EP0887283A1 - Improved lidded container - Google Patents
Improved lidded container Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0887283A1 EP0887283A1 EP98303078A EP98303078A EP0887283A1 EP 0887283 A1 EP0887283 A1 EP 0887283A1 EP 98303078 A EP98303078 A EP 98303078A EP 98303078 A EP98303078 A EP 98303078A EP 0887283 A1 EP0887283 A1 EP 0887283A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- lid
- tray
- extension
- container according
- container
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
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Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D77/00—Packages formed by enclosing articles or materials in preformed containers, e.g. boxes, cartons, sacks or bags
- B65D77/10—Container closures formed after filling
- B65D77/20—Container closures formed after filling by applying separate lids or covers, i.e. flexible membrane or foil-like covers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2203/00—Decoration means, markings, information elements, contents indicators
Definitions
- the present invention is concerned with lidded containers, of the type wherein cooked or uncooked food may be provided, typically in quantities of the order of one or two servings, for heating in the container ready to be served.
- Lidded containers of this type may be supplied within individual cartons, which latter usually bear comprehensive details of the contents of the container and instructions regarding preparation of the contents for serving.
- individual cartons add to the weight and cost of the food packages and consume unnecessary packaging materials and it is therefore increasingly usual for the lidded container to be sold without any additional packaging.
- a typical lidded container of food may simply comprise a tray, shaped to contain the food, and a flat lid heat-sealed to close the tray.
- a lidded container is described in our prior UK Patent Specification No. 2280416.
- lidded food containers of the foregoing types which are not sold packed in individual cartons, the container itself, typically of an ovenable board, usually cannot readily bear consumer information such as details of the contents and cooking requirements of the product. Such information is readily provided upon the lid itself. However the confining of such information to the lid alone may prove disadvantageous if the lidded containers are not stored and/or displayed in a manner appropriate to their design.
- lidded containers of this type are stored and/or displayed in their normal horizontal condition in a chest freezer, which of course is accessible from the top, then the potential customer can readily select the desired product by reading the lid.
- the containers are visible mainly from the side and the potential customer cannot read the consumer information which is confined to the lid. Any attempt to display these lidded containers more effectively by stacking them on edge with the lids vertical and therefore visible from the front of the cabinet freezer is likely to be unsuccessful because the shaped sides of the containers do not lend themselves to such stacking.
- a lidded container comprising a shaped tray and a substantially flat lid sealed thereto, wherein the lid has at least one lateral extension folded downwardly in use from said lid and secured to the tray.
- Two such lateral extensions of the lid may be provided if desired, for example at opposite edges of the lid or at an adjacent side and end of the lid respectively.
- a single such extension preferably from one of the longer sides of the lid, usually suffices to meet all the requirements of the product producer, the retailer and the potential customer.
- the length of the or each lateral extension, in a direction parallel to the edge of the lid, is preferably just a little less than the length of the lid in that direction, for example between 60 per cent and 90 per cent of the length of the lid.
- the dimension of the or each extension preferably exceeds the depth of the tray and typically may be of the order of twice the tray depth.
- the or each lateral extension is folded downwardly from the lid, preferably so as to be approximately perpendicular to the plane of the lid, and is itself secured to the tray.
- the or each downwardly-extending lid extension is itself folded to enable its lower edge to be secured to the tray, for example to the underside of the tray.
- the lid itself is preferably reversibly heat-sealed to the tray to allow it to be removed readily after the contents of the tray have been heated, the or each lid extension need not be reversibly sealed in this way and may remain attached to the tray after the contents have been removed.
- lidded container In the design of the lidded container according to the present invention, details of the contents and their subsequent preparation, including an illustration of the prepared product, may be printed upon the lid itself in the usual manner. However some at least of that information, in particular such as to enable a potential customer readily to identify the contents of the container, may then be repeated upon at least one lid extension.
- the filled lidded container of the present invention When the filled lidded container of the present invention is stored and/or displayed in a cabinet-type freezer, two particular advantages of the invention are gained. First of all, if the container is stacked horizontally in the conventional way, then the contents of the container can be determined by sight of the lid extension. However the retailer may alternatively display the product stacked vertically upon its side, in which position the lid extension forms a stable base for the product.
- the illustrated product comprises a tray 10, shaped from ovenable board and containing the cooked or uncooked food.
- a lid 11 is reversibly heat-sealed in position to close the tray and seal its contents.
- the lid 11 is formed with an extension 12 from one of its longer sides. The extension is able to fold downwardly relative to the lid 11 along a fold-line 13 and then the outer half of the extension, in the form of a flap 14, can be folded along a line 15 to enable it to be heat-sealed to the base of the tray 10.
- the whole container is heated as necessary to prepare the food for serving.
- the body of the lid 11 can be lifted away from the container to allow access to its contents but the lid may remain attached to the container by virtue of the continued attachment of the flap 14.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Package Specialized In Special Use (AREA)
- Packages (AREA)
- Closures For Containers (AREA)
- Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)
Abstract
A lidded container is provided which comprises a shaped tray (10)
and a generally flat lid (11) sealed to the tray. The lid (11)
has at least one lateral extension (12) folded downwardly in use
from the lid and secured to the tray.
