, the packaging also comprising another, reusable part formed by a mold of dimensions and shape corresponding to those of the container when the latter is in the second configuration, characterized in that the packaging comprises a single-use, gas-tight, product-receiving bag adapted to be positioned in the container before the sealing film is put in place.

[0006] By virtue of the invention, a packaging is obtained in which the product is packaged and preserved under a controlled atmosphere while being easy to store and transport because, prior to use, the packaging is in the form of a flat plate. Shaping the packaging at the time of use preserves the packaging from deterioration and / or soiling when it is stored in a ready-to-use form as in the state of the art.

[0007] According to advantageous but optional aspects of the invention, such packaging may comprise one or more of the following features:

[0008] The free upper end of the container forms a discontinuous rim on which the edge of the product-receiving bag rests when the bag is placed in the container.

[0009] The sealing film is welded to the edge of the bag, said edge resting against the rim of the container.

[0010] The container comprises an area of structural weakness that facilitates opening of the packaging when it contains the bag with the product.

[0011] The invention also relates to a method of using a packaging conforming to one of the preceding features comprising at least the following steps:

[0012] a) placing the flat plate corresponding to the container in its first configuration in the mold to form, by folding the plate, the container in its second configuration, with the rim of the container in the folded configuration resting on the rim of the mold,

[0013] b) inserting a single-use, gas-tight product-receiving bag into the container in its second configuration,

[0014] c) welding a sealing film, after step b), to the rim of the bag resting on the rim of the container.

[0015] According to aspects that are advantageous but not required, such a method may comprise one or more of the following steps:

[0016] In step b), the edge of the sealed bag is placed on the rim of the container, before the product is placed in the bag.

[0017] In step b), the sealed bag contains the product and is already sealed and under controlled atmosphere.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEW OF THE DRAWING

[0018] The invention will be better understood and other advantages thereof will become more clearly apparent on reading the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a ready-to-use packaging, according to one embodiment of the invention, with a controlled-atmosphere bag containing a product schematically shown in dotted lines,

[0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view, at the same scale, of the constituent parts of the packaging shown in FIG. 1, namely a single-use container and a mold, before the product is placed in a gas-tight bag in the packaging,

[0021] FIG. 3 is a larger-scale cross-sectional view of the packaging width, showing the bag and product in place before the sealing film is welded, with the sealing film shown above the container, which is in place in the mold,

[0022] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3, at the same scale, with the sealing film welded to the container, and

[0023] FIG. 5 is a similar view to FIGS. 3 and 4, at the same scale, with the container removed from the mold and ready for final use.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a packaging 1 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, ready for use by an end user, that is to say with a product 2, shown in dotted lines, inside. The product 2 may be a food product, fresh or processed, of animal or plant origin. It can also be a pharmaceutical product, a medical device, a chemical product of mineral or organic origin or the like. Non-limiting examples include a drug, a sterile surgical instrument, an electronic part or an air-sensitive chemical. In any case, the product 2 is a product which, for optimum long-term preservation, requires isolation from the outside world and in particular from ambient air, in a particular gaseous environment. Advantageously, the product 2 is placed in a gas-and liquid-tight bag 15 which occupies the internal volume of the container 5. Here, in FIG. 1, the bag 15 is not shown for ease of reading. The packaging 1 must provide a liquid-and gas-tight barrier, and in some cases even a barrier to certain electromagnetic wavelengths, light or otherwise. A transparent or non-transparent sealing film 3 completely closes the opening 4 of the container in the folded configuration 5. Such a film 3 is flexible and gas-tight. It can be composed of a single material such as PET or multi-materials of natural origin, e.g. cellulose-based, or of non-natural origin, e.g. PP / EVOH / PE, PP / EVOH / PP, PE / Alu, PVD. The film 3 is impervious not only to particles and dust, but also to gas and water. This prevents air from entering the container and gas from escaping from the bag in the container 5, keeping the product 2 in a known, controlled atmosphere. To ensure a complete seal, the film 3 is welded to the peripheral rim 9 of the container 5 with the rim 18 of the bag 15. The container 5 is disposable and advantageously made of a cellulose-based material such as cardboard. In order to avoid any damage to the container 5 and / or any contact between the cardboard forming the container 5 and a product, the cardboard or more generally the material used to form the container 5 is either provided with a so-called cleanliness coating obtained either by a protective film or liner or by a water-repellent varnish, in a manner known per se. The implementation of the packaging and its use will now be detailed with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows, on the right, a mold 7, also known as a conformer. The mold 7, here in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, can be made of various materials, provided that it is easy to clean and sterilize, lightweight, rigid and reusable. Advantageously, the mold 7 is made of polymers such as PS, ABS, PP, PE or metal such as aluminum or stainless steel. The mold 7 has a flat bottom 8 and a continuous peripheral rim 9 extending orthogonally outwards from the ends of the walls 10.

