Nested Food Tray Sealing with Dual Seal Strength

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ready-meal packages with two separate sterilized food components for microwave heating face challenges in sterilization, where minimizing headspace is crucial to prevent quality deterioration, but current methods either restrict mixing or increase production costs, and the strong sealing required for sterilization makes film removal difficult for consumers.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a main container with a secondary container nested inside, sealed by a single protective film using distinct sealing heads for perimetric and inner seals, allowing modulation of seal strength and tightness to ensure sterilization without hindering consumer access, using pressures and temperatures optimized for each seal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single protective film seals both the main container and secondary container with high strength for sterilization, then sterilization tightness is ensured, but film removal by consumers becomes extremely difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesterilization tightnessVSAvoidfilm removal ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing operation is segmented into two distinct sealing heads: a first sealing head that seals only the perimetric area of the main container, and a second sealing head that seals the inner area around the secondary container. This segmentation allows different seal strengths to be applied to different regions, with the perimetric seal providing sterilization integrity and the inner seal being easier to break for film removal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different sealing qualities are applied to different locations of the protective film. The perimetric seal (outer region) is made with high strength and tightness to ensure sterilization, while the inner seal (inner region) is made with lower strength to facilitate consumer access. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between sterilization reliability and ease of opening.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If high sealing pressure is applied to ensure sterilization seal strength, then sterilization tightness is achieved, but the plastic wall of the secondary container may be damaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesterilization seal strengthVSAvoiddamage to secondary container wall

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing pressure application is segmented spatially: the first sealing head applies high pressure only to the perimetric area where the main container edge is located, while the second sealing head applies lower pressure to the inner area. This prevents the high pressure from damaging the secondary container wall while still achieving the required sterilization seal strength at the perimetric region.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The perimetric seal acts as an intermediary structure that distributes and absorbs the high sealing pressure, preventing it from being transmitted to the secondary container wall. By creating this intermediate sealing layer at the perimetric region, the system protects the more delicate inner structures from damage while maintaining sterilization integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method ensures effective sterilization while allowing easy film removal and preventing package damage, maintaining food quality and reducing production costs by differentiating seal strengths and applying appropriate pressures and temperatures for each seal.

Implementation Method 1

The attachment of the covering film is typically obtained by heat sealing, carried out by conduction through a heated sealing head that is lowered on top of the film

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat sealing by conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

The sealing thus carried out must of course ensure characteristics of sufficiently high strength and tightness, both in view of the sterilisation in an autoclave

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat sealing by conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS9192187B2Method for preparing a ready-to-eat food tray

Publication Date: 2015.11.24 BARILLA G E R F LLI SPA

AI summary

A method for preparing a sterilized ready-meal package, including providing a main container defining a main volume intended to accommodate a main food product, and having a first opening at the upper part surrounded by a first planar edge. At least one secondary container defining a secondary volume is included and has a second opening at the upper part surrounded by a second planar edge. The secondary container is introduced inside the main container, so that said first edge and said second edge are flush. At least one secondary food product is introduced inside the secondary volume, and at least one main food product is introduced inside the main volume. A perimetric seal is made between a covering film, arranged to cover said first and second openings, and said first edge, and an inner seal is made between the covering film and the second edge.