Description
The present invention is concerned with lidded containers, of
the type wherein cooked or uncooked food may be provided,
typically in quantities of the order of one or two servings,
for heating in the container ready to be served.
Lidded containers of this type may be supplied within
individual cartons, which latter usually bear comprehensive
details of the contents of the container and instructions
regarding preparation of the contents for serving. However
such individual cartons add to the weight and cost of the food
packages and consume unnecessary packaging materials and it is
therefore increasingly usual for the lidded container to be
sold without any additional packaging. Thus a typical lidded
container of food may simply comprise a tray, shaped to contain
the food, and a flat lid heat-sealed to close the tray. One
particularly advantageous form of such a lidded container is
described in our prior UK Patent Specification No. 2280416.
With lidded food containers of the foregoing types which are
not sold packed in individual cartons, the container itself,
typically of an ovenable board, usually cannot readily bear
consumer information such as details of the contents and
cooking requirements of the product. Such information is
readily provided upon the lid itself. However the confining
of such information to the lid alone may prove disadvantageous
if the lidded containers are not stored and/or displayed in a
manner appropriate to their design.
If lidded containers of this type are stored and/or displayed
in their normal horizontal condition in a chest freezer, which
of course is accessible from the top, then the potential
customer can readily select the desired product by reading the
lid. However if the products are similarly stacked in a
cabinet freezer of the front-opening type, then the containers
are visible mainly from the side and the potential customer
cannot read the consumer information which is confined to the
lid. Any attempt to display these lidded containers more
effectively by stacking them on edge with the lids vertical and
therefore visible from the front of the cabinet freezer is
likely to be unsuccessful because the shaped sides of the
containers do not lend themselves to such stacking.
It is an object of the present invention to reduce or eliminate
this disadvantage of currently-available lidded food
containers.
According to the present invention there is provided a lidded
container comprising a shaped tray and a substantially flat lid
sealed thereto, wherein the lid has at least one lateral
extension folded downwardly in use from said lid and secured to
the tray.
Two such lateral extensions of the lid may be provided if
desired, for example at opposite edges of the lid or at an
adjacent side and end of the lid respectively. However a
single such extension, preferably from one of the longer sides
of the lid, usually suffices to meet all the requirements of
the product producer, the retailer and the potential customer.
The length of the or each lateral extension, in a direction
parallel to the edge of the lid, is preferably just a little
less than the length of the lid in that direction, for example
between 60 per cent and 90 per cent of the length of the lid.
In a direction perpendicular to its length, the dimension of
the or each extension preferably exceeds the depth of the tray
and typically may be of the order of twice the tray depth.
The or each lateral extension is folded downwardly from the
lid, preferably so as to be approximately perpendicular to the
plane of the lid, and is itself secured to the tray. In one
preferred form of the invention, the or each downwardly-extending
lid extension is itself folded to enable its lower
edge to be secured to the tray, for example to the underside of
the tray.
While the lid itself is preferably reversibly heat-sealed to
the tray to allow it to be removed readily after the contents
of the tray have been heated, the or each lid extension need
not be reversibly sealed in this way and may remain attached to
the tray after the contents have been removed.
In the design of the lidded container according to the present
invention, details of the contents and their subsequent
preparation, including an illustration of the prepared product,
may be printed upon the lid itself in the usual manner.
However some at least of that information, in particular such
as to enable a potential customer readily to identify the
contents of the container, may then be repeated upon at least
one lid extension.
When the filled lidded container of the present invention is
stored and/or displayed in a cabinet-type freezer, two
particular advantages of the invention are gained. First of
all, if the container is stacked horizontally in the
conventional way, then the contents of the container can be
determined by sight of the lid extension. However the
retailer may alternatively display the product stacked
vertically upon its side, in which position the lid extension
forms a stable base for the product.
The invention will now be further described, by way of example
only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which
illustrate one preferred form of the improved lidded container
according to the present invention and wherein:-
The illustrated product comprises a tray 10, shaped from
ovenable board and containing the cooked or uncooked food. A
lid 11 is reversibly heat-sealed in position to close the tray
and seal its contents. The lid 11 is formed with an extension
12 from one of its longer sides. The extension is able to
fold downwardly relative to the lid 11 along a fold-line 13 and
then the outer half of the extension, in the form of a flap 14,
can be folded along a line 15 to enable it to be heat-sealed to
the base of the tray 10.
Information regarding the contents of the lidded container is
printed upon the lid itself and some of that information is
repeated upon the upright part of the extension 12. Thus the
contents of the lidded container can be identified by sight of
the product from above or from the side.
When the contents of the lidded container are subsequently to
be served, the whole container is heated as necessary to
prepare the food for serving. The body of the lid 11 can be
lifted away from the container to allow access to its contents
but the lid may remain attached to the container by virtue of
the continued attachment of the flap 14.