[0026] On the left-hand side of FIG. 2, the container 5 is shown during folding. In this case, the walls 11 of the container 5 are arranged at an angle to the bottom 12 of the container 5, with the walls 11 being folded along the arrow F to bring the walls 11 substantially perpendicular to the bottom 12. This movement is achieved by pressing on the container in its first configuration when it is in the shape of a flat plate, that is to say when the walls 11 are coplanar with the bottom 12 in the mold 7. To achieve this support, the plate-shaped container 5 is placed on the mold 7, with the bottom 12 positioned above the bottom 8 of the mold 7. As the walls 11 move into a position substantially perpendicular to the bottom 12, the open corners 13 of the container 5, formed by cut-outs, are closed. When the container 5 is in its second configuration, that is to say folded, the corners 13 are closed, the walls 11 being in mutual contact but not sealed against liquids and gases. In this configuration, the free upper ends of the walls 11 of the container 5 form a rim 14, which is discontinuous at the corners 13 and extends outwards and substantially perpendicular to the main plane of the walls 11. The dimensions of rim 14 are similar to those of the rim 9 of the mold 7, on which it rests when the container 5 is folded and in place in the mold 7. The container 5, shaped and positioned in the mold 7, is ready for use, that is to say filled with a product preserved under a given, controlled atmosphere.

[0027] FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-section of a step in the production of the packaging 1, when the container 5 is in place in the mold 7, that is to say in its second configuration in which it defines a product-receiving volume for a product 2 placed in a sealed bag 15, but before the bag is closed and the container 5 is sealed. As shown in FIG. 3, the walls 11, rim 14 and bottom 12 of the container 5 rest against the walls 10, rim 9 and bottom 8, respectively, of the mold 7. The product 2 receiving bag 15 is positioned in the container 5, together with the product 2. The bag 15 is made of a liquid-and gas-tight material. For example, it is a flexible, gas-tight film. It can be composed of a single material such as PET or multi-materials of natural origin, e.g. cellulose-based, or of non-natural origin, e.g. PP / EVOH / PE, PP / EVOH / PP, PE / Alu, PVD.

[0028] The bag 15 is advantageously open in this embodiment. The dimensions and geometric shape of the bag 15 are such that its walls 16 and bottom 17 rest on the walls 11 and bottom 12 of the container 5. It will also be noted that the bag 15 has a continuous rim 18, which rests against the rim 14 of the container 5. In other words, the bag 15 is placed in the container 5 and pressed against the inner walls 11 of the latter to match the shape of the container 5, the useful volume of the bag 15 being close to that of the container 5.

[0029] With the product 2 in the bag 15, but not yet under a given, controlled atmosphere, it is then possible to present a sealing film 3, as shown by arrow F1, to seal the bag 15 and thus the opening 4 of the container 5 by welding. To achieve this, the film 3 is placed so that it covers the rim 18 of the bag 5. This step of welding the film 3 is accompanied by partial evacuation of the bag 15 in order to suck out the ambient air present in the bag 15 and replace it with a given gas or gas mixture to obtain the desired controlled atmosphere. This step is known per se and is carried out in a dedicated packaging machine known per se.

[0030] As can be seen in FIG. 4, the bag 15 is completely closed and sealed, and held in place in the container 5 by welding the film 3 not only to the rim 18 of the bag 15, but also to the rim 14 of the container 5. The result is a triple-thickness welding zone at the rim 14 of the container 5, which is perfectly gas-tight and prevents any gas exchange between the inside of the bag 15 and the outside, while the film 3 also seals the opening 4 of the container 5. To optimize the welding of the materials, thus the weld between the rim 18 of the bag 15, the rim 14 of the container 5 and the film 3, the latter have, at least in the welding zone, a coating based on modified polyethylene or another sealing polymer, a welding varnish or a hot-or cold-curing adhesive.

[0031] With the product 2 now packaged under a controlled atmosphere in a bag 15 held in place in a hermetically sealed container 5, it is possible to remove this assembly from the mold 7, along arrow F2 as shown in FIG. 5. The result is a single-use container 5 made of recyclable material, containing a bag 15 with a product 2 under a controlled atmosphere, the bag 15 also being made of recyclable material and easily separable from the container 5 when the film 3 is removed and the product 2 used.

[0032] It is possible to have several thicknesses of cardboard forming the container 5, with the same bag 15, depending, for example, on the weight of the product 2. Similarly, the thickness of the bag 15 is adapted to the product 2.

[0033] Alternatively, at least one area of structural weakness, such as pre-cut dotted lines, may be provided in a portion of the rim 14 of the container 5 to facilitate opening of the container 5.

[0034] In another embodiment, the product 2 is placed in the bag 15, before the bag 15 already containing the product 2 is placed in the container 5, before the bag 15 and the opening 4 of the container 5 are sealed under a controlled atmosphere by the sealing film 3.

[0035] Alternatively, the product 2 is placed in the bag 15 under a controlled atmosphere and the bag 15 is tightly sealed before insertion into the container 5, ensuring that the rim 18 of the bag 15 covers the rim 14 of the container 5. The sealing film 3 is then welded, as before, to the rims 14 and 18. Such a solution makes it possible, for example, to sterilize the product 2 under a given atmosphere prior to packaging, the container 5 then protecting the bag 15 during storage and transport, with the film 3 forming a safety device ensuring that the packaging 1, and therefore the bag 15, cannot be opened prior to the final use of the product 2. In other words, the invention makes it possible to guarantee the single use of the container 5 and the bag 15, so that the product 2 can only be used by the end user.

Claims

1. A packaging (1) for a product (2) including a container (5) made from a single-use cellulose-based material defining a product (2) receiving volume, said container (5) being adapted to change by folding (F) from a first configuration in the form of a flat plate to a second configuration in which the folded plate defines a product (2) receiving volume, the folded plate being held in shape in the second configuration, when the product (2) is in place in the container (5), by attaching (F1) a sealing film (3) welded to the free upper end of the container (5), said end extending outwards from the walls (11) of the container (5) and forming a rim (14), the packaging (1) also comprising another, reusable part formed by a mold (7) of dimensions and shape corresponding to those of the container (5) when the latter is in the second configuration, characterized in that the packaging (1) comprises a single-use, gas-tight, product (2) receiving bag (15) adapted to be positioned in the container (5) before the sealing film (3) is put in place.

2. The packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the free upper end of the container forms a discontinuous rim (14) on which the edge (18) of the product (2) receiving bag (15) rests when the bag (15) is placed in the container (5).

3. The packaging according to claim 2, characterized in that the sealing film (3) is welded to the edge (18) of the bag (15), said edge (187) resting against the rim (14) of the container (5).

4. The packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the container (5) comprises an area of structural weakness that facilitates opening of the packaging (1) when it contains the bag (15) with the product (2).

5. A method of using a packaging (1) conforming to preceding claims comprising at least the following steps:a) placing the flat plate corresponding to the container (5) in its first configuration in the mold (7) to form, by folding (F) the plate, the container (5) in its second configuration, with the rim (14) of the container (5) in the folded configuration resting on the rim (9) of the mold (7),b) inserting the single-use, gas-tight product (2) receiving bag (15) into the container (5) in its second configuration,c) welding a sealing film (3), after step b), to the rim (18) of the bag (15) resting on the rim (14) of the container (5).

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that in step b), the edge (18) of the sealed bag (15) is placed on the rim (14) of the container (5), before the product (2) is placed in the bag (15).

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that in step b), the sealed bag (15) contains the product (2) and is already sealed and under controlled atmosphere.

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