Claims (10)
- A lidded container comprising a shaped tray and a substantially flat lid sealed thereto, wherein the lid has at least one lateral extension folded downwardly in use from said lid and secured to the tray.
- A container according to claim 1, comprising two such lateral extensions.
- A container according to claim 2, wherein the lateral extensions are provided at opposite edges of the lid or at an adjacent side and end of the lid.
- A container according to claim 1, comprising a single such extension, preferably from one of the longer sides of the lid.
- A container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the length of the or each lateral extension, in a direction parallel to the edge of the lid, is slightly less than the length of the lid in that direction, for example between 60 per cent and 90 per cent of the length of the lid.
- A container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in a direction perpendicular to its length, the dimension of the or each extension exceeds the depth of the tray and is preferably of the order of twice the tray depth.
- A container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each lateral extension is folded in use downwardly from the lid so as to be substantially perpendicular to the plane of the lid, and is itself secured to the tray.
- A container according to claim 7, wherein the or each downwardly-extending lid extension is itself folded to enable its lower edge to be secured to the tray, for example to the underside of the tray.
- A container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lid is reversibly heat-sealed to the tray to allow it to be removed readily after the contents of the tray have been heated, and the or each lid extension is not reversibly sealed in this way and remains attached to the tray after the contents have been removed.
- A container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein details of the contents and their subsequent preparation, including an illustration of the prepared product, are printed upon the lid, and at least some of that information, in particular such as to enable a potential customer readily to identify the contents of the container, is repeated upon at least one lid extension.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB9712919A GB2326404A (en) | 1997-06-20 | 1997-06-20 | Lidded container |
GB9712919 | 1997-06-20 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0887283A1 true EP0887283A1 (en) | 1998-12-30 |
Family
ID=10814557
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP98303078A Withdrawn EP0887283A1 (en) | 1997-06-20 | 1998-04-22 | Improved lidded container |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0887283A1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB2326404A (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2413550A (en) * | 2004-04-30 | 2005-11-02 | Field Group Plc | Packaging tray having a cover sheet |
Citations (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3495758A (en) * | 1967-10-13 | 1970-02-17 | Phillips Petroleum Co | Label for containers having irregular side surfaces |
FR2078747A5 (en) * | 1970-02-19 | 1971-11-05 | Robinson E S & A Ltd | |
US4880112A (en) * | 1988-08-04 | 1989-11-14 | General Electric Company | Pet food container |
US5090615A (en) * | 1991-01-14 | 1992-02-25 | Conagra, Inc. | Container/lid assembly |
GB2280416A (en) * | 1993-07-29 | 1995-02-01 | Print Design & Graphics Limite | A heat-sealable lid |
US5421510A (en) * | 1994-06-10 | 1995-06-06 | Westvaco Corporation | Container/lid assembly for paperboard food packages which utilizes press-applied coatings as a sealing medium |
GB2306945A (en) * | 1995-11-10 | 1997-05-14 | Benson Box Ltd | Container or tray |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4962849A (en) * | 1989-10-06 | 1990-10-16 | General Mills, Inc. | Food container with lid closure having a stand feature |
US5011006A (en) * | 1989-10-06 | 1991-04-30 | General Mills, Inc. | Container with lid closure having an improved flared stand feature |
US5234159A (en) * | 1991-01-14 | 1993-08-10 | Conagra, Inc. | Container/lid assembly |
CA2167022A1 (en) * | 1995-01-17 | 1996-07-18 | Todd Hunter Huffman | Blow molded paperboard tray with near vertical sidewalls and separate lid |
-
1997
- 1997-06-20 GB GB9712919A patent/GB2326404A/en not_active Withdrawn
-
1998
- 1998-04-22 EP EP98303078A patent/EP0887283A1/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3495758A (en) * | 1967-10-13 | 1970-02-17 | Phillips Petroleum Co | Label for containers having irregular side surfaces |
FR2078747A5 (en) * | 1970-02-19 | 1971-11-05 | Robinson E S & A Ltd | |
US4880112A (en) * | 1988-08-04 | 1989-11-14 | General Electric Company | Pet food container |
US5090615A (en) * | 1991-01-14 | 1992-02-25 | Conagra, Inc. | Container/lid assembly |
GB2280416A (en) * | 1993-07-29 | 1995-02-01 | Print Design & Graphics Limite | A heat-sealable lid |
US5421510A (en) * | 1994-06-10 | 1995-06-06 | Westvaco Corporation | Container/lid assembly for paperboard food packages which utilizes press-applied coatings as a sealing medium |
GB2306945A (en) * | 1995-11-10 | 1997-05-14 | Benson Box Ltd | Container or tray |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB2326404A (en) | 1998-12-23 |
GB9712919D0 (en) | 1997-08-20 |
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Legal Events
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PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
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AK | Designated contracting states |
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AX | Request for extension of the european patent |
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17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 19990622 |
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AKX | Designation fees paid |
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17Q | First examination report despatched |
Effective date: 20000427 |
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STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN |
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18D | Application deemed to be withdrawn |
Effective date: 20000808 |